Media

The rise of the iPhone auteur

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The article is about Steven Soderbergh and his continued quest to create mainstream movies shot completely on an iPhone.

Great read, though I think a bit of backstory is missing. Soderbergh was the director of the movie Moneyball and was fired. From the Moneyball Wikipedia page:

On June 19, 2009, days before filming was set to begin, Sony put the picture on hold. Soderbergh’s plan for the film called for elements considered non-traditional for a sports movie, such as interviews with real-life players. Soderbergh was dismissed and ultimately replaced by Bennett Miller. Aaron Sorkin wrote a third version of the screenplay.

That firing started a rift between Soderbergh and the studios, traditional moviemaking. The iPhone brought him back to moviemaking, with the “shot on iPhone” independent release Unsane, shot entirely on an iPhone 7.

Soderbergh’s latest effort, High Flying Bird, was shot entirely on an iPhone 8, and was done for Netflix. I find Soderbergh’s reemergence, in part thanks to the capabilities of the iPhone, fascinating.

Shot on iPhone XR, tweeted by Tim Cook

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[VIDEO] Came across this tweet from Tim Cook:

https://twitter.com/tim_cook/status/1093210790369341440

I spent a nice stretch in New York last week, and this video (part of a series) really clicked for me, captured the essence of the city. It also gives you a sense of what you can do with video using the iPhone XR.

The full video is embedded in the main Loop post. Nice work.

Spotify: “The leading global podcast publisher with more shows than any other company”

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Spotify, from their Gimlet acquisition press release:

That’s why we announced today the strategic acquisitions of two podcasting companies, Gimlet and Anchor. These companies serve two different, distinct roles in the industry. Gimlet is one of the best content creators in the world, with unique, celebrated podcast shows like Homecoming, which was recently adapted into a critically acclaimed show on Amazon Prime, and the internet culture hit Reply All. And Anchor has completely reimagined the path to audio creation, enabling creation for the next generation of podcasters worldwide — 15 billion hours of content on the platform during Q4.

And:

With the addition of Gimlet and Anchor, Spotify will now become the leading global podcast publisher with more shows than any other company.

I’ve been following the Gimlet Media story since the very beginning of the company. Gimlet’s first podcast was a show called Startup, launched in September 2014, documenting the creation of a brand new company.

The earliest episodes were all about the typical growing pains of a brand new venture: Figuring out your core values, learning how to pitch investors, working through partnership agreements, and settling on a name.

Amazing to watch this story unfold. And, if Spotify’s claim is to be believed, this little venture has helped Spotify become the largest podcast publisher on the planet. This true?

No matter, a fascinating story. You can listen to the Startup Podcast here.

Provocative Pixar short

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[VIDEO] Pixar shorts always deliver a message, some more subtle than others. Take a look at this latest entry (embedded in the main Loop post). What do you think?

Detailed sculpture, zoomed in, reveals a whole new world

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Watch the video embedded in the tweet below. It’s short. And incredible.

https://twitter.com/martinm_media/status/1092334074910461954

I struggle to wrap my head around the fact that the artist sees the zoomed out image in the collection of materials they used.

Thomas Deininger, I salute you.

Creating Saturday Night Live’s cue cards

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[VIDEO] Had no idea how much work went into creating the SNL cue cards. But when you watch the video (embedded in the main Loop post), it’s clear how important a role they play, and how complex the process of keeping them in sync with the ever evolving scripts.

The 25 most influential movie scenes of the past 25 years

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If you love movies, this is a terrific multi-media project to make your way through. For each movie, there’s a highlighted scene snippet (sadly, no sound), followed by a writeup on the importance of the scene, followed by a take from someone involved, like the actor, director, or writer.

Yes, it’s a list, so there are no doubt omissions, or bits you think shouldn’t be on the list. But, in my opinion, a terrific read, worth your time.

My favorite? The section titled “But wait…” from Iron Man. It introduced something fun to the movie going experience.

