Hello there,

I’m Laura, one of the community / project managers working behind the screen of Ulule. I just moved to beautiful Australia and will be working freelance from here for a little while.

So the word is out mates ! If you’re an Aussie filmaker, artist, musician, inventor, designer, acrobate, social entrepreneur or even a fortune-teller and would like to launch a crowdfunding campaign, i’ll be your main liaison.   

I just spent the past week in Melbourne and I am heading to Sydney anytime now. Not sure of where i will end up settling down yet but if you guys have suggestions on things to do, see, people to meet or places to check out I’ll be happy to make plans accordingly to what the community here suggests.

Went to the excellent Sugar Mountain Festival held at the Forum Theater, downtown Melbourne. Also saw some mind blowing films by Vincent Moon from the Petites Planètes collection at the ACMI.

Met very nice designers that let me use their studio wireless connection to work for the past week. Check them out : http://www.quickanddead.com/

Please don’t hesitate to get in touch if you wish. I will be more than happy to meet you or chat a bit about crowdfunding, your projects or just life in general: laura@ulule.com

Cheers everyone,

Wishing you all the best for 2012.

Laura

     

Find out more about Sarah’s project on Ulule here. All additional funds are goind to be donated to Macmillan Cancer Support http://www.macmillan.org.uk

Mats is an inspired mixed media artist from Norway. He came to Ulule with a project called ” Just King ” , an 80 pages graphic tale he started over 10 years ago. We asked him a few questions about his work and creative process. Check out what he had to say…

Could you give us some insight on your background ? 

My father was an animator and illustrator, so I suppose it’s almost in my blood. He did a few cartoons and a couple of underground comics (from which I stole the Norwegian title to Just King, which is “Kong Lov”). I have done comics and cartoons since I was around 5, probably. Later I started a BA in Graphic Design at Middlesex University in London, but changed to Illustration half way through. I found I could put more of myself in the projects, more of my own ideas. I also learned how to work to a brief and be creative within set boundaries. Afterwards I worked as a designer and animator in an agency. Did a lot of Flash animation stuff. Worked with e-learning. But I dreamed of being a writer. Just King surfaced as a project where I could both address the quasi-intellectual stuff I wanted to write about, as well as draw and design.

You have worked on “Just King” for the past 10 years, what were the ups and downs ? 

I never dreamed it would take this long. In fairness I only worked on it continually for around 4 years. Then I took a long break to do my MA in Digital Art in Baltimore and other projects. The challenge was finding time alongside my design job. I worked maybe 2-3 hours on it, three days a week.

In that situation it was hard seeing any progress from day to day, week to week. I also had high, but diffuse ambitions. Wanted to address everything that I had on my mind. It was hard distilling it, cutting to the core. Finding the story in all the metaphorical stuff. 

What is your favourite part of the creative process ? 

Usually I like the beginning, when everything is still possible. Then it kind of turns into crap, because everything looks like something YOU did, rather than this “otherworldly” thing you had in your head. I do find it inspiring to address concrete problems though, like technical stuff, learning new software, trying new techniques. I find that this sort of “low level”, everyday inspiration is important to finish huge projects like this since you can’t feel the inspiration for the story and the theme the same way after a while. You need substitute inspiration to be able to finish.

We are very intrigued by this project

subConch demonstration

Could you tell us more about it ? 

This is the subConch, an interactive installation I’m working on. Emotiv Systems put out a consumer priced BCI (brain control interface) headset a while back. I saw this thing on CNN about it, an immediately decided to to some kind of art work with it. I joined an early developer team and created this software that lets you control pitch and other sound characteristics by just thinking it. It’s available as freeware. Now I’m using the software to create a gallery installation.

From your artist perspective, how did you react to the terrorist attack / mass murders in Oslo ? 

That’s a difficult question. It’s still very fresh and sensitive. I would say I reacted more as a human being than as an artist. Shock, disbelief, outrage, grief. Reflecting now as an artist I suppose I feel powerless. Xenophobia is one of the issues I’m trying to address in Just King, but I doubt it’s going to make a lot of difference. It’s a narrow and strange take on the subject, but of course one hopes it will ring true for some readers.

