20120427
HDPro - Charleston 03/2012
20120409
Mutwale behind-the-scenes Part 2
From when I was last able to animate on my film on a daily basis, which was in september 2011. Meantime, I did illustrate the comic in the last post. Otherwise, I am, in all honesty, exhausted and right now quite literally sick and tired.
20120403
Bloodless is here!
(visit website for full page)The web-based graphic novel I've been working on for what seems like (and actually does add up to) a few years has launched. Updates every Thursday with a new page. Issue 1 is pretty great, and it'll only get better. It's sort of an ensemble fantasy action comic- not traditional sword and sorcery, mind you. No elves, dragons, that shite. It's a different take on a fantasy world and I hope people will like it. There are some interesting hints in the wiki if you are into that sort of thing. We try to avoid the orgy of exposition that usually comes along with such worldbuilding, so if you aren't sure what's going on the wiki is there for that too.
Visit bloodless.co if it sounds up your alley. Now that the issue is up and posted I can get back to my animated film, the status of which is somewhere between an unfinished masterpiece and an anecdote from Don Quixote.
20120320
The Conspiritorium of Doctor Parnassus
The first time I saw Gilliam's Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus I was struck by a few things. First being the amazing practical work on the oversize horse-drawn traveling circus.
Ignore the eye in the pyramid. Conspiracy is so passé...
Second, Tom Waits as the devil. How perfect is motherfucking Tom Waits as the devil? Gorgeous. Third was how incredibly well the guest actors, tasked with replacing Heath Ledger after his death, worked into the plot. Sure, Jude Law showing up as sort of a motivational dream speaker was a little bit of a longshot- but his perpetual glued-on grin is hilarious. Colin Farrel was an easy plant as a magazine model the daughter is obsessed with. But still. You lose your lead to overdose halfway into principle photography, and you manage to recover with some really creative workarounds that even, I might argue, add to the depth of the film. Lastly, and more unfortunately, was how poor some CG can play onscreen in contrast to ole fashioned craftsmanship.
But there was something else that struck me- the similarity between George/Tony's (Heath Ledger's) predicament and the Propaganda Due (P2) conspiracy.
In the film, Parnassus, along with his daughter and troop, discover a hanging man from beneath a bridge in london. He has a brick with strange marks in his pockets and similar symbols written on his forehead.
Later (spoilers follow,) it's revealed that he's stolen/embezzeled/swindled money from the Russian mafia. He eventually turns into a villain- difficult to predict on first viewing as it could go either way. Add to that the fact that Ledger's character switches faces. Here's the thing, though. The circumstance of Ledger's appearance is a clear analog of the murder of Italian banker Roberto Calvi in 1982. Even moreso than I thought-- a quick follow-up in conspiracy lore reminds us that Calvi was indeed hanged in London, not his native Italy.
The P2 conspiracy is generally regarded as one of the more concrete conspiracy theories of the 20th century. It has many confirmed facts as well as both money and paper trails. It deals with a Masonic lodge (yes, Freemasons, no, I don't think much of Masonic conspiracy.) What makes it abnormal, aside from the fact that it is documented, is the fact that certain members of this Italian Masonic lodge were using the cover of a Freemason lodge, itself a secret society, as cover for yet another internal secret society, Propaganda Due. (This is called a 'black lodge,' or a 'covert lodge,' operating independently within a Masonic lodge) P2 had been, among other things, laundering money for a major Italian bank with ties to the Vatican. This sounds crazy, but it's all there.
The P2 lodge is eventually linked to, among others, the murder of Roberto Calvi- a banker closely tied to the Holy See and the money flow of the Vatican. The day before the discovery of his body, he was dismissed from his bank and his secretary jumped to her death from the 5th story window of their office. Suspicious. Calvi had fled to London a few days before. He was found hanging from Blackfriars Bridge (significant to Masons) in the financial district of London carrying about $15,000 in 3 different currencies, and more notably, bricks in his pockets- a Masonic symbol. One of the oaths taken during Masonic ritual is, approximately, should I betray my brothers may I be hanged over the rising tide with bricks in my pockets. Of course, if you needed to kill a banker and make it look like someone else did it, pinning it on the Masons via a series of clear ritualistic clues would be a great way to do it. And here is where the conspiracy breaks the reality-barrier and should be treated as an unprovable uncertainty. What is certain (via documentation, investigation, and trial) is that P2 existed, and a real assassin was hired to take care of Calvi by somebody. Unless he fled his country, withdrew tons of cash, then filled his own pockets with bricks and jumped off a bridge after strangling himself with a noose. Anyways.
