Ryan Estrada

Ryan Estrada @ryanestrada.com [ View ] Jul 06, 2024 at 11:22 UTC

Liberty Mutual and the New England Patriots are on notice. Seriously though, Florida Freedom to Read Project and Texas Freedom to Read are great.

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Ryan Estrada @ryanestrada.com [ View ] Jul 06, 2024 at 06:48 UTC

Hopefully having this separate, avoidable event gets this out of everyone's systems before they consider adding it to BIFF.

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Ryan Estrada @ryanestrada.com [ View ] Jul 06, 2024 at 06:19 UTC

Hey, remember how librarians and I were warning everyone that mass book-banning is just step one of a fascist government takeover? Well, some of the same book-banning orgs we warned you about are on the advisory board for Project 2025, whose leader calls it a "second American Revolution.”

4 replies 140 reposts 262 likes

Ryan Estrada @ryanestrada.com [ View ] Jul 06, 2024 at 06:06 UTC

Oh god, I had not even seen the ID film. So you cant watch ANYTHING at the festival without having to watch this garbage where AI tells you how good AI is. So much reputational damage for something so ugly and uninspired.

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Ryan Estrada @ryanestrada.com [ View ] Jul 06, 2024 at 04:38 UTC

"AI allows us to focus on the creativity of our films." (Cut to scene that looks like you put a melted halloween window cling through an ugly filter)

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Ryan Estrada @ryanestrada.com [ View ] Jul 06, 2024 at 04:29 UTC

I first went in 2002. I feel betrayed. Lord, if Busan International Film Festival (the one across the street from my house) follows suit, I will be heartbroken.

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Ryan Estrada @ryanestrada.com [ View ] Jul 06, 2024 at 03:47 UTC

Oh god, these American AI startup weirdos clearly exported these "films" specifically for this event and told the prompt window to make the characters Korean. And it is.... not racially sensitive. Just melty stereotypical faces with inexplicable Vietnamese cone hats.

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Ryan Estrada @ryanestrada.com [ View ] Jul 06, 2024 at 03:42 UTC

Then an interview with the exact startup CEO with a hipster mustache, hornrims and hoodie you imagine talking about how they are flying him in to "Boocheeyawn" to teach Korea how important AI is. He's not only too lazy to make a real movie, but to even try to pronounce the city/festival name right.

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Ryan Estrada @ryanestrada.com [ View ] Jul 06, 2024 at 03:39 UTC

I'm not going to link to the video, but it breathlessly takes us through film, sound, color, and 3D and then presents AI as the next evolution in film. It then immediately cuts to the ugliest, most cliché hot garbage "AI film" clips I've ever seen.

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Ryan Estrada @ryanestrada.com [ View ] Jul 06, 2024 at 03:36 UTC

One of my favorite film festivals in the world used to be Bucheon Fantastic Film Festival. It really supported indie filmmakers making weird, personal movies. It is happening right now. This year, the theme is AI filmmaking. The poster was prompted. I am not there, and never will be again.

3 replies 8 reposts 26 likes

Ryan Estrada @ryanestrada.com [ View ] Jul 05, 2024 at 23:49 UTC

Since social media has declined, I focus on doing around ten virtual library/school/book club/podcast visits per week to reach readers!

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Ryan Estrada @ryanestrada.com [ View ] Jul 05, 2024 at 08:09 UTC

I remember attending Comic-Cons with t-shirts of Welton Colbert saying horribly rude things about webcomics, and since you and the 3 other people in the building who knew who he was reacted, I thought it was fine. Thinking back, how many people just assumed I was some webcomic hating a-hole?

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Ryan Estrada @ryanestrada.com [ View ] Jul 05, 2024 at 07:54 UTC

A sample quote: "Back in my day we didn't have your fancy awards and Eisners. We had a guy down the street named Steel Toed Stan! If old Stanny didn't like your comic, he'd kick you in the balls! The better comics you made, the less often you got kicked in the balls, and you were proud!"

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Ryan Estrada @ryanestrada.com [ View ] Jul 05, 2024 at 07:50 UTC

Welton Colbert was an imaginary 96 year old retired cartoonist who did webcomic reviews despite hating every comic and never spending more than one panel remembering what he was actually supposed to be talking about.

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Ryan Estrada @ryanestrada.com [ View ] Jul 05, 2024 at 07:46 UTC

(yes, I'm aware that no one knows who this is. Even I don't have copies of any of those long-gone comics, and that ten pixel wide jpeg from a later reboot is the best image I could find by Googling him.)

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Ryan Estrada @ryanestrada.com [ View ] Jul 05, 2024 at 07:42 UTC

So many creators are bringing back their beloved characters from decades past for new stories! I'm sure many are wondering where the lovable old crank cartoonist from my early aughts webcomic Welton Colbert is now. Well, wonder no longer! He's dead.

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Ryan Estrada @ryanestrada.com [ View ] Jul 05, 2024 at 02:48 UTC

The people they're yelling at to get in line behind a campaign? If they care enough to critique, they'll vote for the least evil candidates in November. But it's not November yet, so maybe we can try to improve society somewhat before then? Maybe the people who want votes could help?

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Ryan Estrada @ryanestrada.com [ View ] Jul 05, 2024 at 01:11 UTC

Dear politicians: If you want us to give you more power, show us what you would do with it. Try to pass laws that would make positive change. Who cares if it will never pass? Let us see you try, and see who stops you. That is how you get passionate voters.

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Ryan Estrada @ryanestrada.com [ View ] Jul 05, 2024 at 00:15 UTC

Wait. AOC turns 35 twenty-two days before the election. WHY is she not an option????

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Ryan Estrada @ryanestrada.com [ View ] Jul 04, 2024 at 12:05 UTC

A few year ago, Booklist asked me to make a little comic about why I love libraries. This is what I made! I was so excited to visit my childhood librarians and show them how much they meant to me. One of them was still there and said "Wow, this is great but I don't remember you AT ALL."

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Ryan Estrada @ryanestrada.com [ View ] Jul 02, 2024 at 23:18 UTC

This is in Idaho. This is beyond book banning. This is like the dystopian books they want to ban.

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