Dogpatch Press

Fluff Pieces Every Week

Animated Dawgtown news, cool pandas and creepy clowns. Furry Newsdump (10-22-14)

by Patch O'Furr

Here’s links, headlines and little bites of news to make your tail wag.  Story tips are always welcome.

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Movies and video

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maxNew updates from Dawgtown, animated movie featuring sympathetic fighting dogs.

It’s an ambitious, traditionally hand-drawn animated drama about captive dogs fighting for freedom.  It has voice acting by George Foreman, and the indie spirit of a Ralph Bakshi movie.  The  director was super cool about providing a great interview to this blog.  Storyboard progress is just posted, and he reports Getting close to half the film (40 min) complete.”  The new scene shows Max, the hero, lost on the dangerous streets of New York City.  

See a rough animatic of Dawgtown storyboards in motion. 

Here’s the next fursuit music video you were expecting.  NOA NEAL – FULL MOON PARTY.

Call it a modest trend. Here’s a “sexy video full of crazy Cosplayers, playful cheerleaders and a band of exuberant dancers.” It’s from Noa Neal, a Dutch-born, Belgian pop singer since 2003.  In 2009 she had a career boost from a talent show.  Since 2012, she’s known for presenting kid’s content on Euro TV.  In 2013 she moved to the US to write and record with a producer associated with Katy Perry, Carly Rae Jepsen & Miley Cyrus.  Her new single was recorded in London and produced in Finland.  It might not be an Ylvis-style novelty hit, (let’s hope fursuiters don’t have to hear another song yelled at them), but it’s fluffy, harmless fun.

 

noa

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Five pro photographers advancing the art of furry documentary.

by Patch O'Furr

Fursuit portraiture is getting ambitious.  It’s more than an inward-focused service just to make con-goers happy.  It’s starting to be treated as documentary art to publish and put in galleries.

These photographers often give special focus to fursuiters, a sub-section of this subculture.  Furry is about more than costumes, but it makes sense to emphasize their unique, non-replaceable fuzzy glamor.  News media puts them in front of every furry story because it answers a “show, don’t tell” challenge.

The photo subjects come with fixed expressions, designed by their makers.  Performance brings them to life.  It’s a challenge to avoid stageyness in flat images of a tactile experience.  The best photographers do it by putting something personal in the relationship – a signature approach.

Fursuit-makers don’t require outside notice to be cool.  But this work isn’t “ogling”, it’s inspired from within. It’s win-win for both sides.

Here’s five photographers earning notice for their Furry documentary art. Update: added a sixth at bottom. (This is a nonprofit blog only sharing to promote artists- send questions here.)

Ron Lussier

AeroShep

Project- “Further Confessions.”  Gallery show opens in San Francisco On November 7, 2014.

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Creators of furry fetish party “Wild Things” explain “human sized cat box”.

by Patch O'Furr

citadelLet’s be clear:  Furry is an art and fiction thing, not a sex thing.  It’s always been a sensitive topic.  In the earliest days of organized furry conventions, many felt that they were derailed by advertising in bad places.  Media exploitation and nasty “hit pieces” deepened resentments. Without forgetting this background, sex is a topic that can’t be dismissed.

Adult activity is one optional ingredient in a wide open collection of interests.  Some furries prefer clean activity only.  Some prefer adult.  Many express both interests as part of life, in the right times and places.

Such personal interests don’t represent everyone, but they have value.  Adult activities pushed limits to open new freedoms and rights.  They’ve led advances that built the internet and alternative communities.

In San Francisco, some furry fans recognized a demand for adult-friendly space.  An opportunity was caused by overflowing crowds at night life events, that don’t host adult activities. More opportunity came from an invite to join forces with a venue that does.  The Citadel is a BDSM “dungeon” club, with a supportive community of 1000+ members.  It invites other communities including leather and petplay together for this event.

These sparks grew into the first “Wild Things” party, scheduled for November 8, 2014.

Private parties happen among friends – but as far as I know, there’s never been a bold open-invite event promoted like this.  The San Francisco Bay Area has a huge population of geeks and sex-positive subculture, making it more likely to work here than anywhere else.  It’s caused attention and rumors among furries, bystanders and others.  I reached out to “Wild Things” organizer Catarina to get the real scoop.

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Biebsuits, fursuits and videos. Furry Newsdump (10-15-14)

by Patch O'Furr

Here’s links, headlines and little bites of news to make your tail wag.  Story tips are always welcome.

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Around Furry Fandom

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Fursuit auction reaches $8,025.

The “Lavender Corgi” is meant to resemble singer Justin Bieber.  At the price, the buyer could have bought a complete boy band.  Too bad they didn’t have enough to get the real singer skinned and sewn into a Biebsuit.  (For the ultimate fan!)  There’s an idea for a trashy horror comedy movie- call it “Fursploitation?”

My son is “furry”–got a problem with that?

A blogger writes a lovely piece about her son.  In the followup, she’s happy that it’s her most popular article.

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Creators of a furry fetish party dare to be “Wild Things” (NSFW content)

by Patch O'Furr

fritz-the-catWild Things:  at San Francisco’s Citadel club – November 8, 2014 (18+)

Artists and dealers are invited to show and sell your wares.
Info: (Ask me – patch.ofurr at gmail.)

I apologize in advance for humping your leg. It’s that exciting to share news about a unique, gutsy, sexy, creative, WTF happening for consenting adult friends. But first, have a soft intro.

Is furry a “sex thing?” It’s the #1 topic that furries love to hate.  Some call it a myth spread by media exploitation.  But the internet is bursting with self-generated erotica.  Reddit’s r/yiff community has more subscribers than r/furry.  The media doesn’t have enough imagination to be that dirty.

