Kenney Myers

Author | Actor | Producer | Kickboxer | Entrepreneur

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Will You Let AI Replace Human Authors?

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Hey there, book lovers and word enthusiasts! It’s your friendly neighborhood self-published author here to chat about the elephant in the room – or should I say, the robot in the library?

You’ve probably noticed that AI is everywhere these days. It’s writing emails, creating art, and yes, even penning novels. As someone who’s poured their heart and soul into books like “Jon Bragg Giant Problem,” I’ve been thinking a lot about what this means for us creative types who craft our books the old-fashioned way – with blood, sweat, tears, and an unhealthy amount of snack foods. I think this last book caused me to jump up one whole pant size (at least that’s my story and I’m sticking to it).

The Great Book Flood of 2024 (and Beyond)

Picture this: You’re browsing your favorite online bookstore, looking for your next great read. Suddenly, you’re hit with a tidal wave of new releases. Thousands upon thousands of books, all published within the last week. “Wow,” you think, “authors must be on some serious caffeine kick!”

But here’s the kicker – a good chunk of those books weren’t written by caffeinated humans burning the midnight oil. Nope, they were churned out by AI faster than you can say “bestseller.”

Now, don’t get me wrong. I’m all for technological advancements. Heck, I write AI frameworks and use LLM’s for my day job. But this influx of AI-generated books? It’s like trying to find a needle in a haystack… if the haystack was the size of Texas and growing by the minute.

When Algorithms Replace “A-ha!” Moments

Remember that feeling when you’re reading a book, and suddenly there’s a plot twist so unexpected it makes you want to throw the book across the room (in a good way)? Or when you come across a turn of phrase so beautiful it makes you pause and reread it three times? That’s the magic of human creativity, folks.

But with AI stepping into the author’s shoes, we might be seeing a shift. Instead of those “how did the author come up with this?” moments, we might get more “oh, I see what the algorithm did there” experiences. It’s like the difference between a home-cooked meal and a TV dinner – sure, they both fill you up, but one has that special something that comes from human touch (and occasionally, human error).

The Rise of the Formula Fiction

Now, let’s talk about reader expectations. AI is pretty good at analyzing what makes a bestseller tick. It can crunch numbers, identify patterns, and produce books that tick all the right boxes. In theory, this sounds great. Who doesn’t want a perfectly crafted story?

But here’s the thing – sometimes it’s the imperfections that make a story truly captivating. It’s the weird logic leaps, the slightly out-of-character decisions, and the wild ideas that no algorithm would ever come up with that make books uniquely human. Without these quirks, we might end up with a sea of books that are technically perfect but lack that spark of madness that makes reading so fun.

Why Supporting Human Authors is Like Saving Endangered Species (But With Less Fur)

Look, I’m not here to bash AI. It’s doing its thing, and that’s cool. But I am here to wave a big, sparkly banner for human authors. Supporting authors who are doing this the old-fashioned way is crucial.

These brave souls (yes, I’m including myself here) are out there, pouring their unique experiences, perspectives, and imaginations onto the page. We’re taking risks, pushing boundaries, and occasionally writing ourselves into corners we have to creatively escape from. And let me tell you, that process produces some of the most original, thought-provoking, and downright entertaining books you’ll ever read.

So, What Can You Do? (Besides Building a Time Machine)

Fear not, dear readers! You have the power to support human authors and keep the flame of creative writing burning bright. Here are some ideas:

  1. Buy books from human authors: I know, shocking advice, right? But seriously, every purchase is a vote for the kind of books you want to see more of.
  2. Leave reviews: Good, bad, or “I’m not sure what I just read but I couldn’t put it down” – reviews help human authors improve and get noticed.
  3. Attend book events: Virtual or in-person, these events are great ways to connect with authors and show your support. Plus, you might get to see an author in their natural habitat (usually caffeinated and slightly disheveled).
  4. Spread the word: Loved a book? Tell your friends, family, neighbors, and that person you always see at the bus stop. Word of mouth is powerful stuff.
  5. Be patient: Human authors can’t churn out books at the speed of AI. But trust me, the wait is worth it for that hand-crafted, artisanal story goodness.
  6. Engage with authors on social media: Just don’t ask us when our next book is coming out. We’re sensitive creatures.
  7. Support indie bookstores: These literary havens often champion human authors and can recommend hidden gems.
  8. Join or start a book club: Focus on reading and discussing works by human authors. It’s like a support group, but with more plot discussions and snacks.
  9. Enter Goodreads giveaways: This is a fantastic way to discover new human authors and potentially win free books! Speaking of which…

Goodreads Giveaway Alert!

