Technology Technology

LIFESTYLE | FAMILY | TRAVEL
November | December 2006
Technology
in the
Everyday
LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
R
TECHNOLOGY
IS ALWAYS A FUN TOPIC
BECAUSE IT IS HARD TO PIN DOWN A PRECISE
MEANING OF TECHNOLOGY. IT SEEMS TO ME
THAT A COUPLE OF DECADES AGO ANYTHING
THAT WAS CONSIDERED TECHNOLOGY WAS
RELATED IN BASIC FORM TO COMPUTERS.
IT
WAS
CONSIDERED
TECHNOLOGY,
OR
EVEN HI-TECH.
LIFE BY DESIGN
scanning has made the lives of thousands of
people better by alleviating pain or providing
comfortably fitting prosthetics.
I especially was inspired by the battery-powered Tango (page 12) and was entertained by
Café FX (page 14) and its computer-generated effects for the big screen. But I have
to admit that The Digital Printing Press
(page 18) is my favorite. I am a bit biased,
of course, because Sam Priddy, print press
operator of L&S Graphics, is who prints this
magazine. He and his staff have done an exceptional job and have been a fantastic partner for
us in our efforts.
I hope you enjoy our technology issue.
It was insightful for us to research and a pleasure to put together. Please remember to take
the time to thank the generous person who
continues to send you complimentary copies
of Life By Design.
Enjoy!
November | December 2006
Maybe our world has evolved a bit and we
just expect computers to be involved with
everything that we do. We hear that technology is changing minute by minute and that in
ten years our lives will look very different. I am
sure this is true, but I often wonder, how? I
guess that 15 years ago, when I bought my first
Macintosh for my freshman year of college, I
would not even have guessed that I would be
sitting in my living room on a laptop, working
on the Internet, connected to my office’s Webbased software in order to complete this letter
and send it by e-mail to my staff. And, oh yes,
I just ordered books for my kid’s school work
and sent a video e-mail to my parents. Hmmm,
maybe technology has a larger effect on our
lives than we realize.
In this issue, we wanted to show how some
advancements in technology influence more
mundane aspects of our lives. We included
articles on Crown City Orthopedic (page 10)
and how the company’s infrared optical
1
TECHNOLOGY ISSUE
November | December 2006
DEPARTMENTS
4
Community Profile
Scottsdale, Arizona
6
Food
A Taste of Scottsdale
20
Hot New Gadgets
24
4
6
Product Preview
Resources
14
FEATURES
8
Technology
in the Everyday
LIFE BY DESIGN
November | December 2006
2
10
Casting Soles
12
Tango to the Future
14
Café FX
18
The Digital Printing Press
10
18
20
EDITOR Brandon Lee
CREATIVE TEAM
Heath Anyan, David Fleischman, Shavaun Reed,
Glenn Sandvoss, Laura Swayne
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Jillian Blume, Bethany Bradsher, Ashley Griffin,
Amber Lindros, Laura Swayne
CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS
Heath Anyan, David Clugston, PedAlign, Roy’s Restaurant,
Scottsdale Convention & Visitors Bureau, Bryan Woodbury
COPY EDITOR Amber Lindros
GRAPHICS MANAGER Jesh Barlow
LAYOUT & DESIGN Lindsay Fournier
IMAGE PROCESSOR Chad Kuhlmann
OFFICE MANAGER Pat Montgomery
V.P. OF OPERATIONS Belinda Richardson
V.P. OF SALES Tony Taranto
CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER Steve Swayne
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Brandon Lee
ADVERTISING SALES
[email protected]
EDITORIAL INQUIRIES OR LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
[email protected]
BY DESIGN PUBLISHING INC.
11626 N. Tracey Road
Hayden, ID 83835
208-772-8060
www.LifeByDesign.com
www.ByDesignPublishing.com
LIFE BY DESIGN
Life By Design magazine is a personalized magazine used by
professionals as a direct-mail gift to their clients and prospects.
For complete information on the Life By Design program, please
visit our Web site at www.LifeByDesign.com.
Copyright 2006 By Design Publishing Inc.
All Rights Reserved.
November | December 2006
Recipients of Life By Design magazine receive their subscription
as a free gift. Life By Design magazine is an exclusive marketing
program by By Design Publishing Inc. By Design Publishing Inc.
has contracted with its clients that By Design Publishing Inc. will
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magazine is not intended as a solicitation for business.
3
COMMUNITY PROFILE
SCOTTSDALE CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU
SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA
SET IN THE HEART OF THE LUSH SONORAN DESERT,
LIFE BY DESIGN
Scottsdale offers so much. Breathtaking natural beauty, unbeatable weather, outstanding
golf courses, world-class shopping, exquisite cuisine, a vibrant art scene, outdoor activities
ranging from hiking and biking to whitewater rafting and horseback riding are all part of
this exciting city. More than 70 resorts and spas allow for the indulgence of relaxation that
so many of us desire. As well as being a fabulous vacation destination, Scottsdale is considered one of the “most livable cities in America.” Its school system is well-respected, its
crime rate is 60 percent lower than the national average, and, although it is a fairly affluent community, housing prices are still affordable. A wonderful city to visit or consider
home: Scottsdale, Arizona.
