Hasta La Motion!

A while back, we made a post about the Bonaroo line-up animation, the basic concept of which was taken from Javan Ivey’s My Paper Mind. Despite not being involved with the Bonaroo project, Javan was honored to have his work sampled and taken further. In his words: “It looks great. I mean, I’m kinda bummed I wasn’t invited to the party, but I really enjoy seeing what they’ve done.”

The ensuing Motionographer comments raised questions about involving the originators of a particular technique in commercial applications of that technique. People wondered why Javan wasn’t brought on as a collaborator or consultant by Ghost Robot (who had, it turns out, contacted Javan about the Bonaroo project).

Acting as a model for how things can be done differently is the opening sequence for the Promax|BDA Awards created by Favorite Color.

A couple days before the awards opening was released, we saw an engaging experimental film created by Parson’s student Varathit “Tu” Uthaisri. Surface bore an uncanny resemblance to the Favorite Color project, and the inevitable cries of “rip-off” came from some of us here at Motionographer HQ (me included).

But then we looked closer, and we discovered that Tu was actually listed as an art director on the Favorite Color project.

That intrigued me, so I asked Favorite Color Founder/Executive Producer Dave Dimmick about it:

Frank [Pichel, Creative Director] went to a screening of Tu’s thesis at Parson’s right around the same time we were asked to do the Promax/BDA opening.  With the Promax/BDA theme this year being “leading the new economy of marketing and design,” we thought it might be a cool idea to do something metaphoric to how we interpreted that theme.

Our thought was that we could create a metaphor for the economy, where things are not exactly as they appear.  We thought Tu’s Surface film was the perfect concept for us to build from.

So they got Tu involved as a freelance art director. As simple as that. They brought him out to the shoot in upstate New York, and Tu helped set up scenes, working closely with Frank Pichel to achieve the right look.

But it gets better. Tu’s Surface was obviously inspired by other projects that came before it, as he clearly states in the Process area of his site, going so far as to link to the relevant works. His openness about his influences imbues him with a sense of confidence and integrity, setting a fine example for students and studios alike to follow.

Now, if we could just get advertising agencies on the same page…

Posted on Motionographer

Pushing the Limits on Pushing Daisies, at Creative Cow.

The latest short film from Directing-duo, Terri Timely (Ian Kibbey and Corey Creasey), is a portrait of two brother’s and their surreal experiences as they explore their Synesthesia.

Synethesia (the ability associate sounds with tastes, colors, letters, numbers or even people) is a phenomenon that easily sets the stage for a visually rich piece. However, it’s Terri’s refined storytelling abilities and aesthetic that really make this piece stand out for me.

Terri Timely’s growing body of work creates an intimate portraiture of humanity. They also posses an impressionistic disconnect that seems to thrust them into a realm of hyper-reality and oftentimes parody. This is in-part to Timely’s acute sensibilities in art direction, painterly cinematography and appropriate use of effects (both in and out of camera) to create their worlds. From there, their observation for detail — both in characters and subtle visual elements — makes their work the immersive experience that it is.

Thanks for the nudge Todd!

Posted on Motionographer

Speaking of POV’s and interesting twists — Minneapolis’ design/animation powerhouse, Make, goes all out in almost every medium for their new Palm Springs Short Fest Program Opener.

A seemingly happy couple is doing everything in their grasp to have a moment of peace when we quickly realize that they are on set and about to be transformed into a barrage of animated likenesses.

The characters are willed by the indecisive hand of their director, who seamlessly shifts them from worlds of live-action, 3d, 2d, cel and claymation. This gets very messy for all involved, resulting in a stylistic mash-up. This piece’s flawless execution and transitions push it the next level.

Posted on Motionographer

fxguide interviews The Mill about their ‘Pheasant Rodeo’ spot.