Clueso and the STÜBA Philharmonie

Great idea! Great performance! Great orchestra!
Clueso + STÜBA - Chicago

Play

For the same module I created SnowTime my friends did their own piece about Time. Its called Play. 
Great work, I think!

Play from Jemma Riley-Tolch on Vimeo.
Twixtor Test - Outdoor Play
University Project
Music - Lymbyc System

British Independent Film Awards 2010

On the 5th of December the British Independent Film Awards were hosted by the actor James Nesbitt in London.
I completely missed out on that, because of being busy with Jack The Ripper and other work.
However it seems the The King's Speech was one of the biggie's this year. This film for an Oscar? Looks like it. Also Monsters surprises in many categories...

                                                                                                                                                 Best British Independent Film
The King's Speech

Best Director of a British Independent Film

Gareth Edwards for Monsters

The Douglas Hickox Award

Clio Barnard for The Arbor

Best Screenplay

David Seidler for The King's Speech

Best Performance by an Actress in a British Independent Film

Carey Mulligan for Never Let Me Go

Best Performance by an Actor in a British Independent Film

Colin Firth for The King's Speech

Best Supporting Actress

Helena Bonham Carter for The King's Speech

Best Supporting Actor

Geoffrey Rush for The King's Speech

Most Promising Newcomer

Joanne Froggatt for In Our Name

Best Achievement In Production
Monsters

The Raindance Award
Son of Babylon

Best Technical Achievement

Gareth Edwards for Monsters

Best British Documentary
Enemies of the People

Best British Short Film
Baby

Best Foreign Independent Film
A Prophet

The Richard Harris Award

Helena Bonham Carter

The Variety Award

Liam Neeson

The Special Jury Prize
Jenne Casarotto

Jack The Ripper - A Musical Play

Yes, you are right!
Tomorrow I will be on stage playing an old pervy tramp. Performing Arts Winchester is presenting Jack The Ripper on this Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday at the University of Winchester.

It will be my second production with PAW this year.
At the beginning of the year I was playing a part in The Wonderful World of Dissocia, which was a massive success here in Winchester.
This time I'm stepping up in dancing and singing. It will be my first proper musical performance, as WWoD was mainly acting only.
I never knew that dancing, singing and acting could be so hard. I thought it would be a challenge, but I was not prepared for it at all.
Now, as the dress- run went well I'm quite confident that the next days are going to be epic!


If you are living in or around Winchester, please don't miss out on this wonderful, gruesome, hilarious and thrilling musical experience. Tickets for each day are still available online and on the door.
Remember "Jack the Ripper is going to get you, if you don't watch out!"

SnowTime

A few days ago I put a bunch of photos up from the shoot for a film we had to do for my module Time here at university (post: snow in your face).

I must admit I'm quite pleased with the final piece. Also it was my first attempt in filming with a DSLR. Great experience. Have a look for yourself and I hope you enjoy watching it.

Snowtime from Florian BG Klein on Vimeo.
Filmed by Luke Biddiscombe and me with CANON EOS 550D.
Music is by Sigur Ros "Untitled 8".

A piece about time and snow.

What is time? How do you feel time?
It is always there. It is falling down and getting up again. Time never stops.
It is life...

Misfits' Iwan Rheon

Iwan Rheon alias Simon on the left

As a huge fan of the TV show Misfits I tried to find out where the actors are coming from...
Well, what a surprise that Welshman Iwan Rheon, who plays Simon in Misfits happens to be not only an Olivier award winning stage performer, he is also a singer/songwriter.
The LAMDA graduate earned this years Olivier award for Best Supporting Actor in a Musical for his role as Moritz in the stage production Spring Awakening.
Since this summer he also got his own EP Tongue Tied out.
Enjoy the song:

Snow in your face!

In one of our modules we have to create a piece that has only one guideline: Time. So we using all kinds of effects manipulating time. Slow motion and speeding up the timeline for example. The film will be about 3-4 minutes long and probably contains a lot of snow.
Who thought that we would enjoy it so much...
Therefore I created a still images series as a little tastemaker in which each one of us in the group gets hit by a snowball. Photos are taken by Luke and me.

Ben

Luke and Euan after the jump...

Winter in Winchester!

England + Snow = Shut down!

Slippery at the cathedral grounds with Chloe and Natalie

...Yes, that's how it works here in the UK. Because of not knowing how to handle the snow situation it is standard procedure to close down a few venues. Trains stop, buses get lost in the streets, pedestrians are rolling down the hills and you know what I mean...

Me, preparing the next attack...

Well, Winchester is no exception. My university was closed today and might be tomorrow. Important rehearsals skipped and lectures cancelled.

