To begin.  I’ve discovered I am a seeker.  I seek for knowledge, for optimism and hope.  I seek for understanding of the invisible world that billions of people believe is waiting for them.  I have filled my head with ideas, myths, habits and drugs.  Digging deeper into some kind of understanding  -  The devil’s territory  -  But I have found this to be a conspiracy.  Or worse – a belief that has truly manifested itself in our world.  And it’s all been caused by an even greater belief that the word of god has not been tampered with for political purposes.

Not to get too far into detail, but tor example:

“When you enter the land the Lord your God is giving you, do not learn to imitate the detestable way of the nations there.  Let no one be found among you who sacrifices his son or daughter in the fire, who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead.  Anyone who does these things is detestable to the Lord, and because of these detestable practices the Lord your God will drive those nations before you.” (Deuteronomy 18:9-14).

What God would say such a thing?  My vote is a human one.  A human/god seeking specific goals.  A human/god striving for a successful conquest without the guilt which comes with the genocide and oppression placed upon the Pagans, Native Americans, Mayans, Aztecs, Aborigines and Pygmies – to name a few from every corner of the world.

But I digress – I apologize, I have just been really wrapped up in my current project.  I can’t quite explain what happened in Africa, or what exactly we filmed.  I’m beginning to scare myself.  But maybe that was my intention to begin with.  I have used film as a tool to help me seek out hidden knowledge and discover a deeper understanding of magic through indigenous cultures, sacred plants and spiritual visions/visits.   If you listen to the jungle long enough – All your senses sharpen and you fall back to a place you existed, thousands of life times ago, when you were still connected.

Why have so many forgotten how to speak to this place? Trapped and asleep to communication with the infinite “invisible” we all know is real, for we all are it.  And we’ve decided to express this through belief and imagination and unfortunately, fear of this “invisible” we all are.

I suppose my two new films (One on Dharma Sangha and the other on the African culture, Bwiti and their sacred plant Iboga) are becoming more of my own personal exegesis on holy texts and master mythologies than “entertainment”.  I don’t know if this is a good thing or not.  I leave myself open to whatever magnetism I am being pulled toward.

When the messiah comes (again?), he/she will probably be a plant.  For that is all that will be left, unless we get our act together, right now.  We’re all together on this floating symbolic presence.  Whether we want to acknowledge it or not, we are a multi-cultural/multidimensional existence.  Separate from God only because the majority of us have said we are.  In fact, in one of the original renditions of the Eden creation myth, Adam and Eve kick God out of the Garden!  That symbolism seems to make much more sense to me.  It is through this disconnection from the symbolic “God”, we have disconnected from each other and especially from the ancient indigenous cultures we can do nothing but learn from.

I plan to update more often as I push (Or am I being pulled?) forward.  I would like to personally thank my friend Cody Peterson for creating this new website design.  This site has now become something much more interesting and intriguing for me to be a part of.  HA!  Thank you so much Cody.

Also, my solo project InDreama is opening for Melt Banana on Oct. 10th in Omaha.  I rejoice!

Here is the new video I directed for Bright Eyes – Shell Games.  Shot on Super 16mm by Sean Kirby!

WATCH IT HERE

Also, the band I have with Derek Pressnall received its first write up.

READ IT HERE

The InDreama record releases in May on Slumberparty Records.  Time to tour then make a new film!  Busy year ahead.

BUT!!!!!! –  In the meantime I’ve been working with Bright Eyes again on a new music video and a streaming record single shot video for youtube.

1. Single shot streaming record for youtube. Enjoy the record.  I think it’s fucking amazing.  Dig deep into it.

2. Official Music Video for Shell Games – Coming Soon in the next few weeks.

Working on a split 7 inch in Omaha this month to release in April.  InDreama record releases in May on Slumberparty records.  Gotta shoot a music video and get on a tour.  I also want to start shooting a new feature this summer.

Send me positive vibes about this Spirit Award thing coming up and I can’t wait to share this new web concept some omaha friends and I  are coming up with.

Stay tuned!

Nik

As a present to all my friends, I got together with my friend Sam and directed my first music video in 2 years!

Filmed minutes before midnight – Dec. 31, 2010 and Jan. 1, 2011

Omaha, NE

WATCH ON YOUTUBE HERE

(Please watch in HD)

FULL STILL GALLERY HERE

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2011!!!

