Adam the Alien
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Jun. 7, 2010 at 8:05pm
Puppetry in Proctor and the new AdamTheAlien.com
Hobo puppets invade Proctor Farmers' Market and Adam the Alien launches website
I am pleased to announce the launch of AdamTheAlien.com, my new home on the Internet!
There you'll be able to find my videos, blogs, and pretty much everything I do.
As an example of the content you'll find there, I give you a video I shot on Saturday, when a couple of dirty hobos could be seen in the Proctor Farmers' Market, bothering market-goers and shamefully allowing themselves to be anally violated in public!
www.AdamTheAlien.com
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Jun. 3, 2010 at 9:29pm
TOMORROW: Local filmmakers gather at Minoela
It's often easy to forget that filmmakers live in Tacoma. Outside of specific events, like the Grand Cinema's 72-hour Film Contest, independent filmmakers in Tacoma don't seem to be as publicly active as those slightly to the north.
Due to our proximity to Seattle, many of the film-oriented people I know tend to travel up there to meet with various filmmaking groups, networking parties and other assorted events. I do, from time to time, but I often find that people I'm meeting live closer to Tacoma.
Some time ago, on this very blog, I announced the first meeting of Tacoma Video. Since then, a small group of us has met fairly consistently, exchanging ideas, brainstorming with one another and helping each other bring those ideas and brainstorms to reality.
Our membership has changed and fluctuated over time, usually based on word of mouth. To my dismay, I realized that I have not posted anything about it in a public forum since that first announcement on September 5th, 2008,
So here, now, I am telling you: if you have any interest in film and video production, whether it's a hobby or your life's passion, join us tomorrow at Minoela. Grab something to snack on, something to drink, and be prepared to get to know and get creative with like-minded people.
Seattle's great and all, but why drive up there to meet people who live down here?
What -- Tacoma Video
"Wait, What?" -- A casual meeting of filmmakers looking to collaborate
Date -- Friday June 4, 2010
Time -- 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Location -- Minoela
604 Fawcett Ave
Tacoma, WA 98402
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Apr. 23, 2010 at 11:14am
Frost Park Chalk-Off: Season 3, Episode 4
Sponsored by deliciousness (courtesy of Jeff's ice cream)
It's time once again to chalk it up at Frost Park, today starting at noon and ending at one. Well, in theory. As veterans well know, the actual end time can sometimes be a bit...blurry.
Nevertheless, the time is upon us! And this week, we are sponsored by pure, undiluted DELICIOUSNESS!
PRIZE: JEFF'S ICE CREAM GIFT COUPON...
the ONLY human-powered pedal ice cream truck in Puget Sound Region ! Come this Friday and buy ice cream.
All items start at $1 and $2 each... including special delectables from local WASHINGTON dairies!
noon - 1 pm
free chalk art community event
Frost Park between 9th and Commerce
Made in Washington ice cream bar menu: Coconut, Pina Colada, Strawberry, Strawberry Cheesecake, Bubblegum, Watermelon
Voting begins at 1pm in the comments below!
PLEASE USE THE WORD "VOTE" IN YOUR VOTE TO AVOID CONFUSION.
VOTING ENDS AT MIDNIGHT! Votes later than 11:59 will not be counted.
For photos as they're uploaded, and photos from previous weeks, check out the Frost Park flickr pool: http://www.flickr.com/groups/774718@N22/pool/
And now, for your entertainment, videos from past weeks. Last week's video is not yet uploaded, but hopefully should be uploaded today along with this week's video.
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Jan. 6, 2010 at 1:56am
Video: First Night 2010
First Night remains the best way to ring in the new year
Happy New Year! I'd hoped to have this up on the 1st, but sleep prevailed and then work and other such things took my days away. Click on the links below to check out all the musicians featured in the video.
Deborah Page:
http://www.deborahpagemusic.com/
Beehive:
http://www.beehivemusic.com/
Hey Marseilles:
http://www.heymarseilles.com/
And all the music toward the end is Kirsten Wenlock:
http://www.myspace.com/kirstenwenlock
The specific songs used under the montage were "Alright" and, of course, "Auld Lang Syne". Kirsten Wenlock was also responsible for what turned out to be a medley of "Natural Blues" and Gnarls Barkley's "Crazy". Which is, quite frankly, an even more apt description of 2009.
