A collection of new work from across the board of motion graphics, animation and design. From new comers to masters, there was definitely something for everyone at this years wow + flutter. After an intro from NOMINT who had two projects in this years picks, we were treated to a huge variety of short films. Sometimes stunning, others hilarious and always intriguing, there was a very eclectic mix of work. From the hand-crafted to the newest technology, wow and flutter showcases what we can expect for years to come in the best of moving image.
Arev Manoukian: Nuit Blanche
Canada 2009
This short film shows a moment when two strangers eyes meet across the street. What follows is a super slow motion, extravagant sequence as they cross the street towards each other. Nothing in their path can stop them as they walk through windows and crush oncoming traffic. It is a glamourous, dramatic and above all romantic comment on the connection between people, and that intensity of that first attraction.
Paul Smith (Busty Kelp): Greg Mutt Vlogs- Blue Hippy Cats My Avatar Review
UK 2010
A Message From JC
UK 2010
These two videos show Busty, a geeky teenager reviewing Avatar the movie, giving his comments and criticisms of the film via his online blog. Busty is executed perfectly, form his awkward mannerisms to his excessive collection of movie posters and Star Wars T-shirt. His points are funny and very entertaining. The video is subtle comment on the quest for being an online celebrity and the never ending self publishing of blogging. In the second video we see Busty revoking his previous comments after receiving a message from JC (James Cameron) and making suggestions to Cameron for Avatar 2.
Esteban Diacono: Ljosio(The Light)
Argentina 2009
A visualisation of a piece of Icelandic classical music. We see coloured smoke sweeping, dipping and growing across the screen, responding to the melody and harmony of the music, becoming something like a graphic score, which is a beautiful and delicate visualisation of the music we hear.
weareseventeen: Strange Arrangements
UK 2010
A collection of curious sculptures inspired by surrealism and the concept of strange objects grouped to create something new or a point of view.
Ansted Moss: Use As Directed
USA 2010
In this video there is a monologue explaining a strange conspiracy theory looking at branding within our daily lives. The visuals for this piece are made form these brands and labels, and grow and develop in response to the narration, creating an intricate structure, a weapon of mass graphic destruction.
Sam Stevens: Homunculus
USA 2009
We see the decay and decomposition of fruit and flowers, arranged in a typical traditional still life. From this, little monsters suddenly emerge and begin battling and eating each other across this setting. More and more monsters generate from the decaying food, getting bigger and scarier as the video progresses.
NOMINT: The Greek Crisis Explained, Episodes 1, 2 and 3
Greece 2009
A funny and entertaining story telling of the Greek debt crisis. It shows Greece as a sweet little girl with her adorable pet sheep, national debt, which mutates into a monster and begins to devour her. Across the Three episodes, The E.U and the IMF must attempt to save her, in this light-hearted animation, using cliff-hangers and comedy to tell the story of these serious political events.
Max Hattler: 1923 aka Heaven
Denmark/Germany/UK 2010
One of two videos that is inspired by French artist Augustin Lesage. This video is based on Lesage’s painting ‘A Symbolic Composition of the Spiritual World’ from 1923. It is a impressive video, using movement and pattern as the eye is drawn in and through this machine-like environment.
Patrick Clair: Models Worth Sharing
Australia 2010
A video showing 3-Dimensional iconic structures that morph into each other, from Sydney Opera House to The Eiffel Tower, it also forms the shape of man and woman. The piece speaks about ideas worth sharing between international relations.
http://patrickclair.blogspot.com/
MK12: TELEPHONEME
USA 2010
Super cool motion graphics from MK12 partnered up with Swedish Secrets Productions. A retro, colourful video created to warn the public of linguistic conspiracy. Great use of type throughout, and the cuts and videos used within this film fit perfectly.
http://telephoneme.tv/
Olivier Patte (Moustache): Soft War Physics Don’t Exist – Opus One
France 2010
A data visualisation film, stating the shockingly high investments into arms, combined with a visualisation of these investments, into the M1 Abrams tank, where over 800,000 miniature tank models fall into a white space representing the number of real tanks the US army has.
Tokyoplastic: Kitteh Kitteh- The Tail Gunner
UK 2010
Catzilla
UK 1020
Two little mini epics, which are inspired by classic black and white movies. We see a sleeping, sweet little fat cat, but then journey into his twisted demented dreams. We see the feline as an WW2 RAF gunner, and then in the second episode, ‘Catzilla’, the most frightening monster known to man. Very funny and very entertaining, and an amusing insight to what your pet could be thinking.
Onur Senturk: Nokta
Turkey 2010
Short but slick abstract clip, where an object changes from different states and forms, from liquid to solid. My actual favourite bit was the end credits, where paint is dripping and then reversing back into a can, making a satisfying and interesting effect for the text to form around.
