Hollywood2020

GAME CHANNEL FOR SKYPE

Funny thing, just talking to a client about Skype and games yesterday....seems like as fast as you can think of something for Skype they do it...blogged by Joyce Schwarz, Hollywood2020.blogs.com. Here are some of the links to the pubs covering this development: Games channel coming to Skype
iTWire -
By Stephen Withers. Games for Skype started appearing along with the Extras Manager in version 3.0, but the company has now launched the Skype Game Channel and is encouraging developers to port their games to the popular VoIP platform.
Skype to Launch Casual Gaming Portal BusinessWeek
Skype Plays a Casual Game Red Herring
Ars Technica - TG Daily - Appscout - Gamasutra 2 hours ago

GOOGLE TO MONITOR GAMER HABITS ACCORDING TO NEW PATENT FILING

Somewhere deep in the headlines today, I pulled up a story that says that Google filed a patent to monitor and profile gamer habits in order to better target them for custom advertising...in otherwords, profiling! Blogged by Joyce Schwarz, Hollywood2020.blogs.com. About 8-9 years ago personalization and profiling was a very hot category on the web. Companies like Netperceptions and one that I worked with called Younology and others such as Likeminds all were into personalization and profiling. In most of these business models, you (the user) did not own your profile. In others like Younology -- later called youpowered! you did. Some of these companies were flying high in the pre-dot com stock world. Others were bought out and faded away. The privacy folks and the privacy consortium were on their back and rightfully so -- why do I want anyone watching me 24/7 -- sounds like 1984 -- 33 years later! RIGHT??

Now I read this story that shows that Google is out there and ready to monitor my keystrokes or clicks as I should say in online games. No one is saying whether they need my permission or whether when I file this blog they will be monitoring what I'm blogging about?. Hmm Joyce Schwarz blogs about Google ...hmm Joyce Schwarz blogs about cigarette smoking ban...hmmm file that...hmm note that...blackmark that...checkmark that? Where are the privacy beagles now?

Check out this excerpt from an article this blogger posted online-- link to full article after excerpt:
The plans are detailed in a patent filed by Google in Europe and the US last month. It says people playing online role playing games such as Second Life and World of Warcraft would be particularly good to target, because they interact with other players and make decisions that probably reflect their behaviour in real life.The patent says: "User dialogue (eg from role playing games, simulation games, etc) may be used to characterise the user (eg literate, profane, blunt or polite, quiet etc). Also, user play may be used to characterise the user (eg cautious, risk-taker, aggressive, non-confrontational, stealthy, honest, cooperative, uncooperative, etc)." According to this report the info could be used to make advertising more relevant inside games. The plans are detailed in a patent filed by Google in Europe and the US last month. It says people playing online role playing games such as Second Life and World of Warcraft would be particularly good to target, because they interact with other players and make decisions that probably reflect their behaviour in real life.

The patent says: "User dialogue (eg from role playing games, simulation games, etc) may be used to characterise the user (eg literate, profane, blunt or polite, quiet etc). Also, user play may be used to characterise the user (eg cautious, risk-taker, aggressive, non-confrontational, stealthy, honest, cooperative, uncooperative, etc)."

is it game for Google to watch you gaming? New patent says that is just what might happen in the future!

Google to monitor gamers' habits
Total Gaming - 12 hours ago
A recent report by analysts Screen Digest suggests that the market for virtual worlds in the west already surpasses $1bn per year.

DEPICTION OF SMOKING TO BE FACTOR IN MOVIE RATINGS

DEPICTION OF SMOKING will now be a factor in movie ratings...wonder who lobbied that?

Blogged by Joyce Schwarz, Hollywood2020.blogs.com. Don't get me wrong--I'm about as anti-smoking as anyone can be. I've never smoked ever-- never a puff...never inhaled anything! And I'm the daughter of a 2 day a pack smoker who reformed later in life. And I have the bronchitis and colds each year to prove the impact of second hand smoke. BUT should depiction of smoking in fictional or documentary films be part of movie ratings? What if it's an R or X movie, it's okay to smoke? For more info on it-- here's a story I found online and don't even ask me where they go the pix of Yoda smoking -- I'm sure that it was photoshopped!:

Yoda smoking? don't even ask???

