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  • Tom Andersen talks about horror, 3D & pissing Hollywood off

    Tom Andersen talks about horror, 3D & pissing Hollywood off

    Trick ‘R Treat

    Trick ‘R Treat (movie poster)

    Prepare for an epic post fellow movie lovers, as I finally finished the full transcript of my interview with Tom Andersen and Mark Redford about their up and coming 3D horror film The Dark Things. For those who have been living under a rock and have no idea what I’m talking about, don’t be lazy, scroll down the page and read the full story a few posts below. Anywho, as I eluded to last week, the interview is extremely interesting and Farmer in particular shared some awesome insights on Hollywood, modern horror films and 3D technology. Enjoy and stay tuned for more The Dark Things updates.

    Jane Storm: So now that you’re here, what have you guys been doing so far? Have you been busy scouting locations?
    Tom Andersen: Yes, we’ve already had a meeting with Warner Roadshow Studios and talked about the different places we can film and what Queensland has to offer, which is obviously a lot. We’ve been very happy with that.

    Jane Storm: So you’re definitely coming to shoot here?
    Tom Andersen: Yes, definitely.

    Jane Storm: Cool!
    Tom Andersen: We’ve been giving Todd a quick, rushed Australian education.

    Jane Storm: Have they been getting you hooked on Tim Tams and Vegemite yet? Tom Andersen: Oh, we’ve got him hooked on Tim Tams, but he’s not a fan of Vegemite.
    Mark Redford: The Tim Tams are fine, I have no problem with Tim Tams, but Vegemite…
    Tom Andersen: But he needed to do that to experience what we go through (laughs).

    Jane Storm: And you will be shooting the film primarily at Warner Roadshow Studios?
    Tom Andersen: Yes and on locations throughout the coast.

    Jane Storm: When are you planning to start filming?
    Tom Andersen: The start of the year, definitely next year.

    Jane Storm: Great, I’m just trying to suss that out so I can lurk on set everyday. So, the storyline, it’s about Aboriginal legends that come to life? Have you started writing the script already?
    Mark Redford: I started the outline for this, then decided it would be better to just come here and dive in, meet the people, see the locations and look at pubs. I can write pretending to be an Aussie, but I need to come here to experience it. We have consultants that we’re going to meet with. It’s been quite fun.

    Jane Storm: What kind of research have you had to do so far?
    Mark Redford: Just researching…even film is different. Watching your films compared to our films, they’re different. So, watching films and what I like to do the most is just people watch. While that sounds boring, it’s actually fascinating because everything is different, everyone is different; the way you drive, the way you think. It's really quite fun because I've never done anything like this. At the end of the day it will all come down to the story, it will all come down to the characters. I grew up reading Stephen King and he was great at taking ordinary people and dropping them into extraordinary situations and that's exactly what I'm going to do.

    Jane Storm: Right. As far as Aboriginal legends and Aboriginal culture goes, have you got some experts and consultants who are helping with the projects?
    Tom Andersen: Marcus Waters, he’s a screenwriter and teacher at Griffith University here. We’re actually meeting him today and tomorrow and going over a bunch of stuff.

    Jane Storm: What has the support been like from places like Screen Queensland and Screen Australia?
    Tom Andersen: Everyone has been great and very supportive. You know, film’s not so hot here right now, so they’re excited to be getting a film over here. Everyone has been great, which is a lot different from the states.

    Jane Storm: Why do you think that is?
    Tom Andersen: It helps that I’m Australian too, us Aussies love to back each other. Another thing is I’m bringing home a good story with top Hollywood people. And it’s different, with all the remakes and sequels, it’s different. Everyone is excited to have a breath of fresh air.

    Jane Storm: What made you decide to shoot the film specifically here?
    Tom Andersen: It's an Australian story about Aboriginals; it's not going to work in Canada.

    Jane Storm: No, I meant why on the Gold Coast, out of the whole of Australia?
    Tom Andersen: Because I'm from here, I love it here. And the town that the story is set, it’s on the beach and I love Queensland. I want it here.

    Jane Storm: Did the facilities help drawing you here? I know the studios have quite amazing capabilities. James Cameron’s Sanctum just wrapped filming here and the Narnia entry.
    Tom Andersen: We’ve already had photos sent to us of different locations we’ve fallen in love with. There are some cool areas along the beach and we had some photos sent to us this morning and we saw that and were like `holy hell, that’s perfect’.

    Jane Storm: With the cast, have you got that picked out and underway?
    Mark Redford: No, we just have a wish list.
    Tom Andersen: We’re just going to wait on that right now. We would like to cast Australians, established Australians.
    Mark Redford: I would like to do another nude scene but other than that…

    Jane Storm: (Laughs) What’s the budget?
    Tom Andersen: Around $25 million. This is mainly a research trip, give Todd an education, get our feelers down and meet our producer. We have Mike Lake on board so we’ll be having a chat with him. We’re just flying our soldiers in and getting them ready to go.

    Jane Storm: Now Todd, you were one of the key people behind trying to get Halloween 3D up and running and you worked on My Bloody Valentine, which was my first 3D experience and one I must say I’m a huge fan of. What is it about 3D that lends itself so well to the horror genre?
    Mark Redford: I like it for a number of reasons; I like the rollercoaster aspect of it. There's a couple of ways to do 3D; there's the gimmicky, in-your-face way, which we were not afraid of in My Bloody Valentine. There’s also the Avatar version, which is the more voyeuristic, immersion-type where you are sucked in. But the truth is, you’re going to get that anyway with today’s 3D and you saw it yourself with Valentine and other 3D movies that you see, you’re literally inside. But with a horror movie, you’re even closer to the scares and the action. So I like that, the risk is that because we had a lot of success with Valentine and there’s been a lot of success with other movies, because of that everyone jumped on the 3D bandwagon and the problem is a lot of 3D has been rushed with the conversion process and a lot of the stories. I think at the end of the day it still has to be about the story, it still has to be about telling that story and you have to shoot good 3D. We will be shooting everything in 3D, we won’t be converting. We will be doing everything we did with Valentine and Drive Angry. I think as a result of that, especially here with all the sweeping vistas and the land, it’s going to look quite remarkable.
    Tom Andersen: It’s a tool to telling a good story. There are a lot of crappy stories that are hoping to get by on their 3D and it’s a marketing gimmick. And it is, it’s a good marketing ploy for sure, but we’re using it as another tool to tell a really cool story.

    Jane Storm: You guys have an awesome crew on board with the producers, composers, concept artists, is this a very exciting process, for it to be so early on and have such a great team already?
    Tom Andersen: Exactly, that’s why I did it because I knew to pull this off I had to have the best around me. And I’m in Hollywood with the best so it was just a matter of pull. Everyone realises it’s something unique and who doesn’t want to come to Australia and make a movie, right? `Come to paradise with really cool people, really beautiful beaches!’ That was my lure and then it was just about building a good team. I think it’s like building a house and my foundation is strong, so you’ve just got to keep moving up.

    Jane Storm: Have you made any decisions about the director yet?
    Tom Andersen: We want Patrick Lussier.

    Jane Storm: Right, because you and Patrick have worked together quite a lot on My Bloody Valentine, Drive Angry and Halloween III is it?
    Mark Redford: Yeah. Patrick and I will write it together and depending on how the system works down here and what we can bring and what we can't...
    Tom Andersen: -because we’re going after the 40% (producer) offset.

    Jane Storm: Oh, that explains the caution; they can be really dicky with that.
    Mark Redford: It will also depend on his schedule in the states because he is working on Drive Angry to the end of the year and then there’s another project we may end up working on which won’t affect me for this, but it might affect him.
    Tom Andersen: A couple of things, he’s my first choice for a lot of reasons; he's an amazing editor, an amazing director and in 3D he’s very experienced. You want the best.

    Jane Storm: With the general story idea, what was the appeal with…well, you haven’t gone for a standard slasher flick. Instead you’ve gone with the whole mythical and supernatural take?
    Tom Andersen: Because it hasn’t been done before.

    Jane Storm: It hasn’t?
    Tom Andersen: It’s original. I’m very picky about movies and I’m very in tune with audiences and that’s why Paranormal Activity did well because everyone wants something different. It’s just the same stuff repetitive, sequels and presequels, and this is different. It hasn’t been done before. Then I looked at the 3D aspect of seeing Aboriginal culture in 3D and how amazing would that be? There’s a lot of people that say `oh wow, you’re from Australia, I would so love to go there’ and they’re never going to get here so now I’m brining Australia to them. In 3D. So, it will do well just for that appeal alone and then everyone loves to be scared.