Could you tell us about another project you like, follow or support on Ulule ?

To be honest I haven’t had time to look at too many of the other projects, but I found this kind of fun: http://www.ulule.com/blarg/ and this thing also: http://www.ulule.com/superstreetfire/ I wouldn’t mind trying out.

Find out more about Mats’s work on his website, visit his project on Ulule and you might end up with your name in one of those bubbles…

Phantom is a bluesy garage rock group with members both belgian and english. Marie-France is a parisian singer and an icon from the 1970’s and 1980’s Palace era. In 2008, they released their first album together which was a great success. Today they are back with new songs written by Miam Monster-Miam and Jacques Duvall (who also writes for Jane Birkin, Lio, Alain Chamfort and the Runaways…) The album is a mix of fuzzy guitars, garage punk, surf rock and was founded just a few days after the collect was launched !

Photo : Marc Wathier

How did you guys meet ?

Miam MonsterMiam : We met on stage ! Jacques Duvall (singer songwriter) invited Marie-France on stage with the Phantoms, it was at the Klub in Paris in 2006 if I remember well. Marie-France came to sing her first 12” maxi, which became cult in Belgium for the punk fans : Daisy / Déréglée. It was great, and it gave us the idea to collaborate on an album. In 2008, we recorded it in a belgian farm in just a couple of days.

Marie-France : yes it was on stage. The day before, Duvall called me to ask if I wanted to come and sing our first two songs that we recorded them in a bathroom in Bruxelles. Il was back in 1976 and this is when I become a rock addict ! Of course then I accepted the invitation. Coming back to pure rock had been in my mind for quite some time actually. During the soundcheck, a couple hours before the show, the Phantoms and I really connected, and things just really naturally evolved since then.

Photo : Richard Dumas

How did you come this new collaboration Marie France / Phantom ?

Miam : In 2009 after the Lio tour for the record Phantom feat Lio -Lio being another of Duvall’s muse- we wanted to stop the Phantoms. We had a last concert set in London near Hoxton and we asked Marie-France if she’d like to come and sing a few songs with us. We knew that english people love her ! It was an amazing concert. Martin Gore, co-founder of Depeche Mode was there and he loved it. This is how we decided to make a new album together. Fans were also asking for it, Marie-France really has faithful fans !

Marie : I did not expect it, the Phantoms wanted to stop after Lio. And then, to my great pleasure, they offered me to come to London. There was this same great energy between us and I am so happy that our adventure continues with this new album ! With Jacques Duvall writing songs and Miam MonsterMiam writing music, I am totally comfortable. I love the melodies, the riffs, the team is great… There is a great mix of humour, sensitivity, fervor, musicality.

Photo : Pierre et Gilles

Who are your heroes, inspirations, references, mentors ?

Miam : To sum up : in music there are Phil Spector, Joe Meek, Lee Hazlewood. For comics, it is very simple : Crumb, crumb et crumb. For my life : my baker who makes the most amazing bread !

Marie : I don’t have heroes or better, there are too many of them ! I am pretty much into everything, I believe making a list would be too long. Hmmm I don’t eat bread, but I really love the guy who sells me vegetables ! And I must confess, my lady-chihuahua really inspires me !

What is your favorite part in the creative process ?

Miam : Recording a band which plays live and seeing ideas becoming great songs !

Marie : Aaaahhh… Receiving new songs in my mailbox, discovering them, absorbing them and making them come true. These are the cherries on top of my life’s cake ! Amazing gifts ! Of course there are also the concerts, sharing with the public, the stage, the adrenalin, the lights and music on my body…

Photo : Myla Reynaud

This new album really is a teamwork but who has the last word ?

Miam : We decide everything together. That being said, everybody is bringing its personal touch : Duvall with the texts, the group with the arrangements, Marie-France with a personal style and myslef with the melodies… The key is that we trust each and it allows us to be very independent.

Marie : They know what they do. They are specialists. As long as I can sing within my tanolity, I am in complete confidence. With the Phantoms and Jacques Duvall I know I’m in good hands. Whether I’m wearing a dress or just a panty, it is delightfull ! If I have a suggestion, the team listens to me and we make the decision together.

