Thursday, August 23, 2012

G@MRZ!!! Yay!!!

We made a series of shorts last year and this year about a group of role playing game freaks called "G@mrz"...
And before we post them all online and put out the eventual DVD we're premiering it at Paris In Plantsville on 9/29!

This series is special to me.  It's the first time in Elmwood history I sat on the sidelines...
I didn't wirte it or direct it, or produce it...  Hell, I was only an additional puppeteer!  Not ven a lead.  It was a nice break too...
All I did was make the puppets. 

So who did all the hard work?
Jim Williams, that's who.  
And he should be proud.  He made some funny shit.

And since we're celebrating Elmwood's Tenth still, it's the perfect time to release this on you...
I hope you come to see it September 29!
More info HERE!
and here's the trailer - Enjoy!

Thursday, August 16, 2012

Happy Birthday Jordan! - Sweet Dreams

8/17- Tomorrow is Black Cat Day!!!




Shout out to my three black cats!
Tugger, Ripper, and the new one - Blue!
Everyone celebrate tomorrow!!!
And thanks to Brian for letting me know about this awesome holiday!  Hahaha!

Tuesday, August 14, 2012

Old Lyrics - Circus Lights

CIRCUS LIGHTS

Now here I am, a clown once again,
In the three ring circus of life.
On the stage, alive, flying solo.
With a tear in my eye.

You raped my soul
And left me in Beachland Park.
Under a tree by a pond.
I sat there four hours, piecing it together,
And taking it back apart.

I’m in the park, juggling hearts,
Under the circus lights.

Brothers forever, no matter.
What went wrong?
Still you abandoned me as I begged to be free.
A prince once said;
“some things are better left unsaid, and some people are better left untrusted”,
I should’ve known that would pertain to all of you.

Now it’s raining on my parade.
And all my friends are on cocaine.
I’ve been tripping (on the telephone cord)
Day and night, day and night,
I’m in the park, juggling hearts
Under the circus lights.

Fate has its way with every man.
Even the clowns to be.

I’ve seen the big top come down
On my best friend too soon.
The three rings became two.
One is still empty,
In the other is me.

Now its raining on my parade.
All my friends are on cocaine.
I’ve been tripping (on the telephone cord)
Day and night, day and night,
I’m in the park juggling hearts
Under the circus lights.

Have you ever really seen a clown cry?
Have you ever really looked into my eyes?

Monday, August 13, 2012

Monday Morning Song - Fly Away - Poe

"It makes sense that it should happen this way"
The words of others keep spinning in my head...
In Charles Dickens' book A Christmas Carol Bob Cratchett describes life as a series of comings and goings.
This building (Paris In Plantsville), much like Dickens' vision of England in that book, is a series of comings and goings.  Every few weeks we are lucky enough to see so many faces and so much art come through the doors.  And then just as fast as they came in - they fly out.
This is the same as Bob Cratchett's life.  Tiny Tim, his son, flew in and flew out in a whirlwind of joy and a devastating heartbreak.  Both at the same time.
I am not comparing our lost brother to the child Tiny Tim.  As wild and as childish as he was at times, it was part of his charm.
I once heard it said that the body is just a shell.  A prison that holds your soul in and contains you.  What you do with that shell and how you create yourself - invent yourself - re-invent yourself - re-create yourself - that is what makes a shell what we remember.
But there is so much more.
Once we are released from that shell, then, then is is really time to fly.
"Take what you've got and fly with it"
Bukowski, Burroughs, Kerouak, and Dr. Suess must have needed a new creative partner.  Selfish bastards.
"Fly away."
 

Thursday, August 9, 2012

Behind the Scenes...

Last official day of shooting for Elmwood Puppets' "Animal Behavior" 6/27/12

Monday, August 6, 2012

Monday Song - I Wanna Be Your Dog - The Stooges

ALF!


Yesterday I posted about a new Sesame Street movie, and mentioned how all the puppet films coming from studios were Henson related, and how it would be great to see more out of that world...
Well out of that world we may get - ALF's got a movie coming too!
I hope!
The New Haven Register had this article a couple months ago, and I missed it too:

Let's hope this is a great beginning!  I love ALF!

Sunday, August 5, 2012

Sesame Street 3!

I was on Puppeteers of America's website this morning and saw in the news that there is a new Sesame Street movie in the works.  I was announced in June, and some how I missed that!  SO did PoA, so I don't feel so bad.  Let's hope this puppetry on film trend keeps rolling...  "The Muppets", "Being Elmo", and word on a new Sesame Street flick, Fraggle Rock, and Muppets 2 all happening in the next year or so is great!  
Hopefully the studios and powers that be will branch away from the fantastic creations of The Muppetland and try out some new things too!

And I vote for a Bert and Ernie themed movie!

Saturday, August 4, 2012

25 Years ago

25 Years ago I was twelve. I was listening to alot of pop music and oldies... Then I heard "Welcome To The Jungle" on WCCC right after a Queen song. It terrified me and I loved it... Guns N' Roses release Appetite For Destruction summer 1987, and my life changed forever. By fall 1988 I was obsessed with them (ask anyone who knew me from 1988-1992) and to this day still love what Axl and his freakshow continue to do.

Friday, August 3, 2012

Last summer...


Last summer I did a stop motion workshop in West Hartford...  The video I got to make with the super talented Julie is HERE...  The awesome people who ran the workshop also posted this cool behind the scenes video...

Thursday, August 2, 2012

Calm...

Thanks Mike for the awesome graphic!

So a month off from most internet interactions...  Still hit up the ol' Faceplant a bit though...  Went to the beach for a weekend, worked on a ton of puppets and scripts and now getting back into the swing of it all...

And yes, like the rest of the world I saw Batman.  I liked it. 

So up next...  I'll be still cranking out puppets, and look for many to be posted here as I go and the Monday Song kicks back in this coming Monday.  Elmwood is prepping up DVD's of Steve the Vampire, Josh and Todd, and more, so that's been a ton of fun, I'm also gonna start trying to do some sort of update here daily.  Just cuz I want to!