Los Angeles - The Motion Picture Association of America has announced that from now on its film ratings will take on-screen smoking by adults as well as minors into account.The concession falls short of the automatic R rating anti-smoking activists have demanded for any movie that depicts smoking. The MPAA’s approach, on paper at least, is a little more nuanced.[MPAA Chairman] Dan Glickman described the move as an extension of the MPAA’s practice of factoring underage smoking into the rating of films.

PENTAGON BANS YOUTUBE.COM & OTHER VIRAL VIDEO WEBSITES!

Wow, kind of amazing to see the Pentagon banning a dozen viral video websites from DOD computers...of course, security was mentioned as a primary concern, blogged by Joyce Schwarz, hollywood2020.blogs.com, but it also means that for many soldiers this is an important part of the American culture that is being banned from their view. What's not clear to this blogger is if a soldier has his/her own computer if they can watch these sites through DOD wired and wireless and/or satellite networks? If you know, can you please advise us.

HERE'S A LIST OF THE 12 BLOCKED SITES: The 12 blocked sites are youtube.com, myspace.com, pandora.com, photobucket.com, live365.com, hi5.com, metacafe.com, mtv.com, ifilm.com, blackplanet.com, stupidvideos.com and filecabi.com.

Below is a link to the Armytimes.com story on this issue:YouTube, MySpace banned on DoD computers
ArmyTimes.com - all 592 news articles »

THEBROTH.COM OGDC SPONSOR SPEAKS OUT ON COLLABORATION IN GAMES & ONLINE EXPERIENCES

THEBROTH.COM founder speaks out on collaboration online and in multiplayer experiences in a TEN TON HAMMER interview that was done at the OGDC www.ogdc2007.com.

www.thebroth.com -- next generation art experience collaboration!

Blogged by Joyce Schwarz @ www.hollywood2020.blogs.com.

What role does collaboration play for Americans online? Are we too independent and want to do it all ourselves or will we work with others to accomplish a goal. Personally, I think that the success of American Idol text messaging and phone call voting shows that collaboration when channeled toward a specific goal is a big opportunity in the USA.

Take a look at this terrific article that interviews the CEO of www.thebroth.com which is an amazing site that looks at interactive and collaborative art experiences online from the website Ten Ton Hammer:

http://www.tentonhammer.com/node/7830

OGDC 07 - Collaborative Art and MMOs? - Markus Weichselbaum Interviewed full disclosure "Thebroth.com is also a JCOM client.)

Now for something completely different. At OGDC 2007, we sat down with Markus Weichselbaum, Founder and CEO of theBroth.com - a website geared toward collabortive art for the global online community. Markus, an Australian from Austria (you read that right!) holding a Ph.D. in biophysics, is at least as much of an interesting person as you might imagine him to be, and he has a vision to take the methodology, technology, and lessons learned from his website into other online spaces, including MMORPGs. How would that work? It turns out that the prospects could very well be revolutionary. For the full story go to: http://www.tentonhammer.com/node/7830 (

PASSITONTODAY PREMIERE BLOGGED BY JOYCE SCHWARZ HOLLYWOOOD2020.blogs.com

On location at the Pass It On Today movie premiere in Las Vegas with Joyce Schwarz blogging at www.hollywood2020.blogs.com.

Click on thumbnail to see the Palms Resort marquis lit up with the "Pass It On Today" movie premiere sign, copyright, Joyce Schwarz, Hollywood2020.blogs.com.

"Pass It On Today" poster at the Brenden Theatres in the Palms Resort in Las Vegas, photo copyright Joyce Schwarz, blogging at www.hollywood2020.blogs.com.

Olympian and motivational speaker Ruben Gonzalez and TV personality Robin Leach also emcee at PASS IT ON TODAY premiere in Las Vegas, copyright photo Joyce Schwarz, Hollywood2020.blogs.com.