November | December 2006
4
COMMUNITY PROFILE
Fifth Avenue Arts District:
(800) 737-0008,
www.scottsdale5thave.org
Scottsdale Fashion Square:
(480) 994-8048, www.westcor.com
Spree! The Art of Shopping:
(480) 661-1080, www.azshoppingspree.com
DINING:
Lon’s at the Hermosa Inn: 5532 North
Palo Cristi Road, (602) 955-8614,
www.lons.com
Mosaic: 10600 East Jomax Road,
(480) 563-9600,
www.mosaic-restaurant.com
Old Town Tortilla Factory: 6910 East
Main Street, (480) 945-4567,
www.oldtowntortillafactory.com
Pinon Grill: 7401 N. Scottsdale Road,
(480) 948-5050
Roaring Fork: 4800 N. Scottsdale Road,
(480) 947-0795, www.roaringfork.com
LOVE sculpture at the Civic Center
Mall. The splendor of the Sonoran
desert. Fans get autographs at the
San Francisco Giants’ spring training
in Scottsdale. The Scottsdale Fashion
Square boasts great shopping and
food under one roof.
GENERAL INFORMATION:
Population: 234,900; average high
temperature is 86; average low
temperature is 60. The hottest months
are June through September. Average
annual precipitation is 7.5 inches.
Scottsdale is home to numerous business
headquarters and regional offices,
high-tech and bio-technology companies,
excellent health-care and medical facilities,
and a booming tourism industry.
ATTRACTIONS:
Barrett-Jackson Collector Car Auction:
one of the largest, most well-attended
annual collector car auctions in
the world. (480) 421-6694,
www.barrett-jackson.com
Desert Botanical Garden: 50 acres of
desert plants in Papago Park.
(480) 941-1225, www.dbg.org
Roy’s Hawaiian Fusion Cuisine: 7001
N. Scottsdale Road, (480) 905-1155,
www.roysrestaurant.com
Dog Day Hummer Adventures: ATV
and Jeep adventures. 837-3966,
www.azadventures.com
Sassi: 10455 E. Pinnacle Peak Pkwy.,
(480) 502-9095, www.sassi.biz
Frank Lloyd Wright’s Taliesin West:
built by Wright and his apprentices,
completed in 1937. (480) 860-2700,
www.franklloydwright.org
Heard Museum: featuring American
Indian cultures and art.
(602) 252-8840, www.heard.org
Hot Air Expeditions: adventure in the
skies over the beautiful Sonoran Desert.
(480) 502-6999,
www.hotairexpeditions.com
Golfing: more than 200 courses
available. www.scottsdalecvb.com
Countless festivals and annual events
take place in Scottsdale each year.
www.scottsdalecvb.com
WHERE TO STAY:
The Boulders Resort and Golden Door
Spa: 34631 N. Tom Darlington Drive,
Carefree, AZ, (866) 397-6520,
www.theboulders.com
Gainey Suites Hotel: 7300 Gainey
Suites Drive, (800) 970-4666,
www.gaineysuiteshotel.com
The Hermosa Inn: 5532 N. Palo Cristi
Road, (800) 241-1210,
www.hermosainn.com
Hotel Valley Ho: 6850 E. Main Street,
(480) 248-2000,
www.hotelvalleyho.com
SHOPPING:
Millennium Resort Scottsdale
McCormick Ranch: 7401 N. Scottsdale
Road, (480) 948-5050,
www.millenniumhotels.com
el Pedregal Festival Marketplace:
(480) 488-1072,
www.wyndhampromotions.com/elpedregal
Resort Suites Scottsdale: 7677 E.
Princess Blvd., (888) 222-1059,
www.resortsuites.com
LIFE BY DESIGN
Rock in Sedona. Robert Indiana’s
November | December 2006
(Clockwise from top left) Cathedral
5
FOOD
A TASTE OF SCOTTSDALE
CHEF ROY YAMAGUCHI OPENED HIS FIRST ROY’S
LIFE BY DESIGN
Restaurant in Honolulu in 1988, featuring fresh, local ingredients in a style of cooking he
calls Hawaiian Fusion cuisine. The chefs at Roy’s Restaurant in Scottsdale have shared
with us their recipes for a fabulous evening of food. Enjoy these recipes for Maui Wowie
Tiger Shrimp Salad and Chocolate Soufflé from the comfort of your home, or visit one of
Roy’s 33 restaurants throughout the world.
