Journey 3d - Speaking of stereoscopic adventures, I just got back from seeing the new Journey to the Center of the Earth 3d with Brendan Fraser and others. Overall, from a 3d photography point of view it was a really good effort.

I was concerned because the 3d trailer that was shown with Beowulf looked really bad. It was cheesy digital 3d effects with flat (non-stereoscopic) live action composited with it. I was worried that the entire film would be like that and turn even more people off to the 3d process. Well, apparently that trailer was a rough draft, because the final film looks pretty good. It's been filmed in stereo all the way through.

Some of the effects are still a little cheesy, but that's not really the fault of the 3d process, it's just that kind of film. Directors of Photography still have some learning to do to really make use of the process, but this one is a pretty good effort for a first mostly live action dramatic film (not animation or motion capture like Beowulf or concert footage like U2 3d or the Hannah Montana concert film).

In looking at the classic era 3d films (from the early fifties) at the 3d film festival two years ago, I could see the progression of camera work as the cinematographers got better and better at using the stereo cameras. Some of the first films are almost unwatchable (because of parallax and bad window violations), while the later ones really started to take advantage of the special things that 3d can do that don't work in flat photography. Seeing Hondo last spring at the Fox here in Tucson really made me wonder how much better the films could have looked if 3d had remained a viable process. 

Hondo was one of the last completed classic era films and it looked spectacular. The 3d was natural looking and not gimmicky (well, except for the one knife stab at the camera during a fight sequence and a couple of other obligatory poke-you-in-the-eye shots) and really captured the open space of the old west.

Journey 3d isn't quite to Hondo level yet, but it's a long way from Bwana Devil. There were some very bad window violations (mostly early in the film in Mr Fraser's character's apartment) that were distracting, but for the most part the framing was pretty good. There were the obligatory poke-in-the-eye shots, with a yo-yo and dinosaur slobber this time (and at one point Mr Fraser spits on the audience) (yeah, I think he's only getting hotter as he's getting older, but I'm still not into being spat on), but they weren't nearly as cheesy as some similar shots in other films.

The script and story were okay (no major plot holes beyond the basic premise, and that's from Verne) and the acting was decent. Unlike Beowulf, this one might still be enjoyable to see flat. There were some chase sequences that would make fabulous motion simulator rides, but they weren't too annoying to watch in a regular theater. From a film critic POV, there's nothing new or groundbreaking in this one. It's all about the effects and the stereo imaging.

Go see it, but be sure to seek out the 3d presentation. There's no real reason to see it otherwise.

Well, I'm home.

I finally made it home last Friday, arriving on a Continental flight about nine-thirty. Dad hadn't moved much and was in some pain and feeling quite blue. He's now been to the doctor and has a physical therapy regimen in process and so is feeling much better. I am getting my suitcases unpacked and putting everything away to clear room for a very busy fall.

I shipped a box of CDs and DVDs home from Florida (twenty-three pounds worth, packed with a couple of t-shirts and shorts) to save weight in the suitcases. Fifty dollars for a box and packing material and postage (or whatever it's called on UPS) is still cheaper than a hundred dollars for overweight suitcases on the plane. They're due today and I look forward to getting them unpacked and starting to process them, listening and gleaning what I can from them.

I've started processing some of the 3d photos from the trip. Nothing's ready to be posted yet, but you may want to go snag this week's TV Guide. There's a pair of 3d glasses (the red-cyan type) that will compatible with what I will be posting. They were for the Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus movie that the Disney channel played last weekend. Therefore, they have her name and picture on them, but they'll work with my photos. I'll let you decide if Ms Montana-Cyrus is a plus or a minus on your anaglyphic 3d wear. Since the movie is over now, you might even be able to find the glasses for free.

Feel free to post comments. I'd like to know if anyone is reading this. I don't mean to bait anyone, but still, I'm curious. I hope to start posting pics from the trip within the week.

Hello, GALAxians!

This is Chris, the tall fellow in the kilt with the funky twin cameras. I'm working on getting the pictures on line, and most of the ones from this week in Miami probably won't get up until I get home in another week or two.

In the meantime, here are a few pictures for your enjoyment (linked to Flickr.com). They're from our chorus retreat last winter and around my house. You can use any regular red-blue (cyan, really) that came with TV 3-d specials or that secret copy of the Sports Illustrated 3-d issues that you have in the bottom of your sock drawer. Wear the glasses with the red lens over the left eye. If you catch me in Miami I have some glasses to give away. Ask me. Enjoy!

Chris' Flickr photostream

Be patient, and I'll put up the GALA pictures as I get a chance.

Happy GALA, everyone.

We’re in Miami!

