Espektro

FURIA in the newspaper

FableForge — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 03:05:42 +0000

Here, its the local newspaper of the city where Hector and I grew up: http://www.vozdemichoacan.com.mx/sec...

Its a fairly long article, but basically it describes the movie, namedrops a lot of important movie people in Mexico, and promises Furia will "innovate mexican cinema in animation" and will have theatrical release in pretty much all of north, center and south america.

It was sweet to find out about this via an email from my dad, who was alerted by my brother, who saw my name in the newspaper. It feels good. I loved writing that script, and I know Hector has a drive like a locomotive, so it WILL get done. I'm pretty glad :)

P.S. The image is part of the storyboard, made by Hector of course.

A new project: BLACK FANTOM

FableForge — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 15:59:59 +0000

Hector gave me green light to brag about this, so brag I will!

After our first project together FURIA, which is doing really well (but I'll let Hector share those news, he deserves the right to brag about those), we got started on a second project, which will likely be financed the same way, but this is not animation, but Live Action.

Its a wrestlers movie :)

In Mexico, masked wrestlers are what cowboys represent in the US, or kung fu masters in Hong Kong. There's a whole genre of masked wrestlers being champions of the people, superheroes, always defeating some nefarious plot. The movies are CHEESY as hell, but people love them just like that. And Hector and I have decided to create a movie that pays homage to the whole genre, just like KILL BILL was Tarantino's ode to the Hong Kong martial arts flicks.

Our movie is called BLACK FANTOM VS THE DEVOURER OF WORLDS.

Actually, I'm just the humble writer, Hector, as with FURIA, is the real engine moving this project from the realm of dreams and ideas, into the realm of business deals and contracts and money and getting things made. But he and I enjoyed a long evening of brainstoming dreams and ideas back in Mexico, and we'd like to share some of the artwork inspired so far.

Without further Ado, a sneak peak at some of the concept art for BLACK FANTOM:

LUCHA will make you LIBRE, the blog post

Espektro — Wed, 11 Jul 2007 15:10:02 +0000

People oftenly asks me why I choosed a wrestling or lucha libre mask as the logo of my studio/production house/whatever bussines.

I woke up in the mood to give a long answer so...

Everything starts in 2003, wen I was still working with Roberto and Armando Ortiz in the project development of FURIA, an animated feature I'd mentioned in other posts before. We choosed the name AVATAR to refer to ourselves, and I drawed somekind of fairy creature as a logo. We tried to skip a marked tendence in Mexico to name aspiring entertainment companies in a campy/comic/prehispanic way; there were teams called AZTEC-TECH, NOPAL SOFT and EL CHANGO PRODUCCIONES, we wanted to project a more serious image of ourselves (with a fairy :P that is... lol), but seriously, we wanted to skip apart the image of being some funny stereotypical mexicans uncapable of compiting in the world market of entertainment. Mexico, unlike any other country in the world, lives an unique cultural and social situation because of neighboring the USA, wich produces us an identity crisis so strong, that we're anxious of finding ourselves inside our rooths the same way we are trying to reject them. We love our traditions, but somehow it seems they constantly conect us with the dark side: a history of misery, poornes, betrayals and corruption.

After AVATAR failed as a team, I moved on with my own projects and this year put me on the chance to start a new bussines by my own but I needed a new sign to adopt. But wich one? AVATAR was a nice name, but a sucesfull cartoon series named the same took it before we could ever be recognized in the mainstream. Then the quest started again, I sketched many names, some of them in english, some others in spanish but no one had the same strenght like AVATAR has. Sudenly I understood why AVATAR sounded so powerfull to me: it sounds the same on each language, it's a more universal word, almost like a trademark. Yeah that was it! I needed something that sounded cool in the mouth of a mexican both an american, or a chinese, or a martian, whatever... but it should had an spanish root.

