In support of their new album, Dig Out Your Soul,Oasis has released a music video for their first single, Shock of Lightning. It's Oasis alright, Liam Gallagher's voice is not one to be mistaken and even if it was the rhythmic distorted guitars are spot on the bands trademark sound.
The video is a clip-art collage in the vein of Sgt. Peppers meets You Can't Do that on Television with more than a couple classic rock references. Directed by duo Julian House and Julian Gibbs of by Ghost Box Music, the piece opens on a frame mimicking the Rolling StonesHot Rocks cover and proceeds to superimpose images of Liam with John Lennon specs throughout the duration of the song. All in all it's pretty trippy and fun to watch.
When I first stumbled upon a picture of Slinkachu's tiny people I thought he was a photographer solely, creating scenes for the end purpose of the photo. It wasn't until I made my way to his website that I realized he's a street artist who uses photography to document his art.
Slinkachu creates tiny street scenes with hand painted miniatures and then leaves them in the streets of London to go on with their lives, be found by a child, eaten by a dog, who know's - it's their life to live.
Like with Joshua Allen Harris I love the notion of adding something fantastic to the world to be an enchanting discovery in a passer by's day.
Slinkachu's first book will be launched September 5th, you can pre-order here. And his first solo show at the Cosh Gallery in London opened last night.
Wallpaper is featuring Gregoire Alexandre's exhibition at the Atelier de Mecanique, Arles. His photographs are almost like beautifully choreographed and intricately designed dioramas, they represent worlds but they aren't quite from ours.
I love the art direction and set design, and of course I love the commentary on that iconic fast food brand.
I was feeling uninspired today and started thinking about what inspired me when I was in school. In college my animation teacher was a man named Mark Frizzell. Mark was an animator at Olive Jar Animation Studios, which has sadly since closed, but he was such an inspiration. I really got the idea that animation and film making in general could be an ongoing experiment from him, which in and of itself was inspiring.
As a child of the 80's and early 90's you'll surely recognize the claymation and stop-motion animation work of the studio, from it's ABC Saturday Morning cartoon bumpers, Original MTV intros, Nickelodeon idents and of course the Noid...you remember... the Domino's mascot?
The viral quality of Joshua Allen Harris's inflatable street art has attracted a brand. The Environmental Defense Funduses video of Harris's Polar Bears to help raise awareness about global warming and draw attention to the mode of transportation available beneath the city.
Harris's creatures circled the blogosphere a few months back when camera phone videos captured piles of garbage as they transformed into dancing animals and monsters when the subway system below the New York streets created enough wind to breathe life into them. I love the fantasy and playfulness that the art project brings into seemingly unremarkable New York scenes and an otherwise normal day in the life of a passerby. Hopefully this brand pairing will not only capture people's attention but also send a message that they will share.
Oh to be young, in love, heart broken, carefree and wasting time with friends. That was a good summer.
This commercial for Australian brand Bonds wraps it all up in a nice little package and a comfy T-Shirt. The soundtrack is from MGMT called Weekend Wars, the director is Christopher Riggert of @radicalmedia.
American Prayer is new star studded music video for Barack Obama by Dave Stewart.
"Regardless of what happens in November, Senator Obama has reminded millions of people that they have the power to connect to bigger ideas. He is, in essence, the embodiment of a new anthem for change. He has continued (Martin Luther) King's narrative from what was once thought of as a dream to a reality." remarks Stewart in reference to his lyrical creation.
The video features Forest Whitaker, Jason Alexander, Whoopi Goldberg, Cyndi Lauper, Barry Manilow, Joan Baez, Macy Gray, and more.
Is it me or does it seem like there has been a resurgence of Utz Potato Chips since they were featured in Mad Men? Maybe I'm just noticing the brand more...but I swear my local pizza shop just stocked up for the first time. Speaking of Mad Men, if you haven't checked it out, they have a pretty great website up with blogs, videos, and interviews that delve into a variety of topics including the fashions showcased in each episode, 1960's brand and historical references, and the evolution of the show's own ad campaign. You can even relive Don Drapers show stopping Kodak Presentation slide by slide (yes the monologue accompanies the images.)
