Jacob All Trades #321
Frasier, Minimalist Fish, Frasier, High Speed Rail, Frasier, A Plan For Crayons, Frasier, Finland, LEGO, Socialism, and A Plug For My Wife
Wow. I wrote 90% of this newsletter a month ago… and then I never sent it because the last several weeks I’ve been so focused on this Frasier project. The short version is our whole family finally got Covid. I think what I actually typed in for this section as a placeholder was: “Covid Covid Covid sinus infection.”
I’ve spent most of the last three years working on things people haven’t seen. Pilot presentations that didn’t happen. Director’s treatments for pitches I nearly won (aka, that I lost). And a documentary short that qualified for the Oscars… but somehow we haven’t found anywhere that we can put it online other than our own socials.
I’ve spent most of my career with extremely quick turnarounds. Improv, sketch comedy, Internet comedy, Late Night TV. I’m usually working on things for a day on average, and a few weeks at the most.
I have two specific friends who are the opposite.
They mostly work on things for a very very long time. Over the last month, they’ve both had huge films come out — to critical acclaim, NBD — and I’ve delighted in watching them finally get the public recognition they deserve. But, mostly, they don’t care. They make fun of me for how I squirm when I have to work in a vacuum since it’s their natural habitat.
This week, I had a few projects take significant but still uncertain steps toward development that I’m excited about. I also got some feedback that helps me know I’m on the right track. Both privately, and publicly. I’ll share some of the Frasier feedback below as I try and convince you to go to a screening :)
Here’s a newsletter for ya!
Jacob
HERE’S AN IDEA: GO SEE OUR FRASIER REMAKE
Instead of my normal section. Here’s a pitch. Go see Our Frasier Remake. It’s playing this weekend in Austin, Seattle, and Los Angeles and it’s very fun. I’ve also curated a program of other shorts, behind-the-scenes footage, and VHS oddities that will play before the episode.
Austin Screening at We Luv Video | Friday, October 6th, 7:30pm
Los Angeles Screening at Vidiots | Saturday, October 7th, 12pm
Seattle Screening at Grand Illusion Cinema | Saturday, October 7th, 12:30pm
All screenings benefit the local theatres (which are non-profits) and The Union Solidarity Coalition.
And, here’s a round-up of some recent press:
The Wrap: Our Frasier Remake Trailer: 100 Animators Put Their Spin on the NBC Sitcom Ahead of Paramount+ Reboot
The AV Club: Frasier is getting a D.I.Y. animated remake all his own
The LA Times: These Artists Made a DIY Frasier Remake
Believe it or not, there are many more where that came from. I had a hard time working today because I was either scheduling interviews or being interviewed. A good problem to have.
CONSUMPTION JUNCTION
Three things I’ve consumed recently that have been on my mind…
I love this video about fish as design styles by Reeves Connelly. Yes, of course a sea dragon is Maximalist and an angelfish is Art Deco.
I’ve started following a lot of anti-car accounts on Instagram and it has made me even more pro-public transportation than I was before (which is saying a lot). In this thread, The Transit Guy (who I recommend following) breaks down how easily the Southeastern United States could be connected by high speed rail.
Is it really going to be a “three things from Instagram” kind of newsletter? Yes. It is. Here is a phenomenal video by artist and color theory educator Peter Donahue about why the basic Crayola pack makes absolutely no sense — AND — how easily they could fix it. If you want to know what my Inside-Out-Lewis-Black-Anger voice yells about all day, it’s mostly stuff like this.
DESIGN RESOURCES
If you’d like to live rent-free in the beautiful Finish town of Turku, the Titanik A.i.R. Residency is opening up shortly. Artists will be given free accommodations in a studio apartment and have studio space in a gallery for 1-3 months. Children and pets are welcome… but I wouldn’t want to live in a studio apartment with mine. I feel like this is probably best for a young single person or a couple. A POLYCULE WOULDN’T FIT IN A STUDIO APARTMENT.
I wish I was at a stage in my life where something like this made sense for me, but if it makes sense for you, please apply! And if you get in, send me a postcard!
TAKE MY MONEY
Annie Atkins is a graphic designer who works on a lot of Wes Anderson’s films. This book from Phaidon shows off some of the details we don’t always get to see on screen and talks through her process etc.
These tees from DSA LA look rad and support democratic socialism.
I’ve been following Jeff Friesen on Instagram for years. It was through his account that I was first introduced to Microscale LEGO building. Jeff has two books from No Starch Press that feature beautiful photographs of his work AND instructions on how to build your own.
A SHAMELESS PLUG
My wife, Heather Sundell, is one of the best things that ever happened to me. Besides doing 99.98 % of the childcare over the last 48 hours so I could spent most of that time finishing Our Frasier Remake, she is also a wonderful writer.
I want to take a second to plug her Substack. It is very very good, and while there’s a lot you can get for free, she’s trying out some really interesting stuff with the paid subscription and I would highly recommend it.
Read it now before it’s a book so that you can brag to your friends that you ‘used to read her blog before she had a bestseller’
Alrighty, that’s it for this issue. Feel free to leave a comment or share the newsletter using the links below.
Party on,
Jacob