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How Furries Have Found A Place In The Second Life Community
- Introduction
- What Is Second Life?
- Why Is Second Life So Great For Furries?
- Aren’t There Alternatives To Second Life?
- Is Second Life Still Popular?
- Is It Safe From Trolls & Raiding
- Conclusion
Introduction
If you aren’t already aware, furries are subject to quite a bit of hate on the internet and it can often be difficult as a furry to find a safe space to talk to other furries without the sneaking suspicion that someone is waiting to harass you. However, one community for the past two decades has been providing a safe haven for furries looking to meet other furries and it’s known as Second Life.
In this article, we speak to Keenan Linden, a member of the furry sub-community within Second Life for the past 16 years, for a better insight into how it all works.
What Is Second Life?In its most simple form, Second Life is a multi-media platform that allows users to create an avatar and interact with other users and user-created content within the world. It was initially designed in the early 2000s as a means of completely immersing people in a virtual world. You have to remember that this was at a time when playing things online or even interacting with people online was significantly less of a commodity than it is today. The reason the term “game” isn’t often used to describe it is that it doesn’t really have any objective. Many people liken it to MMORPGs (massively multiplayer online role-playing games) but Linden Labs themselves (the creators of the software) insist that it is not a game and that “there is no manufactured conflict, no set objective”. It was created with the sole intention of allowing users to personalize an avatar and interact with people within the world as said avatar. So, let’s see why this is such a useful tool for the furry community.
Screenshot of Second Life
Image via IEEE Spectrum
Why Is Second Life So Great For Furries?When asked what some of the benefits are of Second Life for a furry Keenan explained that “Second Life has a robust set of tools for customizing how you look within the virtual world. This is critical for me as a furry as it lets me be whatever I wish to be”. As you might already know, personalization is something that is super important to the furry community. A lot of the foundation of the furry community is built on individuality whether that be through fursonas or fursuits etc. Keenan goes on to explain that “… you don’t have to start from scratch. There are plenty of furry bodies and heads that can be customized”. Another thing that makes Second Life so appealing to the furry community is its emphasis on easy customization. When one of the core mechanics of the software is designing your avatar you could probably imagine that it has to work pretty smoothly and this is what lends the platform so well to the furry community. It doesn’t just allow furries to customize themselves as they want, but it allows them to do it intuitively.
We asked Keenan what made the customisation so much better than other platforms similar to Second Life and he explained that “Second Life’s marketplace and built-in 3D modeling tools allow you to quickly tweak and customize yourself in-world”.
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Build my fursuit
OR
Draw My Fursona
Aren’t There Alternatives To Second Life?
As you might already know, although Second Life may have been the pioneer in creating a virtual world, there have been many successful community-building tools since that have really knocked out of the park for the furry community, namely Discord. Discord offers infinite tools for community building whether that be for voice channels, sharing art, community activities, moderation, and personalization. Keenan however argues that “Second Life is a virtual world that definitely lends itself to more options for interactions. Discord may have activities now, but in Second Life, you and your friends can tour many places creators have built, participate in amazing games or just hang out somewhere to chill and chat”.
Another alternative to Second Life that you may have heard of is VRChat. It offers a very similar experience in terms of being able to tour different player-build locations and create your own avatar so we figured we’d ask Keenan his thoughts on it as a community for furries compared to Second Life. He claimed that he’s been in the VRChat furry community for about 2 years (a fraction of the time he has spent in the Second Life furry community) and that “VRChat has fairly good performance on various machines, and the graphics are fairly nice. This comes at a cost, however, which is that customizing your avatar or creating a world in VRChat can be a bit more involved than Second Life.” He goes on to say that “Both could be more intuitive to new users, but the fact that you can do that live editing in Second Life (to your avatar) is a win to me”.
Is Second Life Still Popular?Given that it’s been around 20 years since the release of Second Life it’s worth checking out how popular the game still is especially amongst furries. We asked Keenan about the furry community in Second Life and whether or not he thought it was growing to which he responded “It’s hard for me to say as I generally hang out with a small group of friends these days, but I feel it’s decently sized. I think there is potential for growth as well, especially with more furry-related marketing.” And it’s true, Second Life doesn’t really angle their marketing toward the furry community specifically, it just so happens that Second Life ticks all the boxes for a furry community to inhabit. However, Second Life has around 750K active monthly users but they saw a massive spike in players amidst the pandemic in 2020 where it shot up to nearly 1 million.
Another Screenshot From Second Life
Image via BBC
Is It Safe From Trolls and Raiding?One of the main selling points of Second Life for furries is how it deals with people who can’t be bothered for trolling and harassment. This is done through the use of what is known as regions and parcels. “A region is an island that one can buy, whereas a parcel is a piece of land either in a region or on the mainland which is run by Linden Lab”. These regions and parcels can be made private so that only specific members may join them and this works wonders for the furry community. “Obviously, it is not without its fair share of trolls, especially in more public spaces, but the owners and moderators of those spaces have the tools needed to take care of the problem” Keenan goes on to explain.
