Category Archives: Movies

Check out my Podcast interview

A couple of weeks ago I did a Podcast interview… regarding my independent films! Yes, not my videogame work for a change. Gasp! Shocking, I know. Well, there’s a first time for everything.

Part 1 of my interview is now online at One Man Down Productions! Remember you don’t need an actual iPod to listen to a Podcast – it downloads as an MP3 so even your garden-variety Windows 98 machine will run it. Opens in WinAmp, Media Player, etc. It’s about 15 minutes long, easy to squeeze into a lunch hour.

We discuss Lizard of Death and start talking about Port Washington. I enjoy these kind of interviews because unlike TV or for magazines I can just ramble with no real structure or time constraints.

Part 2 of the interview will be out in a week and include more PW info, plus the part where the interview comes to a screeching halt as I ask about a new kind of Hi-Def camera. I think we also talk about spray paint, video compression, hot glue and special FX so it should be quite riveting! I’ll post and let you know when it’s up.

5 year anniversary of this site plus a snazzy new design!

As you can obviously see I have updated the look of my site. I was getting tired of the old one and I felt it required too much “digging” for a person to find everything. You see, I think it’s quite important for people to spend entire lunch hours (or work hours, I don’t really care which) reading through all the stuff I’ve ever written on here. Therefore it’s my duty to make this as easy and painless as possible, kind of like web-enabled Novocain. Plus the site looks, um, SO professional now if your boss walks by they’ll obviously think you’re just downloading printer drivers or something.

  In other news… Break out the cake mix and candles leftover in the cupboard – it’s the 5 year anniversary of this site being online! (Well, accurate to within about a week or two) It actually seems like it’s been a lot longer than that since I started doing this stuff, but oh well. I’m still doing it and that’s the important thing! Now back to this site re-design… 

What has changed / Impromptu Tour:

bullet

The side frames are gone, but top header frame still linger… It takes up less screen space and uses icons (just like above) for quick navigation and coming back here to the homepage.

bullet

White text on a dark background has been been 86’d, torpedoed and sent to Davy Jones’s locker. Now it’s black on white text, just like a book or something!

bullet

Better-looking “Quick Link” buttons are now found at the top right of the page. Granted you can get to the same features from the sidebars (more on those in a moment) but it’s always good to have colorful, iconic links somewhere on your page. Here’s what they do:

Pac-Man vomits binary - Film at 11This Pac-Man looking dude spewing binary is the link to the benheck.com Forums. This is becoming an ever-increasingly popular section so now there’s a quick way to get in there and have your videogame discussion fix.

Yellow jaundiced envelope strikes the Heartland!

  Get this – clicking the envelope lets you send me email! (Please do not ask if your Game Gear can be used for anything other than a doorstop – it can’t) Also check the “What’s For Sale” section (on the sidebar to the lower left) before emailing me about buying stuff. If it’s not on that list it’s not for sale. (This list can and will change however)

The website for my book


Wow this icon looks like my book cover! (Remember don’t purchase books without covers) Click this icon to visit my book’s website.

I make movies too - check 'em out!

  I also have the insane hobby of making independent films. You can click this camera icon (which of course looks nothing like the actual cameras I use) to read about the films, downloads trailers and even order them on DVD if you are so inclined.

Goto the Videogames section

  A bit redundant, I’ll admit. Clicking this icon brings up a page of all the portable game systems I’ve worked on thus far. (Pretty much the same as the sidebar)

When you go anywhere on this site you’ll see this icon at the top. Clicking it returns you here, to the homepage. Press it once you’re done reading or bored with an article so you can come back here for more!

