We took a return exploratory trip up to check out the recent timber workings along the old power line:
Wildfilm
Visual Ventures
Sunday, November 10, 2024
Take The High Way II (aka: Under Western Skies)
Friday, November 1, 2024
Take The High Way
Recently broke out the fat tires after about a year hiatus.
Hadn't been up along the ridge since last winter. Right off the bat we discovered that they forever ruined a once great long, steep technical hill climb. Don't know the why or reason behind this "improvement". The millennial highway. Take the money and run we guess:
Tuesday, October 22, 2024
In Amundsen's Tent (Halloween Fun)
Here's a pretty good recitation of author John Martin Leahy's short read 'In Amundsen's Tent'. Produced and narrated by Ian Gordon for YouTube channel 'HorrorBabble':
Thursday, October 10, 2024
Prince of Darkness (aka: The Cat Creeps)
"For the cat is cryptic, and close to strange things which men cannot see.
He is the soul of antique Aegyptus, and bearer of tales from forgotten
cities in Monroe and Ophir. He is the kin of the jungle's lords, and heir to
the secrets of hoary and sinister Africa. The Sphinx is his cousin, and
remembers that which she hath forgotten."
- The 'Cats of Ulthar' (1920), H.P. Lovecraft
Tuesday, October 1, 2024
Eighty Years of Killdozer
Worked heavy construction for near forty years and seldom met a heavy equipment operator, who if ya' mentioned the film 'Killdozer', would respond with anything but "Man, that was the best movie I ever seen!"
Tuesday, September 3, 2024
Stop-Motion 101
"The predominance of ideologies in our culture tends to mean that, unless marked
as high art, many avowed non-realistic genres are viewed as frivolously escapist,
as 'mere fantasy,' and thus as suitable only for children or for 'mindless,'
"irresponsible adults."
- Steven Neale, Film Historian
Hey - this guy just wrote our epitaph!
We get quite a few inquiries addressing the stop-motion animation we've posted. Mostly from quite young folks. We've no intention of divulging a few techniques we've adapted that were derived from a bit of frustrating trial-and-error on our part. Techniques that we have yet to note in any of the endless reading and research that we invest into the process. Quite a few we feel to be a bit more simplistic than those of the acknowledged "experts" (who more often than not happen to have a cash interest attached to their expertise). However, it's tough to brush off a ten year old kid seeking a bit of assistance when we can help. If not mindless, we tend to be a bit responsible:
Stuff we've needed:
An (at least basic) understanding of the following ancillary disciplines are suggested:
Photography/filmmaking
Studio lighting
Video editing
Drawing/sketching
Clay sculpture/mold making
Scale model building
Scale model painting including airbrushing and weathering techniques
Can't hurt:
Woodworking
Metalworking
Stone Carving
MIG/Flux core welding
Software:
Photoshop
DragonFrame
Pagemaker
Some crucial materials (we inserted the manufacturer brand for stuff we've been using):
'Monster Maker' brand Monster Clay (medium)
'Sculpy' brand polymer clay
'JXE JXO' brand thermoplastic (beads)
Soft clay
'Monster' Liquid Latex
UltraCal 30 plaster
'Jack Richeson' brand armature wire - 1/16" and 1/8"
Most important, don't forget that ya' gotta' start with a script. Former NYU professor of film Haig Manoogian wouldn't let ya' touch a camera without first handing him a film script.