February 2010
3 posts
When Photographers Direct...Some Thoughts on "A...
I saw Tom Ford’s film last night, slightly behind the pack. There was a deliberateness to his every scene, I could literally feel or hear him directing. In contrast to all the Dogma school films I’ve seen coming out of Europe, where the director is, I believe irresponsibly absent, and set against all the huge CG- driven American films where the director is hiding behind a massive tech budget, I...
Log 01: I Do (still) Love Little Things!
And we’re off! We have received several delighted responses (one exclaiming, “YAY! I do love little things :)”) to our project announcement, which means it’s time to gather and mail out the little things. Recently, Tanit wrote in an e-mail, “It’s kind of scary when you put something out there and try it and actually get a response.” Very true. Exciting times are upon us!
I’m really looking...
Project Launch: I Do Love Little Things!
With everyone connecting virtually these days, we thought we’d head offline and try reaching out to our audience in another way. We want to send you hand-made goodies in the mail. Call this an exploration in retro marketing (and maybe a little longing to bring the taste of postage stamps back into our lives).
What will we send you? Well, we’re taking inspiration from Sarah’s niece, Nell, who...
January 2010
7 posts
Musings: OK, I have no pictures for this one...
I am often between two different and competing places in my head. I suppose most of us are. I call these two mental continents, the “creator” side and the “producer” side. And I need both to conceive of a new art or writing project, and to execute it. It just often seems that the producer side: organized, creased pants, a small, well-groomed mustache I imagine, so much...
On Your Mind: Misnomer, Unraveled
Deaton Jones, a student at Columbia University who grew up in the South, shares with us his thoughts on a recent performance by Misnomer Dance Theater. While the troupe’s name declares a cheeky skepticism towards audience members’ or critics’ attempts to interpret what they’re observing on stage, we think Deaton’s done a pretty swell—and brave—job of...
Musings: Fuglosumption
Fuglosumption: the ugly duckling in brand and product consumption.
The story Ugly Duckling is a tale of seclusion and reclusion, repudiation, omission from an order, and then, after a length of suffering, acceptance by a species, post-beauty transformation.
Brands, products, and Fuglosumption: Once ugly, always ugly: there isn’t usually a way to free an ugly product from the Hades of...
Spotlight
Who: Shane Lavalette
What: Photographer; Publisher/Editor of Lay Flat
Where: Somerville, MA
Makes: Hauntingly honest portrayals of everyday life in his medium of choice: the photo. A recent graduate of Tufts and The School of Museum of Fine Arts in an ambitious, combined degree program, Shane demonstrates a heightened understanding of how to encapsulate sentiment in image and a maturity...
On Your Mind - Let the Series Begin!
Nightjar loves its audience. Why? Because we’re interested in what you have to say. Like, really interested. Our content is inspired by you and made for you, so it only makes sense we look to you to tell us, well, what’s up.
We’re pleased to offer you a new edition to the blog - regular posts, by guests, on a variety of topics. Whether you’re friend or fan, or a little bit...
Musings: Derivative of Function = Why?
Derivative: “… the instantaneous change of one quantity with respect to another, as velocity, which is the instantaneous change of distance with respect to time.” –dictionary.com
I just finished reading Ad Age’s article Book of Tens: Ideas of a Decade. The article is just that—ideas. It depicted some CEOs’ attempts at a digital-age Ogilvy status by engendering buzz terms that merely amount to...
December 2009
22 posts
The Nitty Gritty: Brand coup Notes to Self PART 1
From: Tanit
Subject: Brand Coup notes to self Part
Date: December 28, 2009 1:37:59 PM EST
To: Tanit
I’m thinking about those guys who re-created the Burger King face and then sold it back to BK. Create a image that a brand never had before but then can’t live without. Like the ball headed Jack-in-the Box.
Or, bring the brand to a new audience where the brand...
Musings: Knocking the Country Club Off Its Feet
I’ve just arrived in Orlando, Florida for the holidays and my utmost priority has been rummaging through my grandmother’s jewelry for whatever nifty silver necklaces she has accumulated over the years. This past August, I moved from the only place I had ever lived, Raleigh, North Carolina, to begin studying at Columbia University in New York. Before having the privilege of experiencing such a...
