Friday, August 24, 2012
Looks Like We Made It!
Against all odds, we reached our $1,500 goal on Kickstarter to help fund our new web series! This is so awersome! Backers will get their copy of the season and two will receive special VIP access at the premiere of the first episode party! We're so close to begin shooting, but unfortunately we had to replace ANOTHER actress, but things are looking well! We'll keep you posted and as always, thanks for reading!
Tuesday, August 21, 2012
The Hunger Games vs Battle Royale
So with The Hunger Games being released on DVD, it really got me thinking about how the whole franchise is severely overrated. It's the same thing that happened with Twilight. A wholly unoriginal story with poorly developed characters and a story that actually had a chance to be good, but for whatever reason the author/director ruins it. In this post I will analyze the differences between The Hunger Games and Battle Royale in both movie and print forms. I will analyze several aspects of both works on a scale of one to five.
1. Overall Concept: Battle Royale (4), The Hunger Games (3)
While the basic idea of The Hunger Games isn't bad at all, Battle Royale's originality is superior. For one thing, Battle Royale takes place in an alternate timeline in the present. This makes the horror of the situation really hit home. The date is undisclosed, but this is to make it seem as though the story is present day, especially to the Japanese audience it was intended for. Hunger Games, on the other hand, takes place in a dystopian future that is highly unlikely to take place. When you add the element of the government being able to genetically engineer new species that behave more like automatons rather than animals, this reader was left feeling that the author was insulting the intelligence of her audience. Understanding the plausibility of the Battle Royale society requires a little bit of understanding of Japanese sociology, WWII propaganda and history that the average American doesn't have, but I encourage anyone reading this to experience both books and decide for themselves.
2. Characters: Battle Royale (5), The Hunger Games (1)
This is probably the biggest difference between the two books. By my count, The Hunger Games really only has two main characters and about 8-10 important supporting characters. Battle Royale follows an entire junior high school class, but has about 9 main characters that the reader follows more closely. The amazing part of Battle Royale is that even the minor characters (who only live about one chapter) have their time to shine. The reader gets to know these individuals on an intimate level and even the bad guys (with the exception of Kazuo) are able to be pitied in their death. Many characters intersect as well, making their ultimate deaths even more horrifying. Takami achieves this largely by writing in third person, so that the reader can be omniscient. Collins chose to write the entire story through Katniss Everdeen's point of view and I honestly think that telling such a grand story from in first person was her biggest mistake as an author. How different would Harry Potter have been if it had been written from Harry's point of view? Apart from the number of characters, Takami's are much more loveable. The ever-present optimist Shuya is a character everyone can root for, whereas Katniss comes across as annoying, moody and quite frankly a bitch with an attitude. Katniss refuses help and advice continually throughout the book and one must wonder why no one simply says, "Fine! Go out and die then!"
3. Story: Battle Royale (4), The Hunger Games (2)
This part is tricky because many will disagree with me, but please read the entire section before you skin me alive. The Hunger Games has a story that had the potential to be incredibly profound and carry some weight. That being said, it still packs a punch, I simply find it regrettable that Ms. Collins chose to focus more on the musings of a 16-year-old girl rather than the socioeconomic and revolutionary world that she created. True, the center of Battle Royale has to do with friendship and love, but survival and distrust of the government are a large part as well. Shogo's character serves to open the mind of the reader to the idea that maybe even our government (or rather the modern Japanese government) isn't so much better than the one portrayed in the book. At no point in The Hunger Games does anyone really take a step back and legitimately make the audience feel that the tribute system is wrong. In fact, the book seems to glorify the forces slaughter of children. Perhaps the author intended to show the horror of the situation in this way, but the way the story is written it honestly looks like the author got lazy. The ending is especially a cop-out with The Hunger Games. The horrible part of Battle Royale is that under no circumstances is there more than one survivor, ever. The Hunger Games conveniently change the rules to supposedly make the audience happy. I can't stress enough how disappointed I was when that happened. That development completely cheats the audience out of a real winning experience (Also this is the part where Katniss very suddenly begins to care for Peeta, it is so abrupt it shows real laziness on the part of the writer). So Katniss and Peeta win the day when the government reverses the decision, so they threaten to commit suicide together. Their logic is that martyrdom of the children would create dissent among the people of Panem (a lame-ass name if I ever heard one). Here's the problem: If you're a totalitarian regime, would you bitch out like that? Or would a more effective way of keeping order be to show that even love has no hope of winning? The one GOOD moment where dissent takes place and works is actually in the movie when Rue is killed. There is a beautiful series of shots that cut between Katniss treating Rue's body and the people of District 7 rising up and being beaten back by government police forces, but this shows the beginning of revolutionary feelings that will likely rear their heads in Catching Fire.
Adaptations: Battle Royale (4), The Hunger Games (4)
I rate adaptations the same for a few reasons. Allow me to explain. Battle Royale began as a novel, and I feel the novel is superior to the film and manga adaptations. However, the adaptations aren't bad at all. The only complaint I have about the manga is that at times the violence and gore seem a bit excessive and playing to the audience's desire to see it rather than working for plot. Plus there is a lot more "skin" in the manga. While there is sex in Battle Royale, the manga adds quite a bit more. Granted, it works but it still feels like pandering when reading these scenes and I wouldn't say it digresses to filth or pornography (especially by manga standards where nudity can be fairly commonplace). The film was done very well, but I have to confess to what seems to be a lack of quality likely due to a $4.5 million budget. To give you an idea, The Hunger Games had a budget of $78 million. However, Battle Royale would go on to become one of the top ten highest grossing Japanese films of all time and is considered one of the best ever made by critics with generally positive reviews across the board. The film also spawned an original sequel that was also pretty good for what it was. The Hunger Games movie was sooooo much better than the book mainly because we didn't have to be stuck in the mind of Katniss the whole time, but the film did showcase some of my biggest pet peeves. For one thing, this film does the very "in thing" of intentionally having an overly shaking camera (thank you Cloverfield) and likes to overly showcase simple moments like Katniss spending five minutes walking through the woods. Five minutes of walking. At least in The Lord of the Rings they were walking AND talking. Oh, but when she runs into Gail the spend five minutes sitting and talking. FUN! My biggest problem? They filmmakers really bitched out to get that PG-13 rating. It's a movie about children killing children. That's an R rating people. Since it's a PG-13 movie, any chance you have to hammer in the shear horror of what's going on is ruined because they can't show anything! This is particularly annoying at the beginning of the games when a veritable slaughter takes place and we see nothing except Peeta and Katniss running. We don't even hear it! Instead they play cheesy music that belongs in an elevator. We see no aftermath either. Everything is implied. However, despite all my complaints the film looks great and is still pretty good and worth seeing. Heck, I may still buy the thing and will probably still see the sequels, but Battle Royale is far superior.
1. Overall Concept: Battle Royale (4), The Hunger Games (3)
While the basic idea of The Hunger Games isn't bad at all, Battle Royale's originality is superior. For one thing, Battle Royale takes place in an alternate timeline in the present. This makes the horror of the situation really hit home. The date is undisclosed, but this is to make it seem as though the story is present day, especially to the Japanese audience it was intended for. Hunger Games, on the other hand, takes place in a dystopian future that is highly unlikely to take place. When you add the element of the government being able to genetically engineer new species that behave more like automatons rather than animals, this reader was left feeling that the author was insulting the intelligence of her audience. Understanding the plausibility of the Battle Royale society requires a little bit of understanding of Japanese sociology, WWII propaganda and history that the average American doesn't have, but I encourage anyone reading this to experience both books and decide for themselves.
2. Characters: Battle Royale (5), The Hunger Games (1)
This is probably the biggest difference between the two books. By my count, The Hunger Games really only has two main characters and about 8-10 important supporting characters. Battle Royale follows an entire junior high school class, but has about 9 main characters that the reader follows more closely. The amazing part of Battle Royale is that even the minor characters (who only live about one chapter) have their time to shine. The reader gets to know these individuals on an intimate level and even the bad guys (with the exception of Kazuo) are able to be pitied in their death. Many characters intersect as well, making their ultimate deaths even more horrifying. Takami achieves this largely by writing in third person, so that the reader can be omniscient. Collins chose to write the entire story through Katniss Everdeen's point of view and I honestly think that telling such a grand story from in first person was her biggest mistake as an author. How different would Harry Potter have been if it had been written from Harry's point of view? Apart from the number of characters, Takami's are much more loveable. The ever-present optimist Shuya is a character everyone can root for, whereas Katniss comes across as annoying, moody and quite frankly a bitch with an attitude. Katniss refuses help and advice continually throughout the book and one must wonder why no one simply says, "Fine! Go out and die then!"