It came with the TV, I was zapping channels wen I stoped at some WWE show with Rey Mysteryo wrestling another guy. I knew about Rey Mysteryo years ago he become famous at the USA wrestling media, he wrestled in Mexico for 10 years after inmigrating. MYSTERYO... everytime the guy with the microphone pronounced his name it sounded dramatic, espectacular... and it was an anagram betwen 2 words in diferent languages with the same meaning. THAT WAS IT! Then it blasted my mind

ESPECTRO. That's the spanish word for SPECTRE, they sound almost the same, and they mean the same. Also, there was a masked luchador in the 60's called El Espectro. WAS PERFECT!! And the obvious answer for the logo was a lucha libre mask. I know people who had done college researches about the designs and meanings of the lucha libre masks, and they get lost in a web of religious, prehispanic, movies and pulp culture, very complex. Very cool.

The only problem was the website, espectro.com was already taken. Shit. Okey, I'll use ESPEKTRO then, the K makes it look even more abstract. But now I need the logo.

You can't understand the mexican movie industry without the Lucha Libre films. It's like if you sudenly erase away the kung fu films from Hong Kong, the mesala films from India, the samurai films from Japan and the cowboy films from Hollywood. The masked wrestler or luchador, as you prefer, is the mexican pulp hero by excellence. It's all B series, in China (Hong Kong) they have the Wu'xia (kung fu fighter), in japan they have the Samurai (Kurosawa's), in Hollywood the Cowboy and Mexico has El Santo :), the man in the silver mask. El Santo and other luchadores starred a huge gamma of adventure films were they touched almost all B series genres: horror, spying, mafia, tomb raiding, sci fi. The result was a very surrealistic kind of movie, were the hero was a masked sportsman figthing against Dracula the same way Dr. No or the mexican mob, or stoping a martian invation in the next one...

Lucha Libre movies marked a lot the way this sport was being developed at the middle 50's/60's. As in the movies, the luchadores keeped their identities in secret even to close familiars. As in the movies, the mask became a symbol of honor and tradition, so loosing it is the most terrible degradation they can suffer. As in the movies, the luchadores became culted superheroes. Being a luchador in Mexico is something equal as being Batman, and in recent times they're the equivalent to rockstars. Unlike the USA, the life of a wrestler goes beyond the ring, they understand the power they have as public fugures, and you can see them on talk shows, political acts or even religious acts and MTV shows incarnating their lucha libre characters. And don't ask me why, but we mexicans think this is the coolest of the coolest. Most of luchadores are very poor people, you can count with one hand the number of them who are living on a wealthy economic condition, unlike Hulk Hogan who lives in a Malibu mansion. The vision of life acording to the 3rd world.

Today the genre is death, many people in Mexico consider this kind of movies campy, kitsch and other similar terms. And they're right, but they're as campy and kitsch the movies of Superman, Batman and other well known heroes from the same era. Visual FX and screenplays are exactly the same in a El Santo movie than in a Flash Gordon serial, or a George Reeves' Superman, there's not a huge difference, but mexican movie industry suffered a big fall during the 80s and killed this kind of B productions. But after 2000 the mexican pop culture started to adopt the kitsch as a flag, specifically on media like MTV and VH1, including the luchador figure. Suddenly, Mexico had a new face to confront the globalization: el luchador.

Well, returning to my logo: I think it's a mixture betwen El Santo and Blue Demon masks, it's very generic except for the star in the eye. A lucha libre rockstar, that means. It looks nice, Im considering to print some tshirts with it :P lol . So... that's it. ESPEKTRO logo intends to talk about the mexican movie/pulp culture wich I grew up with... I hope the future depares good things for the masked guy, thanks for reading this , people.

FADE OUT!

Note: "LUCHA will make you LIBRE" is a word game, LIBRE=FREE ... like "Truth will make you free"... got it? no? then's not my problem ;) jejeje.

