Sadly, the best program on Australian radio, GET THIS, has
been axed for having great ratings at an unhelpful time of
day. In tribute, I present the Steven
Seagal Gallery.
OCTOBER 5, 2007
THIS CLIP'S ON RAGE TONIGHT
My adorable new music video, THE HAPPIEST BOY,
marries the cartoony fun of Nakedfella Productions to the
folky lilt of The Bedroom Philosopher, amplifying the joy
of breakdancing aliens and flute solos no end. Sure, it's
on YouTube,
and my MySpace
page, but really, you should check it out at TV resolution.
It premieres on the deathless music video program RAGE
sometime between 1am and 1:30am Saturday morning (i.e.
AT THE TAIL-END OF YOUR BIG FRIDAY NIGHT). If you like
it, why not post on RAGE's
guestbook and request they play it again and again
and again?
Meet the newest addition to my small collection
of animated thingos: the clip for the Bedroom
Philosopher's new single, The Happiest Boy.
Quite a while in the making, I was assisted by Kelly Lynagh
and Michael Vandenhoven at BigKidz
Entertainment in its animation.
It was a very good opportunity for me to try
out a few animation techniques and stretch a bit. I pretty
much had everything laid out for me, lyrically, but hopefully
I've added to the track and not just parroted it visually.
I think there's some nice moments. The chap who says "Flute!",
whom I have named Colonel Pignose, will have his own kids
show in the future, you see if he doesn't.
There's a few launches happening for the single.
Don't know if they're gonna play the video at any. See Justin's
site for the deets.
And I'm speaking later in the week at an event
called Animart,
along with fellows comics types/animators Mandy Ord and
Kirrily Schell, and possibly a person called Picnick (?).
Free session, part of the Fringe Festival. Friday Oct 5,
8pm, North Bazaar, 222 High St, Northcote.
You will also find a very nice comics exhibition
there, curated by Melbourne's Grande Dame of comics, Jo
Waite, who should have a website of some kind.
SEPTEMBER 21, 2007
FINALLY, ANOTHER COMIC
Since last time:
I moved. I finished a music video for the Bedroom
Philosopher. I worked some jobs. I re-edited the Precinct
pilot animatic again.
I'm nearly finished with Nakedfella
Comics #9, the quite big (in page count) issue
which I describe inside as bringing about "a new era
in Australian comics". You tell me I'm wrong, or
that there has been ANY era in Australian comics up until
now.
I'll soon be at a number of exciting art events/comic
cons/party times, as listed in "upcoming events"
up top this here page.
I may even have a little launch for this new
comic -- I don't think that I can take it, 'cause it took
so long to bake it, and I'll never have the recipe again.
Details soon, if any.
MAY 20, 2007
BIG AND GOOD
I'm putting together an exhibition for this
year's Emerging
Writers Festival. Last year's exhibition was called
BIG COMICS PAGES and featured great (and big) comics
pages by Jo Waite, Trudy
Cooper, Mandy Ord, Ross Williams, Gerard Ashworth and
Nicki Greenberg displayed prominently and in classy fashion
at the Zine Fair in the Swanston Room of Melbourne Town Hall.
This year the exhibition is called BIG
AND GOOD COMICS PAGES, not to suggest that last year's
pages weren't good, but as a reflection of a less modest attitude
towards them. And this year the exhibition (and zine fair)
will be taking place at The Atrium, Federation Square.
Here's a map of Fed Square which I got my scampish young nephew
Chip to annotate for you. Click it for a larger version.
Come see our BIG AND GOOD COMICS PAGES at the
Zine Fair on Sunday May 27, 12-5pm. Entry is free. There'll
also be a Jim Woodring
exhibition going on at Fed Square, so check that out too.
MAY 7, 2007
PLEASE DECLARE ALL WOODEN ITEMS
Hi to any New Zealanders who may be dropping
by. My trip over there was great. Particular thanks to those
who bought comics off us at Armageddon,
those who brought feijoas
to the table and those who tried to explain to me how names
like "Taupo" and "Wanganui" are pronounced.
In the last two weeks I've had bronchitis and
started twonew jobs. Between
these, I've been meeting a LOT of nice new people and expelling
a LOT of mucus!
May the twain never meet.
NEW on the site: Nakedfella Comics is
now available at the very best New Zealand comics retailers
-- Comics Compulsion,
Gotham Comics and Graphic,
in Wellington. Learn more about buying Nakedfella stuff here.
SOON on the Precinct
blog: Thanks to Ben H I'm now fiddling with Copic
markers and they're blowing my mind. I'll put up some
color Precinct art like the above ASAP. Also, I realise
I have not gone sufficiently into who the characters are and
what kinds of stories will make the show so damn awesome.
This, too, will follow.
APRIL 9, 2007
NEW ZEALAND CLICHES
I'm going to New Zealand this weekend for ARMAGEDDON
PULP CULTURE EXPO in Christchurch, followed next weekend
by ARMAGEDDON in Wellington. In between it's fun in Footrot
Flats. Will the locals take to my parochial comics and Labrador-encrusted
merch? Sure they will!
