I've been working with friend, colleague and amazing programmer Alex Heaton on a brand new site, trying to learn as much as possible about the code that'll be powering we I go along.

I'm pleased to say that it is now finally near completion and should be online by the end of next week, along with some new work and a brand-spanking new showreel . Stay tuned...

Today Apple unveiled details of iPhone OS 4 at a special event on their home turf. They certainly didn't disappoint.

If Apple had not added some form of multi-tasking into version 4 of the iPhone OS, they would currently be facing one hell of a backlash from many groups of iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad users. Although several areas of the iPhone OS could be said to have started to show their age when compared to recent versions of Google's Android OS, the lack of any form of multi-tasking has been the vocal critic's primary weapon of choice against the iPhone and it's operating system for at least the last year.

Today though, Apple announced over 100 new features to be included in it's upcoming iPhone OS, and while some of these were expected, many were a welcome surprise. For a complete rundown, Gizmodo has a great article detailing all the new stuff. Here, I want to point out I think are the most interesting features, as well as briefly explore the possibilities that a few of them have opened up for developers:

1. Multi-Tasking

The way that Apple has implemented this is incredibly simple, but looks like it will work perfectly. A double-click of the home button brings up a list of running apps, enabling fast switching between them.

What I find most interesting here is that when asked how users would now 'quit' an app, Steve Jobs said that they effectively no longer have to - the OS takes care of background processing for an app if necessary (such as playing audio, location information or VOIP). If it doesn't need to use any background processes but does need to save the location the user was last viewing when they quit, the OS can now save the state of the app and return the user to exactly where they left off (games will obviously benefit here).

2. Folders

Long overdue - drag an app onto another app and a new folder containing both will be created. These will definitely be a welcome addition to my own cluttered iPhone. Being able to see the first 9 apps contained inside simply by looking at a folder's icon is also a nice touch.

3. Calendar & Photo-Library Access

Also long overdue, allowing developers access to a user's calendar and photo libraries lets developers build far more powerful applications. For example, due to limitations with OS 3, Photoframeplus is forced to import photos from the users photo gallery into the application itself, effectively copying a file. There really is no need for this and I'm glad Apple have finally allowed developers proper access to this kind of media. Being able to access calendar information will also be great for anyone wanting to build any kind of personalised calendar view into their apps.

4. iAds

This is a pretty big one as there is obviously a huge amouns of cash to be made through advertising on mobile devices, but interactive ads like the ones Apple demoed earlier really do have the potential to make the developers of popular free apps a nice chunk of change.

5. Extras

iBooks on the iPhone is also cool, especially considering that it will automatically sync bookmarks and last viewed pages with its bigger brother on the iPad. A unified inbox and being able to customize the wallpaper is also a welcome addition.  Overall I am thoroughly impressed that Apple was able to pull out all the stops today; people were expecting a lot, and it seems to me that Apple surpassed even the most ambitious geeks' wishlists. It will also be interesting to see how many more hidden features will be unveiled alongside new iPhone hardware later in the year. Roll on June!

As I mentioned before, Photoframe Plus is Chilli X's first iPad app. I worked with them all the way from initial concept to tweaking the icon's final pixel, and I must say that it has been an exciting experience. I have previously worked on a number of Chilli X's apps, such as the original Photoframe (one of the very first picture frame apps in the app store), and simple yet powerful to-do app Done, but developing for the iPad was a fresh experience.

The iPad is a tremendously exciting piece of hardware, and as many users will have theirs docked around their home or next to their main computer for a lot of the time, it seems like a huge waste to not use the iPad for some purpose when stationary. A picture frame is the obvious use, and Apple has even updated the iPhone OS to include this functionality, but their approach is limited; it doesn't show the time, date or have any alternative views other than a simple photo slideshow. There seemed to be a natural gap in the market for an app that could display a wide range of media and information when the iPad is docked. Enter Photoframe Plus.

Developing a brand-new app for a brand-new device from the ground up certainly afforded us lots of new opportunities with regards to functionality and design, and we definitely got carried away in the initial brainstorming stages. Eventually, we refined our crazy ideas down until we arrived at a concept we felt was rock-solid; A re-imagining of the original Photoframe app designed around the iPad's larger screen, but with additional 'screens' displaying everything from clocks and calendars to twitter and RSS feeds. These other screens could be developed after an initial release, and purchased from an in-app store; that way we could keep the initial price of the app and development time and costs to a minimum, but eventually would be able to supply users with a wide range of customisation options.

