[comp.sys.amiga.misc] Todd Rundgren's "Change Myself"

hrlaser@crash.cts.com (Harv Laser) (02/22/91)

Someone in one of these groups recently asked what the best Amiga demo
ever made is.  I think I can answer with a "here's my opinion of the
best Amiga demo made SO FAR"... it's a 3 minute "rock" video called
"Change Myself" created on ten Video Toaster-equipped Amigas by
Todd Rundgren.

The story I have on "Change Myself" is that Todd, who worked a lot with
Macs, heard about the Toaster, bought himself one, got hooked on 
the LightWave 3D software, and decided to do an entire video using
this combination.  He consulted with LightWave 3D author Allen Hastings
for technical assistance from time to time, and acquired 9 more 
Amigas+Toasters to finish the entire production in around five weeks. 
It should now be playing on both VH-1 and MTV in the US via your local
cable channels. 

It is, to put it mildly, an amazing effort, and NO Amiga owner should
miss it. Three minutes of constantly moving and wildly animated Amiga
3D graphics and swirling backgrounds, with Todd singing his song and
his moving image mapped to different objects as they fly about the screen
including leaves, a sailboat's sail, chess pieces, morphing rocks and
molecules... well words fail to describe it properly. 

"Change Myself" is going to be analyzed and discussed by computer animation
fiends and Amiga owners for a long time. Don't miss it.

mark@calvin..westford.ccur.com (Mark Thompson) (02/23/91)

In article <7682@crash.cts.com> hrlaser@crash.cts.com (Harv Laser) writes:
>The story I have on "Change Myself" is that Todd, who worked a lot with
>Macs, heard about the Toaster, bought himself one, got hooked on 
>the LightWave 3D software, and decided to do an entire video using
>this combination.  He consulted with LightWave 3D author Allen Hastings

In fact the feature of texture mapping image sequence (animations) onto
surfaces was a Todd Rundgren request that Allen added.
%~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~%
%       `       '                Mark Thompson                          %
%  --==* RADIANT *==--           mark@westford.ccur.com                 %
%       ' Image `                ...!{decvax,uunet}!masscomp!mark       %
%      Productions               (508)392-2480  (603)424-1829           %
%                                                                       %
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

xanthian@zorch.SF-Bay.ORG (Kent Paul Dolan) (02/25/91)

 hrlaser@crash.cts.com (Harv Laser) writes:

>The story I have on "Change Myself" is that Todd, who worked a lot with
>Macs, heard about the Toaster, bought himself one, got hooked on 
>the LightWave 3D software, and decided to do an entire video using
>this combination.  He consulted with LightWave 3D author Allen Hastings
[using ten Amiga/Toaster sets to finish in five weeks]

A bit discouraging to think that a three minute video would take a full
year of the one machine user's time, but that aside, how do I get a copy
of this puppy into my dealer's hands and start really boosting Amiga
multimedia sales? In the heart of Silicon Valley, where most people have
more money than sense, this would really move a lot of CBM & Newtek
hardware.

 mark@calvin.westford.ccur.com (Mark Thompson) writes:

> In fact the feature of texture mapping image sequence (animations)
> onto surfaces was a Todd Rundgren request that Allen added.

You guys want to mail me a copy of this puppy, I'll deliver it to HT
Electronics (since I don't own a TV) myself, just to see the demo once,
if you haven't already gotten a copy to them.

Kent, the man from xanth.
<xanthian@Zorch.SF-Bay.ORG> <xanthian@well.sf.ca.us>

hrlaser@crash.cts.com (Harv Laser) (02/26/91)

In article <1953@ruunsa.fys.ruu.nl> vansark@ruunsa.fys.ruu.nl (Wilfried_van_Sark) writes:
(about Todd Rundgren's Amiga-made "Change Myself" video...)
>
>WHere o WHere can this demo be found ????
>
>				        Bye
>
It's not a "demo" that you can get on disk and load into your Amiga. 
(It would take hundreds of disks! :-)  

It's a "music video" currently running on VH-1 (and perhaps also MTV)
on USA cable television.  In the Netherlands, look wherever you
normally see American music videos on television and if they're not
running it, call and request it! 