Photo : Pierre et Gilles

Marie, as you said you are really into everything and changed styles a lot. How do you explain this come back to pure rock ? A refusal to quieten down ?

Marie : I am first and foremost an interpreter. No matter what type of music I play, what matters is the pleasure I get. I am wiser than I was before but when I am on stage I can go crazy ! I feel I’m now more balanced and I avoid the excesses that I fell into in the past.

Photo : Jean-Baptiste Mondino

What do you guys listen to these days ?

Miam : Cortex, a french band of 70ies funk. Smile by the Beach Boys. Some old Black Sabbath. The Stranglers and the Jams always ! And the NUGGETS box.

Marie : Not very original, but, the poor and sublime Amy Winehouse…

Photo : Pascal Schyns - Sofam

Can you tell us more about a Ulule’s project you support, follow or like ?

Miam : The project of SAB , a singer songwriter, he is also our stage tech with Duvall.

Marie : I haven’t supported a project yet, but it will come. I congratulate Ulule for their great idea to help creativity !

Thank you Marie-France, Thank you Miam Monster-Miam !

Retrouvez le projet Marie-France et les Phantoms sur Ulule.

Miss Buffet Froid (her name is a reference to Bertand Blier’s movie, which was released the year she was born) is an inspired French photographer : a boiling magma of ideas and fun projects, you can give them a look here.
Miss Buffet Froid is a representation and image lover. Her favourite game ? Questionning identities, inviting the audience to think about the transgression of moral and social borders. It is in fact, quite a fun game to play !

Can you tell us more about your work, Miss Buffet Froid ?

I like to believe I create “concepts” that strive for discovering others, understanding derision or arrogance. It is the unfolding of a prism of vision, a real want to express myself. I like to play with the way people look at their routine, to daydream like a child, or to take the bad kid’s point of view… My work is about creating, sharing, playing with the limits, discovering about others, fighting also. 

How did you get to photography ?
I think I always was fascinated by photography without knowing it. As a child I was already cutting through images, I was litteraly staring at movies, music videos, people dancing, etc. I have realized that something was strongly linking me to it just recently.

What do you think about when you’re shooting ?

It really depends… I am always very concentrated when I work. I’m obsessed with the lighting, the frame, etc. When I model, I like to let myself be guided by the transformation I am trying to embody. I sometime fall into a trance. I look at it as a performance, it helps me question myself about what identity is all about, what beauty really means.

 
What do you find inspiring ?
Life with all its paradoxes, encounters, humans, routine… And also artists such as Erwin Olaf, Steven Klein, Saudek, Manu Larcenet, Desproges, Tool, Ez3kiel (…)

What is your favourite step of the creative process ?

Choosing the good pictures after a shoot is something I love as much as I fear. When I select the images I really find out if a shoot was successful or not. Sometimes I find gold nuggets, unexpected surprises. It’s like a treasure hunt.

What is the last exhibition that you saw ?
I am a big fan of Sacha Goldgerber with Mamika.

Can you tell us about another project on Ulule that you like, follow or support ?

I have discovered Ulule when I supported my friend Gabriel Michel. And then I also supported Insousciance. More recently, I discovered the incredible project of World Wide Triangular.

Thanks Miss Buffet Froid !
Find out more about Miss Buffet Froid on Ulule.

Shana and Tim Massett are from Jacksonville, Florida and have an ambitious project for their town : renovating an old movie theater, the 5 Points to improve the cinema experience of every customers, film lovers and members of the community. It will sure become the best place to take a girl on a first date !

Where does your passion for movies and cinema come from ? 

Shana:  My favorite early movie memory was when my dad took me to a double feature of the sci-fi classics Alien and Aliens.  I must have been about six or seven, and I loved the feeling I got when the really scary parts drew me into the film.  I remember the intermission between the two movies so clearly, the excitement of the people in the lobby, and clearly recall being a lot shorter than everyone else!  

Going to the movies was a big part of my life as a kid, and then all the way through college in Boston, a city that has some great cinemas.  Since then I’ve developed a passion for watching people go to the movies.  It’s really rewarding talking to regulars when I’m scooping popcorn and asking what they thought of a film they saw. Everyone’s there to have a good time, and it makes the movie theater a nice place to be!

