In-depth PR case study materials follow. Last Updated 26 March 2024
Visual Timeline and PR Case Study: Sarofsky
In-depth PR case study materials follow. Last Updated 26 March 2024
Artists
In-depth PR case study materials follow. Last Updated 26 March 2024
World VFX Day 2023
Today is the first-ever World VFX Day, and in honor of the occasion, I am wishing all my creative pals around the globe a very happy one.
MODE Studios Visual Timeline and PR Case Study
In-depth PR case study materials follow. Last Updated 16 May 2022
Ting Poo and Leo Scott, Thanks for the Val Kilmer Documentary
For American high school students of the mid-80s, “cable” and MTV radically impacted our perceptions of the world – and of the realm of possibilities. Driven, determined, ambitious, and male, my own dreams of success (focused in aerospace – and/or show business) took high-contrast form under the spells of John Hughes, Randal Kleiser, George Lucas, and Steven Spielberg. “Risky Business” was another phenomenon of time-space that refracted my aspirations. When the bold “Real Genius” and the ridiculous and ballsy “Top Secret!” appeared on HBO, I was star-struck. Next came “Top Gun,” and the alchemy of Cruise, Kilmer and their like cinematically orchestrated by master storytellers subconsciously seized control of my outlook.
Thus inspired, I brought my A-game to the film and television industry. Along the way, through digitalization, cameras became more accessible. Despite not being in position to direct my own “National Lampoon,” I could shoot stuff for fun, experiment, and document my life.
It winds up, while he was living the life millions dreamt about, heartthrob and “Einstein of the 80s” (according to the “Real Genius” poster) Val Kilmer was also shooting stuff for fun, and documenting his life.
Read moreTing Poo and Leo Scott, Thanks for the Val Kilmer Documentary
Visual Timeline and PR Case Study: Scholar
In-depth PR case study materials follow. Last Updated 7 December 2020
Integrated Marketing in Action: ISAM
This case study appears in Roger Darnell’s new book on communications consulting, coming in 2021.
Back in 2011, my clients at specialized creative agency Leviathan joined together with some very talented colleagues to help the pioneering electronic musician and producer Amon Tobin and his record label, Ninja Tune, promote what would become one of the decade’s biggest musical tour stories. Immediately after its premiere in Montreal, Adrian Covert of Gizmodo called it “the concert of the future, today.” In retrospect, to me, there were a few key aspects that made ISAM Live so phenomenal. First, Mr. Tobin had a 15-year history of pushing the creative boundaries in sound recording, sound design and music production as part of Ninja Tune, a London-based indie record label known for visionary innovation. With that ground situation, the expectations of anyone on the outside looking in were already very high.
Tales of Originality: Asheville’s Uncle Kurtis Drops New Album, “Let’s Kill Uncle Kurtis”
It was just another summer day in 2017 when I picked up my 13-year-old son Riley and a few of his friends after a movie. On the drive home, they made the decision to call their buddy Quinn Sforza, known as a bad-ass on the bass guitar, to invite him to join their new band. The offer was quickly accepted. Fast forward a few weeks, and a new band dubbed Uncle Kurtis was officially on the bill for a showcase performance organized by Asheville’s Experience Music (EM) at one of the city’s premier music venues, Salvage Station.
For the parents of young, aspiring musicians, EM is a dream come true. Dedicated to supporting the development of young musicians, EM’s principals and mentors – drawn from the vibrant local music industry – engaged Riley as a drummer for his first band, Breaking Point. Over the previous year, they had rocked stages at Salvage Station, The Grey Eagle and Pisgah Brewing Company as the headliner for several bands comprised of kids ages eight through 16.
The new sensation was all set to feature Riley, Quinn, drummer Graham Barrineau and guitarist/keyboardist Jackson Lee (son of EM co-founder Chuck Lee).
Read moreTales of Originality: Asheville’s Uncle Kurtis Drops New Album, “Let’s Kill Uncle Kurtis”
Great to know: Lisa Cleff Kurtz, Philanthropist, Education and Arts Activist, and Rainmaker
Editor’s note: Nearly two decades ago, my fate was forever altered due to a chance encounter with the then-San Francisco based creative industry rainmaker, Lisa Cleff. After several months of her mentoring me in the field of sales, I was hired by high-tech PR firm The Terpin Group, thanks almost entirely to her recommendation. When The Darnell Works Agency launched in 2000, not only was she a main client and collaborator, her referrals have resulted in more than a dozen vital DWA client relationships… including those at ATTIK, CBX, PLUS, PostWorks and Sid Lee, to name but a few. Naturally, shining a light on this phenomenal luminary is a great honor for me, especially since the interview itself was conducted by her daughter, Zoe Lindgren, a rising NYC creative in her own right. For your further enjoyment, I also highly recommend this great interview by Timothy Huang, who spoke with Lisa in 2016 about her career – and her role as a star board member of A.R.T. / New York.
How did you get your start in your career?
Read moreGreat to know: Lisa Cleff Kurtz, Philanthropist, Education and Arts Activist, and Rainmaker
Media Spotlight: Creators
Creators was VICE’s arts and culture platform, covering every aspect of the creative process. Its mission was to make art more accessible to a wider audience with diverse voices reporting on emergent arts and artists.
From sculpture and light projections to street art and dance, the platform’s curators and contributors immersed themselves in cultural hotbeds and travel to the far corners of the globe to explore the spectacle and color of making art today.
150 Media Stream Experiential Installation Debuts in Chicago, Calls for Future Artistic Submissions
Featured artist: Kurt Kaminski. Photo credit: Nick Ulivieri, http://nuphoto.com
CHICAGO – Having opened its doors in Chicago on Feb. 13, the 150 North Riverside Plaza has unveiled the 150 Media Stream, a digital art installation unlike anything in the United States.
The lobby of Riverside Investment & Development (Riverside)’s stunning, 53-story office tower designed by architect Goettsch Partners will serve as 150 Media Stream’s permanent home. A transit-oriented development located alongside the Chicago River in the West Loop, the award-winning project’s flagship tenants include the global headquarters of renowned investment bank William Blair and Company, iconic hotelier Hyatt Corporation, Navigant Consulting, as well as the Chicago office of Kansas City-based law firm Polsinelli. The project also includes a dynamic restaurant concept by Four Corners Tavern Group and restaurateur Brendan Sodikoff.
Commissioned by Riverside and curated by Creative Director Yuge Zhou, 150 Media Stream’s display concept and physical structure were designed by McCann Systems in cooperation with media firm Digital Kitchen. McCann Systems then led the design-build process, with specialized creative agency Leviathan engaged to produce the initial artistic content.