These little piggies flew and landed in Fort Lauderdale last night. The flight was mostly uneventful. The only excitement was B’s new iPod screen/player didn’t work on batteries and he threw a small fit. (I picked it up from Woot.com and maybe that’s why it was only twenty-nine dollars instead of the original two hundred.)

Other than that, it was the usual commercial airline travel in the early twenty-first century: squeezed in like sardines, trying very hard not to think about the forced biological intimacy with your neighbor. Or is that just me?

Dinner was the airport Fox Sports Bar (licensed from Fox Sports) in Houston, and a late supper was at Mamma Louisa’s pizza and pasta a couple of blocks from the hotel.

We’re at the Hyatt Regency. I was surprised to find that this isn’t the main GALA hotel but rather two People Mover stops away from the main area. That’s okay, most of the hotel is GALA people and the transportation looks good, but still…

This is the hotel where the 2006 Leadership conference was held. Some new high-rises have gone in around the area, but otherwise it’s pretty much the same.

Breakfast was the hotel breakfast bar, good but nothing spectacular. In a few minutes we’re going to go over and register and check out the Expo. Apparently there’s a GLBT commercial Expo going on this weekend in addition to the GALA conference. I’m sure it’s tied in  somehow, but it’s not an official part of the conference.

I’m conflicted by the commercial exploitation of the GLBT community. On the one hand, I’m pleased that the community has enough money and clout that the commercial interests want to exploit us, but on the other I’m not really comfortable with that exploitation. Oh, well. I am large and contain multitudes.

Oh, and a note: I’m probably going to be updating this blog irregularly while I’m in Miami. The hotel charges for wi-fi access and unless I can find a free hotspot I’m only going to pay for a couple of days over the entire week. So, I’ll post when I’m online. Otherwise, I’ll get my e-mail through my phone and only post here a time or two this week. That’s okay, I don’t think anyone’s really reading this thing anyway.

Happy Tuesday, everybody!

I'm still in Tucson. Dad's home and in okay shape. He's sore and feeling like he's been run over by a truck, but he's mostly okay now. Final list of damages: Broken arm (right upper arm, justin the humerus below the shoulder joint), cracked pelvis (I forget the latin name but it's in the back), and various bumps, bruises, and scrapes. They pinned the arm back together surgically and there's not even a cast or any kind of immobilizing agent on it. The pelvis just has to knit on its own. It wasn't bad enough to require surgery, so he's just going to have to wait it out while it heals.

He's sore but not grumpy, thankfully. He's still flying on the pain medication they gave him, so there's no room for grumpy until he runs out of pills. He's already making progress towards healing. It's hard to see, but there are little signs. It's already easier for him to get out of a chair today that it was yesterday.

So, the car trip part of the Miami excursion has been scrapped. Instead Barry and I will be flying out this Friday and then coming back in two weeks. I've arranged for a friend to come and stay with Dad and keep an eye on him. He also has friends that can come and watch him. 

We'll be staying in Florida for almost a week after the conference. I'm planning on renting a car, going and visiting Barry's dad in northern Florida, seeing some of the sights, and in general being bums for a week. Should be fun. Of course, we'll have to see how Dad's doing. If he's not okay then we'll cut things short and come back early.

Things are looking up today.

Interesting times

The best laid plans...

I was thinking I would write a nice entry today about the Fifth of July and how the days after holidays were often more interesting to me than the holidays themselves, but then this day got really interesting. You know, as in the ancient curse, "May you live in interesting times."

I woke this morning to the phone ringing. It was a friend down at Saguaro Christian, the church where I'm music director and my father is lay property manager. Apparently at the volunteer property workday this morning Dad was up on the roof working on prepping things for a fresh coat of sealer when he missed a step and fell off. Fortunately it was one of the lower roofs and he only broke his arm, but it could have been much worse.

He's been in the ER at St Joseph's most of the morning until they transferred him to the ER at University Medical Center. I'm not totally sure why they transferred him. It had something to do with him falling off a roof of more than ten feet, which somehow qualified him for a trauma designation. Since St Joseph's isn't a Trauma Center they couldn't do more than stabilize him, dope him up for the pain, and take some X-rays to see what he had done. If he had fallen from a shorter height they could have treated him there. But, since he was a special trauma patient he had to transfer to the trauma center at UMC.

Anyway, he's fine. He just got out of surgery to pin the arm back together. His blood chemistry and pulse, pressure, and respiration are all excellent, and he should be on the mend quickly.

My birdies went to their summer camp this afternoon. I'm boarding them with a friend while I'm off to Miami for the GALA conference. Sally (my Moluccan cockatoo) was all pensive as I left her with Shar. Joker (a yellow-naped Amazon) is excited to have a fresh audience for his clowning, and Dinero (a Nanday conure) is just squawky.

Of course, I'll be delaying my trip at least until Dad is stable. We should know better by tomorrow afternoon.

Interesting times. Feh.