Emil Sellström: MTV Night Video 2012

Don’t try to put language on it. Just enjoy.

Two diverse spots, one diverse dude, Daniel Garcia

Everything a music video should be in my opinion is beautiful and loosely narrative. If it does any job at all of revealing the zeitgeist then I’m even happier, whether it be intentional or not. Music videos today often neglect their ability to serve as a time capsules for generations. This video for Mates of State by director Daniel Garcia both tells the story of a party crashing bear with an internal conflict too big to solve, and simultaneously captures the spirit of 2008 thanks to the styling of Alice Bertay.

On the flip side, how do you make a successful animated video? While it’s a harder concept to pin down, due to all of the added challenges animation creates, the same rules apply. In this fun video for Ghostly International, we get to see three pals literally bring the color back to a gray city. While the story might not be the most innovative idea ever, it entertains. The artwork painted by Liz Artinian is perfect. It recalls early cartoons without coming off as too kitsch; it’s almost modern in some ways. Oh, and the animation, perfect.

You can download the entire album “Ghostly Swim” which I cannot vouch for but hear is very good. You can also watch the video here. Apologies for the link I believe the video is still exclusive and can only be seen on this website for now.

The Aliens are Coming

Remember when motion graphics were fun? Remember when it was just you and a couple of friends screaming and playing your music and somehow making amazing spots in spite of short deadlines and small budgets. A few ambitious kids in New York are keeping that spirit alive under the name “Alien Kung Fu”.

The main site is still coming but in the meantime chew on these promos for Spike influenced by Peter Max; make sure to check out the extras as well. If you need more, there’s a nice mix of live action and CG below for Hitman.

These guys are fresh out the gate and already displaying some versatility that most new companies ignore.They’ve got a new address down in SOHO and they’re here to take that pitch away from you.

VGA Award Promos

Hitman Promo

VGA Award Promos Credits

Two, with love… From Nathan Love.

Most people spend their holiday down time revising Christmas lists and relaxing. If you’re a member of the Nathan Love gang, you spend your holiday time pulling all nighters and creating demented animations with loose Christmas themes. I’m proud to pass along to you to new animations by none other. Enjoy.

Crack Xmas
Rabbitard

Alternate YouTube versions:
Crack Xmas
Rabbitard

“Nathan Love” Has Arrived

The mission is simple: Have fun, do great work, and make people smile. Judging by their website, Nathan Love has been involved in some fantastic work. Cat Sammich has been one of my favorite sets of bumpers since I was first introduced to it. They obviously have no problem flexing their muscles in different styles of animation; compare any two spots to see what I mean.

When it comes to displaying your work, some companies just “get it”. Nathan Love is obviously one of them. With their clean, easy to navigate website, free of pop ups and annoying browser resize issues, it’s easy to predict that although they are a new company, they will outlast more than a few. Add them to your bookmarks and check back often as Joe has told me several new and very interesting internal spots will be posted soon.

Nathan Love is: Joe Burrascano, Kate Burrascano, and Dan Vislocky, joined by another half dozen talented people and animals. They are located in New York and they are here to make you smile.

Daniel Garcia & Mixtape Club Direct “Me-I” for TV On the Radio

Daniel Garcia directed this video for T.V. on the Radio with the help of Mixtape Club. The narrative matches the lyrics and quirkiness of the song, titled “Me-I”, perfectly. Quirkiness is a delicate thing and can go very very wrong if not handled with some sophistication. Dan G. plus the Mixtape club have more than enough tricks up their sleeve to handle such a challenge. That’s just an opinion, and opinions are bullshit, in my opinion.

The Video is a web exclusive so you’ll have to use the Adult Swim flash player to view it, sorry.

And don’t miss the production shots!

BNS Jeep, Part Two

Check out the second piece in Brand New School’s campaign for Jeep. A lot of times a project this large is tough to keep consistent over two spots. BNS does it with ease.

Paris is burning

Paris is on fire again (the city, not the socialite whore). Every time I turn around there’s another hot track or remix or…. girl and they’re always from Paris. In France there’s a term, “Branché”. It means “plugged in” or “connected”. It’s the equivalent of “cool” in the U.S. If you’re Branché and you were in Paris a couple of years ago, you may have found yourself sweating it out to SebastiAn in the basement of some hot Parisian club like “Paris Paris“. Thanks to the success of last year’s collaboration between Justice and Simian Mobile Disco (you may remember the EMA’s and Kanye West’s infamous outrage) it seems like everyone is talking about Ed Banger records. It’s only a matter of time before your mother knows the label as well as she’s comfortable using the word bling.

