~Samuraijazz

Wassup DA. Still working on Nightgun 2 and debating with myself whether I should start over or not, I'm thinking not. I did want to simplify the style more, but I'm just gonna end up at the same place I always end up when I try to change things.
Anyways, I'm starting a fast for self-control today. I seem to have issues with self-control. Even though I have an incredible metabolism, I think I eat too much and can't seem to quit cursing people out and acting a fool. For those atheists out there, a fast is an attempt at detaching from desires of the physical body by giving up eating for awhile and only taking in what's absolutely necessary, like lots of water and a small fruit or vegetable if the pain gets too unbearable. It's letting the spirit and mind take control.

Also, what kinda sux, my homeboy Mike, one of my two best friends left to stay in Detroit 2 weeks ago. This is the one with the afro in my "Me n my Brothers" pic. [link]
Every few days he says he's coming back, but something ends up happening and they end up staying longer. It's kinda wack, and strangely irritating, I guess because we do too much stuff together. I see the dude just about every day whether it's working out at the gym, going to church or even just eating. Soooo, guess I'll wait it out. He says he'll be back in town this weekend, but I'm having a hard time believing it for some reason because of all the stuff that keeps happening. I've still been hanging out with , he's my other everyday homeboy because we both like to draw, but it's still a little weird without the person I've seen just about every day for almost 3 years.

Good news, things are going good between me and Moriah, my new girlfriend. She seems to have accepted the fact that I'm the group comedian, so that's always a good sign. I always think I've gone too far with the things I do jokingly and sarcastically and think that with her being a cute, intelligent black writer, she might be like "This man is crazy". But she always calls back. (THANKYOU GOD) Another good point, a friend of mine named Amia, one of my main homies, Dirtshake's (Real name: Matt) girlfriend and Moriah have known each other for a long time and are like sisters. Amia told Moriah's dad that I was a drug and alchohol-free, freelance animator who's smart and devoted to God, and that I'm staying sex-free til marrige. I just want to shout out the her and say, GOOD LOOKIN OUT!!! That took this man's foot off my throat! ;D Next step, me and Dirtshake are talking about taking the girls on a road trip to Michigan's Adventure, some themepark upstate.

I guess writing that journal helped me get some stuff off my chest, my boy being gone really had me bummed out. But I have a new girlfriend, and am finally back to work so I can start making money again. Things are looking up! Pray for me on this fast. Peace.

PS: I can't seem to change my mood icon. I guess there really isn't one to fit this, because I'm falling in love but missing my bro at the same time.

Sup? Still alive, even though I hardly ever update. Nightgun 2's going pretty fast, at about 2 minutes now and getting close to the first fight scene, completely free of storyboards or even an animatic. I just started animating and am doing the voices along the way. I just need to get voices for the whole thing from Mike (Blues), Bershar (Kayle), Chad (Elixir), and my mom (Kiara), yes my mom plays Kiara lol XD. I had to, her voice fits the character.

I'm behind 2 days of production on it due to a three-day blackout in Lansing. Me and Mike had
been driving around aimlessly the whole time searching for cheap food, air conditioning and some place to charge our phones. We took down a lot of Mexican food and Starbucks ice coffee in 90-95 degree weather while our homies Matt and Joel over in the rich neighborhoods got their power back in the first hour of the storm. Me and Mike got ours 3 days later...

Buuuuut, I finally asked out my homegirl Moriah which I had stalled too long to do, but I didn't wanna rush things I guess. Trust me, seen that too much. This also puts my purchase of Boondocks Season 2 on hold until next pay period, but it was either the girl or the DVD. No competition whatsoever.

Me and Mike entered a Smash Bros. Brawl tournament the night the blackout started (before it happened of course) and got stomped badly, I guess that's what we get for having lives outside the house. Because half the dudes there had on Mario and/or Legend of Zelda T-shirts, black fingernail polish (The dudes, not the girls), and ranged from black people who have never seen a gym or basketball court to white people who had never seen the sun (WHIIIIIIIITE AS A GHOST) and I get the distinct feeling that they were toying with us... (We got stomped by Kirby and Diddy Kong)

Afterwards, we borrowed Matt's Wii (with his permission hehe) and practiced our asses off. Then came the blackout.. But we're still on it, I'm not giving up. Since Mike's new to Smash Bros. altogether and I don't have a Wii myself (but still whup the average avid player most of the time), Bershar's going to enter with me this Friday. He's a beast at it, even though his brother Leshaun took his gamecube and Melee too Central with him.

