This weekend Lauren and I did our first experiment with polyester resin casting. She is making skulls for a Mystique costume belt and I made a video to share the experience with other costumers who are interested in using casting resin to make their costumes.
We bought a 32 oz container of casting resin and a small container of catalyst from the craft store and used a cookie mold to get it into the skull shape. Each skull uses approximately one ounce of resin and takes about 24 hours to cure. They are easy to make, they are lightweight and durable, and they look great.
Happy Halloween! This was my first time doing an animation outside with lighting that changed as I went. There are some things I would do differently but I'm not unhappy with the results. More details on how I did it are below:
I shot with this with my new Nikon D5100 that I got about month ago. We were camping on the Oregon coast and I figured this would make for a great project to do while the sun went down. The shoot took roughly an hour and is composed of around 250 separate photos. Because the sun was going down, we (my girlfriend Lauren and I) couldn't go back and reshoot anything. So there are lots of things I would like to do differently if I were to do it again. As far as post production, this is the first time that I actually took stills instead of just going through and pulling freeze frames from footage. I finally figured out that by importing everything into iPhoto I could easily set all the pictures in order and touch them up as needed. After that I loaded the photos into iMovie and laid them all out in the timeline at a 10th a second a piece and saved the movie as a QT file. THEN I loaded that QT file into Avid where I did my precision editing and added music. The music is from the Sorcerer and the Apprentice. Enjoy!
All of you aspiring film aficionados have probably thought to yourself, "I want to expand my understanding of the cinematic medium by watching foreign films." Shortly after you doubtlessly remembered that the reason you don't is because you don't like reading subtitles. Many people have told me that the reason that they don't like to watch foreign movies is because they don't want to read subtitles. Personally, they don't bother me in the slightest, but I can see where people are coming from. So, in light of the Queen's Diamond Jubilee I have pulled two British action movies for your viewing pleasure. This way you can explore foreign cinema without the alienating foreign language! It's a nice way to ease yourself into exploring films from beyond our borders.
The following movies are also tied together with two common themes: They are all directed by Guy Ritchie and star Jason Statham. So you know they're going to be awesome.
Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (1998)
When a group of no-bodies get cheated in a high-stakes card game they end up half a million pounds (that's British money) in debt with only a week to pay it back. Guy Ritchie movies always have a lot of great action and comedy. They characters, situations, and dialogue will get at least a few chuckles out of you. Lots of gangsters, guns, and f-bombs in this little gem.
Snatch (2000)
Jason Statham, yet again, finds himself being chased by gangsters in one of my favorite action movies. Brad Pitt plays a bare-knuckle boxing gypsy that gets two boxing promoters in trouble with the bookmakers. This one has a great cast and a truly chaotic (yet manageable) story line. If you're looking for witty comedy, bad-ass dialogue, and pig farmers, this is the one for you.
Guy Ritchie has also made another movie that is similar to the above called Revolver which was released in 2005 in the UK and 2007 in the US. I personally do not believe it is quite good enough to suggest everyone to go watch it, but if you really liked the first two you'll probably like this one as well.
In this episode I sit down with the voice of Katie McKissick, also known as Beatrice the Biologist, to talk about her new game Amoeboid. It's a kind of like Pac-Man on the cellular level.
Check out her blog here, http://www.beatricebiologist.com/.
Genres are very important in marketing films. For example it is easier to tell someone that the latest Ryan Reynolds' movie is a comedy then it is trying to explain the plot. Why? Because genres are socially accepted conventions that everyone understands. Marketing agencies use genres to sell stories that no one has ever heard of. A lot people will go see a romance movie, not because they know the story but because they like the genre. There are many films out there that cross over between a single genre, like romantic comedies or sci-fi horror. But there are many more genres that are not quite as popular. One of my favorite genre mash ups would have to be Eastern Westerns. Most American audiences are familiar with the western genre. Lots of cowboys, dusty towns, and gun fights. Those same audiences may not be familiar with Samurai movies which are very similar in nature. A lone character with an inability to fit into society ends up floating from town to town looking for adventure (and violence). The following three films are filled with swords, guns, samurai, cowboys and dust. Lots of dust.
Sukiyaki Western Django (2007) (Japanese with subtitles)
This movie was made by the cult Japanese director, Takashi Miike. Director Quentin Tarantino also guest stars in the film, doubtlessly having some input in some aspects. In the film, a town is caught in a war between two rival gangs and only a strange nameless hero can help put the bloodshed to an end and save the town. It's a bloody film with lots of guts and steel flying through the air. If you like westerns and aren't afraid of blood, you'll like it.
Bunraku (2010) (English)
Another big aspect of eastern action movies is martial arts. Directed by Guy Moshe, Bunraku has this in excess. Instead of a lone hero this movie has two, one from each genre. When a cowboy (Josh Hartnett) and a samurai (Gackt) find themselves in a post-apocalyptic town run by a crazy killer (Ron Perlman), it takes an enigmatic barkeep (Woody Harrelson) to lead them down the right path. The movie is highly stylized around the Japanese art of shadow puppets which makes for a really cool intro.
The Good, the Bad, the Weird (2008) (Korean with subtitles)
This genre blending comedy comes from South Korea and was inspired by Sergio Leone's The Good, the Bad, the Ugly (1966). It shares a similar story where three men try to beat each other to a hidden treasure. The character dynamics are not quite the same for example the Good character (played by Clint Eastwood in the original film) is a bounty hunter and not nearly as intriguing and mysterious as the original Blondie. But the Bad guy is just as Bad and the Weird is just as Ugly.
Welcome to the first installment of my new weekly series, Suggested Viewings. When I was in film school we were given suggested viewings to go with our lessons. I've decided to put this method to good use and help people explore film. Since I do most of my movie watching on Netflix, all of the films I'll be referring to can be found on Netflix Instant.
