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Introducing Chicago, By Chicago – The Sequel

Friday, June 14, 2013

After our first round of introductions to team Chicago, I caught up with three more of Chicago's founding members to find out how they are settling into the home of deep dish and what they are finding in the windy city to inspire them.

Introducing… Randy McEntee, Head of 2D.

Randy _mcentee

Tell me about your role at The Mill?
I'm a Flame Artist and Head of 2D at The Mill Chicago.  You'll hear my voice on conference calls with the agency and the production company, trying to figure out our approach to the visual effects required.  You'll also see me on set, probably with a funny hat and lots of camera gear, capturing everything we need to make sure your talking antelope with night vision goggles looks its best.  Back at The Mill, I'll conform the show, make sure everything matches and get all of the departments the footage and info they need to get cooking.  I'll get everything else ready and looking good so by the time you pop by for lunch we're making all the little tweaks and adding all the details.  When you like it, I'll make all of the versions, ensure their legal for broadcast, and help make all the deliverables. As Head of 2D, I make sure our Flame and Smoke artists have everything they need to succeed, then get the heck out of their way. 

You've recently relocated to be part of the founding team of Mill Chicago, how did that come about?
When Damien and Jared approached me in the Summer of 2012 to possibly join and help shape the Chicago team, I couldn't stop smiling.  I began my career in Chicago.  I went to school in Chicago.  I met and married my wife in Chicago.  I have family here.  It had always felt like home.  I never wanted to leave.  So having the opportunity to come back to the city I love, with the support of the company I love, was a once in a lifetime opportunity.   It's why we sold our dream house and drove half way across the country with our twin 3.5 year old boys, Sam and Ren (of " talking twin babies" fame!), and our newborn daughter, Marilla.

CROW

What has been your Mill Chicago highlight so far?
Andrew's 30th birthday was tons of fun.  The entire office went to Southport Lanes for bowling and beers.  If you are ever in Chicago you have to go there.  The pins are hand set into place.  No machines.  And here's a hint; a fiver donation every now and again means they'll help (cheat!) with some of those tricky 7-10 splits!

Describe a typical Chicago weekend for you?
The weekends are my precious family time.  It's usually a lot of bike riding, scooting, a trip to Margie's Candies, and lots of coffee.  Oh, and playgrounds.  But only playgrounds with fireman poles that are near coffee shops… and on the way to Margie's Candies. 

Who and what inspires you?
It's cheesy, I know, but my family is a huge inspiration.  I just want them to be proud of me.  And hungry tigers!  Nothing excites me more than being surrounded by passionate people doing their best work.  I call 'em hungry tigers.  And we're fortunate to have 13 very hungry tigers here on our team in Chicago. 

Introducing… Melissa Graff, Senior Flame Artist.

Melissa

Tell me about your role at The Mill?
I am a senior flame artist and visual effects supervisor.  I'm involved with our clients from discussing the potential and logistics of their concept to the look of the final composite.

You've recently relocated to be part of the founding team of Mill Chicago, how did that come about?
New York City is a great place, but as a result of growing up not too far from there, I had been itching for a change of scenery for a while.  I was really excited when I heard about the opportunity to get the change I was looking for, without having to leave The Mill.

What has been your Mill Chicago highlight so far?
It's just been really nice to be part of a small team.  We're able to meet as a group every week and talk about what projects are going on, cultural changes we'd like to make as a group, ways to change our workflow to be more efficient.  It's great to be able to help steer the ship.

Face

Describe a typical Chicago weekend for you?
Now that the weather has warmed up, there's any number of activities to choose from on the weekends.  I usually stop by the farmers market in my neighborhood on Saturday, go for a run on the lakefront path, spend some time on the beach if it's warm enough, and wander around my new neighborhood discovering local restaurants and shops.  There is a great hat shop in my neighborhood and although I'm not generally a 'hat person', I am in love with my new Gatsby-inspired cloche!

Who and what inspires you?
I'm inspired by visionaries like Elon Musk (founder of SpaceX, co-founder of Tesla Motors and PayPal) who ignore the paralyzing cynicism expressed by others and keep humanity moving towards a brighter future.  TED talks and NPR are full of stories and interviews with people who are making positive changes of all kinds all around the world.  There's nothing more inspiring than hearing stories of hope for the future.

Introducing… Naotaka Minami, Senior CG Artist.

Naotaka

Tell me about your role at The Mill?
As a senior CG lead at the Mill Chicago office, my responsibilities includes everything in the CG process from pitching a job to delivering a project.  Because it is a lot to cover for one person and because we are a small CG team, Steve Beck (Head of 3D), Adam Carroll (Senior CG Lead) and I support each other on a daily basis and share a lot of our knowledge and skills to produce a high-quality project in a short period of time. To be honest, we have never worked on a project or accomplished a task alone. The Mill 3D Chicago has always worked closely as a team and we celebrate our accomplishments together with the rest of the Mill Chicago.  We are one big family.  It makes me laugh to hear Cat Gulacsy, the Mill 3D Project Manager say that Steve, Adam and I are "Three Musketeers of the Mill Chicago."

You've recently relocated to be part of the founding team of Mill Chicago, how did that come about?
Since I started my career as a 3D artist at the Mill four years ago, I have learned and gained so many valuable experiences that I wouldn't exchange for anything else. I could say that my life evolved through the Mill New York, especially the 3D department. At the end of the last year, when Jared, our Mill Chicago EP, approached me and asked if I was interested in moving to Chicago to be a part of the founding team, I realized that it would be a once-in-a-lifetime challenge to be involved in a new development for the Mill. I also knew that it would also be an exciting opportunity for me to give something back to the company and the team I would love to work with.

