Submarine Channel

Magnum In Motion

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 16:23:01 +0100

The Magnum Photo collective which harks way back to the heady 1947 Henri-Cartier Bresson heyday has hit perfect pitch with their use of digital media for Magnum In Motion. A just-released series of visual essays by some of the fearless, adrenaline-hungry photo journalists who furnish us year in year out with seminal, hair-raising visual insights from all corners of our charred humanity. With evocative oral narratives by the auteurs themselves, historical landmarks like the nuances of the civil rights struggle, pervasive and ultra-violent gang culture, or the relentless, bloody hell of occupied Iraq, take on a deeply poignant, personal depth. Could it be that simplicity - less of the widgets / gadgets / whatsits that we're seeing in web docs - make for a more immersive experience?

Hotel 626: Freak Yourself Out

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 14:50:24 +0100

Be afraid! This is hands down the best immersive, online, fictional game thingy we have seen yet. Like, ever. It maxes out on the use of interactive gimmicks which - when you think about it - seem like obvious tools for non-linear drama. We're talking web-cam (to make sure you are playing in the dark! And for chilling / thrilling visual tricks), mic (for super-creepy vocal interactivity), cell phone, and such-like to create a frenzied, nightmarish trip through the haunted hotel, cleverly customized to freak YOU the hell out. It's a gripping ride and a super-fun challenge peppered with visual shockers. FYI the patience-testing login process and upload time are totes worth it.

Wanted: Medior/Senior Web Developer

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 13:07:26 +0100

Where did all web developers go? We've been searching high and low for a creative Medior/Senior Web Developer to work with our team of designers, animators and programmers on exciting upcoming projects for Submarine and SubmarineChannel in Amsterdam. Job description in Dutch only for now.

The Making of Logorama (in French)

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 12:39:23 +0100

Six months ago the Etappes published a superb video of the making of the Oscar-winning short on Vimeo. Very worthwhile even if you don't speak French. There are clips of the animatic and character studies. Logorama creators Ludovic Houplain, Hervé de Crécy et François Alaux of H5 discuss logos and reappropriation. Come to think of it. The Academy awarding a short that takes intellectual property reappropriation to a whole new level is no less than a major breakthrough. Hollywood acknowledges that reappropriation can actually be a good thing.

Good Oscar Action!

Mon, 08 Mar 2010 12:20:17 +0100

We love that a woman finally won Best Director - kinda crazy that it has taken so very long. Other goosebumping moments were The New Tenants for short film (though we were rooting for The Door which was shot in radioactive Pripyat). And of course Logorama for best animated short (hey, we called it a month ago! Psychic? Mais oui!). Did anyone spot the Oscar statuette in the movie?

Transmedia Graphic Novel Darkness

Fri, 05 Mar 2010 14:27:00 +0100

The man behind Jawbone.tv - where non-linear dreamz are born - just shared this intrigueing oeuvre-in-the-making with us: a dark, gory and compelling crowd-powered, interactive graphic novel-type project in which you get to kill and kill again the world's deadliest killers. Keyword: kill :-) The project is *transmedia*-tastic, combining gaming, books, animation and live action in its production and distribution approach. You even get scary text messages on your phone! We strongly recommend you help make Rekill a re-ality by becoming a Facebook fan (FYI they need 1 million). Death is just the beginning apparently! And on that cheery note, here's the trailer.

Geek Get-Together Ahoy!

Wed, 03 Mar 2010 18:50:58 +0100

We spent yesterday growing brain cells at a post-digital geek fest about a few of our favourite things: from a fan-powered Madonna music video to bottom-up buildings in Deustchland, crowd-sourcing, collaboration and participation were the order of the day. We particularly enjoyed the illicit thrill of critiquing the speakers via Twitter as Tweets were projected in real time onto giant screens flanking said speakers! Naughty naughty (but handy for crowd-sourcing iPhone chargers in the nick of time). Back to the matter at hand though: outstanding highlights were the beautiful and inspiring Sochi project and the closing speech by cool geek and all-round special person Chris O'Shea.

Collapsus out this Spring, Tommy Pallotta directs

Tue, 02 Mar 2010 17:08:57 +0100

Collapsus is the name of SubmarineChannel's brand-new interactive fiction project currently in its final production stage. Directed by Tommy Pallotta of American Prince (director) and A Scanner Darkly (producer) notoriety, the project is designed to raise awareness regarding our imminent transition to alternative energy resources in the coming decades. With fictional characters, existing documentary footage, rotoscope animation and interactive features, the audience will be treated to a compelling online experience. English version will released this Spring. Dutch version in March.

Angelo Plessas: Interactive Genius Type Guy

Tue, 02 Mar 2010 12:11:02 +0100

Ooh we love discovering blindingly brilliant talent from the fringes of interactive society! This Angelo Plessas fellow has been busily falling outside our radar for a while it seems, but we´re onto you now buster! Just loving the playful, visual bombshells of his recent works, particularly fond of the proportion/ perception wizardry of On Top of the Empire and the eyeballing clown-stix of See Me As An Angel.

Via Zolton at LostAtEMinor.

Check out these 3 stunning animated promos

Thu, 25 Feb 2010 15:10:52 +0100

These artists really worked their asses off to get your attention with their impressive animated music videos. Witness the meticulously constructed landscapes in the cross-country road trip of a couple of pairs of boots in Poon and Makarenko's stop-motion promo for Zeus. Or the Gorillaz-inspired animated narrative for Spanish hip-hopper El Chojin, who envisions himself as a rugged but tormented superheroe. Paul Murphy's flabbergasting line animation for The Fumes is the icing on this weeks 2Pause cake! We asked Murphy how he did it in this interview.

Upload Cinema: YouTube at the Theatre

Wed, 24 Feb 2010 16:54:29 +0100

Us SubmarineChannelers went on a little outing last night to a fancy old-school theatre, where a host in patent leather shoes and a dickie-bow took to the stage to MC through the night of YouTube selects to a packed audience of discerning, middle-aged theatre-goers. They were totally loving the sensation of watching viral favourites like the grandma vs 2-girls-one-cup reaction video, the old Thriller in Manila prison favourite, and the incredible, hair-raising buffalo safety in numbers baby rescue S.O.S in the comfort of a crowded theatre. Are these fancy YouTube en masse screenings happening elsewhere or is it just Amsterdamage?

2 New Fancy French WebDocs

Tue, 23 Feb 2010 18:50:09 +0100

How come France is the undisputed gold medallist of le web documentaire? In the past 2 days, they've spouted not one but two corkers: Le Challenge and Havana-Miami. Applying two very different approaches (visually and interface-wise), the former is an interactive investigation that maxes out on the "choose-your-own-adventure" possibilities of non-linear storytelling, while the latter gets wiggidy wild with the immediacy of our old friend the World Wide Web. Our balls of crystal predict a brilliant 2010 for web docs from France and beyond. Btw France, if you're listening, please sort out your subtitling - this is INTERNET broadcasting, not national television (you know who you are). Merci! x

Reminder: Watch the Titles Event

Thu, 18 Feb 2010 17:36:50 +0100

In addition to the gallery presentation, MU will host a special evening on Friday, February 26th, when we'll be joined by four great title designers, Olivier Marquézy from Studio Deubal (Paris), Nic Benns and Miki Kato from Momoco (Londen) and Balder Westein from ThreeDoubleYou (Amsterdam). They will talk about and present their best work. This will be an inspiring event that is not be missed! Read Evil Monito's review of our May 2009 event in collaboration with FLUX at the Hammer in L.A.

Montreal and L.A Music Video Beauties

Thu, 18 Feb 2010 12:12:13 +0100

Phwooaarrrgh do we have some tasty-looking HD music video inspiration sauciness for you! Including a veritable ensemble of loveliness from the Canadian collective of Dare to Care Records creative genii, and an absolute eye-popper of plasticine proportions by L.A figurative low-brow supremo Allison Schulnik.

How It Is iPhone App Splendor

Wed, 17 Feb 2010 14:05:13 +0100

Following on from the supremely sombre site they built for the Tate Modern giant tomb-container expo by Polish mastermind Miroslov Balka, the hybrid super-bots-slash-Amsterdam-lovelies known as Champagne Valentine just launched an app to explore the murky, mysterious, and dare we say creepy How It Is darkness from the comfort of your iPad Nano. Here's a taster.

New Chunk: Kanizsa Hill Amazingness from LalaLand

Tue, 16 Feb 2010 18:31:31 +0100

We have a new addition to our rather special collection of global selects that we like to call Chunks. Sent to us from the sunny climes of California by a dangerously talented young hotty called Evelyn Lee, Kanizsa Hill combines animation and live action with a haunting story and mesmerizing visual style (plus audio perfectionism) - a.k.a visual poetry in its purest form.

The Making of Rihanna's "Rude Boy"

Tue, 16 Feb 2010 12:41:15 +0100

Rihanna's latest video is a completely over the top psychedelic cocktail of iconic pop culture imagery, taking inspiration from such disparate sources as Warhol, dancehall culture, video games and David OReily. Love the old-school 1980s video look created by those rusty analog video synths they used. Digital Studio Click 3X has the making of story.

Copyright Criminals: The Movie

Mon, 15 Feb 2010 10:38:45 +0100

Cool, creative hip-hoppers versus evil recording industry bigwigs – who would YOU choose? As the copyright vs. creative commons debate rages on, this documentary calls into question where the line should / could be drawn when content is remixed beyond recognition. Sampling superheroes like De La Soul and Chuck D tell us what’s what, while Clyde Stubblefield, funk drummer extraordinaire provides the counter-argyment, having received not a penny beyond his studio per diems - despite practically inventing James Brown.

Kyle Cooper interview

Fri, 12 Feb 2010 19:43:11 +0100

In part one of our video interview with Kyle Cooper, the acclaimed title designer discusses typography, his love for the imperfection of handmade things, and his title sequences for Darkness Falls, Se7en and Spiderman 2. Recorded at the Prologue studios, in Venice Beach, California.

Boy Meets Girl Stories Facebook App

Thu, 11 Feb 2010 20:44:28 +0100

Celebrating the beauty of that crazy little thing called “love”, and with a broadcast schedule that just so happens to fall on Valentines Day, this series of poignant little Boy Meets Girl films comes with a fun, share-worthy Facebook App that you might like (compliments of the house and Human and NPO). You could spend precious pennies on those gnarly Facebook "gifts" for your lover / the object of your unhealthy obsession – OR you could send him / her one of these charming short films instead. There’s just one snag: they’re in Dutch. But hey – European arthouse is romantic! Valkyrie starlet and Dutch pride'n'joy Carice van Houten stars in the series and everything.

Logorama: Super-Slick Brand Fest

Wed, 10 Feb 2010 18:10:21 +0100

Our absolute fave of the Oscar nominations for “Best Short Film (Animated)” is Logorama. Built by the Parisian collective of creative hotshots known as H5, it takes viewers on a spectacular voyage of high-speed car chases, human drama and hot sexiness, in a world where everything is made entirely of familiar brand logos (ain’t that just like life?). Bonne chance on the big night, boys – avenge all those decades of anti-Frenchism at the Oscars with a high score on March 7th!

Can Indie Films Survive?

Wed, 10 Feb 2010 12:31:47 +0100

After reading film expert Edward Jay Epstein's doomsday scenario on Gawker, you'd think the answer to that question is a sure No. In his article, Epstein explains why Hollywood is abandoning the indie movie business in favor of merchandisable CGI spectacles like Avatar. His bleak conclusion is based on the fact that “by 2010, most of the mini-majors were effectively out of business including New Line Cinema, Fine Line Features, Picturehouse, Warner Independent...”. The list goes on. But it's not all gloom and doom. Some good counter arguments can be found in the comments section. And in a response to Epstein, Flavorwire compares the indie film with indie music in their article “Why Is Indie Film Dying While Indie Music Thrives?”

Virtual Revolution Doc 3D Watching Joy

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 15:52:27 +0100

Ooh a nerdelicious new BBC documentary series has lots of exciting ingredients, like collaborative crowd-sourced content, a 3D online documentary explorer interface, and all the convergence culture necessaries like Tweetage and the rest. In the first episode alone, geek Goddess Dr. Aleks Krotoski meets Wikipedia’s Jimmy Wales, online news maverick Arianna Huffington, YouTube CEO Chad Hurley, and the father of the web, Tim Berners Lee.

Animated film to kickstart online war against global warming

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 17:01:58 +0100

Attention all soldiers! 'Coalition of the Willing' is a collaborative animated film about “an online war against global warming in a post-Copenhagen world.” Because if our unwilling world leaders won't commit to saving our planet, we will darn well have to do it ourselves, is what project initiators Knife Party and Tim Rayner must have thought. The film advocates an open source approach to the war on global warming, and aims to “bring the fight against global warming to the people.” Online activism just the way we like it! 'Coalition of the Willing' is being made by 20 collaborating artists who each animate a section of the script. Sections will be released online over a period of 6 weeks, with 4-5 film sections uploaded in biweekly batches. The first four sections are online now.

New title sequence for "Het Klokhuis"

Thu, 04 Feb 2010 17:45:16 +0100

Johnny Kelly directed the brand-new super cute stop-motion animated title sequence for one of Holland's longest running youth TV shows "Het Klokhuis" (The Apple Core). The apple models used for the animation were built using the latest 3D printing technology.

Harmony Korine's Trash Humpers and more @IFFR

Thu, 04 Feb 2010 14:27:10 +0100

Been following Harmony Korine's career ever since I first saw his debut Gummo at the International Rotterdam Film Festival in 1997. Korine -black leather jacket, holding a can of beer in one hand and a cigarette in the other- took in the applause from the sold-out room like a pro. America's avant-garde Wunderkind is back at IFFR this year with his latest feature Trash Humpers –an ode to destruction, shot on VHS and edited on a couple of VCR's. Korine in an interview with the festival: “This specific movie was supposed to mimic a found artefact, something found buried in a ditch or floating in a Ziploc bag with blood on it, and I thought it would be nice to see it on VHS. I thought if we were doing it correctly it needed to be filled with glitches and mistakes.” Trash Humpers won him an award at CPH:DOX (Korine's insane acceptance speech is on YouTube). Also worth a watch: The Dirty Ones -a Korine-produced short by Brent Stewart on the YouTube channel of IFFR.

Star Wars Uncut

Tue, 02 Feb 2010 18:26:51 +0100

It's crowd-sourced, inter-galactic buffoonery and you KNOW we like that! Have you always harboured a niggling suspicion that you can give George Lucas a run for his money? Now is the time to prove it! Log yourself in to Starwars Uncut, select one of the (rapidly depleting) 15-second Star Wars scenes still available and replicate your little heart out. Show us what you got!

Who is the hero of the world?

Mon, 01 Feb 2010 14:34:26 +0100

When the Swedish organization responsible for collecting tv licence fees needed to 'remind' the good people of Sweden to pay those darn fees, they decided to do so in a big and original way. They commissioned a no-dollars-barred customizable short web film that appeals to everyone, not just to Swedes. We like it! It's funny and well made. No wonder it went viral. After watching our version, chances are, you'll want to make your own:

The Lost Coin

Mon, 01 Feb 2010 10:35:02 +0100

We stumbled upon (as in ACTUALLY stumbled upon) this special little animated journey of self-discovery, which boasts visual style that moves seamlessly from a Beavis/Butthead-like trippy glitch, to a retro-lovely pixel paradise, to a geometric fantasy sundae. With all the sumptuous sensationalism of a Disney cartoon, the story administers a classic fairytale teaching in a visually badass way. Ooh and check out the eye-impairing binary version by textophile asciimeo.

Hey, thanks for the wise words Mr Britt!

Must-see animations by Malcolm Sutherland

Thu, 28 Jan 2010 16:39:07 +0100

This uber-original illustrator/animator from Canada is Featured User of the Week on Vimeo. Just marvelled for 12 mins. at the sheer psychedelicacy of his animated short The Astronomer's Dream. Sutherland's Vimeo page hosts no less than 47 animations, from animation tests to complete shorts in glorious HD. Most recently, in 2010, to be precise, Malcolm completed Lifeforms - “a short experimental floaty & aimless animation,” (his own words). We say: it's a bloody brilliant syneasthetic animated masterpiece. Oscar Fischinger eat your heart out!

Cinema Reloaded: Be a film producer (sort of)

Wed, 27 Jan 2010 12:22:56 +0100

The International Rotterdam Film Festival, which opens today, jumps on the crowdfunding bandwagon this year with their Cinema Reloaded project. On the dedicated website you can invest 'coins' (€5) in three selected film projects and be a “co-producer.” But you don't get boss a film crew around, so there's no reason to light up that Cuban cigar just yet. In fact, you don't get to have any creative say in the matter at all, because you're really just a donor. “Co-producer” just sounds infinitely more sexy. Buying five coins does get your name on the end credits though. But, hey, this is not about you, it's about Film. And the the three directors whose projects you can support are Argentinian rising star Alexis dos Santos, Malaysian multitalent Yuhang Ho, and long time darling of the video art world Pipilotti Rist.

Free Documentaries! Literally!

Tue, 26 Jan 2010 14:09:55 +0100

Well isn't this something! A website streaming free, full-length and only the finest documentaries. We’ve been waiting on this for like EVER, and at long last someone’s found the secret formula to make it happen. From hot-off-the-press blockbusters like Michael Moore’s SiCKO (as well as his other greatest hits), to the soul-sucking horrors of The Road to Guantanamo, to cult 1974 classic Hearts and Minds, you can gorge on all your non-fiction needs as and when the mood takes you - or download for offline watching. And don’t forget to make a donation: sharing is caring!

I'm Here by Spike Jonze

Sat, 23 Jan 2010 16:41:38 +0100

Spike Jonze unveiled his first ever love story this week, a 30-minute romance between two robots living and loving in Los Angeles. Those of us who couldn't make it to the first-ever Opening Night’s Shorts Program at Sundance due to prior engagements however, must make do with the (albeit tasty) trailer until March, when the world can benefit from internet broadcast via the simple-slick website they call imheremovie.com.

4 New Music Videos on 2Pause

Fri, 22 Jan 2010 16:25:25 +0100

We posted four new clips for your A/V pleasure on our super-swish new music video portal 2Pause. No less than three of them were prize-winners at Protoclip in Paris last month, including stop motion splendors from Olivier Gondry and Olivier Martin. The fourth is the brain-crunchingly beautiful Yeasayer video for Ambling Alp, concocted by some genius types at Radical Friend (btw that is one awesome website Radical Friends!)

Shudder: 3 new animations online

Thu, 21 Jan 2010 17:49:43 +0100

Thank you Animate Projects! On the most depressing day of the year (according to Dr. Cliff Arnall) their site updates with no less than three brand-new drawing-based animations. Keywords: Experimental, Artsy, Explicit! The online premiere of these three animated works by artists Edwina Ashton, Ann Course and Barry Doupé coincides with their presentation as part of Shudder, a group show at The Drawing Room gallery in London. Extra nice: the site also has production stills and background info on each animation.

Top 5 of our Favourite Things: Book Trailers

Wed, 20 Jan 2010 15:43:50 +0100

As the future of the printing press hangs in the balance, what with that pesky Internet thing and gadgets like the iPhone reader, the Kindle and the fabled Apple Tablet, publishers of paper are finding new ways to appeal to digitally-saturated audiences. This we like! It means books now come with jazzy little virals! From breath-taking animations to powerful cinematic shorts, these teasers give potential readers a taste of tone, style and flava – but pass for standalone ouevres too, if you ask us. Here's our Top 5 (and while we’re on the subject of trans-media book promotion, let’s have a chortle at this Zen of Zombie gathering in New York’s Central Park, inspired by the tome of the same name).

Green and black titles for Green Lantern: First Flight

Tue, 19 Jan 2010 16:41:35 +0100

The DC Comics superhero character Green Lantern originated from the 1940s, was re-invented during the Silver Age of Comics, and recently starred in an action-packed animated feature, Green Lantern: First Flight. The opening titles were done in a black and green motif "to match the Green Lantern's colors," designed by L.A.-based motion designer Castleforte, a self-proclaimed "huge" comics fan.

Film Title Show Curated by Yours Truly

Fri, 15 Jan 2010 23:08:25 +0100

The physical manifestation of our super-smashing ode to the art of the film title (and its creators) is upon us! The badass MU building in Eindhoven (formerly a Philips factory) plays host to this video exhibition which show-cases thirty of the swishest and snazziest highlights in our honorable collection of classics. From creations by genre pioneer Saul Bass to current uber-title-ist Kyle Cooper, you can now watch the titles on a fancy screen - without having to waste unnecessary time on those feature-lengthy movies.

Mexico's Drug War

Thu, 14 Jan 2010 22:15:03 +0100

The L.A Times recently launched their interactive investigation of the conflict between Mexico's powerful drug gangs and the country's ruthless government troops - a gruelling but incredible body of multi-media journalism that delves right inside this parallel violent world on North America's doorstep. As well as remarkably raw still photography and video with optional captions, an interactive map introduces the geography of the main players in this ongoing war, and slinky navigation options make for a fascinating but disturbing insider view.

Saliva and Traffic by Maat

Wed, 13 Jan 2010 13:31:50 +0100

Dutch home-grown hotshot Andre Maat is fast becoming the go-to man for all your viral needs. After the success of his poultry practical jokery for Philips (the pride of the Netherlands!) late last year, he’s back with two superbly simple thought-provokers for the Amsterdam exhibition Niet Normaal, which explores who and what defines ‘normality’. How profound! Use Maat’s Saliva and / or Traffic micro-movies to jump-start your ailing intellectual faculties.

3D titles for Tel Aviv Jaffa mimic stop motion

Mon, 11 Jan 2010 18:46:03 +0100

Tel-Aviv-Jaffa is a documentary investigating the urban history of the city of Tel Aviv, that just turned 100. Designer Liron Damir created a short 3d main title that emulates stop motion animation featuring a scaled-down, abstract architectural model of Tel-Aviv.

Nine Inch Creative Commons

Mon, 11 Jan 2010 18:34:40 +0100

Nine Inch Nails, rock religion of the 1990s and pioneers of open source remixing in music video culture, released 400 gigs of high quality concert footage to the public last year. In a maelstrom of credit crunch consciousness, they side-stepped a costly concert video production inviting instead their fans to edit, remix, and screen their own versions. Everyone loves a good remix, and the public responded with aplomb! A year later, perhaps the most epic of the many brilliantly inventive productions that surfaced, is Another Version of the Truth: The Gift. Infused with love by a core team of dozens (with a network of thousands) spanning 3 continents, 4 languages, and 5 specialist teams, it is a rumbuncious slice of Creative Commons pie.

You can watch it pixelly on Youtube or access fancy versions here.

Josh Rouse Concert To Go

Fri, 08 Jan 2010 19:31:14 +0100

Thaw out with this honey-hued Take-Away Show of Josh Rouse, the exquisite Nebraskan pop-folkalist, bringing music to the sun-dappled streets of fair Barcelona. Just the latest offering in a gloriously limitless supply of raw, spirited music moments from the likes of Sigur Ros, Arcade Fire and hipster of hipsters Tom Jones, on La Blogotheque - free for all of Internetland to see.

He Dropped Us Off in Harlem

Wed, 06 Jan 2010 14:08:36 +0100

The young GIF-God running things at Drop Me Off in Harlem, created a bespoke triptych portrait, pixel by pixel of us SubmarineChannel lovelies which has taken permanent residence on our Contacts page. C'est si bon! He's also just launched a bunch of classic album-cover GIF animations featuring eye-rolling, baby-jumping devilry.

Participate in a real 2.0 music video

Mon, 04 Jan 2010 17:47:08 +0100

In their quest for ever more original music video concepts, Dutch designers Roel Wouters (watch Grip for zZz) and Jonathan Puckey came up with a refreshing idea/experiment for a music vid for Dutch eclectic “four-piece powerhouse” C-Mon & Kypski. And it goes something like this: 1. Band does quirky poses in front of camera. 2. Show audience a frame of the music vid. 3. Get the audience to copy those moves with their webcam. 4. Add audience image to clip. That's it. How's that for a 2.0 music video!

ColorsLab Interactive Platform

Wed, 30 Dec 2009 14:42:43 +0100

We've always loved the collaborative way the conscious-yet-sexy Colors magazine was put together. Now in its eighteenth year (absolute AEONS by mag-publishing standards), a new online platform called ColorsLab invites the public to submit photo stories around key themes, adding Mr and Mrs Everybody to their elite crew of selected contributors around the world. The most popular stuff gets promoted to the print version, while the chaff remains published online. A splendid user-created format that manages to maintain high aesthetic integrity all the while.

One in 8 Million

Tue, 29 Dec 2009 15:38:22 +0100

Aah the New York Times! Not satisfied with being an award-winning bible of reputable American journalism, they're cracking the interactive market too. Following on from their brilliant Lens audio-visual reportage blog, One in 8 Million offers a poignant selection of monochromatic character portraits, via beautifully shot photography and audio recordings with everyday extraordinary citizens. From Noo Yoik classics like the quintessential doorman-boxer to an admirably persistent Mormon missionary, it subtly profiles the intense vibrancy that makes New York City the steamy metropolis that we know and love.

New Project! 2Pause - curated music videos

Wed, 23 Dec 2009 19:22:51 +0100

2Pause - Freezing Music Video Culture is our fierce selection of 100+ of the most original and innovative music videos (2006 - now). Music vids on 2Pause are organized around five themes: 'Netherclips' (made in Holland), 'Electric Cinema' (cinematographic music videos), 'Sonic Animation' (animated videos), No/Lo Budget, 'French Wave' (the best from France) and 'Stop! Motion' (Stop Motion animation). Clips were selected on the basis of visual and conceptual qualities and originality. New videos will be added each week. Your invited to submit your music video!

Top 5 of Our Favorite Things: Animated Audio Archive Documentaries

Wed, 23 Dec 2009 10:53:28 +0100

Our blog-post on the Dock Ellis LSD No-No a few weeks back unleashed an insatiable appetite for animated documentaries that are based on audio archive matter. Animation, we came to discover, can breathe new life into valuable sound recordings that may otherwise be relegated to gathering dust in some long-forgotten digital shelving unit. And as our pick of 5 toppers testifies, the visual element adds a richness, depth and poignance that may otherwise be lost on the over-saturated ears of today’s super-savvy public.

Modern Living DVD available now

Tue, 22 Dec 2009 15:17:30 +0100

About one year ago, we published a 200-page monograph+DVD titled "Modern Living - The Graphic Universe of Han Hoogerbrugge". Good news for all you folks who believe that paper books are old technology, the DVD is now available without the book! This DVD (Mac/PC/DVD player compatible), designed and authored by Hoogerbrugge himself, features over 60 minutes of his works, including short films, animations, music videos, art works and commissioned works. It comes in a nice Hoogerbrugge-illustrated cardboard DVD box (the image above is a quite accurate, apart from the packaging) and will be available as of tomorrow. Order yours now!

New Brow Underground Uprising Art Docu

Tue, 22 Dec 2009 01:19:03 +0100

Ooh! A documentary about the sexy backlash against the snooty high-brow art industry, which emerged from the underground skate and record sleeve creative burblings of the 80s and early 90s. The likes of Gary Baseman, Mark Ryden, and Miss Van - now worth a pretty penny and no mistake - all started out in dusty, impromptu little art spaces from Barcelona to Los Angeles, and are now hankered after by the cream of upper-crust art-collecting society. See how it all happened in New Brow: the Movie.

Currently screening at Smart Project Space, Amsterdam.

Panic Attack on the YouTube-Hollywood Express!

Fri, 18 Dec 2009 15:17:08 +0100

WOWZAH! A Uruguyan director / super-bot made this CGI-tastic short sci-fi gem about giant monster robots demolishing the city of Montevideo in a glorious frenzy of unbridled brimstone and fire. Having spent a mere 300 bucks making it, he uploaded to YouTube on the Thursday and by Monday he had been offered a 300 million dollar Hollywood directorial debut deal! If you consider that 2012 cost 200 million bucks to make and is basically the same (if you squint), it’s only natural that this talent got snapped up within days of his YouTube conrtibution.

