We had a discussion not too long ago about Industry Standard and Mac's vs PC's in the video editing and digital imagery world. The industry I want to get into is, what else, professional wrestling. So I came across this article I found interesting. It's from Mac World. Basically, they're talking about how WWE used a Mac Pro and Apple Cinema Display themed set at a Pay Per View named Cyber Sunday. The video screen looked like a gigantic laptop monitor and the floor was set to look like a keyboard. "The set also featured an Apple keyboard which was the top area of the ramp leading down to the ring." The article mentions how WWE uses Macs to make all of their graphics for their TV programs. Also, the countdown clocks that WWE uses to countdown to pay per view events are also Apple Dashboard widgets.
Figured I'd pass the info along.
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
More about Parallell's
All that talking about Parallel TV Shows and the previous post about Boy Meets World & 3D characters made me remember an episode, and I figured I'd link two and two together.
As I said before, all the characters were 3-dimensional and the viewers knew what everyone was about, almost as if they knew them personally. That's what made the following episode so ironic.
Eric tries out for a role in an upcoming TV show, "Male gets acquainted with the Universe" (an obvious take on the real show's title.) In it, all the actors look exactly the same as the one's in Boy Meets World, only they're in a 'parallell universe' so to speak. Corey, the usually mellow one, is a complete jerk & primadonna. Shawn, the usual blunt and confident one, is ridiculously shy and self consious. And the little innocent sister, if I remember correctly, was a chain smoker who was really twice her supposed age. I could be wrong though.
They did another one where Corey gets knocked out an has a dream where he's in the Happy Day's era. Shawn become Shawnzie, the girls are all wearing poodle skirts, that whole thing. And the comedy comes from how they all relate to each other in similar manners but only in Greaser style.
Just a tangent, but these types of episodes probably wouldn't have worked if the character's wern't 3 dimensional and connected with audiences on such a level.
As I said before, all the characters were 3-dimensional and the viewers knew what everyone was about, almost as if they knew them personally. That's what made the following episode so ironic.
Eric tries out for a role in an upcoming TV show, "Male gets acquainted with the Universe" (an obvious take on the real show's title.) In it, all the actors look exactly the same as the one's in Boy Meets World, only they're in a 'parallell universe' so to speak. Corey, the usually mellow one, is a complete jerk & primadonna. Shawn, the usual blunt and confident one, is ridiculously shy and self consious. And the little innocent sister, if I remember correctly, was a chain smoker who was really twice her supposed age. I could be wrong though.
They did another one where Corey gets knocked out an has a dream where he's in the Happy Day's era. Shawn become Shawnzie, the girls are all wearing poodle skirts, that whole thing. And the comedy comes from how they all relate to each other in similar manners but only in Greaser style.
Just a tangent, but these types of episodes probably wouldn't have worked if the character's wern't 3 dimensional and connected with audiences on such a level.
Paralell TV Shows
The Jeffersons had their own TV show, and also made cameo appearances on All in the Family AS George & Wheezy. There are spin-off shows like Grey's Annatomy and that other one (Can you tell I don't watch TV too much?). Anyway, thinking of stuff like that, I thought this would be an interesting concept.
You have two TV shows that are together, but seperate. Hear me out. For example, you have to families, lets just say The Jeffersons and the Bunkers for arguments sake. Episode 1 of the Jeffersons, they're doing their thing, they go to some group picnic or party, meet up with the Bunkers. Something funny happens, it's this big to-do, and they go home and they resolve whatever it is happens. Then on Episode 1 of the Bunker's TV show, they're doing THEIR own thing, then when they go to the group picnic, it's the same scene, only from the other families perspective, and when they go home, see how THEY resolve the issue.
Now you have two different TV shows based on the same concept, so double the advertising and sponsorships, double the syndication money, double the DVD sales and royalties, etc etc. What'd be even more interesting is if you could run the two shows simultaneously on different channels and they intersect at exactly the right times. Not sure if you'd want that to be done and compete with yourself, but it's still an interesting concept. And who says you can't flip-flop them at another time so people can see both? What do you think?
You have two TV shows that are together, but seperate. Hear me out. For example, you have to families, lets just say The Jeffersons and the Bunkers for arguments sake. Episode 1 of the Jeffersons, they're doing their thing, they go to some group picnic or party, meet up with the Bunkers. Something funny happens, it's this big to-do, and they go home and they resolve whatever it is happens. Then on Episode 1 of the Bunker's TV show, they're doing THEIR own thing, then when they go to the group picnic, it's the same scene, only from the other families perspective, and when they go home, see how THEY resolve the issue.
Now you have two different TV shows based on the same concept, so double the advertising and sponsorships, double the syndication money, double the DVD sales and royalties, etc etc. What'd be even more interesting is if you could run the two shows simultaneously on different channels and they intersect at exactly the right times. Not sure if you'd want that to be done and compete with yourself, but it's still an interesting concept. And who says you can't flip-flop them at another time so people can see both? What do you think?
Boy Meets World/3D Characters
In class a while back we were talking about 3D Characters and how they make TV shows more interesting. In my opinion, a 3D character is one who you almost grow up with. You know all their emotions and they're all expressed at one point or another, and you feel as if you know them personally. I think a good example of this is Boy Meets World.
