kagablog

anna

Ok, it was, it was on Saturday, and um, it was at your house, it was, it was very weird, like everyone else had gone home and then we were there and you started kissing me and touching me and it was really good but then, like, because I wouldn’t let you fuck me you got really really angry with me and then you stormed out.

sugar man

They call me Sugar Man. I was born outside the law. Illegitimate. A bastard. I’m keeping this diary so that you’ll know when things went wrong.

sugar man

This is Scorpion. He can’t be trusted. But he’s the only way I can get to Attilla. Attilla the Hit Man.

sugar man

I need you to do a hit for me.

scorpion

Speak to Attilla.

scorpion

You know that will cost you hey?

sugar man

I’ve got fifty thousand in cash in the boot of the Valiant. I’ll drop it tonight at midnight at the hotel.

scorpion

So who’s the target?

sugar man

I want you to find the father of Selene’s child and give him his last Christmas present.

scorpion

And that is?

sugar man

Goodbye.

sugar man

This is Selene. The only woman I ever loved. By the end of tonight the father of her child will be dead.

sugar man

Close your eyes. Open them.

sugar man

You’re very sexy. Now get in the car, we’re late.

11:44:05 11:45:01 Hey Sugar.
11:45:19 11:46:04 Hi.

11:46:19 11:48:01 How’s my favourite Sugar?

11:49:21 11:50:23 You’re looking good baby.

11:51:05 11:51:17 Thank you.

11:52:17 11:57:00 You look sexy. You gonna make some money tonight, hurry up.

11:58:05 11:59:00 We’re late.

12:00:16 12:01:21 You want some space?

12:01:23 12:03:10 Yes please.

12:03:14 12:04:18 Lose some weight.

sugar man

Stop bitching bitches.

sugar man

These are my Sugars. And I am their Sugar Man.

sugar man

This is Grace. She thinks she’s a man. I’m tired of her and her habit. She doesn’t know it yet but tonight’s her last night as a Sugar.

selene

A few days ago, in a moment of terrifying lucidity, Sugar Man asked me to kill him, if he arrives, before he dies, at a point of obvious mental collapse. He fears this more than any pain. I told him no, and meant it, yet somehow I felt guilty, and I don’t know about what, or why.

sugar man

This is Anna. My favourite Sugar. The sweetest Sugar of them all.

16:31:12 16:33:16 I had a dream about you last night.

16:34:15 16:35:10 Oh yeah?

16:39:02 16:40:09 It was very weird.

16:42:02 16:42:22 Tell me.

16:44:08 16:59:24 We were at your place after like at the end of the evening and we started fooling around. You were touching me and it felt really good but then you wanted to fuck me.

17:01:01 17:17:16 Now here’s the strange thing. When I dreamed about you I dreamed that you were a lollipop and that I just sucked you and sucked you until you disappeared and all that was left was, a rose.

17:30:14 17:44:16 Christmas is the most depressing time of the year, but for the Sugars and me it’s good business. Plenty of lonely wallets willing to pay for that sweet Sugar we provide.

18:19:14 18:20:16 Scorpion.

18:21:01 18:21:23 Yes sir.

18:23:11 18:30:10 I have a strange feeling. Something very bad going to happen with Sugar Man, tonight.

18:31:10 18:32:04 Yes sir.

18:40:14 18:53:10 I pay the General Manager five gran a night to use his hotel to receive Wallets in. The Sugars split their earning fifty fifty with me. We are business partners.

19:09:12 19:10:06 Wallets.

19:13:02 19:13:18 Hola.

19:14:02 19:17:05 Hey how you doing china? Meet my boy.

19:17:12 19:18:17 How you doing?

19:19:21 19:21:08 Welcome welcome. Come and have a look…

19:21:14 19:32:07 These are thoroughbreds you have here. Hey? Top dollar. Boy, take your pick. This is gonna be the most important Christmas present you ever gonna have.

19:33:04 19:39:21 Hey boy, pick me, pick me.

19:40:13 19:48:18 Listen listen listen sonny, making decisions is one of man’s most important qualities, do you understand me? All right, ok, make a choice.

19:49:23 19:52:23 Look at them, look them in the eyes, look them in the eyes!
19:59:15 20:04:00 Good choice sonny, good choice. Come girl, come make my boy happy.

20:05:08 20:06:12 Think of me.