Nik

“The Love and Fear of a 2011 struggling artist”

By: Nik Fackler

I have had a growing fear in me: That this burden of constant stress will finally cave and I’ll be left with nothing but the fear I was afraid of 25 words back. (Did you check?) I’ve dedicated 15 years of my life to learning no other skills besides how to efficiently create things and let go of my grasp of reality slightly to do so honestly. To start over now and fall into any other field besides artistry would really be disheartening. No, there is no turning back as I move slowly into what looks to be a very dim, but somehow beautiful, transformation of our economic culture. I’m at a point of make or break now as I, choosing artistry as my career, may not have a chance in the near future to make any money from it at all. The flop and balance being that any person creating for purely capitalist reasons will be weeded out. This is that loosening of the mainstream we’ve all been so eager for. But then what would we have to complain about?

About a year ago I decided that in order for me to efficiently “Give myself” to my work and succeed fiscally and with my honor intact I must stop working as a waiter at my parents’ diner and solely give myself to my career as an artist. I was to eliminate as many monthly bills as I could, live from couch to couch and only take in money from my art — which was to force me to work harder and begin my next project(s) faster. So I quit my job, put two braids in my hair and moved out of my house. My only monthly bill was my phone bill. Each braid was to represent a project I was to accomplish and upon that accomplishment I would cut off the braid. A constant fire under my ass to complete my goals — both a sigil and an extremely annoying reminder of how much time I’m taking.

So here I sit typing — one year later. Both braids are still intact and are now twice as long. I hate them. I have learned to only really buy food and have easily found a way to be happy not receiving the seductive comfort of buying stuff. I’ve realized I have been on an immense cleanse from the capitalist cultural schematic and the result is a lot of pressure and stress. I have had to borrow a lot of money from very supportive friends who believe in me. I happily accepted and am in a state of gratuity for all of them — this has only made me work harder in order to pay them back for their support. But the stress can sometimes feel too much. I never want others to feel I am using them and I don’t like the guilt I feel not “Making things happen” fast enough. Film especially has it’s own way of teaching even the most impatient how to sit down and deal with it. It can be torture.

That being said:
I have had a growing love in me: That this constant feeling of pure emotion I experience as I give myself to something which feels impossible, will help to create the bravery I must pretend to have until it’s as real as the word 38 words ago. (Did you check this time?) (Doubt it. HA! I made you trust.) I have nothing but pure intentions with what I make and the act of creation is the only connection I have truly found which connects me to a spirit that I have no explanation for. I suppose the first human experience was a “feeling” and we’ve been chasing it ever since. How do we feel something new? Jump from an airplane? Shoot a gun? Fall in Love? Find God? How do we converse with a world we are so different from (which is the precise reason why our diverse existence is so beautiful)?

When I was 18 I used to scream as loud as I could about wanting to change the world and I’ve realized now that I already have. And so have you. It is the act of how you interact and the attention you give to the world which changes it. There is something infinite in each of us and we all have different diverse ways of reaching it. For me it is creating and giving myself away to that creation — all with a hope of connecting in a way I never dreamed possible until I gave attention to it. Within the act of using an imagination is my reason for understanding why I must “be”. Nothing else has stolen its priority in my life.

This is my balance. Typing here — one year later — two dirty braids under my left ear and a growing fear of capitalist culture eventually gobbling me up before I have a chance to make whatever money I can from an industry going through its own personal moment of Shiva (-phew-). 2011 is going to be such an interesting experience. I have 6 feature films written and ready to go. It’s taken me all of this year to write and organize each of the projects and they are now ready to begin their own personal journeys into the world of financing. I (with my band InDreama) have begun playing shows to support the record I finished this year while traveling on the road. A tour is needed and that is my next step to moving forward with creating new feelings and experiences through sound.

These braids will be cut — I have no doubt about it and when they are I will sleep well at night. Not only because I will be able to sleep on my left side again, but because I will again see the example of my love beating my fear and I know no other truth will ever sing a lullaby so beautifully into the ears of the word 1155 words back. (HAHAHAHA TRY ME!)

DOWNLOAD IT HERE

Great new music from Atlas Sound, Brainworlds, Coyote Bones, Old King Cole, Hollow Stars, Moonbaby (Kianna from Tilly) and more.  My solo project InDreama also has a song on the comp.

You can download a high quality version of the song here.

