Interview with Celina Miles - Limitless by Lars via ilovegraffiti.de

Interview with Selina Miles

After watching the new Sofles – Limitless video by Selina Miles and see it get a cool 2 million views in the first 48 hours on Youtube, and now its 3 million views while I post up this interview, I thought it was appropriate to shed a bit of light on Selina Miles, who shot and cut the video. Lots of people have been asking me questions about the Limitless videos, since I know both Selina and Sofles, so I thought an interview would be a good way to tell the story about this incredible videos and the story leading up to its creation.
Selina, could you introduce yourself? And tells us a bit about this Sofles guy?

Hey Lars, I’m Selina, I’m 26 and I come from Brisbane, Australia. I have been working in film for about 5 years, and the first time I picked up a camera it was pointed at Sofles. We made a really bad video that got me a job with his paint sponsor Ironlak, whom I have edited videos for ever since. For those who don’t know Sofles, he’s an Australian-born writer who now spends the majority of his time gypsying through Europe being a full-time graffiti genius.

The Limitless is the sequel to Infinite, a video that came out about 5 months ago, how did two Australians end up shooting something like this in a abandoned factory in Portugal?

I’m still wondering that myself! Sofles was in Europe and had a break in his painting schedule and I ducked over for a holiday. We chose Portugal because Sofles had spent some time there the year before with Mr. Dheo, and made the amazing Mr.DheoxSofles video.
See the full video Mr.DheoxSofle here:
Portugal is a beautiful country and we were very lucky in the locations we had at our disposal.

Tell us how you made the Infinite video?

As far as the Infitnite video goes, as much as I would love to claim a lightbulb moment, it was really an accident. I had heard about the “Hyperlapse” technique from a director friend of mine from home, and just happened to be looking it up to investigate one night in Portugal. Sofles saw what I was looking at and freaked out, he was amazed! So I googled what I could about the technique and the next day I tried it for the first time, with varying success. After one day of testing we kind of jumped in the deep end. The video took 12 hours to shoot over 3 days. We had to have a day break in between shoot days because it was so exhausting, especially the days outside in 35 degree heat and full sun. We were definitely happy with the video but had no idea it would be received as well as it was. We definitely weren’t thinking of a sequel at that point, I was excited to never be anywhere near another hyperlapse project ever again! But over time you forget the pain and more ideas pop up.
See the full Infinite video here:
Moving on to Limitless, how did this sequel come about?

Sofles got back to Australia and we were at a job he was working on with Quench, another artist from the video. We were talking about how impossible it would be to find any location suitable in Brisbane, and someone mentioned this particular building which had been abandoned for several years, but was way too heavily patrolled to paint. So I made a few calls, and 2 days later we had permission to use it as a set for what would become Limitless. This alone was such an amazing bit of luck it’s hard to believe there isn’t some force somewhere helping us make this happen! There was never a discussion of “should we try to do this illegally,” it was never about doing anything illegally and we knew we would never be able to produce the kind of work we wanted if we were worried about trespassing.

It took ten 8-hour days to shoot it, the whole project from start to finish took a month. We think we used about 700 cans of spraypaint, and several hundred litres of buff paint. We tried to keep track but it was impossible. Working with a group of artists instead of just one was awesome, each person involved multiplied the creativity and energy on set and we had plenty of serious laughs. The part I am most happy with in the video is the intro, because I love super slow motion, and I loved adding something in there to make sure people understand we don’t take ourselves too seriously. It really was a true collaboration; everyone in the video was involved from start to finish. Treas is basically made up of 100% pure ideas. He is also a stop-motion genius. The spray can telescope? The animated lazer beam third eye thing? All his, he is a weapon. The all-white setup at the start of the video was Sofles and Fintan Magee, the boat was Fintan, the spinning camera movement was me, the throws was Sofles, the Jelly Robot dance at the start is the brainchild of Quench. This video would not have been the same if any person had not been involved. I instantly regretted suggesting the idea of the shot from above down on Sofles when he lies on the ground when he made me climb a ladder that sat on top of a scaffold tower and sit in the rafters of the building trying not to fall off and die, but the shot was worth it and I’m glad he made me do it.

The post production took a week, I thought I was giving myself plenty of time but 90% of this was pacing around my office waiting for things to render. I don’t know how many hours it took of rendering but it was easily 40 hours. Every time I had to change a part of the video I had to wait 6 hours for the video to render, because each frame was so large I couldn’t play the video on my machine. Another Brisbane local, our good friend DJ Butcher came along and created a 100% original soundtrack for us in 3 days.

How did you make Sofles fly in the video?

Sofles can fly from spraycan jetboosters thanks to the magic nozzles he uses.
See the full Limitless video here:
Whats up in the future for you, any exciting projects coming up?

