I'll introduce it here the way I introduced it on stage last night at Scream It Off Screen:
A few years ago, I made some puppets out of junk for a 48 Hour Film Project. (Nowadays, we come here, where the real fun is!) My buddy Dave had an idea: we should have our junk puppets present public domain poetry! This first one is a proof-of-concept, it's two short poems, and we hope you enjoy it!
The sold-out theatre of people did indeed enjoy it! Scream It Off Screen, for the uninitiated, is a monthly cinema gong show in Minneapolis. We'd heard of it before, but only started attending (and submitting recycled 48HFP movies) in the last year or so. This time, we showed up with something new, and to my astonished delight, people loved it! The debut of Junk Puppet Poetry was a resounding success, and won the night by audience applause!
Dave has provided music and ideas (and occasional acting!) for all of Chunky Milk's movies. He lives in Florida, so I barely ever see him in person. As it happened, this week he was in the area and able to attend the screening of his latest brainchild. For eight years I felt like he should win some kind of soundtrack award in the 48, but he never did. Last night, though, he got to come up on stage with me and be celebrated as a winning filmmaker.
As happened the first time we won a local film festival with a movie starting junk puppets, I've been occasionally bursting into laughter ever since it happened. The absurdity of it all is delectable.
I'm very thankful for all of our experiences with the 48 Hour Film Project, and it's with fondness that Chunky Milk Productions moves on to our new filmmaking home at Scream It Off Screen. Both formats have a lot to offer, including cross-pollenation with each other.
And so begins a new series of no-budget shorts! We will keep making movies of all kinds, but the crowd has spoken: Junk Puppet Poetry is to be continued!
Edit: Just got some pictures from Scream It Off Screen's promotional message...
Behind us: sweet musicians including King on the keyboard!
Lined up with the check: Screamy, Dave, and myself.
In front: The true hero of the night, Zack (Zach?) the waffle man!
