It is certainly no coincidence that books on virtually the same topic by two of the leading contemporary writers on digital media and communications — Robert McChesney and Douglas Rushkoff — are released within a week of each other. People Get Ready, by Robert McChesney and John Nichols, and Throwing Rocks at the Google Bus, by Douglas Rushkoff, both address the effects of digital technologies and media on national and world economies and possible consequences for a wide range of issues related to work and human interaction. And how C3PO and R2D2 might not be your best pals after all. At least if you have to work to get by (and are not simply funded by the Jedi interstellar trust fund). You can also check out related earlier posts from mediateacher.net: New Business and Business as Usual, Media Business and Criminology, and VFX and the Art & Business of Moving Images.
Posted in Chapter 5, Media Literacy | Tagged Business, Douglas Rushkoff, media literacy, People Get Ready, Robert McChesney, Throwing Rocks at the Google Bus | Leave a Comment »
Documentary from Media Education Foundation
From Uncanny Valleys to CG’ed faces and bodies (in Photoshopped Values), discussions of the effect of digital technologies on how our media shapes our views on the human form and how people view and judge others have been highlighted a number of times in these pages. In the Washington Post article Hollywood’s secret beauty trick: The special effects facelift, Stephanie Merry highlights the well-hidden world of visual effects with actors and how they are used to alter the ways we see people on the screen and how they shift expectations of the general public relative to how all of us look — from small and big screens to real life. The recent case of Pee Wee Herman’s return to the big screen and his transformations by makeup wizard Ve Neill (of SyFy’s Face Off as well) along with the digital sheen by CG artists is employed as a rare example of truth telling in a field built on deception. Along with the article, the video from Flawless FX that accompanies the piece will be a real eye-opener to many students. Or most anyone else outside of the well-guarded vaults (or servers) of raw footage and VFX production houses.
Posted in Visual Effects | Tagged Face Off, Flawless FX, Stephanie Merry, The Illusionists, Ve Neill | 1 Comment »
Gabriel Osorio and Pato Escala for Bear Story
Want to see those Oscar shorts? Most of them, including the winners of Live Action Short — Stutterer — and Animated Short Film — Bear Story — are available here. In fact, Bear Story marks the first time a Chilean film has ever won an Oscar, which was movingly noted by its creators, Gabriel Osorio and Pato Escala.
For the documentaries, it is not possible to go to one single source to watch all of the nominated shorts, but the winner directed by Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, A Girl in the River: The Price of Forgiveness, will be available to HBO subscribers next week since it was produced by the renowned HBO documentary division.
Related to celebrating things, I will add an expression of joy for Emmanuel Lubezki‘s astounding third win in a row for cinematography (after having shot an incredible series of features with Alfonso Cuarón, particularly Children of Men, Y Tu Mamá También, and A Little Princess) shooting essentially without lights. And add to that a resounding cry of triumph for the maestro, Ennio Morricone, for such a well-deserved victory and one of the most touching moments of the night. It was a genuine pleasure to see him up there receiving his award with such a wonderful address and message to his respected peer, John Williams. What a composer. Ennio Morricone has scored hundreds of movies, and there are so, so many that are absolute masterpieces. Here is one you have probably never heard of: Gli Scassinatori. Check it out and you will see what I mean. Il maestro, indeed.
Margaret Sixel and George Miller
Among the many victories for Mad Max: Fury Road (also so well deserved all around) was Film Editing for Margaret Sixel. Yes, it was a woman who was in charge of editing that furious voyage of footage! And did anyone notice how many women were among the winners on stage, and not just in acting categories? For the big winner at the end, Spotlight, it was two women who were speaking from among the film’s producers, Blye Pagon Faust and Nicole Rocklin.
Posted in Animation, Chapter 8, Women Mediamakers | Tagged Bear Story, Emmanuel Lubezki, Ennio Morricone, Gabriel Osorio, Mad Max: Fury Road, Margaret Sixel, Pato Escala, Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, Stutterer, The Revenant | 1 Comment »
Damn, Daniel! Discuss.
(See here for comparison / contrast: D’où Venons Nous / Que Sommes Nous / Où Allons Nous )
Posted in Chapter 5, Media Literacy | Tagged Damn Daniel, Ellen De Generes, Paul Gauguin, Snapchat, Surfboards, Vans | Leave a Comment »
I am deeply saddened to receive the news that Daniel Gerson, one of the screenwriters of Monsters, Inc., Monsters University, Big Hero 6, and others, has passed away at 49. Dan was one of my classmates in the NYU Graduate Film & TV program, and he was always such a friendly, profoundly funny man. All those who worked with him share many fond memories of fun times and very memorable shoots and hilarious writing by Dan right from the start.
I highly recommend checking out this video of Dan and frequent collaborator Robert L. Baird discussing their writing for Monsters University and the process of developing a screenplay with Pixar from the red carpet premiere of the movie. Also, here is another piece in which Gerson and Baird discuss story specifics of Monsters University including the overall theme of the movie, character development, and writing a prequel.
He was always such a stellar person in a sometimes not-so-nice business. Our condolences from my family to his.
Posted in Chapter 7 | Tagged Big Hero 6, Daniel Gerson, Disney, Monsters Inc., Monsters University, Pixar, Robert L. Baird | Leave a Comment »
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