Article from The Media Magazine ‘The perils of New Media Technologies’
Why is consumerism a concept central to this unit?
Consumerism is a concept central to the unit due to the fact that New Media Technologies are driven by consumerism. Although prices for technology generally stays the same the updates of these technology is dramatically increasing meaning a need to buy the latest technology.
How do we often ‘unwittingly give up our privacy’?
Many parts of technology today ahev the ability to remember what we have done, especially on the internet website can remember what you’ve bought and searched so by using these technologies we are unwittingly given up our privacy.
How have NMT’s criminalised audiences?
Today there is ability on the internet whereby anyone can download free music with has been illegally swapped between p2p software, this often breaks copyright law but millions still do it and never think of the consequences.
What health and environmental issues does NMTs pose?
Most users of technologies don’t break the law, but many of us still contribute to environmental problems to some degree. Every year the rapid production of gadgets and discarding of out of date stuff contributes to the 1 million tonnes of electrical waste generated each year.
Monday, 28 April 2008
Monday, 21 April 2008
Sony's BDP-S300 Blu-ray disc player
Here is a video from the CNET website (http://reviews.cnet.com/video-players-and-recorders/sony-bdp-s300/4505-6463_7-32331243.html), giving information on Sony's BDP-S300. It also contains a review on the website by Matthew Moskovciak.
This image shows the basic setup and layout of Sony's BDP-S300 player.
Product Summary:
When summarised on the CNet website the product came across as having excellent picture quality on Blu-ray and DVD; DVD upconversion up to 1080p; HDMI output and is said to cost from £389.99.
The bad points are that there is no onboard Dolby TrueHD decoding; slow load times and no ethernet port.
Overall though the BDP-S300 is a decent choice if you're limiting yourself to a relatively cheap, standard-design Blu-ray player, but everyone else should consider the competition.
From at servey of 50 users it recieved a rating of 6.4/10 although some people said...
9/10 Spectacular June 22, 2007
by bryankean
"Superb! Great Price for latest technology!"
8/10 Excellent June 24, 2007
by tonyc4s
"WOW - A must have at under $500."
This was just one servey though, on another website (http://www.reevoo.com/reviews/mpn/sony/bdp_s300) it scored a 8.7/10 and 97% of people were said to recommend it.
Showing that the blu-ray disc player is not a total loss.
Sony currently are responsible for the development of this technology and are marketing it in many major electronic stores including curry's and comet. It seems that the BDP-S300 has been development to compete with the ever growing need for something new, viewers want more detail and better quality film and this is providing them with it. This generally new media seems to be taking off with many reviwes and surveys being done on it to compare it to leading DVD players.
Today DVD players can be brought for £20, so this leads me to believe that what the Blu-ray disc player is offering must be a huge increase in performance than the DVD, also with its high price the companies preoducing them (in this case sony) will make huge profits on the desire by the consumers to have something new and the latest technology. From the Cnet website it shows the majority of consumers were highly satisfied with the new gadjet with only a few dissapointed.
It seems the player offers and upgrade on ever aspect of the DVD player showing it would be a great buy for the audiences. When compared though with other prices of similiar products it is by far the cheaper, but many consumers are taking the option of buying a Xbox 360 or a PS3, where they can have the same quality as well as advance gaming for the same of a cheaper price.
Overall it seems for the future much like the DVD this technology will take off increasing the experience for all consumers and have read articles about the product it seems it would be a good choice for audience that want High-defintion film viewing although they can gain more by buying one of the latest consoles.
Sunday, 20 April 2008
Digital technology in the film industry, Questions Answered.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/4691152.stm
this link has a number of FAQ's asked about Digital technology within film.
this link has a number of FAQ's asked about Digital technology within film.
BBC debate on Digital technology
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/4653534.stm
Here is a debate about digital technology located on the BBC website, many views are given into its benefits and cons.
Here is a debate about digital technology located on the BBC website, many views are given into its benefits and cons.
Blu-ray
Blu-ray
Blu-ray is an optical disc strorage media format. It is mainly used for high-definition video and data storage. The disc has the dimensions equal to that of the current DVD and CD. It works by using a blue-violet laser to read the write the disc and because of its shorter wavelength (405 nm) a blu-ray disc can store 50 GB, almost six times that of a DVD.
Blu-ray was developed by the Blu-ray Disc Association, a group of companies representing consumer electronics and motion picture production
The standard is covered by several patents belonging to different companies. As of April 2008, a joint licensing agreement for all the relevant patents had not yet been finalized.
As of April 5, 2008, more than 530 Blu-ray Disc titles have been released in the United States, and more than 250 in Japan.
How is it marketed?
With the introduction of Blu-ray many big companies, one of which is Sony, have begun to create Blu-ray disc players, this will allow viewers to purchase and watch the Blu-ray discs.
At this moment prices vary for the Sony's BDP-S300 ranging from £270 on Amazon (http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B000VRVUMO?ie=UTF8&tag=ny-21) to less than £230 on pixmania (http://www.pixmania.co.uk/uk/uk/598966/art/sony/bdp-s300-blu-ray-dvd-play.html?srcid=198&mctag=uk_16067).
It seems to be under development due to the high demand for something new in the film industry allowing viewers to have an in-depth and realistic experience in their own homes.
Institutions:
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2007/08/31/ifa_sony_blu_ray/ this website shows how sony and producing some Blu-ray disc players. they have to models under production.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/5295740.stm and it seems that big films are going to be produced in Blu-ray.
Sony is planning to release a Blu-Ray player in the US this October, while a time-frame for a release in Japan has yet to be decided.
Games consoles with the Blu-Ray technology, including the Playstation 3, are likely to debut in November.
The Blu-ray format is backed by Sony
Both sides are expected to release an attractive package of films and computer games to increase interest in their product.
The new hardware is likely to breathe new life in the dwindling home video market, but some experts fear a repeat of the tussle between VHS and Betamax formats, when consumers were confused and VHS gradually won over the market.
Experts have predicted that the two formats will co-exist until a dual format system is developed.
Ben Keen, chief analyst for Screen Digest, said earlier this month that the format war would "dampen consumer appetite" for the HD disc category.