I have to think that Gilliam read about Propaganda Due and used it as inspirational source material. In this context, the addition of the throat-reinforcing flute is inspired. The second viewing of this film was better than the first. I wonder if there are more hidden things in it. And I sort of wish there were more films like it. It reminds me of The Fisher King in a lot of ways, but more fantastic. It takes balls to mix classical theater and storytelling with contemporary film.
Ignore the eye in the pyramid. Conspiracy is so passé...Second, Tom Waits as the devil. How perfect is motherfucking Tom Waits as the devil? Gorgeous. Third was how incredibly well the guest actors, tasked with replacing Heath Ledger after his death, worked into the plot. Sure, Jude Law showing up as sort of a motivational dream speaker was a little bit of a longshot- but his perpetual glued-on grin is hilarious. Colin Farrel was an easy plant as a magazine model the daughter is obsessed with. But still. You lose your lead to overdose halfway into principle photography, and you manage to recover with some really creative workarounds that even, I might argue, add to the depth of the film. Lastly, and more unfortunately, was how poor some CG can play onscreen in contrast to ole fashioned craftsmanship.
But there was something else that struck me- the similarity between George/Tony's (Heath Ledger's) predicament and the Propaganda Due (P2) conspiracy.
In the film, Parnassus, along with his daughter and troop, discover a hanging man from beneath a bridge in london. He has a brick with strange marks in his pockets and similar symbols written on his forehead.
Later (spoilers follow,) it's revealed that he's stolen/embezzeled/swindled money from the Russian mafia. He eventually turns into a villain- difficult to predict on first viewing as it could go either way. Add to that the fact that Ledger's character switches faces. Here's the thing, though. The circumstance of Ledger's appearance is a clear analog of the murder of Italian banker Roberto Calvi in 1982. Even moreso than I thought-- a quick follow-up in conspiracy lore reminds us that Calvi was indeed hanged in London, not his native Italy.
The P2 conspiracy is generally regarded as one of the more concrete conspiracy theories of the 20th century. It has many confirmed facts as well as both money and paper trails. It deals with a Masonic lodge (yes, Freemasons, no, I don't think much of Masonic conspiracy.) What makes it abnormal, aside from the fact that it is documented, is the fact that certain members of this Italian Masonic lodge were using the cover of a Freemason lodge, itself a secret society, as cover for yet another internal secret society, Propaganda Due. (This is called a 'black lodge,' or a 'covert lodge,' operating independently within a Masonic lodge) P2 had been, among other things, laundering money for a major Italian bank with ties to the Vatican. This sounds crazy, but it's all there.
The P2 lodge is eventually linked to, among others, the murder of Roberto Calvi- a banker closely tied to the Holy See and the money flow of the Vatican. The day before the discovery of his body, he was dismissed from his bank and his secretary jumped to her death from the 5th story window of their office. Suspicious. Calvi had fled to London a few days before. He was found hanging from Blackfriars Bridge (significant to Masons) in the financial district of London carrying about $15,000 in 3 different currencies, and more notably, bricks in his pockets- a Masonic symbol. One of the oaths taken during Masonic ritual is, approximately, should I betray my brothers may I be hanged over the rising tide with bricks in my pockets. Of course, if you needed to kill a banker and make it look like someone else did it, pinning it on the Masons via a series of clear ritualistic clues would be a great way to do it. And here is where the conspiracy breaks the reality-barrier and should be treated as an unprovable uncertainty. What is certain (via documentation, investigation, and trial) is that P2 existed, and a real assassin was hired to take care of Calvi by somebody. Unless he fled his country, withdrew tons of cash, then filled his own pockets with bricks and jumped off a bridge after strangling himself with a noose. Anyways.
