Tom Tykwer

Last night i watched a short film titled 'Epilogue' by Tom Tykwer I really liked the style of the film and the shots and special effects used. this morning doing last minute research, i found that he made the film 'Run Lola Run', which i really liked! He has actually made numerous amounts of films which im going to try and watch, i can't believe i didn't know about him, how ignorant of me. Oops.

Maya deren

I was recommended to watch these by both my tutors. As it kind of fits in with the style i'm trying to create for one of my projects.

The September Issue

I've finally managed to watch it this morning. It was quite a nice and light watch. This documentary follows US Vogue Editor, Anna Wintour around as they prepare for the september issue. The most important issue of the year. This was really interesting as it lead us through the process in what needed to go in the magazine and decision making throughout the film. Anna Wintour is evidently the most important person in the film and the fashion industry as she is highly regarded by everyone and even described as like ' Madonna' of the fashion world by designer Thakoon.

Wintour is such an influential figure in the industry, that she is not scared of showing this. Her decisions are the final words in every conversation and she comes across as what some might describe as 'Ice Person'. As she is interviewed on a more personal level, i think her character shines through a little and somehow i felt a little sad for her. With a successful career and family, I can't help but get the sense that she somehow feels a little insecure about her personal life. Maybe it's just me? As she goes onto describe what her siblings are doing and then she moves onto herself. She somehow seems to hesitate and is quite straightforward, when she explains what some people might think of her job especially those close around her, like it's all a joke, "how can you take fashion so seriously, it's almost funny", blah blah blah. Obvious Anna has done a brilliant job with Vogue and this is evident, being one of the most successful magazines in the last few decades and even more.

On a personal level, i know i am nothing like her and will not be anything like her. I don't know if this is a good or bad thing? Somehow i kind of feel how she's feeling. I sometimes think a lot about my work, and i always think right so im doing this but how is this helping anyone? What is the point of this? And it never ceases to baffle me the more i think about it. I sometimes feel that people don't take me seriously when i tell them what i do and all i get is a puzzled face and i don't bother to explain as it leaves them even more puzzled. But sometimes I can't feel but a little hurt when those closest to you don't even get what you're trying to do. My sister graduated with a science degree, my younger brother is doing a science degree and my youngest brother is still in high school but we know that he wants to study science as well, somehow i can't help but feel sometimes disappointed in what i'm doing or capable of doing. I don't know and it's hard to explain. I guess noone will ever fully understand what they want to truly do.

We Are Your Friends

My friend over at Abstractself and my other friend Hannah who writes for various online magazines and Pop are looking for talented people to work with.



Want to get with it, details above.

F F F

Right now i am really into fashion short films, like totally over it yarr!
A while ago i came upon a video by a Chinese director for Prada menswear. I never bothered to write about it, although i did want to, but my laziness stopped me. Right now i am not as lazy so fresh from digging through Susie bubbles blog, trying to find the video. I present you "First Spring" by Yang Fudong.



It really reminds me of In the mood for Love, non? I love that time in Shanghai everyone looked so immaculate, especially the ladies, the perfect red lips and hair. this video is an infusion of all eras/culture mixed into one.

Kaleidoscope

I just made a paper one took like two hours and it's falling apart pfft. I quite like it tho, little clever device. It also works as a bangle!!

animation

After a brief minute talk with my tutor. I started to wonder what animation meant to me. For me it's always been personal, i found it almost magical in a way, where the impossible becomes possible. Sometimes this can be overwhelming as my head burst with ideas wanting to spill out. Animation is a platform in a way of displaying my ideas through this media, it has so much potential to create so many different things all at once, deceiving the eye, making us believe. In response to this i want to show you this video made by Dali and Bunuel. I remember watching this at college during a lecture and i was amazed at how they managed to show some of the scenes, the man with the ants crawling out of his hand has been in my head this very day. Oh and of course i'll have to give Svankmajor a mention as well.

Through the looking glass

Kathryn Ferguson is the creative director behind the Richard Nicol video i showed in my previous post. After a brief look at most of her short films, i am with no doubt liking her work. Being self taught, must have shaped her practise a lot and with it she creates mesmerising shorts which has been featured in several film festivals and on Dazeddigital. Billow has to be one of my favourites! WHo said girls can't make films er?

