Nine months ago, we wrote about Olive, whose makers hoped to make it the first feature-length film shot on a smartphone (specifically a Nokia N8 fitted with a special 35MM lens) that made it into movie theaters. Now, co-director Hooman Khalili says he has a different goal — he and his co-director Pat Gilles have rethought movie production, so they’re hoping to “democratize distribution” too.
The movie probably has the connections to make that happen — after all, one of its executive producers, Chris Kelly, is also involved in the “indie Netflix” site Fandor and movie distribution startup GoDigital. (Kelly was formerly Facebook’s chief privacy officer, and he isn’t Olive‘s only link to Facebook — Randi Zuckerberg also has a small part.) Khalili suggests that a a low budget, independently-produced movie with a sincere message just isn’t a good fit for Hollywood executives, but it does play well with the elderly, soccer moms, children, and people of faith.
And Olive has found some big-name supporters. In fact, Dolly Parton apparently loved the film enough that she agreed to write four new songs for it.
Read the full story here: http://tinyurl.com/create.php?source=indexpage&url=http%3A%2F%2Ftechcrunch.com%2F2012%2F08%2F31%2Folive-wpp-distribution%2F&submit=Make+TinyURL%21&alias=
[Philip Lelyveld comment: the 3D Film Festival website is http://3dff.org. They have an amazing list of sponsors.]
He orchestrated a solution in October 2008, when the first 3DFF took place in the AMC Theaters at Walt Disney World. About 3,000 people attended the RealD-sponsored program. This year, the festival is expecting a turnout of about 25,000 at L.A. Live's Regal Cinemas, with additional activities taking place at five smaller venues.
Fourteen features and forty shorts are slated to screen including Crescitelli's Leviticus, a ten-minute short that deals with the sensitive subject of gay suicide.
Read the full story here: http://blogs.laweekly.com/arts/2012/09/3d_movie_film_festival.php
James ILiff summarised the re-occurring topics of day one as…
- The 3D industry is in "a state of growth and chaos" (a quote by Larry Lipkin)
- No standards have been established for 3D on all levels – production, post-production, and distribution.
- More 3D content in more mediums on more devices means more money.
- Americans seem to have a bias against 3D compared to countries.
- 3D manufacturers must work together, not compete, to establish 3D standards; unlike other technologies such a Blu-ray vs HD-DVD; the consumers will NOT be deciding – it is up to the manufacturers.
- There needs to be cohesive marketing for 3D to reduce consumer confusion.
Numbers Cooper shared included:
- About 60% of screens worldwide have converted to digital.
- About 44% of digital screens in North America are 3D-capable.
- The number of 3D screens outside the U.S. reached 27,000, up 51% year-on-year.
- Biggest barriers to 3D adoption is it remains very event-based viewing.
- Affordable glasses free 3D is still several years away.
Read the full story here: http://www.3dfocus.co.uk/3d-news-2/3d-entertainment-summit-day-one-wrap-up/10593
Rovio and Activision have been able to transform cohorts of young (and less young) people in Angry Birds afficionados / green pig killers. Now the owners of the Nintendo 3DS console will be able to play Angry Birds in 3D (but PS3, XBox, and PC owners will not be forgotten).
Angry Birds in 3D will be included in the Angry Birds: Trilogy that will be available across Europe on the 28th of September 2012.
Philip Lelyveld comment: it will be interesting to see how this great idea morphs as it develops....birthday parties, political fundraisers, etc.
See the website here: http://www.tugg.com/howtuggworks#.UFtMHUInDfg
[Philip Lelyveld comment: this echoes the Internet Archives' announcement that they now have a free, searchable archive of news video and posts.]
The Associated Press (AP) has announced that its 24/7 live video news service has launched on AP Video Hub, its video news platform for digital publishers.
The AP launched AP Video Hub in beta back in April, offering global news, entertainment, SNTV (sports) and lifestyle video, with curators selecting and promoting breaking news content alongside key footage from AP’s archives. And now it also includes its live news service, the agency is looking to tempt more media companies on board.
See the full story here: http://thenextweb.com/media/2012/09/04/the-associated-press-delivers-247-live-news-service-via-ap-video-hub-the-telegraph-signs/
Time Warner has redesigned Flixster to focus less on its native UltraViolet digital locker and more on helping users find the films they want on any movie rental service.
Flixster's redesign "now highlights purchase and rental options from Vudu, Amazon, and iTunes. And it even shows users when movies are available through subscription services like Netflix," explains TechCrunch. "That means that pretty much any movie available online can be found on the app -- which is big news for movie lovers."
"Of course, Flixster isn't the only video discovery engine out there focused on premium content," notes the post. "There's Fanhattan,...
See the full story here: http://techcrunch.com/2012/09/04/flixster-redesign/
Calabasas-based audio processing technology firm
DTS is expanding into the Internet-connected, whole home audio market today, saying that it has released an Android-based, whole home audio system. The new product provides a remote speaker and receiver which wireless connects with Android phones and tablets, allowing users to wirelessly stream music and other audio to the speaker from an Android app. DTS said the new product also connects directly into existing home audio systems, also make them part of its whole home audio network. The new system also can synchronize streams of music to multiple speakers, or stream separate music tracks to different devices and speakers in different rooms. The new system looks to be direct competition for Santa Barbara-based Sonos, and its own wireless, whole home audio systems. The new competition comes thanks to the acquisition of Los Angeles-based Phorus, the wireless home audio speaker firm headed by Dannie Lau. DTS said that Phorus is now a subsidiary of the firm, and that its new Phorus subsidiary continues to be headed by Lau.
Lettuce Bot is a robotic terminator, targeting and selectively killing weeds on sight with 98 percent accuracy. It works by first differentiating weed from lettuce through its vision algorithms and then a trailing component either slices the weed down, injects a minimal dose of herbicide, or hits it with potent fertilizer. The fertilizer offers the best of both worlds in that it is concentrated enough to burn the weed’s roots but not so much to kill the lettuce — plus it provides extra nutrients to the soil.
Read the full story here: http://singularityhub.com/2012/09/19/lettuce-bot-rolls-through-crops-terminates-weeds-it-visually-identifies/
Microsoft said the studio will develop interactive and linear content for Xbox and other devices. Microsoft said the effort is part of an effort to "collaborate with the creative community" to create content for the Xbox brand. As part of the effort, Microsoft also said it will create a "2-way TV experience" with partners such as Sesame Workshop and National Geographic on the Xbox.
See the full story here: http://socaltech.com/microsoft_details_la_production_studio_efforts/s-0045093.html