Showing posts with label itunes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label itunes. Show all posts

Saturday, 25 February 2017

Music Streaming: The Now of Digital Marketing @EclipsePR

Hi Guys,

In today’s competitive world, brands are tapping into new ways of becoming more accessible and relevant to their consumers. Some are turning to music streaming networks to differentiate themselves from their competition. They realise that the way we listen to and acquire music is always changing. This can prove to be another tool in their arsenal to gain more customers.

“Music streaming services see millions of music lovers signing up daily. From Apple Music to Spotify, the online music sphere has become a platform for brands wanting to connect with individuals that they would otherwise have not been targeting,” says Jacki McEwen, Co-owner & Managing Director at Eclipse Public Relations.

Leading the front line in company curated playlists is Spotify. This platform is one of the largest music steaming services in the world. It was established before Apple Music, or even Tidal for that matter, were a twinkle in their creators’ eye.

For the past couple of years, businesses have been working on innovative projects in the hopes of building their brand and strengthening their relationship with consumers. This involves the creation of playlists that suit a brand’s style and image.
Music Streaming: The Now of Digital Marketing @EclipsePR
The Big Four: The benefits of music streaming for business
A music streaming strategy for brands goes hand in hand with social media tactics. There are four main benefits of music streaming that Senior Vice President of Pandora’s Strategic Solutions, Heidi Browning, identified in an article written for The Drum:

1) Engagement: Music streaming services enable consumers to create a personalised experience. In doing so, they have created an audience that is constantly engaging with these platforms through creating content unique to their interests. It has been reported by Vevo that millennials are spending on average 25 hours a week streaming music. If brands want to reach Generation Z, they need to be in tune with the streaming market.

2) Attention: We live in what is known as the “earbud generation”. What does this mean for marketers? While most adverts are focused on what we can see, what people hear commands more attention, as the brain can only focus on one auditory process at a time.

3) Context: Streaming music has made it easier for brands to reach their audiences without interrupting them. Listening to music has become a daily activity in the lives of many people and brands can only benefit from using these platforms to reach their target markets. Consumers use music for a variety of different reasons, often based on their moods. If brands can tap into a genre or theme of music, they can reach the right the people simply by aligning themselves with the right platform or playlist.

4) Resonance: Nielsen Catalina Solutions reported that audio is the most effective channel in delivering a Return On Investment (ROI). These platforms give brands the opportunity to interact with their customers in an environment that Browning calls “emotionally and contextually relevant” which sends a message that resonates with their consumers.

Music streaming platforms are inter-aligning themselves with the same practices that they offer businesses. Streaming platforms are turning to lucrative partnerships with artists to increase their subscriptions. They are using their own spaces within these platforms to draw in a very eager consumer. With almost 30 million subscribers signing up to streaming platforms, music streaming has changed the way we listen to and experience music.

Music streaming has allowed for the creation of a database that brands can pull from. With each playlist being made to the fancy of the consumer, it has become easy for brands to find their target market on these streaming platforms. Imagine an entire database of people that fit your brand that you can access purely by aligning with the right platform. By creating a playlist, you can get your brand’s name into the ears of a generation that is constantly listening to music.

“The digital era of music is constantly growing and expanding. It’s impossible to think of what could be next, but in 10 years’ time we could be listening to music in unexpected new ways. In order for brands to stay relevant, they need to embrace what these platforms have to offer. They are the now of media and the now of marketing,” concludes McEwen.
Cheers!!!

Contact me at thelifesway@gmail.com if you want me to attend your launch events, blog and share on all my#socialmedia channels #TheLifesWay or to be a #Ambassador for your products and services!

