We’re all a little excited this week, because Dice Productions had a little cameo appearance on The Culture Show on BBC2 last night… even if that cameo was only about two seconds long. But hey, we were on the Culture Show (on the telly) so who cares, right?
As you can see from the pic above, Message in a Bottle was included in a little montage during Josie Long‘s segment on the rise and rise of online comedy, which focused squarely on Funny or Die UK and Popcorn Comedy, in which we’ve had a little more active role through October’s Electric Cinema screening. Ian’s giggling face was also spotted on the show enjoying Popcorn Comedy at the Roxy Bar and Screen in October.
If Josie is to be believed (and I think she should be), online comedy is where it’s at. We totally agree that being able to produce and distribute your own content gives you so much more artistic freedom to experiment and not be so precious about ideas. Like Jon Petrie attested, you avoid the ‘too many cooks’ situation. As everyone knows, an overabundance of chefs does not good comedy make.
Now these creations are making their way into the clubs, bars, cinemas and underground Victorian toilets of Britain, through nights like Popcorn, there’s never been a better excuse to pick up a camera or sit down at your computer and create something hilarious, challenging or downright baffling.
If we’re honest, a glimpse of Ian’s face (above) and Louis’ hands are not the only things exciting us this week. Hopefully we can tell you more about those things some time in the near future.
Ian broke out a pen and showed the white board who’s boss the other day. Here’s a nice iconic fancy that I cleaned up… I call him Hamish Giffins. What do you christen him?
Everyone likes to dress up now and again. Some people prefer to keep their dressing-up habits private, and that’s fine. But once every year, thanks to a frankly ludicrous American tradition, we’re given the opportunity to go all out and dress as something fanciful. Yes, it’s Halloween. My only problems with Halloween are that a) It doesn’t mean anything, b) Most people can’t be bothered, and c) When people do bother, it’s always the same old costume every time.
Admittedly, some people do put the effort in, but they’re in the minority. To help, I have come up with some dressing-up ideas to inspire you this Halloween. Feel free to steal, improve or ignore these suggestions.
1. The Traditional You know the ones. Dracula, Frankenstein, witch… the classics. But be warned, even proven costumes can go very, very wrong. Firstly, all you Dracula fans. Please don’t go half-arsed with your costume. If you’re going to be the Prince of Darkness, make sure you look the part. Slick that hair back, get a decent cape (preferably with red lining) and work on that Romanian accent.
Also, Frankenstein. Firstly, you’re Frankenstein’s monster, not Frankenstein. Unless you go as a mad professor called Frankenstein, then a tip of the hat is in order.
2. The Topical Probably the most annoying costume, but potentially the best. Mix a topical figure into a classic and you could be onto a winner. Last year everyone was dressed as Amy Winehouse mixed with the bride of Frankenstein (‘s monster). That was boring after the first one, so be inventive. Don’t go as Michael Jackson. I know a guy that went as a Zombie Rick Astley to a party. That was pretty good.
Or you could think of something slightly off the beaten track, like say, going as Bubbles the monkey. Think about it. A lost monkey, that once belonged to MJ, that is now alone, roaming the streets, rabidly looking for it’s dead master, is creepy as hell.
3. The Controversial This is a spin-off from the Topical and can go either way. Either you get away with it and it’s funny, or you are the single most offensive person in the room, and possibly the world.
These are often inspired by things in the news. The most extreme suggestion I’ve ever heard was to dress as Baby P. But that’s too fucked up. You might get away with a Jade Goody, but only just. Kerry Katona is still alive, so by all accounts, is fair game. Any over-enthusiasm for the drink at the bash will then only add to your adopted persona saving yourself much embarrassment.
4. The Reference
One for the geeks. Go as a retro movie character or something so obscure, you have to explain your costume to EVERYONE. I’m not even going to suggest anything here because there are geekier people than me out there that would put my ideas to shame. Leave some ideas in the comments for us.
5. The Gore This is a niche, but an effective one. If you fail to come up with a cohesive costume, just crack out the fake blood and get creative. I want to see gashes in heads, bones sticking out, missing fingers, anything as long as it looks like you’ve been fed through a threshing machine and survived. Always impressive, but remember, EVERYONE will know how long it’s taken you to put your masterpiece together. Highly uncool.
So there you go. I hope that helped. Get a party together and embrace the dressing-up box. Everyone should have one.
This weekend, after a day pretending to be grown-ups at a friend’s wedding in Bridgnorth, Louis and I took a stroll with our girlfriends around the old town to sooth our mildly hungover heads and damage our feet further in our inappropriate footwear.