The Wilde Ones stop motion title sequence

Fri, 18 Dec 2009 00:12:28 +0100

Suspect created the stop-motion animated opening and end credit sequence for a short film titled The Wilde Ones - a film that pays tribute to Richard Wilde's inspiring leadership as chair of the BFA Advertising and Graphic Design Department of the School of Visual Arts in New York. “Our team created a landscape that felt as if someone had crafted it from scratch. Each piece of material was something that was found around the office," explains creative director Hoon Chong.

The Machine

Tue, 15 Dec 2009 18:37:21 +0100

Can't get enough of this stop motion steampunk fairytale which follows the birth and subsequent forcible world domination of a man-made machine with an ego the size of Texas. A delicious visual narrative based around the mechanics of a 20th Century nickel arcade is perfectly pulled together with a creepy Germanic voice-over that guides you through the simple but powerful fable with a twist. Courtesy of Bent Image Lab.

Nice gifts for X-Mas

Fri, 11 Dec 2009 17:52:50 +0100

Some self-promotion for a change: we added some nice stuff in our shop, like the DVD of Peter Greenaway's Rembrandt's J'accuse and the whole Kika & Bob series (4 dvd's that are interactive, so only for bright childeren).

Title sequence for web series '13' makes an impression

Fri, 11 Dec 2009 00:32:03 +0100

“A writhing mass of bodies trying to escape from the never-ending ether,” says Rob Rugan, creative director of Superfad, about the concept behind the title sequence for '13'. It seems that the web is emerging as an another alternative platform for high quality title design. And since Hollywood has the tendency to stick title sequences at the end of the movie more and more these days, designers are embracing the possibilities and challenges of these new arena's. An indication of a promising future for title design beyond the movies? Have a look at the first main title created for a web series that really made an impression on us.

Location-based Ghostgarden iPhone Cinema

Thu, 10 Dec 2009 10:08:21 +0100

Leading Lady of Electro-Craft Ms Anita Fontaine (half of Champagne Valentine) has just posted first sneak peaks of her Ghostgarden augmented reality floral grandeur experience toy for the iPhone (due for launch in early 2010). This digital enhancement gem will invite users to experience a cinematic journey of sumptuously sewn-together audio and animated chapters, adding a new dimension as they wander through some of the world's most sublime gardens. Bespoke versions are currently being created for locations in Australia and China.

Meet the press: Machinima

Tue, 08 Dec 2009 14:22:57 +0100

Why spend a lot of money on a film crew making a reconstruction if you can use machinima? That's what the people at Next Media, a Hong Kong-based company with newspapers in Hong Kong and Taiwan thought. So they started to animate reports of a man attacking his grandmother, a guy who steals an ambulance and hijacks a taxi to get to the hospital after he cut himself, and they even produced a computer-generated “news report” of the Tiger Woods S.U.V. crash — complete with a robotic-looking simulation of Mr. Woods’ wife chasing him with a golf club. Will this be a new form of journalism? Read about it in The New York Times.

Exclusive: Ze Frank iPhone Interview

Mon, 07 Dec 2009 13:56:06 +0100

Finally! Our little iPhone interview with Ze Frank is streaming on the 'tube. ROFL-inducing excerpts from his nonsense-genius legacy are interspersed with serious insights into the brilliant mind of this founding father of nerdcore high jinks.

Pathlights on David Lynch Foundation

Mon, 07 Dec 2009 12:39:03 +0100

Only two days left to watch Pathlights online before it’s taken off the airwaves and onto the festival circuit! Streaming on the David Lynch Foundation site, it is a captivating short film about a frustrated voice-over artist who cheats death when a bottle of the obscure Blind Street ale appears to fall from the sky, narrowly missing his noggin. There’s something of the astral mysticism about Pathlights, reminiscent of the ramblings of Major Garland Briggs (the Twin Peaks voice of cosmic consciousness) and hinting perhaps at Lynch’s mission to bring Transcendental Meditation to the masses. Whatever floats your boat Mr Lynch! Also fun: extensive behind-the-scenes material from the 4.5 day shoot.

HighRise: Webdoc in the Making

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 18:25:40 +0100

Loving the look of this forthcoming webdoc by those Canadian pioneers of interactive greatness over at NFB. Harnessing digital tools to create a multi-authored movie about what goes on behind those myriad high-rise towers that scatter the skylines of the world's cities, High Rise explores the suburbinization phenomenon in places as remote as Marseilles, Miami and Mumbai. It's bound to be an absolute corker, what with Kat Cizek at the helm.

Danny Yount interview

Mon, 30 Nov 2009 14:40:49 +0100

Last Thursday we published the 4th in our series of video interviews with title designers on Forget the Film, Watch the Titles. I Forgot to mention it in our very own blog! This time, we sat down with main title designer Danny Yount, creative director at the Prologue studios in Venice Beach, L.A. Yount talked about his spectacular main title for Iron Man, his Emmy award-winning main title for HBO's show Six Feet Under, and the difference between designing for television and film. (6'20").

New French music video talent at Protoclip awards

Mon, 30 Nov 2009 13:33:38 +0100

We attended the award ceremony of the Protoclip festival in Paris this weekend. Seen lots of really amazing –mostly French– talent there. Ever since the 'French New Wave' of the 1990's, when directors like Michel Gondry, H5, Alex Courtes (of Alex & Martin) and Stephane Sednaoui innovated the music video medium with their uber-creative stuff, the French music video scene has proved to be an extremely fertile breeding ground for talented upcoming directors. Judging by the sheer creativity of the music videos at Protoclip, the fantastical and surreal stories, and the frequent use of stop-motion animation, I think we can safely speak of a School of Gondry. Click the name of the directors to see their winning videos: Jesús Hernández, Pierre Dejon, Alexei Tylevich (of Logan, the only non-French winner), Alexandre Athané, Oliver Martin, and Oliver Gondry.

Captured Cinema Screening

Sun, 29 Nov 2009 18:32:56 +0100

Finally caught the cinematic release of Captured yesterday at the lovely Smart Project Space in a former mental institution in Amsterdam. We blogged about this wonderful documentary a while back – featuring incredible archive photos and footage from the subcultures of New York’s Lower East Side in the 1970s (satan punk, drag queens, gangs, etc), the drug epidemic and riots of the 1980s, and subsequent yuppification in the 1990s and beyond. The central characters are Canadian rebel artiste Clayton Patterson and his super-chilled long-term fiancée Elsa, who have dedicated their lives to documenting and archiving the visual history of this fascinating neighborhood.

DocLab Highlights

Thu, 26 Nov 2009 15:50:55 +0100

It’s nigh on impossible to pick out the highlights from this year’s DocLab - because the whole thing was so darned exceptional – and I’m not just saying that. Really! Whereas other documentary festivals may have a slightly shoddy sideline in New Media, DocLab show-cases the cream of web content (documentaries, cross-media fun stuff, data-visualization, etc.) in the sumptuous surroundings of the art deco Tuschinski theatre, providing this emerging genre with the dignified platform it deserves. It’s so luxurious to watch productions created for the web – with super-immersive audio, compelling editing and other attributes that keep the Adderall-needy global internet audience interested – on the big screen. It’s like… immersive x 10! And these were the personal faves:

Top 5 of our Favorite Things: Interactive Urban Screens

Wed, 25 Nov 2009 13:49:53 +0100

While brands, advertisers and window (un)dressers are beginning to include dynamic digital displays in their PR strategies, the gritty underworld of cutting-edge creativity is seeing an explosion of interactive projects that invite public participation. Utilizing computer graphics, LED light-walls, motion tracking, and any other new-fangled devices that you care to mention, digital fata morganas are engaging unsuspecting audiences in cities around the world. Here is our pick of five super-smashing ones:

New Chunk: 'Breathless 1960, Typography'

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 15:03:28 +0100

Emanuel Cohen is a Montreal-based graphic designer. This short but brilliant piece of retro type animation was made for a school project. Cohen took a 30 second audio clip from Godard's 1960 new wave classic Breathless (À bout de souffle) and made an animation to it. "I picked that car scene from the movie, in which Jean-Paul Belmondo is talking to the camera," Cohen explains. We are totally impressed.

Mortified at IDFA DocLab

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 16:48:02 +0100

Here's a fun snippet from this year’s IDFA DocLab (a.k.a the new media program at Europe’s most abundant documentary festival) to cure your Monday blues: it’s Mortified, an online spot where you can release your most humiliating teenage yearnings, love letters and home movies to the public! This celebrity reading of a movie script (“500 Miles to Indy”) written by the creator as an angsty 14-year-old should get you in the mood. We'll give you the full DocLab low-down tomorrow…. But for now:

Community main title

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 11:05:25 +0100

We like the short but sweet title sequence for the American TV show 'Community' - a comedy about students at a community college in Denver, Colorado. Creative director Erin Sarofsky reminisced about her own high school years and came up with the idea of creating a title sequence based on the Cootie Catcher.

MiniMovies Now iTunes Download-able

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 13:47:10 +0100

Hella-yeah! You, yes YOU! can download all our MiniMovies (that’s SubmarineChannel’s series of delightful digital documentaries for those in the don’t-know) to your smart mobile device, via iTunes! And as if that wasn’t enough excitement for one day, they are all FREE of charge. What’s not to like?

Dock Ellis Acid No-No

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 15:45:45 +0100

A hot June day in 1970, and Dock Ellis was doing what any self-respecting Major League Baseball hotshot would do: opening the doors of perception with LSD. That self-same evening - and still “high as a Georgia pine” - he managed to throw one of just 263 no-hitters ever made in the history of the baseball! Shortly before Ellis died last year, a couple of radio producers recorded this interview, as he describes that day with wistful warmth and remarkable clarity… And then a cool NY sports blog teamed up with Brooklyn artist James Blagden for this super-fun animation to top it off.

Chop Cup Trickery

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 17:41:29 +0100

Ooh yeah: magic in the truest sense of the word. Unwind for a few seconds with this miniature masterpiece. And then un-magic it instantly by watching the Making Of! But I digress: this guy has the Bad album AND a Rubik's cube! Man after my own heart...

Grillz MiniMovie Live!

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 13:17:39 +0100

Mouth bling: it was all the rage in the 1990s. A mouth filled with gold and laced with diamonds was once the most desirable status symbol among America’s inner-city street entrepreneurs. But before we knew it, Nelly (hip-hop supremo to the aged and erstwhile “boo” to Kelly Rowland) brought them to the mainstream, and soon you could get your own stick-on set for just 99 cents at the local bodega - thus marking the veritable death of grillz cred.

Generative Greatness by UVA

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 16:39:19 +0100

Massive Attack sounds with UVA on visuals: what's not to like?! It's the video for Massive's new track United Snakes, a snippet from their forthcoming album (due out early 2010). And at over 5 minutes, you can fully immerse yourself - before being slapped in the face once more with the reckless reality that is your life.

F*ck Flickr

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 15:19:36 +0100

From the very heart of Open-source-mashupistan comes an angry rebuff to the treacherous workings of the Yahoo machine. F*ckFlickr says “eff you” to global super-giant Yahoo (the Bush to Google’s Obama, if you will), for supplying the Chinese government with personal emails from journalist Shi Tao, thus landing him a 10-year jail sentence. Obscenities in protest of censorship laws: this we like! And the looping logo is simply hypnotic...

Breathe: Interactive Murder Mystery

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 12:32:39 +0100

“Transmedia”, “crossmedia”, whatever you want to call it, there is a growing penchant for projects that blend a heady cocktail of the real and the virtual, inviting the public to interact with - and contribute to - the development of the (immersive, multi-platform, etc) narrative. Breathe is one such project: 3 short films made up of live events, scripted narrative and online audience interaction. As Breathe testifies, it’s early days yet – but a muse-worthy concept nonetheless.

Jim Carrey's Website is Mighty Alrighty

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 17:03:54 +0100

If all Hollywood celebs had such a mind-blowingly beautiful interactive site, well hellz bellz, wouldn't the world be a prettier place! Reserve a good few minutes to dig around in this one: the actual content is not all that spectacular but the interactive diggery is ultra-fantastical! Note to Lalalanders: make like Jim and spend your millions on beautiful interactive Flash sites. Those hard-to-reach chic geeks will love you for it!

360° Interactive Cinema

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 14:47:34 +0100

It’s the brainchild of Jeffrey Shaw (geek Jesus) and Peter Weibel: a 360° panoramic virtual interface which you can navigate and remix using your bare hands! For its third ever appearance, the complete 3-dimensional T_Visionarium experience is installed in one of Amsterdam’s oldest and most glorious churches for two weeks only - starting now. A wealth of archive and contemporary documentary content around the subject of “the city” is connected via meta-tagging, so viewers can create their own narrative path through the adrenaline-heavy chaos of our urban civilization. Chief John Anderton, eat your heart out!

3Eyed Bear Paper Kit Empire

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 17:19:26 +0100

The home-grown hotshot who designed the animations for Submarine’s Kika & Bob series brings analogue and digital together in this delightful labor of love, which supplies his adoring public with 3-eyed paper bears (and other friendly creatures) that you download, cut and glue yourself. We love it when an electro-craft plan comes together! Fans and lovers take pictures of their (oft-customized) paper toys, many of which are then published on Bear’s Flickr site.

Facebook Responsible for World Peace (Maybe)

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 18:14:37 +0100

The flipside of Facebook’s irksome espionage practices (because the CIA wants to know what YOU were doing Saturday night), is this pro-peace initiative which crunches numbers on who’s talking to who, and creates lovely graphs on Israeli-Palestinian connections for instance. Also innaresting are the revealing figures on different perceptions of world peace potential around the planet (North Americans = pessimists vs Colombians = optimists).

Cardboard Monsters Street Animation

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 12:11:26 +0100

Golly gosh, isn't this week jam-packed with animation greatness! Must be the onset of the cold front (Southern hemisphere excepted), getting the old creative juices into action. In a similar vein to the brilliance of stop motion graffiti maestro Blu, cardboard enthusiast Sjors Vervoort shot this delightful animation in a non-descript Dutch town, where his tribe of cardboard monsters live and breathe among live action humans who seem unaware of the recycled beasts. Via @chunneltv.

Stare Into the Sun

Tue, 27 Oct 2009 20:01:25 +0100

Proving that a bump to the head can isn't always a bad thing, this charming little fellow will brighten your day: guaranteed. High on rainbow slides and pink unicorn rides, he can stave off even the grimmest of grim reapers and manages to get the sea-monster to body-pop. Free cheer-uppery courtesy of London bwoy Ian Stevenson.

Milky Eyes Loop Experiment

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 17:16:03 +0100

It's high time we posted some budget stop motion greatness - and here it is, in the form of this little sequence by a creative who (rather obscenely) calls himself Milky Eyes. He is unusually elusive when it comes to Google search engine results, despite his enviable talents in paper trickery...

Top 10 of Our Favorite Things: Web Documentaries

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 18:04:59 +0200

The words “web documentary” were once the domain of thrifty filmmakers with gnarly production values. Not any more! In fact, quite the reverse is true. The many splendid ways in which the interweb lends itself to interactive storytelling and multiple mediums, has spawned an explosion of top-notch web documentary-making – marked this year by the first ever award for this emerging genre.

SXSW Title Sequence Design Competition

Thu, 22 Oct 2009 23:29:47 +0200

SXSW -famous film fest in Texas- added the 'Excellence in Title Design' award to their Film Design awards. "Open internationally to all Title Sequences that exist as part of a completed film finished in 2009 or later". Meet the jurors: Kyle Cooper and Karin Fong, Art Of The Title, and yours truly: SubmarineChannel! Deadline to submit is December 11

The Dead Zone title sequence

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 19:33:25 +0200

Forget the Film, Watch the Titles updates with a classic from 1983. Title designer Wayne Fitzgerald created a main title for David Cronenberg's The Dead Zone that doesn't reveal itself till the very end of a slow paced but suspenseful opening sequence. The now respected title designer Kyle Cooper liked it so much, it made him want to do titles for a living.

The Auteurs Online Arthouse Cinema

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 17:09:16 +0200

Oh my, what a fun discovery (thank frag for Twitter)! Fuelled by the appalling quality of multiplex curatorship and the need for personalized, portable cinema, some canny Angelinos came up with The Auteurs. It’s an online community of leftfield film lovers (i.e. you), where membership is free, you pay just a little to select from their vast and exquisite collection of movies – or take a monthly subscription for unlimited access. You can even collect “friends” under the pretense of searching for fellow cinephiles! Or waste time talking nonsense in the Forums!!

$99 Music Videos

Mon, 19 Oct 2009 14:39:59 +0200

We know that it's possible to create a great low budget music video. But $99? The website 99dollarmusicvideos.com - dedicated to merging low-fi music videos made by filmmakers in collaboration with independent bands - shows that it can be done. Some pretty decent stuff here. We really liked the simple but funny 8-bit animation by Ben Ross for Keelay's "Dolla Billz". Great stuff, if you can get past the annoying AX commercials preceding each clip.
Via Jawbone.tv

SubmarineChannel exclusive: Rutu Modan's animated short

Thu, 15 Oct 2009 20:25:28 +0200

No, this is not Sex in the City - The Animation. (Come to think of it, that would be awesome!). This lovely animated short is, sadly, the pilot episode of an animated series that never happened. Created by Rutu Modan (see our Pretty Cool People Interview) and Batia Kolton, two acclaimed illustrators and graphic novelists of the Israeli comic artist collective Actus Tragicus, Goody Two Shoes was supposed to be an animated series about the lives of four teenage girls in the swinging 1960s. You know, when girls just wanted to be girls, who date boys. The pilot has it all: raging teen hormones, ice cream parlors, pink-lace bedrooms, and endless phone calls.

New Pretty Cool People Interview: Rutu Modan

Thu, 15 Oct 2009 18:46:26 +0200

We 've uploaded a new episode of our Pretty Cool People Interview series, this time we talked to the acclaimed comic book artist Rutu Modan. Rutu introduces us to her first full-length graphic novel, Exit Wounds, which follows the consequences of a fateful meeting between Koby Franco, a twenty-something cab driver and a young female soldier called Numi, who approaches him with some disturbing news. Resonating the naive simplicity of Herge's legendary oeuvre, she applies her jaded (but nonetheless charming) tone and pioneering visual framework to communicate rich, multi-layered messages which are at once grotesque, bizarre and true.

The Decemberists 'The Hazards of Love' visualized

Thu, 15 Oct 2009 12:43:56 +0200

Beautiful poetic visuals created by three of Hornet’s directors for a unique one-night only concert of The Decemberists: 'Here Come the Waves: The Hazards of Love Visualized'. Directors Peter Sluszka, Guilherme Marcondes, and Santa Maria, along with a fourth director Julia Pott created backdrop visuals for each of the four sections of the album. This visual feast takes place on October 19th at Royce Hall on the UCLA campus in LA. If only the trailer were a bit longer!

Balka's Bunker Live Online

Wed, 14 Oct 2009 18:56:41 +0200

Interactive hotshots Champagne Valentine just dropped a sumptuously sinister interactive website commissioned by Tate Modern for the launch of How It Is, the new exhibition by high-brow artworld darling Miroslaw Balka. Combining Flash and Papervision technologies they create the essence of darkness, using complex shading algorithms to allow users to explore a series of dark and abstract spaces, mirroring the vast black void Balka has constructed in the Turbine Hall. Catch a cocktail for the opening of Champagne Valentine's My Lover the Server exhibition if you're in Amsterdam this Friday!

Dutch Design Profiles now in High Definition

Wed, 14 Oct 2009 15:17:16 +0200

A few weeks ago we already mentioned the series of mini-docs Submarine produced on Dutch designers for DutchDFA. We shot the portraits in HD and now you can watch them in HD. Via this new site we put up. Thanks to Vimeo you can see the work of designers like Marlies Dekkers, Ted Noten and Jurgen Bey in great detail.

Must see Ape School's debut music video

Wed, 14 Oct 2009 12:56:24 +0200

A monkey climbing a gigantic robotic tower made out of boobs is just one of the many crazy scenes in the painstakingly animated music video for Ape School's Wail to God. "A psychedelic onslaught of lust, joy and desperation," as record label Ninja Tune calls it. If anyone feels challenged to interpret the story for us, please send us an e! Great stuff though, animated and directed by Anthony F. Schepperd.

Power to the Pixel Live Streaming Now!

Wed, 14 Oct 2009 11:46:34 +0200

Power to the Pixel's cross-media film forum connects creators with key digital innovators: pioneers who are developing new models of storytelling, film financing and film distribution across multiple platforms. The point being, you can watch digital dignitaries like Lance Weiler (of Head Trauma fame) and Ted Hope live and free of charge on the Internetz!

Obama Pointillism Portrait Project

Tue, 13 Oct 2009 18:11:27 +0200

He won the hallowed peace prize. Some professed outrage, others popped open the Veuve. And yet others painstakingly plotted individual pixels to create a frenzy of Obama animated Gifs! We heart Gifologist Mark Portillo, and guess what: he's making animated Gif portraits of the entire SubmarineChannel editorial team next. Watch this space!

New promo from TRUNK directors AL + JOCK

Mon, 12 Oct 2009 12:43:08 +0200

Directing duo Alasdair + Jock have recently completed Bottom Of The River, an animated promo for Canada’s Tom Fun Orchestra. Only just released, it has already been nominated for a UK Music Video Award 2009. 'Bottom Of The River' was inspired by Lotte Reiniger's enchanting 1926 animated feature 'Prince Achmed' and animated in a mix of 2D and 3D which was then composited with backgrounds that had been hand-painted on acetate to give a murky, underwater aesthetic.

Gone Gitmo in Second Life

Mon, 12 Oct 2009 10:35:43 +0200

Watching Taxi to the Dark Side again the other night left us hating humanity – and thankful that the dark days of Bush-Cheney are behind us. At cross-media fest Picnic 09 in Amsterdam recently, we came across Gone Gitmo, an immersive journalism project constructed in Second Life, that places users inside the Guantánamo detention center, embedding documentary footage from (another depressing Gitmo doc) Unconsitutional, in a spatial 3D narrative.

Motion Capture Sculpture

Fri, 09 Oct 2009 14:34:22 +0200

Dutch artist Peter Jansen started out as a physics student before becoming a tour guide for frustrated adventurers wanting to try their hand at canoeing. We are inclined to imagine that he woke up one night during a particularly inhospitable camping trip, with two thoughts: (1) my life needs more glamour and (2) why is nobody making kinetic sculptures? He has since carved a successful career as an artist, with his unique selling point being these mesmerizing sculptures that seem to capture a split second of blurred movement trails in the full 3 dimensions.

Check out the robotic camera's

Thu, 08 Oct 2009 18:33:39 +0200

The love affair between fashion and film continues. The Fashion savvy Showstudio created the visual concept for Alexander McQueen's 2010 catwalk show entitled 'Plato's Atlantis'. Check out the high tech catwalk, flanked by two towering robotic camera's on rails that track the models as they bravely strut on vertiginous platforms shoes. The face make-up of these skinny pixies includes shaved eyebrows and facial prosthetics. And, the shoes..the shoes....ah, the shoes...

Magical kinetic type devices in AICP titles

Thu, 08 Oct 2009 12:46:17 +0200

Title sequences are no longer the exclusive domain of the movies. Design studio motion504 just delivered a magical title sequence with true "Hollywood Appeal" for the Minneapolis screening of the AICP Show. We love the imaginative Telsa-esque self-powered devices and kinetic type.

The Incrédibox

Tue, 06 Oct 2009 13:31:06 +0200

There isn’t a human alive who doesn’t wish they could beatbox like Doug E Fresh - and the Incrédibox gives you a taster just how splendid that might feel! You can create a 7-track beatbox oeuvre, and if you stick around long enough, you get the bonus: woop!
An instant classic of simple interactive greatness, the Incrédibox has certainly done wonders for French musician The Incredible Polo, who’s credentials - frankly - seem a little thin on the ground. Correct us if we’re wrong!

Playgrounds Festival

Mon, 05 Oct 2009 15:33:56 +0200

Our favorite Dutch event of the year is happening again on Oct 8+9 in Tilburg. Playgrounds showcases the best digital AV art in the world, such as music videos, animations, character design, VFX, games in a jam-packed two-day program. Besides the great atmosphere at the event, we highly recommend Playgrounds' awe-inspiring artist presentations that will surely get those creative juices flowing. Highlights this year are talks by Guerilla Games, Passion Pictures, Pleix and Pixar.

What Facebook Is For

Fri, 02 Oct 2009 19:33:52 +0200

Not sure how the race war in the Comments section came about (those testy Commentators!), but this is a chuckle-inducing animation about a virtual social butterfly who finds solace the handy tools offered by Facebook for the collection and categorization of friends. I feel a friend request coming on!

New Minimovie: Ig Nobel Prizes

Thu, 01 Oct 2009 18:34:09 +0200

Sex, food, money, death and sex again. These are the subjects of our new MiniMovie Ig Nobel Prize. The Ig Nobel Prizes are the not-so-well-known alternative of the famous Nobel Prizes. Each year since 1989, ten scientists receive prizes for "research that makes people LAUGH and then THINK". Director Bahram Sadeghi met with six scientists and asked them about their extensive research on necrophilic ducks, tumbling toast, the side-effects of sword swallowing and other bizarre topics.

Ye Aulde TV Ads Digital Archive

Wed, 30 Sep 2009 12:33:36 +0200

Aah the sweet naïveté of vintage commercials! A time when copywriters were poets, creative directors humble homebodies, and consumers preferred their consumables frozen and laden with E numbers. This digital archive of vintage television commercials is a fun way to reflect on the grandiose growth of the advertising industry – and it’ll whisk you into a frenzy of nostalgia with those punchy jingles. Mr Whipple, will you PLEASE stop squeezing the Charmin!

Tasty Clip for Air's New Sing-Sang

Tue, 29 Sep 2009 19:15:39 +0200

Loving the newest Air video for their Sing Sang Sung ditty: super-stylized and audio-reactive, all at the same time! The creation of Paris-based Mathematic Studio, it reminds us of all kindsa cool shizzle, like our old bud Kustaa Saksi, and the classic French famille Barbapapa to name but two. And we were just wondering whatever happened to old Air…

COMBO: Live Action Stop Motion

Mon, 28 Sep 2009 19:06:13 +0200

Motionpainting! It's when you create animations with live painting by capturing the lengthy, arduous, but ultimately thrilling process on candid camera. Like this glorious, multiple-sense boggling stop motion re-decoration of a baroque courtyard, created by giant muralist extraordinaire Blu, and his buddy David Ellis. Holy guacamole, they're good!

Spotlighting Extras by Miranda July

Thu, 24 Sep 2009 15:52:34 +0200

Uber-rad performance artist Miranda July, whom we once had the pleasure of interviewing for our Pretty Cool People Interview series, just did something really cool for Vice (grrrrrr). She did a down-to-the-tiniest-detail imitation shoot of some long-forgotten extras from a bunch of famous movies like Grease, The Godfather, and Kramer vs Kramer (we think?). Rock n roll on, July!

Aniboom / Marvel Motion Comic Contest

Wed, 23 Sep 2009 18:13:05 +0200

Ever fancied yourself as a bit of a Marvel comic creator? Hm thought not… but don’t be hard on yourself! Dream the impossible dream with this rather fun competition currently offered by Aniboom and Marvel. What you do is: you download pages of original Marvel Comics, along with exclusive audio and music content - and create a magnificent motion comic that is (kind of) all your own! Tip: if it involves the radical transformation of a puny-to-heroic male you’re half way there.

From Zero

Tue, 22 Sep 2009 15:41:27 +0200

The simplicity and immediacy of the web documentary medium, are showcased once again in this ongoing reportage on the daily lives of L'Aquila’s temporary camps, where victims of Italy’s devastating earthquakes await their fate. It has been months since the mainstream media lost interest in this story, but life goes on – in all it’s poignant, and often funny, banality - as weeks turn into months. Tasty packaging by Torino-based Move Productions.

Neurosonics Audiomedical

Mon, 21 Sep 2009 12:16:53 +0200

What do you get when you mix mad turntable skillz, clever beatboxery, and high-end digital creativity (laced with a dash of GSOH)? The answer is... this a conceptual clip by Chris Cairns, of Neurosonics Audiomedical fame. The third and most sophisticated in his series along the same vein, it features a bevvy of hip-hop hotshots from the veteran Scratch Perverts collective and has exploded on the blogosphere in a popularity frenzy bordering on the viral. It’s enough to make your head spin!