Since I'm still on a pretty big superhero kick from the The Avengers movie, I'll be talking about animated Marvel cartoons. Animated shows and movies are great because they can get away with things that live action movies cannot. For example, it is extremely difficult to get CG special effects to look realistic enough for people to suspend their disbelief. However, cartoons do not have this problem because they are not realistic to begin with. And once you buy into the following cartoons it will be hard for you to pull yourself out.
Black Panther: The Animated Series (2009)
Back in 2008 BET teamed up with Marvel Knights to create an animated comic series for TV that was released in 2009 and debut on television in the US in November 2011. The series is based around the origin of the Black Panther who is the king of the reclusive nation of Wakanda in Africa. Out of all the animated comic book series that Marvel Knights has released, I think that this one is the best. It's a good series and with rumors of Black Panther getting his own movie, it's a good way to get associated with the character.
The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes (2010-Present)
If you liked The Avengers movie then you may also want to check out this cartoon. It was made for Disney's Toon XD channel and originally debuted in the fall of 2010. It has all of the characters from the movie and a few more (Black Panther, Wasp, and Ant Man). This show has great animation, voice acting, episodic continuity, and story lines that are complex enough to be enjoyed by an older audience. It's a well rounded show in its own right and with an extensive line-up of characters from the Marvel universe. I would recommend it to anyone who can't get enough Marvel exposure.
Next Avengers: Heroes of Tomorrow(2008)
I watched this movie in the build up to The Avengers movie. It takes place in an alternate universe where Ultron (a sentient robot created by Hank Pym) has conquered the world and killed most of the original Avengers. However, the super-team's children were saved by Tony Stark and trained from an early age in hopes that they will be able to defeat Ultron. I had a lot of laughs watching this and would recommend it based solely on the voice acting performances of the kids.
Hulk Vs. (2009)
Most of the time our favorite heroes are fighting on the same side but Marvel also likes to pit them against each other from time to time. This animated feature doesn't have much in the way of a story line but it sure is a lot of fun to see the Hulk fight Thor and Wolverine. If you just want to see some all-star fighting then this one is for you.
This weekend I saw The Avengers and it was awesome. And beyond the geek pandering and cheap laughs, it had some really impressive elements including the best filmed action sequences that I’ve seen in a very long time.
A lot of modern day action scenes skip long choreographed shots and use fast paced editing of brief, tightly framed shots. For example, in a scene where a waiter drops a cup of tea and a ninja catches it before it hits the floor, all of the action could fit into one frame/shot without the camera cutting or moving. But the excitement of this scene could be enhanced by breaking all of the smaller actions into separate close ups: A foot slips. The ninja notices. The cup falls off the tray. A hand jets out. The waitress’ shocked face. The hand catching the cup. The cup returning to the tray. The ninja sitting back down. This technique adds to the excitement of the moment by bombarding the audience with close ups that literally make the action bigger and faster. While there is no fundamental problem with this, I happen to believe this fast cutting technique is over used and often disorienting. I think a lot of filmmakers feel a need to pump up their scenes with fast cuts even if it doesn't need it. I remember asking myself, “is it necessary to play up the action in a scene where two giant robots are fighting and crashing into a highway overpass? Is that not exciting enough?”
Another reason people use this technique is to add confusion and disorient the audience. If you had to film a bar fight and wanted to portray the chaos of the scene, you could use the fast cutting technique by showing a stream of images of bar patrons bludgeoning, punching, kicking, swearing, puking, and screaming in rapid succession. You could convey the confusion of the fight by overwhelming the audience with imagery. While I understand why a filmmaker would choose to do this in a bar fight, I can't understand why a filmmaker would use this disorienting fast cutting technique to show people gathering in a dilapidated town square for a reaping.
**I will also take the time to make this plea: Filmmakers, DO NOT USE FAST CUTS IN 3-D!!! We can barely sit through a two+ hour film with 3-D glasses on, please do not tax our senses with your wily edits!
By now you can understand my apprehension when I got tickets to go see The Avengers in 3-D Imax. Yet, the unbearable and disorienting fast cuts never came. Instead, during the middle of the New York fight scene I was delighted by a long cut that focused on and then moved seamlessly from one fighting Avenger to another. By choosing to not use the tired ol' crutch of fast cuts, Joss Whedon had created a beautifully choreographed scene that was both action-packed and coherent. I was actually allowed to look at the whole battlefield and admire the action instead of having my face pushed into every hammer blow and repulsor blast.
This specific long shot was both awesome and iconic, and I will bet good money that if you saw The Avengers you know exactly what shot I'm talking about. I hope that other filmmakers out there noticed it too. It's time they stopped hiding behind fast-cuts and learn how to actually choreograph a scene.
Further Viewings: If what I said resonated with you at all and you would like to see well choreographed action movies I suggest Ong-bak: The Thai Warrior (2003) or one of Jackie Chan's earlier films from the 90s. These can be found on Netflix.
The second of episode of Discussions with Devs has arrived! It can now officially be called a series. Today, I sit down with Holden Link from Magic Pixel Games. It was founded back in 2010 by several game industry veterans with a mission for fun. Holden and I talk about how the studio was founded, their latest game Carnival Island, and developing games for motion control platforms. Enjoy!
As always, if you have any suggestions for future episodes then comment below or email me at ryanjsuter@gmail.com And thanks!
I want you to do something. Get out your smartphone or tablet computer and download the Marvel AR app (it's available on iOS and Android). Now open the app, make sure your sound is on, and point it at the AvX cover and watch the magic.
On April 3rd the first Avengers versus X-Men came out. I'm pretty excited about the series because Captain America is my favorite super hero and the X-Men is my favorite super team. It is going to have some very awesome match-ups for sure. In this story arc, the destructive Phoenix Force is rocketing toward Earth and people are starting to freak out. It's coming to Earth to embody the newest mutant, Hope, as its host and everyone knows it. The Avengers are trying to stop the coming of the Phoenix Force and have some sort of plan that involves taking Hope from the X-Men. However, Scott Summers (Cyclops) is the leader of the X-Men and is refusing to give Hope over to the Avengers. Scott knows that the Phoenix Force can be very destructive, but he also knows that whenever it destroys something it leaves behind a rebirth of new life. He believes that the Phoenix will restore the mutants that were lost when Scarlet Witch changed reality back in the House of M story arc by changing all but 200 mutants into regular people.
