With Repo Men coming out, there’s some interesting discussion going on- I just want to say that I love the classy viewpoints Darren Lynn Bousman and Terrance Zdunich have been sharing:

Ok, lets get this out of the way…
Everyone needs to look at this - http://www.bloody-disgusting.com/news/18496

There… did you watch it? Okay… Good… Now - ready for this - go tell your friends. Show them. Tweet it, post it, talk about. But do not. I repeat - do NOT bad mouth - trash - diss - or SPAM their boards.

Wait - what did I just say?

That’s right. I said talk about it?

All it takes is one viewing of the trailer to see how similar our movies are. Come on, Organ Repossession? Cheesy commercials selling organs? An EVIL corporation? A bar code logo which is scanned by REPO MEN? A street drug - the corporation turning on their main REPO MAN - The mere name - REPO MEN?!? Yeah - all too familiar.

But that is the exact reason I want you to not bash this movie. Think about what that says for our little opera? We have a bunch of angry bitter fans, ready to spam message board, and preach hate… THAT is not what our REPO is about.

What I do want you to do is talk about REPO! THE GENETIC OPERA! Talk about what you love about it, talk about how it affected you. Talk about the friends you have made from it. Talk about experiences you have taken from being a part of the community!

I have not seen REPO MEN! But I can almost promise you - it will not STILL be in theaters ONE YEAR after it’s release. I can almost PROMISE you people will not make road trips thousands of miles away to catch a screening of the movie. I can almost PROMISE you fans won’t form bonds, have parties, and even have ‘themed REPO MEN weddings. I can almost guarantee you people will not dress up as characters from REPO MEN for Halloween. All things REPO! The Genetic Opera accomplished without almost NO publicity or money..

The world is big enough for both of us to exist… So let us EXIST TOGETHER - and instead of talking how pissed and angry we are - just continue to show people why REPO! THE GENETIC OEPRA is important to you… To your friends… Talk… no SCREAM about why REPO! THE GENETIC OPERA is important - not why REPO MEN suck!

THE GENETIC OPERA has been around since the late 90’s - starting as a small stage show - playing at rock clubs. And we will continue to be around until 2056!

In the end though, I think trying to compare our two movies is like trying to compare JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR to THE LAST TEMPTATION OF CHRIST. Similar, sure… One however, Jesus breaks out in song and dance…

UPDATED: go check out Terrance’s thoughts on REPO vs REPO
TERRANCE’S THOUGHTS

dlb

http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendId=2191995&blogId=523451430

_{(i bolded stuff i extra liked)}

Artistically speaking, I think it’s wonderful to open up the dialogue of something- to see another take on it. Also, culturally, to dig into issues raised regarding plagiarism, etc . . . It really serves to re-ignite some passion behind this thing that I already love. And it does just kinda show how great of an idea it is, that this little violent opera that did so much more than expected (basically on the fuel of people who loved it) could be copied by a larger studio.

I think that it’s great that the truth is pretty readily available, that plenty of people are discussing it, that, uh, our little opera that could is growing up? (Meeting new rough spots to overcome, I mean. :))

Aaaand I think it’s good to have the value of something improved by comparison. And I think it’s really great to encourage creators to offer new stuff. Like, I can’t really be afraid of people ripping off my art if I know that I will always be making newer and better things. If you get defensive, your existence will be more about that. I mean, it shows vulnerability if you don’t think you have a plethora of great ideas on hand, that you have to cling to your old accomplishments. If you feel vulnerable, you’ll live the limitation of vulnerability, regardless of whatever occurs externally.

