press release « I Design Your Eyes

Visitors Invade ABC Website, Add Lizard-Face(book) Technology

Posted by Erik Even in I Design Your Eyes on November 6, 2009

Tomorrow (November 7th), the Disney/ABC Television Group will launch a new feature on ABC.com, that will allow users to view complete episodes of selected programs, and then create their own “commentary tracks” using their Facebook account.

The pilot episode of ABC’s new sci-fi series “V” will launch the ABC Social: Episode Commentary service, with commentaries by executive producers Scott Peters and Steve Pearlman.

From the press release:

To create and share their own fan commentary tracks, participants can go to ABC.com and log on using their Facebook account. As they view an episode in Commentary Mode, they can simultaneously add their own comments and read expert commentary, as well as see comments from their Facebook friends. Actions taken on ABC.com will be shared in the viewer’s Facebook stream, alerting friends to view the episode online and add their own comments…

Expert commentary featured in the Full Episode Player will vary from episode to episode and may include insights from a series’ producers, writers and directors, stars of the series, production and costume designers, music supervisors and network executives, among others.

The Hollywood Reporter points out that other networks, like ABC Family and NBC, have experimented with adding social networking capabilities to their online video content. But ABC appears to be the first to align its offering with a powerhouse site like Facebook, which has 300 million active users and Alexa ranking of 2.

ABC is experimenting with inserting advertising in the comment stream.

More info: ABC.com’s Full Episode Player; full press release on bythenumbers.tv; ABC introducing ‘Social’ Web tool on THR.com; IDYE on Facebook; Facebook on Alexa. Thanks to Miles Dinsmoor!

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ABC, ABC.com, Alexa, Disney/ABC Television Group, episode commentary, Facebook, online advertising, press release, Scott Peters, social networking, Steve Pearlman, V (2009), video

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‘Another Day at the Office in the VFX Industry’: A Film By The Zoic Interns

Posted by Erik Even in I Design Your Eyes on November 6, 2009

Another Day at the Office in the VFX industry

Zoic has posted an excellent short video created by members of its 2009 Internship Program: Another Day at the Office in the VFX Industry.

Here’s the press release:

Zoic Studios is proud to host the Zoic Internship Program, an innovative course of study that combines real-world experience with professional mentoring. The program, based out of Zoic’s Culver City production facility, has been training the next generation of aspiring VFX artists for the last seven years.

Interns receive the same kind of instruction they would from a college curriculum, but in an actual digital production studio with weekly lectures by top industry talent and lessons that include hands-on experience. During the course of the curriculum each intern is assigned a mentor: an experienced Zoic staff member who provides professional advice and guidance.

Zoic interns will produce projects using the latest in equipment, software and production facilities. Each project is supervised by Zoic professionals who guide interns and the project from start to finish, exposing interns to real-life production issues.

The Zoic Internship Program allows each participant to produce professional work to anchor their demo reel; experience working on client projects; and mentoring by some of the top-talent in the entertainment industry, including producers, supervisors and lead artists.

This video, Another Day at the Office in the VFX Industry, was produced by a team from the most recent Zoic Internship class. It features live-action mixed with CG effects, and humorously presents a typical day at the Zoic offices – a train passing through the hallway, black lava flooding down the stairs, hologram keypads, hover seats, and armies of cloned interns.

The Zoic Internship Program is an unpaid, 16-week commitment held three times a year: January-April, May-August, and September-December. College credit may be available.

For further information or for application information, contact Brooke Brigham by email or fax: 310-838-1169; or visit the Zoic Studios Website.

For more info: Watch the video on the Zoic web site.