Astronomy Days Giveaways & Schedule!

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POSTER GIVEAWAY:

For the film’s appearance at Astronomy Days, we will giving away two framed posters: one for the film and one printed frame from the Saturn fly-through. If you can’t make it or live too far away, simply make a donation, sign up for the mailing list or follow the blog via Facebook to enter.

For those in the North Carolina area that can make it out to Astronomy Days, here’s the schedule for our booth and the showing of footage including the new shots.

BOOTH:

We will have a booth setup like last year – free IMAX film frames again this year. Booth will be Saturday 9pm to 5pm and Sunday 12:00pm to 5pm. Not sure on the location in the building but last year was third floor. Will announce as soon as I know.

PRESENTATION:

  • Saturday, 1:00 PM to 1:40 PM in the main auditorium/3D theater on the first floor.
  • Sunday, 2:00 PM to 2:40 PMin the main auditorium/3D theater on the first floor.

Not-for-profit & Not-for-sale

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As the film moves closer and closer to completion – and has more and more venues around the world express interest in the film – the question comes up about money and Outside In.

Although I have considered all sorts of models for Outside In in years past, since 2007 it has been a legal, fiscally sponsored non-profit undertaking financed 100% by individual donors and sponsors. At first it seemed this would not be enough, but the viral exposure last year really helped push the film forward. Now, the base of supporters is strong enough to raise the remaining funds to finish the film.

Yes, there is more money to raise, but doing 3 to 4 small fundraisers a year will be enough to finish the film in digital form. At that time, the digital version can be screened to raise the final costs (music licensing, insurance, mastering costs) – that is not a huge obstacle.

This all means the film will be finished debt-free and without anyone, other than myself, owning the content. This is the primary reason I have wanted to keep the film non-profit. So much of the content has been donated to the film, supported by the donors and sponsors, and I want to give that back, share it with scientist, teachers, schools and outreach efforts. It would be nearly impossible to do this if private investors were funding the film.

So the film will remain a not-for-profit until complete – to protect the film itself, to protect use of the content and to honor the vision of myself and the long-time supporters of the project.

And that makes me happy.

Release Date Update – Lasers!!!

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You may have noticed that the release date has shifted from December 2012 to 2013 “summerish”. The slipping and vagueness is not due to problems with the film or certainty of completion. Although I could get hit by a bus or aliens could invade…or maybe the Apocalypse of the Week will actually happen – but the film will be completed otherwise thanks to your ongoing support.

But over the last 9 months there have been some major changes in the giant screen world, especially with IMAX™ Corporation that have a huge impact on Outside In. The biggest obstacle the film has faced has been: — even after every last penny has been raised and the film is 100% complete, it can’t be shown in the largest flat and any of the IMAX™ dome screens. Those are based on film projection and to create a filmout of Outside In, and say 25 prints, runs northwards of $500,000. And supposedly, it would be years before most had converted.

I had, of course, done work on what could be done to secure those funds from potential distributors and investors. They basically want your first born in a deal with the devil. Big changes to the film, complete loss of control of the project, total control distribution. Things that I find unacceptable as it would invalidate the reasons I’ve sacrificed so much over the past years and betray the many wonderful supporters of the film.

But the world changes rapidly. Kodak went into financial trouble, then bankruptcy. Several competitors to IMAX demoed – then starting selling and installing digital projection systems for giant screen venues. The biggest news was two big announcements. IMAX bought a number of Kodak patents and then partnered with their competitor on next generation laser projection system due out in 2013. This new system is primarily aimed at those film-based dome and very large 2D screens that need the brightness a laser light engine can deliver.

So now, it looks like by late 2013 and certainly 2014, there will be many digital venues that are true giant screen where Outside In can be seen, pure and uncompromised. Better yet, if the film is successful at some of those venues, a film print can be funded without making any changes to the film. The distributor/funder will recoup their investment plus a profit from the box office.

And one more thing – despite my life-long love of film, the Saturn fly-through clip was part of demo between the best of film vs. the best of digital projection. It looked better on these new digital projectors – film has grain that is no present in my original footage and film displays less colors, so the very fine color details in Saturn’s clouds were lost going to film.

So the best way to see Outside In will be on the next generation of digital projection. That’s a win win win for everyone.

Outside In Returns to Astronomy Days, Raleigh NC 5/19 & 20th

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Last year, we had a great time presenting the film at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences annual “Astronomy Days” – and a whole bunch of people help make it happen including the Raleigh Astronomy Club and many more.

Outside In is back again and will be showing new and updated footage at 1:00 PM Saturday May 19th and 2:00 PM Sunday, in the main auditorium on the first floor. They have updated and upgraded the theater and it will be even better than last year.

