22 Web Design Critique Websites To Help get feedback

These are 22 sites to get feedback on do's and dont's for web design and helpful hints to make your site the best. We have learned throughout our enrollment here that its tough out there and you have to be able to take criticism. well what better way then by professionals before turning a project in or submitting a job for a client.

Jen Fowler

??Blog 2 Blog??

This is a another blog type deal with tons of helpful information for web, graphic or logo design. This blog is made by Jacob Cass and he is a graphic, web, and logo designer. Great information and many help sites as well. Hope this helps.

~Jen Fowler

Hitchcockian Techniques

I was search through google the other day and came across this site, I found it helpful and interesting. What makes this site great is the fact that they tell how to use the same techniques as Alfred Hitchcock. This site also has a list of all of the Macguffins in all of his movies.


Chris Mugavero

What a good movie

The other day I watch the movie The Fighter, and thought to myself what a great movie. I was really impress with the story and the acting done by Christian Bale. He acted out his part so well, that at the end of the movie they show the real people that the movie is based for and Christian Bale acted just like Dicky.



Chris Mugavero

1UP

Do you need more gaming news then you can handle, do you even have to ask? 1UP is a site that will never disappoint with some truly detailed reviews and up to date news. Plus there ABC style reviewing score is something we can all relate to.

Crysis 2

Crysis 2 is nearly here and I know many of you can't wait to dawn the nano suit once more. After a amazing first game and fairly short sequel deemed Crysis Warhead the true sequel is here. So what are you waiting for super soldier go save New York!

Matthew Ruby

video production info

This site has a ton of information regarding creating your own video. It takes you through the pre-production, production, and post production & editing stages. There's also information on video marketing and websites, and it's a great source for someone who is trying to start their own business in this field.

-Cassy Crow

Fight scenes from Equilibrium

The movie Equilibrium is an action/drama/sci-fi movie that was released in 2002. It stars Christian Bale as the main character, along with Taye Diggs, Sean Bean and Emily Watson. This video is a compilation of all the best action/fight scenes in the film and I love it!

-Cassy Crow

facial expressions

Facial expressions and motions in movies and on TV are just as if not more important that dialog itself. An actors facial expression can tell an entire story without a word being said. This sight chronicles some common facial expressions that make or break a movie.

Chris Johnson

Voice Acting 101

This is a great sight for voice actors. It explains the ins and outs of how to throw your voice for radio, TV, commercials, and movies. It is not as easy as people think! Since there is no visuals involved, it is crucial that the voice actor pronounce correctly, speak clearly, and explain every little detail so that the listener doesn't miss anything.

Chris Johnson

Typography on the Web

I thought this was a very interesting article about choosing type for the Web. With so many type choices out there it was hard to read the quote by Zuzana Licko which was “We read best what we read most.” The examples they give on how to choose your type is very helpful.

Sandy Fox

Nowhere Boy

http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi1754859033/

I watched this movie last night and it was a really good movie (not just because I'm a huge Beatles fan).  This movie is an independent UK film that was released in 2009.  It follows John Lennon as a kid in Liverpool and shows the beginning of his journey to fame.

_Dan Dziurgot

The Fighter on DVD this week

http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi2330986777/

Last year's boxing movie, "The Fighter", comes out on DVD and BluRay this week.  This movie stars Mark Wahlberg and Christian Bale, who are both very good actors.  The movie follows the story of legendary boxer Mickey Ward; Mark Wahlberg takes the lead role as Mickey.

_Dan Dziurgot

Pianos, violins, microphones and more all in Photoshop brushes

Do you love music? Why not express it in photoshop? This website has 218 free musical brushes that have been collected onto one website to allow you to download whatever musical image you might need.

Sandy Fox

Sanctum & Source Code

The movie Sanctum, and Source Code look like two real good movies to see. The movies have good story lines, excitement through out the movie, and great movie effects.

Mary Fatigato

Movie Maker Forums

This looks like a good site for tips on movie maker. This site shows many how to tips such as effects, titles, sound, movie maker tips, tutorials, forums, and much more.

Mary Fatigato

Creating Perfect Solitude for Creative Focus

Winter is usually the time of year when I feel the least creative. Found an article that lists some really easy solutions on how to get back that creative energy. So simple that it seems a little silly, but it works.


- Elisa Greco

Movie Title Stills Collection

It never occurred to me how important movie title sequences are until I was watching some movies on Turner Classic and realized how outdated they were. This site shows how opening sequences have evolved from the earliest films to the most recent. Warning: very image heavy!


- Elisa Greco

Guillermo del Toro To Direct Epic Monster Movie

Guillermo del Toro is prepping his next film "Pacific Rim" about “big monsters and the creation of a new world.” del Toro has a pretty awesome imagination and has made some wonderful films so this could be pretty neat. Hellboy was pretty cool (2 sucked) and Pans Labyrinth was awesome so im pretty pumped about this idea

Sean Paulish

Conan Gets A New Trailer, Looks Like Crap

the teaser for the new Conan the Barbarian flick came out recently. It's directed by Marcus Nispel (Texas Chainsaw Massacre remake, Friday the 13th remake) which is no reason to be confident that this will be any good at all, but at least its only a teaser. But no Arnold? No thanks

Sean Paulish

Cancer PSA

I also really love this PSA too. It is interesting and funny. It also appeals to all types of age groups.

Nicole Mason

Google Scholar

This is relatively new, as I have not yet heard about it, but it is in the beta so it has been around. It searches scholarly literature across a bunch of sources. Some sources include theses, journals, abstracts and books.

Matt S

Seat Belt PSA

This is the most amazing PSA I have ever seen. It is so powerful and creative. People should really pay attention to this.

Nicole Mason

Design.

I can not stress enough that design is the most important thing about art. This is a new design for a soda bottle. It is simple, it is visually pleasing, it is well designed, and most importantly it will sell more just because it is a new design.

Color.

Color is a big part of every artistic endeavor. It is what always brings out the true statement of what you are doing. However, sometimes it is not easy to come up with color schemes that fit what you are doing so here are some examples of great color pallets.

Lorem Ipsum Generator

Lorem Ipsum is used as a model for layouts and web pages. Although not used in the final version, when determining a layout and you need a normal distribution of words, this Lorem Ipsum generator will produce as many lines, paragraphs, words that you need. And the reason it is used is because it looks like readable English as opposed to writing content in a box.

Matt S.

RANGO

I saw Rango in the theatre yesterday, and it was GREAT. The animation was fantastic, and I laughed so hard I cried. Gore Verbinski's approach at "emotion capture" was clearly a great idea.

Cara Ferguson

Photo Gallery

For those who do photography as a hobbie or as a job, you can take a look at this web site. It has many interesting galleries all year round, and many people are still posting no matter what time of year. Maybe you can get some inspiration.

Zach Zitkus

Photoshop Tutorials

I have been a little stressed on how to do some photohop techniques. I have used this web site the most this quarter. I hope whoever needs help will use this to get their work done.

Zach Zitkus

Independent help

I read though this site the other day and found some of it very helpful and informative. It's always good to listen to advice of those that have been doing what you want to do for a long time. He breaks the site down into different parts of production for an independent film maker.


Chris Mugavero

It's here!

Canon filnally did it, they made a good thing better. Your probably wondering what I am talking about, well Canon just came out with a new DSLR camera the Rebel T3I. It's the first of it's kind a total professional grade camera now at a consumer price range and it has a flip out LCD screen.



Chris Mugavero

Current Filming in Chicago

Currently the TV series Playboy is being filmed in Chicago. Production started two weeks ago, and will be completed about March 28Th. Filming is being done at Miegs Field, Chicago Studio City, and other locations around the Chicago land area.

Mary Fatigato

Reel Chicago

This is a good site to check out if you want to know about movies being filmed in the area, and past movies. This is a very informative website about movie production, film making, and much more. "The Boss" Shoots on March 12 for 8 episodes.

Mary Fatigato

Ascii Art

Need a image to be converted entirely out of text? How about some really cool fonts for your favorite words? Well check out Ascii Art because it can make some pictures into something special as well as make some fonts you've never seen before.

