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HDTV Listings for September 24, 2007
What we're watching: ABC, NBC and CBS are rolling out their fall premieres, with several returning shows and a few brand new ones. In between standbys like DWTS and Heroes, keep an eye out for the series premieres of Chuck, The Big Bang Theory and Journeyman. Our traditional high-def listings continue below.
Ed Burns premieres movie on iTunes, defends digital distribution for smaller features
411Mania's got an interview up with actor and filmmaker Ed Burns, whose latest movie, Purple Violets, is going to be distributed exclusively through iTunes for four weeks. Apparently he says he had a couple of "half-assed theatrical offers" for it, but none of them panned out, so when iTunes promised to promote his movie (maybe we'll start seeing it at keynotes rather than The Office?), he decided to go for it.And lest you think the movie's stuck on the super small screen because it isn't any good, our friends at Cinematical rather liked it, calling it his best film since The Brothers McMullen. Still, even Burns admits that it's definitely a change. Movies are made for the big screen, and always will be-- just like the interviewer at 411, I have a real problem with someone seeing The Godfather, Jurassic Park, or even Star Wars on an iPod screen for the very first time.But this is the future, I suppose-- movie theaters aren't going anywhere, I'm sure, but the way we watch our movies is definitely diversifying. Burns likens it to digital media-- when it first came out, LP lovers said they would never listen to anything so cold and stiff, and yet iTunes now sells more songs digitally than anyone else who is selling analog recordings. Movies aren't necessary shrinking-- they're just, like everything else, changing.[via DF]
Yakuza producer brings two games to PS3
Yakuza producer Toshihiro Nagoshi (pictured, above) announced a couple of new PS3 games during the PlayStation Premiere event today. Senjou no Valkyrie (Battle Field Valkyrie) is a new game from the Sakura Taisen team that promises to combine action, strategy and RPG elements. The game will feature graphics that look like water color paintings, utilizing a new technique called "Canvas."After this announcement, Nagoshi hinted on two new projects he's working on for PS3. Apparently, the cosplay he's wearing is a hint of Nagoshi's next game. The project is called "my biggest production since I started working on consumer games." The game will be officially unveiled on September 14th, with a release planned for Spring. A second game was simply hinted at ... but we'll have to wait for the official announcement at a later date. Don't you love announcements of announcements?[Image source: Famitsu]
See it at iTunes before it premieres
There's a new trend over at the iTunes store: shows that you can buy and watch well in advance of the network premiere. Take "The Winner", for example, or "Andy Barker, PI". Both these shows debuted on iTunes, with all their episodes, before they started airing on TV. This move should create advance buzz for shows that might otherwise have trouble finding an audience. And while I don't think we'll ever see this kind of advance access for high concept serialized shows like Battlestar Galactica or Heroes, I could easily see a move like this for quirky cable shows like Monk or Psych looking to expand their audience through presales.
Comcast offering over 100 hours of HD VOD beginning...today
Cable executives have talked about the importance of high definition video-on-demand, and today Comcast is putting some muscle behind those words. Besides making 100 hours of HD programming available on VOD beginning today, they also announced they will have at least 20 hours of high-def content from Starz available each month. Today, viewers will be able to watch The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe on HD VOD before it airs on Starz HD. Doubling up on the Comcast HD news, in an interview yesterday with TV Predictions, president Steve Burke announced they plan to release a Panasonic DVR in 2007 with double the current recording capacity, and increase the number of HD channels to 35 by the end of next year. He also noted that the TiVo package is on track to release before the end of this year, for people who can't quite stomach the price of a TiVo Series3 DVR. If the quality is up to par, forget fighting off IPTV and satellite, this may be enough to put even a new Blu-ray or HD DVD player purchase on hold, it's not like Narnia is out yet on Blu-ray anyway.Read: Comcast Launches Unprecedented HD Programming Initiative to Offer 100 Hours of High-Definition Video-On-Demand ProgrammingRead: Comcast's Steve Burke On HDTV
Video editing: Mac or PC?