20:07:12 20:15:21 Remember what I told you, hey? Gold my boy is never on the surface, dig deep. Dig deep sonny. All right, have a good time.

20:36:10 20:38:14 You’re acting as if this were a punishment.

21:23:09 21:24:10 Can I join you?

21:40:01 21:47:01 He’s such an asshole. All he cares about is hisself. Nigga doesn’t even really know me.

21:47:15 21:48:16 So who are you?

21:54:17 21:59:19 I’m gonna BE someone. I don’t know yet who.

22:03:14 22:04:15 You’re pretty.

22:09:13 22:10:19 That’s wack.

22:15:19 22:18:18 You’re gentle. I like that.

22:20:01 22:22:06 Yeah but you been paid to say that.

22:24:12 22:37:15 No. I’m being paid to fuck and suck you.

22:57:17 23:01:02 That’s not what I want. That’s what he wants.

23:02:10 23:03:11 I’m sorry.

23:03:15 23:04:16 What do you want?

23:11:22 23:18:01 I want to get high. High high.

23:26:20 23:31:14 Tell me, do you think she’s giving my boyu a good timie upstairs?

23:31:19 23:39:17 No, she knows her stuff otherwise she wouldn’t work for me, you got nothing to worry about. The only thing I wanna know is do you think he’s giving her a good time?

23:42:17 23:43:19 He’s my boy.

23:44:24 23:47:13 So… like father like son?

23:47:18 23:48:15 Absolutely.

23:49:01 23:54:06 But they say the sins of the fathers shall be forced onto the children.

23:54:09 24:02:14 I say the art in this family goes from generation to generation.

24:20:13 24:22:08 I don’t do kissing.

24:38:16 24:44:02 Well it is Christmas, and it is your first time.

24:46:22 25:55:01 All right, girls, listen to me, today is my boy’s day, so it’s just going to take it easy, you hear what I’m saying? You know what my friend? I think your business is one of the grossly misunderstood businesses in this world, because you know why? Males are born but men are made. And you and I are in the business of making men. Because you gotta understand that going between the sheets my friend, it’s not about the physical thing. You see for me my friend it’s in the genese you see, it’s in the genes. That’s why they queue up when I come here. Hey? No no I’m serious. Because a lot of men come in here for what they can get out of it, to be excited, to be fed, but I come in here to give the ladies a good time.

26:45:16 27:00:12 Hey, that’s my boy, that’s my boy, get here sonny. Jy’s nie meer ‘n laaitie my sonny, huh? You’re a man now, you’re a man.

27:02:12 27:20:23 This is what we do it for. Women are Sugars. Men are Wallets. Money is God. Life is very simple.

27:31:23 27:38:19 I don’t wanna do this anymore. I can’t do it.

27:41:01 27:43:09 What did he do to you?

27:48:13 28:01:07 He touched me. I felt him. I can still feel him.

28:45:10 28:47:17 I bet you she kissed him.

28:48:21 28:50:16 Man, that’s a mistake.

28:52:04 28:53:19 Biggest faux pas in the book.

28:53:24 28:54:22 You don’t kiss?
28:55:09 29:01:09 Never. Why do you?

29:01:10 29:02:04 Always.

29:02:05 29:02:19 What?

29:32:16 29:34:08 I’ve missed you.

30:23:16 30:26:24 Look, there’s something I have to tell you.

30:29:23 30:31:02 Tell me?

30:40:19 30:52:18 My wife has found out about us.

30:56:09 30:57:11 Us?

31:02:10 31:26:04 About our affair. So she’s leaving me, but that’s the best thing that could possibly have happened for us because now we can be together.

31:31:16 31:32:17 Together?

31:38:21 31:53:15 I’ve been wanting to say this to you for some time, we could get an apartment, I just want to go steady with you.

31:54:01 32:17:19 John, you’re a client, we have a business relationship, you don’t even know my real name. I’m a hooker.

32:26:19 32:34:18 But I thought we had something special, a real connection together.

32:50:20 32:53:21 Are you gonna fuck me or not?

32:56:12 33:00:18 Fuck you? Fuck you?

33:26:02 33:30:02 I don’t think so. No.

33:35:18 33:40:19 Time’s up. That’s four thousand.

34:08:24 34:10:03 Thank you.

34:23:14 34:24:08 Darling.