What to do? First of all a coffee in my favourite café in Winch, the Monde. On the way to town bring on the snowball fights. Wow, how did I miss the heating game in throwing snowballs around and getting covered in snow and finally ending up in a nice warm place to recover.

Emma got a bit snow there...

After a nice coffee break the same again until you couldn't feel your hands and feet any more, because of the cold. Then watching A Christmas Carol with Jim Carrey and Billy Elliot with friends at home. A great fun and also relaxing day I must say!
Oh yeah and by the way, we had Chinese take away as well, yum!

Kat who was on the camera.

Let's see what tomorrow brings...

Alice Russell - Let Us Be Loving

Alice’s lavishly soulful voice is both timeless and up to the minute modern. Although her style is predominantly bluesy and soul lament it also encompasses everything from funk to gospel to jazz and beyond.
On her official website it says that listening to Alice, you’d naturally think she grew up on the streets of Detroit, just around the corner from Motown’s legendary recording studios. “No, although I wish I had,” admits the blue-eyed, blonde-haired lass from Brighton, U.K.
Its true! Jump over the indroducing song line and you can't stop listening to it. Promise.


Official Alice Russell

Yann Tiersen - A Take Away Show

I can't believe that this is my first post about Yann Tiersen! I adore this musician. I first heard of him when he composed the score to the film Amelié. Then I researched his other work and felt in love with the music. I get a lot inspiration from this man for my own music I write.
Also it is part of my musical influence for my film Le Café. 
Freshly found on La Blogotheque two wonderful Take Away Shows with the artist himself. Enjoy!
Part 1: Dark Stuff and Dust Lane

Yann Tiersen | A Take Away Show #1 | Dark Stuff | Dust Lane from La Blogotheque on Vimeo.

Part 2 after a jump....

Gentleman's Dub Club at the Soul Cellar on Saturday!!

Yesterday night I had the chance to see Gentleman's Dub Club live on stage at the Soul Cellar, Southampton.
What a wicked night! The atmosphere was amazing! The music got this night to a complete different level.
Who thought that I was almost insanely jumping up and down to the finest reggae, ska, dub mash-up heard for a long time. GDC (Myspace) with support of the also good band Indigo Sun brought this club to a boiling temperature. There was no standing still...

video footage after the jump...

IAMAMIWHOAMI: grotesque? yeah maybe, but great!

"Y" by Iamamiwhoami

An here agreat remix by Einmeier and Ovenbröd "O"....

via iHeartBerlin

Music I listen to: NERD (Crookers rmx)

N.E.R.D. - Hot N Fun (Crookers Remix).
One word repeated: Dance, dance, daaance!
NERD -Hot'n'fun (Crookers rmx) by crookers

via CRKRS

Przemek Blejzyk - Street Art and Paintings

Great artworks by the polish artist  Przemek Blejzyk!

Aloe Blacc - A Take Away Show

La Blogotheque makes great live videos. A french blog, that got everything what you need to get a closer and personal look of your favourite musicians.
On there I found the Take Away Show (for story follow the link) of the soul singer Aloe Blacc.
I love his song "I Need A Dollar" and this version is again amazing.

Aloe Blacc | I Need A Dollar | A Take Away Show - Part 1 from La Blogotheque on Vimeo.
Part 1: "Hey Brother", "I Need A Dollar"
Part 2 after a jump...

Hermés goes skating...

Great idea!

Influencers, a short documentary

INFLUENCERS FULL VERSION from R+I creative on Vimeo.
Written and Directed by Paul Rojanathara and Davis Johnson, the film is a Polaroid snapshot of New York influential creatives (advertising, design, fashion and entertainment) who are shaping today's pop culture.

Junkyard Scientist - Honeycomb

Love the song, has a good groove. Junkyard Scientists, I want more!

Musical inspiration for Le Cafe: Sigur Ros

Why not...walk into a cafe and start playing.

Sigur Ros - Við spilum endalaust - A Take Away Show from La Blogotheque on Vimeo.

Review: Frankie & Johnny (1991)

 "Frankie and Johnny, you know that song?"
Al Pacino and Michelle Pfeiffer in a romantic comedy about love.
Directed by Gary Marshall (Pretty Woman) the film shows Frankie (Pfeiffer), a waitress at a coffee shop in New York, and Johnny, an outgoing ex-con who got hired at the same coffee shop. Frankie got hurt to many times and the last thing she wants is another relationship, but a certain Johnny is crazy for her.
Story has wit and Michelle Pfeiffer and Al Pacino are making a brilliant screen couple.


