Archive for November 7th, 2008

Los Angeles, CA – (November 6, 2008) — Taking interactive gaming to a new level, The Real Deal!, the first live, interactive poker-themed stage show, recently debuted at The Venetian Resort-Hotel-Casino in Las Vegas. Hosted by Vinny Favorito, the project was developed by Executive Producers Merv Adelson and Gary Smith at The Merv Adelson Company in conjunction with entertainment experience company TimePlay, which collaborated with hybrid production studio Psychic
Bunny to produce the intensive media for this innovative and immersive engagement.

Working in partnership with the world’s most renowned poker professionals, The Real Deal! introduces a new paradigm in entertainment, a live show format that combines humor, the latest in wireless technology, and abundant prizes in wildly-fun, fast-paced action that will entertain poker enthusiasts and non-players alike. Staged in The Venetian Showroom, The Real Deal! engages the audience to participate both on-stage and from their seats through the use of wireless touch screen devices. The Real Deal! employs a revolutionary multi-player platform with interactive content. Playing both against and alongside the pros, audience members earn points to vie for prizes ranging from show merchandise to spectacular home electronics and more, including a chance to win a $1 million grand prize.
For more on the show, visit http://www.therealdeallv.com.

Upping the production ante, Psychic Bunny designed and created all graphics for the game, from live camera stat screens to scoreboards to screens for the wireless handheld devices. Psychic Bunny also wrote and produced 12 ten-second animations for key moments in the game, such as when a player goes all in, or busts out. It was a complex process requiring large format interactive experience and a unique visual sensibility.

“The most exciting aspect of this game is that it has never been done before,â€? says Psychic Bunny Creative Director Rick Castañeda. “This is the first time that an entire theater full of people can all play the same game of Poker. We’ve had to create big screen splash screens, huge multi-display leaderboards, and tiny handheld screens and bring it together for a first time experience.â€?
“Working on these sort of hybrid, never-been-done projects, we constantly have to be on our toes,� adds Psychic Bunny Creative Partner Doug Spice. “Specs change overnight, so we developed an ability to adapt to that with agility. For example, the hardware specs changed in the theater to include 4-panel displays. Immediately, we had to dive into re-designing various graphics to look natural on both the 4-panel and single-screen displays, which we did swiftly and successfully!�
TimePlay, the exclusive provider of the CineLynx platform, partnered with Psychic Bunny having previously collaborated with the company on projects that included both cinematic design and interface design for handheld units.
“Because these live, interactive shows are blazing new trails both technically and in terms of design, they require a fair amount of iteration and agility to get all the pieces right,â€? notes TimePlay’s John Race. “Psychic Bunny has been the ideal partner for us. They are flexible, fast and incredibly creative and we’re eager to start our next project with them.”

Psychic Bunny is known for bringing broadcast design sensibility to interactive projects for a variety of clients including Bratz and Pokemon.

“I think our ability to use both right and left sides of the brain makes us stand out,â€? explains Casteñeda. “We have the artistic direction to make something look really awesome and original on the big screen, but also possess the game design knowledge to know how all these assets need to link together, and how to deliver them. It was crazy and incredible fun.”

Psychic Bunny is a creative collective that produces projects for the advertising, entertainment and gaming communities. From complete packages to executing key elements, the Psychic Bunny approach stems from its founders’ multidisciplinary experience in film production, screenwriting, motion graphics and interactive design all combined in a small but mighty force. The hybrid studio is a hub of production (both live and digital), design and prototyping, concept development, content creation and future prediction.

http://www.psychicbunny.com.

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Santa Monica, CA – (November 6, 2008) – Final Cut/Los Angeles is pleased to announce the promotion of Logan Hefflefinger to editor. For the past two years, he has worked on numerous commercials and music videos, including the recent Will.I.Am “Heartbreaker,� which was nominated for a MOBO Award in London. Hefflefinger is currently working on a new video for All American Rejects with DNA Director Marc Webb, as well as The Breeders with Director Chris Milk, in which he uses the groundbreaking technique of editing on the guitar from the “Guitar Hero� video game.

