Atomic Bear Press » Holiday

Convention Video Loop playing from an iPod Touch

Brian — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 16:21:48 +0000

I will be at the Fremont Comic Arts and Anime Teen Expo (CAAT-X) this Saturday April 25, 2009 from 10-4pm. There is more info HERE.

I will be trying out something new (thanks to some electricity from the City of Fremont) to bring a small TV and playing a video loop of my animation and artwork. When I got my iPod Touch this December one of my hopes was to play slide shows and videos from it. But to make a video that will constantly loop over and over seemed impossible. But I figured it out and wanted to share it with you all in case someone else wanted to use the same technique. I am guessing it would work on the iPhone too.

YOU WILL NEED: Movie video loop in iTunes, Garage Band or other sound editor, Small TV or Monitor with RCA input, iPod Touch (I have version 2.0+), and the Apple Composite AV Cable (RCA imput)

NOTE: I will not cover making video in this post, but will cover it if folks want me too.

SOULTION: (as far as I know) the only way to loop a video is to have it be part of a PlayList in iTunes. But the problem I found is that Movies (i.e. videos) will not show up on the iPod Touch in a PlayList unless there is an audio track as part of the PlayList as well. Once you have an audio file the PlayList in iTunes can be set to loop.

Heres how I did it:

a) Open garage band or another audio editor and create a TINY audio clip that is about 1 second long and is silent. If your clip imported is longer then you want you can shorten it in iTunes’s INFO for that track. The file should be an MP3, WAVE or other compatible format.

b) Import the TINY audio track into iTunes as well as the video loop if you have not done it yet.

c) Create a PlayList with the TINY audio track as well as the video track(s) you want.Â You can put as many copies of the movies into the play list as you want so you can have it play the TINY blank audio track very little.

d) Go to the iTunes settings for your iPod Touch and make sure that your play list is selected in both the MOVIES and MUSIC sections.

e) Sync and update your iPod Touch

f) Plug you iPod Touch into the TV with the RCA Video cables that you can purchase sepertly. (Apple Composite AV Cable)

g) Select PlayList under MUSIC and make sure it’s set to LOOP (the icon of arrows going in a circle under the title and to the left).

NOTE on playing video and slide-shows from an iPod Touch. Nothing will show up on the screen unless you have hit the play button. In the case of a ‘photo’ slide-show (another option for conventions) you can press play to have the images show up on screen and then pause if you are giving a presentation.

RESULT: The Movie(s) will now loop forever or as long as the batteries lasts all from your iPod Touch! Yay! There will be a black screen ‘pop’ when it plays the TINY audio clip, but you can make a PlayList of the same movie over and over again that playes for hours. If this is helpfull, please let me know. If there is a better way to do it too, then post a comment and let me know. To see some video work I have done for conventions, check out my samples:

Santa Claus Conquers The Martians audio comic.

Brian — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 05:56:54 +0000

So, this is not a fancy digital multimedia presentation, but a version of it from days past.

Posted by Prof. Grewbeard at the blog Magic Carpet Burn, a comic and record based on the movie Santa Claus Conquers the Martians (1965):

At the top of today’s extra-special post is the Santa Claus Conquers The Martians Read-Along lp that accompanies the Dell comic of the same name below it. They were packaged together, you know. Just click on the first track, enjoy the whimsical Theme Song, then listen to the instructions. You will have to open pages in a new window to avoid interrupting the record. Parts Two & Three will follow on Monday & Tuesday. Really, I couldn’t think of a better way to say Merry Xmas to all my new friends here in Blogland than inflict, i mean impart this one-of-a-kind aural experience on you. I dare you to have the patience to Read-Along with the whole comic.
You’re Welcome!

The comic is goofy in a retro way and a lot of fun. Check it out.

PART ONE â€¢ PART TWO â€¢ PART THREE

Merry Christmas – Happy Holidays.

Brian — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 05:42:33 +0000

I want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a very Happy Holidays.

Right now I am together with my Mom and Dad, my sister and her husband and we are all having a good time. We still have to get the house ready since my Mom’s side of the family (Hi to Nadine, Jim,Â Judy, Chris and the whole gang) will be here tomorrow night and then the next day, after a quite morning of gifts and a tasty breakfast we are heading up to my cousin’s place in Saratoga.

A big shout out goes to all my friends and colleges. I hope you have a great time the next couple of days no matter where you are.

Happy Holidays from Brian Kolm and Atomic Bear Press

Brian — Tue, 25 Dec 2007 08:00:13 +0000

Is it Halloween yet?

