robotic futures
Most of you over here in Europe will know South-African director and filmmaker Neill Blomkamp as the man behind the Citroën Transformer ad. More interestingly Neill developed a unique personal style in blending live action with computer graphics. In a powerful and very convincing, believable documentary kind of way he brings robotic futures to life.
Alive in Joburg shows a future in which robots and aliens live amongst people in the South-African townships. Make sure to check out Tetra Vaal as well, or Tempbot, in which a company has a robot as an intern …
Documentaries provide a tapestry, a weaving of information from different perspectives in a sober ‘observatory’, report-like style that enhances believability. As such, the format is particularly powerful to ‘report’ on yet inexistent situations, to bring possible futures to life as if they were today.
Note: Neill has been filming on our doorstep, in front of our offices here in Antwerp this June. Next time you are around, Neill, make sure to give us a ring …
Another amazing robot-related commercial was done by Dante Ariola and Christopher Glass for Johnnie Walker. Dubbed ‘Human‘, the ad – done in cooperation with The Mill (see making-of) – reflects in a smart way upon the manner in which robots and humans look at each other’s reality, each other’s ‘being’.
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