Drawing inspiration from the world around us is essential for writers and artists. We take our cues and our nuances from the words and movements of both the organic as well as the concrete and steel that make up our surroundings. With this in mind, we here at The Artificial Selection Project believe that it is essential, as artists, to throw a metaphorical net into the ocean of culture and find new ways and new platforms that speak to us and inspire us. In this case, we cast our net into Vimeo’s high definition seas and pulled out six fascinating videos whose visuals resound within us past the need for story or outline. These videos represent the impact of imagery that defies anything we’ve yet to have seen.

ABDNE 2013 (Warning: NSFW)

Utilizing the technique of double exposure, filmmakers at Breeder took a really cool style that is generally used only in photography and applied it to film, creating a mind-blowing juxtaposition of nature and construct. From this marriage of often dichotomous elements is born a beautiful message that brings humanity into the spotlight, existing between the two planes.

From the Filmmaker: “We developed an ambitious aesthetic based upon the idea of double exposure, inspired by Alabaster’s amazing track and the conference’s program design. We worked around the theme of binary, juxtaposing the urban sprawl and nature, black and white, flight and fall, and unification and disintegration.”

Scintillation

Very much along the same lines as the previous video, Scintillation combines provoking images to create an entirely new visual experience. In this case, filmmaker Xavier Chassaing combined solid, existing objects with projections of film and photography to create the explosive and soothing product we seen now. And, as if the film was’t awesome enough, I noticed that in the credits there was a flame artist involved. How might one apply for this job?

From the Filmmaker: “This is an experimental film made up of over 35,000 photographs. It combines an innovative mix of stop motion and live projection mapping techniques.”

Holi

This slow-motion film, from producer Variable, takes place during the Hindu festival of Holi, where folks from all walks of life head to the streets to throw powdered dye at each other in celebration! How they managed to keep the cameras free of debris is an art form in and of itself.

From the Filmmaker: “The world is fascinating. People and cultures inspire us. Sadly, the fast paced lifestyles of our generation result in many not taking the necessary step back to soak in the existing world around us. Our goal with this film is to help viewers further appreciate and take notice of the beauty in life & culture that lies within our world.”

TRI▲NGLE

At times violent, at times serene, the short film titled Triangle by Onur Senturk is an exercise in motion graphics and visceral sound design. This film creates an almost nightmarish atmosphere as the black orb, the film’s centerpiece, distends and morphs in animalistic fashion amongst the sharp sounds and throb of the music. Definitely inspirational for those who work in darker circles of art.

From the Filmmaker:  I chose to create tense harmony between geometrical forms and organic movements. Combustion helped me to expand possibilities of Black material with his strong music and sound design.

Oscillate

Oscillate, by Daniel Sierra, is wonderful because of how dependent the visuals are on the soundtrack. Each chord struck has its own distinctive sound as well as its own oscillating string that rides like a wave upon a sea of particles, creating a magnificent experience for audiences. And the music is simplistic enough to not override the visuals, creating a harmonious relationship that flowers into a deliciously inspirational piece of film.

From the Filmmaker: “My goal with “Oscillate” was to visualize waveform patterns that evolve from the fundamental sine wave to more complex patterns, creating a mesmerizing audio-visual experience in which sight and sound work in unison to capture the viewer’s attention.”

Memory Tapes “Yes I Know”

A very strange piece, Yes I Know follows a man as he slowly disappears, his body unraveling around him as he goes about his morning, not seeming to care. Cliche metaphors aside, I really enjoyed this film because of its grounding in reality. Not only do we see a man slowly falling apart (see, cliches) but we are also given glimpses into the world around him through the window of a car. It’s this normalcy, with buildings and apartment stoops and stop signs, that makes what’s happening to the poor fellow believable.

Got a recommendation for an awesome film or video? Tell us your favorites in the comments below! We’re always on the lookout for more inspiring content!