The print ads for the new season of Gossip Girl follow suit and harness their controversy to promote the steamy series. The campaign comes via Wongdoody in LA...I wonder if they have the huge billboard at Cahuenga and Barham again?
Here's another stop motion post-it spot, this time for Nike and The Human Race 10k. I love how they used buildings' windows, what a smart way to incorporate the medium into the environment. This spot comes from BBDO Argentina.
Frank Budgen is one of my absolute favorite commercial directors. This new spot for Axe "Passing By" is full of chuckles, sexy ladies, and of course an amazing sound track. Budgen loves to marry classic or off beat tunes with his work. This time it's "Can't Seem to Make You Mine" from The Seeds.
Here are a couple Budgen classics with notable sounds tracks.
xbox "Water Balloons" - Teddy Bears Picnic performed by Val Rosing
PS2 "Mountain" - Get on Board performed by Shirley Temple
Like most people, I only just heard about Smart People, as it's being advertised for DVD release. With a cast of Ellen Page, Dennis Quaid, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Thomas Hayden Church; the producers of Sideways; and commercial directing hall of famer (if they had one-but he's a DGA winner thats basically the same thing) Noam Murro running the show- what went wrong? If anyone has seen the film I'd love to hear your thoughts, I of course will add it to my Netflix to see it eventually but I can't help but think it may not be that good...
MSNBC.com has premiered these three full page print ads to demonstrate the range of political coverage they provide. I think it's a great way to combat the current concerns about some of the competitors coverage without directly pointing any fingers - and it's a beautiful color scape to boot!
Speaking of vodka here is the latest for Stoli by Stink/Psyop- an Art Deco inspired journey illustrating the Stoli Blakberi making it's way from it's origins in Russia to America.
The agency is Publicis, London, the production company is Stink/Psyop, and the directors are Todd Mueller and Kylie Matulick of Psyop.
I stumbled upon these on Le Book, from photographer Marcel Christ. So much for subtlety! We all know there is plenty allusion to sex in art and advertising, but the paintings of Georgia O'Keefe are flowers first and reproductive organs second, aren't they?
These Absolute ads are more like the portrait Charlotte posed for that time in Sex and the City...you know the one...
The good thing from the advertising stand point is - not only did they catch my attention but I couldn't look away - I was scouring them for some copy that references the steamy image, a tongue in cheek comment, something to let me know they knew what they were doing...but they knew...
Being a teen of the 90's I can't help but be thrilled about all of the comeback albums that are surfacing lately - The Verve, Oasis, and now Portishead - so much for branching out!
Both new Portishead videos are created by animator Nick Uff who animates in a very fluid organic way which results in a surreal adventure for the viewer. It's very interesting you can read more about Nick and his process here.
The latest commercial to feature 'Man Made Machines' is for pain reliever Himani. Performers run a city completely with their bodies, constructing the vehicles, gears, clocks and and other machinery that keep the city functioning.
Previous spots featuring 'Man Made Machines' include Hyundai "Life Shapes" and Toyota "Humanity." Again the choreography and directing effort in conjunction with the acrobatic and athletic skills of the performers is quite impressive.
Agency: Publicis Ambience, Mumbai Director: Ram Madhvani Production Company: Equinox Films, Mumbai
This new spot for the Audi A4 is another that jumped off of the screen during the opening ceremonies of the Olympics. It immediately grabbed my attention, was it another interior paint commercial? wow they are getting good...
Nope a car commercial. The time lapse scene within a home somehow connects to the car outside beautifully, though I admit i had no idea it was a car commercial the first time I saw it, it still grabbed my attention and I watched until the product was unveiled - to me that is a good commercial.
I don't know any credit info at this time, aside from the agency, Venables, Bell & Partners, but will update as soon as I do.
update: The song featured in the spot was an original composition entitled "Notes on Progress" and will be made available for download on www.truthinengineering.com within a few days.
I wanted to share some images from Todd's portfolio as an amendment to The Selby. Todd shoots portraiture, advertising, and fashion. You can see the seeds forThe Selby in many of Todd's portraits, which also seem to be purposely connected to the space in which they are shot.