34:37:12 34:39:11 What is your name?

35:37:21 35:39:17 I always kiss.

35:41:08 35:41:21 No.
35:42:07 35:44:01 How do you enjoy it if you don’t kiss?

35:44:02 35:45:13 Never kiss.

35:45:14 35:46:14 Then how do you enjoy it?

35:48:09 35:50:13 I don’t think Grace does enjoy it?

35:50:23 36:19:10 I do. I like it, you know, unemotional. Rough. Easy, it’s easy rough. When you start getting all soft and cuddly, kissy, the lines get blurred.

36:59:16 37:00:22 Scorpion.

37:01:04 37:01:22 Yes sir.

37:03:17 37:07:02 What usually happen when I have my strange feelings?

37:08:22 37:12:15 Bad things happen sir. Bad things happen.

37:14:12 37:21:22 Bad things happen. Bad things happen.

37:28:09 37:29:14 Think of me.

37:35:19 37:36:20 Third floor.

38:08:06 38:21:03 Now you see Paul, I’m tired of this bullshit ok? I don’t do business this way. All you need to do is call him, set up a meeting between him and the three of us, tomorrow morning first thing so that I can understand exactly what it is that he wants.

38:21:17 38:23:07 You’ve got forty five minutes.

38:23:20 38:27:10 Sssh, I’m busy. Take your clothes off, get ready. Very important call.

38:32:02 38:34:15 Play with me.

38:34:17 38:36:01 Just hold on, yeah, no, I’m getting another call.

38:36:02 38:38:04 Play with me.

38:45:03 38:48:05 Hi. Ibrahim yeah, thanks for calling me man.

38:53:09 38:57:17 No I’m at the office. I mean you know, it’s Christmas Eve but I’m still working.

38:59:15 39:01:08 Play with me.
39:01:11 39:03:09 Ok.

39:04:03 39:05:16 Play with me.

39:06:02 39:09:13 Yeah look I need to get the Royal Suite ok.

39:09:14 39:10:22 Play with me.

39:10:23 39:13:05 It’s your business, your job, to make me look good.

39:13:07 39:15:04 Get off your fucking phone.

39:15:03 39:16:00 Call me later.

39:16:17 39:20:02 Jump on the bed. Jump on the bed.

39:20:17 39:21:10 What?

39:22:02 39:37:16 Jump on the fucken bed. Come on. Yeah Paul yeah yeah no no, I’m in the hotel man. Yeah listen to this, listen to this.

39:46:17 39:48:06 Yeah, white bitch.

39:54:08 39:57:01 Fucking her so hard man, so hard.

40:00:07 40:01:10 Baby!

40:01:19 40:05:10 She’s loving it man, she’s loving it, sweet white pussy.

40:26:17 40:33:19 I had a premonition. As if something bad is going to happen.

40:35:13 40:39:21 It’s Christmas Eve, what could possibly go wrong?

40:45:04 40:49:10 That’s what you said about us, remember?

40:50:08 40:57:11 You promised me forever. I found out that forever is a very short time.

40:59:08 41:01:01 I gave you everything.

41:01:11 41:03:20 You took away more than you gave.

41:04:22 41:06:12 Is that why you wear that mask?

41:10:02 41:11:21 It’s my business face.
41:15:23 41:16:18 Salut.

41:17:15 41:18:10 Amor.

41:18:12 41:19:10 Dinero.

41:21:06 41:36:06 My favourite song is Money Money Money by Abba. It has my favourite word three times in the title. Money is the glue that binds the three of us together.

41:40:16 41:52:16 They think I don’t know. But I know everything. Except who the father of Selene’s child is.

42:16:24 42:18:11 Scorpion.

42:18:12 42:19:03 Yes sir.

42:19:14 42:21:11 What night is it?

42:21:08 42:22:12 Christmas Eve sir.

42:24:21 42:25:13 Why?

42:26:14 42:28:03 Because that’s the way it is.

42:29:01 42:30:15 The way what is?

42:30:17 42:31:15 Things sir.

42:33:22 42:40:06 I’ve got a strange feeling Scorpion, something bad is gonna happen tonight.

42:42:04 42:44:05 Bad things happen all the time sir.

42:45:03 42:51:18 Yes, bad things happen. Did you speak to Attilla?

42:52:11 42:54:24 It’s organised sir, The Christmas present.

