Home » Uncategorized » Recent Articles:

Worm In The Apple

August 17, 2009 Uncategorized No Comments
Worm In The Apple

Apple has long made a selling point out of its supposedly virus proof operating system. I vaguely remember running some version of Norton on my Mac based Avid’s back in the late 1990s, but that went away with OSX. I don’t know anything about the dissemination of malicious code, but I’ve always assumed that there were no viruses invading Mac OS because there wasn’t enough interest from virus creators to attack an OS that only has about five percent of the market share. But the Ibook and Iphone have changed that equation. There are millions more mac users now than there were a few years ago, and I can’t help but imagine that they represent a big collective bulls eye.

I’ve never used the virus proof argument to tout the benefits of Mac OS. It just seemed like bad karma that would come back to bite me someday. But Apple’s “virus proof” marketing angle and those mildly obnoxious “Mac vs. PC” commercials have flushed good karma down the toilet. If the pervaiors of malicious code weren’t bothering with Mac OS before, we’ve certainly got their attention now.

Video Color Grading – The Sober Truth

August 14, 2009 Uncategorized No Comments
Video Color Grading – The Sober Truth

My first year in Los Angeles, I spent 7 or 8 months as a Telecine assistant in the Valley. The shop was a really low budget operation without many clients, or much working equipment, and the colorist that trained me was a drunk. He would roll in sometime after 10:30 each day, and, teaching through his hangover, he imparted to me the basics of cinematic color, in theory and practice.

I subconsciously use that information on a daily basis, but I hadn’t thought about the philosophical and psychological concepts of color grading for some time, until I found this post on Mike Jones blog, Digital Basin. Mike Jones isn’t a drunk like my old mentor, but he’s got a great take on the psychology of cinematic color grading. The post is called “Colour Grading – Concepts and Paradigms.” Firstly, any reference to “Concepts and Paradigms” in regards to post production is automatically intriguing, because post production tends to be myopicallyworkflow oriented, often avoiding the larger philosophical considerations behind the choices that we make in method and technology.

The post neatly packages the basics of video color grading theory, an art form that seems to have gone out the window in the age ofprosumer video production. Access to very powerful color manipulation tools (I use Color Finesse and Colorista pretty regularly) have created a wealth of color styling opportunity, but I have witnessed an inversely proportional dearth of knowledge about how to apply those tools effectively. Mike Jones breaks down the use of these tools into a set of values that allow the intention of the filmmaker to inform color choices. That sounds like a basic concept, but its easy to overlook when you start fiddling with the color corrector before you’ve mapped a clear aesthetic plan for the project.

Final Cut Pro 7 – I Want To Believe

August 12, 2009 Uncategorized 1 Comment
Final Cut Pro 7 – I Want To Believe

It seems like I’ve been doing a lot of Apple bashing lately. There was my post about the American Cinematic Editors vs. Final Cut Pro, and a couple weeks before that I predicted the imminent death of Final Cut Pro. I’m not not coming down on the products they provide, but I do have a bad feeling that Apple isn’t betting long on Pro Apps.

This fact was most evident in 2006 when Apple ceased development on Shake, the immensely popular composting software they acquired in 2002. The rumor mill claimed that Apple was developing the “next generation” of the technology for release in 2008, but that never materialized and former Shake users moved on. Shake was finally dropped from the Apple website last week.

I actually wrote a first part of this post a couple weeks ago, then the next day Apple released Final Cut Pro 7, the first major upgrade in two years. There are a few much needed fixes, and some additions that should have been standard features three versions back. The only real innovation is theIChat Theater, which integrates the output of Final Cut Pro into a live video chat for real time playback over the Internet . Its interesting that the feature I find most innovative comes from the integration of a freeware app that comes with every new mac. I appreciate the upgrade toFCP 7, but I won’t hold my breath for another major upgrade. I still think Apple is going to withdraw from the the pro apps market, andFCP as we know it is doomed.

Most of the other apps in the Final Cut Suite were also upgraded. The suite has always been a mixed bag of functionality. Motion and Sound Track Pro have been borderline useless since version 1. If this upgrade gets them operational with reasonable stability, it would be a victory. DVD Studio Pro is conspicuously missing from this upgrade, which I’m thankful for. I use DVD Studio on a regular basis, and I don’t have many complaints. I would prefer that Apple not mess with it unless they want to addBlu-Ray support, but I won’t hold my breath for that either.

