Lovely craft and process, where ‘the long hard stupid way’ certainly pays off.
Purchase the poster HERE.
Why Design, by Herman Miller
A series of well produced videos answering questions of inspiration of motivation behind creative work.
Owen Perry rides around in little planes taking big photos.
See his work HERE.
Empire Vineyards identity and packaging designed by Fred Carriedo.
Faculty of the University of North Texas communication design program generated a list of life experiences that we feel design students should have in addition to their in-class studies.
A great introduction to the idea that design is a skill influenced by things far greater than itself… See the whole booklet HERE.
As well as being my bromance (he’s a far out dude), Matt Herring recently won his category in the National Geographic Traveller 2013 Photography competition with this image.
See more of his photography here.
(Source: matthewherring.co.uk)
Aaron Stewart is a producer, video editor, motion designer, and also good friend out here in Paris.
He recently shot, edited, and produced this short film- which I recommend you check out right here!
![For the year of 2012 I set myself a challenge to see 10 films per month that I hadn’t seen before. After managing it, I’ve now become ‘that guy’ and compiled a list of 10 that were particularly fantastic. Read about them below:
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JOHN CARTER / 2012 / Director: Andrew Stanton
John Carter was not a good film, but neither was it an entirely bad film. It did some things well, it certainly struggled with many other things. But the quality of the final product is not why it’s it on my list of top films from this year…which seems strange but bear with me.
John Carter became a kind of a catalyst for discussion about the Hollywood system of film making…so many people seemed to have theories on what went wrong and how it could have been fixed. And in some ways it’s what the film did best - got film fanatics talking constructively about film making. I got totally sucked in with articles, interviews, IMDb, I even read the first of the John Carter books. I have my theories of what went wrong and indeed what went right. Being part of that on-going discussion for at least a month made the John Carter experience one that makes it a top film from 2012… for me anyway.
IMDb / RT / MUBI
SLEEPWALK WITH ME / 2012 / Director: Mike Burbiglia
It’s so evident that Sleepwalk With Me is made by people who tell stories for living, and in it the story reigns as King. There aren’t characters present simply to tailor to a particular target audience, there aren’t scenes that feel they’ve been thrown in for time. Everything that happens is for a reason, and that reason is the story.
The story is funny, heartwarming, heartbreaking, honest, and also true. On top of that the casting and actors nailed it. Bravo Mr Burbiglia and This American Life team!
IMDb / RT / MUBI
HOOP DREAMS / 1994 / Director: Steve James
What starts as almost a ‘Nature vs. Nurture’ experiment documentary, very quickly becomes a study in how the cultures in which we grow up are not so easy to escape from for those who want out. The culture Hoop Dreams presents is one that is both destructive and life-taking, but yet full of love and full of hope. Basketball acts as such a currency for hope and escape to everyone, even the people who didn’t make it out when they had the chance… Despite its length, Hoop Dreams does not feel like a 3+ hour documentary – and even if it does to you, once sucked in you’d really prefer it to be longer.
IMDb / RT / MUBI
MOONRISE KINGDOM / 2012 / Director: Wes Anderson
After seeing some other truly fantastic films this year, it was a battle in deciding whether to include Wes Anderson’s latest offering over them (check out the ‘honorable mentions’ at the bottom for the competitors). However, despite what first appears a two-dimensional toybox tale, Moonrise Kingdom was a film of such charm, precision, and surprising depth- that like many ‘top films’ lists it rightfully earns it’s spot here.
IMDb / RT / MUBI
PLAYTIME / 1964 / Director: Jaques Tati
With a title that’s nothing but indicative of its content – Playtime is a film that oozes with creativity, ideas, observations, and imagination. As a narrative it’s flawed, but as a performance piece it’s exquisitely crafted. The playground Tati has created around him is truly living and breathing, so much so that “there really isn’t need for dialogue anyway”.
It’s insight into the world of tomorrow quickly becoming the world of today delivers a fascinating commentary, and raises questions relevant even today, especially about the role design and human interaction in everyday life.
IMDb / RT / MUBI
SHAME / 2011 / Director: Steve McQueen
Roger Ebert’s review for Shame was very articulate in identifying just how Shame succeed as a film. Despite its graphic and even extreme representation of the struggles in coping with a sex addiction, the wrenching character study feels more than that. It presents the dangers found in the transient, anonymous culture-of-self that exists in contemporary city-life, and the boundaries that the human soul will push as a means just to create order from that chaos.
