My Film Succor Forlorn is BLOWING UP at Film Festivals GLOBALLY

 

Back in 2019, like definitely a year of mayhem, filmmaking, animation, Pokemon Go CRAZINESS. I had produced a number of TV shows that aired on local TV. Here's BLOG POST. Definately a nutty year. My Live Streaming was hacked, my iPhone was hacked, my Computer was hacked AND VERY BADLY.

But, I manged to complete my Film "Succor Forlorn"which I blogged about my process on in my "Lively OC Blog" a number of times in 2019. Not long after completing THAT FILM which was fraught with delays, hackings, setbacks, cyber bullying, and ALL the "new friends" I PRESUMED I had on a certain streaming platform, as well as my IRL Friends whom PROMISED to show up (WITH A LARGE AMOUNT OF ADVANCE NOTICE) to watch my world premiere stream LIVE BROADCAST of the film ALL BAILED ON ME. I EVEN REMINDED THEM. So, basically, I have a Live Stream of basically NO ONE.

I worked SO HARD on this film, and I ALMOST TOTALLY LOST IT FOREVER due to vicious hackers. They DESTROYED all of my hard drives. The drives were so slowed down, that any data recovery was mostly impossible. So on November 1st, 2019 it was TOTALLY RUINED. I was TRYING DESPERATELY to outrun the hackings, whom would also DDOS my Livestreams, and my MODEM. So, not long after that, a Pandemic ensued... so I was effectively WITHOUT a COMPUTER, and MY DATA (most of which was lost), UNTIL AUGUST of 2020! Frickin CRAZY!

I recalled all the great interest, when I 1st posted my Concept Art on Twitter for the film, and getting a HUGE response, but since the setbacks kept occurring, I guess it just died down the enthusiasm. 

I remembered working on the film and DREAMING, while FULLY INTENDING TO MAKE IT HAPPEN as any Filmmaker like myself ought, that I would put the film in a few Film festivals.

Back in 2019, my thought/idea/dream was to put the film into a few small festivals, like SciFi, Cult, Indie, Experimental, and Artsy Festivals. I'd been to a few Film Festivals in my life, so I knew what it was like in general, as well as Animation Festivals. Honestly, I just thought I'd do like 2-3 little niche festivals with the "weirdo" type stuff. I figured my films was just "odd" & unique enough for those, and had ZERO ambition for anything else. I figured, I could stick it into my Resume, just like everything else. Also, the film was intended as a sort of Demo Reel as well. To showcase ALL of my skills & talents. Produced ENTIRELY BY ME. Something I could be proud of.

In 2020-2021, I'd also submitted my photography to a few international competitions, which I was also invited to FERVENTLY, and I had to PAY for admission, BUT NOTHING EVER CAME OF IT. I honestly DO NOT EVEN REMEMBER WHICH ONES I DID, nor HOW MANY. After a while, I just didn't want to spend the money on those. I literally would get these invites, and they would build up the pressure form individuals on a specific platform, but I never won the To Prize, but my Followers would grow sometimes by the min. 

So, my attitude towards Film festivals was sort of like that. Like something to do. Something to try, like a ba-jillion other things I've tried. Since my friends didn't seem all that impressed or interested in my film, I also didn't think much of it as time passed, and I worked on other projects.

But, in 2020 I desperately wanted to put my film in Festivals, then COVID happened, so at 1st I had no money, then when I did, they were all postponed, canceled, or they changed the rules. What do I mean? Well, somewhere in there, they changed the rules & restrictions to ONLY FILMS COMPLETED DURRING the PANDEMIC LOCKDOWN of 2020-2021! WTF???

I worked SO HARD on THAT FILM. But, NO! NOT GOOD ENOUGH! That's UNHEARD OF! Usually, most Film Festivals accept films completed 1-3 years before the date of the Film Festival. But, they just erased 2019 as tho it NEVER HAPPENED! 

So, 2020 turned into 2021, and each time I found a Film Festival that MIGHT accept my film, I read the rules, and they were like: ONLY FILMS completed in 2020-2021! WTF???

So, when 2022 hit, I just presumed: Oh well! I guess its OVER! Like, I GOT SICK working on that film. 

I had to delay working on it FOR OTHER PERSONS' PROJECTS because THEY DON'T KNOW HOW TO DO VFX Composites, or how to use Low Level lighting, or A PRIME LENS, or whisked a way on film shooting locations WHILE I'M IN SEVERE BACK PAIN, N DID NOT WANT TO BE THERE in ANOTHER STATE, while people are playing ego trip head games on me. I also GOT PAID NOTHING TO HELP THEM. NONE OF THEM. And I had a TV station play "musical chairs" with our time slots, and have the gall to get ANGRY AT US, while gaslighting us BECAUSE THEY CHANGED THE TIME SLOTS, NOT US. It was like LIFE had just SCREWED me that year. No matter HOW NICE I was. NONE OF THAT MATTERED. I even GOT BANNED 3 times (2019) in Pokemon Go by HATERS, plus while playing PVP on the highway! I also had a CREEPY frickin stalker problem when I went outside. (ANOTHER LONG STORY.) Bad enough there's a deadly frickin plague on the loose! 