Audience:
Fans of HD film viewing will be able to buy Blu-ray disc players and Blu-ray discs allowing them to watch their movies in a whole new way. It seems to be a break through which like DVD took over the VHS, Blu-ray will now take over the DVD.
Currently from an audience point of view with Blu-ray you will recieve in-depth and spectacular viewing but choice is very limited with few films being produced in Blu-ray.
For the future it seems that Blu-ray will take off as already its production is massively inceasing.
Blu-ray is an optical disc strorage media format. It is mainly used for high-definition video and data storage. The disc has the dimensions equal to that of the current DVD and CD. It works by using a blue-violet laser to read the write the disc and because of its shorter wavelength (405 nm) a blu-ray disc can store 50 GB, almost six times that of a DVD.
Blu-ray was developed by the Blu-ray Disc Association, a group of companies representing consumer electronics and motion picture production
The standard is covered by several patents belonging to different companies. As of April 2008, a joint licensing agreement for all the relevant patents had not yet been finalized.
As of April 5, 2008, more than 530 Blu-ray Disc titles have been released in the United States, and more than 250 in Japan.
How is it marketed?
With the introduction of Blu-ray many big companies, one of which is Sony, have begun to create Blu-ray disc players, this will allow viewers to purchase and watch the Blu-ray discs.
At this moment prices vary for the Sony's BDP-S300 ranging from £270 on Amazon (http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B000VRVUMO?ie=UTF8&tag=ny-21) to less than £230 on pixmania (http://www.pixmania.co.uk/uk/uk/598966/art/sony/bdp-s300-blu-ray-dvd-play.html?srcid=198&mctag=uk_16067).
It seems to be under development due to the high demand for something new in the film industry allowing viewers to have an in-depth and realistic experience in their own homes.
Institutions:
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2007/08/31/ifa_sony_blu_ray/ this website shows how sony and producing some Blu-ray disc players. they have to models under production.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/5295740.stm and it seems that big films are going to be produced in Blu-ray.
Sony is planning to release a Blu-Ray player in the US this October, while a time-frame for a release in Japan has yet to be decided.
Games consoles with the Blu-Ray technology, including the Playstation 3, are likely to debut in November.
The Blu-ray format is backed by Sony
Both sides are expected to release an attractive package of films and computer games to increase interest in their product.
The new hardware is likely to breathe new life in the dwindling home video market, but some experts fear a repeat of the tussle between VHS and Betamax formats, when consumers were confused and VHS gradually won over the market.
Experts have predicted that the two formats will co-exist until a dual format system is developed.
Ben Keen, chief analyst for Screen Digest, said earlier this month that the format war would "dampen consumer appetite" for the HD disc category.
Audience:
Fans of HD film viewing will be able to buy Blu-ray disc players and Blu-ray discs allowing them to watch their movies in a whole new way. It seems to be a break through which like DVD took over the VHS, Blu-ray will now take over the DVD.
Currently from an audience point of view with Blu-ray you will recieve in-depth and spectacular viewing but choice is very limited with few films being produced in Blu-ray.
For the future it seems that Blu-ray will take off as already its production is massively inceasing.
Mircosoft's look on Digital media.
Having read this article i can determine the following:
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/forpros/content_provider/film/disopwhitepaper.aspx#Top
With the digital media advancing, new oppurtunities for distribution in the film industry are opening up. To be able to take full advantage of these oppurtunities the film industry will need to be able to secure assets and deliver them to customers, all the while ensuring high quality.
Windows Media 9
This is being developed to meet the requirements of the new ditribution.
Internet distribution
With advancements in the internets digital media happening so quickly, Microsoft are focusing on developing within the digital media of the internet to meet the requirements of the film industry in the following areas.
Security – The third generation will include better digital rights management solutions to secure the delivery of digital media.
Quality – The consumer needs to have a high quality experience, similar to what they’re used to getting when watching movies at home on TV both in the video quality and in the quality of the delivery.
Improved economics – With Microsoft focusing on creating digital rights management technology to secure the content and building the technology to deliver a high quality consumer experience, the film industry can focus their efforts on creating business models for distributing content online. Windows Media 9 Series was built around these requirements and includes some new features that directly impact these areas. No More Buffering Delays A new feature in Windows Media 9 Series.
Film Distribution
This year CES Mircosoft said that some of the leading DVD manafacturers will be supporting windows mediaaudio on their DVD players. Toshiba and panasonic are just some of the companies that have agreed.
Advantages
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/forpros/content_provider/film/disopwhitepaper.aspx#Top
With the digital media advancing, new oppurtunities for distribution in the film industry are opening up. To be able to take full advantage of these oppurtunities the film industry will need to be able to secure assets and deliver them to customers, all the while ensuring high quality.
Windows Media 9
This is being developed to meet the requirements of the new ditribution.
Internet distribution
With advancements in the internets digital media happening so quickly, Microsoft are focusing on developing within the digital media of the internet to meet the requirements of the film industry in the following areas.
Security – The third generation will include better digital rights management solutions to secure the delivery of digital media.
Quality – The consumer needs to have a high quality experience, similar to what they’re used to getting when watching movies at home on TV both in the video quality and in the quality of the delivery.
Improved economics – With Microsoft focusing on creating digital rights management technology to secure the content and building the technology to deliver a high quality consumer experience, the film industry can focus their efforts on creating business models for distributing content online. Windows Media 9 Series was built around these requirements and includes some new features that directly impact these areas. No More Buffering Delays A new feature in Windows Media 9 Series.
Film Distribution
This year CES Mircosoft said that some of the leading DVD manafacturers will be supporting windows mediaaudio on their DVD players. Toshiba and panasonic are just some of the companies that have agreed.
Advantages
- Windows Media on a DVD is that the increased compression efficiency means the DVDs can hold more movies, up to 4 on a single DVD, and still provide a high quality playback experience.
- Many PCs including PCs shipping with Windows XP are capable of playing back DVDs which broaden the DVD viewing options. Alternatively some film distributors are selling single movies on a CD.
- A two hour movie encoded at 750 kilobit per second easily fits onto a standard CD offering an inexpensive movie distribution option. Digital rights management works on CDs and DVDs too.
