Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Christmas Contest

Congratulations to everyone that participated in this contest. We had some great submissions and new contributors. Thank you everyone. Here's what we received in alphabetical order, please leave a comment for our contributors.

Kristi (Illustration)

I wanted to create a vintage storybook look to my picture - it did not turn out exactly the way I wanted, but it was fun to get the paints out again. It is a picture of a girl lighting the advent calendar (a German tradition we are celebrating this year with our family).

Liezl (age 5)

Liezl's picture is of the snowman she is going to make if we ever get any snow.

Nate (Illustration and Storytelling)

Arnold was a hard working elf that had many years of helping Santa prepare and pull off some great Christmas’s. Arnold was a hard worker, no one doubted that. He hardly had time to make friends with the other elves that worked in management with him. He dreamed of one day working as the Christmas Eve Head Elf, the elf that had the special privilege of mapping out Santa’s delivery run, where he would go and stop. He knew he would be the best and for that reason he worked his hardest, never stopping to take a break or enjoy living in one of the most magical places on earth, the North Pole.

One day he got a call on his elfPhone, he was getting a promotion from the Big Man Himself, Santa! He was so excited he missed most of the conversation until the words, “You will be sent to Bermuda tomorrow, get ready for some work and sun you lucky guy!” Bermuda, why are they sending me to Bermuda two days before Christmas? Isn’t Santa pleased with my work so far? I thought he would surely want my help for this Christmas’s delivery run. Bermuda? -Arnold thought to himself.

Now you must understand children that most elves would love nothing more than to be sent to Santa’s relief workshop located in the Bermuda Triangle, which every other elf looks at like a vacation. You see, Bermuda is home to Santa’s beach house and a workshop where elves build toys for all the children in the world that live in the south half of the world. Santa stops off there midway through the night to refill his bag with wonderful presents. Elves spend the rest of the year working on presents and surfing the waves, something Santa stays away from as much as possible.

Arnold arrived in Bermuda with a feeling of defeat, he had moved thousands of miles from fulfilling his dreams. What am I supposed to do here in Bermuda? As he climbed from the ELF Arliner 200 into the gentle tropical breeze he was met on the ground by a secretary elf holding a sign with Arnold’s name in big letters.
“Are you Arnold?”
“Yes I am; do you know what my new job is here?”
“You’re going to get everything prepared for Santa’s arrival. We’re almost ready but I guess you’re the elf to get it all done.”
This is great, I still have my chance.

For the next 24 hours Arnold ran around to every factory, pushing elves to hurry up and prepare all gifts for Santa’s arrival on Christmas when he would stop and refill his magical bag of gifts. “We don’t have any time to spare,” he would tell elves in every department. In between factory visits he would walk quickly reviewing papers and talking on his phone to elves up north, making sure everything was coordinated and ready. Santa will see how hard I’ve worked and I’ll get the big promotion next year.

Finally the anticipated moment arrived; it was hours before Santa’s sleigh would land on the runway. The city was filled with elves excitedly making their way to greet Santa, catching buses and talking to neighbors about how the last few hurried weeks had been. Arnold nervously ran down the street, reviewing his checklist a hundred times. “Christmas has to be perfect. I can’t ruin Christmas!” Suddenly his cell phone rang.

“Hello Arnold, I need to have a word with you.” Arnold immediately recognized the voice as Santa’s although he had never talked to him before. Arnold got so excited; maybe he’s going to tell me about my job for next year.

“Arnold you’ve been working so hard and I’m grateful but I need to ask you a question this Christmas Eve.”
“Yes Santa, I would be pleased to do the job.”
“Pleased to do what job?” Santa asked, confused.
“You were calling to ask if I’d work for you next year as your Christmas Eve Head Elf, aren’t you?”
“Oh I see, it’s worse than I thought. We’ll talk about that later Arnold but for right now I need you to do one last thing before I pull in. I remembered as I flew over Canada that I left my favorite glasses there. Could you get them for me; it would really help save Christmas for me…and for you especially.”
“Of course Santa, then can we discuss a future promotion?”
“We will but I really need your help first. Now I need you to look over…” Santa explained where to find the Christmas glasses he really needed to finish the flight. The glasses were made out of fog-proof glass and made delivering so much easier.

“I’ll find the Christmas glasses!” He ran as fast as he could to the store that Santa described and found the broom closet, turning the doorknob and stepping in. The room was dark, the door slammed behind him making the room pitch black. The door was locked. He felt around for a light switch and found one, flipping it on a curtain raised up along one of the walls, revealing the light from outside

It was not a broom closet but the storefront display. He could see all the elves hurrying down to the middle of town where Santa would land in a few moments. He pounded on the glass windows but no one responded to him. Doesn’t anyone see me or know I’m missing? Christmas will be ruined if I don’t find these Christmas glasses! He started looking around the floor of the empty display for anything that looked like glasses, the space was empty though. Why did Santa have me come in here? Maybe his memory is going foggy. I don’t understand. He nervously started fidgeting with his papers, checklist, and then pulled out his phone.