It is understandable that both parties are conflicted as to what to do, but I have to admit that I am disappointed in my favorite heroes' problem solving/conflict resolution skills. You would think that they could all work together to figure out a solution, but I guess they used up all of their teamwork skills in Fear Itself. Then again, comics wouldn't be very interesting if there wasn't any fighting.
AvX #1 is a great read. The cliff hangar at the end has me pumped for #2 which comes out this Wednesday. And while I'm excited to see where the story goes, I'm more excited to explore its integration of the Marvel AR (augmented reality) app. If you didn't/couldn't try it out here's what you missed: the app uses your camera and you point it at the page/pane that has the AR logo in the corner and watch as it brings the page to life. The front cover of AvX #1 has animations and video that serve as a trailer for what's inside. It's so cool. Then on the title page inside, Marvel Editor in Chief, Alex Alonso, walks onto the screen to tell you about the series and the AR function.
The app is a little finicky but overall it adds a whole new dimension to enjoying the book. I like comics, but my biggest complaint is that they are so short I'm always left wanting more. So with all new content I got a lot more out of AvX #1 then I have with any other comic. The best part is that the technology is brand new, so it will only get more sophisticated with time. I can't wait for this Wednesday.
It's done! Below is the first installment of Discussions with Devs, your guide on the awesome journey through the Indie dev community. In the show, I talk to Chris Cross from Tarver Games in Long Beach, CA about his current project Cold War 2.0, working in Unity 3D, and his blog (jimtarver.blogspot.com).
Enjoy!
A big thanks to Chris for working with me and being my guinea pig on this project.
This is a shortened version of the interview. I will post the full version at a later time.
Our morning started around 8 am. We woke up and started getting into our costumes by 9 am. I previously posted about our costumes for the event. My girlfriend went as Kitty Pryde and I went as Colossus. (If you follow the comics, you may be aware that Kitty and Colossus recently broke up after Colossus took on the Bands of Cytorrak to help the Xmen stop the Juggernaut from destroying San Francisco in the Fear Itself story arc, but we went as a couple anyway.) It took about an hour to finish my makeup and we finally got to the con at about 10:30 am.
Galactus and Silver Surfer
We had expected to turn some heads, but neither of us were prepared for the amount of attention we received. Before we could get our passes and get into the event, we were swarmed by people wanting to take pictures with us. We didn't even make it into the first panel because we stopped for so many pictures. The coolest thing about dressing up was how excited people got. "You two are my favorite couple!" was a phrase we heard a lot. We even got tweeted by a CB Cebulski from Marvel. And on one blog that had a photo gallery of the cosplayers, I found my favorite quote: "That is the least colossal Colossus ever."
Falcon!
The coolest costumes that we saw at the event were Galactus (Marvel Comics), Falcon (Marvel Comics), and Bender (Futurama). We got an opportunity to chat with Galactus when we all got stuck in an impromptu Marvel photo session. He had made the entire suit himself, including the helmet. His wife sewed all the fabric and he made all the hard plastic pieces from fiberglass, resin, balsa wood, and foam. As you can see in the picture it was amazing. The Falcon outfit was awesome too. He even had wings that folded out to wow the crowds. But the best (and most annoying) thing about that guy was the he was tall, buff, and handsome like a super hero. People like that ruin the curve for average people like myself. Finally, there was the Bender costume. It looked great, but the best part were all the accessories that they had for it: different eyes, a mouth with a cigar, and a tutu.
Overall, the experience was amazing. My GF and I had fun making the costumes, I learned a whole lot about the comic industry, and met some really cool and creative people. We're already looking forward to next year. Got any good ideas for a costume?!
The panels started at the top of each hour and were supposed to run for 50 minutes or so, but a lot of them ran over which screwed up the schedule. And because many of the panelists were booked at back-to-back panels, they sometimes showed up late. I think the whole show could have benefitted from running the panels on tighter schedule. But regardless of that, all the panels we attended were fun and educational. The first panel we went to we missed because it filled up before we could get there. After that we learned to show up early.
The second panel was How to Edit Comics. I've done film/tv editing and I know the role of a literary editor, but I didn't know the first thing of what it takes to edit a comic book. Turns out the editor is like a ringmaster at a circus, coordinating between all the different artists (pencilers, inkers, colorists, etc.) to make sure that the book hits all its deadlines.
The third panel was Pint O' CB where fans got to ask any questions they had for Marvel Comics' Senior Vice President of Creative and Creator Development, C.B. Cebulski. Since this was a Marvel panel and we were dressed as Kitty and Colossus, I decided to go up and ask a question in character. The panel didn't release any groundbreaking news, but it was fun and we all had a some good laughs.
The fourth panel was Starting a Successful Kickstarter. Kickstarter is a website where people can raise funding for their projects. It was a very informative panel and I encourage any creative types with a good idea to go take a look.
The fifth panel was Oh My, It's George Takei. This panel was held in a huge hall with probably a thousand seats. We lined up 30 minutes early and still had to wait to get in because so many people had stayed in the hall after the previous panel. It was worth the wait. George Takei is very funny and he had the whole audience going with all of his funny stories. However, the moderator was Danny Bonaduce. He got a few laughs out of me, but I mostly just thought he was an ass.
The final panel we went to was the Star Wars Radio Play and it was my favorite. The panel consisted of famous voice actors from Futurama, Pinky and the Brain, Finding Nemo, Teen Titans, etc. Billy West, Tara Strong, Maurice LaMarche, John DiMaggio, Kevin Conroy, Jess Harnell, and Rob Paulsen did a reading of New Hope while there were randomly assigned different voices by the moderator. My favorite combo was Futurama's Bender as Princess Leia performed by John DiMaggio and Power Puff Girls' Bubbles as Darth Vader performed by Tara Strong. I love doing impersonations and voices, so I was enthralled and inspired by the talent on stage.
