The Diary of a Freelancer: What can be white and black and paper all over?

List. We live by 'em. Things to be done. Things to buy. Like that dickhead dressed in the latest metro look-at-my-nipples-when-I-stand-by-the-frozen-section fashion in a supermarket reading his grocery list off an iPad. Great. But the list that is most important... well the kind that ensure you remember what's good for you and what's bad for you. You will come across certain companies and individuals that mean you no good. Matter of fact, they mean you every bit of harm.

They belong on the Blacklist. Of course, racially sensitive words are not my thing *kaffkaffonlyrizMCEnglishDefenseLeagueandeveryPoliticianinBritainkaffkaff*. So these companies belong on the Shitlist. It's ugly covered in blood and spilled milk and Chips Ahoy cookie crumbs.

The Waterlist, or the pure list, which always happens to be quite short, are certain caliber people you would go to war for without question.These, I regard, as comrades. 2 people are definitely on this list.


Then my friends there is the infamous Greylist. The Greylist is a bit funny. You don't particularly like how said company or people treat you, but you kinda want to see the end of the tunnel. Or simply the work relationship is too much in its embryonic stage to make any judgements. My Greylist is huge.

It's Christmas Eve. Need some creeper liquors in me and see if that will better my Black Ops dominion. Sweet. Merry Christmas dudes and dudettes. I'll be praying for some of you. Others I'll make a footnote comment after the 'Amen'. The rest I'll hurl your name out in disgust. Like vomit. I kid.

Sum up,
Peace on earth, good will to all decent men. Ho, ho ho, have you seen my naughty list?

Smile for London II.

More Vimeo goodies I churned out for the Smile for London Competition. Do watch and vote. Keep hope alive and all that.


Interview Day from Dulani Wilson on Vimeo.


Relax from Dulani Wilson on Vimeo.

Sum up,
What the f**king hell is wrong with me!? Excuse my French.

Smile for London.

We are in grave times. Flobots No Handlebars is the soundtrack. The news is the film. Harbinger becomes prophesy- My story was set in 2012, so stay tuned.

Pigs trampled by the very beasts they ride. Pushing women to the ground with no reservation. Politicians ignoring the young proletariats. Our Prime Sinisters jacking off over our futures. Politricks. Poor weather. So I think London should chill for a bit, keep the peace amongst the 99%. And later in 2011, take it to the 1%. On behalf of the proletariat, I apologise for the Bentley. Just hope that none of our tax money went into maintaining your luxury. So smile people, because my own brand of propaganda could potentially be up in the underground and beamed into your subconscious. Vote for me in the competition- Smile for London. We got to learn to smile and relax now and again. Not sure if a 20 sec. animation will do all that but I took a dirty bloody stab at it anyway. This is one of 5. The rest are pending, and I'll post 'em when they are approved:



Be Awesome from Dulani Wilson on Vimeo.

The group on Vimeo is here, look at my competition:

Smile for London Vimeo Page

Til then, I'm out

Sum up,
Trampled by own horse: absolute FAIL (The title of my upcoming Autobiography).

The Palpitations "Look What You Started"

Got asked to do story art for the Palpitations via Aaron Lee-Singer (dude who produced the short Conversationing) and director Pietro. Managed to get it completed, no thanks to being plagued by ailment and visits to Incompetent Central *kaff kaff*. I meant Chase Farm Hospital. The track is Look What You Started. Go to Myspace and check em out:

The Palpitations Myspace Page 

Yeah dude(ttes), even sick I am pushing through. Plus I'm a fan of working for independents. Music has truly become a dead art form. Name anyone alive and relevant today that has the same influence as say... Bob Marley?

Have a look at on of the boards:

Got somethings still doing and cocooning. Reason I'm keeping a vow of silence, not necessarily 'cause its jinxy, but I have to complete a number of stuff by December before I take on the big stuff. Till then...

Sum up,

Anti-depressants, asthma pump, new-age medicine... Make up your minds you dumb chicken-heads.

Say A Prayer. And let your career sing me a dirge.

