Avatar: The Last Airbender Spinoff
Avatar: The Last Airbender is undoubtly one of the best animations that has come out of the West. Although intended to a children’s show, the production value, mythology, and compelling storyline set apart from all other American animations. Not to look down on other satirical contemporary cartoons though, like Family Guy, South Park, and Archer, all great cartoons (and these are only modern animations…).
After ending nearly 2 years ago, a new spin-off series is now in production. I’m pretty pumped for it especially because Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko themselves are writing all the episodes themselves, allowing no space for fillers. Right now, it’s aimed to be a mini-series, but that’s the way The Last Airbender started off too, so who knows, maybe it could evolve into a full series.
I’m also looking forward to the main setting of the series, a place called “Republic City.” It’s described as a steampunk type city, so you can tell that I am REALLY looking forward to the set design. It’s set to take place 75 years after the end of the last series, a changed world where people are filled with anti-bender sentiment. I look forward to what the creators of this world will take us this time.
If you want to find out more for yourself, you can check out the Avatar Wiki page on it here.
I love Steampunk
You wish you could invent half the things this kid does.
I remember back in my junior year of high school, I saw an amazing animated movie called Steamboy. For those of you who know anything about anime, it’s directed by Katsushiro Otomo, the writer and director of the classic Akira, a must see for any true anime fan.
Anyway, I saw this movie and was taken aback by the deep storyline, the departure from a traditional Japanese setting, and the visual aesthetics left nothing to be desired. It also features the voices of Anna Paquin, Patrick Stewart, and Alfred Molina. Great movie, really reccomend it, REGARDLESS of whether you’re an anime fan or not. Fascinating contraptions powered by steam were the driving force behind the movie, and this is where my fascination with the steampunk genre began.
Tupac x Tyson | One Night In Vegas
We already know the events of the night. The same story has been told numerous times on VH1 and FUSE, but we get a different perspective – a different story. This should definitely be a lot more interesting than other documentaries, hearing what Tyson has to say on it.
ESPN 30 for 30 documents two of the most controversial figures in public media of the 90s in a film, One Night In Vegas. The documentary centers around the events of September 7th 1996 when ‘Pac was shot, after attending the Tyson v. Sheldon bout, and the relationship between the two. One Night In Vegas airs on the 14th anniversary [09.07.10] of Tupac’s death.
Brooklyn Heights Cinemas
showing Bansky’s film “Exit Through the Gift Shop,” located over by the ‘fruit streets’. Gotta go there
Video: Up There
A slice of life from the people who bring you the best billboards in town. A dying breed, but they’re still getting over. A film by Malcolm Murray.
Video: RISD Senior Narrative inspired by Cudder
Evan Polivy (PolivisionProductions) is a student at the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) and as part of his groups final project they put together this great “music video narrative” that was inspired by Cudi’s debut album “Man on the Moon: The End of Day”. Here’s what he had to say:
The video is a collaborative senior thesis project between Matt Cavallaro, Christin Neal, and myself (all students at The Rhode Island School of Design – we graduate in 2 weeks). We felt a strong connection to Cudi’s music and wrote a story based on the narrative Cudi tells in Man on the Moon: The End of Day. We call it a “music video narrative,” because it’s partially a music video and partially a narrative short film. It’s about a troubled teenager who uses music to escape into his own space fantasy where he finds the girl of his dreams.
Video: Pharrell Williams Interview “D’Art Assaut”
Blast Magazine talked to Pharrell Williams on his recent Paris trip, where he launched his new chair creations. Check out the video interview, where the musician talks about art and his latest project. Enjoy!
Video: Nas & Damian Marley Interview W/ Okayplayer TV
Okayplayer hooked up with Nas & Damian Marley whilst they were at SXSW, in part 1 of this interview they touch on the overall aesthetic of the album, health care, and Barack Obama after completing one year in office.
Video: Raekwon – “House of Flying Daggers” Produced By J. Dilla
The Wu always had a unique gritty taste for the martial arts. Artwork by 1000Styles +animation by Ryan Johnson x drew Taylor is SICK ! House of Flying Daggers is off Raekwon’s Only Built 4 Cuban Linxx II.
Shoot to Thrill: Iron Man 2
“Well, you can forget it. We’re safe, America is secure. You want my property? You can’t have it! But I did ya a big favor… I have successfully privatized world peace.”
Tony Stark is above the law
That’s what Tony Stark says to a Congressional hearing when they request him to turn over his Iron Man armor over to the government. There’s also a crazy Russian who somehow recreates that power source, a Senator who is after the Iron Man technology, WAR MACHINE, and what Goldie’s been waiting for, SCARLETT JOHANSSON.
I want one
Now, based on the trailers and my previous knowledge of Iron Man, what should we expect from the film?
Shoot to thrill, play to kill, too many women, too many pills
First of all, the principle villain should not be seen as the Russian, better known as Whiplash. Yes, he may be almost or equally as intelligent as Tony Stark. Yes, he may have a pseudo suit that has (pretty dope) electro-whips of death. Yes, he may have some sort of vendetta against the Stark family.
I replace all my W's with V's, cause that's how Russians do
But that’s not what makes for the most dangerous villain.
The Senator seen in the trailer is going to be the bigger threat. He sees that Whiplash wants to harm Iron Man, and has the talent to do so. He has his own goals, and Whiplash will only be a stepping stone onto something much more sinister.