3. Story: Battle Royale (4), The Hunger Games (2)
This part is tricky because many will disagree with me, but please read the entire section before you skin me alive. The Hunger Games has a story that had the potential to be incredibly profound and carry some weight. That being said, it still packs a punch, I simply find it regrettable that Ms. Collins chose to focus more on the musings of a 16-year-old girl rather than the socioeconomic and revolutionary world that she created. True, the center of Battle Royale has to do with friendship and love, but survival and distrust of the government are a large part as well. Shogo's character serves to open the mind of the reader to the idea that maybe even our government (or rather the modern Japanese government) isn't so much better than the one portrayed in the book. At no point in The Hunger Games does anyone really take a step back and legitimately make the audience feel that the tribute system is wrong. In fact, the book seems to glorify the forces slaughter of children. Perhaps the author intended to show the horror of the situation in this way, but the way the story is written it honestly looks like the author got lazy. The ending is especially a cop-out with The Hunger Games. The horrible part of Battle Royale is that under no circumstances is there more than one survivor, ever. The Hunger Games conveniently change the rules to supposedly make the audience happy. I can't stress enough how disappointed I was when that happened. That development completely cheats the audience out of a real winning experience (Also this is the part where Katniss very suddenly begins to care for Peeta, it is so abrupt it shows real laziness on the part of the writer). So Katniss and Peeta win the day when the government reverses the decision, so they threaten to commit suicide together. Their logic is that martyrdom of the children would create dissent among the people of Panem (a lame-ass name if I ever heard one). Here's the problem: If you're a totalitarian regime, would you bitch out like that? Or would a more effective way of keeping order be to show that even love has no hope of winning? The one GOOD moment where dissent takes place and works is actually in the movie when Rue is killed. There is a beautiful series of shots that cut between Katniss treating Rue's body and the people of District 7 rising up and being beaten back by government police forces, but this shows the beginning of revolutionary feelings that will likely rear their heads in Catching Fire.
Adaptations: Battle Royale (4), The Hunger Games (4)
I rate adaptations the same for a few reasons. Allow me to explain. Battle Royale began as a novel, and I feel the novel is superior to the film and manga adaptations. However, the adaptations aren't bad at all. The only complaint I have about the manga is that at times the violence and gore seem a bit excessive and playing to the audience's desire to see it rather than working for plot. Plus there is a lot more "skin" in the manga. While there is sex in Battle Royale, the manga adds quite a bit more. Granted, it works but it still feels like pandering when reading these scenes and I wouldn't say it digresses to filth or pornography (especially by manga standards where nudity can be fairly commonplace). The film was done very well, but I have to confess to what seems to be a lack of quality likely due to a $4.5 million budget. To give you an idea, The Hunger Games had a budget of $78 million. However, Battle Royale would go on to become one of the top ten highest grossing Japanese films of all time and is considered one of the best ever made by critics with generally positive reviews across the board. The film also spawned an original sequel that was also pretty good for what it was. The Hunger Games movie was sooooo much better than the book mainly because we didn't have to be stuck in the mind of Katniss the whole time, but the film did showcase some of my biggest pet peeves. For one thing, this film does the very "in thing" of intentionally having an overly shaking camera (thank you Cloverfield) and likes to overly showcase simple moments like Katniss spending five minutes walking through the woods. Five minutes of walking. At least in The Lord of the Rings they were walking AND talking. Oh, but when she runs into Gail the spend five minutes sitting and talking. FUN! My biggest problem? They filmmakers really bitched out to get that PG-13 rating. It's a movie about children killing children. That's an R rating people. Since it's a PG-13 movie, any chance you have to hammer in the shear horror of what's going on is ruined because they can't show anything! This is particularly annoying at the beginning of the games when a veritable slaughter takes place and we see nothing except Peeta and Katniss running. We don't even hear it! Instead they play cheesy music that belongs in an elevator. We see no aftermath either. Everything is implied. However, despite all my complaints the film looks great and is still pretty good and worth seeing. Heck, I may still buy the thing and will probably still see the sequels, but Battle Royale is far superior.
Thursday, July 26, 2012
Kickstarter!
Greetings everyone. This quick update is to tell everyone about our Kickstarter campaign. For those of you who don't already know, we've recently discovered Kickstarter! I can't believe we didn't know about this site before. Anyway, help us raise some additional funds for our upcoming web series by visiting our Kickstarter page and sharing it when your friends! If you can give money, great! If you can't, simply passing the word along will help! Thanks to everyone in advance for helping out!
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1628324602/web-paige
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1628324602/web-paige
Thursday, July 12, 2012
Update
Hello faithful readers! I'm terribly sorry for not posting for a long, long, long, loooooong time but I've been very busy. Which is what brings me to this update.
1. We are done casting for our web show and I must say we found some very talented people. We have almost all of the scripts done and things are moving right along.
2. Our first sales reports for Luke Robbins: Real Men Wear Vests online distribution came back. I was disappointed and then I realized I was looking at the dates wrong and the money brought it was only for that week, so now I'm excited to see more.
3. Wayne Campbell, the artist, has a new patent coming out soon and we'll be doing a video for that along with a new drawing/painting DVD for beginners, so look for that!
4. USGBC Alabama Chapter has asked us to do another video for their annual Gala. We're currently working with their executive director on that.
That's all for now and I promise I'll have another fun post coming soon.
1. We are done casting for our web show and I must say we found some very talented people. We have almost all of the scripts done and things are moving right along.
2. Our first sales reports for Luke Robbins: Real Men Wear Vests online distribution came back. I was disappointed and then I realized I was looking at the dates wrong and the money brought it was only for that week, so now I'm excited to see more.
3. Wayne Campbell, the artist, has a new patent coming out soon and we'll be doing a video for that along with a new drawing/painting DVD for beginners, so look for that!
4. USGBC Alabama Chapter has asked us to do another video for their annual Gala. We're currently working with their executive director on that.
That's all for now and I promise I'll have another fun post coming soon.
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
Casting Call
Vision Video, LLC is holding open auditions for women 18-27 for our new web comedy/drama series.
We're casting two supporting female characters who will be prominent throughout the show.
Bethany (18-27) - A twenty-something aspiring reporter. She is caring and supportive of her friends' endevours. She's very frustrated at her job since she's used primarily to get coffee.
Cassie (18-27) - A twenty-something elementary school teacher. She is crude and has no social barometer often coming off as rude, but in reality she's just honest.
We will be at The Fairfield Inn Conference Room (5905 W. 86th Street, Indianapolis 46278) on May 20th 10 AM - 4 PM. Anyone and everyone is encouraged to come out and audition.
ALL APPLICANTS MUST BRING A VALID PHOTO ID AND A HEAD SHOT. Everyone is encouraged to bring along a portfolio and resume if you have one. This is a non-paid position, but we will re-negotiate after the first six episodes should we film more.
If you have any questions or can't make the audition, please e-mail us with your head shot and we'll make arrangements for you.
We're casting two supporting female characters who will be prominent throughout the show.
Bethany (18-27) - A twenty-something aspiring reporter. She is caring and supportive of her friends' endevours. She's very frustrated at her job since she's used primarily to get coffee.
Cassie (18-27) - A twenty-something elementary school teacher. She is crude and has no social barometer often coming off as rude, but in reality she's just honest.
We will be at The Fairfield Inn Conference Room (5905 W. 86th Street, Indianapolis 46278) on May 20th 10 AM - 4 PM. Anyone and everyone is encouraged to come out and audition.
ALL APPLICANTS MUST BRING A VALID PHOTO ID AND A HEAD SHOT. Everyone is encouraged to bring along a portfolio and resume if you have one. This is a non-paid position, but we will re-negotiate after the first six episodes should we film more.
If you have any questions or can't make the audition, please e-mail us with your head shot and we'll make arrangements for you.
Thursday, April 12, 2012
BIG Update
Okay, so a lot has been happening lately. First of all, the latest project.
Vision Video recently did 10 video segments or motivational speaker, Jerry Ackerman. You can see all 10 on our You Tube channel or check out www.jerryackerman.net.
The second big thing is that we FINALLY got our website up! Same domain as the store used to be: www.visionvideollc.com. To go directly to the store you can go to shop.visionvideollc.com. We're very excited about the site and we're dramatically expanding our services!
Thirdly, our web series is really starting to come together. We have two scripts finished and finalized. We're copyrighting them as they come in. We have our leading actress signed on and we're having an open casting call on May 20th! For more information please contact our producer, Andrea at andrea@visionvideollc.com!
Vision Video recently did 10 video segments or motivational speaker, Jerry Ackerman. You can see all 10 on our You Tube channel or check out www.jerryackerman.net.
