Cool Facts you probably didn't know about Toy Story

Showcasing some very cool and interesting facts about the Pixar movies Toy Story 1, 2 and 3.

Money Making Machine
Toy Story 3 is the first animated movie to make over $1 billion at the box office worldwide. It's the #5 highest grossing movie of all-time.

Review Success
Toy Story 2 is the best reviewed movie of all time on Rotten Tomatoes. Toy Story 1 is at number 4.

Makes Grown Men Cry
Tom Hanks and Tim Allen both confessed to crying at the part of Jessie's flashback sequence that shows her being rejected and abandoned by her owner. The video is set to the beautiful song “When She Loved Me” by Sarah McLachlan.

A Technology First
The original Toy Story is the first ever fully computer-generated full-length feature film.

Pixar Team busy at work - in their most productive week during production, Pixar completed 3.5 minutes of animation.

Bargain!
Toy Story 1 was completed on a $30 million budget using a staff of 110. The movie to date had grossed $360 million. In comparison, The Lion King, released in 1994, required a budget of $45 million and a staff of 800.

To date (March 2011) the Toy Story money making machine has grossed the following worldwide:
Toy Story 1 = $361,958,736
Toy Story 2 = $485,015,179
Toy Story 3 = $1,056,431,733

Nearly had a different movie name!
The movie was originally supposed to be called “You Are A Toy.”

Buzz Lightyear's voice could have been a lot different!
Billy Crystal was originally offered the chance to voice Buzz Lightyear, but declined. After seeing the finished film, he said the decision was the biggest mistake of his career.
Tom Hanks wasn't so stupid playing the voice of Woody! Here is Tom Hanks talking about Toy Story in a way only Tom Hanks can...

Tim Allen (Voice of Buzz Lightyear) recalls the unexpected success of 'Toy Story' and his friendly rivalry with Tom Hanks in this interview...

Buzz Lightyear could have had a different name entirely!
Buzz Lightyear's original name was Lunar Larry and here is the original sketch....

Original drawing of Lunar Larry

Voice of Woody
For the original Toy Story, Tom Hanks recorded his dialog during the breaks of Sleepless in Seattle (1993) and A League of Their Own (1992). He didn't want to record his dialog during the breaks of Philadelphia (1993) or Forrest Gump (1994) because he felt he shouldn't do comedic roles in between minutes of playing serious roles.

Pizza Plant Delivery Truck
The Pizza Planet delivery truck, which has appeared in every Pixar film except The Incredibles, also appeared in all three Toy Story films.

Toy Story 1

Toy Story 2

Toy Story3

On another note about Pizza Planet - Pizza Planet was originally supposed to be called Pizza Putt, a combination pizzeria/mini-golf course.

Character of Woody
Pixar presented an early draft of the film to Disney on November 19, 1993. The result was disastrous. The film was deemed unwatchable. It presented Woody as a “sarcastic jerk” who was constantly insulting the other toys.

Disney immediately shut down production pending a new script. The story team spent a week on a new script to make Woody a more likable character, instead of the “sarcastic jerk” he had been.

Andy's Bookcase
Many of the books on a shelf in Andy's room are the names of Pixar short films (Adventures of Andre and Wally B, Knick Knack, etc.) and some writers of this book was named by Pixar staff.

Woody's Girlfriend
Little Bo Peep was originally supposed to be a Barbie doll.

Andy originates from?
The character of Andy is named for Andries “Andy” Van Dam, a Brown University Professor and computer science and animation pioneer who taught many of makers of this film.

Toy Story Bloopers
and finally...we all love Toy Story Bloopers...so here goes, enjoy!

Toy Story 1 Bloopers

Toy Story 2 Bloopers

Toy Story 3 Bloopers

10 Cool Examples of Kinetic Typography

Showcasing 10 cool examples of kinetic typography videos from around the world. Kinetic typography refers to the art and technique of expression with animated text. Kinetic typography works great with music lyrics or movie speeches but also deliver some powerful messages like the following example called 'the girl effect':

1. The Girl Effect: The Clock is Ticking
This is our favorite kinetic typography video so far to date. It delivers the information so beautifully and the powerful messages behind it brilliantly.

2. Stephen Fry Kinetic Typography - Language
Adobe programs After Effects , Flash and Illustrator used to create this following kinetic typography.

