Wallflower

A Srs Gt

2009-11-10T03:29:39Z

Sunday, after grabbing some darker paper at Curry's for life drawing, i had lunch at Licks. I was there for two hours, reading manga - i this case, Tsubasa and the xxxHolic Guide. Tsubasa actually managed to shock me with the twist in its storyline. Apparently, there are only 5 volumes left. And, man, xxxHolic is beautiful to look at.

The movie i saw was The Men Who Stare at Goats, about a reporter from a small-city newspaper getting caught up in a story about an American military unit devoted to psychic warfare (and peace-making - very 70s/hippie-ish). It was funny, enjoyable, but not great. I thought it should have been pushed more - there were lines that were supposed to be funny, but fell flat bcause of the delivery (poor direction). Anyway, a renter.

"Lieutenant Colonel Django used funds from the project's black budget to procure prostitutes..."
"That's a lie!"
" ...and to get drugs for himself and his men."
" That... well, the hooker thing is definitely a lie."

"It's ok we're Americans, we're here to help you! I think I just ran him over. Oh crap."

Busy day Monday - three classes, plus yoga (Shannon was sick both classes last week), Ryan Miller & Suzanne were here to speak to the students, tho' i saw them only briefly.

A Srs Man

2009-11-09T04:03:50Z

Saturday, i went into TO to do some shopping - i saw stuff at the Queen St H&M i liked, but they had only one thing in my size. The Eaton Centre store had a few interesting sweaters and a pair of pants. There were black pants with a paisley pattern i liked, but they didn't have my size either.

I had lunch at Spring Rolls (pork chop rice platter, springrollini, chicken-veggie dumplings).

Then i saw A Serious Man, the latest by the Coen Brothers. After a prologue involving a ghost in a Jewish settlement in centuries past, the jumps to the late 60s, and a serious, rational man named Larry Gopnick. Larry is a physics professor hoping for tenure (although someone is writing nasty letters to the tenure board), is bribed by a foreign student who wants to pass his class (or sued for accusing the student of bribing him), a neighbour encroaching on his property, has an unemployed brother living on his sofa, has a wife who want to divorce him (much to his surprise) and marry the widowed neighbour, a pothead son coming up to his bar mitzvah, and a very bitchy daughter. Every time he moves, something else happens to him, and he is slowly having a breakdown. He looks for help from lawyers and rabbis, but no one can give him answers.

It's funny, although dark, and ends rather darkly. The best comparison is Job (from the Bible, being a good man to whom many bad things happen with no explanation - and in that book, it's very much debated about why God was punishing Job). Larry is a good man, tries to be honest, doesn't swear or get angry and so on. Where he differs is that he has no faith in God, he has only faith in the mathematics of physics. One school of thought is that Job was punished for his arrogance (when he was being punished, he said he was not a sinner, but isn't everyone? Though the idea that your prosperity indicates your righteousness is somewhat disturbing). Is Larry being punished for his lack of faith? The biblical connection is also made with the storm, which was a element in Job's story and the movie.

There's also Larry being hounding by the Columbia Record company - Larry Gopnick repeatedly rejects 'Abraxas' (the album by Santana), which a gnostic name for God.

There's the foreign student's father, when Larry points out the contradiction in being sued for defamation of character when he accuses the son of trying to bribe him but wants him to take the money for a higher grade, who tells Larry, "Please, accept the mystery."

And there's the Jefferson Airplane music that kept appearing, "When the truth is found to be lies, And all the joy within you dies, Don't you want somebody to love?" maybe it's talking about Larry's beliefs in math and physics as the answers for the universe?

Maybe all the people hounding Larry are the equivalents of the Adversary from the Book of Job.

Maybe when Larry went to talk to the rabbis, when they talked about God or mysterious messages rather than his family problems, when h thought they were missing the point, it was actually he who was missing the point.

Being embraced by his wife's new love.

"Dad, what's sodomy?"

Movies, Ange, Ovo, Wings

2009-11-09T04:03:09Z

What happened this week? Gah! Can't remember. Lots of marking. I think i saw Astro Boy again Monday night. No! I went to Kennedy Commons to see A Serious Man, but i didn't want to think, so i saw Whip It again, lol.

Thursday after class i went to TO to met up with Ange, whom i hadn't seen for a few months. We had lunch at Peter Pan - i had some delicious lamb chops, and wine. After, i did a bit of shopping, then saw Where The Wild Things Are again, this time on IMAX. Then it was off to see Cirque Du Soleil's Ovo again. So good. But.... dang, it was cold in the outer concessions tents - not to mntion the water outside the portable toilets.

Friday i had intended to see a movie after our meeting, which was kind of rushed, and got a little heated, ha ha. Anyway, Angelina, Matt and i, and eventually Chris, wnt to Wild Wings. I tried different than my usual, starting with Lemon Pepper (after a while, the lemon got strong). I tried one of Angelina's, with i think was BBQ & Blue Cheese (too much blue cheese is obnoxious), and one of Matt's, which was BBQ and Taco (a little spicy for me). Later on, i ordered a second pound, Wild West, which was BBQ and mustard. It was okay, but eventually i realized it tasted like brown beans, and that kind of made it less interesting, lol.

Fall photos

2009-11-09T02:02:40Z

Last week, on the way to Dar's, i stopped along the way at several spots to take som photos of the leaf colours, and other fall scenery.

Life drawings

This is on Regional Road 57.

Looking down Concession Road 4 (or is it 6 or 7?), west. Pretty sure it's 4.

Looking down Concession Road 4(?), east.

I think this is 6 or 7...

Near Old Scugog Rd and 6 or 7th Concession.

Definitely Durham Region.

Stupid wind!

This is on Regional Rd 3 (Concession 8) just west of Enniskillen. I think this is the northern tip of the Enniskillen Conservation Area.

Looking east along Regional Rd 3, back towards Enniskillen.

By this time, Regional Rd 3 is called Columbus Rd.

Life Drawing

2009-11-09T01:42:58Z

2009 October 14.

From the first life drawing class this term. I was having a terrible time, my neck/shoulder was really hurting - first time i'd had that from life drawing (and i'd had massage therapy that morning). I left after only an hour, and my neck got worse the next few days. Ugh. Anyway, not much turned out from that night, but i like the energy in this one.

