Month: December 2017

Bringing The Strange & Weird To YOU….The Documentary Saga

I have in the past explained the various problems of working with TV companies such as the BBC, ITV and Channel 5 (in the UK).  I even mentioned how I blacklisted the BBC -they receive no cooperation from me because…after a lot of work they never paid me.  About ten days ago some BBC reporter contacted me regarding exotic animals in the UK (that’s all covered in the AOP and Exotic Animal Register blogs) and was shocked that I was not willing to cooperate even after explaining things to him.

Even back in the 1990s when ITV was interested in two series I had written and developed things were screwed up by them (I still have the letters!). Three German TV companies were willing to put money into the production after I did all the work approaching and talking to them -all ITV had to do was discuss the finances with them (I refused to deal with the money side of things more fool me). After a month I was asked “What’s happening?” I contacted ITV: “Oh, we’re on it” so the Germans wait…and wait…and I’ve seemed to disintegrate so a year of working went down the pan.

I have worked with documentary makers as an advisor as well as being interviewed -BBC, ITV and Independent companies.  Good and bad experiences.  However, the last five years have been almost a nightmare.  Two different documentary makers contacted me about the idea of a British Comics documentary series (we don’t seem to get those in the UK); lots of work, notes, line up possible interviewees and…nothing.  One found that they had overstretched themselves financially (?) and the other was not that legit: a bunch of students who had the equipment, gave themselves a fancy name and talked big but it seems they had not been commissioned to do a documentary for BBC 4 (TV) -they were hoping to sell to them. Things crumbled when I asked about financial remuneration for all the work I had been doing over a couple months.  They could not pay then they vanished.

The same thing with the Some Things Strange & Sinister/Somethings Strange and Weird proposals.  Lots of talking, submitting material, altering material to what “they” wanted -even a preliminary first script which was a pain. I could go on and on but the same stories apply here as with the above. Great web sites, flashy brochures and equipment but totally amateur and I even had to explain to two how something they were stumped on could be done.

But I never get into any heavy work schedule now. I ask outright what I am being paid and there is usually a vague response.  I say I cannot do work unless I know what I am being paid and “who is buying this documentary?” More vagueness.

One company I was just dealing with fell to pieces when I asked for a contract guaranteeing remunerations for my work before a documentary or series was sold.  Their company would need to pay me for working for them.  Seems they were all talk because I got the “I’ll be honest with you” email (not even a phone call) “We’re renting the gear and hope to break into documentary making and selling those–”  No. Sit in front of me and put all your cards on the table and tell the truth. I am quite flexible with work but telling lies from the outset and I back away.

I am seriously thinking that there are no genuine documentary makers out there or, if there are, they are not that innovative or creative about what they make.

Looks like 2018 will be a year of looking outside the UK for serious companies.

Maakika Art, Origins and the Book…

Being the sort of person who trusts no one I double checked the stats from my Art Wanted page.

690

Yes, in a week there have been 690 views of my non-comic art, mainly the Maakika artwork.  So, you all know there is a book, right?

Whenever I try to explain to someone the origins of The Maakika I get odd looks. I have no idea why, unless the people I’m explaining this to have no artistic minds and have never known a fevered mind!

However, the story I told on the original Maakika Art site in 2008 is factual. These pieces have been called some of the best work I’ve done -my comic work getting swiftly dismissed! I’m also told, though I never saw it that way myself until I went through all the pieces again, that the pieces seem to form a type of mythology or at least hint at one.  I’ll let YOU decide.

The Origins

“What is Maakika Art?”  I get asked that a great deal and to be honest it is a very brief story!
In 2006 I had a serious respiratory infection.  It came and went but,in 2007,it came back with a vengeance over several months and with complications I thought it would see me shift this mortal coil -and I am NOT joking!



Around May, 2007, it got really bad.  Then, suddenly,pouring with sweat, while seated on a bus, my mind started getting a rush of images -maybe 50-60.  I got home exhausted but I sat down and began to draw.  Honestly, at 50 years of age I had drawn many things but these new images were so out of my usual frame of image reference that I was stumped.

I drew a few, sat back and thought “What the bloody hell have I drawn?!” Almost instantly the word “Maakika” [pronounced “Mah-kee-kah”] came into my head.  At the same time I got the definition “solid black and white art under guidance from the Maakika”.  Ahh, a fevered mind -and no drugs involved!
I’ve searched the word on the internet, in books and anywhere else I can but it seems not to exist. I cannot find anything similar.

And with each came a title or description.
So,a divine gift from the Maakika pantheon seems credible!
And lucky.
The original images are all 21x29cms and though I’ve not parted with the first “inspired” drawings which look crude to my eye, several were sold for between £150-£300 each.
I still have the original images in my mind [they won’t shift!] but I’ve been inspired to work on larger images [60x42cms]. 
So,if you have any questions or comments get in touch! 
And remember:only one person does Maakika art -me (and I have absolutely no idea what’s coming next!)

