A virtual report in a digital age : a paper presented on the trends in digital entertainment including movie making, interaction between the symbiosis between different interactive media like films, games and internet applications and unleashing and explaining an evolution on how to work more efficiently with visual effects

Abstract

Film and technology goes hand in hand. There are unlimited possibilities for the filmmakers through use of technology. Production companies race to create the most spectacular movies by again and again pushing new technological boundaries. The digital revolution has paved ways for filmmakers with no more than good ideas utilizing visual effect. Cheaper production equipment makes it possible to produce movies at a fraction of the cost of a 35mm film production. The film industry is currently challenged by the fast changing progress in technology, and the big movie studios are now facing a reality that involves rethinking current production methods and distribution models. The digital impact is hitting so hard that it is turning and twisting the way movies are produced, distributed and finally consumed. Being fresh out of college with a degree in project management and producing for film and television, it feels right for me to choose this exiting subject for my master s thesis. My area of interest lays within the digital revolution and its impact for future producers. I ve been introduced to a new real time visual effects technology, The Gausst Process , that is pushing the boundaries for film productions and develops computer generated images combined with live action, in real time live on set. After working with Gausst for almost 2 years, there has opened up a whole set of new concepts and ideas directly linked to the process. This paper will therefore not only cover the insight regarding the film industry alone but set the scene for a true interaction between the hemisphere of all emerging digital medias involving film and film-making, gaming and of course setting it all up together using the world wide web. The technology is currently being introduced in the heart of Hollywood by Gausst Inc. a California based company. Gausst is a real time visual effects company involved in all sorts of film and video productions. I wish to take an in-depth look at Gausst for my master thesis main theme. What impact does the Gausst technology have on the production process in terms of filmmakers directly (actors, directors, cinematographers), investors, producers and of course how can this exiting way of using the true digital media affect other related industries.

PRIMARY GOAL How will the producer need to restructure when using the Gausst technology? To answer this question I will go in-depth and see what this technology has to offer and how it functions. What is the real-time graphics potential impact for the film industry? SECONDARY GOAL I will go in-depth and get an overview of how the visual effects productions are produced today as opposed to the new way through the Gausst technology. Is the new method a beginning of a new way to create and produce better movies? If so, how will the productions be set up? THIRD GOAL Explain the emerging markets especially within gaming to better understand and debate the different ways of implementing the Gausst way of thinking into much more commercialized areas. Gaming is one of the world s fastest growing digital arenas, and film and gaming are more and more coming together with both content and co-production. Like movies as Spiderman, Batman, Beowulf, Simpson where the game was launched at the same time as the movie with the same story-line. Gaming has become the new multibillion dollar market that attracts developers and studios from all around the world all trying to get their piece of the rapidly growing business. FOURTH GOAL How can the Gausst principle affect IP applications like facebook, socializing networks, video-conferencing, portals and much more? New generations lead the way in how the World Wide Web is being used. With the emerging markets of both hardware and software allowing us to be virtually connected to each other every day at any place the Gausst process lead the way for many interesting thoughts. By both practical examples and underlying theory I suggest new applications, and alter some existing. I will concentrate my time on what happens to Gausst in the USA and hence that spend much of my time in Los Angeles. The rest of my 2 years will be spent interviewing and exploring the generic world of the Digital Media in many shapes and sizes. I have decided to do a master thesis (MEVIT 4090). As the principle of the Gausst process takes basis in the film world the first part of my thesis will be devoted to the film industry both existing and reflecting on the future. In the movie making part of the thesis, I will need to complete a practical part before I can address the theoretical part. In the practical part I will do in-depth research based on interviews as well as take part in productions as a production assistant. In the theoretical part I will take a critical approach - a theoretical reflection of movie making with visual effects, it s and language, and theme. These parts will relate to each other by using the practical part as material for the theoretical, analytical reflection in the written thesis. In other areas like gaming and the world of internet I use the web itself, and extensive interviews and practical examples together with leading people from world renowned companies. My main method for research will be research through: Learning books containing technology, economy, film production, project management, film history, journalism, Magazines and the internet all relating to my thesis. Interviews with key people like Stein Gausereide, CEO of Gausst, other relevant people from Universal Digital Services, current people in production companies contemplating to use this technology, and people within the movie industry using this technology. Interviews with people within companies like Microsoft to better understand the constant changing Digital world in order to better reflect over the years and solutions to come. I will attend Gausst shoots, take notes, discover, reflect, evaluate and document the work. The key topic however is not to dwell on all the technical aspects of the Gausst technology as such but to use that platform as basis for my vision of how this process can evolve into bringing virtual reality and real-life experiences into practical usage across different Digital platforms. My key interpretation of my paper is to discover ways of combining technology and theory into real life applications and services that cater to the common consumer, both in the professional workplace and in the one-to-one consumer world. Therefore my study and this paper could be considered as a template for re-thinking generic services and systems in use today into an interactive two way working environment. In my paper I have included 10 different approaches to commonly known application and services now existing. I have applied my thinking, and the virtual and visual effects and at the same time letting Gausst be a starting example of how to combine tools to create a new result. With reference to basic study, and background information I have spent most of my time using people and valuable inputs to form my ideas. I would also probably spend time after finishing my Masters degree to further develop some of these ideas and thinking into practical working models. I will use my network in the US and Norway to find answers. Interviews will be an essential part of my thesis. I will like to figure out what the consequences of this technology will be as well as how it actually works. Part of my time will be spent in Los Angeles. As one of my mentors for this paper I have spent time with Jan Kristensen former Director of Microsoft, COO of Norman, Vice President Tandberg Display, Director at UPC to understand and evaluate the changes and future aspects of the rapidly changing Digital Media world.

