Thursday, October 31, 2019

Huge and digital strategy-case Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Huge and digital strategy-case - Essay Example Retainer relationships can maintain these specific preferences of HUGE. 2. Long-term profits through long-term relations. Retainer relationships can result to long-term profits because clients can eventually see HUGE as a strategic partner for their overall growth. HUGE can reap greater revenues, if it becomes integral to their client’s strategic directions. Furthermore, long-term client relations can soon become a core competence. If these companies also grow, such as geographically and/or through offering new products and services, HUGE’s business will also grow with them. Their clients’ successes become intertwined with HUGE’s, thereby providing limitless opportunities for national and global growth. 3. Advancement of general view of the business as transformational and strategic. If HUGE is embedded into other companies in long-term retaining relations, companies might realize that digital marketing is not merely a reinforcement of traditional marketin g efforts, but a superior marketing edge. Shapiro and his staff assert that: â€Å"†¦everything will be digital† (Casadesus-Masanell and Karvounis 7). ... 010 to 2016 2010 2013 2016 Social Media 988 2,760 4,995 E-Mail 1,328 1,875 2,468 Mobile 885 4,238 8,237 Display 9,347 16,085 27,600 Search 16,308 24,613 33,319 Source: Casadesus-Masanell and Karvounis (14) Disadvantages. 1. Demand for capabilities that are not part of HUGE’s core competencies. Despite the advantages of retainer relationships, HUGE does not have existing capabilities that long-term relations entail. For instance, retainer means engaging in traditional digital marketing activities, such as display advertising and search marketing. HUGE does not have the competencies yet for these marketing channels. 2. Not related to market expansion. Retainer relationships may extend revenues per client, but it does not automatically bring in new clients. It does not allow HUGE to tap new markets or to exploit existing ones. 3. Not supportive of business model. HUGE wants to be the one-stop digital marketing firm. If it caters to the same clients, it is not growing that much at all, unless the same market grows. HUGE is not opening itself to prevailing market demand for search and display marketing, in particular, which is a mounting marketing field opportunity. Geographic Expansion Advantages. 1. Taps new markets with the same transformative needs. HUGE can tap foreign markets that have similar transformative needs. It does not have to veer far away from its business practices because it can find large, challenging projects in other countries. Some of the potential locations are Japan, UK, Norway, and Denmark. These nations have high numbers of citizens who have bought something online and a large percentage of firms with websites (Casadesus-Masanell and Karvounis 19). 2. Expands markets in a geographical way. Geographic expansion can result to market expansion.

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

To what extent was independence a gift from Britain Essay Example for Free

To what extent was independence a gift from Britain Essay On 14 of August 1947, Prime Minister Nehru spoke of the handover of power being a moment in history, when we step out from the old to the new. This message, coming from one crucial in the independence movement, unsurprisingly carries connotations of Independence coming through the actions of Indians, with a sense of growth alien to British interests and control. In contrast to the violent upsurge against the French in Indo-China, the reasons behind the annexation of India from the British Empire are both subtle and complex. While in a violent uprising it is relatively simple to discern that power has been taken, rather than given, the non-cooperation tactics employed in India clarifies little. The steady rise in pressure from Indian nationalists in conjunction with the apparently hurried withdrawal in 1947 have lead to a belief that Britain was effectively forced out of India. Whilst a possibility, this must however be regarded in relation to Britains changing objectives in an alien world to that of the early ideology of the Raj. In terms of historiography, two divergent views can clearly be discerned. That of the neo-imperialist presents independence as a nurtured gift of British benevolence. Exponents of this theory such as Sir Percival Griffiths point out that, other ruling powers have abdicated after defeat in war or as a result of successful insurrection, but it was left for Britain to surrender her authority as part of a process of devolution which had been operating for some time. While as a superficial judgement this statement proves true, for Britain did never lose complete control, it does perhaps insinuate a control in withdrawal that is inconsistent with the hurried exit of 1947. The concept of a state abdicating control of an advantageous situation by its own volition makes little sense, nor is there any precedent for this policy before the First World War. Statements of Lord Hardinge in 1912 boldly spoke of the permanence of British rule in India1 and so the neo-Imperial stipulation of plans for devolution, which had been in operation for some time cannot wholly be upheld, indeed it was not until 1942 that any affirmative time scale was introduced, or so claims the Nationalist interpretation. Here the Cripps offer of 1942 is seen as a post dated cheque by the Indian scholar Sumit Sarkar2, and independence is presented as seized from Imperial Britain by virtue of irresistible pressure by congress and its allies. This too however must also be seen to be draw from only a partial reading of events. As Griffiths points out, British control, though strained and tested, was not broken. Power was not seized, but granted by an act of the imperial parliament at Westminster. As such these polarized interpretations can be seen to reflect only half-truths, simplistic interpretations of a long and complex road to Indian freedom. In broad terms certain factors must be established and accepted, such as the vital and necessary role of a nationalist movement calling for independence. The claim that states do not willingly give up occupation must be considered in relation to possible economic motives, with the role of resistance within states leading to economic loss also taken into account. Due to statements such as that of Lord Hardinges in 1912, it must be conceded that Britain initially desired to continue the Raj before the First World War, however this cannot not be accepted de facto there onwards. One possible explanation for Britains withdrawal in 1947, which suggests independence was given willingly, is the diminishing importance of India and South East Asia. Both politically and economically Britain was, by 1947, deeply evolved in the Middle East. The oil-rich nature of many of these nations contrasted sharply with lack of Indian productivity for, as Lord Wavell specified, India will never, within any time we can foresee, be an efficient country3. This sentiment from the Viceroy in 1944 could be dismissed as simply seeking to save face except that it is from a private document to Prime Minister Churchill, and so can be seen as a reliable insight into the direction of British thought. The later mention of India possibly becoming a running sore which will sap the strength of the British Empire4 further suggests the lack of any economic basis for Britain holding onto India. One of the primary reasons for this was that the prosperity and efficiency of the Raj rested with an Indian populace that, even by 1941, was only 7% literate. Not only is this figure inconsistent with the British desire for efficiency, when coupled with a lack of self sufficiency (on average between 1930-40 once every four years around three million tons of grain had to be imported to avert famine, 4.27 million in 19365) this clearly illustrates part of Indias economic weakness. Nevertheless, the fact that literacy was rising and these problems were not new, clearly indicates that economic inefficiency did not give immediate rise to any British need to quit India. Instead, the role of trade, particularly in the rapidly changing post war situation, is far more significant. Crucially it is here that major profit is made, and Britains dominance was in decline. In contrast to Britains pre-war6 profits from cotton trade imports to India of à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½37.9 million7, the rise in imports