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Denver’s Fox Trot Club – Q&A for “The Furclub Survey”, from organizer Kelar.

by Patch O'Furr

Furclubbing:  “A repeat/regular nightclub event by furries for furries.”  It’s a New Thing that’s been spreading since the late 2000’s.

This kind of dance party is independent from cons.  This builds on the growth of cons, and takes things farther.  It’s more established than events that happen once, house parties or informal meets.  Those can be inner-focused, or gather cliquish friends to only seek each other.   This brings partnership with venues that aren’t hotels, and supportive interest in the kind of events they host and promote.  It crosses a line to public space.  A stranger may walk in off the street to discover their new favorite thing.  It encourages new blood and crossover to other scenes.

See the list of parties at The Furclub survey.  Anyone that gives a Q&A will get their own article.  Kelar tells you more…

Fox Trot Club in Denver, CO (2011 – now)  5989342254_b9fa9e3ac0_m

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The Furclub Survey: introducing the world’s independent Furry dance parties.

by Patch O'Furr

From Howl Toronto.

Howl Toronto.

Furclubbing:   “A repeat/regular nightclub event by furries for furries.”  The concept has been spreading since the late 2000’s.  This kind of dance party is independent from conventions. It builds on their growth but takes things farther.  It’s more established than informal meets or events that happen once.  Those can stay inner-focused for friends who already know each other, but these events bring partnership with new venues that support and host furries. They’re a gateway to the public, so a stranger may walk in off the street and discover their new favorite thing.  It encourages new blood and crossover. It makes a subculture thrive.  There are connections to DJ and rave scenes.  But this is its own unique movement!

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The Survey Questions

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Any party that responds will get their own featured article! (Check back for new responses linked with party names below.)  

Do you know any others?  Please share these questions to them, and send responses or tips to patch.ofurr@gmail.com.

Casual answers are fine (they will get partnership to create and boost an article). Please include graphics, pics or vids. What can you tell the fandom about these?

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“Further Confessions” photo project puts fursuiting in an art gallery, and does FUN right.

by Patch O'Furr

keagos / further confusion 2014

“Further Confessions” gallery opening

Canessa Gallery in San Francisco.  November 7, at 7PM – 708 Montgomery Street.

Portraiture of fursuiters can be tough to pull off with as much energy as in person.  That’s why I love promoting “Street Fursuiting,” and candid photos of it.

Fursuiting appeals when it engages viewers to interact.  It’s animated and tactile.  Staging their play can dull that down.  Less-successful efforts can look like a diorama of stuffed toys. Cartoony suit design may not blend with surroundings, turning long views into eye-straining barf.

But no matter how they’re executed, they make memories with meaning to those who were there.  If you’re furry, you get it. Art for the uninitiated is just a different purpose.

Ron Lussier’s “Further Confessions project overcomes the “stageyness” barrier in a compelling way.  He juxtaposes portraits with personality expressed in hand-written statements.  They reach through the frame, and greet you as personally as a hug.  This stuff does FUN right.  I have to say it’s the best fursuiter portraiture I’ve seen, and I think it’s an honor to have Furries featured this way in an art gallery.

Fursuiters are invited to the opening!

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Philly’s “Unleashed” joins a New Thing of independent Furry dance parties. Call it- “Furclubbing?”

by Patch O'Furr

There’s a New Thing happening in lots of places. (And it doesn’t have to do with baby seals. Yikes!)unleashed

This is how it starts.  Furry social life thrives when friends get together informally – like this 2009 meet in Ottawa.  Ahh… I want to go here!

 Frolic, the original Furry dance party, is a model.  (Check this interview if you don’t know it.)  Frolic founder Neonbunny says:

I think society in general, especially when we have the internet and different ways of finding very specific niche culture- I think subcultures are taking off. People like to party, socialize, and be around each other – and use the internet to find new ways to get together and be together in person, not just on the internet.  The internet makes us feel a little isolated, and we try to balance that by going to these crowded events… It’s changed in the last 10-20 years, and more and more people are seeking these crowds rather than getting away from it all.  It’s why countercultures are thriving. It’s about events. Whether it’s a Furry convention, or Frolic, or other get togethers, it’s about events.

“Furclubbing” is the New Thing that I see becoming a trend since the late 2000’s.  It’s been spreading by furries influencing others to start formal events independent from cons.  This builds on the growth of cons, and takes things farther.

Neonbunny defines it as:  “A repeat/regular nightclub event by furries for furries. There’s probably a half dozen events. Then there’s probably been a couple hundred one off furry events done in a bar or other legal (non house) venue.”  As Howl Toronto puts it:  Con dances happen once a year, and “that’s just not enough to fill the need!”

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Historian and editor, Fred Patten, invites writers for “Furry Future” anthology.

by Patch O'Furr

Writers: check out this announcement from Fred Patten.  He’s “one of the main founders of the furry fandom”.  Between his fiction book editing, column writing for Cartoon Research, and Flayrah submissions, he took a minute to pass me a much appreciated note.  

Dear Patch;

The Furry Future is an original-fiction anthology that I am editing for FurPlanet Productions.  Here’s the open invitation for submissions that I sent out:

FurPlanet Publications has just opened The Furry Future, edited by Fred Patten, its forthcoming original-short story anthology for Further Confusion 2015.   This will go on sale on January 15, 2015, so our deadline to accept proposed submissions is November 1, 2014, with the deadline for finished stories of December 1. Our goal is a book of 120,000 to 150,000 words, with from ten to fourteen stories by different authors.

We would like to invite all FWG members to submit a story to this anthology.   Since both our What Happens Next and Five Fortunes have featured sequels to their authors’ previous stories, we would like this book to present original scenarios.   No sequels.   Show us what ideas you have for something new, with a strong furry theme.

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