Get Out of your Own Way!

 When you hold yourself to a standard which is no longer the standard, sometimes it's great to find a video which puts things in perspective.

  I'm a notorious perfectionist and often dwell on the smallest detail or details in a scene or sequence. Matching what your minds eye perceives and creates is often impossible on a no budget production and you never feel satisfied. Other directors who are well known for this include Terry Gilliam, Ridley Scott and the most maligned of all George Lucas, not that I'm comparing myself or "talents" to their like.

 Sometimes you just have to put yourself in check and this video exposes that mindset and may make things a little clearer to others who get in their own way.

A Million Ways to Die in the West - Reviewed

  I won advanced screening tickets to see Seth MacFarlane's new film, A Million Ways to Die in the West tonight. The trailer showed great promise, but sadly the film didn't quite deliver what I was anticipating.

  The majority of the larger laughs are to be seen in the full trailer, and although there are some more laughs to be had they just aren't strong or frequent enough to sustain. Don't get me wrong, it's an enjoyable film, but it's a poor follow up to Ted, which constantly stepped over the line of humour and bad taste just enough to keep the laughs flowing.

  Many of the comedic moments are Genital/Fart/Bowel movement jokes or inconceivable and unforeseen death scenes, but these are sparse and occasional. There are a few surprises with a bounty of blink and you miss them cameos, one of which was a great nod to another film (which I won't divulge). And as with most films these days, there is a post credits scene (with continued cameo).

  I spent much of the film shuffling in my seat awaiting the next joke, and sometimes was left a little empty by what was on offer. In fact most of the promotion for this film makes reference to Ted which forces me to constantly use that as a benchmark, but this was just a poor cousin attempt and doesn't peer up. Where MacFarlane was brilliant off-screen as Ted, as Albert he just seemed to be scrambling for more on-screen face time and appears in almost every scene.

  Overall, it's a more story driven film than you'd expect, once you get past the initial, almost piece to camera of MacFarlane, rants on possible ways to die in the west (while half expecting him to wink at the camera) as he continues to announce deaths pre or post occurrence. By the end of the film you realise it's not going to be another Ted and is actually a Rom-Com set in the Wild Frontier with regular reference to popular modern day culture. Stand out performances by Charlize Theron who does well to not force her scenes and lets them flow naturally, Sarah Silverman with her characters candid approach to her job vs. her Religion and Giovanni Ribisi who just does creepy or weird so very well. However Seth MacFarlane and Neil Patrick Harris, for the majority of the film, are poorly cast and never quite gel with their characters, scenes or surroundings.

Panasonic - All POWERED UP with no place to go...

 I found myself invited to the Panasonic roadshow for 2014 last night, it was effectively a product preview/launch of their upcoming ranges of items from white-ware to audio/visual and beyond. With the number of products on offer, I couldn't help but think they may be spreading themselves a little thin, because they really are manufacturing almost everything now (world domination). Sadly with the exception of the Lumix GH4 and  the upcoming 4K televisions there really wasn't too much of interest for me.

  One product that caught my eye, for all the wrong reasons, was the HX-A100

  It's an ill conceived attempt at breaking into the "action camera" market, that GoPro have successfully cornered, but the camera itself is an awkward bundle of cables and over-sized shapes. The lack of compactness makes for an uncomfortable looking and tremendously dorky apparatus. In fact I can liken it to Padwhorism* almost.

What you're meant to look like  

What you actually look like

  Don't get me wrong, I think the POV aspect is quite cool and there are accessories readily available including a dead-cat (or wind sock), which no one else have really thought through for their action cameras (with the exception of GoPro's casing).

  BUT most reviews for it are very mixed and the footage, although 1080, probably isn't of a high enough quality or standard for broadcast; although for a short film with POV aspects it may be passable with some serious post production. However the HX-A100 is one of those items which will require a few early adopters to fully flesh it out and confirm the true pros and cons. But for my money, they still haven't cracked it and it just looks too cumbersome.

