Production of Haida Raid 3: Save Our Waters begins

The Haida Raid 3 Indiegogo continues to move along. So far we are at 45% of our goal with 13 more days to go. We've posted pictures of the bronze cast perks and have started to reach out to allied organizations re: possible sponsorship. I've also fine-tuned the Haidawood channel and added a clickable link to Haida Gwaii CoASt website in the Haida Raid 2 YouTube video.

Alida Kinnie Starr has come on board to do the musical production for HR3 featuring her song/anthem "Who Will Save Our Waters?" Haw'aa to Alida for this video endorsement...




If you want to stay posted on the progress of our campaign, then please LIKE and SHARE the Haida Raid 3: Save Our Waters Facebook Page. 

The Haidawood studio is set-up in Masset, and I expect we'll start making sets once we finalize the storyboard this weekend. Come and join us at the studio if you are interested in making sets and pushing puppets! We'll be there until the end of May.

HR3 Update: 1 week into Indiegogo campaign

We are just over one week into the "Haida Raid 3: Save Our Waters" Indiegogo campaign. So far, we've raised $3,355 from 43 different contributors. I am happy to announce that veteran hip hop star and Mohawk activist Alida Kinnie Starr has officially joined the project. Her song "Water" will be featured in HR3, and she will be doing the musical production for the animation. There's also a write-up in this week's QCI Observer. You can read the article here. Please help us get the word out about this project, make a donation, and help us make "Haida Raid 3: Save Our Waters" a reality!

Indiegogo campaign to raise funds for Haida Raid 3: Save Our Waters

Today we launched our Indiegogo campaign to raise $15,555 to make Haida Raid 3: Save Our Waters. It took a lot of work and coordination to pull the campaign together, and it will be running until May 15th. Please do take a look, donate, and share. We've come up with lots of great perks to make it fun and rewarding to contribute. Please check out our campaign page!

Haidawood featured in Langscape

I am delighted to report that Haidawood is featured in the latest issue of Langscape, Terralingua's biocultural diversity magazine (issue 13 volume 2). The article includes a full videography of the Haidawood animations, including links to short trailers for the new Taaw and Nuu animations. You can download a free pdf of the magazine online.

ImgaiNATIVE and more

Haidawood's Nuu story was featured in the 2013 ImagiNATIVE Youth Shorts Program. Haaw'a to everyone who attended the screening. As a result, we've just gotten an invitation to show Nuu and other Haidawood stories at the REELKids Film Festival in Peterborough.

In other news, Taaw (the Tow Hill story) was shown at Montreal's 2013 First People's Film Festival. And the Nuu story is also being featured in the Pushing Boundaries exhibit at the CityScape Community Art Space in North Vancouver.

I am on Salt Spring Island right now with JJ and Shannon. I've arranged to screen the new Haidawood animations at the Salt Spring Island Public Library. If you are on Salt Spring, then please come and learn what Haidawood is all about!

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!