Man, I love Christmas time.  Not so much the capitalist agenda or even the christian mythology driving it.  I actually love the Santa mythology.  This magical deity children are told stories about around the fire.  He lives in an ice kingdom and flies through the air with magical reindeer.  He employs psychedelic elves to make his toys.  Myth is so important for children and I think this may be one of the last remaining in American culture that kids actually believe in (Until a certain age).

I read some interesting information about a possible shamanic origin to the Santa myth as well.  I will quote a few select parts from the site located here.

“Although most people see Christmas as a Christian holiday, most of the symbols and icons we associate with Christmas celebrations are actually derived from the shamanistic traditions of the tribal peoples of pre-Christian Northern Europe.

The sacred mushroom of these people was the red and white amanita muscaria mushroom, also known as “fly agaric.”

Reindeer were the sacred animals of these semi-nomadic people, as the reindeer provided food, shelter, clothing and other necessities. Reindeer are also fond of eating the amanita mushrooms; they will seek them out, then prance about while under their influence.

When it was time to go out and harvest the magical mushrooms, the ancient shamans would dress much like Santa, wearing red and white fur-trimmed coats and long black boots.  Santa’s famous magical journey, where his sleigh takes him around the whole planet in a single night, is developed from the “heavenly chariot,” used by the gods from whom Santa and other shamanic figures are descended. The chariot of Odin, Thor and even the Egyptian god Osiris is now known as the Big Dipper, which circles around the North Star in a 24-hour period.

In different versions of the ancient story, the chariot was pulled by reindeer or horses. As the animals grow exhausted, their mingled spit and blood falls to the ground, forming the amanita mushrooms.”

Pretty interesting stuff!  Well anyways!  MERRY CHRISTMAS!  I have 5 films I want to make over the next 5 years.  I plan on quitting facebook soon and solely updating this blog.  I’ll make an announcement when that happens.

HO! HO! HO!

]]> http://nikfackler.com/2010/12/happy-holidays-2/feed/ 0 http://nikfackler.com/2010/11/spirit-award-nomination-2/ http://nikfackler.com/2010/11/spirit-award-nomination-2/#comments Tue, 30 Nov 2010 20:50:46 +0000 admin http://www.nikfackler.com/?p=474 Hey!  I got a Spirit Award nomination for best First Screenplay.

CHECK IT OUT

I have spent the day being very happy an excited.  I went to the shoe store and my friend Bauza purchased me new shoes.  I at once had the revelation “Holy shit… I am an Adidas guy.”  I never knew!  I’m so fucking stoked to be nominated for something I was truly not expecting at all.  ALSO – I cross my fingers that this will also  get Lovely, Still into mass consciousness and more people check out the film:

RIGHT HERE ON NETFLIX INSTANT WATCH

OR BUY AT AMAZON

I also feel very proud and humbled to have had my friends, with all who I love and all who are my family.  My tribe.  All who have stood by me as I locked myself in rooms and basements writing and day dreaming.  I love you all.  Let’s get drunk and go sledding soon.

IckyBlossoms is a fucking rad band I’ve been playing lead and writing songs in collaboration with for the last year.  It is a fun band.  I throw my neck out a lot and bleed.   The music creation project of this band tends to be more melodic and dancy new rave stuff.

InDreama is my solo record.  I just finished mastering it and it releases next year.  There are some songs up in the music page.  The music creation project of this band is more experimentation and production driven.

Happy Thanksgiving.  I just finished a new script.  I gotta go find money and support now.

Wow!  I think my last post had a tone of darkness.  So I’m gonna make up for it!

Holy shit!  So many people have been able to see Lovely, Still now because of freakin’ netflix instant watch.  I never put that together until now.  Total mass instant audience.  ”Hey lady checking me out at Bakers – Check out my film on instant watch” – “Hey weirdo travel kid – Check out my movie on your expensive macbook you somehow have”.  ITS GREAT!!!

I need to realize that big mainstream theater distribution is dead.  People would much rather watch on their computers.  That is this generation’s choice of experience (Probably due to the inflated prices of the movie theaters and just excitement over new technology.  Oh yes!  And extreme laziness and fear of what is outside the safety of suburban walls) and by god, maybe I’ll keep that in mind on my next three films I want to make.

We begin the spread and begin the journey of financing of theNew3 in January. So Im gonna spend this month writing music.  SEE!!!!!!!

Check out the new band I’ve been writing songs and playing lead in.

And Check out my Solo Project!

Much love!  Omaha is snowing.  LA isn’t.  But I’ll back soon for more love and cold and Christmas presents!