The icon for Photoframe Plus needed to show exactly what the app was capable of doing; namely, simultaneously displaying at least the time, date and a photo. I decided early on that trying to fit depictions of any more than these 3 core functions into the icon would likely result in a messy, overcrowded design (I did try it out, and was right!).

Displaying the functions inside a frame that resembled a miniature iPad also helped to convey the message that this app wouldn't just transform what is on the screen of the your iPad, but in some way change the function of the hardware itself (tablet computer > photo frame). After settling on the final design, I tried several different images within the icon - eventually picking a sunset, something that I think everyone can agree is symbolic of holiday snaps, as well as hinting at the icon for the app's older (but smaller) brother, Photoframe for the iPhone.

After some last minute rejections from Apple for small bugs which only cropped up when using the app on an actual device (not something we were able to test, being based in the UK), the app finally went live last night. We have already had some very favourable comments from users in the US, and have started working on some new screens with different designs and functionality - as well as some other cool new features. If you're interested to know more about Photoframe Plus (or any of Chilli X's other apps), I'd encourage you to head on over to the app store and pick up a copy, or head over to Chilli X's blog to find out more. Watch this space for more information on upcoming screen layouts and features.

Although I have utterly failed at keeping this blog updated with interesting posts recently, I have today finally parted with my VFX work on The Dark Side of The Earth. As this was what was eating up most of my time, expect to see more regular updates here in the future.

Director Neil Oseman is going to be editing and grading the final cut of the promotional pilot over the next few weeks, then shooting back out to 35mm film to show off to potential interested parties. Working on such an ambitious project - with an equally ambitious director - all under the watchful eyes of an incredibly talented VFX Industry veteran has taught me a lot and been a thoroughly great experience. Over the next month or so I'll be updating my showreel to reflect all of the compositing and VFX work I have done over the last 12 months and will obviously post it up here when it is done. Stay tuned..

Since finishing my degree - and whilst working on the aforementioned project - I have been heavily involved with the design and development of iPhone app developer Chilli X's first app for the iPad: Photoframe Plus. I have worked with Chilli X on more than a few of their iPhone apps, including Photoframe - one of the very first apps that turned your iPhone into a dedicated digital photoframe.

The iPad version is more than simply an upscaling of this concept though, as it adds extra 'screens' containing clocks, calendars, and soon RSS feeds, music controllers, and other useful widgets - all of which will be purchasable from within the app. I think that there is huge potential for apps like this on the iPad, and hopefully Photoframe Plus will be available in the app store when the iPad launches in the US on Saturday. Read all the juicy details over at Chilli X's blog.

Next up, expect an overview of the process of designing the icon for Photoframe Plus and a new showreel.

Happy New Year to all! This year will bring lots of new (and hopefully exciting) things my way. So what do I hope for from this year?

I'm currently snowed in working hard on my dissertation about how the increasing role of post production and VFX in films is changing the role of the director (or not, as the case may be). After 5th february I am out in the real world, free of educational shackles and ready for anything... Or not. As the case may be, I'll be taking February to complete my VFX work on The Dark Side of The Earth pilot before it goes to Cannes Film Festival in May to hopefully gain some interest. After that, I need to find a real job, perhaps in film visual effects, but maybe something less specific to begin with.

In the meantime I'll be available for freelance design / video work if any prospective clients are reading this. I'd also like to work some more on icons, wallpapers and GUI freebies in my spare time. I hope to be able to work on some exciting projects that are still in pre-production stages with friends from my university, and will post more about those in due course.

I can't really say much about our main project other than that it is a planned sci-fi mini series designed to be viewed on portable devices and small screens. Hopefully it will become more than just video content, as the nature of the content could potentially be a lot more interesting than mere podcasts, but I'll post more about that here once its developed past a proof-of-concept pilot.

