First and Final Frames

A fantastic supercut by Jacob T. Swinney. Structurally speaking a good story begins at the end and ends at the beginning, keeping a cycle going: 

What can we learn by examining only the first and final shot of a film? This video plays the opening and closing shots of 55 films side-by-side. Some of the opening shots are strikingly similar to the final shots, while others are vastly different--both serving a purpose in communicating various themes. Some show progress, some show decline, and some are simply impactful images used to begin and end a film.

The Shadow Ballet: Dancers & Drones

Wired: 

DRONES WILL CHANGE how we ship goods! They’ll revolutionize search and rescue! We hear about these futures all the time. It’s less often that we’re asked to consider how autonomous flying machines might be used for more poetic ends. But, as with any technology, drones can be just as invigorating for art as they are for commerce. “Shadow” is the just the latest example.

Photoshop Experts Using Photoshop 1.0

In honor of the 25th anniversary of Adobe Photoshop, CreativeLive asked 8 Photoshop experts to try their hand at Photoshop 1.0.

"Old/New" - Narrated by Patton Oswalt

Old/New is the story of Drew McHugh, a man whose penchant for the new -- new devices, new fashion, new friends -- is challenged when he discovers the rustic appeal of old-fashioned things. He quickly becomes obsessed with the reclaimed and well-worn - plummeting face-first down the rabbit hole of novelty and nostalgia.

A fantastic short film that serves as a promo reel for Red Giant. 

Red Giant, Seth Worley and Aharon Rabinowitz take you behind the scenes of Old/New below:

Neil Gaiman presents lifetime achievement award to Ursula K. Le Guin at 2014 National Book Awards

For more than forty years, Le Guin has defied conventions of narrative, language, character, and genre, as well as transcended the boundaries between fantasy and realism, to forge new paths for literary fiction. Among the nation’s most revered writers of science fiction and fantasy, Le Guin’s fully imagined worlds challenge readers to consider profound philosophical and existential questions about gender, race, the environment, and society. Her boldly experimental and critically acclaimed novels, short stories, and children’s books, written in elegant prose, are popular with millions of readers around the world.

In recognition of her transformative impact on American literature, Ursula K. Le Guin is the 2014 recipient of the Foundation’s Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters. She is the Foundation’s twenty-seventh award recipient.