It's Crazy Times. (*Explicit lyrics)

Themes of precariousness in our current apocalyptic climate and a call to unity in the form of an animated genesis myth.

Video Concept, Artwork and Direction: Meghan McKnight

Music: Ronley Teper and The Lipliners

Directors Statement: This two-dimensional, stop-motion animation uses paper from my collage archive as well as some paper cut specifically for the video. All of the material I used in creating this video was either thrifted, donated or found. The narrative is an allegory on creation, greed, and our capacity for redemption. The scale and setting in the video shift between the microcosmic and macrocosmic. The opening scene is a cave of primordial beginnings and mysterious processes. Creation evolves and flourishes, but a bullet-like insect that represents industry or exploitative capitalism interferes with the pristine scene, resulting in an entombing by an avalanche of gold. Fire and microbes take over, and the scene devolves into unrecognizable forms, a realm of uncertainty devoid of colour and order. This disorder is followed by greening, representing hope and the capacity to regenerate. Replanting and growth ensues and creatures co-operate to reveal a cosmic gem, a reminder of our unity and relative significance in the universe.

Lyrics:

Sh*t’s hitting the fan Time to do something ‘bout it

Got to shout it out

Got to act out about it

‘Cause in these times, such great divide

and there’s no hiding it no doughts about it

it’s crazy times

Change is coming, whether you like it or not

So which side are you on?

Are you over there trying to hold on to the past divided in social class hate and religious faith?

Or are you over here figuring out what's best deconstructing the walls to figure out what’s next?

Gotta come together

Gotta wave the stormy weather together

Gotta listen, gotta act

There’s no turning back

The Future is now

So let’s figure out how.

Shit’s hitting the fan We gotta work like fam(ily)

In these crazy times Crazy Times

Performed by Ronley Teper and The Lipliners Ronley Teper - vocal Jessie Baird - drums Vivienne Wilder - bass Chris Pruden - keyboards Christine Bougie - electric guitar Jaron Freeman Fox – background vocals, guitar, beats Gordon Hyland - saxophone Ben Hermann - background vocal Spencer Murray - background vocal Angela Sharma - background vocal Leo Krukowski - background vocal Crazy Times, is mixed & produced by Jaron Freeman Fox - Mastered By Fedge 2020. http://www.ronleyteper.com http:// https://meghanmcknight.com/home.html