tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12642482998059027712024-03-14T00:10:49.038-04:00Bubble Boy Blog - Welcome to Life in the BubblePaulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15982150456282907567noreply@blogger.comBlogger53125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1264248299805902771.post-22180791450981755552009-06-15T20:24:00.006-04:002009-06-15T21:33:30.037-04:00Jim Henson's 8-second slices of brilliance<div>Some of Jim Henson's best (and more original work) was his early commercial spots for various companies. These were very different than the other types of advertising styles prominent in the late 1950's. It amazes me that, even fifty years later, the tone and strong message of these spots still resonates today.</div><div><br /></div><div>This got me thinking about the current state of advertising on the internet. With each day that passes, a growing number of media consumers are turning away from conventional mass-media outlets, and getting more of their entertainment and news from streaming sources on the internet. With this reality comes the inevitable quandary from content producers: How can we monetize content delivered on the internet so that we can sustain the livelihood of our creative teams and facilitate the future production of more quality content?</div><div><br /></div><div>The old school media answer to income generation has always been the 30-second sponsor commercial spot. Various other models have been tried with some success (including the single sponsor movies and variety programming that gained popularity in the early days of television), but the bread-and-butter of all the major networks through the years has been, and continues to be, the ubiquitous 30-second commercial.</div><div><br /></div><div>There's a problem, though, when old school media tries to apply this successful model to financially support their internet delivered offerings: It doesn't work. Nobody wants to sit through a 30-second ad in order to watch a video that is less than 5 minutes in length. And, due to its inherent, yet slowly changing, shortcomings, including small video display sizes, download wait time and other issues, most videos created for web delivery have been edited down to less than 5 minutes in length. Until very recently, many video hosting sites had a ten minute limit on video length. Add to this the changing viewing habits of most people turning to the web for their media consumption, where on-demand viewing and sharing of short videos with others on social networking sites is the dominant activities, and a shift to a much more narrowly-focused style of content being offered by many unconventional producers as well as most amateur creators, and one can see that much of the video content created for the web in the future will continue to be short-form, with lengths of less than 10 minutes. </div><div><br /></div><div>Sites like Hulu, that essentially rebroadcast long-form old school media content produced for television, are about the only example that can be argued in support of a 30 second commercial spot model. These shows have the typical 22-plus minute length to better offset the need of a viewer to sit through multiple 30 second commercial spots. There is a real chance, however, that as higher numbers of advertiser-coveted 20 and 30-somethings turn to the internet for more and varied content, fewer costly 30-minute sitcoms, hour-long dramas and reality shows will be produced by old school media outlets. They just won't have the viewer numbers to support the rates they currently charge advertisers for 30-second spots. It won't be long, then, that those advertisers will really start to look to the internet as their grade-A marketing option, instead of the "oh yeah, we should probably create a flashy banner ad thing for the web also" throwaway idea that many agencies currently see as adequate for the web. </div><div><br /></div><div>And if advertisers want to be successful on the internet, they better pay attention to what works and what doesn't. Their audience on the web will be a far more specific, much narrower demographic. The smart content producers will be angling their shows toward a specific audience, too. Gone are the days where a particular show has to be "dumbed down" just so it might gain mass appeal (and be more attractive to advertisers looking to reach a broad audience). This is already starting to happen. The successful ads in the very near future will be targeted, sniper-like and precise. They will cut to the chase and make their point known in a short time frame almost unheard of today. These will be fluid, engaging ads that will make people think, laugh, or hopefully both.</div><div><br /></div><div>Yes, the successful internet-delivered ads of tomorrow, produced by forward-thinking marketers and embraced by savvy sponsors and their consumers alike, will be truly ground breaking in this medium. They'll also look a lot like these 8-second commercial spots created fifty years ago by Jim Henson. What is old is new again.</div><br />These tv-spots ran from 1957-62.<br />More info <a href="http://muppet.wikia.com/wiki/Wilkins">here</a>.<div><br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/-Ky7g1lgTwc&hl=en&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/-Ky7g1lgTwc&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br /></div>Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15982150456282907567noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1264248299805902771.post-85499622845175512382009-05-31T13:34:00.002-04:002009-05-31T13:37:47.415-04:00I see what they did there.They've taken the game of shuffleboard and sort of ramped it up a bit to appeal to a younger audience demographic. Okay. I get it now. But seriously, Japan. I mean, sure, she's got really nice boobs and everyone seems to be having a good time, but can't you all just be content playing the flippin' Plinko game like the rest of us?!!