#its a concept for a feature length project too!!

[aidenwaites]

Hey!!! An indie filmmaker I've been following for a while made his New Years horror short film publicly available!!! Check it out!!!

[sydmarch]

there's been too many times i've clicked an old link & it no longer goes anywhere so i'm gonna begin the tedious yet satisfying process of archiving some interviews that i reference frequently starting with this one

Like the offspring of any revered icon, Brandon Cronenberg’s last name grabs hold of your attention. Indeed, the 33-year-old Canadian filmmaker is the son of David Cronenberg, genre cinema’s great auteur of psychodrama and body horror. And like his father, Brandon expresses a strong interest in the inextricable brain-body link, not to mention the dark crevices of society’s underbelly. Antiviral, Brandon’s feature debut as writer and director, is a sci-fi satire with a sharp conceit worthy of that unmistakable surname, and a stylistic strength that promises more compelling work from its maker. Uniquely skewering our ever-evolving (or devolving) obsessions with celebrity, the movie, now playing in limited release, tells of a world intended to appear not very far from our own, wherein a facility known as the Lucas Clinic perpetuates the ultimate form of star worship, infecting rabid fans with diseases harvested from the cells of the über-famous (what’s more, delis on corners sell “steaks” grown from celebrity muscle cells, so die-hards can literally consume their favorite A-Listers). At the center of this seriocomic nightmare is Syd March (Caleb Landry Jones), a Lucas employee who also moonlights as part of the superstar-sickness black market. Things turn especially ugly when Syd comes down with the same bug afflicting America’s most-wanted sweetheart.

In person, Brandon is deeply humble and unassuming, a boyish-looking guy with his father’s grey-blue eyes, and a few piercings that project just the right amount of edge. He’s remarkably articulate about the themes his film explores, and he proves just how fully he mulled over the movie’s ideas, which, according to him, aren’t that far-fetched at all. In a high-rise in the heart of Midtown Manhattan, in a small office whose unremarkable sterility calls to mind Antiviral‘s stark aesthetic, Brandon chats at length about the psychology of fandom, the time he cozied up with a primate on one of his dad’s sets, and his thoughts on the trajectory of celebrity culture, which, if not literally, has surely already gone viral.

Filmmaker: There’s a lot of pointed dialogue in Antiviral in regard to celebrity, such as, “What does it mean to deserve to be famous?” and, “Celebrities are not people, they’re group hallucinations.” How much of this is your own perspective? Do you believe that certain celebrities don’t deserve to be famous? Do you see them as being real people?

Brandon Cronenberg: A lot of that is me, but it’s also filtered through the character, so not everything said in the film is just directly my own opinion. “Celebrities are not real, they’re group hallucinations”—I do believe that. I think that the majority of people have this idea about a celebrity, but that idea is sort of a culturally constructed thing and kind of a fiction. Because a lot of what’s reported about celebrities is made up, and a lot of our sense of them comes from the media and is sort of unrelated to the human being who is living their own life, and living and dying in this way that’s sort of disconnected from their media double. But I think anyone who’s famous deserves to be famous, only in the sense that this whole criterion for fame is that people recognize you enough to be famous. A lot of people say, “Oh, this person doesn’t deserve to be famous.” What is it really to deserve to be famous? It isn’t an accomplishment. I think fame has always been something other than an accomplishment. It’s sometimes tied to an accomplishment—sometimes people become famous because they accomplish something. But I think it has more to do with the repetition of an image, or of a person, or a name, rather than fulfilling a certain obligation.

Filmmaker: The whole thing must be a more interesting concept for you now, since you’re essentially becoming a celebrity yourself, being a filmmaker in the public eye.

Brandon Cronenberg: That aspect of it is really weird, because going around promoting a film that’s about something like this is kind of strange. But, two things: First of all, as a director, and especially as a Canadian director, I can only become so famous, so I don’t imagine myself getting stalked by paparazzi anytime soon. Also, I think that the film is about the industry of celebrity, which isn’t the same as just celebrity in general, in a sense. I think, for instance, to recognize someone and have respect for them because you like their work, and to take an interest in what they’re doing because of that isn’t unhealthy—I think that’s fine. It’s more that certain level of fanaticism that represents a kind of mania and a kind of delusion that is unhealthy. And tied to that is this increasingly insular industry of celebrity that sort of mass produces fame through reality television, and tries to elevate people to this point where they’re famous and their job is just being famous for a year, or two years. I think that is different from just talking about your film, in that all art, to a certain extent, is a cultural dialogue that you need to engage in as an artist.

Filmmaker: What specific thing in our celebrity-obsessed culture do you see as being most closely linked to the satirical extreme that you go to in Antiviral?

Brandon Cronenberg: I don’t think there is one! [Laughs.] Someone bought John Lennon’s teeth, you know? But that isn’t even just the one thing. Covers of magazines comparing people’s cellulite…[the film is] only a very slight exaggeration. That industry’s pretty insane.

Filmmaker: I read that this idea germinated when you were in film school at 24, and came down with a bad case of the flu. Did a fear of illness or mortality factor heavily into the concept?

Brandon Cronenberg: It wasn’t really a fear of illness, it was more just a moment of seeing disease as something intimate. Because a virus is manufactured, literally, in someone else’s body, by their infected cells, and then gets into your body and penetrates your own cells, and that’s hugely intimate if you think about it on that level. So it was that moment of seeing disease as intimate and trying to think of a character who would see disease as something intimate. We tend to be repulsed by disease, but you could imagine an obsessed fan who would want a celebrity’s virus, or something, as a way of feeling physically connected to them if it were described in those terms—something from their body into your body. Don’t you want that? Someone’s gotta want that.

Filmmaker: You’re 32 now?

Brandon Cronenberg: 33.

Filmmaker: In the the eight or nine years since you first toyed with this idea, the world of celebrity and fan relationships has changed quite a bit, with social media somewhat leveling the field of interaction and things like that. Was there ever a worry that the concept would lose some of its relevance because of that evolution?

Brandon Cronenberg: During editing, a friend of mine sent me this Sarah Michelle Gellar clip where she was on Jimmy Kimmel Live and she was saying that she was worried about singing because she had this cold—she was worried she would infect the entire audience. And then everyone started applauding madly and cheering. So I thought, “Okay, we’re pretty much making a documentary now!” So it’s changed and it hasn’t changed. I’ve been talking about Paris Hilton lately. She’s out of style now, and maybe seems like the obvious, passé celebrity to go to to discuss this sort of thing, but I think, early on, when I was first writing, she was just really becoming very public, and there’s something about that moment, when a lot of people were using the phrase “famous for being famous.” Again, I don’t think fame has ever been inherently bound to accomplishment, but I think she was so just famous for being famous, in a way that everyone recognized, that I think that really fed into the celebrity industry. It was a certain moment in the history of celebrity. Now, to say that she’s famous for being famous is not even interesting anymore, but at the time, people were like, “Haven’t you noticed that Paris Hilton is famous for being famous and isn’t that kind of weird?”

Filmmaker: As the central character, Syd March, Caleb Landry Jones gives a really impressive breakthrough performance, and he looks like a runway model, which amplifies your visual juxtaposition of fashion-magazine chic and body horror. Can you describe how you came to work with him and how he complimented your aesthetic?

Brandon Cronenberg: Sure. His agent had worked with my producer, and when we were looking around for actors, he sent Caleb’s stuff over—some clips from films he’d been in and an audition he’d done for another film. And we all got immediately, really excited because he has that very striking look, and he’s very intense, and a great actor, He really has that thing that some actors have where they’re immediately interesting to watch. Even when they’re doing very mundane things, they’re somehow able to be captivating performers. So we wanted to get him and he wanted to do it, so it worked out nicely. I had actually written the character for a much older actor, and the character was a bit different in my mind, but when I saw Caleb, I wanted to plug into the excitement and roll with it. Now I can’t see that character any other way. He brought a huge amount to it and that was part of developing that character—discovering all of this stuff with him.

Filmmaker: And then, of course, there’s Sarah Gadon, who starred in your father’s Cosmopolis last year, and A Dangerous Method the year before that. Did your father recommend her to you?

Brandon Cronenberg: Well I saw her in A Dangerous Method, and I thought she was great, but I hadn’t met her until we sent her the script. I liked what I saw from her in my dad’s work, and then I asked him, and he said he had a great experience with her. So, whether you’re related to them or not, being able to talk to directors who have worked with actors, it’s a good thing.