Musings: The Monster Question - Anna Wintour
Recently, I read “Monster Culture” by Jerome Cohen. In his essay, Cohen presents a method of reading cultures from the monsters they engender. In other words, Cohen claims to be able to analyze a culture by exploring the people, things, characteristics, etc., that the culture doesn’t accept or paints as monstrous.
Since being exposed to this method, I’ve found myself looking at everything from...
Musings: Lost in the Forest
I saw Avatar (in 3D) last Friday night and, well, I want to go back. To Pandora. As the friend I was watching it with said, I feel like a tourist in a foreign world, I just want to look at everything, touch, smell everything. And ride those amazing dragon creatures. What are they called?
I’m not giving anything away by saying the experience takes place between two worlds or states of...
The Nitty Gritty: Jay and Piracy
From: Tanit Subject: Re: Two Ideas, Courtesy of Jay Date: December 22, 2009 5:40:22 PM EST To: Dana
Hi D - These are fantastic. Thank you. I love that we have Jay’s thoughts on this as well. So great. Please thank him! The Pirate’s Dilemma sounds really interesting too - I’m going to try and get it. Hmm. All this talk about Piracy. I’ve been calling our renegade...
Etc.: "Keep Your Pants On." - Proverb Ltd.
Big kudos to my brilliant friends at Proverb Ltd. for sending out the best agency Christmas present…
So I get in the mail this small tube and expect to find, I don’t know, paper, fabric, something people usually pack in tubes. Instead I find this sassy brass belt buckle with their logo: ” ! “
Now, who wouldn’t want a ” ! ” right by their...
Etc.: Jim Jarmusch
From: Dana Subject: “Brand Piracy” Date: December 18, 2009 7:04:08 PM EST To: Tanit
This whole “Brand Piracy” idea reminds me of a Jim Jarmusch quote (which I had to cheat and get from the Internet…) “Nothing is original. Steal from anywhere that resonates with inspiration or fuels your imagination. Devour old films, new films, music, books, paintings,...
The Nitty Gritty: Coup d'etat
From: Dana
To: NJC Team
Re: What to call this?
Date: December 17, 2009 12:32:03 PM EST
I love this! However, in thinking about the use of the word ‘coup’ - does it have the right connotation? It’s almost like Nightjar is doing a Friendly Takeover of the brand, as opposed to (what’s typically thought of as) a Hostile Coup. Of course, in owning the concept, Nightjar...
Spotlight
Who: Sarah e. e. Young
What: Sculptor, Performance and Extended Media Artist
Where: Boston, MA and Providence, RI
Makes: Controversial, eye-popping pieces and stars in self-designed, politicized performances. As a viewer, you will likely be forced to question your preconceptions, and you may even feel dangerously implicated in the discomfort of the works. It is for you to examine where...
Etc.: Jack-in-the-Box
From: Melissa
To: Tanit
Subject: Jack in the Box—a rogue idea formed from a monolithic agency
Date: December 16, 2009 10:29:19 AM EST
Hey: I love this story… it’s an interview that details Dick Sittig’s start in advertising and how Jack-in-the-box asked him to start an agency separate from Chiat/Day and they’d be the first client. It’s energizing and...
Etc.: Teen Werewolves
From: Sarah
To: Tanit
Date: December 16, 2009 1:40:24 PM EST
Re: Fur
Just finished ‘Shiver’. Teen romance with werewolves. I think I’ve been subsumed… http://www.maggiestiefvater.com/
Musings: Speaking of the 80's...This is England
“This is England,” directed by Shane Meadows, is one my my favorite Sundance films. It tells the story of a young boy who falls into the hands of a group of “Skinheads” who show him a less naive way of life. Aside from the incredible story line, the fashion component of this movie is absolutely amazing. This film truly describes Eighties Fashion. When it comes to fashion, I am a huge Eighties fan,...
The Nitty Gritty: Lida Baday
From: Tanit Subject: Design/Photo treatment Date: December 7, 2009 3:20:02 PM EST To: Tommy, Fionn, Jesse
Hey - Was just looking at Applied Art’s Announcement of their Annual Brochure Design Winner: Lida Baday’s 2009 Spring Collection Catalogue. I can’t find it online, just the review of it here: http://tinyurl.com/ybxe3bq The desaturated photo treatment is really similar...
