Cyber War

             The article " A farewell to arms" was one of the most thought provoking articles that we've read.  With a hint of sarcasm, the article presents a well supported sketch of current events. John Carlin, the writer, wrote about our nations most vulnerable place of attack,  including Washington's outdated plan of defense.

    Carlin quoted Voltaire in saying that, "For those on the ramparts of the world's sole superpower, the digital winds are blowing an icy chill through the triumphant glow of the post-Cold War." 

       Although I am familiar with cyber-attacks, identity theft, and even cyber-bullying. I have not thought of the web as the new battle ground for mass destruction. This article was certainty an eye-opener; however, it did not surprise me. When an enemy is looking to destroy, they are going to go where it will hurt the most. We have come to depend on the internet, and if someone is seeking to destroy our nation they will pull that crutch out from under us, first. In just one day America would turn upside down without the internet: education, banking, business, shopping, social networking, billing, it would be a fiasco. 

     I thought the most interesting part of the article were the statements made years ago predicting such an attack:

                 "From former National Security Agency director John McConnell: "We're more                                  vulnerable than any other nation on earth." Or former CIA deputy director William                         Studeman: "Massive networking makes the US the world's most vulnerable target"                         ("and the most inviting," he might have added). Or former US Deputy Attorney                              General Jaime Gorelick: "We will have a cyber equivalent of Pearl Harbor at                               some point, and we do not want to wait for that wake-up call."    


     The was a time of war when we had to transition from swords, arrows, and catapults to firearms, and bombs. Our weapons changed, but the basics remained the same. There was a plane of defense. Tactics such as guerrilla warfare, and flanking still existed. We are now in a new age of weaponry, and vulnerability. We need to learn what digging cyber trenches will look-like to our oncoming enemies.   

The final remark from writer was this: 

                   "A little digitally induced confusion might be par for the course in, say, the telecom
                industry or even on the global financial markets. But warfare is something else
                altogether. And while the old Washington wheels slowly turn, information technology
                is undermining most of the world's accumulated knowledge about armed conflict - 
                since Sun Tzu, anyway."

Future=Accepting the present

      "What does the future hold for us technologically? Will we be surfing the web in our sleep? Will computers grow to dominate us and use our precious bodies as batteries?" (Gay).

      Perhaps, perhaps we will become robots ourselves. People already have prosthetic limbs, metal spins, and surgically implanted boxes that inject chemicals to manipulate brain waves, and reduce pain. We use radiation to kill cancer, and X-rays to see bones.
 
      It is hard to predict the future of technology because it is constantly changing. I think that many of the technological advances that we can actually fathom have already been created. I think that  companies use psycho-economics to retail their products at very precise times in order to gain the greatest profits.

   It is strange to predict that "computers [might] grow to dominate us and use our precious bodies as batteries" because that is what manpower is. A man rowing a boat infuses his physical force (energy) on the boat to make it move through water. Although a battery has not been made, the transfer of energy from a human to an object is as old as dirt. The only difference between a man in a boat, and a battery is the containment of that transferred energy. As absurd as it might sound it would not surprise me if this has already been done. However, the demand for battery human has yet to exist. As technology continues to replace humans, for example cashiers in grocery stores, perhaps it will be in that moment, battery human becomes a necessity.

   I think a lot of technologies future has already been created, it is just a matter of time before it is released. When the Internet was first created, I am sure people were afraid of its capabilities and refused it as much as possible, but it gradually became another norm. In the same way as the internet once scared us, technology today has the same effect. We have phones, and computers that learn our interests, and make recommendations for us; we are skeptical, and slow to accept it.

 'Future' technology will not be marketed until we can accept the present, and become willing to pay.

 

   

Reading Rainbow

       LeVar is hoping to make ''Reading Rainbow'' episodes available online. Although "Burton says a shift in education philosophy during the Bush administration is to blame for the show’s ultimate demise," children would still be able to watch the show (Grabert).
   
     Shows are already available online for various television programs. It seems almost like common sense to revert to the Internet in cases such as LeVar's.
   
     The Internet has become an incredible instrument in education. Not only does the Internet host a plethora of scholarly resources, encyclopedias, and 'how to' videos, it is slowly becoming the new classroom.  Not only are college courses available online, but middle, and high school courses are also being offered.