Author and motivational speaker Joyce Schwarz (left) with the brilliant and inspirational Les Brown, Television host and author, on location at the PASS IT ON premiere in Las Vegas, copyright photo Joyce Schwarz, Hollywood2020.blogs.com

Author and motivational speaker Joyce Schwarz with the amazing Charlie "Tremendous" Jones one of the 'stars' of PASS IT ON TODAY, at the new movie premiere in Las Vegas, copyright photo Joyce Schawarz, Hollywood2020.blogs.com.

Mingling with the celebrities and international authors and motivational speakers at the premiere of PASS IT ON TODAY in Las Vegas, copyright photo Joyce Schwarz, Hollywood2020.blogs.com.

Charlie"Tremendous" Jones getting the crowd into the mood prior to the screening of the new movie "PASS IT ON TODAY" premiere in Las Vegas at the Palms Resort, copyright photos Joyce Schwarz, Hollywood2020.blogs.com.

Steven E star of the movie, on location at the premiere of PASS IT ON TODAY, photo by Joyce Schwarz, Hollywood2020.blogs.com copyright Hollywood2020.

Click on thumbnail to see Red Carpet photos from the premiere of PASS IT ON TODAY in Las Vegas, photos copyright, Joyce Schwarz, Hollywood2020.blogs.com.

Pass It On Today's director Jon Dixon shown doing his presentation prior to the screening in Theatre 14 at the premiere of PASS IT ON TODAY in Las Vegas, photos by Joyce Schwarz, Hollywood2020.blogs.com

WISH ENTERTAINMENT's GREG S. REID (right) and to his left David Corbin, author, speaker, inventor at the PASS IT ON PREMIERE in Las Vegas, blogged by Joyce Schwarz, Hollywood2020.blogs.com, copyright photo Joyce Schwarz.

Pictured center Rev.. Michael Beckwith, star PASS IT ON TODAY and THE SECRET on location at the PASS IT ON TODAY premiere in Las Vegas, photo copyright Joyce Schwarz. Hollywood2020.blogs.com.

Charlie "Tremendous" Jones, motivational speaker and star of "Pass It On Today" movie at the premiere in Las Vegas at the Palms resort, photo copyright Joyce Schwarz, Hollywood2020.blogs.com.

In the theatre prior to the screening of PASS IT ON TODAY at the Palms Resort, Brenden Theatres, Las Vegas, photo copyright, Joyce Schwarz, Hollywood2020.blogs.com.

Famous fighter Ken Norton on the red carpet at the Brenden Theatres at the premiere of PASS IT ON TODAY, in Las Vegas, photo copyright Joyce Schwarz, Holywood2020.blogs.com.

Motivational speaker and author Joyce Schwarz (left) with Steven E star of PASS IT ON TODAY, on location at the Red Carpet premiere of PASS IT ON TODAY in Las Vegas, copyright photo Joyce Schwarz, Hollywood2020.blogs.com.

Motivational speaker and author Joyce Schwarz(left) with John Malinchak, star of PASS IT ON TODAY, at the premiere in Las Vegas, copyright photo Joyce Schwarz, Hollywood2020.blogs.com.

(right) Debbie Allen, star of Pass It On Today on the red carpet at the PASS IT ON PREMIERE in Las Vegas, photo copyright Joyce Schwarz, Hollywood2020.blogs.com.

John Assaraff, star of THE SECRET at the premiere of PASS IT ON TODAY where he is also a star in Las Vegas at the Red Carpet premiere,photo Joyce Schwarz, Hollywood2020.blogs.com copyright.

On the red carpet at the PASS IT ON TODAY premiere, Las Vegas, photo copyright, Joyce Schwarz, Hollywood2020.blogs.com

Good to see our pal television personality Robin Leach as the emcee at the premiere of PASS IT ON TODAY, Joyce Schwarz suggested Robin as emcee when talking with co-creator of PASS IT ON TODAY last month! Glad to see Robin came through for the team. Photo copyright, Joyce Schwarz, Hollywood2020.blogs.com.

Nice shot of Olympian Ruben Gonzalez at the premiere of PASS IT ON TODAY in Las Vegas looking at the VIP photo wall, photo courtesy and copyright Joyce Schwarz, Hollywood2020.blogs.com.

