Mob mentality

Old Mutual Flashmob to launch mental concepts

Late one Friday afternoon I got a call from Old Mutual. The voice asked, “Can you do a flashmob for a conference we’re holding on wednesday next week?”

Of course,” I said, without hesitation.

They were launching their new investor profile matrix and wanted to present the concept in a fresh and exciting way that would be easy to understand and remember. The investor profiles of this matrix were the Controllers, the Delegators, the Winners and the Defenders.

So, a few phone calls later we had all the great people we needed to get the show on the road. Saturday morning I was sitting together with Jason Sisam, one of the most amazing choreographers I have yet worked with. A Queen medley, we decided, would work fabulously to give expression to each of the profiles – The Controller (Body Language), The Delegator (Find me somebody to love), the Winner (Don’t stop me now) and the Defender (Another one bites the dust). Using Queen songs gave the flashmob a cohesive thread that allowed us to mix four defining pieces into a cohesive production. We had 4 dancers bring each of the profiles to life in a distinctive way. Each dance morphed dramatically from one into the other and all 16 dancers came back together in the end to wrap it up. An awesome performance and a powerful piece of intelligent flash mobbing.

The mob burst on to the scene 5 minutes into the speaker’s presentation on the new matrix.

We could not film the actual flashmob, but here follows each dance piece filmed in rehearsal on my iPad.


The Creation Generation mobile video booth… get on board!


It’s time to take the Creation Generation Media Project right into the heart of communities and collect the stories of remarkable young creators and innovators changing the way we think, create and live in the world.

At a cost of R65000 to build and equip, this mobile video booth will give us the opportunity to get out into townships, take up a place at big events, or park in busy city centres - getting to thousands of people to give us content and input that would otherwise be hard to find.

What we want people to tell us is
* what the term creation generation means to them
* who they believe to be part of the creation generation and what they are doing
* their creation generation dream, idea and story
* how we contact them

The content we collect will help us with our research and help us find inspirational characters to feature in our short films and documentary.

A sponsor that funds the entire production cost of the unit will enjoy branding of the mobile video unit for a period of 45 days as we collect Creation Generation stories around the Western Cape, and two questions to collect content from the marketplace on their brand or products. They will also enjoy use of the mobile video unit for their own purposes for a period of an additional 30 days.

For part funders of the mobile video unit, their free usage of the mobile video unit would equate to the following:

A contribution of R5000 will give you 4 days free usage of the mobile video unit.
A contribution of R10 000 will give you 10 days free usage of the mobile unit.
A contribution of R25 000 will give you 1 month’s free usage of the mobile video unit.

Time required will be allocated on a first funder first booking basis.

For those interested, the specifications of the mobile unit include:
1. The trailer will consist of a cubicle measuring approx. 2100 mm x 2400 mm. long
2. Height inside will be 1900 mm.
3. The cubicle will consist of an insulated structure fabricated from 40 mm white Cromodek panels suitable for branding by client.
4. A door and two windows will be provided.
5. The chassis will consist of a galvanized steel fabricated base with a single un-braked axle.
6. A jockey wheel and 2 rear stabilizing vertical jacks will be provided for stationary stability.
7. The floor will be covered dove grey rubber flooring.
8. A removable step will be provided at the rear door for easy access.
9. The interior will be fitted with LED lighting and a 600 watt inverter supplied by a 12V deep cycle battery.
10. The electrical circuit will allow for 220 v shore supply.
11. A seat will be provided with stowage during transit.
12. Installation and mounting will be provided for Ipad or similar recording camera equipment.
13. An ipad with web app to record video stories

So if you are interested in funding the Creation Generation Mobile Video Booth, contact Shereen on 083 357 4069.


The juice is worth the squeeze”


The Creation Generation Media Project, #WDC566, found its first expression through the CORE Collective mural artists Rayaan Cassiem, Anwar Davids, Leigh Cupido and Amedeo Bisogno, who created an inspiring and thought provoking 5mx12m mural reflecting the story and spirit of the Creation Generation Corner Sir Lowry Road and Lewin Street, Woodstock.

Our film partner on the project, Ripple Effect Media Production (Western Cape), graduates from Big Fish School of Digital Filmmaking who have started their own film hub, and photographer Wandiswa Mesatywa from the Ruth Prowse School of Art, captured this impressive creation take shape over 2 days and will be editing it into a dynamic and exciting promo for the project.

The purpose of the mural and the shoot is to create awareness and conversation around the concept of a creation generation and to invite funders and investors to get behind this inspiring project.

We are grateful to our generous sponsor, Janet Gourand, who has enabled the kick-start of the Creation generation project with such a powerful artistic statement. Harlequinn Paints also supplied paint to the project free of charge.

It was an awesome experience watching these talented artists work so exquisitely on such a large scale and so quickly too. The work is a powerful piece and the scale simply adds to its impact.

Getting it funded and done was a challenge, but in the end… so very worth it. Just like Amo says,”the juice is worth the squeeze”….


Generosity seeds possibility


(The catalysts from left to right: Janet Gourand, The Core Collective, Ben Cole, Adrian Perspektif)

Corporate sponsors and investors don’t like new projects and want guarantees on return on investment. So their consideration of the Creation Generation Media project has been cautious - defined largely by what the project can create for them and less by what they can create and inspire through the project. But being the eternal optimist, I believe visionary sponsors and funders will come through.

In the meantime, however, I am utterly blown away by the inspiring and catalytic generosity of artists and friends - making the emergence of the Creation Generation not only possible, but infinitely rich and colourful. I shouldn’t be surprised, because this is essentially what the Creation Generation is about - inspired and inspiring people following their heart, stepping into the frame and making things happen!

Ben Cole, a hugely talented and experienced cinematographer from the UK, has been the first to step into the frame without guarantee. While in South Africa last year, Ben filmed some amazing young people and captured soundbites of their story in our Creation Generation teaser video. A precious gift to and catalyst for the project.

Creation generation Mpeg 4 FCP X from ben cole cinematography on Vimeo.

Rayaan Cassiem, Anwar Davids and Leigh Cupido (from the Core Collective) are extremely talented artists who step into the frame 5 and 6 April 2014, to create the very first visible Creation Generation art piece and expression, a 5mx12m mural in Woodstock. Will post pics from this blog as the mural goes up! See the outline sketch below.

This mural has been made possible by an investment from my very dear friend, Janet Gourand. Living for part of the year in Marseille, France and part in Cape Town South Africa, Janet has, over a number of years, invested in talented young South Africans, transforming their lives. The mural is a reflection of what she has inspired in her personal capacity.

And Adrian Perspektif, waiting for the birth of his second child, has also composed a song for the Creation Generation which we will release in the next few weeks on this site.

So just the beginning… made possible by individual catalysts who care - who demonstrate this through what they enable and create.

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