I am heading to the US to shoot Art Basel Miami with Ironlak, and then heading to New Zealand to shoot RISE festival in Christchurch, which is a really exciting project.
Info on RISE can be found here: http://streetart.co.nz/

Thanks you for taking time to do this interview with ilovegraffiti.de/lars Selina, and all the best to you in the future!

By Lars at ilovegraffiti.de/lars, posted 26-11-2013.
More here http://ilovegraffiti.de/lars/2013/11/26/interview-with-selina-miles-limitless

Does Warehouse

Does of the Love Letters Crew has a new project entitled “DOES does”, seeking out crazy spots all over the world. In this episode DOES ended up in Heerlen, a city in the deep south of Holland. In his classic style Does brought back life to a grey industrial warehouse that was once a Philips factory. The video was shot & edited by Simon Bus with music from Subp Yao. Special thanks to C-Mill and Ironlak.

TMDS by Resto

via Ironlak

Vizie via Ironlak

Dirty Deeds Magazine Issue #13 Available NOW!

Clouded Thoughts 17 Sneak Preview

Even Bieber Knows

POP superstar Justin Bieber has spent the early hours of this morning spray painting the side of a Surfers Paradise hotel with his own graffiti design. 

The 19-year-old singer took to vandalising the wall by the tennis court at the QT Hotel as he wound down after his first Brisbane concert last night.

He was spotted spray painting a PacMan ghost-style pink cartoon with black teeth and a black eye while wearing a hoodie with `The Future' written on the back.








 





Witnesses said he grabbed his spray cans immediately after arriving back on the Gold Coast from Brisbane and spent 30 minutes on his creation.

The graffiti was plastered across a 2m-wide section of the wall, with Bieber's entourage also adding to the artwork.

Bieber then posted a photo of it on his Instagram account.

Hotel management would not comment on the incident but a QT Hotel staff member said the pop singer could do whatever he liked.

``We let our guests do whatever they want,'' she told The Bulletin.

``Anyone would be allowed to do it. ``We even let them make lemonade.''

It's not the first time Bieber has unleashed his graffiti art.

He has been seen spray painting walls around the world including in Brazil and Columbia.

Some of the graffiti on the wall and spray cans left by Bieber and his entourage.

Ganked

Skeme

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KOLD HEAT | BRING IT TO YA CITY - Official Trailer

Jiesk Interview via MTN Australia

Hello Jiesk. Thanks for taking the time to talk to us. Tell us how long you’ve been in the game for now, and what got you started doing graffiti?

No worries, thanks for giving me the opportunity to talk with you guys. I’ve been doing graffiti on and off since ’86, and I got into it because after school every day I would catch a red rattler home (old school Sydney train), and there was about 30 kids that would be bombing the trains each day, so I was constantly surrounded by it.

How did you pick up the name Jiesk? Is there a meaning behind it?

I really liked the letters S – K – E, so i played around a little and came up with JIESK. No meaning to it, its just a combination of letters I like.

What crews are you down with?

From the early days to current, TBC, LSD, RSL, PSK, MiA, OSB, TM.

Tell us how you developed your style, what influenced it or how it came about?

My mentor and a great inspiration to my style and direction is a writer by the name of Krush, the guy was way ahead of his time and only writers from the 80′s would probably know of him. He taught me structure and lettering, and while at an early stage i knew what was good, it took me years to be able to develop it myself. And of course, like many from my era, I studied the book Subway Art, which was like a bible to me.

Is sketching important to you? Or do you prefer free-styling?

Personally, I think sketching is hugely important. I will work on a sketch for hours before I am happy with it. For me the letters don’t just happen, I really have to work hard. In recent times I’ve done a little free styling, but I’m never really happy with my piece if I do freestyle it.

You always have cool colour schemes going on with nice 3Ds. Is there process to what colours you choose?

I try to keep it fairly simple, as I’m still trying to develop my colours and the way they’re applied. I have had the pleasure of working with PUKE for quite some years, and his influence with colours has been a real help. I still have a long way to go with colour combo’s.

What motivates you to get out there, paint and be creative?

Being lucky enough to be around creative people is a real inspiration and just seeing how far graff has come is really amazing.

 

Quality or quantity?

Quality, without hesitation. I don’t even take it in if its rubbish.

Do you think the graffiti scene has changed much since the early days? What are your thoughts on the scene around the globe today?

Its changed a lot since i started, and definitely for the better. It used to be about crime and being a hardass, whereas its more about the art these days, which means pieces and graff in general can only progress quicker.

Which current writers impress you?

There are so many, so I will stick to the Australian ones (in no particular order); Puke, Reals, Scram, Sofles, Sirum, Omega, Mach, Okies. All these guys have influenced me in one way or another.

