General July

Recently returned from a lovely "weekend" on a lake in vermont. Just what the doctor ordered. Beautiful, cool, great company, close proximity to an island formerly owned by the Marx brothers (giddy giddy). Many thanks to Andrew and Derek for their impeccable hospitality.

Did a couple more phases on the panels yesterday. Most excitingly, I have a venue for my new drawings in September. It was one of my goals to figure out how to frame them and make more this summer, so voila, the deadline.

Staring down a very busy bunch of weeks. Gig at Hard Rock and Boston Pops (Blue Man not me). Lots of meetings and scampering about. Music video coming up (Steamy Bohemians not me). Wedding coming up (step sister not me). and a trip to chicago to poke around (all me). I figure I can fit all that in three weeks no problem.

Submitted to Ottawa International Animation Festival, Chicago International Film Festival and Coney Island Film Festival. Sundance coming soon.

ass over different teacup

........completely un-arts-related.

ass over teacup

In honor of the formidable wave of existential angst that just broke on my dome, I am posting the baby steps of progress I've made on those wall panel things as some sort of proof not of my talent but my perseverance in the face of self doubt and fatigue onaccounta working overtime continually. This is the first day off that hasn't been a giant relief but, instead, a sort of side-swipe. But, I'm looking to keep a hold on evidence of my "working on new things", so, {return to top of text}

Here we go again...

So they've featured another Bony Lil video on Yahoo (the face one from the performance on the 5th).

So far we've got:
a five star rating with
"Bony Lil s my Girl: a lovely, lovely performance"
and
a one star rating with
"rubbish: about as funny as breaking your foot in three places"

I dare say I CAN wait to find out which side wins.

Go watch (click on post title) and comment if you've got a yahoo account stashed away anywhere.

A great woman I had the pleasure of spending time with when I was young pointed out once that folks who share our zodiac sign are like bagels; tough on the outside, soft on the inside. too true

Music Outings

hypernova...........................................................ms.palmer

DMBQ.............................................................lightning bolt

I have a totally phat camera. (eyeroll)

D.O.

Yesterday at Walden Pond.
hike. dip. picnic. nap.
{fucking sigh}

[I apologize to my two readers about the lack-of-pep my posts have had of late. Not much being accomplished lately besides working most days at... work. Aside from honing my skills in management, teaching and cinderella-ness, I have been making tiny steps forward on a couple more festival submissions and starting to finish a group of paper panels I started over a year ago. There are very exciting things on the horizon. But for now, a snail's pace, apparently. After seven weeks of practice, I'm finally making a bit of peace with that... enjoying some relaxation and large quantities of planet earth {eyes wide like tea saucers}]

goood morning

Footage from Voltaic

Diatribe:
So I felt the footage didn't quite capture the excitement of the moment (says the girl whose brain was so addled with adrenaline, it's impossible to know exactly how exciting it was). Somehow in reverse it seemed to to me. It's a bit cheeky, admittedly, but it adds a little video pepper. I'm on this kick now, that there are elements of live performance that cannot be experienced by those who weren't there (Snooty sounding but true). After being able to craft each moment and beat in film and feeling like there was no way to match that live, I'm now flopping to the other end of the spectrum, the one I was most directly born into, live theatre. Live performance possesses an intensity that is difficult to captured on film. Think of all those staged opera and ballet programs on PBS. Seeing Baryshnikov live is a totally different animal (I would watch that man sit in a chair and pick his nose for 45 minutes with no complaint). That's why film is made in little chunks, it's a different language. A brilliant one. I just want to return to the live stuff. Live improvisation is bloody thrilling.
(so is hearing a hoard of wee children belting out "no more monkeys jumping on the bed" as they pass under one's window)

YES

Voltaic Vaudeville: May 5th 2007






That was the most fun I've had in literally years. There were concerns about nervous bowel issues before every cue, but once the threshold was crossed onto stage, I was home. I missed that.

Many Thanks to Ms. Valerie who completely rocked that shit...
Heather who provided the fabulous opportunity...
and Brian Carpenter's Vaudeville Orchestra and all the other wonderful performers.
Hot shit.