Masaki Yokochi: Locus
USA 2010
Another very slick short film where a single element,a line, is continuously changing into new forms of different qualities, and into recognisable objects that are built of many lines. This is accompanied by music and sounds that illustrate this. The artist states that the video is an expression of how they view the world, built from lines and nets, and then how this line can express different things, as well as create new things.
Brandon Blommaert: Black Moon
Canada 2010
A combination of stop frame, plasticine animation and motion graphics creating a futuristic world with strange textures and shapes.
Quayola: Strata no.3
UK 2009
Originally an installation for the Bordeaux Art & Architecture Biennale, the video shows the segmentation of The Sistine Chapel Ceiling, which morphs to geometric shapes and then becomes a net. It is an extract of a series of three, where the artist deconstructs iconic pieces of art and architecture.
Hugo Ramirez (Moustache): Thomas Haley- Journeyman
France 2009
Short film exploring and expressing the work of war photojournalist Thomas Haley. Simple use of collage of photography and hand written type and illustrations combined to create and interesting animation.
:weareom: Chop Cup.
Romania / UK 2009
An intriguing video, that plays with the idea of ‘don’t always believe what you see’. It twists your perception if what you are viewing or what you believe you are viewing and turns its on its head, whilst watching a well known magic trick of which cup is the ball under.
Tilam Singer: Skateboardanimation
Germany 2009
A really delightful stop frame animation of miniature skateboards in a hand made environment performing tricks and exploring the space. The timing is perfect as well as the sounds that go with it which are recordings of the sounds the rails and wheels would make. It was one of the most enjoyable videos in its simplicity but perfection of movement and subtlety.
Fons Schieden: In a Forest
Netherlands 2010
A short film where a rabbit flees from a monstrous wolf that is chasing her, as they both hide, creep and run through a dark frost and out to somewhere surprising, turning the animation on itself. Tense and scary to perplexed and surprised, it is an interesting video which didn’t disappoint.
Matias Vigliano & Dante Zabella: The Head
Argentina 2010
Hand-drawn animation shows a topsy-turvy world where a head is filled with objects, detachable and also turned into a delicious drink. Fun and wonderful watch due to the great retro animation style, it makes for an interesting short film with a few surprises here and there.
Savas Ozay: Weather Tests
Turkey 2010
A short film using graphic representations of the different seasons, broken down to the weather. It uses symbols and type to state the season, and then three pyramids are tested with snow, rain, heat and wind.
Selfburning: Field
Russia 2009
A short film showing the transformation and morphing of a strange object set against a rural scene of Russian countryside. It plays around with the concept of field, from the sense of farming land to an electric field.
Benjamin Ducroz: Press +
Australia 2010
Blend of hand crafted work combined with fluid motion graphics. Coloured shapes and form move around dynamically through frames and over folded paper in response to changes in the music. The contrast but complementing of two very different approaches make an interesting video. The best of both worlds.
Patrick Clair. Data + – The Will To Fight
Australia 2010
Originally created for ABC News, it is an audio visual video of infographics. The film explains visually countries around the world and their readiness to fight and the size of their armies. Its an interesting video bringing to life data and making it more interesting to view, as well as explaining the countries in relation to war, wealth and power.
Clemens Wirth (Clemento): Macro Kingdom II
Austria 2010
A macro view of a miniature world of life that we don’t usually witness. A world of ants, spiders and water droplets seen up close and detailed.
Impactist: Nerdmask
USA 2010
Journey narrated through hand drawn illustrations of different objects. It is described on the page as
Going across country to make good on a sanctioned hit? Your only escape is to don a nerdmask.
I am not sure this concept is fully realised in the animation without further explanation, but the drawings are beautifully executed.
NOMINT: The Holy Chicken Of Life and Music
Greece 2010
A nonsense world where a two-headed chicken rules. Opera-singing to its eggs, which hatch into sheep, this short film is strange adventure into a stranger world.
Haipeng Sun: Super Baozi vs. Sushi Man
China 2010
A tribute to Bruce Lee. An entertaining and silly battle between a Chinese dumpling and a sushi roll.
PetPunk: Woos
Lithuania / USA 2010
Video of an organic tree created from paint that is dripping different colours with little creatures running around the branches. The texture of the tree is beautiful and the high quality graphics are impressive, but in terms of a concept it was lost on me.
Selfburning: Piece
Russia 2009
A stop frame animation, with collage and paint constantly changing and transforming into different faces. This multimedia film is very successful in its execution as it develops and grows across the wall and and out of the frame, taking on a new form and function.
Donato Sasone(Milyeyes): Videogioco
Italy 2009
An impressive flip-book style animation, where on a giant map of drawings we follow a decapitated head on a journey of random, unexpected and gruesome events, with a sound track of an egging audience. Satisfying and pleasing to watch, its a successful and simple film, proving you don’t need anything fancy to create something brilliant.
More info:
BFI Southbank, Belvedere Road, Southbank, London SE1 8XT
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