Outrageous video for Anderson .Paak’s track “Bubblin” by Los Angeles-based filmmaker and artist Calmatic.

A faded mime tries to recapture his former glory with one final performance in this video for Jehst’s track “Smoke Screen” by London-based director Tarun Thind.

A new film by London-based artist Yumna Al-Arashi for Ramadan. While beautiful to look at, “The 99 Names of God” explores centuries-old traditions, meditative power and femininity as a way offering an alternative portrait of the Islamic faith than those that tend to dominate contemporary media.

Mika Baru returns to his roots while confronting some destructive habits in this video by London-based filmmaker Xavier Damase. Captured on 16mm, “Enemy” marks not only Damase’s first time shooting on film but also his first time taking on the role of cinematographer.

If you haven’t already heard, it’s Bloop’s Birthday! As hilarious as it is adorable, Julian Glander’s latest animated short features his signature slew of pastel-hewed settings and irresistibly blobby characters. Watch how Bloop and her friends spend her special day above. You can also check out our full interview with the (usually) New York City-based artist and illustrator as well as some process shots from the project below!

Jeff Hamada: When I interviewed you a year ago you’d actually already made “Bloop’s Birthday” but were screening it at festivals. How does it feel watching it now again? Did it age well?

Julian Glander: I’m biased but IMHO it holds up; it would be a bummer if all of the jokes were about like, fidget spinners and tide pods but it’s pretty non-topical. The festival tour was so so fun and insane but I feel like the pacing and energy of this one is more online-friendly so I’m really psyched to finally post it.

Jeff Hamada: It’s insane to me that you made this entire animation in a week (writing, voice acting, modeling, rigging, animating, lighting, rendering, music). Can you talk a little bit about that week?

Julian Glander: Yeah! Basically I was scheduled to talk at Pictoplasma in NY and I wasn’t feeling that good about my recent work, seemed like a good idea to make something new, and this was an idea I’d been thinking about for like a year. So I gave myself a really structured week to make the short. Parallel Teeth was staying at my apartment and also it was halloween so I didn’t sleep that much.

I had participated in a few game jams (where you make an entire videogame prototype from start to finish, usually in like 48 hours), so I had gotten used to this process of not being super precious, and staying focused on an overall vision instead of getting bogged down on little decisions. The film runs on shortcuts, from the robo-voices to viewport renders to automated lip syncing. There is a part of me that wants to get in there and digitally remaster things, but I think with these kinds of projects it’s better to just move forward.

Jeff Hamada: When you’re drawing a character are you automatically imagining the voice that goes with it?

Julian Glander: Hmm, I guess not! The Bloop voice is just a natural excited voice, pitched up. The green character is a really bad Owen Wilson impression. The purple character is a bad impression of Patrick from Spongebob. If you start with an impression but don’t try that hard to be faithful to it, you can end up with a new original voice.

Jeff Hamada: What about your screenplay, any progress?

Julian Glander: Yeah! So I guess last time we talked I told you I’d been daydreaming on making a feature film. Right now I’m in Vienna in a really nice airbnb as a self-imposed residency to finish the script. I have to keep up a *little* bit of mystery but I will say, it has a dog in it.

Jeff Hamada: Have you done any more collabs with the other Julian Glander you found on Facebook?

Julian Glander: Just checked in on him–looks like he is doing good, he just saw the Aladdin musical in Hamburg.

Jeff Hamada: What are some funny accounts I should be following on Instagram or Twitter? Or funny websites…? Pretty much I just want to know what things you think are funny these day. Tell me now.

Julian Glander: Ok! On twitter recently i love NEW EMOJIS, Bootleg Stuff, and Twilight Zone Intros. Spike the Beetle is the best account, more cute than funny but it will melt your icy heart.

Jeff Hamada: Have you seen this? I don’t know why I just thought of it but maybe something about it reminds me of you.

Julian Glander: Haha I love that! I’m sitting here dancing to it. Very relatable, sometimes life feels like an infinite recursive live stream that just gets worse and worse.

