I just added over a hundred sample images to the movie catalog. There are a few other new improvements to the system like proper sorting on titles, episode numbers for tv shows and serials, and showing the sample images on the list page instead of just the details page. It’s still a work in progress and apart from the “now playing” feature it feeds, most of what will make it really exciting is still in the wings. Now is still a very good time to suggest changes (and catch any mistakes in the data). I should have ability for users to schedule showings of movies ready for a public trial in the next week or two - and honestly, that was my main motivation in building the whole thing. (Well, the next stage of that system, where I start requesting/requiring a small gratuity for the service was).

As I’ve been building this thing I haven’t exactly experienced feature creep, but working with what’s done so far has helped change my priorities for it. The things that I figured could wait for the second version are feeling like they need to be done to before I can rest on my laurels. It’s already clear that what “little” data is there requires better searching tools than just sorting and category filters. Most of all, the data that’s there needs to be fleshed out - both by me and my fellow cappers. Which of course means that I need to add a commenting and rating tool to the catalog. But perhaps the biggest hole I’ve spotted in my plans is that maybe cappers would rather be able to schedule showings of the ephemeral films - and boy, I don’t even want to think about fixing that.

A quick note to anybody who wants to link to all the images I’ve just added: don’t. Well, you can make a hyperlink to them, but don’t try embedding them as images on your pages or posts on other sites - they won’t work. They’re supposed to get IS’ address superimposed on them when they’re embedded somewhere else, but the script that does that is on the fritz. Since it’s my contention that these images are in the public domain, if you want to take them and handle the hosting yourself, I won’t stand in your way. Obviously a link back in exchange for my effort in selecting these and putting them in a handy package would be nice, though.

The Film Crew, aka Kevin Murphy, Mike Nelson, and Bill Corbett are gearing up to release riffed DVDs starting in April 2007. You can go to their site and vote for their first release, after watching the two minute clips riffing the opening of the four candidates.

Ordinarily, I’d just assume you read Satellite News and not mention this sort of thing, but I wanted to give myself a pat on the back and point out that two of the candidates have already appeared right here as part of Inventing Situations Playhouse. Namely, Killers From Space and The Giant of Marathon. And since I keep almost everything in endless rotation rotation, they will appear here again (and again, and again…)

What’s more, starting some time in the next week or two, those last two links will allow you to request a showing of those movies (well, selected still images from those movies) at a time you select thanks as part of our free beta test of the technology that will eventually let me charge you for the same thing. PROGRESS!

(Though the beta test will probably have some sort of limit on how many requests you can make, unless of course it turns out I’m being optimistic and I don’t get swamped with requests.)

The second set of Found Object Theater has arrived. Homer was pretty thoroughly voted off the coffee table, getting not a single vote. We’ve got one new character this week. Since Darth, Luke and Boba all polled equally, I’m going to arbitrarily transfer Sneaky’s immunity to Darth. This time around, the poll is to vote somebody off, and the poll will close on Friday. Mr. Met of course retains his immunity.

We’re having our first annual Béla Lugosi 124th Birthday party at Inventing Situations this coming Friday the 20th at 8 P.M. (appropriately enough, Béla’s 124th Birthday) and in the early hours of Sunday the 22nd.

Friday the 20th:
The Devil Bat

White Zombie

Saturday night/Sunday AM
The Corpse Vanishes

Spooks Run Wild

Since the 17th would’ve been Jerry Siegel’s 94th birthday, I’m also going to throw in a Superman cartoon each night.

Since I don’t seem to be coming up with sufficiently engaging picture sets for Wasting Precious Time, I’ve decided to branch out and start making the pictures myself. The result is the first episode of Found Object Theater. My budget for actors is, as you’ll see rather limited and I’ve had to go with amateurs. In fact, I’m going the full on reality show route and letting you vote cast members off the island (table, actually). My two personal favorites have been granted immunity this time around. Use the poll to the right - it’ll be available until the 16th. The bottom vote getter (vote getters in case of a tie) will be replaced in next week’s episode.

p.s. Production values should improve as the series continues and gains popularity.