<br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/wh4AgYAW20Y&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&hl=en&feature=player_embedded&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/wh4AgYAW20Y&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&hl=en&feature=player_embedded&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15982150456282907567noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1264248299805902771.post-88913402690502715572009-05-22T17:51:00.001-04:002009-05-22T17:55:01.622-04:00Theresa Andersson - An amazing musical talentIncredible talent!<br /><br /><object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="480" height="385" id="vplayer" data="http://www.shockhound.com/videoplayer.swf"> <param name="flashVars" value="&v=rtmp://cp52188.edgefcs.net/ondemand/media/ShockTV/Sessions/ShockTV_20090204_Session_Theresa_Andersson.flv&codebox=1&swfurl=http://www.shockhound.com/videoplayer.swf&clickBackPath=undefined&videoid=undefined&videoTitle=undefined&splashImage=undefined"> <param name="movie" value="http://www.shockhound.com/videoplayer.swf"> <param name="quality" value="best"> <param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></object><br /><br />See and hear more at her home site: <a href="http://www.theresaandersson.com/">www.theresaandersson.com</a>Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15982150456282907567noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1264248299805902771.post-68856161174861696672009-05-10T12:18:00.001-04:002009-05-10T12:19:24.986-04:00More American Workers Outsourcing Own Jobs Overseas<object width="480" height="430"><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true" /><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /><param name="movie" value="http://www.theonion.com/content/themes/common/assets/onn_embed/embedded_player.swf?image=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.theonion.com%2Fcontent%2Ffiles%2Fimages%2FOUTSOURCING_OWN_JOBS_article.jpg&videoid=94592&title=More%20American%20Workers%20Outsourcing%20Own%20Jobs%20Overseas" /><param name="wmode" value="transparent" /><embed src="http://www.theonion.com/content/themes/common/assets/onn_embed/embedded_player.swf"type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowScriptAccess="always" allowFullScreen="true" wmode="transparent" width="480" height="430"flashvars="image=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.theonion.com%2Fcontent%2Ffiles%2Fimages%2FOUTSOURCING_OWN_JOBS_article.jpg&videoid=94592&title=More%20American%20Workers%20Outsourcing%20Own%20Jobs%20Overseas"></embed></object><br /><a href="http://www.theonion.com/content/video/more_american_workers_outsourcing?utm_source=videoembed">More American Workers Outsourcing Own Jobs Overseas</a>Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15982150456282907567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1264248299805902771.post-85766605949807485832009-02-22T16:44:00.002-05:002009-02-22T16:59:10.468-05:00Elizabeth Gilbert: A different way to think about creative geniusThis made me think ... and I agree. Although, now I don't have a valid reason to shop for fashionable outfits for the little disembodied and cockeyed creative geniuses that hide under the kitchen sink and help me out once in awhile. But yeah, good stuff ... made me think.<br /><br /><object width="446" height="326"><param name="movie" value="http://video.ted.com/assets/player/swf/EmbedPlayer.swf"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><param name="bgColor" value="#ffffff"></param> <param name="flashvars" value="vu=http://video.ted.com/talks/embed/ElizabethGilbert_2009-embed_high.flv&su=http://images.ted.com/images/ted/tedindex/embed-posters/ElizabethGilbert_2009.embed_thumbnail.jpg&vw=432&vh=240&ap=0&ti=453" /><embed src="http://video.ted.com/assets/player/swf/EmbedPlayer.swf" pluginspace="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" bgColor="#ffffff" width="446" height="326" allowFullScreen="true" flashvars="vu=http://video.ted.com/talks/embed/ElizabethGilbert_2009-embed_high.flv&su=http://images.ted.com/images/ted/tedindex/embed-posters/ElizabethGilbert_2009.embed_thumbnail.jpg&vw=432&vh=240&ap=0&ti=453"></embed></object>Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15982150456282907567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1264248299805902771.post-76116445681658397802008-10-26T13:11:00.002-04:002008-10-26T13:13:40.126-04:00Muppets doing what Muppets doIt's so good to see Disney finally getting the Muppets out there in a meaningful and fun way. Welcome back, Rowlf.<br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/_QGNvjyPntY&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0&ap=%2526fmt%3D18"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/_QGNvjyPntY&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0&ap=%2526fmt%3D18" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15982150456282907567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1264248299805902771.post-53860750607415112002008-10-11T10:28:00.004-04:002008-10-11T10:40:02.227-04:00"It's like something from a bait bucket..."I find this clip exceedingly funny, and Liv pleasantly adorable, no matter how many times I run across it. So now it's posted here, too. And that makes it more likely that I will find it again and again.