Harv Laser                                      {anywhere}!crash!hrlaser
"Park and lock it.  Not responsible."           People/Link: CBM*HARV

hrlaser@crash.cts.com (Harv Laser) (02/27/91)

In article <1991Feb25.092351.3084@zorch.SF-Bay.ORG> xanthian@zorch.SF-Bay.ORG (Kent Paul Dolan) writes:
>
> hrlaser@crash.cts.com (Harv Laser) writes:
>
>>The story I have on "Change Myself" is that Todd, who worked a lot with
>>Macs, heard about the Toaster, bought himself one, got hooked on 
>>the LightWave 3D software, and decided to do an entire video using
>>this combination.  He consulted with LightWave 3D author Allen Hastings
>[using ten Amiga/Toaster sets to finish in five weeks]
>
>A bit discouraging to think that a three minute video would take a full
>year of the one machine user's time, but that aside, how do I get a copy
>of this puppy into my dealer's hands and start really boosting Amiga
>multimedia sales? In the heart of Silicon Valley, where most people have
>more money than sense, this would really move a lot of CBM & Newtek
>hardware.

Oh, I don't know how discouraging it would be to think that a sing
le user using a single Toaster would need a year to render over 7000
frames of LightWave animation, not to mention the time it must've taken
to build the hundreds of objects he used.  Ask Eric "Dr. Gandalf"
Fleischer how long it took him to create his "Upgrade" animaiton which
fills up 6 disks, all ray-traced in Turbo Silver. 

Sometimes I sit here futzing with Imagine for an entire day just to
get one single still ray trace I'm satisfied with. 
Just the _idea_ of designing, debugging, and rendering 7000 frames
sends shivers up and down my back. If the credits on my copy of the
video are REALLY true, and Rundgren DID do almost all of the modeling
and animation himself, then he's a genius. 
>
> mark@calvin.westford.ccur.com (Mark Thompson) writes:
>
>> In fact the feature of texture mapping image sequence (animations)
>> onto surfaces was a Todd Rundgren request that Allen added.
>
>You guys want to mail me a copy of this puppy, I'll deliver it to HT
>Electronics (since I don't own a TV) myself, just to see the demo once,
>if you haven't already gotten a copy to them.
>
>Kent, the man from xanth.
><xanthian@Zorch.SF-Bay.ORG> <xanthian@well.sf.ca.us>

I'd love to copy the tape and send it to ya but when I got it from NewTek
it came with specific instructions not to duplicate it.  Whether this is
because of the degeneration it would suffer after a copy or for some
other reason, I don't know. They didn't say. They just said "don't copy
it" and I'm not going to.  Suggest you phone NewTek in Kansas and see
if they'll send you a copy. If they won't listen to you, ask your dealer
to call them.  Or call VH-1 or MTV and ask when they have it scheduled
to run. Even if you don't have a TV/cable surely you know someone who
does. 



Harv Laser                                      {anywhere}!crash!hrlaser
"Park and lock it.  Not responsible."           People/Link: CBM*HARV

roddi@bruce.cs.monash.OZ.AU (Roddi Walker) (02/28/91)

In <7745@crash.cts.com> hrlaser@crash.cts.com (Harv Laser) writes:

[stuff deleted]

>to build the hundreds of objects he used.  Ask Eric "Dr. Gandalf"
>Fleischer how long it took him to create his "Upgrade" animaiton which
>fills up 6 disks, all ray-traced in Turbo Silver. 

[stuff deleted]

Hum, a 6 disk ray-traced animation by the man himself, Dr. Gandalf.
Well, I'll run the risk of being predictable and ask anyone out there
in netland to tell me (or post) an ftp fite where I can score this sucker 
(assuming it runs on a 5 MB A2000HD :-)

Thanks in Advance, Rod.

erik@mcrware.UUCP (Erik Johnson) (03/01/91)

As I was scanning this group, I noticed the name Todd Rundgren.
In the late sixties (I think) there was a group named Nazz led by
Todd Rundgren.  If this is the same man, then I must see this video.
Any clue as to how to obtain a copy of it?