Are you attending either of these conventions?
Drop by "artist's alley" and say hi! I promise not
to sing Slice of
Heaven for you, even though I'll really want to.
Plus, anyone who brings me one or more feijoas
gets a free comic!
JANUARY 11, 2007
MERRY SOMETHING
Celebrate your new year with some in-joke-filled
Aussie-style holiday humor -- the Nakedfella
Productions 2006 christmas card, as received by the
coolest people around whose e-mail addresses I was able to
dig up.
Uh-oh! Time out now for another random...
My grandma's Aged Care Services Facility is pretty
schmicko, actually -- and why not, she's a very
nice lady -- but as you might have guessed, their
"singalong time" music performances leave
a lot to be desired!*
The Casio keyboard work by the staff member leading
the singing was perfunctory at best, leaving out
at least three reasonably important chords from
one song.
Perhaps most heinously, the performance of "Hava
Nagila"did not speed up noticeably
as the song reached its (theoretically) exciting
climax! Yes, I'm aware these are fragile 90-year-olds,
but don't they deserve a rollicking good time like
anyone else?
Pull your socks up, people.
* The food, medical and laundry
services remain very good.
DECEMBER 19, 2006
I GOT A BLOG AND A MYSPACE AND A GOATEE,
AND NEXT MAYBE I'LL IRON MY HAIR, JOIN A FOOTBALL COMMENTARY
PROGRAM AND TOUCH MEN'S GENITALIA
It's a joyful holiday season best spent sitting
at your computer late at night and learning more about the
exploits of Australia's most magical purveyor of animated
genre entertainment, Nakedfella Productions.
Check out some background on The Precinct
and the current character design tests on the Nakedfella
Productions blog.
My time on Dogstar (which sort
of has a website now)
is pretty much over. At BigKidz
we pumped out nine episodes of reasonably amusing viewing
for young children.
While we were at BigKidz we did a little animated
short directed by Mr JC Reyes from his own imaginings called
Box -- this won lots of awards at the film
fest it was made for, and there's a nice summation by BigKid
Ann-Marie Denham of how awesome we are here.
Naturally, JC has whacked Box up onto YouTube, so you
can watch it here.
If any of you fools haven't treated yourself
to a viewing of my Mr Flig nonsense-cartoons Kickin'
It With Mr Flig and Shaft
Of Hope yet, now is the time. Both are now nominated
for awards at the AEAF, as are Box and, funnily
enough, Dogstar.
Also, check out and bookmark my NEW
BLOG, which will be devoted to the continuing development
and imminent production of my fantastic animated series The
Precinct, as well as other neat animation and stuff
from Nakedfella Productions. In the first post I give you
very little information and a look at my first finished character
design -- Ackersley, Mk I.
OCTOBER 3, 2006
NOT DEAD YET
A quick update:
I am still at work on Dogstar.
A nicely illustrated, mostly puffy cover article on the show
appeared in the latest issue of Encore.
A hand I drew is visible in one screen grab. I feel certain
fame and riches are now within my grasp.
I YouTubed Shaft
of Hope, so be sure to tell all your friends who
only look at videos on YouTube to check
it out.
I will be at the Supanova
Pop Culture Expo in Sydney, Oct. 27-29. Look for me
in Artists Alley alongside at least two
bearded guys. Buy a comic. Give me some useful recorded
feedback on my PRECINCT TV pilot pictures, and
maybe I draw things for you! ? ! ?
I smell good.
JUNE 25, 2006
PLUGS
A princely man, a funny comedy album, a hit*
single**, a disturbed video. These are: Justin Heazlewood,
In Bed With My Doona, I'm So Postmodern and... the
video for I'm So Postmodern. Which is viewable here.
Meanwhile, the stinky, scary, lovable men of
the best dirty country rock trio ever to cover an entire Prince
album, The Seedy Three,
have a new live DVD out: The Seedy Three Go Bowling.
I haven't got it yet but I will soon. I'll get it from here.
A new comic conventiony thing in Melbourne!
It's Doujicon, it's at Monash Uni (Caulfield), it's Sat July
29. It's here.
Anyone interested in seeing G4's
"American edit" of Kickin'
It With Mr Flig can go to their
site and watch it. What with it being faster and higher-pitched
due to the frame rate conversion (American TV moves at 30
frames per second as opposed to Australia's 25) and all the
swears having been bleeped, I think it might actually be funnier
than the original!
* Triple J Hottest 100!
** Personally I think Saving Myself For Marriage or Golden
Gaytime are the natural choices for a single, but that's why
he's on TV and I'm me.
JUNE 6, 2006
AN EXCITING NEW MR FLIG ADVENTURE
(SORT OF)
In response to a suggestion on Get
This that everyone in Australia make their own telemovies
about the Tasmanian
mine collapse before the TV networks do, I submit my own
version -- a powerful drama named (as mandated by Tony Martin)...
So now Channel Nine doesn't need to waste hundreds of thousands
of dollars making their own (which won't be as good). I'll
let them show mine if they pay me fifty dollars. No, a hundred.