LUCHA will make you LIBRE

Espektro — Sun, 08 Jul 2007 15:02:47 +0000

Yesterday we had a simple photosession to get the right pics I'll use in the building of my site, espektro.com... the idea is to combine photos, vectors and flash functions to obtain a nice web. I have a lot of work to do but I wanted to share this one with all of you guys. Take care!

The secrets of the Alchemist, part 3

Espektro — Thu, 28 Jun 2007 14:57:29 +0000

Hey people, has been a while since the last blog entry.

Bad news for the fans of the Homunculus: today the SECREA Coinvertion program published on their website the selected projects to support. The Homunculus is not there. Here's the complete list, you don't need to know spanish to see my name is not there

http://www.cultura.michoacan.gob.mx/Primerallamada/AvisoOportuno/Resultados_COINVERSIONES-SECREA_Junio2007.htm

am I sad? upset? well, yes, but not burning in flames for it. 61 projects were presented, 36 were selected; thats more than 50% of chance to get in. What I feel a bit sad is, that this guy named Dominique Jornard once again steped in my way.

Who is Dominique Jornard? Well, in my town, Morelia city, he is known as the GOD OF ANIMATION. Yup, that is, people here use to call him that way. I think you can check his profile at IMBD, he is a veteran of goverment supported projects, and HE ALWAYS WINS on every contest. Why? I don't know, I don't even know how his work looks like, he has nothing in youtube. Hell, and that bothers me a lot. How can you be so popular and show nothing of your work in the public media? Anyway, I can't do nothing about it, maybe he won because his project was cheaper, $1000 dollars, mine was $15000... or maybe because he was better, who knows.

And I said I wasn't burning in flames... jeje. Sorry.

Nah, Im not mad really. I feel suported by you guys, and by many other people who really want to see this story on screen. There's a good way to help the production of the homunculus: INVEST on your film projects, that is, hire me and my team of artist to help you with your films to make your storyboards, posters, publicity and all that graphic stuff that, believe it or not, plays a high roll in the way you sell a project.

Right now Im helping a couple of critters on their projects for free because they're in the same situation, maybe you don't have money either but maybe you know someone who can pay a bit for our services, and I'll be more than glad to help you if you can recomend me with those persons.

You can check my portfolio here

http://s21.photobucket.com/albums/b262/HectorBustamante/?

soon you will see it on www.espektro.com

The production of the Homunculus will continue, until God wants. Sometimes I don't explain myself why He puts tons of rock on your way... but sometimes I think because he wants you to get stronger. Don't fucking know...

Tougharcade, Dan, Marco, karmacritters... all of you, I REALLY REALLY thank you to be here with me. Who needs goverment support wen you have powerfull and willing spirits like yours?

In the search of the philosopher's stone, the alchemist have the last word. See you on my next post.

FADE OUT

SUBLIM Base Image

FableForge — Thu, 14 Jun 2007 11:45:02 +0000

This is a slightly modified version of artwork by Espektro, that he generously granted us use for the contest.

Thanks Hector!!

The Homunculus

Espektro — Fri, 08 Jun 2007 19:57:06 +0000

The secrets of the Alchemist, part 2

Espektro — Wed, 30 May 2007 13:24:04 +0000

It's been almost 15? 20? days since the first post of this production bitacore and they'd been crazy as hell. If you're new into this series, please check out The secrets of the Alchemist part 1 and the Alchemist Spinoff posts before reading this one.

Okey, whats new?

Finally, after doing some crazy malabarism with the project in the Program of Coinvertions for the Artistic Production managed by the local goverment, they accepeted it and now is in the process of revision. They'll publish the final selection of projects on their website by June 29th. I have high hopes on this, but Im trying to be realistic too: there are tons of projects submitted here, most of them are supported by local artistic figures with known careers. Im Mr. Nobody because this would be my first grand project.

