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Comic Book Jobs: Viz Media Interns

Posted by Tom Mason Categories: Editorials, Viz Media

Naruto1Interning is a great way to pick up some business skills while you’re in school and get some college credit. Interning at a publishing company is a great way to figure out if you have any interest in getting involved in the business that helps you clutter up your bookshelves with books and your iPads with downloads.

Acclaimed manga publisher and anime company Viz Media, in San Francisco, is taking applications for their 2011 Spring Intern program and there’s no time like the present to get those applications in.

Viz has part-time internships available in a variety of departments including: Animation Production; Consumer Marketing; Consumer Products & Approvals; Design Intern; Editorial; Information Technology; Magazines; Publishing Licensing; Sales & Retail Development; and Web Production.

But those positions won't last for long, so brush up the resume with all your Starbucks and McDonald's experience and get it over there.

Good luck, internship seekers!

[Artwork: Naruto, from Viz Media]

Read More | Viz Media

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Comic Book Jobs: Viz Media

Posted by Tom Mason Categories: DVD, Editorials, Viz Media

Vampire KnightDo you like Mrs. Doubtfire for its location? Does the idea of all day fog make you tingle? Or do you just want to drive around San Francisco like Steve McQueen in Bullitt?

And most important of all, do you like manga and anime? Because Viz Media is looking to fill two positions.

First up is an Associate Producer for the DVD division of their Animation Production team. You need the equivalent of 3-5 years experience “in delivering high quality video coordination duties related to Japanese-produced animation videos, TV programs, film, comics, or other related products.” And they’d really like it if you had experience in “coordinating and/or managing DVD, TV, post production, or Media production in an entertainment, advertising, or design department.”


San Francisco Introduces Smart Parking Meters

Posted by John Kilhefner Categories: Transportation

We’ve all been there - circling around the block for what seems like eons searching for that oh so elusive parking space. Remarks such as, “I should have left earlier!!” run through your head until the frustration vaporizes atomically into a massive mushroom cloud in your brain. Being in an anger fog of this magnitude produces hazards to you and others while on the road. Dangers such as veering off into a pedestrian crowded crosswalk, or changing lanes haphazardly into traffic. However, to remedy this temperamental meltdown of nuclear proportions, SFMTA is introducing the SF park project. The SF park project will implement new smart parking meters throughout San Francisco to fight crowded parking, make paying easier, and avoid unwanted tickets.

These parking meters differ from the outdated models found in cluttered cities everywhere for a number of reasons. For one, they allow drivers to pay by credit card and SFMTA cards, as well as with good ol’ change. This alone will help cut down on the time spent travelling to your destination.

However, the most impressive feature about Frisco’s new smart parking meter system is a new parking sensors ability to identify how many parking spaces are available in a particular area. By doing this, drivers will be able to use their smartphones and computers to find out beforehand if a space will be available for them. With any luck, this will cut down on the traffic from those driving around battling against formidable foes for an empty parking space (estimated to be a third of city traffic).

What’s more, these new smart meters will be able to adjust themselves to the amount of parking spaces that a specific area generates. This means that if one area seems to be full all of the time the price of parking will go up accordingly. In contrast, places with plentiful spaces will effectively see their rates go down. What this does is help to adjust the flow of parking, and keep people on their toes looking for a combination of free parking and good rates. This adjustment in pricing is done every month, and will not exceed 50 cent intervals at a time.

Whether or not this will be an effective strategy for reducing San Francisco traffic, and thus the tempers of city drivers, is unknown at this point. Though, it definitely seems good on paper. Regardless, this new smart meter system is a step in the right direction, and we’re sure to see more of them poking their heads into major cities around the United States over the next few years.

Read More | SF Parks

Comic Book Jobs: Who’s Hiring? Viz!

Posted by Tom Mason Categories: Editorials, Viz Media

UltimoSan Francisco is a really nice city. It’s easy to get around in, has a vibrant arts culture, and excellent food. Also, home to Dashiell Hammett, one of the great American writers and Wondercon one of the best of the regional conventions.

You know who else is there? Viz Media, the publishers of Naruto and Shonen Jump.

And now the manga publisher by the bay is looking for a Royalty Financial Analyst. That does not mean you’ll be counting and investing the Queen’s money, but does mean you’ll be on the Viz Finance Team.

You’re going to need some “solid math skills” (well, duh), an ability to “think in an analytical fashion” and you’re going to need those Japanese bilingual skills to even get in the door.

You’ll be using these mad skillz to compile, prepare and review royalty reports, review licensing agreements “to ensure compliance,” process data, report to licensors and licensees, and all that fun accounting stuff. Sadly, an interest in comic books, publishing, manga, anime, etc. is not listed as a requirement, but on the plus side it’s not being put out there as a detriment either.