The panels were all very interesting and entertaining. We would have liked to have gone to more, but we were also busy showing off our costumes. Come back tomorrow and I'll tell you all about it.
After months of planning, yesterday my girlfriend and I went to the Emerald City Comicon. In short, it was amazing! It took over the whole convention center and spanned four floors. The panels were hosted in rooms on all the levels, but the comic-centered booths were only on the fourth floor and the gaming booths were on the first floor. There was a huge crowd of people (many of whom dressed in cosplay) from all ages and areas of interest, which made for a really fun atmosphere. The show ran from Friday to Sunday, but we only went for Saturday. There is so much to say about the con, so over the next few days I'll break it into three easy to chew pieces: the booths, the panels, and of course the costumes.
Booths The fourth floor was the main floor where they had a huge hall set up with lots of booths. There were booths of artists, shops, and organizations. When most people think of comic books they picture super heros like Batman (DC Comics) or Spiderman (Marvel Comics), but there is a vast world of comic books that cover all kinds of genres. There were little kid comics, historical comics, graphic novels, LGBT comics, web comics and more. Comics are a great artistic way to explore a lot of rich worlds. We had a fun time just going around and looking at all the variety.
On the first floor they set up all the gaming booths. There were card games, an arcade, a Guitar Hero contest, and demos of the latest Star Wars game for the Kinect. They had a really cool R2D2 Xbox with a C3P0 controller. The gaming section booths looked great and had a lot of stuff, but since the area was pretty small it was packed with people.
The artist booths were my favorite. Their artwork covered original material as well as personal takes on well known subjects like super heroes or television shows. The artwork was not just limited to drawings; there was a lot of comic-inspired figurines, crafts, and jewelry. Many of the artists were there doing sketches at their booths. It was cool to see the artistic process first hand. And since most comic book artists are freelance the show is a great way for them to get fans and find work.
There were also a lot of shops set up with really cheap comic book deals, toys, tshirts, etc. but we didn't bring any extra money for shopping.
The booths were interesting, but it was hard to get a good look at them since we were in costume and everyone was stopping us to take pictures (including the people running the booths). We mostly just used walking around the booths as a time filler while we waited for tomorrow's subject: panels.
When people are born they are dealt a certain hand of cards. I was dealt a particularly good hand. One of those cards was having a very loving family. I was always supported in whatever pursuit I chose. Sports, music, education, etc. When I moved to California for school, I had some relatives from my mom's side of the family to help look out for me. My aunt, uncle, and cousins made me feel at home. I also had my friends from my school. I never missed out on the family atmosphere even though I moved 2000 miles away from where I was born.
When I was laid off from THQ and decided to move to Washington, I had a much smaller friend circle and no blood relatives around. I was fortunate enough to have my girlfriend's family take me in; I will always owe them for the generosity they have shown me. But I will be candid with the fact that I was unsure of my future in the area. Not having a job began to weigh heavily on me and I unconsciously put up emotional walls to protect myself just in case things did not work out and I had move away. I started to think the encouragement I was receiving from my local companions was to mostly protect themselves from me freeloading off of their generosity. I was still in contact with my immediate family, but without face to face contact, their sincere encouragement only went so far.
Today, I got a job. It's not in the game industry like I had hoped but it is a good job and I am more than happy to have it. The outpouring from my family was one of relief and excitement. They worry about me being so far away and now they have the piece of mind that I am gonna be alright. My kin's reaction was not altogether surprising to me. However, the affection from my Seattle coherts was. Their excitement was abundant and genuine. I realized today that my emotional barriers had blurred my perception of their concern. They were not merely worried about how I might affect them, but they were truly concerned about my well being, my future, and my happiness. Just like my family back home.
I was under the impression that I made the move to Washington where I didn't have any family. I am happy to admit that I was wrong.
Last fall, long before I moved to Seattle, my girlfriend, Lauren, and I decided we wanted to go to the Emerald City Comicon in full Cosplay outfits. I was onboard from the get-go. My girlfriend was the first to decide on a character. She called me one day and was very excited to tell me she had decided on Kitty Pride from the X-Men (she is the girl that can walk through walls). I laughed at her and asked why she picked an xmen from the b-list and she had a simple answer: she has red hair. I told her that there was plenty of other way more iconic women from the Marvel Universe with brown hair. But then I started looking and I found out that really isn't. All of the women have jet black, fire red, or bleach blonde hair. And since she didn't want to buy a wig, Kitty was the best choice.
So then I picked Kitty's mutant boyfriend, Colossus (the big Russian guy that turns his skin into liquid metal). My first thought was how awesome of a character that is for a Cosplay costume. But then I started to realize just how much work it was going to be. Nonetheless, with ECC this weekend, I am happy to say that Kitty and Colossus will be there and we are very much ready to go.
I encourage you all to go check out the details of the costume making on Lauren's blog: Cosplay Update: Ready for Con
Two weeks ago I saw some people playing Draw Something on their iPads. I downloaded it on my phone and started playing the modern-day Pictionary game for myself. I've had a lot of fun playing it so I thought I'd write a good review for the world to see. It's a turn-based social game where players take turns drawing and guessing pictures. The game revolves around a central mechanic that records your drawing and plays it back to the guesser. It connects you and your friends through Facebook and is available on iOS and Android platforms.
One of the reasons I really like this game is because it is so accessible to people. It's really simple, you just pick your prompt then draw your picture. The game gives you three prompts, an easy, medium, and hard word. After you pick your prompt you can draw whatever you want to get your point across. This opens the doors for boundless creativity. I like seeing the creative side of my friends and family. I'm not playing with any da Vincis or van Goghs, but it's fun to see everyone's artistic ability no matter what the level. Though today, I had really hard time figuring out a drawing of what was allegedly a bed. The best part about playing with friends is using inside jokes in the pictures. Playing a Twilight drinking game a few weeks ago turned out to be great material for one of my proudest masterpieces.
