The Next Big Thing by Jemma Heathfield

The Next Big Thing

What is Flixel Photos? Flixel Photos is a new and exciting piece of technology to produce a cinemagraph. The software is incredibly easy to use and the simple layout enables the user, whether it is the amateur hobbyist or the professional photographer, to pick it up in no time.

What is a cinemagraph? Cinemagraph is the term used for a living photograph. Combining still photography and video, it allows the “timeless quality of photography, and the captivating aspect of video” to be captured (Flixel, 2015a). A combination of a traditional still photograph and a video, a cinemagraph is a photograph with a touch of motion in a continual loop. When photographer Jamie Beck and visual graphic artist Kevin Burg partnered at New York Fashion Week in 2011, the living photo

was born. It was the, “desire to communicate more to the viewer” that inspired the creation of the living photograph (Cinemagraphs, 2012). So, is it a GIF? No. A cinemagraph is far more advanced, refined and better quality. An animated GIF has a very broad context and is commonly made from a series of frames, joined together in a loop. A cinemagraph is a medium where, “individual instants of motion are isolated against a static image” (C. Lin, 2015).

“a traditional still photograph with a moment living within it” Jamie Beck & Kevin Burg (Turnstyle, 2011)

The consumer The target consumer of Flixel includes photography lovers and those who are passionate about technology and its influence of all ages. It is a fun piece of software for all to use and master with the high definition for professionals to utilise. With the help of Tyra Banks’ investment, the new and upcoming generation would have also been introduced to the technology and seen the potential of it. A major reason for the future success of the Flixel applications can be due to how simple the software is to use. This will not only appeal to the mass market and amateur photographers, but also the professional and advertisers. This has already been demonstrated in high-level advertising and marketing campaigns. Capturing and sharing photographs through social media and has become the norm for so many in today’s population, with Instagram alone having over 300 million users (Instagram, 2014). Not only are still photographs being shared, but now also videos, with apps such as Vine that has over 40 million users and over 100 million views on the 5-6 second videos each month (Expanded Ramblings, 2015). Jamie Beck and Kevin Burg stated,“cinemagraphs were born out of a need to tell a story in a fast digital age” and that they,“wanted to tell more of a story than a single still frame photograph, but didn’t want the high maintenance aspect of a video” (Turnstyle, 2011). The evolution of digital technology has “resulted in creative re-examinations of the art of analog photography, the ever-mutating world of the digital image, and the hybrid creations of both systems as they flow together” (Squiers, 2014, p.10). Flixel Photos demonstrates this technological spark and creates endless possibilities and outcomes of a moving image on an easy to use platform.

Making your own Flixels Flixel Photos Inc. released the app on the 24th June 2013 and the desktop version was launched on 25th February 2014 (AppsMeNow, 2013). The app allows users to create their own moving photographs on the go and at home. The software allows users to watch their living photos in real time, use a range of filters and work at HD (1080) quality as well as UHD (4K) (Flixel, 2015b).

Cinemagraph | iPhone/iPad/iPod Touch | Free

Cinemagraph Pro shot to No.1 in the photography category on the Mac App Store in over 50 countries including UK, US and China, in less than two weeks after it was first launched. The photo software, exclusive to iOS, also earnt a respectable status in the “featured” category, which CEO and co-founder Phillippe LeBlanc stated, “is a privilege reserved only for a few apps every week” (Arva-Toth, 2014). The technology allows user to, “literally “paint” motion into a still scene” creating an area of focus (Business Wire, 2013). Captivating and beautiful cinemagraphs can be created in next to no time and it is a big step in the development and production of a photographic image.

