Animation: The 2030 Challenge

Buildings are the largest contributor to climate change at 46.9% of U.S. CO2 emissions. In this short animation, Heather Shelini presents Architecture2030.org’s “2030 Challenge,” which advocates the reduction of fossil fuels used in the construction and operation of new and renovated buildings.

Animation: Milk and Bookies

The beautiful and heart-warming animation below was created for MILK+BOOKIES, a non-profit organization that exposes young children how great it feels to give back while celebrating the love of a good book.

Milk + Bookies was founded in 2004 by Meredith Alexander, a mother of two sons who resides in Los Angeles. In 2009, Heidi Lindelof and Laura Zimmerman, also L.A.-based moms, joined Meredith to help Milk + Bookies grow, all the while maintaining its core mission. That same year, Milk + Bookies was designated a 501(c)3 non-profit corporation.

At Milk + Bookies events, boys and girls are provided the opportunity to select, purchase, and inscribe books that are then donated to peers who do not have access to books of their own. Events feature music, story time, and, of course, milk and cookies.

Busdriver: Kiss Me Back to Life

Busdriver has a new release on the way titled Beaus$Eros (pronounced “Bows and Arrows”). It’s a big departure from his previous work, which was largely speed rhyming. It’s also thematic, focusing on a recent break from his fiancé and a time in his life when, “Personal pratfalls just made Beaus and Eros a lot more cathartic than my albums usually are.” We interviewed him this week and will publish our conversation in the coming days. For now, below is a listen to his new sound. Although it’s certainly more pop influenced, you won’t be getting any “bling bling” or video babes with Bus’. Just good writing, good beats, a good sense of humor, and the big reveal of a great singing voice. He’s more than a speed rapper with technical skills. And in “Kiss Me Back to Life” below, he also shares that, “I’m more than a boyfriend, I’m a mistake to learn from.”

Gotye and Kimbra Perform on Jimmy Kimmel Live

We told ya’ you’d be hearing more from Kimbra! The New Zealand break-out star, interviewed here in stated over the summer, joined Gotye live in her US television debut to perform “Somebody I Used to Know” on Jimmy Kimmel Live last night. Kimbra plays SXSW in March and is joining Gotye’s US Tour as well. Her debut album Vows will release later this year in the US. She’s the winner of New Zealand Critics’ Choice Awards 2011 and won Best Female Artist And Best Song  for “Somebody That I Used to Know” at the 2011 ARIA awards.

FILM: Edward Burns' Newlyweds & The New Social Cinema

Much has been written lately about actor/writer/director Edward Burns’ latest film, Newlyweds. The buzz has largely centered around its unconventional approach to production and distribution, which makes a strong case for a new model of indie filmmaking. Burns shot the film over 12 days on a $9000 budget with a Canon 5D Mark II (a high-quality, but essentially consumer-grade DSLR). As he outlined on YouTube, Twitter, and an interview with Mashable, $5K of the budget went to the cast—who wore their own clothes, did their own hair and make-up, and shot around other commitments—and the remaining $4k was split between insurance and food.

That in itself is remarkable, but the film is also notable for its unprecedented use of social media crowdsourcing and digital distribution. Burns involved his Twitter followers in every step of the process, including seeking advice on music and returning the favor with his own advice to aspiring filmmakers. Newlyweds was only released in a limited number of theatres in major cities for a short run, with the bulk of its distribution focusing online through iTunes, Vudu, and Amazon.

All of the above is remarkable and surely has Hollywood studios a bit nervous.

But it would all be for naught if the film itself didn’t also happen to be among Burns’ best work. Newlyweds tells a sweet, funny, and immensely relatable story about relationships between husbands and wives (and ex-husbands and wives), brothers and sisters, and friends. It’s an honest take on the mistrust and miscommunication that can creep into even the most grounded relationships when outside forces—however well intended they may be—get involved.

Definitely worth checking out, both as a celebration of the indie spirit, and simply for the intimate, character-driven story it tells.