One of the most interesting ways of exploring the craft of a film is to read the screenplay. A good screenplay is a blueprint for the film based on it: it tells you so much of what you need to know, lets you visualize the building without actually fully encompassing it. It lets you understand what decisions were made…
OMG more awesome paper popup toys from Haruki Nakamura!
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Japanese designer Haruki Nakamura brings his artwork to life through the time-honored tradition of paper crafting. Using his masterful understanding of paper engineering, he constructs whimsical creatures and dolls that move in surprising ways. By the simple act of tipping, poking, or dropping them on a table, they reveal their true selves. Sometimes, they become something brand new, expose several more legs, or retreat to the comfort of their protective shells. You don’t know how they’ll react until you play with them, which is all part of the fun.
Nakamura is a self-taught paper crafter whose primary goal is to entertain people with his work. He has been doing so since 2000, just a few years after he first picked up a book called Paper Craft Techniques Encyclopedia. He used that text to hone his skills, but he really began pursuing the field in earnest after he saw the joy that his paper toys brought people. Nakamura continues to keep this in mind when he builds his recent creations, coupling the engineering with witty character design to add an even more playful edge to his work.
In keeping with his desire to make others happy, Nakamura sells his paper engineering as kits on his website. Unfortunately, the designer only sells in Japan, but there is hope for those abroad—his popular Penguin Bomb toy is available on Amazon.
Japanese designer Haruki Nakamura creates engaging paper toys that move in delightfully unexpected ways.
You can watch more of Nakamura’s papercraft portfolio in action via his YouTube channel.
In the far reaches of Mongolia, a small group of nomads keeps the tradition of eagle hunting alive. Also known as falconry, this ancient tradition requires skilled handlers to train birds of prey to assist in hunting wild animals. In ancient times, the practice was restricted to the noble classes, but today berkutchi—as it’s called in Mongolia—is a right of passage for young men living in Western Mongolia’s Altai region.
Golden eagles are the most commonly used birds in the region, a rare feat as eagles are notoriously hard to train and manage. But the approximately 300 remaining eagle keepers forge a deep bond with their companions, skillfully working with them in a unique partnership to hunt foxes and small hares. Photographer Daniel Kordan recently spent time with a group of eagle keepers, where he was able to capture the beauty of their bonds.
Each September, a large berkutchi festival takes place, attracting tourists from around the region. But Kordan’s experience was decidedly more intimate, as he used local guides to connect with nomad families, who brought him in and introduced him to the area’s eagle keepers. His images demonstrate the power and skill of both the handlers and the eagles, as well as the pride both parties take in their shared mission.
Kordan, who also leads photography workshops and expeditions, came away from his time in Mongolia with a renewed respect and appreciation for the people he encountered. We had a chance to speak with him about his experiences and learn more about what people can expect if they participate in his next visit to Mongolia.
Why did you decide to focus a series of photographs specifically on the eagle keepers?
I’m fascinated by nomad culture. It’s an elusive culture, almost extinct nowadays. There are just around 300 eagle keepers left keeping this thousand-year-old tradition. It’s hard to keep and so easy to move toward “civilization,” but these people try to keep the tradition and pass it on through generations.
What was the most surprising thing you learned about the eagle keepers?
That people are actually very happy with this life, no matter how hard it is. And even kids starting from 13 years old can keep their eagle. The bond with the bird is so strong! Actually, even the eyes and the look of the eagle and its master resemble each other. They also respect their bird and release it into the wild after it turns 10 years old.
Can you share a bit about their daily routine?
They start the day early, by taking care of their horses, sheep, goats, cooking meals, and making furs. Closer to winter and in the spring they migrate from one spot to another. Sometimes nomads need to travel thousands of kilometers. So winter migration is the most fascinating thing. Every day they need to assemble their Ger tent and move to another place with all their herds. That’s lots of endurance and work.
What did you hope to capture about their culture in your photographs?
I hope that people will keep saving their traditions and value them. These places are hard to reach, so I’ve tried to show the nomads’ unique culture to the world.
