The scene was created in Cinema 4D R12.5 and photoshop was not used in post production to retouch either image in any way whatsoever.  Renders took about twenty four hours each to complete at 350dpi and a printable size of 11″x17″. Images ©2011 creative armada.

Geek Stuff: The scene uses both GI and AO and the skydome is an HDRI map of a Victorian Parisian garden.

Steve Jobs 1955-2011

“Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life, Don’t be trapped by dogma — which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.” – Steve Jobs

Today is a sad day for the worlds of technology, art, science, and innovation. We have lost one of our great mentors, fathers, brothers, and friends. Steven Paul Jobs has passed. He will be sadly missed.

If you would like to donate to help eliminate pancreatic cancer you can do so here:
http://www.curepc.org/

Photo of Eric Von Stoheim by Broadway photographer Hal Phyfe

While it is thought by historians that the authorized biography of Eric Von Stroheim contains many factual errors, there is enough that we do know about him that makes him a somewhat fascinating individual. Born in Viena Austria in 1885 as Erich Oswald Stroheim, Erich was the son of hat maker Benno Stroheim and Johanna Bondy. Stroheim emmigrated to the United States aboard the S.S. Prinz Friedrich Wilhelm on November 25th 1909.

SS Prinz Friedrich Wilhelm

Upon his arrival to Ellis Island, he claimed to be Count Erich Oswald Hans Carl Maria von Stroheim und Nordenwall. It is speculated that he decided to change his name so that he could appear to be Austrian nobility. Erich also fabricated elaborate stories about how he was an imperial officer in the military. In spite of this, his closest colleagues claim he had a decidedly lower class Southern Austrian accent and it was eventually confirmed that Erich was indeed the son of lower class parents and that he never served in the military.

“Throughout his career Erich Von Stroheim earned the reputation of a Walter Mitty-esque daydreamer and an idealist with a bad temper.”

While working in French films Stroheim met actress Denise Vernac who became his secretary and companion for the remainder of his life. In 1912 Erich met his first wife, Margaret Knox and in a shocking move for the times, moved in with her. Margaret became a mentor to Erich as she encouraged him to write while teaching him language and literature.

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Ray Harryhausen with two of his famous monsters

In the following clip, you’ll see an except from an episode of the Tom Bosley hosted show, That’s Hollywood. The show inspired my interest in special effects as a young child. Featured in the video is Ray Harryhausen, for those of you that don’t know of him, he created a brand of stop-motion model animation known as “Dynamation.”  Among his most notable works are his animation on Mighty Joe Young (with pioneer Willis O’Brien, which won the Academy Award for special effects) (1949), The 7th Voyage of Sinbad (his first colour film) and Jason and the Argonauts, featuring a famous sword fight against skeleton warriors.

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