Saturday, April 24, 2010

The Monster Engine



Here's another still-images post for a change. "The Monster Engine" is a book and art exhibition project by Dave Devries that begs a single question, "What would a child’s drawing look like if it were painted realistically?" The idea and the works are quite similar to my previous post "Untoon". Here, various professional artists turn children's simple sketches into masterpieces by adding in realistic lighting, shading, and textures while keeping the same shapes and forms. The result? a series of super cool but also super creepy paintings that may scare the same kids who drew the original drawings.

今天又決定來介紹一些非影片的作品了. "The Monster Engine" (怪物引擎) 是 Dave Devries 所開始的一系列展覽計畫, 目的就只是要回答一個問題: "如果把一個小孩的塗鴉拿來畫得非常真實, 那看起來會是怎樣?" 這個概念和作品感覺跟我之前介紹的 "Untoon" 有異曲同工之妙. 在這裡, 不同的職業畫家把孩童的塗鴉拿來當底圖, 加入了相當真實的光影, 材質, 以及鮮明的顏色. 結果呢? 產生了一群非常有趣卻又有點恐怖的畫作. 那些畫出原來底圖的小孩們看到這些畫可能會被嚇到做惡夢吧?

Thursday, April 22, 2010

Polar Bear



Probably not the best feel-good video to post on a TGI-friday, but it's still got good intentions. PlaneStupid has taken the environmental message to the extreme by producing this shocking advertisement "Polar Bear". It shows a bunch of polar bears falling to their death, and then goes on to tell us that it's equal to the weight of greenhouse gases an average flight emits. If the goal was to make the viewers remember to recycle next time, then it's definitely more effective than anything else I've seen.

如果你想要維持星期五的好心情的話, 那最好還是別看這個影片. 不過, 我們還是不能互略這個影片要傳達的訊息. PlaneStupid 把提倡環保運動帶到了一個駭人又悲哀的境界, 製作了這篇稱為 "北極熊" 的宣導短片. 影片裡殘酷的秀出一群北極熊, 從高空中直體落下, 狠狠的摔死到地上, 血液四濺. 短片最後寫: "平均一架飛機載一個人需要製造超過400公斤的溫室氣體, 那大約是一隻北極熊的重量". 如果這影片是為了要觀眾記得自源回收的話, 那我覺得它比我看到其他的廣告都有效多了.

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

After You



As I was surfing the net the other day, I came across this rather old animation by Christopher Cordingley, and a wave of nostalgia hit me. This was the clip that our professor showed us in my very first 3D animation class back in college. I was still a junior back then, and didn't know jack-sh*t about animation. Looking back at this now, there really are a lot of great animation principles in this clip such as the way characters convey their personalities, the way characters interact, and a simple, focused story.

某天在網路隨便亂逛的時候, 偶然看到了這個算蠻舊的動畫. 這個由 Christopher Cordingley 製作的作品讓我突然變得很懷舊. 在我還是個大學生, 對動畫製作毫無頭緒時, 我的第一個動畫教授上課第一天就是秀這部片給我們看的. 還記得那時候對這片印象深刻. 現在再看一次, 發覺它真的有許多不錯的基本動畫元素, 像是如何傳達角色們的性格和感情, 人物的互動, 和一個簡單明瞭卻又趣的故事.

Sunday, April 18, 2010

I'm Here


A friend of mine sent me this short film by Spike Jonze. (director of "Where The Wild Things Are") This is a cute yet sad little tale about a lone robot living in our society, falling in love, and eventually sacrificing himself for his loved one. The use of robots as characters seemed gimmicky to me at first, but eventually turned out to be interesting plot element and important part of the storyline. The story definitely touched me, but if you're not ready to spend 30 minutes on this, here is a 1 minute trailer of the film to look at.

我的一個朋友寄了這個由 Spike Jonze 所導的短片. 關於一架孤獨的機器人, 生活在我們的社會中, 愛上了一個人, 最後為了它的愛人犧牲掉自己. 算是個蠻溫馨卻有點悲傷的故事. 本來一開始我覺得利用機器人當主角有點像是在賣弄噱頭, 並不是那麼重要. 不過, 我發現其實這劇情元素對後來的故事發展很重要, 而且讓導演可以因此安排一些有趣的細節, 讓短片整體感覺和一般愛情故事不大一樣, 但是同樣的感人. 如果你沒時間把一整個半小時的短片看完的話, 那就先看看這個一分鐘的預告片吧.

Thanks, Lolay!

Thursday, April 15, 2010

This Too Shall Pass



Ever heard of the "Rube Goldberg Machine"? According to Wikipedia, it is " a deliberately over engineered machine that performs a very simple task in a very complex fashion, usually including a chain reaction." And this is exactly what the band OK Go created in their music video for "This Too Shall Pass". What I really like about it is that sometimes, the machines would play the melody as it goes along, thus integrating itself with the music. I really can't imagine how many painful trials they must have gone through to make whole process runs perfectly.

有聽過 "Rube Goldberg Machine" 嗎? 根據维基百科的說明, 那是一種過度複雜的機械組合,以迂迴曲折, 類似接龍的方法去完成一些非常簡單的工作" 而 OK Go 樂團耗費相當大的工程, 為他們的新 MV "This Too Shall Pass" 製作出了一個這樣的機器. 其中我很喜歡的是, 當這機器組合在跑時, 有時候會敲打出和背景音樂一樣的音調, 把自己和這支單曲融合在一起. 真是無法想像要讓這機器完美的自己跑完, 那些辛苦的幕後人員是重複試了不知道幾百次才成功的.

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Masterpieces in 3D


I never really enjoyed classical art that much, probably because i find them rather boring compared to the more contemporary ones. However, this hilarious video promoting the Samsung 3D TV really spiced up the art masterpieces by adding a third dimension to them. Apparently, when you view these art works from an angle that's never been seen before, it can reveal some secrets that were hiding behind the frames and the figures. These hidden surprises are actually pretty funny, and nothing short of awesome.

我從來都不是很喜歡古典藝術, 可能是因為我覺得和現代藝術比起來, 有些作品真的有點無聊. 不過, 這個用來推銷 Samsung 3D TV 的影片可是為了這些古典藝術加了不少料. 很明顯的, 當你把這些2D畫作多加一個D, 變立體之後, 再由另一個全新的角度去看它們時, 你會發現一些不為人知的秘密. 這些之前被邊框和畫像擋住的事物使得這些畫作突然變得格外爆笑, 感覺好像沒那麼無聊了.