Hey, you made it this far, so here’s an opportunity for you to take a stand. I’m currently running a Goodreads giveaway for my latest book, “Jon Bragg Giant Problem.” It’s a chance to get your hands on a human-authored paperback (yes, books are still printed on paper) signed by your truly for free! Check it out:

Goodreads Book Giveaway

Jon Bragg Giant Problem by Kenney Myers

Jon Bragg Giant Problem

by Kenney Myers

Giveaway ends August 31, 2024.

See the giveaway details
at Goodreads.

Enter Giveaway

The Final Chapter (For Now)

As we navigate this brave new world of AI-assisted everything, let’s not forget the value of human creativity. AI might be able to write a book, but can it tell you about the plot twist on page 57 that happened when the author had a brilliant idea at 3 AM? Can it share the story of how a chance encounter on a rainy day inspired an entire character arc?

Human authors bring more than just words to the page – we bring a piece of ourselves, our experiences, and our unique way of seeing the world. And that, my friends, is something no algorithm can replicate.

So, the next time you’re looking for a new read, why not take a chance on a human-authored book? It might not be mathematically perfect, but it’ll be perfectly human. And in a world that’s becoming increasingly automated, isn’t that something worth celebrating?

Why Writing Means So Much To Me

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Writing has always been a significant part of my life, a cherished creative outlet that I have nurtured from a young age. As someone who writes both novels and TV shows, I find that the act of putting words on paper holds deep personal meaning and serves multiple purposes in my life. Here are five reasons why writing is so important to me:

1. Writing as a Lifelong Creative Outlet

From the time I was in grade school, writing has been my primary form of creative expression. I used to create tiny little books, scribbling stories on any scrap of paper I could find. These makeshift books were then shared with relatives, who, I imagine, were both amused and touched by my early attempts at storytelling. They weren’t fancy, but they were mine, and they allowed me to tell stories that sprang from my imagination. Writing has always been a way for me to explore new worlds and create characters that live within them.

2. Recording Personal Experiences

One of the joys of writing novels is the opportunity to weave my own experiences into the fabric of my stories. This not only adds authenticity to the narratives but also serves as a way to record memories for future generations. For instance, in my book “Jon Bragg Blue Essence,” the main character hails from a town called Grinwell, which is a nod to my own school days in Gladbrook. Nearby, there’s a town called Green Mountain, which I transformed into Bluehill in the book. These personal touches make the writing process more enjoyable and meaningful to me, as they preserve bits of my life within the fiction.

3. Embedding Morals and Values in My Work

I believe that stories have the power to convey important messages and values. Whether I am writing a book or creating a TV series, I strive to incorporate themes that encourage readers and viewers to be comfortable with who they are and to celebrate their differences. In my novels, characters often grapple with self-acceptance and the importance of diversity. Similarly, my animated TV series, “Kindly Kenney,” was designed to teach children values and the difference between right and wrong. Writing allows me to share these lessons with a broader audience in an engaging and relatable way.

4. Memorializing People and Places

Writing also provides me with a way to honor and memorialize people and places that have had an impact on my life. In “Jon Bragg Blue Essence,” for example, I named a character after a classmate of mine, David Ryan, who tragically passed away at a young age. We shared many years of making music together, and using his name in my book felt like a fitting tribute to his memory. This act of memorialization ensures that the people who have shaped my life continue to live on through my stories.

5. Creating a Legacy for My Family

Perhaps one of the most special aspects of writing for me is the hope that my work will be shared and enjoyed by my children and their children. I dream of a day when my kids pass down my books and TV shows to their own families, offering a glimpse into my creative mind and the values I hold dear. Writing is a way for me to leave a legacy, something tangible that connects my family across generations. It is my hope that my words will touch their lives and bring them joy, just as creating them has brought joy to me.

