IS HOME THEATRE THE NEW THEATRE?
On the eve of Hollywood's 'Golden Age' moviegoers would flock to a theatre's opening weekend to see new arrivals on the big screen. These days however, sales figures indicate that films gross considerably more during the first week of their DVD release as opposed to their first week in the theatres: http://www.usatoday.com/life/movies/news/2005-03-21-dvd-sales_x.htm
FUTURE CAST
FutureCast is a real-time face-scan technology being used to capture information from the faces of visitors to Nagoya's Mitsui-Toshiba Pavilion, and transporting them to the future world of Space Child Adventure 'Grand Odyssey'. http://www.mt-expo.com/index_e.html
FREE BATCH EXPORT UTILITY SOFTWARE
The Livid Batch Export Utility v1.2 is a simple program for recompressing and resizing a folder of quicktime media to a different format. It can also be used to compress movies for internet delivery and streaming, enhancing clips by adjusting the brightness and contrast, upsampling and resizing clips for use in a video editing program, or exporting the first frame as a still image thumbnail. Download it now for free here: http://www.lividinstruments.com/software_batch.php
EVEN MORE INSPIRATIONAL QUOTE OF THE WEEK
"The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams." - Eleanor Roosevelt
EXTRA FUNDS
We are pleased to annouce the AFC has made the decision to give us extra funding of $50 000 to ensure that we stay and finish the Oz leg of the project. The crew would like to thank everyone who put in their efforts in making this happen.
SHOOTING DELAYS
With storms hitting Sydney left right and centre over the past few days, let's just be thankful that our team wasn't actually out in the bush (as scheduled) for the beginning of the shooting week. Well I guess everything probably happens for a reason so here we are back in development with a tighter leaner script, a bit more funding and a wad more experience under our collective belts: http://thequality.com/flics/10weeks/blog/archives/002047.html#002047
BBC CREATIVE ARCHIVE LAUNCHES IN AUTUMN
Thousands of clips from BBC radio and TV factual programmes will be free to download from the internet from this autumn, the BBC has announced. The clips, of up to three minutes, will be available for downloading exclusively on the BBC website: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/tv_and_radio/3525455.stm
CHANNEL FIVE BREAKS THE ICE FOR TV DOWNLOADS
Legal music download sites have become hugely popular but TV companies have so far not used the same technology to put programmes online. TV channel Five has said it will be the first UK broadcaster to offer parts of its shows for sale as legal downloads: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/tv_and_radio/4368435.stm
HEADS UP QUOTE OF THE WEEK
"The script definitely works.. so all that has to be done is to... make it on a shoe string. So make it!" - Jack Feldstein
As the stormy weather hit Sydney the last few days, I'm sure I wasn't the only one wondering how we would have managed if we had been out somewhere in the bush as planned for Mon/Tue. Everything happens for a reason and here we are back in development with a tighter leaner script, a bit more funding and a wad more experience under our collective belts.
The next step is to get us back on track with a revised shooting schedule and a revised cast/crew line-up for early May.
Once we've received written confirmation from the AFC there will be another public announcement. I was told "two weeks" on the 17th.
Clips will be three minutes maximum in length. No news on what formats and sizes will be available. Coming soon - the biggest player in the re-mixable film space...
BBC NEWS | Entertainment | TV and Radio | BBC launches online clips archive
What a fortnight. Almost two weeks to the day when our shoot got buggered up by bureaucracy and bush-less-ness. We're back and soon to be on track. I'll press the green light once we lock the cast in for May 1 to 8 this week.
Some quotable quotes amidst the good vibes and well wishes around the place follow...
The script definitely works...so all that has to be done is to.... make it on a shoe string. So make it!
Jack Feldstein, film-maker (email)
Thanks for being so cool...these sort of projects are definitely the way of the future. Who would have thought DJing would get so popular? And that's what you are...Film DJs.
