Movie Inspiration - Stanley Donen's "Funny Face" - 1957

Movie Inspiration - Stanley Donen's "Funny Face" - 1957:

from time to time a movie is so visually inspiring that i take screen shots and post them on my illustration blog.  this time since i live in paris now i am posting this on my travel blog as well since the bulk of the movie is shot in France.  screen shots from "Funny Face"  from 1957 directed by Stanley Donen, with choreography by Fred Astaire.  Starring Fred Astaire, Audrey Hepburn, and Kay Thompson.  Based on Richard Avedon who actually set up most of the photography in the film according to IMDB.  copyright paramount pictures.  I'm living in Paris on an artists visa and there is an exhibit at the hotel de ville about Hollywood in Paris so i set out to watch a few of the films featured in the exhibit like Funny Face and An american in paris.  Disappointing that there was only one solo fred astaire dance number because the rest of the cast are not dancers.  Very cool art direction landing this in my movie inspiration folder.

Fred Astaire plays a photographer and his character is based on Richard Avedon, famous fashion photographer.  Avedon actually did all these title cards.

i love mid century style

the first 15 minutes are a visual treat in pink

she's an actually famous model at the time.  i like how there is a like string quartet playing at this little photoshoot.

old school new york, check out those taxis!

really makes you want to shoot on film and miss film

Richard Avedon is responsible for this famous photo, this is a screen cap but a cropped photo exists that we've all seen.

awesome special effects back then

this is hollywood's styling of mont martre in 1957

and an avant guarde bar

Audrey Hepburn's famous quirky dance scene that was remixed into a Gap commercial a few years ago

through out this whole movie i was saying that they need to bring this back and start shooting films like this, with this look

Fred Astaire's only solo dance scene.  he's the man

she cleans up nice

photo shoot scenes all presumably done by Richard Avedon, or "overseen" by him

top is an example of what it looks like on cinema film, bottom is what they showed as what it looked like as a final printed photo.  

top is an example of what it looks like on cinema film, bottom is what they showed as what it looked like as a final printed photo.  

what a stylish movie.  if you love 1950's stylings or Paris, check this film out.  if you love Fred Astair you will be a little disappointed   if you love Audrey Hepburn you will be slightly disappointed.  but other than that this is a solid film especially for artists, designers, fashion peeps, and nostalgics.  If you want dancing check out an american in paris with gene kelley.  most say Astaire is the better dancer but there's not much of that going on in funny face.

digital boarding process

digital boarding process: i recorded this for a friend. ive been asked about my digital process before, and i thought that a video would do that justice. better than typing it up anyway.. i get a bit chatty but, i hope it helps if anyone is looking for a way to streamline their digital storyboarding process

and it was a lot of fun to record. if its beneficial id be happy to do more of these just post a comment or shoot me an email :)


board process from Ian Abando on Vimeo.

The Movie Titles Stills Collection

The Movie Titles Stills Collection:


Wow.
The Movie Titles Stills Collection.
What a treasure trove this is for those who love:

• movies

• design

• typography

• and (to a lesser extent) illustration.
Designer Christian Annyas has assembled a collection of still images of movie titles, from the 1920′s to the present. Though far from complete (how could it be?), the collection is extensive and growing.
The movies are arranged by decades, and within that, by year. Note that the first set of decade links is page top, above the main heading, and the second below; there are separate links for sub-collections of film noir, westerns, and recent updates.
It’s also easy to miss the fact that within a given decade, the listings are usually divided into two pages, for the first and second half of the decade, and the only links for navigating between those is at the bottom of the pages.
These are long (long) scrolling pages full of images. Let them load and keep scrolling down.
Many, though not all, are linked to pages with larger images, and in some cases additional stills of ending titles. Most have Amazon links to purchase the films.
I love the way titles for the first color films start to appear in the 1930′s, and color and black and white films are interspersed into the 1950′s.
The quality of the titles takes a distinct hit in the second half of the 20th century (with a low point, like movies themselves, in the 1970′s). In fact many of the titles from the 1970′s to the present look like tossed off afterthoughts, in sharp contrast to the highly valued and marvelously designed titles of the first half of the century.
Time Sink Warning.
[Via Francis Vallejo]

100+ 18

100+ 18:

The Green Mile

★ B R A V E ★

★ B R A V E ★:

J’avais une folle envie de dessiner Princess Merida,

avec sa bonne bouille de rouquine.

Petite parenthèse d’ailleurs : je trouve hyper dommage

que très peu de cinoches français passent la Vo du film

juste parce que mademoiselle Bérénice Béjo double l’héroïne.

Elle n’est d’ailleurs pas très à l’aise dans cet exercice (c’est

vraiment peu dire) et gâche légèrement le plaisir du film,

vu que chaque réplique est très lue, surjouée et fait

férocement mal aux oreilles (à l’exception de la doubleuse

de la reine et de Béjo les autres s’en tirent bien. Mention spéciale

à Hazanavicius, reconverti en sympathique corbeau).

Du coup je me suis procuré une version originale, et là,

ô miracle, le film devient nettement plus prenant et moins kitsch.

Merci Kelly Macdonald, Emma Thompson, Julie Walters et consorts.

Heureux de savoir que de l’autre côté de la Manche on

prend le doublage au sérieux.

et un autre dessin un peu façon Disnouille,

direct à la couleur. J’avais envie de tenter.

(En prime si tu cliques dessus j’ai mis un lien vers

l’affiche japonaise du film : elle me fait bien marrer.

Ils ont réussi à caser des arbres et des petits esprits

qui rappellent beaucoup Mononoké… on dirait presque

que le film se passe dans une forêt nippone)

Samsara: 5 Years, 25 Countries, 100 Filming Locations

Samsara: 5 Years, 25 Countries, 100 Filming Locations:






Samsara is the first film by director and cinematographer Ron Ficke (Koyaanisqatsi, Baraka) in nearly 20 years. Following in the footsteps of his earlier work, it will be completely devoid of dialogue and text, relying solely on compelling visuals shot on 70mm film.

Samsara is a Sanskrit word that means “the ever turning wheel of life” and is the point of departure for the filmmakers as they search for the elusive current of interconnection that runs through our lives. Filmed over a period of almost five years and in twenty-five countries, Samsara transports us to sacred grounds, disaster zones, industrial sites, and natural wonders. By dispensing with dialogue and descriptive text, Samsara subverts our expectations of a traditional documentary, instead encouraging our own inner interpretations inspired by images and music that infuses the ancient with the modern.

I am ridiculously excited to see this film. It opens in the U.S. on August 24th in a few cities and then has a larger release on September 7th so check release dates. Do yourself a favor and watch the trailer above full-screen.