Filmmaker: Gadon’s character, Hannah Geist, is the ultimate desirable object in Antiviral, and then there’s also Aria Noble, played by Nenna Abuwa. I was wondering why you didn’t opt to focus on any obsessed-over male celebrities in the film.

Brandon Cronenberg: There are a couple of references, and on the walls there were some male celerities in the office. I guess I was focusing on female celebrities just because of the degree of the fetishy body stuff you get in celebrity news. I mean, you get that with male celebrities, too, but the “who has the worse cellulite?” stuff is always female. The covers of those magazines, the surgical precision with which people fetishize and criticize—it’s particularly extreme for females. But there are both in the film.

Filmmaker: I also read that you had initial interest in writing, painting, and music, and then turned to film because it merges all of those things. How influential was your father, or his work, in that decision?

Brandon Cronenberg: I was less inclined to get into film because of people’s preconceptions about me based on my father and the fact that they assumed I should want to be in film. Like, “Oh, you must love film and want to be in your father’s footsteps!” It was always kind of obnoxious and kind of off-putting. So, I would say it probably took me longer to develop an interest in film because of that, if anything.

Filmmaker: Yeah, the connection must be a bit of a double-edged sword. There’s a clear cache to it, but also this pressure to assert your own voice, and to live up to expectations.

Brandon Cronenberg: I’ve felt that pressure, but only because everyone keeps telling me I should! I didn’t feel any special pressure, but especially now that the film’s done, everyone’s asking me if I feel some special pressure to live up to something, so I’m starting to wonder if I should.

Filmmaker: Well there’s obviously some thematic kinship going on. Did that develop on more of an unconscious level?

Brandon Cronenberg: Yeah, it’s more…I decided when I got into film that I needed to not worry about his career and just do whatever was interesting to me. To actively avoid it would be defining myself in opposition to him and in that way defining myself in terms of his career still. So I just did what I thought was interesting. I mean, he’s my father and we have a close relationship, so the fact that some of our interests overlap is pretty reasonable.

Filmmaker: Growing up, were you on set for a lot of your dad’s projects? Any experiences tied to specific films that stand out as remarkable?

Brandon Cronenberg: I was present to varying degrees. I mean, obviously, a lot of it happened when I was very young, or before I was born, depending on the film. I worked on eXistenZ in the special effects department, so I was very around for that one. Some of the other ones, not so much. I tried to be on set a fair bit for Eastern Promises just because I was already in film school at that point, and wanted to absorb what I could. When I was a kid, the baboon from The Fly sat on my lap. That was a pretty memorable experience! But I don’t think it had an influence on me as a filmmaker. [Laughs.]

Filmmaker: Good stuff. In Anitviral, I noticed you also make passing mention of Henrietta Lacks, who’s made a lot of headlines thanks to Rebecca Skloot’s bestseller, and even recent updates about the continued usage of her cells. Did Lacks’s story strongly influence the film’s concept, or was it just woven into the fabric of it?

Brandon Cronenberg: It didn’t strongly influence it, but it’s just a really interesting idea, I think. Because that relationship between identity and the body is really interesting. I think they’re two very different things, and I think identity is this very theoretical, weird thing that no one has a full grasp on. I don’t think we can perceive ourselves perfectly clearly, but obviously, from the outside, people can’t know us perfectly either, and we’re always in flux. And then you have this body that people associate that identity with, but again, the body is constantly changing, and I find all of that stuff really interesting. And in the film, obviously, there’s the celebrity cell steaks, and the idea that they’re grown from the celebrities. It’s sort of cannibalism, but it’s not quite cannibalism. Are they that meat, or is that another thing? The human being, the body—is that the celebrity, or is the celebrity this cultural idea, this abstract thing? So that was just a really great, real-world example of that sort of thing, but it wasn’t at the core of the film.

Filmmaker: You mention in press notes that you’re naturally reclusive, much like Syd March. How much do you identify with the character? Beyond, you know, his activities…

Brandon Cronenberg: Well, I definitely put some of myself in there. But in weird ways. I was going to college in this horrible city in Ontario, called London, Ontario, and it was hard to get good food there. So, for a while, I was eating a lot of egg salad sandwiches and orange juice. And when I was thinking about the character, I thought that for a character whose main interest in his body is this disease, I could see how food could become just a purely functional thing—just a necessity that he takes no pleasure in. So he has these units of food—orange juice paired with egg salad sandwiches. Interestingly, Caleb—because he likes to live the character as much as he can—was eating all egg salad sandwiches and orange juice when he initially got to Canada, and then he got really sick of them. So he was worried that when it came to doing those scenes, he wouldn’t be able to eat the egg salad because he was so grossed out by it at that point. But apparently the props department makes solid egg salad, so… [Laughs.]

Filmmaker: There’s a lot of talk in the film about the human face. Can you discuss your fascination with it?

Brandon Cronenberg: Yeah. There’s a line in the film that says “[the face] has a high information resolution.” I think it’s true. There’s such a huge amount of information that we communicate consciously and unconsciously through our facial expressions. And apparently that’s why we so commonly see faces in clouds and in rock formations—because our brains are tuned to look for faces, and look toward that information. Apparently with zebras, it’s the stripes. We see zebras as just striped animals, but they really identify each other through the stripes and they can really recognize quickly individual markings, and that’s a huge identifying factor for them. So I think the way we see things depends greatly on our biology.

Filmmaker: Antiviral speaks for itself, but how would you sum up your current view of our celebrity culture? Where do you see it going? Is it on a hopeless downward spiral? Is all this transparency just becoming more and more unhealthy? Is it getting worse? Better?

Brandon Cronenberg: I don’t know! I think it’s a version of something, a kind of broader, older human tendency that we have to deify each other. One example I tend to fall back on is sainthood. The saints were sort of celebrities. They were people elevated to the status of gods, almost, and there’s the iconography—the recognizable repetition of images—and the same physical fetishism. There are the old Italian churches that claim to have the finger bone of such-and-such saint, and it’s imbued with this great power, these relics. So I think we do that, for some reason. I’m not exactly sure why. I think it’s hard to predict where celebrity culture is going, just because I don’t think it’s unique to our time and place. Again, I think the industrial aspect of that is something that’s fairly unique, or that’s at least becoming more prominent—the manufacturing of celebrity to make money. And I assume that will, just by the nature of industry, go as far as it possibly can, but it’s hard to predict. I don’t know if it will implode eventually. I think we’ll always have some version of celebrity.

[diabolus1exmachina]

Spyker D12 Peking-to-Paris  

The notion of high performance SUVs is something we are all familiar with today. Just about everyone is building a premium high-riding car in a bid to cash-in on the booming fashion. However, long before the Bentley Bentayga, Rolls-Royce Cullinan, Lamborghini Urus and Ferrari Purosangue, there was the Spyker D12 Peking To Paris concept car. An innovative SUV that was too far ahead of its time.

Visually, the D12 incorporated much of the Spyker C8 sports car’s design. Its sleek shape featured very few creases and appeared to be rather aerodynamic for its size. This surpassingly elegant vehicle possesses a short rear overhang and a sloping roofline more akin to a sporting GT than a traditional SUV.

It looked the part, and its powerplant was to ensure that it had the performance to match. The intention was for the Volkswagen Group to supply a W12 engine capable of giving the D12 over 500-horsepower. This SUV’s projected 0-60mph time was 5 seconds — not bad for a 1850kg vehicle at all.

Opening the concept cars suicide doors revealed an exquisite cabin upholstered with quilted leather and brushed aluminum. A tall center console ran its length, dividing four individual sports seats. This beautifully intricate space was full of interesting aeronautical details that harked back to Spyker’s past as an aircraft manufacturer. The crowning glory of this opulent interior? A full length glass panoramic roof.

The D12 concept car got its name from a 1907 Spyker 14/18 PK that competed in the gruelling Peking To Paris endurance race. Frenchman M. Goddard piloted the car for six months and over 9300 miles to finish second overall. Quite the achievement for the time.

Sadly, the Spyker D12 never made production, even after a revival in 2008 as the V8 engined D8 concept car. While there were reports of some orders of the D12 being taken, it ultimately arrived a decade too early to capitalise on today’s fashion for sporting SUVs. Since then, Spyker has struggled financially, meaning that the D8 and D12 will likely remain somewhat forgotten show cars.

