The real Facebook movie….and Paranormal Activity. You know…I like when movies look good…quality-wise. But I don’t mind when movies, like this, put emphasis on content. It’s when movies fall somewhere in-between that I don’t like them….e.g. 300. I don’t know why I pointed that one out from the millions of others.
Add comment August 31st, 2010 Logrithmic
While working on audiobooks in 2007, I worked on a book called The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick. When your job is to edit audiobooks it’s a given that one works on more bad books than good. I was pleasantly surprised when I started this one. It’s the story of a 12 year-old thief, Hugo, who lives hidden in a busy train station in Paris during the 1930′s. It involves gadgets, history, secrets, and film. The film aspect of it involves the famous Georges Méliès. I’m sure this played a role in Martin Scorsese picking up this book for his next film.
While working on the audiobook I had the opportunity to do some sound design for it. Because the paper version of the book contained some amazing hand-drawn art pieces, the publisher didn’t want these to get lost in the audio version. 
The book starts off with a series of ten or so images that show Hugo making his way through the crowded Parisian station. Have a listen below. The sound design comes in after the “brief introduction.”
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I’m very curious to see how Scorsese interprets this book. There are some very interesting choices in how it was cast including the great Emily Mortimer of Paris, je t’aime, Transsiberian, Harry Brown, and of course Jack’s lover on “30 Rock“. Another interesting cast here is Sacha Baron Cohen of Ali G and Borat fame. I can’t wait to see this.
Also, if you haven’t seen the classic French movie “The 400 Blows“, it’s the story of a young French boy living in Paris who turns to petty theft. I’m sure this had an influence on the creation of Hugo Cabret and if it did, that’s more the reason to read the book and watch this movie. According to IMDB the release date is December 9th, 2011.
Add comment August 26th, 2010 Logrithmic
Much more new Canon gear out. See you at this year’s expo.
2 comments August 26th, 2010 Logrithmic
Ten years ago I started watching movies. I mean actually WATCHING movies. Maybe it was because I started college around that time. Maybe it was because in college I would hear “You haven’t seen Star Wars?” or “Never seen Godfather?!?“.
Unfortunately, I only started watching movies. I didn’t buy them. I would download them or rip them from people’s DVD’s. This presented a problem. How could I watch my digital movies, stored on my computer, on my television? Burning them to DVD was a lengthy option at the time as DVD players didn’t yet have the ability to play files which meant I had to author DVDs. Viewing movies on my CRT monitor is okay but not great as far as furniture placement in the crib. Sometimes I would literally move my couch around the room depending on what I was doing.
Earlier this year I purchased a Pioneer Plasma Elite television. For quite some time I have wanted a Pioneer Plasma but it wasn’t until news hit that they were discontinued that I finally sprung for the purchase. I now have the Pioneer two rooms away from my main media source. How could I get my movies to this plasma screen? Should I build a HTPC? What should I do?
I have followed Popcorn Hour through all it’s incarnations along with many other networked media players. I’m a big fan of the Popcorn Hour series but never jumped at it due to numerous bugs and video format issues. Then the PopBox was announced from the makers of the Popcorn series, Syabas. The UI looked great and the apps sounded great (including Netflix) and most importantly the price was right. I pre-ordered.
The PopBox is a set-top box that connects to your home network, wireless or wired, and streams your movies, music, and photos from any shared drives (you can also connect external drives if you want). There are 4 PCs and 1 mac in my household hooked up to the network and it can see them all. After using the box for a few months, one thing I like about it is that I don’t need to store anything on the box itself or copy anything. It just sees it all from both Mac and PC. One feature I liked about all the old software media players was the ability to sync up with online databases like IMDB. The PopBox does that for all the movie information including cover art. This feature doesn’t work as well as it should. You may have to manually link up certain movies to IMDB. Luckily for Syabas, a user created a program called PopEye which easily handles your PopBox database and allows for customization. I’m obsessive-compulsive about my file-naming conventions and I can say I still needed the PopEye.