Brand Cameron

August 10, 2009 Uncategorized No Comments
Brand Cameron

James Cameron made a big splash at Comic Con San Diego by previewing 24 minutes of Avatar for an eagerly receptive audience. Cameron has been hyping the 3D imaging technology behind Avatar for the last two years, only to spend the last 6 months tempering expectations in advance of the Comic Con preview. The preview scene was generally well reviewed, and Cameron went on to give interviews touting the fact that Avatar is an original script, without ties to an existing brand. Comic Con is an odd place to take a dig at movies derived existing properties like, say… comic books, but Cameron is proud of his effort, and the movie looks cool.

What Cameron failed to mention is that, in the absence of an existing brand property, Cameron is the brand. He certainly has the cinematic pedigree to prop up an original sci-fi movie. Furthermore, Cameron leveraged his personal brand into branding Avatar as the movie that will revolutionize the theatrical industry with groundbreaking 3D technology. In the current media economy, Cameron faces the same dilemma as many of us. He can’t get financing for an innovative new property unless he promises to reinvent the entire game in the process. Its a genius marketing scheme that probably helped finance Avatar’s $200 million production, and helped the movie receive an advance wave of press that other movies don’t enjoy. Comic Con was the first time the public had seen a frame of Avatar, but we’ve been reading about the production since early 2008 in everything from Variety to Wired. The technological brand of Avatar even outshines the A-list talent in the film. I realized a couple of weeks ago that Sigourney Weaver stars in the movie, but even her press blurbs are tethered to Cameron’s technology talking points.

Its a $200 million dollar gamble, leveraged by Cameron’s personal brand and hedged by his massively successful box office performance. If it hits, he’s at the helm of a billion dollar franchise. If it tanks, Hollywood will forgive him. But if Avatar is just plain bad, and those core fans are displeased, the credibility of brand Cameron will take a serious hit.

Cinematic Color Grading Theory

Cinematic Color Grading Theory

In my first year in Los Angeles, I spent 7 or 8 months as a Telecine assistant in the Valley. The shop was a really low budget operation without many clients, or much working equipment, and the colorist that trained me was a drunk. Most of what we did was one light dallies for low budget movies, which constituted about two hours of actual work each day. The rest of the day was spent discussing the art and science of cinematic color grading. The colorist would roll in about 10:30 every day. Teaching through his hangover, he imparted to me the basics of cinematic color, in theory and practice.

I subconsciously use that information on a daily basis, but I hadn’t thought about the philosophical and psychological concepts of color grading for some time, until I found this post on Mike Jones blog, Digital Basin. Mike Jones isn’t a drunk like my old mentor, but he’s got a great take on the psychology of cinematic color grading. The post is called “Colour Grading – Concepts and Paradigms.” Firstly, any reference to “Concepts and Paradigms” in regards to post production is automatically intriguing, because post production tends to be myopically workflow oriented, often avoiding the larger philosophical considerations behind the choices that we make in method and technology.

The post neatly packages the basics of video color grading theory, an art form that seems to have gone out the window in the age ofprosumer video production. Access to very powerful color manipulation tools (I use Color Finesse and Colorista pretty regularly) have created a wealth of color styling opportunity, but there’s an inversely proportional dearth of knowledge about how to apply those tools effectively. Mike Jones breaks down the use of these tools into a set of values that allow the intention of the filmmaker to inform color choices. That sounds like a basic concept, but its easy to overlook if you start fiddling with the color corrector before you’ve without a clear aesthetic plan for the project.

Visit some of our projects

AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement

Recent Comments

  • Mike Jones: I hear ya... FCP7 is not just a profound disappointment, it'...
  • Pizzolo: Comic Con is kind of the inverse of a pregnancy test. Gen...
  • Pizzolo: it would be good for the brand if it was "2069: A Sex Odysse...
  • Giberson: My Kardashian collection is safely on DVD. The concern is...
  • Pizzolo: Is this any different from any other networked technology? O...