The time has finally come, and because the quality of the work was so goodRadiohead chose and rewardedfour winners, rather than the proposed one in the contest they held with Aniboom.
My favorite has to be Transmutation by Tobias Stretch, i love the puppetry.
Todd Selby has an amazing online photographic series of artists in their personal spaces The Selby. The Selby, which is updated daily, features artists, designers, musicians, actors, and more among their possessions in their homes, or in their shops and studios - basically in the surroundings where they spend most of their time.I love this idea and the result speaks for itself. As much as we may not want to think we are defined by our things they really do help to paint a picture of the life we live.
Todd Selby's portfolio is also inspiring, you can check it out here.
Getting Olympic overload yet? I couldn't help it, when I heard this rendition of the National Anthem performed by Marvin Gaye, with it's soul and marching beat accompanied by those All Stars together it hit me right in the heart strings.
This quirky monochromatic animation from New York motion design studio Tronic reiterates the apparent theme of this Olympic games, that it takes many small pieces working in unison to make a whole. The segmented blue athletic figures perform on a stark background high above Times Square before disbanding and ultimately reconfiguring in the form of the Olympic Rings.
United Airlines has launched a delightful series of animated spots to coincide with the programing of the Olympic Games. I've been watching the Olympic commercials like they are commercials during the Super Bowl, waiting for something to stand out, and these are the first that really do for me. They are playful, colorful, and just hearing Rhapsody in Blue instantly connects to the brand - I know what spot is on even when in another room.
(pull down on white bar below spot to watch others)
"Sea Orchestra" by South African directing team Shy the Sun."Two Worlds" directed by SSSR, a Norwegian and Japanese team, who was responsible for the monochromatic art and Gaelle Denis, a French director, who was responsible for the colorful animated portions.
"Heart" by director Jamie Caliri who combines stop motion animation and paper puppetry. "Heart" also features a special rendition of Rhapsody in Blue performed by Herbie Hancock and Lang Lang. You can find lots more about the campaignhere.
Creative production and design studio Exopolis directed and animated this short film for Liberty Mutual's The Responsibility Project. It's a touching story about community and the animation and art direction is of course beautiful.
You can watch the film along with a bunch of great behind the scenes and making of interviews here.
The latest in the Toxic series from VBS.tv focuses on what has been deemed the most polluted city in the world, Toxic Linfen China.
With all of the buzz surrounding Beijing's air quality leading up to the Olympic Games which begin tomorrow, VBS.tv decided to explore the pollution problem themselves starting with the worst of the worst.
Like the Garbage Island piece Toxic Linfen reports from on the ground, interviewing the public and experts on all sides of the issue - how did it get this way and can it change? Linfen is one of 16 Chinese cities in the top 20 most polluted list, primarily because of China's dependence on coal for fuel.
Check in at VBS.tv for the next in a 5 part series.
Production/animation company Buck built a model city for the new Toyota Corolla to cruise around...and suck the best amenities in 'Through the Roof.' The visual style of the world isn't trying to look photo real yet at the same time it's not a cartoon - it's almost like a match box car world, you can imagine guiding the Corolla through the streets exploring and creating the story of how it got from point A to point B.
Buck also has a behind the scenes piece on their site, which i love. The production design and miniatures involved in this spot make watching the creative process extra fun...if you like that sort of thing.
You can check out and download the behind the scenes here. It's worth the watch and offers some great insight from Creatives at Saatchi& Saatchi as well.
LeSportsac recently launched their Fall 08 ad campaign, more bag people photographer by Bela Borsodi. This prompted me to visit the website and I really love the Artist in Residence at the moment, Dutch Illustrator Merijin Hos, aka BFree.
I suggest you take some time to check out Bfree's site, it is overflowing with pretty things to look at.
I spent some time on Double Triple's website this morning. Not only do they ooze with style but they are also extremely diverse with projects spanning music videos, documentary films, website design, band tour merchandise, store front design and even menu and flier design for restaurants. I love that they take their vision and apply all over the place.
Here is some cover design for the Mobius Band's Love Will Reign Supreme album.
Massify is a production networking space for up and coming filmmakers. RSA is the world renowned production company formed by Ridley Scott and Tony Scott.
