at last
November 12, 2006 6:53 PM Subscribe
The flightless kiwi, in flight, finally.
Saw this posted on MoFi earlier. I thought it was pretty fantastic as well.
posted by defenestration at 7:03 PM on November 12, 2006
posted by defenestration at 7:03 PM on November 12, 2006
Errr... I meant MeCha.
posted by defenestration at 7:11 PM on November 12, 2006
posted by defenestration at 7:11 PM on November 12, 2006
My boyfriend showed this to me earlier and it just melted me.
Twenty minutes later I was still like, "The kiwi! The poor kiwi!" and he was like, "Do kiwis make good pets? Where can I get one? Will it love me forever with its little kiwi heart?"
posted by bookish at 7:19 PM on November 12, 2006 [1 favorite]
Twenty minutes later I was still like, "The kiwi! The poor kiwi!" and he was like, "Do kiwis make good pets? Where can I get one? Will it love me forever with its little kiwi heart?"
posted by bookish at 7:19 PM on November 12, 2006 [1 favorite]
I will be watching it in the future and will be really affected!
posted by dobbs at 7:23 PM on November 12, 2006
posted by dobbs at 7:23 PM on November 12, 2006
The video's creator posted in the comments on YouTube that he came up with the idea the night before storyboards were due. I hope he goes on to a great career of last-minute brilliance, as well as well-thought-out brilliance and any other type of brilliance, too.
posted by Addlepated at 7:23 PM on November 12, 2006
posted by Addlepated at 7:23 PM on November 12, 2006
I didn't like it much. It's kind of meaningless. Unless I'm too stupid to get it. Flightless kiwi wants to fly as a metaphor for...? What is this movie supposed to be about?
posted by dydecker at 7:30 PM on November 12, 2006
posted by dydecker at 7:30 PM on November 12, 2006
Dydecker: It's about a cute little bird with an impossible dream. I don't think it's a metaphor for anything.
posted by JDHarper at 7:32 PM on November 12, 2006
posted by JDHarper at 7:32 PM on November 12, 2006
Awesome.
I can't help thinking he should have spent more time developing the kiwi's struggle. There seems to be a rush to get to the punchline.. It could have been five or ten minutes, and still completely captivating.
posted by Chuckles at 7:37 PM on November 12, 2006
I can't help thinking he should have spent more time developing the kiwi's struggle. There seems to be a rush to get to the punchline.. It could have been five or ten minutes, and still completely captivating.
posted by Chuckles at 7:37 PM on November 12, 2006
What Chuckles said. The pacing/storytelling/editing are all wrong.
posted by cillit bang at 7:39 PM on November 12, 2006
posted by cillit bang at 7:39 PM on November 12, 2006
*
posted by found missing at 7:39 PM on November 12, 2006
posted by found missing at 7:39 PM on November 12, 2006
spoiler!11
dydecker, well, if you want to go all critical-theory on the thing, what I took away from it was that the kiwi died happy, doing the one huge thing it wanted to pull off in life. Kinda reminds me of the little match-seller (which will also break your heart but in a less sweet way).
Anyway yeah, with an animated short all you can pull off is a few strong emotions, and this one is just a metaphor for finally pulling off something that all of nature's (even divine?) forces have conspired against.
posted by Firas at 7:40 PM on November 12, 2006
dydecker, well, if you want to go all critical-theory on the thing, what I took away from it was that the kiwi died happy, doing the one huge thing it wanted to pull off in life. Kinda reminds me of the little match-seller (which will also break your heart but in a less sweet way).
Anyway yeah, with an animated short all you can pull off is a few strong emotions, and this one is just a metaphor for finally pulling off something that all of nature's (even divine?) forces have conspired against.
posted by Firas at 7:40 PM on November 12, 2006
If the film actually implied the Kiwi had made that past effort nailing ALL those trees to the cliff, I'd retract my "meh". Maybe subsitute it with just "eh"
There should also be other Kiwis on the sidelines mocking his efforts, except for one with batty eyelashes who adores his quest.
posted by hal9k at 7:41 PM on November 12, 2006
There should also be other Kiwis on the sidelines mocking his efforts, except for one with batty eyelashes who adores his quest.
posted by hal9k at 7:41 PM on November 12, 2006
I'm strange. I never get moved by short animated movies. I need a full hour-long focused directorial effort to get me involved.