I have to think that Gilliam read about Propaganda Due and used it as inspirational source material. In this context, the addition of the throat-reinforcing flute is inspired. The second viewing of this film was better than the first. I wonder if there are more hidden things in it. And I sort of wish there were more films like it. It reminds me of The Fisher King in a lot of ways, but more fantastic. It takes balls to mix classical theater and storytelling with contemporary film.
20120313
Bloodless Lauch Date
The graphic novel Bloodless has a launch date: March 29th. There are some last-minute pieces I need to squeeze in- one for the issue title page (not the cover) and one for the website. Hopefully I can get these together in time- but hell or high-water I want to get this thing out there and to start issue 2 in a timely fashion. I've been sitting on all 36 pages of issue 1 since January- frustrating, but it's been time spent on the website's art needs.
The production itself taught me a lot about using Illustrator, not least of which being I still think Illustrator's interface is a clunky, annoying mess. Maybe I should bump up to CS2 or 3 and see if it's any better. I'm guessing not, but anything to make production easier...
Bloodless will launch with pages 1-8 and update every Thursday. You can occasionally find news and secrets on twitter @Kirshom, and soon find a facebook page to like (and we hope you will.)
More soon.
20120304
The Production Beast
Well, I gots me a job, and after the first month I can wind down for a day and post some strange things. Like, I suddenly shoot, edit, and design graphics for local car commercials. I build and disassemble a Jimmy-Jib Triangle and shoot with a Varicam. If I said I could do any of this with confidence before starting this job, it would be a stretch. But if I were to look around for anyone more qualified, I'd be hard pressed. In any case, here I am plugging 50-60 hours a week on salary with the understanding that I am to build up and maintain the largest production company in this little city. There will be some misunderstandings, (it's not a well-oiled machine) but for now, I work hard and talk little. And drink.
Production is a funny thing. Having been around so many different productions gives one a strong sense that no one production is bound to be alike. There are similarities. Grip work and Production Assistant work are a great place for someone like me: I do what is asked, power through the strange, and come away having observed every single mistake and communication breakdown that has occurred. After several overlong days of coming home with split fingernails and hands smelling of blood and metal, as if you'd been rubbing a lucky coin pilfered from a gangster, one can relax and pay bills. It's honest work in a creative field. Then again, there's also shooting six cars while strapped into the flatbed of a pickup truck going 70 MPH over a bridge. Don't worry, I'll strap myself in, I say, meaning really, If I'm going to die, it will be because I strap me in wrong, and no on else. Also thinking, No worries. I've done this before. Ignoring the lesser voice that says, "Last time was safer."
I'm not really a cinematographer, but I am an artist and this jives with me as a shooter. Production experience has been invaluable to me, and being an artist (whatever that brings with it) had been simply an afterthought out of tune with money most of the time. But why separate the two? Why separate any experience? Am I to find a career as a fractured, schizophrenic talent? Fuck 'em. I'm a production guy, a painter, a writer. Animator, server. Who cares.
I think I've been in Greenville, SC for too long. Small towns and I do not agree on many things.
Meanwhile, I have a commission for a large oil painting due in April, a webcomic about to launch (Guardians, please let this issue post now, I've been sitting on it for two months) and, yes, a film about an elephant to work on again. When I can.
Production is a funny thing. Having been around so many different productions gives one a strong sense that no one production is bound to be alike. There are similarities. Grip work and Production Assistant work are a great place for someone like me: I do what is asked, power through the strange, and come away having observed every single mistake and communication breakdown that has occurred. After several overlong days of coming home with split fingernails and hands smelling of blood and metal, as if you'd been rubbing a lucky coin pilfered from a gangster, one can relax and pay bills. It's honest work in a creative field. Then again, there's also shooting six cars while strapped into the flatbed of a pickup truck going 70 MPH over a bridge. Don't worry, I'll strap myself in, I say, meaning really, If I'm going to die, it will be because I strap me in wrong, and no on else. Also thinking, No worries. I've done this before. Ignoring the lesser voice that says, "Last time was safer."
