LOS ANGELES (TheWrap.com) - Visual-effects workers have already taken to the streets outside the Oscars to protest the layoffs and bankruptcies roiling their industry. Now they're taking the message to Facebook and Twitter in a series of coordinated protests.
To show their solidarity, they are plastering their social media pages with blank green screens. It's a demonstration of what effects-heavy films would look like if there were no longer artists and designers to create elaborate digital worlds and jaw-dropping action sequences.
The color green is not an arbitrary choice. Films like "Life of Pi" and "Avatar" were largely shot against a green screen, with designers creating the backdrops in post-production.
The Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing by Rhythm & Hues Studios this month combined with DreamWorks Animation's decision to cut about 350 jobs or 15 percent of its staff have drawn together a diffuse group of artists and technicians. They believe that studios' thirst for lucrative tax subsidies from countries like Canada and the United Kingdom and the cheaper labor offered in Asia are pushing more and more jobs abroad.
It's also causing highly respected California-based shops like Rhythm & Hues, which was part of the team that won an Academy Award on Sunday for its work on "Life of Pi," to the brink of ruin.
"I hope the protest will result in better treatment of VFX artists," Andrew Hawryluk, a freelance visual-effects artist, told TheWrap. "I consider myself one of the lucky ones to be currently employed, treated very well and paid on time, but there are many VFX workers out who slave away on major projects (with budgets worth hundreds of millions of dollars) for months on end with 80+ hour work weeks, no overtime compensation, and from what I gather from the community, many instances of top companies never paying workers after the projects are over and the freelancers are let go."
The online agitation comes days after roughly 400 protestors rallied outside the Dolby Theater on Sunday where the Academy Awards were being held to protest the financial turmoil many effects companies are experiencing. Their signs carried messages such as "respect for vfx" and "we want a piece of the Pi," according to a report in Variety.
Inside the theater, "Life of Pi" triumphed over the competition to pick up the Oscar for Best Visual Effects. However, the orchestra played over Bill Westenhofer, one of the members of the winning team, as he tried to make a point about the dangers that Rhythm & Hues' failure poses for Hollywood.
Backstage, freed of the time constraints applied to a globally broadcast awards show, he was able to expound on his fears about the bankruptcy filing.
"We're not technicians ... we're artists, and if we don't do something to change the business model, we might lose some of the artistry," Westenhofer said.
Guest Blogger #876, Entry #2143, February 26, 2013
One of the latest trends in home upgrades revolves around creating outdoor rooms that extend your square footage and thus, your livable space. This often includes planning and building an outdoor retreat complete with dedicated seating areas (a patio or deck festooned with comfortable furnishings), a cooking center (whether it?s just a grill or an entire island), ample lighting, water features, and flora and fauna that provide a screen from the neighbors and a treat for the senses. It may sound like a pretty tall order, but when you?re lounging in your chic backyard sipping Mai Tais with the ladies or beers with the bros, you?re going to appreciate the extra ?room? a lot more. And there are several elements you can include to make the space functional and unique. So if you?re waffling on whether or not to add a?gazebo, here are a few benefits you may not have considered.
The first and best reason to install a gazebo in the backyard is to provide protection from the elements. No matter what type of climate you live in, there are bound to be times when you?d like to enjoy the outdoors without having to worry about an assault by the sun or rain. A gazebo won?t stop strong winds or snow flurries from getting in, but if you want a shady vantage from which you enjoy the beauty of your yard during the summer, or if you enjoy drinking your coffee and reading the paper outdoors, even when it?s sprinkling, a gazebo can offer you the shelter you need to make the most of your outdoor space.
2. Kiddie play room.
There are times when every parent has to shove the kids out the door in order to get some stuff done in the house. Having a gazebo in the backyard can give your kids a suitable place to play that protects them from the elements. And you can fix it up in a number of appealing ways. You might train vines up the lattice sides of the structure to create a hidden fort in which kids can have their imaginary adventures. Or you could furnish the space with a table, chairs, and storage for supplies so that kids can get crafty without making a huge mess where you just cleaned indoors.
3. Set dressing.
If you entertain family, friends, and colleagues frequently or you?re planning to host some fancy events in the future (weddings, birthday parties, and the like) you?ll certainly get plenty of use out of your gazebo. It not only provides shelter and utility, but it?s also a beautiful set dressing that can act as a focal point and make any celebration more glamorous.
Any permanent structure you add to your property has the potential to raise the value, especially if it is utilitarian. And while you might not see a huge return on investment by adding a gazebo to your backyard, it could definitely act as a selling point for interested buyers down the road.
For more outdoor home ideas on Stagetecture, click here.
