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I am finding that creators, to this day, often still think inside the box. Unfortunately for those who are, thinking outside the box is the only way our projects will ever happen. Many acclaimed black directors still complain of problems in Hollywood, even trying to get a low budget drama financed. The creators of the very inspirational Hustle & Flow ended up going "out of pocket" to make what they knew was an amazing film, because no one at the studios believed in it. This is with name talent attached. The idea of a studio backing an unknown artist's first picture as a $100 million+ blockbuster movie is absurd. The truth of the matter is that the studios and their money are not necessary.

I like puzzles. There are puzzles all over the internet. One only needs to fid the pieces and start putting them together. One of those puzzles shows us what can really be done without millions of dollars or major studio backing. The day is soon coming, or already is, when full 3D animation is accessible to all at a quality that will astound. I have seen the puzzle pieces. Someone simply needs to put them together.

A quick look at the galleries on websites like Daz3D or E-On Software will show some amazing things people are doing with very cheap, or even free, of-the-shelf software. Although one may not be able to hire a large crew to model assets, there's so much content out there, for free or low prices, that an artist can have an incredible head start to getting their creation off the ground. The thing is that it takes a little imagination.

Too often when I mention the wealth of content out there, the 3D models at places like Daz, Renderosity or Content Paradise, people immediately ask, "Well, what if they don't have what I want?" That, to me, is a severe lack of imagination. They have everything an artist thinking outside the box could want. How you use it is what determines whether or not you get what you want. How you think about it is important too.

I have, in the past, bought a 3D costume model because it had a belt that I wanted, then another because it had a shoulder pad I wanted, and on it goes. The reason is because I think about it in terms of creating my own backlot with a wardrobe department and pieces from which to construct sets and environments. I would say this mode of thought has eliminated as much as 90% of the work involved building original content from scratch for my 3D animation projects.

Now some will say, "Certain things have to be exact to my design." Sometimes this is definitely true, but taking advantage of the wealth of available content out there can mean the difference between getting the project off the ground or never seeing it happen at all. An artist can wait for years for a studio to give them millions to make their dream script. I know some who have done that and they give up on a broken dream. Robert Rodriguez, on the other hand, looked at what he had and went out and got his first movie done. It's just a matter of how an artist approaches the project.

Terrence Walker is a published manga author, independent animator and online entrepreneur who helps other creatives realize their visions of digital content creation and distribution. To find out more information, visit: http://www.studioartfx.com

// posted by pet-adoption82524 @ 8:38 PM 0 comments

A team of engineers at Bangor University have developed a device which promises to increase the current broadband speed by 100 times and to also be 75 per cent cheaper than the cost of today's broadband.

The scientists at the university have been working on the EU-funded Alpha project and are now ready to create the prototype.

The device works by using the same telecommunications network that we are using at the moment but it processes the information a lot more efficiently.

The scientists claim that this improved internet access will allow download of 15 full-length Hollywood movies a minute, meaning that consumers will then have access to very fast and cheap broadband.

The team are hoping that this invention will revolutionise the communications industry and believe that this new broadband technology will not only deliver high speed HD films and television, but also high-power computer games and home video-conferencing facilities.

The group also hope that this device will offer other beneficial functions as well, such as; supporting older people in their homes and enabling other applications like tele-medicine to thrive.

It is believed that once the prototype is finished, it will look similar to a DVD player and be placed somewhere in-between the broadband outlet and computer.

As of yet, there is no idea how much the device will cost, however; with so many people discovering from a broadband speed test that they are receiving such poor speeds at present, there is no doubt that this new and improved internet device will be very popular with consumers in the future.

A new device is expected to be able to provide consumers with very fast and cheap broadband.

It is believed that this new broadband will also deliver such bonuses as high speed HD films and television.

With so many people discovering from a broadband speed test that they are receiving such poor speeds, this new improved internet device should be very popular.