Except that single photographs, such as this one, can move me so much I become useless for days.
posted by vacapinta at 7:45 PM on November 12, 2006 [1 favorite]
Except that single photographs, such as this one, can move me so much I become useless for days.
posted by vacapinta at 7:45 PM on November 12, 2006 [1 favorite]
Except that single photographs, such as this one, can move me so much I become useless for days.
Yes, but those people are gainfully employed. This is the work of a graduate student.
posted by hal9k at 7:50 PM on November 12, 2006
Yes, but those people are gainfully employed. This is the work of a graduate student.
posted by hal9k at 7:50 PM on November 12, 2006
I don't get why he's got goggles if he isn't going to put them over his eyes in flight.
posted by spock at 7:58 PM on November 12, 2006 [1 favorite]
posted by spock at 7:58 PM on November 12, 2006 [1 favorite]
I can't help thinking he should have spent more time developing the kiwi's struggle. There seems to be a rush to get to the punchline.
I actually thought only showing the final preparations gave it more impact, as it leaves one to assume the Kiwi has been preparing for this moment for some indeterminate amount of time. Perhaps he's been nailing trees to the side of the cliff for years, all for the sake of a few final seconds of happiness.
That was my reaction, at least. As is, the ending feels less like a punchline and more like a sudden revelation.
posted by jal0021 at 8:05 PM on November 12, 2006 [1 favorite]
I actually thought only showing the final preparations gave it more impact, as it leaves one to assume the Kiwi has been preparing for this moment for some indeterminate amount of time. Perhaps he's been nailing trees to the side of the cliff for years, all for the sake of a few final seconds of happiness.
That was my reaction, at least. As is, the ending feels less like a punchline and more like a sudden revelation.
posted by jal0021 at 8:05 PM on November 12, 2006 [1 favorite]
Ohhhhh, so he nailed the trees to the cliff and jumped off to feel like he was flying. Got it.
posted by salvia at 8:05 PM on November 12, 2006
posted by salvia at 8:05 PM on November 12, 2006
I don't get why he's got goggles if he isn't going to put them over his eyes in flight.
He forgot to put them down, and his high velocity is making his eyes tear up.
posted by pokermonk at 8:05 PM on November 12, 2006
He forgot to put them down, and his high velocity is making his eyes tear up.
posted by pokermonk at 8:05 PM on November 12, 2006
The story outline was good if a little badly paced, but I didn't care for the actual character animation. Too much reliance on the audio cues.
posted by smackfu at 8:08 PM on November 12, 2006
posted by smackfu at 8:08 PM on November 12, 2006
spock, I found the goggles/pilot-headgear-contraption a very nice addition. It's about fantasy, y'all.
(Here's another literal nit-pick: you could never ever nail all those trees to the side of the cliff the way the kiwi did for soo many reasons, including the trees snapping even if you could nail them down.)
posted by Firas at 8:10 PM on November 12, 2006
(Here's another literal nit-pick: you could never ever nail all those trees to the side of the cliff the way the kiwi did for soo many reasons, including the trees snapping even if you could nail them down.)
posted by Firas at 8:10 PM on November 12, 2006
pokermonk, I think it's more than just high velocity…
posted by Firas at 8:12 PM on November 12, 2006
posted by Firas at 8:12 PM on November 12, 2006
I suddenly thought I knew what killed Marilyn Monroe. - Spalding Gray.
posted by SPrintF at 8:16 PM on November 12, 2006
posted by SPrintF at 8:16 PM on November 12, 2006
Dammit. That made me so sad. And before bedtime!
posted by lunalaguna at 8:18 PM on November 12, 2006
posted by lunalaguna at 8:18 PM on November 12, 2006
Why is everyone so sad? He fulfilled his dream. Now, it *would* have been sad if he had hit the first tree.
posted by found missing at 8:21 PM on November 12, 2006 [1 favorite]
posted by found missing at 8:21 PM on November 12, 2006 [1 favorite]
The pacing/storytelling/editing are all wrong.
