March of 2003

The Associated Blast has undergone another reconstruction. The second facelift since its conception, the folks here at the Blast decided that 2003 deserved to see a new look, and to correct mistakes learned from earlier formats. The new style was brought on by the lack of viewer hits registered since the start of the year.
"It was disappointing to have this high of being browsed five, six, somtimes seven times a day by the same user," states the Master Editor of the Blast. "We started to see a drop off after Christmas last year and then, by the start of 2003, browsing hits were at an all time low and haven't shown much improvement." The staff new they had to do something quick. To recapture the interest of viewers, to keep the content fresh but not over bearing, and to make the interface more amiable to browsers of all types and speeds.
The first step was the reduction in the the amount of webgraphics utilized. Though attractive, it often can detract from literary content. More over, browsers running at lower speeds have a horrible time trying to load the art to the page, often discouraging the viewers to wait for the page to load. Many lessons were learned from the 2nd format revision and were implented in the new design.
"We got smarter about the way we used graphics," says the Editor. "We kept it simple, yet somewhat detailed. These details should be friendly to slower browsers and will keep these viewers interested."
By focusing art in several areas on the page, viewers are able to see more detail and get more of an experience for things like pictures and artwork. To do this, only several colors were chosen to decorate each page, and are used throughout the pages. Though, at the time of the release, the movie pages were left in their original state, we can expect to see revisions made here in the future.
Another problem in the older version of the Blast was the difficulty in updating and the adding of web content. Several formatting procedures and a complete rethinking of how the code was written will hopefully allow the staff at the Blast to be able to update more frequently and in a greater scale. Some bugs are expected to occur. Says the Master Editor, "we've been trying to marry convenience and state-of-the-art for some time now. Right now we have it where we can update more frequently without any problems. What we still have trouble with is making the site compatible and equal no matter what sort of screen resolution. We like to run with 1024x768 or 1024x800 on our screens. Unfortunately, not everyone in the world has discovered this is an excellent resolution to run off of. Many people still use 800x600 because the icons are bigger."
The staff at the Blast encourages everyone to switch their screen resolution to 1024x768 as it is gives a better definition to graphics. Though they do their best to cater to both resolutions, not every page will turn out as they intended. This can be very frustrating to the staff, as they have not found a format style they are happy with that will be compatible to both.
More tidbits have been added to the website, mainly the front page, such as randomizing quotes and factoids from Associated Films and a monthly picture selected by the Staff. More tidbits are expected to be placed throughout the site to keep fans browsing and more interested in seeing the other pages. Aside from the visible additions, viewers can expect several "Easter Eggs" in the site that will pull up various images, information, and even whole pages. This concept, well practiced in home DVD entertainment, will not only keep the browsers searching for information, but will also keep the staff entertained with their work.
"We love a good laugh. And the advent of the 'Easter Egg' will definitely keep us busy and keep us chuckling."
Working around the clock, day in and day out, is paying off for the folks at the Associated Blast. The site itself has come a long way since its creation. Preparing to celebrate it's 2nd year in service this May, the Blast folks are franticly working hard to make the most of what they've learned from the past years in order to make 2003 a momentous year.
-AJA March 11th, 2003

Negotiations have begun in regards to one of screenwriter Michael Magdalena's earliest unrealized works, "Two Pages." After falling into development limbo for over 6 years, executive producer Benjamin Johnson has expressed interest in reviving the long-dormant script with an eye towards greenlighting the project as soon as an acceptable draft is completed.
While Magdalena is normally loathe to drift back into past territory that has already been covered, the fact that this project was never formally completed has left him with an enormous opportunity. "I basically was unable to realise my vision due to the limitations of the technology of the time. Rather than produce a shoddy picture and later manipulate it with a "special" edition, I decided I would wait until technology could catch up with the visions in my head. And yes, there are many visions in there. Some are scary."
Not much is known about the content of the script, but the low-budget feature has been described as a cross between "Clerks" and "Dr. Zhivago." No talent has been attached to the project, but that is typical of the philosophy of Associated Films. Johnson has previously produced "Les Marriage du Tony" while Magdalena wrote for "Riverman," another incomplete motion picture. Both are repped by HTA.
-MM March 11th, 2003. (Original released January 30th, 2003 on the Blast Zone)

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