Turncoat Politics

thanks @rhysrama for some sick linkage

Thu, 29 Jul 2010 20:44:46 -0400

Jamba Juice’s Cheeseburger Chill:
-Now before you say, “Jamba Juice and Cheeseburgers??? Ewwwww!!!” Let me tell you that this is a spoof spot and that Jamba Juice is calling out McDonald’s for their attempt to get into the smoothie business. If you go to their link, you can get a buck off your next smoothie.
http://www.jambajuice.com/cheeseburgerchill/video.html

Levi’s “One Man Walking America”:
Who doesn’t love stop motion when it works? This viral ad from Levi’s has a guy walk across America using only a Canon 5D Mark II, a protractor, measuring tape, and a tripod. The behind the scenes piece was pretty cool, but now it’s been taken off. If anybody finds it, send my way.
http://bit.ly/aON5PK

“Ohio” Music Video for Outside Royalty:
-I love Bill Sneed’s work. Maybe more because he showcased his talents in the Film Fest I Co-Produced, Twenty120 ( www.twenty120.com …ha! a little plug). This is a journey of a camper that goes land, sea and air. Fun and song isn’t bad at all.
http://billsneed.com/ohio.htm

“Don’t Turn The Lights On” Music Video for Chromeo:
-Newest video for Chromeo on their latest album. Lots of roto and clean up on this project! For those of you in NYC, Chromeo is playing tonight at the Bowery Ballroom! After party w/ a Chromeo set is at Love on MacDougal and 8th St.
http://tumblr.com/xz0ehbfm3

“Ritalin” Music Video for Dancing Pigeons:
-Flame thrower meets fire extinguisher. This music video is Directed by London based Blink’s Tomas Mankovsky. Really nice cinematography by Adam Frisch. Another good song.
http://bit.ly/dmlgH3

Lo Fi Video Experiments:
-Series of experiments created by Tell No One in UK. Various fx tricks that just look cool:
http://vimeo.com/12825278
http://vimeo.com/12290161
http://vimeo.com/12290161
http://vimeo.com/9328051
http://vimeo.com/9325880

Short shot and edited entirely with the new iPhone 4:
-Really nice short shot by an iPhone 4. Makes me wanna go out and get one. Oh yeah, it was edited on the iPhone too. The City Harvest spot created by The Mill was shot on multiple iPhone 3gs. Imagine if were shot on an iPhone 4 (City Harvest: http://youtu.be/2V5fKX_U3qY )
http://www.brandflakesforbreakfast.com/2010/07/and-oscar-goes-to-iphone-4g.html

901 Silver Tequila:
-This one is for the Justin Timberlake lovers. This is the first commercial he’s Directed and it’s for his new product, 901 Silver Tequila. I’ll be honest with you all…I love the dude. I think he’s pimp and he is multi-talented. I had to send this out. I don’t think the spot is amazing though. Strike on me.
http://bit.ly/bFQdl7

Mazda’s Driverville:
-Mazda has taken the social networking experience to another level. They’ve developed a racing game using their products to build a car and race against friends. Seems like a cool idea and would be even cooler if you can take it even further by creating an actual car, racing it with friends, and having the possibility of buying it. But good to see the envelope being pushed in social media.
http://bit.ly/bK2Hzh

Comicon Q&A with Tron Director Joseph Kosinski:
-Let’s move past Inception and start obsessing about another movie. I know some of you already have the countdown til this film comes out!
http://bit.ly/d0meNZ

Nukapedia!!!:
-Could be interesting for all of you compositors. It’s supposedly an encyclopedia for Nuke.
http://www.nukepedia.com/

MORE FUN STUFF!!!

Mobile art truck hits the streets of NY:
-For those in the Lower Eastside, you may have seen some of the works of LES based Artist, Marco. Following the food craze for Food Trucks, Marco takes his studio to the streets and is selling his artwork from out of the truck.
http://www.coolhunting.com/culture/-luz-azul-the-n.php

Nikon Thermos
-I don’t want to put anything in your head, but could be good for one of those long and stressful shoots!
http://theworldsbestever.com/2010/07/28/drinks-are-on-nikon/nikon-thermos/

Rich Rama
Executive Producer
-New Business & Development LA/NYC
MassMarket
NYC: 212/505-6065 I LA: 310/577-5800
www.massmarket.tv

My new boss is Mr. Miyagi - Thanks Mark Szumski

Tue, 20 Jul 2010 17:45:00 -0400

My new boss is Mr. Miyagi

- Thanks Mark Szumski

Disappearing in the Age of the Data Wake: Is it possible to hide anymore?