And John Farnham will have to be paid a little, too.
MAY 22, 2006
MR FLIG ON TV IN AMEH-DI-CA
Kickin'
It With Mr Flig reportedly appeared on a new episode
of Late
Night Peep Show, a funny cartoon compilation show
(it used to be called Happy Tree Friends And Friends)
on the cable network G4TV
in the States! Thinking about it, this must be the first time
a cartoon I made has been on TV overseas -- and yet I still
failed to mention it here. Good on me. Still, they'll probably
be repeating the episode (ep. 6.02, "Mr
Toasty Bubbles") so you US viewers may yet catch
it. If you do, tape it! And send me a copy! And get me a cup
of tea and a Danish!
Everyone else can watch Mr Flig uncut
right
here! Tell your non-stupid friends!
MARCH 3, 2006
HERMAN'S ON TV AGAIN (SEE BELOW)
Continuing to work on episodes of the pre-new
animated series Dogstar, an Australian/Canadian
production which is presumably coming to television in 2007.
On the home front, I'm slowly putting together
a new issue of Nakedfella Comics (#9). It will mostly
feature a story called BE A CARTOONIS(T!), which recounts
the true-ish story of my incredible cartooning career, including
the pitfalls, the alcoholism and the brain-slugs. Most importantly,
it will show YOU, the reader, exactly how to do like me and
BE A CARTOONIS(T!). Also, you will be thrilled and absorbed
by the heartstopping origin story of Australia's favourite
'80s comic book hero, BIRDMAN RALLY. Can you wait?
You'll have to!
At some point, SBS-TV killed their long-running
short film show, EAT CARPET, and replaced it with a
new show called SHORTS ON SCREEN, which is apparently
exactly the same but has a worse title. In any case, my unstoppable
legal-doggie-drama cartoon, Herman, The Legal Labrador,
will be appearing on national TV for the second and probably
last time, so tune in:
SHORTS ON SCREEN -- SBS, 11:35pm,
Saturday April 1
And for scrolling down past the information
above, your reward: an animation test I just did for my animated
cop show-in-the-making, THE PRECINCT. Yeah!
DECEMBER 21, 2005
KID-FRIENDLY, NOT KID-FRIENDLY
Two activity books I illustrated have been
released. They are called The Very Red White & Black
Drawing Book and The Very Pink Green & Purple
Drawing Book. Basically, they're full of "childlike"
drawings which kids need to complete (i.e. "add the petals
to the flower", "draw a skinny man next to this
fat one", etc). They're cute.
Even funner is that when a dog-related page
came up in the Red White & Black one, I took the
opportunity to draw a little Herman for it -- and they whacked
him on the front cover, and on the crayons that come with
the books.
In Australia, they may be available in chain
stores such as Kmart or Big W. Apparently they're available
at stores overseas -- try online
retailers. Your local bookshop should be able to order
them in with the ISBNs. Publisher is The
Five Mile Press.
The Very Red White & Black Drawing Book:
ISBN 1-74124-576-1 The Very Pink Green & Purple Drawing Book: ISBN
1-74124-557-5
Also, a disturbing new batch of movie reviews is up at McGinlay's!
NOVEMBER 22, 2005
NEW ANIMATION: KICK IT WITH MR. FLIG!
Prepare to be blown away by the shoddiest,
most nonsensical action series ever: Kickin'
It With Mr. Flig!
Created for an online animation contest, this
seven episode "season" of Mr. Flig was written
in twenty minutes, and each episode took perhaps two hours
to animate. Already hailed by various people as "the
best thing you've ever done" (slightly galling, but what
the hell), Mr Flig will make you wonder what the hell
I was smoking when I made it. Answer? Nothing.
If you can see the postery thing at right, you
have Flash Player. Go
watch it now.
NOVEMBER 8, 2005
BUY MY SHIT NOW, MY SHORTS ARE DEFINITELY
CRAP
The buying stuff section
of this site has now been updated to make it a bit easier
for you to part with your money: there's a link to Phase
Two Comics (an online retailer who'll sell you my
comics and things in exchange for computerised credit-money),
there's an order form for anyone
who'd like to purchase directly from me, and there's an updated
list of stores stocking Nakedfella Comics, Herman,
etc. Go to it.
Both my awesome collaboration with A. Wajnberg,
Badlands, and the
ineffable Jacqui Burk's opus, Glorial's Pumpkin Breath
And Grandma, will be appearing in the heats of the Short
Crap Film Festival. Glorial is in Heat 1, at
Glitch, Nov 16, 8pm.
Badlands is in Heat 3, also at Glitch, Nov 19, 8pm.
OCTOBER 25, 2005
NEWCASTLE/SUPANOVA RECAP, GLORIAL
AT WESTGARTH FILM FESTIVAL
If you'd like to experience this year's National Young Writers
Festival and Supanova Pop Culture Expo in photographic form,
with all the drunkenness, lewdness and nasty gossip removed,
go here now!
