Work it cap'n!!!!

Click to see the captain's first hobbling step in a few years. His old bones were pretty creaky, but I worked him over with a phillips head screwdriver. Tommorrow he'll be a lot more spry (or he walks the plank!)

Life stirs once again.....

In the realm of Darkstrider! For many months now my framegrabbing software (framethief... the best!) has been unable to connect with my camera. The horror! I tried downloading Animaide XT, that couldn't connect either. But I really wanted to join in on the Work your Walk Week fun and festivities, so i went to the ridiculous extent of trying to animate in iMovie (which for some reason can always find the camera!). Well, that was ridiculously difficult, so I just decided to download iStopmotion on the off chance that it would work.... AND IT DID!!! Too late tonight for more than a super-crappy test, but tomorrow, LIFE STIRS ONCE AGAIN IN DARKSTRIDERLAND!!!!!

Work your Walk Week!!!

Yes friends, it's time to walk the walk for stopmo!

New-ish member Federico has launched on a week long period of walk test studies (and the name is his brainchild). Here's what he wrote in his post:

"Hello everybody.

Always trying to learn how to move my wires and give'em some life. This is my first time doing it with a framegrabber, and to celebrate I decided to make a daily walking practice, from monday to friday; so this newbie is going to sweat, oh yes ...

I'll post the results at the end of each day, all your critics and comments will be very welcome and appreciated (as I know nothing, everything helps!); and if somebody wants to join me in the adventure, please, be my guest...

// Federico //"

You can see the entire thread here if you're interested in participating.

Here is Federico's first test

And here's Nick's response

I tried to get involved, but due to ongoing computer problems I still can't get Framethief or Anmimaide XT to connect with my camera!

If you're interested in joining the fun, you can upload your walk tests to StopMoShorts. Please select the Animation Tests section when you upload. This is a great opportunity to get some animatin' experience.... wish I could participate! Hopefully soon......

2 good reasons....

To get yourself an all-regions DVD player from www.World-Import.com. In the US Piano Tuner won't be released until April 24th. I'm not sure about the release date for Pan's, but it won't be for a while (like maybe August, I think?). I've already ordered both these items, expecting them in anyday now.

An all-regions player doesn't cost any more than a regular DVD player these days... I got mine for $79.99! Basically it's just a "normal" DVD player without the code that blocks discs from other regions (which is written into your basic American DVD players). So maybe next time you're looking to get a player, think about one of these babies - open up your horizons!

I also just discovered that world-import does video conversion services.... if you have a DVD from any other region, or a PAL tape or a Secam tape, or even if you have something recored on Hi-8 - send it in and they can convert it to a convenient format that you can easily watch.

I need to add this last bit of info to my site. I recently updated the Masters page, where I have info on collecting DVDs from around the world (well, at least Czech and Eastern European puppetfilm in particular!). Deleted all the broken links and dropped in some shiny new ones, plus I added some more info about where and how to go about buying them. It's getting easier folks.... HMV Japan is a really great site that has just about everything from my site, and it's got an english version where everything is in english! Unlike Amazon Japan, where maybe one word in a dozen is in english. Here's their incredibly cool International Stopmotion & Puppetfilm Bestsellers section!!!

At last, the newly-refurbshed Quay set comes to Region 1!!!

Phantom Museums - Short Films of the Brothers Quay

I just happened across this exciting link tonight while on another errand. This must be the American version of the fantastic DVD set Michael Brooker authored for European release (that I discussed a while back).

There are no real details listed yet, but here are the juicy details of the PAL set (no guarantee this one will be identical, but I suspect it will be extremely close):

DISC ONE: FILMS

Twelve restored and remastered short films in Quay-supervised and approved native PAL transfers. All aspect ratios are as specified by the Quays, with anamorphic enhancement where necessary. This really will be as good as they've ever looked on a domestic format.

- The Cabinet of Jan Svankmajer (1984)
- This Unnameable Little Broom (1985)
- Street of Crocodiles (1986)
- Rehearsals for Extinct Anatomies (1988)
- Stille Nacht I: Dramolet (1988)
- The Comb (1990)
- Anamorphosis (1991)
- Stille Nacht II: Are We Still Married? (1992)
- Stille Nacht III: Tales From Vienna Woods (1992)
- Stille Nacht IV: Can't Go Wrong Without You (1993)
- In Absentia (2000)
- The Phantom Museum (2003)

plus
- Quay commentaries on This Unnameable Little Broom, Street of Crocodiles, Stille Nacht I, II and III, and In Absentia;
- Optional subtitles on commentaries and Anamorphosis

DISC TWO: FOOTNOTES

Around two hours of extras, including more shorts:

- 1990s BFI Distribution ident (designed by the Quays)
- Video introduction by the Quays (20 mins, recorded in May 2006 and copiously illustrated with clips and stills)
- Nocturna Artificialia (1979 - their debut film)
- The Calligrapher (1991 - unbroadcast BBC2 ident)
- The Summit (1995 - previously unreleased/unbroadcast live-action short)
- excerpt from Peter Greenaway's The Falls (1980) featuring the Quays
- archive interview (29 mins, recorded in February 2000 at the Paris Doll Museum)
- anamorphic 2.35:1 versions of Rehearsals for Extinct Anatomies and In Absentia
plus
optional HOH subtitles wherever necessary

Accompanying booklet features:
- Facsimile of original eight-page illustrated treatment for Street of Crocodiles (this accompanied their original funding application, and it's fascinating to compare it with the final film);
- A Quay Brothers Dictionary of people, places, themes and motifs (containing nearly sixty entries).

....DROOL!

New stopmo blogger hits the scene!!!

Let's stop by and give Willem a warm welcome folks: HeroesForGhosts. He's brand new to the blogging scene and it looks like he's got a fantastic project underway. Oh, and he says he needs lots of feedback!

Stripped down