Moebius Comes To America

Posted by Tom Mason Categories: Editorials

MoebiusLet’s visit the photo archives again, shall we?

Years ago, I had the occasion to journey to a comic book store in the Bay Area - somewhere around one of the cities near San Francisco. I had been attending a convention near the San Francisco Airport. After the show was over, I had some time to kill and some friends drove me out to a comic book store where Jean Giraud (aka Moebius!) was putting in an appearance. How could I resist that?

I don’t remember why Moebius was in town. He wasn’t at the convention, which was a Star*Reach event for retailers and publishers only. I just know that he was there - the creator of Lt. Blueberry, The Airtight Garage and dozens of other great things. And, fortunately, I had my camera with me, my then-trusty 35mm decidedly non-digital Pentax. I stood in line, I shook his hand, and he signed a giant poster for me (as he did for everyone else in line.) Here are a couple of shots from that day. My memory is that this is Comics & Comix in Palo Alto, but if anyone can confirm or correct that, the world would be a better place for all of us.

And yes, I realize the photos are better than the story, but look over there: It’s Moebius!

[Artwork: Photo of Jean Giraud/Moebius. Photo © Tom K. Mason]


Streetline Informs Drivers of Available Parking

Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Misc. Tech, Transportation

Streetline SensorStreetline has gotten together with San Francisco, which is apparently willing to spend $95 million so that 25% of the city can find a place to park. Drivers will be notified via smartphone and signs and will be able to pay via their phones as well eventually. The city is hoping to cut down on traffic congestion.

Streetline claims that their service gives the status of curbside, lot and garage spaces 24 hours a day, every day. The system consists of a wireless sensor inside a 4 x 4-inch piece of plastic fastened to the pavement next to the space.

Read More | Chip Chick

Let’s Rock: Apple event planned for September 9

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, Portable Audio / Video, Rumors

Apple Let's Rock iPod event

Well, what do you know? Looks like that event that Kevin Rose speculated about a couple of weeks ago is finally official. This morning, Apple sent out notification of their next event, titled “Let’s Rock”, is set for September 9th. Now, looking at the graphic, we think it is pretty clear that this one is going to be focused on s. Apple is notorious for refreshing their portable media player line in September (heck, last September was when the iPod touch was announced) for the whole back-to-school and holiday vibe.

While we expect to see new models across the board, word on the street is that the and will be the ones to pay attention to this time around. That is, unless, you are like me and have tons of media that you want with you at all times. If that is you, then you are with me in hoping we see something akin to a 250GB iPod classic. Aside from that, though, some surprises would be nice. I know I’ve been asking for it for years now, and this probably isn’t the appropriate place to announce it, but I sure as heck would just love it if Apple would also give us a new Cinema Display. Could happen, right? Yeah, I didn’t think so either.


Enter RoboGames This Year

Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Design, Misc. Tech, Science

Soccer AndroidsIf you are the type to keep up on robotics competitions, (and we are,) then you know that the next RoboGames (formerly the RobOlympics,) is coming up June 12 through 15 in San Francisco. With over 70 different events, including combat robots, walking humanoids, and soccer bots, the competition comes from all over the planet. You can get a ticket for $20.00 a day to watch the event, but if you have ever thought about participating, there is still time to get in on the action. Purchase a RoboNova kit and build your own android for $999.99 or get one that is pre-assembled for $1,199.00.

(Thanks, Mike)

Read More | RoboGames

Rumor: Nintendo US Division To Move to NY or SF? Me: SF Please!

Posted by Michael Cardiff Categories: Culture, Nintendo, Rumors, Wii

Nintendo Logo
According to the online version of GameInformer Magazine, Nintendo employees were recently told that the company would be relocating, away from its current Redmond, Washington offices. According to the article:

Employees of Nintendo of America were told on Thursday that they would have to decide by June 1st whether or not they would be willing to relocate or accept a severance package. Our sources indicated these new offices would be opened as early as this Fall.
...
Both San Francisco and New York were pointed at as being the potential targets for new locations.

Personally, I think a move like this would make a lot of sense for the company. Redmond one day looked like it was going to become the next tech hotbed, but it’s so dominated by Microsoft these days that it’s hard to really make a presence in that area. Plus, the number of third-party publishers located in the bay area is staggering (just look on the case of your most recent game for an address, trust me…), so if Nintendo really is serious about courting third parties more actively, this would definitely give them a more hands-on way to do it. A New York office would also make a lot of sense given that, well, it’s New York and they’ve already got their only US store there.

My guess? IF they do move (and that’s a big “if”, they’ve been in Redmond for a long while)... they’re probably going to do both. I could see it easily being advantageous for Nintendo to have both an east coast and west coast operations branch. But if they HAVE to choose, my vote is for the SF Bay area. Having Nintendo so close to home would be sweet indeed.

Read More | GameInformer.com

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