In DJ:LA, filmmakers Jerry Chan and Mitchel Dumlao combine the sights and sounds of Los Angeles with hip-hop music to create one of the most innovative short films I have ever seen.

Everything on screen relates to the music you hear: buses skip back and forth in sync with the scratches played by Dumlao, while treetops, street lights, and planes fly across the screen as if to mimick the visual interface of a step sequencer. It all makes for a pretty interesting watch, if you ask me.

Shooting the scenes wasn't an easy task, according to the filmmakers. Some pretty big risks were taken in obtaining footage for the film: "We drove across town... weaving through traffic... while running red lights and stop signs for visual effects purposes." Thankfully, no one was injured!

All in all, I would say running those red lights paid off. But don't take my word for it; see it for yourself. You can watch a preview of DJ:LA above, or catch the entire 4-minute film at SlamDance. Additionally, if you're going to be in the Los Angeles area in December, you can experience the film in all of its HD glory at HDFEST 2008!

[ Via: via: militantangeleno ]