My Writings. My Thoughts.
>Codecs suck
- September 3rd, 2009 // No Comments » // Entertainment, Filmmaking, Thoughts, Uncategorized
So,
I finish editing the video together and low and behold, it won’t compile.
I should have seen it coming considering that every time I split a video, a new FFDShow icon would appear in the systray. It gets to about 30% and fails due to “disk space” (nope) or “some other error” (….??…..)
So I uninstalled the ffdshow codec and installed the newest DivX full pack. Got to 75% this time. I think the answer is ditching Movie Maker. The problem is, it’s free and I don’t have the budget for anything really decent.
I may give it a go again though. Maybe having ffdshow in there dorked up the project. Will let ya know. This weekend I’m going to tackle it again.
Script!
- September 1st, 2009 // No Comments » // Entertainment, Filmmaking, Thoughts
It’s a script for a 3-5 minute short film, but it’s my first completion.
The formatting isn’t really correct but I’m proud of it never the less. I have another idea in mind too for my next one !
By the way, since filming is done I’m going to start editing tonight. Hopefully I’ll have something to post soon.
Right Click Me, Save As…The Accident
Movie Learning
- September 1st, 2009 // No Comments » // Entertainment, Filmmaking, Thoughts
Well I finished filming for my short film last night. I’ll start putting up clips and bits of the script this week. I wanted to know that I could finish before I started tossing things out there.
I’ve learned many lessons about filmography from this little endeavor. First and foremost, I’ve learned that I need to take a class for this if I’m going to continue to write and participate in the industry.
Lighting : Wow. It’s such a key element in film but such an art to compose a scene with correct lighting. I filmed some outside only to find out that the professionals light then stop down in post production. Indoors, I tried to add angled light sources as best I could but my budget is such ($0) that I had to use what was available, lamps and such. I have a lot to learn.
Camera : I’m using a cheap HD Sanyo handheld. I chose it because 1) It’s digital, 2) I can adjust white balance, aperture/exposure and a few other factors. However, it only autofocuses. I always heard this can be a problem but didn’t realize how much of one. Had to do some takes several times just to compensate for this. There will still be some focus issues in the final product too, thanks to my lack of lighting knowledge outdoors at night. Other than those things, the picture is fair. I’ll invest in a “real, film quality” camera when I am able to. I believe then I will be known as a “prosumer” instead of “consumer”.
Audio : Ugh. I need a directional microphone. Another cost issue. As it stands, I re-recorded most of the noises/lines and will do what I can to clean it all up.
Summary : I only scratched the surface of the things I need to learn but I’m glad I did this project. I have a great respect for all of the Indie film folks out there who produce such quality work.
Update soon!
Filming
- August 28th, 2009 // No Comments » // Entertainment, Thoughts, Uncategorized
I grabbed my camera and the first scene of the script and tried my hand at a few minutes of footage. My wife stood in as the actress and I filmed short segments from several angles.
I’m working outside at night with little lighting, so it’s tough to get the shots I want but I edited what I could get into a decent effort. I’ll provide more detail about the script and such soon. Just wanted to let anyone who reads this know that “doing it” beats sitting around and “wanting to do it.”
Screenwriting
- August 27th, 2009 // No Comments » // Entertainment, Thoughts
I have been doing a lot of research into formatting and writing scripts. I have dozens of short stories and plenty of experience writing in general, but very limited experience in this realm.
It’s a funny thing to say, but I’m happy to see that there’s an industry standard. I started writing my first screenplay. My intention is for it to be a 2-3 minute short about a woman whose husband was in a vehicular accident. She’s at home waiting for news. The object is to build up the audience’s empathy for the character in a short period of time. I’ll post it once I have a draft I’m happy with.
New Endeavor
- August 25th, 2009 // No Comments » // Entertainment, Thoughts
I’ve decided after a fantastic experience this past weekend to try a new endeavor. Independent film is a fascinating outlet for creativity. I helped on the set of a short movie and was able to see the remarkable interaction between the director, sound, producers, cameramen and how enjoyable the experience was.
I’ve looked for a way to express my visions. Short stories and novel writing are a great medium, but they don’t provide me the satisfaction I seek.
I’m not going to be able to purchase the caliber of equipment they have but hopefully in the weeks to come, I will be able to learn a few things about editing, composition, audio and the other aspects of production. I’ll use the blog to track my learning progress and hopefully provide information for other people who might be interested in trodding down the same path.