Fashion Film kicks into high gear

Wed, 16 Sep 2009 13:15:15 +0200

Any excuse to organize a cool film festival is a good excuse. We especially love festivals centered around niche or offbeat themes. (Like the amazing G.I. Joe Stop-Motion Film Festival we wrote about earlier). And what other city than Paris could best serve as the host for the upcoming Shaded View On Fashion Film Festival (Sep 25-26-27: Palais de Tokyo/Centre Pomidou). “Fashion film, a genre which not too long ago was barely on the radar, is now booming,” it says on the website. Yes, fashion has embraced the film medium for reasons “too numerous to list”. Program is diverse and looks exciting. So if you're in the area, slip into your best frock, don your shiniest suit and join the other fashionistas for this style-smitten film fest. Want a li'l preview? Watch La Grande Bouffe online - a short by Swedish director Erik Liss selected for the fest. How very F-F-Fashion!

Garson Yu interview

Thu, 10 Sep 2009 10:57:38 +0200

Garson Yu is the founder and creative director of yU+co – a motion design company in L.A. responsible for numerous eye-catching title sequences. To name but two: the innovative animated end credit sequence for '300' and the cleverly embedded opening credits for much-discussed 6-minute opening sequence of Watchmen. We asked Yu about past and current trends in title design and he talks about his favorite title sequence, Se7en. (5'32")

OneDotZero Adventures in Motion

Wed, 09 Sep 2009 16:16:32 +0200

The mothership of motionography that is OneDotZero’s globe-trotting digital arts fest Adventures in Motion, kicks off today at London’s British Film Institute. Now in it’s 13th year (unlucky for some), the event show-cases work “from beyond the frontiers of innovation”. Can’t argue with that! Highlights include interactive, virtual spraypaint Graffonic, and the Citystates 09 program, featuring this charming 60-seconder by Nirm Singh Dhiman.

Dutch Design Fashion & Architecture

Tue, 08 Sep 2009 16:27:46 +0200

The virtual Bible of Dutch design has landed. courtesy of DutchDFA! Canny Submarine crew-members spent the summer sweating their battys off to produce this precious collection of mini-docs about the Netherlands’s most influential, innovative and just plain splendid graphic, product, fashion designers – not to mention trailblazers of the celebrated Dutch architectural tradition. Highlights include lingerie goddess Marlies Dekkers, accesories ace Ted Noten, and Droog Design alum Jurgen Bey. Watch them all to reveal unexpected connections. Viva Holanda!

Lens: New York Times Multimedia Blog

Fri, 04 Sep 2009 11:45:15 +0200

Lens is the new multimedia reporting blog from the tome of journalistic esteem they call the New York Times. A pick of exceptionally badass photography, video and visual journalism from around the world, including some fine web documentaries - a genre which seems to be picking up momentum as we speak. Hey if the NYT says it’s good, it must be true!

Condition: Critical Gets Due Props

Wed, 02 Sep 2009 20:43:05 +0200

We've been following this brilliant project for a while: a web documentary about the dismal conditions faced by victims of civil conflict in the Eastern Congo, the result of a collaboration between some of our very favorite people - namely Medecins Sans Frontieres, World Press Photo laureate Cédric Gerbehaye and Mediastorm. The point being, the project has been pre-selected for 'Best web documentary award' at Perpgnan's international photojournalism festival, Visa pour l'image. Congrattles!

Man in Van

Tue, 01 Sep 2009 13:40:25 +0200

Hotshot Brooklyn-based director Sean Dunne seems to be making a habit of profiling lovable, unsung heroes from society's fringes in his documentary shorts. Man In Van is his third, and features Jimmy Tarangelo of Manhattan, New York (could he BE from anywhere else with that name?). Blessed with high serotonin levels, Jimmy shrugs off the loss of all his worldly possessions, living a cheerful life in a van on the banks of the Hudson, with his canine family of four.

Bruce Weber movies and photographs online

Mon, 31 Aug 2009 13:10:45 +0200

Sundance Channel pays tribute to the great fashion photographer and filmmaker with an online exhibition titled 'Gone Fishing – A little Journey in my Back Yard'. Some really nice stuff here! Watch clips from Bruce Weber's documentary film 'Let's Get Lost' (1988) that introduced jazz legend Chet Baker to new audiences. Or watch his sexy music video for Being Boring by the Pet Shop Boys. But we particularly loved Weber's latest short film 'Liberty City is like Paris to me' (full length/world premiere!) - A positive, uplifting and lovingly shot portrait of the people of this small town in Florida. A true celebration of life. You don't get movies like this much anymore.

Scoop! Placebo Interactive Music Video

Thu, 27 Aug 2009 19:38:29 +0200

Champagne Valentine just sent us the link to their eye-candylicious interactive music video for The Never-Ending Why - brand new dirty ditty by Placebo. Chase the dragon and party with the band inside the belly of the beast (go crazy, it's Thursday). You heard it here first!

8-Bit Trip

Wed, 26 Aug 2009 16:01:29 +0200

A whole new level of retro-geek is reached with this awe-inspiring display of patience and dedication (obsessive compulsion?). Close to four minutes of Lego-tastic stop motion are the culmination of no less than 1500 hours of deconstrucing, reconstructing, and photographing the beloved plastic brick-plugs, by Swedish musician Daniel Larsson and his animator buddy Thomas Redigh. Watch out for cameo appearances by a host of pixel-celebs of the Megaman school.

How Very Innovative

Tue, 25 Aug 2009 19:05:04 +0200

The Dutch are so 2012! NL-based start-up Yellowbird are working on something which will allow you to watch videos in not one, not two, but THREE dimensions – and as if that weren’t enough, it’s wholly interactive! It’s kinda hard to explain without sounding like we’re just regurgitating the buzzwords of the day but then in a different order. So we urge you to check out the demo and interview on Jawbone.tv.

Sweat: New Short from Partizan

Mon, 24 Aug 2009 18:15:15 +0200

From deepest, darkest Finland comes Timo Kaukonen, reigning Sauna World Champion. In this charming short documentary directed by Thomas Hilland of Röyksopp / Eple video fame, our Viking in Speedos talks us through the science of sauna. His climactic performance at the Championship conjures up the sweaty fervor of a wrestling match, with his competitors risking first-degree burns to try and bump him off the top spot.

Ze Frank in Amsterdam Tonight

Fri, 21 Aug 2009 16:17:59 +0200

Tonight, the sovereign ruler of nerdcore comedy, Ze Frank himself, graces Amsterdam’s outdoor film festival Pluk de Nacht, with his presence. Today, Ze resides among the hallowed authors of Time Magazine Online, bringing his unique brand of side-splittery to the political arena. We used to love watching The Show, the daily broadcasts of brilliant nonsense that launched him headlong into the internet-celeb stratosphere back in 2006. Catch him live tonight at Pluk.

Top 10 of Our Favorite Things: Animated GIFs

Thu, 20 Aug 2009 20:18:00 +0200

Before Flash there were… animated GIFs! Whole entire movies made out of Graphics Interchange Format! Apparently Thomas Edison, inventor of something they call the light-bulb, died a very frustrated man, having touched the edges of GIFology but never quite having reached the core. Torture! But we digress. The silent and seemingly endless quagmire of animated GIFery on the interweb, reveals a marvelous array minimal-frame offerings by savvy hipsters and obscure artistes. Compiling this Top 10 was a challenge (and then some), as there are myriad rad ones, but here’s our Top 10 nonetheless:

Gaza/Sderot Tonight in Amsterdam

Wed, 19 Aug 2009 13:29:05 +0200

In Amsterdam? If so, you’re in for a treat ce soir: the don of the interactive web documentary world, Alexandre Brachet of Paris-based Upian, is show-casing his revered Gaza/Sderot project live - as part of the Pluk de Nacht open air film festival. Tonight at Studio K. More info here.

Viral Virtuosity x 3

Tue, 18 Aug 2009 17:51:46 +0200

The debut novel by the Oxford-educated über-raver who founded London’s Ministry of Sound Nightclub in '91, is illustrated in a shudderingly awesome monochrome way by master of the macabre, Neal Murren. By way of promoting the book, the powers that be, created a series of 3 viral videos in which some very clever people turned the single frame illustrations into deliciously grotesque animations featuring boobs, death, champagne and a gratifyingly torturous version of the TV game Millionaire.

Steampunk Stop Motion Animation

Mon, 17 Aug 2009 18:02:48 +0200

Steampunk! Stop motion! Just two of our favorite things, and they gloriously unite in this charming stop motion composition – from Agfa to Zeiss - of dismantled antique cameras. We’re big fans of the creators over at the Shamptonian, a splendid institution that will re-instate your faith in humanity. Incidentally, you can read the full Falcon story of here (FYI it makes little to no sense and/or is written in a language unfamiliar to us).

Via Jawbone.tv

N.A.S.A Audiovisual Giant Collab

Thu, 13 Aug 2009 17:00:18 +0200

While cyber-lusting after David Byrne (who we saw sporting a TUTU this past weekend!), we re-discovered the wonder of audiovisual collaboration that is the N.A.S.A (North America South America) project. We mentioned the mouth-watering Shepard Fairey contribution a while ago, and now you need to see this (and while you’re there, all the frankly delicious collabs on their Youtube channel): The People Tree featuring vocals by Byrne. Chali 2na, Gift Of Gab & Z-Trip and artwork by the magical Marcel Dzama.

Pop-up book style titles for Bedtime Stories

Wed, 12 Aug 2009 00:49:48 +0200

Bedtime Stories is your typical Disney family film about bedtime stories coming to life. The opening titles and end credits sequence use the currently fashionable idea of a pop-up storybook. We talked to title director Simon Cassels (Down With Love), who found visual inspiration in the work of the American photographer Thomas Allen, about the Making Of.

Bigfish.tv

Tue, 11 Aug 2009 12:33:06 +0200

Digital design agency Bigfish.tv are outdoing themselves with Fest - a series of offbeat short animated musicals. 62 Episodes online now, and counting. Great for iPod, this stuff will put a smile on your face where ever you are. Episode 36: Toast is the creator's favorite.
Via Motionographer.

Where the Wild Things Are

Mon, 10 Aug 2009 14:52:43 +0200

If you were wondering what Spike Jonze's been up to lately - this is it! His latest movie, Where the Wild Things Are (due out in October 2009) “represents years of work from hundreds of different artists”, it says on the movie's inspirational blog We Love You So. Jonze's latest movie project is an adaptation of Maurice Sendak's beloved 10-sentence children's picture book from 1963 about a boy in a wolf's outfit, who enters a fantasy world of his own making where he is made king of the “Wild Things.” Nice to see that Jonze stayed pretty much true to the original look of Sendak's cutesy creatures.
(via Kitsune Noir)

Superego Funny Men

Mon, 10 Aug 2009 11:12:37 +0200

We stumbled across these high-lair super short comedy sketches featuring a couple of absurdists goofing about, on the marvellous Channel 101. Supershort 1 is our fave: old etchings with moving mouths and funny accents – it doesn’t take much to make us chortle!

Karin Fong interview

Thu, 06 Aug 2009 14:39:13 +0200

Director and designer Karin Fong is one of the founding members of Imaginary Forces. We caught up with her backstage after the Flux/Forget the Film, Watch the Titles event in L.A. Fong talks about her recent main title and the making of machine vision for Terminator Salvation, her animated title sequence for The Pink Panther 2, and we asked her what her favorite title sequences are.

The Pink Panther 2 title sequence

Thu, 06 Aug 2009 14:35:07 +0200

The ever-suave cat, that eternal prankster in princely pink has not lost his nerve or his panache in 2009. Once more he takes on his beloved role as the stylish and distinct tormentor of Inspector Clouseau for the title sequence of The Pink Panther 2, designed by Karin Fong of Imaginary Forces.

Tron Sequel Scored by Daft Punk

Wed, 05 Aug 2009 13:14:12 +0200

Minus the chintzy - but unavoidable - Disney credit screen, the trailer for Tron Legacy (cinema release some time in 2010), is quite delightful, with speedy superbikes leaving neon trails, hyper-crisp special fx, whizzing noises and, well… that’s about it! But what we’re most excited about is the original film score by none other than French electro-bots Daft Punk! Will they be able to match the genius of the original 1982 score by Wendy Carlos?

New Chunk: The Parachute Ending by Birdy Nam Nam

Tue, 04 Aug 2009 16:12:16 +0200

We have it! The extra-terrestrial awesomeness that is the video for Parachute Ending by French DJ crew Birdy Nam Nam! An epic audiomotive hieroglyphic through time and space, the video oozes a quintessentially French flavor of surreal grandeur that echoes Daft Punk’s glorious Interstella 5555 era (as well as lesser-known, but equally brain-blowing French animations from the olden days.)

Two Upcoming Video Contests For Your Creative Juice-Flow

Mon, 03 Aug 2009 19:11:38 +0200

Get busy with your handycam for these two upcoming (and tastily prized) video competitions. First up, think of something that irritates the living bejeezus out of you (and is related to European society), make a video about it, and upload it to Youtube for your chance to win an HD cam worth €1800 - plus a screening at the Darklight Film Festival. Second up, make a 1-minute (or under) video around the motto ‘HIVisble’ to promote HIV/AIDS awareness in a cool and interesting way. See more at Clip & Klar.

Tom Fun Orchestra - Throw Me To The Rats

Mon, 03 Aug 2009 17:52:06 +0200

Amazing London animation collective Trunk just dropped a grotesque music promo for Tom Fun Orchestra’s “Throw Me To The Rats,” directed by dynamic new directing duo Alasdair Brotherston and Jock Mooney. An incontinent cat treads the boards of a vaudevillian cardboard theater.

Evolution of the Video Game

Fri, 31 Jul 2009 10:58:12 +0200

This animated evolution of the video game will resonate with even the most casual of gamers. German animation house Musclebeaver recreated all the usual suspects one pixel at a time (quite literally), opening with the innocent simplicity of Pong and climaxing in a lusty exchange between a frisky Mario brother and hot virtual mamacita Lara Croft. Good times!

Via Changethethought

Blocter interviews Typeradio

Wed, 29 Jul 2009 12:29:39 +0200

Blocter interviews the people behind the excellent Typeradio - MicroFM broadcast, a MP3 internet radio stream and a podcast station on type & design. "Type is speech on paper. Typeradio is speech on type."

Jamie Caliri interview

Tue, 28 Jul 2009 17:17:29 +0200

Main Title director Jamie Caliri speaks about the making of the United States of Tara title sequence, his love for stop motion animation, “I love that tightrope act of stop motion. It's great to see people rise to the occasion and do something that seems impossible,” and he explains what's so great about Woody Allen's title sequences. (7 min.). This is the first in a series of video interviews with Main Title designers recorded at the Flux/Forget the Film, Watch the Titles event in L.A.

Chapman Brothers Video Hell

Mon, 27 Jul 2009 12:48:32 +0200

Jake and Dinos Chapman's extraordinary 3D interpretation of a Hyeronimus Bosch-like post-apocalyptic world - otherwise known as "Fucking Hell" - can now be seen as a short film on their website. Set to the dramatic film score from Oliver Stone's seminal 1986 war movie Platoon, the Chapman clip is, in line with their signature style, horribly fascinating and grotesquely detailed. It was commissioned as part of their fabulously (if controversially) named ‘If Hitler Was A Hippy How Happy Would We Be’ exhibition at the ever-edgy White Cube Gallery in London.

The Evolution of Story on Jawbone.tv

Fri, 24 Jul 2009 18:27:02 +0200

We say yessy to Jawbone.tv! This tasty-looking, week-old website marks the explosion of new, interactive storytelling methods, virals, and experimental innovations in digital arts. "The evolution of story", apparently! Check this interview with interactive graphic novelist NAWLZ, who's praises we sang some time ago.

Interview With Tommy Pallotta

Fri, 24 Jul 2009 18:05:57 +0200

Splendid interview with Tommy Pallotta, director of SubmarineChannel's American Prince documentary. Fascinating insights into the influence of the film's protagonist, Steven Prince (legendary party-starter and erstwhile roommate of Martin Scorcese) on some of Scorcese's most revered characters.

Watch American Prince on SubmarineChannel

David Lynch Road Movie Web Doc Euphoria

Thu, 23 Jul 2009 17:43:38 +0200

I believe we just died and went to Heaven!
David Lynch (swoon) is making a web documentary series (surely not!), with new episodes shot and broadcast daily (tell me more…), featuring zany real-life Lynchian characters (Heaven I tell thee!), shot over a 70-day road-trip (this much excitement cannot be healthy!) across the States and back. It’s shot by his son Austin Lynch. We’re pretty sure you will love it!

Via Jawbone TV

G.I. Joe Fest returns in 2009

Thu, 23 Jul 2009 15:40:39 +0200

This must be the craziest, and quite possibly the most fun film festival... ever! The 3rd Edition of the G.I. Joe Stop-Motion Film Festival offers filmgoers an exciting array of contemporary narrative, documentary and short films, all in stop-motion fashion, all featuring - yes, peeps, for real - the testosterone-charged military-themed US action figure! Renewed attention for Joe must have something to do with the upcoming live action movie 'G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra'.
Next Festival edition: Sep 09, Denver. Or catch the 2008 Touring program on July 25, in NYC.
Thanks to FlavorPill's Daily Dose for bringing this to our attention.

student creates alternative main title for Into The Wild

Wed, 22 Jul 2009 11:21:29 +0200

We're not planning to make a habit of including Game Title Sequences (Killzone 2) or student pieces on Forget the Film, Watch the Titles, but sometimes rules are meant to be bent and broken. Are they not? 21 year old Dutch design student Jurjen Versteeg created this very handsome alternative Title Sequence for Into The Wild that deserves to be included on the site. Leave a comment on the site and let us know what you think...

Shynola’s Coldplay Comeback

Tue, 21 Jul 2009 18:24:48 +0200

It looks like Shynola are back, after the sad news last year that their chief creative genius Gideon Baws had passed away suddenly, aged just 33. And the dream-like bizzarity that is this video for Coldplay’s new ditty won’t disappoint! With Chrizzle Martin (decked out in rainbow colors) fighting a giant psycho-squirrel and a team of one-legged stiletto-totin’, Samurai sword-wieldin’ skulls - against the backdrop of a simply formidable chalk-on-board animation - your overall reaction is likely to be one that includes the oft-overused term “awesome”.

Mass Animation=Mass Exploitation?

Tue, 21 Jul 2009 13:02:53 +0200

Motionographer editor Justin Cone critically reflects on the success of Mass Animation's crowdsourced 5 minute animation “Live Music” in his article "Mass Animation=Mass Exploitation?". In his very good analysis of the pros and cons and the ups and downs of the "democratization of animation", Cone explains why mass animation won’t work and could potentially hurt the animation industry as a whole.

Social Media Activism by L.A's Homeless

Tue, 21 Jul 2009 12:03:16 +0200

A hotshot Hollywood producer named Mark Horvath, who lost everything to alcoholism and ended up living rough in 1995, is the latest darling of the social media industry. He teaches vulnerable, marginalized, and often under-educated homeless people how to use Twitter to tell their stories and put pressure on policy-makers - as well as providing up-to-the-second documentation of homelessness in America. For all the Twitter-naysayers out there (or those who are simply perplexed by the value of following Kim Kardashian's breakfast preferences), Horvath's whrrling and tweeting (@hardlynormal) activities prove emphatically that people-powered media really can lead to successful organized resistance - and make waves where they matter most.

Stockholm's MJ flash mob tributes

Mon, 20 Jul 2009 14:47:43 +0200

Twitter is fueling a new surge in MJ flash mob tributes all over the world. We got goosebumps from this amazing flash mob clip shot by a unknowing bystander at Stockholm's Centralstationen (here is a closer view). Here's another amazing clip from a Beat It performance, this time at Segels Torg - Stockholm's central square. Both performances were initiated by Swedish dance group Bounce.
Thanks Camillah.

Rockstar: The Beatles' stunning opening cinematic

Mon, 20 Jul 2009 13:37:34 +0200

The animated opening cinematic for the upcoming edition of the music video game Rockband is simply stunning. Centered around the music of none other than The Beatles, the game's spectacular sequence takes you from the Beatles' early beginnings at Liverpool's grungy Cavern Club, all the way through their career, and ends with an epic grand finale rife with Dali-esque 3D imagery worthy of the psychedelic tag. Made by the talented peeps at Passion Pictures, known for their animated videos for Gorilllaz.
Tnx Fes for the tip!

Killzone 2 credit sequence

Fri, 17 Jul 2009 00:15:52 +0200

The highly anticipated FPS game Killzone 2 for the PS3 comes with a Hollywood style credit sequence, created by 3D designer Joost Korngold of Renascent. “I spent one month freaking with the game models and based on that I developed the graphic style,” says Korngold. Replacing the original textures of the 3D models, Korngold created a unique stripped-down, somewhat Tron-ish look for Killzone 2's credit sequence.

I Got Next: Fighter Games documentary

Thu, 16 Jul 2009 18:44:50 +0200

The cut-throat world of East Coast / West Coast Street Fighter IV warfare is exposed in this gripping documentary by first-time filmmaker Ian Cofino. The testosterone-fuelled hooligeekism (you heard it HERE first!) of head-to-head fighter gaming is as competitive and ruthless as any team sport you care to mention. High fives, back-slapping and all-round assertive masculinity characterise this remarkably ungeeky subculture where pro gamers are now able to make a living cyber-slapping each other. Funded entirely through crowd-sourcing, I Got Next is Torrent-downloadable here, or wait for the feature-length release in Winter 09.

Small nations, Big games: New Minimovie Now Online

Wed, 15 Jul 2009 15:45:02 +0200

Our latest Minimovie, directed by homegrown hotshot Jan Jaap Kuiper, follows the son of a celebrated Pilota player as he returns to his motherland to try this glorious Basque game for the very first time. Pride, shame, and frustration feature in the subtle journey of our protagonist Henrike Olasolo; a tiny, but deeply symbolic drop in the complex history of this persecuted people.

Crowd-Sourced Youtube Music Toy

Tue, 14 Jul 2009 12:17:15 +0200

Simple geniusity: a member of electro band Science for Girls got 20 musician buddies to record themselves playing one track in B-flat (a musical key, for those who forewent the screechery of school orchestra), and post them on Youtube. He then embedded them all on one simple web page - and now YOU can make like a fiddler and play!
Via LostAtEMinor.

New Franz Ferdinand fun

Tue, 14 Jul 2009 11:02:06 +0200

Fun-tastic new Franz Ferdinand video directed by the inimitable Kris Moyes, of barmy Heart It Races (Architecture in Helsinki) video fame. We love the general tongue-in-cheekery, and the visual high jinks. Watch and re-watch!

Ferry Gouw's cool music vid for Major Lazer

Mon, 13 Jul 2009 17:04:00 +0200

Stumbled upon this incredibly stylish new-ish animated music video made by illustrator/filmmaker Ferry Gouw for Major Lazer. Looks like Gouw got his inspiration from watching Sunday morning cartoons. Especially those from the 1970s and 1980s. Think: He-Man and the Masters of the Universe by Filmation and Scooby Doo by Hanna-Barbera. Those two studios popularized the cheap and dirty animation technique called “Limited Animation” that allowed them to produce a lot of shows really fast.

Civilization: heaven / hell super-loop

Fri, 10 Jul 2009 18:45:51 +0200

Stock footage, movie footage and original clips in an eternal ascending loop from hell to heaven! Yes please! The incredible piece of (so much more than) video art that is Civilization was created for the elevators in New York’s Standard Hotel. Filmographic genius man Marco Brambilla came up with this beyond awesome interpretation of Dante’s Inferno, which takes you from the dank depths of hell, right up to the lofty heights of heaven via the various stages of purgatory (or vice versa, if you’re on your way out). Remarkable attention to tiny details makes Civilization a great one for repeated viewing – see if you can spot the Michelin man in lower purgatory. And what’s your bet on where MJ ended up?

Via Motionographer.

Fascinating interview with the co-creators (Crush).

Eternal Moonwalk

Wed, 08 Jul 2009 13:50:57 +0200

Not even the crustiest cynic can ignore MJ's monumental influence on music and popular culture anymore. One of the dance moves that defines the King of Pop is, of course, the Backslide, a breakdance move which he famously renamed and immortalized as The Moonwalk. Millions of fans (including some of us here at Submarine) have attempted to learn to slide back like that since Michael first premiered the move on TV in 1983. Eternal Moonwalk is a viral website that pays tribute to MJ by connecting homemade Moonwalk movies from people all over the world, creating an everlasting Backslide that we just can't stop watching over and over again. What a fantastic idea! Check it out before MJ's lawyers do.
(via The FWA. Tnx Jorrit)

Yu+co's enchanting end credits

Tue, 07 Jul 2009 12:49:34 +0200

Enchanted is classic Disney with a contemporary twist. Part animation, part live action, this 2007 X-mas movie combines elements of the archetypal Hollywood fairytale with the popular romantic comedy genre. Yu+co's end credit sequence simply oozes 'enchantment'. "We took a very organic approach, using hand-drawn illustrations and a watercolor look to tap into the iconic fairytale world of imagery," says art director Garson Yu.

Top 5 of our Favourite Things: Data Visualizations

Tue, 07 Jul 2009 11:50:55 +0200

If the words “data” and “visualization” make you wish the left side of your brain was a tad sharper, read on! Nobody – least of all the creative (at best) right-brainers among us – enjoys looking at graphs or statistics. Yawn! Lucky for us then, that boring charts etcetera are fast becoming a relic of the past. Nowadays, the global graphic design army (how many do YOU know?) do the boring bit for us, and produce beautiful works of art which communicate an abundance of information while entertaining us - and pleasing our peepers - all at once. We rather like these five:

DJ Spooky's Rebirth of a Nation

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 17:16:46 +0200

Professor / turntablist / activist / clever person DJ Spooky’s new movie “Rebirth of a Nation”, which recently premièred at MOMA, is now available on DVD – and it’s definitely something you might want to own. Originally commissioned as a live multimedia performance, it uses Spooky’s mad remixing skills, plus a heavy dose of his GSOH, to turn D. W Griffith’s 1915 blockbuster “Birth of a Nation” on its head. The original - now widely viewed as a thinly veiled ode to the Ku Klux Klan – was described by Wilson (himself an ex-Clansman) as, “writing history with lightning”. Mr Spooky applies his beloved digital technology to re-write that history, re-mixing the content, and highlighting some of the movie’s more hateful scenes, to drive home to viewers the role of the media in framing history and influencing progress (or not, as the case may be).

2 New UV Posts

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 16:37:43 +0200

Check our sister-site United Vloggers (highly selective picks from the vlogosphere), just updated with 2 new posts of very differing flavors. One celebrates the Post-It Note wizardry of a very patient boy they call Bang-yao, while the other salutes the bravery of Iran’s citizen journalists in telling the world what’s up with their twisted system.

Preview our new documentary on Youtube

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 15:14:47 +0200

Eternal youth! War-mongering wizards! Sexual potency at the click of a mouse! We’re talking about virtual worlds. You know, Second Life, World of Warcraft, Sally’s Spa? Over 70 million people now spend time in a virtual world each and every day. 70 million! would rather hang out with avatars in a darkened room, than with you. This calls for a documentary! Submarine just dropped Another Perfect World, which looks into the changing nature of social relationships, the possibilities and parameters of the booming virtual economy, and the blurring boundaries between real and virtual life (as per the pixellated predictions of Lawnmower Man, circa 1992). What do these seemingly irresistible new utopias mean for humanity at large? Fascinating key characters like plumber-turned-virtual-erotica-entrepreneur Kevin Alderman (a.k.a Stroker Serpentine), and the clever variegation of real and animated footage, make this film a visually spectacular must-see. A 30-minute preview is now HD-watchable on Youtube. For feature-length broadcast and DVD details, please check the site.