[parcy-anda-but-with-actual-posts]

Smaugust Week 1 Smaugust Week 2 Smaugust Week 3 Smaugust Week 4 - you are here!

Day 22: Enchanted — I went more abstract with this one... you can't see the dragon for the shroud around it... nor can it escape. I'll update if I come up with something more concrete, but for now, this is it. Sorry this is a pretty slow start for week 4.

Day 23: Labyrinth — Combined with an overlay of yesterday's excuse of an entry. ;w; That there is a hexed chicken turned into a dragon and it haunts this hedge maze. >v<;; My brain's mush at this point, not a good sign. Let's see how tomorrow goes.

The plot thickens... turns out this cursed hedge-maze chicken is... the Final Boss (Day 24). I did a different color palette for this one, partially because I felt bad for defaulting to a foghorn-leghorn color scheme on the above. The background suffered a bit this round, but I really tried for a more dynamic dragon to make up for the past couple days. I like the sense of motion the radial blur gives, but it robs of some work I honestly put into things. ;w;

Afterthought... I should have opened this whole smaugust project with a disclaimer that I'm obscenely loose with my rules of what can be a dragon and have much, much too much fun hybridizing... this should be the end of the chicken-dragon, though. =v=; b

Day 25: Bioluminescence — Ah, the difference the weekend makes - I've felt significantly better about these last couple entries. >v<;; Have a dragon that's used to being considered drab and not conventionally pretty being comforted with the company of the shiniest. Per most of my dragons, there's some chimerification here, since I can't help myself. ^^;

Day 26: Fanart — Oof, and just like that, the work week strikes. It's just a sketch today - I bit off more than I could chew, exploring an alternative design for characters from an old children's show called Dragon Tales. Zak and Wheezie are the main focus, drawing inspiration from hognoses, while Ord, also featured is built around a beaded lizard in a screenshot redraw of this:

I took some liberties of course, since I was picking animals to inspire more detailed drawings of these guys, and also just went and gave Wheezie a look more so saying: "tf just happened?"

Day 27: Eclipse — Started overworking this and decided to stop - I wanted to do a lindwurm like creature coiled up in the night sky, and bathed in the light of a lunar Eclipse, almost becoming the lunar body itself? The concept was not very thoroughly planned. ^^'

Day 28: Chained — Another workday defeat (if the muse strikes, I may give this an honest retry without being confined to the tail end of my day), but I decided to try a small animation at the expense of any detail or drawing I'd be proud to share. ^^' A depressed cooped up little apartment dragon, looking out the room window before dropping its head, defeated and in tears... it's stuck somewhere, not chained physically, but definitely confined.

Day 29: Aurora — Phew - alrighty, overdid it on blurs and add glow effects, and not sure it's on point with the directions, but I wanted to have fun with this. >v<; Have a cosmic serpentine dragon that flies through the night sky with a body-length mane of shimmering lights. Another concept I wouldn't mind coming back to and putting more work into. ^v^

Day 30: Wood —I got carried away again, but liked the idea of another 'tree mimic', if we may? Or just a fantastical tree that looks vaguely draconic. >v<; Had trouble deciding between Cherry and Wisteria, I guess, and the colors/continuity for the backdrop got completely out of control. @v@; On the upside, I found different uses for that custom brush I made. X'D

Day 31: Mirrored — Okay - done with Smaugust, and some days were better than others, for sure, but I had fun! I went for a cutesy entry for the finish line. Played with bronze/patina tones for these two buddies, and kept it simple, aside from overdoing different brushes for texture. XD

[canmom]

Animation Night 176: The Hedge-Pigge Whin'd

Thrice the brinded Cat hath mewed, Thrice and once the hedge-pig whin'd, Harpier cries, 'tis time! 'tis time! - Macbeth

For the fourth time, Animation Night encounters Halloween. What horrors yet await us? Oh, there are....... many...

I'm going to keep this writeup pretty short bc (as is probably evident from the Posting lately) I'm not in the best of sorts.

The traditional Animation Night halloween goes something like this: a vampire-related anime, some Yamishibai, and something weird and different. Sometimes that leads to discovering some truly great and unexpected films, like Birdboy: The Forgotten Children (Psiconautas) by Alberto Vasquez. I had been thinking of doing Vasquez's Unicorn Wars tonight, but I decided to hold off to rewatch Birdboy alongside it in a week or two.

Other gems we've encountered have been the Chilean stop-motion film obliquely about a Nazi cult The Wolf House, the 'gekimation' works of Ujicha, the gorgeous one-man adaptation of Suehiro Maruo's ero-guro manga Shoujo Tsubaki, and of course Phil Tippett's 30-year magnum opus Mad God. There's a reason I look forward to Halloween each year.

Animation is a tricky fit for horror stories, particularly traditional animation. The stylised and clearly artificial presentation intrinsic to animation can be distancing and make it hard to make things genuinely scary - so if anything, a lot of horror creators benefit from a deliberately low-fi style, which avoids being too obvious with displays of technique. But animation of all kinds loves horror images and themes, from gory OVAs of the 80s full of rapacious demons, to what you could call 'spoopy' works like The Nightmare Before Christmas, Hotel Transylvania and Paranorman which play around with all the Halloween/Hammer Horror imagery - the Draculas and Frankensteins and so on.

So what's the recipe tonight?

Well, for our vampire anime, we have now worked through the obvious ones, so it's on to... the Darkstalkers OVA from 1997-8, adapting Capcom's series of fighting games. Though in Japan it's called ヴァンパイアハンター THE ANIMATED SERIES (Vampire Hunter: The Animated Series).

Fittingly for a late-90s OVA, this is full of crazy sick animation, notably including a number of cuts by Yoshinori Kanada. The story is basically: two vampire clans are having a war, but then aliens show up. Somehow that leads to battling atop exploding zeppelins. I'm curious.

For our Western Animation slot we have something by Genndy Tartakovsky (Animation Night 35). While Tartakovsky is best known for his 2D animation and hyper-simplified graphical style, he's also directed Hotel Transylvania in 3D. I was rather dismissive of this one at a glance apparently, but I've been told it's good and I mean, it's Tartakovsky right? I'm definitely curious to see how his style crosses dimensions.

Hotel Translyvania was created at Sony Pictures Animation, the studio that would later blow everyones' minds with Spiderverse. Their history is this: Sony, the international media and tech giant, had a visual effects studio called Sony Pictures Imageworks. They were considering selling it, but then came the wave of CG films beginning with Shrek, and suddenly the smell of money was in the air. So Imageworks was retooled into a studio for making feature-length CG movies. Their early films were pretty formulaic, but they gradually began to get more ambitious.

Hotel Transylvania, which depicts a hotel for monsters run by Dracula, has had a rough history, with Tartakovsky actually the sixth director to take on the project. His goal was to try and take the vibe of 2D animation, with its squash and stretch and variable timing, and bring it to 3D - a concept that was perhaps ahead of its time! How did he manage? Let's find out.

For our Yamishibai slot we have Yamishibai.

...ok, for those just joining us this I should probably explain. It's kind of like creepypastas for weebs. Yamishibai is a series of limited-animation shorts in the style of kamishibai paper theatre, telling short horror stories. In the first half of the 20th century, kamishibai performers would go around telling stories with illustrated panels, and the form was influential on the early days of manga. They're usually a blast so we'll definitely see a few of these.

...and, given the late start that will probably be all we have time for, but if we're in the mood, I can pull out a couple shorter animated horror works. Next week, we'll follow it up with Alberto Vasquez, revisiting Birdboy and also checking out Unicorn Wars.

Sound fun? See you at twitch.tv/canmom; we will start the spooky playlist soooooooooooooooooooooooooooonnnnnnnnnn...

[doomedandstoned]

UK Rockers FROGLORD Groove on ‘Sons of Froglord’

~Doomed & Stoned Debuts~

By Billy Goate

Since the dawn of time, Mystics have foretold the coming of the Froglord An ancient amphibian with death ray vision and ectoplasm slime...

