Search results (tags) for: "film"

Update: Faythe Levine's Handmade Nation

2008-10-29T11:48:00Z

We at Etsy are very excited about Faythe Levine's forthcoming documentary, Handmade Nation; so excited, in fact, that we want to share the clips as they become available! (Such as the amazing stop motion opening sequence shown above.)

Not familiar with Handmade Nation? Here's the gist: director Faythe Levine crossed the country to interview hundreds of artisans and crafters to talk about why and what of making things means to them. The resulting film has produced excitement amongst crafters, as it's a handmade production of its own.

Living in Seattle during the punk DIY music scene in the early nineties, Faythe Levine was fully enthralled by the do-it-yourself ethos. Self-publish, produce, reuse, collaborate, indie labels, zines, communal living, art collectives: she's done it all. In 2003 she looked around and saw a powerful and inspiring movement happening within the craft scene. A "new wave" as she calls it, was emerging with energy and inspiration fueled by a desire to embolden communities of makers and reinvent traditional models of crafting.

Check out the trailer for the documentary below! Very inspiring...

For more posts on Faythe Levine and Handmade Nation, check out our previous coverage.

Etsy in Action: Upcoming Events August 7-14

2008-08-07T11:55:00Z

Summer is in full swing. Why not get out and see what your fellow art and craft lovers are up to? Here are a few of our picks. Let us know what's happening in your area by sharing in the comments below.

Chicago, IL: August 7

Faythe Levine is a filmmaker, author, independent curator and creative director who is currently documenting the rise of DIY and the new wave of art, craft and design in the United States in her film, Handmade Nation. The heart of this new wave of creativity is the community, which is equally influenced by traditional handiwork, modern aesthetics, politics, feminism and art. More information here.

Stop by the Jane Addams Hull-House Museum to see a 20 minute sneak preview from a work-in-progress from the feature film to be released in 2009. After the screening we will hear from Faythe about her thoughts on craft, community, and the nature of DIY. Crafters, artists, filmmakers, labor artists and the general public are all encouraged to attend!

Brooklyn, NY: August 11

Come visit the Etsy Labs for a very special edition of Craft Night. The Etsy Labs and Sweet Tooth of the Tiger join forces to create a recipe slam! We'll be sharing recipes with one another and binding them into little cookbook zines. Come early for a reception from 5-6pm replete with sweet treats. The serious crafting will run from 6-8pm. Learn all about the event here.

San Francisco, CA: August 15

Join the American Craft Council for a lively conversation on the topic of The Politics of Craft and Design. The conversation will delve into how craft and design manifest at the cultural cutting-edge and how makers respond to issues of urgency in the current political climate.

Featuring :

Tina Barseghian, Editor in Chief, Craft Magazine

Garry Knox Bennett, Artist, American Craft Council Fellow

Rob Forbes, Director, Studio Forbes

Robin Petravic, Co-owner, Heath Ceramics

Edie Kahula Pereira, Artecnica

Stephanie Syjuco, Artist

Moderated by Andrew Wagner, Editor in Chief, American Craft

When: Friday, August 15, 2008 from 6-8 p.m.
Where: The Golden Gate Room, Fort Mason Center
Admission: $12 (cash only), includes entrance to the American Craft Show on Saturday or Sunday.
Free with Friday show admission and for American Craft Council members

RSVP by August 11, 2008 to ahenry@craftcouncil.org or call 212-274-0630 ext. 274.

While at Fort Mason, visit the American Craft Show, where over 250 craft artists will be presenting their latest jewelry, furniture, clothing, home décor and more. Enjoy fine wine tastings, new artists, a featured green component, live demonstrations and walking tours. Friday and Saturday, August 15-16 (10 am-6 pm); Sunday, August 17 (10 am-5pm).

Call for Volunteers: The American Craft Council is also looking for volunteers to help run the event. They need assistance with everything from light set-up to registration at the door to light clean-up. In exchange, you'll receive eternal graditude and free admission to the program. If you're interested in volunteering, please contact email MHampton@CraftCouncil.org.

