Grand Marnier Fun fashionable Animated commercials

I love everything about this world created by Grand Marnier. Can I be a silhouette on that balcony? A part of that party? Inspired by vintage french posters, the animation style is minimal and the bold colors can't help but grab your attention.

Animators at Studio 9K9 infused life into print materials of the same voice resulting in this enticing atmospheric animated spot.

Slap Chop

I file this under i can't believe it's real. yes, it got my attention. it caught my attention because i thought the playback was skipping and proceeded to watch in horror as if watching a car crash for the next 3 minutes...unreal. what do you think? obnoxious genius? or just obnoxious?

Space Invaders Invade London for Gadget Show

Check out this 3d spectacle, projected on a marble arch to a crowd of onlookers in London...

Awesome movie intro: it's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World

This simple line drawn 2d animated intro is about as inspiring as it can get, in my eyes. The number of scenarios imagined out of a globe, or circle, or egg, is really impressive and entertaining - it just goes to show that a great idea really goes a long way. You can see such great title sequences as Catch Me if You Can and Anatomy of a Murder all echoing the style cues from this gem.

The Future is Today

July 6, 2010 and not hoverboards...

Biscuit Filmworks Brings Les Grossman back to the Screen for the MTV Movie Awards

If you've seen Tropic Thunder you know that the Tom Cruise character Le Grossman was one of the highlights of the film, especially his celebratory dance moves that take us out of the flick. This year to help promote the MTV Movie Awards Les Grossman releases a slew of promos (word is also promoting his own approaching feature film) from director AAron Stoller of Biscuit Filmworks.

I love the mock of the famous Risky Business scene, also originally played by Cruise.

Brand New School Uses Stop Motion to Animate 2010 AICP Sponsor Reel

Brand New School goes old school with a low-fi stop motion sponsor reel for this year's AICP awards. The team took advantage of the rich grimy streets of New York and used them as their abstract art backgrounds to illustrate the corporate sponsor titles. I just love the peeling paint and layers of old posters and graffiti they chose to use, such rich unique images that only time and exposure on the New York streets can create.

Here's the brief on the process from the Brand New School team:

Embracing Brand New School's passions for animation, photography and filmmaking, the team first created logo animations and printed those frames on individual, brightly colored pieces of paper. Then, armed with a Canon 5D, tape, and a small fleet of bicycles for transportation, they spent 5 days traveling multiple boroughs capturing the footage. "For each company's mark, we devised animations and then scoured neighborhoods in search of locations for them that would all work together," said Adolfsen. "We tried never to repeat ourselves, each time trying to raise the bar. It was like a big game, played on the walls and streets of the city." Music and mix credits for the Sponsor Reel go to the incredible talents at Stimmüng.

Ford Fiesta's Crazy Choreographed Commercial

I love filmmaking that you can tell took a lot of work in the choreography and preplanning, it just reveals the art form and brain power a bit more in my opinion than something made completely in post - i guess i'm just a lo-fi type of girl. this new spot for the Ford Fiesta where signage and other ambient elements start to communicate with the driver makes me smile.

The agency responsible is super agency Team Detroit, the song is called "Janglin" from Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros.

Get HIm to the Greek Animated spot for Adult Swim

boy i have had the hardest time finding a copy of this animated spot for Get Him to the Greek that i saw late one night on Adult Swim. I love it and i'm not sure why they don't spread it around the superweb (i'm talking to you adult swim..)

All i was able to find out was that it was produced by animation studio Titmouse specifically for adult swim...check it out below. (yes i know it's via someone's iphone taping their tv but i'll replace it once a good copy surfaces i promise!)

Billboards Come to Life with the Help of Olympus and Seeded by The Viral Factory

Billboard Ads come to life - your worst nightmare? Remember that Simpsons's Tree House of Horror when all of the advertising Icons were destroying the city? (just dont look- just dont look)

Well this is a lot less scary. A follow up to "The PEN Story" one year later - and super sized created from a series of stills blown up and photographed again in their surroundings with the PEN camera creating a new stop motion adventure.

for those of you interested in the origins of the story here ya go!

Toyota Avalon Travels Back in Time

What do you guys think about these new retro kitsch Toyota Avalon commercials? They are part Mad Men, part vintage advertising, and part stepford wife creepy.

At first i thought they totally missed their mark, trying to be vintage but not going far enough with the aesthetic, lighting or film stocks, but the more i see them, and think about the two of them as a campaign rather than individual spots i get the kitsch factor much more and kinda really like them. I also like the idea of travel as a luxury rather than a given or a right, it's a nice change of perception. thoughts? Mr. Sandman bring me a dream?