The second big thing is that we FINALLY got our website up! Same domain as the store used to be: www.visionvideollc.com. To go directly to the store you can go to shop.visionvideollc.com. We're very excited about the site and we're dramatically expanding our services!
Thirdly, our web series is really starting to come together. We have two scripts finished and finalized. We're copyrighting them as they come in. We have our leading actress signed on and we're having an open casting call on May 20th! For more information please contact our producer, Andrea at andrea@visionvideollc.com!
Sunday, March 25, 2012
Rurouni Kenshin: The Movie?!
Oh my goodness you all have no idea how excited I was when I saw this trailer on YouTube. I thought maybe it was a fake one at first (like the April Fool's Legend of Zelda trailer -_-). Fortunately, it is not a fake and it's totally going to rock. For those of you who haven't seen the trailer yet, it's right below.
Aside from the fact that Rurouni Kenshin is an awesome story, there are several great things that I see in the trailer alone. First and foremost the audio is still in Japanese (notice the Warner Bros. logo at the beginning). Don't be fooled, the film isn't being distributed by Warner Bros., it's actually being produced by them. For Warner Bros. (an American studio giant) to actually produce a film like Rurouni Kenshin all on their own is a real tip of the hat to anime and manga's cultural influence here in the West. Another tip of the hat is the fact that the production itself is entirely Japanese. No American director, actors, etc. It looks like Rurouni Kenshin will be a world-wide release made soley by Japanese cinema, which has been overlooked far too long in my opinion.
The second awesome thing I see is the wardrobe. Typically with comic book movies (both American and Japanese) I've found that the costumes are one of two extremes. They are either nothing like the original comic, or they're so similar that they look cheap and cosplay. Rurouni Kenshin has achieved something rare. They've managed to translate from comic to live action seamlessly. The costumes are all dead ringers for their manga counterparts, but don't look so ridiculous that they scream costume.
Great thing number 3? American kids are finally gonna learn some history without knowing it. For those of you who haven't seen or read Rurouni Kenshin, it's set shortly after the Meiji Restoration in Japan and tells the story of an assassin from the Bakumatsu who changes his ways and tries to make up for his past deeds. The Kenshin character is a great vehicle to learn about the very fast and large changes Japan underwent during this time. Kenshin is very much a moderate. While he doesn't necessarily let go of the old ways, he understands that those like him must step back and let the new generation take over. Many characters from the series are based on real people like Saito Hajime, who was a real samurai turned police man and educator in his later years. Kenshin himself is based upon the mysterious assassin, Kawakami Gensai. The upshot to the movie being in Japanese is that people will hear the real vocabulary associated with these people. One of my biggest annoyances with the show (not the manga) was the translation of some of the words and concepts. Kenshin is often referred to as "Battosai the Manslayer" in the English anime adaptation. This is a poor translation. Kenshin's real title is "Hitokiri Battosai". Battosai is just a warrior name, but "hitokiri" essentially means assassin. Manslayer sounds like a singular title given to a particular assassin, but really it's just a occupational title. Also, words like Shinsengumi don't appear too often in the anime, but are rampant in the manga. Learning about the Shinsengumi confuses most Westerners because they have a hard time understanding that there really weren't good guys or bad guys, just people with different ideas of how the country should be run. There are several other manga titles that are sympathetic to the Shinsengumi, so this film should be a great opportunity for viewers to learn a little bit of history that is often overlooked.
Oh, you thought I was done? I saved the best for last. As a live action movie, Rurouni Kenshin promises to deliver some of the coolest, most awesome, kick-ass sword/fight scenes you could ever hope to see. In the story, Kenshin is a master of the fictional sword fighting style "Hiten Misturugi-ryu". This style calls for speed, agility, master swordsmanship and a lot of aerial moves that will leave your jaw on the floor. Of course, this style is physically impossible (or at the very least impractical) but for a movie it should be a treat. From what I can see in the trailer, they've kept the story pretty well intact. We see characters from the manga like Sanosuke, Jin-E, Yamagata and Saito. I only hope characters like Yahiko and Aoshi are present as well.
Aside from the fact that Rurouni Kenshin is an awesome story, there are several great things that I see in the trailer alone. First and foremost the audio is still in Japanese (notice the Warner Bros. logo at the beginning). Don't be fooled, the film isn't being distributed by Warner Bros., it's actually being produced by them. For Warner Bros. (an American studio giant) to actually produce a film like Rurouni Kenshin all on their own is a real tip of the hat to anime and manga's cultural influence here in the West. Another tip of the hat is the fact that the production itself is entirely Japanese. No American director, actors, etc. It looks like Rurouni Kenshin will be a world-wide release made soley by Japanese cinema, which has been overlooked far too long in my opinion.
The second awesome thing I see is the wardrobe. Typically with comic book movies (both American and Japanese) I've found that the costumes are one of two extremes. They are either nothing like the original comic, or they're so similar that they look cheap and cosplay. Rurouni Kenshin has achieved something rare. They've managed to translate from comic to live action seamlessly. The costumes are all dead ringers for their manga counterparts, but don't look so ridiculous that they scream costume.
Great thing number 3? American kids are finally gonna learn some history without knowing it. For those of you who haven't seen or read Rurouni Kenshin, it's set shortly after the Meiji Restoration in Japan and tells the story of an assassin from the Bakumatsu who changes his ways and tries to make up for his past deeds. The Kenshin character is a great vehicle to learn about the very fast and large changes Japan underwent during this time. Kenshin is very much a moderate. While he doesn't necessarily let go of the old ways, he understands that those like him must step back and let the new generation take over. Many characters from the series are based on real people like Saito Hajime, who was a real samurai turned police man and educator in his later years. Kenshin himself is based upon the mysterious assassin, Kawakami Gensai. The upshot to the movie being in Japanese is that people will hear the real vocabulary associated with these people. One of my biggest annoyances with the show (not the manga) was the translation of some of the words and concepts. Kenshin is often referred to as "Battosai the Manslayer" in the English anime adaptation. This is a poor translation. Kenshin's real title is "Hitokiri Battosai". Battosai is just a warrior name, but "hitokiri" essentially means assassin. Manslayer sounds like a singular title given to a particular assassin, but really it's just a occupational title. Also, words like Shinsengumi don't appear too often in the anime, but are rampant in the manga. Learning about the Shinsengumi confuses most Westerners because they have a hard time understanding that there really weren't good guys or bad guys, just people with different ideas of how the country should be run. There are several other manga titles that are sympathetic to the Shinsengumi, so this film should be a great opportunity for viewers to learn a little bit of history that is often overlooked.
Oh, you thought I was done? I saved the best for last. As a live action movie, Rurouni Kenshin promises to deliver some of the coolest, most awesome, kick-ass sword/fight scenes you could ever hope to see. In the story, Kenshin is a master of the fictional sword fighting style "Hiten Misturugi-ryu". This style calls for speed, agility, master swordsmanship and a lot of aerial moves that will leave your jaw on the floor. Of course, this style is physically impossible (or at the very least impractical) but for a movie it should be a treat. From what I can see in the trailer, they've kept the story pretty well intact. We see characters from the manga like Sanosuke, Jin-E, Yamagata and Saito. I only hope characters like Yahiko and Aoshi are present as well.
Thursday, March 22, 2012
Another Quick Update
Hello readers. I apologize for not posting in awhile, but I've been extremely busy! I promise I'll make it up to you in the next few days though. I thougt I'd take a second here and bring you all up to speed and give you a little preview of what to expect!
First thing's first, the Luke Robbins DVD and CD are available on Amazon.com now! I've posted links to each one so you can see for yourself!
DVD: http://www.amazon.com/Luke-Robbins-Real-Wear-Vests/dp/B007EDWG3K/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1332423078&sr=8-1
CD: http://www.amazon.com/Luke-Robbins-Real-Wear-Vests/dp/B007EE4CMM/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1332423078&sr=8-2
Also, we've finished up the first video for IndyFeral Inc. Enjoy it below!
Now, last but not least, I've already come up with some blog topics for you to look forward to, but the next one slated is going to be The Hunger Games vs Battle Royale. I know that Hunger Games will be the next HUGE sensation in the U.S., but I hardly think it will be nearly as good as they say. I feel like they have a really good opportunity to tell a great story, but based on what I've read up on it they ruin the whole thing. I'm talking about the books as well as the movies too so I don't want to hear any of this "read the book it's better crap". Now to be fair, I will obtain a copy of Hunger Games and read that sucker, I'm also finishing up re-reading Battle Royale so everything will be fresh in my mind.
Now! A list of topics you have to look forward to:
Hunger Games vs Battle Royale
Rurouni Kenshin: The Movie!?