Our pals over at DV Guru (a sister blog) have posed one of the endearing questions in the video editing industry to their readers, which I thought might be fitting for TUAW as well: video editing - Mac or PC? For the longest time, video editing on a PC with Avid software has been the reigning king, but Apple's Final Cut Pro seems to be making its own fair share of waves in the industry. I also know there are plenty of other packages out there, as I used to have an editing job in which I sold my soul worked on Sony's Vegas software - not a shining moment in my career, let me tell you.But what do you, TUAW readers, think about the state of video editing? Are you working on premium Avid setups, Final Cut Pro and a G5 or Microsoft's good ol' fashioned Windows Movie Maker? Let's hear it.
Chicago signing for Uematsu, Aki, & Roth tonight
Are you in Chicago tonight for the big PLAY! concert tomorrow, but weren't willing to shell out $125 for the VIP meet-and-greet at the event? Well, you might be in luck (even if you're not attending), as a few famous folks from the concert will be on hand to sign autographs in Chicago proper for free tonight.From 7 to 9 PM (presumably Central time) at the Tower Records store on 2301 N. Clark St., Final Fantasy composer Nobuo Uematsu, bilingual songstress Angela Aki (who wrote and sang the theme song for FFXII), and Principal Conductor and Music Director of PLAY! Arnie Roth will be signing autographs to promote the world-tour premiere of 'PLAY! A Video Game Symphony' and the CD for More Friends - Music from FINAL FANTASY.While this blogger is sadly occupied with prior engagements tonight, gamers in the area are more than welcome to mob that Tower Records and cause the store's employees much consternation and bewilderment. If you don't have any imported CDs to sign, however, don't fret: the store's web site claims to have "some awesome Japanese imports available for you to purchase and have autographed at the event." Not only that, Angela Aki will be performing live as well. Score! Anybody wanna tell us how this evening turns out when it's all sung and done?[Via The Daily Northwestern; image culled from Angela Aki's blog, Nobuo Uematsu's Squenix profile, and Arnie Roth's 2005 interview with IGN]See also: Official page for Tower Clark Street (with details on the signing) Ticketmaster site for the PLAY! concert debut tomorrow Sonic and Chrono composers to join PLAY! in Chicago
Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children reports from Hollywood
For the Final Fantasy fans lucky enough to be near Hollywood yesterday night -- and in line for free tickets during the middle of a regular workday -- there was much rejoicing to be had as Advent Children celebrated its U.S. theatrical premiere in style.Siliconera has a write-up on the event with quotes from most of the American voice actors in attendance, who, along with the audience at hand, watched the film in English for the very first time. Lip synching may have been off due to the low-resolution print the actors had to work with, but even Rachel Leigh Cook -- pictured here with her character Tifa Lockheart -- declared herself a new fan of Final Fantasy after the show.Helpful Joystiq Contributor epobirs also had something to report from the screening yesterday, where he gives us an Ain't-It-Cool style rundown of the event. If you want the rest of his reflections on the requirements of the Academy in Oscar nominations, as well as what it takes to "assert your hetero nature ... after watching a movie packed with metrosexual men," simply continue reading below for more. Siliconera's report can be found by clicking on the image of Ms. Cook above or the Read link below. Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children will be out on DVD/UMD April 25th.[Thanks, epobirs; image of Tifa courtesy of Eyes on Final Fantasy]
Jobs in a suit
I've seen this pic before, but it's getting the traffic over at Digg, so I thought it worth pointing to again. Here's the full-size picture of the cover of the premiere issue of Macworld, featuring Steve Jobs, not in jeans and a turtleneck as a friend to the consumer, but in a suit, trying to sell the Mac to the world. He also seems to be doing some sort of Jesus's arms in the Last Supper painting thing with the way he's hovering over those three Macs.
