So at 3:30 pm on Saturday, Aug. 7th, Benjamin and I met ( -once again at Lebanon's Library ) to do the long anticipated interview. I had invited Benjamin's folks to attend. As I interviewed Benjamin, his parents and grandmother talked quietly off to the side relaxing on some comfortable padded chairs along the study room's wall. Before proceeding, we took the photos you see sprinkled throughout this piece. Finally, it was time to  start the interview.   

Tomm Buzzetta -CTN:  Okay, let's go back to when you first got started with animation. What was it in your  early childhood that first got you involved with all of this technology? Did you draw when you were a kid?

Benjamin:  Oh yes, I have.  I actually have a picture right here that I drew.  I made a photo realistic drawing    of Robin Williams right here. ( -he shows me it on his phone ).

Tomm -CTN:  Wow, that's pretty decent! Now, did you draw that with pencil and paper? 

Benjamin:  Yeah, I drew that with a pencil and paper. I was actually watching "Mork and Mindy" when I drew that.  And here's another one I did that's online that I did using "IBIS Paint" ( -shows me it on his phone ).

Tomm -CTN:  So, did you start out with drawing and then go on to music and animation?

Benjamin:  First I started out with drawing, like way back -as far as I can remember I was drawing pictures.

The farthest back I can remember I was drawing a picture of "Fred" from "Scooby-Do" ( -the TV cartoon ).

And looking back you would say an average drawer my age would've drawn that. Because, I mean it

looks pretty good.

Benjamin:  Well, first I started out with drawing, went to music, then went on to coding and ended up

with animation.

Here are links to Benjamin's You Tube Channels. Take a look at some of Benjamin's work. Here's where Benjamin posts some of his animated musings or "brain farts" ( -a term I'm sure Ben would "approve"

of due to it's "gross-ness" ). Basically, his YouTube Channels are where he posts his quick "one offs"

and ideas that come to him when he can't sleep at night.

GO TO:  You Tube and type: "Zylenox Dissonances" into the search window. 

GO TO:  You Tube and type: "Synthwave Soundscape" into the search window. 

Some of this stuff is silly ( -in fact a LOT of it's down right ridiculous -like "Spaghetti in a Car" )!

The random synapse firings of the sixteen year old mind can be weird, wonderful and a little scary

at times ( -as you can readily see).  But a few of these ideas are serious and quite good. 

*NOTE: The quality of Ben's stuff on his YouTube Channels varies. By comparison, his work on things like

"Tron Destiny" ( -which really does look as if a team of professional Disney or Pixar animators did them ) is      a quantum leap beyond  what you'll see on his You Tube Channels.  Remember, this stuff is mostly "for fun".

Tomm -CTN:  So, from the time you first got "Blender" ( -an animation software program ) to today -how long was that? 

Benjamin: Oh, well the first time I used Blender was actually here at the library. I mean I'm still brand new to  3-D animation. Like brand new. So, like maybe three, no four to five months? 

Tomm-CTN:  Oh my gosh. That makes me pretty sick because you know, I've dabbled in animation using software programs like "DAZ Studio" for a lot longer than that and I haven't come up with anything that comes close  to what you've done! 

Benjamin:  Well, of course the easiest thing I do is -I don't know how to make my own 3-D models. Absolutely no clue. So I just go to some free 3-D sharing website and I download some third-party OBJ's and stuff like that and import them into "Blender" and sometimes, they often corrupt because my computer is very weak -it only has two gigabytes of RAM. That kind of gives you an idea of how tortuous it is -because when you're going with 3-D animation I'm getting like one frame per second, probably seconds per frame but um,...

Tomm -CTN:  So you're talking about the computer you have at home? 

Benjamin:  Yeah.

Tomm -CTN:  And what kind is it?

Benjamin:  Oh, it's just a Windows.  A refurbished Windows. It's the weakest -I think it's a Ryzen. Uh, well I know it's one of the older ones definitely. I think it's a single core processor that has dual thread and a two gigabyte memory.  Let's see what else: Oh and the internet. sometimes when I'm downloading files for "Blender" and my music -just to give you an example: internet in the 80's: 128 kilobytes per second. That's what it was in the 80's -at least from my research. Now then, what we get at our house: 20 kilobytes per second! It takes HOURS to download something that is one megabyte large. 

