Every year, the International Consumer Electronics Show unites tens of thousands of consumer electronics industry leaders, journalists and fans in Las Vegas, and most major news outlets mount impressive campaigns to cover and analyze the most interesting new products, developments and hype. While I have yet to attend a single CES, I do follow much of the news that comes out before, during and after the festivities. Now that CES 2012 is behind us, here are a few highlights I thought you might appreciate.

. Each of the actual CES Keynotes is available here.
. Ad Age Staffers’ Biggest Highlights and Takeaways From CES
. As CES opens, what are the most wanted gadgets? by Chris Morris for Variety
. Best of CES Awards 2012 from CNET
. CES Exhibitor Press Pitch Videos ~ tip courtesy of Larry Dobrow for MediaPost’s VideoCritique.
. CES 2012: Here’s What The Music Biz Will Be Watching For by Andrew Hampp, NY and Glenn Peoples, Nashville, for Billboard
. Top 7 Green Gadgets To Debut at This Week’s 2012 CES by Diane Pham for Inhabitat.com
. Wrap-Up: Tech’s Effect on Behavior Underscored at CES from Creativity

By now I’m sure you’re well aware of my deep respect for high-end visual and sound design. Among the inspirational friends I consider to be emerging masters in these complementary storytelling fields are sound designer Gavin Little of echolab and director Marco Vinicio, aka Kultnation. In the recent past, these gentlemen (heralding respectively from Dublin, Ireland, and Mexico City, Mexico) have collaborated often, and I hope you’ll agree that the results are quite spectacular. To experience their latest works, please visit www.vimeo.com/echolab and www.vimeo.com/kultnation.

To Gavin and Vinny — thank you for the inspirations, and please keep up the great work.

“Loom” is the title of this amazing short film created by Polynoid (a collaboration among artists Jan Bitzer, Ilija Brunck, Csaba Letay, Fabian Pross and Tom Weber) and featuring original music and sound design by Joel Corelitz of Waveplant Studios. The highly ambitious project screened at this year’s OFFF in Barcelona and has so far been named Best International Animation Short Film at the Monterrey International Film Festival and Best Animation at Eksjö Animation Festival 2011. For more information, visit polynoid.tv.

Topics include a keynote address by Joe Pytka: A Look At The Past, Present and Future, and these:
. The New Broadcasters: Facebook
. The New Broadcasters: Microsoft
. Lawyers On The Clock
. Meet the Procurers
. The Client POV: Where Production for Agencies and Brands is Heading
. The AICP Green Initiative
. A Look At Industry Etiquette

To learn more about the full program and register to attend, check out this story from SHOOT Magazine: Agenda Announced For 2011 AICP Conference

Following the success of several recent live performance projection mapping feats, design-focused, Chicago-based production studio Leviathan partnered once again with its frequent collaborator VJ Vello Virkhaus and V Squared Labs… this time for platinum selling, Grammy nominated recording artist Drake’s sold out OVO Festival, which took place in Toronto in early August. The stage’s structural set consisted of gigantic columns with retractable scrims, upon which a barrage of animated type, colorful patterns and ambient effects were projected. To highlight performances by musical guest Stevie Wonder, the team utilized a Kinect sensor to capture a surreal point-cloud avatar of the artist, which was projected live on the set for more than 16,000 fans in attendance.

Updated news on Drake, announcements on his forthcoming album release and his live concert appearances are available at facebook.com/drake and on his website at octobersveryown.blogspot.com.

Since its launch in 2006, Santa Monica-based design-driven production company King and Country (K&C) has earned international recognition for breakthrough projects spanning commercials, original promos for major networks, and much more. The innovative production foundry established by directors Rick Gledhill and Efrain Montanez and executive producer Jerry Torgerson elegantly unites A-list talents representing every facet of production and post, delivering impactful films that blend original live-action content, 2D and 3D animation and seamless visual effects into new artforms. Drawing upon its principals’ extraordinary creative capabilities, K&C takes deep pride in directing and producing spectacular projects from concept through completion, collaborating with others to add brilliant end-tags, visual effects and flawless finishing for any and all media platforms, and everything in-between. K&C is featured in the recent SourceEcreative Special Feature entitled “Going Hand-to-Hand with King and Country” and its extensive portfolio of work is viewable online at www.kingandcountry.tv. For further information call Jerry Torgerson at 310.586.0100.

The phenomenal live show experience Amon Tobin has conjured to accompany his Ninja Tune Records release “ISAM” is coming to all the North American cities listed below in September and October, and it’s also set to return to London on November 24. For the latest information, please visit www.amontobin.com/tour — and for a taste of what’s in store for audiences, enjoy “Visualizing ISAM” from design-focused production studio Leviathan and V Squared Labs.

ISAM Live World Tour Dates (updated August 30, 2011):
09/28 – Vancouver, BC @ Vogue Theatre
09/29 – Seattle, WA @ Decibel Festival
10/01 – San Francisco, CA @ The Warfield
10/02 – San Francisco, CA @ The Warfield
10/15 – Pomona, CA @ Fox Theater
10/16 – Los Angeles, CA @ Music Box
10/18 – Boulder, CO @ Boulder Theatre
10/19 – Denver, CO @ Ogden Theatre
10/21 – Chicago, IL @ Congress Theater
10/23 – Toronto, ON @ Opera House
10/24 – Montreal, QC @ Metropolis
10/25 – Brooklyn, NY @ Brooklyn Masonic Temple
10/26 – Brooklyn, NY @ Brooklyn Masonic Temple
10/28 – Asheville, NC @ Moog Fest
11/24 – London, UK @ HMV Forum

Team USA is getting a lot of attention so far in the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2011. We’re sincerely rooting for a great tournament for all… especially our national players, many of whom we have gotten to know much better through the brand films created and released by Under Armour. The playlist embedded above is a Vimeo Album from U.S. creative production company Shilo and creative think tank WMIG, showcasing their ongoing collaborations with Under Armour and an expanding list of world-class athletes. The newest among more than 20 stunning films currently in the Album feature Lauren Cheney and Heather Mitts of Team USA, which were directed by Nathan Caswell. I find them all to be very inspiring, and I hope you will, too.

On the evening of 20 June in New York City, world renowned opera artist Jessye Norman will present On Summer’s Edge, an evening of music and celebration benefiting The Campaign for the Family Resource Center of The Partnership for the Homeless. Beginning at 6:30PM at Frederick P. Rose Hall, Home of Jazz at Lincoln Center, Ms. Norman and Sade Baderinwa will co-host performances from Dee Dee Bridgewater, Dance Theatre of Harlem Ensemble and Mingus Dynasty.

Each day, more than 100 families appear at NYC shelters asking for emergency assistance, but according to Arnold S. Cohen, President and CEO of the Partnership for the Homeless, shelters represent one of the most expensive means of supporting people in a housing crisis. As he reports, New York City has devoted virtually no real resources to helping families deal with the challenges they face so that they can stay in their homes. Meanwhile, Mr. Cohen and his colleagues work one-on-one with families on the challenges pushing them towards homelessness, and their Campaign for the Family Resource Center needs our help. Please consider making a gift donation today by visiting their website and their Facebook page. Thank you!

Logan is a bicoastal U.S. hybrid production company combining the vision of its directorial talent with the multifaceted expertise of its in-house team of content creators, artists, and producers, to create new visual and storytelling experiences. Above, please enjoy my hand-picked selection of some of their work from YouTube. Below you can see their reel on Motionspire.