“Logan has been booked on project after project since the beginning of the year,� says Saima Awan, Final Cut/LA Executive Producer. “It was an organic growth process into his new role. He has developed his own client base of young directors, and has an amazing ability to connect with his agency contacts. They love hanging out with him on a personal level.�

At Final Cut, Hefflefinger has been busy working on ad campaigns with Crispin Porter, CAA and Saatchi & Saatchi, and music videos for Regina Spektor and My Chemical Romance with DNA Director Marc Webb, U2 & Green Day with Chris Milk, as well as Tom Baxter with Josh and Xander of @radical.media.

He has formed relationships with new directors including Toben Seymour on the MOBO-nominated Will.I.Am “Heartbreaker� video, Scott Speer of HSI Productions on videos for Will.I.Am, Jordan Sparks, and Paula Abdul, Liz Friedlander of DNA for Idina Menzel, and Paul Minor of Streetgang Films for Amy Studt.

Hefflefinger got his start early in the ad business, accompanying his art director mother on shoots. As a production assistant, he had his hand in production and an eye towards directing before realizing his love of the editing process. Upon moving to LA after college, Hefflefinger started as a runner at the Whitehouse and was soon promoted to assistant editor under the guidance of Livio Sanchez, working with some of the biggest directors and agency creatives in the business.

“I was ready to take that next step in my career,� concludes Hefflefinger. “Final Cut is my ideal editing shop. I used to go on their website and watch all of their editors’ reels. I was thrilled to make the move over here in October 2006, and to develop my relationships with commercial directors. My ultimate goal is to maintain a nice balance of commercials and music videos, which allows me to experiment creatively and collaborate with many different talent.�

www.finalcut-edit.com

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HD Documentary from Working Pictures for Ovation TV’s ‘American Revolutionaries’ Series Benefits from Color Correct, Online Edit at Top Post House

NEW YORK, November 6th, 2008: Controversy and the astonishing art of Jeff Koons have always gone hand-in-hand. New York City post house Nice Shoes (www.niceshoes.com) brings the most out of Koons’ vibrant visuals in “Jeff Koons: Beyond Heaven�, an insightful new HD documentary for Ovation TV produced by Working Pictures. more

BURBANK, Calif.— Blink Digital (www.blinkdigital.com), which provides creative and production services for DVDs, Blu-ray discs and other forms of digital content, recently completed work on “Baraka,� Producer Mark Magidson’s and Director Ron Fricke’s spectacular 70mm exploration of life on Earth. Painstakingly restored for its release on Blu-ray, “Baraka,� produced by MPI Media Group, is being hailed by critics everywhere for its unsurpassed quality. Roger Ebert called it the finest video disc he has ever viewed and added that “’Baraka’ by itself is sufficient reason to acquire a Blu-ray player.� more

ikan releases its second generation, high definition monitor, the V8000HDMI. We’ve taken an already great monitor and improved its versatility with additional inputs and more power options.

Just like the original, the V8000HDMI has pass through inputs for composite, S-video and SD/HD component, but now it features the new HDMI input, enabling you to use an array of different devices. For a variety of mounting options the rear of the monitor now features 100mm VESA mounting threads. more

London, 5th November, 2008: New technology launched today is set to pull the world of online media into sharper focus. New kid on the block, Recast Digital, has developed a proprietary method of optimizing the playback performance of High Definition (HD) video within Flash®, removing the viewer’s need for specialist software installations or increasingly powerful computers. more

Media Contact: Chris Purse – ignite
818.508.0450,chris@ignite.bz or mimi@ignite.bz

Hollywood’s Post Production Community Honors Top Talent and Industry Innovators

November 6, 2008 (Los Angeles, CA) For the third consecutive year, The Hollywood Post Alliance presented its HPA Awards to the top behind-the-scenes talent working in motion pictures, television and commercials. In addition to craft category kudos, special awards for Engineering Excellence, Lifetime Achievement, the first Charles S. Swartz Award and the newly launched HPA Judges Awards, all announced earlier, were also awarded on November 6th to a standing room only industry audience. more