The Largest Stop Motion - and made on a phone?!

In the never ending spiral of creative meets advertising to spur consumption but which yet breeds and funds lots of great creative, Nokia partnered with the awesome folks at ardman (wallace and gromitt) to create the world's largest stop motion animation. A cute little fisherman story created on a beach its an amazing use of a phone camera. Its also just great to see the many things you can do with a phone, with a brand, and with the right people.

Enjoy.

Arty Bollocks the instant Artist Statement Generator

This amazing site generates statements for those artist too busy to do one themselves. I feel I am happy with the statement generated for me and will begin using it moving forward.


Artist Statement
My work explores the relationship between Bauhausian sensibilities and multimedia experiences.
With influences as diverse as Machiavelli and Miles Davis, new insights are generated from both mundane and transcendant structures.

Ever since I was a teenager I have been fascinated by the theoretical limits of the human condition. What starts out as yearning soon becomes finessed into a hegemony of lust, leaving only a sense of undefined and the chance of a new undefined.

As wavering replicas become undefined through frantic and undefined practice, the viewer is left with an insight into the undefined of our existence.

Fun Musical Finds

So after fully immersing myself in spotify, and exploring the heck out of it I branched out again trying to find other sounds that I can't quite find on spotify. Here's a great find and may I say I love the video.

Interviewed about the new WFS ipad App

Here's a nice long interview with the team and I about our new ipad app.

My First Foray into Animation

So I am proud to show off my newest video a cute little zebra animation for a client with a great product. I worked with a great crew scattered all across the country. An animator in NYC, a sound designer in Boston, Voice over in LA and me in between. Hope you all enjoy.

Living Art and expanding media spaces.

I can't really say anything more that what Alexx says but what an amazing instructional, need to use living art in so many things, my wheels are turning. What I love is that he points out that photographers, those skilled in the art of capturing a moment are the superheroes in this. So true, it's not easy to tell a story in 1 or 2 images true photographers can and this is just an extension!


Living Art and the Future of Motion in Photography Seminar - Alexx Henry from Alexx Henry on Vimeo.

What Do I Want To Do?

A picture is worth a thousand words, in this case it may be a haiku. Also I am sort of in love with this website for the novice art collector. You can buy limited edition prints from great artists for $20. Sometimes we just need a little pretty in our lives. 

Sleepless in Silverlake is right

Tonight's post is written at 1:09 am PST. Most of you who know me know that for me to stay up this late is rather a big deal, therefore I share with you all one of the songs that has been spinning in my head, Les Savy Fav's "Sleepless in Silverlake."  Also just went to a show and saw The Lonely Trees I highly recommend them as well.

Strike Out Looking, and they're going to the World Series!

For the first time in baseball history, that line above was used twice, by at least four different announcers, to describe the final out in this years NCLS and ALCS. Even more amazing, the 2 batters that went down looking are arguably some of the best hitters the game of baseball has ever seen, Alex Rodriguez of the New York Yankees, and Ryan Howard of the Philadelphia Philles. With those few words, and the batters respective immobility, the 2009 opposing World Series teams (Yankees and Phillies) went down, sending two underdog teams to the 2010 World Series (Giants and Rangers in case you missed it).
Now, in the case of the much maligned (deservedly so) A-Rod, the Yanks were down 6-1, there were no runners on, and 2 outs. Really his backwards K was rather insignificant in a game where his team was completely out played. However, for sir Howard, it was bad; there were 2 runners on, Brian Wilson, the Giants closer had given up 2 walks, there were runners on 1st and 2nd and his team was only down by 1 run. Ryan had a chance, a big one, he fouled off a pitch and it was 3-2, and he blew it/ Wilson threw a gem of a pitch. Yet, it is amazing, this kind of an ending to the League championship series - and for you #s geeks out there below is a chart of how rare this is in post season baseball (only happened 10 times). Also check out Baseball Reference's blog about it were you can do even deeper dives into the #s.

What's worse?? -

As some of you know I spent the first 3 years of my career working in Baseball TV, and all of my life loving the game. One of the many things you do working in baseball, is talk about baseball. I had the good fortune of working with a bunch of guys (and a few women, very few women) who truly loved the game. I distinctly remember one heated and deep discussion we got into one night about the worst way to get out in a game. There was the theory that fouling out with bases bombed and your team losing by 1 run was the worst way to go down, or a double play to end the game with runners on was surely the worst way to go, I know someone brought up just the situation Ryan Howard found himself in yesterday tap a little roller do anything, or watch a pitch down the middle sail by. Strike out looking? Man does that stink, or is it an act of hubris? The other clear moment in my mind, besides the dear A-Rod, was another winner of a ball player, Señor Carlos Beltran in '06 for the Mets. The stadium is on fire, a pitch down the middle, 2 strikes on him, and he lets #3 go by! Then that's it for the Mets season. Is there a link between these 3 men? A strange coincidence? The amount of pressure is huge, the call could be questionable, you could go back and watch those pitches over and over again and say "well it was a bit low, a bit outside", but honestly, anyone who has played the sport before knows, you stick your bat out to do something. If it's close go for it. But not Alex, Carlos, and Ryan. I suppose they can sleep better at night knowing they gave up none of their individual principals by swinging at a pitch they felt was out of their strike zone.

Food For Thought, and what do you think is the worst way to go down? Backwards K, K, weak foul up to 1st?


Below is the chart about how many looking K's have happened in a Post season interesting mix of players.