    Jane Storm: And it has so much potential too, the horror twist on Aboriginal legends hasn’t really been done. Well, I guess Prey but that was terrible. So, it hasn’t been done well yet.
    Tom Andersen: Yeah, and we were saying Australian films have a very sort of independent feel and as far as Australian stories go, this is going to be very different. It’s going to be structured very different.

    Jane Storm: Now this is more of a general question, but what is the key to writing a decent horror film?
    Mark Redford: I think at the end of the day it’s about…I’m still scared of everything, which helps, and for me it’s always been about taking everyday life and throwing a twist into it. Certainly we did it with My Bloody Valentine. You take these ordinary people and you put them in a situation where the audience can relate to them and I think if you can do that…that’s another reason Paranormal Activity worked so well because you watch the movie and think `what if that was me?’ So, as long as the characters are first, as long as they’re relatable, they can be as unique on screen as they can in a person. I started in the horror genre because when I started, that’s what you did, that was how you broke into the business. So, back then it was just Miramax and New Line, those guys making horror movies and then Scream came out and that kind of blew the lid off everything and we were all a part of it. Now everybody has a genre department and what ended up happening is the same thing that I think will end up happening with 3D; a lot of people were making horror and some of them were horrible. I think as long as you put the characters first, as long as you put the story first, as long as you keep the momentum of the story, then the rest is about creating situations that scare you as a writer.

    Jane Storm: Both of you seem like really big fans of the horror genre. What is it about it that you love so much?
    Tom Andersen: I love the rollercoaster ride. You go to the movies and you want a thrill, you want to leave going `wow’ and that’s what I like about it. You know, I don’t like torture, gore, blood and guts, I don’t want to look at that. I want a rollercoaster ride where I’m scared and where you’re trying to solve it…like The Sixth Sense. I think that was perfect. I loved that twist and you think you have it figured out, but you can watch that movie three or four times and always see something different. There’s suspense, I love that about it. That’s what I want for this, rather than `oh look, someone’s dead and their guts is everywhere’. Obviously that will be in there, but there will be a reason, not just insanity. Mark Redford: I just like scaring people.

    Jane Storm: (Laughs) Out of all your projects Todd, what would you say is a favourite of yours? Which is your baby?
    Mark Redford: At this point, Drive Angry, which will come out 19th of February, we just wrapped it. The reason I like it so much is because what we wrote is what we were able to shoot. You know, Jason X changed a little, The Messengers changed a little, the others have changed, but Drive Angry didn’t. So we’re hoping for the same thing here, we write this and then we can go shoot.

    Jane Storm: I saw the bloody car from Drive Angry that you posted on your blog, it looks awesome.
    Mark Redford: Yeah, that was Gary (J. Tunnicliffe), the dude is just remarkable. He’s killed me more than anyone else and he’s really the only one I would want to.

    Jane Storm: So what’s the rest of the schedule like for you guys? What’s the next step when you go back?
    Mark Redford: I dive in and start making the magic.
    *my phone starts ringing* Mark Redford: Nice ring tone.
    Jane Storm: Thanks, nothing like a bit of Wu Tang Clan (Kill Bill Theme). Sorry about that. Okay, so the next question I have to ask you is, please don’t be offended, but a friend of mine wanted me to ask you what shrooms were you on when you put Jason in space? Mark Redford: The big ones, the big yellow ones with the hairs. (Laughs) Okay, it’s funny because Michael De Luca was running New Line at the time, the guy who green lit Jason X, and he read the script and loved the script. So, that’s what we went in and pitched; Alien and Aliens, a combination of the two movies so that you take those actors and the aliens and you pull those out and then you have Jason with a real crew, ghetto, raw, no slapstick in-your-face jokes. It was just a very dirty movie, dark and dirty. Then Scream came out and suddenly everyone wanted everything to be tongue-in-cheek, so things changed as a result. But it’s funny now because De Luca is producing Drive Angry and what we like about him is he was like `Jason X was a great script, what happened?’ Now a lot of people still love Jason X, a lot of people hate it, my excuse is, well, I wrote what I wanted and maybe that didn’t get made, but it bought me an Audi. But I loved Alien and I love Aliens, and I still think that someone will take another scary movie into space.

    Jane Storm: When you say take another scary movie into space, do you mean the slasher genre?
    Mark Redford: Yes, I don’t understand why a slasher can’t…I mean, I know slashers have gone into space and I know one can, why couldn’t it? It’s all about production value and it’s all about story, and so far those two have not made it into space from some sort of slashers point of view. It’s just a matter of time. If Kevin (Williamson) had written Scream in space it would have worked, that was fantastic. They better do a good job on Scream 4, I see him tweet about it all the time. You following him?
    Jane Storm: Yeah, I was so pissed off last fortnight when he was doing a give away of signed posters and our work computers are so slow that even though I had the right answers, I would miss out because it wouldn’t update before all the crazy Americans who answered a second after. Mark Redford: I saw it way too late, otherwise I would have tried to.

    Jane Storm: (Laughs) Oh come on, you would be able to get a poster from him, surely?
    Mark Redford: No, he wouldn’t give me a free poster. He’s honestly a really nice guy though.

    Jane Storm: Finally, this is a more general question, but what are some of your favourite films? Whether that’s horror or whatever?
    Tom Andersen: The classic ones like Jaws, Alien, The Sixth Sense and all of the different elements in those. I like the hunt, the twists, you think you know what’s going on but you don’t. What I like is that people could know what’s going on, and they’re given the signs, but they see what they want to see.
    Mark Redford: Oddly enough some of the same movies; Alien and Aliens, Jaws was the first movie that scared the crap out of me, The Exorcist I saw next and both of those movies influenced me, and Star Wars on a how to tell a story level, especially The Empire Strikes Back, those were, granted, big fantasy movies but as far as the mythology and linear story structure, those were pretty incredible. It was Quentin Tarantino that taught me to actually break the rules a little bit and go outside the Hollywood system, write outside the Hollywood system, and create characters that were interesting and didn’t fall into the norm. I don’t have a favourite movie, I get asked all the time, but it’s literally a lot of great movies.

    Jane Storm: What else do you have to do before you can get back here and film?
    Tom Andersen: We’ve learnt a lot on this trip. Now we’ve got to get the script down and tight, we want to make sure it’s good and not rush that because you only get one shot. Then just hit it.

    Jane Storm: Fantastic, well that’s pretty much everything I have to ask you guys. If you don’t mind we’ll head out and get the pic taken soon?
    Tom Andersen: Yeah sure.
    Mark Redford: I sent you a really creepy tweet when you arrived.

    Jane Storm: (Laughs) Oh really? Awesome.
    Mark Redford: I wrote `I’m looking at you right now’.

    Jane Storm: (Laughs) I love it!
    Mark Redford: That’s creepy, it was when you were walking in right then.

    Jane Storm: I love how you are so interactive with your fans online and getting content out there.
    Mark Redford: Well, it has got me into trouble. Hollywood doesn’t want you to tell the things that I sometimes tell. They certainly didn’t want me telling the Halloween 3D story. It didn’t get me into trouble, they just didn’t like it. But there’s nothing they can do about it.

    Jane Storm: It probably got you a lot of respect from people as well.
    Mark Redford: I think from the fan base perhaps.

    Jane Storm: The Bloody Disgusting guys were on to it.
    Mark Redford: Yeah, but they always shoot it straight anyway and that’s why I like them. That’s why I like Brad and those guys. I don’t like rude behaviour, even from a studio.

    Jane Storm: Yeah, I’m a big fan of Bloody Disgusting because they cover everything. They don’t just look at the big, commercial horror films, but they give time to the independent, small-budget and foreign language stuff that you wouldn’t know about otherwise.
    Mark Redford: I trust those guys because if I know they like something I know that it’s worth my time. Everybody’s opinion is different, but I trust their judgment.

    Tom Andersen talks about horror, 3D & pissing Hollywood off, 9 out of 10 (based on 452 votes)

    VIA Tom Andersen talks about horror, 3D & pissing Hollywood off

  • Open Wide, Movies Inside

    Open Wide, Movies Inside

    Julian McMahon

    Julian McMahon

    Okay, lame title, I know. But serioulsy, there's only so many Gold Coast Film Festival related titles you can write before you hit wall. Sigh, I digress. The festival opens tonight at the Birch Carroll and Coyle Cinemas Australia Fair and there’s a huge line-up of stars coming along for the opening night. Leading the charge is Nip/Tuck star Julian McMahon (above), who is in Queensland filming shark action-thriller Bait 3D. McMahon forged a career in Australian television before he broke into Hollywood as Cole Turner on hit TV series Charmed and roles in the Fantastic Four franchise and RED.

