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The Surreal Short Films of Stefan Ringelschwandtner

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Stefan Rigelschwandtner, a student at the Academy of Design in Offenbach (Germany), just completed this un-official video piece for Radiohead‘s “Nude.” It has some nice moments, but once checking out his site, I found a pretty surreal collection of short-film experiments he has done while in school over the past few years.

Although some of his work may be perceived as a bit derivative and/or experimental, I think there is a pretty good exploration of a broad range of skills from shooting, editing, VFX, stop-motion, etc. Another note, which separated his work, is that he seems to have made the compromising decision to put himself in front of the camera as well behind it.

Posted on 11 June 2008 |

  • Nikkons

    “I’m on a bit of a posting spree today” i would rather say this days!!!
    always nice to come here and have awesome material to watch thank you for this site :)

    • http://justincone.com justin

      Haha… this post was from Matt, not from me (Justin). Today, I’m not posting much. :-)

  • Scott

    Ummmmm…Pretentious Garbage.

  • Bacchus

    I agree with Scott (above)
    But I keep some reservations because the designer is still student. I expect future artistic maturity
    He has naive ideas, though!!!

  • http://www.knife-party.net Simon Robson

    @ Scott…
    How do you find this work pretentious? In what way is it making a claim to be something that it is not? If anything, the work is introverted. It’s an exploration of self and of the minute, the incidental and the un-noticed. Stefan explains what he’s about in “ZWISCHEN SEHRINDE UND MANDELKERN”. This stuff is a good deal more interesting, experimental and risk-taking than 95% of the all too safe student work i see. I think the work is a little immature, but that just makes me want to see how his work matures in the future. And you know, I’m sick to the back teeth of ignorant dismissive posts like yours. Why not criticise constructively instead of firing off un-imaginative ignorant slurs? Think…

  • notyourmamasan

    Bacchus, I also hope to see future maturity from you. You have to be the single, most egotistical person around here. I just hope you have half the talent that you think you do.

  • http://www.ringelschwandtner.com Stefan Ringelschwandtner

    I understand when people say that my work is kinda “pretentious kitsch”. Or naiv and childish. Thats okay. “Pro Radii” was great fun because i thought that Cris Cunningham gets a little bit boring. I want to try out if its hard to make a film like he does. The school demand was to make something to the theme “hybrid”. It was just a little funny idea.. with the stopmotion leaves at the end. 6 month later “The Fountain” cames out. That was funny, too.

    And with “Pro Radii” i wanted away from this stupid animated splines and 3D boxes Videos. I wanted to work faster and only with cuts, less effects. “Zwischen Sehrinde und Mandelkern” is of course a film about myself. I found out that i’m an Aspie. In the future i planing a short narrative film.

    You can also check the site of my girlfriend Astrid Rieger here: http://www.astridrieger.de/ I helped her on the films “Mammal” and “Apple on a Tree”.

  • http://tororo.tv Fabricio Lima

    Stefan, dont worry about negative criticism, they will always happen :) I for once, when i saw this posted, i was unsure if it was really in the right place… but given the fact that you are still a student and with the stuff you created so far, i really liked it :) You have a bright future ahead! Sharpen up some of your ideas, get ahead of cliches and use your techniques of editing and etc with fresh influences. You really do stand out from the crowd of students.
    Congratulations on your work, and you have the right to ask from those who give you a bit of “unconstructive” criticism their own references, works and etc… People do have to back up their own “progression” through design before playing the big ego-designer role..

  • slabserifa

    I would love to know what you guys consider as “immature” in these pieces. Is it the style, the execution or the concept?

    • Scott

      All of the above. The concept cant succeed unless the execution and style work. Here nothing works except his love of slow motion.

  • http://www.mateuniverse.com mate

    Big up Stefan! Awesome work! Fuck the haters!

  • Scott

    There is better work out there that isn’t undeniably derivative of other well known artist such as “Cris Cunningham.” The first shot in Sebastien Cannone’s Art Direction Reel is better than this kids entire portfolio. So why isn’t that in the big area instead of this? Also can you guys honestly tell me you were impressed with his work? I’m sorry but its crap. Just because its slow and has dramatic music doesn’t mean it’s good.

  • Scott

    Also “Like Tennis Shoes” is sooooo awful. The style is the definition of “PRETENTIOUS.” Just because you half ass something and decrease saturation doesn’t make it new or exciting. I look forward to seeing your work in the future when you copy better styles.

    • http://tororo.tv Fabricio Lima

      Scott, share with us your work :)

  • http://www.ringelschwandtner.com Stefan Ringelschwandtner

    thanks “mate” and “Fabricio”. I got a lot of nice mails since this post… and i don’t care much about this “Scotty” out there.

  • Scott

    How did you get your work posted on here anyway?

  • http://www.ringelschwandtner.com Stefan Ringelschwandtner

    Think about it.

  • Scott

    What be a German copy cat?

    • http://www.mateuniverse.com mate

      I don’t understand why people are such haters. Isn’t it a lot nicer to be supportive and motivate people to do better stuff then bash them? It’s good to criticise, but keep it constructive.

      @scott

      if you have such a big mouth it would be at least interesting to step up to it and post a link, don’t you think?

  • Marc B.

    Well in all honesty i kinda agree with both sides.

    On one hand i’m a little confused too as to why this is in the main section when so many other much better things have been posted in the quickies.

    Is there some kind of student bonus?

    On the other hand i understand he’s a student and therefore we shouldn’t be so hard on him.

