My sister Sandy lives in Wisconsin and for the most part is fairly predictable in her hobbies. She likes watching the Green Bay Packers play on television. She likes crocheting. She likes playing Board Games with the family. (Her current favorite is BLOCKUS. We played dozens of games while she was here for the wedding.) She works at the only high school in town, loves curriculum design and layout. These things are fairly predictable. There is, however, one thing that Sandy loves that has always surprised me. She loves the Kentucky Derby and she avidly follows the Triple Crown race. She will often call and remind me it is on so we can be watch it together (as she did the year I was in Maryland for a bookmaking workshop). Today, she called me after it was done and she sounded upset, almost like she’d been crying. She said she wasn’t crying but asked me if I’d seen the Derby. She told me about EightBelles, the first filly to run the Derby since 1998. A spirited horse, EightBelles finished second. Apparently, Big Brown, the horse favored to win had a spectacular surge at the end and won the race by nearly five lengths. As soon as she crossed the finish line, Jockey Gabriel Saez felt the filly EightBelles stumble and collapse beneath him. The track veterinarian examined the downed horse and discovered she had broken both of her front ankles. EightBelles was euthanized on the track. Oddly, it was Big Brown, the winning horse, that had previously had foot problems and the horse that was causing worry because of the dirt track. Sadly, there are all sorts of gender metaphors that come to mind about the first filly in so many years, running her heart out, holding her own at the head of the pack, only to be brought down be a catastrophic bilateral injury. It was a sad ending to the 134th running of the Kentucky Derby.

On 19 April 2008, Sara Hisle and Christopher Bowe were married in an evening ceremony at Stonebridge. Family members from Wisconsin, Wichita, Minneapolis and Phoenix were in attendance. For the rehearsal dinner, Chris’s mother, Sandy Bowe, made a video about their early lives, their courtship and engagement. These Small Hours is presented below in two parts (to conform to YouTube length limitations). Photos from the Wedding Ceremony and the Reception/Dance are also listed below for those friends and family members who were unable to attend the celebration in person.

• “These Small Hours”, Part One
• “These Small Hours”, Part Two
• Photographs from Wedding Ceremony
• Photographs from Reception and Dance

One of the things I love about YouTube is that it makes it so easy to share these sorts of things with family members around the world. And, with their commitment to make the videos as accessible as possible for virtually every computer system (regardless of age), it makes it pretty easy for anyone who is interested to enjoy them. So, if you don’t know Chris and Sara, you may want to skip this blog entry and bypass this media.

While we were on location in Mtendere, Lusaka, Zambia, a tweaked out guy came up to the crew and asked them to deliver a message to Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson. The entire clip is only 54 seconds long. It’s funny as heck. Here we were in one of the poorest sections of Lusaka where hardly anyone had a television, virtually no one had a computer and many folks didn’t even seem to have electricity and this guy seemed to know all about the U.S. Rapper, 50 Cent. He wanted us to let him know that 50 Cent had messed everyone up and that he was going to come to America and get him for what he had done. We posted this video. In less than three days, it had over a thousand hits. A thousand hits. Just goes to show, people just love to laugh.

This weekend, there was a wedding in the family. My sister Sandy’s eldest son Christopher wed Sara Hisle in a romantic evening ceremony. All of my sisters and their families were in attendance. All of Jeff’s family and most of their children made the trip from Wisconsin, too. Sara’s family from Minnesota and Witchita came for the nuptials. It was a midwestern exodus, to be certain. Everyone commented on the lovely couple, the lovely location and the lovely weather. In April, everyone appreciates the desert southwest. It was a charmed evening and we all had a great time. We danced like there was no tomorrow. Sister Kim and niece Kayla rocked their hearts out. Sisters Sandy and Roxie had equally happy feet. The Greening Girls just want to have fun! And, what better time can be had than at a celebration of the union of a young man we all watched grow into adulthood?