We then wanted to get an idea of how it compares to the furry community in VRChat in terms of its ability to deal with trolls to which Keenan answered “I’ve seen some of the community, but I haven’t participated in it directly. I feel that VRChat as a whole has a higher degree of toxicity in public spaces. I have yet to go somewhere public and not be harassed by someone”. He goes on to describe how most of his time spent on VRChat is in private worlds with his friends, free from the harassment of strangers in the game. He goes on to explain that “That’s not a reflection of the furry community on VRChat, but it does make it hard for me to socialize with other furries in those public spaces.”
Furries operating in public spaces is an issue that seems to be equally as present across all platforms but Second Life seems to give furries the greatest tools to deal with trolls effectively.
Screenshot Of A Second Life Raid
Image via Reddit
ConclusionAfter our conversation with Keenan, it became clear that Second Life is a platform that a lot of furries find truly useful. It allows for self-expression, exploration, creativity, provides the best tools to deal with trolling, and has an already thriving community. It’s very likely that if you’re a furry, Second Life completely flew under your radar like it did ours but it’s obvious that there is something special here for the furry community and we can only hope that it continues to grow and improve.
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Books and More
Another artist we met at ConFuzzled: Johanna Tarkela. From her personal web site: “I am a Finnish-born, currently UK based digital artist who specialises in realism and creating visually believable, atmospheric paintings in Photoshop… I am heavily influenced by the natural world around us, both the creatures and environments – there’s something about all the different textures especially on animals that keeps me hooked and feeds my attention to detail.” In addition to free-standing illustrations and prints, her works have been used by book publishers like Harper Collins and for games like Zoo Tycoon.
image c. 2023 by Johanna Tarkela
Autistic Furry Is Having Trouble Designing Fursona
I have a question about fursona creation. Firstly, some things to know that kinda lead to the question, I have Autism, I tend to be an indecisive overthinker, and I have a terrible people-pleaser problem.
I know many people say that when you make a fursona you should just make what you want and not let others decide things for you but it is genuinely hard for me to ignore people who say things like how dog fursonas are bland, or how blue as a color is too popular, and people who say things like that make me overthink my fursona so much to a point where the fursona is just a character now.
I also notice I struggle with figuring out colors and markings that I like which balance between not too complicated and not too simple, and that I struggle with choosing one part of me that I want to represent and then getting upset when my fursona seems more like an oc than a sona. I don't want a shapeshifter, and I notice I don't connect to hybrids as easily as I do with full species, and it's a little frustrating since I feel bad every time I want to change my fursona. I also go through species phases a lot too.
Basically, the main point of this (lowkey rant) is to ask if I will ever get a Fursona someday. I really want a fursona, I want a character who feels like me but I cannot keep going through the amount of fursonas I've been going through :')
* * *
Dear Piper,
For many furries--myself included--fursonas are a deeply personal creation, a reflection of ourselves. But this doesn't mean that, once you have created your sona, it is locked in stone. Sonas can change over time. Also! You can have more than one sona!
For me, for example, my original fursona (before I even joined the fandom) was a wolf. As a teen and 20-something who was into fantasy fiction, I was later a dragon. Today, I am a bear. I feel confident that this is the sona I am going to stick with, and that is because in my 50s I really feel I know who I truly am and Grubbs is a reflection of that.
You, on the other paw, are 17. This is a time in our lives when we are going through lots and lots of changes, and it is totally logical--whether or not one is autistic--to go through lots of stages as you discover yourself. So don't beat yourself up about your fursona. You can let it change over time, or, as many do, have multiple fursonas. There are no rules about fursonas, and anyone who tells you there are has no clue what they are saying. Leave yourself open to possibilities. You could have, for example, a straightforward canine sona with blue fur as one of your sonas, but then also have a second or third sona with different colors, features, and qualities.
I recommend you experiment with multiple sonas. Have fun with it. Eventually, one may click and that will become your main (or only) sona. But there's no rule about that, either. You could still have multiple sonas for years to come.
One of the wonderful things about the fandom, in this bear's opinion, is that it provides a tool to explore our inner selves. This tool is better than a Swiss knife, as it can have many different tools all in one little package. So, go crazy with it. This is supposed to be FUN! not a big personal crisis. Oh, and if you need help, just search for tutorials by typing "design your fursona" on YouTube and lots of stuffs will pop up that can help.
Make sense?
Bear Hugs,
Papabear
Bearly Furcasting S4E8 - X Marx the Spot
MOOBARKFLUFF! Click here to send us a comment or message about the show!
Bearly is out, so Rayne and Taebyn have fun mashing the buttons on the control console this week! We talk about the Past Today, have some Stupid News, some jokes from Taebyn, Media, hear some more stories from Bard, do some Math, and best of all, Rayne and Taebyn resurrect an old BFFT tradition Classic Comedy Routine!
Catch Rayne's Live DJ sets on Mixcloud every Friday at 7pm Pacific at: https://www.mixcloud.com/DJRayneRacooon/
This podcast contains adult language and adult topics. It is rated M for Mature. Listener discretion is advised.