// posted by pet-adoption82524 @ 5:24 PM 0 comments

Do you want your child to have the best Halloween ever?

What's your child's favorite movie or TV character? Does your child have a favorite book character or another character they'd like to be for Halloween?

YOU can make your child's dream come true this Halloween by having them star in their very own Halloween movie!

Kids LOVE to dress up in costume and play. A costume just makes things so much more fun. And Halloween is a great time for your child to put on a costume and enjoy some special activities.

Your Child Can Star In A Halloween Movie

"The Lost Treasure of Billy Bones" is our EXCLUSIVE one-of-a-kind Halloween mini-movie adventure that your child and all their friends will love.

It's lots of fun to go out and enjoy trick or treating (I like the treats myself) or go to a special costume party. But now you can really do something special for your child on Halloween.

Lights... Camera... Action...

Your child will be saying "hooray for Hollywood" when they find out their going to be starring in a fun Halloween movie adventure.

I'm Grandpa Mike and I'm a Hollywood screenwriter. I've written and sold a number of family adventure screenplays in Hollywood. "The Long Ride Home," a western movie starring country singer Randy Travis and Academy award winner Earnest Borgnine was based on my short script and is now available on video.

I've also written a birthday party mini-movie called "The Great Birthday Treasure Hunt" and the Halloween mini-movie, "The Lost Treasure of Billy Bones." Both of these mini-movies are available for free along with information and tips that will help you easily put together your movie production.

To learn how you can receive this fun Halloween costume movie script just follow the link at the end of this article.

Your child is going to have so much fun putting on their costume and starring in their very own movie. What a terrific Halloween activity.

And you and your child will want to see your movie over and over again. And years from now, your child's movie will become a treasured family heirloom.

Do you want your child to have the best Halloween ever?

A super fun Halloween costume movie starring your child will make wonderful memories your child will never forget.

Have fun!

Mike Dougherty "Grandpa Mike" is a Hollywood screenwriter and webmaster for fun kid birthday parties.com. To get your free copy of "The Lost Treasure of Billy Bones" script, visit http://www.fun-kid-birthday-parties.com/halloween-costume.html

// posted by pet-adoption82524 @ 2:12 PM 0 comments

I am a Christian, and Ive always been interested in Summer Solstice and the Pagan religion. I remember a horror film called Spellbinder, and the climactic scene was based around Summer Solstice. Since the advent of Christianity some 2000 years ago there is a view that ancient religions such as Paganism are inspired, controlled or even led by Satan. Thus solstice celebrations are rejected because they are viewed as Satanic in origin.

But this isnt a true reflection of an old religion.

All over the world and throughout history the month of June has featured a number of religious and spiritual days, mostly linked to the Summer Solstice. Although people living in the Southern Hemisphere celebrate their summer solstice on December 21, the cultural and historical information about this date is still relevant.

At this point I want to make an observation - Christianity has incorporated Midsummer into the calendar, observing the feast day of St John the Baptist on June 24. Its thought that this is because Summer Solstice was a celebration of victory of sun and light on the longest day of the year over darkness and death. Its also the alleged date of St Johns death. Interestingly it is directly opposite the feast day of the birth of Christ. St John baptized Jesus and proclaimed him The Saviour, so this particular day is supposed to point to Jesus triumph over death.

We now return to the traditions of this festival

Summer Solstice is also called Litha or St. John's Day, and in Pagan times it was an important religious event. Tribes would gather to celebrate the longest day of the year. Whole communities would participate in the celebration, paying homage to nature and the planets. Mother Earth was commemorated as The Goddess, while The God was represented as the Sun King. The festivities were filled with colour yellow for the harvest, green representing nature and blue for the sky. Some of the rituals that took place during Summer Solstice are kept alive today by modern Pagan faiths. They include:

