SubSub blog

In case people are wondering why it’s gone so quiet at the SubSub Blog, it’s due to a high workload, which has started to eat up evenings as well as day times.

The posts are building up though, so expect a Christmas Stocking full of them during December.

In the mean time, you can see the progress of one of these projects at it’s own blog: Bristol Projections.  Where SubSub is working with a number of other companies and freelancers to create a huge Building sized colourful present for the city.

The second Dorkbot happened last night.  I’ll have to admit to only witnessing the beginning before having to run away.  But the turn out then was already great, with a number of weird and wonderful inventions and inventors.

It seems all the physical geeks are coming out of the woodwork, which I’m very excited about.

The Innovation theme continued through to Friday with the BBC coming to town to discuss their Innovation Labs. The basic premise is that the BBC has problems, and they understand they may not be the best people to solve them… so setup this scheme to probe and commission the best innovative people across the country to help them do it.

That of course is where SubSub comes in, with so many creative and intelligent innovators under one (digital) roof.

The day started by finding out a bit about the scheme, the briefs they’ve set out and the systems and technologies they use. We then had an afternoon of brainstorming, concluding in a impromptu pitch back to the people there. This was really just an excuse to get us riled up, with the real submissions taking place online over the next few months.

Although some involved found the process quite hierarchical, I found Matt Locke (Head of Innovation) an exceptionally intelligent and articulated chap, and would enjoy the chance of working with him (let’s hope he doesn’t read this, and blame us for attempted ‘buttering up’)

We hope to get at least one idea generated and in to the running, preferably more. We’ll obviously keep people informed of the progress.

SubSub’s proud to have been showing off it’s latest progress at the Innovation Alliance Showcase evening, held last Thursday. The Innovation Alliance was an initiative run by South West Screen to support “new technologies, products processes, services or new business models.” We were lucky enough to get one of the grants earlier this year, and have used it to help SubSub get on it’s feet.

Thursday was an opportunity to see the other projects that have come from the initiative, while pitching SubSub to everyone there in an attempt to gain as much feedback as possible.

Some of our personal favorite projects include: the multimedia cross over production of Macbeth and the animation work of both DudeCorp and Cockney Coppers.

A while back Chris at PixelSumo posted something that lead me to Floor it!, a fantastic project which allows kids (of all ages) to race radio controlled cars around their own built tracks but with digital elements that allow scoring, oil slicks, boosts etc. This is a project that we absolutely love, probably because it’s an elegant solution to something we’re passionate about (*).

(*) Bringing back to kids the joy and imagination of building your own games, preferably away from the screen.

Phil Worthy, a dab hand at Processing, has created a similar formula of creation and play, and ended up with another great way to race around your own tracks. Check out his Line Rider project.

(While on Line Riders, if you’ve got time to spare have a look at www.linerider.org, be prepared to lose at least half an hour)

Also, while there make sure you also see my favorite piece: Shadow Monsters, live shadow puppets created and enhanced (complete with weird voices) through your own hands.

Ok, so not really a valuable resource, but worth a giggle on a friday…

Geeky sneering designers vs. Account handlers and Trafficking