Vi-fail

This new 'Viral' from the aptly named 'Try' agency in Oslo thinks it knows what it takes to make a viral, they're solution (like many before them) film a YouTube superstar!!!!

This time they've used Danny MacAskill the excellent BMX stunt dude. I remember this video cropping up over 4 years ago:


But now he is the victim, yes, VICTIM, of the Volkswagen Golf Estate ad:

Advertiser: Volkswagen
Brand: VW Golf Estate
Advertising agency: Try Oslo
Creative Directors: Petter Bryde, Thorbjørn Ruud
Art Director: Thorbjørn Ruud
Copywriter: Petter Bryde

It makes me physically sick that there's no idea behind this monstrosity of awesome skill. The line that attempts to pull it altogether 'suits every side of you', unlike Barclaycard's 'Life flows better' with Bill 'CRUTCH' Shannon's ad, has no frikkin relevance.

The two things we know about our protagonist is that he likes bikes but hates flies. And yes, the new roomy estate does easily fit Danny's BMX, but his aversion to flies is not considered at all when discerning his... 'sides'.

This ad has angered me so much I have created a new tag...

Badvertising!

Dead Fly Art

This stuff is amazing!!!!
What is more amazing is how little every one knows about the artist, it's seems to be a Jeremy Clarkson style intro as they say he lives in Sweden and he makes art out of dead flies, all we know is... His name is Flychelangelo!

Well you're wrong Jeremy!!!
His name is Magnus Muhr (probably)
more here












Told you it was brilliant!

Pop-up Art

If anyone has a small galleries worth of stuff to exhibit or a cool concept they can't wait to enact on an open space, look no further than our own back door:
Pop up opportunity on Old Street


Apply for the space available for the next 2.5 months!
Be there or Hoxton Square! (or something like that)

Slap Nick Griffin

Anyone that saw question time the other day would agree that Nick Griffin (Chairman of the BNP) is not the most popular person in the world, in fact, I expect most people would probably want to give him a slap... Well they can!


This quick, quirky and clever little site allows users to back hand the bigot as many times as they like. There are all ready well over 6 MILLION slaps and I don't think it's quietening down.

So go on, give him a slap. You know you want to!

Slap Nick Griffin - Vote with the back of your hand

Augmented Reality: Cover story

In this day and age of techno-wizardry it's hard not to see the bare essentials and mere basics as mundane. So, why not slap an AR code on every piece of paper, now that's A4.0!

Augmented Reality. from Moving Brands on Vimeo.

Check out the latest from the site and download the interactive front cover here.

SWEATSHOPPE, video painting

As geek becomes more chic, art turns to technology.
Here's two guys who have discovered how to paint in video!

See below for the explanation on Vimeo and more links:

SWEATSHOPPE, 4spots, the landing extras from SWEATSHOPPE on Vimeo.

"In an effort to establish new platforms for public art and performance, the
multimedia duo SWEATSHOPPE has developed a new interactive technology that enables
them to explore the relationship between video, mark making and architecture. Dubbed
"video painting", this technology allows them to essentially "paint" video onto any
surface. Shooting in Queens, Brooklyn, and Manhattan, the duo spent weeks
documenting their work in urban settings to create "The Landing" the first in a
series of episodes that showcases their work as artist, technologist and performers.
This video shows 4 full uncut extra clips form the landing."

Sweatshoppe
MySpace
Bruno Levy

Incredible Cardboard

Don't you just love it when new animators come onto the scene?

No? Well go and read another blog!

We're here to celebrate the coming of age of Sjors Vervoort a dutch artist that animates in stop motion, on pieces of card, in real surroundings.
Obviously people may cry Blu murder (if you'll pardon the pun), but every artist is influenced somehow and this is only his graduation piece.

So... Without further ado, I bring you... (Who said 'fire'???)

...CARDBOARD


Animation by Sjors Vervoort
Sound by Steven Aerts


As I'm sure you'll agree it is awesome!
I can't wait to see what other surprises he has on board.

The Expendables

Here is the action movie of 2010! Bruce, Brad and Vin will have to take a back seat because next year belongs to these guys:


Oh, and I think Arnie may do a cameo.



The trailer wreaks of Stallone with obvious comparisons to the latest Rocky and Rambo films. But in all honesty I thought he has been doing a great job as a director and could well follow in the footsteps of Clint Eastwood and Mel Gibson.

The question is, can the human race cope with so much action in a single movie?

...I can't wait to find out!

Keep up to date with all the arse (sorry, ass) kicking action with this dedicated blogspot. Until then enjoy some more behind the scenes action!
What heroes!!!

Interactive projection

This is amazing, I've just come across it and know nearly nothing about it, except...

It is an interactive projection that can judge your intentions from your mere movement and then react accordingly.

Sniff from karolina sobecka on Vimeo.

If anyone knows more please tell me!!!
I'm going hunting now.

The Edi-tours

I've been following the editors for a long time now. But now you can follow them in a digital sense, on Google Street View.



I love it when bands get digital and now it's great to see one of my favourite bands joining the likes of Arcade fire, Gorillaz, Radiohead and the rest of the forward thinking elite.

Geek-Hop

This Man:


And this instrument:


Equal a rappers delight!!!



Here's his website: Brett Domino

Free Beats

I frikkin love this, so I don't care if you've seen it.
Peel back your eyes and watch it again!



Ahhh, now don't you feel better about life?

Assassi-mate

Japan make an old idea a HIT!


I think Beadles about to turn in his grave.

Say CHEESE!!!! No it was a font!