I'm not really a cinematographer, but I am an artist and this jives with me as a shooter. Production experience has been invaluable to me, and being an artist (whatever that brings with it) had been simply an afterthought out of tune with money most of the time. But why separate the two? Why separate any experience? Am I to find a career as a fractured, schizophrenic talent? Fuck 'em. I'm a production guy, a painter, a writer. Animator, server. Who cares.
I think I've been in Greenville, SC for too long. Small towns and I do not agree on many things.
Meanwhile, I have a commission for a large oil painting due in April, a webcomic about to launch (Guardians, please let this issue post now, I've been sitting on it for two months) and, yes, a film about an elephant to work on again. When I can.
20111202
An animator, an illustrator, and a screenwriter meet a painter in a bar...
And it's all the same person. He picks the crust from his eyes, hangs his coat dejectedly on the back of an uncomfortable swiveling stool, looks around at some much-loved old friends and says,"I've worked thousands of unpaid hours this year. Anyone want to buy me a pint?"
Man, it's rough out there. It doesn't help the self-esteem when the likes of Bill Plympton, Pat Smith, Don Hertzfeld, The Vaccese Twins, Signe Baumane, and practically every animator known to man seems to be releasing their film and visiting fests, or announcing their new film and getting underway. More power to 'em!
But... Dammit! In the time it's taken me to develop and storyboard and begin production on my animated short, people have made entire shorts, built animation/motion graphics portfolios, even started companies. Granted, I cut an HD feature, PA'ed for Bridezillas, relocated twice, and volunteered videography services to countless individuals. But... Just the same. Point is, this film is huge, it's still huge, and it's not getting any less huge. It's not a music video, it's not stick figures, it's not under ten minutes. It will never be any of those things.
In any case, my film is on hold- this is a terrible, terrible thing. Every day that I don't touch it feels like sacrilege. But the money must flow. I can't find any editing work, despite having a solid pedigree. And while my last job was pretty great for a service gig- it ate up most of my time. So. There's this webcomic that could, in fact, bring some small amount of income. Therefore, finishing issue 1 before the year turns is a major, major goal. The faster I get this finished, the faster I can get back to the film. Either way, I'm not seeing much pay for any of this.
Dear universe: I'd like to do my fucking work now, please.
In the meantime, I am going broke laboring on amazing projects that won't pay off until question marks. Wanted: a new day job or any available sugar momma.
Man, it's rough out there. It doesn't help the self-esteem when the likes of Bill Plympton, Pat Smith, Don Hertzfeld, The Vaccese Twins, Signe Baumane, and practically every animator known to man seems to be releasing their film and visiting fests, or announcing their new film and getting underway. More power to 'em!
But... Dammit! In the time it's taken me to develop and storyboard and begin production on my animated short, people have made entire shorts, built animation/motion graphics portfolios, even started companies. Granted, I cut an HD feature, PA'ed for Bridezillas, relocated twice, and volunteered videography services to countless individuals. But... Just the same. Point is, this film is huge, it's still huge, and it's not getting any less huge. It's not a music video, it's not stick figures, it's not under ten minutes. It will never be any of those things.
In any case, my film is on hold- this is a terrible, terrible thing. Every day that I don't touch it feels like sacrilege. But the money must flow. I can't find any editing work, despite having a solid pedigree. And while my last job was pretty great for a service gig- it ate up most of my time. So. There's this webcomic that could, in fact, bring some small amount of income. Therefore, finishing issue 1 before the year turns is a major, major goal. The faster I get this finished, the faster I can get back to the film. Either way, I'm not seeing much pay for any of this.
Dear universe: I'd like to do my fucking work now, please.
In the meantime, I am going broke laboring on amazing projects that won't pay off until question marks. Wanted: a new day job or any available sugar momma.
20110920
Sept. 2011
I am still alive, and I apologize for not posting. The job situation in my life has changed recently, allowing me more time for my XL friend (the month of August in particular brought some grand developments, including the best animation to date,) but with this change also brings a threat anew: poverty. I have been working on M since July of 2008, and as of July 2011 I've set a soft deadline of April, 2014. With everything going on outside of the project, I am unable to justify spending immediate time making the latest work available for viewing. Nevertheless, there are those interested in helping- and I am soon to enter a recruiting phase for scanning, cleanups, and color flatting. In the meantime, enjoy a pic from my secondary project [hopefully a moneymaker to free up some time and funds for this ongoing pachyderm epic] the unearthly graphic novel Bloodless.
