Syd Mead

I got to meet Syd Mead at VCU School of the Arts back in 2007 when he accepted my invitation to come and speak with our students. Syd was very generous with his time and gave an exceptional talk about his work, technique and career trajectory. I'm a huge fan of his design aesthetic, use of color contrast and composition. He is a true modern master. Click on the images below to visit his website where you can purchase books of his amazing work. In the short video at the bottom, you can hear Syd reflecting on the nature of creativity and how it drives the future.

2019: A Future Imagined from Jim Hunter on Vimeo.

Visual Futurist Syd Mead ("Blade Runner," "Aliens," "Tron") reflects upon the nature of creativity and how it drives the future. Photographed in P2 High Definition, this featurette provides insight into the fascinating mind of one of the most influential artists of modern cinema and automotive design.

 

Headache man

Scott Ross, former GM at ILM and founder of Digital Domain, has recently started a blog.  With only a few entries thus far, Scott has laid his cards on the table.  A fantastic read for anyone interested in the "business" of visual effects.  Click on "headache man" below to read Scott's blog.

Manhattan


3/4 oz sweet vermouth
2 1/2 oz bourbon whiskey (Booker's, Maker's, Baker's)
1 dash Angostura bitters
1 maraschino cherry
1 twist orange peel

Combine the vermouth, bourbon whiskey, and bitters with 2 - 3 ice cubes in a mixing glass. Stir gently, don't bruise the spirits and cloud the drink. Place the cherry in a chilled cocktail glass and strain the whiskey mixture over the cherry. Rub the cut edge of the orange peel over the rim of the glass and twist it over the drink to release the oils but don't drop it in.

My all time favorite place for a Manhattan on a Friday night was at The Kezar on the corner of Carl and Cole in San Francisco.  

Docked One Last Time

Backdropped by a night time view of the Earth and the starry sky, the Space Shuttle Endeavour is photographed docked at the International Space Station on May 28, 2011. The STS-134 astronauts left the station the next day on May 29, after delivering the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer and performing four spacewalks during Endeavour's final mission.

Image credit: NASA

Technicolor CineStyle for Canon DSLR

The Technicolor CineStyle™ is a Picture Style (profile) for Canon EOS DSLR cameras that optimizes the dynamic range in the image by leveraging the capabilities of the Canon imaging chipset. Cinematographers and their post-production partners will have greater flexibility in color grading and finishing their projects.

Visit FX Guide TV for a great primer on this Technicolor/Canon profile.

Click the logo below to download the FREE Technicolor CineStyle.  

ILM in the good ole' days...

Former ILM General Manager Scott Ross discusses leaving ILM back in the early 1990's. Click on the old school ILM logo to read Scott's post. A fascinating read...

 

Chrissy Baucom

Check out Chrissy Baucom's (my wife) new website.  Click the image below and have a look at the galleries.

Jailbird, 2010

17" x 17"

Oil on canvas

Birds

Mr. Peacock lives on the farm.  I took the photo and Chrissy did the painting.  


Bug

VW Bug modelled in Modo.  Roughly the same posture/composition as yesterday's Gran Torino.

VES (Visual Effects Society) 2.0 Open Letter

The VES, founded as an honorary society, announced in an open letter Tuesday afternoon that it is changing its mission to focus on problem solving and advocacy for the visual effects industry.

Click on the image below to read the open letter to VES members and the media:

Paddy Chayefsky's notes for "Network"

The NY Times posted a story and interactive feature on Paddy Chayefsky's extensive notes for his screenplay, "Network".  Any aspiring writer or true fan of cinema should click on the image below to read the story.  You can also download a high quality PDF of some of the pages from the interactive.  

© Matt Wallin. All rights reserved.