Then it broke the rules real good.
posted by stbalbach at 8:23 PM on November 12, 2006
Then it broke the rules real good.
posted by stbalbach at 8:23 PM on November 12, 2006
I liked it.
posted by The God Complex at 8:27 PM on November 12, 2006
posted by The God Complex at 8:27 PM on November 12, 2006
Here is more of the Texas reunion footage.
"It was the most fun I ever had in my life."
"Except, sometimes, in California. Sometimes I have more fun there."
posted by Brave New Meatbomb at 8:30 PM on November 12, 2006
"It was the most fun I ever had in my life."
"Except, sometimes, in California. Sometimes I have more fun there."
posted by Brave New Meatbomb at 8:30 PM on November 12, 2006
Shit, wrong thread, forgive me.
posted by Brave New Meatbomb at 8:31 PM on November 12, 2006
posted by Brave New Meatbomb at 8:31 PM on November 12, 2006
Maybe my emotional state, but I nearly cried watchin this as well.
You know, it says the kid went to SVA. I see SVA ads all over the place, and they all make the shcool look pretty lousy. If they played these as ads, it'd be much more effective.
posted by piratebowling at 8:34 PM on November 12, 2006
You know, it says the kid went to SVA. I see SVA ads all over the place, and they all make the shcool look pretty lousy. If they played these as ads, it'd be much more effective.
posted by piratebowling at 8:34 PM on November 12, 2006
Good, just not as good as the best UNDERgraduate work coming out of france right now.
posted by gorgor_balabala at 8:36 PM on November 12, 2006 [1 favorite]
posted by gorgor_balabala at 8:36 PM on November 12, 2006 [1 favorite]
Many years ago, when I was in NZ picking fruit for beer money up the northland near Kerikeri many years back, my girlfriend and I stayed in a tent. It was pretty idyllic, actually, and working out in the fields in the warm sun all day, then coming back to the place we were staying -- all backpackers from around the planet doing the same thing as us, and some itinerant NZ retro-hippy types who supplied the dope -- to hang out and trade travel stories, well, life was good, in a goin'-nowhere-right-now-and-don't-care kind of way.
During the first week we were there, though, we were woken up more than once by bloodcurdling screams, the kind that sounded as if a woman were being knifed to death a stone's throw from our tent.
Turns out the screams were from those cute little kiwi birds. We eventually got used to it. [/tangent]
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 8:42 PM on November 12, 2006
During the first week we were there, though, we were woken up more than once by bloodcurdling screams, the kind that sounded as if a woman were being knifed to death a stone's throw from our tent.
Turns out the screams were from those cute little kiwi birds. We eventually got used to it. [/tangent]
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 8:42 PM on November 12, 2006
There's no indication that there isn't a nice, deep body of water at the bottom of that foggy cliff, into which the now-happy kiwi bird can splash after making his dreams come true.
posted by brownpau at 8:47 PM on November 12, 2006
posted by brownpau at 8:47 PM on November 12, 2006
brownpau: agreed. There's also no indication that he can't whip a parachute out of whatever magical pouch he carries around. Many ways for him to come out of this one alive and fulfilled.
I like the ambiguity.
posted by kdar at 8:52 PM on November 12, 2006
I like the ambiguity.
posted by kdar at 8:52 PM on November 12, 2006
Nope... he's dead. It really doesn't have the same emotional gravity without it ending up with a dead kiwi.
posted by cadastral at 8:55 PM on November 12, 2006
posted by cadastral at 8:55 PM on November 12, 2006
'E's a stiff! Bereft of life, 'e rests in peace! If you hadn't nailed 'im to the perch 'e'd be pushing up the daisies!
