Category: Life

So I haven’t found a title for it yet, but my undergraduate thesis is on geospatial metadata files. More specifically, parsing them from their native language-centric presentation into something icon-centric. Replacing long strings of text with images that summarize the same. The end goal is to provide a means to quickly visually ascertain the essential characteristics of a geospatial dataset.

Surprisingly, this is rather novel research. To do it all, I’m currently developing a PHP-based solution running on Wapache. Wapache can best be described as a portable application that merges Apache, PHP, a built-in browser, and Windows GUI controls into a neat package with a light footprint. In essence: the perfect tool to create desktop webapps.

The development is slow, but steady going. Today was all about getting the app front-end fully functional. Getting the information on to the parsing stage. That’s now done and I’m now working on the XML elements extraction and parsing with PHP.

Below is a screenshot of the front-end:

Aaaand this was the last major shoot! Wee!

There’s more to do of course, but now its just a few lines here and there with individuals. The lead has one more scene to do, but we’re waiting for it to snow (why? a secret at this time.) I have to film a number of things myself, but that can be done whenever on my time.

This is in the nick of time too. Not only is it getting bloody cold out there, but the days are getting real short. This is all equating in a smaller window with which to shoot each day. In today’s shoot, all the scenes featuring the antagonist were done.

How I feel:

The other day, I had the pleasure of seeing the Dalai Lama as he made a talk in my hometown of Ottawa. The place was packed. Seats weren’t cheap, but I got a free seat as a thank you for volunteering work I had done.

Above is a picture of me in line along side my two sponsors, so to speak. It was an interesting talk. This man was not there to give a lecture, he was there to have a conversation. In that conversation, he talked about Tibet’s cultural autonomy, his dealings with president Bush, and his philosophy on the UN and general worldly disagreements. It was not what I had expected.

For one, I didn’t think that a man of his disposition could joke so much. The man was very funny. Furthermore, I really didn’t anticipate such a “simple man’s” view of the world. That’s not to say that I thought it naive, or untrue – but it was certainly a unique take on things.

Meanwhile, China has been furious over the Dalai Lama’s visit to Canada, and his being accepted by the Canadian government. Just recently, the Indian government had been informed to politically ostracize the man, and the South Koreans denied his entry outright. Sun Lushan, a Chinese political counselor, declared the Dalai Lama’s warm welcome “…a blatant interference in China’s internal affairs and has severely hurt the feelings of the Chinese people and will gravely undermine the relationship between China and Canada.”

The Canadian government secretary of state for multiculturalism, Jason Kenny, responded with a priceless quote. As he said: “I hope the entire world gets the message that attacking a 72-year-old Buddhist monk who advocates nothing more than cultural autonomy for his people is counter-productive.”

Let’s be clear here: Docks is a funny movie. But the film will never get accepted in the commercial film community. The main inhibitor here is the lack of continuity in the film.

We’ve been shooting this for months. Haircuts happen. Clothes change. Hats alternate. If it wasn’t for that, there’s the offchance of this being picked up by a production house. But you know, when people are /volunteering/ their time to you, and volunteering it alot, it’s too much to start intruding into their personal lives – to prevent them from getting certain cuts, or to get hairstylists to do whatnot. Especially when you have 8 principle characters. In fact, it’s downright abusive to have such expectations.

Still, it’s a comedy, and a pretty decent one. It would be the type of video that would get seen alot if it were on YouTube. So what’s the best way of getting visibility, while not ripping people off for what amounts to an amateur student film?

Release a streaming version for free, that’s what – Google Video style. Go through the university channels, that’s what. Have a premiere at the university, all students invited. Promote it for what it is!

At the same time, I’ll produce DVDs for those interested in getting a more permanent copy, while having watermark advertising on the streaming version. There’ll be my sources of revenue.

It doesn’t matter how much I make. I made this for fun. I thought it might be a profitable venture at first, and the experience I’ve gained has taught me otherwise.

Stanley Kubrick once said that the best education in movie-making was to make one yourself. He was right, the experience I’ve gained here has been invaluable.

I can tell you exactly what this ultra-low-budget movie has cost me thus far: $2,052. When you’re a university student, this represents a lot of money. And it is.

Consequently, I’ve dropped out of my only Fall class at the university. Starting this Tuesday, I’ll be working full-time at FutureShop (electronics retailer.) There’s more reasons to this than pure finances, but that’s a pretty big factor.

Simply said, if I didn’t do what I’m doing now, I wouldn’t be able to afford the much more important Winter semester. I’ve transfered that one Fall class to some equivalent in the Winter, and I’ll be better off for it. So it’s win-win.

The only thing that will be affected is the shoot. Though given the current progress, it shouldn’t be a real issue. I’ll try to do a shoot Monday, and if that works I’ll be in an even better position.