Thompson on Hollywood

Flicklaunch: Indie Distributor Builds on Facebook

Berkeley entrepreneurs Craig Tanner and Erik Moore are building Flicklaunch.com, which they call the first indie film distributor platform to build atop Facebook. Filmmakers can pay $250 to set up, reports FilmNewBriefs:

By Anne Thompson
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June 3, 2011 4:36 AM
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Cisco Kills Flip Cam: Boo!

I am heartbroken that Cisco has decided to kill the Flip Camera, due to restructuring (see release below).

By Anne Thompson
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April 12, 2011 7:28 AM
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Google Changes Algorithm to Block Low-Quality Content Farms

Applaud Google for doing the right thing in the fight against low-quality content farms. Google has announced that it has altered its search algorithms (stateside for starters) to favor high quality content. They explain here:Many of the changes we make are so subtle that very few people notice them. But in the last day or so we launched a pretty big algorithmic improvement to our ranking—a change that noticeably impacts 11.8% of our queries—and we wanted to let people know what’s going on. This update is designed to reduce rankings for low-quality sites—sites which are low-value add for users, copy content from other websites or sites that are just not very useful. At the same time, it will provide better rankings for high-quality sites—sites with original content and information such as research, in-depth reports, thoughtful analysis and so on.

By Anne Thompson
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February 25, 2011 6:29 AM
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Warners Cancels 3-D on Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

In a welcome sign that the studios are recognizing the hazards of retrofit 3-D--even if done well--Warner Bros. is dumping the idea of releasing Deathly Hallows Part I, the penultimate film in the Harry Potter series, in 3-D on November 19. (An IMAX release will proceed.) Smart move--although the studio blames a lack of time for the change in conversion plans. With time to spare, they say they'll still release Part II in 3-D on July 15. I'll believe it when I see it.

By Anne Thompson
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October 9, 2010 4:19 AM
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Academy Selects Scientific Achievement Short List

The Motion Picture Academy's scientific and technical awards committee has selected 15 achievements for further awards consideration. Now anyone else with similar devices or prior claims can offer their achievements to the committee, by August 31.

By Anne Thompson
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August 20, 2010 5:36 AM
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Sony 3D Promos At-Home 3D: At Expense of Theater Experience?

"I refuse to say the sky is falling," declared Sony chairman Amy Pascal, when I asked her about the grim summer box office so far. She was observing the Sony 3D show-and-tell Wednesday on the Sony lot. Clearly, not only is the studio earmarking a number of 3D features for 2010 and beyond--including Resident Evil Afterlife in 2011 and Spider-Man 4 and Men in Black III for 2012 (Will Smith putting on his shades takes on a new meaning), but the entire corporation is moving aggressively into the 3D space both at home (PS3, 3D games, Bravia HD 3D televisions, Blu-Ray 3D devices) and in theaters (see videos below and Sony News).

By Anne Thompson
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June 10, 2010 2:10 AM
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Twitter Chirps, BlackBerry vs. iPhone, iPad vs. WePad

Twitter is all over the news. Not only is everyone trying to make sense of the just-announced Twitter advertising model and the new Google Follow Finder, but the Library of Congress is acquiring the entire Twitter archive: every tweet ever. That could be a lot of tweets, admits the Library of Congress blog: "Twitter processes more than 50 million tweets every day, with the total numbering in the billions."

By Anne Thompson
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April 14, 2010 10:29 AM
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Internet Goes Nuts Over iPad

Reviews of the new multi-media iPad are flowing in.

By Anne Thompson
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April 1, 2010 5:30 AM
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MSpot Streams Movies to PCs and Mobiles

I streamed The Hunt for Red October on my office computer the other day. Now that I have a fast cable modem and a nice big monitor, it flowed beautifully. No glitches. And in theory--although I couldn't get my BlackBerry to cooperate--if I had wanted to stop the action and continue watching on my PDA, I could do that too, for the price of a $4.99 24-hour rental on mSpot.

By Anne Thompson
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April 1, 2010 1:02 AM
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Monsters vs. Aliens Brings 3-D Invasion

One of the surprises of the year so far is how well Henry Selick‚Äôs 3-D animated gothic fairy tale Coraline lasted at the b.o.; this weekend brings DreamWorks Animation's Monsters vs. Aliens and a spate of 3-D offerings are on the way. Even the venerable Cannes Film Festival, which has made an annual tradition of unveiling the latest animated fare, will for the first time open the 62nd fest on May 13 with not only an animated movie but Disney/Pixar‚Äôs 3-D balloon adventure Up, which opens May 29.