Influences for Le Café: A waitress struggles with love and has a hard time opening up to new experience. She interacts with the customers in the café. Little background story snippets are coming through. The song Frankie and Johnny is connected to the film. Also in the score the motif of Clair De Lune  is shining through. Its referring to the original play Frankie & Johnny in Clair de Lune.


Frankie and Johnny

Cushnie Et Ochs SS11

Naty Chabanenko

Photos by Hugh Lippe
Styling by Nicole Vitagliano

via thinkcontra

Dolby "Soundscapes" by Ace Norton

This is now the second video by Ace Norton that I put up here. Its just amazing what immense sound you can create with your own body or with your surroundings. Enjoy it! Again, brilliant.

Dolby 'Soundscapes' from Partizan Darkroom on Vimeo.

Musical inspiration for Le Cafe: Foals - Spanish Sahara

The song Spanish Sahara of Foals is relaxing, but also very intense. This 7min push you away from the hectic surroundings. Every part of your body is forced to calm down and makes you listening to the little things. Give yourself a time out with a cup of coffee and Foals' Spanish Sahara.

Music video after the jump.

David Chancellor: Winner of photographic portrait prize

 David Chancellor is this years winner of the Taylor Wessing's Portrait Prize.

Huntress with Buck

 

Young Hunter

 

Hotel in Tel Aviv 

 

Check out David Chancellors other work here on his website.
To see the other winners work go to BBC News.

Thanks Ed for your tip.

My favourite time of the day...in the Cafe!

Its always good to meet up with friends in a nice place. In England the place to hang out with mates is most likely the pub. There is a reason that Britain is known for its pub culture. But another place to go is the cafe or coffeehouse, which is in europe the most common place to socialise. My favourite place here in Winchester is Cafe Monde .

Cafe in Budapest

                           

French Cafe

French Cafe

Coffee culture describes a social atmosphere that depends heavily upon coffee.

Bad News: Coffee culture dies out?? France in a cafe crises.
"In 1960, France had 200,000 cafes....now it has fewer than 41,500, with an average of two closing every day." Mon Dieu!
."Across France, Cafe Owners Are Suffering" New York Times

Anyone who is interested in a brief history of coffee go to 2BaSnob.

Coffee Culture: a global phenomenon?

Daniel Spoerri: Tableaux pièges

Spoerri emerged as a visual artist around 1960, as a member of the Nouveaux Réalistes, exhibiting relief sculptures he called “tableaux-pièges”. These are tabletops with  glued-down objects.

In the ‘60s and early ‘70s, he opened up an eatery in Düsseldorf called Restaurant Spoerri. Each night, he captured the leftovers from one of the tables to create his 'tableaux-pièges', or 'trap pictures'.

Food and art have a long history together, and not only because artists have depicted food or used it as a medium in their work. The modern art café had its beginnings in late nineteenth-century Paris and Vienna, when the artists who gathered over coffee or spirits began to attract the public - a fan base aspiring to the bohemian and, later, avant-garde style of life. (RA magazine)

To read more about Daniel Spoerri go to this article from The Silo.

Daniel Spoerri: An Anecdoted Topography of Food on cura.

OK Go got a new video out!!

I think OK GO are amazing! Everytime their come up with something new for a video.
Over the last few years they turned more and more into creative filmmakers. Just good!
Last Leaf

OK Go | Myspace Music Videos
For more infos about the video and the director please visit kitsunenoir.

Pinhole camera on turntable

Put a pinhole camera on a turntable and the result is the following beautiful photograph! Tim Franco knows how to create an artwork, which allows us to get carried away with ordinary object into a world of excitement. Great!

Check out his other work on here: shanghaisoundbites or on his own website Tim Franco.

found via kitsunenoir via kateopolis

Musical inspiration for Le Cafe: Suzanne Vega

Wow, she is my film! The songwriter in my film gets the idea for his song like her. Suzanne got the idea for "Tom's Diner" in the restaurant were she used to go everyday for breakfast. The song is amazing and it fits so well with my character.

Interview with Suzanne Vega and her singing "Tom's Diner"

Riviera Club Spring/Summer 2011

Riviera Club recently previewed their spring and summer collection...and it looks very promising!

 via hypebeast

The Tokishirazu Peacoat

The Tokishirazu Peacoat
Looks damn good!

found on thinkCONTRA – IDEAS. PEOPLE. CULTURE.

Faubourg Saint-Denis (Paris, je t'aime) directed by Tom Tykwer

Here is the short film directed by Tom Tykwer, which I was mentioning before.
Music= tick, cinematography= tick, edit= tick, actors (Melchior Beslon and Natalie Portman)= tick, story= tick!
This short has done everything right! It shows a great use of time in telling the story and in the edit/filming.