Etc.: Blakroc (not the one on "Lost")
From: Melissa
To: Tanit
Date: December 4, 2009 4:16:06 PM EST
Subject: Re: Brunch
Have you heard of this before—Blakroc? It’s a collaboration of indie rock (The Black Keys) and hip hop with ‘webisodes’ that shows the conversations and inspiration behind track composition. It’s inspiring to watch and hear. But I mostly love that the webisodes show exactly...
Musings: Consumer Veil Piercing
If you were to perform consumer veil piercing on yourself, what would you discover and what would be your ruling?
The other night, I met a corporate lawyer, and inquired what he thought of corporations’ legal status as a legal person—a topic whose eminent paradox has long fascinated me. Amid his responses to my inquiries, he alluded to corporate veil piercing: a legal move by courts to make...
The Nitty Gritty: Illustration for Sand County...
From: Fionn To: Tanit Cc: Tommy Date: December 2, 2009 10:49:43 AM EST Subject: Days after, Thanksgiving potbelly still worn by area man I’m into the idea of a quote and an illustration sequence of some kind to start off the Look Book. Creating a rhythm initially will let us break that rhythm and grab more attention for the focal elements of the book. That said, I can really picture a...
The Nitty Gritty: Illustration for Sand County...
From: Tanit
To: Fionn
Cc: Tommy
Date: December 1, 2009 11:27:07 PM EST
Subject: Post-Thanksgiving Potbelly
Man, don’t get me started on the potbelly thing. Glug! OK - my thoughts on all of the below… Tommy has some supernatural ability to track down cool and bizarre found photos, so rather than my poor excuse for that, I propose, if you’re comfortable with it, maybe...
Musings: Sigur Ros
From: Amanda S.
To: Tanit
Date: December 1, 2009 5:39:34 PM EST
Subject: Music Video
Hey, take a look at this video. It reminds me of the photo shoot a lot. It’s really beautiful. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zr_MJAOyOeU
The Nitty Gritty: Livin' in a Blogger's Paradise
To: Tanit, Amanda, Tommy, Melissa
From: Trevor
Date: December 1, 2009 1:17:09 AM EST
Subject: RE: Alternative blog format
Before I get down to business, does anyone remember Coolio? “Livin’ in a Gangsta’s Paradise”… how could you forget. Did you know he has a cookbook called Cooking with Coolio?! I’m adding this to my Christmas list. I digress, back to...
The Nitty Gritty: New Blog Format?
To: Trevor, Amanda, Tommy, Melissa
From: Tanit
Date: December 1, 2009 12:29:48 AM EST
Subject: Alternative blog format
Hi Guys -
OK, I’m of two minds. On the one, if a less linear format inspires us to include different types of content or not feel as bound to these chronological postings, then I’m all for that.
On the other, whether it’s ideal or not, we do have a...
Etc.: While You Were Sleeping...
From: Tanit
To: Dearland
Date: December 1, 2009 12:12:44 AM EST
Subject: Just back from show
The poor beautiful boy had lost his voice but oh what a voice to lose! I could have been listening to Dylan or Holly in a time before I was born, but I wasn’t. It was Elvis Perkins. Sincerely, perfectly.
Not that you haven’t already heard this, but just in case:
...
November 2009
18 posts
The Nitty Gritty: Other Agencies That've Got Us...
From: Melissa
To: Team
Date: October 27, 2009 5:53:31 PM EST
Subject: Re: Here’s an agency we should look at
Per my last email, what I didn’t fully communicate is that consumers, I think, want to feel they contribute to the inherent necessity of a brand—especially if they’re investing in it. They’ve invested in stocks but not in the actual reasoning or...
The Nitty Gritty: Left Phone in Cab
From: Tanit
To: Tommy
Date: October 25, 2009 11:48:38 PM EDT
Subject: Hello!! and Fionn’s sketches…
Hey, you! So I heard you had a nice little chat with my cab driver. :) Ahh - sorry for the late reply. I’m still so brain dead that I can barely type. I’m dropping off Brian tomorrow and heading back. Whew! I can’t wait to catch you up on the shoot, talk...
Etc.: Model Interviews PART 2
From: Amanda Brower
To: Nightjar Team
Date: October 24, 2009 5:30:45 EDT
Subject: Model Interviews/Cool Stuff Part 2
Hey All,
Been talking with more of the models throughout the day. Here are some more findings:
Myea, from Brooklyn, along with several others, expressed huge satisfaction at getting to do a shoot with a backstage element, which was a concept new to most everyone.
Frey...
