Actually the publicity is just justification for showing the exhibition. I saw it when it was in Wellington. Although the science and technology (greenscreen and forced perspective and CGI; and I suppose prosthetics count too) were significant aspects of the exhibition, the main portion of the show were the exhibits/props themselves.
Most of the costumes and props were in the movies for seconds or less, or from a distance. The exhibition allowed for extended close-up viewing and appreciation of the craft and artistry, the insane amount of attention to detail that went into the movies. For example, there was a display showing an original 'master-crafted' sword alongside an aluminium replica and a plastic replica and they all looked IDENTICAL. It was only when they were tapped lightly that the differences became clear.
Also included was original conceptual art sketches/paintings/images by e.g Alan Lee. Add to that the behind the scenes interviews and what you have is a multimedia exhibition that showcases the people and work behind the scenes that made the finished product so visually stunning.
My only gripe was the 'One Ring' chamber; I hope they've replaced the perspex cylinder which has the 'One Ring' 'floating' in the middle; actually held there by a fishing line.
Assuming you're not a troll, Sandman was/is a comic written by Neil Gaiman about Morpheus, the ruler of the realm of dreams. It borrowed a lot from folklore and mythology, ran for 75 issues and was the flagship for DC comics' Vertigo line. Critically acclaimed, it won a World Fantasy Award for short story before the powers-that-be banned comics from eligibility.
For more info: neilgaiman.com
Look at web comics as similar to underground indie paper comic. Both have a low entry barrier: getting a web site vs. going down to the local copy store and running off Xeroxes.
There will inevitably be a lot of dross but it will be where the inovative stuff happens. The trick is to find the good stuff.
It's also the same kind of thinking that has led to English's dominant position. The fact that it cheerfully absorbs words from outside sources meant that it was able to evolve. English is a 'living' language. If enough people use a word in a certain way, it becomes the accepted meaning.
In contrast, the French language institute is so uptight about preserving the 'integrity' of the French language that it comes up with 'correct' terminology e.g. 'courriel' for 'e-mail'.
Re:Hammerhead Sharks & Electric Fields
on
Ant Farm PC
·
· Score: 1
It's even more cool when you realise that to locate its prey, the sharks sensors have to somehow filter out (in real time)electrical signals it makes itself ( e.g. nerve impulses from muscle movement) as it swims to be able to locate signals as low as a five-billionth of a volt.
Re:More details?
on
Ant Farm PC
·
· Score: 2, Informative
The Lspace links to a veritable treasure trove of Pratchettiana but there's so much there, you'll have to have a poke around to find what you're after.
Terry Pratchett is an English writer known for his Discworld novels, a series that began purely as a humourous parody of fantasy books. The Discworld stories have evolved over time, a reflection of Pratchett's own development
The HEX is the Discworld version of a computer made by the guys in the HEM (High Energy Magic) building. It contains ants. A buggy system indeed *ducks*. Some of the more common error messages include: "++ Permission Denied +++ ++ Out Of Cheese Error +++ and ++ Redo From Start +++".
It occurs to me that while VoD has its advantages, most people will still want to own a tangible copy of the product in _some_ form (vinyl, cassette, CDROM, DVD etc).
It's the same round of release schedule as FoTR and likely RoTK too. The savvy ones will wait till they release the super-duper release to end all releases boxed set containing all three movies (normal and extended) plus extras. In the meantime, rent (from the video shop) or borrow (from friends who couldn't wait and went out and bought the DVDs as they came out).
Sure, it's a moneymaking move. But at least you know it's coming. Given the amount of creative effort that went into the movies (went to the LoTR exhibition in Wellington,NZ and marvelled at the stupefying amount of detail and craft that went into the movies) I've no problem with them generating as much revenue as they can.
Something that hasn't been mentioned is the demographic of the comic reader. I've been going to comic shops and finding that the patrons are getting older and older. Where are the young comic readers?
I'll tell you. They're playing PS2/XBOX/console games, fragging each other online or queuing up for the latest hottest movie. Times have changed. There are that many more choices for a teenager's disposable income. Comics just can't cut it anymore.
The way I see it, comics will get progressively more and more ghetto-ized. It's a real pity (me being a comic fan). I still think that comics have a place; nothing else combines elements of film and the written word and when done well, the results are sublime. But realistically, comics as a medium is dying.
