Evan di Leo Updates

Evan di Leo just updated his site and is killin’ the freelance in LA.

Nike Running: Men vs. Women

In a spot that appeals to our competitive natures, agency 72andSunny launches an integrated campaign for Nike Running in Europe aptly titled “Men vs. Women.”

With Gnarls Barkley crooning through their earbuds, some well-known sports celebrities turn on the juice and go shoe to shoe in this sixty second rivalry. The women get some help from world marathon record holder Paula Radcliffe and dancer Sofia Boutella. The men are supported by Roger Federer, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Tony Parker, among others.

The 72andSunny/Nike team are no strangers to recruiting superstar athletes for their campaigns – my favorite being the “Take It to the Next Level” soccer spot directed by Guy Ritchie posted on Motionographer back in April of 08.

It’s refreshing to see an agency sell a concept that doesn’t rest on explaining the technology behind the product, but rather finds a way to appeal to what really gets our blood flowing – an old fashioned rivalry.

Credits

Rafael Saadiq “100 Yard Dash”

Perception channels Reid Miles for Raphael Saadiq’s “100 Yard Dash” directed by Maurice Marable.

Beardbox

A videomusical self portrait by Gabriel Shalom

Omega Code Fan Art

Omega Code Fan Art submissions deadline extended to March 31st

Incredibly choreographed graphics using LED’s and….sheep

Incredibly choreographed graphics using LED’s and….sheep

David O’Reilly: When You’re Smiling

Pictoplasma, the global clearing house for contemporary character design and art, commissioned director David O’Reilly to create the show open for Pictopia, the Pictoplasma exhibition taking place in Berlin this week.

Set to a hollow yet pleasing rendition of “When You’re Smiling,” O’Reilly tells the story of a skeleton looking for character parts in a warehouse-like digital space. Once the pieces are chosen, he replaces himself with the bits to create a generic but adorable little guy who walks through a mirror onto a stage.

WYS sparked some discussion at Motionographer headquarters. Although it seems innocent enough on the surface, O’Reilly’s film is subtly subversive: The central figure transforms itself from a human form into a clichéd icon, one assembled from samples of Japanese pop culture—a tendency that’s obvious in much of the character work at exhibitions like Pictopia.

In broader terms, “When You’re Smiling sets up a debate about the nature of animation and character design as triggers for empathy,” said Motionographer’s Justin Cone. Do characters—especially simplified, cuddly critters—act as psychological mirrors for audiences? If so, what sort of relationship is that? What kind of stories does that encourage/discourage? Are some stories being left behind?

As the opening for a gathering about character design, O’Reilly’s film couldn’t be more appropriate. It once again shows his penchant for intelligent iconoclasm expressed through engaging narrative. He reminds me of Brad Bird’s famous insistence that animation isn’t a genre, it’s an artform.

Watch When You’re Smiling