Monday 22 December 2008

Another (Frog) Video


The Frogs on the Christmas #1 2008

Have you ever been in the middle of something, realise that you're spending far too much time on it, but feel there's no going back? I'm pleased with the final result, but with a topical video directed at a small audience, I'm not convinced it'll get much recognition!

Friday 19 December 2008

I was having a bit of trouble getting into the Christmas spirit, so I made a very cheesey festive montage. Well, it worked, I just never want to hear Judy Garland's voice again.

Thursday 11 December 2008

Music Snobbery

Isn't it weird that people always claim that a mainstream version of something a little less well known simply murders the original? How very odd that a later version with much more funding is always classed as a brutal slaughtering. Do they do it on purpose?

I am talking about music, films, and other such media that attempt to remake or cover the original. I appreciate that it's always important to hold the original with some regard, but why on earth do people have this overwhelming need to slip into the conversation that they saw/heard the original before the arrival of the revised edition?

"The Japanese one was better."
"It's not as good as the book is" (Don't get me started on this one)
"They MURDERED that song."

Notice how, when someone covers an already famous song, people are less inclined to express sentences of this nature? Furthermore, it seems to work the other way round; "Yes, X is a great song, but I've heard this acoustic version by a band you've never heard of and it's SO much better." What do you want, a frigging medal?

I found the American version of "The Ring" scarier, and I think Leona's version of "Run" is better than Snow Patrol's. What are you going to do about it?

Thursday 6 November 2008

More Bullshit: "What's the Point in Animal X?"

Take this scenario. You and your friends are having a picnic in the summer. Suddenly a wasp is buzzing around and lands on one of your shitty plastic glasses. Everyone over-reacts, and chances are that some idiot mutters, "Why do we have wasps? They serve no purpose."

Where do I start?

Firstly, the speaker is implying that every other creature in the world plays some sort of distinct role. I am never sure whether they mean that this is for the sake of human beings or for the interests of the earth itself. Either way, unless you're a religious person of sorts, this is an entirely illogical statement. According to the theory of evolution, or more specifically that of natural selection, heritable traits that are useful for survival become more common in a given population. In other words, any species that has survived has done so based solely on its own interests.

Secondly, it's this egotistical nature in human beings that I cannot stand. The world does not revolve around us. According to the timeline covering the whole of Time Itself, we would take up less than a millimetre. And even if this was the case, I doubt that Time Itself would give a shit that it has unleashed a species that occasionally gives people a little "ouchy."

THIRDLY, there are massive worldwide fucking charities dedicated to saving animals that serve little purpose beyond the fact that they look very nice... (cough, pandas, cough). There is nothing beyond this factor that separates animals of this sort from the little beasts... worms... wasps... slugs... flies... etc. I find myself with huge amounts of empathy for bigger and "cuter" animals, but is it just me that notices how absurd it is to reserve our respect only for the superficially nice species?

Fourthly, I'd like to conclude by saying that wasps serve, a million fucking times over, the purpose of humans. Oh wait, that would put the figure into negative numbers.

Friday 24 October 2008

B3TA Question of the Week

I should probably read more of the newsletter than just the one part, but never mind. B3TA's summary of the best bits of "Question of the Week" really cracked me up today.

QUESTION OF THE WEEK
Common as muck

Last week we wanted to know what you saw as
common. This generated a huge flame war of
snobbery, one-upmanship and hate. Excellent:
http://www.b3ta.com/questions/common/

* COMMON KIDS - My husband works at a primary
school on a council estate. One child, a girl,
is called... Nokia. (Mrs Liveinabin)

* COMMON MUMS - I used to work in an opticians
in Essex. I think the most common thing I ever
was the woman who, when booking her children in
for eye tests, checked her tattoos for their
dates of birth. (Mrs Liveinabi again)

* COMMON GRANS - when I lived in Newcastle there
was a banner hanging outside of a house that
read "HAPPY 30th GRANDMA". (cowjam)

Thursday 16 October 2008

Don't Blame the Parents

It seems as though people are keen to blame absolutely anything they can on one's upbringing, especially when looking at antisocial behaviour issues. Whilst this seems like a logical conclusion to make, might I add that most of the people I associate with do not have children. I used (and am still tempted) to spout such easy-to-say-when-you-haven't-been-through-it shit, but I stop myself because being a parent is probably very much different to not being one. So when people say "oh just discipline them, it's not hard!" they have absolutely no leg to stand on - how do they know whether or not it's hard?

