Jacques Treatment

Thanks, Soulrev, but watch your language. --J, fucker.

Howdy, all-- Since I started running Hamtramck Idea Men, I've been so busy that I've been falling asleep at the PC, just to keep things GOING. As it happens, this time, I actually WOKE UP at the PC *early*, so I thought I'd come on and say, "Hi." Really, this is the busiest point in my life, though--I'm in the middle of putting together SMACC, probably one of the most uniquely-structured arts, film, and performance festivals in Michigan. I hope you can make it--there are going to be a number of DetGoth favorites there, and a bunch of surprises even beyond that. Anyway, I shouldn't talk about that here--I did post about it briefly in the Nightlife section, anyway. I've pretty much let some of the stuff related to my games slide while I work on the comics and just get the business rolling, and I'm geeked that IF-X is developing a following... but it just seems that I'm sliding into a situation where my projects are consuming me. If anybody knows a trick or two to stop that from happening, please contact me. Seriously. The stress is hard on me, and I could just use someone to talk to. I don't know if I'm up to keeping up on forums right now, but it would really help to be able to talk one-on-one with folks. --J, always his cheerful self

Imagine a show where just about every form of creative expression is open for you to see. This show tries to be that show. SMACCis Southern Michigan's Arts and Creativity Conference, this July 24th-25th at the Doubletree Hotel, Dearborn. The event sports one of the most diverse arts and crafts shows from 11am-7pm both days, alongside a film and performance track spanning THIRTY-TWO HOURS, from 11am Saturday to 7pm Sunday. Featured bands include D:KONSTRUCT EPROM COLONY Matt Novatowski and Rob Messerschmidt as I AM MY VICE Comedic Musician TOM SMITH Ann Arbor's BARON KNOXBURRY Detroit's SPACE BAND Movies include Robert Butler's DARK HEARTS and SOLITUDE FOUR-EYED MONSTERS THE WRAITH: EYES OF JUSTICE BLOOD MOON RISING Come meet film studios and FIND WORK! Come support your friends and VOTE for them--they could win PRIZES! Tickets are only $5 on the website, covering admission for BOTH DAYS, $10 at the door. --J, AND THERE'S MORE... but you're going to have to come to the show to find out!

Nope! What George (my business partner) and I try to do with the series is invite as many different people in to contribute to each issue. Each issue has its own theme, and we do three to six stories in that theme. Each issue *also* has a prose piece, like EC used to do in "Weird Tales," mostly because we thought that was something fun to do! With Volume Two, we also started doing having more contributors working on the covers, as well. At ten cents a book, we'll never get rich or be able to pay anyone, but we can give out complimentary copies to the people who contribute and do what we can to get *them* some work. If you see any upcoming themes that inspire you, feel free to come play with us! --J, for creative folks, by creative folks

Please get involved in this year's Metro Times "Best in Michigan" poll, http://www.metrotimes.com/bestofdetroit and vote for IF-X as best Comic Book. That's one of the two that I produce--the one with multiple short stories in it. If you want to check out some of the art pages first, please visit http://idea-men.us/if-x.html and click on any of the covers to see some of the sample art from within. When I get rich off of this (at ten cents a book), I'll take you all out for dinner. --J, and despair, too.

I've tried it (When I'm on there, I'm "Bokonon Bookmite"), but it's really hard on my EYES. --J, and I'm having enough trouble in my first life to deal with my 2nd.

Note: The *table* is 2' x 8'--remember that with the table gone, the space behind it where a person would *sit* at the table becomes open for use; that would give you at least a 5' x 8' space where you would have clothing racks. I have a feeling that that's what "Ties that Bynde" and Woolly Mammoth Designs are planning on doing. Mind you, they also have different products, as I understand it. --J, putting the ORGAN in organization

The tables, according to the hotel, are 2' X 8', as I recall. If you want us to *remove* your table so that you can have clothing racks there, that can be arranged easily enough. We're running out of tables, too (single digits left now!), so it would be a good idea to pick one up soon! Remember, this *does* come with three memberships, so you and another clothier/crafter could go in on this together, if you wanted. --J, always open for business

That's the really stupid thing--it doesn't HAVE to be "all gone." Motors, especially electrical ones, have a lot in common with turbines: motors take energy and convert it into motion, while turbines take motion and turn it into energy. It would be VERY easy for any of these companies to switch from building cars to making windmills and other wind-harnessing devices--they'd just need to have their parts suppliers build different molds for new parts (it's not like they don't do this on a regular basis, anyway). They'd even be able to draw on government grants related to building the green energy "smart grid."

