Down and out in Culver City

Transformer 2 production facts

2009-06-26T08:00:00.001-07:00

COOL FACTS14 robots last time, 46 robots this time (ILM only)If you had all the gold ever mined in the history of man, you could build a little more than half of Devastator.Optimus Prime will be life size on IMAX screens in many forest fight shots.Devastator’s hand is traveling 390 miles per hour when he punches the pyramid.The pyramid destruction simulation was 8 times bigger than the old rigid

Kommorov !

2009-04-10T17:12:00.000-07:00

News from Belgium reached us: Kommorov kick off on june 13 in cosmopolitan Doornzele!www.kommorov.beAllen daar heen!

Venice Rattle

2009-01-24T10:09:00.001-08:00

Venice RattleOriginally uploaded by _esseThis happened yesterday night while I was playing Crysis with head phones on. Pretty unreal experience. The center of the quake is only about 5 miles from where we live. Our first thoughts were that a truck had slammed into the building.

Beijing 360

2008-08-18T20:46:00.000-07:00

Nice 360 panorama of the Bird's Nest on Bejing Olympics.Funny to see the press mosquitos close up!http://www.karikuukka.com/peking2008/100m/

Vintage Posters

2008-06-28T16:17:00.000-07:00

I recently met William Payne who introduced me to the magnificent world of vintage posters. I had no idea that there is such a big group of collectors worldwide for unique antique posters. William's gallery has a vast collection of fine art posters, mainly from Europe.This is one of my personal favorites. Graphics that inspired generations of graphics designers.William' s gallery is called

The living camera

2008-05-28T19:51:00.000-07:00

Steven is autistic and has a very special gift...

A modern day Stone Henge

2008-04-12T09:09:00.000-07:00

This guy is building his own Stone Henge, in his backyard... by himself. Pretty amazing job. This man can move anything!

Len10 action.

2008-03-12T08:42:00.000-07:00

Some jawdropping Ruben Lenten action. The master of the kite loop.

Slim Cam

2008-03-09T21:25:00.000-07:00

Superb new technology, lightning fast implemented by HP in a questionable way. The camera that makes you look slimmer.Slimming photos with HP digital cameras:http://www.hp.com/united-states/consumer/digital_photography/tours/slimming/index.htmlAnd here is the original technology it was based on:

Why Sony Imageworks got an Oscar nod for 'Surf's Up'

2008-02-28T21:19:00.000-08:00

Sony Pictures' animated surfing penguins documentary, 'Surf's Up,' was nominated for the best animated feature Oscar this year, certainly in large part because of its work on creating realistic waves... more on:www.news.com/8301-13772_3-9862945-52.html?part=rss&subj=news&tag=2547-1_3-0-20

Freeze frame!

2008-02-28T08:41:00.000-08:00

Amazing art installation...

Surf's Up nominated for Oscar.

2008-01-22T08:13:00.000-08:00

The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences have announced the nominations for the 80th Academy Awards. For Outstanding Animated Feature, the nominees are PERSEPOLIS, RATATOUILLE and the surprise nominee SURF'S UP.http://www.oscar.com/nominees/

The Rubens Tube

2008-01-10T22:41:00.000-08:00

Better than CG! This rocks! Great tubes of fire.Ads a new dimension to "singing around the campfire"!

We have been Googled

2007-12-15T14:32:00.000-08:00

Google is diligently expanding the reach of it's Google Street initiative, which recently became part of Google Maps. When we were virtually browsing around the hood we stumbled upon... ourselves.The link below shows the street view of Sony Pictures Imageworks, and we were not a little surprised to see our car (nick named the White Elephant by Roger) in it. Telling from the construction work

CNN: Beowulf: A beast in 3D

2007-12-01T13:31:00.000-08:00

CNN features Beowulf.Ancient literature meets the future of filmmaking in "Beowulf," a 3D spectacle using the latest technology.The featurettehttp://edition.cnn.com/2007/SHOWBIZ/11/22/3d.beowulf/The video:http://edition.cnn.com/CNNI/Programs/screening.room/

Who's Afraid of the Big, Bad Beowulf?