Erik R Johnson     erik@mcrware.com

peter@sugar.hackercorp.com (Peter da Silva) (03/01/91)

In article <7745@crash.cts.com> hrlaser@crash.cts.com (Harv Laser) writes:
> I'd love to copy the tape and send it to ya but when I got it from NewTek
> it came with specific instructions not to duplicate it.

That makes sense, simply from the copyrights involved. After the flak NewTek
got for the first two NewTek demos (the first was a copyright violation by
itself) it's no wonder they're being careful here.
-- 
Peter da Silva.   `-_-'
<peter@sugar.hackercorp.com>.

whitcomb@aurs01.UUCP (Jonathan Whitcomb) (03/02/91)

In article <5168@mcrware.UUCP> erik@mcrware.UUCP (Erik Johnson) writes:
-As I was scanning this group, I noticed the name Todd Rundgren.
-In the late sixties (I think) there was a group named Nazz led by
-Todd Rundgren.  If this is the same man, then I must see this video.

Yep...and where have you been?  Todd has put out at least 20 albums
under his own names, and with groups (Runt, Utopia), as well as 
producing dozens of artists, including Patti Smith, XTC, The 
Psychedelic Furs and many, many others.  Rhino records re-released
the old Nazz records a few years back...I think you can even get
them on CD!

Considering his abilities with both the technical and musical sides
of pop music, it doesn't surprize me that he is capable of mastering
computer animation.  This is not his first video, either.  All this
and he got to sleep with Bebe Buelle to boot. ;^)

-Any clue as to how to obtain a copy of it?

I don't know for sure if it is available yet, but lots of music videos 
are being sold in music/cd stores these days...you might just call your 
local cd or video store.

-Erik R Johnson     erik@mcrware.com
**********************************************************************
Jonathan Whitcomb                    UUCP: <...!mcnc!aurgate!whitcomb>
(919) 850-6231                       I'm not a software engineer,
Raleigh, NC                          but I play one on TV.

hrlaser@crash.cts.com (Harv Laser) (03/02/91)

In article <5168@mcrware.UUCP> erik@mcrware.UUCP (Erik Johnson) writes:
>As I was scanning this group, I noticed the name Todd Rundgren.
>In the late sixties (I think) there was a group named Nazz led by
>Todd Rundgren.  If this is the same man, then I must see this video.
>Any clue as to how to obtain a copy of it?
>
>Erik R Johnson     erik@mcrware.com


Yup, it's the same Todd. Right now your best bet to catch his
Amiga/Toaster-made video "Change Myself" is via the cable music video
channel "VH-1" - they're running it occasionally in the evening.
Their phone nbr is 212-258-8000 and I hear they are receptive to
requests such that if enough people call and ask for a particular
video the chances of it being played more often will increase. {hint hint}



Harv Laser                                      {anywhere}!crash!hrlaser
"Park and lock it.  Not responsible."           People/Link: CBM*HARV

Classic_-_Concepts@cup.portal.com (03/04/91)

> A bit discouraging to think that a three minute video would take a
> full year of the one machine user's time, but that aside, ...

Ack!  Unfortunately, animators and videographers have utterly
failed in educating the public in how long it takes to do these
things!!!!!  (If they told the truth people would probably shy
away from their services, so instead they burn themselves out by
working 37-hour days and not making any money ...)

Just to give you a dose of reality, many of the showcase
computer-animated videos required:

     - about half a million dollars worth of equipment
     - a team of 3 - 12 people
     - 1 to 2 years of development

for a not-uncommon cost of about $2,000,000 - $3,000,000 for 2 or
3 minutes of movie magic.  No kidding.  Just ask Pixar (who should
know because they're still around), and Vertigo (who know even
better, because they're not, along with a long sad littany of
computer animation companies who slipped into the past because of
the high cost/low time ratios associated with this business).