I would really appreciate it, too! Another artist and publisher just signed up today, and I'd really love to balance that out with more fashion, woodworking, and other crafts. Props, wardrobe, and jewelry are really underrepresented as yet. This is mainly, I think, because I have a lot of illustrators and publishers as friends. --J, motioning for tables

Well, I'm getting a media sponsorship from Metro Times, including some promotional articles; contacts at the Free Press have offered to help me promote there, and I have other friends involved with some high-traffic blogs throughout the metro-Detroit area and the Detroit Film Office (all this aside from advertising and press releases as the event gets closer). Aside from that, if everybody who buys a table or a performance slot has ten people show up (and they're encouraged to, since everyone who shows up gets a ballot to vote for the Best Performance and Best Table cash prizes), that's 720 people right there. Frankly, I should hope that the 32-hour concert and film festival for only $10 should draw a significant audience, too. I've done a fair amount of work getting research from HATCH and Artserv to make sure that there's nothing opposite us. We're a week after we were told Ypsilanti's Shadow Art Fair is going to be, and we're out of the line of fire of most other types of conventions I know about. Besides, if you read our contract, you'll see that you have until June to cancel and get your money back. Anyway, if you want to lower your risk even more, team up with some other interested people you know and split the table cost. That's part of what the three-membeship policy is all about, anyway. --J, gettng SMACC'd around.

Here's a basic summary: SMACC's exhibition/dealer room is open 11am-7pm on both Saturday and Sunday, July 24th & 25th, 2010. $50 gets you a table to sell the items you create plus THREE memberships--that way, you can keep the table manned and still get a chance to talk with other types of artists about possible collaboration (like doing wardrobe work for one of the attending film studios)--you can also choose to sublet a portion of your table to other creators to help share the cost. There is also a $200 prize for Best Table as chosen by audience ballot. In order to keep table and general admission costs low, so that people coming to SMACC will have money in their pockets to spend, there is no catering at the event beyond a mid-show coffee-and-soda break for dealers and performers. With so many inexpensive food options available just outside the hotel, I thought this might be the best way to go. Most of the events like this that I've been at charge around $70 per table, for only one membership, and for the extra $20, all you get are a few off-color hot dogs and a helping off a sad-looking veggie tray. I think the math is better this way. :-) --J, bringing a sammich

Tomorrow, November 5, 2009 at 8pm at Maine Street Restaurant 11650 Joseph Campau St Hamtramck, MI 48212-3045 (313) 368-0500 Look for the guy in the Hawaiian shirt--that's me. I'll be answering questions, signing up bands and tables; tables will be an ADDITIONAL $10 off, if you sign up, this ONE NIGHT ONLY! Visit http://smacc2010.us and pick up your contract if you want to save some time. You do *not* have to stick around, although you may have some questions answers if you do. Besides, the food there is AWESOME. --J, trying to work *smarter*

SMACC needs more people who make jewelry, clothing, costumes, and other fabric products. A table costs $50 and comes with THREE memberships, so you can share the table and expenses and still get out and enjoy the rest of the show; a $200 Best Table prize will be awarded by audience ballot (this prize will go *up* as we get more corporate sponsors). The show is July 24-25, 2010 at the Doubletree Hotel in Dearborn, with the exhibition/dealer's room open from 11am-7pm both days. Right now, we've got four film studios who will likely need your skills in order to fill out their movies' wardrobes, so it's a good way to score even more paying gigs. Please contact me at michael@idea-men.us for more information. --Michael Marcus Hamtramck Idea Men http://idea-men.us founders of SMACC http://smacc2010.us

Congratulations! Meanwhile, if anyone else needs some extra pocket-cash, just let me know. There are plenty of things with SMACC that need to get done. --J, surprised by lack of volunteers

There are a number of things that Detroit can do to thrive again: 1) Make the connection between motors (which change energy into motion) and turbines (which turn motion into energy), and convert the auto industry into green energy industry, building windmills and wind turbines. There's plenty of extra money available from the government to build this portion of the "smart grid," so why not use it constructively. We have the factories--some will just need a bit of conversion work. 2) Nurture the budding Michigan film industry. (That's part of what SMACC is all about.) Of course, we're going to have to change the way the THEATRE portion of the industry works, too, but that's easy enough. 3) Turn our weaknesses into strengths. Have some high-school gardening courses as biology electives; they could grow on small parcels of land on school grounds, and the vegetables grown could be used in the cafeteria (or by home economics classes at the same school). Make arrangements with Habitat for Humanity to have educational building projects to reduce urban blight. 4) Along the lines of (3), above: Get some "reality programming" here, wherein people are given demolition vehicles and given the chance to destroy selected buildings. Locals win prizes, Detroit no longer has to pay for the demolition process, and people get to watch the blight come down on national TV. Everybody wins. Hold on. I think I'm going to have to pitch that last one to somebody. --J, I have no joke here, I just like saying, "Urban Renewal"