Behold, the mighty FROGLORD has returned! We first met the Bristol bunch in these pages when they split an album with Bog Wizard, then again for our compilation, Doomed & Stoned in England, Vol. II. Now they're back with 11 new tracks, 'Sons of Froglord' (2023), each one linked to overarching plot (the saga now spanning four records):

500 years before ascension, Froglord tires of wordly trappings and so departs into the wilderness. There, the great Wizard Gonk awaits, a mighty guide through this garden. Together they seek its forbidden fruit: the Road Raisins. Once found, the flesh is consumed, giving way to visions of a coming collapse. The sound of The Amphibian can be heard, calling to the sage, and the Froglady's embrace guides him back to earth. Returning to the world on a Wednesday, he knows he must hold on till the lord cometh. Till that time, the mind must be honed and create a swamp of its own.

The content really delivers on the storyline, too. "Wizard Gonk" is a riff-driven romp with foot-shuffling stride and deadpan, shoegazy vocals on the order of Depeche Mode. "Garden" is a dank one for sure, donning bluesy guitar, strident rhythm, and a fist-raising chorus. "Road Raisin" couples humid Kyuss guitar tone with an easy-going desert rock tempo and mysterious, doomy vox. Speaking of singing, "Collapse" features grisly pipes that remind me of Neal Fallon's early work. Many tokes will be taken, surely, early on in this album.

It's not all an anuran fantasy, however. "Wednesday" is an ultra cool rocker a la Velvet Revolver about riding through the midweek blues. And the album closes with a nod to the CCR classic, "Born On The Bayou," giving it the Froglord treatment with gutsy drumming, smooooooth bass work, stinging guitar, and crooning that tells us we're deep into marsh country now and there ain't no returning.

Sons of Froglord is an up-beat romp through the swamp, ideal for baking on your favorite lilly pad. Look for the Froglord's latest release on Friday, July 7th (pre-order here). Stick it on a playlist with Deep Purple, Clutch, Merlin, Geezer, and Forming The Void.

Give ear...

FROGLORD - Sons of Froglord

SOME BUZZ

During the pandemic as a one-man project, Froglord released their first EP in 2020, followed soon after by a full-length album 'Amphibian Ascending.' Through their infectious grooves, storytelling, and DIY music videos, Froglord quickly amassed an online cult-like following. After the release of their second album 'The Mystic Toad' a year later, Froglord developed into a full 4-piece band as live venues began to reopen.

Since then, Froglord have released a further EP, split record, a single, and two more full-length albums: 'Army of Frogs' and 'Sons of Froglord.' During this time, Froglord has quickly gained a reputation for their commanding and theatrical stage performances.

Photo by April Marie

Whilst Froglord's sound leans primarily toward stoner doom, they have been characterised for their genre-bending sound, with each album taking on it's own distinct style, taking strong influences from psychedelia, prog, sludge, grunge, groove and blues to deliver the tale of The Froglord through a concept-based discography.

Rooted also in environmentalism, Froglord has worked closely with Save The Frogs, the world's largest amphibian-based conservation charity, raising over £2500 through 'Save The Frogs' EP sales and campaigning, as well as £300 for the Human Dignity Trust through merch sales.

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[wroteonedad]

The Teenage Smokers Collection

The first time I ever looked at anything Ed Templeton had done was when I was trying to figure out how I wanted my first photobook to look like. What type of paper I wanted to use, heck how heavy I wanted the paper to be. There is so much thought and process which goes into creating a photobook, a zine or any form of physical media that displays the work that you have created. Ed Templeton was no stranger to this. You see Templeton is a little bit of a dabbler, being a skateboarder, photographer, contemporary artist and vegan activist all at the same time. You name it, he has made it.

In 1999 Templeton published a breakout Zine titled 'Teenage Smokers', the whole project is pretty self explanatory. He took photos of teenagers smoking and the point of it was to explain that any of these images featured in the Zine are timeless based on the fact that there will always be teenagers smoking. I wanted to reflect on this project in particular, especially in a time where the vape is becoming more popular and more accessible to teenagers everywhere.

I feel as though there has always been something so cool about smoking. Not literally smoking and all the terrible effects it has for your health, but instead more how glamorised it was. We have only just began to enter a new era where it's no longer seen plastered over the pages of magazines, super models aren't photographed walking the streets holding a cigarette in their hand the way they used to. Actors are no longer smoking on TV shows, this mostly down to new legal rules in TV studios. Look at the way all of the characters looked on Twin Peaks chain smoking anywhere and any time, they all looked so cool. It just wouldn't really have the same effect if they were huffing a Lost Mary would it?

People back in the day looked so cool smoking that even David Bowie has a whole Instagram account dedicated to him smoking the cancer stick. But I'm trying to figure out why it was so cool in the Ed Templeton selection of images. Was it the rebellion, looking cooler because you simply didn't care and smoked because you enjoyed it or was it something such as lighting up a cigarette was the difference between being a child and being an adult?

But also, why do teenagers look so cool smoking too? I feel it has to be the sense of fashion, the attitude it feels like we receive from looking at these images. The way it feels that most products that have ever been created feel like they are being made for a teenage audience. It feels like there's a shamelessness to it.

The very first edition of Teenage Smokers was presented as more of a zine. A small collection of smoking teenagers, these people mostly photographed around the skateboarding park where they would take breaks every so often to light one up. The softcover book itself was only 36 pages long and mostly consisted of Polaroid images.

Templeton described the notion of how he came up with the concept in the first place; the idea of him once as a kid thinking that smoking looked really cool. He tore a piece of paper which was length wise long enough to be a cigarette, stuffed it with grass from the front garden, set it on fire and toked it. He explained that the 'cigarette' he had just tried tasted like glass and from that moment on, he couldn't understand how teenagers would indulge in the pain just to look cool. The first edition zine is the most interesting in terms of its full creation. Low budget because he barely had any money, only 36 pages and once that original collection was sold out, they never sold again.

In 2015 came a brand new release of Teenage Smokers 2, a brand new hardback cover featuring nothing except for an illustration of a hand with painted red nails as a cigarette burns. The book itself doesn't have a correlation with the original zine, rather it is a whole new book of original images that were taken after the release of the first. I feel as though Templeton could have left Teenage Smokers as its own singular project, for that one zine to be the only format of work to ever exist on the piece. It keeps it original, especially with the whole original set of works being created in the 90s; times have changed so much since that it could have been left as a standalone.

It is interesting for one artist to simply use smoking as its main subject in all of the images, it doesn't feel deeply thought out at all. There doesn't feel like there was a deep research project that came with the works behind the scenes. It feels more of a spur of the moment, as if Templeton waited for these people to come along and carried his camera with him at all times to ensure he got the shots he wanted. To be able to see so many people from so many different passages of life all come together through their passion for skateboarding and their hobby of smoking is an oddly wonderful thing, something that is so simple yet so effective for their community. I truly don't think there is much to say about these images other than they're fact they're nice,,, my lecturers would have hated me looking at an image and just saying they're nice, but they are. It's so refreshing to me to be able to look at a set of photos and just agree that they're simple and effective. They work well as a collection and they also work well as their own separate shots.

[thepandalion]

So as I might have mentioned I’ve been reading Homestuck for the first time

(Rant under the cut, you know the drill)

So! A lot has happened since I last uploaded art. Including, but not limited to:

- My computer deciding not to open any website that isn’t owned by Google

- I bought myself Clip Studio when they did their December holidays sale

- Taught myself to draw in a chibi/chibi-adjecent art style and now I can’t stop. It’s so simplified compared to how I used to draw look at it. Its so soft and untextured and I can just make blobby hands and feet and it works??

- After an entire week, finally fixed my computer (it just wanted an upgrade to Windows 11)

So, yeah, been a while. I’m actually working on a project for my MCYT sideblog wherein I draw all the Hermits as per my AU, the Sunbringer. I’m currently.. halfway through. It’s been a week.

Hhh.

Well, now onto actual details, starting with the fact that CSP makes it much easier to save transparent PNGs (Krita was fine, too, but it was slightly less intuitive, at least for me- I figured out how to do it on the first try- though maybe that also has to do with the fact I now have actual art experience meanwhile Krita was my second ever program, and while I’m certain the first one was fine it did not have that feature specifically... or at least I wasn’t aware I could look for it. Idk, it’s been like 4-5 years since I last used that program, I can’t even recall its name). What I’m saying is that the version above is transparent, while my new profile picture is the one with a background! And it’s space!