Cycle

What has been your Mill Chicago highlight so far?
It is hard to describe what has been our Mill Chicago highlight so far because we have been here for only three months, but also because we would never satisfied ourselves with what we have produced or achieved.  We always look ahead to the future and have been trying 120% to make all our projects the best that they can be. If I have to choose a highlight of the Mill 3D Chicago, it would be Kraft Transformations. It is because not only is it our first full CG 30 seconds spot that the Mill 3D Chicago produced, but everything involved with this project was intense and tough. I wouldn't want to live through the same experience twice, but I would say it was one of the best working experiences I have ever had at The Mill.

Describe a typical Chicago weekend for you?
I do not think that there has been a typical Chicago weekend for me yet, though we all hang out together.  This includes our friends from Whitehouse Post, and we all see each other during the weekend.  Yes, there are always tasty foods, drinks, and dancing involved, but I usually find something new to do during the day, such as the Frank Lloyd Wright House Walk Tour, Shedd Aquarium, Cubs baseball games, Willis Tower Skydeck, Chicago Gangstars tour, etc.

Who and what inspires you?
Is it greedy to say "everything?"

//Thanks Randy, Melissa and Naotaka for your fascinating insights. You can take a peek at the latest work out of the Chi-suites here with  Sears "Superhero".

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And they’re off..!

Friday, June 14, 2013

You met our bold Fireflies last week, and in-between the 12% gradients, mountainous peaks and blazing 30 degree Celsius /80 Fahrenheit heat they've still managed to pen a guest-blog charting the epic first four days of their ride…

Tom Ed Tara

// Day 1
Amphion les bains to la clusaz
126km distance
3200m climbing

The first day brought some excitement for all but some nerves blended with it for the virgin Fireflies. Even though the gods were smiling on us with the weather, it did not change the fact we had to cancel the first major climb of the tour, Col de Joux plane, because of risk of avalanche on the descent. With a re-route we would do 200m less climbing that day but would still have to tackle the Col de Colombiere which has a summit if 1613m. It was the biggest climb ever for Tom and Tara, and for a lot of people on the ride. Tom and Ed (who ate every 10 mins!) rode it apart and Tara rode up with Fireflies West Sebastian aka Das Motor.

Itinerary

It was a fantastic experience for everyone to get to the top and in true Fireflies spirit everyone was clapped up to the peak. We then rolled down to the hotel, totally exhausted and aching. After stuffing our faces with pasta we all retired quickly totally knackered trying to recover before the next day. For the boys, this included Ed rubbing lotion into Tom's back, a special moment, and for the girls, Tara and Mary Nockles continued their ritual of applying mentholated patches to their backs and eating copious amounts of chocolate.

Tom Riding

Day 2
La clusaz to albertville
142km distance
2800m ascent

Luckily the weather has come good for us so far on the trip. Wednesday was hot, with temperatures hitting the 30's/80's, and the sun was even hotter (even by Californian standards), so trying not burn and staying hydrated was important. Especially for Ed, who forgot to put sun cream on yesterday... Lobstertastic!

Ed Riding

The day was pretty tough again taking in three significant climbs. So after a re-fuelling stop in Lake Annecy, we climbed the Col de Marais, Col de Croix -Fry and the Col des Saisies. All these climbs will appear in the Tour de France this year and take place around the beautiful lake Annecy. It was a long hard day with the last climb definitely needing some TLC before the Tour de France roles through as it currently resembled the road surface of a poorly maintained B road in Croydon, often with the cries of Tara screaming "pot hole"!

Everyone got home safely after a fast descent to the hotel and we spent the evening getting ready for was set will be the toughest day yet. We would be covering 160km and climbing 4500m. Luckily Friday brings a well-earned rest day! Untill then it will be sleep and recovery as our bodies are asking it to stop but we must continue with the challenge ahead.

Tom Sign

Day 3
Albertville to la grave
160km
4500m climbing

Yesterday was a really big one. We took in two huge climbs the Col de Madeleine and the Col the Glandon and cover almost 160km (or 100 miles). Luckily the weather was shining on us once again, so working on those tan lines continued.

Madeleine (officially still a closed road, but open for bikes) was a very tough climb and at the top all the riders were cheered up by fellow flies. Some disconcerting news was given at the top though - that a fallen tree on the decent had blocked the path below, so after an impromptu lunch at the top in a small cafe (pasta carbonara for 50!) an alternative descent was found and all riders headed down the mountain. Then it was on to Glandon, a road used in last years Tour de France. Another brutal climb ridden in swealtering heat, over 20km which the final 2km was at an average of 12% gradient. However after tackling the col all riders gathered and descended together. By this time it was almost 1800pm and we still had to cover another 70km. So as the Fireflies were strung out across the route home, which had a nice 20km drag up to the hotel, the sun had set and the eventual sight of home for the night and the rest day was an amazing feeling. By a long way this was the toughest day of riding so far. The tans are coming on well, and what has up until to now felt a bit like a romantic trip for two for Tom and Ed… has been interrupted by us having to share a room with ex-Mill friend Charlie Bayliss.

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Day 4
Rest!

There are sore bodies today on the rest day, as we rub salt and dirt from our clothes, bodies and bikes. Rumours are filling the air about some more monstrous climbs to come between now and the five days of riding till we reach Cannes.

Having never ridden mountains like we have on this tour, let alone the two monsters of day 3, we never really appreciated what others had said that as you are climbing, you ask yourself "how it is possible to still be climbing after 2 hours!?!?"  On reaching the summit of these climbs the sense of elation, mixed with the pain of lactic acid in your legs which has been screaming for you to stop for over an hour is a strangely bizarre feeling. Beyond the mountains the length of time we have spent on the bike is a real shock, we would never of expected spending up to 13 hours on the road, and riding for approximately 10 of those, having to come in to hotels with lights on our bikes to avoid getting hit going through an alpine tunnel.

But the knowing that it is all being done for an amazing cause means that as you are slogging it up a mountain and coming into your hotel exhausted, it easy to take your mind off the pain.

