I was genuinely surprised by the lack of people because the swell was pumping and lighting up nooks and crannies all down the coast. On the way out to San Bartolo, I had passed numerous filthy pounding beach breaks. Only a few of them had surfers and the most polluted looking spots were dead empty.

San Bartolo was a little more promising, with cleaner water that was still menacingly black-green. Urchins cover the rocks in this area but there is little danger of sharks. The waves break over boulders and cobblestones at a variety of depths.

We stayed with Antonio at Penascal Surf Hotel. He had a nephew in town from Huntington so we agreed to surf together since there was no one else around. We walked to El Huayco and checked it out. There were two other surfers in the lineup and they didn’t appear to be going for any of the waves. It looked clean and about 3-4ft from our vantage point. We walked down and as we got closer, the waves were more like 4-6ft and rifling down the beach.

The nephew told me to time the sets and jump off the rocks. I watched for a few minutes and then jumped, paddling fast to get off the rocks. As I paddled a little further out, I saw a set appear in front of me and I instantly knew I was going to get beat. It wasn’t a huge wave, but the top half broke and then folded onto itself again while picking up speed, right in front of me.

I dove as best I could and got smashed to the bottom. I bumped off the rocks on the bottom and wasn’t particularly concerned until I realized I still wasn’t at the surface. I was used to surfing smaller waves and I had a habit of exhaling most of my air during a bail but then I would be on the surface again. Not so in this case.

I was still near the bottom and couldn’t tell which way was up. It was very dark and I could feel I was in an aerated part of the wave since I couldn’t make any progress paddling. As the last gasp of air left my mouth, I just stayed calm and held my breath. I literally repeated the words “stay calm” in my head. Eventually I popped to the surface and took a deep gasp of air.

My chest hurt like hell! I couldn’t catch my breath once I had come up and I was both trying to get more air and paddle out of the impact zone. Having been weakened by that set, I looked over my shoulder just as another one mowed me down. I was being pushed down the point by this stage, still gasping for air.

Meanwhile the nephew had just now started paddling out to the lineup and easily avoided the sets. Lesson learned, let the local go first.

As I worked my way down the line, I still couldn’t breath properly. I had been cleaned up twice and was hoping not to have to endure a third when I noticed a submerged boulder on the inside. As the waves sucked back out to sea, a rock the size of an older VW Beetle would appear right in the trough. As soon as I saw the rock, I had a feeling we would meet.

I struggled to keep moving down the point so I could find an exit to the beach and catch my breath. The shoreline was angled down and the waves were pounding the beach to smithereens. I kept an eye on the boulder and paddled as fast as I could with no breath to get past it. Naturally, I got caught by a wave and bounced right over the boulder, rolling on my back across the top.

This latest challenge surmounted, I kept moving and then made a break for the beach as soon as I saw an opening. I then sat on the beach for a while, catching my breath and watching Antonio’s nephew carve a few head high sets. Despite the feeling of nearly drowning, I was back in the water later in the day and this time, I let the local go first.

The online campaign for The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian will give users a fully interactive experience as they re-enter the beloved world that they encountered in The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. Similar to the experience of the Pevensie children in the film, users will be struck by the changed appearance of their well-known and loved world. Over a thousand years have passed, and Narnia is imprisoned by a false king who has nearly driven all magic out. Traveling through the site brings restoration and revolution to Narnia.  With each click of the mouse, the user brings magic back to each new environment.

Upon entering this forsaken land, users will heed a calling to join the captive and displaced Narnians in a fight for their freedom – as they conspire to restore Narnia to its true glory.  The ultimate goal and final mission in restoration will be to find Aslan, the true king of Narnia.

With the aid of the Kings and Queens of Old and the emergence of Prince Caspian, the Narnians are challenged to overthrow the tyrannical King Miraz, and restore Narnia to the country it was meant to be.  The website will bring forth a similar charge – asking users to become a member of the TRUE NARNIAN UNDERGROUND and help reinstate freedom in Narnia.

When the user “returns” to Narnia, they see the familiar castle of Cair Paravel in ruins and the apple tree that the children once planted has grown into a wild orchard, overrun and untended.  When users scroll over these new sights in Narnia, they get a glimpse of what it looks like restored while they hold the scroller on different aspects of the environment. When the scroller is lifted, Narnia returns to ruins.  The user gets a call to action to restore Narnia and join the Narnian Underground to reclaim their land. They do so with Queen Susan’s Horn of Freedom.  Each time they sound the horn, Narnians come out of hiding and bind together to reclaim their land.

