After six months’ work, I thought my audio recording of Jack London’s (1908) novel The Iron Heel was finished. Then I tried to publish it online. Ugh. Anyway, the good folks at Librivox came to the rescue, and after a lot of re-editing and tidying up of files, I’m thrilled to say my project is now polished and published online. Thanks Dii and Elli!

My latest project is to record an audiobook version of Jack London’s 1908 novel The Iron Heel. I was looking around for something new to do (this being my sabbatical) and came across a competition inviting people to record themselves reading science fiction books that are in the public domain. London’s book is a lively read, not lacking in controversy, and startlingly relevant even (perhaps especially) today. I’m already at Chapter Two and enjoying the process immensely.

A short, digitally rotoscoped animation about some unexpected visitors to our yard in Northampton, Massachusetts, back in 2002. Starring my son Max. (Completed 13/10/09.)

This is one of the highlights of what seemed like a very long teaching year. And now it’s time for a sabbatical. Phew.

In October we began planning out the complete redevelopment of the Korsakow System, a software application for creating database narratives. Korsakow was originally created by Florian Thalhofer in 2000. The timelapse video, above, shows Florian hard at work in the CINERG office in downtown Montréal, creating an elaborate paper prototype of the new version. Reprogramming began in mid-November; we hope to have a new version ready to launch in Spring 2009.

With barely any experience using Flash, the 64 first-year students in my Fall 07 Intermedia class courageously embarked on their first ever rotoscoping assignment. For three intensive weeks, we worked with a wild concert video featuring Girl Talk, which was shot and cut together by Brett Gaylor’s Open Source Cinema Project. The results are very gratifying indeed.

Introducing Almost Architecture, a short interactive film about high-rise signs in Montréal. This is version 1.0: there are still a few minor glitches, and much more material to be added at a later date. Feedback welcome.

This database narrative was produced using the Korsakow-System. In order to play properly, this film requires that your web browser has Shockwave installed. (Here is an FAQ on Shockwave.)

Sixty students doing an intro Flash assignment. The brief: get noticed.

Helvetica premiered at SXSW and is selling out wherever it plays; it’s also receiving rave reviews.