Rachel Website Updates -- Animator, Filmmaker, Comic, Performer

WEBSITE DELIGHT!

2008-10-04T18:57:00.000-07:00

Go see www.rachelpeters.com ! ...NOW!
It's new, it's fresh, it's functioning!

"Nagasaki Circus" is Ready to Roll!

2008-08-25T20:16:00.000-07:00

Let me share some stills from the soon-to-be Bravo!FACT film (with additional support from NFB, BookShorts and my Mom), "Nagasaki Circus".
Delivery is set for August 29th, and all looks as if it is functioning.
While recently working a busker festival together, Lurk, the Cynical Stilt-walking Mime (upon whom the film is based) watched it and gave his nod of approval.
I am content.

St. John (singular, not "John's")

2008-07-22T11:20:00.001-07:00

New Brunswick's Busker piece was successful.
...I am too tired and riddled with tendinitis to write more, as is often the case with most of my blog posts. I wish I had the energy to be funnier.
Until Toronto Fest (Aug 21-24) I'll be wrapping up my film, "Nagasaki Circus". Toronto will be my last busker fest of my season, and then all is up in the air! I look forward to what September brings. Hopefully some healing. Hopefully lots of fun!

Busking in PEI and Kingston

2008-07-12T21:37:00.000-07:00

Sitting in a dorm room in Kingston tonight I realized I haven't posted my latest chalk pieces.
PEI let me do my own thaaanng, which was (maybe) the last installment of the "versus" series, entitled, "Giant Squid vs. Killer Teddy Bears". It got a good response and landed me a minute-and-a-half or so of time on CTV's Live at Five, in the Maritimes.

I'm working on the Kingston piece as I speak (so to speak) and it's a montage of the other buskers at the festival. I'll be doing the same at my two remaining festivals. Each piece ends up being as unique as each festival.

Loonie on a Uni vs. Hawaiin Flyin' Fish

2008-06-22T09:59:00.001-07:00

For me, it's all about the chillens.

I think I'll start setting up a "Kid's Corner" with some kid's chalk. I get a lot of requests of, "Can I help you?" I want to be able to say, "yes".

A Nagasaki Still

2008-05-13T00:57:00.001-07:00

I've created what I'd like to be the visual style of "Nagasaki Circus", or at least close to it. I've taken a frame from a video clip to show it off.
Martin and I have just recorded our voice overs here in Kona Hawaii (eep!) and things are looking lovely. Now if you'll excuse me, I have a tan to attain. *ahem*

Island Vortex, in Kailua Kona.

The gecko in my coffee, in Kailua Kona.

Filming

2008-04-13T18:57:00.000-07:00

Lee Zimmerman and I are finished filming our puppets on green screen and I'm ready to begin the long and tendinitis inducing process of weeding through my shots and keying out the green. I fear motion blur.
Aside from inevitable motion blur, the shoot went very well, Lee did a fabulous job, and we finished ahead of schedule. Now, how often does THAT happen??

Setting the Mood

2008-03-21T19:00:00.001-07:00

I've begun experimenting with backgrounds for "Nagasaki Cirus".

2008-03-08T18:22:00.000-08:00

"Nagasaki Circus" (as seen below) has just received a Bravo Fact grant. Wonderful news.
I'm not sure of the details yet, except to say I've seen my name on the list.

I'm both excited and nauseous.

Nagasaki Circus

2008-02-08T10:05:00.000-08:00

Welcome behind the curtain of the Nagasaki Circus.
My short film is being built and I've never enjoyed a project more thoroughly.
Let's hope the filming goes as smoothly!

Writer, Narrator: Martin Ewen
http://www.antigravitytheater.com/

Director, Producer, co-puppet builder: Rachel Peters
http://www.rachelpeters.net/

Puppeteer: Lee Zimmerman, The Hollywood "Puppet Guy"
http://www.myspace.com/leezimmermanthepuppetguy

TTC Fame -- ROFL 2007. Great Comedy Line-up

2007-12-23T17:51:00.000-08:00

I am subway famous.
'Nough said.

"Humour". What is it and How Can I Get it? A Lesson Online, by Rachel Peters

2007-11-29T07:49:00.000-08:00

When girls say they want a guy with a good sense of humour, they don't mean it.

They MEAN they want a guy with THEIR sense of humour.

And frankly -- the majority of girls who say things like that -- I don't think they have a good sense of humour.

So that's that.

A friend of mine pointed out to me that women say they want a man who's funny and outdoorsy. In theory that sounds quite attractive, but in reality... that makes a rodeo clown. And nobody wants a rodeo clown.
I generally leave off the "outdoorsy" part.
I'll just take a fat, lethargic clown.

For those of you who fear you might be one of these helpless dolts who doesn't know from good humour -- for those who just aint no Jane Rivers -- do not fret. I'm here. I'll take care of you (I'm maternal like that).

Last year I wrote a how-to book on humour -- a "do it yourself", if you will.
Will you?

You can find a link to my book here: http://www.rachelpeters.net/extra.htm

Original advertisement and testimonials are as follows:

"If you could only buy one book in your entire life, make it this one.
Your career and your love life will be incomplete, not having purchased it.

"If you don't buy this piece of literary brilliance, you might very possibly get hit by a car.
Simply buying this book --let alone following its advice-- is almost, virtually guaranteed to get you wads and wads of U.S. cash, flowing out every aperture of your being. Seriously. Almost virtually.
"You'll laugh, you'll cry... You may even get a migraine and throw up.
It's that good."

For your limited edition copy, please e-mail $32.50 CDN to my e-mail inbox.

Testimonials about how it has changed your life are welcomed.