Thankfully our friction burns were not in vain as we discovered a little antiques shop on the way home. At first, like you, we assumed this would be the usual knackered desks and Victoriana. But to our surprise (and yours) it was full of strange and wonderful things. Here are a few of our finds.
The first gem we unearthed was this rather stylish and most charming pink PVC recliner with black plastic trim and just enough seat space for a modestly proportioned rear.
As you can see, sitting in the chair induces feelings of jollity, childlike wonder and mild confusion, which you must admit, are qualities not found in most pink PVC chairs. Louis described the sitting experience as “ok” which i am taking to mean “alright”, which I think is passable given its vintage nature.
After another mooch around Louis found these peculiar items sitting together. Initially I assumed they were mock-Victorian items, fashioned to resemble the humble rolling pin and iron. But Louis knew better.
“They’re gang signs,” he informed me, holding them in the traditionally menacing fashion of a violent youth to demonstrate. “The rolling pin symbolises control and the iron is a classical representation of hip-hop legend and household guru TuPax,” he explained. Well, you learn something every day, don’t you.
Now armed with our street weapons we continued, eager to discover more rare and valuable items. And boy were we in luck! For across the room sat a most extradorinary example of mid-1980s techno-art.
This item requires some detailed explanation. The piece comprises a white wooden box with a ‘viewing window’ for access to the core of the work.
Within lies a purple enclave with a lightning design, of course made popular by Dr Munroe Freshtackle. Set into the back wall is a clear moulded plastic face, possibly a representation of a bald Madonna. Below the face is a microphone in Microsoft beige.
Now here’s the clever bit. If you speak into the mic, your voice activates a ‘lightning ball’ effect within the plastic skull. A feat that would have put you on a par with Uri Geller or Paul Daniels in the mists of the ’80s. Why this item had yet to sell for the bargain price of £89 we could not fathom.
After adjusting our eyes back to the neon glare of the Noughties, we found a true collectors item.
Yes, it’s a real one. An original pressing of Billie Piper’s first album ‘Billie’ on stereo cassette. Louis could barely contain his excitement, while I, still suffering from the hallucinogenic effects of the ’80s lightning face, thought it was all a preposterous dream. But no, it was true.
Sadly our coffers did not extend to such an extravagant purchase and we moved on, looking back longingly at the musical time-capsule we had to leave behind.
This here was another intriguing find. As it is a well-established fact that music lovers are also rather partial to the penguin, I shall not bore you with a history of arctic birds and their relation to popular culture.
But I will point out that this piece is of special note, as it caters for those ‘high-end’ collectors with 11 compact discs! Here is a suggested set-up:
Best of the Beatles
Best of Rolling Stones
Barbara Streisand Sings Christmas
Best of Bowie
Summer Holiday – Cliff Richard
Enter the Wu-Tang Clan – Wu-Tang Clan
Moon Patrol – Air
Aqualung – Jethro Tull
Coast to Coast – Westlife
Infest – Papa Roach
Summer Holiday – Cliff Richard (in case one breaks)
So remember, don’t just walk past the next antiques shop you see, cursing its name. Go in, have a look around and find that special something for a loved one.
The other day I heard one of the most amazing and wonderful facts. One of those facts that on first hearing, seems unbelievable, farcical and absurd. You desperately want it to be true, but inevitably, it seems forever destined to be exposed as a sham.
I was reading an interview with the former ringmaster of the circus at Blackpool Tower, Norman Barrett, apparently one of the most famous ringmasters to crack a whip and don the top hat. He explained, in a most matter-of-fact way, about his life in the circus and the strains of traveling for a living. All routine stuff for a ringmaster you’d assume.
But then I came across this question, again answered in the straight-faced tone of utter truthfulness:
Q. Is it true that clowns have to register their faces with the clown museum? A. Yes. They’re painted on eggs and kept so no one copies anyone else’s make-up. They are all slightly different.
This intrigued, amused and confused me in equal measure. Firstly, clowns have to register their face paint. That’s incredible in itself. Secondly, the records are kept at a central depository. This level or organisation in the clowning profession is astounding. And thirdly, they keep the records painted on eggs! That, ladies and gentlemen, is genius.
I so wanted this to be true, and as such, I decided never to find out and remain in an ignorant state of happiness, safe in the knowledge that such a practice exists and is upheld. But after telling a few people, including an unbelieving Chris Unitt, a skeptical Emma Jones, and an amused Chris Randall, I was forced to back up my incredible claims.
With trepidation I entered my search terms. “Clown egg face”. And there it was. The Egg Registryas a photo set on flickr.
