Animal Inspiration

Dear Reader,

Today we're off to the zoo in search of some inspiration.

As you can see, the team is ready! No time for more now :)

Chin chin
Ruthless Whims

Ice-skates and Skateboards

Dear Reader,

Sometimes you just have to do things differently.

The sign said cross-walk, but Alien Two needed to test her new mode of transport!






Not to be outdone, Alien One glided across the LA winter wonderland on some skates of her own ;)

I hope you too can find a moment to mix it up!

Chin chin
Ruthless Whims

Recycled Paper

Dear Reader,

As promised, here's a first installment on some of the whimsical background elements arising from wrapping paper scraps.





Note the budding peloton's clothing ensembles :)

Chin chin
Ruthless Whims

The Christmas Hunt

Dear Reader,

The fanciful Squirrel King Christmas tree, aka a Bonsai in the making, was delightfully weighed down with ornaments and lights, and surrounded by the fruits of our paper making extravaganza.


But the highlight of the gift-giving was the treasure hunt the Aliens and I put together for the plethora of socks we got for the Trouble and Strife.

Hope you too enjoyed the holiday season! Stay tuned for further uses of the home-made wrapping paper :)

Chin chin
Ruthless Whims

Whimsical Wafts transforming Blank Canvases

Dear Reader,

This morning we found ourselves in need of wrapping paper. So out came the artpads!


As with all things Squirrel King we let our colorful whims spread across the white canvases!

And pretty soon we had transformed them into beautifully bright pages.

Alien Two added finishing touches and we were ready to wrap up ;)

Chin chin
Ruthless Whims

Memories of Southern Hemisphere Christmas

Dear Reader,

It often escapes the Northern Hemisphere that half the world thinks of this time of the year as time for the beach, but precisely that was on my mind when while grocery shopping yesterday I came across COCONUTS!

Inspired to get a jump on Robin's costume for a future beach scene, I bought two and pulled out my circular saw :)

With a little effort I whittled the white out of Christmas - the coconut flesh that is! All we need now is some colorful straps and Robin could celebrate Christmas with the Aussies.

Chin chin
Ruthless Whims

PS. For those of you concerned for my safety, rest assured; I repurposed the glasses from an Avatar screening, so I was seeing everything in 3D ;)

Back From Break

Dear Reader,

After hanging around - at the airport and down in Mexico - on a short holiday, we're back!


The ephemeral monster hole we dug on the beach (8 ft wide, 5 ft deep) is gone without trace - not even a photograph; we were simply too busy digging!!

Time to continue the celebrations back here, though I fear my mind may have been left behind ...

Chin chin
Ruthless Whims

A Manic Memory

Dear Reader,

While looking back through some footage, I came across this little gem of enthusiasm from earlier this year just prior to the shoot of Robin's bathroom. I feel that it nicely captures some of the passion I have for this project.

Hope you enjoy!


Chin chin
Ruthless Whims

Test Flight

Dear Reader,

While the Aliens ate their dinner last night, I put a quick test clip together of the birds we've been making - the paper ones, not the Aliens in their next costumes.

Hope you enjoy!


I'm inspired to see all nine of our birds in action with a real backdrop :)

Chin chin
Ruthless Whims

Paper World

Dear Reader,

Earlier this summer I was inspired by the work of Denise Duong. Her cut paper collages seemed like an ideal springboard for some fantastic Squirrel King background elements. You may even recall, Alien One and I gave the concept a shake with cut fabrics before ordering some fabulous papers.

As so often happens of course, we got sidetracked by other pressing delights! Finally, though, after one last hot chocolate for inspiration, we're back, and this time we're really onto something!


Alien One cut some clouds and pretty soon we had enough elements to get a sense.

Tomorrow I'll try animating :)

Chin chin
Ruthless Whims

Life Cycle of a Tree

Dear Reader,

It was a year ago to the day that we first assembled our paper forest. Those trees have continued to serve us well, including the nighttime driving shoot last week when they were run by as background.