Don't worry if Dubai-based smartphone maker i-mate had slipped your mind. The business unceremoniously collapsed back in 2009 after allegedly suffering a "major fraud" that led it to fire all of its employees. Fortunately, CEO Jim Morrison is back with a new mobile device that, he claims, runs full-fat Windows 8 in the same way that Ubuntu for Android will behave. The i-mate Intelegent is a 4.7-inch handset running the desktop OS on a Clover Trail CPU with 2GB RAM and 64GB storage. The secret, however, is that the $750 handset will slot into a Webtop-esque desktop dock to become your work machine when you get into the office. Morrison has said that there's a factory in California ready to produce 10,000 units a week, and told the Seattle Times that he'd be showing off the device here at MWC. We can't find it on the exhibitor list, but we're about to go hunting...
There have been rumors that Samsung's new flagship Galaxy phone was not one for Mobile World Congress, but would instead have its own gala on March 14th. We'd heard reports earlier today confirming the date, but now Samsung has made it social media official. Get ready. More »
Breakthrough camera to improve detection of blinding eye disease and diabetes Public release date: 26-Feb-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Stephen Davis s.davis@brienholdenvision.org 61-293-857-356 Brien Holden Vision Institute
The most advanced technology for use in real-time detection and assessment of common blinding eye disease and general health disorders will soon be available to the world
26 February 2013, Sydney, Australia: The most advanced technology for use in real-time detection and assessment of common blinding eye disease and general health disorders will soon be available to the world with stimulus funding provided for development by the Australian Government's CRC Program. The imaging technology of the breakthrough retinal camera is being developed by the Vision Cooperative Research Centre (Vision CRC) based in Sydney with international partners in Australia, US, China, India and Africa.
The world's first intelligent retinal camera will accurately and rapidly detect and eventually diagnose sight-threatening conditions such as diabetic retinopathy and glaucoma. The camera is being designed for ease of use in the most extreme environments so that it can be used by technical support staff and in the most remote and under-served locations, especially to close the gap in eye health in Australian Aboriginal communities.
CEO of Vision CRC and Brien Holden Vision Institute, Professor Brien Holden said today, "Medical devices of this nature are typically researched for use in affluent populations and aimed at high-end commercial returns. This Intelligent Retinal Camera (IRC) system will apply high resolution, multispectral imaging in an economic but high technology instrument that will be affordable and therefore accessible both in remote communities and in community health locations and professional offices throughout the world.
"Living in remote communities seriously disadvantages patients through lack of access to optometrists and ophthalmologists. The IRC will detect, measure and assess the potential for blinding disease thus preventing lengthy delay in getting treatment to those in need in marginalised communities. Aboriginal communities will be among the first to experience and benefit from this technology thanks to the funding from the Australian Government recently announced and the partnership with Aboriginal researchers and community health experts."
"Having spent the last 20 years researching and bringing to market and communities around the world, solutions for correcting refractive error, we are delighted that the Australian Government is backing our plan to piggyback onto the systems developed to deliver vision correction, the capacity to simply and effectively detect and manage blinding eye disease through retinal image analysis," Professor Holden said.
The imaging technology was first designed and developed by Professor Tom Cornsweet, a medical technology veteran and icon based in Arizona, US, in a social enterprise company Quantum Catch LLC that focuses on the design, manufacture, and sale of affordable, high-quality, user friendly automatic medical devices for detection and screening of diseases. At a crucial stage of development of the retinal camera the Fred Hollows Foundation provided funding grants.
"The Vision CRC program has done what CRCs do best bringing Australian and world leading scientists, technologists, engineers, social scientists and business people together to advance the social and economic benefit of Australia and the world," said Professor Holden.
"In this case it is a real dream team. We have brought together Tom Cornsweet, CEO Peter Galen and the team at Quantum Catch; world leading vision technologist, Professor Ho from the Brien Holden Vision Institute; the Institute's Public Health Division led by Amanda Davis in Sydney and Professor Kovin Naidoo from Durban, South Africa; the immense database and clinical research genius of Professor Mingguang He, from China's leading ophthalmology research Institute, the Zhongshan Ophthalmic Centre; our long-standing colleagues at the LV Prasad Eye Institute in India; and the best Australia has to offer through the Centre for Eye Research Australia's Professor Jonathan Crowston; Aboriginal eye health expert Professor Hugh Taylor; Sandra Bailey, CEO the Aboriginal Health and Medical Research Council of NSW and new participant Ninti One; all in one team to help unlock the future of health diagnostics.
"This is especially exciting as it is intended that post-CRC the infrastructure and systems will be in place to develop further diagnostics for many of the most difficult and intractable general health and eye conditions," he added.
###
EDITORS' NOTES
Vision CRC is one of Australia's most successful research organisations at taking innovations to a world market and transforming lives; the CRC and its predecessors having generated over AU$1.25 billion in research funding and earned over AU$230 million in royalties. To learn more go to: www.visioncrc.org
The Brien Holden Vision Institute is a world leading science, technology, education and licensing not-for-profit organisation. To learn more go to: www.brienholdenvision.org
Quantum Catch LLC is a start-up limited liability company registered in Delaware with a research and prototyping laboratory located in Prescott, Arizona. Quantum Catch Corp. is a newly registered US organisation in which Brien Holden Vision Institute became the majority share holder to cement the company's on-going commitment to affordable, socially beneficial, high quality technology infrastructure for health care for all people.
