OC Entertainment

Ok, I admit, I’m not that excellent at web design. But I think I’m actually settling into a design here I like. I’m really starting to dig green lately. And no, this has nothing to do with saving the environment. Frankly, I can think of better things to save.

Of course, a good web design is something I’ll obviously struggle with because I went into it without much of an idea of what I want this to be. But I think I’m starting to figure it out.

I’d like for this to be a media-related site. But I don’t want to limit what’s here. I’ve played with the idea of making this my standard blog, but honestly, my blog gets messy. And I don’t need to have a post about an After Effects trick one day, and then a post about how people (myself included) really suck at actually caring about what God says. So, I think I’ll leave my ramblings out. At least insofar as anything theological, idealogical, or, in certain instances, political.

I’d very much like to make resources and information on various media-related technologies available. I’ll certainly leave the Photoshop stuff to some other sites. But I find things like After Effects, and especially Blender could use some more info on the web.

Never thought I’d actually admit the internet’s information storehouse is incomplete.

Additionally, I’d like to start making some tools available. One of the biggest helps as I’ve been learning Photoshop, and various animation softwares is the tools people make freely available online. It’s simply astounding. From Photoshop brushes, to free desktop backgrounds. The volume of information, tools, and resources available on the internet is astounding. And having benefited so much from that, I want to help add on.

I truly believe in the freedom of information. Life is too short to withhold what you know because you’re afraid someone else will have an advantage over you. I believe you should, without hesitation, share with and teach those around you what you know. And never once be jealous of their success.

OCEntertainment is the production name I use when I work on a video. And I will probably post some of my projects here. But what this site will primarily be about is education and spreading tools around.

Of course, by my nature, I’ll also be discussing tech-related stuff. From sweet new Linux features, to the coolest Firefox plugins. And yes, when we get there, even a little bit of Chrome.

Now that I finally got this place looking kinda nice, I look forward to making stuff that’s worth seeing.

So, it’s not like I’ve been keeping this any big secret, but I’ve been working on a little side project:

OCEBackgrounds

Quite obviously, I’ve set up another blog, hosted on Wordpress (and Revver). I’ll be posting motion backgrounds here.

So…..why? I mean, seriously, what is the point?

Well, like anything in the worlds of design and media, these are not the be all, end all. Dropping a motion background into your animation project doesn’t suddenly make you a professional. If it did, I’d have more jobs. No background, texture, brush, stroke, effect, filter, or preset will suddenly, by itself, make your project better.

Unless that project is a PowerPoint presentation. As a matter of fact, yes, dropping a motion background into a PowerPoint will, by default, make it better. Not much, but it will make it better.

For everything else, though, these are tools. Aids.

I’ll probably be spending some time over the next…future…time….developing some more examples of how these effects can be used. But here’s a for-starters:

This is a still made using the Linear Refract motion background. Quite obviously, this is just a still frame. I’ll be bringing you more motion-style demonstrations of how these can be used after I find a method for displaying video samples that I like.

Also, after I accumulate enough fun stuffs, I’ll also be expanding this open library to other motion elements. But that is a secret I’m holding on to for now.

I like open information. And I love, I love, sharing how I did stuff. So I’ll likely be discussing what I’ve learned, and also a lot of the elements and backgrounds I make along the way. So check in every now and again.

Another camp has come and gone. Which means here it is, the next Camp video:

This year was great, I must say. Even being secluded up in the mountains, completely cut off from all forms of telecommunications. I may like me some internet, but man those mountains are beautiful.

And to all the kids in youth group, and all the young adults who helped out: you folks are amazing. Mountain biking, kayaking, and especially being lost in the mountains wouldn’t be the same without you folks. Not to mention the fact that Capture the Flag and volleyball would be logistically impossible. I’m just sayin’.

Now that the Camp video is done, work on the DVD can begin. Special features planned thus far include the Womb Skit, the Big Baby Skit, and Crank that Snake sing-along. Don’t worry, though. I’m sure we’ll have more, as well.

Oh, yes, it’s that time again.

Just a tidbit for now.

Production on the 2008 camp video was a little bit more delayed this week than I would’ve liked. But the date for the full camp video’s release is set for next Sunday, July 27th. And I don’t like to miss deadlines.

Oh, yes. Glow sticks.

This is the first episode. A second one is to follow.

Yes. It was us. It was totally us, and I won’t deny a bit of it. It was also a lot Alyssa, apparently.

We made glow-stick nunchuks and put them up around our town. On cart corrals, signs, Joseph’s car. Everywhere we could think of.

We’ve done it once since and will only hopefully do it again.

Special thanks to Neil Cicierega for letting us use the song ‘Action Movie Hero Boy’ for the sountrack.

The interweb: it are t3h rocks.

Here, enjoy an apparently custom YouTube player filled with videos by OCEntertainment.

OCEntertainment.net is in the process of relaunching after a ridiculously long hiatus. Special thanks to TheLeggett of Tutorial9.net for the tip on using WordPress.com for all the behind the scenes work.

Over the nest few weeks, I’ll be doing some work on this site, changing the design, and adding features.

In the meantime, check out OCEBackgrounds. Free looping, motion backgrounds.