Jeff Hamada: I saw your tweet about getting a Wikipedia page. Someone actually emailed me offering to make a Wikipedia page for me and I had to pay him like a grand or something but only if it was approved. Oh, and then an additional $200 if I wanted him to protect it for like 3 years to make sure it wasn’t vandalized. LOL. I can give you his contact if you like.

Julian Glander: Let’s raise some money for this! I think people would be willing to kickstart a Jeff Hamada wiki page so we can learn all of your secrets.

Jeff Hamada: Maybe we can end this with some sort of challenge for people, like how a motivational speaker would end an interview.

Julian Glander: Ok folks, I want everyone to stop reading this interview, shut off your phones tablets computers, whatever, go home… and take a NAP. For four hours! The Nap is inside you, it’s time to let it out! Say it with me: LET THE NAP OUT!!! LET IT OUT!!! Thank you you’ve been a terrific audience.

Julian Glander’s Website

Julian Glander on Vimeo

Julian Glander on Instagram

Director Daniel Ryan helps celebrate the 15th anniversary of Interpol’s acclaimed debut album, Turn on the Bright Lights, with this short documentary featuring interviews and insights from the band.

A playful mix of live-action and trippy animation in this video for LSD aka Labrinth, Sia and Diplo. Directed by Ernest Desumbila of Barcelona-based Sauvage TV, “Audio” also features an adorable little dance break choreographed by Nina McNeely!

Director: Ernest Desumbila
Production Company: freenjoy
Executive Producer: Nathan Scherrer
Producer: Jeff Kopchia, Bryan Younce
DP: Trevor Wineman
Choreographer: Nina McNeely
Animation & Post Production: SAUVAGE.TV

This is just one of the many fun submissions we’ve received in the past week. Consider participating here if you have a project you’d like us to check out!

Video for Mitski’s track “Geyser” by filmmaker Zia Anger (previously featured here).

Love all the little details in this quirky short by Brooklyn-based filmmaker Jake Honig. Co-written with his sister Sandy Honig, “Long Term Delivery” follows an enthusiastic agent of a secret division of the United States Postal Service, perfectly played by non-binary performer Peter Smith.

A depressing and begrudged funeral is commandeered by real love in this video for Dusted’s track “Dead Eyes” by William Wilkinson and OPD Brooks aka Ft. Langley (previously featured here).

Director: Ft. Langley
Cinematography: OPD Brooks
Producer: William Wilkinson
1AC: Neal Granger
1AD: Tim Wilkinson
PA: Jonah Grindler, Cole Perkins
Makeup: Felicity Baker
Costume Supervisor: Leta Cushing Woodcock
Colorist: Josh Bohoskey @ The Mill
Special Thanks: Allen Larmon

This video was submitted by William Wilkinson and selected by our team. Consider participating here if you have a project you’d like us to check out!

Lovely video for Common Holly by Montréal-based directors Aaliyeh Afshar and Max Taeuschel. Using water, analog video and an abundance of flowers, “If After All” shifts between moments of calm and frenetic chaos to explore themes of growth and apprehension.

The director’s cut for Choir Boy’s track “Sunday Light” co-directed by Jordan Utley and Josh Fletcher (previously featured here). Filmed in the masonic temple in Salt Lake City, Fletcher and Utley capture the mediocrity of suburban life, the energy of youth and the patriarchy of religion.

Directors: Jordan Utley & Josh Fletcher
Producer: Subrina Mohr
1st A.D.: Nelson Bruggeman
1st A.C.: Ben Staton
Set Design: Scott Schmidt
Wardrobe: Subrina Mohr
Photographer: Mitch Croghan
Hair & Makeup: Erica Davis

Cast:
John Anderson
Kimmy Sandmire
Warren Hellbach
Walter Platz
Chad Bibble
Matt Allred
John Davis
Chelsea Jurkiewicz
Zach Taylor
Katie Crose
Tory Berrett
Cassandra Blandon
Preston Tait
Brian Cline

This is just one of the many exciting submissions we’ve received in the past week. Click here if you have a project you’d like us to check out!