But the game isn't without it's problems. The biggest let down is the small amount of words to choose from. I've had words repeated against the same people in less then ten moves. One time my friend drew an Ewok and the next turn the hard prompt I got was also Ewok. I understand that the game makers want people to buy the full version to get more words, but I thought that was just a little ridiculous. However, this is just a small complaint against an otherwise very fun game.
All in all, I would recommend this game to anyone who has a compatible device. It's free, it's fun, and any can play it. So what are you waiting for? Go Draw Something!**
**(I'm more than slightly ashamed for that, but I couldn't help myself.)
For a while now, I've been tossing around the idea of doing Skype interviews with Indie game developers. I've mentioned it to a few people and they all seemed to like the concept. If you're interested, here are some details about the project:
The title of the project is called "Discussions with Devs"
They segments would be 5-10 min video Skype interviews
We would talk about the studios, what inspires them, how they got into it, and their latest game of course
The objective is to have fans get to know the developers behind their favorite games, get the developers some free publicity, and offer insight into the Indie community and the future of gaming
My girlfriend, Lauren McLaren, wrote the theme music
Here is the title intro for the upcoming segment:
A few weeks ago, I discussed it with Richard Williams, a former coworker of mine from THQ, and he was nice enough to put me in contact with a guy named Chris Wright. Chris, is starting up a business in Melbourne, Australia called Surprise Attack that does PR and marketing for Indie devs, so he seemed like the perfect person to talk to about my idea. Yesterday, I chatted with him via Skype and got some very good pointers on working with Indie developers and where to start searching for good studios. After my talk with Chris, I finally feel prepared to start sending out feelers to potential interviewees. However, the whole gaming industry is on hold right now due to GDC, so even though I've already heard back from some people they won't have an answer till next week. But that's OK, cause I still have some issues to iron out.
There are some websites that are doing similar work, including toucharcade.com. That website follows all the different games and trends in the world of mobile developers. They even do a weekly podcast that I've been listening to.
All-in-all I'm really excited for this project. If you have any suggestions for my show, or ideas for potential interviews, post a comment below or email me at ryanjsuter@gmail.com. And thanks!
This weekend, I went to visit my girlfriend in Aberdeen, Washington (birth place of Kurt Cobain). While there we went to visit, Sucher & Sons Star Wars Shop, a little store that sits on the main drag in Aberdeen. Actually, "store" doesn't really do the place justice, it's more of a curiosity shop. Our adventure began with a quick a picture with the Darth Vader mannequin standing outside. We looked down right before we walked in and saw a very unfortunate Han Solo (not only encased in Carbonite but also concrete) screaming up at us from the sidewalk. That's when I knew I was going to love the place.
When we walked in, I was overwhelmed by all the toys, posters, clothes, TVs, and ad campaigns in the store. There were collectibles sitting on the floor, on shelves, and hanging from the ceiling (including a five foot long replica of the Millenium Falcon). The store was not set up like a store, more like a toyroom. After we walked in we saw an umbrella holder that was filled with lightsabers. There were TVs playing movies (the actual series, plus Family Guy's and Space Balls). And only the Lego sets (pre built and on display) and high-dollar items had signs that said "Don't Touch!" The Star Wars Shop was also like a museum with items spanning the whole life of the franchise. Some of the toys were even set up to recreate scenes from the movies. The most impressive was a giant glass case where you could rotate a recreation of the Ewok village built from 3 different 1970's Ewok village playsets! Besides a toyroom and museum, Sucher & Son's really took the extra step to make the place a temple for Star Wars fans. Not only did they have licensed paraphernalia on display, but they also had fan-made materials. There was an AT-AT walker made from plywood and plexiglass, so you could see into all the compartments, that I thought was cool. They even had a TV with bulbous speakers on top made to look like Jar-Jar that was playing Episode 1 (which I thought was less cool).
After a while, a man came in by the name of Don. I'm not sure on the history but I think he was the one that started the store (judging by the frequency of his appearance in the photos on the walls). He was an older guy with a well worn Family Guy Star Wars t-shirt. He was delighted to meet us and started talking to us about our Star Wars knowledge. Then he disappeared for a second and returned with post-cards and flyers for us to take with us. On our way out, he encouraged us to sign the guest-book. Definitely a curiosity shop.
As we walked back to my girlfriends place, I started to think about what it takes to run such a shop. I have a hard time believing that it could be making a lot of money. Especially, considering its niche audience in a small town. My guess is tourists and pilgrims are where they get their bread and butter. But besides the economics, how can someone be such a fan of the Star Wars franchise that s/he goes to work everyday selling the same stuff and watching/listening to the same movies? The reality is Don isn't just a fan, he's a fanatic. He loves Star Wars so much that he has dedicated his life to it. It probably isn't easy or lucrative, but it is his labor of love. And that gives me encouragement to keep working so that one day, I can have my own Star Wars Shop*.
*Metaphorically of course, cause I'd rather have a barcade (half bar, half arcade, all awesome).
I found this footage on Youtube of the Sucher & Sons Star Wars Shop.
About a month ago, I was laid off from THQ. Immediately, friends and family came out of the woodwork to say, "I'm sorry!" To which I replied, "Why? I'm not. I'm excited!" I may be naive and crazy, but to be honest I'm excited to start this new chapter of my life. "Why," you ask? Well, here's three reasons:
New City. After I was laid off, I sold everything I could con people into buying, then packed up the rest and moved to the Seattle area of Washington. Why? Cause I had people willing to house me, and I really want to get into the tech industry. Seattle is also a great town. It's not the sprawling metropolis of LA and it offers more career opportunity than my home town of St. Louis, MO. I technically live outside of Seattle, but I make trip to the big city every week to drop off hard copies of my resume to annoyed receptionists.
New People.