Sunday, 3 May 2015

Grand Finale Quiz #StarWarsDay #Maythe4thBeWithYou #DisneyAfrica

Hi Guys,

The final test of being a fan if you know answers to some of these difficult ones from STAR WARS series -

What Ewok medicine man presided over the attempt to make a roast of Han Solo in Return of the Jedi?
Answer: Logray
 
Lando Clarissian’s operation on Cloud City mines what type of gas?
Answer: Tibanna gas

The Empire attacked the Rebel base on Hoth with four-legged Imperial Walkers, or AT-ATs. What does AT-AT stand for?
Answer: All Terrain-Armored Transport

What planet is home to Chewbacca and the Wookiees?
Answer: Kashyyyk

What is the species of the diminutive workers on Cloud City who helped freeze Han Solo in carbonite?
Answer: Ugnaughts

What type of battle armor does Boba Fett wear?
Answer: Mandalorian

Han Solo upgraded his beloved Millennium Falcon from which stock starship?
Answer: The YT-1300 stock light freighter

What color is Yoda’s lightsaber in Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith?
Answer: Green
Complete this line from A New Hope: “The ____________ Wastes are not to be traveled lightly.”
Answer: Jundland

Who preceded Senator Palpatine as Chancellor of the Galactic Senate?
Answer: Chancellor Valorum

How many engines are on an X-wing fighter?
Answer: 4

Bail Organa is Princess Leia’s adoptive father. What is her adoptive mother’s name?
Answer: Queen Breha Organa

I hope you are having fun with all the Star Wars movies and related content on my blog. Thanks to Lucas Films for making these movies and create a force we can all reckon with. 

Cheers!!!

Follow me on twitter @araijain or @thelifesway
Email - thelifesway@gmail.com for invites to launch events / sponsored posts and product reviews!
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General Trivia Quiz #StarWarsDay #Maythe4thBeWithYou #DisneyAfrica

Hi Guys,

What were the last words spoken in The Empire Strikes Back?
Answer: “May the Force be with you.”

What animals did the visual effects crew study when designing the Imperial Walkers from The Empire Strikes Back?
Answer: Elephants

Which country was the home base for principal photography on Revenge of the Sith?
Answer: Australia

Which Star Wars movie was the first to be shot entirely with high-definition cameras, without using traditional 35-millimeter film?
Answer: Attack of the Clones

What U.S. magazine declared Star Wars “the year’s best movie” in its May 30, 1977, issue?
Answer: Time

Which star of Revenge of the Sith is the real-life nephew of Denis Lawson, who played Wedge in the first Star Wars Trilogy?
Answer: Ewan McGregor

According to Star Wars legend, what substance powers lightsabers?
Answer: Ilum crystals
How much does the Chewbacca costume weigh?
Answer: 8 pounds (3.6 kilograms, ½ stone)

Yoda did not make an appearance in only one of the six Star Wars movies. Which one?
Answer: Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope

What famous scientist was the inspiration for creature designer Stuart Freeborn when creating Yoda’s eyes?
Answer: Albert Einstein

Padmé Amidala is first queen of, and then the senator from, what peaceful planet?
Answer: Naboo

It's May 4th tomorrow and people all over world will celebrate this festival. May the force always remains with all of us!

Cheers!!!

Follow me on twitter @araijain or @thelifesway
Email - thelifesway@gmail.com for invites to launch events / sponsored posts and product reviews!
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Quiz for Kids #StarWarsDay #Maythe4thBeWithYou #DisneyAfrica

Hi Guys,

Here is a small and easy quiz for everyone for all the STAR WARS fans across the world - 

What is the name of Han Solo’s ship?
Answer: Millennium Falcon

What is the weapon used by Jedi Knights?
Answer: Lightsaber

Which young Jedi Knight becomes Darth Vader in Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith?
Answer: Anakin Skywalker

What Jedi Master spent 800 years training such pupils as Qui-Gon Jinn Obi-Wan Kenobi, Count Dooku and Luke Skywalker?
Answer: Yoda

What Wookiee is Han Solo’s loyal friend and first mate?
Answer: Chewie

Who is Luke and Leia’s mother?
Answer: Padmé Amidala

How many members are there in the Jedi Council?
Answer: 12
Why didn’t Yoda say he didn’t want to train Luke Skywalker?
Answer: because he lacked patience

In the Star Wars film, what invisible power binds the galaxy together?
Answer: The Force

Who are the masters of the Dark Side who want to rule the galaxy?
Answer: The Sith

If there is any mistake I have done while compiling the question-answer set, please do let me know via comments. 

Enjoy the day! 
Cheers!!!

