I signed up for "Word of the Day" emails at Wordsmith.Org.   I get the emails once a day and give them a quick glance.  I occasionally get a few new words over a few weeks but also get a lesson in many other words' etymology or origination.   Here's one example.

shamus PRONUNCIATION:   (SHAH-muhs, SHAY-) MEANING:  noun:   1. A private detective.   2. A police officer.

I knew that "Shamus" meant detective but not necessarily a cop.  Cop, by the way, came from Copper because English police wore copper badges.  Another etymological point that I believe is correct.  But check out the reason for Shamus where the Jewish term mixes with the Irish.  Fascinating.

ETYMOLOGY: Perhaps from Yiddish shames/shammes (sexton, a caretaker at a synagogue), from Hebrew shamash (servant). The spelling of the word has altered from the influence of the Celtic name Seamus (equivalent to James) as many police officers in the US at the time, especially in New York, were Irish. First recorded use: 1925.

USAGE:
"A private eye is expected to be whip-smart and tough as nails, but if the guy isn't likable, he's D.O.A. as a genre hero. So it's nice to note that Vlodek Elstrom, a shamus from a tumbledown town in northern Illinois has lost none of his initial appeal in its sequel."
Marilyn Stasio; A Need for Noir; The New York Times; Jan 23, 2009.

Explore "shamus" in the Visual Thesaurus.

By signing up for their Word of the Day Email, you also get a nice little quote:

A THOUGHT FOR TODAY:
You shall judge of a man by his foes as well as by his friends. -Joseph Conrad, novelist (1857-1924)

Authenticity is the key for any writing, performing, filmmaking.   What's missing in Hollywood is authenticity.  While I'm not a fan of the talent shows, this piece on YouTube is an amalgam of humble plus talent.  Paul Potts admission that he lacks confidence and yet has this talent rings true with all of us.

Hollywood executives could learn more from this lesson than any other.

Hybrids the Movie has a chase sequence in which the Ford Escape Hybrid rounds the corner.   In this Cinema 4d model of the unfinished house at the corner, I am attempting to get a shattering of the house after the helicopter rocket hits the house.

I used Shatter and Explode in the Cinema 4D library which are behaviors that can add to an object and then set Key frames and properties.  Not tough but requires some meticulous planning and organization with all these 2x4's and 4x4's flying around.

Prep is the key to a good shoot.   Therefore, it's good to storyboard to see how shots will assemble and cut ahead of time.  I use Frame Forge 3 which is an excellent program to put together these shots.

In this sequence, we see the original footage, the storyboard and then the VFX shotfootage.   The storyboard sequence is not yet fully realized in the vehicle scene with the VFX but I have substituted a quick one, shot in my driveway, for the internal sequence with the characters.

I don't have an iPad yet but they sure are nifty devices.  I'm just not sure how much I want to be connected to the internet all the time.  Not to mention that there is no real keyboard on them other than the screen keyboard.

Nonetheless, the iPad is evolving how we view TV, write, access information and more.  I thought that this article  by John Chandler was a good list to consider the possibilities for creativity on the iPad.

There is also another article on the Future of Writing: an iPad Review by Xander Davis. This article has some good notes on the iPad which explain its keyboard, operation, etc.,   His review of the keyboard makes me rethink my hesitation on getting one - once the price comes down!  He had one particular note that caught my eye:

5. Scripts Pro

While there will soon be Final Draft on iPad for screenwriting, there is a very enticing and low-cost alternative available right now: Scripts Pro. The same app works on both the iPad and iPhone. While I can imagine writing a screenplay with this on the iPhone, I can't imagine wanting to. It'd feel way too claustrophobic. However, on the iPad, it's a perfect experience that unlocks your ability to pen your next screenplay wherever the heck you want.

Probably the most amazing feature about it is the price. It's $5.99, compared to PC/Mac Final Draft's $250 price tag!

Check out Gareth Edwards  other work on a BBC project which utilize visual effects ingenuity.   He's obviously a very talented filmmaker. He's also taken the time to learn the skills which one can acquire at a computer with today's software. | the was able share this with us because it shows other filmmakers how to think about visual effects, the work required and the great output that can be achieved.

Gareth Edwards recently did a movie called "Monsters" which is receiving great word of mouth reviews.  This particular film represents a new wave of independent and commercial filmmaking. The general appeal of the film is for a wide audience with its subject matter of monsters. However, the filmmaker has also kept the budget low enough and utilizes expertise in visual effects filmmaking to amplify the film into the realm of a broad release.

This is a critical step. Independent films of always been recorded as quirky. Certain genre films like "Paranormal Activity"  crossed over into the mainstream box office.   Other films like "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" went  for the core audience which then moved into crossover and finally into a mass audience. I believe that the real reason is authenticity which is sorely lacking in the Hollywood studio level. Authenticity is the connection with the audience that his personal, real and unique.

I heard that the director made the film for approximately $250,000. I've also heard that he made the film for $100,000 and $400,000 of visual effects was added. I believe it is the first one is a friend of mine told me that he heard an interview with the director who referenced this amount for the budget.