Legendary drummer shows how its done

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[VIDEO] You’ve most likely heard Bernard Purdie play. He’s been on a ton of classic albums, did some incredible drumming on Steely Dan’s Aja. He’s my favorite.

In this video (embedded in the main Loop post), Purdie starts with a simple 1-2-3, 1-2-3 waltz time tapping, then slowly incorporates different techniques to create different feels.

Watch, even if you know nothing about drumming. Just keep that 1-2-3 beat in your head the whole time. Marvelous.

Hands on with Dell’s massively wide display

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[VIDEO] This display is crazy wide. So wide that my first reaction was, it’s just too wide to be useful.

But.

Watch the video embedded in the main Loop post. You can fit a ton of information on the screen (as expected), and you can even run two different computers, each taking up half the display.

As of this post, the price is $1250. Seems a good deal for an ultra wide 5K monitor, though it only runs at 60Hz, so not sure it’d be good for gaming.

Be sure to watch the very end to see this monitor running in portrait mode.

Siri, the HomePod and story time, redux

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Last week, we posted a piece called Siri, the HomePod and story time. In it, we quoted this Apple press release announcing the release of the HomePod in China:

HomePod is a convenient way to check the weather or the latest sports scores, set multiple timers and reminders, make and receive phone calls and more. Siri on HomePod also offers storytelling for children, just say “Hey Siri, tell me a story.”

Try as I might, I could not get Siri to respond to the “tell me a story” request. There’s a good reason for this.

Apple has now updated their press release (H/T Sébastien Page):

In China, Siri on HomePod also offers storytelling for children, just say “Hey Siri, tell me a story.”

Clearly, this is a feature that only works in China. I still wonder about the mechanics. Does this only work in conjunction with books you purchase? Does Siri read to you, or are these canned audio books that Siri fires off? Is there a fixed set of stories?

I also wonder why this only works in China. Is it a rights issue? Will this feature eventually make its way to the US?

Just me being curious.

The secret history of iPhone

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[VIDEO] Rene Ritchie:

On January 9, 2007, Steve Jobs put sneaker to stage for what was the most incredible keynote presentation of his life.

Great turn of phrase, Rene. This video is a terrific look back at the birth of iPhone, with some excellent weaving of elements to tell the story. Video embedded in main Loop post.

Oscar nominations

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You know me. I’m a long time movie buff, love the Oscars. Follow the headline link for the complete list of this year’s Academy Award nominations.

One thing I particularly appreciate about acting is when someone completely disappears into a role, becomes unrecognizable. Two of the best actor nods really capture this sentiment.

Christian Bale completely disappeared and became Dick Cheney in his role in the movie Vice.

And the same can be said for Rami Malek, who became Freddie Mercury in Bohemian Rhapsody.

Acting!

7 tips most iPhone owners won’t know

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[VIDEO] When I see a post like this, I am automatically skeptical. This one passes muster. Take a look. The video is embedded in the main Loop post.

My favorite was using Siri to jump to a specific app’s Settings page. I spent some time playing with this one and it does work well, but does not work with all apps. I suspect there’s some API the developer needs to support for this to work, and not all apps do that.

To try this for yourself, pick one of your apps, then fire up Siri and say:

Settings

Many apps jump right to their settings page. But some (looking at you Twitter app) throw Siri for a loop.

Apple shares “shot on iPhone” movie: The Lonely Palm Tree, Samoa

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[VIDEO] The video (embedded in the main Loop post) was commissioned by Apple and shot entirely on an iPhone XS.

From the description:

American Samoa – ‘Football Island’ – produces athletes that are 56 times more likely to play in the NFL than Americans from anywhere else. Photographer and Director Steven Counts presents a portrait of Eddie Siaumau, a 17 – year old athlete who has just accepted a full ride scholarship to a D1 university.