Follow me on twitter @araijain or @thelifesway
Email - thelifesway@gmail.com for invites to launch events / sponsored posts and product reviews!
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Friday, 1 May 2015

Celebrating #StarWarsDay #Maythe4thBeWithYou #DisneyAfrica

Hi Guys,

May is special for the fans around the world in celebration of STAR WARS series. May 4th is a day Star Wars fans have chosen to celebrate and honour all-things-Star-Wars, be it by posting Star Wars related content to social media, hosting Star Wars screening parties, wearing Star Wars costumes and clothing, or shopping for Star Wars merchandise.

Why May 4th? Because, as it happens, fans invented a clever turn of phrase based on the classic Star Wars slogan “May the Force Be With You” back in 1978: “May the FOURTH Be With You”. While originally invoked among US fans as a Fourth of July greeting, it was reset to May 4th the following year when a full-page ad appeared in the May 4, 1979 issue of The London Evening News to congratulate British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher on her taking office that day: “May the Fourth Be With You, Maggie. Congratulations!”

Since then, and especially in recent years, Star Wars fans have claimed May 4th as their day, a day that has also given Lucasfilm an opportunity to give back to the Star Wars community that honors that galaxy far, far away. Since 2012, Lucasfilm has encouraged May the 4th activities through its official website and social channels as well as provided built-in discounts and special offers on Star Wars merchandise. And since “May the 4th Be With You” doesn’t carry the same witty punch when translated into other languages, “Star Wars Day” has been adopted to establish a global meaning for this annual worldwide celebration. 


1. Dressing up for special occasions is important, and May the 4th is no different. Wearing anything from your favorite Star Wars shirt to full-on Stormtrooper gear is completely acceptable. (It’s okay to dress up your pet, too. Bounty hunter bulldogs are especially encouraged.)

2. Have a Star Wars movie marathon with friends and family! But do you start with the prequels or the original trilogy? Do you mix in some episodes of The Clone Wars and Star Wars Rebels? Better decide before your guests arrive, or you may spend the day in a heated debate.

3. Food is an essential part of any holiday. Death Star Cake Pops or a Ham Solo Sandwich, anyone? Find a variety of recipes on StarWars.com!

4. Toast the Saga with the ultimate Star Wars-themed beverage: blue milk, just like Aunt Beru used to make! (Fortunately, unlike Aunt Beru, you don’t own the droids the Empire is looking for.)

5. Feel the Force with Star Wars crafts: turn clay into an awesome Star Wars keepsake! Learn how to make Clay Yoda, Star Wars Bookmark, and more at StarWars.com!
6. Have you Vadered anyone yet? How do you plan to celebrate? Be sure to Tweet your photos to @starwars! And let us know how your celebrating, hashtag #StarWarsDay

7. You know that Rebel Alliance symbol tattoo you’ve been thinking about getting? Today’s the day.

8. Sometimes people use holidays to travel to new places. Why not go to Disneyland or Disney World and ride Star Tours? There are over 50 separate mission possibilities…so don’t plan on eating lunch beforehand.

9. As Yoda said, “Pass on what you have learned.” Introduce a younger sibling, family member, or friend to Star Wars!

10. Do you have any Star Wars toys that you don’t need any more? Donate them and make May the 4th really memorable for children in need.
For more information on the history of Star Wars Day, check out this article on StarWars.com: http://www.starwars.com/news/gearing-up-for-may-the-4th-and-with-good-reason

No matter what you chose to do, it will be a fun day full of awesome memories to cherish! 

Cheers!!!

Follow me on twitter @araijain or @thelifesway
Email - thelifesway@gmail.com for invites to launch events / sponsored posts and product reviews!
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Wednesday, 22 April 2015

#StarWars VI - Return of the Jedi - Facts #DisneyAfrica

Hi Guys,

Lucasfilm Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company, is a global leader in film, television and digital entertainment production. In addition to its motion-picture and television production, the company's activities include visual effects and audio post-production, cutting-edge digital animation, interactive entertainment software, and the management of the global merchandising activities for its entertainment properties including the legendary STAR WARS and INDIANA JONES franchises.

Listen up when the carbonite block in which Han Solo is encased falls to the floor in Star Wars: The Return Of The Jedi (1983). What was used to create the sound of the carbonite mass hitting the ground? Ben Burtt simply recorded the sound of a big garbage dumpster outside his home.

The iconic shot of Han Solo breaking out of the carbonite block was an interesting challenge for the movie’s special effects team. The crew made a wax figure of Harrison Ford and shone a bright light behind it for part of the epic transformation.