Step one is learning as much as I can about writing a screen play. I’ll post any information I find here to have a depository of sorts. The first site I stumbled across that actually had decent information is http://www.makingthefilm.com. I’m trying to not get too excited, but it’s happening anyway.
Talk to you soon and, wish me luck!
Meet Keira
- June 4th, 2009 // 6 Comments » // Uncategorized
I havent’ posted in the past few days because we have a new member in our family!
Keira
This is Keira, a (presumably) mix German Shepherd / ?. I think she has the face shape of a Husky puppy. Her first vet visit is this afternoon, maybe he can tell us what he thinks.
She’s playful, full of energy and seems to be remarkably intelligent. My wife and I are excited about this, it’s something we’ve wanted to do for years.
By the way, I no longer require login for comments, tell me what breeds you think she is!
Unidentified
- May 30th, 2009 // No Comments » // Entertainment, Thoughts
I just posted one of my short stories for your enjoyment. It’s titled “Unidentified” (Click to read).
It’s a fairly quick read, but I think you’ll enjoy it.
Also, a new pages category has been added on the top menu titled “Short Stories”. I have several that I’ve written over the years that I’m revising and posting for readers to digest.
Thanks! Any feedback is welcome.
I Love Sugar! I Love Pie! Science Never Tasted So Good.
- May 30th, 2009 // 1 Comment » // Entertainment, Thoughts
I like to cook and bake. Yes, they’re exclusively different. They are both a process in which the results are often delicious. Cooking is more of an art. A dash of pepper, a little more chipotle. Baking is more of a science. 350 degrees for 35 minutes or the chicken is dry/still pink.
That said, I wanted to share one of the best tasting recipes for a dessert I’ve ever enjoyed or made (not sure of its origin, I’m not claiming its development). It’s simple, and kills at gatherings. All of you out there who have had it know exactly what I’m talking about. Here goes.
Peaches and Cream Pie.. mmm…
First, the ENTIRE ingredient list. This is what you need for the whole process. After this list I will provide directions…
- Electric mixer or whisk
- 2 Mixing bowls (unless you don’t mind washing one out half way through the process)
- 10 inch pie dish
- Pam cooking spray
- ¾ cup flour
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- ½ tsp. salt
- 1 pkg. cook-n-serve vanilla pudding (small size)
- 1 egg
- 3 T. butter
- ½ cup milk
- 1 large can of peach slices in syrup (you’ll keep the syrup for one of the steps)
- 8 oz. cream cheese (let this soften before use)
- ½ cup sugar
(finishing touches)
- 1 T. granulated sugar
- 1 tsp. cinnamon
Okay, here are the directions.
Filling:
- In a large bowl, beat flour, baking powder, salt, cook-n-serve, egg, butter, milk for 2 min. at medium speed.
- Pour into 10″ deep dish pie plate (sprayed with Pam).
- Drain 1 large can of peach slices, reserving syrup.
- Place peach slices on top of filling to within one inch of sides of pan. (Leaves 1 inch of filling exposed around the outside edge)
Topping:
(Preheat oven to 350 at this point)
8 oz. cream cheese
½ cup sugar
3 T. reserved syrup from peaches
- Mix the above together 2 minutes at medium speed in separate bowl or washed out original bowl.
- Spoon on top of peaches to within 1 inch of pie pan sides.
- Sprinkle all over with 1 T sugar mixed with ½ tsp. cinnamon.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes. (Golden brown on the exposed filling).
You can cut into it after it’s done in the oven, but it won’t stay together very well. I stick it in the fridge for an hour or two and it cuts nicely. Tastes great either way.
Mmm... Pie... *Homer drool*
Science never tasted so good.
Gurgle gurgle.
- May 29th, 2009 // 3 Comments » // Thoughts
Waterboarding. Image from Wikipedia.
Yep, an insensitive title for a controversial topic.
Right now, if you pay attention to the news, there is a raging debate about the moral and lawful validity of using certain methods of torture on individuals for the purpose of gleaning information. Namely, Waterboarding. Waterboarding is a method of torture where water is poured over the face when the body is secured to a surface. The face is usually partially covered. This causes a gag reflex and the body to kick into an “I’m drowning” mode.
I’d like to explore “pain and suffering” before we touch on Waterboarding specifically. Lets look at a few facts.
What is torture, Mr. Constitution? Don’t fall asleep while you read this…
Section 2340A, 18 USC defines torture as an “act committed by a person acting under the color of law specifically intended to inflict severe physical or mental pain or suffering (other than pain or suffering incidental to lawful sanctions) upon another person within his custody or physical control.”