Right now I'm just waiting for my Mom to come home for lunch and give me the car, it's summer vacation now so I can't get it as easily lol.
I have some employee papers to fill out if I want to get income again, so I'll see you guys later. Peace.

I know I went on this rant recently, saying that my original animating style was crap and that it wasn’t working and all this stuff, and that I was giving up my anime-inspired style for something else, but I realized that I’m sick of jumping through hoops all the time. This is probably why I get artist/animator’s block and want to start over all the time.
Well, I’m done. People can say what they want to about my style, I’m not changing it for people who really don’t like me and are just telling me what they like from other people. I have a few fans that enjoy my animating style, and really, it’s not the style that matters it’s what you do with it.
So I’m keeping the afro-anime style that moves at 24 frames-per-second with double-frames. People can tell me I’m copying the Boondocks with DevilSlayer & Nightgun if they want, since clearly the Boondocks is about four older teens slaying demons and fighting for religious freedom in a futuristic African civilization. Oh yeah that’s right, it’s black people in anime form and has some comedy elements, so that eliminates all differences. Oh well, eat a dick.
Did I leave anything else out? Thanks to my homie for showing me that art isn’t all about showing off and going through hoops to please people, it’s about freedom and expression. He gave me some very good advice awhile back, and I won’t let God down with my new projects or him. Expect more Afro Anime in the future from me, only with more fluid, slick animation and better stories than ever before. Peace.

Now something randum....
RULES:
1. Put Your iTunes, Windows Media Player, ETC on Shuffle.
2. For each question, press the next button to get your answer.
3. YOU MUST WRITE THAT SONG NAME DOWN NO MATTER HOW SILLY IT SOUNDS.
4. Put any comments in brackets after the song name.
5.Put this on your journal.

1. If someone says, "Is this okay?" You say?
Great Expectations by Talib Kweli


2. How would you describe yourself?
Gitcha, Gitcha, Gitcha by Mos Def

(lol wow...)

3. What do you like in a guy/girl?
We Don't Know by Soul P

(That's a lie)

4. How do you feel today?
On That Cross by Flame

(O_O)

5. What is your life's purpose?
We Can Make It Better by Kanye West

6. What is your motto?
It's All Gon' Pass by Flame

(I need that foreal lol...)

7. What do your friends think of you?
Goodness by Soul P

8. What do you think of your parents?
Start the Show by Common

9. What do you think about very often?
Still by Talib Kweli & Gangstarr

10. What is 2 + 2?
Spark by Back-On

11. What do you think of your best friend?
Little Brother by Mos Def

(lol Wow, I have two best homies and one of em is kinda like that, but the other one's older than me You suck)

12. What do you think of the person you like?
Power In Your Name by Flame

(Fer real?)

13. What is your life story?
Flash Back by Flame

(Why am I getting so many of Flame's tracks?)

14. What do you want to be when you grow up?
Lord You Are by Cross Movement

(Yeaaaaa....So straight...)

15. What do you think of when you see the person you like?
Southside by Common & Kanye West

16. What will you dance to at your wedding?
Better Let That Thang Go by T-Bone

(That's wassup, I love this song man)

17. What will they play at your funeral?
Funeral to Birthday by Flame

(OKAY little creeped out)

18. What is your hobby/interest?
I Did It For You by Lecrae

19. What is your biggest fear?
Its OK by T-Bone

20. What is your biggest secret?
I Been Looking Around by T-Bone

21. What do you think of your friends?
D-Techno Life by Asian Kung Fu Generation

(LOL wow, aight...)

22. What will you post this as?
You Make Me by Soul P

I decided to try something new, since school pretty much has me too exhausted to animate anything big, why not post up some sick animated action by some other people? So with that said, I present to you my views on what's good and what should be LEFT ALONE. Bias free. Yes, I know I'm not the best animator ever yet, but every winter gives me an ample opportunity to learn a GUAP about animation and storytelling, se here goes.

When most people think about anime, they think happy-dappy stories about a boy who grew up in a small village who's either the chosen one by some set of made-up gods to save the world from an evil race of beings and meets many comical and quirky characters as he travels the world. He usually has a strange pet, a submissive female magician, or an evil brother, and might just have some sort of unique power that no one else has. And on top of that, he's probably half-demon or something and his father or parents were kings or queens or something. I've just summed up a ton of anime cartoons right there. However, there are exceptions to the rules...