He didn't have glasses, that's just a line for the eyes.

2009 November 4.

I waited until after my next therapy session to start again. I also stood the drawing donkey on its end, and stood while drawing. It was a much better session. These ones i liked were all 15-30 minutes pieces.

Life drawings

Metric at Massey Hall, with the Stills

2009-11-06T14:13:42Z

On October 20, 2009, i went to see Metric play at Massey Hall. I was annoyingly sick when i went, but i was determined. It's taken me a while to edit the pics, as i had to go through the Ottawa Animation Festival pics first, then my laptop croaked.

Uhhh... nice view, thanks Massey Hall. Thankfully, the seat on either side of me was empty (ha ha, i hope the scalpers got screwed when Metric added the second show... or maybe someone was sick). Also, a lot of people went up to the front to dance. Massey Hall is an odd venue for a rock concert.

Metric pics

The opening act was The Stills, who were pretty good. There were a lot of familiar songs, but i could only have named Still In Love, which i don't think they played - i will have to look into them more.

Then on came Metric. Amazing, as always!

THE SETLIST:
1. Twilight Galaxy
2. Help I’m Alive
3. Satellite Mind
4. Handshakes
5. Poster of a Girl
6. Gold, Guns, Girls
7. Collect Call
8. Empty
9. Gimme Sympathy
10. Sick Muse
11. Dead Disco
12. Blindness
13. Stadium Love
ENCORE:
14. Monster Hospital
15. Combat Baby (Acoustic)

The band saying good night.

"An edification"

2009-11-01T18:53:55Z

Last weekend i saw An Education, a very different movie, about an about-to-turn-17-year old girl in early 1960s Britain. Both she and the country are about to engage in a social revolution, but at the moment, her prospects are a little limited. She's very smart, and her father pushes her education, but to what end? When she meets a young man who not only charms her but her parents (naively in both cases), her life takes a dramatic turn, dropping out of school, travelling to London, paris, eating in fancy restaurants, going to galleries, all the things she's dreamed of. Something that wasn't mentioned but i found a bit odd was the obvious age difference. Sure, he was supposed to be older than the high school boys she had been seeing, but he had to be at least a decade older than her (the actor is actually 38).

Her 'education' is more about life than school. It was a funny movie, in a witty, and an interesting look at a period and place. The actor who played Jenny was great.

Someone is repressed...

"Do you go to concerts?"
"We don't believe in concerts."
"Oh, I assure you, they're real."

"You seem to be old and wise."
"I feel old. But not very wise."

"Mighty Atom!"

2009-11-01T18:17:24Z

I also saw Astro Boy, the CGI movie based on the old manga/anime. Overall, it was enjoyable, although not one of the greatest - i liked it more than Shrek, but less than Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs. Kids apparently love it.

It tries to remain faithful to the original story, but it felt a little by-the-numbers, and also a little not full thought out. There are issues they don't explain, like, is anyone running the surface world? If Metro City jumps dumps its garbage onto the surface, where do they get their resources (to build robots, or just food?). How did Cora get separated from her parents, and down to the surface. The very last scene is set up something similar to the last scene of The Incredibles, but they should have done it the same way, with a break - otherwise it's a weird transition (does this happen all the time, and we just didn't know about it?). Also - if all robots are sentient, doesn't that mean Astro killed some of them?

I didn't really like the adult character voice actors - Donald Sutherland's voice was too soft and muffled to be the militaristic President, and when i heard Dr Tenma, all i could see Nicholas Cage (who is not the right voice for a brilliant and aloof scientist). Nathan Lane was fun as Hamegg, although the character looked much different than the original, he was closer in personality.

Drs. Elefun and Tenma.

Astro Boy.

The Robot Revolutionary Front - the oddly Marxist, English-accented comedy relief.

Nicely designed trashcan-dog hybrid.

Cora, the character not from the books or anime.

"...I really wanted to show you something."

2009-11-01T18:15:14Z

One of the movies i've seen (a couple of times, actually) is Where The Wild Things Are. It's dark, unbelievably dark if you're thinking of taking children to see it. I liked it, it's great as an adult fable, about a kid in a newly broken family who uses his fantasies (we can assume) to learn to deal with his emotions. It's interesting, because i didn't find Max all that likeable at the beginning. It's also interesting that Maurice Sendak was involved in the movie's production.

I was kind of appalled at the scene in class, where the teacher tells the small children that the sun will die, destroy the earth, though humanity will probably have destroyed itself by then. What the hell are you thinking?

"Let the the wild rumpus begin!"

The Wild Things - Alexander, Carol, Judith, Ira, Max, Bull.

"It's going to be a place where only the things you want to happen, would happen."

Douglas, Max and KW.

Socialness and Halloween

2009-11-01T16:31:34Z

Last Saturday, i went to Lisa & Russ's for dinner, first time in a month or so. I felt crappy after dinner, partly because i ate too much, partly, i don't think some of it agreed with me - not really big on parsnips or cauliflower, and the chicken was kind odd.

On this Friday, i dropped by Russ's place, because i needed a shirt ironed for my Halloween costume, and i couldn't find ours. I'd actually expected Lisa to be there, but it turned out Russ took tyhe day off because Lisa had to catch up on work, and the girls were home, still recovering themselves.

Speaking of Halloween, i went out as a droog again, this time with a better hat, and suspenders. Oh and better eye make-up, but still not as good as i could do with, say, a marker. The first party was at Matt's condo in Toronto. Chris and Rebecca, Miah, Dawn and Matt Jelavic were there, plus a bunch of Matt and Stephanie's other friends. I was feeling tired, and was leaving around 12:30 when some cute girls arrived. Uhh, yes, the self-described 'half-assed vampire' - you could have made me stay, though i decided it would be an effort in futility and left anyway.

Yesterday, i just ran errands during the day, including the suspenders, better yoga equipment, and so on. Polished my shoes, finally. Found the iron to give the shirt another go, lol. Oh, and i went to Dar's old house, and picked up a couple of old boxes from our TSB/Puppets days. Some videos that need posting, lol.