     If LeVar's intention is to educate the Internet is certainly the way to go.  When people have a question, their first instinct is to "'Google' it". The advantages are endless. If episodes are available online not only will "Reading Rainbow" be watched, but the books it references will be available to viewers right then, and there. LeVar can get immediate viewer response; in turn, he will be able to cater his work to the specific needs of his viewers, ultimately, becoming a more effective educator. Additionally, children would be able to view what episodes they wanted when they wanted, and parents would be able to dictate the episodes their children view in accordance to what their children would be learning in school.  

     Fun, educational programs such as "Reading Rainbow" are beautiful resources. They need to be available to children, and if television will not approve them, the Internet will.

http://www.cinemablend.com/television/Reading-Rainbow-Heads-Online-With-LeVar-Burton-Website-Kids-39406.html

It's a Phone...No, It's an iPad...No, Its an iPad Mini

There is a negative connotation that associates middle children with being neglected; they are not the first born, nor are they the baby. They are a well rounded combination of the two: They have pressing expectations to be a good example, but they are also given mercy, and a share of the gos, and gawks from being one of the babies. I suppose the invention of the iPad mini is a desperate stretch to find middle ground. It is not a phone, not a laptop, and it certainty is not an iPad.   

The iPad mini is "as thin as a pencil and weighs 0.68 pounds, half as much as the full-size iPad with its 9.7-inch screen"(Svensson). In comparison, to other devices, the Ipad mini is "0.5 inch[es] larger than most full-size mainstream tablets and 0.9 inch larger than the iPad's screen" (RT Review).

I do not have an iPad Mini, a tablet, or an iPad. I think they are practical, and I understand why they sell as well as they do; personally, I would prefer to put money into building a computer that is capable of holding raw footage, and hosting film editing software. Also, when I go on a trip, I like having the excuse that I did not have access to the internet. I do not like having one foot plugged in, and the other out. I think having iPads, and even mini laptops obligate us to check Facebook, email, twitter, and blogs.

Granted, I think unlike the stereotype of the middle child, these mini's are doing quite well for themselves:
"Apple has sold more than 100 million iPads since their debut in April 2010. Analysts expect Apple to sell 5 million to 10 million iPad Minis before the year is out" (Svensson).

They are definitely striking some consumer interest. As stated in a Microsoft review "If you're an early adopter willing to forget everything you know about navigating a computer, the Surface tablet could replace your laptop. Everyone else: wait for more apps" (RT review).

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/huff-wires/20121024/us-tec-apple-ipad-mini/

http://reviews.cnet.com/tablets/microsoft-surface-rt/4505-3126_7-35332494.html

Technological annoyances

     According to Roberto Baldwin the Twleve most annoying technologies as chosen by wired commenters are (1) Voice recognition (2) Car alarms (3) the iPad Camera (4) Fax machines (5) Touchless bathrooms (6) Credit Card Machines (7) QR Codes (8) Alarm clock Snooze Buttons (9) Subwoofers (10) Captcha (11) Facebook (12) and Technology Writer Roberto Baldwin.
    I found the results very ammusing. I think to some extent or the next we can all nod atleast in understanding of how these technologies could annoy someone else. However, I think my personal list would differ greatly.

The Good:
  To me, fax machines, credit card machines, and facebook are entirely to practical to complain about. All technology comes with a few corks. Touchless bathrooms still make me feel like I am in some kind of futuristic spaceship. I enjoy the experience! The alarm clock snooze button gives me five more minutes to sleep; I embrace that kind of technology!

The Bad:
 If someone does not like voice regognition, technology writers, and QR Codes they do not have to use, or encouter them. They are such aviodable annoyances; whereas, car alarms, subwoofers, and captcha, on the other hand, invaid your entire environment.

The Ugly:
    I think that the motion censored commercial-screens in Walmart, and in other shopping centers are incredibly annoying. One step, and the screen speaks: a poreless women telling us how beautiful are skin could look: another step,  hamburger helper oozing from a warm kitchen pan: another, world music breaking out from ill speakers. AHHHHHH!!!!! Now that is annoying!
    
   

Foxconn Attack

In the last discussion about Foxconn factories I was roped into siding with a lukewarm approach. One of the earlier articles claimed that Foxconn employees were enduring the long work shifts because they wanted to be able to earn more money. However, after reading about the mass riots in the Foxconn factory, I am quite sure that the employees were misrepresented. 

