Dogpatch Press

Fluff Pieces Every Week

Month: August, 2014

August 31, 2014

The news is full of fursuiters and animation: Furry news dump (8-31-14)

by Patch O'Furr

Here’s some news curated from a Furry view.  Enjoy a big sloppy bowl of news bites, scoops, and Snausage links.  Tips welcome- I’d love to post yours!

brony2

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Media attention is very active recently…

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– Fursuiter in San Francisco magazine. 

This feature page about bronies has local furry “Quinnton Fox” in pony suit.

– Bronies in San Francisco’s The Bold Italic.  

A photo project documents Bronies, and what being one means.

– Wall Street Journal’s furry Photo of the Day.

A police officer halts traffic as delegates arrive to Eurofurence in Berlin.

– Meetup.com’s Furry group made the cover of San Diego Reader.

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August 31, 2014

USAGI YOJIMBO gets a successful pitch for a feature film

by Patch O'Furr

The indie comic by Furry favorite artist Stan Sakai is a “funny animal series set in 17th century feudal Japan”. The rabbit samurai has never appeared in animation, except for brief appearance in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles TV cartoon. (A TV show pilot from 1995, Space Usagi, never aired because of lack of toy company backing and bad business involving the Bucky O-Hare comic; “anything with a rabbit in space was considered off limits”.)

Now, Usagi is in a short film that was made to present to Stan Sakai, the TMNT-affiliated creator who’s been guest of honor at a number of Furry cons. It earned his approval for feature film rights.

… And it’s intended to be stop-motion animation!

Lintika Film Studio made the pitch video.  They’re a shoestring-budget collaboration of local San Francisco Bay Area animators.  Executive production is from Fon Davis. Fon gave me a tour of his local studio (Fonco), and showed me the original, iconic spiral hill from Nightmare Before Christmas that he animated.  He’s an incredibly generous supporter of indie productions, known for hosting panels at San Diego Comic Con.  Lead animator on the pitch is Justin Kohn, known for working on all of Henry Selick’s features and supporting the Bay Area animation community.

The short’s director from Lintika says:

It’s still a work-in-progress and about 90% complete. We’re currently working on the sound mix and refining the film for the DVD release which will include behind-the-scenes footage, interviews, deleted scenes, and interesting details regarding the making of the featurette.

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August 24, 2014

The most furry place in the universe? San Francisco’s Frolic party – interview with Neonbunny

by Patch O'Furr

Coming soon -one a week posting this month:

A four part interview with Neonbunny, founding DJ and promoter of Frolic.

 

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For many furries in the world, the San Francisco Bay Area is the place to be.  For many in the Bay, Frolic is THE most furry place.  It’s not the only center, but it’s an influential one. It’s not just the best Furry party… I’d call it the best party San Francisco has, period.

Check out Frolic’s website, or come every second Saturday of the month.  Wear anything, but expect costumes too fabulous for words. The Bold Italic magazine said: this is some next level shit.

FrolicFlierSince it started in 2010, Frolic has inspired club nights to spring up across the USA – a subculture movement.  Every month, it brings dedicated supporters who travel from hours away. It attracts out-of-towner friends, who show up as superstar of the night for regulars who appreciate them back the same way.

It makes a ripple in local culture in general, attracting a section of curiosity seekers who want to see what furries are. Occasionally, drunk bachelorettes roll up in a limo to annoy tolerant regulars with too many selfies. Often, the party is a gateway for newcomers who come back in freshly sewn fur. (Like me!)

It’s become a local monthly mini-con, and branched out to do a once-a-year special club night, coinciding with January’s Further Confusion con, 45 minutes south in San Jose. There’s also a once-a-year outdoor free festival in the park, “Furries in the Wild,” across the bay in Oakland.

Other parties seem tepid after Frolic.  It tops them with more hugs (even between dogs and cats) and a positively-freaky, are-those-costumes-or-am-I-hallucinating? vibe found nowhere else.

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August 22, 2014

A once-a-decade publishing event: “Mordrude’s Monster Manual”, for fursuit builders.

by Patch O'Furr

Enjoy a visit to Mordrude's gallery of suits - I'm quite partial to Totes McGoat!

Enjoy Mordrude’s suit gallery – I’m partial to Totes McGoat!

For many years, there’s only been one Fursuit-making book in formal printed form fit for a reference shelf. That’s Critter Costuming, by Adam “Nicodemus” Riggs. Since it came out in 2004, the art has really raised it’s bar. (I can’t believe how appealing all the fluffballs at the cons are!)

Flayrah shared reviews of Critter Costuming here. It was considered basic (though very usable), and suitable for an update. I’ve actually asked around about funding a new edition; Nicodemus is warm to it, but says he lacks time. It’s a usual reason that niche interests don’t easily sustain themselves… the book has modest demand, but couldn’t repay much investment. Making any such book is a labor of love.

Now, Furstarter reports a new costume-making book is up for crowdfunding – “Mordrude’s Monster Manual”.

