The 2009 Nobel Prize for Physics has just been announced, and instead of rewarding some esoteric, hard-to-fathom theoretical physics work, it's gone to pioneers in two fields close to tech-lovers hearts: Fibre-optics and digital photography.
Half the prize went to Charles Kao for work that led to long-distance fiber-optic communications. Born in Shanghai, he was educated in the U.K. and worked in one of the early companies that became the current Nortel. This is where he did research into the fiber-optic systems available at the time, which had been puzzling scientists and engineers by not nearing their theoretical efficiency, and remaining good only for short-distance signaling. Kao's experiments proved the reason behind these inefficiencies was impurities in the glass making up the fibers--this effected the refractive index of the medium as well as how much light was wasted by scattering instead of being neatly piped down the fiber to the receiving electronics.
Half the prize went to Charles Kao for work that led to long-distance fiber-optic communications. Born in Shanghai, he was educated in the U.K. and worked in one of the early companies that became the current Nortel. This is where he did research into the fiber-optic systems available at the time, which had been puzzling scientists and engineers by not nearing their theoretical efficiency, and remaining good only for short-distance signaling. Kao's experiments proved the reason behind these inefficiencies was impurities in the glass making up the fibers--this effected the refractive index of the medium as well as how much light was wasted by scattering instead of being neatly piped down the fiber to the receiving electronics.
- 10/6/2009
- by Kit Eaton
- Fast Company
Craig Zobel has been tapped to rewrite and direct the comedy "Loudermilk" for star Jon Heder at Rogue Pictures. Heder, his identical twin brother Dan and their older brother Doug are producing through their Greasy Entertainment shingle.
"Loudermilk" centers on a Napoleon Dynamite-like oddball who becomes contaminated with a substance that gives him what might arguably be considered superpowers. "That blessing does not come without its consequences and costs," Doug Heder said.
Universal bought "Loudermilk," an original idea from the Heders, as a pitch from writer Chris Bowman in 2006 as the first project of the Heder brothers' first-look deal. Ultimately, they took the project to Andrew Rona at Uni wing Rogue just before the writers strike, and Zobel came aboard to move it forward once the labor dispute was resolved.
Zobel co-wrote and directed the festival hit "Great World of Sound," which Magnolia Pictures released. The film was nominated for best first feature at the Independent Spirit Awards this year and best film at the 2007 Gotham Awards, where Zobel picked up the breakthrough director honor.
Said Doug Heder: "What's so cool about Craig is that his first film, 'Great World of Sound,' has this very cinema-verite style, and we want to bring that style into 'Loudermilk.' We want this to feel very real, even though it has a fantasy element to it."
Zobel, repped by Gersh, studied at the North Carolina School of the Arts with his "Sound" co-writer George Smith (also a Gersh client) and writer-director David Gordon Green, who's repped by CAA. Zobel worked as a production manager on several of Green's early films and appears to have absorbed the influence of Green's career path: earnest indie dramas followed by a midbudget mainstream comedy (in Green's case, this summer's upcoming "Pineapple Express").
Zobel also is a co-founder of the cult comedy site HomestarRunner.com.
The Heder clan is repped by CAA and Mosaic Media. They also have "Mr. Machine," a co-production with Imagine, set up at Universal, with Green and Danny McBride co-writing the script. And Mark Steven Johnson is adapting the supernatural comedy "Three Men Seeking Monsters," a Greasy co-production with Atchity Entertainment International, also at Universal.
" 'Loudermilk' is definitely intended to set the tone for Greasy Entertainment," Doug Heder said. "Our goal has always been to be the low- to midbudget-range comedies. We want to specialize in that field -- obviously tapping into Jon's core audience from 'Napoleon Dynamite' and 'Blades of Glory' but really specializing in those kind of character-driven, less-expensive comedies."...
"Loudermilk" centers on a Napoleon Dynamite-like oddball who becomes contaminated with a substance that gives him what might arguably be considered superpowers. "That blessing does not come without its consequences and costs," Doug Heder said.
Universal bought "Loudermilk," an original idea from the Heders, as a pitch from writer Chris Bowman in 2006 as the first project of the Heder brothers' first-look deal. Ultimately, they took the project to Andrew Rona at Uni wing Rogue just before the writers strike, and Zobel came aboard to move it forward once the labor dispute was resolved.
