HOME-GROWN: JAMIE CHILDS

Exciting announcement! Please join us in welcoming the wonderful talent that is Jamie Childs to HOME.corp!!

Jamie studied film at the London College of Music & Media, and it was during his time as a student that he set up a small production company, through which he shot his first TV ad at the age of just 20. He has now directed countless promos, adverts and documentaries, recently securing contracts with clients such as Pernod Ricard and Carlsberg's Tuborg Lager with LMFAO, which you can see below.

Jamie very much epitomises the modern day all-rounder filmmaker, seeing through every aspect of the craft, from writing, directing to editing and designing. We expect very big things from this vibrant & dynamic talent in 2012. Click here to check out his full reel.

THE LADY IS A TRAMP

We reckon blue-haired Gaga rather suits the old-time vocals of this collaboration with legend Tony Bennett. The Lady Is A Tramp is taken from the crooner's latest LP, Duets II, which also features a song with Amy Winehouse (which we first told you about here).

THAI FLOODS

Here are some incredible images of the devastating floods currently sweeping across Thailand. Our thoughts are with those affected, as well as the families of the 300 people who have already lost their lives. Head over to the Thai Red Cross to make a donation and find out how you can help.

GET WELL SOUP

The lovely people at digital agency We Are Social have devised a rather nifty campaign with canned  goods specialists Heinz. 

As the colder months roll in and everyone around you gets the sniffles, pop over to Heinz's facebook page and send your ailing friends a personalised 'get well' can of eiher cream of tomato or chicken-flavoured soup, for just £1.99.

MOTHER, BROTHER, LOVER

Jarvis Cocker has a new book of lyrics out this week, entitled Mother, Brother, Lover. To celebrate its release, the Brit folk-pop-rocker made a little short film where he traces his steps back to where it all began: Cocker's secondary school in Sheffield, which he attended in the 1970s, and is coincidentally also where Pulp played their first gig. Ah, bless.

NADAL 4 ARMANI

Armani are rolling out the sexy fashion films like nobody's business at the moment. Last week we told you about Steven Klein's noir affair with Rihanna, and it seems we now have the male counterpart, in the fine form of Rafael Nadal shot by Johan Renck.

PRINT V DIGITAL

If you were in any doubt as to the future generation's preference when it comes to print vs digital, have a look at the video below for some interesting insight... We think it's a fairly strong argument for the publishing world to plunge head first into digital content.

DIRTY BEACHES

Dark + moody seems to be the order of the week in our Music Vid Crushes, and today's is no exception.

Taiwan-born & Canada-based Alex Zhang Hungtai, aka Dirty Beaches, brings his trademark lo-fi rock to brand new single Lone Runner.

The video is directed by Kevin Luna, and the track is off Alex's EP of the same name, Lone Runner, out on October 18th.

THE CONFESSIONS OF STEVE MCQUEEN

One of this/next year's most anticipated and controversial films is director Steve McQueen's dramatic tale of sexual addiction, Shame. Michael Fassbender stars as Brandon, a 30-something man living in New York who is unable to manage his sex life.

Head over to Nowness (HERE), where filmmaker Alison Chernick catches up with McQueen at the Toronto Film Festival for a deeply intimate insight into his creative mind. His thought on addiction and our systems of dysfunction as human beings make for a very worthy interview.

HOME-GROWN: JONATHAN GREGSON FOR WAITROSE

Our very own Jonathan Gregson keeps it nice & simple with his brand new ad for Waitrose and their essential range. Dont know about you, but we're suddenly craving a delicious spag bol. 

AI WEIWEI

Chinese artist Ai Weiwei has just been named the most powerful person in the art world, according to a poll conducted by ArtReview magazine.

The mag said Weiwei, who was released in June after being detained for more than 80 days by Chinese authorities, was chosen by the panel because of his political activism, as well as his art work.

Damien Hirst is the only other artist to have previously topped the list, both in 2005 and 2008. Click here for more info on the power list. Here he is (below) talking about his Sunflower Seeds piece for Tate Modern's Turbine Hall.