My nephew, Christopher, got married this weekend so Alec came in for the wedding. Imagine my surprise when I arrived at the airport and found this burly man waiting for a lift. Fortunately, he cleaned up pretty well. PamelaJo popped in with her camera and surprised us while we were getting ready to go (NO, I will NOT post those photos) and took a few snapshots of us in our Sunday best.

Since I’ve been on a tutorial kick, I decided to go looking for good Maya tutorials. I love Maya. The software package is just so deep, there is so much one can do with that program. So, I have found a lot of sites with tutorials but I do not have tremendous confidence about the sophistication of many tutorials and, in fact, some tutorials teach inefficient or improper techniques. For example, game modelers need to monitor their polygon count and their polygon shape to avoid malformations in animation. Film character animators are more likely to use a NURBs patch model and have to pay attention to edge looping for better blendshapes when the character speaks. So, a list of tutorials and a word of caution. They always say, “Begin with the end in mind.” Know what you’re final goal is so you make the proper decisions along the way.

• Learning Maya.Com
• Pixel2Life
• The Gnomon Workshop
• Simply Maya
• High End 3D
• Infinitee Designs
• 3D Links
• Digital Tutors
• Tutorial Find

I love Adobe AfterEffects. Ever since I read the first CREATING MOTION GRAPHICS by Trish and Chris Meyers, I’ve been hooked and amazed at what that program can do. I’ve used other tools for footage stabilization, color correction, motion graphics and FX compositing. In the end, I always end up coming back to AE. In addition to being an all-around great tool, my favorite thing about AE is how quickly it renders. Sophisticated and efficient.

If you’re wanting to learn more about the more advanced AfterEffects tricks. I strongly recommend that you visit Andrew Kramer’s VideoCoPilot.Net Site. He’s got 64 tutorials on everything from greenscreening, replacing sky and stabilizing footage to putting bugs under your skin and freaky eyeballs in your skull. Terrific techniques for the modern filmmaker. For those who love to learn by reading, the books by Trish and Chris Meyers are still the best. For the media generation, try Kramer first. Then, take a look at Pixel2Life and CreativeCow.

Way back in April of 2005, I did a blogpost about a Johnny Chung Lee’s $14 Steadicam. Lee gave the full instructions for how to build his poor-man’s steadicam using pieces and parts that could be picked up at any hardware store. It is the steadicam that Jacob built to take to Zambia. We used it there and left it behind with the Zambian National Arts Council. For the mechanically challenged, chronically lazy, or only moderately-poor filmmaker, Lee even offered a fully built version for only $39.95. A great little tool that was most useful.

So, earlier this month, I’m at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana, meeting with students and going over their interactive media projects. One group is working on a Nintendo-based tool that teaches high school students the slope-intercept formula in a game format in preparation for the exit examination. While talking with them, we got onto the idea of full-immersion gaming. One of the students was really excited about this fellow from Carnegie Mellon University who was developing immersion techniques using the Wii Remote. I started digging around and discover that this immersion innovator is the $14 Steadicam guy, Johnny Chung Lee. The YouTube video sure got my imagination going.

LUSAKA, Zambia - Southern African leaders discussed Zimbabwe’s deepening electoral crisis in a marathon summit that ended before dawn Sunday with a weak declaration that failed to criticize the absent President Robert Mugabe.

Zambian President Levy Mwanawasa had called the emergency summit with 48 hours’ notice. Afterward, his foreign affairs minister told reporters there was no crisis in Zimbabwe, echoing statements made by South African President Thabo Mbeki.

Mbeki said Saturday there was “no crisis” after he had to fly to Zimbabwe before Saturday’s summit to engage Mugabe, who reportedly was not taking calls from African leaders last week.

Mbeki’s policy of “quiet diplomacy” on Zimbabwe has been likened to appeasement that allows Mugabe to continue his autocratic rule unimpeded. The Southern African Development Community that held the summit has been accused of pandering to Mugabe with disregard for its own constitution to promote democracy.