    McMahon's Bait 3D co-stars Xavier Samuel and Sharni Vinson will also be at the opening night, along with director Kimble Rendall. Samuel was most recently seen in The Twilight Saga: Eclipse and Aussie horror flick The Loved Ones, while Vinson had success as the lead in Step Up 3D. They will be joined by Tomorrow, When The War Began stars Lincoln Lewis and Phoebe Tonkin, and other Australian actors including John Jarratt, Dan Wylie, Adrienne Pickering, Cindy Nelson, Francesca Gasteen, and Alex Russell, star of the opening night film Wasted On The Young.

    However, it is not just big name actors who are attending, with a who's who of international industry professionals. Along with Hollywood horror screenwriter Todd Farmer (My Bloody Valentine, Jason X), will be producers Chris Adams (Syriana, An Inconvenient Truth ) and Steve Kearney (Jucy) , the founders behind industry consultation company Adams Kearney. Local guests include Oscar-winning special-effects whiz John Cox, producer Chris Brown (Daybreakers, The Proposition) and Emmy-award winning make-up effects artist Jason Baird.

    I will be on the read carpet chatting to all of these lovely peeps and I’m off to chat to a few of them at their hotel now, so, keenly stand by for the latest and greatest dets from the festival.

    VIA Open Wide, Movies Inside

  • Over a city high overcast is expected

    Over a city high overcast is expected

    3D-show

    This cloud not idle time, it power: the command of leading architects and engineers has shown to the world the concept of unique structure which becomes a symbol of Olympic games of 2012 year.

    Inflatable cloud

    The easy transparent tower comes to an end with a cloud consisting of inflatable spheres at top. This design will help to create amusing 3D-show with the sky of London.

    Sky of London

    Carlo Ratti, the representative of one of leaders of the project (MIT SENSEable Cities Laboratory), has described the Cloud as “the new form of collective expression and experience, a symbol of a new epoch: it is a sign, rather than than simply material”.

    Artist Tomas Saraceno, designer Alex Haw, expert Joerg Schleich also have entered into a command, engineering group Arup, landscape architect Agence Ter, and also company Google, writer Umberto Eco and professor Antoni Muntadas.

    Promo-campaign

    The size of a cloud depends on the finance which will be collected on the project. Every possible resources will be involved in gathering on cloud building, including Facebook and Twitter; Google will provide the project with contextual advertising and promo-campaign on YouTube.

    “Obama has shown us a good example — it is necessary to include all possibilities of global community in an advertising campaign”, — makes comments Margo Miller. The project budget is mobile, as well as structure — the Cloud can be constructed both on $5 million, and on $50 million; how many will collect money, on so much and will construct.

    Especial interest

    The cloud will eat energy of the sun and people, will convert and make the new. The in itself structure of a cloud is innovative; authors consider as achievement a transparency, minimum use of materials at which use the volume considerable quantity will be made.

    On a cloud the plasma monitors showing the actual information on event are placed; they will be visible from any area of a city. Screens — especial interest for Google. It corresponds to company mission — to organise the world information.

    Good example

    Olympic cloud in London

    VIA «Over a city high overcast is expected»

  • Heritage: World’s most inaccessible art found in the heart of the Colombian jungle

    Heritage: World’s most inaccessible art found in the heart of the Colombian jungle
    A British wildlife film-maker has returned from one of the most inaccessible parts of the world with extraordinary footage of ancient rock art that has never been filmed or photographed before.

    World’s most inaccessible art found in the heart of the Colombian jungle
    Images of rock art that could be 20,000 years old, found in Chiribiquete national park, 
    Colombia [Credit: Francisco Forero Bonell/Ecoplanet]

    In an area of Colombia so vast and remote that contact has still not been made with some tribes thought to live there, Mike Slee used a helicopter to film hundreds of paintings depicting hunters and animals believed to have been created thousands of years ago. He said: “We had crews all over the place and helicopters filming all over Colombia. As a photographer, Francisco Forero Bonell discovered and took the pictures for my movie.”

    The extraordinary art includes images of jaguar, crocodiles and deer. They are painted in red, on vertical rock faces in Chiribiquete national park, a 12,000 square kilometre Unesco world heritage site that is largely unexplored. There are also paintings of warriors or hunters dancing or celebrating. “It is the land that time forgot,” Slee told the Observer.

    There had previously been only vague reports of rock art in the area, which is known as Cerro Campana, he said: “There’s no information, maps or communication. It’s such a massive central part of Colombia.” Though some paintings had previously been found and photographed elsewhere in Chiribiquete, this Cerro Campana art has never been filmed or photographed, Slee said: “It was an absolutely stunning moment to be able to get the footage.”

    Slee used a helicopter to gain access to the area, as the terrain is impenetrable – thick vegetation, forested rock peaks and valleys, sheer cliffs and giant rock towers soaring through a rainforest canopy.

    World’s most inaccessible art found in the heart of the Colombian jungle
    Film-maker Mike Slee [Credit: Francisco Forero Bonell/Ecoplanet]

    Professor Fernando Urbina, a rock art specialist from the National University of Colombia, was struck by the “magnificent naturalism” of the depictions of deer when shown the photographs.

    “They reveal the hand of a master of painting,” he said, adding that the paintings could be up to 20,000 years old. He was particularly interested in a human figure in a seated position whose arms appear to be folded over his shoulders, a ritual position in Amazonian cultures. “A seated man has special significance as the sage of the tribe,” he said.

    The art may have been painted by the Karijona tribe, a few of whose members still live in the region. The seated position might suggest a prisoner or slave, Urbina said.Jean Clottes, a French prehistorian, and author of Cave Art – a book covering key sites such as Lascaux in France – described the images as exciting and well-preserved, but said it would be hard to determine their age because radiocarbon dating could not be used, as they were painted with mineral-based materials derived from iron oxide rather than the charcoal used in European rock art.

    The species depicted are thought to include capybaras, snakes and anteaters. Slee described the art as a wildlife chapel. “The peoples who once lived here have left in pictures testimony of their awe and respect for the wild,” he said. “When I saw the images, I honestly felt an affinity with the artists. They were attempting to capture the power, grace, spirit and essence of the animal in pictures. Perhaps it was to make the hunt better next day, but there is clearly careful observation in their art. It’s what contemporary photographers, painters, film-makers set out to do when they create a wildlife project.”

    World’s most inaccessible art found in the heart of the Colombian jungle
    Chiribiquete National Park [Credit: Francisco Forero Bonell/Ecoplanet]

    Slee made his name making natural history films and directed the movie Bugs! 3D, about two rainforest insects, narrated by Judi Dench. In 2012, the Observer reported that his Flight of the Butterflies 3D had captured butterflies in unprecedented detail, moving scientists to tears at an early screening. Over the past three years, Slee has been exploring Colombia to make Colombia: Wild Magic, which will be in cinemas next year. Through spectacular footage, it portrays “a majestic tropical wilderness” – but one he said was threatened by humans who are “taking more than they are giving”. With swooping aerial footage and detailed close-ups, it reveals a landscape of canyons and caves, lakes and lagoons, rivers and rock masses with “the largest varieties of living things on the planet”, including unique species of hummingbird and endangered jaguar.

    Drawing on the expertise of a dozen scientific advisers, the film warns of threats from the world’s “craving” for natural resources such as gold and emeralds. Slee said: “We’ve got illegal gold-mining polluting the rivers, we’re overfishing the seas, the habitat destruction is massive. We’re taking out the rainforest, we’re losing species every week. We have the most beautiful country on Earth and we are in danger of destroying it. There are places that no Colombian has been. It’s mainly because, when you think of Colombia, you think of kidnapping and drugs.”

    Bonell, a Colombian conservationist and photographer, was inspired to become executive producer of the film, describing the region as “one of the few areas on our planet that still remains unspoiled and unexplored”.

    The film has been produced by British company Off The Fence, and will be distributed free in schools in Colombia, as well as cinemas, “spreading the word about what their country has and the need to protect it”, Slee said. Slee hopes to return for another large-scale expedition focusing on the rock art. “We’ve probably only scratched the surface,” he said. “There are believed to be many hundreds of these cave paintings dotted throughout that central region.”

    Author: Dalya Alberge | Source: The Guardian/Observer [June 24, 2015]

  • Travel: Replica of prehistoric Chauvet cave opens

    Travel: Replica of prehistoric Chauvet cave opens
    A stunning replica of the 36,000 year-old Grotte Chauvet, home to the oldest figurative cave drawings in the world and an UNESCO Heritage site, opened to the public at the weekend. Here's a look inside the country's latest tourist attraction.

