Showing posts with label Soapbox. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Soapbox. Show all posts
Thursday, August 11, 2011
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Extreme Knitting
Oops, second inspiration video in a row. This is pretty interesting though. Knitting with 1000 strands, totally an exercise in extremes. What I find interesting though is the statement that is below the video (click to get to the you tube site). The yarn used was all deemed excess and garbage. It really is a wonder what our society throws away.
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
An Interesting Link
Check out this article on 'Slow Fashion'. I know the Christian Science Monitor is probably an odd link for me but the really touches on a subject that is close to my heart. There is no way I can ever compete with $4 t-shirt from Walmart but I'm also pretty sure that the shirts I've made have had a long happy life keeping someone looking pretty damn snazzy!
Take a second and think about who made the next shirt you pick up to purchase.
Take a second and think about who made the next shirt you pick up to purchase.
Saturday, February 7, 2009
The Life Cycle of a Show
Any show, any gig or contract seems to have a recognizable life cycle. I'm trying to keep an eye on this and use it to help manage the highs and lows of the energy levels.
1. The Spark or Catalyst. This is pretty varied but usually starts with someone, somewhere saying, "I have this idea." or, "What if we?" Then a bunch of people jump on board withe craziest, most far out brain storming session that can be generated. "Yeah, we'll green screen it and replicate the zombies so there's actually an entire HORDE!" Any one at this point who has the audacity to point out that we only have two zombie puppets ready and no budget for more gets lynched or booed. This is when this is going to be the biggest, bestest most marvelous thing EVAR, of all time that anyone has ever worked on and someone points out that even the Lord of the Rings trilogy was some one's crazy idea at some point and they had hordes. Yep... this is the crazy.
2. Some people get pulled in at this point, the phone rings and someone you may or not know (or trust!?) says they have this idea going and could you... Number two either jumps you straight back to number one and the crazy brainstorming continues or you respond with a hesitant OK.... and....
3. The Buts Begin. A common quote right about now is, that's great but... insert budget limitations, time limitations, tech issues, availability. Frequently reference the time we did a set on $50 or declared the new set colour the colour "free". Lots of navel gazing is going on, one time I.... but.... then.... This is where we start being the person dialing the phone at Number 2.
4. People start to pull their shit together. Real budgets are put together, designs that might actually happen are created. People flake out, run screaming or commit. (Or the entire thing falls apart, do not pass go, do not collect $200, go back to Number One, The Spark.)
5. Production begins. Now at this point there is still a kind of high. Everyone is happy to start something new, the time line seems realistic (HA!)
6. Somewhere in here every tech starts to run out of money, time, energy, vision, patience or just general will power. Panic, depression and sheer desperation all seem like a healthy response.
Now, it's important to note that not everyone on a project (the same project) are at the same point at the same time. Not to mention who has the luxury of one project at a time? So the lighting tech gets drug in at Number two (Can you help?) while the set designer is pulling their hair out at Number Six (Hair pulling panic) and the wardrobe designer is happily wallowing in the high of Number Five (Starting Production). Hopefully you are surrounded by a team of seasoned professionals that know when to ply the other members of their team with caffeine or alcohol (whenever each is appropriate, together is a personal fav) and try and pull everyone back to .... Number Four, Pulling Your Shit Together.
7. Things start to fall in place. Fatigue is a major factor here, who seriously has time for abject terror or stress at this point. "Good Enough" becomes the refrain of most of the team. Usually at this point finding a sober coherent director or producer becomes impossible and everyone starts to just make their own bloody decisions.
8. Curtain, shoot or production happens. Really, except for the 16 year old ingenue who thinks she looks fat in purple, NO ONE CARES.
9. Rehashing the Production. This usually starts in the tech booth or the green room while the show is still happening, proceeds to an after party (if you are all still speaking to each other) and continues for ... ever? Really, the length or time you can rehash a show for is directly related to the disasters available to rehash. The show the power went out on, when the 15' foot flat fell on the 85 year old who fell and tore the lead's bodice off... that's one we're going to be talking about on our death bed.
10. You think you are finally over it, you can sleep through the night, the work room isn't curtained off with black crepe and there is a faint niggling in the back of your brain. Next thing you know you run into someone who like working with and the next thing out of your mouth is, "I have this idea..."
ARGH!!! Where are you all at with the current projects?
1. The Spark or Catalyst. This is pretty varied but usually starts with someone, somewhere saying, "I have this idea." or, "What if we?" Then a bunch of people jump on board withe craziest, most far out brain storming session that can be generated. "Yeah, we'll green screen it and replicate the zombies so there's actually an entire HORDE!" Any one at this point who has the audacity to point out that we only have two zombie puppets ready and no budget for more gets lynched or booed. This is when this is going to be the biggest, bestest most marvelous thing EVAR, of all time that anyone has ever worked on and someone points out that even the Lord of the Rings trilogy was some one's crazy idea at some point and they had hordes. Yep... this is the crazy.
2. Some people get pulled in at this point, the phone rings and someone you may or not know (or trust!?) says they have this idea going and could you... Number two either jumps you straight back to number one and the crazy brainstorming continues or you respond with a hesitant OK.... and....
3. The Buts Begin. A common quote right about now is, that's great but... insert budget limitations, time limitations, tech issues, availability. Frequently reference the time we did a set on $50 or declared the new set colour the colour "free". Lots of navel gazing is going on, one time I.... but.... then.... This is where we start being the person dialing the phone at Number 2.
4. People start to pull their shit together. Real budgets are put together, designs that might actually happen are created. People flake out, run screaming or commit. (Or the entire thing falls apart, do not pass go, do not collect $200, go back to Number One, The Spark.)