Shows like Cowboy Bebop are breaking the mold with that type of thing, but it's really hard to find, ya know? There's little to no original anything anymore, and being new to animation, I've found myself using stereotypical safety shields in my own movies. And to tell you the truth, I'm pretty pissed. I have a hard time even watching my old stuff sometimes seeing where I could have changed one small thing to make a drastic improvement grates on my nerves. There's so many shows out there that could've been done better. One Piece for instance. I love One Piece's concept, from it's pirate thing to it's weird characters with strange abilities and personalities. True the whole 'I want to be king of the [insert obscure job here]' thing is completely over-used, if they had cut out the unnecessaries from the manga that made the cartoon series so over-stretched, One Piece could have been on my favorite's list. Anyways, I've gotten some revalations in my hiatus from animated. (Also been posted on NG.

REVELATIONS ABOUT ANIMATION
I've had it with anime. Though it is good for detail and looks really cool standing still, I would rather have living, breathing, fighting characters in my movies than pretty but cold emotionless ones like many anime style animations. Don't get me wrong, I love Afro Samurai, Samurai Champloo and Cowboy Bebop, but I would rather use less shading detail on living characters and focus that on killer sceneries and lighting effects. I pull my hair out watching how still and boring the animation was in the talking scene of my last movie. However, the fight was probably my best work yet and had a ton of animation, so I know I can do it. I'm just committing myself to having more hardcore frame-by-frame and less boring prettyness.

REVELATIONS ABOUT STORY WRITING
With lots of studying in my hiatus from animating, I also got a chance to reflect on what little imagination and effort I've put into my writing. People seem to enjoy the realistic voice-acting, but I'm talking about the plot and mythology behind my movies. I can't go on with NightGun's story the way it is. I basically just mixed Devil May Cry, Power Rangers, and X-Men, threw in black people and anime-tized it and called it my own with the pilot. I've been praying for months now for a better story and I've finally got one. (And yes, I believe God's there, I am a shameless Jesus freak) I want more than anything to make a relatively serious story that grips people and is ORIGINAL. I will still do comedy, but probably on a separate basis. I've learned that the more genres you force into a production, the more it will fall short on each.

THE FUTURE OF NIGHTGUN AND OTHER THOUGHTS...
I'm sick of being one of Newgrounds' average animators. I'm ready for my top spot now and I'll do what it takes to get it. The few fans I have, I hope will stick with me on my changes. I'm working on a script for a 30-minute feature with the world of NightGun called NightGun: "Utopia" that from the looks of the script and storyboards, I'll probably release in 3 parts. Been working on concept art and ideas viciously, and production will start hopefully May if I've finished the commercial for my friend's business.

Peace.

Those who know my name/age keep it to yourself. it's not information i like sharing.

1) Full name?
Kalen Aris Whitfield

2) Male/Female?
MAle

3) Were you named after anyone?
Nope

4) Does your name mean anything?
No weapon formed against you shall prosper.

5) Nickname(s)?
K, K-Dubya, Jazz

6) What do you think you look like?
A 6'2 black guy lol....

7) Date of birth?
March 26, '90

8) Place of birth and current location?
Detroit, Mi....Now in Lansing, MI...

9) Nationality?
African-American and Cuban

10) Astrology sign?
Aries

11) Chinese astrology sign?
The horse I think....

12) Religion?
Christ, all the way, shameless and with no regrets

13) What's your favorite smell?
Water...Don't ask...

14) Political Position?
Independant, but leaning toward Democrat

15) What do you prefer to drink in the morning?
Cranberry juice

16) Hair + eye color?
Hair's black and cut low, dark brown eyes

17) Do you look like anyone famous?
Nah

18) What do you look like?
A 6'2 BLACK GUY XD Nah, I'm jk. 6'2, stocky, umm...goatee...

19) Any unusual talents?
I can interpret the meanings of dreams

20) Righty, lefty, or ambidextrous?
Righty

21) Gay, straight, bi, or other?
Straight

22) What do you do for a living?
Dunno yet, lol. I want to direct movies, live action and animated.

23) What do you do for fun?
Hang out with my friends, draw, weight lift, argue with people over political stuff.

