1st Ave and Kris Mercado for Tassimo “Brewbot Beats”.

1st Ave Machine and director Kris Mercado bring the robot back for Tassimo “Brewbot Beats”.

Asylum FX Website Update

Asylum Visual FX still launches its website update. Despite them shutting their doors, they leave us with top notch work. Here is a report on their closing (via fxguide).

Happy F5!

For its second birthday, F5 is throwing a big party with all its friends. (That’s you.)

Since the initial fest in 2009, we’ve seen the reform of strategies in our industries, our landscapes, and our lives. It’s ripe time to bash that piñata and celebrate our collective artistic rebirth. April 15th and 16th, we’ll throw down again in NYC with full two days of incredible presenters, workshops, original motion work, a full bar and a killer after party.

We’re lining up enough inspiration, enough surprises, and enough cake to make the event well worth it. If you were an attendee in 2009, check your inbox today for the extra special first surprise. If you’re a first-timer, tickets will go live next Monday, November 29th. And make sure to sign up for the F5 mailing list to get the latest news. We’d hate for anyone to miss out.

F5 is founded on the belief that true change occurs when you look outside your world and explore new horizons. The festival fosters creative collisions—unexpected insights from sources you didn’t see coming. The goal is nothing less than to change the way you think about your work and your life. Our ethos:

PROFIT: NO

Full disclosure: We don’t make any money from this. We have no sponsors and keep our ticket prices to an absolute minimum. There is no commercial involvement today or tomorrow. It’s about community and creativity.

Seriously. That’s not bullshit. We mean it.

We also don’t pay speaker fees and don’t allow agencies, studios or reps to sponsor the event. Purity matters. We don’t want dollar signs clouding anyone’s judgment.

ATTENDEES: YES

It’s all about the attendees: Creative spirits on fire. Cream of the crop artists, designers and storytellers looking for some way to connect with each other and with the world at large. You are the most passionate people on this earth, and as such, you embody the essence of F5.

SPEAKERS: YES

This isn’t “another design conference.” It’s a meeting of great minds—it’s about diversifying our perspective. In addition to top studios and individuals you know from Motionographer, we’ll be mixing the party up with talents from places and spaces that exist outside our comfort zones. All in the spirit of creative collisions—those moments of lasting insight and inspiration that occur when we smash into something unexpected.

PARTY: HELLS YES

Yes, there is a bar at the venue. Yes, we will be giving out plenty of free drinks. Yes, that means you’ll have to pace yourself. I mean, seriously… it’s a birthday party.

Friendships will be formed. Connections will be made. Ideas will take flight.

Join us.

King & Country Updates! New 2010 Reel and Ford F150 Spots.

King and Country updates their site with some sweet work. Check out their 2010 reel and latest spots for Ford F150: “Chokehold” and “Kiddie Menu”.

XYZ in NYC

Melbourne-based studio XYZ opens up a satellite office in NYC.

Need For Speed: SHIFT2 Unleashed

The first trailer of the new Need for Speed SHIFT2: Unleashed is online (more info soon) UPDATE: the game trailer was produced by The Embassy (thanks, Stephen!)

PC and Mac, and Avatar

Hillarious little spot from Microsoft: this time, Mac is the goofy-sounding one. Directed/produced/edited by Keith Rivers, written by Keith Rivers & Steve Stockman, stop-mo animation by Chris Rodgers