“Stand Up Eight” On Dragon’s Den, Again!

There’s a new theatrical circus called “Stand Up Eight”.

I’ve proudly written about them before, and I’m currently in the last steps of wrapping up their documentary.  Since being financed by Dragon, W. Brett Wilson, I’ve had the honour of participating in the show through the making of their posters, graphics, logo, promo videos and the many incarnations of their behind-the-scenes documentary.

As an animator, it’s been an opportunity to stretch my wings and play with other mediums.  I’ve discovered that I like it!

I’ve just watched the “Where Are They Now” episode of Dragon’s Den, which once again, focuses a lot on The Angels and “Stand Up Eight” circus.  Not only is it exciting to be involved with these CBC stars, but now I also get to say that a whole few seconds of my documentary work has been aired on CBC!  (Because in the end, we all know this is all about ME! …Isn’t it??)
You can watch the entire episode on the Dragon’s Den site:

http://www.cbc.ca/video/#/Shows/Drag…/ID=1341101320

Or, if you’d like some added convenience to your instantly gratified lifestyle, watch the Angels segment embedded right here!

Framed!

In the merry month of July I had the privilege of running another animation workshop with the St. John’s Int. Women’s Film Festival’s FRAMED Workshops and “For The Love of Learning”.  Over four days, this group of young adults practiced flip books, took turns at experiencing animating and flipping pages on light tables, watched some classic films, and then created a group film in stop-motion animation.

Our animation directors included:

Ryan Flynn
Erin Power Granter (best name EVER)
Lindsay Kennedy
Jason King
Chris Mullett
Holly Nelson

Workshop assistants: Stephen Dunn, Karyn Dwyer

Enjoy…

Into The Great Beyond

Out of the blue (and hopefully not into oblivion) comes my next film, “The Great Beyond”.
The film is in development and will be animated to the song of the same name, by one of my favourite musicians, the very talented and poignant Jacob Moon.

 

 

I’ve spent my most of my life staring off into space with glazed-over eyes, imagining all the things that feel<em> </em>as if they should be   feeling as if I <em>should</em> be able to fly, or wondering at how the rules of time seem more foreign to me than those of eternity   feeling as though my pasty, German skin just doesn’t fit quite right.
I’ve always longed for the past, present and future to compose themselves as “Just Is” (and, I suppose as “Justice”).  I want that long and sluggish, straight timeline of events to coil itself up into a tight, little ball, showing me how #5 and #796 could together make sense of #40, and all work for the greater good, if I could just see it from the outside (as if my teeny brain could possibly comprehend “the big picture”).
…Jeez, I sure am getting awfully melodramatic in my old age.

To counter this recent existential meltdown, please take a break and refer to lighter posts, such as “Donkin Donuts”

or take a nice, long stare at a this cartoon.
So, how does one go about representing concepts of eternity in a four-and-a-half minute film?  You’ll have to wait and see.
Note: my understanding of eternity is not that it’s a long event (a concept which is still working under the rules of time, but rather it might be all things, instantaneously.  …I’m just sayin’.
In the mean time, here are some snapshots of development, to get you as pumped up about it as I am.  Here’s just a little taste of what’s to come.
And now I’m off to take more photos of Hamilton’s pigeons and apply for funding.

 

Takin’ it to the Street

My summer of chalking up busker festivals across the country was a great success.  It was my first year of organized busking events and there were some steep learning curves to plow through, but the people and the places were a great joy.  No where else can I meet such a diverse group of people in one room.  Musicians, comics, contortionists, fire acts, freak show acts, magicians,  visual artists, dancers, people who make bologna sandwiches with their feet,  and combinations of all of the above — all in one world-wide, yet tightly knit community.  It’s truly something to experience.
In a warm and dry climate I could continue drawing on the pavement, but winter hits hard in Canada.  Now it’s time to focus on the other festivals.  Film, to be exact.  Be sure to watch for my updates on that front.