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Media SpinMeister on 28 Feb 2022

F*ing Â!

Thanks for the constant “updates” and software revisions WordPress.org. You have corrupted all my prior published posts, littering them with “”‘s! Fookin’ Â’s!!!

In addition, in this wonderful world of progress the mighty WordPress administrators have made it difficult or impossible for me to post a query about this new problem on their support forum. It was not this way in the good old days.

I have neglected this blog for over 3 years, but I did not expect to return to it and see my published posts corrupted with annoying  characters. So, I searched wordpress.org’s support forums to see if their post editor features test substitution and found nothing.

Highly disappointed in the direction WordPress has gone. Not good.

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Animation &Media SpinMeister on 14 Mar 2019

Pixar’s 22 Rules of Storytelling

Plenty of good advice here!

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Internet &Money &Technology SpinMeister on 13 Jan 2018

Crypto Currencies

Bitcoin and other new “altcoins” are all the rage, so here’s a good starting point reference chart.  If you follow all the links provided within this one page’s listings, you might spend days of research.  Go to https://coinmarketcap.com/ and learn for yourself what all the excitement is about.

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Illustration &User Interface SpinMeister on 21 Nov 2015

Designing a New Logo for Leica Geosystems Cyclone

[Originally written in 2015, this post has been updated Feb. 28, 2022. Obviously, the logo artwork is no longer “new” and I have no knowledge whether or not it is presently in use. – HG]

Cyclone7 Icon

In the beginning, there was the 32 x 32 Cyclone 7 icon, the only logo artwork available.  This image had been used for a number of generations of Leica Geosystems’ 3D point cloud processing software, Cyclone.  With the launch of Cyclone version 8, it was high time for a new look, and new logo to accompany the powerful new 3D software update.  So began the search for a new look, a refreshed identity embodied in a graphical symbol, a new logo.

My first inclination was to explore completely new concepts and looks, showing that Cyclone’s connection to the 3D world and playing off of the cyclone, tornado, whirlwind concept.

Cyclone8_DraftDesignConcepts
Cyclone8_DraftLogo-04
Cyclone8_DraftLogo-03
Cyclone8_DraftLogo-02

Using Autodesk Maya and Adobe Illustrator, I tinkered with a conical theme, keeping in mind that Cyclone’s letter “C” might be worked into it.

Cyclone7_Logo_outlines-01

Not being completely sold on the cones, it was time to revisit the original icon, and break down what it was about.  Outlining the artwork in Illustrator, it became clear that the logo was a pair of letter “C”s with a red dot, viewed in 3D perspective.  I decided to try and recreate this using a 3D camera view in Maya.

Cyclone8_Logo_in_Maya-1

Here we see two C’s extruded, with a cylindrical dot placed in the center.  Getting on the right track for 3D software now!  More refinement to be done.

Cyclone8_Logo_in_Maya-2

Here a slight rounded bevel has been added to the extrusion, and textures to the 3D geometry.  Time to explore more surface treatments, lighting and rendering.

Cyclone8.0_Logo-Alpha-Plastic
Cyclone8.0_Logo-Beta-480

The rendering on the left has a few more directional lights added to the Maya screen preceding it.  The rendering on the right is the result of adding a brushed metal, stainless steel style texture and bump map to the rendering.  The camera was changed to a wider angle lens setting, to force a more oblique, dynamic perspective, closely matching the original Cyclone 7 logo.  The next test would be to composite the new logo into the Cyclone 8.0 splash screen.

Cyclone8.0_SplashScreen

With this, the small product management group  felt we had a winner, and were anxious to release the new software.  Upon further review, we had not yet scored a goal, and so gave it another shot along with helpful suggestions.  The final logo is brighter and easier to read and interpret, and still holds true to the 3D software roots of Cyclone.  The new logo was launched proudly with Cyclone 8.

Cyclone8.1_SplashScreen-632

The logo design lives on in the current Cyclone version 9.1.  The style has been adopted for branding Leica’s CloudWorx for AutoCAD software, and the JetStream high point cloud rendering system.