Matthew Ruby

Secrets of Web Design

This site is promoting a book called WEB DESIGNERS HANDBOOK, but the information covered on the other pages is worth taking a look at. It covers web design do's and don'ts and HTML Codes. It also has a page of free or really cheap web design tools.

Sandy Fox

Killer Sites

This site has some good information in their articles and tutorials. Many of them have a fee attached, but there are free tutorials. Some of the information is basic and a review for us, but is a good review.

Sandy Fox

Unity 3

Ever wanted to build your game using an incredible engine to back up your idea? Well Unity 3d is a extremely useful game development tool to help you do just that. The tutorials are easy and fun to follow as you watch your creation come to life.

Matthew Ruby

???Textures???

Awesome water color textures and much more all over this site. I love it and it is 100% free. check it out.

Jen fowler

Another 3D movie?

INCEPTION!!!!!!! One movie I would definately not mind seeing in 3D ....It is not for Sure yet, but who knows. With all the other duds we sure could use a good movie in 3D.

Jen Fowler

filmmaking tips

This site was created by director/producer Peter D. Marshall, who has 37 years experience in the film/tv industry. There are all kinds of tips, courses, a bookstore, workshops, information about script breakdown and film scheduling and directing the actor, just to name a few. This was especially designed for independent filmmakers, and there is a ton of resources to learn from.

-Cassy Crow

movie reviews/info

This site is great because it has so much information on movies and shows. You can read in-depth reviews, watch trailers, interviews with actors, lists of top movies in theaters, dvd new releases and more. It's also easy to navigate and is worth checking out!

-Cassy Crow

What Your Email Address Says About You

We all have an email address we use more than any other. I have 2 main google mail accounts, a trash Yahoo mail account, and 2 other Google Mail accounts for this and my previous school. What does this say about me? - Ashley

Looking Back This Ash Wednesday At An Old Classic

The Evil Dead series is an oldie-but-goodie. Many directors can be recognized by their style of filmmaking (they're referred to as "auteurs") and Sam Raimi is no exception. Compare this scene from Evil Dead 2 with Spiderman 2 and you'll see what I mean.

Cara Ferguson

Green Screens

This video highlights some of the do's and don'ts when using a green screen. All video and animation editors could benefit from proper green screen techniques. I have used green screens when shooting certain scenes for amateur music videos, and it works great if you do it correctly!

Chris Johnson

Street Fighter Break Dancer

Don't worry, the baby was not harmed in this clip! Aside from the humor and craziness of this clip, it shows how people with good audio editing skills can incorporate different sound effects. For all of you audio/visual editors out there, this is a good example of how changing the audio sound effects can change the meaning of a piece of film. I have used that technique myself, taking audio sound effects from mortal combat and incorporating them into my own videos.

Chris Johnson

ET Finale Voted Most Powerful Cinematic Moment

The finale to Spielberg's ET was recently voted the most powerful moment in cinema history. It beat out the heavyweight championship fight from Rocky, the end of Toy story 3 and the last stand made by Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid by taking over 30% of the vote.

Sean Paulish

Interesting Designs

This site is full of interesting graphic designs. The only thing that can make this site better is if it gave you tutorials on how to create every image. Besides that however, the navigation of the site is very interesting.

_Joe Tegeler

Insperation is sometimes hard to come by

Sometimes you have to go looking for inspiration because it doesn't always find you. This site has links to some very interesting websites to get ideas flowing.

_Joe Tegeler

So I Guess "Up" Could Really Happen

Some scientists actually lifted up a house with a bunch of balloons just like in the movie Up. I don't know if there was a cranky old man and a chubby little kid on hand to make it official, but they at least got the house off the ground

Sean Paulish

Art & Copy Film

ART & COPY Trailer from ART & COPY on Vimeo.

A documentary film about the positive effect that advertisements have had on the art world. Art & Copy takes a look at some of the most infamous campaigns and slogans that are still popular even after many years. Interesting take considering most people tend to focus on the negative impact of over advertising.


- Elisa Greco

Facebook Comments on ANY Website?

Last week Facebook rolled out a new plug-in for blogs and other websites, which will ask readers to log-in to Facebook before leaving a comment. Do you think forcing people to keep this "identification tag" will provide a more authentic experience on the internet? Would you use it?

-Ashley Mitchell

Why Users Fill Out Forms Faster with Top Aligned Elements

Top aligned elements are faster to fill out than left to right aligned elements in forms. The diagram above shows where your eyes usually move in the forms. As a web designer, you want to make it as easy as possible for users to provide information/feedback. Personally, I agree with this concept but it is obviously based on opinion and visual preference.

Dori Rivera

3D Modeling Tutorials

I have only used a 3d program once while I was in a Java/C++ programming class. I had a hard time figuring it out, but a lot of people create some VERY realistic stuff using these programs! In case anyone is interested in 3D modeling, here are some tutorials.

Dori Rivera

Battle: Los Angeles

http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi3897661977/

This movie looks pretty interesting and seems like it could be a good new sc-fi movie.  I hope that it has a lot of action and beautiful looking special effects.  It has a few familiar actors and actresses, which is one thing that will sell some viewers, so well see how it does.

_Dan Dziurgot

The Walking Dead on DVD

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1520211/

The Walking Dead is a new TV series that was released at the end of 2010.  It was a pretty good show that covered one of my favorite topics, ZOMBIES! I am excited to hear that they are finally releasing it on DVD this week, so if you get a chance to check it out do so.

_Dan Dziurgot

Periodic Table of Elements

This is a periodic table constructed with different html tags. When you click on the element, it tells you what it does. Also, they are all categorized - I just think the concept is pretty interesting.

Dori Rivera

Water For Elephants

This movie looks so amazing to me. I can't wait to see it! The cast is just so brilliant.

Nicole Mason

Arthur

I am always a little iffy on remakes. And I really love the original Arthur alot. But this actually looks very funny. I hope it is good.

Nicole Mason

Good Editing Helps Create Compelling Stories

Here, Andy Coughlan outlines how to create a compelling story through editing. He tells us how to take the audience on a adventure and break our hearts at the same time. Coughlan reminds us that less is more, and simple cuts are always better than fancy transitions.

Cara Ferguson

Domani Studios

Domani studios specializes in interactive design. They have a New York and Chicago office. Anyone interested in interactive design should check them out, they want interns.


Matt s.

Statistics website for all your stat needs

This website is a great place to find statistics for almost anything. For any kind of design or need for statistics this is the place to go. You also won't have to seem like
you made it up ever again.


Matt S.

AMAZING NEW SOCIAL NETWORK WITH OVER 10,000,000 USERS!

So I found this great new social network site, I have found a ton of my new friends and it has filled a huge void in my life. I Have even heard figures of popular culture are on this too.
Check it out!!!

Nicholas Bennett

Paper Sculptures

Sometimes (for me anyway) it's exhausting to constantly be surrounded by technology. Check out some paper sculptures crafted entirely by hand, made by Jeff Nishinaka. Maybe it will inspire more people to dust off those supplies collecting dust next to the computer.

- Elisa Greco

Nintendo3DS

The new Nintendo 3DS is now going to be able to play and record 3D video along with 3D movies and photos. I'm excited to see the lenticular 3D screen and extremely improved graphics. With even more capabilites than any other portable system in history, this will become very popular in tennagers, young adults, and even adults. The system is meant for ages 7 and up if using 3D. If the 3D slider is shut off to 2D, children under 7 can play. (All due to health reasons and more violent, mature games.)

Austin S

3D Star Wars

The Star Wars saga is being converted and released in 3D, beginning at the end of 2011/ beginning of 2012. Each will be released in order starting from Episode I and each one year apart. Industrial Light and Magic is doing the conversions, so I'm sure they'll be done properly.

Austin S

Xbox.com

Do you have a Gamer tag, of course you do. This is a incredibly well built site that allows you to control nearly everything you can do on your Xbox 360 plus more. If you want to check anything about the Xbox 360 but your not near a console then this is easily the next best thing.

