Who is not wowed by cinema, animation, special effects? And like at a magic show where a magician reveals all his tricks, the readers of 'Filming the Fantastic' - A Guide to Visual Effects Cinematography by Mark Sawicki will find themselves being welcomed into the 'hall of effects' with all the know-how not to just understand how its accomplished but to bring them about by yourself at an affordable price.
The book balances history of techniques, camera equipment,motion creation process, technical information of concepts involved and the most up to date technology used in the industry today. The techniques - zone method, depth of lens charts used by professionals in gauging if their pictures meet the exposure, focus requirement covered show how science has to work with art for a believable effect.
If you are a newbie to the effects, you will enjoy the book a lot. I heard of 'green screen' talk after 300 movie. The picture sequences in the book illustrate the concepts in action. The author starts with simple effects and then explains the combination of those. As you learn about how to use matte effects, dynamation, you really do enter the world of the fantastic not as an enthralled viewer but as a person exploding with ideas on 'image making'.
Net Galley Challenge
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Saturday, November 19, 2011
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Medicines Sans Frontieres
Hope in Hell
MSF in Haiti
When Kouchner, a gastroentologist claims that he was born 'too late to stop for the Holocaust', I wonder how we would have all reacted if it happened during our times.
Albert Schweitzer's story made another doctor to choose medicine. We too learnt of him as kids. He feels that working for MSF requires him to practise his profession like McGyver.
Looking at the picture of tents next to each other, each with a tight rope tied to stakes in a line, the stakes seem like people and the tents - megaliths.
Plumpynut
Bracelet of life
After earthquakes or to solve AIDS, when people look to MSF, we just need more such organizations with different skills.
A strong message in the book - Doctors cannot cure genocide.
Logisticians role.
MSf staff have faced abduction.
MSF in Haiti
When Kouchner, a gastroentologist claims that he was born 'too late to stop for the Holocaust', I wonder how we would have all reacted if it happened during our times.
Albert Schweitzer's story made another doctor to choose medicine. We too learnt of him as kids. He feels that working for MSF requires him to practise his profession like McGyver.
Looking at the picture of tents next to each other, each with a tight rope tied to stakes in a line, the stakes seem like people and the tents - megaliths.
Plumpynut
Bracelet of life
After earthquakes or to solve AIDS, when people look to MSF, we just need more such organizations with different skills.
A strong message in the book - Doctors cannot cure genocide.
Logisticians role.
MSf staff have faced abduction.
Beauty is truth?
The truth is in the flaw.
A card reader to exit the building is on the left.
On the left door is a sign
Use
Other door
Had the reader rightly been on the right side
it wouldnt need a correction sign.
May be the right door is too close to the corner.
In flaws, is certainty.
A card reader to exit the building is on the left.
On the left door is a sign
Use
Other door
Had the reader rightly been on the right side
it wouldnt need a correction sign.
May be the right door is too close to the corner.
In flaws, is certainty.
Beneath the sands of Egypt
mummyless coffins
The pictures in the book evoke the mysteries hidden.
After the description of rediscovery of KV60, the author writes down the path to his becoming an explorer.He then explains how the different courses equipped him with skills for archaelogy - identification bones - human and animal. In 'First Impressions' he observes that 'the pyramids are no longer the smooth-sided models of geometrical virtue that they once were'. He compares his impressions of the place with that of other people.
aish baladi
yardang
Koshari like Kichdi
Lighthouse of Alexandria
ancient library of Alexandria
Gebel Musa monastery
Elephantine island
Soknopaiou Nesos
Birket Qarun Lake
In the nineteenth century, tourists could buy mummies and coffins.
A new theory about how the pyramids were built. Did you see the ropes being used? The author talks of the importance of cordage study in understanding how ropes were used to haul the stones into the pyramids. He dispels the curse related with the tombs.
Hogarth
Asyut
An article
mummyless coffins
The pictures in the book evoke the mysteries hidden.
After the description of rediscovery of KV60, the author writes down the path to his becoming an explorer.He then explains how the different courses equipped him with skills for archaelogy - identification bones - human and animal. In 'First Impressions' he observes that 'the pyramids are no longer the smooth-sided models of geometrical virtue that they once were'. He compares his impressions of the place with that of other people.
aish baladi
yardang
Koshari like Kichdi
Lighthouse of Alexandria
ancient library of Alexandria
Gebel Musa monastery
Elephantine island
Soknopaiou Nesos
Birket Qarun Lake
In the nineteenth century, tourists could buy mummies and coffins.
A new theory about how the pyramids were built. Did you see the ropes being used? The author talks of the importance of cordage study in understanding how ropes were used to haul the stones into the pyramids. He dispels the curse related with the tombs.
