Paranormal Activity

This movie is an independent filmmaker's dream scenario.

Take your own house. Remodel it a bit. Spend time finding the two actors that are perfect for the part. Shoot a movie in 7 days using claustrophobic handheld camerawork and very simple and effective lighting.

Profit.

The box office is approaching $100 million. Made for what is routinely reported as $25 K, this film has become the most profitable independent film ever.

A Blair Witch Project for 2009.

A sequel has already been announced.

The film is constructed simply and yet is very effective. With only two main characters, a newlywed couple that are investigating paranormal activity by recording the events, a camera (which almost becomes a character), and realistic dialog, the film forces the viewer along for a very uncomfortable ride. The suspense builds very effectively not by showing everything, or using the hyper-editing style that is favored by those with ADHD, but by simple leaving the camera still and using very effective sound to use the viewer's imagination against them (the sound design is impressive). Hitchcock would have been impressed.

Recommended both as entertainment and as a lesson.

IMDB. Wikipedia.

Why Have I Never Heard Of ZoomQuilt

Impressive infinitely zoomable collaborative artwork.

ZoomQuilt.

ZoomQuilt II.

Via Boing Boing.

Where The Wild Things Emote

I really liked Spike Jonez's take on Maurice Sendak's book Where The Wild Things Are. I was especially impressed with the subtlety in the performance of the monsters.

They did not look quite like puppets, but they also did not look entirely CG. Turns out it was a mix of the two techniques. Puppeted bodies (from Henson) were constructed to be life size. The faces were enhanced in CG for greater expressions and then matched to the footage in post.

Of course none of this would matter a whit without fantastic voice performances by the likes of James Gandolfini and Forest Whittaker.

Best xkcd Ever

xkcd, the seriously geeky webcomic, has an infographic comic showing the physical relationships over time of movie characters in a handful of movies. My favorite is Primer.










More simplistic than Edward Tufte's favorite example, but infinitely more amusing.

Science Meet Fiction - Fiction Meet Science

And thus was born an illicit coupling.

The bastard offspring of science fiction have already begun to grow and divide into new forms, perhaps even engaging in new incestuous relationships amongst themselves. Yet still, the bourgeois elements of the fiction family look down their noses at 'those people'. Those people being science fiction writers.

Why must a science fiction writer persist in proclaiming that they still belong to the great family of fiction? As if the blue blood of pen to paper must be declared. As if the documents must be in order when the secret police knock at the door. Even when that writer is of the highest caliber. Perhaps exactly because they are so?

Justification of purpose? Of intent? Secret societies where the handshake is everything?

Strange, is it not, that in the 21st century that this odd mix must still be justified. Even when it has succeeded far beyond its heritage. The success coming not in self congratulatory prizes nor even in aristocratic awards and medals granted by those 'who know better'.

No, the justification is in the sheer weight and heft of the fan base.

Perhaps that's why?

Regardless, please stop wasting everyone's time telling us that science fiction is just like normal fiction.

You know, the kind that serious adults read.

Such a tired argument...

The Journey of Life

More experimental gaming:

Hazard: The Journey of Life is an experimental game mod for Unreal Tournament.



Unfortunately I don't have UT3 so I cannot play it.

The world needs more games like this.

More information on IndieGames and the author's webpage.

Love Is Back

And better than ever.

The procedural MMO I talked about before is presented in a 10 minute video by the creator.



The editing and in-world building tools look fantastic, as does the art and procedural generation. Who knew something that looks so simple could end up being so complex.

Bonus news, an alpha client is available for download and testing (no network).