Shilo is stepping up…

Fans of U.S. creative production company Shilo, fasten your seatbelts! This year the company has welcomed director Luc “Reso” Janin to its roster for commercial and music video representation in America, and Brad Tucker came onboard in June as a creative director and director. Behind the scenes in New York City, Shilo added Robert Berman … Read moreShilo is stepping up…

ISAM Lives On for Leviathan

As you can see above, Chicago-based design-focused production studio Leviathan is very proud to have been put in the spotlight recently by 3D design, engineering and entertainment software leader Autodesk, Inc. This is the latest of many honors rolling in for studio partners Chad Hutson, Jason White and Matt Daly: Over the past months, the … Read moreISAM Lives On for Leviathan

America’s national parks, part 4

As you have seen over the past several weeks, inspired by the epic 2009 PBS documentary from Ken Burns entitled “The National Parks: America’s Best Idea,” my family and I have taken up the challenge of visiting — and extolling the virtues of — the national treasures which form the heart of the film… and of America itself. This is the final week of our travels, and while our 2012 time in Yellowstone and Grand Teton has ended, like Mark Twain, the experiences are now integral aspects of us all, which we shall each continue to fathom forever. We will actually be making our way through the Mark Twain National Forest in Missouri, and spending time exploring caves and waterways that form the backdrop of some of Mr. Twain’s most wonderful tales. Entering these adventures, as privileged as I felt, I did not dare hope to experience revelations, but in truth, the knowledge we are gaining of people and places is already priceless to me. To say the least, I encourage you to follow these trails, or those you come across which inspire you the most.

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America’s national parks, part 3

In February of 2009, just as the winter season in Yosemite National Park was winding down, two very special visitors were on-hand at a public meeting in the park. As you can see, the visitors were Ken Burns and Dayton Duncan, who presented a first look at their 12-hour documentary on America’s national parks. For more on the project, please visit https://www.pbs.org/kenburns/the-national-parks/. Below, I’m also embedding North America’s National Park IMAX HD for your viewing pleasure. Enjoy!

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“Produce!” a great team effort for Thornberg & Forester

One of the highlights of working with the bright and innovative talents at Thornberg & Forester (T&F) over the past year was helping to write the script for the promo I’m embedding above. This project is a teaser for a colorful and informative interstitial series that T&F created for Cooking Channel which the network started … Read more“Produce!” a great team effort for Thornberg & Forester

Motionographer spotlight

Motionographer (pronounced like “oceanographer”) seeks to be a source of inspiration for filmmakers, animators and designers by sharing: . outstanding work from studios, freelancers and students . feature stories that give readers a closer look at influential studios and individuals . commentary that sparks discussion or introspection about the creative process . miscellaneous items that … Read moreMotionographer spotlight

Killer reels: Uniform

Uniform is a strategic, brand communications agency based in Liverpool. “We help our clients create brand stories that deliver measurable results. We believe every brand has a story to tell. We find the random and the relevant, and bring it all together as effective, compelling communication.” For further information, visit www.uniform.net.

Joe Hutto, Passion Pictures and PBS: Thanks for the documentary

Almost eleven years ago, my wife and I moved from Los Angeles to North Carolina’s Blue Ridge Mountains and the small college town of Boone, North Carolina, which is home to Appalachian State University. Among many new family-focused joys of life we’ve experienced here, this move has truly immersed us in mother nature’s richness. Many species of wild flora and fauna flourish in the sprawling patch of woods right outside our windows. We can view wilderness each day, and when we’re especially lucky, we see wild turkeys.

Until recently, most of what I’d learned about these creatures had come from my personal observations of them; through different seasons over the years, our homestead has been a regular daily stop for flocks (sometimes with dozens of members), as well as the occasional lone wanderer. My basic curiousities were extremely well rewarded when I watched “My Life as a Turkey” late last year on PBS. Produced for the network’s award-winning Nature series, I highly encourage you to watch the complete episode now available online (in the U.S. and its territories), which I have embedded above. I promise you, it is a fascinating window into a secret world.

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Bravery from Brand New School and Antidote rewarded…

When Antidote (www.antidote.co.uk) was approached by Diesel founder Renzo Rosso to create a call-to-arms to inspire and mobilize the world’s youth to join the fight to help end extreme poverty in Africa and around the world, Antidote’s creatives wrote a manifesto for The Only The Brave Foundation and approached Brand New School to create a short, powerful animated film. In his treatment, BNS founder and executive creative director Jonathan Notaro proposed the unique storytelling approach that helps the foundation deliver its message in style in the finished production. The presentation is also taken to new heights by the score from Human Worldwide.

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Thornberg and Forester does Bob Odenkirk

Last month, Adult Swim aired “Let’s Do This!” — a new live-action comedy pilot created and produced by Bob Odenkirk, Brian Jarvis and Jim Freeman. Among many well-known comedic talents, the show stars Odenkirk as Cal McKenzie-Goldberg, who runs independent movie studio Cal-Gold Pictures from a strip mall in North Hollywood, USA. In the show’s pilot, Cal is contracted by a drug lord in Uganda to make a wizard movie, with hilarious results. By visiting this link, you can watch – and even embed – the entire show.

Read moreThornberg and Forester does Bob Odenkirk