Tag: interview

This is my 3rd interview with Joe Strike and lets get into Furry Planet right away.
So tell us about the book

Joe Strike: Furry Planet picks up where Furry Nation left off. Like ‘Nation,’ It covers furry art, fursuits even adult furry, but from a different perspective than the first book

Furry Times: In other words a continuation of the world of furry and expanding on it.

JS: What I’m really proud of is Furry Planet” explores MAINSTREAM anthropomorphism – like “Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk,” Bojack, and so much more. It’s one of seveal chapters I wrote for Furry Nation there was just no room for in that volume.

FT: I wanted to ask what is your feeling about calling furries Mainstream.

JS: To me, it’s a continuum, not separate universes between the mainstream stuff and us furries. I truly, strongly believe that anthropomorphism – the desire to imagine non-human animals on a more equal footing with the human world is hard-wired into the human mind.

It’s expressed itself since the beginning of civilization, with folk tales, religious rituals, and celebrations all celebrating the non-human animal world.

It’s never gone away, but it mostly went “underground” in modern times, with cartoon & storybook animals, product & sports mascots…but we furs – imho – strongly feel that instinct to the point we created fursonas and wear fursuits to become those imaginary beings.

FT: Conventions where do you see them in the future, especially after MFF topping 15,000

JS: OK, now let’s see here… Oh yeah, they had over 15000 people? Well, once again Anthrocon’s back in second place attendance=wise

FT: Then there is Furry Weekend Atlanta who topped 10,000 this year

JS: but these growing attendance figures prove this instinct is returning to life Cool! I should do more conventions – my pubisher would certainly love it

FT: Furries want to have fun. Smaller cons are so much fun.

JS: Very – I love ANE & furthemore
I don’t care for MFF because it’s so sprawling. Anthrocon is great because it’s all packed into the DLL center, and I LOVE💖💖💖how much Pittsburgh loves us!

MFF isn’t in Chicago – it’s in “Rosemont,” out by the airport, so the city itself never gets to see us.
Sounds about right. I think the main thing i hate about MFF (aside from attending in 2022 in a wheelchair) is that endless hamster tube between the con hotel & the convention center
Narrow, crowded, overheated…and endless.

FT: Not exactly true, a lot of fursuiters hit Maggie Daley Park, the Bean when the Police allow it. Costume figures are normally banned. (A sad but true fact for Millennium Park in Chicago)

(Referring to The Skybridge at MFF)
JS: That doesn’t sound very safe

FT: All I know there was an ambulance called around 6 times

JS: Anyway, to talk a bit more about Furry Planet, it was great interviewing (&occasionally meeting) a lot of fascinating people, both in and out of the furry community.

FT: We are diverse

JS: And not all furs have sex in their suits while living in their parents’ basements
Have you had a chance to read the book? I tell a lot of their stories.

FT: I love The Book

JS: Like the guy who invented the heart rate monitor and owns about 50 suits

FT: One story I heard with that florida gov. bashed furries the IT furries who work for Florida cut his internet speed.

JS: like I said, it’s a continuum between us and them – they’re following the same instinct we are, even if they’re not aware of it to the degree we are I love it! Yep, I read the IT/tech world is basically run by furries.

FT: Living your life to make you happy

JS: I cannot help but agree

I’m so glad people like Stoddard are capturing this history. I’m a professional writer, been paid (to one degree or another) for my writing abilities since I left college…I’m a greymuzzle/baby-boomer who met all the first furries & interviewed them before they’re not around any more.
Anyway, I figured someone should capture this history and it seemed to me no one else was going to bother

Kevin Hile of Uncle Bear Publishing put me in contact with Tim Stoddard who wrote Furtannia: The History of the Furry Fandom in the United Kingdom. In a short time I discovered someone who was just as curious as I about the fandom

Furry Times: What made you write Furtannia: The History of the Furry Fandom in the United Kindgom?

Tim Stoddard: I had gotten interested in furry history when I was reading Furry Nation by Joe Strike.

One weekend I was on a road trip to BristolFurs with two friends of mine (TyphonFox and Ozzy), and I was reading Furry Nation to pass the time.

When they asked about what I was reading, I showed them the book. TyphonFox noticed the subtitle of the book was “The True Story of America’s Most Misunderstood Subculture” and asked something along the lines of “What about British Furries?”