from Japan and America (by some 400% overall8) can be linked with the decline in cotton trade profits to à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½27.2 million in 1919, a shift that Lawrence James terms as a fracture9 to the Anglo-Indian economic inter-dependency. This is perhaps the most accurate reflection but of greater interest is the à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½100 million of British War debt that the Indian Government assimilated in return for being able to tax Lancashire cottons. This ability to obtain concessions from the British Government due to its financial constraints illustrates both Britains decline as a world power and thus Indias rising parity. Furthermore, the fact that after World War Two India passed from being Britains debtor to its creditor acutely reflects the gradual decline in the strength of Britains economic grasp over India. Coupled with the realisation that it was no longer necessary to have political control as a prerequisite of stable trade, the economics of Britains situation appears to make withdrawal beneficial. The prospect of a repetition of the costly insurrection of 1942 and of Muslim separatism exploding into civil war threatened not only further financial loss, but also to expose the weakened state of the ICS10 and other agencies of coercion. As Ian Copland suggests, with its shrinking resources Britain may well have wished to extricate itself from its responsibilities in India11. Britains steel frame of institutions such as the ICS, the Indian Army and the Police force had become seriously degraded, effectively loosening control over and within India. The move therefore to not fund a mass of inefficient bureaucracy whilst still profiting from trade, would be a shrewd one. Declining profitability is perhaps the strongest evidence for independence being a gift from Britain, with India being a net liability that had to be cast off according to R.F.Holland12. Although the situation was not as extreme as that of the Congo, where Belgium simply withdrew after the 1958 Copper Crash, a downward economic spiral can be clearly discerned. Hollands thesis cannot be automatically assumed for, as Anita Singh asserts, India was the key to achieving equality with the superpowers and reviving her war torn economy13. Economically, Hollands synopsis bears a closer relation than that of Singh to the dwindling profitability of India, especially in the post war climate, however it would be naà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ve to see this as the only significant factor. While Indias economic role disputed, its importance surpassed its financial value for, as Howard Brasted assesses, to have left would have accelerated the loss of Britains global influence14. Hollands point is not entirely moot and economic loss can perhaps be best seen as a contributory factor to independence, along with other reasons ranging from the United States led ideological shift away from imperialism to Labours priority of primarily focusing on Britains recovery. Whilst its value may have been that it softened a British resolve that was never predominantly altruistic, its significance is eclipsed by the strength of nationalism in India. The oil rich Middle East was Britains primary concern in terms of economic recovery and the inefficiency of India only exacerbated this. Wavells condemnation of a possible future running sore refers not only to this inefficiency, but also the increasingly detrimental effect of both peaceful and militant nationalists. In contrast with the 300 million Indians, there were only around 400,000 British in control. As Lawrence James suggests the Raj was never a totalitarian state which could do what it liked when it chose15. Throughout its history the Raj operated under powerful constraints such as the costs of its armed forces and administration16, thus the importance of Indians in running the country as a whole correlates to their importance in economic factors. In this light, it cannot be said that nationalist pressures (as opposed to direct action by Congress which had a significant impetus with regard to taxation) had a large impact on the economics of Britain and India but economics c an be seen to have greatly aided nationalism. Stemming from the days of the East India Company rule, the free-trade policy favoured Britain and stifled the growth of Indian post war industry. Congress opposition to free trade was, as Brasted states protectionism in all but name17, and therefore appealed to Indian industry. This perhaps best highlights the value of the economy to the Indian nationalist movement and eventual independence. Excluding terrorist insurgence such as that of 1942, nationalist action rarely directly affected the British economically, but rather helped to arouse the Indian population. Lord Lytton referred to the Indian peasantry as an inert mass and if it ever moves at all, it will not move in obedience to its British benefactors18. Thus economic reform was used a platform with which to arouse the masses and make evident that it was Congress, and not the Raj, which spoke for the people. Ghandi in particular must be assessed in this light as many of his policies attempted to mobilise Indians and sting the British, in some cases over economic issues. Both his Satyagraha of non-cooperation and salt tax march were attempts to defy British rule by disregarding financial laws to aid the nationalist cause. While non-cooperation illustrates the attempt to economically cripple the country, Ghandis salt tax march does perhaps reveal a more potent defiance. In reality, the salt tax march was rather bagatelle in terms of economic effect, only reducing East Indian Company profits by 2%. Instead, its significance lay in that the tax symbolised the power and intrusiveness of the Raj19. President Roosevelts talk of a prejudicial reaction on American public opinion not only if India is not allowed to secede after the war, but also if Britain is unwilling to concede the right of self-government20must be seen as significant when considering Britains economic and military dependence. This also reflects the discrepancy between Britains position and the ideological shift away from imperialism. The war against expansionist powers such as Germany and the post World War One promotion of self-determination in Europe had a dramatic effect upon the political psyche; particularly under a Labour government, the foundations upon which the Raj were built were becoming unfashionable. The symbolic attacks were also designed to arouse Indians, bringing awareness to issues that Ghandi saw as repressive, and that the populace had accepted de facto. Initiatives, even down to Ghandi only wearing a homespun dhoti (loin cloth), sought to arouse the Indian peasantry by appealing to their needs thus generating growing political awareness. The nature of Indias eventual independence as an official handover makes evident the dominance and eventual success of this peaceable strain of nationalism. Rather than seeing this as an emancipation of the Indian populace from a repressive Raj, it was instead an ignition of political thought on a grand scale. Consequently, by visually illustrating that he and Congress spoke for the common man the Raj could be undermined, thus negating the only justification for imperialist rule. Actions such as Nehrus arrest after the salt tax march demonstrated repression but it was the widespread support that was crucial. The fact that it was an over emphatic response that caused an end to the initial 1922 Satyagraha, showed the ripe state of nationalist support far removed from the inert mass that Lyttons prophecy was based on. Ghandis association and appeal to the common Indian through these policies led to Congress membership increasing from 100,000 in 1920 to over two million by the end of 1921. This rise in support was crucial in exerting political pressure on the British and led to the overwhelming majority of Congress in the 1936 elections. This delivered the tangible evidence for Congress to claim to speak for the Indian people instead of the Raj. A single party taking over 70% of the vote is overwhelming by modern standard however, its significance surpasses this obvious assessment. Whilst marking the strength of Congress, it also testified to the unity of much of India, an area that could not even be conceived of as being one nation before British rule. This fact stands as a tribute to British rule however it was also part of its undoing. The unity that the Raj encouraged in terms of centralising and homogenising