Get IN the Game with Augmented Reality Rig

Marc Owens's augmented reality project "Avatar Machine" puts its users in VR (Virtual Reality) helmets that display the world around them as though they were playing a third-person game, so that their own body is seen from behind. Owens theorizes that "The system potentially allows for a diminished sense of social responsibility, and could lead the user to demonstrate behaviors normally reserved for the gaming environment."

Avatar Machine (via Beyond the Beyond) by way of 4DFiction.

Interactive Skin Flicks

When the Rolling Stones released Tattoo You in 1981, they had little notion that in a few short years tattoos would become more than the mark of bikers, sailors, and criminals or a fashion statement for hardcore hipsters and flashy rock stars. Tattoos would soon become commonplace among middle-aged housewives and business executives. Today, companies no less prestigious than Royal Philips Electronics of the Netherlands are exploring the potential for electronic tattoos as personal body adornment and self representation. Here’s a rather sensuous video from Philips that shows the human body as a platform for electronics and interactive skin technology:

Creative minds are racing with ideas on how to enhance visual storytelling with this new interactive skin technology--but don't tell me!  

SHOW me...

Snatched from h+ magazine by way of Ted Hope.

Coke Augments my Avatar's Reality

Coke Zero brings you access to the world of Pandora and the Resource Development Administration's AVTR Program. Watch for James Cameron's Avatar, coming to virtually every friggin' theater (like it or not) on December 18th, 2009.

"Love Is" Guerrilla Film

Famly Trēo Productions and co-star Ephraim Benton found a way to get two of our cast members to Washington D.C. for the filming of this scene during the Swearing In Ceremony for the 44th Presidential Inauguration of Barack Hussein Obama. Perhaps Hollywood could re-create this moment again--but our labor of love, passion and purpose was completed against seemingly insurmountable odds without a crew or production budget, numerous logistical nightmares, guerrilla ADR work (courtesy of Kingsley Gardner) and some rudimentary editing and sound design by yours truly (Miles Maker).

Cinematography by Cybel Martin. Music by Ohene Cornelius.

The future of this film rests in the hands of those who are emotionally unattached to this project. The preceding 80 pages of this script have yet to be financed, so Famly Trēo Productions decided to share this Inauguration scene with our supportive audience (as it may be all we ever see of this picture). Having said that, Famly Trēo Productions (Kacee Devoe, Ahyende Sandy and myself) can assure you--you haven't seen the last from us!

Guerrilla film with the Canon EOS 7D SLR

Behind the scenes of "Spare Change" the Movie--shot on the Canon EOS 7D SLR by Cinematographer Clayton Combe.  A single-lens reflex (SLR) High Definition digital camera, the 7D offers amazing image quality and outstanding performance for under $2K. It shoots beautiful stills and video with an imager as large as Super 35mm film--with a replaceable lens option.

"Spare Change" producers invited Converciné Communications behind the scenes on day one of principle photography for the short film written, produced, directed and featuring Suzette Azariah Gunn with Nicoye Banks, Fred Valle, JoAnna Powell, George Pappas, Kellie McCants, Glenn Fleary, Rich Holscher and Jaleah Keitt.

Behind the scenes shot and edited by Miles Maker for Converciné Communications.

Indies do it with FEELING! "Spare Change" Needs YOURS

"Spare Change" producers invited Converciné Communications behind the scenes on day one of principle photography for the short film written, produced, directed and featuring Suzette Azariah Gunn with Nicoye Banks, Fred Valle, JoAnna Powell, George Pappas, Kellie McCants, Glenn Fleary, Rich Holscher and Jaleah Keitt.

"Spare Change" is being shot by cinematographer Clayton Combe on the Canon EOS 7D, a single-lens reflex (SLR) High Definition digital camera with amazing image quality and outstanding performance for under $2K. It shoots beautiful stills and video with an imager as large as Super 35mm film--with replaceable lenses.

Behind the scenes shot and edited by Miles Maker for Converciné Communications.

Paramount's Non-Theatrical Movie

Paramount Digital Entertainment launched the first 3 chapters of a 10-episode supernatural-themed web series, Circle of Eight on MySpace, pulling together some complex distribution and marketing arrangements and utilizing a customized Adobe Flash Player to deliver some cool interactive features.

A young innocent type Jessica (Austin Highsmith) moves into a vintage apartment building called The Dante and slowly begins to discover things are a bit hinky. Audiences uncover clues that pertain to what's going on in the show when they participate in social games and quizzes on the MySpace platform, delivered via Adobe's flexible Flash player.

(Paramount also used Adobe Air to create a widget and a mobile app for the show.)

What's really innovative about Circle of 8 is its distribution model; MySpace gets exclusive rights of the show for the first 7 weeks, with support from Mountain Dew (which is promoting the series at stops on the Dew Action Sports Tour.) Then Blockbuster gets rental and sell-through rights for the next 4 weeks. The chain will release an extended, feature-length linear version of the thriller as a DVD and digital download, giving Paramount Digital two windows with which to monetize and promote what studios have had trouble launching in the past - a non-theatrical movie. "We're looking at this a template that could work for other properties going forward," said Keith Quinn, SVP of Creative Development and Production at Paramount Digital Entertainment. 

Ted Hope: The Six Pillars to Storytelling

"Cinema is a driving force in my life. I don’t want it to leave us, nor do I want to have to leave it behind; it’s provided me with hope and inspiration, and an incredibly fulfilling livelihood. It is also a one hundred year old industry, and, in my opinion, damn close to both a perfect art form and a perfect entertainment, but is also one whose applicability to our lives and livelihoods must now be completely reevaluated.."

-- Ted Hope's keynote speech at Power to the Pixel on October 14, 2009

"We must also recognize that there is no workable present day business model to support the current mode of cinema, other than one built on the exclusionary practice of isolated control of the funding, marketing, distribution, and exhibition systems. We know the model for financing and distribution -- and by extension, also creation -- is now running on fumes."

-- Ted Hope

Jacked from Babelgum!

Christy Dena on Cross (trans) media

At the Power to the Pixel conference, Christy Dena shares lessons learned by creating and choreographing cross-media stories in film, television, gaming and marketing in a way that will help guide your project. While there is so much yet to explore, and the area will certainly continue to evolve, you can lean on the ground-breaking efforts of those who have ventured before you.  Christy has 10 years worth of experience and has studied 150+ projects for this presentation.

Jacked from Griffin Farley's typepad.

Steal the Shot with Canon EOS

"Nocturne" by Vincent Laforet (dir.) was shot entirely with the Canon EOS-1D Mark IV, using only natural (available) light.

Guerrilla filmmakers relish the opportunity to use stealth, speed and mobility in unexpected places to 'steal' their shot.  The Canon EOS models are ideal for this purpose.  An investment in talent, preparation and imagination rather than relying on an excessive production budget can produce a resonating piece of work: 

I am currently serving as Consulting Producer for Suzette Azariah Gunn's directorial debut, "Spare Change," a short film to be shot entirely on the Canon EOS next month.  Stay tuned for clips from the film, interviews and behind the scenes footage from Converciné Communications.

Jacked from David Prager RT by OpenIndie's Kieran Masterton.