Mon, 10 May 2010 10:39:09 -0400

A recent client told us about an article in Wired where Evan Ratliff made an attempt to vanish. In today’s digital age it is nearly impossible to not be seen, heard, or contacted anytime. What is worse is that our expectation for replies gets shorter and shorter.

The law of unintended consequences knows no more relevant place than on the interweb. An attempt to make health care equal leads to an open kimono of information about who you are and what you do. A spring break trip with friends posted on facebook reveals a character flaw by a potential employer. I have always believed that if you give it all away, no one can take anything from you, but a few media folks are proving the opposite.

Evan Ratliff is one example, and over in the UK, David Bond has made his attempt to hide from Big Brother. His try was less open-source (read: 90’s hacker movie) but rather he enlisted the help of two former detectives who run a P.I. business. He documented the journey and the film showed at SXSW this year.

One Part “The Grid” and one part “The Blair Witch Project” it is a look at what happens when you try to slip away in the third most-watchful society behind Russia and China.

New Animal Planet Ads- Not sure I get them

Sat, 08 May 2010 14:18:15 -0400

Ready. Go.

I’m really not quite sure that I get the new Animal Planet Ads. There seems to be so much messaging going on that it confuses me. I’m assuming it is generally a brand message play, but I have a series of questions:

1/ Message focus:

What is the bulk of the ad targeting? The pitbull show? First of all, isn’t everything really about something else? Fringe isn’t about really gross weird phenomena, it is a story about a relationships. Starbucks isn’t about coffee, it is about consistency. Playboy isn’t about the boobs- it’s about the articles. Right? That is the fun of TV/Film/Theatre. Hell, that is the fun of branding. We get to figure out how to connect. We get to craft an experience together. For Animal Planet to not be about pit bulls but rather about a foulmouthed ex-con with a big heart we are layering metaphor on metaphor around the brand and it is confusing.

Secondly, am I supposed to tune in? There is no real call to action or information about the show itself. So is it targeting the show or the brand?

2/ Message spread:

Multiple posters such as this and a wrap up of a tagline: Surprisingly Human.

OK. that makes sense. The brand uses animals as a lens for us to learn about ourselves, or the brand uses animals as a lens for a range of human experiences. Something like that. I am sure that someone was paid a lot of coin to figure that out. Maybe they are confused by the ultimate execution. So we are talking about the show without talking about the show, we have a two-line metaphor, and then a brand tagline. If you have an engaged viewer for two to 30 minutes on the train, why not just use the space to have a paragraph about the show. There is nothing else for people to do.

3/ Realization:

I just realized that the show isn’t Pitbulls and Parolees, but rather Pit Boss. There has got to be some clarification for that.

I am going to look around more online to see if I can find out what Animal Planet was trying to do here. There has to be an idea in there somewhere….

ericalba: Iron Man 2 Case Study by Perception. Nice to see an...

Sat, 08 May 2010 09:41:47 -0400

ericalba:

Iron Man 2 Case Study by Perception. Nice to see an #NYC shop do so much prominent work in a Hollywood Blockbuster. #vfx #design #motiongraphics

The Hard Times of RJ Berger Promo

Wed, 05 May 2010 11:16:05 -0400

The Hard Times of RJ Berger - VFX by Click 3X from Connor Swegle on Vimeo.

Growing up ain’t easy. Especially in high school when the kool kids can be SO MEAN! So when the head jock comes over and pants’ you in the middle of the quad as school lets out, that kind of thing can scar you forever- that is, unless you have such a majestic physical oddity that makes time slow down so that people can drink it in. I mean, these are the things that mythology are made out of (read: the centaur- man from the waist up, horse from the waist down).