Riots broke out in the Foxconn factory that involved "2,000 workers" (Kan). It was said that the "incident first started as a “personal dispute”, and then escalated" (Kan). How a single personal dispute escalates into a 2,000 person riot is more than suspicious. Although the workers might have had bitterness towards their working conditions, if their need was only monetary, than why would anyone jeopardize their means of income for someone elses 'personal dispute'. The article even stated that "According to police, some 40 individuals were taken to the hospital for medical attention and a number of individuals were arrested...”(Kan) As a news article quoted labor experts,"Foxconn is not entirely transparent about the worker disputes that occur at the company’s factories in China." ...'NOT ENTIRELY!!!!?'

People do not join riots with so much to risk unless they believe the risk is worth taking. The workers are doing all they can with what they have. The people in China are not being treated justly, they are being misrepresented, and articles are being published to make all of their abuse look justifiable. They are sacrificing their jobs, and their health to make a stand. What are we doing to help? Are we a part of the problem, or the solution?
 

http://www.pcworld.com/article/2010498/mass-riot-erupts-at-foxconn-factory-in-china.html

Memory

      It was once hypothisized that "there was no way that the motors and platters and flying read/write heads of memory could possibly keep up with the blinding pace of semiconductor logic." Fortunately for us, this position is far from reality.

     I found the article "Remembrance of Computer Disks Past" a thought provoking read. The article spoke about the desperate search for memory, and the progression from floppy discs, to tiny disc drives found in the Apple IPods, today. Although the tranformation through each memory host was interesting, I thought that the timing in which such great inventions had been marketed was very impressive. In just sixty-years memory has advanced from "24 stacked disks, each two feet in diameter and weighing more than 20 pounds each," to "tiny, silver-dollar-size"(Malone).

    This article made me think about, and appreciate memory in general. We record information every single day. Even in-class notetaking is a luxury that once did not exisit. There was a time when memory was restricted to the human-mind... frightening! Now, we can record data anywhere, anytime: cell phones, flashdrives, sticky-notes, voicemail, even the internet is a data recording system.

    As stated in the article, "Computer memory is the forgotten story of the electronics revolution. Yet it may be the most remarkable of all" (Malone).

http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:n6XBdsEdK20J:online.wsj.com/article/SB10000872396390444100404577641254037608474.html?mod=googlenews_wsj+&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk

Connected

An article published September 9th, 2012 stated that, "35 percent of the U.S. Internet population is not on Facebook or Twitter, and of those who are, nearly half are scared of scams."( mail online).

Social Media is an incredible tool. Although only 65% of internet users are on Twitter, or Facebook, I would not doubt that %100 of internet users know of these social networks. They are powerful, and they do connect the world in ways that we've never been connected before. 

Thirty-five percent really is not a terrible loss, either.  If an approximate 17% of internet users are afraid of scams, and 11% claim that the sites are too difficult to use there is still only a remaining 7% of internet users to consider. Of this 7% I think that it would be safe to assume that although these people do not have a Facebook, or Twitter account now, they might have in the past, or will in the future. There are young teenagers who use the internet for school, and perhaps gaming, but do not have their parents permission to start social networking, yet. Alternatively, there are people who have had accounts on these sites, and later decided that it was too much of a distraction. Furthermore, the 11% who claim that the sites were too difficult had to have tried them in order to make their assumption. This being said although only 65% are on Facebook or Twitter, it seems as though statistically speaking closer to 85% of the population has been, or will be a part of these social networks.

Eighty-Five percent of the U.S.internet population is huge! This statistic indicates that Facebook, and Twitter holds a greater turn-out than the U.S. Presidential Election voter turn-out! (infoplease)

Social Media can be used for almost any kind of promotion whether it would be a website promotion, business promotion, product, or personal promotion. The moment we connect through social media, we reach %65 of the U.S.internet population if not %85 in due time. Perhaps this November Twitter, and Facebook will be used as election promoters and for the first time in years our polls will overflow because of the power influence of our social media!

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2200880/A-THIRD-U-S-population-refrains-using-Facebook-Twitter.html
http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0781453.html

Suicide Factories

The news reports about the Samsung, and Apple factories are stomach twisting. It makes me feel like a cannibal. We are literally consuming these people for our own gain:  “Wang Ling's… was the 15th Foxconn employee reported to have committed suicide since the beginning of 2010” (Garside). Although these facts are heart wrenching, these conditions are being brought to the light, which means hope is on its way.

