PUNY blog

Break it down

2008-07-06T17:34:00.001-07:00

Hey dudes, it's been a while since I've posted because the Yo Gabba Gabba storm is a'brewin like nobody's business. This season, Puny is contributing quite a bit more animation to the show and I don't mean to toot our own horn but... it's all so good it's going to blow your mind.
Here are a couple recent photos of DJ Lance Rock, the coolest cat this side of the tracks.

Is that a Lance hand? I think it is.

Thought this photo turned out nice - he's taking a stroll through our imaginations

How did Lance and I end up in the opening credits of Fresh Prince?

Happy Fourth!

2008-07-04T20:30:00.001-07:00

Another reason to like our new space!

Happy Birthday Mark!!

2008-07-04T01:27:00.000-07:00

Fistful of Rock & Roll

2008-07-02T18:55:00.000-07:00

The Groovie Ghoulies NY Knitting Factory poster that Otha and I did a few years ago is in the "A Fistfull of Rock & Roll" art book due out in September from Dark Horse. It features rock art by the likes of Shepard Fairey, Tara McPherson, Lindsay Kuhn, Gilbert Hernandez, Brian Ewing, and Art Chantry.

More details and pre-order here.

..

Help Us With The Gallery Name!

2008-06-29T22:51:00.001-07:00

A big part of our job is coming up with names and designs for things...

Usually we do not start by pulling down the old sign...

...to sift through the big pile of letters....

..but that's how we're going to name PUNY Gallery..because it's cheap...

and could have a Minnesota Flavor...

or...different...flavor.

Is this the name?

Do you have anything? Cheat by going to this Anagramgenerator for L I E N S B O O K S H O P and help us decide on something good. Hobo Sin, Honky Op Slobs, Ooh Kelp, Elk Snob?

We can only use nine of the letters...ten if it's one word.

Moving Day

2008-06-29T22:34:00.001-07:00

Move was smooootttththhhh. No problems and only a day of downtime. We have some computers to hook-up on Monday morning but the network and all of the essentials are good to go.

Everyone packs up their desk and gets the bulk of the studio packed up in less than two hours.

Cardboard replaces everyone. Stop recycling, start rehabilitation. Put cardboard to work for you.

Yui washing dishes.

Mike Owens cleaning out the closet.

And everything into the new space.

Curtis networks.

...and goodnight 507 E.

We're Moving!

2008-06-25T23:25:00.000-07:00

There is plenty to blog about...buy it's all been put aside as we frantically prepare our new nest. We're moving this Friday and are under the gun to get it ready. It's gone fairly smoothly as everyone has been chipping in after hours to get things done. There were only a few Money Pit moments including tearing down layers of walls on a whim and then realizing we needed to put cover them back up, our first builders ditching out without telling us, and finding out that most of the electrical had been cut in a 1990s remodel. It's looking like it'll all come together Friday morning.

Our new main address is:

PUNY 507 Hennepin Ave E, Minneapolis, MN 55414.

The new location is great, it was formerly Lien's Bookshop. It's only a few blocks from the Mississippi river and near plenty of restaurants and bars. (including a PUNY fave..Industrial Bar) We have four times the square footage of our three previous suites under one roof!

I'll post more photos after we fix it all up, here is one of Mitch. Hey Mitch.

And Tim and Ashley laying in the new gallery space flooring.

New Yorker PUNY Illuhttp://www.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gifstration

2008-06-10T13:34:00.000-07:00

Guess what hit newstands this past week ~

An issue of the New Yorker with a PUNY illustration.

Hot on the heels of the Akon Calls T-Pain cartoon, Sasha Frere-Jones wrote an article on the use of Auto-Tune and the New Yorker asked us to do the illustration for it.

Here are some initial thumbnails for the concept:

... and stages of the chosen concept inspired by constructivism and Rodchenko:

Get out and buy one!

Flashbelt Starts Today!

2008-06-09T00:24:00.000-07:00

PUNYites will be all over Flashbelt and the after-parties over the next three days. If you see one of us, say hello! We'll have a table at the event where you can pick up a poster or t-shirt or just chat.

Shad (me) will be on the panel TOP SHELF: DESIGN at 10:15 am on Wednesday with pal Jeremy Thorp / Blprnt and Julian Dolce from Fuel.