San Francisco: Call of Vendors

Bazaar Bizarre SF and the curator of Plush You are teaming up to bring you the indie collaboration known as You Bazaar! This event, held on November 2nd, 2008, will feature 30 select craft vendors selling quality handmade wares and a series of rotating workshops throughout the day with some of your favorite plush designers.

The deadline for applying is August 15. This is a first come first served show. Applications will be approved as they come in and will be juried by the organizers, so apply here asap.

Made it out to any events we've listed in this column? Upload your "Etsy in Action" photos to Flickr here.

Getting Started in Video: Lighting

2008-05-23T18:40:00Z

You've got a camera, you've got some shooting know-how, and your audio is sounding sweet. Now, what about lighting? This video shows you three options for lighting your video. The "free" option is to shoot in front of a window. The cheap option is to use clip lights and the pro option is to get a lowel light kit.

MP4 | Subscribe in iTunes | Youtube | Blip.tv

The most important thing about lighting for video is that you've got light. Without enough light, your camera's autofocus will be grumpy and the picture, while it may look ok in the camera viewer as you shoot, will look all grainy when you transfer the video. Also, in the video I mention diffusion filters.

There is a lot to learn about lighting for video. If you get into it, you can spend years learning about lighting. I took a 16 hour intro class once that really gave me some ideas to play around with. The goal with this video is to get you started and get the lighting in your next video better than the lighting in your last video.

I went looking for resources to learn more about lighting on the internet, but didn't find much, so if you've got a resource for more information about lighting or if you have your own tips and tricks, leave a note in the comments!

For more videos about making videos, keep reading our Getting Started in Video series!

Break the Shackles of Robotic Slavery: Crankbunny's Handmade Video

2008-05-14T11:23:00Z

Crankbunny made this video explaining why she makes handmade things. Here's the link to a high resolution file: MP4 Link.

This is a really special video so I asked Crankbunny some questions about being an animator.

What kind of software do you use to make your animations?

I use alot of Photoshop and Aftereffects, and sometimes Premiere to put any animation together. I mostly do everything digitally, with the exception any actual drawing. That I do with simple pencil and paper, which then gets imported into the computer.

How did you become an animator?

I didn't really plan to become an animator... well, at one point I did in high school a long time ago when everything was done with film. I had played around with it then, but once I went to off to undergraduate college there were many other artistic distractions like photography, sculpture, metalsmithing, film and design. I somehow ended up doing design work and interactive media for this thing called the 'internet.' It was interesting for the first few years but ultimately really boring for me.

At that point I knew I liked to tell stories with illustrations, drawings, photographs and editing. I started to make small personal little movies for the internet with any free time in my life. Eventually I decided to quit my full time job and concentrate on animating. I even went off to graduate school at one point for animation. I learned by meeting and working with other animators. It was through all these these little steps that I found the focus, approach I needed for my own animation work.

What advice do you have for aspiring animators to get started?

Just start playing. Use your digital camera and start putting things together in the computer. I recommend using free shareware programs like Frame Thief (mac) and Anasazi (pc).

Start off small. Watch animation - ALOT. Many different types of animation too! Dissect them with the pause buttons on your remote. Watch good old films and dissect those also if you wanna learn more about editing and lighting. Show your movies to anyone, see and listen to how people react to them. Fail. Learn patience. Animation is generally really boring tedious work.

If you are interested in traditional cartoon animation - that is great, but animation is not limited to that. A wonderful place to learn and see animation is the NFB (the Canadian National Film Board).The NFB is an amazing institutional heaven of animation - it caters to all people. Film dorks, children, parents, teachers, superheros and regular people. Check with your local museums, colleges, and libraries frequently to see if they have animation screenings also. Ask them to show animation or do workshops.

Thanks Crankbunny!

If you want to learn some of Crankbunny's amazing skills, you might want to sign up for her upcoming paper puppet making class at the Etsy Labs! You can also visit her animation website and read her Featured Seller interview.