Remember this guy I was talking about in this blog:

And remember the boards I rendered:

Now see the vid. Dir. by Brian Taylor. Big things are happening:



Sum up,
Enjoy

I hope this is just a 1 week burnout.

Rollercoaster the past couple o' weeks. Been out of commission since Sunday but slowly recovering. From what I couldn't tell you. I never usually get sick, but when I do, oh boy do I excel. Left the doctors so baffled they asked if I took any drugs... twice. Stupid D**e. Class A drugs are for chavs.

Before burning out, was working on some green screen footage. Dudes and dudettes, before parading in front of a green screen, at least plan whats gonna be happening behind you when the green disappears. But I'm such a nice guy. Really, I am. So I just need to get the proper footage  so I can export it...still recovering though, so it may take a while.

Started working on Hooked on You again. Club background. At the bar. Bottoms up. And some suprising developments could have a short script being developed. And I found 20p on the bus. Hm. Things slowly looking up.

Sum up,
The Hulk without the green and muscle is just a manic depressive. Relax.

Article on the Dirtback *Essential Read*

 "mm, mm Mommy, Dirtbag guts are the bestest! Wish I could kill one everyday."

Gentle people, creatives etc. Thought this would be a good read. Lengthy but good. Puts the modern creative industry into perspective. My suggestion: bookmark it, and send it to any dirtbag (referred to, in part, as 'hack' in the article) that crosses your path and steps on your toes. My favourite excerpt in reference to crowdsourcing (where they have millions of creatives clawing and scraping for one job or contract, which, in the end pays poorly [the organisation's way of complying with government standards by rebuking unpaid work schemes without actually having to pay much):

"...So, if my math is correct and every one of the 73,000 designers won just one competition a month, each would get $8.22. Sure not every one will win with the four to six entries they must submit to each contest…assignment…act of piracy on the high digital seas…whatever, so some designers will get $16.44 or maybe $32.88 per month? If I lived in Bali…and was stealing someone else’s electricity, I could live well. Well…live..."

Read it here:

Designers, "Hacks" and Professionalism: Are We Our Own Worst Enemy?

It mentions in particular designers, but is quite applicable to all creative fields. If we can identify the problem, we are halfway home to a solution.

Sum up,
Do your homework. Pop quiz is Monday.

Favela my Nuggah (Stinkmeaner nuggah!)

Im back, on the grind once again, dear friends. I had to do some back pedalling, reason being my laptop decided to malfunction on me....couldn't access photoshop or word, pissed. So I played Yahweh and started anew. Backed up most of the tings but I know I erased something I shouldn't. Started drawing frames for the Candy rose vid, and it looks good. This week I'm going in on the deep end. Animatic done as well. It's looking good and I'm up. I'm really up.

Background images are coming along fine as well, doing a favela scene "Thank you C.O.D." Lots of little details for a 4 sec clip. I'm about a third done. Actually did more work before I posted this so its 2/3 done. Behold:

Working and trying to keep busy. my only distraction seems to be me and COD. but I'll be burning the midnight oil.
Let's go.

Sum up,
Frame by frame. Rosetta stone ish. Wish I had access to a background artist.

Candy Rose "Hooked On You" Background Art

Been busy creating background art for the new music vid. for Candy Rose's Hooked On You. Some ways to go but have begun the long excursion:

Did images in photoshop and this will be the look of the background images. Was thinking of just using photos and videos, but though it would fail to give the animated music video an artistic render. More work obviously needs doing. But I'm getting to it. Leechers had to be given the back seat for now. And to think I was all psyched to get to do an unpaid internship.

Sum up,

Getting real tired of certain things,

Imaginary Friends- The Album

This one is short. Scru-Love has an album online out now- Imaginary Friends. If it doesn't slap you into early 90's Nostalgia, then you've truly lost your inner child. 80's synth, 90's flavour, 00's bravado. Good looking! My favourite tracks have to be Colour Television, Suicide Hour and I Like Being With You. But You have to hear it for yourself. Download nation, cursors at the ready!

http://www.mediafire.com/?hh4m5tx02qz9vh7

And check out (stalk) my dude here-

	http://www.stickam.com/scrulove http://www.twitter.com/scrulove http://www.scru-love.tumblr.com
	http://www.facebook.com/scrulove

It's time people started supporting the independent movement. I'd rather listen to something new than these mainstream commercial whores that pass as musicians nowadays. I should know cause I've done work for some of them in one capacity or the other.  If your campaign strongest point isn't music but a gimmick like Auto-tune, you don't deserve any respect. Support real music, Support Scru-Love!