42:56:15 42:57:17 Goodbye.

43:16:23 43:18:05 Do you think he knows?

43:21:19 43:23:07 Does it matter?

43:27:15 43:30:16 No, but do you think he knows?

43:33:18 43:38:10 He’s pathetic, he loves you.

43:42:10 43:43:19 Not anymore.

43:44:19 43:50:22 Oh he loves you alright, he pines for you.

43:52:08 43:54:09 You’re very cruel.

43:55:06 43:57:19 Sometimes I think I’m a man.

44:00:10 44:02:13 You fuck like a man.

44:04:14 44:06:07 Will you let me fuck you?

44:11:112 44:12:18 Not yet.

44:13:24 44:14:18 When?

44:19:12 44:20:09 When?

45:16:18 45:18:05 Can I trust you?

45:22:12 45:23:21 I love you.

45:28:05 45:29:16 But can I trust you?

45:56:23 46:40:00 A few days ago, in a moment of terrifying lucidity, Sugar Man asked me to kill him, if he arrives, before he dies, at a point of obvious mental collapse. He fears this more than any pain. I told him no, and meant it, yet somehow I felt guilty, and I don’t know about what, or why.

46:45:23 47:14:08 Guilty as if I had committed a crime. I thought I would tell you this, as if a confession, and I would be absolved. Perhaps consolation was what I was after, I don’t know.

47:21:13 47:23:16 Let me fuck you.

47:30:23 48:18:08 I need to get the fuck out of this hotel. Sometimes I think I’m a man. I’m not a woman, I’m a cat. I fuck like a man. I’m in the business of making men. Mommy, can I help you with your make-up? But what about the past? All my Sugars are my favourites. I had a premonition, something bad is going to happen. I’ll never be free while I’m alive. I want to be someone, I don’t know yet who. I need to get the fuck out of this hotel.

48:32:08 48:49:23 Yes darling. Yes of course. I’ve got your presents darling. In the morning. Yes of course mommy loves you.

48:56:23 48:57:21 Mommy?

49:01:09 49:06:21 She’s been living with my mother. She’s coming to spend Christmas with me.

49:07:16 49:08:15 What’s her name?

49:10:16 49:11:09 Jacky.

49:13:22 49:15:02 How old is she?

49:16:24 49:17:22 Eight.

49:22:13 49:23:24 Who’s the father?

49:28:12 49:29:18 He doesn’t know.

49:33:13 49:34:21 Who’s the father?

49:36:04 49:37:08 Can I trust you?

49:41:05 49:42:11 Who’s the father?

51:04:22 51:05:23 Scorpion.

51:05:25 51:06:22 Yes sir.

51:08:00 51:09:14 I’m in a hurting mood.

51:09:14 51:11:15 Yes sir.

51:11:22 51:13:11 You like it when I hurt you?

51:13:12 51:14:02 No sir.

51:15:14 51:16:18 You don’t like it?

51:16:19 51:16:18 No sir.

51:18:19 51:19:18 Are you sure?

51:19:20 51:21:06 I’m sure sir.

51:23:04 51:33:23 Scorpion, I don’t want to hurt you. I like you. Who do I want to hurt Scorpion?

51:34:05 51:35:17 Sugar Man sir.

51:40:06 51:47:12 Find a way. Find a way to hurt Sugar man. Find it tonight.

51:49:12 51:50:14 Yes sir.

52:12:06 52:13:18 Come on.

52:44:00 52:45:08 Show me your teeth.

53:01:07 53:09:00 My sweet sister’s paps that never gave suck, wilst thou give suck to me.

53:12:10 53:13:18 You want me to suck you?

53:14:20 53:51:07 Oh, and thy callest thyself woman, look upon me and see. Believed, not seen, and yet have blessed are they that have seen me. Thou hast believed, because thou hast faithless into my side. And be hither thy hand, and thrust hold my hand, and reach hither thy finger, and peace be unto thee. It is finished. I thirst.

54:14:12 54:46:04 And I in with thou hast loved me. That the love were thy name and declared and I have declared unto thee. I am thine and mine and I am glow and all mine is thine that the love were my name and declared and I have declared unto thee. And given to me, for they are thine. Yet I am not alone. I have known him and yet Ye have not known him.

54:48:24 54:54:05 And of whom shall ye say that he is your God? I am come!