Sunday, April 11, 2010

Chegg.com



Chegg.com is an online service that rents those expensive textbooks to college students cheaply so they don't have to buy them and go broke. Buck has made a series of advertisements for Chegg, and all of them are hilarious and full of style. According to Buck, "For every amazing business idea there is an equally ridiculous advertising campaign." Each of the 4 ads are: "Buttload", "Arm and Leg", "Gandhi", and "The Bird".

Chegg.com 是一個專門便宜出租教科書給大學生的網站, 所以那些窮苦學生不用因為貴得嚇死人的教科書落到每晚吃泡麵度日的境界. Buck 為 Chegg 製作了這一系列的廣告, 每一部都非常搞笑, 也很有風格. 根據 Buck, "每一個高明的生意點子都會產生出一則同樣誇張的廣告." 這4個廣告分別為: "Buttload" (一屁股), "Arm and Leg"(手臂與腿), "Gandhi"(甘地), 和 "The Bird"(小鳥).

Saturday, April 10, 2010

Post-It Love



"Post-It Love" is a cute story of office romance story directed by the UK duo Si & Ad. Similar to my earlier post "Signs", this is also a love story conveyed entirely without any dialog. Rather, the couple communicate to each others in a rather unconventional manner: making post-it murals for each others. Sometimes I feel like a romantic story can be conveyed much more effectively without any talking, since at that point audiences really focus on the emotions and feelings brought out from the actors. (Remember why Wall-E's first half was so memorable?)

"Post-It Love" (愛的便利貼) 是由英國的 Si & Ad 所導的一個相當可愛的辦公室愛情故事. 跟我之前介紹的 "Signs" 相當類似, 雖然男女主角的互動是重點, 這個故事也是完全沒有任何對話. 與其, 他們使用了一些比較特別的溝通方式: 用便利貼來為對方"貼"出一幅幅的壁畫. 有時我真的覺得, 某些愛情故事去掉對話反而比較能有效傳達情感. 因為觀眾會變得比較注重角色們的互動, 表情, 和他們內心的感覺. (當然, 演員的演技也要夠好才行) 還記得為什麼"瓦力"的前半段那麼的難忘嗎?

Wednesday, April 7, 2010

And Then There Was Salsa


This cute little animation is an ad spot for Frito-Lay's Tostitos Salsa dip. The animation is pretty nice, and the music is quite catchy. However, what really caught my eye is the presentation, since I've never seen anything like this before. As the video plays, the character suddenly jumped out of the bounding frame, and then the whole animation starts to fill up the entire screen. Even the comment section is being overtaken, and the "Vimeo" logo is being sliced up to become part of the salsa. Apparently there's also something similar on YouTube that promotes Wario Land on Wii. (Can someone tell me which agency/studio did this?)

這篇逗趣的動畫Frito-Lay 食品公司來促銷他們莎莎醬的廣告. 動畫本身挺不錯的, 音樂也蠻好聽. 不過, 讓我真正覺得有趣的是它的呈現方式, 我是從來沒看過類似的手法. 當影片在播放時, 裡面的人物會突然跳出影片框, 在螢幕上四處飛舞. 接著, 動畫覆蓋了整個畫面, 連評論欄都被蓋住, "Vimeo" 的標誌也被切片加到醬料裡去了. 任天堂在YouTube那邊好像也搞了個類似的廣告促銷Wii上的 Wario Land. (有人知道製作本片的公司的話請麻煩告訴我, 謝謝!)

Monday, April 5, 2010

Absolut Black & White



Even though it's not the best kind of vodka I've tasted, (in fact it's probably closer to worst) Absolut Vodka still has some of the best commercials out there. Following the stunning water-and-glass spectacle in "Absolut Dissection", the Swedish booze maker came back with two ads, one in black and another in white. Produced by Important Looking Pirates, both ads feature broken objects and pieces frozen in air, as if time has stopped. Then as the camera rotates, the objects slowly forms into the shape of their iconic vodka bottle.

雖然他們家的酒不是我喝過最好喝的 (事實上, 比較接近最難喝的) 絕對伏特加廣告卻還是在酒類廣告裡最有趣的. 繼他們上一部由晶瑩剔透的水與玻璃搭配的 "Absolut Dissection" 之後, 這個瑞典酒商一次連打兩支廣告, 一支黑一支白. 由 Important Looking Pirates 製作, 兩個廣告裡都看得到一堆物品和碎片, 漂浮在空中, 好像時間被凍結了一般. 攝影鏡頭不停旋轉, 最後看到那些四散的物體在特定的角度下形成了絕對伏特加有名的酒瓶形狀.

Sunday, April 4, 2010

The Hero



A friend of mine from Israel has sent me this super interesting video. It's a short about a hero who has apparently saved and inspired many people around the world, and guess who is this hero? It's... me! That's right, the person in the picture that the lady is holding is me, and that portrait of mine shows up in other parts of the video as billboards, paintings, and signs. Apparently, this website, "DRAFTFCB", allows you to create a movie about yourself or your friend by uploading a picture of a person, and it processes that picture and then integrates it into the short film, making you or anyone you know the star of the show. The video takes a while to load because the picture conversion process probably takes a long time, but trust me it's worth the wait. Try to make a movie of your friend, send it to them, and see their reaction!

我的一個在以色列的朋友寄了這個相當有趣的影片給我. 這個短片是有關一位拯救並啟發世界上許多人的一個大英雄. 猜猜看那個英雄是誰呢? 那就是... 我! 沒錯, 上圖那位小姐捧著的就是本人的照片, 而且那照片還在影片其他地方以不同的形式出現. 有時候我被登在廣告牌上, 有時候變成一幅油畫, 有時候變成人們高舉的告示牌. 事實上, 這個網站 "DRAFTFCB" 能夠讓你製作一部有關於你自己的電影. 你只需要把一張相片上傳到網站上, 它就會處理那個圖檔, 最後把那張相片合成到影片裡面, 讓你本人變成這電影裡的主角過過癮. 影片下載的時間很長 (可能是因為處理圖檔的程序很繁雜) 不過等待是值得的. 試試看把你朋友的相片上傳進去, 然後把影片寄給他, 看看對方會有什麼反應.

Thanks, Dana!

Thursday, April 1, 2010

Penguins Could Fly



BBC has made an amazing discovery. They've shot this footage which reveals that, contrary to popular belief, some penguins could actually fly! According to the host in the video, these penguins "fly thousands of miles from south pole to the rain forest in south america to spend the winter bathing in tropical sun." Pretty amazing isn't it?

Edit: Some of you probably have found out that it's actually an April Fools' joke :P, but it's still pretty amazing how far BBC would go to pull a prank like this. Here is a making of for the video.