Scott Evans, co-producer, "PASS IT ON TODAY", on location at the red carpet premiere at PASS IT ON TODAY in Las Vegas, photo by Joyce Schwarz, copyright Hollywood2020.blogs.com.

SIGN ON THE MARQUIS AT THE PALMS RESORT promoting the premiere of PASS IT ON TODAY at the Brenden Theatres in Las Vegas, copyright photo Joyce Schwarz, Hollywood2020.blogs.com.

Prior to the screen at PASS IT ON TODAY at the premiere of the movie in Las Vegas, photo courtesy and copyright by Joyce Schwarz, Hollywod2020.blogs.com.

   PASS IT ON TODAY prior to the screening in Theatre 14 at Brenden Theatres, Las Vegas...photo copyright, Joyce Schwarz, Hollywood2020.blogs.com

Prior to the screening of PASS IT ON TODAY in theatre 14 at the premiere in Las Vegas, photo copyright Joyce Schwarz, Hollywood2020.blogs.com.

Signed Muhammed Ali boxing gloves were auctioned for charity at the premiere of PASS IT ON TODAY in Las Vegas, photo copyright Joyce Schwarz, Hollywood2020.blogs.com.

Hollywood2020 blogger Joyce Schwarz, author and motivational speaker on location at the PASS IT ON TODAY movie premiere in front of the WALL OF FAME logos at the Red Carpet at the Brenden Theatres, Palms Resort, Las Vegas. For more info email [email protected]. Copyright Hollywood2020.blogs.com.

"PASS IT ON TODAY" SET FOR VEGAS PREMIERE, WATCH FOR HOLLYWOOD2020.BLOGS.COM COVERAGE

PASS IT ON TODAY (www.passitontoday.com) is set for it's world premiere in Vegas on Thursday, May 10 blogged by Joyce Schwarz, @www.hollywood2020.blogs.com.

Good news is that blogger and entertainment columnist Joyce Schwarz will be on location in Las Vegas for the premiere of the new film "Pass It On Today".

www.passitontoday.com image copyright Wish Entertainment

Word is that it breaks new ground in entertainment because it's the first of the inspirational, motivational/personal development films( a new genre made especially popular by "THE SECRET" www.thesecret.tv) to ever premeire in movie theatres. Here's the info from Wish Entertainment's press release:

"Pass It On Today" RED CARPET CELEBRITY PREMIERE IN LAS VEGAS! World Premiere www.passitontoday.com JPEG copyright, Wish Entertainment

