The Mirror

Strap in for a massive episode - in Episode 7 I'm joined by my good friends Erick Flores and Jaden Joslin from the band Native Tongue, consummate gamers both, to delve even deeper into CD Projekt Red's 'Cyberpunk 2077'. We chat about the actual experience of playing the game from its earliest release, as well as discussing the production of it through the lens of the current gaming industry, which has a lot in common and shares a lot of the same problems as the mainstream film industry, and the cultural industries at large. We cover the game's strengths as a work, the challenges of birthing such a juggernaut into the current culture that is both trying to be an open world RPG and tell a compelling story, and opine for what we specifically look for in games and cinema that our hegemonic culture seems to completely lack. This was an exciting episode to record as we touch on a range of subjects relating to the production of contemporary art, including the film 'Parasite' by Bong Joon-Ho and its resonance with Western audiences, the shift in the gaming industry from strong storytelling and artistry to the games-as-a-service model that relies on DLC and has heralded the death of complete projects, as well as the impact of Japanese video game auteurs like Hidetaka Miyazaki and his 'Dark Souls' series, and Shinji Mikami and his horror series 'The Evil Within'.

Check out Native Tongue's latest song and music video 'Buffering', directed by yours truly: Buffering - Music Video

Support the project at www.justinreid.com.au/support.

Become a sustaining member, and support independent art and film for as little as $40 a year.

The Mirror looks at cultural production through a critical and philosophical lens, emphasising the importance of historical understanding, deep reflection, and true situational awareness for developing higher levels of craftsmanship and discipline in artistic practice.

Episode Links:

• Buffering - Native Tongue (Music Video)
• Evolution of a Filipino Family - Lav Diaz (Available on MUBI)
• Il Maestro - Martin Scorsese (Essay)
• itch.io - Independent Video Game Platform/Community
• The Engoodening of No Man's Sky - Internet Historian (Video Essay)
• Lars Von Trier Interview: The Burden from Donald Duck

Artworks Mentioned:

Video Games

• Cyberpunk 2077
• The Witcher 3
• Dark Souls
• Demon Souls
• Mass Effect
• Fable: Anniversary Series
• Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic
• Until Dawn
• Red Dead Redemption 2
• Final Fantasy 7
• Resident Evil 1,2,3,4,6,7
• Resident Evil: Code Veronica
• The Evil Within
• DOOM 3
• ANTHEM
• Fortnite
• Fight Crab
• The Avengers
• Destiny 2
• Dead Space
• The Darkness
• Dante's Inferno
• Asura's Wrath
• The Last of Us
• Super Meat Boy
• Hollow Knight
• Maneater
• Shenmue 3
• Mighty No. 9
• Assasin's Creed
• Rainbow Six: Siege
• Far Cry
• Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice
• Call of Duty
• DOOM Eternal
• Resident Evil 8: Village

Films and Television Series

• Evolution of a Filipino Family - Lav Diaz
• Parasite - Bong Joon-Ho
• The Revenant - Alejandro González Iñárritu
• Marriage Story - Noah Baumbach
• Breaking Bad + Better Call Saul - Vince Gilligan
• Star Wars: Sequel Series - JJ Abrams, Rian Johnson
• Spawn - Mark A.Z. Dippé
• Joker - Todd Phillips
• Zodiac - David Fincher
• Pan's Labyrinth - Guillermo del Toro
• The Shape of Water - Guillermo del Toro
• Thor: Ragnarok - Taika Waititi
• Wonder Woman: 1984 - Patty Jenkins
• Tenet - Christopher Nolan

Subscribe to my YouTube channel for full episodes and exclusive segments featuring original, meditative imagery: Justin Reid - YouTube

Become a sustaining member and support the creation of compelling works of art and film, while receiving a range of great benefits, including:

• Access to exclusive films, artworks and behind the scenes material on my Membership platform that you can't experience anywhere else
• A 10% discount across my store, including all of the premium films I produce, and
• Higher tier subscribers even get free access to all of my premium films before anyone else

Sign up now at www.justinreid.com.au/support.