Media Contact: Stephen Davis M: +61 450 661 695 E: s.davis@brienholdenvision.org
Hi res IMAGES available
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AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
Breakthrough camera to improve detection of blinding eye disease and diabetes Public release date: 26-Feb-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Stephen Davis s.davis@brienholdenvision.org 61-293-857-356 Brien Holden Vision Institute
The most advanced technology for use in real-time detection and assessment of common blinding eye disease and general health disorders will soon be available to the world
26 February 2013, Sydney, Australia: The most advanced technology for use in real-time detection and assessment of common blinding eye disease and general health disorders will soon be available to the world with stimulus funding provided for development by the Australian Government's CRC Program. The imaging technology of the breakthrough retinal camera is being developed by the Vision Cooperative Research Centre (Vision CRC) based in Sydney with international partners in Australia, US, China, India and Africa.
The world's first intelligent retinal camera will accurately and rapidly detect and eventually diagnose sight-threatening conditions such as diabetic retinopathy and glaucoma. The camera is being designed for ease of use in the most extreme environments so that it can be used by technical support staff and in the most remote and under-served locations, especially to close the gap in eye health in Australian Aboriginal communities.
CEO of Vision CRC and Brien Holden Vision Institute, Professor Brien Holden said today, "Medical devices of this nature are typically researched for use in affluent populations and aimed at high-end commercial returns. This Intelligent Retinal Camera (IRC) system will apply high resolution, multispectral imaging in an economic but high technology instrument that will be affordable and therefore accessible both in remote communities and in community health locations and professional offices throughout the world.
"Living in remote communities seriously disadvantages patients through lack of access to optometrists and ophthalmologists. The IRC will detect, measure and assess the potential for blinding disease thus preventing lengthy delay in getting treatment to those in need in marginalised communities. Aboriginal communities will be among the first to experience and benefit from this technology thanks to the funding from the Australian Government recently announced and the partnership with Aboriginal researchers and community health experts."
"Having spent the last 20 years researching and bringing to market and communities around the world, solutions for correcting refractive error, we are delighted that the Australian Government is backing our plan to piggyback onto the systems developed to deliver vision correction, the capacity to simply and effectively detect and manage blinding eye disease through retinal image analysis," Professor Holden said.
The imaging technology was first designed and developed by Professor Tom Cornsweet, a medical technology veteran and icon based in Arizona, US, in a social enterprise company Quantum Catch LLC that focuses on the design, manufacture, and sale of affordable, high-quality, user friendly automatic medical devices for detection and screening of diseases. At a crucial stage of development of the retinal camera the Fred Hollows Foundation provided funding grants.
"The Vision CRC program has done what CRCs do best bringing Australian and world leading scientists, technologists, engineers, social scientists and business people together to advance the social and economic benefit of Australia and the world," said Professor Holden.
"In this case it is a real dream team. We have brought together Tom Cornsweet, CEO Peter Galen and the team at Quantum Catch; world leading vision technologist, Professor Ho from the Brien Holden Vision Institute; the Institute's Public Health Division led by Amanda Davis in Sydney and Professor Kovin Naidoo from Durban, South Africa; the immense database and clinical research genius of Professor Mingguang He, from China's leading ophthalmology research Institute, the Zhongshan Ophthalmic Centre; our long-standing colleagues at the LV Prasad Eye Institute in India; and the best Australia has to offer through the Centre for Eye Research Australia's Professor Jonathan Crowston; Aboriginal eye health expert Professor Hugh Taylor; Sandra Bailey, CEO the Aboriginal Health and Medical Research Council of NSW and new participant Ninti One; all in one team to help unlock the future of health diagnostics.
"This is especially exciting as it is intended that post-CRC the infrastructure and systems will be in place to develop further diagnostics for many of the most difficult and intractable general health and eye conditions," he added.
###
EDITORS' NOTES
Vision CRC is one of Australia's most successful research organisations at taking innovations to a world market and transforming lives; the CRC and its predecessors having generated over AU$1.25 billion in research funding and earned over AU$230 million in royalties. To learn more go to: www.visioncrc.org
The Brien Holden Vision Institute is a world leading science, technology, education and licensing not-for-profit organisation. To learn more go to: www.brienholdenvision.org
Quantum Catch LLC is a start-up limited liability company registered in Delaware with a research and prototyping laboratory located in Prescott, Arizona. Quantum Catch Corp. is a newly registered US organisation in which Brien Holden Vision Institute became the majority share holder to cement the company's on-going commitment to affordable, socially beneficial, high quality technology infrastructure for health care for all people.
Media Contact: Stephen Davis M: +61 450 661 695 E: s.davis@brienholdenvision.org
Hi res IMAGES available
[ | E-mail | Share ]
?
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
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Public release date: 26-Feb-2013
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