As a search engine, nothing beats Google. And for something we use so often, it’s a wonder we still haven’t mentally stopped looking at their logo as we search for something else.
It’s part of what keeps us coming back: wondering whether a new design commemorating a holiday, event, or person has been released.
They rarely disappoint; some even verge on brilliance. These are our favorites.
Martha Graham’s 117th Birthday – (Click to view the animation)
Absolutely stunning. Not only in terms of animation but in capturing her some 7 decades of modern dance history in 15 seconds.
Howard Carter’s 138th Birthday
Ancient history, exotic antiquities, the sense of adventure. You can’t help but search the image for other hidden gems.
Anti-SOPA / PIPA Protest
Unique in it’s direct message; powerful in it’s simplicity; when Google joined the anti-SOPA protest it rallied more than a few to the cause.
Mies Van Der Rohe’s 126th Birthday
Alisha is no stranger to Mr. Van Der Rohe’s work; his contributions as one of the pioneers of modern architecture is as much an inspiration as his ideal that “Less is More.”
Robert Moog’s 78th Birthday – (Click and Play!)
Not surprisingly, Nathanael spent quite a bit longer experimenting with the clickable synthesizer than any of us did. It is fun, though.
Eadweard J. Muybridge’s 182nd Birthday – (Click to view the animation)
The Horse in Motion is a composition immediately recognized by all who have ever studied photography & film. Google’s adaptation of it is an incredible tributary piece of interactive art.
What has been your favorite Google design? Comment below and share it with us!
This video marks the 40th anniversary of the MHCC Foundation and captures the triumphs of Mt. Hood students. Accompanying the video is an original song aptly named “The Power of the Dream.” The song is now available on iTunes with all proceeds going to future student scholarships.
Last summer, Silk Espresso accompanied the adventures of many a devotee. From an icy mountaintop, to historical icons, an oceanside merry-go-round, to a place of business. This summer fuel your passion once more and answer the calling: Where Does Silk Take You?
“Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower.” ~Steve Jobs
A beautiful merging of design aesthetic & technologic advancement
The world of production is an ever-changing environment.
In a constant state of flux, the period between an “industry standard” practice and a “revolutionary” one is diminishing. As in the medical field, technological innovations rapidly shift the way we work.
The incredibly useful Movie Slate App
Ethan Borden, Cinematographer & VP of Gradient, has found his workflow radically altered using the iPad:
“With the Movie Slate App, it makes us probably ten times faster in post-production. It does a shot log which I can send out with an HTML or as a Final Cut XML document, and saves time and keeps us more organized because we’re switching from paper to digital.
We also have a Wireless Monitor App which allows us to connect to a computer that has the camera plugged in. It lets us control the camera and look at what’s being seen through the lense with a live view. We’re also able to walk around wherever on set and look at what’s being shot on camera. We see whats being seen through the DSLR.
I use the iPad 2 for a lot of workflow stuff on other projects as well: websites, Facebook, uploading photos that I’ve just taken on set.”
“In Post we use it a lot for labeling footage. It’s easy to make notes on set and then have our editor be able to refer to those while he’s working. It keeps everything centralized so that there aren’t 5 pieces of paper flying around with separate notes.”
Nathanael Sams has found his workflow in Post-Production streamlined as well:
“The Slate makes all the difference because we work with separate cameras and separate audio (Zoom H4N). What can be a daunting task of syncing up video and audio is a lot more feasible and automatic when you have a slate that beeps, because the program automatically syncs it up for you. That saves hours of time of manually going in and making sure it’s synced up.”
We aren’t shy in expressing our love of Apple products, and the iPad is no exception. It has quickly become invaluable on set, off set, and within our workflow.
“We have a duty towards music, namely, to invent it.” ~Igor Stravinsky
I recently sat down with Gradient’s Musical Composer, Sound Designer, & Editor Nathanael Sams to talk about how he approaches writing music for promotional videos.
“I’m actually really intimidated every time I have to start a new project. I’ll sit down at my piano and have ProTools open and just try to find the right melody. And once I find it, I begin building a chord progression around it.”
“I typically use ProTools, Logic, and Garage Band. It’s all Mac based. When I started using a Mac, I discovered MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface). So everything I do pretty much revolves around MIDI instrumentation.
“In the movie What Women Want they do this ad campaign for Nike I think, and it’s really emotional and piano based and I remember that really inspiring me. I’m a big fan of piano based commercials because I think they’re the hardest to pull off.
“There’s this delay effect that people will put on the audio that makes it sound like they’re playing more notes than they are-”
(David) “It seems like it’s a lot easier to try to be really complex and overdue it, and then the most successful things are the most simple. Is that true?”
(Nathanael) “Yeah actually when I’m composing, I really try to be unpredictable. The hard thing is that your ears are accustomed to hearing a 1-4-5 chord progression which sounds really happy and pleasant. And a lot of people will try to mix in chords that don’t work well together. I’ll use Garage Band on my iPhone and basically be able to enter a chord that I’m starting with, and it will show me chords that work together with that.”
“You can always do a really powerful song using just a few notes on the piano. Like in Jaws,there’s this really beautiful, haunting melody through out the entire film.”
“Basically what I’m trying to say is that the greatest music comes from simplicity. You don’t always have to, or want to, be predictable with the music.”
“I was directing before I knew it was called that.” -Guillermo Del Toro
Rebecca Noles:
“I’ve been directing & producing since I was 10 years old and putting on Christmas pageants in the living room for my parents. I’ve learned a few things along the way and am offering them as advice to anyone interested or pursuing either field. I do, however, reserve the right to change this advice at any time in future blogs.
Directing
Directing is about need: What the script needs, what the crew needs, what the audience needs.
As a director, your only job is to acknowledge all the different needs within each department and guide them toward a finished product. Sometimes all the Director of Photography needs is to feel like he has permission to try something new. There are times an actor needs the director to take his/her eyes off the monitor and simply have a conversation with them. Sometimes an editor just needs you to get out of their way.
Acknowledge the need and work to fulfill it.
Producing
Being a producer at a small production company can be categorized into three main jobs:
Make sure people have what they need to do their jobs to the best of their ability.
Make sure everyone knows where & when to show up.
Make sure the cast & crew members eat, sleep, are groomed, and stay caffeinated.
Being a producer is about serving the people who make the project happen.”
“Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing.” ~Benjamin Franklin
Writing for Gradient Productions has been both edifying and challenging.
Tasked daily with drafting something worth reading, in various forms, you gain a set of skills unlike those found in a classroom.
Take campaign writing: In order to get your point across the content must be simple, informative, yet creative. For a graphic flyer, you must take into account what the Visual elements are saying, and choose to either let them speak for themselves, or build upon what’s being implied. And considering you have roughly 5 seconds of an average persons’ attention, it must be short.
In the case of Narration writing, cut the unnecessary. “Audiolize” in your head the narrator’s voice and choose words appropriate to their style of speaking.
I pull inspiration from a variety of sources; Apple for the way they speak volumes for a product/campaign in 1-6 words. Certain creative minds for Vanity Fair & National Geographic. Anthony Bourdain and his superior writing “voice”.
I was an actor under the tutelage of an established screenwriter/director, and of the many lessons I learned from him, one that resonated for me as an actor/writer was that, “If you aren’t going to feature something, cut it.”
