My blog has been moved to a new location!

You should be automatically redirected in 6 seconds. If not, visit
http://artslab.unm.edu
and update your bookmarks.

Sunday, July 20, 2008

Sony Camera Demos and Workshops this Wednesday @ UNM


Sony Electronics is really pitching in this year with the 2008 Duke City Shootout. As this year's official camera sponsor, they're providing a special workshop for the Shootout's DP's and camera operators, but they're also working with us at UNM's ARTS Lab and the Communication & Journalism Department to share information and expertise with a series of demos this coming Wednesday from 10 AM to 5PM.

They'll be held in the Communication & Journalism studio on main campus near the NW corner of Central Ave. and Yale Blvd to talk primarily about their XDCAM compact model, the PMWEX1 (which we'll be using for this year's Shootout). These sessions with Sony's tech experts and KNME cinematographer John Britt will provide an opportunity for DP's to discuss the best settings to use for a variety of needs. Educators -- and indie filmmakers -- are welcome to attend as well.

More info to come.


Zemanta Pixie

Saturday, July 19, 2008

Duke City Shootout Rides Again...


Or something like that.  One of the key events that's helped put Albuquerque high on the list of independent filmmakers (and publications like Variety and Moviemaker) is DFI's Duke City Shootout.  UNM's ARTS Lab is again helping out (as am I as a DFI Board member and this year's post-production supervisor), and every year things improve. We're particularly happy to have Sony Electronics' support this year; it's involvement from professionals from Sony, Apple, IATSE 480 and SAG that provide one of the world's best (and most intense) learning experiences in digital filmmaking. 

What's up this year for public participation? Check out the following:

Just added:
Wednesday, July 23rd, 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM: Sony Electronics Camera Demo and Workshop
School of Communication & Journalism, UNM Main Campus
Sony Electronics returns as the official camera sponsor of the 2008 Duke City Shootout, providing demos and workshops on the PMWEX1 cameras we'll be using for our shoots. This coming Wednesday, Sony technicians and KNME's resident camera artist John Britt will be at UNM's Communication and Journalism school to provide demos, workshops and hands-on experience with the EX1 for Shootout participants and the public alike. More details to come.

Friday, July 25th, 7:00 PM: Shotgun Start
Albuquerque Studios
Our homage to the frontier, the ceremonial Shotgun Start, kicks off Friday night about 7 pm at Albuquerque Studios. Then follow the crowd to our opening night party. (Must be a crew member to participate.)

Friday, July 25th, 8:00 PM: Kick-Off Party
Albuquerque Hyatt Regency
Our Opening Night bash takes over the Atrium at the Hyatt Regency downtown from 8 pm on.

Wednesday, July 30, 7:00 PM: Crew Wrap Party
Albuquerque Hyatt Regency
Bring us your tired, weary and poor crew members and get 'em a drink at the always wild Wrap Party. You'll find us in the Grand Ballroom of the Hyatt Regency, starting at 7 pm.

Friday, August 1st, 5:30 PM: MASSIVE CINEMA
Albuquerque Hyatt Regency
Join us in the Grand Ballroom at the Hyatt Regency from 5:30-7:30 p.m. to check out the winners of the Shootout's Massive Cinema competition, sponsored by Intel, Albuquerque Studios and the American Film Institute.

Friday, August 1st, 8:00 PM: BEST OF THE 48 HOUR FILM PROJECT/NEW MEXICO
Albuquerque Hyatt Regency
Come see the magic worked by local film crews during the recent 48 Hour Film Project, and get a sneak preview of the movie that will compete with the Shootout films on Saturday. Join us in the Grand Ballroom at the Hyatt Regency from 8-10 pm to watch the best of and find out who won.

Saturday, August 2nd, 7:00 PM: GALA PREMIERE
Kiva Auditorium, Albuquerque Convention Center
The Shootout climaxes with the Gala Premiere screening of our seven short movies, plus the winner from the 48 Hour Film Project, in a fight for the soon-to-be-coveted Palm de Grease. Join us at the Kiva Auditorium inside the Convention Center. Then stay tuned for the awards ceremony, and a post-premiere bash across the street.
Order Your Tickets Here.