Etc.: Model Interviews PART 1
From: Amanda Brower
To: Nightjar Team
Date: October 24, 2009 12:22:32 EDT
Subject: Model Interviews/Cool Stuff Part 1
Hi Everyone,
Here are some of my entertaining findings from the shoot, where the models and I discussed what the future will look like, their hobbies (outside of being beautiful), and their thoughts on the unique backstage-access angle Nightjar emphasizes for its...
It's Go Time
From: Tanit Sakakini
To: Nightjar Team
Date: October 23, 2009 12:19:53 EDT
Subject: See you all tomorrow!
I hope everyone is ready for a great shoot tomorrow.
Thank you again for all of your hard work, everyone!
-Tanit
The Nitty Gritty: Social Media On Set
From: Trevor Morrow
To: Nightjar Team
Date: October 19, 2009 1:41:19 EDT
Subject: Facebook on Set
Hi Everyone, These are some of my thoughts about Facebook on set - Kim, let me know what you think/we can talk more about Facebook strategy when we speak on the phone tonight or tomorrow. The Facebook Station I suggest that there be a “Facebook Station” set up in the hangout...
The Nitty Gritty: Let There Be Light
Check out Barefoot Power - featured lighting in Nightjar’s Sand County shoot. Learn how proper lighting can fight poverty at http://www.barefootpower.com
——-
From: Tanit Sakakini To: Brian Burkhardt, Jason Loik Cc: Sam Andrews Date: October 2, 2009 1:12:53 AM EDT Subject: Barefoot’s products for photo shoot Hi Jason and Brian - I’m forwarding you Sam’s...
The Nitty Gritty: Note to Self
From: Tanit Sakakini
To: Tanit Sakakini
Date: October 6, 2009 1:02:11 AM EDT
Subject: Thoughts/ SC Shots
- leading old wooden horse - thimbals with long wavy things, sparkly - old tin cans - vines around the collar - whole group is in motion, one foot forward or lifting up - picnic basket… rich things
Sent via BlackBerry
The Nitty Gritty: The Little Details. Sand County...
From: Brian Burkhardt
To: Jamie Schott
Date: October 20, 2009 2:19:12 PM EDT
Subject: Prop List
Hey Jamie,
Here is the list that Tanit and I came up with. Thanks a million, bro. You are totally helping us out! *1 basin/tub/ washing bin
*old magazines for chill room with models (small pile)
*10 or more metal cans (bean cans/canned fruit) (new or rusted) to make a telephone with. (you...
Etc.: Sand County Merchandise...
From: Trisha Brookbank
To: Tanit Sakakini
Date: September 25, 2009 11:18:30 AM EDT
Subject: Key to the future Sword in the stone!
Etc.: A Very Long List of Interesting Links
From: Amanda Brower
To: Tanit Sakakini
Date: September 24, 2009 10:25:30 AM EDT
Subject: Some of my favorites.
Whether or not they all make it onto the Nightjar Creative favorites list, I think they’ll provide some good inspiration and jumpoff for more brainstorming. - Amanda
http://www.lulamag.com/ http://www.cabinetmagazine.org/ http://thegreatbookshavebeenwritten.com/...
The Nitty Gritty: Shaping the Shoot
From: Tanit Sakakini To: Amanda Sonnenfeld, Brian Burkhardt Date: September 20, 2009 4:33:21 PM EDT Subject: Brand for Look Book - Sand County Shoot
Hi, you two. I was talking with Monique, one of the producers, yesterday, about how we’re gonna try and shape this into a Look Book that demonstrates our abilities - as well as make some great art out of it. Monique pointed out that it...
The Nitty Gritty: Oneliner. What's Nightjar?
From: Trevor Morrow
To: Tanit Sakakini
Date: September 23, 2009 6:25:43 PM EDT
Subject: One line for FB
Hi Tanit,
In my opinion, the line that is there now (“We make indie-quality arts and entertainment for our clients, with our audience. Get involved.”) is to the point and explains clearly what we do (although the language/coolness factor/fact that we are an agency may be...
The Nitty Gritty: Facebook & Links
From: Trevor Morrow To: Tanit Sakakini Date: September 19, 2009 6:01:02 PM EDT Subject: Facebook & links
Tanit- Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Nightjar-Creative/165958860796 I think the submissions interface/system will have to be up for me to see, before I can adequately finish the fan page. We can talk about that.
Found this while researching - you might find this...