BBC (英國新聞電台) 最近有了一個歷史性的大發現. 他們在南極拍到的這個紀錄片很明顯的證實, 企鵝其實是會飛的! 而且飛得又遠又高呢! 根據影片裡主持人的說法, 這些特種企鵝跟普通企鵝不大一樣, "冬天到時,他們會成群結隊的飛到數千里遠南美洲熱帶雨林必寒. 享受充分的熱帶陽光." 這則相當驚人的新聞完全推翻了一般大眾的常識呢.

跟新: 眼尖的讀著們可能已經察覺到了這其實是個 4/1 愚人節的玩笑 :P. 不過, 還是不得不佩服BBC為了這個騙局而花了多少功夫製作這影片. 按這裡看看幕後製作.

Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Create Your Own Flame



So did you get a chance to catch "How to Train Your Dragon" last weekend? (If not, get your butt off your seat and go watch it now! 97% on rottentomatoes.com now!) Do you like the dragon fires that our effects team created? If that made you really tempted to draw your own fiery art but don't know how, fear not. Peter Blaškovič has created this awesome web application that allows you to create beautiful flame images with a few simple strokes. I created that top image in a few seconds, and I dare you to do better! Check out his gallery for some other cool apps, the other one that I really liked is the fire simulator.

各位上周末有去看 "馴龍高手" 嗎? (沒有的話還不趕快現在去看! Rottentomatoes 的分數現在已經飆到97%了!) 有看到我們特效組所做的各種火龍所噴的火焰嗎? 如果那些火焰讓你覺得手癢, 也想來創造一些漂亮的烽火圖卻又不知道該怎麼畫的話, 別擔心. Peter Blaškovič 製作了這一套超酷的網路應用程式, 讓你簡簡單單幾筆畫就可以完成一張火焰畫. 上面那張圖是我花了幾秒鐘畫出來的, 你一定可以畫得更好. 看看Peter的一些其他的應用程式, 都很有趣. 我另外一個很喜歡的是這個火焰模擬器.

Thanks, Tim and Lauren!

Sunday, March 28, 2010

Het Klokhuis



"3D printing" is a technology usually used in the field of architecture and industrial design. Basically, designers would first create digital models with CAD programs. Then, the printer would "print" out physical 3D models of the design by putting layers of materials on top of each other. I remember people back in architecture schools and companies used it for design visualizations. However, it's the first time I'm seeing 3D printing used in stop-motion animation. It's the title and ending sequence for the Dutch science show "Het Klokhuis" (The Apple Core), created by Nexus, and the result is really quite interesting. Here's a behind the scenes look of the process.

"3D 列印" 是建築和工業設計行業常用的一種技術. 基本上, 設計師會先用電腦CAD程式設計出數位模型, 然後把檔案輸進3D列表機. 列表機就會 "印" 出一層一層的塑膠物質, 最後築構出實際的立體模型. 我還記得之前在建築學校及公司裡有許多人用這方法來把他們的設計實體化. 不過, 我還是第一次看到有人把這科技用在動畫上. 這個逐格動畫是 Nexus 為荷蘭的一個電視節目 "Het Klokhuis" (蘋果核) 所做的開頭以及結尾影片. 使用這創新的方法所製造出的效果真的蠻有趣的. 按這裡看看幕後製作.

Thursday, March 25, 2010

"How to Train Your Dragon" Opens Tomorrow!



The very first movie I've worked on, "How to Train Your Dragon", opens tomorrow in both 3D and IMAX theaters everywhere! I feel super lucky to have worked on it since, in my opinion, it's really the best DreamWorks movie so far. (With Kung Fu Panda coming in at a close second) you know I mean it when it's currently rated at 95% "fresh" on Rottentomatoes.com. If you do catch it this weekend, you'll spot my name in the credits under "Effects", close to the left side. Oscars for best animated film next year anyone?

我第一次參與製作的動畫電影 "訓龍高手" 明天就要在台灣各大戲院以及 3D IMAX 與美國同步上映了! 我覺得能夠參加這部片的製作真的相當幸運. 因為我認為這大概是夢工場動畫有史以來最好看的電影. "功夫熊貓"很接近, 不過還是在第2名. 當你看到 Rottentomatoes.com (美國一個很有名, 專門評分電影的網站) 目前給這部片95%分的時候, 你就知道我不是在吹牛. 如果你這周末有去看的話, 我的名子 "Robert Chen" 會在電影最後的製作名單出現. (在 "Effects" 特效部門下, 靠近螢幕左邊) 猜猜看這部電影會不會獲選明年奧斯卡最佳動畫片呢?

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Whole Smart Water



Dept. of Motion Graphics has came up with some fascinating fluid simulations for the spot Whole "Smart Water". It's quite refreshing to see the crystal clear water transforming from one object to the next through some beautiful transitions. I don't know about you guys, but I personally have a soft spot for cool liquid effects. (After the link, click the pictures to play the videos)

Dept. of Motion Graphics 利用了一些先進的流體模擬技術製作了這篇 Whole Smart Water 的廣告. 看著這些晶瑩剔透的水以相當優雅的形態從一個物體變化成另一個真的是很讓人感覺很清爽. 我是不知道各位讀者的喜好, 不過液態流體特效一直是我最喜歡的特效之一. (進入連結之後, 需要按那些圖片才能開始觀賞影片)

Sunday, March 21, 2010

Zune Art



When Microsoft's "Zune" launched a few years ago, they asked a bunch of artists and studios to make creative promos with the theme "sharing" to highlight Zune's capability of sharing music with your friends. One of my favorite ones is the clip done by the ingenious Tokyo Plastic, where you see a big creature "sharing" one of his many eyeballs with a smaller guy who doesn't yet have one. What a weird yet sweet story!

當微軟在幾年前推出他們第一部mp3播放機 "Zune" 的時候, 他們邀了一群藝術家和動畫公司為他們製作一些廣告. 這些廣告的共同主題是 "分享", 為了強調 Zune 可以拿來和其他人分享音樂的功能. 這些廣告裡我最喜歡的 Tokyo Plastic 的作品. 在裡面, 有一隻長了很多眼睛的生物, "分享" 了它其中一顆眼珠子給了一隻原本沒有眼睛的可憐人. 真的是個相當怪異卻又窩心的廣告啊!