The problem with this type of discussion is that it will often lead to a general debate about upbringing, at which point everyone seems to argue a certain point: "I was brought up dat way n I'm fine lol!!11" Far be it from me to tell them that they're spoilt and self-centred, don't behave well at school, and don't have a very good relationship with their parents. How can you really look at yourself objectively like that? Not to mention that statistical evidence might say something entirely different, but as long as you "turned out OK" that's all that matters, right?

So in sum, maybe parents can have a little conversation about upbringing, or perhaps those that have investigated the research and are doing it within a professional setting. Other than that, watching Supernanny and snubbing the featured parents' techniques does not make you an expert.

Thursday 9 October 2008

"Here's an idea. Let's give the girl with low self-esteem a makeover."

That's right, it's not just an element of American high school films; it happens in real life, too. And it completely baffles me.

What possesses people to think that it will be a good idea to imply to someone "Hey, you've got shit dress sense and look like a dog, so we're going to try and counter-act those factors"? That's right, it's a shit idea, and it always seems to be targeted towards those that are unsure of themselves in the first place. Let me tell you people some home truths: some basic cosmetic modification is not going to offset years of low self-esteem. Actually, your authoritarian approach to the superficial matter will most likely suck whatever's left of it completely dry.

I hate women.

Monday 22 September 2008

It's WALLY, not WALDO

OK, the retarded translation of "Philosopher" to "Sorcerer" for the US release of the first Harry Potter book is pretty old news now, but I decided to play on an old joke that my sister and I came up with around the time of the first film's release.

Anyway, apparently they changed the title because "a child would not want to read a book that sounded as though it was associated with philosophy." Well, that's understandable. Actually, come to think of it, a lot of aspects of the book titles might be unappealing to morons. This is what they should've done:

Photobucket

Photobucket

Photobucket

Photobucket

Photobucket

The "issue" still grinds my gears because it's used in the media much more often than it should be. It doesn't even make sense. A sorcerer is not the same thing as a philosopher. There is no legendary "Sorcerer's Stone" supposedly capable of turning inexpensive metals into gold. And don't get me started on "The Golden Compass." Gargh. It's not even a fucking compass, it just looks a bit like one.

Yeah I know these Photoshops are shit but I'm sure it doesn't alter the point of the joke.

Sunday 14 September 2008

Video # 3


The Frogs Re-enact the Slater Family Revelation (EastEnders)

Very simple this time, but I was impatient to do another one and all things considered I'm quite happy with it. I just wanted to do an incredibly dramatic scene, because in theory, it makes it all the funnier if it's interpreted by plastic frogs.

Note: I'm not actually an EastEnders fan, but I was at the time that this episode was aired.

I think I'm going to tackle Casablanca next. Then maybe one more, as five seems like a good number. Apologies if it stops being funny before then (if it ever was funny), but I want to make the series attractive to as many people as possible (i.e. by parodying a large repertoire of types of film and TV).

Friday 12 September 2008

Bullshit #2: "I just don't really have the time..."

There are two particular contexts in which this line tends to occur that I’m going to rant about. Firstly, I find that this utterance is often said quite defensively, in response to some implicit recommendation, e.g. “You should try this game, it’s ace.” Alternatively, it might be stated in response to the conversation partner’s describing recent events in their life (so, would presumably be followed by “... to do that sort of thing.”).