The anthology IIRC is 'Into the Shadows'. There have been >20 Shadowrun novels based on the RPG. Written by different writers, they vary in quality so YMMV. Recommend you begin with the first trilogy all written by Robert N. Charrette, "Never Deal With A Dragon", "Choose Your Enemies Wisely" and "Find Your Own Truth". The Nigel Findley ones are worth a look too. The others are not as good IMO.
While Otherland began well, the rest of the series became a plodding exercise in frustration. The second and especially the third failed to develop the plot in a timely fashion and to me, became more of a chronicle of someone's roleplaying game sessions. A shame as Williams has the ability to write better.
In contrast, "Donnerjack" by Roger Zelazny and Jane Lindskold explores similar themes and concepts and manages to do so, and well in a single volume novel.
At the time of his death, Zelazny had a couple of unfinished books, the other is "Lord Demon". Both were completed by Jane Lindskold who succeeds in capturing the Zelazny voice which is no mean feat.
There were lots of clues that it wasn't kosher: 1. It was shown in the time slot normally used for Sunday Drama.
2. It showed Peter Jackson and crew tramping (yes tramping) through NZ bush to get to the site where the alleged film pioneer Colin Mackenzie built a movie set.
3. The Richard Pearse flying sequence showed an observer in the foreground and 'Richard Pearse' flying his contraption in the background. Said footage was then 'analysed' by zooming in on the observer showing that he had a folded newspaper in his back pocket. Some image clean-up later (just like in the movies), you could clearly see the date on the newspaper which was 'proof' PROOF! that Pearse's flight preceeded the Wrights.
As a 'documentary' it was brilliantly done beginning with Colin MacKenzie footage 'found' in someone's storeroom, then piling implausibilities upon implausibilities; the first sound film, the first colour film, the first pan and the first zoom. All of which was played straight with people like Leonard Maltin and Sam Neil to add plausibility.
This is a typical example of BH and KJA's writing. Those who haven't can read this and decide for themselves if BH and KJA have what it takes to write, let alone write in the style of Frank Herbert.
Wondered when someone was going to bring that up. Apparently, F. Herbert's notes on the next Dune book was found in a safe deposit box. B. Herbert and KJA's plan was to do the Dune prequels and follow that up with what would have been F. Herbert's novel.
The idea is sound as it allows the two writers to hone their writing in the style of F. Herbert prior to attempting the completion of his last novel. Unfortunately, I have found the prequels to be dissappointing; too much backporting and presaging of future events e.g. no-ships and spice substitutes already invented in the past then lost prior to events of DUNE. That to me cheapens the impact and importance of the F. Herbert books.
Further, their writing needs work. The writing in the Dune prequels display a lack of understanding of the workings the written form. Maybe better editing could have saved it. I forced my way through the prequels in the vain hope of seeing improved writing.
Contrast the Dune prequels with the work Jane Lindskold did in completing Roger Zelazny's last books, Donnerjack and Lord Demon. Lindskold's work preserved the voice of Zelazny brilliantly. The books are recognizably Zelazny; an impressive feat.
As a longtime fan of Dune I _want_ to see F.Herbert's last novel, written in his voice. *sigh* I live in hope.
I would suggest "Georgia on My Mind: And Other Places" (1995) for a taster of his shorter works. It is worth it for "Georgia on My Mind" alone. It well deserved both the Hugo and Nebula. Following that, I would read "Between the Strokes of Night", (1985), which is one of his better early stand-alone novels.
As for his series work, I really enjoyed the "Proteus" stories being a molecular biology geek. It was an interesting take on the concept of self-modification by running 'programs'/code that rewrote your gene expression. The "Heritage" books are more Space Opera, but fun. The "Jupiter" novels are more old-school in the tradition of Asimov and Clark. It really depends on the sort of SF you are looking for.
I second that. I'm myopic (-6.75, -7.5) and research LASIK last year. My degree of myopia is near or at the extreme end for LASIK (depending on brand of equipment). I found that there is a significant chance that I'll end up still needing corrective lenses. For me, the risk just wasn't worth it; I only have two eyes and am not willing to gamble with my vision.
The most significant change came when I went fron spectacles to contacts. Suddenly, I had peripheral vision. Suddenly, playing sports isn't a problem. O.K. I still suck at it but at least I can give it a go without worrying about busting my glasses.
Usual YMMV caveat.
