What is scrim? Scrim is a term use in the theater industry to refer to theater curtains. Scrim is a valuable creative tool in the set designer’s bag of tricks. There are several effects that can be achieved with scrim inside the white cyc studio. One effect that can be achieved with scrim is to create an effect known as the reveal effect on the white cyc stage. The reveal effect allows an actor or scene to appear or disappear behind the scrim by a simple change in lighting. The use of scrim was popularize on the 20th century stages of Broadway and continues to be use today for effects with the white cyc studio. Scrim comes in various fabrics providing benefits and some types of scrim have some drawbacks that have to be considered by the set designer.

Different Kinds Scrim use with White Cyc Studio: Gossamer is a fabric that is measured in inches instead of feet so it can be use as a real backdrop compare to other types of fabric that come in larger sizes too big to use for a backdrop. Gossamer is a real backdrop less expensive than other scrim fabrics plus it’s disposable. Gossamer can be layer and comes in several impressive colors the can be use on top of each other to change the appearance.

Both colors will appear dappled or mark with different colors, and swirled like a hand painted canvas background. Creates a light painting like effects by producing a soft light diffusion around the objects behind the background.

Gossamer is textual and diffusive softly diffuses the light around the subject. As a backdrop a softly dappled diffusion pattern compare to chameleon backdrop that has a more angular diffusion pattern. Gossamer can be use as a special effect backgrounds being a versatile fabric allows photo background to appear different for each shot. The lighting allows the fabric to be opaque or translucent. Gossamer is not muslin, but can be use like muslin, its opaque when front lit just hang the backdrop like regular wrinkled muslin. Gossamer will come part of the permanent studio equipment for the white cyc studio.

Chameleon is a translucent scrim not transparent; Chameleon scrim produces a glow around the subject when lit. Sharks tooth scrim is unable to produce a glow around the subject when lit. Chameleon can be used in panels without needing a side seam, making the transition to behind and from the scrim go unnoticed. Chameleon can be use smaller than full stage width scrim, and comes in a Natural width of fifteen feet and eight inches. Chameleon is the only scrim design for panels. Chameleon can layer multiple scrims without nasty interference pattern.

Translucent backgrounds can be use as scrims or netting, illusion netting or gauzes. The nets and gauzes are used for two main purposes: suggest distance, to support small objects glue to it making the object appear suspended in space. This is frequently use with cut drops to support small details of canvas drop. An example the leaves of a tree might be glued to the netting to help suspend them in position.

Green screen studio technology for visual effects grew up with the film industry technology every advancement in film technology benefited and improve green screen studio technology. In developing this kind of technology (otherwise known as Chroma Key Technology) the color first used was blue like green, blue is the less similar to human skin tones. Over the years green has proven to be more effective than blue when it comes to outdoor filming. Today with computerization of chroma key technology, it is possible to use more colors instead of green and blue. At first Green screen studio was essentially used for weather reports as chroma key technology advanced it became well liked by film producers and photographers.

Green screen studio technology has several pioneers in developing and improving this technology. Before computer compositing, the process was complex and time consuming, and was known as traveling matte. The traveling matte and green chroma key method were developed at RKO Radio Pictures and other studios in the 1930′s. At RKO studio Linwood Dun use the traveling matte process to create “wipes”; which, makes transitions like a windshield wiper in films and was first used in the 1933 movie Flying Down to Rio. Larry Butler is given credit for the development of Chroma Key special effects first used for the movie The Thief of Bagdad which won him an Academy Award for special effects. Larry Butler invented the green screen and traveling matte technique to develop visual effects that were unprecedented in 1940. Butler was the first special effects designer to develop special effects using the specialized screen for Technicolor still in the infancy stage at the time. In 1950, Warner brothers hire an ex-Kodak researcher name Arthur Widmer who began developing an ultra violet traveling matte process and improving new Chroma Key techniques. The first film produce to use the new technology was The Old Man and the Sea in 1958.

Advancement in technology continues to improve the green screen studio special effects. In the 1980′s with the introduction of personal computers the process of merging two different images together using an optical printer a lot easier, during the filming of The Empire Strikes Back, Richard Edlund develop the quad optical printer. Making compositing easy, faster, and cost saving that won Richard Edlund a special Academy Award for his invention.

As green screen studio improvements occur many studios make heavy use of it’s studio technology to add backgrounds like computer-generated imagery (CGI). Compositing has gotten easier allowing for images from different performances from different takes, and motion to be merged into one scene. Green screen studio makes it possible for filming location shots without leaving the studio which saves the high costs of location filming. Further developments of computer software and computational has eliminated the need to use grids or tracking marks.