But by the oposite, nobody is going to show a project like mine. Animation is a labor of alchemists in Mexico, very obscure and apart from the mainstream...you're seen like a freak for trying to develop projects in this format. Unlike the USA, Europe and Asia, there's no an identified animation industry in my country. Why? I don't know why, but I know many talented people here asking for an oportunity to show their craft and there's zero areas of exposure for animators. Well, except for one, this young festival called CREANIMAX wich specialices only in animation. You can check their site here www.creanimax.com. So... I think this can be punch for the Homunculus above other audiovisual projects. Crossing my fingers.

But I'd been asking myself what would happen if they just say NO to the homunculus. Should I quit? should I just leave the project inside my "coming-soon" vault? Definitly, having no money makes this 50 times more difficult to produce, but I have to consider it because... after all... this is what I want to do with my life. Whats my plan B then? I have the hardware, I have the workplace, I have this free record studio at my wish and I have the exhibition promise from the UMSNH so it's a huge base to at least give it a try. I have no crew to pay them to fill the workflow, but I have all this cool software that can plenty cover most of the animation basics and at least a year of production to take it all over by myself. But I still have no money, and even if I try, I'll need some to cover my basic needings and pay some things related to the production. Felipe, my coproducer, is very entusiasthic about this but I can't guarantee he could still at my side if there's no financial support. Damn.

Then the only thing I have is to optimize the animation process to save money and time.

You know? this is why anime rules the world of animation. They produce good series and movies in relatively short periods of times and short budgets compared with Hollywood standars. Many critics says that anime barelly animates their draws and they use cheap tricks to give you the illusion of motion and life on them. Close ups to the eyes and voice over, wide shots to the characters and voice over, panoramic shots and voice over... voice over, voicer over and more voice over. My answer is: Isn't that bad? Their series are even more popular than the american productions, even they show cheap techniques. The whole point is creating an enviroment, an illusion, and if you can connect with your public doing all this then man, you're a wizard!

So how to optimize the animation process? the most important thing is to identify those points were you can save animation time by doing simple pans, zooms and little frame moves. For quality sake you can't exclude those sequences were you want to enphatize the action and the emotion, like a chase, a fight or a huge action sequence. BUT, if you save time doing all the tie ins betwen this large sequences the whole production will get bursted up and you'll obtain a most intense, quicker and capturing motion film. At least thats my teory, I have to put it on the screen.

The other thing I can do is looking for sponsorships, wich I'll anyway but Im talking in the case the Coinvertion doesn't chooses the Homunculus. You just can't go with an sponsor and extend your hand asking for money. You must think on an strategy, they'll ask "what do I win giving you money to put my logo on your film credits?"... well, thats the first thing they'll win: publicy. The second thing they can win is reputation, many people think doing movies is something like a godsend and no mortal can ever dare to try such a sacred labor because they'll be risking to suffer Prometheus' fate. Bullshit, all the people with little imagination can give a try on movie making. BUT... thats what most people thinks, and you can play a bit with that. I don't like it at all, but we're talking about harsh times and maquiavelic solutions. You can say " your bussines will be seen in festivals all over the world, moviemaking is a beautiful artcraft blah blah blah...you will be exposed at the internet trough youtube, karmacritic and all those cool sites..." BUT THIS WILL NOT BE ENOUGH. Even if you throw a great speech most of them will say no because it's not on their plans after all, so I can't fully trust on getting sponsorships.

Or should I? maybe, if I do this: I can finish at least a half of the shortfilm and then give a try arround. It's easier to sell Dodo eggs if you show at least one to the client. You like it? I can give you more from were I got this, but I need to see money, pal! This implies to work under heavy economic restrictions at least for half a year, and the sponsorship should cover retroactively all the expenses done until that moment... but it's more factible. The sponsor can see what he is putting his money over, an d even if they're not interested in the first moment, you'll definitly hook them and try a second chance after the short is finished.

In all the aspects it's a hard way to take, Im crossing my fingers for the coinvertion but I have to write a plan B if this doesn't comes.

I'll upload the script once I translate it to english! Take care critters!