Like all things though, some have done their dash. So with mixed emotions the Aliens and a friend of theirs helped me retire a few of the more battered cardboard trunks.

To commemorate their passing, Alien Two helped the Trouble and Strife make a meringue - witness her unique lemon-squeezing technique ;)





More on the new backgrounds tomorrow!

Chin chin
Ruthless Whims

More on Motorized Machines

Dear Reader,

In the spirit of what has become a week of mechanically-minded posts, here's a shot of the Aliens and a few friends taking their yoga teacher's Harley for a test ride!

And as one last vehicular reference, it occurred to me that Vlad managed to obscure all of the Mango Goddess' gorgeous upgrade during last weekend's shoot.


Here's the final product of my masking tape thimbles and four broken needles!






More crafts next week!

Chin chin
Ruthless Whims

Inspiration: Kinetic Wave Sculpture

Dear Reader,

Sometimes you come across things that are simply cool. I'm not sure exactly where this one fits into The Squirrel King, but I'm sure we'll find a way somehow! Enjoy Reuben Margolin


Open to ideas!

Chin chin
Ruthless Whims

Just Hanging Around

Dear Reader,

After the craziness of prepping for, and shooting, twenty bodies running around in the dark last week, the Aliens and I decided it was time to let our hair down.

They of course took this suggestion quite literally.







And while we're on the subject of a different perspective, I should mention Alien One, having taken up yoga again, did a four minute, ten second headstand the other day, again literally!

Back to The Squirrel King shortly.

Chin chin
Ruthless Whims

Sunday's Shoot

Dear Reader,

One of our mantras for the digital series has been to mix media as extensively as possible, and Sunday's shoot was no exception.

Not only was Robin driving the Mango Goddess with Vlad's portrait in the back, but along the way she encountered many things including ..

The purple picture car that Justus had to drive to set (it didn't fit in the back of our transport vehicle).

More soon.

Chin chin
Ruthless Whims

Inspiration to Others

Dear Reader,

First and foremost, The Squirrel King is about inspiring others to jump in and create. Every now and then I am encouraged we're onto something :)

Having shared the (work-in-progress) sizzle reel with one of Alien One's friends (again and again, per request) I later received one of the most heartwarming texts I've ever received. The little girl had presented these images to her mother. When asked about them she responded: "Rufus has given me some good ideas!"

She then asked for a camcorder to make a film with! I can't wait to share more with everyone :)

Chin chin
Ruthless Whims

PS check in tomorrow for images from yesterday's grand shoot!

The Masked Crusader

Dear Reader,

Final preparations continue for the big shoot this weekend. We'll be using a dozen black-clad prop movers and the Trouble and Strife has almost completed the masks.

Alien Two veritably disappears underneath one in this pic :)

Chin chin
Ruthless Whims

PS Yes, that's Robin's toilet hanging from our bedroom ceiling.

Masking Tape as Safety Device

Dear Reader,

At the Squirrel King we constantly strive to keep our minds open to possibility, and reupholstering the Mango Goddess offered precisely such an instance.

You may recall earlier in the week I sought glue for the operation ...







Well that was until the ubiquitous use of tacks among upholsterers was observed.

And so I turned to sewing. No thimble? No worries! Half a dozen strips of masking tape over the tips of my fingers outlasted our four curved needles :)

Chin chin
Ruthless Whims

The Team Behind the Grander Vision!

Dear Reader,

As has been noted before The Squirrel King has grown well beyond the confines of simple web series. Indeed the loftier goals now include revolutionizing the way people perceive their own ability to create and inciting them to inspire others too. Instrumental in executing this grander vision are the following team.

RUFUS WILLIAMS

A PhD from Harvard in mathematics and rock-climbing expertise that ranks him among Australia's top boulderers serve as great indicators of Rufus' diverse talents and inclinations. Add two beautiful and energetic daughters into the mix, and it is hardly surprising that he has chosen to follow up his debut feature film, Butterfly Dreaming - which premiered at the Seattle International Film Festival and went on to win Best Thriller at the Santa Monica International Film Festival - with a light-hearted digital series about aliens, squirrels and one woman's quest to be part of something important.