How were you able to originally make contact with them?
I found local guides and drivers to bring me to nomads. It took me a while to find the right contacts during my research. Basically, all nomad families are connected, so after you find the first connection, it’s easy to communicate. I also speak Russian and it helped to communicate with them, as some of older people know Russian from Soviet times.
I know you will be going to visit the eagle keepers again next year as part of your photography tour. What can people who participate in the program expect?
Yes, I can’t wait to go back!
We organize an amazing eagle hunters festival, where our guests can actually feel like they are inside the movie set. And all the eagle hunters are very friendly to the photographers. The main public eagle festival berkutchi is very popular now, attracting thousands of people. So it’s almost impossible to take good photos there. So, we organize our own private festival just for our group. I’m very happy that I can support nomadic culture in this way.
What do you hope the public takes away from your photographs of Mongolia?
I hope that people will think about their native traditions. We need to respect our ancestors and continuing to preserve traditional culture definitely makes our lives better and filled with purpose.
Sometimes I think this is probably what the IT people think when I come by with a problem because I know enough to already have tried the simple solutions. So anything still happening is definitely gone terribly wrong.
Never thought specifically about this aspect of their friendship where he supports her growth as a person, even if it puts her in danger, but it makes me love this movie all the more.
look at this adorable excited puppy. LET ME LOVE YOU MAKOOOO
How Raleigh Becket Changed His Tune Once He Met Miss Mako Mori: A Short Story
“You don’t understand, I’m a complicated hero with angst and man pai- OMG SHE’S PERFECT EVERYONE GET IN THE JAEGER WE’RE GOING MONSTER HUNTING”
Oh god I never noticed how his shoulders drop in that last gif. It looks like he is literally sighing over how perfect she is.
He LITERALLY sighs at her when she walks by. NEVER have I seen a main character hero who is an extremely masculine male be SO ADORING of a woman. He has literal stars in his eyes. He’s tipsy on admiration. He looks at her like she brought Christmas and puppies and chocolate cake.
I STAN MANLY MEN WHO ARE RESPECTFUL AND EMOTIONALLY AVAILABLE AND TOTAL EQUALS WITH THEIR LADY FRIENDS
Raleigh treats Mako like the capable adult that she is but he just worships her. He treats her correctly but he walks on air behind her with hearts in his eyes. Dude is crushing hard and still gets what needs to be done done.
What I love so much is that he falls for her but doesn’t use it as an excuse to protect her. So many stories have the guy deciding to wrap the woman he cares for up in cotton and tuck her away where she’ll be safe. Raleigh cares for her enough to actively help her achieve her goals, even if that means putting herself in harm’s way.
I just... wow. This is worse than last year. Last year was at least kinda pretty (if creepy). It had a cruel snow queen vibe. this is just... tacky and weird. It looks like flocking gone terribly wrong. I wonder if the designers make it look awful on purpose as a silent protest?
Something old, something new, something borrowed, something filled with the coagulating blood of one’s enemies. The Trump household apparently wasn’t content turning the White House into a dark alternate dimension where all hope dies for just one year—this house of horrors has now become an annual holiday tradition.
Sassy Nu Goth Cerberus and her journey to achieve the perfect Instagram selfie. ;) I’m sure it would be challenging to get a good shot with all three heads paying attention… Ink, with digital shading.
Small talk outside social situations between close friends is virtually non-existent. Interactions with baristas? Limited to the name of the coffee you want to order. Sitting, walking or standing in a way that requires acknowledging a stranger’s presence? Never. ... If you’re a foreigner, congratulations – you’re probably the loudest person on their often (voluntarily) silent public transport.
Finns even had to be taught how to chit chat when interacting with non-Finns:
As Tiina Latvala, a former English instructor in Sodankylä, Lapland, explained, part of her job was to introduce her young students to the concept of small talk.
