Filmmaking Robot credits

The robot puts credits on each of its finished films, which are explained and expanded here. This will probably be boring to people not expecting to be mentioned.

First, it says The Filmmaking Robot rides on Stagecoach buses and uses the CafeNET wireless network. This is true. Then after Robot made by Douglas Bagnall with help from: it breaks into a disordered list, which is rearranged here for flow.

The New Zealand Film Archive held the robot's first show. Many of the staff helped, but the robot particularly mentions Mark Williams, Steve Russell, Lissa Mitchell, and Johnny Morris. Johnny is the technician there; he set up cables and lights and made an aerial stand for the wifi link. Mark organised the exhibition, some talks and a lot of publicity. Steve found timely solutions to a couple of problems. Lissa helped with publicity and signage, and a lot more that is coincidental to her work at the archive. In fairness she should be at the top of the list. Longer credits would thank other Archive staff like Julian Miller for network support, Richard Lomas for technical help, and all the people on the ground floor for supplying coffee and keeping the thing going.

Stagecoach New Zealand is run by Bill Rae (Managing Director), who passed my query on to Ian Turner (Commercial Director), who in turn consulted Allan Cannell (Engineering Director). None of them turned me away, which is enough for a director to get in the credits. Allen introduced me to Dave Drew at Stagecoach's Kibirinie Workshop, who arranged for Earl Anderson to install the eyes for me. Earl is perhaps the most experienced bus electrician in the country and was patient and interested during hours of fiddly work. Kelvin Porter helped Earl on occasion. Linda Pickett sent some logos and stuff to me for publicity. Not mentioned are the drivers, or the inspectors, or any of the other people who make buses work.

The Screen Innovation Production Fund is a branch of Creative New Zealand, or something. They gave me \$19,500, without which I could not have started.

Citylink Ltd run the CafeNET network, which the robot had free use of. One of the network admins there, Simon Blake, has probably taught me more about computers and networks than anyone else. Jonny Martin tracked the robot's eyes around the city when they seemed to be lost. Richard Naylor speaks about video and networks with a blend of imagination and knowledge. Neil de Wit, as Managing Director, would get credit just for not saying no, but he also actually quite encouraging. Damien Fahey sent logos and stuff, as Linda Pickett did for Stagecoach. Nathan Lynch was just one of the people hanging around the Citylink office being helpful and enthusiastic; he is included as an example, perhaps because he sits closest to the back door.

Charles Bagnall made the box.

David Preece writes advanced video compression software, and was happy to explain how bits of it work.

Mark Cubey, as acting manager of Fringe New Zealand, lent me a piece of office to work in during the final weeks of construction.

David Hall lent his mind for the training of a neural network.

In 2003 I was Digital Artist in Residence at the Screen and Media Department of Waikato University, where I learnt some of the algorithms used by the robot.

Emma Bugden is a curator at City Gallery Wellington. She organised Telecom Prospect 2004, where the robot was first exhibited. It was really quite a good show.

The entire project, indeed the entire world, depends upon the authors of Linux, Python, gcc, Mplayer, v4l, PIL, etc. Really.

Of all the people known as and many others, I should especially mention Katipo Communications, who, apart from hosting this site, gave me a job for 4 years and taught me how to use a computer.