The Mirror Theme is written, produced and performed by Annalisa Vetrugno, with drums contributed by Giacomo Greco.

You can find their work here:

Annalisa Vetrugno - Commissions | Instagram

Giacomo Greco - Instagram

View my portfolio, get in touch or enquire about commissions via my website: www.justinreid.com.au

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In Episode 6 of The Mirror, I examine the role of the audience in contemporary art creation, through the lens of CD Projekt Red's behemoth video game 'Cyberpunk 2077' - and all the fallout of its release, failure to live up to the expectations of its marketing and PR, and how it won't be remembered as the flawed yet potentially brilliant work that it is. With the game as a starting off point, I explore the ways that we as artists also fall into similar traps as do giant companies when creating and promoting our work, and trap our with a deep fear of how our work will be perceived - leading to dishonest representations of our work. By trying to please everyone, we end up pleasing no one, and create work that is less impactful, less enjoyable and with less to say - so I hypothesise a way of viewing your work, through honesty, self-awareness and the ultimate way to respect your audience.

Support the project at www.justinreid.com.au/support.

Become a sustaining member, and support independent art and film for as little as $40 a year.

The Mirror looks at cultural production through a critical and philosophical lens, emphasising the importance of historical understanding, deep reflection, and true situational awareness for developing higher levels of craftsmanship and discipline in artistic practice.

Episode Links:

• David Bowie - Never play to the gallery
• Cyberpunk 2077 - An open minded review - NeverKnowsBest
• Gone Home - Video Game (Trailer)
• The Art of Editing and Suicide Squad - Folding Ideas
• Stalker - Andrei Tarkovsky (Full Movie)

Subscribe to my YouTube channel for full episodes and exclusive segments featuring original, meditative imagery: Justin Reid - YouTube

Become a sustaining member and support the creation of compelling works of art and film, while receiving a range of great benefits, including:

• Access to exclusive films, artworks and behind the scenes material on my Membership platform that you can't experience anywhere else
• A 10% discount across my store, including all of the premium films I produce, and
• Higher tier subscribers even get free access to all of my premium films before anyone else

Sign up now at www.justinreid.com.au/support.

The Mirror Theme is written, produced and performed by Annalisa Vetrugno, with drums contributed by Giacomo Greco.

You can find their work here:

Annalisa Vetrugno - Commissions | Instagram

Giacomo Greco - Instagram

View my portfolio, get in touch or enquire about commissions via my website: www.justinreid.com.au

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Recorded on an intimate rainy day in North Queensland, Episode 5 involves a freewheeling series of updates on current projects, musings on my plans for the future, as well as reflections on some films I viewed recently that resonated with me, including Gaspar Noé's 'Love', and Ridley Scott's 'Alien'. I touch on the masterful ways these films employ the artifice of cinema, both provocatively and subtly, as well as discussing the many different forms that cinema takes, from the maximalist Hollywood approach, to the slow and artful expressions of mundane stories.

Support the project at www.justinreid.com.au/support.

Become a sustaining member, and support independent art and film for as little as $40 a year.

The Mirror looks at cultural production through a critical and philosophical lens, emphasising the importance of historical understanding, deep reflection, and true situational awareness for developing higher levels of craftsmanship and discipline in artistic practice.

Episode Links:

• Love - Gaspar Noé (Trailer)
• Alien - Ridley Scott (Trailer)

Subscribe to my YouTube channel for full episodes and exclusive segments featuring original, meditative imagery: Justin Reid - YouTube

Become a sustaining member and support the creation of compelling works of art and film, while receiving a range of great benefits, including:

• Access to exclusive films, artworks and behind the scenes material on my Membership platform that you can't experience anywhere else
• A 10% discount across my store, including all of the premium films I produce, and
• Higher tier subscribers even get free access to all of my premium films before anyone else

Sign up now at www.justinreid.com.au/support.

