Blu-ray vs HD
Surround sound 5.1
Film and the audience of tomorrow
Americans prefer DVD's to cinema
Monday 28 April 2008
The Perils of NMT's.
- Why Is consumerism a concept central to this unit?
- How do we often ‘unwittingly give up our privacy’?
- How have NMT’s criminalised audiences?
- What health and environmental issues doe NMTs pose?
- New Media Technologies are driven by consumerism. This is mostly because of the increasing amount of demand for these technologies. As the article states: 'Average household spending on new media has risen dramatically in the last ten years.' This increase in popularity has resulted in institutions developing more technologies so that their audiences can get what they want.
- Every time we buy something online, search for something, visit a website etc. Websites such as Google and Amazon are able to keep a record of all our activities. Not a lot of people realise this so they give up information about themselves without realising.
- Many people turn to crime without realising. Promotion of illegal downloading softwares such as Napster is always increasing causing tconsumers to download music and other such files without realising it is illegal. Also, computer games such as Manhunt and GrandTheftAuto have been critisized for promoting violence in young peoples minds and causing them to think it is okay to kill people like this - even though it's not.
- Environmental problems arise because all technologies release electronic waste which are hazardous. Also, the disposal of electronic gadgets is an issue. Also, there is a potential threat from mobile phone masts. It is thought that the electromagnetic waves released by them are harmful and may even cause cancer. This is why it is such a threat when these masts are located near schools.
Thursday 24 April 2008
The decline of cinema figures
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/film/4051741.stm
The above website states that attendance in the 1940s in the UK was almost 10 times the size it is today. They calaim that the only films to attract decent cinema figures in recent years are thos which rely heavily on special effects or animation, such as Terminator 3 and Tranformers. The average cinema attendance in the 1940's was 1,400,000,000 compared to the 167 million in 2003.
I believe the reason for this is the growing options available to consumers, such as those that come with DVD's. These are becoming more easily to access and cheaper which causes cinema prices to rise. Together, these two effects result in consumers not wanting to go to cinemas.
The above website states that attendance in the 1940s in the UK was almost 10 times the size it is today. They calaim that the only films to attract decent cinema figures in recent years are thos which rely heavily on special effects or animation, such as Terminator 3 and Tranformers. The average cinema attendance in the 1940's was 1,400,000,000 compared to the 167 million in 2003.
I believe the reason for this is the growing options available to consumers, such as those that come with DVD's. These are becoming more easily to access and cheaper which causes cinema prices to rise. Together, these two effects result in consumers not wanting to go to cinemas.
piracy is bad!
http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2003/oct/21/film.filmnews
Informa Media Group believes profits from legal sales of movies over the internet will be more than $870m by 2010. But sales over the internet would be worth $1.33bn if the industry stopped illegal online downloading.
In fact, the conclusion of the Informa report is not as worrying as one given earlier in the year by Deloitte & Touche. A report from them warned that illegal online downloading could cost the top studios up to $4bn annually within the next two years.
The Informa group also estimates that 144,000 films are downloaded every day across the world or 6,000 an hour.
All this piracy leads to declining cinema figuresa and film makers lose profits. Some low-budget film makers may even find it difficult to break into hollywood because of piracy. It is widely considered to be stealing.
Informa Media Group believes profits from legal sales of movies over the internet will be more than $870m by 2010. But sales over the internet would be worth $1.33bn if the industry stopped illegal online downloading.
In fact, the conclusion of the Informa report is not as worrying as one given earlier in the year by Deloitte & Touche. A report from them warned that illegal online downloading could cost the top studios up to $4bn annually within the next two years.
The Informa group also estimates that 144,000 films are downloaded every day across the world or 6,000 an hour.
All this piracy leads to declining cinema figuresa and film makers lose profits. Some low-budget film makers may even find it difficult to break into hollywood because of piracy. It is widely considered to be stealing.
Friday 18 April 2008
Distribution of films - new oppurtunities.
The film industry is forever evolving and finding new ways to allow their audiences to enjoy their films.
Consumers want fast, cheap and good quality films available to them easily and too many people are turning to illegal downloading from the entertainment hub that is the PC to get these things. The film industry wants secure distribution of their films and a business model that will provide them with profit as well as security.
It seems that the internet is now becoming a new distribution channle along with DVDs and CDs. If the film industry is to use this new route, it needs to come up with a legal way to make money whilst delivering fast, high-quality films that will appeal to consumers.
Technology advancements could lead to less buffering delays, which would give the consumer what they want in a quicker time than ever before.
The internet may be the future, but the film industry is still finding ways to enhance the current distribution channels they have. DVDs have been developed to be able to hold up to four films and still play them all with high quality.
Consumers want fast, cheap and good quality films available to them easily and too many people are turning to illegal downloading from the entertainment hub that is the PC to get these things. The film industry wants secure distribution of their films and a business model that will provide them with profit as well as security.