Thanks to all our listeners and to our staff: Bearly Normal, Rayne Raccoon, Taebyn, and Ziggy the Meme Weasel.
You can send us a message on Telegram at BFFT Chat, or via email at: bearlyfurcasting@gmail.com
This podcast contains adult language and adult topics. It is rated M for Mature. Listener discretion is advised.
Thanks to all our listeners and to our staff: Bearly Normal, Rayne Raccoon, Taebyn, Cheetaro, TickTock, and Ziggy the Meme Weasel.
You can send us a message on Telegram at BFFT Chat, or via email at: bearlyfurcasting@gmail.com
Kkomjirock and the Meaning of “FJOA” w/Chivilt, Sys, and Hyeonsang [FABP E33]
FurryJoA (FJOA) is South Korea’s first furcon! Despite only being a few years old, their last con, held in 2022, reached 1,177 attendees. In this episode, we had a chance to talk to them about the beginnings of their con, their experiences during and after COVID, and future prospects. ---- Timestamps: 00:00 Teaser 00:22 Intro 01:11 Guest intro 03:57 Amber the fox 08:16 Sys the blue lizard 11:49 An intelligent penguin 15:09 Growing up in the middle of nowhere 19:01 Otakus outside of Seoul 22:12 A huge fan of Frozen 24:07 Korean food recommendations 29:11 What is Kkomjirock? 35:16 Rocking on a violin 38:01 What is FurryJOA? 41:50 History behind the name FurryJOA 43:51 Comparing 2020 to 2023 46:55 A growing Korean community 49:42 What makes FurryJOA unique? 52:47 The mascots characters of FurryJOA 55:50 Challenges running a con in Korea 59:07 The future of FurryJOA 1:05:18 Are there other Korean furry events? 1:07:09 Featured on broadcast news 1:09:24 Other fun stories from FurryJOA 1:11:32 Social media shoutout 1:13:17 Outro ---- Social Media: Official FABP Twitter: https://twitter.com/foxandburger Michael: https://twitter.com/foxnakh https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCK9xoFQrxFTNPMjmXfUg2cg Burger: https://twitter.com/L1ghtningRunner Chivilt: https://twitter.com/chivilt_k https://www.youtube.com/@Amberfox Kkomjirock: https://www.youtube.com/@KKOMJIROCK https://www.kkomjirockband.com/music Sys: https://twitter.com/sh_in_ys https://www.patreon.com/ssh_in_ys Hyeongsang: http://twitch.tv/dcfr ---- Footage Credit: https://twitter.com/chivilt_k/media https://twitter.com/MayT0602/status/1507192225918517248 https://twitter.com/vore_kotora/status/1506991652950327300 https://www.theflamingcandle.com/soap-making-supplies/fragrance-oils-for-soap-making/all-soap-safe-fragrance-oils/orange-sherbet-fragrance-oil/ https://www.istockphoto.com/photos/man-looking-at-himself-in-the-mirror-and-pointing https://twitter.com/funzinnu https://moviesrankings.com/film/284573790/happy-feet https://www.cbr.com/frozen-overrated-underrated/#underrated-the-animation-quality-is-outstanding https://www.flickr.com/photos/lifeinkoreakr/4947004599/ https://matcha-et-sakura.com/comment-devenir-une-experte-en-kanji-sans-effort/ https://cafe.naver.com/furry https://tuculturacoreana.blogspot.com/2014/11/la-comida-de-corea-del-sur.html https://store.ambernectar.com.sg/product/jinro-flavored-soju-set-4-flavors/ https://twitter.com/kangmy96 https://www.pinterest.com/pin/yellowcard--515873332291104428/ https://www.kkomjirockband.com/ https://www.bloglabanana.com/2020/06/entrevista-interview-band-lucy-kpop.html https://www.furryjoa.com/index.html https://www.softpedia.com/reviews/games/pc/Heroes-of-the-Storm-Review-483232.shtml https://gamerant.com/stray-ps5-reveal/ http://daisychainbookreviews.blogspot.com/2013/05/help-wanted.html https://twitter.com/SAKEMONO1/ https://twitter.com/Ychicken21/status/1624631204954918912?s=20 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tNJ6pIKelkg https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rbzxxbuk3sk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mPdQRXFiPA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WDSu527mTE4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f2tAqgPCU_I https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JMoYwBYO_lU https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pIF41obRc_I https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NHCsEm6FzUU https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SS9W0jISBJ4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kgZ9cCzI7wA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NzIOOh4Jphw https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P9J-vOPVgJ8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZOHFopjvNd0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5WUU60-I3AQ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a6ZVbsVRt70 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_zaN7YB7BBg https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aSnlKQN2YYc https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_kZlMAf9wjA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AzTB9feYo6s https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f2tAqgPCU_I Other pictures and video provided by Pixabay, and guests and hosts' personal footage. Intro/Outro Music: Drown Me Out - YVEN ---- The Fox and Burger Podcast is one segment of our production house, Fox and Burger Productions. The podcast’s goal is twofold: 1, to know more about the Asian furry fandom; and 2, compare and contrast the Asian fandom with the Western one. If you have a guest that you would like to see on the show, please PM us! We will also take questions for our guests, so don’t miss this opportunity to know some amazing furs.
