ML Studio

Don’t Think: The Chemical Brothers

ML Studio — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 11:52:46 +0000

Adam Smith and Marcus Lyall have been co-directing the visuals and overseeing the lighting and show design for The Chemical Brothers live shows for the past five years.

On “Don’t Think” Marcus’s role has been as a hands on creative producer or as he puts it his role was to “enable Adam to realize the vision that he had for the film.”

ML Studio completed all the post-production on the film.

Design Museum / Calvin Klein

ML Studio — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 09:33:39 +0000

Projection installation at the former Commonwealth Institute Building in Kensington. Commissioned by Calvin Klein, through PR agency Family as the centrepiece of a fundraising event for The Design Museum.

Architect John Pawson’s scheme for redeveloping the building involves turning the walls into full-width windows. We filmed the view from one of the proposed windows, making a ultra-high resolution time-lapse film. This was projected onto the wall to create the illusion of a seamless panoramic view from inside the building.

Cinematography: Dan Lowe
Projection Design: John Montague

Chemical Brothers: 2011 Tour

ML Studio — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 09:33:13 +0000

A collaboration between Marcus Lyall and Adam Smith, continuing their long-running work with the band. Marcus and Adam have overseen every aspect of the 2011 touring show including show direction, film direction, production and lighting design. This included animations produced for an 8m high LED sculpture and developing interaction between lighting and video.

Production Design: Paul Normandale
Lighting Programming: Matthew Button and Ricardo Lorenzini
Film production: RSA / Black Dog Films.

Yellowire: Starlife

ML Studio — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 09:32:30 +0000

An animated music video in collaboration with illustrator Jimmy Turrell. Aiming to give this performance video a warm, analogue feel, we developed the idea of hand-printing the whole video, using layers of found materials to create random juxtapositions of texture, words and images. Each frame of the video was hand-printed or laser-etched into a variety of vintage paper stocks and unusual materials. The resulting frames were then re-photographed, turning it into an animation.

Art Direction: Jimmy Turrell
Project Manager: Ruth Ward

Screenprinting: Dan Halliday at The Mangle
Risograph printing: Hato Press

The Wombats: 2011 Tour

ML Studio — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 09:31:35 +0000

A touring projection design and a series of films for the current tour, using interlocking triangular screens. We collaborated with a number of emerging film-makers to create a diverse show, that meshed with Ali Pike’s intense lighting style.

Lighting and stage design: Ali Pike
Video Server software: Richard Bleasdale at SAMSC
Films by: MOD, Jonny Stopford, Barney Steele and Marcus Lyall

Peculiar Wood

ML Studio — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 09:30:54 +0000

A projection installation based on shadow puppetry for a Christmas event in London. Working with some of the UK’s top puppeteers, we created a scenic narrative in light and shadow, creating the impression of a fantasy woodland filled with mysterious characters. To create the feature-length panoramic show, we developed a hybrid technique involving real-world puppets, digital illustration and animation.

Puppets and backgrounds: Michael Fowkes.

Bon Jovi: The Circle Tour

ML Studio — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 09:30:22 +0000

Working closely with PEDG, we directed and designed sequences for the tour’s many LED screens, which moved on robot arms and motion control systems to form different configurations.

For ‘Livin’ On A Prayer’, we oversaw the design of a User-Generated Content campaign where fans could send in videos of themselves singing and be featured on the LED screens at concerts.

We also produced animations for Bon Jovi’s performance at the 2010 Grammy Awards.

Production Design: Spike Brant and Justin Collie at PEDG.

Chemical Brothers: Further

ML Studio — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 09:28:54 +0000

An audiovisual album / DVD and live performance. A collaboration between Marcus Lyall and Adam Smith. A visual sequence to accompany every track on the album, forming a self-contained abstract film. The album was released simultaneously as a CD and DVD, with a residency at The Roundhouse, London and at Sonar Festival, Barcelona. Adam and Marcus also oversaw the design of the album packaging and advertising campaign.

Production Company: Black Dog Films
Show Production Designer: Tom Lesh
Graphic Design and Packaging: Tom Hingston
D.O.P: Richard Stewart
3D Animation: Paul Simpson at Realise

Pitch Control

ML Studio — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 09:28:06 +0000

An interactive audiovisual installation, where a virtual choir is played from a piano keyboard. Installed at The Science Museum and Waterman’s Arts Centre. A group of 25 people, some with singing ability, some without, were invited to sing every note in the human vocal range. Their performances were edited into audiovisual samples. When a note is played on the keyboard, a voice sings it, with their face appearing on a screen. By playing the keyboard like a piano, a ghostly choir appears around the performer. The installation was covered by The Guardian, Wired Magazine and Reuters.

Programming: Evan Raskob

Bon Jovi: Lost Highway

ML Studio — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 09:26:44 +0000

Working with PEDG, we made a series of animations and film sequences for a stage design including an LED screen that could be split into sections and expanded like a venetian blind. This was used as the main element in both arena and stadium shows.

Production Design: Spike Brant and Justin Collie at PEDG.
Production Company: KPX Video

Chemical Brothers: We Are The Night

ML Studio — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 09:22:03 +0000

Working with director Adam Smith, we made a number of video sequences for the live tour. This included an abstract sequence created using oscilloscopes and live electronic synthesiser software.

Using Kate Gibb’s silkscreened album cover as a starting point, we also developed an animated TV commercial, incorporating visual elements from the live show and music videos.

TV Commercial commissioned by Virgin / EMI Records
Oscilloscope visuals by Marcus Lyall and Robin Fox

Metallica: Master Of Puppets

ML Studio — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 09:21:30 +0000

To celebrate the 20th anniversary of ‘Master Of Puppets’, Metallica toured Europe, playing the album in it’s original form. We created films and animations to accompany a number of the tracks, including Sanitarium, Battery and Leper Messiah.

Lighting Designer: Butch Allen at Ugly American
Production Company: KPX Video

Kronos Quartet: Sun Rings

ML Studio — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 09:20:58 +0000

Inspired by the Voyager and Galileo space probes.

Working with Willie Williams, we reworked images from NASA’s photo and film archive to create a visual accompaniment to Terry Riley’s composition.

Creative Director: Willie Williams

We Will Rock You

ML Studio — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 09:20:18 +0000

Animation and post-production for LED screens as part of the set for this iconic musical.

Production Design: Mark Fisher
Lighting Design: Willie Williams

U2: Superbowl

ML Studio — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 09:19:53 +0000

Design of the ‘roll of honour’ listing the victims of the September 11th attacks. Projected as part of U2’s performance during half-time at the Superbowl in 2002.

Production Design: Mark Fisher
Lighting Design: Willie Williams

Rolling Stones: Licks Tour

ML Studio — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 09:19:07 +0000

Working with Willie Williams, we produced and directed all the video sequences for this tour. This included a Manga-style animation for ‘HonkyTonk Women’ We also liased with the tour video department to create live video treatments. The flaming Stones tongue film was used as a lenticular cover for a release of ‘Sympathy For The Devil’

Set Design: Mark Fisher
Lighting Design: Patrick Woodroffe
Video Creative Director: Willie Williams