And some of the gear used:

DJI Osmo Mobile 2, FiLMiC Pro, Joby GripTight PRO Video GP Stand, NiSi Smartphones Filter Kit

More and more commercial projects and mainstream movies are being filmed with the aid of, or entirely using iPhone.

We’ve certainly long passed the day where the majority of video is shot on smartphones. But are we far from a day where the majority of “paid” content (movies, TV shows, professional ads) is shot on a smartphone?

The secret behind the Spider-Verse look

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FXGuide:

The film’s genus lies in two key choices: firstly, the film makers did not hide away from the fact that there have been so many different tellings of the Spider-Man story previously, but rather embraced it. Secondly, they designed an original comic book visual style unlike any other film. Together these elements have been perfectly combined to produce a surprisingly original film that delivers the most inventive visuals seen this year.

This is amazingly informative. Each section of the article starts with a panel that shows off a specific technique, then digs into what went into making that look so compelling.

What a great movie.

[H/T @brisance]

Netflix audience numbers are staggering

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Recode, summarizing a detailed letter Netflix sent out to shareholders:

At the end of December, Netflix said that 45 million people had watched Bird Box, a Netflix-owned thriller starring Sandra Bullock that came out just before Christmas.

That is a ridiculous number. Compare that to the viewing numbers for one of the most watched shows on cable, Game of Thrones. From The Telegraph:

Game of Thrones has long smashed records for HBO, the cable network it is broadcast on in its native US: it beat The Sopranos as the network’s most-watched series ever in 2015, after crossing the 18.2 million viewers-per-episode mark.

But that’s small fry in comparison to the average 31 million viewers per episode that season seven has witnessed, an 24 per cent increase on 2016’s ratings.

Think about this. Bird Box is new. It has no lead-in, no history, not much in the way of marketing. And it crushed Game of Thrones. Right out of the box. Because Netflix.

The Academy Awards, which was one of the few high-water mark audiences on network television, had 26.5 million viewers last year. At its absolute height, it hit 46 million viewers. Bird Box out of the gate numbers.

And:

Netflix says that Bird Box, which was released late last year, added another 35 million households in the first four weeks after its release, bringing its total audience to 80 million households.

And:

Netflix says that both You, a young-adultish thriller, and Sex Education, another show with a young-adult bent, should each reach 40 million households in their first four weeks on the service.

Apple has the right idea, I think. They have the distribution, already in place. Only question is, can they build compelling content? And, to me, that comes down to picking the right partners.

Free music for your movie, podcast, game, etc.

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Composer, sound designer Joel Corelitz has a gift for you. It’s a collection of music he created that is free for you to use in your own projects.

Bookmark the page, as I suspect this collection will grow over time, and you never know when the need will strike.

Thriller: One guitarist, two guitars

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[VIDEO] You can’t see me, but I am doing the Thriller dance as I listen to this. Fingers crooked, hands curled. Can’t help myself.

This is a terrific performance of a wonderfully well written song. Video embedded in main Loop post. [H/T Marcus Mendes]

CNBC’s interview with Tim Cook

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[VIDEO] Given the huge news from yesterday (Apple’s market-shaking earnings revision), I was particularly interested in this Tim Cook CNBC interview (embedded in the main Loop post).

I encountered the interview in the linked article, tantalizingly titled, “Tim Cook says he isn’t worried about traveling to China after the Huawei CFO’s arrest.”

For the first time in more than 20 years, copyrighted works will enter the public domain

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Glenn Fleishman, writing for Smithsonian Magazine:

At midnight on New Year’s Eve, all works first published in the United States in 1923 will enter the public domain. It has been 21 years since the last mass expiration of copyright in the U.S.

And:

“The public domain has been frozen in time for 20 years, and we’re reaching the 20-year thaw,” says Jennifer Jenkins, director of Duke Law School’s Center for the Study of the Public Domain. The release is unprecedented, and its impact on culture and creativity could be huge. We have never seen such a mass entry into the public domain in the digital age. The last one—in 1998, when 1922 slipped its copyright bond—predated Google. “We have shortchanged a generation,” said Brewster Kahle, founder of the Internet Archive. “The 20th century is largely missing from the internet.”