<br /><br />Brackish pond water, indeed...<br /> <br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/SH9c3fvmgDA&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/SH9c3fvmgDA&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15982150456282907567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1264248299805902771.post-34589710842707930612008-09-03T00:06:00.001-04:002008-09-03T00:11:14.412-04:00R.I.P DonYou will be missed.<br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/7QPMvj_xejg&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/7QPMvj_xejg&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/JQRtuxdfQHw&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/JQRtuxdfQHw&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15982150456282907567noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1264248299805902771.post-78520303627963855852008-07-22T19:41:00.004-04:002008-07-22T19:48:18.168-04:00Maria Bamford's final SuperDeluxe EpisodeSay it ain't so! Well, it is. I even waited a few months after it aired just to make sure it was really over. But I can't feel too sad since Maria is on to other projects now, like taping her third comedy CD. Hopefully it'll go along with a new DVD performance, too. <br /><br />For anyone who hasn't seen the last Maria Bamford Show episode, here it is. And don't forget to watch the other 19 on her show page. You'll laugh. You will. <br /><br /><object width="400" height="350"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="movie" value="http://i.cdn.turner.com/sdx/static/swf/share_vidplayer.swf" /><param name="FlashVars" value="id=D81F2344BF5AC7BB96C41613D8C84C4A4F92C0FA6A1EA409" /><embed src="http://i.cdn.turner.com/sdx/static/swf/share_vidplayer.swf" FlashVars="id=D81F2344BF5AC7BB96C41613D8C84C4A4F92C0FA6A1EA409" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="400" height="350" allowFullScreen="true" ></embed></object>Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15982150456282907567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1264248299805902771.post-39760252366555962008-07-11T09:59:00.001-04:002008-07-11T10:01:13.252-04:00UhUh. This made me smile today.<br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/DBnesuU6ZzY&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/DBnesuU6ZzY&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15982150456282907567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1264248299805902771.post-82139231939812835202008-06-15T11:20:00.006-04:002008-06-15T20:54:47.759-04:00Writing for Puppets and AnimationI've recently discovered a podcast about screenwriting called <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/OnThePage">On The Page</a>. The topics are mostly geared toward writing for major media distribution (TV, Hollywood movies), outlets that are quite removed from my own modest goals, but I did cull a bit of useful info from an episode called <a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://blip.tv/file/573477">Writing for Animated Characters and Puppets.</a> More importantly, though, it reminded me of a trend in puppetry and animation that I've wanted to write about for a while now.<br /><br />Listen to it here:<br /><center> <script type="text/javascript" src="http://blip.tv/scripts/pokkariPlayer.js?ver=2008010901"></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="http://blip.tv/syndication/write_player?skin=js&posts_id=579106&source=3&autoplay=true&file_type=flv&player_width=&player_height="></script> <div id="blip_movie_content_579106"> <a rel="enclosure" href="http://blip.tv/file/get/OnThePage-EPISODE18TopicsWritingForAnimatedCharactersAndPuppetsWr790.mp3" onclick="play_blip_movie_579106(); return false;"><img alt="Video thumbnail. Click to play" src="http://blip.tv/file/get/OnThePage-EPISODE18TopicsWritingForAnimatedCharactersAndPuppetsWr790.mp3.jpg" title="Click to play" border="0" /></a> <br /> <a rel="enclosure" href="http://blip.tv/file/get/OnThePage-EPISODE18TopicsWritingForAnimatedCharactersAndPuppetsWr790.mp3" onclick="play_blip_movie_579106(); return false;">Click To Play</a> </div> </center><br /><br />The podcast features guests David Skelly (Writer/Director, Pixar story artist) and Kirk Thatcher (Writer/Director, The Jim Henson Company). Both offer a few interesting anecdotes about different projects they've been involved with. While I wished for more substance in this piece, it was nice to hear them both reaffirm an underlying principle about writing for puppets (and animation) that many creators (especially those driving their content out primarily for internet consumption) seem to often forget, or never consider at all: <span style="font-weight: bold;">If it doesn't work with the sound off, perhaps performing a piece using puppets or animation is not the best choice to convey that particular idea.