2007-12-01T13:20:00.000-08:00

Michael Harrison judging Beowulf myth incarnation on their kid-friendlyness....Errrr...?http://blog.wired.com/geekdad/2007/12/whos-afraid-of.html

12 Animated Features Submitted for 2007 Oscar® Consideration

2007-11-08T19:47:00.000-08:00

http://www.oscars.org/press/pressreleases/2007/07.11.08a.htmlThumbs up for Surf's Up and Beowulf!Beverly Hills, CA — Twelve features have been submitted for consideration in the Animated Feature Film category for the 80th Academy Awards®.The 12 submitted features are: “Alvin and the Chipmunks” “Aqua Teen Hunger Force Colon Movie Film for Theaters” “Bee Movie” “Beowulf” “Meet the

Planktoninvasion

2007-10-30T20:24:00.000-07:00

Some upcomming animation work from Belgium! Always great to see! I am very curious.Here is the synopsis:Earth's first life forms and direct descendant's from the primal soup; want to reclaim their rightful place in the world. In order for them to re-conquer the planet, they need a global water world. They plotted a dark strategy and assigned a special task force to execute the operation; codename

Beowulf TV commercial

2007-10-24T22:17:00.000-07:00

Pretty unique way of advertising the upcomming movie Beowulf... Beowulf vs 300 (Sparta) in a shout contest (http://www.beowulfmovie.com)

over Surfende penguins en passeieren

2007-10-22T21:01:00.000-07:00

Na lang wachten komt deze woensdag 24 oktober Surf's Up in de Belgische cinemazalen. Voor zij die gaan kijken is het misschien leuk om te weten dat er een aantal easter eggs in de film verborgen zitten.Zoals programmeurs easter eggs verstoppen in software (virtual easter egg: Wikipedia), zo verstopt het filmmakende volkje ook van alles in de beelden die ze maken. In het geval van Surf's Up is het

Next one up: Beowulf

2007-10-18T21:19:00.000-07:00

Since I finished working on Surf's Up I started working on Beowulf. In contrast to Surf's Up, which is an animated cgi (computer generated imagery) feature film, Beowulf is full cgi but not animated. Beowulf is using a process called performance capture: real actors wear a special suit with trackers stuck on it and act every shot. In addition to the track markers on the suit a maze of smaller

Penguins everywhere!

2007-10-11T23:00:00.001-07:00

DSC01919.jpg Originally uploaded by wineytoe Invasion of the penguins! Surf's up (www.surfsup.be) is releasing in Belgian theatres on October 24. Go check it out! And here is some good advice when you leave the parking lot afterwards!

No water, No work

2007-10-02T22:43:00.000-07:00

Today was an unexpected day off. When I arrive at work it was busier than usual around the premisses and in the garden of the studio. Lot's of people hanging out, chatting at an early hour that is usually packed with dailies, touchbase meetings, rounds, and what not.When I got to my desk I noticed it was slightly hotter in side than normal. Got to my email to find a zillion of mails, with alaring

Drama in the high skies

2007-09-23T21:21:00.001-07:00

Drama in the high skies Originally uploaded by _esse Dramatic skies over West-Hollywood this weekend as a storm front moved over the Southland. First time we witness a night's long worth of rain. High contrast weather Originally uploaded by _esse Like everything in Hollywood the weather is high contrast too once in a while. This weekend it was pouring down, quickly followed up by

Diesel Look le plus cool 2

2007-09-14T08:36:00.000-07:00

More cool looks by Diesel. Stardust! Stardust!

Diesel le look le plus cool.

2007-09-14T08:31:00.000-07:00

A classic ad from a while back. Diesel Jeans.Diesel for succesfull living. (of course!)

Architectural Californication

2007-09-08T08:48:00.000-07:00

http://www.inhabitat.com/2007/09/07/prefab-friday-mdesigns-mcube-green-home-1/

Evert 'pikt' zijn cadeau op...

