Heading to Vancouver and Victoria

Dr. Ken and his family will be heading down from Haida Gwaii to Vancouver and Victoria at the end of June. If you want to connect with him, buy a Haidawood DVD, or learn more about the project, please to contact him at dr.ken@makeyourownfun.org.

Thanks but No Tanks now open!

I was at the opening of Thanks but No Tanks art exhibit on Friday night. The show is playing at the Haida Heritage Centre all summer, and it includes Haida Raid 2, as well as a display of the puppets and set and the Stephen Harper puppet head. If you are in Skidegate, then be sure and check it out!

On my way to White River Indie Films

I'm just in New York City right now, visiting my sister, who lives in Harlem in NYC. Tomorrow I'll be taking the train up to White River Junction Vermont for the US premiere of the Nuu (Octopus) story at White River Indie Films. I am looking forward to seeing my old friends in the Upper Valley, and sharing my latest animation with them. It'll be good to get their perspective on Haidawood.

Haida Raid 2 in Thanks but No Tanks

Puppets from Haida Raid 2, including the giant Stephen Harper head, will be featured in the upcoming "Thanks but No Tanks" exhibit this summer at the Haida Gwaii Museum in Skidegate. If you are on-island, then be sure and come and check it out!

Haidawood Screening in Prince Rupert

Plans are underway to screen the latest Haidawood movies in Prince Rupert, at the NWCC campus there. We are coordinating with Prof. Judy Thompson who teaches FSNT 120: First Nations Language Revitalization. Please come to the Multi-purpose room at the NWCC on Tuesday March 26th, to see the latest movies and also learn about a diversity of approaches to First Nations language revitalization!

Haidawood DVD: Our Stories Animated

This past weekend we premiered the new Haidawood movies, including Haida Raid 2, and the Nuu (Octopus) story as told by the recently passed Sk'ad'ada Leeyga, Tsinni Stephen Brown; and Taaw, the Tow Hill Story. The movies were well received in both Old Massett and Skidegate this past weekend. Haaw'a to all the festival crew, filmmakers, and audience who helped make the festival a success.

I've also received our first batch of Haidawood DVDs, entitled "Haidawood: Out Stories Animated." They are available for sale, at a retail price of $20 each. Contact me if you want a copy or if you would like to order some wholesale.

This is a big weekend for the Haidawood Media Project. We'll be launching our two latests movies: the Nuu (Octopus) Story, and the Taaw (Tow Hill) Story. Come and check out these new movies, as well as Haida Raid 2, at the Haida Gwaii Film Festival this weekend!

We've also arranged for a new DVD of all the traditional Haidawood stories, called "Our Stories Animated". The DVDs have been burned and are in the process of being shipped up to Haida Gwaii. I am hoping that they'll arrive tomorrow, so we can show them off at the premiere.

A big Haaw'a to everyone who has helped with the productions.

Haida Gwaii Film Festival March 1, 2, 3

I just submitted the Taaw, Nuu, and Haida Raid 2 stories to the Haida Gwaii Film Festival. I am looking forward to islanders enjoying these new movies. Come and check out the festival for yourself on March 1, 2, and 3.

Almost done! Spot the rainbow...

I am pleased to write that the two new Haidawood movies, the Tow Hill (Taaw) story and the Octopus (Nuu) story, are almost done. A big Haaw'a to Daniil Danzig for his help animating the Nuu story. And haaw'a to all the musicians who helped record the sound track. Right now we are just completing some last few sound effects. In the meantime, enjoy these two rainbows...

Interview and war canoe

I was interviewed by Christine Leclerc today for her blog, Culture and Energy Research. She was curious to know more about the Haidawood Media Project as well as the impetus for making Haida Raid 2. Check out her blog for a view of the wide range of people involved in the battle against the Enbridge Northern Gateway Pipeline.

Things are moving forward for the Nuu (Octopus) story. We still need to put some clothes on a few puppets. I was grateful to have Jenny and Jay helping with puppet construction yesterday, and I am hoping Jess will come in later this afternoon to help for a bit. And, today I am planning to make a large cardboard war canoe for the octopus story. It's Wednesday, and we're going to need to start filming soon!

If you are on Facebook, you can join the Haidawood facebook group here. We could use more volunteers to help bring these 2 new movies to completion. Please have a look!

Friday roundup

It's Friday and I do feel that we are making progress. I've completed a revised story board using the puppets and sets that we have. The storyboard is being reviewed by XKHS, so we can be sure that we get the details right.

I am now turning my attention to finalizing the storyboard for the Nuu (Octopus) story. We now have a transcript of the Xaad Kil version that we'll be using. It's an interesting challenge to work with a complete story that is told from beginning to end in one telling.