What do you think about Montana Colors products? Do you prefer Hardcore or 94?

I’d definitely say 94 for low pressure and great control, but I do like the hardcore’s high pressure for a “speedy application”.

We have noticed that you also have some great skills with a camera. We have seen some nice pictures of yards, trains and tunnels that you have taken. Please tell us about your Photography. What made you get into that field, what inspires this type of work? And what are you aiming to achieve with this medium?

Thanks, its something i’ve been working at for a while now. I worked in the technical side of photography for years, and eventually moved over to the creative side. I wish I had done it sooner because I really enjoy it. The project you’re referring to is The TRESPASSING Series, and even though it is an ongoing challenge, i really enjoy it because i get to combine graff with photography. It really started with the intention of capturing the experience of a graffiti artist; the architecture, the action, the atmosphere, the story. I wanted to give a connection between the writer and the person, to document what a graffiti artist goes through. Thanks to advances in camera technology, we’re now able to capture and display images that were virtually impossible to get in such low light conditions previously.

 

Tell us more about this. What other projects are you currently working on? Any up coming projects/exhibitions/productions you can tell us about?

Currently working on The TRESPASSING Series exhibition, and because people keep asking for it, we’re working on a book at the moment too. Over the next couple of months I’ve got a couple of pieces planned, still just figuring out all the details (as is the way!) Alright, let’s do some less serious questions in our mad minute.

If your weren’t doing graffiti, what would you be doing now?

Living in Phuket in “Tiger Bar”, probably looking like I was 150 years old.

Favourite food?

Anything real – keep macca’s away.

Favourite band or group?

It was Kanye, until he turned into God.

Favourite kicks?

Air Max in general.

If you could give a young writer some advice… What would it be?

Be in it for the right reasons, and even though it can be a long, tough road, its really rewarding in the end.

Any last shouts?

Last shout outs go to URGE, MACH, MAZE, and their crews for letting me tag along on their missions; KOMPS, HELS, KEIS, and my silent partner and manager at the TRESPASSING SERIES for getting things off the ground.

Ganked

Montana x Cantwo x Montanaboombox

NEW Books at Crush City

 

King Adz – Street Knowledge via Primomag

BOOM! We had the pleasure of picking King Adz‘ brain to see what makes the old think tank turn tricks as well as learning about his new piece of produce, ‘Street Knowledge‘.
It was an absolute pleasure to be able to delve into the depths. Make sure you hit this fella up and learn.
Firstly, who and what is King Adz?
King Adz is a creative mask I hide behind. King Adz is a bastard child born out of the advertising world, hence the name. I once thought I was the king of the adz, but now I’m just a wandering artist trying to express myself. The books, the films, the paintings, the parties are all just there to keep me from losing it completely. A bit of madness is good for one’s soul. Too much and you’re fucked. If I’m not expressing myself then my mind begins to wander and that’s when I get into trouble. I’ve been on the straight-and-narrow for 10 years now and never felt better. I’m almost at the stage where I can express myself on whatever platform I choose. Almost. I love the smell of a challenge in the morning.

Here in Down Under we’re pretty excited to get our dirty mittens on your latest book, Street Knowledge. Seeing as we’re a couple of months behind the rest of the world, give your Aussie followers a quick low-down on what they’re in for.
Street Knowledge is 25 years of my life condensed into 320 pages.  It’s about the journey I’ve made through the different elements of street culture (music, art, fashion, advertising/design etc) and the effect that they’ve had on me, and – more importantly – on culture as a whole. There are some big old names in the book (LaChapelle, Banksy, Obey, etc etc) and from the attention they attract I hope to provide a springboard for fresh new talent. More about this later on… The actual book took 3 years to create and an around the world trip. Ultimately there was some stuff I couldn’t get in there, as some people’s management refused to take part (Beastie Boys, DJ Shadow, the Tintin estate) and so I had to work round that.

Anyone who knows what you’re about would know that you’re a master of multimedia and have created projects for all kinds of forums, from blogging to downloadable PDFs and film. Why do you prefer paper and bindings?
I like to feel something substantial in my hands, as I’m so bored of staring at a flat screen. Film used to do it for me, and before that, advertising, but I seem to get bored easily. Recently I’ve gone back to painting, as this seems to hush the voices in my head crying out to be heard. It’s also nothing to do with street art or anything like that. I recently did an interview in the US and they described me as a ‘Graffiti Legend’ – I laughed my tits off as I’ve never done a single piece of graff in my life. My art has nothing to do with anything like that except that I sometimes use paint out of a spraycan.