2007-09-06T21:53:00.001-07:00

Subservient Evert Originally uploaded by _esse Vorige vrijdag kwamen Evert-Jan en Marjan langs om Evert's afscheidscadeau van de Duval Guillaume E collega's op te 'pikken'.Het object in kwestie belandde via een Ebay veiling vanuit Florida bij ons en geraakt niet meer op tijd in Brussel voor Evert's afscheidsfeest. Geen nood echter, EJ en Marjan hadden een roadtrip door California

Beowulf on the X-games

2007-08-06T21:26:00.001-07:00

attachment Originally uploaded by netposer IMG_4696 Originally uploaded by Don Reno IMG_4600 Originally uploaded by Don Reno IMG_4593 Originally uploaded by Don Reno

Beowulf trailer is out.

2007-07-29T12:30:00.000-07:00

Here it is, the long awaited trailer of Beowulf. The movie is directed by Oscar winning George Zcemicks and stars Angelina Jolie, Anthony Hopkins, John Malkovich, Robin Wright Penn, amongst others. It is the second project I worked on at Sony Pictures Imageworks. I will tell a bit more about the unique process that was used to create this movie in the near future. Enjoy the trailer...http://

Jaw-dropping Photosynth demo

2007-07-19T21:55:00.000-07:00

You got to see this. An great example that computer graphics technology is not only affecting our lives when we go to the movies or play computer games.Watch this technology demo:And try for yourself after that (only works on Windows XP or Vista unfortunately). You need to install an browser extension, but it is well worth it.http://labs.live.com/photosynth/

iGot iPhone

2007-06-29T08:42:00.000-07:00

at least the tshirt ;)Plenty of those around!

Cheap flights!

2007-06-27T21:43:00.000-07:00

No idea what this should be categorized as, sky surfing or kite diving? Spectacular nevertheless. Don't try this at home kids!

I am legend : currently in the (Image)works

2007-06-14T21:10:00.000-07:00

The last man on earth (played by Will Smith) is not alone...Imageworks is creating some stunning imagery for this spectacular movie.check out the trailer on:http://www.apple.com/trailers/wb/iamlegend/large.htmland find all details about the movie on IMDB:http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0480249/

Kitesurfing 101 : what NOT to do...

2007-06-14T08:38:00.000-07:00

A display of utter stupidity and hybris. No one should try kite surfing without proper instruction. From what these guys display they haven't heard of the basics of kitesurfing, let alone mastered them. Hot launching a kite in 60 Miles Per Hour winds is suicidal.

Pixar unveils latest project

2007-06-12T20:56:00.000-07:00

'Up' scheduled for 2009 By BEN FRITZ Disney-owned toon studio Pixar will release 'Up,' about a 70-year-old man who fights beasts and villains, in 2009. Pixar is going a little older in 2009 than its typical demo.The

Stop it! Please!

2007-06-08T09:01:00.000-07:00

This is a plea to stop watching, reading and listening to any so called 'news' about the lightheaded hotel heiress which name I will not say out loud.The news, which isn't really nothing more than a meaningless series of faits divers. Since 6 o'clock this morning at at least 4 helicopters have continiously been hovering over the Hollywood Hills. Waking up thousands, if not hundreds of thousands

Surf's Up : A Major Ocean Picture

2007-06-03T00:01:00.001-07:00

Surf's Up : A Major Ocean PictureOriginally uploaded by _esse I will let the picture speak for itself...This weekend everyone who is in the credits get's to invite up to 6 guests to see the movie at Imageworks. We invited Kurt, Nele, Matisse and Margot to accomagnie us to the Sunday 10 am screening. In the afternoon we have our last kite surf lesson with Alex.As of friday June 8 it opens

Surf's Up is in town

2007-05-29T22:08:00.000-07:00

...and everyone will know about it! Surf's Up Originally uploaded by _esse The heat is on, or in this particular case, we might say the tide is high. A giant marketing campagign for Surf's Up is rolling over the city. Banners on public transportation, posters in busstops, billboards along every major boulevard and highway, banners towed by airplanes over California's coastline and some

Sky Typing

2007-05-13T23:39:00.001-07:00

We were in Long Beach taking our first kite surf lesson when all of a sudden this appeared in the sky. Sky TypingOriginally uploaded by _esse. A great new way to get your message out: take it to the sky. Fly a number of planes in parallel to each other and emit vapor puffs in a dot matrix pattern. These puffs are regulated by an onboard computer that controls the sequencing of the vapor to