Edthumbs Up

// Thanks Fireflies! Incredible effort and inspirational stuff… we'll be waiting for you in Cannes to catch up on the final push.

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OFFF Barcelona

Thursday, June 13, 2013

Celebrating a decade of throwing inspiring festivals, last week saw the who's-who of the design world land in Barcelona for OFFF 2013. London Creative Director Carl Addy, who also attended OFFF Mexico City, was one of them and he brings us his round-up of the themes, talent, talks and tapas.
 
OFFF
 
Top Talk:
I would say David O Reilly's talk. I think mostly because he works within the same categories that we work within but has found a way to do it that is so different that it sets him apart very far from the pack. I expected a much more contrary and brash guy than the nice bloke I met. Smart and funny beats arrogance any day.
 
OReily
 
Best Party:  
The Cake rooftop terrace party: a Hot Dog BBQ shindig in a re-purposed industrial warehouse. The rooftop overlooked the whole of Barcelona, which was stunning. Did I mention there were Hot Dogs?
 
Finest Food:
Mundial tapas. Aubergine crisps with goats cheese shavings and drizzled honey.... a new favorite.
 
Beers
 
Highlight:
Going for a swim in the ocean as the sun was rising with Gmunk, mcbess, Mooe and Nils Kloth. Also watching David O Reilly's guest direction of the cult animation show Adventure Time. Bonkers!
 
Lowlight:
mcbess discovers a Bar that has used his illustrations as wallpaper, essentially it is the mcbess Bar. Although we did get free beers out of it so maybe that was a high point?
 
Carl Mcbess
 
What did mcbess talk at OFFF about?
Boobs, music and food. What else would he talk about? But seriously, he spoke about his style, his process and motivations, his friends and collaborators, but mostly… boobs, music and food.
 
How was mcbess' talk received?
At first people didn't know how to take his signature dry 'douchebag' humour, but it didn't take long for everyone to be won over by his charm. Many people commented on the fact that it was the best talk of the festival.
 
Mcbess 1
 
Did any key themes arise throughout OFFF?
The main theme that kept resonating was the importance and role of personal work. Nearly everyone spoke of the need to play and find your passion in the work you do for non-commercial reasons and how the money will follow.
 
Any new talent to keep an eye out for?  
Pat Perry. A very authentic and earnest young artist from Michigan. I was blown away by how the complexity and maturity of his work is matched by a young man with a clear perspective and understanding of his place in nature and his environments. One of those people you meet who is the real deal. Pat Perry is no pretender. Check out his Alaska project then ask yourself how far you would venture to refine your work.
 
Power
 
Did you see/hear/learn anything inspirational that you'll be applying to your own work?
As always at OFFF I walked away having met people who vigilantly pursue the ideals of great work and expression. I have once again returned feeling challenged to be true to the principles of what drive the forefront of international design culture. Plainly put: forget everything but the work and by 'work' I mean 'passion'.
 Barcelona

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The Mill Pre-AICP Partying at Studio 451

Tuesday, June 11, 2013

Wednesday night saw the annual transformation of the New York Mill space into the biggest, brightest Pre-AICP party to date. This year the event had a distinct Studio 54 vibe, appropriately named Studio 451 after the street number of the office, with guests dressing to impress, even showing up in festive headdress.

With the 2012 party ending in the cops shutting it down due to multiple noise complaints, anticipation mounted around what might happen this year…

Disco Ball

A heady crowd of 800 inspirational industry attendees danced the night away on a Saturday night fever inspired LED dance floor, manned by DJ Stretch Armstrong. Performers from the Vangeline Theater worked the party en force, dancing on tabletops and with guests.

Dancer

Party goers were also treated to a moment in an Animated GIF Photo Hot-Boxx. This was the ambitious brainchild of Rama Allen, creative director and engineered by Alan McSeveney, engineer. Guests who braved the Hot-Boxx received an email of their auto  composite animated GIF Photos. A total of 158 GIFs were completed throughout the night and a full Tumblr of the nights GIF creations is here. Be prepared to vanish into a blackhole of GIF love!

Green Screen

Add to this multiple rear projections displaying rotating images of dancing Mill folk, skulls, retro photos, and all things that sparkle and glitter, designed and animated by the Mill+ and 3D teams; an LED star-field canopy over the roof terrace; and the biggest disco ball we could find that would fit in an elevator.
 
Oh and of course, it wouldn't be The Mill's AICP party without… Lasers!

AICP LAZER

Thanks to everyone who attended, danced, drank, partied, GIF-ed and did Studio 451 proud. I hope you have all now recovered. For all the papparazi pics taken over the course of the night, take a look here.

Finally, lets also not forget the main event itself, for which The Mill created the 2013 Showreel which included over 6000 frames of CG and with rendering over 2300 hours of CG. Congratulations to all our clients who picked up accolades this year, there was such a high calibre of talent on display.

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Introducing… The Mill’s 2013 Fireflies Three

Friday, June 07, 2013

Cycling runs in the blood of many at The Mill, but every year a few brave volunteers swap the daily commute for something far more ambitious. Next week the Fireflies begin their epic 1,100km ride, now in its 13th year.

MOuntains

This year 2012 participant Ed Shires returns to the Fireflies ride, joining him are Tom Walters and Tara Demarco, who jets in from the LA office. Together they will join the ranks of fellow advertising and film bike enthusiasts and hard core riders in aid of a truly great cause; Leuka. The money raised during the ride supports the charity, which was formed to support research & treatment of Leukaemia at the Hammersmith Hospital, London.

The ride will take them from their starting point in Geneva through to a well-deserved dip in the sea as they arrive jubilant at Cannes Lions on Wednesday 19th June! As ever, we will be keeping a close eye on our three riders so get your eyes glued to Twitter and Instagram for daily updates, along with a blog rundown of the highs and lows.

So, let's meet the riders…

Ed

Ed Shires: Sponsor him here!

