Friday, January 29, 2010

Ok so there is just something about this song

So listening to this song and it just is an uplifting song in a way - just the melody and all - I like it - "Fight Song" by The Appleseed Cast

www.youtube.com/watch?v=k_6Iv6Py_pM

Is Flash dead?

So with announcements like thisnews.cnet.com/8301-17939_109-10443090-2.html?tag=mncol;title and the fact the iPad will not support Flash either - does this mean Flash is on its way out?

Thursday, January 28, 2010

Interesting concept - technology lock in

Do you think this is the case? WOW

www.msnbc.msn.com/id/35098320/ns/technology_and_science-tech_and_gadgets/

A transmedia track at a con

Ok - so i want to do a transmedia track at some con somewhere - a mix of people showcasing their transmedia work, workshops on how to do transmedia, and talking with people involved with transmedia....

If anyone reading this is involved in a con and would be interested, I am really interested, would work for peanuts and would love to do this - PLEASE CONTACT ME!!!! this would be so AWESOME - a meeting for fans and the little people - not the academics or industry people.......

---------- i just posted this elsewhere - feel free to spread around hehehehe

As transmedia/cross platform builds more and more, there are many meetings and workshops and academic and industry sponsered small conventions popping up to focus on this topic (take http://www2.tft.ucla.edu/RSVP/ for instance).

I was wondering if any of the more fan based conventions (big or small) have begun to add or considered offering a specific transmedia track or theme. Most of what is occurring right now is targeting academia and industry crowds and are not completely accessible to the average viewer/user/fan base. Yet - these are the very people that support transmedia stories - especially narratives designed for this format (as one characteristic of this type of deliver/story telling is more fan involvement).

Does anyone know if any cons out there have a transmedia track/theme, or might be considering it? I would love to work on, develop, organize, whatever something like this (a mixture of people showcasing their content, workshops on how to go about this type of narrative and meeting the people who work on these stories - just like the mix of topics and panels at a con).

I work for peanuts and the fun of the experience!!! :) But if anyone knows.... let me know!

Thanks

Man I wish i could go to this

If anyone is in the area, has the time, and is interested in transmedia - check this out.... hmmmm has anyone done a fan con based on transmedia???

www2.tft.ucla.edu/RSVP/

Transmedia is everywhere

Hmmm the new entertaiment darling and buzz word seems to be popping up everywhere - this would have been fun to go to - anyone make it? was it good?

sundance.bside.com/2010/films/crossplatformandtransmediastorytellingforfilmmakers_sundance2010;jsessionid=80E5B4EE429071AA78436AB179DABA46

also - been sidetracked getting my classes going - but have new transmedia maps and pages coming this weekend

Plus - trying to find a good place that tracks all sorts of Transmedia/cross-platform/insert buzz word here news and happenings....

What sites do people suggest?

Paranoid rambling or something to think about

Interesting points made in this article - what do you think?


http://www.philly2philly.com/politics_community/politics_community_articles/2010/1/28/43008/supreme_court_opens_government_contro

I am writing a story based on the shadowrun RP world where, like other futuristic stories, corporations run the world. Interesting things to think about... how global is the world becoming, and what does that mean for the individual?

Friday, January 22, 2010

An interesting turn on a person's words

Just finished reading this article - www.politicsdaily.com/2010/01/21/haiti-and-the-pat-robertson-paradox/

I really like how the author points out some interesting observations about religion in America and how Mr. Robertson's Haiti comments brought out a curious response, one that is as telling as Mr. Robertson's words

And it is the comments in this article that bring me to the belief that, even though i am agnostic, I think my little one needs to experience religion and study it because right now, it is a driving shaping force for so many and as pointed out in the article, it shapes and influences the responses, motivations and thoughts of so many. Now, I so believe in teaching religion more from an academic point - but the cultural and "faith" aspects need to be understood as well.

Anyhoos, it is interesting, as always, what makes the world go round. Enjoy the article and thinking about things from a different view.

Thursday, January 14, 2010

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Conceptual metaphors - are we locked into place

awesome article - will humans be able to shift? I need to look into this more, but wow - I have long been talking about new ways we have begun to exist/think/process (spatial thinking, visual learning, transmedia/cross platform delivery - etc.) This takes us to an even more fundamental place - just like the Facebook CEO crusade for changing perceptions of privacy - whew - I was really struck by how much humans are creatures of habit and that habits are hard to break, but oh if we can imagine the world in another way.... that even as we try to break away from conceptual metaphors, we still need metaphor and analogy to understand - humans build bridges one step at a time.... is it time to try a whole new approach? Can this old dog learn new tricks - well damn it, I plan to try ;) join me

mashable.com/2010/01/13/conceptual-metaphors/

will this affect net users???

