This is an amazing opportunity for all of you filmmakers out there. Our friends at Powershovel / Superheadz are holding a contest and film festival at Space15Twenty in Hollywood from May 27th to May 31st, 2010. For all those that follow Poketo, you know that the Digital Harinezumi 2 is a mini digital video camera that makes images look like old super8 film. It not only creates a rad, lo-fi film look, but, also records sound!

Here is what you need to do to be part of the festival:
1. Submit a short film under 10 minutes shot on the Digital Harinezumi to the Vimeo Pool by May 21st, 2010
2. The film will be judged by a panel comprised of Powershovel, Space15Twenty, and The Masses
3. Those selected will have their film screened during one of the four days.
4. The jury will then select the a winner for “Best Film”.

Grand prize for the winner will be an all expense paid trip to Tokyo to meet the Powershovel crew and another opportunity to make a short film in Tokyo!!

The Powershovel team are super rad. Last we were in Tokyo, we had the pleasure of meeting with Hideki, Jun, Yuki, and the Powershovel team at their studio/office in Daikanyama district. It was a place of dreams, a total inspiration–a new three floor building full of creativity. Along with running a very successful business with offices in both Tokyo and New York, one thing you need to know about Powershovel is that they are deeply passionate about music, audio, and photography. The first floor of their Tokyo office is dedicated to their sales team, but, oddly enough, has a killer DJ and VJ set up with a top of the line German crafted speaker for full range sound. The second floor is where their creative and graphics team continuously work on photography publications and product development. Third floor is a killer meeting room.

Okay, what are you still doing reading this? Go and buy the camera and start making! Deadline for the festival is May 21st, read the full rules here.

Painted glass jug, by Tom Vadakan

You’ve been hearing and seeing a lot about the show we have at Space15Twenty. I’m happy to announce that we have extended Poketo & Kitsune Noir‘s “Los Angeles, I’m Yours” an extra week, the show will close officially on Saturday, May 22nd. We have been showing pics of the space, the art in all the little nooks and crannies, if you have not seen it, here you go! But, I also want to show you some of the pieces, in it’s pure form. You can see the artists took time, love, and care in making these once insignificant objects into valuable art. These are one of a kind, go and visit the show before they disappear.

Painted ceramic hand, by Gary Baseman

Painted vintage hat box, by Leah Chun

Painted vintage lamps, by Tim Biskup

Boom box, by Brian Wade Scott

Paper cut outs on vintage paper, by Saelee Oh

Cut and sewn fabric in frame, by Sarajo Frieden and Marci Boudreau.

Painted and acid etched glass vase, by Chris Bettig

Paper cut 45… the inside even has a paper record that you can take out! By Jared Andrew Schorr

Painted oil lamp, by Bijan Berahimi

Here is a video with Bobby of KN doing a quick run through of the show on opening night.

“Los Angeles, I’m Yours”
A Poketo & Kitsune Noir Market
When: April 24th to May 22nd, 2010
Where: Space 15 Twenty, 1520 N. Cahuenga Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90028

I met Armen Perian on the night of the Portugal. The Man x Los Angeles, I’m Yours show. He was front row, asking me if it was cool to take photos. He was cognizant of the crowd, the band and wanted to be a fly on the wall to simply document this incredible performance. Halfway into the set, I could see he was positioning himself for some great shots. Over the blaring music, I handed him my phone and told him to type in his email so that we could reconnect after the show.

Later, I find out that Armen is a film major at Art Center with a great love for photography–you can see that clearly from these shots and a bunch more on his Flickr–moody, beautiful, cinematic.

At only 19 years old, Armen started taking photos his junior year in high school and was positive that was his career path. Up until attending his first year at Art Center he switched his focus to film, wanting to explore the narrative and collaborative aspect of filmmaking. Looking at his still photography, narrative still comes through, I look forward to seeing what he does with moving images. Here is a video he put together quickly of the Portugal. The Man performance for “Los Angeles, I’m Yours”.

Portugal. The Man x Poketo from armen perian on Vimeo.

For those that were there (seriously, what seemed like a thousand of you), that staked out their spot starting at 2pm sound check, for those that supported the band and bought tons of art-wallets-prints-music, for those that were singing out loud, for those that that held their camera phones up the entire show, for those that got their shoes signed, for those that were blown away by the art of “Los Angeles, I’m Yours”, for those that climbed on top of the roof to see the show, for those that were so cool and waited patiently for Portugal to rock your world… It was an epic night, one that will go down in Portugal history, our history…. on behalf of Poketo and Kitsune Noir… Thank you for being rad and know that on May 1, 2010, we shared a night that could only be relived in our memories, our hearts. Yes, it was that good.

These two were the first to arrive at 2pm. I made sure they knew the band wasn’t coming on until 8pm. They knew. The already toured the gallery, ate lunch, and now about to enjoy a special sound check and one on one with the band.

John Gourley and Austin Sellers hold their Portugal x Poketo wallets! Only 150 of the designs made!!

That is Martin of Poketo (middle). Martin started as an intern with Poketo and quickly became a permanent part of our team… he got “all access” to take the many incredible pictures you see here and on our flickr.

Super stoked to have this picture with frontman, John Gourley, Portugal artist Austin Sellers, me and Angie (Poketo). John and Austin collaborated on art for the show, two original one off pieces sold that night. Lucky for the collector that got these one and only.