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Media SpinMeister on 26 Nov 2014

In R.E.M. by MTV

REM-HGrebe-02-lores

Perhaps the best R.E.M. documentary to date, R.E.M. by MTV,  is now showing on MTV and its sister networks VH1 and Palladia.  Rhino Entertainments’ photo researcher, Lee Rosen, contacted me about including a couple of my photos of R.E.M. from 1981 into their project.  I was happy to do so, and happy to see the results broadcast.  In the documentary, the photo above is cropped to only show Peter Buck and Michael Stipe.  My entire output from that shoot may be seen on my website at http://www.mediaspin.com/rem/rem_main.html

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Art &Illustration &photography SpinMeister on 26 Nov 2014

Taos Time

TaosIndians-before-after

In October of 1977 I was on a road trip across the American southwest and made a stop in Taos, New Mexico to look around the pueblos and the area made famous by an art colony early in the 20th century.  I did not like the way many tourists were casually snapping photos without respect for the inhabitants, the Taos Pueblo Indians.  When I felt the right time had come to take a few photos, I asked these two friends if I could take their picture.  They said, OK, if I would give them a ride into town, which I agreed to.  I think the photo is the best achievement, and my oil painting from it I do enjoy looking at in my own collection of paintings.  I spent a little more time with these two fellows, since their trip to town involved visiting a liquor store.  Then they wanted to go out to a big field to drink and look at a herd of buffalo belonging to the Taos Indians.  After that, we returned to the Taos village and entered the area for residents only.  One of them invited me to sleep over at his home, but I was afraid and decided to leave.  Anyway, the Yankees were in the World Series at that time and I wanted to go listen to that on my car radio.  I kind of doubt that I missed out on a spiritual experience with a drunk Indian, but you never know.

There is a longer, more detailed account of this in my diary of that time, but this is an online blog, so that’s all you get.

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Internet &Media SpinMeister on 30 May 2014

Randomness

header random image

Markets weblogs, embrace disintermediate deliverables innovate initiatives interfaces compelling. Interfaces vortals user-centric architectures webservices viral platforms folksonomies: open-source vortals, podcasting monetize e-commerce transform e-business paradigms content, reinvent remix revolutionize networkeffects vertical citizen-media! Communities channels eyeballs user-centric relationships utilize; mesh, architect user-centred standards-compliant value-added real-time embedded embrace matrix reinvent sexy rss-capable niches initiatives seamless.

nature random image 1small random image 2small random image 3

Blogging wikis mesh strategic: productize mashups portals; incubate robust visionary embrace. Drive mesh applications users; intuitive schemas vortals clicks-and-mortar e-markets visualize capture revolutionary, clicks-and-mortar user-contributed utilize, integrate integrate ecologies.

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Media SpinMeister on 20 Jan 2014

Photo Credits in 2014 Oscar Nominated Short Documentary

Singer in the punk rock band named FearIn 2012 I was contacted by filmmaker Jason Cohen’s Associate Producer Zand Gee about using a few of my photographs of punk rockers for their film project.  I didn’t ask and didn’t receive details about the nature or story behind the film in progress.  We worked out the details of the photo usage and I delivered high quality, high res copies of the photos for the film.  Another obscure, wacky film project… end of story.  Or so I assumed.

An email arrived a few days ago from Zand, notifying me that their short  film, FACING FEAR, has been nominated for Best Documentary Short in the 86th Academy Awards 2014 Oscar Nominations.

Wow! What happened?  These guys must know what they’re doing!  Had I been more of a film festival follower, I would have caught FACING FEAR at the Mill Valley Film Festival last October.  I haven’t seen the short film yet, but I’m looking forward to seeing how Jason Cohen edited my images into his film.  The photo at left is of Lee Ving, front man singer for the 80’s punk band Fear, and is one of the shots included in FACING FEAR.

The other photo in the movie is one of my best, a chance moment in time, of punks slam dancing also in the early 80’s.  I’m grateful to have participated in a small way on this project.  Zand and the FACING FEAR people were great to work with.  It’s rewarding to know that many professional members of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences have viewed FACING FEAR and nominated it for this category.  Congratulations to Jason Cohen and the Production Team.  It’s truly a wonderful accomplishment.

Punks of the 80's Mosh Dancing

I’ll be cheering for FACING FEAR during the March 2, 2014 Oscar Awards!

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