Anyways, figured out I really like giving characters with large, round glasses small, simple eyes, that are just colorful eggs.

So, as I mentioned, this is Homestuck stuff- apparently my last try was the wrong class, but not the wrong aspect; I’m actually a Mage of Mind. The one server I’m on where I talk Homestuck had me accidentally rant for paragraphs upon paragraphs (like I’m doing now... haha) about another person’s classpect and why their explanation for why it won’t fit them is actually the entire reason it should fit, actually.

It was a discussion on why classpects are infuriatingly confusing, so of course that “short” explanation I provided immediately cleared the issue for me, since a Mage of Mind is one who understands choice, consequence, and thoughts. So, understanding the minds of fictional characters to the point where I mimic mannerisms subconsciously, as well as understanding someone I had at most two conversations with prior... Yeah, fair enough.

That’s my invitation to anyone who’s interested to ask me to explain the personalities for various classpects, if you’re willing to read this much text (and, let’s face it, if you’re reading this, you’re probably fine with the length I write in).

Ok, final notes!

I almost gave the boots little wings- sorta like Hermes’ shoes? Because flight is my theme. I literally have never drawn myself without my signature wings- except when I was 3 and my “self portrait” was a bright-crayon drawing of a luna moth (well, it was bright pink, but it was a butterfly with crescent-patterned wings), and even then it was all about the flight. Always. It’s a part of who I am more than pretty much any other part of me.

... Now onto lighter stuff, the title of the book Mini-me is reading is “Mage’s Guide to Reading More Books”. Specifically because I thought a book on reading books is a silly (yet loveable) concept.

[fontlabs]

Big Shoulders Inline Display Font Free Download

Big Shoulders Inline Text Font is a family of sans serif fonts. With a mysterious look, this font gained great popularity in just a few days. The font is based on Chicago’s multiple histories in railway transport, public political action, and dance. The display font family comes in 8 different styles including black, bold, extra bold, light, medium, regular, semi-bold, and thin. all of them are easily readable and perfect for both titles and large body text. The font comes with multilingual language supports including full covers of Vietnamese, in addition to all Western, Central, and South-Eastern European languages. Stunning Font is a kind, unique display typeface that has a strong personality and features an unparalleled showcase that will complete your design concept. It is available to use for free on your next project. Big Shoulders Inline Text Font Font Name: Big Shoulders Inline Text Font Style: Display, Sans-serif, Typeface Font Designer: Patric King File Format: TTF License: Free For Personal Use Files: Big Shoulders Inline Text (Truetype) This amazing typeface has a thick texture that the designer created with solid strokes. So they will be displayed in the design from small to large. It’s just because of its unique look it has a sans-serif texture as we’ve seen in other fonts, but it also has length. Which helps make it cool and unique. And make the readers feel calm too. Some other royalty-free fonts we have like Revenge Font by Mika Melvas, BonvenoCF Font by Barry Schwartz, and Spawn Font by Digital Empires. This condensed font is free for personal use. I hope, now that information is enough to understand it deeply. So, feel free to express your opinion in the comment section below. And also inform other designers about this great font as well. So, just click on a single button below and download the Big Shoulders Inline Display Font instantly. After that, utilize this cool modern font everywhere. Read the full article

[buckcluckhater]

Controversial Video Game Opinion: Resident Evil 3 (2020)

So this title was released right after the Resident Evil 2 Remake and as a bundle with Project: REsistance for $60, effectively a $30 game on its own. Looking at it from that perspective, I can at least somewhat justify the shorter length. Having no Clocktower segment and just having Jill get knocked out until the next scene with her is pretty blatantly just a cheap scene transition and a way to shift the control to Carlos.

The criticisms towards Jill Valentine's character in this game especially rub me the wrong way. The writers clearly from the outset wanted to incorporate her past experiences and the trauma that comes with them, having to watch people you know die and facing death yourself does a lot to warp someone's personality and make just the day to day experience of living much more difficult. That and not wearing a tube top is apparently a crime.

Having said that, it sucks how her apartment is this beautifully designed space with tons of personality and some really cool details, but your only interaction with it is walking around until the Trash Man comes to cave your head in.

On that note, Nemesis. I have no issues with his design or story appearances. What I do have a problem with is his gameplay. Unlike Mr. X, who was mostly free to roam the playable space on his own, creating a really organic enemy, Nemesis in this game mostly sticks to scripted encounters and often travels by teleporting out of the map (not before doing his own Spider-Man Pose) so that he can ambush the player by respawning closer to them. It makes sense why they do this, Jill is just so much faster than Leon/Claire in the previous game, and it helps Nemesis avoid falling too far behind, something Mr. X did a lot.

My issue is just how obvious it is that he does this. There are a lot of areas in Downtown Raccoon City where you can easily bait this movement and wait for him to slowly load into the correct spot before he attacks you. It's really inorganic and feels like a cheap rug-pull for experienced players who have a sense of how the game operates.

The Boss Fights are all way better than RE2-R tbh. I love that game to bits, but G-2 Birkin can go straight back to hell with his tiny arena and multiple charging attacks. Meanwhile the only Nemesis fight that kinda sucks is unfortunately his final encounter. On lower difficulties it's a joke, you only die if you forget how to play or panic and take too long. On higher difficulties the game literally makes enemies perform their animations faster in order to be more aggressive. This gives Nemesis an instakill combo if you have to get caught by one attack in the chain. Impressively unfair feature for an otherwise boring enemy.

Oh and the last part, the game's best feature is its Item Shop. Normally these things sucks because they're just a place to load up on consumables and be harassed with price tags. In RE3-R, you're awarded currency based on achievements and can spend them on whatever you want, like an Arcade Counter. This is great for accessibility too, since even mediocre players can probably grab the Infinite Ammo AR and use it to make the rest of the game much easier for themselves. Compare this to RE2-R, where only specific achievements unlocked specific items and most were things like Concept Art or Viewable Models.

This game also has viewable Models, but the controls are kinda weird and the game's small size indirectly makes it a less interesting place to browse since there's way less to look at. Alternate Model poses and booba physics were also added to iterate from the RE2-R version.

Lastly, the actual gameplay. I personally feel like it's one of the more difficult games I've played, and a large part of that is needing to depend on reaction time much more than prior titles. Dodge rolls and QTE grabs are the emphasis over Consumables, which definitely threw players off when they first got grabbed and the Knife did nothing to stop them from being bitten. It's lame how Zombies were mechanically downgraded for performance issues. Not only do they go completely stiff upon death, this actually ruins their 'ambush' behavior by making it instantly possible to tell if they're still alive based on whether or not their body shudders when attacked. In RE2-R they always moved when hit, so sometimes they could fake death by just not reacting more than that. You know, like a Zombie.

To cap this off, I actually love Resident Evil 3 (2020). It's amazing on the first playthrough and remains a fun game to Speedrun, or played for the challenge. I feel like it was mostly disliked for the changes it made from the original, and for clearly being an underfunded title, which is much worse considering how good Capcom and Resident Evil were doing in terms of sales. They did not need to rush this game, but what's done is done.

Also Project Resistance still sucks. Play Dead by Daylight, or don't, maybe go on a walk or talk to your friends.

[arts-cintora]

Working with Disney

Walt Disney, the visionary behind the most iconic and beloved entertainment empire in the world, created magic that continues to enchant audiences of all ages. While Disney's contributions to the world of animation and entertainment are well-documented, the stories of those who worked closely alongside him often remain hidden gems in the treasure trove of Disney history. Among these unsung heroes are Frank Thomas and Walter Lantz, two individuals who played instrumental roles in the development and success of Disney's animated masterpieces. As legendary animators and storytellers, their experiences working alongside Walt Disney offer us unique insights into the creative genius of the man behind our beloved mouse.

Let’s dive in into Frank Thomas interview with Don peri

Frank Thomas was a renowned American animator who left an indelible mark on the world of animation through his creative contributions to the Walt Disney Company. He was born on September 5, 1913. He joined Disney’s teams with the first feature length film Snow White and the seven dwarfs and he became a key figure in almost every Disney animated movie. He later became one of the famous Disney’s Nine Old Men, who were the core animators for the company.