3. Eminem Despicable Lyrics

4. Beatles Help

5. Shop Vac
A kinetic typography music video for Jonathan Coulton's Shop Vac. This was created using Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, After Effects, Premiere and Toon Boom Animate. This video took approx 1,000 hours to complete.

6. V for Vendetta in Kinetic Typography
The scene in V for Vendetta in which V introduces himself to Eevy, in a long rambling string of alliteration.

7. Fight Club - Chemical Burn

8. Cali Swag District - Where You Are (Lyrics Video)

9. Thank You For Smoking

10. Mad World Lyrics by Gary Jules

Predator: A Smart Camera that Learns

A scientific research project by Zdenek Kalal, a PhD at the University of Surrey, UK. More infos about the project here, but isn’t it too… powerful? Do you think?

12 Most Shocking Safe-Driving Awareness Ads

Bangalore Traffic Police has been running an outdoor advertising campaign using disturbing photography to shock people out of talking to their friends and families on the phone while they are driving.

Seatbelts keep people together. Campaign for Rodney District Council.

Featured in OSOCIO, a blog that focuses exclusively on social advertising campaign and non-profit campaigns which both strive to make people aware of world issues in order to make the world better.

A print and outdoor campaign for the Brandhouse's Drive Dry initiative, with an anti-drinking and driving message targeted at men. The campaign has been applauded by sober driving campaigners and a prisoner rights organization.

Saatchi New Zealand recently did a creative safe-driving billboard campaign, which showed a succession of family snapshots on roadside ads clustered closely together. “Don't let your life flash before you,” said the final boards. “Slow down.”

This ad was created for the Dutch Association of Traffic Victims and says: “Every year 40 people die using a mobile phone while driving.” Notice how the cell phone looks like a coffin.

“Sleepiness is stronger than you”. Don't Drive Sleepy Project for ThaiHealth.

BMW - Don't drink and drive ad campaign.

This TV ad is a very graphic video of a girl killed after she is hit by a car, in a British public safety TV commercial warning drivers to slow down.

Goose Named Maria

Story of a goose who befriends a retired man in a park.

11 Examples of Police Activity in Holiday Films

11. Lethal Weapon/Die Hard/First Blood/I Come In Peace

Hollywood has had a fascination about placing action flicks during the Holiday season for years. Whether it’s the exploits of Riggs and Murtough in Lethal Weapon, officer John McClane outwitting terrorists in Die Hard, John Rambo essentially taking out an entire police force in First Blood, or Dolph Lundgren squaring up against alien drug dealers in I Come In Peace, these action films all take place during the holidays. What’s even more interesting is that they all involve cops saving the day from threats against humanity, with the exception of Rambo, but Brian Dennehy was a prick and he deserved it.

10. Jingle All The Way

Instead of making an action flick during Christmas, Hollywood decided to make a Christmas movie starring the action star of all time. During his quest to find the most sold-out toy ever, Arnold, along with Sinbad, constantly run into the same cop. During the course of the movie, this officer get shis hands burnt, gets blown up, gets his trooper bike trashed, and ultimately salutes Arnold when he’s impersonating Turbo Man.

9. Trading Places

This is one of my favorites during this time of year. The plot centers around a blue-blood, Dan Aykroyd, who trades places with a criminal, Eddie Murphy because of a bet between the Duke Brothers. Of course, chaos ensues. But, early in the film Aykroyd’s character has Murphy arrested, only to get arrested himself when he losses everything later on. If Billy Ray wasn’t arrested because of Winthorpe’s insistence, the Dukes wouldn’t have come up with their plan.

8. The Ref

Denis Leary plays a burglar who holds dysfunctional family hostage after he sets off an alarm in a house. The police set out after Leary, which is why he had to hold that crazy couple hostage in the first place, and eventually has to deal with their crazier family. Without the police intervention Leary would be on his jolly way, but then again, he wouldn’t have fixed the Chasseur’s marriage.

7. Home Alone

Before the McCallister’s leave for Paris, Joe Pesci impersonates a cop, which is how he finds out which families in the neighborhood won’t be home for the holidays. Then we have the cop that checks in on Kevin, but since no one answers the door, he leaves. So now, Pesci thinks the house empty, and Kevin could have let the police know that he was home alone, but then we wouldn’t have a movie now would we? Finally, after Kevin beats the bad guys up, the clueless cops catch the wet bandits.

