A gentlemen's Agreement

Wed, 4 Jan 2012 19:51:40 -0500

Just a little something I wrote and designed under my new alter ego, a Mr Moustache. What can I say some bizarre creative thoughts flash through your mind when you are lying on a south american beach for 2 weeks doing next to nothing! Click the image to download.

Prop Heaven

Sat, 8 Oct 2011 16:04:06 -0500

When designing a movie or dressing a set the hunt for that perfect light or period piece is half the fun for me, and while I love a good virtual rummage through staples such as Ebay and etsy I thought I’d list some of my more obscure favourites that never fail to turn up exactly what your looking for!

1. L.A Vintage, 13003 South Figueroa Street, Los Angeles, California 90061 USA
Formally a online vintage store LA Vintage has just launched their new website and gone exclusively wholesale . They specialise is clothes from the 1940’s - 1990’s (does it kill anyone else that the 90’s are now considered vintage!) and their clothes are always in amazing condition with little need for repairs and their opening order minimum is only $750. They have an amazing “We Pick” service which means literally that - they hand pick items as per your specifications which is great for dressing wardrobes, closets, store fronts etc and saves you time rummaging through their warehouse allowing you to focus on other things. The price options are broken down by piece packs. You can choose a 25 piece pack or a 50 piece pack and the more you buy the cheaper it gets which anyone managing a tight budget will appreciate. If you are after something specific you can always head directly to their warehouse or request a catalogue via email. Needless to say this place is HEAVEN for any costume dep - my favourite is their collection of vintage prom dresses!

1. Mitchell Road Auctions, 76 Mitchell Road, Alexandria. 2015. Sydney. NSW, Australia
I could spend all day at this place, it is heaven on earth. While they don’t have a online facility if you are shooting anywhere on the east coast this place is must visit for any set decorator or production designer. They stock mainly home wares, furniture and household fittings from Victoriana right through to 20th Century Design. They have an especially extensive collection of vintage glass and ceramics as well as all manor of household items - Last time I went in there looking for blue glass ashtray for a short film I was designing I came out with a entire living room set its just THAT amazing. The staff at Mitchell Road Auctions are friendly and helpful and the store is open 7 days a week which is always comes in handy in case of emergency.

3. RC VIntage, 7100 Tujunga Ave, North Hollywood, California, USA, 91605
This place is a one top shop for neon signage, they also specialise in period furniture, lighting fixtures, casino items, Juke boxes and cleared art works! RC Vintage is bursting at the seems with all things Americana I especially love their deco theatre and ticket booths! They are open Monday to Friday.

4. Art for Film, 110 Clifton Place, #4D, Brooklyn, NY 11238
Art for Film is a New York based company that has a huge range of cleared art works for both rent and purchase. Their site is so easy to use, you can search by artist or genre and they offer a print to size option for photographs and various art works.

1. Cleared Art Services
This online store is a go to for me. They have a HUGE selection of cleared family photo’s and you can search their poster selection via set name or key words, for example I recently had to dress a doctors surgery for the short film Cold Sore and found some great posters and charts in addition to designing my own (i tell you that graphic design degree really comes in handy sometimes) You can purchase a digital file (from as low as $15) or opt to have something custom printed and if you order by 11am they offer same day shipping!

Burlesque: A study of colour

Sat, 8 Oct 2011 07:18:28 -0500

I caught Burlesque (Designed by Jon Gary Steele) on the plane on the way to Spain recently and sheesh - what a visual sensation it was, what particularly caught my eye was the use of red through out, not just by Jon but also by DP Bojan Bazelli. Of course you think Burlesque you think Moulin Rouge which more often than not is immediately associated with the colour red but it’s the way they used it that really appealed to me. Our first glimpse of it is in the sub headings of the BACKSTAGE newspaper Ali has in hand as she pounds the pavement looking for a job, even the traffic lights at the intersection are red... As the sun sets over LA and day turns to night not only is Ali wearing a red jacket you can see they have hosed down the streets to get the reflection of red light in the pavement from surrounding neons, hell even the steam coming off the side of the road is tinged red and from the moment she lays eyes on the entrance to the burlesque lounge the slow build up of red we have observed since she arrives in LA explodes onto the screen. I especially love the red cherry that’s dropped into the red cocktail just before we catch our first glimpse of Cher in the opening number, then there is Jack’s red pyjamas later on in the movie not to mention all the amazing red textiles, costumes and lighting cues at the lounge itself all celebrating the art of Burlesque while modernising it for contemporary LA.