Calvin Lawson (email)
I had good luck casting non-actors with my last (CC) feature. A lot of
people are naturals once you get them relaxed. And lawyers for some
reason seem to make pretty good actors.
Brian Flemming, open source film-maker (email)
These are people who are prepared to “go the extra mile” when it comes to organising creative opportunities and it would seem that you are not prepared to meet them... I don't think this project is fundamentally different in scope to any number of "stock footage" projects.
mfallu, CC website producer (submission to MEAA)
This is unfortunately typical. They should be called the ostrich corporation! I too had a movie stopped by them.
Gordon Williams, film-maker (web contact form)
Unless the production company reserves all rights, they feel they will lose money. No lawsuits over unauthorzed translations, no lawsuits over non-commercial copying and viewing, etc....
vandon (Slashdot)
And the award for burying their head in the sand and hoping that reality goes away goes to ... MEAA.
rhysweatherley (Slashdot)
Great work MEAA, you bunch of f****** retarded ludites.
Pirate (zgeek)
OMG...how lame is this. Apparently SHARING is not something the Screen Actors Guild nows how to do. Should we blame their mothers?
Calvin (rights.apc.org.au)
Let time and experience decide which licensing models are more beneficial to actors... Allow your members to participate in this future, or risk becoming an obsolete artifact of an earlier age.
Rob (rights.apc.org.au)
If they want to move it all to California, let me know - I have a book full of non-union actors who would _jump_ at the chance to tackle this sort of project...
Chris Tann, film-maker (rights.apc.org.au)
I hope one of these groups blinks soon and the filming goes ahead; the frustration you and the rest of the MOD Films' crew are experiencing must be immense!
Mia Garlick, CC US General Counsel (email)
A problem can not be solved with the same consciousness that created it.
A Einstein, genius (email)
Don't believe everything you read online. But this last quote is strangely appropriate. The "traditional film" approach to managing the live shoot dimension of this project didn't work. Round two I'm going to be more confident about managing it the new media way.
One step closer to the RIG in reality...
Mind Over Machine - Popular Science
ANOTHER WORD FROM OUR LEADER
Luke and Zoe are leaving the project at this point so there is a handover in progress. Please bear with me while we sort out the state of play and get a clearer view of what has been produced to-date so that loose ends can be tied up and the production can move forward. The meeting with the AFC went well today. A decision will probably be made tomorrow in Melbourne by the head of Film Development as to whether or not the AFC invests in the project. You'll find the rest of this letter here:
http://thequality.com/flics/10weeks/blog/archives/002023.html#002023
THE NERDS ARE TALKING ABOUT US
Even Slashdot have picked up on our project's recent run-ins with the MEAA. Read all about it here:
http://yro.slashdot.org/yro/05/03/15/2145245.shtml?tid=155&tid=153
HOLLYWOOD'S HOPES FOR BITTORRENT
The Washington Post notes that while the Motion Picture Association of America is waging war against illegal P2P file sharing, there has been no moves against BitTorrent developers and users directly. The paper suggests optimistically that this may be the key to legal distribution in the future. BitTorrent does have its issues, particularly when it comes to distributing content for which there is a markedly smaller audience, than say Harry Potter films, but it is definitely the one to watch and what other programs will evolve from.
DICK GETS RE-ANIMATED
Richard Linklater's faithful adaptation of Philip K. Dick's novel 'A Scanner Darkly' is being brought to full paranoid life via Bob Sabiston's gloriously surreal software abilities, which, as in the team's previous 'Waking Life', utilizes hi-def filmmaking overlayed with a rich, rotoscope-inspired animation. This time out, however, Linklater is eschewing the dreamy, existentialist look of that previous film in favour of a more realistic approach. The final look of the film resembles the most sophisticated animé (a la Ghost in the Shell/Innocence) drenched in a sort of hyperrealistic, painterly scheme that rests atop the talents of bankable Hollywood bigwigs such as Keanu Reeves, Winona Ryder, Robert Downey Jr and Woody Harrelson. Judging by the nature of the content, something tells me that Linklater wouldn't be opposed to someone taking on a remix of this little baby! Read the article here:
http://www.austinchronicle.com/issues/dispatch/2005-01-21/screens_string_all.html
and see the teaser here:
http://www.apple.com/trailers/warner_independent_pictures/a_scanner_darkly.html
SCIENCE FICTION GURU QUOTE OF THE WEEK
"The basic tool for the manipulation of reality is the manipulation of words. If you can control the meaning of words, you can control the people who must use the words." - Philip K. Dick
The geek grapevine is talking.