KEITH GOODWILL

After an academic career that started at Oxford University and included over 300 publications in prestigious journals such as Nature, Keith parlayed his scientific expertise into a more business-focussed life. As a founder and director of several successful biotech companies Keith has raised over $100 million dollars and structured partnerships with major companies and institutions including IBM, Dow Agrosciences, Beckman, Bayer, Nestle and the Bill Gates funded FIND Foundation.

The head of the scientific lab that coined the term "Proteome", Keith founded and grew the biotech company Proteome Systems from 12 to 150 people, ultimately leading the company to a listing on the Australian Stock Exchange; doubtless one of the contributing factors in his being awarded an Order of Australia.

Complimenting these professional credentials, is Keith's belief in GNH (Gross National Happiness), the Bhutanese measure of prosperity. Further with five children, and four grandchildren, of his own, he is perfectly placed as a driving force behind the world of The Squirrel King.

PAYTRE TOPP

Otherwise known by the pseudonym The Trouble and Strife, the elusive Paytre would be more accurately referred to as Her Saintliness. Far from torment and conflict, her presence on the Squirrel King team ensures precisely the opposite. Trained as a lawyer at USC where she held an executive position on the law review, she is, by day, an entertainment attorney.

Beyond her legal prowess, and undergraduate background in physics and biochemistry, Her Holiness is a fashion guru and designer; skills she is harnessing as the visionary behind the Squirrel King clothing lines Little Nut (kids), Big Nuts (mens) and the yet unnamed women's line.

She met and married Rufus over 10 years ago while working in a lab at MIT.

JUSTUS ZIMMERMAN

Just outside Wenham, MA, there is a valley named "The Valley of Justus".

If you really need to know more, check out the cast page, as Justus plays his namesake, and the digital series lead's love interest.


VIVIAN DOMINGUEZ

Vivian's eclectic background ranges from papier-mache snails and ferrets, to writing "Fly My Way", the number 1 pop song in China for 3 weeks in 2010.

She's also a co-creator of the Sweet Mary & Jane for Monarch Media, and a producing partner for the band Thank You, Goodbye.

Running in Swaths of Color

Dear Reader,

Exciting steps forward: we've locked the picture for a trailer! Which means that the first fully formed view into the world of The Squirrel King is now with our sound genius who will bring you the sounds of Aliens, trucks and squirrels!

There's still score to add and a couple of small visual effects but this is a big step forward. With some luck early in the new year we'll have something to share.

As you can see, it's the sort of thing that makes Alien One jump for joy :)

Chin chin
Ruthless Whims

A Question of Glue

Dear Reader,

What a grand weekend! Thanksgiving was a fabulous cementing of our community around a festive feast.

Then, to top it off, I awoke yesterday morning to find the Trouble and Strife and the Aliens had washed the Mango Goddess, my mango colored car (aka Robin's vehicle in The Squirrel King).

But with the beautiful buff on the exterior prepping the car perfectly for next weekend's shoot, it suddenly became obvious how desperately the interior needed attention.

To this end Alien One inspected and selected fabric to replace what is now gone.

The only issue: how to affix said fabric. My test of "Tiger Bond" is proving of questionable strength. Any thoughts on a glue for fabric and leather would be very welcome!!

Chin chin
Ruthless Whims

Coming Together

Dear Reader,

We're a couple of hours out from the guests and the fixtures are coming together!

We've just got to turn to the profiterole tower now ;)

Chin chin
Ruthless Whims

Looking Good

Dear Reader,

There's just the little issue of comfort to go, but at least the stools are looking stylish!

Chin chin
Ruthless Whims

Architectural Genius

Dear Reader,

When all else fails, enlist an Alien!

Stay tuned for further updates :)












Chin chin
Ruthless Whims