On the other hand, starting preproduction on Candy's last of a trilogy music video Hooked On You, so feeling the pressure already, will put up couple boards/animatic up as soon as. Psyched cause im bringing out the lightbox and paper for this one.

Sum up,

There's an indie vibe in the air!

Hindsight. Foresight into the mind state of the British director

Here is some artwork I've been rendering for some short film, bit of a dirtbag grind. That's why you all get to see a sample, before they do. Cause I'm good like that.
All the stuff you see was done in the photoshop, holy grail of digital art, and the trusty old graphic tablet. Practically paid for itself with the story art I did for the Reece music video.

I sketched images first, scanned up and get the working:

And another:

15 images. Tad much for a short film. But I am taking it all with a grain of salt. Sorry just really short with individuals that like to waste the god's time without following film decalogue. But you know me... I get's it in- hard. Also beginning the animation music video for Candy Rose. It's the last of the trilogy she had going. Just need to finish these sketches and artwork so I can focus on the vid.

Sum up,
Go hard or fade away into nothing, and get the gun app for the iphone. The shotgun- cock it and call Cameron to get his attention.

The Diary of a Freelancer: Networking

Socialites. Sycophants. The art of ass-sucking. Planet of the Apes; "Bow your head!". Frankly its not all that bad. 1 out of 20 people you meet at these film shindigs end up being comrades in this the art race. Clever penny.

So stick out, go to the numerous festivals, screenings and film fundraisers. Mingle with the social fiends who look on you poorly until they hear you are a story artist/ animator:

"What's that?"

"It's art used in film production. It looks like a comic strip, but it breaks down the scenes to be filmed into panels"

"Really, that must be fun"

And to think I didn't exist in there sphere of being 10 seconds ago.

Tools of the trade: business cards. You are a lone ninja. Your business cards are your stars, kunai knives. Impale as many as you can. Don't expect calls back from everyone. Remember dirtbags and pseudo gatekeepers and pseudo-creatives? They are like moths to light when it comes to these networking events. Anywhere where there is booze really.

Remember to smile alot. Be sociable. Smile. And yes, liquor does help. That's a plus. Down side..liquor loosens the tongue. Know your limit people. Had a conversation with a chick at a screening once and she was under the bronze influence and she said she thanked God for colonisation because if it werent for Britain she would be in her home country 'bare foot and pregnant'.... Yah. Good stuff.

But after partaking the cheap liquor, stale finger food, insidious film premises, be blessed if you have found one dude or dudette who is serious about building bridges. Connections as such are great stuff. Those that are viable, you got to work hard to make it work. Better yet, just do work diligently like you always do.

 And thanks to the modern wonders of technology, we can network in different ways. This blog for instance. Facebook (where friends become strangers) and Twitter (where strangers become friends). Just hit a friend up and tell him what's good. Self-promotion. That's what I've been doing these past months. And when you make a connection you never know when its going to benefit you, but it will. If it doesnt, it's not a connection, its a leeching.

Sum up,
There should be as much time, if not more, spent Building Bridges as you spend Burning Bridges.

Naira

Teaching her German commands to seach and destroy. Squeaky pig placed no resistance. Go for the throat. Go for the throat. Nah, jus playing. The bitch is here, and already making a mess. Kinda like a babe. And you have to watch her cause she has white fur. Philip named her Naira. It's Japanese. We kinda didn't want to go in the direction of naming it 'Snow' or 'Snowy' or some other form of white precipitation. Ah, Racialism. In any case:

Sum up,



And Asians want to be...?

