#guest lecture

The Cat with Hands, 2001

• 3 min short film for Chanel 4. Animator in residence for Museum of Moving Image, London.

• Chanel 4 thought it was too scary, put it on later

• Based on a nightmare his sister had when she was a kid

• Shot on 35mm film

• Real stuffed cat

• Used a cast of child’s hands, made out of silicone rubber.

• Because of life sized cat, the entire set and other props had to be lifesized too.

• 1 month for animation, 2 weeks for live action

• https://youtu.be/n4PR9NZlAB4

The Separation

• funded by S4C (Welsh Chanel 4)

• Morgan pretended to be welsh to get the film funded. He had to move to Wales to shoot it.

• 35mm, with a big budget

• Puppets were around 20-30cm tall

• Animation sets have to be large

• Initial idea- films and stories of conjoined twins, how they want to be apart. This film twisted that, separated twins wanted to be together.

• https://youtu.be/ltIG3v_ySuU

Bobby Yeah

• film was made in his own time with own funding, in his spare bedroom.

• Submitted to festivals but wasn’t successful, it then started to pick up and win awards.

• Completely improvised, moment to moment, took 3 years to make.

• No meaning or storyline, just a weird nightmare sequence.

• Used real toenails on puppets.

• https://youtu.be/hJv5gjA3atA

Belial’s Dream

• commission

• Special feature on the ‘Basket Case’ anniversary Blu-ray.

• https://youtu.be/MtWSyIRJ_qw

To dust

• A commission for an American independent film- Morgan made stop motion sequences.

• About a Jewish cantor who’s is suffering from depression after his wife died of cancer.

• Dreams are about what is physically happening to the corpse

• Sequences would have been spread throughout the feature film.

ABCs of death 2.

• directors asked to make 5 mins film about death beginning with the letter they were assigned

• Robert was given ‘L’. He made it about a louse

• Asked to change to ‘D’ so it because de-loused.

• https://youtu.be/z_8BQzB9TZA

#GradblrChallenge Day 19:

The upside of holding student conferences on Monday and Wednesday is that I felt free to cancel regular class today and effectively gave myself a day “off,” by which I mean that I have given myself a day to work from home.

My primary goal for today is to work on a guest lecture I’m giving on Monday.  One of my friends is teaching children’s literature and her class is about to start reading Matt de la Peña’s Mexican Whiteboy; and since my specialization is on Latinx children’s and young adult literature, she’s asked me to come in and give her kids some context on the field, de la Peña, and appropriate literary theory (CRT, postcolonialism, etc.).  And--because I am me, I’m putting way more pressure on myself than necessary to get this lecture perfect...

Today’s To-Do’s:

work on guest lecture + email to prof

download articles for children’s lit (my class)

start reading articles for children’s lit

read more of East, West Stories

(this is all I wrote last night in a stream of consciousness sort of thing enjoy.)

A tall, classically handsome brown haired human dressed in armor and bearing a holy symbol of Pelor came before the council of Tal’Dorei, bowing politely to the group before clearing his throat a little “I am honored that you would grant me permission to speak before you. My name is Julius Sventengard klosswolski von musel de rolo and I have come before you to humbly ask you for assistance. Five years ago the city that my family had been ruling for over a thousand years was violently taken over by a couple known as the Briarwoods and their allies, and they killed the noble families of Whitestone, as well as my parents and one of my younger brothers, Percival.”

Julius paused for a couple of moments to catch his breath before continuing “My youngest brother and sister, Cassandra and Ludwig barely managed to escape the take-over by a couple known as the Briarwoods and their allies, and they killed the noble families of Whitestone, as well as my parents and one of my younger brothers, Percival. My youngest brother and sister, Cassandra and Ludwig barely managed to escape with their lives, as Percival had sacrificed himself in order to draw away the guards who had been hunting after of them. We have been gathering information on them for the past five years and are aware that they will soon be traveling to Emon.”

“They are incredibly dangerous, and I would advise a great deal of caution whilst dealing with them.” Julius paused for a couple of moments to gather himself before continuing “We do have some proof as to their crimes and… There are some indications that Lord Briarwood may be a Vampire, and we have reports that Lady Briarwood has raised undead giants to torment the citizens of Whitestone, and to ensure that they cannot escape to ask for help.”

“I see. There happens to be a Whitestone native who does serve on the council, and I do believe he left your city at about that time, so he should be able to confirm whether or not what you are saying is the truth. Your tale is quite fantastic, as well as troubling, if it proves to be true.” The sovereign responded, a neutral frown appearing on his face as he looked at the young man in question. There was something vaguely familiar about Julius. “He, along with the rest of the council, have just returned from Vasselheim.”

Guest Lecture; Chris Dove - drawing and practice