1. Staying up all night to welcome the rising sun at dawn.

2. Keeping a sacred fire burning all night.

3. Dancing around the sacred fire to the beat of drums.

4. Burning a Yule wreath in the sacred fire.

5. Making a promise to Mother Nature to do something to improve the environment.

6. Exchanging magical gifts with fellow Pagans.

7. Exchanging songs, stories and poems with other people.

Summer Solstice was celebrated by the Slavs, the Celts and many Germanic tribes, with massive bonfires a main feature of the festivities. The Druids celebrated it as the marriage of Heaven and Earth. Customs and rituals were performed all over Europe, and over time Summer Solstice evolved into a night of fire festivals and love magic. Oracles were consulted, predictions were made and spells were cast. Midsummer Night became focused on lovers and fortune telling, commemorating the magic of the years shortest night, nature and the woods. A maiden could learn the identity of her future husband, a pair of lovers could leap through the bonfire flames to bring them luck and spirits and demons would be banished. Other leapt over the flames in the belief that the higher the leap the taller the crops that year! Customs to ensure the health and fertility of the land, domestic animals and humans were performed, and the church, the nobility and the peasants would join in the celebrations. Cities and towns marked the occasion with parades, plays and festivals in the market place, the town green and nearby forests.

Adding to the celebration of nature and her gifts was the inclusion of herbal potions, water and brooks that were supposed to contain healing attributes. Water customs conducted during the Summer Solstice, such as cleaning and decorating fountains and wells persist in many European cultures to this day. The Germanic tribes called this festival Johannisnacht, and tell of the healing powers of a magical pool and a fern that blooms only at Midsummer. Herbs gathered at this time and specific foods like baked elder flower blossoms were also believed to be able to heal and bring health.

Heres some more information about how ancient peoples observed the Summer Solstice.

Prehistoric Europe

Many remains of ancient stone structures can be found throughout Europe, apparently serving religious and astronomical purposes. These structures were built before writing was developed, so we can only speculate on the significance of the Summer Solstice to the builders. The most famous of these structures is Stonehenge, on Salisbury Plain in Wiltshire in the United Kingdom. It was built in three stages, between 3000 and 1500 BC. The main axis is aligned on the midsummer sunrise, an orientation that was probably for ritual rather than scientific purposes. Four "station stones" form a rectangle whose shorter side points in the direction of the midsummer sunrise.

Ancient China

Their Summer Solstice ceremony celebrated the earth, the feminine and the yin forces, complimenting the Winter Solstice which celebrated the heavens, masculinity and yang forces.

Ancient Gaul

The Midsummer celebration was called Feast of Epona, named for a mare goddess who personified fertility, sovereignty and agriculture. She was portrayed as a woman riding a mare.

Ancient Rome

The festival of Vestalia lasted from June 7 to June 15, in honour of the Roman Goddess of the Hearth, Vesta. Married women were able to enter the Shrine of Vesta during the festival. At other times of the year, only vestal virgins were permitted inside.

Ancient Sweden

Each town set up and decorated a Midsummer tree, around which the villagers would dance. Women and girls would customarily bathe in the local river, a magical ritual, intended to bring rain for the crops.

Native Americans

The Natchez tribe worshipped the sun and believed their ruler was descended from him. Every summer they held a first fruits ceremony. Nobody was allowed to harvest the corn until after the feast. Males in the Hopi tribe dressed up as Kachinas - the dancing spirits of rain and fertility who were messengers between humanity and the Gods. At Midsummer the Kachinas were believed to leave the villages to spend the next six months in the mountains, visiting the dead underground and holding ceremonies on their behalf.

Neopaganism

This group of religions conducts ancient Pagan ceremonies. Of these Wicca is the most common. Loosely based on ancient Celtic beliefs and practices, Wiccans recognize eight seasonal days of celebration, called sabbats. The Summer Solstice sabbat is often called Midsummer or Litha. Wiccans may celebrate the sabbat on the evening before, at sunrise on the morning of the solstice, or at the exact time of the astronomical event.

