Yesterday we celebrated Split Screen’s 15th birthday. It can feel pretentious to mark such occasions, but you never know whether you’ll reach another milestone, so please excuse this momentary indulgence.
We didn’t have this longevity in mind when we launched Split Screen on 16 October 2009. (Or I should say: I didn’t have that in mind. I was barely thinking 15 minutes ahead, let alone 15 years.) Working on Split Screen has taught us how to write, edit, design, script and cut video; kept each other thinking and laughing; induced a little friendly competition to push ourselves to new creative heights; launched a magazine, many podcasts and several questionable video projects. Some years we’ve published a lot, and at other times we’ve stepped back to focus on real world responsibilities.
I won’t speak for Craig but for me, Split Screen has become a publishing comfort blanket in its teenage years: a place to share with little concern for who’s reading1, and also a site I love to read whenever Craig sneaks out whatever he’s been crafting.
Creative endeavours are fraught and fragile things. Projects come and go, publications flare up and then fade away. Somehow, Split Screen is still here, and I’m grateful for the intellectual challenge – but above all else, for the friendship it has helped grow and nurture.
Here’s to the next 15 years, old friend!
- Which is good because we turned off analytics and I’ve deleted my social media accounts ↩
