http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid58154479001?bclid=46921964001&bctid=62410914001

Anything you want, any time, any place

Apple to unveil new product, amid swirl of speculation

By Maggie Shiels Technology reporter, BBC News, Silicon Valley Steve Jobs and Apple are regarded as masters of building hype for products All eyes in the technology world are on Apple as it prepares to unveil its latest creation, amid a swirl of speculation it is a tablet computer. At 1800 GMT on Wednesday the company will hold a news conference in San Francisco to launch the new product. Media and tech blogs have been in overdrive, amid rumours the product will be a keyboard-less tablet device. For weeks, a flurry of photos and videos purporting to show the new device have been circulating. "One never knows what Apple might or might not do on any given Wednesday in January," said Mike Gartenberg, vice-president of strategy and analysis at research firm Interpret. Market winner? "One thing we do know for sure is we are going to see some sort of new device or category of device." Apple has done an amazing job keeping this thing under wraps Paul Miller Engadget tech blog Apple sees profits increase 50% The safe money is on the product being a tablet or slate-like computer which traditionally bridges the gap between smartphones and laptops. "The question here is does Apple have a different take on this category? It has to be something that has a reason to exist all by itself and not something that lives between a phone and a computer," Mr Gartenberg told BBC News. Until now the tablet market has been regarded as a middling one with revenue of around $950m (£597m). But many industry watchers believe Apple will do for this sector what the iPod did for MP3 players. Apple has billed the new gadget as "a major new product" Apple said it sold 21m iPods last quarter and, while that represented a drop of 8% on the previous year, the company boasts a 70% market share. "Our base case assumes the new tablet adds four million shipments, $3.2bn (£2.1bn) revenue and 82 cents of earnings per share in 2010, but we see potential upside to six million units," said Morgan Stanley analyst Katy Huberty. Interpret's Mr Gartenberg agreed. "Apple is not building products for tens of thousands of enthusiasts. They are building products for tens of millions of customers," he said. 'Jesus Tablet' Speculation has been rife about what this mythical device, sometimes dubbed the "Jesus Tablet", will actually do. The closest followers of these trends are the blogs and so-called Apple fan sites which have tracked everything from patents to supposed leaks from various manufacturers and people claiming to have actual photographs. The iPhone has helped users adapt to doing things using multi-touch "Apple has done an amazing job keeping this thing under wraps," Paul Miller, editor of tech blog Engadget told the BBC. "We have just tracked eight years of rumour and speculation about a tablet device from Apple, and here we are the day before the big announcement and there is basically zero tangible information on it," said Mr Miller. Among the rumours is that the gadget will be a gaming device, an "e-reader killer" or a really big iPhone. Multi-touch will be at the heart of everything. "Apple is looking at a new paradigm of user interface where the finger replaces the mouse and the keyboard," said Leander Kahney, founder of CultofMac.com and author of Inside Steve's Brain, a book about Apple boss Steve Jobs. "This is a very important step in mainstream computing." The tablet is expected to connect to the internet via Wi-Fi and 3G cellular networks. 'Very excited' It will have a full browser and access to more than 125,000 software applications found in the Apple App store. In terms of partners, Apple has reportedly been talking to publishers to bring books, newspapers and magazines to the tablet as well as to broadcasters to bring TV shows and movies to users. Cost will be crucial and commentators say with an expected price tag of possibly between $700-$1000 (£440-£680) people could be put off. "We're betting even die-hard adopters [those who are first to embrace new gadgets] won't be showing up en masse to buy the tablet," said Wired blogger Daniel Dumas. For those interested in technology, the wait will soon be over. But not without Apple's boss doing his bit to whet everyone's appetite. Mr Jobs said on Monday: "The new products we are planning to release this year are very strong, starting this week with a major new product we are very excited about."

Oscar winning short films

What makes a great short film?

2006 - Six Shooter

2005 - West Bank Story

1998 - Visas and Virtue

Pornography, allegedly

Some thoughts on the feedback I received from my lecturers, Mark Ingham and Jeremy Barr, yesterday for my formative presentation in MA Broadcast Futures:

I delivered my presentation using my blog via the projector, as recommended by Mark Ingham. I’m quite used to speaking from notes only, so this was quite weird for me to be looking at the laptop screen and everyone else looking at the projected material behind me. Quite a different experience from engaging directly with people.

