What's it all about?

Simon and I recently knocked together a one-paragraph precis for the film for promotional purposes. Thought I'd pass it round as a way of reminding everyone what it is we're all contributing to.

'Coalition of the Willing' proposes a new strategy for the war on global warming. This animated film explores how we could use new internet technologies to leverage the powers of activists, experts, and ordinary citizens in collaborative ventures addressing climate-related problems. The film outlines a model of a web 2.0 network consisting of three sites, each targeting a different audience (activists, experts, and ordinary citizens). Through simple analyses of open source culture, swarm activity, and social revolution, 'Coalition of the Willing' makes a compelling case for the effectiveness of this network. It offers a response to a major problem of our time: how to galvanize and enlist global publics in the fight against global warming.

First past the post

World Leaders - Clichéd 60s complete from Simon Robson on Vimeo.

It is with great pleasure that i announce the first section to be completed by one of the collaborating artists for Coalition of The Willing. World Leaders have completed this brilliant section for what is in effect the beginning of episode 2 of the film (Although the film won't be split into episodes...). Their piece romps through idealised memories of what the 60s was all about. Using a cool colour palette that rapidly transforms into bright colours, our 'dude' tunes in, drops out and escapes his rigid contemporaries. We then fall through a montage of objects depicting clichés the 60s are most remembered for. We finally end up watching blissed out hipsters floating away from consumerist landscapes in hot air balloons. Phew!

I started developing ideas with Ben & Mike for this section back in the early Summer of this year after they saw Tim & I at F5. They have been an absolute pleasure to work with. I'm kind of sad it's all over...sniff sniff.

As you'll see the piece is as yet without VO or sound design. Echolab will soon be onto the sound design and score, VO artist for the film TBC.

full up

I'm pleased and stoked and generally chuffed to introduce the last of our prodigious collaborators on Coalition. In no particular order there's German wunderkind Mate Steinforth, UK animation powerhouse Foreign Office, a unit i've long been a fan of Adam Gault & Stefanie Augustine, New kids on the block Yum Yum, My old mate super-animator Andy Hague (Who'll be working with Dylan White), brilliant Brazilian moving-image artist Thiago Maia and finally the combined talent of Mario Sader and Ralph Pinel who'll be working with Cassiano Prado. So that should be it folks, the film making collaborators are complete!

The Multiplane - It Lives!

After, much blood, sweat, toil and measuring things the Clapham Rd multiplane is alive and in action. After spending far more than they previously envisaged (Was there any envisaging??) our baby was brought into the world about a week ago. Thanks to the precision and ingenuity of Matt Day, the ferocious work pace of Max Halstead and the general standing around looking useless of Me, we got the thing finished. Matt even worked through a bout of what we strongly suspect was swine flue...easy.

I'm now shooting the final part of 'Capitalism off guard' on the contraption and it's working a treat. Version 2 upgrades are already being devised, to make the raising and lowering of the panes a bit easier and to give it a wicked paint job innit!

Once again thanks so much to the phenomenon which is Clapham Rd Studios!