It was a huge task to move the mammoth life-size puppet of Jabba The Hutt on the set of Star Wars: The Return Of The Jedi. The special effects team had to stand behind and inside the character in order to try and make him move as realistically as possible. There’s a crewmember in the tail of Jabba, along with two crewmembers on remote controls, which were used to move the tongue and the eyes of the behemoth character.


The sand dune backgrounds for the scenes in which Jabba The Hutt’s barge heads to the Sarlacc Pit were all shot in Yuma, Arizona. When the background scenes were being shot, a sound crew was sent into the dunes – but the main thing they captured was sand in their equipment due to the high winds in the area! Instead, the sound crew headed off to a local naval air station where they recorded jets landing and taking off. These sounds became the basis for a lot of the speeder bikes seen later in the movie.

South African fans can access the Star Wars Digital Movie Collection exclusively on the South Africa iTunes Store via www.itunes.com/starwars.


Conversations: The Effects The technological advances made possible by the Star Wars franchise is celebrated in this exciting bonus feature. A number of iconic video effects artists share stories and secrets from their groundbreaking work on the original films…

The Effects
There were many “happy accidents” during the shooting of the movie. One of the most spectacular lighting effects on the Imperial Walker scenes was discovered when the team shut down the lights to head off for lunch.

Discoveries From Inside: The Sounds Of Ben Burtt
Discover the inspiration for the sounds of C-3PO, R2-D2, the Lightsaber and more in this bonus feature with iconic sound designer Ben Burtt…


The Sounds Of Ben Burtt: Fact #1
Star Wars Sound Designer Ben Burtt went to a scuba shop to research the sound of Darth Vader’s breathing. He recorded himself breathing through different scuba tanks with a tiny microphone he placed inside the valve of the breathing apparatus.


The Sounds Of Ben Burtt: Fact #2
On the campus of the University Of Southern California, Ben Burtt was a projectionist who enjoyed the magical ‘humming’ sound of the projector motor when it was turned on. Burtt recorded the motorized hum and later added the buzzing sound from the back of his television set to become the basis sound for all of the lightsabers in the Star Wars movies.
 

Legacy content includes “Classic Creatures: Return Of The Jedi”; “Revenge Of The Jedi Teaser Trailer”; Return Of The Jedi Launch Trailer; “It Began TV Spot”; “Climactic Chapter TV Spot”; plus five deleted scenes.

For over 90 years, The Walt Disney Studios has been the foundation on which The Walt Disney Company was built. Today, the Studio brings quality movies, music and stage plays to consumers throughout the world. Feature films are released under the following banners: Disney, including Walt Disney Animation Studios and Pixar Animation Studios; Disneynature; Marvel Studios; Disney|Lucasfilm; and Touchstone Pictures, the banner under which live-action films from DreamWorks Studios are distributed. The Disney Music Group encompasses the Walt Disney Records and Hollywood Records labels, as well as Disney Music Publishing. The Disney Theatrical Group produces and licenses live events, including Disney on Broadway, Disney On Ice and Disney Live!. Overall it's Entertainment Megahouse is what they are! 

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Cheers!!! 

Follow me on twitter @araijain or @thelifesway
Checkout my Instagram (araijain) page
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Tuesday, 21 April 2015

#StarWars V - The Empire Strikes Back - Facts #DisneyAfrica

Hi Guys,

In the Star Wars fan world, there’s a lot of controversy about the color of the coat Han Solo wears on the planet Hoth in Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back (1980). Many fans think the coat is blue, but it’s actually brown. You can see it in the bonus extras of Star Wars: The Digital Collection. It's kind of same conversation that took the twitter by storm some days back with a girl's dress color.
 
If Anthony Daniels fell over in his C-3PO costume, he couldn’t get up on his own. The costume wasn’t very flexible at all. In fact, the actor couldn’t sit down whilst wearing it. Whenever you see C-3PO sitting in The Empire Strikes Back, either you don’t see below the waist or Anthony would sit down on set without the costume and they would build it up around him.
 
Which everyday kitchen item was used to create the sound of C-3PO moving in the early movies? According to Ben Burtt, it was a couple of ice-cube trays being bashed around.