Kleenex Box Design Competition

Hey dudes,

Busy at work, trying to sort my site out. Good news there just a few more pages to design. Good thing about this site that you can add more information without having to alter the over design of the damn thing. But here to do some more work whore-mongering. I entered the Kleenex design campaign they got going, to design the look of the cube....just one idea I sketched, but thinking of entering a few more. Cool thing is the images gives a continuity illusion- ie. the hole where you pul the tissue out, when viewed from the side, it would seem you were pulling the cape of a super hero... etc. You'll get the idea.
But I need votes. Shit loads of 'em. Here's the link, beautiful people:

KLEENEX BOX BLUNTSPEAR DESIGN

Sum Up,

Let you voices be the dry bones that I will build my alter with.

Say a Prayer for Me- music video boards

Thought I'd show you dudes a page or  2 of the boards I've been working on for a music video for this guy:

Yeah, just goes to show I'm not 'hip' on the music scene in these days. And that's all I'll say about that.
Behold:

G'd day

Sum up,

Let's eat.

Sweet-ly... oh poppycock

Showreel throw-away ish. Sweet titles that didn't get used. cant upload the hd stuff so heres the screen shot. Simple, simple stuff. But at least I have story art credit. Get it in. Currently entering the Kleenex competition. Remi told me the Sweet film got into two festivals already. Good Looking.

Sum up,
I think it's that time again.

Boards and Music

Just finished one set of boards for a music video. After I show the director, you'll get a sample. Till then, thought I'd show you some other boards I did for music videos during 'dirtbag' season. Both vids were directed by my boy Remi. Have a looksie:

And the video:





More boards

And video:




Sum Up,

This concludes dirtbag season. Thank you for watching.

Old Friends, We Gather Once Again, In This Holy Place...

To build an alter of ink, paper, pixels and clay mortar mix. It's heiroglyphics for film. Story Art. Drawing as we speak. Once in a while it get's interesting. Storyboarding 3 music videos. And even though I shake my head in shame at the autotune generation, I still admire the creative process of making a video. Plus storyboarding (possibly) a commercial. And people wanting music vid animated (2). And to think the day before yesterday I was twiddling my thumbs, aching to get a harrier airstrike on C.O.D. [Brain]storms a brewing. Ill show you guys a sample as soon as I am done.

Plus sunday is Jerk chicken day! Not really, but catch me at:

Jerk Cookout London

S & J Foods will be there as well. Just look for the most professional stall there is. Last time the sold out and people were still coming.

Get ya belly full on some of that good runaway slave food (Maroons, in Jamaica, while on the run from British slave masters, kept a small pouch of select seasoning on hand so when they slaughtered wild hogs, they could season their meat and cook it. Even runaway slaves couldnt compromise  good taste. That's where jerk seasoning comes from).

Sum up,




What you guys think? Powerful imagery? or something more sinister. the sword and halo, which caught my eye first, could be a reference to :

Sword of Damocles

or as this video suggests:



Either way, he has his head up his ass...Kanye you were never that great. And never will be.

The Diary of a Freelancer: "Dirtbag Doctrine"

"Dirtbag, can't make money, he's stuck in the streets" 

                                                                                  - Vinnie Paz

And this is the problem. A problem I've had to mentally challenge. There's a certain saying, 'lie down with dogs, get up with flees'. So what happens when you go to bed with dirtbags in business, men and women  who don't recognise that your talents extend far beyond their mortal knowledge?

The temptation of dirtbag change may tempt you specially when funds are low, but the key is not to sell yourself short. Ever. Take for example, an average music video. 300 for equipment + DOP, 100 to rent out some crumby club. 50+ for food. 250 for the Director. 100 + for incidentals. 200 for an editor. Get all your slutty, dirtbag friends to throw up liquors and such. so youre spending 1000+. So think about an animated video, a world created solely from blank space, godly molding not only narrative, but characters etc..... for 1200.  A decent price. A monolith amongst a sea of music video banality. So you think one shouldn't complain. Right?

Wrong.
If you can't offer dineros, of course there has to be something viable for both parties involved- deferred payment, a viable partnership for the future etc. But if it's a 'one-night-stand' job, pay homage to the alter of Creativity. Even if it is a token. But if you want me to create a month or 2 worth of work and you come empty-handed and pocketed, not even change to cover my material's cost, or some form of dually-viable agreement, then you're a dirtback.

