This past week, a music video for Kid Cudi’s “Pursuit of Happiness” featuring MGMT and Ratatat, had a short lived fling with the Internet as a wave of censorship swept it out of sight. There were rumors Cudi didn’t approve of his performance, and an alternate video for the same track (see it here), was created.
Fortunately, fans fought for the video’s return, which gives us the pleasure of sharing “Pursuit of Happiness” by French collective Megaforce.
With their trademark surreal, zero gravity camera trickery, Megaforce choreographs a somber Cudi rising and falling through a living room dream-space as he ponders the pursuit of happiness. The image of him as a dreamer, matched by Megaforce’s style and profound talent, gives this musician more authenticity than all the hot ladies and posses he could purchase for a more mainstream video.
IBM’s recent campaign exposing the data that flows through our world and keeps it moving, has produced Data Anthem and Data Baby. They called upon two names, respectively, who have become synonymous with beautifying data: James Frost of Zoo Films (partnered with The Mill) and Motion Theory.
Yes, we know the extraneous use of numbers, particles, etc. has run it’s course when used as stylistic flourish. However, this immaculately executed “data” and it’s aesthetic components, play supporting fiddle to this campaign’s concept.
Also, check out MTh’s behind-the-scenes of Data Baby.
Credits
“1923 aka Heaven”
Max Hattler just completed two short films with students at The Animation Workshop, an animation school in Viborg, Denmark. The two pieces, 1923 and 1925, will also be featured in a one-person show at Lumen Eclipse starting April 1st. We caught up with Max to find out more about the origins and the process of making these two enigmatic pieces.
Watch “1925 aka Hell” and read the Q&A here.
At some point in their careers, freelancers have probably asked themselves perfectly reasonable questions like, “How did a 10-hour day become standard?” And “Why are discussions about overtime so difficult?” Or “What can I do if I haven’t been paid?”
Building on momentum from this post and the open document linked in the comments, we’ve set up an open wiki dedicated to developing standards of practice for employers and employees working under the broad umbrella of motion design, including freelance directors, animators, designers, visual effects artists and other work-for-hire artists.
While other groups have established standards of practice for their fields, the specifics of motion design differ enough that it seems prudent to create this kind of a forum.
This site’s success depends on focused, mature contributions that raise the level of professionalism for the entire motion design industry. Any content that is not in accord with these goals will be respectfully removed.
At the moment, the site is focused on standards of practice in the United States, but we hope that with your input it can be expanded to include markets around the world. Because it’s an open wiki, the scope of the site will evolve and expand. Please add topics and content that you think will be helpful.
Special thanks to LA3D and countless others for getting the ball rolling.
Photo by Pierre Bédat
Superfad Seattle brings more than just eye candy to this surreal exploration of live action and vfx for Sony Bravia HDTV. Unfolding in three parts, “Birth of Color,” ”Explosion of Color,” and “Release of Color,” the piece takes us on a dreamlike journey, with each section visually manifesting Sony’s global brand message of “make.believe”.
Drawing from the theatrical world of fashion photography, Superfad chose spherical objects to represent the dot in “make.believe” and serve as a thread that runs throughout the piece.
For an extra bonus, we’re including both the final piece and a behind the scenes video in HD. Also check out the process frames and style boards sent from Directors Will Hyde and Carlos Stevens.
Radical Friend brings us another cult sensible music video for Brooklyn based musicians Yeasayer.
Their last collaboration for the track Ambling Alp brought us to a Jodorowsky meets Zardoz world. This time around we travel to a mid-afternoon futuristic 90s rave, with a dash of Beyond Thunderdome.
The bands equipment has been replaced with space crystals, which is nothing short of what I expect from a group creating such interesting sounds.
We hope to see more videos from such an amazing combo of talent.
Credits
It gives me tremendous pleasure when we get to feature a studio that’s not located in the Motion Design Meccas of the world (NYC, LA, London). I know how frustrating it is when the pond is small. It means smaller budgets, more conservative brief, harder environment to push the creative envelope, in general.
So everybody, meet Bobby, a Swedish production company with an office in Stockholm and Gottenburg (or Goteborg). I’m not saying these things necessarily apply to Bobby, but it’s refreshing to turn our attention away from the ‘obvious’ hot spot cities when Motion Design is concerned.
With these three projects: Gottenburg International Film Festival (GIFF), Stena Recycling, and Bokia, Bobby shows us their versatility in handling different aesthethics and subject matter. My only problem was I wanted a more dramatic, fitting ending to the GIFF intro–it was a bit anticlimactic, given how gorgeous the dragon embryo looked at the start.
But overall, these three spots are very nicely executed, and rather memorable too. For more of their stuff, be sure to visit their official site here.
Ian Worrel has drawn up this wonderfully meditative mixed-media short film, “Second Wind”. This spiritual journey of two friends becomes a story about life and death whose refreshing aesthetic consists of paper/pencil cell animation that has been comped and colored digitally. Though some scenes feel a bit rough, the story and style draw you in.
Being his final project for CalArts 2008, here’s some nice behind the scenes stuff.
Barcelona-based Dvein gets eccentric with six beautiful ident-like spots for the experimental cinema’s exhibition, Xcentric. The exhibition will feature 50 years of Spanish, independent cinema as well as travel to different locations in the US. Commissioned through their reps, 8 de agosto, Dvein directed and produced the spots with their usual technical finesse. The 3D blends perfectly with some live-action elements to end in an abstract poem.
“Heart of Stone” marks the second collaboration between Blind Director/Owner Chris Do and Danish rock duo The Raveonettes. To refresh your memory, their first music video with the indie rockers came in the form of “Black / White” just over two years ago. Watch that one here.
With the latest, Blind visualized a tragic tale in which one man’s sadness has transformed to apathy. His heart becomes stone.
The visually stunning video takes place in 2 separate worlds. One being the world of our hero, a world that is grim and desolate. The second is the world within his mind where we see his inner character struggling to keep his body functioning. All is set in a mix of Steampunk and Surrealism.
Don’t forget to check out the storyboards and concept art on Blind’s site to see how it all evolved.
Motionographer caught up with Chris Do to ask him a bit more about the project.
Continue to read and watch the video
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