you’re in my web now

I wanted to let you know about “Hacker Ethic,” my feature documentary currently in production that explores the politics and culture of the latest generation of hackers. Fundraising for the film is now officially open on this really cool online social marketplace known as IndieGoGo.com.

Help us reach our goal of raising $2,500 on IndieGoGo in our first round of fundraising. Funds will go toward camera, lighting & sound equipment rental. As of today (July 29), we have 45 days to reach our goal, and we can only do it with your help. There are several levels of donations you can contribute to, and each comes with perks. The more you contribute, the more you receive. And once we have met that goal, we can move onto our next round of fundraising.

For more information on “Hacker Ethic” and to make a contribution, please go to the following link. Once there, be sure to click on the “Contribute Now” icon:
http://www.indiegogo.com/project/view/646

Thank you very much for your support,
Amy

Hi Pals,

Catch me on PBS’ NOW with David Brancaccio. I was interviewed as a permalancer who gets benefits via the Freelancers Union which I recommend to any of out there not covered.

Thanks,
Amy

Hi People,

Before I begin, first I’d like to say: Thanks for reading. I’ve been out of touch since October of last year as life-thing after life-thing occurred and well, you know the drill. Bloggies tended to get less frequent as I withdrew into hibernation to finish the film. However, in the spirit of holiday warm and fuzzies, I posted a video that represents a small percentage of my time away (I’ll cut a new trailer for the film and that will represent the remainder ;).

1). Good News though: I DO have a substantial cut of NO Cross, NO Crown accomplished. I know to some of you that may seem like no big whoop– it has been a while after all. I urge you to keep in mind it’s a one-girl band who has had some loss, lows and let downs. But just know that I always stop to be grateful for the good things and charging to the finish line with this documentary is indeed a good thing. Special thanks to Scott Rosann for his repeated feedback (I wasn’t an editor when I started this project…) and to everyone else who suffered through rough cuts.

2). I switched from Associate Producing Smith Barney Television to Producing for the Merrill Lynch Video Network. In an effort to assure you that my employment situation as I edit the film is not totally void, just know that I scripted and directed with 3D animator and digital artiste Chiam Bianco.

3). Last but not least, I moved to Monster Island, NY which was as exhausting as it was extensive (I was in my last apartment for seven years). Now I live in the southern-most county of the state (of all the counties, I suppose I should be the southern-most). Who knew I would love it so much. Acquainted so well with roommates and pesky neighbors, I thought I’d miss the lot. It’s been five months and I can’t fathom living like that ever again. It’s nice to wash my hands of all the bad experiences and exposures in the old place while basking in only the sweet memories of the good ole days (Come on. Who really liked their twenties?). Here’s a view from my little nest on top of a hill overlooking the bay into what is now MY forgotten borough. Bye Brooklyn. Perhaps I’ll inhabit you again one day.

Thanks pals,
Amy

Depending on your caffeine (black tea) or anti-oxidant (green tea) needs, throw 5 tea bags into a pitcher (I’m a fan of the 3 black/2 green ratio).

Bring about 5-6 cups of water to a boil and pour it into the pitcher. It should fill about a fourth of the pitcher. Let it sit. Add desired amount of sugar now so it will dissolve.

In about 15 minutes when the tea has brewed, fill the rest of the pitcher with water. Pour over ice immediately or chill for later.

ICED TEA:
cost if made at home
$0.15/pitcher

cost if purchased at a fancy coffee joint
$2.50/serving

Ok. I’m so excited to tell you guys that my little short film “Corporate Whore” is a finalist in the 2007 SXSWclick! Festival. “Corporate Whore” is one of 15 finalists in the festival, and one of three finalists in the “Animate It” category. I’d love it if you guys would vote for it, and as cool as it would be to win—get this: the prize is a new computer! And since I really super duper need one finish off my feature film after what happened last year… well…. you get it. ;D

So please, take a moment. Send it to all your friends. Especially the ones that work in offices because I’m sure they can relate. Vote for “Corporate Whore”!

View “Corporate Whore”.

Vote for “Corporate Whore” in the Popularity Contest.