 The Lumix GH4 speaks for itself, and as it is currently the only mirror-less 4K camera on the market (well the NZ market, not sure about abroad) that it may well steal a little of Canon's DSLR business in 2014. Although 4K is only new and will take sometime to be adopted and fully implemented into home setups (mainly because there is currently only one Blu-Ray available in 4K in NZ, and it's a terrible film! - Told you it was crap!). The technology is perfect for shooting in full 4K then down-scaling footage to 1080 for a potentially higher and better final output quality after editing. 

Click to view product page

  The versatility doesn't stop there either, but the product and product accessory pages can tell you all the gory details.

UPDATE: Here is a rather long, but informative review on the GH4 by Dave Dugdale

 Overall it was a good night with entertainment to break the monotony of dry facts about electronics and electrical products. There were questions and prizes, a fully catered meal (with Vegan food!), free drinks and a goodie bag to take home (Content: Product brochures, LED Key Ring and a Pair of Blue RP-HX250 Headphones - which sadly aren't great).

   If you find yourself invited to a roadshow event, take it up, there is a lot of interesting information, if not a little dry at times, but it's a cheap night out and you may come away with more than you expected. Heck I'm considering a Lumix over a Canon DSLR now.

* Padwhore (Padwhorism): A person who uses their iPad to take pictures or video at an event, attraction or sight/tourist trap and effectively obscures the view of other attendees; for sub-par quality pictures and or video no one wants to see.

OOPS! You (Tube) did it again...

 Alas I bring tidings of more potentially bad news. For those, like myself, who enjoy making music videos, there may soon be a void as You Tube may soon become unavailable as an outlet.

Click to read article

 This is not only a bad omen for music but soon for original content that isn't corporate advertising, fail compilations and cat videos (Like this absolute GEM!). It stands to reason that if they do go ahead with this draconian agreement, and it sounds like an almost foregone conclusion, that they soon will set their sights on other works, such as short films, infotainment and magazine style casts. It's actually quite a daunting and sad reality that there soon may well be fewer and few online outlets to "distribute" your work. This is purely speculation, but I'm sure you can see that if this agreement does go ahead, then You Tube will likely start implementing it into other arenas and video publication types.

  It truly is a sad thought and a worry. But don't stop, keep making your content and keep uploading it, the hardest part at the moment is finding an audience for none cat related videos (which will never go viral - as quality seemingly never does in this day and age). Vimeo stands to gain several more channels.

Ideas? Thoughts? Opinions?

Ode to the efforts of NZ on Screen

 NZ On Screen often have some great videos which are a great portal into the past. Whether it be documentaries, short films, trailers or television shows/segments there is some really interesting stuff to watch and or recall. NZ on Screen really have to be commended for salvaging some cringe-worthy, some downright bizarre and some generally great programming.

 Sometimes it's great just to sit and watch the background of some of the short films and documentaries and remember just how much Auckland City and New Zealand has changed in such a short amount of time. Sadly many of these changes were to the detriment of some beautiful architecture.

Here is a small selection of my personal picks:

Queen Street - Short Film - 1980

 Queen Street is a fantastic look at the bridge into adulthood and more so at how I remember Auckland City when growing up. Some might also recognise Kelly Johnson (as Scott) who that following year (1981) went on to star as Gerry in the classic Goodbye Pork Pie, which I would also recommend.

A Haunting We Will Go - Television Series - 1979-80

 As a child, this show scared the heck out of me, although watching it today it's a far cry from anything I could ever consider frightening, other than perhaps the over acting? 

Is It I Count Homogenized - Television Series - 1982

 Actor Russell Smith (Play School & Shark in the Park), who played Count Homogenized in A Haunting we will go went on to reprise his role as the milk slurping/stealing vampire and get his very own show in 1982's Is it I Count Homogenized.

