The PSST! 3 Trailer is up at the new site.
Films to be released in January 2009. Updates on everything soon.

PSST’er Jonathan Cannon directed the music video debut for Yak Ballz’s song Dirt Empire via Charlex.
Watch it and check out some behind-the-scenes production info here.

Missed this at Pictoplasma, but this is a great project: Darcel Disappoints by Craig Redman, part of Rinzen.

via Kitsune Noir

A conversation from Matt Saunders on Vimeo.

Matt sent this in to PSST! to say thank you for the inspiration and that this was “heavily inspired by the narrative of psstpassiton.” Cool! It’s really nice to hear stuff like that. And it’s a very cool short film. Nice work, Matt.

“We are the first generation that has direct, individual access to the world and to the emerging echnologies. We are the first generation that can bypass the old-world gatekeepers to communicate to the masses–that is, with each other. And we won’t let anyone filter or alter or censor those communications.
We have the technology and collaborative spirit to find each other, pool our talents and press for real systemic change. No longer content with being spectators, we are becoming players. No longer content to merely receive messages, we are now sending them as well. No longer content to be media consumers, we are now creating.
As we become conscious of our own collaborative power, we are taking charge of our culture and our politics, not because someone gave us permission, but because we–like I did that lonely day I started Daily Kos–have roused ourselves from a restless sleep and realized that no permission is necessary. There are no legitimate guardians of the gate and no one barring us because we don’t have the right pedigrees or right connections.”

- Markos Moulitsas Zúniga, Taking On the System

Taking about politics, talking about content creation. It’s all the same to me: DIY, Grow Your Own, PSST! Pass it on…

All material of whatever kind or nature invented, conceived performed, produced, portrayed, developed, written, recorded, created, contributed to or suggested by the Independent Contractor in performance of his or her services for the Company hereunder shall be considered “work-made-for-hire” within the meaning of Title 17 of the United States Code. In addition, all materials invented, conceived, created, written, recorded or developed with the use of the Company’s facilities or materials shall be “work- made-for-hire” within the meaning of Title 17 of the United States Code. All of the results and proceeds of the Independent Contractor’s services for the Company, past, present, and future, shall be considered a “work-made-for-hire” within the meaning of Title 17 of the United States Code. (Collectively such work-made-for-hire shall be referred to as the “Work Product.”) The Company shall be the sole and exclusive author and owner of all rights, including all copyrights, patents (and all extensions and renewals thereof) in and to the Work Product throughout the universe, in perpetuity.

I really HATE signing stuff like this. Nature of the beast, however. For now.

PSST’er Caroline Attia’s spot Sarah was nominated for an Annie Award for Best Animated Television Commercial. Nice!

via Cartoon Brew

You probably shouldn’t be asking an intern to have “strong conceptual design/animation skills using Adobe After Effects.” Or “strong skills, in modeling, animation, lighting, shading, and texturing, using Maya and Mental Ray.”

Not if you’re not going to pay them.

Just saying.