1) The Commute
Theme: Stress of the morning commute
Antagonist: The long line of traffic
Protagonist: The commuter
Conflict: The desire to get to work on time.
Solution: Different modes of transportation: car, bicycle bell, walking, ferryboat, pogo stick, skateboard.
A commuter sits in traffic waiting for the cars and trucks in front of him to move. His temper flairs and he throws his coffee and bangs his head against the steering wheel. As he rests his head against the steering wheel in frustration he hears a the jingle of a bicycle bell.
The next day he starts off on his bicycle. He pedals along happily until he gets a flat tire.
The next day he as he walks to work he passes by a dark alley and the large, hairy, tattooed arm of a mugger reaches out and pulls him in.
The next day he tries a ferryboat but gets sick. The next day he tries a skateboard but he gets closed lined by a tree. The next day he tries roller skates with a rocket on his back (a la Wylie Coyote) but gets blown to smithereens.
Finally defeated the commuter goes back to his car and waits in line with everyone else.
Other possible modes of transportation: pogo stick, train, hang glider, hot air balloon, motorcycle,
2) Bob vs. The Mirror
Theme: Bob tries to examine himself in the mirror.
Antagonist: A goof ball mirror
Protagonist: Bob
Conflict: A mirror that won’t cooperate
Solution: Bob brakes the mirror in anger.
Early one morning Bob stumbles into the bathroom to ready himself for the day. With sleepy eyes Bob glances at the mirror as he grabs for his toothbrush. Suddenly Bob realizes the mirror isn’t reflecting his image. Confused Bob examines the mirror. Bob bends down to check the back side of the mirror and finds nothing unusual. But when checks the mirror again his refection is back. Bewildered Bob shakes his head and goes to continue brushing his teeth.
Suddenly Bob’s reflection jumps up an makes a funny face at Bob and then returns to normal. The reflection changed so quickly Bob isn’t sure what he saw. Confused and a little frightened Bob looks carefully at the mirror again. As Bob gazes intently at the mirror with his face inches away from the mirror, Bob’s reflection reaches out of the mirror and pokes Bob in the eyes.
Bob stumbles back in pain and grabs the plunger wielding it like a club he starts at the mirror. But his reflection is gone. Angry and confused Bob stops and slowly lowers the plunger.
In a flash the reflection reappears and slaps Bob in the face. Bob spins around from the force of the slap then swings the plunger at the mirror, creating a large crack in the reflectionless mirror.
Frazzled but satisfied Bob shakes his head and walks away.
After Bob walks away multiple instances of Bob’s reflection appear one in each section of the broken mirror. The reflection laughs, winks at the camera, and then disappears.
3) Victorious Viking!
Theme: The give and take of marriage
Antagonist: Mrs. Viking
Protagonist: Mr. Viking
Conflict: Mr. Viking battles his desire for a happy wife with his desire to display his most recent trophy.
Solution: Mr. Viking throws the head out the window in favor of his wife.
In a well organized, cozy Viking hut in the middle of winter Mr. Viking bursts through the door with a sack of plunder in one hand, his enemy’s decapitated head in the other and proud grin on his face. Mr. Viking and the head pose heroically for his wife Mrs. Viking only to discover his hut vacant. Both Mr. Viking and the head are clearly disappointed and slightly angry over wasting his grand entrance Mr. Viking looks around till he finds a note from his wife. It reads:
My Sweet Mr. Viking,
Hope your pillaging went well. Gone shopping with the girls. Will be back around 8. Dinner is on the table.
Love,
Mrs. Viking
P.S. DON”T BRING ANY DIRTY ENEMY HEADS INTO MY HOUSE!
Mr. Viking frowns at the note and then looks at his enemy’s head which looks back questioningly. Mr. Viking gives a smug grunt and then places the head front and center on the mantle place where it is easily seen and then proudly marches off to have dinner off camera. The head looks around proudly.
A few seconds pass before Mr. Viking comes rushing back and grabs the head and cradles it protectively looking around fearfully. The scraping of a key in a lock is heard. Mr. Viking checks the clock on the wall and realizes it’s 8 o’clock.
Both of them panic and Mr. Viking runs off to hide the head. He tries to hide the head behind a plant, in the back of the fridge, and then behind the toilet. Not satisfied with his hiding places he gazes at his trophy and then imagines sleeping out side in the cold snow. Defeated he pats the head on the head. The head knowing what is coming next looks horrified but can do nothing as it gets dropped out the window. Mr. Viking smiles big and then runs off camera to greet his wife.
Cut to a shot of a pile of frozen heads outside the window with the new head cold and shivering.
