30 November, 2006

Sundance Announced Line-up

Sundance has announced the class of 2007. It includes122 films, 82 of them will be world premieres. Have a look at the selections here.

Also, have a look at the Sundance site where you can check out the 'Meet the Artist' section for some invaluable insights into the world of today's hottest filmmakers.

Bit Torrent May Be Able To Challenge iTunes Movie Store

I caught this on Wired:

San Francisco company BitTorrent, creator of the file sharing application and protocol of the same name, have announced content distribution partnerships with some of Hollywood's major media houses, including 20th Century Fox, MTV Networks, Paramount Pictures, Palm Pictures and video game industry news channel G4. The company sent out a press release this morning.
The story goes on to say that TV and Short Films will be able to rent or buy for as little as $1. This falls in line with iTMS, but the more genuine competitors to the market (WalMart, Xbox) the more pressure on price flexibly. Basically with minimal overheads in distribution of digitial content, there is plenty of room to shift the price bar.

From The Press Release:

Designed in 2001, BitTorrent has become the most efficient means of distributing large, high-quality files on the Internet. With many millions of users, BitTorrent traffic accounts for as much as 40 percent of all worldwide Internet traffic. BitTorrent continues to work with the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) to remove copyright infringing content from its search results and, as evidenced by todays announcement, is working with studios to replace that content with a high-quality, legal option that aspires to compete with piracy. With integrated monetization for paid and ad-supported content, the forthcoming BitTorrent service will be an ideal platform for the digital distribution of online entertainment. The service will offer not only video, but also music and games. BitTorrent will disclose pricing details closer to the time of the launch of the online retail marketplace, which is set for February 2007.

BitTorrent has fundamentally changed the Internet architecture by enabling high-speed and high-quality content distribution on the Web. Today we have announced the role BitTorrent.com will play as a hub for consumers to enjoy their favorite entertainment, but we see a future that involves BitTorrents content delivery platform powering thousands of websites including those of content creators themselves, offering them the profound benefits of our technology, said Navin.

Wired also questions whether any of the recent foray of content deals will effect the rash of piracy on the net given through the proliferation of of high speed broadband.

29 November, 2006

Alan Carr Dies of Lung Cancer

Off topic:

I owe a lot to Alan Carr as it was through his book that I quit smoking exactly one year ago. His book really changed my life for ever.

If anyone is trying unsuccessfully to quit the fags, I highly recommend his book.

Since quitting smoking he has spent 20 years in smoke filled rooms helping others kick the habit. This time combined with his 40+ year addiction to smoking surely lead to the disease. But not bad going at 73. I hope I am so lucky.

From the BBC News Site.


Allen Carr, 73, quit his 100-a-day habit 23 years ago, before going on to become a millionaire by advising people on how to stop smoking.

His books have become international bestsellers and he runs clinics all over the world.

Mr Carr says he sees his illness as a way to encourage more people to quit.

"Since I stopped smoking more than 23 years ago I have been the happiest man in the world. I still feel the same way," he added.

A spokesman said it was not possible to tell if the diagnosis was linked to his previous cigarette addiction.

"Allen has spent many years in smoke-filled rooms since he quit, whilst treating smokers for their addiction," the spokesman said.

"He is certain that, had he not quit, he would have been dead 20 years ago.

"He remains in high spirits and sees this latest stage in his remarkable life as an opportunity to make his method even more recognised and widely available."

Mr Carr gave up accountancy to set up his first clinic in south-west London in 1983.

He has since set up 70 clinics in 30 countries treating 45,000 people last year.

Celebrities to have benefited from Mr Carr's methods include Sir Anthony Hopkins and Sir Richard Branson.

28 November, 2006

What's going on at the Beeb

Well, I am back from a restful (hah) holiday in the States. Truth be told it was a lot of Shopping, drinking, family and of course eating!

Flew in last night and was wondering what I would post about now that I am back. I gathered the energy to scan the net in search of what was going on and truth be told I needn't of looked any further than BBC News with the big story today that Michael Grade has defected.

Maybe it has something to do with the pay hike in base rate from £140K at the Beeb to £850K at ITV, or the shares, or the bonuses. Or maybe the answer lies in the email he sent to everyone at the BBC.

I would like everyone to understand this is a career decision. What it is NOT is a reaction to anything, internal or external. I was faced with the choice of getting back into programming or ‘governing’ the BBC from a distance...

ITV is a competitor to the BBC, yes. BUT the BBC does need ITV to be strong, both for competitive reasons and to maintain the balance of power within British public service broadcasting. So I leave with the feeling that I have done the best I can to secure the future of the institution about which I will always care so deeply, I leave with some sadness because of all the friends old and new who have been my support over the past two and a half years.

20 November, 2006

Apple Xmas Dicounts


Probably the best time of year to buy a Mac, unless you are a Student or Teacher. This Friday Apple will be having it's annual Friday Sale. So, if you are in the States and are tempted to stock up on some core 2 duo goodness, now is the time.