Matthew Ruby

Photoshop Tutorials

This is your one stop shop for anything related to Photoshop. Anything your looking to create or if you need help with a specific tool then you will easily find a tutorial for it. If you can imagine it but don't know how to make it a reality then this site can easily help you.

Matthew Ruby

Coming soon!!!

I was looking up the other day different sites that allow me to see what's coming soon and when. Then I found This site and I was amazed at how much info this site will provide, it has everything from forums to new trailers. I found this especially helpful when was trying to find out when some new movies release date.


Chris Mugavero

A little added help

I have always found it easier to watch something getting done, thats why I enjoy and learn more from watching videos and clips on things I want to learn. Anything from a new technic to picking out the best shot. On this site I have found a couple of the tutorial videos useful and interesting.


Chris Mugavero

Shortcuts Short Film Contest

The Illinois Film Office web page is featuring a Short Film Contest. You must be a resident of Illinois, and at least 18 years of age. The winner will receive a cash prize, and be screened during the Chicago International Film Festival in October.

Mary Fatigato

Chicago Studio City

This is a good site if you are looking for a Full Service Independent Studio. They have full service equipment, and they have four stages available for rent. Many films have been filmed at Chicago Studio City.

Mary Fatigato

Get On Deck

I found this to be a very interesting concept for a website. It is an advertising network focused on reaching creative, web and design professionals. Even though they are advertisements, I found a wealth of information by checking out the different companies. I even found a company that if it were in Chicago, I would be interested in working for.

Sandy Fox

Kinetic Typography - The Art of Arguement

The Art of Argument from Bryan Villagonzalo on Vimeo.

Kinetic Typography is the art of using just typography to create objects or movement. Sometimes used in commercials or film, kinetic type is a fun way of combining something originally used for print and meshing it with video. Check out more examples at inspirationfeed.com

- Elisa Greco

Arthouse Films

Hey Guys,
If you like watching movies you should check these films out. They are amazing for the filmmaking and stylized approach that the director took to tell each individual story.
thanks guys

Nicholas Bennett
www.facebook.com/snugBARE

Graphic Designers unite!

Hey guys,
I thought the graphic designers would appreciate this. There's some great links to some awesome resources. Check it out.

Nicholas Bennett
www.facebook.com/snugBARE

83rd Annual Academy Awards

For the 83rd Annual Academy Awards this year, they did more than just hire young hosts to make the show more accessible to the younger crowds. The powers that be hired fantastic editors to create montages for the best picture nominees. The first one was used to open the show, and the second was an introduction to the award for best picture.

Cara Ferguson

Tarantino Is Going To Make A Western

Supposedly Quentin Tarantino has wriiten the script for his next movie which will be a western starring Christoph Waltz. How cool would it be to see a Tarantino western? Pretty cool if you ask me

Sean Paulish

Rubber

This movie is about a killer tire with telekinetic powers named Robert. I swear to god. I am not making this up so check it out ondemand or itunes. it looks awesome

Sean Paulish

Is a redesign in order?

This is a very interesting site showing 50 examples of redesigns. It is amazing the differences when you see the old next to the new. It is also surprising how some of the redesigns are so subtle, but make such an improvement.

Sandy Fox

30 Colorful Websites That Won't Make Your Eyes Bleed

Sometimes too many colors in a design can be a little much. Design Instruct gives a list of 30 colorful sites that are inspiring and eye catching without being an eye sore. The Amazee Labs one is my favorite, which one is yours?

- Elisa Greco

Kung Fu Panda 2

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YdaMGcOyfjM&feature=relmfu

This is a trailer for Kung Fu Panda 2, which comes out on May 26th of this year.  The first Kung Fu Panda was great; it had a great cast, a great storyline, and many laughs.  I'm very excited for this movie and I hope they make it a lot like the first one with a new story of course.

_Dan Dziurgot

Captain America: The First Avenger

http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi2993723929/

This is the next movie introducing one of the main heroes that is part of the Avengers team.  This movie comes out in July and is based on Marvel's Captain America character.  I am interested to see what they do with this movie; it could either be awesome like Iron Man or fail miserably like the first Hulk movie.

_Dan Dziurgot

Oscar Speech.

This is by far my favorite speech. It is when Sally Field won for Places In The Heart. It has the infamous line said by Sally, "You like me, you really like me!". This speech is adorable and emotional. Plus she is one of my favorite actress ever!

Nicole Mason

This Blows My Other Post Out of the Water.

Design and Ingenuity is a big part on how you make sales. I believe this will do very well on the market because of these aspects. It is well designed, it is practical, it is not overcomplicated, and that is why I think this product will sell very well.

_Joe Tegeler

Creative Designs

I am not sure how well this keyboard will do on the market. However it is a very creative twist on an old idea. All I know is that I want this keyboard.

_Joe Tegeler

Music Video Fail

For anyone interested in music video production, this video is an example of what not to do! It also speaks to a broader point about rappers faking it before they make it.

Chris Johnson

Oscar Speech.

I thought it would be a cool idea to post my all time two favorite Oscars speeches since they were just on last night. This is when Tom Hanks won for Philadelphia. It is an amazing and emotional speech. And it is my second favorite speech.

Nicole Mason

Podcast

This sight has a vast collection of podcast for every type of person. Its a great sight for those looking to learn the different styles of podcast recording. Some audio production and video production students could use this information. This sight is great for me because I can use to get ideas and concepts for my audio classes.

Chris Johnson

Disney Magic

Follow the link to hear Disney Sound Engineers walk through the process of creating the sound features for Disneyland. Having been there myself, I loved figuring out where the speakers are and how many I thought were there. It's an entertaining look into the process.

- Ashley Mitchell

More Oscars

I was very happy Tim Burton's Alice In Wonderland was recognized for Best Art Direction and Costume Design. It was definitly my favorite movie the past year because of the great CGI, story, and charm. Toy Story 3 won Best Animated Film. It was also nominated for Best Picture, which the nomination was well deserved. Inception also caught a few awards which I personally beleive it deserved more.
-Austin S

Oscars

The Oscars were on tonight, which has been very anticitpated this year due to all the phenominal films released. The King's Speech won Best Picture, with Colin Firth and Natalie Portman catching the Best Actor/Actress categories.
-Austin S

127 Hours

http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi768149785/

I don't really know too much about this movie besides what I have seen in the trailer.  Is this based on a true story or is this something that is made up?  I think I'm going to check this movie out because it seems interesting and James Franco is a decent actor.

_Dan Dziurgot

Hangover 2

http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi1262721561/

This is the sequel to the first hangover, which comes out very soon.  It has all the original cast in the first movie, which will help sell the movie.  However, I am curious to see if they can succeed in making a second funny hangover movie.

_Dan Dziurgot

What's the cost?

Have you ever wonder how much or what it takes to film in the city of Chicago? Well I was wondering that very same thing until I came across this website that tells you what the rates are as well as what permits are needed to film. But that's not all this website also has film festivals informations as well as film organizations. I found this site to be very helpful.


Chris Mugavero

And the winner is

Unfortunately I didn't get the chance to watch the awards that took place today, but being a film major only thought it would only be appropriate that I at least see who won. So I found a website that has all of the nomination and winners on their page



Chris mugavero

Blingee Photo Editing- non professional

I have used this site for years. I would not recommend it for professional photo work but it is a fun boredom killer. There is also a Blingee Plus that you can download with more features.

Jen Fowler

Destructoid

This site was created by gamers for gamers and they could not of been more closer to the truth. This site has tons of video game news and its update constantly. They got anything and everything you could possibly want out of a gaming site so what are you waiting for.

Matthew Ruby

Just Achieve It!

Ever want to make your own Xbox 360 achievement? Well now's your chance thanks to this neat little site. Simply create a name and give it score and you instantly have your own personalized achievement.

Matthew Ruby

a life saving app?

This mag light flashlight app is seriously a lifesaver. After being stranded on i90 at night with a flat tire with no street lights I am so glad i have this app. It is a very bright light that comes from the camera flash.

Jen Fowler

Waiting for Superman

I personally have watched this movie and it was actually very insightful. The American education system is alot worse off than i had thought. I strongly recommend this movie.

