Investigation in Planetary Defense: Nelly Ben Hayoun and WeTransfer launch Powers of Ten
SEE THE POWER OF TEN SHORT VIDEOS ON WWW.WETRANSFER.COM
In a desire to always look beyond, to inspire and to share multidisciplinary practices and the scales of innovation, WeTransfer announces the launch of the Power of Ten Series in collaboration with their Head of Experiences Nelly Ben Hayoun. The series is inspired by 1977 designers Eames’ short film ‘Powers of Ten’ in which they depict the Relative Size of Things in the Universe based on a factor of ten.
A series of 18 original short films, present various scales of research in Planetary Defense, introducing digital audiences to the scale of the work of pioneer space scientists at NASA and the SETI (Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence) Institute. The stories will be shown to the worldwide leading transfer service its 30 million unique users.
“Charles and Ray Eames created a legendary film in 1977 demonstrating the relative size of things in the universe and the effect of adding a simple 0. This film has been viewed by millions and is a true testament to the powerhouse that is Eames.” Damian Bradfield
Director Nelly Ben Hayoun adds:
“The Power of Ten, is just the beginning of our investigation into the scales of innovation and research in science and other disciplines. At WeTransfer, we are curious and want to share new perspectives in human adventures with our users.”
Regarding the scientists showcased in WeTransfer’s Power of Ten, she adds:
“I had the opportunity to meet these incredible scientists while shooting a feature documentary called Disaster Playground. DISASTER PLAYGROUND (set for release on 2015, June 30),investigates the procedures in place to manage, assesses, and minimise the risks in the event of an asteroid collision with the earth. From NASA and the SETI Institute to the White House and United Nations,DISASTER PLAYGROUND follows the people who are responsible for protecting humanity from a potentially devastating asteroid impact.”
French electro musicians ED BANGER RECORDS provided tracks from their new album VANDROID for the Power of Ten soundtrack – the inspiration for which was fittingly taken from science fiction films.
Influenced by John Carpenter, Wendy Carlos, and Vladimir Cosma, the artists from Ed Banger Records have imagined the perfect soundtrack to an unreleased vintage B movie, VANDROID – a sci-fi action spectacular about a homemade humanoid robot gone awry.
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Interviews and further comment can be provided on request:
Press Contact WeTransfer
WeTransfer
Fatma Genç
Press Contact Nelly Ben Hayoun Studio
Hannah Fasching, Studio Manager at Nelly Ben Hayoun Studio
About WeTransfer
WeTransfer is a leading file transfer service based out of Amsterdam, providing a uniquely creative space for people to share files. Formed in 2009 by Bas Beerens and Nalden, WeTransfer was borne out of a simple need to provide a solution for people to send large files easily. The service now has 75 million monthly transfers and prides itself on its simplicity. The founders’ desire of producing “something their parents could use” has led the WeTransfer team to a free service without the complications of logins, signup forms, data capture and banner advertising.
WeTransfer is completely free when sending files of up to 2GB in size, or users can sign up to WeTransfer Plus for €10 a month for larger transfers to multiple recipients, storage space and the ability to personalise and secure a channel.
Instead of plastering the site with intrusive banner ads, the team has created a backdrop of curated wallpapers provided by a wide community of artists, illustrators, filmmakers, photographers and brands. The result is an enriched user experience to a backdrop of beautiful images. WeTransfer puts the love back into advertising
Start using WeTransfer immediately at: www.wetransfer.com/
About Disaster Playground
Welcome To the Real Armageddon!
Hollywood relies on Bruce Willis to save the world in Armageddon, but who are the real-life heroes seeking to save our civilisation from the next major asteroid impact?
One of Indiewire’s six highlights of SXSW 2015, selected at Sheffield 2015 and raved by SoundOnSight as ‘bombastic’, Disaster Playground investigates future outer space catastrophes and the procedures in place to manage, assess, and minimalize the risks.
The film follows scientists leading the monitoring and deflection of hazardous Near Earth Objects and the real-life procedures in place in the event of an asteroid collision with the earth. From NASA and the SETI Institute to the White House and the United Nations, DISASTER PLAYGROUND follows the people who are responsible for protecting humanity from a potentially devastating asteroid impact.
Music is by Ed Banger Records and The Prodigy.
Directed by Nelly Ben Hayoun, 66min, 2014, UK
Producer: Lisa James
Executive Producers: John Tobin & Mathew Trivett – Supported using public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England, co-commissioned through Broadway’s Near Now Programme
World release on June 30th, all digital platforms: www.disasterplayground.com
About Nelly Ben Hayoun
Ben Hayoun, Director of the International Space Orchestra at NASA Ames Research Center and Designer of Experiences at the SETI Institute, joined WeTransfer as Head of Experiences to design cosmic user experiences and partnerships back in December 2013. Since she took WeTransfer users in a spatial journey, documenting her bold experiential practice via WeTransfer full-screen. On her weekly We Transfer Visual Diary, she is already sharing her energy, critical thinking and spatial endeavor.
Dubbed the ‘Willy Wonka of Design and Science’, award-winning director and designer of experiences Nelly Ben Hayoun is a critical explorer, a fearless and passionate provocateur. In 2014 Wired magazine awarded her with a WIRED Innovation Fellowship for her work to date and its ‘significant impact on the world’ whilst in 2013, Icon Magazine touted Ben Hayoun as one of the 50 international designers “shaping the future”. Ben Hayoun previously collaborated with Beck, Bobby Womack, Damon Albarn, Maywa Denki, Bruce Sterling and Penguin Café in a musical collaboration that took music into space. Blasted from a Japanese launch pad in August 2013; she assembled the International Space Orchestra (ISO) – the world first orchestra of space scientists from NASA Ames Research Center. Ben Hayoun is a member of the International Astronautical Federation, Space Outreach and Education committee, her latest project Disaster Playground (2014) won the Arts Council England Exceptional Award. In her spare time she is training to be an astronaut.