Tell us a bit about yourself
Artist, Cyclist, Sibling, Son, Short Film lover, FireFly

How did you get involved in Fireflies?
My mum suffered and still suffers from Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma which is a cancer of the blood. The combination of raising money for a cause I care about and the challenge of the Tour made it an irresistible event for me to take part in. I became involved in the strong cycling culture at the Mill through commuting. From there my cycling developed in to a way to keep fit and explore and soon enough people started to mention the FireFlies.

How is your training going?
I've managed to get a lot of training done this year which is great, mainly by taking part in sportives and the FireFly weekly training rides mixed in with a bit of gym work. I'm just focusing on making sure that I'm fully rested for the tour now!

Talk me through your cycling kit of choice?
FireFlies Colnago C59 Italia, Campagnolo Record Groupset, Fulcrum 1 Wheels.

What's been the biggest challenge so far?
Overcoming an ankle injury I picked up on last years tour! And not looking at the awful Alpine weather!

What element of Fireflies are you most looking forward to?
The sense of pride, humility and achievement in what you have achieved when you arrive in Cannes with your fellow Flies.

Tara

Tara Demarco: Sponsor her here!

Tell us a bit about yourself
I'm an American from Boston who has a special love for California. My favorite sport is actually snowboarding, but I am passionate about the fundraising that the fireflies do and the difference in cycle culture that comes with trying to do some good in the world rather than race someone to the top. I'm one of the flame leads in the LA office and I'm very grateful that my colleagues and clients over the past few months have been understanding of my training schedule. They have helped me immensely with their time and goodwill.

How did you get involved in Fireflies?
Jeff Robins and I used to ride around the boroughs when I worked for Mill NY. He came out for a Fireflies West in 2009 and gave the little nudge that I needed to try it for myself. I participated in the 2010 and 2012 Fireflies West rides despite some nagging knee issues. Many of my friends and family have been affected by Leukemia and breast cancer. Fireflies seems like an awfully good way to fight back a little. I'm dedicating my ride to specific people - Sabrina Elizondo, Cior Wills, Gib Stahl and Angela Easton.

How is your training going?
Training has been going well. I've actually hired a coach to keep me on track and give valuable feedback about things like heart rate, cadence, nutrition. It's been 5 days cycling and 1 day Pilates a week with 1 rest day since the beginning of March. Prior to that it was 4 days cycling with cross fit and Pilates since the beginning of the year.

Talk me through your cycling kit of choice?
Oh - arm warmers, extra padded shorts and a good gilet all the way! Also, well fit shoes and saddle help.

What's been the biggest challenge so far?
Training both days every weekend as well as three mornings a week before work. I'm SO looking forward to a lie-in in July.

What element of Fireflies are you most looking forward to?
Running into the sea in Cannes. Also, the mountain-top views. I'm a landscape photographer at heart so there may be a Holga and some film in my bag for rest day snaps.

Tom

Tom Walter: Sponsor him here!

Tell us a bit about yourself?
Currently I am the 3D Manager in Mill London, and have been at The Mill for about 6 years. I started riding with my Dad when I was 12, mostly to get fit for rugby. After a about a 7-10 year hiatus from cycling which involved mostly drinking and eating like I was still playing rugby, I realised that cycling would be the best route to do something I would enjoy and try and lose weight!

How did you get involved in Fireflies?
I have always wanted to take part in a big event to raise money for a great cause. When I started at The Mill, Fireflies had always been something I had seen but never dreamed I would be able to do. However over the past 3 years I started riding again, always with one eye on the chance to take part. Last year I watched Ed, Stu and Luke take part from The Mill. Having ridden with those boys up till then, I was gutted I didn't put my name down for it when I saw the photos and heard the stories. Instead I put my name down for 2013, and have been working towards it since I did.

How is your training going?
Going pretty well. I have clocked 2500miles this year. I have taken in some pretty epic sportives including the Fred Whitton in the Lake District, which was 112 miles in the pissing rain and had some climbs of 30% gradients....

Talk me through your cycling kit of choice?
I just love the fact I get to dress in Lycra, it does wonders for my figure! O hand my trusty shorter bike has done me great service over the past 4 years!

What's been the biggest challenge so far?
By a long way the biggest challenge has been trying to lose as much weight as possibly can. Chicken with salad or vegetables for lunch every day, is pretty tough to deal with once you hit about week 16....

What element of Fireflies are you most looking forward to?
Being able to do my bit for a great a cause, while getting to ride with a great group of people is definitely what I am looking forward to most.
 
// Thanks Fireflies! Completing the ride is an amazing and challenging experience and I know everyone at The Mill would like to wish all of the Fireflies HUGE good luck on this year's tour.

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Wayne Chisnall and his June Window Exhibition

Wednesday, June 05, 2013

The Great Marlborough Street, London window has had a summer re-skin this week, with rising star of the art and sculpture world Wayne Chisnall exhibiting his latest creations. I caught up with Wayne to learn more about his previous projects and what inspires his unique approach to material he uses.

WAyne

You have tried your hand at many areas of art; magazine & technical illustration, printmaking and now you create spectacular sculptures, what drew you to this area of expertise?
My dad was an oil painter so I grew up with the sight and smell of art materials all around me, therefore art has been my passion for as far back as I can remember. All my life I'd been a predominantly 2D artist but it wasn't until I went to University and unexpectedly switched from printmaking to sculpture that I suddenly found a medium that I felt to be more truthful to what I wanted to express through my art. Somehow I felt that by working in 3D I was able to convey my ideas on a greater number of levels. I suppose that because sculptures physically occupy space in the same world as we do, on a level that something like a drawing doesn't, they have more to say - but that might just be how I see things. Of course, I still love drawings and paintings etc.
 