Now what was the web made for if not to waste time.
Oh no, I'm not talking porno nor techno (It is very rare we get to use the near extinct 'nor' so I hope you all enjoy it!), for this post we are merely talking fun!
Un-feta'd fromage fun!



See if you are the font of all knowledge!
See if you've got what it takes to be the big cheese!
See if you know your Typ-o-graphy to your type-o-brie!
See if... sorry, I'll stop:

Play 'Cheese or Font'

Might as well face it your addicted to Apps

After the completion of over 600 levels on unblock-me I think it would be hypocritical not to put some credence into this report:


If you can't see it, click here.

I would stay and talk more about how iPhones and iPhone apps are improving our mobile tool kit and whether the benefits outweigh the social retardation that these devices might be causing. But I've just downloaded a new lighter, and I can't wait to see how it's improved!!!

Michael Jackson: This is it

Michael Jackson released his latest single 'This is it' today for online users only. I hear it will soon be spread to Radio's throughout the globe. It is a soft return to what sounds similar to the early years, but all in all I think I like it.
(Although it does remind me of 3T's 'why', which was wet)



Can't wait to hear his next single!!!
What's that?
No he's not!

Really?
Oh...

VIDEOGIOCO

You should full screen this for maximum viewing pleasure, but regardless whether you do or not, it's gonna be massive!


animation and concept by Donato Sansone
sound design by Enrico Ascoli

I love this animation, it's clearly becoming harder to invent something original and I think this smashes the nail on the head.
Awesome work, now we just wait for GoGurt to rip it off!

Retro retro Maan!

The world continues to celebrate what is essentially old...



Well if you can't beat them, join them!
I've recently bored out my old pet turtle and am attempting to attach my new cat to the inner shell. I see why they tend to do these things with technology and not animals.

VW: Very Wholsome

Last week someone showed me an initiative from Volkswagen involving some stairs and and a lino piano. I hear many of you screaming 'Big' at me, WELL BACK OFF MAAN! This is not an isolated bit of genius!
This morning I visited their hosting site The fun theory, and discovered the fun had just begun.

This was the musical staircase that got 66% more people choosing the stairs:


The bottomless dustbin that just made me have to blog it all:


And last, but I am sure not to be least...

A taste of things to come; The Empty Bottle Arcade:


So keep a keen eye on the site to see what the future has in store (Yes, that was meant in the double entendre VW are saving the world kinda way. Baby steps!).

The dog, the grape and the onion

Here's two awesome videos that have uplifted my weekend:

The Onion compile irrefutable evidence to prove that smoking really does make you gay:

New Anti-Smoking Ads Warn Teens 'It's Gay To Smoke'

This Beefy Bulldog may have met his match as his attempts to devour a grape:


There was more, but I don't think y'all deserve it!

O.K. A late entry, but worth every agonising inch...

Fry does Jay Z:

a bit of fry and jay z from defyingdarwin on Vimeo.

New from Blu

COMBO a collaborative animation by Blu and David Ellis (2 times loop) from blu on Vimeo.

A collaborative animation by Blu and David Ellis
year 2009
blublu.org
davidellis.org
produced by studio cromie
studiocromie.org
music by Roberto Lange
robertolange.com
made at Fame festival 2009
famefestival.it


Personally, I still prefer last years Muto by Blu. I think David Ellis's precisely crafted and vibrantly coloured designs, stand out too much from Blu's rough and almost eerie style.

Two YouTube videos and a motherfucking crossfader

There are many reason s why I love this:
1) I can watch 2 of my favourite YouTube videos.
2) I can remix 2 of my favourite music videos.
3) I can remix 80's classic cartoons. (e.g. Teenage Mutant Ninja Care Bears)
4) I can fade Boris Johnsson's bumbling comments smoothly into one another.
5) And I can endure Sarah Silverman shorts by replacing the sound of her voice with a braying mule.

'Two YouTube videos and a motherfucking crossfader', the possibilities are endless.



Give it ago.
You know you want to!

AR-vatar

I think it's easy to get complacent over technology whilst we sitting in a digital tower. Augmented Reality for many, and indeed the general public, is a new and exciting development, yet every digital head seems to poo poo and turn as if just having been presented with a turd on a platter when presented with a new AR idea.

Mattel have launched forward through this digital snobbery and released the first ever AR enhanced toys. It's a bit like Visionaries for us a children, someone always has to put the latest tech in a toy:

Remember these Nights of the Magical Light?

And so it has come to pass; Mattel have released a set of Avatar toys all with their own AR 'i-Tags'.



It looks pretty limited, but it's just a start.

Block-busters

I recently saw this article in The Coolist about lego characters.



All created by 'Cube dudes' there are now over 120 of the little block heads on their Flickr page, have a Flickr through and let us know what your favourite is. With Aliens, Predators, Optimus, Nightcrawler, Batman, Boba and more, it is very hard to decide.

Superbad Cartoon

My favourite scene in one of the funniest films of the last few years has been animated for your pleasure.



Animated by Steve Falzone using Flash CS3.

Superbad was produced by Judd Apatow and written by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg. THANKS for making the movie!

AI: Artificial insects

Well the insects aren't artificial, but ironically the intelligence is.

Some mad scientist has wired up a beetle to enable controlled flight from the comfort of his personal computer.
Chucking pulses down 3 electrodes, implanted in the poor creatures brain and either wing, allows the user to control height and direction. Want to turn right? Just electrocute his left wing. It's kinda like rowing a boat, but instead of oars you've got a miniature cattle prod and instead of a boat, you've got a beetle.




Don't worry, the DIY kit (Direct Insects Yourself) will be available in all good toy stores before Christmas.

Find out more here.