If you only watch my videos embedded here or elsewhere, please consider going straight to my YouTube channel and clicking the "subscribe" button, as well as going to this video's page to rate it and leave a comment. If you don't have a YouTube account to do this with, and have no intention of getting one, then just spread the video around. The more people that do these things, the more exposure I get and the more likely it is that I'll be able to focus more of my time on making videos.
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Jan. 6, 2010 at 1:17am
"Daydreamer" music video
First of two Dr. Noise music videos to drock your socks off
I don't normally like posting anything that's not specifically Tacoma-oriented on this blog - I have another blog for such purposes - but I just want to show off.
Back in October, I took a trip to Las Vegas. My friend, Dr. Noise, was putting on a concert. While I was down there, I also arranged to shoot a couple music videos for him.
The first of these, "Daydreamer" was uploaded a couple weeks back. Shot, directed and edited by yours truly. This is why I missed Week 28 of Frost Park this year.
The second music video I shot while I was there, "Greed", will be up sometime soon. I'll post again when it is.
If you only watch my videos embedded here or elsewhere, please consider going straight to my YouTube channel and clicking the "subscribe" button, as well as going to this video's page to rate it and leave a comment. If you don't have a YouTube account to do this with, and have no intention of getting one, then just spread the video around. The more people that do these things, the more exposure I get and the more likely it is that I'll be able to focus more of my time on making videos.
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Jan. 5, 2010 at 4:01am
C.L.A.W.'s Great Yearly Ceremony
An insidious cabal of insidiousness...and cake.
Last night, I snuck into the Pythian Temple. I'd heard a rumor that the evil secret society of evilness and evil known only as "C.L.A.W." would be meeting there for a grand ceremony.
The rumors were true, but little did I know that I would be exposing a secret plot to take over Tacoma in an upset of leadership and the brainwashing of four high-profile local personalities! This fearsome cabal is even planning on destroying the sacred Emmys! Take a look for yourself...if you DARE...
This particular video was made - somewhat hastily - for my collaborative channel, Vlogtag. I'll be posting another video on the event on my personal channel...eventually...someday...maybe...STOP NAGGING ME, DAMN IT! THIS IS WHY WE NEED MARRIAGE COUNSELING!
If you only watch my videos embedded here or elsewhere, please consider going straight to my YouTube channel - or in this case, my collaborative YouTube channel - and clicking the "subscribe" button, as well as going to this video's page to rate it and leave a comment. If you don't have a YouTube account to do this with, and have no intention of getting one, then just spread the video around. The more people that do these things, the more exposure I get and the more likely it is that I'll be able to focus more of my time on making videos.
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Apr. 3, 2009 at 9:06pm
The Return to Frost Park
Coming back to where the sidewalk ends
Today, I was in heaven.
I stepped off the bus on Commerce Street at Noon sharp. My hands shook with anticipation as I walked toward that familiar corner, the one I knew so well from many blissful Fridays throughout 2008.
I rushed across the street, drawing closer to what looked to me like a magical portal to another world. I walked quickly past bored strangers waiting for their buses. I saw the grass. I heard the fountain. Even the foul scent of a cigarette smoked by a man standing just around the corner, next to the fountain, couldn't ruin this moment.
I was back in Frost Park. I was back, and so was my weekly respite from the world: the Frost Park Chalk-Offs.
As I passed the plume of smoke lazily drifting away from the man with the cigarette and crested the hill, I caught my breath. There they were: the regulars, the familiar faces I'd longed to see. Some were already hard at work, kneeling over half-formed masterpieces on the sidewalk.
I was home.
Sometimes, when you step back into a treasured memory, it doesn't feel right. From the moment I set foot in the park, it felt even better than I remembered. How could I have let such a treasure fade, in my mind? I drank in the feeling of camaraderie, the smell of chalk and dirt and miscellaneous scents wafting from miscellaneous lunches.