The City (5)
 
How did you approach The Mill window?
I decided to exhibit some of the more recent, or rarely shown, sculptures that I thought were quite strong pieces in themselves, but which also worked well as a group. In the deeper window I have, Orifice Tower, Pharos Cyclops #1 and #2, and in the shallow window, Planetoid 210. Although all three pieces (for the sake of argument I'll call 'Pharos Cyclops #1 and #2 one piece for now) share certain commonalities, they are also examples of different lines of enquiry that I have pursued. For this installation I wanted to give an insight into the divergent aspect of my practice; to show how various works can trigger ideas for newer and slightly different pieces, which in turn lead to further, and therefore more distantly related, works. To highlight this aspect of the development of my work I displayed the two Cyclops pieces on bright green deckchairs, the colour of which is a reference to one of my earliest sculptures, And When I'm a Man (I'll Think as a Man).
 
Mill
 
Being bright green and made of fibreglass, plastic and resin, this earlier work offers a stark contrast to the direction of much of my current work. Incidentally, when I was installing the work, someone commented on the green of the deckchairs being very similar to that of the green screen used in the visual effect industry. I hadn't even thought of it at the time but I guess it ties in nicely with what The Mill does.
 
Plantoid
 
Who and what inspires you?
There are so many wonderful sculptors out there but most of my primary influences lie elsewhere. Growing up, I was a big fan of sci-fi and horror literature and films - which is probably where much of my work gets its dark leanings, although now I hope that there is a bit of humour in there too. I can see the choice of found materials that I use in my sculptures emerging from my early love of the strange and uncanny animations of people like Jan Svankmajer and the Brothers Quay, who's work I still have a soft spot for today. I also have a bit of an obsession with the Minkisi/Nkisi wood carvings of the Congo area, which been very influential in my Nail Box and Nail Heart series of works.
 
Nail
 
Without sounding too hippy, I'm also inspired by nature, especially vines and root systems. Even though I have very geometric elements to a lot of my work I try and incorporate an organic construction model where I can. Drawing is a very important part of my practice and for most of my sculptures I make numerous sketches, prior and during the construction process. My drawing style varies, depending upon what I'm working on, but I honed it during my time as a technical and magazine illustrator back in the 80's and early 90's. Saying that, I've had a life-long love of comic and book illustration so there will be influences from these fields that are probably too numerous to mention.
 
What has been your favourite project?
I'm not sure if I have favourite projects but do I have a secret art project that I'm not supposed to talk about (the 1st rule of Fight Club etc...) that is a lot of fun. I'll try not to give too much away but it started back in July 2005 (oddly enough, on the day of the London bombings) and is still ongoing. Basically the project is a chain of exchanges between myself and a performance artist called Calum F Kerr. We modelled the exchange on scenes from old cold war spy movies and now we film ourselves making these exchanges. We always meet at the same location (a park bench somewhere in London) at a set time on a set day of the week (but not every week). One of us will get there first, then the other will join him on the bench but we deliberately make no acknowledgement of each other. Then one of us will place a parcel, wrapped in brown paper, between us on the bench, and other will nonchalantly take it. Whoever placed the parcel on the bench walks away first, then the other person a short while later (exiting in opposite directions). Which ever one of us accepts the parcel (containing an object or detailed instructions created by the other) has to create something inspired by the contents of said parcel and then wrap it up in brown paper and continue the chain at the next encounter. As I said, it's a lot of fun to take part in but it's also loosed up both of us as artists, as we've started to dip into each others mode of practice (if only a little). Now I've probably said too much.
 
Orifice Tower
 
Talk us through the reoccurring themes evident in your sculptures?
The tower is one of the main reoccurring themes that runs through my work. All the sculptures in my first tower series where mounted on over-sized wheels and were to do with our attitudes toward material possessions, and how our accumulation of  'stuff' limits our mobility. My most personal piece from this series, The City, was to be the springboard for a lot of later pieces - namely the numerous but much smaller-sized box series (also on wheels). In fact the wheels themselves became a motif  of most of my sculptural work until relatively recently. As the magnified lens aspect of my box structures started to give way to the carved orifice feature (a further attempt to integrate the organic and the rectilinear) so to the wheeled theme stared to disappear and the structures became more tower-like again. A prime example being Orifice Tower, which is basically an elevated box. The thing that I enjoy about working this way is that it feels very natural, like a process of evolution. Forms emerge, disappear, and sometimes re-emerge.
 
What else is happening for you this year?
So far I have a sculpture on display in an alumni exhibition at my old university in Northampton and I've been asked to create a couple of two metre tall pieces that will be displayed in the windows of a renovated Anglican chapel in Nunhead Cemetery this September. I've also been sketching designs for a new series of tower sculptures but at the moment I've over filled my studio with materials, so until I sort out extra storage space, I'm working on drawings and ideas for editioned prints in my 2D studio (which is also starting to fill up with materials). One of these print ideas is an adaptation of a photo from a newspaper, showing police attacking protesters. But I'm painting out the protesters and replacing them with cartoon bunnies. It's quite a fun but surprisingly thought provoking piece - I'm pleased with how it's going.
 
Mill2
 
But the project that I'm most excited about at the moment is my plan to bring out my own currency (well, sort of). I'm looking to print 20,000, hand signed and numbered, editions of a small double sided art print that takes the form of a fictitious banknote - a 5 Chig (taken from my nickname) note. The designs on both sides will be based upon my artworks and drawings but I'm looking to print on authentic-feeling banknote paper and incorporate watermarks and holographic foils - and use two different printing techniques, one of which will have a slight raised quality. The only problem that I'm currently having is the sourcing of authentic-feeling cotton/linen banknote paper - for obvious anti-counterfeiting reasons.
 
//Thanks Wayne for this revealing look into your inspirations and creations. Wayne will be exhibiting for the next two months, so pay us a visit and have a peek at the art in person.