What is it about:
A young blind man (Melchior Beslon) reflects on the growth and seeming decline of the relationship with a young actress (Natalie Portman).

Review: Paris, Je T'aime! (2006)

Another "key influence" for my new film is Paris, I Love You (ot: Paris, je t´aime!)
Originally my first plan was to do a small version like this one about Berlin, but hence some complication in planning to get to Germany I had to switch my project idea. The style however stayed the same.
A collection of short films in one movie. The interesting thing is that the stories don't even have to connect to each other. In Paris, I Love You! the only base is the city Paris. The general theme throughout the stories is love. In Le Café it is love as well and the location is the café.

Paris, je t'aime (2006)

The two hour long film consists 18 short films set in Paris. The 22 directors include Joel and Ethan Coen, Gerard Depadieu, Wes Craven, Alfonso Cuarón, Alexander Payne, Tom Tykwer, Walter Salles, Gus Van Sant and many more.
It seems to watch a compilation of short films that could be made by students. The short's storylines are very strong, therefore Paris, I Love You is a huge inspiration of how to set up a story. The moments and emotions the directors create in each of their "love letters" to Paris are beautiful filmed and played by brilliant actors.
The transitions from one short to the next are working well, as each films end shot is the beginning of the next vignette. This films general genre goes into romance i guess, but because of the mny different styles of the vignettes i would say i contains almost every possible genre from fantasy/ sci-fi to comedy and drama.
Just to pick out my very favourite short in the film: Tom Tykwer's "Faubourg Saint-Denis". It shows the relationship between a blind student (Melchior Belson) and a beautiful actress played by Natalie Portman. Great story, great cinematography.
Overall who wouldn't like a film, which gives us a look a bit away from the usual Paris-being-tourist atmosphere. It still got the flair of the nice light, the food, the shops, the Eiffel tower and the love.

"Everything is about love..."
Official film website

Craig Armstrong

Again a musical inspiration for the sounds of Le Café. Enjoy!

Nice little music video with the maestro himself.

Just wonderful! The video works great with the song. I know its a diner not a café, but that atmosphere is amazing. Big help for me and the matter of music choice for Le Café.

Photography: Tony Hall

Review: Coffee and Cigarettes (2003)

For Le Café I try to get ideas from all kinds of mediums, i.e. from books, music, art and of course movies!
I thought it would be nice to share the films that influence my work on here with you. Its important for film making to know your genre and for what audience it is for. Therefore you probably have a key inspiration. This can be everything really, but it is often another movie already out there.
My key was the movie Coffee and Cigarettes, although it all kicked off with Paris, Je T'aime at first (review is following up later).
From now on i'll try to review everyday at least one film that has for me a connection to Le Café

Coffee and Cigarettes (2003) by Jim Jarmusch

What this movie is about:

Coffee and Cigarettes is a comic series of short vignettes that build on one another to create a cumulative effect as the characters discuss things as diverse as caffeine popsicles, Paris in the twenties, and the use of nicotine as an insecticide, all the while sitting around sipping coffee and smoking cigarettes.
As Jarmusch delves into the normal pace of our world from an extraordinary angle, he shows just how absorbing the obsessions, joys, and addictions of life can be. Filmed in black and white. (synopsis by MGM studios)

I didn't expect much when I heard of this film. The idea to watch Coffee and Cigarettes came up after I watched Jarmusch's Mystery Train (89). After seeing three different stories connected to Elvis Presley and to a hotel in Memphis I thought I could dig a little bit deeper into Jim's world.
Jackpot!
There it was! One film, 11 short stories...amazing!
You can say what you want, but this film is a classic! It is a different, strange, natural, funny and a bit crazy film. I'm a big fan of short stories, so that film made a dream come true for me.

The beginning credits in black& white with Berry's "Louie Louie" as backing track sold it to me already. It would take quite a long time to review every single vignette here, but I can say that all the actors are brilliant (Bill Murray, Cate Blanchett, Alfred Molina, Steve Coogan, Steve Buscemi, Iggy Pop, Tom Waits, a.m.m.). Great is to see that many of them played themselves. The black & white flair, which gives us a film noir kind of style, fits perfectly with the café atmospere. In a different way you could interpret that the b&w relates to the theme of interpersonal contrasts, as each story features two people who disagree completely yet manage to sit genially at the same table. All the stories deal with the caffein- nicotin theme, but also with themes like obsession, addiction of life, joy and Nikola Tesla.
"Nikola Tesla perceived the earth to be a conductor of acoustical resonance." (mentioned in Jack Shows Meg His Tesla Coil and Champagne).
Its great what you can find within the different segments of the film. This film gave me such an inspiration boost in writing, finding connections, themes, a style and a genre (comedy, music, drama)!
If you got the time, watch this wonderful piece of art. You will find yourself in at least one story, which makes it a good experience to watch.