RSS Halo-8 news blog

  • New GODKILLER: SILENT WAR audiobook preview clip January 29, 2010
    We're excited to present a free 10-minute preview clip from chapter 2 of the audiobook GODKILLER: SILENT WAR. This clip takes place during a violent protest on Wall Street and is pulled from the 30-minute chapter 2 audiobook included on the GODKILLER: WALK AMONG US Episode 2 DVD. […]
    admin
  • New GODKILLER Episode 2 clip debuts January 26, 2010
    Halo-8 has unveiled a preview clip from episode 2 of the illustrated film GODKILLER, which streets today January 26th as a limited-edition shortform DVD. The clip features Dr. Mulciber (Lance Henriksen) tasting the blood of Tommy (Justin Pierre) and having an epic psychedelic trip in the process. […]
    admin
  • GODKILLER Episode 2 DVD Details & Box Art Debut January 26, 2010
    We've unveiled the box art for Episode 2 of the GODKILLER: WALK AMONG US 'illustrated film' series, written and directed by award-winning filmmaker Matt Pizzolo and starring Danielle Harris (HALLOWEEN 4, 5, HI, HII, HATCHET 2), Lance Henriksen (ALIEN VS PREDATOR), Justin Pierre (singer of MOTION CITY SOUNDTRACK), Tiffany Shepis (THE VIOLENT KI […]
    admin
  • Danielle Harris, Bill Moseley, Tiffany Shepis model Godkiller apparel November 24, 2009
    GK stars pull double duty as actors and now models, showing their commitment to the project by going the extra mile and modeling Godkiller apparel. […]
    admin

RSS Godkiller news blog

  • New GODKILLER: SILENT WAR audiobook preview clip January 28, 2010
    We're excited to present a free 10-minute preview clip from chapter 2 of the audiobook GODKILLER: SILENT WAR. This clip takes place during a violent protest on Wall Street and is pulled from the 30-minute chapter 2 audiobook included on the GODKILLER: WALK AMONG US Episode 2 DVD. […]
    Pizzolo
  • New GODKILLER Episode 2 clip debuts January 26, 2010
    Halo-8 has unveiled a preview clip from episode 2 of the illustrated film GODKILLER, which streets today January 26th as a limited-edition shortform DVD. The clip features Dr. Mulciber (Lance Henriksen) tasting the blood of Tommy (Justin Pierre) and having an epic psychedelic trip in the process. […]
    Pizzolo

Become a Member

Hollywood-2.0 features a new members-only section of Premium Content: actionable information on how to effectively Develop, Produce, Distribute, and Market your project. Click here for more information.

Premium Content

H2.0 the book – Chapter 1: The Producer-Marketer

July 9, 2009

H2.0 the book – Chapter 1: The Producer-Marketer

This is the first chapter of our work-in-progress book “Hollywood-2.0: An Actionable System for Developing, Producing, Distributing, & Marketing Your Project in a Changing Media Landscape.”
Chapter 1 is titled “The Long Tail of Death, The Evil Aggregator Empire, The Decline of Distribution, and You: The Producer-Marketer.” While we pride ourselves on this book’s commitment to [...]

Featured Stories

Don’t call it a comeback, I’ve been here for years.

January 7, 2010

Don’t call it a comeback, I’ve been here for years.

I bailed on this blog in the middle of last year because I got too busy to think. I really was too busy to think for a while, then I just got lazy. But then Pizzolo busted my balls and said that people actually like this blog, and that I’m easier to deal with when [...]

There’s a bridge from the Internet to your TV–Steve Jobs & Bill Gates are the trolls under it

July 15, 2009

There’s a bridge from the Internet to your TV–Steve Jobs & Bill Gates are the trolls under it

It’s like if you and I wanted to hang out and there’s a perfectly safe path between our houses, but Steve Jobs and Bill Gates erected bridges and demanded we pay tolls and they spent millions marketing their bridges so we think we have to take them… but their bridges aren’t crossing a raging river, they’re just crossing a path that’s actually EASIER for us to take than their stupid bridges.

I’m an Internet Filmmaking Millionaire and SO CAN YOU!

July 3, 2009

I’m an Internet Filmmaking Millionaire and SO CAN YOU!

There have always been indie film snake oil salesmen. Back in the heyday of the 90s Indie Film Boom there were gazillions of books telling you how if you just sold your car, sold your blood, or sold out your family’s mortgage you too could sell a film at Sundance and be an overnight multi-millionaire. [...]

Making An Illustrated Film – Godkiller

June 30, 2009

Making An Illustrated Film – Godkiller

This week I’m back to work on “Godkiller,” Halo-8’s first Illustrated Film. An Illustrated Film is a highly stylized animated movie that mixes original graphic novel illustrations with motion graphics and dramatic voice performances to create an edgy new style of story telling. Its like Liquid Television meets Ralph Bakshi, allowing us to tackle stories [...]