(Read like Dr. Seuss rhyme)

Look at me, look at me, look at me now!
You could do what I do
If you only knew how.

I study the scriptures one hour each day;
I bake,
I upholster,
I scrub,
and I pray.

I always keep all the commandments completely;
I speak to my little ones gently and sweetly.

I help in their classrooms!
I sew all they wear!
I drive them to practice!
I cut all their hair!

I memorize names of the General Authorities;
I focus on things to be done by priorities.

I play the piano!
I bless with my talents!
My toilets all sparkle!
My checkbooks all balance!

Each week every child gets a one-on-one date;
I attend all my meetings (on time! Never late!)

I’m taking a class on the teachings of Paul,
But that is not all! Oh, no. That is not all …

I track my bad habits ‘til each is abolished;
Our t-shirts are ironed!
My toenails are polished!

Our family home evenings are always delightful;
The lessons I give are both fun and insightful.

I do genealogy faithfully, too.
It’s easy to do all the things that I do!

I rise each day early, refreshed and awake;
I know all the names of each youth in my stake!
I read to my children!
I help all my neighbors!
I bless the community, too, with my labors.

I exercise and I cook menus gourmet;
My visiting teaching is done the first day!

(I also go do it for someone who missed hers.
It’s the least I can do for my cherished ward sisters.)

I chart resolutions and check off each goal;
I seek each “lost lamb” on my Primary roll.

I can home-grown produce each summer and fall.
But that is not all! Oh, no. That is not all …

I write in my journal!
I sing in the choir!
Each day, I write “thank you’s” to those I admire.

My sons were all Eagles when they were fourteen!
My kids get straight A’s!
And their bedrooms are clean!

I have a home business to help make some money;
I always look beautifully groomed for my honey.

I go to the temple at least once a week;
I change the car’s tires!
I fix the sink’s leak!

I grind my own wheat and I bake all our bread;
I have all our meals planned out six months ahead.

I make sure I rotate our two-years’ supply;
My shopping for Christmas is done by July!

These things are not hard;
It’s good if you do them;
You can if you try!
Just set goals and pursue them!

It’s easy to do all the things that I do!
If you plan and work smart, you can do them all, too!

It’s easy!” she said …

… and then she dropped dead.

For all of the driven Mormon Mothers I’ve met … by ‘Dr. Sue’ (a.k.a. Vickie Gunther)

Seramon, ancient priest of Thebes, died 3000 years ago. His remains have lain in state in France since 1851. As per their tradition, Seramon’s organs were removed and amulets were placed in the cavity to accompany until the next life. Using VolumeGraphics VGStudio Max, a CT scanner and Apple Cinema Displays, scientists have been able to examine the amulets of Seramon without disturbing or desecrating the remains. Glass eyes, an amulet necklace, beeswax figurines of the sons of Horus and a dung beetle amulet were documented visually.

My favorite piece, Seramon’s mummy contained a scarab amulet. The amulet is a carved image of a sacred dung beetle that represented his heart. The underside of the scarab amulet is inscribed with Spell 30B of the Book of the Dead, a collection of spells and incantations. The spell implores his heart not to testify against him when it is weighed in the judgment ceremony:

O my heart which I had from my mother!
O my heart which I had from my mother!
O my heart from my different ages!
Do not stand up as a witness against me,
Do not be opposed to me in the tribunal,
Do not be hostile to me in the presence of the Keeper of the Balance.

I’ve spent the last two days at Purdue University and it has been very exciting and interesting for me! Purdue is a big research school so much of what the faculty (and students) do is rooted in some sort of research.

So, today, I had the opportunity to look at several student projects and listen to the sorts of things they were researching. One team was working on a Spina Bifida “Serious Game” … that’s an entertaining game that educates and informs the user about something significant (like a birth defect). The team consisted of two illustrators, two Flash animators/scripters and a project manager with a strong CS foundation. They could clearly state what they were researching, what the goals of the game were and how they intended to complete the project. With end-users expected to be in the 5-to-8 age range, the game has a sort of Dora the Explorer feel to it.