People really grew up with these shows and the cast grew with the audience. They all started as geeky elementary kids, Topanga liking astrology and all that stuff and Feenie being a hard-ass. Then they grew into awkward teenagers and finally into adulthood. The whole way, you saw Topanga & Corey grow as a couple, Eric turn from an asshole older brother to a comic goofball, Shawn evolve from a punk to a decent human as well as his strained relationship with his family, and finaly you got a sense that Mr. Feenie was a grandfather or mentor figure. Even to the point where I refered to an old High school teacher as, "Our personal Mr. Feenie."
I think overall this show had a lasting impact on its viewers because of the emotional connection it had with its viewers thanks to the 3D characters.
People really grew up with these shows and the cast grew with the audience. They all started as geeky elementary kids, Topanga liking astrology and all that stuff and Feenie being a hard-ass. Then they grew into awkward teenagers and finally into adulthood. The whole way, you saw Topanga & Corey grow as a couple, Eric turn from an asshole older brother to a comic goofball, Shawn evolve from a punk to a decent human as well as his strained relationship with his family, and finaly you got a sense that Mr. Feenie was a grandfather or mentor figure. Even to the point where I refered to an old High school teacher as, "Our personal Mr. Feenie."
I think overall this show had a lasting impact on its viewers because of the emotional connection it had with its viewers thanks to the 3D characters.
Monday, October 22, 2007
Who knew Mario looked like that?
I found an interesting piece on YouTube - it's the guy who does the voice of Mario playing around with technology that allows him to capture voices and animations for the characters from anywhere in the world. What's interesting is that as he talks, the character models move according to his tone and pitches. Also I find it interesting that when he changes his voice to Wario, the computer model changes from Mario to Wario. I'm not sure if that's actually voice-activated or if he switched using a button. But what's the MOST interesting is that the voice of Mario and Warrio looks like Frasiers dad :). Who knew?
Seinfeld Narrative
Narrative Analysis is to look at something as a novel, find out who the characters are, what the plot is, and piece it all together. In class we were discussing Seinfeld, and how it's a narrative about a whole lot of nothing and that there never is a set-in-stone plot.
I think the creators played around with this notion a bit. This is evidenced by the "Backwards Episode." Basically what happens, is they play the final scene first, and then in order, played them all back to the first scene of that particular episode.
If I remember correctly, it began with everyone being miserable because of a failed-wedding. Then the next scene was the wedding, which was a disaster because of something to do with invitations. The following scene was the actual mishap to do with the invitations, and so on and so on until the very last scene was the announcing that someone's getting married. It all pieced together so nicely that the episode was just as good backwards as it would have been forward.
I think this was a neat way for the creators to play around with the characters and the show as a whole. It was the characters that really helped to drive the episode, because as a viewer, you knew what they were all about.
I think the creators played around with this notion a bit. This is evidenced by the "Backwards Episode." Basically what happens, is they play the final scene first, and then in order, played them all back to the first scene of that particular episode.
If I remember correctly, it began with everyone being miserable because of a failed-wedding. Then the next scene was the wedding, which was a disaster because of something to do with invitations. The following scene was the actual mishap to do with the invitations, and so on and so on until the very last scene was the announcing that someone's getting married. It all pieced together so nicely that the episode was just as good backwards as it would have been forward.
I think this was a neat way for the creators to play around with the characters and the show as a whole. It was the characters that really helped to drive the episode, because as a viewer, you knew what they were all about.
Convergence in Wrestling
Speaking of convergence, there's this new concept in wrestling called, "Cyber Sunday." It's a pay-per-view event in which the fans supposedly create the entire pay-per-view. What WWE's doing is they give the fans a website to go to where they can vote for who wrestles who, what stipulations are involved in the match, right down to the attire of what the female wrestlers are wearing. It's touted as putting the fans in 'complete control of the situation.'
However, much like Star Wars' fan films, they're in complete control "ONLY if....." For example, they'll give you the following choice: "Who do you want to challenge Randy Orton for the title?" They'll give you three choices: "Shawn Michaels - Mr. Kennedy - Jeff Hardy." By that, they're limiting what the fans can actually control.
FURTHERMORE, using that same example, they'll announce the pay-per-view months in advance, but every week on TV, they'll make the 'companies pick' look like the stronger, more viable choice. For instance, they'll give you the three choices, but Shawn Michaels will be winning every week, getting the most television time, and put in situations where he lays out the other two picks. Meanwhile, Mr. Kennedy and Jeff Hardy could be burried, losing in the opening matches, all in an attempt to sway the votes.
Overall, I think it's pretty smart business. Make the fans think they have a choice so they're happy, meanwhile influence their decision so it's best for business overall.
However, much like Star Wars' fan films, they're in complete control "ONLY if....." For example, they'll give you the following choice: "Who do you want to challenge Randy Orton for the title?" They'll give you three choices: "Shawn Michaels - Mr. Kennedy - Jeff Hardy." By that, they're limiting what the fans can actually control.
FURTHERMORE, using that same example, they'll announce the pay-per-view months in advance, but every week on TV, they'll make the 'companies pick' look like the stronger, more viable choice. For instance, they'll give you the three choices, but Shawn Michaels will be winning every week, getting the most television time, and put in situations where he lays out the other two picks. Meanwhile, Mr. Kennedy and Jeff Hardy could be burried, losing in the opening matches, all in an attempt to sway the votes.
Overall, I think it's pretty smart business. Make the fans think they have a choice so they're happy, meanwhile influence their decision so it's best for business overall.
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