Jello never looked soooo Good

I-Movix SprintCam v3 NAB 2009 showreel from David Coiffier on Vimeo.

The language of visual media is constantly changing. We thrist for intimacy, revelatory experiences that provide greater meaning to our lives. Some new cameras like the SprintCam have the ability to do that for us. This footage is the first SprintCam v3 showreel, made for NAB 2009 exhibition. Most of these are 1000FPS shots, made during a recent rugby match in the Stade de France, in Paris. The jello® shot at the end is 2500FPS!

Project Pedal - engaging transmedia documentary

Mike Ambs and Amanda Walker, are the creative force behind ProjectPedal.com, a site which documents Mike and Amanda’s five year struggle to produce a feature-length documentary about a cross-country bike trip from Anacortes, Washington to Bar Harbor, Maine which will ultimately be titled “For Thousands of Miles.”

The film is beautifully told and exquisitely shot. What's remarkable about this project is that it plays host to a big idea, communicate the importance of wanting to tell and story and using every means necessary to tell it -- even when you have little money. It proves that compelling storytelling can live within a variety of media.

Boxee HDTV for the internet masses

This week I got turned on to the future of streaming television. Boxee is the first significant HDTV technology I've seen to successfully bridge the television gap to the Internet. It is currently an open source application that is in alpha. What you will first notice when Boxee is downloaded is that takes just minutes to get the product up and running. Boxee is able to quickly stream a terrific picture to your HDTV. A whole host of quality providers like Netflix, Next New Networks, Hulu are connect to Boxee pipe. Boxee will make you want to disconnect your cable and satellite TV if you don't watch broadcast television that often. For the TIVO box junkies this technology is minutes away from being adapted into other time-shifting/recording products. If you want to stream TV shows from the web, Netflix on to your home theater screen Boxee has figured it out.

Broadcasting a True Global Perspective

Another rapidly growing form of Transmedia is internet television. One successful example is Current TV. It is an Emmy award winning independent media company led by former Vice President Al Gore and entrepreneur Joel Hyatt. 

There is also another terrific example -- Link TV.  1 out of 4 American homes have Link TV because of DIRECTTV and DISH. It is a non-commercial American satellite television network that provides "diverse perspectives on world and national issues." Their internet presence is what I am most impressed with. They have a vast array of international films, documentaries, news programing and world music videos. Link TV is giving voice to communities that are underrepresented in conventional media. 

Don't believe there is a problem with conventional media? 

Watch what Robert Kennedy Jr. says about that. By the way, Link TV's funding comes exclusively from viewers and foundations not from satellite providers. 

see other related articles: NYT

The New World of Animation

Artist around the world are mixing storytelling, animation, music and live action. The results are stunning. There is a new mode of storytelling forming in our midst. The Narrative now needs to have impact, be direct and have meaning. The exception of course is Beverly Hills Chihuahua.

Jonas Odell is a Swedish music video and film director and founder of FilmTecknarna. He has directed a number of short films, music videos and commercials. At the Berlin Film Festival 2006 his short film "Never like the first time!" was awarded the Golden Bear for Best Short. The image above is from Odell remarkable music video for UK band The Hours for their song "Ali In The Jungle" go here to see it.

The New Highway for Storytelling

My friend Jesse Alexander just put out a new post on his blog Global Couch. It is a must read. He describes the state of Transmedia storytelling. He knows what he is talking about. Jesse is the Co-Executive Producer of Heroes. This NBC show is changing television. They've figured out a way to dynamically engage viewers thus creating the model for engagement television. Heroes's approach is getting noticed by it's Peers (they just won a Emmy for Outstanding Interactive Media Programming) and by Academia (hear Jesse deliver a talk at MIT with the respected Henry Jenkins.)

Convergence culture is pushing media companies to expand beyond their core businesses. They are beginning to spend money to drive content online, to devices and new platforms. Traditional entertainment is imploding. "Creators" you NOW need to rethink EVERYTHING.

Indy Mogul on Next New Networks

The DIY culture for filmmakers is in full display at Indymogul.com. This show helps low budget Soderbergh's enhance their storytelling voices. In this episode IM shows you how to make your own dolly, skateboard wheels and all. Notice the terrific integration of their ad sponsor T-Mobile into the program.

IM is distributed and paid for by the brilliant people at Next New Networks. NNN is a micro-television network that knows how to connect diverse communities to their niche specific shows. The shows invites viewers to contribute, share and distribute content. This amazing Company has had as many as 33 million video views in 1 month across it's 16 micro-networks. They expect to expand to 30 shows by the end of the year. NNN is a Transmedia force and the future of hybrid entertainment.