Living Rooms

Fri, 7 Oct 2011 18:44:56 -0500

I am a little obsessed with the every day - My favourite films are those wonderful little looks at life that don't necessarily take you on a journey of the adventurous kind where the hero saves the day AND gets the girl but quietly invite you along for a ride of self discovery, These films don’t have to have a happy ending, come to think of it most don’t demand a definitive ending of any kind but I always seem to walk away having learnt something or at the very least scored some food for thought. You know the kind of movies I’m talking about, Away We Go, Garden State, The Squid & The Whale, Hesher... the list goes on forever. The first time I saw any of these movies I found myself constantly watching the surroundings and how the characters interacted with-in these environments more so than watching the film as a whole... this probably explains why I can watch a film 10 times over never getting bored with it. In no particular order some of my favourite every day living rooms include (but are not limited to) the following little gems:

1. Hot Rod - Production Design by Stephen Altman
I thoroughly enjoyed the entire Kimble household but especially loved the down stairs man cave meets lounge room where Rod goes to fight Frank. The subtle chaos of the room brilliantly reflects Rods tumultuous relationship with his step father specifically the dishevelled couch cushions, the tilted lamp, ominous dart board and stale tones. Altman has been around since the late 70’s and clearly knows his shit.

2. Juno - Production Design by Steve Saklad
The detail put into the MacGuff household just blew me away... everything had that kitsch aged feeling like it had weathered some decent storms over the years (juno’s mother leaving) and was about to weather another. I got the feeling that Allison Janney’s ‘Bren MacGuff’ was a real breath of fresh air in the MacGuff household when she first arrived, breathing life, love and a bit of personality (no matter how quirky) back into the home. Saklad makes this evident in the tiniest ways most viewers would not consciously comprehend but ultimately take in overall (which to me is what good design is all about) Happy family photo’s here and there., pictures of her dogs and hits of colour through out most notably burnt oranges, browns and washed out reds. I also really dug the stark contrast between this and ‘Vanessa & Mark’s’ house which was cool and sterile (the later ultimately reflecting their relationship which I thought was very fitting)

3. Hesher - Production Design by Laura Fox
If I had to pick my two favourite movies of the past year on aesthetics alone Hesher and 500 Days Of Summer would be right up there - both of which Laura Fox happens to have designed. She has that oh so quirky and slightly left of centre style that just hits the nail on the head every time. I particularly admired her handy work in creating the home of T.J and Paul (played by the supreme Rainn Wilson) I lost my dad very suddenly a few months before I saw this film and found my self relating thoroughly to the general state of the Forney household and the feelings of pure unadulterated sadness it evoked - she really did an amazing job of putting herself in the shoes of a family who had just lost a loved one (as did the DP the lighting was superb) I love the mural of framed leaves on the back wall, in terms of design it was such a fresh idea and a great way to avoid those pesky copyright laws... at least I don’t think anyone has managed to slap a patent on mother nature yet have they? Either way this mural did so much more than save cash out of the props budget - it really gives you the impression that this home was once filled with love and care, when mums and dads and grandmas took the time out of their busy lives to collect leaves with their kids and hang them lovingly on the wall... while they look a little forgotten amongst all the grief it’s a much needed reminder for the audience as they watch these characters struggling to hold themselves together let alone their family unit.

4. Something Borrowed - Production Design by Jane Musky
Now this isn't normally my type of film however I stumbled across it one lazy sunday afternoon while on holidays and thought ‘Why not!’ and I am so glad I did for multiple reasons really... 1. Each character is so horribly flawed yet likeable in their own little way it was a welcome departure from your average rom-com. 2. As I am on the verge of turning the big three zero myself I found more than one scenario I could relate to - this film really got me thinking about the choices we make and the risks we don’t take (but really should) which again I was not expecting and last but certainly not least 3. Jane Musky was the production designer! This woman is a living legend... She designed When Harry Met Sally which was the first film I saw (at 13) when I realised I took more notice of the aesthetic surroundings than the actual film. She was also responsible for the look of Mona Lisa Smile which was set in my favourite period - the 1950’s... I could go on about her work all day but right now I want to focus on Ginnifer Goodwin’s character Rachel and her apartment which I thought was a character all of its own (especially that roof top - high-fives to the DP and location manager) The interior of the apartment was equally amazing but in a more subtle way... the soft yellow, baby blue tones and light timber furnishings were non offensive and quiet just like Ginnifer’s character, there was the occasional burst of colour (a bright yellow plate here and aqua wall hanging there) but overall the dulcet tones of this space just suited ‘Rachel’s’ buttoned down lawyerly exterior to a tee. I also loved the sentimental touches, the photos of her and Kate Hudson’s character Darcey and the strawberry short cake blanket (that was clearly a relic from their childhood) dragged out for one last sleep over before Darcey got married. So often in films living spaces have that put together feel but this apartment really felt lived in and its the little details Jane has added to this fully built set that make the world of difference - cleaning products piled up under the kitchen bench, dishes waiting to be put way... It probably sounds silly to anyone not into films and/or production design but every little detail counts if you ask me and Jane does detail in spades.

I Am Apollo shoot

Fri, 23 Sep 2011 02:21:00 -0500

A few months ago I art directed and set dressed a photo shoot for super awesome sydney band I Am Apollo. When I first heard these guys I thought they sounded like Tom petty and Stevie nicks had some kind of wonderful melancholy musical love child and am stoked to be able to work with them. Shot by the ever so talent Matt Johnson - watch this space over the coming weeks for album and poster art. Oh and you can download their latest single When the Shines off here for zero dollars.

Shameless cross promotion

Sun, 11 Sep 2011 07:05:03 -0500

Those who know me know I have a little stationary design business called Daisy & Jack, as if we didn't love YEN magazine enough already they have gone ahead and featured a Daisy & Jack invitation in this months issue, specifically in the YEN HEARTS section which is four glorious pages dedicated to the unique and quirky! Its on the news stands now - check that shit out!

Daisy & Jack

Tue, 19 Jul 2011 10:37:44 -0500

My stationary design boutique Daisy & Jack has just launched not one but two new bridal collections for the 2011/12 seasons. The first collection is a vintage collection, inspired by classic and modern day love stories each suite features a vintage style illustration and can be customised for your special day. The second collection is what we like to call the ‘Mixed Bag’ collection and its basically a collection of themes that are most requested by clients. Most notably the ever so popular “chalk board” invitation featured above. Check out the rest of the range here

yay for yen

Tue, 19 Jul 2011 06:42:21 -0500

Before I left Australia I had the delightful task of giving YEN magazine a wee bit of a make over. I had such a ball working with their wonderful editor Annie and the new look YEN, featuring Daisy Lowe on the cover is currently on Australian news stands. It’s the photo issue too so is packed full of some amazingly talented souls including the likes of the sea life’s Matt Johnson. Next time you are in a newsagent make sure you pick yourself up a copy.

The disposable camera project

Tue, 31 May 2011 21:43:09 -0500

6 disposable cameras. 365 days. 100 perfect strangers. Take a journey around the world as perfect strangers come together to keep the medium of film alive. Click here to view the Hey You! Say Cheese! galleries.

WARNING: Shameless cross promotion

Tue, 31 May 2011 21:30:18 -0500

About 6 months ago I started a little stationary design business called Daisy & Jack. In the beginning It was meant to be a small side project - you know... a creative out let and good way to earn a little extra cash. 6 months down the road business is positively booming and I am proud to announce Daisy & Jack will soon be launching a wedding stationary collection for the 2011/12 seasons in addition to offering custom designs for your special day.

But its not just wedding stationary that has been keeping us busy, the printer just dropped off the 60th invitations you see above, commissioned by a lovely girl named Hayley for her mums upcoming 60th. We have just designed (and had leather bound and saddle stitched mind you) our first wedding album and now offer a full range of baby shower and birth announcement cards. Once you are done checking out my disposable camera project Hey You Say Cheese! Head on over to Daisy & Jack for a little look see at our latest designs.

talented mother f**kers 2 Part 2

Wed, 25 May 2011 22:38:07 -0500

Last week I wrote a little blog post about my super wonderful friends doing super awesome shit. This week that post extends to a perfect stranger who’s talents I heard about through a mate of mine (who also happens to be wonderful and talented - but more on him later) Mia Taninaka is a Northern beaches based art-eest. Given my penchant for all things incan / sth / central american I couldnt help but snap up not 1 but 2 of her beautiful prints and I just wanted to share the magic with you all. Check out more of her work here

talented mother f**kers

Wed, 18 May 2011 01:04:52 -0500

Ive been sitting in my studio all day burning through green tea like its going out of fashion designing album art for super f**king rad sydney band I Am Apollo (read my aforementioned rave here) thinking god damn. My friends impress the shit out of me. You see I have been listening to the Apollo album on repeat all god damn day, sure it might drive some people a little crazy but thats just how I work I like to soak myself stupid in what I have to translate onto a few small pages... every now and then I find myself just sitting and listening... appreciating... totally unaware I have ceased being productive. Any monkey can play the guitar but actually composing and writing music then drawing people into that music takes talent and these guys have it in spades.

This got me thinking about all the other peoples I know and love whom are all wonderful creative humans doing super awesome shit. The I Am None (no relation to I Am Apollo) boys have just released their summer range and its blown me away too.... I mean look at that daisy and thistle masterpiece (above) These boys stay at home on friday nights to whip shit like this up... just so you can swan around town with it plastered to your chest. Then there is Phil Gallagher - He flipped the industry the bird and whipped up his very own (nationally syndicated mind you) surfing magazine when so many people told him he shouldn't or couldn't. I know squat about body boarding but plenty about publishing and I’m telling you Le Boogie is Le wonderful.

Then there is Anna Pogossova, monochromatic dresser and amazing photographer/illustrator - treats 4 week artist residencies in iceland like no big deal and then comes home with a sleuth of amazing work that oozes sophistication and maturity. I could go on all day, Matt Johnson, another amazing lens man currently making his mark in the surfing and fashion industry, The Betty Airs, Sydney Rock band with some 1950’s pizazz doing it for themselves and currently taking the airwaves by storm.

go forth. create. be inspired - i sure am.

Kill All Artists hearts Yen some more

Wed, 18 May 2011 00:58:04 -0500

The 3 rolls of slide film I shot on a little jaunt through asia are in this months issue of YEN Magazine. My cambodia photos are featured in their wonderfully informative article on the wonder that is Angkor - not only the worlds largest religious structure but quite possibly the coolest place I ever had the pleasure of spending a day! When next you happen upon a newsagent I strongly suggest you splash out on a copy ( and then a trip to asia) You can check out more of the photos here

Cold Sore wins Best Short Film at Indie Spirit

Wed, 20 Apr 2011 05:03:01 -0500

I just received a email from the wonderfully talented director Matt Bird, for whom I production designed his short film Cold Sore in 2010 that it has won Best Short Film at the Indie Spirit Film festival in Colorado yesterday! I had such a great time working on this film with such a amazing crew and talented aussie actors. Click here to see some stills and check out the trailer.

