Tag Archive for "Creative Asylum" - Creative Asylum Blog

Posts Tagged ‘Creative Asylum’

January 2nd, 2012

We’re not buying that 2012 is the year Los Angeles slides in to the sea. We’re staying on Sunset Blvd. despite the warnings of the Mayan calendar via Roland Emmerich. If we’re wrong, then regardless, it will be Creative Asylum that will be standing on the hill during the fires and destruction, raving like lunatics that it’s all a conspiracy.

There’s always one that just won’t leave. And that will be us.

That’s because, despite the chaos of 2011, we’re extremely optimistic about 2012. Our version of 2012 looks more like Rocky II (he wins) than Day After Tommorow. It’s a feelgood ending.

There’s no question that seismic shifts are on us all. The economy cracked in 2008 and the results are only now being felt. But as the economic landscape shifts, new opportunities arise. Nothing has ever remained the same. What makes us optimistic is the rise of new ways of doing business.

This new economy will favor the nimble, the creative and fearless. Making sense of chaos is not possible. But being aware of it is. The companies and people that will survive in this new landscape will be the ones that adapt quickly. When the iPad challengers attack, it will be the creative companies that make their content, apps, and advertising that can do well.

As everything, and we mean everything, goes mobile, there will be a need for infrastructure, marketing and creative. It’s completely exciting.

Same with the cloud, the cementing of social media as democratization, gameification—these are revolutions that are happening as we speak. And as the old ways collapse, the new is built on top it. Instantly. There are two reaction to radical change: lament or embrace.

We’re embracing. Happy New Year!

A Rolling Stone’s Throw

November 23rd, 2011

We have divisions in both Panama City and Cebu City, but Creative Asylum’s world headquarters is located in the heart of Hollywood. And when we say the heart, we’re talking the bleeding-but-still-beating heart, not some tourist reproduction at Universal Studios or a wax museum facsimile. We park at the ArcLight, formerly the Cinerama Dome and walk past world-famous Amoeba Records to get in the front door, first strolling through the courtyard where a few scenes from Casablanca were filmed. But what’s wildly unique about LA is it’s complete indifference to it’s own entertainment history. It’s a geek’s game, generally, tracking locations and noting what was filmed where and when. Luckily, we also happen to be fully staffed by such geeks, and therefore have decided to occasionally post about local entertainment history that’s within stumbling distance from our front door.

If you have to drive, it doesn’t count. We’re talking a stone’s throw only.

Which leads us nicely to Sunset Sound on the corner of Sunset and __. When the urge strikes to eat healthy, many CA folks can be seen strolling towards SUBWAY for a 6″ turkey and some chips (to counteract the healthy part of the meal, of course). On the way, we walk by a nondescript building with a very 70’s sign that says “Sunset Sound.” We grab the grub and saunter back.

But what’s gone on inside that grey little building has changed the world, quite literally, especially if you’re a music fan, a degenerate partier, or both. Because inside is where at least a few of your life’s most memorable soundtracks were recorded.

We’ll get to the rock and roll in a bit, but let’s start with with something cuddly—Bambi. Yes, the soundtrack to Disney’s Bambi was done at Sunset. So was 101 Dalmations and Mary Poppins.

But enough of the kid’s stuff. Then came the not-so-wholesome. The Rolling Stones’ Exile on Main Steet overdubs. Dirty. The Doors’ first two albums. Led Zepplin, Elton John, The Beach Boys (Just a little album called Pet Sounds), Van Halen, Warren Zevon and on and on and on. Here’s a partial list of the music and musicians that have “worked” at Sunset Sound, leaving ashes, empties, and some amazing music:

Studio I
Van Halen, Paul McCartney, James Taylor, Macy Gray, Bee Gees, Doobie Bros., Whitney Houston, Barry Manilow, Oingo Boingo, Luis Miguel, Rolling Stones, Dave Grusin, Crosby, Stills, Nash, Lee Ritenour, Fourplay, Richard Thompson, Yes, Brian Wilson, Beach Boys, Annette Funicello, Carly Simon, Miles Davis, Louis Armstrong, Bangles, Fishbone, Randy Newman, Sly & Family Stone, “Fabulous Baker Boys”, Vonda Shepard, Tom Petty, “The Firm”, Sheena Easton, Patti Austin, Aaron Neville, “Mary Poppins”, Sam Cooke, The Turtles, “101 Dalmations”, Lovin Spoonful, Buffalo Springfield, Janis Joplin, Genesis, Kenny Loggins, Jackson Browne, “My Best Friend»s Wedding”, Reel Big Fish, “Dr. Doolittle”, “The Truman Show”, “Tootsie”

