Category Archives: Research / Influences

Research “findings” and general influences on my work

Sony NEX FS100

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Sony’s new NEX-FS100 camcorder is positioned exactly where Z series was a few years back. It is a wedding photographer’s wet dream come true but also a tool for many indie videographers who can finally afford a “real” 35mm camera.

The list price for the new Sony camcorder is just below $6,000. This is exactly the price point where you start wondering if it won’t be better to own it, instead of renting it every time you need it.

A detailed review as always comes from ProVideo. A few highlights:

  • The camera can record 1080/60p, 1080/60i, 1080/30p, 1080/24p, and 720/60p in AVCHD, at data rates from 5-28 Mbps depending on format.
  • In 24 frames per second, the FS100 allows shutter speeds of 3, 6, 12, 24, 40, 48, 50, 60, 96, 100, 120, 144, 192, 200 288, 400, 576, 1200, 2400, 4800, and 10000
  • The FS100 uses a single “Super35mm” CMOS sensor with a color filter array; it’s 23.6 mm × 13.3 mm.

Conan finally close

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Conan’s release date has been set for August and the good news it’s in 3D.

Of course, fans of Robert E. Howard have been dissecting the casting choice of Jason Momoa for the last year or so.

Looking at the poster, however, I felt the chills of this being a REAL Conan movie. The teaser trailer below isn’t bad either.

On a side note, there’s an amazing community of Conan (and online RPGs) fans, at Conan.com!

Michael Bay drops Megan Fox

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It may seem like a remake of the absurd Bay vs Boll match. This time Michael Bay drops the M-bomb.

Yes, Michael has passed on its option to hire Megan Fox for the third installment of Transformers. Megan will probably be OK, she’s red hot property now. The same can’t be said for Michael. Even Cinematical agree to this point.

Maybe it has to do with the fact that Megan likened him to Hitler (Wonderland Magazine):

God, I really wish I could go loose on this one. He’s like Napoleon and he wants to create this insane, infamous mad-man reputation. He wants to be like Hitler on his sets, and he is. So he’s a nightmare to work for but when you get him away from set, and he’s not in director mode, I kind of really enjoy his personality because he’s so awkward, so hopelessly awkward. He has no social skills at all. And it’s endearing to watch him. He’s vulnerable and fragile in real life and then on set he’s a tyrant. Shia and I almost die when we make a Transformers movie. He has you do some really insane things that insurance would never let you do.

Robin Hood review

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robin_hood_men_in_tights2Yes, usually I review movies, but for once, Robin Hood has not earned the right to a review. More of a rant really.

I was excited to see the Gladiator crew reunite for another movie. They even amped up the female presence by going with Kate Blanchet.

Max von Sydow is another supposed upgrade, well, let’s just say that playing Kins Osric in Conan was better.

Putting all of English history in one movie was bad enough (Magna Carta in a Robin Hood movie??). Twisting history in unimaginable ways was even offensive.

Exhibit A: French troop carriers doing the invasion were a virtual rip-off of D-day craft. Even Caesar in his invasion of Britania knew he needed ships with a keel because crossing the Channel was impossible otherwise.

I even joked to myself that if I see German machine guns on the cliffs, it will be exactly like Saving Private Ryan. Well, you know what? The English archers lined the cliff and the arrows produced EXACTLY the same effect. Even the sound effects were similar.

So my verdict? Go see any other Robin Hood movie. Or go rent Saving Private Ryan, the battle scenes are much better.

Prince of Persia workout

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Jake Gyllenhaal Prince Of PersiaNow, Jake was pretty ripped in both Jarhead and Brokeback Mountain.

He takes it to a whole new level for the Prince of Persia. The Jerry Bruckheimer’s production seems to be of epic scope indeed, since Jake has an year to get in character: note the hair, it’s not a wig (I think).

I find it amazing that someone in Hollywood has “underwritten” transferring Prince of Persia to the big screen – as a summer blockbuster too.

Effectively, this is a $150-million one-way bet on video games. Uwe Boll shot video game movies in Canada for 10M and barely broke even. Some even claim he did it for tax purposes, as German investors could write off the losses as an “investment in art.”

I can tell you right now what the NEXT game movie blockbuster is going to be. Sam Raimi was attached as Director to a World of Warcraft movie. Blizzard makes a billion a year in revenues from their hit MMORPG, I’m certain they can fork up $150 million.

Update: Gemma Arterton has been working out and tanning quite a bit too. She confessed she had to shed 10 pounds for the role of the princess. So it’s not just Jake that is a “serious” actor as Daily Mirror put it.