AI: Artificial Intelligence
Can I be honest? I don’t love a lot of AI. It’s obvious to me when it’s used for creating things like event posters, clickbait images, “Hollywood-destroying films,” etc. I’m concerned about it being used for faking images of real people and destroying creativity. There is a place for it to be used… in information gathering (as long as you check for accuracy) and things like special effects in movies (in limited applications). I thought I’d run a little experiment and have a few AI tools write a bio for me. The featured image was also generated with Canva’s AI using the prompt “create an image of a normal looking tired caucasian man in his mid 40s with full shaggy brown hair, beard, blue eyes, plaid flannel shirt, very slightly chubby.”
ChatGPT:
Stephen Quirk is a writer, entrepreneur, and creative thinker based in Maine. With a background spanning technology, design, and storytelling, he brings a unique perspective to his work, whether crafting compelling narratives or building innovative projects. Passionate about problem-solving and continuous improvement, Stephen applies his skills across various disciplines, always seeking ways to refine ideas and create meaningful experiences.
When he’s not working, he enjoys exploring Maine’s coastline and discovering new ways to bring creativity into everyday life. You can learn more about his work at stephenquirk.com.
Perplexity.ai:
Stephen Quirk is a multifaceted professional based in Maine, known for his contributions to the arts, technology, and community development. He is the founder of Factory Portland, a platform initially established in 2010 to support Maine’s music scene by offering services such as album design, website creation, and photography. Over time, Factory Portland evolved into a blog featuring interviews with musicians and concert reviews124.
Stephen holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Photography from the Maine College of Art and spent a semester abroad at the Burren College of Art in Ireland12. His work in photography has been published in various outlets, including GQ.com and the Portland Press Herald2.
Professionally, Stephen has worked as an Events Wrangler at Automattic, Inc., the company behind WordPress.com, from 2014 to 201812. He has also been involved with Parka LLC, contributing to content production and project management2.
Currently, Stephen serves as the Director of Operations at Reconnect, Inc., a company focused on providing technology solutions for community supervision programs5. His role leverages his background in technology and creativity to support innovative community-focused initiatives.
Stephen resides in Maine, maintaining a strong connection to his local community through his work and personal projects16.
Citations:
- https://stephenquirk.com/about/
- https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephen-quirk-a5a70152
- https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephenquirk
- https://factoryportland.com/about/
- https://reconnect.io/about-us/
- https://quirk.blog/about/
- https://quirk.blog/tag/maine/
- https://rocketreach.co/stephen-quirk-email_8788292
Google Gemini:
Stephen Quirk is a multifaceted individual residing in Maine, with a background that spans technology and the arts. A graduate of the Maine College of Art, he has significantly contributed to the local music scene through the establishment of Factory Portland, offering services ranging from album packaging to website development. His expertise extends to the tech realm, having worked in the Technology Department at his alma mater and later as an Events Wrangler at Automattic, Inc., the company behind WordPress.com. His creative endeavors also encompass explorations of gender identity. Currently, he resides in Maine.
Microsoft Copilot:
Stephen Quirk, a creative force from Maine, has made significant contributions to the arts and technology. He holds a degree from the Maine College of Art and has a diverse background that includes founding a nonprofit, managing a music blog, working in arts and education, and organizing events at Automattic. Stephen is also the creator of Factory Portland, a platform that showcases Maine’s underground music scene and artists. His passion for creativity and innovation continues to inspire those around him.
WordPress.com
Stephen Quirk is a dynamic writer, entrepreneur, and creative thinker based in Maine. With a diverse background that encompasses technology, design, and storytelling, he infuses a unique perspective into all his endeavors. Stephen is passionate about problem-solving and continuous improvement, constantly seeking innovative ways to refine ideas and create meaningful experiences.
He is the founder of Factory Portland, a platform that initially started in 2010 to support Maine’s music scene through album design, website creation, and photography. Over time, it transformed into a popular blog featuring interviews with musicians and concert reviews.
Stephen graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Photography from the Maine College of Art, where he also spent a semester abroad at the Burren College of Art in Ireland. His photography has been published in notable outlets, including GQ.com and the Portland Press Herald.
In addition to his creative pursuits, Stephen worked as an Events Wrangler at Automattic, Inc., the company behind WordPress.com, from 2014 to 2018. He has also been involved with Parka LLC, focusing on content production and project management.
Currently, he serves as the Director of Operations at Reconnect, Inc., where he leverages his technology and creativity background to support community supervision programs. Stephen lives in Maine, fostering a strong connection to his local community through both his professional and personal projects. You can learn more about his work at stephenquirk.com.
Return of Factory Portland
I’ve relaunched my old blog factoryportland.com and Instagram… check it out!
The Short Films of Robert Eggers
I recently saw Robert Eggers’ Nosferatu and The Northman. I thought I’d watch his short films, which can be found here…
John Cassavetes
A few months ago I stumbled on a YouTube account called James Whale Bake Sale. The channel features interviews with comedians, directors, and other celebrities talking about their own films or those they admire. Most of the interviews are taken from podcast appearances. I’m particularly drawn to the interviews with Bill Hader, Quentin Tarantino, Martin Scorcese, and other directors. One of the most discussed filmmakers on the channel is John Cassavetes. I’ve been aware of him for decades, between seeing his 1958 film, Shadows, back in college and repeated viewings of Rosemary’s Baby.
I spent late November and most of December watching the films he directed, wrote, or starred in… ranging from the very terrible The Incubus and Big Trouble to the highly influential Gloria, and A Woman Under the Influence, and Shadows; and television appearances on Columbo and his starring role on Johnny Staccato. Like Wes Anderson (whose Darjeeling Limited was clearly influenced by Cassavetes Husbands) often sports a troupe of regulars that includes Peter Falk, Gena Rowlands, Seymour Cassel, Timoty Carey, and Val Avery (and others).