Well, admittedly, I'm in Wayne County, but what work I have can all be done over the Internet. SMACC still has tables I need to sell, performance slots I need to fill, and business sponsorships that need to be gotten. Basically, I'll give you a 10% finder's fee on the tables and sponsorships, $5 for every performance slot filled. In fact, I know that there are other DetGoth members reading this post--if ANYONE here buys a table or fills a performance slot, $5 will go toward Ryle Hira. Never let it be said I didn't try to take care of our own. --J, closet nice guy

I look forward to it. PMs, though, are less useful for me than direct e-mails--with direct e-mail, I have a running log of who contacted me and when. I can stlll be reached at michael@idea-men.us (as noted earlier). --Michael

Well, D, I'd be happy to get in touch with him... but so far, you haven't told me HOW to! --Michael

That sounds great--hook me up with some more local bands, if you can. All-ages friendly would be a plus, since we've got more of those slot open. "Adults-only slots" are filling up fast--only 1am-5am are open. The fact is, though, I'd love to get more grassroots-level entertainment than some of the bigger ones. We're trying to help level the playing field when it comes to *all* the independent creative arts. We know how hard it is to compete against the bigger businesses in the area! --Michael

That would be great! The sooner we can fill slots, the sooner we can add you to the list and plug you from the SMACC site and in all future messages and literature, as it's being sent out in press releases and such. The same thing goes with tables, really--we want to be able to showcase our members. As it stands, we have a few people coming in from HOLLYWOOD for this event! If we can show them that all the talent they need is *already* here, they'll have less reason to import it from the West Coast. --Michael

SMACC, Southern Michigan Arts and Creativity Conference, is LOCKED IN now: July 24-25, 2010, at the Dearborn Doubletree Hotel, 11am-7pm both days, with an ALL-NIGHT performance room. Of the forty exhibitor tables, only twenty-one are still available at time of posting. Tables are only $50 and come with THREE admissions (so you can keep your table manned and even sublet, if you so desire). A $200 prize will be given to the "best table" as awarded by popular audience ballot. Of the planned thirty-two, one-hour performance slots, only twenty-three are still available at time of posting, five of them during adults-only time- slots. Performances can be bands, drama, stand-up comedy, films, animal- handling acts, belly-dancing, or any other performance art. Performance slots are free (limit one per act), and a $200 prize will be given to the "best performance" as awarded by popular audience ballot. More information can be found at http://smacc2010.us or you can e-mail me at michael@idea-men.us

James F. Garner of Crimson Quill Entertainment is still casting roles for his series of music videos promoting his film, "The Smoke House Curse." He needs both male and female goth characters, in addition to other roles. He is also looking for hosts and hostesses for upcoming fund-raising events. Interested parties should contact me at michael@idea-men.us so that I can relay information to him. Thanks, everyone, --Michael Marcus Hamtramck Idea Men http://idea-men.us

Heyyy, everybody! Saturday, October 24th, Hamtramck Idea Men and Crimson Quill Entertainment are teaming up to put on one HELL of a fundraiser, featuring performances by popular artists, both living and dead! The event will be hosted by members of "WTF?" at Hamtramck's NEW DODGE LOUNGE 8850 Joseph Campau Hamtramck, Michigan 48212 (313) 874-5963 The event starts at 8pm and runs until 2am and is only $10 at the door. The proceeds will go toward the A/V needs for SMACC, July 24-25, 2010. Costumes are optional. --M

The first movie we watched was Danny Elfman's "Forbidden Zone." Clearly a trip through the minds of Elfman and his performance art troupe, "The Mystic Knights of the Oingo Boingo," most of the music (and art) has a definite 30s feel to it. The movie is a series of sketches very loosely connected together by a plot: The Hercules Family live in a ramshackle house connected to something called "The Forbidden Zone," located in "the 8th Dimension." When Susan B. "Frenchy" Hercules gets bored, she goes exploring and manages to get lost in the Forbidden Zone, and it's up to her family and friends to get her back. There are some notable casting surprises that I'm sure those of you who are too interested for your own good to look up on the IMDb. The movie is set up to feel like a live-action version of a cartoon from the 1930s, but with adult sensibilities--bondage and nudity figure highly in the story--but it's very silly, and you can just sort of check your mind at the door and enjoy it. The second movie was a total break from that: "Kung Pow: Enter the Fist." It's a Frankenstein effort: unholy and stitched together out of corpses, but it's also a success at what it does, mostly. Steve Oedekerk, through clever the use of blue-screen, edits himself into the movies, with new dubbing and sound effects added. Although some of the dub-related jokes get a little annoying, they do manage some pretty funny moments. --J, living in the 8th dimension