HIPPYDIPPYGURU Productions is proud to present...
'The BOOK OF 12' : A Memoir of Many Lifetimes
~ a whimsical, traditionally-animated, Film & Graphic Novel project.
VOLUME 1
~ a whimsical, traditionally-animated, Film & Graphic Novel project.
VOLUME 1
'The BOOK OF 12' is not only an innovative Film & Graphic Novel project that celebrates traditional hand-drawn art and animation.
It is also a project that offers an entirely new take on Souls, Stars and Signs.
It is also a project that offers an entirely new take on Souls, Stars and Signs.
The world of traditional animation is more under threat from technology than it's ever been. Generative AI is not just stripping all the creative life blood out of this great artform, but it is also threatening to replace real human artists who do what they do best. It is therefore a time for all those who care about this fabulous artform to step up and fight to keep the great tradition alive!
We are also at a time in history when many individuals are looking for new meaning, fresh understandings or even a greater sense of direction, in terms of their collective identity or purpose in the greater scheme of things. This film clearly reflects on such things in an entirely new and imaginative way.
The mission of this project is to create an innovative, traditionally-animated movie (and companion Graphic Novel) which is very different to anything that has gone before. It bases it's techniques entirely on respected traditional principles of the past, but seeks to express them with a new vision for today and tomorrow. Please support us in creating such a groundbreaking project.
Who will like this film?
Well, you WON'T like this film if...
...if you're satisfied with the 'same old, same old' animation, ideas that the Hollywood mainstream recycles over and over again.
...if you are happy with the 'same old, same old' soulless and plastic look that generative AI is bringing to the new animation world.
...if you are satisfied with the 'same old, same old' Self you are living with, or never need to question what your existence is all about.
...if you don't care about what a passionate, caring, human-based approach to art, life and ideas can contribute to our awareness.
...if you have no interest at all in discovering what the wisdom of the past can bring to the challenges of today and tomorrow.
On the other hand, if you're none of these people, then WELCOME!
You're certainly going to LOVE what you find here!
...if you're satisfied with the 'same old, same old' animation, ideas that the Hollywood mainstream recycles over and over again.
...if you are happy with the 'same old, same old' soulless and plastic look that generative AI is bringing to the new animation world.
...if you are satisfied with the 'same old, same old' Self you are living with, or never need to question what your existence is all about.
...if you don't care about what a passionate, caring, human-based approach to art, life and ideas can contribute to our awareness.
...if you have no interest at all in discovering what the wisdom of the past can bring to the challenges of today and tomorrow.
On the other hand, if you're none of these people, then WELCOME!
You're certainly going to LOVE what you find here!
Who is Tony White, the project creator?
If you don't know Tony's work and track record already, then the following will help...
Why does Tony want to make this film?
Well, apart from having a fantastic career in animation, Tony White also been privileged to discover many things about himself, our collective inner consciousness and the synchronicity of everything. Such things transformed Tony's life at an early age. Indeed, he would never have had the life he's had if he hadn't learned and worked with them all that time ago! Tony now seeks to communicate these valuable understandings in the best way he can - through a magically entertaining, traditional, hand-drawn animation fantasy project, 'The BOOK OF 12'.
Why animate this film using traditional, hand-drawn techniques?
Regardless of the amazing advances in technology - which yes, even Tony takes advantage of if he can - he still believes that, at it's highest level of expression, traditional hand-drawn animation is still the best way for breathing magical life into drawings and ideas. Despite all the incredible 2D films of the past and present, Tony also deeply believes that we have still barely scratched the surface of where top-quality traditional 2D animation can take us.
Does Tony want others to believe in everything his film represents?
'Belief' is a very individual thing and as we are all very much individuals in our own right, so too must our beliefs, or non-beliefs, differ. However, anyone who has read Tony's fascinating memoirs - 'Animation Me' and 'Astrological Me' - will recognize that throughout his life he has met some amazing people and experienced many quite remarkable things. Such things are not so much about 'belief' - but more about 'experiencing' personally, then 'knowing'. Such realizations have enriched and transformed Tony's own life. So, he now hopes that the themes found in 'The BOOK OF 12' can possibly begin to change the life perspective of others too, whether they actually 'believe' in it or not.
Why not go to mainstream Hollywood, or the Indie world, for funding?
