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This week I found out that my short story ‘Invisibility Ray’ won first prize in the latest Cooldog Publications competition. As well as a cool £100 I will be published in their next E-mag and enter their online Hall of Fame, with the story receiving automatic entry into their annual comp. Want to read an amazing excerpt from the brilliant prize-winning Invisibility Ray? ‘Fraid not. You’ll have to buy the E-mag - http://www.cooldog.co.uk/emag/.
Although it might look like I’ve just been sitting around, I haven’t. In fact I’ve been writing new short stories and flash fiction on my new blog cantjustsitaround.blogspot.com.
The name is taken from a quote by Larry Walters, an American who became famous in the 1980’s by attaching balloons to a garden chair and flying 3 miles into the sky. When asked why by reporters, he said “A man can’t just sit around.”
I can relate to that.
As a fully signed-up & salaried copywriter at TBWA\ Manchester, the impetus to blog has taken a while to resume. But resume it has and the most exciting bit of news is an extra-curricular collaboration with the very talented Louis Roskosch on a currently nameless children’s book.
You can view Louis’ other work at www.louisroskosch.com, or email me for more information on the book.
It’s been a whole MONTH since my last post, and a busy one at that. Eighteen Long Years is finally finished and will soon be available to view at www.eighteenlongyears.co.uk. As well as that, I have been working on some top agency brands that, unfortunately, can’t be shown in public for a very long time. Although the work is largely under wraps, I can say that I have been working on ghd, Nissan, BP, Bruntwood and EA Games accounts (all for TBWA) and samples will be posted here as soon as I am allowed.
Opportunities to blog have been few and far between of late but the fruits of these labours should be available to view very soon. The short film project with Silver Films (now renamed 18 Long Years) is currently being shot and images should follow shortly. Also an interesting animation with Smoothe and the first glimpse of the Attend-Ants are nearly ready too.
On a lighter note, I found this box of monkey faces whilst at Fred Aldous art supply shop recently, and you’ll be pleased to see they are no longer in the short supply they once were so fill your boots.
For the first time since 2004’s Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Charlie Kaufman is back and this time with his directorial debut. Synecdoche, New York, stars Philip Seymour Hoffman as a theatre director who begins to lose his mind while building a replica of his life/Shcenectady, New York for his new play. It looks like a confusing and difficult watch and, frankly, I’m very excited about it. Check out this short clip for a sneak preview.
It’s been a while since my last post but finally the workload has eased and I can announce near completion of my first full length children’s story project. Conceived by M-Four - Manchester City Council’s dedicated design studio - I have written 6 x 20 minute stories based on their characters to be read by teachers for ages 6-11. The stories concern the adventures of a group of young ants on their way to Manchester and the characters will be used within lesson plans starting Autumn 2008. Designed as part of a campaign to improve worryingly low school attendance in Greater Manchester, the Attend-Ants could end up being rolled out to schools across the country, and even end up in print.
Illustrations are currently being finalised (the above are old scamps) but when they are complete I will make my epic tale of Yoji and friends available to read right here. Having enjoyed this project enormously I am currently scribbling ideas for my first solo children’s book, more news will be posted here when there is some.
I know it seems like a bit of a cop-out to just post another bit of stop motion but it is an absolutely mind-blowing piece of work. I could talk about why it’s so good all day, but that would just stop you watching it. Check out the website at www.blublu.org.
I’ve never met anybody who isn’t a fan of the now world famous drawings of Dave Shrigley, and perhaps even more startling than the understated power each sketch seems to have is the sheer volume and consistency of his drawn work. Every time I see one it tends to be that I will laugh, think, look again several times, then have to go and do something else to try not to let it disturb me too much. It is perhaps this strange ritual and need for a post-exposure recovery period that has stopped me diving into his work as I might with someone else but in perusing his website I have found a whole new world in the form of his photography. And it’s just as good. And there’s just as much of it! Delighted as I am with this find, I pass it on to you.
‘Life and Death’ by D. Shrigley
‘Doors’ by D. Shrigley
Here are samples of two that I liked hugely, but there is plenty more to explore. ‘Kermit’ is a good one, it made me laugh out loud but I don’t know why. Thanks Dave. Check out the rest at http://www.davidshrigley.com/list_photographs.html.
I don’t know about you but I’m a real sucker for any kind of stop motion, particularly the really good kind like this.
Brudalnoodle, I salute you.