It seems that the internet is now becoming a new distribution channle along with DVDs and CDs. If the film industry is to use this new route, it needs to come up with a legal way to make money whilst delivering fast, high-quality films that will appeal to consumers.
Technology advancements could lead to less buffering delays, which would give the consumer what they want in a quicker time than ever before.
The internet may be the future, but the film industry is still finding ways to enhance the current distribution channels they have. DVDs have been developed to be able to hold up to four films and still play them all with high quality.
Sunday 13 April 2008
What's next for pixar?
As we know, Pixar and Disney work very much together now, and to celebrate the 80th birthday of Mickey Mouse this year, they have decided to update us on their future release plans.
The movies include the eagerly anticipated Toy Story 3, Bolt (featuring the voices of John Travolta and Miley Cyrus), The Bear and the Bow (Reese Witherspoon, Billy Connolly and Emma Thompson) and The Princess and The Frog (John Goodman). Out of these, Bolt and The Princess and The Frog are to be released in 2008.
Pixar's first 3D film, called Up, is to be released next year as is the release of their first blu-ray DVD.
"We're excited to be pushing the boundaries of 3D and computer technology to tell our stories in the best possible way," said John Lasseter, chief creative officer for Walt Disney and Pixar Animation Studios.
Information from BBC website.
The movies include the eagerly anticipated Toy Story 3, Bolt (featuring the voices of John Travolta and Miley Cyrus), The Bear and the Bow (Reese Witherspoon, Billy Connolly and Emma Thompson) and The Princess and The Frog (John Goodman). Out of these, Bolt and The Princess and The Frog are to be released in 2008.
Pixar's first 3D film, called Up, is to be released next year as is the release of their first blu-ray DVD.
"We're excited to be pushing the boundaries of 3D and computer technology to tell our stories in the best possible way," said John Lasseter, chief creative officer for Walt Disney and Pixar Animation Studios.
Information from BBC website.
How has CGI technology been recieved so far?
The first major CGI success was Toy story in which pixar were praised for the shiny surfaces of the toy's faces. Then, they were acclaimed for the shiny, rugged exoskeleton's of the insects in A Bug's Life. Next was Monsters inc which was a huge success because of the attention to detail shown for the main character, Sullivan. The CGI technology was used to create every hair on Sullivan's body seperately and thus giving the smooth, flowing effect shown by the cuddly creature. These are just three of a magnificent looking collection of films released in quick succession by the Pixar team.
However the next film, Finding Nemo, was not so warmly greeted. Although it was a highly grossing film and had a top-notch storyline, it has been considered as a step back for the pixar team. It has been said that it is very similar to Toy Story 2, but there is a great deal of humour and adventure which it does not deliver. The technology has been considered a step back because of the main characters. They are a couple of fish who have been made with the same shiny, smooth surface shown in the Toy Story films which is not considered as advanced or impressive as the swaying fur coat of Sullivan the monster. However, the underwater environment has been constructed beautifully with such attention to detail that even if the characters themselves may be less than impressive, simply getting lost in the backdrop is sure to be a joy for most viewers.
These main CGI films released by the Pixar team have been so successful that Pixar has been referred to as the 'greatest breakthrough in film ever!' The mixture of fantastic storylines and adventures with spellbinding pictures has been enough to win over most of the poppulation.
Movie Review: Nemo sinks below Pixar standards
However the next film, Finding Nemo, was not so warmly greeted. Although it was a highly grossing film and had a top-notch storyline, it has been considered as a step back for the pixar team. It has been said that it is very similar to Toy Story 2, but there is a great deal of humour and adventure which it does not deliver. The technology has been considered a step back because of the main characters. They are a couple of fish who have been made with the same shiny, smooth surface shown in the Toy Story films which is not considered as advanced or impressive as the swaying fur coat of Sullivan the monster. However, the underwater environment has been constructed beautifully with such attention to detail that even if the characters themselves may be less than impressive, simply getting lost in the backdrop is sure to be a joy for most viewers.
These main CGI films released by the Pixar team have been so successful that Pixar has been referred to as the 'greatest breakthrough in film ever!' The mixture of fantastic storylines and adventures with spellbinding pictures has been enough to win over most of the poppulation.
Movie Review: Nemo sinks below Pixar standards
Saturday 12 April 2008
How is film industry changing due to digital technology?
What is the future for CGI technology?
When unreality bites can we turn to 'real films'?
The above article is from the film and tv section of the Independant website. It explores the debate that 'cinema is fast moving into a new, digital era' in which actors are being 'replaced altogether by computer-generated simulacra.'
According to official box office figures, the top three grossing films of 2007 were Spiderman 3, Shrek 3 and Transformers. Also amongst the top ten were I am Legend, 300 and Ratatouille. None of these films grossed less than £200million. This illustrates just how reliant films are nowadays on soecial effects and 'raises the question whether they can be called live-action movies.'
The Sony Pictures special-effects coordinator, Yair Landau, believes that the reason for this is that 'animators borrow more and more freely from live action movies as they attempt to give their cartoons an air of verisimilitude.'