the police and other services gave rise to a sense of cohesion within India that had not existed before; it is only under these circumstances that nationalism could exist and so enable Congress to gain a 76% majority. The general rise of mass protest would put vast moral and eventually economic pressure on Britain however threat of such large crowds turning to violence also appealed to some nationalists. While the 1857 Mutiny was a violent expression of anger, it is not until insurgence in 1905 that such actions were distinctly nationalistic. Similarly, events such as the 1913 assassination of Lord Hardinge, while reflecting Indian discontent, did not offer a serious threat to British rule. In contrast, the violence and delay to supplies in the 1942 Quit India movement did seriously affect the Raj, so much so that the Royal Air force fired upon rioters. Similarly, the formation of the Indian National Army under Subhas Chandra Bose21 to fight with Japan reflected not only the depth of nationalist convictions, but also the sense of nationhood within India. This growth of violence made military suppression the only antidote. Indian nationalists and the British alike had however realised that, the day has passed when you can keep India by the sword.22 The Amritsar Massacre of 1919 had demonstrated to the nationalists the resolve of some British to maintain control in India. Such actions united Indian opposition and considerably weakened the justification for British rule in India. Not only had the increasing association of Indians within the ICS weakened British control, oppressive policies were not in the nature of the Raj for the British people would not consent to be associated with repression23, as Lord Wavell specified. Instead of this physical control, political measures such as the Government of India Acts of 1919 and 1935 were employed in satiate nationalist agitation. Claims of historians such as Griffith that devolution had been planned for some time can be seen in the 1917 British Secretary of States announcement of developing self-governing institutions of a responsible government however crucially such moves also talks about India as an integral part of the British empire24. The Montagu-Chelmsford report reflection that nationalism will grow and that in deliberately disturbing it we are working for her highest good, is a frank admission that, as Anita Singh observed, British policy aimed to put off independence to the kalends25. The failure to dissolve nationalism despite concessions aimed at satisfying the legitimate aims of all but the most advanced Indians26 meant that reforms aimed at forestalling Congress pressure, instead intensified it. According to Ian Copeland this increasing demand led to constitutional reforms being used as a bargaining chip27 and this view appears to be an accurate reflection upon the development of British policy. Reforms such as the Government of India Act of 1935 and in particular the Cripps offer of 1942, were direct responses to nationalist pressures which as Wavell and the British realised by the end of the war had laid down a course from which we cannot now withdraw28. Such reforms cannot therefore be seen as British i nitiatives but rather as tactics to delay what, by the time off the mass civil disobedience of the 1942 Quit India movement, had become inevitable. Despite Churchills promise during the war that he did not intend to allow the liquidation of the British Empire, historians such as Howard Brasted have instead argued that the war did in fact slow the transfer of power, and not cause it29. This point is however hard to substantiate. It must be remembered that it was as late as1935 that the Government of India Act ensured the power of the Raj through the Viceroys power of veto over Indian legislation. There was perhaps a growing realisation before the war that India would have independence however all reforms up to this point suggested a slow transferral and there is little evidence to support a change in foreign policy. Some reasons for the withdrawal in 1947 were also as ignoble as the previous methods of rule. Whilst the Raj had often employed divide and rule30 tactics, the dominance of Congress over the Princes, the threat of Muslim-Hindu violence and even the financial reasoning for pulling out can be seen as less than altruistic. To condemn Britain with regard to economics is unfair as it war forced into the situation by the war but moreover to condemn Britain leaving because of its declining control is unwarranted. Far from being reproachable, to say that the Raj was forced to end by the growth of nationalism is not to automatically decry British policy. Congress dominance in the 1936 elections followed by their success in government, justified independence by demonstrating the capability of Indians to administer themselves. In Macaulayesque31 terms Britains task was complete, for Congress growth and success exploded any myths of British racial superiority. To say that this manner of leaving gives credit to the British is not to denigrate the achievement of Indians who did have to overcome the stalwart resistance of the Raj . The timing of independence, while aided by factors such as the war, was an Indian success and not a British gift. However, to end here is to wrongfully deny any British benevolent contribution. In leaving, Britain left a considerable legacy of democracy and education that is as significant today as it was in 1947. Nationalist leaders such as Ghandi, Nehru and even Bose were all Oxbridge educated and perhaps even nationalism indirectly must reflect positively upon the British, for it is only due to the Raj that as vast an area as India developed a sense of cohesion. There are as many, if not more negative aspects of British imperialism (especially to modern day sensitivities) however Britains decision to withdraw denotes much of its rule. In contrast to situations such as Frances catastrophic attempt to control Indochina, Britains lasting legacy and indeed gift was that it left peacefully. The timing was not Britains however certain aspects and its very nature are to be appreciated for, as Trevor Royle32 suggests, it is one of the Rajs enduring strengths that when the time came to go they departed with exemplary grace and dignity. Bibliography J.Brown Modern India, OUP Sir P.Moon, Wavell: the Viceroys Journal- OUP Lawrence James, Raj- Abacus R.F.Holland, European Decolonisation Macmillan Anita Singh, The Origins of the Partition, OUP Lady Balfour, Personal letters of Robert First Earl of Lytton, Longmans Ian Copeland- India- Longmans S.Wolpert, Morley and India California University Press T. Royle , The Last Days of the Raj Cambridge University press Sarkar, Modern India Macmillan The Economist, 5 April 1919 Modern History Review, Volume + No. 2, November 1990 Words- 2,987 Orig- no edit 3,385 1 J.Brown Modern India, OUP 1985, p. 197 2 Sarkar, Modern India, Ch.6 3 Lord Wavell to Churchill, Oct 1944 Sir P.Moon, Wavell: the Viceroys Journal, p. 94 4 Ibid. 5 Lawrence James, Raj Part Five, chapter 3 6 World War I 7 1913-14 8 The Economist, 5 April 1919 9 Lawrence James, Raj Part Five, chapter 5 10 Indian Civil Service, originally British dominated but increasingly Indianised 11 Ian Copeland , Raj p.85 12 R.F.Holland, European Decolonisation 13 Anita Singh, The Origins of the Partition, OUP, Ch. 7 14 Modern History Review, Volume + No. 2, November 1990 15 Lawrence James, Raj Epilogue 16 Ibid 17 Modern History Review, Volume + No. 2, November 1990 18 Lady Balfour, Personal letters of Robert First Earl of Lytton, Longmans, pp.20-1 19 Lawrence James, Raj Part four, chapter 2 20 Roosevelt to Churchill, 1942- in India by Ian Copeland, p.111 21 Leader of Congress in 1938 and Cambridge educated 22 Lord Chelmsford, 1919 James, Raj, p. 23 Lord Wavell to Churchill, Oct 1944 Sir P.Moon, Wavell: the Viceroys Journal, p. 94 24 Government Announcement of Aug. 1917, Ian Copeland- India, p.96 25 Anita Singh, Modern History Review, Volume + No. 2, November 1990 26 S.Wolpert, Morley and India, p.139 27 Ian Copeland, India, p.29 28 Lord Wavell to Churchill, Oct 1944 Sir P.Moon, Wavell: the Viceroys Journal, p. 94 29 Modern History Review, Volume + No. 2, November 1990 30 Using Princes and Muslim pressure groups to counter Congress 31 Lord T. Macaulay, MP in 1830s and altruistic promoter of education within India whos thoughts generated much of Kiplings work and set up a number of schools. 32 T. Royle , The Last Days of the Raj, p.281

Sunday, October 27, 2019

3D Technology: Types and Uses