FADE OUT

Alchemist spinoff 3: The amazing Mr. Espektro v.s. the burocracy terror!

Espektro — Tue, 22 May 2007 23:05:14 +0000

Okey, this is a spinoff with a long subtitle... because Im just so pissed off! It was a bad day.

I recieved a package this morning, it was the female wrestler suit I designed for a photoshoot Im planning to use in my website, but like a premonition it came wrong. I designed the suit to be all in red, instead of that it came in black. It doesn't looks so bad, but is not what I designed. The wrestler mask Im using in my avatar is actually the logo of my little studio, and seems I now have to change it to black. That was the smallest of my problems.

Today I present myself into the Secretary of Culture of my state/region to bring my project THE INVENTION OF THE HOMUNCULUS into the Coinvertion program I'd been talking to you all this posts along. A coinvertion program is about the Goverment and the Particulars making a coinvertion on an artistis project, and mine is a shortfilm production. In the coinvertion, the particulars try to afford as much they can in work, equipment and services... and the goverment trows some money, arround 15 000 dollars. I'd spent the last two months trying to get as much coinvestors I could so papa goverment would not say NO to my offer. What I got is:

-A free use of a record studio. Woah! Im still amazed of that, record studios are really, really expensives and Felipe (my coproducer) got it for free.

-An exhibition guarantee in our local college, the Universidad Michoacana, to show our short during all their festivals and cultural events arround the next year. Besides that, Im going to pay myself all the envys to local film festivals, INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVALS like the one my city organices each year. The last year we got Guillermo del Toro, Tommy Lee Jones and Gus Van Sant, so we're going big each year.

- A free rent local I can use each day of the year at anytime of the day, to work on the animation short. It's something like saving $3600 bucks a year.

-My own computers, buyed with my work for a year. They're very powerfull machines and ready for hard work.

So, wen I came to the Secretary of Culture they took my project, noding like if they had a pain in the ass and guess what? They say "Your coinvertion can't be your computers". I said "what? why is that? in your contest bases you NEVER mentioned I couldn't mark my equipment as part of the coinvertion".

Because we say NO. Type it again.

That's the most stupid answer I ever heard in my life. Really. I'd deal with mexican burocrats each day, and they're hatefull people most of the time who's inferiority complex makes them treath you like shit because they're in a power position and you need their authorization in order to obtain a benefit. But this ma'm was the worst, she was like my second grade teacher pulling my ears off. Im 25, I studied Laws and Social Sciences and she speaks to me like a school boy? fuck! Only in Mexico, baby!

I'd been thinking what should I do in case the Coinvertion program rejects my project forever. Should I do it for free? sacrificing more time and resources? Dunno... but at least that would be the honorable way to take. Im going to take the "corrected" project tomorrow (and notice my sarcasm) and hope this time they just nod okey.

Many americans ask themselves why mexicans keep coming and coming from down the border :) ... this is one of thousand reasons. I love Mexico, but sometimes I just wish things could be more easier arround here, geez. Less autodestructivity, that is.

FADE OUT

Espektro's Demo Reel

Espektro — Sun, 20 May 2007 03:11:30 +0000

Well, this is the demo reel I edited for a DVD sample the goverment program Im aplying to produce THE INVENTION OF THE HOMUNCULUS asks for. It's very basic, and for an strange reason this low res version has some jumps at moments, but other than that I think is enough to show what Im capable to do. For a burocratic mind, for a 3rd world burocratic mind from a region were you don't see movie productions very often (and neither animation's by consequence), I think this will do the job (crossing my fingers)

It's divided in 3 sections: desing, illustration and animation. I used the animatrix soundtrack because I had no other music. The copyright ninjas are now after my life (just like OTL ninjas are now after Marco's) but I think it's worth the sacrifice jeje :)

I liked the result, there are some interesting timings there... not bad considering I just took all the material I had at my hand and did it in 5 hours. Hope you enjoy it! ;)