Harrison Ellenshaw – Matte Painting Supervisor for Star Wars and The Empire Strikes Back – is no stranger to Disney. Harrison is the son of Peter Ellenshaw, who was a matte painter for Disney for many, many years. Peter worked on iconic movies including Mary Poppins, Bedknobs And Broomsticks and Swiss Family Robinson – and he was named a Disney Legend in 1993. Harrison can be seen talking about the use of matte paintings in the Star Wars saga in the bonus extras for the new digital release, Star Wars: The Digital Collection.

South African fans can access the Star Wars Digital Movie Collection exclusively on the South Africa iTunes Store via www.itunes.com/starwars.
Conversations: The Lost Interviews
Listen to never-before-heard interviews with the cast and crew of Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope in this exclusive bonus feature. Carrie Fisher, Harrison Ford and others reveal the thrills and challenges of their early days on set…

The Lost Interviews: Fact #1
Carrie Fisher was petrified about her iconic swing stunt with Mark Hamill in Star Wars. Stunt actors were not used for the scene, which was tackled by the two actors. Hamill wore a girdle to carry their weight for the swing, but Fisher didn’t.

The Lost Interviews: Fact #2
Mark Hamill and Carrie Fisher’s iconic swing to safety was shot in one take on the set of the movie. Fisher wanted to do it again, but Lucas decided against it. Boxes were placed underneath the actors to break their fall if anything went wrong!

The Lost Interviews: Fact #3
At one point, C-3PO actor Anthony Daniels wasn’t interested in meeting George Lucas to discuss working on Star Wars. The actor wasn’t interested in playing a robot in a sci-fi movie until he read the script!

Discoveries From Inside: Matte Paintings Unveiled
Esteemed artist and painter Harrison Ellenshaw discusses the nearly lost art of matte painting; an element crucial to the look of Star Wars and so many other classic films…

Matte Paintings Unveiled: Fact #1
Harrison Ellenshaw was the supervising matte painter on A New Hope and The Empire Strikes Back. How many people were in his extremely technical department? Just one.

Matte Paintings Unveiled: Fact #2
Take a closer look at some of the iconic scenes from Star Wars movies. You might think that huge sets were built and hundreds of extras were used – but sometimes, the sets and even the stormtroopers were merely part of a meticulously prepared matte painting.

Legacy content includes “A Conversation With The Masters” (2010); “Dennis Muren: How Walkers Walk”; “George Lucas On Editing The Empire Strikes Back 1979”; and “George Lucas On The Force: 2010”; plus six deleted scenes.


This movie is the second part in the original trilogy and was directed by Irvin Kershner. 
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Cheers!!!

Follow me on twitter @araijain or @thelifesway
Checkout my Instagram (araijain) page
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Monday, 20 April 2015

#StarWars IV - A New Hope - Facts #DisneyAfrica

Hi Guys,

Star Wars IV - A New Hope was the first movie in the original trilogy and was released in 1977 by 20th Century Fox. One of the world’s largest producers and distributors of motion pictures, 20th Century Fox Film produces, acquires and distributes motion pictures throughout the world. These motion pictures are produced or acquired by the following units of 20th Century Fox Film: Twentieth Century Fox, Fox 2000 Pictures, Fox Searchlight Pictures, Fox International Productions, and Twentieth Century Fox Animation.

Despite being a big-budget blockbuster, the creative team often built props as economically as possible. For example, the pod that C-3PO and R2-D2 use to escape in Star Wars: A New Hope was created from two paint buckets. It was only used in two shots in the movie.

Ben Burtt is a Lucasfilm icon who created the many sounds of Star Wars. To research the sound of the Star Destroyer at the start of Episode IV, he had a fairly unsuccessful recording expedition to White Sands Missile Range. The sound designer was invited to record a number of military and scientific rockets taking off – but the result was crackly and poppy rather than the deep, rumbling and booming rocket engine. The sounds couldn’t be used as he’d hoped.

Look closely at the asteroids in A New Hope. The creative team was criticized that their asteroid designs resembled potatoes – but if you look in the far distance during Millennium Falcon chase scenes of A New Hope, real potatoes were actually used!

