If you’re walking through the Short North in the near future, you might notice a unique sight that is undeniably eye-catching.
A recent video-art installation, “Le Voyeur,” is being played from the floor-to-ceiling studio windows of Launch Farm, a brand accelerator aiding clients in successful marketing, at 772 North High St.
Launch farm has teamed up with emerging Columbus filmmaker Ilke Akcasoy to show how normalized the act of stalking has become in our privacy-confused world, said Christian Deuber, founder and principal of Launch Farm.
As a fan of guerilla marketing and non-traditional ways of brand communication, Deuber is “committed to cranking up the volume regarding the Columbus Creative Class and if we can help launch the career of an inspired, local artist – we are all for it.”
Ilke had posed as an official document courier to get a face-to-face meeting at Launch Farm.
“I was very impressed with Ilke’s tenacity to get her foot in the door here,” he said “I mentioned to Ilke that I would be happy to partner with her if she could come up with a compelling video concept to project in the studio windows here at night.”
Deuber said that the creative and engaging nature of the video is a perfect reflection on Launch Farm, showcasing an aspect of what content marketing can be, as well as a deeper message that points to the new normalcy of privacy in the digital age.
“On any given day, hundreds of Short North shoppers, diners, cyclists and motorists whiz by with necks craned to see what’s going on in the studio upstairs,” Deuber said. “To flip the script, we filmed a group of models inside our studio staring out the windows at the passersby. Now the window looking in becomes the window looking out.”
“This feeling of having your privacy invaded is a core driver of Ilke’s video,” he said.
Deuber said the first goal for the video was to get local traffic to look up and take notice of Launch Farm.
“Once we got viewers attention, the hope was that people would be surprised and possibly a little freaked out as giant eyeballs followed them down the street,” said Deuber.
With the success and feedback from Le Voyeur, Launch Farm could be working with other local animators, photographers and filmmakers to showcase their talents throughout the summer, according to Deuber.
“I’ve witnessed several near accidents on High Street as drivers crane their necks to see what’s going on,” Deuber said. “We certainly don’t want to injure anyone, but it is nice to know that we are getting everyone’s attention.”
“Le Voyeur” runs every night about 8 p.m. to midnight through mid April.