But, in March this year (2022) I saw this email in my inbox, and it was suggesting I check out a certain Film Festival (I'd already peeked at maybe 5-6 in the winter already) which was a SciFi Festival. It caught my eye. And, it bugged me. I'll bet they have a STOOPID rule about NO films before 2020, or 2021, or something like that... right? Or some ridiculous COVID restriction EVEN THO its all done online. 

Right???

Nope!

So, I read through the rules, the categories.... and NO STUPID rules like that at all!

Then, I decided to just do it! 

They just required the Film, A Trailer, A Movie Poster, A Director's Bio, Synopsis, some stills from the film, some links, and A Headshot of the Director (me). That's it??? 

OK! So, I started that! Spent the WHOLE NIGHT setting that up, went to bed long after 4AM, then when I woke up, I cut my Trailer in Adobe Premiere, Rendered it out, Did my Movie Poster, and submitted everything.

Then I thought about a few other ones. But which ones?

I searched through the Film Festivals, found 2 more I liked, and I Tweeted it out that I was submitting my films to some Festivals this year.

I figured THAT WOULD BE IT, I had ZERO ambitions of winning ANYTHING. Just hoping my Film would be CHOSEN and approved. That was it.

But, then I GOT SCOUTED!

Some Film Connoisseurs started chatting with me, asking me about my film. Next thing I knew, they were inviting me to submit my film to specific festivals, and advising me what to do. Next thing I knew, THE BUZZ WAS ON! And I kept getting more & more invitations! 

They were SO NICE!

Then, at the end of April I started WINNING EACH FESTIVAL that had started their events! 

Then, I had to do marketing, PR, and I got on THE HOT LIST at least 3 times already!

My Film WON at the Hollywood Blvd Film Festival! WHAT???

 

Next thing I knew, even tho I'd ONLY intended to do the small niche weirdo festivals, THE BIGGER ONES WERE NOTICING ME!

I GOT a PERSONAL INVITATION to CANNES AWARDS FESTIVAL! I almost HAD A HEART ATTACK! I was hyper Ventilating, and almost blacked out! I NEVER thought I was ever even GOOD ENOUGH for CANNES!

 Anyways, my film will also be screened in Art Hub cities in Italy like Florence, Milan, Malta, Rome, also Paris, London, Vienna, Casablanca, NYC, and lots more. I'm booked up in more than 60+ Festivals now until 2023. I've signed 2 Contract deals.

My Film will be streaming soon on the Paus app from England INTERNATIONALLY!

I had to do my IMDb Profile stuff, for myself AND my Film which requires data entry style programming, and its tedious AF! There's a flashback from the 90s! Remember back in the day when IMDb was just a movie buff site for nerds? I DO.

My INBOX is NUTS! Just NUTS! HOW does ANYONE handle this much attention???

CRAZY!

I need to probably get an Agent, Manager, Talent Attorney, and I might have to join a Guild, like The Writers' Guild. I'm trying to figure out WHAT TO DO WITH ALL OF THIS MOVING FORWARD.

So, I GUESS this is kind of my life right now! EVERY DAY something new happens! My email INBOX is just NUTS! 

I can't get ANYTHING DONE lately! And, I started up my Twitch streaming again.

So, I STILL have dreams to fulfill, or at least make a TRY for it!

It's STILL so strange to me! Like, in my head, it's like IMPOSTER SYNDROME. I've been SO SHIT ON, TRASHED, ABUSED, SCREWED OVER, MISTREATED, and undermined for my ENTIRE ADULT LIFE, that I'm just thinking: Am I actually GOOD? Like, is it ACTUALLY GOOD???

Are people just being NICE or KINDLY TO ME??? Are the just HUMORING ME?

Then I look at my INBOX, and I'm STILL SHOCKED! Like: WOW!

SO MANY PEOPLE LOVE MY FILM! HOW DID THIS HAPPEN???

Like, I WON BEST SHORT EXPERIMENTAL Film at Hollywood Blvd! 

And, THEY INVITED ME AT THE CANNES AWARDS FILM FESTIVAL! CANNES!!! FRICKIN CANNES!!!! OMFG!!!

Djehkaujaa OC Motion Graphics LoFi Video Art

 

 [SCROLL DOWN TO BOTTOM OF BLOG FOR THE VIDEOS]

I've been feeling my OC's (Original Character) a lot lately in the past 2-3 months. She's actually a dragon, but her humanoid form looks like this, and her eyes can change colors. 

I usually depict Djehkäujaa in mid 1990s European Raver clothing, or in a variety of clothing typical of Mongolian tribes, usually with pants. However, I've recently found myself drawn to depicting her in a blend of tribal inspired clothing from the Asian Steppes, including everything from Russian to Mongolian, to Kazakh, but also Turkmen, Turkoman, Sakha, Yakutia, Siberian, and several others. These cultures always fill me with a strong, strange feeling of Déjà vu, but even further beyond that. So, I've meditated on it a lot since I was 18. In fact, that's exactly around the time when I came up with Djehkäujaa when I was a teenager. 