Who can resist the zany antics of the comically talented Jim Carrey! Jim seems like the kind of guy that no matter what crazy thing you asked him to do…he’d do it! Users will have the opportunity to do just that. The homepage will feature a large bobble head version of Jim Carrey readily awaiting his first task. The user will click on any of the activity buttons below Jim, thus transitioning to an animation of him performing the selected action. Who would think that with the click of just one button, you can make Jim dance, juggle or bungee jump! The great thing is, being that Jim is a newly transformed “Yes Man”, he will say yes to whatever activity the user chooses!

Interactive Trailer common elements

-        Timed hot spots will appear over the trailer which prompt the user to hover, click or press arrow keys to continue through the trailer.
-        Points will be awarded based on timing and precision.
-        When a user misses a move, the trailer will shake, and blood will start creeping over the edges of the video.
-        If the user gets through to the end of the trailer and collects a certain amount of points, they unlock exclusive content.
-        This interactive trailer allows users to post scores to Facebook, challenge friends to beat their score, and view a leader board.

Possible trailers:

The Finale
The final battle sequence between the Titans and the Immortals is ripe with action and perfect for an interactive trailer. Hotspots with arrows would appear on the screen during action or puzzle-solving moments. Users will have to hover over the hotspot and press the indicated arrow key at the right time to progress through the trailer.

Theseus and the Minotaur
This trailer would be a montage showcasing the sequence from the film where Theseus battles the Minotaur. Functionality would be the same as ‘The Finale’.

Theseus and Hyperion
Utilizing footage from when Theseus and Hyperion battle for the final time, users will help decide the fate of the Immortals. Users will hit buttons in certain combinations at the correct times, stringing along different moves in succession to earn combo points and progress through the scene. Trailers could be made more complex by requiring users to perform swipe/drag gestures for climb and jump moves.

The studio is where users will jump into the role of game designer to create and save their own games. The primary game design will be a roller coaster construction kit showcasing Phineas and Ferb. Users will be able to build a working rollercoaster from track parts, as well as adding obstacles and rewards.

In order to add some element of uniqueness to the roller coaster levels, we will introduce a couple variables that will make the game play more interesting. The coaster itself will have the ability to jump on the track or use a turbo boost. This will make user-created obstacles more meaningful and level design more interesting.

The coaster will have the ability to fall off the track so user designs will need to take this into account. Additionally, each of the coaster track parts will have a speed rating from 1-10. Users will need to create their tracks so it the coaster can make it all the way around. For instance if the user creates a long straightaway and then a big incline, the coaster will not have enough speed to make it up the hill.

The user will also place rewards (coins, etc) on the track in harder to reach places. These rewards will help with the scores and add a sense that even though there is nothing to win per se, there is still a level of competition. For instance the player may need to jump at a certain time in order to collect the coin.

These characteristics should be enough to allow for creativity and originality as well as rewarding craftsmanship.

Users will have the ability to drag and drop various props directly into their game level. This easy to use interface will feature various libraries of elements for each game, for instance:

• Characters (Phineas, Ferb, Candace, Perry)
• Props (obstacles, decorations)
• Themes or character skins
• Backgrounds and locations
• Power-ups or special character skills (when applicable)
• Background music and audio themes

Additional libraries and elements can be added to the Studio Toolbox at any time to keep things fresh and exciting.

STORYLINE CREATOR

In addition to the primary game creation system, users will add their own unique story lines to their created games using a similar system of libraries and pre-fabricated elements.

Pre-generated animations and storyboard elements would be available to build the cut-scenes. Pre-generated phrases will be drag and drop-able so that dialogue can be added with ease. Using a scalable list of phrases rather than specific individual words will aid the moderation process because there will be less opportunity to create inappropriate sentences.

To create the story flow, the user will be able to choose different frames (or shots) in sequence using a storyboard interface. They will then tailor each shot or frame based on their library selections. The game creator will compile the entire sequence and render it into a named cut scene that will be available in the main game creator library.

Once the cut scene is rendered and ready, users can drag and drop that element within their levels anywhere they choose. The element will act as a trigger, starting the cut scene when the player reaches that place in a level.

Depending on how much flexibility we have with the rating system, we could split the game ratings into several categories with an overall score for ranking purposes. For example, the user could rate a game based on the following three aspects:

• Game play
• Storytelling
• Fun Factor

This would encourage more active participation in the storytelling aspect since it would count toward the final score.