  • Moy

    why this work was posted here, when I ass an student tried to post my work here and I never got the opportunity, and believe me , my work is 10 times better than this, if you guys are going to this keep equally , because this is not fair .

    • Marc B.

      Hey Moy let me give you an advice.

      You need to make friends with them and always be nice. If you got a facebook account and network with the contributors that helps a lot too.

      Understand? This is a nepotistic blog and they have biased posting styles a lot of the time even though they’d never admit :D

      Muahahaha, i’m waiting for Simon to teach me the contrary.

      • http://www.mateuniverse.com mate

        Funny thing that those hater comments seem to come from people who doesn’t post their work.

        • Marc B.

          Hater comments? Are you illiterate? Read it again before being an ass.

          Besides i said a few times i was a student.

          Thank you

    • http://justincone.com justin

      There’s nothing “fair” or “unfair” about Motionographer. What we do is highly subjective. Just because we like on thing doesn’t necessarily mean that we’re going to like something else. While there are some objective measures of effectiveness, there’s no accounting for taste, ours included.

      If you’re so confident that your work is 10 times better than Stefans, please send your work to submit@motionographer.com again, and I promise we’ll give you another look.

  • http://www.ringelschwandtner.com Stefan Ringelschwandtner

    Let me tell you that I don’t know anybody from this site here. And i don’t have any facebook accounts. I personally hate all the “friendship things” out there.

  • Scott

    Later on you might find your style and be deserving of being highlighted on this site. For now though lets show the “best” not potential best. Thats the argument I have. Yes in a “student” section maybe you come in 15th but with the big boys you don’t rank.

  • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W7LIFNlPeFI Scott

    Also… my reel.

    • skeletor

      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W7LIFNlPeFI

      Well if that is your reel, it really says it all. I could tear this below average effort to pieces but want to re-direct some of your scathing criticisms back on yourself. When you talk of “undeniably derivative” work, how can you keep a straight face with your lame rip-off of Nando Costa’s anime ID’s from 1.23 – 1.37

      If anything you’ve justified what many people with talent in this industry have long suspected about the haters who troll this site.

      • http://www.knife-party.net Simon Robson

        yes indeed, thanks Scott! With your formidable combination of great attitude and un-doubted talent you’ll surely go a long way! See below with my blessing:
        http://mcdnz.workstarglobal.com/

        • Marc B.

          Seriously Simon err you have nothing better to do than wasting your time posting comments on a website? Har Har you know i heart you.

  • http://www.scottnolan.com.au Scott Nolan

    Excuse me people who ever posted my reel…
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W7LIFNlPeFI

    it is a different Scott that is making those comments and I dont appreciate getting nasty comments, I know you didnt know but that reel was a uni effort, I only but it up because I was proud that I actually made it. Im not competing with all the pros out there if anything I look up to you all, Im still young…

    please give me a break

  • gsmetzer

    Wow, “Scott” after all that bashing you cannot even represent yourself with your own reel? You bring an innocent student into the mix? Can we ban fools like this wasting our time with a complete lack of constructive critique?
    Stephan your work is mesmerizing and beautiful. Your on your way to a successful career as a motion artist! Thanks Matt and Justin your site is my homepage.

  • http://www.jonsaunders.tv jsaunders

    Ok folks, here is “Scott’s” real site..enjoy

    http://www.reserve17.net/

    What is most interesting to me is that this student reel is even on your site. Are these two Scott’s the same person or is someone ripping off another person’s work. Oh the mystery…and potential legal issues to follow.

    • skeletor

      That, ladies and gentlemen, was the sound of shit hitting the fan.

    • http://www.scottnolan.com.au Scott Nolan

      Hey jsaunders, I just had a look at your site do you work for stardust? I absolutely love the work they do, I just wish there were more companies down here in Australia that did the quality of work stardust does.

      and I had a look on the other link that you put up “http://www.reserve17.net/” of “scott’s” real site, the person on it isnt named Scott, it’s Richard Krause.

      Im so confused…

      • igor

        Jon is currently works for psyop. Now show some love here :)

        No offence dudе….I just wanted to know why is everyone so friggin jaded…. did your momma not hug you enough as a child?…

  • http://www.defasten.com patrick defasten

    is this scott jealous someone else’s “subpar” work has been posted?

    i’ll have you know that i posted my site for review twice to justin’s email, and then by chance months later, my site gets posted by someone another reviewer here whom i didn’t submit my webersite too.

    if your site gets posted here, the hits you get range at about 3000 + (perhaps more hits if your site is good and/or controversial, lol), then it starts to level off. it’s not a big deal.

    relax, motionographer isn’t THE ONLY tastemaker of the industry.

    +1 constructive criticism
    -1 endless whining

    +1 stefan for his well crafted experiments!

  • http://www.dostuffwiththings.com phibs

    wow i’ve never seen such hating on this blog in my life!!!

    people gotta chill out about this shit. Everyone gets so infuriated when they see work they don’t agree with. If you feel your work is better… then that’s no means to blast someone else without anything constructive to say… particularly a student.

    it’s pure jealousy pouring out of scott – gotta relax man. With your way of going about it – everyone just dismisses you being whiny. if your work is good then why worry? Is this dude gonna take your job?

  • http://www.motiofixo.com Fariz Hanapiah

    Clearly i think Scott Nolan is a different ‘scott’ whose making those nasty comments.

    I really like Stefans Experiment btw. Well done!

  • scott

    lordy. i’m called scott and took a quick look at this site during a long render. i think everyone here called scott should meet up and talk through some issues that clearly one of us has. god i hope it’s not me.