I've also bee drawing a lot of inspiration various old novels lately, and Clip Studio Paint.   

My newest work which features Djehkäujaa is inspired by the cover artwork by "Brom" on the novel "The Unicorn" from "Legend of The Five Rings". 

I feel pretty happy with my growth & progress in implementing "design layout" which is so much better than 5 years ago, let alone 10. I'm glad I decided to stop being so narrow-minded about it, and I feel I've improved a lot. 

I actually hadn't intended to start this one yet, even tho I prepped for it since December. I used a mixture of different Software for this project including: Adobe Photoshop, Clip Studio Paint, FlamePainter, and Rebelle 3. 

You can find FlamePainter & Rebelle at Escape Motions' website. 

I also HIGHLY recommend Clip Studio Paint! If you own a WACOM tablet or CINTIQ but you don't have Clip Studio Paint yet, if you login to the WACOM site in your account, they often give out a free 1 year license code that you can redeem. I personally bought a permanent during a Black Friday/Cyber Monday deal in 2020.Some thing with Escape Motion, I bought software bundles from them during those Black Friday/Cyber Monday deals. 

Clip Studio Paint is not 100% perfect, and even with an expensive video card (like I have) it will frequently crash. However, the up-sides of this software keep me hooked! It's 1 of my FAVORITE software to actually hand paint with on my CINTIQ. I like the feeling of it. 

If you like experimentation art, I also recommend Rebelle by Escape Motions, but I also recommend Krita, WHICH IS FREE. I like Krita for fine details and its also intuitive with your strokes on a tablet, even if the drivers are an outdated tablet with pressure sensitive functions don't work anymore.

This piece was a reworked version of a Clip Studio Paint "Asset" which you can get HERE. 

Believe it, or not, the fur on the final versions in these uses brushes from FlamePainter, and Clip Studio Paint. I customized the settings to colors I wanted, painted them on layers, then exported them to Photoshop where I did my clean-up editing. 

Also, if you haven't noticed, I have an obsession with Chinese Chengyun which is hard to explain in English and takes forever, ironically. It's sort of like a language arts/poetry style, sometimes its translated as an "idiom" which I disagree with as a translation. Chengyun is just 1 of this style of poetic language arts, and is probably THE MOST clever of all language arts in all of humanity, potentially even older than "ancient" but in fact prehistoric... maybe. The human beings whom came up with this were incredibly clever. There were even people whom could talk like this. 

It's like jive in some ways, but metaphors often within metaphors. In just a few words you can communicate things that are massive ideas. Not that Ancient Greek or Latin couldn't do this, but the Chinese way of doing this uses the writing system, and it involves a complex usage of more parts of the human brain that Western languages lack, or is totally void. So, it's very difficult for me. But, I enjoy messing with it. 

It's called Wen Yan, Gu Wen, or Wen Yan Wen. It's nearly impossible to effectively even translate what this is in English. The closest one could get to it is a lengthy explanation or lecture. From my perspective, I view it as a kind of advanced Poetry language Art. Making art with words, ideas, concepts, and feelings, but it relies heavily on structure, and numbers, or numerology. In a Chengyun, there's only 4 words, but this same style could also be applied to other numbers, including a persons name, or names. There are, however, other languages in the far East that have a functional understanding & appreciation of this even tho' they don't speak Chinese, but incorporate it into their own. But, its just something in the West that we will have no concept of. 

So, I often enjoy messing with these ideas myself. It's meant to be light-hearted on my end, since I'm an outsider.... like a small monkey that broke into a garage, messing with tools, trying to build something. 

If you notice a group of 4 Chinese characters in my work, those are Chengyun, or faux Chengyun (meaning I made them up based on either the structure, or I messed with a word play of a real one.) Chinese has a unique kind of grammar, so I can mess with it within a a certain margin even tho it's not my native tongue. I also can't help but incorporate so much Chinese substance into my work because my life is heavily Chinese even tho I am not Chinese. Even in my interests in Philosophy frequently return me to Chinese "thought" or "philosophers", especially Dao De Jing (Tao Te Ching).

Djehkäujaa, in her humanoid form is generally meat to be depicted in PURPLE, which is a major plot point in her story, and back story. Djehkäujaa is very UNLIKE my other OC, Lively. 

I don't know why Djehkäujaa has shown up so frequently in my drawings in the past few months, but she has.

The LoFi Videos:

 The Short Versions:

The Full Length Versions:

I do have another composition I will also be doing a VFX/Motion Graphics Edit/LoFi/Relaxation peice as well:

I'm hoping, eventually, to record some of my own Jaw Harp music. But, I'm still learning. I got this one from Siberia in Russia:

My new #JawHarp #Mouth Harp from #Siberia #Russia!!!!
I've been practicing for a few weeks now! #music #musicalinstrument @BlackUniGryphon #HandMade 😁 pic.twitter.com/pvyrqdgMQj

— Black UniGryphon Arts 烏獨角獸 (@GryphonUni) January 23, 2022

Terry Brooks Fan Art Project: Inked Unicorns 'Books of Magic' via 'The Black Unicorn' novel [Magical Kingdom]

 FINALLY!!! 