Cloud computing - entertainment coming more and more to web delivery - businesses doing more via social media and collaboration - telecommuting - I think we'll feel and see changes? do you??

arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2010/01/comcast-wants-clear-rules-even-if-they-mean-net-neutrality.ars

A cancer thought from a LJ person

I am reposting this from a friend's page on livejournal

---------
from obscur_01

The Big C

Jan. 12th, 2010 at 5:48 PM

Thanks to wraithfodder for this one:

In memory of family and friends who have lost the battle with cancer; and in support of the ones who continue to conquer it! Post this on your LJ if you know someone who has or had cancer. 93% won't copy and paste this. Will you?

A comment about transmedia and defying gravity

I posted this as a comment response to the following article scifiwire.com/2010/01/why-abcs-not-giving-up-on.php

Man - so many missed opportunities - but hey - in entertainment nothing is ever dead (heard about the project to redo the 80s movie Mannequin - hehe - seriously - go check it out...)

---- my comment

I have to pitch in bring back defying gravity - even though I know it was a very different sort of show (when I first started following the development over a year ago - the creator originally pitched it as a MINISERIES - meaning a 13 episode arc - anyone remember that) - but what was shoddy was how they scheduled it - not just putting it in August - but putting it on at a time when they did not have 13 slots left.

It was bought cheap to fill a specific time (they only needed so many slots filled) - what sucks royale is ABC had a PERFECT opportunity to do a transmedia cross/platform set up with Defying Gravity - ala start it on TV and then migrate to web - people tracking DG noted it did well on Hulu and ABC.com and in the other not so legal online places ;)

Not only that the creator had more of a story arc 9there is a website with an interview with him) and the DG universe is rich for transmedia sources to continue the story (from books ala doctor who, star war etc) to babylon 5 mini series and movies to so on - of course money, who owns what and all that behind the scenes we have no idea about but like to complain as we see in front of the screen results, probably makes it hard... but i am pushing for bringing Defying Gravity back - but as a different viewing experience...

Have you seen any of these

The changing face of entertainment - www.usatoday.com/life/movies/news/2010-01-13-trailermash13_ST_N.htm

But one thought - with so much like this out there able to be done by anyone - how does one validate and trust? What if you stumble on one of these and think it is real - MORAL FOR THE DAY - be careful what you trust on the Web.....

Maybe the CEO from Facebook and his privacy views is not as off as it might seem....

Monday, January 11, 2010

Yeah houston, I think we do have a problem

To manipulate a line from one of Pink's songs

Earth - I think we have a problem

Was listening to a song from P!nk's Funhouse CD (link to music at bottom of entry) - it is a little song, probably overlooked by most - but one of my favorites and lately very appropo. Along with that - I watched the movie Evan Almighty, finally, the other day with my little one and I really, really liked it (it is going on my top movie list). Others might think hokey or dorky, but I really liked it and I realize, I need to do/make/create more ARKs (if you have not seen the movie and want it spoiled, contact me and I'll tell you what an ARK is).

So - I leave you with the song and lyrics I really like the lyrics and can relate right now, I am so looking for that light she references - although, it is ironic perhaps that I am not religious (so do not promote the Ave Mary A part per se :) I am agnostic (in the true sense of the word - check out atheism.about.com/od/aboutagnosticism/a/what.htm and atheism.about.com/od/aboutagnosticism/a/atheism.htm and

Still - Earth, we have a problem - check out the message in the song

Ave Mary A - lyrics - by P!NK [Ave Mary A Lyrics On http://www.elyricsworld.com/ ]

Motorcycles in the parking lot
Revving their engines and it just wont stop
Matches and noise screaming in my head
Houston, I think we got a problem

Where does everybody go when they go?
The go so fast I don't think they know
We hate so fast
And we love too slow
London, I think we got a problem

And when I think about it
I just can't think about it
I try to drink about it
I keep spinning

Ave Mary A
Where did you go?
Where did you go?
How did you know to get out of a world gone mad?
Help me let go
Of the chaos around me
The devil that hounds me
I need you to tell me

Child, be still
Child, be still

Broken hearts all around the spot
I can't help thinking that we lost the plot
Suicide bomber and a student shot
Tokyo, I think we got a problem

But for that, they got a pill
If that don't kill you, then the side effects will
If we don't kill each other, then the side effects will
Cape Town, I think we got a problem

Ave Mary A
Where did you go?
Where did you go?
How did you know to get out of a world gone mad?
Help me let go
Of the chaos around me
The devil that hounds me
I need you to tell me

Child, be still

If the darkest hour comes
Before the light
Where is the light?
Where is the light?

If the darkest hour comes
Before the light
Where is the light?
Where is the light?
Where is the light, yeah

Ave Mary A
Where did you go?
Where did you go?
How did you know to get out of a world gone mad?
Help me, help me, let go
Of the chaos around me
The devil that hounds me
I need you to tell me

Child, be still
Child, be still
Child, be still

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UKf5l1CMJN4



Monday, January 04, 2010

Interesting Facebook App???

