Susan's Weekly News Mashup: Sunday 18 Dec 2011

A bit late today, but heck, better late than never. Here is my mash-up for the week. Next week’s will be the last of the year! I would love to hear from you if you have something unusual or interesting to share. Have a great weekend!

Experimental camera records light in slow motion
From Boing Boing
MIT Media Lab researchers have developed a camera that can capture images at one trillion frames per second. The system enables scientists to create super slow-motion video of light itself as it travels back and forth inside a two liter bottle. Check out the video above, particularly the magic at 1:49. The technology has applications in medical imaging, materials science, and also chemical analysis. Eventually, principal investigator Ramesh Raskar thinks it could trickle down to consumer photography as well.

BEELD.motion The man who had never been to the cinema
From Motionographer
BEELD creates this unique and poetic short film for Telecine Network.

Blizzard: Diablo III Cinematic
From Motionographer
Blizzard reveals an epic intro cinematic for Diablo III.

Just Imagine Feeling Texture On Your Touchscreen
From The Creators Project
Soon you’ll not only be able to control a tablet with your fingertips, but you’ll actually be able to feel various textures like fabric, sand and water on your touchscreen. Though it may seem like a far-fetched reality, more and more companies are designing prototypes that feature this “Feel Screen” technology.

A Great Look at Practical Effects Created For ‘The Thing’
From Slash Film
When The Thing was released earlier this year, there were some viewers who weren’t thrilled with the degree to which CGI was used to bring the movie’s alien creature to life. John Carpenter’s 1982 movie of the same name, for which this year’s film is a prequel, is a landmark in the use of practical effects. Early in the development of the ’11 movie, we’d heard that it would feature a good mix of practical and CGI effects work. The final release edit countered that assertion; at the very least, it seemed to have a lot of CGI painted over the practical effects.

Jack the Giant Killer Trailer
From Devour.com
Another classic fairytale gets a giant film adaptation thanks to X-Men director Bryan Singer. Ewan McGregor, Nicholas Hoult, and Ian McShane climb the 3D beanstalk June 15, 2012.

More incredible, invisible effects
From FXGuide
2011 has been a big year for big visual effects films, but almost as equally prominent have been effects of the invisible kind. In fxguide’s last ‘incredible, invisible effects’ piece we looked at Contagion, Killer Elite, Apollo 18, Drive, Deathly Hallows: Part 2 and Water for Elephants. We’ve also had in-depth coverage of recent releases Hugo, J. Edgar, The Muppets, Tower Heist, In Time and Moneyball. Now we turn to a collection of more great invisible effects work seen in Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, Twilight: Breaking Dawn – Part 1, Machine Gun Preacher, Jack and Jill, Young Adult and Dolphin Tale.

No monkey business from guild as Serkis is snubbed for award
From the Sydney Morning Herald
IF THE Screen Actors Guild award nominations are any indication, Hollywood's acting community isn't ready to honour work in the performance-capture format

Early Jim Henson cut-paper animation found
From the Washington Post
Before there were the Muppets we know and love today, there was Alexander — the little grape who longed to be a watermelon. The little piece of fruit is the subject of a cut-paper animated short made by the late muppeteer Jim Henson that was recently unearthed by the Jim Henson Company. Alexander, the puniest grape of them all, works hard to become as big as a watermelon so he can defeat his bully. The unfinished cartoon subs in storyboard stills from Henson’s Red Book, his hand-written journal of ideas.

Posterity and The Mill
From Motionographer
Posterity is a limited edition series of posters for good. Designed by The Mill’s creative staff and its extended network of artist friends, this poster series has been created as a part of the 50/50 initiative to aid the famine relief efforts in East Africa.