December 2008 Archives
Let's be really honest here, I love the Muppets.
But as a brand, a property, they've struggled since the untimely passing of their creator Jim Henson.
There were some great movies, 'A Muppet Christmas Carol', 'Muppet Treasure Island', but then it all seemed to go a bit down hill, 'Muppets Tonight' didn't match the wonder of the original muppet show too many new characters, and 'Muppets in Space' continued the slide, and that made for TV movie of the 'Wizard of Oz' was diabolically awful.
But these latest clips that have started appearing on the web are quite cool, retaining the characters core personailities but allowing them to play in a whole new realm. And it's totally designed for the web, making use of video posting and response, comments and interaction.
Plus Rowlf is back at the forefront. It's great to see one of the oldest Muppets, he started on the Jimmy Dean show in the early 60's, back in a speaking role after being very quiet for the last 20 years.
Check out the You Tube accounts of;
Beaker Sweedish Chef Rolf Slatler and Waldorf Rizzo Gonzo Fozzie and Sam the Eagle
Check out Fozzie pointing out a skateboarding dog, and Rizzo's video response of Rowlf trying to upstage him, or take a look at Beaker, Animal and the Sweedish Chef performing Habanera
Here's the preview for their new TV Christmas movie.
But as a brand, a property, they've struggled since the untimely passing of their creator Jim Henson.
There were some great movies, 'A Muppet Christmas Carol', 'Muppet Treasure Island', but then it all seemed to go a bit down hill, 'Muppets Tonight' didn't match the wonder of the original muppet show too many new characters, and 'Muppets in Space' continued the slide, and that made for TV movie of the 'Wizard of Oz' was diabolically awful.
But these latest clips that have started appearing on the web are quite cool, retaining the characters core personailities but allowing them to play in a whole new realm. And it's totally designed for the web, making use of video posting and response, comments and interaction.
Plus Rowlf is back at the forefront. It's great to see one of the oldest Muppets, he started on the Jimmy Dean show in the early 60's, back in a speaking role after being very quiet for the last 20 years.
Check out the You Tube accounts of;
Beaker Sweedish Chef Rolf Slatler and Waldorf Rizzo Gonzo Fozzie and Sam the Eagle
Check out Fozzie pointing out a skateboarding dog, and Rizzo's video response of Rowlf trying to upstage him, or take a look at Beaker, Animal and the Sweedish Chef performing Habanera
Here's the preview for their new TV Christmas movie.
The SYDNEY MORNING HERALD takes a look into the growing popularity of the drama series of DVD boxed set. I'm a confessed binge viewer, and having watched 'E.R'. Season 12, 'Commander in Chief' and 'The Wire' in recent weeks - they might be on to something.
A couple of government press releases hit my in-box in quick succession this morning.
Firstly, the Honorable Senator Stephen Conroy Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy suggests that this Christmas would be the perfect time to upgrade to a digital television.
Furthermore the Honorable Peter Garrett, MP and Minister for the Environment, Heritage and the Arts suggests you consider an energy responsible model, which can now been identified through a star rating guide.
Firstly, the Honorable Senator Stephen Conroy Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy suggests that this Christmas would be the perfect time to upgrade to a digital television.
Furthermore the Honorable Peter Garrett, MP and Minister for the Environment, Heritage and the Arts suggests you consider an energy responsible model, which can now been identified through a star rating guide.
Here's some of the blogs that we've been following lately.
Life Dev: Empowering Creative People
How do you empower and manage creative people and workplaces is the focus of this blog. Great reading for self management or management of others. Check it out, especially if your a Producer.
TV Tonight
David Knox provides the latest Australian televison industry news with 8 -12 updates each day. He's having a summer break at the moment, so it's a little quieter.
AdSpace Pioneers
Julian Cole's site has a strong focus on social marketing and highlights some really cutting edge communication tricks.
Life Dev: Empowering Creative People
How do you empower and manage creative people and workplaces is the focus of this blog. Great reading for self management or management of others. Check it out, especially if your a Producer.
TV Tonight
David Knox provides the latest Australian televison industry news with 8 -12 updates each day. He's having a summer break at the moment, so it's a little quieter.
AdSpace Pioneers
Julian Cole's site has a strong focus on social marketing and highlights some really cutting edge communication tricks.
This is possibly the video blogging equivellant of Twitter. 12 seconds posed a questions and allows you to give a 12 second response via your web cam. of course you can update the world about other parts of your life in 12 seconds as well.
A few weeks ago we were honoured with a visit from French Film Director Bertrand Tavernier. In 1980 Bertrand directed one of his most well know films Mort en direct, La or Deathwatch which told the story of a filmmaker who has his eye replaced with a camera. Now 28 years later, it has happened.
I stumbled over an intriging and clever online marketing move today.
I have an account at Twitter, the mobile misco-blogging web site. I rarely use it and I've never connected it to my mobile - I'm way to busy to distracted by another thing. My Facebook updates automatically repost to my Twitter account, and a few of my friends follow my activities through the Twitter feed.
One of the great (and possibly scary) things you can do on Twitter is you can start following people, every now and then I take a look at who is following me and block a couple of the more dubious ones. Today I found someone following me who I wasn't expecting. Cardinology.
The Cardinals are the backing band of one of my favorite performers, Ryan Adams, and Cardinology is their latest album. I've blogged about Ryan Adams before and my love of his work is well known. But surely I should be his fan - not the other way round. It's very clever that someone in Cardinal land trolls the internet and makes connections with an artist's fans.