AT&T Whisks us Into a World of Imagination

How can you not look up when this sweet lullaby from Gene WIlder and our childhoods breaks through TV noise? The first time it aired i was glued to the TV, smile on my face, ecstatic that someone was using the charming soundtrack from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and intrigued by the childish drawings that sprung to life, waiting attentively for the punch line - the brand.

AT&T. I was shocked and a bit disappointed at first it didnt seem to fit but i guess that was their intention, to begin to change the perception of the brand. I'm excited to see what comes next.

The new spot is part of the "Re-think Possible" campaign via BBDO, directed by Peter Thwaites.

For those who are feeling the impulse to watch the Willy Wonka scene, here it is!

Bansky Documentary Exit Through the Gift Shop

Street Art fans rejoice -Exit Through the Gift Shop, a look inside the life of art on the streets has opened in select cities, making it's way to Boston's Kendall Square Theater next week.

for those interested check out this review, some interesting insight into the film, Bansky and street art.

Meet Birdman's Tattoos

Jerry Pyle over at Pictures in a Row sent me this spec project of his that I couldn't help but share. Just in time for the NBA playoffs Chris "Birdman" Andersen's tattoos come to life to talk about the excitement of the post season.

I think it's the beginning of something great - can't you see an action adventure animated series featuring these guys? It could be a great cast of characters - good stuff Jerry!

here is some more of the REAL Birdman talking about his tats for those who are interested in the inspiration.

The Pacific Opening Credit Sequence

Have you been watching The Pacific on HBO? If so you can't help but be amazed at the gorgeous opening title sequence. Sketches transition seamlessly into black and white photographs and dust from breaking charcoal shards elegantly portray shrapnel and explosions in the sand.

Below is the animatic from director Steve Fuller for Imaginary forces that won the job.

The Pacific Opening Credits from Steve Fuller on Vimeo.

You can check out the finished product here on the Imaginary Forces website.

The Viral Factory's Solar Controlled Earth Hour Countdown

Earth Hour is upon us once again. This Saturday the 27th residents and businesses around the world will shut off for an hour in an act to conserve energy and unite in awareness of the energy crisis world wide.

The Viral Factory produced and created a light sensitive or interactive stop motion animation with music from Hot Chip for the occasion.

The version on the Earth Hour site senses the light level via your computer's web cam and dictates the version of the story told. Check it out for yourself here: http://www.myearthhour.org/lightsoff

The YouTube version has a built in toggle light switch so that you can jump back and forth between the story lines...very cool. i love this idea and the video is really entertaining too.

Diane Birch One Take Music Video

This video from Diane Birch for 'Valentino' directed by Dennis Liu of @radical.media is another great feat in choreography. Though the planning stages had to be extremely complex the end result has almost a sweet low-fi essence to it that reminds me of children performing in front of a tied up sheet for the neighborhood. The reality of the degree of performance couldn't be more different as is evident in the behind the scenes footage where the screen comes down.

Zappos.com - Powered by Puppets...err Real People

How can you not love these new ads for Zappos.com via their new agency of note Boston's own Mullen? Everyone loves some good puppetry, right? and if nothing else the lo-fi aesthetic stands out amongst the flashy car commercials and highly produced sport drink ads while staying making the simple point, Zappos.com has fantastic human customer service.

for those of you interested in some more about the creative process check out this video with thoughts from the creatives at Mullen, directors, character designers, and "zappet-iers."

Jamie Cullum Cry Me a River from the House of Blues

I had the pleasure of seeing Jamie Cullum perform at the House of Blues here in Boston over the weekend. One of the highlights, for me, was his amazing remix of Cry Me a River combining the original song from Ella Fitzgerald and the Justin Timberlake hit with the same name. Being a masshole i have to admit the Aerosmith cover off of Rock and a Hard Place is one of my favorite renditions of the heartbreaking Fitzgerald classic but this one is in tough competition, split into two videos below.



...and in true Two If By See style i have to share the originals for the full effect:

Pirelli Commercial Directed by Kathryn Bigelow

To celebrate the historic wins for Kathryn Bigelow last night at the Oscars I wanted to share her most recent commercial work, this short film starring Uma Thurman and shot by Janusz Kaminski for Pirelli titled, Mission Zero.

and check out this peek behind the scenes for a scope of the production, the stunts, and the special effects.