And:

We can blame Mickey Mouse for the long wait. In 1998, Disney was one of the loudest in a choir of corporate voices advocating for longer copyright protections. At the time, all works published before January 1, 1978, were entitled to copyright protection for 75 years; all author’s works published on or after that date were under copyright for the lifetime of the creator, plus 50 years.

Fascinating read.

Rene Ritchie: Biggest Apple MISSES of 2018

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[VIDEO] Put the title aside. Instead, think thoughtful insight, rather than snarky complaining. And if you are on the move, wheel over to your favorite podcast player and search for Vector. This is an excellent listen. Video version embedded in the main Loop post.

Elon Musk, a high speed underground tunnel, and true genius

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[VIDEO] CBS News:

Tuesday night in Los Angeles, Musk unveiled the very first tunnel in what he hopes will become a network of underground highways. The first tunnel runs between the headquarters of Musk’s SpaceX company and a parking lot behind a shuttered business a little over a mile away. It’s only for testing purposes and won’t be used by the public.

Musk knew nothing about building tunnels when he started this venture. Just as he did with Tesla and SpaceX, he figures to build his expertise as he goes, then find ways to crush the costs down.

While modern subway tunnels in Los Angeles cost around $900 million per mile, he says he built his for about $10 million. One way he saved money: he literally made it dirt-cheap.

“When digging tunnels…it’s quite expensive to have all this dirt trucked off somewhere. And we’re like, well, why don’t we try to use that dirt for something useful? So we are creating bricks on-site…and you can pick ’em up for, they’re very cheap; 10 cents a brick,” he said.

There’s also great savings in owning the entire process, rather than bringing in layers of third party contractors and specialized labor, all of which significantly pumps up the price of any large project.

As to how the whole tunnel thing will work:

At first glance, the tunnel is a bit daunting. At only 12 feet in diameter, it’s much more claustrophobic than most transportation tunnels. According to Musk, cars will be able to travel up to 150 mph in the tunnel but must be on autopilot.

A bit of genius here. Only properly outfitted cars will be allowed in these tunnels. Someone who can build such cars efficiently can make a lot of money. To me, that’s incredible vision on Musk’s part.

Read the article, watch the video embedded in the main Loop post. Both are fascinating.

How one person dreamed up an emoji, and got it onto your iPhone

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[VIDEO] I love this story. In a nutshell, Mark Bramhill, host of the wonderful podcast “Welcome to Macintosh,” imagined a “person meditating” emoji, then set about figuring out how to get that emoji through the approval process.

Video embedded in the main Loop post.

Video interview of the Reddit user whose Apple Watch told him he had AFib

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[VIDEO] This story has been flying around the internet. From the original Reddit post:

Ok holy hell…. strap in.

If you have the Apple Watch 4 please please update to the new firmware released yesterday and take your ECG.

I did last night and tried it out. Weird. Abnormal heat rate notifications. Ran the ECG app and came back afib. Well…glitchy firmware. Let’s try again. Afib. Again and again and again. Piece of crap watch.

My wife wakes up and I put it on her. Normal. Normal. Me afib. Try the other wrist, try the underside of the wrist. Every time afib warning.

Ok. So go to Patient First. Parking lot full and I’m going to blow it off and head home. Look at the watch again, afib again.

Fine walk in and sign in. They ask what’s wrong and I’m embarrassed. ‘Ok so there is a new watch feature….hahaha….I’m silly but can we check this?”

I did not know that this comment was a quick queue pass for Patient First. I’m taken right back and hooked up. The technician looks at the screen and says “I’m going to get the doctor”

The waves from this story took Ed Dentel all the way to an interview on Good Morning America. Watch the interview embedded in the main Loop post. The Apple Watch is amazing technology, and I feel like we’re just seeing the barest minimum of its potential.