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Drawing on Knowledge

Film Blogs

Cinemetrics; film analysis gets beautiful

If you’ve inherently suspected that there’s a structural difference between a soccer match, a space odyssey and your favorite porno but never been able to put your finger on it, cinemetrics is for you. It beautifully lays out a film like a flower of pencil shavings, colored according to the film’s palette and oscillated according to amounts of screen movement. Stunning… and informative. Compare genres, director’s oeuvres or remakes… its a beautiful step back from the cinematic experience.

Education Blogs

2010: the year animation oozed out of the entertainment nische and contributed to society!

By David Maas | Saturday, December 11, 2010 at 3:26am

We don't have to travel to some alternative future to look back at 2010 as the year in which animation technologies and talent has spread beyond the film and games industries to make a true difference in education. Its happening now and its pretty exciting.

Film Blogs

Leveraging Priorities; Every Budget has its Look, but not every Look has its Budget

By David Maas | Saturday, October 30, 2010 at 2:55am

Occasionally I'm confronted with the following scenario: an independent or student film is already half-finished, but now the budget's used up and the initiators are running out of steam / taking on jobs / otherwise reducing their future engagement on the production in question. But the film is really looking good and - yeah, it's half-finished! Here's what I tell them...

Blogs

Steve Streeting; how to work efficiently

By David Maas | Monday, September 6, 2010 at 12:40am

Steve Streeting, if anyone, should know how to plan his work week. He's been at the helm of OGRE (the open graphic rendering engine) and a prolific freelance developer for a qurter century. Refreshingly, he admits that it isn't that easy... even with so much experience under your belt. Check out his post for valuable work tips on how to make the most of your time.

Education Blogs

The educational value of getting your hands dirty

I have yet to properly introduce myself here, and I'm not sure what sort of impression I'm making with these somewhat impulsive posts. Today I introduce you to Veronica, the deceased ostrich, and Mike Taylor, the scientist who is getting to know her. Mike is a paleontologist, meaning he researches extinct animals. I introduce you to him here, because of a specific quote and a general energy that I feel is essential to learning

Blogs

Crossing the divide that separates soccer from football.

Sports form a window to the soul of.... erm, okay. That's a bit thick. Football is only peripherally relevant to animation and yes - I'm stretching that relevance pretty thin here. But somebody has to - its the World Cup after all. And it's truly interesting how a sport can reveal a country's mentality - or perhaps form it.