Arnold dialed Santa’s number back and it rang for a few seconds. He pounded on the glass again, no one noticed. Santa’s voice picked up on the other side. “Arnold, have you found my glasses for me?”

“No Santa and I’m stuck in the store front display and no one notices me and I have so much to do before you get here and if I don’t Christmas will be ruined! How do I get out?”
“Settle down Arnold. You haven’t ruined Christmas, that’s impossible.”
“But Santa there’s so much to do still and I haven’t…”
“Relax Arnold; push the button on the back wall and you’ll get what I need this Christmas Eve.” Click, Santa hung up the phone and Arnold spun around to see a button on the back wall which he pushed eagerly.

A hole in the floor revealed a rising object. When it made it to Arnold’s height a spotlight turned on above and revealed a nativity scene. Music started playing overhead, “Still, still, still, one can hear the falling snow…” It was beautiful; a tear fell down Arnold’s cheek. He wiped it away. Christmas can’t be ruined…it isn’t possible.

There lying on the floor of the nativity shined Santa’s glasses, where he must have dropped them as he prepared the scene. They reflected the light and made the Baby Jesus sparkle in the warm glow of the spotlight. Arnold picked up the glasses. How could I forget what Christmas is really about?

Later as he handed Santa the glasses, Santa asked him how he felt about Christmas now. “I love Christmas, especially in the quiet moments. Thank you Santa.” “Of course,” Santa replied.

Santa was able to deliver all the presents that year, but one of the year’s greatest presents was the gift Arnold received. It didn’t come from Santa’s sleigh but the real Christmas miracle from year’s ago when the Christ child was born of Mary in Bethlehem. Arnold learned that we need to take a break from all the hustle and bustle to be still. The next year Arnold got a promotion but it was a special job from Santa to prepare next year’s nativity scene, the greatest job an elf could receive.

Quincy (age 3)

One day some mice ate the Christmas ornaments off of the tree because they thought it was candy. The family was sad because the ornaments were gone, so the mice went outside and made some ornaments with leaves and pinecones. The family loved the new ornaments.

Scott (Animation)

It’s Christmas Time, at a house glimmering with Christmas lights. This punk pizza boy, delivering for Angel's Pizza, dreams of what it would be like to be a real angel: he'd fly and lift that roof up and slam that pizza down in front of these slow customers. "Here! Take your pizza!" Yeah, that would be awesome.

A devil, seeing this punk boy's disposition, whisks the punk away and proposes he duel with a real angel. The punk kid, now equipped with the wings and robes he dreamed of, takes the challenge and struts toward the true, brilliant angel. The punk makes a few jabs at the angel, but he is no match. The angel puts his arm around the punk and immediately pacifies him, and then the loving angel leads the punk through the snow towards a large nativity setting. The devil, enraged, attempts everything to distract the punk from the angel's power (presents, tap dance, and other outlandish stunts). And soon, the punk completely ignores the devil. Just before they see who is inside the manger, the devil whips a black screen in front of the audience, so at least those watching this film cannot see.

But the punk steps in front of the screen and hands the devil a pizza. The punk opens a door built in to the black screen and motions for the devil to exit. The punk shuts the door behind the devil and lifts the screen back up to reveal the bright Bethlehem star and the words sparkling underneath: "Merry Christmas". The End.

Monday, December 7, 2009

Progressing?

How's everyone's work coming along? I'm just starting my week of finals so I'm finally almost free to create like crazy. (Also my wife is due any week now so I've been up to my eyes busy. I'm sure everyone can relate to being overwhelmingly busy.)

That's what this group is here for. One submission has already been sent in, thank you Scott. I'm stewing over my Christmas story and I think I'm getting closer to a good storyline.

How's it going for everyone though? Is anyone getting frustrated with the contests? Need help? Leave a comment and let the group help! That's what it's here for. Let's get some fun submissions in. Invite people you know to participate. I think the bigger the group is the better, the more input we'll have and the more each can grow.

Friday, November 20, 2009

'MONSTERS!' Contest

I had a fun book idea that I think we will work on as a group. (Thanks to my talented, beautiful, and creative wife Aubrey who had the idea.) The story is all about monsters. So as a quick contest I want you to design your very own monster. What would one look like if you saw one? I want them all to look different, like in Monsters, Inc. Come up with your own monsters; actually, come up with as many as you want.