In closing advances and improvements in technology to green screen studio occurs makes the use of it’s technology easier and better for creating special visual effects. Today anybody can use a chroma key studio at home for adding visual effects to their own photos. What makes this kind of studio possible is a purchase of a chroma key studio setup with computer software less than $200. This makes it easier for professional photographers to create their own backgrounds or visual effects withoust the high costs of filming on location.

College enrollment is expected to continue setting new records throughout the current economic environment as people look to change careers or further their educations and start their own businesses.

With over six thousand institutions of higher education in the United States, there is no question how tough the competition is in reaching potential students and enrolling them in your institution. So, what is the best way to reach these individuals, and what will make them respond to your advertising?

For the Texas Barber Colleges and Hairstyling Schools the answer was advertising with a memorable direct-response tool, 1-800-NEW-CAREER. The school had a goal to increase leads and enrollment by 10% in 2008. They also wanted a sure-fire way to track the response to their advertising campaigns. The Director of Marketing and Admissions, Esty Merlo, decided to try listing a vanity 800 number in his ad campaigns, with the thought that the “word” phone number would be easier for people to remember.

After activating the vanity phone number, Texas Barber Colleges and Hairstyling Schools saw a 23% growth in leads from 2007 to 2008. According to Merlo, “The results have been phenomenal. We’ve doubled the goals we set for ourselves once we made the move to using multiple vanity numbers and a call center.”

To get results like Texas Barber Colleges and Hairstyling Schools, just follow the advertising tips below:

1. Use a Phone Number as the Direct-Response Tool in Your Ads
Recent research shows that survey respondents have a 45 percent higher recall rate of vanity phone numbers like 1-800-NEW-CAREER than they do of Web addresses. By offering a phone number along with your URL, you are providing people with a one-on-one experience, giving prospective students a direct route to your admission specialists. Getting a prospective student to call and speak with an admissions representative brings you one step closer to enrollment

2. Feature an Easy-to-Remember Direct-Response Tool in all Marketing Materials
A phone number will not be much help if folks cannot remember it. Get a vanity 800 number, like Esty Merlo did. A vanity 800 number that relates to your school’s student mission, like 1-800-NEW-JOBS or 1-800-NEW-CAREER, will assist in reinforcing your brand image, deliver a consistent message, and give people the ability to contact you immediately. Another benefit of a vanity number comes out when someone who hears or sees your ad with a memorable phone number, but is not ready right now to go back to school. But, if they find themselves three months down the road in pursuit of a career change, they will remember your vanity 800 number from the advertising campaign and call you before they call another school in your area. You’ll stand out from competing schools.

3. Prominent Placement of the Direct-Response Tool
Don’t bury the contact method in your ads. Feature your phone number prominently in all of your advertising and marketing materials. For example, mention it at least three times in a radio ad, make it the focal point of a print ad, and display the number on screen throughout a television ad. Make sure it is easily heard and understood, clearly visible, and easy to read, and your ads will pull higher response rates than ever before.

4. Test and Track Your Advertising Campaigns
Finally, when developing a new ad campaign, create two separate ads using the same creative elements, just switch up a toll-free phone number for a vanity 800 number in one of the ads. Track the response you get from each ad. You’ll see that vanity 800 numbers will generate 30 to 60 percent better response rates than numeric phone numbers.

Mr. Merlo shares that his advertising efforts with the vanity 800 numbers are really paying off. “In this economy, more and more people are thinking about a new career and making changes to become their own boss. Our advertising is reaching more of those people, drawing in more leads, and our enrollment levels are increasing every month.”

When using a phone number as a direct-response tool there is no question that true vanity 800 phone numbers are easier to remember and produce higher response rates. Just ask Esty Merlo.

” ‘I know something interesting is sure to happen’, Alice said to herself, ‘whenever I eat or drink anything: so I’ll just see what this bottle does’ “

- Alice in Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Lewis Carroll, 1865

It’s axiomatic that consumers are made aware of products through crowd-sourcing (girl friends), promotions, advertising, or simply walking the aisle. But what prompts consumers to seek experts in making a purchase and why?

When does expert opinion play a role in the purchase of consumer products? As for healthcare products perhaps the force of expert advice is built in through the very act of government regulation and doctors’ recommendations. The internet certainly provides further consumer access to expert opinion on retailers’ sites, disease information sites, such as WebMD and drugs.com, and the manufacturers’ sites themselves. Nevertheless, the fact is that individual purchase decisions are made by integrating past experience with crowd-sourcing disseminated through viral buzz, and advertising and promotion.

If we assume that expert opinion is not a predominant source of product awareness and purchase interest for consumer products, why not? In trying to analyze the role of expert opinion we listed consumer product categories in which we believed expert opinion may often be sought. These categories included: wine, movies, music, the arts, automobiles, electronics, computers, travel, books, restaurants, firearms, investments, and computer gaming. We left healthcare out to preserve “statistical” independence.