'Is metabolic processes are now 'istory! 'E's off the twig!
'E's kicked the bucket, 'e's shuffled off 'is mortal coil, run down the curtain and joined the bleedin' choir invisibile!!
THIS IS AN EX-KIWI !!
posted by found missing at 8:58 PM on November 12, 2006 [1 favorite]
'Is metabolic processes are now 'istory! 'E's off the twig!
'E's kicked the bucket, 'e's shuffled off 'is mortal coil, run down the curtain and joined the bleedin' choir invisibile!!
THIS IS AN EX-KIWI !!
posted by found missing at 8:58 PM on November 12, 2006 [1 favorite]
finally pulling off something that all of nature's (even divine?) forces have conspired against.
and then dying with your goggles up around the top of your head.
posted by bunglin jones at 8:58 PM on November 12, 2006
and then dying with your goggles up around the top of your head.
posted by bunglin jones at 8:58 PM on November 12, 2006
Hmm, I'm usually a mushy guy, but this didn't really hit me. Maybe the Kiwi just wasn't cute enough-- it looked kinda like a condom filled with sand.
posted by Citizen Premier at 9:07 PM on November 12, 2006
posted by Citizen Premier at 9:07 PM on November 12, 2006
I like the ambiguity.
I would have liked the ambiguity, had there been any. It ends with a fade to black, 'tis true, but then you hear a plop..
posted by Chuckles at 9:13 PM on November 12, 2006
I would have liked the ambiguity, had there been any. It ends with a fade to black, 'tis true, but then you hear a plop..
posted by Chuckles at 9:13 PM on November 12, 2006
Maybe I'm just too tired but I kind of wanted to see him "land" until my toddler climbed up in my lap to watch it with me and then I was glad he didn't splat.
As for the "beauty" of it. I kind of saw it as a waste.
And why did he even have the goggles if he wasn't going to use them on his one-time flight? That sort of stuff distracts and annoys me.
posted by fenriq at 9:25 PM on November 12, 2006
As for the "beauty" of it. I kind of saw it as a waste.
And why did he even have the goggles if he wasn't going to use them on his one-time flight? That sort of stuff distracts and annoys me.
posted by fenriq at 9:25 PM on November 12, 2006
For me, the tuba music just made it impossible to find this sad. I was waiting for a joke, and then...
... oh, that was clever. Oh well, hope it was worth it. SPLAT.
posted by Humanzee at 9:30 PM on November 12, 2006
... oh, that was clever. Oh well, hope it was worth it. SPLAT.
posted by Humanzee at 9:30 PM on November 12, 2006
For me, the tuba music just made it impossible to find this sad. I was waiting for a joke, and then...
... oh, that was clever. Oh well, hope it was worth it. SPLAT.
exactly. I also found the animation so poor, that I wound up wondering "This was his MASTERS THESIS PROJECT?!?!?" the whole time and must have missed the emotion
posted by subaruwrx at 9:48 PM on November 12, 2006
I also found the animation so poor, that I wound up wondering "This was his MASTERS THESIS PROJECT?!?!?" the whole time and must have missed the emotion
Jesus Christ. Metafilter is teeming with miserable fucks.
It's one thing to be critical, but it's quite another to make it your life's work to shit on anything and everything that comes along.
And subaruwrx is the worst username I've ever heard. It makes me violently ill. VIOLENTLY ILL.
The lesson here is simple: Never, ever contribute anything to the Internet. If you do, it's because you are a bad person and you should expect people to explain why in excruciating detail.
posted by hutta at 10:29 PM on November 12, 2006 [1 favorite]
Jesus Christ. Metafilter is teeming with miserable fucks.
It's one thing to be critical, but it's quite another to make it your life's work to shit on anything and everything that comes along.
And subaruwrx is the worst username I've ever heard. It makes me violently ill. VIOLENTLY ILL.