Studio 2
Van Halen, Led Zeppelin IV, Sheryl Crow, Smashing Pumpkins, Matthew Sweet, Ringo Starr, Elton John, Celine Dion, Earl Klugh, Alanis Morrisette, Michael Jackson, Toto, Lita Ford, Robert Palmer, “Dick Tracy”, “Dune”, “Days Of Thunder”, “Rocky II & IV”, Ry Cooder, Richard Marx, Aretha Franklin, Tom Waits, Neil Young, Crowded House, Bob Dylan, Jennifer Holliday, Olivia Newton-John, Melissa Manchester, Barbra Streisand, Roberta Flack, Rick James, “Major League”, “Great Balls Of Fire”, Michael Feinstein, “Wayne’s World”, “Wayne»s World II”, Alice Cooper (Muscle 73), Leo Sayer, “The Waterboy”, “The Big Lebowski”, “Pleasantville”, Doyle Bramhall, Weezer, “The Prince Of Egypt”, DDT, Poison, Andy Williams

Studio 3
The Surfers, Elliott Smith, Social Distortion, Sugar Ray, Mary Lou Lord, “Midnight In The Garden Of Good & Evil”, Earth Wind & Fire, Prince, Dan Fogelberg, Hiroshima, Rancid, k d lang, The Wallflowers, Beck, Mr. Mister, Stevie Nicks, Belinda Carlisle, Kix, Desert Rose Band, Air Supply, Counting Crows, Deborah Harry, Jody Watley, Neil Diamond, Rita Coolidge, Lionel Ritchie, Sam Phillips, Fleetwood Mac, Tom Jones, Van Dyke Parks, Gillian Welch, The Refreshments, Dolly Parton, Kenny Rogers, Thisway, Melissa Etheridge

If you can’t find at least one band you don’t love in that list, we then apologize for wasting your time. Grab a sub sandwich and walk on by. But if you’re a fan of music history, it’s right around the corner. Stop by, we’ll take you there.

Check out the “history” page on the studio’s web site.

Now You Know

November 15th, 2011

If you’re into business startup stuff, then you should check out this solid series of profiles of entrepreneurs of all shapes and sizes as they spill the beans on what they did, didn’t do, wish they’d done, etc., etc. They’re short—2 or 3 minutes. It’s an easy way to get inspired over coffee to stop sitting around drinking coffee and get off your ass and start a company. Techcrunch sets up the series better than we can so we’ll let them explain it:

“…Sprinkle Lab, launched a series last week that aims to speak to anyone and everyone interested in the world of entrepreneurship. The series, called “Now I Know”, will be releasing a new episode every Monday and Wednesday for the next six weeks that contains a lesson learned, a memorable experience, or personal philosophy from different notable figures in the tech space. It’s slightly reminiscent of The Startup Kids, but instead of focusing on young entrepreneurs, it shares musings on the big issues the tech industry faces today, dished out by experts — of every age.”

See, we told you they would do a good job explaining it. One of the reasons we dig it at Creative Asylum is because we are launching our own web series very shortly called “Available Light: Creative Conversations from the Cat and Fiddle.” Basically once every 2-3 weeks or so (damn, will we regret putting THAT in writing), we will be posting another profile of a smart, creative person who is making a mark in the world of marketing, TV, film, art or music. We do the interviews at our local pub, the “Cat and Fiddle” (BTW – we also use available light. Hopefully the name of the show now makes sense).

When we discovered Sprinkle Lab’s “startup version,” we were happy to see we weren’t the only people out there making content for the love of making content. Look for “Available Light” on this site soon — and thanks to Sprinkle Labs for creating “Now I Know.” Now we know.

Has Kevin Smith Redefined Movie Marketing?

November 14th, 2011

Let’s just leave taste out of it for a few minutes. You can’t deny Kevin Smith can sell. To his critics, the fact that he gets to make movies at all is proof of that. And since we are a marketing agency, it’s worth a moment to consider the new models of film marketing being pushed forward by the likes of Smith, and to some extent his 90’s indie rival Ed Burns. These guys have come to the conclusion that the studios still haven’t completely wrapped their brains around — everything’s changed. There are big films and small films, and sometimes small films shouldn’t be sold the same way as big films. The movie business is unique in that way. They charge the same for a surf and turf with champagne at the Palm as they do for a number three combo at McDonald’s. With “Red State,” Smith owns his film and has taken the marketing over, doing it his own way (which in his case is a nationwide roadshow and non-stop podcasting) and saying to the public: who wants a Quarter Pounder?

Just check out Kevin Smith’s “Red State of the Union” podcasts. It’s a fascinating look into the rapidly shifting landscape of movie marketing. No studio. No major marketing. No outdoor. No print. Not even an opening weekend push. You don’t have to listen to the podcasts and there will be no quiz, but it’s relevant. It might be a glimpse into the future of selling movies.

We heart Halloween

November 1st, 2011

We hope everyone had a safe and happy Halloween! We sure did. Our employees really turned on the creative for costume contests in both LA and Panama. Highlights included Bender (from Futurama), Altair (from Assassin’s Creed), Joaquin Pheonix, Peggy Bundy, Alice in Wonderland, and Beetlejuice. Not to mention a few zombies and ghosts here and there. Check out these creatives who escaped the asylum: