Visual artist Max Hattler and advertising agency Contrapunto BBDO have collaborated to create abstract political short film Stop the Show (aka WAR). The film, commissioned by Amnesty International, is a reference to international relations and arms trade. The campaign was created in support of a United Nations treaty to regulate the arms trade between countries and reduce worldwide killings through firearms. Inspired by Collision.
- Best Commissioned Film, Bradford Animation Festival, UK, 2014
- Special Mention, One Shot International Short Film Festival, Armenia, 2014
- Honourable Mention, Visual Music Award, Germany, 2014
- Bronze Design Lion, Cannes Lions Festival, France, 2013
- Silver Award Public Good, FIAP - Festival Iberoamericano de la Publicidad, Miami, 2013
- Bronze Award Sound Design, FIAP - Festival Iberoamericano de la Publicidad, Miami, 2013
- Design Merit Award Broadcast and Moving Image / Broadcast Design, One Show, 2013
- Design Merit Award Craft / Animation, One Show, NYC, 2013
- Finalist - Audiovisuals, Laus Awards, Barcelona, Spain, 2013
"Max Hattler Stops the Show for Amnesty International. Visual artist Max Hattler and advertising agency Contrapunto BBDO have collaborated to create an abstract political short film, Stop the Show, or Frena el Espectaculo. The film, commissioned by Amnesty International, is a reference to international relations and arms trade. The campaign was created in support of a United Nations treaty to regulate the arms trade between countries and reduce worldwide killings through firearms. Stop the Show was inspired by Hattler’s award-winning 2005 project, Collision, which uses Islamic and American quilt patters along with the colors and geometry of flags as an abstract field of reflection." Jennifer Wolfe, Animation World Network, Mar 2013
SCREENINGS 2015-2018
- Torrance Art Museum, Torrance, CA, USA, 21 Jul - 14 Dec 2018 (artvideokoeln WOW.04 screening)
- London Animation Club, London, 1 Aug 2017 (Max Hattler Returns to... talk/screening)
- WOW.04 CologneOFF 2017 Greece, TWIXTlab, Athens, Greece, 6-7 May 2017
- Institute for Media and Communication Studies, University of Mannheim, Mannheim, Germany, 24 Oct 2016 ('Animation Art and Video Activism' lecture)
- Children’s Film Festival, Northwest Film Forum, Seattle, USA, 21-31 Jan 2016
- Summit At Sea, Miami and International Waters, 13-16 Nov 2015
- The Myth of the Eternal Return, Erarta Contemporary Art Museum and Galleries as part of Multivision Festival, St. Petersburg, Russia, 22 Oct - 9 Nov 2015
- KROK Festival, on board the ship Konstantin Simonov following the route Moscow - Dubna - Cherepovets - Goricy - Petrozavodsk - Mandrogi - St. Petersburg, Russia, 20-28 Sep 2015
- Open-Air Filmfest Weiterstadt, Germany, 13-17 Aug 2015
- O Sol da Caparica, Costa da Caparica, Portugal, 13-16 Aug 2015
- Supertoon Festival, Sibenik, Croatia, 26-31 Jul 2015
- Anima Mundi, Brazil, Rio de Janeiro 10-15 Jul, Sao Paulo 17-22 Jul 2015
- FONLAD, Espacio Particula, Coimbra, Portugal, 8 May 2015 (Festival Miden screening curated by Ioanna Dimitrakopoulou-Koutava & Terpsi Kontargyri)
- 3rd International Motion Festival, Nicosia, Cyprus, 26-29 Mar 2015
- ClujShorts, Cluj, Romania, 23-29 Mar 2015
- Monstra Festival, Lisbon, Portugal, 16-22 Mar 2015
2014
- Bogoshorts - Bogota International Short Film Festival, Colombia, 2-9 Dec
- Euroshorts, Gdansk, Warszawa and Katowice, Poland, 24-30 Nov
- L'Alternativa, Barcelona, Spain, 17-23 Nov
- Bradford Animation Festival, Bradford, UK, 17-22 Nov
- At Home with the Ludskis no. 13, Rio Cinema, Dalston, London 15 Nov
- St. Louis International Film Festival, St. Louis, USA, 13-23 Nov
- Ojai Film Festival, Ojai, California, USA, 6-10 Nov
- DOTMOV Festival, Japan + world tour, 1 Nov - through 2015
- Animae Caribe Festival, Trinidad, 27 Oct - 2 Nov
- Visionio Corte, Minturno, Italy, 14-18 Oct
- Lucca Film Festival, Lucca, Italy, 28 Sep - 3 Oct
- CologneOFF, Onomato e.V. art association, Düsseldorf, Germany, 25 Sep
- Expotoons Int'l Animation Festival, Buenos Aires, Argentina, 18-21 Sep
- Ottawa International Animation Festival, Ottawa, Canada, 17-21 Sep
- Ars Electronica Festival, Linz, Austria, 4-8 Sep
- Shorts Attack: Kriegsspiele! Germany, 28 Aug - 27 Sep (touring programme)
- FILE - Electronic Language International Festival, Sao Paulo, Brazil, 26 Aug - 7 Sep
- 13th International Kansk Video Festival, Kansk, Siberia, Russia, 23-30 Aug
- Supertoon Festival, Sibenic, Croatia, 27 Jul - 1 Aug
- Animasivo, Mexico City, Mexico, 23-27 Jul
- Open Eyes, Marburg, Germany, 18-19 Jul
- Festival Miden, Kalamata, Greece, 3-5 Jul
- East End Film Festival, London, 23 Jun
- Cafe croissants - Ateliers d'Animation d'Annecy, Les Nemours, Annecy, France, 15-20 Jun
- Animafest, Zagreb, Croatia, 3-8 Jun
- One Shot International Short Film Festival, Yerevan, Armenia, 1-8 Jun
- Backup Festival, Weimar, Germany, 21-25 May
- Golden Kuker International Animation Film Festival, Sofia, Bulgaria, 12-18 May
- ITFS, Stuttgart, Germany, 25 Apr (nominated for Animated Com Award)
- 57th San Francisco International Film Festival, SF, CA, USA, 24 Apr - 8 May
- EMAF, Osnabrück, Germany, 23-27 Apr
- Future Film Festival, Bologna, Italy, 1-6 Apr
- Visual Music Award, Gelnhausen, Germany, 28 Mar (nominated for Visual Music Award)
"Max Hattler's 'Stop the Show' is a short film produced using kaleidoscopic animation that delivers a powerful visual message to the international community on the need to put an end to global weapons trading. The opening scene depicts bullets hitting their target, then flags of weapon trading countries unfurl on the screen. In an instant the audience is transported into the middle of a battle. Flamboyant graphics contrast with the vivid sounds of war, eliciting cries of admiration, but then suddenly, the screams and horrific sounds of war take their breath away in fear. The impact of images is extremely powerful, the message is clear, it hypnotizes the audience; vivid images shock yet feed their imagination. Terror is inflicted on their consciousness as they begin to realize how the maniacs of war see things. Rather than using the typical advertising images found in conventional public service messages that tend to appeal to the emotions, this visual recreation of war using symbols and dramatic projection delivers a powerful and deep resonance that is not easy to forget." Ki Young Park, DOTMOV 2014
2013
- KLIK! Amsterdam Animation Festival, Amsterdam, Holland, 12-17 Nov
- Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts - HSLU, Switzerland, 9 Oct (lecture)
- One Minute Film & Video Festival, Aarau, Switzerland, 22-25 Aug
- Laus Awards at fadfest, Barcelona, Spain, 25 Jun - 11 Jul
- Cannes Lions Festival, Cannes, France, 16-22 Jun
- Schaustelle, Munich, Germany, 15+16 Jun (Max Hattler: Selected Works)
- El Sol Festival, Bilbao, Spain, 30 May - 1 Jun
- The Animation Workshop, VIA University College, Viborg, Denmark, 21 May (artist talk)
- FIAP - Festival Iberoamericano de la Publicidad, Miami, USA, May
- One Show, New York City, USA, May
- AniFest, Teplice, Czech Republic, 27 Apr (lecture)
- London College of Communication, London, UK, 17 Apr (lecture)
- Frenz: Art in April, Strongroom, London, UK, 17 Apr (screening/talk)
- 6 Million Ways of Getting into the Arts, University of Salford, MediaCityUK, 16 Mar (talk)
- Plymouth College of Art, Plymouth, UK, 8 Mar (lecture)
"Visualisierung zum Waffenhandel. Max Hattler hat für Amnesty International eine Kaleidoskop-Animation kreiert, welche die Nationalflaggen von Waffen produzierenden Staaten als visuelles Feuerwerk vermengt. Eine Vorliebe von Visual Artist und Motion Designer Max Hattler sind kaleidoskopartige Animationen, unter anderem designte er eine eigene mobile Applikation zum Thema für Nokias Lumia Smartphone-Serie. In seiner aktuellen Arbeit für Amnesty International, Stop The Show, thematisiert er in Kollaboration mit der Agentur BBDO den internationalen Waffenhandel als animiertes Prisma. Dieses vermischt die Nationalflaggen von Waffen produzierenden Nationen als psychedelisch. Die Aktion von Amnesty International soll auf einen Vertrag der Vereinten Nationen aufmerksam machen, der diesen Monat den Waffenhandel weltweit regulieren soll." Verena Dauerer, PAGE Online, Mar 2013
BROADCAST ETC.
