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Mob Mentality / 2 SLOTS LEFT FOR $20 COMMISSIONS
16 years ago
General
On the first topic of discussion I wanted to bring up something I thought might be somewhat important here.
Mob mentality..
It takes many different forms. Not just the LA riot type where it just suddenly turns to violence. Finger pointing, blaming, even to varying degrees, political rallies, religious sermons etc..
I'm not making a stab at anyone who is religious, or has a particular political view. I won't post either or here, or at least try too. My political views are only sourced at my core beliefs, but when I try to explain it, I sound like a babbling idiot and have a hard time wording my arguments. Poor
fisk has bared the brunt of my non-directional rants. Especially when it comes to art, I have many core beliefs well founded.. but have a hard time wording it on the spot...
But the point is, don't be afraid to dig into yourself and understand what it is you feel is right. Take the time to understand it.
A while back, when I was in school. I was on the story/directing board of a project that was supposed to animate a short comic of Lackadaisy Cats by Tracey Butler.
I was simply advising but really what I had to say clearly had absolutely no value. The comic was a short 4 panel comic with a great set up, delivery, and pun at the end. Pretty well storyboarded for us. As simple as it was, they wanted to make it far more extravagant than it was.
Their reasoning, "We must treat the audience like they are idiots." This, in many respects, goes against all of my storytelling and directing sensibilities. Providing some sort of backstory, and an understanding of the characters and time is important. My feeling is though, if you wish to garner an intelligent audience, then bring out the intelligence inside them. It's a challenge, but it's not impossible. I don't believe that there is a large quantity of really intelligent people out there, but I do think all of them can pick up on subtle cues.
Though I made my protests and wanted to keep the project simple, easy, and fun, it went unheard because the rest of the board just nodded along with the first guy. He sounded like he knew what he was talking about. If I had said what I felt about film making first in the same tone, I'm sure they would have easily have flocked. I would, however, be just as dissapointed. No one took the time to think for themselves. They simply went on the first though that entered their heads that sounded like it made sense, but not because it did.
The project eventually fell apart before production even started. Not because I left, naw they could have done whatever they wanted if any of them had the drive to do it. It was because they all simply followed and no one, of their own will, actually wanted to do the project. Doing was hard, agreeing was easy.
The point is that it's very easy to be swept up in the moment. To let your mind be controlled by the first thought that someone puts there. Though it only takes a few seconds to actually take the time and think about the words that others are saying. And only a few moments more to understand it.
Judge for yourself whether something is right or wrong. Worth campaigning or crusading for or against. You were given a mind, use it :3
ANYWHO!!
Roster update for 10/07/09
Sorry it's not much of one. I had a closing shift and it's followed by an opening shift... ewwwwww...
christianskunk Complete (edited)
white_wolfess_aya (awaiting refs, desc, and payment )
khelnio Complete!
t-chall (second commission ) Coloring
Razeiel IP (coloring
Razeiel IP (Edited and awaiting approval)
farrel Coloring
yamatoiouko IP (awaiting desc)
Tabris9909 IP
So yes I'm still stuck at 48 out of 50 slots! 2 more slots left and still awaiting you guys to take em!! Come on!!
$20 for a full color single character drawing
$5 more per extra character
$5 more for a background
$3 for domestic shipping ( if international we'll talk... sexily >:3)
No-Nos
-Cubs
-Skat
-Actual animals ( as in non anthro)
To be more specific, if you have a non anthro ferrel character or a cub character, I don't mind drawing them at all. I will not, however, depcit them in an adult situation, simple as that.
NOTE ME IF INTERESTED!
_____________________________
Mob mentality..
It takes many different forms. Not just the LA riot type where it just suddenly turns to violence. Finger pointing, blaming, even to varying degrees, political rallies, religious sermons etc..
I'm not making a stab at anyone who is religious, or has a particular political view. I won't post either or here, or at least try too. My political views are only sourced at my core beliefs, but when I try to explain it, I sound like a babbling idiot and have a hard time wording my arguments. Poor
fisk has bared the brunt of my non-directional rants. Especially when it comes to art, I have many core beliefs well founded.. but have a hard time wording it on the spot...But the point is, don't be afraid to dig into yourself and understand what it is you feel is right. Take the time to understand it.
A while back, when I was in school. I was on the story/directing board of a project that was supposed to animate a short comic of Lackadaisy Cats by Tracey Butler.