5. Production begins. Now at this point there is still a kind of high. Everyone is happy to start something new, the time line seems realistic (HA!)
6. Somewhere in here every tech starts to run out of money, time, energy, vision, patience or just general will power. Panic, depression and sheer desperation all seem like a healthy response.
Now, it's important to note that not everyone on a project (the same project) are at the same point at the same time. Not to mention who has the luxury of one project at a time? So the lighting tech gets drug in at Number two (Can you help?) while the set designer is pulling their hair out at Number Six (Hair pulling panic) and the wardrobe designer is happily wallowing in the high of Number Five (Starting Production). Hopefully you are surrounded by a team of seasoned professionals that know when to ply the other members of their team with caffeine or alcohol (whenever each is appropriate, together is a personal fav) and try and pull everyone back to .... Number Four, Pulling Your Shit Together.
7. Things start to fall in place. Fatigue is a major factor here, who seriously has time for abject terror or stress at this point. "Good Enough" becomes the refrain of most of the team. Usually at this point finding a sober coherent director or producer becomes impossible and everyone starts to just make their own bloody decisions.
8. Curtain, shoot or production happens. Really, except for the 16 year old ingenue who thinks she looks fat in purple, NO ONE CARES.
9. Rehashing the Production. This usually starts in the tech booth or the green room while the show is still happening, proceeds to an after party (if you are all still speaking to each other) and continues for ... ever? Really, the length or time you can rehash a show for is directly related to the disasters available to rehash. The show the power went out on, when the 15' foot flat fell on the 85 year old who fell and tore the lead's bodice off... that's one we're going to be talking about on our death bed.
10. You think you are finally over it, you can sleep through the night, the work room isn't curtained off with black crepe and there is a faint niggling in the back of your brain. Next thing you know you run into someone who like working with and the next thing out of your mouth is, "I have this idea..."
ARGH!!! Where are you all at with the current projects?
Thursday, December 25, 2008
Wow, it’s been a whirlwind month hasn’t it? I have so many projects I can show off now that they are living with their new owners. For those of you who come here for pretty things, I’ll get to that soon, I promise.
For tonight, I want to point every one over to the Yarn Harlot’s blog for December 25th because, as usual, she has summed up the emotions and the stress that can come with this time of year with grace and poise.
I truly am blessed, surrounded by people that love me and an excess of food and gifts. I just want to thank every one of you for being part of the last year and being with me on this journey. Take a second, have a look around and appreciate how good we have it. Then maybe, consider supporting Doctors Without Borders, there are a lot of people out there who aren’t so lucky.
The very best of the Season everyone.
Bea
For tonight, I want to point every one over to the Yarn Harlot’s blog for December 25th because, as usual, she has summed up the emotions and the stress that can come with this time of year with grace and poise.
I truly am blessed, surrounded by people that love me and an excess of food and gifts. I just want to thank every one of you for being part of the last year and being with me on this journey. Take a second, have a look around and appreciate how good we have it. Then maybe, consider supporting Doctors Without Borders, there are a lot of people out there who aren’t so lucky.
The very best of the Season everyone.
Bea
Monday, September 29, 2008
GO READ THIS!
Seriously, go read Yarn Harlot's blog post for Sept 29, 2008.
http://www.yarnharlot.ca/blog/
Yep, one ordinary Canadian here as well thinking that Mr. Harper seems to have lost his freakin' mind.
http://www.yarnharlot.ca/blog/
Yep, one ordinary Canadian here as well thinking that Mr. Harper seems to have lost his freakin' mind.
Friday, April 18, 2008
Sublime.. but good...
Can you believe that it took legislation to make it legal for homeowners to hang out their laundry?! We live in a strange, strange world. I personally am looking forward to the first OUTSIDE dried laundry of the season this weekend. I think the snow around the line is gone enough.
... and CBC considers this headline a "Diversion". Check it out.
... and CBC considers this headline a "Diversion". Check it out.
Monday, February 11, 2008
And now for something completely different...
I don't often sit down and actually write for this blog, a random smattering of pictures is usually how I communicate. Ask anyone who loves me, I'm not the greatest at talking about the important things. So I'm not sure where to start, maybe I'll just point you all over to Causaubon's Book. http://casaubonsbook.blogspot.com/
She's got a lot of important things to say. Let's start there, maybe later, I'll tell you about the chickens....
She's got a lot of important things to say. Let's start there, maybe later, I'll tell you about the chickens....
Friday, January 25, 2008
Friday, August 17, 2007
Soap box time people!
Put very simply, I make things. I make things with my hands, one at a time and no two things are alike. Labels for what I do and how that defines me vary from seamstress to craftsperson to artist. Making things is as essential to me as breathing, just something I do and have done since I was a child.
The part that gets me is that what I do and how I do it has little or no value in our society. Oh, people will pay lip service, however that comes to a screeching halt when I tell them that making their dream dress will take me a minimum of two weeks full time labour and explain the costs of supporting me for those two weeks.
Those same people who claim to ‘understand’ and ‘respect’ what I do are the first in to the end of season sales at the chain stores, later bragging about their $10 dress. That dress what made by someone, perhaps a minor, working in sub prime conditions for little of no pay in a county with lower ‘standards’. While those of us lucky enough to live in our society with higher standards crash our financial systems because we want more.
As a society we carry more debt that any before us and as much as we all talk about how this is unhealthy, it sure doesn’t seem to be going away. Even when we are paying next to nothing for the ‘stuff’ we buy.
Just for a second imagine that we had to pay for everything we own based on supporting the same standard of living for the ‘makers’ as we want to maintain for ourselves?
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