I don’t think I had a good answer at the time, just excusing the book by saying British Furries were mentioned, but that question stuck in my mind during the BristolFurs meet, that almost all of the discussion around the history of the furry fandom is focused on America to the point where one of the most comprehensive books on the subject at the time defined the furry fandom as “America’s” fandom, not an international fandom.

The next day, I started reading what I could find about early UK Furries, eventually building up a timeline.

Then in late 2018, ConFuzzled announced it was opening event suggestions and I thought that someone should do a History of Furries style panel but for the UK, someone who knew about what the furry fandom was like in the eighties and nineties for Furries in the UK.

Moments later, another thought came into my head, “It’s gonna be me, is it?” Next thing I knew, I proposed the event, it got approved, and at ConFuzzled 2019 I was scheduled to talk about UK furry history.

I honestly didn’t think many people would watch it, the talk was scheduled at the same time the Dealer’s Den would open, but the seats filled up to the point some folks had to sit against the walls because there were no seats left. I only found out after my talk from one of the event staff that they counted over a hundred people sitting in my talk, so many that some people were standing just outside the door to listen.

I even had a few people come up to say I did great, one of them said something like “Someone should write this all down so it can be preserved”.

I agreed, and soon had the thought “It’s gonna be me, is it?”

In conclusion, the short answer to your question is that I knew early on that the furry fandom was more than just America, and I discovered there were several people who were interested in learning about the furry fandom’s history outside of America, and since I built up a knowledge base I felt I was the one to turn it into a book for people to read.

Furry Times: So is there a point where you can say the fandom started in the UK there?

Tim Stoddard: There have been furries in the UK for almost as long as there have been a furry fandom, thanks to imported comic books and British sci-fans able to travel to the USA.

While there was a furry hotel room party in Brighton during the 1987 World Science Fiction Convention, I’d say the UK furry fandom got its start in 1992 when Ian Curtis organised a furry housecon at his residence in Yateley, being host to British and American fans.

That housecon would become regular, and a few British furry artists made their own fanzines to compete with the American ones. The rest is, as they say, history.

Furry Times: In all your research have you ever come across something that totally surprised you?

Tim Stoddard: There have been a few, comments from one of the co-founders of Eurofurence being inspired by British housecons for instance.

I also didn’t realise how far back the story of ConFuzzled went before I researched and learned about the wider context. It wasn’t as straightforward as how ConFurence started, there had been multiple attempts to start a furry convention in the UK for years, all of them failed, so when a team got together and announced plans for a convention in Manchester, some people assumed it wouldn’t happen. Meanwhile in the present day, ConFuzzled 2023 happened earlier this year and 2661 people attended from around the world.

Furry Times: Are you planning more books?

Tim Stoddard: I have a few areas of research in mind. Writing about the media presence of furries for the book got me curious about expanding that research.

One of my friends joked that I should do one to cover furries across Europe, though that’s a much more enormous undertaking. The benefit of working on Furtannia was that I am a British furry. I used to post regularly on the UKFurForums. I’ve attended furmeets across the country and most of the UK conventions at least once. That background helped me know where to look. The idea of doing that again, but for multiple countries? That’d be like reaching the peak of Ben Nevis and being told next to climb the Matterhorn.

Furry Times: I like to know your feelings from a US Perspective Eurofurence is a heavy influencer some cons actually delayed announcing their dates.

Tim Stoddard: Oh yeah, I’m one of the organisers for Wild North, a small UK convention in September, so we keep an eye on Eurofurence’s date.
You sent

Furry Times: Is there anything you like to add?

Tim Stoddard: Well, I have a few stories from doing research.

Instead of just reading a scan of a magazine article, I went out of my way to the British Library to read the original magazines in full and get a broader context behind the articles themselves.

Turns out some of the magazines are really hard to come by and the British Library are serious with keeping them taken care of in their archives.

For one in particular, I was only allowed to read it in their “Rare Books” room, and even then the magazine issue was provided to me in a box, and I had to take it to a specific “restricted section” of the room so I could sit down and read it. It felt very weird knowing I was reading something very secure just for an article about furries back in the day.

Jennifer Carnivele does this great comic which she describes it: Well, it’s your typical run of the mill, girl goes out into the real world and tries to make it on her own, with her two roommates who drive her nuts and a colorful cast of supporting characters in a small Southern California town.

