Innovative Live Visuals from a Los Angeles Trio

This week I discovered WIFE; an amalgamation of live dance, visual projections and animations, and music. Their Thursday night show in Hollywood roused my attention, and furthered more web research, where I came across their latest piece, ‘The Grey Ones’. I recognized the music involved as Amon Tobin, who caused quite a stir when he recently toured Europe and North America, and loved the way it’s abstract nature came together with the very intelligent and unique projections. Add in the extra dimension of a choreographed live backdrop for these projections, and you have something very interesting and innovative.

From their artist statement:
“[WIFE] is the creation of Nina McNeely, Kristen Leahy, and Jasmine Albuquerque. Her three members are dancers, choreographers, teachers, editors, animators, and performers thriving in the underbelly of L.A subculture. She finds inspiration from myth, folklore, archetypes, and the subtleties of everyday human behavior. Influences include Jim Henson, Chris Cunningham, Akira Kurosawa, Kathy Rose, Wendy Carlos, Yayoi Kusama, Planningtorock, Aleister Crowley, her friends, and you.”

The Grey Ones is a piece that the group performed at the recent TEDx event in Southern California, which means we now have online video to share here at Media Match. Enjoy this all-in-one visual expo below…

All concepts and choreography created by WIFE
Dancers: Nina McNeely, Kristen Leahy, Zak Ryan Schlegel
Projections: Nina McNeely
Costumes: Lyndsea LaMarr & Seth Pratt
Music: Amon Tobin

by Lee Jarvis.

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to our RSS feed

Online video website Vimeo has just announced that they are to hold their first ever video festival and awards event. In contrast to other online video sites, Vimeo focuses on original content, quality production and editing, and allowing users to share their work with groups of their peers.

Having just celebrated their fifth anniversary, Vimeo will launch the Festival + Awards in New York City on October 8-9, 2010 at IAC Headquarters and the SVA Theater. The Festival promises to “bring the world of online video to life like never before”, with two days of screenings, education, panels, installations, parties, and more. Line up, activities, speakers and of course, parties, will be announced shortly. Submissions for the awards are now open, and categories include….

The Vimeo Award: The Best Video Award will be selected by a group of judges from multiple categories and the Vimeo Awards staff. Winner will receive a $25,000 grant to produce new work.
Narrative: Live-action narrative fiction told through the medium of film/video.
Remix: A film/video that is comprised of elements such as sound and picture of other works which then combines them to become a metamorphic work.
Original Series: A periodically released collection of episodic content.
Documentary: Short films/videos that seek to document compelling actuality or reality.
Music Video: Short films/videos that accompany a complete piece of music or song.
Animation: A simulation of movement created by displaying a series of pictures or frames.
Motion Graphics: The use of the principles of graphic design to create a film/video using animation or filmic techniques.
Experimental: Short films/videos that experiment with new ideas, forms, techniques, and expressions that are often characterized by the absence of a linear narrative.
Captured: Videos that capture an artistic expression or performance.

Honorary Awards:

Digital Maverick: Honorary award for pioneering spirt in the world of online video.
The Feature Presentation: Honoring the vanguard and innovative release of unique feature film online.

The Vimeo Awards will accept submissions from June 3, 2010 – July 31, 2010 for a $20 (U.S.) fee per-video ($5 for Vimeo Plus members) at www.vimeoawards.com. Entrants can submit any original work as long as it has premiered online between June 3, 2008 and July 30, 2010 or has never been premiered anywhere.

For more information on the Vimeo Festival & Awards, head to http://vimeo.com/awards.

Lee Jarvis.

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to our RSS feed

I’ve become quite a fan of stop-motion video production. It can be quite a test to use it creatively, and fluidly, and when it is done well I find the results inspiring and often amusing. Here are seven of my favourites that I have discovered, feel free to share your own in the comments.

“Stop Motion” – The Last Laugh
Directed by Eriq Wities, see more of his work at www.OpenContent.tv The Song used is “Chase” by the band Partyline.

“Human Tetris” – Not so Noisy
TETRIS played by real human-beings sitting in an auditorium. Directed by the Swiss artist Guillaume Reymond in November 2007.

“Human Skateboard” – Sneaux Shoes Video
A unique, if painful, skate video.

(more…)

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to our RSS feed