 These reports remind me of the conditions in early 17^th century American factories.  A historical website declares, “Children as young as six years old during the industrial revolution worked hard hours for little or no pay. Children sometimes worked up to 19 hours a day, with a one-hour total break… They were in horrible conditions. Large, heavy, and dangerous equipment was very common for children to be using or working near. Many accidents occurred [causing] injur[ies] [and] kill[ed] children on the job” (Galenet). In 2012 two articles were published that noted uncanny parallels concerning factories today. They explained that “46% of the workforce clocked up to 70 hours per week”  that  ” 43% of workers reported experiencing or witnessing an accident”, and that “health and safety breaches found by auditors …included blocked exits, lack of or faulty personal protective equipment and missing permits” (Garside).  Four centuries later, and we still have these working conditions!

I really do believe that I could pledge today to stop using products such as the iphone; however, I think in a desperate act to demand change I would hurt the same people I was trying to help.  The most disturbing part of this report was that “a third of employees surveyed wanted to work more hours so that they could earn more, and half felt their hours were reasonable” (Garside). These people want to work, and if I were to boycott their products, I would be denying them their will. So what do we do to help?

The fact that there are being articles published, and blogs posted about this issue means that people are becoming more, and more aware of what is happening. Awareness is the first step to resolution.  If no one knows what is happening, then no one can react to what is happening.  Eventually in American history the Factory Act was passed. In the same way, Chinese laws will be passed, and enforced. Although it took longer than anyone would have liked, “ Apple [has] recognized the need for independent audits and appointed… [the] Fair Labour Association… to clean up the garment trade, [and] is now turning its attention for the first time to the electronics industry “ (Garside).

http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2012/mar/30/apple-factories-china-foxconn-audit

http://gizmodo.com/5940903/report-worker-abuse-and-underage-employment-at-six-more-http://www2.needham.k12.ma.us/nhs/cur/Baker_00/2002_p7/ak_p7/childlabor.html

samsung-factories

Samsung v. Apple

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Engadget started their editorial with “It's done. It's all over. There's nothing left now but the tears, the big checks -- and the appeals.” As dramatic as this sounds, financially, creatively, and logically, this ruling is far from dramatic.

“The majority indicating that Samsung's implementation of various features like pinch-zooming and bounce-scrolling did indeed infringe on Apple's” (Engadget). Apple was awarded $1.05billion by the jury (Lowensohn).  Although $1.05 billion seems like an unreasonable debt, Samsung is raking in a “record $5.2 billion quarterly profit” (Waugh). This being said, in 3 months Samsung can pay their fee with just a little over 4 billion in change.

Creatively, this forces Samsung to step into uncharted territory. In fact, this could be quite the blessing in disguise.  Samsung will have to think of new ways for people to navigate their phones, and other devices.  Their forced turn might not only bring what Samsung needs, but might inspire a new breed of phones. As Tim Stevens worded the situation, “There's nothing like a limited set of tools to inspire creativity.”

From a logical standpoint, the media is going to ask us how this decision will affect the future. They will purpose rhetorical questions to birth drama: “Does this mean that every creative idea ever reused will lead to court?”…  “Does this mean that anything beside Apple will be sued for using Apps? The fact of the matter is that technology has surpassed the rights our forefathers had anticipated within the First Amendment.  However, our judicial system is at work. *See blog “Dear Technology…”* This case might lead to new copyright laws, and it might lead to a time were legality, and creativity are never separated, but to fear the change will not make it any more comfortable.  

Aside from the proceeding arguments, this case might be far from the end, anyway; “Late in the process…at the Apple v. Samsung Trial, when the parties and the judge were reviewing the jury verdict form, Samsung noticed that there were, indeed, inconsistencies in the jury's verdict form” (Jones-Groklaw).

Although, Engadget sees this as a dramatic end, I see this as a mere pothole in a 10,000+ year-long road.

 http://www.engadget.com/2012/08/25/editorial-engadget-on-the-apple-vs-samsung-ruling/

 http://news.cnet.com/8301-13579_3-57501103-37/apple-targets-8-samsung-phones-for-sales-ban/

http://gizmodo.com/5938219/why-the-apple-v-samsung-ruling-may-not-hold-up

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2136166/Samsung-roars-record-5-2BN-profit-sells-20-000-Galaxy-handsets-hour--analyst-warns-Apple-fail-just-like-Sony.html

Our Square-Round Table Talk

Our most recent production work has been a round table discussion on conservation. I worked with a few other students to produce a 30minute news segment on environmental, and historical conservation.