The Big Bang Theory and the Evolution of Television
Apple vs PC: The Paradox
The Butterfly Effect: Chaos Theory for Your Everyday Life
Brokeback Mountain: A Tale of Sin (But Not The One You Think).
The Wonder Years Problem: Copyright Law vs The Consumer
AMD vs Intel: The Never-Ending Battle
To Upgrade or Buy New?
There's Only One "One Tree Hill"
There will be more added of course and the order will vary, but these are some of the topics you have to look forward to. As always, thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed!
First thing's first, the Luke Robbins DVD and CD are available on Amazon.com now! I've posted links to each one so you can see for yourself!
DVD: http://www.amazon.com/Luke-Robbins-Real-Wear-Vests/dp/B007EDWG3K/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1332423078&sr=8-1
CD: http://www.amazon.com/Luke-Robbins-Real-Wear-Vests/dp/B007EE4CMM/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1332423078&sr=8-2
Also, we've finished up the first video for IndyFeral Inc. Enjoy it below!
Now, last but not least, I've already come up with some blog topics for you to look forward to, but the next one slated is going to be The Hunger Games vs Battle Royale. I know that Hunger Games will be the next HUGE sensation in the U.S., but I hardly think it will be nearly as good as they say. I feel like they have a really good opportunity to tell a great story, but based on what I've read up on it they ruin the whole thing. I'm talking about the books as well as the movies too so I don't want to hear any of this "read the book it's better crap". Now to be fair, I will obtain a copy of Hunger Games and read that sucker, I'm also finishing up re-reading Battle Royale so everything will be fresh in my mind.
Now! A list of topics you have to look forward to:
Hunger Games vs Battle Royale
Rurouni Kenshin: The Movie!?
The Big Bang Theory and the Evolution of Television
Apple vs PC: The Paradox
The Butterfly Effect: Chaos Theory for Your Everyday Life
Brokeback Mountain: A Tale of Sin (But Not The One You Think).
The Wonder Years Problem: Copyright Law vs The Consumer
AMD vs Intel: The Never-Ending Battle
To Upgrade or Buy New?
There's Only One "One Tree Hill"
There will be more added of course and the order will vary, but these are some of the topics you have to look forward to. As always, thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed!
Saturday, February 18, 2012
5 DO'S and DON'TS When Dealing With a Small Business
It's very likely that at some point in your life (whether you knew it or not) you've worked with a small business. On the surface, we may not seem all that different from the big guys. We may have employees, most of us take credit cards and we may have a big facility. The similarities end there. Most people have no idea just how hard it is to keep a business up and running. A small business owner generally puts in about 80 hours a week and wears many different hats. Here are just a couple of pieces of advice when dealing with a small business.
DO: Deal with a small business over a large corporation.
While it is true that some small business are more expensive than their corporate giant counterparts, the fact is that most of the time small business are less expensive. Really we have to be to stay alive. It doesn't make sense for us to have less advertising power, a small territory and higher prices. Even if the initial price is higher, often you'll find that the long term investment will save you money in the long run. For exampe, I recently had to purchase a new DVD writer for my computer. I did comparison pricing at both Best Buy and a little computer store. The little computer store was a little more expensive, so I bought from Best Buy. Turns out, the DVD writer from the big guy was missing a very important power cable. I checked with the little guys and they told me that not only did they include the power cable (for free) but they offered a serpate warranty in addition to the manufacturer's. So basically I could've have spent $5 more and ended up with a single trip, an extended (2 more years!) warranty and helped out my local economy. I go to the small guys now. Not to mention, I had to do all the work myself at Best Buy. I told the clerk what I needed from my writer and I may as well have been speaking Greek to the guy.
DON'T: Try To Haggle With Us!
Believe me when I say that we price our products/services the way we do for a reason. We're not trying to screw you over. We're trying to cover our cost, overhead and make a little profit. If you don't like the price, check somewhere else. Most of the time you'll be coming right back. We do everything we can to be competitive and if a small business isn't competitive, they will close. Rest assured, we understand competition brings life to the economy and business. One more thing. Stop asking us to wipe the sales tax for you. Taxes are one of the most expensive parts of running a business. Sales tax is only one of the many taxes we have to pay, so help us out and pay it like you're supposed to. If you have a problem with sales tax, talk to your Congressman, don't bother use by being cheap.
DO: Tell Your Friends and Family.
That's right, we want you to tell everyone you know. Heck, tell people you don't know all about us. This includes the good, the bad and the ugly. A good business owner understands that word of mouth is the most important and effective method of advertising out there, and we rely on it. If a small business has done you wrong, tell people about it! If they're smart they'll remedy the situation and make sure you leave happy and satisfied. If they don't then they shouldn't be in business. The consumer is the driving force in our economy. If someone is doing bad business, then they should close. Simple as that. If someone is doing good business, then the whole world should know. Take time to recommend a good business.
DON'T: Act Like You're Our Only Customer.
We understand you want your stuff now. The problem is, so does everyone else. As a small business we have to keep all of our customers happy. This means that we try to take care of everyone as quickly and efficiently as possible. Please, make it easier on everyone and wait your turn like your mother taught you. Nothing is more annoying than a customer acting like a child because THEY WANT IT NOW!!! Belive me, it says a whole lot more about you than it does about us. Sometimes things go wrong. Every small business is well acquainted with Murphey's Law. You have a right to be upset and/or frustrated, but please treat us with respect. We never want to purposefully make you wait. If you're polite and respectful about your complaint, we will usually find a way to make it up to you. If for some reason we don't make it up to you, see the previous DO.
DO: Ask Us What Form of Payment WE Prefer.
This is one of the more important facts that the public is generally unaware of when it comes to dealing with a small business. There was a time when everyone preferred cash, but sometimes it's not the case anymore. Some businesses prefer to have a paper trail rather than save on card fees. Some businesses refuse to take personal checks anymore and if they do it still makes them nervous. One thing is for certain, if you're paying with a debit card, ask us if we prefer to run it as debit or credit. We know you want your points, but let's be honest. This little transaction won't get you that many and it will cost us quite a bit of money. Card processing rates are usually much lower to run a debit card than a credit card. Mine for example is 6% on a credit card and about 60 cents for a debit. So if I run a $100 transaction as credit, it costs me $6.00. If I ran the same transaction as a debit, it costs me $0.60. See the difference? Run your credit card to get your points at the big, corporate guys who can afford it (and often get a lower fee from the card processsing companies!)
DON'T: Come in Just To Talk To Us Or Our Employees.
Humans are social animals, but there's a time and place. Think about it, you can't generally just go into a big store and cut up with their employees for two hours, so why would you do it with ours? Productivity is so important to a small business owner because if the employees don't get around to it, guess who gets to do it after hours? If you have a question for us, we're more than willing to help you out. Heck, a little chit-chat never hurt anyone either. However, there's a differnence between small-talk while being productive and coming into the shop and telling us everyone you've done from 1968 onward. Time is money, so please respect that.
DO: Ask Us Questions About What We Do.
A good small business owner doesn't start a business for their health. We do it because we are passionate and we feel like we can better serve our community as leaders rather than as an employee. We love what we do and we love to talk about it. That being said, ask us ANY questions you have. We also love having happy and informed customers. Asking questions before you buy a product or service doesn't make you look stupid. Actually it does the opposite. We know that you, like us, work hard for your money and we want you to be happy with your purchase.
DON'T: Call Us Honey, Son, Boy, Gal, You Get The Idea...
This particularly applies to younger business owners. If a person is in their 20's and starting a business it means they've accomplished something that a vast majority of the public (any age) will never do. We are living the American dream and we don't need condescending comments like this. We don't ask for special treatment, but do recognize that we do deserve respect. These names aren't all that offensive to the average person, but kids don't start profitable businesses and it's unprofessional at best. So show us the same respect we show you. We have names, and if you don't know them Sir or Miss will suffice.
DO: Participate In Social Media With Us.
There has been a great and rapid change in the way businesses advertise. Wesites have become the norm, but sites like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube and so many other social media sites are becoming cornerstones of online marketing. Small businesses love them because the initial services are free, the advertising is cheap and we reach a potentially infinite number of potential customers. Simply Liking a Page or writing a review, or even saying something positive on a social media site is a very powerful action that takes you mere seconds. So please take a break from posting funny cat pictures and help out a small business that's done right by you.
DON'T: Assume That We're In It For The Money.
Don't get be wrong. Everyone works for money, but if all we wanted was money we'd just go get a J-O-B. Most small business owners had a J-Word and it's become so taboo for them they just created their own. We start businesses because we love what we do and we want to be THE person to do it. Small businesses have to fight to survive when they first open and rarely become profitable within the first 5 years. We put in 80+ hours a week starting out because we can't afford to pay other people to help us. Start-up costs are staggering for even the smallest business. Believe me, we would love to run our business for free because we love it so much. There are just these little problems called food, shelter, taxes, transportation, overhead, cost, materials, labor, supplies, insurance and all sorts of troublesome things we have to pay for.