Real Testimonials:

(seriously. I'm not even lying!)

"The Jane Goodall of comedy" -- a cynical, stilt-walking mime

"[Your work] shall be a landmark to revive the flagging fortunes of the English speaking comedy world." -- a real jester from England somewhere.

"I laughed out loud" -- a funny man who does tricks

"...it made me laugh a second time." -- a funny man who does tricks

My First Mocumentary.

2007-11-20T03:38:00.000-08:00

I would like to preface this post by saying that I really love the word, "preface".
Now, on we go.
Filmmaker, actress, and officially St. John's Film Festival blogger, Irene Duma wanted three great last HURRAHS for her festival blog. (all week at the fest she was running around with a notepad. Little did we realize our random nonsense would be quoted and posted for the world to see -- fun stuff.)
The first of her three video "hurrahs" is a mocumentary about Ontario festival goers dealing with their post-festival depression now that they're home.It's full of inside jokes that only St. John's fest goers would get, and it's very much intended FOR them. We know that. We accept that.There are other funny things in it for all to enjoy as well though. Things such as Rachel Peters trying out some gratuitous slapstick and exploring the humour in the word "corn". And crying.

Inside stuff:

Kelly Davis = Fest director
Noreen GULFman = Fest CEO/creator
"The Song" = the theme song of the fest's 2007 animated trailer, which was animated by yours truly, and played all the live-long fest.
NIFCO = NFLD Indi Film Co-op
Rosemary House = a lady... who, for half the fest, I thought was an organization. "The Rosemary House", like "The Ronald McDonald House". She turned out to be a lady.

The MOCU:

"Rolling On Floor Licking??"

2007-11-17T10:51:00.000-08:00

Whatwhat? Rachel Peters is tentatively* performing at this year's ROFL in Toronto??

*tentative, pending on fire codes and venue regulations.

Even if it doesn't pan out this time, if Deep puts my face on the TTC subway posters, I'll happy as a clam... who's happy.

Film Festival in Newfoundland

2007-10-25T17:05:00.000-07:00

Last year I had a film in the St. John's International Women's Film Festival. This year they let me create the signal film or "trailer" or "sting" for the festival, which would open each screening.
All went well.
As a part of the deal I asked if they would bring me out there again so I could be a part of the festivities. If you've never been, I highly recommend it. They know how to have a good time there on The Rock.
To add to the joy of just being there, at the closing party the festival allowed me to do a 5(ish) minute set of my comedy fire eating -- a show I've been developing over the last year.
It went spleennndidly and couldn't have been a better ending to a fabulous week on the Atlantic. There are so many new people to develop friendships with now. Priceless.

the Fruits of Labour

2007-10-04T12:37:00.001-07:00

I created this piece over three evenings in front of the tv, on a pad of dollar store tracing paper, working back-to-front.
I swear, it looks a lot better when it's not smooshed and pixilated on youtube.
Overall, I'm happy with it. I had to create something to prove to myself that tendinitis did not ruin me.

Idn't it Special?

2007-09-27T18:18:00.000-07:00

Take a sneak peek at some images I created a few years ago for an innovative company that I have yet to start. (Notice how secretive I'm being about the specifics?) I'm telling you, this baby's going to blow all y'all away when I get it rolling!! In the mean time, enjoy the drawings.

Otterwa or Bust!

2007-09-25T13:29:00.001-07:00

I've been getting a lot of great feedback for my original style in pavement art, but I'm still learning about strategy in getting money.
You wouldn't think there's a lot of strategy to it, other than putting out a hat, but there is.

I'll learn to charm those pennies out of their pockets soon enough.

I only had one day to complete this baby before my Ottawa International Animation Festival pass kicked in, so I worked myself a little too hard. It was great self-promotion though, throughout the fest. I had an incredible "best of both worlds" time.

Performers in Pavement

2007-09-12T09:39:00.000-07:00

Rachel Peters can also provide dynamic, entertaining and fun artwork on other subjects your festival might want highlighted, as well as impromptu craziness derived from her own head.
Keep checking in to see where Rachel will be performing chalk this summer!

Big on Bloor, Toronto Ontario -- June 21st

Festival of Lights, Charlottetown, PEI -- June 29th - July 1rst

Kingston Busker's Rendezvous, Kingston Ontario -- July 10th - July 13th

Buskers on the Boardwalk, St. John, New Brunswick -- July 18th - July 20th

Toronto Busker Festival, Toronto Ontario -- Aug 21st - 24th

2007-09-12T09:26:00.001-07:00

While I've been recovering from Flash-induced tendinitis I've discovered that I can still safely strain my tendons in other ways.

Here are just a few of my early pavement pieces ("Shark vs. Robot" was the first, done in Gore Park in Hamilton). The pavement work isn't nearly where I'd like it to be, but it'll just take some time to really get familiar with my materials and the size of the pieces. Just a small adjustment for an animator.

I'm now promoting my cartoon style to festivals around the globe for the coming season. I had been working on honing my skills as a comic fire eater/general comic performer (and still feel a deep love for it and want to continue), but I realized I have something very unique to offer in pavement art. Funny and interactive are things pavement art is sorely lacking. I'd like to pull it all together and see what happens.

2007-09-08T20:35:00.000-07:00

Anterson Cooper was designed for a pitch we did at Cuppa Coffee for a RAID commercial.
If you've seen the commercial you'll notice we didn't get it, but the pitch was fun to make. Our crew came up with many pants-wettingly hilarious news items to run along the ANT NEWS ticker tape.

Day:1

2007-09-08T20:28:00.000-07:00

march 2007

Day:1 of resolution. Coming to terms. Realizing the impact. Day:1 of a new outlook.