Of course, once we are finished developing the series we'll be watching it on our Apple Tablets. John Gruber's post on the possibilities of what an Apple tablet could be is the most interesting speculation I have read about this by far. I am excited to find out what Steve has up his sleeve come the 26th...

There is more info about Sam's role and the Oscars in general at this great Moon fansite which I encourage everyone to go and read, so I won't post too much on here - but please spread the word, and if you use twitter tag your tweets with #SamRockwellOscar and encourage others to re-tweet!

So please - spread the word in as many ways as you possibly can, be it Facebook, Myspace, good old simple conversation - lets get Sam what he deserves!

Update: Go and show your support on Facebook now!

Back in May when I was at the Cannes Film Festival I didn't manage to see Up, Pixar's latest animated feature and their first to be produced in stereoscopic 3D. Of course it was showered with fantastic reviews, and knowing that I would have to wait until October to see it released in the UK (despite the fact it opened a few weeks after the Cannes showing in the US), I was rather annoyed and very worried I wouldn't be able to avoid all the spoilers.

Roll on to October and I had indeed managed to avoid all of the spoilers and went to see the film last night. Now, I am a self-professed Pixar fanboy, and Wall-E is one of my favourite films of all time, but Up really is something special.

Not only was it very mature for a family film, for example  - there were a couple of instances of bloodied wounds (a first for a Pixar film I think?), and the very heart of the story focused on the main character's love and longing for his dead wife and to fulfil their lifelong dream of exploring South America - not to mention the fact that the main character was an elderly man.

I thought Pixar dealt with the issues of life and death in a very mature way which could connect with audiences of all ages - this also applied to all of the comedy; Its nice to see an animated family film where both the kids and the parents can laugh at the same jokes, as opposed to offering slapstick comedy for the kids and wittier jokes and film references only adults would get (something Dreamworks is rather fond of, actually).

Of course, one of the film's main selling points was its 3D. The new wave of 3D is something I am very much NOT sold on, having recently seen Coraline and being left wanting more (much more, in fact), I had dismissed the latest 3D wave as as much of a gimmick as its previous incarnations, but was curious to see how Pixar would use the technology. They didn't disappoint.

Although not a life changing experience, the way 3D was used in Up really did help to complement the film - with only a couple of instances of something leaping out of the screen. Overall the third dimension was used to enhance subtle depth of field effects and made the characters sink into a beautifully rendered world, as opposed to simply leaping out from it every now and again. Others making 3D films can learn a lot here and I would love to see even one other film use 3D this well.

Overall, Up is simply a charming adventure tale that anyone can enjoy, the 3D only adds more depth (in a very literal sense) to a great story being played out in a beautifully rendered world. Anyone with even a passing interest in animation should really go and see Up, and you really should see it in 3D if you have the chance. Next week I plan on seeing Toy Story 3D, it'll be interesting to  see if Pixar has been able to adapt it into a 3D experience anywhere near as exciting as Up.

Lets start with Moon:

The first feature by Duncan Jones, who has spent the last 10 years or so working in advertising and refining his directing skills. Although Duncan is David Bowie's son, this film is no Space Oddity. I won't explain the plot here as its easy to find anywhere online (and if you haven't seen it you REALLY, REALLY should), but Duncan has managed to produce a science fiction epic in the style of the 70's classics, and some of his self-proclaimed influences: Silent Running, 2001, Alien, etc.

Moon is charmingly understated, mainly dealing with the protagonist's internal struggles. It isn't effects-heavy, but all of the lunar effects shots were done using miniatures.

I simply cannot emphasise how much Moon impressed me - in a movie climate where for the last few years science fiction has been all about explosions and big budget effects (not that I'm not a fan of these, on the contrary!) Moon is a refreshing breath of fresh air. The fact that Duncan managed to do this with only $5 million is purely an added bonus!

District 9 on the other hand sits at the other end of the spectrum - it is an effects-heavy action sci-fi adventure obviously dealing with big, difficult issues in the kind of bold way only science fiction can - this, combined with the fact that the effects work with the story (and aren't just there for some eye candy) are what makes District 9 really special. I know a lot less about it than Moon, but will definitely be keeping an eye on Neill Blomkamp, who previously directed the Peter Jackson-led Halo movie visual concepts (take a look here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yUcreY0X33k - the man clearly knows what he's doing when it comes to gritty sci-fi). Again, Neill managed to do this all with a budget of $30 million - Michael Bay could learn a thing or two here.