While there’s nothing really new being done in this promo for a forthcoming compilation on Ed Banger records it’s just really well done. I could deal with a little less of the camera shake. It’s so obvious they meant display their prowess with motion tracking but I think they went a little overboard.

Pleix does it again

Unlike Justin, I’m a huge fan of music videos. I think it’s a perfect opportunity for experimentation and a good vehicle for a short story. It’s a great relief also from looking at advertising all day. As Johnathan Notaro once said in an interview it doesn’t have to be so freaking positive. Advertising always has to end on this heartwarming note. Yay music videos. So, here we go.

Parisian collective Pleix works its magic on a video for Groove Armada. You may remember Pleix as the creators of “Birds” for Vitalic. You remember…dogs, lasers. So 2006.

Thanks for the tip, David.

Daniel Garcia updates

You may remember recently Daniel Garcia, the dark master of motion graphics, directed videos for MF Doom and the late, legendary J. Dilla. He’s back at it again this time with a video for El-P Featuring Trent Reznor. The video was co-directed with Nathan Love, who you should also have your eye on.Currently it’s an Adult Swim exclusive so you’ll have to head over to their site to view it.
Be sure to check out Daniel’s new website to see some amazing promos recently Completed for Cartoon Network.

Meet PandaPanther

PandaPanther is a new studio launched by Jonathin Garin and Naomi Nishimura with Executive Producer Lydia Holness and they are NOT messin’ around.

Knife: Encyclopedia Pictura

Every once in a while the wind blows a certain way just when the seasons are changing and a very powerful memory of childhood comes rushing over me. I’ve heard people who were in NY for Sept. 11th say the same thing about certain days in September. When I viewed this video by Encyclopedia Pictura I felt fond memories of Sid and Marty Croft’s “Land of the Lost” only with a completely awesome 2007 twist. No sleestack from my childhood ever healed anyone with crotch-crystals.

The band is “Grizzly Bear”

Encyclopedia Pictura website

Production Photos

Brand New School, Jeep

Brand New School is quickly becoming THE force to be reckoned with by continuing to pump out super-slick spots. The latest ad for Jeep, through BBDO Detroit, gives BNS an opportunity to display its prowess with character animation. Check it out.

Talented Italians

Recently I was introduced to the insanely talented director Lorenzo Fonda. His work deserves a post to itself but he’s collaborating with the talented graffiti artist and amateur animator “Blu” to produce what I’m assuming is going to be an insanely interesting documentary. The details are top secret but what I can tell you is shooting will take place over a two month period in Central and South America, There’s gonna be some heavy post production involved with animations by Lorenzo and Blu. The final product will be a book plus DVD.

Lorenzo has already collaborated with the insanely talented folks at Lifelong Friendship Society and Hornet. I predict big things from him.
Meet Director, Lorenzo Fonda:

And Artist/Animator, Blu

Ed Harcourt Video with Tom Gauld

Fans of the comic anthology Kramer’s Ergot will instantly recognize the illustrations of Tom Gauld in the new Ed Harcourt video by Dirty UK. Tom is easily one of my favorite comic artists and seeing his work in motion was such a thrill that I immediately contacted Dirty UK to see how this process took place. Our conversation fell flat in the water. That’s why I’m unable to provide you with any back story or a higher res version or a direct link. Sorry, I tried.

It’s easy to see that each scene in the video is framed with attention to composition. Much the same way a piece of sequential art tells a story. You could pause this video at any moment and it would make an excellent composition.

Smilefaucet Screening, Flavor 05, Friday July 21st. NYC

Smilefaucet is screening its latest issue in NYC at Movida on Friday, July 21st in New York City. Also if you haven’t checked out the Smilefaucet website in a while, do so. It’s growing more, everyday, into a valuable source of news and interviews.

Image above links to the invitation which links to the RSVP address. See you there.

Blissful, Delîrivm Cordia

Leftchannel completes a short animation for Fatômas (Mike Patton) titled “Blissful”.
Similar to the work of Hoogerbrugge, Blissful is a trip through torment and obstacles of supposed demise within the mind of an evil being. It’s hard for me not to think of Dante’s Inferno. While the piece is only black and white, the reduced color palette provides relief from distraction and suggests a “right and wrong” environment. Compositions rarely remain still and pacing forces some of my favorite moments away too fast for me to be completly satisfied, insisting I re-watch, which I’ve done a few times now.