For the love of music and anime: VICTOR JARDEL

I'm a 27 years old French, I live in Paris. I spent 5 years in a Parisian graphic school and made 2 short films with my friends Eddy Loukil and Ghayth Chegaar there -- I was mainly focused on the animation, and listened Senbeï's music in a loop.

After I started to work as a freelance animator. And one night when I went to see Smokey Joe and The Kid playing live (a group former by IRB and Senbeï), I wanted Senbeï's autograph on my newly bought album, just like all fans… but I got to talk to him about my job. I told him that I really wanted to make animated music video. Our collaboration started there. 

I started this collaboration with the clip Robbery Anthem Song: a universe had already created in my mind by its sound. I stayed in contact with my friend Eddy Loukil and told him (as an also Senbeï's fan) he could help me to make that clip. So the Grey Monkey Production was created. 

We made another clip together for Smokey Joe And The Kid (with Senbeï so) Slow Drag.

I made videos for Senbeï's live then, but Senbeï wanted some simple visuals, so I did it on my own.

Then Senbeï wanted me to make the clip Rain. I really wanted to make live video and feature my characters in 3D. It is a type of video that I really wanted to have in my portfolio. So I went filming in some corners of Paris I like. 

It took me 2 months and a half to complete that video (including the inspiration time and the pre-production). I would like to have much more time, but I saw this small leap like a challenge.

My main inspirations come from Ghibli’s universe (the productions studio, Princess Mononoke, Le Voyage de Chihiro ...), Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas, and some draws I make.

The art is for me the expression of our dreams or nightmares. My creativity comes a lot from my nightmares, I’ve had some sleeping troubles for a while and I think that affects my ideas. I can't complain much because it helps me with work and I love my work. 

The art of filmmaking and graphic design with GRIFF

I'm a UK based artist and I illustrate, animate and direct commercials, music vids and short films.

The work used to fall into either abstract artier animation, charming/funny character animation, or harrowing live action drama. Recently they have begun to overlap, with random animation onto of live action/photography, with moments of humour – it’s just taken me ages to realise they don't have to be mutually exclusive. 

I think creativity only really comes about through adversity. 

Struggles – biblical or political or social – always makes for good art, whereas I can't imagine anything more boring than something painted by Mr Happy on holiday in Niceland.

Adversity doesn't have to relate solely to the subject matter though, it can instead be the circumstances under which it’s made. Give someone infinite resources to make anything they want and they'll create something flaccid, give someone a tiny budget, very little time or a nightmare of a task and the chances are they'll (have to) come up with something inspired.

That’s not to suggest that clients should pay less and reduce schedules (!) but it is beneficial to the artists creativity even if they have to self-impose restrictions, if only to encourage focus. It's no good to blame a lack of money or a tight brief, they should be the things to inspire the solution.

GRIFF , ANIMATION, LIVE ACTION

Five Indie Releases To Look Forward To In 2015

This year shall see a large number of exciting releases through film. Some of the most highly anticipated are in the Indie film circuit, lined with great casts, intense directors and unusual inspiration.

Freeheld
Directed by Peter Sollett
Based around a short documentary of the same name Julianne Moore and Ellen Page star as Laurel Hester and Stacie Andree. The film follows a lesbian couple as Laurel Hester, a police officer, is diagnosed with terminal lung cancer and petitions against the board so her partner can receive her pension benefits.
The short documentary itself is very moving and an interesting reflection on LGBT rights. With a strong cast, the feature is one to look forward to.

Knights Of Cups
The latest film written and directed by Terrence Malik (Tree of Life) stars Christian Bale as Rick, a slave to the Hollywood system as we follow his search for something real in a life of illusion. Malik’s latest work is bound to be visually enticing with a constant flow of beautiful, changing images.
Premieres Feburary at Berlin International Film Festival

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I am Michael
Directed by Justin Kelly
James Franco plays Michael Glatze, a gay activist who renounces his homosexuality and becomes a Christian pastor. I am Michael is based upon New York Times magazine article ‘My Ex-Gay Friend’ by Benoit Denizet-Lewis, interviewing his old friend Glatze, and comparing this change in him. From his work as the co-founder of Young Gay America to him now saying homosexuality is ‘a cage’, the contrast is alarming. Seeing this strange story unravel on screen should cause a stir of emotions.

Miles Ahead
This see’s Don Cheadle’s directorial debut as he stars as Miles Davis in a biographical film about the jazz musicians life. Cheadle’s obvious enthusiasm shows there has been real work put into this, with the film partly funded by an IndieGoGo project, as he wanted to create a social experience for a social musician like Davis. Biographical films always hold a certain risk when you portray someone iconic. However, There are high hopes for Miles Ahead.

Room
Directed by Lenny Abrahamson

Room is based around the bestselling novel from Emma Donoghue, following the story of five-year-old Jack, who’s held captive in a small room with his mother. The idea for this novel came about after hearing about the Josef Fritzl case, which should give you the idea of how psychologically troubling this feature will be. Interestingly from a child’s point of view, there is bound to be an edge of naivety accompanying the narrative, making it even more chilling.

JOSHUA MORIN: A travel cinematographer

My name is Joshua Morin. I am a travel cinematographer. 

I produce a visual journeys of places in the world in under 3 minutes. I use small cameras to capture elements of a region to describe what it's like to be there at that time. I almost always try to keep a consistent subject throughout the journey with the goal that the viewer injects themselves into the scene. 

What does art/creativity mean to you?

That is a pretty deep question. For me art and creativity never had a meaning. I believe it is something that will always happen. People are creative and are always pushing the barriers of creativity and art. I have switched from and to many different mediums over the past years. It is something that needs to get out of me in one form or another.

Joshua Morin

Charles Richardson: Rehearsal After Dark

Visual artist Charles Richardson’s latest work is a continuation of his video installation Rehearsal that won the 2014 New Sensations Prize by Saatchi. Richardson has been hailed as one of the UK’s most talented new artists.

Rehearsal After Dark uses a 16mm projection showing the 3D torsos of two figures. The images, distorted and blurred, are layered with bright plastics and other objects. The work flickers on a bright background creating a virtual space. Richardson says he finds ‘the realm of real taken into a virtual space a very interesting proposition’ rather than limiting to solely the virtual and vice versa. The videos are accompanied by eerie piano music that twists the view of the images, creating an audio/visual, surrealist heaven.  His work is a good reflection of the current wave of ‘post-internet’ art, highlighting what you can create with modern technology with messages showcased through light creative pieces. As a movement, there always feels like a certain level of irony accompanying it, with a mockery of the digital age. Youthful artists are targeting what they know and the use of video art is ever growing, as shown here, making unique and interesting work with the programs available now, Richardson’s work is a prime example of this.  

Rehearsal After Dark will be showing 5pm-12am at Cabin Gallery, until 30th January 
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