Tribute

I was looking for this video i watched with Daul Kim in, and i've found it at last! I just like the lighting used which makes the whole video seem ethereal. The other video is from Nylon Tv, model of the week. She was intelligent, charismatic and will be deeply missed.
"I always felt like an outsider, to Koreans i was sort of foreign, I'm just foreign everywhere"





Also i was looking back at some of Alexander Mcqueens shows and it never ceases to amaze me. I remember at college putting together collages looking at his and Gallianos work. Genius in the making, visionary to say the least. RIP

Noise_Lab fun

It's sometimes nice and refreshing to go to something new or interesting.

I went to a talk today at Noise Lab with the editor of Elephant magazine and co founder of Magma shop.

Although the room was freezing and i was actually shivering so much my body was not functioning as well as it should have. As with many talks i always tend to overuse the word 'inspirational', and inspirational it was, but also insightful. There Marc Valli (what a cool name i thought he was swedish at first, got me all excited!) talked us through his steps to a successful magazine. Covering problems such as publishing, getting money and design layouts.

I've always wanted to make zines since i was little, unfortunately the furthest i got to it was setting up a facebook group for my would be zine 'Amazine'. The direction of Elephant magazine leans more towards the contemporary art scene. I liked the ideas which was discussed and raised a few questions towards the future of magazines and where it'll head towards. With online access to hundreds of online magazines, where do actual magazines stand? I personally like the idea of having online access to magazines as it's quick to access but also like having the real version infront of me. Flipping through magazines is such an important thing for me to do now when i get hold of one, and having to touch the paper and flip through the different pages, gives a somewhat satisfying feeling.

I will write more tomorrow.

"This is the real thing"

"I needed something new, I realised i needed to change."

I had a lovely big lunch at Font bar today and this involved various different conversations, mainly about art. I was told about a photographer called 'Polaroid Kidd'. I was curious and wanted to know more.







The photos are so raw and real, it's almost beautiful.

Trip to the east

Today i went to the best exhibition ever, so happy!!! Read some really interesting books. Got inspired and chilled and bought two new skirts all for £3 wow. Oh also showed my work, i think people liked it, just need to keep going now.

Lisa

These are two images from two different test shots i did today using a kitten spotlight in my bedroom. Basically i need to figure out how i want the film to look. SO have edited it two different ways. I think i prefer the sepia with aged film effect


What i might have to do to improve the 'Look', i will have to make the make-up more dramatic to achieve that 20s look. As you can't really tell in the shots, the way the lips are meant to shape more rectangular. Think Lillian Gish.


Oh and before i forget MJ on Dazed website, it's so perfect i can stare at it all day. Almost reminds me of Fred Tomasellis work, which i also posted about a while back. I just like that kind of abstract, let's get lost kind of art i guess.

Just another day

All photos by Matthew Albanese. Titled 'Strange Worlds'.





Well please look closer. These photos can almost pass for digital photography. If you look closer though you have been fooled. Albanese uses simple materials such as cinnamon wool to create these surreal landscapes. My favourite one has to be the volcono and sugarland.

Test Strip 1

A test strip i did last week based on the strata stencil technique. I was quite excited to try this out but with lack of equipment and my hand built device, didn't quite work out the way i wanted, you can still sort of see how it's meant to go tho.



Oh also video feedback loop!! Going to give it a go maybe tomorrow,
http://members.tripod.com/professor_tom/galleries/video/howto.html

Lily Loveless

It's Lily Cole actually, still from my animation. i obvs did not take that photo of Lily but had to post it cause it's such a nice photo of her. So far i have 3 seconds woop. My back is aching from siting down too much.

Names

If you're called FACEBOOK. I actually hate you, Thanks

No facebook for ever since i can't even log into my account pfft, Oh well spent today in bed waiting for my cassette playa shoes and still haven't even arrived yet. Eurghh. Life.

The shoes are actually quite ugly but i like it in a strange way. Can't wait to have them!!



Oh also photoshoot yesterday with zuza. it was rather fierce, as the photos confirm.

The last one is by far the funniest and the best. I think i can see myself being a page three/AA model now!!

The body thing was quite tight.