All video stills: Michael Pope

{I gotta do that again, like, yesterday}

Show show show show

I've been battling full-time work to try and (successfully) squeeze in some rehearsals for the first time out in two years.
Fortunately, improvisation is something I like okay.

Been working with Ms. Valerie.
That's good fun.

Come see the show Saturday
3pm & 8pm
Regent Theatre in Arlington MA
mbta-able

hooray.

So: buttons

I just got my first Bony Lil buttons in the mail today. I'm so psyched I'm tempted to use some version of the "peed a little" joke, but it doesn't quite capture the freshness and nowness I feel. How about I am so excited my guts have arranged themselves in alphabetical order. Or I'm so excited my tail bone was prehensile for a second. Or I'm so excited... luge.

I think I have a knack for this cultural meme thing. You heard it here first.

Sad about the bees

I'm sad about the bees. Regardless of the specifics of why and how long, I'm feeling somewhat helpless in the face of events unfolding. As a result I couldn't bring myself to print dvd inserts at kinkos. I decided to go back to linoblock and print on paper I already own.

So, while I put in an eleven show week, I'll be spending the down moments carving away at my linoblock to keep myself satisfied of forward progress on my own projects while working an unreasonable amount.

I'm also sticking my toe in the "merch" waters for the show on the 5th. buttons. flipbooks. We'll see how it goes...

logo: everyone has one, these days

So if you're one of those with a lovely mac 'puter which you love and cherish (me too), Do not be afraid. Love it. Cherish it. Feel free to also advertise something else with that soft glowing light on the front.

I did mine with a sticker, black permanent marker, x-acto-like knife, and black gaff tape. Works good. Though you consider laminating with clear packing tape or something after your done to preserve it from peeling up in places over time.

Also, a new addiction: wholphin.

No dice

Réf. : Présentation du film « BONY LIL'S DISTRACTION » au Comité de Sélection du 60ème Festival de Cannes (16 – 27 mai, 2007).

Monsieur / Madame Michael POPE

Nous avons le regret de vous informer que votre film n’a pas été retenu par le Comité de Sélection du Festival de Cannes pour sa Sélection Officielle (Compétition, Hors Compétition, Un Certain Regard).

Avec nos meilleures salutations,

Me encanta

http://noonebelongsheremorethanyou.com/

"Popsicle: animation" or "Being a public punching bag" {update}

I posted the animation I made four years ago using the same animation technique I use in Bony Lil's Creation. It just occurs to me now, that it's basically hand-drawn cel animation without the cel. Instead of being put on a transparent sheet they are cut out. That means registration between actions happens during filming rather than as they are drawn making it somewhat stop-motion. But with my way, the characters can run across any surface in 3D and crumple and stuff. They can interact with a real 3D space with specific lighting etc.

So I posted this piece about the adventures of a frozen novelty snack that I made in ought-three with help and guidance from Lisa Bufano, and Yahoo! Video picked it within 48 hours and featured it on the front page. went from 18 hits to...
currently 1803, quick like bunny. Youtube is for shmoos.

{UPDATE: so despite the 8,096 hits, I had to go through 280 top featured videos to find one rated near as poorly as mine has been. one star. "hated it". (this one got 1.5 stars) It's a flash/green screen jobby called cosmonaughty about a dancing cosmonaut. Keep the faith, my brother. {Although, safe to say this lad did not spend the better part of a year on his video}}

{April 2nd, 8,857 hits

User reviews:

Puh-leese - wasted time

ugh - 3:11 seconds of my life that i will never get back

detesting - More could be found at www.tv-video.net, and you know you should work on this video more .Best wishes {ad}

Don t waste your time - Looked interesting, but extreamly slow paced video. Got better things to do.