Also, Nakedfella Productions congratulates JACQUI BURK, our
favourite lady animator, whose film GLORIAL'S PUMPKIN BREATH
AND GRANDMA (available on the Herman
DVD) will be screening as part of the Spotlight on
Female Filmmakers session at the Westgarth
Film Festival! See it at Bar Nancy, 9:30pm, Wednesday
Nov 9, or at Garths Place, 2pm, Thursday Nov 10.
HERMAN AT FANTASTIC FEST, CINEQUEST
CONTEST, HOW'M DOIN'
Another
fun festival: Herman,
The Legal Labrador is appearing at Fantastic
Fest in Austin, TX. Unfortunately, I can't tell you
when. I guess it's going to be on with one of the features
they're showing. Tickets are still available...
A ludicrously crap new animated series I've
made, Kickin' It With Mr Flig, will be appearing
weekly at cinequestonline.org
starting next Monday. Cinequest are having a contest wherein
seven animated shows (of which Flig is one) will compete to
be voted "best" by viewers. I would ask you not
to vote for Flig, as winning first prize in the contest
legally binds me to create more episodes, and I'm pretty busy
at the moment.
I just got back from the National
Young Writers Festival in Newcastle, at which I was
Comics Coordinator. It was fun. Photo recap soon.
I'm currently working full time as an animator
on a new kids TV show. I'm working for these
guys, which rocks.
AUGUST 29, 2005
HERMAN AT DRAGON*CON
Herman,
The Legal Labrador triumphed at the San Diego Comic-Con,
and will be playing a couple times at the Dragon*Con
Independent Film Festival -- part of the big-ass Dragon*Con
sci-fi/fantasy/comics/etc convention in Atlanta, Georgia!
For anybody heading out to Dragon*Con, Herman will be on during
the following film
fest sessions. Apparently the order in which the films
will be shown is not definite:
SUNDANCE & THE PARK CITY EXPERIENCE
(Monday 2am - 2.5 hrs)
Nie solo seiN (Never even)
Roadside Attractions#
Violin
Stunt C*cks
Teenage Bikini Vampire
Staring at the Sun
I'll See You in My Dreams
Le Manian
Husk
Herman, The Legal Labrador
ANIMATION (Monday 10am - 1 hr)
Lightman
To A Man With A Big Nose
The Love Train
Herman, The Legal Labrador
Surly Squirrel
Zombie Skunk Ghouls Preview
And anyone who's anyone should make sure to
get to the fest's awards show: the awards are being presented
by Dean Stockwell,
who played Al in Quantum Leap and has been acting for
60 (!) years.
Frankenchicken
Never Live Above a Psychic
Basta Pasta
A Surly Squirrel
Bibi
The Backbrace
In the Rough
Aerosol
Gidoo’s Cosmic Crisis
Herman the Legal Labrador
The Mantis Parable
Melbourne
Underground Film Fest are doing a week's season of
screenings at Loop called BEST
OF MUFF 2005 (PDF), and seeing as it won BEST ANIMATED
SHORT (will I shut up about this? No, I fucking won't), Herman's
in the mix -- specifically, at the following screening. Tix
$12 at the door.
Wednesday 31 August, 6.30pm @ Loop
BEST OF MINI MUFF SESSION B
BROADCAST 23
HERMAN THE LEGAL LABRADOR
THE DENTIST
JET POP
SPOONMAN
THE WORD
FRITZ NIEDSONE IS THE NEW BLACK
The Comics To Animation
event enjoyed by many at Cinema Nova last month will be a
part of the upcoming National
Young Writers Festival in Newcastle, NSW. Since an
earlier version of this screening/forum extravaganza debuted
at last year's Festival, the NYWF '05 version will be called
COMICS TO ANIMATION: BACK IN BLACK
and be even funner than on both previous occasions.
Details for this screening, also, will be here soon.
Be aware also that NYWF '05 will include several
comics 'n animation events hurriedly organised by myself,
and this year I'm apparently equipped with the title "Captain
Comics ", so nobody better fuck with me.
I'm developing an animated show called THE PRECINCT.
These are some pictures I made.
It's a cop show.
It will rock.
JULY 21, 2005
"HERMAN" WINS AT MUFF, CINEMA NOVA
SCREENING ROCKS, I ACT SURLY AT CONTINUUM
Over the weekend, Herman,
The Legal Labrador won Best Short Animated Film at
the Melbourne Underground
Film Festival -- this is the third in what I expect
to become a veritable SLEW of awards, royal commendations
and meaty cash prizes bestowed upon this humble animator and
his nattily attired canine creation. HUZZAH for you, Mr Herman!
I take my leave now for jam and crumpets upon the settee!
I'M REALLY TIRED
Anyway, good on you, MUFF, for being the discerning
cats you are, and for your excellent manifesto
detailing what is wrong with Australia's so-called film industry.
May you discover really filthy info about some government
funding official, thereby allowing you to blackmail your way
back into cultural cashola.