Jen Fowler

textures

This site has a lot of fun unique textures, a lot of which I have used personally. They are all free but you can only download 20 textures per day or you will be blocked out and have to buy the remainder for that day. I 100% recommend the site.

Jen Fowler

Amazing Audio Illusions

This website features 10 illusions using sound. #5 is my favorite. It shows an awesome technique using two separate microphones to create the illusion of space around the listener.

--Alex Gord

Are you worthy?

This is a great site if you are needing creative inspiration. It is a contest site for people to enter their best work. Whether you are a photoshopper, a photographer, an illustrator or a writer, check this out and see if your work is worthy.

Sandy Fox

Looking for free webtemplates?

This is a great site for free web templates. They have them broken down in several categories to make it easier to find what you are looking for. If you are willing to spend a little money they break them down into more specific categories to make it even easier.

Sandy Fox

Just in case you need another reason to play video games...

This video explains how video games can be a good thing and actually help us all in the long run. It sounds too good to be true, but if you watch the whole thing, it all makes sense. I think she makes some very good points.

--Alex Gord

New Final Cut Pro 64 bit Landing Spring 2011

Word has it that New Final Cut Pro 64 bit Landing Spring 2011 will be available. The new final Cut Pro will support 64 bit systems, and this is the first time in over ten years that their has been an overhaul with the product. The Original version was created over ten years ago.

Mary Fatigato

How to Make Movies on a Computer

This site has some information on How to Make Movies on a Computer. You can click on a number of links, and view, and learn about how to filmmaking tips. This site is only a quick over view for someone interest in filmmaking.

Mary Fatigato

three point lighting

This video gave the basic run-down of the three point lighting set-up. It explains the key light, fill light, back light, where they should be placed and also the effect they have on your actor. Even though this video wasn't made all that well (and the music is terrible!), I think I learned more from it than the lighting class I'm currently taking.

-Cassy Crow

Crunching depth of field

This video gave two great examples of deceptive camera angles that you can use to really pull the audience in. The first was a woman getting hit by a car, even though in real life she was far from the vehicle. The other was tips on how to shoot a fight scene, and although it wasn't the greatest video these are tips I would definitely love to try out.

-Cassy Crow

Broad Band Access

President Obama is pledging to extend broad-band internet to 98 percent of the country, specifically targeting rural areas that don't traditionally have access. He claims this will create of 5000 new jobs and will help the flow of information,thus helping re-education the population and that in turn will create jobs. I think its a noble cause to help the free flow of information. I'm just not so sure this will actually be achievable considering our polarized political climate, but my fingers are crossed.

Chris Johnson

Final Cut Pro 7

Final Cut Pro 7 is the latest film and sound editing software for macs. It is the best program for editing and compiling video and soundtracks. I use it all the time, specifically with soundtrack editing and for editing projects for school. Anyone looking to learn how to be a professional studio editor, check it out!!

Chris Johnson

Google is on top deal with it Bing

Google caught Bing stealing its search results. Google will always be on top search engine wise and Bing tried to catch up the lazy way. You don't mess with the top dog Bing.

_Joe Tegeler

Are you tired of giving your email away?

Spambox creates an email address for you to use. You can use this email for websites or when you are buying something at a store that send you things you do not want. You can set this address to delete everything every hour or whatever time frame you want.

_Joe Tegeler

ANDROID PHONE USERS: MUST HAVE APP!!!

Hey Classmates,

With the android market starting to surpass the iPhone market I felt i should let you guys know about a fun app to pass the time. NESoid is a application that allows you to play old nintendo games on your android phone. Some cost money but this one does not. the downer to this is that the lite version won't let you save your progress in the games you are playing so if you are an avid gamer such as myself spend the 3-4 bucks for the full version and let your productivity fall through the floor. This one is for super nintendo but there are other for other systems...

1. psx4droid (a Playstation one emulator)
2. Tiger FC/NES Emulator v1.0.8 (a super nintendo emulator, FREE FULL VERSION)
3. Wiimote controller ( a wii controller app that lets you use a wii controller to play the games on your phone via bluetooth. There are restrictions to which phones this is compatable with, ex. Galaxy S phones and as far as I could tell all samsung phones, I know for a fact wont work because that is what I have.)

Enjoy and tell your friends

Nicholas Bennett

www.facebook.com/snugBARE

Photoshop ideas, and techniques

I use this website for ideas, and to learn new techniques. I don't use it all the time, but use it enough to help me with my Image Manipulation class. It could help you one day.

Zach Zitkus

911 Calls Dropped

During a blizzard in Maryland thousands of people attempted to call emergency services. However, their calls were dropped. 10,000 calls to be exact.

-Ashley Mitchell

Re-Imagined Movie Posters - Which One is your Favorite?

Just another example of how typography can be art. Designer Jared Gibson takes some of his favorite movies and recreates the posters using minimal graphics and a lot of type. You can even order a print of your favorite to tack up on your wall.

- Elisa Greco

27 Sequels in 2011, The Most Ever

Is there no room for originality in Hollywood anymore? I don't know, but this article kinda makes me think so. Are 27 sequels necessary? Again, i dont know but I'm kinda biased because i cant wait to see Big Mommas House 3. kidding, I'm kidding...

Sean Paulish

350 Textures

No one wants to sit online browsing textures for an hour. If you are a designer, bookmark this website! There are tons of high resolution images split into categories, (such as: grunge, paper, fabric, wood, patterns, etc) making it easy to find exactly what designs you are looking for.

Dori Rivera

Why Is Rob Zombie Still Allowed to Make Movies?

Rob Zombie is out hyping up his next flick, "The Lords of Salem", which is about the Salem witch trials or something. i used to like his music but this guys movies all suck really really bad and his comics are so awful they are practically unreadable. His Halloween remake was so terrible i didn't even bother to check out the 2nd one...

Sean Paulish

Red Sonja Back On Track

Exciting news for this Red Sonja fan. The new movie, which has been stalled in pre-production for the last 3 years, has finally been given new blood with a new director and star. Simon West (Lara Croft: Tomb Raider and The Mechanic) will be directing, and newcomer Amber Heard (Drive Angry) will get the title role.

Cara Ferguson

"What's Good Should Also Be What's Commercial"

For the first time in at least a decade, this year's Best Picture nominees are making money. Two of them were the year's biggest films, Inception and Toy Story 3, 5 more have passed the $85 million mark, with 3 of those well on their way to passing $100. Adult audiences have spoken, according to the LA Times, and they're saying they want more story driven films available to them.

Cara Ferguson

Color Trends

A post featuring lots of examples of current color trends in the design world and how they differ from coast to coast. *Hint* Brown is the new black! If you're not into color, there are a lot of pictures and some great illustrations to get inspiration from.

- Elisa Greco

IMDbPro

https://secure.imdb.com/signup/index.html

IMDbpro is a website for people in the film-making industry and for people trying to get into the film-making industry.  The website costs about fifteen dollars per month, but includes the contact information for over 80,000 actors, directors, and producers.  The membership also includes over 30,000 company's employee contact details in the industry.

_Dan Dziurgot

Unknown

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1401152/

I watched the trailer for this movie and was really impressed by how exciting this thriller looks.  I'm expecting a very solid story with some unique plot twists that will carry the story throughout.  I was very impressed with Taken, which was one of Liam Neeson's latest movies, so I'm excited to see his next action movie.

_Dan Dziurgot

ForCG.com

ForCg.com is an interesting website with tutorials and resources for many different mediums from games to digital painting. Forcg also showcases some amazing artwork on their website. With drop down menus you can find what you're looking for quickly.

Matt S.

Mental Floss: Giving your mind knowledge

Mentalfloss.com is a website that has a collection of quotes. It also has a magazine portion and trivia on the site as well. Well designed and worth checking out if you want to learn something.

Matt S.

Slow Down to Speed

For those that like to capture things at a slower pace. I found this website and found it interesting that someone can special order a camera to fit their needs, depending on what they need it for. If one wants they can special order a camera that can film at 500 fps and capture something amazing in slow motion.


