If it isn't broke, then fix it

     I don't understand why these companies have to always cheat their base of customers with some kind of new program or interface that either has a steep learning curve or loses past applications.  So it's no wonder that Windows 10 isn't taking off as fast as Windows 7.  Windows 7 is arguably the best modern interface for doing simple tasks, nothing is hidden or was hard to get too.  The interface is still used by companies and schools because of it's proven success.
     The reasoning for this rapid movement is because of tablets becoming super popular with the public.  Laptops are great for intense stuff like gaming, writing, and designing, but most people don't do all that and really just want something a little more than a typical smart phone.  With Windows 10 a lot of features such as windows media player don't apply like they did before because of films being digitally downloaded now.  But what about the other million people that don't have a tablet and need these features?  Windows get nagging everyone to download it and when people finally did, the word of mouth is what slowed the process.  Besides Windows 7 is suppose to be good up until 2029 so I think the world will be able to manage until then.

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Streaming=Killing cable, but not my wallet.

     Tonight I made a decision I was trying to avoid, getting rid of cable.  Granted we had over a hundred channels, but I really only watched maybe ten of them.  The kicker was that our cable was out and Charter wanted to still charge $129 for service.  How can you justify spending that much on cable you ask?  The answer is simple, we liked the children's programming for the little one.  So instead of Nickelodeon in the mornings he will have to watch Netflix.
     Netflix hasn't been around as long as say Pay Per View, but now what started as an online DVD rental company has changed the way people watch movies and television programming.  If Redbox killed Blockbuster, then Netflix is slowly killing cable.  Every kind of show you want is now available for only $7.99 a month with no commercials.  Granted it's not like they have absolutely anything you want, but there are hours of different things to capture someones interest.  Netflix is becoming more of a network like the channel USA Network where they brag about how much original programming they have and how great that is...for somebody I guess.
     I remember dating this chick back 2009 and she would order new release from Netflix.  We would sit there and cuddle for hours watching what ever and just really enjoying each others company.  She had both Netflix, plus cable with all the premium channels to boot.  Video streaming wasn't quite there yet so we had to wait for those magic DVDs to come in the mail.  Things didn't work out and I'm often reminded of here throughout my week.  I hope things are going well for her and I'll never forget those moments we had that seemed like something out of a movie.  She was a strong willed puma that was stuck in here ways.
     I don't know, maybe she finally gave up cable.

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Don't People Watch Movies...Computers Are Bad

     Don't people realize that computer, technology, and artificial intelligence is going to destroy humanity?  I know this is true because I've seen the movies.

     Apparently the two internet giants Google and Facebook are in a race to find the make an open source programs that can even go further into recognizing what people type and say.  Apple has Siri, but this is kinda the same principal on steroids.  Google and Facebook make their money from advertisements by using adwords that can build a profile for a person on their interests when searching.  So now the two giants are in race to out due each other with A.I and Facebook seems to be coming out ahead.

     Facebook is developing a super computer that of course all the latest goodies, but has eight high-end GPUs.  Most computers have one GPU that will have multiple cores to handle the processes the user is doing such as searching the web, playing a dvd, and gaming all at the same time.  Even computers that are built for 3D graphics and video will have dual processors, but EIGHT!!!  The two titans are also competing to get the best and brightest engineers to program the new ideas because the format is open source.  The best way to explain what is going on is to rent "Golden Eye" or any James Bond movie that involves computers.  Google and Facebook are the madmen that are trying to take over the world by hiring some computer programmers.  Maybe it's more like "Live Free or Die Hard"...I don't know maybe I watch too many movies.

     What bothers me about this article how they want artificial intelligence the power to hold conversations with people.  Are times really that bad that people really have to tell a machine their feelings, hopes, and desires?  Don't they realize that this is a recipe for disaster because of how dependent they will be?  

     But hey this is none of my business and besides, Terminator is on t.v.

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People fired, millions lost...back to business as usual

     Sony is company that has their hand in almost all forms of entertainment and electronics.  What started as the manufacturer of cassette players and camcorders now has music, gaming systems, movies, and cell phones.  So one would think that the movie division of the company wouldn't be as important as say gaming would be terribly wrong.  The North Korea cyber attack on the company put a huge strain financially on the film division because it exposed all plans, thoughts, and remarks the former CEO was sending out in email to others.      
     It's crazy how in this day and age billion dollar companies can get hacked by major governments over silly ideas.  And that's what happen to Sony with the film "The Interview" that poked fun at the culture and beliefs of North Korea.  Because of the emails being put out for the public to see on the internet hurt the company because of sensitive information about future film projects that the company had invested millions of dollars into.  This wasn't the first time Sony had been hacked because the Playstation Network was also hacked a few years ago and cost the company even more millions.
     The new CEO has reflected on these attacks and even stated that you need to close the inboxes and start picking up phones.  With the growing dependence of technology of the American people if a nation gets mad at us about a film coming out and tries to ruin a company, what would another nation do to us over different issues?