Etsian Videos: Vanishing of the Bees

2008-04-24T17:17:00Z

Etsy seller OSSMedicineJewelry is making a documentary about honey bees and the environmental effects that may be damaging their habitats and physiology. See her website www.vanishingbees.com for more info. For now, here's a clip from the movie:

Please subscribe to Etsy's Youtube channel. Let us know if you have a video you'd like to share on the Storque by tagging it with "Etsy" and/or sending us an email to storque@etsy.com!

EGCG | Trashion | EcoEtsy | Environmentally Friendly Gift Guides | Earth Tones Series

Etsy Community Projects: PhotoLab Project

2008-03-18T17:09:00Z

The Etsy Community is constantly dreaming up new ideas. Some of these ideas are for improvements on the site, some are inspiration for getting out of a creative slump and some are just plain fun ideas for projects to work on with or get to know other members of the Etsy Community.

This is a series spotlighting Etsy Community Projects initiated and run by the Etsy Community. Many of these projects originate in the forums and some happen completely there. Some involve mailing packages to other Etsy members, some involve posting on other sites, like Flickr. All are fun ways to interact with other members of Etsy, be it for a short period of time or on a regular basis.

The PhotoLab Project hopes to remind us of the magic of real film while connecting Etsy community members. Etsy members are asked to list a film photo diary (an exposed but undeveloped roll of film they shot through the course of one day) in their shops to trade or sell. They should be tagged ‘photolabproject’ so that they are easy to find. Here's a little more information from smashing — who initiated the PhotoLab Project — on its inception and some tips on participating.

What inspired you to start the project?
My sister in law took my nephew and my daughter on a walk and gave them each a disposable camera. They were 3 and 2 1/2 years old. I wasn't sure what would come out. In fact, I wasn't sure any pictures would appear at all. I was wrong! The pictures were great. Simply being shot from their point of view (which is only a couple of feet lower than mine) gave me such a glimpse of their world. In the pictures, adults looked like enormous giants with tiny heads and huge feet, the sidewalk looked like a parking lot. Houses and trees seemed bigger and farther away at the same time. I was amazed. They were just pictures of a neighborhood but it changed the way I thought about their tiny lives.

This made me think: what could I learn from other people's random camera shots? I got the idea to offer exposed undeveloped rolls of film for sale on Etsy. In my item listing I welcome other people to post their exposed film, too.

Has there been a good level of participation so far?
I've sent out five to other Etsians, there were a couple of sellers who sent out one or two and I've also gotten a few emails from people who were inspired to trade film diaries with friends and start other photo projects.

Do you have any tips or advice for people who wish to participate?
When I started this I was curious about what I'd learn about other people, but you end up learning a lot about yourself. It's a fun little exercise. Lots of FAQ's are answered at the PhotoLab Project's blog.

For more coverage of Etsy Community Projects, check out our continuing series. For more tips and tricks of successful blogs, check out the Blogging Guide!

Are you organizing a project within the Etsy community, outside of an Etsy Team? Tell us about it in the comments!

Local Filmmaking: As Sweet as Honey

2008-02-01T18:12:00Z

Last night New York City seemed like a tiny village. Who knew that a Brooklyn man raises bees and harvests honey on his rooftop?

Yesterday I was at The Tank for the screening of my short documentary about used clothing, along with three other short films. One was a documentary called "Rooftop Bees," about a charming Brooklyn beekeeper named John. It was fun to recognize the view from his rooftop while watching the film. I pass by his apartment building every day on my walk to work. My fiancee used to live next door to him and recalled that he would, from time to time, secretly borrow John's folding chair while relaxing on the roof. He wasn't aware at the time that the big red boxes on the roof actually contained swarms of bees.

I spoke to Melissa Lohman Wild, the director, for a bit after the screening. When I mentioned I would like to review the film for Etsy's online magazine, she replied, "Sure, I know Etsy! I want to be a full time seller and work from home now that I have a baby." Melissa's story inspired me: Storque readers who know independent filmmakers should encourage them to list their DVDs!

Melissa's movie dealt with the political, environmental and economic issues involved in buying local and buying handmade, as opposed to mass-produced items, and she expressed it in a delicate and human way. It made me realize that it just feels natural to make and buy local. Her film gave me a tangible sense of my neighborhood, to the point where I felt my presence as one of the busy human bees going about my daily business.

