1. Nocturnal Emissions.

    Brooklyn-based musician Shilpa Ray has a lot to say about politics in America — an attitude reflected by her songs, which draw on contemporary social and political issues for inspiration and rock out in the face of hypocrisy, peer pressure, and casual ignorance.

    Something Shilpa Ray doesn’t have a lot of? Funds. So she turned to Kickstarter to make a music video inspired by the recent controversy over US Senate candidate Todd Akin’s remarks on rape. Yesterday, Ray launched the video into the world, bringing a touch of black humor to a serious debate.

  2. The first animated feature from beloved indie auteur Charlie Kaufman (Being John Malkovich, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind), Anomalisa follows the story of a man who has become crippled by the mundanity of his everyday life. Produced in conjunction with Dan Harmon, the creator of Community, and animation studio Starburn Industries, the team will bring their unique world to life outside the Hollywood studio system, and true to Kaufman’s original vision. As the project winds down — 50 hours left as of this posting! — we’re having our own vision of it as our Project of the Day.

    The first animated feature from beloved indie auteur Charlie Kaufman (Being John Malkovich, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind), Anomalisa follows the story of a man who has become crippled by the mundanity of his everyday life. Produced in conjunction with Dan Harmon, the creator of Community, and animation studio Starburn Industries, the team will bring their unique world to life outside the Hollywood studio system, and true to Kaufman’s original vision. As the project winds down — 50 hours left as of this posting! — we’re having our own vision of it as our Project of the Day.

  4. Blue Ruin is a feature length film about a beach bum who sets off for his childhood home on a mission for vengeance, but finds himself in a brutal fight to protect his estranged family after proving to be a fairly inept assassin. Director Jeremy Saulnier doesn’t want to give away the whole plot, though — he just wants to tell a great story! Since we like stories (not to mention beach bums, action, laughs, and cinematic gore) we’ve made him our Project of the Day.

    Blue Ruin is a feature length film about a beach bum who sets off for his childhood home on a mission for vengeance, but finds himself in a brutal fight to protect his estranged family after proving to be a fairly inept assassin. Director Jeremy Saulnier doesn’t want to give away the whole plot, though — he just wants to tell a great story! Since we like stories (not to mention beach bums, action, laughs, and cinematic gore) we’ve made him our Project of the Day.

  6. The Tabletop Moviemaking Studio is an all-in-one-kit that’s engineered to snap into a real deal, miniature movie theater. It contains LED lights, settings, props, characters, and a stand for your smartphone or tablet, so that you won’t miss a minute of the DIY action. And for all the amateur auteurs out there, creator Brick Maier has devised hours of online tutorials teaching you every tip, trick, light, camera, and action. Cool, huh? It’s also guest starring as our Project of the Day.

  7. Documentary project Big Boys Gone Bananas is set to premiere in New York City this week, with a slew of screenings + Q&As at the Quad Cinema. Starting tonight, the film will screen daily through July 30, with guest speakers that include notables like Joe Berlinger, Morgan Spurlock, Ondi Timoner, Lucy Walker, plus the filmmaker himself, Fredrik Gertten. Full deets are available here. Watch the trailer here. (And check their original Kickstarter project here.)

    Documentary project Big Boys Gone Bananas is set to premiere in New York City this week, with a slew of screenings + Q&As at the Quad Cinema. Starting tonight, the film will screen daily through July 30, with guest speakers that include notables like Joe Berlinger, Morgan Spurlock, Ondi Timoner, Lucy Walker, plus the filmmaker himself, Fredrik Gertten.

    Full deets are available here. Watch the trailer here. (And check their original Kickstarter project here.)

  8. Claressa Shields is pretty much your normal 17 year-old girl. She likes Twitter, she likes boys, and she takes the bus to school. Except, unlike most 17 year-old’s, she also happens to be the youngest woman ever to box in the Olympics. Yup. It all started six years ago, when her Dad took her to a local boxing gym, and she said she wanted to box. Even though he said “Hell no” she went ahead with it, and now she’s become an official member of USA Boxing Team and been named “Most Outstanding Boxer” at the Olympic Trials. That’s a pretty mind-blowing trajectory. It’s also the subject of the documentary T. Rex, our Project of the Day. Check it out.

    Claressa Shields is pretty much your normal 17 year-old girl. She likes Twitter, she likes boys, and she takes the bus to school. Except, unlike most 17 year-old’s, she also happens to be the youngest woman ever to box in the Olympics. Yup. It all started six years ago, when her Dad took her to a local boxing gym, and she said she wanted to box. Even though he said “Hell no” she went ahead with it, and now she’s become an official member of USA Boxing Team and been named “Most Outstanding Boxer” at the Olympic Trials. That’s a pretty mind-blowing trajectory. It’s also the subject of the documentary T. Rex, our Project of the Day. Check it out.

  9. Stand Clear of the Closing Doors is the story of a 13-year-old, undocumented Mexican-American boy named Ricky living on the fringes of New York City with his family. Having been diagnosed with Autism, Ricky channels his unique inner world into fantastical works of art, creating an imaginative life for himself at times when reality is difficult to cope with. Then, one day in late October, he runs away — becoming lost in the NYC subway system for eleven days. The film follows Ricky on an odyssey of self-discovery throughout that time. We’re following it as our Project of the Day.

    Stand Clear of the Closing Doors is the story of a 13-year-old, undocumented Mexican-American boy named Ricky living on the fringes of New York City with his family. Having been diagnosed with Autism, Ricky channels his unique inner world into fantastical works of art, creating an imaginative life for himself at times when reality is difficult to cope with. Then, one day in late October, he runs away — becoming lost in the NYC subway system for eleven days. The film follows Ricky on an odyssey of self-discovery throughout that time. We’re following it as our Project of the Day.