I already had a few friends in Seattle and while they are great, I'm more excited to meet all the new people! And it began before I even arrived. After I was laid off from THQ, my coworkers were nice enough to put me in touch with people they knew that lived up here. And while the hope is to connect with someone that can get me my next job, it is till enlighting to meet people and gather any advice I can. But I'm also doing a lot of leg work so every time I head up to the city I try to meet as many new people as possible. There is still a lot weight in the old adage of, "It's not what you know, but who you know."
New Opportunity.
Now for big-boy talk. What am I going to do now? And I have an answer: I don't know. While I would like to work in the tech industry and be a game designer, I have become aware that not all hopes come true. I will work my tailbone off to try and make it happen but I realize that I have to keep my options open if I want to remain in Seattle. I was hanging out with some people the other night and one of them said to me, "I hope you find work in the industry you want because there is nothing like earning a dollar doing something you love." First of all, that is an awesome quote. Second of all, it really resonated with me. I love film and television. I am trained in film and television. So if I got a job in film or television, I would be extremely happy. However, I am also greatly invested in finding work in the game industry, and I'm willing to do whatever it takes to make that happen. And while a getting a job right away in either of these industries would be ideal, I am not above taking something in the mean-time. But I will be so bold to make this statement: I will get a job in the entertainment industry.
So there you have it. But let's say for argument's sake we take a realist's view of my situation. I'm unemployed in the worst economic downturn since the great depression. Jobs are rare and even if you find you find one, chances are it is not remotely related to what you went to school for. Add on top of that that most people my age are underemployed and all of sudden the chances of me getting my dream are even less! With all that being said, let me say this: I'm still excited.
So these past two weeks have been a blur. I was laid off two Thursdays ago. So because I want to get into the video game industry I decided to move to Seattle. (It doesn't that hurt my girlfriend and some other friends live up here.) After my lay off, I immediately started applying for jobs. I was gonna take two weeks to make my move but then last Thursday, I got an email about a job interview for THIS Wednesday! While I was excited it meant that I only had five days to make my move. So I had a garage sale on Saturday. It was pretty awesome. My roommate and I just sat in the garage and watched all the funny people go through our stuff. I suggest it to anyone who has too much stuff and a free Saturday. It was awesome entertainment, plus I made money! Anyway, I left early Monday morning. (I made a video blog of my travels and will post it to this entry soon). I arrived today (Tuesday) before noon and began settling in to temporary home. I'm all moved in now, and am prepping for my interview tomorrow. This is my first interview and while I hope for the best, I'm not delusional about landing a job on my first day here. But now that I'm here I want to start on my new project (details to follow in later posts) where I will explore and learn more about the Indie gaming scene in Seattle. I'm very excited to be in my new city and look forward to sharing all the cool things I find. Stay tuned!
I really like Alfred Hitchcock (I'm a film major). I always found his subtle humor very funny. However, he is more of a humorist than a comedian. I don't often find myself laughing out loud, but I often get very big grins. I'm not sure if that's an accurate distinction between a humorist and a comedian, but I'm not really an expert on the matter. Regardless, I hope you enjoy my new video.
Production notes:
I started this project by surveying my room looking for things to make dance. My eyes fell on a Christmas present that my loving sister, Christina, gave me. I immediately knew that I wanted to animate words, but I was unsure if I should do a song or a speech. I looked up some speeches, but none of them felt right. Then I thought of movie quotes, which made me think of Hitchcock. I pulled the audio from his 1950s TV show, Alfred Hitchcock Presents, and compiled it in Audacity. After I had the audio I transcribed it so I knew what all the words were. Then I set up my camera rig on the side of my desk so that it looked down on a small nightstand. Then I filmed the animations you see above. After filming, I downloaded all the video and used iMovie to pull all of my images (I find it easier to pull images in iMovie than in AvidMC). While pulling my images I realized that I had actually forgotten a few words. Luckily, I had left my camera rig in place just in case I had to re-shoot. Thank goodness I did. Once I was finished re-shooting I got the final images I needed. I then exported the video to Avid where I went about syncing the animations to the audio, which was by far the most time intensive part of the project. Finally, I added some filters to make the video reflect the era and quality of the audio.
Ode to Hitchcock by the numbers:
760 unique images in the video.
20 hours of total production time
4 hours of finding and mixing audio
3 hours of set up and filming
12 hours of editing and syncing
4 different audio clips from 3 different episodes.
Yesterday, while I was working on a project, I had the cast and crew of Star Trek: The Next Generation keeping me company. One of the reasons I really like the show is that it makes me stop and think. Yesterday, there were two such episodes. I thought I would share with you their profound quotes and why they gave me pause. (Warning: This may get philosophical and/or preachy.)
Season 4, Ep. 21: The Drumhead
After a Romulan spy is found aboard the USS Enterprise, a manhunt begins for any other Romulan collaborators. One young crewman is suspected of creating an explosion on the ship and becomes the focus of the hunt. Jean Luc defies the investigative team by allowing the crewman to go about his business instead of restricting him. However, the trials continue until Jean Luc Picard, Captain of the Enterprise, is accused of espionage. In the climax of his trail Jean Luc says, "'With the first link, the chain is forged. The first speech censured, the first thought forbidden , the first freedom denied, chains us all irrevocably.' The first time any man's freedom is trodden on, we're all damaged." This struck me as incredibly relevant for two reasons: SOPA/PIPA and our treatment of suspected terrorists. With the recent shelving of SOPA and PIPA, it appears that Jean Luc's argument would have been well received. Many spoke out in a single voice, refusing to let their freedoms be infringed upon. This was a monumental step forward for us. An achievement that shows the true power an interconnected society can have. However, I believe that Jean Luc's argument is lost when dealing with suspected terrorists. I think back to the episode and how Jean Luc was willing to put himself and his crew at risk to not violate the rights of one man. Meanwhile, we incarcerate people indefinitely without trial, even though as a society we believe that we are innocent until proven guilty. Let me make it clear that I do not have a better solution to the problem. I also realize that it is much easier for a television program to be idealistic. But I do know that we should never stop in pursuit of our lofty ideals. As Jean Luc says at the end of the episode, to maintain our freedom, "constant vigilance is the price we must pay."