Todd and Allen can be proud of how quickly this video was put
together.
                                                                       / 
                                                      \             / /  
                                                       \\\' ,      / //  
                                                        \\\//    _/ //'  
         __ _________________________________________    \_-//' /  //<'  
        ///  Julie Petersen  (LadyHawke@cup.portal.com     \ ///  <//'   
       ///           Classic_-_Concepts@cup.portal.com)    /  >>   \\\`  
 __   ///   (This bird is my own original creation        /,)-^>>  _\`   
 \\\ ///    and those of you who are ripping it off       (/   \\ / \\\  
  \\///     could at least credit me as the artist.)           //  //\\\
   ----------------------------------------------------       ((`   
                                               

zerkle@iris.ucdavis.edu (Dan Zerkle) (03/04/91)

In article <39765@cup.portal.com> Classic_-_Concepts@cup.portal.com writes:
>
>Ack!  Unfortunately, animators and videographers have utterly
>failed in educating the public in how long it takes to do these
>things!!!!!  

Hideous amounts of time for professionals and CPU's.

>for a not-uncommon cost of about $2,000,000 - $3,000,000 for 2 or
>3 minutes of movie magic.  No kidding.  Just ask Pixar (who should
>know because they're still around), and Vertigo (who know even
>better, because they're not, along with a long sad littany of
>computer animation companies who slipped into the past because of
>the high cost/low time ratios associated with this business).

Depending on the quality of the anim, this sounds about right.  One
of those flashy "flying logos" for sports programs or the Sunday Night
Movie or whatever has a standard charge of 1 megabuck.

Here's something for the rumor mill:  Pixar is in big trouble.
Their adventure into hardware was obsolete before it was released.
Programmers are quitting the company.  They haven't produced anything
since "Knick-Knack".  Expect them to go belly up sometime soon,
leaving Pacific Data Images as the only professional computer 3-D
animation company around.  Their problem is the same as all the other
animation companies.  It's just too damn expensive to produce those
things.  A pity, because I love Pixar's work (especially Luxo, Jr.).

Disclaimer:  The above information is as reliable as its author, who
is not reliable at all.

           Dan Zerkle  zerkle@iris.eecs.ucdavis.edu  (916) 754-0240
           Amiga...  Because life is too short for boring computers.

nfs1675@dsacg3.dsac.dla.mil ( Michael S Figg) (03/05/91)

In article <8477@ucdavis.ucdavis.edu>, zerkle@iris.ucdavis.edu (Dan Zerkle) writes:
>
> Their adventure into hardware was obsolete before it was released.
> Programmers are quitting the company.  They haven't produced anything
> since "Knick-Knack".  Expect them to go belly up sometime soon,
> leaving Pacific Data Images as the only professional computer 3-D
> animation company around.  Their problem is the same as all the other
> animation companies.  It's just too damn expensive to produce those
> things.  A pity, because I love Pixar's work (especially Luxo, Jr.).
> 
>            Dan Zerkle  zerkle@iris.eecs.ucdavis.edu  (916) 754-0240
>            Amiga...  Because life is too short for boring computers.



Everybody seems to like Pixar's work, particularily Luxo, Jr.  Does anybody
know where their work is available. It seems like somebody posted a source
a year or two back for a tape with three of the biggies (Luxo, Jr., Red's
Dream, Tin Toy). Sure love to get these if still available.




---Mike


-- 
 --------       o       A herd of bagels      | Michael Figg  DSAC-FSD
 |      |  --  oo o o   escaping from a deli. | DLA Systems Automation Center
 |      |  -- ooo oo    Looking for Lox in    | Cols, Ohio mfigg@dsac.dla.mil
 --------      o o      all the wrong places  | CIS: 73777,360    

dave@cs.arizona.edu (Dave P. Schaumann) (03/06/91)

In article <3003@dsacg3.dsac.dla.mil> nfs1675@dsacg3.dsac.dla.mil ( Michael S Figg) writes:
>Everybody seems to like Pixar's work, particularily Luxo, Jr.  Does anybody
>know where their work is available. It seems like somebody posted a source
>a year or two back for a tape with three of the biggies (Luxo, Jr., Red's
>Dream, Tin Toy). Sure love to get these if still available.