Finally, shouts-out to the organisers of Continuum,
the "speculative fiction and pop culture convention",
who granted me a stage, a mike, a table, a jug of water, a
free Hilton pen and notepad and three very nice co-panelists
in return for my agreeing to get up early Sunday morning and
act surly in front of a bunch of very nice comics enthusiasts
and cute goth chicks. My repartee was, without exception,
dazzling, and only topped on various occasions by the lovely
and even more surly Jo Waite.
And a special note to Mitch: sorry about
Friday night with Jim and the ranting and the needing to take
away the microphone and the stealing all your food. We had
lots of fun! And yes, he really did draw a penis on his TV
set.
JULY 8, 2005
COMICS TO ANIMATION SCREENING AT CINEMA NOVA
As a tie-in to the release of the movie 'Sin
City' in July, Cinema
Nova in Lygon St, Melbourne are having some comics people
come down, show their animated work and then talk a bit about
it. It's basically a repeat of a thing we did at the National
Young Writers Festival last year but with more animation,
more animators and it's in a damn theatre, for god's sake.
Date/time: Wed July 13. Screening starts 6:45pm (approx 81
mins), forum to follow
Location: Cinema Nova, 380 Lygon St, Carlton
Cost: $10/7.
In other news, Herman
has been shown at its first Australian festivals: the DMF
Digital Video Awards in Melbourne (no, it didn't win
one) and the Bayside Film Festival in Brighton, Vic.
Following next will be screenings at Revelation
in Perth (further info in the previous update, below), at
a special screening at Melbourne's Cinema
Nova (more on this later) and at the Melbourne
Underground Film Festival -- specifically, the MiniMUFF
shorts screening taking place at Loop
Bar, 7pm, Monday July 11. 23 Meyers Pl, Melbourne. Tickets
at the door.
And what about you thrillseekers going to the
San Diego Comic-Con this year? Wouldn't you like to
spend half an hour on Saturday evening watching a lawyer dog?
YOU CAN! Really, you can. The Comic-Con International Independent
Film Festival is closing Saturday's animation extravaganza
with Herman,
The Legal Labrador! It screens at 6pm in Room 26AB,
plus there'll be an intro and Q&A session from Associate
Producers and authentic Australians Larry Boxshall and Ben
Hellwig! They may even let you touch them afterwards. Fingers
crossed!
Finally, thanks to all those who have pre-ordered
their copies of Herman on DVD! There's still time for
ye who haven't done so. Just go here
and send your order before July 8 to get your copy, without
the postage cost. Remember -- it's a "special" edition,
which means POINTLESS EXTRAS!!! LOL ROFFLE ETC ETC
These vikings are only viewable at 16:9 widescreen resolution
on the Herman DVD.
The Are
You Going To Buy That? exhibition ("Works by
selected zine, comic book and graphic novel artists")
at Hawthorn Town Hall, at which one can check out some Herman
art, closes Saturday June 4. And that day there's a Zine Fair
Day at which you can meet most, if not all of the artists,
and even buy their comics/zines/bric-a-brac. I'm no exception
-- I'll be there with my "Herman" shirts, comics,
etc etc, hawking it up.
Where and when? At The Town Hall Gallery, Hawthorn
Town Hall (358 Burwood Rd, Hawthorn -- corner Burwood and
Glenferrie Rds, go roun' the back). Saturday June 4.
A few new appearances for Herman,
The Legal Labrador -- first up is the Filmstock
festival in Luton, UK! The program for this fest looks interesting,
and the guys involved sound like they enjoy the films they're
showing, so big ups for them. Herman kicks off Short
Film Session 5, at (uueeehh) 10am, Saturday June 4. Too early!
Reward? The program says there's a free continental breakfast
at this session. Nice.
Details: Short Film Session 5, 10am, Saturday
June 4. The Hat Factory, 65-67 Bute St, Luton, LU1 2EY. Tix
available one hour prior to first screening of the day. Cost
is £4.
Herman's also on at the Revelation
Perth International Film Festival, over in Western
Australia. This is the first Aussie film festival to show
Herman (the next one will be MUFF.
Details later). Animation
Showcase (scroll down the page) looks small and sexy.
Dates are July 1, 3 & 9:
Finally, the film's been picked as a finalist
for the Digital Media
Festival's Digital Video Awards (Short Film category).
This festival, for some context, is put on by Digital Media
World, who put out a magazine that's basically the journal
of the Australian computer FX/design/animation industry, so
I'm fairly surprised they're interested in a shoddily animated
2D film without any lens flares. But I NEVER LOOK A GIFT HORSE
IN ETC! Wish Herman luck!
Herman, The Legal Labrador will be available
as a Special Edition DVD in July complete with a Herman
comic book inside! Would you like to pre-order it and get
free postage, plus a "mystery surprise"?
THE DUST BUNNY
SKIPPY
FLYAWAY
EGG
RED PLANET BLUES
DENTIST
GUARD DOG
HERMAN THE LEGAL LABRADOR
DAIKON ASHI
(Program Time: 90 min)
Some of the same films "Herman" showed
with at Cinequest.