I'm MAKING THIS PROJECT HAPPEN!

 In the 1987 novel "The Black Unicorn" (remember the "The" so as to distinguish it from "Black Unicorn" [no "The"] by Tanith Lee in the 1990s, which is ALSO GOOD.) Brooks writes about "The Books of Magic" which were a crucial plot point in the narrative of this specific novel, which comes from his "Magical Kingdom" series of Fantasy Novels from the 1980s. 

 You can READ the excerpts from the novel which I posted HERE that describe The Unicorns in the Books of Magic.

@blackunigryphon #FanArt #inkdrawing #unicorns #TerryBrooks #FanArt #book #sketchbook #BooksOfMagic #MagicalKingdomOfLandover #FantasyArt #Fantasy #FantasyNovel #WIP ♬ original sound BlackUniGryphon

I am SO IRKED that I misplaced my original vintage copy of the novel. I literally had the dang thing, highlights withe notes & ALL in my hands in early December, but our Condo had a new electrical system installed in December, which means the entire place was topsy-tervy, and everything moved around. So, even tho I found ALL of my other novels from my teenagehood that were always kept together I CANNOT FIND THAT ONE! 

So, I had to find a digital copy online, and THANK YOU SO MUCH TO FANTASY NOVEL FANS ON THE INTERNET!!!!

I've actually made a number of art pieces since I was a teenager in the 1990s depicting a number scenes from this novel. This novel really showcased a lot of the sweetness of Brooks' heart, and sentimental side. His also uses interesting narrative devices which for its time (1980s) were refreshing, altho today might seem cliche. It reminds me of an Classical Ancient Greek style which involves the mind of the audience (or reader) like in Peter Pan, you need to BELIEVE IN FAIRIES & clap your hands otherwise Tinkerbell will die,  or if you believe in Jesus you become Deliverance & Salvation so you can go to Heaven in the Gospels. These are things the audience that hears or reads the story does INSIDE THEIR MIND by thinking and also FEELING which works very effectively, especially in a play or fairy-tales. 

In Brooks' story, he uses this concept of "The Books of Magic" in a similar manner. So without giving out too many spoilers, these Unicorns which appear to be inked drawing on white parchment paper are actually trapped unicorns. They need to be set free so that the people in other realms (like our own) can "believe in magic" which also gives Magic it's own power. This is a very ancient classical narrative style that was perfected in Ancient Greece. 

I don't want to SPOIL the story, but its connected to The Black Unicorn, which turns out to be NOT WHAT YOU THINK. 

Let's just say, The Black Unicorn IS NOT EVIL, and IS NOT A DEMON. 

YOU NEED TO LOOK PAST it's DARKER EXTERIOR AND SEE THE BEAUTY OF WHOM THEY TRULY ARE. 

The Black Unicorn is INNOCENT. 

Imagine being misjudge JUST BY HOW YOU LOOKED ON THE OUTSIDE! 

But INSIDE there is SO MUCH MORE!

This is ALSO why THOSE 2 BOOKS OF MAGIC MATTER SO MUCH IN THE PLOT! 

Actually, when I was a teenager in the 1990s I made my own makeshift, hand made, version of the 2nd Book of magic with the Inked Unicorn Drawings! But, after I graduated college in 2001, I was snobby at my old high school art work, AND I THREW IT AWAY! 

OH, HOW I REGRET THAT I DID THIS!!!!! SO STUPID! Me & my STUPID EGO! WHAT WAS I THINKING??? 

I'd made a Painting that had depicted a scene from the book with the fairies Dancing over a Lake at night to summon the Black Unicorn, which I was in high school. I didn't think much of it, but my family found that painting and framed it. I was honestly shocked since they never seemed to give a care about my art, ever. Also, no matter which house they lived in, they ALWAYS took THAT painting with them and HUNG in a room that ALL PEOPLE COULD SEE IT usually when they entered the house. 

The kinds of things people would say to me about that painting were so sweet. So many people would tell me just how much they LOVED that painting! So, I guess I must've tapped into whatever Brooks wrote, because I LOVED that scene in the novel SO MUCH that I went out of my way to make a painting depicting it. I thought I wasn't any good when I made the painting, and felt disappointed that it wasn't better. But, when so many people kept telling me how much they LOVED it, I guess I did it right after all. I guess that's the problem with ego, huh? 

So, by the Pandemic Quarantine Lockdown of 2020, I actually found my novel. Then I thought about "The Books of Magic" with the Inked Unicorns. 

Then I thought: 

Hey that would be a good project! (Then I remembered, I DID do that project as a kid, BUT THREW IT AWAY! DOH!)

So, I'd been meaning to re-create it myself.

I wasn't sure if there was still a Fandom for Terry Brooks. So, I checked! 

Oh! THERE IS!