The Interview:

Furry Times (FT): The beginning is always the best place to start. When did you start to draw?

Jennifer Carnivele (JC): I started drawing when I was old enough to hold a pencil. I think I was maybe 2 when I first started doodling on the walls LOL!

FT: So when did you draw something recognizable?

JC: I think when I was 7 years old. I remember drawing Oliver and Company fanart.

FT: Was it Oliver that brought you to the furry fandom?

JC: I’m pretty sure I was born a furry LOL! Back in 2003. I was inspired by other furry webcomics of the time.

FT: There are some terrific ones out there. So what basic plot of your comic?

JC: Well, it’s your typical run of the mill, a girl goes out into the real world and tries to make it on her own, with her two roommates who drive her nuts and a colorful cast of supporting characters in a small Southern California town.

FT: Sounds wonderful

JC: Thank you 🙂

FT: Where can your comic be found?

JC: I post updates everywhere whenever a new page goes up. I have accounts on different sites, including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, DeviantArt. FurAffinity, InkBunny, Weazyl, SoFurry, and FurryNet. I do my best to really get it out there!

FT: Including this interview. Here is a sample of Simply Panda Jenn

Which also can be found at pandajenn.thecomicseries.com

AW: Let’s start at the beginning how did you get your start making fursuits?

Deadly Creations Fursuits or DCF: Well for starters I knew I couldn’t afford to get my own suit because I am only a high school student. So after creating my first fursona in early 2017 (after about a year in the furry fandom), I decided to try making my own fursuit. I was actually in my Ceramics class when I started so I used what I learned there and applied it into my very first suit: RadioActive 1.0

AW: So when made you decide you could make fursuits for others?

DCF: It was actually my closest furry friend who got me into beginning to take commissions. After seeing RadioActive she asked me if I could remake a suit for her. I only agreed because of her belief in me. Since then I have done a lot of repairs to both my own and her suits, even a few friends, and have gotten a handful of commissions too. Though no where close to the hundreds most bigger makers have gotten lol.

AW: Hey everyone has to start somewhere

DCF: Indeed ^^

AW: Just curious how do makers decide what to charge? and what piece takes the most time to make?

DCF: Yes most makers decide on a base price and then additional charges depending on complexity and species.

As far as what I’ve seen from what takes the longest; I would have to say probably the head. I have worked with both foam and resin heads and both take a good while to pattern and then transfer the pattern to fur. Then cutting and sewing. Some makers chose to work with shorter furs to make it easier on themselves while I chose to actually work with longer furs and shave them by hand. That adds on about an hour or two. Of course some suit heads require painting as well and that always adds on a few hours. Also the head has a lot of different curved and shapes that ends up leading into even more pieces to the pattern. So yes, the head is likely the one item to take the longest besides maybe the bodysuit.

AW: I know fursuits are a personal thing how do you make sure the customer gets the design they want?

DCF: Oh absolutely! The first thing I do it check with my customer is the pattern is correct once completed. I always sketch out the pattern first in either regular pencil or colored pencil and once approved by my customer then I move onto using sharpie to finalize the pattern.

AW: I know the one thing I hear at fur cons is getting the right size and shape to match their own bodies. How should someone do this? I know some have made duct tape replicas of themselves is there any special way you do this?

DCF: Well Duct tape dummies are really the best way to go about this. I personally prefer DTD myself as it ensures that the suit is fit to the customer since the DTD is an nearly exact replica of your own body. However to do not demand them especially if you have health conditions that keep you from being able to create the replica. In this case I have taken very precise measurements in order to fulfill the request. However if you are able to, please make a duct tape dummy, it will make any make anyone’s time making Fursuits much easier and will make the suit fit a lot better!

AW: I know fit is very important

DCF: Indeed it is

AW: Say once a deal is made how long does it take from the time the payment is sent to the customer gets their completed fursuit?

DCF: It depends on the suit. While I take discussed payment plans, I do not begin work until at least half is paid. The suit is then completed as soon as possible between classes and in my free time and completed upon full payment. I am then able to mail out once finished. Every suit is different but I would say a tail takes no more than a month at absolute most and heads can vary greatly depending on when materials get in and how much I must do on it.

AW: How about just a basic fursuit, nothing special?

