Thursday, March 23, 2006
See you in Stuttgart!
I'll be speaking and presenting at the FMX and Flash conferences in Stuttgart, Germany, May 2-8. My gigs are:
Wednesday May 03 14:00-15:00 Metropol 3 - "Lunch Special" screening featuring Fetch! in 35mm
Thursday May 04 12:00-13:00 Raum Karlsruhe - "Flash and the Professional Animator"
Saturday May 06 15:00-16:00 Raum Mannheim - "That Doesn't Look Like Flash"
Tuesday, March 21, 2006
Identity Theft
Today I learned someone set up a fake credit card in my name, and has been trying to order thousands of dollars worth of crap on the internet with it. One of the catalogs this tasteless thief ordered from called an old phone number to confirm; the person who sub-let my old apartment to me still uses that number, and called me.Now, identity theft is scary, but it's unlikely they'll manage to get any orders through, due to lots of card verification procedures. However, they have stolen my time, because trying to report identity theft is a nightmare. I can't contact the bank that issued the card, because I don't know which bank it is. The credit report agencies, like Experian, have only automated systems - they don't let you talk to a real person, nor specify which account in your name is fraudulent. I contacted the FTC, and am supposed to contact the police. I've just spent the last 2 hours on the phone in automated Catch-22 systems, and online, trying to resolve the problem but instead probably digging a deeper hole for myself. Of course every report I attempt to make requires my Social Security number first, which makes me more paranoid.
So, even though I probably won't be charged for $6,000 for dozens of Ladies' Dresses and Accessories (if you have to steal, why that?), I will lose countless more hours or days of my life dealing with this BS.
Saturday, March 18, 2006
Use it or Lose it
Fair Use links: Center for Social Media (American University)
Includes the new, excellent Documentary Filmmakers' Statement of Best Practices in Fair Use
Duke University Center for the Study of the Public Domain Bound by Law? comic book
Free Expression Project of Brennan Center for Justice at NYU
Friday, March 17, 2006
Anyone know Sanskrit?
UPDATE - found someone, thanks all.A composer I'm working with is putting together a song for Sita using samples from Sanskrit devotional singing. But neither of us know any Sanskrit. I need someone to listen to an MP3 of the source audio and hunt for passages about Laxmi and Vishnu (as opposed to Saraswati and Brahma, which were unwittingly used in the current version of the song). I gots no $, but I can offer a "consultant" credit in the movie. If anyone's interested, please send me an email or just leave a comment. Thanks!
Wednesday, March 15, 2006
Modenese Holiday
I just got back from the AniMOweb Flash festival in Modena, Italy. Good people, good films, good food, good times. Even Lufthansa's delaying my return to New York by 18 hours, forcing me to stay overnight in Frankfurt and miss my Parsons class, not to mention worrying myself sick over my poor "starving" kitty-cat (who it turned out barely noticed I was gone), cannot dilute my pleasant memories. I've posted far too many out-of-order photos here. And now...back to work! Held voice auditions for Sita Sings the Blues last night. Big thanks to everyone who showed up and mea culpa for my various administrative oversights, I'm not used to working with actual human beings (there's a reason I'm an animator and not a live-action film director).
Friday, March 03, 2006
Meet me in Modena
I'm excited to be visiting Italy for the first time next week, to present my films and serve on the jury of the AniMOweb Flash Festival. Just in case anyone's happening by:CINEMA SALA TRUFFAUT Thursday the 9th of March 16.35Then, straight back to New York to audition voice actors for Sita Sings the Blues.
- The movies by Nina Paley - 40 minutes
SAN CARLO THEATRE saturday 11th of March 17.35
- Seminar by Nina Paley – 1 hour