20110519
Update May 2011
Working hard, working well. More time needed, but it's coming along nicely. More to come soon.
Mutwale : Timelapse 01 from Jeff Martell on Vimeo.
20110201
Inspiration/Influence: Richard Williams
I've been tackling a couple of title sequences right at the outset, and I'm reminded of something Richard Williams says time and again. "Sophisticated use of the basics." An important phrase for an animator that isn't doing Tex Avery style BOINGS or hard takes, but must instead focus on subtle anticipation and soft accents. Knowing the basics and how to apply them in a sophisticated way is one of the most effective methods to keep things organized while retaining a working sense of freedom.
Since my lead character weighs a couple of tons (his head alone could be up to 800 lbs.,) I'm going to execute a traditional human walk cycle separately just to cut my teeth again. Steps on 12 and 24, passing position at 6 and 18 all on ones, loop. Totally basic. Timing and spacing is paramount for mobility and believability in action. The only reason I even know the true difference between timing and spacing is Richard Williams. Everyone knows the man- he's responsible for integrating cartoons with live action in Roger Rabbit, (part 2, part 3,) the famous Pink Panther introductions, thousands of commercials, and the mostly completed 24-year endeavor Thief and the Cobbler (or The Princess and the Cobbler, or The Cobbler and the Thief, depending on the cut you get.) I could go on for pages about the man and how much he's helped me understand the art of animation. Animation at its simplest is translational math without numbers. Even more though, it's performance. Animation is acting. Richard Williams can cite Art Babbit (one of Disney's "9 old men" responsible for the Queen in Snow White) and Ken Harris (the classic Warner animator known for the Coyote) as masters, employees, and friends. He remains one of the only comprehensive encyclopedias of traditional animation technique on the planet. Any animator will point you to his book, The Animator's Survival Kit. There also exists a 16 DVD set called the Animator's Survival Kit: Animated, which is a lecture series compiled with over 400 animated exercises and illustrations of the most common animation techniques and mistakes. If you lack a mentor as most of us seem to, I can honestly say both of these are invaluable resources. If you can somehow get your hands on it, the animated lectures are fantastic.
Don't overthink. Anticipation. Action. Reaction. Work it until it works.
Since my lead character weighs a couple of tons (his head alone could be up to 800 lbs.,) I'm going to execute a traditional human walk cycle separately just to cut my teeth again. Steps on 12 and 24, passing position at 6 and 18 all on ones, loop. Totally basic. Timing and spacing is paramount for mobility and believability in action. The only reason I even know the true difference between timing and spacing is Richard Williams. Everyone knows the man- he's responsible for integrating cartoons with live action in Roger Rabbit, (part 2, part 3,) the famous Pink Panther introductions, thousands of commercials, and the mostly completed 24-year endeavor Thief and the Cobbler (or The Princess and the Cobbler, or The Cobbler and the Thief, depending on the cut you get.) I could go on for pages about the man and how much he's helped me understand the art of animation. Animation at its simplest is translational math without numbers. Even more though, it's performance. Animation is acting. Richard Williams can cite Art Babbit (one of Disney's "9 old men" responsible for the Queen in Snow White) and Ken Harris (the classic Warner animator known for the Coyote) as masters, employees, and friends. He remains one of the only comprehensive encyclopedias of traditional animation technique on the planet. Any animator will point you to his book, The Animator's Survival Kit. There also exists a 16 DVD set called the Animator's Survival Kit: Animated, which is a lecture series compiled with over 400 animated exercises and illustrations of the most common animation techniques and mistakes. If you lack a mentor as most of us seem to, I can honestly say both of these are invaluable resources. If you can somehow get your hands on it, the animated lectures are fantastic.
Don't overthink. Anticipation. Action. Reaction. Work it until it works.
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