Hand Tool stuck in Adobe Photoshop

Recently I was working in Adobe Photoshop CS3 (this also happens sometimes when I swap back into Photoshop 7.0 to work with imageready) for a client’s animated gif advertising campaign, all of a sudden my Photoshop wouldn’t display anything but the “hand” icon. No matter what tool I selected, I would always have the hand tool icon. Not a single tool would work other than the locked hand tool. This happens occasionally to me so I figure a short article is due. I can’t be the only one, right?

Here are a few solutions to the infamous adobe photoshop hand tool stuck or froze problem… (please make a comment as to whether these were helpful)

1. Simply press the Space Bar. (it took me a while to find this one but it seems to resolve the issue frequently)
2. Try restarting Photoshop. Many other sources claim it is a memory problem.
3. If that doesn’t work, try clearing the menus and settings in your windows menu (this is Photoshop CS3 i’m working in).
4. If that fails go for a full system reboot.

Perhaps a corrupted preferences file is the problem – especially if rebooting photoshop and your computer isn’t helping.

In my case I tend to work with several programs running simultaneously since I like to multi-task along with listening to my itunes. Memory is most likely the issue and from what I’ve researched this is commonly solved restarting. If you want to go the extra step you could increase your memory allowance in the Adobe Photoshop preferences. (Edit/Preferences/Memory and Image Cache. Mine is cache level 4 and maximum memory usage 75%. My computer has a modest 2048 MB of system memory which seems to be enough at most times.) Hopefully many people can resolve the hand tool issue by pressing the space bar. It has not failed for me yet.

Bugatti Veyron and 3 generations of Ferrari

Bugatti Veyron and 3 generations of Ferrari

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Video: 100 Years of Visual Effects Inspiration

Visual Effects: 100 Years of Inspiration. A collection of clips and making-of footage from notable visual effects films of the past century.

Sam Rockwell, MOON, Great Performance, Oscar? I'm just saying. Spread the word.

A case study in making things happen. many believe that Sam Rockwell’s performance in sleeper hit MOON deserves an Oscar nod. Below Duncan Jones director of the Moon takes this belief one step further and chats with LAGenX.

Something that Duncan Jones doesn’t mention that is if you
want to see more great inventive film making like MOON.
These guys need our support. Spread the word!

More info & deets on getting involved can be found on Duncan Jones’ blog here!

Living legend Ray Harryhausen signing at Forbidden Planet London

RAY HARRYHAUSEN and TONY DALTON will be signing An Animated Life at the Forbidden Planet Megastore, 179 Shaftesbury Avenue, London, WC2H 8JR, on Saturday 24th October 1 – 2pm.

The last great animator before the introduction of CGI, Ray’s book takes us through sixty years of bringing dreams to life. From harpies and skeletons in Jason and the Argonauts to the six-armed Kali in Sinbad, Ray explains the films’ journeys, from original concept through to the critics’ reviews, as well as the basics of special effects and stop-motion animation. Now re-issued in softcover, An Animated Life is a wonderland guide through a golden age of SFX magic.

Mr Harryhausen is responsible for the barrier breaking animation in much loved classic films such as; Clash of the Titans, Sinbad and the Eye of the Tiger, The Golden Voyage of Sinbad, One Million Years B.C., First Men in the Moon, Jason and the Argonauts, Mysterious Island, The 3 Worlds of Gulliver, The 7th Voyage of Sinbad and many more.

Where
Forbidden Planet London Megastore
179 Shaftesbury Avenue, London, WC2H 8JR

When
1-2pm Sat 24 Oct, 2009

Short Film: "We Were Once A Fairytale" Dir: Spike Jonze

“We Were Once A Fairytale” is a short film directed by Spike Jonze and made in collaboration with Kanye West. Shot a year ago it does seem that Life is imitating art.

The 2009 David Lean Lecture given by Atom Egoyan

The David Lean Lecture

The lecture series serves to carry on the legacy of the great director David Lean, one of the founders of the British Film Academy (as it was then known) in 1947 and continuing inspiration to many through his exceptional body of work. The David Lean Lecture in 2007 was presented by American Director David Lynch.

Previous lectures have been delivered by:
2007: David Lynch
2006: Oliver Stone
2005: Woody Allen
2004: John Boorman
2003 Ken Loach
2002 Robert Altman
2001 Sydney Pollack

The 2009 lecture will be given by Atom Egoyan. Over the course of three decades at the forefront of the international film industry, Egoyan has become one of contemporary cinema’s most celebrated auteurs. With feature films including The Adjuster, Calendar, Exotica, The Sweet Hereafter, Felicia’s Journey, Ararat, Where the Truth Lies and 2008’s Adoration Egoyan has garnered countless prizes and nominations, led by Grand Prix and International Critics Awards from the Cannes Film Festival and two Oscar® nominations for The Sweet Hereafter.

Egoyan’s elegant and inventive films feature lonely hearts and isolated figures of unfulfilled desire in often surreal and gloomy scenarios, yet all of his characters are redeemed by his extraordinary compassion for them and insight into their thoughts and feelings. His films are a rare mix of intellect, style and great heart.

Following the UK premiere of his Chloe at the London Film Festival, Egoyan joins the Academy for the prestigious Lean Lecture. With generous support by the Lean Foundation, the lecture is an event in which the world’s most celebrated and compelling directors provide insight into their experiences and into their unique take on cinema and the industry.