In the evening, i picked up Felicia, Torrie and her boyfriend Adam, and we drove to Toronto for a party at Andrew P's/Diego's/Mo's place (though Mo was not there). Quite a few people were there - Andrew & his girlfriend Gina, Diego, Ryan & Diane, Molly & Justin M, Natasha & Justin G, Mike R and his girlfriend (Ellery?), Jackie, who brought a friend (and eventually the friend brought her boyfriend), aside from Felicia, Torrie, Adam and me. That's 12 of my students. Plus there were a handful of other people's friends/relatives. As a DD, i kept my drinking to a minimum - a couple of Magners, and a handful of jello shots., although some barely knew each other (Torrie was in third year while Molly was in first). Drama was kept to a minimum, ha ha, though there was a lot of crude behaviour, ha ha (Torrie used someone's sword as a substitute penis all night, lol). Also some took advantage of my not being their teacher anymore, ha ha. Got a lot of hugs and such. the four of us left around... i dunno, there was a time change in there. We made it to Whitby and went to a Chinese restaurant (my General Tao chicken and fried rice were not that good). After we parted, i had to stop for gas, and then it was just past 3 EDT, so 2 EST, but when i got home, i went online for a bit.

Woke up at 9/8 this morning, not feeling too bad, just tired, as usual. Cut my hair.

Sickness

2009-11-01T16:29:48Z

Okay, it's been a while since i posted. Aside from the time it took me to write up all the Ottawa stuff, i've been sidelined with illness. I brought something back from Ottawa, something flu-like. It was worst on last Monday, the 19th, with dripping nose, sinus pain, painfully sore through, phlegm, all the good stuff. So much so, i called in sick to work for the first time in maybe 3 years on the Tuesday, though as it turned out i felt a little better (maybe because i didn't go out?). I was productive though, as i'd brought work home. I've been slowly recovering since, although my symptoms can vary through the day. My throat is okay, and i don't have much of a runny nose, but i still cough phlegm sometimes (sorry). I regret missing last week's yoga.

I wonder if i should get a flu shot? I'm still recovering, and maybe i already have antibodies anyway? What;'s more annoying than the H1N1 hysteria, aside from the fact it's not just H1N1 (which is the most common flu virus), but H1N1-09, is the anti-immunization myths.

Speaking of sorry, last Sunday i had an issue where it looked like i had internal bleeding again, like from my ulcer in 2006. I don't know what caused it, as i haven't been using aspirin, though i guess i'd taken a fair amount of acetaminophen, and pseudephedrine. My friend Lisa gave me an herbal supplement, mainly fenugreek. Its possible side effect is bloating and so on, and those were symptoms. So, i don't know. I went to the hospital ER, bringing reading material with me, though it wasn't too slow. They didn't find anything wrong, and my hemoglobin was actually a little high (opposite of what i'd expect). Anyway, i quit all medication, except my ongoing antacid - he actually gave me a different, more powerful prescription (since stomach acid helps to cause ulcers). The symptoms disappeared. Who knows?

I've still seen a handful of movies here and there, some more than once (like, this Tuesday, when i took my car in for servicing), anmd saw a show - more on those later.

Also, the Wednesday before Ottawa, i had gone to the first evening life drawing class, but my neck/shoulder started hurting and i had to quite after about an hour. The pain got worse over a couple of days, though it's faded since. Annoyingly, i'd just had massage therapy that morning. I skipped it next week and this week too. This Wednesday was my first massage session since, and i told her, so she did stuff to calm it down, and it's feeling okay. I'm going to check for a proper easel, instead of a drawing donkey - that should help.

Ottawa International Animation Festival - Sunday 'Shorts Competition #5'

2009-10-24T13:56:20Z

We barely had enough time to make it from the Gallery to the Bytowne to see the final screening of the Festival (for us). Plus, i had to grab a hot dog on the way, as i was starving.

A Recipe For Disaster (Canada - High School) 'The story of a French baker who encounters numerous troubles as he gets ready for work, in stop-motion animation.'

Cute, and again, pretty good for a high schooler.

Runaway (Canada - Narrative) 'What would happen if the world were a driverless train thundering recklessly over bumpy tracks? From the Oscar-nominated director of The Cat Came Back and Strange Invaders.'

Funny!

Shorts Competition #5

Man Up (UK - Graduation) 'Up, left, right, round and round, but not down.'

Pretty good, about a man who prefers to live up on his crane.

Kitchen Dimensions (Estonia - Narrative) 'Three orchestrated journeys to the unseen dimensions of an ordinary kitchen.'

I don't understand the purpose of animations that are more or less just hallucinatory trips - what is the point? At 18 minutes, 3 trips was killing the audience, which groaned in relief as it finished (and somehow, this won an honorable mention). I started falling asleep, and made a trip to get popcorn and a drink and it still wasn't over.

Audi 'Unboxed' (UK - Promotional) 'The film opens on a large cardboard box in the middle of an empty room. An animated character, who is drawn onto the surface of the box, is engaged in the painstaking construction of a mysterious object. It is revealed to be a perfectly crafted cardboard Audi Q5 car, whichs transforms into the gleaming real car.'

The commercial ones tend to be nice and short - maybe because they have the most money.

Postalolio (Canada & USA - Experimental) 'Animated in traditional 2D pencil animation, traced onto blank, watercolour postcards, painted and mailed, every frame of Postalolio traveled through the international post. The animated journey of the main character is surrounded by postage stamps, cancellations, and handling marks.'

Interesting idea that went on too long, and was something of a cheat, as it kept repeating sequences, which maybe makes sense in a regular production, but when the stamps and cancellations become part of it, it doesn't. Also, travelling should've been part of the story somehow.

United Airlines 'Butterfly' (USA - Promotional) 'Butterfly is directed by Aleksandra Korejwo, who uniquely animates using coloured salts that are manipulated with the use of a condor feather, and then shoots directly under a camera. The spot advertises for United Airlines.'

Unnatural History of Wallstreet (USA - TV for Adults) 'A cartoon history of Wallstreet, NY, part of an ongoing commission from the New York Times. The series is called Concrete Jumble, and each short animation explores a different New York City neighbourhood.'

The third of this series (that i saw, anyway) - yeah, it is something of a jumble of images.

