• 
• Dec 22
• 0

Microwave “Jingle Bells” from AKQA

I’ll try to put aside my reservations about wasted electrical power on this one. Not to mention unnecessary material consumption (what did they do with all those microwaves afterwards?). Happy Holidays!

-Gary

Categories: Musings

• 
• Dec 18
• 1

PBS launches Helvetica mini-site

As part of the build-up to Helvetica’s US television debut, PBS has launched a fairly extensive mini-site with loads of info, clips, and other treats. Helvetica will be broadcast nationwide on Tuesday, January 6th, but check your local PBS listings for exact date and time in your area.

Play the What Font Are You? game… I did, and apparently, I’m Times New Roman!

-Gary

Categories: Helvetica

• 
• Dec 17
• 0

Graham Wood at IFC Center this Friday

Attention graphics geeks: Graham Wood, a founding member of design group Tomato and now with JWT in New York, will be doing a Q&A with director Stephen Kijak at this Friday’s screening of Scott Walker: 30 Century Man. Graham did the motion graphics and animation for the film.

Graham and Stephen will be doing a Q&A after the 7:40pm screening. Get tickets.

Categories: Musings

• 
• Dec 17
• 0

The godlike genius of Scott Walker

As a lot of you know, I’m a big music documentary fan. There’s an excellent one premiering here in New York this week: Scott Walker – 30 Century Man. Walker was a teen heartthrob in Britain’s swinging ’60s pop scene (with hits like “The Sun Ain’t Gonna Shine Anymore”) but then completely withdrew from the fame game and for the last 40 years he’s been making dark, dense, complex solo records. Oh, and did I mention the movie stars David Bowie (who also executive produced the film), Radiohead, Jarvis Cocker, Brian Eno, Damon Albarn, Neil Hannon, Marc Almond, Alison Goldfrapp, and Sting? All big Walker fans. If you don’t know his music, you need to. Now.

It’s playing at the IFC Center Theaters for one week only, starting tonight. If you’re here in NYC, check it out… it’ll also be playing in a dozen other US cities in the next few months. Here’s the trailer. I love the snippet from his Jacques Brel cover Jackie. I remember when I first heard it, I thought he was singing, “…about the time they called me Shaggy.” Heh heh.

Cheers,
-Gary

Categories: Musings

• 
• Dec 10
• 1

Domo Arigato, Mr. Tripodo

I did some street shooting here in New York over the weekend, getting some b-roll footage of shopping/consumerism. I took a break to get some lunch, and when I sat down at a table, I stood my camera tripod up and leaned it against the wall of the restaurant. While I was eating, a little boy probably three years old walked up to my table, staring at the tripod. It was about the same height as he was, and he was really fascinated by it.

Then, cautiously, he asked the tripod, “Are you a robot?”

The tripod did not respond.

“Hi there,” I said.

He looked up at me for a second, then back at the tripod.

“Are you a robot?” he asked it again.

“Yes, he is a robot,” I told him. “But he’s taking a nap.”

“Ohhhhh,” the boy nodded. He stared very intently at the tripod-robot for another minute, then his dad came over and got him and they left.

-Gary

Categories: Musings

• 
• Dec 9
• 0

Design world notes:

– IDEO and Smart Design help Ford with fuel efficient design thinking.

– Core77 picks 77 Design Gifts under $77

– MUJI Award 03 winners announced

– Throwback item: Pentagram redesigns Christmas circa 2006: