Ra Deflin - "Tema"

You haven't heard of Ra Deflin, and we don't blame you. He's the textbook definition of fresh off the block- but the sound that he captured for this debut music video is absolutely amazing, mixing new wave instrumental compositions with soulful rap with a strong emphasis on narrative. The LA based artistt/songwriter and producer exudes experimental sensibilities that left us wanting more.

Accompanied by the silky smooth vocals of Jessica Johnson, the track seamlessly blends with the equally chill visual aspect of Tema, directed by Tim Hsiun and Ra Deflin himself. We've rarely had the opportunity to be the launching point for an artists career, but it's not hard to tell that Ra Deflin is going to be making a mark on the music world if his future releases are of this quality. Show him some love on his newly christened Facebook and Twitter pages.

From Dust

Look again at that dot. That's here. That's home. That's us. On it everyone you love, everyone you know, everyone you ever heard of, every human being who ever was, lived out their lives. The aggregate of our joy and suffering, thousands of confident religions, ideologies, and economic doctrines, every hunter and forager, every hero and coward, every creator and destroyer of civilization, every king and peasant, every young couple in love, every mother and father, hopeful child, inventor and explorer, every teacher of morals, every corrupt politician, every superstar, every supreme leader, every saint and sinner in the history of our species lived there--on a mote of dust suspended in a sunbeam.

― Carl Sagan, Pale Blue Dot: A Vision of the Human Future in Space

Wolf Within

As a boy in Kansas I was afraid of three things: rattlesnakes, tornados, and my father.

This opening line sets the stage for Alex Horan's Wolf Within, which shows an unparalleled maturity in it's narrative for being a student short. The film is based off of Horan's own personal experiences growing up, little snippets that stuck with him over the many years. We've all had those profound moments that have been so wonderful, or terrible that they're hard to bury into our subconciousness, and these moments make up the groundwork for this rather poignant short.

Despite striving for a somewhat abstract narrative, Horan successfully managed to execute what he wanted to accomplish with these characters: Create a sense of empathy regarding the events that ultimately unfold. It's these experiences that ultimately shape us into what we are as adults.

L'Arte Della Felicità (The Art Of Happiness)

The Italian animation industry isn't one we hear about very often, so this trailer for a new animated feature by director Luciano Stella and MAD Entertainment came as quite a surprise today. L'Arte della Felicità looks like it will deal with some rather heavy issues and soul searching, as it's protagonists, a man named Sergio sets out to reflect on life, death and the meaning of it all when a grave occurrence regarding his brother turns his life upside down. The movie is currently screening in the festival circuits abroad to some fantastic reception.

The feature was accompanied by a famous quote by the 14th Dalai Llama, Tenzin Gyatso: I believe that the very purpose of our life is to seek happiness. That is clear, whether one believes in religion or not, whether one believes in this religion or that religion, we all are seeking something better in life. So, I think, the very motion of our life is towards happiness

Fred by Misha Klein

Poor Fred is trying to find a way to stand up for himself and his needs.  Like so many of us, he practices his conversations beforehand (Yes, like many of us, right? Right?). What exactly is Fred trying to get out of?  Well, there's certainly a little left to the imagination in this stop motion short by stop motion animator Misha Klein (Robot Chicken, Coraline, and more). Klein created this short a few years ago, and just recently brought it to Vimeo for your viewing pleasure.

My Face in Space

Partially based on the true story of the Voyager Golden Record, this part documentary, part animated effects style mashup tells the story of Larry.  Larry's face was recorded on a gold record, and sent out into space.  Suddenly, Larry finds himself an overnight sensation, and he intends on milking his 15 minutes.  Over time, Larry begins to realize that notoriety and fame typically don't last forever, and ultimately, his face will end up being one of billions over time.  It's about not taking the small things in life for granted.

Get Back

We live in an era of seemingly endless technology.  I mean, where are you and I (reader and writer, respectively) right now?  With the many advantages and positives that come with any advancement to society, comes a price.  Though perhaps slightly exaggerated for effect, this short film illustrates that price when it comes to how connected a lot of us require to be.  And it's that hyper-connection that can somehow ironically have the opposite effect.  Written and directed by Eliot Rausch.

30 Things At 30

Animator Fabricio Lima created this somewhat humorous, personal and introspective project, an exploration of 30 things he knew about himself to mark his 30th birthday. Lima created a gif for each of these traits he was aware of, and compiled them into an intimate look into the mind of an artist in this charming animation. Music by The Rhombus.

Man

While handled in a rather silly way, the animated short 'MAN' takes on the rather heavy topic of our effect on Earth. Seeing as we're not a political blog, nor do we try to be too serious around here, I normally wouldn't delve into such a topic. However, I particularly liked the fun yet tongue-in-cheek nature of this short, and felt it worthy of sharing. While I really don't think anyone can argue that humans have had an effect on this planet in some fashion or another, what that particular effect is is frequently debated.  You be the judge! 

The Art Of Andrew Hem

(Via)

Andrew Hem's work is heavy on the surrealism, featuring his distinctly elongated figures introspectively frozen in thought in the strange, otherworldly realms they inhabit. His work takes notes from his own past and present, from his parents fleeing Cambodia due to their Khmer ancestry to his upbringing in the dynamic, urban art capital, Los Angeles.

