Do you worship the tools of your trade as much as ballerinas worship their pointe shoes?

/

If you’ve been reading the blog you know by now that I love dance, the artform and the people that make it happen. A few years ago I was working at Ballet Hispanico and overheard a conversation amongst dancers that concluded with the following quote: “whether or not we get love, fame or money, one shall always worship the shoes.”

What are the tools of your trade that no one understands, that no one knows about? And, are you worshiping them with attention and care?

The story of ballet shoes, from the factory to the stage. Filmed on location at Freed of London & the New York City Ballet. Client: New York City Ballet Director + Editor: Galen Summer Producer: Kristin Sloan Director of Photography: Hillary Spera Sound Mixer: Guillermo Pena Tapia www.unionhz.tv www.galensummer.com www.nycballet.com

Pointe Shoes
​The story of ballet shoes, from the factory to the stage.
​Filmed on location at Freed of London & the New York City Ballet. 

Director + Editor: Galen Summer
Producer: Kristin Sloan
Director of Photography: Hillary Spera
Sound Mixer: Guillermo Pena Tapia

/ /
, , ,

Antonio Ortiz

Antonio Ortiz has always been an autodidact with an eclectic array of interests. Fascinated with technology, advertising and culture he has forged a career that combines them all. In 1991 Antonio developed one of the very first websites to market the arts. It was text based, only available to computer scientists, and increased attendance to the Rutgers Arts Center where he had truly begun his professional career. Since then Antonio has been an early adopter and innovator merging technology and marketing with his passion for art, culture and entertainment. For a more in-depth look at those passions, visit SmarterCreativity.com.

Joss Whedon On Worthy Work

/
All worthy work is open to interpretations the author did not intend. Art isn’t your pet — it’s your kid. It grows up and talks back to you.

( via IAMAJossWhedon on Reddit)  

/ /
,

Antonio Ortiz

Antonio Ortiz has always been an autodidact with an eclectic array of interests. Fascinated with technology, advertising and culture he has forged a career that combines them all. In 1991 Antonio developed one of the very first websites to market the arts. It was text based, only available to computer scientists, and increased attendance to the Rutgers Arts Center where he had truly begun his professional career. Since then Antonio has been an early adopter and innovator merging technology and marketing with his passion for art, culture and entertainment. For a more in-depth look at those passions, visit SmarterCreativity.com.

The Roller Coaster Up and Downs of Selling an Orchestra

/

Idea and concept by Creative Director Axel Eckstein, EURO RSCG, Zurich. This mission was directed and animated with Softimage XSI and NUKE by Virtual Republic. As President of Virtual Republic I want to thank Axel Eckstein, EURO RSCG and ZKO for this awesome mission and great and creative cooperation.

I saw and tweeted this spot for the Zurich Chamber Orchestra a few years ago. I found it clever and really engaging. All these years later I discover the making-of video by Virtual Republic, the animation and visual effects company that produced the ad. What stands out the most from the making-of video is the fact that Virtual Republic ended up developing software in order to create the roller coaster track animation. As someone who is currently working on ways to help a local chamber orchestra market itself I can’t help but wonder, how much was the budget for this thing? 

Uploaded by virtualrepublic on 2009-05-14.

Created by Virtual Republic
Animation Direction: President M. Klein
Producer: Gerhard Vetter
Technical Direction: Martin Chatterjee
Modeling: Martin Sobott
Animation: Marco Kowalik, Christian Marschalt
Compositing: Steffen Dünner
Data Handling: Morris Willner

 

(via artsjournal.com)

/ /
, , , ,

Antonio Ortiz

Antonio Ortiz has always been an autodidact with an eclectic array of interests. Fascinated with technology, advertising and culture he has forged a career that combines them all. In 1991 Antonio developed one of the very first websites to market the arts. It was text based, only available to computer scientists, and increased attendance to the Rutgers Arts Center where he had truly begun his professional career. Since then Antonio has been an early adopter and innovator merging technology and marketing with his passion for art, culture and entertainment. For a more in-depth look at those passions, visit SmarterCreativity.com.

Artist Damien Hirst Looks Back On His Life In Art

/
​
Artist Damien Hirst chronicles the evolution of his career, from growing up in Leeds to working on a building site, attending Goldsmiths College, taking up conceptual art and helping start the Young British Artists movement. The Damien Hirst exhibition is currently at the Tate Modern until September 9, 2012 or you can see a live feed from his studio. 
​
/ /

Antonio Ortiz

Antonio Ortiz has always been an autodidact with an eclectic array of interests. Fascinated with technology, advertising and culture he has forged a career that combines them all. In 1991 Antonio developed one of the very first websites to market the arts. It was text based, only available to computer scientists, and increased attendance to the Rutgers Arts Center where he had truly begun his professional career. Since then Antonio has been an early adopter and innovator merging technology and marketing with his passion for art, culture and entertainment. For a more in-depth look at those passions, visit SmarterCreativity.com.

The Art of Film & TV Title Design: PBS Off Book

/

I feel like the latest episode of PBS Off Book was made just for me. I love opening title sequences, full of amazing technical, storytelling and design elements that elevate the work they precede. One of the very first posts I made here was on title sequences. Most recently there was a post on the opening credits for The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo. Along the way I have also shared A Brief History of Title Design created by the fantastic Art of the Title and the must-see visual history lesson on The Title Design of Saul Bass. 

The credits are often the first thing we see when we watch a great film or TV show, but the complexity and artistry of title design is rarely discussed. Creators of title sequences are tasked to invent concepts that evoke the core story and themes of the production, and to create a powerful visual experience that pulls the viewer into the film's world.

“When everything falls into place, and becomes part of your experience of the show, that’s when design becomes filmmaking, and storytelling.”
 - Peter Frankfurt 
The credits are often the first thing we see when we watch a great film or TV show, but the complexity and artistry of title design is rarely discussed. Creators of title sequences are tasked to invent concepts that evoke the core story and themes of the production, and to create a powerful visual experience that pulls the viewer into the film’s world. In this episode we hear the stories of some of the most inventive people working in the field, including the creators of the iconic Mad Men sequence, the hilarious Zombieland opening and “rules” sequences, and the stirring end credits from Blue Valentine.


Featuring:

Peter Frankfurt and Karin Fong, Imaginary Forces
Ben Conrad, Logan
Jim Helton, Blue Valentine
​
​

Previously:

Tattoos: Pop Portraits, Japanese Traditional, American Eclectic
Art In The Era Of The Internet: The Impact Of Kickstarter, Creative Commons & Creators Project
Animated GIFs: The Birth of a Medium
Off Book Series One: The Complete Series

/ /
, , ,

Antonio Ortiz

Antonio Ortiz has always been an autodidact with an eclectic array of interests. Fascinated with technology, advertising and culture he has forged a career that combines them all. In 1991 Antonio developed one of the very first websites to market the arts. It was text based, only available to computer scientists, and increased attendance to the Rutgers Arts Center where he had truly begun his professional career. Since then Antonio has been an early adopter and innovator merging technology and marketing with his passion for art, culture and entertainment. For a more in-depth look at those passions, visit SmarterCreativity.com.