Unfortunately, such moments are not all captured naturally. To bring out the full effect, we worked with the MTV directors Seyi Peter-Thomas and Barry Flanagan who shot the spot on Phantom, to create some visual effects such as sky replacements, final color tweaks, sparks, and smoke. It was great to have them in here, and the show is going to be awesome. Mark Szumski as creative director, continues his working relationship with MTV helping on both the front and back-end of these high-end promotions.

Every Now and Then, I love Radio Music - I'm Ill f Fabolous

Sat, 01 May 2010 09:27:28 -0400

I don’t have a car, AM/FM radio, or a desk-side ghetto blaster, but every now and then songs that I would never buy find their way into my ear holes. This week it was “I’m Ill” by Red Cafe. I am shocked anytime I hear radio music that I like. The last time was “Kinda Like a Big Deal,” but I can’t confirm if that even made the radio. It was the Clipse and Kanye though, so it had to of, right? I made a quick chart for how often I like radio songs:

Yes, it's Monday. Hi Ms. Hill, please don't go crazy again.

Mon, 26 Apr 2010 09:50:53 -0400

So Much Things to Say from Lauryn Hill’s Unplugged- a warts-and-all album. When she came out with this, it was like Willy Wonka emerging at the gates of his factory….

iPad re-inventing dynamic music interfaces

Sun, 25 Apr 2010 08:27:44 -0400

midiPad in action from kai on Vimeo.

Good Morning

Sun, 25 Apr 2010 07:59:15 -0400

It’s Sunday and Raining. Music by Sam Beam in an elevator.

Sometimes on a Saturday you want to listen to something easy

Sat, 17 Apr 2010 22:32:29 -0400

“Timshel” by Mumford & Sons

Hector was the first of the gang with a gun in his hand....

Thu, 15 Apr 2010 18:06:44 -0400

why not? It’s Thursday.

Too...

Thu, 15 Apr 2010 18:05:48 -0400

Too good.

pleasantries:

morninggloria:fuckyeahjerseyshore:

JWoww, Snooki, and Sammy Sweetheart get a makeover in the latest issue of Harper’s Bazaar

Calvin And Hobbes On War

Tue, 06 Apr 2010 20:35:59 -0400

pbh3:

What the fuck is going on in there?

Sat, 03 Apr 2010 13:45:47 -0400

What the fuck is going on in there?

Like Gasoline On Fire: 30 for 30, Hank Gathers, and the Beauty of the Run

Fri, 02 Apr 2010 12:00:59 -0400

“Like Gasoline on Fire” was how LMU basketball was described during the Paul Westhead, Bo Kimble and Hank Gathers era. The upcoming 30 for 30 on ESPN takes a look at the team in “The Guru of Go .” Hank Gathers passed away 20 years ago, and the show will run before the Final Four games on Saturday. Enjoy.

The 30 for 30 Trailer

An ESPN Story on LMU and Hank Gathers

A Tribute Video for Hank Gathers

Erykah Badu vs Matt & Kim: What is the difference between Inspired by and Taken from?

Thu, 01 Apr 2010 11:40:47 -0400

Matt and Kim drop hipster nudity:

Erykah Badu responds with her own sort of nudity:

Figuring out the line between inspiration, appropriation and recombination.

ARG vs RG vs R and why no "A" is better for TV

Sun, 28 Mar 2010 23:56:00 -0400

I have to start by saying that this is just my opinion. It has nothing to do with thousands of kilos of baggage from previous projects. It has to do with my opinion that ARGs don’t work for TV. Why? Because in using an “A,” you by nature create competing content for the property you are trying to promote.

I have a pair of examples. I should preface by saying that I think that the folks over at Campfire are absolutely the best at what they do. They lead the charge on persistent brand narrative. They can weave a story for your brand or property in an amazingly original way and more than anything, it is captivating and fun. I just think that when promoting a television property, you want to drive people to it, not just general awareness. This goes back to my opinion that TNT (the previous version) and USA are the best examples of TV branding and navigation (that’s a conversation for later, but shoot me a tweet if you want to fight about it).