Terry and the Gunrunners - Television series - 1985

 Continuing with the "Kidult" entertainment, the screen adaptation of Terry and the Gunrunners (book/graphic novel by Stephen Ballantyne and Bob Kerr) was mind-blowing for those watching in 1985. The segues from larger than life live action to animated comic book frame to computer game styled action sequences was pretty advanced for NZ television and met with fantastic praise. The highlight was always Billy T as a biker and not to forget the whole 'kids can do' attitude the show exuded.

Ice TV - Television Series - 1995-2000

 Ice TV was a satirical, yet loose, magazine style show for "young adults", which was in turn a watered down version of several other shows prior. At times Ice TV was very hit and miss, some shows were just terrible and seemed like they were trying to push a turd, others were seamless and television brilliance. Host Nathan Rarere has since gone on to work heavily in sports radio and television, and had previously been involved with another show called Box Dog a skit based show on music Television station Max TV. Petra Bagust has since gone on to host several shows including Morning News/magazine shows, and Jon Bridges is one of the Producers behind the hugely popular 7 Days.

Life on Ben - Series - 2002

  In 1999 I received a phone call out of the blue from the wife of an old friend, they offered me an internship working on a show they had in development at the time, that show was Life on Ben. Sadly I was unable to accept the offer as I was about to become a father and couldn't afford to be an unpaid intern, but I often think back and wonder what if... Life on Ben was a fantastic concept for Edu-tainment, but due to the development and stop motion animation time it was beaten to the punch by the film, and subsequent series, Osmosis Jones which was similar, and Life on Ben didn't quite pick up as it should have. It does however feature the voice talents of Flight of the Conchords star Jermaine Clement and BOY director Taika Waititi. Creator Luke Nola went on to create Let's Get Inventin', which is fantastic and involving children's programming. 

Ready to Roll (AKA: RTR) - Television Show - 1975-94

Radio With Pictures - Television Show - 1976-88

 Both were music shows offering music videos and live performances of local and foreign acts. Although RTR was the more commercial of the two shows being a top 20 countdown, it was Radio with Pictures which opened up a world of different music and broadened musical horizons with more "alternative" flavours. But at one time both shows were the 'go to' for recommendations on what next to buy on Vinyl and latterly cassette tape. Sadly, if there are any music television shows left, they are heavily sponsored and paid commercials (by the record companies) for tasteless mass produced rubbish and product placement.

Lastly:

New Zealand Grand Prix - Documentary - 1961

 This is a brilliant time capsule which proves New Zealand was once a thriving motor racing destination, sadly this is not the case any more with events few and far between, but none particularly "International". It's a great watch and wonderful so see local motor racing heroes who have long past.

 There are hundreds upon hundreds of gems waiting to be discovered and re-discovered thanks to the tireless efforts of the staff at NZ on Screen it's just so easy to go there and lose a few hours, it's also a great way to see how different early New Zealand broadcasting was, often with twinges of matter of fact Radio broadcaster approach by presenters, a format/habit long since forgotten.

PS: If you hadn't already realised, all images are links to footage or footage pages... As per usual.

Net Neutrality - For or Against?

  As per some of my previous posts:

Google - Do you love or hate the arts? and Independent Content Accessibility - It's always been here

  The latter entry may not be the case for much longer. The FCC have, for some time now, been trying to police the Internet (which was never meant to occur). When the Internet became freely available to Joe Public it was an opportunity to speak to people abroad cheaply, find and research information without leaving the house, and watch cat videos (like this one doing the rounds) while in your underwear. Heck the Internet, thanks to Google maps, can be the visual experience of walking around the racetrack at Monza or walking through Scott Base in Antarctica, things that everyday people might never get the opportunity to do. But with the potential for experiences there is also the potential for self promotion and a possible audience, and this is what I've made an extensive point of previously.

