If you are in Coppenhagen this weekend, come check out our stand at the GALLERY show!  Surface to Air will be exhibiting until tomorrow, February 4th at Scandinavia’s favorite contemporary trade fair. The future is definetly winning for us here!

M.I.A strikes again with an amazing clip for her new single “Bad Girls” directed by Romain Gavras.

Well done Romain!

Mike Kelley, one of the most important contemporary artist of the last decade just passed away last night. To pay tribute to this very influential artist here is a review of his works below.

R.I.P Mike Kelley.

Following our men’s corner at Le Printemps, yesterday was the unveiling of our brand new women’s corner!

You can find all of Surface to Air men’s & women’s latest collections there.

Le Printemps

Homme & Femme Buildings

64, bd Haussmann
75009 Paris – France

1. Black Sabbath – Iron Man

2. Entombed – Stranger Aeons

3. Slayer -Raining Blood

4. Sepultura – Refuse/Resist

5. Metallica – Enter Sandman

6. Ministry – Just One Fix

7. Powermad – Slaughter House

8. Pantera – Walk

Yes Pedro !

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/27/arts/27iht-pedrowinter27.html?pagewanted=2&_r=1

Our good friend Alex is a man of many hats. With the amount of things he’s done over the years your eyes would have come across his work, most likely without even realising it. He’s done record covers and video clips for all those french bands that you like and he even knows Bono! And that White Stripes clip. Yep, that was also him. If Alex was a sponge of creativity, you’d think he’d be wrung out by now. But he’s only getting started by the looks of it. He has recently turned to directing feature films; starting with the horror flick « The Incident », with another feature film (this time a comedy) in post-production and other projects in the works; Alex is well and truly one to watch out for!

Not only that; he’s a damn nice guy!

Félix Antoine: What’s your link to S2A? 

Alex Courtès: I’m a friend of Jérémie . I met him with Martial, his cousin, who is also a friend of mine and we were all directors at Partizan few years ago.

FA: How did you become a director?

AC: I’ve always been in love with images. I began with graphic design, making a lot of record sleeve covers. Then with my ex-collaborator, Martin, we suggested to our friends Cassius to direct a video clip for them and so we made «1999». One thing lead to another and that’s how we started making video clips.

FA: You’ve also made a lot of record covers for bands such as Air and Cassius?

AC: Yes, I also did one for Phoenix «If I Ever Feel Better», but mostly for Cassius actually because they’re friends.

Art direction for Cassius “1999″

FA: How did this project come into being?

AC: I met a producer who asked me if I wanted to film a horror movie. The project was exciting so I said: let’s do it! Also, the story is American. And for the storyboard, as i’m a draftsman, i decided to do it. I storyboarded about 75% of the movie.

FA: How was it on set?

AC: Firstly, it’s much longer than a video clip. We shot for six weeks or something, which was really a new experience for me. I had never shot for more than 3 days on a video clip or an advert. It was a big jump. You don’t sleep for 6 weeks but it was very good.

FC: How did you feel during the shoot? Stressed? Anxious?

AC: I’d say a bit anxious. After that it’s like a slow motion car accident. Everything is ok but you have to control things and try to fix things up as they happen. But I felt at home, it worked.

FA: Should all directors make commercials/music videos? Is it all good practice?

AC: Yes, really. But every experience is important. In my case, it’s been really good to manage my time.

FA: Can you tell me about the plot?

AC: The movie takes places in a mental asylum. Some kids in a rock band work in the kitchen there to earn some money. On a stormy night, they are asked to help bring the detainees to their cells but things turn out badly…

FA: Where did your inspiration come for the movie?

AC: The film takes place in 1989 so I put in all the things I loved from that era. I did a lot of research in terms of graphics, aesthetics, style and music. I tried to put in all the period references I found.

FA: When is it coming out?

AC: We don’t know yet. For the moment we are going to the festivals. We’ve already done Toronto and we’re going to Gerardmer at the end of the month.

FA: How was the reaction of the audience in Toronto?

AC: It was really good. Two people even passed out during the screening! (laugh)

Art direction for Daft Punk “Discovery”

 FA: When you film a video clip, where do you start?

AC: It depends. We can have some idea at the start. For example, if the band want to perform in the clip or not, if they want to appear in it, if they want it can be given a particular theme or a technique. There is no brainstorming with the group. Firstly, I try to understand what they’re talking about in the song and then I enjoy getting a feel for it.

FA: Tell me about the video clip you just directed, Justice «On’n’on» ?

AC: It talks about themes of vanity, an eternal new beginning of life. It’s a sort of cosmic representation with many references. Everyone can make his own story. Finally, we shot objects, people and the band for 3 days with a motion control technique. It’s coming out on the 19th january.

FA: What did you think about the Justice cover made by Jérémie and Charlotte (S2A Studio)?

AC: Really nice, I loved it.

FA: What are your upcoming projects ?

AC: I’m working on some ads but I can’t stop thinking about a new feature film project.

FA: Always in the horror genre?

AC: Not necessarily. For example, I just finished a comedy film “Les Infidèles”.

FA: You are huge fan of Russ Meyer, right? Do you prefer blondes or brunettes?

AC: I don’t know really, I love both of them. Two of Russ Meyer’s films have really blown my mind: “Faster Pussycat” and “Beyond The Valley Death”.

FA: What’s your favourite meal?

AC: At the moment I love Nobu Black Cod with miso. It’s a japanese recipe. It’s really good.

FA: What’s the stupidest thing you’ve ever done?

AC: That would have to be finding myself in a car with some drug dealers and crossing a border. We got stopped by Customs but luckily they let us through!

FA: Your biggest extravagance?

AC: I was pretty sensible as a child… so I’d say it’s got to be my new car: a Bertone coupé! (below)

VIDEO CLIP DIRECTED BY ALEXANDRE COURTÈS

Justice “On’n'On” (2011)

The White Stripes “Seven Nation Army” (2003)

Cassius “The Sound Of Violence” (2002)

Phoenix “If I Ever Feel Better” (1999)

U2 “Vertigo” (2004)

OTHER WORKS :

DESIGN

Daft Punk helmets

ART DIRECTION

Sébastien Tellier “Politics”

Cassius “1999″

Phoenix “United”

Daft Punk “Discovery”

Kavinsky logo

Étienne de Crécy live 2010

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‘MEET’ is a series of interviews with friends of S2A where we catch up on their lives, their current projects, their creativity, inspiration and whatever else happens to be on their minds!

SHOP OUR FINAL SALE OF -50% OFF ON OUR ENTIRE A/W11 COLLECTION!

The gorgeous Miss Solweig Rediger-Lizlow (CANAL + newest weather babe) wearing our popular Horizontal Regular Jeans & Drape Fleece Cardigan featured in the upcoming issue of French ELLE Magazine. Both items available on sale now!

Here’s the video for Justice’s new single “On’n'On’ directed by our friend Alexandre Courtès.