Saturday, March 20, 2010

Telephone MV



Originally I wasn't going to post this one, since it's really a bit too explicit and too weird. (Besides, not everyone likes Lady GaGa) However, I feel obligated to post it as a tribute to my friend's love for the video. She even went so far as quoting this line on her facebook: "Trust is like a mirror, you can fix it if it's broke, but you can still see the crack in that motherf*cker's reflection." Even if you don't agree with that quote, you still gotta agree that this is one unique and quirky music video. Lady GaGa always finds a way to push the envelope with her crazy outfits and performances, and this one is definitely packed with style and attitude. Right Cleo? ;)

Lady GaGa 的新MV "Telephone" 實在是太古怪又曝露, 我本來是不打算放上來的. (而且並不是每個人都喜歡她) 不過, 我有個朋友實在是太愛這支MV, 讓我覺得我有義務來分享她的最愛. 她甚至在她的 facebook 裡po了在MV裡出現的名言: "信賴就像面鏡子, 破了的話你可以把它修好, 不過最後你還是可以看得到那他X的裂痕." 先不管你同不同意這句話, 這支MV還真的是十分勁爆又大膽. Lady GaGa 總是有辦法挑戰觀眾的視覺極限, 在MV裡打扮標新立異, 相當有自己的獨特風格. 你說對不對, Cleo? ;)

(更新: 聽說之前放的連結在美國地區以外都不能看, 所以我把連結改成另一個網站. 不知道現在在台灣的讀著看得到了嗎? 以後有類似問題麻煩和我說一聲! 謝啦!)

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

The Lighthouse Keeper



"The Lighthouse Keeper" is a story of morals from the students of the French art school Gobelins. It teaches us that we need to be kind to others, even if it's a... giant firefly. What caught my eye with this one is the old-fashioned artistic style and the very muted color palette. The ending, which the story is building up to for the whole time, also has quite an impact.

"The Lighthouse Keeper" (燈塔守衛) 是一個道德故事. 由法國的 Gobelins 藝術學院的學生製作, 這短片教導我們隨時都要善待他人, 就算對方是隻... 超巨大的螢火蟲. 這動畫有趣的地方在於利用很復古的畫風以及非常單一的色調, 還蠻有舊式卡通的感覺. 而整個故事的高潮結局也挺有震撼力的.

Monday, March 15, 2010

Chop Cup



"Chop Cup" is a strangely mind-bending viral video from WeAreOm. In the beginning you see a pair of mysterious hands playing ye old "guess which cup" game. And as we all know, these games never end in expected result. However, this time, the magician really blew away the viewers' mind with some neat perspective trickeries. Click here to see the making of.

"Chop Cup" 是 WeAreOm 製作的一個挺新奇的實驗性影片. 一開始你只看得到一雙手在變那個"猜猜球在哪"的老把戲. 而且你大概也猜得出來, 這種把戲最後一定是會來耍個花招, 來製造個意想不到的結果. 不過, 你大概猜不倒, 不只杯子和球, 影片裡一切的事物都是個扭曲視角的大騙局, 讓人可能要看第二遍才看得懂. 按這裡看幕後製作.

Saturday, March 13, 2010

Untoon



Today, I've decided to post something that's not video for the first time. However, it is still very much related to the field of animation and visual effects. These series of images is an internet movement started from (I believe) the blogger/artist Pixeloo which he coined "Untoon". It is to take a well-known cartoon or game character and try to make it look as realistic as possible, yet still maintaining the cartoonish shapes and proportions. The result, to be honest, is quite creepy and striking to me. Click the super realistic-looking Mario image to see more untooned characters. (Image courtesy of Pixeloo, Worth1000, Mataleone, Gearfuse and Halolz)

今天, 我決定第一次來po一些非影片的作品. 不過, 這些作品還是和動畫以及特效有密切的關係. 這些圖片是從(我猜想)一名自稱 Pixeloo 的部落客/藝術家所開始的網路潮流所延伸出的. 而他稱之這個潮流為 "Untoon" (非卡通化). 基本上, 就是把一個有名的卡通人物或電玩角色"現實化", 弄得非常真實, 但同時又保留人物原本的形狀和比例. 這個成果說實在的, 實在是又畸形又詭異, 不過卻又很新奇有趣. 按上面的超真實板瑪莉歐來看看其他 "非卡通化" 的作品. (圖自 Pixeloo, Worth1000, Mataleone, Gearfuse Halolz)

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

BMW GINA



GINA (short for "Geometry In 'N' Adaptations") is a concept car from the automaker BMW, and it is probably one of the most interesting and revolutionary car designs I've ever seen. Instead of using hard metal skin for its exterior, GINA is made out of frames that are wrapped by soft and flexible fabric. Because of this, the car is capable of shape-shifting and is incredibly light. The way things open and close such as the eye-lid like headlights, wing-like doors and zipper-like hood are also quite incredible. But I do have to wonder, how safe is it to drive 80 mph in a fabric-covered machine...?

GINA 是汽車大亨 BMW 所設計的一部概念車. 這大概是我看過最有趣也最革命性的汽車概念之一吧. 與其用一般硬梆梆的金屬片當外殼, GINA 則利用柔軟, 有彈性的布料包紮住骨架來當車的"外皮". 因為如此, 這部車能夠改變自己的外形, 而且相當輕盈. 它那像眼睛一樣的車燈, 翅膀般的車門和拉鍊般的引擎蓋都讓我大開眼界. 不過, 我倒不知道在一台被布料包著的機器裡飆到時速100公里有多安全就是了...

Monday, March 8, 2010

Oscar Winners



So, the Oscar winners were revealed last night, and "Logorama" is the best animated short. Honestly I was a bit surprised. Although the short has some interesting and creative use of popular logos as well as some tight action, it was ultimately, in my opinion, weaker than both "French Roast" and "The Lady and The Reaper". On the other hand, "Up" won the best animated feature, and that's definitely no surprise there since it is a great film. (However, I still can't get over the fact that Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs didn't get nominated while The Princess and the Frog did...)

昨天晚上奧斯卡贏家出爐了, 動畫短片的得獎者是 "Logorama". 說真的我有點訝異. 雖然這短片用很有趣的方式來利用我們常看到的商標和招牌人物, 而且還有許多激烈的動作場面, 但我個人還是認為 "French Roast" 和 "The Lady and The Reaper" 比較好看. 另外, "天外奇蹟" 贏得了最佳動畫電影, 這就沒什麼好驚訝的了, 因為那的確是部鉅作. (不過, 我還是無法了解為什麼 "食破天驚" 沒被提名, 反而 "公主與青蛙" 那麼無趣的作品卻入圍了...)

Saturday, March 6, 2010

MTVN HD - Lake/Speaker



Korb has came up with these two really cool spots for MTVN HD: "Lake" and "Speaker". The common theme among these two shorts seem to be the formation of alien speaker-like objects mysteriously appearing in or on top of a lake. The sound design from Echolab is also pretty neat and spot-on.

