The Floating House » Film | Art

Disney Be Cuttin’ Some Corners

fhadmin — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 04:28:32 +0000

What up Walt? What’s the punishment for this kind of stuff these days? Some real crime be going down in the Disneyland Hood.

Current Favorites

luminarieart — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 13:54:15 +0000

I have been on a mid-century kick lately and can’t get enough of the simple lines and modern designs. Here are a few of my favorites; one old, one new. I love the idea of nature in such simple terms!

Charley Harper

Rex Ray

Enjoy! Explore!

Cinco de Mayo Farewell

luminarieart — Mon, 05 May 2008 21:07:51 +0000

I have three things on my mind today.

#1. I wish I had the time to celebrate the victory of the Mexican Army but it seems my last few weeks here in Springfield will be spent in front of a computer or camera. I am currently assisting a friend in the pre-production stage of the short “Tiny Romance”. It is a quirky comedy that I think will be successful and I hope for the best.

#2. Today is also the day I am trying to get my short to DVD. It has been a long, tiring week. Really, it has been a long, tiring month. I am not used to staying up after two in the morning. At least not lately. My body needs to rejuvenate itself before my immune system gets too low again.

#3. I am thoroughly going to miss my friends here in Springfield. Over these last few years, Springfield seems to have shrunk into a little community of fun, creative people. I don’t seem to have contact with much outside of downtown Springfield, which I actually find very refreshing. When I do travel outside of my boundaries, I seem to get disoriented and even a bit depressed. I guess you could say that I have created a security bubble. It is a great feeling to be part of a community of friends that you can relate with and share your energy and stepping outside of that security can be somewhat scary.

I am excited to move to a bigger city but fear that I will lose some of those small-town securities. One in particular: walking around late at night. I will miss night walks around downtown. I will miss the safety of walking down dark alleys. I will miss the good energy of the Mud Lounge. I will miss the sincerity that comes with a small town vibe. I will miss late night dance parties. I will miss so many things but most of all I will miss the people that make up this great environment.

So, this video has great visual quality. The music itself is amazing and the story is well told. They did a great job. directed by Anders Morgenthaler, April 2008. Enjoy.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZSuyqxjN7YA&hl=en]

The Peoples’ Children

luminarieart — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 06:01:34 +0000

Most of you are probably familiar with the work of Howard Zinn. He is the author of A People’s History of the United States. It was a best seller in the 1980s and still lives up to its name today. The book presents American History through the eyes of those rarely heard in mainstream histories.

Zinn tells the story of Columbus and his crew, but instead of presenting them as new world heroes, we are told of the genocide and slavery of the Native Americans. We are given a different look at what really took place during the beginning years and how it evolved into acceptance. Zinn also takes a look at the existence of racism in order to enforce the economic system.

Each chapter goes over a topic in great depth, giving the reader different views and outlooks throughout history.

Well, come to find out, a friend of mine just published a series of coloring books based on Howard Zinn’s book. The artist, Jesse Cox, is a local writer/artist here in springfield, with Art shown regularly at Good Girl Art Gallery. It is an amazing piece of art, simply telling a story that must be told. Whether you’re a child, teenager, adult or grandparent, this coloring book helps spread Zinn’s idea through simple images that most every human can understand. The best part about it is that they are all available for free through her website as an online download.

What’s even more interesting is that a few years ago, before I knew Jesse, Amnesty International provided me with a coloring book based on the exact same idea. Come to find out, it was Jesse’s first piece and they have been successful ever since.

Please check out her work and help support the ideas and values she holds and shares. Make Howard Zinn proud.

Apollo Trailer

luminarieart — Sun, 20 Apr 2008 01:58:04 +0000

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OUkR9rzkync]

I am so excited for the release of this short film. My role was production designer. I had a blast working with such amazingly talented people!

What’s in a name?

luminarieart — Sun, 20 Apr 2008 01:29:43 +0000

How do we decide “what’s in a name?” The name can either make or break your story. This evening I helped out with a book signing for a notable children’s author from “a town sort of like your own.” Obert Skye is the creator of ‘Leven Thumps‘, who is the main character in Skye’s popular fantasy-like book series.

Obert has a personality that will completely liven the mood and his humor is one in a million. He is uniquely sincere with each and every individual.

As we were talking in-between fans and the curious, passer-by customer, we had a short conversation about “choosing the right name” for your character. He has a good story behind his character background, which I believe shows a great deal of imagination and confidence in what he writes.

Personally, I find it hard to name a character. Sometimes I want to research the meaning of the name and sometimes the name will just pop in my head and suddenly I have a strange understanding of its mere importance. A name describes the character inside and out and I don’t want to take the chance of “picking” the wrong one.

I look back and evaluate a character I have created. There is Mary. She is plain. She is quirky and pretty, but still plain. I love her name and I visually see it fitting to the character. I have created a world in which Mary lives and she just doesn’t quite fit in. I guess I could say that she is so simple that she stands out.

What if I would have chose “Caitlin” or even “Ezmarelda”. Mary would have been a completely different person with a whole new outlook. There is no way Ezmarelda could live the boring life that Mary leads. It would have been a completely different casting, a different style. She would have called for fireworks and cake fights!

A name creates not only the character but the entire environment they live in. It gives the audience or the reader a better understanding of the characters surroundings and background.
Mary. Just Mary. It’s simple, short and sweet. Just like her. :)

Now ‘Leven Thumps’ on the other hand comes from a different side of the spectrum. The name is magical and mysterious. It is obviously not a name you hear every day. It stands out, allowing the reader to create an image of their choice. It will, most likely, look nothing like a Bob or a Kevin. It will look like Leven.

I can picture him perfectly as I sit here and type. Weird-looking, elfish, somewhat secretive. Unlike Bob, who might be a bit overweight and unmotivated, Leven is skinny like flat bread. He doesn’t mind though, because his magical powers are what swoon the girls. And his little sycophant, Clover, of course. I bet he has his own unique charm. :)

favorites

luminarieart — Sun, 20 Apr 2008 01:23:23 +0000

I was asked last night to name my top movie directors of all time and I could only think of a few off the top of my head. So here it is:

The Lucky 13

1. Hayao Miyazaki
2. Sofia Coppola
3. Guillermo del Toro
4. Jean-Pierre Jeunet
5. Krzysztof Kieslowski
6. Orson Welles
7. Hirokazu Koreeda
8. Akira Kurosawa
9. Joe Wright
10. Wes Anderson
11. Rodrigo Garcia
12. Michel Gondry
13. Alfred Hitchcock

and so it begins.