David Firth
Encyclopedia
David Firth is an English
animator, video artist, amateur filmmaker, and musician. As a cartoonist Firth's work is largely distributed via the Internet
(most notably the popular Adobe Flash
animation website
Newgrounds
, as well as his own personal sites). Several of his various works in cartoon
Flash animation, as well as his multiple music video
s and works of video art
have garnered large followings, and include some of the most acclaimed video series online.
Notable animation sequences from Firth include Salad Fingers
, as well as the comedic Burnt Face Man series. A number of Firth's works have been featured on the BBC
in the UK, and the BBC has hired Firth on several occasions to work on TV programs and commercials. He also created a flash-series called "Jerry Jackson", which can both be viewed on Newgrounds and his own site, in which a cartoon character ironically pretends to be "a professional animator", even though the animation is intentionally poorly animated. Jerry jackson was also based on the people that would write badly written, hate comments on his videos, as he would read them, he imagined that they spoke like Jerry Jackson.
Firth also created Men from Up the Stairs
.
Firth's work often contains a large amount of vulgar language and dark imagery and tends to explore topics of a disturbing or surreal nature, such as depression
and mental illness
, but has stated it is not his intention to upset or offend, it just turns out that way. He also wrote and animated his Sock series based on his own dreams. Some of his work may be described as dark humour
, while much of it is simply experimental, using many different styles.
Firth is a fan of Aphex Twin
, and has used references such as the song "Milkman" in a cartoon also titled "Milkman". Also, in the cartoon "Scribbler", an Aphex Twin poster can be seen. Firth has also used music by Aphex Twin in his more experimental, stop-motion films.
In addition to several broadcasts of "Devvo," David Firth has submitted short films for "Charlie Brooker's Screenwipe
", televised on BBC Four
.
Firth composes electronic music under the pseudonym of Locust Toybox. He is currently working on his first animated feature film, currently titled "The Meadow Man". Firth believes the title will eventually change, though has said that for now it is the official title, as well as more of his small cartoons, such as another Health Reminder.
. In 2004, Firth started work on episode 4, but about a quarter-way-through, aborted the project. The characters Freddie, Dane, Spider and Lazy Lemon have since re-appeared in The World Within A Sock, a short series produced by Fat-Pie for Charlie Brooker's Screenwipe
.
Comedy website, including his Musical Predictions 2009 and a five part series about a character called Jerry Jackson in 2009, a character sometimes believed to be an actual person, but stated on Charlie Brooker's Screenwipe
as being an alter-ego of Firth. An earlier short of Jerry Jackson made outside of the BBC about Linkin Park
also gained the attention of the band themselves. In 2010 he created a new series based around a new character called Drillbithead.
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
animator, video artist, amateur filmmaker, and musician. As a cartoonist Firth's work is largely distributed via the Internet
Internet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
(most notably the popular Adobe Flash
Adobe Flash
Adobe Flash is a multimedia platform used to add animation, video, and interactivity to web pages. Flash is frequently used for advertisements, games and flash animations for broadcast...
animation website
Website
A website, also written as Web site, web site, or simply site, is a collection of related web pages containing images, videos or other digital assets. A website is hosted on at least one web server, accessible via a network such as the Internet or a private local area network through an Internet...
Newgrounds
Newgrounds
Newgrounds is an American entertainment and social media website. Founded on July 6, 1995 by Tom Fulp, the site primarily hosts Adobe Flash animations and games, but also features a music-oriented page, along with an art portal...
, as well as his own personal sites). Several of his various works in cartoon
Cartoon
A cartoon is a form of two-dimensional illustrated visual art. While the specific definition has changed over time, modern usage refers to a typically non-realistic or semi-realistic drawing or painting intended for satire, caricature, or humor, or to the artistic style of such works...
Flash animation, as well as his multiple music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
s and works of video art
Video art
Video art is a type of art which relies on moving pictures and comprises video and/or audio data. . Video art came into existence during the 1960s and 1970s, is still widely practiced and has given rise to the widespread use of video installations...
have garnered large followings, and include some of the most acclaimed video series online.
Notable animation sequences from Firth include Salad Fingers
Salad Fingers
Salad Fingers is a post-apocalyptic psychological horror Flash cartoon series originally created by British cartoonist David Firth in July 2004 which gained rapid internet popularity in 2005...
, as well as the comedic Burnt Face Man series. A number of Firth's works have been featured on the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
in the UK, and the BBC has hired Firth on several occasions to work on TV programs and commercials. He also created a flash-series called "Jerry Jackson", which can both be viewed on Newgrounds and his own site, in which a cartoon character ironically pretends to be "a professional animator", even though the animation is intentionally poorly animated. Jerry jackson was also based on the people that would write badly written, hate comments on his videos, as he would read them, he imagined that they spoke like Jerry Jackson.
