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Our ace fotog Sean found some dusty prints that shine more light on 7 Minutes in Heaven. Ever amazed at how black + white teases out different moods.
And been thinking about how polaroids are automatically imbued with narrative heft. The lighting? The framing? The fact that its process makes us know the moment is gone?
While I connect cognitively with people online, I find that thinking this way has limits. I still subscribe to the school of thought begun by Walt Whitman, that the mind and the body are one. To “lack one, lacks both.” I thought of this thanks to Johanna’s blog post on how New Yorkers rarely look up when walking.
This spring I started a habit of looking people in the eye as we pass each other on the street. Afterall, we are in the business of understanding people. Truth be told, it began while on a flirtatious kick, but has since become second nature. I look into all eyes. I do it with no intention of conversation. And it has never translated into the verbal. But I have found that the aggregation of these fleeting moments builds a unique energy, one that moves my mind into new thoughts + directions.
MHB was just invited to speak in Berlin at the upcoming Contemporary Muslim Consumer Cultures conference. He’ll being presenting his research about how American-Muslim identity politics are linked to advertising, pop and new media. $170B demo that’s still ignored by brands + agencies. Give a shout if you wanna learn more.
A group photo is one of the best party favors we know. It’s also a white whale, rare to see all folks winning at the decisive moment. And so the shooter’s gotta keep saying Yeah Baby and snapping long after the subjects think they’ve got it made. From the many, you can then find the few.
On the northeast corner of Park Ave and 23rd Street, a massive advertisement for the new Batman film is being painted. It’s an event that’s been unfolding over the last few weeks at the speed of slow food. And therein lies the genius – the film is advertised by the creation of its advertisement. This media buy could have been easily achieved by unfurling a banner one morning, though days later that space would be just another part of our city’s commercial tapestry. But instead of being static, the painting’s progression is a daily reminder to passerby that The Dark Knight soon comes to Gotham.
This meta-act of an advertisement’s creation being part of the ad has been done by Sony with both success (Balls) and a thud (Foam). But so far this billboard has only an air of paint-by-numbers calm. Too calm? Given this film’s brilliant ARG themed marketing campaign, will there be some disruptive activity toward the end of this painting? Have we Gothamites been lulled to sleep, prey in the hands of a Joker?
Last night at Shoot’s New Directors Showcase I dipped into a great conversation with publisher Gerald Giannone about the future path of ad industry magazines. At the end of our chat he noted the copy of Creativity I had tucked under my arm. “You know you’ve got a lotta balls coming in here tonight, holding that magazine.” Hell, somedays that’s all you’ve got.
Dropsquad Desedo director Jordan Alport is now collaborating with classical composer Gerald Busby on a series of 3 original short films. They worked together to divine the theme of Impermanence, JA created some parameters, GBus wrote the music and now JA will direct in response. Like tango dancers, they are.
Gerald has worked with Robert Altman, Paul Taylor and often collaborates with writer/director Craig Lucas. And he described our Valentine’s Party as “very Kansas City Whorehouse.” So you know we’re flattered he’s rolling with the elephant.
Altman’s 3 Women, scored by Gerald