A revolution is about to hit the world of photography and social media: Polaroid Swing! The Silicon Valley startup’s new mission: to reimagine photography for the mobile era. We have asked few question to Keynote speaker Kinvara Balfour.
How does Polaroid Swing work?
In just one easy tap, the application Polaroid Swing enables people to create and share moving photos on their phones. Polaroids capture one-second moments that magically come to life when you touch them or swing your phone.
To learn more about the revolutionary new app, we asked the app’s Launch Director, Kinvara Balfour, a few questions:
What is the project “Polaroid Swing”?
Polaroid Swing is a new creative and social media platform which allows users to take one-second snapshots that are brought to life when you move or ‘swing’ them on your phone. These images are created on the Polaroid Swing app and can then be shared across all other social media platforms in addition.
What is the aim?
To create moving images that are more effective than traditional stills images, and much more enjoyable to interact with.
How this idea come about?
Based in Silicon Valley and NYC, it was founded by two British entrepreneurs Tommy Stadlen and Frederick Blackford who wanted to develop the traditional photo, and who align with Polaroid, the iconic photography brand, and take it from the analogue age into the digital one.
How long will you be working on this project?
Indefinitely, as one of the wonderful brands I work with as a director and adviser. It’s such a great platform and I am so excited to be a part of it, in addition to working with other start-ups, speaking at conferences and directing my iPhone films series about the visionaries of the world.
How and why is Polaroid Swing a revolution for Social Media platforms?
It’s much more interactive than traditional stills photography and much easier to make than video.
Who are the key people part of Polaroid Swing?
The Chairman of the company is Twitter Co-Founder, Biz Stone. Photographer Cole Rise, who designed Instagram’s original filters (e.g. ‘Rise’) and logo, oversees creative direction.
Investors and advisors include Arianna Huffington, Nautilus Ventures, Natalia Vodianova, Universal Music CEO Lucian Grainge, Travelex founder Lloyd Dorfman, former BP CEO Lord Browne, Sony/NY Times board member Joi Ito and others. Hillary Clinton joined as a user of the platform.
What does your role as Launch Director entail?
I am sharing the app with everyone I come across, from tech advisers and investors in Silicon Valley, to fashion designers, artists, musicians, film makers and photographers – everyone loves it and we have many brands queuing up to create new and unique campaigns and diverse content with us in 2017. Those we are already working with include Warner Bros and iHeartRadio.
Do you have any other upcoming projects?
I am currently directing a series of mini-films called ‘The Visionaries’ about the visionaries of the world, which I have filmed solely with iPhone. They are due to air online sometime in 2017, and I plan to keep the series going for a long time, filming the true visionaries in all fields, be that tech, film, fashion, music, science and more.
Polaroid Swing: The Photo, Reimagined.
US: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/polaroid-swing/id1035142291
UK: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/polaroid-swing/id1035142291
More about Kinvara Balfour
Kinvara Balfour is a Culture & Tech Trends Expert and understands the complex worlds of tech and popular culture.
She hosted Fashion in Conversation for Apple Inc. in 2014. In the same year, she was one of the few women invited to speak at President Obama’s Global Entrepreneurship Summit, and in 2015, she spoke at the Access Leadership Conference with a range of global speakers including Apple co-founder, Steve Wozniak. Earlier this year, she acted as Digital Consultant for Vanity Fair UK.
To read Kinvara Balfour’s speaker profile, click here. And to have a look through Kinvara’s social media, click on the following links: Website / Twitter / Instagram.