Season 4, Ep. 23: The Host
When the two moons of a distant planet are on the brink of war, the Enterprise is enlisted to take an ambassador to the mitigate discussions between the two societies. The ambassador is told by another delegate, "They are more factionalized then ever. Listening is a skill that seems to have evaporated with the heat of argument." To which the ambassador replies, "Speak softly Governor, those who cannot hear an angry shout may strain to hear a whisper." Another fascinating quote with relevant political implications. I often get the feeling that the mentality of our current political climate is fundamentally flawed. Words like compromise seem to be avoided at all costs. Indeed our past 112th Congress spent more time in Washington than ever before, but still managed to be the most unproductive session since records began being kept. The political climate has reached a point where no one listens to each and thus cannot agree on anything. My hope is that as a society we can be that whisper and change all that.
Yesterday, I started on a new stop-motion film. It's taking a bit longer than expected, so in the meantime I wanted to discuss two different stop-motion techniques that I've used in my films. I believe there to be two fundamental stop-motion techniques. From here on I'll refer to them as the mainstream and experimental techniques (these names are based on their usage and are not descriptive of the actual technique). The fundamental difference is that the mainstream technique makes a still subject appear to be moving, and the experimental technique makes a moving subject appear to be still or change its natural course. However, the more important aspect is that these techniques violate an audiences' expectations in different ways and thus produce animations that are perceived differently. Filmmakers can utilize these differences to create different effects.
Many people are familiar with "Claymation" films such as the Rudolph Christmas special and Tim Burton's "The Nightmare Before Christmas." (I guess people get a lot of free time around the holidays.) This is why I refer to this style of stop-motion as the mainstream approach. These films gain their appeal by violating the audiences' expectations that still objects should remain still. I believe that the mainstream technique is more popular because it "gives life" to the subject. A self-propelled figurine has an almost magical effect that captivates the imagination (or at least it captivates mine).
// While doing this post, I found a really cool video using the mainstream technique in a very experimental manner. Sorry i'm late
The experimental technique violates expectations in the opposite fashion of the mainstream technique: taking an object already in motion and making it appear still or changing its course. Many times this technique is used to make objects appear as though they are violating the laws of physics. In THIS video I made myself look like I was flying. This effect is accomplished by taking footage of me repetitiously jumping at the same height but only taking a single frame from the apex of each jump. While this is a fun experimental technique, it is not as widely used in mainstream media as the other form of stop-motion. I believe there are two major reasons why this technique is used less often than its counterpart:
1. There are too many alternatives to create the same effect that are easier to execute and produce a higher quality product. Imagine if you wanted to make a ball look like it was floating. The easiest way to accomplish this would be to suspend the ball from a string and just film it hanging there. This would avoid a lot of filming and editing as well as the choppy image that is inherent to re-creating this effect using stop-motion.
2. It looks very unnatural. The mainstream technique attempts to take the lifeless and make it appear more life like, while the experimental technique attempts to defy the confines of reality. I believe that audiences are more accepting of a film that tries "play by the rules" while finding films that push the boundaries of a film more of a novelty.
Stop-motion is a fun style of film making that anyone can do with enough time, patience, and creativity. While I'm not an expert, I hope that my analysis gives you a better understanding of stop-motion from a viewer stand point. And if you're making a stop-motion film, I hope this can help you understand how your work will be perceived and what technique is right for you.
Lady's and Gents, we have made it through another week. To celebrate my first week of blogging I've decided that today is going to be a fun post. As a young person living in LA, there are lots of things to do and places to go. Today, I want to talk about a little brewery that lives right down the road from my work: Ladyface Ale Company.
I've been working at THQ for a little over a year and half now, yet I've never walked the mile or so down the road to check out the Ladyface Alehouse. About two weeks ago, a coworker of mine came in carrying a growler (a half gallon jug) of beer from Ladyface. I had suspected that they are everywhere with lots of micro-breweries, like Seattle, WA. However, I have been on the LA beer scene for a number of years and never seen one. I was immediately filled with joy and excitement, because I had a birthday party to go to and had yet found something to bring.
The next day, I walked down to the alehouse to pick up some beer. I really like the atmosphere. Inside there are long wooden tables with big blocky benches where large groups or families can sit and chat with each other, while the patio seating looks out toward the mountains that separate Agoura Hills and Malibu. I wasn't there for sunset, but I imagine it would be a nice place for dinner on a warm summer evening. But the best part was the beer (Here's what they have on tap.) I got three different growlers: Ladyface IPA, Blind Ambition (a Belgian abbey-style amber ale), and the Picture City Porter. The IPA and Belgian were pretty good, but Picture City Porter was definitively the star of the show. Which is apt, because Agoura Hills was once known as "Picture City" because of all the movies that were filmed here. It was delightfully creamy with lots of coffee and malt flavors. I will admit, however, that I am partial to porters and stouts.
The prices for pints are average for drinks in LA ($5-$7), however you get a better deal for the growlers (take out only, $6 for the jug and refills start at $12). They don't have a drink happy hour, but they do have cheap eats from Mon-Fri 3-6pm & Th-Sat after 10pm. I didn't eat when I visited, but I probably will sooner or later so I'll update this blog when that happens.
Overall, I liked Ladyface. The beer was excellent and the prices weren't too bad. It is a bit of a drive out of LA, but if you're looking for a local brew that's a little off the beaten path, then I would definitely come check this place out.
If you're like me and you want to get into the gaming industry, yet you don't already know how to code, you're probably trying to learn. I have friend that brought up this awesome sight called www.codecademy.com, which just started its Code Year initiative. Below are eight reasons why everyone should sign up:
1. It's simple to sign up: The page takes a Google approach to its simplicity. There's a nice big box where you put your email address and every Monday you'll receive an email with your lessons.
