LONDON – London-based production company and digital studio Nexus, and directors Factory Fifteen today announce the launch/premier of Function/Void, the dystopian video short featuring outstanding VFX created for Ninja Tune’s acid-grime artist The Bug. The production was in collaboration with executive producers The Creators Project, a joint partnership between Vice and Intel, set up to celebrate innovation in art and technology.
Inspired by sci-fi and futuristic fiction classics such as THX-1138, Brave New World and 1984, the video directed by Factory Fifteen, is set in an alternative present and illustrates the collapse of an amplified consumer society. The narrative follows the life of a drone living in a totalitarian system, medicated to think, feel and function, and illustrates what happens to him and the world around him when he stops conforming. The monochrome video short uses a mix of live-action and astounding VFX to reflect the fragility of life in a totalitarian system, and visualises the subsequent fracture and breakdown of a city based on mindless consumption.
Two tracks from The Bug’s brand new album ‘Angels & Devils’, ‘Function’ (featuring Roll Deep’s Manga) and ‘Void’ (featuring Liz Harris of Grouper), were selected for their musical duality and contradiction. The ear battering acid-grime assault of ‘Function’ plays alongside the heavily blunted dub of ‘Void’ to reflect the battle of individuality and compliance.
Factory Fifteen, Director, Nexus, Says: “We wanted to be ambitious with the project both visually and narratively as this isn’t your typical music video! It was really encouraging for us to have the support of Creators Project and Nexus, who wanted us to realise the video to its highest ambition. There were a lot of mutual interests in the themes between us and The Bug (Kevin) on this project, both in the music and our narrative interests that drove it forward. We wanted to visually explore the narrative of a person stuck in a totalitarian system, using themes from our current society of consumerist lifestyles. The whole process was critically engaging and allowed us to truly build a world …and then tear it down.”
An interview with the directors is available at http://thecreatorsproject.vice.com/blog/video-premiere-function-void-the-bug-factory-fifteen from 29th September 2014.
FUNCTION/VOID Credits
Director: Factory Fifteen (http://www.nexusproductions.com/directors/factory-fifteen)
Production Company: Nexus (http://www.nexusproductions.com)
Executive Producers: The Creators Project
Producer: Beccy McCray
Production Manager: Caroline Milsom
Director Of Photography: Luke Jacobs
Lead Actor: Gary Grant
Lead Actress: Ani Lang
Focus Puller: Tom Mcmahon
1st AD: Dan Precious
2nd AD: Alex Paterakis, Carmen de Witt
Gaffer: Joel Rainsley
Focus/ Gaffer Assistant: William del Rivero
DIT: Prince Yemoh
VFX Supervisor: Matt Townsend
Animation / VFX: Alexey Marfin, Jonathan Gales, Paul Nicholls, Prince Yemoh, Isaac Eluwole, Carl Kenyon, Ares Simone, Roberto Brichese, Matt Townsend.
Tracking: Tom Carter, Kibwe Tavares
Rotoscoping: Sinjarajan Studios
Kinect Character Development: Eran Amir
Offline Editor: Paul Hardcastle
Edit House: Trim
Post Production Consultant: Dave Slade
Studio Manager @ Nexus: Natalie Busuttil
Art Director: James Hatt
Art Dept Assistant: Rebecca Carey, Michelle Renee
Art Dept Runner: Arthur Menezes
Stylist: Crissie Aranda
Hair & Make Up: Bobbie Ross
Hair/MU Assistant: Maggie Forrest, Sharon Chagger
Production Assistant: Billi Hatfield
Production Runner: James Alexander
Unit Minibus Driver: John Targgart
Security: Per Doda
Extras:
Kimberley Goldsmith, Mark Craddock, Silvia Ferreira Santos, Susete Furtado, Justinas Vilutis, Eran Amir, Patrick Dishman, Freny Pavri, Roberto Brichese, Konstatin Zhukov, Peter Efe
With thanks to:
Kate Michelson
Pete Spence and all at Walthamstow Pumphouse Museum Trust
5 Merchant Sq
Jimmy, Wayne & Godfrey at Robin Hood Estate
Michelle Myrie & The Film Office
Vince, Rhian & Team at Film Fixer
Craft Design for Flat Design and build:
Designers: Armando Elias, Hugo D’Enjoy
www.craftdesign.co / info@craftdesign.co
Record Label: Ninja Tune
Video Commissioner: Maddy Salvage
Track 01 & Artist: Function – The Bug Feat Manga
Track 02 & Artist: Void – The Bug Feat Liz Harris of Grouper