The Verdict (in both cases): BULLSHIT.

Let’s start with Number One. People always seem to respond with such offense following some recommendation or other. I’m taking a stab in the dark here, but presumably individuals seeking out joyous past times for themselves is often seen as some sort of achievement – if they take up said past time from somebody else’s recommendation, this achievement is lost. I’m sure you don’t need me to tell you how ludicrous this assumption is, but I cannot help but think that it’s true. Obviously, recommendations must be taken up from time-to-time, or the term “word of mouth” would not exist. All the same, the immediate response is to spout complete and utter cow dung; namely, “I don’t really have the time.” Now let’s stop and examine this one for a second. Yes, we all lead very busy lives, I’m sure. But say I were to recommend a book, or a game, or a certain film currently being aired at the cinema, in receiving said response one is implying that whatever I’ve suggested requires some long-term commitment whereby they would have to make time in their “busy” schedule. What’s more likely? They genuinely have no time at all throughout the rest of their lives to read a book, they can’t be bothered, or Johnny Recommendation is damaging their ego? Probably the latter, or in some cases, the second option.

Number Two occurs under different circumstances, but the underlying mechanism, I feel, is the same. Let’s look at an example:

A: “Yeah, it was a right laugh. Everyone was so drunk, and we stayed in the club till 4 am. I ended up pulling Jim, and everyone thought it was so funny. And yeah, on the way back we stopped at the chippy... there were so many of us that it took an hour for them to serve our food, so we had a massive food fight while we were waiting. Then eventually at 7 am... it took a while to walk back as Sarah kept sitting on the floor and refusing to walk 'cos her feet hurt, and I was still pulling Jim... We all finally got back to Jane’s house, and Spuggy put on Top Gun while we all got stoned!”
B: “Cool. Did you have a hangover?”
A: “Thing is, I was still drunk when we got in, and most of us were still awake until about 3 pm, so it sort of wore off after a few cups of coffee. Harriett was really ill though, she was throwing up for like an hour straight!”
B: “Yeah. I just don’t have the time to get drunk anymore.”

Much as A’s boastful antics clearly deserve a punch in the face here, nevertheless it sounded like a most joyous occasion. Presumably because A is boasting so much, B gets ever less impressed and ever more defensive – B hasn’t had a good night out for a while, so decides to turn to the bullshit instead.

It’s this overly competitive nature in human conversation that I cannot physically stand. It’s never enough to accept that someone else had fun where you didn’t, and the favourite weapon of choice is a big dollop of BS.

Bullshit #1: "They don't make them like this anymore..."

Taken literally, this statement isn’t particularly bullshit – it merely states the obvious. Of course “they” don’t make them like this anymore; “they” are completely different individuals setting out to correspond to a new generation of audiences, incorporating new trends and keeping up to new standards. However, it doesn’t take much analysis to come to the conclusion that the actual intention behind this remark refers to observation that said media, usually a television show targeted for children, was a true masterpiece of its day and that modern viewing quite simply does not keep up to this standard.

The Verdict: BULLSHIT.

I believe that people often utter this statement in order to exert authority over younger generations, thinking that in doing so they sound wise beyond their years. But the truth is, as I’ve already briefly explained, that children’s television shows are bound to change with the times. I’m going to take a popular example from today: “LazyTown.” For those of you that don’t know, this is an Icelandic programme that debuted in 2006, featuring a young female central character urging others to be active in their daily lives. Naturally, there was, and always will be, a place for health promotion in the media; however, obesity levels being what they are in Western culture, needless to say there has never been a more crucial time to encourage young people to exercise.

