Just heard that Camp Robin Hood in New Hampshire where I worked in the kitchens back in 1986 has been hit by the snow so bad it demolished the dinnign hall. Of course for those of us who worked in the kitchens the fact it was on a different level, with a nice wlak up stairs with heavey hot food, gave us legs of iron by the end of the summer.
Anyhow, enough — on to the video starring Chuck himself. Would be good if they took a pic of all the banners and posted them on YouTube?!
Having seen ’21′ I enjoyed the references to basic maths, changing variables, and non-linear solutions in a cultural (as opposed to a maths) way. Also loved the bit at the end where Laurence Fishburne is in his retirement gear, poolside, reading the newspaper upside down.
On a lateral note it struck me this could be viewed as an example of complexity-maths, but as I’m no mathematican I’m not sure:
“Avraham Trakhtman has ended the mystery of the Road Colouring Problem by proving the theory of a “universal map” which allows a journey to end at a certain destination whatever the starting point by following the same instructions.
“In a diagrammatic version of the conjecture – now a theorem thanks to Professor Trakhtman – a 16-line graph forming one square and eight triangles, with the lines coloured red or green, includes two vertices, each representing different destinations. Following the route “blue red red” repeated three times always leads to one, and following “blue, blue red” always leads to the other, whatever the starting point.
“Professor Trakhtman said that it took him a year to solve the problem. But he insisted to AP: “The solution is not that complicated. It’s hard, but it is not that complicated. Some people think they need to be complicated. I think they need to be nice and simple.”
OK, I thought punk-inspired ‘Christie Malry’s Own Double-Entry’ was an interesting film. Here’s the interview from 2002 with director Paul Tickell.
Not just another day at the office.
Happy Xmas, we’re off on hols (once we’ve dug the car out — thanks to Ted Wu from Able for the image)…
Funny how slogans, the epitome of modernism, have survived so well into the 21st century. Americans are fantastic at slogans, and talk like sloganeers. “Success is a choice”, “your beauty gives me strength” etc.
Enjoyed the Channel 4 News debate last night between Professor Hume, Jon Snow and Tony Juniper. I could see what Professor Hulme was saying, that the issue was more complex than Gore had portrayed it. Couldn’t help but feel that everyone seemed to have a portion of the truth, but no one had the monopoly on it. Also can’t help but feeling we’re looking at it like a technical problem, with technical solutions, which bearing in mind that’s the mindset is probably as good as it gets. But I guess there’s always the unexpectedly creative solution, but that’s got to be hard to come by. Be interesting to see how the great and the good respond over time to climate change, bearing in mind the complexity and what’s at stake.
Certainly enjoyed the Farrell Brothers ‘The Heartbreak Kid’. Trivia alert: loved the film’s reference to the gopher being a bit fake from ‘Caddyshack’. A nice joke against all those guys who totally miss the point in life — it doesn’t matter that the gopher looks fake! It’s great its fake! It’s funny you worry it looks fake!
De Montfort University’s Institute of Creative Technologies (IOCT) has received over 150 entries for Europe’s first Machinima Festival, which it will host from 12th – 14th October this year.
A total of 152 films had been submitted by the deadline of 8th September, with entries coming from a wide range of countries including: the UK; US; Canada; Belgium; Netherlands; France; Germany; Austria; Finland; Sweden; Spain; Croatia; Slovakia; Japan and Australia.
Professor Andrew Hugill, Director of De Montfort University’s Institute of Creative Technologies: “We are very pleased with the number, breadth and global spread of the entries. The enthusiasm out there for the festival is contagious and it has been really exciting to see so many different countries involved in creating submissions.”
The award categories will be judged by a distinguished panel including: award winning author and Reader in Creative Writing and New Media at DMU, Kate Pullinger; Martyn Ware, artist and record producer, who was a founding member of the pop group The Human League and who also formed Heaven 17; and, Hugh Hancock, Artistic Director of Strange Company, and inventor of the word “Machinima”.
In addition, Burnie Burns and Jason Saldana of Rooster Teeth Productions, makers of the popular online sitcom Red vs Blue, will perform during the festival. Burnie Burns: “Our plan is to make a hilarious special video for the programme using our world-famous, award-winning Red vs Blue characters and our trademark humility.”
The festival, which will take place at the University’s campus centre will show case the award nominations and winners, and some of the latest Machinima films and games trailers, and is expected to attract Machinima makers world-wide. The festival is supported by the Academy of Machinima Arts Sciences (AMAS) and will include workshops which will cover many of the aspects of making Machinima.
People wishing to attend the festival should visit http://www.machinimaeurope.co.uk.