Franks first impression of Walt Disney:

Frank Thomas stated, “I think I was probably more impressed with his product than I was with him as a person” (working with Disney, page 5). Their early encounters were brief and pleasant, with casual greetings in the hallways of the Disney studio. Frank Thomas recalls a significant moment when he was working on a large amount of animation footage for the film "Three Little Wolves" under the supervision of Freddy Moore. Disney noticed the workload and, concerned that it might be too much for one person, called Thomas in for a conversation. Frank Thomas expressed his eagerness to handle the task on his own, believing that he was the best person for the job. Disney, known for his piercing looks, agreed to let Thomas try. This initial interaction between Thomas and Disney was positive, with Disney showing confidence in Thomas's abilities. The relationship between Thomas and Disney at this early stage was characterized by mutual respect, with Disney valuing Thomas's work and ideas. There was no significant pressure, and it was a generally pleasant professional relationship.

Franks opinion about Disney's peak art:

In this interview passage, Frank Thomas reflects on Walt Disney's creative journey and the evolution of Disney animation. He highlights Walt Disney's innovative and curious nature, emphasizing Disney's constant quest for exploring the potential of animation. Disney's approach was marked by a desire to improve and innovate, rather than accepting things as they were. Thomas suggests that Disney's peak in animation was reached with "Snow White," a film known for its rich character development and strong story concept. However, Disney's ambition led him to create more elaborate projects like "Pinocchio," "Fantasia," "Bambi," and "Dumbo." World War II disrupted Disney's creative expansion, leading him to focus on more cost-effective projects and eventually branching out into other ventures like TV shows, theme parks, and live-action films. Frank Thomas also mentions the loss of certain animation techniques and the diverse experimentation happening in the world of animation. He concludes that Disney didn't have a single “zenith” or peak moment but consistently aimed to improve and innovate, adapting to changing circumstances and exploring new creative frontiers.

Frank’s thoughts about the studio strike:

In this part of the interview, Frank Thomas reflects on his experiences working at Disney during a time of great change and upheaval, particularly during the wartime years. He recalls a sense of camaraderie and a strong sense of belonging among the Disney staff, with perks like having a coffee shop and dedicated switchboard operators who catered to the needs of the employees. This sense of support and care from Walt Disney fostered a paternalistic atmosphere, where the employees felt they were taken care of by the company. He appreciated this paternalistic approach, viewing it as a positive aspect of his work environment. However, he acknowledges that not everyone felt the same way. Some employees might have seen it as a form of control or intrusion.The passage also highlights labor issues, including layoffs and salary inequalities, which led to unrest among the workforce. Frank Thomas suggests that there was communist influence within the union leadership, adding to the challenges and tensions. Furthermore, this part of the interview touches on differing perspectives regarding job security and career choices. While Disney believed that individuals unsuited for animation should consider other options, some employees felt too invested in their careers to leave. These differing attitudes contributed to the labor disputes and challenges faced by Disney during this period.

And last but not least, Frank’s opinion on Walt’s leadership and work style:

Frank Thomas expresses that he wouldn't change anything about Walt Disney because while Disney could be both inspiring and frustrating, his leadership style was highly effective in motivating people to give their best. Disney had a unique ability to ignite excitement and passion in his employees, making them work on projects that challenged and thrilled them. However, Disney also had a tendency to abruptly change directions or shelve projects, which could be a shattering experience for those deeply involved. Overall, Thomas acknowledges that Disney's approach, while sometimes challenging, was instrumental in bringing out the best in his employees and driving them to create exceptional work.

Let’s jump straight ahead to the interview with Walter Lantz

Walter Lantz was born on April 27, 1900. He began his animation career at 16 years old alongside Gregory La Cava at a studio set up by newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst to create cartoons from the most popular comic strips. After the studio closing, Walter’s career took reins at Universal studios, creating his most famous character, Woody Woodpecker. When Disney lost the rights for Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, Lantz took over Mintz (the owner of the character) as the producer.

Walter’s thoughts regarding Oswald The Lucky Rabbit:

Walt Disney had initially created Oswald the Lucky Rabbit for Universal, but when Universal did not show interest in the character, Disney left the company. Disney's departure led to the creation of Mickey Mouse, which ultimately became a massive success. Universal, after Disney's departure, wanted to start its own cartoon department and asked Lantz to set it up. Lantz agreed to do so under the condition that he could redesign the character, turning Oswald from a black and white rabbit with long ears into a white rabbit. Lantz then describes how he produced Oswald the Lucky Rabbit for Universal for ten years, setting up the entire cartoon department from scratch and producing over two hundred cartoons. In 1937, Lantz became an independent producer, and Universal faced financial troubles, so they asked him to produce cartoons independently, which they would release. This led to Universal assigning the copyrights of the characters Lantz had created for them, including Oswald the Lucky Rabbit. However, Lantz retained the copyright for Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, making him the sole owner of that character's copyright.

Walter’s connection with other animators including Disney: 

Walter Lantz describes the close-knit and cooperative relationship that existed among prominent figures in the animation industry during his time. He mentions the Animated Cartoon Association, a group that included not only Lantz but also Leon Schlesinger of Warner Bros., Fred Quimby of MGM, and Walt Disney. This association allowed these figures to cooperate and share information and talent in a friendly and supportive manner. Lantz emphasizes that there was no "pirating" of animators or artists between studios. If an animator expressed interest in working for another studio, such as Disney, Lantz and the other producers would discuss it openly, and salary considerations were taken into account. There was a sense of camaraderie among these producers, and they genuinely respected each other's work and artists.

And last but not least, Walter’s opinion between a big animation studio and a small animation workplace: 

This section of the interview touches on Lantz's own journey in animation, from working for Mack Sennett to eventually starting his own animation studio. He also mentions the influence of visual humor and the importance of well-developed characters. Lantz acknowledges the presence of talent in the animation industry, including at institutions like CalArts, which he supports through scholarships. However, he notes the challenge of maintaining the quality and depth of full animation in today's cost and time-limited industry, where animators often have to produce significantly more footage in a shorter amount of time. This shift has led to a different approach to animation, emphasizing limited animation techniques, which can result in less detailed and expressive characters and storytelling.

In conclusion, the interviews conducted by Don Peri with Frank Thomas and Walter Lantz provide valuable insights into the world of animation, both in its early days and its evolution over time. These interviews offer a unique perspective on the animation industry, its iconic figures, and the challenges and changes it has undergone.

From Frank Thomas, we gain a deeper understanding of the innovative spirit of Walt Disney and his tireless pursuit of creative excellence. Thomas's recollections shed light on the dynamics within Disney's animation studio and the challenges of balancing artistry with economic considerations. Thomas's account of his early interactions with Walt Disney and his observations of Disney's leadership style offer a glimpse into the complexities of working in a highly creative environment.

Walter Lantz's interview provides an interesting perspective on the animation industry's transformation. Lantz's experiences with characters like Oswald the Lucky Rabbit and Woody Woodpecker reveal the evolution of animated characters and storytelling over the years. Lantz's critical view of contemporary animation highlights the changes in humor and style, emphasizing the importance of visual humor and character development, which he believes has disapeared in modern animation.

The insights offered by Frank Thomas and Walter Lantz serve as a valuable resource for understanding the past and appreciating the evolving world of animation.

Sources:

Working with Disney, Interviews with animators, producers, and artists by Don peri, published in 2011.

[adamwatchesmovies]

Dr. Tarr's Torture Dungeon (1973)

While I didn't enjoy this film, that doesn't mean you won't. No matter what I say, the people involved in this project did it: they actually made a movie. That's something to be applauded. With that established...

Anyone who sits down and excitedly wonders what horrors await inside Dr. Tarr’s Torture Dungeon will be disappointed. The alternate title of The Mansion of Madness is far more suitable and more properly sets you up for a film that remains lackluster regardless of what you call it. This movie’s plot is too obvious and too badly written for you to care what happens in the end.

Reporter Gaston LeBlanc (Arthur Hansel) is writing an article about famed psychologist Dr. Maillard (Claudio Brook). Arriving at Maillard's asylum, LeBlanc finds the doctor’s methods unorthodox to say the least. Captivated by the beautiul Eugénie (Ellen Sherman), LeBlanc fails to realize the inmates are in charge of the facility.

