Furries part 2 / South Park Studios time-lapse
Today on Boing Boing tv, more of our exclusive preview of American Furry, a documentary film in progress. Subtitled "Life, Liberty, and the Fursuit of Happiness," this feature project from Brooklyn-based filmmaker Marianne Shaneen involves more than two years' worth of footage, and explores many aspects of the furry fandom.
UPDATE: Shaneen tells BoingBoing, "I've also got new video that I've edited up on my website."
Part one of BBtv's sneak peek at Furry is here: Link.
Next, a visit to South Park Studios. From the command center of crew member Keef Barkus comes this time-lapse video of the last 24 hours of show preparation leading up to the airing of a South Park episode. Matt Stone, Trey Parker, and the rest of the South Park team sure do move fast.
(Music in this episode: Q Burns Abstract Message, Formidable Force, T Bias, and Kokomo Arnold.)
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It's so nice to see the subjects if this documentary be treated with respect. I would be very dissapointed if a filmaker abused their trust and make fun of them...
I would be very dissapointed if a filmaker abused their trust and make fun of them...
Yeah, that'd be like a lion in sheep's clothing.
Is anyone else done with these "look at how unique and special I am" exposes on furries? I am a furry and the last thing we need is another documentary about enthusiastic eccentrics, surrounded by stuffed animals, waxing poetic about the beast within. We aren't all like that, you know.
I think we're ready for the next phase: network sitcoms, 60-minute dramas and indie romantic comedies with extemporaneous co-stars who think that new Orangina ad is totally hot. Enough brooding - bring on the joy! Then, maybe, the public will stop thinking of us as sexually frustrated nutjobs who constantly end up in documentaries and start considering that we're just regular people with goofy taste (so to speak).
Is this a documentary into fursuiters or is it a documentary about Lionel?
@ Neuracnu: While it's refreshing to see a supposed Furry wanting to bypass the stage of familiarizing the general populace with the concept and normalizing it for them, obviously this is far from even remotely assimilated into the public consciousness; I'd say the majority don't even know it exists, much less would be comfortable with it. Hell, I've known about Furries for at least a decade and I'll freely admit it still squicks me on a few levels, as understanding and sympathetic as I endeavor to be. It's a sensitive topic from both sides of the aisle, and while I am a great champion of humor as a cure-all, you need the set-up before the punchline.
That said, you talk about defusing the stereotype of Furries being sexual deviants, then in the next breath about the French Orangina ad being hot. I don't think I need to add anything to that.
For my own part, while the exploration of "the beast within" is interesting, I wish there was a more cohesive movement of playacting FORWARD evolution. Actually, Lionel's lion head is pretty forward-thinking, if in a bestial idiom. Extropians and Transhumanists (and Trekkies, who've got their documentaries) notwithstanding, where are the "more human than humans"? You know, the exotically-beautiful transracial post-singularity high foreheaded mutants that make White Power troglodytes squirm? I'll take mine Olivia Munn-flavored with a dash of Quentin Quire rhetoric; ORDER UP!
As the one in this video I don't mind putting myself in the "line of fire" as it were and speak to those who would glorify or vilify me or my choices.
Overall the history of furry and the media has been a rather lopsided one, mostly as we are quite aware that media to gain revenue will take the worst and most salacious portions of any culture or subculture and frame it as the standard for such.
There are many reasons why I am part of this documentary, But one of the most important is the quality of dialog that seems to be blossoming because of it. It would be nice to see if the off the cuff dismissal of furry and the people part of it = "Vanity fair article" can be changed or at least challenged.
There is something more here, far more than allot of people are even aware of. What happens when we can change our forms? When technology allows us to see into the infrared or the ultraviolet. what is it like to hear in ultrasonic or infrasonic?.
I know, I have heard elephants talk and seen a world most will never know through technology I have pieced together.
I admit fully that I desire something that is alien to most of our society, To become something more. both in capacity of the mind and in form.
Ultimately and I speak only for myself, Furry is freedom. The desire for more and to become our dreams.
While I'm no where near interested in dressing up as any kind of animal, I love the extra-sensory stuff you're putting into your masks.
I'm assuming the documentary maker isn't a furry right? Is there an estimated release date?
This documentary should be called "Fursuiters," not "Furries." This, like CSI and The Drew Carey Show and other shows before it, give the impression that furry is all about dressing up in costume. Sorry, I have no interesting in fursuiting. I'd rather use my imagination and be an animal who can blink and move my mouth than in a suit that is cold to the touch with a lifeless stare.
Well, all things in due time, New masks will have a sensory system that will allow the user to snarl, blink your eyes and move your ears. Keep in mind that my segment of the documentary is just a small piece to the whole.
having enough money to stop and do some R&D is the biggie. but keep watching, more to come soon.
I loved this, really...especially the ending comments by Lionel.
Good stuff :)
BTW, love your masks dude...I wanna save up and get one! I'm not even into fur-suiting, but they are just so cool, realistic, and fascinating.
Lionel should use his technology to become a superhero. Then furries would get lots of good press.