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Filed under: Tips •

Inspiration from the anti-Google

More and more production professionals are living in a kind of social vacuum as production and post moves from larger companies to small 1 or 2 man boutiques. So for a little inspiration and a feeling that you’re part of a greater whole, I’d suggest checking out StumbleUpon. I know that many of you have probably already become addicted to the steady stream of interesting content provided by StumbleUpon, but for those who have yet to discover the joys of Stumbling, let me introduce you.

If you aren’t already familiar with StumbleUpon,  it’s a social networking site that I like to call “the anti-Google,” because, instead of searching for specific things, StumbleUpon finds “random” things that you would probably not find on your own in the vastness of web-space. These are websites located and voted on by fellow Stumblers.

The biggest drawback of StumbleUpon is that is it easy to waste countless hours of productive time stumbling from one site to another, but the wasted time seems offset by rich discoveries, inspirational videos, great tutorials, articles and other resources that it delivers.

StumbleUpon works by visiting their website (http://www.stumbleupon.com), signing up and choosing various things that interest you, from creative design, to video production, technology, specific computer operating systems, writing, even politics, religion, science and zombies. You can definitely cut increase your signal to noise ratio by carefully limiting your “interests” to those that are professionally relevant. You can also join groups with interests similar to your own, but StumbleUpon groups tend to be more consumer-oriented than professional.

I have been Stumbling for a little over a year and have learned a lot about my little corner of the world and the larger world around me.

Here is list of some of the websites I’ve bookmarked:

Software to help throughout pre-production and production:

http://www.celtx.com/overview.html

Web service for transferring large files (if you’ve outgrown yousendit.com):

http://www.filephile.net/index.php

A list of interesting screenwriting blogs:

http://www.scriptxray.com/2009/07/10/13-screenwriting-blogs-im-reading/

An interesting take on where inspiration comes from:

http://onegoodmove.org/1gm/1gmarchive/2007/07/chuck_palahniuk.html

Hi-tech brushes for Photohop:

http://naldzgraphics.net/freebies/freebies/850-super-cool-tech-brushes-for-photoshop/

Various web resources for creative graphic design:

http://justcreativedesign.com/2008/02/25/99-graphic-design-resources/

Inpiring and creative ways to provide info through graphics:

http://blogof.francescomugnai.com/2009/04/50-great-examples-of-infographics/

Keyboard shortcuts for Mac OSX:

http://ss64.com/osx/syntax-keyboard.html

Website to create your own, free, handwritten fonts:

http://www.yourfonts.com/

More creative writing ideas:

http://www.neilgaiman.com/p/Cool_Stuff/Essays/Essays_By_Neil/Where_do_you_get_your_ideas%3F

Typography tools, including one to figure out the name of a font you like:

http://sixrevisions.com/tools/25-excellent-typography-tools-for-the-serious-designer/

After Effects tutorials:

http://www.instantshift.com/2009/06/17/77-ultimate-round-up-of-adobe-after-effects-tutorials/

Low-budget video and film tips (lighting, grip, skateboard dollies, etc.)

http://www.vidpro.org/tricks.htm

Collection of Photoshop, Flash and other tutorials:

http://tutorialoutpost.com/

Just a Flash website design I liked:

http://www.creaktif.com/

Code for Flash-based web gallery:

http://www.simpleviewer.net/products/

Website for collaborating with clients and virtual colleagues:

http://onehub.com/features/hubs

Well-written post on the genesis of a scene from “Rachel Getting Married”

http://www.wga.org/writtenby/writtenbysub.aspx?id=3490

The future of editing?:

http://www.oblong.com/

People who love Adobe WAY too much:

http://www.mysuitestuff.com/shop.html

Speed up your Mac:

http://www.mactricksandtips.com/2008/08/99-speed-tips-for-a-quick-high-performance-mac.html

Production forms:

http://paulzadie.com/free-stuff/

Click on this and you’ll want one:

http://www.rainerspehl.com/project.php?nr=59

Cool, if you’re a type geek:

http://www.squidspot.com/Periodic_Table_of_Typefaces/Periodic_Table_of_Typefaces_large.jpg

Cool, inspirational video:

http://www.ni9e.com/typo/typo_dylan.html

Applescripts:

http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2009/05/22/mac-hacks-17-applescripts-to-make-your-life-easier/

Inspirational photo manipulations:

http://www.toxel.com/inspiration/2009/03/13/photo-manipulations-by-erik-johansson/

Watch an entire movie in one second:

http://www.brendandawes.com/sketches/redux/

Photoshop tutorials

http://www.hongkiat.com/blog/41-nicest-photoshop-photo-effects-photoshop-tutorials/

Inspirational creative project

http://www.behance.net/Gallery/Make-Something-Cool-Every-Day-2009/171640

Cool website design:

http://www.funneldesigngroup.com/

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