Producer, Writer, Photographer, Cartographer
Someone needs to invent a cure for the common cold NOW. I feel like my head and my entire lymphatic system are stopped up (the nodes on my neck are like marbles), and I start to feel woozy if my head is above the rest of my body for too long. Or if I move too fast, or move in general.
While they’re at it, someone needs to make it so I don’t have a Math midterm tomorrow. Thank god it’s not until noon.
Link ganked from Kara! Like her, I laughed so hard I was crying. Watch it NOW!
*adds to list of Things That are Brilliant*
Luna, Umbridge, and Bella casting = WIN.
I’m giddy at the idea of seeing Imelda Staunton as Umbridge, I like what little I’ve seen of their choice for Bellatrix, and I can definitely see that little girl dovetailing with my mental image of Luna. I’m iffy about the pictures I’ve seen of Tonks, but I’m still feeling good. After Fiona Weir’s brilliant casting of the 4th movie, I’m pretty confident. WOO!
So last night? EEEEE. The Pixar thing was exactly what I would have dreamed it would be. Rather than talking about the too-often-rehashed pipeline process of making a 3D animated movie, he talked about the art of storytelling, and structuring scenes. How to set up an audience and pay them off or surprise them with a twist. In true Pixar fashion, he emphasized the value of storytelling over technical skills.
His first examples were in the structure of music and jokes–the power of an introduction, and how to subvert an audience’s expectations–, then he showed us examples of Fred Astaire dance sequences and a Jackie Chan fight scene, in which the characters creatively make use the objects in an environment. He then showed examples of different ways of animating the same line reading and adding your own mannerisms to the script, linking it to his own animation work on Pixar movies. Something inside my head clicked. It was like a divine revelation, coming at me through heavenly chorus, “THIS IS HOW YOU ANIMATE.” Thank you, Jesus!
It ended up being about two and a half hours, twice as long as I thought it would be. The Little Shop folks were cool, though. They were finished with the ensemble by the time I got back (I hitched a ride on the Drexel bus, as public transportation was majorly sketchy), so I had time to watch most of Veronica Mars (God bless Timeshifting) before heading down to the Production Meeting at 11.
Life is good.
Alito sides with liberal justices in his first vote.
In the great words of Spike, now that’s just… neat.
AARGH! Amy just emailed me, informing me that the DMDers are invited to a presentation at Philadelphia University with Doug Sweetland, Supervising Animator for Pixar. Starting at exactly at the same time as my first Little Shop rehearsal tonight. I’ve emailed the schedule guy, asking if I can be an hour or two late.
This is just too cool to pass up. Besides, we’re essentially just learning music tonight, and I’ve had these songs memorized since I was eight.
Edit: Woo! Got permission! *pumps fist*
Bush: America is addicted to oil.
Me: *snorts loudly and chokes violently on canteloupe*
Hey, Mr. Tax Cut — why don’t you give tax cuts to families that buy hybrid vehicles? It might offset the tax cuts you give small business owners that buy SUVs.