My favorite part of the movie was when John imagines where his bees fly off to during the day: they certainly go to Fort Greene Park 's clover cover field just a few blocks away from his rooftop. John also "hopes they find their way to the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens, which have so much to offer." This reminded me of the gentle nudges of my parents, who often ecourage me take advantage of all those New York City cultural events and say things like, "Hey, why don't you visit the Met?" By the end of the film, we had buying local and supporting indie artists on the brain (as if those topics aren't already on the brain all day and night?), but we were also hankering for some honey from John, which he sells locally at eco-eatery Habana Outpost during the summer months. (By the way: the owner of Habana Outpost is Rob's, aka Rokali's, former neighbor and one of the first investors in Etsy.)

It's good to know all these busy bees are from the same hive and we can't wait until next season's crop of local honey and indie movies!

Featured Buyer: Faythe Levine of Handmade Nation

2008-01-23T10:41:00Z

Our Featured Buyers series is where the Storque reaches out to the Etsy community and the larger handmade world of arts and crafts. Faythe Levine is someone who is working on drawing all of these elements together. Below you'll find some of her favorite picks from the Etsy marketplace, as well as an interview with her about the DIY craft resurgence and making her documentary film Handmade Nation.

Growing up in Seattle during the 1990’s gave me firsthand exposure to many punk bands and the riot grrrl scene. This underground community quickly exposed me to DIY ethics, and I learned early on that you could release, self-publish and distribute your music and zines through a vast nationwide network of like-minded people.

Since then, community has been a key element in my life, especially creative community. It is something that many find in college, but I explored elsewhere. I traveled the world, lived with large groups communally, worked in collectives, organized events and always made art.

In 2003, I found myself looking at an emerging movement that embraced both art and community, which can now loosely be defined as “the new wave of craft.” This movement is exploring the uncertainty of where fine art meets craft, redefining and reclaiming creativity. The new wave of craft is influenced by the history and techniques of traditional handiwork, modern aesthetics, politics, feminism and art.

During this time, my role has become diverse; from business owner, events organizer and curator, to artist, maker, director and, most recently, author. I am thankful to have come to a place in my artistic career where ethics can overlap with creativity and art with community.

The goal from the beginning of this project has been to expose people outside the indie craft community to what’s going on and give exposure to the community itself by showing the remarkable people who have created it.

We asked Faythe some questions about what she's working on and asked her to share some of the experiences she's gleaned from traveling and shooting her movie.

What's is happening with your documentary? Tell us a bit about it, for people who don't know...
In June 2006 I began shooting footage of the indie craft community for a documentary under the working title Indie Craft Documentary. Over the course of about 9 months we traveled to 15 cities visiting indie craft fairs, studios, galleries and boutique doing interviews with community members. My goal was to capture what was unfolding around the country within our movement. This was something big, something powerful and I wanted to document it.
Now working under the title Handmade Nation: the Rise of DIY Art, Craft and Design, there will not only be a feature length documentary of our community but also a companion book (co-authored by Cortney Heirmerl) under the same title published by Princeton Architectural Press (www.papress.com) scheduled for released in November 2008. The documentary is slated to be released in 2009. It will premier at a festival (which festival we do not know) and then hopefully be available for DVD purchase. I am also planning on touring with the film so keep an eye out for that in a year!

What were some highlights from your travels in shooting the movie?
It was so rad to get to go to all the different craft fairs across the country and see the similarities and differences of each one. The locations that people work with are amazing. Seeing all the shoppers turn out in every city is so cool, plus I got to buy a ton of incredible work directly from makers around the states.

Plus, it was unbelievably awesome getting to meet almost every single person I’ve ever wanted to meet within the craft community! Being able to sit with Debbie Stoller (editor of BUST Magazine and author of Stitch n’ Bitch Nation) and hear her take on the revival of craft, listening to the ladies who run Atlanta’s Indie Craft Experience talk about their show. Sitting down with Jill Bliss and hearing her discuss her work. It was all so fantastic.