We’ll create an animated street fighter style game in that will work across multiple platforms including Mac/PC and Android. Users will be able to fight as d’Artagnan and receive special training from their companion musketeers, Athos, Porthos and Aramis. D’Artagnan will fight against the Cardinal, the Duke and the deceitful M’Lady De Winter. Beating each mini-boss will give d’Artagnan access to a new and unique special attack.

Users will gain points for each hit on the enemy and for each block. They will lose points each time they are hit or the other user blocks them. The player and enemy will also have a health bar and winning will entail getting that health to zero before time runs out. If time runs out, the opponent with the highest health score will win.

In addition to standard sword fighting tactics, d’Artagnan will have unique special moves that they can use on opponents. These special moves can be triggered by specific key sequences and will be more powerful than standard attacks.

TRAINING LEVELS

ARAMIS’ LUNGE – Forward->Forward->Attack
Lunges with a strong attack at the opponent.

ATHOS’ COUNTER-ATTACK (Riposte) – Parry->Attack
Done in quick succession, this defends against an attack and assures an effective counter-strike.

PORTHOS’ THUNDEROUS GUARD PUNCH – Back->Up->Attack
This damaging blow strikes the opponent with the bell guard of the sword.

MINI-BOSS SPECIAL ATTACKS

M’LADY DE WINTER – Cross attack – Up->Down->Attack->Attack
Performs a devastating double slash attack that cuts through any parry.

THE DUKE – Musket – Back->Down->Attack
Draw and shoot a musket at your opponent.

THE CARDINAL – Crossbow attack – Back->Down->Attack
Draw and shoot a crossbow at your opponent.

One of my worst rookie injuries started on a sunny 4^th of July weekend. I took off on a clean head-high right, riding over cobblestone point nearly all the way to the beach. Kicking out before the shore dump, I smiled and paddled back up the point. I looked back quickly to see if my wife, sitting on the beach, caught the wave. These were early days and every ride was a testament to my growing ability.

Another wave broke in front of me just as I started the paddle out. I dove deep, instantly crushing a finger between my board and a barnacle covered rock. I cringed in pain as I examined the mangled finger. It was covered in blood and bits of rocky debris. I couldn’t tell if I had split it down the center or if I would need stitches.

I looked up from my painful finger gazing just in time to see another wave jacking up in front of me. Not wanting to duck-dive again, nor wanting to ditch, I tried to turtle my short board at the last moment. I was seconds too late as the lip caught tip of my board and flipped it. I felt a fin hit the side of my calf with force and stick into my leg like a knife on a cutting board.

I popped back out of the water and touched my leg. There was a three-inch hole and my hand came back covered in blood. I looked back at the packed beach and searched for a lifeguard amidst the holiday tanners. They were all way too far away and no other surfer in the water had noticed my bloody yard sale.

I was close to the impact zone and needed to get moving quickly. I grabbed my board with one hand and covered the hole on my leg with the other. I kicked with one leg, dodging a few sets and got closer with each anxious minute.

As I neared the beach, I called out to other swimmers. I calmly asked a woman and her small boy to notify a lifeguard and they both stared back at me, not saying a word. I ignored them and continued kicking until I washed ashore.

My wife noticed the commotion and I shouted for her to get a lifeguard.

“For who?” She responded. “For me!” I said.

I was growing impatient as my leg thumped with blood. My crusty finger was all but forgotten. An off-duty lifeguard saw my struggle and sprang into action. He pulled me up the sand while my wife ran to get the lifeguard. I uncovered my leg and my hand was covered in blood. A crowd gathered to watch them wrap it up and prep me for the ride to the hospital.

After the trip to the emergency room, I had some time to contemplate what went wrong. Any experienced surfer will see the mistakes I made instantly, lessons learned and earned through blood, sweat and surf.

In shallow waters, don’t duck dive deep. If you’re caught inside on a shallow reef section, do a more shallow duck dive, holding closer to the nose of your board and pushing through the whitewater more. Watch your hands!

Always pay attention to what the ocean is doing, no matter what. Plenty of surfers chat in the lineup or toss seaweed at each other, but you always need to be alert and aware of what the ocean is doing. She doesn’t like it when you ignore her, nor when you turn your back on her for too long. That’s where cleanup sets come from.

