While prepping the relaunch of our new fantastic amazing website, we had a chance to sit in on a session with Def Jam rapper BIG K.R.I.T., and San Francisco’s own Grillade at Different Fur Studios, all being shot by our friends at Yours Truly. Since it was such a gorgeous day out in the Mission, we figured we could peel ourselves away from the warm buzz of our computers for a bit…
Can’t wait for hear the results of the sessions of our headphones. I think that’s all we’re allowed to say about it. If you haven’t heard Big K.R.I.T. yet, pay attention. Below is a video for “Hometown Hero” (off his debut album) by the kids at Creative Control:
Tomorrow starts the San Francisco International Film Festival, kicking off with Jean-Pierre Jeunet’s “Micmacs,” whose trailer has been on repeat here at French Press Films. “Micmacs” is Jeunet’s first film in five years, and carries on his eclectic style from “Amelie” and “City of Lost Children.”
Other festival highlights include interviews and awards for Robert Duvall, Brazilian director Walter Salles and animator Don Hertzfeldt, who will be showing a retrospective of his short films. Additionally, cash prizes are awarded for excellence in documentary features with the Golden Gate prize, including an award for the best Bay Area Documentary.
Perhaps the most exceptional event, however, is Roger Ebert making a public appearance for “An Evening With Roger Ebert And Friends,” where Ebert’s career will be celebrated alongside a showing of his film selection for this year’s festival. As recent press from Esquire and Oprah have shown, Ebert’s recent surgeries have left his face dramatically altered, and this is a rare public appearance from the film critic.
Not only are we excited to have an amazing film festival happening in the Bay Area, but any time we can post about how much we love Jean-Pierre Jeunet, Roger Ebert and Don Hertzfeldt is a exciting news for us.
Ending our music video-themed week here at French Press Films is a post about the new video from SF’s Sandwitches, shot by the cinematographer on our recent Tempo No Tempo video, Jesse Dana.
The Sandwitches, who are fresh off a national tour and a successful run at SXSW, have been busy since they released debut record “How To Make Ambient Sadcake” last year. The video below is for their excellent jam “Kiss Your Feet,” directed by Joey Izzo.
Wallpaper remixed “Love Junkie” (feat. Ca$he) off of Donwill’s solo album High Fidelity, turning his synth-fest into the club jam to kick off the Spring.
With Wallpaper’s Ricky Reed on the new hook, and fellow San Francisco band The Park playing the beat, this has already got the attention of countless hip-hop blogs and Questlove of the Roots.
Enter the new face of San Francisco’s neighborhood renovation, Hayes Valley Farm. For years, a closed-off chunk of highway has sat in the middle of the growing Hayes Valley neighborhood, and as of a few weeks ago, the volunteer-driven HVF are turning it into a community green space that also provides organic produce to the neighborhood.
Combined with serious marketing savvy (check the quality on their video promotion!), the Hayes Valley Farm has already made a solid web impact with their community-based approach to local farming and public green space. We highly recommend reading their Twitter, which reads like a Web 2.0 version of Green Acres (“We have already converted 100 cubic yards of mulch, 4,000 lbs of cardboard and 2,000 lbs of manure to soil!”).
Below is an ad posted up in San Francisco’s Mission District promoting the launch of Levi’s new corduroy line.
Made of corduroy itself, it’s refreshing to see the material of a poster become part of the advertisement’s design. With that slight twist, the otherwise simple message feels crisp and elegant.