Theater Experiences
Technology is helping new theaters to overcome the challenges affecting cinema profits today e.g.
High Distribution Costs – The cost of sending films out to theaters across the country and around the world is fixed today based on the cost of the film prints themselves, anywhere from $1200-2000 per theater.
No Security – Distributors have little control over a film once it leaves their facilities. They have to hope that it’s delivered safely to the appropriate theaters and doesn’t fall into the wrong hands or is damaged along the way.
Degradation Issues – As a movie is screened it becomes progressively more scratched and dirty, eventually demanding a replacement print.
Limited Programming Flexibility – Currently theater owners are only set up to receive 35 mm films. Since the cost of film production is so high there’s little content beyond major independent and studio movies that can afford to take advantage of a theater screening.
Inflexible Advertising – Advertisers love advertising in theaters because they have a captive audience. But today’s theater advertising is limited to slide shows and rarely a filmed ad. But again, given the costs of film distribution not many advertisers can afford to send a 35 mm reel to each theater and even if many advertisers did so, the theater owners aren’t equipped to switch from one ad reel to the next.
Integrated Digital Rights Management – Digital theater content will be secured before it ever leaves the content owners facility. DRM will enable tracking and license serving so theaters and content owners know exactly when and where the content is accessed.
Digital Preservation – The one thousandth time a digital movie is screened provides the same quality as the first time. There is no breakdown in the digital file as there is with film.
With Digital distribution all the porblems will be overcome, films will be traded digitally saving hours of time and thousands of pounds on each film, it will also allow their to be blocks against piracy and give clearer images to its viewers.
Conclusions
Technology is changing the rules of the film industry. With the growing interest from consumers to get movies and video content in different ways with different options, filmmakers and distributors are turning to technology to meet their demands. New technology like Windows Media 9 Series strives to achieve higher quality, greater efficiency, and greater audience reach all while driving down costs. All of these benefits open up new distribution opportunities to the film industry.
Windows Media 9 insight
Windows Media Video is a compressed video file format developed by Microsoft. Microsoft have said that WMV 9 provides a compression ratio twice as good as MPEG-4 and they also claim it to be more efficent than WMV 8, although a test in January 2005 shwoed this to be not the case. Windows Media Video Screen allows you to capture live screen content, or convert video from thrid-party screen-capture programs into WMV 9 files.
Criticism
WMV has been the subject of numerous complaints from users and the press. Users dislike the digital rights management system which is sometimes attached to WMV files. The loss of the ability to restore licenses for WMV files in the Windows Media Player 11 was not positively received. In addition, the Microsoft Zune does not support the standard Windows Media DRM system, rendering protected WMV files unplayable.
From having read some articles on WMV and research it on wikipedia i can say that it seems it will have its ups and downs. The fact that quality is increased and piracy is reduced means that both viewer and producer are gaining from this technologies, but with digital rights managments set in place it seems the producers are more concerned on their profits the entertaining the public.
Case study feedback #3
Joe - this is better. You have found out some interesting background info, however you should still look at the article I recommended in my last post, read and summarise in a blog entry.
make sure you are using the handbook 5 sections to guide your research and rather than just background research.
make sure you are using the handbook 5 sections to guide your research and rather than just background research.
Autostereoscopy
Having come across this while researching 3D movies, ive decided to look into it further:
3D viewing has been grabbing headlines for a hundred years. All kinds of gadgets have promised to bring 3D images bursting through our screens. But none have come close to fulfilling that vision. Until now.
SeeReal's NextGen technology is changing the conventinal methods of 3D technology, with its release to be seen in the near future 3D technologies will soon be a thing of the past.
Making the most of existing technologies, NextGen’s unifying technology for 2D and 3D stereo has a number of advantages:
Full resolution 2D and 3D stereo
Comfortable freedom of movement
A breakthrough in multi-user potential
Compatibility with existing components,others can be mass produced
Scalable design making it easily applicableto almost all display sizes
http://www.seereal.com
Areas of Use
This new 3D technology will be useful in many different technologies but focusing on film;
It will make possible the production of 3D movies without the need to wear glasses to experience them.
It works in much the same way that we see images normally, the 3D movie will be produced so that each time we see a new image it will actually be two 2D images which are slightly different, one of these images is sent to our right eye and one to our left, the brain then converts the images into one exactly the same way as we see normally. Therefore this creates the illusion of a 3D picture, allowing 3D images to be seen without the need to wear glasses.
One type of autostereoscopy is the Parallax Barrier:
This works by using a device to allow liquid crystal display to show three dimensional images without the need of any other equipment, it will be mainly used in cinemas and placed behind the screen it consists of a layer of material with a series of precision slots, allowing each eye to see a different set of pixels, so creating a sense of depth through parallax. A disadvantage of the technology is that the viewer must be positioned in a well defined spot to experience the 3D effect.
http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/11.12/tools.html
This article discusses the basics about Autosteroescopy and Parallax barrier, from reading it i can tell that this new technology will be a great benefit to the industry, and has opened up a whole new way to create movies.
It aloso makes known some of the other upcoming ways of perceiving 3D images.
3D viewing has been grabbing headlines for a hundred years. All kinds of gadgets have promised to bring 3D images bursting through our screens. But none have come close to fulfilling that vision. Until now.
SeeReal's NextGen technology is changing the conventinal methods of 3D technology, with its release to be seen in the near future 3D technologies will soon be a thing of the past.
Making the most of existing technologies, NextGen’s unifying technology for 2D and 3D stereo has a number of advantages:
Full resolution 2D and 3D stereo
Comfortable freedom of movement
A breakthrough in multi-user potential
Compatibility with existing components,others can be mass produced
Scalable design making it easily applicableto almost all display sizes
http://www.seereal.com
Areas of Use
This new 3D technology will be useful in many different technologies but focusing on film;
It will make possible the production of 3D movies without the need to wear glasses to experience them.
It works in much the same way that we see images normally, the 3D movie will be produced so that each time we see a new image it will actually be two 2D images which are slightly different, one of these images is sent to our right eye and one to our left, the brain then converts the images into one exactly the same way as we see normally. Therefore this creates the illusion of a 3D picture, allowing 3D images to be seen without the need to wear glasses.