Hogarth
Asyut
An article
Books I like to read some day
subject to writing style appeal
Book lust
The Long Walk
Full tilt
French Revolutions: Cycling the tour de France
Miles from Nowhere: A Round thw world bicycle adventure
Where the pavement ends
Two wheels north
Ultimate High
Two wheels in the dust
Catfish and Mandala
When I came across the title Solomon's Daughter, I was interested in knowing the mythical story. I wonder if we need time to play out life or if we can guess what is inevitable. Like evil balances good, does fate balance the certain,wished way of life?
Skywater
Few days ago, I picked a book Metamaus from the library. I am reading of it again in this book.
Book lust
The Long Walk
Full tilt
French Revolutions: Cycling the tour de France
Miles from Nowhere: A Round thw world bicycle adventure
Where the pavement ends
Two wheels north
Ultimate High
Two wheels in the dust
Catfish and Mandala
When I came across the title Solomon's Daughter, I was interested in knowing the mythical story. I wonder if we need time to play out life or if we can guess what is inevitable. Like evil balances good, does fate balance the certain,wished way of life?
Skywater
Few days ago, I picked a book Metamaus from the library. I am reading of it again in this book.
Sunday, November 13, 2011
A different Zen book
Zen in the art of writing by Ray Bradbury
His writing does come across as something that results from the way he wakes up with a thought explosion in his head each morning.
Reading about how he wrote many of his stories shows how he learnt his skill and how he enjoyed doing that. His way of writing doesnt associate with isolation or tiredness or block. In this sense its a different Zen.
He writes down all the situations that he found inspiring and leaves the reader there to start off writing.
11.17.2006
His writing does come across as something that results from the way he wakes up with a thought explosion in his head each morning.
Reading about how he wrote many of his stories shows how he learnt his skill and how he enjoyed doing that. His way of writing doesnt associate with isolation or tiredness or block. In this sense its a different Zen.
He writes down all the situations that he found inspiring and leaves the reader there to start off writing.
11.17.2006
Excellent choice of words
The Life of skies by Jonathan Rosen
Right from the word go i.e the title, every word adds meaning to the experience had by Jonathan Rosen as a bird watcher. This is the first prologue that I didnt look for to end, as it already seemed like the book.
The book is divided into two parts :
PartI - Backyard Birds
PartII- Birds of Paradise.
Through the experiences of Audubon with his pet parrot and the killer monkey, Whitman's with mocking birds and the resultant poetry, Roosevelt's contribution to preservation of wildlife and his own from a decade of birdwatching, the author tries to get to the core of what this act means to him.
Looking at the evolution of his answers, looks like he will find many more spokes out of it other than the ones hes already meditated on. One tough nut is the instinct of hunting Vs conservation of birds. Theres a bit of history of land as it relates to migration, borders from his experience birdwatching in Palestine.
He blends fictional stories like 'The Bear' by Faulkner with non fictional acounts of bird sightings to bring across his point to the reader. Solomon stories, conference of birds, DH Lawrence, Thomas Hardy - everyone's welcome to the bounty.
The first essay 'the Ghost Bird' is about the history of Ivory Bill's extinction or man's desperate attempt at falsifying it by spotting one. This concern carries into other chapters and winds up the book too.
Illustrations make the book even more interesting.
p232. Stork with spear is very touching
Initially the book leaned more towards extinct birds
like passenger pigeons(it took me a while to imagine their number when present and believe that they are none now), carolina parakeets, eventually it did rake up my interest in putting the bird guide book to use.
If you decide to go birdwatching and its the first time, its better to go on a guided bird walk.
Whats bioblitz? Be open to know lots of such new things...
5/5. 5.9.2009
Right from the word go i.e the title, every word adds meaning to the experience had by Jonathan Rosen as a bird watcher. This is the first prologue that I didnt look for to end, as it already seemed like the book.
The book is divided into two parts :
PartI - Backyard Birds
PartII- Birds of Paradise.
Through the experiences of Audubon with his pet parrot and the killer monkey, Whitman's with mocking birds and the resultant poetry, Roosevelt's contribution to preservation of wildlife and his own from a decade of birdwatching, the author tries to get to the core of what this act means to him.
Looking at the evolution of his answers, looks like he will find many more spokes out of it other than the ones hes already meditated on. One tough nut is the instinct of hunting Vs conservation of birds. Theres a bit of history of land as it relates to migration, borders from his experience birdwatching in Palestine.
He blends fictional stories like 'The Bear' by Faulkner with non fictional acounts of bird sightings to bring across his point to the reader. Solomon stories, conference of birds, DH Lawrence, Thomas Hardy - everyone's welcome to the bounty.
The first essay 'the Ghost Bird' is about the history of Ivory Bill's extinction or man's desperate attempt at falsifying it by spotting one. This concern carries into other chapters and winds up the book too.
Illustrations make the book even more interesting.
p232. Stork with spear is very touching
Initially the book leaned more towards extinct birds
like passenger pigeons(it took me a while to imagine their number when present and believe that they are none now), carolina parakeets, eventually it did rake up my interest in putting the bird guide book to use.