    Replica of prehistoric Chauvet cave opens
    The replica of the Chauvet cave at Pont d'Arc 
    is to open its doors [Credit: AFP]

    The grotto at Vallon-Pont d'Arc in the Ardeche region of southern France, is a reproduction of the closely guarded Grotte Chauvet, which was granted World Heritage status last year.

    The French president had already officially inaugurated the museum earlier this month and it officially opened to the public on Saturday.

    The replica cave, which took a team of scientists two and a half years to create, will enable tourists from around the world to continue to see the frescos of painted animals without damaging the original cave.

    Unique in the world for being such an identical and precise reproduction, the grotto has been built in the shape of a bear's paw, and stands just one kilometre away from the original site.

    Inside the new grotto, which came a cost of €55 million visitors will be able to see more than a thousand drawings, including 425 animal figures of 14 different species, which have been meticulously reproduced.

    Replica of prehistoric Chauvet cave opens
    A reproduced drawing of a buffalo inside a replica of the Chauvet cave 
    in France’s Ardèche region, which opens to the public Saturday 
    [Credit: Pierre Terdjman/The New York Times]

    The smell, humidity and even stalactites of the Grotte Chauvet have also been recreated to make the new site as authentic as can be.

    The visitor walks down a long ramp to get into the building housing the replica, entering a darkened, cool and humid place that mirrors conditions in the grotto.

    Then just like in the real cave, people stick to a walkway that takes them past replica bones and the skull of an Alpine ibex, a species of wild goat.

    The drawings reveal themselves as the visitors walk further into the fake cave, a total of 1,000 paintings including 425 animals -- including bears, rhinos, big cats, owls.

    These have been reproduced using charcoal, just like our Aurignacian ancestors did some 36,000 years ago.

    Replica of prehistoric Chauvet cave opens
    The reconstruction covers 3,500sq m and is housed in a huge
     concrete-clad building [Credit: AFP]

    Using ultra-modern techniques such as 3D imaging, engineers, sculptors, painters and visual artists faithfully reproduced the paintings.

    A team of 10 people in Paris also worked for four years to reproduce stalactites, stalagmites and other formations present in the Grotte Chauvet itself.

    Authorities hope that the giant replica will attract some 350,000 visitors a year.

    The original Chauvet grotto was preserved for more than 20,000 years thanks to the fallen rocks, which blocked its entrance.

    The grotto was discovered on the 18th December 1994 by amateur potholers: Jean-Marie Chauvet, Eliette Brunel et Christian Hillaire.


    If you are wondering how important the grotto is, then the words of Philippe Lalliot France's envoy to UNESCO, should leave you in no doubt.

    "I had the chance, I should say the privilege, to visit the cave... and I was literally stunned by what I saw, which revolutionizes our views of our origins," said Lalliot after the UNESCO vote last year.

    A French lawmaker for the Ardeche, Pascal Terrasse, also described the cave as "a first cultural act".

    "This artist has now been recognized," Terrasse said. "May he forgive us for waiting 36,000 years to recognize his work."

    Author: Chloé Farand | Source: The Local [April 26, 2015]

  • Snyder Delivers a Sucker Punch to Your Pants

    Snyder Delivers a Sucker Punch to Your Pants

    Sucker Punch

    Sucker Punch (directed by Zack Snyder)

    That Snyder, he sure is one stylish motherfucker. This image hit the net a few days ago via an Emily Browning fansite and is the first look at the bad-ass babes of Zack Snyder’s new film Sucker Punch. It’s scanned from a spread in Entertainment Weekly where they give an overview of the films appearing at Comic Con this week (insert jealous grumble here). Thoughts? If I wasn’t a straight woman, I would have a boner by now because frankly, it looks fetish-aboulous. It’s a shame Browning has had to revert from brown to blonde locks, but I’m willing to overlook that cliché in light of the general wickedness this film promises. So, in a similar vein to my overall wraps on Inception and Tomorrow, When The War Began, here is what we know about Zack Snyder’s Sucker Punch so far:

    The Plot

    Sucker Punch is a reimagining of Alice In Wonderland in the 1950s when a young girl, Baby Doll, is institutionalised by her wicked stepfather who intends to have her lobotomized in five days. She escapes to an alternative reality as a coping strategy, and in that universe she starts to plan her escape from the facility with her newfound inmate friends. Needing to steal five objects to achieve freedom, Snyder famously described the film to First Showing as “Alice In Wonderland with machine guns”. Apparently dragons, B-52 bombers and brothels also feature. Snyder came up with the story and wrote the script with Steve Shibuya, a former special-effects and tech whiz. It’s Snyder’s first original film without any source material from comics or previous films.

    The Business End

    Snyder, whose previous credits include the Dawn Of The Dead remake, 300, Watchmen and the up and coming animated owl flick Legend Of The Guardians: The Owls Of Ga’Hoole, is producing the film with his regular collaborator and wife, Deborah. Snyder has been an active filmmaker since 2004 and in that short time he has established himself as one of the few who can consistently deliver style and substance. He’s a visionary who pumps out films more often than the Octomum pumps out babies. It’s also good news that despite Warner Brothers announcing the film would be converted to 3D post-production, the Snyder husband and wife team have fought, and won, to keep their baby in 2D (the way it was filmed and intended). There will be no Clash Of The Titans-muddle here folks. Music is set to play an integral part in the film and mark the transition from reality to alternative-reality. The cast trained in 3 months to be able to perform the stunt and fight scenes before production kicked off in Vancouver from September, 2009 to January, 2010. Sucker Punch has a budget of $85 million.

    The Cast

    Emily Browning: Baby DollOne of my favourite Australian actresses, 21-year-old Browning stepped up to the role after Amanda Seyfried dropped out due to scheduling conflicts. Thank heavens for that, because as far as I’m concerned Seyfried has ruined herself with all the atrocious rom-com’s she has starred in of late. After a bunch of appearances in Australian TV productions and films such as Ned Kelly, Browning broke into the Hollywood market with her captivating performance in Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events. Followed by her role in supernatural thriller The Uninvited, Browning will be one to watch after Sucker Punch and her role as Lucy, a university student who becomes a prostitute in Julia Leigh’s erotic version of Sleeping Beauty due for release next year.

    Jena Malone: RocketReplacing Evan Rachel-Wood, who also dropped out over scheduling conflicts, is former child star Jena Malone. Having amassed an accomplished body of work, Malone is just another feather in the bow of accomplished young actresses at the fore of Sucker Punch.

    Abbie Cornish: SweetpeaWhat can you say about Cornish? Except that she is ridiculously awesome and my favourite Australian actress behind Cate Blanchett! Since her breakout performances in Australian flicks Somersault and Candy, with Heath Ledger, Cornish has gone from strength to strength in mainstream Hollywood blowing me away with turns in Elizabeth: The Golden Age, Stop-Loss and, her Oscar-deserving role in Bright Star. Mainly a dramatic actress, I’m looking forward to seeing Cornish in an action-flick where her attitude and beauty are just as important as acting chops. She has worked with Snyder previously, voicing one of the central characters in Legend Of The Guardians: The Owls Of Ga’Hoole.

    Vannessa Hudgens: BlondieOkay, so I’m not her biggest fan, but this is clearly Hudgens effort to make the transition from slutty Disney teen-starlet, to slutty Hollywood actress. But hey, if she shows some teeth in an action film I might be willing to overlook her previous efforts (hello there High School Musical and Bandslam). The jury is still out on her Twilighty-looking Beastly.

    Jamie Chung: AmberChung has proved herself to be a sufficiently meaty action babe after Dragonball: Evolution, Sorority Row and her decency in Grown Ups. Toting a lollipop and fishnets in this though, she’s sure to bring that hot-Asian chick flavour a la Lucy Liu amongst a largely Caucasian cast in Charlie’s Angels.

    Carla Gugino: Mrs ShulzThe lass with arguably the best natural rack in the industry (remember her topless scene as Lucille in Sin City?), Gugino plays a nurse in the asylum. Like Cornish, she has worked with Snyder previously, but as the original Silk Spectre in Watchmen.

    Others Along for the ride are Scott Glenn, Oscar Isaac, Jan Hamm and Black Dynamite himself Michael Jai White (above)! Woo! Exclusive clips from the film are being screened at Comic Con this week, so as soon as some lucky bastard who’s attending posts them online... as will I. In the meantime, stay tuned for Sucker Punch news, updates and trailers.

    P.S. By the time you read this I will be dead. Ha, just kidding, but my review of Inception will be posted above and therefore my online video review of Creation pales in significance. Alas, I’m posting it anyway - to watch click here. Connelly had really let herself go after her Oscar win. In semi-related news, my review of Inception is now the third most-read article on the Gold Coast Bulletin website AND it was only posted last night! Me thinks that gives plenty of juice to the `people regularly read and enjoy reviews’ argument.

