Saturday, December 26, 2009
Tim Burton Corner!!!!!
Tim Burton is one of the last people you'd imagine would become one of the most acclaimed directors in the world. He is an introverted, unassuming person. His career got underway at the most famous animation studio in Hollywood, he landed his first directing gig because of a bootleg tape of a short film that was never released, and (for a while, at least) he had a movie in the top-ten grossers of all time.
Timothy William Burton was born August 25, 1958 in Burbank, California. Burbank may not ring as many bells as Hollywood, but it is the home to many film and television studios -- NBC, Warner Brothers, Disney, and others. Burbank was quintessential 1950s American suburbia, a world in which the shy, artistic Tim was not quite in step with the shiny happy people surrounding him. He was not particularly good in school, and was not a bookworm. Instead, he found his pleasure in painting, drawing, and movies. He loved monster movies: Godzilla, the Hammer horror films from Great Britain, the work of Ray Harryhausen. One of his heroes was actor Vincent Price.
After high school in 1976, Burton attended the California Institute of the Arts. Cal Arts had been founded by Disney as a "breeding ground" for new animators, though they did offer other courses of study. Burton entered the Disney animation program in his second year, thinking it would be a good way to make a living. In 1979, he was drafted to join the Disney animation ranks.
Burton did not enjoy being an animator, not one little bit. Imagine, if you will, what it's like to be an animator. Films are projected at 24 frames per second. For a 90-minute film, that's over 129,000 individual frames. Characters are drawn separately and then put together, and placed over painted backgrounds. The work requires talented artists, but they cannot deviate from the structured manner of drawing the characters. Burton had been brought in to work on The Fox And The Hound. It bored him silly.
The studio recognized that Burton's talent was not being utilized. They made him a conceptual artist, the people who design the characters that appear in the films. He did early work on The Black Cauldron, the adaptation of the second volume of Lloyd Alexander's Chronicles of Prydain (a seven-volume fantasy series). If you're familiar with Burton's artwork, you can imagine that his concept drawings were nothing like your standard Disney fare. It didn't go over too well, and it was not used. However, he was set loose on his own projects. These included a poem and artwork that years later would become The Nightmare Before Christmas, the animated short Vincent, and the live-action short Frankenweenie.
The latter two received little or no outside exposure, but Burton did get to work with his idol, Vincent Price, for the first time and they remained friends until Price's death in 1993. Frankenweenie was awarded a PG rating, which precluded its release with their G-rated animated features. It only saw theatrical release overseas, and a short release on VHS. However, it would be the film that landed him his first feature directing job.
Horror writer Stephen King (you have heard of him, right?) had seen Frankenweenie, and strongly recommended it to Bonni Lee, an executive at Warner Brothers. Lee then showed the film to Paul Reubens. Reubens was the man behind Pee-wee Herman, and was in the process of bringing his alter ego to the big screen. He knew right away that Tim Burton was the perfect choice for the job, and indeed they were a perfect match. As they say, the rest is history.
Following the surprise success of Pee-wee's Big Adventure, Burton didn't make another film for almost three years. It wasn't until he was offered the anarchic screenplay for Beetlejuice that he finally found another project suited to his unique vision. The film was an even bigger hit, and led to Warner Bros. offering Burton the job directing an eagerly awaited comic book adaptation that had been years in the planning.
Batman was less a movie, more of an event. It sparked controversy with the casting of Michael Keaton as the Dark Knight, and generated a merchandising blitz that is now standard for blockbusters. However, despite all the hype and studio interference, Burton still managed to put his own stamp on the film and it remains one of the most influential Hollywood movies of the last few decades. It's box office gross of over $250 million is also one of the highest in the studio's history.
United Arrows x Bape: Mr. BATHING APE Preview Bape For The Office
In a collaborative effort with Japanese retailer and brand UNITED ARROWS, A BATHING APE will create a new diffusion line with more refined characteristics. While in recent times, A BATHING APE has inevitable grown up, this new approach should yield some higher-end creations. Stay tuned for more details of this capsule.