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The Force Awakens...with less money

     To a regular Joe living their daily middle class life the term "millions of dollars" is up there with Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, and going to third base on the first date as things that are imaginary (less of the latter).  The stories of companies paying millions of dollars for a thirty second ad blows peoples minds as to how can these companies justify spending so much on time that is less than the average attention span seems wasteful.  But with the internet people have found other ways to advertise their products.
     Now the new "Star Wars" coming out isn't in the same league of advertising as some "as seen on T.V." ad during late night television, but the amount Disney has been spending on television ads is half of what studios spent on "non-event" movies.  To me social networks like Facebook and YouTube have helped keep the Star Wars franchise enduring after forty years.  Granted the prequels in the early part of the 2000s brought back the public awareness of the saga, but those films didn't have the same magic as the originals.  Kids could see an image of Han Solo on someones profile picture, ask their parents about who that is, and be introduced to the franchise and keep it going.
     A few years ago YouTube started to advertise commercials before videos and it brought a whole new dynamic to the channel.  Granted it is annoying, but advertising is what keeps sites like YouTube and Facebook free to be apart of.  Google has adsense which is way beyond what my little mind can comprehend, but there are success stories about people making a living from their blogs and videos from views and clicks.  Of course having your content standout in a sea of other related material is a challenge in itself, finding that vein of advertiser money on the web is something of a treasure hunt that people are always trying to find and capitalize on.  The internet keeps memories alive, whether they be good, bad, or ugly.
     Now if you will excuse me I have a good feeling about date later tonight.

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The Incredible Shrinking Camera

     Back in the 1990's my family got our first camcorder.  My Dad and I just to be wowed by how the giant tape would eject like the gun out of Robocop's leg.  I had a ton of fun taping with my friends doing silly stuff and playing it back on the television.  This giant beast in the picture is close to what we had growing up.  It's crazy how in twenty years things can change so much.
   

     GoPro  has become the standard in the action camera market.  No matter what brand of small camera you may have people will always associate it with a gopro camera.  Someone can spend $500 on a camera so bigger on a cell phone that can have 4k recording, professional settings, and HD slow motion and still be compete within reason of something that cost five times as much.  It's crazy how everything is smaller and better than what people perceived as the best quality a few years ago.  I myself had problems going from tapes to the digital format because it couldn't buy what you would do if you the camera quit working.  Now at video gigs we pass around memory cards like candy not having a care in a world.  

     So now the bean counters at gopro are getting worried that sales of their new camera aren't selling as well as they thought and it is a no brainer.  Looking at the specs of the gopro session camera why would anyone pay $400 for a something that is yestertech?  The prices keep getting slashed, but it people don't want it because they can get something better for half the price.  It makes me wonder what the next big leap will be for the action camera market.

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"An elegant weapon for a more civilized age"

     Reading this far it is not hard to see my love for film.  I wish it was easier to find people to make projects and everyone have an understanding and respect for one another's work.  Unfortunately in today's times it seems that more than ever ideas are running out.  People don't see or feel the need to really branch out of their comfort zone nor do they want to play second fiddle to another "director" on a project.  Imagine though, how cool it would have been to be part of something magical and inspirational.  Something that would have won over the hearts, minds, and imaginations of millions with you being at the forefront of a revolution.  The problem is that if you are going to make an omelet, you're gonna crack a few eggs.
      Ray Harryhausen was a pioneer in special effects, most notably stop motion animation.  Stop motion animation is the same concept as a cartoon except instead of thousands of picture being played in a sequence from drawings it is played by a model that has articulation points.  Harryhausen was considered a master of his craft and he did all of it in his house.  Stop motion is a painstakingly tedious process and Ray Harryhausen was doing it all without the help of a computer.  Everything was done in camera and if it made a mistake he wouldn't be able to see where he messed up.  Of course all changed with Star Wars in 1977.
     Ray Harryhausen kinda felt how cinema and technology were starting to change and was against.  His films along with a lot of films released during the golden era of Hollywood were simple stories about a hero who defeated the villain and got the girl in the end.  Harryhausen didn't like how the anti-hero was starting to be the main focus along with how violence in movies were starting to go beyond what was considered graphic for the time period.  Apparently Harryhausen and his wife never sat through Silence of the Lambs because of the material and the irony is that he was given a life time achievement award the same year Silence of the Lambs won best picture.
     I assume what he was disappointed with was that the magic of storytelling was becoming more grown up and the disbelief was lost.  Sure special effects help with making the impossible a reality, but now people have become immune to it.  Instead of being wowed about how did they do that it's now more of watching a giant commercial or video game on screen.