Bored with this trashy novel I'm reading at the moment. Think it's time for a return to the #MagicKingdomofLandover, not read those for ages

— Dan Jackson (@danj2k) March 18, 2016

Brainstorming for #PitMad. Have I found my comps? I read using #HarryPotter is pretentious, but it fits for my setting, tone & MC's arc. As does #MagicKingdomofLandover. Whaddya think? Too ballsy? Too dated? I've looked at the more current titles & nothing else fits. #amquerying pic.twitter.com/AGwK0WCEB6

— OJ Barré (Olivia) is writing Awen Tide🐉 (@ojbarreauthor) February 13, 2018

So, I went to Michael's Art Supplies & bought a new hardcover sketchbook for the project.

 

The 1st 2 Inked Unicorn Drawings/Pages are described in the novel as the first one is standing still, and the 2nd is in motion. 

So, I depicted it this way on the 1st 2 pages:

After that, in mentions the 3rd & 4th as all different, ans all of them after that. (you can read the excerpt here)

If you would like to see my ENTIRE Photography Gallery for this Project as it unfolds go HERE.

 

The 1st #unicorn 🦄 #InkedDrawing as depicted as standing still in the #TerryBooks #novel #TheBlackUnicorn 1987 #MagicKingdomOfLandover #Landover #inked #ink #Sketchbook #FanArt #Fantasy #FantasyArt @BlackUniGryphon #HandDrawn #HandInked #ArtistOnTwitter pic.twitter.com/8xrevfbdCe

— Black UniGryphon Arts 烏獨角獸 (@GryphonUni) December 30, 2021

1st #unicorn in the #TerryBrooks novel #BlackUnicorn mentions it's standing still in the 2nd of #BooksOfMagic #MagicKingdomOfLandover #Landover #Fantasy #graphite
I will ink it. @BlackUniGryphon pic.twitter.com/K2x6KVVnVf

— Black UniGryphon Arts 烏獨角獸 (@GryphonUni) December 30, 2021

1st #unicorn in the #TerryBrooks novel #BlackUnicorn mentions it's standing still in the 2nd of #BooksOfMagic #MagicKingdomOfLandover #Landover #Fantasy #graphite
I will ink it. @BlackUniGryphon pic.twitter.com/K2x6KVVnVf

— Black UniGryphon Arts 烏獨角獸 (@GryphonUni) December 30, 2021

 

2nd Page #inked #Unicorn 🦄 #Drawing #sketchbook #FanArt #TerryBrooks #TheBlackUnicorn #novel #MagicKingdomOfLandover #Landover #HandDrawn #cartoon @BlackUniGryphon #TheBooksOfMagic pic.twitter.com/b1w87u45t2

— Black UniGryphon Arts 烏獨角獸 (@GryphonUni) December 30, 2021

A project to make an entire sketchbook full of unicorns!
A project I actually did but in a smaller scale in high school in the 90s!
I'm hoping to film some of it n publish to YouTube. #TerryBrooks #FanArt #fantasyart #MagicKingdomOfLandover @BlackUniGryphon pic.twitter.com/EXLPKDYHJl

— Black UniGryphon Arts 烏獨角獸 (@GryphonUni) December 30, 2021

The 2nd #unicorn 🦄 on the page of #TheBooksOfMagic in #TerryBrooks #novel #TheBlackUnicorn describes it as being in motion.#WIP #sketchbook #FanArt #fantasy #FantasyArt #inking #handdrawn #penciler #inker @BlackUniGryphon #ArtistOnTwitter #cartoon pic.twitter.com/yUdpBLwIM9

— Black UniGryphon Arts 烏獨角獸 (@GryphonUni) December 30, 2021

Please leave your comments, suggestions, critiques, here on this Blog, or find me on Twitter!

Are YOU a Terry Brooks Fan???

TELL ME! SPILL THE BEANS!!!!

 

Terry Brooks excerpts from The Black Unicorn NOVEL 001

 Excerpt from "The Black Unicorn" By Terry Brooks (1987)

The 1st Time "The Books of Magic" are Mentioned; a project I am hoping to re-create by hand.

Regarding the details of THE BOOKS with the Unicorn Drawings WITHIN THEM:

'Night descended, and Ben retired to his study. He had already decided to send out search parties for both his missing friends by morning. Everything else would have to wait until he solved the mystery of the dreams. He was becoming increasingly convinced that something was terribly wrong and that he was running out of time to set it right again.

Evening deepened. He was immersed in catching up on the paperwork that had piled up during his absence when the door to his study flew open, a sudden gust of wind scattered the stacks of documents he had arranged carefully on the work table before him, and the gaunt figure of Questor Thews stalked out of the darkness into the light.

"I have found them, High Lord!" Questor exclaimed with an elaborate flourish of one arm, a canvass-wrapped bundle clutched to his chest with the other. He crossed to where Ben was working and deposited the bundle on the table with a loud thump. "There!"

Ben stared. A rather bedraggled Bunion trudged through the door behind him, clothes torn and muddied. Abernathy appeared as well, nightshirt twisted and night-cap askew. He shoved his glasses in place and blinked.

"It was all just exactly as the dream promised," Questor explained hurriedly, hands working at the canvass wrapping. "Well, not quite as promised. There was the matter of the demon imp hidden in the stonework. A nasty surprise, I can tell you. But Bunion was its equal. Took it by the throat and choked the life out of it. But the rest was just as it was in the dream. We found the passages in Mirwouk and followed them to the door. The door opened, and the room beyond was covered with stonework. One stone had the special markings. It gave at the touch, I reached down and..."

