We’re feeling pretty great about the last year– a luandry list of new clients, a documentary screening worldwide and a whole bunch of new faces we got to work with. Check out our 2012 reel below:

2012 Reel from DETROIT LIVES! on Vimeo.

Check out new video from Beverly Fre$h on Detroit-based label sUPERIORbelly. Hot diggity damn do I ever wish we could say we made this video. Sadly, we cannot. Note: The “HOW YA DO,” is an original dance move, resembling a frantic handshake along with an uncontrollably shaky leg that was introduced by Beverly Fre$h on the second single from his latest album “BED” on sUPERIORbelly Records.

Whew. We’ve emerged from the holidays which is good news.

2012 was a good year– we grew as an operation considerably as we continue to grow in to our “agency” shoes bringing on three new people to help on the media production side with film, print and motion graphics. Our work appeared in a commercial in front of 12 million people during the World Series. We grew our client base some 300%. We made a documentary that toured the world screening in 12 different countries with notable festival inclusions like Michael Moore’s Traverse City Film Festival. As such, we continue to shape the narrative coming out of Detroit and we are very proud of that.

After the Factory Film Trailer from DETROIT LIVES! on Vimeo.

“After the Factory” – On the Road from DETROIT LIVES! on Vimeo.

“Be a Venture” – Detroit Creative Corridor Center from DETROIT LIVES! on Vimeo.

For 2013 we’ve got lots of new and interesting projects on the burner. We’re still gathering our guns with the remote control race car track at the Georgia Street Community Garden (more info on that here). You’ll continue to see client work in the familiar areas– for Model D TV, the Urban Innovation Exchange and Creative Mornings Detroit– and some new work with clients that spans familiar and new. We’re designing a large graphic wall for a Michigan-based agency at the moment which is pretty fun, and working with two large Detroit-based companies to put together some ads for the work they do across the country. Not too bad.

So, Happy New Year of course. And cheers to a great 2012 and an even better 2013.

STILL HERE!

Geez, after something of a hiatus though. For no good reason other than what you may have predicted… “We’ve been busy!” But you expected that, right? Why else would have there have been such an awkward silence? But hey, things have been happening—

Development news seems to be abundant– A new BDubs! Bagger Daves next door! The new Illitch Hockey Arena! The first HATCH business (HUGH) is open! The nights have been fun– Macklemore came to Detroit! Noel Night was smashing! Creative Mornings is now happening in Detroit! Ernie plays slow jams on Mondays at the Woodbridge Pub!

It’s all good.

To boot, we’ve got some great client projects coming down the pipe in the first quarter of 2013 that we are pumped about. Been working with some new clients that are exerting a bit of faith in our process which is fun– ie, we are getting to do more and more in terms of crafting content both in scope and reach. So that’s cool. We’re also looking at a new proper office downtown which has been kind of fun– albeit slow– process. It’s kind of fun seeing all the spaces and envisioning what our little LAUNCH PAD could look like. It’d be fun to throw a party when we open? We’ll see.

As a send off, check out a piece we just completed on Supino Pizzeria for the UIX folks. Dave Mancini is cool as a cucumber– both cause his pizza is stellar, but because he possesses an unassuming knack for recognizing authentic talent and supporting it. Check it out, and WORD UP for now people!

Urban Innovation Exchange: Dave Mancini, Supino Pizzeria from DETROIT LIVES! on Vimeo.

This past weekend “After the Factory” came out a winner at two film festivals: the Ann Arbor Polish Film Festival and the East Lansing Film Festival. ATF took the Jury Prize in Ann Arbor and Best Documentary at the East Lansing Film Festival.

In Ann Arbor, it felt as if the film was screening to a hometown Polish audience with barely any English heard spoken amongst the audience. As a result, viewers were intimately familiar with Lodz and its relative position in Poland and Europe as a whole, which really increased their level of engagement and understanding. A very thoughtful discussion ensued after the screening followed by the award being presented later in the evening.

We screened in East Lansing the following night amongst a host of other compelling documentaries, one of which was called “Jane of all Trades” and looked at the economic impact of the film incentives that the state has used in the past to encourage film productions to film in the state of Michigan. One audience member pointed out the relevance of our two docs screening together given that each film underscored the importance of both sides of the spectrum– the DIY, hell or high water ethos in ATF and the more structured approach that the film incentives offer.

All in all, a fine weekend!

We’ve been very fortunate over the last year or so to be talking quite frequently about the future of American cities after making the film “After the Factory” and taking it on the road through the USA and Europe. The conversations– ideas about teaming up with other cities, building idea sharing platforms, personal stories, brave ideas, other projects– have been nothing short of phenomenal. It’s both invigorating and enlightening to be a part of all that dialogue.

Beyond our project, it’s amazing to see others popping out of the woodwork from seemingly every angle expanding on the idea that something has to happen to fuel the revolution. Given the trials and tribulations of many places in the Americas/Europe/Asia, What will next-generation cities look and feel like? How will we tackle income inequality? How do we fine tune the strength of the middle class? How do we re-tool our values system to help put our cities on the right track– not just in the Rust Belt, or in Detroit, but in places across the Atlantic, too? Hell, even China?

A great new project that seems to expand beautifully on this platform is the film project “Lean, Mean and Green” by One of Us Films and Carrie LeZotte. It serves as an extension of John Gallagher’s book “Re-imagining Detroit” (which this blog has discussed on many occasions). Carrie is working to complete the film in the near future and has initiated a Kickstarter campaign– the same platform that funded the work of “After the Factory.” Consider becoming a supporter with just $10 getting you a digital download of the whole film. In the meantime, check out some snippets below that unearth some really great material on this incredibly important topic.

More interviews and snippets from the film can be found here.

We were pleased to shot some of the footage used in Quicken Loans’ “Made in Detroit” TV spot featuring Kid Rock. It aired during Game 4 of the World Series just after Cabrera smashed a two-run home run to give the Tigs the lead. The ad kept the momentum going when it appeared, though unfortunately, the series didn’t end in our favor. That said, the commercial stands as testament to the momentum and cool things happening in the city right now. Check it out here:

For almost a quarter century– geez, that sounds pretty intense– John George has demonstrated boundless energy in the pursuit of making Detroit a more livable and friendly city with his organization Motor City Blight Busters. How? By working to re-activate the 100,000 vacant parcels and structures throughout Detroit by eliminating blight. To be around this guy is like somehow having a direct line of adrenaline tapped in to your carotid artery. He is a machine, speaking only in progress and efficiency. His relentless vision and never-say-die attitude represent the possibility that this city holds if each of us were to take but just a smidgen of his tenacity.

We were very proud to do a piece on John George and his work with Blight Busters for the Urban Innovation Exchange:

Urban Innovation Exchange: John George, Motor City Blight Busters from DETROIT LIVES! on Vimeo.

The renowned Dan Austin at Historic Detroit and the folks at Detroit Urbex are talking about a music video that Eminem and 50 Cent have been shooting at the MCS. Rumors are circulating on the web that the two are shooting a video with Skylar Gray. 50′s Twitter feed supports this to some extent with a recent quip, “I’m shooting a video for SKI with EM it’s a big one @andredirrell 2004 Olympic gold medalist in it”

We’re really excited about the piece we did on the ever so talented husband-wife combo that is Hygienic Dress League for the Urban Innovation Exchange. Steve and Dorota have taken their signature style from Detroit clear to Europe and all throughout the United States, and we were proud to be able to do a piece on their work, their style and what they’re getting up to in the next few months. See the piece:

The Urban Innovation Exchange: Steve & Dorota Coy, Hygienic Dress League from DETROIT LIVES! on Vimeo.