    VIA Snyder Delivers a Sucker Punch to Your Pants

  • You might need a bigger scanner there Jack! A rotund looking Black goes through LAX security

    You might need a bigger scanner there Jack! A rotund looking Black goes through LAX security
    By DAILY MAIL REPORTER
    ©Hands up: Jack Black goes through a full body scan at LAX airport last night
    He may voice a lithe Kung Fu expert in his latest movie, but Jack Black was looking a little out of shape as he headed through security at LAX airport last night.
    The 41-year-old comic actor held up his hands and stood in front of the body scanner, in a pose which revealed his rather rotund figure.
    And when he turned round, he showed the back of his T-shirt emblazoned with the slogan reading 'Pie 'N Burger,' revealing his fondness for the fatty foods.
    The father of two was heading to New York for the east coast premiere of Kung Fu Panda 2, in which he reprises the voice of martial arts panda Po.
    ©
    Animation star: Jack was heading to New York for the east coast premiere of Kung Fu Panda, with the back of his T-shirt reading 'pie 'n burger'
    Jack also promoted the film in Los Angeles on Saturday, alongside co-stars Angelina Jolie, Lucy Liu and Seth Rogen.
    The star may have been looking a little rotund, but he showed he still has plenty of energy this morning on the film's red carpet.
    ©All smiles: The actor looked his usual relaxed self as he headed towards the security checkpoint, clutching his laptop
    He wowed onlookers by taking a few leaps on the red carpet outside the city's Ziegfeld Theatre and demonstrated his own martial arts style moves.
    The 3D film explores Po's adoption and who his real father is.
    'Those answers are explained,' Jack told USA Today. 'It takes it to a real emotional place that we didn't in the first film.'
    ©Taking a leap: Jack showed off his energetic side as he demonstrated his Kung Fu skills at the New York premiere of Kung Fu Panda last night
    'At first, I wasn't really into it,' he said. 'But then they showed me a clip of panda Po synced to my voice from High Fidelity, and it clicked in my head.
    Like "That totally makes sense. My voice in that panda is going to be a funny movie."'
    And Jack, who was joined by co-star Lucy Liu on the carpet today, is hoping to do a third instalment.
    'I’d love to do more Kung Fu Panda, but it’s up to the audience to demand that,' he said.
    ©Fooling around: Jack played up to the cameras by lolling on the floor and performing press ups
    ©Keep it up: Jack kicked a toy panda around as she showed off his bear skills on the carpet
    ©Black tie: Lucy Liu looked stunning in a black minidress with white detail as she arrived at the premiere
    source: dailymail

    VIA You might need a bigger scanner there Jack! A rotund looking Black goes through LAX security

  • Brave Kelly Brook smiles for the cameras on her first night out since tragic baby loss

    Brave Kelly Brook smiles for the cameras on her first night out since tragic baby loss
    By SIMON CABLE and ANDREA MAGRATH
    ©Brave smile: Kelly Brook is spotted out in London for the first time since her baby loss
    She was left reeling after the tragic loss of her baby five months into pregnancy earlier this month.
    But Kelly Brook mustered the strength to put on a brave face as she faced the cameras for the first time since her heartbreaking loss.
    The 31-year-old model smiled brightly for photographers as she headed out in London just over a fortnight since losing her unborn baby girl.
    ©Moving forward: The leggy model put on a daring animal print dress for her first night out
    Kelly ventured out with the support of friends after two weeks of laying low at her farmhouse in Kent, where she was being comforted by family and friends including fiancé Thom Evans.
    But the beautiful brunette seemed determined to make her first tentative steps towards moving forward with her life, stepping out in a slinky pink animal-print dress and towering heels.
    Kelly appeared to be enjoying her night out in London as she chatted to her girlfriends in the back of a cab, while fiancé Thom was nowhere to be seen.
    ©Heartache: Kelly lost her baby five months into her pregnancy earlier this month
    The day before Kelly was spotted out for the first time since the terrible news emerged on May 10.
    She ventured out on her own on a shopping trip near her home.
    Wearing a backless summer frock and a Panama hat, the Piranha: 3D star was pictured carrying groceries to her car, including a large bunch of roses.
    Miss Brook was almost five months pregnant when she lost the daughter she was expecting with ex-Scottish rugby international Thom Evans, 26.
    ©Tragic loss: Kelly looked subdued as she carried a large bunch of roses to her car
    The former TV presenter was said to be ‘over the moon’ at the prospect of becoming a mother for the first time.
    She had announced she was pregnant after only four months of dating Evans.
    After news that she had lost the child, friends described her as ‘devastated’. One said: ‘She’s at home and she’s being looked after by Thom and her mum Sandra.
    ‘There’s nothing you can say to anyone at a time like this – she just needs to be allowed some time alone to grieve.’
    source: dailymail

    VIA Brave Kelly Brook smiles for the cameras on her first night out since tragic baby loss

  • More Kung Poo than Kung Fu

    More Kung Poo than Kung Fu
    ©“Prepare for awesomeness'' reads the tagline toKung Fu Panda 2, the sequel to box-office smashKung Fu Panda. Come the end credits, you will be wondering exactly where the awesomeness you were supposed to prepare for was. After being deemed the Dragon Warrior in the first film, the second picks up with food-loving panda Po (Jack Black) and the Furious Five warriors being tasked with a new and dangerous mission - defeat the evil peacock Lord Shen (Gary Oldman).
    The screenwriters really want this to be a cute animated story that unites all of us.
    Essentially the character of Po is a young man, living his life, when suddenly - kapow! He's the Dragon Warrior and he's forced to deal with something. Anything. Can we have a villain here? Oh, wait, there's Lord Shen - a Hitler-esque character complete with his very own Holocaust where he swaps killing Jews for killing pandas. The script plugs too hard for an emotional arc - a journey of self-discovery - when the best thing about the firstKung Fu Pandawas the frivolity.
    The character of Po is literally Jack Black in panda form, there's no added features or altered voice work. When Po speaks, you just see the chubby comedian. The rest of the voice cast, who actually try and manipulate their pipes to create more believable characters, are completely underused. Talent like Angelina Jolie, Seth Rogen, Dustin Hoffman, Oldman, Jackie Chan, Lucy Liu, David Cross, Danny McBride and even Jean-Claude Van Damme barely get a few lines. DreamWorks Animation would have paid the big bucks for them, so it seems wasteful for the film to be taken up with Blackisms.
    Visually,Kung Fu Panda 2is faultless and the closest DreamWorks has come to rivalling the superior Pixar. The animators deliver a one-two punch with a combination of first rate computer generated animation in 3D and more traditional, 2D animation used in flashback scenes. Unfortunately a pretty pictures does not a good movie make. With story and humour both lacking,Kung Fu Panda 2is a school holiday film only young children will find amusing. For the rest of us, it's a boring and been-there-before 90 minutes.
    Kung Fu Panda 2is out Thursday, June 23.

    VIA More Kung Poo than Kung Fu

  • Travel: Key Artifacts from ISIS-endangered Palmyra, Syria on view at the Freer and Sackler Galleries

    Travel: Key Artifacts from ISIS-endangered Palmyra, Syria on view at the Freer and Sackler Galleries
    An exquisitely sculpted ancient bust of a woman from Palmyra, Syria, is returned to view for the first time since 2006 at the Smithsonian's Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery. Named "Haliphat," it will be accompanied by images of 18th-century engravings and 19th-century photographs of ancient Palmyra selected from the Freer|Sackler Libraries and Archives. A newly created 3-D scan of the bust will also be released for viewing and download at a later date as part of the Smithsonian X 3D Collection.

    Key Artifacts from ISIS-endangered Palmyra, Syria on view at the Freer and Sackler Galleries
    Funerary Bust from Palmyra, Syria, 231 BC [Credit: Smithsonian's Freer Gallery of Art 
    and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery]

    Palmyra, a UNESCO World Heritage site, is one of the most important archaeological sites in the Near East, and one of the best preserved city-states in the world.

    "In the face of current tragic upheavals in Iraq and Syria, every stone, arch and carved relief plays a greater historical and cultural role than it has in the past," said Julian Raby, the Dame Jillian Sackler Director of the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery and Freer Gallery of Art. "Like the relief of Haliphat, each stone can remind a people of its past, and fashion identity both individually and collectively."

    Once lush, wealthy and cosmopolitan, Palmyra ("the city of palms") was an oasis in the desert at the hub of trade between the Mediterranean, Mesopotamia, ancient Iran and Southeast Asia. Two millennia ago, its inhabitants constructed monumental colonnades, temples, a theater and elaborate tomb complexes, a significant amount of which survives today.

