Google announced Google TV as part of their aim to extend their presence in the the $70 billion dollar TV industry. According to Google this is a new television experiences that “combines the TV you know and love with the freedom and power of the Internet.” Google TV software will run on the Android platform, Google’s own open source foray in to the mobile and electronics space.

Obvious to all observers, Google is attempting to disrupt the distribution platform of TV and secure the market of the increasing efficiency of delivery for video through IP. However Google is not the first to try this. For years Microsoft has been pushing media center PC’s into the market without strong results. The industry and government has also tried to push forward the digital aspect of hardware by requiring cable card for future TV hardware but again also without visible results.

Last week I appeared on Blookcast Weekly to talk about a wide range of materials. I give my opinion about Google TV in here. The main points I give are, content producers are not partnering because the disruption will kill their advertising dollars. Second currently most money for cable tv channels come from subscribers and affiliates, advertising is icing on the cake. Third, hardware is the key to distribution. Dish network is not enough, they will need to get partnerships with other ISP’s and currently the fight will probably lead to net neutrality discussions. ISP’s and cable companies have one advantage over satellite, that is known as the triple play. They have the ability to bundle internet, tv and phone into a nice package under a hundred dollars. That is what Google TV is really fighting against.

Link to show:
http://blook.my/tv/2010/06/26/blook-techcast-02-google-foxconn-and-time-traveling-iphones/

Ebert said it’s not art. Well Roger Ebert might be a gaming douche but he’s certainly a voice to be reckoned with. And recently, Fumito Ueda, the director of Shadow of the Colossus considers the games he creates commercial work, not art. Even though everyone in the industry considers ICO, Okami or Shadow as works of art, cross medium acceptance has been hard to come by.

Most people believe the current state of the game industry is parallel to the film industry in the 1930s and 1940s, when large studios controlled creativity, directors we’re signed on to contracts rather than independently created work. However the comparison ends there, the maturation of the game industry for one hasn’t matched the development the film industry had over the past century. Second, films as an academic art medium is firmly established even among those who do not study films. Now the game industry needs to catch up, but what steps need to be taken?

Seems like the answer is basically one word, dialogue. At it’s current state, discussion about the intentions and techniques behind the art of gaming isn’t where it needs to be. In films, magazines are published specifically towards film discussion; directors appear at Q and A sessions after pre-screenings of their film. Currently after games are released, high intensity discussions about technique and intentions behind videogames are neglected. Until open academic dialogue is created, videogames will still be second or even third fiddle to other artistic mediums.

Toyota buying ad spot on digg

As Toyota continues to suffer with their brand image in the public’s eye, at least they are trying to smooth it all out with some well placed web ads. Toyota is buying an ad spot on www.digg.com that links to their Youtube video. It’s quite effective in getting your message across, linking to something that people would want to know about.

Redrock Micro is a film equipment company that specializes in creating adapters that provide filmmakers with the ability to attach 35mm camera lenses to cheaper more affordable DV cameras. This has always been the holy grail for many independent filmmakers, gaining the depth of field only available to more expensive cameras. I was lucky enough to have Brian Valente answer a few of my questions about Redrock Micro.

Many people do not know this, but the Micro35 was born out of a community of independent filmmakers and their desire to find a solution. This community curated goal and contributions created the Micro35, a competitor to other more expensive alternatives. As Redrock released the micro35, they also released the blueprint and design for the piece for the community to buy giving back to the community everyone’s effort.

1. How did you redrock micro come about and how did the concept of creating the micro35 begin?

We are first filmmakers, and at the time were appalled at the equipment choices available to us. Either they were incredibly expensive (but great) products, or cheap plastic knockoffs that were terrible quality. Even the cheap ones seemed expensive. This seemed particularly true for 35mm adapters, which at the time was the last missing piece to shooting true film style results. Cameras had evolved to offer 24 frames, progressive scanning, and cinema gamma curves, and editing had become powerful and capable, but everything still looked like video. The only available solution was 3x the price of a video camera, which to us seemed just ridiculous. An adapter had to be reasonably priced in comparison to a prosumer video camera. A target price of less than $1,000 was part of our design criteria in the original micro35, and continues to be one of our primary design goals in any new product today.

2. When Redrock Micro was shown in 2004 at NAB, what was the reaction?

The micro35 was originally debuted online, and by the time NAB rolled around there was some buzz already happening. At NAB? Astounding! We didn’t have our own booth, and were showing the micro35 in JVC’s booth. We were absolutely mobbed the entire time 4-5 people deep, and won the show award for best new product. We were absolutely amazed, but thinking back on it, we realized the idea that video equipment could be great quality and still affordable was a fairly revolutionary one at the time. Most folks were used to the “film markup” mentality.

3. I remember, the Micro35 having some roots in the DVinfo forums, how was the involvement among the community? How do you think this common goal of find a cheaper alternative to the PS Technik organized everyone?

The micro35 project was originally founded in the DIY forums on dvinfo.net and Chris Hurd was very supportive of our early efforts. I think there is a shared goal among all indie filmmakers to get the best equipment possible for the least amount of money. Indie filmmakers often have the luxury of time, but rarely the luxury of money. Online communities serve to bring us all together to share ideas, techniques, and gear to create the best possible result.

4. Redrock has from the beginning sold the blueprint to DIY the micro35, what was the though process behind this and how has the community seen this? Also, the community seems to have supported the company a lot, why do you think this is so?

We always wanted to offer something that was ridiculously priced (the guide is only $45) that could get anyone with some pocket change and a little elbow grease to have a 35mm adapter. We felt very strongly there should be something available for everyone, and the Guide is one way to do it.  Since the original Guide there have been many other DIY solutions popping up, and we are really pleased to see others taking up this cause and advancing the state of the art.

Regarding support from the community, I think people are supportive for two reasons: first, they understand and believe in Redrock’s mission to provide great quality products for indie filmmakers at really affordable prices. We also involve the community in which products we build and the feature set for these products. This is a very different approach than simply getting a mattebox from Germany, for example. Second, indie filmmakers love to support an underdog. We’ve grown a lot since our early days, but in many ways we are still an underdog working towards making all critical cinema tools available and affordable.

5. In your experience, have you seen other types of projects such as this where the community is involved to this degree?

Absolutely – People like Stu Maschwitz and his DV Rebel’s Guide is another example of exactly the same mission, except he did this for visual fx and action shooting techniques.

Messaging me through twitter. This is my tweetdeck.

So I posted something about hearing Pure Yoga part-time teachers having an argument in Hong Kong and Pure Yoga messages me on twitter asking for location and what the complaint was. Wonder if I should even care? Though I do find this a bit fascinating, wonder if they have people just trolling twitter of SNS’s for this stuff.