Spiderman 3 breaks all boxoffice records

2007-05-10T21:34:00.000-07:00

Domestic - 151,116,516 million $International - 231 million $a total of Worldwide - 382 million total.Numbers that stick. A lot of happy faces at Sony :)

Joshua Tree + road to Grand Canyon (roadtrip day 4)

2007-05-10T21:24:00.000-07:00

Pictures of last summers roadtrip day 4 online. Joshua Tree + road to Grand Canyon.http://www.flickr.com/photos/esse/sets/72157600172366327/

New Surf's Up trailer availabe on Apple Quicktime trailers

2007-05-02T07:58:00.000-07:00

http://www.apple.com/trailers/sony_pictures/surfsup/trailer_high.html

Seaworld pictures online

2007-04-29T22:11:00.000-07:00

Pictures of our visit to Seaworld on day 3 of our roadtrip last summer are online. As always served on Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/esse/sets/72157600054463794/

Yves Rossy - the real Swiss Batman

2007-04-27T08:36:00.000-07:00

"Always have a plan B ready" http://www.jet-man.com/actuel_eng.html

Surf's Up : new trailer in HD premieres on Movie Phone

2007-04-25T08:29:00.000-07:00

Movie Phone http://movies.aol.com/movie/surfs-up/20497/main has premiered the new trailer. It will also be available in a lot of other channels (and at higher res) soon.

Surf's Up : site update

2007-04-04T21:58:00.000-07:00

The official website for the movie has been updated with lots cool new stuff. Try the lava tube game!http://www.surfsup.com/

'Surf's Up' rides a penguin wave

2007-03-17T21:08:00.000-07:00

Article in USAToday:http://www.usatoday.com/life/movies/news/2007-03-05-surfs-up_N.htm#noneFirst there were marching penguins, then they sang and danced. In June, they will surf.After Happy Feet's Oscar win for best animated feature and 2005's smash documentary March of the Penguins, does the world really need another penguin movie?Yes, say the people behind Surf's Up, an animated comedy due June

more than $100 million in support for Surf's Up!

2007-03-14T21:01:00.000-07:00

Tie-ins: Surf's Up, And So Is Sony's Penguin RompStudio's second computer animated flick gets $100M-plus in support.February 26, 2007By Becky EbenkampRiding the CGI wave, Sony Pictures Animation is gearing up about a dozen partners in its promotional pipeline for its sophomore effort, Surf's Up.McDonald's, Old Navy, ConAgra Foods, Baskin-Robbins, Sea World and others are on board for an effort

Catalina Island camping trip pictures online

2007-03-10T14:34:00.001-08:00

sunset Originally uploaded by _esse. Pictures of our Catalina Islands camping trip in september 2006 are online. Check them out on Flickr

Green laser pens are... awesome (?)

2007-03-02T08:32:00.000-08:00

Pretty crazy...

Gaming reinvented

2007-02-10T20:08:00.000-08:00

Last night was Wii night. We gathered with a bunch in front of Jason's big ass TV for a round of games. First we played Wii-sports followed bij WarioWare and Rayman Ravin Rabbids.The Wii doesn't sport the computing power of the Playstation 3 nor the Xbox360, the graphics are rather simple. None of that degrades the gaming experience, the Wii's revolutionary and versatile interface drags anyone,

Dynamite Surfing

2007-02-09T21:07:00.000-08:00

A new way of surfing. Don' try this at home kids. This clip immediately sparked a lively discussion 'real' versus 'fake'.

I ran into Jeff Bridges today.

2007-02-08T19:38:00.000-08:00

When returning from the vending machine after getting my morning frappucino I ran into a dude with long hair comming out of the elevator close to my desk. "How do I get to the main lobby from here?". "Well, carry on and take a right after the first door at the end of the hall..." - wait a minute - "...way" - I know you. You are Jeff Bridges... hmmm... makes sense... Jeff is doing BigZ's voice in

RATATOUILLE Rough Animation Test

2007-02-08T08:02:00.000-08:00

As allways, Pixar is dropping jaws.