Korb 為 MTVN HD 製作了這兩個相當屌的廣告: "Lake" (湖) 和 "Speaker" (喇叭). 這兩個廣告的共同點似乎是在於一個不明物體的形成, 而這些外星物體看上去像某種喇叭, 神秘的在湖面上漂浮或是淹沒在湖水中. Echolab 為這兩個廣告設計的音效也挺酷的, 相當的搭. 廣告最後寫: "完美的誕生, 讓音樂活起來."

Thursday, March 4, 2010

日々の音色



This is a uber-cool music video from Good General. The song is called "Hibi no Neiro" (Tone of Everyday) and is performed by the Japanese band SOUR. Looking at the cool "collage" effect from multiple videos, you could tell that there was some massive and intricate planning involved beforehand. According to the creators, "The cast were selected from the actual Sour fan base, from many countries around the world. Each person and scene was filmed purely via webcam."

這個超酷的影片是由 Good General 為一個日本的樂團 SOUR 所導的 MV, 歌名叫 "日々の音色". (每日的音色) 看著它用 "拼貼" 的方式把不同的影片組合起來製造出的效果, 就不難想像這 MV 背後的計畫是多麼的仔細與周詳. 根據製作人的解說, "裡面的演員全都是世界各地的 SOUR 粉絲, 每個片段都完全是用網路視訊攝影機拍出來的."

Tuesday, March 2, 2010

Homunculus



Humble TV has made this short that tells us how it's probably not a good idea to let your food go bad in your fridge. This short is titled "Homunculus", Latin for "little human". It shows various miniature yet violent humanoid creatures arise from the rotten food, tearing each others apart, and eating up their bodies. The clip where things rot in the beginning is shot for a long period of time (11 days) and then compressed to be shown at a very fast rate. The result, as the creator states, is a "beautiful decay" of life that gives rise to these little monsters.

Humble TV 拍了這個短片來警告我們把食物放在冰箱裡發霉發臭大概不是一件好事. 這片名叫 "Homunculus", 是拉丁文的 "小矮人". 裡面秀出了從腐爛的食物裡誕生的奇妙生物, 抓狂似得撕扯互相的身體, 吃掉對方. 影片一開頭可以看到許多食物快速腐壞, 這片段是把花了11天拍攝的影片縮短成數秒鐘, 快速播放出來. 對製作人來說, 只有讓這些原有的生命腐敗消逝, 才有可能催生出這些另類的生命體.

Sunday, February 28, 2010

Citoplasmas



A friend of mine who's currently in a medical school in Poland has sent me this fun little clay animation from the Spanish studio Citoplasmas. Using the strength of claymation, this short tries to demonstrate the "terrible and funny consequences of a boring class" by deforming and defacing its clay characters. I really have to wonder if this is what that medical student friend of mine feels during all his classes?

我一個在波蘭讀醫學院的朋友寄給我了一個還蠻有趣的黏土動畫. 由西班牙的 Citoplasmas 製作, 這個動畫充分使用了黏土的特性, 盡情的把裡面各種黏土角色的臉弄得扭曲變形, 來表示大學裡有些課堂的無聊程度. 我好奇的是, 這動畫是不是反映出了那個醫學系朋友在課堂裡的心聲了呢?

Thanks, Dallas!

Saturday, February 27, 2010

Carousel



Stink Digital has created this epic promo for Philips' Cinema 21:9 HDTV. The pitch is to create something so cinematic, that it can match with Hollywood's best theatric experience, and they did just that. The spot depicts a a single, frozen moment in the midst of a battle between the cops and the robbers, through a single camera that moves across the entire scene, Matrix style. The reason why this is titled "Carousel" is because, like an actual carousel, its end connects seamlessly with its beginning, and can be played in an endless loop.

Stink Digital 為飛利浦最新的電視 Cinema 21:9 做了一個宣傳廣告. 客戶的要求是, 製作一個可以和好萊塢動作片相競的戲劇性體驗, 而 Stink Digital 也的確辦到了. 這影片秀出了警察和帶著小丑面具的強盜對持的一瞬間. 攝影機在這時間被凍結的場景裡四處穿梭, 感覺很像駭客任務的拍攝手法. 這影片名叫 "Carousel" (旋轉木馬) 的原因是它也是在自我循環. 短片結尾就是它的開頭, 跟一個旋轉木馬一樣, 可以不停的, 無間隙的重複播放.

Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Carbon Footprint



Jellyfish Pictures has made this haunting commercial for Discovery called "Carbon Footprint" to promote environmental awareness and the importance of recycling. The spot shows a time-lapse footage of a can slowly deteriorating and eventually breaking apart, with a message at the end that reads "It takes a second for you to recycle a can. It takes 50 years for a can to recycle itself." Quite a simple yet powerful idea that conveys its message clearly.

Jellyfish PicturesDiscovery 製作了一個名叫 "Carbon Footprint" (碳足跡) 的廣告, 為了宣傳環保及資源回收的重要性. 廣告以加速快轉影片的方式呈現, 秀出一個鋁罐, 在時間的流逝下, 慢慢的生鏽腐爛, 直到消失. 影片最後寫 "回收一個罐子只需要你一秒, 要罐子回收自己則需要50年." 真的是一個簡單卻又強烈的訊息啊.

Monday, February 22, 2010

The Lady And The Reaper



There is one other animation that I really like on the Oscar nominated shorts this year, and that's "The Lady and the Reaper" by the Spanish team Kandor Moon. Even though it's dealing with the theme of death, (why do I see so many shorts like that these days?) the animation is really fast-paced, fun and humorous. Especially when everything just gets so weird and surreal near the end. Click here to check out the concept art and character designs.

這次的奧斯卡最佳動畫短片提名裡另一個讓我覺得很有趣的動畫是由西班牙來的 Kandor Moon 所製作的 "The Lady and the Reaper" (婦人與死神). 雖然這是有關死亡的故事, (怎麼最近常常看到這種短片?) 不過卻相當的幽默搞笑, 步調輕快. 尤其是在結尾時, 故事變的越來越瘋狂, 越來越有想像力. 按這裡看它的草圖和角色設計.

Saturday, February 20, 2010

Slo-Mo Surfing



BBC has shot this super slow motion HD footage of a surfer in some huge waves. Seeing the motion of the water and how the surfer glides through them is absolutely stunning. I feel like certain things always look more beautiful and dramatic in slo-mo. (remember the bullets and the fire?) If your connection speed is fast enough, I highly suggest you turn it on to 1080p HD and watch it in full screen.