Chris Mugavero

3D Acheivement Awards

We saw many 3D movies in theaters this past year, but few stand out as the bes of the year. Alice in Wonderland won Outstanding Acheivment in 2D to 3D Conversion. Tron: Legacy won best 3D feature, and Tangled took best 3D scene. What about Resident Evil: Afterlife? It had one of the best 3D visuals and special effects of the year.

Sanctum 3D - Disapointing

The new film with James Cameron's name plastered all over it, 'Sanctum' fails to live up to anything you;d expect from him. Terrible acting, flat characters, bland dialogue, terrible CGI and special effects, and $16 thrown into wasting 2 hours of your time. I would not reccomend this movie to anyone. Did anyone else see it an ahve any bad opinions? Good opinions?

Who knows?

I was searching through google the other day and came across this site. I read through it and most of it to be basic video technics, but the more you read the more indef it becomes. I thought this site is helpful and I hope to all that view it find it the same way.



Chris Mugavero

Simpsons Episodes

Do you like the Simpsons. . . of course you do. The Simpsons have 400 something episodes to date and that numbers only increasing. Watch any episode you want thanks to this fantastic fan site.

The Escapist

Got a itch for a humorous review of a specific game or just want some up to date video game news? Head over to The Escapist for both of these and more. If your just looking to kill some time or just wanna watch the daily drop then this sites perfect for you.

1 Million Color Palettes...and counting

I found out about colourlovers through twitter. It's a useful website that has great color combos for design projects as well as patterns. The patterns are a bit basic, but the color combinations are fantastic.


- Elisa Greco

Dragon Voice Recognition Software

The Dragon Voice Recognition Software is a great tool to use if you are writing a movie script. This allows you the choice of speaking with your voice, and documenting what you want to say faster than typing. When Writing a movie script sometime we speak faster then we type.


Mary Fatigato

Steps in Movie Making

This looks like a good link to check out if you are looking for the steps on how to make a movie. Other information that you would find within the link is how to become a movie producer. You need to consider many steps when creating a movie.


Mary Fatigato

Confused about em dashes and primes?

Do you know when to use a hypen, an em dash, quotations and primes? You may not think this is that important, but I just heard about two people who didn't get a job because they did not use these correctly in their portfolio. Secure that job by think with type and checking out this website for your punctuation questions and more.

Sandy Fox

Are you familiar with Lynda?

If you are not familiar with Lynda.com it is a website loaded with tutorials of all kinds. There is a fee to fully benefit from these, but the nice thing is that if the tutorial is underlined you can watch it for free. If you are new to Dreamweaver like I am you may find their tutorials are helpful.

Sandy Fox

The Voting Nun

While looking through one of my magazines for our last assignment, I came across this unlikely pairing: Actress/nun. After only six years and ten films, and joining the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, Dolores Hart retired from acting and joined a convent. Dolores still sends her votes to the Academy for acting and best picture categories, and you can get the scoop at ew.com.

Cara Ferguson

Hide and Seek

This is probably my favorite song of Imogen Heap. I love the music video so much. It is just so simple yet gorgeous.

Nicole Mason

Just keep Stumbling.

Everybody already knows about stumble upon, or at lest I'm pretty sure everybody already knows about it. It is a really good way to find what your interested in in a very short amount of time. I am pretty much addicted to it at the moment cause it really opens your eyes to how vast the internet is and how many interesting things are out there.

_Joe Tegeler

Computers on your wrist?

This is Sony's new concept for a computer that fits on your wrist. I think it is an interesting idea that can do very well in the market. However, they are going to have a lot of trouble with this product I'm sure.

The Scientist

This is my favorite Coldplay song and music video. It is probably one of my favorite music videos ever too. The concept is so creative. And I really love music videos that tell a story.

Nicole Mason

50 Awesome Examples of Typography

Something as simple as text can be used as an art form called Typography. Use your creativity and you can make beautiful graphics using different words, colors, fonts, spacing, size style, images, whatever you want.. These are 50 amazing examples of typography for your own inspiration.

Dori Rivera

50 Epic Fashionable Websites

This blog defines "high-fashion" as taking things over the edge; you want to get people's attention and spark interest in the clothing line. This can be done easily with a professionally designed website. It is important to use a mix of quality photography, marketing strategy, and effective design in order to create a great a fashion website.

Dori Rivera

Free EBooks That Don't Suck

Usually, when I hear the word "free" I assume the product is usually garbage or there is something wrong with it. This is not the case for WDL's 10 Free Ebook's for Web Designers. Available to read online or download a PDF, this is a great resource for students who are on a budget looking to learn more about design.

- Elisa Greco

Texturize your Images!!!!!

CHECK THIS OUT!!! For all of you photoshoppers and illustrators this is a really cool site that gives you large format images of great textures to use in your projects. It requires a sign up and you have a minimum amount file downloads but it's really great if used wisely.

Nicholas Bennett

COLOR SWATCHES GALORE!!!!

Hey guys. I found a great site that helps create color swatches for digital imaging and adobe design suite software. It's pretty dope. You can even download a photo and it designs a color scheme based on the photo. It's a beta program right now but once it's generated over one million users they will probably start charging for it.

www.kuler.adobe.com

Nicholas Bennett

Basic Color Temperature and other tips

I found this site helpful for my other class since we are required to take a lot of photographs, and I am a video student who has not had much experience in photography. It breaks down the theory behind color temperature, talks about white balance, and how to make an accurate color balance selection. It also goes into detail about white balance and RAW, dealing with mixed lighting, and gives tips for color correction.

-Cassy Crow

Internet Movie Database

This site was very helpful, especially for my Media Theory and Criticism class which is where I found out about it. They always have the top box office info and top movie lists. There's also information on TV, News, Video,an independent film section, award nominations, and more.

-Cassy Crow

Oprah TV

This sight is awesome for all you Oprah fans. She is an unstoppable force to be reckoned with! I love this sight and all the information on it because it lets you navigate deeper into Oprah-land. The video section is cool because it shows you personal stories and interactions with real people during their day to day lives. It's a great insight into the inner workings of a full network, dealing with TV, movies, magazines, web, radio, and much more.

Chris Johnson

Best Cinematography 2011

This is a cool sight for predicting who will win the best cinematography in 2011. Its nice because it lists all of the top contending movies. It also gives you information about the films so you can watch them and judge the cinematography for yourselves. I must agree with the predicted winner, Inception. It's a great movie and really pushes the fold on how cinematography all comes together.

Chris Johnson

Who Doesn't Love Commando?

This is a video of a small child in Africa explaining the plot of Arnold Schwarzenegger's magnum opus Commando. I don't know why, but i found this to be hilarious. I have seen this movie probably 50 times but this kids passion for the movie is so contagious i feel like i gotta go home and watch it again as soon as possible...

Uganda’s greatest action filmmaker is back!

this is a trailer for what will probably go down in history as the greatest Ugandan action film ever made. it looks so cheap but they obviously put a lot of effort into it. This movie had to be a blast to make...

Web Design Resource

This website is a simple resource that can teach just about anyone who wants tocreate a website. It has tutorials and images for more experienced designers. I find this site to be more for the beginners not for the more professional.

Zach Zitkus

Failing Hard Drives

Recently, I have bought a new computer thinking that it would help me do my projects for school. I found out that the computer I obtained has a failing hard drive. This website explains why they fail, and has links on how to reapair them.

Zach Zitkus

Hollywood Entertainment Breaking News

Hollywood Entertainment Breaking News has information about studios, producers, directors, actors and movies. Showing Oscar nominees, and current pilot information first hand. You can also sign up for breaking news to be sent to you from this website.

Mary Fatigato

50 Best Websites for Moviemaker 2009

50 Best Websites for Moviemakers is a great site to visit for someone that is interested in making movies. The links and information is countless that you find. The most up to date information in the film industry is available here.

Mary Fatigato

Justin Bieber Movie

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1702443/

What has the music business come to these days? Justin Bieber? What happened to groups like the beatles or led zeppelin? I don't understand the hype behind this kid; yeah he can sing, but so can everybody else.  I think that this is all a publicity stunt to make more money hence the movie.