The Animal World as it relates to indie music and other things

For this week's mix I've collected a short list (to be honest it took me 20 min and know there are much more so please let me know of the bands I've missed) of bands and artists whose pseudonym is animal related. As any good scientist and researcher should, I include a little methodology warning: I have only included bands who's names included real animals names in the English language, therefore bands such as Toro Y Moi were discounted though I am open to discussion on that especially since I am bilingual. Furthermore, bands whose names include mythical animals, such as Dragons, unicorns, gollums etc were discounted. Finally, I kept it to non-extinct animals as well, so other bands such as Beach Fossils, which are the remains of possibly some living animal, now extinct or dead was discounted. This also is true for any band with any dinosaur, or dodo like name. Sorry. That said enjoy, comment, and share. 

Hugs.

As always, if you see me in person I am more than happy to burn a CD for you.

Create a playlist at MixPod.com

Variety Write Up about Gates Projects

Better late than never, happy to announce that Variety finally did a write up on our projects. Its a short blurb but at least it's something. Read below. 

Gates give $100K for UCLA org - Entertainment News, Film News, Media - Variety

Jersey Rocks - A compilation of Indie Rock Sounds from the Garden State

 Yup that's right. They are all from Jersey, Enjoy. Oh and if you actually know me I'll be happy to burn you a CD with more goodies.

Create a MySpace Music Playlist at MixPod.com

The Purpose Motive

In this amazing talk by Dan Pink, and animated (by RSA), Pink looks into the motivation of workers and how all of these shared collaborative free works are not motivated by money but by something else.

Some of the most fascinating highlights are:
1) Money is ONLY a motivator when the task is rudimentary. When the task is at all cognitive or creative money no longer works as a motivator in fact those who have to do high level tasks for a money bonus DO WORSE.
2) You have to pay people enough to not worry about money and they will perform at an icredibly high level.
3)Autonomy and the ability to innovate is what matters. Give people a purpose. I know this feeling, purpose is the reason I work in the media, it is why i stay in an unstable job with no job security.

Be My Thrill, Director and Illustrator my friend Lauren!

It's pretty awesome when I get to promote a good friend's work. My friend Lauren directed, wrote and all in all came up with this sweet and also queer friendly animated music video for The Weepies. Check it out share with friends etc.

Kid Cudi Cover by Lissie

In a blend of country indie chick rocking attitude Lissie covers Cudi's Pursuit of Happiness and it's amazing not to mention the cinematography is pretty well done for a "live" version. Enjoy

Dragonette - Progressive Hipster House

Now this is the kind of stuff I can listen to all day  as  I write or generally lounge around. Was reading up on Dragonette on the blog forthebeat, which I highly recommend and they have a Fabian remix which I have yet to find anywhere so I'll embed the original song. Original or remixed, it's certainly worth the listen.


Dragonette:  EASY music video

Dragonette | MySpace Music Videos

Despicable Me

My life of lesiure has lead me to see several films. Which is, thankfully part of what I should be doing anyway so I don't feel too terrible about it. Also, watching films in the NY/NJ area is much cheaper than LA, I paid 7, yes 7 dollars to see Despicable Me this week. Unheard of in most places. I enjoyed the film, though I was hoping for a few more laughs, but sadly the theater was rather empty and you quickly get to feel how important it is to have a group experience in a theater. That said, the film had many great points, including my favorites, The Minions!!! But what really suck out for me was the sound track. I've included the lead theme which is a leitmotif through out the whole film. I am not a hip hop fan (as you can see from all my other musical posts) but I can't get enough of this song so here's to that.

The Fish Are Not Alright

I have the honor of being mildy connected to the talented writer Paul Greenberg who just finished writing an insightful and well thought out book about fish, well 4 species to be exact: Tuna, Salmon, Bass and Cod. With all the interest in organic food, locally grown food, microbiotic food, well food of all sorts no one has focused on one of the world's largest sources of food, the ocean and the fish contained therein.

Paul had a reading of his book this week at Chealsea Market, very appropos of his book. As an avid fisherman, his passion for his subject shows through. But what's important to know about his book is that it's not a story that elevates fish to some godlike stature. It's a book about people, the fishermen and fish farmers who raise the fish, the politics behind fishing, and the steps that the world needs to begin taking or at least truly begin considering before we wipe out one of our best food sources.

Anywhoo as a scuba diver, fish eating fiend and general water lover I'm all about it maybe you all can help get his amazon rating even higher. 

The Gates Foundation Videos are Posted!

Hi All,
I have to admit I have been remiss in posting of late. I traveled to Puerto Rico for my best friend's wedding and now I am hitting the pavement in New York in the hopes of finding a job. Yes, one would say well, you obviously are not THAT busy, post more. I will, I will, get off me!! Anyway, in the meantime the Gates Foundation posted our 2 projects that I would love to share with you all. One is called Boyz Under The Hood which we shot with a crew group in Philadelphia, and the other is called Greater Expectations which was filmed in LA. Enjoy!

Great Acoustic Preformances

Was spying the Sirius XMU site and had to post 2 awesome performances:
Gaslight Anthem and Broken Bells:

The Gaslight Anthem continues to draw me in. Hailing from New Brunswick, NJ (What Up Rutgers) these guys keep making off beat tunes that can appeal to a wide audience. I admit they have a sound that's addictive, and have gotten a lot of play of late, but I continue to love their tunes.  Boxer is the track that's making the rounds the acoustic version is great. I've included the Acoustic version of the Title Track American Slang:


Broken Bells:
What can I say a great combination of two bands lead men creates a even better sound

Here's ghost inside.