3D Technology: Types and Uses CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION This report will focus on how different 3D technologies work, it will include the entire work flow, from recording the action, encoding the footage, playing back the media via a cinema projector or television and finally how the audience views the 3D film or video, whether it be through specially designed glasses or an auto-stereoscopic television. At present the most popular way to view 3D media is with the use of specialised glasses, the most popular being, active shutter glasses, passive polarised glasses and colour separationbased glasses. Wearing glasses to watch a movie is often mentioned as a negative aspect of 3D. There is a technology available that allows you to watch 3D on screens without wearing any additional glasses, it is called autostereoscopy, this will also be looked at. The health impacts that result from watching 3D will also be examined, along with factors that will prevent a person from being able to correctly view 3D images. There will be impacts on the entire industry from studios and cinemas to smaller production companies and independent producers if 3D films become the norm and these will be examined. A good place to start this report is to examine how two of the highest profile media companies around at present are currently viewing 3D technology. Phil McNally stereoscopic supervisor at Disney-3D and Dreamworks was quoted as saying, consider that all technical progress in the cinema industry brought us closer to the ultimate entertainment experience: the dream. We dream in colour, with sound, in an incoherent world with no time reference. The cinema offers us a chance to dream awake for an hour. And because we dream in 3D, we ultimately want the cinema to be a 3D experience not a flat one.'(Mendiburu, 2009) In the BBC Research White Paper: The Challenges of Three-Dimensional Television, 3D technology is referred to as a continuing long-term evolution of television standards towards a means of recording, transmitting and displaying images that are indistinguishable from reality'(Armstrong, Salmon, Jolly, 2009) It is clear from both of these high profile sources that the industry is taking the evolution of 3D very seriously, as a result this is a topic that is not only very interesting but will be at the cutting edge of technological advances for the next couple of years. This report will be covering the following things: What does the term 3D mean with reference to film and video A look at the history of 3D in film How does 3D technology work The implications of 3D on the film business and on cinemas The methods used to create the media and also the ways in which the 3D image is recreated for the viewer The reasons I have chosen to do my project on this topic is that I am very interested in the new media field. 3D video when accompanied with high definition film and video is a field that is growing rapidly. Earlier this year, on 02 April 2009, Sky broadcast the UKs first live event in the 3D TV format, it featured a live music concert by the pop group Keane, it was sent via the companys satellite network using polarisation technology. Traditionally we view films and television in two dimensions, this in essence means we view the media as a flat image. In real life we view everything in three dimensions, this is because we get a slightly different image received in each eye, the brain then combines these and we can work out depth of vision and create a 3D image. (this will be explained further in Chapter 3) There is a high level of industrial relevance with this topic, as 3D technology coupled with high definition digital signal is at the cutting edge of mainstream digital media consumption. Further evidence of this is that the sports company ESPN will be launching their new TV channel, ESPN-3D in North America in time for this years Summer Football World Cup. In January 2009 the BBC produced a Research White Paper entitled The Challenges of Three-Dimensional Television on this subject and over the next couple of years they predict that it will start to be introduced in the same way that HD (High Definition) digital television signal is currently being phased in, with pay-per-view movies and sports being the first take advantage of it. Sky have announced that their existing Sky+HD boxes will be able to broadcast the 3D signals so customers will not even need to update their equipment to be able to receive the 3D Channel that they are starting to broadcast later this year. On Sunday January 31st 2010, Sky broadcast a live Premier League football match between Arsenal and Manchester United for the first time in 3D to selected pubs across the country, Sky equipped the selected pubs with LGs new 47-inch LD920 3D TVs. These televisions use the passive glasses, similar to the ones uses in cinemas as opposed to the more expensive Active glasses which are also an option. (The differences between Active and Passive technologies will be explained in Chapter 8) It is also worth noting that at the 2010 Golden Globe awards, on acceptance of his award for Best Picture for the 3D Box Office Hit Avatar, the Canadian director James Cameron pronounced 3D as the future. At the time of writing this report (27/01/2010) the 3D film Avatar has just taken over from Titanic (also a James Cameron film) to become the highest grossing movie of all time, with worldwide takings of $1.859 billion. This is being accredited to the films outstanding takings in the 3D version of its release, in America 80% of the films box office revenue has been received from the 3D version of its release. In an industry where money talks, these figures will surely lead to an dramatic increase in production of 3D films and as a result Avatar could potentially be one of the most influential films of all time. After completing this dissertation I hope to be able to have a wide knowledge base on the subject and hopefully this will appeal to companies that I approach about employment once I have graduated. In the summer of 2010 when I will be looking for jobs, I believe that a lot of production companies will have some knowledge of 3D technology and be aware of how in the near future it may be something that they will have to consider adopting in the way that many production companies are already or soon will be adopting HD into their workflow. In order to ensure that I complete this project to a high standard it is important that I gain a complete understanding of the topic and study a variety of different sources when compiling my research. 3D media itself is not a new concept so there are a wide range of books and articles on the theory of 3D and stereoscopy along with anaglyphs. However in recent years there has been a resurgence in 3D with relation to film and TV. This is due mainly to digital video and film production making it easier and cheaper to create and manage the two channels needed for three-dimensional video production. It has proved more difficult to study books and papers on this most recent resurgence of 3D because it is still happening and evolving all the time. I have read various research white papers on the subject, which have been cited in the Bibliography, I have also used websites and blogs along with some recently published books, one of the problems with such a fast moving technological field such as 3D though, is that these books quickly become outdated. CHAPTER 2: HUMAN VISION In the real world we see in three dimensions as opposed to the two dimensions that we have become accustomed to when watching TV or at the cinema. Human vision appears in three dimensions because it is normal for people to have two eyes that both focus on the object, in the brain these two images are then fused into one, from this we can work out depth of vision, this process is called stereopsis. All of these calculations happen in the brain without the person ever even noticing, as a result we see the world in three dimensions very naturally. The reason that we see in 3D is because of stereoscopic depth perception. There are various complex calculations going on in our brains, this coupled with real experience allows our brain to work out the depth of vision. If it wasnt for this it would be impossible to tell if something was very small or just very far away. As humans, we have learnt to judge depth even with only one view point. This is why, if a person has one eye they can still manage to do most things that a person with two eyes can do. This is also why when watching a 2-D film you can still get a good judge of depth. The term for depth cues based on only one viewpoint is