  I'm not going to make the same point, I'm merely going to point out that groups of music artists (Future of Music Coalition & Free Press) have come out in support of what I have been saying and have signed a letter in support of Net Neutrality addressed to Tom Wheeler; who is clearly out of touch with the true nature of what the Internet is and is seemingly pushing the agenda of big businesses. The letter is eloquently written and expresses much of what I've been saying (or trying to say).

Read the article and letter on Pitchfolk.com

 Several Countries have fallen to Internet policing or restrictions, New Zealand is one of the many, and has been for sometime now (thanks to the Warner Brothers Studio deal with the National Government when securing The Hobbit films), but Australia have taken it to a further extreme with new Internet Censorship Laws, which are explained to Ma and Pa as protection for the children, but are clearly an invasion of privacy. Some may say if you have nothing to hide, then you have nothing to fear, but what if you are wrongly accused, taken out of context, or just have a warped sense of humour and your comments are taken literally? There are also so many small ways you can infringe on Copyright laws inadvertently, or have your works claimed as plagiarism by someone. What if you create a documentary or short film about a taboo subject or is in some way Anti-Government (real or fictional), what if you write the next Brave New World or 1984? Will censorship prevail and see your work removed? It's a slippery slope really. 

  We all know that the laws we face in day to day life do not work on the Net and are impossible to police on the Internet (so very many aren't even applicable), but wouldn't an Elected Global Governing Body be a better start, and on that commission ACTUAL Internet savvy people would also be beneficial... Instead of lay-people fearing SkyNet (from the Terminator films) as a very real thing and true possibility?

 What do you think? Do you support Net Neutrality?

Nahnah nahnah nahnah nahnah.... Just Nah! (No)

 On the heels of a disappointing Superman film, with Man of Steel, followed by the disappointing announcement of Ben Affleck cast to play Batman/Bruce Wayne in the upcoming Batman Vs. Superman movie, Zack Snyder posted this picture of a paunch Batman and the new Batmobile.

 Sadly, I have very low expectations for this film, where Snyder has previously impressed, he just seems to have read into his own hype and keeps making larger and larger unapproachable films. While watching Man of Steel I couldn't help wondering why not combine all the flashbacks into one segment for pacing alone, there was no need to keep dropping in and out of present day at such a jarring rate of knots. By the end of the film I just didn't care and was more worried about the obvious collateral damage caused by the overtly long and over CG'ed final battle scenes. I'm not a Superman fan and I can't identify with the character as it is, so don't get me wrong, I was probably going to be nigh impossible to impress, but there are no endearing aspects to the film in my eyes. 

 Before I'm classed as a Snyder hater, I must say I really enjoyed his remake of George A. Romeros Dawn of the Dead, his adaptation of Frank Millers 300 (bar David Wenham's appalling Narration) and I (among the few) also enjoyed his adaptation of Alan Moores Watchmen. Even Sucker Punch had some good redeeming scenes for an otherwise flash over substance film.

  The saddest part of all is that the picture above with the tiniest amount of editing in PAINT! can further lose any redeeming qualities thusly:

  DC are on the back foot, this is obvious and have been for some time, Christopher Nolan's foray into the Batman universe started well but ended poorly, and you can see that Marvel have taken over the Superhero film universe with their regular (closely OR loosely) tied films (even if some of them were TERRIBLE or too interested in the end game) which lead to something larger at the end of each "phase", Phase one ending in The Avengers. But you can see by the cast announcements and their characters that the Batman Vs. Superman film is going to be a poorly devised fast track to a Justice League film and will lack the character development Marvel so richly achieved knowing they had an end game in mind. DC are winning in the Television stakes, but are facing a huge floundering at the box office. Who would have thought "Comic book" movies would mean anything in the grand scheme of things?

* Zack Snyder's picture sourced from Comingsoon.net

** Spoiler Alert: Marvel Phase 3 and 4 possible leak

Two taken today... Be careful out there!