The Mirror Theme is written, produced and performed by Annalisa Vetrugno, with drums contributed by Giacomo Greco.

You can find their work here:

Annalisa Vetrugno - Commissions | Instagram

Giacomo Greco - Instagram

View my portfolio, get in touch or enquire about commissions via my website: www.justinreid.com.au

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Why do our best ideas always seem to come at the unlikeliest of times? How can we tell which ideas are truly worth listening to? Whether we're in the shower, driving to work or in bed unable to sleep at 3am, how can we create a life where we can capture these ideas that strike? In Episode 4 of The Mirror, I talk about my own experiences with this, about fighting pragmatism with your emotional instincts, and how often an idea that has been gestating in my subconscious hits me, and takes me in a direction I did not expect. I offer suggestions on how we can create a life built around allowing ideas to come, and being able to tell which ideas feel worthwhile pursuing.

Support the project at www.justinreid.com.au/support.

Become a sustaining member, and support independent art and film for as little as $40 a year.

The Mirror looks at cultural production through a critical and philosophical lens, emphasising the importance of historical understanding, deep reflection, and true situational awareness for developing higher levels of craftsmanship and discipline in artistic practice.

Episode Links:

• David Lynch in Conversation - QAGOMA
• David Lynch - The Art Life (Clip)
• Pollinate - Justin Reid (Artwork)
• This Jungian Life - Creative Depression (E19)

Subscribe to my YouTube channel for full episodes and exclusive segments featuring original, meditative imagery: Justin Reid - YouTube

Become a sustaining member and support the creation of compelling works of art and film, while receiving a range of great benefits, including:

• Access to exclusive films, artworks and behind the scenes material on my Membership platform that you can't experience anywhere else
• A 10% discount across my store, including all of the premium films I produce, and
• Higher tier subscribers even get free access to all of my premium films before anyone else

Sign up now at www.justinreid.com.au/support.

The Mirror Theme is written, produced and performed by Annalisa Vetrugno, with drums contributed by Giacomo Greco.

You can find their work here:

Annalisa Vetrugno - Commissions | Instagram

Giacomo Greco - Instagram

View my portfolio, get in touch or enquire about commissions via my website: www.justinreid.com.au

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In Episode 3 of The Mirror, I delve into the relationship between discipline and creative freedom in our artistic practice, highlighting the limits of “hard work” and hustle culture, and looking towards a healthier approach at developing your craft by following the threads that feel right to you. Importantly, I work towards uncovering what freedom even really means in our art production, and how near impossible it has become for creative freedom and commercial goals to be aligned. 

Support the project at www.justinreid.com.au/support.

For a limited time only, the first 20 people who sign up can save 10% with the promo code THEMIRROR at checkout. Support independent art and film for just $36 for the first year.

The Mirror looks at cultural production through a critical and philosophical lens, emphasising the importance of historical understanding, deep reflection, and true situational awareness for developing higher levels of craftsmanship and discipline in artistic practice.

Episode Links:

• Terra Grimard - Documentary
• Trapped Under Plastic - Miniature Painting Podcast
• Cinema Cartography - How To Elevate Yourself Through Art

Subscribe to my YouTube channel for full episodes and exclusive segments featuring original, meditative imagery: Justin Reid - YouTube

Become a sustaining member and support the creation of compelling works of art and film, while receiving a range of great benefits, including:

• Access to exclusive films, artworks and behind the scenes material on my Membership platform that you can't experience anywhere else
• A 10% discount across my store, including all of the premium films I produce, and
• Higher tier subscribers even get free access to all of my premium films before anyone else

Sign up now at www.justinreid.com.au/support with promo code THEMIRROR.

The Mirror Theme is written, produced and performed by Annalisa Vetrugno, with drums contributed by Giacomo Greco.