THE LONGEST COCKTAIL PARTY

What do Liam Gallagher, Peep Show writer Jesse Armstrong and filmmaker Michael Winterbottom all have in common? 

They're all working on a film adaptation of Richard DiLello's memoir about the life & times of The Beatles between 1967 and 1970, entitled The Longest Cocktail Party.

Gallagher is co-producing alongside Andrew Eaton, and although this motley crue of individuals wouldn't be our first pick to create a Beatles film, we can't deny we're intrigued by the project. Definitely one to keep an eye on.

F.Y.I

Today's youth is too easily dismissed. East-London based charity Art Against Knives aims to challenge this view with their latest creative project, Focused Young Individuals (F.Y.I), which brings together the works of 30 young talents from Hackney.

Check out our selection above & below, and head over to 30 Vyner Street (E2 9DG) for the full experience. Click here for more info on Art Against Knives and to find out how to get involved. 

BIG TALK

Today's music vid crush is this moody & provocative little number from The Killers' drummer Ronnie Vannucci's first solo venture, Big Talk.

The track is called Big Eye, the video was directed by Robert "Roboshobo" Schober, and we love its meandering sense of lost youth and regret. Excellent stuff.

BIG LEANING BEN

Civil engineers have reported that London's infamous tower of Big Ben is now leaning so much that its tilt can be seen with the naked eye.

Surveyors found that the clock tower's lean is getting worse every year, and that the top of it is now almost 1 and 1/2 feet off the perpendicular. If this was to go on uncorrected, experts say the tower would eventually topple. Best crack on with the some scaffolding, then. More info here.

THE AVENGERS

Comic geeks rejoice! (we use the term 'geek' lovingly, of course). The Avengers - aka the most anticipated Marvel film adaptation ever - has spawned its first trailer. 

It stars (to name just a few) Chris Evans as Captain America, Chris Hemsworth as Thor, Mark Ruffalo as Hulk, Rober Downey Jr as Iron Man, Scarlett Johansson as Black Widow, and Samuel L Jackson as Nick Fury.

The film, written & directed by Buffy creator Joss Whedon, doesn't come out until May 4th 2012, so don't hold your breath just yet.

HOME-GROWN: MICHAEL PEARCE

The word is out on the latest addition to our team! The wonderful Michael Pearce - who we told you all about here - is currently enjoying some nice coverage on both the Shots and Source Creative sites. Here's another look at extracts from his BAFTA-nominate short, Rite:

DIGITAL COUTURE

Cutting-edge fashion's hottest commodity, one Nicola Formichetti, has been flirting with digital couture, hand-in-hand with multi-player gaming company CPP. The result? A virtual catwalk starring Zombie Boy himself, Mugler model Rick Genest. 

A truly exciting premise, lead by a team of creatives who approach their craft fearlessly. We'll let the documentary do the talking; head on over to Dazed for the full version.

HOME-GROWN: JON YEO FOR SKY 3D

In what he has referred to as one of his most technically challenging shoots to date, the master visual mind that is Jon Yeo has been hard at work on these incredible new promos for Sky 3D, entitled DNA.

Sky 3D is Europe's first in-home 3D channel; it was launched on October 1st 2010, and Jon's gorgeous spots were created to celebrate its 1 year anniversary. Bursts of vibrant, colourful powders were used to illustrate the channel's DNA, creating a striking illusion of spatial depth, which is delivered by 3D television.

Says the man himself: "We decided to shoot the action for real, rather than generating the material and behaviours digitally. Capturing the events on camera was the challenge. Custom rigs were constructed to put the powder through physical stresses."

"These events were captured in extreme slow motion on a pair fo Phantom cameras. Sequences were shot at upwards of 5,000 frames per second, or 200 times slower than real time."

We think the result is absolutely stunning and feels effortless. Nice work, Jon! Click here for more information on the shoot, full credits + many more behind-the-scenes pics.

WHY TRY HARDER

We can't stop loling at this new ad from Pot Noodle. Wagalicious.