BBDO and Reno Motels Honduras appeal to the seedy side of their clientèle. Lipstick on the mirror screams sex and the fact that it can be erased without a trace - complete secrecy. It's the perfect medium for this ad which touts all of the amenities the motel has to offer.
I found these on Ads of the World, which was kind enough to provide translations:
"Even though we don't have a business center, internet, nor event facilities, curiously our most frequent clients are general managers and their secretaries."
"Our establishment is not family oriented. Nevertheless, we can definitely say many have started here."
The Octopus Project's "An Evening With Rthrtha" is another stop motion masterpiece by Double Triple and Ryan Junell, the same artists/animators that created the Spoon "Cherry Bomb" video. This piece is quite a bit darker and a lot experimental, I really like the mixes of media and the use of light and shadow.
Once again the crew documented the making of process, you can view all of the photos from production on Flikr. Thanks to Videostatic for the info!
Advertising agency Ground Zero went guerrilla and within 24 hours of the news that our once beloved Manny Ramirez was moving to L.A. laundromats throughout the Los Angeles area were sprinkled with lost red socks. The sentiment was welcoming him to the City of Angels on behalf of ESPN and The Dodgers...
It doesn't hurt quite so bad since Jason Bay has been hitting so well... and if Manny cuts his hair I'll forget it all together...but it does evoke a knee jerk reaction along the lines of "yeah well..., well..., I hope it turned your underwear pink..."
Nokia helps Pac Man navigate the town to find-or escape-his Ghost adversaries with it's maps and navigation system. Directed by Richard Ayoade of Kog Industries for Work Club, London.
I had the pleasure of seeing Matt Costa perform in a very intimate setting last night, Jonathan's Restaurant in Ogunquit Maine. The show was full of energy and heart, not to mention overflowing musical and lyrical talent, which maybe seeming even greater on such a small stage.
Mr.Pitiful was directed by The Malloys and Tim Wheeler.
One of the highlights was Costa's A Capella performance, "Will I Lie in Your Arms." This isn't from last night - but still beautiful.
I think these SOYJOY animated commercials and illustrated ads are super cute. A little more girlie than my normal taste but they jump off the screen none the less.
They come from agency RPA, and Animation House Laika House.
Jump Rope
Cloud
Illustrators (l to r): Gary Taxali, Simon Peplow, Roman Klonek.
These print ads jumped out at me on Ads of the World, simply because of the contrast between the orange graphic text and the black and white photographs. The ads are for the Australian Advertising Standards Bureau, a citizen driven MPAA, which evaluates advertising that garners public complaints. Interesting.
Of course I had to go to the website and see what sort of ads were causing a stir - who doesn't love banned advertising? It looks like most of the complaints have to do with language or sexual innuendo, and a lot of the ads are upheld after review.
Here is one of the ads that caused a stir last year but was ultimately upheld for the agencies creative use of language, implying offensive dialog but not actually incorporating it.
The video is a clip-art collage in the vein of Sgt. Peppers meets You Can't Do that on Television with more than a couple classic rock references. Directed by duo Julian House and Julian Gibbs of by Ghost Box Music, the piece opens on a frame mimicking the Rolling Stones Hot Rocks cover and proceeds to superimpose images of Liam with John Lennon specs throughout the duration of the song. All in all it's pretty trippy and fun to watch.
Is it me or does it seem like there has been a resurgence of Utz Potato Chips since they were featured in Mad Men? Maybe I'm just noticing the brand more...but I swear my local pizza shop just stocked up for the first time.
"Two Worlds" directed by SSSR, a Norwegian and Japanese team, who was responsible for the monochromatic art and Gaelle Denis, a French director, who was responsible for the colorful animated portions.
"Heart" by director Jamie Caliri who combines stop motion animation and paper puppetry. "Heart" also features a special rendition of Rhapsody in Blue performed by Herbie Hancock and Lang Lang.
You can find lots more about the campaign here.
I suggest you take some time to check out Bfree's site, it is overflowing with pretty things to look at.
Illustrators (l to r): Gary Taxali, Simon Peplow, Roman Klonek.
Posts