BBC (英國最大的新聞電台) 拍了一個超慢速的 HD 衝浪影片. 這些水流優雅的變化, 以及衝浪手輕鬆的滑越過由水形成的通道那瞬間真的很驚艷又美麗. 我覺得有些事物以超慢速播出感覺真的比較優美, 有戲劇性, 會讓你發現平常不會看到的事. (還記得子彈火焰的影片嗎?) 如果你網路夠快的話, 我建議你把影片調成1080p HD 高畫質, 並以全螢幕欣賞.

Thursday, February 18, 2010

Greedy Boy



"Greedy Boy" is a graduate project by Flew that is quite similar to my previous post "Moonboy", except the main character here may not be as sympathetic as the other one. The story is quite simple, described in one line by the creator as "A boy eats everything he can and doesn't know when to stop." The ending of this short can be a little shocking and may gross some of you out, so don't say I didn't warn you!

之前介紹了 "Moonboy" (月亮男孩), 那今天就介紹一下"Greedy Boy" (貪婪男孩) 吧. 兩部短片感覺相當類似, 但是這片的主角可沒那麼令人同情. 作者 Flew 就說了, "這是個有關一名什麼都要吃掉, 不知何時停止的男孩." 看到他張開的血盆大口也是不難想像. 結局有點驚人加噁心, 所以要看的人請有自知.

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Guerre Naïve



Although it is probably a bit too late, but I still want to wish everyone a happy Chinese New Year! For this reason, I'm posting this short inspired by the mask-wearing children on the streets in China during the new years, called "Guerre Naïve", which translates to "Naive War". Made by the students in the world-famous French animation school Supinfocom, this short is very stylized: sometimes giving the look of paper-cut stop motion, other times it looks like live-action or video game footage.

雖然有點晚了, 但是我還是要跟大家說一聲, 新年快樂! 虎年行大運! 因為這原因, 我打算介紹這個短片 "Guerre Naïve". (幼稚的戰爭) 話說這是由在新年的時候, 在中國街道上帶著面具玩耍的孩子們身上所取得靈感的. 由世界知名的法國動畫學院 Supinfocom 裡的學生製作, 這短片可說是十分有自己的風格: 有時候感覺像是用紙做出來的逐格動畫, 有時後又有點像真實影片, 又有時候則像是電玩畫面, 相當有趣.

Monday, February 15, 2010

F5 Titles



In April last year, at New York City, there was a 2-day conference involving some of the greatest and most creative minds in motion and interactive design industry. this conference is called "F5". An initiative from Motionographer, speakers from studios such as The Mill, 1stAveMachine, and many others gathered up and shared their insights and creative processes. Its title sequence, created by Dvein, was to "match the eclectic spirit of the conference ... to get the soul of the speakers into the titles in some way." The end result was nothing short of mind-blowing. I really wish I could have attended that conference...

去年四月, 在紐約市, 有一場為期兩天, 名叫 "F5" 的動態媒體設計以及互動藝術的會談. 許多現今最有創意的特效, 動畫和設計公司如 The Mill 及 1stAveMachine 都有參加這場由 Motionographer 主持的會談, 互相分享它們的靈感和創作過程. 這會談的開頭短片是由 Dvein 製作, 為了 "符合這會議多元化的精神. 在這短片不同的片斷裡, 捕捉到這些動態藝術家的靈魂." 短片本身我覺得就像是一件藝術品, 非常的特別. 真希望我也能去參加這會談啊...

Thursday, February 11, 2010

Signs



I usually don't post films that don't feature its animation or visual effects. However, this short is way too touching to be passed on. Directed by Patric Hughes, This is a love story about how two people working at neighboring companies met, and ultimately fell in love. Even though it's a love story that relies on the dynamics of its two characters, theres is not a single dialog to be found in this film. Instead, the two lovers communicate in a distance through written signs. Watch the lower res but faster loading version here.

我通常不會介紹和動畫或特效無關的影片, 不過, 這短片實在是太可愛又感人, 讓我覺得不放有點可惜. 由 Patric Hughes 導, 這是個有關兩個在隔壁公司上班的員工初次見面, 而漸漸陷入愛河的愛情故事. 雖然說重點是在這兩人的互動上, 但是本片完全沒有半句對話. 男女兩人的溝通完全是透過在招牌上寫字或畫圖, 但是卻可以從中感到他們對互相的感情. 按這裡看快速下載低畫質版.

Tuesday, February 9, 2010

French Roast



The 2010 Oscar nomination has recently been announced, and among the nominees for best animated short film, my favorite one has got to be "French Roast", produced by Pumpkin Factory / Bibo Films. The story itself is fun and charming, but it is really the unique cinematography that intrigues me. The whole animation uses a single camera angle, and never switches its view to a different perspective. The camera itself only pans or zooms, but never rotates. With this clever use of camera motion, fade-in and fade-out transitions, and the large mirror at the very back, the film is able to convey the whole story with just a single shot, a very unique story-telling technique indeed. For a list of other animations that got nominated, click here and scroll down to "Short Film (Animated)".

2010 年的奧斯卡提名出爐了, 而在動畫短片的名單中, 我最喜歡的作品是由 Pumpkin Factory / Bibo Films 製作的 "French Roast". (法式烘焙) 雖然故事風趣幽默, 但是這短片真正特別的地方是它的用鏡. 整個動畫就只用一個鏡頭, 從來不換到其他的角度. 攝影機會上下左右移動, 但從來不旋轉. 利用這巧妙的運鏡方式, 淡入淡出的變換畫面, 以及後頭的那面大鏡子, 這短片以相當特別有趣的方法描述了一個故事. 要知道還有哪些動畫短片被提名的話請按這, 然後到 "Short Film (Animated)" 的部分.

Sunday, February 7, 2010

Don't Take Chances. Take Charge.



I remember my visual psychology professor back in college once said that, human brains are programmed to recognize faces, even on the most random and irrelevant things. This is why people freak out when they see the face on mars and the Virgin Mary grilled cheese is sold for $28,000 on ebay. While, in fact, they are just a regular rock on mars and a burnt piece of bread. This is also why, this commercial from American Express really caught my eye: they've used this simple concept and created a whole video featuring mundane objects arranged like faces. Suddenly, those objects are not so mundane anymore, and could even convey emotions to us.

我還記得在讀大學時, 我的視覺心理學教授曾跟我們說, 人類的大腦被設定成特別容易識別"臉", 而且對臉的視覺感應比其他事物都來的靈敏, 就算那些"臉"的形狀根本是由無關的東西碰巧形成的. 這也是為什麼當人們看到火星上的人面石會那麼驚訝, 而聖母馬利亞像的烤麵包會在網拍上以$28,000美元的天價賣出. 說穿了那些東西只不過是普通的石頭和烤焦麵包而已. 而美國運通就是利用這特點來打廣告: 廣告裡秀出了一些平淡無奇, 每天都會看到的物品或場景. 但是由於那些東西形成了一張張"臉"的樣貌, 而突然好像沒那麼無聊, 反而好像在對觀眾傳達某種情感.

