1stAveMachine directing and design duo Mathery, aka Erika Zorzi and Matteo Sangalli, bring their patented surrealism and vivid flourish to the official promo film for design and innovation festival, OFFF Barcelona 2018.
For this particular short film, which Mathery both wrote and directed, the duo decided to cleverly nod at the increasingly ambiguous OFFF acronym. “When OFFF was started, the acronym had a meaning that doesn’t really represent the Festival anymore,” the New York-based creative couple explains. “Every year, people wonder what’s the real meaning and for this year’s campaign, we thought it would be a really fun opportunity to come out with a narrative idea behind a name of four letters, and go crazy with that. We wanted to forget about the traditional way of teasing for a festival like listing all the great happenings, the speakers and agenda, and OFFF was totally down for it.”
“Taking risks is fun, and OFFF has been based on this concept since the year it was founded,” adds festival Director Héctor Ayuso. “We always want to try something new and explore endless possibilities every year. So when I came across Mathery’s awesome work thanks to an email that we received from them, I thought that not only did I want to invite them to speak at OFFF Barcelona but I wanted them to create OFFF’s campaign and official opening film for 2018. Their work reflects happiness, excitement and something to look forward to. I knew they would never be afraid to try something completely new.”
Shot and produced in London, Mathery’s OFFF promo reflects the pair’s extensive experience in product design, from its colorful hues down to its playful set pieces. “For us, designing spaces that relate to a story is a natural process and we think it’s also what defines the vision in our work,” the duo says. “Along with the set design, we have developed a color palette and scheme to make every shot visually unique. In the dressing room, we wanted to create a heavenly environment with pastel colors and soft textures, whilst in the forest we decided to be loyal to the real colors but embracing an explicitly fake approach/look to enhance the exaggerated actions.”
According to 1stAveMachine, Mathery’s OFFF film further solidifies the duo’s unique creative vision, storytelling prowess and aesthetic flair. “We are thrilled to produce this passion project with Mathery. The film is almost as fun, clever and beautiful as its creators, Erika and Matteo. Salud! ”
Credits:
Production Company: 1stAveMachine
Written & Directed by: Mathery
Producer: Kerry Smart / Isabella Parish
Executive Producers: Isabella Parish, Sam Penfield, Serge Patzak
Director of Photography: Matthew J. Smith
Production Designer: Oliver Hogan
Costume Designer: Coline Bach
Editor: James Wright
Post production: ENVY
Colorist: Danny Wood
Music and sound design: Smider
Graphic Design: Pietro Tarsitano
Downloads:
About 1stAve Machine:
1stAveMachine is a mixed media production company and storytelling outfit. They create video, digital, and experimental content for TV, print, web, and mobile, all with a unified singular vision. They have won numerous awards since their formation, including Gold, Silver, and Bronze Cannes Lions, AICP, One Show, and ANDY awards, and many others. Their work has been featured across the globe and during the Super Bowl, and their division 1stAve Content has been instrumental in pairing the perfect influencers and creators with agencies and brands.
About OFFF:
Founded at the beginning of the 21st century, OFFF was born as a conference event. Today, OFFF has ascended to the most influential creativity Festival to attend, becoming an important reference worldwide.
OFFF hosts innovative and international talents to share their insightful experiences. It’s the key meeting point for all talents around the world to unite and collaborate. It is a community inviting all those who are eager to learn to participate and get inspired in a three-day journey of conferences, workshops, activities and performances.
It’s a combination of Offline/Online designers, Motion Designers, Thinkers, Sound Designers, Graphic Designers, Theorists, Developers, Professionals, Students all together… And most importantly, OFFF is made for the curious.
OFFF takes place in the heart of Barcelona annually, while it tours the world as OFFF on Tour for the rest of the year.