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The Mill Meets Fifty Pence Director Eric Kolelas

Monday, June 03, 2013

When up-and-coming film maker Eric Kolelas' acting career started to slow, he decided the only way to get his teeth into his ideal role would be to create it himself. Eric then wrote, produced, directed and took the lead in Fifty Pence, which has been storming the European festival circuit and is now available to view online for the first time. I caught up with him about this ambitious project…

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How did you Fifty Pence come to exist?
Although I studied film-making, my main activity is now acting. I had been trying to work on a few independent/student projects to build up my acting reel in order to move on up, but I found it extremely hard to come across really interesting projects, that would at the same time have a good script and a competent crew, and in which I could have a multi-dimensional character who is significant to the plot. So I decided I would try to make it happen myself. My studies came in extremely handy! One day, whilst procrastinating on Vimeo, I came across a video from a guy filming his friend walking around Paris, to test out his new DSLR camera. He had cut it all to some atmospheric music, and there was something about it which I really liked. I used that concept as a basis, and built my script around it by finding ways to put obstacles and conflicts in the way of some guy walking around Paris.
Why is he in Paris? Is from Paris or is Paris a foreign city to him? Does he want to be there? If not, How did he get there? Is he a victim? or is his predicament a result of his own actions, etc.
Before long Fifty Pence was written. I went to Paris to get on with pre-production, crewing up, locations scout, auditions, etc. and we shot the whole thing in 3 days.

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Fifty Pence is a film which you wrote, produced, directed AND acted in. Talk us through this decision and how you balanced these roles?
It wasn't much of a decision really, if I wanted it to happen, I had to do all of it myself. I already knew that I would act in this piece I had written, but somehow I couldn't see many producers (or investors/backers) willing to take on a short film with a rather ambiguous script, from a guy who hadn't written or directed a film before, and also wanted to act in it. I probably would have spent a very long time pitching it, and most likely would have needed to make many compromises for the film to see the light: I would much rather spend that time and energy on actually making the film. As to finding an experienced director that I can trust with the script and would be willing to work on a fairly low budget could have taken quite some time, hampering the momentum of this project, which, looking back, I believe was a key factor in making this film happen: I just went ahead with it without thinking too much about the many ways it could go wrong.

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What were the highs and lows of the process?
High - Going through the rushes at the end of each day, and slowly seeing the film come to life.
Low - Gaining permission to film in this amazing Parisian railway station from the station manager himself, saving myself from going through all the usual paper work and administration fees, only to re-write the scene (after a lot of debating with myself and Guillaume Miquel, my DoP) in a different location as it made a lot more sense with the story and allowed for a better ending. I am still a bit bitter at myself to this day.

The film really captures the essence of Paris, how did the choice for this location come about?
I felt that having Fifty Pence take place in London (where I live) would impose specific expectations from the audience in term the film's genre and elements the viewers might find in the film. I thought those expectations would have gotten in the way of the actual story and didn't want to risk disappointed my viewers as I had no intentions of meeting those expectations often come precedes London stories . So I thought if I set in Paris, the audience probably would have been too thrown-off by the Paris setting to be expecting geezers, mandems or hooligans. Once the expectations are removed, the audience is more open to to the story, and with Fifty Pence being very ambiguous and leaving a lot the viewers imagination, I really needed that openness.

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There's very little dialogue in the film; was this a conscious decision? I imagine this makes it very accessible for international audiences?
I actually didn't want to have any dialogue at all, but the more I built my story, which is ambiguous enough as it is, the harder it became to make it all cohere. So ended-up adding a bit of dialogue where necessary, which actually made it less accessible than intended, but I guess that's where subtitles come in.

What role did The Mill play in the final result?
A friend of mine introduced me to Mikey Rossiter who worked at The Mill London at the time, he was looking for some projects to grade and he really like my script, so I thought: why not? Mikey and I spent quite a few nights in the Baselight grading suite working on the film. It is extremely convenient that the Mill is open over night, I reckon it really allows for maximum productivity, as not everyone produces their best work between 9am and 5pm.

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Fifty Pence has been well received so far on the European Festival circuit, what are the next plans for the film?
Yes, the film did its festival run throughout 2012, and some of 2013. I finally put it online hoping that it will find a new and bigger audience, so the plan is to get as many people across the world to watch or at least know about it.

Have any other films at the festivals caught your eye?
So many!!! The level of quality of films out there is so high, I couldn't believe it: There's Buumes (The Baumans) by Martin Guggisberg, Monster by Piotr Ryczko, I'm Sorry by Leonard Leiter (I got to meet him in Paris), 82 by Callum MacDiarmid, A Good Night by Muriel d'Ansembourg (met her in Paris too, such a cool person), Dylan's Room by Layke Anderson, The Roar of the Sea by Ana Rocha Fernandes & Torsten Truscheit, Rhinnos by Shimmy Marcus, Long Distance Information by Douglas Hart, and the list goes on...

// Thanks Eric for the story behind Fifty Pence. Mikey Rossiter, Colourist said…"Eric is an unbelievably talented guy and was an absolute pleasure to work with. He did a fantastic job of telling such a compelling story in such a short time and I felt really compelled to get involved in the film." Here is the film for your viewing pleasure…

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Sports Tech – The Final Word

Friday, May 31, 2013

This is the third in a series of blogs from resident tech-spert Neil Evely on the earliest adopting sector for QS; sports and sports technology. Not just happy enough to know you've built up a sweat, these days the technology allows even the most amateur athlete to track their heart rate, calories, distance and endless more analytics. You can catch up on his pre-marathon escapades here and here.

Neil

Neil: It's been a little under a month since the marathon, the legs have recovered (just) and so I thought I'd sign off with a little update of my most recent tech purchase and how it helped on the big day. I spent Saturday carefully preparing my gear for Sunday, with a slightly OCD level of attention to detail about where on my vest my race number/name badge should go, down to the alignment of the safety pins. Preparation also included getting my toys in order, which involved playing with my new Garmin 210 watch.

