While you were checking your text messages artist Vim Crony probably finished editing a music video, drew new characters for his comic book and maybe even wrote a new song.

So maybe you should put down the phone and read about the man whose work will be feature on L.A.’s Got Talent Video Matinee Show this Saturday August 13.

I sat down and talked to him about his sci-fi influences, crazy people in L.A. and where he sees his films heading.

“School of Punk Rock.” That’s Vim Crony, no matter medium he works in.

What made you go into film?
I have been drawing since I was super little, like three years old. I just love images of things and stuff, and you know cartoons. My love for drawing led to cartoons, which led to filmmaking.

What are some of your influences?
I would say rock and roll, punk rock, science fiction, and fantasy. Especially science fiction and fantasy that is also influence by punk rock. Cyber punk. And I really like underground dirty stuff. The horror genre has also been a big influence.

Looking back I noticed that a lot of the horror movies I watched when I was young were science fiction based. The writers Dwayne McDuffie and Octavia Butler have played a huge influence on me as well.

How did you start making music videos? Did it grow out of filming live shows?
Ever since I was 14yrs old I been filming live shows. Actually when I was like 12 years old my mom got a VHS-C camera and I started making short little films of things. I even have a horror movie where my mom is running around with a steak knife and being paranoid all “Twilight Zone” style.  Eventually I started bringing a camera to punk shows and filming bands. Shooting live shows transition into doing documentary, and that into music videos.

But music videos are not where I want to stay. There are some narratives that I would like to turn into feature length films. However, I still love drawing and comic books. I love making music, installations, sculpting, and painting. I love industrial music. I love punk rock. I love talking to people. I love everything so I want to do everything.

What is it that you still want to achieve with music videos?
I would like to get more surreal with my videos. I feel like I done a good amount of videos but they all have been pretty straightforward. It’s the standard: band playing, cut to the story, back to band playing. I want to use narrative more, evoke some emotions, and create cool images.

One of my favorite music videos that you have done recently is The Terrapin’s “Birthday Cake”. The video was shot beautifully and you can definitely see your film going more into that direction…
I feel like I am getting there with that one but I am not quite there. And you know there are things like budget, and there was hardly any budget for that video. And there is time and I guerrilla styled rushed that video so fast. We shot that video in what felt like a few hours.

I know you are from Bakersfield, and grew up in Las Vegas. How do you think living in Long Beach and working in L.A. has influenced your work?
One thing I noticed recently is that I am trying to retain stories better in my head. I feel that being here has made me a better storyteller. There are so many crazy people out here that a lot of ideas come from the daily commute especially now that I am doing comics. I have ideas for days.

Talking about comic books, what made you want to do the children’s coloring comic book “Empowered: Champions of Legacy”? Why was it important for you to create a comic book with characters that are “African American, Afro-Latino, and even people of color from other planets and dimensions”?
I just decided to sit down for a month and just draw super heroes. Every night I was drawing characters.  The idea to just make them people of color was just like fuck…there are all these super hero movies, and comic book stuff that has blown up within the past five years and I still don’t see black super heroes? I don’t see brown women flying around and that’s is so fucking dumb. I’m just done being upset over it. I can draw and do something about it instead of complaining.

Also teaching high school and junior high has made see that we need to instill ideas and images of positive role models way earlier. I just want kids to have the opportunity to color a black super hero. I never had that. I really had to search for stuff like that.

After reading it my first thought was: is there going to be a part two?
I want to. Maybe in the next one they will have a gigantic evil space villain and they have to team up together to fight it. So yeah there are more books to come and maybe more mature stuff later on.  I feel this one is so accessible to anyone that I just wanted to have fun and make a comic book.

Get Vim Crony’s coloring comic book, Empowered: Champions of Legacy, at VimCrony.com

Don’t miss the screenings this Saturday:

VIDEO MATINEE
SAT 8/13 1pm-6pm FREE:

Image: Sam Lubicz + Liam Morrison

The best new videos from L.A.!

FULL SCHEDULE:

•1pm Doors / Intro to the video programs by Sean C.

•1:10pm Best of Vim Crony program
Anus Kings – “Sheep”
Bastidas – “Hue”
Hanin Elias – “Do You Know!!!”
Images – “Frustration”
Lazy Mary – “Hangnail”
My Life With The Thrill Kill Kult – “Invasion”
New Bloods – “Doubles”
Ravens Moreland – “Shadows of the Night”
The Terrapin – “Birth Cake”
Miss Chain & The Broken Heels – “Flamingo”
Weekend Warrior – “Salt of the Earth”

•1:40pm Best of Vice Cooler with Who Ate My Teeth
Signals – “What Dreams”
Frankie Rose & the Outs – “Candy”
KIT – “Ambrosia”
Cerebral Ballzy – “Junky for Her”
Peaches – “Mud”
Male Bonding – “Years Not Long”

•2:10pm “Turbo Tookie Time” by Tookie Binky & Melvin Butel

•2:20pm Static Age video program
Created by Octavius Poirier & Gary Sarkassian, and Gregg Luvox
Starring Sneeze Mist, Melt Banana, The Make Up, Archers of Loaf, more.

•2:40pm Videos by Angelica Meng
“Cybergoth and Sculdy in Wow Techno Dance”
I.E. “Party in the 909”
E&E “Tie Your Shoes”
“Cal Update”
“Cat Magic Cat Cafe”
“Legs”

•3pm Break

•3:15 Intro to part 2 of the video program by Sean Carnage

•3:30pm Dalton Blanco videos
“Shut the Fuck Up + Fuck Me” feat. Kevin Blechdom & Wet Mango
“Prelude to La Finale” feat. Amir Coyle
Newly compiled! “L.A. Lottery League Big Show promos” (includes videos by Medieval Babes, Michael Nhat, Sean Carnage)

•4pm Videos by Albert Chang
“Hell Monte” (2010)
“A Long Long Way” (2010)
“Corima” (2010)
“Pervious” (2011)
“Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Fan Fiction” (2011)

•4:25pm Premiere: The legendary Del Talk Show returns!
Program features classic clips from Dorothy Faulkner, David Liebe Hart, Del Talk Show, more.
Feat. Adam Papagan & Karen Centerfold

• 5pm Carnage Video program
New! “Hate Everything” feat. Dave Sirus
“Heavy Metal Funeral” by Sean Carnage
Premiere! “Poweraxe: Heavy Metal Uhaul” by Carnage

• 5:30pm A live performance by Poweraxe

More info at CONCERTPAGE.ORG

Starts at 1pm / free / all-ages

Sancho—1549 W. Sunset, in Downtown Echo Park

Add SEANCARNAGE.COM for updates & more