55:08:10 55:09:07 Thank you.

55:10:17 55:12:01 You were perfect.

55:14:11 55:16:07 It was my pleasure.

56:12:05 56:14:21 I told you to stop doing that shit.

56:15:06 56:18:24 Oh fuck off you’re not my father.

56:19:02 56:27:24 I’m your business partner is who I am and we’re not doing any business all the wallets want Selene. You’re schnarfing yourself out of the game.

56:28:09 56:32:14 I’m not a woman, I’m a cat.

56:37:11 56:46:18 You’re a fucken junky is what you are. Therre’s no room for trash like you in my operation, as of tomorrow you’re on the street.

56:47:17 56:55:05 Oh please, you can’t get rid of me, Selene won’t let you.

56:56:14 57:02:15 It’s not Selene’s decision to make. I gave you everything.

57:03:09 57:05:10 Well you take away more than you gave.

57:05:11 57:07:10 Get the fuck out of here cunt.

57:10:02 57:11:14 Piece of shit.

57:22:01 57:27:18 I’m not a woman I’m a cat. I’m not a woman I’m a cat. Fucken cunt.

57:33:04 57:34:04 Grace, what’s wrong?

57:34:12 57:37:04 I hate him. I fucken hate him.

57:38:13 57:39:16 Calm down, let’s talk.

58:08:08 58:33:17 Without the night I’m too sad to move. Everything becomes dangerous. Christmas a reason to commit suicide. The lights to hang myself from. Stairs for falling down.

Q: What motivated the idea of adding cameras to mobile phones? How and where did the trend start?

A: When you think about it, it’s a very natural evolution. Mobile phones are all about communication. Voice and text messages can only go so far in relaying information. As the saying goes, “a picture says more than a thousand words”. Actually, I may not agree fully on that statement, but often a picture can convey information much more effectively than words or text.

Philippe Kahn is generally attributed with inventing the mobile phone camera in 1997, although one should perhaps note that his invention was a camera accessory for mobile phones. Sharp was the first company to develop a mobile phone with a digital camera integrated in 2000. At this time it was popular amongst youths in Japan to use photo machines, similar to common ID photo machines, but aimed at printing “fun” pictures. The quality of these prints were rather low, but they were still very popular and available nearly everywhere.

The first cameraphones were rather expensive and aimed at a more “mature” group, but the image quality was rather poor and the resolution low. So the high-tech buyers were disappointed in them. But the youths, who were used to the lower quality of the photo prints, didn’t mind much and soon they were popular in this demographic group for which they weren’t originally intended.

Even though the success of cameraphones in Japan can be attributed to that it’s a country where new and advanced tech is adopted early, I don’t think that’s necessarily the only reason. Cameraphones have been a success worldwide with very little variations. I think it’s more attributed to the basic appeal of images, of how they can be used to capture a moment. Mobile phones have two big advantages over digital cameras, and that is that people normally always carry one so they’re always at hand when something happens that you want to record. The second advantage is that the mobile phone is of course first and foremost an communications device, so it’s possible to send your pictures or videos to friends as soon as you’ve recorded them.

Q: Video recording requires instantaneous processing of enormous amounts of information, how does SonyEricsson overcome this obstacle on such a small unit?

A: The W900i has a dedicated chip that allows for recording and playback of 30fps QVGA video. It does make the W900i a little more expensive, but it also gave it an edge that few competitors could rival at the time it was released on the market.

Q: Can you explain the technical elements of the phone of the specific Sony Ericsson W900i, that was used to shoot SMS SUGAR MAN? Both video and audio?

A: Sorry, no. But we do have white papers available that covers the technical aspects in general terms.

Q: To the best of my knowledge, at the time of filming Smssugarman, the Sonyericsson w900i was the first mobile phone camera to feature adjustable/auto focus. How did you achieve that?

A: Well, that’s one example of when we’ve had great help of one of our mother companies – Sony has a long experience in digital cameras. It’s definitely an advantage that they are able to provide us with a lot of technology and insight in that area.

Q: Can you describe the optical part of the camera? The choice of lens size and glass quality?

A: I’m afraid that’s outside my area of expertise. We have an dedicated optics team that are responsible for the camera and lens so I’m not directly involved in that.

Q: Can you describe briefly the compression (H263) and recording format that you chose to use in the W900i (frame rate, file size, compatibility, etc.)