Vive la Rose (Canada - Narrative) 'The tale of a tragic love story set in Newfoundland based on a song by local musician Émile Benoit, is anchored in a beautiful, remote corner of the province, and pays homage to its land, sea, and the harsh lives of the local fishermen.'

It was a French-language song, so it worked better when it had lyrics written out.

Wallace and Gromit: A Matter of Loaf and Death (UK - Narrative) 'Wallace and Gromit have opened a new bakery and business is booming, not least because a deadly Cereal Killer has murdered all the other bakers in town.'

Great, as always. Perfect way to end the festival.

Then it was back on the road for 5 hours back home.

Ottawa International Animation Festival - Sunday 'International Showcase #2'

2009-10-24T12:55:26Z

After packing up our booth, i decided at the last minute to see a couple more shows before hitting the road. I met Miah, and we went to see International Showcase #2. The showcase pieces aren't in competition, but are generally more professional (one was Pixar's) and better on average (which isn't to say there aren't a lot of good ones in the Competitions).

Juiced and Jazzed (USA) 'Wild jazz music and dance overcome a young flapper named Lulu in prohibition era 1920's after she stumbles upon a flask. Her night on the town is cut short when the long arm of the law intervenes. The swinging jazz of Joe Venuti and the wild music of Spike Jones accompany the visuals, inspired by early 20th century animation.'

Fast-paced and fun!

International Showcase #2

Partly Cloudy (USA) 'Everyone knows that the stork delivers babies, but where to the storks get the babies from? The answer lies up in the stratosphere, where cloud people sculpt babies from clouds and bring them to life.'

Awesome.

Become Firm (Ukraine) 'This is what can happen to a man who fails to be what he actually is.'

I liked the idea of the character being molded by other characters - fun to watch, and i get the metaphor. Kinda slow.

French Roast (France) 'In a fancy Parisian Café, an uptight businessman is about to pay the bill when he finds out that he's lost his wallet. To stall, he decides to order more coffee...'

Brilliant!

The Machine (USA) 'The Machine is an animated fable that follows an innocently forged creation as he becomes more and more determined to consume everything in his path.'

Okay, except it's an idea that's been done to death.

Utopia City (France) 'The city is seen a 'utopia,' par excellence. But what is a city? In this piece, filmed entirely with live images, a series of questions and remarks build the portrait of the ideal city.'

Didn't like this one - an animator uses pieces of tape over top of live footage, while a voiceover rants about cities.

Consoul (Norway) 'A man's life told in 8-bit video game graphics.'

Funny, good, but too long - and it should've syopped at play again, or sped through each life.

Wings and Oars (Latvia) 'A former pilot looks back over his life - The Earth, the Sky, the Woman - everything that took place on the journey from an air strip to an abandoned boat house.'

Looks nice, but meandered around, i didn't get the point.

L'homme à la Gordini (France) 'At the end of the 70’s, in an imaginary suburb, the custom is to wear neither underwear nor trousers, only orange tops. With the help of a masked rebel driving a blue R8 Gordini, Mister R and his wife plot a radical clothing revolution and the assault of monochromic orange totalitarianism.'

Good one - a bit long, but i liked the style - the grotesqueness of the characters was funny in itself, and a good little story.

Crocodile (Estonia) 'The story of a former opera star who must work in a crocodile costume entertaining children. This kind of life is joyless, and he vents his frustration by behaving rudely. Until one day, a fateful woman enters his life... and...a crocodile.'

Started out okay, funny, but eventually lost the plot - just didn't resolve the story well.

Ottawa International Animation Festival - Sunday 'Animarket'

2009-10-24T03:47:32Z

Sunday was somewhat slower for prospective students, but it was packed for interviews, especially with Disney.

Sunday Animarket

Who's that being interviewed? Someone who wants a job.

"You'd better send me copies of those." I like Dawn. Trish is looking for whomever Dawn was talking to.

Ottawa International Animation Festival - Saturday 'The Making of Pixar's UP'

2009-10-24T03:36:07Z

I hurried back from the screening to help with the packing up, and wanted to get a copy of My Name Is Dug, illustrated by Ronnie Del Carmen, who was doing a book signing. I hadn't figured on his being so well known.

The Making Of Pixar's UP

Nina from Paper Biscuit.

I knew him first through the handful of comics he's done, Paper Biscuit (which i have signed, because i ordered them directly from him), and Fragments, an art book. Also, i didn't count on the book being sold out (for a book signing? seriously?). Anyway, i rushed over to Chapters, and found a copy, but by the time i got back, the signing was almost over, and the line-up crazy long.

Fragments, by Ronnie del Carmen and Enrico Casarosa.

And, as it was, he had to rush across to the Museum of Civilization to... stand in line... to see The Making Of Pixar's UP. Nicely, the sponsorship assistant had given John, Emma and Miah passes, plus we still had Peter's.

The talk was by... Ronnie Del Carmen, who was the story(board) supervisor on Up.

What's it all about?

We got to see boards and other preproduction.

'Trust the process'? Why? Because people who've been doing it a long time have developed the process because it works.

Where does it begin?

Wow, Pixar even sent them to Venezuela.

Two co-workers.

Why we critique and brainstorm.

He was an awesome speaker - used up the whole time, so no questions.

We also got a preview of the new short for the Up DVD, Dug's Special Mission. Amazing!

After, it was late, but we all went out for dinner. We'd planned to go the big Festival party Saturday night, but the line-up was nuts, and some people were feeling tired.

Ottawa International Animation Festival - Saturday 'Shorts Competition #4'

2009-10-24T03:19:58Z

I dropped by the Animarket to make sure things were okay, which they were, and went on to another screening, this time Shorts Competition #4.

Did U See That? (Korea - High School) 'One silent night, a man wakes up and finds himself surrounded by water. Furniture and appliances float around his room while he remains at a loss... He wakes up the next day thinking it's a dream, but sees something strange...'

Funny.

Shorts Competition #4

Dialogue (Canada - Experimental) 'Working directly onto the surface of 16mm and 35mm film using letterpress, the typographic forms are also printed onto the optical soundtrack. As the printed type is translated into sound, the results vary from harmonious to discordant. They represent a bridging of two ages, a communication between the printing press and the digital era.'

Meh!

Inukshuk (France - Narrative) 'On the last polar day, on the singing ice, little man Inuk and the playful bear see their white universe transformed into the black ocean of a wide-eyed whale.'