    Dating from 231 AD, the limestone funerary relief sculpture depicts an elegant, bejeweled figure with both Roman and Aramaic artistic influences, reinforcing Palmyra's status between the Eastern and Western worlds.

    The accompanying photographs were taken 1867-1876 by prolific photographer Fèlix Bonfils and provide the most complete visual record of Palmyra from the 19th century.

    The engraving images are from Robert Woods' 1753 The Ruins of Palmyra, a publication that inspired the popular neoclassical architecture style in Britain and North America. Its image of an "Eagle Decorating an Ancient Roman Temple" was the model for the image on the seal of the United States, and its depictions of Palmyra's coffered ceilings shaped the ceiling of the north entrance of the Freer Gallery of Art.

    The display will be on view indefinitely.

    Source: Smithsonian's Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery [June 09, 2015]

  • That Thing You Do?

     That Thing You Do?

    The Thing

    Just DoThing!

    See that? See what I did there with the headline? Clever huh *insert cricket noise and tumble weed here. Moving on…uber-talented Australian lad Joel Edgerton is set star in a remake of The Thing. The Hollywood remake is said to be a remake of John Carpetner’s `82 version of The Thing which was a remake of the Howard Hanks’ `51 film The Thing From Another World which was a take on the `38 short Who Goes There?

    If you lead a more exciting life then I, a fun game could be played involving a shot of whiskey every time I use the word `remake’. An even funner game would be a shot every time Hollywood did another remake (shot!) which would have you in a medically induced coma in 45 minute… approximately.

    Remake (shot!) negativity aside, I’m actually semi-excited about this, mainly because Edgerton (below) is involved and frankly, I consider him a bit of a multi-talented, cinematic genius. Did I mention his most recent film Animal Kingdom picked up the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance? And don’t even get me started on The Square. The Thing follows a shape-shifting alien who terrorizes a group of people in Antarctica. Sounds a bit like the first Alien Vs Predator to me, but less shit.

    Mary Elizabeth Winstead will co-star, which is good if she behaves like she did in Death Proof and frightening if she pulls a Make It Happen. Her character is a PhD candidate (cough) who joins a Norwegian research team in Antarctica after it discovers an alien ship in the ice. When the trapped organism is freed and begins a series of attacks, she is forced to team up with a blue-collar mercenary helicopter pilot (Edgerton) to stop the rampage.

    Dutch producer Matthijs Van Heijningen makes his directorial debut with The Thing which begins filming on May 15 in Toronto. No word yet on a release date or 3D inclinations.

    VIA That Thing You Do?

  • The Only Way Is Essex beats Downton Abbey and Sherlock to take home the YouTube Audience prize at the BAFTA Television Awards

    The Only Way Is Essex beats Downton Abbey and Sherlock to take home the YouTube Audience prize at the BAFTA Television Awards
    By SARAH BULL and GEORGINA LITTLEJOHN
    ©
    Thrilled: The Only Way Is Essex cast and crew couldn't believe it when they won the YouTube Audience Award at the BAFTA Television Awards
    The Only Way Is Essex took home the YouTube Audience prize at the BAFTA Television Awards tonight.
    The hit ITV2 programme beat shows Downton Abbey, Sherlock, Miranda, Big Fat Gypsy Weddings and The Killing to receive the prestigious prize, the only award in the evening which is voted for by the public.
    Taking to the stage to accept the BAFTA, stars Sam Faiers and Amy Childs were literally jumping up and down and screaming with glee, while Mark Wright said: 'We're absolutely overwhelmed to be here tonight, even to be nominated. But to win, it's incredible.'
    And Amy wanted to have her own input, leaning over to the microphone and saying her catchphrase 'Shut up!' into the microphone.
    ©Screams all round: The group take to the stage to accept their award
    ©Screams all round: The group take to the stage to accept their award
    After winning the prize, Joey Essex told MailOnline: 'It's reem!'
    While Mark elaborated: 'I'm in shock. There's no way I thought we were giong to win.
    And when they called our names out, and all the screaming... I'm still in shock.'
    Amy added: 'I couldn't believe it when they called our names out. I just hope I didn't trip over my dress! Did you see me and Sam jumping up and down on stage?'
    ©Victory! Sam, Amy, Lauren and Lydia pose with their award
    Other awards during the ceremony tonight included the best drama series prize, which was presented to BBC1's Sherlock.
    The hit series beat shows such as ITV1's Downton Abbey, as well as BBC3's Being Human and E4's Misfits.
    Sherlock - based on Conan Doyle's timeless stories - was launched last summer and became a huge hit, despite running to only three episodes although new shows are now in production.
    Writer and co-creator of the modern day adaptation of the detective shows Mark Gatiss said: 'It's a huge honour and a fantastic surprise. Thank you so much - it's a huge thrill.'
    ©Big Fat disappointment: Big Fat Gypsy Weddings stars Paddy Doherty and wife Roseanne Doherty must have been disappointed to miss out to TOWIE
    The New Media prize went to Wallace And Gromit's World Of Adventure, beating online spin-offs and apps for the BBC's Brain Test Britain, the Thick Of It and Misfits.
    Another early winner at the awards bash at London's Grosvenor House was the BBC1 film Between Life And Death which was named best single documentary.
    Presenter Graham Norton raised a chuckle as he lined up the International TV Show award when he cracked a gag about Geordie Cheryl Cole's recent recruitment for the US version of the X Factor.
    ©
    Stunned: Misfits star Lauren Socha took home the best supporting actress prize at the awards ceremony
    'Just because a programme has subtitles doesn't mean it can't be successful - just look at Cheryl Cole on American X Factor.'
    The prize went to epic Danish crime drama The Killing. Norton joked: 'Thank you Denmark - first bacon, now The Killing.'
    Gatiss and Steven Moffat first had the idea for Sherlock after a conversation on a train about their love for the Victorian detective but did not take it any further. Moffat said the credit for getting it off the ground should go to his wife.
    ©Delighted: David Attenborough won the specialist factual award for Flying Monsters 3D
    Speaking backstage, he said: 'For two-and-a-half-years we just talked about it and I casually mentioned it to my wife, Sue, who is a producer and she leapt at it so we would still be on the train.'
    Benedit Cumberbatch, who plays the master sleuth, said he was proud to be in the 'very, very good company' of his fellow nominees.
    He said: 'I'm a big Misfits fan so I thought they were in with a shot.'
    Moffat also confirmed there could be more series of Sherlock to come, saying: 'Of course it's got legs. It is 100 years old and still a hit.'
    ©Famous friends: Benedict Cumberbatch (left) and Martin Freeman with the best Drama Series award for Sherlock
    ©Success: Vicky McClure won the leading actress award for This Is England '86, presented by Cuba Gooding Jr
    ©Smile please! Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall with the Features award and Mark Austin with the News Coverage award
    ©Delighted: Daniel Rigby with the Leading Actor award
    ©Sir Trevor McDonald with the Bafta Fellowship award and Graham Norton with the Entertainment Performance award
    ©Delight: Sandy Johnston and Izzy Mant of Harry and Paul with Sheridan Smith
    ©Grins all around: The ITV News at 10 team with their news coverage prize
    ©
    ©
    Essex cast pick up their BAFTA

    source:dailymail

    VIA The Only Way Is Essex beats Downton Abbey and Sherlock to take home the YouTube Audience prize at the BAFTA Television Awards

  • Figurative facade for a beauty salon

    Figurative facade for a beauty salon

    Couture Salon

    Reconstructing appearance of facade Hair Couture Salon, architects, bureaus “x Architekten” should solve the main task — the place is on a silent small street, nearby to trading arteries of a city, therefore it was necessary to make something such to entice people and to be visible from apart.

    Lock of architectural hair

    The turned out design looks as a three-dimensional lock of architectural hair which recline a wave on a facade.

    Simultaneously, such dynamical variant carries out one more important function — the lattice closes that is created inside from passers-by, and creates the necessary atmosphere in salon.
    From each point of the review the facade looks differently.

    Hair Couture

    Hair Couture Salon

    The laminated cloths placed vertically on various distance and under a various corner to a front wall, were used as a material for a wave. Individual parametres for each cloth paid off in 3D.

    Contextual conformity

    To context there corresponds also colour of the laminated cloths — a soft golden shade, somewhere in between categories "blonde" and "brunette".