Loosely based on Edgar Allan Poe's darkly comedic The System of Doctor Tarr and Professor Fether, the film has a good premise. Imagine visiting a place only to discover that the patients have taken over. You're surrounded by madmen and can't escape. That's scary. To make it work, you need two things. First, a slow-boil plot. If everyone comes out of the gates raving like lunatics, you’ll figure out the whole thing immediately. Second, you need an intelligent protagonist. If you want to make the audience laugh, they should be dumb but if your goal is to scare, Gaston needs to be sharp. Once the deception is revealed, he needs to fake his way through this ordeal and exploit every means of escape possible. That’s what the audience will be doing mentally. Unfortunately, director Juan López Moctezuma fails to do either.

The Mansion of Madness a.k.a. House of Madness a.k.a. Dr. Tarr's Torture Dungeon does nothing clever or new with its concept. As Gaston approaches the sanitarium, the friends traveling with him suddenly have to cut their journey short. Obviously. If they stuck around, they'd reveal that the man in charge of the asylum isn't Dr. Maillard at all. They're useless until captured by the lunatics. At this point, they become worse than useless and star in a subplot that has no impact on the main story, whatsoever. They prove that all of the sane people in this movie are complete idiots. At one point, one of them escapes. The man’s all tied up and hopping around in the middle of the forest, trying to elude the insane rapists who roam the grounds surrounding the mental institution. He should look for a way to untie himself. Instead, he screams for help, practically begging to be recaptured. Here's a free lesson for all the screenwriters out there: audiences want to see a part of themselves in the on-screen characters. Having them behave like they have no sense of self-preservation is a surefire way to make everyone hate your movie.

That subplot is ultimately nothing more than padding and it’s not the only example of director Juan López Moctezuma struggling to find a way to make his movie feature-length. At one point, Eugénie and Gaston become romantically involved. So involved they profess their love to each other. They’ve exchanged fewer than 5 lines of dialogue. It’s ludicrous and another reason for you to dismiss the movie entirely. It doesn't stop there: unnecessary bits of backstory, garish opening credits, unbelievable behavior from our heroes, mountains of coincidences, and so on and so forth. Dr. Tarr's Torture Dungeon is a complete misstep any way you look at it. (English version, January 15, 2021)

[peininging]

Asgn 2: Individual Reflection #2

Our journey of improving Shopee's comparison system continued to present us with both challenges and opportunities for contributions. One of the challenges we faced was the need to delve deeper into the competitive landscape. While the decision to examine Shopee's competitors had provided valuable insights, it also raised questions about how to differentiate our redesign from the other e-commerce platforms.

To address this challenge, I took on the task of conducting a more in-depth analysis of Amazon as I discovered it had a direct comparison feature. I shared this discovery with the team for potential explorations of the redesign. We were also careful to take note of Amazon’s feature but not reference it too heavily to enable us to think critically and innovatively on a solution.  Understanding the strengths and weaknesses of Amazon's approach would help us refine our design and potentially incorporate elements that had proven successful in a similar context. 

For example, some interesting things I noticed was how comprehensive Amazon’s comparison feature was, showing all details that users may need from price to type of compatible devices. As users may have different product needs, Amazon’s comprehensiveness aids each unique user.

Amazon’s comparison feature

To overcome the challenge of identifying user pain points within Shopee's existing comparison-related features,  I also decided to extensively research Shopee’s comparison-related features and how those features were currently presented in the application. While I initially believed  that Shopee did not have a “see similar” function, upon deeper analysis of Shopee’s “like” feature, I realised Shopee indeed had a similar feature hidden within the “Likes” page. As a long time user of Shopee, I wondered who else had used or even seen this feature. Even  with the addition of this feature, the comparison function was still lacking, and this helped our group in better understanding the various functions Shopee offered.

Shopee’s “Find Similar” entry point

Another challenge was defining the scope of our project. "Comparison" was a broad concept, and to streamline our efforts, I created a user flow with screenshots to visually illustrate the interactions between various features that were comparison adjacent. This visualization became a valuable reference point for our group, ensuring that we remained focused on the most critical aspects of comparison.

User flow with screenshots

Understanding user needs and preferences was paramount to our redesign efforts. To gain insights into what information users found useful for comparing products, I conducted interviews with three frequent Shopee users. The interviews revealed common themes, such as price, quality - which they gleaned from user reviews and shop rating, and technical specifications - which focused on the item itself such as its length and height. These insights would help guide our design choices in the redesign.

[denimbex1986]

'Box office record breakers Barbie and Oppenheimer made a combined tally of just under £30 million in the UK and Ireland in their opening weekends, following months of lead-up and excitement—the effect of which can never be repeated, despite what studios will be hoping.

Arguably igniting a real return to form for cinema, ‘Barbenheimer’, as it has come to be known, fuelled the fourth biggest overall weekend in domestic box office history. It is beaten only by Avengers: Endgame, Avengers: Infinity War, and Star Wars: The Force Awakens, all of which are part of major franchises. It’s fair to say that the Barbenheimer effect has been fantastic for the silver screen, especially after the last few turbulent years.

Though studios may try, however, it will be impossible to successfully replicate the phenomenon that was so instrumental in this success.

How Barbenheimer came to be

Oppenheimer director Christopher Nolan had been distributing his films with WarnerMedia, the parent company of Warner Bros. Pictures, since 2002. However, in 2020, he found himself in a dispute with WarnerMedia when it made the decision to release all of its 2021 films on its streaming service, HBO Max. The plan went south when Warner Bros. distanced itself from this plan in March of that year, but by then the acclaimed director had made plans of his own. In September 2021, he announced that Oppenheimer would be distributed by Universal Pictures.

One of the conditions of this deal was the promise the film wouldn’t go to a streaming service straight away, and would have a 100-day theatrical window. Following this, the July 21, 2023 release date was announced. But in 2022, a subsidiary of Warner Bros. announced that Barbie would be releasing on that same date—with the Nolan disagreement being quoted as the cause.

The build up

Buzz around both films, and the behind-the-scenes drama between them, began very quickly and the anticipation only built as time went on. The first use of the term ‘Barbenheimer’ was in April last year but really took off earlier this year through memes on Twitter (now X). Before too long it was difficult to avoid Barbenheimer, as fan-made posters and merchandise began emerging everywhere.

Meanwhile, the official marketing for Greta Gerwig’s Barbie was proving to be incredibly effective, with $150 million set aside for the project. A Barbie Dreamhouse was created in Malibu, bookable through Airbnb, a themed boat cruise was available in Boston, and everything you can think of was turned ‘Barbie pink’. Though the marketing team was pulling out all the stops, a large proportion of its promotion happened organically, Josh Goldstine, president of global marketing at Warner Bros., told Variety, with the popularity of the Barbenheimer concept across social media fuelling much of this.

Oppenheimer’s marketing budget could have been anywhere between $65 million and $100 million, according to Collider. It didn’t go to the lengths that Barbie did, arguably due to the fact that it’s a less fun and more dramatic film. You could contend that Oppenheimer got a free ride on the coat-tails of Barbie’s marketing successes—it wasn’t often there would be Barbie press without mention of Oppenheimer—but this was a two-way relationship, with Cillian Murphy stating in an interview with IGN that the Barbenheimer fascination was beneficial not only for the two films in question but for the cinema industry as a whole.

Barbenheimer’s success

This juggernaut inevitably came to full fruition when July 21 rolled around. With the promise of Barbenheimer came the challenge of watching both films on opening weekend, even on the same day.

With millions of people flocking to their local cinemas for the double feature, the trends continued and audiences showed up decked out in pink or black, or pink and black! The dichotomy and tonal juxtaposition between the two was enough to turn a simple joke into the colossus it became, inspiring some inventive costumes; some viewers even changed their outfits on the way from one film to the other.

Organic engagement

This cultural event is, at its very core, unique in its transcendence of the silver screen. Barbenheimer originated from a shared release date, but the films’ significance go deeper than that. They are two high quality films, directed by two well-known powerhouses in the industry, with two strong aesthetics. Not only this but they are new stories rather than reboots, remakes, spin-offs or the latest in a franchise (although we have since learnt more about Mattel’s plans going forward).

The worry now is about what lessons studio executives will take from these last few months. It’s no lie that we can already see it happening as it is factored into marketing, as Paramount Pictures tries to coin ‘Saw Patrol’, with Paw Patrol and Saw X releasing on September 29. The problem with studios trying to replicate this is it feels manufactured. The way Barbenheimer developed was completely up to fans and cinema-goers, with studios initially blindsided by the trend and only later jumping on the bandwagon—the vital part being they never had control of it in the first place. Also, while Barbie and Oppenheimer are very different films, there’s potential for them to appeal to similar demographics—something that can’t be said for a film aimed at children and a horror flick.