Overall, I’m only about 60% happy with the box. The UI is slower than my PS3′s. If the PopBox has a problem with a file it needs to be restarted. Certain high-data-rate 1080p movies occasionally playback jerky (could be my network). Many of the apps I was looking forward to have been held back from release (e.g. Netflix). Syabas has been updating the firmware to address certain issues but the unit, as it stands now, isn’t stable. I cannot recommend it. Although it takes minutes to scroll through hundreds of movies, the PS3 is more stable as a media player right now in all categories; movies, music, and photographs. There are so many set-top boxes being released this year but the Popbox seems to be the best. I hope they get their act together.
UPDATE: 8.26.2010
Well…of all the boxes that came out since the PopBox the Sony Netbox SMP-N100 looks great and sports a UI similar to the XMB on the PS3. I will be strongly considering this box based on their reputation.
1 comment August 24th, 2010 Logrithmic
Below is a funny, behind-the-scenes, piece put together by Kolasuss:
Add comment August 23rd, 2010 Logrithmic
8-Bit Memory on ETSY is selling hard drives inside of NES and SNES catridges. 1TB for $180.
Add comment August 23rd, 2010 Logrithmic
from the album The Ladykiller.
UPDATE 09.01.2010
Notice the Casio SK-1 and the Yamaha VSS sampler?
Add comment August 21st, 2010 Logrithmic
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Listen to the full album here:
I did the photography for the cover.
Add comment August 20th, 2010 Logrithmic
You’d be hard-pressed to find me watching a reality show other than one starring Les Stroud but lately I’ve been watching Scrappers while eating dinner. I heard about the show and how it takes place in Brooklyn South by Avenue U so it peaked my interest. I caught the premier the other day and was hooked.
The show is hilarious. Peace to ZEPS, Dama Nilz, and everyone else who put me on to that area of Brooklyn.
You can’t say Scrappers without rappers.
Add comment August 18th, 2010 Logrithmic
When people proposition me with work and include name-dropping it immediately turns me off. Even if you name-dropped my favorite most respected idol in the world, it wouldn’t be relevant to anything at hand.
“Dropped names are like toupees: Badly done, they are obvious and show poor taste.”
Name-dropping doesn’t only include names of people you’ve worked with but it also includes projects. Name-dropping bleeds insecurity. This isn’t new. And don’t name-drop for other people. Let them be. Let you be. Stand behind your own name.
I’ve met a shit-load of people. Have you ever seen me in a picture with one of them?
Also, that video above is a pretty common situation but what I love is all the RED 4k bashing. First of all RED 4K isn’t true 4K. Second, RED doesn’t look good. And third, resolution is overrated. The more resolution the less accurate everything is. There’s a limit.
Add comment August 17th, 2010 Logrithmic
Also, head over to the director’s blog about the film for more insight and information at The Sound Villains
“The story of a woman at the crossroads of her life. Part dancer, part drug-dealer, Stephanie reaches a turning point after she is robbed of the money she owes a New York City drug boss. Confronted by her impending doom, she descends from day into night, as she juggles a client, a stranger, and her best friend, on the way to an inevitable showdown between her, the drug boss, and the mysterious thief threatening to derail her life.”
Add comment August 16th, 2010 Logrithmic
Black Irish & Brown 13 – “Make My Day”
Directed by Logrithmic
Produced by Da Beatminerz
Filmed in New Jersey
Add comment August 15th, 2010 Logrithmic
Directed by Nicholas Heller
Shot on Canon 5D Mark II with 24-70mm 2.8 and the 85mm 2.8.
I love that 85mm.
This video might not be the best video but I love the song. Most times a video is dope but the song is wack. This is not the case here.
Peep how Fresh mentioned “Ill Tarzan“. Watch this until the end.
Add comment August 14th, 2010 Logrithmic
ZEPS
“What 2 Wear”
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Add comment August 11th, 2010 Logrithmic
While being herded into a New Jersey Transit train after last night’s soccer match, I noticed Foursquare founder Dennis Crowley, snapping photos of the crowd upon entering a train car.
Update: Dennis posted the video he was taking. You can see my big hair puff.
Add comment August 11th, 2010 Logrithmic
D-Nice did it again. Monch is in my top two favorite emcees of all time.
Add comment August 10th, 2010 Logrithmic
Not only am I a t-shirt fiend but I am a 8-bit Nintendo fiend as well. On American Apparel 
YES!
Add comment August 9th, 2010 Logrithmic
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