We predetermined that there are five general needs that drive a consumer to seek expert opinion across these 13 examples: 1) personal taste (10/13); 2) high price (10/13); 3) complexity (7/13); 4) performance (6/13); and5) safety (5/13). Therefore, expert opinion is sought primarily to match a purchase to personal tastes and expectations, particularly when the relative cost is high. Thus, the consumer seeks insurance against loss, disappointment, or both.

Arguably OTC consumer health care products meet the criteria of products with complexity, safety and performance issues but not typically are they costly. Beauty care products are less about safety and more about personal taste and price. While advertising can go a long way in informing consumers about price, performance, and taste expectations it is less likely to explain safety and complexity issues particularly relative to competitor products, or store brands. Thus, consumers should seek expert advice on OTC drug and beauty products particularly relative to comparisons between and among other products.

It is likely that consumers may value word-of-mouth as highly as expert opinion in seeking advice on whether a product will meet expectations, particularly when they have no past experience with the product or category. Perhaps the lesson for advertisers is whether conventional ad campaigns are tapping into this unmet need for product “experts” by focusing on aligning personal taste to product performance, emphasizing price/value, and demystifying complexity.

Today, more households than ever before are deciding they want to rent a movie online instead of going to the store down the street. The bottom line is that it’s more convenient for many different reasons, but even so, which of these companies offers the best online DVD rental service?

The two leaders in this industry are Netflix and Blockbuster, and it’s important to take a step back and put forth an honest DVD rental comparison between these two massive companies. Is one really better than the other, and how can you make a sound decision?

The truth is that neither company is the perfect solution for everybody who wants to rent a movie online. They each have their own strengths and advantages, as well as potential drawbacks when compared to the other. So instead of providing a direct DVD rental comparison between the two, you should first figure out what benefits you should really be looking for.

1. Cheap Prices – Of course you don’t want to spend a lot of money for your monthly plan. Therefore you need to make a choice based on which plans are the cheapest, and how many movies you’ll want to watch at once. You also need to figure out, do they charge more for any services? Do they include Blu-Rays in their packages?

2. Quick Delivery – It’s great to have unlimited monthly rentals, but if you’re always waiting by the mailbox instead of relaxing by the sofa because you’re next movie hasn’t arrived yet, what’s the point? While a DVD rental comparison will tell you that most companies are equal, you can certainly experience differences based upon where you live.

3. Free Trials – What better way to find out for yourself if you like a company than to rent a movie online from them for free? Check to see if the company you’re interested in is offering a free trial, and if there are any strings attached to that claim.

4. Movie Selection – One of the main benefits of online DVD rental sites is being able to choose from a massive movie and television show selection that wouldn’t be possible to hold in a store. In addition to selection, you also want a company that carries lots of all of the major titles, so you never have to wait around for your next movie.

5. Additional Features – The best online DVD rental service is going to do much more than just ship your movies to you. There are many other potential benefits and services you should be looking for. Can you rate movies and receive recommendations from those ratings? Can you stream movies online instantly? Can you return the movies to a store if they have any around?

The best online DVD rental service for one person won’t be the same as the next. Think about which of the above benefits matters to you most when it’s your turn to rent a movie online, and then compare the available plans to see what makes the most.

When people sign up for an online movie rental service these days, the first thing they want to know is what kind of DVD rental free trial is available. This is because these great offers are a fantastic way to get to know a service and a company.

You’ll be able to see for yourself firsthand whether a site offers everything that you’re looking for, or whether they fall short of your expectations. Best of all you can do this without spending a dime of course, which is why free DVD rental trial programs are so popular today.

However you don’t want to be misinformed about what’s out there or what is currently available, because you can end up paying more money than you need to do, or getting suckered into some kind of false deal. Online movie rental can be a great choice as long as you know what you’re getting into.

With that said, here’s an overview of some of the DVD rental free trial programs that are available, and what you can expect from each. When it comes time to make your own decision, remember to take full advantage of these specials to save as much money as you can, and to try out services risk free.

One of the leaders in the world of online movie rental is Netflix. Netflix offers a 2 week free trial program, during which time you’ll have full access to all of their features. You can stream movies online instantly and you can rent an unlimited amount of movies, staying within the plan you selected when you signed up. If you don’t cancel in that 2 week period, your membership continues automatically at the level you selected.

Another of the leaders in the industry is Blockbuster Online. Blockbuster provides a very similar offer, allowing for a 2 week online DVD rental free trial period. Once again, you can enjoy all of their features and services, and your plan will continue automatically unless you cancel before the trial is completed. Blockbuster doesn’t offer streaming movies however, instead you can return your movies to their physical storefronts.