</span><br /><br />The principle refers to the "talking head" phenomenon that many online puppet work (lots of my work included), and far too many of the current animated offerings on TV and the internet these days suffers from. <span style="font-style: italic;">Family Guy</span> is a perfect example of an animated cartoon where the dialog is dominant and the animated action adds little to nothing but a few keyframe visual posters to support the punch line. In other words, the visuals are hardly needed to make the script funny. There really are very few exaggerated "cartoony" styles in the drawing and most of the visuals that support the script could be recreated in live action fairly easily. This is a cartoon being a cartoon for the sake of it, and the show is not written to really require animation in order to convey the ideas in the script or to make the dialog funny (unless you have to be reminded what a *insert random pop culture icon* looks like every time one gets mentioned during each episode). <a href="http://johnkstuff.blogspot.com/">John K's</a> excellent animation blog often blames this type of situation on <a href="http://johnkstuff.blogspot.com/search/label/true%20executive%20tales">talentless studio executives</a>. While they are ultimately the ones who greenlight and push this stuff out to the masses, it's the creators who are really to blame for this pervasive trend. This is one reason why classic Warner Brothers Loony Tunes, Pixar and Jim Henson's work, among others, always stand out among the mountains of stuff that's been created over the years. Simply put, the visuals orchestrated by these creators always added something to the stories being told. The action and design of the characters meant something. And, often times, the situations created could not have worked using actors in a live action set. That's why the choice to tell those tales using animation and/or puppetry was often times the only choice that would have worked.<br /><br />In an attempt to help audiences recognize the great difference in entertainment that this type of creative choice brings, I think it is a worthwhile goal for both beginning and established creators to strive for a better balance in puppetry and/or animation content they offer for public consumption. I'm not suggesting that "non-cartoony" shows like <span style="font-style: italic;">Family Guy</span> should get cancelled, or that people creating countless "puppet talking at webcam" shows today should quit. But I am interested in seeing a return of animated "cartoony" cartoons, where situations are created that have to be seen to be enjoyed. It would also be a refreshing trend in puppetry to see clever ideas and characters in situations where the performance was just as or even more important than the words being said. Why are Frank Oz and other top Muppet performers so revered by other puppeteers and audiences alike? Because the well-defined characters they performed were amazing actors, and that acting not only spoke the words in the script, it made the characters alive inside the story. What makes puppetry and animation special artforms is its ability to bring interesting characters to life that humans alone could never become, and put them in situations that are entertaining <span style="font-style: italic;">because</span> of what they are, not in spite of it. The performance of the character inside any story will ultimately make the piece entertaining or not, but the initial decision to portray an idea using the art of puppetry and/or animation is just as important.<br /><br />It's something that I will be continually striving towards in my own work. It would be wonderful to see other smalltime web-based creators embrace this, too. Trends have to begin someplace, afterall.Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15982150456282907567noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1264248299805902771.post-3175440268928947922008-06-07T14:37:00.004-04:002008-06-07T15:00:17.893-04:00Read and Publish - ISSUU is Cool<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://issuu.com/explore"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNbOWdtjRyID1OaGW4lwBW9Lh3XeDV94DVJnx_OimTyOfxiLZovJ3MbEfhQlWT7I1cawfnUIgPJ_xxNO5gu-XXzzHrhhb9f8wkP6LluHM1L5rVChIvvduofIqiUZqWLzoJGf_7phb88TnO/s400/Picture+8.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5209215193754997218" border="0" /></a><br /><br />This is just a quick post to spread the word about <a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://issuu.com/">issuu</a>, an online publisher of sorts that offers writers and artists a world platform to distribute their creativity and efforts for others to see and share. The site is also an amazing place to browse and discover established artists and publications from all over that, without it, you might never have stumbled upon.<br /><br />It's free and has a very nice user interface that makes it easy and enjoyable to view magazines and other collections on screen (something that usually causes this particular bubbleboy quite a bit of fatigue). It also has a social networking component similar to <a href="http://www.flickr.com/">Flickr</a> and <a href="http://www.deviantart.com/">Deviant Art</a>.<br /><br />I've just recently begun exploring <span style="font-style: italic;">issuu</span> and it is very cool thus far.Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15982150456282907567noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1264248299805902771.post-10738535729359259812008-05-21T01:21:00.002-04:002008-05-21T01:58:23.891-04:00The Perceived Value of Certain ThingsI've earned a living as a photographer for about fifteen years now, and have also worn the hat (made of wool, but not itchy at all, oddly enough) of a "graphic designer" for most of those. In that time, there have been numerous occasions where I was asked to produce work for somebody else in exchange for "the countless promotional opportunities that the public distribution of said work would bring me," instead of, you know, actual payment in cash. Rarely if ever do these work-for-free-publicity arrangements ever result in tangible increases to my bottom line due to an onslaught of new clients and "for pay" job opportunities. After sampling this work model early in my career (before it was actually my main source of income), it became very apparent that the promised "free publicity and advertising" promised wasn't actually FREE since I wasn't being paid for the work up front. I, and everyone else who accepts this deal ends up PAYING what they should have EARNED from the client for the services.