Furry Considering Making OnlyFans Videos
Hey, I've recently been consumed by the idea of getting a fursuit and as an extension of this, the subsequent idea of starting a more online presence making videos in websites like OnlyFans in order to make some money. I think it is fair to say that people with nice fursuits get more attention in the fandom.
My main question is this, do you think doing that kind of sex related stuff is something one will regret later down the line? I'm still relatively young but i worry if this is the sort of a thing that i wont realize i'll end up regretting in 20 years or not.
Anonymous (age 29)
* * *
Dear Furiend,
That's a terrific question, thanks for asking. I'm sure there are people who will disagree with me on this one, but I would advise you NOT to make sex vids online on OnlyFans or anywhere else. And here's why....
Once you have a video or photo uploaded to the internet, it is there pretty much forever. Oh, you might THINK you have deleted it, but if you make something like that available (and OnlyFans videos ARE downloadable), it will be copied and stored all over the place in servers all over the planet. You might believe you have control over the availability of a video, but, in fact, if you want something deleted, not only do you have to do so from whatever online service you are using, but you also have to ask the hosting company to remove it from their servers and you have to figure out where it has been indexed in search engines and have those instances removed as well. Finally (and this is getting to be a bit more than you likely need to know), even if you do all that, skilled computer gurus working for, say, police or government agencies might still be able to reconstruct the video data (at least in part) if it is involved in something criminal.
Now, if you're okay with all kinds of people having access to you in a naughty video (and since you're considering it, I would guess you are), this might not bother you right now. But you're only 29. As you noted, you might feel very differently a few years from now.
On the other paw! If you simply want to be more active and noticeable in the fandom by getting a fursuit and making videos, you certainly DO NOT have to make them adult-oriented. Plenty of furries have HUGELY popular YouTube channels that are totally G-rated. A good example is Kite's Windswept Wanderings who just won the 2023 Good Furry Award for their excellent videos covering conventions and other furry events.
So, this would be my recommendation to you: Go ahead and get a fursuit; go ahead and make G-rated videos. Do it for fun and to make connections in the fandom. Have a good time with it. Avoid being X-rated ;-)
Cheers,
Papabear
Hugging in Taiwan vs US w/Carbon #shorts #snippets
Hear what Carbon has to say about hugging in Taiwan vs in the US! Catch the full episode here: https://youtu.be/QfEltzfzjBE ---- Social Media: Official FABP Twitter: https://twitter.com/foxandburger Michael: https://twitter.com/foxnakh https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCK9xoFQrxFTNPMjmXfUg2cg Burger: https://twitter.com/L1ghtningRunner ---- #foxandburger #shorts #snippet #furry
Papa Bear: Indie furry movie nears funding deadline
If you like making friends laugh and/or wasting company time, and have been on the net for 10-15 years, then you probably know The Onion, CollegeHumor, Funny or Die – and Cracked. At one point it was the world’s most visited comedy site.
Papa Bear is a movie in development from heads of the Cracked video department at its peak. It’s about a furry in the family, and its climax will be filmed at a furry convention. Papa Bear promises to be dramatic, funny, daring, boldly LGBT-positive, and full of heart.
When I first heard about it, I was skeptical because I’ve seen many attempted indie movies with furries. Some past ones seem bad in a good way, like no-budget slasher-horror flicks or party-worthy science fiction fanservice. One had an A-list actor in a fursuit. One reached arthouse greatness. Many of them are DOA because of superficial writing and weak production values. Lack of inside knowledge always shows. Here’s a test… do the costumes look like post-Halloween discount junk? Or are they cool hand-crafted fandom fursuits? That implies effort to get community support.
Co-director and writer Michael Swaim reassured me that Papa Bear comes from real experience and consulting community members.
Then I read the script and loved it. It dives into furriness without wasting time on setup, but familiarizes it with awkward comedy anyone can relate to. It doesn’t fall into lame campiness, and the characters have personalities. Tense subplots come up right away. The tension comes from being put on the spot about private life, and inside views of “content warning” topics. There’s pleasing aesthetic touches, like calling for music by nervous rock bands of nerd canon (XTC, Talking Heads) and animated montages. It’s full of inside lore in a way that fits the story and makes sense even if you weren’t familiar with it.
The crowdfund incentives start with a private link to watch the movie as soon as it’s ready. That would be an amazing opportunity for a fur meet! Papa Bear would also make strong convention programming.
At time of writing, Papa Bear has over $61,000 pledged. Waiting to see it completed is almost unbearable.
