SOCIAL MEDIA AFFECTING TRAVEL DECISIONS

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http://channelnomics.com

Social media are social software which mediates human communication. When the technologies are in place, social media is universally accessible, and enabled by scalable communication techniques. In the year 2012, social media became one of the most powerful sources for news updates through platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, and Google+.

According to Text 100’s Digital Index: Travel and Tourism study travellers from Asia Pacific countries are both the most enthusiastic about social media and the most attached to their mobile devices in the world. Asia-Pacific consumers lead the way in using social media to inspire, purchase and share their travel experiences. 72% of travellers from Asia Pacific countries have used social media to inspire at least one element of their recent holidays, compared to only 51% of travellers globally. This trend is consistent with findings from Malaysia where social has a deeper influence in shaping travel decisions. Malaysian display greater propensity to using Facebook, Twitter, and other social media platforms to get idea and inspiration for travel destinations, vacation activities and attraction, hotels and restaurants. However, traditional travel agents still help in planning for holidays. In Malaysia, peer experience and digital reviews are coming ahead of travel agents while personal recommendations from friends and family came in tops as the main source of information for initial travel decisions. Text 100’s Digital Index: Travel and Tourism study also found that Malaysian love sharing their travel experience on social media. Over half of the respondents have shared travel video, photo, blog or new story whilst on vacation. About 46% would likely create and share more if the content is something their friends and family would enjoy to seeing. An overwhelming 80% of respondents would be connected to social media if free WiFi is available on vacation.

Travel and tourism operators need to integrate their traditional and new communications channels, but more importantly they need to focus on delivering content which customers actually want to receive. The presence of the mobile device is quietly but dramatically changing how people behave when they travel. These tech-savvy travelers feel the travel industry needs to do more to keep up with their fasting growing reliance on the mobile device and social media as part of the overall travel experience. While social media is a key influencer of travel decisions for Malaysians, there are still many more valid touch points that brands and their communications advisor should be cognisant of. Ultimately effective travel campaigns must be based on market insights and incorporate an integrated channel strategy. Travellers are demanding more informative and advice-based content than ever before and delivering the most relevant content to them is vital. 

source: The Star, Monday 3 December 2012

COMPUTER-GENERATED IMAGERY (CGI) MOVIE

Computer-generated imagery (CGI) is the application of computer graphics to create or contribute to images in art, printed media, video games, films, television programs, commercials, simulators and simulation generally. The visual scenes may be dynamic or static, and may be 2D or 3D, though the term "CGI" is most commonly used to refer to 3D computer graphics used for creating scenes or special effects in films and television. The term computer animation refers to dynamic CGI rendered as a movie. The term virtual world refers to agent-based, interactive environments.

Computer graphics software is used to make computer-generated imagery for movies, etc. Recent availability of CGI software and increased computer speeds has allowed individual artists and small companies to produce professional-grade films, games, and fine art from their home computers. This has brought about an internet subculture with its own set of global celebrities, clichés, and technical vocabulary.

While computer generated images of landscapes may be static, the term computer animation only applies to dynamic images that resemble a movie. However, in general the term computer animation refers to dynamic images that do not allow user interaction, and the term virtual world is used for the interactive animated environments.

Computer animation is essentially a digital successor to the art of stop motion animation of 3D models and frame-by-frame animation of 2D illustrations. Computer generated animations are more controllable than other more physically based processes, such as constructing miniatures for effects shots or hiring extras for crowd scenes, and because it allows the creation of images that would not be feasible using any other technology. It can also allow a single graphic artist to produce such content without the use of actors, expensive set pieces, or props.

To create the illusion of movement, an image is displayed on the computer screen and repeatedly replaced by a new image that is similar to the previous image, but advanced slightly in the time domain (usually at a rate of 24 or 30 frames/second). This technique is identical to how the illusion of movement is achieved with television and motion pictures.

Many judge Christopher Nolan (THE DARK KNIGHT RISES) to be one of the more intelligent filmmakers working in the business today. It's not hard to see why, as there's always been clarity of intent, vision, and ideas in every one of his films. Christopher Nolan approach to CGI is that it’s an incredibly powerful tool for making better visual effects. But he believes in an absolute difference between animation and photography. However sophisticated computer-generated imagery is, if it’s been created from no physical elements and hasn’t shot anything, it’s going to feel like animation. There are usually two different goals in a visual effects movie. One is to fool the audience into seeing something seamless, and that’s how he tries to use it. The other is to impress the audience with the amount of money spent on the spectacle of the visual. 

The Perfect Storm (2000)

 

source:

http://youtu.be/W9Tdw5nG4dQ 

 

George Clooney may be a looker, but his character in this film isn’t very smart. He plays Billy Tyne, a fishing boat captain who ignores weather warnings, in a tale that’s based on the true story of the Andrea Gail from 1991. The end sequence is a CGI stonker, featuring a huge 100ft wave that finally capsizes the ship. In total, the film featured 90 completely CG shots, all of which include water elements.

A further 220 shots required CG seas to be composites with live-action footage shot on a huge, moveable fishing boat set. A custom fluid dynamics system was developed to create a realistic ocean and more than 30 plug-ins were written for Maya to achieve the intricate effects.

How to make CGI movies

source:

  http://youtu.be/fULhgvfLpI4

Sources: wikipedia, http://www.joblo.com, youtube