Slashdot Mirror
Here's his answer at Barnes&Noble
Actually the publicity is just justification for showing the exhibition. I saw it when it was in Wellington. Although the science and technology (greenscreen and forced perspective and CGI; and I suppose prosthetics count too) were significant aspects of the exhibition, the main portion of the show were the exhibits/props themselves.
Most of the costumes and props were in the movies for seconds or less, or from a distance. The exhibition allowed for extended close-up viewing and appreciation of the craft and artistry, the insane amount of attention to detail that went into the movies. For example, there was a display showing an original 'master-crafted' sword alongside an aluminium replica and a plastic replica and they all looked IDENTICAL. It was only when they were tapped lightly that the differences became clear.
Also included was original conceptual art sketches/paintings/images by e.g Alan Lee. Add to that the behind the scenes interviews and what you have is a multimedia exhibition that showcases the people and work behind the scenes that made the finished product so visually stunning.
My only gripe was the 'One Ring' chamber; I hope they've replaced the perspex cylinder which has the 'One Ring' 'floating' in the middle; actually held there by a fishing line.
Assuming you're not a troll, Sandman was/is a comic written by Neil Gaiman about Morpheus, the ruler of the realm of dreams. It borrowed a lot from folklore and mythology, ran for 75 issues and was the flagship for DC comics' Vertigo line. Critically acclaimed, it won a World Fantasy Award for short story before the powers-that-be banned comics from eligibility. For more info: neilgaiman.com
Look at web comics as similar to underground indie paper comic. Both have a low entry barrier: getting a web site vs. going down to the local copy store and running off Xeroxes.
There will inevitably be a lot of dross but it will be where the inovative stuff happens. The trick is to find the good stuff.
It's also the same kind of thinking that has led to English's dominant position. The fact that it cheerfully absorbs words from outside sources meant that it was able to evolve. English is a 'living' language. If enough people use a word in a certain way, it becomes the accepted meaning.
In contrast, the French language institute is so uptight about preserving the 'integrity' of the French language that it comes up with 'correct' terminology e.g. 'courriel' for 'e-mail'.
It's even more cool when you realise that to locate its prey, the sharks sensors have to somehow filter out (in real time)electrical signals it makes itself ( e.g. nerve impulses from muscle movement) as it swims to be able to locate signals as low as a five-billionth of a volt.
The Lspace links to a veritable treasure trove of Pratchettiana but there's so much there, you'll have to have a poke around to find what you're after.
Terry Pratchett is an English writer known for his Discworld novels, a series that began purely as a humourous parody of fantasy books. The Discworld stories have evolved over time, a reflection of Pratchett's own development
The HEX is the Discworld version of a computer made by the guys in the HEM (High Energy Magic) building. It contains ants. A buggy system indeed *ducks*. Some of the more common error messages include: "++ Permission Denied +++ ++ Out Of Cheese Error +++ and ++ Redo From Start +++".
Lego-MAC
It occurs to me that while VoD has its advantages, most people will still want to own a tangible copy of the product in _some_ form (vinyl, cassette, CDROM, DVD etc).
So long as it wasn't a Jar-Jar file ...
I wonder if they ASCII'fied Episode I, would that make Jar-jar tolerable?
It's the same round of release schedule as FoTR and likely RoTK too. The savvy ones will wait till they release the super-duper release to end all releases boxed set containing all three movies (normal and extended) plus extras. In the meantime, rent (from the video shop) or borrow (from friends who couldn't wait and went out and bought the DVDs as they came out).
Sure, it's a moneymaking move. But at least you know it's coming. Given the amount of creative effort that went into the movies (went to the LoTR exhibition in Wellington,NZ and marvelled at the stupefying amount of detail and craft that went into the movies) I've no problem with them generating as much revenue as they can.
Something that hasn't been mentioned is the demographic of the comic reader. I've been going to comic shops and finding that the patrons are getting older and older. Where are the young comic readers?
I'll tell you. They're playing PS2/XBOX/console games, fragging each other online or queuing up for the latest hottest movie. Times have changed. There are that many more choices for a teenager's disposable income. Comics just can't cut it anymore.
The way I see it, comics will get progressively more and more ghetto-ized. It's a real pity (me being a comic fan). I still think that comics have a place; nothing else combines elements of film and the written word and when done well, the results are sublime. But realistically, comics as a medium is dying.