It'll be a talk about what sort of design excites us and if you know me...I get excited. I know what I'm going to talk about but if you have any design projects that you think maybe we haven't seen and would blow some minds, let me know...

Calling All Kids!

2008-06-04T01:07:00.000-07:00

The Aquabats just put up a teaser of "The Aquabats Super-Show" pilot that we worked on:

http://theaquabats.com/supershow/intro.html
Watch it..tell your friends to watch it!

The pilot is an action and music packed mix of live action, concert bits, and animation by PUNY..with some help by Tony Christopherson on composite and Kevin Cannon doing the fantasy world backgrounds and Aquabats artist PEY designing heroes.

This was a lot of fun and we're working on our second pilot with The Magic Store now...we love those guys. This was all animated in Flash and then composited with After Effects.

Here are some caps from the Quicktime version:

MC Bat Commander is tense..what could be happening? Vincent did some scans from rock poster test prints and screen print mess-ups.

Julia's unicorn fires a magical beam thing in front of a Curtis painting..and her hair needs some purple dye.

Victor's creatures have the Aquabats in trouble.

Here's some of Kevin's magical fantasy land background...

Curtis' Aces Book ORDER TODAY

2008-06-03T22:00:00.000-07:00

When Curtis Square-Briggs isn't painting, designing, coding, or recording music for PUNY he is slaving away in his studio on original graphic novels. An exclusive preview of his first book "Aces: Curse of the Red Baron" from AiT/Planet Lar is featured on Myspace's Comic Page:

http://www.myspace.com/comicbooks

WW1 Bi-Plane fighting action!

Check it out then order the book:

Aces at Amazon.com

Word has it that Curtis is working on his second book now...!

New Flash Demo Reel Up

2008-06-02T23:39:00.000-07:00

We updated our Flash Animation Demo Reel on our site, here's a direct link for you those of you who think navigation is badigation:

http://punyentertainment.com/demoreel/

Midway Contemporary Arts

2008-06-02T11:32:00.000-07:00

Mary O'Regan got me VIP tickets to Saturday's REVEAL art auction at Midway Contemporary Arts here in Minneapolis. There were lots of free food and drinks, and a sneak peak at the art that would be auctioned later in the evening.

Local actress Katie Jorgenson was seen moving too quickly to be photographed properly.

Brett VonSchlosser was there looking serious, along with Patricia Rosenberg and Patrick Koziol.

Cory Newbiggin and Mary O'Regan.

One of the event's fine sponsors was METRO magazine. Thanks for the drinks METRO!

The weather was insane. Hail, lightning, and beautiful sunsets!

Friday Audio Madness!

2008-06-02T11:05:00.000-07:00

Last Friday we recorded test audio in the audio studio. The results of the tests are secret in nature, but I will say that we wanted to see what kind of characters PUNY employees could conjure.

FLASHBELT IN SEVEN DAYS!!

2008-06-01T22:55:00.000-07:00

Flash Belt Site

We are only seven days away from the best three days of the year...Flashbelt! It's the best tech conference for anyone interested in interactive. Attendance is limited to 400 so you get a lot of face time with creators unlike the mega-conferences, and they always bring in the best presenters from the around the world who come back year after year to their favorite cozy show. This is where we met Disney. It looks like the party scene is going to be great again this year..with mixers and sponsored parties every night.

PUNY will be be there this year with a artisan table featuring hand made and random stuff on artisan table day, and will probably have a regular booth one day as well....

Register before June 6th when the price goes up..you won't regret it.

The Greatest Eating Contest in the History of Humanity PART 2!

2008-05-30T16:59:00.000-07:00

Jackie was in town this week, so anybody familiar with this blog knows what that means, EATING CONTEST! (For a refresher, check this out.) Jackie said he's been in training over the past few months, so I was eager to see how he would perform this time around.

We headed over to Ichiban after work for the rematch of the century.

Here are the boys hard at work.

The staff kept clearing the plates, so we couldn't get an official count, but just know that 7 to 8 stacks this tall were taken away from the battlefield.

Jackie was doing much better this time around, he even had the strength to take a phone call while stuffing his face.

By the end of the night, Jackie and Yui called it a tie. What a disappointment.