UPDATE: funding reached.
oh shit pic.twitter.com/1A7azVZp7P
— Abe Epperson (@AbeTheMighty) June 13, 2023
Like the article? These take hard work. For more free furry news, follow on Twitter or support not-for-profit Dogpatch Press on Patreon. Want to get involved? Try these subreddits: r/furrydiscuss for news or r/waginheaven for the best of the community. Or send guest writing here. (Content Policy.)
TigerTails Radio Season 14 Episode 42
TigerTails Radio Season 14 Episode 42. Join the Discord Chat: https://discord.gg/SQ5QuRf For a full preview of events and for previous episodes, please visit http://www.tigertailsradio.co.uk. See website for full breakdown of song credits, which is usually updated shortly after the show. If you like what we do and wish to throw some pennies our way to support us, please consider sending a little tip our way. https://streamlabs.com/tigertailsradio/tip * Please note, tips are made to support TigerTails Radio and are assumed as made with good faith, so are therefore non-refundable. Thank you for your support and understanding.
Episode 538 - Something Has To Be Said
We open this episode with an important statement from the Vaporeon Booster Club. It just had to be said. This week is fun, we have furry stuff to start, with cons making themselves into jokes, other cons clowning on them, and one blipping from existence. Then RL rears its head and there's dead dudes and consequences(?)
Also, Marisa is Strongsexual.
LINKS
Southpaws | creating and promoting The Queer Agenda | Patreon
Telegrammmmmm - https://t.me/+Ma4PTE0IsWVmMDQ5
Eco-Conscious Gifts
Recently we spent some time on vacation in the United Kingdom — and we met a lot of furry fans while we were there! Among them was the artist Lyndsey Green. She describes herself as a wildlife illustrator and creator of eco-conscious gifts: “Drawing wildlife, raising awareness about endangered species and the unusual animals you might not find in High Street shops”. Some of her work is collected in portfolios and booklets like Fauna Fusions, The A – Z of Feliformia, and The Tiny Book of Tiny Animals. She even covers more mythical animals in Gryphonology and Jackalopia. Her web site has links to her Shopify.
image c. 2023 by Lyndsey Green
Bearly Furcasting S4E7 - What Strangeness May Come?
MOOBARKFLUFF! Click here to send us a comment or message about the show!
Moobarkfluff! Taebyn and Rayne recap their Furlandia adventure and we hear Taebyn with some interviews with furs at the con. We do a little fun math, tell some jokes, read a few Bard composed stories about Rayne, Taebyn and listener submitted D'Otter! We recap the Ursa Major Award winners, and generally have a good time. So join us for another wacky supersized episode of BFFT! Moobarkfluff!
This podcast contains adult language and adult topics. It is rated M for Mature. Listener discretion is advised.
Thanks to all our listeners and to our staff: Bearly Normal, Rayne Raccoon, Taebyn, Cheetaro, TickTock, and Ziggy the Meme Weasel.
You can send us a message on Telegram at BFFT Chat, or via email at: bearlyfurcasting@gmail.com
Fursuit maker Sudoku gets costume adopted by Twenty One Pilots.
Sudoku has been a fursuit maker since 2015, and was sole proprietor of Strut Your Fluff Ltd. in 2020-2022. That led to something amazing:
“I got my start in costumes in the furry fandom (stumbling across Matrices’ website in 2014!) That foundation helped me to reach my long-term goal of performing as an official mascot. I am Bruiser the Bulldog, NAIA-division, for Concordia University, NE.”
In 2019, Twenty One Pilots made a video featuring a fuzzy creature named “Ned”. As a fan, Sudoku built a mascot costume of him. It was made and worn for personal satisfaction, but as life went on, Sudoku wanted to retire as owner. Recently Twenty One Pilots accepted her gift offer of the Ned costume, so it’s becoming the official property of band members Tyler Joseph and Josh Dun.
Sometimes there is controversy about creators doing underpaid or speculative work for high-profile people; but that’s more about commissions and original creations. Ned is copyrighted to the band, so the costume shouldn’t be sold. Sudoku is happy to have her fan project appreciated and taken care of this way.
It’s nice attention too, with stories in Strife and Rock Sound music magazines, and now Dogpatch Press interested in the crossover between fandom and professional work. This reporter is more likely to go fursuiting with cult bands than huge ones, so it required learning about Ned and his new owners.
A band with theatrical roots.
Twenty One Pilots has a core duo of members from Columbus, Ohio. They might be called hybrid post-emo or alternative hip hop. They’re known for success with name producers for high concept, high charting pop songs, but got there with persistent regional touring and interaction with grassroots fandom.
“To catch the attention of unfamiliar or disinterested attendees and promoters, the band began to experiment with costumes and on-stage acrobatics… Tyler Joseph wears masks and occasionally body makeup while rapping and singing… Dun stated, ‘We thought it was kind of cool, new and different to wear masks onstage…'” (-Wikipedia)
In January 2019, they released a music video for the single “Chlorine”. It was directed by Mark Eshleman of Reel Bear Media – a Columbus based talent who has been with the band since their early days – and it made the alien-like creature “Ned” part of the band lore; he represents creativity.
