Stop Motion: BEFORE it was cool

Norman McLaren, is a genius. I was introduced to him through this:

From what I have seen, most of his work is not live action. Many of his pieces are made up of, or include, images drawn directly onto the 35mm film. He uses computer-like sounds for music, which were actually created by being scratched or painted on to the soundtrack area of the film.

His body of work is so diverse, too. His student animations drawn onto film (Boogie Doodle, Fiddle Dee Dee, etc.), mixes of live action and stop-motion (Neighbors, A Chairy Tale), even lightboard displays in NYC, amoung many other things. He seems to draw a lot of inspiration from music and ballet (Pas de Deux Pt. I & Pt. II). There is far too many to choose from to share it all on here, so I will post one more, a surreal animation, and then you should go look him up on your own on YouTube.

Now, I really don’t know a whole lot about him, but I find him incredibly interesting, and I want to learn more about him. I really want to see more of his work, too. He has a couple collections of shorts on dvd, and a lot of his work is on YouTube. I’ll tell you more, when I know more.

(unrelated to anything important)

I just thought I’d let you know, this quarter fucking rocks. There have been some stressful moments, but over all, it’s kicking ass. I finally have a Japanese class that I don’t dread, I might be getting a job that doesn’t require me to wake up at 5 in the morning on weekends (and is also at a video production house), I am taking film classes all of the time, IT’S SUNNY, my bicycle is fast, I’m getting ready to go to Japan, I am able to be naked more, and more frequently, and I am applying for a really cool job for next year. Also, “Rotting Christ” is an awesome band.

*ROCKS OUT*

Script: Fad (working title)

This is the script that I wrote last night, for a weekend scriptwriting workshop. It was actually really, really awesome. I am also fairly pleased with the results, and would thoroughly appreciate some critique. I want to turn it into a movie at some point, but I want it to not suck first. I really like my story arc, and a couple of the scenes are very vivid in my head. What I really need is some help with the dialog. Because, it is shit.

Any pointers that you writers might have for a n00b would be really appreciated. Also, thoughts from everyone else would also be really nice. Thanks. =)

FAD (Working Title)

EXT. WWU CAMPUS – OLD MAIN LAWN – DAY

NATHANIEL COEN (Early 20’s), skinny, blond, and JESSICA HART (Early 20’s), short haired brunette, walk through the grass, holding hands. Jessica eats an energy bar.

NATHANIEL

You know what I like most about summer?

JESSICA

Ummm… Sun?

NATHANIEL

Well, sure, but I was gonna say, the fact that I don’t have to spend all my free time working on homework. It’s pretty damn nice to have time to hang out.

Jessica stops eating and looks at Nathaniel suspiciously.

JESSICA

Are you OKAY?

NATHANIEL

Sorry, I am being really cheesy, aren’t I?

(pause)

Looks around.

NATHANIEL

Have you noticed how quiet it’s been lately? I haven’t seen anyone around at all…

Jessica continues to eat.

JESSICA

Yeah, it’s probably just because it’s summer, everyone is off doing cool shit instead of still being stuck at school like us.

NATHANIEL

Yeah, you’re probably right. Hey, you wanna go get some ice cream?

Jessica hesitates.

NATHANIEL

(hurridly)

I’ll pay.

JESSICA

OKAY, these things are cheap, but they sure don’t taste good.

Jessica smiles, and throws the remaining energy bar in a trash can.

INT. ICE CREAM PARLOR – DAY

STEVE (20’s), THOMAS (20’s), and BRIANNA (20’s) are at a tall table by the window, eating ice cream.

Nathaniel and Jessica enter. Nathaniel walks up to counter. Jessica stops at the table.

STEVE

Hey, Jess. How’s it goin’?

JESSICA

Pretty good. Are you coming to the movie tonight?

Jessica gets a chair and joins them.

STEVE

Nah, I gotta work. Sorry.

Jessica furrows her brow.

JESSICA

How about you guys?

BRIANNA

Ummm… I dunno. I don’t really like horror movies…

THOMAS

Well I’m going. Even if these guys flake out.

Leans over to Jessica, looks at Brianna and Steve.

THOMAS

(whispers loudly)

They probably just want to bone.

Jessica smiles.

Nathaniel walks up with ice cream. Hands one to Jessica.

JESSICA

Thanks.