The average budget for a mainstream Hollywood animated movie can be between $100-200 million. The average Indie animated movie will cost anywhere between $8-15 million. Tony's film is most definitely not a mainstream movie - where the sole objective to to offer same old, same old material that will hopefully please even the lowest common denominator. Alternatively, it could be said that 'The BOOK OF 12' is so different that it may not even find a home in the Indie world either. Consequently, the film must find support in the most unconventional of areas. This is why Tony is convinced that crowdfunding - i.e. where anyone who wants to see it made, will support it. To do this, he is structuring the film's crowdfunding model to suit a more realistic, long-term, production funding approach.
What is the unique production crowdfunding plan for this project?
Working with a 'stone soup budget' philosophy, Tony plans to not have a fixed deadline of completion in the way that most movies tend to do. That way he can freely work on as much of the material himself if he can, over a longer period of time. To assist that process, he will hire a minimal number of assistants and collaborators when and as he needs them along the production journey. At the same time, even though the film will not have a fixed, final completion date, it will certainly have a series of disciplined and published stage-by-stage completion targets, which will determine when and as specific work has to be completed - and of course, when the next round of crowdfunding targets need to be announced. This method ensures that a strict production discipline is maintained by Tony, as well as assuring crowdfunders that their money is always in safe hands.
The proposed funding stages of production for 'The BOOK OF 12' are as follows...
1) Defining the story, in the form of a Screenplay and an illustrated Graphic Novel.
(Note: If the published Graphic Novel is successful, it will help provide much needed production coffers as a result - meaning that stage-by-stage crowdfunding targets might be reduced!)
2) Recording the full Soundtrack and creating a detailed Storyboard Animatic (Story Reel) of the entire film before animation begins.
3) Blocking-out the entire production's Key Animation, and re-shooting these key drawings as a locked-down Animatic.
4) Inbetweening the blocked-out animation, creating a final Pencil Reel and starting out on the Background Art.
5) Inking the completed animation, as well as completing all the required Background Art.
6) Coloring the completed inked animation, as well as creating any additional Special Effects.
7) Compositing all the visual elements of the film and having the music Composed and Recorded.
8) Completing the final Audio Mix and starting the Marketing, Promotion and Festival Submissions processes.
Note: If crowdfunding for any stage of this production plan should exceed it's target amount, then those additional funds will be carried forward into the next production stage, reducing that section's crowdfunding needs.
The proposed funding stages of production for 'The BOOK OF 12' are as follows...
1) Defining the story, in the form of a Screenplay and an illustrated Graphic Novel.
(Note: If the published Graphic Novel is successful, it will help provide much needed production coffers as a result - meaning that stage-by-stage crowdfunding targets might be reduced!)
2) Recording the full Soundtrack and creating a detailed Storyboard Animatic (Story Reel) of the entire film before animation begins.
3) Blocking-out the entire production's Key Animation, and re-shooting these key drawings as a locked-down Animatic.
4) Inbetweening the blocked-out animation, creating a final Pencil Reel and starting out on the Background Art.
5) Inking the completed animation, as well as completing all the required Background Art.
6) Coloring the completed inked animation, as well as creating any additional Special Effects.
7) Compositing all the visual elements of the film and having the music Composed and Recorded.
8) Completing the final Audio Mix and starting the Marketing, Promotion and Festival Submissions processes.
Note: If crowdfunding for any stage of this production plan should exceed it's target amount, then those additional funds will be carried forward into the next production stage, reducing that section's crowdfunding needs.
What can you do to help this project on?
Simply support us as best as you can throughout our ongoing crowdfunding appeals. Note also that, in addition to generously contributing to our regular crowdfunding appeal when and as requested to do so, anyone interested in learning more about the 'behind the scenes' action of the film - as well as accessing regular animation workshops/podcasts by Tony - supporters can always become a regular 'Paid Subscriber' through his HIPPYDIPPYGURU account on Substack. Supporting one (or both!) of these options will ensure that the film will ultimately be completed in a truly independent and ethically crowdsourced way.
In conclusion, 'The BOOK OF 12' is imagined to be one of the most original and enlightening animated film ever made. Perhaps a last great hurrah for original hand-drawn animation as we know and love it - and entirely flying in the face of the less than desirable 'generative AI' ogre that continues to pick the pockets and steal the jobs of all human creative artists everywhere!
We hope therefore you will feel able to give generously to 'The BOOK OF 12', in support of everything that Tony is seeking to achieve.
We hope therefore you will feel able to give generously to 'The BOOK OF 12', in support of everything that Tony is seeking to achieve.
Crowdfunding LINK
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