NEW DIRECTORS' SHOWCASE 2012
See some of the work from the Saatchi & Saatchi New Directors' Showcase, which was shown during the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity 2012.
The Saatchi & Saatchi New Directors' Showcase started in 1991 and has now become one of the most popular events at Cannes (which is why we were pleasantly surprised that our coinciding ‘Archive Creative Club’ workshop was so well attended).
Notable directors who have appeared in past showcases include Michel Gondry, Spike Jonze, Tarsem, Nicolai Fuglsig, Jason Reitman and Jonathan Glazer.
This year's call for entry in March came in the form of "Naked Ambition", a spoof video about a porn film director. The final showreel is usually accompanied by on-stage performances in the Grand Auditorium at the Palais des Festival, with the likes of Cirque du Soleil and Fuerzabruta who have performed in past years.
This year’s theme was ‘Meet Your Creator’, which kicked off with a light installation before showing this year’s 17 films.
You may already be familiar with some of them, including Tim Miller’s “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” trailer and “Shit Girls Say” by Graydon Sheppard, which has now become a widespread meme across the internet, spurring people to create their own versions.
Here is some of the work that was showcased:
Jones + Tino
Nike – ‘Addition’
In this gritty piece for Nike, running is no less than a gripping addiction. The film was part of a campaign developed at F/Nazca Saatchi & Saatchi, Sao Paulo, and aimed to simulate interest in running among young people.
William Joyce & Brandon Oldenburg
‘The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore’
Animation lovers and fans of all things resembling Pixar will have come across this short described as an “allegory about the curative powers of story”. The film starts off in the French Quarter of New Orleans and centres around bibliophile Lessmore, who was visually modelled after the silent film actor Buster Keaton.
It also serves as an interactive iPad app and was, of course, the Best Animated Short winner at this year’s Oscars.
Mickey Smith
‘Dark Side of the Lens’
A short film from renowned surf photographer Mickey Smith. Smith worked with director of photography Allan Wilson of Astray Films to present a side to surfing that few, as observers or surfers, will glimpse: the life of the photographer. Smith said he wanted to provide “a short experimental glimpse into life lived in the shadow of what is, for me, an obsessive pursuit”.
Brian L. Perkins & Damian Kulash, Jr.
OK Go – ‘Needing/Getting’
The music video turns a car into a musical instrument that drives through an elaborate obstacle course of unexpected objects which play a single note as the car strikes it. The video also served as an ad for Chevrolet during the Super Bowl XLVI.
James Curran
‘Tintin’ Titles
The titles for the Hergé inspired film were not an official commission. Curran took it upon him to creation this passion project, which eventually attracted the attention and approval of Steven Spielberg to become the film’s titles.
You can view the other twelve films on the New Directors’ Showcase YouTube channel. Word of warning: the Lasse Passage – ‘Say Say Say’ music video by Lars Andheim & Christoffer Lossius very graphically explores themes of violence and cannibalism. If you do watch it... best to make sure it’s not before lunch.