Tomm -CTN:  Wow, so you're working with pretty limited resources. 

Benjamin:  Probably about the most limited you can get. 

Tomm -CTN:  Well, that's even more impressive that you can do what you're doing!

Benjamin:  That's why I, most of the time -if I can't get the software that I need I just say "forget it", I'm just making it myself! ( -he gives some examples of the work-arounds he's come up with ). 

Tomm -CTN:  So then, tell us about your phone -because I was amazed that you could do the things you have done on a phone like that. I mean do you do that stuff on your computer at home or on your phone?

Benjamin:  Well, sometimes I do it on my computer at home and some times I do it on my phone. And sometimes I import it into my phone. My phone is quicker than my computer. I mean when I got this phone      it was like the highest tech you could get. It was like the pinnacle. The fastest. The most new.

Tomm -CTN:  Ok, what kind is it?

Benjamin:  Let me look.  A Samsung Galaxy A20. I believe it's a dual processor. A Qualcom Snapdragon. Well of course I had to use some code translators that I had to make ( -to do animating  ).

Tomm -CTN:  So, you know coding? 

Benjamin: I know Javascript and  C++. 

Tomm -CTN:  So, where did you learn that from -school?  

Benjamin:  Oh no, I actually learned it here at this library. One day I just decided I wanted to learn code and    I  got some books and the rest is history.  

Tomm -CTN:  Now tell us a little about your music. You were telling me that you were helping some people online with different animation and music projects. Can you go into some of that?  

Benjamin:  Well, for example I worked with Rebecca Sugar on some music for a music project called "VivzyPop" ( -not sure if I've spelled that correctly -Tomm ), on a project that she was working on for a few months. I was tasked to create one of the soundtracks on it called "Aleister's Game". Let's see, I was given a very "set" set of instructions: "Imagine this demon from like the 30's that just happened to come to life and wanted to run a hotel and he talks like a radio and he has a radio staff". And I'm like "is that all you're going to tell me?" ( -in  his best falsetto voice ). "YES". 

Tomm -CTN:  So, you did it right? 

Benjamin: So, do you want to hear a bit of it? ( -I pause the interview to take a listen ).                                                                                                                                                                                                  Tomm -CTN:  Ok then Benjamin, I want to get back into your music a little more. Do you write music? Do you know music? Tell me just what you told me a minute ago ( -when we paused the recorder ).

Benjamin:  Oh, OK you asked me if I know how to read music and I said NO, I don't know how to read music, like at all. I mean I can kind of hum-along because I know like the parts that are up are like high and the parts that are low are supposed to be, well low...uh, and stuff like that. But I mean, I'm tone deaf. I mean like whenever I try to sing I'm always off-tune. ( -gives an excruciating example to prove the point ). I mean 

I sound like a Wookie. I sound like Chewbacca!

Tomm -CTN:  Ok, but I took a listen to that music you scored  ( "The World's a Stage" from VivZyPop ) and it sounded like a professional orchestra did this. I cannot believe what I just heard. ( -Benjamin laughs ). 

Tomm -CTN:  So, explain a little about this "FL Studio" ( -software ) you use. 

Benjamin:  Well basically, it's a $14.00 "app" that you can get. You can get any instrument you want on it          ( -shows me the process for doing this on his phone ) and it gives you things like time division, time signature, tempo and stuff like that. I always leave it exactly like it is -I never change it.

Tomm -CTN:  So, having no previous musical experience, how do you know which notes and chords to use        ( -or even what these notes and chords sound like ), when you compose your music? Do you just "tap around" til you find what you need? 

Benjamin:  Yeah, I just "tap around" ( -laughs ). 

Benjamin:  Yeah, yeah, because again I'm tone deaf,..I can't,...

Tomm -CTN:  Well, that's what makes this even more incredible -I mean you're doing this tone deaf! You don't read music and it's pretty incredible.

Benjamin:  That's right, I'm tone deaf. I can't read music and I can't like, write music on like sheet music. But I mean I can write like MIDI files and stuff like that -that's easy. MIDI FLM and whatever that other thing is. 

Tomm -CTN:  Ok now, I wanted to get into some of the stuff you showed me when I first met you. 

Benjamin:  Alright.

Tomm -CTN:  You had done something about,...

Benjamin: "Tron" ( -fills in what I was about to say ).