6. Ernest Saves Christmas

Santa decides to take a trip to Orlando to appoint a new Santa. The guy he wants to be the new Santa is a children’s TV host, so he obviously has a scumbag agent. The agent doesn’t believe the old man, so he has Santa arrested. At this venture the movie earns it’s name when our favorite accident prone hero, Ernest P. Worrell, literally saves Christmas. He breaks Santa out of jail and helps Santa convince the new guy to become St. Nick.

5. The Santa Clause

What seems like an innocent kid friendly film is quite disturbing. Let’s see, Santa, Tim Allen, kidnaps his kid on Christmas Eve, then stupidly goes back to the scene of the crime and of course gets himself arrested. To make matters worse, he’s hauled out in front of kids who plead for the cops to let Santa go. Back at the station he’s interrogated, but won’t deny that he is indeed Santa. Eventually, some Elves break him out and everyone realizes that Scott Calvin is actually Santa Claus, which means that all those crimes are forgiven.

4. Elf

One of the best Christmas movies out there, in my opinion. In the climatic finale, Central Park Rangers chase Santa when he crashes in Central Park. Because the heat is on, Will Ferrell, his family, and New Yorkers of all people help save the holidays by believing in Santa enough to get his sleigh out of dodge.

3. Bad Santa

Billy Bob Thornton plays an alcoholic thief who pretends to be Santa. The police finally catch on to Billy Bob and his associate, which ends in a police chase. Billy Bob is gunned down in front of the “Kid’s” house but miraculously survives. It took all of that for Willie to become a good person.

2. It’s A Wonderful Life

Yes, even the quintessential Christmas movie itself includes the po-po. Remember the tipping point for George, Jimmy Stewart, is when his crooked busy Mr. Potter informs him that he’s going to issue a warrant for his arrest for back fraud. After the alternate reality scenes, we come back to a wonderful reality which includes the feel good moment of Mr. Potter getting arrested for fraud.

1. Christmas Vacation

After a Christmas filled with disaster after disaster, the Griswold’s get some unexpected guests, the police, which features a SWAT team breaking into the Griswold house to save Clark’s boss, who Cousin Eddie kidnapped. After the boss admits that cutting Christmas bonuses was a bad move, the holiday becomes one of cheer. Clark gets a larger bonus and the wacky family celebrates the day with Chicago’s finest.

World Order – Machine Civilization

The music is fine, but the video clip is quite unique . I enjoyed, what about you?

Quadrocopter Ball Juggling

Ball juggling experiments in the ETH Flying Machine Arena.

Hawken Gameplay

This is the intro video for the upcoming mech FPS combat title Hawken. Looks incredible huh?

Fail Compilation March 2011

Giant Stinson Beach Bubbles

Bubble-smith Sterling Johnson on Stinson Beach. Shot with a Canon 550D. This guy looks like a wizard.

Kuroshio Sea - 2nd Largest Aquarium Tank in the World

This awesome tank is found at the Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium in Japan.

The main tank called the ‘Kuroshio Sea’ holds 7,500-cubic meters (1,981,290 gallons) of water and features the world’s second largest acrylic glass panel, measuring 8.2 meters by 22.5 meters with a thickness of 60centimeters. Whale sharks and manta rays are kept amongst many other fish species in the main tank.

The music is "Please don’t go" by Barcelona.

Sidewalk Sucker Punch

Three guys grab dudes party hat and start taunting him with it. They finally give it back but sucker punch him in the process.

A BMW M3 Coupe, a Hot Brunette, One Cool Video

The title to this post pretty much gives you all the necessary reasons to click through the jump and watch the (independent) video, so we’re not going to waste your time with a long and pointless introduction. Turn up the volume and enjoy.

VIDEO

Necker Island - Sir Richard Branson's Private Island

Necker Island, Sir Richard Branson’s private paradise, is situated in the British Virgin Islands, a stunning and unspoilt area of the Caribbean. At 74 acres, the island sits in turquoise waters surrounded by coral reefs and fringed with beautiful white sandy beaches.

For a modest sum of $53,000 USD a night, this private oasis can be yours for you and your 28 guests (and a staff of 60 of course). Check out the pictures and information below on this little piece of Heaven.