Very soon, in Melbourne, Australia, the world-renowned Pause Digital Festival (www.pausefest.com.au) will unite some of the world’s best and brightest leaders in the digital industries for the second straight year. Set to run Nov. 8-11, 2012, the itinerary promises 14 screenings, six industry workshops, eight interactive projects and the premiere conference event PauseStage, making Pause Fest the must-attend event for all innovators in the creative industry. rnrnA major 2012 Pause Fest screening will be the world premiere of the visually astounding "Lilith" short dramatic film, which has been produced by Chicago-based design-focused production studio Leviathan. It is the studio’s first original narrative film, confirmed Leviathan’s executive creative director Jason White, who will attend the premiere on 9 Nov. before taking the stage the following day as part of PauseStage. For the day-long PauseStage event presented by Autodesk featuring some of the most exciting and inspiring leaders from the digital world, White’s presentation is entitled "Moving Masses: The Art of Transformative Visual Experiences."rnrnAs White explained, "Lilith" presents the chilling story of an isolated, dystopian future seen through the eyes of a young woman whose life is all-consumed by her interactive device. rnrn"Our ambition was to create a short yet thought-provoking social commentary piece regarding technology and isolation," he began. "At Leviathan, we are fascinated by the concept that our devices connect us and also divide us into different spaces. In an increasingly connected world, a social parado. arises when so many get lost in their own devices, tuning out the real world around them. Our piece contemplates how an individual’s future might appear through this lens of isolation."rnrn
“Lilith” Trailer from Leviathan on Vimeo.
Key contributors to last year’s inaugural Pause Fest event, White and his colleagues at Leviathan decided to get even more involved in 2012. With that in mind, they brainstormed ideas for original shorts, and once a concept from Leviathan’s own Tim Sepulveda crystallized, the production moved forward as time allowed in between other studio projects. With the help of casting director Sarah Newby, June Marsh was cast in the lead role, and many other premier talents were enlisted, including Daniel Ryan who shares directorial credit with Sepulveda, director of photography Aaron Edwards, editors Mike LaHood and Andrew Maggio, producer Brandy Olsen and audio superstar Dustin Camilleri, to name but a few. The production took place in select Chicago and Milwaukee locations over si. days in June, and post-production continued right up until the Pause Fest delivery deadline. Complete project credits are available upon request.rnrn"We are especially proud of this piece because we feel it speaks to our audience and makes deep emotional connections. The visual effects challenges were somewhat daunting, but we made every effort to embed subtle hidden messages to contrast with the Zen-like contemplative story."rnrnLeviathan is seeking additional screening opportunities for "Lilith" following Pause Fest, while also submitting the film into many prominent U.S. and international film festivals. For further information on the project, please visit www.lvthn.com.rnrnAbout LeviathanrnLeviathan is a design-focused production studio specializing in creating large-scale visual experiences across all media. Champions of breakthrough design and branding, Leviathan’s leaders draw from experiences earned inside leading digital agencies, production companies, VF. and motion studios. Also leveraging the talents of extraordinary designers, technologists, developers and producers, the studio develops and delivers cutting edge content that maximizes the capabilities of today’s media platforms. Since launching in 2010, the studio’s collaborations with agencies, brands and leading filmmakers have rendered scores of sensational projects across all markets and industries and earned award recognition from the Association of Independent Music, Communication Arts Magazine, the AICP, The One Club, and the Themed Entertainment Association. To learn more about Leviathan, please visit www.lvthn.com, or call executive producer Chad Hutson at +1.312.878.1500.