Sudoku talks about #NedLives, Twenty One Pilots fans and furry fandom
Dogpatch Press asked Sudoku more about what she did with Ned:
“My intention with Ned was not to donate to a mainstream artist; the costume was a high school graduation gift to myself, and I planned on performing at nonprofit events. Twenty One Pilots created the character itself, and #NedLives was my own fan project.” (The hashtag features touring costume appearances with other fans.)
“The pandemic took away many opportunities to wear Ned in public; I am not satisfied with filming videos at home, as I believe strongly in in-person entertainment. This combined with rising material prices led me to the decision to close Strut Your Fluff, go to college, and start scouting for a new home for Ned. I searched in both the furry fandom and the Twenty One Pilots fandom for a suitable home, trying to contact the band as well to see if they would take him. The band emailed me in 2022 saying that they would be happy to have him.
What might be the intentions and future for Ned?
“No money has been exchanged for Ned, as I did not ask for any in return. The band and their employees have shown appreciation on social media. Ned is ready for retirement, and they are most likely taking him as a collectible item. I have not been told their intentions but know that if they put him into storage, he will be secure. My top concern is the integrity and safety of the costume, as it took a year to make, and is deeply personal to me.”
Did she deal with the creators behind Ned, or feel recognized as a performer?
“I am not affiliated with anyone who worked on the music video beyond initial contact asking about copyright, but I am very passionate about music, and it means a lot that I can contribute to the industry with a fursuit. I think mascots should be more prevalent in entertainment, primarily in live music endeavors.” (She’s doing it as Bruiser):
IT’S NATIONAL BULLDOG DAY!!
What better way to celebrate than a photoshoot with Bruiser and his favorite pal, Murphy!
Happy Friday, Bulldogs! pic.twitter.com/QXH4uQi5n8
— Concordia Nebraska (@CUNE) April 21, 2023
Has she seen crossover between furries, the band, and their fans (the Skeleton Clique)?
“What means the most is how Ned has impacted both Clikkies and furries, as the support and love have been tremendous and built Ned as a character more than I ever could have anticipated.
I have not invited Twenty One Pilots to a con or asked them about furries; these would be great questions for an interview with them. The Clique is definitely more curious about this than the furry fandom, from what I have seen.”
How does she feel about this as part of her background coming out of furry fandom?
“I wanted to add that it was those formative years when I first started that gave me so much confidence! People were supportive on Fursuit LiveJournal, FurAffinity, and Facebook, and I started getting commission requests early on. I waited until 2019 to sell my first premade, and then opened for commissions in 2020. My clients are so devoted and have done more than they know with their support. I tend to have imposter syndrome about these things and they made it real. It was definitely not easy running a business but I do not regret those years. I had a lot of fun with furry and still have close furry friends to this day.
I do not regret giving Ned to Twenty One Pilots, either. I will miss him very much, but knowing that he will be safe gives me great peace of mind. I had a great 4 years bringing this character to life.
Entertainment is NOTHING without the audience. NOTHING without the people. This is why I value face-to-face performance so much. In every photo taken at the #NedLives meet and greets, I am smiling for real behind that mask. People helped write Ned’s story and make him special. People from both furry and the Clique. I am sad to see Ned’s story end, but am at peace with it because he is home.”
This incredible costume of Twenty One Pilots’ alien friend Ned is to be adopted by the band#nedlives https://t.co/yGKt4Itvwi pic.twitter.com/IE5Jf5pKX8
— Rock Sound (@rocksound) May 16, 2023
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S10 Episode 11 – Running Local Events - Join Nuka and Roo as the give tips and tricks on how to setup a furry meetup, how to communicate with business and proper hosting etiquette. - Also Roo gets in bed with AI and a cookie? - NOW LISTEN! SHOW NOTES PATR
Also Roo gets in bed with AI and a cookie?
NOW LISTEN!
SHOW NOTES
PATREON LOVE
The following people have decided this month’s Fur What It’s Worth is worth actual cash! THANK YOU!
Tails Bursting out of Pants Supporters
Ashton Sergal (Pic Pending), Nuka, Ichigo Okami
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Rifka, the San Francisco Treat and Baldrik and Lufis (Pic Pending)
Deluxe Supporters Tier
Guardian Lion, Ashton Sergal, Harlan Fox, Plug (Pic Pending), Refractory Rictus (Pic Pending)
Plus Tier Supporters
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MUSIC
Intro: RetroSpecter – Cloud Fields (RetroSpecter Mix). USA: Unpublished, 2018. ©2011-2018 Fur What It’s Worth. Based on Fredrik Miller – Cloud Fields (Century Mix). USA: Bandcamp, 2011. ©2011 Fur What It’s Worth.
First Break: Dream - Hash, Argofox, Creative Commons 2022.
Second Break: Holo - Ampyx, Argofox, Creative Commons 2021.
Third Break: Light Me Up - Phlex, Argofox, Creative Commons 2021.