"Questor, you found the missing books?" Ben asked incredulously, cutting him short.

The wizard stopped, stared back at him in turn, and frowned. "Of course I found the books, High Lord. What do you think I have been telling you?" He looked put upon. "Anyway, to continue, I was about to reach down for them — I could see them in the shadows — when Bunion pulled me back. He saw the movement of the imp. There was a terrific struggle between them... Ah, here we are!"

The last fold of canvass fell back. A pair of massive, aged books nestled amid the wrappings. Each book was bound in a leather covering that was scrolled in runes and drawings, the gilt that had once inscribed each marking worn to bits and tracings. Each book had its corners and bindings layered in tarnished brass, and huge locks held the covers sealed.

Ben reached down to touch the cover of the top book, but Questor quickly seized his hand. "A moment, High Lord, please." The wizard pointed to the book's lock. "Do you see what has happened to the catch?"

Ben peered closer. The catch was gone, the metal about it seared as if by fire. He checked the catch on the second book. It was still securely in place. Yes, there was no doubt about it. Something had been done to the first book to break the lock that sealed it. He looked back at Questor.

"I have no idea, High Lord," the wizard answered the unasked question. "I brought the books to you exactly as I found them. I have not tampered with them; I have not attempted to open them. I know from the markings on the covers that they are the missing books of magic. Beyond that, I know no more than you." He cleared his throat officiously. "I... thought it proper that you be present when I opened them."

"You thought it proper, did you?" Abernathy growled, hairy face shoving into view. He looked ridiculous in his nightcap. "What you mean is you thought it safer! You wanted the power of the medallion close at hand in case this magic proved to be too much for you!"

Questor stiffened. "I have significant magic of my own, Abernathy, and I assure you that..."

"Never mind, Questor," Ben cut him short. "You did the right thing. Can you open the books?"

Questor was rigid with indignation by now. "Of course I can open the books! Here!"

He stepped forward, hands hovering over the first of the aged tomes. Ben moved back, his own hands closing on the medallion. There was no point in taking any chances with this sort of...

Questor touched the fastenings, and green fire spit sharply from the metal. Everyone jumped back quickly.

"It would appear that you have underestimated the danger of the situation once again!" Abernathy snapped.

Questor flushed, and his face tightened. His hands came up sharply, sparked, then came alive with a fire of their own — a brilliant crimson fire. He brought his fire down slowly to the metal fastenings, then held it there as it slowly devoured the green fire. Then he brushed his hands together briskly, and both fires were gone.

He gave Abernathy a scornful look. "A rather insignificant measure of danger, wouldn't you say?"

He reached again for the fastenings and pulled the metal clasp free. Slowly he opened the book to the first page. Aging yellow parchment stared back at him. There was nothing there.

Ben, Abernathy, and Bunion pressed forward about him, peering down through the shadows and half-light. The page was still empty. Questor thumbed to the second page. It was empty as well. He thumbed to the third. Empty.

The fourth page was empty, too, but its center was seared slightly as if held too close to a flame.

"I believe it was you who used the word insignificant, wizard?" Abernathy goaded.

Questor did not reply. There was a stunned look on his face. Slowly he began to leaf through the book, turning one blank page after another, finding each sheet of yellowed parchment empty, but increasingly seared. Finally pages began to appear that were burned through entirely. He thumbed impulsively to the very center of the book and stopped.

"High Lord," he said softly.

Ben peered downward at the ruin that lay open before him. A fire had burned the center of the book to ashes, but it was as if the fire had somehow been ignited from within.

High Lord and wizard stared at each other. "Keep going," Ben urged.

Questor paged through the remainder of the book quickly and found nothing. Each sheet of parchment was just like the others — empty save for where the mysterious fire had burned or seared it.

"I do not understand what this means, High Lord," Questor Thews admitted finally.

Abernathy started to comment, then changed his mind. "Perhaps the answers lie in the other book," he suggested wearily.

Ben nodded for Questor to proceed. The wizard closed the first book and set it aside, gloved his hands in the red fire, brought them carefully down, and drew free the green fire that protected the lock on the second book. It took somewhat longer this time to complete the task, for the lock was still intact. Then, the fires extinguished, he released the lock and cautiously opened the book.

🦄

The outline of a unicorn stared back at him. The unicorn was drawn on parchment that was neither yellowed nor seared, but pristine white. The unicorn was standing still, its silhouette perfectly formed by dark lines. Questor turned to the second page. There was a second unicorn, this one in motion, but drawn the same way. The third page revealed another unicorn, the fourth still another, and so on. Questor leafed quickly through the entire book and back again. Each page of the book appeared new. Each page held a unicorn, each drawn in a different pose.

There were no writings or markings of any kind other than the drawings of the unicorns.

"I still do not understand what this means." Questor sighed, frustration etched into his lean face.

"It means these are not the books of magic you believed them to be," Abernathy offered bluntly.