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August 21, 2014

Flock of furries in photo book – News of the week (8-21-14)

by Patch O'Furr

In this week’s news and links:
Anthrocon in photo book. Fursuiters in show for Gay Life TV, and French movie “Babysitting”. New con announcements.
And more… Tips welcome- I’d love to post yours!
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Courtesy Arthur Drooker / Coolhunting.com

Courtesy Arthur Drooker / Coolhunting.com

– Photography: “Conventional Wisdom” at Anthrocon

Flocks, pods of whales, conventions of humans… Arthur Drooker seeks unusual human behavior for his photo book. Design and documentary publisher, Coolhunting, posted his report from Anthrocon in July. Here’s the kind of conventions he’s covered, linked on his website : Furries, Santas, Clowns, Reenactors, Bronies, Ventriloquists, Taxidermists, and Lincolns. At a talk in May (at 1:38:00) Drooker described sensitivity of the Clown community to their images in pop culture (like in slasher movies.) Sound familiar?

– Meet the Furries of Rocky Mountain FurCon 2014

The Denver Westword was “the first magazine or newspaper worldwide to employ a medical marijuana critic.” Their staff emerged from the haze to get a slideshow of this con’s fursuiters.

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– French movie: “Babysitting” puts fursuiters on big screens

Commenting on my article about furries gaining respect in movies, Vector tells us:  Fursuiters are in party scenes of the movie “Babysitting”, a comedy that was popular in France, with good reviews and prizes.  It’s released on DVD this week in France. Here’s fursuiter photos from the movie premiere.

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August 16, 2014

Is this the year furries gain respect?

by Patch O'Furr

Furry wrestler pic courtesy of JCs Fluffytail

Furry wrestler pic courtesy of JCs Fluffytail

Pro wrestling is fake! Anyone with “good taste” sneers at it, right? But if wrestling is fake fighting, they do real falling. That’s tough performance. As Roger Ebert said, the sport isn’t real, but the activity is.

“The Wrestler”, 2008 movie directed by Darren Aronofsky, impressed me more than 99% of movies I’ve ever seen. It earned about as much love from pro movie critics. It impressed me by showing the humanity of a despised “bad taste” subject. It wiped sneers off faces and put a headlock on your heart. (Ha.)

Low culture

I love furries the same way. Wrestling doesn’t get much respect, and neither do they. But some “Low culture” thrives when it’s disregarded by the mainstream. Freedom comes with insulation from notice. Wikipedia names: “escapist fiction, kitsch, slapstick, camp, toilet humor, yellow journalism, pornography, and exploitation films”. Comics used to be considered trash. Add wrestling, and Furry.

I’d love to see furries treated as worthy characters for a movie that’s even remotely as well done as The Wrestler. Is this the year it’s starting to happen? Are furries getting more respect… at least as a niche demographic for movies?

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August 13, 2014

“Hugs are the handshake of furries” – Artists explore cultural meaning of touch.

by Patch O'Furr

NBC just posted a six minute video from Anthrocon, where the reporter notes: “hugs are the handshake of furries.”

Movie director Frauke Finsterwald has thoughts about the cultural meaning of touch, and how it brings furries together. She directed the German movie FINSTERWORLD that has fursuiting in it, and is nominated for an Oscar. Here’s a translation sent by @MiekoHeide:

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August 11, 2014

Update on DAWGTOWN, 2D animated feature film in production

by Patch O'Furr

DAWGTOWN is a rare breed in indie movies: a hand-drawn, 2D animated project – with as much promising talent as ambition backing it.

Director Justin Murphy gave me an interview about it’s use of anthropomorphic animals, and voices by George Foreman. (Part one, part two.)

Since then, DAWGTOWN has shared a new website, and spirited character designs for Athena (love interest of movie protagonist Max, a pit bull forced to fight for freedom in the cruel dog-fighting underground.)

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August 10, 2014

Fursuiting movie confirmed for oscar nomination – SF Furry Film Fest news

by Patch O'Furr

FINSTERWORLD crossed my radar several days ago. (See my enthusiastic review to learn about fursuiting in the movie.) Their official news confirms it as German nominee for best foreign film at the Oscars.

This is making me excited to propose a Furry Film Festival! MORE COMMENTS WANTED.

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August 8, 2014

The San Francisco Furry Film Festival

by Patch O'Furr

… only exists in my imagination. BOO…

BUT WAIT. This isn’t so far-fetched. Many festivals thrive on weirdly specific subjects. I submit:
The Internet Cat Video Festival, the International Moustache Film Festival, and 9 more of “the world’s weirdest.”

The idea perks up my ears. Now, I say with love, many furries will watch ANYTHING with furries in it… no matter how bad. There’s no harm in that! I love me some bad low budget movies. (By reputation, we could name Alpha and Omega.) Lovingly compiled programming dedicated to furries seems likely to attract a core audience. And for curiosity and weirdness sake, probably nerdy movie lovers too.

Start with fantasy programming. Obviously, screening rights to many fan favorites aren’t even in the same world as us. Disney would sooner let random furries screen the X-rated Mickey Mouse cartoon (that I just totally made up), before letting them charge admission to the Lion King. But after making a fantasy list, actual choices would be left for a practical, lets-do-this film festival, with deliciously one-of-a-kind flavor.

Imaginary programs (AND WHAT CAN YOU ADD?)

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