Firth also created Men from Up the Stairs
Men From Up The Stairs
Men from Up the Stairs is a 2006 Flash animation created by David Firth. It features surreal music by Marcus Fjellström. Its true meaning has been debated on Internet forums since its creation, much like Salad Fingers.-Plot:...
.
Firth's work often contains a large amount of vulgar language and dark imagery and tends to explore topics of a disturbing or surreal nature, such as depression
Depression (mood)
Depression is a state of low mood and aversion to activity that can affect a person's thoughts, behaviour, feelings and physical well-being. Depressed people may feel sad, anxious, empty, hopeless, helpless, worthless, guilty, irritable, or restless...
and mental illness
Mental illness
A mental disorder or mental illness is a psychological or behavioral pattern generally associated with subjective distress or disability that occurs in an individual, and which is not a part of normal development or culture. Such a disorder may consist of a combination of affective, behavioural,...
, but has stated it is not his intention to upset or offend, it just turns out that way. He also wrote and animated his Sock series based on his own dreams. Some of his work may be described as dark humour
Black comedy
A black comedy, or dark comedy, is a comic work that employs black humor or gallows humor. The definition of black humor is problematic; it has been argued that it corresponds to the earlier concept of gallows humor; and that, as humor has been defined since Freud as a comedic act that anesthetizes...
, while much of it is simply experimental, using many different styles.
Firth is a fan of Aphex Twin
Aphex Twin
Richard David James , best known under the pseudonym Aphex Twin, is an Irish-born electronic musician and composer described as "the most inventive and influential figure in contemporary electronic music"...
, and has used references such as the song "Milkman" in a cartoon also titled "Milkman". Also, in the cartoon "Scribbler", an Aphex Twin poster can be seen. Firth has also used music by Aphex Twin in his more experimental, stop-motion films.
In addition to several broadcasts of "Devvo," David Firth has submitted short films for "Charlie Brooker's Screenwipe
Charlie Brooker's Screenwipe
Charlie Brooker's Screenwipe is a British television review programme broadcast on BBC Four by Charlie Brooker. The programme contains reviews of current shows, as well as stories and commentary on how television is produced.-Format:...
", televised on BBC Four
BBC Four
BBC Four is a British television network operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation and available to digital television viewers on Freeview, IPTV, satellite and cable....
.
Firth composes electronic music under the pseudonym of Locust Toybox. He is currently working on his first animated feature film, currently titled "The Meadow Man". Firth believes the title will eventually change, though has said that for now it is the official title, as well as more of his small cartoons, such as another Health Reminder.
Fat Pie episodes
Before his Salad Fingers debut, Firth worked on online episodes of the 'Fat-Pie' series, which follows the surreal misadventures of Jim and his friends. Three full episodes were made , each one lasting roughly 15 minutes long and have plots based on the rise of a craze or theme. Unlike Firth's later work, the animation was produced using Macromedia Director and TVPaintTVPaint
TVP Animation is a 2D, bitmap-based digital animation software package, developed and distributed by TVPaint Developpement ....
. In 2004, Firth started work on episode 4, but about a quarter-way-through, aborted the project. The characters Freddie, Dane, Spider and Lazy Lemon have since re-appeared in The World Within A Sock, a short series produced by Fat-Pie for Charlie Brooker's Screenwipe
Charlie Brooker's Screenwipe
Charlie Brooker's Screenwipe is a British television review programme broadcast on BBC Four by Charlie Brooker. The programme contains reviews of current shows, as well as stories and commentary on how television is produced.-Format:...
.
Work with the BBC
Firth has also produced several animations for the BBCBBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
Comedy website, including his Musical Predictions 2009 and a five part series about a character called Jerry Jackson in 2009, a character sometimes believed to be an actual person, but stated on Charlie Brooker's Screenwipe
Charlie Brooker's Screenwipe
Charlie Brooker's Screenwipe is a British television review programme broadcast on BBC Four by Charlie Brooker. The programme contains reviews of current shows, as well as stories and commentary on how television is produced.-Format:...
as being an alter-ego of Firth. An earlier short of Jerry Jackson made outside of the BBC about Linkin Park
Linkin Park
Linkin Park is an American rock band from Agoura Hills, California. Formed in 1996, the band rose to international fame with their debut album, Hybrid Theory, which was certified Diamond by the RIAA in 2005 and multi-platinum in several other countries...
also gained the attention of the band themselves. In 2010 he created a new series based around a new character called Drillbithead.
External links
- Fat-Pie.com David Firth's website hosting a complete collection of his works
- Interview with David Firth at Personal Halfquake
- BBC Comedy - David Firth animations