Lost Highway Films Director Mike Patterson and USC School of Cinematic Arts colleague Candace Reckinger,have created a new piece for musician/composer Jeff Lynne, based on Lynne’s 1977 Electric Light Orchestra track Mr.Blue Sky. With influences ranging from Bollywood to psychedelic imagery and English gardens, the sunny music video is an exuberant and rich interpretation of ELO’s upbeat and infectious tune.nn
nClick here to view this screenwork on online.nnAlong with directing for Lost Highway, Patterson has been putting his talents to work as an Associate Professor of Animation at USC School of Cinematic Arts. Michael has used his animation skills on iconic music videos like A-Ha’s Take on Me, Suzanne Vega’s Luka, and Paula Abdul’s Opposites Attract (with MC Skat Kat), as well as for many spots with Lost Highway.nnPatterson and adjunct faculty member Reckinger teamed up with a group of their animation students and Electric Light Orchestra musician Jeff Lynne to create a video for the song Mr. Blue Sky, a song featured on the band’s seventh studio album Out of the Blue. Written and produced by Lynne, the song forms the fourth and final track of the “Concerto for a Rainy Day” suite. In a BBC interview, Lynne talked about writing Mr. Blue Sky after locking himself away in a Swiss chalet and attempting to write ELO’s follow up to A New World Record – “It was dark and misty for two weeks, and I didn’t come up with a thing. Suddenly the sun shone and it was, ‘Wow, look at those beautiful Alps.’ I wrote Mr. Blue Sky and 13 other songs in the next two weeks”.nnProlific musician and composer Lynne, while best known for his band Electric Light Orchestra, has also worked with members of the Beatles and created The Traveling Wilburys, whose members included Bob Dylan, George Harrison, Roy Orbison and Tom Petty. Patterson and Reckinger had previously collaborated with Lynne on a Roy Orbison music video in the 90’s.nnThe song Mr. Blue Sky was featured on the soundtrack to Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, and Patterson and Reckinger captured a similar dream-like surrealism through a creative approach to the animation. “Mike and I enjoy a hybrid approach to media making, a mixing of organic, hand-made techniques with digital.” said Reckinger. Pa7erson and Reckinger recruited a team of students who were particularly excited to work collaboratively and use a “blended media” approach to design the scenes and characters. “By blending 2D and 3D techniques, the result is often unique and more original. We wanted to highlight the students’ individual talents while giving the video a cohesive style and look. Many of the scenes became the work of more than one animator.” The collaboration between student and professor, and the utilization of a huge cross section of influences and ideas, helped create something truly unique in Mr. Blue Sky.nnCreditsn”Mr. Blue Sky“nArtist: ELOnAlbum: Mr. Blue Sky– The Very Best of Electric Light Orchestra nLabel: Frontiers RecordsnDirected by: Michael Paterson and Candace Reckinger nnAnimation By: Dan Wilson, Lisa Chung, Einar Baldvin, Lou Morton, Jovanna Tosello, Andrew Malek, Corrie Francis Parks, Miguel Jiron, Sullivan Brown, Larry Lai, Amy Lee Ketchum, Robert Calcagno, Mike Patterson
Contact:
Brandon Rosenberg Lost Highway Films In House Sales o.212.242.7400 c.917.744.5669 Contact Brandon via email www.losthighwayfilms.com
Contact:Lisa Schreiber-Naber Boardalicious West Coast Sales o.310.376.8656 c.310.480.4596 Contact Lisa via email www.boardalicious.com">www.boardalicious.com
Who Needs Los Angeles? We Do.
One doesn't have to be a statistician to know that there are fewer commercials being shot in the U.S. today for the American market than ever before, and a dramatic decrease in L.A. in particular. In the last five years, as reported by FilmLA (the office tasked with issuing permits), L.A. commercial production has dipped 31 percent. But here’s the thing: This doesn’t mean that L.A. has lost its importance as the production center of the world. Production in L.A. is vital. It is the go-to. It’s where you can count on access to exemplary crews, a support infrastructure second to none, varied location and backlot options, a large population of on-screen talent and (fairly) predictable weather. The fact is, with overall decline and now the devastation of the fires, we’re on the brink of losing this mainstay resource. Without employment opportunities and now many without homes, talented and trained crew are bound to leave either the industry or the LA area for other opportunities, unless there are enough job opportunities to sustain a solid living. Now is the time when we ALL must support and bolster this community. Production is needed in L.A., now! Of course, advertising is a business, and marketers’ money should be spent as efficiently as possible, BUT we have to think beyond each production and know that if we lose the incredible resource of L.A. production as we know it, then marketers, agencies and the industry loses in the long run. Over the past several days, some agencies have issued directives to production companies that are unilaterally pushing upcoming production options out of L.A. The fact is L.A. is a large area, and many sections of the city and county are not directly impacted... Read More
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