The lesson here is simple: Never, ever contribute anything to the Internet. If you do, it's because you are a bad person and you should expect people to explain why in excruciating detail.
posted by hutta at 10:29 PM on November 12, 2006 [1 favorite]
I didn't much care for the splat...although I agree that we need a dead kiwi for the story to work (other than this one thing, I liked it a lot).
I think I might have made the ground visible in the last shot (and fairly close) before fading out, then no splat. But considering that he/she's the expert, I'm willing to accept that I'm probably wrong.
posted by pinespree at 11:16 PM on November 12, 2006
I think I might have made the ground visible in the last shot (and fairly close) before fading out, then no splat. But considering that he/she's the expert, I'm willing to accept that I'm probably wrong.
posted by pinespree at 11:16 PM on November 12, 2006
It was very touching and inspiring, actually. And yes, I cried.
posted by mosspink at 11:25 PM on November 12, 2006
posted by mosspink at 11:25 PM on November 12, 2006
Saw it on digg - very emotional, very good.
And, at the very least, this video and the response to it probably got this guy a job.
posted by BlackLeotardFront at 11:38 PM on November 12, 2006
And, at the very least, this video and the response to it probably got this guy a job.
posted by BlackLeotardFront at 11:38 PM on November 12, 2006
What a great idea for an animated short. Thanks for posting it.
posted by mediareport at 11:42 PM on November 12, 2006
posted by mediareport at 11:42 PM on November 12, 2006
Sequel: you see the kiwi come flying back up through the clouds. A like-minded kiwi has built a giant slingshot at the bottom but doesn't have the strength to pull it back. The first kiwi lands in the sling, which catches it, cushions its fall, and launches it halfway back up the cliff, where it can catch a tree and climb the rest of the way up. The two kiwis fall in love and take turns leaping off the cliff, or even leaping together, or making synchronized leaps so they fly past each other, one up and the other down.
posted by pracowity at 12:32 AM on November 13, 2006 [2 favorites]
posted by pracowity at 12:32 AM on November 13, 2006 [2 favorites]
Low ROI, the kiwi should have passed on this.
posted by kingfisher, his musclebound cat at 1:16 AM on November 13, 2006
posted by kingfisher, his musclebound cat at 1:16 AM on November 13, 2006
Bravo. Kiwi! was so excited by his flight that he forgot to pull down his goggles. Well done.
Jesus Christ. Metafilter is teeming with miserable fucks.
Welcome to metafilter.
posted by justgary at 1:56 AM on November 13, 2006
Jesus Christ. Metafilter is teeming with miserable fucks.
Welcome to metafilter.
posted by justgary at 1:56 AM on November 13, 2006
He remakes reality into a form more suitable to his idea of it, then plunges headlong into a suicidal nosedive toward the earth he's redefined as the sky.... Hey, it's the Donald Rumsfeld Story!
posted by maryh at 4:09 AM on November 13, 2006 [1 favorite]
posted by maryh at 4:09 AM on November 13, 2006 [1 favorite]
I was hoping the kiwi would hit Janis Joplin in the head at the foot of the cliff.
posted by furtive at 5:54 AM on November 13, 2006
posted by furtive at 5:54 AM on November 13, 2006
I read a survey of Olympic athletes, years ago: If offered a drug that would guarantee winning an Olympic gold medal, but also guarantee death in 5 years, would you take it?
95% said "yes".
posted by LordSludge at 6:47 AM on November 13, 2006
95% said "yes".
posted by LordSludge at 6:47 AM on November 13, 2006
I hope Dony gets an A!
posted by mrhappysad at 7:34 AM on November 13, 2006
posted by mrhappysad at 7:34 AM on November 13, 2006
runner whom the race outran...
and the name died before the man...
posted by yonation at 8:02 AM on November 13, 2006
and the name died before the man...
