Lady Gaga and Tony Bennett Star In H&M's Blockbuster Holiday Christmas Advert

H&M is proud to present a magical holiday with Lady Gaga and Tony Bennett. This Holiday season, H&M is celebrating with a spectacular campaign and festive collection starring Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga, performing “It Don’t Mean A Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing)” from their #1 album Cheek To Cheek.

The campaign is a thrilling fun adventure, where an H&M family of supermodels and superstars celebrate the spirit of giving and togetherness this Holiday season.

Creative Credits:
Director: Johan Renck
Production Company: RAF
Agency Producer: Strange Cargo Collective

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Band Aid 30 - Do They Know It's Christmas? 2014 Edition

30 years after the original release, Band Aid 30 is back this Christmas time, raising money for the fight against Ebola. Rushes are incredibly proud to support the creation of this year’s video.

Thanks to all involved for giving their time and talents to record the track and make the video happen. All done within 36 hours! Directed by Great Guns Andy Morahan & posted at Rushes with grade by Simone Grattarola.

The musical artists include:
Angélique Kidjo, Bastille, Bono, Chris Martin, Clean Bandit, Ed Sheeranelbow, Ellie Goulding, Emeli Sande, Jessie Ware, Jimmy Napes, Midge Ure, Olly Murs, One Direction, Paloma Faith, Paul Epworth, Rita Ora, Roger Taylor, Sam Smith, Sinead O’Connor, and Underworld.

Credits:
Artist: Band Aid 30
Track Title: Do They Know It's Christmas?

Record Label: Virgin EMI Recors
Commissioner: James Hackett
Production Company: Great Guns
Exec Producer: Laura Gregory & Sheridan Thomas
Director: Andy Morahan
Producer: Tim Francis & Dan Cleland
DoP: Tony C. Miller & Angus Hudson
Editor: James Demetriou, Nick Saunders
Rushes Team
Producer: Joe West
Colourist: Simone Grattarola
Online: Dave Kiddie
via: www.rushes.co.uk

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Freedom of The DJ: Episode Four – Live Streaming

‘Live Streaming’ is the fourth instalment of Freedom of the DJ, a brand new documentary series that dives into the history and culture of the UK dance music scene. Hearing from the likes of Submotion Orchestra, Art Department, Jonas Rathsman, Flight Facilities, Crazy P, and Finnebassen, this episode looks into the world of live streaming and how it has impacted both the music and publishing world.

Accompanying this video series is the blu Music Tour hosting free parties across the UK featuring a top line-up including Jackmaster, Deadboy and Gorgon City. The tour is still to visit Leeds, Birmingham and Nottingham.

In episode four of Freedom of the DJ, a brand new documentary series that provides a captivating look into the lifestyle, history, and evolution of the DJ, we gain exclusive access into the world of live streaming. With insight from Mixmag as they get set to stream a blu eCigs event across the world and top DJs from the UK and around the globe, we find out the secrets behind a successful live stream and hear how live broadcasts have changed the music industry for the better.

Through a selection of exclusive interviews with the hard-working people behind the scenes at Mixmag and famous DJ faces, Submotion Orchestra, Art Department, Jonas Rathsman, Flight Facilities, Crazy P, and Finnebassen, the episode discovers what it takes to bring hundreds of thousands of music fans across the world together for a shared music experience like no other.

Brought to you by blu eCigs, the premium global e-cigarette brand, Live Streaming, reveals how the phenomenon provides a global platform for DJs to gain exposure and instantly share not only their music but also their performance with fans across the world.

A boost to more than just the artists, live streams have also proven to be an asset to the publishing world, at a time when readers are hungry for digital content alongside its print counterpart. With a sneak peak into the world’s most famous office party, we’re shown how Mixmag embraced the live stream in their very own LAB, kicking off the weekend each week by inviting one of the hottest DJ’s to take over the decks in the corner of the office and connect to the world’s dance music fans via stream.

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Iconoclast Director Yoann Lemoine Creates a Haunting Visual Journey for Black Atlass’ “Jewels”

Iconoclast director Yoann Lemoine (AKA the experimental pop-folk musician Woodkid) takes us on a beautifully surreal journey for emerging indie artist Black Atlass. Set to the track “Jewels” from the Young Bloods EP off of Fool’s Gold Records, the highly visual film features Polish supermodel Anja Rubik and Black Atlass singer/songwriter/producer Alex Fleming in a mysterious futuristic world.

From the opening sequence of darkling lights reflecting off the surfaces of strange and fantastical shapes, Yoann’s sunless imagery evokes a disturbing yet seductive world of form and movement. The CGI-infused visuals are hypnotic, as liquefied metal and gilded cages cover Rubik and Fleming’s hauntingly expressionless faces. The flowing movements of the metallic textures reflect the inky smooth rhythms of the music, playing the perfect accompaniment to the track’s lush R&B-tinged vocals and experimental alternative-meets-electronic sound.