This morning I was informed by representatives of each camp that both contestants vomitted shortly after the contest. Amazing.

Up, Up and Away to LA

2008-05-16T10:06:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, Shad and Vinny were looking into the deep blue yonder and contemplating the magical world that lies beyond Minneapolis.
Vinny pointed up into that sky and suggested Shad go to it and find a land where dreams come true and wishes are fulfilled.
And so he did.

Happy Birthday Mike Owens

2008-05-11T22:10:00.001-07:00

Here are a few highlights from Mike Owens' amazing birthday bash on Friday.

Mike is presented with his wonderful cake.

Shad really really loved the cake.

Lutefisk Sushi C

2008-05-05T10:12:00.000-07:00

Friday night was the release party for Lutefisk Sushi C at the Altered Esthetics Gallery here in Minneapolis. PUNY's best friend Kevin Cannon designed this year's bento box, and was a featured attraction at the art show. The show was packed to the brim with excitement. It was truly a sight to see.

Kevin Cannon (the man of the hour) and Jim Ottaviani being fancy.

Max Konrardy was there!

Girls LOVE Kevin Cannon!

Metro Magazine's fashion editor Mary O'Regan was there gathering examples for this year's "What Not to Wear" article.

Matt Kriske was there hoping to just get a glimpse of Kevin Cannon.

Steve Stwalley of the International Cartoonist Conspiracy

Patrick Koziol and the Baron Brett VonSchlosser convince O'Regan to feature them in an upcoming issue of Metro.

Zander Cannon was there hoping to just get a glimpse of Kevin Cannon.

Shad and his lovely wife Anna.

Where were you?

Yo Gabba Gabba Season 2!

2008-05-01T00:55:00.000-07:00

It's exciting times around the studio as Yo Gabba Gabba's second season production is winding up. We've heard about a ton of great bands and guest stars this year, and can't wait to hear the songs. Julia is working on-site at The Magic Store and took some photos:

Here's Julia in her PUNY Blog purple-hair debut with Brain Genius Craig and Pilot Foofa before her new design...and speaking of design...Yo Gabba Gabba was just nominated for a Emmy for its costumes/designs! Julia has already started pre-production storyboards and will be boarding the whole season before jumping into Gabbimation.

What's this? A set built! ...for the first "Super Music Friends Show" bit. Keep up to date on the production here: Yo Gabba Gabba Production Blog

We're already working on some "Storytime" segments and are very excited for a jingle Directed by Tim Sievert and Mitch Loidolt with music from a UK band that's been on our playlist for a while. It looks like there will be a King Mini guest artist segment too. There is a lot that is cool about this season...and plenty of months to talk about it.

Oh, I registered for San Diego Comic-Con tonight, which will have some very cool news about another TV Pilot we worked on. Spring has just arrived, but fall is going to be amazing.

It's Spring

2008-04-29T19:56:00.001-07:00

Gage asked us to build this site where people can go to support the National Marrow Donor Program.

So please go upload your photo and share a story, and pick a default flower image and make your mark...then send it along to some friends. Maybe some of them will go on to save a life. You don't have to get involved with anything to upload your photo..it's just a crowd of support for this cause.

http://www.donorgarden.com

URL Validation | Regular Expression in AS3

2008-04-27T17:33:00.000-07:00

We did a quick web search for a regular expression to verify URLs entered in a form in Flash (Action Script 3.) We didn't find any so Master wrote one up, feel free to use it or improve it. He'll be running more test cases against it but for now it gets the job done on the project we're working on.

^http(s)?:\/\/((\d+\.\d+\.\d+\.\d+)|(([\w-]+\.)+([a-z,A-Z][\w-]*)))(:[1-9][0-9]*)?(\/([\w-
.\/:%+@&=]+[\w- .\/?:%+@&=]*)?)?$

Dave likes Yucca

2008-04-25T13:13:00.000-07:00

Local proprietor of fantastic meat, Brasa, delights Dave on an afternoon outing.

Some History.

2008-04-22T17:52:00.000-07:00

Here's a video showing that 50% of men used to have mustaches.

2008-04-17T23:14:00.000-07:00

Dave, Tim, Mitch, and Ashley paused during a recent commercial photoshoot:

Oh...I was there too:

More more more after project launch.