Another classic Kiss Cool

2007-02-05T08:12:00.000-08:00

Pub Kiss CoolUploaded by srcmax

Kiss Cool' latest ad

2007-02-01T08:03:00.000-08:00

Pub Kiss cool 4Uploaded by Snooz

Inside the Lucasfilm data center

2007-01-30T20:30:00.000-08:00

SAN FRANCISCO--Given the cult-film status of 1971's THX 1138 in the George Lucas universe, it should come as little surprise that the total capacity of Lucasfilm's giant data center is 11.38 petabits per second.Read the entire article here:http://news.com.com/2100-1026_3-6153647.html

Learn the Maya and become a millionair!

2007-01-29T19:37:00.000-08:00

Voila, here it is, simple and clear recipe to become a millionair. What else could you possibly ask for?Please not all at once, so I can keep my job for another while. Thank you!

Yosemite may 2006 trip photos online

2007-01-28T13:13:00.000-08:00

Finally finished the photoset of our camping and hiking trip to Yosemite National park in May 2006. Some of the picture have been online for a while, but here is the complete set in chronological order:http://www.flickr.com/photos/esse/sets/72157594182159953/PS: Most pictures are geotagged in Flickr. Click on the (map) link in the lower right corner, in the Additional Information section.

Kiss Cool

2007-01-26T08:01:00.001-08:00

Another Kiss Kool ad.KissCoolUploaded by Beeshock

Mini Kiss Kool

2007-01-26T07:55:00.000-08:00

Golden oldies. Funny ads.Mini kiss coolUploaded by aurel1017

Sony Pictures Imageworks makes history today.

2007-01-23T22:42:00.000-08:00

Oscars season is heating up and Hollywood starts buzzing like a bee."Monster House" and "Superman Returns" have been nominated for "Best Animated Feature" and "Best Visual Effects" respectfully.The Amazing thing is that this work was done side by side. No studio has EVER been nominated for Best VFX and Feature Animation. Imageworks made history!www.oscar.com/nominees/?pn=list

Where I work

2007-01-22T21:04:00.001-08:00

Fountains at Sony Imageworks Originally uploaded by ronzobot. My desk's windows is the second but last one the right. View on the terrace and fountain. Could have been worse. I admit.

Who said penguins can't surf?

2007-01-22T08:45:00.000-08:00

What if I told you they can shop...

We got ourselves a project...

2007-01-17T21:52:00.000-08:00

Esse_subD_head_wire_cage_screenshotOriginally uploaded by _esse. sculpting away on a humanoid head. I will post screenshots as I progress.

We are. . .

2007-01-16T20:57:00.000-08:00

*85% DONE**15% left to in 24 days!!!**Go team!!!*

We are in the Venice Project™'s beta-test program

2007-01-14T21:32:00.000-08:00

That means we are watching TV over the internet. Real TV, at the real quality, not the downsized downsampled Youtube video thumbnails, and the full programming.The Venice Project is the new baby of the guys that brought us Kazaa and Skype. Here is their introduction:We're working on a project that combines the best things about television with the social power of the internet - a project that

64,000 graduates...

2007-01-10T23:03:00.000-08:00

...in animation, that is what China produced last year. Appart from that there are more staggering numbers:- 466,000 were studying in colleges at the end of 2005- 81,000 minutes of cartoons produced- 15 national animation bases have been set up- about 5,473 animation studios had been founded in China by Oct.2006- animation departments have been established in 447 universities and 1,230

Tree goats

2007-01-08T23:37:00.000-08:00

Real or Fake? The author claims it's real, the images haven't been tampered with ... Story goes that these goats climb trees because of the scourching hot sand that seems to burn their feet... But, wait a minute, don't they have hoofs?Read more on:http://blog.moment.ee/2007/01/viljad-on-valminud-tree-goats.html

Los Angeles by night

2007-01-07T22:28:00.001-08:00

Los Angeles by night Originally uploaded by _esse. View over LA from the Santa Monica Mountains. We set out for a small after dark hike last monday as it was full moon and clear skies to enjoy this beautifull view. Foreground is Santa Monica, than Venice and Marina Del Rey. In the background LAX area with planes taking of and landing. Thanks to Daniele for the tip and guidance.