As hinted, Contracts protect you from such people, so far. You just have to keep your eyes open. But in these hard times, where you have to do some jobs that sometimes pay crumbs or nothing at all, well you may want to give in to giving up the 'Creative' mantle for a quick buck to pay the bills. And that's how the 'dirtbag doctrine' stays alive. You gotta end the cycle of ignorance and greed. Turn a dirtbag down when he comes to you, and set the perimeters that have to be met before any agreement can be met. This took years to build...not for you to just come and leech off the talent. Sorry. And if you get screwed by a dirtbag (twice allbeit) , divorce them like a cheating strumpet.

Tacit complete.

Sum up,

Japanese Akita Inu- Loyalty breeds greatness

Absolutely nothing to do with art. Life...yes. The Japanese Akita Inu is the most loyal dog I've ever read about. You know that story about the dog that met his owner at the station everyday and when the owner died, he came to that station religiously....that was an Akita. If men were as loyal as dogs...well, the world would be filled with soldiers and brothers. They tried to kill them off during World War II, and then tried to breed them out with the German Shepards, so the Akita wouldn't die out totally. At the end there were a few species left. Can get pretty defensive, otherwise indifferent to strangers, you got to train this one when you get him. Closest breed to the wolf in the world. They used to hunt bears for God's sake. Nothing like a wolf...reminds me of this Dead Prez track:




Anyway next friday, we add that Akita to the family fold. Mad sister's idea, but have to say, she (the pup) has already grown on me. Oh, that bitch.

Sum up,
Loyality over all else.

Under the flesh, pass the muscle and blood...

Skeleton. Roughing out lots of key frames and inbetweens for the animation. Kept my head down for a couple of weeks and came back up to see I had sketched out a little over a third of the action. It's the dance that's most tedious. Plus got my Bamboo graphics tablet so I'll be seeing how it fares.

"Behold (not really) and I'll make you a believer".

It's gotten all sinister in here. Feel my steely hate.

Sum up,
Yeah well, still waiting on those headphones. And pancakes with syrup...

And just as I was typing this, got my Sakura pens from Hong Kong delivered to me. Hong Kong, dude! And they delivered in record time. Shape up, people!

Tyger, Tyger Burning Blunts

Throwback moment. At the risk of showing you an ugly piece of my soul that would make you shudder and cringe away from me, got a few poems published in Fire No. 32, received it months a while back.

Only now I took it up. And I realised, a lot of English poems are either thinly veiled sex acts or denotative prose broken into stanzas. Well, the anthology itself is a bit underground, but I guess thats the only way to go really. Who the hell in England would publish them anyways? My name is Dulani, I'm a Jamaican speaking about the Afrikan Diaspora. Now if my name was John Worthington talking about Meadows with reference to William Blake Blossoms and Sylvia Plath's failed suicide attempts, I'd be f***ing famous. Like imitation burberry in Maidstone. Come to think of it, most of my poems were writtien on the train while travelling to university in Maidstone. That is why they are 99.5% depressing. Travelling to hell all willy nilly. Hope the images are clear. Too lazy to scan and crop. Read then leave your comments/curses.

Got some images/sketches from Red Man, keyframes and such. Show you guys tomorrow. Got me a frigging Bamboo Graphics Tablet. About time. About to get into another project, some guys that like great things done in a week so they can enter a festival ... we'll see. Plus ended doing title/credit sequences for Sweet. Remi's finishing that up this week. Plus gearing up for a meeting with the Taylor dude, green light on the mv's. My (Grand) Aunt's here from Florida, and she brought a rahtid mango, big as me bloodfire head. You know you're home sick when eat a mango and close your eyes and have a flashback. England and your inhospitable weather/people. Other than that, I'm not busy.

Plus Inception got the gears turning and I am putting together a script looking at the power of the mind, albeit to forget. And thanks to Cameron's ConDem Party, I am doing it without permits. (extends middle finger to all the politicians [oh, and  read the poem "Politician"]).

Sum up,
"Down Under Lies A Newer Intensity"
"Acronyms Can Rely On Numbers Yielding Myriads- Serious[ly deep]."