With a rush of eggs-citement (groan) I dug further, finding the museum that holds the fabled chamber of eggs. Here is what they say on the matter:
One of the things to see inside the museum is the egg register. This shows the make-up (known as “slap”) used by clowns both past and present. It is an unwritten rule that a clown never copies the make-up of another clown – each one is unique and is designed to suit the individual’s face.
This was equally amusing:
** Membership includes a one off Administretion Fee which is used towards the cost of registering your ‘slap’ (clown face) on a china egg. which will be added to our famous Egg Collection.
If you’d like to see the eggs in all their glory, the Clowns Museum / Exhibition is now housed as part of the Wookey Hole Experience in Somerset. It is the place to visit if you enjoy the antics of the clowning profession and would like to see what and who lies behind the greasepaint.
Following our feature on Channel Frederator’s Episode, ‘Robbery! Notes! Goats! SWINE! #177′, we did an interview with the big red robot himself. Here’s the jist of it in their words:
Dice Productions’ comedy trio (animator Louis Hudson, and writers Ian Ravenscroft and Tom Reid) talk about why they work funny, what’s next for them, and the hardest thing they’ve ever been bludgeoned with.
You can read the interview here, or here’s a repost of it for your ever loyal eyes…
Dice Productions‘ comedy trio (animator Louis Hudson, and writers Ian Ravenscroft and Tom Reid) talk about why they work funny, what’s next for them, and the hardest thing they’ve ever been bludgeoned with.
Channel Frederator: Louis, where did you study animation?
Louis Hudson: I went to Edinburgh College of Art and graduated last summer. Going to university bought me time and contact with some very talented people, but I probably got most of my education from books like Richard Williams’ Animator’s Survival Kit, internet tutorials, blogs and podcasts. University gives you a lot of opportunities but you have to be very careful not to become ‘institutionalised’
CF: Ian and Tom, did you receive any education in regards to comedy writing?
Ian Ravenscroft: I don’t think formal training in comedy writing is that necessary, but my training as a journalist has definitely improved my style. I think the best training I ever had was to watch other comedy shows, absorb some of the tricks you can play with language and start to look at the world differently. It’s just about observation and trying to see the humour in everything you can. If I didn’t write comedy and laugh at things a lot, the world would seem a lot more cruel and depressing, I think.
Tom Reid: Doing a stint of playwriting at university helped me to focus on dialogue and overall narrative, but I’ve not done anything geared towards comedy specifically. I’d agree that the best education in writing comes from watching the comedy that’s already out there; being subjective about shows allows you pick up new techniques and methods that you can use to shape your own ideas. Other than that, working with others is the best way to craft and shape your own style, whilst making yourself laugh in the process.
CF: What has influenced your work the most?
Ian: In terms of existing work, comedy shows like The Day Today and Brasseye are big influences. I was literally raised watching The Simpsons too, so that has been burnt onto my brain. Spinal Tap and anything in a mockumentary-style like Summer Heights High always get me laughing too, well, almost always.
Tom: In terms of the telly, for off the wall ideas I’d have to go for programmes like Big Train, The Adam and Joe Show and of course the obligatory Python; shows where any concept is viable, no matter how strange or absoludicrous. For language and dialogue, Brasseye and Peepshow are by far my favourites, they’re witty, intelligent and consistently hilarious. In terms of the everyday, taking a twisted view of reality is the best way to get inspiration from the mundane or if that fails just write down real occurrences, it’s amazing how many funny things happen in the real world that never get written down.
Louis: I grew up on the markets and went round pubs with my dad as a little kid. The bizarre drunken stories, strange people, and places I encountered have definitely had an effect. Vic & Bob, Blackadder, Porridge, The Young Ones and old Warner Bro’s cartoons are good old TV favourites, but the biggest influence is the very first time I saw Terry Gilliam’s animations. That actually changed my life – it’s the reason I started drawing jokes. Vic Reeves’, Sun Boiled Onions did a lot of bending on my sense of humour too.
Can you tell us about any upcoming projects?
We’re making content for MySpace Comedy UK at the moment, and hopefully trying to branch out into live action with that. Meanwhile Louis’ getting his short animated film “All Consuming Love (Man in a Cat)” ready for the summer”. The trailer alone has done very well for us on YouTube.
Alongside that we’re trying to get scripts sorted for a sketch show and sitcom that we’ve been working on too.
Most painful thing you’ve been hit with in the face?