So go see it, Jersey people. Also New York people, and maybe
Pennsylvania people, if you can be bothered.
On the off-chance there's an international TV
programmer or buyer reading this: Hi there! Any of you big
important dudes (or ladies) who're going to CARTOONS
ON THE BAY in Positano, Italy (April 27 - May 1) can
go to the viewing library at the Hotel Covo dei Saraceni and
watch "Herman"! It's in the TV MOVIES section
along with "Ed, Edd & Eddy", "Bob The Builder"
and "Strawberry Shortcake", which I find pretty
amusing.
So check it out, and then you can decide to
give me big money to show it on Finland cable TV or wherever!
Remember, "Herman" is good of watching to entertainment:
"More fun than two cans of frankfurts!"
The Are You Going To Buy That? exhibition
("Works by selected zine, comic book and graphic novel
artists"), at which one can check out some "Herman"
art, opens Thursday night, April 28, 6pm, at The Town Hall
Gallery, Hawthorn Town Hall (358 Burwood Rd, Hawthorn). RSVP
to Leisure & Cultural Services, (03) 9278 4770. Or just
rock up.
And finally, cheers to those who picked up copies
of "Herman" on DVD at the Supanova
Pop Culture Expo in Brisbane! Hope you enjoy/ed them!
APRIL 1, 2005
The screening of "Herman"
on eatcarpet has come
and gone, and the gathering we had at Bar
Open to celebrate was a bit of fun also. Those who came
down watched not only "Herman", but also "Culture
Jamming" and the new "Herman" music video,
Dogs Of Law, which should be on the site sooner than
soonish.
Those who are heading to the Supanova
Pop Culture Expo in Brisbane can see "Herman"
at the FILMINK
Theatrette, playing along with "Birthday Boy"
(the Australian animated film that was nominated for an Academy
Award this year) and other stuff.
Also, the good people at the FILMINK
booth will be selling copies of the extra-special SUPANOVA
EDITION DVD of "Herman", which includes the
film in lovely widescreen, "Herman" trailers, the
Dogs Of Law video, the original animatic, other idiotic
short films and slightly more!
Finally: McGinlay's is updated today with Part
Two of my thesis on the Police Academy movies.
MARCH 14, 2005
BADLANDS: An exciting film. An exciting premiere.
OK, so BADLANDS,
the least credible experimental film ever made, has been viewable
on this site for a month or two. But it hasn't actually been
SHOWN anywhere, largely because we figured, "Who would?"
Happily, there are people with questionable
taste who want to inflict it on several large audiences! Please
thank The
Comedy Channel Short Film Festival -- who have accepted
BADLANDS in competition -- for giving you the opportunity
to go to one of seven screenings and watch it on the big screen
for free! Here's where and when the screenings are...
7pm, March 28, RMIT Capitol Theatre, 113 Swanston
St, Melb
7pm, March 29, ACMI Cinemas, Federation Square, Melb
7pm, April 4, RMIT Capitol Theatre
7pm, April 5, ACMI Cinemas
7pm, April 11, RMIT Capitol Theatre
7pm, April 12, ACMI Cinemas
Or, you could go to the very exciting Competition
Screening which is happening outdoors on the Main Stage at
Federation Square, 7:30pm, April 15. Will they be crazy enough
to give us the $4000 grand prize? No! Of course not!
Or will they?
MARCH 7, 2005
"HERMAN" ON TV, CUMBERSOME 2ND BIRTHDAY
GIG
It's all happening here at Nakedfella Productions,
if you want to call me that. "Herman,
The Legal Labrador" will be screening on SBS'
eatcarpet program at 11:20pm, Saturday March 26,
so everybody in Australia set your watches. Or use SBS' sweet
notification feature. If you SMS the secret code 4019 to the
phone number 1990 0727, SBS will send your mobile phone an
SMS reminder before the show starts. I'm not making this up.
Go here
for proof.
Maybe you don't want to sit indoors on a Saturday
night. In that case, make your way to the downstairs section
of BAR OPEN (317
Brunswick St, Fitzroy) on the night, where we're going to
be watching the SBS broadcast as it goes to air. This should
be amusing. I will attempt to give away T-shirts
and DVDs to those deserving.
Here's another worthy event:
Cumbersome
Records 2nd birthday gig. Pink Stainless Tail, Tri-State
Lovers, New Estate, Marseille. The
Rob Roy, 51 Brunswick St, Fitzroy. Good stuff. Be there.
MARCH 1, 2005
From comics messiah Glenn Smith:
THE INK RUNS DEEP DOWN, DOWN UNDERGROUND
An exhibition featuring the comic art and
animation works of 27+ of Australia's underground, self-publishing
creators...
This is by no means a comprehensive who's
who of this flourishing art scene, but it does offer a great
insight into the energy, beauty, humour, vision, originality
and commitment necessary to sustain the Australian comics
lifestyle.
MARCH 11 - APRIL 17, 2005
Opening night - 6pm for 6:30pm
Orange Regional Gallery
Civic Square, Byng and Peisley Streets
Orange, NSW 2800
Ph: 02 6393 8136
Fax: 02 6393 8100
Proudly Sponsored by Printflow, Orange
Yes, I mention it 'cos I'm in it.