Studio is now at the Family Centre in Old Massett

The Haidawood Studio is now located in the Old Massett Family Centre until the end of October. The plan is to complete both movies here.

I've just made a poster, and included some shots of the puppets to help give people a flavour of what it will look like.

If you are interested in painting sets, making puppets, drawing on cardboard, or moving puppets for the animations, please contact me, or just come by the studio!

CBC radio + rebooting the studio

I was interviewed on CBC radio for Daybreak North on Tuesday at 6:45 am. The interview included soundbites from both Jason Alsop and Gwaai Edenshaw. We discussed the Haidawood Media Project and also talked about Haida Raid 2. I've noticed a bump views as a result of the piece.

Otherwise, I am slowly getting the studio fully operational here at the house. There are new challenges with working at home, including adequate child care for JJ. Happily, he is on a playdate right now.

Today I will build a light-rig for the set as well as a bluescreen set-up. Then I will shoot an updated storyboard for the Tow Hill story for approval/review, before we animate.

Back to Work

Shannon, JJ, and I are now back on the Gwaii after a trip to South Africa this summer with my mom. I was there to present on BC Aboriginal Language Revitalization at the IACCP meeting in Stellenbosch, as well as visit with my extended family in Durban. 

We've been back for a few weeks now, and I've been busy running the kidszone at the Edge of the World Music Festival, as well as doing some activities at the recent Gathering Our Nations up on Tow Hill.

And, now it's time to get back to filming the Tow Hill story, followed by the Octopus story. I've set up the studio in one room of the house. Once I've got things up and running, I'll try and recruit some volunteers to help move puppets. Stay tuned!

Ottawa bound

I am in Ontario for a few days and will be making a trip to Ottawa before returning to Haida Gwaii on August 7th. I've just returned from a trip to South Africa, where I showed Haida Raid 2 to delegates at the International Association for Cross-Cultural Psychology meeting in Stellenbosch. I was presenting on Aboriginal Language Revitalization in British Columbia. Once I am back on the Gwaii, I will finish shooting the Tow Hill story and the Giant Octopus story. In the meantime, Haida Raid 2 has had over 11,000 views and has been featured on the David Suzuki Foundation's Ocean Stories website. Please have a look and share widely: the Northern Gateway Pipeline is not the right way to create prosperity in Canada.

I just made a new Anti-Enbridge animation in opposition to the Northern Gateway Pipeline Project. The animation was made in collaboration with Jaalen Edenshaw and Jason Alsop. Haaw'a to Jason for his rap song "Pipe Dreams." Take a look...

We are still painting sets and making puppets. I am planning to start animating this week! I've managed to arrange to get some help from some of the students from the OMVC Cabinet Making Program. Volunteers are welcome between 10 am and 10 pm this week at the studio!

Here is a picture of Lady Shannon helping out with JJ and Haana on Saturday. 

I am now in the middle of puppet creation. Here is a picture of a large cardboard octopus, along with two heros and Raven. The heros' faces were carved by Gwaai Edenshaw, and the Raven by his brother Jaalen Edenshaw. As you can see from the picture, there is still a lot to do, including putting some kinds of skins on the puppets. My research online suggests that the pros use foam latex to make their puppets. I would like to learn this technique, but that's not in the cards for this round of stories. In the meantime, I've been using some DIY cardboard tech engineering. I am here at the studio tonight until 1 am. And I am planning to work in the studio tomorrow from 1 pm to 1 am. It's time to get this bird off the ground! If you are interested in getting involved in the project, please join the Haidawood Media Project facebook group. You can find updates there, as well as details on how to help.

Software, puppets, and supplies

Today has been a slow day so far, and there is so much to do! I did grab a bunch of supplies, including food, glue for papier mache, and paints for the sets. No volunteers today, but I'll make some calls to get the volunteers here.

Today I called Kagi and asked for a refund on iStopmotion Pro. Basically, the software doesn't support live preview with the Canon Rebel T3i that we'll be using. I've been happy with iStopmotion in the past, and, I am prepared to take some risks in order to improve the final look and feel of our movies. I've ordered a copy of DragonFrame, so we'll see how that works. The software is a download, but there is a keypad and a lens that will need to be shipped from California. Packages are notoriously slow getting here to the islands, so fingers crossed.

Storyboard, etc.

I've finished a first draft of a storyboard, and I've had a chance to run it by XKHS and Marriane Ignace. I am making some revisions, and I figure we'll start making sets on Monday, and perhaps the puppets this weekend... Busy times!