I’ve been painting since the 1980s (I had my first exhibition in London in 1989) and this for me is something that is so important. I also cook everyday, which is something I love so much to do – it’s a non-art art. I’ve made films, written books, cooked some food for lots of people, thrown some nice parties, helped promote some brilliant talents (most recently Aussie, James Dodd) and now it seems I’ve come full circle, back to me. It feels weird to just be concentrating on my ‘talents’ but there you go. I’m also writing two books at the moment: one about Youth Advertising and the other a street food cookbook, so plenty on my creative plate so to speak.
It seems common for people to simplify the phrase “street culture” as an umbrella term for sketchy communities and vandalism, but in your self-directed interview for Thames and Hudson (http://www.thamesandhudson.com/adzinterview.html) you cited some well-respected influences from film, literature, design and advertising.  How do you feel about the negative connotations associated with “the street”?
Those negative connotations are what make’s street culture so important, vibrant and alive. Those things that the middle/chattering/aspiring classes hate are what I love. I often seem to upset people as I don’t know how to behave in certain circles and by now have given up trying. I’m a creative with a cause – I’m fighting against suburban normality and what is expected of you in a ‘civilized society’ (a society that wages war against civilians etc). This is what has driven me from the get go – a reaction to being told not to go against the grain.

You grew up near London, a city well known for the vibrancy of its street culture. What is your first memory of the way that culture impacted you?

Discovering Reggae via a Capital Radio show called Roots Rockers in 1980, which led to my introduction to Eek-a-Mouse and Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry, then going to the US on my own when I was fifteen, which really opened my eyes. Going to the Mud Club and Heaven regularly in 85, 86 and 87 and discovering how influential queer culture really was. This opened up my eyes and led me to raving (I’m raving) in a field in Elstree high as a kite on MDMA in 1989 in the second summer of love. Discovering street art in 94 when it was properly underground and then living and working in South Africa when Mandela was in power and seeing the real-deal street life in the Cape Flats, going to Johannesburg and hanging out with some seriously talented people… There are too many to list. Street Knowledge is my document, my answer to this question.
Inspired by an exciting 25 years of your life, Street Knowledge encompasses a myriad of street influences from all over the world. Is there much disparity between the street cultures of different countries, or do you see it to be an internationally uniting force?
What I really, really, like is how the global street shit is given a local twist in each different territory. ‘Local is Lekker’ is how they sum it up in South Africa. On one hand I love how street culture has spread and united the youth of the world, but on the flipside I don’t like the globalization. I like stuff that you can’t find on the internet. I love having to mission to discover something real, in front of my eyes. Street shit and subcultures are out there but a lot of people are just reading stuff on Wikipedia, then examining photos on Flickr and then watching a YouTube clip. This isn’t anything like how it is in reality. This doesn’t mean you get anything about the street. Culture isn’t something to consume, it’s not about ordering shit off the internet to show your mates how tragically hip you are.

How have you found the manifestation of Australian street culture to be different from that of the rest of the world, given our distance from the more artistically thriving international communities?
That distance is a blessing and a curse. I absolutely love the Australian twist to all aspects of street culture. From Dlux’s art to Raph Rashid’s food van, it’s all fresh culture served with killer attitude. What more can I say? I love the Aussie spirit and would like to spend more time down under for sure.
What do you hope to achieve by compiling your documentation of global street influences? Do you think it is important to close the culture gaps between continents?
I have never thought about what the documentation could achieve. It’s more like an apprenticeship. In the last decade I’ve got to hang and work with some of the greatest names of our generation (Banksy, Obey, Tony Kaye, Tama Janowitz, Irvine Welsh…) and all the time I’m learning from these masters. The act of creation is all one big idea for me – whether it’s books, film, an advert, a painting, a pie. One of my most recent discoveries is that I have to stop trying to just do one thing at a time as this isn’t how it works. Everything is connected.


A lot of the writing you do about the street, including Street Knowledge, places an emphasis on the importance of nurturing the burgeoning talents of young people, but in Australia there is little community encouragement of the youth to explore their creativity via graffiti and the streets. What experience have you had of international attitudes towards the youth and their involvement in street culture?
I’ve learnt that it’s down to people like me to do that. There is no external force that will encourage new talents. Art schools can’t do that as they are too firmly rooted in bureaucracy and tradition to produce any really exciting work – especially when this work often involves illegal damage to personal property. If someone has talent and they’re cool with me, then I will do all I can to help them progress. I don’t care if they make trouble or even throw shit on a potters wheel. It’s all good to me as long as it’s all creative.

Finally, apart from me, what do you see when you close your eyes?
I see all sides to everything: The Police explosions; the rage of the downtrodden. I see the shootings and the terror that travels along to the glowing skyline, with the fresh air soothing my outlook and calming my soul.
via http://primomag.com.au