“We had a practice where you had to pretend to meet someone for the first time,” Latvala said. “You had to pretend you were meeting at the cafe or on a bus and [that] you didn’t know each other and do a bit of chit chat. We had written on the whiteboard all the safe topics so they didn’t have to struggle with coming up with something to talk about. We brainstormed. They usually found it really difficult.”
Ever since news of a What We Do in the Shadows spin-off broke, we’ve been eagerly anticipating the upcoming FX series. The cult classic 2014 film starred Jemaine Clement (Flight of the Conchords), Taika Waititi (Thor: Ragnarok) and Jonny Brugh (800 Words) as a trio of vampire roommates in Wellington, New Zealand. The FX series moves the location to New York City and features an all new cast of vampires sharing a home.
FX has dropped two brief teasers for the series, which appear to capture the silliness of the original film. The first clip features vampires Nandor (Four Lions‘s Kayvan Novak) and Laszlo (Toast of London‘s Matt Berry) and their servant Guillermo (The Magicians‘ Harvey Guillen) as they await the arrival of some virgins.
The second teaser shows Nandor and Guillermo at the super market, where Nandor tries to pay by chucking an old coin at the employee’s face. It doesn’t go over well.
The series also stars Natasia Demetriou (Year Friends) as female vamp Nadja. In addition to producing the series, Clement and Waititi have collaborated on a New Zealand-set series that takes place in the WWDITS universe, called Wellington Paranormal.
Wellington Paranormal is a mockumentary take on a reality cop show, which follows officers Minogue (HuntfortheWilderpeople’s Mike Minogue) and O’Leary (TheBreaker–Upperers‘ Karen O’Leary), beat cops who are now part of the paranormal investigation unit in the Wellington police force. Both actors are reprising their roles from the original film. Waititi and Clement will cameo in the series.
Hayden Szeto (Edge of Seventeen) who appears in the FX pilot said of the experience, “What I liked about it, is that there’s a wider variety of characters in this, compared to the movie, which makes it more interesting. The wider variety of characters causes more conflict on the show, and it’s really, really well done. Jemaine Celement, the writer, is a genius. I’m a big fan of Flight of the Conchords. There are many modern pop culture references that will make you laugh, so hard.”
FX hasn’t set a release date for series, only saying that it will come out sometime in the spring.
can we take a second to ponder on the fact that a kids movie did lady armor better than the entire film and comic industry
guess who i’m talking about
did you guess? Well you’re fucking WRONG because it’s Susan goddamn Pevensie
They gave her light armor, appropriate for a small archer:chainmail, an arm brace, chest plate, and a light skirt she can easily run around murderizing dudes in the face in
her hair is also only loose in the promo pictures because Susan is fucking busy not dying because her hair was flying into her eyeballs so she braids that shit back
her mail shirt is also loose enough that it doesn’t impede her arm movements it’s almost like she’s dressed for a fight wow
I like the pinks and purples under her bitchin as hell leather armor here, because you don’t have to be masculine to shoot someone in the goddamn face
Everyone, including the actress who played her, agrees that Susan was the most boring of the Pevensie siblings, yet the filmmakers had enough respect for the character to dress her in practical light armor. And didn’t have to bend over backwards to slap on “feminine features” (read: giant boobplate) to make sure no-one confuses her gender.
Would other female characters in life action get non-exploitative clothes if they were also played by underage girls?
~Ozzie
PS: Props for archer costume with puce as its primary color instead of green!
Sophie Oliveira Barata worked on special effect prosthetics for the television and movie industries in college, but wondered if she could use her skills to create stylish prosthetics for people who've lost limbs.
Thus The Alternative Limb Project was born.
Check out many more amazing alternative limbs that Sophie had created over at her website and Instagram - via Kottke
Damn, now I want to try out a whirley pop. Though the towel-lid idea sounds great, the risk of catching it on fire with hot oil is wayway too high for this gal. Plus I like that I could potentially use the whirley pop for making spiced nuts which is something that would be nice to make with a more even coating.
Air-popped, microwaved, stovetop-popped, or Whirley-Popped? We taste-tested all four methods to find the ultimate way to make popcorn at home.