It was a magical experience - one of those rare occasions when time slows down in spite of the fun being had. I was shocked when I heard people shouting that we had half an hour left to draw. By that point, I was sure there couldn't be more than ten minutes left.
I still can't believe how quickly it all came back to me. Nothing felt strange or forced about slipping back into the comfy old jacket that is Frost Park. There was nothing strange about seeing these people that, by and large, I hadn't seen in months. There was no awkward glancing about, wondering what to do. Even the tricks of chalking were not forgotten: though my brain was convinced that I was out of practice and would be starting my chalk skills from scratch again, my hands were not so easily fooled. They chuckled softly to themselves as they set about their task with the ease and familiarity of an old craftsman setting about his daily routine.
The mood was vibrant: the gap between Commerce Street and Pacific Avenue was filled with jovial chatter, laughter, the snaps of camera shutters and the smell and taste of delicious chocolate chip cookies. The park was alive in a way it hadn't been since we left it last Halloween.
Children ran this way and that, feeding off the incredible energy washing through us all. Passersby paused and watched. Some were already familiar with the phenomenon. Several told me how glad they were to see we were back. One man personally thanked us for what we were doing. He said Tacoma needed more things like it.
Stories were shared. Birthdays were celebrated. Frost Park thrived again.
And that, hard as it may be to believe, was only the beginning.
I can't wait until next week.
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Apr. 2, 2009 at 10:57pm
Frost Park: A community built in chalk dust
The Alien muses on a magical phenomenon
Whenever I mention Frost Park, most people outside of the Tacoma blogosphere just stare blankly at me like I'm speaking Tralfamadorian.
Most people in the Tacoma area have seen it. Many have stood inside it or walked through it without ever knowing. I don't blame them. When I first moved here, I didn't even realize it was considered an actual park, let alone one worthy of being named.
Frost Park is a tiny thing, tucked away between Commerce St. and Pacific Ave. on South 9th. Most people recognize it once I mention the fountain and the slightly curving stairs that run through it.
The park is named for Officer Larry Frost, killed in the line of duty on September 9, 1977. The park was dedicated to "all city employees who have sacrificed their lives while serving the citizens of Tacoma" on July 14, 1978, according to the park's plaque.
I first came to know Frost Park as something other than a random fountain I passed by on the bus when I was urged by my sister to join her and other Tacoma bloggers in gathering there for lunch.
The park had apparently acquired a bad reputation - in the eyes of many passersby, it was a place for hoodlums and drug dealers. Truth be told, I was wary of the place myself, for no other reason than it sits right next to a major bus transfer area. As a license-less young twenty-something, the bus is my main source of transportation. So believe me when I say that major transfer areas can be very skeezy, sometimes even scary places (as an example, I need only think back to the time I was cornered by an aggressive drunk man in a restroom at the Tacoma Transit Station; he was convinced one of the bags I was carrying was his).
This group of proud Tacomans (Tacomites? Tacomadorians?) gathered there every Friday at Noon to eat, mingle, network and - most importantly - to build and strengthen a community.
That wasn't enough for some, however, as I discovered when I arrived at the park one sunny April 11, 2008. I set my bag down, got ready for the usual mingling, and was immediately approached by someone who wanted to know if that was where the chalk competition was happening.
"Chalk competition?" I stared blankly. Clearly, this man was speaking Tralfamadorian.
At this point, I neither frequently checked the major Tacoma blogs nor subscribed to receive e-mails from Tacoma's Arts Listserv. So I had no idea that local artist R.R. Anderson, creator of the infamous Tacomic, had challenged all comers for the illustrious title of "Best Illustrator in the Universe of Tacoma".
The sidewalk served as their battlefield, each artist staking their claim on a single slab of cement canvas. Anderson brought with him a small amount of white chalk to distribute amongst the competitors. A theme was chosen (an occurrence that would not repeat in subsequent weeks) and, before a crowd of enthralled onlookers, the drawing began.
The chalk supply was slim. The method of judging hadn't been figured out. The idea of acquiring their own colored chalk as an alternative to the small sticks of classroom blandness. But it was the start of something incredible.
In the twenty-nine weeks that followed, Frost Park became more than just a park, more than just an hour of chatter during the lunch hour. It became a home. It became a way of life.