The Maakika Art ~ you can buy the book!

Paperback,
A4
32 Pages
Price: £10.00 (excl. VAT)
Prints in 3-5 business days
http://www.lulu.com/shop/terry-hooper-scharf/maakika-art/paperback/product-21849434.html

According to  one review:

By J Stransky
“Unique and eye catching. It is equal parts disturbing and wonderful. I’ve cut a few out and put them in frames on the wall in my work room. They are, I tell you, really quite though provoking. Recommended to someone with an interest in primitive art or hypnosis-state painting. Look at these images deeply for a while, they will seep into your soul.”Can you resist?

Uncle Terry’s Christmas 2017 Speech.

Apparently my 23,787 word Chsristmas speech as to have no blasphemy in it….

23,000….what?  No double entendres?

22,500….oh you are ***** kidding me?  No swearing?!!!

150…..Well, 150 words Christmas speech…no politics. NO ******* politics??!!

Better start from scratch.

2017 has been, rather like 2016, a really awful year as far as I am concerned.  I hang on just in case something good happens but let’s see….

Zero CBO posting responses is about right and what I expect from dead fandom so that’s normal. What really killed my comic book enthusiasm was not apathy but the sheer tsunami of lies coming from comic companies and creators.  The whole phony SJW (Social Justice Warrior) ‘war’ used by vloggers on You Tube and bloggers online to try to boost their viewing or readers stats -and admitting it.  And they were telling lies themselves.  Blatant outright lies as well as taking statements totally out of context to make them an “SJW statement”.  And Marvel and its staff behaved so unprofessionally that it is no wonder the company lost record numbers of fans.  Marvel just has no editors who know HOW to edit or run a company and writers that are just getting away with awful writing and ideas because…there are no real editors.  That’s it.

Name-calling writers, artists and editors who -almost unbelievably- returned the favour.  The actual SJWs are what we used to call flamers and trolls but adopting the term SJW for what they do. Yeah, the internet has done comics a great service.

Image Comics.  I wrote a couple critical pieces but each one highlighted the great books and what the company has done right over the years.  Not rude. No obscenities just facts stated and referenced.  Then I got three (3) DCMA copyright strikes because Image made infringement claims against me when there were no copyright images used.  Oh, except in the two press releases Image sent me and which I posted….really.

Also, every comic related video I posted to You Tube got copyright strikes (and I know who was behind this) over videos containing no modern copyrighted material just Platinum-Silver Ages historical work and because I have under 10,000 subscribers there is no response to my challenging these complaints which is why I gave up making videos.  I save hours of work but it is the comic fan who really wants to learn more about old comics that loses out.

I had it confirmed by three independent sources that there is an effort to prevent my attending conventions in the UK to sell my books -one source was a con organiser who told me it made a less stressful life for him if he just bowed to the bullies.

All of this and no sales and no finances.  That really dented my comic enthusiasm.  Look at the stats to the right and see how many fewer posts there were this year.  I still gets lots of views per day but who am I posting for?  I hear nothing from visitors here and that dents a lot more enthusiasm. I even stopped work on Green Skies and there are books ready to publish but I need to sell not add more books to the online store.

Odd that I have a far better feedback from vloggers than online.

I have gotten far more satisfaction -and mental recuperation- from writing my prose books and doing the research on those than anything comic related since 2014.  I could quite honestly just continue writing books and staying sane.  However, I have a room and cupboards filled with comics (apparently trying to sell rather than buy shows the real value…not a lot) and now two people have given me graphic novels for Christmas.

I do not hate comics…just most of the people involved in comics.

Black Tower has Phase II coming into operation in 2018 but I may drop all social media for anything other than publicity since none of it has so far resulted in sales just lots of grief and, talking to some comic creators who gave up social media and got on with what they do they tell me things have never been better.

I am not saying that I am going to be making more and more posts next year just that they will be selective because aftyer 20 years or so it is clear no one really cares what I write or say or publish: it’s just a quick visit, read and go and a fine “f*** you for the free read!”  No problem as it was my decision to get into comics but I just chose to be honest and open rather than pretending to be “the nice guy of comics” while stabbing everyone in the back and spreading poison online.  So it’s my fault!

We’ll see how 2018 goes but right now I am more concerned with eating and paying bills.

I will leave it at that because….

Wow -517!

Thank You!

Terry – 

Here is your ArtWanted.com Weekly Activity Report
Dates: Sunday 17-Dec-2017 to Saturday, 23-Dec-2017

Weekly Portfolio Statistics

Total Image Views 0 Combined hits for all of your ArtWanted.com images last week.
Main Portfolio Views 517 Visits to the main page of your ArtWanted.com portfolio this month.
Portfolio Comments 0 Feedback from other users about your artwork. View Comments
Favorite Images 0 Number of images in your portfolio added to others favorite list.