November | December 2006
RECIPES BY ROY’S RESTAURANT
WRITTEN BY LAURA SWAYNE
PHOTOS BY ROY’S RESTAURANT
6
FOOD
MAUI WOWIE
TIGER SHRIMP SALAD
Servings: 4
Prep Time: 1 hour
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Salad Ingredients:
6
slices vine-ripened tomatoes
2
16
2
1
1
1
ounce capers
ounce sweet onions, finely diced
head butter lettuce, cut
into 1⁄8-inch strips
ounces caper lime vinaigrette
(recipe below)
salt and pepper to taste
shrimp, poached in seafood bouillon
(water seasoned with seafood
seasoning), diced large (do not
overcook shrimp or pre-dice)
ounces avocado, diced large
(same size as shrimp)
teaspoon scallion oil or olive oil
ounce feta cheese, crumbled
piece each popcorn shoot and bull’s
blood (often found in Asian markets; if
not available, substitute strips of
colored bell peppers)
A ring mold will be needed to
prepare salad. You may use a PVC
pipe that has been cut into these
dimensions: 21⁄ 4 inches in height
and 31⁄ 2 inches in diameter, or use
a mold of similar size.
On a medium-size plate, layer
tomatoes (place 1 tomato on plate, put
edge of second tomato on edge of first,
and continue process with remaining
slices). Arrange tomatoes into bulls-eye
with an empty circle in the middle.
Circle will be staging area to assemble
salad without burying the red color
of the tomatoes.
In a mixing bowl, combine capers,
onions, and lettuce strips. Moisten with
caper lime vinaigrette. Season with salt
and pepper. Place ring mold in center
of tomato ring. Gently place lettuce
mixture into ring mold. Keep it fluffy;
do not smash. Gently place shrimp
and avocado on top of lettuce mixture.
Carefully remove mold and moisten
tomatoes with more caper lime
vinaigrette. Drizzle oil and sprinkle
feta. Garnish with bull’s blood and
popcorn shoot, or strips of colored
peppers. Place crispy garlic crostini on
rim of salad plate.
Caper Lime Vinaigrette Ingredients:
1
ounce hand-diced shallots
1
ounce chopped capers
1
cup fresh lime juice
1⁄2
cup caper juice
3⁄4
cups olive oil
tablespoons Dijon mustard
tablespoons garlic, minced and
browned in olive oil
ounces truffle oil or olive oil
tablespoons fresh oregano, chopped
1
11⁄2
3
2
1⁄4
cup honey
white pepper to taste
Whisk together all ingredients.
When adding honey and pepper, add in
stages and adjust amount as desired.
Method for Cooking Shrimp:
Bring seafood bouillon to a rapid boil.
Submerge shrimp into bouillon. Cook
shrimp for approximately 2 minutes. Do
not let bouillon re-boil. Test one shrimp
before removing from bouillon. Place hot
shrimp into colander. Cover with ice and
let cool. Do not submerge shrimp in cold
water; it will kill flavor.
CHOCOLATE SOUFFLÉ
Servings: 4
Prep Time: 15 minutes plus overnight chilling
Bake Time: 20 minutes
6
4
3⁄4
13⁄4
2
tablespoons unsalted butter
ounces semisweet chocolate
cup sugar
tablespoons cornstarch
eggs plus 2 egg yolks
In a saucepan over low heat, melt the
butter and chocolate together. Set aside.
In a mixing bowl, combine the sugar
and cornstarch. In a separate bowl,
whisk the eggs and yolks together. Add
the melted chocolate mixture to the
sugar mixture and combine thoroughly
with a wire whisk. Stir in the eggs and
whisk just until smooth. Place in the
refrigerator overnight.
Remove and strain into a clean
container. Cover with plastic wrap and
press down to prevent from forming skin.
Refrigerate 3 to 4 hours, until well chilled.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line 4
metal rings (about 23⁄ 4 inches across and
2 inches high) with greased parchment
paper. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set the molds on the
sheet. Scoop the mixture into the molds
so they are two-thirds full, and make
sure the molds are not leaking.
Bake on the top oven rack for 20
minutes. Remove the baking sheet
from the oven, and, while holding
each mold with tongs, slide a metal
spatula underneath, carefully lift, and
transfer to a serving plate. Gently lift
off the mold and remove the parchment
paper. Serve immediately.
LIFE BY DESIGN
1
1
November | December 2006
1⁄4
Chef ’s Hint:
Delicious served with a raspberry
coulis or sprinkled with powdered sugar.
7
CASTING SOLES
CROWN CITY ORTHOPEDIC
USES INFRARED OPTICAL
SCANNING TO CREATE COMPLETELY CUSTOMIZED PROSTHETICS AND ORTHOTICS.
WRITTEN BY BETHANY BRADSHER
R
RYAN MOLINA
WORKS WITH COMPLICATED
TECHNOLOGY EVERY DAY, BUT AT THE
HEART OF HIS BUSINESS IS THE SIMPLE,
TIMELESS DESIRE TO HELP OTHERS.