DO: Deal with a small business over a large corporation.
While it is true that some small business are more expensive than their corporate giant counterparts, the fact is that most of the time small business are less expensive. Really we have to be to stay alive. It doesn't make sense for us to have less advertising power, a small territory and higher prices. Even if the initial price is higher, often you'll find that the long term investment will save you money in the long run. For exampe, I recently had to purchase a new DVD writer for my computer. I did comparison pricing at both Best Buy and a little computer store. The little computer store was a little more expensive, so I bought from Best Buy. Turns out, the DVD writer from the big guy was missing a very important power cable. I checked with the little guys and they told me that not only did they include the power cable (for free) but they offered a serpate warranty in addition to the manufacturer's. So basically I could've have spent $5 more and ended up with a single trip, an extended (2 more years!) warranty and helped out my local economy. I go to the small guys now. Not to mention, I had to do all the work myself at Best Buy. I told the clerk what I needed from my writer and I may as well have been speaking Greek to the guy.
DON'T: Try To Haggle With Us!
Believe me when I say that we price our products/services the way we do for a reason. We're not trying to screw you over. We're trying to cover our cost, overhead and make a little profit. If you don't like the price, check somewhere else. Most of the time you'll be coming right back. We do everything we can to be competitive and if a small business isn't competitive, they will close. Rest assured, we understand competition brings life to the economy and business. One more thing. Stop asking us to wipe the sales tax for you. Taxes are one of the most expensive parts of running a business. Sales tax is only one of the many taxes we have to pay, so help us out and pay it like you're supposed to. If you have a problem with sales tax, talk to your Congressman, don't bother use by being cheap.
DO: Tell Your Friends and Family.
That's right, we want you to tell everyone you know. Heck, tell people you don't know all about us. This includes the good, the bad and the ugly. A good business owner understands that word of mouth is the most important and effective method of advertising out there, and we rely on it. If a small business has done you wrong, tell people about it! If they're smart they'll remedy the situation and make sure you leave happy and satisfied. If they don't then they shouldn't be in business. The consumer is the driving force in our economy. If someone is doing bad business, then they should close. Simple as that. If someone is doing good business, then the whole world should know. Take time to recommend a good business.
DON'T: Act Like You're Our Only Customer.
We understand you want your stuff now. The problem is, so does everyone else. As a small business we have to keep all of our customers happy. This means that we try to take care of everyone as quickly and efficiently as possible. Please, make it easier on everyone and wait your turn like your mother taught you. Nothing is more annoying than a customer acting like a child because THEY WANT IT NOW!!! Belive me, it says a whole lot more about you than it does about us. Sometimes things go wrong. Every small business is well acquainted with Murphey's Law. You have a right to be upset and/or frustrated, but please treat us with respect. We never want to purposefully make you wait. If you're polite and respectful about your complaint, we will usually find a way to make it up to you. If for some reason we don't make it up to you, see the previous DO.
DO: Ask Us What Form of Payment WE Prefer.
This is one of the more important facts that the public is generally unaware of when it comes to dealing with a small business. There was a time when everyone preferred cash, but sometimes it's not the case anymore. Some businesses prefer to have a paper trail rather than save on card fees. Some businesses refuse to take personal checks anymore and if they do it still makes them nervous. One thing is for certain, if you're paying with a debit card, ask us if we prefer to run it as debit or credit. We know you want your points, but let's be honest. This little transaction won't get you that many and it will cost us quite a bit of money. Card processing rates are usually much lower to run a debit card than a credit card. Mine for example is 6% on a credit card and about 60 cents for a debit. So if I run a $100 transaction as credit, it costs me $6.00. If I ran the same transaction as a debit, it costs me $0.60. See the difference? Run your credit card to get your points at the big, corporate guys who can afford it (and often get a lower fee from the card processsing companies!)
DON'T: Come in Just To Talk To Us Or Our Employees.
Humans are social animals, but there's a time and place. Think about it, you can't generally just go into a big store and cut up with their employees for two hours, so why would you do it with ours? Productivity is so important to a small business owner because if the employees don't get around to it, guess who gets to do it after hours? If you have a question for us, we're more than willing to help you out. Heck, a little chit-chat never hurt anyone either. However, there's a differnence between small-talk while being productive and coming into the shop and telling us everyone you've done from 1968 onward. Time is money, so please respect that.
DO: Ask Us Questions About What We Do.
A good small business owner doesn't start a business for their health. We do it because we are passionate and we feel like we can better serve our community as leaders rather than as an employee. We love what we do and we love to talk about it. That being said, ask us ANY questions you have. We also love having happy and informed customers. Asking questions before you buy a product or service doesn't make you look stupid. Actually it does the opposite. We know that you, like us, work hard for your money and we want you to be happy with your purchase.
DON'T: Call Us Honey, Son, Boy, Gal, You Get The Idea...
This particularly applies to younger business owners. If a person is in their 20's and starting a business it means they've accomplished something that a vast majority of the public (any age) will never do. We are living the American dream and we don't need condescending comments like this. We don't ask for special treatment, but do recognize that we do deserve respect. These names aren't all that offensive to the average person, but kids don't start profitable businesses and it's unprofessional at best. So show us the same respect we show you. We have names, and if you don't know them Sir or Miss will suffice.
DO: Participate In Social Media With Us.
There has been a great and rapid change in the way businesses advertise. Wesites have become the norm, but sites like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube and so many other social media sites are becoming cornerstones of online marketing. Small businesses love them because the initial services are free, the advertising is cheap and we reach a potentially infinite number of potential customers. Simply Liking a Page or writing a review, or even saying something positive on a social media site is a very powerful action that takes you mere seconds. So please take a break from posting funny cat pictures and help out a small business that's done right by you.
DON'T: Assume That We're In It For The Money.
Don't get be wrong. Everyone works for money, but if all we wanted was money we'd just go get a J-O-B. Most small business owners had a J-Word and it's become so taboo for them they just created their own. We start businesses because we love what we do and we want to be THE person to do it. Small businesses have to fight to survive when they first open and rarely become profitable within the first 5 years. We put in 80+ hours a week starting out because we can't afford to pay other people to help us. Start-up costs are staggering for even the smallest business. Believe me, we would love to run our business for free because we love it so much. There are just these little problems called food, shelter, taxes, transportation, overhead, cost, materials, labor, supplies, insurance and all sorts of troublesome things we have to pay for.
Saturday, February 11, 2012
Quick Update
Hello everyone! I thought I'd just post a quick update and bring everyone up to speed. First off, the Luke Robbins web teaser is finally done! You can watch it here, but please direct your friends to our You Tube channel as we can get more ad revenue that way.
We're finally pending iTunes approval and just playing the waiting game. Amazon sales will be coming soon, but now we still have Ebay and the Vision Video online store.
Speaking of Vision Video, our website will be up and fucntioning within the next few months. Check back often because we'll be adding a lot of cool services for everyone over the next year (even some free ones!)
Probably the largest update is we have the first script finalized for our web series. We have our head writer and most of the casting done. We have the first 6 episodes planned out and we're getting the scripts started. I have to say, the show's going to be better than I thought. We have so many creative and talented people involved, it's gonna be great.
Lastly, I got another piece of good news the other day. They've finally set a release date for Green Lantern: The Animated Series along with the return of everyone's favorite DC Universe animated shows. I'll be updating later so be sure to check back!
We're finally pending iTunes approval and just playing the waiting game. Amazon sales will be coming soon, but now we still have Ebay and the Vision Video online store.
Speaking of Vision Video, our website will be up and fucntioning within the next few months. Check back often because we'll be adding a lot of cool services for everyone over the next year (even some free ones!)
Probably the largest update is we have the first script finalized for our web series. We have our head writer and most of the casting done. We have the first 6 episodes planned out and we're getting the scripts started. I have to say, the show's going to be better than I thought. We have so many creative and talented people involved, it's gonna be great.
Lastly, I got another piece of good news the other day. They've finally set a release date for Green Lantern: The Animated Series along with the return of everyone's favorite DC Universe animated shows. I'll be updating later so be sure to check back!
Sunday, January 29, 2012
The Apple, Fall From Grace and The Return to Paradise
Oh Apple, what a double edged sword you are. On the one hand, you provide a stellar product that is unmatched by anything else on the market. On the other hand, your tech support, customer service and compatibility leave much to be desired.