WHAT: Palms Casino Resort, N9NE Group and Brenden Theatres Present the World Premiere of PASS IT ON, the evolutionary inspirational film from WISH Entertainment Inc. WHO: Robin Leach hosts the Red Carpet event and World Premiere featuring PASS IT ON cast members, plus additional celebrity and filmmaking guests WHEN: Thursday, May 10, 2007   11:00 a.m. Press Junket 7:00 p.m. Red Carpet Arrivals  8:00 p.m. PASS IT ON World Premiere Screening 11:00 p.m. VIP After-Party (MOON Nightclub)    WHERE: Brenden Theatres & IMAX® in the Palms Casino Resort   MOON Nightclub   4321 W. Flamingo Rd., Las Vegas, Nevada DETAILS: 62 modern-day masters share the blueprints for optimal success that elevated them to the top of their fields. World-class athletes, Hollywood stars, inventors, congressmen, inspirational giants, bestselling authors and powerhouse marketers share their proven methods to achieve a life of Wealth, Inspiration, Success & Happiness. CAST: Cameo appearances: Blair Underwood, Evander Holyfield, Neil Patrick Harris, LeVar Burton, Mario Lopez, Seth Green, Roger Cross, Rex Linn, Rex Lee, Bahar Soomekh and Kevin Sorbo Starring: Author/Speaker/Inventor David M. Corbin; Former CEO Southwest Airlines Howard Putnam; Best-selling Author/Inspirational Giant Denis Waitley; Author Charlie ‘Tremendous’ Jones; Co-star of What the Bleep Elaine Hendrix; Entrepreneur/Business leader Jim Bunch; Billionaire Secrets founder Bill Bartmann; Author/Speaker Chris Widener; Co-star of the Secret John Assaraf; Inspirational Legend Rudy Ruettiger; Best-selling Speaker Brian Tracy; Olympian Ruben Gonzalez; Co-author, Fish! And Fish Tales! Harry Paul; Author/Direct Sales Expert David Dean; Inspirational Powerhouse Debbie Allen; Syndicated Radio Giant Dennis Prager; Fitness Hall of Fame John Abdo; WNBA Champion Fran Harris; Entrepreneur Luan Mitchell; “The Naked Vegan” Kimberly Mac; Motivator/Author Les Brown; Nike VP Howard White; CEO of “Mind over Matrix” Bret Treadwell; Writer/ Director/ Producer of The Sandlot & Radio Flyer David Mickey Evans; NBA Legend Keith Erickson; CEO of HCI, Inc. Pamela Perkins; Business Consulting Expert Niurka; Corp, CEO Bill Walsh; Business Mentor, Michelle Humphrey;  Co-creator of “DSL” for the internet David Weisman; Former Congressman Ed Foreman; Co-owner of Trans World News Glenn Blake, PhD.; Inspirational Speaker Don Akers; 1st ‘Body for life’ Winner Artemis Limpert; Mentor/Entrepreneur  Casey Combden; Motivational Powerhouse James Malinchak; Inspirational Speaker Colette Carlson; Founder ALSJet Corp. Mark Manuel; Marketing Expert Brad Hager; Co-star of the Secret Rev. Michael Beckwith; Body Builder  Lou Ferrigno; Motivational Author/Speaker Wil Cason; “The Accidental Millionaire” Stephanie Frank; Motivational Author Dr. Zonnya; Motivational Author/Speaker Ona Brown; Best-selling Author Dr Richard; Gunniess World Record holder Steve “Stealth” Miller; Motivational Speaker George Ramirez; Motivational Speaker Margie Aliprandi; Success Mentor Josh Denne; Public Speaker Dr. Karl Parker; Best-selling author Janet Attwood; Author of “Life Tigers” Jase Souder; Blind author, producer and motivational Jim Stovall; Co-creator Chicken Soup for the Soul Mark Victor Hansen; Sleep Disorder Specialist Michael Breus; former CEO of Velcro Inc. Jack Mates;  Entrepreneur Marshall Thurber and California Nations Indian Gaming Association Chairman Anthony Miranda. Blogger note, we paid for our ticket to support the cause and are hoping to do some live coverage and interviews at the event too. Just as we did with "The Celestine Prophecy" movie premiere in Hollywood, Hollywood2020.blogs.com was the first blog to cover that movie premiere on location. More later on the www.passitontoday.com website and the many interactive features of the site including The Visionboard software from our partners Orange Peel! js About this blogger: Joyce Schwarz is an author, speaker, columnist and emerging entertainment and media analyst/consultant who has written more than 200 articles on next-generation entertainment and 5 books including the first mass-market books on new media such as "Multimedia: Gateway to the Next Millennium". She is respected as one of the top experts on new media and will be moderating a major panel at Digital Hollywood, www.digitalhollywood.com. She blogs at www.hollywood2020.blogs.com and also writes columns about corporate sponsorship and advertising and new entertainment platforms in imediaconnection.com which goes to 50,000 major advertising agencies, brands and corporate sponsors.Her articles have appeared in THE CHRISTIAN SCIENCE MONITOR, LA TIMES, HONOLULU STAR BULLETIN, SAN DIEGO TRIBUNE & more than 100 other publications. Schwarz is well known for her own STAR*COURSE classes on how to break into the new Hollywood first launched publicly at LEARNING ANNEX back in 1994. She is a paid public speaker who does keynotes and panels at more than 50 conferences per year. Schwarz also maintains a private career strategy practice for Hollywood executives, producers, directors and personalities in the television, film and Internet business. She is the author of the upcoming book "THE VISIONBOARD". For more information, email her at [email protected].

