In the latter-day tradition of epic video-game cinematics, we present DJ Hero. Reared with love by Framestore and directed by Marco Puig, DJ Hero is a knock down, drag out grind in CG overdrive. There’s a lot going on, which—depending on your taste—can work for, or against it.
Through a medley of quick cuts and steely beats, Hero has all the trappings of an action movie—gushing with testosterone, and unabashedly fetishizing explosions and getaway tractor-trailers. The whole shebang kicks off like a DJ set—mix-matching and beat-juggling through an evolving cast of rogue characters and sticky situations.
The look is industrial, borrowed from the classic fusion of sci-fi and grit—popularized by films like Blade Runner. Through a loose narrative and several character face-offs, the piece crescendos with a throng of break-dancers, as the DJ—our master of ceremonies and resident “Hero”—spins a record or two in a celebratory close.
Shot on a Phantom, you ask? Nope. With just a little over 2 weeks from concept to delivery, Onesize had to think outside the 7000 fps box. Enter photographer Jasper Faber and two flashlights.
That’s right, it’s all photography camera mapped in 3D. To deal with the tight turnaround, Onesize brought in production company Revolver, to help produce the shoot, while Onesize stayed focused on the heavy post efforts. The 3D was executed using mainly Cinema 4D and 3D Studio Max.
We’re two days away from the first-ever Cut&Paste Global Championship, taking place this Friday, October 16th, 2009 at The Hammerstein Ballroom, NYC.
The Global Championship will present the same three competition formats that Digital Design Tournament 2009 has featured throughout the 16 cities of its global tour: 2D, 3D, and motion design.
Nando Costa’s colorful career recently took another interesting turn when he joined Bent Image Lab as a director/partner. The fruit of that union can be tasted in his first project with Bent, a music video for Modest Mouse’s “Whale Song.”
Nando took time to fill us in with loads of juicy behind-the-scenes details, as well as bringing us up to speed on life after Nervo.
Anthony F. Schepperd’s “Wail To God” is a subversion of conventional animation. Suffused with an unorthodox style reminiscent of Bill Plympton, viewers are jolted by constant shifts in perspective, while the uncanny non-narrative plays out with a graceful continuity.
In “Wail To God,” there are none of the usual clichés. The darting changes in scale, color, and motion are freakishly cool, while the loose and frenetic line-work—moving with the ferocity of brush-fire—add another layer of unpolished appeal.
The style—or experimental risks—in “Wail To God” may not be for everybody, but in my opinion, they’re highly refreshing.
DirecTV’s Design Space partnered with VFX company Iron Claw (Sean Koriakin and Greg Talmage), director Ben Mor from RSA Films and DP Dariusz Wolski (Pirates of the Carribean, Alice in Wonderland) to create this foreboding promo for DirecTV’s exclusive broadcast of Friday Night Lights.
Everything was shot on green screen, with the only practical elements in the entire piece being the actors, house facade and pickup truck. The simplicity of the concept allows for the subtle details and beautiful lighting to take center stage and really pack in the emotion and anticipation.
A hip short created by another crop of brilliant students at Gobelins by the names of Rémi Bastie, Jean-Baptiste Cumont, Clément Desnos, Jonathan Djob Nkondo and Nicolas Pegon. A cute idea that is carried along by energetic Flash animation, which seems to be a focus that is growing in popularity at Gobelins. Maybe we can look forward to a rise in flash animation quality for film and television in the coming years if this trend continues.
Not to mention that this is another short produced entirely at Wizz Design who helped produce another short, Flying V: Virgile, earlier this year.
This one’s got a bit of the old ultra-violence, so be fore-warned. It’s all in a good bit of fun, though. No-one truly gets hurt. Videogioco, which means videogame in Italian, combines 2D drawings and flipbook-style action with a stop-motion filming process for a really unique, new take on a cartoon, action fighting sequence. The character (well, really just a part of him) moves across the paper getting stabbed, cut, hit, swallowed and kicked through the air only to be finally re-united with his body for a closing punch. The ending loops back to the beginning scene, starting the whole process, and cycle of violence, over again. Brilliant! Kudos to the makers of this amazing short.
Animation and Concept by Donato Sansone
Sound Design by Enrico Ascoli
Indeed, Twenty120 has come to pass. Not long ago, screenings for the festival went underway, drawing in artists across the board, and cooking up a body of work ranging from abstract animation to live action.
For those oblivious to the event, Twenty120 is a stockpile of 20 independent films that each span a length of 120 seconds. Rid of any professional constraints, artists were given full creative license, but posed to frame their work around this year’s theme, “In The Age of Opulence.”
While we at Motionographer where pleased at the overall quality from all the works, we where especially impressed by Wrights of Spring (Bryce Wymer, Daniel Pernikoff), OPRÉ (Justin Harder), and Fatty Wants A New Toy (Jon Saunders, Tony Barbieri).
Encyclopedia Pictura has struck again! The directing trio recently finished a personal animation entitled, “How Will You Create the Universe?”, inspired by the creature evolution concepts put forth by the video game Spore. Using that idea as a spring board, Encyclopedia Pictura explores what would evolve from a world if they were gods (as well as ask the viewers what they would create through verse). While creating a Universe can be hard, Encyclopedia Pictura puts all the odd pieces together just right to make a quirky, lush world that is unique to their vision.
Their sculpted style has evolved itself with the help of CG masters Tippett Studio, who brought their highly detailed designs to life. Tippet may be one of the few studios with the ability to take this style and intricate design and make something that even better looking then the stills. This animation could have easily looked like cgi trying to be claymation or borrowed from other more trendy 3d styles, instead Encyclopedia Pictura and Tippet created something brand new.
Enjoy.
EDIT: We discovered that this was in fact originally created a year ago for a Spore ad campaign that was ultimately killed. Kudos to Encyclopedia Pictura for taking the initiative and finishing this project. Shame the client couldn’t conceive what amazing attention this spot would have given their brand.
In “Drifters,” for Travelers Insurance, a flock of red umbrellas come together to protect life’s most valued assets, in this spot from vfx boutique a52, and agency Fallon and Gorgeous Enterprises.
HYPtv’s 24-Hour Ad Challenge. In association with M & C Saatchi & ICA. Judges include Alan Yentob, Peter Saville and Graham Fink & CR Ed. Patrick Burgogne.