Months ago, I moved into a new apartment. After a few days we finally got around to getting AT&T to our new place to get our Uverse back online. The tech was very quick and efficient, and after getting all of our Ethernet ports back online, he tested all the computers to make sure they connected to the Internet. Everything checked out fine and he went on his way. I immediately jumped on the Mac to get some work done, except that the website wouldn't load.
As it turns out, my homepage had been cached, so it loaded with no connection. However, when I typed in a new URL, there was no connection so I got the disheartening error. Here's where the trouble really started. On a Windows machine, there are about 100 different ways to solve various connection problems. Macs are a little more tricky. First I figured my ethernet port was fried, but I wasn't sure how to disable it on a Mac, so I decided to go wireless. Finding a wireless adapter that that was Mac compatible proved difficult. The first one I bought said it was compatible with apple OSX, but the package proved otherwise. Luckily the second one I bought was actually a universal that worked on both PC and Apple. The software was installed, but the thing still wouldn't connect.
I turned to the aid of the Internet. As it turns out, Apple's support forum was useless. All they ever said was how to fix Airport. I wasn't using Airport so that wasn't helpful at all. I tird everything. I tried creating a new location, renewing the DHCP lease, using a static IP, I even tried converting to an IPv6 connection. Nothing worked at all. WhenI had almost given up, I found a random blog article that fixed my entire problem.
Apparently, when AT&T renewed our connection, they renewed our router information. Nothing actually changed, but the Mac saw it as a new connection. The answer was so simple, I almost couldn't believe it. It turns out that Apple computers tend to be a little less adaptive than a PC. When they changed the router information, the Mac's information was outdated. For some reason when the new connection showed up, the Mac retained its old information. All I had to do was to boot into safe mode and delete the Internet connection file. Once the computer ebooted it created a new one with the current connection information.
So now I have my Mac back online just in time for school to start. Hopefully I won't have anymore problems. If you're having problems connecting your Mac to the Internet, feel free to comment and I'll try to help out. Lord knows there isn't enough information out there to help the average user.
Months ago, I moved into a new apartment. After a few days we finally got around to getting AT&T to our new place to get our Uverse back online. The tech was very quick and efficient, and after getting all of our Ethernet ports back online, he tested all the computers to make sure they connected to the Internet. Everything checked out fine and he went on his way. I immediately jumped on the Mac to get some work done, except that the website wouldn't load.
As it turns out, my homepage had been cached, so it loaded with no connection. However, when I typed in a new URL, there was no connection so I got the disheartening error. Here's where the trouble really started. On a Windows machine, there are about 100 different ways to solve various connection problems. Macs are a little more tricky. First I figured my ethernet port was fried, but I wasn't sure how to disable it on a Mac, so I decided to go wireless. Finding a wireless adapter that that was Mac compatible proved difficult. The first one I bought said it was compatible with apple OSX, but the package proved otherwise. Luckily the second one I bought was actually a universal that worked on both PC and Apple. The software was installed, but the thing still wouldn't connect.
I turned to the aid of the Internet. As it turns out, Apple's support forum was useless. All they ever said was how to fix Airport. I wasn't using Airport so that wasn't helpful at all. I tird everything. I tried creating a new location, renewing the DHCP lease, using a static IP, I even tried converting to an IPv6 connection. Nothing worked at all. WhenI had almost given up, I found a random blog article that fixed my entire problem.
Apparently, when AT&T renewed our connection, they renewed our router information. Nothing actually changed, but the Mac saw it as a new connection. The answer was so simple, I almost couldn't believe it. It turns out that Apple computers tend to be a little less adaptive than a PC. When they changed the router information, the Mac's information was outdated. For some reason when the new connection showed up, the Mac retained its old information. All I had to do was to boot into safe mode and delete the Internet connection file. Once the computer ebooted it created a new one with the current connection information.
So now I have my Mac back online just in time for school to start. Hopefully I won't have anymore problems. If you're having problems connecting your Mac to the Internet, feel free to comment and I'll try to help out. Lord knows there isn't enough information out there to help the average user.
Monday, December 26, 2011
New Year's Resolutions
As we are all enjoying the holidays with our family and friends, the prospects of the new year loom over us all. No matter what, I think we all have resolutions for the new year. Some of us are better than others about doing them, but we all have goals and ambitions. Vision Video wishes everyone luck in all their endevours. As for the company, we have some goals of our own for 2012.
1. Get our new web series up and running. We will announce when the series will premiere and keep you updated throughout production. We already have the first script going with more on the way.
2. Get our name into major retailers. The wheels are already turning on this one but we want it to happen in 2012.
3. Get an informative website in addition to the online store up and running. This is priority number 1 right now.
4. Get the office updated. New equipment, furniture, the works. This will probably take the whole year, but we'll get it done.
5. Add at least one "visionary" to steady payroll. I decided after starting to read Dave Ramsey's "EntreLeadership" that I don't really like employees either. Subway has their newish artists and we will have our visionaries.
6. We want to get three more projects out on DVD by December 2012. So if you have anything to distribute please contact us! Music, movies, series, whatever!
Well that's all I could come up with for today. Wish us luck and we'll keep updating. Thanks for reading!
1. Get our new web series up and running. We will announce when the series will premiere and keep you updated throughout production. We already have the first script going with more on the way.
2. Get our name into major retailers. The wheels are already turning on this one but we want it to happen in 2012.
3. Get an informative website in addition to the online store up and running. This is priority number 1 right now.
4. Get the office updated. New equipment, furniture, the works. This will probably take the whole year, but we'll get it done.
5. Add at least one "visionary" to steady payroll. I decided after starting to read Dave Ramsey's "EntreLeadership" that I don't really like employees either. Subway has their newish artists and we will have our visionaries.
6. We want to get three more projects out on DVD by December 2012. So if you have anything to distribute please contact us! Music, movies, series, whatever!
Well that's all I could come up with for today. Wish us luck and we'll keep updating. Thanks for reading!
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
The CD is Out!
Well ladies and gentlemen, sorry to keep you waiting but one of the big announcements has finally come to pass. The Luke Robbins: Real Men Wear Vests CD is now available on www.visionvideollc.com!
Monday, December 12, 2011
In Brightest Day, In Blackest Night
I don't know about anyone else, but I'm super excited about the upcoming Green Lantern animated series. They recently aired an hour-long sneak peek of the series and I must say, I was impressed.
At first I was hesitant because it's going to be completely done in CGI. To make matters worse it's being done by the same animators who did the Star Wars Clone Wars series. Now, while the animation was great, the character design left a lot to be desired in my opinion. Also, I'm a huge fan of DC's 2-D animation department. Even since 1992 when Batman The Animated Series came out they've been pioneering animation. Some of their other great series were Batman Beyond, Justice League, Superman The Animated Series and Justice League Unlimited (my personal favorite). Their feature length animation films have been even better. Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths has some of the best animation I've had the pleasure of viewing. Warner Premiere (their feature length animation studio) also came out with two stellar Green Lantern movies, First Flight and Emerald Knights. First Flight in particular is very, very good. I honestly believe that if they had gone with the storyline from First Flight instead of the Parralax angle in the live action movie with Ryan Renolds, it would have been met with better reviews and box office revenues. But to my point. Why, if they hav had such succes with 2-D animation in the past, would they choose the more expensive and risky route of computer animation? Well, the answer lies in the backdrop. The new Green Lantern series will be taking place primarily in space and on alien worlds (a top cmomplaint of the live action movie). By using CG they can actually re-use the same designs and tweak them a little bit instead of fresh drawings every single time.
Anyway, my doubts were unfounded. The series was excellent and it goes ahead and makes the primary antagonists the Red Lanterns which makes the story interesting, engaging and takes away the need for an origin story! Case and point, If you're a fan of Green Lantern, animation, or both you will enjoy this series immensely. Even if you're a fan of sci-fi shows you'll probably enjoy this incarnation of the Green Lantern saga.
At first I was hesitant because it's going to be completely done in CGI. To make matters worse it's being done by the same animators who did the Star Wars Clone Wars series. Now, while the animation was great, the character design left a lot to be desired in my opinion. Also, I'm a huge fan of DC's 2-D animation department. Even since 1992 when Batman The Animated Series came out they've been pioneering animation. Some of their other great series were Batman Beyond, Justice League, Superman The Animated Series and Justice League Unlimited (my personal favorite). Their feature length animation films have been even better. Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths has some of the best animation I've had the pleasure of viewing. Warner Premiere (their feature length animation studio) also came out with two stellar Green Lantern movies, First Flight and Emerald Knights. First Flight in particular is very, very good. I honestly believe that if they had gone with the storyline from First Flight instead of the Parralax angle in the live action movie with Ryan Renolds, it would have been met with better reviews and box office revenues. But to my point. Why, if they hav had such succes with 2-D animation in the past, would they choose the more expensive and risky route of computer animation? Well, the answer lies in the backdrop. The new Green Lantern series will be taking place primarily in space and on alien worlds (a top cmomplaint of the live action movie). By using CG they can actually re-use the same designs and tweak them a little bit instead of fresh drawings every single time.