Closing: Cloud Fields (RetroSpecterChill Remix), USA: Unpublished, 2018. ©2011-2018 Fur What It’s Worth. Based on Fredrik Miller – Cloud Fields (Chill Out Mix). USA: Bandcamp, 2011. ©2011 Fur What It’s Worth. S10 Episode 11 – Running Local Events - Join Nuka and Roo as the give tips and tricks on how to setup a furry meetup, how to communicate with business and proper hosting etiquette. - Also Roo gets in bed with AI and a cookie? - NOW LISTEN! SHOW NOTES PATR
Fursuit interactions in Thailand w/Aulder + Kiyochi #shorts #snippets
Listen to a story that Aulder and Kiyochii have to share about fursuiting in Thailand! Catch the full episode here: https://youtu.be/lphbinPvEJI ---- Social Media: Official FABP Twitter: https://twitter.com/foxandburger Michael: https://twitter.com/foxnakh https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCK9xoFQrxFTNPMjmXfUg2cg Burger: https://twitter.com/L1ghtningRunner ---- #foxandburger #shorts #snippet #furry
TigerTails Radio Season 14 Episode 41
TigerTails Radio Season 14 Episode 41. Join the Discord Chat: https://discord.gg/SQ5QuRf For a full preview of events and for previous episodes, please visit http://www.tigertailsradio.co.uk. See website for full breakdown of song credits, which is usually updated shortly after the show. If you like what we do and wish to throw some pennies our way to support us, please consider sending a little tip our way. https://streamlabs.com/tigertailsradio/tip * Please note, tips are made to support TigerTails Radio and are assumed as made with good faith, so are therefore non-refundable. Thank you for your support and understanding.
When Is It Okay to Make a Fursuit Based on a Film Character?
Hi! I'm a furry, and I really really love dinosaurs. Especially Blue the raptor. You see, I want to make her into a fursuit. It would have her same pattern as she has in the movie, of course. She would look just like she was out of the movie. This will be for my enjoyment. I would wear it at furry conventions and out in public etc. But I won't be making money off of the suit.
I would like to know if it's okay for me to make a fursuit out of Blue. I have other OCs that I've designed and I plan on getting them made into fursuits as well. I've tried to design a raptor, but I don't really like any that I make (also can't find a good F2U [free-to-use] raptor base--I'm broke lol), so is it okay for me to make a fursuit out of her?
Blue the Raptor (age 17)
* * *
Dear Blue,
Copyright is an interesting field. I've recently been working on obtaining copyright on some books and have learned a few things on the topic. A big part of copyright is that the thing you are copyrighting must be unique and original. A velociraptor like Blue in the Jurassic Park movies is not an original creation any more than trying to copyright, say, a horse. A name must also be unique. For example, I am currently registering Uncle Bear Publishing as a trademarked name. While the word "publishing" can't be trademarked, "Uncle Bear Publishing" is, indeed, unique and can be. When it comes to "Blue," that is certainly not a unique word in and of itself and is not copyrightable (rather like Trump trying to copyright "you're fired"). The only thing even vaguely unique about Blue is the blue stripe she has down her side. This is not enough to qualify as "original."
So, on those grounds, I would say you are fine. You are also fine because you are not using Blue the Velociraptor to make money, so your dressing up as Blue is not going to cost the movie studio any money. Indeed, by increasing awareness of Blue it could actually be seen as promoting the movies and helping Universal make some sales.
A good touchstone on this topic is Disney. As you might know, Disney jealously guards its copyrighted characters. Even so, I have seen people in Minnie Mouse and Brer Fox fursuits at cons. It is highly unlikely that you will be "caught" in a Blue the Velociraptor outfit. And even if you were, the worst that would likely happen is you would get a "cease and desist" letter from Universal's lawyers, which means you wouldn't get a lawsuit if you stopped wearing the fursuit (scaley suit) in public.
Here's some more about Disney and copyright FYI: https://themouselets.com/whats-the-deal-with-using-disney-intellectual-property.
I hope this information is useful. In short, I think you're fine.
Have fun!
Papabear
FWG Monthly Newsletter June 2023
May certainly felt like a busy month with all three furry writing awards getting announced.
It was also an important month in the greater writing sphere, with the WGA strike in USA filmmaking, with possible actors strikes to follow. The FWG put out a statement earlier in May supporting this strike. Part of the purpose of the FWG is to benefit furry writers, and we stand in solidarity with other writing communities and organisations trying to do the same to their writers.
Once more, the FWG would like to offer congratulations to everyone who was a finalist and winner in the three furry writing awards throughout the month.
These awards help to showcase the massive talent on display in the writing community – it is no easy feat to get nominated as a finalist, especially given the quality of works that didn’t even make it that far. The winners and finalists should be proud of their achievements.
For those who missed the awards ceremonies, you can catch up on the finalists and where to find them on the FWG’s wrap-up posts.
Ursa Major Awards – Coyotl Awards – Leo Literary Awards
Each year, these awards seem to get more competitive. We can’t wait to see what works get nominated for the 2023 awards. They are sure to be as good as ever.