Writing is more than just a means of expression; it is a way for me to show my love and appreciation for those around me. For example, I often write poems for family members on special occasions, such as birthdays, anniversaries, or Mother’s Day. These poems are my way of expressing how much they mean to me in a unique and personal way.

To bring this to a close, I am a writer for many reasons. Writing is about more than just putting words on a page; it is about creating, preserving memories, sharing values, honoring loved ones, and building a legacy. I hope that other writers feel the same passion and find as much fulfillment in their writing as I do. Writing has the power to change lives, and I am grateful for the opportunity to share my stories with the world.

Little Cupid Offers Director’s Notes Through Augmented Reality App

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AugmentedFans, LLC (Kenney Myers) and Gemelli Films (Candice Cain) are happy to announce a collaborative effort to bring director’s notes to life through leveraging augmented reality and the smart phones all of us are carrying around with us.  The app is initially being released on Google Play but we are planning to release on iOS before the end of the year (update here is the link for iTunes).  The premise behind the app is pretty simple.  You download the app, create an account, and then press the scan button at the bottom of the screen.  After you do that you simply start watching Little Cupid (which is streaming on Amazon Prime Video) on another device and hold your phone up to the screen.  At various points throughout episode 1 you will see director’s notes pop onto the screen.

About Little Cupid

Little Cupid is a family friendly TV series written and directed by Candice Cain that stars Cody Calafiore, Stefanie Bloom, and Angela Castaldo.  It’s about a marine that gave the ultimate sacrifice and is now working on earning his angel wings.  He appears before his daughter and enlists her help with his mission.  Their goal is to match soulmates with each other and help ignite the spark between them.  Their first couple is Angela’s teacher and the substitute gym teacher.

About AugmentedFans

AugmentedFans, LLC is a company co-founded by Kenney Myers and Neko Sparks.  The goal of AugmentedFans is to leverage augmented reality for TV shows, movies, newspapers and books.  We want to immerse people in the experience and give them the ability to find out more about the characters and shows they love.  Most importantly it is completely up to them to use as much or as little as they want.  We believe that fans will drive this technology and most importantly the TV shows, movies, and other media types that adopt it.  Because the platform is constantly updated it gives writes, directors, and entertainers the ability to continue the conversation around their art and that opens up many exciting possibilities.

About the Little Cupid Show App

The Little Cupid Show app is the first to be released on AugmentedFans new patent pending platform.  It uses a feature called Director’s Notes to pop up information about various scenes, actors, and just other comments from the director.  It’s a fun app that as users watch the episode and the images are detected … they earn points.  The points will accumulate and allow them to earn bronze, silver, and eventually gold fan status.  Which as of now just gives them the ultimate bragging rights in the world of Little Cupid.  Please follow Candice Cain or Gemelli Films on social media for updates on Little Cupid plus find out who has achieved bronze, silver, or gold status on the app.  Of course you can also follow me, Kenney Myers @kenneymyers everywhere for updates as well.

Feedback

We would love any and all feedback on the app and Little Cupid so please don’t hesitate to reach out to me on Twitter, FaceBook, Instagram or right here in the comments on this blog post.  Thanks again for your support!  We are looking forward to more updates and uses of this technology in the coming weeks.

 

How to Fix Visual Studio .NET Pre-release Problems When Switching Computers

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So I ran into an unusual problem recently.  I had a Razer gaming notebook that I was using as my primary computer and building a Blazor application (see Blazor.net).  This is Microsoft’s answer to single page applications like angular, react, etc.  It’s actually fantastic but being pre-release it is constantly in a state of flux.  Okay so before you lecture me on the dangers of bleeding edge development … I don’t really care because it is totally worth it to be able to use c# in my web pages.  Okay, so back to where the problem comes into play.  My razer’s battery started to significantly swell and effectively got so big it cracked the case and warped the keyboard.  My fear there was that it would explode and/or catch on fire.  So I had to get another computer because as a developer I cannot wait for Razer to fix it.