monoscopic depth cues. One of the most important of these is our own experience, it relates to perspective and relative size of objects. In simple terms, we have become accustomed to object being certain sizes. An example of this is that we expect buildings to be very big, humans are smaller and insects are smaller still. So this means that if we can see all three of these objects next to each other and they appear to be the same size then the insect must be much closer than the person, and both the insect and the person must be much closer that the building (see figure 1). The perspective depth cue (shown in figure1) was backed up when an experiment was carried out by Ittelson in 1951. He got volunteers to look through a peep hole at some playing cards, the only thing they could see were the cards and so there were no other types of depth cue available. There were actually three different-sized playing cards (normal size, half-size, and double size), and they were presented one at a time at a distance of 2.3metres away. The half-sized playing card was judged to be 4.6 metres away from the observer, whereas the double-sized card was thought to be 1.3 metres away. Thus, familiar size had a large effect on distance judgement'(Eysenck, 2002). Another monoscopic depth cue that is very effective is referred to as occlusion or interposition. This is where an object overlaps another object. If a person is standing behind a tree then you will be able to see all of the tree but only part of the person. This tells us that the tree is nearer to us that the person. One of the most important single view depth cues in called motion parallax, it works on the basis that if a person moves their head, and therefore eyes, then objects nearer to them, whilst not physically moving, will appear to move more than the objects in the distance. This is the method that astronomers use to measure distances of stars and planets. It is in extremely important method of judging depth and is used extensively in 3D filmmaking. In filmmaking, lighting is often talked about as being one of the key elements to giving the picture depth, and this is because it is a monoscopic depth cue. In real life the main light source for millennia has been the sun. Humans have worked out how to judge depth based on the shadows that are portrayed from an object. In 2D films shadows are often used to display depth by casting them across actors faces it allows the viewers to see the recesses and expressions trying to be portrayed. So far all of the methods that have been described for determining depth have been monoscopic, these work independently within each eye. If these were the only methods for determining depth there would be no need for 3D films as it would not add anything because all of these methods could be recreated using a single camera lens. This is not the case however, a lot of the more advanced methods used in human vision for judging depth need the use of both eyes, these are called stereoscopic depth cues. A great deal of stereoscopic depth cues are based around the feedback that your brain gets when the muscles in the eye are manipulated to concentrate your vision on a particular point. One of the main stereoscopic depth cues is called convergence, this referrers to the way that the eyes rotate in order to focus on an object (see figure 2). If the focus is on a near object, the eyes rotate around the Y axis and converge on a tighter angle , similarly if the focus is on a distant object the rotation means the eyes have a wider angle of convergence. It is a lot less stressful on the muscles in the eye to have a wide angle of convergence and look at objects far away, in comparison looking at very close object for any amount of time causes the muscles in the eye to ache. This is a very important factor that should be considered when creating 3D films, as it doesnt matter how good the film is, if it is going to hurt the audience it will not go down well. A second stereoscopic depth cue that we use is called accommodation, this is the way that our eyes changes focus when we look at an object at different distances, it is very closely linked with convergence. Usually when we look at an object very close up, our eyes will change rotation and point towards the object (convergence) allowing us to look at the item, our eyes will at the same time change focus (accommodation). Using the ciliarybody muscles in the eye, the lens will change shape to let more or less light in the same way a camera does, thus changing focus. In everyday life convergence and accommodation usually happen in parallel. The fact that we can, if we wish choose to converge our eyes without changing the focus means that 3D films are possible. When you are sat in the cinema all of the action is projected onto the screen in front of you, so this is where your eyes need to focus. With 2D films the screen is also where your eyes need to converge, but with 3D films this is not the case. When watching a 3D film the focus never changes from the screen, else the whole picture would go out of focus, but objects appear to be in front and behind the screen, so your eyes need to change their convergence to look at these objects without altering their focus from the screen. It has been suggested that this independence of accommodation and convergence is the reason for eye strain when watching a 3D picture as your eyes are doing something that they are not in the habit of doing (see chapter 12: Is 3D bad for you). It is also worth noting that our monoscopic depth cues work at almost any range, this is not the case with stereoscopic depth cues. As objects become further away they no longer appear differently in each eye, so there is no way the brain can calculate a difference and work out depth. The limit occurs in the 100 to 200-yard range, as our discernment asymptomatically tends to zero. In a theatre, we will hit the same limitation, and this will define the depth resolution and the depth range of the screen.(Mendiburu, 2009) This means that when producing a 3D film you have to be aware that the range of 3D that you have to use is not infinite and is limited to 100-200 yards. CHAPTER 3: Early Stereoscopic History (1838 1920) Three dimensional films are not a new phenomenon, Charles Wheatstone discovered, in 1838, that the mechanism responsible for human depth perception is the distance separating the retinas of our eyes . (Autodesk, 2008) In a 12,000 word research paper that Wheatstone presented to the Royal Society of Great Britain he described the stereoscope and claimed as a new fact in his theory if vision the observation that two different pictures are projected on the retinas of the eyes when a single object is seen.(Zone, 2007) Included in the paper were a range of line drawings presented as stereoscopic pairs, these were designed to be viewed in 3D using Wheatstones invention, the stereoscope. Wheatstone was not the first person to look at the possibility of receiving separate views in each eye, In the third century B.C, Euclid in his treatise on Optics observed that the left and right eyes see slightly different views of a sphere'(Zone, 2007). However, Wheatstone was the first person to create a device to be able to re-create 3D images. Between 1835 and 1839 photography was starting to be developed thanks to work from William Fox Talbot, Nicephore Niepce and Louise Daguerre. Once Wheatstone became aware of the photographic pictures that were available he requested some stereoscopic photographs to be made for him. Wheatstone observed that it has been found advantageous to employ, simultaneously, two cameras fixed at the proper angular positions'(Zone, 2007). This was the start of stereoscopic photography. Between 1850 and 1860 work was starting to be done by various people to try and combine stereoscopic photography with machines that would display a series of images very quickly and therefore using persistence of vision to create a moving 3D image. These were the first glimpses of 3D motion. In 1891 a French scientist, Louis Ducos du Hauron patented the anaglyph, a method for separating an image into two separate colour channels and then by wearing glassing with the same colours but on opposite eyes thereby cancelling out the image, thus reproducing one image, but in 3D. Another method used at this time to create 3D was proposed by John Anderton, also in 1891. Andertons system was to use polarisation techniques to split the image into two separate light paths and then employ a similar polarisation technique to divert a separate image to each eye on viewing. One of the main advantages of polarisation over anaglyphs is that they do not lose any colour information, this is due to the fact that both images retain the original colour spectrums. They do however loose luminance. It is common for a silver screen to be necessary, it serves two purposes, firstly the specially designed screen maintains the separate polarisation required for each image. It also reflects more light than conventional screens, this compensates for the loss of luminance. During 1896 and 1897 2D motion pictures started to take off, and by 1910 after a lot of initial experimenting the creative formats of film that we recognise today such as cuts and framing had started to become evident. In 1920 Jenkins, an inventor that worked hard to try and create a method for recreating stereoscopic motion picture was quoted as saying Stereoscopic motion pictures have been the subject of considerable thought and have been attained in several waysbut never yet have they been accomplished in a practical way. By practical, I mean, for example without some device to wear over the eyes of the observer.'