When I saw the ARG Campfire did for “Frenzied Waters” it was interesting and let a consumer into a world of water, fear, anticipation, and a good ‘ol scavenger hunt. What it didn’t do is drive tune-in for Discovery’s Shark Week (This could be an absolute lie, because I don’t have the numbers nor the correlation between “Frenzied Waters” and tune-in. Also, I don’t know how much Discovery funneled into promoting the week). I know that from what I saw, I didn’t leave thinking that I needed to watch Shark Week. I just thought that there were hidden shark teeth somewhere out there. My point is that my awareness was raised about “Frenzied Waters” more than the actual programming itself. Unless someone tells me otherwise, I’m supposed to watch if I am a consumer with eyeballs, a TV, and a plethora of channel choices.

Shark Week Case Study from Campfire on Vimeo.

Another project that I finally saw last week was the alternative to the ARG, an RG for A&E’s “The First 48.” The experience was gripping and I had a running clock counting down while I searched for clues and the criminal. Overall, I was on the site for about 15 minutes, and when I didn’t solve the crime, I was told that due to my inability, odds were high that the criminal was going to continue his spree. Hmm, downer? Yes, but I was able to stick around on the site and figure out what the show was all about. I knew the name of the show, the premise, and the network. I would say that is a success. I would also say that it is glad that I am not a detective, because I did a dreadful job.

The above is the final option, which is worse than the most terrible ARG, RG, or me as a detective is good ‘ol reality itself. That poster never gets old….NEVER.

Seth Godin - The Factory, Astrology, and Interpretation

Sun, 28 Mar 2010 10:45:49 -0400

I like Seth Godin. I would say that once a week, Godin says something that helps galvanize the day, and provide focus. The killer is that, just like astrology, a lot is left open to interpretation and it can be ruthlessly flexible. I think that some of the posts are purposefully vague so that the reader can figure out how to apply it to their own business (or life as it goes with a horoscope). Sometimes with astrology, I disconnect from the fact that I was born on May 26th, and read through some of the other horoscopes and it is easy to find something applicable, or rather, make something applicable.

I was looking around online and found a post where John Windsor took up Seth Godin’s thoughts on the creative factory. As I work in a “creative factory,” and Godin seems to be saying that the soup-to-nuts factory is going the way of the dodo, it is interesting to see how some interpret it. I remember getting the email where he mentions the changing factory format and it was one of those that was purposefully vague and I wondered if it was more loose marketing-babble, so ethereal that it seemed to apply to the how ethereal the creative marketplace is now without actually revealing anything.

As I think about it, I hear what he is saying. The old models aren’t working- there isn’t one brain that sits and drives the business, each part has a specific important task, it is difficult for any company to do all of it, and other companies could specialize and optimize those specific functions. OK.

That’s where philosophy and business meet. I don’t know if anyone could come up with a financial model to prove how this all fits together, and let’s be honest, any factory/business/sweatshop/cubicle farm will be driven by a financial model. If they aren’t making money, they won’t be in business.

That said, we in “creative factories” don’t need to waste time thinking about the format of factories, we need to determine

1/ what we are good at
2/ what people will buy it
3/ how to spend money to make those skills great
4/ how to let clients know that we do that
5/ do a lot of it

Wow, this was a complete absolute mess, and there are some different ideas coming together. I’ll keep thinking about it and refining it into something that makes sense. In the end, though, we can’t wait for the factory model to clear up so we can make money, just as though we can’t decide whether or not to leave the house based on the day’s horoscope.

There is only one person who should have listened to his horoscope (watch around 3:10, and notice that Pee Wee weighs less than 100 el-bees):

Trauma and Southland - I guess I have shitty taste

Sun, 28 Mar 2010 09:44:31 -0400

Another reason I shouldn’t be a television executive. Well, one reason, two pieces of crucial evidence.

AND

I know that Dick Wolf would be offended at the sheer amount of characters, but I like the stories, the interplay between characters, and the locations- SF and LA. I imagine that if I felt like really nerding out, I could breakdown the similarities between the characters, but that’s a bit much. Still, each show has a bad-ass and drama. I was looking to see if Trauma was done altogether, but I couldn’t tell. Southland got the move over to TNT, so I guess that my intuition would be OK there. Too bad it is Atlanta.