posted by yonation at 8:02 AM on November 13, 2006
teeming with miserable fucks
All right when I was in grad school for my MFA the system was all about creating works and then defending them against the the criticism of your class peers. This was pretty much the day to day experience. These cross examinations ran the gamut from completely merciless "blood baths" to gatherings of the mutual admiration society. It was very important to develop a thick skin and realize that most suggestions aren't personal attacks but are the keys to self improvement. My experience as being an artist embodies never totally been satisfied with the work I produce. This is the engine that forces me to make the next work. To make it better. Compliments and accolades are nice but they don't feed the engine. Good and useful criticism becomes rare outside in the real world.
posted by Lex Tangible at 8:44 AM on November 13, 2006
All right when I was in grad school for my MFA the system was all about creating works and then defending them against the the criticism of your class peers. This was pretty much the day to day experience. These cross examinations ran the gamut from completely merciless "blood baths" to gatherings of the mutual admiration society. It was very important to develop a thick skin and realize that most suggestions aren't personal attacks but are the keys to self improvement. My experience as being an artist embodies never totally been satisfied with the work I produce. This is the engine that forces me to make the next work. To make it better. Compliments and accolades are nice but they don't feed the engine. Good and useful criticism becomes rare outside in the real world.
posted by Lex Tangible at 8:44 AM on November 13, 2006
All right when I was in grad school for my MFA the system
But this isn't grad school.
Good and useful criticism becomes rare outside in the real world.
Good and useful being the key words missing from much criticism.
posted by justgary at 9:25 AM on November 13, 2006
But this isn't grad school.
Good and useful criticism becomes rare outside in the real world.
Good and useful being the key words missing from much criticism.
posted by justgary at 9:25 AM on November 13, 2006
Turns out the screams were from those cute little kiwi birds.
Kiwis are so territorial that if you imitate their call the intrusion so incenses them that they charge through the undergrowth and headbutt you in the shin.
Very handy trait for conservation workers with high boots.
/derail
posted by Sparx at 12:25 PM on November 13, 2006 [1 favorite]
Kiwis are so territorial that if you imitate their call the intrusion so incenses them that they charge through the undergrowth and headbutt you in the shin.
Very handy trait for conservation workers with high boots.
/derail
posted by Sparx at 12:25 PM on November 13, 2006 [1 favorite]
tragedy and comedy. beautiful.
posted by IronLizard at 1:07 PM on November 13, 2006
posted by IronLizard at 1:07 PM on November 13, 2006
I dunno...far better than any animation I could ever hope to do but it does look like a filled condom. I've seen a kiwi in real life (and not just serving behind a bar in London) and they're cute li'l guys.
Metafilter is teeming with miserable fucks.
Whereas you sound like Happy Larry...
posted by i_cola at 1:57 PM on November 13, 2006
Metafilter is teeming with miserable fucks.
Whereas you sound like Happy Larry...
posted by i_cola at 1:57 PM on November 13, 2006
I saw this first at MoFi, too, and found it very moving. Not sure why some people here are in such a lather to clang the crap alarm. If you don't like it, fine, but why bray about it so?
posted by fish tick at 2:16 PM on November 13, 2006
posted by fish tick at 2:16 PM on November 13, 2006
Because that's what 80% of MeFi/MeTa is, fish tick: a bunch of braying asses. They don't know how to moderate themselves.
posted by five fresh fish at 2:25 PM on November 13, 2006
posted by five fresh fish at 2:25 PM on November 13, 2006
I for one think its fine. Cute? sure. Emotionally stirring? not to me. If you love it, great! Its just not my style.
My criticism of it was based on teh animation. the only comment im making on it is that ive done better animation in 4 hours the night before my project was due. Also, I was using a P3@700 and 512MB. 3DS Max on windows and I suck at drawing. If this guy is submitting this for his master's thesis, for an animation degree, I say good luck. The story is very great, but the execution leaves a little to be desired.