LIFE BY DESIGN
November | December 2006
10
As the CEO of Crown City Orthopedic
in Pasadena, California, Molina meets daily
with people who need prosthetics or
orthotics. Some are amputees who simply
want to walk again; others have limitations
that prevent them from doing things such as
running or playing sports. The task before
Molina and his staff is to assess each person’s
situation and create a device that will free
the patient to live a fuller life.
“Most of your time is spent listening and
understanding what they’re saying,” says
Molina, whose family has owned Crown
City Orthopedic for three generations. “I’ve
had people call and say how they can now
walk without pain or walk normally now.
Whatever limitations they have, we have
been able to help them.”
Molina’s business constantly is evolving
with the development of new inventions
and techniques, and in recent years Crown
City has honed the use of digital casting
for prosthetics and orthotics. Molina
first learned the process using plaster of
paris, which was replaced by synthetic fiberglass. But both of these materials became
obsolete in his offices with the advent of
thorough computerized imaging.
With a technique called a CAD/CAM, a
specialist takes a three-dimensional picture
“I’VE
HAD PEOPLE CALL AND
SAY HOW THEY CAN NOW WALK
WITHOUT PAIN OR WALK NORMALLY
NOW.
WHATEVER LIMITATIONS
THEY HAVE, WE HAVE BEEN
PedAlign’s
infrared optical
November | December 2006
of a person’s whole limb. That image is then refined and modified on the computer to fit the individual’s specifications, and
the image is fed to a “milling machine,” which creates a form
for the prosthetic or orthotic.
Digital imaging allows for more individualized models,
Molina says, eliminating any fault on the part of the technician
who is doing the casting. It also is a tremendous timesaver,
allowing patients to have increased mobility faster than the
traditional methods. The process is different from other
attempts to use digital technology for orthotic production
because it uses infrared optical scanning to capture the foot’s
true contours and arch height. A technician then refines
that information, and the end result is an orthotic tailored to
the patient’s precise needs.
“It’s so rewarding,” Molina says. “The science is helping out
lives. We’re better able to help everyone now, to meet those
specific needs that each individual has. Someone who weighs
110 pounds or 250 pounds, they both want the same goal, but
they’re at totally different ends of the spectrum.”
Molina recently worked with a man who wanted to be able
to play 18 holes of golf. Crown City created special foot
orthotics for him that were geared for a day on the links, and
the man is now hitting 245-yard drives.
The most common limitation facing Crown City’s patients
is diabetes, Molina says, which can hinder circulation to the
point that a diabetic can require an amputation and a prosthetic. But many of the diabetic patients Molina sees are fitted for
special shoes and inserts that need to be replaced each year.
“Diabetes kind of takes control of the whole entire body, and
it’s neurological as well,” he says. “The feet are the furthest
thing from the heart, so they are affected the most.”
The very latest technology that Molina is investigating is a
handheld device called a biosculptor. Its portability and versatility would further simplify the process of creating orthotics
and would help patients, but, as with any new technology, the
company has to weigh the benefits against the costs and consider factors such as the discounts Crown City would have to
offer to keep its managed care contracts.
“It’s a gamble,” Molina says of the technology that his
business employs. “It’s an investment for the company, and
hopefully that comes around.”
LIFE BY DESIGN
ABLE TO HELP THEM.”
scanning system
11
TANGO
TO THE
TANGO
HAS THE MANEUVERABILITY OF A MOTORCYCLE WITH THE SAFETY OF A RACECAR.
H
HYDROGEN
WAS
WOODBURY
HOME.
HIS FATHER,
A
HOUSEHOLD
THIS
WORD
IN
THE
DEVELOPED, INDIRECTLY, INTO
NEIGHBORHOOD
WHEN
SPOKANE,
BRYAN
AND
RICK, BEGAN RIDING AROUND IN A ROLL CAGE
ON WHEELS WEARING GOGGLES AND HELMETS.
LOCAL KIDS LOVED IT.
SOMETIMES,
BE HANGING ON AS THE
THE
FIVE OR SIX WOULD
WOODBURYS
ROLLED THEIR
CONTRAPTION DOWN THE HILL.
LIFE BY DESIGN
November | December 2006
12
METER WIDE, THE BATTERY-POWERED
WRITTEN BY JILLIAN BLUME PHOTOS BY BRYAN WOODBURY AND DAVID CLUGSTON
SOME WELCOME EXCITEMENT IN THE FAMILY’S
WASHINGTON,
AT 1
FUTURE
It all started when Rick and Bryan read an article about a
project to use hydrogen as a fuel to power a Dodge Omni. It
was a story that altered the course of their lives. Father and
son began to envision their own invention: a car that would
have a motorcycle’s maneuverability through traffic but also
would be environmentally clean and safe to drive. Bryan
spent a good part of his childhood sketching designs for
their car—and the seed of the Tango began to take root.
They planned on building their car with a hydrogenpowered engine until they discovered fuel cells. But in the
early 1990s, fuel cell technology was an expensive and
unavailable technology, so they began considering a car
designed to run on batteries.