Very funny!

Kaki King 'Air and Kilometers' (Australia - Music Video) 'The official music video clip for Kaki King's 'Air and Kilometers' - animated and produced by Ingrid K. Brooker - journeys through an eclectic, immersive, stop-motion world of maps, pin wheels, and inky clouds to complement the perpetual motion of Kaki’s music.'

Lebensader (Germany - Graduation) 'A little girl finds the whole world in a leaf.'

Bowery (USA - TV for Adults) 'A cartoon history of the Bowery in lower Manhattan, part of an ongoing commission from the New York Times.'

I saw three of these.

Dahlia (USA - Experimental) 'A moving portrait of the bustle and permanence of a city, Dahlia juxtaposes the stable forms and patterns of life with the frenetic behavior of humanity, set to a driving score of vocal percussion.'

Magic Cube and Ping-Pong (China - Graduation) 'The story takes place in the city of Magic Cube, where people’s heads are made of magic cubes. In a Ping Pong tournament, the ping pong ball accidentally falls out the window, and the protagonist starts on a journey to find the ball. Eventually, he meets the most beautiful magic cube girl. The magic cube is a metaphor of human relationships within the society, while the animation emphasizes the importance of love in a society that assimilates individuals.'

He also had three (at least).

Nick Idents (Germany - Promotional) 'We wanted to create a spot that incorporated the Nickelodeon corporate identity without feeling forced. We also wanted something with an analog look that relates to the every day life of the kids. With that in mind, the idea to put realistic orange objects in the focus of each spot was born.'

Pretty good.

Laïka (Canada - Promotional) 'Laïka was a Russian female dog, picked to be the first Earthling ever sent to space. What history often forgets is that the poor bitch died in the process. Need a more cheerful story? In April 2009, we celebrated the 10th anniversary of a true Montrealer bar, named after the adventurous - and mourned - dog.'

The Drawer and The Crow (Canada - Narrative) 'A young woman imposes on a young man trying to forget another girl...'

Oh, was that what was happening.

N.A.S.A. 'A Volta' (USA - Music Video) 'Another day, another drug deal gone wrong in this NC-17 bit of ultra violence set in 8-bit isometric metropolis.'

Darfur Drawings (Canada - Promotional) 'Children's drawings from Darfur tell the awful story of a child's death at the hands of the Janjaweed.'

Chick (Poland - Graduation) 'Chick is a humorous true-life story about male-female relations. Infatuation and its consequences are depicted in a ironic way: meeting a guy, dancing, having fun, a sexual act.'

Very good, but true-to-life? Oh, those sexist Poles....

The Soliloquist (Taiwan - Graduation) 'During some lonesome days, a heart-broken man receives letters and packages with the wrong addressee. Unable to return the letters, he starts to read them. As he reads more and more of the letters, he falls into a fictitious love with an imaginary character.'

BBC 'Journey to the East' (UK - Promotional) 'This is a spot for the BBC's coverage of the Beijing Olympic Games that is based on the traditional Chinese folklore 'Journey to the West'.'

Inherent Obligations (Estonia - Narrative) 'This film should be the artistic approach to our nearest future. We can see the media playing a continuously greater role in the arrangement of social life. How can we get more precise results in surveys? How can the largest companies fulfil the needs of vast numbers of consumers by changing themselves? '

Bleagh.

WWF 'Because We Are All Connected' (UK - Promotional) 'An illlustration of the absolute reliance and connectedness of our world’s ecosystem with a wheel of life, inspired by animation from classic children’s TV programs of years gone by.'

Is it me, or were the Shorts collections getting worse? Too many pretentious ones.

Ottawa International Animation Festival - Saturday 'Mai Mai Miracle'

2009-10-23T03:06:51Z

John, Emma and Miah had the booth covered for the afternoon, so i was able to catch a couple of screenings (lemme tell ya, having a festival pass was awesome).

The first screening of the day was a feature, Mai Mai Miracle, a Japanese animation in the style of Miyazaki - actually, the director used to be part of Miyazaki's team. "In the spring of 1955 in a small village in southwestern Japan, a nine-year-old girl discovers she has a family connection with a a thousand-year-old province of legend, known as Suō. Joined by a new student who has recently transferred from the city to her school, they embark on a magical experience."

A very sweet movie, although it gets a little serious in places. The best parts are when the kids are acting like kids. The getting-drunk-on-whisky-chocolates scene was funny.

Ottawa International Animation Festival - Saturday Animarket

2009-10-23T02:46:23Z

Saturday morning, John, Emma and i went to set ourselves up at our booth in the Animarket, and it was CRAZY BUSY! I was shocked! Miah and i had been to the Saturday School Fair last year, and it was nowhere near as busy. This time it was at the same place as the Aniboutique (books, DVDs, tees, etc) and ChezAni (coffee, snacks, other refreshments), but especially the 'Animators For Hire' - studios with tables set to interview potential hires.

Some girls checking out Durham's booth.

Saturday Animarket

People checking out DHX Media from Halifax (wonder if that's where Adrian is working?).

John talking to a potential student?

Carleton & Algonquin's Bachelor of Information Technology.

Rainmaker from Halifax, and Disney.

Vancouver Film School.

Sheridan.

Concordia's Film School.

Rainmaker interviewing.

Pop6 from Montreal interviewing.

John again.

Who is that being interviewed by DHX? Someone who wants a job, i think.

Nelvana.

Crazy crowds.

Ottawa International Animation Festival - Friday 'Shorts Competition #3'

2009-10-23T01:45:41Z

After The Making of Coraline, Trish and i had just enough time to make it to the Bytowne Theatre (back in Ottawa) to see Shorts Competition #3.

All The Time (Canada - High School) "The animation follows a character whose actions reflect the words of the song All The Time. It is drawn on tracing paper and layered in documentation to produce a fade effect. The only computer work was the cropping of frame length, syncing together of frames, and dropping the music in over the animation."

Another pretty good one for a high school kid.

Shorts Competition #3

U2 'I'll Go Crazy If I Don't Go Crazy Tonight' (UK & Ireland - Music Video) "Several characters decide to give up on their routines and make a change in their lives."

