Thursday, 21 January 2016

Cordell Barker - If I Was God - Interview

A brief interview with Oscar nominated animator Cordell Barker.

https://youtu.be/1DTnR32cHpQ

It always interesting to hear how someone works and Barker has some interesting takes on the production process. He leaves the tough stuff to the professionals so he can "get away" with producing the images from the imagination of a grade 7 kid. 

Monday, 18 January 2016

Emotion from an unlikely place

This trailer caught my eye. I'm not pushing for an apocalyptic-zombie-slaughter-fest for my next project but I found this surprisingly emotive despite the subject matter.

I suspect I've been suckered by some beautifully affecting music and a character that's around the same age as my daughter.

I've been told the game itself is pants though I do like the theme of taking the normal and twisting it (as all good horrors do).


https://youtu.be/lZqrG1bdGtg

The story excerpt is presented backwards but, as a viewer, you yearn to see the start while almost believing that the ending can be changed.

Sunday, 17 January 2016

Inspiration from Dada to Burroughs' Cut Ups

I'm not sure if this is a means to inspiration or a means to an end.
In late 1920, the Dadaist writer Tristan Tzara wrote “dada manifesto on feeble love and bitter love,” which included a section called “To Make a Dadaist Poem,” and it gave these instructions:
  • Take a newspaper. 
  • Take some scissors. 
  • Choose from this paper an article of the length you want to make your poem. 
  • Cut out the article. 
  • Next carefully cut out each of the words that makes up this article and put them all in a bag. 
  • Shake gently. 
  • Next take out each cutting one after the other. 
  • Copy conscientiously in the order in which they left the bag. 
  • The poem will resemble you. 
  • And there you are – an infinitely original author of charming sensibility, even though unappreciated by the vulgar herd.
http://www.openculture.com/2011/08/william_s_burroughs_on_the_art_of_cutup_writing.html

William S. Burroughs had his own take on the technique, chopping his own work, creating montage in writing and having this to say about it:

https://youtu.be/Rc2yU7OUMcI

Really has to be worth a shot doesn't it?

Hi Fructose inspiration

If you're looking for a dose of the less usual for information, interest and inspiration, you could do worse than taking a look at Hi Fructose Magazine.

http://c2.staticflickr.com/2/1445/24218498505_5947b74552_o.jpg

Featuring contemporary art from all over the world, it's never lacking in spectacle.

http://i1.wp.com/hifructose.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Christian-Martin-Weiss_6.gif


You can find more of George RedHawk's fantastic animated GIFs via this link and that link. He demands your attention and probably deserves a post all of his own... I'll get on to that.


http://c1.staticflickr.com/1/587/23548973921_6b1271f580_b.jpg


http://c1.staticflickr.com/1/659/22986608924_d7312f2126_b.jpg