FYI Stuff…

If you wanted to read the blog on how I made it:
http://scribbles.dinomonster.com/2007/04/24/no-longer-a-corporate-whore

SXSWclick! year-round initiative created to showcase short-form storytelling via mobile devices and the web presented by South by Southwest (SXSW) Conferences & Festivals.

You can vote once daily until midnight on Friday, July 27th. Jury winners in each of the five categories, including the Grand Jury Prize winner, will be announced August 1st.

“Corporate Whore” is a stop-motion animated short film that tells the story of a female professional. Strictly crafted with elements found in an office setting such as PowerPoint slides, photo copies and fluorescent lighting, this film is perfect for when you’re feeling penciled in.

I had a job as the Associate Producer at a corporation’s private television station. I resisted going there from my quaint little small production company job. But it turned out great. I had benefits that allowed for my wisdom teeth to come out, my transit costs taken out of my pay BEFORE it was taxed, and even a discount on my cell phone bill. Further, and most importantly, it, in so many ways, facilitated my ambitions.

But now I don’t have that job. And in honor of it and a couple of corporate jobs before it, I finally present to you my short film, Corporate Whore (TRT – 0:01:05m).

The story of this short is this: In 2003, I was working for a Re-Insurance company (you read it right- an insurance company that insured insurance companies. I know. Apparently this is legal and makes lots and lots of money). The environment there was hostile, racist, sexist and difficult– but instead of hating it, I thrived on it and creatively, came up with a poem/story of the Corporate Whore.

I knew there was a character there. First she was within a feature script I wrote. Then she was in a TV show I had kicking around… Then she kind of resurfaced in another different feature script I finished, Tuesday, and there she remains embodied. But at the end of the day, I still at least just wanted to make this stop-animated angsty film-school type piece of this female professional.

Just about every aspect of this animation came together thanks to a traditional corporate office element or situation.

What I did was use PowerPoint to generate the words and art. I chose free, cheesie, abstract clip-art of a professional looking woman and for each line of the poem, I modified each slide so that the girl kind of… came undone via a missing tile, change in color or deleted body part. The number of steps the clip-art took to progress into nothing dictated how many verses of the Corproate Whore “poem” would be used. Besides, I did not want to edit more than 1 minute worth of stuff anyway.

When I compiled the slides I printed them out in color. I then Xeroxed my face and made lots of copies. I cut little, appropriate “white-outs” that covered the words so that when I ran the b&w copy of my face onto the color slides that resulted in the background you see in the film.

For example, instead of being fancy and using Photoshop, I used a common office product like PowerPoint. That’s how I implemented cutting & pasting, printing things, making copies, etc. to make up the short. Besides, my background was making zines in the 90s. This was really my native format.

Then I lit it with a fluorescent light (as in an office). I got extra office supplies and props, then set up the shoot with my kick ass little Sony PC330. Despite my camera acting up a bit due to dirty tape heads (I think), I eventually digitized what I needed. The completed short was about 95% animations with a couple of effects, speed changes, and regular video.

You see, I didn’t start out with an elaborate vision of how to compile this thing, just an over-arching idea; then I let it un-fold depending on what was available from poking around work, playing with software, or hanging out at home. I think that the broken glass was from a picture frame that I kept laying around for this months later.

I needed music. Only a few things would work for the specific feel I was going for. It just so happened that I got some discs to review for my feature documentary and one musician had already stood out as being a possibility. Matthew Golombisky. Bingo. He not only had the PERFECT score on his sound resume, but he is super cool enough to let me use it!

Please note that 3 years had passed when I finally shot it, then another year before I present it to you here.

So check it out, my homage to corporate culture, Corporate Whore.in QuickTime on my website. Or if you want, check it out on MySpace or YouTube.

Also newly posted are the following projects:
Rex: An Intimate Portrait (or check it on MySpace and YouTube)

Electronic Devices: Part I on MySpace and YouTube
Electronic Devices: Part II on MySpace and YouTube
(I broke this one up into parts because it was more than 10 min total. We shot this in 2002.)