I got back from Stuttgart, still coughing (albeit less), and slept for about 2 days. Now I’m slogging through my backed-up emails and figuring out what to do next. I looks like I’ll be touring the Eastern Hemisphere most of June and July, and sub-letting my Hell’s Kitchen apartment. Interested parties please get in touch - the apartment comes with my cat Bruno, who needs daily food and love.

You’d think I’d be all overjoyed about this, but actually I’m stressed and confused. Will Sita get a distribution deal? Will it win an award? Awards drive me crazy - I always want one, “for the sake of the film,” I tell myself, but surely it’s for my ego. Press too is like coke, I always want more; google blogsearch is becoming a compulsion. I compare Sita’s progress with other films, which can’t be good. I’d like to detach from all this, but what about the festivals? This is my big chance to attend film festivals, it’s not like I can postpone them all until next year. But film festivals are orgies of comparison: who’s getting the most press? the best reviews? whose shows are selling out first? who’s getting the award? These are enemies of the Muse, and I’m not sufficiently mature to maintain my equilibrium in their midst.

Also, I am out of money and racking up expenses like you wouldn’t believe. Take “film festival rights”: publishers charge at least $500 a song just to play the film at festivals - and I don’t get money at festivals, I spend money to make the prints and stuff. I’m spending money I don’t have to get the film out there, and although something always works out, I have no idea how I’m going to pay for French subtitles (the “honor” of attending the Annecy Animation Festival is costing me over $5,000), or legal fees, or rent. Someday the film could bring money in, but I’m not sure how I’m going to make it to that day, if it ever comes.

What a whiney post this has turned out to be. On the brighter side, I’ll post next about all the sweeet reviews Sita got at Tribeca, with tasty little quotes selected by Publicity Bitch herself. But I am not Publicity Bitch. I am a servant of the Muse who is losing her way.

I do! Do you?

Apparently an American distributor rejected Sita Sings the Blues because, culturally, “it only relates to a tiny slice of the world.”

loud thumping techno music will be banned. Also all food will be eaten sitting down, not standing in a crowded room off a teensy disposable plate held in one hand and a drink in the other.

Other than that, I’m having a great time at Tribeca!

Do you like filling in forms? Do you like putting things in envelopes? Do you like going to the post office? How about running errands? All for no money!

If this sounds like your dream job, I need someone to come to my unglamorous Manhattan studio once a week and do all of the above. You can probably get college credit for it. And learn something? Apply here.

above: just some of the mess you could help clean up!

Please stop making so many films about breeding.

Love,

–Nina

I could only resist Facebook for so long. My shiny new Facebook page is here, and there’s a Sita Sings the Blues group here. Lots of photos! Go crazy, social networkers!

In sadder news, I also reluctantly registered on MySpace, the ugliest, worst-designed, least-navigable, skankiest hivemind on the ‘net, because some friends still insist on using it. Feh.

I recently met a film producer who, after congratulating me on Sita’s admission to Berlin, patiently explained that I’m a “shiny little fish about to enter a shark tank.” I’ve long avoided thinking about the real business side of my feature film endeavor, but suddenly I’m paying attention.

Which calls to mind this audio clip. Sound Designer Greg Sextro recorded numerous improvised conversations for the ironic “Intermission” scene. Some of these are very clever; some take advantage of Indian accents; and one is even in Hindi. But I’m thinking of this one, where Will Franken channels a Hollywood executive discussing the film’s sales potential, or lack thereof. Enjoy.

One of the most frequent questions I hear about Sita Sings the Blues - from desis, no less - is “Who is that red dude on the goat? Is that Satan?”

This is Agni, people. The Vedic god of fire! God of priests and Priest of Gods! I know he’s not worshipped much these days, but he was a big deal back in Valmiki’s time. When Sita enters the fire, Agni carries her right back out, unscathed.

Agni’s vehicle is the ram. I screwed up by putting him on a male goat, rather than a male sheep, which I learned is what a ram is while researching this post. Oops. Although he’s sometimes depicted riding a chariot pulled by goats, so it’s sort of a compromise. But he’s still Agni. He’s got two heads, one for the creative, useful power of fire and one for its out-of-control destructiveness. He’s got multiple arms. He’s red.

He’s Agni.

to Resist Christmas! “No Shopping, No Presents, NO GUILT.” Also visit the Christmas Resistance Blog.

Go see this movie. If you’re in New York, you can catch it at Cinema Village this week. If you’re not in New York, ask your local rep house to get it.

Go! I’m not just saying this because I grew up in corn country.

I’m almost finished animating Sita Sings the Blues. I haven’t been posting images of the latest scenes, based on my own misadventures in love, so here’s one for ya. It depicts “Nina” months after being dumped by her husband by email, while similar events are analyzed by a shadow puppet voiced by Manish Acharya. Because the film is now 80 minutes long, I am omitting a song. I was going to have a composer sweeten it up and make it more pop-y, but I kind of like it as is (I “made” it myself! Thanks iTunes and Audio Hijack Pro!). It is about what everyone asks compulsively when their love fails. You won’t hear it in the film, it’s a ninapaley.com exclusive!

Astute reader/luncher Andrew directs our attention to this very interesting BBC series, The Trap:

Above is episode two; see also episodes one and three.

A new feature in which I recommend the work and websites of people who buy me dinner. Today’s entry: Mike Caprio!

Mike Caprio is the Bon Vivant of Brooklyn. But he’s no slouch in Manhattan either, since he suggested our Eats take place at Casellula. There we discussed the importance of combining the flavors of the accouterements plated with the cheese, whether my dislike of booze and grapefruit could be due to supertasting, geeks we know in common, why Denmark is cool, and of course my favorite subject, how the world is going to Hell in a handbasket. Clearly, the man is an expert on food, entertainment, and enjoying life’s pleasures before we’re all plunged into an apocalyptic dystopia. Be sure to check out his blog!

Would YOU like to be featured in Eats for Endorsement? Then buy me dinner. My email address is at the bottom of the middle column, the one with the pictures linking to my movies and cartoons and stuff.