24) Materials to work with?
PC, pencils and stuff

25) What kind of materials would you like to work with?
A tablet, and a high def Film Camera

26) Have you met your grandparents?
Yup

27) Boyfriend/Girlfriend?
Nope...Don't want one from Lansing either really...

28) Crush?
Yup, a couple, but once again, Lansing...

29) What celebrity would you date if you could?
Christina Milian

30) Current worries?
Grades, self-control...

31) Favorite online guy/girl(s)?
Dang, gotta get her myspace link....

32) Favorite place to be?
Anywhere huge and spacious with water

33) Least favorite place to be?
In classes I hate

34) Do you burn or tan?
Tan...Black people don't burn, we're from the land of the sun lol...

35) Ever break a bone?
In my foot

36) What is your favorite cereal?
Lucky Charms

37) Person you cry with?
Nobody

38) Any sisters?
No

39) Any brothers?
Me, and my two best homies call each other brothers

40) Any pets?
Nope

41) An illness?
Got allergies...

42) A pager?
lol NO

43) A personal phone line?
Yezzir

44) A cell phone?
Yezzir

45) A visible birthmark?
Yup, on the right side of my stomach

46) A pool or hot tub?
NOOOPE, I wish!

47) A car?
I share with my Mom

48) Personality?
Protective, spontaneous, fun-loving, but lazy...

49) Driving?
All the time

50) Your clothing style?
Baggy stuff, and dark colors

51) Room?
yup

52) What’s missing?
Family I that actually gives a damn, I feel like my Mom's about it.

53) School?
Yup, Lansing's gayest.

54) Bed?
Yup, it's got animal covers like a pimp bed.

55) Relationship with your parent(s)?
My mom and I are alone here, so we're basically all we have as far as family, and we ARE the black sheep. Me and my dad get along aight half the time, but he's back in the D.

56) Do you believe in yourself?
Yup, just umm....Lazy...But only with stuff I don't like.

57) Do you believe in love at first sight?
Lust yes, love, no.

58) Consider yourself a good listener?
Yeah

59) Have a future dream that you would like to share?
To become a filmmaker known for being challenging and passionate

60) Get along with your parents?
...You just said that...

61) Save your e-mail conversations?
Not intentionally

62) Pray?
Yup, I try to everyday.

63) Believe in reincarnation?
In another world, not this one.

64) Brush your teeth twice a day?
if I remember.

65) Like to talk on the phone?
If the convo's good enough

66) Like to eat?
HECKS YEAH

67) Like to exercise?
MOS DEF

68) Like to watch sports?
Boxing and UFC, bout it

69) Sing in the car?
If it's a banger....

70) What is a dream that you have all the time?
Every dream I got is different.

71) Dream in color?
Yup

72) Do you have nightmares?
Not alot

73) Sleep with a stuffed animal?
uuhhhhh........................NOOOOOO....

74) What's right next to you?
My PSP

75) What's on your favorite mug?
A picture of MGM grand casino

76) What's on your mouse pad?
a mouse

77) Your favorite flavor of gum?
Watermelon mint

78) Your brand of deodorant?
AXE

79) Your dream honeymoon spot?
Hawaii

80) Your dream husband/wife?
Somebody beautiful who shares my...unique....interests...

81) What's hiding in your closet?
Boxes and boxes of old drawings

82) Under your bed?
Money

83) The name of one of your closest/best friends?
Mike & Bershar

84) Your bad time of the day?
morning

85) Your worst fear(s)
What a useless thought.

86) What's the weather like?
Cold!

87) Your favorite time of year?
Summer

88) Your favorite holiday?
4th of July

89) A material weakness?
Money, girls XD

90) The weirdest food or drink that you like?
Goat tacos

91) At the top of your "to do list"?
Learn self-discipline

92) The hardest thing about growing up?
Dealing with other people

93) A pet peeve?
Racists, people in denial

94) Your scariest moment?
Dunno...

95) Your attitude about love?
People use it too loosely, but it's really important.

96) The funniest or most desperate thing you've done?
One time, me and a bunch of my friends just went to the mall, ran through stores, scared people, and acted stupid. Actually, it wasn't just once...It was more like...every single weekend up til now...

97) The worst feeling in the world?
Loneliness

98) The best feeling in the world
Knowing somebody accepts you for who you are.

99) Who sent this to you?
took it from some girl's DA

100) 5 people to send this test too?
No