Did you notice any unexpected craft trends while making the movie?
There were stylistic trends that have been apparent for a while now, including plush, Amigurumi, and anything with owls, deer and octopi (it’s so hard to resist those lil’ guys!). But more importantly I noticed that crafters were pushing themselves creatively to create more original and well made items more that ever.

Any unexpectedly crafty scenes/cities?
I get asked this question a lot, but honestly, the Internet makes most of what goes on around the country homogenized. The larger cities have more crafty saturation due to larger populations, but otherwise there weren’t many surprises. However, I will point out that smaller cities with cheaper rent can allow creative people to spend more time with their work and have larger studios. (Which is why I live in Milwaukee.) I’m sure there are some super bumpin' craft scenes in unexpected places. Unfortunately, since the film was all independently funded, we just couldn’t go everywhere…Plus my business partner at my store would have killed me if I were gone any more than I already was!

What do you think the world needs to be clued in on the most right now?
Something I would like to start working on is finding affordable health care for independent artists. I’ve been uninsured for seven years, and now that I’m in my 30’s, I’d love to be able to go to the doctor if I need to.

I would love to see creatively driven lifestyles supported within the American system, where we as artists would be respected with our fluctuating incomes and freelance lifestyle; we should be able to afford doctor visits, dental care, pre-natal care and any sort of special medical treatments that we need.

What strides have the DIY crafters made in 2007?
2007 was a big year for DIY Craft; it brought us the first Craft Congress (held in Pittsburgh, PA). The indie craft community made it into the New York Times at least three times. Lots of community members signed book deals, tons of new “How-to” books were released. A lot of craft fairs have reported record-breaking numbers of shoppers up into the 6000’s! Etsy and the Handmade Consortium launched the BuyHandmade.org campaign and as of January almost 12,000 people have signed it. I’m sure there is more, but that’s pretty amazing, right?

What are you looking forward to in 2008?
Well, of course I can’t wait until my book is done! I am looking forward to the second Craft Congress being held in San Francisco, CA. I am always excited about traveling to craft fairs in other cities. My friend Alicia in Barcelona who owns this rad shop called Dudua is talking about organizing a fair there, if it happens I think I would have to fly over to check it out!!

Can you highlight some of the Etsy sellers you've met along the way?
A ton of amazing Etsy sellers have donated to our shop to help raise funds for the documentary. A few awesome random peeps are: Kirinco who designed our most recent T’s and totes. Bhstudio who donated some of her awesome Craft Posters to our Etsy shop in 2007. Callieco we met in New York at the relaunch of American Craft Magazine, her bags are incredible. And the ladies of Indie Craft Expierence are some of our new best friends who do amazing things in Atlanta with their show, and put together the Starlets of Craft Calendar!

Can you speak a bit about your experiences selling items through your Etsy shop to raise money for your project?
Etsy launched right around the time of our production; ever since it has provided the ideal user-friendly storefront for our fundraising process. We solicited crafters to donate items to our shop with the proceeds of sales going towards production cost. This is also where we are selling our promotional items such as T-shirts and totes. Our Etsy shop has raised over $1,500.00 so far, which is fantastic! I run the shop myself which gets overwhelming at times, but I couldn’t be more thankful since I would never be able to maintain any other type of web shop.

Further Resources:

If you're a seller who would like to help the project, you can donate items to be sold through the indiecraftmovie Etsy shop. (Just send me a convo!)

Also, check out the Indie Craft Documentary blog

Check out Faythe's faves in the related items below. Aren't you curious about the documentary?!

Gift Ideas: Cinemaphiles

2007-11-23T12:22:00Z

Don't forget your cinemaphile loved one this holiday season with an original handmade movie-inspired Etsy find! Hi, I'm Cinemadeverre and when I am take a break from seeing the most recent indie flick, I am either making cinema-inspired adornments or shooting — I mean searching Etsy for cool film-o-graphic designs!

So, have you uncovered the whole world of amazing items for your list of hipster filimie friends this year?

Jean-Luc Godard print by DeepInTheWoods. Embroidered shirt by TrisHankDesign.

