briandavidgilbert
patreon
Jan. 2024 Progress Report
🕑 Added 2024-01-31 17:00:13 +0000 UTCHello and welcome to the first progress report of the new year! Things have been progressing! Let's report on it!
WHAT'S NEW ON PATREON?
Quite a lot this month! I finally did the Patreon refresh I've been talking about for years, and though things are still shifting around, I think we're settling into the new Patreon pretty well! Here are the new posts:
Both of those posts are tests of new perks for the Patreon, and any paid member of the Patreon can view them! If you're not a paid member, check out the updated About and Membership pages to see all of the details, but here's a quick summary of the big changes to the Patreon tiers:
- The monthly livestreams for the $5 and $10 tiers are stopping and being replaced with 2-4 livestream specials every year (like SONGFEST, above)
- All future main channel videos will be uploaded here a day early and ad-free for all paid tiers
- A completely new perk, "Brian Brecommends" is added to all paid tiers. This is a monthly video where I recommend a piece of media that really inspired me in the past month and try to answer any questions you might have for me
As always, feel free to let me know if there's anything that will make this Patreon more worthwhile for you all! I'm always trying to find the best use of my time to make this Patreon something that is really worthwhile, and your feedback has been so helpful this month.
WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN UP TO?
There have been two major projects that I've been working on this month, and then a whole bunch of little projects filling up the spaces next to those major projects.
Project #1: The Patreon refresh!
(see previous section)
Project #2: A proof-of-concept video for a children's show pitch!
Here's what I can share right now: in late 2022, I was approached by some lovely creators to host the silly, song-filled, part live-action, part stop-motion-and-puppetry children's show that they're working to pitch. Obviously, I said, "Yes, that's my dream project, and Karen and I will do everything in our power to make this thing happen." So for the past year, on-and-off, we've been working with these creators and a very amazing stop-motion studio to make a proof-of-concept video for the show.
Karen and I wrote the music for the clip late last year, and then we spent the first half of January recording and producing the song. In mid-January, we spent a few days shooting the proof-of-concept video, and it was so much fun. I can't share much more, but here's a cheeky behind-the-scenes pic from set:
(please appreciate the recycled use of TBD's overalls)
Nothing is finalized yet, but I might be able to upload the pitch video in some capacity (even if it's just for Patreon members). Still talking to the production team about what I can share, but pitching should start soon, and hopefully it'll all go well, because BOY OH BOY do I want to keep working with this incredible team of artists and puppeteers. It was a dream.
The Other Little Projects
No video this month, but LOTS of little work on LOTS of videos. SONGFEST was the beginning of 5 different songs for videos, and I've already started working on a non-songfest song for another video.
And in addition to the pitch video, Karen and I have been working on two of our own pilots that we'll be pitching in the near future. I feel like I've been talking about these pitches forever, but that's because we've already gone through one round of pitches (to get production companies attached) and now we're going into the second round (to get the dang thing made). We're doing so many pitches in such a short time frame, you might as well call us Nolan Ryan! Haha! That's a baseball joke. I think. I had to google "most pitches baseball single game" and this came up. If any of you are baseball fans and this joke doesn't make sense, please keep it to yourself.
WHAT'S NEXT?
Outside of the pitches, I think I want to make a quick video about glasses, because I broke my current pair and keep gluing them back together, but I should probably buy some new ones. And if you wear glasses, you know how much of an ordeal that can be. So I'll need to process those emotions through another song video.
WHAT ELSE?
I finally figured out how to make custom designs on my embroidery machine, and the power is going to my head. Karen made both of the beautiful/cursed line art designs that you see here:
I'm really proud of the "Saturn Devouring His Sun" jacket, because I tested a technique where I use other fabric to make the fill color, and it worked surprisingly well! And if you think "Nice, Brian has a fun hobby that he's enjoying and won't use for his videos!" you'd be DEAD WRONG because I've already been inspired to do a LOT of embroidery specifically for a future song video.
Oh and I turned 30 two days ago. So far, pretty cool. Can't complain. Excited to see what the next year/decade of my life brings.
THAT'S IT
Please enjoy this screencap from Gran Turismo, a movie that is totally okay but is made all the better by having this specific line:
Talk soon!
Comments
deidra hendrix
Love the embroidery, love the updates, and seconding the Zenni recommendation, they're great
Erin_Vontrapp
If you have your glasses prescription, you can order glasses super cheap online. Like $30 or less with frames. Eyebuydirect.com, Zenni optical, there's a whole bunch of sites that offer affordable options.
elijah b
obsessed with this embroidery!!!
Cory!
I wonder if it would be ok to just sign up for the higher tier on months when a livestrean happens. Or is that cheating? If it's not cheating, then a heads up when a steam is planned would be rad.
Kiara Reyes
Omg that Saturn embroidery is fantastic!! Any chance you’ll sell jackets/jorts/assorted clothing items with it in the future? 👀
Catrick
Sounds like everything is going well and definitely looking forward to whatever you can share of that show! Also, love the embroidery, what delightful visual chaos being unleashed in new and amazing ways!
Heather Shypula
Stoked for this update! I have a toddler and a second baby on the way, and I'm always on the lookout for good kids shows! I'm especially excited about a potential children's show made by my favorite content creator, for mostly selfish reasons. Most shows for kids suck and it would be so great to find something I'd enjoy watching with them!
Karis
The children's show sounds amazing and looks super fun from the bts photo, fingers crossed all goes well for it!! and happy birthday!!!
Alex Derbe
Happy belated birthday! All the best of luck with that kids show, I hope you become the next generation’s Mr. Rogers!
marley
Oh heck the background art for the children’s show looks so dang cute I would really love to see the whole shebang sometime, so fingers crossed!!
Lucas
Happy birthday! The embroidery is beautiful I would pay good money for that jacket
Greg Miller
oh my god that Saturn embroidery is incredible. 11/10
rionsanura
As a point of experiential revelation I would like to recommend, if you're embroidering another fabric onto your piece as fill, when you are cutting the excess off after you've finished embroidering the patch on, using fingernail clippers is sometimes more precise and easier to get the curves/angles right!
Boomer Roberts
"he's always on my case about the tweed things I buy"
Boomer Roberts
Yesssssss the TBD overalls I noticed immediately hahaha
Lollerskate
Thanks for the update and Happy Belated Birthday!
Well-Spoken Rambler
Do you reckon the next pair of glasses will be Fabulous Fanny’s, or will you go with a brand that is less seared into my mature British mind?
Laur
Love the update, very excited for all these pitches and will keep everything crossed for you and the dream team x
rionsanura
oh dang! oh shoot!