And there is no bathroom
The anthology IIRC is 'Into the Shadows'. There have been >20 Shadowrun novels based on the RPG. Written by different writers, they vary in quality so YMMV. Recommend you begin with the first trilogy all written by Robert N. Charrette, "Never Deal With A Dragon", "Choose Your Enemies Wisely" and "Find Your Own Truth". The Nigel Findley ones are worth a look too. The others are not as good IMO.
While Otherland began well, the rest of the series became a plodding exercise in frustration. The second and especially the third failed to develop the plot in a timely fashion and to me, became more of a chronicle of someone's roleplaying game sessions. A shame as Williams has the ability to write better.
In contrast, "Donnerjack" by Roger Zelazny and Jane Lindskold explores similar themes and concepts and manages to do so, and well in a single volume novel.
At the time of his death, Zelazny had a couple of unfinished books, the other is "Lord Demon". Both were completed by Jane Lindskold who succeeds in capturing the Zelazny voice which is no mean feat.
There were lots of clues that it wasn't kosher:
1. It was shown in the time slot normally used for Sunday Drama.
2. It showed Peter Jackson and crew tramping (yes tramping) through NZ bush to get to the site where the alleged film pioneer Colin Mackenzie built a movie set.
3. The Richard Pearse flying sequence showed an observer in the foreground and 'Richard Pearse' flying his contraption in the background. Said footage was then 'analysed' by zooming in on the observer showing that he had a folded newspaper in his back pocket. Some image clean-up later (just like in the movies), you could clearly see the date on the newspaper which was 'proof' PROOF! that Pearse's flight preceeded the Wrights.
As a 'documentary' it was brilliantly done beginning with Colin MacKenzie footage 'found' in someone's storeroom, then piling implausibilities upon implausibilities; the first sound film, the first colour film, the first pan and the first zoom. All of which was played straight with people like Leonard Maltin and Sam Neil to add plausibility.
Peter Jackson, what a comedian!
Agree.
This is a typical example of BH and KJA's writing. Those who haven't can read this and decide for themselves if BH and KJA have what it takes to write, let alone write in the style of Frank Herbert.
Wondered when someone was going to bring that up. Apparently, F. Herbert's notes on the next Dune book was found in a safe deposit box. B. Herbert and KJA's plan was to do the Dune prequels and follow that up with what would have been F. Herbert's novel.
The idea is sound as it allows the two writers to hone their writing in the style of F. Herbert prior to attempting the completion of his last novel. Unfortunately, I have found the prequels to be dissappointing; too much backporting and presaging of future events e.g. no-ships and spice substitutes already invented in the past then lost prior to events of DUNE. That to me cheapens the impact and importance of the F. Herbert books.
Further, their writing needs work. The writing in the Dune prequels display a lack of understanding of the workings the written form. Maybe better editing could have saved it. I forced my way through the prequels in the vain hope of seeing improved writing.
Contrast the Dune prequels with the work Jane Lindskold did in completing Roger Zelazny's last books, Donnerjack and Lord Demon. Lindskold's work preserved the voice of Zelazny brilliantly. The books are recognizably Zelazny; an impressive feat.
As a longtime fan of Dune I _want_ to see F.Herbert's last novel, written in his voice. *sigh* I live in hope.
I would suggest "Georgia on My Mind: And Other Places" (1995) for a taster of his shorter works. It is worth it for "Georgia on My Mind" alone. It well deserved both the Hugo and Nebula. Following that, I would read "Between the Strokes of Night", (1985), which is one of his better early stand-alone novels. As for his series work, I really enjoyed the "Proteus" stories being a molecular biology geek. It was an interesting take on the concept of self-modification by running 'programs'/code that rewrote your gene expression. The "Heritage" books are more Space Opera, but fun. The "Jupiter" novels are more old-school in the tradition of Asimov and Clark. It really depends on the sort of SF you are looking for.
I second that. I'm myopic (-6.75, -7.5) and research LASIK last year. My degree of myopia is near or at the extreme end for LASIK (depending on brand of equipment). I found that there is a significant chance that I'll end up still needing corrective lenses. For me, the risk just wasn't worth it; I only have two eyes and am not willing to gamble with my vision. The most significant change came when I went fron spectacles to contacts. Suddenly, I had peripheral vision. Suddenly, playing sports isn't a problem. O.K. I still suck at it but at least I can give it a go without worrying about busting my glasses. Usual YMMV caveat.
Ironically, 'Yoga' is recognized as a religion by the NZ Census Bureau. The list is clearly arbitrary.