Category: Smitten 3D

Smitten 3D, The Simple Carnival

Why I’m (kind of) done with The Simple Carnival

Post By Jeff Boller April 18, 2020

“Good luck with your album!”

Several people said variations of that comment to me recently. I didn’t have the heart to tell them that The Simple Carnival effectively ended over three years ago.

It’s not their fault — I probably haven’t communicated the somewhat unusual state of The Simple Carnival clearly or widely enough. I figured it might be a good idea to write an open letter of sorts to describe what’s going on.

The state of The Simple Carnival can be summarized as such:

  • There will be no more songs or albums from The Simple Carnival. It was great fun, but the chapter of my life where I was singing and writing pop songs is now closed.
  • The Simple Carnival’s recordings will continue to be available on all major digital streaming and download services. Physical merchandise is no longer for sale, but you can find secondhand CDs on Amazon and eBay.
  • I am done working on the Smitten 3D project. All of the completed music videos are available to stream in anaglyph 3D at www.smitten3d.com. There are no plans for releasing the final product on physical media
  •  I plan to create some narrative animated shorts. I’ll be writing the orchestral score for those shorts. (It’ll be film music, not pop tunes.)
  • The Simple Carnival is no longer on the usual social media sites. In an alternate universe, there is a form of social media that I really enjoy being a part of…but in our current universe, no such option exists. That said, you can connect with me on LinkedIn. If I have anything really cool that I want to share, though, I’ll post it directly on this site — www.sundriftproductions.com.

Why did I stop making pop music? After I completed the Smitten album, I felt as though I said everything that I wanted to say in a pop song. I’d rather stop while I’m ahead rather than repeat myself and overstay my welcome.

Unlike pop songs, I don’t think I’ll ever run out of things to say in an animated film. Film allows for a broader range of subject matter than pop tunes. Film also requires many more disciplines to master; there’s always a new challenge lurking around the corner. I want to take the things I’ve learned from affecting audiences with The Simple Carnival and apply that toward visual, animated stories — stories that make audiences laugh, cry, and cheer. It’s going to be a while until I get there, but I look forward to sharing the results with you one day.

In the meantime, there’s a lot of history about The Simple Carnival over at www.simplecarnival.com. I’m leaving all of it up because I’m proud of the work that I did on that project. But there’s not likely to be any more activity on that site.

I hope this clears up things, and thank you for your understanding!

Film Festivals, Smitten 3D, The Simple Carnival

Go Away I Like You Too Much Wins 2nd Place at LA 3-D Movie Festival

Post By Jeff Boller December 31, 2018

As I reflected upon 2018, I realized that I forgot to blog about one of my biggest film-related highlights. The animated 3D music video I had worked on for the past year and a half, The Simple Carnival – Go Away I Like You Too Much, premiered at the LA 3-D Movie Festival earlier this month and won 2nd Place USA Film!

I was able to attend this year’s festival and had a great time seeing old friends, making new friends, and watching some terrific films.

A heartfelt thank you to the LA 3-D Club, 3-D Space, and the fantastic audience at the festival for this honor!

Behind the Scenes, Film Festivals, Smitten 3D, The Simple Carnival, Work in Progress

Presentation at 3D-Con 2018

Post By Jeff Boller August 1, 2018 No Comments

A couple weeks ago, I gave a talk at 3D-Con about how I’m using Smitten 3D as a self-directed masters in filmmaking and animation. If you’re interested in low budget DIY indie animation, there’s a lot of behind-the-scenes fun in this presentation.

Here is the 2D version:

 

If you have red/cyan 3D glasses, here is the 3D version (put the red lens over your right eye):

Smitten 3D

Smitten 3D screening in Greensburg, PA

Post By Jeff Boller April 18, 2016 No Comments

I’ll be presenting my music video movie, Smitten 3D, as a work-in-progress at the DV8 Espresso Bar and Gallery in Greensburg, PA this Thursday (April 21, 2016).

There will be two screenings — one at 7 PM and one at 8 PM. Admission is free. I’ll be on hand to introduce the music videos and demonstrate how they were created. While things will be family-friendly, this event is more for teens and adults since we’ll be delving into the specifics of how the videos were made.

If you or someone you know is interested in filmmaking, animation, 3D, or music, this should be a lot of fun. Hope to see you there!