Leave us not also forget Knickknack.

I too would like to know if there is a place to get a video tape of these
creations.

Recently, _The 3rd Animation Celebration_ went through town, and they were
handing out flyers which gave ordering information on pervious animation
celebrations (& other stuff, too) on tape.  The cost was kinda high, though:
$40-$60 per tape, and they only ship to the US & Canada.

For more information, write to:

	Animation
	P.O. Box 25547
	L. A., CA 90025

Please note that I have no affiliation with this group, and no knowledge of
them beyond what I got off of the flyer.  All disclaimers apply...

-- 
		Dave Schaumann		dave@cs.arizona.edu
'Dog Gang'!  Where do they get off calling us the 'Dog Gang'?  I'm beginning to
think the party's over.  I'm beginning to think maybe we don't need a dog.  Or
maybe we need a *new* dog.  Or maybe we need a *cat*! - Amazing Stories

c315-25@cs.UAlberta.CA (Huisman Kenneth M) (03/06/91)

In article <1041@caslon.cs.arizona.edu> dave@cs.arizona.edu (Dave P. Schaumann) writes:
>In article <3003@dsacg3.dsac.dla.mil> nfs1675@dsacg3.dsac.dla.mil ( Michael S Figg) writes:
>>Everybody seems to like Pixar's work, particularily Luxo, Jr.  Does anybody
>>know where their work is available. It seems like somebody posted a source
>>a year or two back for a tape with three of the biggies (Luxo, Jr., Red's
>>Dream, Tin Toy). Sure love to get these if still available.
>
>Leave us not also forget Knickknack.
>
>I too would like to know if there is a place to get a video tape of these
>creations.

Yes there is.  If you check out the monthly posting in comp.sys.graphics, it
says where to get all of the pixar films.  If I recall, they are not 
all that cheap, considering their length.

Ken

c315-25@manning.cs.ualberta.ca

dave@cs.arizona.edu (Dave P. Schaumann) (03/06/91)

In article <1991Mar6.024725.23890@cs.UAlberta.CA> c315-25@cs.UAlberta.CA (Huisman Kenneth M) writes:
>In article <1041@caslon.cs.arizona.edu> dave@cs.arizona.edu (Dave P. Schaumann) writes:
>>I too would like to know if there is a place to get a video tape of these
>>creations. [Pixar animations]
>
>Yes there is.  If you check out the monthly posting in comp.sys.graphics, it

Maybe you mean comp.graphics.digest?  This is the only other "graphics" group
we have, besides comp.sys.amiga.graphics...

[fodder]
[mudder]

-- 
Dave Schaumann | dave@cs.arizona.edu | Short .sig's rule!

lou@vaxsc (03/07/91)

In article  <39765@cup.portal.com> Classic_-_Concepts@cup.portal.com writes:

>Ack!  Unfortunately, animators and videographers have utterly
>failed in educating the public in how long it takes to do these
>things!!!!!  (If they told the truth people would probably shy
>away from their services, so instead they burn themselves out by
>working 37-hour days and not making any money ...)
>
> [censors hard at work]
>
>for a not-uncommon cost of about $2,000,000 - $3,000,000 for 2 or
>3 minutes of movie magic.  No kidding.  Just ask Pixar (who should
>
> [do the letters 'rm -i *' mean anything to you?]
>
>Todd and Allen can be proud of how quickly this video was put
>together.
>                                                                       / 
>                                                      \             / /  
>                                                       \\\' ,      / //  
>                                                        \\\//    _/ //'  
>         __ _________________________________________    \_-//' /  //'  
>        ///  Julie Petersen  (LadyHawke@cup.portal.com     \ ///  //'   
>       ///           Classic_-_Concepts@cup.portal.com)    /  >>   \\\`  
> __   ///   (This bird is my own original creation        /,)-^>>  _\`   
> \\\ ///    and those of you who are ripping it off       (/   \\ / \\\  
>  \\///     could at least credit me as the artist.)           //  //\\\
>   ----------------------------------------------------       ((`   
                                               

Speaking of all this about computer animation, music videos and such, I have a 
question for all the animation freaks out there, be it computer animation or
otherwise.