Another group was working on a short film that incorporated 2D and 3D animation that was composited in AfterEffects. The students were researching whether incorporating similar elements to previous Academy Award winning films made their film more or less appealing. I enjoyed watching their production process.

I went to two classes, Dr. LaVerne Abe Harris’ Human Computer Interface Class and Professor Adamo-Villani’s Animation class. Heck, I could not believe how quiet and reserved the Purdue students were. I don’t know if it’s that midwestern “behaving properly” thing or some sort of lingering societal depression over the state of the economy. I just know those folks were reserved. Once they got going and opened up, it was terrific. Lots of excited, committed, fun people working on passion projects that they really care about. Maybe they are more outgoing when they get close to graduation. I sure hope so … they’ll be needing that excitement, energy and passion to secure the best jobs. Maybe they really know how to turn it on in the interview.

The thing I was most impressed with is how serious the students were. Many worked on a variety of research projects in addition to doing their class load. (I went to the Siggraph Banquet this evening. Students, their friends and families were in attendance.) I noticed how many times students would be talking about the things they were working on (or wanting to be working on) and faculty would be advising them about different things that were available for them to participate on. It was neat to see that midwestern work ethic and youthful altruism in full bloom on these students. Their desire to learn and make a difference was palpable. It was impressive and inspiring.

Tomorrow, I’m going to The Envision Center, the research facility on campus. I hear it has a big motion capture facility. Should be fun. Maybe I’ll dance for them.

We’re experiencing a bit of “good timing” with the film Zambian BAD TIMING. The film is now listed in the Internet Movie Database (IMDb). So far, only the title is in … they say the actual names / credits take another week to ten days to get updated. It’s so exciting to finally see everything coming together and the people in the film getting acknowledged for their work. Everyone involved with this project gave a solid month of their life in Zambia to get this film made. The crew also spent six months before the project in training and preparing for the project. Following the shoot in Zambia, the crew spent another couple of months helping with the rough cut … and several more continued another year with the revised cuts.

We’ve been test screening the film with small groups and the response has been really terrific. When you edit a film, you watch it thousands of times and lose all perspective on it. You think it keeps getting better but it’s so subjective. The really exciting thing is that people who know nothing about the film, know nothing about Zambia, know nothing about the production challenges are understanding and liking the film. They’re liking the good people, disliking the bad people and are getting really involved in the story. It’s a very satisfying feeling having people watch the film and enjoy it. I can hardly wait for the Zambians to see it.

Gary Gygax, one-half of the team that invented the original fantasy role playing game (Dungeons and Dragons, of course), passed away on March 4, 2008. From his modest Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, home—with collaborator Dave Arneson—Gygax’s game ultimately generated over $1 billion in sales and was played by an estimated 20 million people. During my college years at the University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire, I was one of those folks. I loved that game. My friends and I would spend hours, rolling the many sided dice as we explored underground lairs in search of treasure, trinkets and valuable experience points. For a long time, I was really into the game. I became a dungeon master, drawing my own elaborate worlds, populating them with gnomes, wizards, thieves and monsters. Some of my favorite memories of good times with friends revolved around those D&D games.

There were a number of reference manuals (which I am embarrassed to admit that I still own after all these years) on being a Dungeon Master, on capabilities of Creatures and Monsters, on every aspect of the game. Contemporary RPG games (like World of Warcraft or Halo or Assassin’s Creed) have players collecting experience points for chasing down and killing opponents. With D&D, it was all a roll of the dice … from four-sided to 20-sided … that determined our fate. Other than the drawings in the manuals, there was little to look at, so it was all in our imagination. Gary Gygax may very well have been the genesis of the modern gaming industry. May he rest in peace.