Here's a way to market, promote a story and grab attention

scitech.blogs.cnn.com/2010/01/01/megan-fox-sarah-palin-sent-to-hell/

A very cool social web widget

I like gary hayes stuff www.personalizemedia.com/ - here is a widget he made with quotes from social media thinkers and such... i have not watched them ALL yet - so if he snuck in some bad stuff, let me know and then I will go pelt his blog with comments ;P

What elements do you use in a cross platform story?


I really like this diagram - www.flickr.com/photos/garyhayes/3251571561/sizes/o/in/set-72157613331811096/

It is a great place to either start when thinking about telling a story in more than one way/place or if trying to track a story. I like it because it puts the story at the center, not so much a certain source or medium. Which, unfortunately, is how a lot of transmedia/cross platform stories go. It is not the story but a certain source (a tv show, a movie, a web series) that gets the center stage and then other elements support/adapt/extend things....

The new kind of storyboard

Sunday, January 03, 2010

Happy New Year

Phew - my vacation is over and had a bit of stuff that got done and a lot that didn't. Been sick the last few days and still trying to shake this cold or whatever, hence my lack of posting and such. I should be getting back to my routines and once I get settled back and caught up at work I'll be back to my rambles about transmedia, web series, odd things I notice and whatever

I have a few things I need to work through and get out... plus wanna get back to updating my web series...

Did see some good shows and movies over my vacation and picked up some weird music - :P

PLus exploring how to make Google Maps do magic for me

And wishing really bad I was taking a trip for my birthday - I wanna see my sisters and I wanna go back to New Orleans and.... phew

I gotta do a road trip, even if just over night

Oh did I mention researching ShadowRun for a new story series - here is a preview - what do you think???

------------------------

She was pacing in front of a digital display that stood about a story high. She preferred this view when guiding a Run. The display was primarily a schematic of the city, one corner counting down a download list, another small window feeding constant stats, a few other windows containing chats she was participating in. She pulled at her ponytail, the habit one she did often in the physical world.

"Bollocks," the exclamation echoed through the area, muted as the program did not always return the best acoustics, the power grid she was tapped into not providing as much energy as she'd like. The exclamation had come as two green dots disappeared from the grid display leaving four green dots and a multitude of other colored dots. She hung her head, pushing a finger under her spectacles to rub the small tear from her eye. "I should have known." She really should have known. Pedro had hesitated, twice. But then there had been a couple of viruses running through the city. And whenever a physical or digital virus ran through the city or system, one could always expect small glitches; she'd chalked it up to that.

But no, the hesitation must have been borne from the fact that they had been set up. This assignment had turned into a trap. And now, with the loss of two of her Runners, what had been a cakewalk had become a deathtrap. They had been successful. The data, the artifacts and the assassinations. All had been acquired. But now, now her six, no four, Runners were fleeing through New Seattle, being chased.

"Pedro, I'm sorry." She sighed even as she waved a hand to bring up a black window. She sent the code to put into motion a killer ICE program; she had connections in high places and was one of the few who had access to these quasi-legal programs. Of course she'd tweaked it and her version was much nastier. Something deep had told her to set the program and get it ready, maybe she had thought more of his hesitation. Sometimes her jacked up brain multitasked and almost operated on its own. Something she actually did not mind or worry about. She'd seen so much over the last 300 years... Being virtually indestructible gave one a different sense of self.

"Peggers and Notry drew the Ace of Spades, didn't they?"

The voice broke her wandering thoughts, she nodded. Her heuristic program translated that and sent a "Yes," reply back to the others. She found she spoke as much with her body as with words and had a program developed to interpret her movements and body language so her Runners would always have the benefit, or curse, of complete communication with her. It was one of the many things she did differently than others; why her organization was seen as odd and misfit. She believed in open communication and always maintained an open channel with her Runners.

She watched her Pendragon Kill program speed off, easily demolishing the barriers Pedro had erected. It would take a lot of her energy and resources and set her back, the Pendragon Kill program was not one she used casually. BUt, it was powerful, thorough and would eat and beat through anything to get to its goal; Pedro would soon be gone. "A.M.F. Pedro." She muttered as she began shutting down her routines.

"But we still got the bag job right?"

She nodded again, sending escape routes to her remaining Runners. "I've got to get offline, there's a tracker surge coming, do you have what I sent?"

She got four confirmations. "Then I'll see you all back at the Round Table. Godspeed and C-YA."

Yanking her connection, she stumbled, falling into a pile of trash as the virtual world disappeared. XXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXX, AKA Pendragon looked up at the black sky, trying hard not to choke from the foul smell of the garbage she was lying in. When one did a job, one could not be picky about where they would jack into the system. Slowly she got up, her body aching from the energy surge the Kill program had needed. "Oi, I traded in fine clothes, plentiful food and easy lifestyle for this?" She looked at her hand covered in some unidentifiable brown goo.

"Damn morals, I've lost everything else, but couldn't lose those, could I?" Grumbling she got up, pushing her glasses up on her nose, wiping her hands on a rag. She grabbed her worn and beat up satchel and began hobbling down the alleyway. "I think a good bottle of Port tonight is in order." Checking around and seeing all clear, she made her way towards her transport.