Tomm -CTN:  You wanted to do a sequel or you thought that they ( Disney ) should do a sequel that you had envisioned.  

Benjamin:  Yes, I thought that but then I realized they gave up on "Tron", Disney gave up on "Tron" -because it costed more than it was getting. So therefore, I thought to myself -if Disney isn't going to make it I WILL! I have been working on the first episode for a few months now. I have been working on it a longtime. I mean, no "spoilers" though,...let's just say it's an animated version. 

Tomm -CTN:  So then, did you just go along with the story line of "Tron" and just kind of...what, -updated it or?

Benjamin: Ok, Ok, well here's the thing...when "Tron" ended ( "Tron Legacy" ), what happened before  the Legacy? The Uprising! "Tron" originally died because "CLU" killed him, right? 

Tomm -CTN:  Well yes, as I remember...

Benjamin: But you see "Tron" didn't  die. "Tron" lived. You see, a guard from "CLU's" division named,.. uh, I I'm going to give little "spoilers" here -a guard who was transporting "Tron" had mercy on him and his name was Cyrus, and he took "Tron" and he escaped with him. "Tron" was permanently injured though and has a scar there and everything. Now, "Tron" knew  he wasn't going to be around much longer because of his injuries -so he took Cyrus and he trained Cyrus to be the next "Tron". But "Cyrus" turned on him. Cyrus joined "CLU". "Tron" fled to the Outlands "off-grid". Where he met a young engineer named Beck ( -and he continues his story ) -summing up with: "basically, "Tron" is training the next "Tron". It's going to be crazy...

Benjamin ( sums up his sequel by saying ): This is what happened between "Tron Classic" and "Tron Legacy". I'm making a "filler".

Tomm -CTN:  Oh Ok, I get it. You joined "Tron Classic" to "Tron Legacy" by filling in that gap. And that's what  the sequel trailer ( "Tron Destiny" ) you showed me was about.

*NOTE: Benjamin's "Tron Destiny" movie ( -which he's been working on for a while now ) and it's  trailer are not  yet on Youtube. Benjamin said he's waiting to release "Tron Destiny" in a year or two -because he wants to it to be perfect when he releases it. 

As the library was getting ready to close, I asked Benjamin what I thought was the most important  question of the entire interview:

Tomm -CTN:  What are your plans for the future? What do you want to do with your animation and music abilites?

Benjamin:  OK, number one plan is to make "Tron Destiny" a thing. Number one plan! It's going to be a multi-year project. Multiple years probably. I don't know if I'm going to have the patience but I'm going to try.  And then I'm going to see if Disney wants to buy it -because, why not make a few million off it ( -laughs ).

Tomm -CTN:  Does anyone from Disney know what you're doing right now ( -with regards to your "Tron Destiny" project )? 

Benjamin:  Oh yeah, I've actually already sent in soundtracks that they could use in movies and stuff. I believe, didn't one of my soundtracks actually get in a movie at one point? ( -he asks his mom. Benjamin's mom answers back: "I can't remember. You've told me so many songs. Remember when you were trying to send in all these songs for "Tron"?  ). Benjamin ( -answering his mom ): Yeah, when they were going to announce "Tron 3". Ah let's see. What was it? Ok, I made a song in the original style of "Daft Punk" since "Daft Punk"    was about to retire. I called it "Devour". It was a synthwave song.

Tomm -CTN:  Ok... 

Benjamin: They accepted it. But they cancelled the movie...

And as we wrapped-up the interview, Benjamin threw me a "curve ball" I wasn't expecting. He said he probably wouldn't get into animation as a career -maybe just do some "freelancing" for a while. What he mainly wanted to do was cooking. 

Tomm -CTN:  Cooking! You told me you burnt salad!  How can you go into cooking? ( -I said laughing ). 

Then Benjamin chimed in ( -as if to fully demonstrate his complete and utter incompetence when it came      to the art of cooking ): 

AND I froze boiling water for later! Remember that? ( -he'd already related that story to me earlier ).

Tomm -CTN:  I've gotta use that somewhere in this interview. Those are two of the funniest things I've ever heard: burning  salad and freezing  boiling water! 

* POSTSCRIPT:  I don't think I'll be eating at Benjamin's "Restuarant" anytime soon. Well, maybe                      I would if he didn't burn my salad! 