A: H263 is a low-bitrate encoding that was originally developed for video conferencing, but later was found to be suitable for video in phonecams. The file format, .3gp is a standard that is supported by all the market’s big phone manufacturers and operators. Part of it’s purpose is to ensure compatibility, so that a video recorded in one mobile phone can be sent and viewed in another regardless of manufacturer or net.

Q: Most phones do not record at 30 fps. The Sony Ericsson W900i does. Why did you go for such a fps design?

A: Besides being an Walkman-branded product and thus audio-focused, the W900i was also created with the intent of giving an (at the time it was released) unparallelled imaging experience that could do the large 2.2 inch display justice. It was to that end that the camera components were chosen. Like I mentioned before, the W900i makes use of a dedicated chip for encoding and decoding video for better image quality.

Q: Today, most editing software come with codecs used in mobile phones video recordings. Does Sonyericsson collaborate with post production software creators such as Final Cut, Avid or Adobe?

A: Yes. For example, current Sony Ericsson camera phones ship with PC software from Adobe for editing and organizing photos. We don’t include any specific video editing software right now though – or maybe I should add, “as far as I know”, because we produce a lot of phone models, and in different parts of the world, and I’m not personally involved in all of them.

Our application planners are constantly talking to partners, potential partners and other interesting third-party developers to see if there are interesting software we could include, and also to help them support (for example) the codecs and formats we use in our phones for better compatibility.

And of course, some of the larger operators supply their own customized software packages.

Q: LG already have a 5 mega pixel camera out. What significant improvements in terms of the quality of the optics used and picture resolution are you planning in the near future?

A: That’s a sensitive area, so I can’t mention any specifics. We are looking into a number of interesting techniques and hardware.

In more general terms, you can see that the mega pixel race is still ongoing. You mentioned the 5 Mega pixel LG phone, but Samsung have a 10 Mega pixel phone that is sold in Korea.

Also, camphones with optical zoom are starting to appear, which is nice although it does require more space for the camera lens in the phones. I’ve also seen that several vendors employ various real-time or post processing image filters to help improve image quality.

Q: Most of the design is around amateur users. Have you or will you be looking at professional users in the future?

A: We have a wide product segment – from basic phones that are mostly for talking and sending SMS as well as advanced smartphones that are more like mobile computers and are aimed mainly for business professionals. Cameraphones are available on nearly that whole spectrum, and how advanced they are varies depending on the price range and whether or not they’re mainly aimed for imaging use or not.

Still, the vast majority of our customers are amateurs users and that is something we must take into account when designing the products. And as a result, it’s mostly also that kind of people we perform studies and product tests on, since they’re usually chosen to be representative for the overall market.

That said, I have occasionally consulted professionals and semi-professionals when doing the design. I think it’s them that has has the best potential to give me insight into the problems, advantages/disadvantages and workarounds that they need to consider on a daily basis.

Q: Seeing that there is a growing use of mobile phones in professional image recording what channels do you have available for professional users/cinematographers/filmmakers to communicate with you, give feedback or get help?

A: Aside from our normal support functions such as call centers and webpages, we don’t have any forum specifically for professional filmmakers.

Q: In relation to the above question how can you create a forum where filmmakers collaborate and interact with independent developers to design applets and modify the recording settings on the phones?

Q: Is the video recording software of the W900i and its predecessors open to modifications – such as manual aperture control, gain and effects?

A: On the W900i, no. But in our later models the camera can be controlled by Java programs, so it’s fully possible to develop your own customized camera interface and controls, given that you have the programming skill. More information is available at: http://developer.sonyericsson.com/site/global/techsupport/tipstrickscode/java/p_camera_control_jsr234_jp7phones.jsp

And since the Java interfaces is constantly being updated and extended, I dare say we can expect a lot more control over the camera to be added in the future.

Q: Do you think that in future models the camera part of the phone and especially its optics will work as a detachable unit, so that users could use different lenses with the camera?

A: Right now I don’t think that’s very likely. It is a little too specialized use case, and generally people aren’t too keen about having detachable parts on their phones since they’re apt to be lost.

I still wouldn’t rule it out entirely though, and there might be solutions that circumvents the problems. For instance, Kodak recently released a compact digital camera with two lenses – one normal and one for wide angle shots.

