Interview with : Ash Thorp

Are you familiar with any of the 3 masterpieces we are featuring on our first release?

Ash Thorp : I am only familiar with Ghost in the Shell from this list, but I will be sure to look into the others.

If so, could you share any personal episodes related to that masterpiece?

Ash Thorp : I was introduced to the anime Ghost in the Shell at a very early age. I originally watched it on VHS which instantly dates me 🙂.

I was blown away by the depth and richness that it had, and I had never seen that in the medium of animation before.

I was instantly hooked and sought out the manga to learn more about the world, and I have been a fan ever since.

What kind of an impact did it have on you?

Ash Thorp : I think the one key inspiration I always take from GITS is that you need to always respect the subject matter that you are working with.

It was a trendsetter for me, and it reminded me that just because something is, doesn't mean it always must be... meaning, just because cartoons are seen as a medium for kids doesn't mean it has to be that way.

I find that to be the biggest lesson I take from the GITS anime.

Could you tell us your favorite masterpiece?

Ash Thorp : I love so many films/shows/anime it's really hard to pick.

I am currently obsessed with studying Paul Thomas Andersons films, mainly his masterpiece work called "There Will Be Blood".

What’s your definition of a “Masterpiece”?

Ash Thorp : I think a masterpiece is a product/experience that lives through time and changes with the perspective of its fans.

It is a piece of work that endlessly gives to its followers.

What is your opinion of how the younger generation are consuming media contents today ?

Ash Thorp : It's hard to tell. The older I get the more I look back to how lucky I was to have grown up in the early 80's, and I think most of that is nostalgia.

When I look at popular culture today, most of it appears to be a remix of my childhood, but done in a way that is disingenuine and lacking that purity of work in order to gain greatness.

I am in no way saying that there is not good products being made, because there definitely are some.

What I am saying is that many things I see are oversaturated and trying to be something from the past, rather than creating something new and for the future.