IMPACTIST pay homage to the type writer using a combination of digital stills, super 8mm footage, and after effects, in a new short.

"What if This was It" via BBDO Altanta was shot completely with digital stills manipulated in post to give the sense of fluid motion at decisive moments to represent internal clarity or realization of ones true calling.

"THE TYPE WRITER" "WHAT IF THIS WAS IT" Peace Corps | BBDO/Atlanta (Dir. Cut)

Somehow or other I stumbled upon the work of directing Duo IMPACTIST,
married couple Kelly Meador and Daniel Elwing of Portland, Oregon. I was looking for some inspiring commercial work but fell in love with the couples still photography along the way.













I love the saturated color in their medium format prints, the way they capture found patterns, and the idea of the passage of time, or past lives that comes from many of the photos.













Not only do they have a great eye for the beauty in the world around them, but they direct film and commercials, combining of textures of animation and live action. I'll post some tomorrow.

I Met the Walrus

In 1969, a 14-year-old Beatles fan named Jerry Levitan snuck into John Lennon's hotel room and convinced him to do an interview, the whole thing was documented on his reel-to-reel tape deck.
The animated film created to accompany the soundtrack, I Met the Walrus, has been wowing viewers and winning awards throughout the festival circuit, including the award for Best Animated Short at this years AFI Fest. I Met the Walrus is now in the running for an Oscar in the same category.

Not only is the animation unique and engaging in a playful stream of consciousness way, but the subject matter though from 30 years ago seems so current. As The US vs. John Lennon also made abundantly clear, we could use a little John Lennon right about now to stir things up.

View the trailer for I Met the Walrus.

Branded and on Display

Art and advertising meet once again at the Tufts University Tisch Gallery in an exhibition titled Branded and on Display.

Marketing and commerce are cross examined as the basis for American culture through the work of a number of artists and as many mediums.

The exhibition is open now and runs through March 30, 2008.

(l to r) Branded Head, Hank Willis Thomas; Aquafresh, Louis Cameron

The History of Dieting

I have been in a commercial drought the last few days, it seems like no one is doing anything new until after the Super Bowl, or not talking about it anyway. Instead everyone is recapping favorites from Super Bowls past, or trying to predict what GoDaddy.com will do this year.

So, I found something that i thought was fun and had nothing to do with the Super Bowl. Directed by Peter Sluszka of From Hornet Inc. comes "The History of Dieting."

Shadowplay Animates Juno's Intro

Jason Reitman's latest film Juno, was recently nominated for a number of Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Director. Reitman sets the tone for Juno with a fun, quirky animated sequence provided by Shadowplay Studio.

You can view the opening on Shadowplay's website. They also have a fun flickr page documenting the process of hand making the animation.










Juno wasn't Shadowplays first pairing with Reitman, they also created the equally creative title sequence for Thank You for Smoking.

The Cecchini stunt, and funny enough the Ikea advertising, both make me think of the works of artists Robert Smithson and Christo.

The Spiral Jetty, Umbrella Project , and Wrapped Pont Neuf, may have also began as social annoyances but now have created a place for the artists in history.

Beautiful Chaos - Cecchini Unleashes Balls on the Spanish Steps

Coronet Instructional Films

The Breast Cancer Awareness spot I posted this morning sent me into a spin of researching vintage educational videos.

One of the producers of these movies is Coronet Instructional Films. To my excitement I found have an archive full of goodies like, Are You Ready for Marriage?, Good Table Manners, and I Want to be a Secretary on line.

I liked this one a lot, Good Eating Habits, where we watch Billy (of course) deal with the consequences of eating poorly. "Eating dinner with your family is fun.."


...and in honor of our economic crisis, this video breaks down Banking and Credit to the basics...

ikea outdoors

Other advertising that I find inspiring comes in unexpected places, like Central Park or the New York Subway, thanks to ikea. I love the idea of adding visual surprises into the world we walk through every day.

For the Love of Advertising

I never thought I would work in advertising, I don't know exactly where it came from, but to me advertising was baaad, actually maybe it was the early nineties that got to me? If a fifteen year old me wouldn't listen to a band that was a "sell-out" no way in hell I was going to be in cahoots with the sellers.

After working in the industry I have a hard time saying that there isn't something magical about what VW did for Nick Drake, the phrase "I'd like to buy the world a Coke," or the fact that this is how brands create buzz nowadays.

As a lover of art and design this spot just makes me warm and fuzzy:









Coca-Cola "What Goes Around Comes Around" Directed by Nagi Noda of Partizan music by Jack White.

Boston your my home

Just to get you all up to speed. I was raised in Massachusetts, my family is in Massachusetts, i went to college in Massachusetts, and i left Massachusetts. After living in L.A. for more than five years i've come back to Boston. Yes, it's cold and gray a lot of the time, but, having left i feel that i have the chance to see Boston with new eyes. I like to take pictures and a lot of them are about where i live.

Send Me Something

Have a video, film, commercial, photo - anything I might like? Just email me!

kristy.thomley@gmail.com