Ian: Definitely a wall. Although it’s debatable whether I hit the wall or the wall hit me. I’ll go for the wall, because let’s face it, who wouldn’t move out the way of a seven year-old running around with his eyes closed? It’s just wrong.
Tom: It has to be a tennis ball in primary school, it hit me square in the nose and made me bleed from both nostrils, it wouldn’t stop for several minutes and made a permanent stain on the playground. Yet another example of why Henmania isn’t for the faint hearted.
Louis: A rowing boat. I still have a dent in my forehead.
CF: WOW.
You guys are the best! Thanks for the interview!
You can check out Dice Productions’ short film “Message in a Bottle” right here on Channel Frederator!
So you’ve accepted the painful truth. You want to form a band but haven’t got the talent or drive to write your own material. It’s ok, I respect your honesty. But what next? The answer, quite simply is…form a tribute act.
That’s right, covers bands are the last remaining hope of the wannabe rock star and a tried and tested route to the stage and shining lights of…um…a back room of a pub. So, to help you on your journey towards mimicking your idols in a not-at-all fetishistic kind of way, here is some expert* advice:
You’ve accepted the inevitable, now you need a new goal. The first step is to pick the band you want to tributalise. But this is not as easy as it sounds. Choosing a popular band, like The Beatles say, may bring in scores of punters, but on the flip side, may also leave you open to the most extreme prejudice, abuse and possibly violence seen outside the penal system. Pick an obscure personal favourite and, well, who knows what could happen.
The safest option is to decide based on your probability of success. If you want to be Led Zeppelin, but can’t master the first chord sequence in Wonderwall, then think again. If you want to be the Ramones but have the voice of Kathrine Jenkins, again, try something else. If, however, you can play a few Smiths tunes and have a yodeling mate with a quiff…you get the idea.
The Name
Key to any tribute band’s success is the name. If walk into a venue and a tribute band with a hilarious name is playing, you will go to see them, it’s practically the law. It is also your primary marketing tool. Somehow, if the name is good people automatically assume that the band will also, by extrapolation, be good. “What creative and insightful minds they must have!” they say in awe.
So, think hard. Past favourites have been AC/DShe, Bjorn Again, Fred Zeppelin, The Clone Roses, etc etc. But you can do better than that. My personal fave is the MeatLoaf tribute called MaltLoaf. Get this right, and you’re half way to success.
The Look
Once you have a name, you need the look. This can go one of two ways. Surprisingly well, or really, really shit. On past form, expect the latter, but for best results aim for the former. Have they got an idiosyncratic hat? Are they famous for a certain outfit? Do they have characteristic movements or a unique bodily feature? Whatever ever it is, copy it as best you can. And this goes for all band members (if you have any). Although any Def Leppard tribute acts, may draw a line at amputating their drummer.
The Sound This is probably the least important aspect of being a tribute act, but still you’ve come this far, why not give it a go. Step one is the singer. Without this you are merely a live karaoke machine without lyrical prompts. I suggest singing in the shower every day (and night for you clean types), because then you can blame the awful monotone warbling on the distortion caused by the water and steamy air.
Once the vocals are cracked, get your band together and practise. The key word in that sentence is ’together’. It’s no use learning all your parts separately and rocking up to the gig to play. You will undoubtedly sound like discordant avant-garde jazz, despite trying to emulate The Beach Boys.
So there you have it, you’re a tribute band. Now you can sit back, relax and think about why on earth you thought it was a good idea in the first place. Enjoy your meagre earnings, disinterested audiences and sweaty dives, you are well and truly a rock star.
The Facts of Life are indisputable, carved into the stones of history and knowledge forever to lay down the laws of this world. But who knows them? No one, that’s who. So we’ve decided to put things right by finally educating the world of the amazing, true facts that make our planet such a rich and compelling place.
To advance your brain by up to a factor of six, go to www.twitter.com/thefactsoflife to learn a new fact as they pour into the twittersphere. All of the incredible facts will be streamed on this very blog too, so don’t waste any time, advance your mind now with The Facts of Life.
Ever had trouble trimming the perfect sideburn? Ever wondered how much better your straggly excuses for facial adornments could be? Worried now that your carefully crafted fuzz strips aren’t good enough? Well, worry no more my good sir! For I have found a solution. Yes, a cure!
You’ve accepted the inevitable, now you need a new goal. The first step is to pick the band you want to tributalise. But this is not as easy as it sounds. Choosing a popular band, like The Beatles say, may bring in scores of punters, but on the flip side, may also leave you open to the most extreme prejudice, abuse and possibly violence seen outside the penal system. Pick an obscure personal favourite and, well, who knows what could happen.
YouTube