<br /><br />I write this today to remind others, who may be starting their respective careers in a creative industry, that they need to be paid for what they are worth, and what the work they produce is worth. There are very few instances where working for free (ie: in exchange for promotional inclusion or some other form of mass-produced bartering) is justified. What will happen instead is, by working for free, or below the "going professional rate" (ie: drastically undercutting your competition), you are devaluing the services provided by your colleagues and harming the future earning potential of yourself. It may not seem to be a big deal when you are just starting out, but the pay rates of certain creative jobs are quite precarious and volatile. In some cases it has taken many years for people in creative fields to earn the professional respectability required in a particular industry so that they are treated and compensated at similar levels to people in creative, but different fields.<br /><br />This is important. Yes, it may look cool and earn you a few bragging points on a resume to have your work (and name) published someplace in exchange for your donated time and efforts. This rarely leads to actual increases in your earnings, though. And money, afterall, is what everyone ELSE charges people for stuff. <br /><br />Thanks to all for taking the time to read this. Now enjoy a well-spoken rant on this subject by writer Harlan Ellison.<br /><br /><object width="425" height="355"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/mj5IV23g-fE&hl=en"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/mj5IV23g-fE&hl=en" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="355"></embed></object>Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15982150456282907567noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1264248299805902771.post-23343359411258099902008-05-09T15:30:00.003-04:002008-05-09T15:40:57.845-04:00For mom, on her birthday.Chet uses his webcam to share the gift of song with mom.<br /><embed src="http://blip.tv/play/AbbxTQA" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="480" height="390" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed>Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15982150456282907567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1264248299805902771.post-40334140998596475852008-04-20T18:10:00.007-04:002008-04-20T18:29:47.439-04:00The Imported Birthday GiftTom went on a mission to find a unique birthday gift for my sister, Pamela. He talks about it here, in this video.<br /><embed src="http://blip.tv/play/AbPiSAA" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="480" height="390" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed>Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15982150456282907567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1264248299805902771.post-38739230992523886322008-04-20T16:00:00.005-04:002008-04-20T18:30:15.158-04:00Penny's Special Birthday GiftFor my sister, Penny --- who seems to have just about everything she needs already. :)<br /><br /><embed src="http://blip.tv/play/AbPkIwA" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="480" height="390" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed>Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15982150456282907567noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1264248299805902771.post-52368230676644220102008-04-16T21:35:00.006-04:002008-04-17T09:40:30.559-04:00But how do we educate farmers about nuclear attack?Well, we use marionettes, of course. Nothing speaks to the sensibilities of the rural farmer quite like a string puppet.<br /><br /><object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" id="FlowPlayer" data="http://www.archive.org/flv/FlowPlayerWhite.swf" height="263" width="320"><br /><br /><br /><param name="movie" value="http://www.archive.org/flv/FlowPlayerWhite.swf"><br /><param name="scale" value="noScale"><br /><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><br /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="sameDomain"><br /><param name="quality" value="high"><br /><param name="flashvars" value="config={ loop: false, autoPlay:false, initialScale: 'fit', videoFile: 'http://www.archive.org/download/rural_civil_defense_tv_spots_1965/rural_civil_defense_tv_spots_1965.flv', }"><br /></object><br /><br /><br />A special thanks to <a href="http://www.archive.org/index.php">archive.org</a> for continuing to preserve and make available ephemeral films like <a href="http://www.archive.org/details/rural_civil_defense_tv_spots_1965">this one</a> and so many others.Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15982150456282907567noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1264248299805902771.post-66715726946125766512008-04-15T00:46:00.006-04:002008-04-15T09:48:45.678-04:00It's JerryTime!A very long time ago, during a "character-building" year of my life otherwise known as the seventh grade, I experienced an embarrassing swim class-related incident that continues to serve as a reminder of humanity's aptitude for cruelty. This will, undoubtedly, be the subject of one of my own works some day, but until then, please enjoy the excellent storytelling of Jerry Zucker, and the sharp-witted animation accompaniment of his talented brother, Orrin Zucker, in their swim class-inspired horror short film called <a href="http://www.itsjerrytime.com/?p=113"><span style="font-style: italic;">"The Naked Swim."