In conclusion it would seem that the modern media and Hollywood has turned an ancient celebration of nature into a macabre, sinister ritualistic period. Solstice is a celebration of our world and the power and wonder of nature. What is so evil or satanic about that?

The writer was born in Africa, and lived there for the first 38 years of her life. She worked in the world of public relations for over five years, running her own PR company and dealing extensively with the world of journalism and the print media. She is an author on http://www.Writing.Com/, a site for Writers. Her blog can be visited at: http://www.writing.com/authors/zwisis/blog

// posted by pet-adoption82524 @ 10:38 AM 0 comments

Like every major metropolitan area, Los Angeles offers many options when it comes to lodging. But choosing a hotel in Los Angeles can be overwhelming because of the sheer number of hotels and the incredible variety of amenities and price. If you're planning a trip to L.A., here are some things to consider when selecting a Los Angeles hotel.

Location

Los Angeles is a sprawling metropolis made up of many distinct neighborhoods. Because of this, visitors should consider staying in a hotel that is near the destinations they wish to visit.

If you are coming to Los Angeles on vacation, make a list of the tourist attractions you plan to see and then look at where they are located on a map. This will give you a good idea of where you should look for hotels. If you plan to visit attractions that are all over the Los Angeles area, you should try to find a hotel in a central location such as Hollywood or West Hollywood. These neighborhoods are about 20 minutes (by car) from just about every part of Los Angeles and they have convenient access to freeways.

If you are planning a business trip to L.A., first determine where you'll be attending meetings or visiting with clients. Downtown Los Angeles is a frequent destination for business travelers, as the Convention Center and Financial District are located there. If this is the case for your trip, you'll find a wide selection of hotels in Downtown Los Angeles that are walking distance from your meeting place. Alternately, many business travelers choose to stay in a hotel near LAX airport, especially for one-day trips.

Amenities

Every hotel is different when it comes to the amenities it offers. When looking for a hotel in Los Angeles, it's important to consider who you'll be traveling with, how much time you'll be spending in your hotel and what level of comfort you prefer.

Because of L.A.'s warm year-round weather, many hotels in Los Angeles have swimming pools or jacuzzis on their property. If you want to soak in some sun while you're visiting, look for a hotel that has an outdoor pool. Many upscale Los Angeles hotels even offer poolside service so that you can order food or drinks while you lounge by the pool.

If you're traveling with children, look for a hotel that is family-friendly. This can mean everything from offering video game systems in the rooms to having large bathrooms that will accommodate your whole family. Additionally, many Los Angeles hotels offer suites that will provide parents and children with a little of their own privacy yet still giving parents the peace of mind of proximity to their kids. Parents will also want to look for hotels that are located in safe, well-lit neighborhoods.

Do you expect luxury when you travel? If so, you'll find many Los Angeles hotels that cater to your every desire with luxurious accommodations. From pampering spa services on the premises, to high-end toiletries and towels in the bathroom, to five-star hotel restaurants, there are many upscale hotels in L.A. that will provide the ultimate in service and amenities.

If you plan on bringing your dog to Los Angeles, you'll find quite a few hotels that allow pets. Some even have gourmet dog biscuits on hand or food and water dishes available for your room. Make sure to choose a hotel in a safe neighborhood that has plenty of streets to walk your dog. You might even find a hotel with a park nearby where you can bring your dog to play.

Need to stay connected while you're visiting Los Angeles? If you plan to touch base with the office or simply like to have internet access while on vacation, look for a hotel that offers free hi-speed or wireless internet access. Some hotels offer free internet in your room, while others only offer it in the lobby or common areas. If you expect to log on every day, try to avoid hotels that charge a daily fee for internet access, as this can add up quickly and become quite expensive.

