tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25910439.post7140477396818156267..comments2024-01-24T14:39:44.820-06:00Comments on Darkmatters: Metaphysical pizza - review of Bruce Bickford's film Prometheus' GardenDarkmattershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15410415900992364189noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25910439.post-39991990761250167192009-01-17T12:34:00.000-06:002009-01-17T12:34:00.000-06:00(^ the offer still stands, Mike. same to Gabriel....(^ the offer still stands, Mike. same to Gabriel. <BR/><BR/>(^ swing on over and help scan some images.<BR/> you go any music to go with it?<BR/><BR/>wyrdmorph ovatoker = renovator ovation innovator overtakerEdwound Wisenthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04422026999538039977noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25910439.post-41554487396936970942008-04-04T23:15:00.000-05:002008-04-04T23:15:00.000-05:00Hey Gabe,I haven't seen Dub Room Special or Baby S...Hey Gabe,<BR/><BR/>I haven't seen Dub Room Special or Baby Snakes.... guess I need to try to get them. I wasn't sure, but I half had the impression Amazing Mister Bickford included most of what was on them. Guess not. Though I have seen the Zappa clip with the multiplied fingers on YouTube (really low quality). <BR/><BR/>Glad to have you aboard reading! And thanks for the compliments.... it's always good to hear people like what I'm doing. <BR/><BR/>Man.... I wish I had the kind of compulsion Bruce does!!! It seems I can only do so much on a project, then I burn out and need to switch to something else. I go through these little obsessions.... which is very useful because I totally get into one thing for a while - like studying lighting techniques and buying light fixtures for a few months, then after getting my lighting needs upgraded I moved on to studying story structure. <BR/><BR/>But watching what Bruce does makes me almost wish I had never studied anything! I agree Bruce doesn't really rush the animation.... especially when you consider all the tiny little blades of grass he's got waving around and tiny little figures all doing different things. I don't understand how he keeps track of it all without a framegrabber! Although I have animated enough to know that after you've been doing it for a while you learn to tell just by looking at an arm or a leg and reading the body language of the puppet which way it was moving. <BR/><BR/>I really want to try something like what he does. Just for fun, get a bunch of clay and whip up some little guys and just make it all up as I go. My results will probably suck though.Darkmattershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15410415900992364189noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25910439.post-1927250612426588232008-04-04T09:18:00.000-05:002008-04-04T09:18:00.000-05:00I first got to Bruce because I'm a Zappa fan, so I...I first got to Bruce because I'm a Zappa fan, so I watched Dub Room, the Amazing Mr. Bickford and Baby Snakes even before Monster Road. To me The Amazing Mr. Bickford is the hardest one to get into. I think it's more focused on tiny figures with less detail than usual, and the Zappa music may be offputting to some people (not to me, but it's not rock'n roll, it's his 'serious composer' music). Despite not being very accessible, it's rewarding once you acquire the taste.<BR/><BR/>Hey, darkstrider, have you seen The Dub Room Special? I generally agree with your statement about the childlike quality of his work, but Dub Room has some stuff that I think are would seem very elaborate and skillful to anyone, really. Like that part with Frank playing the guitar in which his fingers are multiplied, and also a part in which a shirt appears on his body out of nowhere (made from his body hair, maybe?). I think the most impressive footage of Bruce's work is in Dub Room and Monster Road (and Prometheus' Garden, I hope).<BR/><BR/>It's curious how a painter might get a 'primitive' look by trying to be quick and spontaneous, but Bruce's work probably owes its look to something different. I mean, it's spontaneous in the sense that he makes up everything along the way and don't seem to care much for logic or continuity. He doesn't try to be quick, though. He works at 24fps, shooting on ones (we can see that on his 2d animation too). He sometimes builds incrementally smaller variations of objects that are supposed to shrink or grow. He'd probably be diagnosed with some sort of compulsion, but he puts it to good use. I think being self taught also plays a part on it. Maybe he is one of those anomalies who actually benefits of not having got 'proper' instruction on his field.<BR/><BR/>Oh, and yes, I'm new to your blog, but I really like it already! Can't wait for your next posts.Gabrielhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15814977074214570389noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25910439.post-14991131523492825082008-04-04T00:45:00.000-05:002008-04-04T00:45:00.000-05:00Thanks guys! Great to hear from a couple of new re...Thanks guys! Great to hear from a couple of new readers (or who haven't posted before anyway). <BR/><BR/>Monster Road is definitely the place to start with Bruce. I really wouldn't recommend jumping in with Prom's Garden before getting some small doses and building up a tolerance. <BR/><BR/>But if you make it through Monster Road , then you're definitely a fan! I've watched Prom's Garden several times now - there are two different sound tracks plus the commentary (I think my favorite is the newer track by the Shark Quest guy, but the original is good too) - and each time I watch I see things I hadn't noticed before. I mean, not just stuff going on that I had missed, but I get new levels of meaning out of it. <BR/><BR/>Bruce is an artist with a very 'primitive' style, sort of childlike.... which is what Picasso strove for all his life (and said it was hard to achieve in adulthood). That can be offputting.... at times it reminds you of nothing more than a child's work, but this would have to be one seriously genius kid, and with a work ethic like you couldn't imagine any child having!Darkmattershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15410415900992364189noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25910439.post-28882119188376678372008-04-03T19:41:00.000-05:002008-04-03T19:41:00.000-05:00Hey man! nice write up....Im not sure where I fa...Hey man!<BR/><BR/> nice write up.<BR/><BR/>...Im not sure where I fall with his work. I appreciate it but not sure If I could watch very much.<BR/><BR/> I have never seen monster road and I might start there as an introduction to his work.<BR/><BR/> jriggityjriggityhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00424328610725755022noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25910439.post-59344762636862346362008-04-03T16:20:00.000-05:002008-04-03T16:20:00.000-05:00Your Work in stop motion ist simple ammazing. Than...Your Work in stop motion ist simple ammazing. Thanks for your great workHermanos Encinashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05468504603936432151noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25910439.post-90279191485788324592008-04-03T10:39:00.000-05:002008-04-03T10:39:00.000-05:00I haven't even seen the film, but that's a great r...I haven't even seen the film, but that's a great review, you sure nailed a lot of aspects we see in pretty much everything Bruce did. I'm in the group who loves his stuff, and Monster Road who was one of the best documentaries I've ever seen. I can't wait to see Prometheus' Garden!Gabrielhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15814977074214570389noreply@blogger.com