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The New York Public Library's Collection of Weird Objects
From a pair of Jack Kerouac's boots to the foot of Charles Dickens' cat Bob, the New York Public Library has its own museum-worthy collection of literary artifacts. The assortment of paraphernalia is the work of two brothers and includes anything from locks of hair to prayer bells. In this short profile, Director of Exhibitions Declan Kiely walks you through the unusual objects that make up The Berg Collection.
The Tables
There might be ping pong tables in your basement or at the office, but none are like the ones in New York City's Bryant Park. Not because of their metal net or the unpredictable elements, but because of the players that use them. The Tables draw in people from all walks of life and unite them in an unexpected way.
Uncharted
Nathan Drake is a treasure hunter, explorer, historian, and really good at getting himself in trouble. Until now, his exploits have been confined to gaming consoles. This fan film, directed by Allan Ungar and starring Nathan Fillion, takes Nathan and partner Victor "Sully" Sullivan out of the game and into real life.
TANK
In the 80s, vector graphics were the cutting age of gaming. Classics like Star Wars, Battlezone, and the original Tron movie used vectors to simulate 3D before texturing caught up. Stu Maschwitz created TANK using Adobe After Effects and custom tools to make this excellent short film that drips 80s nostalgia.
A Visual History of Light
From the first spark of fire to the physics of today's hydrogen fusion, light has had quite an evolution. The Atlantic goes back to where it all started in 400,000 B.C. to give this chill timeline tracking the history of one of our most beloved resources.
Extreme Discount Card
Channel your inner Ben Gates. Vollebak has teamed up with adventurers Jason Fox and Aldo Kane to create the ultimate treasure hunt. Up for grabs is a one-of-a-kind hand-carved Rosewood sculpture crafted by Saena Ku. The piece took her over three months to complete and is impossible to duplicate, so don't even try. It's currently hidden somewhere on planet Earth and the only clue you'll be given is this short film by Oscar-winning director Orlando von Einsiedel, documenting the trek to its undisclosed hideout. Whoever can uncover the card's whereabouts will earn themselves free Vollebak clothing for life.
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Vollebak Graphene Jacket
Discovered by Nobel Prize-winners, graphene is one of the most incredible materials known to man. Ten layers stacked on to each other are more bulletproof than steel, and Vollebak has acquired some of this revolutionary material and coated jackets with it for this experimental prototype. Each black Graphene jacket is part coat, part science experiment, and an opportunity to wear what could easily become the world's next super material.
Presented by Vollebak.
Mack Weldon Airknitx Underwear
Made from a lightweight microfiber blend that's engineered to enhance breathability, Mack Weldon's AIRKNITx underwear is designed for peak gym performance without sacrificing everyday comfort. The fabric features a mesh construction that stays cool, dries fast, and has 4-way stretch so you won't slow down during an intense workout. If you don't love your first pair, Mack Weldon will send you a different size, style, or issue a refund — no return required.
Presented by Mack Weldon.
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12K NYC
First, there was 4K. Then it was 8K. Now, we've reached mind-blowing clarity with 12K. Just to put it into perspective, it's 48.5 times the resolution of HD 1080p. Filmmaker Phil Holland showcases the stunning resolution with a cinematic flyover of New York City.
I Heart NY
The I Heart NY symbol is almost as iconic as the city itself. Designed in 1977 by Milton Glaser, the symbol was first created as an advertising campaign for the city. The campaign turned into the state's trademark logo and can still be seen in every souvenir shop 40 years later. This short film sheds light on the man behind the design and shares how his own relationship with the city inspired his now infamous graphic.
Paris, je t'aime
Contrary to popular belief, Paris is not, in fact, for lovers. Especially when you're waiting for the subway. Ignoring the guidebook's recommendation not to make eye contact, a man finds the rougher side of love in the City of Lights in this short from the Coen brothers.
Speed Record on El Capitan
Deemed unbreakable, climbers Brad Gobright and Jim Reynolds did the impossible by surpassing the speed record for El Capitan. The duo scaled Yosemite's infamous rock wall in just 2 hours, 19 minutes, and 44 seconds, beating the old record by just 4 minutes. In this time-lapse, Tristan Greszko condenses the impressive feat down to an enjoyable 5-minutes.
Stems
"Puppet-making begins by gathering stuff." In this short film, animator Ainslie Henderson, who specialized in stop-motion, describes the process behind his puppetry in a love letter not just to the medium but also the characters that help create it. The piece is scored by musician Poppy Ackroyd.
A New View of the Moon
We spend nearly half of the day with the moon but we seem to be taking our natural satellite for granted. With a telescope in hand, filmmakers Wylie Overstreet and Alex Gorosh head to the streets of Los Angeles to get people reacquainted with the moon. Nearly every person that took a look had the same reaction, proving that our fascination with space is just as strong as ever.
A Man Like You
Men are confident. Men are strong. Men are independent. Men cry like babies during razor commercials. In this short film by Harry's, the shaving company reminds us the in today's world the real definition of a man is not so cut-and-dried.
Papers, Please
Set in a border crossing station in the fictional, Eastern Bloc-like Arstotzka, a border agent is the only thing standing between broken families, desperate workers, and political insurgents. Based on the game Papers, Please by Lucas Pope, this short film tells a story much like its source material — and the limits and limitations of empathy.