But Questor shook his head. "No, these are the books. The dream said so, the markings on the bindings say so, and they appear as the old stories described them. These are the missing books, all right."

They were silent for a moment. Ben stared thoughtfully at the books, then glanced about until his eyes found the shadowy figure of Bunion peering from behind Questor. The kobold grinned ominously.

Ben looked back again at the books. "What we have here," he said finally, "is one book with unicorns drawn on every page and another book with no unicorns drawn anywhere, but a burned-out center. That has to mean something, for Pete's sake! Questor, what about Willow's dream of a black unicorn? Couldn't the unicorns here have something to do with that?"

Questor considered the possibility for a moment. "I do not see any possible connection, High Lord. The black unicorn is essentially a myth. The unicorns drawn here are not inked in black, but sketched deliberately in white. See how the lines define the features?" He turned a few pages of the second book to illustrate his point. "A black unicorn would be shaded or marked in some way to indicate its color..."

He trailed off, brows knitting tightly in thought. His bony fingers traced the seared lock on the first book delicately. "Why has this lock been broken and the other left intact?" he asked softly, speaking to no one in particular.

"There have not been any unicorns in the valley since its inception, according to the histories of the Kings of Landover," Abernathy interjected suddenly. "But there were unicorns once — a whole raft of them. There was a legend about it, as a matter of fact. Now let me think... Yes, I remember. Just wait here a moment, please."

He hurried from the room, nails clicking on the stone, nightshirt trailing. He was back a few moments later, a book of the royal histories of Landover cradled in his arms. The book was very old and its covers worn.

"Yes, this is the one," the scribe announced. He placed it next to the books of magic, thumbed through it quickly, and stopped. "Yes, right here." He paused, reading. "It happened hundreds of years ago — very close to the time of the valley's creation. The fairies dispatched a large gathering of unicorns into our valley from out of the mists. They sent them here for a very particular reason. It seems that they were concerned about a growing disbelief in the magic in many of the outlying worlds — worlds such as your own, High Lord — " The scribe extended him a disapproving look. " — and they wished to give some sign to those worlds that the magic did indeed still exist." He paused, frowning as he squinted at the aged writing. "I think I have that right. It is difficult to read this clearly because the language is very old."

"Perhaps it is your eyes that are old," Questor suggested, none too kindly, and reached for the book.

Abernathy snatched it away irritably. "My eyes are twice what yours are, wizard!" he snapped. He cleared his throat and went on. "It appears, High Lord, that the fairies sent the unicorns as proof to the disbelieving worlds that the magic was still real. One unicorn was to travel to each of these worlds out of Landover through the time passages." He paused again, read some more, then closed the book with a bang. "But, of course, that never happened."

Ben frowned. "Why not?"

"Because all the unicorns disappeared, High Lord. They were never seen again by anyone."

"Disappeared?"

"I remember that story," Questor declared. "Frankly, it always struck me as a rather strange story."

Ben frowned some more. "So the fairies send a raft of white unicorns into Landover and they all disappear. And that's the last of the unicorns except for a black unicorn that may or may not be real and appears only occasionally from God knows where. Except now we also have the missing books of magic that contain nothing about magic at all — just a lot of drawings of unicorns and some half-burned empty pages."

"One lock broken and one still sealed," Questor added.

"Nothing about Meeks," Ben mused.

"Nothing about changing dogs back into men," Abernathy huffed.

They stared at one another in silence. The books lay open on the table before them — two of magic that didn't seem very magical at all and one of history that told them nothing historically useful. Ben's uneasiness grew. The further they followed the threads of these dreams, the more confused matters got. His dream had been a lie;

Questor's had been the truth. The source of their dreams had been different...

Apparently.

But maybe not. He was not sure of anything just now. It was growing late. The trip back had been a long one, he was tired, and the fatigue dulled his thinking. There wasn't enough time, and he didn't have enough energy to reason it all through tonight. Tomorrow would be soon enough. When morning came, they would search out Willow; once they found her, they would pursue this matter of the dreams until they understood exactly what was going on.

"Lock up the books, Questor. We're going to bed," he declared.'

 

 

Rainbow Paisley Wings Angel

 

 This Project was NOT FOR PROFIT. It started as my brother's ideas.

The Video is HERE

Credits:

Producer, Director, Animator, Main Artist, VFX, Composite, Motion Graphics, Audio Design: 

Kandice Kathleen Zimbleman

 

Executive Producer, Art Director:

Kenneth R Zimbleman III 

Elven Male Mannequin Figure:

3D Model by "Alphie": HERE on Clip Studio Paint

Alphie's Twitter.

