Video essayist Jacob T. Swinney has a knack for contextualizing movies in inventive ways, inviting us to notice pieces we may have otherwise missed. One of my favorites is his "First and Final Frames" series, where he places the opening shot and the end shot of films side-by-side in a meditation on themes.
A supercut of first and final frames from movies
"This Belongs To Us" is a new documentary about the African women in beer making
There's still a little bit of time to support the Seed&Spark campaign for This Belongs To Us, a new documentary film that aims to decolonize the beer industry. From the campaign page: If one were to distill white American masculinity into a single beverage, it's hard not to imagine a silver can plucked from an… READ THE REST
How Hollywood has produced twins scenes for a century
Movies that use one actor to play two (or more) twins, clones, or doppelgängers have been around for an entire century now. An actor interacting with themself has always been a lot of work, but when the technology is current, it's very impressive. Insider explains the methods used in different cinematic eras, from silent films… READ THE REST
8 cool stop motion tricks in 2 minutes
In this Edu Puertas video, he shows 8 simple and effective stop motion animation tips and effects tricks. The light effects were the big eye openers for me. Image: Screengrab READ THE REST
The Kodak Step Touch instant camera does more than just print photos
With smartphone technology, everybody has a ridiculously brilliant digital camera to snap pictures at any time. While you can certainly share in the joy by emailing or texting family and friends with your shots, there's a tangible, visceral thrill when you've actually got a physical copy of your picture right in your hand, a real… READ THE REST
Here's how to learn everything in Microsoft Excel while paying a price you choose
You've likely used Microsoft Excel before, but seriously…have you ever REALLY used Microsoft Excel before? We've all tinkered with this heritage spreadsheet maker for simple data organization or basic tables and lists. But the reason this venerable software has been one of the leading productivity apps in history is because of its versatility. All it takes… READ THE REST
Drop temps by 59 degrees in 10 minutes with the EvaChill Personal Air Conditioner
Summer is right around the corner…which again means it's time to hang on to your cash. Amidst projections of a hotter than average summer in the U.S., it's safe to assume it'll be another season of wallet-clenching pain each month when most homeowners crack open their utility bills. The average home air conditioning unit costs… READ THE REST