Because Every Country Is The Best At Something
/
Rollover the image to see the countries. And you should really subscribe/follow/fan/like Information is Beautiful. Cause it is.
Deep Focus: Freedom of movement in eight of the greatest long takes ever
/We tend to remember long takes that call attention to themselves as such: the opening shots of “Touch of Evil” or “The Player”; the entrance to the Copacabana in “GoodFellas”; all those shots in Romanian movies, and pictures directed by Bela Tarr and Jia Zhangke… And then there are the ones you barely notice because your eyes have been guided so effortlessly around the frame, or you’ve been given the freedom to explore it on your own, or you’ve simply gotten so involved in the rhythms of the scene, the interplay between the characters, that you didn’t notice how long the shot had been going on.
For this compilation, “Deep Focus,” I’ve chosen eight shots I treasure (the last two I regard as among the finest in all of cinema). They’re not all strictly “deep focus” shots, but they do emphasize three-dimensionality in their compositions. I’ve presented them with only minimal identifications so you can simply watch them and see what happens without distraction or interruption. Instead, I’ve decided to write about them below. Feel free to watch the clips and then re-watch (freeze-frame, rewind, replay) the clips to see what you can see. To say they repay re-viewing is an understatement.
Go read the rest of the article and watch the compilation again.
Stephen Fry: What I Wish I Had Known When I Was 18
/With wit and wisdom Stephen Fry touches on technology, social media, blog comments and trolling, philosophy, religion, goal-setting and more within 30 minutes. I admire Stephen Fry and he is in my top five of people I would love to have dinner with. Another great post by Open Culture.
via openculture.com
The Powerfully Simple Work of Noma Bar
/
Noma Bar is a man of few strokes. But don’t let the simplicity fool you. His talent lies in his efficiency in depicting characters and social issues. With bold colors, shapes and one or two icons he captures the spirit of a person. Other times he communicates a message on a social issue with amazing clarity while adding a bit of humor to everything. Whether the message is about violence or equality, his straight-forward visual approach is refreshing.
via grainedit.com
More examples of his work at the link above.