I’m looking forward to seeing Love Streams, which I could only find on Blu-ray – most of his other films can be found on Max or Amazon Prime. I highly recommend seeking out the films he wrote and directed and would include Elaine May’s Mikey & Nicky.
| Year | Title | Status | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1959 | Shadows | Seen (1999) | 👍 |
| 1961 | Too Late Blues | ||
| 1963 | A Child Is Waiting | ||
| 1968 | Faces | Seen (2024) | 👍 |
| 1970 | Husbands | Seen (2024) | 👍 |
| 1971 | Minnie and Moskowitz | Seen (2024) | 👍 |
| 1974 | A Woman Under the Influence | Seen (2024) | 👍 |
| 1976 | The Killing of a Chinese Bookie | Seen (2024) | 👍 |
| 1977 | Opening Night | Seen (2024) | 👍 |
| 1980 | Gloria | Seen (2024) | 👍 |
| 1984 | Love Streams | To see | |
| 1986 | Big Trouble (replaced original director) | Seen (2024) | 👎 |
Other movies of note as actor
| Year | Title | Role | Status | |
| 1964 | The Killers | Johnny North | ||
| 1967 | Devil’s Angels | Cody | ||
| 1967 | The Dirty Dozen | Victor Franko | Seen (2024) | 👍 |
| 1968 | Rosemary’s Baby | Guy Woodhouse | Seen (many times) | 👍 |
| 1969 | Machine Gun McCain | Hank McCain | Seen (2024) | 👍 |
| 1976 | Mikey and Nicky | Nicky Godalin | Seen (2024) | 👍 |
| 1978 | The Fury | Ben Childress | Seen | 👍 |
| 1981 | Whose Life Is It Anyway? | Dr. Michael Emerson | ||
| 1982 | The Incubus | Sam Cordell | Seen (2024) | 👎 |
| 1982 | Tempest | Phillip Dimitrius | ||
| 1982 | The Haircut | Music Industry Executive | Seen (2024) | ❓ |
| 1983 | Marvin & Tige | Marvin Stewart | Seen (2024) | 👍 |
| 1984 | Love Streams | Robert Harmon | Blu-ray on the way! |
Maine Christmas Music
I wanted to gather a few Maine/New England Christmas songs and covers. What are some others I should know about?
Maine-ish:
John Mulaney SNL Musicals
Starting in 2018, every John Mulaney appearance on SNL has included a musical sketch—Diner Lobster was the first. For that one, most of the songs and “plot” are lifted from Les Misérables. As someone who was in musicals in high school and is not afraid to catch one here and there, I appreciate these very much. In fact, some of the shows I was in are covered here—namely Fiddler on the Roof and South Pacific. Anyway, these do a great job of showing a very meta and surreal take on life in New York, current events, and a bunch of musical numbers. Keep an eye out for Pete Davidson and other cast members laughing.
2018: Diner Lobster
2019: Bodega Bathroom
2020: New York Musical
2020: Airport Sushi
2022: Subway Churro
2024: Port Authority Duane Reade
Diner Lobster: Behind the Scenes
Bonus: John Mulaney starred and wrote (with others) in a parody of Original Cast Album: Company, a documentary about the recording of the music from the Sondheim play. I get the impression he may have been a theater kid.
Nosferatu
There are two, count them, TWO versions of Nosferatu being released this year. One is a slightly new take by Robert Eggers and the other is meant as a direct remake of the 1922 version using modern technology.
It’s an interesting story. Nosferatu was an unofficial adaptation of Bram Stoker’s novel, Dracula. So unofficial that Stoker’s widow sued the makers of the new version. There were minor changes to the story and names (for example, Count Dracula became Count Orlok), but many elements made it from page to screen.
- Werner Herzog’s 1979 version retains much of the plot from the novel and Murnau’s film. While it follows the original closely, it lacks much of the dramatic lighting and scares that made the 1922 version what it is. There are some minor changes that helped make it a fresh adaptation.
- You can see a very heavy influence the look of Francis Ford Coppola’s Bram Stoker’s Dracula, mostly through the heavy use of the vampire’s shadow.
- Shadow of the Vampire is yet another take – it portrays the actor playing Orlok in Murnau’s movie as an actual vampire.
- Both the 1979 and 2024 versions of Stephen King’s Salem’s Lot use Orlok’s look as inspiration for their main vampire (Kurt Barlow).
1922 by F.W. Murnau (full film on Vimeo)
1979 by Werner Herzog
2024 by Robert Eggers
2024 by David Lee Fisher
1992 Francis Ford Coppola
2000 by E. Elias Merhige
Twinning Peaks
This post was mostly inspired by watching an interview with Rashida Jones on Conan O’Brien’s podcast and forgetting who her mother was (and that said mother was on Twin Peaks).
Mary Jo and Emily and Zooey Claire
Russ and Amber Tamblyn
Peggy Lipton and Rashida Jones
Child’s Play
I’d never seen the Child’s Play / Chucky movies but I’ve been working on it lately! The first movie was very different from what I’d pictured – it’s a bit more grounded with the origin (if that makes sense). I never knew why Chucky was the way he was until I randonly watched the opening scene. I’m a big Brad Dourif fan (I mean Dune, Excocist III, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, etc.). These movies are a real mixed bag, but I’m enjoying the ridiculosness and am looking forward to watching the show once I’m done with the movies.
So far I’ve watched:
- Child’s Play
- Child’s Play 2
- Child’s Play 3
- Bride of Chucky
- Seed of Chucky
Stephen Quirk 