Their initial concept of an electric car was a golf cart,
which they figured would be slow and miserable to drive.
Then they heard about electric drag races where batterypowered racecars were beating gas-powered Dodge Vipers.
They realized they could create a car that was unusually
small, fun to drive, and extremely safe; batteries are heavy,
and placed at the bottom of a skinny car, they would act like
the ballast of a sailboat to keep the car from tipping over.
They bought a used 1968 Fiat 850 Spider that already had
an electric motor, parked it in their garage, and commenced
tearing it apart. “We built a tube frame out of steel,” Bryan
recalls. “Then we bolted on the suspension, steering, and
brakes, threw a seat on top of it, and within a couple of
weeks we had it rolling down the hill.”
The two spent a lot of time in the junkyard buying parts
and piecing it together. “We upgraded it to two motors and
25 batteries,” Bryan says. “We kept pushing the limits of how
much stuff we could pack into this tiny car.”
Finally, he created the body using polyurethane foam.
“I poured it over the car and started shaping it with saws
and files and tools until I got a shape that I liked. Then I
covered it in fiberglass, smoothed it out, and had somebody
paint it Zenith Blue Metallic,” Bryan explains. That’s the
blue proof-of-concept car shown on their Web site
(www.commutercars.com) and the genesis of their company,
Commuter Cars Corporation.
The idea was to create a car with all the benefits of
a motorcycle and the safety of a racecar. They kept it a
meter wide, which is five inches narrower than a Honda
Gold Wing motorcycle.
It’s skinny enough that two of the cars can drive side by
side in a lane, and it can go between lanes in a traffic jam. It’s
short enough to be parked perpendicular to the curb
between cars. Four Tangos can park in a single spot
on the street, and two people fit comfortably inside,
one behind the other like a motorcycle. A few jackets
can even be stuffed behind the back seat and a
few bags of groceries beside the passenger and
on the floor. And if you don’t have a second
passenger aboard, you can pull out the
back seat for an additional 10 cubic feet
of cargo space.
To test out his belief that the
Tango has as much power as a racecar (and to have some fun), Bryan
went to the autocross and raced
it on the track.
“I was about two seconds
slower than a Ferrari 308,
and that was the third race
in my entire life,” he recalls.
“Driving it around, you’re
completely enclosed, and
you feel safe because you
have a NASCAR-style
“IT’S
SO MUCH FUN TO DRIVE.
IT
JUST TAKES OFF LIKE A
LITTLE ROCKET.
AND I LOVE
WATCHING THE REACTION AS
back of a restaurant while
you’re having lunch.
They built the second car
for George Clooney, who
ordered one while filming
the movie Syriana.
“If you're doing a movie
about oil consumption and
corruption, you can't just
talk the talk,” Clooney said.
“You gotta walk the walk.”
Commuter Cars currently is producing only the
T600, built one at a
time, for $108,000.
Once the company has
raised enough capital to
go into mass production, the T100 is The Tango comfortably
expected to sell for seats two; the passenger
$18,000 and the
rides behind the driver.
T200 for $39,000.
The company currently is taking deposits for any of the Tango models,
which are deposited in a separate account and can be
refunded at any time. The deposits are there to show
investors that there’s a serious interest and that people actually want to buy these cars.
Bryan and Rick Woodbury are living out
their dream. Sparked by an intriguing magazine
article, their dream has developed into a car
that can positively affect pollution, politics, and
everyday road rage.
“It’s so much fun to drive,” Bryan says. “It just
takes off like a little rocket. And I love watching
the reaction as we drive down the road. People
whip around as we pass as if they can’t believe it.”
But the truth is, some dreams do come true. And
some have the power to change the world.
LIFE BY DESIGN
WE DRIVE DOWN THE ROAD.”
November | December 2006
roll cage around you, an inch of padding around the roll cage,
4-point racing harnesses, and racing seats. You feel secure and
stable, so you can take it around a corner pretty fast.”
Bryan and Rick took the Tango they built in their garage
to the Electric Vehicle Symposium in Montreal, thinking
they’d be there a week. They ended up staying for 15 months
because SLP Canada and Bert Transmission were eager
to work on the first real prototype. Bert Transmission,
the leading manufacturer of dirt circle track racecar
transmissions, donated its work by designing gearboxes
for the Tango. SLP Canada, a company famous for building
custom muscle cars, thought they could produce three
Tangos in three months, but it actually took 15 months
to get most of one car done, with the majority of time
spent creating the molds for the body. The red car they built
is the first reproducible car.
The Tango, which currently is being produced one at a
time by custom order, comes with either a lead acid battery
or a nickel metal hydride battery. The lead acid battery
will take you from 40 to 80 miles before needing a recharge,
and the nickel metal hydride battery from 80 to 160 miles.