http://yro.slashdot.org/yro/05/03/15/2145245.shtml?tid=155&tid=153
Comments on Damon's first previz of RIG
Should follow sequence of DemoExperience (see Wiki)
Stay on Cinema mode for longer, fullscreen (identical to DVD-Video)
Then show movement arrows and then tilt display towards direction of movement
H3 viz should be in Browser mode on left - ftp://upload:please@ftp.modfilms.com//interactivedesign/h3
Use Aussie bush video for Cinema mode
Use Aussie bush video + top right score + CD as overlay for Groover
Use distorted/VJ fx Aussie bush video for Switch (e.g. strobe, text scrolling overlay)
Dear all,
Luke and Zoe are leaving the project at this point so there is a handover in progress. Please bear with me while we sort out the state of play and get a clearer view of what has been produced to-date so that loose ends can be tied up and the production can move forward. If you have other commitments we should know about, or you are no longer available at all, please let me know by Wednesday 9am.
The meeting with the AFC went well today. A decision will probably be made tomorrow in Melbourne by the head of Film Development as to whether or not the AFC invests in the project.
The press release has been picked up by a few places (e.g. if magazine, rights.apc.org.au) and ironically many of today’s callers have been sympathetic MEAA members…
Our Casting issue has progressed so stay tuned on that one. One of the options we have is to simply ignore the MEAA ruling and press ahead with contracting the actors. The MEAA stance on this issue has generated so much ill feeling amongst MEAA members that this may yet prove to be the best way forward. However I should point out that anyone else in the crew, who are professional members of organizations associated with the MEAA, should consider any ramifications that this may bring. This project is not without controversy. Speaking for myself, I will not take it the wrong way if any of you choose not to proceed on that basis but I also feel that there is growing support for what I’m trying to do here and that this set-back may yet prove to be an opportunity to make the best possible film.
Feel free to call me for any more information but you can help me by passing on to Luke all the work completed or in progress to-date so that we can take stock of where we’re at and move forward.
Best,
.M.
LATEST
There is a free Final Draft viewer you can install for viewing and printing master version.
OLD RELEASES
PDF (4.6)
PDF (4.6 marked revisions)
Plain text (4.6)
Final draft 6 (4.6)
PDF (4.5)
PDF (4.5 marked revisions)
Plain text (4.5)
Final draft 6 (4.5)
4.3 PDF
4.3 Plain text
4.3 Final draft 6
A WORD FROM OUR LEADER
Cheers Luke and thanks to everyone else who has put in time and effort over the last six months. This next week in particular is crucial. We’re attempting something that is a world first and this can never be taken away no matter what difficulties are ahead. This is not just a short film and we’re not just a film crew – this is an online community project of which you are the active members to-date. Respect... .M.
THE FINAL ROUND
Today was D-Day, the day the Media Entertainment Arts Alliance Board decided what they were going to do, or not do, for Sanctuary. "I don't know what it's like to be punched in the guts but today was a little like that I imagine.." explains Michela. For a full account of the Board's response go here:
http://thequality.com/flics/10weeks/blog/archives/002016.html#002016
WEB TV FOR NERDS
Robert X. Cringely, author of the best-selling book 'Accidental Empires: How the Boys of Silicon Valley Make Their Millions' is about to embark in an Open Source television program called 'NerdsTV.' It will be available on the web and playable on pretty much any system in three different video formats: one geared at techies, one for suits, and one with all the raw footage so you can edit your own version to your heart's content. There will also be audio-only versions in Ogg and Mp3. All of this is freely redistributable of course!
