The Standard

Today is the day we introduce the 3rd video commissioned by The Standard and WeSC for our travel inspired capsule collection. The mission was simple. Shoot a short film at one of our hotels while sharing the beautiful product. Here’s STEED LORD with their assignment at The Standard Downtown LA (see video below). STEED LORD is a musical performance art project from Iceland working on the frontiers of pure creativity. They’re a music making machine with impressive and energetic live performances, experimental filmmaking, photography, fashion, graphic design, styling, art direction, and other visual mediums. Here’s a chat with the Icelandic threesome – KALI, MEGA and DEMO.

The Standard: You are a part of the arts project created for the WeSC x The Standard Collaboration. Could you tell us a bit how that came about?

STEED LORD: Well, we have been WeActivists since 2007 and through the years we have worked on a bunch of fun projects with WeSC, so when they approached us about The Standard project we thought the general idea was very exciting and inspiring for us to be able to showcase our film side because aside from being a band, we are also experimental filmmakers and we make our own music videos and stuff.

In your Standard/WeSC film, describe the world you have created, and why?

The film is about two humans traveling though the same city, same hotel room, same streets, but at different times… or are they? It is a take on our travels around the world and the jet lagged and dreamy mind states we are in when we wake up in a hotel room in another continent….. with a slight cinematic twist. We want to know what people make of the story themselves.

At what age did you first fall in love with filmmaking, and how did you experiment to get it out of your system?

Mega: Well our father Egill Edvardsson is one of Iceland´s veteran filmmakers and TV producers so we grew up on movie sets and around him shooting commercials and TV shows, so for us film making is a very natural way to express ourselves. We come from a family of filmmakers, photographers and artists, and of course we are all huge movies buffs. Many films inspire our music, filmmaking and art.

When you travel, what are the top 5 things that must be on your person?

iPad, headphones, passport, warm socks, and sunglasses.

Please share one director/film that changed your life? Why?

Blade Runner, it´s a masterpiece. Every frame is perfect and the set design, art direction, acting, casting… all is mind blowing. We are Ridley Scott fans. We also adore the gangster mentality of Michael Mann and all his movies. These two directors and many more have inspired us in our music and filmmaking. And don´t get us started on Dune and David Lynch or Scorsese… sorry that was more than one. It can never be one.

What is your favorite unassuming corner of The Standard Hotel in your city?

The free standing electronic organ that is in our film standing in the corner of the lobby of The Standard Downtown LA.

How do you see the Superlative Conspiracy including you into the way it works?

We just have a very good understanding of each other and respect for each others art and work ethic…. and we feel like a one big family.

In 2011, what was the most impactful place you visited in this world? Why?

We got to headline the biggest electronic festival in Istanbul this summer of 2011. It was an amazing experience to be able to perform our music during the twilight by beach of the Black Sea for thousands of people. Truly magical!

What is the ultimate dream project you plan to shoot before you leave this earth?

A feature length film. Our first movie. It´s already in our heads. Just need the funding… so if anyone out there has millions, you know where to find us. But I guess we will start with making the short film first.

Name your top 3 films that are set inside a hotel.

The infamous motel scene in Scarface, Barton Fink and of course The Shining.

What are you working on right now?

We just released our third music video that we created for “Bed Of Needles”. We just got off the plane from an amazing gig in Warsaw, Poland… and for the next weeks and months Steed Lord is going back into the studio to start writing and recording our new album. After that we will put together a new live show with the new material and start touring again in early 2012. So stay tuned on Facebook.com/Steelord.

Transform by Steed Lord from The Standard Hotel on Vimeo.

For more homework on STEED LORD, there’s always their personal Twitter, Soundcloud, Vimeo, YouTube, or Official Site.