Saturday, February 6, 2010

Salty



Here is a sad story about a little salt bottle guy who got abandoned by his family. Why? Because the family found something healthier than salt, and it's Knorr's Side Kick! If that sounds like an advertisement tag line, that's because it is an advertisement. However, AXYZ's creation is still a cute and soulful clip. Furthermore, who can possibly resist a crying little salt bottle in rain! Here are some other clips involving our little guy Salty: "Dating" and "Brace".

這是悲傷的故事: 一個可憐的小鹽巴罐被他的家人拋棄了. 為什麼呢? 因為他家人找到了更健康的選擇, 那就是 Knorr 的 Side Kick! (一家加拿大公司出產的低鈉鹽) 如果這聽起來像是廣告詞的話, 那是因為這本來就是個廣告. 不過, 這個由 AXYZ 所製作的短片還是相當的可愛又惹人憐啊. 更何況, 誰能忍心看著一個在雨中哭泣的鹽巴罐而不同情的呢? 也看看其他 Salty 的短片吧: "Dating" (約會) 和 "Brace" (支撐).

Wednesday, February 3, 2010

Moonboy



Do you get a feeling that, sometimes this world is just so messed up, you wish you could just run away from everything? The guys at MoreFrames sure do, and have expressed it through the emotional animation "Moonboy". In this short film of "a boy who wishes for better things", our unibrow hero got so fed up by what he sees on TV, that he eventually went on to the moon to escape from everything.

你會不會有時候覺得, 這個世界這麼的混亂, 讓你很想找個地方逃走, 一走了之? 在 MoreFrames 裡面的導演們似乎也有這種感覺, 所以用 "Moonboy" (月亮男孩) 這有點感傷的短片來表達他們的想法. 在這短片裡, 有個一字眉的小男孩, 受不了在電視上看到的事物, 而學嫦娥奔月去了.

Monday, February 1, 2010

Sundance Openings



Just came back from Sundance Film Festival 2010, and man, I've got to say it was an amazing experience. (It is one of the biggest independent film festival held in Park City, Utah every year in January) I was lucky enough to see a screening of a fun film that parodies the modern day horror film. Yet, the thing that left a stronger impression was actually the opening animation that plays before every Sundance films. These openings, created by Buck, are all stop-motion animations, and all end with the word "Rebel", the theme for the festival this year. There are 4 pieces: "Grow Underground", "Come Together", "Begin Again", and "Tell Your Own Story".

剛從 2010 年日舞影展回來, 說真的這實在是個很棒的體驗. (日舞影展是美國規模最大的獨立電影影展. 每年一月於猶他州舉行) 我很幸運的看到了一部蠻有趣的獨立喜劇, 是有點像是在嘲笑好萊塢恐怖片的電影. 不過, 令我印象最深刻的不是那部電影, 而是在電影放映前的開頭短片. 日舞影展委託一家叫 Buck 的公司為他們製作4個短片為每部電影做開頭. 這些都是逐格動畫, 而且都以 "Rebel" ("叛逆" - 今年的主題) 這個字做結尾. 這4個動畫分別為: "Grow Underground" (地底生長), "Come Together" (集合), "Begin Again" (重新開始), 和 "Tell Your Own Story" (述說自己的故事).

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Between



Tim Bollinger's short film "Between" is dark, surreal, and quite creepy to be honest. The film takes the viewer across various spaces, phasing through floors and walls, and going into moments that are frozen in time. It is as if the film maker is trying to dig up the dark childhood subconscious memories and then display/distort it. The film is shot with a variety of techniques including regular footage, stop-motion, compositing of photographs, and 3D animation.

Tim Bollinger 製作的 "Between" 是個相當黑暗, 超現實的短片. 老實說, 我覺得是挺詭異恐怖的. 影片帶著觀眾進入到不同的空間, 穿梭於各個牆面以及地面, 進入時間被結凍的瞬間. 感覺好像導演想要把小時候想忘掉的可怕回憶或在潛意識裡的畫面完整展現出來. 短片製作用上了不同的技巧如普通攝影, 逐格動畫, 相片合成, 以及3D動畫.

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Gopher Broke



Blur Studio specializes in making cool opening and cut-scenes for video games. Yet, once a while, they'd do shorts that are just cute and fun to watch. Here's a funny little animation from them called "Gopher Broke" about a gopher trying use his smarts to steal food from trucks. Yet, he ended up with something a bit too big for him to swallow.

Blur Studio 是專門幫電玩廠商製作遊戲開頭級片尾動畫的一家公司. 不過, 它們偶爾也會做一些可愛有趣的小短片. 這個相當好笑的動畫 "Gopher Broke" 就是其中之一. 這是在述說一隻地鼠在耍小聰明, 試著從路過的卡車上偷食物. 不過最後, 他偷到的食物似乎稍嫌過大了點...

Sunday, January 24, 2010

Modul



Maxim Zhestkov is a young Russian motion designer and director who often produces works that are very abstract and provocative. His diploma project "Modul" is no different. Like many of his other pieces, he only uses black and white for his color, and very primitive shapes for his forms. Yet, with these limitations, he was able to create works of fine art that are very interesting, which often has this silent, yet powerful "Zen" feel to them. Check out his website for some of his other works.

Maxim Zhestkov 是蘇俄的一個年輕動畫藝術家/導演. 他的作品通常都是非常的抽象及具想像力. 他的畢業作品 "Modul" 就是一個很好的例子. 純粹只利用簡單的幾何圖形和黑與白這兩種顏色, Maxim 把這個限制變成創意, 創造出感覺非常沉靜, 卻又強大的"禪"之意境, 相當有趣. 他的網站也有其他的作品, 可以去看看.

Thursday, January 21, 2010

Durex - Get It On



I contemplated about whether or not to post this on this family-friendly blog for a long time. Then I thought, what the hell, this is too funny and brilliant to pass on. It's a hilarious spot by Superfad for Durex that involves... humping balloon dogs, with a message in the end that says "Have fun. Be safe. Always wear a condom." Take a look at these equally funny outtakes as well. (outtake 1, outtake 2, outtake 3)

我考慮該不該在這個普通級的部落格上po這影片已考慮很久了. 不過我想, 這麼爆笑又出色的廣告要不介紹的話實在是太可惜了. 這是 Superfad 為美國的一家保險套公司 Durex 所製作的廣告, 秀出一群在... 嘿秀的氣球狗. 最後的標語是這樣寫的: "快活的玩, 安全第一, 永遠都要戴上保險套." 有空也看看這些一樣搞笑的被剪片段 (outtake 1, outtake 2, outtake 3)

Monday, January 18, 2010

This Way Up



Dark, morbid and wonderfully pointless, "This Way Up" is a short from the London studio Nexus that looks at the subject of death with a unique sense of humor. The dark humor reminds me of the short "Fallen Art". I find it funny how the short portrays the afterlife as a world full of energy and color, which is in direct contrast with the dull and boring mortal world. This short won the SIGGRAPH 2009 animation festival competition as well as the Academy Awards nomination for best animated short. Check out their official site for some behind the scenes stuff.

