1.Mar.2010 | Brad Inman
Vook is only as good as its filmmakers
Vook has a simple idea: put great filmmakers together with great authors and let them create a new kind of media. But for this to succeed, we need a talented filmmaker who can be imaginative, work with another creative vision and shoot and edit for an entirely new form.
This combination of talents — authors and filmmakers whose proccesses compliment each other– has come alive with a series of new Vooks that clearly demonstrate the value (and the fun) of this partnership between publishing and film making.
Over the course of the last six months, we have tapped the creative talents of filmmakers on the East Coast and the West Coast, in New Orleans, London and Prague.
Here are some credits we would like to acknowledge:
CRUSH IT! by Lauren Saffa
For this tremendous title, filmmaker Lauren Saffa worked closely with author Gary Vaynerchuk to give his audience a different perspective on the Crush It! world. Gary already has a strong online video presence through his daily wine video blog, so Saffa had to find a smart way to bring a new side of Gary to his readers. The result was an overwhelming success: numerous reviews have pointed out that the combination of video and text really shows Gary’s passion at its best.
The Master of Rampling Gate by Phinizy Percy Jr.
Anne Rice is a beloved, world class author — one of the premiere story tellers of our time. When she agreed to do a Vook, we were thrilled — and we knew we had to tap New Orleans’ best to work with Anne. Filmmaker Phinizy Percy Jr. jumped at the opportunity and his work brings the world that inspired Anne Rice to life.
Alice in Wonderland by Emma Heald
Emma Heald is a London based filmmaker and her interpretation of this classic tale combines the surreal sensibility of Lewis Carrol’s original with a deft eye for sharp filmmaking. It’s the kind of work that you’d expect to see featured on children’s television — and as part of the book, it brings a tasteful and compelling video element that’s in perfect harmony with Carroll. . .
Brothers Grimm, Jekyll & Hyde, Frog Prince , Sherlock Holmes, Jack in the Beanstock and Embassy by Michael Franchetti & Adad Warda
Michael Franchetti and Adad Warda are Prague based filmmakers who have done yeoman’s work for Vook. They’ve been onboard since the beginning — they were responsible for the Sherlock Holmes vook that’s had 30,000 + downloads in the iTunes store — and their Vooks are always staff favorites. Thanks for delivering again and again, guys!
Unleashing the Ideavirus by Captain & the Fox
Rachel Webster and Moss Levenson run the Captain & the Fox production company in Brooklyn. We knew they’d be the perfect people to entrust with our high profile title from Seth Godin, “Unleashing the Ideavirus” — and they nailed the project. The videos are beyond excellent, far higher quality than most television, and the artful integration of different profiles and personalities smartly updates “Unleashing the Ideavirus” for today’s world.
Return to Beauty by Christopher Chambers
A graduate of the prestigious AFI, Christopher Chambers brought his high end skills and technical prowess to creating “Return to Beauty.” The beautiful videos — all shot in high def — of author Narine Nikogosian make this a marquee title that showcases the polished look that we can achieve with our filmmakers.
Promises by Robert Sobul
Robert Sobul’s work on Jude Deveraux’s “Promises” should be an inspiration to any filmmaker wondering how fiction and video can work hand in and hand, complementing and enhancing each other. When I first saw the pieces, I thought — Robert’s produced a Terence Malick take on romance . It’s stunning stuff.
Keeping it Real (estate) by Robert Chapman
Filmmaker Robert Chapman was our go to man for popular Real Estate blogger Kris Berg. When we decided we needed to produce this title in under a week, Robert worked fiendishly to make it happen. His translation of Kris’s hectic life into video makes Vooking look easy.
LOVE LOVE LOVE by Greg Mocker
New York Renaissance man Greg Mocker did something new even for us — he put a contemporary spin on the sonnets of William Shakespeare, with real New Yorkers reciting the poems. This was a fun, clever project that only someone as mercurial as Greg could pull off — and he did it with panache.
The Breakaway Japanese Kitchen by Peter Duddington and Dicky Dahl
One of the first Vooks we ever produced, the Breakaway Japanese Kitchen was created by Peter Duddington and Dicky Dahl — and we liked it so much that we’ve brought Peter onboard to become a permanent member of the team. Dicky Dahl turned the Vook out in record time and helped set the standard for our efficient production model.
Of course, we couldn’t have accomplished anything without the help of TurnHere. The TH staff unites us with these great filmmakers and help guarantee that our Vooks are original, innovative and compelling.
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