- Best-Of Ars Electronica Festival BluRay DVD, Austria, 2014
- L'Oeil de Links, Canal+, France, 2013
- Web campaign, launched Mar 2013
CREDITS
Title: Stop the Show
Alternative titles: WAR, Frena el espectaculo, Frena el espectaculo de las armas
Director: Max Hattler
Production: Max Hattler
Client: Amnesty International (Spain)
Agency: Contrapunto BBDO
Sector: NGO
Creative Directors: Carlos Jorge, Felix del Valle
Art Directors: Aurora Hidalgo, Raul Lopez, Max Hattler
Editors: Aurora Hidalgo, Raul Lopez
Client Services: Paco Ribera
Client Contact: Miguel Angel Calderon
Account Manager: Lorena Landau
Account Executive: Leticia Gutierrez
After Effects: Victor Bregante
Sound/Music: Oeo, Max Hattler
Length: 1'00"
Year: 2013
"La nueva campaña Frena el espectáculo de Amnistía Internacional. La campaña “Frena el espectáculo” de Amnistía Internacional nace con el objetivo de apoyar un Tratado de Naciones Unidas que regule el tráfico de armas entre los países. Una reivindicación de Amnistía, para conseguir frenar el número de personas muertas en el mundo por armas de fuego. Este audiovisual denuncia la responsabilidad que tienen los estados al no regular el tráfico de armas. La existencia de un mercado de armas que no está sometido a ningún control, hace que cada año se pierdan centenares de miles de vidas y se cometan miles de situaciones en donde se vulneran los derechos humanos. De forma simbólica y utilizando códigos propios de la animación y del video arte, vemos como los símbolos de las banderas de varios estados, se convierten, mediante una animación caleidoscópica, en explosiones y en máquinas de matar. ContrapuntoBBDO mantiene una relación con Amnistía Internacional desde hace más de diez años. La agencia en este caso, ha contado con la ayuda del videoartista y animador alemán Max Hattler, cuya colaboración ha sido fundamental para crear una pieza en donde se consiga transmitir el sufrimiento y la sensación de angustia que supone un conflicto bélico. La campaña se difundió a través de las redes sociales de Amnistía Internacional España y en cines. También se va a distribuir entre las secciones de Amnistía de Latinoamérica." Solomarketing, Mar 2013
"For its political engagement as well as the way it uses striking design and animation to bring to the screen a very contemporary issue." Best Commissioned Film, Bradford Animation Festival 2014
"Smart and aesthetic portrayal of political references within animation." Special Mention, One Shot ISFF 2014
"Sensual symbolism. Some political videos do not represent a concrete world at all, but rather cluster their affective cues on other layers of the affective structure, for example, the perception of audiovisual forms, the understanding of abstract meanings or the reflection about communicative contexts. A case in point is Amnesty International: Stop the Show (2013), an animation short created by visual artist Max Hattler.The film was part of an international campaign supporting a UN treaty to regulate the arms trade. It starts with black crosshairs on a white background and the sound of releasing a gun. The crosshairs are then replaced by a flurry of kaleidoscopic op-art transformations of political symbols in the colours of flags: the US stars and stripes, the star and crescent in black and green, the blue and white star of David, the yellow stars on a blue background of the flag of the European Union. Faster and faster, bigger and bigger, louder and louder, these and other symbols clash in ever-changing centrifugal movements, accompanied by threatening background noise, culture-specific sound bites, cries, shots and explosions. After a climax, the sound suddenly fades out, and a slogan in black and white appears: 'Stop this cruel show // Support us / to pressure our governments / to regulate the international / arms trade: On layer (1), the video starts with ambivalent affects; the colourfulness, symmetry and formal variation of the visual track can be experienced