CARAT CEO TALKS ABOUT NEXT GEN ADS & MEDIA

Good story coming from Canada about the CEO of Carat, David speaks: "We are entering the golden age of commercial ...
Media In Canada, Canada - May 2, 2007
Adrian gets on the subway, sees a digital OOH video ad for Spiderman 4 with a web link at the end, whips out his mobile to key it in, and instantly gets ...

Promoting his new book Watch This, Listen Up, Click Verklin told the ABC crowd that the old way is gone. No more separate silos for the creatives and the media buyers - they've got to work together to innovate across platforms.

"We have the opportunity to create a new model in the advertising business," he explained. "This is the concept of the powered buy - a creative agency powered by a media services partner. I don't believe we should return to the old way. The new way is Leo Burnett powered by Starcom, Chiat/Day powered by OMD, the Mariott powered by McGarryBowen and Carat.blogged by Joyce Schwarz, www.hollywood2020.blogs.com.

WHAT'S HOT ON TV!

What's hot on TV -- American Idol of course...blogged by Joyce Schwarz, www.hollywood2020.blogs.com.

Here are the latest ratings:

Hitwise Custom Report for Top Visited US Broadcast Network TV Show Websites (Week ending April 28, 2007)
Rank	Network	Website	Market Share
1	FOX	American Idol on FOX	32.96%
2	NBC	Deal Or No Deal	12.33%
3	ABC	Dancing with the Stars	9.31%
4	ABC	Grey’s Anatomy	3.23%
5	NBC	Heroes	3.15%
6	FOX	America 's Most Wanted	2.30%
7	ABC	The Bachelor	2.11%
8	ABC	Lost	1.87%
9	CBS	Survivor: Fiji	1.82%
10	The CW	Pussycat Dolls Presents	1.76%
Source: Rankings are based on custom category of television network websites among the six major broadcast networks for the week ending April 28, 2007 (Sunday – Saturday) from the Hitwise sample of 10 million US Internet users.
Source: Hitwise

ONHOLLYWOOD PEEK INSIDE CONFAB VIA LIVE CHAT

Just peeked inside the ONHolywood conference going on at the Roosevelt Hotel in Hollywood via their live video and commented during the live chat portion blogged by Joyce Schwarz, www.hollywood2020.blogs.com.

Okay trying to blog live from the audio I am hearing right now. Featured speaker is Padmasree Warrior, CTO, Motorola (yes, ladies she is a woman CTO!) BUT can't see the video at same time as I blog for some reason...everything crashes. She's just talking about videoblogging as I write this -- Amazing.

From one to many to personal cast. Different from unicast. "I as an individual have preferences and needs for content I desire, the device (notice that word blogger note) should know these (not exactly her words).

BEYOND THE DIGITAL LIVING ROOM...content moving from screen to screen...we already saw time-shift with VCR..next saw place shifting and now will see device-shifting. Some data she is sharing "since 2004 Comcast has delivered 2 billion streams and in 2006 1.9B 60 on demand streams in 1 second....Today in the US about 1/2 of households have some on-demand service. DVRs -- 1 out of 5 households have some kind of DVR.

USER-GENERATED CONTENT -- adding to professionally produced content. Data says that 5 out of 10 fastest growing web brands were UGC content sites. 40 percent of US online video market is UGC. Will grow to 50 percent by 2010.....Think about multiple screens...Tim McGraw Music festival will be simultaneously released across the TV & mobile via AT&T.

WIRELESS BROADBAND -- Excited about Wi-Max ....mobile media platform...distinguish mobility from mobile....mobility describes actually getting things on different screens.

HOW MANY OF YOU THINK OF MOTOROLA as a cell phone company...that's true significant part of biz comes from wireless. Co-creator of High density, #1 in set-top box having shipped 50 milliion and leader in high speed modems. Says her role as CTO is to be thinking about some REALLY BIG IDEAS...has had a long relationshp with Hollywood and Television industry.

40 Years ago Motorola actually made television -- won 7 Emmy awards 40 years ago...how to reinvent themselves?

Blogger note, going to post now so I don't lose it...will pick up again in next post js.