"Alien" artist, surrealist H.R. Giger dies aged 74

Malik Bendjelloul Dead: 'Searching For Sugarman' Director Dies At 36, Police Report

Johnny Express By Alfred Imageworks

I watched a great animated short film today which is currently a Staff Pick on Vimeo.

It's called Johnny Express by Korean animation studio Alfred Imageworks.
The blurb reads:

It's 2150

There are all sorts of Aliens living throughout space.
Johnny is a Space Delivery Man who travels to different planets to deliver packages.
Johnny is lazy and his only desire is to sleep in his autopilot spaceship.
when the spaceship arrives at the destination, all he has to do is simply deliver the box.
However, it never goes as planned. Johnny encounters strange and bizarre planets
and always seems to cause trouble on his delivery route.

Will he be able to finish his mission without trouble?

Even if you don't like animated films or animation, it's a great comical story with some rather dark humour and only runs a mere 5:27, but is in no way a waste of time and worth watching in it's entirety.

Check it out!

Click the image to view the film

Check out the Alfred Imageworks Vimeo Channel also

What does a Fox say? Cancel another Sci-Fi show after it's first season! Of course!

 It would seem Fox have done it again. The premature demise of yet another Sci-Fi show before it's time. Not unlike Firefly, Almost Human has been canned, just as it was building and starting to pick up steam, and will not see a second season. Although Almost Human wasn't instantly gripping, it slowly but awkwardly found it's pace and began to impress with it's back and forth dialogue between the leads (Karl Urban and Michael Ealy) and often subtle special effects. Even the VERY poorly cast Captain (Lili Taylor) was starting to, VERY slowly, appeal.
 I find this highly irregular and just can't fathom why they keep making the same mistakes over and over again. Perhaps they need to look inward as it appears from the outside that it's mismanagement which causes this to keep happening... I have novel ideas, why not actually schedule episodes in order and stop repeating episodes mid season for a start... Although I don't know if those will catch on...

From TVRage.com:

'Firefly.' 'Alcatraz.' 'Terra Nova.' 'Dollhouse.' 'Dark Angel.' These are but a few of the FOX sci-fi and fantasy series to be canceled before their time. Over its more than a quarter-century of existence, the network has steadily built up a reputation as the place that genre shows go to die. Sadly, according to Deadline, one more name has now been added to that list.

Created by former 'Fringe' show runner J.H. Wyman, 'Almost Human' starred Karl Urban as Detective John Kennex, who blames an android (known as "synthetics" in this universe) for the death of his partner and the loss of his leg. Recently out of a coma, Kennex is eager to get back on the force, but finds himself forced into a reluctant partnership with Dorian (Michael Ealy), a synthetic who possesses a free spirit and wit unlike his cybernetic brethren. Together, they fight crime. No seriously, they do.

Thankfully, unlike some of the other sudden cancellations in FOX's history, 'Almost Human' didn't end its 13-episode season on any major cliffhanger. Still, there were several smaller plot threads left open, that fans will no doubt continue to speculate about long after 'Almost Human' fades into TV obscurity.

Some may wonder why 'Almost Human' (which averaged a 1.9 in the 18-49 demo and 6.2 million total viewers over the course of its first and now only season) is being canceled, while it's 2014 lead-out 'The Following' (which averaged a 1.8 demo and 5.2 million total viewers) was renewed early on.

RELATED NEWS: J.J. Abrams and J.H. Wyman Talk 'Almost Human,' Robot Ethics

We'll likely never know what FOX's thought process was, but some of it can no doubt be attributed to 'The Following's larger than usual DVR audience, which regularly almost doubled the serial killer thriller's live viewership.

Either way, what's done is done. Kennex and Dorian are gone, and they aren't coming back. Let the angry emails and tweets to FOX begin...now!

 This too is also interesting read, the proposal that Netflix should look to reboot or continue other prematurely cancelled shows

R.I.P.