Nike Sportswear 2010 Spring Air Maxim 1 Torch Preview
Previewed are two new designs from the Nike Sportswear footwear collection for Spring 2010. A sneaker which has garnered wide acclaim, the Air Maxim 1 receives further advanced treatment with the addition of Nike’s newly developed Torch technology. Both pairs feature white, black, and orange colorways which work quite well within the new platforms.
Billionaire Boys Club/Ice Cream Season 10 Lookbook
Billionaire Boys Club & Ice Cream have released their Season 10 lookbook for the Spring/Summer season. The new collection sees re-working of pass iconic patterns and themes. It also continues with the use of bold colors and heavy use of graphics, while providing a smart casual look throughout the collection. Available soon at BBC/Ice Cream and their accounts worldwide.
nano universe x Casio G-SHOCK DW-5600 & DW-6900 Watches
Premier Japanese retailer nano universe unveil a new set of watches made in conjunction with Casio’s G-SHOCK division. Both the classic DW-5600 and popular DW-6900 platforms are used, each playing off a color theme of black, pink, and white. Capping off the tri-tone and two-tone designs is slight branding from nano universe on the band.
WTAPS x Supreme
Each embodying their own well-focused aesthetic with quality execution, WTAPS and Supreme create the following capsule to finish off 2009. The collection is led by a reversible varsity jacket, three graphic t-shirts and a pillow. Stateside the collection releases on December 29th while Japan will release following a few days later on January 2nd.
This Winter, Supreme and WTAPS have teamed up to produce a collection that includes a reversible melton wool/cotton varsity jacket in two colorways, three graphic T-shirts and a melton wool pillow in two colors.
Available in-store on December 29th. Available in Japan on January 2nd.
Nike Sportswear Air Max 90 Moire Preview
Continuing our coverage of Nike Sportswear’s Spring 2010 collection is a preview of a new colorway in the brand’s popular Air Max 90 Moire. The sneakers take on a seamless look with the Mark Smith-designed laser-cut ventilated uppers alongside a grey/white base, adorned by yellow and purple highlights. One of Nike Sportswear’s more well-received performance models, the Air Max 90 Moire will surely be seen in a variety of additional colorways next season.
L’Officiel Homme Jean-Paul Gaultier x Levi’s Editorial
The latest issue of L’Officiel Homme highlights a special collection between Jean-Paul Gaultier and Levi’s via an editorial for Spring 2010. The lineup consists of raw denim pieces featuring red contrast stitching as well as a series of knit garments, all falling in the same design aesthetic. Featured are Josh Beech and Isaac Carew with photographer from Milan Vukmirovic behind the lens. Stay tuned for a closer look as the new season nears.
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Sunday, December 20, 2009
Taka Hayashi for Vans Vault 2010 Spring Preview
As the flood gates begin to open for the Spring season, Vans Vault gives us the official scoop into what the continued Taka Hayashi range has in store for Spring 2010. Only a preview of what’s to come, the barrage of premium textiles and construction is apparent within three all-new models crafted for the new season. Featuring inspiration from Taka’s artwork and designs, the lineup finds influence from traditionally crafted Native American goods, vintage military surplus and craftsmanship from 1960’s Italian-made footwear. Aside from just sneakers, the collection does an excellent job of incorporating flip-flop sandals into the mix, further emphasizing the new climate change. A release is scheduled for April 2010, so stay tuned for a more in-depth look in the coming months.
N.Hoolywood 2009 Fall/Winter Collection New Releases
With a bit of a military theme, here’s a look into N.Hoolywood’s December releases. V-neck t-shirts are also met by army-style flat top caps as well as nylon MA-1 jackets in either black or green. Available now at N.Hoolywood Harbour City in Hong Kong.
N.Hoolywood Harbour City
Shop G104 Harbour City,
Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon
p: (852) 2736 0030
illionaire Boys Club 2009 December New Releases
begins to fold, Billionaire Boys Club drop new merchandise to close the year in style. A series of simple releases, this latest batch consists of two graphic tees, a signature BBC logo pull-over hoody, astronaut washed denim, New Era cap, dog cushion and waffle print velcro wallet. All items release this weekend at select BBC/Ice Cream stores.
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