MTV "Gets" Surf's Up

2007-01-06T10:59:00.000-08:00

"Before you groan at the prospect of another penguin movie (and we feel your pain), consider that this one is told as a mockumentary.It's "Spinal Tap" meets "Happy Feet," with a story that suggests that penguins invented surfing. The trailer for "Surf's Up" was one of the best of 2006." http://www.mtv.com/#/movies/news/articles/1548982/20061228/story.jhtml

2007 Pinguins!

2006-12-30T14:44:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year : Surf's Up for 2007!Originally uploaded by _esse. 1001 Dalmatians are so 1984!2007 is the year of the penguin (pronounced like pin-goe-in, it'll all come clear next summer ;)).Here's Cody and Geek surfin into a new year! Happy 2007 to y'all.

Shop Pink!

2006-12-28T15:12:00.001-08:00

Paul Smith store on Melrose Ave Originally uploaded by _esse. at the Paul Smith Store on Melrose Avenue...

lemon law california

2006-12-26T15:25:00.000-08:00

Ever heard about lemon law? Or about a 'lemon' as in 'be carefull not to buy a lemon'! A lemon is a product that repeatedly fail to meet certain standards of quality and performance. It is most commonly used in conjunction with cars, but it applies to all goods.So.... there are lemon laws now, to protect people from buying bad goods.Hence there are also lemon law layers and attorneys, used car

HD vs standard DVD comparison

2006-12-23T10:17:00.000-08:00

Someone decided to check out what all the HD fuss was about and compared classic DVD againt HD. Here is the test:Fellowship of the Ring - HD vs DDwww.cornbread.org/FOTRCompare/index.htmlBeing amazed at how fantastic the HD transfer of Fellowship of the Ring looked, I decided to compare it to the transfer on the DVD. Now, the DVD transfer is among the best you can find on DVD, so this really is

Penguins

2006-12-18T00:18:00.000-08:00

A golden animation oldie.

The right angle.

2006-12-13T22:58:00.000-08:00

Pictures getting an extra dimension when taken from a surprising angle.

Pros stoked by roles in 'Surf's Up'

2006-12-13T22:42:00.000-08:00

Slater, along with professional surfers Rob Machado and Sal Masekela, voice major roles in the animated movie "Surf's Up," which is set to open in theaters in June. Sony Pictures made the announcement at a press conference Tuesday at Turtle Bay Resort, in conjunction with the Pipeline Masters Surf Contest."The waves are so good in the movie, you want to get into the screen and surf it," said

How to not get your ass kicked by the Police

2006-12-12T19:44:00.000-08:00

An oldie but a goodie. Chris explains what to do--and what NOT to do--when the Fuzz pulls you over. Funny video.

THE CONSUMERIST: Tekserve Ad with over $60,000 in ipods

2006-12-11T19:30:00.000-08:00

Rally domino with iPod's.

Diet Coke and Mentos

2006-12-06T22:57:00.000-08:00

Jolly good fun with Diet Coke and Mentos!

Cool Firefox ad.

2006-12-05T23:14:00.000-08:00

Takes on Internet Explorer, Netscape and Safari.

Roadtrip day 2 pictures online : San Diego Zoo

2006-12-04T00:04:00.000-08:00

.flickr-photo { border: solid 2px #000000; }.flickr-yourcomment { }.flickr-frame { text-align: left; padding: 3px; }.flickr-caption { font-size: 0.8em; margin-top: 0px; } ., originally uploaded by _esse. Pictures of the second day of this summer's roadtrip are online. San Diego Zoo was the destination of the day.http://www.flickr.com/photos/esse/sets/72157594275907872/

Elmo takes America.

2006-12-03T10:58:00.000-08:00

The hottest toy aroud, people go crazy over this, shops run trough their stocks in not time, prices on eBay are extreme.I'd rather get the dog.

The importance of choosing the right domain name (url)

2006-12-02T00:33:00.000-08:00

Everyone knows that if you are going to operate a business in today's world you need a domain name. It is advisable to look at the domain name selected as other see it and not just as you think it looks. Failure to do this may result in situations such as the following (legitimate) companies who deal in everyday humdrum products andservices but clearly didn't give their domain names enough

xRez.com gigapixel photography is live!