This was a last minute purchase, as I was concerned about my iPhone picking up a strong enough signal amongst the 35,000 other people running the marathon, many of whom would be relying on a 3G signal to track their progress. I (like nearly everyone else) had a pace in mind that I needed to keep to, too slow and I wouldn't get under 4 hours, too fast and I'd likely burn out early. I set up the Garmin 210 Forerunner and tried to connect to the GPS satellites. Surprisingly, this took ages. I stood outside my flat (it didn't work at all being indoors) for a good 5 minutes waiting patiently, keen to run a quick mile or 2 to calibrate the watch and make sure that we both agreed what 7mph actually felt like.

 

Watch

Eventually, after an age, it kicked in and I was happy to see that the mph held no immediate scares and it correlated with my Nike+; far more comprehensively in fact. The 210 also times individual laps which by default is set to a distance of 1 mile, although it can be configured to be anything, which was handy. It also automatically discovered my MyZone heart rate monitor which meant I could, if I wanted, just wear the one watch on the big day (I didn't of course, I wore both). 

The 210 stores your data and allows you to upload it to your Garmin account (via USB into a PC or Mac), which you can also keep track off via a half decent App. I won't lie, setting up my account, adding my watch and managing to upload my data was a total pig. After resetting my password twice, which didn't work, I then had to 'request forgotten login details' only to discover on receiving my email that they were ENTIRELY different to what I'd just saved. It's fine now, but why ask someone to set up a username & password for an account, only to have a different one for the part of the site that saves your training? Bonkers. Its running data not CIA secrets.

Report

Log in faff aside, thank goodness I bought it, as my theory was correct and trying to connect to 3G on my phone in Greenwich surrounded by everyone else doing the same, was a total no go. So after all my dedicated time training with Nike+, it was probably a victim of its own success and I had to rely on my new toy. Thankfully, the 210 guided me through admirably, keeping me as close as I was able to 7mph for the duration, though I would argue that it seemed to lose connection with the GPS quite easily, running through Canary Wharf caused all manner of issues and on Embankment I ran past a tall man dressed as a bottle of beer which seemed to knock out the signal altogether (he was very tall).

Garmin 210 Forerunner:7.5 sneakers out of 10 (docked a sneaker for slow GPS connectivity)

So there you have it, a lot of tech tested, even more miles run. I for one will be keeping hold of my Garmin, MyZone and will no doubt return to Nike+ as well. They all offer something slightly different and I have a weird feeling that this won't be the last marathon I train for...

// Thank you Neil for putting the world of sports tech thoroughly through its paces, and providing me with this opportunity to make endless running puns. Neil has left out the extremely impressive fact that his official marathon time was 3:59:47, scooping his sub-4 hour aim, and raising an impressive raised £1850 for YMCA!

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The Fields – A Duncan Guymer, Campus i12 & Mill Short Film

Wednesday, May 29, 2013

The Fields is a short film, written and directed by Duncan Guymer and produced by Spencer Friend. The film sits within the Sci-Fi Thriller genre, featuring bold choreographed fight scenes.

Here Luke Colson (Head of Mill+ Studio) and Hugo Guerra (Head of Nuke) talk through how The Mill came to be part of The Fields, the tie-up with Campus i12 and the amount of internal & external collaboration involved.

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How did you first get involved with The Fields?
Luke: Spencer Friend at Joyrider sent us the script and asked us if we wanted to get involved. We knew it was a lot of work, but were looking for a project just like this to get stuck into. Spencer was producing a number of commercial projects through The Mill so it seemed like the right time.

Hugo: I was introduced to the project by Luke. It was a very interesting project and a great opportunity for the Nuke department to work on a long-term project with a lot of creative input. It was a pleasure to work with Spencer Friend again, and of course it was a sci-fi film set in the future, so our inner geeks were very excited.

The _Fields _Trailer2

Talk us through the premis of The Fields?
Luke & Hugo: Set in 2510, 'The Fields' depicts the aftermath of a war between rich and poor. With the losing faction forced to live underground, the war has since been long forgotten. The subterranean population believe in a divinely ordained balancing act, in which God infects the most intelligent people with a fungal disease. The underground community then outcasts these individuals to 'The Fields', where their disease takes effect and they seemingly become part of the forest.

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How did Campus i12 get involved?
Luke: Hugo teaches at Campus i12 and we always had a vision to get them involved in a real life project. We discussed the possibility of getting them involved with Duncan the director, and he was all for it. It was an extremely collaborative workflow, and we couldn't have done it without Campus i12, certainly within the time frame we had set aside.

Hugo: It was an excellent opportunity to work with a VFX school like Campus i12 on a live project, I have always taught at VFX schools and one of the biggest problems they face is getting proper production quality material, it's very hard to come by. This gave them a chance to improve their skills as artists with real deadlines and real production quality control from The Mill.

Nuke

What role did The Mill play in the final result?
Luke: We took care of every part of the VFX and the post-production process. From grading through to all the roto and comping, and of course the CG elements which include the dissolving man and the epic view from the roof at the end of the film. There are a lot of hidden effects too such as enhancements on gun fire and set extensions.
Hugo: We did 52 visual effects in this project, ranging from wire removal, set extensions, particles effects, gun flashes to almost full matte painting and CGI backgrounds. The Nuke department took care of all VFX conforming, compositing and matte painting. Campus i12 students designed the 3D buildings and vehicles with the supervision of myself, Sofia Delis and Oskar Wahlberg. Grading was then done by Luke Morrison .
 

Grade 03

What was it like working with Duncan Guymer?
Luke: Duncan is a clever guy, with a very definite idea of what he wanted us to bring to the table. I know he was blown away with the results and we too are happy with how it all looks.

Hugo: Duncan was amazing, we worked very close and developed all the art direction and CGI design with him. He had amazing references and a very exact idea of the overall look of the film, he is a very creative director and understands the VFX process very well. I can't wait to work with him again.