We will all take these ideas and make a book together with group illustrations at a later date but lets see what we get from this. The submissions can be a simple sketch or you could color it, maybe you even take it to a full rendered drawing. Just have fun with it, I'm not looking for anything complex, also don't be intimidated if drawing isn't your thing. This contest is more about creativity. The book will be for little kids so don't go freakishly scary, more on the end of fun and light.

Lets have these in by December 30th, 2009; 11:59 PM.

2009 Christmas Story Contest

Alright, our second contest will now begin. We want story centered around the big December holiday or winter in general (while it's still pleasant in our minds - before January and February come around). Make up a story on your own based on your own imagination or you could make one based on characters from your favorite Christmas stories in a new situation. Other possibilities would be illustrating a favorite story or one of your own. This contest is pretty wide open, the stories can be from other cultures, etc. I'm excited to see where we go with this contest. Remember, these can be down to simple sketches if that's all you end up doing; what's important is that you do something today in favor of pursuing your dreams. Pull that shoebox off the shelf, blow the dust off and do something simple; BUT make sure you submit it.

"Someday is not a day of the week." -Author Unknown

Contest deadline: December 15th, 2009; 11:59 PM

Drawing from inspiration

Hey talented friends, I just wanted to start an informal list of writers, illustrators, animators, practically any type of storyteller that inspires you. Post a comment with any of your favorites. Maybe it's just the look of their artwork. Maybe its the descriptions they use or the way they bring a character to life through words or picture. Let's have some dialog. If you can find some kind of a link to their work then send that along too in the comment and I'll link the blog up to it.

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Aesop's Fables

For our first contest we focused on a storyteller that used common characters (mainly animals) to teach lessons about life. We had submissions from different stories and here they are. Feel free to leave a comment on any that spark some interest.

Story: "The Tortoise and the Hare"

“I chose the tortoise and the hare. Only this time, the hare is wanting a rematch because he lost and so they go to have a rematch and the tension is a lot more... well intense. The rematch is a marathon split over three days, kinda like those dog sled races in Alaska.... Anyways, with each leg of the race, they both try to out do each other, for example: they are about to blow the whistle, the hare who is now wearing roller skates pulls out a rocket and straps it to his back and sneers at the tortoise. The race starts and the hare shoots off. The tortoise simply looks amused pulls out a small remote control, and presses the big red button. A ramp appears in the path of the hare, and he is launched into the air. The tortoise crosses the finish line, followed by the hare impacting the ground.” –Taylor Thompson, Animation


Illustration: "The Rooster and the Jewel"
Illustration: Scott Wiser



Illustration: Scott Wiser

“In this fable, "The Rooster and the Jewell" (originally called Cock and the Jewell), the rooster simply finds a jewel and wishes it were food. I tried to take the story further by having him try to eat the jewel. I also made sure the first frame was light and the second dark to enhance the story. Drawn with a quill pen and digital coloring.” –Scott Wiser, Animation


Illustration: "The Rooster and the Hawk"
Illustration: Nate Stout

"This picture comes from the tale "The Rooster and the Hawk". In this tale two roosters fight over which is the greater of the farmyard, in an act of triumph the rooster that won leaped onto the top of the chicken coup. It boasted of its splendor until a hawk overhead heard the prideful bird and snatched him up. I used watercolor and ink." -Nate Stout, Illustration and Story

Illustration: "The Peacock"
Illustration: Nate Stout

"This second piece I did because I liked a story so much called "The Peacock" in which it describes a peacock being jealous of the beauty of other birds. It wishes to be beautiful and looses its ability to fly in the process. A little sparrow humbles the peacock when he flies away. I gave the picture an oriental feel to just test it out. I used ink, watercolor, sharpie markers, and acetate paper." -Nate Stout, Illustration and Story

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

First Contest: Aesop's Fables

For our first contest lets make it bold. Submit an entry that addresses one your favorite Aesop's fables. If your interested in illustrating, try and capture one of your favorites or write a short story using the moral of one of his fables. Really stretch your imagination but lets keep it in the realm of Aesop for this challenge. Make sure your email has your name clearly spelled and the name of the challenge for which it is intended; also give it a relevant title.

This website may help if you're looking for some of his fables: http://www.holyebooks.org/authors/aesops/fables_rev/aesop_fables_rev.html

Submissions will be due at the end of the day, November 15th, 2009.

Bring Your Shoeboxes!

Welcome everyone to the place where we'll try and work on those dreams we've put up on a shelf in our closet for a future day. This website will be a workshop were you can meet other people who feel similarly, people that want quality entertainment and have always wished to make it a reality. This website is centered around helping make sure your future day to pull down that shoebox is today. Check back frequently to see the current contests, work on a submission and then email it to the website's "curator", Nate Stout at shoeboxofdreamsentries@gmail.com.