2006-11-30T13:28:00.000-08:00

Collegue Greg Downing recently got his new site up displaying years of expertise in gigapixel photography.Best to be viewed on multiple big screens or projected in high definition! I watched it at my desk at Sony, enjoying all this eyecandy on a double +20 inch flatpanel monitor with a superfast internetconnection. Having been to Yosemite myself mutiple times I had the feeling as if I got

The last knit : cool CG short film

2006-11-30T09:44:00.000-08:00

Pixar Animation Studios as an employer.

2006-11-28T21:46:00.000-08:00

Some interesting figures about Pixar as an employer.Pixar, the creator of the mega-hits Toy Story, A Bug's Life, Monsters, Inc., Finding Nemo and The Incredibles is more than just a computer animation studio. It stands poised to become one of the largest entertainment forces of the 21st century. Born in the 1980s as the special effects division of Lucasfilm, the company was spun off in 1986 and

First real rain.

2006-11-27T00:57:00.000-08:00

This morning we woke up with rain. Real rain, more than the few drops we have seen a couple of times. It had actually begun during the night from sunday to monday. Real pouring rain. First time since we arrived at the beginning of April. Can you believe that?

Happy thanksgiving!

2006-11-22T21:09:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving. A typical US holiday which we don't celebrate in Europe. This morning when driving to work I was struck by how big a deal it is. The city was extremely busy, similar by the madness we see around Christmas and New Year: everyone is out on a shopping spree. Traffic is congested because people visit familie and friends to devour stuffed turkey's. In the office we have a big

Happy Feet : great numbers!

2006-11-22T20:13:00.000-08:00

Happy Feet, aka "that other penguin flick" has opened last weekend and did extremely well. It came out first in the boxoffice ranking grossing well over 41 million dollar, beating the new James Bond Casino Royale by almost a million.All media have rave reviews about the dancing penguins. Fingers crossed for the surfing ones that are to take the world next summer.http://movies2.nytimes.comhttp://

Farce of the Penguins

2006-11-22T00:02:00.000-08:00

The quest for penguin action...www.farceofthepenguins.com

Joshua Tree September trip photos online

2006-11-19T00:26:00.000-08:00

Finally finished the photoset of our camping and climbing trip to Joshua Tree National park in September. Some of the picture have been online for a while, but here is the complete set in chronological order:http://www.flickr.com/photos/esse/sets/72157594301679439/PS: I geotagged the entire set in Flickr, so you can pretty well see on the map and satelite images where we were abouts. Click on the

Playstation 3 ( PS3) US launch madness.

2006-11-17T22:40:00.000-08:00

Lat night at midnight local shops in California and throughout the United States started selling Sony long awaited and much hyped Playstation 3 console. A technological marvel which makes many gamers drool. But it will be scarce for the first couple of months. Only 400.000 units were available for the US. People have been standing in lines for days, eBay auctions at which the console get's sold (

Magic numbers part 1

2006-11-16T20:37:00.000-08:00

I am writing down some magic numbers which will help me remember milestones, great moments, things worth remembering. I cannot elaborate them now, but will be able to when the project I am working on is finished.65 anim333 sh fin200 Gb bbrk21 TB >95%+400 ft asap

Arthur And The Invisibles

2006-11-15T23:16:00.000-08:00

Luc Besson's next movie. An entertaining story and great looking movie if you ask me. Wondering who's working on it. Anyone an idea? Is it done in Europe?http://www.apple.com/trailers/mgm/arthurandtheinvisibles/hd/

New Spiderman 3 trailer

2006-11-13T12:16:00.000-08:00

Spiderman 3 production runs almost almost parallel with Surf's Up production at Imageworks. Check out their mindblowing new trailer:http://www.apple.com/trailers/sony_pictures/spider-man_3/

Torn with special guest live 2006

2006-11-11T12:08:00.000-08:00

The extremely talented mime in this video is called David Armand.

LAPD's latest toy : interactive crimemaps.

2006-11-11T11:53:00.000-08:00

How safe is your neighbourhood? Go check it out with LAPD's latest online tool: www.lapdonline.org/crimemap/Here is how West-Hollywood scores.