My presentation was a lot about how I’m going to study existing films and books, then go and do my own thing. The feedback from Mark was “Pornography”. I think he didn’t like the way it sounded like I was trying to copy other films; finding the elements that people like then emulating them. He chose a brusque way of saying it, but assuming I correctly understand what he meant then I can certainly see his point. And I think his point is that I should tell the stories and make the films that I want to make, coming from my passion.

Trouble is that the feedback from my previous presentation was about becoming more reflective… opening up to different influences… I thought I had done that with this revision of my research strategy, but it would seem that I’m somewhat off the point according to Mark and Jeremy’s opinions. Hm.

Taking their most recent feedback on board I can see that if I actually did all the research work I’ve set out I’ll not have enough time to make a film. It’s this attempt to do things the right way. I think I’ve got an idea that pursuing an academic qualification requires doing things the right way. Perhaps it doesn’t.

Further feedback from Jeremy and Mark included: “Your direction is finding your own voice” “You probably know all the technical stuff already” “Take risks” “Be passionate”

Thoughts and questions that came up from their feedback include:

What films do I want to make?

Give up trying to second guess what the market want - make something wild and crazy – unconstrained

What if I start a practice of screenwriting 3 pages a day and shooting something every day? What about making a film even if I don’t know what it’s going to be about? Get 2 or 3 actors and spend a weekend with them improvising a story.

During the next couple of students’ presentations I made a few notes about how to proceed: Basically I’ve got 15 days to make my next short drama. I’m working 3 days a week, in MA lectures one day a week, and developing my film career one day a week. The deadline for my short drama is May 1st, so that gives me 15 days. Last year’s film was a big production number, with 3 solid months of writing, pre-production, production and post-production. This year I simply don’t have the time to do it the same way.

So what I’m thinking is this:

Jan, write notes every day, and shoot 2 days (ie 1 day a week)

Feb, Shoot with actors for 2 days, edit for 2 days and see what I’ve got, still writing, still developing the story

Mar, Ditto

Apr, Sound post-production for 2 days and grade for 2 days

In essence it’s about putting the limited time I have into making the film rather than the organisation. It’s much more activist than reflector, but I know I’ll make it work. See High Noon on the High C's, a 5 minute film which I co-produced and directed Sept 08, in 48 hours. We were given the genre (Western or musical, so we did both) a line of dialogue (can't you see I'm in training?) a character (Danny the wine expert) and a prop (a torch), on the Friday night, and we turned in the finished film Sunday night.

It’s snowing today so I couldn’t get to work, so I’m actually going to go out this afternoon and shoot some video. Just for the hell of it. See what I get. Advice that Jeremy gave to someone else but is pertinent to me: “There needs to be a feeling of not being in control”

Research Strategy Presentation

100105: 5 minute presentation on My Research Strategy

The outcome for my directed research is:

To use the emerging technology and platforms to develop my career as a professional drama director, and profit from the application of this knowledge

I will use 7 types of practice-based research:

1. To improve my skills as a director I will do primary research to get feedback on a short film I made in 2009 called The Gift
1. My plan is to write a questionnaire and show the film to a number of groups at Ravensbourne
2. I may also put the film online and ask for feedback. Trigger Street and Shooting People, and use facebook to review it amongst my friends
3. I will use this feedback to help me clarify what worked and what didn’t work, so that I can learn from this and make a better film next time

2. I will test the idea that emerging technology allows us to distribute our own work using a documentary I’ve nearly completed (Ben Hill’s Short Confessions)
1. I’m going to make 30 x 1 min virals with the aim of releasing one a week and building large following so that I can go to programme buyers with proven interest eg 1,000,000 hits, and thereby achieve a good price for selling the finished film for TV distribution
2. I will listen to The Long Tale for guidance on using the internet for niche sales
3. I will explore different financial models for online distribution and sales
4. I will examine other filmmakers, musicians and entrepreneurs who have sold their own material online, to guide me in pursuit of this objective

3. In Spring 2010 I will make a short drama film. In the run-up to making it I will:
1. Source short scripts from screenwriters via their agents
2. Source short scripts from Trigger Street
3. Read books on screenwriting, storytelling, directing, plus biographies of directors (see below for book lists).
4. I’ve identified 26 books I intend to read this year. As I read each one I will annotate the book and write a report on the salient points I wish to use later in my dissertation
5. Watch The Master Course in High-End Blocking and Staging, a 7 hour DVD guide to camera work by Hollywood Camerawork

4. I have made lists of the Oscar and BAFTA-winning short films over the last 10 years. I will:
1. Watch them with a view to appreciating the films which have the gained the highest industry accolades
2. I will also track the careers of the winning directors to understand the extent to which this approach is a viable entry point into the feature film industry

5. I have made a list of my top ten favourite feature films, which I will watch
1. To identify the kinds of themes which interest me most
2. To observe the ways the directors have crafted these films
3. 
   
