Obviously not completely satisfied with simply being one of the world’s most renowned and impressive music producers and owner of his own record label, Flying Lotus has announced his move into film production, with his first debuting at LA’s Sundance NEXT FEST on August 14. Royal, which Flylo has directed under his new film moniker steve (that’s right, all lower case), is a story of humanity and love, post-apocalypse. It’s also set to include some new music by him, and as this tweet by Niki Randa would suggest, some past collaborators.
The news comes with the exciting announcement that FlyLo’s imprint label Brainfeeder has now opened its own film division, under which the film, and presumably more to come, will be released.
He went on to reveal that David Firth, who anyone over the age of about 25 might remember for the weird and wonderful Salad Fingers, one of the first viral animations to ever hit the internet pre-social media, has been teaching him animation, and that he was Brainfeeder’s film division’s first signee. He also announced that new music would be featured in the film.
The @sundancefest #nextfest Directorial World Premiere of @flyinglotus film"ROYAL"
Craziest thing Ive ever worked on pic.twitter.com/p6QnRdDSn3— niki randa (@nikalotta) July 6, 2016
While FlyLo does have a history in film – having studied at the Los Angeles Film School before pursuing his music career, soundtracking a previous Sundance premiere, FUCKKKYOUUU, and to a lesser extent the role of projection in his live shows – this decision to direct comes from a very unlikely source of inspiration. Posting to Twitter, FlyLo’s cited a gif of himself and Thom Yorke, DJing and having a small but heated exchange over leaving a party, as the reason he wanted to start making movies again.
In October of last year there was this pretty awesome gif going around of me and Thom Yorke djing. pic.twitter.com/l09Y48Gvhq
— FLYLO (@flyinglotus) July 6, 2016
I was fixated on this for a whole day and thought. Shit. I can make stuff like that
— FLYLO (@flyinglotus) July 6, 2016
So now after lots of toiling tinkering begging and bothering I'm able to tell u this. Brainfeeder has started a film division
— FLYLO (@flyinglotus) July 6, 2016
It started off with an animation and became something else..@DAVID_FIRTH started teaching me animation. So he was the first person I signed
— FLYLO (@flyinglotus) July 6, 2016
My first thing is called "Royal" it's an awkward love story that's definitely not for the kiddies. It will debut at the Sundance /Next fest
— FLYLO (@flyinglotus) July 6, 2016
I know I usually deliver album news around now but look at this face…. pic.twitter.com/ZP7InDfMuo
— FLYLO (@flyinglotus) July 6, 2016
There will obviously be music
— FLYLO (@flyinglotus) July 6, 2016
There's so much I wanna say about all this stuff. I knw the world is crazy. I just wanna entertain u
— FLYLO (@flyinglotus) July 6, 2016
Come see my directorial debut "Royal" at Sundance / next fest in LA this August. Let my unfiltered imagination wash over your lovely face.
— FLYLO (@flyinglotus) July 6, 2016
https://twitter.com/flyinglotus/status/750771327620026369
Oh, and he left one more surprise:
Also , I've been making sure y'all have a new @Thundercat album this year 😉
— FLYLO (@flyinglotus) July 6, 2016
Who’ll be next to sign? What can we expect? The possibilities are endless, and so exciting.
Image: Redbrick