Anyway, my doubts were unfounded. The series was excellent and it goes ahead and makes the primary antagonists the Red Lanterns which makes the story interesting, engaging and takes away the need for an origin story! Case and point, If you're a fan of Green Lantern, animation, or both you will enjoy this series immensely. Even if you're a fan of sci-fi shows you'll probably enjoy this incarnation of the Green Lantern saga.
Monday, November 28, 2011
Western Digital My Book Essential 3.0
I can remember a few years ago when I was looking for a much larger external hard drive to use for my editing scratch drive. I'd just signed on to shoot and edit for a locally produced reality show and I knew I'd need a lot more space. After comapring many, many drives I came across a new Western Digital drive. It had everrything I wanted and more. 2 terabytes of storage capacity, a separate power source, and multiple file system options. It even had the ability to play on an HDTV straight off the hard drive. I figured I'd found the perfect drive. Damn was I wrong.
Right from the beginning this Ning was annoying. A many drives do now, it came bundled with its own software. This software was not only completely useless to me, but it took awhile to load and the problem is that until the software fully loads, the storage drive won't appear. This means that when I start the computer up, it's a little whole before the drive even loads...
Secondly, the software and firmware were all on the drive itself, no disc, meaning that if the thing went bad I couldn't just re-install the software. I figured it was no big deal though so I pressed on.
A couple of weeks ago the computer started acting really slow. I literally spent weeks pouring over support knowledge bases and tech support trying to figure out the problem. It came to a head when a DVD project which should have taken about two hours to burn was on track for two weeks. I stopped everything and transferred all the necessary files to the desktop and unplugged the thing. I rebooted and the computer was running like new!
In a nutshell, what I'm saying is don't buy the Western Digital My Book drives. Practically everyone on the message boards was having issues and all Western Digital techs would tell them is replace the drive. Well, that may not be so bad except it seems like everyone was having issues with these drives. Last time I checked, a sensible company would issue a voluntary recall or at least offer up a firmware/software update to handle the problem, but no. WD did no such thing. Another thing that really bothered me about this whole thing is that Western Digital offers no data recovery services. Not even under their warranty. My advice, If you're looking for a drive to keep large working files in, get an internal Serial ATA or comparable. If you need an external drive, go with a Seagate. I've had one for years and that thing's a beast. No problems and no additional software.
Right from the beginning this Ning was annoying. A many drives do now, it came bundled with its own software. This software was not only completely useless to me, but it took awhile to load and the problem is that until the software fully loads, the storage drive won't appear. This means that when I start the computer up, it's a little whole before the drive even loads...
Secondly, the software and firmware were all on the drive itself, no disc, meaning that if the thing went bad I couldn't just re-install the software. I figured it was no big deal though so I pressed on.
A couple of weeks ago the computer started acting really slow. I literally spent weeks pouring over support knowledge bases and tech support trying to figure out the problem. It came to a head when a DVD project which should have taken about two hours to burn was on track for two weeks. I stopped everything and transferred all the necessary files to the desktop and unplugged the thing. I rebooted and the computer was running like new!
In a nutshell, what I'm saying is don't buy the Western Digital My Book drives. Practically everyone on the message boards was having issues and all Western Digital techs would tell them is replace the drive. Well, that may not be so bad except it seems like everyone was having issues with these drives. Last time I checked, a sensible company would issue a voluntary recall or at least offer up a firmware/software update to handle the problem, but no. WD did no such thing. Another thing that really bothered me about this whole thing is that Western Digital offers no data recovery services. Not even under their warranty. My advice, If you're looking for a drive to keep large working files in, get an internal Serial ATA or comparable. If you need an external drive, go with a Seagate. I've had one for years and that thing's a beast. No problems and no additional software.
Monday, November 21, 2011
3 Things Right and 3 Things Wrong with Glee Season 3
I will confess, I resisted Glee for years. I thought, as many others do, how could a show about singing kids be interesting? This is my folly, as I'm into a great many far stranger things. The truth is if you want to figure out if you'll enjoy Glee, all you need to do is watch the first two minutes of the first episode. If you laugh, then you'll be a fan of the show. If not, I'm sure there are some re-runs of Little House on the Prairie you'll enjoy. Glee is a show that is very easy to enjoy, but it also has some thorns that make it annoying at times. That being said, the first season is good and the second season was phenomenal. I can say, especially after the hype generated from The Glee Project, I was really looking forward to season 3. My feelings about the season thus far has been mixed. Some things have been done really well, but others have either confused or enraged me as a viewer.
Right #1 Santana's Character Development
In terms or writing, Santana's character has probably evolved the most in this season. Apart from broadening a little bit more on who she is, they've finally had her "come out" officially. Not only were Glee audiences waiting for this moment, but the writers did it in a really great way. They made her character so vulnerable and brought a new dimension to her character. We also learned more about her before this big change and she's been singing a lot more this season which is great because Naya Rivera is one of the best singers on the show.
Right #2 West Side Story
I'll admit that I'm a little biased on this one. West Side Story is one of my favorite musicals of all time. However, their inclusion of West Side Story also served as a great plot device. My one complaint is the musical numbers they chose to include and that it wrapped up too quickly. I felt like they should have dragged that out to about the middle of the season. I predict they'll do the same build-up to sectionals and regionals to the middle of the season like they always do. As far as the musical numbers go, they butchered "There's A Place For Us" by having two women sing it, they didn't perform "Tonight" at all and for the actual play they only performed two songs. Overall though, it was a great idea and I enjoyed it.
Right #3 Mike Chang
I really liked the little story arc with Mike Chang's character. Up until this season, he's kind of been a bit character. There are so many kids out there whose parents aren't supportive of their children in the arts and Mike's situation (although a little more dramatic) happens every day. Mike standing up to his father for what he loves was a great television moment.
Wrong #1 There is WAAAAAY Too Much Going On
Glee has A LOT of characters and they all have a lot going on. However, the balance was kept pretty well throughout the previous seasons, but at the very beginning of season 3, I had no idea what was going on. For one thing, they skipped over a few important things like Will and Emma getting together. We left season 2 with both of them available, but they didn't say for sure whether or not they were a couple. Season three comes along and they're living together. Really? We spent two seasons watching their relationship evolve and we completely miss the payoff? We're now at a point where there are just way too many characters and you can't update all their plots in a single episode, so they kind of skip around. As if this weren't bad enough, we have two more characters that have to be added to the mix from The Glee Project, and I have no idea how they're going to make that work.
Wrong #2 Blaine
When Blaine was first introduced, I liked where his character was going. It gave Kurt a new dynamic and created even more competition with New Directions (as Blaine was in The Warblers). However, in season 3 Blaine up and moves to McKinley High. I hated this change because they dynamic of his and Kurt's relationship was so much more interesting when Blaine was at another school because of the competitive aspect. It also led to a really bad wardrobe change. Gay or straight, I don't care NOBODY looks good in a bow tie and suspenders. As if all those things weren't enough, they threw the Sebastian character in the mix. I like Sebastian's role in the story, but the guy comes off really creepy and that whole plot twist would be much more interesting if Blaine were still at Dalton.
Wrong #3 Some of the Issues
How can I put this delicately? Glee has always been a little blind when it comes to opinions on the show. One particular scene was when Artie asked Blaine and Rachel about their virginity. For one, the dialogue was really creepy and wrong. Who just point blank asks someone not only if they're a virgin, but then asks them why? Um... Hello? None of your friggin business pervert! He then goes on to say that West Side Story is about a sexual awakening.... Yeah, when did Artie become Sigmund Freud? West Side Story is NOT about sexual awakening! It's about two kids from different sides of the tracks falling in love. Plus, this is coming from the kid who lost his virginity to a girl with an IQ of 4 and carried HIM to the bed. Yeah Artie, you really know what you're talking about.
