K'Naan- T.I.A.

I'll leave you with this peice o' beauty to start yer long weekend. Just caught K'naan's new video T.I.A. (This Is Africa), where the Somalia-born, Toronto livin' rap poet calls out all them dudes what thinks they livin' the thug life, 'cuz he grew up the real deal, in one of the most vibrant, and yeah, troubled countries on Earth. Lovin' this sound, and the video is a smooth but fast collage of color and symbol, photo elements mixin' with video and animation to paint his original home as beautiful and dangerous, a true crucible. His latest, 'Troubadour' is out on the iTunes...go get it!

artist: K'NAAN
song: T.I.A
album: Troubadour
label: A&M/Octone Records
directed/shot by: NABIL
post: Gustavo & Clara for Wizardflex
production co: Partizan ent.

Free Comics Day 2009

This week I'm all about the comics. Made it out to Free Comics Day at the Beguiling, and brought my trusty Xacti. Managed to get Clayton Hamner (C-Ton), Tara Tallan (Galaxion), Kean Soo (Jellaby) and Chip Zdarsky (Monster Cops) in my sites, and they gives good interview. Sorry it took a week to get this up, but, hey, everything is a production with me. Music by the most excellent Tettix (go download his stuffs!). More to come!

Graham and Scott are cool doodz.

TCAF was soggy yet satisfying this year, with a massive layout of indy comics guys and gals hawkin' their tawdry wares and doin' their thing. And lo' and behold, there was not only an animation flava goin' on, but a vidya games thang too! Scott Campbell, character designer of Double-Fine's 'Psychonauts' game, and Graham Annable, animator and comic artist responsible for YouTube editor fave 'Grickle', were both in attendance, signing books and posters and generally being awesome. Scott's hardcover just came out...not yet available from Double-Fine's store, but is in on teh Azamons. Graham's got a new book out, 'Stickleback', and promises a new Grickle animated funny 'just as soon as I get some time to spare.' Nice meeting you, guys! Oh, and a video/animated treat comin' tomorrow (probably). More later!

Pilot me into a brick wall...

The end of the week finds me obsessed with pilots after watching a (thank the animation gods) aborted attempt at bringing back 'The Get Along Gang'...in 3d, of course, the industry's current fave cliche. Found some interesting stuffs on the YouTubes amongst the desperate and the sad. (Don't stop making those 'series pilots' and posting 'em, kids...they're not only hilarious, they're tiny cautionary tales about the value of learning to freakin' animate, ya jerks.)

Larry and Steve (HB, 1997)


'member Hanna-Barbera's excellent "What a Cartoon" program? Here's Seth McFarlane's first stab at prime-time, a toon featuring the prototypical 'Brian' and 'Peter' characters from his student film, minus the filth. Here named 'Steve' and 'Larry', it's pretty much based on McFarlane's previous student film, 'The Life of Larry'. McFarlane would go on to die alone and forgotten in a Hamilton Tim Horton's parkin lot. That, or milk these two characters for more moolah than Yahweh.

Plastic Man (Warner Bros. 2008)


Here's an interesting one. 'Plastic Man', with a goofy semi-Kricfalusi look and a feel very reminiscent of an earlier Warner's series, 'Freakazoid'. No Steven Speilberg to champion this one, and Cartoon Network took a pass. The character does show up in the new "Brave and the Bold" Batman series, so it's not a total loss.

Jumpin' Jupiter (Mark Mason, 2007)


Here's a cute lil' thang, a pilot for a potential preschool series with space toddlers flyin' about. Animated by Mark Mason and his homey Johnathan Booth. Great example of character action selling personality, no 'talking heads' here, just some nice bouncy character gags. Seems these guys have quite a few pilots under their belts...nice stuff!

Hmm...this pilot thang is interesting. Think I'll institute 'Pilot Fridays', dig up some series non-starters and some prototypes that led to other thangs, and end the week with 'em. Whaddya think? Feedback me. Oh, and don't ferget to hit TCAF tomorrow. Right, I'm out.

Kosher-mation!

Had a request for 'Almonds and Wine' by Arnie Lipsey, but alas, it exists not online. Madi is on the case, seeing if it's on DVD alone or as part of a compilation. Meanwhile, here's a couple of faves...a selection from Pilar Newton's nicely produced 'Kabbalatoons', and Dan Meth's immortal 'Hebrew Crunk'. Hope that holds ya over, Steven! More to come...

TCAF and free comix!

Hey! First off, apologies to our homies at The Beguiling and The Labyrinth for no heads up on Free Comics Day, which happened over the weekend. Don't worry, the real comix-palooza comes this weekend as the Toronto Comic Arts Festival happens once again, this time at the Toronto Reference Library (just get off the TTC at Yonge & Bloor, point yer ass north, and follow the geekling hordes.) There will be tons of indies there signing their latest, so bring your wallet. Oh, and a special comix related treat (plus TAIS nooze of course) comin' up in a day or so. Cheers!

Note: Labyrinth's minions will not be there in any official capacity, I'm afraid...this is pretty much Beguiling's gig for indy animators, not yer typical vendor show. Don't fret...next show that Labyrinth will be at is Anime North, coming up later this month. Bonus!