Brian — Tue, 18 Sep 2007 18:09:00 +0000

Is it Halloween yet? Yes…at Tokyo Disneyland it is. Not to mention that most theme parks will have their celebration start by this weekend. The above video is from Tokyo Disneyland’s Halloween parade that premiered last week.

Mickey and friends take on the Haunted Mansion theme this year. They are looking for “one more ghost” to join the 999 others in this fun and exciting daytime parade. Find more Tokyo Disney Resort Videos at http://www.jtcent.com

It’s interesting to see how the holiday is being interpreted different places in the world. I like the song which is pretty infectious and perky, but I could live with out the how-to-dance charade section in the middle. The parade is filled with some pretty sexy ladies who at the same time come across and sweet and cute.

Happy 4th of July

Brian — Wed, 04 Jul 2007 07:37:00 +0000

Happy Independences Day America. While things are less then perfect in our country we can celebrate those Americans who work hard to unselfishly make the USA and the world a better place. When we help with no expectations to get anything in return, we are making the world a better place and are true SUPER HEROES.

Today I will be in Redwood City CA for the largest 4th of July parade in Northern California, dressed a Pirate.

Pictures to follow later this week.

Happy Easter!!

Brian — Sun, 08 Apr 2007 18:12:00 +0000

Time to go eat some glazed ham!

Home Made Halloween Dark Ride "Scream in the Dark"

Brian — Sun, 11 Feb 2007 17:23:00 +0000

DAFE (Dark Ride and Fun House Enthusiast) has posted notes and photos from a Dark Ride Rick Murphy built for Halloween in his garage. Scream in the Dark consists of a track of PVC tubing with a battery operated ride vehicle. In the 2006 version version he has altered the track from the previous year to travel over the same area in multiple ways. Very cool home DIY. It would be fun to see other themes besides a ghost house done this way.

2005 article | 2006 article

Christmas Note Cards for Sale.

Brian — Mon, 11 Dec 2006 21:47:00 +0000

I am selling sets of Christmas Note Cards for the holidays. If anyone is interested, you can follow the link below the image to find out more. Sets are limited so buy today.

I have just posted a set of 6 holiday cards as seen above on Ebay. If you are interested in a direct sale, please let me know.

Christmas Card progress

Brian — Sun, 10 Dec 2006 21:22:00 +0000

I finished the art and scanned it in. The above animated Gif shows the final details of adjusting the color and inserting the photo. Now it will be printed and mailed to everyone on the folks Christmas list.

Christmas Card progress

Brian — Sun, 10 Dec 2006 01:56:00 +0000

Every year since I have been able to draw, I illustrate my families Christmas card. This year we are moving away from the holiday icons, and instead using the wonders of the nature near the homestead instead.

The first step is to sketch out the design. This is about my third try. I had to force myself to move away from the stereotyped cute animals I normal draw to better represent the world I wish to capture.

With the design finalized I taped it to the back of a sheet of watercolor paper and placed it on my light-box desk. There I began to paint in the grass and loose details in a brown watercolor.

Here is the art with out the back light on, showing only the watercolor areas.

I will post more tomorrow when I get the animals done. I have not decided if they will be rendered in paint or pen and ink.

Happy Thankgiving

Brian — Thu, 23 Nov 2006 21:11:00 +0000

Today is a day we give thanks for all we have. So to my friends and family…thank you.

Brian

Kid’s Holiday Art

Brian — Sun, 19 Nov 2006 18:51:00 +0000

The last Kid’s drop-in class of 2006 at the CAM was yesterday. They learned how to draw a turkey and a Santa Claus. Here is some of the final results they created for one of kind Christmas cards. (I had some turkeys too, but did not get a chance to take some pictures of them)

click for a larger image

A Halloween Treat: RUNAWAY BRAIN staring Mickey Mouse!!

Brian — Tue, 31 Oct 2006 17:36:00 +0000

Check out the little seen Disney short from 1995″Runaway Brain” with Mickey Mouse as you have never seen him. See it now before Disney pulls it from YouTube. It’s funny and the animation is first rate.

Brain Switching! In-Jokes! Action!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jKCmDL3HINU]

My halloween costume

Brian — Mon, 30 Oct 2006 02:59:00 +0000

Had a great time at my cousins Halloween party. This year my pirate costume was much better thanks to the fine shirt lent to me by a real high-seas pirate. Yaarrrr.

tags: pirate|

Art: Happy Halloween 2006

Brian — Fri, 27 Oct 2006 08:01:00 +0000

BTGC ART: Villain Pin-up (Agacon and his dark master)

Brian — Thu, 26 Oct 2006 18:24:00 +0000

This is a pencil sketch of the villain of my graphic-novel Beyond the Great Chimney; Agacon holding the magic pendent as well as his dark master. It was drawn in pencil and then I scanned it into the computer and added color in photoshop.