17 November, 2006

Clear Channel Launch Music and Video Streaming

In an effort to promote artists, Clear Channel are streaming music and videos from their site. I seem to remember Clear Channel being a bit shitty on the whole freedom of expression thing. I found this on Wikipedia:

Following the September 11, 2001 attacks on New York and Washington, D.C., a list of songs apparently recommended to be removed from airplay as inappropriate during a time of national mourning was generated and circulated. A small list was initially generated by the Clear Channel office, though individual program directors added many of their own songs. A list containing about 150 songs was soon circulating on the Internet. The criteria for choosing the songs seemed to be unreasonable to many. A number of songs were apparently placed on the list because they had specific words such as "plane", "fly", and "falling" in their titles. Many people found it particularly ludicrous that John Lennon's "Imagine" was one of the songs listed.

There are also movements within the music industry to assist artists in looking out for the likes of Clear Channel such as the website www.clearchannelsucks.net, on their site it states:

ClearChannelSucks.net was created to provide specific information about the radio and music industry to musicians and artists from around the globe. The more knowledge you have about the industry, the less likely you will run into the same problems other artists have encountered

Now, if your not completely turned off by all of this. You can listen to the entire, yet unreleased, Jay Z Album HERE.
Thanks to Perez Hilton for that link...


I Have Been Busy

Ok, I am a dick for not posting in like a week. I have been swamped at work and am traveling to LA next week, so have been trying to hit the Gym in order to not look like a fat git poolside at The Standard. So, I am back in full effect. Today is going to be a 20 hour day as Children in Need appeal is tonight and although I would like to say that I have a very important position in the production, I must admit to being a lowly volunteer. But this is one of the big perks of working at the Beeb; getting to participate in things you normally would not get the chance to. My studio TV experience extends merely to working as an Audience member when I lived in LA after University. But those 12 hours days clapping to Donny Osmond host the $100,000 Pyramid rest fondly in my memory. So, I am really looking forward to this great opportunity to experience a big production from behind the scenes.

08 November, 2006

Life is Busy Outside Hollywood

I have been meaning to mention a running blow by blow that Issac Botkin has been writing over on Outside Hollywood about a quirky Lego animated film. There are lots of step by steps and really sexy flash stills that allow you to click through each stage of certain shots.

Also, during the modeling stage Issac uploaded a GooTube:



This is very much a work in progress, but with the storyboard poping up occasionally throughout gives it a sense of evolution.

Thanks for the thorough breakdown....

UPDATE:
Just found the finished short on GooTube

Sample DVCPro Graded on FCP 3 Way.

Over on DVX user is a thread on an upcoming film called Illegal which was shot using a HVX DVCProHD camera with M2 35mm lens attachment and was then graded using FCP 3 way Color Corrector. This is a great example of someone who knows what they are doing, using affordable kit to get results as good as what is achieved on much more costly equipment.  
Have a look at the trailer here.

There are also more post grade pics here.

All this is via Pro Lost

BBC is Entering the Online TV Realm and the Impact of Free Content Anywhere, Anytime.

Internally at the BBC, we have a fantastic new trial which allows us to listen to a massive catalogue of backdated radio as well as view the last week’s broadcasts from BBC 1, 2, World and News 24. This is a great help in the work environment, but better than that it allows us to catch the episode of Spooks we missed on Monday, cuz we were in the pub too late!

Seriously, last night I missed the Imagine that I was most looking forward to. The one about modern film auteurs aired and now I have a week to watch. In case you missed it, here is the brief:

The Movie Brats: Take Two
Something interesting seems to be happening in American Cinema with a new group of maverick American directors led by Steven Soderbergh and Quentin Tarantino who have emerged to revitalise Hollywood. They include directors such as Wes Anderson, Alexander Payne and David O Russell. Alan Yentob meets them and asks how they managed to radicalise American cinema with Hollywood backing. [S]

I mention Imagine, because I am currently managing post for a few in the current series on TV Pioneers and Guitars.

Why is this of interest to you?


Well, the BBC, like pretty much every other media company/content owner is trying to figure out how they are going to deliver content to people over the internet.
The BBC has the additional concern that their funding, unlike commercial competitors, comes from the licence fee paid by 90%+ of the population who own televisions. If, and I stress if, the population abandons TV’s in favour of computers, there is the possibility that the BBC will need to rethink how it comes by its charging demographic. At the moment you can use the BBC’s website and radio while avoiding licence fee.
When the BBC allows content to stream over the net it will need to rethink this approach. The answer may not be too clear and whether this becomes a problem is still to be determined. I think most people, as HD and home theatres gains wider adoption, will still fancy the TV as the centre of the living room. This should be the case, even if most of their consumption comes from the net.

I digress…

The BBC is piloting the method it intends to use to get its content to consumers. The BBC iPlayer is moving into the patent stage.

UKFree.tv has a breakdown of what the player is going to look like. The five tabbed layout includes Home, Guide, Search, Your Downloads and Player.
Below the post is quite an interesting comment exchange about DRM issues. Again DRM affects the BBC differently than commercial companies as is stated. We have all already paid for the content via the licence fee!

