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Thomas Kinkade’s 16 Guidelines for Making Stuff Suck

Schlocky painter Thomas Kinkade recently made a film and during the production distributed a list of what Vanity Fair calls Thomas Kinkade’s 16 Guidelines for Making Stuff Suck.

12) Surprise details. Suggest a few “inside references” that are unique to this production. Small details that I can mention in interviews that stimulate second or third viewings โ€” for example, a “teddy bear mascot” for the movie that appears occasionally in shots. This is a fun process to pursue, and most movies I’m aware of normally have hidden “inside references”. In the realm of fine art we refer to this as “second reading, third reading, etc.” A still image attracts the viewer with an overall impact, then reveals smaller details upon further study.