One type of autostereoscopy is the Parallax Barrier:
This works by using a device to allow liquid crystal display to show three dimensional images without the need of any other equipment, it will be mainly used in cinemas and placed behind the screen it consists of a layer of material with a series of precision slots, allowing each eye to see a different set of pixels, so creating a sense of depth through parallax. A disadvantage of the technology is that the viewer must be positioned in a well defined spot to experience the 3D effect.
http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/11.12/tools.html
This article discusses the basics about Autosteroescopy and Parallax barrier, from reading it i can tell that this new technology will be a great benefit to the industry, and has opened up a whole new way to create movies.
It aloso makes known some of the other upcoming ways of perceiving 3D images.
Saturday, 19 April 2008
3D and Films
3D
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/goggles-return-as-tv-and-film-go-3d-808466.html
3d use to mean having to wear stupid glasses while an unrealistic monster would jump out at you. But now with the introduction of NMT's like CGI and DLP a whol;e new range of films are being made as a wave of 3D is being created on lower budgets. While at the moment viewers will still have to wear a pair of glasses work is in prgress to take this completely out of the picture.
Autostereoscopy
Autostereoscopy is a method of displaying three-dimensional images that can be viewed without the use 3D glasses. These methods allow the viewer to recieve a depth perception of the image even though it is produced on a flat device.
Several technologies exist for autostereoscopic 3D displays. Currently most of such flat-panel solutions are using lenticular lenses or parallax barrier. If the viewer positions their head in certain viewing positions, they will perceive a different image with each eye, giving a stereo image.
Last week, one of Hollywood's biggest studios threw its weight behind the 3D revolution. Disney Pixar has announced that all its future films will be in 3D, with the first release, Up, set for July 2009. It follows in the footsteps of Shrek creator DreamWorks, which made a similar decision in 2007.
"I have seen the future of movies, and this is it," Jeffrey Katzenberg, DreamWorks' CEO, said at an industry event last summer. "I couldn't be any more confident or certain about it."
Live-action Hollywood also sees huge commercial potential in 3D. A bigbudget family version of Jules Verne's Journey to the Centre of the Earth is set for release in July.
The BBC is also taking in to 3D with the use of special camera's to film some sporting events
3D images were beamed to a cinema at its Riverside studio in London. The audience reported it was much more like being at the game than watching it on ordinary television.
3D cinema: A giant leap forward
Here is an article by Rebecca Armstrong outlining the use and her experience of 3D cinema.
http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/features/3d-cinema-a-giant-leap-forward-769183.html
Are 3D films popular
Im going to look at a recent 3D film release 'Beowulf'.
it was released on the 16/11/2007.
After being released it was made apparent the film was going to be a hit making $28.1 million in its first 3 days in America, the film was seemed to be loved by all with some very positive critic reviews.
An excellent showcase for the advantages of computer-generated animation.
Tom Charity
CNN.com
once you have acclimatised yourself to the animation style, it tells a cracking good story, and the screenplay by Neil Gaiman and Roger Avary conjures a secret history of vulnerability and human weakness behind the legend.
Peter Bradshaw
Guardian [UK]
this shows that with the introduction of CGI allowing 3D films to be made and made well, there seems to be an influx and desire to have them by all.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/goggles-return-as-tv-and-film-go-3d-808466.html
3d use to mean having to wear stupid glasses while an unrealistic monster would jump out at you. But now with the introduction of NMT's like CGI and DLP a whol;e new range of films are being made as a wave of 3D is being created on lower budgets. While at the moment viewers will still have to wear a pair of glasses work is in prgress to take this completely out of the picture.
Autostereoscopy
Autostereoscopy is a method of displaying three-dimensional images that can be viewed without the use 3D glasses. These methods allow the viewer to recieve a depth perception of the image even though it is produced on a flat device.
Several technologies exist for autostereoscopic 3D displays. Currently most of such flat-panel solutions are using lenticular lenses or parallax barrier. If the viewer positions their head in certain viewing positions, they will perceive a different image with each eye, giving a stereo image.
Last week, one of Hollywood's biggest studios threw its weight behind the 3D revolution. Disney Pixar has announced that all its future films will be in 3D, with the first release, Up, set for July 2009. It follows in the footsteps of Shrek creator DreamWorks, which made a similar decision in 2007.
"I have seen the future of movies, and this is it," Jeffrey Katzenberg, DreamWorks' CEO, said at an industry event last summer. "I couldn't be any more confident or certain about it."
Live-action Hollywood also sees huge commercial potential in 3D. A bigbudget family version of Jules Verne's Journey to the Centre of the Earth is set for release in July.
The BBC is also taking in to 3D with the use of special camera's to film some sporting events
3D images were beamed to a cinema at its Riverside studio in London. The audience reported it was much more like being at the game than watching it on ordinary television.
3D cinema: A giant leap forward
Here is an article by Rebecca Armstrong outlining the use and her experience of 3D cinema.
http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/features/3d-cinema-a-giant-leap-forward-769183.html
Are 3D films popular
Im going to look at a recent 3D film release 'Beowulf'.
it was released on the 16/11/2007.
After being released it was made apparent the film was going to be a hit making $28.1 million in its first 3 days in America, the film was seemed to be loved by all with some very positive critic reviews.
An excellent showcase for the advantages of computer-generated animation.
Tom Charity
CNN.com
once you have acclimatised yourself to the animation style, it tells a cracking good story, and the screenplay by Neil Gaiman and Roger Avary conjures a secret history of vulnerability and human weakness behind the legend.
Peter Bradshaw
Guardian [UK]
this shows that with the introduction of CGI allowing 3D films to be made and made well, there seems to be an influx and desire to have them by all.
CGI: how is it used in the film industry?
CGI
CGI stands for compurter generated imagery and is used all throughout the film industry today.
It is the application of 3D computer graphics to special effects in films, television etc. It is used for visual effects because images generated by a computer are more controllable than physical objects, therefore it can be used in the construction of minatures extras in crowds and creating any image not achievable with other technology.
