universal positive » Filmmaking

Experience media from Spinifex Group

Roger Darnell — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 19:10:41 +0000

I’m very proud to be working with the phenomenal Sydney-based creative communications company Spinifex Group, which is made up of authentic leaders in creating and delivering experience media.

With recent projects ranging from immersive interactive experiences to global broadcast events and epic big screen corporate communications extravaganzas, they have resolved some of the most ambitious and complex storytelling challenges of our times, with historical results. Below, I’ve organized summary notes on some of their latest projects, which as you’ll see, include numerous mesmerizing ceremonies and pavilions at the Shanghai World Expo, the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics Ceremonies, the Beijing 2008 Summer Olympics Ceremonies, and many others.

A true concept-to-completion creative group, Spinifex nurtures original ideas from production to delivery in an environment of innovation and uncompromising integrity, combining time-honored storytelling traditions with the tools of the digital age (mainly, ones made by Apple). Last month, they provided spectacular experience support to Electronic Arts at E3 as you can see in the video above, or the story here.

Diverse, inventive, and often entrusted with stories of cultures not their own, the creative interpretations of Spinifex Group continue to be celebrated by local and international audiences alike. It will be my pleasure to hear from you regarding Spinifex Group, and to help answer any questions you may have. In the meantime, thank you very much for your interest.

Shanghai World Expo 2010 Opening Ceremony
Creative: 10-minute “Dream Cube Spectacular” — ran every night of the Expo, hourly.
Historical: Uses world’s largest outdoor LED screen.

Cisco Pavilion at Shanghai World Expo 2010
Creative: Intense dramatic film with top Chinese actors, filmed in multiple locations. Shot in Shanghai, directed by Yang Qingsheng. Design, modeling, compositing… Multi-screens, 3:1 aspect ratio.
Fascinating: Had to present the future; rendered Shanghai in 3D with data.

Shanghai Corporate Pavilion Opening Ceremony at Shanghai World Expo 2010
Creative: 10 minute 3D interpretive animation scored by orchestra.
Fascinating: Used a Macbook to solve a giant logistical problem.

Shanghai Corporate Pavilion at Shanghai World Expo 2010
Shanghai Corporate Pavilion – Theatre
Shanghai Corporate Pavilion – Dream Path
Creative: Responsible for all media on all surfaces throughout the pavilion. Digital creativity from the inside out. Wrote and developed interactive apps that provided the playful and “collaborative” elements of the pavilion.
Fascinating: Wrote and developed lots of cool interactive apps with clap detection, computer-vision based motion tracking, computer synch/control messaging system. Developed a detailed animatic to previs live-action for Theatre video production. Created a 360-degree previs screen in Spinifex offices with iMacs.
Historical: Produced 360-degree HD production, featuring first commercial use of imaging system.

Hong Kong Pavilion at Shanghai World Expo 2010
Creative: Interactive wall, images transformed upon coming into ‘contact’ with visitors.

Vancouver 2010 Olympics Ceremonies
Creative: Created the unforgettable multimedia “Whales” experience, and all other sections of the Opening Ceremonies: “Green Cathedral” content stylized to match Emily Carr; “Field of Dreams” boy flying, interactive film on stadium floor; “Peaks” 360-degree mountain screen, huge matte paintings, motion graphics moved up stadium floor, moved up mountain with epic audiovisual show at the climax of the Opening Ceremony. Produced amazing “white ceremony” artistic film to play on floor and circular ceiling screens wihle Garou performed.
Fascinating: Viewing audience had 360-degree views of experience, beginning at floor level, projection extended upwards 30 metres, featuring six vertical screens, to reach three circular screens at the ceiling of stadium. Spinifex Group created over 60 minutes of visual storytelling content.
Historical: The Opening and Closing Ceremonies of the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics relied more heavily on screen content than any other Olympic ceremony, and featured the first use of full video projection on a stadium floor.

Beijing 2008 Olympics Ceremonies
Creative: Working closely with Directors Zhang Yimou, Han Lixun and Yang Qingsheng, and Media Producer Yvonne Ho, Spinifex played an important role in the visual success of the ceremonies.
Fascinating: Handled all media feeds to 63 HD Moving Head Projectors, 120 meter horizontal LED Screen and Pigi projection, plus content for broadcast, Piri, projection and LED formats simultaneously. To help with design and creation of specific sections awarded, Spinifex produced a detailed animatic, and coordinated extensive amazing international technical support to version/share latest content throughout project, through a proprietary, user friendly media management system.
Historical: Spinifex was the only non-Chinese production company involved in the Ceremonies for media and content.