I purchased a new Asus Rog Strix (yes I like gaming notebooks) and started loading it up.  I got the latest preview of Visual Studio 2019 and the stable Visual Studio 2019.  I also inadvertently in doing that got the latest pre-release version of .net core 3.0 (preview 8).  My application is working off of preview 6 and no matter what I tried to do through uninstalling the preview Visual Studio kept using preview 8.  It was super frustrating to say the least.  The uninstaller provided by Microsoft simply does not remove the files.

After over a week of messing around with it I found a solution.  You literally have to go to explorer and the c:\Program Files\dotnet directory and search for preview8 (or whatever one you actually want to remove) and then one by one you must delete those folders and files until there are no more names preview8.  After you do that and make sure you have whatever preview you want installed then your project will build and run as expected.

So the lesson learned here is that when you are a developer using Microsoft preview versions and you have to switch computers you need to be very careful with what you install.  You also need to inventory the versions you have on your old build machine just to make sure you actually have the same environment on your new computer.  Otherwise, you will be forced to update and migrate your code potentially mid-project and multiple times.  It’s risky to be working with previews in the first place but if you find yourself in the same situation hopefully this helps you a bit.

Finally, just so we don’t give Razer a bad name here for their swollen battery.  They did offer to replace the battery and keyboard if I ship the computer to them (which I can now do since I can build my project again).  So, for a modest fee I will be able to get the Razer back as well.  That said, I’ll probably stick with the Rog for a while.

 

How to Use Technology to Learn Lines for Auditory Learners

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So as many of you know that follow me my main job is as a software developer and general tech gadget nerd. When I throw myself into anything I tend to go “all-in”. I also strive to always find good ways to leverage technology to solve real world problems. Lately, this has applied a lot to acting. As I strive to improve as an actor I wanted to reach a point where any script I was working on just flowed naturally for me. So in addition to the rehearsal mobile app I wrote I decided for my current film I was going to try auditory learning methods as well. If you are a person that learns through listening and you want to act this could be very helpful for you. In addition, if you are like me and learn things through various ways then this is still useful (you’ll have to try it to believe me though).

So the current feature that I am working on is a Christmas Film called Ivy & Mistletoe and it was a perfect one to try this new technique out on.  I’ll give you the cliff notes to what I did here first:

  1. I grabbed all of the scenes from the script that had my character in them and copied the text from the script to the clipboard.
  2. I pasted each scene one by one into a program called Line Buddy (any text-to-speech tool would work).  As a developer I could have written my own program for this but I found Line Buddy to work perfectly.
  3. I formatted the script for Line Buddy and assigned each role a specific computerized voice that was pitch appropriate.
  4. I then recorded the playing of the script using a program called Capto.
  5. I then exported that movie to a .mov file and imported it into Filmora.
  6. I downloaded royalty-free instrumental only background music from the web.
  7. I added the background music to a separate track in Filmora to layer in the audio background noise.
  8. I then exported that to another movie format (any will do).
  9. Finally I converted that movie format to a .mp3 for playing in iTunes and my android MP3 player.

Okay, that sounds pretty terrible I know but it is certainly worth it.  The result gave me a way to constantly play something in the background while working, driving, exercising, or even sleeping.  The background music was set to a lower level than the text so it provided some noise cancellation without being overly distracting.  The music I picked was also Christmas music which further set the mood/tone for maximizing the auditory learning experience.

I obviously cannot use or share the script that we are actively in production on but I can provide you with a similar example.  If you think this is interesting let me know and I can kick around developing it into a more usable one-stop application.  Of course you can easily do all of this with a variety of available tools and a little bit of effort on your part.