 

Audio:

Ambient Audio Mix:

Mixed By Black UniGryphon

SoundCloud

Black UniGryphon · Paisley Wings Angel Ambient Mix 001

NewGrounds

Creative Commons Audio Source Files:

FreeSound.org 

 

Ambient Music & Audio By:

Erokia

 

 

Windchimes by:

LittleBoot, InspectorJ

 

Tibetan Singing Bowls:

HeyIm89yearsOld, RutgerMuller,

Software:

Adobe Creative Cloud: After Effects CC, Premiere Pro CC, Photoshop CC

Clip Studio Paint

Escape Motions: Amberlight 2, Inspirit 

Red Giant: Trapcode

Hardware: WACOM CINTIQ

New YouTube Brand Channels

 

I launched 2 new Brand Channels on YouTube. It was a major goal of mine, and both Channels are up. The content will come in on those channels whenever I get to them. They're both a side project. I had to make 2 channels because altho both are intended relaxation content, the content is quite different from each other. And, altho' both are NON-NARRATIVE video media content, persons whom like 1 type of content might not like the other. Both are intended as background listening, meditative or relaxation content, and BOTH just clash with the content on my main channel. 

The first Brand is called "Oppressed By Purple" and it's main mascot is a spoiled, pampered, lazy tuxedo cat named Lila. She's the both the Mascot, and the Logo for the brand. She primed the audience to know that this is something you relax to. It's also sort of funny and cheeky.

I like the name, because its weird. If you are familiar with brands like Urban Decay or Liquid Death they poke fun at a seemingly creepy or scary sounding phrase but having the opposite meaning. Both are intended to by high end products which use creepy sounding names... in effect, it evokes this idea that "I SHOULDN'T WANT THIS....BUT I DO!!!!!"

Also, think of Michael Jackson's "BAD". Beacuse... "bad" is "good".... I dunno... its was an 80s thing... Wicked, huh?

The content itself is rather basic. In Oppressed By Purple, its mostly static shots or B-Roll of a setting or environment. It's ASMR content, with background sounds, or nature sounds, or sounds of an environment. 

 

The other Brand is called "Oppressed By Violet". This brand is a LoFi MUSIC Motion Graphics style of content. Both this brand, and the other brand, are BOTH SECULAR and NEITHER push ANY kinds of religious ideologies onto the viewers. IF YOU ALREADY HAVE a personal preference for spirituality YOU CAN bring it WITH YOU and enjoy the content regardless of whatever it is, however, no one overtly needs any religion, spirituality, nor ideology to enjoy the content at all, whatsoever. You will NEVER be pushed into ANYTHING you don't want. You could even be an atheist and still enjoy it. It has no real agenda. It's intended (both) as background content that one plays merely to ignore it on the conscious level. It's pretty at first, if you want to watch it, but you don;t need to be fully engaged for the entire video. You can just leave it on as background sounds, and be very passive with it. Its value is that its intentionally unimportant other than to relax the audience as they do something else, like studying, office work, or whatever. Or, even meditation. 

You are NOT pushed to buy anything either. Think of it as a gift, or a kind gesture to other people. You only get whatever you want out of it. 

Oppressed By Violet also features Lila the tuxedo cat on another chaise lounge, but this time she is an Anthro Cat Girl... or  "Furry". I'm NOT ashamed that I like Furries. I think they're cute. Altho I attempted to keep both pieces as more minimal and "cartoonish" or simplified, they both expressed themselves in their own ways, and ended up slightly more realistic than I'd intended. I wanted to go with sort of a Bugs Bunny meets American Comic Books sort of style, like Marvel or DC.... but that didn't happen... Anyways, it's pretty stylized that it's not quite realism. 

I will say this tho: I USED VARIOUS KINDS OF SOFTWARE FOR BOTH OF THESE. 

 

I used:

Adobe Photoshop CC 2020

Krita

Clip Studio Paint

Adobe After Effects CC 

I also downloaded Autodesk Sketchbook.... but I need to practice with that a little, because I wasn;t sure how to apply it to this project yet.... 

I thought I would list some of my influences for my references here:

Cat Gazette 

NEJM Journal Watch 

SoGeti Labs 

Jezebel: Guide To Spoiled Rotten Pets

We Love Cats: Cats That Have No Idea They're Spoiled 

12 Signs You Spoiled Your Cat

Bored Panda:  62 Spoiled Cat That Live Better Than You

Also, if you type in "Spoiled Cat", "Pampered Cat, and "Lazy Cat" into a search engine like DuckDuckGo and various others like Google, you could find similar stuff. I researched all the ones I could think of, and also "tuxedo cat". You can get a feel for what I was referencing. I SO ENJOYED researching this cat stuff because I find cats to be SO FUNNY! Also very cute! I cracked up so frequently while researching for this stuff. 

Here's some of the artists' artworks I also referenced:

Dark Natasha

Vyrhelle

Orpheelin

I actually started my research on this back in July/August, because I was really starting to conceptualize my work/projects for this stuff for even longer than that. I had a few bumps in my road tho. I was expecting to be done this stuff in September, but when I had to do my Furry Anthro Cat Girl version that I found I ran into a bit of an art block... It was pretty bad. I had very bad anxiety also, and insomnia. But, once my friend, Hope, started chatting with me for a lil' while, it budged me forward. 

Here's the basic Intro/Outro Graphics for Oppressed By Purple:

Here it is for Oppressed By Violet:

The general content of Oppressed By Purple is like THIS:

The General Content of Oppressed By Violet is like THIS:

That's basically the gist of it... 

It's nothing ultra exciting. It's RELAXING...