                                                         -END  OF  INTERVIEW.

I was absorbed in what I was doing at one of the Lebanon Library's computers when in walks Benjamin. It

had been over a month since we'd done his initial interview for "Creative Tech Nerds" so he wanted to give

me an update on what he's been doing since the interview. I was all ears. Benjamin said his school was on "lockdown" due to Covid and mentioned some of the restrictive measures the kids were under at his school.

He soon switched gears into happier news: filling me in on what he's been doing. I was pretty amazed at

what he's managed to accomplish in the short time since our August interview. The biggest news was that

"Tron Destiny" ( -Part 1" ) -the first of his "Tron" ( "alternative story arc/ filler" ) movies was 97-99%

completed and safely stored to a flash drive ( - until he figures out what to do with it! ).

In the old days , they would've said: "it's in the can" ( -referring to the reel of film being edited and stored

for safe keeping in it's metal film canister ). Today, it's stored to removable media like a flash drive drive.

When I interviewed Benjamin over a month ago -I got the impression this movie was going to take a long time to complete -perhaps a year or more. The fact that Ben already has it "in the can" is nothing short of astounding! I think even a Disney or Pixar team of animators would have a hard time matching Benjamin's  breakneck production schedule!

And did I mention Benjamin's sharp, snappy dialogue?  It's true. The "Tron Destiny" ( Part 1 ) scenes Benjamin showed me featured brisk and engaging dialogue between it's main characters  ( -moving the story line along at a breakneck pace to a surprising and clever conclusion ). No spoilers here! You'll just have to wait til Ben-jamin decides how to release it.

Not only is Benjamin skilled when it comes to animating and composing -his snappy, professional dialogue      is some of the best I've heard in a long time. Today's Hollywood screen writers could learn a LOT by listening  to some of Ben's dialogue interplay in this movie. Some of it was wickedly funny in-fact.    

Beyond "Tron Destiny" ( Part 1 ), Benjamin has been "experimenting" with new techniques and styles            of animation. His fascination with Japanese animation ( -and a particular "old man" character ) in a certain  Japanese anime' series ( -neither of which I can properly pronounce -much less spell  ), has led to his creation of an "episode" of that series that both cops the anime's "style" ( -while eliciting Ben's best efforts to enhance  the "old man's" glaring "look" ) -especially in his eyes!  Good job at "creeping me out" Benjamin -it worked!  

Another effect that Benjamin experimented with was what he calls "frying" his animations. This requires manipulating the image's contrast and "baking it" onto the character's outer surface. At least that's the best way I can describe it. The result is -well, sort of "creepy". I guess as we approach the Halloween season Benjamin's  going through a "creepy" phase and that's having it's creative outlet through his animations.  

So news that Benjamin's "Tron Destiny ( Part 1 ) is essentially ready for release kind of begs the questions:  when and how will it be released? Will "Tron" fans be able to see it online or on local theater screens? Good questions. Ultimately, that's entirely up to Benjamin. 

Hopefully, Benjamin will contact Disney Studios to see if they have any interest in releasing his "Tron Destiny"  ( Part 1 ) epic ( -and any subsequent follow-on "installments" he has in store ). In the meantime, if there are any local venture capitalists or large corporations who read this ( -and who are looking for the "next big thing" to invest in ), I'd recommend giving Benjamin a look. I have an overwhelming feeling that this young man is

"on very the brink" of becoming a significant force in the animated movie scene. 

As I've already mentioned, Benjamin is "the total package". His animation, film composing and screen writing skills are exceptional ( -equivalent to or BETTER than what you'd expect from an entire movie studio full of skilled animators, writers and film music composers ).  Yet, all of this talent is coming from a single person -a sixteen year old boy from Lebanon, Missouri! 

Imagine what Benjamin could accomplish with the financial backing of a wealthy venture capitalist ( or ) a large corporation! He's already produced some truly magnificent work ( -using the most rudimentary of equipment ). Imagine what he could accomplish with an animation studio full of the latest 3-D animation grade computers    ( -and a high speed internet connection )! Maybe a local investor or company reading this could invest in this young man's future. Even if you offered Benjamin a very generous compensation agreement, I have a feeling the "return on your investment" ( ROI ) would be very, very significant!  

After all, how do you put a monetary value on the next George Lucas or Steven Spielberg?  

Advertisement: