Ray Harryhausen
I can’t think of a more fitting post to go under the heading ‘Inspiration’
“Ray Harryhausen may not be familiar to everyone but to those who do know it, his name stands as a landmark in the history of a genre and cinematic art, the art of dimensional stop-motion animation. Ray made his name by developing fantastic stories and creatures based on legends and mythology and creating a unique genre of fantasy films during the 1950s, 60s and 70s that took the movie making world, and the public, by storm.”
7th May 2013 – Rest in Peace
Bad Lip Reading – My Friday gift to you
This has kept me amused all week. I hope it brings you as much joy as it has me…
Gaudi – La Sagrada Familia
I just had to post this. I fell in love with this place during my student years. I remember seeing an architecture book in Headingly Oxfam window with it’s picture on the front and from that moment I was fascinated – much like many many others.
If you have 10 mins to spare and are a fan it’s a must watch…
The most ambitious Cathedral in human history might finally be finished thanks to software
Are you watching what’s on? – ComScore results for online video growth – January 2013
“The world of online video changes on a daily basis. One new trend emerges only to be replaced in less than 24 hours by another viral hit. Tracking the figures of total viewers and their watching habits will help you adjust your Internet marketing campaigns. The viewing figures for January 2013 are just coming in and they show that users are embracing video even more than ever as part of their daily routines. Viewing of both meaningful content and video advertising has increased by a surprising amount.
In total, over 80% of users around the world viewed at least one online video during January 2013. The average viewing time was set at around 5 minutes, but plenty of viewers watched well over an hour of content during the month. Video ads that received the most views stayed short and to the point, with the majority of them remaining under 30 seconds in length.
(…) content with an educational, entertaining or informational slant remains the best bet for marketers looking for real engagement. Spend the bulk of your video marketing budget on useful content and stick only a small fraction of it in more obvious and direct ads.”
Video Advertising
An introduction to Video Advertising discussing its role in marketing, adspend, the work of the IAB Council and showcasing examples of creativity in video.
Four reasons to use video
“If you’re still trying to convince someone in your company to sign off on a video campaign, try some of these four compelling reasons.”
• You Can Use It Anywhere
• It Helps You Stand Out
• Re-purposing Content
• It’s Easy To Track
The Caketrope – or The Tim Burton Ace Cakey Film (Nothing whatsoever to do with Leveson)
I know I know – It’s all about Leveson this morning! I have listened to the depressing antics of the despicable media and also the sad tales of desperate celebrities and I thought ‘what’s going to cheer me up today?’
Well here it is!
Happy Christmas Gangnam Style
Just nipping to Homebase for a few hundred metres of lights……. back in a bit!
Yippeee – the John Lewis ad is out!
I do love the John Lewis Christmas advert.
(Yes – I do like to think I live in a fantasy world where everything is beautiful and my two boys are excited about giving me presents!)
Here is this years offering…
Yes cute, yes to romantic and beautiful. I just have the nagging feeling it’s not going to end well for them, especially if he’s trying to warm her up with those winter woolies!
Jesus Christ Superstar
My name is Katie – and I love musical Theatre!
So – there it is, my guilty secret. I sing and a I dance at any opportunity and my car stereo is always playing show tunes!
Of them all, JCS is my biggest weakness. The double album (with the lyrics on the inside) was devoured and sung along to when I should probably have been reading Billy Blue Hat.
- There has never been a time when I haven’t had the soundtrack in my car!
- Two years ago I jumped out of my comfort zone and joined the local am-dram group to perform JCS in Ripon Cathedral – such is my love!
- I phone voted for Nathan James on that god-awful Superstar show, possibly 30 times *shamed face*
- I cry every time I hear the overture
Imagine my joy when I heard about the arena tour! I’d have re-mortgaged the house to go.
Luckily it wasn’t quite that expensive (not bloody far off though) I bagged tickets to the opening night at the O2 and the last night at Sheffield arena and worried slightly that I would be disappointed as I had been on previous (theatre) tours.
Well – it was superb! Mesmerizing, moving, powerful and absorbing. Clever, thoughtful, beautiful and…. it rocked!
I really was too scared to film it (can you imagine if i’d been thrown out!) But I did man-up enough to capture the bows on the final night….
So, “It is finished” and I am feeling a little sad!
Does anybody know of any support groups?
Harold and his Typesetter Blues
This is 3 minutes that you will love – if like me, you love animation, typography and a tale of unrequited love….. xxx
My plan B
I do think we should all have a plan B in case it all goes wrong. Mine has definitely got something to do with these guys!
My two loves are films and chairs, quite a random combination I thought – until, at university, I discovered these two….
Eponyms…..
The people who became nouns – just trying to think what I could invent before I die so in a hundred years everyone wonders who that Greenhalf was!!
Wonderful Wonderful Copenhagen
Copenhagen is one of my favourite places, even before I saw this wonderful wonderful few minutes.
Look at the joy on the commuters faces – that’s what music does to you!
Saul Bass would have been 92 yesterday…
Another hero of mine – looking back at some of my animation work, I can see very clear references to his. I wish I had met him!
“I want everything we do to be beautiful. I don’t give a damn whether the client understands that that’s worth anything, or that the client thinks it’s worth anything, or whether it is worth anything. It’s worth it to me. It’s the way I want to live my life. I want to make beautiful things, even if nobody cares.” ~Saul Bass
Now, if any clients are reading this – I’m not necessarily agreeing with the not giving a damn bit, but I understand the meaning in this statement. I want to make beautiful things too!
One of my favourite title sequences he did below for It’s a Mad Mad Mad Mad World:
It’s a Mad Mad Mad Mad World – title sequence by Saul Bass
and I found this gem, Sale Of Manhattan, on YouTube:
BAFTA Best Short Animation 2011 – The Eagleman Stag
This film is why we do what we do as filmmakers and why we do what we do as people! Wonderful beautiful splendid film!
Where the Wild Things Are
People say, ‘Why don’t you do Wild Things II? Wild Things I was such a success!’
Go to hell! Go to hell! I’m not a whore. I don’t do those things.
Below is a link to a beautiful interview with the marvelous Maurice Sendak who died yesterday.
Airside – My Tribute
I knew it was coming and I think it’s for the best but that didn’t stop me from shedding a tear….
During my usual procrastinations (ahem) research! I nipped on over to my usual hiding place http://www.airside.co.uk as, quite simply, I love them. Lots of people obsess over ‘popstars’ ‘filmstars’ and the like, mine was Airside!
May 2001 – I was introduced, via my superb boss at the time, to Airside and the potty, Fred Deakin, Alex and Nat and honestly, since then they have been my inspiration.
I have followed everything they have done and have (countless times) scoured their site for an idea. In fact they have always been the first place I would look. Whether commercial work or personal I have ripped them off more than a couple of times. Christ, I even covered my first childs nursery walls with copies of the singing animal vinyls, taken straight from their Orange Playlist bumper project
Nice Weather For Ducks still makes it onto all of my playlists…
I have bought every calendar, book, CD and keyring. I was/am a fan and it’s a sad day.
Stay Another Day- Frank Eddie RMX
The thing is though, I suppose – I am not alone, and a gazillion other people have done the same and copied them.
They obviously have to move on and create new stuff now – and how exciting is that!!!