4) Planet Allergy
Theme: Hunger
Antagonist: The astronauts hungry stomach
Protagonist: Astronaut
Conflict: An astronaut tired of space food finds a planet full of juicy but toxic fruit.
Solution: The astronaut eats the fruit anyway and gets sick.
The inside of a rocket ship flying through space. A hungry looking astronaut eats a tube of bland prepackaged space food at a small kitchen table. Grimacing the astronaut chokes down the pale paste. He looks longing at wrapper of an old chocolate bar as his stomach gurgles loudly.
Just then the rocket ship’s computer sounds a warning. The astronaut runs up to the console to find a planet near by. The astronaut licks his lips and rubs his stomach as he steers the rocket ship toward the planet.
On the surface of the planet the astronaut steps out of his rocket ship and discovers a tree full of fresh fruit near by. With a slightly mad look on his face the astronaut reaches up to his helmet to remove it so he can eat the fruit.
As he unscrews his helmet another sensor goes off. The astronaut check his wrist top computer only to find that the planets atmosphere is full of allergens. The astronaut looks longing at the fruit debating whether it is worth the risk. Quickly the astronaut rips of his helmet and takes a deep breath and waits. When nothing happens the astronaut attacks the fruit hungrily.
Sometime later the astronaut sits lazily next to the fruit tree with a satisfied and full belly with his helmet back on. As the astronaut slowly goes to leave his stomach gurgles and the astronauts face turns green. Standing up the astronaut sways drunkenly and brings a hand up to his helmet. He realizes he still has his helmet on but it too late. The astronaut throws up all over the inside of his helmet.
Sometime later back up in space the astronaut is back at his small kitchen table eating the tasteless space food again.
5) The Swish-Swash Man
Theme: Things that go bump in the night
Antagonist: The Swish-Swash Man
Protagonist: A camper
Conflict: A camper tries to get some sleep in a spooky forest.
Solution: The camper falls asleep at the feet of a spook.
Nighttime in a forest with a tent next to an extinguished camp fire. Inside the tent a radio is playing a news report.
“In other news the serial killer known as the Swish-Swash Man is still at large. A former fireman who went mad after a terrible accident that caused him to cut his own legs off still roams the northern forest region. Often the last thing his victims hear is the swish and swash of the killers arms as he runs his prey down.”
The camper turns the radio off and looks fearfully around. After a bit the camper laughs to himself realizing he is scared over nothing and turns off the lantern and goes to bed.
CRUNCH!
The camper jolts awake and turns on his flashlight. Carefully the camper goes to the tent entrance and pokes his head and flashlight out the flap. But nothing is there. The camper chuckles to himself and goes back to bed.
SWISH-SWASH
Again the camper jolts awake and sticks his head out of his tent. He careful shines his light around his campsite and discovers a small coyote smelling the extinguished fire. Relived the camper shoos away the coyote and turns to go back to his cot.
But on his cot sit’s the Swish-Swash Man with content look on his face as he tests out the soft sleeping bag. The camper jumps back in surprise which startles the Swish-Swash Man. The camper rushes the Swish-Swash Man swinging his flash light over his head. But the Swish-Swash Man easily ducks the attack and slaps the camper in the face.
The camper falls to ground stunned. Holding his face he looks at the Swish-Swash Man as the Swish-Swash Man looks at the camper like he is the crazy one and curls up on the campers cot and goes to sleep. Confused the camper stairs at the Swish-Swash Man, then angrily grabs a rock for a pillow and curls up at the foot of the cot to sleep.
http://www.jakekalsbeek.com/AM/504 enemy head pitch ex.mov
http://www.jakekalsbeek.com/AM/504 anamatic ex.mov 
When we first got to the cabin there wasn't any snow on the ground but luckily it snowed that night.
Not so lucky for me I caught some weird 24 hour flu and didn't get to ski the first day. Boo!
I felt better the second day but due to high winds Bear Valley was closed. Boo!
So instead the five of us went for a hike.
Yes that is my thumb in the upper right hand corner.
They teach you how to pose like that at the San Jose police accademy.
What snow hike would be complete without a spur of the moment jumping contest.
Josh won but his title was revoked after the drug test revealed he was dopping. You'd be suprised how many seminary students are taking performance enhancing drugs. Sad but true.
Josh giving the camera the evil eye after being stripped of his jumping title.
Click on the image to see my class 3 work(1MB)
(52KB)
This one is also from IOF on page 61 and was animated by Ham Luske.
Iron Fist
"Undercover Agent"
"Cute Monster"
"Knight"
"Lazy Dragon"
"Mutated Bug"
"Useful Robot"
