Marcus Amaker

Author archive

Video: Charleston American Cancer Society Hope Lodge

The American Cancer Society Hope Lodge Network helps people get well by offering free, home-like accommodations for cancer patients whose best treatment options are far from home. The Charleston Hope Lodge was the first Hope Lodge in the country. I went to our local Hope Lodge and spent three days filming and getting to know […]

Glossy to matte: redesigning my poetry book through Createspace

I am obsessive about graphic design. It’s hard for me to look at any logo, poster, movie, album or book without thinking about the fonts, colors or paper that was used. (Everyone smells books, right?) Paper is super important, and I’m in the process of updating some of my older work from a glossy to […]

Poem – “self portrait (in bloom)”

when i was in the 8th grade, i wore baggy pants and my bookbag on my chest because i was not bold enough to throw the monkey off my back. inside of the backpack was a lack of confidence weighing me down. i had not found my voice. this is the portrait of a black […]

Video: Young poets in Charleston, SC

My poetic energy is moving toward youth poetry. Hopefully, my experience in the art form can help the students improve their writing. Charleston is home to a lot of talented, forward-thinking young poets. I’ve been blessed to be a part of Matthew Foley’s Holy City Youth Slam, an organization that is bringing together youths in […]

My 16 favorite albums of 2014

2014 was another stellar year for music. It started in January with a great album from Mogwai (Rave Tapes), and ended in December with the instant classic Black Messiah, from D’Angelo. Here’s the rundown of my favorite records: 1. FLYING LOTUS, You’re Dead! Death is a topic that can be untouchable – not many artists […]

Poem: b r e a t h e

two words with two G’s spread hate like a disease the smoke is everywhere and i can’t breathe. it only took one arm to squeeze the life out of an unarmed man the only thing in his hands were the lifelines embedded on his palms, now we stand on the front lines singing songs of […]

Photos of Lockwood Murphy and Sarah Kenney

I was asked to take photos of a friend’s proposal: Lockwood planned to propose to his girlfriend (now fiancé!), Sarah Kenney, at the Battery. I’m definitely not a photographer, but I think the pics turned out pretty solid! See for yourself. Congrats to the couple! Nice to see so many good people choosing to get […]

New videography work: Komen Race for the Cure, 2014

The video I did for last year’s Komen Race is one of my favorite videography pieces. So, I put a lot of pressure on myself to make this one just as impressive. This year was special because Jordan was the Chair of the whole Race, so I was able to hear more about the behind-the-scenes […]

MANCATION 2014: Cleveland

Sights and sounds from the annual MANCATION trip to Cleveland. BAM

Review: Prince, Art Official Age & PLECTRUMELECTRUM

Being a Prince fan can sometimes feel like being on a roller coaster. The highs are out of this world, but the lows are inevitable. For every great record like 3121, you’ll get a less-than-stellar album like Planet Earth, just one year later. But believe me, his two latest albums, ART OFFICIAL AGE and PLECTRUMELECTRUM, […]