The interesting point is that the Constitution is applicable to U.S. nationals and only within our borders.
How does one quantify severe physical or mental pain or suffering? When I think about my personal experiences in Martial Arts, the reaction to physical pain appears to be subjective. Exaggeratedly, you can bend some people in half without so much as a yelp, where as others start crying as soon as they see the ceiling. Are they processing pain, electrical synapses, differently? In general, I don’t believe so. They’re perceiving the signals that something is wrong (the primary purpose of pain. It’s our red flashing light), and reacting according to their personalities (or training, as it were).
Lets look at a few popular known methods of inflicting pain.
The Medieval Rack. We’re all familiar with its grisly reputation. Now, this device inflicts real physical damage. Measurable. Will you scream? Likely… but that depends.
The Iron Maiden. Anyone have a mop?
Drawing and Quartering. I had a conversation with someone not too long ago about which joint in the leg would dislocate first. I’m thinking the knees before the hips, I’ll have to look this one up.
These devices are going to trigger all sorts of signals in the brain. Whether you’ll show it or not is based on your reactive threshold.
Severity of mental pain and suffering is even more subjective. Men and women are trained in the armed forces every year to resist and even ignore the effects of prolonged exposure to different stimuli. The SERE Program is a great example of this. The fact that mental pain and suffering damages paid are determined by a Judge in the U.S. legal system is another example of how immeasurable it can be.
So we have Waterboarding. Torture? Going by the Constitutional definition of torture and if pain is subjectively experienced, it could absolutely be considered torture.
In using this method to interrogate terrorists, is it “morally reprehensible?” Again, subjective. Are your morals defined by your society, your religion or within your own mind? Personally, my answer is if it’s used for a prolonged period of time, perhaps. (How long? See document exerpt below, sounds about right).
Maybe it’s necessary. I think that something is.
So, the debate will rage on. My opinion stands that this is absolutely an acceptable method of interrogation as it is currently applied, as long as we follow the rules we set for ourselves (again, see the memo to the CIA below). Look at the three other options for interrogation listed above! I say this while remembering but setting aside the “who” and the massive scale that the people being interrogated planned on inflicting terror upon the free world. (Which warrants a special type of treatment too ^_^)
Below is the an interseting exerpt from a document drafted as a response to a CIA request. The request was, in a nutshell, to have the amendment above outlined, defining what qualifies as severe physical or mental pain.
From a memo, Jay Bybee. (Link fixed now) Don’t slam me too hard for referencing this one =p I know it got a lot of criticism.
“…Finally, you would like to use a technique called the “water-board.” In this procedure, the
individual is bound securely loan inclined bench, Which is approXimately four feet by seven feet.
The individual’s feet are generally elevated. A cloth is placed over the forehead and eyes. Water
is then applied to the cloth in a controlled manner. As this is done, the cloth is lowered until it
covers both the nose and mouth. Once the cloth is saturated and completely covers tbe mouth
and nose, air now is slightly restricted for 20 to 40 seconds due to the presence of the cloth. This
causes an increase in carbon dioxide level in the individual’s blood. This increase in the carbon
dioxide level stimulates increased effort to breathe. This effort plus the cloth produces the
perception of”suffocation and incipient panic,” i.e.,the perception of drowning. the individual
does not breathe any water into his lungs. During those 20 to 40 seconds, water is continuously
applied from a height of twelve to twenty-four inches. After this period, the cloth is lifted, and
the individual is allowed to breathe unimpeded for three or four full breaths. The sensation of
drowning is immediately relieved by the removal of the cloth. The procedure may then be
repeated. The water is usually applied from a canteen cup or small watering can with a spout.
You have orally informed us that this procedure triggers an automatic physiological sensation of
drowning that the individual cannot control even though he may be aware that he is in fact not
drowning. You have also orally informed. us that it is likely that this procedure would not last
more than 20 minutes in any one application.
We also understand that a medical expert with SERE experience will be present
throughout this phase and that the procedures will be stopped if deemed medically necessary to
prevent severe mental or physical harm to Zubaydah. As mentioned above, Zubdayah suffered
an injury during his capture. You have informed us that steps will be taken to ensure that this
injury is not in any way exacerbated by the use of these methOds and that adequate medical
attention will be given to ensure that it will heal properly.”
The last few sentences show me that we have arguably more conscience in hand than perhaps these people deserve.