You can find their work here:

Annalisa Vetrugno - Commissions | Instagram

Giacomo Greco - Instagram

View my portfolio, get in touch or enquire about commissions via my website: www.justinreid.com.au

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In Episode 2 of The Mirror, I discuss the ways in which social media and online content platforms have shaped the way we approach creating art, before we even put pen to paper or paint to canvas. I posit a new way forward, by disconnecting from the online space and finding more meaningful expressions and outlets for our art, through mastery and making time for boredom.

Support the project at www.justinreid.com.au/support.

For a limited time only, the first 20 people who sign up can save 10% with the promo code THEMIRROR at checkout. Support independent art and film for just $36 for the first year.

The Mirror looks at cultural production through a critical and philosophical lens, emphasising the importance of historical understanding, deep reflection, and true situational awareness for developing higher levels of craftsmanship and discipline in artistic practice.

Episode Links:

• Reunion - Justin Reid (Cloud Installation)

Subscribe to my YouTube channel for full episodes and exclusive segments featuring original, meditative imagery: Justin Reid - YouTube

Become a sustaining member and support the creation of compelling works of art and film, while receiving a range of great benefits, including:

• Access to exclusive films, artworks and behind the scenes material on my Membership platform that you can't experience anywhere else
• A 10% discount across my store, including all of the premium films I produce, and
• Higher tier subscribers even get free access to all of my premium films before anyone else

Sign up now at www.justinreid.com.au/support with promo code THEMIRROR.

The Mirror Theme is written, produced and performed by Annalisa Vetrugno, with drums contributed by Giacomo Greco.

You can find their work here:

Annalisa Vetrugno - Commissions | Instagram

Giacomo Greco - Instagram

View my portfolio, get in touch or enquire about commissions via my website: www.justinreid.com.au

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to Episode 1 of The Mirror - a meditative series of audio journals reflecting on the creation of contemporary art and cinema, hosted by filmmaker Justin Reid. In the first episode, I lay the foundations of the project, casting a look back at the year that was 2020, and the new path I've forged from its ashes. I discuss the commercialisation of art, the relationship between social media and my arts practice, and sketch out my vision for finding meaning not only in your creative work, but in your life beyond.

Support the project at www.justinreid.com.au/support.

For a limited time only, the first 20 people who sign up can save 10% with the promo code THEMIRROR at checkout. Support independent art and film for just $36 for the first year.

The Mirror looks at cultural production through a critical and philosophical lens, emphasising the importance of historical understanding, deep reflection, and true situational awareness for developing higher levels of craftsmanship and discipline in artistic practice.

Episode Links:

• Cinema Cartography - The Greatest Directors You Don't Know
• Cinema Cartography - The Internet Problem
• MUBI - Discover Wonderful, Hand-Picked Cinema
• Stalker - Andrei Tarkovsky (1979) - Complete Film

Subscribe to my YouTube channel for full episodes and exclusive segments featuring original, meditative imagery: Justin Reid - YouTube

Become a sustaining member and support the creation of compelling works of art and film, while receiving a range of great benefits, including:

• Access to exclusive films, artworks and behind the scenes material on my Membership platform that you can't experience anywhere else
• A 10% discount across my store, including all of the premium films I produce, and
• Higher tier subscribers even get free access to all of my premium films before anyone else

Sign up now at www.justinreid.com.au/support with promo code THEMIRROR.

The Mirror Theme is written, produced and performed by Annalisa Vetrugno, with drums contributed by Giacomo Greco.

You can find their work here:

Annalisa Vetrugno - Commissions | Instagram

Giacomo Greco - Instagram

View my portfolio, get in touch or enquire about commissions via my website: www.justinreid.com.au

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Mirror is a meditative series of audio journals reflecting on the creation of contemporary art and cinema, hosted by filmmaker Justin Reid.

The Mirror looks at cultural production through a critical and philosophical lens, emphasising the importance of historical understanding, deep reflection, and true situational awareness for developing higher levels of craftsmanship and discipline in artistic practice.

Support the project at www.justinreid.com.au/support

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.