  10. Space Command is a series of new, original feature films created by some of today’s top names in science-fiction, like Star Trek writer Marc Zicree and Battlestar Galactica FX artist Doug Drexler. Inspired by the great sci-fi of our cultural heyday (stuff like The Twilight Zone and Forbidden Planet), the series will be inspired by the sense of “wonder and possibility” that these shows brought to our television sets. Their goal is to recreate “a legacy of vivid, optimistic science fiction, offering tales of hope instead of repair.” Well, today we’re feeling rather optimistic! And they’re feeling like our Project of the Day.

    Space Command is a series of new, original feature films created by some of today’s top names in science-fiction, like Star Trek writer Marc Zicree and Battlestar Galactica FX artist Doug Drexler. Inspired by the great sci-fi of our cultural heyday (stuff like The Twilight Zone and Forbidden Planet), the series will be inspired by the sense of “wonder and possibility” that these shows brought to our television sets. Their goal is to recreate “a legacy of vivid, optimistic science fiction, offering tales of hope instead of repair.” Well, today we’re feeling rather optimistic! And they’re feeling like our Project of the Day.

  11. What happens when you combine summer with bikes and a love of awesome ’80s movies? According to the Bike-In-Theater, “a damn fine summer evening.” The free, pop-up movie theater launched last July with a night that saw hundreds of riders crowding the Brooklyn waterfront, munching on snacks provided by a local supper club and watching awesome movies, but they want to take it even further! This summer, they’ll host events in both NYC and San Francisco, and they’re even offering backers patented Bike-In-Theater home kits. Better check your local listings — a Bike-In could be coming soon to a driveway near you! Visit their project page for more.

    What happens when you combine summer with bikes and a love of awesome ’80s movies? According to the Bike-In-Theater, “a damn fine summer evening.” The free, pop-up movie theater launched last July with a night that saw hundreds of riders crowding the Brooklyn waterfront, munching on snacks provided by a local supper club and watching awesome movies, but they want to take it even further! This summer, they’ll host events in both NYC and San Francisco, and they’re even offering backers patented Bike-In-Theater home kits. Better check your local listings — a Bike-In could be coming soon to a driveway near you! Visit their project page for more.

  12. War Is Hevetica is a short animated film about two typefaces (Arial and Helvetica) that come alive late one night in a typography studio, print weapons for themselves, and go to war. Inspired by the infamous — and very real — dispute between typography fans about which font is better, the end result will be something crazy, unexpected, and “really fun for everyone.” It will also be our Project of the Day. Naturally!

    War Is Hevetica is a short animated film about two typefaces (Arial and Helvetica) that come alive late one night in a typography studio, print weapons for themselves, and go to war. Inspired by the infamous — and very real — dispute between typography fans about which font is better, the end result will be something crazy, unexpected, and “really fun for everyone.” It will also be our Project of the Day. Naturally!

  13. Joel Schroeder is on a quest to find Bill Watterson, creator of the iconic comic strip Calvin & Hobbes. Except, instead of literally seeking communion with the notoriously reclusive artist, he’s exploring how this beloved, supposedly simple comic had such a profound impact on its readers throughout the decades it was published. More than a documentary, Dear Mr. Watterson is a love letter to imagination, youth, and the pet stuffed tigers that help us hold onto both. It’s also our Project of the Day.

    Joel Schroeder is on a quest to find Bill Watterson, creator of the iconic comic strip Calvin & Hobbes. Except, instead of literally seeking communion with the notoriously reclusive artist, he’s exploring how this beloved, supposedly simple comic had such a profound impact on its readers throughout the decades it was published. More than a documentary, Dear Mr. Watterson is a love letter to imagination, youth, and the pet stuffed tigers that help us hold onto both. It’s also our Project of the Day.

  14. Wayne White began his career as a cartoonist in New York City, but quickly rose to success on the tidal wave of a little show he helped create: Pee-wee’s Playhouse. From there, he went on to design some of the most arresting and iconic images in pop culture, even migrating into fine art with his pithy word paintings. Beauty is Embarrassing is a documentary that unwinds this unusual, often hilarious story, exploring how Wayne worked to balance his personal and artistic life while still maintaing his own sense of self. While the finished production has been playing to rave reviews at film festivals all over the country (often inspiring audience members to tears), we felt inspired to make it our Project of the Day.

    Wayne White began his career as a cartoonist in New York City, but quickly rose to success on the tidal wave of a little show he helped create: Pee-wee’s Playhouse. From there, he went on to design some of the most arresting and iconic images in pop culture, even migrating into fine art with his pithy word paintings. Beauty is Embarrassing is a documentary that unwinds this unusual, often hilarious story, exploring how Wayne worked to balance his personal and artistic life while still maintaing his own sense of self. While the finished production has been playing to rave reviews at film festivals all over the country (often inspiring audience members to tears), we felt inspired to make it our Project of the Day.

  15. How did you meet Dock Ellis? Legendary skate photographer Glen E. Friedman, who is providing creative guidance for the documentary No No, sheds some light on how a politically active, vegan artist known to shun intoxicants came to regard baseball player Dock Ellis as a personal hero. It’s an amazing story — and just one in a series the documentary is sharing via their project updates throughout the course of their project. Check out the project page for more (and you can still back if you want to follow along).

    How did you meet Dock Ellis? Legendary skate photographer Glen E. Friedman, who is providing creative guidance for the documentary No No, sheds some light on how a politically active, vegan artist known to shun intoxicants came to regard baseball player Dock Ellis as a personal hero. It’s an amazing story — and just one in a series the documentary is sharing via their project updates throughout the course of their project. Check out the project page for more (and you can still back if you want to follow along).