Archivists at Lucasfilm recently discovered the original lightsaber prop from Star Wars: Episode IV. You can see the discovery in all its glory in the bonus extras from the new digital release, Star Wars: The Digital Collection. What else will you discover with the new extras? Between 1975 and 1978, Charles Lippincott interviewed the cast and crew of Star Wars: A New Hope. These tapes remained lost for 40 years… Until now! You can hear excerpts from the tapes in the exclusive extras for the new digital release.

South African fans can access the Star Wars Digital Movie Collection exclusively on the South Africa iTunes Store via www.itunes.com/starwars.

Conversations: Creating A Universe
In this documentary, longtime collaborators Roger Christian and Joe Johnston discuss the impact that George Lucas had on their lives and share memories of building the Millennium Falcon, as well as other iconic elements of the Star Wars universe…

Creating A Universe: Fact #1
A full-size model of the original Millennium Falcon design was built for the film shoot of Episode IV, but then Space: 1999 aired on television and George Lucas discovered the designs for the two main spaceships in both projects were too close. The Millennium Falcon’s original design was canned – and the designers went back to the drawing board.

Creating A Universe: Fact #2
By the time the hamburger-shaped Millennium Falcon was ready to be built on set, budget was tight. This resulted in only half of the full-size circular Millennium Falcon being built.

Discoveries From Inside: Weapons & The First Lightsaber
The hallowed Archives at Skywalker Ranch are opened up to showcase classic props created for the Star Wars Empire in this bonus feature…

Weapons & The First Lightsaber: Fact #1
Han Solo’s iconic blaster was created using a Mauser C96 pistol with a silencer attached. A set decorator for Star Wars Episode IV named Roger Christian came up with the look of the perfect prop pistol.

Weapons & The First Lightsaber: Fact #2
Did you know that many of the stormtroopers in the early movies shot their pistols left-handed because of the design and the way that the empty shells expel from the barrel? The design of the stormtroopers’ blasters used in A New Hope and The Empire Strikes Back was based on a Sterling submachine gun.

Weapons & The First Lightsaber: Fact #3
Roger Christian discovered the inspiration behind the iconic lightsaber in the most unlikely of places. Inside a random box at the studio, Christian found a number of Graflex handles, which were from flashguns of vintage cameras from the 1940s. They became the iconic basis of the lightsaber handle in the movies.

Legacy content includes “Anatomy Of A Dewback”; Star Wars Launch Trailer; plus eight deleted scenes.

Keep enjoying the series along with these fun facts! I am loving the series myself a lot just like a small kid who is watching the series for the first time.
Cheers!!!

Follow me on twitter @araijain or @thelifesway
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Sunday, 19 April 2015

#StarWars III - Revenge of the Sith - Facts #DisneyAfrica

Hi Guys,

It's very rare that a movie series keeps breaking records after records but Star Wars did it and made a hat-trick when they released Start Wars - Revenge of the Sith (2005).

In total, 72 sets created for Star Wars: Revenge Of The Sith. The largest set was the stage where Anakin Skywalker has an epic lightsaber battle with Count Dooku [played by Christopher Lee in the movie].

Christopher Lee wasn’t on set when the fight scene between Count Dooku and Anakin Skywalker was shot. A stunt man performed the fighting choreography and his face was replaced with Lee’s. In other parts of the scene, a completely digital Count Dooku was used, too.

Adding a mechanical arm to Hayden Christensen’s body in the movie’s bedroom scene was an interesting challenge for the Star Wars special effects team. During the filming of the shirtless scene, Christensen wore a blue glove on set. The special effects crew later replaced the glove with a computer-generated robotic arm for the finished film.

George Lucas and his two daughters make a cameo appearance in the hallway of the movie’s elegant opera scene. George’s daughters refused to appear in the movie unless their father joined them. In the finished film footage, the director has a blue face and can be spotted talking to his younger daughter. His oldest daughter is in the center of the hallway as Anakin Skywalker runs past.
South African fans can access the Star Wars Digital Movie Collection exclusively on the South Africa iTunes Store via www.itunes.com/starwars.

Conversations: The Star Wars That Almost Was
Iconic moments and stories from the Saga almost took very different paths in the Star Wars movies. Find out more in this exclusive bonus feature with Star Wars historians and writers... 
The Star Wars That Almost Was: Fact #1
George Lucas’ first draft of the screenplay for Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope was very different to the finished film. In his early scripts, Han Solo was a giant green alien and R2-D2 talked full sentences.
 