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Gandulf Hennig: Thanks for the Documentary

Roger Darnell — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 20:57:31 +0000

Earlier this month the PBS American Masters Series debuted “Merle Haggard: Learning to Live With Myself,” an amazing documentary where noted filmmaker Gandulf Hennig spent two years following the legendary musician and songwriter at home and on tour, as he hit new artistic and commercial highs. I watched this film in awe of Mr. Haggard’s authenticity as a man who faced extreme difficulty in his early life and has persevered in making the most of his experiences, and his considerable talents, in ways that make him extraordinary.

Many thanks to PBS, Mr. Hennig and Mr. Haggard for bringing this fascinating story to the world.
Image (credit: Harrison/Getty) from “Merle Haggard Looks Back in New Documentary” by Patrick Doyle for Rolling Stone.

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Nathan Love wows TV and online viewers worldwide

Roger Darnell — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 21:35:41 +0000

Record numbers of television and online viewers worldwide continue to experience the artistry of New York City animation studio Nathan Love and its illustrious clientele. The latest releases include commercial collaborations with director Willis Wong, Lunar Films and Hopr for J. Walter Thompson Shanghai promoting China’s popular online game Fantasy Westward Journey, and with advertising agency 22squared for Baskin-Robbins’ nationwide summer advertising campaign. Nathan Love is online at www.nathanlove.com, on Facebook here, and on Linkedin here.

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All good for rising NYC animation studio Nathan Love

Roger Darnell — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 20:12:47 +0000

Break out the crayons and beer, because Nathan Love is ready to play! This world-class animation studio is known for creating memorable characters, detailed worlds and engaging narratives, making it a party and inviting your whole crew. Driven by a passion for storytelling, their creative, technical and production capabilities are constantly evolving. Equally at home creating sensational 2D and 3D animation, the studio’s talents span all aspects of project creation and production. They are creators of commercial campaigns, original films, super-fun web content, video game projects, merchandise and more. Besides their extraordinary craftsmanship Nathan Love is also fun and inviting to work with, enjoying daily collaborations with leading creatives, live-action and CGI directors, sound designers, composers, web developers and other artists. So next time you’re dreaming-up a project, drop your briefcase and join the fun at www.NathanLove.com, or call +1.212.925.7111.

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Rogue and Universal Pictures put Ralph on “MacGruber”

Roger Darnell — Tue, 25 May 2010 20:15:10 +0000

The principals of award-winning digital creative agency Ralph proudly detail their latest project, the officlal www.iamrogue.com/macgruber website launched on April 23 for feature film comedy “MacGruber” from Rogue Pictures, in their news release here. In that story, Jay Armitage, Ralph’s co-founder and director explains,

“This is the first complete website we have produced for a major studio release, and we’ve applied our experiences seeing how effective digital content can be when it becomes an interactive extension of the movie or show, and allows audiences to get to know and engage with main characters in a strategic narrative context.”

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Shilo’s global recognition and evolution

Roger Darnell — Fri, 21 May 2010 15:42:49 +0000

The 2008 “Burma Viral” project produced by U.S. creative production company Shilo, together with Carl Le Blond, Executive Creative Director at Ogilvy & Mather Amsterdam, John Jackson, Director of Social Responsibility, MTV Networks, Suki Dusanj, Founder of The Burma Arts Board, activist Sam Roddick and others, is featured within the pages of “For A Good Cause,” a new collection of the world’s best socially conscious design. Recently released by Barcelona-based publisher Index Book, the book was conceived and authored by Cactus Disseny, and is now available through major booksellers worldwide. In other news, on Shilo’s recently updated website at www.shilo.tv, the company is now individually showcasing its directorial talents. Among the newest works presented are the powerful Under Armour “Protect This House. I Will.” films, and the FELA! project, all directed by Andre Stringer, with concept and writing credits going to Shilo’s sibling creative company, WMIG. In this story detailing Shilo’s latest developments, partner and EP Tracy Chandler explains that individually crediting directors Stringer, Jose Gomez, Noah Conopask and Evan Dennis, along with the growing importance of WMIG in much of their project work, are key components of the company’s successful evolution.