Toggs

Fri, 8 Apr 2011 18:30:28 -0500

Some lifestyle photos I took for gloriously retro swimwear label toggs, This was my first roll of film on my olympus trip, click here to see the rest and of course more to come soon

The Viking

Mon, 4 Apr 2011 06:58:31 -0500

Last saturday after 6 years of turning down an invitation I finally made it down to Thirroul, a tiny little town on the south coast positively brimming with creative souls not to mention a rather delightful sea side fair. Two of those creative souls, Dig Dav, creator of super rad mens fashion label I Am None and Maddog creator of equally rad Zion Wetsuits collaborated to make a little movie - The Viking. Filming took place in glorious destinations such as Ireland and Iceland - who ever said this was ‘The most ambitious surfing film ever made’ wasnt f**king around. The soundtracks amazing, narrative hilarious, cinematography is mind blowing and the surfing aint bad either.

Drowning in paper

Mon, 4 Apr 2011 06:50:57 -0500

I have a pile, and when I say pile I mean a really really large stack of scripts to read this week, a few short films and a australian feature which I am pretty excited about being involved in. Everything is still in pre production so I cant say much more... Just watch this space people.

Voitlander VITO

Thu, 3 Mar 2011 06:40:20 -0500

Its been a while since I updated Kill All Artists, My other project, Daisy & Jack, has been taking up all of my time... The closest thing i get to shooting film these days is my hipstamatic on my iphone... and who am i kidding thats not even film! In a effort to get back into the swing of things and find some balance between my two loves - stationary design and photography I am posting some new 35mm shots, taken on my voitlander VITO head to the Photography section of this site to check it out. And no the image above has not had a iota of photoshop work done to it - that is simply the joys of film my friends.... you never know what your going to get!

I heart YEN Magazine!

Thu, 3 Mar 2011 06:26:05 -0500

Not only does this months issue of YEN have a awesome showcase of up and coming aussie creatives shot by the wonderful Peter Breu-Bevan it also contains a 5 page feature on the Hey You! Say Cheese project! This issue will be off the stands in about a week so if you have not picked yourself up a copy yet, drop what you are doing and run run run to the nearest newsagent... Give the nice lady at the counter $8.85 take your YEN, go home and kick back and relax whilst enjoying a rather pleasant read!

For the love of film

Mon, 28 Feb 2011 05:25:52 -0500

Incase you missed me shouting it from your nearest roof top the results for the Hey You Say Cheese global project are in and online! Click here to check out what happens when you send 8 disposable cameras to 100 random strangers around the world

Daisy & Jack

Mon, 28 Feb 2011 05:14:28 -0500

I have been designing invitations for friends for almost 10 years now and its only recently I’ve given those designs their own home... I mean lets face it there are only so many times you can put the words ‘DESIGNED BY KILL ALL ARTISTS’ on a wedding invitation before you start to get some funny looks... hence Daisy & Jack - Really awesome invitations, decorations and paper goods was born... Am I a little crazy for running two business? Probably but I’m having a whole lot of fun doing it! Life at Kill All Artists will stay they same, I’m still available to design, art direct and production design for all of your print and film needs, its just now I’m also available to moonlight as your friendly invitation designer! Click here to check out some of my new designs... Like the ‘Never Let Go’ Baby shower invitation above.

Cold Sore official selection

Fri, 18 Feb 2011 07:23:04 -0500

A short film I recently had the privilege to production design has just been accepted into the Byron Bay Film Festival!

Poster Art

Sat, 29 Jan 2011 21:48:08 -0500

Poster art I did for a local Sydney band that never quite saw the light of day...

Green Camera No.2

Thu, 13 Jan 2011 20:50:41 -0500

Apologies to all of those wishing to view Green camera no.2, it has just been drawn to my attention that this link was broken. All fixed now, click here to check it out.

Hey You! Buy Yen Magazine

Tue, 11 Jan 2011 08:27:06 -0500

Its been just over 16 months since i carefully packaged 8 disposable lomos into card board boxes and sent them to perfect strangers around the world - now, over a year later those cameras have arrived home, well 6 of them did anyway and if you ask me those odds aint bad!

The ever so lovely people of YEN Magazine have graciously dedicated 4 pages to the project in this months issue (On sale Wed Jan 12) Here is a little sneek peek above but be sure to grab a copy of the mag next time your in the paper and read up on this crazy little project of mine!