Molly Off Mute

Personal blog of a 25 year old digital account manager based in Birmingham, UK. I've got an interest in films, music, art, travelling, psychology & marketing. This blog is just for fun & will be a collection of things I like, things I've done & things I want to share. Most photos on the blog are not my own but all opinions are.

Short-hair heroes

Who doesn’t enjoy a little bit of stop-motion animation? No one, that’s who.

Spike Jonze and Olympia Le-Tan (the lady-genius who designs clutch bags that resemble books) collaborate. 

Tindersticks - Trouble every day, from the movie of the same name featuring Vincent Gallo and Beatrice Dalle.

A few months ago, I visited the Wellcome Centre on Euston Road, London. It is free to get in and I’d definitely recommend it. My favourite installation from my trip was “15 seconds part one and two”, the brainchild of Chris Dorley-Brown. The work showed school children sitting for short video portraits in 1994 and 2004. The videos were shown side by side to a voice over of the individual talking about themselves.

The only instruction given to them in 1994 was to “express themselves”. The children reacted to this in different ways - some beamed from ear to ear, some danced and perhaps my favourite was the girl in the first picture who starting doing quite mystical hand gestures.  

In 2004 they were filmed shortly after viewing the original footage. What was funny about this was the obvious self-awareness which had developed over the 10 year period - nervous smiling and a slight inability to let go, which when shown next to the child version of themselves pulling silly faces, was all the more palpable.

The adult spoke of what they were like as a child and what their expectations had been, and commented on where they thought they were now.

It is a simple enough idea, but I thought it was an extremely powerful concept. It was literally a window into someone’s soul (or as least to their inner child).15 seconds isn’t long, but I thought the piece captured the essence of each person really beautifully.

An alter ego (Latin, “the other I”)

This eerie image of Lily Cole, by Tuner Prize winner Gillian Wearing can be found hanging in Birmingham Art Gallery, along with one of the best collections of pre-raphaelite paintings in the world.

Still good.

My top 3 shows of Edinburgh Fringe 2011. 3.) Baby Wants Candy (at Assembly George Square) The audience shout out a musical, (in our case in was “My step father that was a giant gherkin” and this truly talented cast of improvisers have all of 5 seconds before they are acting out their first scene. It was fascinating to watch. Improv is obviously a skill which is perfected with practice and these guys must have practised a lot! Not only did they manage to weave together a complex and funny story line, they sung to a live band, which picked up their cues so seamlessly you might think they had mastered the art of telepathy. If they come to your city make sure you don’t miss them. 2.) Pajama Men (at Assembly Hall) Remember that feeling when you saw Mighty Boosh for the first time and thought “Oh my god, this is so original, and so funny”. Well, that is a distance memory now and phrases from the Boosh have become cliche, but you can recapture that feeling by watching Mark Chavez and Shenoah Allen (aka, the Pajama Men). They bottle and sell the same child like immature fun of the Boosh, and are just as wacky.  I booked this after seeing that this duo had 5 star ratings across the board for previous Edinburgh Fringe shows, and I’m really not surprised why. This was a tight, perfectly executed sketch show. I was literally in stitches from start to finish, and so desperate to cling to the happy thoughts that I bought the DVD. These guys deserve to be big, but for now I’m glad they are my little discovery! PAJAMA MEN ARE TOURING - BUY TICKETS HERE! 1.) Jamie Blake (at Zoo Roxy) By upcoming writer/director Ashley Scott-Layton and performed by theatre group Ravenrock, a bittersweet play charting one guy’s love (and loss).  The most striking thing about this play was it’s original use of music and dance, which was a brilliant tool for adding impact and bringing scenes to an atmospheric head. As a whole the play was hopelessly sentimental - the script was beautifully poetic, funny and thoughtful and I fell for it completely. Check out the play’s soundtrack by the talented Rhys Lewis.

My top 3 shows of Edinburgh Fringe 2011.

3.) Baby Wants Candy (at Assembly George Square)

The audience shout out a musical, (in our case in was “My step father that was a giant gherkin” and this truly talented cast of improvisers have all of 5 seconds before they are acting out their first scene. It was fascinating to watch. Improv is obviously a skill which is perfected with practice and these guys must have practised a lot! Not only did they manage to weave together a complex and funny story line, they sung to a live band, which picked up their cues so seamlessly you might think they had mastered the art of telepathy.

If they come to your city make sure you don’t miss them.

2.) Pajama Men (at Assembly Hall)

Remember that feeling when you saw Mighty Boosh for the first time and thought “Oh my god, this is so original, and so funny”. Well, that is a distance memory now and phrases from the Boosh have become cliche, but you can recapture that feeling by watching Mark Chavez and Shenoah Allen (aka, the Pajama Men). They bottle and sell the same child like immature fun of the Boosh, and are just as wacky. 

I booked this after seeing that this duo had 5 star ratings across the board for previous Edinburgh Fringe shows, and I’m really not surprised why. This was a tight, perfectly executed sketch show. I was literally in stitches from start to finish, and so desperate to cling to the happy thoughts that I bought the DVD. These guys deserve to be big, but for now I’m glad they are my little discovery!

PAJAMA MEN ARE TOURING - BUY TICKETS HERE!

1.) Jamie Blake (at Zoo Roxy)

By upcoming writer/director Ashley Scott-Layton and performed by theatre group Ravenrock, a bittersweet play charting one guy’s love (and loss). 

The most striking thing about this play was it’s original use of music and dance, which was a brilliant tool for adding impact and bringing scenes to an atmospheric head. As a whole the play was hopelessly sentimental - the script was beautifully poetic, funny and thoughtful and I fell for it completely.

Check out the play’s soundtrack by the talented Rhys Lewis.

“You wouldn’t eat a panda. Stop eating endangered tuna” Project Ocean goes a bit Damien Hirst on us to get across a serious message..

“You wouldn’t eat a panda. Stop eating endangered tuna”

Project Ocean goes a bit Damien Hirst on us to get across a serious message..

Block me.

Block me.