Cool stop motion video

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 16:22:54 +0200

Excessive amounts of make-up were used to create the face paint animations for this music video for We Have Band, created by W+K's creative team and Blinkink director David Wilson. “Each and every frame was hand-painted, shot, wiped off and redrawn, slightly differently for the next frame in order to create a seamless sequence.” The result is A+, which goes to show that it is possible to create stunning visuals on a very low budget. There's also a very nice Making Of video on YouTube that takes you through the entire production process. Now why can't they do that for every music promo? Haven't had enough? Then check out every single one of the 4,815 frames used in the animation on Flickr.
(Via Playgrounds Festival)

One Minute Wonders

Mon, 29 Jun 2009 19:02:59 +0200

TheOneMinutes is… a collection of one-minute videos! But it’s more than that, otherwise we wouldn’t mention it now would we. It’s a well-designed online platform for cross-cultural content sharing where the contrasts and parallels of our vast, complex humanity can be glimpsed upon, in little one-minute chunks. From documentary-style insights into remote Albanian village life, to playful post-pop animations from Croatia, the site boasts an innovative interface where multiple clips can be played simultaneously to truly immerse you in the multi-hued wilderness that is our modern world.

We Wanna Rock With Them!

Fri, 26 Jun 2009 15:39:01 +0200

Paedo rumors, painkiller injections, and a melting face - or Heaven? We know which one we’d rather have… One of the first tragic products of our smutty society’s vicious child-celebrity machine, Michael Jackson paid the price with a life dominated by tabloid ridicule and all-round weirdness. But as this YouTube video, shot last night in Harlem, New York testifies, that tunage of his – you just can’t Beat It! Let’s spend the day enjoying the greatness of Jacko (there's enough to last all day – nay all week!), and being glad he’s escaped that godawful life of his. Incidentally, we’re pretty sure he said he slept in an oxygen tank and wouldn’t die – like, ever. And who’s going to look after Bubbles?

New Michel Gondry Doc

Wed, 24 Jun 2009 20:02:56 +0200

Long-time music video darling of the Extra Cool club (Björk, White Stripes, Daft Punk, Radiohead to name but a few), pioneer of the Bullet Time technique and director of some very good movies Michel Gondry recently premiered a new documentary L'Epine dans le Coeur (The Thorn in the Heart to you mono-linguists). Following up from his Dave Chappelle’s Bloc Party doco, this is a deeply personal oeuvre about the unlikely don of the Gondry family: his auntie Suzette. A subtle narrative exploration of his family secrets, the film was picked up by Partizan Films and will screen in cinemas near you shortly (check local listings for deets in your hood).

Kyle Cooper's perfect main title for Wimbledon

Wed, 24 Jun 2009 18:48:00 +0200

Kyle Cooper designed the title sequence for Wimbledon - a romantic comedy with Kirsten Dunst - back in 2004. Not his most spectacular work, not the most discussed, but a clever, entertaining, and, dare we say, perfectly executed title sequence. “It doesn't always have to be about blood and eyeballs”.

Rocket Riot scores!

Tue, 23 Jun 2009 19:34:12 +0200

We're contributing our own bit to the discussion about video games' potential as an artistic medium with 'A Split Second' – a game project we're developing with Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam. But more about that later. This is about Rocket Riot, a brand-new game by one of the game designers involved in our project; the self-taught Sander van der Vegte. Rocket Riot, published by Codeglue and THQ, has been getting rave reviews. Check this out: IGN 8.5/10, Team Xbox 9/10, Metacritic 85/100, Gaminator 9/10. Dream scores! Rocket Riot - the first Dutch Xbox LIVE Arcade game - is a frantic old-school-ish side-view shooter with just the right blend of old school 8-bit style graphics and next-gen gameplay.

Timelapsed Chaos Animation Beauty

Sat, 20 Jun 2009 01:05:27 +0200

Get heaps talent, add a unique hybrid of skills, and a sprinkling of inherent splendidness, and what have you got: the visual delicacy that is this mini-trailer for work-in-progress interactive web documentary Boomtown Babylon. The art-tech heroes at Champagne Valentine and Mulato repurposed a heap of timelapsed chaos footage with a whole lotta 3D Studio Max to create this darkly apocalyptic taster of what our urban future might look/feel like. I'm scared! Watch this space for Boomtown Babylon updates.

Animated end credits for Land of the Lost

Thu, 18 Jun 2009 11:30:11 +0200

Marshall, Will, and Holly on a routine expedition - Met the greatest earthquake ever known - High on the rapids it struck their tiny raft, And plunged them down a thousand feet below - To the Land of the Lost...

Remember? Thus goes the theme tune of the original Land of the Lost children's TV series from the early 1970s. For the entertaining animated end credit sequence for Land of the Lost – the movie, Alchemy/Axiom's creative team took some of the more “campy” elements of the original show as their main source of inspiration.

Omar and His Skyhook

Wed, 17 Jun 2009 08:35:21 +0200

When creatives of the commercial kind make something just for the hell of it, we get a warm, glowing feeling inside. “You made this beautiful oeuvre just for us?”, we say (while checking said oeuvre for clandestine logo placement). Well, Doug Purver sure did, with his charming short Omar and His Skyhook. A fantastical tale of a little boy who’s grandpa stands him up for this first fishing trip, and the sub-aquatic sky-swimming adventures that follow. According to the production blog, two short days of shooting plus a long year of post, animation and compositing made this captivating, dreamy animation the mini-masterpiece it is today.

New Chunk: The General by Miss T

Tue, 16 Jun 2009 19:27:07 +0200

Second in our series of shorts by the inimitable Sietske Tjallingii, aka Miss T, The General is a veritable gala of home-made wonders, that culminates in a darkly humoristic satire on American post-imperialism. A battalion of sandy tankers appears to advance threateningly, before being crushed by ruthless, Nazi-looking army boots. The camera pans out to reveal a marvelous comic twist in the shape of a rotating boot-wheel, decked out in American army garb, that shimmies around in front of The General himself as he commands it via old-school remote control!

DJ Derek: Serotonin-rich

Thu, 11 Jun 2009 19:49:27 +0200

This no–frills production presents DJ Derek, a character so loveable that you just can’t stop watching. A white gentleman, now in his 60s, he found his calling as a bringer of good vibes in the form of rocksteady, ska and roots music. The trans-cultural ex-accountant grew who up in poverty-stricken post-war Bristol (UK), found solace in the early imports of African-American music in the 1950s, before moving into the Jamaican neighbourhood of St Paul’s, learning patois at a local barbershop, and becoming an honorary Jamaican. The best bit is when he invokes his inner rasta and blows up the mic like a regular ragga MC. Guaranteed to put a smile on your face!

Relax with Nature While Maintaining Street Cred

Tue, 09 Jun 2009 11:45:01 +0200

Known and loved for their long-standing line in ground-breaking vector art, Bangkok / Baltimore-based collective YouWorkForThem have been at the helm of the design radar for like, ever, having hit the scene with aplomb way back in 2001. They recently released a sumptuous abstract animated short known as The Interpretation. Like an Echoes of Nature DVD for cool people, it sets synthetically-reinterpreted natural phenomena (flying, floating) against a soundscape that combines birds and bees with atmospheric eletronica – reminding us once again of WWFTs supremeness and all-round wizardy, lest we forget.

Terminator Salvation main titles

Mon, 08 Jun 2009 14:29:33 +0200

After The Pink Panther 2, Karin Fong worked with Charles Khoury and Imaginary Forces' (IF) creative team on the main title of another iconic and successful movie franchise. Terminator Salvation is the fourth installment of the popular SF series based on the infamous cyborg character. IF's title design draws heavily on the monumental logo of the original 1984 Terminator movie. We interviewed Karin Fong in L.A. on May 20th, a day before the movie opened in the US.

Tintori Instant Classic

Sun, 07 Jun 2009 17:33:32 +0200

We just came across this delightful little morsel of short filmness, created back in 2007 by the young hotshot they call Ray Tintori (of MGMT psychaedelia fame). Death to the Tinman has echoes of the marvel comic about it, with our protagonist in the role of flawed super-hero. Complete with elderly, avuncular side-kick and devoted damsel, this small-town drama is defined by a charming tone that combines over-the top tension-building with a generous helping of tongue-in-cheek.

Via Booooom

Watch the Titles event L.A. was a blast

Wed, 03 Jun 2009 16:05:00 +0200

With five superstar title designers presenting together for the first time, we can safely boast that the Flux/Forget the Film, Watch the Titles event at the Hammer Museum in L.A. was nothing short of legendary. More than 500 people attended – too many to fit in the beautiful Billy Wilder theater that seats 299. Everyone else had to watch the presentations on the big screen in Hammer's outdoor courtyard. Not so bad either, considering L.A.'s lovely Spring weather. And with a cool party to top things off, we can now look back with a big happy smile at an event that will continue to resonate as we will post video interviews with all five designers and impressions from the event on watchthetitles.com soon. Click read more below for reports and link to photos.

Iowa Smalltown Blues

Mon, 01 Jun 2009 18:43:42 +0200

Exceptional photography and compelling mini-narratives make this web documentary about the everyday hardships of life in rural Iowa, a very special treat of the brain-candy kind. As agriculture collapses, and drink and drugs battle Christian fundamentalism for the souls of bored youngsters, photographer Danny Wilcox Frazier weaves together a variety of poignant tales in monochrome vision, with the subtle twang of blues guitar lending an air of nostalgia to this melancholy oeuvre. Shedding new light on the effects of the economic downturn for an under-represented, marginal people, Driftless shows that web docs don’t need a whole lot of inetractive tools to engage and fascinate their audiences.

United Vloggers Back in Business

Fri, 29 May 2009 18:43:49 +0200

After a brief moment of over-multi-tasking induced silence, SubmarineChannel sister site United Vloggers is back with regular updates on all that is worthy of mention in the wonderful world of Vloggery. The latest post notifies us about a rather worthy (though vastly more commercial to the usual UV fare) road movie / video project that was recently snapped up by MTV as part of their desperate attempt to regain the popularity of their pre-Youtube wonder years. Good luck with that M!

“Shape your tools or you will be shaped by them”

Wed, 27 May 2009 19:31:38 +0200

This bytesized web documentary tells the tale of a group of hardware-hacker-hippies running their drop-in tech commune out of fair Montreal. In the spirit of grass-roots empowerment which seems to be sweeping across the globe they pooled their collective resources to open Foulab, where bearded wonders like XC3N (that’s robo-speak for Francis), can make bleepy (but good!) music from outdated video games, and the like.

Hand-made Hypnosis

Wed, 27 May 2009 02:04:58 +0200

You know we love us some DIY geniusness, and David Wilson’s hypnotic animations for We Got Time by Moray McLaren damn near blew our socks off! Watch it first, and then consider the fact that they were created entirely in camera – meaning no computer graphics, no stop motion nor other fancy tricks. This Making Of video talks you through it step by step, but to give you an idea: it involves mirrors, magic lanterns and mathematics. The kaleidoscopic elk circles around the 02:30 mark may be our personal highlight. Yours?

Via Oculart

Creepy Interactive WebDoc Fun

Fri, 22 May 2009 16:50:56 +0200

The half-naked bodies of a brilliant scientist called Dr Gilbert Bogle and his philandering lover Margaret Chandler were found on a Sydney riverbank in 1963. Shrouded in mystery, a series of forensic dead-ends led to wild theories that ranged from LSD ingestion to Cold War assassination – but even now, the cause remains unclear. Australian new media artist Rebecca Young created this brilliant interactive web documentary that presents you, the Internaut, with a choice of trajectories and timelines through which to explore the surprisingly gnarly details of the events leading to their deaths. A sordid suburban murder mystery for your participatory pleasure.

Pimp My Home Video

Wed, 20 May 2009 12:11:43 +0200

Haha! This is très entertaining, you send in your crappy home video and Helsinki-based animators Anima Boutique add cheeky little characters known as The Guys, who like to stir things up some. If they’re not electrocuting unsuspecting hipsters, they’ll be off kissing honeymooning hotties or pinching innocent ladies’ bottoms. Every Monday a new episode is served, but The Guys are such a hoot, their creator Elize Jäppinen just wants to play with them all day! So expect increased frequency pronto.

Subprime for Dummies

Mon, 18 May 2009 11:45:36 +0200

It’s an animation that visualizes the mass psychology of greed, aspiration and the inexplicable lust for picket fences which landed the American (nay, global!) housing market in the fine mess it is today. Created in Cinema 4D, Beeple’s retro-hued summary of the cyclical progression (or should that be regression?) from simple human survival to mindless, debt-heavy consumerism comes with crisp, soothing audio by Nobot that lends an air of pastiche to the proceedings.

The Cosmos as Seen by Shilo

Fri, 15 May 2009 17:10:31 +0200

Show me a piece of Shilo work that isn’t ruddy lovely, and I’ll show you my argumentative side! Their spanking new clip for BrotherSister’s Still Run takes you through a visually luscious mini-history of the universe, complete with grim future prognosis. It all started so well, with waterfalls, forests and carefree birds a-twittering. But before we knew it, pesky old civilization had to come along and ruin everything, leaving us with little more than fire, brimstone, spewing lava and apocalyptic spirals of smoke. Thanks, civilization! Thanks for nothing!

Flux / Watch the Titles event in LA!

Thu, 14 May 2009 19:07:54 +0200

If you're in or around LA on May 20 you should definitely visit the Hammer Museum for the legendary quarterly Flux Screening Series. In collaboration with SubmarineChannel, Flux presents an evening dedicated to the art of film title design featuring presentations by five of the industry's leading designers. Read more to find out who they are...

Web Artistry at your Fingertips on Yooouuutuuube

Tue, 12 May 2009 19:46:02 +0200

This simple-as-pudding Youtube-based image generator by NYC programmer David Kraftsow is a potentially infinite source of online creativity that plays to the idea of the web as giant Xeroxer to the world. The gizmo asks you to enter your Youtube URL or a search term (like your favorite web artiste for instance), and instantly turns it into a fantastical kaleidoscope of Woodstock ’69-like proportions. You can play with the frame size, zoom in and out; aah, the potential for ongoing distraction is simply endless!

New Moby, new Lynch

Tue, 12 May 2009 18:41:07 +0200

So what do you think? Is it the latest masterpiece of a highly original filmmaker or just some uninspired scrawling by a famous movie director that draws like an 8-year old? Fact is that Moby's new music video was made by no one other than David Lynch. It's a black and white animation about a man who kisses a floating head and than gets shot in the back of the head. It may sound more exciting than it is. Maybe the melancholic music left Lynch a little bit lazy, maybe his weather reports consume all his energy, or maybe he's just overrated in general... You already guessed: we aren't that amused by it.

UbuWeb: Where the Weird Things Are

Sat, 09 May 2009 12:50:42 +0200

Stemming from the Internet Dark Ages of 1996, UbuWeb started as an experimental platform for “Concrete and Sound Poetry” (don’t ask), and has since expanded to become the go-to site for all things rare and avant-garde. From recordings of Frank O’Hara reading some New York poems, to video paintings by Brian Eno, the site champions open access to precious sound, film and art things that would surely disappear into obscurity were it not for the preserving power of the Internets.

Watch Minimovies and Pretty Cool People Interviews on your Iphone via Joost

Thu, 07 May 2009 16:33:56 +0200

We have our own channel on Joost which is nice, but even nicer is the fact that you can watch SubmarineChannel productions like the Pretty Cool People Interviews and the MiniMovies on your IPone or your IPod Touch via the Joost App from the ITunes store. It's free, so why not get one... We were surprised by the picture quality!

Info Effing Graphics

Thu, 07 May 2009 12:00:51 +0200

What seems like an innocent infographic game about the science of that meteorological marvel they call “hail”, turns out to be nothing but a game of violence and destruction – which is nonetheless kinda fun (not to mention informative). Pumping techno spurs you on, as you control wind gusts to accumulate ever-growing hailstones with which you can destroy skyscrapers, injure pedestrians and generally behave in an angry God-like way. Another fab example of online flash game that won’t take you on an epic console-tinted journey through space and time, but will prove its point while showing you fun times. What’s not to like?
Via Josh Spear

No Webby for MiniMovies

Wed, 06 May 2009 16:30:59 +0200

MiniMovies was nominated for a Webby. Jay! It was a close call, but Inside Mad Men snatched the People's Voice Award. I guess it's hard to beat Hollywood. The jury award went to the US Holocaust Museum. We say Boo! to that, because this website doesn't belong in the category Documentary Series. Hugs and kisses to all of you who voted for us: Thank you all so much.

Paper Shredder Kicks CGI Butt

Mon, 04 May 2009 14:22:44 +0200

Isn’t it fun when a simply brilliant idea supersedes all that flashy, special effects technology? This clip for the poignant “Everytime” by London-based collective Oi Va Voi is comprised entirely of shredded paper, commanding new-found respect for the technique they call “photo motion”. A painstaking, intricate process of shooting, printing, shredding and re-shooting, resulted in a visual narrative that switches between the vocalists’ pretty faces, some spectacular nature shots, and a cameo appearance by the paper shredder itself! So perfect for this darling ditty, this piece is bound to inspire all manner of shoestring-budget creatives out there.

Installing Video à la Pipilotti

Mon, 27 Apr 2009 22:27:23 +0200

Named after the prolific Swedish (thanks Marijn!) child adventuress Pippi Longstocking, conceptual Swiss lady Pipilotti Rist has developed a strong body of video artistry since creating Super 8-based show visuals for punk bands in the 1980s. The 1990s saw her develop a penchant for large-scale video installations, including the one that made her famous, “Pimple Porno” (1992), about female sexual arousal. In this interview, shot at Rotterdam’s Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen she talks about her shizzle (color, the imaginary landscapes, naked ladies), and other cultural intrigues.

Watch now exclusively on SubmarineChannel: American Prince

Mon, 27 Apr 2009 11:13:16 +0200

Did you know that the most memorable scene from Tarantino's Pulp Fiction, in which Travolta injects adrenaline into the heart of a woman who overdosed, is based on a true story? It happened to Steven Prince. In '78, Martin Scorsese made a movie called American Boy about his friend, Prince, whose life was more fascinating than what any screenwriter could dream up.

Now Tommy Pallotta brings us American Prince, where he draws out Steven Prince once more to recount his days since American Boy. The documentary can be watched online for free first on SubmarineChannel and later via download through Bittorrent sites and the like.

In the new episode in our Pretty Cool People Interviews series we talked to Pallotta about American Prince and his cooperation with Richard Linklater for Slacker, Waking Life and A Scanner Darkly.

Watch American Prince exclusively on SubmarineChannel

Watch the Pretty Cool People Interview with Tommy Pallotta

Obey Giant Animated Clip Glory

Fri, 24 Apr 2009 18:19:08 +0200

This is glorious! The now iconic visuals of Shepard Fairey a.k.a. Obey Giant in fully animated splendour. Set to a heady cocktail of David Byrne, Ras Congo, and Public Enemy chief Chuck D tunage, it’s all about the timely theme of Money (or lack thereof), and features a bunch of evil things like oil fields, guns and that scary Saddam chap – as well as some of Shepard’s well-worn characters like the Giant himself, and I’m pretty sure I saw the mouth of Angela Davis dispensing the wise words “So Be A Good Girl” at the 00:29 mark.

highs and lows of gay porn

Mon, 20 Apr 2009 16:23:28 +0200

Neighborhood Films is a collaborative collection of short, episodic online documentaries, collected by long-time San Francisco valet and film-maker Daniel Robin. The growing trove of cinema vérité micro-gems started as a personal project of Robin's, as he shot some of the wacky characters who spiced up the many dull nights he spent valet-ing. He opened the project up for online submissions, inviting snippets and series from neighborhoods around the world. (And we interviewed him about is in 2007). A new episode has just been added to the 9th and Folsom series, which follows the remarkably dry highs and lows of day-to-day life at a gay porn production company in San Fran.

Chris Cunningham Come-Back Time

Fri, 17 Apr 2009 15:32:22 +0200

A few months back we asked “Whatever Happened to Chris Cunningham?”, after a prolonged silence following his Palm “Director Label” disk and Rubber Johnny short back in ’05. Well he’s back, and as eye-poppingly sumptuous as ever, with this 30-second spot for Gucci’s new Flora fragrance. Although it’s not in our nature to blog about commercials, we’ll make an exception for this one. Set against the audio backdrop of Mr Cunningham’s very own “I Feel Love” remix, it features Australian model of the moment Abby Lee draped in billowing fabrics, and surrounded by a mass of sun-dappled blooms (comprised of 20 000 fake flowers no less), to spectacularly ethereal effect. The people at Gucci must be so proud!

Win a ticket to F5!

Wed, 15 Apr 2009 12:46:53 +0200

Our friends at Motionographer were kind enough to give away two tickets to F5 - the two-day multi-disciplinary creativity conference on April 16th and 17th in NYC. F5's eclectic mix of speakers will cover topics include: motion design, graphic design, branding, visual effects, filmmaking, animation, and much more. If you're in NYC and want to win a free ticket to the event (tickets are $280), just send us an email at: watchthetitles@gmail.com. We will pick 2 winners at random today at 6 PM EST.

Weekly Web Films For An Anxious World

Thu, 09 Apr 2009 14:14:10 +0200

Since September 29th 2008, Polish-American film-maker Lech Kowalski has been posting new video segments each and every Monday, taking a multilateral approach to the complex issues currently making the world a nervous place. Accompanied by unsettling audio by Mimetic, the segments range from the abstract (The Eye) to the hard-hitting Fuck 911, show-casing a new kind of online story-telling which can nurture complexity in a simple, direct and compelling way. The blog commentary is somewhat sparse though, so go ahead and get interacting!

Give it Up For Cut & Paste Amsterdam

Tue, 07 Apr 2009 08:54:22 +0200

With the vibe and tension of a b-boy dance-off circa 1992, Cut & Paste Amsterdam brought together top artists in 3 categories: 2D, 3D and animation for a live competition at the legendary Paradiso nightclub. As a pair of badass MCs hyped the crowd into a frenzy against a backdrop of pumping R’n’B, the competition kicked off with a 15-minute sketch-off by the 2D crew. As teams of judges with terrifying Anna Wintour-like hair and Simon Cowell-esque presence circled the contestants, the 3D-ers got ready for their gruelling 2 x 20-minute rounds. The competition climaxed with a technical hitch-heavy presentation of the animation works, which contestants had spent the past 8 hours sweating furiously over. Winners in all categories were:
2D: Jordy van den Nieuwendijk
3D: Martin Holzmeister
Animation: Kevin Megens

Eva Husson talks about her music video for The Presets

Wed, 01 Apr 2009 19:39:44 +0200

Eva Husson's gorgeous music video for The Presets latest single 'If I Know You' shows a group of kids on the streets of LA that spontaneously burst out in dance. "Somebody on YouTube was really shocked at the fire dance scene, they found it obscene, which I thought was funny," says Eva. "Dance is just another way human beings commune with each other." See for yourself...

Bendito Machine III

Tue, 31 Mar 2009 19:35:20 +0200

Finally a new episode of Bendito Machine – the online animated series by Barcelona-based Peruvian artist/illustrator Jossie Malis. The series deals with mankind's intricate relationship with religion. In this episode, the small village community replaces their old radiophonic deity by a new sort of techno-demon in the shape of a giant living tv screen. Hilarious scenes ensue...

Captured by Clayton Patterson

Mon, 30 Mar 2009 15:54:43 +0200

Since 1979, renegade photographer Clayton Patterson has dedicated his life to capturing the mutating subcultures of New York’s Lower East Side. Recently released documentary Captured, weaves together his unique footage – from the gangster kids who brought us graffiti, to CBGBs, the legendary home of punk, to the Starbucks and Ed Hardy homogeny that now characterizes the area, Mr Patterson has been the arbiter of the area’s cultural heritage. Captured is now available on DVD and will be screened at various underground venues throughout Europe this Spring and Summer. We enjoyed an inspirational phone conversation with Mr Patterson as he introduced us to some of his fascinating insights into the rise and fall of contemporary culture. Some highlights:

What's in the Box?

Fri, 27 Mar 2009 15:27:31 +0100

In a similar vein to the Half-Life 2-esque sci-fi viral we blogged about a while back, What's in the Box? is a special effects tour de force by a couple of Dutch student lads messing around with film, scaling and background matte geekology in their bedrooms (presumably). An apocalyptic vision of provincial Holland set to a soundtrack of choppers, guns and walkie-talkie voices, it has attracted almost 800 000 Youtube hits in its short life, as well as the interest of 20th Century Fox, no less! Still no sure what’s in that box though. Thoughts?

Cross-Genre Archive of Splendidness

Wed, 25 Mar 2009 15:22:04 +0100

Good old Canadialand! Always at the forefront of digital democratization, their National Film Board has just put over 700 full-length films, trailers and clips online for free home viewing worldwide. From a 1969 documentary about Mohawk land disputes in rural Canada, to a heart-wrenching animation that follows the downward spiral of drug-addled Canadian animator Ryan Larkin, this vast archive of experimental film, documentary and animation (dating back to the roaring 20s) is a tribute to great left-of-field film-making across the board. Complete with the full range of full-screen and shareware features it will have you hooked for hours, nay days! A worthy addition to our collection of fine Friends.

New Forget the Film, Watch the Titles website

Mon, 23 Mar 2009 18:01:46 +0100

Last week we "soft-launced" the improved Forget the Film, Watch the Titles site. We worked very hard to make it happen (still working on some minor issues though). So what's new? A dedicated url: www.watchthetitles.com, full screen video support, designer pages, a search function, you can now comment on film titles (please do!). Furthermore, texts are easier to read and overall navigation has improved. And a new site needs a new title sequence: Have a look at The Days by Singapore designer/animator Josef Lee of MOJO. Done in a bold graphic style inspired by the visual language of early Hong Kong Kung Fu comics, the end credits for The Days are elaborate, colorful, intense, fast-paced, and distinctly Asian.

RMB City Goes Real

Mon, 23 Mar 2009 01:59:22 +0100

We blogged about mad-as-a-hatter Chinese artist Cao Fei’s avatar cupid-playing a while back, prequeling the launch of her RMB City project in Second Life. The virtual city, a heady cocktail of urban landmarks of both East and West, officially opened in January 09, and an installation at Serpentine Gallery, London marks this momentous virtual ribbon-cutting. Video and computer portals to RMB City connect the fantastical city of symbols with the public opening its borders to a new audience of real, live, human non-avatars. Not in the Serpentine area? Check out RMB City in Second Life.

The Path

Fri, 20 Mar 2009 11:32:24 +0100

Cult game developers Tale of Tales (honorably mentioned in our very special Friends section) just released their long-awaited horror game The Path. Known and loved for the immersive, atmospheric design that made the monochrome magnificence of The Graveyard an instant classic back in 08, their latest offering will further delight fans of the “Slow Game" aesthetic. The Path tackles the Little Red Riding Hood-esque theme of lurking adulthood and all its sinister foibles and features six Tim Burtony sisters, from Ruby (Goth in a leg-brace) to Carmen (slinky yet emotionally needy teen). In turn, each sister is sent by mother dearest through the irksome forest, to ailing granny’s house. Will they stray from the path and encounter the big bad wolf (and his compatriots)? Only YOU can decide!

Pet Shop Joy

Mon, 16 Mar 2009 22:24:58 +0100

Han Hoogerbrugge, the .gif guru known for his interactive masterpiece Hotel and sumptuous new book / DVD Modern Living has just dropped a tasty new clip for Love Etc by the veterans of uplifting melancholia themselves: that’s right, the Pet Shop Boys!  Satisfying boing-boing action reminiscent of Donkey Kong (or indeed Super Mario Bros), takes us into a world where the monochromatic heads of Neil and Chris perch atop bouncy baroque balls. A sketchy, ever-changing landscape is peppered with colorful collectibles, culminating in a cameo by none other than Pacman, Godfather of the emoticons.

Sweet Dreams

Sun, 15 Mar 2009 14:17:48 +0100

This 10-minute candylicious animation by motion graphiste Kirsten Lepore tells the story of one forward-thinking cupcake who runs away to sea in a sugar-cube boat. The sugar soon liquifies, leaving poor cupcake stranded and alone on a desert isle. No Robinson Crusoe, our cupcake does his best to piece together a ramshackle shelter using sugar-cube remnants and his sail, as the dark skies close in. But his luck is changing! A curvaceous guava introduces him to her friendly fruit people, who make clever use of carrots to build their huts. Carrots! Of course! They throw together a sturdy-looking vegetable vessel to take him home, where he’ll impart his new-found knowledge of sustainable, vegetable-based engineering.

Also fun: time-lapse of Kirtsen’s set-building antics.