FEBRUARY 20, 2005
TROMA FANS,
CARTOON LOVERS AND FRIENDLY LAWYERS IN NYC -- REJOICE!
Troma say they're holding a "strategy session
which will include screenings and a party at Otto’s Shrunken
Head to not only celebrate Tromadance but to discuss and take
suggestions on how to make Tromadance NYC special."
This screening may or may not include "Herman",
but should be fun either way, New Yorkers. Troma
is well known for being one of the few bastions of independent
film in the USA, and also for being a group of people who
love blood spray, head explosions and girls making out with
each other. And they probably know how to throw a hometown
party. So head along to this thing and watch some underground,
indie and maybe even GOOD movies. And you never know -- the
Toxic
Avenger might be there!
Details!...
TromaDance New York City!
@ Rafifi/Cinema Classics, 332 East 11th St, New York City
12noon - 10pm
Saturday, February 26
After Party follows at Otto's Shrunken Head,
538 E 14th St, New York City
And by the way, New Yorkers: issues of Nakedfella
Comics are now available for purchase at Manhattan's
extremely cool Jim Hanley's
Universe store, which is located at 4 West 33rd St (off
5th Ave, across from the Empire State Building).
FEBRUARY 12, 2005
Hiya. I've posted a few of my more recent comics
up, including one I finished yesterday (hopefully The
Program won't mind it going up here before it appears
on their site. If it appears on their site. One never knows):
An "art" "film" about two
gay men and a cheese, BADLANDS
is written by Adam
Wajnberg, animated by myself and thinks it's Eastern European.
Doubtless it will win major awards at various overseas film
festivals if we get around to entering them. Watch
it now!
Then, go to the "Herman"
journal to watch segments of "Nintendo Herman"
from the upcoming Dogs
Of Law music video.
And since I've never really pressed the issue
before, BUY
MY SHIT!
9 - dir. Shane Acker
A Tale of Bad Luck - dir. Brad Peyton
Egg - dir. Benh Zeitlin
Guard Dog - dir. Bill Plympton
Herman: The Legal Labrador - dir. David Blumenstein
Oedipus - dir. Jason Wishnow
Ritterschlag - dir. Sven Martin
Ryan - dir. Chris Landrith
Spacer - dir. Guy Roland
Spirit of Gravity - dir. David Pace and Victor Bellomo
The Balloon - dir. Satinder Singh
The Wedge - dir. Curt Stewart
Weapons of Mass Destruction - dir. Lee Lanier
March 5, 12:30pm, Camera 12 Cinemas
March 7, 7:00pm Camera 12 Cinemas
Meanwhile, I'm working on the video for Dogs
Of Law. While some of it is in 3D, some of it is Flash,
and some is band video, a little bit looks like this...
JANUARY 12, 2005:
Happy new year, etc. I will it to be a good
one for me, who made this site, and for you, who has the good
taste to be reading it.
Just been to the USA for a few weeks which involved
lots of fun hanging out with relatives, running around rock
formations and bookstores and Pixar.
Everything I've got coming up so far this year
is pretty Herman-related.
The big one is that the film should appear on SBS-TV's eatcarpet
show at some point. Don't know when yet.
Two American festival screenings: one is in
Salt Lake City, at TROMADANCE,
the extremely fun-sounding festival run by those
guys who made the TOXIC AVENGER movies (I'm going to go
watch the second one later in celebration). Screening is at
BREWVIES Cinema Pub on Jan. 25 at the 5-6pm show. I notice
this screening will be opened by a killer-garden-gnome film
by Brian Pulido, who I remember as the guy that did (does?)
that LADY DEATH comic starring a vixenish white-haired chick
with stupidly enormous jugs.
The other is in San Jose (outside San Francisco)
at the CINEQUEST FILM
FESTIVAL. The film also should be viewable online at their
website around
that time, which'll be good for those of you who can't get
to a screening.
Speaking of which, I am still working on the
"Herman" DVD. Hopefully we'll be able to get it
together sooner than soon. When it's done it'll have a bunch
of good crap on it. Crap details later!
Some Herman art will be visible at two upcoming
exhibitions, specifically THE INK RUNS DEEP DOWN, DOWN UNDERGROUND,
a comics exhibition in Orange, NSW curated by comics mensch
Glenn Smith, and a zine-fest here in Melbourne (Hawthorn,
to be exact) called ARE YOU GOING TO BUY THAT? Both promise
to be interesting and/or good fun.
Probably won't get to the next Supanova
(Brisbane) but am thinking about doing the Sydney one later
this year. Also will probably do Newcastle
again.
And right now I'm animating an idiotic "art
film" written by mate and "Herman" star Adam
Wajnberg, and also the music video for DOGS
OF LAW (for the Herman DVD).
So, year starting off busy.
NOVEMBER 18, 2004:
The highly exciting (for a wall calendar, anyway)
HERMAN, THE LEGAL LABRADOR 2005 WALL CALENDAR is available
for purchase!