Some of the the software used to create CGI include 3ds Max LightWave 3D Maya and softimage XSI, and the recent assesability of these softwares, has allowed small companies to create professional grade films.
CGI was first introduced to the film industry in 1973 movie Westwood's. At first it was slow to take off only being used in 3 movies in the space of 4 years, also in futureworld and star wars. From then on the use of the technology increased opening new possiblities to film makers, and new experiences for the audience.
How does this relate to Audiences.
This has been intergrated into the cinema experience because nowdays many companies are increasinly using CGI in the developemnt of their films to give an overall increased experience and realism for the viewer.
Pixar and CGI
Pixar Animation Studios, use a concept of drawings, sketches and score all brought together using CGI for the creation of there movies, and the company has become internationally recognised due to this fact
Pixar's technological developments with CGI can be charted through refinements over the years to achieve ever-greater degrees of realism through subtle changes in skin (Geri's Game), fur (Monsters, Inc.), and other surfaces.
Having summarised the use of CGI within films, it seems that it is a great oppurtunity for all film lovers, it allows low budget companies to make movies worthy of the cinema and benefits the film makers by aloowing them to create and give a new dimension to today's movies.
CGI stands for compurter generated imagery and is used all throughout the film industry today.
It is the application of 3D computer graphics to special effects in films, television etc. It is used for visual effects because images generated by a computer are more controllable than physical objects, therefore it can be used in the construction of minatures extras in crowds and creating any image not achievable with other technology.
Some of the the software used to create CGI include 3ds Max LightWave 3D Maya and softimage XSI, and the recent assesability of these softwares, has allowed small companies to create professional grade films.
CGI was first introduced to the film industry in 1973 movie Westwood's. At first it was slow to take off only being used in 3 movies in the space of 4 years, also in futureworld and star wars. From then on the use of the technology increased opening new possiblities to film makers, and new experiences for the audience.
How does this relate to Audiences.
This has been intergrated into the cinema experience because nowdays many companies are increasinly using CGI in the developemnt of their films to give an overall increased experience and realism for the viewer.
Pixar and CGI
Pixar Animation Studios, use a concept of drawings, sketches and score all brought together using CGI for the creation of there movies, and the company has become internationally recognised due to this fact
Pixar's technological developments with CGI can be charted through refinements over the years to achieve ever-greater degrees of realism through subtle changes in skin (Geri's Game), fur (Monsters, Inc.), and other surfaces.
Having summarised the use of CGI within films, it seems that it is a great oppurtunity for all film lovers, it allows low budget companies to make movies worthy of the cinema and benefits the film makers by aloowing them to create and give a new dimension to today's movies.
What are DLP projectors?
Having research a bit about NMT's within the film industry, and having discovered that DLP projectors are been brought in and widely used throughout the industry i have decided to research them in more detail.
Digital Light Processing was invented in 1987 by Texas Instruments.
DLP projectors create imagery by using microscopically small mirrors laid out in a matrix on a semiconductor chip. Each on these mirrors represents a pixel in the image that is being created, this means that the more mirrors the higher the resolution and quality of the image will be. This therefore massively enhances picture quality so is being used throughout the film industry mainly in cinema's to give viewers a more defined experience.
Due to this greatly enhanced detail, it opens the doorway to the production of 3D films which can be now watched and shown succesfully.
Advantages
Digital Light Processing was invented in 1987 by Texas Instruments.
DLP projectors create imagery by using microscopically small mirrors laid out in a matrix on a semiconductor chip. Each on these mirrors represents a pixel in the image that is being created, this means that the more mirrors the higher the resolution and quality of the image will be. This therefore massively enhances picture quality so is being used throughout the film industry mainly in cinema's to give viewers a more defined experience.
Due to this greatly enhanced detail, it opens the doorway to the production of 3D films which can be now watched and shown succesfully.
Advantages
- Less 'chicken wire' effect because pixels are much closer together. This doesn't make so much difference with data, but it produces smoother images for video.
Here is an example of the difference.
- Higher contrast achievable.
- DLP projectors are generally more poratable as fewer components are required.
- DLP projectors last longer than LCD ones.
Disadvantages
- Less colour saturation
- Generally, DLP is a better technology for home theatre than LCD . And also within the cinema.
Friday, 18 April 2008
Case study feedback #2
Joe - you will need to make a start on your research in order to complete by Monday. Make sure you check the article that I have linked to on the TWGSBMedia blog.
CF
CF
Thursday, 3 April 2008
Wednesday, 2 April 2008
Digital technology within the film industry.
Digital technology has been brought into the film industry. How is it used and what are its benefits?Posted on 'Friday, 18 August 2006', this article outlines the change in cinemas with the introduction of digital techonolgy.
Films use to be recorded on 35mm film, which would be delivered to cinemas on a reel up to 10,000ft long, having the original copy of the movie, now with the introduction of digital technology whole films can be added to a massive hardrive and digitally sent to a cinema in seconds. then is simply updated onto a server and played with a 'One-button' push.
Advantages.
- With the use of digital technology picture quality of the films is massively enchanced, every imperfection seen with the traditional 35mm is wiped out leaving a clear unspoilt film.
- Because the digital projector is linked to a server that means any blots you would normally see are also taken away.
- A benefit for the movies companies is that they can be distributed to cinema's at and extremely cheap price saving thousands a year. currently it costs around £700 to distribute a film of reel to a cinema this will be reduced to a fraction of this.
- Another benefit is that the films on the hardrive can be encypted before being shown which will massively reduce the risk of piracy which costs the industry over £6 billion per year.
- Due to the fact that the films are being shown digitally it also means that nearly anything can be uploaded and shown in cinema's, e.g. youtube clips.
- 3D films will be in the rise also because the digital projectors will be able to run a higgher frame rate and be able to deal with the rates of 3D footage.
Disadvantages:
- Because this is a whole new technology some cinema's are unsure whether to come onboard, meaning that it may only be used in selective places.
- Also the installation and purchasing of these technologies will be massively costly to the cinema industry, means a markup on all prices which is already lowering cinema viewing stats.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/click_online/5262456.stm
Here is a qoute from wikipedia outlining the savings which will be gained with the introducing of digital technology.
