COVID Dystopia: Copses Rained

Posted on November 1, 2024October 25, 2024 by Thor

The former president signed his name and sent it to every American at the height of the lock downs. He was truly obsessed with the idea that he was better than Abraham Lincoln. He always wanted to be seen with the man.

This scene has a depth map, camera move and subtle animation of the former president raising his hands.

COVID Dystopia will screen at the Orlando Film Festival on November 1 and 7, 2024. The November 1 screening is at 4:15pm and the November 7, 2024 screening is at 2pm, both in theater 9. At 8pm on November 7 is the Awards Ceremony which I will also attend in case I need to pick up another award. The Orlando Film Festival runs from October 31 to November 7 at the CMX PLAZA CINEMA CAFE 155 S. Orange Ave, Downtown, Orlando FL. A one day pass is $20 and you can see a whole lot of films in one day. When I attend a film festival I treat it like a movie marathon. If you go to a screening, I will be easy to find as the one person in a KN-95 mask. We might be done with COVID, but COVID is not done with us.

Native Voices

Posted on October 31, 2024October 30, 2024 by Thor

Playwrights’ Round Table will present Native Voices: Future Shock at Imagine Performing Arts Center ( 1235 Oviedo Mall Boulevard, Oviedo Florida.) Seven brand new play will be presented by Florida Authors. The website outlined the production as, “A future of AI that knows everything about you. Where AI can decide whether you’re worthy of life. A future of transporters, and clueless ghosts, and murder by chocolate, and how to get in touch with your feline self. And of course, just making your way in a world that changes by the day.”

Director, Chuck Dent invited me in to sketch a tech rehearsal which was my only option since tech went late until 11pm. When I entered two actresses were performing a scene seated at a table. I believe one actress was Susan Woodbury, who I admired for a previous performance I had seen of Control of the Dirt. The other actress was Olivia Rocha. I blocked them into the sketch but then erased them since the scene ended shortly after I started sketching. In general the two were anxious about loosing one another. Susan remained quite animated for such a controlled scene. The larger context of the scene, I may never know.

The stage was reset for a whole new production, which seemed to be film noir detective themed. A Femme fatale actress was quite proud of her large black wig. She was actually quite comedic. In tech the actors don’t really run lines, they just pose in certain scenes of the play so that the lighting tech can figure out what color and intensity of light to use. For me as an artist, it was perfect since, the actors would stay still for extended periods allowing me to sketch them. The challenge came when the theater would go black repeatedly between new light settings. Once the director and light tech were in agreement the settings, they would be set as a cue of the show. The actors must be eternally patient since they were their as mannequins rather than actors. They knew how to keep the rehearsal light and playful.

As I prepared to leave, another play directed by Jac LeDoux, was being set for a tech run through. I can’t really offer any review about the shows. I am not even certain which of the shows I saw. I can say the film Noir looked fun, with a kidnapping, and the female lead clicking a rifle upstage. I suspect it was her partner who was kidnapped but that was never fully established in the rehearsal. I have so many questions and want to see the shows for the answers.

Playwrights’ Round Table will present 7 new plays by local playwrights Nov. 1-3 at the Imagine Performing Arts Center, in Oviedo. Tickets are $20 general admission$ 15 seniors, students and military with ID, and $10 for theme park employees with ID. Tickets may be purchased at the theater or online.

COVID Dystopia in Florida Politics

Posted on October 30, 2024October 29, 2024 by Thor

COVID Dystopia has made an appearance in Florida Politics. In any interview there end up being things you wish you had said. For instance one statement made it seem inevitable that I will be infected. However to this day I have not caught COVID.

In the first stage of the pandemic people banded together and fought the virus with the only tools they had, namely masks and social distancing. When vaccines became available people relaxed thinking they were invincible. The vaccines to blunt hospitalizations and death, but they don’t stop infection. COVID has been creating havoc with everyone’s immune system. It is a vascular disease that attacks every organ of the body particularly the heart and brain. Since I value my brain, I still mask indoors and in crowded outdoor settings. We might be done with COVID but COVID is not done with us.

COVID Dystopia will screen at the Orlando Film Festival on November 1 and 7, 2024. The November 1 screening is at 4:15pm and the November 7, 2024 screening is at 2pm, both in theater 9. At 8pm on November 7 is the Awards Ceremony which I will also attend in case I need to pick up another award. The Orlando Film Festival runs from October 31 to November 7 at the CMX PLAZA CINEMA CAFE 155 S. Orange Ave, Downtown, Orlando FL. A one day pass is $20 and you can see a whole lot of films in one day. When I attend a film festival, I treat it like a movie marathon. If you go to a screening of COVID Dystopia, I will be easy to find as the one person in a KN-95 mask.

COVID Dystopia: In the Pittsburgh Shorts Film Festival

Posted on October 29, 2024October 23, 2024 by Thor

COVID Dystopia is now an Official Selection of the Pittsburgh Shorts Film Festival. It will screen online starting Thursday, November 14, 2024 to Sunday, November 24, 2024. It will be available to watch in Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Ohio.

I have seem three of the other films listed near COVID Dystopia at other film festivals. Complications is a wonderful film from Norway about a virtual dominatrix who berated an old man on the other end of a Zoom call. The heated moment goes haywire when he collapses from a heart attack. She then dose everything in her power to save his life. There is a tenderness to her when the speak again, but tenderness isn’t what he needs. Confessions was a charming and hilarious film about two nuns who find another sister dead at the alter. They confide in one another considering what they have not yet done with their lives. The older actresses were stellar and this is one film I hope becomes a feature film. Dandelion is a computer animated film about a robot who breaks away from his drudgery of a job when he discovers a dandelion. His curiosity leads to the chaos of joyous discovery for all.