Both can be recharged in about one hour for every 40 miles
you’ve driven by plugging it into a regular 220V outlet
or can be quick-charged to 80 percent in as little as ten minutes with a powerful off-board charger. On the road, you can
plug it into a regular 110V outlet at a gas station or in the
13
Café FX created visual
effects for the 2005 film
Memoirs of a Geisha,
which won three
Academy Awards.
CAFÉ
A
FX
COMPANY STARTED
BY TWO FRIENDS AS A
HOBBY NOW CREATES
COMPUTERIZED SPECIAL
EFFECTS FOR MANY OF
THE TOP FILM RELEASES.
WRITTEN BY BETHANY BRADSHER
P
PERSONAL
ELECTRONIC DEVICES HAVE MADE CONSUMERS
DEPENDENT ON INFORMATION AT THEIR FINGERTIPS, LEADING
TO A MARKET FOR FASTER AND BETTER PRODUCTS.
TECHNOLOGY ALWAYS SEEMS TO BEGET MORE TECHNOLOGY.
LIFE BY DESIGN
November | December 2006
16
The same effect is true in filmmaking, where the sophisticated capacity of digital technology has left cellophane, and
even on-location filming, behind in favor of computer-generated backgrounds and effects. As digital capabilities
increase, filmmakers want more, and that demand leads to
still greater technological breakthroughs. One of the companies that has adapted to this cycle and has thrived because of
it is the California-based ComputerCafé Group.
Born in 1993 in a small, rented room by two friends who
marketed their computerized special effects to the local TV
station, ComputerCafé Group is now an umbrella for three
distinct divisions: Café FX for feature film effects; The
Syndicate for work on commercials and music videos; and
Sententia, a full-service film production company and
ComputerCafé Group’s latest venture.
“We kind of just got in on the cusp of it, when it was just
starting,” Café FX founder and CEO Jeff Barnes said of the
digital effects movement in filmmaking. “When David
[Ebner] and I hooked up, David was playing with some of
the first PC-based stuff. A lot of it was really great timing.”
The most visible division of the company to date has been
Café FX, which employs digital artists to create illusions of
anything from natural disasters to sunset to human torture
for feature films. A list of the movies to which Café FX has
contributed reads like a browse through the top releases section of the local video store: Snakes on a Plane, King Kong,
The Aviator, Memoirs of a Geisha, and Spy Kids 3-D, to name
just a fraction of their projects.
Hollywood directors like Robert Rodriguez, who has enlisted
Café FX for four of his films, have proved their faith in the special effects shop by working with the company on repeat occasions. Visual effects supervisor Robert Stromberg has worked
with Café FX on both Master and Commander and Memoirs of
a Geisha, and in the company’s brochure he praises Café FX’s
ability to cater to each individual challenge.
“These days, if you’re going to create film shots competitively, you have to carry both a hammer and a feather duster at the
same time, because some situations require heavy lifting while
others need a very delicate touch,” Stromberg says. “Café FX
has showed me that they have both the firepower to tackle
something big and the sensitivity to create elegance.”
When Barnes and Ebner first made their foray into the world
of digital imagery 13 years ago, computer-generated effects
(left) Sin City (2005) was shot
entirely against a screen, with
backgrounds added later by
Café FX’s computers. (right)
Café FX created the sandstorm
in Flight of the Phoenix (2004).
(below) Mount Neverest, the
3-D super-amusement park in
The Adventures of Shark Boy
and Lava Girl, is another of
Café FX’s creations.
were exceptional elements in a film. Today they are the norm,
and fast computers and savvy artists seem to push the envelope
every day. An example of this evolution is the sandstorm that
Café FX generated for Flight of the Phoenix in 2004.
“For the sandstorm, we had to render out volumetric particles and clouds,” Ebner says. “In one frame, we had 4 million particles, which we could do because of the increased
speed and RAM. That’s something that five years ago, you
couldn’t even think about doing.”
Another cutting-edge development in the special-effects business is the ability to manipulate images that include liquids or fire,
Barnes says. It was that technique that lent a gruesome realism to
a scene Café FX created of a man burning alive in one recent project. Examples of other visual effects they have produced are the
opening title sequence in Panic Room, the giant killer “Tripods”
in Scary Movie 4, and the 3-D super-amusement park Mount
Neverest in The Adventures of Shark Boy and Lava Girl.
Digital effects are so interwoven with the filmmaking
process that two recent films, Sin City and Sky Captain
and the World of Tomorrow, were shot entirely against a blue
or green screen with all of the sets added later courtesy of
Café FX’s computers. With those movies, Barnes and
Ebner’s company became a player in what could be a sea
change in film production.
“Before those movies came out, you tended to do those
things on a limited basis,” Barnes says. “But now, as a result
of those movies, you don’t necessarily have to go on location
anymore; you can shoot the movie on a stage.”
Adds Ebner: “It gives you the ability to create an environment that doesn’t exist.”
