Maison SELMER

[videos] Young motion designers take a look at the saxophone

[vidéos] De jeunes motion designers portent leur regard sur le saxophone
On the occasion of the SELMER saxophones centenary, we gave the floor to the students of the Gobelins - École de l'image, in order to have the young generation's point of view on the instrument…

The project
 

Created more than 50 years ago, GOBELINS is the reference school in the Visual Arts. It trains students in photography, animation, video and sound, graphic design/motion design, web and mobile design, multimedia communication and more recently video games.

In mid-June, we submitted to the Motion Design students an educational project around the 100 years of the SELMER saxophone. The pitch: to illustrate that, despite its age, the saxophone remains a modern instrument in line with the time spirit. The point of view of these creative young people interested us all the more since none of them was a musician; their fresh look gave rise to real nuggets!

Among more than 20 original creations, let's have a look at our favorite selection.

 

Our favorites ones
 

Joséphine - Loana Berbedj

For this film the student collected the testimony of Joséphinea 25-year-old saxophonist. She started playing the saxophone during the lockdown before recently buying her first SELMER, a Reference 54. Far from the emblematic figures of Jazz and the heritage with which we often associate this wind instrument, the young woman embodies a new generation of artists. Trained as a producer, she combines computer-assisted music and classical saxophone playing in her sound compositions. She thus integrates the saxophone in the register of current music such as pop, RnB or rap.

The scribbled line reinforces the learning dimension that Joséphine goes through. It also adds a feeling of proximity with the musician and her story.

 

Inventions - Thomas Bertrand

This educational film establishes a chronology in the invention of saxophones and their variations. It plunges us into history while reminding us that the instrument continues to reinvent itself year after year… The frantic arpeggios of Sylvain Rifflet (Double) perfectly accompany this notion of constant evolution.

The design of the film is reminiscent of inventors' sketches with its pencilled look. There is also a nod to the neon signs of jazz clubs in the bright blue titles.

 

Selmer talents - Robin Steele

The saxophone is seen here as a witness and actor in the evolution of jazz and music throughout the 20th century. Jazz has been renewed through the ages and the musicians, and has paved the way for many contemporary musical styles. This film celebrates its legacy through its great Masters, making the connection between the listening media of the time (vinyl, jukebox, cassettes...) and today's streaming platforms. The vintage aesthetic with its full and textured forms also reminds us of the old jazz posters.

We also salute the choice of music: Laurent Bardainne wonderfully embarks us through the decades with the title La vie, la vie, la vie.

 

Possession - Antonin Guittard

This psychedelic creation illustrates the symbiosis between an artist and his instrument. The musician discovers the instrument, slowly falls into its arms and becomes "possessed" by the instrument, thus giving birth to a new entity…

This mystical transformation is accompanied by an equally bewitching sound: A certain Trip by Guillaume Perret.

 

A travers les (nu)âges - Aurore Vigneron

A journey between heaven and earth, in the heart of the history of Henri SELMER Paris! We meet Henri Selmer, the founder, then his descendants, before going through the workshops where the whole family of saxophones is made. The instruments are then sent to the mainland, where they are the joy of many musicians...

Through this narration, we switch little by little from a past world (black and white archive images, dated documents, old machinery…) to a modern world (TGV, skyscrapers, smartphone, tablet…).


Henri SELMER Paris warmly thanks all the students of the Gobelins school, who contributed to the project and in particular Audrey Dauxais and Arnaud Lacaze-Masmonteil for having made this collaboration possible.

 

Learn more about the invention of the saxophone
 ► Discover our saxophones