Where:
BAFTA
Princess Anne Theatre, 195 Piccadilly, London W1J 9LN

When:
7:45pm Friday 23 Oct, 2009

Films on Foot: Film based walking tours of London

15 Park Street, Borough, SE1, The gang’s hideout from Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels

This autumn, the Ramblers, in association with Times BFI 53rd London Film Festival, will be holding an unmissable three week walking festival to celebrate London’s world-class film heritage.

Timed to coincide with the Times BFI London Film Festival, the Ramblers second annual “Films on Foot” Festival (14 October-1 Novembwill er) see 9 walks focusing on different areas of London which have been stars of the big screen. The walks are free and open to everyone (new members are especially welcome). All the walks are led by volunteer members from the Metropolitan Walkers and the South Bank Ramblers Group.

The walks take place every Wednesday at 7pm, and every weekend at 1.30pm throughout the festival. There is no need to book, simply turn up at the meeting place indicated below.

An edit version of the programme is listed below:

Soho and the West End ‘films on foot’ walk – Wednesday 21 October 7pm
Join the Metropolitan Walkers for a 3 mile film stroll through Soho, the heart of the British film industry, and the West End with London’s most famous landmarks captured on the big screen. The walk ends at a pub near Embankment tube station.

Notting Hill, Bayswater & Kensington Gardens – Saturday 24 October 1.30pm
Join the Metropolitan Walkers for a 8 mile film location walk This is a walk of contrasts taking in elegant ‘Notting Hill’ so popular with British romantic comedy film makers, the green space of Kensington Gardens and seedy Bayswater used in films such as ‘Trainspotting’. The walk ends at a pub near Queensway tube station.

Isle of Dogs & Maritime Greenwich – Sunday 25 October 1.30pm
Join the South Bank Ramblers for a 5 mile film location walk through The Isle of Dogs – a frequent star of gangster and action films, and Maritime Greenwich – one of the most popular film locations in London. The walk ends at a pub in Greenwich.

Gangsters in the East End – Wednesday 28 October 7pm
Join the Metropolitan Walkers for a 3 mile stroll through the East End. This part of London was the play ground for real time villains, the Krays, and is a favourite film location for British gangster movies. The walk ends at a pub near Bethnal Green tube station.

Brompton Cemetery, Chelsea & Battersea Park – Saturday 31 October 1.30pm
Join the Metropolitan Walkers for a 6 mile film location walk. Brompton Cemetery and Battersea Park are two of the capital’s most popular film locations, as well as being beautiful places to walk. The walk ends at a pub near Sloane Square tube station.

Westminster & the Royal Parks – Sunday 1 November 1.30pm

Join the Metropolitan Walkers for a 5 mile stroll taking film locations around Westminster and Belgravia, as well as the green spaces of St James’s Park, Green Park and Hyde Park. The walk ends at a pub near Hyde Park Corner tube station.

For the full programme and information click here!

SCI-FI-LONDON: OKTOBERFEST 2009 Festival

Every October SCI-FI-LONDON hold OKTOBERFEST, a Sci Fi based extravaganza. Arguably the most fun and varied Sci-Fi festival in the world. This year you’ll be able to catch special events, screenings and their popular All-nighter events.

This year they have some really cool stuff happening including “a co-production we are doing with the Royal Observatory Greenwich. Yup, the home of GMT and all things astronomical, we have created SCI-FI-UNIVERSE, a planetarium show from an SF perspective. Also, at the Observatory we will have some talks and a writing workshop. And to celebrate the release of the DVD and Blu-ray, we will do an invite only screening of the new STAR TREK. Click here for details of how to register for this screening and how to buy tickets for this unique night at the Royal Observatory in Greenwich Park. Buy a planetarium ticket and you can attend on of the talks or workshop for free – places are very limited and on a first-come-first served basis, so get there early.”

This years line up:
Friday 23rd October, 2009
Events held at the Royal Observatory Greenwich

6.30pm: Sci-Fi-Universe
8.15pm: Star Trek (2009)

Saturday 24th October, 2009
Events held at the Apollo Piccadilly Circus

9:00pm: SCI-FI-STAND-UP
Midnight: Anime All-nighter
11:00pm: Aliens and Predators All-nighter
11:30pm: MST3K All-nighter

Classic Screening: Aliens and Predators All-nighter [ SCI-FI-LONDON OKTOBERFEST]

In space no one can hear you scream

A To celebrate the 30th Anniversary of the very first ALIEN movie (and their 10th All-nighter!) SCI-FI-LONDON is giving you the chance to see these iconic movies as they should be seen – on a big screen from 35mm prints.

The event starts around 10.30 with DJ’s in the bar and the first movie starts just after 11.00 – the whole. show ends around 10am the next day. There will be some very cool spot prizes and give-aways and a packed goody-bag. Throughout the night we keep you full of Redbull, Ice-Cream and coffee to help you make it ’til morning.

The line up:
ALIEN
ALIENS
ALIEN3
PREDATOR
PREDATOR 2 (Oops! Sorry) AVP: Alien vs. Predator
Tickets here!
Where
Apollo Piccadilly Circus
19 Regent Street
London
SW1Y 4LR

When
10:30pm Sat 24 – 11am Sun 25 Oct, 2009