Archive for June, 2009
Filed under: Tech Stuff, Home Entertainment
Netflix began a contest in 2006 for coders to win $1,000,000 if they could improve Netflix's Cinematch algorithm by at least 10%, and because coders like a good challenge (and people like money), folks have been steadily tinkering with their 1's and 0's ever since. (You can read more about the contest and its rules here.) Three years later, two teams came together with the winning code, which was confirmed Friday. Netflix's VP of corporate communications Steve Swasey told Wired, "This has been terribly exciting. It's like watching the Belmont Stakes, the Preakness and the Indy 500 all at once -- for geeks."
There are still a few hurdles for the team to jump through; the Netflix contest site states, "your qualifying submissions must have the largest accuracy improvement verified by the Contest judges, you must share your method with (and non-exclusively license it to) Netflix, and you must describe to the world how you did it and why it works."
As Wired points out, Netflix isn't the only company to dip its toes into "so-called Prize economics," which is when these companies offer prize incentives to outsiders to basically do work for free with an outside chance of winning big bucks. But doesn't this say to companies that it's okay to try and get lots and lots of hours from (some) highly skilled professionals for free? It would have cost Netflix far more than $1M to get consultants and coders on the job, especially for full-time gigs with all the benefits and trimmings. I'm not a code geek, but if I were, I'd probably be interested in this sort of challenge as well. On the other hand, perhaps I'd rather have a full-time job at Netflix writing code all day along with, you know, insurance.
Continue reading Coders Crack the Netflix Cinematch Algorithm
Filed under: Horror, Independent, Fandom, Tech Stuff
What does Willem Dafoe's junk, a talking fox, and a dead child all have in common? Well, they're going to star in a video game adaptation of Lars von Trier's Antichrist courtesy of Morten Iversen, a developer with some serious credentials in the world of game geekery. Formerly of Io Interactive, Iversen now works at von Trier's Zentropa production company.Russ Frushtick over at MTV Multiplayer tracked down Iversen to ask him what the hell is up with this project, so to speak, and here's what he had to say.
"Von Trier has been extremely fond of video games for ages, and has been an avid player of 'Alone in the Dark,'" explained Iverson. "He's been circulating the idea internally... that making games would be a good idea." He describes it as "a nightmarish version of 'Myst.'"
("Alone in the Dark"? Really? Come on, Lars!)
More on HorrorSquad!
Filed under: Fandom, Tech Stuff
File this under "Things that have brought the world this much closer to the apocalypse." Introducing the Rocky III joke USB drive, with Sylvester's goods as the USB connector. You can also pick up a fake drive that looks like Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers) or Clubber Lang (Mr. T). They do sit ups when you insert them into your USB drive. These obviously high-quality doodads will set you back ¥ 2,850.00 each (or about $30), or you can buy all three for ¥ 5,150.00. And the worst part? You can't even store anything on them; they're just pieces of plastic that do sit-ups when you plug them in to your USB drive. If you feel a burning desire to buy one, here's the link, but don't say we didn't warn you. Take a peek at all three in the gallery below.
(via Gizmodo)
Filed under: Fandom, Tech Stuff, DIY/Filmmaking
We could argue for days if androids really dream of electric sheep or what those damn origami unicorns mean, but one thing we can know for sure is that copyright laws are more confusing than Mormon underwear. An excellent example of this is a new project from Ridley Scott's RSA Films' called Purefold.Free Scott, a part of Ridley Scott Associates Films, is hooking up with indie studio Ag8 to develop Purefold, a web series that will grapple with the themes in Blade Runner without actually referencing that world in any direct fashion. The web shorts, will could eventually become a TV series, will evoke the grand themes of the sci-fi classic -- compassion, humanity, identity, a dystopian future -- without using anything from the book it was based on ... due to copyright issues.
Continue reading New Web Series 'Purefold' Takes 'Blade Runner' and Runs
While I work my way up to an actual post…
- If you use Movie Magic Screenwriter 6, they have a new Michael Hauge structure template you can download for free.
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