I am pretty pleased with how it came out, but Agacon looks way too nice.

I have been drawing a lot more, feeling pretty good. Hoping to have a good deal of chapter one done by Christmas time.

BOO! – Halloween Links

Brian — Wed, 25 Oct 2006 17:58:00 +0000

With Halloween fast approaching, I thought it would be fun to post some links to celebrate.

The Haunted Mansion-Northside – a clever souther California resident is recreating Disney’s Haunted Mansion in his own home. He is blogging his progress.

Balloon Manor – A haunted house in New York made entirely out of balloons. Very very cool.

The Haunted House and Other Spooky Poems and Tales mp3s – download some classic Halloween Audio.

Nuptial Doom – A History of the Haunted Mansion… As Told by Kat Cressida. The actress who plays the NEW bride at DisneyLand’s haunted mansion (added for the 50th). On Halloween listen the actress and author of the book in a special audio presentation. But you can only hear for free on OCTOBER 31, 2006. The book takes the original storyline from the ride and weaves it, unofficially, into a novel. You can download it for 99cents as well.

Doombuggies.com is hosting the above Nuptial Doom story. A site that is all Haunted Mansion 24 hrs a day.

halloweeninthecastro.com – The Castro St. Halloween party is an institution here in San Francisco, here is the official site. There’s not much there, but worth linking anyways.

Monsterlist of Halloween Projects – A site full of links to House Haunting How-To’s.

Transformers costumes – Marc De Repentigny makes costumes of transforming robots. And the costumes actually transform from a vehicle to a robot. Very Cool.

Happy Halloween everyone!

tags: halloween|

"create your own disney magic"

Brian — Wed, 02 Aug 2006 16:03:00 +0000

The Tokyo Disneyland fan site Joe’s Tokyo Resort page has a random generator, Create Your Own Disney Magic, that creates name for Disneyland Parades and Shows. Great fun when you need to take a quick break from what your doing.

So, when your in Japan why not go to the park and take in the exciting: Tokyo DisneySea Princess Splash or how about the Tokyo Disneyland Happy Show and who can forget Christmas Disco Celebration.

Note: Thise are not real shows, but they could be I guess, the folks in Japan sure have a way with naming stuff.

tags: disney|magic|tokyo|

The BTGC Manuscript is done (now with movie)

Brian — Wed, 15 Feb 2006 07:00:00 +0000

First of all I want to thank everyone who came by my table at Wondercon, it was a great time. I hope you enjoyed the convention. For those who have purchased issue #1 and #2 of BTGC, here is the latest on my work on making it a graphic novel.

The official draft for my Visual Manuscript of Beyond the Great Chimney: the trip beyond is done! I used Wondercon 2006 as an excuse to get it ready. And so I printed out 215 pages at Kinkoâ€™s in San Francisco that comprise a fairly clear roadmap of the final Graphic Novel as it will appear in 2007. To see my MS in “action” click here (Quicktime is required)

2007!! But I want to read it NOW!

Well, after a lot of thought and debate, I decided to finish this first adventure as a Graphic Novel. There are lots of reasons to do this, as discussed in my post last year. My reasons?

1) Beyond the Great Chimney is an epic and lengthy story, and it would just not do it justice to cram the ending into a third 36 page pamphlit. I was going to have to cut out all the wonderful bits that made the story good and speical to me. Fitting a story into a small amount of pages can make the story feel rushed, and make the pace like abridging a novel.

2) People just are not buying single comic very much anymore. People want a complete story that they can read as they wish.

3) Graphic Novels can be made available at Libraries and Book Stores where as a Comic Magazine can not.

4) Graphic Novels are more accepted by the average non-comics readers.

GREAT! I think? What will be diffrent in the Graphic Novel version of BTGC?

The art of the first issue (now over 4 years old, yikes!) will be inhanced to match my current look of painted art. I use delicate washes of watercolor to give the art more depth and emotion. There will be story that comes before and after the current issues as well as some bonus reference material and pin-ups. More of that will be revealed her on the blog in the coming year.

So what happens now?

Well, I begin creating the new material to complete the story this year. Along the way I will post pages on-line for folks to read right hear on this Log(blog). You can always help by commenting and letting me know when you think about something. Artist need feedback to make their work better.

So when will it be available? I can’t wait!

I am aiming for Christmas of 2007. I will not tell more till I know something definite.

Can I still purchase a copy of issues #1 and #2 from you.

Sure you can, there are pay-pal buttons on most of the comic pages, and a new store will be open for buisness real soon.