as pleasant, but the sounds are subtly threatening. When speed and loudness increase, unpleasant feelings of perceptual overstrain arise, until sudden silence and whiteness create a sensual shock. On the meaning layer (3), the political symbols are affectively charged (relative to group memberships); however, the explicit message of the slogan is more salient. Depending on the viewers' attitude, probable responses will either be feelings of pleased agreement, puzzlement or angry dissent. Reflecting about production contexts (layer 4), many will admire Hattler's innovative artwork and morally approve of Amnesty International's initiative. Altogether, the affective response will not be very intense. Nevertheless, the video still contributed to directing attention to the decade-long campaign which in 2013 finally lead to the adoption of the Arms Trade Treaty by the UN. Generally, this example illustrates how sensually symbolist videos ground responses to higher-level meanings and reflections in perceptual affects." Image Operations: Visual Media and Political Conflict (2016: 70-71)
"Max Hattler's Stop the Show, created for Amnesty International, uses kaleidoscopic animation to symbolically denounce the lack of will exhibited by various global states to put in place robust regulatory controls for the arms trade." Backup Festival 2014
"Geballte Kraft verpackt in farbvoll animierten Prismen. Stop the Show aka War von Max Hattler ist ein abstrakter politischer Kurzfilm, der auf den internationalen Waffenhandel verweist und zeigt, wie man auch ohne viele Worte ein wirksames Statement setzen kann. Dafür erhielt er u.a. eine VMA Auszeichnung 2014." Visual Music Award 2014
"Great design for a great cause, now there is a winning combination. Amnesty International called upon the expertise of visual artist Max Hattler and agency Contrapunto BBDO to create this amazing campaign for the UN treaty to reduce the international arms trade. The abstract political film features a kaleidoscope of colors and sounds, based on Hattler’s 2005 short featuring Islamic and American motifs." Amanda Jakubik, Trendland, Mar 2013
"Max est un artiste engagé sur le front de l'abstraction et pour la paix. Il a réalisé un kaléidoscope à l'aide de drapeaux de pays impliqués dans la vente d'armes pour le compte d'une organisation humanitaire. Nous parlons bien des ventes d'armes officielles. Pour les trafics illégaux, la corruption, les écoutes interdites, les violations des droits de l'homme, etc, il faudra malheureusement plus qu'un kaléidoscope..." Canal+ blog, Apr 2014
"Le Londonien Max Hattler est un cinéaste d’animation qui travaille le plus souvent à partir de motifs abstraits. Pour l’association Amnesty International, il a réalisé STOP THE SHOW (le show en question étant la guerre), un collage kaléidoscopique et en accéléré de tous les drapeaux et bannières des pays marchands d’armes." Canal+ blog, Oct 2013
"Max's latest project, the Kaleidoscopic animation, Stop The Show, was created on behalf of Amnesty International in association with Contrapunto BBDO agency. Utilising design elements lifted from the flags of several states, Max beautifully illustrates Amnesty's latest campaign in support of a United Nations treaty to regulate the arms trade between countries." Anifest 2013 catalogue
"... impeccable design skills and sound synchronization chops." Sean Uyehara, San Francisco International Film Festival, 2014
"Flaggen-Mashup. Symbolgeladene Techno-Animation, die im Krieg der Nationen die Flaggen hisst und sie aufeinander loslässt." Shorts Attack, 2014
"STOP THE SHOW – by Max Hattler. bunt – laut – tödlich." Interfilm Blog, Apr 2013