Saturday, August 2nd, 9:30 PM: POST-PREMIERE PARTY
Albuquerque Hyatt Regency
Follow us across Civic Plaza to the Post-Premiere Party in the Grand Ballroom at the Hyatt Regency where you can mingle with filmmakers and crew 'til the break of dawn.

For more information and updates on events, visit the Shootout website.

Tuesday, July 15, 2008

Tricklock's Manoa Project This Weekend

One of Tricklock Theatre Company's best programs is its Manoa Project which works with teens to develop their writing, directing and acting skills in a professional theater setting.

Now in its sixth year, it's wonderful to see some of the talent that's blossomed along the way, with alums heading off to college for writing and film programs, and otherwise embarking on new creative journeys. Often surprisingly perceptive from talent so young, the Manoa Project is always worth checking out.

July 18-23, 2008

The Main Stage Performance!
Sicarius Aurorae

by Asher Ely
July 18-20, 2008
Friday & Saturday @ 8pm
Sunday @ 6pm
The Manoa Ensemble Work Demonstration &
Staged Reading of
Shades of Grey, Growing Darker
by Amanda Burroughs
Saturday, July 19 @ 2pm
At the Albuquerque Journal Theatre
National Hispanic Cultural Center
Special Santa Fe Performance!!!
ONE NIGHT ONLY
Wednesday, July 23 @ 8pm
Scottish Rite Temple
463 Paseo de Peralta
Advanced Tickets available through NHCC Box Office
505.724.4771


About the MANOA PROJECT:
Celebrating six wonderful years of training and performance, Tricklock Company’s The Manoa Project is a summer theatre training program for Albuquerque area teens, co-sponsored by The National Hispanic Cultural Center, NM Arts, Albuquerque Community Foundation, and Albuquerque Academy. The program gives students an intensive, 7-week training program in physical theatre, led by the award-winning Tricklock Company (2008 “Best of Burque” –Live Theatre Troupe). Students learn the dynamics and tools of creating theatre in an ensemble-based environment, in conjunction with producing and performing a world-premiere performance of a new play by a New Mexico teen playwright. The script is selected through a juried, statewide competition, and receives full production in Albuquerque, followed by a brief tour to Santa Fe. The program is tuition-free, giving equal opportunity of training and performance to all Albuquerque teens.


About “Sicarius Aurorae”:
Travel down a back alley in ancient Rome, make sure you have your wits and knife about you, and practice that secret handshake, as you enter the world of Sicarius Aurorae. The year is 33 BC, the height of the Roman Empire. Rome balances on a tightrope, as would-be revolutionaries and dictators fight for prominence, setting the stage for a government that will set the precedent for years to come. Meet Cassus Septimus, a simple Praetorian caught between the feuding factions. Content to be a part of the bigger picture of a great civilization, Cassus finds himself suddenly singled out when he is framed for the murder of his wife. Follow Cassus as he falls in with a group of vigilantes known as the Sicari Aurorae. Travel with him as he journeys down the dark road of revenge, adding to the body count of the already turbulent times. Be there when Cassus realizes he must not only face his enemies but also himself, in a battle to discover who he is. The playwriting competition-winning play for the Manoa Project’s 2008 Season digs deeper at the Rome we know and revere and gives a glimpse at the underbelly, where corruption, vengeance and betrayal rule. Playwright, and Bosque School Senior, Asher Ely not only invites his audience into a meticulously created past, but asks an essential question: what does it mean to truly think independently?


Tricklock Company
1705 Mesa Vista NE Albuquerque NM, 87106 505.254.8393

Zemanta Pixie

Friday, July 11, 2008

More DomeFest: NM Business Weekly Coverage

From the NM Business Weekly:
Peripheral Vision
New Mexico Business Weekly - by Megan Kamerick NMBW Staff

DomeFest, Albuquerque's homegrown digital media festival for full-dome theaters, has made its first debut outside its native soil.

The festival usually premiers in Albuquerque before hitting various venues around the world. But this year it premiered in Chicago at the nation's oldest planetarium, the Adler, following a July 3 meeting of the International Planetarium Society.

The timing seems just right for the festival to hit a bigger and more influential audience. DomeFest, the only worldwide festival devoted to content produced for full-dome (curved overhead screen) theaters, received a record 40 entries this year from all over the world. By tying the showcase to the biannual IPS conference, it has raised its profile significantly among the people looking for the content DomeFest provides: the 700-plus members of IPS from 35 countries around the world.