The vieo reminds of U2 - kinda over precious, but okay if you're in the mood.

The Baader Meinhof Kit (Germany - Narrative) "The German terrorist group Red Army Fraction came to movie theaters in 2008 in the action-filled Baader Meinhof Komplex."

Perhaps funnier in Germany - how many people here remember the Baader-Meinhof terrorists?

Mak the Horny Mac Daddy (USA - Undergraduate) "Mak is a horny guy and nothing will get in the way of his goals."

Funny!

Cottonballs (Australia - Music Video) "If you can dance with cottonballs, you can do anything."

Nice!

History of the Meat Packing District (USA - TV for Adults) "A cartoon history of the Meat Packing District of NYC, part of an ongoing commission from the New York Times."

The Black Dog's Progress (UK - Narrative) "A series of flipbooks tell the sad story of the Black Dog. The Black Dog, unwanted by his owner, is thrown out into an unwelcoming neighbourhood. On his journey, he's corrupted by acts of violence and grows determined to live happily ever after back home. The scene grows denser as looped scenes accumulate and the narrative develops."

Shot in the Dark (USA - Undergraduate) "A lonely artist travels the city, not knowing what his purpose is. It takes a coffee lady to show him what his work is all about."

I don't remember it, lol, though i remember seeing it.

The Bellows March (USA - Experimental) "Anthropomorphized concertinas play out a Sisyphean cycle of destroy-create-destroy. It bridges digital and physical processes in animation by creating, spinning, and shooting 18 hand-painted 3D printed sculptures (dubbed 'cinetropes') to make the film."

Wait, maybe this is the one i liked that was all about movement, not that disease one, lol.

Please Say Something (Ireland & Germany - Narrative) "A troubled relationship between a Cat and Mouse, set in the distant future."

Good, but kinda long.

Must Drink More Milk (USA - Promotional) "A collection of short shorts, told through unconventional methods, in which we learn why we must drink more milk."

The American equivalent of the Milk Dots ads.

Pears or Aliens (China - Graduation) "The story is about a grotesque battle for the safety of the Earth. The city where the protagonist lives is attacked by unknown intellectual creatures from outer space, particularly in the disguise of pears, who also turned his grannies into pear-shaped creatures. The protagonist strives for peace by bringing love to the people."

His second piece in the Festival.

Myth Labs (Netherlands - Experimental) "Myth Labs interweaves Puritan visions, folk art, religious allegories and victims of the current methamphetamine epidemic. It is a film about fear, paranoia, faith, and loss of faith and salvation."

I don't remember this either, lol.

OXFAM 'Face the Music' (UK - Promotional) "A graphic, musical take on climate change and its unequal impacts on humanity."

Miles Kurosky 'Dog in a Burning Building' (USA - Music Video) "An animated music video for Miles Kurosky's song, Dog in a Burning Building."

The Terrible Thing of Alpha-9! (USA - Undergraduate) "A space bounty-hunter travels to a lonely planet to kill a terrible monster."

Very good! Funny and dark.

Peripetics (UK - Experimental) "A piece in six acts that each entail an imagination of disoriented systems that take a catastrophic turn, including the evolution of educational plant-body-machine models and liquid building materials."

Son of Dino-Orange (Canada - Narrative) "Two Good Guys and The Skipper return from 2007's DINO-ORANGE (How Birds Fly). This time adventure beckons on a mysterious island, but is there love in the air? Apologies to the original King Kong."

Wait, didn't i kinda dislike Dino-Orange?

Gemeinschaft (Turkey - Undergraduate) "The transformation of causeless habits into taboos."

Based on a story by Kafka? Not gonna end well, lol.

Ottawa International Animation Festival - Friday 'Making Of Coraline'

2009-10-23T01:41:47Z

After lugging the stuff over, i went across the river to the Museum of Civilization, meeting up with Trish, who was able to sneak in on her volunteer pass to see The Making of Coraline.

It was actually a talk, like Inside the Actors Studio, with director Henry Selick (Nightmare Before Christmas, James and the Giant Peach, Coraline - which he also wrote). He talked about his background, the challenges of stop motion (especially in stereoscopic 3D), and Coraline in particular. A great event!

When we sat down in the theatre, you could see they had some dolls set up.

The Making of Coraline

Actual dolls from the movie - you can see the lines (beside her eyes) where you can change Coraline's expression. She doesn't like getting her photo taken.

He has very animated hands, and a bit of a twitch.

Here he is, changing Coraline's face.

And now Other Father.

Ottawa International Animation Festival - Friday School Fair

2009-10-23T01:37:29Z

Friday John, Emma and i went over to the National Gallery to set up for the Animation School Fair. We were one of the schools with an Information Table set up, and Peter was doing the School Presentation (Durham was at 2:30).

It was on and off busy, as students flowed in and out of the Presentations.

Friday School Fair

I'm surprised how steady my hand is for this.

There's Herzing College (Ottawa) - i missed getting a good shot of their booth. One of the guys came over and was very complimentary towards our reel.

The joint Carleton-Algonquin Media program was a hit among high school kids for the free tees.

I took a break for a bit to go get lunch, and after came back to see the Algonquin Presentation. It was a little dry and technical.

What did you think Peter?

I went back out to cover the tables when they began showing their reel while the others went to eat. Concordia (Mel Hoppenheim School of Cinema) was here last year too.

Algonquin, sorely needing a bigger logo, but chock full of art.

VFS, usually so busy (but the presentations were on again). So popular, despite the cost.

Sheridan.

Carleton and Algonquin's Bachelor of Information Technology program had their own table.

I'd planned to see Peter's Presentation, but they started it early, once the last one ended, so i just caught the finish of it. I estimated there were 250-300 students here.

More the actual colour/lighting of the room.

Around 3 the organizers came around to close us down, which was two hours earlier than i'd expected, ha ha. Actually, it worked out well, because the students were leaving or going to a screening, and we could take the booth over to Saturday's venue right away.

Ottawa International Animation Festival - Thursday 'Shorts Competition #2'

2009-10-23T01:31:26Z

I forgot what i did last week between Monday and Thursday - other than go to school, that is.