(Zone, 2007) It is worth noting that this problem of finding a practical method of viewing 3D has still to a large extent not been solved. Chapter 4: Early 3D Feature Films (1922 1950) 4.1 The first 3D feature film The first 3D feature film, The Power of Love was released in 1922, it was exhibited at the Ambassador Hotel Theatre in Los Angeles. Popular Mechanics magazine described how the characters in the film did not appear flat on the screen, but seemed to be moving about in locations which had depth exactly like the real spots where the pictures were taken(Zone, 2007). The Power of Love was exhibited using red/green glasses using a dual strip anaglyph method of 3D projection. (Anaglyphs are explained in chapter 8.3) The film was shot on a custom made camera invented by Harry K.Fairall, he was also the director on the film. The camera incorporated two films in one camera body.(Symmes, 2006) Power of Love was the first film to be viewed using anaglyph glasses, also the first to use dual-strip projection. Also in 1922, William Van Doren Kelley designed his own camera rig, based on the Prizma colour system which he had invented in 1913. The Prizma 3D colour method worked by capturing two different colour channels by placing filters over the lenses. This way he made his own version of the red/blue anaglyphic print. Kelleys Movies of the Future was shown at Rivoli Theatre in New York City. 4.2 The first active-shutter 3D film A year later in 1923 the first alternate-frame 3D projection system was unveiled. It used a technology called Teleview. Which blocked the left and right eyes periodically in sync with the projector, thereby allowing you to see too separate images. Teleview was not an original idea, but up to this point no one had been able to get the theory to actually work in a practical way that would allow for films to be viewed in a cinema. This is where Laurens Hammond comes in. Hammons designed a system where two standard projectors would be hooked up to their own AC generators, running at 60Hz this meant that adjusting the AC frequency would increase or decrease the speed of the projectors. The left film was in the left projector and right film in the right. The projectors were in frame sync, but the shutters were out of phase sync.'(Symmes, 2006) This meant that the left image was shown, then the right image. The viewing device was attached to the seats in the theatre. It was mounted on a flexible neck, similar to some adjustable gooseneck desk lamps. You twisted it around and centred it in front of your face, kind of like a mask floating just in front of your face. (Symmes, 2006) The viewing device consisted of a circular mask with a view piece for each eye plus a small motor that moved a shutter across in front of either the left or right eye piece depending on the cycle of current running through it. All of the viewing devices were powered by the same AC generator as the projectors meaning that they were all exactly in sync. One of the major problems Hammond had to overcome was the fact that at the time film was displayed at 16 frames per second. With this method of viewing you are effectively halving the frame rate. 8 frames per second resulted in a very noticeable flicker. To overcome this Hammond cut each frame up in to three flashes so the new sequence was: 1L-1R-1L-1R-1L-1-R 2L-2R-2L-2R-2L-2R and so on. Three alternate flashes per eye on the screen. (Symmes, 2006) This method of separating and duplicating certain frames effectively resulted in increasing the overall frame rate thereby eradicating the flicker. There was only one film produced using this method, it was called M.A.R.S and displayed at the Selwyn Theatre in New York City in December 1922. The reason the technology didnt catch on was not due to the image, as the actual theory for producing the image has changed very little from the Teleview method to the current active-shutter methods which will be explained later. As with a lot of 3D methods the reason this one did not become mainstream was due the viewing apparatus that was needed. Although existing projectors could be modified by linking them up to separate AC generator, meaning no extra equipment was needed, the headsets that were required did need a lot of investment and time to install. All of the seats in the theatre needed to be fitted with headsets, these were adjusted in front of the audience members. These also had to be linked up to the AC generator so as they were perfectly in sync, this meant that they had to be wired in to the seats. These problems have since been overcome with wireless technologies such as Bluetooth as will be explained later. 4.3 The first polarised 3D film The next and arguably one of the most important advancements in 3D technology came in 1929 when Edwin H. Land worked out a way of using polarised lenses (Polaroid) together with images to create stereo vision. (Find more on polarisation in chapter 8.6) Lands polarizing material was first used for projection of still stereoscopic images at the behest of Clarence Kennedy, an art history instructor at Smith College who wanted to project photo images of sculptures in stereo to his students. (Zone, 2007) In 1936 Beggars Wedding was released in Italy, it was the first stereoscopic feature to include sound, it was exhibited using Polaroid filters. This was filmed using polarised technology. The first American film to use polarising filters was shot in 1939 and entitled In Tune With Tomorrow, it was a 15 minute short film which shows through stop motion, a car being built piece-by-piece in 3D with the added enhancement of music and sound effects. (Internet Movie Database, 2005) Between 1939 and 1952 3D films continued to me made but with the Great Depression and the onset of the Second World War, the cinema industry was restricted with its output because of finances and as 3D films were more expensive to make their output started to be reduced. Chapter 5: Golden Age of 3D (1952 1955) With cinema ticket sales plummeting from 90 million in 1948 to 40 million in 1951 (Sung, 2009) largely being put down to the television becoming coming in peoples front rooms the cinema industry needed to find a way to encourage the viewers back the big screen, 3D was seen as a way to offer something extra to make viewers return. In 1952 the first colour 3D film was released called Bwana Devil,it was the first of many stereoscopic films to follow in the next few years. The process of combining 3D and colour attracted a new audience to 3D films. Between 1950 and 1955 there were far more 3D films produced that at any other time before or since, apart from possibly in the next couple of years from 2009 onwards, as the cinema industry tries to fight back again against falling figures, this time though because of home entertainment systems, video-on-demand, and legal and illegal movie downloads. Towards the end of the Golden Age, around 1955, the fascination with 3D was starting to be lost. There were a number of reasons for this, one of the main factors was that in order for the film to be seen in 3D it had to be shown on two reels at the same time, which meant that the two reels had to be exactly in time else the effect would be lost and it would cause the audience headaches. Chapter 6: Occasional 3D films (1960 2000) Between 1960 and 2000 there were sporadic resurgences in 3D. These were down to new technologies becoming available. In the late 1960s the invention of a single strip 3D format initiated a revival as it meant that the