Even if you’re injured, you need to be aware of your situation and move to safety as calmly as you can. In my case, my wife told me afterwards that she didn’t rush to get a lifeguard because I seemed too calm to be the one injured. If you are in pain, make sure you let people know!

Respecting the ocean at all times is the surest way to avoid mistakes and skip learning the hard way!

OVERVIEW:

“Nobody ever gets older and wishes they spent less time with their kids” – Imagine That

Evan Danielson sees the world as all grownups do: mergers, acquisitions and work, work, work. His daughter Olivia sees the world as only children can, through the eyes of imagination. When these two worlds suddenly collide, Evan realizes there may be more to this world than his adult eyes can behold and that his grownup problems may have solutions within his daughter’s imaginary land.

Join Evan on his journey of rediscovering what it means to be a father and a grownup in this charming romp through a child’s eye view of the world with imaginary friends, princesses and foes. Users will engage, play and learn about this film and its characters through this captivating and enchanting web experience, replete with games, activities and information galore.

DESIGN CONCEPTS

This design will focus on the contrasting daydream world of Olivia and the business world of Evan and Whitefeather. Key art from the movie will be the focus, with silhouettes of the Queen, The Princesses and the Dragon peeking out from the background. Animations will make the princesses’ tiara sparkle or have fire shoot out from the dragons’ mouth when the user rolls over Olivia or Evan respectively.

Some of the text content will be presented on business paper with official looking letterheads and graphs stacked on top of one another. The user will be prompted to take their magic blanket and scrub their mouse over the content, revealing hidden drawings and characters. Similar to how invisible ink works, the user will be able to control how they see this underlying fantasy world and can reset the content at any time. We have also provided alternate comps without the business papers in case that might seem a little too messy or too mature.

Some pages featuring Evan and Whitefeather would also make use of audio quotes (“the man whisperer”, Evan singing, etc) for comedic effect. Combined with the hidden fantasy elements it will create a light-hearted fairy tale atmosphere that appeals to both children and their parents.

CONTENT TRANSITIONS

If we have the opportunity to green screen Olivia, we can create transitions between content with her running across the screen carrying her blanket and trailing stardust. This will imbue the site with a sense of her youthful excitement and imagination.

Another idea would be to utilize just the animated blanket and trailing stardust to go from one section to another. This naturally ties in to the magic and the symbolism of the film and would not rely on green screen.

DOWNLOADS

Coloring Storybook
Users will be able to download and print a PDF coloring book featuring images drawn from the film. Some examples of images would be line art similar to the kind Olivia creates in the film, the title treatment and fantasy characters that kids of all ages will love to work on. Parents and children can get creative and color these images any way they want!

Printable Stickers
Users will have access to downloadable PDF sticker sheets featuring the title treatment, key art from the film, Olivia’s blanket, or a dancing Evan and print them out right at home. Trade the stickers at school and share with family and friends! Instructions on how to print on sticker paper will be included so Mom or Dad can help.

GAMES, ACTIVITIES, EDUCATION

CONNECT THE DOTS
All kids love connect the dots, it allows them to create a drawing that will look just like the pros! Users will be able to print out images from the film and connect the dots to finish the picture. The images will be overlaid onto business papers and graphs and users can “mess up” the notes, just like how Olivia does in the film. Top it off by adding color and you’ve just created your next masterpiece!

ASK YOUR IMAGINARY FRIEND (Magic 8-Ball)
Players will be able to ask their imaginary friend any question. Animation based around the stardust from the goo-ga will fill the screen and the answer will appear from the swirling sparkles. You can ask your imaginary friend anything! Users will have the option of sharing the wisdom of their imaginary friend through Facebook and MySpace or via email to a friend.

FACESHAPER
Taking cue from a key scene of the movie, users will be able to play with the picture morpher just like Evan and Olivia. After uploading a photo, users will be able to twist, turn, shrink, and expand their photo into new and funny images. Save your images in a flip book, use it as your buddy icon, or upload it as your photo on MySpace or Facebook. Don’t forget to send the funny picture to family and friends!

ROCK THE BOAT!
Aboard The Black Pearl, users are instructed to make Jack Sparrow rock it from side to side until the crew follows him, causing barrels and items on the boat to rock with it. Pressing the space bar makes Jack jump.  Each level is increasingly harder with more obstacles to avoid and more characters to toggle between. Using the A, S and D buttons on the keyboard, players can toggle between the characters. The computer will control any additional characters.  If Jack Sparrow is successful, the user is rewarded with a video clip after each level.

Read the script here!