RANDOM MOTIVATIONAL QUOTE OF THE WEEK
"You never change things by fighting the existing reality. To change something, build a new model that makes the existing model obsolete." - Buckminster Fuller
I don't know what it's like to be punched in the guts but today was a little like that I imagine. This was D-Day, the day the Media Entertainment Arts Alliance Board decided what they were going to do, or not do, for Sanctuary.
Not do, as it turned out. We've been to and fro-ing with Simon Whipp, the Alliance Chief Lawyer, since early February and while it was clear that no position would be forthcoming easily we did expect to be able to negotiate.
That was denied. I rang up at 4:30 and was told "The board has decided not to grant the dispensations you seek". I asked what the reason for this decision was. "The board felt that they would not be appropriate." For a re-mixable film ostensiby... I then asked what opportunities for negotiation had been put on the table. "None."
So you're shutting down our shoot? No response. Simon is good that way. A master of the say-little and give prickly silence brigade. I hang up, the only thought running through my head is that two year's of work has arrived at yet another wall and that I've now got a stack of people to ring up and disappoint.
A few hours later and the mood has lifted. Yes, the overall project is in jeapordy. Yes, the chances of hitting our shoot dates are remote. No, we're not giving up just yet. And as for the MEAA... fuck 'em. As the Internet was designed to operate, we'll just have to route around the problem.
Another "cool shit" grab, this one of dynamic line art swirling around an urban dancer. CD can be a mimic at times but also seen as a virtual extension (think exo-skeleton) of Blake. He's a form of RIG in himself.
This is a very cool mix of what appears to be a 360 degree panorama and video inserts in a similar way to how I envisaged the nanobat/virtual bush mahem might evolve into.
Note the dog panel being tracked.
Reference showing relation between Blake in bedroom and her avatar. This type of thing is done in 10weeks.
AND THE WINNER IS..
While our American friends are out toasting Clint's 'Million Dollar Baby'-blitz, the rest of us more down-to-earth film-making folks wish to congratulate Luke and the team for their winning Tropfest 2005 entry 'Australian Summer'. See details here: http://thequality.com/people/michela/weblog/archives/002004.html#002004
REMIX READING MATERIAL
Remix Reading is an artistic project based in Reading, UK. Its aim is to get local, national and global artists (working with music, video, paint, wood or any other medium that can conceivably be represented on a web site) to come together and share their work, be inspired by each others' work, and ultimately to create (you guessed it!) 'Remixes'. For more information check out their website: http://www.remixreading.org/learn
TRAILER TRASH
You know how a lot of Movie Trailers these days are nothing more than a 30-second summary of a film's pivotal scenes, well the folks at Angry Alien.com have taken this idea, added some Flash Animation (as well as a few bunnies) and ran a mile with it!! Though MOD'ers might argue that they've produced nothing more than highly entertaining trailer-style 'remixes' of popular films like 'Jaws', 'Alien', 'The Exorcist' and 'Scream', the creators themselves prefer to refer to their animations as 're-enactments'. You can view a few prime examples of Angry Aliens handiwork here: http://www.starz.com/se/features/hareraising/template.html?fname=index.html
BUGGING OUT
If you regularly use any of the web systems or software applications in development on this project, please take a moment to refresh yourself with the process for reporting bugs. If still in doubt.. just email us! http://modfilms.com/twiki/bin/view/Sanctuary/BugTrackerProcess
OSCAR QUOTE OF THE WEEK
"When the Academy called, I panicked. I thought they might want their Oscars back and the pawn shop has been out of business for a while." - Woody Allen (at the 2002 Oscars)
ANOTHER TYPE OF OSCAR QUOTE OF THE WEEK
"It is a very sad thing that nowadays there is so little useless information." - Oscar Wilde