DomeFest and the related full dome summit packed the 270-seat Adler Planetarium for hours, said Hue Walker Bumgarner-Kirby, multimedia development specialist with the ARTS Lab at the University of New Mexico. The festival's jury selected 13 pieces for the final program and two alternates.

David Beining, founder of DomeFest, which is housed at the ARTS Lab, said the contacts he made in Chicago are already taking hold.

The DomeFest program is showing the week of July 5 in Germany, and it will show in at least two venues in the United Kingdom and in Montreal...

DomeFest 2008 will show in New Mexico on Oct. 14 as part of Motion08, an animation and digital media conference.

Visit the full article here: http://albuquerque.bizjournals.com/albuquerque/stories/2008/07/14/story1.html?ana=e_ph
Zemanta Pixie

Sunday, July 06, 2008

This Week in ABQ Area Media Events

Busy week coming up here in New Mexico, with lots of neat events in the Albuquerque area (visit the NM Media Events page for even more events).


Tuesday, July 8th

What: NM Incentives @ AniMotion NM July 8th
When: Wednesday, July 8th from 7:00 - 9:00 PM
Where: ARTS Lab Garage (131 Pine Street NE, Albuquerque, NM 87106 -- just north of Central and one block west of University)

AniMotion NM welcomes New Mexico Film Office Deputy Director Jennifer Schwalenberg and award-winning animator Chris Kientz to talk about producing animation in New Mexico, our production rebate program and other incentives, and how they apply to animation and VFX work.
How can animators make use of these incentives? Come to the next AniMotion NM meeting and find out.


Wednesday, July 9th

What: MEL Scripting a Character Rig July 9th @ ARTS Lab with Chris Maraffi
When: Wednesday, July 9th from 5 - 8pm
Where: ARTS Lab Garage (131 Pine Street NE, Albuquerque, NM 87106 -- just north of Central and one block west of University)

This workshop will demonstrate an overview of how to approach MEL scripting a biped character rig in Autodesk Maya to automate and streamline the character rigging process. It will show you the advantages and issues in creating a rig through code, and will give you a sneak peak of the content of Chris' new book on the same subject, due out early fall.

Thursday, July 10th

What: NM Marcom & Tech Mixer July 10th
Where: Albuquerque the Magazine Offices, 1550 Mercantile Ave. NE, Top Floor, Jefferson & I-25, Above REI
When: Thursday, July 10, 2008, 5:30 – 8:30 pm
How: $12 at door includes A FREE ATM magazine subscription, hors d’oeuvres, hosted bar and your chance to win some great door prizes. RSVP to sasacco@aol.com

This year's 4th Annual “NM MarCom Mixer” will bring together not only the Marketing and Communications industries, but also leaders and top professionals in technology and media as well. And while there's no *one* association covering all that's happening in film and media -- all are welcome!


Friday, July 11th through Sunday, July 13th

What: 48 Hour Film Project New Mexico

Teams are already signed/signing up, but you might still be able to get involved. Visit the 48 Hour Film Project site for more details.


Zemanta Pixie

Saturday, July 05, 2008

DomeFest 2008 Update: Playing Next in Hamburg

DomeFest 2008 continues to spread its wings. After selling out the fulldome conference sessions (held in association with the International Planetarium Society's biannual conference in Chicago), DomeFest 2008 played to overflow crowds at the famed Adler Planetarium.

Winners include both established names and some newcomers -- including the Best of Fest prize, which went to a student production (that's truly awesome, btw). More on all of that later.

For now though, if you're on the other side of the Atlantic this coming week (or have friends who are), the digital media festival bitfilm 08, will be having its closing events in Hamburg, including the EU premiere of DomeFest 08 at the Planetarium Hamburg on July 10th and 11th.
Thursday, July 10
6pm: Machinima
7pm: 3D Space 1
8pm: 360° - Domefest nominees
9pm: Best of 360°
10pm: FX Mix 1
11pm: Realtime

Friday, July 11
6pm: Flash
7pm: 3D Space 2
8pm: FX Mix 2
9pm: 360° - Domefest nominees
10pm: Best of 360°
11pm: 360° - Alien Action
12pm: Stuttgart Tricks - Highlights from the Stuttgart Festival of Animated Film
More info available at bitfilm 08.
Zemanta Pixie