SHAWN L. FRATIS
Musician-Animator-Drafter-VFX/Digital
Artist
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News & Updates
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SHAWN FRATIS PORTAL
WIDGET/THING:
Here are other places
you can find me and my work.
My video/animation
stuff you can find HERE:
http://www.youtube.com/user/BoneheadFX
My music you can find
HERE:
http://www.myspace.com/holycowtower
My social networking
you can find HERE:
http://www.facebook.com/people/Shawn_Fratis/1364079510
http://profile.myspace.com/shawnfratis
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3/20/09
I’ve been really getting into creating my own software lately. I have both
a music program and graphics program that I am
working on, and my eventual goal is to merge them
somehow. I hope to have samples up at
some point.
I’ve put The Amazing Beaver on hold yet again for a while (click me for more
info). I want to utilize more of my own software to finish it,
but I still have a lot of development to do.
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12/07/08
I have posted the first 5 pages of THE AMAZING BEAVER! Click HERE to read!
I am working on the rest presently and will post more as soon as I get them
done.
There are 19 pages in all.
Also, I have written a program (well, actually a MEL script for Maya that
acts like a stand-alone program) called GOAT.
GOAT is an optical fx
generator which works in Maya. Click here for more
info and a copy of the MEL script.
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11/15/08
This has all happened to me recently:
Mutant Vampire Zombies from the Hood is all done. I did 2 FX shots,
main title cards and the entire first 1.5 minute title/fx
sequence.
I also recently did a bunch of animatics/previs
for a production company in
I lost my #@$&! day job.
I recently got a great new/old Silicon Graphics IRIX box which I have
networked to my Windows system.
I’m trying to follow up on a bunch of unfinished stuff, like The Amazing
Beaver which I hope to have posted here one way
or another rather soon.
I’m thinking of reviving Gorf and Krog. Or maybe not. I don’t know.
I’ve stopped updating my MySpace site and am now
just concentrating on Facebook for socializing.
I’ve had a few paying music gigs (thank God).
My cat is really grumpy.
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1/27/08
I havn’t updated my old blog
in a mazillion years, but I have a newer one on MySpace.
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9/29/07
I have a new stuff in my gallery.
Also, I am now playing guitar in the Black Man Clay band. Click here for info.
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8/13/07
I have a new DEMO online-click HERE to see it!
I’m right in the middle of doing some work on Mutant Vampire Zombies from
the Hood. Click HERE
to find out more!
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7/15/07
Nope. Still nothing new (yet). Hang
in there!
Presently buzzed on Jeff Gordon 24 energy
drink-NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN!!!!!!
Actually, it’s pretty good. Not as
tart as some other energy drinks.
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1/28/07
I put a couple new/old things on YooToob: one is Toonz
Hotel & Spa, a project I did with Charles Spillar’
a LONG time ago. One of the first
animation projects I ever did (you won’t have a lot of trouble figuring that
out when you see it L. )
The other one is: TA-@%^&*!!-DAAAAAA!!!!! My music video/project/thing
that I’ve been promising forever. I wrote about it on me BLOG as well.
As you may/may not know, I am a bit of a plane geek. I just got into using a neat flight simulator (it’s free, too!). I’m even helping in the development of it a
bit-more on that later.
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12/13/06
I added lots of new links and a BLOG!!!
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11/10/06
Ok, here’s a few new pics from my last gig: CLICK ME, CLICK ME, CLICK
ME and CLICK ME.
These are my bandmates from Monsoon, my newest
musical endeavor. The first CLICK ME is Gary Isaacson on electric/acoustic
guitar and vocals, the second CLICK ME is Dave Simons on drums, the third CLICK
ME is myself playing bass and the last CLICK ME is me with my lovely wife Meridith-all pix taken at the grand opening of her gallery,
the Mayhew Gallery in Tubac AZ featuring fine art and
gifts-please email me if you’d like more
info.
I have, for right now anyway, abandoned my plans of doing an acoustic album
due to technical difficulties (I need a better microphone, and I just bought a
new bass amp so it will have to wait).
HOWEVER: I am working on a video for a rock instrumental that I
recorded-I am hoping to have that online ASAP.
Check back.
I just created a Gangsta Zombie for a promotional
flyer for MUTANT
VAMPIRE ZOMBIES FROM THE ‘HOOD, a new film being produced by Stormfront
Films. I don’t have the entire flyer
but I do have the Zombie
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10/18/06
Hey, looky! My animation project from the
Beav is still under construction. Got a
new(er) piece of artwork in the gallery-some strange
thing I did a long time ago.
My most recent project for Stormfront Films is also still under construction, but
should be done very soon.
And I really do have new music being worked on-some acoustic stuff which I
think I will be selling. I’ll keep you
updated.
Speaking of music, I got some new mates that I’m jamming with out here in
the ol’ desert, Gary Isaacson and Dave Simons-here’s
a foto of our most recent gig, the opening of my wife’s
art gallery. Dave is also a fantastic
painter and
Oh, and in case you’re wondering which one is me in the foto,
I’m the dork with the yellow shirt.
Presently, I have an Evanescence song stuck in my head and it’s making me
f*cking depressed. I hate it when that happens.