</span></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.itsjerrytime.com/?p=113"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN72FtkI-e-Uc_HJeCHy4BjKh3aQFUpQMAUm0hFcE3KqvY0yvswV5h3SbzDeshh8xl7yQbTSSfdmR_lZbdcGDgbe5PUsrhhWThrXOkxzC4cWbQC_6G4x2GgvHZFv1CWDqabAUlrctgI4Do/s400/45167.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5189329812512488162" border="0" /></a><br />Please do check out their other equally excellent film shorts <a href="http://itsjerrytime.com/">here</a>.Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15982150456282907567noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1264248299805902771.post-63010213935794722272008-03-30T13:47:00.006-04:002008-03-30T14:22:11.567-04:00Where has all the intelligent TV sketch comedy gone?I'm quite certain that brilliant sketch comedy will return to television some day---probably about 3 minutes after my head explodes from accidentally viewing a promotion for yet another tired reality-based show.<br /><br />In the meantime, perhaps <span>the</span><span> classic </span><span><span>argument</span></span><span style="font-style: italic;"> </span><span>clip</span><span style="font-style: italic;"> </span><span>that follows below</span> will help the media money people reflect a bit on how far their current entertainment offerings have fallen down the sinkhole of <span style="font-style: italic;">lowest common denominator audience demographic target desperation</span>. And maybe, just maybe, they will take a chance on the next group of brilliant comedy writers and actors who walk through their door with a pitch for a new show. And maybe, just maybe, they'll put the same marketing forces behind this new show that they use to convince millions of people to watch the current swamp of reality TV drivel they produce.<br /><br /><br /><object height="355" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/k3HaRFBSq9k&hl=en"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/k3HaRFBSq9k&hl=en" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" height="355" width="425"></embed></object>Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15982150456282907567noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1264248299805902771.post-6498028917727624962008-03-08T14:26:00.005-05:002008-03-08T19:18:19.219-05:00Foster Farms Chicken<div><object height="336" width="420"><param name="movie" value="http://www.dailymotion.com/swf/x4kbvs&v3=1&related=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.dailymotion.com/swf/x4kbvs&v3=1&related=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" height="336" width="420"></embed></object><br /><br />A very well done parody of the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYhCn0jf46U">Dove "Evolution" ad spot</a>, created by <a href="http://www.character-shop.com/">The Character Shop</a>.<br /><i><a href="http://www.dailymotion.com/hourigan"></a><br /><br /><br /></i></div>Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15982150456282907567noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1264248299805902771.post-8460505642065978472008-02-20T22:18:00.006-05:002008-02-21T01:05:46.786-05:00Are schools designed to stifle creative expression?<blockquote></blockquote><blockquote><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);font-family:trebuchet ms;" ><span style="font-style: italic;">"We do not grow into creativity...we grow out of it."</span><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> -</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Sir Ken Robinson</span></span></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-size:100%;" ><br /></span></blockquote><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /><br /><object height="355" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/iG9CE55wbtY&rel=1&border=0"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/iG9CE55wbtY&rel=1&border=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" height="355" width="425"></embed></object></span>Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15982150456282907567noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1264248299805902771.post-32930242782044608522008-02-16T11:35:00.012-05:002008-02-20T22:44:01.172-05:00It's Time For Creative Puppet Peeps To Focus Less On Prime Time TVWill we ever again see a puppet-based program like The Muppet Show on prime time television? Short answer: I don't know.<br /><br />I would love to see another Muppet Show type of thing broadcast to the masses, but I don't think "prime time" is the best way to go about this anymore. And it shouldn't be the only goal that creative people strive for.<br /><br />It would be great to see new prime time offerings (or ANY time offerings for that matter) featuring puppetry. Something that has the potential to appeal to a wide enough TV audience to make it feasible for producers to take a chance, but not something that has to be so watered down and vanilla to meet that potential.<br /><br />The wishing is the easy part, of course. From everything I've read on the subject, getting any program from idea to pilot to an actual season on TV, let alone a primetime slot, is exceedingly difficult. Especially an idea featuring puppets. I'm not saying it can't be done, just that it is an especally steep hill to climb.<br /><br />Jim Henson developed short ideas that were featured on popular primetime shows like Jimmy Dean and Ed Sullivan for many years before a forward-thinking Brit by the name of Lew Grade gave him a chance to produce the Muppet Show. It took someone outside of Hollywood to take a chance on Jim, eventhough his success had been pretty well confined to American TV sets in the years prior.