Started in 2008, Vimeo’s Staff Pick program celebrates and awards creators who have challenged the status quo and ushered in a new vision for what video can do. Hand-selected by Vimeo’s curation team, the Staff Pick designation is a badge of honor for the creative community on Vimeo and spotlights the best short films on the internet. Generation Vimeo, Staff Pick’s 15-year anniversary campaign, invited 15 members of the Staff Picks community to curate video playlists, called Staff Pick Mixtapes, of their favorite Staff Picked Films – offering a special glimpse into the perspective of a community that celebrates the impact of boundary-pushing work and the power of video to inspire and enhance storytelling. In the first of three Staff Pick Mixtapes being shared exclusively on Talkhouse, High Maintenance creator-star Ben Sinclair shares six favorites from the back catalogue.
David by Zach Woods
Zach Woods’ masterclass in restraint – a pièce de résistance, if you will — of directing mega-talent in just two locations, and distilling their gifts down to their most authentic portrayals of dark emotions to a wildly comedic effect. Plus the best cover of Shania Twain I’ve ever heard.
Rachel by Andrew DeYoung
I’ve enjoyed everything that John, Kate, and director Andy DeYoung create — but for some reason this one gets me, and not just because of the tense set-up. There’s a sincerity to this party, laughing and joy that feels very real, and a sort of bottled magic that seems authentic and lived in.
That One Day by Crystal Moselle
The intimacy of Crystal Moselle’s camera work with a skateboard in Manhattan was the fully realized version of what we attempted with a bike in Brooklyn. The movement is nothing short of poetry.
How to Lose Weight in 4 Easy Steps by Benjamin Berman
Ben Berman is a self-starter supreme. Starring my dear friends Britt Lower and Beck Bennett, who commits heavily ;) And I’m blown away by the planning that this whole shoot involved. Sincere focus on a consistent voice over a long shoot — something all creatives could learn from.
Caroline by Logan George and Celine Held
I love Logan and Celine for how much they can do with so little. The tension skyrockets through the roof, and a feel for every character in the piece, flaws and all. They build tension in just a few minutes more than most movies do in over an hour.
Collective: Unconscious - a collection of shorts compiled by The Eyeslicer
I love the spirit of these shorts — to unite talent around the universality of dreams. Some of these shorts have been expanded into larger works; but more than anything, I love anything that brings an artistic community together.
