WTD?: Highball

The word that came out of the random word generator this week for What the Doodle? was HIGHBALL. Here's what the FableVision crew came up with.


Laney Wunderli



Peter H. Reynolds



John Lechner



Tami Wicinas



Renee Kurilla



Brianna Plaud


Thanks, everyone!
Check back in a few weeks for the next word!

Robin Hood - fantasy vs. reality

The story of Robin Hood is one of the classic tales in folklore, retold and reinterpreted for hundreds of years. Everyone knows the story of the noble outlaw who robs from the rich and gives to the poor, who is the best archer in the land and can split one arrow with another. Like any classic tale, it can be adapted many different ways to suit the times. A new film is coming out this weekend directed by Ridley Scott, who gives the story an epic, historical, action-packed telling, which is a great idea – I’m all in favor of reinterpreting classic stories for each new generation, and I hope there are many more Robin Hoods to come.

However, I just want to put in a plug for the non-historical, unrealistic, fairy-tale version of Robin Hood that many of us grew up with. It seems like over the last few generations, people have been trying to make the story more gritty and true to its medieval times. But to my mind, the essence of Robin Hood isn’t history, it’s not about a real person suffering the slings and arrows of an oppressive king – Robin Hood is a myth, an ideal.

The legend itself is mostly fictional, an amalgam of different characters and tales which were combined and embellished over the years, in the true tradition of folklore. The reason it survives and flourishes is because it embodies one of the classic themes in literature: the downtrodden hero fighting against impossible odds, using his wits and skill to come out on top. Does this stuff happen in real life? Rarely, but we keep on trying, and stories like this give us hope. We all need a bit of fantasy to make us believe anything is possible.

So while a historical telling of the legend is great, the question of whether or not it is more “true” to Robin Hood is up for debate. Personally, I’d rather see an arrow split in two.

WTD?: Designated

The word that came out of the random word generator this week for What the Doodle? was Designated. Here's what the FableVisionaries came up with.


Renee Kurilla


John McGowan


John Lechner

Thanks, everyone!
Check back in a couple weeks for the next word!

ideaPaint whiteboard

We just finished installing an ideaPaint whiteboard in one of our offices here at FableVision. Posted here are a few shots of the outline a few of us worked on after the initial whiteboard installation was completed. This turned out to be a really fun little side project and the result is half piece of artwork, half whiteboard. If you have space where you can throw something like this up, by all means do.

Why you should see The Secret of Kells

The Secret of Kells is a beautiful animated film that seemed to come from nowhere, leaping ahead of many major studios to garner an Oscar nomination this year. The film has been praised for its amazing artistry and refreshing style. If you're looking for a good reason to go see it, here are eight.

1. The backgrounds are amazing
Combining graphical influences from illuminated manuscripts with dazzling textures and a brilliant sense of composition, every frame is a work of art. From the lush forest to the jagged towers of the monastery, the film is a feast for the eyes.

2. The character design is brilliant
The modern trend in feature animation is realism, whether hand-drawn or CGI. Yet this film shows that graphically flat, stylized and exaggerated characters can have even more personality, and are just plain fun to look at.

3. The animals don’t talk
This isn’t Disney, or even Pixar. There is a cat in this film who doesn’t speak, yet has more personality than many human characters in other films. It’s a refreshing change from the wise-cracking sidekicks that we’ve come to tolerate in recent years.

4. Strong characters
Although the main character of Brendan suffers from being a bit too likeable, he is surrounded by a strong supporting cast who more than make up for it. The abbot is both kind and domineering, the scribe Aiden is both wise and silly, and relationships between all the characters are complex and unpredictable.

5. No celebrity voices
There’s nothing worse than watching an animated film and constantly conjuring up images of the celebrity actor in the sound booth. The voices in The Secret of Kells are perfectly cast and the actors give strong and nuanced performances.

6. The music is great
The musical score, composed by Bruno Coulais and performed by the Celtic band Kila, perfectly evokes the energy, wit, and historical flavor of the film, as well as the darker, more mysterious undertones. In the scenes where the decorations in the ancient book come to life, the music perfectly matches and propels the animation forward.

7. It makes you think
The basic story is simple, but like a well it runs deep. The film is about a boy growing up and finding his path in life, but it also deals with ancient mythology, the horrors of war, the beauty of nature, generational strife, and much more. Like an illuminated manuscript, the closer you look, the more you find.

8. It’s just a great film
More than just a visual feast, this is a unique film with more energy and cinematic flair than most major studio films. It shows just how beautiful hand-drawn animation can be, and how an original, unconventional story can still succeed if done well. It’s a film that puts art before commercialism, and storytelling above all else.

So what are you waiting for? Go see it!

A Visionary Art Show

Announcing...



Creative Juices
A Visionary Art Show

Friday, April 9, 2010.
6pm - 9pm

FableVision Studios
308 Congress Street, 6th Floor
Boston, MA

(check back for updates and details)

(4/1/10) ...and here's one of those updates:

http://fablevisionstudios.com/artshow/

Our animated invite just went live.
Click link above, and tell your friends!

WTD?: Bellying

The word that came out of the random word generator this week for What the Doodle? was BELLYING. Here's what the FableVisionaries came up with.