<br /><br />Since The Muppet Show run, there really hasn't been a purely puppet-based production that has seen anywhere near the same success (even the Henson follow-ups never had the same wide audience appeal needed to keep a show on TV, for one reason or another). And since then we've seen more niche shows like Crank Yankers, that appeal to a smaller core audience, get a chance to shine. But this is a far cry from the "prime time network TV" exposure that many creatives still set as a goal.<br /><br />The reason I get into the history a bit here is to set up the following idea:<br /><br />The old idea of getting a show on TV and in a prime time slot is changing every day that the internet becomes a greater and greater mass media delivery system for the masses. I don't think we are at the point where the power of the old network model can be completely discounted or ignored --- mostly because the companies that own those networks ALSO own most of the internet portals delivering broadband media entertainment on the web. But the days of begging for a chance to make a pilot for a show, and then a chance for that pilot to be advertised and aired at a decent time to build an audience, and then for a network to agree to pick up the idea and buy a season or two worth of shows based on the ratings of that pilot, are being changed every day by the rise of the internet delivery model.<br /><br />Think iTunes and YouTube and SuperDeluxe and Blip.tv and any other number of popular ways people are experiencing the very same shows via the internet that other people are watching on cable or over the networks. Now think about how many more people will be getting their daily and prime time doses of entertainment delivered to them over the next few years. There is a huge shift happening in the delivery system and that is going to change the way shows are made and the way they are marketed.<br /><br />Audiences are already changing. Fewer people tune in to network TV during those, once-coveted, prime time slots to get their entertainment. Many people never turn in at all during those times. They use on-demand services or record programming on DVRs and watch when it is convenient.<br /><br />The idea for the show and the production still needs to be good in order to be successful, but the argument to get a puppet-based show in the "primetime" slot on TV in order to make it available to a wide audience is not the only thing to consider anymore, and it is getting less and less important every day. As more viewers switch to the On-Demand model of watching programming, the notion of "prime time TV" will become completely abstract. People might start to equate "prime time" with "quality programming" and THAT is where most productions on the internet currently fall short. And by "quality" I am referring to production quality, in addition to performance, etc.<br /><br />So, all my yammering leads me to this point: It was difficult for Jim Henson to do what he did, but he succeeded BECAUSE he was a genius who worked his arse off and had a lot of support from fellow geniuses and visionaries. And then, after that amazing alignment of stars in the galaxy happened, the real "prime time success" really eluded Henson for most of what he created following the Muppet Show run.<br /><br />But with the changing internet delivery model, a new group of geniuses have the potential to make magic once again. Only this time, they do not NEED to appeal to the Neilsen Ratings Family of TV viewers in order to be deemed successful and stay on the air. They can build a rabid following though all the new media delivery portals out there.<br /><br />This has the potential of reaching a much larger audience of people of similar tastes, without a show's creators facing the almost impossible task of repeating what Henson was able to do with The Muppet Show --- create something with mass appeal for a large and varied audience demographic.<br /><br />Could that type of mass appeal for a new show happen again? Sure! But it is highly unlikely.<br /><br />What is highly LIKELY, though, is a new show featuring puppet characters being created that appeals to a core audience of a fairly narrow demographic. But with the right internet delivery systems in place, that core audience has the potential to be MUCH larger than any audience of a typical prime time network or cable TV broadcast.<br /><br />Then what could happen is the new delivery system could influence the decision making people who control the old delivery system. Popular internet programming will and should be offered on traditional network schedules, giving those shows the chance to find an even wider audience --- one consisting of people who still get most or all of their programming delivered the old way.<br /><br />This is where the new shows could find themselves in prime time TV slots because they will be coming at the network with a huge audience following already (so much different than the old make-a-pilot-and-cross-fingers model of yesterday).<br /><br />But as the days go by, I find the NEED for shows to make it to prime time network TV less and less necessary. More people are watching what they want to watch WHEN they want to watch it using alternate delivery systems on the internet (or even DVR systems if you want to extend the analogy to cable and DirectTV viewers a bit), and because of the personal freedom of choice this gives people, having a handful of studio executives deciding the handful of shows they are going to provide to the public on TV between the hours of 8pm and 11pm just feels like a really arcane method, doesn't it?