Savings in distribution
Digital distribution of movies has the potential to save money for film distributors. A single film print can cost around US$1200, so making 4000 prints for a wide-release movie might cost $5 million. In contrast, at the maximum 250 megabit-per-second maximum data rate defined by DCI for digital cinema, a typical feature-length movie could fit comfortably on an off the shelf 300 GB hard drive—which cost as low as $70—which could even be returned to the distributor for reuse after a movie's run. With several hundred movies distributed every year, industry savings could potentially reach $1 billion or more.
Digital projection
There are currently two types of projectors for digital cinema. Early DLP projectors, used primarily in the U.S., used limited 1280 x 1024 resolution which are still widely used for pre-show advertising but not usually for feature presentations.
DLP Projectors.
In DLP projectors, the image is created by microscopically small mirrors laid out in a matrix on a semiconductor chip, known as a Digital Micromirror Device.
From wikipedia i found some pros and cons.
Pros
- Smooth (at 1080p resolution), jitter-free images.
- Perfect geometry and excellent grayscale linearity achievable.
- Usually great ANSI contrast.
- No possibility of phosphor burn-in.
- Less "screen door effect" than with LCD projectors.
- DLP rear projection TVs are smaller, thinner, and lighter than CRT projectors
Cons
- In single-chip designs, some viewers are bothered by the "rainbow effect," explained above.
- Some viewers experience eye strain, headaches, and migraines when viewing DLP screens.
- Not as thin as LCD or plasma flat-panel displays (although approximately comparable in weight), though newer sets are thin enough to be wall-mounted.
- Some devices may have fan noise.
Having read the article on the BBC's website, i can conclude that with the introduction of NMT's into the film industry there would be many finacial benefits, while also making the film watching experience more pleasuring for the viewer, howerer with its introduction many audiences may be unwilling to pay the increased cinema prices. to me its seems a way for the companies which do business within the film industry to make more money from the audiences.
Thursday, 27 March 2008
NMT'S IN THE FILM INDUSTRY
For my Nmt case i will be planning to study the use on new media technologies within the film industry, i will hope to outline there main uses, the advantages and disadvantages, as well as naming and giving details of some of the technologies currently used with the industry.
At this point im am a bit unsure abut how to go about this process so as a planning idea im going to do some research further into the film industry, this will allow me to have detailed knowledge of it and ill we made aware of some media technologies that are use which at the moment i may be unaware of.
So far i know a bit about the technology use within cinema's so i plan to research this in more detail, also the transport of digital films from cinema to cinema will be something i will look apon, and finally i will research a bit more on the making of films and how new media technologies are used to make the process easily and more efficient, and how these technologies relate to the audience and benifit their viewing.
At this point im am a bit unsure abut how to go about this process so as a planning idea im going to do some research further into the film industry, this will allow me to have detailed knowledge of it and ill we made aware of some media technologies that are use which at the moment i may be unaware of.
So far i know a bit about the technology use within cinema's so i plan to research this in more detail, also the transport of digital films from cinema to cinema will be something i will look apon, and finally i will research a bit more on the making of films and how new media technologies are used to make the process easily and more efficient, and how these technologies relate to the audience and benifit their viewing.
Tuesday, 26 February 2008
Tell me the Future and The age of Permanent net Revolution. questions.
The age of Permanent net Revolution. questions.
1. An 'Endism' is the perspective that sees new technologies as replacing older ones, named by computer scientist John Seely Brown.
2. A 'Media Ecosystem' is the sense that the media runs like an ecosystem, with the 'Organisms' being the broadcast and narrowcast ntelevision, movies, radio, print and the internet. Mostly the system which we relate to most is the TV. therefore this ecosystem is the media enviroment in which most of us grew up.
3. 'Narrowcasting' is where special content is aimed at subscription-based audiences and distributed via digital chanels.
4. The difference between the internet and the web is that the web is enormous, but is just on thing that runs on the internet's tracks of signalling, but is already being overtaken. Cambridge firm Cachelogic have said, peer-to-peer networking traffic now exceeds web trafiic by a factor of between 2 to 10. Therefore all these types of traffic are contained withing the internet.
5. We talk about a 'push and pull' medium when thinking about the future, it captures the essence of where weve been and where we are heading. Broadcast Tv is a 'push' medium: a select brand of producers decide what is being created. The web is the opposite it is a 'pull' medium, nothing is given to you unless you choose it.
6. A positive part of blogging is the way people can recieve loads of info about anyhting they want at a tocuh of a button, it also allows people to interact and creats a community between people using the blogs. It allows people to be creative, photos can be posted on website and uploaded in seconds the way you want.
7. The internet has added a whole new dimension to digital technology, by allowing people to upload and tag their pictures on websites, which they can search an entire database for. Snapshots of anything can be found, and truely beautiful images uncovered, it has added a whole new lease to photography.
8. I think TV is becoming less and less popular with the vast increase in new media technologies, these open wider horisons to the public, allow them to communicate with whoever they want, and creates a communtiy of the internet. All of this means people are spending more time exploring the media than watching TV.
9. To try and stop this change big companies such as 'Microsoft' and 'BT' and setting up and internet based TV on demand where anything can be watched at anytime, and new media centres are being developed so who can do all you need to on one machine.
1.Chris De WolfeCEO, co-founder MySpace.
Social networks in the will become an infinitely more personal, more portable socila destinations.
These destinations will be expanded to all corners of the world, with the increase of social destinations people are wanting there online experience to become more personal.
With this huge increase in demand current hardware will have to be thoroughly enhanced, with a more collabrotive and dynamic web.
2.Chad HurleyCEO, co-founder YouTube
In five years video broadcasting will be the most accesible form of communication, people will be more open to cheaper better devices allowing to send anything they want to the friends or everyone on the internet. Chad's goal is to bring people together and expand the way youtube is used on the internet. he is a positive technological determist because he is for technology helping the way we live.
3.Maurice Levy says the challenge for advertiser will be to keep up there creativity so that viewers are kept interested.
Liquid media: this is where you can browse millions of things whichever you want whenever you want without having to want of look at other things first.