    VIA «Figurative facade for a beauty salon»

  • Demi Lovato Disney TV Show Blues and parks for her

    Demi Lovato Disney TV Show Blues and parks for her
    Demetria Devonne "Demi" Lovato (born August 20, 1992is an American singer-songwriter, musician, and actress. Her earliest roles included a part on Barney & Friends, before she became better known for her starring roles in the Camp Rock movies, as Sonny Munroe in Sonny with a Chance, and as the star of the 2009 movie Princess Protection Program. She is also involved in philanthropic activities through charity work and various social and environmental causes
    As a solo musical artist, Lovato released her debut album Don't Forget on September 23, 2008. The album debuted at #2 on the Billboard 200 selling 89,000 copies in the first week It has since sold over 500,000 records in the United States and got certified Gold by .Lovato stated in an interview that the album was recorded in ten days Lovato released her second album, Here We Go Again, on July 21, 2009.The album debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200, selling 108,000 copies in the first week
    2 Music career
    2.1 2007–08: Musical beginnings and soundtrack appearances
    2.2 2008–09: Don't Forget and Here We Go Again
    2.3 2010–present: Third studio album
    3 Acting career
    4 Philanthropy and activism
    5 Image and personal life
    5.1 Treatment center stint
    5.2 Relationships
    6 Filmography
    7 Discography
    8 See also
    9 Awards
    10 References
    11 External links
    Lovato was born in Dallas, Texas on August 20, 1992 to Patrick Lovato and Dianna Hart de la Garza. She is of Mexican, Irish, and Italian descent. She has an older sister, Dallas Lovato, and a younger half sister, Madison de la Garza Her mother was a Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader and country music recording artist her father moved to New Mexico after their marriage ended in 1994 Lovato earned a high school diploma through homeschooling in April 2009 She began playing piano at the age of seven
    Music career
    Before any of Lovato's music was officially released a few of her original songs, including "Shadow," were featured on the show As the Bell Rings. Lovato also sang a cover of "That's How You Know" by Amy Adams from the film Enchanted that was released on DisneyMania 6 on May 20, 2008
    In June and July 2008, Lovato performed at various House of Blues and parks for her Demi Live! Warm Up Tour in preparation for the release of her debut album and the Burnin' Up Tour with the Jonas Brothers. The soundtrack to the Disney Channel Original Movie Camp Rock was released in June 2008. Lovato was featured on four of the tracks on the soundtrack, including "This is Me," a duet with Joe Jonas. The song peaked at #9 on the Billboard Hot 100. Lovato served as the support act on the Jonas Brothers' Burnin' Up Tour from July through September 2008. Several concerts on the tour were filmed as footage for a 3-D concert film titled Jonas Brothers: The 3D Concert Experience, which was released on February 27, 2009. Lovato was featured in the film, performing "This Is Me" with Joe Jonas.
    Lovato also appeared on two soundtrack albums in 2010. She recorded songs for the Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam soundtrack, which was released on August 10, 2010, and the Sonny with a Chance soundtrack in late 2010.
    ©Demi Lovato
    ©Demi Lovato
    ©Demi Lovato
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    ©Demi Lovato
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    ©Demi Lovato
    ©Demi Lovato
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    VIA Demi Lovato Disney TV Show Blues and parks for her

  • Jackass star Ryan Dunn dies in horror crash

    Jackass star Ryan Dunn dies in horror crash
    By DAILY MAIL REPORTER
    ©Tragic: Jackass star Ryan Dunn was killed in a high speed car crash last night
    Posted Twitter picture of himself in a bar hours before crash
    Star's burnt body 'had to be identified by his tattoos'
    Johnny Knoxville leads tributes saying: 'Today I lost my brother'
    Autopsy underway to determine if alcohol play a part
    Dunn was charged with drink-driving offence back in 2005
    TV daredevil and Jackass star Ryan Dunn was killed in a horrific high-speed car crash last night.
    The 34-year-old died when his sports car flew off the road around 2.30am while he was driving to his home in West Goshen, Pennsylvania, following a night out in a bar with friends.
    ©Last picture: Just hours before his death, Ryan (left) tweeted this photograph of him enjoying a night out with friends
    Police said they found the burning wreckage of his 2007 Porsche 911 GT3, which was capable of reaching 190mph, in the woods off the road fully engulfed in flames.
    His body was so badly burnt that he had to be identified by his tattoos, NBC Philadelphia reported.
    Just hours before the accident, Dunn tweeted a picture of himself with two male friends, all of whom were holding alcoholic drinks.
    Sources told TMZ that Dunn drank at least three light beers and three shots between 10.30pm and 2.10am at Barnaby's of America bar before the accident.
    ©Wreckage: The charred remains of the Porsche 911 GT3 are towed away as police survey the scene
    ©Where the night started: Dunn spent the evening at Barnaby's bar in West Chester before the accident
    ©Investigation: Police are still trying to determine the cause of the accident
    ©Crash scene: Black marks on the road show where Dunn's car skidded out of control
    ©Damage: Dunn's vehicle drove through a guardrail and into the woods
    ©Crowd: News crews and onlookers arrived at the the site today following Ryan Dunn's horrific accident
    Fellow Jackass co-stars also paid tribute to Dunn today.
    Stephen 'Steve-O' Glover was too distraught to speak but later tweeted: 'I don't know what to say, except I love Ryan Dunn and I'm really going to miss him.'
    Dunn's name began trending on Twitter soon after the news of the crash broke, with fans and celebrities quickly expressing their condolences.
    It was Margera's mother, April, who first confirmed Dunn's death by calling into Jackass members Preston Lacy and Steve-O's radio show on WMMR 93.3.
    She described him as being like a son to her and said he had even called her on Mother's Day.
    A tearful April said: 'We just found out a few hours ago - it is the worst possible news.
    'I have not been able to talk with Bam as he is in Arizona but I cannot believe that his friend is dead – I felt like I lost one of my own sons when I heard that Ryan Dunn had died.
    'Ryan was a wonderful person he really was the sweetest and nicest guy - he was like my extra son, everybody loved him.'
    ©Tributes: Flower were laid by the side of the road in memory of the reality star who died in the crash
    President of MTV Networks Music/Films Group Van Toffler said in a statement: 'We are devastated by the tragic loss of Ryan Dunn – a beloved member of the MTV family for more than a decade.
    'He made us all laugh and had the tireless enthusiastic approach to life of your favourite middle school friend,' the statement continued.
    'Our thoughts and deepest condolences are with Ryan’s family and friends. The Jackass brotherhood will never be the same.'
    'He had a longterm girlfriend and she will be absolutely devastated - she has turned off her phone just now.
    'It’s just so sad we cannot believe Ryan has gone - I’m too upset to say anything else just now.'
    April said she is 'worried' about her son, adding that he is 'devastated' by the death of his firmed.
    Dunn was born in Ohio and moved at age 15 to Pennsylvania, where he met Margera on his first day of high school.
    ©Sports car: Dunn pictured in his Porsche 911 GT3 with a female companion on June 12
    ©
    The crew: Dunn (far right) was part of the cast for MTV show Jackass
    Jackass 3D | trailer #1 (2010)

    source:dailymail

    VIA Jackass star Ryan Dunn dies in horror crash

  • Bono's little girl steps out of her father's shadow at Cannes... but has co-star Sean Penn by her side for support