_Dan Dziurgot 

X-Men First Class

http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi1434032665/

I have always enjoyed watching the X-Men movies, I think that they were well made.  I especially liked the X-Men Origins Wolverine movie that was released after the main series.  If they make this movie anything like the Wolverine spin off it could be very successful.  I'm more curious to see how Xavier and Magneto hold up as lead roles in this movie.

_Dan Dziurgot

Beautiful Type Through CSS

It's no secret that I absolutely love typography. When I'm looking at other people's sites I always wonder how they did certain things to type- is it a photo or is it just done with simple coding? This site shows examples of extraordinary type and the actual code to do it.


- Elisa Greco

U.S. Government proposes bill to veto domain names

Should our government be allowed the opportunity to veto domain names? I do not think they should and that we should be sure that our state representatives know this. Follow the link for a summary of the bill and to read the official proposal.

-Ashley Mitchell

25 tutorials for getting started in web design

I came across this site and i had to bookmark it right away. This is a site of 25 tutorials to get you started with web design. I was so excited when i fond this. It has been a great help.

Jen Fowler

Smashing Magazine

I came across this site while looking for a magazing to use for a project. This site has been very helpful and it cover just about everything from graphics to coding to typography. this site by far has been the most helpful.

Jen Fowler

Seedy Search Engine Optimization

Retailer JCPenny was recently caught "cheating" with their SEO tactics. They manually created false content on spam sites to give them the top spot on search terms on Google. What Bad Bad Boys you are JCPenny!

-Ashley Mitchell

Go pro or go home

Like most film enthusist I like getting the that impossible shot, Well things just got easier thanks to my new Gopro Hero camera. These camera are so badass that they allow you to get shots that you couldn't get with that fragile DSLR camera. according to the website these cameras are bomb proof and waterproof, which is good while I take this camera out on the slopes I don't have to worry about breaking it then.


Chris Mugavero

A new addition to the family

For those of you that use DSLR camera to film, because Canon has just introduced a new memeber to it's family. The Canon Rebel T3I, which is a cross between their famous and professional 7D and the affordable T2I. This new camera has the added feature of a swievel LCD screen as well as a new processor in it.



Chris Mugavero

Web Writing

What I like about this article is that it covers writing rules as well as rules that have changed for the web. One space or two after a period, also do you use a comma or not, but wait, do you use an apostrophe or capitalize? Read on to find the answers to these and more.

Sandy Fox

Puzzled About the Font to Use?

I thought this was a great article about picking the correct font. It is laid out in 5 easy steps. I love how they categorize the different font families and the visuals are helpful.

Sandy Fox

50 3D Creative Cartoon Creatures

Here is a variety of different interesting 3D cartoon characters for your own inspiration. Most of these characters were created using 3D design programs, but some with other applications. I have only used a 3D program once or twice, so I cannot imagine how much time and effort some of these characters took. Enjoy!

Dori Rivera

The Ferris Bueller Fight Club Theory

What if Ferris Bueller was just a figment of Cameron's imagination just like Tyler Durden in Fight Club? I am very confident that this was not John Hughes intention at all when he made the movie. It sounds nuts and doesn't really hold up that well, but this article is an entertaining read and fun to think about.

Sean Paulish

I'm Pretty Sure I'm Moving To Thailand

Some guy in Thailand created a religion based around The Dude from The Big Lebowski. It sounds completely ridiculous, yet incredibly awesome at the same time. I wonder what the Coen Brothers would think about this...

Sean Paulish

Good Microphones

This sight is great for people looking to record audio and need good quality microphones for a decent price. This sight is easy to navigate and has a variety of information on all types of microphones. Whether you are recording vocals for a song, recording sound effects in a foley set for films, recording musical instruments, or need mics for interviews, this sight has just what you need.

Chris Johnson

Sketch A Day

This website uploads a new sketch each day for the public. It is a great way to get inspiration or learn about other people's style. I think daily sketches would be a perfect way to improve your own technique, so this is something I might consider doing.

Dori Rivera

GRINDHOUSE

Fangoria has the details on the special edition Blu-Ray release of the Grindhouse double feature from directors Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez. What's special about this release is not only the special features, but the theatrical presentation of the double feature. Consider this the one time to be excited about the theatrical version of a movie.

Cara Ferguson

Nintendo 3ds

Now in my opinion Nintendo's newest game station, the Wii, tanked. However, Nintendo has always dominated the portable market. With this new portable it will certainly stay that way.

_Joe Tegeler

Resumes are very Important

Portfolios can get you far when looking for a job. However, you will also need a resume to give you that extra step in obtaining that job. Every company will ask for your resume and here are some tips on writing it.

_Joe Tegeler

Trampoline anyone?

This place is a great way to burn off energy,time or anger. Basically, this place offers many jumping areas that are determined by age, and the activity. They have a foam diving area, and offer a dodgeball everyday!

Zach ZItkus

Samsung Galaxy Tab

I sawmany commercials about the Samsung Galaxy Tab. One of the commercials had the main character reading a abook about getting out of conformity when everyone else had i-Pod ear buds in. Eventhough the idea to make it seem different was there, it stiil used the same Apple "touch and do," format.

Zach Zitkus

Note: I couldn't find the commercial I saw, so I found a review instead. Sorry

Actor's Studio

This show is great because if gives the viewer a close view into an actors thought process. This particular clip if from one of the greatest actors of all time, Robert de Niro. Throughout the clip he talks about a whole range of topics that led him through his dynamic and ever evolving career. Watch how he balances humor with humility and gracefully charms the viewers. For any aspiring actor out there, or anyone looking to learn how actors think (in terms of gathering data for movie making), this is a great clip.

Chris Johnson

Spelling is Easy! Seriously!

You could be the best designer in the world, but if you can't spell, no one is going to take anything you say seriously. This hilarious and easy to read guide from designer Paddy Donnelly provides an informative account on how to tell the difference between there, their, and they're as well as other commonly misused words. There is even a handy print out version you can print and stick on your desk!

*Warning* There is a bit of crude language used.

- Elisa Greco

filmdrunk

this is one of my favorite movie websites because it makes fun of Hollywood and basically just rips em a new one with almost every post. its hilarious and a little raunchy at times, but if you are into that kinda thing check it out. it's awesome because they are totally spot on with all of their criticisms

Sean Paulish

captain america super bowl ad

this is the ad for the upcoming captain america flick and i think it looks pretty neat. i hated the idea of chris evans playing cap originally but this looks pretty sweet. joe johnston is directing and he made the rocketeer all those years ago and i love that flick, so heres to hoping that cap is at least decent...

Sean Paulish

Coming Soon

Coming Soon is a website that posts new information on movies yet to be released and rumored as well. The layout is simple and is easy to navigate. Plus being online gives it the benefit of getting updated without having to wait for monthly magazines.

Matt S.

Web Design Library

Web Design library is a website dedicated to helping people interested in doing web design. They have resources and graphics and tutorials for web designers. Its definitely a site worth checking out.

Matt S.

A Guide to Web Typography

There are an infinite number of typefaces to choose from these days but which ones are the best for the web? At ilovetypography.com, they've broken down the key items for what to look for when designing your site. Really simple rules that a lot of people forget to follow.


- Elisa Greco

Spiderman Reboot

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0948470/

For some reason a lot of remakes and reboots of franchises have been surfacing, which worries me for the future of filmmaking.  This is a link to the spiderman reboot IMDB page; even though I really did like the first two spiderman movies, I am very interested to see what they are going to differently this time around.  I really like movies where they show the formation of the hero, so this is one thing I look forward to seeing again in this new movie.

_Dan Dziurgot

World War Z Movie

http://www.comicbookmovie.com/fansites/marvelmoviesuniverse/news/?a=17363

Max Brooks is well known for his accomplishments in writing very entertaining books on zombies. When I saw that a movie could possibly be made based on one of his books, World War Z, I was very excited because Max Brooks knows how to do zombies very well.  I will be very excited to compare this movie if it is made to some of George A. Romero's zombie films.

_Dan Dziurgot

Production

Go to the theatre or put in a DVD, and somewhere in the credits you will see at least 3 producer credits, and on large budget pictures you will sometimes see 8 or 9 producers. Have you ever wondered what on earth all those producers do? Box Office Magazine helps us understand.

