Even the best laid plans etc. etc...

limn(53)

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I try not to make plans. Because, even the best laid plans etc. etc...
— Brent Spiner

TL;DR ➡ ➡ Link to "HIVE Reactor Core : CCC"
This is a lesson about learning to let go and not become invested in the outcomes.

One of the very first ideas I had for a series on NFT Showroom was a high concept/riddle series I created called "HIVE Reactor Corps Ltd".

"HIVE Reactor Corps Ltd" Concept Overview

The "HIVE Blockchain" is powered by a series of "Reactor Cores" that are geographically dispersed around the planet. There are 10 of these Cores.
The "Corps" in "HIVE Reactor Corps Ltd" is a play on both the pronunciation of "Cores" and alludes to the idea that the "Cores" are maintained by a "Corps" of blockchain engineers (Witnesses).
In addition to receiving a 4K version of the Core video, the Collector would also receive a personalized Membership Card, customized for each Reactor Core. (example below)
Each of the 10 Core's IDs are a clue to the "through line" that conceptually connects them all. That connection was going to be that all 10 Core's names were simply encoded and named for SciFi-Fantasy-Space movies/tv shows with Numbers in their Titles. These were going to be the 10 Cores. Additionally, each Core graphic had a "quote" in the lower right from that movie. A Google search for the quote could help provide the decoded name of that Reactor.
Here are the 10 Reactors, their movie/tv show, and the quote
- Reactor 12M (12 Monkeys, "You're here because of the system.")
- Reactor 28DL (28 Days Later, "Do you think they saw us this time?")
- Reactor A13 (Apollo 13, "To the moon...")
- Reactor CCC (300, "Prepare for glory!")
- Reactor D9 (District 9, "We can't go home. Not anymore.")
- Reactor DS9 (Deep Space 9, "The prophets teach us patience.")
- Reactor IaN4 (I Am Number Four, "You have no idea what I'm capable of.")
- Reactor Spr8 (Super 8, "Let's hug before the monster comes back.")
- Reactor T-X (Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines, "What could possibly go wrong?")
- Reactor t5E (The Fifth Element, "Anyone else want to negotiate?")
Each Reactor would have a custom created video/animation of the "Reactor Core" along with custom soundtrack that I would create in GarageBand.

Personalized Membership Card

Each Collector would receive a personalized Membership Card with their HIVE Username and Avatar.

Timeframe and Development

It took me weeks to work out the idea, concept, and begin to build the graphics, videos, and first soundtrack.

For some reason, I decided to start with "Reactor CCC" and developed a pulsating, infinitely looping video and soundtrack.

HIVE Reactor Core : CCC

(Please click here to view the MP4 and custom soundtrack as the following GIF may not animate and has no audio. 😊)

Debut on NFT Showroom...

I was so excited to mint this "conceptual riddle" as I had not seen anything like it on NFT Showroom...or any of the NFT Platforms.

I don't consider all the Punks and Apes and Cards/Games to be conceptual. They're collectibles. And I've never been into collectible or collecting things just for the sake of collecting. And I’m not a gamer and really don't get the idea of the Card Games that are popular on the NFT Platforms. But I like puzzles and riddles and concepts and things that make you think.

And... Crickets...

I don't know if it was the artwork, the concept, my failure at marketing, etc... Whatever it was, the "Reactor CCC" was met with pretty much no response at all...

So after a few days I had the idea to "gift" editions to those in the HIVE Community who had been supportive and helped me to that point. A couple of the recipients followed up with very nice messages, which was great and very much appreciated. One even replied that they would like the Personalized Membership Card!

A couple weeks later it just happened to be HIVE's 1st birthday. I took the opportunity to slice the price by 50% and announced that 30% of sales would go to purchase artwork from other Artists on NFT Showroom.

But... I ended up adding HIVE to my wallet and spending over 200% of the 3 resulting sales on Artwork from the NFT Showroom community.

Current Core State

After weeks of work, around an idea and concept that I really liked, it felt like the air was just sucked out of the room. There was no interest in the remaining 3 editions of "Reactor CCC" as more Punks, Apes, Devil Women, Astronauts, and Bald Mannequins seemed to be flooding the Platforms.

I was very surprised to find I had no energy or interest left to pursue the weeks of work it would take to generate the videos and audio soundtracks for the remaining 9 Reactors.

So... This has been a great exercise in letting go of the outcomes and being able to notice where the energy is, and isn't, and not continue to push a project that is no longer enjoyable.

Generally when I get to the point where a physical painting isn't working, no matter what I do, I have no problem just applying a fresh coat of gesso over the entire canvas/panel and starting again (much to the horror of my other Artist friends.)

Now I'm learning a similar approach in the NFT space. Even though I've been creating digital work for almost 12 years, there was never a market for it and so everything was created simply for the joy of creation and experimenting. Once it was no longer interesting, I just moved on to the next project.

The exercise now, even though there now IS a market for digital work, is to maintain that same distance from the result and concentrate on the joy of creation and experimentation and not become invested in the outcome.

Cheers,
-limn

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