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Coming Soon to the Small Screen

     In the 1990's I loved going to the theater.  There was something magical about the whole experience of sitting in a dark room and being just blown away by the images on the screen.  I specifically remember seeing Twister and falling in love with tornadoes and Dodge Rams.  As I got older the experience hasn't changed, but the people and prices have.   The economy is and has been in the gutter for a while.  What use to cost maybe $20 to $30 dollars is now starting to be as expense as a trip to Six Flags.  The 3D gimmick has now become a staple with Hollywood blockbusters and in doing so has skyrocketed ticket prices.  This is why the smaller screen is becoming for popular.
     No this doesn't mean that theaters will be going the away like the drive in, but Hollywood has taken notice.  Big stars are starting to make movies for Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Hulu.  If I told you five years ago that Brad Pitt would be making a movie for purely on line watching it would have sounded like a joke.  Now it is a reality because of how popular streaming movies and videos has become.  If Red Box killed Blockbuster, Netflix is killing Red Box because of the inconvenience of  taking a movie back.  Now for $7.99 a month I can have all the entertainment I want and not worry about late fees.  Watching YouTube is just as entertaining as watching a television show, I don't even turn on the the tv in my room anymore.
     Hollywood is pumping out fewer and fewer movies for the theaters because they are losing money from poor box office results.  Summer movies usually tend to bring in money, but during the down season people aren't going that much any more to the megaplexes.   VOD (video on demand) use to be a feature for sporting events and specialty programming is now part of our culture.  It's crazy how fast technology has consumed our lives.

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Tools for the "REAL" Filmmaker

     When 1080p resolution was starting to became the standard, people really made a big deal out of it.  Now I don't know all the technical details, but having a high definition camera was what separated amateurs from "real" filmmakers.  Now granted it was really just for bragging rights on Youtube at the time and people loved slapping that little "HD" icon on their videos.  That was 2006 and I would have killed to have a camcorder that was reasonably price that could do 24 frames per second much less high definition. Fast forward seven years later and HD is starting to become a thing of the past.  That's not saying that it will go away overnight, but with all this new 4K, 5K, 101010101010K(doesn't exist...yet) people love having the best picture possible.

     I own two camcorders now, a Sony VG20 and CX900, and they are both 1080p.  With doing videos mainly for youtube there really isn't a reason for 4K for someone like me and the billion other people on the website.  Now if I were making a movie that actually had a budget that would be a different story.  The "RED" cameras are starting to become a staple in the film industry and now if you want to be a real filmmaker you need a RED camera.  When these camera first hit the scene they were beyond what a typical American could afford.  Does someone who does video for a hobby really need a $70,000 camera to haul around and watch like a newborn child to make sure that it is protected and cared for?  Or does a $700 camera work just as fine for your needs that you can get from Best Buy gently used?  That is the $69,300 question.

     RED cameras have been around for a while now and are an established company.  Hollywood blockbusters have gone to the digital format for awhile now because of cost saving versus film stock cameras.  Hollywood can record Chris Pratt running by himself in the morning and then start to work on the frame work for the velociraptor in the at night as opposed to filming in the morning and waiting weeks for the film stock to be processed digitally.

     Now $6000 isn't exactly a steal when you think about what niche would really need a 6K camera to make their materpiece on.  I have sat through a number of short films at the local festivals in St. Louis with varying formats from standard definition to I could probably count blackheads on faces clarity.  To me it doesn't matter really matter about the resolution so much as having a coherent story and at these festivals 90 minutes of shorts films back to back starts to make the idea of a sudden heart attack not such a bad thing.  Usually I can fill my time by thinking about what load of laundry I did that morning or reflect back to a time an old fling got topless for the first time in my old Grand Marquis.  Life is full of little moments like that. 

     Having a $70,000 or even $6000 camera doesn't mean that your production will hit all the high notes and bring acclaim from the masses.  But what do I know, I'm not a "real" filmmaker.  

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Death of the VFX Artist

     Animation is what helped start visual effects in Hollywood.  The picture above is from "Fantasia" released in 1940 during the Golden Era of Disney animation.  Fast forward 75 years to 2015 and the world is a much different place.  The paintbrush and canvas has been replaced with a mouse and a computer screen.  What use to take a team of animators in a room now only takes half the man power because U.S. companies can't compete with overseas competition.  This was something that was a problem with working in industry, I know this all too well.  Learning that the VFX community was in the same boat now was pretty shocking.  

     Are times really that hard that it seems that every job is in risk of being sent overseas?  Hollywood is a giant business just like the steel, coal, and automotive industry and the people are always looking to get the most for their money.  Just like how WalMart is blamed for killing the mom and pops businesses by selling items cheaper, the overseas competition is slowly killing jobs across the board.  The people who loved to create anything from imagination now have to use that same brain power to market themselves for their next job.  

     I guess the technology jobs are in jeopardy just like the factory jobs.  Working in the factory environment everyone was in denial about it happening and going back to school was suppose to help me.  Now it's scary in today's job market that nothing seems for sure anymore. 

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