Cara Ferguson

Do's and Dont's for an interview

I totally agree with these, especially the one about asking for the job. I applied a management position at my job and at the end I asked for the job. When i was offered the position by my store my store manager he told me that is what put me above the other 2 employees is that I asked for the job.

Jen Fowler

OPI - the new thing in nail design

I heard about this from a friend and i just thought it was so cool. I couldnt help myself so i went and got this done to my nails. The cool thing about it is that it just cracks on its own.

Angenieux

The site Angenieux is a good site for Optimo Digital Production. With the Angenieus you will have great performance, and range to capture your imagination. Someone interested in motion pictures, surveillance, security lenses, and night vision goggles would enjoy viewing this site.

Mary Fatigato

Citing Your Work

This is a great website for any profession (and anyone in school!). The business world is getting picker about citing work so it doesn't matter what your major, you will be able to use this sight. It is great because you just pick your resource, plug in the information, click the button and presto, the information is in the correct format.

Sandy Fox

American Cinematographer

The American Society of Cinematographer's is a great site for someone to visit if they are wanting to view the latest, and greatest information about what is happening in the movie industry. If you are interested in filming, or photography a link is available to learn from the best in the industry. The site has a place with recent blogs available for viewing.

Mary Fatigato

GameStop

Looking for that sweet new game to reserve or just seeing what new games in your future then Game Stop has got you covered. Whether your looking for a good deal on old or new games Game Stop easily can help you. Also the fact that stay up to date on all the gaming news that you may not be able to keep with is certainly a plus.

Matthew Ruby

Anime Freak

Got an anime you want to watch but just cant find it? Well let Anime Freak be your guide to any anime you can possibly think of, they will most likely have it. English sub, English dubbed or straight up Japanese pick your viewing pleasure.

Matthew Ruby

The Shawshank Redemption

I don't need to tell you that this is simply one of the best films ever made. This inspiring story is all about how a man had to re-earn his freedom so he could just live his life. That message applies to everyone.

Storyboard Template

I found this site interesting because the creator actually made his own storyboard templates since he didn't find any online that he liked. He put up one for TV, with the boxes in a 4:3 ratio, and the other for film set up 16:9. I love the fact that you can download these free, and he made them blank templates so there isn't any annoying text or anything you don't want printed on them.

-Cassy Crow

Digital Camcorder Reviews

This website was extremely helpful in reviewing different brands of digital camcorders. You are able to browse by brand, read articles, and they even have video segments to watch. I like that they are specific in terms of the pros and cons, along with prices and specifications.

-Cassy Crow

Portfolios are the Key

A portfolio is a representation of all of your proudest work. Having a portfolio that installs great interest is very important for getting the job you want. Therefore, put a lot of effort into your portfolio it will get you a job one day.

_Joe Tegeler

Crysis 2 good or bad?

I downloaded the beta for this game recently. I was really impressed by the graphics and the gameplay. However, this game is really overcomplicated with to many little things you can do that I could not enjoy it.

_Joe Tegeler

Lee Casalena Professional Panoramic Photography

This is an photography portfolio filled with tons of beautiful panoramas. I initially found this photo Full Moon Hike stumbling, and checked out Lee Casalena's portfolio afterwards. Under each photo there is a "View Interactive Version," which allows you to see a 360 degree view of the landscape.

Dori Rivera

30 Creative Packaging Designs

The first thing we see when we look at a product is its package design. This is what makes the product stand out from all of the rest. This site shows a few very creative and inspirational packaging designs - my favorite is the dino! gum.

Dori Rivera

Writing for the Web

Did you know we read in an F shape and we only read about 20% of what is written on a page? What I like about this resource is that it is based on studies that have been done on how we read. It also gives examples ranging from the worst examples to the best to help us make the right choices on how to write for the web.

Sandy Fox

Script Writing

This sight is great for learning how to craft a script for films. It is very easy and simple to navigate. The sight shows you how to perfect script presentations, plot structures, script format and character development. It is a great starting point for those who don't really know how to start writing film scripts. The only down side on this sight is the annoying adds, but other than that, it has great information.

Chris Johnson

Horror Fans Check Out Dread Central

Dread Central is a great site to find news and reviews of horror films. They even showcase collectable toys like the classic Universal Monsters. Check out Dread Central for news, interviews, forums, reviews and more.

Cara Ferguson

Critiques....Can you handle them?

Critical discussion around design is as important as the design process itself. If you work in a design team, feedback from your colleagues can keep you challenged, and can push you to improve....Read More

Movie Quotes

This is a great sight for all your favorite movie quotes. It is easy to navigate and very self explanatory. I use this sight when I want to find famous quotes or research certain movies to find out how detailed the dialogue is. It is also funny to read some of the ridiculousness that some movies come up with!

Chris Johnson

Legal Rights of Photographers

A PDF file that has useful information regarding rights a photographer has. Including what you can and can't publish using your own photos. Definitely worth a look if you're doing freelance work.

-Elisa Greco

The Oscars - Nominations

Out of the nominees for Best Picture for the Academy Awards, I hope either "Inception" or "Toy Story 3" win the awards. I also Hope Tim Burton's "Alice In Wonderland" takes the award for best Visual Effects and Best Art Direction. I don't understand why "Tron: Legacy" was not nominated for anything especially for the Visual Effects. There should also be a new category possibly named Outsanding Aceivement in 3D.

This Weekend's Box Office

"The Rite" starring Anthony Hopkins comes in 1st with $15.0M. "No Strings Attached" starring Natalie Portman and Ashton Kutcher comes in 2nd with $13.7M. Finally, "The Green Hornet" starring Seth Rogan comes in 3rd with $11.5M.

-Austin S

fun and easy brushes

This is a whole website full of fun and easy brushes. These will help you do everything and anything. Im so glad i came across this site. It's a one stop shop :)

Jen Fowler

for your design appetite :)

This site has a lot of really neat textures to choose from. I used a few for a design i did for my sisters birthday and she thought it was just the coolest thing. It is also very easy to use.

Jen Fowler

10 Useful Web Application Interface techniques

This website has many more useful tips than these but this is mostly for interface design on how to make your web applications simpler. With tips like make the controls specialized, and disabling submit buttons after pressed once as not to mess up the forms, these tips are useful for all web designers and people who make applications for the web/mobile devices. I recommend it for any web designer.

Matt S

Web Design Trends for 2011

This website is useful in picking out trends for web design in 2011. Some trends such as HTML5 and designing for mobile devices are sure to come up more. The website also has a clean layout with ads off to the side and bottom as not to interrupt reading.

Matt S

Henry Cavill Is The New Superman

British actor Henry Cavill has been cast as Superman in director Zack Snyder's upcoming Superman film. I liked Brandon Routh as Superman alot in Superman Returns but this guy could be pretty good. I've read that he was up for the lead roles in Batman Begins, Superman Returns and Casino Royale and he lost out on all of them

Sean Paulish

It's time to get cheesy

This is one of the best website for an apiring filmaker, this site helps with trick and tip on filming techniques and equipment.This site also helps with how to make and use camera rigs and dollies. This site also compares the price of equipment and will find the lowest price available.


Chris Mugavero

Another 48 hours

As I was looking through and trying to find a film festival to enter into this year. I found this one called the The Chicago 48 Hour Film Project. What makes this film festival unique is that filmmakers from all across the Chicago land area to compete to see who makes the best movie in 48 hours.




Chris Mugavereo

Joystiq

This site is just incredible it manages to have news for all the various gaming systems. Whether your looking for Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo, DS, Computer or PSP news. This site has up to date story's and news for each and every one so you never fall behind.

Matthew Ruby

Xbox 360 Achievements

Ever wonder what a new game for the Xbox 360's achievements will be? Well I have your answer thanks to Xbox360achievements you can easily find the achievement list and be ready to raise your gamer score. This site is your place to be ready for the achievements for all new games.