In an interview with Mark Homza, Chief Marketing Officer for Flixel, he discusses how a cinemagraph allows you to highlight a focal point of a photograph (Van Johnson, 2014). Beck and Burg also touch on this subject matter in an interview for TIME LightBox (C. Lin, 2014), stating how, “it’s about being a storyteller” and “it allows people to see through your eyes.” For instance, Beck shot Grace Coddington sketching at New York Fashion Week during the Ralph Lauren show and said, “it’s like everyone is watching her sketch the way I was watching her sketch”, despite everything else that was happening at the same time. Homza also comments on how the use of Flixel Photos gives users an immediate result, with no thumbnail or need to press “start” or “play”. By using Flixel Photos, users are able to produce a cinemagraph with an auto loop and which auto plays in any format. Based in Toronto, the company also has New York and Los Angeles offices which host and distribute a platform for companies with an interest in the technology and want to use it in their advertising.

“more than a photo, but not quite a video” Coco Rocha (Rocha, 2011)

Flixels and advertising The use of cinemagraphs has the ability to transform a brand’s promotional material. The hint of movement can bring a photograph truly to life and allows the viewer to focus on a particular part of the photograph, such as a pair of earrings or bouncing curls of hair. This can be extremely effective in terms of advertising and marketing as the product is able to be the main focus of the image. It can be argued that a model, especially well known and popular faces can detract attention from actual product it is advertising. With the use of Flixel Photos, a story can truly be captured to an extent not achievable by the traditional method of still photography. Photographers, professional and photography enthusiasts as well as advertisers and marketers can use, “living photos to push the boundaries of visual storytelling” (Arva-Toth, 2014). Advertising campaigns for companies such as Macy’s, Panasonic and America’s Next Top Model (ANTM) have already used cinemagraphs and the Flixel Photos technology.

Tyra Banks, TV personality, made an investment in Flixel Photos and included the software in the 20th cycle of America’s Next Top Model (ANTM) in 2014, which airs on the CW Network. The moving photographs featured heavily in the TV series, and some of the results were truly breath taking. In the final, viewers were able to watch Banks herself manage a photo shoot creating a Flixel image (Tomkins, 2013). Travel Alberta has also helped spread the word about the company, with the living photos featuring in their online campaigns and in an airport in California.Through investors, the company has raised more than $2.5 million since its launch in 2011. For advertisers, Flixel Photos offers a new and exciting platform for a product to be viewed. Whether it is a sexy flicker of hair, or a dainty piece of fabric blowing in a gentle breeze, the viewer’s imagination will be blown away. “This could be a game changer for advertisers,” Phillippe LeBlanc says (Parmer, 2014).

To celebrate the 60th anniversary of the 1954 Hollywood classic, “The Seven Year Itch”, a Flixel of Marilyn Monroe and the famous scene with the white dress starring was created. The moving photograph was shown to millions in prime locations in New York such as Times Square and Grand Central Station on the big screens. Bringing one the most famous photographs to life was a huge honour for the company, with co-founder and CCO Mark Homza stating, “It’s a great example of how Flixel Cinemagraphs can be repurposed for outdoor marketing” (Flixel, 2014). In March 2013 Macy’s launched a Marilyn Monroe collection containing pieces that were inspired by the 1950s star, and Flixel Photos helped bring the collection literally to life (Flixel, 2015a). The collaboration between Macy’s and Flixel Photos resulted in a stunning 30-second web advert. The goal was to “capture the young, sexy and spirited personality of Marilyn Monroe” and photographer Adam Zivo achieved this by “gracefully bringing fabrics to life in a flowing motion” (Murrary, 2013). The advert, including the iconic American flag and a spinning pinwheel that were manipulated as the subtle movement in the photographs, received over 500,000 views.

Featured on such a large platform, ANTM launched the living photo software into homes all over the world and it quickly gained a following. Before unseen in the fashion world on such a scale and by a wide audience, Banks’ involvement with Flixel Photos increased its publicity, and generated great interest in cinemagraphs and how they could be used in terms of marketing and advertising (Arva-Toth, 2014).

“What is the future of photography? I really think it’s a living photo. I think it’s Flixels.” Tyra Banks (Flixel, 2013)

References

Jemma Heathfield | N0565547 | Fashion Communication and Promotion | FASH10105 | Visual Awareness

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