Very Bad - Stupid

lousy - lousy

Everybody feel better now? Feels good to anonymously berate people's work. It's so hard when folks like me force people to sit in front of their computers for hours on end randomly watching whatever's put in front of them. It could be ANYTHING. Life is so tyrannically difficult. I can really see how this piece would raise one's hackles. Thanks for speaking out. Maybe this will bring about some change. In the meantime, while they work at cleaning up this internet joint, maybe it's safer to move back to watching specially programed, corporate-approved television. Their advertisements are guaranteed to more closely determine, I mean, pander to your tastes. Now someone bring me my beret and black turtleneck I have more people's time to waste.
[take THAT you pre-adolescent folks who could care less about any of the above and have already forgotten about the experience anyway]
(I feel better)}

for more on a potential utopia sledgehammered by human nature: go here

(April 10th, 11,059 hits, 244 suscribers:
horrible
que manera de perder mi tiempo

Tiempo perdido
Hacía tiempo no dejaba que me tomaran por estúpida, vaya siempre se tropieza con la misma piedra.

thus: Spanish speakers also find it to be a waste of time)

Me corto mi pelo {fashion post #2.5}

So I stumbled across this doc (called "The Eternal Children" by some german guy about freak folk folks Cocorosie, Devendra Banhart, Antony etc) first thing this morning and watched the whole thing before getting out of bed. I'd heard plenty about these folks before, heard a few songs from each, but hearing them talk about their approach to and perspectives on life made me want to... cut my hair. (blushing). So, I did. Not totally psyched about it but it'll do. freak folk for all my friends!


{ramona-quimby-age-8 in the front, cut-rate hipster fringe in the back}

Waiting: They got'm...

Monsieur / Madame Michael POPE

Nous avons bien reçu votre film BONY LIL'S DISTRACTION (and CREATION too)

La conférence de presse annonçant les films sélectionnés pour le Festival de Cannes se déroule durant la seconde quinzaine d’avril.
Si votre film est sélectionné pour le Festival de Cannes, vous serez prévenu avant cette date.
Nous essayerons dans la mesure du possible de donner des réponses à tous les candidats avant la conférence de presse.

Cordialement,

Festival de Cannes
Département Films
_______________________________________________________________________________

Dear Michael POPE

We have received your film BONY LIL'S DISTRACTION (and CREATION too)

The press conference will be held in the last two weeks of April.
If your film is selected for the Festival de Cannes, you will be notified before the press conference
We will do our best to notify all candidates before the press conference.

Yours sincerely,

Festival de Cannes
Film Department


Next comes the deadline for the Hamptons Festival, then maybe Locarno and Rhode Island International, probably Ottawa's Animation one. That's just May. June comes Sundance... more more more (where do we think the money is coming from for all these submissions? dunno. I just hope somebody says "yes. we love it. do come.")

A coup {& fashion post #2}

Last night's screening went very well (nothing like stacking the deck with your friends). Thanks to Evan for the opportunity and support. We killed'm, gang.



'Big Pimpin' in Navy'
totally overdressed for the occasion

Feature on Yahoo! Video Again

It's a few pages back now from the home page, flew in under the radar, but the teaser for Bony Lil's Distraction has been featured on Yahoo! Video. Lots more hits. (better get crackin on those new videos for all those new subscribers)

Come see full length rough cut of Bony Lil's Creation tonight in Providence. fun.

{I'll post my outfit later}

For the lads over at B's blog {fashion post #1}

Today's Outfit as per mentioned on Barnaby's blog comments. (somebody has to start doing the "outfit blog"){snork}

I have been rocking a style recently I like to call "farmer urban chic"
(Vogue and W can feel free to contact my handler)

Additional SHoot

It didn't occur to me until very recently that when the two films are screening back to back there might need to be a bit of an interlude between them. So, yesterday Pope and I put some good quality time into the issue and came up with something marvy, fitting.

Introducing Harriet and Alejandro:






{Roll your eyes if you must, but stuffed animals are fun.}

Sketchbook Doodle and Screening

made in the usual stream of subconscious manner



Ten minutes of animation. Check out what I've been doing for the last two years.

And a tip of the hat to the cirque eloize folks. Thanks for bringin the funk.

Nominee

The Creation Teaser was nominated in the Best Indie Trailer or Promo category by the folks at Yahoo! Video.

soopare cooool.

{if you say it over and over again it's sort of neat. nomineenomineenominee.
conjures up the image of a chubby cheeked creature contentedly chewing with its mouth open.}