OK GO Plays Mousetrap with This Too Shall Pass

It's nice to see that OK GO has continued it's run of excellent, and hopefully virally successful, music videos. You remember Mouse Trap right? (the board game, not the movie) if not what about the breakfast scene from Pee Wee's Big Adventure?

Well OK Go, with the help of director James Frost (Zoo Films) and Syyn Labs created a life sized, and extremely intricate, moving chain reaction machine that in itself took months of pre-planning to create before the camera choreography was even a thought - the end result - fun. really really fun. Check it out.

Here's some trivia for you, the actual name of such a machine is a Rube Goldberg machine, a machine that achieves a simple task in an over complicated or convoluted manner.

Want to see that Pee Wee scene? You got it!

Feeding America

How to create a good PSA.

1. take beautiful black and white footage of people

2. add Tom Waits

3. top off with fun creative gimmick such as reinforcing literal message with human body parts

These are actually a few years old but they were running the other day and i just liked them. They remind me of the found alphabet photos and spell with flickr. (both endless fun and inspiration, I think i might take this concept to make some DIY gifts for approaching weddings, what a good excuse to hit the city with the camera?)

Art Around the World with Skype Outside and The Viral Factory

To promote Skype Outside with the help of The Viral Factory, the call has gone out to Skpe your messages to a variety of artists, from street performers and shadow artists to sculptors to recreate you messages in art. Personally, I'm waiting for the marraige proposal - c'mon! someone's gotta do it!

Check out the call for messages here:

and the first round of messages have come in, see the results here:

get in on the action at Skype Outside.

New Warm & Fuzzy Short from Plexi

seriously cute just because from directing collective Plexi to show off their new blog.

(see film here)

Experimental Films for MAC Cosmetics from We Are Plus

MAC cosmetics, a brand not particularly associated with broad advertising campaigns, has been utilizing these complex, colorful and sexy brand films to help support the company culture and style for a number of years. The films are used in a range of ways from website and in store visual material to corporate messaging, supporting the brand in a visceral visual sense that has helped to define the voice of the company.

The newest brand film, "Spring Color Forecast" is true to it's title in that it is a visual montage color study incorporating and playing with the key colors of the new spring line. Much more of an experiment in sound, color and filmmaking than an advertisement, you can see how the typical responders and target audience may not be the Cover Girl wearers of the world.

MAC Cosmetics "Spring Colour Forecast" from We Are Plus on Vimeo.

We Are Plus has been the production company of note for MAC Cosmetic's branding video for the last seven years and have amassed quiet the portfolio of work for the brand. This piece, "d'Bohemia" speaks to me with it's vintage sea side holiday aesthetic, i love the postcard writing that leads you through the story, and the subtle animation used to bring the vignettes to life.

MAC Cosmetics "d'Bohemia" from We Are Plus on Vimeo.

Outstanding Vancouver Olympic Ads

Keeping with the Winter Olympic theme i couldn't resist sharing these two spots that i love.

The first is the Coca Cola snowball fight in the Olympic village. I love the fun loving air of playing, i think it's a great light to shine on the olympics because, though it is serious competition - in the end it is all a game isn't it?

The second is this Nike spot appropriately called "Human Chain" from director Brian Beletic of smuggler and VFX from MassMarket. it reminds me a bit of one of my all time favorite spots, "What Goes Around Comes Around" could be why i enjoy it so much. I do love the visual of needing a team of yourself to accomplish your goals, it makes me think of countless training sessions, trial runs, failed attempts and the repetition required to become a champion.

Animated Commercials of the Vancouver Olympics

Like much of the world i have fund myself glued to the Olympic coverage this weekend, more concerned with luge results and biathlons than i even knew possible, and i gotta say, where the Super Bowl spots might have fallen short i think the Vancouver Olympic Games commercials have been rather impressive. Feeling overwhelmed i thought I'd start to tackle the list with some of my favorite animated spots of the 2010 Winter Games.

To start it off, i found this spot for BBC Olympic coverage from AKA and thought it was a must see.


These spots for Diet Coke, directed by Pistachios via Blacklist and W+K are so simple, but i've been really drawn to the simple lately, with so much photoreal, and VFX skill a sweetly animated line drawing is what i find cuts through the clutter to reach me.

Honda Crosstour, i love these throwback animated spots from director Andy Hall of Elastic, though the campaign began late last year the spots are all over the Olympic coverage.