Linear media: this is viewer media in a set order with no choice about it.
4.We can see that Norvig is suggesting that Edison new what was needed and what was useful much in the way internet is developing, we will be able to do alot more alot quicker, and be able to find anything we want to.
5.In the developing the acces to new media technologies is very limited meaning we are at a digital divide and will inevitably leave them behind as we progress with our need for infoormation.
1. An 'Endism' is the perspective that sees new technologies as replacing older ones, named by computer scientist John Seely Brown.
2. A 'Media Ecosystem' is the sense that the media runs like an ecosystem, with the 'Organisms' being the broadcast and narrowcast ntelevision, movies, radio, print and the internet. Mostly the system which we relate to most is the TV. therefore this ecosystem is the media enviroment in which most of us grew up.
3. 'Narrowcasting' is where special content is aimed at subscription-based audiences and distributed via digital chanels.
4. The difference between the internet and the web is that the web is enormous, but is just on thing that runs on the internet's tracks of signalling, but is already being overtaken. Cambridge firm Cachelogic have said, peer-to-peer networking traffic now exceeds web trafiic by a factor of between 2 to 10. Therefore all these types of traffic are contained withing the internet.
5. We talk about a 'push and pull' medium when thinking about the future, it captures the essence of where weve been and where we are heading. Broadcast Tv is a 'push' medium: a select brand of producers decide what is being created. The web is the opposite it is a 'pull' medium, nothing is given to you unless you choose it.
6. A positive part of blogging is the way people can recieve loads of info about anyhting they want at a tocuh of a button, it also allows people to interact and creats a community between people using the blogs. It allows people to be creative, photos can be posted on website and uploaded in seconds the way you want.
7. The internet has added a whole new dimension to digital technology, by allowing people to upload and tag their pictures on websites, which they can search an entire database for. Snapshots of anything can be found, and truely beautiful images uncovered, it has added a whole new lease to photography.
8. I think TV is becoming less and less popular with the vast increase in new media technologies, these open wider horisons to the public, allow them to communicate with whoever they want, and creates a communtiy of the internet. All of this means people are spending more time exploring the media than watching TV.
9. To try and stop this change big companies such as 'Microsoft' and 'BT' and setting up and internet based TV on demand where anything can be watched at anytime, and new media centres are being developed so who can do all you need to on one machine.
1.Chris De WolfeCEO, co-founder MySpace.
Social networks in the will become an infinitely more personal, more portable socila destinations.
These destinations will be expanded to all corners of the world, with the increase of social destinations people are wanting there online experience to become more personal.
With this huge increase in demand current hardware will have to be thoroughly enhanced, with a more collabrotive and dynamic web.
2.Chad HurleyCEO, co-founder YouTube
In five years video broadcasting will be the most accesible form of communication, people will be more open to cheaper better devices allowing to send anything they want to the friends or everyone on the internet. Chad's goal is to bring people together and expand the way youtube is used on the internet. he is a positive technological determist because he is for technology helping the way we live.
3.Maurice Levy says the challenge for advertiser will be to keep up there creativity so that viewers are kept interested.
Liquid media: this is where you can browse millions of things whichever you want whenever you want without having to want of look at other things first.
Linear media: this is viewer media in a set order with no choice about it.
4.We can see that Norvig is suggesting that Edison new what was needed and what was useful much in the way internet is developing, we will be able to do alot more alot quicker, and be able to find anything we want to.
5.In the developing the acces to new media technologies is very limited meaning we are at a digital divide and will inevitably leave them behind as we progress with our need for infoormation.
The key issues for audiences and institutions
Digitality: This is a new way of encoding information, all information is all based in a binary system. a huge amount of information can be dealt with but with a very small code.
Interactivity: New ways on streaming information but compressed, it can travel through the air, broadband and telephone cabels, Mutiple strands of information can be sent at once. it gives people a much more wider choice on what information they want. Beforw when only one Bandwidth of information could sent now many can.
Hypertexuality:Allows your to move between texts anyway that you wish, before it use to be linear and you were shwon one text after the other in sequence which you could chagne now you are able to skip to whichever text you wish when you want.
Dipersal: This is how information can be and is shared, it is to do with the market share and size and who is using it, the producers can deside where they want the information shown and paired with digitality it can increase the market for producers.
Virtuality:This is to do with the real and representation. It is deals with cartoons and how they a made to be real
Convergence:New media technologies are converging into one, and example of this is an ipod with shows movies.
Interactivity: New ways on streaming information but compressed, it can travel through the air, broadband and telephone cabels, Mutiple strands of information can be sent at once. it gives people a much more wider choice on what information they want. Beforw when only one Bandwidth of information could sent now many can.
Hypertexuality:Allows your to move between texts anyway that you wish, before it use to be linear and you were shwon one text after the other in sequence which you could chagne now you are able to skip to whichever text you wish when you want.
Dipersal: This is how information can be and is shared, it is to do with the market share and size and who is using it, the producers can deside where they want the information shown and paired with digitality it can increase the market for producers.
Virtuality:This is to do with the real and representation. It is deals with cartoons and how they a made to be real
Convergence:New media technologies are converging into one, and example of this is an ipod with shows movies.
Flim Industry
I looked through these websites
http://news.bbc.co.uk/
1. Production - how has digital technolgy changed the way films are shot?
With the introduction of digital projection systems, a movie can be released and delivered on a hard drive. A perfect copy of a master film print. A once clipped into place movie is simply uploaded to a server and is a one button-push away from being digitally projected.
Statistics show increases in digital cinema releases but will it take off...?
click here for bbc article on digital film
Is the increase in digital technology inspiring directors to shoot 3D?
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7213534.stm
It seems that with the increase with digital technology, many advantages have been made apparent by shooting 3D films. Paul Carter, boss of Axis Films, said digital production systems had made it much cheaper to shoot in 3D.
Before now, he said, filming a movie in 3D involved hiring specialist staff and equipment which could add thousands of dollars per day to a shoot.
"With digital there's only a 20-30% cost difference on the whole process and that's making a lot of people shooting 2D consider giving it a go," he said.
"3D is starting to get rid of the image that it's a dark art," he said.