Of course this was just a brief overview of what you can expect from some of the available online DVD rental free trial programs that are out there today. Online movie rental is growing in popularity by leaps and bounds, so when you’re ready to join the fun just be sure to first take full advantage of these great offers.

Emerging technologies have the potential to radically change the experience of aging in the 21st century. Technology can help seniors stay in their homes longer by improving safety, monitoring medical details and enhancing communication and social contact.

Communication Technology

Over one-half million people in the U.S. subscribe to alarm services that send a wireless message that help is needed. The user wears a pendant or bracelet and simply presses a button for help. Unlike a telephone or alarm pull chain, the pendant or bracelet is always accessible and is directly connected to help that is always available.

Adaptive telephone designs are extremely beneficial to seniors. A number of states, Florida among them, offer deaf and hearing-impaired residents captioned and volume-control telephones at no cost. Cell phones designed for seniors have larger buttons and better amplification and sound quality. Innovative cell phones have zoom options that make the display text larger as well as built-in SOS buttons; menus are simple and easy to navigate. Phones for people with memory problems use the caller identification feature to display a photo of the caller as well as the caller’s name and relationship to the senior, in order to jog a failing memory.

Signalers produce a visual signal for sounds like the doorbell, oven timer, or alarm clock. A similar device sends an audio and visual signal when the mail is delivered. Amplified alarm clocks help people with moderate hearing loss wake up on time, a particularly useful feature for seniors who have to take medications during the night. For people with more profound hearing loss, bed shakers do the waking.

Health Technology

Telehealth is the term coined for health services that are delivered though the Internet and other telecommunications technologies. Telehealth can be as simple as e-mail communication between doctors and patients or as complex as patient monitoring. Devices already exist that allow doctors to monitor seniors remotely. Smart beds, for example, monitor vital signs and send them to the medical care providers over the Internet. For general safety, electronic systems monitor the movements of seniors in their homes. Robotic nurses may soon spare the backs of caregivers by doing the lifting and transferring. Pill boxes that remind people when to take their pills and other electronic medication monitoring and dispensing systems are now available and continually improving.

Social Technology

Recent studies confirm that Internet use reduces depression among senior citizens. A number of programs use Internet technology to reduce the social isolation of home bound seniors. A public-private partnership in New York City, for example, introduces seniors to computers and Internet technology in their own homes. The Virtual Senior Center uses technology to improve social connections and give home bound seniors access to community services. In another project, a technology hot line helps seniors learn how to use the Internet. Keyboards with large keys and magnified monitors make it easier for older people to use computers.

Mobility Technology

Remote controlled walkers come when they are called, eliminating the need for seniors to reach for their walkers, a major cause of falls. Walkers with sensors are able to steer away from obstacles. Smart canes can detect changes in gait and pressure and sound an alarm if the user is in danger of falling.

Technologies for Independence

A number of universities and companies have taken up the challenge of developing technologies to enhance the quality of life for senior citizens. Their innovations can help seniors remain independent longer and age gracefully.

The emerging technologies detailed in this article can enhance the lives of seniors and other home bound individuals in need of assistance. By improving home safety and monitoring important medial information and enhancing communication and social interaction, aging seniors will be able to stay in their homes longer.

The technology of the word has changed around the world over the past decades. Now days everything is wireless, Wireless microphones work just the same as regular corded Mics, except that you are free to walk around without a cable. Wireless headphones are good for that individual who loves to move about while engaging in a hobby or performing on stage.

We also have wireless microphones now the music industry is a forever growing beast. Why not stay up with the times doing something you love to do. Having the best equipment to do your best performance. There are many different brands to choose from as far as wireless goes. Amplifiers, table mixers, and digital equalizers that are compatible with any equipment that you may have already.

It is good to find equipment with led lighted panels for those who work in low light areas, and have the proper mounting brackets to fit any occasion. All of this equipment come highly recommended by many artist who pursue careers in the music industry. A lot of Amplifiers now days push out 1500 watts and mixers are equipped with a built in 10 band equalizer.

These components will provide the professional and occasional enthusiast with an unbeatable combination of performance, flexibility and price. The wireless and digital age is upon us so lets grab hold and have fun while we are doing it. These devices are a must have for any one who wants to be up with the times and make a career in music.

Hello my name is Michelle Morrell I am a stay at home mom trying to get a small business off of the ground. My husband is a UNITED STATES MARINE and has been enlisted for eight years now. I have nine wonderful children whom are my world. I just want to promote my online business I have many sites from swords to electronics. Following are links to some of my products for all of you musicians or DJ hobbyist. If you click on the image it will take you to my home page.