dual projectors would no longer go out of sync and cause eye-strain. The first version of this single strip 3D format to be used was called Space-Vision 3D, it worked on an over and under basis. This meant that the frame was horizontally split into two, during playback it was then separate in two using a prism and polarised glasses. However, there were major drawbacks with Space-Vision 3D. Due to the design of the cameras required to film in this format, the only major lens that was compatible was the Bernier lens. The focal length of the Bernier optic is fixed at 35mm and the interaxial at 65mm. Neither may be varied, but convergence may be altered'(Lipton, 1982).This obviously restricted the creative filmmaking options and as a result was soon superseded by a new format called Stereovision. Stereovision was similar to Space-Vision 3D in that is split the frame in two, unlike Space-Vision though, the frame was split vertically, and they were placed side-by-side. During projection these frames were then put through an anamorphic lens, thereby stretching them back to their original size. These also made use of the polarising method introduced by Land in 1929. A film made using this process was called The Stewardess, released in 1969, it cost only $100,000 to make but at the cinema it grossed $26,000,000 (Lipton, 1982). Understandably the studios were very interested in the profit margin that arose from this film. As a result 3D once again became an interesting prospect for studios. Up until fairly recently films were still shot and edited using old film techniques (i.e. not digitally). This made manipulating 3D films quite difficult, this lack of control over the full process made 3D less appealing to film makers. The digitisation of post-processing and visual effects gave us another surge in the 1990s. But only full digitisation, from glass to glass from the cameras to projector lenses gives 3D the technological biotope it needs to thrive (Mendiburu, 2009). Chapter 7: The Second Golden Age of 3D (2004 present) In 2003 James Cameron released Ghost of the Abyss, it was the first full length 3D feature film that used the Reality Camera System, which was specially designed to use new high definition digital cameras. These digital cameras meant that the old techniques used with 3D film no longer restricted the work-flow, and the whole process can be done digitally, from start to finish. The next groundbreaking film was Robert Semeckis 2004 animated film Polar Express which was also shown in IMAX theatres. It was released at the same time in 2D and 3D, the 3D cinemas took on average 14 times more money that the 2D cinemas. The cinemas once again took note, and since Polar Express was released in 2004, 3D digital films have become more and more prominent. IMAX are no longer the only cinemas capable of displaying digital 3D films. A large proportion of conventional cinemas have made the switch to digital, this switch has enabled 3D films to be exhibited in a large range of cinemas. CHAPTER 8: 3D TECHNOLOGIES 8.1 3D capture and display methods Each different type of stereoscopic display projects the combined left and right images together onto a flat surface, usually a television or cinema screen. The viewer then must have a method of decoding this image and separating the combined image into left and right images and relaying these to the correct eye. The method that is used to split this image is, in the majority of cases, a pair of glasses. There are two brackets of encoding method, passive and active. Passive means that the images are combined into one and then the glasses split this image in to two separate images for left and right eye. In this method the glasses are cheaper to produce and the expense usually comes in the equipment used to project the image. The second method is active display. This method works by sending the alternative images in a very quick succession (L-R-L-R-L-R), the glasses then periodically block the appropriate eye piece, this is done at such a fast rate that it appears to be continuous in both eyes. There are various different types of encoding encapsulated within each of the two methods mentioned above. The encoding can use either colour separation (anaglyph, Dolby 3D), time separation (active glasses) or polarisation (RealD). A separate method, which does not require the use of glasses is done by using a virtual space in front of the screen and is called autosterescopic. In cinemas across the world at the moment there are several formats that are used to display 3D films. Three of the main distributors are Real-D, iMAX and Dolby-3D. Once a 3D film has been finished by the studios, it then needs to be prepared for exhibition in various different formats, this can include amongst other things colour grading and anti ghosting processes. At present there is not a universally agreed format for capturing or playing back 3D films, as a result there are several different versions, these are explained below. A large majority of the latest wave of 3D technology options send the image using one projector, so removing the old problem of out sync left and right images. The methods that do use dual projectors are much more sophisticated that the older versions used in anaglyphic films so have eradicated the old problems of out of sync projectors. 8.2 Gho

Friday, October 25, 2019

George Orwells Nineteen Eighty-Four 1984 :: Free Essays on 1984

The novel Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell is an American classic which explores the human mind when it comes to power, corruption, control, and the ultimate utopian society. Orwell indirectly proposes that power given to the government will ultimately become corrupt and they will attempt to force all to conform to their one set standard. He also sets forth the idea that the corrupted government will attempt to destroy any and all mental and physical opposition to their beliefs, thus eliminating any opportunity for achieving an utopian society. The novel shows how the government attempts to control the minds and bodies of it citizens, such as Winston Smith who does not subscribe to their beliefs, through a variety of methods. The first obvious example arises with the large posters with the caption of "Big Brother is Watching You" (page 5). These are the first pieces of evidence that the government is watching over its people. Shortly afterwards we learn of the "Thought Police", who "snoop in on conversations, always watching your every move, controlling the minds and thoughts of the people." (page 6). To the corrupted government, physical control is not good enough, however. The only way to completely eliminate physical opposition is to first eliminate any mental opposition. The government is trying to control our minds, as it says "thought crime does not entail death; thought crime is death." (page 27). Later in the novel the government tries even more drastic methods of control . Big Brother’s predictions in the Times are changed. The government is lying about production figures (pages 35-37). Even later in the novel, Syme’s name was left out on the Chess Committee list. He then essentially vanishes as though he had never truly existed (page 122). Though the methods and activities of the government seem rather extreme in Orwell’s novel, they may not be entirely too false. "Nineteen Eighty-Four is to the disorders of the twentieth century what Leviathan was to those of the seventeenth." (Crick, 1980). In the novel, Winston Smith talks about the people not being human. He says that "the only thing that can keep you human is to not allow the government to get inside you." (page 137). The corruption is not the only issue which Orwell presents, both directly and indirectly. He warns that absolute power in the hands of any government can lead to the deprival of basic freedoms and liberties for the people.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Compare and Contrast between Arranged Marriage and Love Marriage Essay