SAG – My Journey and Why I Decided to Join

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Whenever someone finds out that you are an actor or have done acting jobs there are a handful of questions that are inevitable 1) are you on Netflix (where can I see you) 2) are you a member of SAG?  I’m not sure why people seem so interested in whether you are a member of the screen actors guild or not but it’s VERY frequently asked.  In general, my response has been I have done work that makes me eligible but up until this month (January 2019) I had not joined.  Here are some of the reasons why I had not joined:

  1. I wanted to build up a decent acting resume before joining.  Since it is significantly easier to find non-union work I wanted to wait until I had a couple of dozen productions under my belt before joining SAG.
  2. Up until this month no production companies had expressed an interest in me being a part of SAG.  While I could have skipped it, knowing it was important to them coupled with having some experience on my resume helped me decide to move forward.
  3. It’s not cheap to join SAG and as you may or may not be aware acting jobs do not pay super well (or consistently).  So while my day job as a software developer does pay I wanted to make sure that there was a financial return on my investment for joining the union.
  4. A lot of jobs in the Houston area are non-union so I wanted to wait until I had more National jobs and/or a specific goal in mind (I now have both of those covered).

In my opinion to join or not join SAG is a personal decision that each actor needs to make based on their own circumstances.  Whether I made the right decision or not is way too early to tell but if you are trying to decide, here are some videos that might help you take a decision:

  • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iV1gCpThbPw – Wendy Alane Wright, The Hollywood Talent Manager provides some solid advice on when to join SAG and the difference between SAG Eligible and Must Join.  It’s a little more about timing than it is whether you should join or not.  She does say “set aside money to join SAG because eventually you will need to.”  She also says your resume should be full before you join so that you can compete with the best of the best.
  • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Qec-vIH5UU from The Acting Resource Guru.  Provides three things to think about 1) where are you in your craft? 2) What is your on-set experience? 3) How much is on your resume? How much footage do you have?
  • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jw_bsynwu8Q this one tells you quite a bit about what the union does for its members.  Which helps you understand more about why you should join SAG and finally how you join.
  • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8S4bzsHcYIs this video is really just a commercial for their workshop but the interesting point that it makes is know the industry in your area.  Are there union jobs around you?
  • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vEKojxchH58 this is actually just a hilarious video about what his experience was with joining SAG on very short notice.  Humor me.  This is a great distraction if you are just trying to decide to join or not join ha!
  • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XOduSHxPxBM This one is from Amy Jo Berman and she is a well known acting coach and casting director.  She also talks about knowing your market because a lot of markets across the U.S. are heavily skewed toward non-union jobs.

So now, let’s talk about the process to join SAG and what was that like (at least for me).  For me it was a multi-step process that looked something like the following:

  1. I submitted a SAG agreement that I had signed for a new media project (Chosen Kin) to the appropriate SAG-AFTRA email (newmedia@sagagtra.org).  Now I did this over the holidays so it took a week or so for them to get back to me.
  2. They sent me an employment verification form.  I added the dates I worked on the project (for the contract submitted) and attached the call sheets for that project.
  3. I also had a very kind-hearted and amazing producer reach out to SAG on my behalf to vouch for me (somewhere throughout this process).
  4. The New Media group over at SAG notified me that my employment was confirmed and that I needed to call the membership group to setup an appointment or get the full application.
  5. I called them and answered a few questions (did I want a State or National membership) and then they told me the amount and sent over about a dozen pages for me to read and fill out.
  6. I completed all of those things and then had to fax that all back to SAG.
  7. They then contacted me to let me know that someone already in SAG had a similar name to mine and that I needed to add my middle name or initial to proceed.  This is known as the “SAG name game” in the industry.  They do this to make sure there is no confusion for acting jobs, royalties, etc.  So it’s actually really important and just something you have to clear.
  8. Finally, they processed the paperwork and charged my card for the membership fees and first quarter dues and I was done!

Okay, so I kind of touched on this but I found another reason you may want to join SAG sooner rather than later is if you have a super strong preference for your name a certain way.  If you do then you may want to lock that in because it has to be unique (phonetically unique).  So in my case any derivatives of Kenney (ken, Kenny, Kenneth) made my name not unique.  It’s not a super big deal though so don’t freak out and join just for that reason it’s just another possible factor.

So this may or may not be useful or interesting to other actors or my friends and family but I just wanted to write this up before it becomes ancient history.  I’m actually excited to begin 2019 as a part of SAG and working on some really interesting projects (Little Cupid, New Dogs Old Tricks season 2, and a couple more surprises).  I’m super fortunate to have some great friends in the industry and none of it would be possible without my friends and family supporting me (I need every bit of help I can get).  Thanks again for reading about my SAG adventure!