The technical challenge was to create a video that looked photorealistic, but that would not come from a real camera. Yoann explains, “For this piece, I worked in a completely different way than I'm used to. I went back to my first love of being a director and CGI artist, and worked in post production on my own for 8 months to digitally create every single shot of the video with a very limited budget.”

“I used a DIY 3D scan system that rebuilds models from multiple still images, and what we call camera mapping, and played with this material on my computer. All of the camera, light, and texture movements were animated at home and on the road, as I was touring, far long after the 3D shoot of the real actors in February.”

As for how the digital elements played into the film’s narrative, Yoann remarks, “I thought the coldness and strangeness of the images was an interesting take on the concept of beauty and computer-generated images. I was born with computers but I’ve always thought it was strange to use them to fake or replace reality. The whole quest for 3D, 4D, pixel resolution, frame rate, and progress in the CGI world only seems to be driven by a fascination for reality emulation, and not that much by artistry and fantasy. The reality pictured in this video only exists in the computer I used to create the piece. It's fascinating and alienating too.”

“I loved the idea of humans golden like objects, like pieces of furniture. I treated them with the same precious care that we treat Jewels. I wanted to question the limits of incarnation, of organic versus digital, creating a piece that was equally beautiful and intense. Something equally organic and digital.”

Black Atlass had previously captured the attention of Yoann, with the Montreal crooner opening for Woodkid’s European tour back in February. As for enlisting Rubik, Yoann says, “I really want to thank Anja Rubik for saying yes instantly when I presented her the treatment. I thought the vision of her and Alex [of Black Atlass] was the perfect, beautiful and cold combination for the video.”

Yoann Lemoine is known for effortlessly moving between creative endeavors, whether creating his own music as Woodkid, or directing vivid and often reality-bending visual narratives for fellow artists such as Drake and Rihanna, Lana Del Rey, and Katy Perry under the Iconoclast banner.

The “Jewels” video made its exclusive premiere on Fader November 4th.

Credits:

Artist: Black Atlass
Track: Jewels
Record Label: Labelgum

Director: Yoann Lemoine
Production Compnay: Iconoclast

EP: Elias Belkeddar
Line Producer: Annabel Rosier
Director of Photography : Yoann Lemoine
1st Assistant Director : Antoine Poulet
1st Assistant Camera : Johan Leclaire Botarelli
Gaffer : Thierry Baucheron
Electrician : Sidney Baucheron
Key Grip : Samuel Fisher
Grip : Romain Chevalier
Wardrobe : Darcy Backlar
Hair : Jérôme Cultrera
Make up : Tracy Grey
Editing : Yoann Lemoine
3D Scanning : Yoann Lemoine
Post Production / CGI : Yoann Lemoine
Commissionner:Pierre Le Ny

Starring: Anja Rubik

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BBC Music, "God Only Knows"

The Beach Boys' masterpiece God Only Knows remade with the help of a few friends to celebrate the launch of BBC Music.

The entire list of musicians featured in "The Impossible Orchestra" are:
1. Dave Grohl / 2. Alison Balsom / 3. Lorde / 4. Pharrell Williams / 5. Zane Lowe / 6. Sam Smith / 7. Paloma Faith / 8. Eliza Carthy / 9. Nicola Benedetti / 10. Chris Martin / 11. Jaz Dhami / 12. Martin James Bartlett / 13. Danielle de Niese / 14. Stevie Wonder / 15. Florence Welch / 16. Lauren Laverne / 17. Brian Wilson / 18. Jake Bugg / 19. Katie Derham / 20. Gareth Malone / 21. Kylie Minogue / 22. Chrissie Hynde / 23. One Direction / 24. Emeli Sandé / 25. Elton John / 26. Baaba Maal / 27. Ethan Johns / 28. Jools Holland / 29. Jamie Cullum / 30. Brian May / 31. Tees Valley Youth Choir / 32. BBC Concert Orchestra

Behind the scenes...


Credits:
Ad Agency: Karmarama, London
Production: Red Bee Media
Director: Francois Rousselet
Executive Creative Director: Sam Walker
Executive Creative Director: Joe De Souza
Art Director: Melissa Broker
Art Director: Sarah Kane
Art Director: Morgan Kennedy
Producer: Joanna Yeldham

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Matthew Dear + GE Sounds present 'Drop Science'

Following 'Over 2 Million Continers, 2,00 Routes', The Barbarian Group has just launched 'Drop Science' an original electronic track produced for GE by musician Matthew Dear.

This second iteration of "The Sounds of GE" illustrates the important relationship between sound and science. Dear worked with GE Acoustics Engineer, Andrew Gorton, to gather over 1000 discrete samples recorded at GE research centers around the world.