Terror of Golf Course

Fri, 13 Mar 2009 20:10:05 +0100

“Shit” is how cult guro manga artist Kago Shintarō likes to describe his work. But this barmy animated short is more like “tha good shit”. One of a handful of new shorts he’s been posting on Youtube, Terror of Golf Course features a pesky golf hole that’s messing with his mind and ends up eating an eye-ball which spits out his brain. Charming! True to the guro aesthetic of decadent deviance, he likes to tackle themes of sexual extremism, scatology (that’s the study of poo to you) and body modification, blending pencil-drawing style with garish photography, for your irresistibly twisted mini-manga fix.

Died Young, Stayed Pretty: film about rock poster design

Thu, 12 Mar 2009 16:07:45 +0100

The just-released trailer for Eileen Yaghoobians’ new documentary introduces us to the parallel universe of American indie rock poster design. Chopping up the paradoxes of Western civilization, and gluing, Xeroxing and silk-screening them into eye-popping graphic posters for the likes of Sonic Youth and Arcade Fire, the pioneers of underground poster production (including SubmarineChannel fave Darren Pasemko, who did the above poster) talk us through the benefits and pitfalls of the color pink, octopus imagery, and spider-webs. Rock'n'roll! Watch this space for Yaghoobian’s upcoming Pretty Cool People Interview, cut from her unused footage. Or see the film on SXSW.

American Prince (teaser)

Wed, 11 Mar 2009 19:10:03 +0100

Did you know that the most memorable scene from Tarantino's Pulp Fiction, in which Travolta injects adrenaline into the heart of a woman who overdosed, is based on a true story? It happened to Steven Prince. In '78, Martin Scorsese made a movie about his friend, Prince, whose life was more fascinating than what any screenwriter could dream up. The documentary that emerged, 'American Boy' was to become Scorsese’s “lost” film. Having never been properly released, it gained cult status among cinefiles over the years through bootleg copies and influenced a whole generation of filmmakers. Now Tommy Pallotta brings us 'American Prince', where he draws out Steven Prince once more to recount his days since 'American Boy'. 'American Prince' premieres at SXSW on 14 March, and will be distributed online for free by SubmarineChannel through Bittorrent sites and the like.

Jamie Caliri's main titles for United States of Tara

Mon, 09 Mar 2009 15:34:59 +0100

DUCK's top title designer Jamie Caliri (Lemony Snicket's, Madagascar 2) directed the opening title sequence for United States of Tara, a new show - executive produced by Steven Spielberg - which premiered in January on the American network Showtime. We asked Caliri a few questions about the making his animated main title sequence based on the idea of the good old pop-up book.

Viva DVD

Fri, 06 Mar 2009 17:00:57 +0100

The retro soft porn glitzy glory that is Viva, by L.A-based cross-genre artist and film-maker Anna Bilmer is now available on DVD! A comment on the male-oriented accent of sexploitation-era movies, the film follows bored, suburban Barbi as she delves into a lusty exploration of her wild sexual self. The reconstructed vintage costumes, the macramé trinkets, the intricate bejewelled sets, the supremely authentic script and direction – Miss Anna did it all! Check out our Pretty Cool People Interview with her for more insider info.

Trailers From Hell

Thu, 05 Mar 2009 15:53:01 +0100

This blindingly ugly website is the perfect setting for Trailers From Hell, an ever-growing collection of classic-era previews of the “It bites! It stings!” movie genre that are, more often than not, better than the films themselves. Grindhouse Gurus such as Joe Dante (Gremlins), Edgar Wright (Shaun Of The Dead) and Alison Anders (The Fastest Guitar Alive) provide accompanying witty banter as they reminisce about the exquisite awfulness of some of the 250 lurid movies sampled on the site. And should you require a B-movie trailer fix on the go, TFH can now be watched via the comfort of your mobile phone. Don’t Look Back!

New Pretty Cool People Interview: Sixeart

Wed, 04 Mar 2009 15:15:56 +0100

Bad children with fringe, Circuits and Mutating Animals, these are the divergent categories in which Spanish artist Sixeart divides his work. In an online interview Sixeart defines his style as ‘sinister tragicomedy with notes of psychopaty and touches of acid’. In that same interview he comments on the influences from the past that are still visible in the stuff he makes today: ‘My own universe of characters comes from a happy childhood and a close contact with mother nature. When I was a kid I had many animals around such as birds, doves, turtles… scorpions!’ We were curieus to meet this guy so our Pretty Cool Crew went to Barcelona to look the artist up. They had an interesting conversation about art and artistry.

Growing Up Is Hard To Do

Tue, 03 Mar 2009 01:33:53 +0100

Created by a team of alums from the legendary Supinfocom graphics school, this short animation tells the story of a little boy called Gary who falls in love with a hot older chick. Bringing a new twist to this age-old dilemma, Gary creates an alpha male fantasy with which he hopes to seduce her (suspension of disbelief mandatory). Inspired by such cornerstones of French culture as cult crooner Serge Gainsbourg and novelist / director Romain Gary, the short animation is a rich narrative of visual metaphors that challenge classic “coming of age” notions, in a strong graphic style that utilizes 3d technology to stunning 2d ends. Gary is one to watch, refresh and re-watch.

Mushroom Mayhem

Sat, 28 Feb 2009 17:55:45 +0100

French-Swiss creative duo Ben & Julia just dropped a charming puppet-animation-analogue hybrid clip for a ditty called 1973 by French pop-rockers Tahiti Boy and the Palm Tree Family. A month-long process of puppet-building, felt-tip painting, animating, and shooting in an Alpine forest leaves us with an irresistibly cute composition of mysterious marine creatures, singing trees and a Tellytubby-esque singing sun, peppered with plush mushrooms that thrash out to the guitar riffs like proper little (fluffy) punks. Rock on puppets!

Hillman's Heroes are our heroes

Fri, 27 Feb 2009 16:26:32 +0100

SubmarineChannel has the Pretty Cool People Interviews, Hillman Curtis has The Artist Series. Actually his artists are pretty cool as well. To be honest, Curtis has interviewed some of our own personal heroes. People like conceptual artist Lawrence Weiner, award winning music video director Mark Romanek and the brilliant Austrian graphic designer Stefan Sagmeister. What’s especially nice about these interviews is the beautiful photography and the genuine admiration of Curtis for the people he interviews. We watched all the portraits on his site and we are in anxious anticipation for new ones.

Shine's main titles for new HBO movie

Thu, 26 Feb 2009 15:08:05 +0100

Under the creative direction of Michael Riley, Shine creates the opening titles for the brand-new HBO project Taking Chance – a movie based on the personal account of a US Lieutenant who accompanied the remains of a young Marine back home to his family in Wyoming. Shine's main titles are based on handwriting and ink flowing on paper. Shine's subtle and poetic approach adds a personal touch which seems appropriate for a movie that deals with a subject that affects average American families all across the US on a daily basis.

Naked Love

Wed, 25 Feb 2009 17:06:20 +0100

Take a minute to enjoy Naked Love: a new online destination exploring the twisted truths of modern-day love in all their gritty glory, on the super-slick website of Robert Redford's indie-tastic Sundance Channel. From the mad-as-a-hatter Green Porno antics of Isabella Rosselini to a photo gallery of cult seductresses in the Catherine Deneuve genre, it's a great spot to get inspiration for Spring-time romancing. ¡Viva el amor!

New Chunk: Plops by Darren Pasemko

Tue, 24 Feb 2009 15:15:06 +0100

Plops is a deliciously absurd rotoscope animation: colorful and pop-arty on the surface, but with with deeper, darker layers of meaning hidden underneath. It's the kind of subverted surrealism that we find in American b-movies, underground pop culture, subversive comics, and in the art of Mike Kelley and Raymond Pettibon, to name but a few. “My inspiration was to put the 'Waking Life' aesthetic on the same playing field with Hayao Miyazaki's fantasy worlds,” explains creator and self-proclaimed “nerd hybrid” Darren Pasemko in the email interview. Pasemko lives and works in Montreal where he creates amazing illustrations and art work, comics, and imaginative animated music videos, and must-see short film Plops

Do Not Adjust Your Screen

Fri, 20 Feb 2009 20:06:41 +0100

In the same data-moshing vein as Ray Tintori's recent clip for Chairlift's Evident Universal, director Nabil just dropped something pixel-morphingly brilliant for Kanye's new track Welcome to Heartbreak. It looks like there's a broken DivX codex or some serious keyframe trouble - but that's the idea. Kanye's crunchy blippy ditty provides the perfect audio setting for the over-compressed glory that is this video. Thanks for the tip Benny!

Metropia Teaser

Fri, 20 Feb 2009 15:16:06 +0100

Egyptian-Swedish creative hotshot and former graffiti hero Tarik Saleh, has kindly shared the first footage of his Kafka-esque animated feature Metropia on Youtube. Featuring the voices of Vincent Gallo and Juliette Lewis, the film takes place in a grim, futuristic Europe comprising a vast and scary web of inter-connected underground tunnels. Our protagonist Roger discovers that every detail of his life is being controlled and he doesn't much like it. He needs the help of a supermodel to regain control of his sanity (don't we all?). Set for release in Fall 09, Metropia blurs the lines between animation and regular fiction - a cross-genre hybrid that may well denote the future of film.

Nomination for Machinarium at IGF

Thu, 19 Feb 2009 13:48:57 +0100

Czech game studio Amanita is working on a new adventure game called Machinarium and although it isn’t even finished, they have already been nominated for this game. The Independent Games Festival choose Machinarium as a finalist for the Excellence in Visual Art Award. If that isn’t an outstanding achievement, we wouldn’t know what is. As with the other games of Amanita, Machinarum is again a beautiful gem.
Bruno Felix, director of our big sister production company Submarine, remarks: "Amanita creates very nice stuff and dedicates a lot of time to their productions. As a game developing company ourselves we meet a lot of clients who use Amanita's iconography as a reference for their own game ideas". So game developers, if you need new assignments, you known where to look for inspiration.

David Oreilly wins Golden Bear in Berlin

Wed, 18 Feb 2009 15:37:47 +0100

David Oreilly, the talented young Irish animator and creator of the insanely popular Octocat series won a Golden Bear in Berlin for his brand-new series 'Please Say Something'. Oreilly made 25 episodes of this “30 Second Breakneck Heartbreak Uncut Turbodrama” which premiered this month at the Berlin Film Festival. On his web, Oreilly comments that what honors him most about winning “is that something so small, made on a single computer in my tiny apartment is considered in the context of world cinema.” Can't blame the jury though. Got to love those deliciously crude jagged edges and pixellated lines. Oreilly: "The technique was using a preview render from 3d software, technically no real rendering took place.. making the process very very quick for 3d". Oh, and and let's not forget Oreilly's talent for dark offbeat storytelling.
Check this nice video interview on Gestalten, but first:

Unfolding Kubrick's 'Aryan Papers'

Tue, 17 Feb 2009 14:00:02 +0100

Time for a slow, high-art treat after yesterday's machinima/live action hybrid snack. Animate Projects (one of our fav 10 curated video platforms) just released online a new film by the acclaimed visual artists duo Jane and Louise Wilson. 'Unfolding the Aryan Papers' tells the story of Stanley Kubrick's abandoned film project about the Holocaust 'Aryan Papers' for which he had cast Johanna ter Steege as the leading lady. The Wilson's visited the Kubrick Archive and were “intrigued to look at the detailed research for a film that never made it into production.” Apparently uber-perfectionist Kubrick got so depressed from his meticulous research he had to abandon the project – a big blow for Ter Steege who'd been preparing for her part for no less than 8 months. The film (17 mins.) consists of live action footage of Ter Steege edited with Kubrick's casting photos of her, which you can also find on Animate.

Escape From City 17

Tue, 17 Feb 2009 00:26:59 +0100

Toronto-based boutique film studio the Purchase Brothers, have created a short film inspired by the sci-fi first-person shooter game Half-Life 2. On a budget of just $500, the resourceful indie duo filmed the first two episodes with no crew, no script and very little time, as security patrols tried to hunt them down. Intended as a way to test out numerous post-production techniques, the mini-series has gone viral with fans around the world proclaiming its spectacular (considering budget) production quality, live action splendor, and all-round awesomeness.

Via Boingboing

Inanimate Love

Sat, 14 Feb 2009 21:01:36 +0100

Got the Valentines Schmalentines blues? This little stop motion should put a smile on your face. Watch as household objects frot themselves into a lusty frenzy over an emotive, piano-heavy soundtrack. While cheese and chorizo find love in the privacy of their fridge, chocolate bonbons openly conduct an orgy on the kitchen table. Dry, raspy sound effects make for added realism in this clever little heart-warmer. Away with you blues!

CuteXdoom II

Wed, 11 Feb 2009 15:30:31 +0100

Anita Fontaine, the electro-craft mistress who brought us Second Life's celebrated Harlequin Lodge, has modified the violent Unreal Tournament video game to poppy, pink-hued new ends. A retro-futuristic cyber visual overload takes the player on a mission to join the kawaii-influenced religious cult of CuteXdoom, where the worship of fluffy material objects and obsessive consumption of cuteness lead to enlightenment and happiness. Or so it seems… Have a play at Maxalot Gallery (Feb 14 - Mar 8) in Amsterdam or take a sneak peek at the promo vid.

The Lost Art of Preloaders

Tue, 10 Feb 2009 20:28:20 +0100

The web is the perfect digital shoebox for archiving obsolete, ephemeral web phenomena like the Preloader. In pre-broadband days, the preloader replaced the boring old progress bar for something more original, creative and funny. Its function was of course to keep our eyes focused firmly on our screens, while we waited for those flash-heavy websites to load. But the fun didn't last long. Due to broadband, the once blooming culture of preloaders is now dead and almost forgotten (sob), were it not for creative agency Big Spaceship (jay!). To honor the ancient art of 'preloading', Big Spaceship created Pretty Loaded - a great website that allows you to just sit back and watch a selection of the best preloaders. In their own words: “Pretty Loaded is an archive of preloaders that preload other preloaders”. Waiting has never been this fun!

Flooded McDonald's

Mon, 09 Feb 2009 20:01:56 +0100

Veteran Danish artist collective Superflex (Anno 1993) have a knack of making socio-political commentary without being all waggy-fingered and worthy. Flooded McDonald's is a 20-minute film in which a life-size interior replica of everyone's favorite ethically catastrophic diner, slowly gets flooded with water (recycled, naturellement). As the water continues to rise, the familiar-looking golden-arch-heavy fast food paraphernalia starts to bob around, electricity starts to frazzle and mayhem ensues. Draw your own conclusions regarding the hidden meaning in all of this (2 clues: water, multi-national conglomerate).
Via we-make-money-not-art.com

Johnny Kelly’s The Seed

Fri, 06 Feb 2009 17:26:12 +0100

Who knew paper craft could be so chichi? Following up from his award-winning Procrastination piece, Johnny Kelly’s first major project since joining Nexus follows the life-cycle of an apple seed. In an interview with Creative Review, Kelly sheds light on the painstaking animation process, saying, “everything was hand folded and glued. Myself and Elin Svensson, who helped assemble all the models, both had mangled fingers by the end of the project, covered in superglue and scalpel wounds: not a pretty sight.”

The Making Of (also fun)

The Places We Live

Wed, 04 Feb 2009 21:37:34 +0100

For the first time in the history of humanity, there are more people living in cities than in the countryside. Fact! And of those many billions of city-dwellers, every 1 in 3 is living in a slum. The Places We Live is an immersive online documentary produced by the celebrated agency Magnum Photos, which introduces visitors to some of the contrasts and parallels of slum life across Nairobi, Mumbai, Jakarta and Caracas (see also our DVD Caracas - The Informal City). Combining audio testimonies with awe-inspiring 360° navigate-able photography, we're introduced to some of the daily struggles and triumphs of city living for more than 1 billion people around the world.

Cute Gore and more

Mon, 02 Feb 2009 18:45:19 +0100

OneDotZero alum Richard Fenwick’s site is worth going back to. The classic Safety Procedures alone is worth the visit. Coining a “cute gore” animation genre, his pure animation work features an unsettling blend of soothing instructional voices (occasionally peppered with muted screams) and gruesome cartoony visuals, that make for an irresistibly chilling ensemble. On a totally different tip, the animation / live action Sci-Fi thriller Artificial Worlds, just 7 minutes long and entirely exempt from dialogue, still succeeds in reaching Hollywood-blockbuster-levels of gripping eerieness. And for his latest offering, in the shape of comedy short Albert’s Speech, you will have to hang on in there – but check an excerpt here.

Nollywood Babylon

Sun, 01 Feb 2009 12:00:13 +0100

Who knew that Nigeria’s film industry is the world’s third largest after (positions disputable) Bollywood and Hollywood? A Sundance highlight this year was documentary Nollywood Babylon, which celebrates the heady blend of Pentecostalism and voodoo unique to a
wildly popular, straight-to-video B-movie genre that is taking Nigeria by storm. Set to a score of 70s underground Afropop, it is a fitting tribute to this newly booming industry, and an inspirational nod to inventive film-making on shoestring budgets.

Via Josh Spear

The Tale of How

Fri, 30 Jan 2009 13:11:24 +0100

South African artist collective The Black Heart Gang have created an epic hand-drawn animation on an audiobed of kabuki-inspired operatic warbling. The Tale of How has a Biblical/Apocalyptic feel to it, as intricate visuals depict the story of Otto, a tyrannical octopus who shamelessly munches on the innocent Dodos living atop his head - before a little white mouse comes to their rescue. Amazingly, the Black Heart Gang are all self-taught and created The Tale of How over a painstaking 9-month period of devoted experimentation. Watch this space for parts 1 and 3 of this exquisite soon-to-be trilogy.

Also fun: Interview with the artists on Don't Panic

Pick a film, any film!

Thu, 29 Jan 2009 17:33:42 +0100

The UK Film Council has launched a film search engine that covers everything from A Barrel Full of Dollars (1971 spaghetti Western) to Zizek! (obscure cultural theory documentary). Part of a push to steer the masses away from peer-to-peer file-sharing and towards the legal alternatives, the website contains 30 000 films – that’s roughly 7 years worth of watching – in over 60 languages. Comprehensive info, synopses and the full range of available viewing options make this a rather handy tool for film-lovers the world over.

The Voice of Generation Obama

Wed, 28 Jan 2009 14:47:30 +0100

Ever wondered where Mr President finds the time to write all those hair-raising speeches? A new documentary by Kasper Verkaik (director of our Minimovie Dear Oprah fame) for Dutch broadcaster VPRO's Backlight series, investigates the role of Jon Favreau, the baby-faced wordsmith hand-picked by Obama to translate the contents of his mind into mass-mobilizing prose. Set against the backdrop of the grassroots uprising that helped seal the deal on January 20th 2009, the documentary is a testament to a new post-baby boomer generation defined by optimism, hope and political activism.

New Chunk: JC/DC Vs Lego by Four H

Tue, 27 Jan 2009 13:49:58 +0100

We loved Four H's 3D animated Lego fashion film for Jean-Charles de Castelbajac so much (see our top 5 favorite online fashion films), we just had to add it to our collection of Chunks. We had an email chat with Four H’s charming creative director, Nicolas Cornet, to see if we could get to the bottom of this succulent visual soupçon. (Hey! Is that Anna Wintour on the front row?).

NAWLZ

Mon, 26 Jan 2009 18:45:14 +0100

Set in a gritty sci-fi universe, NAWLZ is a dazzling journey into the mind of Tasmanian graphic novellist Sutu (who, interestingly, moonlights as a HUD designer for military applications). Combining eye-popping illustrations with eerie audio, readers can navigate the 10 (so far) episodes via a series of visually stunning linear paths. Like SubmarineChannel’s very own animated novel The Killer, NAWLZ is a riveting glimpse into what might well be the future of story-telling.

Get Your Fest On

Fri, 23 Jan 2009 18:24:02 +0100

With Sundance drawing to a close, we had a little dig around for other events that can distract/inspire us as we wait for summer. Our findings reveal that there’s all sorts to look forward to between now and May, not least the following acronym-tastic selection (apologies for the Northern Euro-centric bias):

3 main titles by Fake Graphics

Thu, 22 Jan 2009 18:51:06 +0100

Forget the Film, Watch the Titles updates today with three main titles by one of Finland's leading post-production studios Fake Graphics from Helsinki. For Swedish comedy 7 millionaires, Fake developed a 3D animated main title sequence around the theme of a board game with golden pawns that represent the different personality traits of each of the film's main characters. The original opening titles for the romantic Finnish comedy Saippuaprinssi (Soap Prince) feature credits popping out of the pages of a movie script, and animated sequences in flip book-, photo sequence-, and ASCII-art style. And Kid Svensk opens with a 3D underwater scene, with movie credits rising to the surface in the midst of air bubbles.

I.O.U.S.A. Byte-sized

Wed, 21 Jan 2009 15:54:02 +0100

Hailed as the Inconvenient Truth for the U.S economy, I.O.U.S.A is a doom-ridden documentary about the rather unsettling $10 trillion national debt that is the result of decades of spending borrowed money by the federal government and its people. Dazzling infographics by Brian Oakes succeed in making this usually yawn-worthy topic quite gripping - but don’t look away or you’ll be instantly lost in a maze of dates and figures. Although slightly baffling at times, this compact online version of the film should provide you with the general gist - in which the words “shit creek” and “paddle” feature heavily. Good luck with that Mr. Obama! Thanks for the tip Sjoukje.

I Love Alaska: New Minimovie Now Online

Tue, 20 Jan 2009 15:21:02 +0100

If your Internet search history was exposed to the world, what would it say about you? I Love Alaska is the audio-visualization of three months of search queries by AOL user #711391. Combining a digital voice and soothing Alaskan nature shots, artist duo Lernert Engelberts and Sander Plug reveal the yearnings of a conflicted housewife who dreams of escaping a life of obesity, sexual frustration and skin trouble in the searing Texan heat by running away to Alaska. A fascinating insight for nosey parkers everywhere, and an interesting comment on the Internet as social substitute for the rest of us.

New Pretty Cool People Interview: Ivan Sijak

Mon, 19 Jan 2009 19:16:52 +0100

We've uploaded the last episode from our Belgrade triptych in which we featured earlier young street artist TKV and media artist Aleksandar Macasev. Our third story from the Serbian capital is a short portrait of Ivan Sijak. Sijak is a video director and visual artist who has won his spurs in the nineties with music videos that had a big influence on the local creative community. His best known video is Iza Horizonta that he directed for the Belgrade band Sunshine. Since the turn of the century Sijak is mainly occupied with artistic projects and teaching at art schools. In 2007 he did the visual effects of Emir Kusturica's feature film Promise me this. We had an interesting talk with Sijak about his artistic career and we joined him on a city stroll.

O-B-A-M-A

Mon, 19 Jan 2009 15:35:44 +0100

This sparkly music video for an Obamafied Daft Punk “Aerodynamic” mashup by Adam Freeland, is a fine one to shake celebratory booty to on this hope-and-change-fuelled day for humankind. Directed by the elusive duo at GOLD, the stop motion clip features an army of customized designer toys by the likes of Dalek, Bill McMullen and Kubrick, as well as the beloved Barack himself in both toy and human form. Say it!

Also fun: Lifehacker’s Guide to Catching the Inauguration from Anywhere

Top 5 Of Our Favorite Things: Pop Culture Blogs

Fri, 16 Jan 2009 15:32:34 +0100

We heard the chaps over at the Weblog Awards had counted their 933,022 votes in 48 categories (Best Military Blog and Best Pet Blog included) so we rushed post-haste to check the results for Best Culture Blog. And the winner is.... The Cool Hunter! Although we’re very much in agreement with the win, we’re frankly mystified by some of the other nominees in this category. To vent our mystification, we’ve come up with our own top five culture blogs; sites we visit regularly for fresh, original babble about... well, culture, that boast pretty design to boot:

Perfect study material

Fri, 16 Jan 2009 14:50:40 +0100

Having heard nice things about the DVD's from Stash, we ordered some copies from their backlist to check out for ourselves. We were especially curious, because on two of their latest issues work from creative studios based in our hometown Amsterdam is featured: Buro Knapzak and PostPanic. With high expectations, disappointment lurks, but the contrary was the case. Stash brought us pure eye candy: sweet and shiny.

Infinite Video Wall Wizardry

Thu, 15 Jan 2009 18:40:31 +0100

The digital genii at Universal Everything have created a generative design system that produces unique, sound-reactive animations every day, forever. That’s right: Forever! Towering magestically among the lawns of the V&A’s ornate 19th-Century courtyard, is the slinky Universal Everything video wall, hatching its endless audio-visual artworks until Febraury 1st (the system keeps on hatching but the exhibition, sadly, is finite). Not a Londoner? Check the live online installation of endless video podcasts instead.

Steven Harrington at Sundance

Tue, 13 Jan 2009 17:31:55 +0100

It’s always gratifying when a graphic super-whizz gets his or her work animated by some kindly motion talent. Steven Harrington, known and loved for his Cali-flavored rock album-cover surrealism, teamed up with Karla Carnewal to bring us “A Two Part Invention of the Universe”. Screening at Sundance 09, the stop motion piece features rotating teepees that give birth to mountains and streams, and sinister-looking pipe-people who produce a pear-baby (we think).

Cut&Paste: Coming to A City Near You

Mon, 12 Jan 2009 17:46:26 +0100

The definitive dance-off of digital design, Cut&Paste has put out its call for 2009 competitors – in a slew of new cities this year, including our lovely hometown of Amsterdam. The fevered live action contest introduces its first-ever motion design and 3D contests on top of the usual 2D fayre. To get flown to the Big Apple on an all-expenses-paid trip for their first ever Global Championship in June 09, all you need to do is win one of the categories in your home city. Simple! Get your freak on before the following entry deadlines: North America - Jan. 23, 2009, Europe and Asia/Pacific - Feb. 20, 2009.

New Chunk: Godz***A vs The Netherlands

Sun, 11 Jan 2009 21:47:32 +0100

An online premiere at SubmarineChannel: The short films of Sietske Tjallingii (that’s Miss T to you – you’re welcome) celebrate home-made glue-and-sticky tape special effects, combining a sharp wit with subversive commentary on everything from religious fundamentalism to military supremacy to female stereotyping (in a vampy catsuit, no less). Since graduating from the audiovisual department at Amsterdam’s esteemed Rietveld Academy in 1997, she has carved her own genre as an anti-CGI “lazy animator”. We called her for a chat to find out just what that means. Godz***A vs The Netherlands is the first in a series of 4 of Sietske's shorts. Let us know what you think!

Animation anybody?

Fri, 09 Jan 2009 18:10:19 +0100

Hungarian new media open sourcers Kitchen Budapest have created an animation package with unusually high levels of Luddite-friendliness. Breathe life into your own virtual puppets using your basic household tech: a digital camera and webcam mic will do just fine. Named as Pixelache Software of the Year 2009, the tool invites continuous, real-time interaction, making it a favourite among VJs.

Citizen Journalism Comes in Handy

Thu, 08 Jan 2009 16:42:58 +0100

Are you finding that CNN tends to favour Israel, while the BBC has a pro-Palestinian bias? Time to plug in to the growing trend that is online citizen journalism: gritty, up-to-the-minute reality checks that are free from the political leanings of media moguls. Bloggers take to their websites with fevered dedication to give us a glimpse into what’s going on at street level day after day. For reliable reporting from the Palestinian blogosphere click here and - in the interests of fairness - an Israeli Top 4 is listed here. On a more general tip, check out the BOBs Jury Award winners for fascinating, multi-lingual insights on just about anything.

Objectified Documentary

Wed, 07 Jan 2009 14:36:07 +0100

From the director of seminal geek culture documentary Helvetica (which we showed in 07 at our festival "Short Ride"), Objectified introduces us to the machinations of the oft-ignored backend of industrial design and production. Influential names like Marc Newson and Karim Rashid are set against the humble backdrop of toothbrushes, door-knobs, and other daily trifles, as director Gary Hustwit delves into the minds of the industry’s leaders - versus the whys and the wherefores of Joe Average’s product choices. Objectified premieres in March 2009.