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Bellroy Shift Backpack
The Shift Backpack is Bellroy's most performance-focused backpack to date. This overachiever is well equipped for the road — and trails — but manages to stay totally office-appropriate too. Despite the clean, sleek aesthetic on the outside, this 22-liter pack features a tonne of pocketing on the inside. Small items are stowed high in the bag for easy access, leaving the main compartment free for larger items to fill it out. The Shift Backpack is outfitted with super tough, water-resistant Venture-weave polyester that repels water and wear, and is finished off with a custom Slide Hook closure system, lumbar support and removable sternum strap for real comfort, all day long. Comes in black, moss or ink blue.
Presented by Bellroy.
Uncrate Issue 04
For Issue 04, we headed to the Utah desert to drive the apocalyptic Rezvani Tank and the special edition Ronin x Uncrate motorcycles. We kept heading west, switching to a Husqvarna bike and camping at the Salton Sea before finding better lodging in Joshua Tree. We wrapped things up back at the studio with a selection of watches, slippers, Cryptocurrency storage, space travel, dry-aged steaks, axes, cold brew, and more.
One magazine, six languages: English / Deutsche / Français / Italiano / Español / 日本語
168 pages / Heavyweight paper / Book-style cover
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The Brothers Behind Adidas and Puma
Two of the biggest shoe companies in the world were founded because two brothers couldn't get along. Adidas and Puma were started by Adolf and Rudolph Dassler respectively, after the popularity of their Dassler shoes tore them apart. As they say, the rest is history — and sibling rivalry.
The Life of a Camera
Before there were smartphones, people actually took pictures with cameras on film. This 35mmYamasheta is one of those cameras. Now broken and dead, The Royal Ocean Film Society takes a look back at the life that it lived through the photos it took.
Instravel
Instagram is full of cliché photos. More than ever, people are not only oversharing but also overusing the same gimmicks to document their journeys around the globe, crowding our feeds with airplane wings and Leaning Tower of Pisa ice cream cones. To poke a little fun at the social media obsessed, Oliver KIMA collected some of the most stereotypical travel pictures a compiled them into a face-paced ode to mass tourism.
Dear Basketball
Kobe Bryant had a legendary 20-year career but before he was ever drafted, he had a deep infatuation with the game. In this animated film, the icon reads his love letter to basketball over hand-drawn illustrations, directed by Disney animator Glen Keane. The short was played at his jersey retirement ceremony and is now up for an Academy Award.
Dreaveler
In the future, science has greatly expanded the lifetime of humans, to the point where natural death is nearly an unheard of experience. The Dreaveler corporation has stepped in to fill the gap, offering a kind of VR euthanasia for those ready to shed the mortal coil.
Up and Above
The rise of drones has taken aerial photography to new heights, giving us a unique perspective on the world around us. In this short film, Bogdan Teodorescu takes advantage of this medium to capture a different angle of the landscapes of Romania.
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The Floor is Lava
As a kid, we all pretended that the floor was lava as we hopped from a pillow to the couch. Well, RocketJump imagined that childhood scenario in real life. In this short film, three roommates must navigate their lava-filled apartment to get to safety without getting scorched by the liquid hot magma.
Gremlins: Recall
Christmas came early this year. After almost three decades, Gremlins has returned. Although it's not an official third film, this fan-made short is the next best thing. The Ryan Patrick-directed story follows a shady salesman who claims to have found a medication to keep your mogwais cute and fuzzy but like any good movie anecdote, there are always a few exceptions.
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The Working Man
You hate your job. You've had it with your boss. What do you do? Spend a year animating a seven-minute short showing exactly how you feel. Tim Searfoss did exactly that in this excellent piece of storytelling about being a drone on the line.
ADAM: The Mirror
Over a year later, Oates Studios finally has a second chapter in the ADAM story. A tiny bit more is revealed about the cybernetic main character, after a brutal journey from a walled city governed by a mysterious entity called the Consortium. An oracle reveals Adam's past, and how he came to be what he is now.
Blade Runner Black Out 2022
This is it — the third and final prequel short in the leadup to the release of Blade Runner 2049. This beautiful anime, directed by Cowboy Bebop's Shinichiro Watanabe, fills in another piece of the puzzle in the timeline between the original Blade Runner and the upcoming film.
Blade Runner Blackout 2022
Shinichiro Watanabe, director of Cowboy Bebop, is creating a Blade Runner anime short set a few years after the first movie. According to Wantanabe, Blade Runner was a huge influence on him and his style. This teaser highlights concept art a few seconds of animation from the upcoming film.
Game of Thrones: Conquest & Rebellion
Season seven of Game of Thrones is long gone, but HBO has been keeping our obsessions alive with a behind-the-scenes feature and now this animated prequel. Told in storybook style, the short series tells the history of the Seven Kingdoms — going back long before Robert's Rebellion. The first chapter focuses on the origin of House Targaryen, while the remaining legends will only be available with limited DVD and Blu-ray releases on December 12, 2017.
Bury Me with the Lo On
If you grew up in the 90s, you know about the Lo. Ralph Lauren's Polo brand was ubiquitous — jeans, shirts, sweaters, hoodies. You couldn't take a step anywhere almost in America without seeing the polo player logo looking back at you. So how did a designer brand go from Fith Avenue to America at large? The Lo Lifes. This New York City boosting gang made a logo into a culture. Watch how it happened in this short documentary narrated by one of the gang's founders.