Q: What is your vision of cellphones as viewing platforms for movies and mobile TV?

A: Well, first of all I think it’s important to understand that viewing a movie or tv on a mobile phone is a new way of experiencing media. It is not done in the comfort of your home – or at a cinema. Occasionally people might want to view a full lenght movie or a longer tv-show – for example on a longer train trip. But the main use case for viewing media in a mobile phone is as a short timekiller. Most operators and tv-producers are starting to realize that content needs to be formatted – and produced – specially for the smaller screen. In a way, it is perhaps more similar to teather than movies in that the actors need to make sure gestures and expressions are very visible (or audible).
Another thing to note is that much of what is called Mobile TV today is actually streamed media, which generally has a rather low quality since it’s highly compressed and this affects the viewing experience. “True” Mobile TV, DVB-H, is broadcast much like ordinary TV, which allows for better quality and higher framerate. In recent tests conducted in Stockholm, it became evident that people actually viewed Mobile TV for longer periods than was previously expected – 15 minutes in average.

Q: Can you comment on the revolutionary idea of users being in control of the production and distribution of their own mobile content?

A: Wow, that’s not an easy question to answer shortly. The success of such websites as YouTube has proven that the need for people to express themselves by moving pictures are almost as big as that for still pictures. And not to forget Podcasts and video blog sites as well as sites devoted to fanfilms. And these are just a few of the ways basically anyone with the time and interest can publish their own works.

It is also interesting to note that the costs for equipment needed for producing at least near-professional-quality movies or shorts have dropped to price ranges that amateurs can afford. You can even find free alternatives that in many aspects are on par with professional software. Two examples that comes to mind is Jashaka (editing and effects system) and Blender (3D modeling and rendering), both of which are open projects.

Q: Many short films and user generated content have been shot with Mobile Phones. Is this the first feature film to be shot using mobile phones as the cameras?

A: I’ve seen a music videos shot with cameraphones (SonyEricsson K750i phones actually) – and films including short sequences shot with cameraphones – but to the best of my knowledge SMS Sugar Man is the first feature film shot entirely with cameraphones.

Q: The phone has become a universal tool, with the camera as an integral part of it. How did you approach the design of the phone with cinematography in mind, bearing in mind that it was shot in December 2005?

A: To be quite honest, cinematography wasn’t our first priority when designing the W900i. Our main concerns was that it should be easy to record a video and to send it. But nowdays, almost all our cameraphones has an video editing application integrated called VideoDJ. With it you can do some basic editing, like cutting, mixing different clips together, adding text and sound et cetera.

Q: What tests etc did you undertake whilst designing the camera?

A: At Sony Ericsson we employ a user centered design philosophy. In essence, we design the interface, test the design on real users in our usability lab and then iterate the design according to the feedback. In parallell to this the technical teams conduct their tests on the hard- and software, such as the camera optics, the interface responsiveness et cetera. It’s a always ongoing process that continues even between projects.

Q: And where do you want to evolve to, what is the future of recording sound and picture on phones?

A: I don’t expect we’ll ever be truly able to compete with professional camera or video recorders, because unlike those devices a mobile phone is not dedicated to a single task (recording video or taking pictures), so we always will have to make compromises in the design. For example, phones are expected to be as small and light as possible, but it is an advantage for a camera to have a little more weight and size, since it makes it steadier to handle.

But image resolution and quality will inevitably increase, as well as FPS and overall capabilities.

We can certainly compete with small compact cameras. Like I’ve mentioned previously, two big advantages of mobile phones is that you always carry them with you – so why bring a second camera? And the possibility to instantly send your pictures and videos to your friends that makes it more than just a camera, but also a communication device. Or even publish on-line if you like to.

Q: Do you think SMS SUGAR MAN will revolutionize the future of filmmaking, and if so, in what way?

A: I think that SMS SUGAR MAN is a pioneering effort that is important since it proves what is possible to achieve if you just dare to do something a little different, hopefully leading the way for others to follow. Time will tell, but it could very well be the start of a wave of new indie films.

On an more artistic level, I do admire the way you’ve managed to make use of the limitations of the medium and turn them into advantages. From what I’ve seen of it, SMS SUGAR MAN has a very distinct look and feel to it.

