Melodica Bud Theme

Dear Reader,

Once again, I'm happy to report we're getting even closer on our sizzle reel.

As you can see in this little clip, Matthew McGaughey, our master musician has been hard at work breathing life into the Squirrel King :)


More soon.

Chin chin
Ruthless Whims

Whatever Floats Your Bathtub

Dear Reader,

Tossing out the papier mache bathtubs after the final burnt landscape shoot, I couldn't help reflecting a little on the apparent absurdity of their construction in the first place.

The thing is, absurdity can be uplifting, and for me this specific absurdity was an outcrop of following and doing what I like. Ultimately these things bring me joy, and possibly others too.

It's a wonderful thing to follow your passion, kind of like riding a bigger bike.

Remember, it all starts with a whim :)

Chin chin
Ruthless Whims

Squirrels and Aliens

Dear Reader,

What a fantastic day of shooting yesterday!

Squirrels and the baby aliens were ferried out to our blackened landscape where we spent a day in the sun lying on rocks, getting covered in ash and bringing the wonderful puppets to life :)

What exactly was happening will remain a mystery until the final episode of the series, but rest assured we will have saved some of the highlights for the end!

Great work Justus and Liz.

Chin chin
Ruthless Whims

Packed and Ready

Dear Reader,

I'm packed and ready to go! It's getting late as I write this, and I've got a very early start tomorrow, but with boxes of goodies and a big day ahead, I only hope I get some sleep, for ...

Today, we encounter some aliens and bring more squirrels to life :)

Chin chin
Ruthless Whims

Some Old Friends

Dear Reader,

After a wonderful weekend catching up with so many old friends at my birthday party, I realized it was time to dig out some other old friends ....
Longtime fans of The Squirrel King may recall the Alien babies we filmed almost two years ago now, but for those who don't here's a shot of the one of the stars of tomorrow's shoot :)

Chin chin
Ruthless Whims

Still a Little Sidetracked

Dear Reader,

The Trouble and Strife, my wonderful wife, is prepping the most amazing birthday party for me ... oh and I'm helping a little.

Next week we'll be back in the Squirrel King saddle!

Until then, enjoy :)

Chin chin
Ruthless Whims

The Big 4-0

Dear Reader,

Today is my birthday, kind of a big one ... I turn 40. I'm happy to report that all is well, in fact life is perfect, something underscored by the little video I'm sharing with you:


I have two wonderful kids, a gorgeous wife and a family that extends far and wide, including all those involved in The Squirrel King :)

Remember, it all starts with a whim!

Chin chin
Ruthless Whims

Squirrel King Kits

Dear Reader,

Over the last couple of years many of you have asked about Squirrel King kits for kids of your own; elements of the production design that everyone could make and enjoy themselves. It is not something I have focussed on in this blog because I didn't want to raise hopes ... but we have been quietly working in the background and yesterday was a big step forward :)

We're still a way off, but yesterday Alien One and I bundled up some samples and sent them off to a company that is interested in helping bring them to everyone.

As always, Alien One had a ball constructing yet another fish tank herself, we hope that these joys may soon be shared by many others!

Chin chin
Ruthless Whims

A Fourth Thought, from Justus

Warmed up and ready to go, I stood uncertain below the 20 foot tall arete of my dreams, ropeless as the day I was born. And then Seneca's words came back to me:

It is not because things are difficult that we do not dare; it is because we do not dare that things are difficult. 

With that encouragement I hopped right on and found out that things are difficult for a number of reasons.

 

Seagull-cam

Dear Reader,

Over the weekend I came across a couple of flying video clips. May have to share them over the next few days :)



Chin chin
Ruthless Whims

Like-minded Filmmakers

Dear Reader,

I have yet to see the film Beasts of The Southern Wild, but the following little documentary about the making of warms my heart.


While our story did have a solid script before we started shooting, we too have thrived on embracing the happenstance additions along the way! Filmmaking, like life, can be a wonderfully meandering path :)

Chin chin
Ruthless Whims

Cardboard: A Simple Stock Pleasure

Dear Reader,

Yesterday saw my need for a little cardboard yet again.

Heading to the alley out back I was delighted to find Alien Two excited to join me, and even more excited to see her thrill with joy on a cardboard mountain.

It was a lovely reminder to enjoy the simple pleasures myself :)

Chin chin
Ruthless Whims

Ballerina Joy

Dear Reader,

Joy can be as simple as some paper cut outs and sequins.


I hope this little piece puts the same smile on your face as it did on mine when I found it :)

Chin chin
Ruthless Whims

Progress Isn't Always Visible

Dear Reader,

It's surprising how often in life big leaps forward happen out of sight. For The Squirrel King, the last couple of weeks have been such a time. Firstly, our long anticipated sizzle has moved closer to completion with our audio genius, Bob, and scoring guru, Matthew, now working their magic.

Beyond that, our awesome enigmatic editor, Meg has started assembling assistants for assembly edits of the actual series! Very exciting times!

It's all kind of like a sleeping child. It's too subtle to see the changes, but you know they are growing. Our very own Aliens are getting bigger too :)

Chin chin
Ruthless Whims

Inspiration: Mlml

Dear Reader,

Enjoying another random walk through the web, I came across this wonderful little music video:

Hope you too enjoy the shadow puppet mixture with bright lights :)

Chin chin
Ruthless Whims

They Just Keep Coming!

Dear Reader,

Under the watchful gaze of one of our senior miniature squirrels, more keep coming :)

Pretty soon I suspect we're looking at some serious tarp surfing action!

Chin chin
Ruthless Whims

The Joys of Complexity

Dear Reader,

The other day a good friend stopped by and asked the not so unreasonable question: "why not just use a real bathtub?" The answer I gave was a simple one - this is easier to cart about - but it masked the true, more complex, rationale ...

Something to do with aesthetics. Something to do with idiosyncrasy.

Like many things Squirrel King, a big part is reenvisioning the familiar, just a little differently. With luck, it jolts the mind into considering, however briefly, the what's-this-all-about of the world. That said, I do also enjoy the fact that a papier mache bathtub is simply fun. I think we all get a kick out of fun :)

Chin chin
Ruthless Whims

Enjoying Everyday Magic: Hummingbirds

Dear Reader,

Sitting in our living room this morning, the Trouble and Strife drew my attention to our balcony, and hovering around it, a hummingbird :)

The happy little moment reminded me of a snippet I know I've already shared, but I simply can't help sharing it again. Enjoy the view out Robin's window!



Chin chin
Ruthless Whims

Another Day After Nesting's Blaze

Dear Reader,

Yesterday was another big day in the aftermath of the Nesting fire, this time we brought out, Ed, our town's one man municipal show and our wonderful lead, Robin.

It was another hot day with fire axes, shower stalls and a fantastically in tact snake skin!

Stop motion squirrels are still to come :)

Chin chin
Ruthless Whims

Bathtub Couch!

Dear Reader,

While looking for color combinations for Marcy's bathtub, I came across this wonderful concept: a bathtub couch! Unique and delightful, you can apparently custom order these high concept lounge room additions at Ruff House Art.

Do let us know if you try one, I'm curious just how comfortable they are!

Chin chin
Ruthless Whims