Words About Things

This week’s short film caught my eye because it combines a clever, original, idea and great execution. Here is the idea in brief:

Dictaphone Parcel is an animation based on a sound recorded with a dictaphone travelling secretly inside a parcel. As the hidden recorder travels through the global mail system, from London to Helsinki, it captures the unexpected. We hear a mixture of abstract sounds, various types of transport and even discussions between the mail workers. The animation visualizes this journey by creating an imaginary documentary.

Dictaphone Parcel by Lauri Warsta found via Vimeo.com

You might not have heard of Milton Glaser but you will certainly be familiar work his work as a graphic designer. His most famous creation is the I ♥ NY symbol created as part of a campaign to promote New York as a tourist destination.

This video was created by C Coy and features Milton drawing and talking about the art of drawing:

MILTON GLASER DRAWS & LECTURES from C. Coy on Vimeo.

Polaroid has announced that they will begin producing their iconic instant film once again. The company plans to bring back their digital and analogue ranges including the 600 instant film they are most famous for. The company’s instant film was gradually phased out throughout 2008 although it was still possible to find limited supplies of it.

When the Polaroid corporation collapsed (for the second time) it’s remaining assets were bought out by Summit Global who will be producing the new cameras. The new line of cameras will be produced in China and will be branded as Polaroid. An instant digital camera is also planned although details are vague so far presumably it will have an on-board printer similar to the bluetooth printer previously released by Polaroid.

The instant film will be produced by The Impossible Project which was set up by photographer Florian Kaps in order to save the film from dying out. Kaps managed to convince Polaroid to let him manufacture the film with the help of Ilford and even took over the factory in which it was made. Kaps managed to get $2.6 million in funding in order to save instant film.

The Impossible Project is proud and excited that its ambitions and all the relentless work that has already been invested are now becoming the foundation for Polaroid’s comeback as a producer of Instant Cameras.

The first commercial instant camera was created by Edwin Land who co-founded Polaroid. His design, the Land Camera, first went on sale in 1947.