Sponsor's Message

Good cameras are really expensive, film processing isn't cheap, and the delay between filming and reviewing the shot footage can make the whole production business a whole lot slower (and thus frightfully costly).

These days, modern technology has really made a difference (so I'm told) to the production of low-cost movies and short films.

Instead of paying big bucks to hire expensive gear you could never afford to buy -- then plonking down even more dosh to buy the complex, expensive and cumbersome ancillary gear such as high intensity lighting, proper power feeds, etc -- these days you do wonders with a MiniDV camcorder or two.

Perhaps the best example of the way that modern video gear has slashed the cost of making a movie was The Blair Witch Project.

No expensive camera or production gear were used in the creation of this movie but never the less, and also largely due to the Net, it became a global phenomenon.

Now, thanks to this powerful new technology (and the Internet), the dream of becoming a movie producer is now within the grasp of almost anyone with the necessary talent and determination.

And, Kiwis are right up there pushing the boundaries.

Check out fanimatrix.net for a great example of what I'm talking about.

Yes, for about $1,000, a group of realy keen and obviously talented people have created a short movie (you can download the trailer from the website) that certainly seems to be very professional.

If you compare the total production costs of the actual Matrix movies with the $1K laid out by these folks, I think you'll agree that they are certainly the winners in the "bang-for-your-buck" stakes.

I'm told that the full movie will be available online later this month and, since there's a local download site, you can max out your JetStream Starter connection without fear of blowing your data-cap.

Full marks to the makers of this movie, not only because they have done a damned fine job, but also because it's a perfect example of why we can all benefit from uncapped broadband access.

How many other Peter Jackson's are out there just waiting to show the country (and the world) how good they are at what they do?

I'd really love to see more independent movie makers, musicians (and music video producers) putting their stuff online like this -- but it's a chicken and egg situation isn't it?

Until the content's there, a lot of people won't feel the need for broadband and until there are more broadband users around, the producers of broadband material like this won't have much of an audience for their wares.

A Brickbat For Xtra
What gives with Xtra?

Did they really think that nobody would notice the fact that their email servers were totally fouled up for several days?

The web-based support page simply said that email was "intermittent" but gave no idea as to what the cause was or when a resolution could be expected.

Xtra really needs to tidy up its support act and focus on communication with customers. Before I switched ISPs I found it quite common for major disruptions to be in effect while the status page still proudly proclaimed that here were no problems.

The cause of the problem was, according to one report that quoted an Xtra spokesperson a day after the problem surfaced, possibly a DOS attack, or maybe just a surge in mail volumes. Can't the country's largest ISP figure such things out just a little more quickly?

Come on Xtra/Telecom, I'm getting tired of criticising you -- please do something that will let me write a few paragraphs in praise of your actions.

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