2. It's Free: Lots of people pay a lot of money to take courses in school or online to learn how to code. While there are no football games or keggers to go to at Codecadmey, you can't beat the price tag.
3. Preset Goals: One of the difficulties that I've had in teaching myself code (I was learning C++ from THIS sight), was that I had nothing to keep me on track but myself. Whenever I got busy, my own lesson plans got smaller and smaller. With Code Year, the emails they send you have a set of lessons that you know you have to finish by next week. And the lesson plans are more than manageable by my account.
4. It's Interactive: When you click on a lesson link you're taken to an interactive page. The left side has instructions while the right side has a lite Integrated Development Environment (IDE) where you can write and run your code. The IDE is the interactive portion of the lesson. Lead you through your lesson by telling you what you've done right and if you're doing it wrong.
5. Lots of Positive Feedback: Some people get crazy with collectibles. Like badges on 4square or achievements on XBL. Code Academy has recognized this and added a point and achievement system into Code Year. It tracks your progress and awards your efforts. Positive reinforcement and collectibles are great ways to motivate people.
6. Sense of Community: Codecademy is also set up with Facebook and Twitter. This way you can tweet your progress and see what you're friends (or total strangers) are up to as well. I enjoy this aspect because knowing you're not alone in your efforts can really help you keep it up.
7. Make Yourself A Better Candidate: I wouldn't recommend doing one lesson then putting "Fluent in JavaScript" on your resume. However, it doesn't hurt to inform people that you're learning. It shows initiative and a willingness to learn. Just make sure that you are upfront about your abilities and limitations if anyone expresses interest.
8. It's not too late! Yes, it is already over halfway through January, but Code Year is only in it's second week. You may have to put in a little more effort, but being behind two weeks shouldn't be a reason to give up on the whole year.
There you have it. Eight simple reasons why everyone should be learning code. And if you're still not convinced, just remember that you don't have anything to lose, but a lot to gain. So let's get out there and code!
(IF YOU ARE UNFAMILIAR WITH LEAGUE OF LEGENDS, PLEASE FOLLOW THIS LINK TO READ THE ABSTRACT THAT I WROTE ABOUT IT.) Have you ever gone to a sporting event with really rude fans? You’re there to have fun, but that drunk guy three rows back is hell-bent on ruining the experience. This is League of Legend’s black-eye: their community of players. I want to make it clear that I love playing League of Legends (LoL) with my friends online. Unfortunately, some of the reasons why I love the game are also the inadvertent causes of its major flaw. There are no natural filters (i.e. low skilled people are not deterred from trying the game because it is free). And emotions are elevated because of the high level of competition. This often leads to teammates fighting over game chat, blaming others, and over all rude behavior. The developer, Riot Games, continues its campaign to improve its community (The Summoner's Code and The Tribunal), but it remains an often immature and hostile environment.
League of Legends debuted in 2009 and is based on a free-to-play model so that anyone can get on and try it out. If you really like LoL and want to support Riot Games, you can throw as much money into it as you want, and if not then no big deal. I love this because it’s a win-win for the developer and gamers. However, no cost barrier means there is nothing to deter casual gamers. Now, this is not a bad thing by any means, because people should be encouraged to try new things. But, casual gamers will have a hard time with the learning curve, unless he or she is naturally skilled or has friends that are willing to teach the ins and outs.
Learning the ins and outs is crucial in League of Legends as it is also a fiercely competitive game. It has a tutorial, as well as options for AI opponents, but sooner or later you’re going to want to play with other people. The only way to get good at playing real people is by teamwork and a willingness to learn. This is where the community starts to break down. When most players start losing, they just give up the fight and harass the weak player instead of trying to explain what that person did wrong.
I really like the game and I’m sure I’ll blog about it in the future. However, dealing with the community has a huge psychological toll. So if you feel like I do, make sure you try and teach others when they fail. Also make sure to report players with bad behavior as that is the only way to kill a troll.
BTW, if you'd like to join me and my friends my tag is rstrojan.
Tomorrow, I'm going to be talking about why I like, and dislike, League of Legends. If you are unfamiliar with LoL (or video games in general) then here is an abstract that I wrote that explains it. If you'd like to watch some gameplay you could go to YouTube or just watch it stream live on CLGgaming.net. Here is the official LoL website.
League of Legends
An abstract review by Ryan Suter
League of Legends is a team-based action-strategy game from the growing “multiplayer online battle arena” genre (MOBA).MOBA games are exclusively played online. Characteristically they release with a small number of heavily tested and well-balanced maps. Traditional story elements, including back story, world story/context, map descriptions, character bios and lore, are expressed in-game as well as on the web. MOBA games are designed around competitive matches that have high replay value.
The main objective in League of Legends (LoL) is to destroy the enemy Nexus by breaking through the enemies’ defenses. Two teams of five players control unique hero units called Champions. Players must use skill, strategy, and map elements in order to gain an advantage in an otherwise equal playing field.
LoL is set up with two bases in opposing corners that are connected by three lanes. Two layers of defenses protect the lanes.
·These defenses are balanced to provide a level playing ground for each team.
·Stationary towers are the first layer of defense. They prevent the Champions from walking straight into the enemy base.
·Endless waves of AI controlled robots (minions) are the second defense. They are designed to protect their lanes and towers. Champions kill the minions and towers in order to gain experience and gold.
Champions are fundamentally balanced, however over the course of the game they differentiate themselves with their items and abilities.
·Experience is used to upgrade abilities.
·Each ability for every Champion is unique in some way.
·Gold is used to purchase items that can give bonus statistics or abilities.
·Items can compliment a player’s Champion or counter an enemy.
Players need to use strategy and teamwork to win games. When picking teams, players need to choose Champions that will compliment their teammates.
·Well-rounded teams are harder to counter.
·It is important to communicate with teammates in order to know when to engage or retreat during a team fight.
·Winning or losing team fights can dictate the victor, as it gives the winning team an advantage.
