Dogpatch Press

Fluff Pieces Every Week

Furry news of the week: Pseudo-furries past and future (7-28-14)

by Patch O'Furr

It’s the regular feature of news bites, scoops, and Snausage links. Tips welcome- I’d love to post yours!
Only minor stories got my attention this week, so I threw in a few topic starters.
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– Technology’s Rainbow Connection – Silicon Valley’s Embrace of the Gay and Lesbian Community
The NY Times article relates to a general conflict about keeping subculture “weird” vs. inviting mainstream attention. (For example- A sex educator has trouble understanding why people wear costumes to gay pride parades, especially Furries.) Thanks for the shout out, Tristan!

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Furry news of the week: fursuiters in flight (7-18-14)

by Patch O'Furr

San Francisco’s Frolic Party news, Jagermeister’s ads, Fursuiters in flight, Music videos, MONGRELS are guests for Fur Con, and MUCH more…
News bites, scoops, and Snausage links- a regular feature. Tips welcome- I’d love to post yours!
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PetRBRT

– Furries Frolic In San Francisco: Queerty news.

The influential monthly Furry club night, Frolic, has a story on Queerty. (It’s hosted at a historic gay bar, due to their friendliness to subculture.) Next week, July 25, Frolic hosts it’s popular 4th annual special outdoor event for 100-200 attendees, Furries In the Wild.

– Jagermeister’s ads.

The drink named after “master of hunters” got many views for their anthropomorphic ads. Their marketing team has included “one of the organizers for Eurofurence.”

– Fursuit Bungee Jumping in Germany.

Share: “Keenora and a bunch of Euro furs all went bungee jumping, and their pictures were on the news.”

bungee

– Sakurafox Suiting Suggestions 7: Flying and TSA inspection of fursuits

The 7th entry in Sakura Fox’s super helpful series, goes in-depth for anyone who flies with this special cargo. (My less-than-perfect solution of an action packer with bungee cords had problems on this month’s trip to Anthrocon. They changed rules so no bungee cords are allowed, leaving me with a flight to catch and just a roll of cheap tape to protect it. Yikes!)

– Furries in music videos this week.

Weird Al’s “Tacky” has ears and rainbow tail on background actors at 1:40.

In San Francisco, indie rapper MC Crumbsnatcher made the fourth music video in a grossout-humor themed series full of furry performers. (I acted in Husky suit with another actor dressed in a toilet suit- I drank from the bowl and got whacked with a newspaper.) Video production came from a furry-run studio, and DJ Neonbunny of Frolic.

In Toronto, a cast of 90% local fursuiters shot a music video for indie musician Megan Lane. Behind the Scenes: “In the music video, people from the furry community stand in as stunning visual representation for underdogs.” (Shared by Potoroo, music fur and Torfur list mod.)

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Enough squeaker abuse- let’s upgrade fursuit sound effects!

by Patch O'Furr

Who is this amazing snarling werewolf from Anthrocon 2014? He inspired this post… (edit: video down)

This is for barking, growling, purring fursuiters of the future.

If you’ve been to a furry con, you’ve heard the use and abuse of squeakers. They sound hilarious when you first hear them. I sure was charmed when I heard them the first time!

It gets old… fast. Forums joke about charging a fee for every time someone uses a squeaker. But don’t let me trash them wholesale… they’re wonderful in moderation. I love meeting fursuiters who put them in their paws, and don’t “talk” with them, but unexpectedly squeak them on you if you go for a hug.

Voice performing is great, but not everyone has a voice for it. There must be other great sound enhancements for costumers. When I see what some people do with electronics, it makes me imagine wide open potential for tech-assisted sound effects.

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Furry news of the week: Pittsburgh’s official “Anthrocon Day” (7-5-14)

by Patch O'Furr

ANTHROCON’s official holiday, world record, FBI investigation – Wolfgem and Beastcub recover from tragedy – New con: Pac Anthro Weekend – More

Here’s the regular feature of Furry news bites, scoops, and Snausage links. Tips welcome- I’d love to post yours!
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– July 5th officially declared “Anthrocon Day” by Pittsburgh’s Mayor!

– WTAE reports: Furries return to Pittsburgh for Anthrocon
Pittsburgh TV on the world’s largest annual Furry convention that brings around 6000 people and $7 million to the city.

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An $850 correction and thanks to Bos’n Otter

by Patch O'Furr

Previous post, Making a successful Furry float for San Francisco Pride 2014, reported a budget of around $1000. I completely neglected to add the most important costs- all paid for by Bos’n Otter: $450 for a float entry fee, and $400 for truck rental and gas. He hasn’t solicited any donations, but I’ll happily pass his contacts to anyone who would offer.