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The month of October is always a fun online parade of inventive Halloween costumes, but it’s only October 1st and already we have a top contender for best getup of 2018. The recent sequel might have not been memorable, but this kid-sized, hand-crocheted Predator costume deserves all the candy in your bowl should he…
When redditor Monkeygruven posted this picture of some family friends ready for trick-or-treat, others bemoaned that the kids didn't pick their own costumes, nor did they know who they were portraying. Maybe it was more like this.
Mom: Do you want to wear a scary costume or a princess costume? Girl: I don't know! Mom: You can be both! You can be a queen who got her head cut off! Girl: Yeah, let's do that! Boy: I want to have my head cut off! Mom: How about you be the king that murdered her? Boy: Well, okay. But how will people know I did it? Mom: Let me tell you a scary story, a true story...
These rugs look amazing. I would love to touch one in person and see how the different sections/topography feels.
“Santa Cruz River”
Textile artist Alexandra Kehayoglou brings the beauty of the Argentinian landscape indoors with her incredible wool rug designs. Each functional work of art features hand-tufted woolen textures that represent her country’s grasslands and rivers. The artist’s attraction to nature is not only for aesthetics, but part of personal dedication to raise awareness for preserving the natural landscapes of her homeland.
Kehayoglou’s chosen locations are often linked with political controversy and negative human impact on the environment. One piece titled No Longer Creek (2016) is inspired by the Raggio creek near the artist’s home that was recently destroyed by the construction of a shopping mall. Another large-scale piece, titled Santa Cruz River (2016-2017), was made during a time when the city proposed the construction of two major hydroelectricity dams on the river—the last free, wild river in Argentina.
Each handmade tapestry is created using a myriad of leftover materials from her family’s industrial carpet factory, which has been in business for more than six decades. The talented artist then transforms the scraps of wool into one-of-a-kind carpets that immortalize the beauty of the disappearing landscapes. Kehayoglou’s works are often displayed against a wall, with part of the tapestry left to trail along the floor so visitors can immerse themselves among the soft textures.
You can see more of Kehayoglou’s textile creations on her website and keep up to date with her upcoming projects on Instagram.
Textile artist Alexandra Kehayoglou brings the beauty of Argentinian landscapes indoors with her incredible rug designs.
“Santa Cruz River”
Each functional work of art features hand-tufted woolen textures that represent her country’s grasslands and rivers.
“Santa Cruz River”
“Santa Cruz River”
Kehayoglou’s chosen locations are often linked with political controversy and negative human impact on the environment.
“Hope the voyage is a long one”
“Hope the voyage is a long one”
The artist hopes to raise awareness for preserving the natural landscapes of her homeland.
I've seen a few of these before but these are great. Zombie peanuts!
“Little Devils”
Self-described “Humorist, Photographer, [and] Earthling” Terry Border brings everyday objects to life with hand-sculpted wiry limbs and household props. Every image from the Indianapolis-based artist’s Bent Objects series tells a story that brilliantly captures Border’s (slightly twisted) sense of humor and childlike imagination. From personified food to humanized books, each hilarious scene is carefully composed and photographed in the artist’s studio.
Border began working with wire back in the early 2000s when he was practicing sculpture. While playing around with the malleable material, he began to realize its potential for transforming mundane objects into comical characters. Combining his love of working with his hands, his experience with photography, and his sense of humor, he began posting his funny wire sculptures on his Bent Objects blog in 2006 and never looked back. Since then, his career erupted into success, leading to worldwide exhibitions and a series of children’s picture books.
From a romantic tale of peanut butter and jelly slices to a bereaved egg on Mother’s Day, each piece is full of expression, personality, and emotion. In one dark-humored setup, a tragic breakfast scene features two corn flakes who are seen mourning over their friend who’s just drowned in a puddle of milk. In another, more recent piece, titled Little Devils, an evil brigade of eggs are seen coaxing a line of “good eggs” to their inevitable death—a boiling pot of water.