"Contrapunto BBDO y Max Hattler se unen para Amnistía Internacional. La campaña 'Frena el espectáculo' de Amnistía Internacional nace con el objetivo de apoyar un Tratado de Naciones Unidas que regule el tráfico de armas entre los países. Una reivindicación de Amnistía, para conseguir frenar el número de personas muertas en el mundo por armas de fuego. Este audiovisual denuncia la responsabilidad que tienen los estados al no regular el tráfico de armas. De forma simbólica y utilizando códigos propios de la animación y del video arte, vemos cómo los símbolos de las banderas de varios estados, se convierten, mediante una animación caleidoscópica, en explosiones y en máquinas de matar. Contrapunto BBDO mantiene una relación con Amnistía Internacional desde hace más de diez años. La agencia en este caso, ha contado con la ayuda del videoartista y animador alemán Max Hattler, cuya colaboración ha sido fundamental para crear una pieza en donde se consiga transmitir el sufrimiento y la sensación de angustia que supone un conflicto bélico. La campaña se difundió a través de las redes sociales de Amnistía Internacional España y en cines. También se va a distribuir entre las secciones de Amnistía de Latinoamérica." El Periodico de la Publicidad, Mar 2013
"Max Hattler’s 'Stop the Show – Frena el Espectaculo', created for Amnesty International in association with Contrapunto BBDO, uses kaleidoscopic animation to symbolically denounce the lack of will exhibited by a various global states to put in place robust regulatory controls for the arms trade." Directors Notes, Mar 2013
"Frena este espectáculo. Parecen fuegos artificiales pero pronto se percibe que no lo son. La mira del artista audiovisual, Max Hattler, apunta a los conflictos armados responsables por la muerte de una persona en el mundo, a cada minuto que pasa. Conflictos alimentados por un mercado que mueve algo como 340 millones de euros, 640 millones de armas y 12.000 millones de balas al año. Este mes, las Naciones Unidas estudian la aprobación de un tratado que regule el comercio internacional de armas. Para apoyar la iniciativa, Amnistía Internacional y el artista se han unido en la creación de este spot que deja los pelos de punta. Conocido por su implicación política, Max Hattler sigue la linea de su galardonado ‘Collision’ (2005), un corto de animación abstracta donde, como aquí, las banderas de los países se convierten en un caleidoscópio de colores capaz de matar." Seiyu Magazine, Mar 2013
"Max Hattler For Amnesty International. Max Hattler's latest kaleidoscopic animation, 'Stop The Show', was created on behalf of Amnesty International in association with Contrapunto BBDO agency. Utilising design elements lifted from the flags of several states Max beautifully illustrates Amnesty's latest campaign in support of a United Nations treaty to regulate the arms trade between countries." Animated Review, Mar 2013
"Un caleidoscopio contra el tráfico de armas | Amnistía Internacional. Esta campaña, titulada Frena el espectáculo, cuenta con la colaboración del videoartista Max Hattler. Y se nota. La creatividad, diseñada por Contrapunto BBDO, tiene un toque de arte contemporáneo que le aporta mucha calidad. La composición de imágenes de banderas girando como en un caleidoscopio, se convierte en un espectáculo del que no puedes apartar la vista. Unido al audio, el efecto es sobrecogedor. Gran concepto y gran pieza, firmada por Amnistía Internacional, para apoyar que los gobiernos regulen el comercio internacional de armas." Chip Creativo, Mar 2013
"Ay qué nos gustan los caleidoscopios, no en balde nuestra web hace honor a estos divertidos y curiosos instrumentos inventados por David Brewster. Pues no somos los únicos que los amamos y cuentan con su magia para transmitir un mensaje; Amnistía Internacional ha lanzado una campaña contra el tráfico de armas llamada Frena el espectáculo. Cuenta con la creatividad diseñada por Contrapunto BBDO y la colaboración del videoartista Max Hattler. Todo ello da como resultado una obra colorida, contemporánea y tremendamente visual. Que ofrece una combinación perfecta entre imagen, sonido y el efecto estrella del espectáculo de efectos que forman las banderas al girar simulando un caleidoscopio." Calei2copico Publicidad, Mar 2013