Zobel co-wrote and directed the festival hit "Great World of Sound," which Magnolia Pictures released. The film was nominated for best first feature at the Independent Spirit Awards this year and best film at the 2007 Gotham Awards, where Zobel picked up the breakthrough director honor.
Said Doug Heder: "What's so cool about Craig is that his first film, 'Great World of Sound,' has this very cinema-verite style, and we want to bring that style into 'Loudermilk.' We want this to feel very real, even though it has a fantasy element to it."
Zobel, repped by Gersh, studied at the North Carolina School of the Arts with his "Sound" co-writer George Smith (also a Gersh client) and writer-director David Gordon Green, who's repped by CAA. Zobel worked as a production manager on several of Green's early films and appears to have absorbed the influence of Green's career path: earnest indie dramas followed by a midbudget mainstream comedy (in Green's case, this summer's upcoming "Pineapple Express").
Zobel also is a co-founder of the cult comedy site HomestarRunner.com.
The Heder clan is repped by CAA and Mosaic Media. They also have "Mr. Machine," a co-production with Imagine, set up at Universal, with Green and Danny McBride co-writing the script. And Mark Steven Johnson is adapting the supernatural comedy "Three Men Seeking Monsters," a Greasy co-production with Atchity Entertainment International, also at Universal.
" 'Loudermilk' is definitely intended to set the tone for Greasy Entertainment," Doug Heder said. "Our goal has always been to be the low- to midbudget-range comedies. We want to specialize in that field -- obviously tapping into Jon's core audience from 'Napoleon Dynamite' and 'Blades of Glory' but really specializing in those kind of character-driven, less-expensive comedies."...
- 7/14/2008
- by By Jay A. Fernandez
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
- Before heading out to Toronto, I had the chance to make up for missing out on this Sundance number (conflict of scheduling). It's a first time film that is raw and definitely low budget, but the first 30 minutes will charm the dickens out of you. To be released by Magnolia Pictures this coming Friday, today we have a special treat for you: an exclusive clip from the comedy. Written by George Smith and Zobel, The Great World of Sound is the story of two struggling talent agents searching for the next – or simply nearest – best thing. This evokes conflicted hucksters from Willy Loman and the Maysles Brothers’ Salesman to the seedy charmers of seventies Altman. With real-life audition footage weaved into the fictional narrative, Zobel’s provocative debut explores the outer limits of our desire for celebrity, where big dreams beget bigger illusions, and fame always has its price.
- 9/13/2007
- IONCINEMA.com
- When David Gordon Green showed up at the last Sundance film festival he came packing two different reels. The first was his latest project Snow Angels (the drama eventually got picked up by Wip) and the other was a film that he produced for Craig Zobel and that was picked up quickly by Magnolia Pictures. Zobel a second unit director for Green’s Undertow and a production manager for Green’s All the Real Girls got the backing from his friend for The Great World of Sound. Written by George Smith and Zobel, Great World Of Sound is the story of two struggling talent agents searching for the next – or simply nearest – best thing. This evokes conflicted hucksters from Willy Loman and the Maysles Brothers’ Salesman to the seedy charmers of seventies Altman. With real-life audition footage weaved into the fictional narrative, Zobel’s provocative debut explores the outer
- 8/20/2007
- IONCINEMA.com
- It took a gestation period of sorts for Magnolia Pictures to pick up the North American rights - but after Sundance and the recently wrapped up South by Southwest Film Festival, Craig Zobel's The Great World of Sound will now be shown in movie theatres sprinkled a little everywhere. Written by George Smith and Zobel, this follows two Southerners who unwittingly become part of a record industry scam operation. The feature combines narrative filmmaking with lead actors Patrick Healy and Kene Holliday and documentary-style "auditions" from aspiring performers unaware at the time that they were part of a film.The first-time feature director got some mentoring from one of my favorite directors around in David Gordon Green. Richard A. Wright and Melissa Palmer also produced. THR reports that indie film fans can expect an early fall release. Next question. Who will buy Dgg’s Snow Angels? ...
- 3/16/2007
- IONCINEMA.com
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