Charlotte Jones a Cinema analyst said the number of cinema screens worldwide capable of showing 3D movies has grown from 98 in 2005 to more than 1,300 at the end of 2007 and is predicted to pass 3,000 by the end of 2008.
it seems the horisons for directors has been widely increased with the introduction of digital technology.
2. Distribution
These days most of the public veiw films on TV or by renting them, and that cinema ratings are falling showing that cinemas arent appealing enough for us to pay our money to view there films.
At the moment films are distributed to the cinemas on huge reals taking alot of hard work and money to get them transported around the country, but recently with the introduction of digital technology films now can be sent on a 100 giga byte hardrive in seconds and be broadcasted at the push of a button.
The BBC held a debate to find the reason that people dont want to go to cinemas:
Here are some of the views of people.
Why is it my fault that the cinema today can't offer me a better viewing experience than sitting at a desk
Why is it my fault that the local theaters all show the same Hollywood blockbuster films instead of offering me the variety I crave?
It's not that hard to entertain me, but you're charging me $15 and subjecting me to 20 minutes of ads while failing to do so.
It seems with the majority of people having home cinema systems and with ridiculous prices that the cinemas just wont last.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/
1. Production - how has digital technolgy changed the way films are shot?
With the introduction of digital projection systems, a movie can be released and delivered on a hard drive. A perfect copy of a master film print. A once clipped into place movie is simply uploaded to a server and is a one button-push away from being digitally projected.
Statistics show increases in digital cinema releases but will it take off...?
click here for bbc article on digital film
Is the increase in digital technology inspiring directors to shoot 3D?
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7213534.stm
It seems that with the increase with digital technology, many advantages have been made apparent by shooting 3D films. Paul Carter, boss of Axis Films, said digital production systems had made it much cheaper to shoot in 3D.
Before now, he said, filming a movie in 3D involved hiring specialist staff and equipment which could add thousands of dollars per day to a shoot.
"With digital there's only a 20-30% cost difference on the whole process and that's making a lot of people shooting 2D consider giving it a go," he said.
"3D is starting to get rid of the image that it's a dark art," he said.
Charlotte Jones a Cinema analyst said the number of cinema screens worldwide capable of showing 3D movies has grown from 98 in 2005 to more than 1,300 at the end of 2007 and is predicted to pass 3,000 by the end of 2008.
it seems the horisons for directors has been widely increased with the introduction of digital technology.
2. Distribution
These days most of the public veiw films on TV or by renting them, and that cinema ratings are falling showing that cinemas arent appealing enough for us to pay our money to view there films.
At the moment films are distributed to the cinemas on huge reals taking alot of hard work and money to get them transported around the country, but recently with the introduction of digital technology films now can be sent on a 100 giga byte hardrive in seconds and be broadcasted at the push of a button.
The BBC held a debate to find the reason that people dont want to go to cinemas:
Here are some of the views of people.
Why is it my fault that the cinema today can't offer me a better viewing experience than sitting at a desk
Why is it my fault that the local theaters all show the same Hollywood blockbuster films instead of offering me the variety I crave?
It's not that hard to entertain me, but you're charging me $15 and subjecting me to 20 minutes of ads while failing to do so.
It seems with the majority of people having home cinema systems and with ridiculous prices that the cinemas just wont last.
Thursday, 21 February 2008
Feedback #1
Joe, this is incomplete - you are missing the research into the film industry and the cover work set the first week back. I understand that you have had some absences due to illness, however it is your responsibility to catch up and I expected you to meet this deadline.
You will need to complete the work this week.
U/4
You will need to complete the work this week.
U/4
Tuesday, 13 November 2007
Second Life
Second Life:
Second Life, is an internet-based virtual world, launched in 2003, and was developed by linden research. Second Life is one of several virtual worlds that have been inspired by the cyberpunk literary movement, and particularly by Neal Stephenson's novel Snow Crash. The stated goal of Linden Lab is to create a world like the Metaverse described by Stephenson, a user-defined world in which people can interact, play, do business, and otherwise communicate.Second Life's virtual currency is the Linden Dollar (Linden, or L$) and is exchangeable for real world currencies in a marketplace consisting of residents, Linden Lab and real life companies.
Join a burgeoning new online society, shaped entirely by its residents. Here you can be or do anything. Explore an ever-changing 3D landscape. Meet new and exciting people. Create a masterpiece - or an empire. Second Life is yours - to imagine, invent, and inhabit.
Explore a boundless world of surprise and adventure.
Create anything you can imagine.
Connect with new and exciting people.
Compete for fame, fortune, or victory.
Whatever your goals, whatever you choose to do, your Second Life starts now.
http://lindenlab.com/
Second life has many different things inside it virtual world. good and bad, above shows one of the aspects of the game which is frowned apon.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Life
Linden Lab:
In May 2007, Linden Lab acquired Windward Mark Interactive, a small game development company of Waltham, Massachusetts.
Second Life, is an internet-based virtual world, launched in 2003, and was developed by linden research. Second Life is one of several virtual worlds that have been inspired by the cyberpunk literary movement, and particularly by Neal Stephenson's novel Snow Crash. The stated goal of Linden Lab is to create a world like the Metaverse described by Stephenson, a user-defined world in which people can interact, play, do business, and otherwise communicate.Second Life's virtual currency is the Linden Dollar (Linden, or L$) and is exchangeable for real world currencies in a marketplace consisting of residents, Linden Lab and real life companies.
Join a burgeoning new online society, shaped entirely by its residents. Here you can be or do anything. Explore an ever-changing 3D landscape. Meet new and exciting people. Create a masterpiece - or an empire. Second Life is yours - to imagine, invent, and inhabit.
Explore a boundless world of surprise and adventure.
Create anything you can imagine.
Connect with new and exciting people.
Compete for fame, fortune, or victory.
Whatever your goals, whatever you choose to do, your Second Life starts now.
http://lindenlab.com/
Second life has many different things inside it virtual world. good and bad, above shows one of the aspects of the game which is frowned apon.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Life
Linden Lab:
In May 2007, Linden Lab acquired Windward Mark Interactive, a small game development company of Waltham, Massachusetts.
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