Giant Robot Store and GR2 News
This isn’t a Top Ten list like “Best Concert, Best Movie, or Best Toy”. It’s a list that’s as important and there are highlights in them all, but by no means is it a Top Ten of anything. They’re just important as everything else – family, friends, and so on. Maybe I’ll try and turn out a list that’s more like that…
We painted the mural on the wall. That alone was an 11 hour project.
Zen Garage – The year started off great with the Zen Garage art opening just a few days before the new year. Yet, the actual New Year’s Day kicked off with the Oshogatsu program at JANM. It was motor vehicles including the Giant Robot Scion Car I designed but also custom motorcycles and the now vintage David Choe Scion. Thanks to Len Higa and Shinya Kimura for jumping on board. The year began with a GR show in a museum – it’s a great start with you get to do a project with friends, new friends, and a place like JANM. Collaboration can be more fun than doing something alone.
It’s great when artists install their own work.
James Jean Art Show – Aside from it being one of the greater or even greatest art shows of the year, it also indelibly marked the night that the earthquake struck Japan. I recall, it was at the after party, the twitter messages were beginning. An 8.9 quake? The thought of a giant quake was one thing, yes there would be lives lost and yes a lot of damage, but less than an hour later, the Tsunami hit the shores and that’s when the things got real, it became internet news for days straight.
Yes, I was chosen to watch a battery of movies in a few days, deliberate with fellow judges, and pick the winners. You’d think it’s an easy task, just to sit and watch movies, but staying objective, realizing that a movie that might not be your style, still might be the best film, and there’s more to it. I judged at the SFIAFF, Cinevegas, and there was a couple more… I’m glad to help out. 15k for the champ is a pretty hefty prize considering the prize is usually zero at the smaller fests, but you do get to place those cute grape leaves on your movie poster. Thankfully, the films take place at night and they show 3 times each!
“The narrative jury consists of director Lynn Shelton (Humpday, My Effortless Brilliance), Head/Founder of Giant Robot Eric Nakamura, and screenwriter Daniel Waters (Heathers, BatmanReturns).” … “Unrestricted cash awards are given out in the following categories: Jury Award for Best NarrativeFeature ($15,000),…”
Very long press release after the jump.