From these, Dear composed an original electronic track featuring sounds from some of the world’s largest machines, including GE90 and GEnx jet engine acceleration tests, diagnostic tests performed at the Global Research Center, and sounds of the Blue-C subsea compressors from Norway, all culminating in a much-anticipated drop.

Every machine has its own acoustic signature - a precise frequency that indicates whether that machine is operating at peak performance. GE engineers monitor and record these sounds to perform real-time diagnostics on airplane engines, locomotives, power turbines, and medical equipment. Musician Matthew Dear and GE Acoustic Engineer Andrew Gorton teamed up to collect and compose thousands of audio emissions from the world’s most powerful machines. The result is an original track of music titled “Drop Science.”

Creative Credits:  
Ad Agency: The Barbarian Group
Production Agency [video]: m ss ng p eces

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THE LION KING Broadway Cast Takes Over NYC Subway

The Broadway Cast of The Lion King took a break between shows and took over a NEW YORK CITY subway car to give riders a little surprise.

Last year the NYC subway served over 1 billion riders, and last year The Lion King became Broadway's first $1 billion show.

Broadway's Tony Award winning musical comes to life 8 times a week in the heart of Times Square at The Minskoff Theater.
via: YouTube

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Twerking Robot Tries to Save Dance-deprived World in Basement Jaxx's New Video

British duo Basement Jaxx has turned out some unusual films to promote its infectious dance tunes -- like this 2001 classic for "Where's Your Head At" directed by Traktor. The band today unveiled its latest insane film, for "Never Say Never," off its upcoming album Junto.

Directed by Saman Kesh (who most recently shot Bret Easton Ellis-voiced videos for Placebo), the futuristic sci-fi clip centers on a team of researchers striving to bring dance back to a world that's become like Bomont from Footloose, where people have stopped throwing down the moves. The scientists' solution? A twerking robot, aka TW3RK-BOT 1.0, who can compete with the best of the butt jigglers. The idea is set in Japan, appropriately enough, a culture where lifelike dolls and robots increasingly becoming part of popular culture. Story via: Creativity Online

  Creative Credits:  
Director: Saman Kesh
Production Company: Skunk
Executive Producer: Matt Factor, Shelly Townsend
Line Producer: Courtney Davies
DP: Guillermo Garza
Twerk-Bot Design & Build: Alterian Inc.
Twerk-Bot Design & Build: Tony Gardner, Lilo Tauvao, Peter Chevako
Wardrobe Stylist: Michelle Thompson
Editing: Mandy Brown, Saman Kesh
Production Design: Greg Lang
Art Director: Coran Deloy Oberlin
Colorist: Derek Hansen (MPC)
Sound Design: Brent Kiser
Assistant Director: Jesse Sternbaum
Director Assistant: Brendan Varni
Prologue Music: Ed Hobbs
Lead VFX Consultant: Justin Hantz
Lead VFX Artist: Mike Kelley

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Collingwood Elvis Festival launches campaign to attract new Elvis fans

Collingwood Elvis Festival, the world’s largest Elvis celebration, has launched an advertising campaign to attract new Elvis fans to the five-day festival. The campaign features a series of Elvis Presley-inspired out-of-home posters, ambient stunts and installations, newspaper ads, as well as a social media campaign. Posters and newspaper ads feature various Elvis Presley vinyl records, laser-cut into the shape of each song's subject matter.​

The campaign was developed by Zulu Alpha Kilo. “There is so much iconography surrounding Elvis Presley, from his image to his music. We wanted the campaign to play with these themes in clever ways to raise awareness of the festival,” said Zak Mroueh, Chief Creative Officer & Founder of Zulu Alpha Kilo.

Celebrating its 20th year anniversary in 2014, the Collingwood Elvis Festival features hundreds of Elvis tribute artists covering his music. This year, Priscilla Presley will be making her first appearance at the festival.

Rosemarie O’Brien, Festival General Manager for Collingwood Elvis Festiva,l said, “The campaign will extend the reach of the festival, attract a younger demographic and help expose a new generation to the music of Elvis Presley.”

Collingwood Elvis Festival runs from July 23-27 in Collingwood Ontario.

Creative Credits:
Agency: Zulu Alpha Kilo, Toronto, Canada
Creative Director: Zak Mroueh
Art Director: Allan Mah, Grant Cleland
Writer: Nick Asik, George Ault
Photographer: Jamie Morren
Digital Imaging: Brandon Dyson
Mac Artist: Greg Heptinstall, Matt Childerhose
Agency Producer: Kari Macknight Dearborn, Kate Spencer
Account Director: Dic Dickerson, Nevena Djordjevic
Digital Planner: Zoe Neuman
Client (Company): The Collingwood Elvis Festival
Clients: Rosemarie O’Brien

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