On Thursday, after class, i drove to Ottawa to be ready for the Ottawa International Animation Festival the next day - the first time Durham College is there as a school. I got there about 6, met up with Peter (Peter Hudecki, one of our teachers, look him up on Wikipedia), and we got our adges, i got settled into the hotel and such. Peter met up with someone for an interview, so i decided to see a screening, the Shorts Competition #2.

Roadrunner (USA - High School) "In this fast-paced stop motion animation, a bored young suburbanite dreams of skating through the streets, using only her shoes."

Pretty good for a high school kid!

Shorts Competition #2

Comcast 'Anthem 60' (UK & USA - Promotional) "With a memorable folk ditty spelling out the surprisingly catchy refrain, 'C.O.M.C.A.S.T,' and encouraging the mantra of 'Dream Big,' this is a technicolour world where anything goes."

Madagascar, A Journey Diary (France - TV for Adults) "The story is told in a journey diary, re-drawing the trip of a European traveller confronted with various Malagasy customs."

Beautifully done, looking like sketches and water colours.

Milk Dots Compilation 'Eyes'

8.
Milk Dots Compilation 'Bones'

Milk Dots Compilation 'Teeth'

(Canada - Promotional) "Milk Dots is an ad campaign that extolls the benefits of drinking milk by presenting its virtues in a series of irreverent and sometimes insane spots. Each spot was developed using a different animation technique and visual style."

I didn't know it had themes, lol.

The Astronomer's Dream (Canada - Narrative) "When a hungry astronomer falls asleep while working on a problem, he discovers a solution not in outer space, but in the surreal food-chain of his subconscious mind."

Just bizarre!

Pellet Gunn (USA - Undergraduate)" A dog, a cyclops, and others kill some time with the help of wormholes and hobbyist self-modification."

Gruesomely funny!

Nullsleep 'Dirty ROM Dance Mix' (USA - Music Video) "A crew of party people toss a rave on the moon, and then bend space-time".

Hot Seat (USA - TV for Adults) "A tale of life in the office told comically through an animated world of rabbits and their carrots. This independently produced film short deals with the day-to-day perplexities that many people face at work, the value of taking responsibility and finding solutions for the little things that affect others to create a better working environment."

Very funny! All about a broken chair being switched in cubicles.

Twist of Fate (USA - Experimental) "This 35mm experimental animated film expresses the transformative experience of being diagnosed with a life-threatening illness. The film explores this emotional and physical landscape, and visualizes an internal world inside the body, imagined on a cellular level."

Wow, i had no idea it was about a life-threatening illness, i just thought it was beautiful to look at, lol.

Lies (Sweden - Narrative) "Three perfectly true stories about lying. In three episodes based on documentary interviews, we meet the burglar who, when found out, claims to be a moonlighting accountant, the boy who finds himself lying and confessing to a crime he didn't commit, and the woman whose whole life has been a chain of lies."

The Universe Cotton (China - Graduation) "The story is a narration of a pseudoscience on cotton plantation. The protagonist waters the cotton with music and love, resulting in such a great harvest that the sky is the only way for the cotton to go. Landing from the sky, the cotton turns from clouds into candies in a child's hand"

Danko Jones 'King of Magazines' (Canada - Music Video) "Mimi Wobbly and her friends have some explosive, jiggly fun at a Chinese restaurant."

Bizarrely funny.

Yellow Belly End (UK - Graduation) "An enormous cliff top, blue sky, multiple deaths, and a man keeping a meticulous note of it all."

More oddly wry than laugh out loud funny.

After, i went back to the hotel, and happened upon Peter trying to phone me, and Trish.We went over to the Arts Court for the Salon Des Refusés, which was a screening of shorts rejected for the competitions - for good reason, as it turned out, lol.

The three of us met up with John and Emma, who arrived late, at my hotel room.

Ten Suggestions

2009-10-13T01:31:29Z

Yesterday i went to see a movie early (saw Whip It again), before festivities began.

When i got back, it was off to my sister's for Thanksgiving dinner. The wine flowed, and there was food (turkey and all the traditional stuff). I ate too much (mainly the cheese, crackers, veggies and dip beforehand). My sister, her hubby, her two boys, my brother, his wife, two of their kids (one's in BC), my Dad and me were there. We played cards (euchre) after (me with my sister and her boys). We were there from 2 until about 8:30.

This morning i went into the city to see the Second Set of Dead Sea Scrolls at the ROM, including the Ten Commandments (which were in a different section, and i didn't have to pay for). Really, there's not a lot to see - most of the scrolls are fragments and very dark, and it's not like i can read Hebrew (or Aramaic or Greek). Still, it's interesting to get all the context, and to say i saw them, ha ha. I didn't realize different groups number them differently.

Many of the scrolls were in large jars like this.

The Ten Commandments (from Deuteronomy) from the scroll, the oldest known list of all (by far). Only showing at the ROM for 80 hours, to October 18.

I was able to park really close to the ROM. As i was about to buy my parking, someone from Parking Enforcement drove up and told me i didn't have to, because it was a holiday. ACE!

After, i went to Yonge & Dundas for a short bit, decided i didn't really need to shop, bought a hot dog and left. I saw another movie (i'm addicted!). I came home for a bit, and then my Dad and i went to my sister's for leftovers.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Interestingly, in Hebrew, it's not 'Commandments', but 'Words' (in Greek, the 'Decalogue'), or 'Terms', and this could be seen less as universal laws, and more a coveneant between the Jews and their God. These are based on the New Revised Standard Version, from Deuteronomy.

