Production team Radical Media Sydney worked with Amsterdam Worldwide on Intel ‘Batik Fractal’ film by Australian director Hannah Hilliard

September 16 2011, 8:55 am | BY Lynchy | 3 Comments

intel presents.jpgAmsterdam Worldwide, the international marketing communications agency, is launching the next instalment in a series of profile films for Intel, the global technology brand. Its latest work, called ‘Batik Fractal’, showcases Indonesia – a country steeped in ancient customs but fast becoming an important emerging market for Intel.

‘Batik Fractal’ further enhances Intel’s ‘Visibly Smart’ campaign, designed to highlight the brand’s 2nd Generation IntelCoreÔ Processor family. Amsterdam Worldwide’s previous profile films – ‘The Sartorialist’ and ‘Kitty & Lala’ – have both received global critical acclaim and attracted more than 12 million views across 198 countries.

‘Batik Fractal’ is a glimpse into the renaissance of modern Indonesia through the eyes of a young designer and businesswoman, Nancy Margried. Viewers witness how traditional batik methods are being transformed by 3D modelling software, helping local designers and everyday people realise their creative ambitions. Batik is an important cultural symbol of Indonesia – a fabric dyeing and printing method shrouded in meaning and mythology.

Nancy’s Bandung-based studio – also named Batik Fractal – specialises in creating batik fabric and clothing. While the traditional artisan methods of batik production prevail to ensure quality, new technology plays a central role in the design process. Using mathematical software, Nancy and her team are able to construct geometric ‘fractal’ diagrams to create intricate new batik patterns.

Amsterdam Worldwide’s film opens with scenes of busy Indonesian city streets and verdant rural landscapes, portrayed to echo the geometric design cues found in Batik Fractal’s work. The five-minute profile includes a tour of Indonesia’s sights and sounds – including bustling city markets and the iconic gardens of Taman Sari castle, – close-ups of new patterns being rendered with Batik Fractal’s software, and the process of creating batik prints. Viewers are given an insight into how Nancy recreates the patterns she finds in nature, architecture, art, and photography in her work. The film also includes a showcase of some of Batik Fractal’s latest creations, modelled by everyday people.

The cinematography portrays a sensitive, understated snapshot of a nation respectful of its unique culture, while searching for a way forward, incorporating technology into daily life. The overall effect is a stunning picture of a country at the crossroads of the ancient and modern.

Says Brian Elliott, founder and chief executive of Amsterdam Worldwide: “Batik Fractal’s work epitomises the independent, creative spirit celebrated by our Visual Life films. Indonesia is adopting technology on its own terms – it has the second largest Facebook community with 40 million users. Nancy and her team are at the forefront of where culture, technology, and commerce meet – themes central to Intel’s ‘Visibly Smart’ strategy.”

Johan Koning, Intel marketing manager and client creative lead for the Visibly Smart series, said: “Amsterdam Worldwide’s film is a microcosm of modern Indonesia and a poignant example of how Intel technology can bring ideas and inspiration to life. Batik Fractal’s fusion of mathematic 3D modelling software, design inspiration and traditional printing methods makes it an excellent addition to our Visibly Smart profile film series. This latest film demonstrates yet again the power technology holds to help people fulfil their potential and pursue their dreams – wherever they are.”

Amsterdam Worldwide delivered its first Intel profile film, ‘The Sartorialist’, in January 2011, marking the start of Intel’s ‘Visibly Smart’ consumer strategy.  ‘The Sartorialist’ documents the visual life and work of blogger and photographer Scott Schumann, and has received international plaudits, including a ONE Show Interactive pencil for long-form film, and a cinematography shortlist at the Clio Awards.

‘Kitty and Lala’, a film profiling young Chinese wedding photographers of the same name, followed in June. Following premieres in China and the USA views exceeded three million in the first ten days, and continue to grow as the film is unveiled around the world.

Radical Media, Sydney, are the production team who worked with Amsterdam Worldwide on the ‘Batik Fractal’ film, directed by Australian director Hannah Hilliard.

‘Batik Fractal’ premieres 12th September on TV in Indonesia. The film can be watched online at Intel Indonesia’s Facebook hub (in Bahasa)  – as well as the YouTube Intel hub (in English)