What these studios should realise sooner rather than later is that this sort of popularity can’t be corporate and forced. It has to feel authentic, or audiences will tune out. Attempting to replicate what happened with these two blockbusters cannot be done.

Barbenheimer isn’t the first to see this sort of unprecedented success thanks to audience-created trends. The ‘Gentleminions’ TikTok trend took over cinemas in July last year upon the release of Minions: The Rise of Gru, with hundreds of videos showing teens turning up to their local theatres in suits and formalwear. Although the rowdy behaviour of these audiences led to them being banned from screenings, the trend did bolster the film’s earnings for a while. TikTok also previously wreaked havoc on Morbius in 2022; Sony didn’t seem to understand that the film’s cult fanbase was ironic, and re-released the Jared Leto-fronted film to a second round of bad press and poor box office earnings.

Barbenheimer was a magical, once-in-a-lifetime event, and audiences are happy to keep it that way. For studio executives, it may take a little more convincing. Regardless of what the future holds, for two films to open to over £10 million each at the box office amid the cost of living crisis and the lasting effects of the pandemic signals that the revival of cinema is on its way. At its heart, this isn’t about any two films releasing on the same day. It’s about visionary directors striving to create daring, innovative films—something which should always be valued above a cheap marketing strategy.'

[aquacleanpoolllc]

Know Your Pool Building Estimate With a Reputed Pool Expert

A swimming pool inside your garden area is a wonderful idea to have. It will be a great area for recreation and partying. A beautifully designed pool with top rated pool builders Phoenix offers sparks the whole ambiance surrounding your home. Adorning outer space is no less vital than spinning the story. Gardening, Swimming pools, hanging knick-knacks, etc are several good staffs to redefine your outdoor region and maintain it as inviting as your interior is. It is a really exclusive concept for outdoor adornment. However, one aspect must be made apparent that only suitable to wealthy class can pay for the luxury of installing a pool for swimming.

Designing is the most decisive part in a pool design. Whoever prefers to get it built up must consider hiring a reputed service provider that is an expert designer and builder of the swimming pool. There are many top-tier construction companies that design noticeable blueprints. Nevertheless, you are always persuaded to forward your important thought input. Once you have decided on the pool shape, the next big thing to pick is size. It depends on a decent number of factors like your selection, maximum space accessible, the minimum distance between the house and the pool, etc. So far we have targeted attention to the shape and length of the pools from a technical aspect of view. No design is a doubt if it does not mesh with aesthetic features. Similar to your interior space, the exterior zone too requires a touch of inventiveness. The pool builders AZ will definitely integrate plenty of elements to grasp a pool project into a breathtaking reality.

Even when designing a pool, the target must be put on making a balance. The appeal of the pool must finely harmonize with the feeling aspect of your house. Just like your furnishings, a swimming pool too entails good accessories that will improve its beauty. Flowers, trees, shrubs, naturally formed asymmetrical-shaped rock patterns, etc. adds to the magic. The companies' work does not stop with pool construction but expands to the creation of every one of those factors that will make your swimming attractiveness really stand out. Although you can afford to spend a greatly on swimming pool build-up, it is vital that you look out for a construction company like swimming pool renovation Phoenix that offers lucrative quotes without disregarding the quality service. The company experts must have a mix of creative sense and architectural brilliance.

Original Source https://bit.ly/3m1Y2D3

[advanceagility]

SAFe Agile Certification: Benefits & Exam Pattern

 “As an Agile coach, you don’t need to have all the answers; it takes time and a few experiments to hit on the right approach.”- Rachel Davies and Liz Sedley.

Software refers to a set of instructions given to a computer for it to work. The process of creating, designing, deploying and supporting the software through a set of activities or strategic themes is called Software Development. This process involves a number of methodologies/frameworks/sub-process that helps to simplify the complex activities involved in creating a product. Some of the Software Models that are used in different projects are-

1.     Spiral Model

2.     Agile Methodology

3.     Waterfall Model

4.     Lean Software Development

5.     DevOps

6.     V-Model

7.     Object-Oriented programming

Agile framework

It is an approach based on iterative development that focuses on flexibility, collaboration and efficiency to deliver best quality products. Agile Methodology is dynamic in nature in which development and testing activities are performed simultaneously so that any errors can be detected easily. There are many phases under this model as every project has different needs. The phases are as follows-

·       Scrum

·       XP or Extreme Programming

·       DSDM or Dynamic System Development Model

·       Crystal

·       ASD or Adaptive Software Development

·       FDD or Feature Driven Development

What is SAFe?

Scaled Agile Framework or SAFe is a set of workflow or organizational patterns used to implement Agile practices in large enterprises. This framework provides guidelines for planning, managing, assigning roles and responsibilities according to the Agile values for smoothening the software development process. This has its own strengths and weaknesses-

Strengths

·       Effective collaboration in cross-functional teams

·       Helps to achieve greater transparency

·       Alignment of all the aspects of the project to the business goals.

Weaknesses

·       It is not a pure Agile framework and involves too much of upfront planning and process definition

·       It is more of a pyramid cal approach rather than team-based approach

SAFe training and certification can help you learn the best practices and techniques in software development. After training you can become Certified SAFe Agile Product Owner/Product Manager and implement the Agile values. SAFe Agile Certification teaches about ten concepts-

1.     Take an Economic view

2.     Apply Systems Thinking

3.     Assume Variability; Preserve options

4.     Build incrementally with fast integrated learning cycles

5.     Base milestones on objective evaluation of working systems

6.     Visualize and limit work-in-progress, reduce batch sizes and manage queue lengths.

7.     Apply Cadence(timing), synchronize with cross-domain planning

8.     Unlock the intrinsic motivation of knowledge workers

9.     Decentralize decision-making

10.  Organize around value

Advantages of SAFe Agile Certification

There are a lot of benefits of undergoing a SAFe course and getting a certification. They are-

1.     Helps in implementing Agile practice- SAFe helps to apply Agile principles in large organizations.

2.     Acceptable worldwide- SAFe Agile Certification such as Leading SAFe has worldwide recognition and earns a designation of Certified SAFe Agile Product Owner.

3.     Assigning roles and responsibilities in Agile- modifying old roles and assigning new responsibilities in the project can be learnt.

4.     Raise in salary- The increasing demand of Certified SAFe Professionals has affected the salary offered in a positive manner.

5.     Eradication of errors in implementation- Through the certification course you get in-depth knowledge about the Agile values that helps to avoid or detect any errors.

6.     Continuous delivery of products- You will learn to integrate DevOps which enables continuous delivery to the client within large setup.

7.     Resolving disputes and issues- You will learn to remove roadblocks, issues during the process.

8.     Clear decision making- Having detailed knowledge about the values and principles you can make wise decisions.

9.     Mastering the Lean-Agile approach- SAFe certification will help you to master two methodologies i.e. Agile Methodology and Lean Product Methodology.

How to get the Certification?

Attaining a SAFe Certification has very few and simple steps to follow-

·       Get the details about the SAFe concept

·       Enroll in one of the courses

·       Make the payment

·       Undergo the training

·       After the training you have to appear for an exam

·       Clear the exam and get the certificate

About Advance Agility

We, at Advance Agility, are the new-age Agile Coaching, Consulting and IT services company. We enable end-to-end Digital Transformation. Agile execution is integral to our being. We are doing SAFe implementation with small, medium and large organization across the globe. Our vision is to be the leading Agile execution player globally. To keep adding value at every process stage. We are on a mission to empower our clients, move from concept to cash in the shortest sustainable lead time by adopting human centric approach to business agility. Embracing the change is in our DNA. Things that keep us apart are Quicker and Seamless execution with End-to-end gamut of services. Our Global presence and Stellar Track Record give us an edge over our competitor.

Connect with us at advanceagility.com to learn about SAFe and SAFe Implementation. We provide various SAFe certification courses along with DevOps, Scrum, Agile Coaching and more trainings. Write to us at contact@advanceagilty.com for any agile training or consulting needs. We are always looking for competent agile trainers as well. So if you are a good trainer or want to become one, do get in touch with us to that we can learn, grow and achieve together.