Volunteers needed!!!

Also, if you are in the area and can help setup on Friday evening or tear down Sunday at 5:00, just let me know.

 

The Return of the Blog Monster!

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For over two years, I had regular blog… well a semi-regular blog called “IMAX™ in a Basement” that a number of people followed. The phrase was coined by the local media here in Greensboro and despite the fact it was trademarked phrase, I was not worried as my project was a small thing well off the radar.

Then, last March, 14 months ago, the clip went viral around the world. A few months later after the hub-bub died down, I notice to my concern that this phrase has pushed search engine results way, way up high with references to that phrase. I grew a bit concerned that a call from their legal department was imminent. So I initiated a plan to deal with the potential issue proactively.

I initiated contact with a person I trust and respect and then decided to remove any reference to that on the film’s website and other materials, the blog being the most notable, and waited for it to disappear from the search results. The downside is that the blog would have to go offline for awhile and I chose to build up the Facebook Page in the interim. There is also a spiffy new longer and detailed disclaimer.

However, this in fact did not work. Search results are still there today. But since I get a lot of questions of what happened to the blog, it’s time to relaunch with a new name. I also think that will help with the search engine. And IMAX™ has been very nice about all of this – so it’s overall a very positive thing.

On to the return of the blog!

New Footage Part 1: Improved, extended Saturn fly-by

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In March 2011, the first footage (vimeo.com/11386048) from Outside In went viral, resulting in 3.8 million hits and 1.3 million plays & media coverage in over 250 countries. Here is an improved, extended version of that footage with unlit side of rings, better color and other small tweaks added.

Created from over 30,000 real photographs taken by the Cassini spacecraft. Master is 5.6k resolution (5600 x 4200 pixels) with all work done in 32-bit floating point color space to preserve
photographs from artifacts.

No 3D models, CGI or texture maps used!

Much thanks to everyone who has supported and contributed to this. This is the beginning, just a taste of incredible things to come.

This is fly-through of this photograph – photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA11141 – only a little brightness and contrast has been made to balance the moons with saturn’s body.The saturation is off due to lack of Flash Player ICM support.

This is still a work-in-progress and it’s an art film, not a science film, but as new image data comes down I will tweak this shot for improved accuracy.

Bill Nye “The Science Guy” endorses Outside In

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Bill Nye is well known as “The Science Guy” but he is also a scientist, engineer, comedian, author, and inventor. Bill is a man with a mission: to help foster a scientifically literate society. He also happens to be the Executive Director of The Planetary Society, the world’s largest space interest organization co-founded by Carl Sagan. He recently had some inspiring words to say about the film on The Planetary Society’s blog:

We all dream of having the ability to fly. Unlike most people in earlier generations, people living now have dreams of flying in space. Outside In plays your dreams right before your eyes. You’ll soar past our nearby worlds and see for yourself what these extraordinary places look like up close.

It’s not imaginary; this film is created entirely from real images transmitted to Earth from our spacecraft. We built these machines to extend our knowledge beyond our own world. Outside In makes you part of our species’ extraordinary extraterrestrial journeys.

 

Fans of Outside In Speak

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Fans of the film have done something as valuable as a big donation – they’ve recorded their thoughts and feelings about the film which will be used to show distributors and theaters what the global audience thinks about Outside In.

We need more – in any language, any quality is fine. For more info on submitting yours (by August 31 end of day), click here.

Send-off to Austin Fundraiser Party Sept. 7th @ Cafe Pasta

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The fundraiser in Raleigh went well – we raised about $3000 – but we still need to raise that much more to present the first three minutes of footage to IMAX and giant screen theaters around the world at the Giant Screen Cinema Expo, in Austin, TX, September 18th – 24th.

I will be headed out, film under my arm, to the GSCA Expo and show the clip film to interested and major backers. I’m not at liberty to tell you who they are, but if I did, you’d know.

I’m taking a 30-hour bus journey to Austin, Texas. No flights, first class accommodations or plush amenities for this filmmaker – all the funds are going towards the big expense of recording the three minutes of footage to IMAX film.

Cafe Pasta is generously providing light appetizers and drink specials, including their newest Cassini Martini, named for the Cassini spacecraft orbiting Saturn. Tickets are FREE and you will have a chance to see a portion of the film on HD projection, and mingle and network with others in our creative community, and a chance to support an ground-breaking film.

RESERVATIONS ARE EXTREMELY LIMITED – Only 200 are available. RSVP deadline is Monday, September 5. Don’t miss the best party to kick off the Fall.

RSVP Here: http://event.pingg.com/OutsideInCafePasta