Who (if anybody) remembers the Alan Parsons Project video (from the early 80's)
"Don't Answer Me"?  I believed it was subtitled "The adventures of Mike and Nikki".
I'm sure it wasnt done using Amiga's, they werent released at that time, I'm
not even sure if it was computer generated at all, but given Parson's genius, 
I wouldnt be surprised.    If anyone remembers this, or knows more info on it,
I'd love to hear about it.  I haven't seen this video in years, but it was a 
terrific animation, and I'd like to get a copy.

        ----------------------------------------------------------------
        -Lou Williams            Via Bitnet :   william8@niehs.bitnet
                                Via Internet:   lou@vaxsc.niehs.nih.gov
        Computer Sciences Corporation,    Research Triangle Park, NC
        ----------------------------------------------------------------
        -Sometimes in order to feel better about yourself, you have to
        make others feel bad, and I'm tired of making others feel good
        about themselves.               -Homer Simpson.
        ----------------------------------------------------------------

c315-25@cs.UAlberta.CA (Huisman Kenneth M) (03/07/91)

In article <1051@caslon.cs.arizona.edu> dave@cs.arizona.edu (Dave P. Schaumann) writes:
>In article <1991Mar6.024725.23890@cs.UAlberta.CA> c315-25@cs.UAlberta.CA (Huisman Kenneth M) writes:
>>In article <1041@caslon.cs.arizona.edu> dave@cs.arizona.edu (Dave P. Schaumann) writes:
>>>I too would like to know if there is a place to get a video tape of these
>>>creations. [Pixar animations]
>>
>>Yes there is.  If you check out the monthly posting in comp.sys.graphics, it
>
>Maybe you mean comp.graphics.digest?  This is the only other "graphics" group
>we have, besides comp.sys.amiga.graphics...

Oops.  I meant 'comp.graphics'
not comp.graphics.digest.  comp.graphics.

Sorry for the confusion...

Ken

c315-25@manning.cs.ualberta.ca

zerkle@iris.ucdavis.edu (Dan Zerkle) (03/07/91)

In article <3003@dsacg3.dsac.dla.mil> nfs1675@dsacg3.dsac.dla.mil ( Michael S Figg) writes:
>Everybody seems to like Pixar's work, particularily Luxo, Jr.  Does anybody
>know where their work is available. It seems like somebody posted a source
>a year or two back for a tape with three of the biggies (Luxo, Jr., Red's
>Dream, Tin Toy). Sure love to get these if still available.

My graphics professor mentioned this.  He said that you can get it by
contacting Pixar and buying it from them -- for about $25,000 (ouch!).

BTW, he also said that he recognized a couple of TV ads as Pixar's
work -- a boxing Listerine bottle and a bouncing straw piercing an
orange.  I have doubts about the Listerine ad, since that one did NOT
do refraction and attenuation properly, but the straw one had the
classic eyes on the straw that Pixar likes to use.  If Pixar is
putting out Ads like these, maybe the company is doing ok after
all....

           Dan Zerkle  zerkle@iris.eecs.ucdavis.edu  (916) 754-0240
           Amiga...  Because life is too short for boring computers.

farren@sat.com (Michael J. Farren) (03/08/91)

dave@cs.arizona.edu writes:
>>Everybody seems to like Pixar's work, particularily Luxo, Jr.  Does anybody
>>know where their work is available.
>I too would like to know if there is a place to get a video tape of these
>creations.