Visa "Julia Manscuso" , a lot of the Visa Go World spots are fantastic for different reasons, (the Dan Jansen spot makes me misty every time i see it) but i love the minimal hand made feel the brand went with for this animated story of drive and accomplishment.

Building the Bud Light House

frat boys - avert you're eyes, as amazing as this feat is it involves the dumping of countless cases of beer...you were warned.

as an art department girl i just love this stuff, a project where each step is a new problem to solve with a skill that you will probably never need again - but it looks so good, doesn't it?

Super Bowl 2010 Spots

Though no one spot jumped through the screen and had be laughing on the floor, but there were a few i liked more than others...

Coca Cola Sleepwalker


VW Punch Buggy


The Throwbacks...

The Griswald's


The Super Bowl Shuffle 2010

...and the original for those that need a refresher


and because i love the Simpson's and my sock monkey

The Big Chill

For the worst of reasons we are living in The Big Chill this week. I hope for new memories mixed with the tears and really good tunes.

The Catcher

A dear talented friend of mine, director Xandy Smith made this short back in film school as a tribute to JD Salinger. I've been trying to decide if or how and what i would i would say to mention the author's death when Xandy reminded me of his film and i thought it was perfect.



In the 10 plus years since this film Xandy has been working as a director, and he's damn good, check out some of the other work I've shared in the past.

I hope you have a good weekend and do some rereading of The Catcher in the Rye.

Shilo Makes a Perfect Little Community out of Clay

Shilo has made this lighthearted animated spot for the 2010 Census using the classic "claymation" look to bring a little girl's dream community to life.

Census "Community" - Director's Cut from Shilo on Vimeo.

...and they even put together a little making if piece for a look inside the creative process, definitely worth checking out. I'm always blown away when the end product looks so much like the initial story boards, i guess it's just the work of true professionals who are able to deliver their vision on target but i think it's so impressive.

Making Of 2010 Census "Community" from Shilo on Vimeo.

Salty's Back and Now He's Online Dating and Standing in for Salt Shakers

still...very very cute.

Type Tree

so, at some point last year while scouring craiglist for art submissions or design gigs i sent some of my projects to a little zine. well, it finally came out and i was shocked to see not only did they use my piece but they made it the cover?!

it's something small i know - but to me it is huge in the way of confidence in my creations, like, that they must look at least interesting to someone else for them to select it and slap it on a cover, right? well thats how i take it and i'm proud. The tree on the left was the selected design.

Freezelight Magic Forest

I've been feeling so uninspired lately and feel like there just hasn't been a lot of exciting new work out there. Am I wrong? If so please send me something!

Well, in thumbing through my vimeo i found this magical little film that made me smile. Created (I think) by matting images of the long exposure light animation with the clean forest stills. I like the playful interactions with the landscape - it made my day.

Freezelight Magic Forest from FREEZELIGHT.RU on Vimeo.

Up in the Air Press Tour

through the eyes of Jason Reitman... i love that he did this, called Lost in the Air.

Lost In The Air: The Jason Reitman Press Tour Simulator from Jason Reitman on Vimeo.

Recycled Type

I wrote a little piece for Raging Artists the other day about the brands i share my home with, check it out.

Behind the Scenes of Absolute

Remember those new Absolute ads from Ellen von Unwerth that i posted a few weeks ago? You know, the ones with Kate Beckinsale and Zooey Deschanel? well check out this behind the scenes, almost as colorful and beautiful as the final product.

Happy Birthday Elvis

In honor of Elvis' would be 75th birthday i thought i'd remember him through some of the advertising appearances that help keep him alive.

Energizer



Lipton



Audi



ipod

growing graffiti

whose on a kick? yep. green, living, growing, graffiti in the streets of Brooklyn from artist Edina Tokodi. She has taken urban gardening and environmental graffiti to a whole new place (and not without a message or a sense of humor.) see for yourself, the juxtaposition of the moss illustrations and the streetscape is amazing.

snow graffiti?

I've been slow in the starting blocks with my first post of 2010, I'm still kinda feeling stuck in the holidays - and also a little bored with the commercial work I've been seeing, so i thought - why not go with it and look into something wintery?With that in mind i started thinking about reverse graffiti and wondering if any of these great street artists take advantage of their frozen surroundings to create some temporary snow or ice graffiti. Though i didnt find the snow masterpieces i was secretly hoping existed i did find some evidence of snow graffiti...anyone have any evidence of snow graffiti? please send it my way!