So I really love seeing how polite and comfortable with this the creators are striving to be. I love that I’m still learning great lessons from the project here. <3

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(thumbnails take you to flickr.)

captions:

01 I was so excited to do this again that I was clock-watching. I have this thing for numbers lining up . . .
02 . . . Seriously. (<3)
03 Good morning coffee & LiveJournaling, followed by bathtime & peculiar reading. Then make-up. So I was all ready for my day by about 1:55am (sometimes I’m a little extra nocturnal.)
04 ORANGE YOU HAPPY I DIDN’T SAY etc
I love to play with my food. And I wanted to have a silly random image to do a caricature-y sketch of for my not-so-daily daily self-portrait.
05 Of course, my large-headed caricature sketch instantaneously stuck the phrase in my mind, “You’ve been watching those transmissions since you were a baby with an ENORMOUS head!, . . .”
So I gave up on it early and got distracted making a Professor Membrane LJ icon for an hour. End Result.
06 ENOUGH PLAYING AROUND.
It’s time for . . . Playing around?
So it’s 3:00am and I’ve been up for 5 or six hours. Time to get to work.
07 What does it look like to put down a book?
What does it look like to open a door?
[reference images]
08 What do you guys think?
[more references]
09 Putting those references to work . . . This is a very VERY rough sketch for part of an EDGEWATER page. I’m working on (taped-off) masonite boards since I’m adding ink, paints and whatever else appeals to me further along.
10 Bundled up to venture outdoors. Money from taxes and for Edgewater just came in! I took a break around 6:00am cuz the grocery store should be open and I can get FOOD!
11 LOOKLOOKLOOK! I can eat what I want! Been surviving on a lot of filler material since I ditched my dayjob. But this new comic gig changes that for the better for the next few months at least.
12 After filling my fridge, I worked awhile more and then decided to treat myself before bed. So I visited a local pub/brewery I like.
They have this yummy, modestly award-winning Irish Stout (with a hint of chocolatey goodness) that is humorously called the “Latter Day Stout” (I live in Salt Lake City, Utah.) Uh, the glass is all pretty and petite and full because I drank a manly pint with my meal already.
. . . AND they have a flourless dessert cake I love: chocolate on chocolate crumb, covered with a chocolate glaze, with some chocolate flakes on top and drizzled with some chocolate powder.
Went home and was in bed asleep by 3:00pm.
And then I lived happily ever after.

I guess I’ll just soften my goal to having little groups of self-portraits, hopefully twice a month, which are either better than the last group or on par . . . According to my subjective evaluations, ha.

Right now it’s a little extra challenging as I’ve been so busy with Edgewater . . . But I’m always becoming better and better.

Oh well. Always growing.

_{Previous Self-Portraits: 01 Self-Portraits: 01.17-23.10}

My response:

I’ve always loved drawing and painting since I was little and it was very natural of me to pursue it in school. After letting go of my “secure” job, I thought I’d dive fully into art, but that actually didn’t happen. A source of resistance in me has been this idea that I *have* to work HARD at art DAILY to be an artist. But all that pressure hadn’t really been working out . . . Growth came with a better and better understanding of the creative power of the universe; I’ve ended up seeing art in everything. So I’m coming more and more to see life as this great work in progress which shows a flow of creativity, regardless of whether I spend 10 hours today painting or put that off in favor of watching porn and eating ice cream.

Of course, once I let go of that pressure it’s easier and easier TO regularly put 10+ hours into art. Oh, Universe. <3

1. Work on a drawn/sketched/painted self-portrait each day (and finish it *ideally*- but I’m going to go ahead ‘n start out lazy ‘n not hold myself to anything for now . . .)
2. Take a self-portrait photo once a month (inspired by/as part of a whitechapel thread)

1. The images for last week . . . Ouch. Pretty rusty. Just focused on some sketching, really:

I had a professor who recommended this daily-self-portrait goal (a few years ago, while I was still at Uni). With the right materials and a good system, it’s pretty easy to bang out some great stuff within just fifteen minutes. I’ve created some powerful self-portraits before in under five . . . Just gotta remember how to let it flow . . .

For now, most of my focus is already going to Edgewater.

2. The photo for this month:

_{Next Self-Portrait Post: 02 Self-Portraits: 01.24.10-2.13.10}

I’ve had this intense desire for awhile to put some free shit out there into the world. Well, by my beliefs, I think I’ll get stuff back in some way or another- but it’s really just fun to share and be interactive.

Anyway, I’ve had a few ideas for awhile, but I’m only finally now starting to implement them . . .

First off, I’m offering free downloads of my fanart (since I can’t sell prints anyway, y’know?). That’s being done here: http://littlezas.net/gallery2/v/cogdis/
. . . Still got quite a bit to upload, heh.