With the increased capability and availability of the tools
of their trade has come another advantage for filmmakers—
lower cost. Before Café FX was formed, the norm in the
industry was for an artist to work in a “silicon graphics workstation” that cost $100,000. But when Ebner and Barnes
began what was essentially a hobby, those costs were plummeting because of more accessible hardware.
“All of a sudden, it gave [filmmakers] more options,” Barnes says.
A company like ComputerCafé Group relies on the latest
Before
digitization:
Samuel L.
Jackson in
Snakes on
a Plane.
After
digitization:
Café FX’s
computergenerated
environment that is one part high-technology workplace and
one part recreational mecca. Employees who need a breather
from their computer monitors can jump into beach volleyball,
bowling, jogging, or other amenities on the eight-acre campus.
Like so many of the principles that went into the foundation of the company, Café FX’s emphasis on a casual and
diverting office culture goes back to its earliest days. It’s a
pleasure to work in the digital effects business, they say, so
the workplace should never become dry or tedious.
“We started this business years ago just as a hobby, really,”
Barnes says. “We had other jobs and other commitments,
but we really loved coming and doing this stuff. We had
worked at places before that weren’t fun to be at. This is such
a great industry. We’re really lucky to be in it.
“The people here work really long and hard hours, so we
really try to create outlets for them.”
LIFE BY DESIGN
snake.
November | December 2006
technology to survive, so it’s not surprising that Barnes and
Ebner have parlayed their high level of computer capability
into innovations that help their business run more smoothly.
The first exclusive software used by Café FX and the other
divisions is Café Sync, a program that allows digital artists to
communicate with filmmakers in real time. A technician in
the Café FX office in Santa Maria can look at the same
image simultaneously as a visual effects coordinator with a
Hollywood film studio 165 miles away, and each party can
make notes on the screen, change colors or sizes of the
images, or circle problem areas.
This timesaving technique is particularly vital during the
film production process, when ideas are flooding back and
forth and adjustments must be made constantly. Developed
by in-house software expert Paul Hudson, Café Sync allows
up to four users to join in the editing session.
A second development that has aided ComputerCafé
Group’s success is a recruitment tool for graphic artists that
allows the company to assess each applicant and match
potential contributors with the projects that best utilize
their talents. An artist who is interested in working for Café
FX can visit the company’s Web site, fill out some basic
information, and link the site to his or her own Web site,
video clip, or other digital work samples. Then Barnes,
Ebner, and their colleagues can use their customized software to sort the artists according to specific criteria.
For instance, if Café FX is looking for an artist who lives in
the Midwest with five or more years of experience to work on
a project involving photographic manipulation, that person
can be found with a few keystrokes. The company employs
artists who live in Poland and South America, and artists in
locations such as India, Germany, and Belgium have collaborated with them on projects filmed in those countries.
“There really is no substitute for being there,” Barnes says. “People
are going all over the place to make films, and we have to adapt.”
When those artists and technicians find their way to Santa
Maria and the Café FX headquarters, they encounter an
17
Technology
Printing
THE DIGITAL PRINTING PRESS
VARIABLE
A
AT
AGE
GRAPHICS
TO PUBLISH INDIVIDUALLY CUSTOMIZED
WRITTEN BY ASHLEY GRIFFIN PHOTOS BY HEATH ANYAN
26, SAM PRIDDY
MAY SEEM A BIT YOUNG TO BE
A PRINT PRESS OPERATOR AT A BUSY, NEW PRINTING
WAREHOUSE LIKE
IDAHO. DIG
L&S GRAPHICS
IN
COEUR D’ALENE,
A LITTLE DEEPER, AND THE SITUATION
ISN’T QUITE AS STRIKING.
PRIDDY’S
DETERMINATION
AND GRAPHIC DESIGN BACKGROUND GIVE HIM A
DECIDED ADVANTAGE WHEN WORKING WITH THE NEWEST
TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANTAGES IN PRINTING.
LIFE BY DESIGN
November | December 2006
18
L&S
PRODUCTS.
DATA PRINTING ALLOWS
This was the case when the company opened shop
and immediately started using variable data printing: a
trendy, profitable resource for printers that’s also in its
tender beginnings. This new technology has helped
L&S Graphics directly target individual consumers and
increase response rates for their clients. “It’s a really good
tool to reach people without being a bang-over-the-head
advertisement,” says Priddy.
In a nutshell, variable data printing uses digital presses to
produce personalized marketing pieces out of general information. All of the documents are similar in layout but are
not identical, as certain aspects of the format or text will
change with each document. This small difference allows
the company to target each of its consumers by name.
“Variable data printing goes directly to a person, and it’s
directly addressed to the person,” Priddy says, contrasting
their methods to mass-produced, generic magazine covers.
“Every sheet has a different image and a different name.”
At L&S Graphics, Priddy is the go-to guy for information
about digital presses and new technologies. He ought
to be, because he spends about 26 days a month working
with the presses in the company’s huge printing warehouse. “You need lots of integrity and lots of initiative in
this industry to keep making good product that delivers on
our promise,” he says.