Other changes:

bullet

Check out the side bars! (On the sides 😉 They won’t provide you with a gin and tonic but it does have links to every article, movie information page and videogame project on this entire site. Note how it has fake blue transparency, pretty futuristic, eh?

bullet

Site Search link added to top of right-hand sidebar. Sure my old site design had a “search” feature but this one has a magnifying glass icon as well! You simply cannot get any more high-tech than that.

bullet

Paragraph indents and left justification will now be used on pages instead of the “center justified 1994-era nOOb web” crap. My high-school English teacher would be proud (I’m sure she checks this site every day) On that same note it’s now black text on light backgrounds instead of vice-versa.

bullet

One day I woke up and realized not everyone runs their monitor at 1600×1200 like me. So I modified the site to look the same in all resolutions (It must be an OK practice, Yahoo does it… right?) If you DO run higher-res you’ll doubtlessly have empty space on the sides. Think of it as extra Post-It note room!

  Alright, well I hope this new layout is agreeable on everyone’s stomachs. Let me know what you think! Have fun…

-Ben (Site Director / Guy Who Does all this Stuff)

Update on the status of things…

Sorry it’s been a couple weeks since an update. Here’s what’s going on:

  • I’m working on the final audio leveling for “Port Washington” as I wait for the music to be completed (which should be soon) Then I can just plop in the score as it’ll be done!
  • A couple new portables are on the way, including one nobody would probably ever expect (and no, it’s not an Xbox)
  • Still selling Phoenixes! And I’m considering another type of portable to make lots of as well.

It’ll probably be another week or two before I have anything new to report, but more stuff is on the way – that’s for certain!

In the meantime if you’re hankering for some good ol’ fashioned Ben writing why not check out my friend’s movie review site “A Fistful of Reviews” (dot com) I’ve been writing the occasional movie review for him over there as well as a “weekly rant” where I complain about current events in the entertainment world, movies and games. A word of caution – the writing I do for that site is a bit more, hm, “caustic” than what appears here and is better inclined for older readers.

Port Washington “Making Of” page in progress

In order to pump people up for the inevitable release of Port Washington I have begun work on a “Port Washington Making Of” page. This covers the entire process, from idea to screenplay to storyboards to filming to effects. If you’re curious about low-budget filmmaking, PW or movies in general it might be of interest. Sure, some of this stuff will be on the DVD, but that’s not out yet!

The first 2 articles and a video are up now, and I hope to get the rest online before mid-February. Enjoy!

Oh, I also found enough case parts to build 1 more CNC SNES portable. If interested, click the Buy Portables link on the left for details.

Port Washington (The Movie) nearing completion

As of this writing we’ve been actively working on Port Washington for 3 years and 11 days. Granted it hasn’t been a solid working 3 years as I took 3 months off from it in 2003 (to make portables and take a break) and 6 months off last year (to write my book) but still… a long time.

And now it’s actually almost done. All the shots are filmed, all the visual FX are done and almost all of the audio is in place. All that remains is the musical score and a bit of looping…

If you’d like to read more about this and other film projects I’ve worked on check out the Movies section by linking the link to your left. Lizard of Death is already available on DVD and hopefully I’ll get The Adventure Double Pack (Both of my “Adventure” movies on 1 DVD – what a deal!) ready soon as well.

3 Videogame Movies they SHOULD make!

Every year we get “treated” to the latest movie based off a videogame. Have you ever wished they’d make one that’s actually GOOD? Maybe they’re just picking the wrong games?

Here, for your surf-at-work-when-its-slow reading enjoyment is MY picks for the 3 Videogames that would make great movies! I know this isn’t portable-related, but it’s an article I’ve been meaning to write for quite some time, so enjoy!

In other news, I am wrapping up work on my movie (not based off a videogame) so I should be able to spend more time with the site and portable building soon! Also look for cool new announcements later this week!

Yes, an update

Fear not! I still function. Just wanted to drop a line and let you all know I’m still kickin’. Here’s what’s been up:

Been working pretty constantly on my film, scripting & storyboarding January-February and filming since May. Going pretty good so far, though who will really know until it’s finally done! I don’t have a site going for it yet, but here are some pics. (Yes, it’s in widescreen)

(CHECK PORT WASHINGTON MOVIE PAGE)

I am actually thinking about attempting a portable GameCube (at the moment) although I still suspect the power consumption may be too high. Once this blasted movie is finished I’m sure I’ll want a change of pace so expect SOME sort of system out of me!

‘Til we meet again!