Price

Many people choose hotels only based on price, but it's important to consider the value you're getting as well. For example, if you find a hotel that is centrally located near all of the attractions you want to visit, it's worth paying slightly more for it instead of staying in a cheaper hotel that is further away from everything. Since there are not a lot of cabs in Los Angeles and public transportation is spotty, staying in a hotel that is not centrally located will mean you'll need to rent a car, which may end up costing you more in the long run (versus staying in the more expensive, centrally-located hotel).

If your trip to Los Angeles will comprise your one big vacation this year, you won't want to deal with the headaches that can come from staying in a cheap hotel. You want to relax and enjoy your vacation, so there's nothing wrong with spending a little more to have a better experience. It's okay to splurge a little on a nice hotel every once in a while!

Finally, if you don't plan on spending a lot of time in your hotel room, are adventurous or are traveling on a really tight budget, consider staying in a Los Angeles hostel. Known for their dorm-like rooms, shared bathrooms and communal atmosphere, hostels are an affordable alternative to hotels for budget-conscious travelers. You'll find hostels all over the Los Angeles area, with many located near popular tourist attractions in the heart of Hollywood.

Danielle Mead is a 10-year Los Angeles resident and editor of the website LA4Beginners.com, an insider's guide to visiting or moving to Los Angeles. Visit LA4Beginners.com for additional information on Los Angeles hotels, including tips, photos and room rates or to make a hotel reservation.

// posted by pet-adoption82524 @ 6:52 AM 0 comments

Like it or not, the Web is turning into an environment that will be dominated by audio and video presentations. And as we have already seen, the democratic nature of the Web has allowed the best and worst to stand side-by-side.

On one side, you have the wacky viral videos that serve little commercial purpose other than to enhance the reputations of their creators; and on the other side, you have deadly boring corporate videos that lack any of the qualities that make Web-video the best sales tool a business will ever have.

In the middle are a few innovative companies that know how to deliver a marketing message by telling a business story with style and panache so that an audience will remember the message and act upon it. And yes, even a few know how, and are willing, to do it with a reasonable budget.

Pay for Content-Production Not Airtime

The non-time sensitive nature of the Web differs from the corporate world of broadcast television where the cost of airtime has seen commercial formats gradually decrease from sixty, to thirty, to fifteen seconds.

I imagine the day is not too far off when we will have a new five-second commercial format all while the broadcast regulators are allowing more commercials per half hour of programming. According to Answers.com, "a typical 30-minute block of time includes 22 minutes of programming with 6 minutes of national advertising and 2 minutes of local (although some half-hour blocks may have as much as 12 minutes of advertisements)."

We've all had the distinct displeasure of having to sit through the same mind-numbing commercial as many as three times in the same commercial break. At that rate even good commercials we want to watch become exercises in Guantonamo-style torture tactics.

It's unlikely that the independent mentality that governs the Web will ever accept a uniform presentation standard to take hold; the idea is just too conventional for an environment that thrives on breaking the rules.

That said an argument could be made for the discipline of a Web-based video presentation format that tells an effective marketing story in the most efficient and memorable manner.

Form, Function, and Discipline

Effective marketing communication is about telling your story, whether it's a fifteen-second television commercial or a thirty-minute infomercial. If you don't tell a story you aren't communicating your message effectively.

Because the Web doesn't require you to purchase airtime, your video presentation once uploaded, is available 24/7 for all to see, anytime they wish, as often as they want.

Since you have this freedom of expression, you need to ask yourself, what is the best way to implement this independence? Do you follow the standard television format based on a cost-per-second basis, when in fact the length of the presentation is mostly irrelevant, or do you drone on for half-an-hour boring your viewers to tears?

There must be a standard format for Web video that makes sense both technically from a time-to-download perspective, and from an effectiveness standpoint, delivering the message in an unforgettable way.

Like with most things in life, discipline is very important, video production requires the producer to be focused; it helps keep budgets in line; and it delivers results because there just isn't any room for extraneous self-indulgence. In addition, following a standard format provides viewers with an expectation, a promise that you will say what needs to be said, and what they want to hear, in a reasonable and efficient amount of time.

