H5 (French company)
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Creative studio, Music video production, Advertising |
| Founded | 1994 |
| Founder | Ludovic Houplain, Antoine Bardou-Jacquet |
| Headquarters | France |
Key people | Ludovic Houplain (Artistic Director) |
| Products | Music videos, Advertising content, Animated short films |
| Website | www |
H5 is a creative studio based in France, established in 1994 by Ludovic Houplain and Antoine Bardou-Jacquet. With Houplain at the helm of artistic direction, H5 focuses on producing music videos for artists such as Air, Super Discount, Etienne de Crécy, Röyksopp, and Alex Gopher. The studio also creates high-end advertising content for prestigious brands including Dior, Cartier, Hugo Boss, Hermès, and Lancôme. Since 1999, H5 has functioned as a director collective, crafting animated visuals that incorporate typography for Alex Gopher and digital animations for Super Furry Animals and Playgroup.
Among their distinguished works is Röyksopp's "Remind Me," which secured the MTV Europe Award for Best Video in 2002. Other significant projects include Massive Attack's "Special Cases," Goldfrapp's "Twist," and campaigns for international companies like Areva, Audi, Citroën, and Volkswagen—most notably the acclaimed "Train Fantôme" advertisement. In France, H5 is represented by Addict.
Their debut animated short film, Logorama, was featured at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival’s Week of Criticism and received the Kodak Prize at Cannes along with the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film at the 82nd Oscars.
H5’s creations have been exhibited worldwide in prominent venues such as Paris’s Pompidou Centre and French National Library; London’s Institute of Contemporary Arts and British Film Institute; Tokyo’s Sendai Mediatheque; Rotterdam’s Netherlands Architecture Institute; New York’s MoMA; and Los Angeles’s Egyptian Theater.
History
Founded in 1993, H5 initially concentrated on graphic design and artistic direction for electronic music labels linked to the French Touch movement. Beginning in 1999, the group broadened its scope to include animated music videos, gaining acclaim with Alex Gopher’s "The Child," which showcased pioneering 3D animated typography and paved the way for their advertising ventures.
Their 2002 video for Röyksopp's "Remind Me," featuring animated infographics portraying the daily routine of an office worker, won Best Music Video at the MTV Europe Music Awards.
Music videos
- Chloé – "The Dawn". Produced by H5 Paris 2018.
- Black Strobe – "For Those Who Came To Earth Thru The Devil’s Asshole". Laurent Chanez & H5, produced by H5 Paris 2014.
- Alex Gopher ft. Saint Michel – "Hello Inc.". Production by Stink 2012.
- Darkel – "At the End of the Sky". Produced by Addict 2006.
- Étienne Daho – "Retour à Toi". Produced by Addict 2003.
- Goldfrapp – "Twist". Production John Payne for Black Dog Films 2003.
- Audio Bullys – "The Things". Production Philip Tidy for Black Dog Films 2003.
- Massive Attack – "Special Cases". Production Pete Shuttleworth for Black Dog Films 2003.
- Röyksopp – "Remind Me". Production John Payne for Black Dog Films 2002.
- Sinema – "In My Eyes". Produced by H5 2002.
- Wuz (Alex Gopher & Demon) – "Use Me". Produced by H5 2002.
- Air – "How Does It Make You Feel". Produced by Partizan Midi Minuit 2001.
- Playgroup – "Number One". Produced by Partizan Midi Minuit 2001.
- Super Furry Animals – "Juxtapozed with U". Produced by Partizan Midi Minuit 2001.
- Alain Souchon – "Rive Gauche". Produced by Partizan Midi Minuit 2000.
- Zebda – "Oualalaradime". Production Partizan Midi-Minuit 2000.
- Alex Gopher – "The Child". Produced by Le Village 1999.
Advertising
- Ecologic – Recycling Works. Produced by H5, 2011
- Areva – Energy. One compelling narrative. Produced by Addict, 2010
- Smart – Cinema. Produced by Addict, 2010
- Celsius – Papillon Tourbillon Mobile Phone. Produced by H5, 2010
- Gatorade – G2. Produced by Addict, 2009
- Areva – Athlenergy. Produced by Addict, 2009
- Total – The Words. Produced by Addict, 2008
- Toyota – Breath. Produced by Addict, 2008
- Volkswagen Touran – Ghost Train. Produced by Addict, 2007
- Cartier – Ballon Bleu. Produced by H5, 2007
- Citroën C4 – Ice Skater. Produced by H5, 2006
- Toyota Yaris – 1000. Produced by Addict, 2006
- Areva – Energy Experts. Produced by Addict, 2004
- Audi A4 S-line – More Than Just an A4. Produced by Addict, 2003
- Vuitton – Bellaix. Produced by H5, 2003
Short films
- Logorama – Production collaboration between Autour de Minuit and H5, 2009
Exhibitions
- Moving Types – Displayed at the Gutenberg-Museum, Mainz, 2011
- Collector – Presented at Tripostal, Lille, 2011
- Graphisme et Création Contemporaine – Held at the BNF, Paris, 2011
- Type in Motion – Exhibition at the Museum Für Gestaltung, Zürich, 2011
- L.I.P. (Logo in Peace) – Featured at the Festival International de l'Affiche et du Graphisme, Chaumont, 2010
- New Directors/New Films Festival – Screening of Logorama at MoMA, New York, 2010
- Hors Piste – Retrospective titled H5: d'Alex Gopher à Logorama at Centre Georges-Pompidou, Paris, 2010
- One Dot Zero – H5 Retrospective showcased at British Film Institute, London, 2009
- Design Parade – Hosted at Villa Noailles, Hyères, 2009
- 2036 – Included in the Biennale Internationale du Design, Saint-Etienne, 2008
- La pub s'anime – Exhibition at Musée de la Publicité, Paris, 2008
- La Force de l'art – Event held at Grand Palais, Paris, 2006
- Multiples H5 – Displayed at Galerie Anatome, Paris, 2006
- D.DAY, le design aujourd’hui – Presented at Centre Georges-Pompidou, Paris, 2005
- Premieres – Screening at MoMA, New York, 2004
- Clip city – Exhibition hosted by The Netherlands Architecture Institute, Rotterdam, 2002
- Graphisme(s) – Held at the BNF, Paris, 2001
- Movement – Shown at the Sendai Mediatheque, Tokyo, 2001
Awards
- Logorama
- 2011 – César Award for Best Short Film recipient
- 2010 – Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film winner
- 2009 – Best Short Film awarded at Stockholm International Film Festival
- 2009 – Kodak Award presented during la Semaine de la Critique at Cannes Film Festival
- 2009 – Audience Awards from Festival international de Curtas Metragans and Lille International Short Film Festival
- 2009 – Special Jury Prize, Audience Award and Fuji Award for Best Director at Cinanima International Animated Film Festival
- 2009 – Best Direction and Public Awards from Vendome Film Festival
- 2009 – Gold Medal for Animation granted by Zinebi Bilbao International Film Festival
- Röyksopp – Remind Me
- 2002 – MTV Award for Best European Music Video in Barcelona
- 2002 – Club des DA First Video Clip Award in Paris
- Alex Gopher – The Child
- 2000 – Club des DA First Video Clip Award in Paris
Bibliography
- This Is the End – Cover artwork created by H5. Published by Editions B42, 2009
- Gas Book volume 18 featuring H5. Released by Éditions BNN, 2005