The _Fields _Trailer

What were the highs and lows of the process?
Luke: From a post side, it was sheer volume of work, but with good organisation and a big team, we simply had to put in the hours to get the results. I know that the production had its moments; filming in the pouring rain and having to shoot in the world's narrowest corridors!! That said the whole project ran very smoothly and really was great fun.

Hugo: You couldn't have said it any better. I mean logistically it was hard to work and supervise shots both in Sweden and London, I did travel a lot backwards and forwards, but the effort was really worth it. The final film looks amazing and it wouldn't have been possible without our talented team at The Mill and the amazing work of Campus i12.

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// You can view The Fields in full here

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What “98% Human” Means To Me - Toygar Bazarkaya & Angus Kneale

Friday, May 24, 2013

Mill+ has teamed up with BBDO NY and PETA to create an astonishing and ground breaking new spot "98% Human". "98% Human" is part of PETA's commitment to stop great apes being used within the entertainment industries. The Mill+ team, alongside BBDO NY, embarked on an incredibly ambitious journey to create a truly photo-real and completely life like chimpanzee.

Here I talk exclusively with Mill+ Animation Director Angus Kneale and BBDO NY Executive Creative Director Toygar Bazarkaya; covering how the project was born, the highs and lows, and what ultimately both Toygar and Angus hope it achieves.

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                                      Q&A : Toygar Bazarkaya

How did you first get involved in PETA "98% Human"?
It was actually PETA who approached us and gave us the background story that put us in a state of shock. You have to understand that all of us working in the industry believe that when we work with great apes, their safety and dignity are guaranteed. You have official disclaimers at the end of movies stating "no animal was harmed during this production" and this is true. However, that only refers to one day of production. What we didn't know is that there is a horrible backstory behind all of it. These great apes are being removed from their mothers when they are only days old, then being kicked and punched to do what they need to do. When they are around four years old they start acting in front of the cameras. But at around eight, they become too strong, and therefore are discarded in roadside zoos, only to live up to 50 more years in the worst conditions. This whole issue just ripped our hearts out because we are the people who write these scripts, not having a clue what actually goes on. So we decided to support PETA in an effort to raise awareness. Once people find out about this, we are sure they won't use apes anymore.

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In working with Mill+, we noticed there IS another way. We found a way to change the message from "stop using great apes" to "stop using "real" great apes." Mill+ developed a technology that allows for the creation of a great ape that is so real, it's scary. No use of the real animal, but an undistinguishable result. Planet of the Apes looks like a cartoon in comparison. Absolutely mind blowing!

What were the highs and lows of the process?
I think the lows were the days the project almost died. We were on life support and barely breathing a couple of times. Once Planet of the Apes came out, we looked at it and thought, "it doesn't make sense to create something second rate." If anything, we need to beat it by a mile. Otherwise, it's not worth the effort. I love The Mill for taking on the challenge. Fearless! Inspiring! Committed! Awesome! The highs started when I saw the first rendering of (what I thought) was the final ape. I was shocked! It was like getting hit by a truck. I can remember vividly, downloading a 5 second, and almost falling off my chair. I will never forget this moment. The crazy part was they weren't even half way done. When you find yourself running around like a little kid wanting to share this, you know you've got something.

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PETA are known for adverts that make everyone sit up and pay attention, which must require a sensitive and unique approach. Can you talk me through this challenge?
I give PETA a lot of credit for taking this issue on. It's amazing that we didn't know this backstory, that's why we all are thankful to PETA. That said the challenge was to create something that talks to our peers: a critical bunch when it comes to advertising, communication and entertainment.

What do you hope "98% human" achieves?
No use of great apes in the advertising and entertainment industry. Sign up to the Great Ape pledge is here.

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                                       Q&A : Angus Kneale

How did you first get involved in PETA "98% Human"?
We were contacted by BBDO quite a while back, they had seen the CGI animal work that we had been doing and wanted to know if we would like to be involved with the project.

What were the highs and lows of the process?
There were a few high points. One of the early test renders that we did completely blew my mind, I ended up hugging our VFX supervisor so hard that I think he is still recovering from the affection. Another high point was the first time I was able to watch the piece and get caught up in the story without being obsessed by the details.  The low point without a doubt was breaking my leg two weeks before the shoot while sledding in upstate New York; we ended up having to delay the shoot and the project.

PETA are known for adverts that make everyone sit up and pay attention, which must require a sensitive and unique approach. Can you talk me through this challenge?
PETA is often controversial; you know what you are signing up for when you get on board with one of their projects. The challenge was not to get overly sentimental and keep it from being gratuitous. We focussed heavily on the emotions that we wanted; this required a great deal of care and sensitivity. 

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What role did Mill+ play in the final result?
We were involved in the project from start to finish. Being part of the whole process was great; it gave us full control with how to approach each stage. We are really proud of the process and the final result.

What do you hope "98% Human" achieves?
I hope that "98% Human" will bring awareness and help stop the use of great apes in our industry; I think this shows that there is a real alternative to using live performance chimps in film and advertising.

Do you have any animals in your life?
We don't have any pets at home but I have had a few run ins with some black bears in the Catskill mountains north of New York City. They kept on hanging around our property, it turns out that they have a particular weakness for birdseed...

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// Thanks Angus and Toygar for these incredible insights into a project straight from the heart. Another person who played a huge role in the creation of "98% Human" is VFX Supervisor Vince Baertsoen who said, "Peta 98% Human was the most rewarding project I have ever worked on. Here you have a great cause, a great script, with great character R&D and a great team. It is a very rare moment where you can focus on all the details that make a character alive, and be so involved in the creative process. Each wrinkle movement, each blink, hair detail, the dust... all the imperfections which make our character alive and real. I am really proud of what we managed to achieve, and I can't wait to have even more challenges, and to defend more great causes."

View the spot in full here, the behind the scenes here and for more information on the project, there is an Adweek exclusive here.

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