Don’t like LazyTown? Too loud, too simple, too annoying? Well, assuming that you’re an adult, you’re not the show’s target audience; i.e. you’re not supposed to like it. Now, I’ve had idiots respond to this point by stating something along the lines of “Oh, but I still love watching (insert popular cartoon from 20 years ago here).” That’s nostalgia, you morons. For those of us lucky enough to have enjoyed our childhoods, everyone enjoys placing themselves as much as possible into the shoes of our former selves as we run into the living room after school, clutching a Wispa bar or something, switching on the 14 inch screen telly and sitting on that old green sofa, blissfully ignorant that anything bad ever happened in the world. Re-watching particular TV shows on YouTube and bantering with your friends of a similar age regarding such programmes can take you several steps closer to that past time.

To verify my point further, it’s unlikely that you saw every single children’s programme in history. I’m not sure if you would uphold a great deal of regard for some of those shows if you saw them now, whereas you might have done once upon a time. I for one missed out on a few of the cult favourites; “Thundercats” and “He-Man” to name a couple. I have since watched said cartoons and... Well, they were pretty shit really, weren’t they?

Perhaps I’m generalising a bit here. Maybe one is referring to the timeless appeal of such programmes, or their being loved by children and adults alike, or the fact that the animation of today’s cartoons (Pokémon) is of much lower quality (as measured by, for example, the number of frames used per second) than that of earlier cartoons (Merry Melodies, Happy Harmonies, Silly Symphonies). However, if they ran a new, five-minute cartoon that matched the humour and animation style of Tom and Jerry, would you still watch it? Or would the lack of that nostalgic, crackly soundtrack put you off?

My Videos

I recently decided to create a couple of my own videos, involving plastic frogs re-enacting scenes from films. The inspiration came from watching other stop motion videos, and the fact that myself and my sisters used to re-enact Bonnie's Death from Gone With The Wind when we were younger, one instance of which involved these particular frogs. In retrospect I suppose it's a bit sick, but we were young and didn't know any better. At this point in time, I suppose it's just plain twisted, yes.

I've received a number of compliments surrounding the animation, but in truth I was really just hoping to make people laugh. It's probably only humorous if you've seen the films in question, though.


Gone With The Wind: Bonnie's Death


Stand By Me: The Train Scene

The Definition of Over The Top

If you're a Facebook user, you have probably noticed the sheer number of groups that have been created protesting the site's new design. Now, you may love or loathe this new look, but I really can't condone the ridiculous amount of drama involved in the "issue."

Take this example. Now, I really don't object to a good boycott every now and then, but the way its creator writes, you'd think they were aspiring to be the next Martin Luther King or William Wallace, "If Facebook's amount of users drops dramatically maybe we'll have a chance..." YES GUYS! WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE! I HAVE A DREAM! THEY WILL NEVER TAKE OUR FREEDOM! Hang on, let's look at the full picture for a second. It all boils down to your favourite website changing its layout. For a start, this is entirely out of proportion. A big fat "get over it" is due. Secondly, if one really is that bothered by its new look (they could never, ever, physically get used to it) then no one's making them use the network in the first place. One could, in theory, just delete his or her account. But that's not going to happen, is it? Because we're all Facebook's bitches.

Thirdly, if these people dedicated just half their energy towards something much more crucial, such as boycotting Coca Cola or Primark, maybe they'd achieve something much more worthwhile. And that doesn't include creating yet another protest group on Facebook or a useless online petition (because we all know they never bloody achieve anything).

Thursday 11 September 2008

New Blog

Right, I am going to step away from the world of teenage angst and start ranting about things that reach slightly beyond my feeling sorry for myself, but are still more or less meaningless.

Right now, I'm going to focus on typical mannerisms that grind my gears owing to their sheer pretentiousness (the hypocrisy isn't lost on me here, but if you met me in real life, I'm much more genuine than a lot of people are), hence "Stop Talking Out Of Your Arse."

Got a couple of things I typed on Word to put up, but they're stored away on my hard drive upstairs which I cannot be bothered to fetch right now. Expect ranting about aforementioned crap, ranting about shit films, shit music, and the fact that Warner Bros. rescheduled the release of Harry Potter 6 for no creative purposes. Did I mention ranting?