It's not video tape (it's better!), but...  Pacific Arts has put out a number
of laser disks of computer animation.  I've seen "Luxo, Jr.", "Andre and
Wally B.", and parts of "Tin Toy" on the two I've seen (STATE OF THE ART OF
COMPUTER ANIMATION and another title I just can't recall offhand).  It's
entirely possible the others are on other titles.
-- 
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Michael J. Farren                                      farren@sat.com |
|                        He's moody, but he's cute.                     |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+

chem194@csc.canterbury.ac.nz (John Davis) (03/08/91)

In article <46746@nigel.ee.udel.edu>, lou@vaxsc writes:
> Speaking of all this about computer animation, music videos and such, I have a 
> question for all the animation freaks out there, be it computer animation or
> otherwise.
> 
> Who (if anybody) remembers the Alan Parsons Project video (from the early 80's)
> "Don't Answer Me"?  I believed it was subtitled "The adventures of Mike and Nikki".
> I'm sure it wasnt done using Amiga's, they werent released at that time, I'm
> not even sure if it was computer generated at all, but given Parson's genius, 
> I wouldnt be surprised.    If anyone remembers this, or knows more info on it,
> I'd love to hear about it.  I haven't seen this video in years, but it was a 
> terrific animation, and I'd like to get a copy.

I've never seen the aforementioned Alan Parsons video, but my nomination for
all time best computer generated rock video of that period would have to be
The Rolling Stones 'hard woman' video. This came out not long after Dire
Straits did 'Money for Nothing' and was _far_ superior technically (in spite
of this, the dire straits video got all the attention).'Hard Woman' had all
sorts of nice texture mapped raytracing in it - I'd really love to get more
info on the people who did (and of course _what_ they did it on).

Meanwhile I'll keep on keeping on, hoping that this new Todd Rundgren
video makes it out here to the edge of the world, sooner rather than later..
 
-----------------------------------------------------------
| o  John Davis - CHEM194@canterbury.ac.nz               o |
| o  (Depart)mental Programmer,Chemistry Department      o |
| o  University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand o | 

nfs1675@dsacg3.dsac.dla.mil ( Michael S Figg) (03/08/91)

In article <1051@caslon.cs.arizona.edu>, dave@cs.arizona.edu (Dave P. Schaumann) writes:
> In article <1991Mar6.024725.23890@cs.UAlberta.CA> c315-25@cs.UAlberta.CA (Huisman Kenneth M) writes:
> >
> >Yes there is.  If you check out the monthly posting in comp.sys.graphics, it
> 
> Maybe you mean comp.graphics.digest?  This is the only other "graphics" group
> we have, besides comp.sys.amiga.graphics...
> 
> Dave Schaumann | dave@cs.arizona.edu | Short .sig's rule!


I didn't find a comp.sys.graphics either, but it is in comp.graphics, which
is probably what was meant. I just found the old information about this offer
and it looks like the same posting. Here is what was in the FAQ in 
comp.graphics

-----------------------------------------------

The various John Lasseter / Pixar computer animated shorts are
available on video tape.  You can order them from Direct Cinema
Limited:

    Film				Price
    Luxo, Jr.				$14.95
    Red's Dream				$19.95
    Tin Toy				$24.95
    Knickknack				$24.95
    Luxo, Jr./Red's Dream/Tin Toy	$49.95

All tapes are on 1/2" VHS NTSC.  Add $10/tape for PAL format.  Also
available:

    Tin Toy T-shirt			$15.00
    Knickknack 3D T-shirt		$15.00 (includes glasses)

Add $5 S&H for the first tape or shirt, $2 for each additional tape or
shirt.  Foreign shipping, add $3/tape or shirt.  Call 800/525-0000
(213/396-4774 international) to charge to your credit card.  Call
first to verify prices and availability.  Or, just write to:

