Posts Tagged ‘tv’

Another Short Post – Revisiting Nathan Barley

// August 22nd, 2009 // 1 Comment » // Design, General, Movies

Nathan Barley - Sugar Ape Magazine coverSo, I’ve just spent a couple of days working freelance on-site for a “trendy” London (Shoreditch) design agency and for some reason I was reminded of the brief glimmer of brilliance that was the TV series: Nathan Barley.

I’m not saying who I it was that I was working for that reminded me of Nathan Barley and “Sugar Ape” in particular; because that would do them a great disservice. In all honesty they were an outstanding agency, with a sterling client list and a lot of talented creative people on their staff. But something in that office, little things here and there screamed “Sugar Ape” to me.  Perhaps it was the background ping-pong, maybe something else; what I can say though is that at least there were no games of “cock, muff, bumhole” going on – that I could see anyway.

Anyway, it was the perfect excuse/reminder for me to go home and revisit this great series. Watching it again I still find it funny, and even more relevant today than it was in 2005. I even had trouble working out whether your typical “new-media-hipster” saw the series and adopted the attitude and mannerisms in an “oh-so-cool” ironic fashion or whether it was just a genuine parody of it’s time and people haven’t changed that much. Either way it strikes a chord and makes me laugh.

It’s yet another true gem from Charlie Brooker and Chris Morris – everything they touch seems to turn to laughter. So if you haven’t seen this series yet then please go out and acquire the DVD, it’s funny, incisive and daft and therefore worth a few hours of anybodies time.

2009, the Year 3D Got its Groove Back

// March 25th, 2009 // No Comments » // General, Technology and Gadgets

I know there’s been a bit of an 80’s revival going on in pretty much every part of daily life this past year or so. The latest music, movies and fashion all seem to take at least some cues from the neon decade.

But for me, perhaps the most surprising, and welcome revival is the resurgence of the 3D experience. Before the pedants attack I am aware that 3D was around many years before 80’s, but I think it’s fair to say that the technology hit its peak in the early 80’s with the 3D-IMAX presentations of Jaws.

Then it all went quiet. Perhaps because as awe-inspiring as the film was to a kid like me, it was clearly a gimmicky attempt to make people go and watch what were quite frankly, terrible movies so it was never going to last.

Recently though, seemingly out of nowhere there’s been a spate of 3D releases in movies and TV. Pixar are making all future releases in 3D after helping Disney release Bolt earlier this year, George Lucas is rumoured to be working on a 3D redux of the Star Wars movies and there are a whole host of other 3D blockbusters planned for the next 18 months.

It doesn’t stop with the big screen either. Over in the US, NBC recently aired the season premier of the geeky spy-fest “Chuck” in 3D and some Superbowl 2009 ads also made use of 3D. Over here in the UK Sky TV are promising current HD subscribers 3D content by the end of the year. The guys at Stuff Magazine were invited to try it out and they seemed to like it, although it does sound like it needs a bit of work still.

We’ll even be treated to a 3D gaming experience if Namco get their way. They have been demoing their new 3D gaming engines for the Xbox and PS3 at the Games Developers’ Conference in San Francisco this month to very warm applause.

Personally, I couldn’t be happier that 3d is making a comeback, I love the giddiness of childhood that I feel whenever I slip on a pair of those red and blue glasses. I think I might pop a pair on now actually and look at the real world in 3D for the rest of the day.

Further reading for fellow nerds
History of Stereoscopy
Next-gen, no glasses 3D technology
Gizmodo 3D Tags