Monday, February 15, 2010
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Friday, December 04, 2009
TV plays it by the book | Media | The Guardian
TV plays it by the book |
Media |
The Guardian
- good idea, not -
"Channel 4, meanwhile, will screen William Boyd's Any Human Heart, Sebastian Faulks's A Week in December, and Mo, based on Mo Mowlam's autobiography, in 2010. These adaptations follow the critical success of Red Riding and Boy A. "With William Boyd and Sebastian Faulks," Marshall says, "we're hoping that both books can help bring a new audience to TV, as both have such a strong fanbase with people who don't usually slump in front of the set."
'our viewing figures are in freefall, we need to target new markets. let's go after the tiny percentage of people who read highly intellectual fiction and dull political biography. Once they're settled in front of the box, then we'll ram big brother down their eyes.'
Media |
The Guardian
- good idea, not -
"Channel 4, meanwhile, will screen William Boyd's Any Human Heart, Sebastian Faulks's A Week in December, and Mo, based on Mo Mowlam's autobiography, in 2010. These adaptations follow the critical success of Red Riding and Boy A. "With William Boyd and Sebastian Faulks," Marshall says, "we're hoping that both books can help bring a new audience to TV, as both have such a strong fanbase with people who don't usually slump in front of the set."
'our viewing figures are in freefall, we need to target new markets. let's go after the tiny percentage of people who read highly intellectual fiction and dull political biography. Once they're settled in front of the box, then we'll ram big brother down their eyes.'
Tuesday, December 01, 2009
Monday, November 30, 2009
The unbearableness of not being lighter than air
I love airships. I want airships back in the skies, because they are serenely beautiful, they go point to point, they can carry huge payloads - which means plenty of space for passengers to relax and enjoy the journey, and they are comparatively green. Check out video from onboard the Graf Zepplin, and the photos of the Hindenberg's interiors below.
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Since the Hindenberg burnt to crisp on the eve of the second world war, the airship has been considered dangerous. The hydrogen envelope is considered madness by most who have seen the image of the great Zeppelin in flames. But it was not the hydrogen that caused the tradgedy - more on that here. It is worth remembering that in the Hindenberg disaster 35 out of 97 people on board lost their lives - compare that to airplane casualties in major accidents, and it's not too bad. Either way, I am not suggesting we return to using hydrogen airships neccessarily, but that in reviving airship technologies nothing should be discounted. After all, Helium reserves are depleting at a fast rate, and Helium is becoming more and more expensive.
What I find really exciting about the possibilities for new airships are the concept designs:
For example the Strato Cruiser, the Manned Cloud concepts, and the SkyCat project. There is an opportunity here to look at the challenge of international and long distance travel, and to start again from scratch using new technologies. The Air travel industry model is broken. It is focussed on speed of travel, not quality of travel. With modern communication and fuel technologies, new lightweight materials, and all the other innovations of the last 70 years, it seems inconceivable to me that a better alternative to the airplane could not be developed. In 70 years of aircraft development we have made incredible progress. Imagine if the second world war had not halted the development of airships , where we could be now?
Wednesday, February 07, 2007
Myspace Movie Mash-up a bit of a Mess?
What should be a very cool project for YoungInternetGenerationGeeks (YIGGs) is a little compromised that this competition is little more than a short film comp.
If they had made the rules that entries must 'mash-up' any found materials they could click to, so long as it is free of copyright restriction; perhaps even make a rule that they could NOT generate any footage and ONLY use existing material, then the results might be something to look forward to.
So will I enter? Of course I will....
If they had made the rules that entries must 'mash-up' any found materials they could click to, so long as it is free of copyright restriction; perhaps even make a rule that they could NOT generate any footage and ONLY use existing material, then the results might be something to look forward to.
So will I enter? Of course I will....
Tuesday, April 11, 2006
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