It became a community.
Frost Park became the the highlight of my week. There were regulars - artists and non-artists alike - who showed up almost every time without fail. There were newcomers nearly every week, and always at least a few passersby who would muster up the courage to ask what was going on. Even I, a self-conscious artist whose drawings usually end up in the trash can, began throwing my hat into the chalk-dusted ring.
Through sun and rain, sleet and snow, Frost Park's weekly slice of a better world persevered. And it grew.
From cell phone pictures to short films, it grew.
From the promise of an invented title to sponsored prizes, it grew.
From a box of white chalk to a plethora of colors, to free food and musical performances, it grew and grew and grew.
From a tiny, little-noticed park with a bad reputation to a community, a haven from the harsh realities of the real world...it grew.
It became the non-alcoholic real-life equivalent of a warm, friendly sitcom bar. It really was the place where everybody knew your name. It held more magic in it for people of all ages than any world imagined in the most beloved works of fiction.
All good things, however, must eventually come to an end. Tragically, the chalk competitions came to a close for the winter after thirty weeks. The final week was gloomy and wet, as if the very weather were mourning the loss of our weekly rebellion against the accepted norms of adult life.
In the absence of my weekly escape. Without a wardrobe to escape into or a rainbow to fly over, the extraordinarily long, cold winter felt even colder and a lot longer.
The winter, at long last, is over.
Tomorrow, Frost Park is back in action.
Once more we will descend as one upon Officer Frost's namesake.
Once more we will build a community out of chalk dust and concrete.
Some people won't understand. Some will stare at us blankly.
Let them. I'm proud to speak Tralfamadorian.
I'm proud to be a Frost Park Chalkie.
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Apr. 1, 2009 at 10:46pm
Blog Every Day April
The April Fool
I'm an April Fool.Not just today, oh no...I'm literally a fool this entire month of April. A complete and undefendable idiot.
You see, this April is BEDA (Blog Every Day April), and I - fool that I am - have chosen to participate.
BEDA was declared when author Maureen Johnson decided that she was going to write a blog every single day during the month of April. So, on March 28, the news hit Twitter:
"So many things to do today in preparation for Blog Every Day April. (which is just something I made up for myself and not an actual THING.)"
By announcing it to the world, though, Johnson effectively made it an actual thing. Bloggers of all venues have flocked to the idea. Alex Day, the popular YouTuber known as Nerimon, adapted it for video bloggers and created VEDA (Vlog Every Day April).
I wasn't sure if I was going to jump on this particular bandwagon. It's one thing to log on to DailyBooth.com and snap a photo every day (a task I've failed at several times already), but to actually write something or edit a video every single day? Even this morning, I was waffling back and forth between facing the challenge or being, as I saw it, "realistic."
After all, this is hardly the time to be taking more things on. I'm looking for a job, I'm trying to finish up old projects even as I'm getting set to start filming my feature-length adaptation of Destiny of the Gnome, the short film I shot for Tacoma's annual 72 Hour Film Competition last year. Add my Eastertime obligations as the sound technician for a local church, helping other people with various projects, practices and potential performances with the improv group I'm in and the Frost Park sidewalk chalk competitions starting up again and you'll see that April is a crowded month.
There are a million reasons why I shouldn't even try this. Strangely enough, that's exactly why I need to.
I'm notorious for taking a long time to finish things. I wouldn't have nearly as much on my plate right now if this weren't the case. At the very least, I would certainly be a great deal less stressed about what is on my plate. Clearly, this is a bad habit that needs to change.
I've tried for years to address the symptoms, without very much success. It's time to cut out the root of this life-long problem: brain crack.
"Brain crack" is a term from the popular video blog, The Show with Ze Frank. In the episode titled "washington, ideas, brain crack", Frank describes brain crack as ideas that are left perpetually unfulfilled due to a person's belief that they aren't yet capable of doing it "right."
"Some people get addicted to that brain crack," Frank notes in his video. "And the longer they wait the more they convince themselves of how perfectly that idea should be executed."