<br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);">THE CREATORS AND THE GENIUSES HAVE MORE OPTIONS THAN EVER NOW AND SHOULD FOCUS ON DEVELOPING QUALITY AND ORIGINALITY AND THEN FOCUS ON DELIVERING THAT TO THE INTERNET TO FIND THEIR AUDIENCE.</span><br /><br />:)<br /><br />We already have good puppet-based shows available online. We need much better ones. And I believe that when the skilled and creative people out there begin focusing on the new delivery models and letting go of the old ones, we will see a ton of shows of a much higher caliber on the net than the smallish, more hobbyist type of puppet stuff that currently dominates YouTube and the rest.<br /><br />A non-puppet-based show that was created by veteran TV people for delivery to the net with high production value is <a href="http://quarterlife.com/index.php?file=show">Quarterlife</a>. It is now going to have a run on traditional TV. I give this as an example not because I think this show reached an unquestionable level of success on the net and is now poised to reach a larger audience in primetime (I think this show was always intended to be on TV --- the network execs were just dipping their old school toes into the internet water to see what it felt like), but instead as an example of an "internet production" doing it right. The show's production value is high (if a bit "indie"), the acting is excellent, the writing seems solid (not my demographic, but I can see the appeal for their probable "twenty-something" target audience) and the delivery system on the net is well organized, attractive and fast.<br /><br />There is no reason that a puppet-based series cannot be produced with similar production values and delivery mechanisms. THIS is the kind of thing people will come back for. THIS is the kind of thing that will allow a show to build an audience on the internet.<br /><br />Once more seed money gets offered to today's creative people with great ideas, and their efforts get focused not on prime time TV (or cable), but on the internet, and that common goal results in a show with a high production quality to match the amazingly creative show concept, PUPPETS WILL BE BACK IN THE MINDS AND HEARTS OF MILLIONS OF PEOPLE AGAIN.<br /><br />I like what the Henson company is doing with some of their "<a href="http://www.henson.com/alternative.php?content=puppetup">Henson Alternative</a>" (ha!) productions. They are good ideas with high production quality, delivered to the internet to gain an audience. But I think even Henson is still thinking old school and are too eager to get something on the networks to find that next big success. They should be improving their content delivery system, creating a unique web experience where shows can be easily watched (unfortunately, this is not the case with most of the things they have done online to date --- their internet delivery system is abysmal).<br /><br />But they obviously have the talent and the production know-how to make it happen on the internet. Someday maybe they will. Hopefully.<br /><br />And there are countless others out there who could do it, too. They just need to set their focus on the new delivery systems and continue to work on improving the overall experience for the viewer.<br /><br />Oh yeah, they also have to come up with<span style="color: rgb(153, 153, 0);"> <span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);">REALLY GREAT AND ORIGINAL IDEAS FOR SHOWS and then PRODUCE THEM WITH AMAZING PERFORMANCES AND HIGH QUALITY STANDARDS THAT WOULD MAKE JIM HENSON PROUD!</span></span><br /><br />Just a lil minor detail there. ;)<br /><br />Thanks for reading.Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15982150456282907567noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1264248299805902771.post-9582322407775616942008-02-02T13:30:00.000-05:002008-02-09T09:57:53.900-05:00A new spot to see my short films<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bubbleboyfilms.blogspot.com/"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcroZ7vUKneycoIoKf0qNHnxiKZj8FX2HjjoyH4IaO6Nzk0JHKGxLiNdsKym8kkpFmeku3gTl2TSXIO3Jt6MXvUu-b8zL9BGDYmnSSJ-KVN1Gt-FYv8BapipzzsliE6VMNh1iIuxEa7Yzf/s320/bubbleboyfilms-webcap.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5164994679783456322" border="0" /></a><br />The <a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://bubbleboyfilms.blogspot.com/">Bubbleboy Short Films</a><a href="http://bubbleboyfilms.blogspot.com/"> site is now here</a>. It will feature short films. Each film will be short. But not short like the opposite of tall. Short like the opposite of long.<br /><br />Enjoy!<br /><a href="http://bubbleboyfilms.blogspot.com/"></a>Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15982150456282907567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1264248299805902771.post-46828746218310866072008-02-01T10:15:00.000-05:002008-02-02T01:13:36.836-05:00A Random Moment with ChetThe turtleneck.<br /><br /><script src="http://flash.revver.com/player/1.0/player.js?mediaId:652037;affiliateId:93427;width:480;height:392" type="text/javascript"></script>Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15982150456282907567noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1264248299805902771.post-71125521168821305512008-01-21T17:53:00.001-05:002008-02-14T23:00:16.073-05:00A Non-Offensive Moment with Chet<script src="http://flash.revver.com/player/1.0/player.js?mediaId:659990;affiliateId:93427;width:480;height:392" type="text/javascript"></script>Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15982150456282907567noreply@blogger.com2