UP THERE from the Ritual Project

Readers of the blog may recall my discussions of the collaboration between Colossal Media and Stella Artois a.k.a. 'The Ritual Project'. This was all set to lead to a documentary but then everything went quiet. That is until I received an email yesterday from my contact on the production team with news that they've been hard at work in the edit and the film is almost ready.

So close in fact that a trailer is now available and I'm pleased to share this with you here in two parts, one which showcases what you can expect from the film and one which pulls together the various timelapse components, allowing you to see the totality of the piece they produced during their three weeks working in New York.

I hope you enjoy these, I certainly think it is great to see a contemporary take on this disappearing art/craft. I know they'll be in touch again once the final film is released so keep your eye on this blog, the facebook page and twitter steam for more updates.

'UP THERE' Trailer

 

'UP THERE' Timelapse

 

Archive Press

Me with our sponsors from Rank Hovis and Roy Jeans of IPM
Photo: Trevor Liberson

More event photos in this Flickr Set.

Following last week's launch I've had a busy time with follow up activity. Some of this has been from press interested in writing up the story and I'll give some more updates soon, especially after yesterday's filming in Leeds for the One Show. In terms of coverage to date, this has mostly been online, see the links below, but also a couple of nice print pieces too:

• Creative Review (Monograph). Sadly this is only available to subscribers. 
• The Ephemerist. I'm just checking whether I can upload a pdf of the article.  [Update: Now available here.]
• The Guardian Data Blog
• Londonist
• Caroline's Miscellany
• Azullo
• rkcr Blog
• Out With The In Crowd
• Eastern Daily Press

The archive launches

Thank you to everyone who came along to the launch event last night, photos below. For those who were unable to make it the talks are recorded and posted above. If you'd like to see these full screen then please visit this site.

The archive is now available so make a visit and have a browse.

I'm really happy with the way this has all come together and as I said last night it would simply not have been possible without the generous support and contributions from the many people who have become involved along the journey. Thank you.

I hope you enjoy browsing the archive and I'm sure there will be more signs coming out now that we've laid this stake in the ground. There have already been some good write ups online (Londonist, The Guardian, Azullo to name a few) and I'm looking forward to seeing the project featured in the Eastern Daily Press and, in mid April, on BBC1 on the One Show.

All event photography by Keith Roberts.


Some mingling during the event at the IPA


Barry Cox, Chief Executive of HAT, gets the evening started


Sara Reid, Marketing Manager of Rank Hovis, talks about their sponsorship of the archive


Sam Roberts, Project Manager of Ghostsigns, talks about the project and opens the archive


The audience listening and enjoying a glass of wine


Team photo: Sam Roberts, Sara Reid, Chloe Veale and Barry Cox


Our glamorous sales assistants just before the postcard sale


Sam Roberts and Barry Cox browsing the Creative Review monograph

We're open for business...

Thank you to everyone who turned out for the launch this evening.

I'll post some audio visual content shortly but the good news is that the archive is now open, check it out.

Archive launches tomorrow...

The final video and image highlight as we count down to tomorrow's launch of the archive. The picture is from the new Hotels & Restaurants gallery while the video features an assortment of different categories which previously didn't have a home (they now do!). Finally, below, is another video from much earlier in the project featuring some of my own favourites from 2008.


Havelock Temperance by ƒliçkrwåy

Two days to launch...

Portogram by Ronnie Hackston

Another video and image highlight as we count down to the launch of the archive on 19th March. These are from the Media & Entertainment gallery, although the video was made before the slight adjustment to the categories and has some for shops and retailers that have been split across a number of the new galleries.

The final video and image will be posted tomorrow before the opening of the archive.

Three days to launch...

Another video and image highlight as we count down to the launch of the archive on 19th March. These are from the Tradesmen & DIY gallery, although the video was made before the slight adjustment to the categories and has some that now feature in the Hotels & Restaurants gallery.

More tomorrow.


F.R. Stubbs by dotjay

Four days to launch...

Bile Beans by katybird

Another video and image highlight as we count down to the launch of the archive on 19th March. These are from the Medical & Health gallery.

More tomorrow.

Five days to launch...

Another video and image highlight as we count down to the launch of the archive on 19th March. These are from the Services & Financial gallery.

More tomorrow.


Kodak / A.S.Ashby by casillero

Six days to launch...

Warings by Jane's London

Another video and image highlight as we count down to the launch of the archive on 19th March. These are from the Household & Furniture gallery.

The images being featured in this countdown to launch are all those that feature on the postcard series which will be available to buy from Friday, 19th March.

More tomorrow.

One week to launch...

Another video and image highlight as we count down to the launch of the archive on 19th March. These are from the Travel & Transport gallery.

The images being featured in this countdown to launch are all those that feature on the postcard series which will be available to buy from Friday, 19th March.

More tomorrow.


Blue Star by Matthew Campbell

Eight days to launch...

Another video and image highlight as we count down to the launch of the archive on 19th March. These are from the Shoes & Clothing gallery.

More tomorrow.

Nine days to launch...

Another video and image highlight as we count down to the launch of the archive on 19th March. These are from the Food & Drink gallery.

More tomorrow.


Hovis by Isisbridge

Ten days to launch...

Puck Match from johnnyg1955

With ten days until the archive opens I thought it would be worth picking out some highlights of the project so far. I'll do one each day until announcing the archive is open for business on Friday, 19th March. First up is this great photo of the Puck Match sign in Leeds and, below, another look at the video montage produced for the Booze & Fags category (to be called Alcohol & Tobacco in the archive proper).

More tomorrow.

Preserve NZ

Photo by Sam Hardacre

The latest contributions to the Preserve project in New Zealand have just been uploaded including this great photo of the famous Kings Cross 'Scales, Weights & Weighing Machines' sign taken by Sam Hardacre. I've been in touch with Mark who runs the project and will write more about him and his work soon. In the meantime have a look at their collections on the main website.

New Painted Signs in Sussex

Through the D&AD blog I was alerted to this campaign by the Sussex Safer Roads Partnership which has added hand painted signs to their TV 'commercial'. These painted elements were done by Aroe and this one in particular is pretty big. I wonder if the currently vogue for street art might lead to more collaborations like this, perhaps sufficient to support a business along the lines of the USA's Colossal Media here in the UK?

I've added the TV work below as it's pretty compelling, not to mention being an important message. You can find more of the hand painted stuff here.