Joakim Martensson
Interaction Designer
Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications

Joakim works as an interaction designer at Sony Ericsson, and is responsible for the usability – or, in other words, the usefulness and ease-of-use – and design of the camera interface. He spends a lot of time thinking about how to make the camera phones easier to use and how to best add new features and functions.

SMS Sugar Man

SMS Sugar Man (Kaganof, 2008) presents to the audience a swirling Johannesburg underworld. Sugarman, played by Kaganof himself, is a pimp whose girls are his sugars. The philm plots their various escapades on Christmas Eve.

The issue of image quality presents a unique aesthetic effect here. On the one hand, ‘lower’ image quality results from a lower megapixel resolution in cellphone cameras than HD cameras.

On the other hand the ‘lower’ image quality works to reinforce the underlying themes in SMS Sugar Man. Image quality serves to reinforce the philm’s social commentary. In a sense, SMS Sugar Man denies the media image’s replacement of real world – a shortcircuiting of the sign, where the image and the real world Object become the same entity in the audiences’ minds. The lower image quality almost serves as an interface to deny verisimilitude, or at least dilute it, thus preventing audience identification to some extents.

The hazy effect – the denial of audience perception fully penetrating the media image – also reflects the Johannesburg sex and drugs underworld that Kaganof tries to capture. Through the haze, the underworld is made inaccessible and Other; somehow alien to the audience and perhaps maintaining a jarring effect – this is certainly not a world you are meant to feel comfortable and at home in.

Hazy media images seemingly force viewers into the position of a voyeur. The cellphone camera, with its ability to go where no HD camera has been before, reinforces voyeuristic positions. Extreme close ups combined with the intense immediacy afforded through hand held recording devices peel away the concealed and congealed layers of the urban underworld.

Stable narrative structures are systematically broken down in SMS Sugar Man. Multiple narratives snake their way through the philm, often leading nowhere and remain seemingly unresolved, “the narrative is filled with plots and schemes that go nowhere, that implode on the plotters themselves” (Hardy 2009).

The hallucinogenic effect developed through the camera work on SMS Sugar Man seems to be the resultant effect of cameras that can maneuver with greater dexterity than an ordinary HD camera. In many of the scenes one feels that one is flying as the camera swirls and twirls. The overall effect is a fluid and experimental film style, an apparent allegory to Kaganof’s comments about the “superficiality of our hyper-real late capitalist society” (Hardy, 2009).

from: Third Screens, Third Cinema, Third Worlds and Triadomania: examining cellphilm aesthetics in visual culture

By Jonathan Dockney and Keyan G. Tomaselli

Jonathan Dockney, MA Student and Researcher
dockney254@gmail.com
Keyan Tomaselli, Senior Professor, Director
tomasell@ukzn.ac.za

South Africa 2008 – 81 minutes
Director/editor/Script: Aryan Kaganof
Photography: Eran Tahor
Music: Michael Blake
sound design: warrick sony
sound recordist: nico louw
Cast: Leigh Graves, Deja Bernhardt, Aryan Kaganof, Bill Curry, John Matshikiza, Samantha Rocca,Jerry Mofokeng, Norman Maake

Johannesburg – an evil, ugly city on a Christmas Eve. This is the turf of the lonely and the damned and no more damned can they be than Sugar man (Kaganof) cruising the streets in his Valiant ’66, continually on his cell phone, peddling his girls, white and Asian, to wealthy black punters. This tongue in cheek inversion of the apartheid-years scenario of Afrikaans business men popping off to homelands to sample black girls is delivered with ironic force. From hotel to hotel to palatial apartment, the girls and he journey like Joseph and Mary looking for a manger. The process of the night will awaken something in Sugar man that will be born on Christmas Day, witnessed by no Wise Men nor sheep and cows but witnessed instead, by those who, like him were lost. Strangely romantic, consciously transgressive and aesthetically audacious – shot on a battery of cell phones – the film is in addition a homage to Jean Luc Godard’s Alphaville. A checkered production history, plagued by disagreements between director and producer, almost accepted for Cannes but rejected after Kaganof refused to institute alterations, insisted on by the Cannes selectors, the film is destined to share the same floor as Citizen Kane and El Topo in the great Cinematheque Hotel of the Akashic Records.

trevor steele-taylor

www.smssugarman.com

music by joel assaizky

http://mobile-filmmakers.blogspot.com/2011/02/meeting-with-aryan-kaganof-south.html