In the latest episode, Kurt announces that he will try to ban dodge ball from McKinley High. First off, when did student government get the power to ban games and when did solely the president get that kind of power? Then we go to the reasoning behind this proposed ban. Some kids get together to settle a dispute between the two glee clubs at the school (another really bad idea) with a game of dodge ball. Yes viewers, two GLEE clubs on the show GLEE decide to work out their issues with a game of dodge ball. No, they aren't singing to each other, they're throwing balls. Don't worry though, they sing while they're doing it, and it's a cliche song. Anyway, the game concludes and the Irish exchange student gets some post-game balls thrown at his face which gives him a bloody nose. Now, for those of you who have never played dodge ball before, we're talking very soft balls here. Like when one hits you in the face you feel the impact, but that's about it. I've played several games in my life and have never once seen an injury, let alone blood. But wouldn't you know it, the Irish kid starts bleeding and Kurt comes to his aid. I find it very ironic that Glee on numerous occasions brings up the issue of gay marriage, and make the point that the government doesn't have the right to ban people from doing what they want to do. Kurt may want to look up the word "hypocrite" in the dictionary because that's his new campaign slogan. He also says that dodge ball is all about bullying... and football isn't? I don't have to remind Glee fans that Kurt played for the football team. Lastly, the Irish kid bleeding from a rubber ball to his nose... What does that say about the Irish? Apparently they're all a bunch of potato-loving pansies. At least from Glee writers' point of view.
Right #1 Santana's Character Development
In terms or writing, Santana's character has probably evolved the most in this season. Apart from broadening a little bit more on who she is, they've finally had her "come out" officially. Not only were Glee audiences waiting for this moment, but the writers did it in a really great way. They made her character so vulnerable and brought a new dimension to her character. We also learned more about her before this big change and she's been singing a lot more this season which is great because Naya Rivera is one of the best singers on the show.
Right #2 West Side Story
I'll admit that I'm a little biased on this one. West Side Story is one of my favorite musicals of all time. However, their inclusion of West Side Story also served as a great plot device. My one complaint is the musical numbers they chose to include and that it wrapped up too quickly. I felt like they should have dragged that out to about the middle of the season. I predict they'll do the same build-up to sectionals and regionals to the middle of the season like they always do. As far as the musical numbers go, they butchered "There's A Place For Us" by having two women sing it, they didn't perform "Tonight" at all and for the actual play they only performed two songs. Overall though, it was a great idea and I enjoyed it.
Right #3 Mike Chang
I really liked the little story arc with Mike Chang's character. Up until this season, he's kind of been a bit character. There are so many kids out there whose parents aren't supportive of their children in the arts and Mike's situation (although a little more dramatic) happens every day. Mike standing up to his father for what he loves was a great television moment.
Wrong #1 There is WAAAAAY Too Much Going On
Glee has A LOT of characters and they all have a lot going on. However, the balance was kept pretty well throughout the previous seasons, but at the very beginning of season 3, I had no idea what was going on. For one thing, they skipped over a few important things like Will and Emma getting together. We left season 2 with both of them available, but they didn't say for sure whether or not they were a couple. Season three comes along and they're living together. Really? We spent two seasons watching their relationship evolve and we completely miss the payoff? We're now at a point where there are just way too many characters and you can't update all their plots in a single episode, so they kind of skip around. As if this weren't bad enough, we have two more characters that have to be added to the mix from The Glee Project, and I have no idea how they're going to make that work.
Wrong #2 Blaine
When Blaine was first introduced, I liked where his character was going. It gave Kurt a new dynamic and created even more competition with New Directions (as Blaine was in The Warblers). However, in season 3 Blaine up and moves to McKinley High. I hated this change because they dynamic of his and Kurt's relationship was so much more interesting when Blaine was at another school because of the competitive aspect. It also led to a really bad wardrobe change. Gay or straight, I don't care NOBODY looks good in a bow tie and suspenders. As if all those things weren't enough, they threw the Sebastian character in the mix. I like Sebastian's role in the story, but the guy comes off really creepy and that whole plot twist would be much more interesting if Blaine were still at Dalton.
Wrong #3 Some of the Issues
How can I put this delicately? Glee has always been a little blind when it comes to opinions on the show. One particular scene was when Artie asked Blaine and Rachel about their virginity. For one, the dialogue was really creepy and wrong. Who just point blank asks someone not only if they're a virgin, but then asks them why? Um... Hello? None of your friggin business pervert! He then goes on to say that West Side Story is about a sexual awakening.... Yeah, when did Artie become Sigmund Freud? West Side Story is NOT about sexual awakening! It's about two kids from different sides of the tracks falling in love. Plus, this is coming from the kid who lost his virginity to a girl with an IQ of 4 and carried HIM to the bed. Yeah Artie, you really know what you're talking about.
In the latest episode, Kurt announces that he will try to ban dodge ball from McKinley High. First off, when did student government get the power to ban games and when did solely the president get that kind of power? Then we go to the reasoning behind this proposed ban. Some kids get together to settle a dispute between the two glee clubs at the school (another really bad idea) with a game of dodge ball. Yes viewers, two GLEE clubs on the show GLEE decide to work out their issues with a game of dodge ball. No, they aren't singing to each other, they're throwing balls. Don't worry though, they sing while they're doing it, and it's a cliche song. Anyway, the game concludes and the Irish exchange student gets some post-game balls thrown at his face which gives him a bloody nose. Now, for those of you who have never played dodge ball before, we're talking very soft balls here. Like when one hits you in the face you feel the impact, but that's about it. I've played several games in my life and have never once seen an injury, let alone blood. But wouldn't you know it, the Irish kid starts bleeding and Kurt comes to his aid. I find it very ironic that Glee on numerous occasions brings up the issue of gay marriage, and make the point that the government doesn't have the right to ban people from doing what they want to do. Kurt may want to look up the word "hypocrite" in the dictionary because that's his new campaign slogan. He also says that dodge ball is all about bullying... and football isn't? I don't have to remind Glee fans that Kurt played for the football team. Lastly, the Irish kid bleeding from a rubber ball to his nose... What does that say about the Irish? Apparently they're all a bunch of potato-loving pansies. At least from Glee writers' point of view.
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Upcoming Changes
Hello faithful readers (if there are any of you). I would first like to apologize for being absent on the blog as of late. A lot has happened with Vision Video and we've been REALLY busy. The Luke Robbins DVD is out and the online store is up with more products coming soon!
The other big change is that there are a few big announcements in the works. So stay tuned to find out... These are REALLY BIG, so you won't want to miss them.
The other announcement is that the subject on this blog will change just a little bit. We'll still be updating you on how the business is doing, but in an effort to bring some conversation we'll also be posting pieces on the happenings of television, film and media for your thoughts and discussions.
Well, that's everything for now. Be sure to check out some of the banner ads on the blog and our You Tube videos. Be sure to visit again for our next post: 3 Things Right & 3 Things Wrong with Glee Season 3!
The other big change is that there are a few big announcements in the works. So stay tuned to find out... These are REALLY BIG, so you won't want to miss them.
The other announcement is that the subject on this blog will change just a little bit. We'll still be updating you on how the business is doing, but in an effort to bring some conversation we'll also be posting pieces on the happenings of television, film and media for your thoughts and discussions.
Well, that's everything for now. Be sure to check out some of the banner ads on the blog and our You Tube videos. Be sure to visit again for our next post: 3 Things Right & 3 Things Wrong with Glee Season 3!
Thursday, June 2, 2011
A Step in the Right Direction
First off, I would like to apologize for my lack of participation in my brand new blog. I haven't written at all, but there is a reason.
It has been a very busy time, both personally and with the business, but I'm pleased to say that the distribution center is up and running. I have a DVD slated for release just pending final approval and two currently in pre-production. I also have an audio CD to produce and distribute and one hopeful, but I'm not sure about it yet.
Anyway, on to the point. Vision Video is looking for CDs and DVDs to distribute. We will also be distributing online (through outlets such as iTunes), but DVD and CD distribution is by far the most expensive and most confusing distribution medium. If you have ANYTHING that you would like distributed, contact Vision Video at visionvideo@ymail.com.
There will be another update soon. Thanks for reading!
It has been a very busy time, both personally and with the business, but I'm pleased to say that the distribution center is up and running. I have a DVD slated for release just pending final approval and two currently in pre-production. I also have an audio CD to produce and distribute and one hopeful, but I'm not sure about it yet.
Anyway, on to the point. Vision Video is looking for CDs and DVDs to distribute. We will also be distributing online (through outlets such as iTunes), but DVD and CD distribution is by far the most expensive and most confusing distribution medium. If you have ANYTHING that you would like distributed, contact Vision Video at visionvideo@ymail.com.
There will be another update soon. Thanks for reading!
Sunday, April 10, 2011
Welcome
Welcome everyone to Vision Video LLC's official blog. Here you will find updates on how the company is doing, news releases and other information about the company. Vision Video already has a facebook page, but with the blog I'll be able to post longer and more in-depth updates.
Visit the Facebook page here: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Vision-Video-LLC/197766046904432
You can also check out the You Tube page here: www.youtube.com/user/VisionVideoLLC
Visit the Facebook page here: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Vision-Video-LLC/197766046904432
You can also check out the You Tube page here: www.youtube.com/user/VisionVideoLLC
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