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ar lab open house! feb 9th AND march 10th

February 3rd, 2010
Posted by: Caitlin

Hi everyone
it would be great to see you, if you are available. I’m hoping that over the course of the two open houses we can display many of the class projects. I’m not sure at all how many people will attend, but if you can spare some time to hang out and be prepared to talk about your project, let me know — I would love to showcase your work (and, yes, it can be put on your cv!)ar lab open house poster - feb 9th, march 10th 2010

GPS Films

January 18th, 2010
Posted by: magda

Does anyone know where to get a program to actually insert our projects into a GPS film/iPhone overlay?

Thanks!

New Media Resistance: Machinima and the Avant-Garde

January 13th, 2010
Posted by: Annie

An article on machinima as an avant-garde medium imbued with political potential for new modes of representation.

http://cineaction.ca/issue73sample.htm

Interesting

January 7th, 2010
Posted by: Birgit

Happy New Year to all of you.
Now, here is something interesting:
http://www.psfk.com/2010/01/iphone-controlled-helicopter-offers-augmented-reality-views.html

Strange

December 20th, 2009
Posted by: Carter

I tried to post a comment to my last post, but it still didn’t let me. The same Word Press problems of before…

Anyway, what I intended to say was that I just saw it in 3D tonight, and liked it quite a bit. Having listened to Ali’s lecture definitely made me appreciate the technological feat more.

I found that during the first few minutes, the 3D didn’t feel quite right. Rapid motion in particular seemed problematic. Then, once my eyes/brain adjusted, the 3D felt like the amazing spectacle that everybody has hyped about. But somewhere midway through the movie, I stopped noticing the 3D as much. Has anybody else had this experience? It’s not that it looked 2D, but that the 3D felt normal instead of “in your face.”

Avatar

December 20th, 2009
Posted by: Carter

I figure I’ll get the ball rolling…

Has anybody seen Avatar yet? Thoughts? Liked it? Didn’t?

Greetings, everyone.

December 14th, 2009
Posted by: Birgit

I just wanted to let you know that I have posted my machinima and all the entries related to my project on my blog.
If you are interested in reading/watching, please visit:

http://themachinimaproject.blogspot.com

Of course I do welcome and appreciate all your comments.

Happy Holidays to all of you,

Birgit

Microvision’s new PicoP 3D projected screen

December 11th, 2009
Posted by: dwalker

Amazing new first person shooter technology where you can project the screen anywhere.

http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/11/microvisions-picop-laser-projector-meets-rifle-shaped-motion-co/

Entering a new dimension: Toronto hopes to become a prime location for shooting films in 3D

December 10th, 2009
Posted by: Caitlin

check it out:

http://www.nationalpost.com/news/canada/toronto/story.html?id=2319932

At the Cinespace studios in south Riverdale, the cast and crew of Resident Evil: Afterlife will finish shooting in 3D in the next week. In January, Saw VII will begin shooting, also in 3D.

The Toronto film industry, still struggling to recover its glory days, sees much hope in the third dimension. Key players hope to establish the city as a reliable destination for large Hollywood productions looking to shoot in 3D.

“When Hollywood producers have successful experiences at a location, they tend to come back,” says Jim Mirkopoulos, vice president of operations at Cinespace Studios. “Toronto has film crews, technicians and camera operators who have been seasoned for 30 years, and now those people are becoming very conversant in 3D.”

Last night, the crew working on Resident Evil: Afterlife were scheduled to shoot a series of 25 foot high explosions in the parking lot of the Cinespace studios on Booth Avenue. To get the depth required for 3D, the crew had to film the blasts not only straight on, but also from above and below.

The technology to shoot in this way required camera rigs that were only recently developed for James Cameron’s epic Avatar.

The cost of 3D cameras, often about $500,000, has made accessing the equipment for training difficult. The union representing the city’s camera crews hopes the Resident Evil producers will let them use the 3D equipment for a weekend once shooting wraps to train people who didn’t work on the film.

“The 3D camera technology hasn’t actually changed that much, so when we do get our hands on the equipment our people are pretty quickly trained,” says Rick Perrotto, a business representative for the International Cinematographer’s Guild’s local branch.

Fortunately, the 3D cameras and rigs for Saw VII are being provided by the Toronto-based 3D Camera Company. The equipment will arrive in Toronto a week before shooting begins, and local crews will be offered seminars and training during the first week of January.

The 3D Camera Company was started in 2006 and has grown into one of the four largest 3D film companies in North America. While the company is headquartered in Toronto, its equipment is rented out by productions all over the world.

Bill White, one of the founders of the company, believes it is essential that Toronto’s film crews become well-versed in the 3D technology.

“Within three to four years, I believe everything will be shot in 3D,” Mr. White says. “Shooting in 3D only presents a nominal extra cost, and it’s growing exponentially. When you capture 3D you automatically capture 2D as well, so you are adding value to the product.”

The technology has existed since 1890, but with the recent popularization of high definition film projection Hollywood studios began to invest in 3D films again. Almost all of the major 3D releases this decade had been animated films, but in January, 2009, Lionsgate released My Bloody Valentine 3D, which went on to earn more than $100-million worldwide. James Cameron’s much hyped 3D science fiction epic Avatar is to be released on Dec. 18, and 2010 will see major 3D releases including Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland in 3D and Disney’s Tron: Legacy (filmed in Vancouver).

Ali Kazimi, a film professor at York University, said the school is in the early stages of offering a course on 3D filmmaking.

The 3D Camera Company recently provided York with a 3D camera, and Cinespace gave the school access to its set of the American Oval Office in Kleinburg for the school’s 3D FLIC project.

Prof. Kazimi directed a five-minute 3D film called Cleaning House in September. The film’s crew was comprised entirely of current students and recent graduates, with the purpose of testing the potential of new 3D technology.

“It’s so new that it’s not currently a course, but there is an expectation that the research will lead to curriculum development,” Prof. Kazimi says.

Read more: http://www.nationalpost.com/news/canada/toronto/story.html?id=2319932#ixzz0ZHVlIVQb
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Author John Pavlik Discusses Digital Storytelling

December 7th, 2009
Posted by: dwalker

This is my particular obsession – storytelling, and the way it is changing.

http://sandberghans.blogspot.com/2009/11/john-pavlik-discusses-new-technology.html