We recently had the chance to ask Border about his inspiration and processes. Read on for our exclusive interview.
“Zombie Peanuts”
“Cereal Killer”
How did the Bent Objects project get started?
In the early 2000’s I had washed my hands of photography and was working on kinetic sculptures (which needed a lot of help to move, truth be told). We lived in a small house and the untold pieces were hung around each room reminding me how much wasn’t selling, and how much I was spending on materials (mainly aluminum). Just playing around one day I started bending some wire, and I loved the sense of freedom that I got from making small things that didn’t cost much at all to make. I ended up making a piece with wire for a gallery group show and people connected with it, then I started a blog called Bent Objects in 2006 and it took off like a rocket because most of the pieces were humorous. It actually took me a few months to realize that my final piece wasn’t the sculptures themselves but my photographs of them. Yeah.
How do you decide which items to work with?
Whatever catches my eye. Sometimes an idea pops in my head when I’m in a supermarket, and then other times I simply find some object silly in itself and it takes a few years to come up with something that interests me. It’s much, much more difficult nowadays because I don’t like to repeat myself, and I’ve made a lot of Bent Objects images.
Where do you come up with your ideas? Are you influenced by animation?
I abuse caffeine a fair amount. Walking around a supermarket with a caffeine buzz and then having an idea form when I see something is a helluva feeling. I’m not a runner, but I’ll assume the feeling I get must be a little like a runner’s high when all the pieces come together in my head. I know it’s a really good idea if the pieces seem to snap together in my brain to form an idea. Other people probably get that same feeling, but I’ve never really talked to anyone about it. Maybe I’ll hear from others about this.
As to animation, I’m a big fan, but I’ve been influenced more by Alexander Calder’s circus than stop motion.
Can you describe your process for setting up a scene?
First off, I only add props that are necessary to tell the story. Second, I usually shoot from a low angle to make whatever characters they are seem larger. Third, I want some directional light. I want to give whatever I’m shooting some shape. I was in commercial photography for several years and I use that experience to bring my characters to life. Oh, and fourth, a lot of times I pretend I’m a silent film actor portraying my characters. That seems to help with poses. And no, I’m not joking.
Are you inspired by any other artists?
Alexander Calder is a guy whose work I keep going back to. First I was in love with his mobiles, which influenced me to try kinetic art and my own mobiles. Later, when I started to work with wire, I realized after-the-fact that I was again in a realm that he also was the master of.
Another obvious inspiration to people old enough to have knowledge of him is Gary Larson of Far Side comic fame. I don’t know him, but I know we’d get along because I think we’d be equally weird.
From the “Wiry Limbs, Paper Backs” series.
From the “Wiry Limbs, Paper Backs” series.
From the “Wiry Limbs, Paper Backs” series.
Did you ever expect that your wire characters would turn into a series of books?
After I made a couple of books that were basically collections of Bent Objects photos, I knew the next step was picture books. My agent tried for a year or so to get a publisher to give me a chance, but had no success. Then one day, someone at Philomel books saw a calendar of my photos, purchased it and hung it in her office. The publisher came by and saw the calendar and said, “I wonder if he’d like to try a picture book?” I couldn’t believe it. Sometimes you have to be lucky. The someone who bought the calendar, Jill Santopolo, has been my book editor for 6 books now. Making picture books is the best job in the world I’m telling you! The best compliment you can get is when a kid likes your work and tells you, because there’s no BS there.
Do you have any upcoming projects you’d like to share?
I’m always trying to do some new, strange thing. Not everything is a masterpiece, but it’s not boring, at least not to me. I’m pretty new to Instagram (what can I say, I’m a late adopter), but that’s a good place to keep up with me. My first kid’s book, Peanut Butter & Cupcake! got a big boost when Kim Kardashian posted that it was her daughter’s favorite book, and a sequel to it is coming out later this year called Big Brother Peanut Butter (yes, I just dropped her name! Crucify me already!) I’m now finishing next year’s book where all the characters don’t make it to the end. It’s fun to push the envelope a little bit like that!