What about a romantic reminder of the film that you took her/him to on your first date?

Print of Royal Tenenbaums by almostfamous. Ticket earrings by aPassionForFashion.

Hitchcock lovers won't be disappointed…

Birds photo by SimpleToEnchant, Vertigo necklace charm by feelthevertigo, Hitchcock pillow by BlueTwirls.

How about classing it up a notch for your movie-obsessed sister?

Tarzan and Jane pendant by geelizzie, O Brother Where art Thou inspired pendant by yours truly, cinemadeverre.

Featured Buyer: Almitra Corey, Art Department Coordinator

2007-10-17T07:41:00Z

This week's featured buyer is Almitra Corey, an art department coordinator for film. Almitra moved to New York to work in galleries about a year after college, quickly realized that it was a horrendous field, and then accidentally fell into television a few months later. She recently helped plan Etsy's Anda and Pete's wedding. She also loves champagne and champagne fountains. Her choices for featured buyer (and juicy interview!) follow...

Can you describe a bit about what you do?
My title is Art Department Coordinator, and my duties are just as vague as my title. I am in charge of coordinating everything art department related on whatever film or tv show I'm working on. That basically covers everything you see on screen except the actors and costumes. For example, I make sure we get materials and set dressing on schedule for building and shooting deadlines. I also do research to give the production designer, art director, set decorator and prop master a variety to choose from, whether it's different photos of a musician or 1970's wallpaper swatches. The best thing I did recently was to give the director and the prop master a choice of four different pink rolling papers. I had to get inventive with food coloring and highlighters.

Here are some interesting things that would be perfect for decorating some of the recent sets I've worked on:

I'm a big fan of recycled soup cans. I would use these on any character's desks or work space.

What's the movie you're working on now?
I just started a one-hour pilot for FOX called Blue Blood. It's about a group of twenty-something rookie cops in the Bronx and their first day on the job. The show is based on an autobiography of the same title about a man who went to an Ivy League school and then chose to become a cop in the Bronx. The script is interesting and it's produced and directed by Brett Ratner, which should be fun.

What movie did you use Etsy products for? Which products?
I got one million prints from Matt "MATTY8080" Cipov for the last film I did called Assassination of a High School President with Mischa Barton and Bruce Willis. (Don't worry, they weren't romantic.) I also got a photo from ScottBulgerPhoto for a Spanish classroom, and a piece of wall art and some pillows from mamadelic for Mischa's character's living room. A couple of jewelers (redcatrun.etsy.com and soloartworks.etsy.com) were nice enough to send a crucifix and a rosary that I passed on to the costume department.

This might be my favorite print of Matt's and maybe the only one he didn't send me for Assassination of a High School President! But, we used tons of similar ones all over the school's set.

Phoebe in Wonderland was really whimsical and sweet. This would have been perfect.

Are there differences between high budget movie and a low budget, in terms of what you do in the art dept?
Somehow I usually end up with less money in my budget on the bigger budget jobs. There is also a lot more red tape on the studio shows.

And again...whimsy! But, I could use a piece like this almost anywhere except maybe a police precinct.

Do you pick items for specific characters? Their rooms?
I'm usually lucky enough help out the set decorator with a few things here and there. The lower the budget, the more I'm able to do in that department. Either way, I definitely always suggest items that I think would work in different sets or for different characters and the decorator usually welcomes my suggestions. A good example is when I got some pillows made by Anda of stopsandstarts (and Etsy admin) for Sarah Michelle Gellar's character's bedroom on the first film that I was in the art department. The funniest thing I've done recently was on the last job when I decorated Mischa Barton's dressing room. It was a classroom inside Bayonne High where we were shooting for three weeks. I bought pretty blankets, pillows, and rugs to class up the rented couches. I also got a bunch of magazines, which felt pretty weird since she was probably in them.

This "In The Forest Wall Art" piece worked really well in Mischa Barton's character's house. It was a contemporary film with a 70's feel, so this was perfect.