There vill be blud in de water, and de sharks vill come
Anyway, enough about the plot. Let’s talk about those things that make us wet out pants. Fist of all, WAR MACHINE!!
Straight G armor
They teased us about it in the last movie, but now, oh baby, I want one of these. The world would just be better if I had a War Machine suit. Much cooler than Iron Man. Even the name is cooler! No one fucks with WAR MACHINE!
And, just as important, maybe even more, SCARLETT JOHANSSONNNNN!!!!
It's just like 23 x 3 except standing up
If thats how she takes mofos down, I’ll be the first to be her personal punching bag. Shit, I’ll do it FO FREE. But I’m sure Goldie will fight me for that job.
P.S.
Here’s the links for the 2 of you who haven’t seen the trailers yet
Video: Nothin’ On You – B.o.B x BTS footage
They shot the video on a white sound stage. I edited it on Final Cut Pro. Then they printed out over 3,000 frames onto paper. Then every frame was hand torn by a team of 8 people. From there we animated the frames, photographing each frame with a digital camera, and then imported it back into Final Cut Pro. The backgrounds are also paper collages we took digital stills of and keyed in after animation.
Behind the scene footage after the footage
It’s Surreal: The Radiant Child, Basquiat
Jean-Michel Basquiat became notorious for his graffiti art in the late 1970s on the Lower East Side scene. I’ve been on Basquiat since the beginning of my blogg’n days. No secret as to why I labeled one of our tags, “SAMO,” Basquiat’s moniker. In his short career, Jean-Michel Basquiat was a phenomenon. Literally making his mark with graffiti on public walls under the nom de plume “Samo” (short for same old thing). It definitely made its mark on me. Debuting at this years Sundance Film Festival, “The Radiant Child” is a film on the legendary art icon Jean-Michel Basquiat.
Director Tamra Davis pays homage to her friend in this definitive documentary but also delves into Basquiat as an iconoclast. His dense, bebop-influenced neoexpressionist work emerged while minimalist, conceptual art was the fad; as a successful black artist, he was constantly confronted by racism and misconceptions. Much can be gleaned from insider interviews and archival footage, but it is Basquiat’s own words and work that powerfully convey the mystique and allure of both the artist and the man.
Past Articles:
Keep It Surreal >> SAMO
Keep It Surreal >> Lee Jaffe x Basquiat
Keep It Surreal >> Basquiat x Peter Relic
Video: Dir. Tamra Davis Speaks x Sundance
Jean-Michel Basquiat: The Radiant Child” director Tamra Davis talks about the artist’s passion for film, and the second career he wanted to pursue.
Feel’n like a Mac stand’n around a bunch of PC’s
Apple refused to use removable batteries in all three generations of iPhones and its latest laptops. Speculations say the iPhone 4G will go into production as early as April, with availability expected sometime in June or July.
What I admire and respect about Apple is that the concept and production process is still consciously designed. Apple focuses on ergonomics – they really make the products to fit into our lifestyles. Everything is detail-oriented – the interface, model design, materials used. It’s always exciting when Apple launches new products. The products videos are like little documentaries – the cinematography is on point.
If you watched Objectified, you’d see what I mean when I say Apple focuses on ergonomics
Apple Pads
For nearly a decade the tech world was waiting for Apple to introduce this. Today Apple had a conference where they finally introduced the Apple iPad to the public. The iPad is a tablet computer that measures 1/2 inches, weighs 1.5 pounds and is capable of browsing the web, playing videos, reading digital books and more. It features a 9.7 inch capacitive touchscreen IPS LCD display, 1GHz Apple A4 chip, 802.11n, Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR, 30-pin connector, speaker, microphone, accelerometer and a compass. Starting at $499 and going all the way up to $799 this is definitely a must.
The iPad will be to Macbook as Netbook is to PC – only you still type on your laptop at your desk. With the iPad you just relax. The iPad follows it’s counterparts – iPhone and Touch – with a multi-touch interface. With the iPad’s large screen you just see more of the Web as your surfing it. Apple made the iPad’s interface to be as natural and fitting to our lifestyles you don’t even have to think about doing something. You just DO! However, the iPad doesn’t have any USB ports – WHATTTTTTTTTTT!!!
I wonder if you can put Adobe software’s on the iPad? How does this effect the print industry – remaining newspapers & magazines?
Video: Her Morning Elegance
Stop-motion is also known as stop-action or frame-by-frame. It is an animation technique to make a physically manipulated object appear to move on its own. The Pillsbury Doughboy and Hamburger helper were created using Stop Motion Animation. Her Morning Elegance by Oren Lavie is a more recent incarnation that’s been put through their paces using computer graphics.
Video: “Love Away” Kinetic Typography
By: Chris Brice
Music by: Curvine
Kinetic typography is technically defined as an animation technique mixing motion and text. It is presented in a manner intended to convey or evoke a particular idea or emotion.
Sigg Jones (Magic Dunk)
Cool looking visuals (especially those magic Dunks) from the animated motion film Sigg Jones. See an interview on Sneakerfreaker
Video: ARTBATTLES @Stuy Town
Pesu x Zito x Andre Trenier x Andres Correa
Chad Harris
Broccoli
Keep It Surreal we can talk about what we want, when we want, how we want. Bloggers keeping it real. Our purpose is to touch on topics from art, design and musiq to life and habitat. We try to give a shining light on all creatives, especially folks with aspirations of growing viral, as well as, already established folk in pop-culture. We’ll use this blog to explore a thing or two. Hopefully you’ll contribute.
Recent Comments