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Big Ideas (don't get any)

Big Ideas (don't get any) from James Houston on Vimeo.

 
  

Here is a little gem I just discovered via threeminds and that illustrates how creativity and talent can transform a challenge into a master piece. This short film is the work of James Houston, a student of the Glasgow School of Art who decided, for his final project, to respond to the online challenge launched by the Radiohead. The band proposed on a dedicated site a contest to remix their latest single "Nude". Here is what James did out of it. Although he was too late to enter his work within the deadline, I think he deserves a big huge online wave of applause from all of us.

Here is how James describes his quest on Vimeo :

"I've just graduated from the Glasgow School of Art's graphic design course. This was my final project.

Radiohead held an online contest to remix "Nude" from their album - "In Rainbows" This was quite a difficult task for everybody that entered, as Nude is in 6/8 timing, and 63bpm. Most music that's played in clubs is around 120bpm and usually 4/4 timing. It's pretty difficult to seamlessly mix a waltz beat into a DJ set.

This resulted in lots of generic entries consisting of a typical 4/4 beat, but with arbitrary clips from "Nude" thrown in so that they qualified for the contest.

Thom Yorke joked at the ridiculousness of it in an interview for NPR radio, hinting that they set the competition to find out how people would approach such a challenging task. I decided to take the piss a bit, as the contest seemed to be in that spirit. Based on the lyric (and alternate title) "Big Ideas: Don't get any" I grouped together a collection of old redundant hardware, and placed them in a situation where they're trying their best to do something that they're not exactly designed to do, and not quite getting there.

It doesn't sound great, as it's not supposed to.

I missed the contest deadline, so I'm offering it here for you to enjoy.

Sinclair ZX Spectrum - Guitars (rhythm & lead)
Epson LX-81 Dot Matrix Printer - Drums
HP Scanjet 3c - Bass GuitarHard
Drive array - Act as a collection of bad speakers - Vocals & FX"

PS : And I'm really wondering what my friend Tom (DirectorTom Thomas Clifford) will think about this film. ; )

  

UPDATE :

Check this film James did as he mentioned it to be his "...first ever project working with live action video". Wow! Definitely worth being pointed here as well. Read the comments on Vimeo and find out how he did it!

MTV from James Houston on Vimeo.

 

Brands and Artist Ambassadors

As you might already know I am a fan of Michel Gondry's work. When I found out about the last ad he directed for the Motorola Razr2, I really liked the Experience site they set to tell about the film and its making of. Quite interesting to listen to Michel Gondry's interview on the briefing and his creative process to make it happen.

What I like about it is :  the idea of giving a free ride to an artist to express his/her vision of a brand through his/her art.

 

It reminds me the surprising buzz of the late 90ies lead by the BMW Film series "The Hire". Remember? BMW gave an opportunity -and budget- to 8 famous directors (John Frankenheimer, Ang Lee, Won Kar-Way, etc) to create a short film -average of 8 minutes- to highlight the performance aspects of various BMW automobiles (you can find here : season one and season two). My favorite being Star (try it here if you don't have the DIVX plugin) directed by Guy Ritchie, with Madonna, a BMW M5 and fascinating driver Clive Owen -BTW wouldn't he make a fantastic James Bond?-. Don't forget to turn the volume of your computer up while watching this film... the scene over the bridge is simply... exquisite!.

Branded content indeed... but, when compared to traditional advertising, this project had (at the time) an innovative approach regarding format, story, and media.

I believe that there is a LOT more to do outside the traditional ad formats. Also there are obviously many ideas to develop by giving willing artists (and I mean young talents as well, naturally!), new ways to share their visions of brands through their art.

Thoughts or comments?

 

Minuscule

 

A link to share with your little ones. I might post more of these if you like them. This particular one I just love. Even if produced by a French production company, Futurikon - (link in french, sorry) the message of the film is, I think, universal.