What the BBC Site Says:

iMP is an application in development offering UK viewers the chance to catch up on TV and radio programmes they may have missed for up to seven days after they have been broadcast, using the internet to legally download programmes to their home computers. iMP uses peer to peer distribution technology (P2P) to legally distribute these programmes.Seven days after the programme transmission date the programme file expires (using Digital Rights Management - DRM - software) and users will no longer be able to watch it. DRM also prevents users emailing the files to other computer users or sharing it via disc.

Now, if you are interested in DRM issues and indeed the commercial issues involved with the BBC iPlayer check out this article from UKFree.tv as well. It reads…
Ofcom is asking anyone who feels that the BBC iPlayer (due to start in April 2007), that will provide a free internet (plus Homechoice and cable TV) seven day TV catch up service, a podcast of each BBC radio show, plus live versions of the BBC television and radio stations over the internet will effect their revenues and profits to complain to Ofcom before 13 October 2006.
It remains to see which organization claim that the BBC, by making the services that the British public have already paid to produce available 'any time, any place, anywhere' are causing problems. The consumption of BBC services is "non zero-sum", which means that no matter how many (or how few) people watch or listen, the cost to the BBC (and hence the licence fee payer) remains the same.

This is a very interesting and unique dilemma. On the one hand, as I have stated above, we have all already paid for the content, but alternatively does this ‘tax’ model hold up in the business realm of internet television distribution?

07 November, 2006

Report that Microsoft is to Start TV and Film Downloads

The Zune may be a turkey. But the Xbox is huge. And if you were looking for an Apple Challenger. Microsoft is no shrinking violet. That said, they lack the cult following Apple has. People's passion for Apple will take things so far, thereafter, techy fanboys can be lured away by a superior service.

Reel Pop Blog reported Monday of the announcement that Microsoft XBox will allow content download over the net.
Movies will be 24 hour rentals, TV shows are for keeps, some content will be in HD. Shows are largely sci-fi content like Star Trek, CSI, Adult Swim and Ultimate Fighting Championship. Shows can not be burned to DVD, but you can login to the service and watch your shows from any Xbox. A two-hour HD movie is about 6 gigs, the standard Xbox 360 hard drive is 20 gigs. Content partners include CBS, MTV, Paramount, Warner Bros., and Turner.

I would like to pick up Steve's second point. This is huge, because it is HD. We have all been waiting for iTunes to sell HD content. This brings a service to market that Sony and Apple have been gagging to get to the home. Basically, whether we get HD DVD's, Blu Ray Discs, download from Apple or Amazon or Microsoft is a big issue at the moment. Being first to market on HD Content Downloads and bringing the cheaper HD Disc variant puts Microsoft in a great place to overtake Apple in the media download market. It makes me wonder how Brightcove and similar content streaming services will navigate this evolving market over the next few years.

Dixie Chicks v Death of a President

Right,
I discussed the Dixie Chicks ordeal about a week ago with the right wing US Networks Banning the commercial because the film is critical of our Commander in Chief. I cant stay in exile for another 2 years. This term has seemed like an eternity. I digress. More 4, here in the UK, screened Death of a President, which if i can say so, is a bit close to the bone. I dutifully watched with my pen and paper, taking notes, should the opportunity arise. I must say, the film is not that good. The acting is bad, strangely fantastical and over dramatic. The film was expensive and well constructed, but the content overshadowed the desire to make a good film.

The Dixie Chicks Film, I have only watched the trailers, but it looks worth a gander. Especially after all the additional censorship hype.

Anne Thompson plays two very different films, both anti Bush against each other in her blog.
referencing a NYT article questioning the the validity of controversy as a marketing tool.


I forgot to add the Dixie Chicks film in my last post



And here is the trailer from the C4 Assassination Film...

The Real Borat

Most American's Missed Ali G in Da House, and the Ali G Show, unless you caught it on HBO. Truth be told, I was much more of a fan of Ali G's taking the piss out of unwitting politicians than Borat's antics, which have grown on me now. During his Ali G days, Cambridge educated Sasha Baron Cohen was less secretive about his true self. This clip has been making its way around the net from a Comedy Central appearance. Beware, According to Cinematical some of these clips have been pulled by Com Cen.

US Will Miss Out On Perverts

Scott Macaulay at Filmmaker Magazine is lamenting the fate of one of the big hits at Toronto. No it’s not Borat! The Pervert's Guide to Cinema was one of the big hits at this years festival. For those of you that caught it over the summer on More4, lucky you. It was recently nominated for the British Independent Film Awards as Best Doc.  You can still catch it at select UK screenings.

Back to the point. Scott stresses that this quizzical investigation into the darker side of the mind that makes and views cinema, will be lost to most Americans due to studios being unwilling to release copywriters to their classics.

Here are some clips and by all means, if you get a chance to catch it. Go check it out...







On Neutrality:



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