How do you think the 5 points Theatre project will contribute to the Jacksonville community ? 

Shana and Tim:  It’s going to make people really proud to have such an awesome cinema in their town.  The 5 Points Theatre is going to very quickly become the city’s new favorite place to watch a movie.  Not only will the movie sound and look great, the community will be wooed by our tasty menu and fun preshows.  Also, the crowd sourcing component will give local movie fans who invested in the startup of the business a real sense of ownership that they can’t get at any other theatre.

What is the last movie you saw ? What did you think of it ?

Shana:  I am slightly embarrassed to say that the last film I saw was The Rise of the Planet of the Apes.  It was entirely silly, but I was totally engaged.  I also just saw and really enjoyed the new Errol Morris documentary Tabloid.

Who is your favourite director of all times ? 

Tim: Randy Walker and Jennifer Shainin at Foreign American Pictures.

Shana:  I’m a pretty big David Lynch fan. 

Do you have a hero ? 

Tim:  Definitely Craig Baldwin 

Could you tell us about another project you like, follow or support on Ulule ? 

Shana and Tim:  The Just King project looks great but we can’t wait for the project the same artist has in development that involves manipulating sounds with brainwaves.

Want to add something ?

Yes!  We want to thank Ulule for their awesome support and encouragement!  We were planning to use a different crowdsourcing platform that I won’t name because I’m so ticked with them, but our proposal — or what you could call a proposal since it was limited to 750 characters — was greeted within about ten minutes with a rejection form letter.  It was really clear that they were not interested in taking the time to work with artists, musicians, and entrepreneurs in the way that Ulule has. Thanks Tiny Owl!

Welcome to the Ulule blog’s new column ! Ululer of the week enlightens a project owner currently fundraising on Ulule… A new way to discover and find out more about the talented people hidden behind all the sites’s good ideas.

Mélanie Delloye 

Mélanie is both French and Colombian. After studying Russian and Philosophy in Paris, she moved to New York to follow NYU Graduate Film Program. Anna and Jérôme is her final graduate project, a road movie born from the encounter of two characters, a woman and a little boy…

Anna and Jérôme teaser

How did you meet the French actress Élodie Bouchez ?  

I started looking into meeting Elodie right after I finished writing the script. I really wrote the story thinking of her to embody Anna. I got in touch with her through a friend, I sent her the script and we simply got coffee together to talk about the project. Elodie liked it, I guess she was moved by the character.. It was a beautiful first encounter and that is how it all started…

How is the casting going for Jerome ? 

We are in the process of looking for him nearby Fécamp where the film will be shot in Normandy. It is a very important step as the little boy that will play Jerome will influence the movie with his personality. 

Can you tell us more about your previous work “Anarchy” ? 

Anarchy is a music video I shot in New York last december for the Stumblebums. We wanted to simply tell the story of a break-up. 

The project comes from a collaboration between the NYU and Sony, who were preparing the launch of a new camera: the Sony PMW-F3. The chief cameraman that worked on Anarchy is Leonardo D’Antoni and he will be directing the photography of Anna and Jérôme. 

Where do you find inspiration ? 

Sometimes a simple image, or a memory can be a source of inspiration. I realize that what moves me the most is often linked with childhood, family relations, travels and also identity. Themes I find in the stories I write and that I want to keep on exploring.

Which step of the creative process do you enjoy the most ? 

From the moment I get the idea, to script writing, and then the shooting and editing, there are so many things going on ! I think that what I like the most in cinema, are the collaborations and the dialogue with actors and crew members. In the end, the first story I imagined will evolve with other people’s ideas, it is from the exchange with others that the idea finally transform and comes to life. Right now I am going through an important step in the creative process since the writing is finalized, I start sharing it with the chief cameraman, the production designer, my assistant, etc.

I am just back from Fécamp, the little town in Normandy where the movie will be shot, I checked locations for a week and absorbed the atmosphere of Anna and Jérôme to visualize the first images of the movie!

What is the last movie you saw ? What did you think of it ? 