I clicked onto the Cardinology Twitter feed, their update from earlier today announced that Adams alter ego DJ Reggie had posted some more rap tunes online. The link led me to the bands You Tube account and this beautiful new song, 'Dear Impossible'. I didn't know this song. What album is it on? A google search revealed the answer. Even though 'Cardinology' is only just in the shops, the next album is already underway. My seach also revealed Ryan Adam's blog, on the tour bus he's been learning Final Cut Pro and posting simple videos to share the new songs, I found another one 'Sunflowers in Hotels' on Vimeo.
So what's all this got to do with filmmaking. Well not a lot. It has a lot to do with online distribution and marketing though.
The BIG thing is that they didn't just create a online presence and hope I'd find it - they reach out and made contact with me. Now I don't think anyone in the Ryan Adams camp is actually following my Twitter updates, mainly because they have 1995 friends to follow - but they made me feel like they were interested in me.
How many filmmakers just create a web page to promote their film and leave it at that?
The band is also cleverly getting me to like the songs from their new album - before it's released. They're getting to me before the critics and the reviews. Could this work for filmmakers? Would you ever let me see your rough cut online? Some footage from the shoot? Something beyond the standard trailer?
Listen to Cardinology on the band's My Space page.
Ryan Adams is playing Metropolis Fremantle in January - he's more than welcome to drop by FTI for a FCP tutorial session.
..and while I don't believe that The Cardinals have a connection with all 1995 of their Twitter friends, I would like to take a moment to recognise my 584 Facebook friends...your all great.
I have an account at Twitter, the mobile misco-blogging web site. I rarely use it and I've never connected it to my mobile - I'm way to busy to distracted by another thing. My Facebook updates automatically repost to my Twitter account, and a few of my friends follow my activities through the Twitter feed.
One of the great (and possibly scary) things you can do on Twitter is you can start following people, every now and then I take a look at who is following me and block a couple of the more dubious ones. Today I found someone following me who I wasn't expecting. Cardinology.
The Cardinals are the backing band of one of my favorite performers, Ryan Adams, and Cardinology is their latest album. I've blogged about Ryan Adams before and my love of his work is well known. But surely I should be his fan - not the other way round. It's very clever that someone in Cardinal land trolls the internet and makes connections with an artist's fans.
I clicked onto the Cardinology Twitter feed, their update from earlier today announced that Adams alter ego DJ Reggie had posted some more rap tunes online. The link led me to the bands You Tube account and this beautiful new song, 'Dear Impossible'. I didn't know this song. What album is it on? A google search revealed the answer. Even though 'Cardinology' is only just in the shops, the next album is already underway. My seach also revealed Ryan Adam's blog, on the tour bus he's been learning Final Cut Pro and posting simple videos to share the new songs, I found another one 'Sunflowers in Hotels' on Vimeo.
So what's all this got to do with filmmaking. Well not a lot. It has a lot to do with online distribution and marketing though.
The BIG thing is that they didn't just create a online presence and hope I'd find it - they reach out and made contact with me. Now I don't think anyone in the Ryan Adams camp is actually following my Twitter updates, mainly because they have 1995 friends to follow - but they made me feel like they were interested in me.
How many filmmakers just create a web page to promote their film and leave it at that?
The band is also cleverly getting me to like the songs from their new album - before it's released. They're getting to me before the critics and the reviews. Could this work for filmmakers? Would you ever let me see your rough cut online? Some footage from the shoot? Something beyond the standard trailer?
Listen to Cardinology on the band's My Space page.
Ryan Adams is playing Metropolis Fremantle in January - he's more than welcome to drop by FTI for a FCP tutorial session.
..and while I don't believe that The Cardinals have a connection with all 1995 of their Twitter friends, I would like to take a moment to recognise my 584 Facebook friends...your all great.
A new form of projected billboard included short text messages aimed at specific passers by.
I wonder what happens when the guy hired to type the messages gets bored?
Read more at Media Post News
I wonder what happens when the guy hired to type the messages gets bored?
Read more at Media Post News
The WALL STREET JOURNAL has a catch up article on some of the newer technologies that are set to change the screen exhibition and distribution side of the business.
Amongst the news of Blu-Ray, 3D and Digital Projectors was one technology I had to think twice about. A blu-ray DVD that links into social networking. You watch a movie at home and friends who are watching it at the same time can comment and chat on the TV screen.
Personally I hate people who talk in the movies, and I don't think I'm going to appreciate my facebook aquaintainces giving me their thoughts as I watch a film. Do people want this? Are there any signs? Are we talking on our mobiles while friends watch films? do we text them SMS messages? Do you hear teenagers parting in the playground with calls of 'let's all watch 'Gossip Girl' at the same time and chat'?
With all the calls for content to be free of time and space and the proclaimed death of appointment viewing - is this a little of target?
What do you think?
See the article at the WALL STREET JOURNAL
Amongst the news of Blu-Ray, 3D and Digital Projectors was one technology I had to think twice about. A blu-ray DVD that links into social networking. You watch a movie at home and friends who are watching it at the same time can comment and chat on the TV screen.
Personally I hate people who talk in the movies, and I don't think I'm going to appreciate my facebook aquaintainces giving me their thoughts as I watch a film. Do people want this? Are there any signs? Are we talking on our mobiles while friends watch films? do we text them SMS messages? Do you hear teenagers parting in the playground with calls of 'let's all watch 'Gossip Girl' at the same time and chat'?
With all the calls for content to be free of time and space and the proclaimed death of appointment viewing - is this a little of target?
What do you think?
See the article at the WALL STREET JOURNAL
It's that time of the year where everyone starts creating lists of their favorite things of the year.
Roger Ebert, one of the world's greatest film critics however is worth having a listen to. Check out his list of the 20 best films of 2008.
Roger Ebert, one of the world's greatest film critics however is worth having a listen to. Check out his list of the 20 best films of 2008.