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6/26/06
I added a bit of a preview of my new epic comic, THE AMAZING
BEAVER. I hope to have the whole
dang thing online very soon. In case
you’re wondering what it is, it’s a story of a beaver with amazing powers who
goes on an apacolyptic rampage after his family is
killed by a hunter. It’s kind of a cross
between Ren and Stimpy and
the book of Revelations.
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6/6/06
Heh. Heh heh. Hehhehehe! HA! HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!! Look at the date! I just had to post something on this date.
It’s just too trippy.
Hey, isn’t it also Steve Vai’s birthday?
Wasn’t he born on 6/6/60? That
means, he was 6 years old on 6/6/66. HELL YES!
Happy B-day Steve!
Ok, so I’m weird-I actually find humor in that sort of stuff. And if you
think that’s bizarre, wait til you see my new comic.
I should have some artwork from it online reely reely soon.
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5/29/06
OK, so you’re probably reading this and saying “Dude, WTF????”. Well, the way the site was before was kinda pretty looking, but it was a pain in the bunghole for
me to edit (website construction is NOT my forte-not that I HAVE a
forte!). So I decided to forego
corporate looking flashiness for over-the-top simplicity. Most of the data I had on the former version
should still be here though, plus maybe a few new things.
I SWEAR to you I will have music at some point. I have been swamped with
work and projects, plus my ears were screwed up a bit after going to the last
NASCAR race in Phoenix (great race, but I shoulda
wore earplugs).
We got a new kitty. Her name is Frida
(after Frida Kahlo). She is a good cat, but she likes using my leg
as a scratching post while I’m sitting at the computer. $#%&*#!!!
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4/11/06
As promised-new stuff!! (Truth be told-I’m bored).
I am working as new music, as mentioned earlier, but I will need to find a place
to host it (I don’t have enough space here). As soon as I do I will link
it. In the meantime, I ranted a bit on
the
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4/1/06
Holy Freaking Cow! An update!! Will
wonders ever cease!!!!
Yeah I know, it’s been a long time. I have lots of new project stuff on the
way-will be up soon.
Some new stuff happening with Attack of the Giant Gull & Stormfront Films, plus I’m working on a ton of new music,
so PLEASE check back soon-I promise to have something new up in the near
future.
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11/10/05
When I was a young, beginning musician, one of my idols was Swedish guitar
wizard Yngwie J. Malmsteen, and recently I got to see him live
for the first time at a small club in
There are photos of him at the exact same show that we were at on this page
(the one in Tucson/City Limits). We were
just a few feet away from the photographer.
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NASCAR
racing has been getting pretty exciting as we get closer to the final
chase. My bet is on Tony Stewart doing
it, but it’d be cool to see a couple of the veterans like Rusty Wallace or Mark
Martin (one of my favorites) do well.
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We are working on a website for Meridith’s
father, JD Mayhew,
who was one of the greatest marine artists that ever lived. The site is still being worked on but anyone
interested in JD’s art can always contact us . Or
if you happen to be in
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Getting back to music, I’m going to be setting up a mini-studio and start
recording some new songs that I’ve had bouncing around in my head for a number
of years. If you’re ever interested in
hearing any of this, or any of Holy Cow Tower that I’ve already recorded just
let me know. I’m hoping to find some webspace soon to put up a bunch of MP3’s.
In case you’re wondering what HCT is like, think Frank Zappa meets Primus
meets Mr. Bungle meets Metallica meets Lamb of God
meets Soungarden meets etc etc
etc….
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9/8/05
"No More Games. No More Bombs. No More Walking. No More Fun. No More
Swimming. 67. That is 17 years past 50. 17 more than I needed or wanted.
Boring. I am always bitchy. No Fun -- for anybody. 67. You are getting Greedy.
Act your old age. Relax -- This won't hurt."
Hunter S. Thompson-R.I.P.
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On a lighter note:
These guys are presently my favorite metal band-from
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Some random blather:
Yep it’s hot (hot in
Meridith is feeling a bit better today. The chemo treatments have really been hard on
her but she has been bouncing back pretty well.
To all females reading this: GET A MAMMOGRAM!!!! And it doesn’t matter
if your young or old-cancer doesn’t always discriminate. A mammogram might save your life. And don’t
smoke.
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Some recent and semi-recent movies seen:
The
Solaris (original Russian version).
Very interesting film. A slow
film (at the beginning anyway). A bit like Kubrick in
some ways. Once it gets going it’s quite
good, but still probably not for everyone.
I was surprised by the quality of some FX work, and the set designs were
fantastic.
War of the Worlds. Aside from a few
parts that I thought were too drawn out, this movie scared the bejeezus out of me. Not for the aliens, but the scenes of
mass panic and chaos. I thought
Spielberg nailed that-and if you don’t believe me, look at some of what has happened
in
Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy. My bossses son, Dustin, took Meridith
and I to see this before we left
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Recent and semi-recent music:
Russian pop music. Sometimes I tune
in to the Russian language version of VOR and listen to the music they play. Very western influenced pop with a Russian
style to it. Fun stuff!
Children of Bodom (see above). These guys rule! I’m a big fan of musicians
who actually know how to play their instruments.
4U
(internet radio). Station that plays nothing
but guitar heroes. Brings back
memories. And makes me kick myself for
not practising more.
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8/24/05
Geez, where do I start?
Meridith and I are both in