The 120 Second Solution: The 3 Act Web Presentation

Unlike cost-per-time formats, you have the freedom to fudge the timing to meet your needs. On the Web, there is no sense in cutting a presentation because it runs fifteen seconds long, or adding superfluous material because it runs fifteen seconds short. That said, it is a good idea to start with a structure that allows you to build a presentation that works; a presentation that has a beginning, middle, and end; a presentation that tells a story viewers will sit through and pay attention to. What we have come up with is "The 120 Second Solution: The 3 Act Web Presentation."

We arrived at this format by analyzing how the best storytellers spin their yarns, the Hollywood moviemakers. Your standard Hollywood movie contains forty scenes, three acts, and runs approximately 120 minutes; yes, some movies run only ninety minutes, and others run as much as three hours, but 120 minutes is the optimum.

If you accept the premise that commercial Web videos are all about telling your story, then perhaps the best solution is to take the standard, three act, one hundred and twenty minute movie, and scale it down to a three act, one hundred and twenty second movie.

A Web Marketing Campaign

Our recent thought-piece the "18 Web-Marketing Concepts That Make A Difference" was introduced by six entertaining videos comprising 'The Lost Brad Tapes,' that loosely follow the 120 Second, 3 Act Web-Presentation Solution.

Act One: The Setup

Your first act is the setup:

(1) A proper setup needs to introduce your hero (every story, even commercials, need a hero);

(2) It must contain an Inciting Incident that triggers action on the part of the hero, and;

(3) It must also create an object of desire and define the nature of success.

By incorporating these elements in your first act, you attract viewer interest, hold viewer attention, create viewer expectation, and provide vicarious, virtual-viewer participation through the actions of the surrogate hero.

In the case of The Lost Brad Tapes, the inciting incident is our hero, Brad's, failure to find the answer to the question, "How do you become a website success?" Our hero searches the world and endures countless hardships just to find 'The Man' with 'The Answer.' And who in business hasn't searched high and low for some expert who could provide a simple solution to a complex problem.

Act one also establishes the object of desire, the knowledge needed to become a website success, and it defines the nature of success, finding the answer.

Act Two: The Conflict

Act two is about establishing conflict and building tension by creating an obstacle that provides the motivational impetus to act to resolve the problem.

With each successive chapter (video) of The Lost Brad Tapes, our hero runs into a roadblock in the guise of a supposed authority who has other things on his mind, and who is ultimately of no help, but who builds the dramatic tension that holds the viewer's interest. Will our boy Brad, find the answer and will he share it with you, the viewer?

Act Three: The Payoff

Act three provides the resolution: the object of desire is secured and the need is gratified. The audience is satisfied with the knowledge gained and the investment in time.

Act three of the Lost Brad videos presents an attractive host who interrupts the video and talks directly to the audience, providing a teaser of one of the '18 Web-Marketing Concepts That Make A Difference,' and points the viewer to the complete article with the entire list of eighteen things to think about along with a complete explanation of each.

Conclusion

The Lost Brad Tapes initiative is an example of how to produce a marketing campaign that delivers a business message by telling a story by following an organizational and development structure, proven to be effective. It is not a sales pitch; it asks for nothing from the viewer other their time; and it delivers sound business advice that establishes expertise.

If Web video is on your 'to do' list, but you're not sure how to go about telling your story, then the 120 Second, 3 Act Web-Video Solution is a good place to start.

Jerry Bader is Senior Partner at MRPwebmedia, a website design firm that specializes in Web-audio and Web-video. Visit http://www.mrpwebmedia.com/ads, http://www.136words.com, and http://www.sonicpersonality.comContact at info@mrpwebmedia.com or telephone (905) 764-1246.

// posted by pet-adoption82524 @ 3:12 AM 0 comments