If you decide to go birdwatching and its the first time, its better to go on a guided bird walk.
Whats bioblitz? Be open to know lots of such new things...
5/5. 5.9.2009
Good Old oly
The Living Shore by Jacob Rowensen
Olympia Oysters. They were once abundant like many other that went off the face of the earth. In this book, you will know how the see-saw tipped.
The first chapter of Brian Kingzett's survey of British Columbia coastline at the rate of 12 beaches per four-hours of low tide is an adventure even in concept.
There are interesting facts to know about food chains of (human)-otters-sea urchins-kelp from the journeys of Brian Kingzett and the author. If you see one too many of a kind, you can tell who is not on duty. The Chesapeake scene is reviewed in terms of the failure of oyster population restoration. Just like people volunteering for rearing dogs for blind, there are people who raise oyster gardens.
In the subsequent chapters, the author moves on to raincoast dwellers and their fish traps and clam gardens. Then you are taken to Clovis times. Thats 13 thousands of years ago. Its hard to imagine that ancient humans have crossed miles of ocean, but really then the ocean was hundred of feet less deep.
Next a chapter on all the good in oysters needed for human brain development. Role of iodine in IQ.
Moken sea nomads
Geomorphology
5/5. 12.17.2009
Olympia Oysters. They were once abundant like many other that went off the face of the earth. In this book, you will know how the see-saw tipped.
The first chapter of Brian Kingzett's survey of British Columbia coastline at the rate of 12 beaches per four-hours of low tide is an adventure even in concept.
There are interesting facts to know about food chains of (human)-otters-sea urchins-kelp from the journeys of Brian Kingzett and the author. If you see one too many of a kind, you can tell who is not on duty. The Chesapeake scene is reviewed in terms of the failure of oyster population restoration. Just like people volunteering for rearing dogs for blind, there are people who raise oyster gardens.
In the subsequent chapters, the author moves on to raincoast dwellers and their fish traps and clam gardens. Then you are taken to Clovis times. Thats 13 thousands of years ago. Its hard to imagine that ancient humans have crossed miles of ocean, but really then the ocean was hundred of feet less deep.
Next a chapter on all the good in oysters needed for human brain development. Role of iodine in IQ.
Moken sea nomads
Geomorphology
5/5. 12.17.2009
Like a candy to a kid
Periodic tales - a cultural history of the elements from Arsenic to zinc.
'Culture' is the word for me.
This book starts with gold. The most known precious metal. In the prologue, his experiment to collect the elements so that he can relate to them better, is a good project to try it for kids.
The author has shown references to metals in the works of Shakespeare and other writers and explored if they had chemist background. Who thought that Mark Twain was a prospecter once.
I liked the story of Candide, (I first heard of Voltaire in a lesson called 'Voltaire and Frederick'. That is where I learnt the idiom 'a bag of bones'.)
An article on understanding idioms
'Culture' is the word for me.
This book starts with gold. The most known precious metal. In the prologue, his experiment to collect the elements so that he can relate to them better, is a good project to try it for kids.
The author has shown references to metals in the works of Shakespeare and other writers and explored if they had chemist background. Who thought that Mark Twain was a prospecter once.
I liked the story of Candide, (I first heard of Voltaire in a lesson called 'Voltaire and Frederick'. That is where I learnt the idiom 'a bag of bones'.)
An article on understanding idioms
A Lab in the ocean
Sex, Drugs and sea slime
Interview with the author
I have read that coral reef is alive but never understood how until I read the above npr article.
Interview with the author
I have read that coral reef is alive but never understood how until I read the above npr article.
For a well informed citizen
The ultimate mystery of inheritance
Epigenetics
Dutch famine
Agouti gene
Sewall Wright
X inactivation
Driesch - sea urchin - for heir big sixe, and less yolk - more transparency to study fertilization and cell divisions.
DFTD cancer - gruesome.
fruit flies for genetics
The Deer Hunter
pitcher plant mosquitoes
Jose Canseco
Epigenetics
Dutch famine
Agouti gene
Sewall Wright
X inactivation
Driesch - sea urchin - for heir big sixe, and less yolk - more transparency to study fertilization and cell divisions.
DFTD cancer - gruesome.
fruit flies for genetics
The Deer Hunter
pitcher plant mosquitoes
Jose Canseco
The way of the Panda
Armand David, as a naturalist has found many plants and classified them. The author describes the hard times David faced in China, when foreigners were few there. His expeditions included the quest of Panda. With information like the number of chromosomes in a bear Vs Panda to show that they are different, author grasps the reader.
Armand David, as a naturalist has found many plants and classified them. The author describes the hard times David faced in China, when foreigners were few there. His expeditions included the quest of Panda. With information like the number of chromosomes in a bear Vs Panda to show that they are different, author grasps the reader.
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