Film and technology goes hand in hand. There are unlimited possibilities for the filmmakers through use of technology. Production companies race to create the most spectacular movies by again and again pushing new technological boundaries. The digital revolution has paved ways for filmmakers with no more than good ideas utilizing visual effect. Cheaper production equipment makes it possible to produce movies at a fraction of the cost of a 35mm film production. The film industry is currently challenged by the fast changing progress in technology, and the big movie studios are now facing a reality that involves rethinking current production methods and distribution models. The digital impact is hitting so hard that it is turning and twisting the way movies are produced, distributed and finally consumed. Being fresh out of college with a degree in project management and producing for film and television, it feels right for me to choose this exiting subject for my master s thesis. My area of interest lays within the digital revolution and its impact for future producers. I ve been introduced to a new real time visual effects technology, The Gausst Process , that is pushing the boundaries for film productions and develops computer generated images combined with live action, in real time live on set. After working with Gausst for almost 2 years, there has opened up a whole set of new concepts and ideas directly linked to the process. This paper will therefore not only cover the insight regarding the film industry alone but set the scene for a true interaction between the hemisphere of all emerging digital medias involving film and film-making, gaming and of course setting it all up together using the world wide web. The technology is currently being introduced in the heart of Hollywood by Gausst Inc. a California based company. Gausst is a real time visual effects company involved in all sorts of film and video productions. I wish to take an in-depth look at Gausst for my master thesis main theme. What impact does the Gausst technology have on the production process in terms of filmmakers directly (actors, directors, cinematographers), investors, producers and of course how can this exiting way of using the true digital media affect other related industries.

PRIMARY GOAL How will the producer need to restructure when using the Gausst technology? To answer this question I will go in-depth and see what this technology has to offer and how it functions. What is the real-time graphics potential impact for the film industry? SECONDARY GOAL I will go in-depth and get an overview of how the visual effects productions are produced today as opposed to the new way through the Gausst technology. Is the new method a beginning of a new way to create and produce better movies? If so, how will the productions be set up? THIRD GOAL Explain the emerging markets especially within gaming to better understand and debate the different ways of implementing the Gausst way of thinking into much more commercialized areas. Gaming is one of the world s fastest growing digital arenas, and film and gaming are more and more coming together with both content and co-production. Like movies as Spiderman, Batman, Beowulf, Simpson where the game was launched at the same time as the movie with the same story-line. Gaming has become the new multibillion dollar market that attracts developers and studios from all around the world all trying to get their piece of the rapidly growing business. FOURTH GOAL How can the Gausst principle affect IP applications like facebook, socializing networks, video-conferencing, portals and much more? New generations lead the way in how the World Wide Web is being used. With the emerging markets of both hardware and software allowing us to be virtually connected to each other every day at any place the Gausst process lead the way for many interesting thoughts. By both practical examples and underlying theory I suggest new applications, and alter some existing. I will concentrate my time on what happens to Gausst in the USA and hence that spend much of my time in Los Angeles. The rest of my 2 years will be spent interviewing and exploring the generic world of the Digital Media in many shapes and sizes. I have decided to do a master thesis (MEVIT 4090). As the principle of the Gausst process takes basis in the film world the first part of my thesis will be devoted to the film industry both existing and reflecting on the future. In the movie making part of the thesis, I will need to complete a practical part before I can address the theoretical part. In the practical part I will do in-depth research based on interviews as well as take part in productions as a production assistant. In the theoretical part I will take a critical approach - a theoretical reflection of movie making with visual effects, it s and language, and theme. These parts will relate to each other by using the practical part as material for the theoretical, analytical reflection in the written thesis. In other areas like gaming and the world of internet I use the web itself, and extensive interviews and practical examples together with leading people from world renowned companies. My main method for research will be research through: Learning books containing technology, economy, film production, project management, film history, journalism, Magazines and the internet all relating to my thesis. Interviews with key people like Stein Gausereide, CEO of Gausst, other relevant people from Universal Digital Services, current people in production companies contemplating to use this technology, and people within the movie industry using this technology. Interviews with people within companies like Microsoft to better understand the constant changing Digital world in order to better reflect over the years and solutions to come. I will attend Gausst shoots, take notes, discover, reflect, evaluate and document the work. The key topic however is not to dwell on all the technical aspects of the Gausst technology as such but to use that platform as basis for my vision of how this process can evolve into bringing virtual reality and real-life experiences into practical usage across different Digital platforms. My key interpretation of my paper is to discover ways of combining technology and theory into real life applications and services that cater to the common consumer, both in the professional workplace and in the one-to-one consumer world. Therefore my study and this paper could be considered as a template for re-thinking generic services and systems in use today into an interactive two way working environment. In my paper I have included 10 different approaches to commonly known application and services now existing. I have applied my thinking, and the virtual and visual effects and at the same time letting Gausst be a starting example of how to combine tools to create a new result. With reference to basic study, and background information I have spent most of my time using people and valuable inputs to form my ideas. I would also probably spend time after finishing my Masters degree to further develop some of these ideas and thinking into practical working models. I will use my network in the US and Norway to find answers. Interviews will be an essential part of my thesis. I will like to figure out what the consequences of this technology will be as well as how it actually works. Part of my time will be spent in Los Angeles. As one of my mentors for this paper I have spent time with Jan Kristensen former Director of Microsoft, COO of Norman, Vice President Tandberg Display, Director at UPC to understand and evaluate the changes and future aspects of the rapidly changing Digital Media world.