The advantage for the audience is that they build a greater enotional relationship with the main character. For example, Landau states that for Spiderman 3, he felt it was important that 'audiences don't distinguish between the scenes that are done using computer-generated imagery (CGI) and those using old-fashioned live action.'
Landaurs vision of the future is one in which CGI technology is used just as much, if not more than live-action. He believes that this is because the audience in a cinema must feel as close to the characters on screen as possible. Another example is the new 3D U2 film in which 'the film-makers are using state-of-the-art technology to allow you to get far closer to the band than any real-life concert-goer.'
This is the view of Landau, however, if you look at theis years nominations for film awards, it is clear that the audience still prefer good old-fashioned live-movies. Amongst those nominated are Atonement, No Country for Old Men and Juno, all three of which are nominated for best picture. However, their Box-office income is almost half that of CGI driven films such as Transformers and 300.
When unreality bites can we turn to 'real films'?
The above article is from the film and tv section of the Independant website. It explores the debate that 'cinema is fast moving into a new, digital era' in which actors are being 'replaced altogether by computer-generated simulacra.'
According to official box office figures, the top three grossing films of 2007 were Spiderman 3, Shrek 3 and Transformers. Also amongst the top ten were I am Legend, 300 and Ratatouille. None of these films grossed less than £200million. This illustrates just how reliant films are nowadays on soecial effects and 'raises the question whether they can be called live-action movies.'
The Sony Pictures special-effects coordinator, Yair Landau, believes that the reason for this is that 'animators borrow more and more freely from live action movies as they attempt to give their cartoons an air of verisimilitude.'
The advantage for the audience is that they build a greater enotional relationship with the main character. For example, Landau states that for Spiderman 3, he felt it was important that 'audiences don't distinguish between the scenes that are done using computer-generated imagery (CGI) and those using old-fashioned live action.'
Landaurs vision of the future is one in which CGI technology is used just as much, if not more than live-action. He believes that this is because the audience in a cinema must feel as close to the characters on screen as possible. Another example is the new 3D U2 film in which 'the film-makers are using state-of-the-art technology to allow you to get far closer to the band than any real-life concert-goer.'
This is the view of Landau, however, if you look at theis years nominations for film awards, it is clear that the audience still prefer good old-fashioned live-movies. Amongst those nominated are Atonement, No Country for Old Men and Juno, all three of which are nominated for best picture. However, their Box-office income is almost half that of CGI driven films such as Transformers and 300.
Thursday 3 April 2008
Pixar background information
The following information has been acquired from the wikipedia website available from this link.
Pixar Animation Studios is an computer animation studio based in California (USA) that is most recognizable for its eight Academy Awards. It is best known for its work with CGI animation in films such as Toy Story, Finding Nemo, and Ratatouille. The CGI effect is achieved through 'PhotoRealistic RenderMan', Pixar's own version of the standard image rendering software used by animated films to get a high-quality image.
'On January 24, 2006, The Walt Disney Company agreed to buy Pixar for $7.4 billion from Steve Jobs - who had previously acquired it from Lucasfilm - through an all-stock transaction.'
Pixar Animation Studios is an computer animation studio based in California (USA) that is most recognizable for its eight Academy Awards. It is best known for its work with CGI animation in films such as Toy Story, Finding Nemo, and Ratatouille. The CGI effect is achieved through 'PhotoRealistic RenderMan', Pixar's own version of the standard image rendering software used by animated films to get a high-quality image.
'On January 24, 2006, The Walt Disney Company agreed to buy Pixar for $7.4 billion from Steve Jobs - who had previously acquired it from Lucasfilm - through an all-stock transaction.'
Tuesday 1 April 2008
Homework Questions........
What is citizen journalism?
Citizen journalism is a style of journalism which is becoming increasingly popular. It basically consists of the audience being actively involved with a media source. Examples are e-mails sent to a media source which are them published as part of an article, videos sent to media sources which are then used as part of the audience's consumption such as during the terror attacks, etc.
What ideas does Emily Bell present in her article?
The main ideas Bell portrays are :
Citizen journalism is a style of journalism which is becoming increasingly popular. It basically consists of the audience being actively involved with a media source. Examples are e-mails sent to a media source which are them published as part of an article, videos sent to media sources which are then used as part of the audience's consumption such as during the terror attacks, etc.
What ideas does Emily Bell present in her article?
The main ideas Bell portrays are :
- Digital technology is leading to democratisation of media.
- The speed, volume and type of technology has been made possible by the internet, broadband and digitised media sources.
- Unmoderatied blogs on websites may 'raise eyebrows' as to how they will be controlled.
- The media sources have to incorporate the ideas of these audience's into their select media.
- Media technologies have to learn to grow with their new communities.
What ideas does the video portray?
The video portrays the power of the internet on society and shows us that in a few years tme, people will rely on digital technology heavily and tells us that such digital companies will take over.
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