While District 9 has receiving glowing critical reviews and huge box office success ($126 million worldwide thus far), Moon has only had the luxury of the former (although it has earned back its production costs). While Moon's appeal probably isn't as wide as an action-heavy sci-fi epic presented by Peter Jackson, it is a really fantastic film and should be seen by anyone with even a passing interest in film in general. A worldwide viral advertising campaign would probably have helped it a bit more too!

So to sum it all up - if you like film (especially sci-fi), then you simply must see both of these films. Don't wait until they are on DVD either, they are best viewed on the biggest screen you can get into. Lets hope that both Duncan and Neill will have long careers in the movie business - the future of sci-fi is brighter than it has been in a good few years. Roll on Avatar...

So over the past week I've managed to squeeze in a few hours of compositing for Dark Side Of The Earth, so I'll give a quick update as to the progress of the shot I have been focusing on (which is still very far from being 100% finished, but I will get there soon!)

This particular shot is a little trickier than the last shot I covered as it is roughly twice as long (at 113 frames) and the characters manage a 360 degree turn around eachother as they fight. But, the bigger the challenge the more satisfying the solution, take a look:

The Original Shot

Obviously a few things need to change - namely the puppeteers need to vanish, the ceiling element and ropes must be added in and the whole thing has to match up and play smooothly (to simplify!)

The Current Shot

So this is where the shot is now - puppeteers have been successfully removed (apart from in the spokes of the swordsman's wheels - barely visible here but a real issue when he turns sideways) and the ceiling element has been added into the background. Next I need to clean up the masks that have brought back in character elements (such as The Swordsman's shield and arms) so that they move a little smoother, and correct the edges of the ceiling element so that it seamlessly connects to the background. In order to finish the shot I'll need to add in some convincing rope elements and light them accordingly to make them fit the shot. At least its on its way!

Finally, take a look at the script behind this 113 frame (around 4.7 seconds) shot:

Node Tree

Put simply each 'node' is a single action, mask or object - when interconnected they can work together to mask out characters, bring objects back in and add entirely new elements to the scene. Quite a lot going on but its a lot of fun when things are working properly.

Next time I'll update with a rundown of a completely different shot, in which we had to almost entirely rebuild The Swordsman himself!

However, there are a few little niggles involved with using the LED displays with a mac pro that I have not read about anywhere other than the Apple support forums, so I'll talk about them briefly here.

1) The cables provided on the LED display are incredibly short (of course it was originally designed for the macbooks but Apple now market it as a display compatible with all of their systems). This is slightly annoying when using dual displays as I can't have them quite as far away from the machine as I would like; I can imagine for anyone wanting the screens further away from the mac pro than simply above it on the desk this could be a major problem. I have however ordered 2 3 foot mini-displayport extension cables from www.monoprice.com at a reasonable $6 each. According to posts on the Apple support forums these work a treat, so thats problem 1 solved!

2) The second annoyance is more of an observation, as it doesn't actually bother me, but I know it would again be very annoying and inconvenient for some - Screen brightness. The f1 and f2 keys control screen brightness on all macs for the last few years, and the mac pro and LED Cinema display setup is no different. However, upon trying the keys I found that they only control the brightness of the screen plugged into the first graphics card. No biggie, I just went to the display preference pane, which displays a seperate brightness slider for each screen. Puzzlingly though, both sliders still only control the 1 display - combined with the lack of physical brightness buttons on the displays this seems to make it impossible to adjust the brightness of display number 2. Personally I like my displays on full brightness, but I know some find this too bright.

My guess is that this is a software issue which will be resolved with the next Leopard update, or in Snow Leopard when it is released. Still a slight oversight on Apple's part here though which could frustrate some users who have opted to buy a fully-specced workstation and gorgeous LED displays!

Aside from these two small issues the machine and displays look and perform beautifully, and I couldn't be happier with them. I'll be getting back to the nitty gritty compositing work on the Dark Side of The Earth again now, so expect an update on that soon. (Also, Neil has just posted a new podcast about the fight choreography over on the official site - go check it out!)