His pieces, created using gouache, oil and acrylic speak of what once was and hazy memories of a past and childhood destroyed by civil strife. Andrew has had a successful run in the gallery circuit, and continues to refine his distinct style as he goes. More of his thought provoking work after the break.

This Land Is Mine

We really try to not post too much political stuff on AwesomeRobo, but the way that Nina Paley put this ongoing real life conflict into perspective was too good not to share. This poignant animated short goes into the history of a land that has been contested since the dawn of time and the unfortunate human affliction of war, set to the appropriate blues track, 'The Exodus Song,' by Andy Williams. If humanity had never adopted the entire hypocrisy of killing in the name of powers above, wouldn't we all be that much better off? Food for thought.

One Day

The idea of having a house that teleported every day to a different, exotic location sounds kind of awesome, but in the case of the protagonist of this short, that magic is long gone. One Day narrates the story of a man searching for a purpose to stay grounded in his magic house, until a fateful encounter changes the course of his path. The 2D short is subtly animated and serene in it's tone, littered with colorful shots of beautiful scenery. The short was created by 3rd year students De Joël Corcia, Bung Nguyen, Thomas Reteuna, Laurent Rossi and Bernard Som at the Les Gobelins academy.

The Art Of Looking Up By Sime

Welcome back. (Via)

I recently caught myself looking down recently on a beautiful, sunny day. I was deep in thought about something, until my head all of a sudden jerked up and was met with a wonderful blue sky and warm sunlight. I kind of realized then, that with all the trials and tribulations that a lot of us face on a daily basis, we often forget to appreciate the truly beautiful things about us, or take them for granted. It might seem stupid, or trivial, sure..But sometimes you just go through those periods and lose track of what's truly important.

Sime, a female Japanese illustrator that popped up during one of our content trawls really struck me with her work, which seemed to embody this mindset that I'd lost track of till recently. Her characters in her illustrations seem at peace, staring off into the distant cosmos and full of hope. In an age where cynicism is at an all time high, isn't it nice to get an artist that focuses on the big picture, the 'Things will work out somehow' approach? If anything, the talented illustrator definitely encouraged me to keep that chin up, and hope for the best. I hope she can do that for you too, if you happen to be going through a similar period. More of her beautiful, thought provoking illustrations after the break!

Not Hot Enough?

(Via)

Barbie is not exactly the beauty standard to which women should hold themselves to.  This is no secret, and anyone with an ounce of rationale knows this already.  The "love yourself for who you are" movement has already been in full swing for quite some time now.  My thoughts on this: No one should hate themselves.  But that doesn't mean we have to accept ourselves as overweight, or even obese either.

More after the jump!

Breakfast Interrupted

BSS | Breakfast Interrupted

This just reminds me of life.  Sometimes cozy, comfortable, relaxing. But every once in a while, the uncontrollable forces of chaos just step in to stir things up a little and bring change. A fun idea executed really well, and now I'm severely craving some eggs benedict. This was shot with a Phantom Gold camera, which can run up to $150,000 a pop. Check out the behind the scenes after the jump!

The Accidental Sea

A Youtube user known as RansomRiggs put together this very thoughtful look at an abandoned resort area known as Salton Sea, situated close to the California/Mexico border. Its a desolate, post apocalyptic place which was once considered a prime destination for tourists. But the concept of a desert paradise was an unsustainable one, and with time the desert reclaimed the land as its own. The commentary on this video is really personal, and the author shares his connection to the place and what draws him to it. Its Joy Land with a less pessimistic tone.

Rain Town

Rain Town is a heartfelt little short by a student named Ishia Hiroyasu at Kyoto Seika University. It takes place in an abandoned town, plagued with never ending rain, and a little girl who revisits her old home and finds an unexpected friend. This little short focuses on memories, and not letting the past go. For student work, its pretty insane how professional it looks. This talented animator has a very bright future ahead of him.

Thoughts About Birds

This image is great because it can be interpreted in two ways:  As an image to make you wonder about what you love about where you currently are, and as an image to make you think about why you've never tried to see more of the world. Having been fortunate enough to travel incessantly growing up, (Both a blessing and a curse imo) I want to see more. (Via)

Drawing Inspiration

Drawing Inspiration from Wesley Louis on Vimeo.


A charming little short about new beginnings.  If there's any type of animation I really respect, its animation that does subtlety well.  On a personal note enjoyed the short because it reminded me of that thing I simply call the 'chaos factor.'  Ever noticed that in everyday life, you sometimes get an unexpected force that presents itself to shake things up a little?  Like losing your job, getting a call from an old friend, having an epiphany? This short embodies that concept really well, in my opinion.  Check it out and see the making of over on their blog!

Thursday

I appreciated Matthias Hoegg's take on the future, a direction I could definitely see us headed in.  The short focuses on showing parallels, with a certain emphasis on ourselves being enslaved by technology.  Working in a computer centric field, I always find myself staring outside my office window to the beautiful world outside..Until the sun hits my computer screen that is.  I think people can relate to that.

Its beautifully animated and full of memorable imagery.  The usage of a minimal visual style helps amplify the message just that little bit more. Shorts like this appeal to my restless soul, always wanting to travel and see new things. If there's one thing I grow to hate over time, its that daily grind and repetition.