NATHANIEL

Hey guys.

Nathaniel sits down.

BRIANNA

Hey Nate.

JESSICA

So they’re all flaking out on us. We’ll be all alone tonight.

THOMAS

Hey, I’m going.

STEVE

Don’t try to guilt trip me, I’ve got other shit going on. The store got this huge shipment of those new “E-BARS” that everyone is raving about. It’s gotta be the most popular thing since the invented soda cans…

Takes bite of ice cream.

STEVE

Anyway, they called all us stockers in tonight to work extra shifts. We have to empty the entire candy section, and replace it with those things.

JESSICA

Why? That seems really weird.

STEVE

Don’t ask me, I don’t eat that crap.

BRIANNA

They’re actually pretty good, they really grow on you. You should try to score me some tonight.

THOMAS

If you’re gonna steal, you should steal something expensive.

Thomas gets up from chair, throws bowl away, grabs his bag, and takes a bar out of it.

THOMAS

These are so cheap, it almost seems pointless.

Thomas opens bar and takes a bite.

THOMAS

See you guys tonight.

Thomas exits.

BRIANNA

I gotta go too.

Brianna stands up.

BRIANNA

Steve, you coming?

STEVE

Yep, see you guys later. Have fun at the movie

Steve and Brianna throw away garbage, exit.

EXT. BUS STATION – DAY

Nathaniel waits, wears headphones. A homeless man rummages through a garbage can, pulls out half eaten E-Bar. People stand very still, no loud noises.

Bus pulls into station. Nathaniel gets on, pulls down his headphones.

NATHANIEL

This bus goes to the grocery store, right?

BUS DRIVER stares straight ahead.

NATHANIEL

Excuse me?

Bus driver realizes someone is talking to him, slowly turns head.

BUS DRIVER

Seventy-Five cents.

Bus driver turns head back to front.

Nathaniel gives the driver a perplexed look, puts money in the slot, and takes a seat in the back.

Other people file in to bus drone-like, and sit in every other seat.

INT. GROCERY STORE – DAY

The store has quite a few people in it, but it is very quiet. Everyone has shopping carts filled with boxes of E-Bars, and they are moving very slowly through the aisles, they stare at the food on the shelves.

Posters advertising “The NEW E-BAR!” are placed densely throughout the store.

Nathaniel stands in an aisle completely full of the bars. A banner hangs from the ceiling, which says: “Try the NEW E-BAR! 5 for $1! Limited time only.”

Nathaniel holds a basket with a carton of milk and some flowers in it, he looks up and down the rows of E-Bars, and at the people who are methodically placing box after box into their carts.

NATHANIEL

(whispers to himself)

Holy fuck…

Nathaniel walks to the front of store, sees the long, silent lines of people waiting to check out.

A look of shock and bewilderment passes over his face, he puts his basket down, and leaves.

INT. OFFICE – DAY

Thomas and Brianna sit at computer stations at a long desk along the wall. The desk is covered in wrappers. They stare blankly at the computer screens.

Nathaniel enters.

NATHANIEL

Morning.

Thomas and Brianna don’t respond.

NATHANIEL

Hey, guys? You OKAY?

Steve enters the room, eating an E-Bar.

STEVE

Hey, don’t worry about them. We stayed up late last night. They’re probably just too tired.

Steve takes a bite of the bar.

Nathaniel stares at him.

STEVE

What’s up, you OKAY?

Nathaniel hurries over to Brianna, shakes her. She is unresponsive.

NATHANIEL

Brianna, are you OKAY? Hey, come on. Answer me.

STEVE

Dude, I told you to chill.

Nathaniel shakes Thomas. Thomas’s head lolls to the side. Nathaniel jumps back with a look of terror. Turns to Steve.

NATHANIEL

What the fuck is going on?

STEVE

What are you talking about? Why are you so antsy?

NATHANIEL

Are you that blind? Have you seen anybody?

STEVE

What’s wrong with them? So, they’re relaxed. It’s probably these bars, they’re actually rather good.

Nathaniel points at Brianna and Thomas.

NATHANIEL

So what about those two? They’re just “relaxed?”

STEVE

Hey, man, stop freaking out. They’re just tired, I told you that. Here…

Steve holds out an E-Bar to him.

STEVE

…Have one of these, it’ll make you feel better.