Keith Zulawnik



John Lechner



Renee Kurilla



* * * * *

The Pear: A Tale of Skewed Proportions

The bellying frame of the average pear
Is a subject that’s up for debate:
Has his curious swelling always been there,
Or was it just something he ate?
Is he sucking his gut in the hopes of a date
With an enviably skinny banana?
Did a bumbling grocer step on his waist
And cause him to bulge in this manner?
My guess is that clothing’s to blame for this riddle -
He couldn’t find pants that would fit ‘round his middle.
But the belt that he purchased to make him look slimmer
Squeezed him right into a pear-shaped dilemmer!
What can we learn from his mis-fit mistake?
What is the message we’re destined to take?
Don’t fret about fashion – just be self-aware,
And try not to go to the depths of this pear.


a poem by Jesse Bornemann

* * * * *



Tami Wicinas

WTD?: Foreward/Forward

The word that came out of the random word generator this week for What the Doodle? was FOREWARD ...or FORWARD? Anyway, people did both—here's what a few FableVisionaries came up with.



John Lechner



Hannah O'Neal



Renee Kurilla



Watch this animation in full resolution
Taryn Johnson

WTD?: Ghostwriting

The word that came out of the random word generator this week for What the Doodle? was GHOSTWRITING. Here's what the FableVisionaries came up with.


Keith Zulawnik


Watch animation in full resolution.
Ryan McNulty


Bob Flynn


John Lechner


Hannah O'Neal


Watch this animation in full resolution with sound!
Taryn Johnson



* * * * *

Etta

My Grandfather and I were fixing
a white closet door;
I propped and held and pushed as he hammered
and ho-hummed and pondered, until
he stopped mid-bang and turned to me: you
have my mother's hands, he said, and he took
them, held them, turned them over
in his strong, aged palms.

His mother was Etta, Etta Fisk until
Mark Munson sauntered in and swept her up
to the Berkshires, where her memories began as vividly
as mine, as my mother’s, as my grandfather’s:
clumpy dirt roads, the Westfield river
with its slippery rocks and sunfish, the wind
through the grasses, stirring up
the mosquitoes, the smell of chimneys and rain.

In the evenings, my mother, very young,
would beg Etta, beg
and plead to brush her hair, her long
long hair, longer than long.
And Etta would smile and her hands
would reach for her braids,
two of them, wound up
and around, every day.

Her fingers would unwind, unbind,
pour the softness so it fell like
water, and my little girl mother would run
through it, play peek-a-boo, pretend inside.
Then she would brush and brush and brush it,
until Etta, with her long fingers,
would tickle her away.

My Grandfather held my hands and shook
his head, smiled. I wanted to tell him that
I would wear them proudly, that I was honored,
that I would make a difference
with her hands, and he squeezed
them as if to press in love, as if to say only
one thing: Remember.

A poem by Kate Cotter

* * * * *



Check back in a few weeks for the next word!

Vintage Valentines from the 1970s

If a child wants to buy a pack of valentines these days, their choices are limited and mostly uninspiring. They are nearly all designed around famous TV or movie characters (Harry Potter, Tinkerbell, etc) and usually follow the same format: rectangular, small, featuring a colorful scene of the character and some catchphrase. They seem less about expressing one's feelings and more about free advertising for Disney.

I was recently cleaning out some old boxes from childhood, and found these vintage valentines that date back at least to the 1970s. I was amazed at not only the range of characters, but the clever little concept behind each one, right down to the apple you cut out and put into the basket. I also scanned the back of some, which are great little one-color adaptations of the front.

Of course, as kids we also made our own valentines with construction paper and sparkles. But these were certainly inspiring for creative young minds – they sure don't make them liked they used to!

WTD?: Welcomed

The word that came out of the random word generator this week for What the Doodle? was WELCOMED. Here's what the FableVisionaries came up with.


Bob Flynn


John Lechner


Renee Kurilla


Keith Zulawnik



Allie Biondi


Jay LaCouture


Watch animation in full resolution.
Ryan McNulty

Check back in a few weeks for the next word!

WTD?: Preparation

The word that came out of the random word generator this week for What the Doodle? was PREPARATION. Here's what the FableVision crew came up with.


Renee Kurilla


Bob Flynn


John Lechner



* * * * *

The Potato: A Poem About Being Prepared

There are infinite ways to prepare a potato.
Believe me - both Ireland and Idaho say so!
A quick boil will suit the no-frills spud eater,
Or a microwave zap, if you’re that kind of cheater.
Another fine choice is to peel it and fry it,
Though do this with caution if you’re on a diet.
(Your fries can be French, or, if you prefer, Freedom -
Makes no real difference after you eat ‘em.)
You can mash it with gravy, or throw it in stew
Whip it into a thick, sticky glue,
Cream it or steam it, bake it once - even twice
Stuff it into a samosa with rice.
If you’re constructive, build it into a gratin,
Or turn self-destructive and let it go rotten.
Sweet or unsweetened, bliss red or hash brown,
“Bangers and mash,” like in old London-town.
You might do as the Romans and sample some gnocchi;
For a Slavic approach, make your dumplings “pierogi.”
The flatter the better for a latke or chip
As an ale, it’s supposedly lovely to sip.
Curries, soups, salad - the list could go on
Serve the skins by themselves, when the insides are gone!

It’s fair to say, tater tots live with a curse:
As they grow up, they’re prepared for the worst.
You can look in their eyes…they all know that they’re doomed,
With so many methods for being consumed.
Perhaps, we should treat them - at least for one day,
Invite them to dine at our Sunday buffet.
And when they ask, “What’s the starch with this roast?”
Prepare to reply, “Why, a nice piece of toast!”


a poem by Jesse Bornemann

* * * * *



Keith Zulawnik


Taryn Johnson


Jay LaCouture


Watch animation in full resolution.
Hannah O'Neal

Check back in a few weeks for the next word!