Portland animation studio HouseSpecial announces the opening screening of their latest short film Lamentation at The Hollywood Theatre @PDX, the new movie theatre in Portland’s airport (C Concourse), beginning on February 23, 2017 and running regularly through the Spring.
The short film is inspired by Portland’s own world-renowned Pink Martini’s rendition of the sorrowful Romanian ballad Până când nu te iubeam (Before I Fell in Love with You), with vocals by Storm Large. Director Kirk Kelley, Founding Partner/Creative Director of HouseSpecial, employed traditional stop-motion animation, in-camera VFX and CG elements combined with high-speed footage captured in practical environments. As the film unfolds, Kelley takes the musical instruments needed to perform the arrangement and drowns them in sensuality, longing and sadness, creating a story that is as mesmerizing, cyclic and hauntingly obtuse as the ballad.
Mr. Kelley: “Pink Martini’s influence sweeps the globe—and they have touched me, as I’m continually inspired by their music that crosses every border and genre. At the heart of Până când nu te iubeam is a Romanian love ballad of devastating beauty and ethereal loneliness. It is both apocalyptic and cyclical. We can never grab hold and follow a narrative per se, but instead are drawn deeper into the vortex of the lament.”
The short film has screened at numerous festivals around the world including Amsterdam Film Festival (Winner – Best Music Video), Berlin Short Film Festival (Winner – Best Music Video), Best Short Fest – Ontario (Winner – Best Short Film), Silveron International Film Festival (Winner – Best Music Video), Austin Short Film Fest, Bucharest International Experimental Film Festival, London International Short Film Festival and the prestigious Mill Valley Film Festival.
About Pink Martini:
Featuring a dozen musicians, Pink Martini performs its multilingual repertoire on concert stages and with symphony orchestras throughout Europe, Asia, Greece, Turkey, the Middle East, Northern Africa, Australia, New Zealand, South America and North America.
Director Bio: Kirk Kelley
Kirk’s a big-gun Director, and not just because he’s a Texan. A multi-talented creative leader and storyteller, Kirk has directed and supervised many premier ad campaigns over the last two decades. As creative steward of HouseSpecial’s diverse repertoire of M&M’S content, Kirk has garnered industry awards and accolades including multiple “Super Bowl™ Top Ten Spots.”
HouseSpecial can make anything move. We are animation experts. Our Portland studio’s creative team is well-known for its ability to integrate design and develop characters that push brand narratives beyond the expected for clients like Sony, Jose Cuervo, Target, M&M’S, Honey Nut Cheerios, Honda and Supercell. Our artists are guided by their infectious passion for storytelling and an obsession to bring wonder to every collaboration.
Translation: Before I Fell in Love with You
Before I fell in love with you
My love, my love,
I used to sleep like a baby,
My love, my love.
Since I fell in love with you,
My love, my love,
I’ve been restless,
My love, my love.
I’m dying, this longing is tearing me apart,
My love, my love,
I’m helpless,
My love, my love.
I’m burning, I’m on fire,
My love, my love,
I can’t find some peace of mind,
My love, my love.
Oh, but don’t fight it!
My love, my love,
Please have mercy,
My love, my love.
Oh, but don’t fight it!
My love, my love,
Please have mercy,
My love, my love.
Credits:
Inspired by the song Până când nu te iubeam
Traditional Romanian, in the public domain
From the Pink Martini album Get Happy
Courtesy of Heinz Records ©℗ 2013
Director: Kirk Kelley
Executive Producer: Lourri Hammack
DP: John Nolan
Editor: Michael Corrigan
Art Director: Alan Cook
Storyboard Artist: Vera Brosgol
Art Dept Lead: Rob Melchior
Character Fabrication: Sarah Hall, Katie Mello, Margaret Meyer
Stop Motion Animator: Julianna Cox, Wendy Fuller, Chris Ohlgren
Art Dept/Stage Manager: Erica Johnson
Line Producer: Jenn Catalino
Production Assistant: Alex Webster, Madison Bates
Look Lead: Dan Casey
Technical Director: Chris Immroth
Modeler: Josh Tonnesen
Texture Artist: Nikie Monteleone
Lighting Artist: Clay Connally
Rigger: Terence Jacobson
CG Animator: Greg Kyle
VFX Artist: Karl Richter
Nuke Compositor: John Corbett
AE Compositor: José Díaz
Texture Intern: Faith Zeng
VFX Apprentice: Andrés Galeano
Nuke Intern: Aurry Tan
Flame Artist: Rex Carter
Smoke Artist: Leif Peterson
Post Prod. Manager: Cam Williams
Editorial Assistant: Dino Coons
A special thanks to the Oregon Film Board.
HouseSpecial PR Contact: Alise Munson [email protected]