Nathaniel KNOCKS it out of his hand, near hysterics.

NATHANIEL

Get the fuck away from me.

Nathaniel backs towards the door, turns and leaves quickly.

INT. NATHANIEL AND JESSICA’S HOUSE – LIVING ROOM – DAY

Jessica sits on the couch with a pile of E-Bars next to her. She holds one limply in her hand. She stares at the television, playing some sort of rerun.

The front door SLAMS shut, and Nathaniel enters the room still wearing his coat, bag and shoes. He rushes over to Jessica.

NATHANIEL

Jess, hey, honey, how are you?

Jessica does not respond.

Nathaniel kneels next to her, grabs her hand.

NATHANIEL

Jess, answer me. Please.

Jessica slowly looks at him, takes a bite of E-Bar.

NATHANIEL

Fuck. Stop it! Those things are making everyone crazy.

Nathaniel tears it out of Jessica’s hand, throws it to the ground.

Jessica looks after it, points.

JESSICA

(slowly)

Hey… I was eat… that…

NATHANIEL

Jess, we gotta get out of here. Come on.

Nathaniel tries to pull Jessica to her feet. She struggles free, and then limply falls back onto the couch.

Jessica reaches for another E-Bar next to her.

NATHANIEL

No. Stop it, we need to go, come on.

Nathaniel tries to lift her again. Jessica SCREAMS. Nathaniel jumps back in shock.

NATHANIEL

Jess, you’re scaring me…

Jessica stares at Nathaniel, slowly rises, offering an E-Bar. Nathaniel knocks it out of her hand and starts to back away.

Jessica gets angry. Advances on Nathaniel.

NATHANIEL

Please, no, no, no.

Nathaniel pulls his hair.

NATHANIEL

No, this is not happening. No… God. Please…

Jessica sees another E-Bar on the coffee table, she reaches for it.

Nathaniel grabs it. Jessica SCREAMS again. Nathaniel stuffs bars into his bag, and backs away from her. Jessica grabs at him, but is too slow.

Nathaniel grabs more, quickly turns and runs out the front door.

Jessica remains standing in the middle of the room, bewildered, and mildly agitated. She moves over to a bar that had fallen on the floor, and picks it up.

EXT. DOWNTOWN – DAY

The sky is grey, drone-like people walk down the sidewalk. Nathaniel runs down the middle of the street, tears running down his face.

He stops, looks all around, grabs his hair, his face.

NATHANIEL

Why… Fuck… What am I supposed to do?

Turns towards an alley, runs into it, empties bars out of his bag into a dumpster. Turns, looks around.

NATHANIEL

WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO DO?!

People on the street ignore him.

A homeless man sleeping in the alley, is startled awake. Stares at Nathaniel. Nathaniel runs up to him, grabs him by the collar.

NATHANIEL

WHAT, THE FUCK, AM I SUPPOSED TO DO?!

Homeless man holds out an half eaten E-Bar. Nathaniel tosses him to the ground.

NATHANIEL

FUCK! You too?!

Frantically, Nathaniel grabs a garbage can, and runs with it out into the street. He spreads garbage all over the road.

Tears down street signs, signs on the wall.

Breaks windows.

Removes spray paint from his bag, writes: “Have a FUCKING E-Bar! They make you FEEL great!” all over the buildings.

Nobody notices him.

EXT. DOWNTOWN – NIGHT

Dark. Empty. Nathaniel sits in an alleyway, covered in spray paint and garbage, clutches his knees to his chest. Rocks back and forth.

NATHANIEL

(mutters under his breath)

Oh God… no… what do I do… what do I do…

He stops rocking.

NATHANIEL

Jess…

Buries head in arms, starts crying.

EXT. DOWNTOWN – MORNING

Nathaniel, dirty, tear stained, sleeps on a pile of garbage in the alley. The light wakes him up. He sits up slowly.

Nathaniel looks around, rises, gathers his bag, and walks towards exit of the alley.

Nathaniel looks carefully out into the street, which has a few people shuffling down it. He walks out into the sidewalk, they do not see him.

Many places have sign advertising the E-Bar. The street is covered in garbage, the remnants from the day before.

Store fronts are damaged, doors left open.

Nathaniel reaches an outdoor supply store, and enters. He grabs a tent, large bag, sleeping bag, and other useful items off the shelves, and walks out the front door without paying.