I was simply advising but really what I had to say clearly had absolutely no value. The comic was a short 4 panel comic with a great set up, delivery, and pun at the end. Pretty well storyboarded for us. As simple as it was, they wanted to make it far more extravagant than it was.
Their reasoning, "We must treat the audience like they are idiots." This, in many respects, goes against all of my storytelling and directing sensibilities. Providing some sort of backstory, and an understanding of the characters and time is important. My feeling is though, if you wish to garner an intelligent audience, then bring out the intelligence inside them. It's a challenge, but it's not impossible. I don't believe that there is a large quantity of really intelligent people out there, but I do think all of them can pick up on subtle cues.
Though I made my protests and wanted to keep the project simple, easy, and fun, it went unheard because the rest of the board just nodded along with the first guy. He sounded like he knew what he was talking about. If I had said what I felt about film making first in the same tone, I'm sure they would have easily have flocked. I would, however, be just as dissapointed. No one took the time to think for themselves. They simply went on the first though that entered their heads that sounded like it made sense, but not because it did.
The project eventually fell apart before production even started. Not because I left, naw they could have done whatever they wanted if any of them had the drive to do it. It was because they all simply followed and no one, of their own will, actually wanted to do the project. Doing was hard, agreeing was easy.
The point is that it's very easy to be swept up in the moment. To let your mind be controlled by the first thought that someone puts there. Though it only takes a few seconds to actually take the time and think about the words that others are saying. And only a few moments more to understand it.
Judge for yourself whether something is right or wrong. Worth campaigning or crusading for or against. You were given a mind, use it :3
ANYWHO!!
Roster update for 10/07/09
Sorry it's not much of one. I had a closing shift and it's followed by an opening shift... ewwwwww...
christianskunk Complete (edited)
white_wolfess_aya (awaiting refs, desc, and payment )
khelnio Complete!
t-chall (second commission ) Coloring
Razeiel IP (coloring Razeiel IP (Edited and awaiting approval)
farrel Coloring 
yamatoiouko IP (awaiting desc)
Tabris9909 IPSo yes I'm still stuck at 48 out of 50 slots! 2 more slots left and still awaiting you guys to take em!! Come on!!
$20 for a full color single character drawing
$5 more per extra character
$5 more for a background
$3 for domestic shipping ( if international we'll talk... sexily >:3)
No-Nos
-Cubs
-Skat
-Actual animals ( as in non anthro)
To be more specific, if you have a non anthro ferrel character or a cub character, I don't mind drawing them at all. I will not, however, depcit them in an adult situation, simple as that.
NOTE ME IF INTERESTED!
_____________________________
Well I guess the other people working on the project didn't care what they did. :P
I've read many a time by directors and writters, stating what you said, "You must treat the audience as if they are idiots." Frankly, its true. The more intelliget the film, in the day and age, you run the chances that less people will see it.
This is America. Tits, burgers, guns and God.
Btw, so not the point of my post.
I was actually reading on a book about the subject and both arguments can be summarized as follows:
It's all about telling a good story.
Whether the movie has a revolutionizing plot never seen before that not even cynics can predict the ending, or a movie with the most expensive and up-to-date special effects and the hottest babes available, none of this is worth crap if the story itself isn't told right.
This is the one thing most people don't get:
Pretentious and elitist =/= Thought provoking
Mindless destruction =/= Entertaining
There has to be a balance in all of this: A popcorn movie can have its explosions and whatnot if there's a solid story supporting it. A thought provoking movie can be endearing if it doesn't stick to what would amount to Ben Stein reciting a phone book.
To quote:
"Given the choice between trivial material brilliantly told versus profound material badly told, an audience will always choose the trivial told brilliantly. Master storytellers know how to squeeze life out of the least trivial of things, while poor storytellers reduce the profound to the banal. You may have the insight of a Buddha, but if you cannot tell story, your ideas turn dry as chalk."
Anyone who tells you that "you must treat your audience like idiots" either must be speaking as part of the audience himself, or is a snooty elitist who thinks they're better than Jesus and God combined.
Contrary to what the Seltzer And Friedberg movies will tell you, people are capable of thought. Unless your movie is about Quantum Physics with a test at the end. People are at least smart enough to figure out things (i.e. Common Sense).
What's worse is that it is not that Hollywood is right and you should be coddling to the idiotic masses; it is that it is force feeding you the idea that you're an idiot and thus you must be treated as one. Sadly, a decent portion of the people will happily swallow on the idea, leading to this misconception.
Anyway, people are indeed validated to voice their opinion as long as they at least know what they're talking about.