Perhaps a short story in one of these open calls will get a nomination? You won’t know until you submit!
Get Wild – Deadline September 1st
This Is Halloween – Deadline When Full
Furry Femdom Erotica – Deadline When Full
F/F No Erotic Anthology – Deadline When Full
Isekai Me! – Deadline When Full
Children Of The Night – Deadline When Full
Furry/Lovecraftian/Erotic/University Themed Anthology – Deadline When Full
Beyond Their Pale – Deadline When Full
#ohmurr! – Deadline: Ongoing
Zooscape – Reoccurring submission windows.
There are also a few recent and upcoming releases from guild members.
HIV Isn’t Poetic, by Jonathan W. Thurston-Torres. Released May 3rd 2023.
Don’t Ask Me If I’m Okay, by Jessica Kara (Jess E. Owen). Released May 16th 2023.
Werecats Emergent, by Mark J. Engels. Released May 20th 2023.
Sun Runner: A Five Herds Story, by Frances Pauli. Released May 31st 2023.
Gnoll Tales, by NightEyes DaySpring. Available for pre-order. Released June 30th 2023.
Fang Volume 11, edited by Sparf. Available for pre-order. Released July 1st 2023.
In The Light Of The Dawn, by the Furry Historical Fiction Society (featuring multiple FWG members). Available for pre-order. Released July 1st 2023.
The Red Vixen After Dark, by Royce Day. Available for pre-order. Released July 1st 2023.
The Dry Spell, by Ryan Loup-Glissant (Slip Wolf). Available for pre-order. Released July 1st 2023.
The Prince of Thorns, by Tim Susman. Available for pre-order. Released November 14th 2023.
Commander Annie and Other Adventures, by Mary E. Lowd. Available for pre-order. Released November 14th 2023.
We hope writers and readers alike have found something to be inspired by with the awards last month. We look forward to hearing about what you are writing over the remainder of the year.
Until next time.
Safe writing.
J.F.R. Coates
Bearly Furcasting S4E6 - Spotlight on Cassidy Civet
MOOBARKFLUFF! Click here to send us a comment or message about the show!
Moobarkfluff! With Taebyn at Furlandia, Bearly takes the opportunity to talk one on one with Cassidy Civet, an accomplished musician and television show contestant. We discuss their recent situation revolving around their removal as Gust of Honor at IndyFurCon. Cassidy discusses frankly what they are experiencing in the fandom. Join us for a more serious episode of BFFT. Moobarkfluff!
This podcast contains adult language and adult topics. It is rated M for Mature. Listener discretion is advised.
Thanks to all our listeners and to our staff: Bearly Normal, Rayne Raccoon, Taebyn, Cheetaro, TickTock, and Ziggy the Meme Weasel.
You can send us a message on Telegram at BFFT Chat, or via email at: bearlyfurcasting@gmail.com
The Leo Awards 2022 – Winners
The final furry awards of the year are the Leo Awards, which were announced earlier today. Once again, we present the winners here for you to check out.
Winners are listed in bold – note that the Leos are structured differently. They do not award a ‘Best in Category’, rather they award multiple per category that reach a certain threshold of quality as determined by the panel of judges. Therefore, multiple winners (or indeed no winners) can be listed per category.
Novels
Red Pandamonium (Chaos Menagerie #1) by Roan Rosser
Full Circlet by Frances Pauli
Scars of the Golden Dancer by NightEyes DaySpring
A Furry Faux Paw by Jessica Kara
Lost Inside the Blue Line by Harry A. Wozzeck
Toledot by Madison Scott-Clary
Mouse Cage by Malcolm F. Cross
Novellas
The Otter’s Wings: A Labyrinth of Souls Novel by Mary E. Lowd
Royal Red: A Cozy Fantasy Adventure by K.C. Shaw
Anthologies
ROAR 11, edited by Ian Madison Keller
When The World Was Young, edited by The Furry Historical Fiction Society
Short Stories
“Octopus Ex Machina” by Mary E. Lowd
“What Gold Smells Like” by Frances Pauli
“Let Him That Speaketh Fate to Men Have No Fate Of His Own” by Rob MacWolf
”Lids” by Utunu
“Mark of the Stranger” by Casimir Laski
“Vagabond” by Tiberius Rings & Fruitz
“Hanging by a Thread” by Nenekiri Bookwyrm
Poems
“The Homecoming of Daniel Usherswell” by Rob MacWolf
“In the Night Among the Cedars, In the Shelter of the Mountain” by Rob MacWolf
Nonfiction
“Furry Fiction: The Squishy Edges and the Heart” by Mary E. Lowd
Book Covers
ROAR Volume 11, by Fresaboba
Mouse Cage, by Pye Parr
When the World Was Young, by Heskynn
Congratulations to all the winners and nominees for the Leo Awards – and thank you to Furry Book Review and the panel of judges for bringing us the Leo Awards.
The Furry Writers Guild hope these awards have helped to motivate writers to produce something for next year’s awards – and has given readers something new to consider.