Tori is my absolute favorite musician. For Robert.
https://www.kcrw.com/music/shows/morning-becomes-eclectic/tori-amos-1
Comic-Con: Saturday Morning Cartoons
Turns out that missing the "Lost" panel was a good thing. It was on youtube later (no surprises there). Of course, Matthew Fox was there (drool), but he probably would have been a mere speck on the stage, so faint that like a distant Messier object, one would only have been able to see him by not looking directly at the stage. I digress. This thing is about comics anyway, right? Sheesh. I decided to go see the "Tori Amos: Comic Book Tattoo" panel instead. I now had plenty of time to stand in line and Tori is one of my personal heroes. We share a birthday and a mutual long-term relationship with the piano.
I got there pretty early and there was no line, so I decided to sit in on the Ralph Bakshi panel. Sadly, it was pretty empty for being one of the more inspirational and interesting panels there. I probably enjoyed it much more than I would have enjoyed the "Heroes" panel, to be quite honest (and I haven't seen it on youtube yet). This guy is one of the big "oldschool" animators. He directed "Fritz the Cat" and the animation for "Cool World." He's a feisty New Yorker with a serious hatred for the current presidential regime administration. He seems optimistic about the medium of animation and offered advice on how to overcome financial limitations, even arguing that they essentially make you a better filmmaker! What a cool panel!
The Tori panel was even more inspirational! "Comic Book Tattoo" is an anthology of comics. Each comic is drawn by a different artist and makes up a story for songs that she has written. One needed to purchase said book in order to get an autograph from the artists and Tori later on, but it is about 490 pages and my back hurt. I've never been big on autographs and there was other stuff I wanted to see. Amazon.com it is (still waiting for it).
Several of the artists were there, Tori, of course, was there- and in an outrageous outfit, to boot (don't worry. I'm not going to offend your eyes with another blurry, bright and distant photo)! It was a very open panel, with each artist talking about their fears and struggles as an artist, even Tori. It made me want to tackle all of my projects and feel... not so insane (and not so guilty for the break I've taken from the heaviness lately). I can't wait to take a look at the book.
Guest Vlogger- Jason Bortz and "Taxi Ride"
Blog, meet Jason, Jason, blog. Jason Bortz is a guest filmmaker here today. Like me, he entered one of his films in the On the Lot competition (and like me, got nuthin'). I've decided to post one of his videos here today because, well, I just like it!
I'm a huge Tori Amos fan (we share a birthday and a love of pianos, among other things). Below is Jason's submission to a competition Tori (well, officially Sony) was hosting for filmmakers to make a video for her song "Taxi Ride." Jason's video made it to the top nine!
Click the image below to watch the film and the link on the side (or above) to see his other works:
Ether Twist
Back on track! Now, for the next film in my one-woman show: "Ether Twist." This film has sound! It's strange and quiet, but it's there...
Sounds from very low frequency (VLF) radio emissions make up the soundtrack to this film. These sounds include aurorae, solar flares, lightning and other electromagnetic phenomena that affect the Earth's ionosphere. The imagery is composed of various pieces of transparent plastics (try to guess what some of them are- you might be surprised) whose colors are revealed through polarized light. Neither the sound nor the image would be detectable if it weren't for careful manipulation of electromagnetic waves.
Many thanks to Stephen P. McGreevy for recording the incredible VLF sounds and allowing me to use them. This is a rather large file- the film is about 10 minutes long.
Footnotes: Ether (or Aether) was once considered to be quintessence, or the "fifth element." It was thought the be the medium through which light waves (indeed, all energy) traveled. It has since been dropped from the world of scientific thought and is considered to be, well, more...ethereal (not sure if that can qualify as a pun, but it was intended). It is considered to be the unifying energy for all living spirits in Wicca and some other religions.
The film title owes its existence to lyrics in the Tori Amos song, "Suede:"
i'm sure that you've been briefed my absorption lines they are frayed and i fear my fear is greater than my faith but i walk the missionary way you always felt like suede there are days i am your twin peekaboo hiding underneath your skin jets are revving yes revving from an ether twist call me 'evil' call me 'tide is on your side' anything you want
I connected with these lyrics instantly, but really keyed in on the phrase "ether twist." The liquid crystal materials I use do a sort of "ether twist." By twisting (refracting) the direction of the light waves at different wavelengths (colors), the bland, transparent plastics become vibrant, colored light sources.