Shame will take you into one man’s order, break you, and then leave you there without solution. It’s challenging film-making at its finest.
IMDb / RT / MUBI
FOR ALL MANKIND /1989 / Director: Al Reinert
A celebration in the beauty of creation, and the feat man will achieve to further explore it. Comprised of NASA footage from all the Apollo missions leading up to and including the moon landing; the opening footage of President Kennedy’s inspirational ‘To the moon’ speech is the only exposition needed before we do just that, go to the moon (with Brian Eno’s score as perfect musical accompaniment). See it on as big a screen as you can, and sit as close to that screen as humanly possible. I flipping love space and this is awesome.
IMDb / RT / MUBI
ACE IN THE HOLE / 1951 / Director: Billy Wilder‘What’s the story’ is a question some designers are constantly asking themselves when working on a project. It made Ace in the Hole ring all the more relevant when it’s morality tale presents us with the question ‘Just how far will you go for the story?’ Expertly cast and paced- it feels almost ‘Fincher-esque’ at times (<pretentious>or does it make Fincher seem ‘Wilder-esque’?</pretentious>). … and when answering its own question, the cynicism driving it concludes quite simply – it doesn’t matter, because an audience will always invest in a good story.
IMDb / RT / MUBI
CHARLIE CHAPLIN: A NIGHT IN THE SHOW / 1915 / Director: Charlie ChaplinI hadn’t seen any Charlie Chaplin until a local cinema ran an evening of his shorts, of which ‘A Night In The Show’ was one. The mere 22 minutes is enough to make it evident why Chaplin was King of silent Hollywood- and the fact it utterly stands the test of time is testament to what great work it is. Most interesting to me however, was how much it all feels almost like a piece of stand-up, but in the form of a very physical enactment of a monologue you can picture a comic like Louis C.K. delivering. Chaplin’s character is bitter, a little selfish, and to be honest not a nice man- But all of his observations and encounters at the show perfectly articulate our less proud thoughts and experiences in similar situations. It makes him oddly charming, endearing, and the film hilariously relatable.
IMDb / RT / MUBI
Even better it’s on YouTube in its entirety RIGHT HERE.BOARDWALK EMPIRE SEASON 3 / 2012 / Created: Terence Winter
Why is a TV show in a list of top films? Because it’s HBO, and everything runs at a filmic level, but for an hour a week over three seasons (currently). Boardwalk Empire is a slow build where everything counts. Actions have consequences, and no character feels truly safe (unless you know your 1920s bootlegger history really well). Themes of the family and trust have been forefront of this season. Relationships that were once faithful and long-lasting have dramatically changed from season 1, and investment in characters is completely rewarded to an almost Empire Strikes Back level in regard to how much individuals have changed and developed. The satisfaction that comes from realising what seemed a throwaway line in the first season is now driving a huge act in the third makes Boardwalk Empire a show that is all about the long game- created by people who are wholly invested in its characters and story right until it’s played out. I highly recommend you start playing too.
IMDbHONORABLE MENTIONSDelivered in pairs due to some similarities between each film.Looper / ArgoMartha Marcy May Marlene / Sound Of My VoiceJudex / This Land Is OursSearching For Sugar Man / Dave Chappelle’s Block PartyLooper was especially excellent. A film evidently put together by a small group of people extremely passionate about what they were putting together - and not being burnt by too many Hollywood cooks.——————————————————————————————See the full list of Viewed Films 2012 HERE](http://24.media.tumblr.com/5be03b44ab602005455203473be495b2/tumblr_mfzzkt61eJ1qa7ntmo1_400.jpg)
For the year of 2012 I set myself a challenge to see 10 films per month that I hadn’t seen before. After managing it, I’ve now become ‘that guy’ and compiled a list of 10 that were particularly fantastic. Read about them below:
Best Made Company
‘is dedicated to equipping customers with quality tools and dependable information that they can use and pass down for generations. We seek to empower people to get outside, use their hands and in doing so embark on a life of fulfilling projects and lasting experiences.’
The 5 Block Project consists of 108 photographs of city settings taken primarily within Toronto during the period of 2011 - 2012
The objective was to explore a five block radius of the neighborhood in which I live, and see it with fresh eyes.
As with all projects like this, some of the work is a bit hit and miss - but the hits make a fine collection of images.
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