As a writer, I welcome blunt criticism.
posted by subaruwrx at 2:27 PM on November 13, 2006
My criticism of it was based on teh animation. the only comment im making on it is that ive done better animation in 4 hours the night before my project was due. Also, I was using a P3@700 and 512MB. 3DS Max on windows and I suck at drawing. If this guy is submitting this for his master's thesis, for an animation degree, I say good luck. The story is very great, but the execution leaves a little to be desired.
As a writer, I welcome blunt criticism.
posted by subaruwrx at 2:27 PM on November 13, 2006
As a matter of fact, (Sorry for the derail) here is something I wrote. feel free to mock it, ignore it or do whatever you want. It wont hurt my feelings.
The rain poured down outside. Puddles of water building up under the trees and bushes, muddying shoes and moistening jackets. Tim rolled over at the sound of the early morning alarm. outside the window he could see the rivers and streams vertical up to the sky. Mesmerized, he lay there for a while, pondering.
One hand on the wheel, the other on a cup of coffee, Tim peers through a windscreen barely transparent through the broken windshield wipers. Sitting at the stoplight on Masonic and waiting... Waiting... "I should have turned on Stanyan" echo in his head over and over again.
Tim walks up the steps to his building and grabs at the front door. Startled at the frightening shriek of tires, he turns around to see a car careening off the street up his stairs.
Looking up at the opening skies, Tim decides its time to go home. He stands up and walks home. No longer cold or tired, he breaks into a run. His suit jacket, now soaked falls off his shoulders. Moving quicker, his shoes start to breakdown into primitive sandals and then nothing at all. Racing through the rain drops, Tim looks down at discovers his shirt and pants have disappeared. Tim closes his eyes and drives through the drops of moisture drilling holes in his skin. "I must get back home... Back to my bed..." Tim closes his eyes and pushes forward until he feels no more pain. No weight in his legs. No water on his face. No heavy breath in his lungs. Tim opens his eyes but sees only darkness.
posted by subaruwrx at 2:28 PM on November 13, 2006
The rain poured down outside. Puddles of water building up under the trees and bushes, muddying shoes and moistening jackets. Tim rolled over at the sound of the early morning alarm. outside the window he could see the rivers and streams vertical up to the sky. Mesmerized, he lay there for a while, pondering.
One hand on the wheel, the other on a cup of coffee, Tim peers through a windscreen barely transparent through the broken windshield wipers. Sitting at the stoplight on Masonic and waiting... Waiting... "I should have turned on Stanyan" echo in his head over and over again.
Tim walks up the steps to his building and grabs at the front door. Startled at the frightening shriek of tires, he turns around to see a car careening off the street up his stairs.
Looking up at the opening skies, Tim decides its time to go home. He stands up and walks home. No longer cold or tired, he breaks into a run. His suit jacket, now soaked falls off his shoulders. Moving quicker, his shoes start to breakdown into primitive sandals and then nothing at all. Racing through the rain drops, Tim looks down at discovers his shirt and pants have disappeared. Tim closes his eyes and drives through the drops of moisture drilling holes in his skin. "I must get back home... Back to my bed..." Tim closes his eyes and pushes forward until he feels no more pain. No weight in his legs. No water on his face. No heavy breath in his lungs. Tim opens his eyes but sees only darkness.
posted by subaruwrx at 2:28 PM on November 13, 2006
Art is interesting. The kiwi short is not as well animated as, say, the French shorts linked above (the French undergrads do have the advantage of working in five man teams), but it's more memorable than any of them.
I don't have any quibbles with the storytelling except maybe with the final splat. I'm not sure. Many of the criticisms here seem to be ignoring what the minimalism and isolation does for the piece. "I think it would be better if we had the kiwi's grandmother telling him he could be anything he wanted!" Dude.
Not that you shouldn't look at the French animations – they're cute stories and well done, and the Pyrats one is especially funny.
posted by furiousthought at 3:11 PM on November 13, 2006
I don't have any quibbles with the storytelling except maybe with the final splat. I'm not sure. Many of the criticisms here seem to be ignoring what the minimalism and isolation does for the piece. "I think it would be better if we had the kiwi's grandmother telling him he could be anything he wanted!" Dude.