For Priddy, this new career was an ideal, and desired,
change from his previous graphic design career. Priddy
holds a bachelor of fine arts with an emphasis in graphic
arts from Northwest College of Art in Poulsbo,
Washington. After graduation, he worked for a weekly
MARKET THAT IS PRETTY
UNTOUCHED. IT’S DEFINITELY
HELPED US BREAK INTO AREAS
THAT ARE TOTALLY NEW IN
THIS INDUSTRY.”
LIFE BY DESIGN
BEEN ABLE TO HIT A
November | December 2006
“WE’VE
newspaper in Spokane, Washington, called The Inlander
until his friends invited him to do graphic design for their
company in Coeur d’Alene.
When the company stopped farming its projects out
in favor of in-house printing, Priddy found himself
taking on new tasks as he moved into another sector of the
design industry: production.
“I like the production side of it. I like seeing things come
together,” he says. “I do enjoy the graphic side of it, but it can
be stressful being creative all the time.”
His choice to cross over to production has certainly
paid its dividends. Today, Priddy and L&S Graphics are
pioneers in this growing technological movement. “We’ve
been able to hit a market that is pretty untouched,” he
says. “It’s definitely helped us break into areas that are
totally new in this industry.”
In fact, the company now has contracts with a variety of
businesses. “Right now we print magazine covers for all the
By Design Publishing products, and we also do a lot of
direct mail,” he says.
In less than a year of operation, they’ve brought growth
and overwhelming success to the business with this
technology that merges database records with static
document design to produce personalized mailings for
each individual customer.
Unlike banks or credit card companies that merely use
variable data printing to change the names and addresses on
a basic document, Priddy and L&S Graphics are expanding
on past uses of variable data printing. They’ve harnessed the
technology so they can go above and beyond just changing
the names and addresses on each document.
When Priddy says that their mailings are customized, he
isn’t exaggerating or underestimating the reach of this revolutionary process. At L&S Graphics, customizing for clients
starts on the most prominent pages: the cover. Clients can
choose a personalized front cover complete with their picture, name, and contact information, ensuring that every
recipient will remember them when they receive their printing or read the published product. Clients can submit their
own advertisements and graphics for the content, making
the printings the essence of individuality and the foundation
for a successful business.
If anything hints at the future direction for the company,
it’s Priddy’s dedication to his work and his willingness to
embrace new technologies that spur its success. “I would like
to get more people signed on because this is a great marketing tool,” he says. “We’re trying to be more and more independent and do an excellent job with what we have.”
19
Nikon Laser Caddy 500 Range Finder $289.95
(www.opticsspot.com)
Rock Monitor 60-SM $249
(www.paradigm.com)
Elektex Wireless Fabric Keyboard $73
(www.eleksen.com)
LIFE BY DESIGN
November | December 2006
Briva In-Sink Dishwasher $1849
(www.KitchenAid.com)
20
Mac mini with the Intel Core Duo processor $599-$799
(www.apple.com/macmini)
Linksys Wireless-G Travel Router $99.99
(www.compusa.com)
November | December 2006
LIFE BY DESIGN
Powerful Bookshelf stereo system for iPods $199.99
(www.ihomeaudio.com)
Nike+iPod Sport Kit $29
(www.apple.com/ipod/nike/)
21
Power Squid Surge Protector $79.95
(www.hammacher.com)
I-Trigue 3600 $149.99
(www.creative.com)
Gaggia Italian Espresso Maker $1499.95
(www.hammacher.com)
LIFE BY DESIGN
November | December 2006
Chocolate MP3 Player and Phone by LG Prices Vary
(www.verizonwireless.com)
22
The AeroGarden $149.95
(www.theaerogarden.com)
Self-Stirring Coffee Mug $29.99
(www.hammacher.com)
November | December 2006
LIFE BY DESIGN
Hewlett-Packard 50-inch Plasma TV $2,699.99
(www.shopping.hp.com)
World’s Smallest Multi-Function GPS Watch $499.95
(www.hammacher.com)
23
TECHNOLOGY ISSUE
RESOURCES
4
Community Profile
Scottsdale, Arizona
Scottsdale Convention
& Visitors Bureau
800.782.1117
www.scottsdalecvb.com
6
Food
A Taste of Scottsdale
Roy’s Hawaiian Fusion Cuisine
480.905.1155
www.roysrestaurant.com
10
Casting Soles
Ryan Molina
Crown City Orthopedic
626.431.2890
12
Tango to the Future
Bryan Woodbury
Commuter Cars Corporation
509.624.0762
www.commutercars.com
14
LIFE BY DESIGN
November | December 2006
24
Café FX
ComputerCafé Group
www.computercafe.com
805.922.9479
18
The Digital Printing Press
Sam Priddy
L&S Graphics
208.762.4738
November | December 2006