1. I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery;
you shall have no other gods before me.
Nothing here says JHWH is the only God, or the Supreme God - in fact, it rather implies there are others, and this is just between this God, JHWH, and the Jews.
2. You shall not make for yourself an idol, whether in the form of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.
The older term is graven image, and the implication was aganst making any kind of image (much like Islam does).
You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, punishing children for the iniquity of parents, to the third and fourth generation of those who reject me,
Not only is there the reference to being a jealous god (jealous of other gods - and it's a pretty petty emotion), but this is the only commandment that mentions punishment. Not sure why great and great-great-grandkids get punished.
but showing steadfast love to the thousandth generation of those who love me and keep my commandments.
This is also the only reward, but it conflicts with the punishment above.
3. You shall not make wrongful use of the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not acquit anyone who misuses his name.
How about defining 'wrongful use' (or 'in vain')?
4. Observe the sabbath day and keep it holy, as the Lord your God commanded you.
For six days you shall labour and do all your work.
But the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God; you shall not do any work—you, or your son or your daughter, or your male or female slave, or your ox or your donkey, or any of your livestock, or the resident alien in your towns, so that your male and female slave may rest as well as you.
The reference to slavery is unfortunate - apparently it's acceptable.
Remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the Lord your God brought you out from there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm; therefore the Lord your God commanded you to keep the sabbath day.
Well, acceptable for some people and not others.
5. Honor your father and your mother, as the Lord your God commanded you, so that your days may be long and that it may go well with you in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.
This is less being rewarded by God, and more a practical guide - that is, you take care of your parents, and in turn, your kids will take care of you.
6. You shall not murder.
Apparently, the original Hebrew denotes murder, rather than any kind of killing. Aside from the fact death is an acceptable penaty for all kinds of biblical transgressions, there are tons of killings sanctioned by God*.
7. Neither shall you commit adultery.
Well, this means sex outside marriage, but definitely not one-man/one-woman. There are plenty of instances of men with mulitple wives. Also, there's an out if you rape her, and then marry her**.
8. Neither shall you steal.
Apparently this would be better translated as 'abduct' (which makes sense, as coveting covers ordinary stealing). However, there's an out when you rape, pillage and steal during war.
9. Neither shall you bear false witness against your neighbor.
But you can lie about yourself (see Abraham pretending to be his wife's brother, to save his ass).
10. Neither shall you covet your neighbor’s wife. Neither shall you desire your neighbor’s house, or field, or male or female slave, or ox, or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.
Obviously this is addressed to men, and not women, since it doesn't refer to woman coveting neighbour's husbands. Also, woves are put in the same category as other property.

*Deuteronomy 2:24-35, where God commands the Hebrews to enter the lands of Amorites, asking for passage through their land, but specifically makes sure Sihon, the King of the Amorites, will refuse, so that they will battle, and the Hebrews kill every man, woman and child ("And the LORD our God delivered him up before us; and we smote him, and his sons, and all his people. And we took all his cities at that time, and utterly destroyed every city, the men, and the women, and the little ones; we left none remaining").

**Deuteronomy 22:28-29, "If a man find a damsel that is a virgin, that is not betrothed, and lay hold on her, and lie with her, and they be found; then the man that lay with her shall give unto the damsel's father fifty shekels of silver, and she shall be his wife, because he hath humbled her; he may not put her away all his days."

***Deuteronomy 20:10-14, "As you approach a town to attack it, first offer its people terms for peace. If they accept your terms and open the gates to you, then all the people inside will serve you in forced labor. But if they refuse to make peace and prepare to fight, you must attack the town. When the LORD your God hands it over to you, kill every man in the town. But you may keep for yourselves all the women, children, livestock, and other plunder. You may enjoy the spoils of your enemies that the LORD your God has given you."

Coco Avant Chanel

2009-10-11T04:05:46Z

After the AGO shows (and lunch at Spring Rolls) i went to see the movie Coco Avant Chanel, starring Audrey Tautou (Amelie), a biopic of the early life of the famous fashion designer (born Gabrielle Chanel). This connects to Steichen through fashion!

It starts off with the two girls being dropped off at an orphanage by their father at age 9 (rather than 12, and ignores the fact they spent summers with other relatives). They learn how to sew, and when older become both seamstresses (by day) and performers in cabarets at night. Coco hooks up with a playboy/horsebreeder, who becomes a sometimes lover/life-long friend. She later meets and has an affair with one of his friends, an Englishman nicknamed Boy. In the movie, it seemed like that relationship lasted months, but in real life, it was a decade! All along it shows Coco's penchant for simpler, almost masculine (by that era's standards) fashions.

It was pretty enjoyable, although it felt like it just stopped rather than ending properly. I don't know how accurate it is, as there's some basic info which was changed, like the fact she had 3 brothers, and 2 sisters (only one is shown, with a different name).

AGO: Steichen, Calder, Photographs

2009-10-11T04:00:49Z

Today i went to the AGO to see the newest exhibits.

First up was Edward Steichen: In High Fashion, the Condé Nast Years, 1923 –1937, an interesting look at one of the top photographers of the inter-war period, especially his fashion work. I especially liked the more stylistic work, with a very art deco feel. It works well with the Vanity Fair exhibit at the ROM, too.

Joan Bennett

Greta Garbo

Joan Crawford.

The next show was Alexander Calder: The Paris Years 1926–1933. Alexander Calder was an American sculptor who worked mainly in wire, and who essentially invented mobile sculpture after he moved to Paris and became inluenced by the abstract artists there.

He did a whole series of circus pieces, which were essentially toys, with moving parts, which he used to create among the earliest 'performance art', live and on film.

I like the more character-based works.

And these 'portraits' were great ! This is Jimmy Durante - too bad you can't see how '3D' it really is.

My favourites were the later, more abstract pieces. This show was about his early period (even had some drawings from when he was a kid) - he went on to create some massive, outdoor pieces.

Not actually part of the exhibit (it's from the Montreal Museum of Fine Art), but a more 'classic' piece.

The last show of the day was Beautiful Fictions: Photography at the AGO Featuring the David and Vivian Campbell Collection. While the Calder show spun off the same period as the Steichen show, this spun off the photography theme.It includes "works from the late 1960s to the present through the lens of some 60 Canadian and international photographers including Candida Höfer, Thomas Struth, Michael Snow, Suzy Lake, and Cindy Sherman. The installation also features three works by internationally acclaimed Canadian filmmaker Mark Lewis." It was quite a varied mix of pieces, well-worth seeing. I especially liked the super-sized photos.

Axel Hutte.

Candida Hofer - i found the subject matter less interesting than the fact they were enormous.

Cindy Sherman (she creates stills of herself as if they were from fake films).

Thomas Ruff - i really liked this (another person-sized one), this little photo doesn't do it justice.

A still from one of Mark Lewis's films - i like how they weren't really 'movies', per se, more like moving stills.

Another one by Mark Lewis - i liked this too, a split screen showing the same street at dawn and dusk (one side gets lighter while the other gets darker).