Nathaniel enters a food store, and fills his bag with food.

EXT. WOODS – DAY

Birds and other animals make noises, it’s not nearly as still and quiet as the city. Nathaniel sets up a tent.

EXT. SHACK IN WOODS – DAY (MONTHS LATER)

A small, shoddily built shack stands among tall trees. Green light filters down from the tree tops.

A fire pit about 10 feet away from the shack is smoldering from the night before.

Animal skins hang from branches around the shack.

A human sized wooden carving sits near the fire.

Nathaniel, dirty, wearing tattered clothing, beard, exits shack.

NATHANIEL

Morning Jess. Sleep well?

FADE OUT

THE END

Writer’s Block on YouTube

Woo! It’s finished, and I am really proud of it. You all should watch it. And favorite it. And tell all your friends. =D

“Writer’s Block”

*This is not an official announcement, because I am not sure that I’ll be able to get in, but there is probably about a 90% chance.*

I am going to have my short video, “Writer’s Block,” shown in the Projections Film Festival. It will be shown, along with many others, at 9pm on Thursday the 7th, and then again on Sunday the 10th, at the Pickford Cinema. Once I know for sure that I am in, I will let you all know.

They have a website, too, if you wanna check it out for yourself. NW Projections Film Festival.

Also, here are some other videos, because I like sharing cool things. This one has some really good animation, the ultimate break, and this one is really sad and really pretty, “Come Wander With Me.”

Maia out.

Some Nonsense on Drawing

I really intended this blog to be more interesting, and for me to update more often, but then came school. I think everyone knows how that goes. Well, everyone in school. I have been completely swamped by tests, projects for class, projects for myself, work, emotions, and the seasonal illness. I have been doing some interesting stuff, but I can’t ever seem to find time to write about it. So, just as a warning, I am kind of forcing myself to write right now.

I have a drawing that I am supposed to make for my Contemporary Studio Drawing class, and I am utterly lost. This class is all about conceptualization, and experimentation. Both of which I am completely confused of, and vaguely scared by, in nearly any form. I don’t really know how to experiment. I guess I am afraid of failure, so it prevents me from trying anything. If there is a set way of doing things, a specific way something is supposed to look, or a formula of some sort, I am set. I can do it to the best of my abilities, and am frequently happy with the results. But, if I am told to “just do it,” I totally freak out and don’t know how to start. So, at the moment I am kind of stressed. I don’t know how I am supposed to do it… That’s the point, I know, but that doesn’t help me any. In all honesty, though, since this is so difficult for me, this class is the perfect one for me right now. I think it will help me a lot in the future.

Because of this class, I have been a little more able to just kind of make stuff. As in, scribbling on pages, and then cutting them up and gluing them to others. And that’s really what my teacher is trying to get us to do, I guess. Get us to be comfortable with totally ripping apart an old piece and making a new one. I am really trying to get more comfortable with it, and I think I have started to. I am going to spend this weekend getting a helluva lot more comfortable with it, since this project is due on Monday. =P

So yeah, there were my ramblings about my art class. Hope they were remotely entertaining to read. Sorry if they weren’t.

Monster Ad’s

I’m really interested by advertisements, but the majority of them really suck. These two for Monster (you know, that job website) are really incredible.

“Legs” and “Slots.”

An Awesome Video

So this video is really awesome:

The music is cute and simple. Not that amazing, but pretty cool. Now what really grabs me is the compositing. The production values are pretty low, I mean, it looks like they filmed it in their apartment, but the green screen work is so good. It’s a really cool idea, and it was pulled off really well.

It makes me want to do something similar. I spent the summer compositing beauty pageant instructional videos, I need to use my skills on something better. Something awesome. I just don’t know what, yet.

ビデオを見ましょう！

These are some videos that I made. They are from quite some time ago, since I am a lazy ass and have not uploaded my latest piece. Which I really ought to do. Hopefully I’ll have it finished this weekend. We need to rerecord some of the dialog.

The Dangler, AKA Yitzchaq. This is the one with the illegal use of Gogol Bordello. There is a different version, if anyone is interested, here: http://maiamaiam.deviantart.com/art/Yitzchaq-Working-Title-66616165

Yatta Montage. The first thing I ever edited together. I am still vaguely proud of it.