6. List top 10 film funding opportunities per year and pursue them systematically
7. List top 10 most important film festivals into which I'll submit my films, The Gift and Short Confessions

Book list:

Books on screenwriting

1. The Writer’s Journey: Mythic Structure for Writers by Chris Vogler

2. Crafting Short Screenplays That Connect by Claudia H Johnson

3. The Anatomy of Story: 22 steps to Becoming a Master Storyteller by John Truby

4. Power Screenwriting: The 12 Stages of Story Development by Michael Chase Walker

5. Save the Cat! The Last Book on Screenwriting You’ll Ever Need by Blake Snyder

6. Advanced Screenwriting: Raising Your Script to the Academy Award Level by Linda Seger

7. Oscar-Winning Screenwriters on Screenwriting: The Award-Winning Best in the Business Discuss Their Craft by Joel Engel

Books on directing

1. How Not To Make a Short Film: Secrets From a Sundance Programmer by Roberta Marie Munroe

2. Making It Big In Shorts: The Ultimate Filmmaker’s Guide to Short Films by Kim Adelman

3. Setting Up Your Scenes: The Inner Workings of Great Films by Richard D Pepperman

4. Directing Actors: Creating Memorable Performances for Film and Television by Judith Weston

5. Cinematic Storytelling: The 100 Most Powerful Film Conventions Every Filmmaker Must Know by Jennifer Van Sijll

6. The Film Director’s Intuition: Script Analysis and Rehearsal Techniques by Judith Weston

7. The Working Director: How to Arrive, Survive and Thrive in the Director’s Chair by Charles Wilkinson

8. Film Directors on Directing by John Andrew Gallagher

9. On Film-making: An Introduction to the Craft of the Director by Alexander Mackendrick

Directors’ biogs and autobiogs

1. American Rebel: The Life of Clint Eastwood by Marc Eliot

2. Quentin Tarantino: The Man, The Myths and His Movies

3. Loach on Loach

4. Steven Spielberg: Director of Blockbuster Films

5. Mike Leigh on Mike Leigh

6. Rebel Without a Crew: Or How a 23-Year-Old Filmmaker With $7,000 Became a Hollywood Player by Robert Rodriguez

7. Woody Allen on Woody Allen

8. Ridley Scott: Interviews (Conversations with filmmakers series)

9. Scorsese on Scorsese

Watch movies

Top 10 movies to study:

1. Million Dollar Baby, directed by Clint Eastwood

2. The Soloist, directed by ?

3. The Private Lives of Pippa Lee, directed by Rebecca Lee

4. My Life as a Dog, directed by Lasse Hallstrom

5. Looking For Eric, directed by Ken Loach

6. Avatar, directed James Cameron

7. District 9

8. American Beauty, directed by Sam Mendes

9. Slumdog Millionaire, directed by Danny Boyle

10. Midnight Express, directed by Alan Parker

Watch the best short movies (ie Oscar and BAFTA-winners and nominees) I want to watch these in January, so I’m fully informed by February when I start writing my Spring 10 short

Oscar winning shorts:

Year of winning Oscar	Name of film	Director	Writer
2009	Toyland	Jochen Alexander Freydank	Johann A Bunners & Jochen Alexander Freydank
2008
2007	Les Mozarts des Pickpockets	Philippe Pollet-Villard	Philippe Pollet-Villard
2006	Six Shooter	Martin McDonagh	Martin McDonagh
2005	West Bank Story	Ari Sandel
2004	Two Soldiers	Aaron Schneider	William Faulkner & Aaron Schneider
2003	This Charming Man	Martin Strange-Hansen	Flemming Klem & Martin Strange-Hansen
2002
2001	I Want To Be, and The Accountant	Florian Gallenberger, and Ray McKinnon	Florian Gallenberger
2000	My Mother Dreams the Satan’s Disciples in New York	Barbara Schock	Rex Pickett
1998	Visas and Virtue	Chris Tashima	Chris Tashima and Tom Donaldson