Also fun: the Ikea Game

Cartoonesque titles for St. Trinian's

Tue, 06 Jan 2009 17:28:12 +0100

The movie St. Trinian's is the most recent film adaptation of the cartoon series St Trinian's School created by Ronald Searles, about an English boarding school for girls. The London-based Emmy-nominated animation studio VooDooDog was approached to do the (very cartoonesque) title sequence.

Morituri Te Salutant by Niko Stumpo

Mon, 05 Jan 2009 18:06:22 +0100

This 13-and-a-half minutes animated labor of love by Norwegian-Italian cross-media artist Niko Stumpo, is a sinister yet spell-binding voyage laced with death, failure, and monsters... It’s a hoot, honestly!
We had a little chat with Mr. Stumpo (a.k.a Abnormal Behaviour Child) to see if his mind is as twisted as this masterpiece would have you believe.

Top 5 of our favourite Submarine productions in 2008

Sat, 27 Dec 2008 23:03:57 +0100

Don’t look back too often, you‘ll risk falling flat down on your face. These words, roughly translated in English, come from a Dutch song that we normally value highly, but not right now. Because this is a time of reminiscence, a time to sift the wheat from the chaff, to separate the men from the boys when it comes to selecting our own favorite Submarine and SubmarineChannel productions.

Sci-Fi Action in Short

Wed, 24 Dec 2008 12:51:07 +0100

Why torture yourself by sitting through feature-length 1980s action movies, when you could just watch the super-compact versions re-worked by Brit rappers Mouthmaster Murf and DJ Mayhem? Their two meticulously crafted Youtube clips sum up Robocop and Predator in just a few minutes, mixing the original film and dialogue with cleverly cut beats and rhymes. Complete with guns, explosions, car chases and rumpy pumpy, these mini-cuts offer the perfect solution for the concentrationally challenged - and hugely entertaining tidbits for the rest of us.

Main titles by Michael Riley

Tue, 23 Dec 2008 16:18:40 +0100

We updated Forget the Film, Watch the Titles with 3 main titles (4, if you include Kung Fu Panda) by Shine Studio's art director Michael Riley. Watch the suspenseful opening credits for Along Came a Spider (2001); Gattaca (1997), created at Imaginary Forces with "nothing digital other than Illustrator to set some type," as Riley explains. And check out the beautiful end credits for Mad Money (2008) made up of elements taken from US dollar bills.

quattro stagioni and more from Onesize

Mon, 22 Dec 2008 16:01:22 +0100

On the always very resourceful website Motionographer you can watch a nice music video by Dutch creative studio Onesize. In this video for The American Dollar’s Anything You Synthesize they recreated a landscape that keeps evolving: not only the seasons change, but also the times of day. Starting with a sort of post-apocalyptic terrain in the beginning of the song, we travel through time and space, finally ending in a peaceful, bucolic scenery. On Motionographer the guys of Onesize give good insight in the creative process.

New Pretty Cool People Interview: Kustaa Saksi

Fri, 19 Dec 2008 12:33:48 +0100

Yes, Saksi is sexy, but he is also very talented. The Finnish illustrator and graphic designer Kustaa Saksi has a book out with an overview of his work from the past 4 years. And he has an exhibition, titled Heroes, in Amsterdam. In pop up gallery Maxalot he presents three, monochrome sculptures among a nice collection of colourful prints.
Clients of Saksi? Playboy, MTV, Sleazenation, Diesel, Levi’s, Mercedes-Benz, Dazed&Confused and Comme des Garcons, to name just a few. We met with Kustaa while he was preparing for the show. We followed the friendly Finn to Utrecht, a city in the middle of The Netherlands, where he used a special printer to create 3D versions of his 2D designs.

The shocking story of Brian Teasley (The Polyphonic Spree)

Thu, 18 Dec 2008 14:48:44 +0100

Air travel just ain’t what it used to be - the glamour, the glitz, the goodlooking service: all gone! Anyone who’s been on an airplane since 9-11 has a security-related tale to tell, be it the loss of precious liquids greater than 100ml - or the loss of your sanity in vast, unending queues. In the latest episode of Safety First, the drummer of choral rock outfit The Polyphonic Spree, suffers a case of mistaken microphone-identity, and finds himself wrestling FBI agents in his backyard as a result. A fitting final episode to this eerie series, it brings home just how close we all could potentially be to a stint at Gitmo in this age of panic, paranoia and the Patriot Act.

Top 5 of Our Favourite Things: e-cards

Wed, 17 Dec 2008 17:20:46 +0100

Yes, it’s true! We dared ourselves to dream the impossible dream and find 5 seasonal e-cards that violate neither the eyes nor the ears.
Our extensive research showed that e-cards are a grossly under-represented product in the world of aesthetically pleasing digital design. So, instead of a Top 5, think of this rather as the ONLY 5 e-cards that aren’t nauseatingly hideous. Know otherwise? Send us your comments!

Surreal Coat

Tue, 16 Dec 2008 13:50:20 +0100

Some 3 weeks ago we wrote about an emerging trend in fashion promotion: the fashion film, and we presented our Top 5 favorite films. Another great example is Showstudio's 'Make Up Your Mind', which just launched. This outlandish 3-minute film by groundbreaking photographer Nick Knight and filmmaker Ruth Hogben is like an exersize in the uncanny (think Magritte's The Rape or Meret Oppenheim's furry cup). Centerpiece of this fashion short is the piece-the-resistance of Martin Margiela's 2009's Spring collection, the Wig Coat – an utterly surreal garment made up entirely of platinum blond wigs. Here seductively modeled by a faceless dancer, the Wig Coat ultimately questions our traditional notions of beauty.

Revision:lab

Mon, 15 Dec 2008 18:43:02 +0100

Met 3 very nice artists yesterday at an event in Utrecht about audiovisual art on the internet called re:visie:lab. As a curator and producer of web art, we were invited to do a presentation. Thought it'd be nice to hand you some links to the other projects that were presented – Ethereal Self, Found Tapes Exhibition and Democracy Player are all unique, smart or wonderfully strange gems in their own right.

Orisinal and Best

Fri, 12 Dec 2008 17:54:31 +0100

Grandmaster of Flash Ferry Halim, is kindly growing us a huge online collection of remarkably relaxing micro-games where the most violent thing you´ll do is fling monkey nuts at pesky ferrets or dive for fish as a cutesy seagull. Hazy, nature-inspired graphics and music that is both relaxing (classical strings) and upbeat (friendly electro) offer a host of simple yet dangerously addictive challenges that will lull you into a meditative trance. They may not make you aggressive but they´ll still make you fat... Enjoy!

Journalist/blogger intern wanted

Thu, 11 Dec 2008 14:22:05 +0100

We've got an intern position available as of now for an active, passionate, aspiring web editor/journalist/blogger to join SubmarineChannel's small editorial team in Amsterdam. The job involves writing articles for SubmarineChannel's blog and projects, interviewing artists and filmmakers, editing texts, and some promotional activities. Read on for the full job description.

Han Hoogerbrugge makes you popular

Wed, 10 Dec 2008 19:31:11 +0100

Part source of inspiration and part drily comical commentary on modern life, this splendid coffeetable book & region-free DVD will make the perfect gift for grandma this Christmas! Well, maybe not grandma - but who else wouldn’t love this bountiful body of work by king of cynics and graphic design supremo, Han Hoogerbrugge? 200 pages of lush, matt printwork accompanied by a complete collection of his much-loved comic book-esque animations, Modern Living is a sublime collectible treat which will get you untold Brownie points with almost everybody.

WHATEVER HAPPENED TO JENNICAM?

Tue, 09 Dec 2008 17:48:03 +0100

Way back when Justin Kan of Justin.tv was but a twinkle in his mother’s eye, there was the world’s first life-caster: Jennicam. For seven long years, the lady who coined the now common practices of online exhibitionism and Big Brother-style humdrum voyeurism, satramed her hugely popular Webcam to the world 24-7-365. Even during the Internet Dark Ages of 1998 she attracted over 25 million viewers a week into her occasionally spicy (but mostly mundane) existence. The site went dark in 2004, with Jenni blaming Paypal’s new anti-nudity policy - although many cited her scandal-ridden love life (finally some juice!) to be the real reason. Does anybody know what happened to our First Lady of the Webcam?

MASHUP YOUR RADIOHEAD

Mon, 08 Dec 2008 18:01:22 +0100

If the words “data visualization” make you feel sleepy, congratulations: you’re a certified human. But what if those same words described the technique for Radiohead’s most innovative, interactive music videos? Following up from the spectacular House of Cards clip by standalone tech-creative Aaron Koblin, Japanese TV station WOWOW are running a feature on their site which invites you to mix your own video for 15 Step, using 12 color-coded streams of live concert footage - and a bunch of ritzy data visualization features. Register and share your edit with fellow directors-to-be, or sit back and enjoy the pretty colors.

EYEBORG AGE

Sat, 06 Dec 2008 11:38:46 +0100

Canadian filmmaker Rob Spence is replacing his prosthetic eye with a tiny wireless video camera – a first in the world of wearable tech, and a new yardstick for lifecasters everywhere. Having lost his eye to a backfiring gun aged 13, he considers it a foregone conclusion that a one-eyed filmmaker pops in a camera where the eye used to be. The aim is not to restore his vision, but rather to create a human CCTV which will enable him to stream footage from his eye, save it to a hard-drive, or add it to his eye-on-the-wall documentary following his bionic adventures.

RICK-ROLLERS BEGONE!

Fri, 05 Dec 2008 16:13:06 +0100

VideoSurf’s radical search technology is fast becoming an essential gizmo for Web video users. Instead of searching according to the ever-misleading titles and tags beloved of Youtube spammers, (recall the Rick-Rolling plague of 2007), its database of over 12 billion image-based Web moments allows it to recognise visual information “inside” the video - and sort the clips according to their relevancy. In addition to definitively cutting out the chaff, the tool shows results in a filmstrip-like format, so users get an immediate overall visual of the entire clip. And to top it all off, an additional Greasemonkey extension can be used while browsing outside VideoSurf, which brings up film-strip summaries in all the usual suspects (Youtube, Google, Yahoo), making your search more efficient and easier on the eye.

New Minimovie: I Love Alaska

Thu, 04 Dec 2008 16:48:06 +0100

August 4, 2006, the personal search queries of 650,000 AOL users accidentally ended up on the Internet, for all to see. These search queries were entered in AOL's search engine over a 3-month period. Our new Minimovie I love Alaska by the creators of Chocolade Haas (see also this article) tells the true and heartbreaking search history of user #711391 - a religious middle-aged woman from Houston, Texas. Her list of search queries reads like a revealing character study of a somewhat obese middle-aged lady, who is looking for a way to rejuvenate her sex life... I Love Alaska will premiere online in January 2009.

GLOBAL LIVES PROJECT

Wed, 03 Dec 2008 15:27:41 +0100

Ten people, selected for their cumulative representation of the world’s population, are each filmed for 24-hours non-stop to create a 240-hour uncut video encyclopedia of human existence. The production team comprises an ever-growing network of contributors from around the world, and they’re currently recruiting. Live in sub-Saharan Africa? Not a problem: the interface is tailored for low bandwidth. Swahili your first language? Crowd-sourced subtitlers dotSUB to the rescue! Once the footage bank is complete, these ten disparate lives will be brought together in one touring multi-media exhibition, curated by Sao Paulo’s Museum of the Person.

HARDCORE HARP

Tue, 02 Dec 2008 15:45:02 +0100

The boys who bought us melting chocolate bunny carnage in Chocolade Haas have teamed up again for MTV’s new OOOH! series of hipster-wooing shorts. This time around, Amsterdam-based duo Sander Plug & Lernert Engelberts, have re-created an 18th century glass harp in MTV-friendly technicolors for their short Make a big effort to sound like 'M'. Two months of intensive rehearsals geared them up for this unique cover version of what is widely understood to be the worst song ever - the intractable legacy of Dutch Eurodance that is: No Limit by 2 Unlimited. And while you're here, take a sneak peek at Sander & Lernert's ingenius upcoming Minimovie for SubmarineChannel, I Love Alaska.

ONE-MAN THRILLER

Mon, 01 Dec 2008 17:34:33 +0100

It doesn’t get much geekier (in THE best possible way) than this. Taking the age-old tradition of Youtube a capella one step further, a time-rich Frenchman has recorded an instrument-free version of Thriller with his own voice - on no less than 64 tracks! Equipped with the essential viral video kit (laptop, mic, headphones, webcam) he has managed to re-create The Gloved One’s gigahit with remarkable accuracy. Cheer yourself up with his shrill Gallic tones and accompanying 64-track visuals, which peak around the 2:55 mark.

Via Trendbeheer.com.

INTERVIEW WITH ALEXANDRE BRACHET: E-PRODUCER DU JOUR

Fri, 28 Nov 2008 17:17:32 +0100

Alexandre Brachet is a Paris-based e-producer and director of experimental, cross-media production studio Upian. A luminary in the world multi-platform documentaries, he merges cutting-edge technology and traditional techniques to break new ground in made-for-broadband story-telling. We managed to corner him after an inspirational presentation at the very first edition of the International Documentary Film Festival's (IDFA) new Doclab program, for a vin rouge-infused chat about two of his latest projects: the much loved (and aforementioned) rich-media micro-doc series Gaza/Sderot (Life In Spite of Everything), and Thanatorama, an interactive Webdoc about what happens after you die.

ADVANCED BEAUTY DVD

Thu, 27 Nov 2008 19:04:52 +0100

The man (some say genius) behind Universal Everything, Matt Pyke has just released the deliciously-packaged, collectible DVD of his long running Advanced Beauty project. Allow us to fill you in: Simon Pyke, Freeform frontman (and brother of Matt) produced 18 crisp audio designs - ranging from the dramatic to the eerie to the downright dirty, while Matt picked 18 leading motionographers, designers and architects from around the world, and fitted each one out with a matching soundscape. Using open source Processing, they ‘grew’ their visuals using the audio as their baseline – with results so immaculate that they damn near blow your head off.

New Chunk: The Ship - winner of Machinima Filmfest

Wed, 26 Nov 2008 19:26:29 +0100

About 3 weeks ago we wrote about the 2008 Mackie Winners - the Machimima Filmfests' awards for the best Machinima films of the year. We loved the winning video - a beautiful, moving, surreal short film The Ship - so we got in touch with the guy who made it: Egils Mednis. The Latvian machinimaker explains how he did it, he talks about his temporary obsession for Parisian textures and tells us where he got the idea for the story (something to do with an old bar in Riga). And of course we've got the winning film to go with it. (Must) read and (must) see for yourself.

GAZA/SDEROT

Tue, 25 Nov 2008 17:29:57 +0100

This series of online micro-docs broadcast daily from two war-ravaged Israel-Palestine border towns, should snuff out any lingering doubters of the Webdoc genre. The humour, resourcefulness, and resigned acceptance with which the twelve featured characters go about their daily lives provide a poignant contrast to the ‘suicide bombers vs snipers’ theme favoured by news reporters. An immediate, non-linear documentary experience which invites public discussion (case in point: the empassioned discussion on the related Facebook group), this visually striking project will no doubt open up the age-old conflict to curious, new audiences.

TOP 5 OF OUR FAVOURITE THINGS: ONLINE FASHION FILMS

Mon, 24 Nov 2008 18:46:24 +0100

As magazines continue to drop like flies and their digital rivals snap up the floating masses, brands are looking for new ways to reach the glazed eyes of their computer-bound audiences. And that's fine by us, as we're seeing an explosion of new creative partnerships between leading lights in the fashion and film worlds. Celebrated seductress Dita von Teese, who's short film for Wonderbra, sees her change from a timid scientist into a burlesque bombshell in a classic “but... you’re beautiful!” metamorphosis, represents the kind of model-actress superhuman that brands will be looking for, as advertising gets ’motional. Here’s our pick of the 5 best online fashion micro-movies:

ANDROID ANIMATION

Sat, 22 Nov 2008 14:14:59 +0100

Walter Robot was programmed into existence by a lonely scientist in the music clip for Missed the Boat by indie band Modest Mouse. Since then, Walter (a.k.a Bill Barminski and Christopher Louie) has gone on to direct clips for acts as divese as Vitalic (lo-fi head-nod) and Underoath (rock-o-rama). His latest instalment for the self-proclaimed Odd Couple Gnarls Barkley, is a delightful animated sketch that follows the pursuits of a defective superman as he defends the city against a giant puzzle. What else does this bot have up his corrugated sleeve?

YOUTUBE LIVE!

Fri, 21 Nov 2008 15:41:28 +0100

A conglomerate of attention-seeking individuals both amateur and professional, gathers for Youtube’s first ever live streaming event where superstars like Katy Perry and Akon rub shoulders with bedroom vlogging supremos like teen comedy sensation Fred Figglehorn and Chocolate Rain star, Tay Zonday. San Francisco plays host to the live event which showcases in a much-hyped live cabaret-concert-party combo, the talent (or lack thereof) that makes Youtube so damn popular. Could this be the advent of live streaming on Youtube?

Jamie Caliri's animated end credits for "Madagascar 2"

Thu, 20 Nov 2008 16:09:16 +0100

In 2004, Jamie Caliri directed the beautiful animated end credits for Lemony Snicket's - A Series of Unfortunate Events. "One of the most impressive credit sequences of 2004", we wrote. The animated end credits for DreamWorks' Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa are not as epic or as elaborate, nor do they share the same richness of texture and level of detail, but Caliri (for DUCK Studios) created a very entertaining title sequence that embodies his signature style.

Wiki-Youtube Lovechild

Tue, 18 Nov 2008 16:26:52 +0100

Kaltura has cemented its place firmly on the Collaborative Media map, as the world’s first (legal) open source video platform. Promoting active collaboration, sharing and remixing amongst its users, the tools offered by this pioneering startup, boil down to 3 main strands. First, enrichment of video and rich-media features to existing sites; second, user-friendly creation of new open source communities; and third, ability to legally share and remix each and every last scrap of uploaded content – including the entire digitised archive of rare historical images from New York’s Public Library.

OLIVER LARIC VLOGS

Mon, 17 Nov 2008 17:15:38 +0100

United Vloggers treats us to 2 cheeky helpings of Berlin-based video artist and Youtube hedonist, Oliver Laric. In Aircondition, a klutzy dance routine to Laric’s own crisp Bangra-lectro composition, turns into a mesmerizing motion graphic, as myriad frames are echoed in one animated layer. For Touch My Body (Green Screen Version), he cuts out every image save Mariah herself from the original clip, pasting her négligéed body against a lurid greenscreen. Published on Youtube, he waits for the remixes to roll in, collects them, and reposts them in all their grainy glory on his site. And there we have it! A subtle satire of popular media unwittingly turned upon itself - edgy and hugely appealing.

ANONYMITY ADIOS

Mon, 17 Nov 2008 10:54:59 +0100

At first glance, Seesmic looks like yet another ego-surfing tool for pasty geeks who could do with getting out more. But at closer glance, this video microblogging community - the fifth startup of French e-trepreneur extraordinaire Loic Le Meur - becomes quite fun and rather addictive.
Users record short videos in which they ask questions or voice their opinions, forming instant back-and-forth conversation threads with other users. If nothing else, this new direction in micro-vlogging might help throttle the racism, gay-bashing and woman-hating that seem to flourish in the anonymous world of text blogging (who ARE those people?).

TROIKA DIGITAL ZOETROPE

Fri, 14 Nov 2008 13:11:52 +0100

Before cinema there was the zoetrope, an ungainly peephole-pocked cylinder that (sort of) creates the illusion of motion. Luckily for us technology happened, allowing London-based studio Troika to create a live, multi-sensory, digital zoetrope; a state-of-the-art cylindrical output tower from which abstract patterns magically transform into words when lit with the right frquency. Commissioned by OneDotZero, the installation is an audio-visual exploration of life in the modern metropolis, to the tune of German electro by Autobam.

EUROPA FILM TREASURES

Thu, 13 Nov 2008 15:30:15 +0100

Have you ever been gripped by the urge to watch an army of kilted, bagpiping Scotsmen circa 1899? How about some 1940s erotica seductively named The Apple-Knockers and the Coke? We’re guessing no on both counts, but with 70% of footage shot in the first fifty years of cinema now lost forever, this user-friendly collection of archival reels is a rare glimpse into the very early days of film. From bizarrely compelling snippets to a full 52-minute 1917 Western, French producer Serge Bromberg has archived and digitised his extraordinary collection and is now kindly sharing it with the world. Warning: may distract for several hours.

BULLET TIME: THE SEQUEL

Wed, 12 Nov 2008 15:40:47 +0100

20 terabytes of data, 700 hours of processing and a record 200 Gigashot HD camcorders on a half-ton rig, make the world’s first Timesculpture advert something of a trailblazer that will have fans of Keanu’s leather-clad ‘bullet time’ moment in the Matrix dropping their jaws. A giant leap for 3D rotation technology, this custom-built wow-factor technique captures moving action in 360 degrees. See and believe!

Couscous Global spawned a hit vid

Tue, 11 Nov 2008 19:07:03 +0100

Couscous Global is a new video platform where you can watch movies made by students and young filmmakers from all over the world discussing a diverse range of subjects. At the moment, the site offers a broad international perspective on a recent “seismic shift”, aka the US elections, through video reports (vlogs) from Iran, China, Kenya and the US. One vid in particular stands out, albeit mainly for the fact that it has caught the attention of the some popular online media outlets...

AVATAR ROMANCE

Tue, 11 Nov 2008 17:34:49 +0100

For a small fee of your choice, and providing you’re a virtual citizen of Second Life, you can commission your very own love letter from the taboo-breaking badgirl of Chinese literature, Mian Mian.
This romantic (minus the payment clause) notion comes as part of Second Life’s RMB City project, created by artist Cao Fei (a.k.a China Tracy for avatar purists), where the contradictions and extremities of China’s booming cultural landscape come together in an urban fantasy that makes Las Vegas look like Wasilla. To receive your (deep breath) real love letter created in a virtual world for a virtual avatar created by a real person, contact the Charles Saatchi of Second Life, RMBArtDealer Xue, and stake your claim.

Election euphoria

Mon, 10 Nov 2008 17:48:52 +0100

If you were for Obama, like 75% of the people on this planet, chances are you're still walking on clouds of Hope, intoxicated by the promise of Change. If that's the case with you, then read on for a few video treats, before reality slams you over the head again with the sledgehammer of post-financial crisis fallout. Michael Schaap posted two more US election related vlogs, including a moving video from Ryan Hodson who reports from the bathroom of the poll center and films herself crying her eyes out when Obama's election is confirmed. And on YouTube, we found this great mobile phone video shot by a commuter on the New York subway that shows a cheering, chanting, stomping and dancing crowd as the breaking news hits the train on November 4th.

TOP 10 OF OUR FAVOURITE THINGS: CURATED ONLINE VIDEO PORTALS

Sun, 09 Nov 2008 14:49:04 +0100

With a quarter of a million videos being uploaded each and every day to Youtube alone, the realm of online video has become a dense jungle of low-end strippers, drowsy kittens, and instructional videos on everything from kissing with passion (3.5 million views) to recreating the Mona Lisa in MS Paint (9 million views).
Thankfully, several carefully curated video portals are floating up from this bottomless sea of bilge, presenting the most inspiring, original and kitten-free web videos - and encouraging viewers to create their own. We in turn have sifted through this ever-increasing pool of portals to bring you 10 of the best:

Beck + Chloë = Gamma Ray

Fri, 07 Nov 2008 11:49:04 +0100

This tasty clip for Beck’s new ditty “Gamma Ray”, features downtown darling Chloë Sevigny as a tattooed ringmistress run amok, shimmying her twisted lil’ heart out against an animated collage of neon-hued, psychadelic steampunk. Directed by fashion designer/collage artiste Jess Holzworth – who, notably, cites Keith Richards as her inspiration for just about everything - the unlikely combination of visual references is delivered to perfection under the watchful eye of 2D animators extraordinaire Eight VFX.

2008 Mackie Winners

Thu, 06 Nov 2008 17:52:21 +0100

The Mackies are the awards for the best Machinima productions of the year, chosen by a jury composed of 31 experts from the worlds of machinima, new/cross/mixed media, music, film and the arts. 12 movies were awarded on November 3rd during the Machinima Filmfest 2008. Here's the list of the winning machinimas with links to sites where you can watch them, and we explain why "The Ship" by Egils Mednis is our favorite.

Brutal animated titles for Hong Kong Triad film Run, Papa, Run

Wed, 05 Nov 2008 19:22:28 +0100

The title sequence of the not so average triad movie Run, Papa, Run by art director Henri Wong of Parabucks revolves around the recurrent nightmare of the main protagonist. Wong combined hand-drawn animation with re-drawn live action footage and photo collage to create the titles. "I try to give audiences the feeling of rawness," says Wong in an email interview. "It is brutal, unembellished, barbaric and rough, and hopefully can connect audiences to the main idea - fear and violence."

Animate TV 2008

Tue, 04 Nov 2008 17:12:04 +0100

Damaged Goods brings to life Barnaby Barford’s much-loved ceramic figurines, in a 9-minute love story that has (drumroll please) shattering consequences.
Made possible by Animate Projects, this short film merges the boundaries between art and animation and would, like many others in the Animate repertoire, sit as comfortably in a contemporary art gallery as it does being broadcast online.
Take a look at the rest of Animate’s 2008 offerings, or indeed their splendid and extensive archive.

Mobilizing Masses

Tue, 04 Nov 2008 14:01:14 +0100

The people at the World Wide Web’s most coveted accolades, the Webby Awards, have compiled a list of the Top 10 Web Political Moments to help pass the time as we wait for the results of the most brutal, most expensive and most fascinating election contest in living memory. Be still my beating heart!
From the vaults of the now legendary Youtube remix masters JibJab to the the Ukraine’s mobile-phone mobilized Orange Revolution (branding: unintentional), the list reflects the massive potential of web-based campaigning as well an explosion in viewer-created news. Not a bad way to kill a few minutes while waiting for the sweet taste of victory (fingers firmly crossed).

The Archive

Mon, 03 Nov 2008 16:52:36 +0100

Several things about the story of travelling salesman-turned-record archivist Paul Mawhinney are remarkable. Firstly, this charismatic Pittsburgh protagonist is in possession of the world’s largest record collection, with over a million albums and over 1.5 million singles. Secondly, 83% of his inventory is unavailable to the public. Thirdly, and heart-breakingly, absolutely nobody seems to care.
Nobody apart from filmmaker Sean Dunne that is, who shot a beautifully-paced short documentary on the eve of the closure of Mawhinney’s Record-Rama store, as an ode both to his life's work, and to the death of vinyl records.
The collection is valued at $50 million, and offers are accepted on a rolling basis. MP3-listening philistines need not apply.

Woof woof!

Fri, 31 Oct 2008 17:05:20 +0100

This little lady sure loves her watermelons! She slips into her finest lingerie and bathes in pink juice before deigning to eat of her beloved fruit.
Such goings-on are run-of-the-mill in the spellbinding world of London-based director Woof Wan-Bau, where film and animation cohabit in perfect harmony: an irresistably dreamy suspended reality which will have you gravely over-staying your welcome.
The folks at Portable Film Festival have kindly selected 5 of his best works and you can watch them all via their easy-on-the-eye user-generated online video channel.

Watch all 5:
Watermelon Love
Friend of the Night – Mogwai
Whistle and a Prayer – Coldcut
From Nose to Mouth
My Angel Rocks Back and Forth

DISPOSABLE FILM FESTIVAL

Thu, 30 Oct 2008 18:38:45 +0100

What is it with Germans and red balloons? Ballooon Project: Berlin is part of the Disposable Film Festival online program, and features a video camera (type: unkown) tied to a bunch of red balloons that is set free to capture scenes of a rainy Berlin from on high, while the filmmakers cycle around the city trying (and failing) to keep up.
The DFF is one of several new festivals that celebrate the use of non-professional devices like mobile phones and webcams to stimulate a new wave in do-it-yourself visual culture. The sheer scope of what people come up with, from plasticine-fuelled thrash gore to head-shaving high jinks, is entertaining in itself. But a Flickr-esque byline stating additional technological info for each film would not go amiss here, as let’s face it, right now these festivals are more like a reference tool of what’s possible than an ode to great creative talent of the digital age. Disagree? Feel free to comment below.