DCF: Every fursuit is special that comes through my shop. No matter how basic; I will love it just as much as I love my own fursuit. Each character has a story, each story is unique, thus every single suit is unique and special here.
Here at Deadly Creations Fursuits we have a saying “Where Dead Things Come To Life” to us this means that we bring dreams to life. No matter what your dream is, big or small, I will fight to make it exactly as you imagined it with the best quality I can possibly produce. So even if you have a basic character don’t let that bring you down. If you love who you and your fursona are then nothing else matters but making that dream a reality. I would never turn away a character or suit just because it’s not a outrageously complex one.

AW: Good Answer.

Which strangely leads to my next question, how do you deal with impatient customers?

DCF:
Actually I have been lucky enough to not come across one yet since creating this business in late 2017. Being that I am a high school student I do require patients. In these circumstances and knowing this will happen to me sooner or later, I will ask that they be patient and if not, then I will discuss with them the idea of a partial refund. If they still wish for the suit to be finished then I will bring them a bit further up in the list in order to meet demand before things get it of hand. However if they are to be rude about it then it the suit may not appear publicly in photos posted by myself however quality will not lessen in any way or form.

I understand fully that in some cases I will be in most definite fault if a deadline is involved and I do not meet it. In those cases I will be more than happy to finish the suit and add a few gifts along with discussion with the customer as soon as that time comes.

AW: That’s actually nice of you

DCF: I try to be very customer friendly along with admitting to my mistakes. I have seen too many people lie to the world about their Fursuits and have left the suiter in tears

AW: Getting straight answers from the source is what I try to do

DCF: And that is what I will give you ^^

AW: In recent years there has been increased attendance at fur cons, in general, have you noticed increased business?

DCF: Yes I have definitely noticed and increase in interest. I often have people ask me not only about my work but some also ask what are good ways for making suits.

AW: I noticed on YouTube fursuit making videos get a lot of views

DCF: Yes, it is an interesting process that you can learn a lot by watching. Personally I learned by watching fursuit making videos and still enjoy watching them because I can always learn different methods and ways of shaving fur, making paws, heads, just about anything

You can contact Deadly Creations Fursuits

Twitter @DeadlyFursuits

Telegram @ AlexDeathWolf

Interview with Pawsry Owner/ Operator of International Furry Broadcasting Service (IFBS) who since FBN announced a possible merger has been all over social media.

AW: Could you tell me a little about yourself and how you got involved in the furry community?

IFBS: I’m currently a 17-year old student, and I love playing on the piano. I’m a big mascot fan too. I found this community thru mascots.

AW: May I ask what part of the world you are from?

IFBS: Singapore

AW: I am in Chicago so there is a bit of a time difference. What is the furry community like in Singapore?

IFBS: It’s quite nice, we sometimes do furmeets on a ad hoc basis. We are quite tight knit here.

AW: That is good to hear. Have you ever been to Furry Lah? Singapore’s Furry Convention?

IFBS: Nope. I joined the fandom last August. I’m set to attend this year’s furry convention, Little Island Fur Con, from June 8 to 9. Little Island Fur Con this year is inaugural, after 2 years of Singapore having no furry conventions.

AW: Thanks for the information.

I guess I should ask what is on everyone’s mind “What exactly is IFBS?”

IFBS: The IFBS, short for the International Furry Broadcasting Service, strives to be the world’s very furst furry-centred broadcasting service. Imagine a television station, but 100% furry.

As of now it’s just 2 video series in my YT channel bearing the IFBS’ name, IFBS The Furry Show, a furry-oriented talk show, and IFBS The Furry Report, IFBS’ flagship news programme on the latest from the furry fandom.

AW: Very ambitious

IFBS: Yes

They proposed a merger between the IFBS and the FBN

Should both sides merge, the IFBS will be focusing on furry news and content, while the FBN focus on furry music.

AW: Interesting. Any Future plans?

IFBS: For the IFBS

AW: Whatever you want to talk about

IFBS: I’ll begin making my own fursuit soon, and also I possibly will plan to go to fur-ther furry conventions next year

AW: It was nice talking to you.

IFBS: This Sunday (in Singapore) after the verdict, should both the IFBS and FBN merge, both sides will discuss about what’s going to happen, to restructure the FBN, or keep things same or something

They maybe would implement a reporter (correspondent?) system after the merger which is something to look forward to (that is if the merger is confurmed)

IFBS on Twitter

IFBS on YouTube