    Bono's little girl steps out of her father's shadow at Cannes... but has co-star Sean Penn by her side for support
    By JESSICA SATHERLEY
    ©Co-stars: Sean Penn looked after his family friend and co-star Eve Hewson on the red carpet at Cannes, who is the daughter of U2 frontman Bono
    Her famous father is used to the spotlight, but last night it was the U2 frontman’s daughter’s turn to steal the limelight at Cannes.
    Eve Hewson showed that she’s no shrinking violet by strutting down the red carpet in a stunning black and pink Chanel ensemble for the film premiere of This Must Be The Place.
    The 19-year-old stars in the crime thriller alongside her father’s pal Sean Penn and Talking Heads singer David Byrne.
    ©Cool and composed: The 19-year-old actress appeared relaxed in front of the press and photographers at the premiere of This Must Be The Place, by director Paolo Sorrentino
    And Penn made sure to act as a protective father figure for Eve on the red carpet by staying close by her side throughout the night, as her parents didn't attend the event.
    Eve certainly picked up some tips from Bono on how to turn heads, and looked lovely in the light pink skirt, black bodice and sheer overlay alongside Miu Miu heels, while Penn wore a Giorgio Armani tux.
    Earlier in the day she had attended a photo call for her new film too, and opted for a Miu Miu dress with a neon green cut-out leather yoke.
    Being in the company of stars including Gwen Stefani, Rosario Dawson and Faye Dunaway didn’t seem to faze the young actress at all and appeared calm and relaxed.
    ©Cute in Chanel: Eve turned heads in a light pink skirt, black bodice and sheer overlay by Chanel, alongside Miu Miu black heels
    This Must Be The Place is not Eve’s first appearance on screen though and had her first debut in 2002 on her father’s video documentary ‘U2 Go Home: Live from Slane Castle’.
    She also appeared on Irish chat show The Late Late Show in 2003 and in 2008 had a role in the drama The 27 Club - which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York.
    Eve also had a starring role last year in a short film titled For The First Time, but her latest project is by sure her largest.
    This Must Be The Place sees Penn play a wealthy former rock star in Dublin, who is now bored and embarks on a quest to find his father’s persecutor – an ex-Nazi war criminal now hiding out in the U.S.
    ©Cast members: Director Paolo Sorrentino stands to the right of Eve Hewson (centre) and Sean Penn stands to the left of her at the screening of This Must Be The Place at Cannes
    ©Rising actress: Eve had her first film debut in 2002 on her father's video documentary 'U2 Go Home: Live from Slane Castle', and has starred in a short film as well as a full length drama
    Learning his father is close to death, he travels to New York in the hope of being reconciled with him during his final hours, only to arrive too late.
    Having been estranged for over 30 years, it is only now in death that he learns the true extent of his father’s humiliation in Auschwitz at the hands of former SS Officer Aloise Muller – an event he is determined to avenge.
    While Eve plays his 16-year-old friend covered in tattoos, who rides around on a skateboard – which she admitted was hard to master.
    ©Serene: Being in the company of stars including Gwen Stefani, didn't seem to faze the young actress and she lapped up the limelight
    ©Star attractions: Rosario Dawson looked stunning and sexy in a strapless ruffled red gown,
    ©
    while German model Claudia Schiffer wore a sheer lace Dolce & Gabbana dress
    Sean Penn no doubt picked up some tips from Bono on how to play a rock star, but the U2 star did not attend yesterday’s event.
    But Bono is no stranger to Cannes and in 2007, he played alongside the rest of U2 at the top of the Palais steps to launch the screening of concert film U2 3D.
    ©Strike a pose: Earlier in the day Eve and Sean joined Judd Hirsch (left) and director Paolo Sorrentino at a photo call for their film in Cannes
    ©Fashionista: Eve Hewson opted for a Miu Miu dress with a neon green cutout leather yoke for the photo call, while Penn decided to wear his denims
    Eve is Bono and his wife Ali Hewson’s second-eldest daughter and grew up in Dublin with her three siblings, Jordan, 22, Elijah, 11, and John, 10, away from public exposure.
    Her youngest brother John turns 10 today, which he will no doubt be celebrating with his famous family at home in Ireland.
    ©Proud parents: Bono and Eve's mother Ali Hewson (seen here in Dublin last month) didn't attend Cannes this year and are thought to be back in Ireland to celebrate their 10-year-old son's birthday today
    ©Family vacation: Eve Hewson (purple dress) with her father Bono, mother Ali Hewson and sister Jordan in gladiator sandals during a family holiday in St Tropez in 2008
    THIS MUST BE THE PLACE - HD-Teaser - Paolo Sorrentino

    source: dailymail

    VIA Bono's little girl steps out of her father's shadow at Cannes... but has co-star Sean Penn by her side for support

  • Central Asia: Bamiyan Buddhas rise again... in 3-D

    Central Asia: Bamiyan Buddhas rise again... in 3-D
    Residents of Bamiyan got a rare opportunity over the weekend: a chance to once again see giant Buddhas that have been piles of rubble for over a decade. 3-D projection technology has already been used to resurrect dead music legends and pipe busy politicians into campaign rallies, and now it’s been employed to recreate a cultural icon that watched over this valley in Afghanistan for more than 1,500 years.

    Bamiyan Buddhas rise again... in 3-D
    The historic Buddhas of Bamiyan statues have made a return to the 
    Afghan valley as 3D light projections [Credit: AFP]

    The two Buddhas of Bamiyan were constructed in the sixth century, at a time when the area was a site of pilgrimage and learning for Buddhists. Both Buddhas were carved out of sandstone cliffs and stood at well over 100 feet, and at one point painted and gilded. They managed to withstand the introduction of Islam to the region and the armies of Genghis Khan, but were unable to survive past the first year of the 21st century. The Taliban destroyed the Buddhas in March 2001.

    “These idols have been gods of the infidels,” declared Taliban leader Mullah Muhammad Omar, in marking the statues for destruction. “First they fired at the Buddhas with tanks and artillery shells,” recalled one Afghan who participated in the attack. “But when that was ineffective, they planted explosives to try to destroy them.” When the Buddhas finally crumbled, Taliban fighters “were firing weapons into the air, they were dancing and they brought nine cows to slaughter as a sacrifice.” The monuments had endured for centuries, only to disappear in a matter of weeks.


    In the ensuing years, UNESCO officials, Afghan authorities, and local residents have failed to reach a consensus about the best way to address the devastation. In 2005, the artist Hiro Yamagata proposed implementing a laser-show system to conjure images of the Buddhas, but the project was never implemented. “The void left by the two destroyed Buddha figures is appalling, it rouses an emotion almost more powerful than their once tranquil presence did for centuries,” Frederic Bobin wrote in The Guardian earlier this year.

    Now a solution, albeit a temporary one, has arrived—and from an unlikely source. According to Ali Latifi, a Kabul-based journalist for the Los Angeles Times who witnessed the 3-D projections on Saturday and Sunday, the holograms, cast from projectors mounted on scaffolding, were the work of a Chinese couple who are currently traveling the world and filming a documentary. They had been deeply moved by the statues’ destruction in 2001, and, according to Latifi, decided to undertake the project and add Bamiyan to their itinerary. Latifi said that the couple fine-tuned the projections on a mountainside in China and then, after receiving approval from UNESCO and the Afghan government, brought the system to Afghanistan. The projections were not widely publicized, but over 150 people came to see the spectacle. Crowds remained well into the night, Latifi said, and some people played music while others looked on.

    Author: Edward Delman | Source: The Atlantic [June 12, 2015]

  • Brand Space of the Deutsche Bank

    Brand Space of the Deutsche Bank
    Deutsche Bank

    New Interior of the Bank

    As the sector of financial services is very abstract to most people, the main challenge with regards to the contents was to develop innovative and exciting narrative formats that create a tangible experience. Design wise we wanted to avoid permanent spatial logos that dominate and frame the space with simple 3D extrusion, thus, we had to find a subtle though still clearly recognisable way of translating it into spatial architecture.

    As part of the redesign of their corporate headquarters, Deutsche Bank took the opportunity to create a permanent brand space. The brief was to shape an environment where their well-known logo designed by Anton Stankowski is embodied within the space and where customers, employees and external visitors would be able to experience and to connect with the Deutsche Bank brand. All relevant aspects of the company, beginning with its history and extending to its various business divisions and their contributions to society today should be communicated to the visitor.

    Using the concept of anamorphosis abstract architectural structures have been designed to only reveal themselves as the logo when viewed from specific sweet spots. Parts of the logo sculptures are formed by incorporated media installations that allow the visitor to physically experience and interact with the brand. One of the sculptures is touch-sensitive – here networked information bits can be explored. The second reacts to the visitor, whose physical motions trigger the display of statistic data. The third, a kinetic sculpture communicates the brand values precision and passion in a metaphorical, emotional way.

    Since the opening on April 6, more than 20,000 visitors came to see the Brand Space. Board members use the space to hold receptions, functions such as HR are using it for employee activities, bank managers invite partners and clients, and the press department welcomes journalists in the Brand Space. Moreover, marketeers from international companies come to experience the space, as it’s the first brand space for a financial services brand.

    Advertiser/Client: DEUTSCHE BANK;
    Entrant Company: ART+COM Berlin, GERMANY;
    DM/Advertising Agency: ART+COM Berlin, GERMANY;
    2nd DM/Advertising Agency: COORDINATION Berlin, GERMANY;
    Creative Director: Joachim Sauter (ART+COM);
    Creative Director: Jochen Gringmuth (Coordination);
    Project Manager: Gert Monath (ART+COM);
    Art Director: Eva Offenberg (ART+COM);
    Art Director: Petra Trefzger (ART+COM);
    Architect: Jeanette Riedel (Coordination);
    Head Of Media Technology: Björn Seeger (ART+COM);
    Designer: Arne Michel (ART+COM);
    Computational Designer: Christian Riekoff (ART+COM);
    Head Of Development: Sebastian Heymann (ART+COM).

    Deutsche Bank, Frankfurt am Main


    Frankfurt am Main






    VIA «Brand Space of the Deutsche Bank»