Guilherme Marcondes Crafts Worlds for British Gas

Director Guilherme Marcondes recently completed a lovingly hand-crafted spot for British Gas with Hornet. Guilherme’s unique artistic and directorial vision – evident from his short-films and now increasing commissioned projects (which you can view on his website) – is evolving in exciting ways with each new project he releases.

The press release from Hornet reveals more about this particular spot:

The idea for this British Gas spot was to create a dreamlike environment, somewhere between day and night, a myriad of planets floating in a blend of outer space and open air. While most of the elements could have been digitally created, Guilherme wanted to maintain the warmth and real sense of the tactile environment. The technical details: the planets were built as practical scale models. Once built, stills and camera moves were shot of the planets. Sky and other animated elements were composited later to complete the look. The characters were animated as cut outs. The photographic caricatures of the people in the spot were precisely distorted to look real with a cartoony edge.

Check out some initial styleframes and making of photos on Guilherme’s Flickr page which give a welcome look behind the scenes. I discovered looking at the Flickr set that the blue planet was made of clay and had to be re-sculpted every frame to create the motion of the waves. You can tell alot of love went into this and it definitely pays off when seen in motion.

Since the client loved the end result, I hear there are plans to further explore the visual language and tone that Guilherme brought to life for this first spot. Bravo!

Credits

Valerie Pirson : Coca-Cola “Two Guys”

Partizan’s Valerie Pirson (commercial reel) put her analogue sensibilities to good use in this chuckle-worthy spot for Coca-Cola and agency Weiden+Kennedy Portland. Using a grab-bag of stop-action techniques, Valerie pumped personality into the spot’s lo-fi aesthetics.

Stimmung’s Skeleton Suit enchanced the tongue-in-cheek melodrama with some great sound design, and Brand New School’s graphics are the tasteful cherry on top.

The Creative Work Of Ian Kim

Ian Kim has updated his site with some awesome new work, and we’re extremely happy that he did. Ian’s work is truly inspiring. His abilities take him to a vast range of styles and aesthetics. According to Ian, “The great thing about motion graphics is that every project requires a different style.”

It’s evident from his portfolio that he’s flexible and adaptable to whatever the project at hand may be.  His attention to detail, beautiful use of colors, and intense line work really set his illustrations apart from the norm. Not to mention his nearly perfect attention to perspective and proportions, an area that can be scary for many designers in this industry.

Ian now spends his days rockin’ with the crew from Buck LA. I had a moment to catch up with Ian and ask him about his process.  Here’s what he had to say:

My creative process begins with drawing. Drawing has always been my most immediate way of expressing ideas. I’ve always been into comics and movies, and I think their influence on my work is really evident.

I studied film in school, so with my background in storytelling, I like to think how best to tell a story visually. Since I’ve been working professionally, most of my work is digital, but I love working traditionally. I usually draw everything on paper and try to incorporate traditional elements when I am working on the computer.

I think its great to hear that more artists today want to use a tactile and traditional approach in this digital world. Makes me want to get my pencils out and draw!  Beautiful work, Ian!

Superfad for K-Mart

Superfad for K-Mart

Designing Minds: ADC Young Gun Keetra Dean Dixon

Designing Minds: ADC Young Gun Keetra Dean Dixon

Rachel Maddow and Charlie White to Present at F5

I’ve been saying all along that F5 will be full of creative collisions—moments of lasting insight and inspiration that occur when you venture outside your comfort zone and smash into something unexpected.

That’s exactly why I’m so excited to announce the final two speakers in F5′s already eclectic lineup: Rachel Maddow and Charlie White.

RACHEL MADDOW

If you’re at all politically inclined, you’ve at least heard of Rachel Maddow. You probably know that The Rachel Maddow Show on MSNBC has been a stellar success, dethroning Larry King at the same time slot and sending a much-needed thrill through the world of cable news.

But I think the best introduction to Rachel comes from her official site:

Rachel has a doctorate in political science (she was a Rhodes Scholar) and a background in HIV/AIDS activism and prison reform. She shakes a mean cocktail, drives a bright red pickup, hates Coldplay, loves arguing with conservatives, spends a lot of money on AMTRAK tickets, and dresses like a first-grader.

Rachel is a maverick of the highest caliber. And that makes her a friend of F5.

CHARLIE WHITE

And now for something completely different. Over the last decade Charlie White has created some of the most arresting and trenchant images in contemporary photography.

Through an extensive process that entails casting actors, creating characters, and building sets to construct scenes both disturbing and familiar, Charlie dissects the violence, desires, and social anxieties that trouble the American collective unconscious.

In 2008 White exhibited Girl Studies, a series comprised of a 35mm short film titled American Minor, an experimental animation titled OMG BFF LOL, and a series of new photographs that move away from the use of the tableau and the fictional narrative.

Girl Studies is the culmination of three years of research and production that expands far beyond the works exhibited. The series marks the broadest range in White’s practice to date and further evolves his specifically American cultural critique.

Check out the full lineup of F5′s speakers on the Speakers page.

Mr. Hyde launches The Hyde Tube

Mr. Hyde launches The Hyde Tube