Braneworld

Working with Dave Cowles can be a mixed blessing. On the one hand, I get a chance to play around with some unique animation techniques and some wonderful designs (one of the bonuses of working with an overwhelmingly talented illustrator!).

My first real marionette puppet (unfortunately, un-intentional)

On the other hand, these one day shoots might be the death of me. Started shooting about 10:30AM, Sunday, wrapped 9:45PM. Three shots. Total. Once again, a HUGE thank you to Richard O'Connor and Asterisk Animation.

Makes me feel like a real puppeteer!

In the end, of course, it's all worth it. The spot is a cute little commercial for the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra starring a baby grand piano. Done entirely with puppets made from cut paper, black tape and LOTS of glue of both the hot and stick variety, it was a lot of fun to put together. I'll be sure to share once it's finished.

And FYI - cats do not like lights, tripods, drop-cloths or really anything else to do with film shoots.

Look out! Here comes Science!!!

Due to lack of sleep and a nearly impossible list of things I need to finish by Wednesday for a shoot I probably can't even go to now for fear of loosing my job... *deep breath* ... I'm stealing today's entry from Dave.


Coming September 1st, with one video I worked on, plus a whole mess o' interstitials I did with Dave. Can't wait!

One fish, two fish...

Came home a little after noon today to find this waiting for me...


I don't know what to be more amazed at; it's size or the fact that it was delivered on a Sunday. Partner in They Might Be Giants-style crime Dave Cowles found it at a yard sale up in Rochester for $20! Now I have a bass to go with my trout and owe Dave an awesome lunch the next time he's in town.


Stay tuned for more fish-related news...

Making plans...

Started storyboards last night for a music video I'm working on with the awesome Dave Cowles. I get the first board down easy and then, almost immediately, run into a problem.


The scene calls for a Mousetrap-like contraption which is actually a lot hard to design than you might think (or at least I might think). No big deal, that's what the internet is for. So I type it into the search bar and come across these great little strips...




I be honest, I had heard Rube Goldberg's name (actually born Reuben Garret Lucius Goldberg) before but only in association with PythagoraSwitch, a education television program in Japan. I never knew he did comics.


You can watch most of them here thanks to the glory of the internet.

This is a story...

About rabbits and bears. Or at least it will be by the end of the year.

For a while now I've been trying to get myself moving on a new independent project. I have a bunch of ideas floating around in my head, a few of which are music videos to songs I like. Some of those are really just impossible dreams (Simon and Garfunkel's 'Overs'). But some, like American Astronaut's (artists-formally-known-as the Billy Nayer Show) weird little song 'Rabbits and Bears' seem more attainable.

After rattling some ideas around in my head, I tilted it to the left and let a few of them roll right on out to Dave Cowles. Dave and I just finished up a job together for They Might Be Giants and I love his design sense and crazy ideas so it seemed like a good idea. Turns out to have been a great idea thus far... without further adieu, some character designs!


And possible color models!

Stay tuned for more awesome-ness!