I haven't had the good fortune to use these candles anywhere yet, but I did just purchase it as a birthday gift for one of my favorite people ever. She loves Loretta.

This zebra butterfly art would have worked really well in Elle Fanning's character's room in Phoebe in Wonderland.

One day I will work on something that can feature this feline brilliance!

Why should/does Etsy appeal to art department movie folks?
It's appealing to me because it's a great way to make up for the fact that I work in an industry that can spend seven million dollars on an actor to come work four days, but won't let me buy fancy pens! It also makes me feel better buying good work from hardworking and interesting people instead of prop houses that just recycle the overpriced rentals to every production, too.

A Gocco printer in the Etsy supplies section...Great for making flyers and cards for office or music venue sets!

Are there any general art deptartment calls for pieces/web resources that Etsy admin or sellers should know about?
Whenever I need something weird like a vintage Battleship game, a prosthetic limb, or some old large format negatives I usually post a myspace bulletin about it since I have such great friends. I used the Etsy forums for the first time on Assassination and it was really successful, too! That's when MATTY8080 became my hero.

These stickers can be seen throughout the halls of the school in Assassination of a High School President. I also have a pink one covering the apple on the back of my computer!

I don't know how or where this would fit in, but it made me laugh really hard. I mean, Andrew Meyer said some important things, but is only remembered for this "Don't tase me, bro" phrase.

I would use these tea towels in any kitchen that wasn't ultra modern. The color is the perfect kitchen color.

Sad kittens fit in anywhere!

What's the best part about your job?
The best part of my job is that I get to directly contribute to a creative project that will reach an enormous amount of people. It's also really nice that each job usually ends just when I'm about to be burnt out. Then I start all over again on something new!

Set Decorators love shopping at flea markets and estate sales. These pieces would not be left behind. They would work on almost any set because they're so unique and beautiful, but not offensive or too attention grabbing.

And finally, we have to ask...

...Got any dirt on Bruce Willis or Mischa Barton?
I can't spill the beans on Bruce and Mischa until a little more time has passed! But, I can tell you that Mischa managed to make it to set on time every day. Also, Sarah Michelle Gellar hates the smell of cigarettes, pizza, and fried chicken and told me that she didn't believe anyone actually liked yogurt. Fred Thompson is a giant in real life. Bebe Neuwirth is so pale she's almost translucent. John Leguizamo rides a bike to the office and wears a grubby backpack. Tim Roth is a snob. Alec Baldwin is also a giant, and I'm convinced he's one of the best actors of all time after watching him in between takes. Pras is a gentleman. Elle Fanning is amazing and made the entire crew cry after we shot the final scene of Phoebe In Wonderland. Oh, and Felicity Huffman is the classiest lady, and extremely low maintenance and professional. How's that?

Update & New Clip from IndieCraftDocumentary!

2007-09-10T13:26:00Z

NOTE FROM THE STORQUE:

The following is an update from Faythe Levine, filmmaker and friend to Etsians! Faythe is working SO HARD on a documentary about the DIY craft resurgence. Below, you'll find the latest news from the project and their brand spanking new online video clip.

FROM FAYTHE:

I'm sure you are all in as much disbelief that is it almost mid-September already as I am! Cris, the editor just uploaded a new version of the preview clip that most of you have seen at this point- there is some of the same footage but a lot of new faces are making an appearance ( Poketo, Needles & Pens, Little Otsu, Jenny Hart, Reform School and more!) We are still chugging along with editing with our original goal of having a 2008 release still a good possibility. Please feel free to re-post the clip on your blogs, myspace, etc.

In other news:

Micaela and I will be doing some follow-up shooting this weekend in Chicago at the Renegade Craft Fair.
We will also be out in New York for the re-launch of American Craft Magazine next week as well as shooting at the ETSY Labs!
I will be making the trip to Austin in November for Stitch.
There will be screening a clip of the film previous to the fashion show here in Milwaukee at Art vs. Craft.
Cortney and I are still working on the details of our book deal with Princeton Architectural Press (which will be a companion book to the documentary!!).
Our ETSY shop still is our main source of income for the film, if you haven't checked out our most recent donations and T-shirts still on sale for $13 please do.