By the way, originally there were three short films only, which were Strange To Meet You (86), Twins (89) and Somewhere In California (93).

Official Coffee and Cigarettes

written by Ben Graziano

Rigoletto - Bella Figlia Dell´Amore

To stay a bit on the classical site...
One of my favourite operas is Guiseppe Verdi's Rigoletto. I'm in love with the piece: Bella figlia dell´amore!!
Its great!! I'm absolutely overwhelmed everytime when i listen to it. The complexity of this quartet is just amazing. Enjoy this record from the year 1977 with great singers...

Carl Heindl – The Non-Boring Type

Check out more photos on Carl Heindl: The Non-Boring Type

found on thinkCONTRA

Guess what...Lanvin for H&M.

This November...

Le Cafe musical inspiration: Schubert-Liszt/ Debussy and Satie

Classical music influences big parts in Le Café.

Horowitz plays Schubert-Liszt's Ständchen!

Tells me a story...

Debussy - La Mer conducted by Abado with the Berliner Philharmoniker

Debussy + Impressionism = perfect inspiration for Le Café! Debussy in general is a huge influence...

Eric Satie - Gnossiennes No.1

Beautiful! The depth of emotion in that piece is... wow.

Music I listen to:

Some fun and something to move to!!!
If Only Alarms Didn't Ring(feat Nina Zeitlin) by Biboulakis aka Bibz

I love it! I already put some of Bibz stuff on my blog. Time to get some more on here:)

Le Café musical Inspiration: Cinematic Orchestra

This band has definately a big influence to my film.
Speaking from the soul!
The song: To Build a Home is showing one of my main character's facets in my film quite well... He is a loner, but one of his deepest wishes is to find someone that understands him the way he is like. Eventually to build a home with this special person. Being safe, which he is in the café until then!

"There is a house built out of stone
Wooden floors, walls and window sills
Tables and chairs worn by all of the dust.
This is a place where I don't feel alone.
This is a place where I feel at home..."

Le Cafe: The feeling, the heart...the music!

poster designed by Ben Graziano

As my pre-production work is on going, i think a lot about the music of the film.

The idea is to have a music video as the final story sequence. In the previous part of the film are just little snippets of the song coming through, which the character Eli is writing throughout the different facets.

I really want to catch a nice cafe atmosphere which evolves the whole motion of the film.

To get inspiration about the "colour" and sound of the film i went through the intranet and came up with the following:

Hannah Williams and the Tastemakers, which are obviously my main influence right now;)

Morgenrot, a short film, which i blogged before. Beautiful! You plunge into a very intense emotional atmosphere.

Aloe Blacc, who is an amazing soul artist. "I need a Dollar", which i also blogged before.

Lazy Habits, Soul/ Funk atmosphere would suit the film very much, still more soul...

Leo Aberer, austrian singer/songwriter. Great music.

Those are only a few for the start...
I will try to start a series of posts, like the "Music, I listen to" series with inspiration for my film. In the end its about music and a songwriter.

Oh by the way...

Hi to all of you great readers out there in the world.
Thank you for stopping by!

Feel free to comment, share your thoughts or ask anything you like here on my blog.

I'm grateful for tips, advise or other discussions on here. If you are a blogger feel free to follow me. If you want to share your own blog or website and you think I might like it, just pop on a link in a comment somewhere and I will check it out.

I want to know what you think.

Cheers.
Flow x

Demolition Promo Video 10.11.10!

Vote and march for Winchester, for England, for education and for you!

Demo 2010 Promo for Winchester Student Union from Fix the Sky Productions on Vimeo.

This video is made in collaboration with the Winchester Student Union (my university).
You also have the opportunity to vote for the best promotion video here. Of course you should vote for the video above, because its good and my mates that made it would appreciate it very much:)

What is DEMOLITION? We march on the streets of central London to fight against the looming, savage education cuts.

NUS and UCU are jointly organising a national demonstration – 'Fund Our Future: Stop Education Cuts' - to take place on Wednesday 10 November 2010.

Ben Graziano: Friends and I

Naomi and Flick

Solly

Naomi

Solly and me

ooh Solly

Geeky Naomi

....and geeky Flick

Naomi works it...

Photos by Flick and Ben Graziano

Anna and Nic (by BG)

Jimi (by BG)