Not that you shouldn't look at the French animations – they're cute stories and well done, and the Pyrats one is especially funny.
posted by furiousthought at 3:11 PM on November 13, 2006
It seems like what's being debated here is style vs. substance. The substance of this piece made multiple people WEEP. That's an amazing accomplishment.
In the big picture, that's far more important than whatever style certain Mefites would like.
Beautiful in its simplicity. I loved it.
posted by MythMaker at 5:23 PM on November 13, 2006
In the big picture, that's far more important than whatever style certain Mefites would like.
Beautiful in its simplicity. I loved it.
posted by MythMaker at 5:23 PM on November 13, 2006
The kiwi obviously had the inginuity and tools neccesary to fashion a crude parachute. This bird was specifically committing suicide, and killing two birds with one stone (intentional pun) by simulating flight at the same time. I suspect that he was suicidal because he was abandoned at the foot of the World's Tallest Cliff by parents who didn't understand his lust for flight.
The unfortunate victims were all the baby birds that tumbled out of their nests after the trees they were housed in were uprooted and nailed to the side of a cliff by a kiwi with a death wish.
posted by _aa_ at 5:34 PM on November 13, 2006
The unfortunate victims were all the baby birds that tumbled out of their nests after the trees they were housed in were uprooted and nailed to the side of a cliff by a kiwi with a death wish.
posted by _aa_ at 5:34 PM on November 13, 2006
subaruwrx, i think its more fun, and more substantive, to mock something you didn't offer up for mockery: your username. ahahhahaa.
"And subaruwrx is the worst username I've ever heard. It makes me violently ill. VIOLENTLY ILL."
posted by mano at 6:35 PM on November 13, 2006
"And subaruwrx is the worst username I've ever heard. It makes me violently ill. VIOLENTLY ILL."
posted by mano at 6:35 PM on November 13, 2006
subaruwrx, i think its more fun, and more substantive, to mock something you didn't offer up for mockery: your username. ahahhahaa.
Thats not cool man.
posted by subaruwrx at 8:40 PM on November 13, 2006
Thats not cool man.
posted by subaruwrx at 8:40 PM on November 13, 2006
"You are not your job, you're not how much money you have in the bank, you're not the car you drive, you're not the contents of your wallet, you're not your fucking khakis."
sincerely,
dockerswrx!
posted by mano at 12:01 AM on November 14, 2006
sincerely,
dockerswrx!
posted by mano at 12:01 AM on November 14, 2006
Yikes. I immediately flagged the comment as soon as I posted it, hoping it'd be gone before anyone replied.
Whoops.
Sorry everyone.
posted by hutta at 8:37 AM on November 14, 2006
Whoops.
Sorry everyone.
posted by hutta at 8:37 AM on November 14, 2006
spock writes "I don't get why he's got goggles if he isn't going to put them over his eyes in flight."
The goggles are a visual prop to indicate that he's intentionally flying, not just leaping off a cliff for an inscrutable reason. They allude to WWI-era flyers and the risk and romanticism of the early era of human flight.
posted by orthogonality at 5:35 AM on November 15, 2006
The goggles are a visual prop to indicate that he's intentionally flying, not just leaping off a cliff for an inscrutable reason. They allude to WWI-era flyers and the risk and romanticism of the early era of human flight.
posted by orthogonality at 5:35 AM on November 15, 2006
Would be better with no splat at the end... just silence.
posted by mania at 6:26 AM on November 15, 2006
posted by mania at 6:26 AM on November 15, 2006
That was beautiful.
posted by roomwithaview at 10:59 PM on November 16, 2006
posted by roomwithaview at 10:59 PM on November 16, 2006
This made me tear up at work. I am so embarrassed for myself right now.
posted by arielmeadow at 12:19 PM on November 21, 2006
posted by arielmeadow at 12:19 PM on November 21, 2006
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I was totally one of them.
posted by cadastral at 7:02 PM on November 12, 2006