Brain crack ideas are those ideas we all have that we're sure are beyond our current capabilities. So we put them off, deluding ourselves with the notion that if we do it later, surely we'll have better experience and resources to complete that wonderful idea. In our minds, they grow in size the longer they exist. In the meantime, no experience is gained. No resources are acquired. Those things only come when we throw our ideas out into the world, like a mother bird forcing her babies to fly or plummet to their death.
It's taken me a long time to realize, but the vast majority of my problems in life stem from a severe addiction to brain crack.
I'm a perfectionist; I don't like to give up and say I'm done until I feel something is the best it could possibly be. This has afflicted every aspect of my life: videos, screenplays, articles, drawings, Christmas presents and cleaning. It's even the root source of why I had such a hard time, in high school, turning in incomplete math assignments. My perfectionistic need to do something right or not at all surmounted the logic that some credit would have been better than no credit at all.
I've made slow progress over the years. I've learned to disappoint myself, grudgingly declaring something complete that I believe is flawed. Inevitably, whatever it is recieves high praise from many sources, but I can never really convince myself to accept that at face value. There's always something wrong with it, something I wish I could have fixed. Something that I tell myself I'll go back and fix...someday. When I can do it "right".
BEDA, then, is exactly what I need to break myself of brain crack. A daily opportunity to flex my idea muscles. A blog a day to keep the brain crack away. So I'm going to give this my best shot.
I'm going to post one written blog and one video every day during the month of April. I'm not going to let it interfere with the things I have to do. The posts may not be long. The videos may not be perfect. I may not make it the whole month.
But I'll have tried. And, in doing so, I'll have told that perfectionist brain crack addict living inside me that it's time for him to go. It's time to experiment, time to make mistakes...time to just get out there and try, perfection be damned.
It's time to be a fool.
*This post is being re-posted from my main blog on wordpress. I'm re-posting the initial BEDA entry here on FeedTacoma because I believe this - and the video below this note - will be of interest to many of the folks here. Please tell me in the comments if you think I should or should not continue posting my BEDA entries on FeedTacoma. Either way, you can follow me on my main blog or subscribe to my videos on YouTube.
Today's video:
Today's DailyBooth snapshot:
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Sep. 5, 2008 at 4:31pm
Calling all filmmakers, videographers
New film/video production group to have first meeting today
A new group for Tacoma-area folk interested in making movies - short, long or waffle-shaped - is meeting for the first time tonight at 7pm. The group is currently set up as a Yahoo group under the name Tacoma Video. Here's a word from the founder:
Summer distractions are behind us. It's time to make art.Tacoma Video will hold its first meeting Friday, Sept 5, 7pm at One Heart Cafe, right next to the Grand Cinema.
Come to discuss your projects or just to help on a production. Four different area groups are being accessed to form this local group; Indie League, Film 101, Seattle Film & Video Production Network and interested members of prior Tacoma Film Festivals. Feel free to pass this on to anyone that may be interested in helping out on a production.
- Charles Ames
If you don't know who Charles is, he's also the founder of the Tacoma/Lakewood-area improv troupe, The Tokens. Watchful Feedtacoma denizens may also remember his portrayal as The Producer in my short mockumentary, Destiny of the Gnome.
I know it's pretty short notice to be posting this here, but I would encourage anyone who can make it to come. Madcap hijinks are bound to ensue.If you can't make it, there will be future meetings, so mark it down on your calendar.
| Date: | Friday September 5, 2008 | |
| Time: | 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm | |
| Repeats: | This event repeats every month on the first Friday. | |
| Location: | One Heart Cafe, 604 Fawcett Ave, Tacoma | |
| Street: | 604 Fawcett Ave | |
| Notes: | Right next door to the Grand Cinema. |
If you're not familiar with either Charles or myself, just watch for a crazy-looking guy in a white hat. That's me.
Thanks for taking this photo, Darkain. I love it!
About
www.AdamTheAlien.com
My name is Adam J. Manley, better known in some circles as Adam the Alien. I make pretty things for your eyes. To see, not to wear. I don’t make glasses. Wouldn’t it be awesome if I did, though? Then I wouldn’t have to pay insane prices for a new pair. And they’d be magic. That’s right, MAGIC. Impressed? Yeah, I thought so.
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