倫敦來的 Nexus 所製作的 "This Way Up" (從這兒上去) 有點黑暗又詭異, 看似毫無意義, 但是卻又很搞笑, 很有趣. 它用風趣輕鬆的角度來看待"死亡"這個嚴肅的課題. 整體的黑色幽默感覺很像之前介紹的 "Fallen Art". 其中我覺得很特別的是, 短片把死後的世界刻畫得色彩繽紛又充滿活力, 跟灰暗又沉悶的現世形成了強烈對比. 這動畫贏得了 2009 SIGGRAPH 動畫獎以及奧斯卡最佳動畫短片提名. 它們的官方網站有一些幕後製作可以看看.

Thursday, January 14, 2010

The Third & The Seventh



When I first watched this short, I thought it was just a pretty well-shot footage with a very good camera (with a little effects added). And then, the description shocked me: this film is entirely in CG. I was skeptic of this until I watched the compositing breakdown. Man, this guy, Alex Roman, sure knows how to render. It's also quite refreshing to see a lot of well-known architecture masterpiece showcased here, in very photogenic angles.

當我第一次看到這短片 "The Third & The Seventh" (第三與第七) 時, 我只是覺得這是個用一台不錯的攝影機拍的高畫質影片罷了. 不過, 當我看到解釋時則大驚: 這短片全是電腦CG製作. 本來還不太敢相信, 但是看到這製作解析之後, 還真的不得不佩服製作人 Alex Roman 的3D功夫. 看到短片裡秀出許多知名的建築大作, 卻用一般人不會想到的角度去拍攝, 也是感覺蠻新奇的.

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

How Will You Create The Universe



Ever heard of this little game from EA Maxis called "Spore"? well, back in 2008 when Electronic Arts is about to release the game, they commissioned Encyclopedia Pictura to create this ad spot for them. it was ultimately, however, cancelled. Out of pure love of animation and dedication to this project, Encyclopedia Pictura teamed up with Tippet Studio to finish this project with no pay. The whole short has a unique and distinct visual style that's found in the actual game. Such a shame on EA, for this spot would definitely grab audience's attention to the game.

有聽過 "Spore" 這個由EA(美商藝電)所出的一個小遊戲嗎? 2008年, 當EA要發行這遊戲時, 他們委託 Encyclopedia Pictura 為此遊戲製作這則廣告 "How Will You Create The Universe". (你要如何創造宇宙) 不過最後卻被取消了. 基於對動畫的熱忱, Encyclopedia Pictura 和 Tippet Studio 合作自掏腰包, 硬是把這短片製作出來. 整個動畫在視覺上非常類似 "Spore" 這遊戲的風格. EA真的應該感到可惜, 這麼有趣的廣告要是播出的話, 一定會讓許多人注意到這遊戲吧.

Sunday, January 10, 2010

Inception - Trailer


Stumbled on the trailer for this movie called "Inception" by director Christopher Nolan. The preview is simultaneous exciting and puzzling. After watching the trailer for the 5th time, I still have absolutely no idea what the hell this movie is about. The synopsis does not help much either: "A contemporary sci-fi actioner set within the architecture of the mind." However, all these doesn't stop the trailer from looking awesome and the fact that it's directed by the director who made some of the greatest movies of all time. (The Dark Knight, The Prestige) So, count me in on this one!

某天亂逛網路時偶然看到這部由 Christopher Nolan 導, 名叫 "Inception" (直譯: "初始") 的電影預告, 讓我同時變的很興奮, 卻又摸不著頭緒. 就算看了5遍, 還是不知道這電影是在講什麼. 簡介似乎也是沒什麼用: "一個現代的科幻動作片, 發生在精神的結構之中." 不過, 不管這電影要說什麼, 看起來似乎相當的精采. 而且這可是由導過如"黑暗騎士"和"頂尖對決"這些世紀大片的導演操刀的, 所以當然是不能錯過啦!

Thursday, January 7, 2010

The Black Hole



The directors at HSI London were able to turn a simple concept into an engaging and humorous film - "The Black Hole". According to the description, "A sleep-deprived office worker accidentally discovers a black hole - and then greed gets the better of him..." For some reason this reminds me of my previous post "The Gloaming", except funnier and much less creepy. Seems like white-collar workers never end up too well in the movie world...

HSI London 的導演們從一個簡單概念延伸出了一個有趣又幽默的故事. "The Black Hole" (黑洞) 是有關一個睡眠不足的上班族, 某晚突然發現了個黑洞, 而變得貪心過頭. 這短片感覺很像之前po的 "The Gloaming", 只是比較搞笑, 沒有那麼恐怖. 好像在電影世界裡, 上班族都沒什麼好下場...

Tuesday, January 5, 2010

Superflat Monogram



Takashi Murakami is one of my favorite artists out there today. Heavily influenced by the Japanese anime culture, his artworks often involves flat shaded characters in bright, saturated colors and are simultaneously cute and scary. That's why I was really curious about this animation he did for Louis Vuitton. Those of you who follow fashion probably know that Murakami designed the monogram for a line of LV bags back in 2003. To promote this collaboration, he also did a short animated film about a Japanese school girl got "sucked" into the world of Louise Vuitton, and her bizarre adventures there. Murakami has recently created a sequel to the original animation to celebrate the six years-long partnership with LV.

村上隆是現今我最欣賞的藝術家之一. 它的作品有著濃濃的日本動畫風, 經常使用色彩鮮豔, 有點可愛又有點恐怖的角色. 所以當我聽說他要幫 Louis Vuitton 做動畫時自然是會變的相當好奇. 有在跟隨時尚流行的人大概都知道, 村上隆在2003年時曾幫LV設計一系列的包包. 為了宣傳合作, 他也幫LV製作了個動畫短片, 有關一個女學生被"吸進"了LV的世界裡, 而展開了她的奇幻旅程. 最近, 村上隆又幫LV做了那個短片的續集, 來慶祝與他們6年來的合作關係.