In 2004, Japanese nursing student Manami Ito lost her right arm in a traffic accident. While coming to terms with this life-changing event, she decided to put her dreams on hold. However, when she went to pick up her new artificial arm at a facility, she noticed people with similar disabilities playing basketball. This inspiring sight motivated Ito to overcome her obstacles and set new goals for herself.
Now, at 33 years old, Ito boasts an eclectic background. Since the accident, she has become a nurse (the first in Japan to have a prosthetic), and a world-renowned Paralympian swimmer. Additionally, she has started touring the country for yet another talent: playing the violin.
Thanks to a customized prosthetic bow, Ito is able to gracefully play the stringed instrument with amazing precision. In a Facebook post, she describes this unique tool as “lightweight” and notes that she used it for the first time in October of 2016. Now, nearly two years later, she is still employing the bow as a means to share her remarkable talent with the world.
Ito's innovative bow is just one example of the ways in which people have been customizing their artificial limbs. From a tattoo gun to a chalkboard, prosthetic hybrids prove that these challenges are no match for creative thinkers.
Watch Manami Ito use her prosthetic bow in an inspiring performance below.
India-based artists Nayan Shrimali and Vaishali Chudasama create tiny bird illustrations out of hand-cut paper. The incredible paper sparrows, doves, owls, and more are all part of an going paper art project titled 365 Days of Miniature. For this self-appointed creative challenge, the creative duo have set themselves the ambitious goal of creating one mini paper bird every day for an entire year.
To create each feathery friend, Shrimali and Chudasama hand-cut various layers from watercolor paper before assembling them into the final “2.5 dimensional look.” Taking around 4-6 hours to finish, each piece is then hand-painted with lifelike colors and intricate details. Their portfolio of miniatures include exotic, vibrant birds such as a parrot and a pink Roseate Spoonbill, as well as common woodland birds such as a Barn Swallow and a Gold Finch. They’ve even created a series of adorable, extra-tiny chicks!
The artists say, “We enjoyed each bird everyday and learned a lot about birds and their nature while making them.” Each paper bird is photographed either perching on a twig, walking in sand, or held up to look as if they’re swooping through the air—just as if they were really living in the wild.
Keep up to date with Shrimali and Chudasama’s daily paper bird creations on Instagram, where the artists post interesting facts about each bird alongside their illustrations.
India-based artists Nayan Shrimali and Vaishali Chudasama create tiny bird illustrations out of hand-cut painted paper.
You’re never too old to discover your passions—just ask Kimiko Nishimoto. At 72 years young, she picked up a camera, and her life hasn’t been the same since. She’s now 90 years old and still delights people across the globe with her quirky self-portrait photography. Her images turn the ordinary world into a much more whimsical place.
Nishimoto’s growing portfolio features many light-hearted images of herself in fantastical situations. Using a camera and aided by photo manipulation programs, she imagines herself riding a broom like a witch and speaking to a bird as she floats in mid-air, also on a broom. The nonagenarian will often share images of herself being mischevious, too. One of her latest pictures shows her gleefully tying someone to a chair. But the dramatic photos, paired with some over-the-top editing choices, make us sure that Nishimoto means it all in good fun.
Since we last enjoyed Nishimoto’s creative self-portrait photography, she’s joined Instagram. Follow her ever-growing account to see her portfolio and also a peek into her life beyond the lens.
At 90 years old, Kimiko Nishimoto continues to delight the world with her creative self-portrait photography.
Why did you decide to focus a series of photographs specifically on the eagle keepers?
What was the most surprising thing you learned about the eagle keepers?
Can you share a bit about their daily routine?
What did you hope to capture about their culture in your photographs?
How were you able to originally make contact with them?
I know you will be going to visit the eagle keepers again next year as part of your photography tour. What can people who participate in the program expect?
What do you hope the public takes away from your photographs of Mongolia?
How do you decide which items to work with?
Can you describe your process for setting up a scene?
Are you inspired by any other artists?
Do you have any upcoming projects you’d like to share?