Pop Skull DVD

June 29, 2009

Pop Skull DVD

I spent much of last week authoring the DVD for “POP SKULL,” a new release from Halo-8. Pop Skull is a manic, twisted, drug-infused and award-winning psychological horror film directed & co-written by Adam Wingard (“HOME SICK”), starring & co-written by newcomer Lane Hughes, co-written and co-produced by E.L. Katz (”AUTOPSY“), and produced by Peter [...]

Video Cinematic

Don’t call it a comeback, I’ve been here for years.

January 7, 2010

Don’t call it a comeback, I’ve been here for years.

I bailed on this blog in the middle of last year because I got too busy to think. I really was too busy to think for a while, then I just got lazy. But then Pizzolo busted my balls and said that people actually like this blog, and that I’m easier to deal with when [...]

Comic Con San Diego: Perspectives From A Melted Brain

July 30, 2009

Comic Con San Diego: Perspectives From A Melted Brain

I was warned in advance that my first trip to Comic Con San Diego would melt my brain. It doesn’t happen quickly, like some kind of high concept microwave brain laser. Rather, Comic Con melts the brain slowly, through a massive sensory overload and an unfathomably high degree of human interaction. Halo-8 collectively had a [...]

Cinematic Color Grading Theory

July 23, 2009

Cinematic Color Grading Theory

In my first year in Los Angeles, I spent 7 or 8 months as a Telecine assistant in the Valley. The shop was a really low budget operation without many clients, or much working equipment, and the colorist that trained me was a drunk. Most of what we did was one light dallies for low [...]

Video media players: A map to the last 10 feet

July 21, 2009

Video media players: A map to the last 10 feet

As Pizzolo mentioned a few days ago, the X-box 360 is not just a hot shit game console. Its also a robust media player, useful for playing back a wide array of video files on your TV. What does that mean for you? It means that you can download any number of video files (legally [...]

Comic Conned

July 15, 2009

Comic Conned

An interesting viewpoint from Variety’s Brian Lowry regarding the value of the Comic Con crowd as taste makers, and the event as a barometer for box office performance. Lowry calls this the “Comic Con False Positive,” claiming that a positive response from the devoted legions of convention fanboys does not equal automatic success in the [...]

Hollywood 2.0

10s & 1s: Not Getting Bad Reviews? Try Harder.

October 15, 2009

10s & 1s: Not Getting Bad Reviews? Try Harder.

Good reviews are better than mediocre reviews, but if you’re not getting bad reviews then I have two words of advice for you: try harder.

Why Josh Olson is a fucking douchebag

September 16, 2009

Why Josh Olson is a fucking douchebag

Josh Olson is an Oscar-nominated screenwriter… scratch that, Josh Olson is a typist who took someone else’s story written in graphic novel format and retyped it in Final Draft then rode its coattails to an Oscar nomination while his head inflated as big as his ass. He also has made it very clear that he WON’T READ YOUR FUCKING SCRIPT (but I bet he’ll read your graphic novel and offer to retype it for you).

The Curse of A FILM BY…

September 15, 2009

The Curse of A FILM BY…

There’s been a long-running debate on directors taking (demanding?) the “A Film By” credit on movie key art. I’m kind of indifferent to it. I personally don’t take the credit but that’s just me… hell, I’d prefer all my work be anonymous if I could effectively produce & market that way. So I don’t have a dog in this race, but I do have a unique observation on the whole thing…

If you can’t be the guest of honor, be the one who doesn’t belong there

August 23, 2009

If you can’t be the guest of honor, be the one who doesn’t belong there

In my opinion, there are two reasons to be someplace: be the guest of honor or be the one who doesn’t belong there.
Example: I was lucky enough to be included in the Horror Comics Into Film panel Peter Katz organized at Comic Con last month. At risk of hurting my fellow panelists’ feelings, I imagine [...]

All Marketing Is Local

July 31, 2009

All Marketing Is Local

Your job is to cultivate a core following that cares about your message and what you do, and will support you with cash-purchases and positive word of mouth as you create your body of work. That process cannot be outsourced to spambots and massmarket advertising, it can only be done one personal connection at a time. Only once you’ve built that support network can you potentially benefit from the wholesale-politicking of massmarket distribution.