Comparison and Contrast between Arranged Marriage and Love Marriage It is believed that marriages are made in heaven. It might be true while in reality the couples who are married are either in love with one another or the marriages are finalized or arranged by their family members. Debate about whether love marriage or arranged marriage is better is never ending as both sides have their experience and testimony to support the system which suits them. The purpose of this passage is to compare the arranged marriage with love marriage from the aspect of mutual understanding and love; and contrast the two types of marriages from the aspects of differences in expectations and mutual attitudes after the wedding, different reactions from the family. We should be aware that modern arranged marriage isn’t equal to forced marriage. Today parents are more realistic and becoming broad minded enough to accept the choice of their kids in marriage. Arranged marriages are also successful when the parents don’t force their children to marry whom they don’t want to and when the parents support and help their children to find their respective spouses as per their desires and likings. It is definitely wonderful when children are given the right to take a decision themselves on their marriage and also there should be proper arrangements for the first time—this is also called a period of courtship when both of them decide to date and decide to get married. Therefore, love can also be generated between the arranged ones during this period. Since it is true love, it has nothing to do with time. Whether it is a love or arranged wedding, it should be based on love, empathy, responsibility, concern, and commitment. The similarity also exists in the life after the wedding. It calls for a lot of dedication and efforts to carry on the relation. And to support and live happily with each other, both of them need patience, perseverance, and mutual affection and care. Despite the similarities, there are also some obvious differences. The first difference appears in the different expectations and mutual attitudes after the wedding. In the case of arranged marriages, the first few years are spent to know and understand much more deeply about each other’s likes and dislikes. The thrill and excitement of knowing each other, always keeps the couple motivated and positive towards each other. Whereas in the case of love marriages, the bride and the groom have already gotten along with each other for a long time and there are no more space left for the interest or curiosity of knowing more about each other. In the case of arranged marriages, even a small deed of care and forgiveness, leads to the strengthening of the marriage as a bond and the feeling of adjustment and compromise is more compared to the love marriages. While in love ones, the bride and the groom are always in a situation to compromise and the feelings may be no longer fresh and there are a lot of expectations from the life partner, which when left unfulfilled, will lead to quarrels and misunderstandings. For instance, sometimes discords may arise between couples having love marriages. It has come to the fore that after spending a long time together, many couples in love marriages are found to be repenting on their decisions. They find it hard to keep up the nuptial life and at last break the bond to get free. That is why it is reported that the divorce rate for arranged marriages in the traditional countries is much lower than those in the United States, where marriages out of love rule. Moreover, arranged marriages enjoy a clear edge over the love ones also because most parents think that only they are competent in finding the most suitable match for their beloved sons or daughters. Marriage is not just two people coming together but two families uniting to bring two souls together in holy matrimony. In arranged marriages the family or the matchmaker first scrutinizes the possible brides, their family and background and leaves the final decision with the groom or vice versa. The whole family support the matrimony during high and low times. They see to it that the couple is happy with one another at all times. Minor misunderstandings are cleared by advice from seniors who act as relationship managers and marriage councilors. With such an expert team around the couple thrive joyously. Contrarily in arranged marriages, there is a lot of pressure on the couples to meet parental expectations. Apart from the fact that couples in love have to face the challenges of the community and pacify their family members to accept the partner chosen by them, they have to make great efforts if they found their characteristics and family values didn’t fit into the new family. There can also be disputes emerging frequently in love marriages such as producing offspring, taking participation in family rituals, developing great rapport with sisters-in-laws, contributing to family expenses, and so on. As for myself, I’m kind of neutral. Being a girl with unpredictable future, I don’t think I have to depend on my family to find my life-long partner for me. But I do think an arranged marriage isn’t a bad choice when I’m at the marriage age without finding my Mr. Right. At that time an arranged marriage is undoubtedly a choice to widen my social circle as well as introduce me more people and to make both my parents and I happy. In conclusion, arranged marriage and love marriage are different when it comes to the mutual expectations and attitudes as well as family reactions. However, they also share similarities in the vital existence of love and understanding. We should remember that love is a vital element in a marriage, no matter what type or form we follow. It should happen and then bliss will subsequently follow.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Green Day

Green Day is one of the most influential pop punk bands. The band was formed in 1986. They have sold more than 85 million records worldwide.They won many awards and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2015. Early Years Billie Joe Armstrong, the lead singer was born on February 17,1972. He was born around a musical atmosphere since his father was a jazz drummer and his mother loved music. Because of his parents, Billie and his siblings were encouraged to play musical instruments.Michael Ryan Pritchard also known as Mike Dirnt was born on May 4, 1972. He was put up for adoption because of his mother's addiction to heroin. Billie and Mike met in middle school. They formed their own band with John Kiffmeyer in 1986. The band was called the Sweet Children. They were 14 year olds at the time. Band Members Billie Joe Armstrong, Mike Dirnt, and John Kiffmeyer were the original members of the band. John Kiffmeyer soon left in 1990 to attend college and was replaced by Tre Cool. Billie Armstrong, Mike Dirnt, and Tre Cool are still in the band to this day. Past members were Raj Punjabi, Sean Hughes,Aaron Cometbus, and Dave Henwood. Billie Joe dropped out of high school to devote his entire life for the band. Tre Cool also dropped out of highschool when he was a sophomore and dropped out of community college also. However, Mike Dirnt pushed himself to complete his education. Mike Graduated high school and completed more than one year at community college.Breakthrough Success After their breakout album, Kerplunk record labels were interested in the band. They left Lookout! to get signed at Reprise Records. After getting signed, they worked on their album, Dookie. The album became a big success. Their songs â€Å"Longview†,†Basket Case†,and â€Å"When I Come Around† from Dookie were continuously played on MTV. They sold 10 million albums with Dookie. They were nominated for many awards such as American Music Awards and Grammys.Career Green Day first started playing at DIY 924 Gilman Street club in California. They earned some fame at the club and eventually got signed at Lookout! Records. From there, they released Kerplunk and they got big success after. They decided to leave Lookout! to get signed to Reprise Records. After getting signed, they started record Dookie. Like most of their albums, the album was recorded in a few weeks. Dookie was also a big hit but Green Day started to be criticized by other punk fans. They were put on a list of people who were never allowed to play again at DIY Gilman Street. Their albums after Dookie, Insomniac and Nimrod were good but the band was losing some fame. They released Warning and was criticized by critics because they took a different turn in their music but they weren't ready for American Idiot. American Idiot was a huge hit and they continued to make music. Rock and Roll Hall of Fame After 29 years of playing music together in the band, Green Day was inducted into the hall of fame. They were inducted in the first year they were eligible. On April 18,2015 in Cleveland, Ohio,Fall Out Boy inducted them into the hall of fame. They talked about how Green Day changed them and how they wouldn't be a band without them. Then, Billie Joe thanked his band,friends,family and fans for helping him get through everything. Before the induction they played 2 surprise shows in Cleveland.