The Star Wars That Almost Was: Fact #2
The original draft for A New Hope saw the story visit lots more locations that were cut out of the movie. Some of these locations included the Imperial Capital and a palatial estate.
 
The Star Wars That Almost Was: Fact #3
In the original movie scripts, Obi-Wan Kenobi survived his iconic fight with Darth Vader. Why did that change? Whilst filming the movie in Tunisia, George Lucas decided that the Death Star wouldn’t be menacing enough without a significant death – and the fatality of Obi-Wan Kenobi was the result.

Discoveries From Inside: Hologram & Bloopers
Enter the Archives to view an early version of the Death Star explosion and a recently discovered blooper reel featuring actors’ hilarious flubs…

Hologram & Bloopers: Fact #1
Film cameras were allowed inside the Film Archives at Skywalker Ranch for the very first time in order to film this exclusive bonus feature for the new digital release of the movies. Inside the film archives, the original film audio and video material from all six Star Wars movies are housed. This includes all the dailies and work prints from the original trilogy!

Hologram & Bloopers: Fact #2
Check out the bonus feature to see the original work prints for the 35mm hologram of Princess Leia in A New Hope.

Legacy content includes documentaries “Within A Minute: The Making Of Episode III”; The Journey Part 1; and The Journey Part 2; plus six deleted scenes.

I am really having fun to read this stuff as I am getting to know it for the first time ever. I still hope it will be of some value to all of you fans out there.
Cheers!!!

Follow me on twitter @araijain or @thelifesway
Email - thelifesway@gmail.com for invites to launch events / sponsored posts and product reviews!
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Saturday, 18 April 2015

#StarWars II - Attack Of The Clones - Facts #DisneyAfrica

Hi Guys,

Here is another facts and bonus content from the second episode of the Star Wars series - Attack of the Clones (2002).

Look carefully at the head statues in the Jedi Archives that Obi-Wan visits in Star Wars: Attack Of The Clones. The busts are sculpted in the shape of some very famous Star Wars faces including George Lucas, animation director Rob Coleman, model supervisor Brian Gernand and visual effects supervisors Pablo Helman and John Knoll.

A secluded lakeside retreat in Lake Como was the romantic setting used as the location for Anakin Skywalker and Padmé Amidala’s first kiss. George Lucas was on vacation in Lake Como – and in the process of writing the script for the movie – when he decided that the ultra romantic setting would be perfect for the film.

The scene where Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan travel in an elevator at the start of Episode II wasn’t in the original script. George Lucas wanted to add an introductory scene to the movie to show how well these two characters get along, even though there is a little tension between them in the scene that follows.
C-3PO actor Anthony Daniels makes a cameo appearance in the movie’s club scene behind Obi-Wan and Anakin Skywalker. Daniels is not in his C-3PO outfit for the shot, but the actor’s face is clear to see. Can you spot him?

The calm Kaminoan race appears briefly in Attack Of The Clones. They are a very graceful and serene alien race – but they were completely CG in the movie. Fashion models and the elegance of tai chi inspired the movie’s animators in creating Kaminoan characters Taun We and Lama Su.

South African fans can access the Star Wars Digital Movie Collection exclusively on the South Africa iTunes Store via www.itunes.com/starwars.
Conversations: Sounds In Space
Iconic sound mixers Ben Burtt and Matthew Wood meet at Skywalker Ranch share the surprising sounds that made the movies roar to life and celebrate the franchise that defined their careers…

Sounds In Space: Fact #1
Did you know that one of the first sounds Ben Burtt worked on for Star Wars was the sound of the Wookiee? Over the years, the movie’s creative team has gathered almost a million different sounds and sounds effects in their mammoth library and archive collection.

Sounds In Space: Fact #2
Ben Burtt used an unlikely tool as inspiration for the deep, roaring sound of the Star Destroyer at the start of Episode IV: A New Hope. During a night in a hotel, the sound designer heard a heavy rumbling sound and decided to investigate. An air conditioning unit was the cause of the rumble, so Burtt put a microphone on top of the unit. That sound eventually became the roar of the Star Destroyer.