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Stop-Motion Brand Film from We Are Plus Illustrates Powers of SMART Board

Roger Darnell — Fri, 21 May 2010 15:04:58 +0000

Jeremy Hollister, Judy Wellfare and their colleagues at NYC-based strategic creative ideas studio We Are Plus are very proud to reveal their latest project, produced in collaboration with Toronto-based Sharpe Blackmore Euro RSCG. This creative, stop-motion brand film showcasing the category-leading SMART Board interactive whiteboard from SMART Technologies is being distributed internationally in seven languages via viral seeding and Facebook, and will also be featured in other applications and materials by SMART’s marketing team. The story from We Are Plus, including complete project credits, is available here. For more information on SMART Technologies, please visit www.smarttech.com, or check out to learn more about the new Love of Learning campaign.

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ESPN: Thanks for the Documentaries

Roger Darnell — Thu, 06 May 2010 21:10:54 +0000

ESPN 30 for 30 is an unprecedented documentary series featuring 30 films from some of today’s finest storytellers. Each filmmaker brings their passion and personal point of view to their film detailing the issues, trends, athletes, teams, rivalries, games and events that transformed the sports landscape from 1979 to 2009. The series kicked off in April with “No Crossover: The Trial of Allen Iverson,” directed by Oscar-nominee Steve James, who is represented in the commercial industry by Nonfiction Unlimited. Check out the official 30 for 30 website — 30for30.espn.com — for the full schedule and more information.

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Shilo goes theatrical in new film for “FELA!”

Roger Darnell — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 21:32:13 +0000

Theatrical industry new media advertising/marketing company Art Meets Commerce recently commissioned the filmmakers at creative production company Shilo to produce a broadcast spot for the landmark Broadway musical “FELA!” as part of their integrated campaign for the show. “FELA!” producers include Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter and Will and Jada Pinkett Smith, Ruth and Stephen Hendel, and Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson; the show is directed and choreographed by Tony Award-winner Bill T. Jones.

“What began here in New York now has people hyped all across America and Europe,” said Andre Stringer, Shilo’s co-founder and creative director, who directed this spot. “Working with Art Meets Commerce, we had the pleasure of filming star Sahr Ngaujah and many other performers to present a glimpse into the viscerality of the performance. The show itself is a postmodern interpretation of the artist and his time, so in keeping with that theme, our film continues the ideology of experimentation.”

“FELA!” tells the true story of Fela Kuti, the legendary Nigerian musician, whose stirring Afrobeat rhythms ignited a generation. Having opened at New York’s Eugene O’Neill Theatre last November, the production recently announced that FELA! will also be presented at the National Theatre in London in November 2011. More information is available online at www.FelaOnBroadway.com.

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Designing characters, stories and more with Shilo’s Jose Gomez

Roger Darnell — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 23:14:53 +0000

If you haven’t seen the book “We Make It Good” from the filmmakers at creative production company Shilo, you are hereby enthusiastially encouraged to check it out. As you’ll see there — or by exploring Shilo’s archives at www.shilo.tv — much of the company’s extraordinary content leverages the character design talents of co-founder, creative director and director Jose Gomez. Among many illustrious achievements to date, Jose and his team helped creative agency ATTIK bring Scion’s world famous deviants to life, building upon Shilo’s many other breakthrough film projects, and some design feats earlier in Jose’s career for highly successful skate, snow and surf brands. Since regular video conferences typically involve Shilo’s entire executive team on both U.S. coasts in every company undertaking, Jose’s skills as a character designer weigh heavily into most Shilo projects. Collaborating most recently with GlobalHue Latino, Shilo’s latest film is an exploration in live-action, claymation, and imagination, using quirky characters and clay as a metaphor for building a dream community and inviting the Latino community to participate in the 2010 Census. For “Community,” Jose was very interested in all the creations within the claymation world having common personalities, reflecting the personality of Brianna Gonzalez, their young actress. Jose’s sketches of the matching animated people, vehicles and buildings are featured within their behind the scenes video below — and you can see more images, including photos from the location and set, right here.

For more information on U.S. Census “Community,” please visit Shilo’s full news release here, or www.shilo.tv.

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