Michael Simon Toon
Short Films
Photography
Architecture
Lighting
Installations
Graphics
At age 19, I traveled across Southern California and spent most of the next eight years in Hollywood, Los Angeles. I photographed actors and designed flyers for clubs, raves and parties. I was given office space at renowned studio, A&A Graphics (now APC), which was California’s hub for club, rave and concert promotions. They produced the now famous Coachella visual identity and are now one of the largest direct marketing studios in America.
I picked up some of my own clients along the way, including Sony Music/Columbia Records, and Atlas Productions, producer of the cult movie, Baraka, and of television commercials for McDonalds, Budweiser, Molson and Washington Mutual.
In 2001 I started working as a freelance artist at the studio of 23D Films in Hollywood. 23D was founded, and is operated by, award winning former character animators for South Park, The Simpsons, Futurama and King of the Hill, and creators of animations for Tool, Tupac and Eminem music forums.
I worked as a consultant to 23D Films, refining character artwork and testing alternative computer based methods for the 'ink and paint' process, which circumvented the need for outsourcing to Hollywood’s Laser Pacific (Ink and Paint producers for Simpsons and Futurama), who had previously been employed by 23D to render its broadcast quality animations at considerable expense. I successfully proved the technique with an interstitial for New Line Cinema’s logo in their feature film, Run Ronnie Run, starring David Cross, Bob Odenkirk, and Jack Black.
In my spare time, I used to photograph my close friends and family. In 2000, Juxtapoz published its Erotica Magazine which featured an eight page editorial on my personal portrait photography and polaroid photography.
In 2004, Cleopatra Records, in Hollywood, published Hollywood Rocks, a hardback book about Hollywood Rock Bands of the 80’s including Guns & Roses, Red Hot Chili Peppers and Motley Crue. I assisted as editor and designed 110 of its 210 pages.
I was asked to art direct and design the University College London graduation ceremony program, for the graduating year 2000. I was given complete artistic freedom and told only to consider that, “People will have worked extremely hard to be able to receive one of these.” UCL is one of the world’s top ranking universities.
- MST
Biography
Michael Simon Toon (b. 1977) is a multidisciplinary designer, builder, filmmaker, and photographer based in Venice Beach, California. His notable projects include designing and building Angels’ House, a price-record-setting solar-powered residence in the UK, and creating influential short films such as "Thought Moments" and "Protocell Circus," which are widely referenced in educational, scientific, and artistic communities globally. Toon's work spans architecture, furniture, animation, and photography, exploring the intersections of art and engineering.
References
Natural History Museum of Vienna Protocell Circus
MIT Art Research Paper Protocell Circus
Goldsmiths Thesis Protocell Circus
Duke University Protocell Circus
German Ethics Council Protocell Circus
Royal Society’s BFI Protocell Circus
University College London Thought Moments
British Council Thought Moments
Popular Mechanics Mathematical Proof
Telegraph Newspaper Building Design
Bijutso Techo Protocell Circus
NTU Singapore Protocell Circus
University of Tampa Protocell Circus
Birmingham Post Building Design
Google Inc. New York Protocell Circus
Sony Music Art Direction and Design
Blogs and media:
Konstantine Trunin Thought Moments
Trinergy International Thought Moments
For The Public Eye Thought Moments
Quinta Da Capa Rota Thought Moments
Atiestforum.org Protocell Circus
Healing Philosophy Thought Moments