Sounds In Space: Fact #3
Australia wildlife served as the unusual source for a number of significant Star Wars sounds. The mating calls of penguins were recorded in Melbourne and the sound of fruit bats fighting over a banana was recorded in a rainforest in Cairns. They were mixed together to create the iconic sound of the Geonosian species in the Star Wars movies.

Discoveries From Inside: Costumes Revealed
Take a look at some of the most iconic wardrobe pieces in cinema history in this exclusive bonus feature. And discover some interesting insight into the costumes of Darth Vader, Boba Fett, Han Solo and other fascinating Star Wars characters.

Costumes Revealed: Fact #1
In order to make the masks of the Tusken Raiders, prop designers raided a number of plumbing stores, hardware stores and camera stores in England. They picked up whatever they thought would work for the fearsome desert savages.

Costumes Revealed: Fact #2
George Lucas is a huge fan of the Samurai. In fact, the chest plate and mask of Darth Vader’s costume reflects his fandom of the iconic Japanese warriors.

Legacy content includes “From Puppets To Pixels: Digital Characters In Episode II”; State Of The Art: The Previsualization Of Episode II; and “Films Are Not Released, They Escape”; plus Episode II Visual Effects Breakdown Montage and six deleted scenes.

I hope that you must be enjoying to read all the fun facts shared by Disney films with fans around the world. Check out the first part of the post - http://www.thelifesway.com/2015/04/starwars-i-phantom-menace-facts.html
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Friday, 17 April 2015

#StarWars I - The Phantom Menace - Facts #DisneyAfrica

Hi Guys,

There will be a series posts on all the released #StarWars movies with some fun facts and bonus content available for all of you to see from Disney. 

Anakin Skywalker’s Podracer in Star Wars: The Phantom Menace was created from an interesting collection of vehicles and props. The front of the shuttle, in which Anakin sits, was made from the shell of a 1960’s racing car called a Maserati Birdcage.

It took three to four months to create many of the intricate and lavish costumes worn by Natalie Portman as Padmé Amidala. Much of the fine detailing was hand stitched to couture levels by a talented wardrobe team.
In total, a team of 45 animators worked on Star Wars: The Phantom Menace. The team created more than 60 digital characters, including Jar Jar Binks. A crew of 15 animators worked solely on the iconic Gungan from the planet Naboo.

South African fans can access the Star Wars Digital Movie Collection exclusively on the South Africa iTunes Store via www.itunes.com/starwars.
Conversations: Doug Chiang Looks Back
In this exciting bonus feature, Design Director Doug Chiang reveals the five design principles he learned from George Lucas that helped him create some of cinema’s most lasting and iconic images…

THE 3-SECOND RULE
When the audience sees something new on screen, they have to immediately connect with this new item. They have to understand what it is within two or three seconds. If the design doesn’t tell you what it is within three seconds, then it doesn’t work.
PERSONALITY
George Lucas loved creating designs with personality, but this principle doesn’t just relate to the characters of Star Wars; it also applies to vehicles and sets. Everything in the Star Wars movies has to have a personality to convey to the audience.

BELIEVABILITY
Doug Chiang had to ensure that all his designs had a level of believability so that the audience wouldn’t be distracted or taken away from the movie experience.

THE GEEK FACTOR
This design principle refers to the extra factor that gives the design flair. It’s the extra element that makes kids want to play with the new design and make it “extra cool”!

Discoveries From Inside: Models & Miniatures
Model Shop Supervisors Steve Gawley and Lorne Peterson discuss how they created miniscule and massive models that became classic pieces of the Star Wars universe…

Models & Miniatures: Fact #1
The original design for the Millennium Falcon wasn’t the hamburger-shaped spacecraft we all know and love. Instead, it was a long, thin vehicle that was deemed too close in design to a ship seen in the iconic television show, Space: 1999.
Models & Miniatures: Fact #2
The original design of the Millennium Falcon wasn’t completely wasted. The design became the prototype for the Princess Leia’s ship, the Rebel Blockade Runner. The only aspect of the Millennium Falcon’s original design that stayed with Han Solo’s ship was the conical cockpit.

Legacy content includes “The Beginning”; The Podrace: Theatrical Edit; plus eight deleted scenes. Check it out and enjoy the movie series all over again!
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