We divided the workload fairly evenly. Originally, I was only working with one other student. The first day of this production process. We threw around ideas about what specific aspect of conservation that we would like our round table discussion to cover. Once we narrowed the topic to historical, and environmental conservation, we both started making phone calls to see who would be a good source, and willing to speak for us. I was able to get in contact with a previous employer who actually works for the National Park Service doing conservation work. That vsame day, my fellow student-colleague and I created a list of questions that we would ask our talent to discuss.

The next day of production, our group grew to a team of five. We spent a lot of class time discussing who would be able to do what task during the actual filming. I went to the police station with another team-member to see if we could get reserved parking for the talent coming in to speak for us. I was also able to confirm two of our talents, and email them the questions, and filming details. I also asked a few people from the other groups if they would help us during our production as floor manager, and switcher because there were not enough people in our group to fulfill all the roles. Finally, we discussed a few alternative talents, and prop choices if what we were expecting the day of production did not play out the way we would have liked.

Our team met the day before production to set-up the studio lights, and seating the way that we wanted it for the shoot. I helped move lights, and cameras, and we even put a shelf together as a prop. I also went back to the police station that day to confirm our parking reservations.

The day of the shoot, I got to class early to meet our talent, and to discuss the shooting process with them in person. I also helped set-up their mics, and explain were they could look during the shoot. Then, once the talent was in place, I directed the shoot.

This was the most painless shoot I have ever done. Generally in film we expect someone not to show up, or some piece of equipment not to work; fortunately, this went incredibly smoothing. I worked with an excellent team. I do not think any of us felt overwhelmed by what needed to be done because everyone contributed a different essential aspect. It was a great experience!

The Big Bang

-BIG BANG!?
- You mean like dem planets?
- No, we're not talkin' about a theory.
- Oh, do you mean the shootin'?
- Yea, we're talkin' about uh shootin'.
-Anyone diiie?
- Well, it ain't no action, and it ain't no western neither.





One of the greatest parts about learning how Studio Production works is that we have the ability to wear a a variety of hats, and are not confined to the same task. Since we have started shooting the Writing Center, I have been able to participate in a healthy variety of roles, and have learned from each of them.

On the first day of shooting, I was able to play the role as the director for about half of the class. This was a special learning opportunity because we were able to work with talent outside of the class. Until that day, I really took for granted having talent that understood what we could do through editing. It almost felt like we were a group of cowboys trying to teach Indians why we using guns and not bows. When the talent first came in, a lot of them wanted to make everything that was recorded look natural, but everyone else wanted those uncomfortable pauses between lines, and we wanted them to sit under the hot lights until the audio, and lights were just right. Being a director in this situation, I learned to take a few steps back, understand their desire not to be uncomfortable, and explain how in the end the uncomfortable way will eventual look the most natural. Once they understood, I think they rather than feeling like they were making mistakes, they were able to see that they were giving us exactly what we needed.

In almost every western there is one quick scene when the cowboy goes home just to say bye again. It does not matter what his wife says, he always leaves. On the second day, I got to use the camera for just enough time to record one talent reading the script. I felt a lot like the wife in the western that day. The shot was already aligned, the white balance was already set, and there really was not anything that I could do. Sometimes being somewhere is more important than having a say, just like the wife being there for her children might have been more important than having a say.

I also had the ability to work as floor manager for a different talent. Being the floor manager is like being put in the center of a draw. The director is asking one question, audio needs a sound check, and the talent is asking another question. I did not realize how important this roll was until we were really shooting. The person in this position has to be quick, and focused. They are stopping all the bullets, and shooting them right back were they need to be directed.




The day before we stared shooting in the studio I tried to set up lighting for the shoot. We set up the lights, ran to the camera, changed the lights, then changed them again. We even put up the umbrella lights for the first time just to practice. When I do lighting I feel like a cowboy who has lost his horse. I see so much potential with lighting, I think that lighting is an incredible aspect of film, but I still do not know were to start looking for the lighting shot I have in my head. Aside from becoming an efficient umbrella light setter-upper, I suppose the most important aspect of lighting that I've learned is that I have a lot to learn.

In between each titled job, I did do some miscellaneous work: I moved the board for the talents to read the script, and for the cameras checking white balance. I took the batteries out of the mic-pack, and I helped turn off lights, and lower them after each day of film way over. Doing the miscellaneous work is like being the 5 year old boy who wants to leave with his dad to fight the Indians, but is only big enough to clean the horses, not to ride them. Even so, every little task is important to the production, and if everyone did a little more of the maintenance production work could be a lot smoother.

