I just wanted to share the settings I use to convert video for the Nexus One with Handbrake (the freeware video converter). The Nexus One has a wonderful screen and it would be a shame to not use it for video podcasts. But some podcasts (the Nasa Edge for example) encode their 720p video in a way the Google phone does not recognize.
I included the screenshots of the important settings and if you want to set them in a quick way just select the ipod classic preset und change the settings to 800 pixel width, Anamorphic none and the Avg Bitrate to 1500 kbps and the Audio to 2 channel AAC and you are done. Enjoy.
Not many TV commercials try to break new visual grounds. Partly because the big budget campaigns tend to stay on the safe side. They have to be “different” but common enough to not frighten the audience.
In the last few years we have seen some fine photography experimenting with the look of miniatures, but the new tv spot from german Telecom uses a mix of animated miniatures as stage and actors and life actors. The spot aired only in Germany is integrated into a environmental campaign.
Very nice, I want to see more of this creative spots in the future.
In various posts around the web you can find opinions on the new identity of the tv channel SyFy – formerly known as Sci-Fi Channel. While I don’t want to go into the design details I want to express some thoughts why the probably made this change. At first it seems quite unusual to change a well established brand so radically. It seems even more radical as the new name is also a new term that sounds like the old name but doesn’t has the same meaning – it actually has no meaning.
This puzzled at first even me. Science fiction was born over 100 years ago and the abbreviation sci-fi has become wide spread. Everybody knows what sci-fi is and therefore naming a tv channel who broadcasts sci-fi shows should be called sci-fi. But here lies the big problem. The vast majority of people “thinks” the know what sci-fi is all about. Basically science fiction is all about ufo’s and space travel. Science fiction is obviously much more than that and actually most of the movies and shows on tv are some sort of science fiction. How can you break this misinformation of the general public?
There are two ways. One way is to educate the people, but this would cost much more that just do it the way SyFy has done it. They changed the name and claimed that SyFy is the tv channel where you could “imagine more”. The name sound familiar enough to sci-fi fans to recognize the term and is new enough to new viewers to just be a name.
How far SyFy is more than just space crafts and aliens shows the spot – well done and good luck to the “new channel”.
Update: As @Lazarus2000 on Twitter pointed out giving a brand a unique name has another advantage. You can trademark the brand.
Drawing from some of the most pivotal points in his life, Steve Jobs, chief executive officer and co-founder of Apple Computer and of Pixar Animation Studios, urged graduates to pursue their dreams and see the opportunities in life’s setbacks — including death itself — at the university’s 114th Commencement on June 12, 2005. Inspiring and worth 15 minutes
Just had to share this with you – hilarious. BTW Monty Python has increased their DVD-Sales by 300% by openining their own Youtube Channel, giving away some of their best sketches for free. What a fine example of marketing 2.0
I stumbled across this advertising for a custom gift card producer. First watch it, then I tell you why I like it so much.
I like this spot, because it shows you what you can do with the product rather then braging about the technical aspects. To use the 3D-Card to show a before and after is not very creative (is ment to do that), but to tell a story where the twist is caused by the features the card has is very clever.
One small flaw is in the spot. How did the postman know that he is the right person? There was no stamp and no address on the back?
Scholz & Friends, abig german advertising Group made this little animation how advertising in the old days compares to today. Very ne at and you can’t explain it a simpler way.
Let’s call it a supporting evidence to our last lesson about letting your inner child help you. Tim Brown, CEO of Ideo, speaks on the “Serious Play” conference. In 20 Minutes you get with many examples and ideas (and some games) why it is so important to act like a child in certain moments.
BTW: I found this speech at TED, a great site with many interesting speeches. I’m sure to pick the ones that interest “us” most and show them here for you.
What is the job of an art director anyway. How is it like? And how to learn to do the things the right way in real life. I will present you here some insights and some tutorials about becomming an art director, not just a graphic designer. Tips & Tricks you won't learn in any school and normally you will have to figure them out yourself. So go ahead and start your lessons.
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by 300% by openining their own Youtube Channel, giving away some of their best sketches for free. What a fine example of marketing 2.0