    Direct Cinema Limited
    1749 14th Street
    Santa Monica, CA 90404-4342


------------------------------------------------------------------

---Mike

-- 
 --------       o       A herd of bagels      | Michael Figg  DSAC-FSD
 |      |  --  oo o o   escaping from a deli. | DLA Systems Automation Center
 |      |  -- ooo oo    Looking for Lox in    | Cols, Ohio mfigg@dsac.dla.mil
 --------      o o      all the wrong places  | CIS: 73777,360    

faber@loon.cs.wisc.edu (Ted Faber) (03/09/91)

In article <1991Mar07.213510.1247@sat.com>, farren@sat.com (Michael J. Farren) writes:
>dave@cs.arizona.edu writes:
>>>Everybody seems to like Pixar's work, particularily Luxo, Jr.  Does anybody
>>>know where their work is available.
>
>It's not video tape (it's better!), but...  Pacific Arts has put out a number
>of laser disks of computer animation.  I've seen "Luxo, Jr.", "Andre and
>Wally B.", and parts of "Tin Toy" on the two I've seen (STATE OF THE ART OF
>COMPUTER ANIMATION and another title I just can't recall offhand).  It's
>entirely possible the others are on other titles.

>| Michael J. Farren                                      farren@sat.com |

	Yeah, the attributions are pretty screwed up, but I missed the
	first question, so.....

	The videotapes are available from PIXAR for a few bucks, say
	O(15.00).  At least they were a year or so ago.  To get the
	addresses to send to:

		1) Check the comp.graphics FAQ list
		2) If it's not there post the question there - someone
		   there knows.  ( This is where I saw the address before,
		   and PIXAR people read it frequently )

	Happy viewing!  

Remember kids, if there's a loaded gun in the room, be sure that you're the 
 one holding it.  --- Captain Combat

				Ted

mark@calvin..westford.ccur.com (Mark Thompson) (03/09/91)

In article <8501@ucdavis.ucdavis.edu> zerkle@iris.ucdavis.edu (Dan Zerkle) writes:
>In article <3003@dsacg3.dsac.dla.mil> nfs1675@dsacg3.dsac.dla.mil ( Michael S Figg) writes:
>>Everybody seems to like Pixar's work, particularily Luxo, Jr.  Does anybody
>>know where their work is available.
>My graphics professor mentioned this.  He said that you can get it by
>contacting Pixar and buying it from them -- for about $25,000 (ouch!).

Hardly necessary......
The various John Lasseter / Pixar computer animated shorts are
available on video tape.  You can order them from Direct Cinema Limited:

    Film                                Price
    Luxo, Jr.                           $14.95
    Red's Dream                         $19.95
    Tin Toy                             $24.95
    Knickknack                          $24.95
    Luxo, Jr./Red's Dream/Tin Toy       $49.95

All tapes are on 1/2" VHS NTSC.  Add $10/tape for PAL format.  Also
available:

    Tin Toy T-shirt                     $15.00
    Knickknack 3D T-shirt               $15.00 (includes glasses)

Add $5 S&H for the first tape or shirt, $2 for each additional tape or
shirt.  Foreign shipping, add $3/tape or shirt.  Call 213-652-8000 to
charge to your credit card.  I would suggest calling first to verify
prices and availability.

>BTW, he also said that he recognized a couple of TV ads as Pixar's
>work -- a boxing Listerine bottle and a bouncing straw piercing an
>orange.  I have doubts about the Listerine ad, since that one did NOT
>do refraction and attenuation properly, but the straw one had the
>classic eyes on the straw that Pixar likes to use.

Both are Pixar creations as well as the Lifesavers Holes comercial with
the Holes playing on a playground. Why do you believe it can't be Pixar's
if the refraction or attenuation are not done properly? Refraction is rarely
used in comercial animation by anyone because the expense is too great
for so little effect (it generally goes unnoticed in a fast paced 5-10
second comercial). In Pixar's last non-commercial prduction, Knickknack,
the water filled glass bowl that the snowman was trapped in had no
refraction whatsoever. In fact I can't think of an instance in which a
Pixar film ever uses refraction (with the possible exception of the 
deformation of the baby's head when viewed through cellophane in Tin Toy).
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