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Film Budgeting - Insider Tips For Film Students
Film Budgeting - Insider Tips For Film Students
(Copyright 2005 - John Gaskin)
This is my 20th year working in the film industry on over 40 film productions. Throughout that time I have never met a new film school graduate who has a clue about...
Home Cinema Room Setup
The best home theater experience is achieved with proper home cinema room setup. A home theater cannot be setup like any regular living room or den - it has special requirements so you can get the full experience from the sight and sound of the...
Special Effects Cast Shadow Over Storyline
Hollywood films have always been divided in two categories, the big budget action-adventure extravaganza and the quiet low-budget Indies. In addition to that, there is also a subcategory: the technology driven films and the human stories.
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The Alfred Hitchcock Locations Walks in London and New York
Sandra Shevey takes visitors to New York on a suspenseful excursion through Manhattan and Queens in the footsteps of director Alfred Hitchcock who immortalised some of New York City`s most romantic neighborhoods in 9 of his New York-based films.
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Understanding Surround Sound Systems
Surround sound is the concept of expanding the spatial imaging of audio playback from 1 dimension(mono/Left-Right) to two or three dimensions. It is often employed for a more realistic audio environment, actively implemented in cinema sound...
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Schreiber, Johansson Build A 'Bridge' To A Classic
Liev Schreiber and Scarlett Johansson are starring in a widely praised revival of Arthur Miller's <em>A View From The Bridge</em>. They tell reporter Jeff Lunden that as in all great tragedies, this one's clashes and catastrophes have something of the inevitable about them.
Stargazing At The Opera
The Hayden Planetarium in New York takes opera to the moon with a new production of <em>Il Mondo Della Luna.</em> Diane Paulus and Philip Bussmann talk about merging cosmos footage with music, how science can enhance the arts and the future of technology and theater.
Obama 'The Musical' Opens In Germany
A new theater production <em>Hope: The Obama Musical Story</em> opened this week in Frankfurt, Germany. It tells the story, in song and dance, of America's first black president. It is likely to be a big success in a country where President Obama is still immensely popular.
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Home Automation - Save Money & Enhance Your Lifestyle - Some Exciting Applications
Wouldn’t it be nice to have your home take care of things for you, automatically, without you having to lift a finger? You bet it would. That is the promise of home automation. There are many different systems, especially in larger homes, that can benefit from being integrated. Some of these systems include security alarm, HVAC, audio / video, and lighting. Home automation integrates these systems together, enabling them to function more efficiently, improve functionality, conserve resources and enhance your lifestyle.
That’s the name of the game; an enhanced lifestyle. Everyone can benefit from a better life and modern electronic systems can help provide it. In addition, as the cost of resources continues to rise and the price of electronics continues to fall, home automation systems will prove to be even more cost effective. The combination of the modern consumer’s thirst for convenience and increasing economic advantages will propel home automation more into the mainstream.
So, what are some of the fun things a home automation system can do for you? Here are some common applications:
1) As you pull up the driveway you press a button on your key-fob remote. The security system disarms and a path is lit from the garage to the kitchen. Your favorite music comes on in the kitchen and family room. Five minutes after you arrive home the lights in your mudroom and garage hall turn off.
2) As you leave, you arm the security system into away mode using your key-fob remote. Your lights turn off throughout the house, saving you from going around turning off different lights throughout the home. Your blinds close. Your music turns off. If you have forced-air heat, it is set back. All from one button press.
3) Set whole house scenes for different events to include lighting, music, HVAC, and security. Example: A) An entertainment scene would have the lights set to the “entertain” preset, the security system off, the music to the appropriate party play list, and the HVAC set-back a few degrees to compensate for the added body heat from the additional people in the house. B) The “Holiday” scene could run concurrently with other scenes and turn the Christmas lights on and play the Holiday music play list through the outside speakers.
4) Different lighting scenes can be preset for different events such as entertaining, away, coming home, etc. This is excellent to recall favorite
Stroke Victims Think, Robotic Arm Acts
Reporting in <em>Nature,</em> researchers write that two individuals, both paralyzed by stroke, made reach-and-grasp movements using a thought-controlled robotic arm. One participant was even able to a sip a drink by herself. Neuroengineer Dr. Leigh Hochberg discusses the paper and the ongoing trial.
Dish Network Satellite TV -- What You Need To Know Before You Order
Launched in 1996 by EchoStar Communications, DISH Network is the second-largest satellite TV provider in the world, with 11 million subscribers and 9 broadcast satellites.
In addition to TV programming, DISH Network satellite TV also offers 50...
lighting levels automatically. It also avoids you having to go throughout the home and set dimmer levels. Dimming lights saves considerable energy and dramatically extends the life of light bulbs. An incandescent light at 90% will last almost twice as long as the same light at 100%.
5) Motion-activated lighting automatically turns on the bathroom lights to 25% if you get up between 12:00 midnight and 5:00am, avoiding harsh light on your still sleepy eyes. If you walk out of your bedroom door late at night, a path is lit to the kitchen for you at 35%.
6) You get an email notifying you if your security system is tripped or disarmed. This is great for knowing when kids get home after school or alerting you to problems when you are away from home. E-mail and pager alerts can be used for a variety of conditions that may need monitoring such as low fuel-oil, occupancy or motion in certain areas, or water leaks in the mechanical or utility room.
7) Skylights automatically close in response to rain and/or wind.
8) If upstairs windows are open, the heat in those rooms is disabled to avoid wasting energy and a message is displayed on the home’s touch panels to alert you.
9) Weather information can be displayed on the home’s touch panels. If the wind speed increases to beyond 50mph, protective shutters can be activated over the windows.
10) Motorized window treatments can be lowered automatically in response to direct sunlight. This prevents fading of valuable furniture, carpets and artwork. It also reduces interior heating, reducing AC expenditures.
11) You phone from your car while returning from a ski trip to ensure your hot tub is warmed up and ready to jump in immediately upon your return.
These are just a sample of different home automation applications commonly used to enhance lifestyles, save money and conserve resources. The possibilities are almost endless, limited only by your budget and imagination.
About the Author
Steve has 15 yrs in electronics. He is a CEDIA certified designer with ISF and THX certificates. Experience includes: installer and programmer; system designer; business unit director for an a/v importer; sales rep for a CE distributor; and principal of a $1.5M+ CEDIA firm. He's now senior sales engineer for Digital Cinema Design in Redmond, WA. See him at The Home Theater and Automation Guide
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