May is off to a good start! Last week, 'When Comes the Rain' screened at its seventh festival - the Feedback Animation Festival here in LA. This experience was certainly one of the more unique events I've been to. The festival is a monthly screening series, where they showcase a variety of short films, and then actually have the audience openly share their feedback, sort of like an open mic discussion. Who knew such a format was popular, but apparently it started in Toronto (where they do a weekly series!) and eventually it caught on and made it's way to LA.
I'm always game for a good Q & A, so I was a bit disheartened when I found out no actual filmmakers would be invited to talk, but then also realized it would be awkward if the audience knew the creators were present while they talked about their work, so maybe it wasn't ideal for the established format. Nevertheless, I headed downtown to the LA Live Regal Cinemas for the screening, and sat in the audience, hidden within my own anonymity, ready for any feedback, good or bad.
Luckily, they only had good things to say - enjoying the visual humor and dialogue free story. Mission accomplished, I guess. The ever-cheerful moderator Shepsut Wilson also did an impeccable imitation of the birds' rain dance - so it's not every day you get a live action re-interpretation of your work! I think they post the live footage of each film's discussion, so I'll share that whenever it's available.
Overall, a fun event, and one I would submit to again, in the event I have another film that's worthy of discussion or interpretation. (a 1 min, 44 sec film of a bird doing a rain dance is pretty straightforward and cut and dry, if you ask me)
In other news, some of my original artwork is now on display and for sale at the popular video game store World-8! A lifelong fan of Street Fighter, I spent the last several weeks working on original ink and watercolor renditions of Street Fighter 2's original eight characters, and now they're up for grabs! If you're in the Koreatown area, stop on by and check them out! And maybe buy one (or all 8) and support the arts!
World-8 does a lot of community events like tournaments at local bars and clubs, as well as art shows, so it's exciting to be part of their whole scene! Plus, Street Fighter is pretty much the only video game I actually have extensive knowledge of, so I was happy to be able to contribute something!
On the horizon is one more festival lined up for May, and a few other side projects that are shaping up nicely. More to come!
- Brian