FURTHER RESOURCES:

Youtube: http://youtube.com/watch?v=zH2HWPfwpOw
Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/21568463@N00/
ETSY: http:// www.indiecraftmovie.etsy.com

MORE ABOUT THE PROJECT:

A new wave of craft is capturing the attention of the nation. It has emerged as a marriage between historical technique, punk and the D.I.Y. ethos while being influenced by traditional handiwork, modern aesthetics, politics, feminism and art. It is no longer just about cross-stitching samplers or painting floral scrolls on china. Instead, it has increased its realm to embrace an emerging movement of artists, crafters and designers working in traditional and nontraditional mediums and methodologies to intervene in mass-market consumerism, to challenge the familiar and to attempt creative and economic freedom. This movement created by craft forges a new economy, lifestyle and burgeoning art community that is based on creativity, determination and networking.

The heart of the new wave of craft is the community. Artists, crafters, makers, organizers, critics, curators, cultural theorists and historians come together to create a community that shares the desire to produce change through the passion to create. By sharing ideas and encouragement they work together to nurture entrepreneurialism, preserve feminine heritage and wield great economic power. Through websites, blogs and online stores individuals in this widespread community can stay virtually tight-knit while boutiques, studios, galleries and craft fairs connect to the greater public to inspire and to promote.

In the fall of 2003, after returning from Chicago’s Renegade craft fair, Faythe Levine decided that someone should create a documentary on the rise of independent craft as it was occurring. In June 2006 Levine, director and producer, and her close friend Micaela O’Herlihy, director of photography, marked the beginning of the 19,000-mile journey to interview and film over 50 crafters, craft market organizers and shop owners in 16 cities across the nation as well as the first ever Craft Congress in Pittsburgh. Handmade Nation, a documentary slated to come out in spring 2008, is the original product of their efforts. Levine’s goal from the beginning of this project has been to expose people outside the craft community to what’s going on and give exposure to the community itself by showing the remarkable people who have created it.

Diorama Drama!

2007-08-07T20:00:00Z

We at Etsy were recently visited by an intrepid crew of videographers, Chop Wood Carry Water. The crew shot content about Etsy, for Etsy...and hopefully for television producers soon to be receiving our totally unique EPK (Electronic Press Kit). This visit prompted us to think about how we could spruce up our surroundings and have a "stage" on which to conduct interviews and get down to business.

With this in mind, the "Etsy elves" (Ahem, the Labs team!) soon got to work, and quickly built an incredible, life-size diorama, complete with an over-sized spool of thread and tomato pin cushion for seats. No detail was too small...Look at the wallpaper! It's just fabric with flowers attached!

The airplanes are a nice touch.

This is the "outside" portion of the diorama, that you might walk across in order to get inside "the house." It's also worth mentioning that you can only wear specially crafted Etsy-slippers to walk in the diorama. One pair has narwhal tusks for decoration. Also, did you see JackRabbit's Wiener Bench hiding in the corner?

And here is the beautiful "inner portion" of the display. Before this, the space was being used as a closet for Rob's coats and a non-functional glass display case, usually covered by a quilt.

The shoot went well, thanks to the sellers who gave some great interviews:
Kateblack
DewonaPetal
joannetracydesigns
1aeon
seealso
kartdesign

You can check out the photos from behind the scenes here on flickr.

Note: This was originally posted in the Etsy Garden.

Science of Sleep: Like an Acid Trip without the Acid

2007-03-29T20:00:00Z

The Science of Sleep chronicles the trials and tribulations of Stéphane (Gael Garcia Bernal), a sensitive young man with an overactive imagination. When Stéphane's dreams begin to merge with his waking life, many awkward situations arise.

It's definitely quirky and weird, but also sweet and romantic. The movie has striking and memorable visuals (eye candy, for sure!) and beautiful art direction. The surreal dream sequences were fun to watch as the audience delves into Stéphane's psyche. However, the film lacks a cohesive storyline and the ending feels unresolved. If you're looking for something with more of a plot, this may not be the film for you. It's no Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.