Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Video: "Various Jobs I Could Get" Tales Of Mere Existence


I've read and watched Lev Yilmaz' Tales of Mere Existence for a while now and he's alternately funny/sad/true. He's a good writer and I liked this video, and wanted to share it. I say "read and watched" because Lev not only draws comics, he also has videos of his comics. For instance, if you buy his print comics, there is usually a DVD of videos like the one below included.

While not exactly animated, the videos have a voiceover by Lev, while he draws a bit of an image. So far as I can tell, these are backlit drawings, with the shadow of Lev's hand, drawing the image from behind. It reminded me of the magic drawing board from Captain Kangaroo. Take a look.

At least a couple of times a year (more or less, depending on how things are going), I get fed up and rant that I want to quit and get a regular job -- a job where I show up, push papers around, go to meetings, drink sludgy office coffee and get paid regularly. Even if I get canned, the I get some unemployment. (Hey, our local Senators were happy to announce this morning that there will be 14 more weeks of unemployment benefits to jobless workers nationwide. Not that a full time freelancer like myself would ever be eligible.)

But the joke is that I cannot do anything except draw cartoons. It's been too long since I was in an office. I don't remember how to type, I don't use anything more advanced than PhotoShop 5.5, and I would have to, like, shower and wear real clothes every single day, right? Employers are still into rudimentary hygiene, aren't that? And I would have to make small talk like

  • Hot enough for ya?

  • Looks like you have a case of the Mondays.

  • Don't work too hard.

  • Cold enough for ya?

At least I would have some good cartoons for my cubicle.

But I would probably get fired for cartooning during some important meeting.

Where was I? Oh, yes, here is cartoonist Lev Yilmaz talking about what kind of jobs maybe he could get. I hope he doesn't stop cartooning, though! I don't think I will either. I hate sludgy office coffee.


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