Open Source Cinema

Wed, 29 Oct 2008 16:14:28 +0100

RIP: A Remix Manifesto is a radical open source documentary film that addresses the Great Copyright Debate in the age of mass piracy. The Montreal-based director Brett Gaylor, a veteran of digital democracy, shares his raw footage at opensourcecinema.org and invites the public to remix it, pioneering a new mash-up movie genre as he goes. Guiding viewers through the maze of concert footage, animation, video collages and interviews that draw the lines of this copyright versus “copyfight” movie, is cult mash-up musician - and Gaylor’s main source of inspiration - Girl Talk. After 6 years in the making, a “beta” version was premiered at Montreal’s Festival Nouveau Cinema. But, says Gaylor, this film is an ongoing experiment in participary evolution – and you are cordially invited to become a part of it.

Laurent Brett's subtle end credits for 'Intimate Enemies'

Tue, 28 Oct 2008 16:47:31 +0100

Motion designer Laurent Brett, who you might know from his outstanding title sequences for Sky Fighters, OSS 117: Cairo, Nest of Spies and Hostage, shows yet another side of himself with the end credit sequence for French war movie Intimate Enemies. More subtle and contemplative than his previous work, Brett created a sequence that seems to serve as a metaphor for the futility of war. Hundreds of names are horizontally aligned next to each other, invoking the image of a memorial wall...

4 NEW VLOGS

Mon, 27 Oct 2008 18:55:28 +0100

4 new posts from our man Michael Schaap on Submarine’s vlogtastic sister-site United Vloggers will take you from neon (and rather naughty) joy to moody contemplation on the way the world works, starting with Tom a.k.a Fast Moving Animals and his très arty tidbit that critiques the linear passing of time (if you could present us with some alternatives God, by next Monday please). Next up, the masters of mash-up Wreck & Salvage bring together the music of classical composer Philip Glass with Clipart mayhem, to create yet another irresistable dosage of what made them Vlogosphere celebrities. And finally, a poignant piece of conceptual, urban video art by Daniel Liss presents a fitting contrast to the deliciously dirty (in all senses), Youtube-banned music video for Flying Lotus’s crisp new dancey tune, Parisian Goldfish.

Inside the House of Viktor & Rolf

Mon, 27 Oct 2008 13:10:40 +0100

SHOWstudio updates (well, sort of) Submarine's 2005 documentary and website "Viktor & Rolf: "Because We're Worth It" with a website where you can watch a series of videos captured during the festival week of the duo's past Summer show at London's Barbican Art Gallery. There's an interview with the two designers and videos of the symposium. Not in the mood for talking heads? Then watch the online presentation of V&R's 2009 collection 'Funny Face' with supermodel Shalom Harlow modelling all looks on a virtual catwalk.

Whatever Happened to Resfest?

Fri, 24 Oct 2008 16:05:37 +0200

Like a ghost town, the relic that is the RESFest website lives on, leaving no trace of human activity since early 2007. The sudden discontinuation of tour dates is the only indication that something went horribly wrong on this otherwise fully functional website.
With 10 quality years of exponential growth behind them, RESFest had established itself, well ahead of its time, as a leading global showcase for the best in digital filmmaking.

Live to Stream

Thu, 23 Oct 2008 16:06:37 +0200

The world’s first film festival to take place exclusively online, the Streaming Festival has taken giant steps since SubmarineChannel collaborated with them for their first edition back in 2006.
In a technological feat that will baffle even seasoned databassists, the festival streams 190 films by over 100 artists arranged into 14 prêt-à-regarder program streams, from Opera – exchanges between Chinese and Dutch video artists - to Screen Control, which presents projects that break new ground in image manipulation techniques.
The event runs for 3 days only, harking back to a more traditional film festival concept, but with the obvious democratizing benefits of a huge and global Audience Without Borders. The combination of carefully curated films and high-end streaming technology, allows multiple users to plug in and simultaneously enjoy this unique virtual get-together.

Exploratory Thinking at Everyone Forever

Wed, 22 Oct 2008 12:44:42 +0200

An ever-growing log of exploratory thinking and doing from the edges of every discipline, Everyone Forever is the brainchild of virtual cross-media studio Universal Everything. From Aerobics to Zoology and everything in-between, the site enables its team of contributors to share their secrets and inspirations with the world. Contributors range from Universal Everything's favorite collaborators to carefully selected pioneering minds from far and wide. The result is an edgy, fascinating collection of cross-disciplinary imagery and thought.

Aggressive, Calm, Lively and Organic MTV idents

Tue, 21 Oct 2008 15:09:50 +0200

Remember the days when you would tune in to MTV hoping to see one of those original MTV idents in between clips? (by the way, where are they now?). You can tune in again now, because Australian motion design studio Umeric direct 12 smashing new Channel Idents for MTV Australia. Apparently MTV loved the idents so much, that they will also screen them across MTV Europe in HD.

new chunk: bathtub III by Keith Loutit

Mon, 20 Oct 2008 17:17:53 +0200

Sydney-based photographer Keith Loutit montages thousands of tilt-shift photos and throws in some time-lapse trickery to create short films featuring Sydney Harbor and its environs, which confuse your brain into seeing souvenir-size miniatures of the Made-in-Taiwan-snow-dome school.
For Chunks, he kindly agreed to share his secrets with us.

Top 5 of Our Favourite Things: artists for Obama

Fri, 17 Oct 2008 18:53:21 +0200

As the US election race hots up for the ultimate show-down between His Holiness and The Lizard King - and we the world get distracted by frivolities like the authenticity of Joe the Plumber - SubmarineChannel presents (in our humble opinion) the very best in pro-Obama artistry. Hit us up with your circumspect comments if you think otherwise.

Technocolr, the Harlequin Lodge

Thu, 16 Oct 2008 18:13:13 +0200

Technocolr, the Harlequin Lodge is Second Life’s ultra-fantastical answer to the Mad Hatter’s Tea Party. Giving Tim Burton a run for his money, Anita Fontaine's triptastic lodge invites visitors to step through the harlequin wallpaper into a world of floating cupcakes and twisted optical massages at every turn. A garish but irresistable fantasy escapade within the virtual world of Second Life, the Harlequin Lodge treats us to a fairytale of unadulterated escapism; the embodiment of virtual living.

Joost Goes Flashy

Wed, 15 Oct 2008 18:29:00 +0200

The tech-cowboys who bought us Skype and Kazaa, Niklas Zennström and Janus Friis, have just re-launched Joost.com, the free, global online TV channel, in Flash format. Gone are the days of tedious downloads and plug-ins – the new version is Linux-friendly so anyone with Flash can now enjoy thousands of hi-res TV shows and videos from the comfort of their computers.
The refreshed version also boasts a plethora of fun new social features - as is the order of the day - inviting users to comment and connect. It’s free and it’s legal, due to backing by Viacom (Enemy #1 of YouTube) plus a bunch of other media giants. All hail the new generation of Desk Potatoes!

Crisis, what crisis?

Tue, 14 Oct 2008 14:00:27 +0200

Dutch newspaper the Volkskrant has an ongoing project called 'Oog' (Eye), in which they invite visual artists and designers to comment on current news affairs. Here's Hoogerbrugge's response to the crisis in the financial markets...

3 new revlogs

Tue, 14 Oct 2008 12:11:46 +0200

MacDocMan posted 3 new revlogs: Rules of Engagement by Robert Croma is "confusing", "compelling, thought-provoking, maddening," and "disruptive". In the second revlog, The Big Schlep, big mouth comedian Sarah Silverman explains why all Jewish youngsters should catch the next plane to Florida to convince their grandparents that Obama is not an angry black muslim. Conservative Jackie Mason reponded with Mason vs Silverman: The Ultimate Jew vs The Ultimate Yenta. What will Sarah do next?

Morning of the Mongoloids

Fri, 10 Oct 2008 13:52:54 +0200

Visual Foreign Correspondents - a monthly series of audio-visual artworks - commissioned a Flash piece by Young-hae Chang Heavy Industries (YCHI). This Korean-American duo has been creating text-based Flash animations scored with classic jazz for about 10 years now. All this time they stayed true to their signature minimalist aesthetic, partly inspired by the title sequences of Godard's early films. There is something very compelling about YCHI's Flash works, which is one of the reasons why they've been accepted with open arms by the so-called serious art world. Morning of the Mongoloids is another great piece about a man who wakes up one morning and finds out that his face and body doesn't belong to him.

New pretty cool people interview: Genevieve Gauckler

Thu, 09 Oct 2008 12:30:45 +0200

She may be famous for being a member of the French collective Pleix, but the work that illustrator and graphic artist Genevieve Gauckler creates on her own is just as special. SubmarineChannel talked to the artist a few months ago, just before the opening of her show in MU, one of our favorite art spaces in The Netherlands. At MU she presented a collection of images, entitled Food Chain, about man's preoccupation with food and eating. Just like Gauckler herself these big posters are very witty, but have a sereous undertone. Gauckler: "My drawings resemble logos. They’re very simple, colourful and childlike. At the same time there’s a contrast between the childlike visual elements and the adult side of the message." We hope Gauckler's contagious giggles will put you in the right mood.

SubmarineChannel events in October

Tue, 07 Oct 2008 12:29:07 +0200

We'll be playing 'outside' a lot this month. Here's a quick overview of 4 Dutch events we're participating in: Oct 16: A SubmarineChannel Best of compilation program (a double bill with MK12's "History of America") at The International Amsterdam Film Festival; From Oct 25 - Nov 30 we're 'occupying' GuestRoom #9 of Museum Het Domein in Sittard; Oct 30: A SubmarineChannel masterclass at the wonderful Playgrounds Festival in Tilburg; and on Oct 31, we'll briefly present the improved Forget the Film, Watch the Titles website at a symposium about Dutch TV graphics 'TV Versierders' at the Institute for Image and Sound in Hilversum.

Cartoon Brew TV

Mon, 06 Oct 2008 15:37:27 +0200

Cartoon Brew - THE animation blog - recently started Cartoon Brew TV: their own video channel dedicated to animation gems of all sorts and species. The latest addition to this new collection is 'Dinner Time', perhaps "the most significant cartoon in animation history”, according to Cartoon Brew founder Jerry Beck, who discusses the animation with Mark Kausler in the audio commentary. But Brew TV will also be a stage for contemporary animation. Michael Langan’s is a promising new talent whose graduation film 'Doxology' is a must-watch. The scene of a man tangoing with a car is simply brilliant. Much like our own beloved, curated collection of shorts, Chunks, Brew TV also offers quality content, and context is provided through interviews and in-depth background info about the selected works.

Winner of the Dutch Online Film Festival: Noteboek

Fri, 03 Oct 2008 15:41:38 +0200

Every autumn, The Netherlands Film Festival presents the latest crop of Dutch feature films, documentaries, and short films to the Dutch public as well as an audience of international and Dutch-based professionals. Since a few years the festival organizes the Dutch Online Film Festival. And since SubmarineChannel was in the jury of the Dutch Online Film Festival, we are proud to present this year’s winner: Noteboek from Evelien Lohbeck. Noteboek is a beautiful short in which a paper notebook is transformed into a laptop computer, a Xerox machine and a toaster. The way Lohbeck intertwined life-action and animation is very subtle. The jury was especially charmed by Noteboek ‘because of it’s intriguing form, technical ingenuity and the seemingly casual manner in which different realities are being played, resulting in a humoristic way of reflecting on the medium’.

The magic of Pablo Valbuena

Thu, 02 Oct 2008 12:03:42 +0200

It must be said, every year TodaysArt Festival brings something really stunning. For example, at the 2006 edition we witnessed a great performance by Structet that took Wagner’s ideas for a Gesamtkunstwerk to the next level with a piece called Building Music in which the huge atrium of The Hague's city hall was overflowing with strange sounds and fantastic images. In 2007 we saw some great stuff from avant-garde collectives like United Visual Artists and Pfadfinderei. This year one of the highlights was outside the above mentioned city hall. The exterior of this great, snow white building (designed by famous American architect Richard Meier) became the canvas for Pablo Valbuena. This Spanisch artist is definitely worth a closer look.

Modern Living - The Graphic Universe of Han Hoogerbrugge

Tue, 23 Sep 2008 16:02:56 +0200

We're proud to present our second coffee table book+DVD about the unparalleled work of one of the most original artists-slash-animators currently active on the Web and beyond: Han Hoogerbrugge. The 200-page book and 62-minute DVD covers all aspects of Hoogerbrugge's work and career: from the early beginnings of the Neurotica series for the Web, up to Hotel, Nails and the commissioned works (illustrations, music videos, idents). There are chapters on interaction and sound design, Web publishing and in the chapter “How does he do it?” Hoogerbrugge finally reveals his animation technique - comic strip style!

"Stress is the spice of life"

Mon, 22 Sep 2008 13:00:35 +0200

This week is Hoogerbrugge's week. Besides the release of his monograph, Hoogerbrugge just announced the launch of the new Prostress website. Prostress 2.0 is a follow-up of his 2006 Prostress web project which was "designed to explore a cure for the painful side effects of the human condition." Prostress 2.0 seems to expand on that concept, albeit without the addition of writer Paul A. Hall's pre-apocalyptic poetry. We like the new 3-image web comic strips Hoogerbrugge's been making.

Rotoscope faitytale

Thu, 18 Sep 2008 15:02:04 +0200

Year of the Fish is a modern take on the Cinderella story set in a massage parlor in Chinatown, New York. Independent filmmaker David Kaplan has taken a low budget approach to rotoscoping. The film was shot on miniDV. Each frame was then converted to a high definition frame, processed and 'artistified' using Synthetiks painting software Studio Artist. (read all about the animation process on the film's website). Kaplan's economic production process allowed him to work with a small team of animators, thus retaining a high level of creative control over the end result, which looks – judging from the trailer – quite impressionistic. Year of the Fish is currently playing at a small selection of cinemas in the US.

SubmarineChannel @ Picnic

Tue, 16 Sep 2008 18:21:42 +0200

24 Sep: Book Launch: Modern Living
26 Sep: Picnic Club: SubmarineChannel Cinema Dome

Thousands of creative minds from all over the world are having a big PICNIC in Amsterdam from 24-26 September. That's 3 inspiring days of ideas, fun and sensory stimulation in media technology, entertainment, art and science: a great opportunity to recharge your creative (renewable!) batteries. PICNIC features a conference, seminars, workshops, screenings and parties. We'll be there to present the book+DVD Modern Living - The Graphic Universe of Han Hoogerbrugge (available for a reduced prize at PICNIC; in stores next week). And we've curated a delightful audiovisual collection for Picnic Club that includes highlights of Hoogerbrugge's work, a rare screening of Flick Radio, Big Buck Bunny - the 3D short created with the Blender open source 3D software, and the inspiring portraits from the Pretty Cool People Interviews series.

That's the way it's dun

Wed, 10 Sep 2008 17:25:51 +0200

House Industries is making a film about 102 years old Ed Rondthaler, founder of Photo-Lettering, former president of the American Literacy Council and author of The Dictionary of Simplified American Spelling. They already put a fragment online on their website. Rondthaler illustrates the ambiguities between spoken and written English. It's really, really sweet. (Thanks to Marten Koster)

Bugs Bunny's bones

Fri, 29 Aug 2008 11:30:53 +0200

Skeletons scarry? Not when they consist of the bones of Donald Duck, Bugs Bunny or Road Runner. The South Korean artist Hyung Koolee makes 'life'-like skeletons of famous cartoon figures like Felix the Cat and Tom & Jerry using the techniques of paleontologists. They look very cute and the funny thing is they pose in their own distictive ways. The artist has given his anatomical sculptures really scientific sounding names like for example Canis Latrans Animatus for Wil E. Coyote. Koolee'show is now in Basel, Switzerland.

New Chunk: Animation by Jeff Metz

Thu, 28 Aug 2008 12:26:33 +0200

Every year TENT. - an art space in Rotterdam - presents the TENT. Academy Awards. This is a competition between the best graduation videos, films, shorts and animation from the Dutch art academies. This year the winner of the Public's Choice Award was Edward Cook with his short documentary on a hotdog stand. Yael Assaf won the Jury's Prize with his experimental film Everyone has to get over his biography. Both justifiable winners, but we would give credit to one of the other nominees: Jeff Metz with his untitled animation about a man who escapes his boring life.

We love to suck at photoshop. big time!

Tue, 26 Aug 2008 12:46:15 +0200

Getting verbally abused has never been so funny. You suck at Photoshop is a very successful and absolute hilarious parody on those thousands of home made tutorials on the web showing you how to do all kinds of tricks with Photoshop. In this series, Donnie the host, is a rude and self-righteous swank who uses Photoshop to get back at his wife who he suspects of cheating on him and who keeps interrupting his tutorials. Donnie feels totally superior to all of us Photoshop dilettantes, but from his videos we find out more about his troubled marriage, his impotence and his problems at work, than we learn about Photoshop. Listen to an interview with Troy Hitch, creative director for the agency Big Fat Institute. Hitch reveals that the people at Adobe are absolute fans of the series. And right so.

The subtle difference between respect and admiration

Fri, 22 Aug 2008 16:34:27 +0200

Sure we have respect for those people who spend all their spare time making a Viking boat out of 15 million ice cream sticks or a scale model of the Beijing Olympic Village out of 140000 playing cards, but real admiration we reserve for people like Josh Logue and his crew. For the Australian indie pop octet Architecture in Helsinki they made a fantastic music video. It's a stop motion project and every frame is a piece of embroidery. Yes, embroidery. We take our hats off for these people. Because of the enormous amount of time they must have invested in it to make. But, above all, because they have created something very special: an original and colourful little story that make you feel really happy.

New Pretty Cool People Interview: TKV

Thu, 21 Aug 2008 12:26:51 +0200

Not unlike a fairy queen the young artist TKV from Belgrade roams the streets at night using a spray can as a magic stick to transform the appearance of the city. Hence her artist name, which is an abbreviation of The Kween of Vairy. Doing stencil art is a basic need for TKV: she has to go out and leave her creative marks throughout the city. It’s as essential as eating or sleeping. For our series Pretty Cool people Interviews we met with TKV and joined her on one of her nightly trips during which a strange confrontation sets her off on a passionate account about the current state of Serbia.

What ever happened to Shynola?

Wed, 20 Aug 2008 11:38:22 +0200

Sometimes an image can trigger some happy moments of reminiscence. For instance, a music video that shared quite a lot of familiarities with the work of Chris Cunningham, started us to wonder what ever happened to Cunningham. We wrote a few words on this and a visitor of SubmarineChannel asked us if we heard anything from Shynola lately.
Shynola, a group of four artists from London, made impressive promos for acclaimed bands like Radiohead, Blur and Morcheeba, but in the last couple of years we slightly lost track of them.

Kung Fu Panda's 8-minute end credits

Tue, 19 Aug 2008 14:37:15 +0200

Hollywood loves China. In the year of the Beijing Olympics, several movies with a Chinese theme are released. (See also the title sequence of "The Mummy 3"). Kung Fu Panda, DreamWorks’ latest animated blockbuster, tells the story of a lazy panda bear named Po who, against all odds, becomes a Kung Fu warrior. The end credit sequence by Shine draws heavily upon traditional Chinese imagery.

New Chunk: 'Sticks and Balls'

Fri, 15 Aug 2008 13:25:28 +0200

Straight8 is a one of a kind film festival that “takes you back to the original medium of cinema ... and makes you think visually,” says actress and filmmaker Alice Lowe. Together with Jacqueline Wright, Lowe made the 8mm short 'Sticks and Balls' for the festival. This campy, tongue-in-cheek parody of Golf culture ("Golf is like sex, it's sticks and balls") was one of the highlights of Straight8 2007. We had a little chat too with both directors about Straight8's strict time frame and limitations, which forces you to “just bite the bullet,” as Jacqui put it.

Top 5 of Our Favourite Things: high speed camera shots

Thu, 14 Aug 2008 11:23:12 +0200

True, it’s very subjective and maybe there are better examples out there, but here at SubmarineChannel we came up with this list of the best shots made with high speed cameras. Are we absolutely wrong? Did we completely miss the most breathtaking one? Let us know.

Youth Suicide Fantasy and Venereal Disease

Fri, 08 Aug 2008 16:31:53 +0200

We recently saw an episode from the BBC documentary series The Thirties in Colour. It showed amazing, extremely rare footage from Nazi-Germany in colour. The material was shot by amateurs just before World War II which made it a very eerie experience: scenes of German civilians going about their lives in streets filled with swastikas.
Hungry for more remarkable archive material we searched the Internet Archive (that grand collection of moving images, offering permanent access for researchers, historians, and scholars to historical footage that exist in digital format) and came across A/V Geeks. The A/V Geeks maintain an archive of over 20,000 16mm educational and industrial films. They show the films across the U.S. and make films available on DVD and online at YouTube, Google Video and the Internet Archive. They sell almost 150 different DVDs, categorized by theme. These compilations have great titles such as "Youth Suicide Fantasy - Does Their Music Make Them Do It?" or "Atomic Age Classics Vol 4: Venereal Disease and You".

If you're not dispossessed, why make art?

Thu, 07 Aug 2008 18:16:38 +0200

They're all there: the photographic chronicler Ed Templeton, the clowning Harmony Korine, the nerdy Chris Johanson, the honourable Barry McGee, the always gentle Mike Mills (who actually looks like a gentleman while being interviewed) and of course Aaron Rose himself whose Alleged Gallery in New York played such a vital role in the development of a generation of artists that "rooted in the DIY subcultures of skateboarding, surf, punk, hip hop & graffiti". They, and many more, are all there in the documentary film Beautiful Losers. Some gained weight, some grew a beard. Beautiful Losers premiered at the SxSw Film festival and is now screened at festivals and in museums all across the US. It hasn't been shown in Europe yet, but the producers were so kind to send us a copy. We liked it a lot.

Beautiful and hearthbreaking new music video by Chris Milk

Wed, 06 Aug 2008 16:21:37 +0200

You probably did, but if you haven't yet, we urge you to watch the new music video Who's Gonna Save My Soul of Gnarls Barkley, directed by Chris Milk. The tragic break-up story and the soulful music go so wonderfully together in this video. And the image of the singing hearth that walks down the counter of a typical U.S. diner is just...well, heartbreaking.
We hope to show this bitter sweet promo in our music video section Pause soon, but since we haven't got permission from Universal yet, you can watch it on Milk's own website.
By the way, Dutch TV did a nice 15 minute documentary on Milk some time ago. You can watch it here, click on video on the right. Doc starts at 30:17.

Keep them in their seats with the End Title Song

Wed, 06 Aug 2008 12:32:13 +0200

It’s clear that we at SubmarineChannel like title sequences a lot. Why we like them so much? Well, because title sequences are an excellent opportunity to show what a designer is capable of. It’s mixed media, it’s sound, text, often animation, (motion) graphics, special effects... It all comes together in those few minutes before the actual film starts.
But while the opening titles are often little masterpieces of creative interaction, the end titles are mostly very boring: scrolling white text on a black background. Not really something that keeps you on the edge of your seat.

New title sequences: 'The Teeth of the Night' and 'The Mummy III'

Fri, 01 Aug 2008 15:04:07 +0200

Two brand-new title sequences worthy of your time: The top French design studio Deubal churned out another amazing animated title sequence. This time they sunk their teeth deep in The Teeth of the Night - a horror comedy about vampires.

And Karin Fong and Steve Fuller - two leading art directors of Imaginary Forces - collaborated on the magnificent, graphic-novel style end credits for the The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor, a.k.a. "The Mummy 3". We talked to Karin and Steve about the research and design phase of the project, their inspirations and the challenges they faced while working on this project.

V.I.P. treatment for top films on YouTube

Thu, 31 Jul 2008 16:36:14 +0200

A few weeks ago YouTube launched The Screening Room, “a platform for top films from around the world to find the audiences they deserve”. We of course applaud this initiative. For one, because the screening room shows films that exceed the normal maximum of 10 minutes on YouTube. And two, the films get the VIP treatment: they are being displayed in YouTube’s new High Quality Player.

Hoogerbrugge DVD banned by Chinese censors

Wed, 30 Jul 2008 16:37:01 +0200

During a routine check, those hard working Chinese censors found some videos on the DVD to be included with the Hoogerbrugge monograph, too offensive. Co-Publisher BIS had to switch to another DVD replicator at the last minute and found one in less restrictive Hong Kong. We are left guessing what part of the DVD they didn't appreciate. The meaningless violence? The naked clowns? The travesty? The self-inflicted character assassination? Whatever it was, they didn't find it in the book, because that got printed alright (looks beautiful). But the issue did delay the release by a couple of weeks. The Hoogerbrugge book/DVD, will be out in September.

Horror on-the-go

Tue, 29 Jul 2008 17:10:22 +0200

Finally some big guns (Marvel, CBS mobile and publishing house Scribner) have opened their eyes wide to the potential of mobile entertainment. Their Killer Content project for small screen mobile platforms is a graphic novel/video series hybrid called "N", created by none other than the King of Terror Stephen King and esteemed graphic novelist Alex Maleev ('Daredevil Vol 2'). Starting July 28, you can get your 2-minute King fix every weekday till August 25; that's 25 episodes of horror on-the-go. Watch the first episode for free and judge for yourself if you think 25 episodes of "N" is worth the 4 bucks (for free if you're in the US and with one of the large mobile carriers).

Alexei Tylevich' jaw dropping content for MGS4

Thu, 24 Jul 2008 17:28:35 +0200

The best video game cut scenes today can easily compete with Hollywood's biggest CG effects movies. But many of the high profile game titles still lack in the emotion, storytelling and (voice) acting department. Not so true for Metal Gear Solid - Hideo Kojima's iconic video game series that pioneered the stealth game genre. Our friend Alexei Tylevich - art director of our 2004 Sneakers doc (clip) and co-founder of LA-based production co. Logan - co-wrote, directed, shot and designed ten jaw-dropping 'scenes' for the current installment of MSG, including the opening movie. Tylevich' created 12 minutes of high-res HD video that expand on the games' universe...

Emmy Nominees for Outstanding Main Title Design

Mon, 21 Jul 2008 17:19:50 +0200

We're still waiting for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to award an Oscar for the best film title design (it's one of our hangups). American TV title designers are better off; they've got their Emmy for Outstanding Main Title Design. The titles that get nominated represent some of the best American TV Title Designs. Find out who's nominated this year (with links to the titles).

The latest addition to Forget the Film, Watch the Titles is a Bob Kurtz' title (image) that we didn't post yet - an 'oldie' from 1994: The classic animated opener for City Slickers II: The Legend of Curly's Gold. See it here

The making of the new Radiohead video, or, How to make data go mad

Thu, 17 Jul 2008 15:54:38 +0200

In the Making-of video of Radiohead's "House of Cards" promo, director James Frost talks about how he got this idea for doing a music video based on a UCLA research program on real-time 3D plotting technologies. But where do you go with a radical idea that, on paper at least, might seem really, really far out there... To Radiohead, of course. Making the "House of Cards" video involved three brand-new technologies, a host of computers and even a D.O.T. (Director of Technology – that's got to be a first). One recording system involved a 360-degree scanner that uses 64 laser beams to capture a landscape – the scanner is an impressive looking machine that spins like crazy and looks like a prop straight from the first season of Star Trek.

Google lauches new virtual world

Wed, 16 Jul 2008 16:47:22 +0200

The next big thing in the world of virtual worlds could be Google's answer to Second Life: the brand-new virtual world called Lively. Lively world could potentially have the effect that Second Life really never had, which is: to change the way we use the Web - for good. Google's smart idea was to create a browser-based virtual world made up of individual, but connected, virtual 'rooms'. These rooms can be embedded (in the same way that YouTube videos can) on web pages, blogs, social networking profiles, etc., creating a potentially massive virtual universe of interconnected rooms. Lively is simple and easy to use. Google seems to target a less tech-savvy, younger audience, considering the cartoony look of the avatars and rooms. Now go and secure your alias before it's taken, because Lively is here to stay, we thinks. (Snapshot taken in 'Brasil Lively' room).

Animated titles for 'The No.1 Ladies' Detective Agency'

Tue, 15 Jul 2008 18:11:03 +0200

Director Anthony Minghella (The English Patient) was reportedly more than pleased with Airside's animated opening and closing titles for the successful BBC TV pilot of the comedy/drama The No.1 Ladies' Detective Agency - the last film project before he died in March this year. Minghella said that Airside's work was "meticulous, perfectly judged, beautifully executed and achieved with minimal fuss and a real sense of enthusiastic collaboration." Check!

