Sojourn

Well, one thing I just had to do while my mum was helping with Jacob was a bit of crafting! I love Jakey to bits of course, but I've been quite "art-deprived" for awhile now. I'd actually been thinking about this stop-motion experiment since the last weeks of my pregnancy, but then I was just too big to get on my hands and knees and futz around with little dolls and props. So as soon as I had a free afternoon, I rushed to give this a go!

Unlike my other stop-motion efforts, this one was an experiment in fitting images to music, rather than the other way around. Well, I realised soon enough that it wasn't that easy or straightforward, but I rushed to put something together anyway while I had the opportunity! Certainly it was a good breather to have that me time. This is a song that has served as a lullaby for Jake, so hopefully you'll enjoy it, if nothing else :)

Have a peaceful, blessed rest of the week!

if thou wilt

Poor Becky was grief-stricken when she found two of her mealworms dead, and asked that I help her memorialise them. While it was indeed a sad event, I am glad that she has a heart even for God's littlest creatures.

A daring new indie film about young love and life in all its poignant, moving rawness.

(Well, a little educational filmlet I made for Becky about her mealworms. Still, it was moving, no?)

Tweedy

A new movie, with a very dear friend of Inky the Octopus!

This is Tweedy, our eight-legged star! Tweedy is a charming little fellow made entirely of heathered black wool yarn. He loves reading, and looking at the stars, and well, obviously he loves lounging about on things as well. Tweedy would make a dear companion, as well as an adorable addition to a nursery or bookshelf. He's perfect for Halloween too!

Tweedy is in the shop now, looking for a loving home with lots of toast and tinned pineapple. Who knows, he might make another film in the meantime haha!

Excursion

And -- more stop motion experimentation! This was 255 frames for about four minutes of film -- very effortful lol. I've certainly learned a few things from this experience. For one thing, a tripod is definitely handy; I used one for the first time ever to do this (yeah, I did Inky with one hand haha).

I also realised quickly enough that a tiny digital camera which cleverly switches itself off every few seconds is not helpful. Plus if, like me, you're using a computer that's at least 10 years old -- save, save, save; at every turn, and at every moment. Trust me, you do not want to have worked on a hundred frames and then have to start all over again. I guess people who do this seriously for a living have to have fairly sophisticated equipment -- plus a team of assistants.

In any case, B wanted me to do a movie with her Sylvanians, and I decided to make it educational for her; and, well, it's about time those Sylvanians do some work around here!

Blessed weekend everyone :)

Inky

More movie experimentation! This was 38 frames for just 24 seconds of film -- effortful! I've read that it takes an average 1,440 frames to make one minute of film -- you just have to marvel at the people who do entire movies.

But here is Inky, the star of the show! Inky is a sweet little fellow made entirely of black yarn. He loves reading, and listening to dinner conversations, and well, obviously he loves lounging about on things as well. Inky would make a charming companion, as well as an adorable addition to a nursery or bookshelf. He's perfect for Halloween too!

Inky is in the shop now, though I must admit to feeling greatly tempted to keep him. Perhaps for more exciting films haha!

See you soon!

Waddle*

Ooh, I don't know which I'm more excited about -- this awesome book Ro borrowed from the library, or the fact that I just learnt to make a tiny mini-movie! With sound!

Anyone who knows me knows what a technophobe I am, so humble and unsophisticated as this little filmlet may be, it's a gigantically huge achievement for me haha.. I'd actually just filmed the book, but then I couldn't help feeling it would be much, much nicer with music. And it was, which just confirms how very important a movie's score is!

As for the book, it's Waddle, by Rufus Butler Seder. It uses Scanimation, a six-phase animation process, which was created by Seder. Going through the book, you feel a curious "antiquated" sensation, as if you were viewing the images through a Victorian kinetoscope. Seder has several titles in this series; check one out at your local library today!

Have a dreamy, creative weekend everyone :)

* Wonderfully, despite the fact that hordes of other people use and upload the same piece of music on Youtube with no problem, my video had to be the one that gets blocked in certain countries. I'd originally used a recording of me playing Comptine D'un Autre Ete, but have now replaced it with Carly Comando, a distinctly better musician haha.. Thanks to everyone who let me know they couldn't play the original video :)