Xtranormal
Xtranormal is a website that hosts text-to-speech based computer animated videoclips, featuring animated three-dimensional characters speaking in monotone computer voices.[1] Users who log into the site may create videos by scripting the dialog and choosing from a menu of camera angles and predesigned characters and scenes.[1][2][3][4] Xtranormal videos may also be created through an interface on the Youtube web site,[2] and Xtranormal's animation software, called State, may be downloaded free and run offline.[4]
Xtranormal launched in June 2010, after four years of earlier software development.[3] Although it was originally intended as a way for filmmakers to quickly produce storyboards,[1] its emphasis shifted towards satires of workplace misbehavior after one of its videos, about a cellphone salesman, went viral.[1][2][5][6]
In 2010, the short movie Sleeping with Charlie Kaufman by director J. Roland Kelly, animated entirely with Xtranormal, premiered at the Little Rock Film Festival and was shown at The Rome International Film Festival in Rome, Georgia.[7] Xtranormal videos form a recurring feature on the late night Fox talk show Red Eye w/ Greg Gutfeld, and have been featured as part of a GEICO advertising campaign.[8]On July 31, 2013, Xtranormal was shut down officially.
References
[change | change source]- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Stein, Jeannine (April 24, 2011), "Using video to combat job stress: On Xtranormal, a movie site, people let off steam by satirizing their workplaces", Los Angeles Times: A22.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Newman, Jared (March 24, 2011), "Make Your Own Cartoons and Slideshows on YouTube", Time.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Albrecht, Chris (October 8, 2008), Xtranormal Launches Text-to-Movie Making, gigaom, archived from the original on April 15, 2011, retrieved January 16, 2012.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Grotta, Sally Wiener; Grotta, Daniel (April 2, 2010), "Make Bobbleheaded Animations Easily With Freebie Xtranormal State", PC World[permanent dead link].
- ↑ Humphries, Matthew (July 2, 2010), Best Buy suspends employee for making funny iPhone 4 vs HTC Evo video, Geek.com, archived from the original on December 12, 2011, retrieved January 16, 2012.
- ↑ Siegler, MG (Jul 1, 2010), Best Buy Trying To Fire Employee Over Those Hilarious EVO Versus iPhone Videos, TechCrunch.
- ↑ Sleeping with Charlie Kaufman on IMDb
- ↑ Hart, Hugh (October 26, 2010), "Video: Robo-Talking Superhero Ad Uses Text-to-Voice Trick", Wired.