“Minuscule revolves around the day-to-day existence of insects. Although the series calls to mind a wildlife documentary, it’s a documentary in which the insects are presented in burlesque situations, with a fair amount of philosophical contemplation thrown in. You might call it a cross between Tex Avery and Microcosmos, or grassroots slapstick. Or a docu-cartoon series.”
 

Simple, sharp, fun and extremely well executed. It flies us right into the imaginary world children see every day. I like to keep contact with that kind of imagination, a bit like focusing to see shapes in the clouds, as it acts like a breeze of freshness into my thoughts. Bzzzzzzzzzz!

(Thanks for the link, Yann!)

   

The Science of Sleep

Talented french director Michel Gondry, strikes again with his last movie "The Science of Sleep". I invite you to visit the dedicated micro-site of the film... it should give you an overview of what it is all about : a creative and innovative mind, lost between dreams and reality. Plus it is fun, fresh, crazy, poetic, and features the film soundtrack. In other words... worth the click.

The synopsis given by Warner Independent pictures is :

"The Science of Sleep, a playful romantic fantasy set inside the topsy-turvy brain of Stephane Miroux (Gael Garcia Bernal) an eccentric young man whose dreams constantly invade his waking life.

While slumbering, he is the charismatic host of "Stephane TV," expounding on "The Science of Sleep" in front of cardboard cameras. In "real life," he has a boring job at a Parisian calendar publisher and pines for Stephanie (Charlotte Gainsbourg), the girl in the apartment across the hall. While Stephanie is initially charmed by Stephane, she is confused by his childishness and shaky connection to reality. Stephanes co-worker, Guy (Alain Chabat) a vulgar but practical man, offers advice on the opposite sex, but Stephane is too far in the clouds to listen. Unable to find the secret to Stephanies heart while awake, Stephane searches for the answer in his dreams."

Now this said, here is a little tribute to Michel Gondry. This is definitely not intended to be a complete biography (you can find a tons of information on Kevin Holy's very documented site or on Michel Gondry's official site, in french...). This is more like a little reminder, for those who think they don't know Gondry (come on, I'm sure you do!).

Gondry made his reputation as a video clip director. He met Björk in 1993 and this was the beginning of a long business relationship based on mutual understanding and respect for each other's work. He directed  quite a few of her videos. "Human Behaviour" won all the possible video awards the year it was out. Then "Army of me" (this one I loved for the crazy universe he created, and  "Isobel" (black & white poetic voyage), etc.

Besides Björk, Gondry directed many videos, for the most famous artists in the world... always coming with an unexpected point of view : Massive Attack "Protection" incredible sequence and camera movement, Rolling Stones "Like a rolling stone" using a unique photographic technique, Daft Punk "Around the world" stunning studio choreography with a funny dark pop style, Beck's "Deadweight" where he explored the dream vs reality cocktail (Mmmmh!). In 2003 he used Lego blocks for The White Stripes "Fell in Love with a Girl", etc. His last video (until now) is Cody ChesnuTT's "King of the Game", graphic fantasy he directed it in 2006.

Ok, ok, let's imagine you never saw any of these videos, then... you must know him as an advertising film director. His innovative, ultra-creative, surprising style must have been at least once screened by your eyes. Smirnoff "Smarienberg" in 1995,  Levi's "Drugstore" (Cannes Advertising Film Festival Gold Lion in 1996), Levi's "mermaids" in 1996, Air France "Le Passage" in 1999 and "Le nuage" in 2002 (seems he's been a cloud lover for quite a while), etc. His last ad is Nespresso "The Boutique" (which is not my favourite, after reviewing the above list).

Last but not least Gondry has directed feature films like "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Minds" (2004), or "Dave Chapelle's Block Party"... the most known (although this is indeed quite subjective).

I do have a lot of respect for Michel Gondry and his work... He definitely "Thinks Different" and has one of those "crazy" minds always pushing the limits of creativity forward. Now, I have not seen "The Science of Sleep", but given all these elements... you bet I will. I wish I could fly to see it ! Time to go to sleep, or... am I already sleeping?