Finally, I was able to do some of the filming outside of class. The first day, we went to the writing center, shot some 'potential idea shots', spoke to people in the writing center about how they wanted this filmed, and even made note of lighting situations that would needed some attention. The second day of outside of class filming, we filmed the Center. I helped set up lighting, and acted as the student walking into the center. This was like finding a new cattle herd rounding them up, and taking it home. New footage for the entire class to enjoy!

-Yes'em, we are talkin' bout a real good shootin'. Dun learned a lot.

Shooting the Writing Center

-Hands up!! There is a shooting!
-A What!
-A shooting!
-Where!?
- In the Writing Center!
- What do we do!? Oh, What do we do!?
- We plan the shots, edit our footage, and make the Writing Center look as good as possible!

We are making a short advertisement for the Writing Center. Through class discussion, I have heard some really great ideas as to how this could be shot.

I believe we have a general consciences that the class would like to see a variety of people speaking about the Writing Center: When it is open, where is is, and how it has helped them.

I really like the idea of having many different students speak about the center. However, I would definitely like to see a shot of the Writing Center in the advertisement.

I think that we should film the Center, and at half fade with a warm color, we should have different students speaking about the center. I think that each student should get a different color, to make them each stand out as individuals, but put them over the Center together in a final shot to show that though they are each different they have a common place: the Writing Center.

Block 1 would be an establishing shot, and it could even be a quick pan, over the first voice. Then each person would say a line or two about the center (Block 2 and Block 3) Finally, the very last shot could be everyone saying the final line.

This could even build progressively. Instead of one person at a time it could even have two people in the second shot, three in the third until the screen is filled such as in the 4th Block.

Regardless of our final outcome, we are still shooting the Writing Center. Fortunately, there is no need for bullet proof vests!

My Favorite Roll

You have probably had a brilliant original idea that you were excited to pursue. Perhaps, your brilliant idea has become a reality, or maybe it is still like a clump of snow rolling into a solid base for a handsome snowman. Nonetheless, you are familiar with the excitement of a new idea.

When I think of new camera shots, and new editing ideas, I have a tendency to build upon those exciting ideas. Recently, I have been doing studio production, at first, I was disappointed to realize that my shots could not vary as much as they could in a film, nor is editing as intricate. Then, I discovered a role in studio production that combines the two!

The role as a director in studio production means being able to see shots, and to do live editing!! Although the director is not physically moving the camera, he, or she literally calls the shots. The director speaks to the people behind the cameras, and asks them to shoot the angel they see. The best 'task' about being behind the camera is finding those nice angels, and lining up the shots which is what the director gets to do! Not only does the director call the shots, but he, or she also gets to direct which camera is being used when. An editor might have 10 clips of the same scene, or speech, and they choose which ones are the most appropriate, and how each could be altered to relay a different idea. The director in studio production is doing the same thing as a movie editor would do, except he, or she does it as the camera is recording!

I have learned a tremendous amount about this roll:

• What the duties of this roll entail, as well as how to grow as a director.
• How to communicate with the people working with the cameras, as well the technical director.
• And, how to coordinate shots even if I have to switch cameras twice, or three times.

I think that I have misunderstood this role, communicated poorly with the people I was directing, and made several awkward camera shots; however, I feel like in each of those mistakes, I have been able to find a better way, and improve.
The role as a director was not making be think about handsome snowmen, in fact, I could not even see the heap of snow in front of me, but now, new ideas are rolling really nicely.

Camera 1... Camera 2...Bring on Camera 12!

Have you ever seen a beautiful painting, and felt inspired to paint? Perhaps you've watched someone dance, and said "Ahhh, I want to dance like that?" Then, you found out you did not have any paint brushes, or a room to dance in?

For a long time I have had that "Ahhh, I want to dance like that" desire to do some some multi-camera shooting. Every time I go to film something, I always say to myself, "I really wish I had a few other cameras."

Recently, I have had the opportunity to to do multi-camera shooting in a studio, and it has been like dancing on an open floor for the first time. I have watched some of Hamilton Hamish's work, and can not stop thinking, "Man, when do we get to use that equipment."

Although I am still twirling in circles of excitement, and gratitude, we have not started moving our cameras, or have had to face some of the lighting challenges that someone like Hamilton Hamish would have to face when shooting a concert. Also, the magnitude of his work is on a far greater level than that of which we have experienced. He is probably sometimes working with over ten cameras, where we have only used two.

Nonetheless, this has been an exciting experience, and I hope that anyone inspired by painting is blessed with a paint brush.

Here is a link to some of Hamish's work: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=45GluwLCvao