Tom14 interview

Thu, 10 Jul 2008 14:43:23 +0200

Born in Brazil and based in Barcelona, he combines the best of both worlds. Tom14 is a street artist in more than one way. He works on the streets, sometimes literally, but his work also deals with the rights of the street. It’s all about reclaiming the streets from real estate investors who make large profits from their urban planning projects but do nothing about improving the situation for the locals. "We live in a city that puts tourists first," says Tom14, who takes getting this message out there very seriously. "I see it as a duty to transmit what I think. To use our power of language, so that we can tell people what's going on." Part 2 of 3 Pretty Cool People Interviews with creators from Barcelona, Spain.

Where the hell is matt?

Wed, 09 Jul 2008 18:47:47 +0200

You've probably seen one or two YouTube videos of people dancing in front of their camera's. Now this uber-viral appeared on YouTube and we can safely say it tops all of them. Boasting a staggering 5,116,410 views (at the time of writing), this videos features some bloke called Matt who's filmed himself (or is filmed) dancing at 42 different locations all over the planet. And I mean all over; from the demilitarized zone in North Korea, to Papua New Guinea, Jordan, Amsterdam, underwater with whales, and the list goes on and on. And he's not dancing alone. As soon as he's joined by what seems like groups of random bystanders, this video just starts too ooze a sense of optimistism and global unity, vaguely reminiscent of a certain United Colors of Benetton campaign from the 1990's. Let's just hope Matt's chicken dance doesn't catch on.

SubmarineChannel on Facebook

Tue, 08 Jul 2008 17:25:57 +0200

HD x 4: it' s so real!

Fri, 04 Jul 2008 18:23:22 +0200

We recently visited a conference about cross media production in broadcasting. Apart from the usual web 2.0. blah-blah, we saw something absolutely amazing, something that made enduring all the cliché-ridden speeches really worth while. It was the presentation of Sony’s CineAlta 4K digital projector. This monster is capable of reproducing images in full 4K: 4096 x 2160 pixels. Watching footage which is especially shot with 4K camera’s (RED is actually building a 5K camera at the moment) really is a breathtaking experience. We never saw such sharp digital images in a theatre before. It’s more realistic than life itself.

What ever happened to Bill Plympton?

Thu, 03 Jul 2008 16:25:02 +0200

Do you remember those good old days when MTV was still a place where you could expect the unexpected, a place where creativity blossomed like Japanese cherry trees? Sure, we probably idealise the past too much, but it’s a hard fact that MTV just isn’t as stimulating as it used to be.
Luckily, others channels - we don’t mention names, but you know who we mean - took up this roll of showing the most offbeat, innovative and stylish music videos and shorts. Anyway, thinking back of the golden years of MTV one of the names that immediately springs to mind is Bill Plympton.

Carnivàle opening sequence

Wed, 02 Jul 2008 14:55:32 +0200

One of the eye-catching features of HBO's TV drama series Carnivàle was the meticulous art direction and the striking opening title sequence. The series won five Emmy's, including the 2004 Emmy for Outstanding Main Title Design. And deservedly so. The Carnivàle opener is one of the most thoroughly researched and immaculately executed TV titles.

Hoogerbrugge monograph sneak preview

Tue, 01 Jul 2008 12:36:31 +0200

The Hoogerbrugge book+DVD 'Modern Living - The Graphic Universe of Han Hoogerbrugge' (published by BIS Publishers and SubmarineChannel) - is expected to hit the stores in September. Not only will this profusely illustrated book look great on your coffee table, the chapters about early the GIF experiments, the Neurotica series, NAILS, HOTEL, comics, publishing on the web, commissioned works, and more will make great bedtime reading. There's a sneak preview on Hoogerbrugge's site. And while you're there, check out Hoogerbrugge's latest produce. It seems that he is into hybrid films now – films that combine video footage with animation. Like his latest promo for The Young Punx.

Cassette from my ex

Thu, 26 Jun 2008 17:42:48 +0200

Tagline of this website: “They were into you, so they made you a tape.” Cassettefrommyex.com is an utterly nostalgic, but lovely and original tribute to those old beloved mix tapes. Most of the stories were written by pros – writers, journalists, musicians and the like - which is a nice break for a change, and makes for some truly engaging stories. Of course you can listen to those treasured mixes too and drool over some of the scanned images of the actual cassettes (works of art!) because, if you really wanted to impress your love interest, any old Maxell just wouldn't do - you had to DECORATE the tape to express how unique and wonderful you (think they) are. So, undust your cassette deck and check out the site (in whatever order):

New Chunk: Municipal Constructions

Wed, 25 Jun 2008 14:23:29 +0200

The progressive British DVD label C0C0S0L1DC1TY operates in the vanguard of the audiovisual arts. This label is not about eye candy alone. It's about fostering high brow collaborative projects between visual artists - animators, designers, filmmakers and the like - and (electronic) musicians that actually have something to say about the world we live in. Video and animation artist Graham Clayton-Chance (directed videos for REM and Scissor Sisters) and electronic musician Ian Heywood are responsible for the 15th DVD release on the label. Under the Limmat moniker, they worked on an urban architecture-inspired project titled 'Municipal 44' for no less than "3 years of sweat, toil and tears".

The Poker Club titles

Fri, 20 Jun 2008 10:09:30 +0200

The title sequence for The Poker Club - a movie scheduled for release later this year - is a classic thriller opener. The score, the color scheme, the gun of course, and the splatters of blood all spell out MURDER! New York based motion designer Dan Savage got his inspiration from the details of the card images, which, he says, reminded him of human organs...

What happened to Chris Cunningham?

Thu, 19 Jun 2008 14:57:51 +0200

No doubt about it: based on the brilliant music videos he did in the nineties Chris Cunningham deserves a warm place on the Olympus of Promo Directors. His work for artists like Bjork and Aphex Twin were truly masterpieces of amazing originality and we don’t mind watching them over and over again. But since the new millennium his name was only sparsely seen on the payroll of the mayor labels.

Aleksandar Macasev interview

Mon, 16 Jun 2008 17:00:46 +0200

Some times you have to shout to get noticed. And this is exactly what the Serbian artist and graphic designer Aleksandar Maćašev does in his art work. He fights the political establishment in the same rhetoric style as is used by his adversaries. In a country where art is still considered rather harmless, Macasev takes a stance: "I can not change the world, but I can try. Or die trying..." We talked to the artist for our new episode of our Pretty Cool People Interviews series.

Another Chris Ware for This American Life

Thu, 12 Jun 2008 18:25:55 +0200

Chris Ware, best-known for a series of comics called the Acme Novelty Library and Jimmy Corrigan, the Smartest Kid on Earth, has produced another amazing piece of work. Brimming with geometric comic charm, this short story is narrated by the “husband and wife” and serves as an animated opening for This American Life, a 15-year-old, award-winning Chicago Public Radio show. It's a story about a very involved husband who is convinced that he witnessed an embarrassing moment of his wife. But she is sure he was NOT there! (Via Drawn.ca)

Lucio titles created with original materials of master forger

Tue, 10 Jun 2008 13:45:15 +0200

'Lucio' is a documentary about the legendary forger Lucio Urtubia, a.k.a. 'The Basque Zorro'. The titles are noteworthy for the following 3 reasons: 1) they conjure up the atmosphere of a thriller, not a documentary; 2) this is Spanish motion designer Unai Geurra's debut as a film title designer (Forget the Film supports promising title designers); 3) Guerra used the original forgeries from the master himself for the credit sequence. The "making of" story reads a bit like a thriller in itself.

Perfect Pictograms by Gerd Arntz

Fri, 06 Jun 2008 14:01:07 +0200

It’s a remarkable paradox. How can something so explicit and elementary be so subtle and elegant at the same time? We are talking about the collection of pictograms that was designed by the German artist Gerd Arntz (1900-1988) and which is now published online for everybody to study in minute detail.

Piet Parra interview “art is a big word”

Thu, 05 Jun 2008 17:45:29 +0200

An interview to read, this time. Piet Parra is one of the hippest illustrators in Holland. He's also in a band called Lele (> Watch the promo of Lele's "Breakfast" by Parra and Sandder). His hand-drawn art work has graced many a flyer and poster, as well as big brand campaigns, CD covers and the T's of his Rockwell label. The unique trademarks of his style? Beaked humans, 1970s retro-style drawings, vibrant colors and voluptuous women. We called Piet up on the phone to discuss music, humor, drawing, and the meaning of his strange made-up words.

Snacked list of Sweded Movies

Wed, 04 Jun 2008 11:38:28 +0200

A wonderful blog that goes by the name of Snacked has compiled a list, or at least, attempted to compile a list, of Sweded movies. Definition according to the Urban Dictionary: 1. Sweded; The summarized recreation of popular pop-culture films using limited budgets and a camcorder. The process is called sweding. Upon completion the film has been Sweded. The origins of this word can be found in the Be Kind Rewind movie by Micheal Gondry, in which the character Jerry, played by Jack Black, accidentally erases the videotapes at Mos Def’s rental store. Be sure to check out the movie's site too, it’s a real "sweded" experience.

Dunya & Desie titles are a rare treat

Tue, 03 Jun 2008 14:53:02 +0200

We're featuring three title designs by self-taught animation and stop-motion director Balder Westein from Amsterdam. The animated main-on-end credits for the kids movie Gruesome School Trip (Originally De Griezelbus) have an almost Burtonesque feel to it. For Pluk van de Petteflet, Westein created a collage-like sequence featuring caricatures of the actors. The brand-new titles for teen road movie Dunya & Desie are a very rare treat. Nine different sets were used for the opener, which features twenty-one credits placed on a wide variety of objects. All credits are embedded in the scenes itself. How did Westein get it done in only 2,3 weeks? We discusses the making of each title in the accompanying interviews, and Westein notices that there is "a new wave of interest for title sequences in Holland".

Studio DDT

Fri, 30 May 2008 10:51:56 +0200

If you love zombies, dig freaks or adore monsters, than you might want to check out the new episode of our Pretty Cool People Interviews series. We visited the friendly sculptors of Studio DDT in Barcelona, where they make absolutely stunning replicas of dead people. But besides corpses that make your stomach turn, they also specialize in beautifully crafted characters like the Faun in the Oscar-winning movie Pan's Labyrinth.

Lele's "Breakfast"

Thu, 29 May 2008 18:14:54 +0200

This new Chunk "Breakfast" is director Sandder’s fourth video for the brand-new band Lele. The art work for the video was done by another band member, who also happens to be one of the hippest illustrators in the Netherlands: Piet Parra. The result of the Sandder/Parra cooperation is an original, funny and raunchy video for a crazy track. Also worth mentioning: the other two band members are Serge Faberge (also known as the rapper from the best Dutch electro-hip-hop act De Jeugd van Tegenwoordig (The Youth of Today) and Rimer London.

Waltz With Bashir

Wed, 28 May 2008 10:43:37 +0200

In the new animated film Waltz with Bashir, lead animators Tal Gadon and Gali Eldelbaum manage to bring to life the dark past of Ari Folman - former Israeli army soldier turned award-winning film director. The film just celebrated its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival as the first animated documentary. Ari Folman takes us on a journey into the deepest crevasses of his memory.

A new-and-improved SubmarineChannel

Mon, 26 May 2008 16:56:39 +0200

Some time ago, we announced that SubmarineChannel was going to migrate to a new database. Guess what? It finally happened! Apart from a few minor changes to the layout (for one: our main content bar has moved to the left) and some improvements in terms of functionality (from now on you can also browse older articles and add your comments), SubmarineChannel looks and feels pretty much the same (although there still are some bugs here and there to be fixed). For us editors, things have improved big time, but I won't bore you with stories about our gloriously improved content management system. Next up on our extensive todo list: 1: Improve Forget the Film, Watch the Titles website. 2: Make new videoplayer. 3: make new Pause website.

Fons Schiedon's new Voicst promo

Thu, 22 May 2008 12:04:58 +0200

Must be something in the air (or in this case, something in the cosmos). Some of the most original, most talented and most wanted animators around have all completed new works recently. We just posted two stories about a new Run Wrake short and the latest works by Bryan Arthur Jones. And now Fons Schiedon drops the sizzling hot, brand-new music video 'Feel Like a Rocket' for Dutch rock formation Voicst. An amazing, mind-blowing cosmic ride, this video is. "I wanted the images to have the same kind of condensed energy the song has, with a quality that makes you want to see it again, and again, just because you didn't take in enough of that cosmic fine dust the first time," Fons writes on his website, where you can see the video. He also posted some really interesting production notes, stills, sketches, character and background designs.

New Run Wrake Short

Thu, 22 May 2008 12:02:35 +0200

A big shout-out to Run Wrake! He completed a new short and what a nice one it is. Just like his Rabbit, that extraordinary little gem about two kids that slice up a rabbit and won't live long to tell it, The Control Master is an animation that consists entirely of vintage images. The children's book illustrations from Rabbit were originally designed by Geoffry Higham. His beautiful drawings made for that bittersweet contrast with the grimness of the story. For his new film Wrake used images from the CSA archive, an collection of fine, commercial art style images from the Charles S. Anderson Design Company. Again the result is wonderful. If you want to check out more of Wrake's work on SubmarineChannel, check out the Pause section. You can watch two early music videos, one for the Stereo MCs and one for Spacer.

2 new Arthur Jones videos

Thu, 22 May 2008 11:58:22 +0200

The new Arthur Jones short (the genius of Post-It Note Stories fame) is called 'I Like Jessica'. It's an animation of a phone conversation between author Rodney Rothman and the first girl he ever kissed, way back in Junior High. You simply must check out the cheeky conversation. 'I Still Like Jessica' was commissioned by Will Reiser and Ben Karlin and was shown on a tour they did supporting a book Ben compiled and edited named: Things I've Learned from Women Who've Dumped Me. And to top it off, Arthur Jones also just completed a new music video. Jones collaborated with his tweed wearing friend Brimijoin to make a promo for Man Man. Funky animations, a grungy feel and uber hip music make this something you don't want to miss.

New Chunk: Quit Your Job

Mon, 19 May 2008 12:54:29 +0200

Director Rogier van der Zwaag, describes this music video for Nobody Beats the Drum as dark and dirty. It sure looks like an icky place to be! NBTD is a Dutch breakbeat formation with a knack for word play and of course a talent for great electro beats. In fact, beats are the most important thing to them. Hence the name. Their track, Quit Your Job, directed by Rogier, is disturbing and filled with nightmarisch creatures - kind of Chris Cunninham-ish. See the promo and read what Rogier has to say about it.

A Second Life Odyssey Returns!

Mon, 19 May 2008 12:52:02 +0200

Back online on May 8, Molotov Alva and his search for the Creator: A Second Life Odyssey, the first documentary entirely shot within Second Life. Episode 1 of this very first MiniMovie was released online in March 2007 under the title My Second Life and became a smash hit on YouTube virtually overnight, catching the attention of a number of US TV networks. HBO ended up securing the rights for the North American territories for an undisclosed six figure sum. A unique feat for a show that was produced for the web although due to contractual restrictions it had to be taken temporarily offline. Thus, the story so far. Now the most anticipated Machinima film of the year returns with the simulcast premiere of "Molotov Alva" on Thursday May 15th at 8pm/7c on Cinemax, Cinemax.com and Cinemax Island in Second Life. Read more here. Non US residents will be able to see the film on molotovalva.com, where it will be streamed.

Molotov Alva Machinima contest

Mon, 19 May 2008 12:48:35 +0200

"Molotov Alva took us on an incredible journey... Now it's your turn to show us "Your virtual Life". This is the tagline of the Molotov Alva Machinima Contest that just launched on Machinima.com. The idea is that you create a machinima video using your favourite video game or virtual world, and blow everyone's minds. Cinemax picks 3 winners from the top ten favorites selected by the Machinima.com community. There's $3500 in cash prizes. Watch the entries here. You can submit your film till May 18th. Visit? Machinima.com for more info. Good luck and happy shooting.

Impakt invites Federico Solmi

Mon, 19 May 2008 12:45:46 +0200

The Dutch city of Utrecht in the Netherlands is the home of the annual? Impakt festival (May 7 - 11, 2008). Lots of good stuff too see and experience at Impakt. (Of course, we're terribly biased. SubmarineChannel was invited to partake in a panel). But even if you can't visit the festival, you might want to check out Impakt's program for the sheer sake of inspiration. Especially noteworthy is the work of invited artist Federico Solmi. According the catalogue, "Solmi draws his inspiration from video games, pop culture and the Internet". Impakt screens 4 of Solmi's incredible and sometimes controversial animated films. See the trailers on YouTube. A must see, if you're into weird, hand-made, original animations - like we are.

The Age of Stupid

Mon, 19 May 2008 12:39:55 +0200

Very much a "What The Hell Are We Doing" kind of film, this eco-documentary has been four years in the making (five for some). And in the case of The Age Of Stupid blending fictional elements with reality makes for a truth scarier then fiction often is. A scary truth that is not only inconvenient but also relatively lacking in intelligent input. Six real stories of war, poverty and disaster are brought together and intertwined by one heavy weight of an actor, namely the Oscar nominated Pete Postlethwaite, who plays an archivist, the only fictional character in the film. As he digs through remnants of our lives (footage of the documentaries) he wonders how we ever let it get this far. It's the year 2055 and runaway climate change has wiped out hundreds of millions of people and destroyed huge parts of the world. It seems we really do live in the age of stupid, and this movie wants to knock some sense into us.

Martha Cooper interview

Mon, 19 May 2008 12:38:24 +0200

"I thought it was pure vandalism." This was her opinion before Martha Cooper really understood what was going on, but once she became acquainted with some of the first spray can artists in New York she was immediately immersed in the graffiti subculture. Cooper's area of expertise is best described as man's interaction with (urban) environment. As an photographer and anthropologist she is especially fascinated with the various ways in which young people appropriate and personalize their surroundings. Cooper documents this converting by means of markers and spray cans in stunning pictures. A while ago Cooper was in Amsterdam and SubmarineChannel's Pretty Cool People crew talked to her about the early years of the graffiti phenomena.

New Chunk: Visual Abuse

Mon, 19 May 2008 12:34:47 +0200

We have a new Chunk for you all. It's pretty clear cut. It's an animation, it's distorted and it's cool. However, some questions remain. Questions such as; Are we being visually abused or is Nils Muhlenbruch abusing the visual images? Maybe the images are about abuse? What ever the case, one cannot argue that the words "visual" and "abuse" are sufficient to describe the content and maybe even the style of this short, but it is not enough to sum up the experience, which is best described as overpowering, eclectic and maybe a little crazy. Nils uses bright colours, a mixed palette and some incredible imagery. Look out for the leek. For more information and more of Nils' work you can check out an interview Submarine did with Drifter TV.

Pitchfork TV

Fri, 25 Apr 2008 15:36:08 +0200

Pitchfork.tv is a new and very cool TV channel, online. Launched on the 7th of April, this is the first online video music channel dedicated to documenting independent music as it happens. The, as always, independent Pitchfork, known for their up to date music coverage and criticism will bring to you now, full-length feature films, mini-documentaries, vintage concerts, secret rooftop and basement sessions, exclusive interviews, and more than 300 music vids, all free of charge and available on-demand. You could say it's what a modern MTV with priorities would look like. Now Playing for one week only: Eating Sleeping Playing and Waiting: A Film About Air on Tour by our friend Mike Mills.

Javan Ivey

Thu, 17 Apr 2008 16:09:19 +0200

Although the short time-lapse film about the making of his paper-cuts is quit boring, Javan Ivey's stop-motion film My Paper Mind is absolutely beautiful. In this experimental animation Javan explores the possibilities of the Stratastencil-technique which he invented himself. The result is amazing, we especially like the flowmotion of the swing.

The Graveyard by Tale of Tales

Mon, 14 Apr 2008 15:39:21 +0200

Tale of Tales is Auriea Harvey and Michael Samyn's games development studio. Both award-winning designers in their own right, the duo have been operating on the forefront of independent game design. Their latest game, The Graveyard, is actually more like a painting of a grave yard you can explore, slowly. Once inside this painting you take on the character of an old lady. The gameplay is simple. You can walk around, sit on a bench, and listen to a song all the while contemplating the tomb stones surrounding you. The makers, Harvey and Samyn, describe it as real-time poetry - an attempt to tell a story without words.

Horny Hornets

Thu, 10 Apr 2008 18:23:05 +0200

We all know that mantises have pretty kinky sex: while they mate, the female mantis eats the head of the male, which makes him bang her even more vigorously. Well, it was facts like these that inspired well-known Italian actress Isabella Rossellini to write and direct a series of very short films titled Green Porno. The films, in which Rossellini features herself, are a comical study of the curious ways certain insects copulate. Each film is a mixture of real world and cartoon in which Rossellini transforms into the male of the species. The costumes, colorful sets and backdrops as well as the female insects contribute to the playfulness of the films. These episodes may not be XXX-rated, but "the way bugs make love", says Rossellini, "is very pornographic". All 8 of the Green Porno short films will be viewable on sundancechannel.com beginning Monday, May 5.

New Chunk: A Beginners Guide...

Thu, 10 Apr 2008 15:07:05 +0200

For all of you concerned citizens out there, this is a public service announcement about climate change and what YOU can do about it. Okay, we know you're not used to this from SubmarineChannel, but believe me, this is worth it. A Beginners Guide to Giving A Damn... About Climate Change was animated and directed by Airside and Al MacCuish and commissioned by Live Earth. It's funny, brilliant, lively and bursting with colour. This is a do-good, feel-good short.

Son of Rambow

Thu, 10 Apr 2008 15:04:56 +0200

Director Garth Jennings, famous for beautiful music videos like Fatboy Slim's Right Here, Right Now and REM's Imitation of Life (we have them right here for you) has made a feature film called Son Of Rambow. It's a semi-autobiographical movie about two schoolboys who make their own camcorder version of the 1982 hit movie Rambo: First Blood. In an interview with BBC radio Jennings talks about his ludicrous eighties childhood and his obsession with the maverick title hero: "That first Rambo movie really blew our minds. It felt so close to home. We were always playing in the forest and here is this guy who takes mucking around in the forest to the extreme. With just a knife and sticks he takes on 200 men. It was so resourceful".

Alex Courtes interview

Thu, 10 Apr 2008 15:00:34 +0200

"Because I was bored with what I saw on tv, we started very graphical pieces. We wanted to show some nice, uplifting stuff rather than easy-shocking, dark ones." Music video director Alex Courtes motivates his fascination for bright colours and clear graphic styles that characterize his earliest promo's, which he made in cooperation with his creative partner Martin Fougerol. In the past 8 years they made downright brilliant videos for much acclaimed artists like Air, The White Stripes, U2 and Jamiroquai. In a new episode of our Pretty Cool People Interviews series we meet up with Alex in his cozy apartment in Paris where he explains how their careers kick-started after their first promo for Cassius.

30 Days of Night: creepy title sequence

Thu, 10 Apr 2008 14:56:22 +0200

Turn your lights down low, turn the volume up on your speakers and watch the blood chilling new title sequence by the London division of design studio Momoco for the vampire movie 30 days of Night. Title designer and director Nic Benns talks in great detail about the production process of the title sequence and he reveals what makes the best fake blood and fake snow...

New Pause + New Motomichi

Thu, 10 Apr 2008 14:50:54 +0200

We're working hard on a new version of Pause. The old version of Pause - Freezing Music Video Culture - is our ever popular archive of online music videos and director interviews. The program dates back to 2002 - the time of Glazer, Gondry, Mills, WIZ, Jonze, and the likes. The music industry is changing dramatically, and so is the music video industry, partly because of YouTube and of course peer-to-peer music sharing. Budgets for promos are not as high anymore as they once were. But still, a lot of great directors are emerging. Our new Pause will include works from this new generation of music video directors. One you will definitely find in the new Pause is Motomichi Nakamura, a regular artists on SubmarineChannel. Here's his latest music video for Temposhark. Hot off the press.

Sold to MOMA

Thu, 10 Apr 2008 14:46:11 +0200

MOMA in New York asked itself a question; Is graffiti a misdemeanour art or a full fledged felony? According to the New York State penal code it's a felony. According to MOMA it's art. Now, the boys from GraffitiResearchLab sold a piece to MOMA that might just eliminate graffiti's malicious intent to damage (making it a felony), and underline graffiti's intent to communicate. To help shed light on the subject, GRL was invited to the MOMA, together with 25 of New York's writers supreme. You can watch the "art pieces" sold to MOMA here. The site also includes other really cool video footage of GRL's open source equipment being put to good use. New York, Rotterdam and Barcelona all get L.A.S.E.R tagged by GRL!

Victor Taba

Thu, 10 Apr 2008 14:39:21 +0200

Now here's a trippy site. The generative, changing Flash animations literally swirl until your nauseous and the music has a strange, repetitive quality. Very "James Patterson" (Presstube.com). It will throw you for a loop. The site is bizarre, organic and mechanical all at the same time. On top of that, it has a very strong trance inducing element. Be careful you don't become cross-eyed visiting VIctor Taba.

Title sequence inspired by visual music

Thu, 10 Apr 2008 14:36:38 +0200

You have to see this marvellous new title sequence by Studio Deubal for the French comedy Ça Se Soigne?. For the opener, Deubal translated Camille Saint-Saëns famous composition Dance Macabre to visuals, inspired by the work of the German artist, animator and avant-garde filmmaker Oskar Fischinger. Watch it at:

365 Days

Thu, 10 Apr 2008 14:28:10 +0200

We bring to you, straight from United Vloggers, this little gem, coming from Bottom Union (Eric Nelson), published today exactly 3 years ago. Check it out here:

Motivoter.com Launched!

Thu, 10 Apr 2008 14:22:09 +0200

Motivoter.com is a blog related to our newest MiniMovie Dear Oprah. The blog is part of director Kasper Verkaik's bigger mission: to convince Oprah Winfrey to become America's Ultimate 'Motivoter'. Verkaik, Dutch journalist, filmmaker, and concerned world citizen, became fascinated by the fact that almost a hundred million Americans don't vote. He came up with the term 'motivoter', to describe a person who motivates people to vote. Check Motivoter to watch all episodes of Dear Oprah, and read all about how you can help change the face of American politics.

Scopitones: music vids from the Stone Age

Thu, 10 Apr 2008 14:11:13 +0200

Once described as a cross between a jukebox and a TV, a Scopitone provided thousands with entertainment during the sixties. A real blast from the past, this site is jam-packed with swinging , reminiscent music videos from good old times gone by. I am not old enough to remember these times, you might not be either. But it is wonderful to see such classic stuff on the internet. The site it self could use a bit of a touch-up, still, their content is really remarkable, providing links to Wikipedia info pages, a shop, a list of artists, history and of course the opportunity to watch original Scopitones 16 mm films.

New Chunk: 'Is it the Shoes?'

Thu, 10 Apr 2008 14:00:54 +0200

Sometimes old News is good news. This little fire cracker of a film, by the Amsterdam design collective News was first screened in 2005. If you're a serious sneaker fetishist you might not want to see this. It could be difficult to watch! The pair of sneaks featured are the collectors item Air Jordans IV that took the world by storm back in 1989 and currently have a going rate of approximately $400. It sure comes close to burning money.

SubmarineChannel on YouTube

Thu, 10 Apr 2008 13:56:14 +0200

For those of you who like the quick YouTube fix now and then: we've joined the ranks on YouTube. We'll be posting trailers from our DVDs, Pretty Cool People Interviews, and Minimovies - lots of 'em. We hereby invite you to have a look and join our still very modest group of friends and subscribers and turn this thing into a monster of a success. See you there (and back here).

New Chunk 'Biopig'

Thu, 10 Apr 2008 13:53:19 +0200

We have a new chunk! Chunk of meat that is. It's superbly shot, stylistically creative and feels like a music video. Directed by Jorien van Nes, Dutch filmmaker and vegetarian. Jorien has something to tell you about pork. This new short is as interesting as it is opinionated. The theme was food and pork seems to be a huge source of nutrients for the Dutch. Oh, and did we mention that this is a Submarine production?