EVENT - Creative Sydney

Last night I attended a Creative Sydney talk “Local Talent/Global Market”. Creative Sydney is a series of free events held at the MCA Sydney throughout the month of June.

The panel of speakers included James Hackett (Hackett Films), Sean Ashby (AussieBum), Marty Wirth and Axel Moline (Modular Records) and Rob Belgiovane (BWM)

There are many obstacles and opportunities when exporting ideas abroad. The premise for the panel discussion was to explore how diverse Australian businesses have tapped into international audiences and as a result experienced great success.

James Hackett was first to talk – Hackett films is re-known for producing beautiful montages and animation. The success of Dirt Girl has meant this locally produced television series has been exported to global audiences. This project got off the ground due to strategic development that benefited the pitching process. The client invested dollars to produce a 2 minute pilot which provided a tangible showcase for investors.

Hackett explained “although Dirt Girl is considered animation, it’s really live action”. Hackett also emphasized the importance of research and development for new ideas and the importance of “having a few strings in your bow”.

Charasmatic co-founder of Aussiebum, Sean Ashby was next to speak. Aussiebum is the most succesful Australian fashion export to date, turning over 23 million dollars in 2009.

Aussiebum currently exports 15,000 units per week. Ashby is a no bullshit type of personality. He gave a candid account about the Aussiebum roots and how the business came to fruition. In 2001 Ashby was unemployed and disallusioned by the corporate world. He spent many days at the beach swimming, sunbaking and trying not to spend money. Wearing nylon underwear instead of speedos, Ashby’s friends would comment “what’s with the nylon undies”.

From here Ashby launched Aussiebum, “everyone told me it wouldn’t work… best advice I can give don’t listen to other peoples advice…the only reason people are negative is because they don’t want to see you do well and then wish they had the idea”.

Perseverance and commitment certainly paid off. Today Ashby’s label is a global trendsetter. Ashby encourages people to “make yourself a commodity…essentially the brand represents a lifestyle”.

Ashby warns “loose the lifestyle and the passion and you become another statistic”. Today Australia represents 15% of Aussiebum’s market.

Axle and Marty from Modular Recordings were next up. Modular Recordings represents “Forward thinking pop music”.

Amongst their suite of artists are The Avalanches, The Presets, Wolfmother, Tame Impala, and the Yeah Yeah Yeah’s . They recently produced the presets video “This boys in love” in which they flew Danish director Casper Balslev to Australia to direct.

Last up was Rob Belgiovane – partner in Australia’s second largest advertising agency BWM. Belgiovane gave recognition to the famous Telstra Bigpond “Great Wall of China” campaign.

Belgiovane explained the success of this campaign stems from its universal message “all parents want their kids to do well in school and can relate to the ad”. At the time the creative team were the youngest team within the agency and it was their first TVC.

Belgiovane recognized the economic downturn as a period for creative indulgence, “when things go bad we do better creatively…the worse things get the less clients have to lose…in downturns creativity is hot currency”.

Social media is king to Belgiovane, claiming, “through social media the population becomes your sales team and they sell it because they like it”.

In conclusion Belgiovane provided a case study about Yellow Pages and the Yellow Treehouse. This was an elaborate concept that saw the project built from resources utilizing only the Yellow Pages.

Colenso BBDO on behalf of Yellow Pages built a whimsical tree house and opened it as a restaurant. Set amongst the treetops this was an extroadinary PR exercise and clever advertising campaign.

The Creative Sydney talks run until June 13. Visit the website today and sign up for some creative inspiration.

Teall Barnes - Marketing Director

Ant McPhail - Abluto 'Trailer'

“The human body is 70% water… why wash ourselves in it? It’s like washing your car with metal…”

Viscious Director Ant McPhail directed this short film "Abluto"

A black comedy in the vein of ‘Anchorman’ meets ‘One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest’.

We follow the journey of a man who is in his final week of rehab. We learn that our hero has developed a fear of water contacting the skin, and hence relies heavily on refresher towels to bathe.

Look out for "Abluto" at festivals worldwide. Congrats Ant.

Sam Bryant - 'GPS' at St Kilda Film Festival

The Award winning, epic Viscious production, written & directed by Sam Bryant 'GPS' screens tonight at the St Kilda Film Festival Opening and then again on Saturday the 29th of May. The film festival runs from tonight through to the 30th of May.

The production spanned over 5 shooting days in maze like locations, with torrential weather, bogged vehicles, emergency flares & psychotic sugar eating possums. But the end result? Totally worth it!! Grab a sneak peak right here

EVENT-Avid

Avid have gone all… new, not just a logo change, spit and polish, this is some major 'ones' and 'zeros' shuffling happened here. And to help introduce it, the big cheese himself Richard Gibson is saying some words about digital workflows today in Sydney and next Wednesday south of the boarder (Melbourne).
Here is what he will be talking
about (or long version!)

Robin Sung - Anna & Boy "Australian Fashion Week 2010"

It's Viscious on the Runway!

If you thought it was murder on the d-floor then it is certainly Viscious on the runway.

Make no exception Anna & Boy meant business and strutted their stuff at last weeks Australian Fashion Week.

Viscious was on hand to document every step of the Anna & Boy Show.

The collection started out with the title “A Coney Island Summer” and it was based on a carnival of colour and slightly kitsch prints and details. The show styling took a slightly different turn and was based on the look of some of the designers favourite film stars like Ann Margaret, Charlotte Rampling, Catherine Denueve and headed in a slightly kooky sixties direction. With a Palm Springs-style carnation print to a ‘laminex’ look pastel stripe print, the Anna & Boy show had a decidedly sixties in feel. Like the super coiffed and hair sprayed ladies you see poolside in Slim Aarons photographs, all extreme resort outfits with matching everything. A bit nutty and true A&B style.

Sebastien - 'Every Moment' Wins ACS Golden Tripod Award

Sebastien does it AGAIN!

Sebastien’s recent ‘Samanta Wills’ “Every Moment” TVC took out an illustrious Golden Tripod award at the 2010 Australian Cinematographers Society National Awards.

Seb, Callan & the V peeps gathered at a grueling 5:30am ready to take on all that Sydney had to offer. The crew trekked with 5D in hand through national parks, beaches, uptown, downtown and across town & made it all the way to parts Asia for this beautiful piece.

EXHIBITION-Black & Silver

Maybe it was the warm, sweet scent of screen print ink in the air…. maybe it was the intoxication of a new iPhone application, but last nights Asahi Black & Silver exhibition had us both thrilled and freezing all at once.

We patiently waited with our black t's in hand to be hit by T-World at this screen printing soiree. Along side the T's is an exhibition of fashion, object design, illustration, photography and video. It is a contemporary display of texture, illuminance & shades of grey.

The exhibition is on until the 9th of May so if you are a fan of affordable art, fashion & limited edition objects of desire, come on down to our side of town and visit the Ambush Gallery, 4A James Street Waterloo, NSW.

Photo's taken with my iPhone.