Making a successful Furry float for San Francisco Pride 2014

by Patch O'Furr

(Video from SFPride/Clear Channel. Unedited here at 2:36:00 – may be NSFW.)

Bay Area Furries brought the first Furry float to SF Pride since 2004 or so. I estimate 50 at the parade (with 20 or more fursuiters), plus 20 or more at attached Pride events we held. We carried out a long-time wish to be in the parade after two years of informal Pride meets.

Setting aside the reason for Pride, here’s stuff I learned about fursuiting – a request for help with contributing photos/videos – and a no-expectation hint that donations would be loved to cover costs (but really, the $1000 budget was a gift.) Read the rest of this entry »

Furry news of the week: Obama likes us (6/26/14)

by Patch O'Furr

Here’s the regular feature of news bites, scoops, and Snausage links. Tips welcome- I’d love to post yours!

Note: Blogging here is going to be very sporadic for a while. I’m an organizer for a furry float in the San Francisco Pride Parade. Phone and email have been blowing up all week, there’s 70 RSVP’s and I have 2 meets to handle. Then there’s Anthrocon, and much more.
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– Russell the Electric Giraffe meets the President
I was amused to see Lindz, owner of Russell the Electric Giraffe, using a Blotch avatar on Facebook. An intro video says:

Lindsay Lawlor once attended Burning Man in a full-sized Giraffe suit, until one day a friend of his suggested he build a mechanical giraffe from metal, electronics, and a slew of flashing LED lights…

Have fun reading about his trip to the White House to introduce Russell and Obama.


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DAWGTOWN interview part 2: Director talks about casting George Foreman

by Patch O'Furr

Interview series:  Artists, animation directors, DJ’s and event organizers, superfans, and more…

Continued from Part 1, here’s more from Justin Murphy, director and producer of Dawgtown. It’s an ambitious 2D animated, indie feature film in pre-production that just announced casting George Foreman as voice actor. Here’s part 2 of his thoughts about movie making and more.

DAWGTOWN’S CASTING:
Casting choices so far indicate confident directing. IMDB shows:
Mauler (voice) – Jason Beghe – “Trademark: Deep, gravelly voice”.
George Foreman is “Vicious Vic”- a dog with a warm personality behind the name. Foreman’s bio promises depth for such a character. He grew up from childhood poverty and constant trouble with the law, making a monumental rise to heavyweight boxing champion of the world and olympic gold medal winner. His retirement led to preaching for 10 years (not a bad credit for a voice actor). An unlikely boxing comeback re-captured a World Heavyweight Champion title at age 45, bringing a real underdog to the acting part.

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Q&A with director of DAWGTOWN animated movie – George Foreman announced for cast

by Patch O'Furr

Dogpatch Press interview series:  Artists, animation directors, DJ’s and event organizers, superfans, and more…

DTOWN POSTER1

Here’s a Q&A with Justin Murphy, director and producer of Dawgtown. It’s an ambitious 2D animated, indie feature film in pre-production. I’m excited to grill him about it, especially with this week’s big announcement that George Foreman has joined the cast as voice actor.

The movie synopsis promises action: “As a competitor in the most well funded pit-fighting organization in the world, a young Pitbull leads a revolt in a dangerous break for freedom.”

Justin’s award-winning production record promises action, too. Here’s part 1 for his thoughts on movie making, “talking animals”, and more. Part 2 is here.

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Furry news of the week: new E-zine, Buzzfeed, dolphin experiments (6-11-14)

by Patch O'Furr

New Furry e-Zine – Buzzfeed on Furries – Documentary movie: trippy 1960’s dolphin experiments – More
Here’s the regular feature of news bites, scoops, and Snausage links. Tips welcome- I’d love to post yours!
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– FURRY AND FUZZY MAGAZINE
2nd issue of monthly e-zine released in web hosted flipbook and PDF download. A quick review finds inner-focused fan articles and art, covering:
– Featured artist (a welcome feature for better introduction than random web browsing.)
– Interview with a Furry (skippable for casual browsing due to length without focus. The series started long before the zine.)
– Movie reviews
– Stories
– Advice (from a familiar fuzzy face: Ask Papabear.)
– Furry Things and Places (vehicles, buildings… it shows creativity and humor I could see getting a humor/general interest place in a non-fan publication.)
Minor criticism: the cover graphics so far say “zine” to me, with underdeveloped art backgrounds. Favorite feature so far: #1’s “Furriest shirts from The Mountain” article brings refreshing humor about t-shirts with wide familiarity.

– 11 EYE-OPENING MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT THE FURRY FANDOM
Buzzfeed writer takes a trip to Califur.

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