I’ve also got these Horror Valentine’s cards I did last year:

http://littlezas.net/gallery2/v/horror-valentines/

Other things I’ve been planning include creating an art tutorials blog (I own art-tutorials.com). And maybe offering some feng shui inspired images for free (as well as general healing-oriented works vaguely in the tradition of the drypaintings of my (Navajo) tribe.

Well, for now I’m just proud I’ve taken those first steps.

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(thumbnails take you to flickr.)

captions:

01 Woke up 3:48 am with a black t-shirt on over a burgundy dress, computer set-up in a strange configuration for reasons undisclosed.
02 Exercise!
03 Good morning, banana.
04 Good morning, Tsóhanoai.
05 Walking home with groceries.
06 The acquisitions in question.
07 Drinking juice and carving a banana while listening to Aphex Twin’s Windowlicker via YouTube.
08 A bananular masterpiece.
09 The photography process starts . . . This is one rough/unedited photo of approx 147 taken. My final result will likely be 3 playful images to submit to a friend’s site: PeopleTalkingonBananas.com
10 Picture-taking = exhausting.
It’s 11 am and I’m ready to kick back for a bit, playing Free Cell and listening to inspiring new agey emotionally-reorienting jibber jabber on YouTube.
I intend to finally watch the Grindhouse movies a friend lent to me months ago. (I’ve seen Planet Terror and all the trailers, but not Death Proof.)
11 . . . Actually. I think I’ll take a nap first- Just from 11:30a to 12:30p.
12 9 hours of wonderful dreams later, I’m Wolfsheiming it up while eating brown rice and working on images for People Talking on Bananas and January’s 12 of 12.

Well, early early on January 8th, I put littlezas.net up again, kinda. It’s still sort of bare bones _{(yay bones!)}- This blog is on the older temporary theme, and I’m hoping to get the main three sections of the site here matching this weekend. I expect I’ll be tweaking the details up until I decide to switch it all again, hee hee.

I just wanted to post so that I get in the habit of showing this blog and my site some love . . . Here’s an alphabetized list of great clips that are currently sustaining me:

•Art of Silent Hill - Fukuro
•Bjork - All Is Full of Love
•David Bowie - Fame (Live by Request)
•David Bowie - Live By Request Moby Phonecall
•David Bowie - Stay feat. Earl Slick (Bowie at the Beeb)
•Obama Does Thriller
•Pomplamoose - Makin’ Out by Mark Owen (Cover)
•Pomplamoose - Mister Sandman by the Chordettes (Cover)
•Wolfsheim - I Don’t Love You Anymore

And, honestly, a crush on an anonymous German BDSM pornstar who always wears a mask . . . –Yes, I’ve been watching hardcore bondage sex on film for aesthetic inspiration.

My heart is intensely full right now. This covers the cost of rent for me for a few months (and hopefully some eating needs will be covered there as well, ha ha. But we’ll cross that bridge when we get to it. ) I feel so much love for the way people are open to supporting projects- Especially when it comes to the creepy and strange sorts of things that I’m interested in. I first got a taste of how that could work out seeing how Repo! The Genetic Opera was able to come to life- A large part of it through the energy behind the love the creators had for the project, in the face of a production company not all that into it.

Well, it’s just magical to see what people can do. And it puts more fire into me to create something worthy of the hope and focus people are demonstrating. It’s like there’s a powerful artistic monster inside me being brought to life through the harnessed storm of audience electricity! It becomes less about me than about what is being summoned through me.

I’m really excited to see where this goes. Having the weight of rent/bills off my shoulders just makes me feel so much more free and inspired. Wow. Excitement.

This poster was created by yours truly. It’s to advertise a potential project between Ryan Bradford and myself. We previously collaborated to create Christmas Follies of the Half-Jewish Lobster. I expect this to be even awesomer!

You can learn more about the project here: EDGEWATER: A dark and sexy comic book by Ryan and Zandria
There’s also a post detailing the progression of the poster here: Making of: Edgewater Poster

Consider pledging the help the project happen! You can simply donate a dollar and still gain a prize.