As it says on the sidebar, the new HERMAN
TRAILER is now online. Watch it! It's so Hollywood it'll
blow your socks right off you.
OCTOBER 8, 2004:
HERMAN
is showing at the Builders Arms Hotel in Melbourne this Sunday
night. The information:
Two films! One night!
Benefit screening in assistance of Aaron South's
feature film alien-invasion comedy LAAJOOL (stars Tania Emery,
Raad Rawi). Preceded by David Blumenstein's dog-lawyer cartoon
HERMAN, THE LEGAL LABRADOR (stars Shaun Micallef, Adam Wajnberg).
One night only. $5 entry. Advance tickets available from The
Builders Arms and Cumbersome
Records (93 Johnston St, Collingwood).
BE THERE:
Sunday October 10, 8pm, The Builders Arms Hotel, 211 Gertrude
St, Fitzroy.
MORE INFO:
Aaron South at Cumbersome Records: (03) 9416 1652
Also, my photographic report
on this year's Newcastle Young Writers Festival.
SEPTEMBER 21, 2004:
HERMAN is done, and it kicked arse in Brisbane!
More
here.
Also, a newish animated thing by myself is in
a web animation competition at the Brisbane
International Animation Festival website. Go here
to vote for THIS FILM IS YET TO BE CLASSIFIED: THE MOVIE!
- Chris Claremont, the legendary X-Men writer whose
extensive credits are far too many to mention here (actually,
I don't have the time. If I wanted to list them I could).
- David Finch, the HOT!!!! artist that has taken the
Ultimate X-Men to extravagent heights. Also about to team
up with Bendis again to reboot the Avengers.
- Glenn Ford, the evergreen Phantom Comics artist
who is making his first con appearance in Brisbane
- David Blumenstein, the heady Herman, the Legal Labrador
scribe and illustrator who has taken, or will be taking,
the world by storm.
Looks like we'll also be screening Herman, the Legal
Labrador at least once per day, we'll be dusting off the
Comic-Book Quick Draw and Comic-Book Trivia comps.
David Finch has also agreed to conduct a Masterclass
and we'll investigate venues and timing shortly.
This is of course but the beginning but a solid one
nonetheless.
Date and place confirmed for big HERMAN,
THE LEGAL LABRADOR premiere screening. Date is May 20,
2004. Place is Former Magistrates Court (alias Building 21,
RMIT City Campus), corner Russell & La Trobe St, beautiful
uptown Melbourne. More details as they come.
Issue #8 of NAKEDFELLA COMICS is printed, saddle-stitched
and available for purchase!
Regular stockists are listed here.
Or, e-mail your
order.
And be sure to check out some of #8's contents
here.
In other news: a new entry in the HERMAN
journal which is largely a rant about suburban car parking.
OCTOBER 23, 2003:
CUMBERSOME
RECORDS, the best reason to go to Collingwood, have produced
their first CD sampler (with cover art by Fearless Leader.
By which I mean me). Only Cumbersome sponsors get one, but...
Fear not, you can still get yr hands on the
goods at the CD LAUNCH @ our local THE TOTE on NOVEMBER
THE 23RD from 4pm ENTRY is just $15 and you get the CD,
the COMPENDIUM, SAUSAGES- or sausage like substances, and
LIVE PERFORMANCES from LAURA / VEIL / JAPE SQUAD / CAPSICUM
/ SHADE OF MARCH PROJECT / NAO ANZAI
I've been working on some animation which will
be seen in coming weeks at the start of THE
PANEL (five people, a desk, broadcast nationally). I did
a few slightly different versions of the new titles sequence,
but it's up to them which ones they show. Tune in on time
if you wanna catch it. It's on Ten,
Wednesday night at 9:30, after Law & Order, so I won't
even have to change the channel to see it.
DID YOU KNOW? The Panel is one of the
not-very-many Australian TV programs which is currently broadcast
in digital hi-definition
widescreen format. That's not something you'd care about
unless you were an animator who has to provide final work
at 16:9 ratio.
JULY 15, 2003:
New entry in the Herman
Journal. Check it out -- it includes a tiny little test
animation.
Also, CUMBERSOME RECORDS, the independently
independent record store that stocks all manner of totally
non-corporate stuff (including NAKEDFELLA COMICS) now sells
stuff online! Isn't that right, Aaron?...
Das is right! You can now order awkward merchandise any
damn place you choose in any damn country... you could be
in yr jim-jams, during tricky hostage negotiations, in Finland!
Can still be done!
There are also other neat tricks like sound snips and
stuff, so have a play... if you want to cut to the chase
hnyaa:
You will notice something's different. Do not
panic. Just slowly, calmly click the links on the menubar
up top, run through the site and figure out where everything
is. Then relax.
It's all (c) David Blumenstein,'97- 08. E-mail
if you have a question.
Multimedia stuff on this site requires the use of the free QuickTime,
Flash
and Acrobat
viewers. www.nakedfella.com