Matthew Ruby

lighting in film

Lighting is crucial when you're shooting a film, and I found this site to be helpful for people that are learning the basics. The author goes over hard and soft light, along with pictures so you can actually see the difference between the two. He also talks about color temperature, 3 point lighting (along with how to set it up), what to do when filming outdoors, along with examples and tips of all these listed.

-Cassy Crow

Alfred Hitchcock

I'm sure we've all seen a classic Hitchcock film such as Psycho or The Birds, just to name a few. I found an interesting site that was created by JeffreyMichael Bays, who is a film director and a huge fan of Hitchcock's. He compiled different articles such as "How to Turn Your Boring Movie Into a Hitchcock Thriller" and others that explore the film techniques, suspense, style and camera angles that make Alfred Hitchcock movies so incredible, and how you can incorporate them into your own films.

-Cassy Crow

Egypt, the First Country to Block the Internet

Egypt has shut down all Internet Service Providers, save their Stock Exchange. They have not released a statement as to why. How do you think this will effect their country, suddenly banning a tool/toy which has been used for such a long time and by a broad demographic?

Ashley Mitchell

The Heads of State

My favorite design group, The Heads of State are known for their silk screen print posters designed for indie rock bands. They combine simple designs with bright colors to make a huge impact. Edgy and raw, The Heads of State are a dynamic group of designers.


- Elisa Greco

Writing Web Content Rules

Reading online is quite different from reading in print. For one, a screen causes concentration problems. Text can be difficult to focus on and flashing banners, bright images, and more can distract from the actual blog content. Another very common problem is the fact that anyone can write and publish on the web, many of whom are not well-versed in common grammatical rules.

_Todd

The Mechanic

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0472399/

This is the new Jason Statham movie coming out this Friday 1/28/11.  This movie looks action packed and seems to have a different take on assassination, which is interesting.  Jason Statham is a great actor that continues to impress me, so if the movie sucks at least we know Statham will be kicking ass or tearing up the streets in a high speed chase.

_Dan Dziurgot

Scream 4

http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi495032857/

This is the fourth installment to the "Scream" movie franchise and I have to say I'm interested.  The previous three movies had solid stories, so I'm very interested to see what kind of twists and deaths director Wes Craven has in store for the world this time around.  One major plus that will make this movie successful is that they have the majority of the original remaining cast plus a few new faces to add to the obituaries.  4/15/11

_Dan Dziurgot

Modern Ambiguity of The Fold

Today in class we learned about the fold in web sites. This articles discusses the importance of the fold in this age of variable technology and mobility. The examples are fantastic, coupled with visually descriptive photographs.

Ashley Mitchell

Words lie. Your face doesn't.

This promo is about a show called Lie To Me. It follows a Doctor and his team who can read people. It's their job to tell if someone is lying or not. It is a fantastic show on Fox.

Innovative Film

Breathless was a movie made in 1960 and was the first of its kind. Many directors and cinimatographers use this movie as a referance for their own films. It's revolutionary "jump-cut" editing techniques pushed the envelope and changed the way cinema is and will ever be.

Nicholas Bennett

Arcade Fire + Spike Jonze = Awesome

this is a clip for an upcoming movie based on the album "The Suburbs" by Arcade Fire directed by Spike Jonze. It's a great album and Jonze is a really interesting filmmaker. The clip is pretty neat and i can't wait to check out the whole thing.

Sean Paulish

She's armed, he's dangerous.

This is a promo for a tv show called Castle. It is about a writer and his muse. It is funny, clever and just a brilliant show. You should check it out!

Nicole Mason

Morphed pictures, and contests

This website is for pepole who use photoshop, and image manipulation skills to post pictures for contests. Most of these pictures are totally amazing, and create ideas for others who might need some. Take a gander, and be speechless

Zach Zitkus

Photoshoppers

This is a great site for anyone who uses photoshop. It is an awesome source to acquire free brushes, patterns and textures. They even include a page with prerecorded commands that will allow you to change your image in one step.

Sandy Fox

Double Picture Illusion

Most of us see a man and woman in this illusion. According to research, when children see this photo they notice 9 small dolphins instead of the intimate couple. Since they have no prior association with the act, they are not able to identify the couple.

Dori Rivera

This is a quick site to look at if you are wondering about lighting techniques for movie making. It is important to have a key light, and a back light on the subject that you are filming. If you are on a open stage in a warehouse you will need a lower grid to hang light from. If your location is on a built set, than you will need to hang the lights about 10 feet from the top of the set.

Mary Fatigato

When Kinect first came out the company introducted a virtual 11 year old boy named Milo. Milo is able to learn, listen and respond to you as an 11 year old boy would. With the Kinect you can scan a book against the system, and Milo will read it back to you. I am not sure when Milo will be available for purchase, but I am looking forward to seeing all that he is capable of doing.

Mary Fatigato

Andy Goldsworthy

This artist mainly uses materials from the environment to create his sculptures. He sees nature in its simplest form (leaves, twigs, petals, berries, rocks, sand, snow, ice....) and organizes them into something extravagant. I think it is a great way to remind us all of the beautiful things nature provides that we take for granted.

Dori Rivera

HouseholdHacker

These guys provide a variety of interesting videos including cool tricks, simple pranks, and awesome science experiments. Their older videos are mostly "how to-" videos on simple tricks you can do to improve everyday life. Most of the newer videos are in a series called "Scientific Tuesdays" which showcases easy science tricks done with household products.

--Alex Gord

Kevin Smith Is My Hero

this is a really cool article where kevin smith declares his distaste for the film making industry and announces that he will be distributing his new horror flick "Red State" on his own, which is pretty incredible. this is a really interesting article for anybody who wants to get into independent film making. this is potentially a really really big deal

Sean Paulish

Quick Tip: How to Start a YouTube Video Anywhere

This is how to post a YouTube link which starts partway through the video. Add the following characters to the end of it's URL: #t=00m00s. From here fill in the zeros with the actual minute and second mark you want the video to start at.

Ashley Mitchell

Resevoir Dogs

This film is among one of the most shocking by Quintin Terrentino and is also quite intense. I like the level of shock value in the end, the plot and skill of the actors. This is to give you a taste of what to expect when viewing this film.

In Defense Of Jay Cutler

Anyone who wants to call Jay Cutler a wimp, a softy, a quitter or a jerk, did you know he was sacked 52 times this year, including 9 in one game vs the ny giants? That's 12 more than any other qb in the nfl. And he only missed one start due to a concussion that was the result of GETTING SACKED 9 TIMES IN ONE GAME!!! there were only 12 qbs in the whole nfl who played in all 16 games. jay took more punishment than all of them and only missed one! He tore his mcl in the nfc championship game vs green bay. he got hurt and we lost. yeah it sucks but deal with it. this guy took a hell of a beating all year with a grain of salt and never complained about it once! people need to chill out.

Sean Paulish

Burning Jay Cutler's Jersey

Really? Is this what we've come to? Are we really blaming Jay Cutler for this loss? Yes, he's a softy and Hanee probably should have started, but come on people...it's a team game. We can't blame one person. If anything, the coaches screwed this game up by calling bad plays late in the game.

Chris Johnson

Injuried Bear blues.

I am dissapointed about Cutler so much that i thought he was just being a little to simple about this game. Now that he is injuried, I think Caleb Hanee could have carried us to the Super Bowl. I am surprised that we just didn't give up though, but the way things went, really played with the fans emotions.

I believe Bulletstorm is going to tank

This game looks, in my opinion, just awful. The whole game seems to be centered around just "cool" ways to kill enemies and completely avoids the actual story of the game. The fact that they keep pushing "cool" weapons and "awesome" kill shots down your throat proves they have nothing else to offer you in the game.

_Joe Tegeler

Boostability Increase the Search ability for your Website

I just found out about this today so I haven't had much time to look into it, but this site enhances the search ability of your website through Google, Bing, and Yahoo. Search ability is everything for your website because it is what can dramatically increase traffic for your website. The more people that look at your website the more business you get, its that simple.

_Joe Tegeler

Trailer Park Boys

This is the Canadian reality TV show; Trailer Park Boys. The camera work and interview breakaway shots are designed to make this scripted work look like reality. This clip contains cursing.