I really liked A Separation, an Iranian movie by Asghar Farhadi. He films the characters with such simplicity. It creates an interesting and beautiful contrast with the complexity of emotions. I was also very impressed by his work directing the children that play in the movie.  

Can you tell us more about a Ulule project you like, follow or support ? 

I discovered Ulule through my producer, Robin Robles. I really liked the projects’ diversity represented on the website. I was moved by the documentary project  A parallel world by Shei Tan on the Sikerei tribe of Indonesia. The images are beautiful and the interviews make me want to discover more about this culture. I hope to see the finalized documentary one day ! 

Can you tell us a story of an owl ? 

 I know a french tongue twister with an owl…if I translate it, it goes : The magpie nests high. The goose nests low. Where does the owl nest ? The owl nests neither high nor low.

Find out more about Anna and Jérôme, Mélanie Delloye’s project on Ulule.

As you know, Ulule is a partner of the 2011 Homeless Word Cup, to be held in August on the Champ de Mars in Paris. For the occasion, you can support the event or one of the competing teams, and receive T-shirts, Nike special edition. Check out the event on video, presented by Eric Cantona.



Beyond the support and word-of-mouth, the 2011 Homeless World Cup are also looking for cameramen and commentators for the matches, which will be broadcast live over the Internet. We give them the floor:

“The Paris 2011 Homeless World Cup is just around the corner and we are busy preparing for the tournament and the launch of our new Web TV project. We are thrilled to announce that Paris 2011 will feature robust Video on Demand viewing of all 392 matches available on the Homeless World Cup website. We are hoping that each of the matches will be accompanied by commentary in up to 3 language options including English, Spanish, French, German, Russian and Portuguese.

 

We are looking for 6 camera men/women to film the matches from the 21-28 August. We are also looking for 6 commentators in English and French and if possible some of the other languages mentioned above.

If you or anyone else you know are interested please let us know by sending a mail to projects@ulule.com. This is a really exciting opportunity and we would love for you to be a part of this fantastic event. Thanks and we are looking forward to hearing from you.”

Camera friends, pass the word around!

The Homeless World Cup (soccer world cup for homeless people) is a grand soccer tournament, where more than 70 national teams of homeless people play together.

Created in 2003 in Edinburgh, by the social entrepreneur Mel Young, huge soccer fan but “very bad player”, the first Homeless World Cup has gathered together 18 teams of homeless people with the help of local nonprofits organization. The first edition of the Homeless World Cup was meant to give disadvantaged persons a chance to participate in an event where the value of sharing was central. The Homeless World Cup revives hope and envy for the players and their families, to help them getting their life back together.

To this day, 7 world cups have been organized, from Graz (2003) to Rio de Janeiro (2010). Now, over 70 national teams participate to the event. Over 70% of the players have changed the path of their lifes thanks to the nonprofits that helped them make it to the tournament. 

“It’s unbelievable, you can see them change in front of you. Most of the time, these men and women keep their heads low”, Mel imitates the gesture. “Then, when it’s time to sing their national anthem, they suddenly straighten up and stand proud. Some people even ask them for autographs, the same people that would have changed sidewalks a few weeks earlier if they would have seen them on the streets.“ 

The 8th edition of the Homeless World Cup will be held in August, in Paris. The stadium will be the Champ de Mars at the feet of the Eiffel Tower. An event of sports and social share, sponsored by Eric Cantona. 

Ulule is part of the game as well. As a partner of the Homeless World Cup 2011, we created special fundraisings to help 5 teams make it to the event: 

- The Happy Football Club of Cambodia
- The Palestinian team
- The Girls only team of Malawi
- The Paraguayan team
- The Kenyan team

Each teams need 2500€ in order to pay for the traveling costs.

That is how you can get involved and help the homeless teams. Just like for any other project on Ulule, if you support a team you will recieve a special reward, such as a signed picture of the team or an offical Nike T-Shirt of the event “Homeless World Cup 2011”. 

Do not hesitate, wether you’re a soccer fan or not, it’s an ideal time for you to be part of the game of solidarity as well. Remember, the occasion is here for you to pass the ball, that’s how we can make it happen.