I will be flying to Pittsburgh for one day to see a few films and go the the awards ceremony. I need to leave myself open to the possibility that I might bump into someone who understands and needs my off balance world view.

COVID Dystopia: Rebound

Posted on October 28, 2024October 24, 2024 by Thor

Rebound COVID infections are common after a course of Paxlovid. President Biden who proclaimed victory over COVID, tested positive for COVID a second time. He experienced a rebound infection after one course of treatment with Paxlovid.

The media downplayed his symptoms but that same week he pulled out of the presidential race. The president isolated for 5 days, though 10 days are “suggested”. He then went to public events unmasked , to share the virus with others. the White House Press Secretary said his being unmasked was fine since he was more that 6 feet from others. However the virus is airborne and can travel much further than 6 feet. It lingers in the air like smoke or perfume for hours, drifting around the room. Biden proved himself as inept as his predecessor in handling an airborne virus.

COVID Dystopia: Zeus Came Down With a lightning Bolt

Posted on October 27, 2024October 22, 2024 by Thor

This shot has no actual animation, but a depth map and camera movement.I could have had his hand physically point but I decided to keep it still so the the lightning bold movement is the center of attention.

The lighting bold was animated in after effects. I hand animated the bolt as well but liked the procedural animation better. I did hand animate lightning in another shot with basketball players jumping to tap the COVID ball.

COVID Dystopia: Snatched Up All the Chicks

Posted on October 26, 2024October 24, 2024 by Thor

COVID Dystopia will screen at the Orlando Film Festival on November 1, 2024 at 4:15pm in Theater 9, in the CMX Plaza Cinema Cafe 155 S. Orange Ave, Downtown, Orlando FL.

It will also screen on November 7, 2024 in the same theater at 2pm in the same theater. It is part of the Animation block 1, so there will be plenty of other animated films to see.

At the height of the pandemic, I went to downtown Winter Garden with a roommate and we ordered hot dogs which we ate outside. When there is an outdoor seating option my mask will come off to eat. As we were eating a huge group of high school students in tuxedos and gown rushed by. They went into the central park area and were taking selfies. Crowds kept walking by and I started wolfing down the hot dog or I think it was a thicker brat. Anyway a large chunk got lodged in my esophagus. My fried knows CPR, but didn’t try the Heimlich. I jumped up and down paced and tried to wash it down with the drink but the fluid wouldn’t go down. It was a horrifying situation. Thankfully I could breath fine. I threw out the food and started walking, hoping it would settle itself out. By the time we got back to the car the chunk had finished its course down my tight gullet. This happened a second time around family. It seems I have difficulty eating around people pretending the pandemic is over.

All That Jazz

Posted on October 25, 2024October 19, 2024 by Thor

The Free Spring Symphonic and Jazz Concert was held at Valencia College East Campus (701 N. Econlockhatchee Trail Orlando Florida), in celebration of Jewish culture and diaspora, featuring musical selections Fiddler on the Roof,“Scenes from Terezin, and other celebrated standards. This as a fun and lively concert at a large auditorium venue I have never sketched before.

I need to reignite my spidey senses and start finding such events again. For now I need to get out in the yard and start cleaning up branches after Hurricane Milton blew through Orlando. No major damage just a lot of debris.

COVID Dystopia: Jesus Snatched Up all the Chicks

Posted on October 24, 2024October 24, 2024 by Thor

Adobe decided to update the Premiere Pro software overnight. Now when I play the edit of COVID Dystopia quite a few shots are offset and partially out of frame. This shot is one of those shots. I had to go in and re-edit the start and end positions of the clip.

As I share scenes I will be digging in and redoing the work that was already done. The only other thing I might need to do to the movie is add captions in case a film festival requires them. I added captions once before but took them back out since they distract from the scenes. The film moves at such a breakneck speed that there is not time to read and also see that is happening in each shot.

I always liked the concept of this shot. Since Jesus has holes in his hands from the crucifixion nails, his hands make for very ineffective masks when held over one’s face.

COVID Dystopia will screen at the Orlando Film Festival on November 1, at 4:15pm and November 6 at 2pm in theater 9 of the CMX PLAZA CINEMA CAFE (155 S. Orange Ave, Downtown, Orlando FL). The film is part of Animation Block 1. Orlando Film Festival passes are on sale now. A 1 day pass is $20. You can see a lot of films in one day if you are up for a marathon.

COVID Dystopia: Jesus Dropped a Cluster Bomb

Posted on October 23, 2024October 19, 2024 by Thor

In the weeks leading up to the Orlando Film Festival, I feel I should share shots from COVID Dystopia. I do this leading into each film festival.

This festival feels special since the film was created in Orlando and so many of the shots relate to Florida’s failed COVID response. The film has been rejected multiple times for other Florida Film Festivals and I thought it would never be shown in this state.

The animated film is controversial and rather hard edged. It is perhaps too controversial to be shown at your average Film Festival. When it is shown, it wins awards. It won the Best Short Animation Film Award at the Chicago International Reels Film Festival. It won as the Best Short Short Film at the Berlin Shorts Film Festival, and it has won an Honorable Mention at the Charlotte Film Festival and it was a Nominee for the Best Animated Short at the Iowa Independent Film Festival.