Latest news with #BladeRunner
Irish Independent
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Irish Independent
Colin Murphy: Utopia or apocalypse? How our AI future is being shaped by the real influencers of this world
The best dystopian fiction has normally been set decades into the future. George Orwell wrote Nineteen Eighty-Four in the 1940s. Stanley Kubrick made 2001: A Space Odyssey in the late 1960s. Ridley Scott's Blade Runner is set in 2019 — he released it in 1982.
Scotsman
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Scotsman
Edinburgh optometry practice goes behind the scenes on TV drama Department Q
Heather Muir, a contact lens technician at independent practice, Cameron Optometry in Edinburgh, has played a behind-the-scenes role in the upcoming television series Department Q, filmed on location in and around the Scottish capital. Sign up to our daily newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... A seasoned expert in contact lens handling, Heather was brought on to support the production team with specialist contact lens handling on set, ensuring safety, comfort, and visual accuracy for the actors. Heather worked primarily with actor Steven Miller throughout the shoot and also spent a day assisting Kai Alexander with lens handling. She collaborated closely with renowned makeup designer Lizzi Lawson-Zeiss, whose credits include Napoleon and Blade Runner, alongside a team of skilled makeup artists, to integrate eye care seamlessly into the filming process. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The contact lenses used in the production were supplied by Cantor Barnard, a Northamptonshire-based company with over 60 years of experience in the film industry. This collaboration ensured the lenses were precisely tailored to the characters' needs and the show's visual style. Contact Lens Test on the set of Dept Q. Directed by Scott Frank, Department Q is based on the internationally best-selling series of novels and is set to premiere later this year. The series has already generated significant buzz in the UK and internationally for its gripping storylines and cinematic style. Heather commented on her experience while on set, saying: 'It was an incredible experience to collaborate with such a talented production team. 'Blending medical expertise with the creative world of television was a unique opportunity, and it was a memorable experience to be on location with the production team.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Cameron Optometry, an independent practice located in the heart of Edinburgh, is widely respected for its advanced clinical services and specialist expertise in contact lens handling and eye health. Department Q will be available to watch on Netflix from the 29th May. To find out more about Cameron Optometry, please visit
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- General
- Daily Mail
Oscar Pistorius's father reveals he and his son barely speak after ongoing row over killer Olympian's guilt
The father of Oscar Pistorius says he hardly speaks to his son anymore as he doesn't accept that he is a killer. Disgraced Paralympian Pistorius, 38, served nine years behind bars for horrifically shooting his lover Reeva Steenkamp dead at his South African home. But his father Henke Pistorius believes he was 'full of fear' during his trial and accepted his jail sentence. The double amputee, dubbed 'Blade Runner' for the prosthetics he used to compete in, claimed he woke in the early hours thinking a burglar was breaking in unaware his girlfriend Reeva was in the loo. He fired repeated shots through the door killing her instantly with special 'dum dum' bullets but Reeva's family have always claimed it was intentional. The horrific shooting on Valentine's Day 2013 shocked the world and led to him being jailed for culpable homicide which was later upgraded to murder. In an interview on Piers Morgan Uncensored, Henke admitted that his refusal to accept his son's guilt has caused an estrangement between the two. Pistorius was released into a media storm when he was granted parole on January 5, 2024, still insisting he killed law graduate and model Reeva, 29, by mistake. The 38-year-old is now keeping a low profile alongside his rumoured new girlfriend at his uncle's plush multi-million pound home in Pretoria. Speaking on Piers Morgan's YouTube chat show, Henke: 'I am already in trouble with Oscar as I'm sitting here, because I said too much. 'We don't [speak regularly] because he knows how I feel. To him, he's guilty of murder because of the process that he's gone through. 'The facts just do not support a finding of guilty of murder. 'I just think that he will feel later, to walk away after parole as a person guilty of manslaughter versus a person guilty of murder, two vastly big things, and Oscar is not guilty of murder.' In October 2014, Pistorius was initially found guilty of culpable homicide and sentenced to five years in prison This conviction was then overturned by South Africa's Supreme Court in 2016 who instead found him guilty of murder and extended his sentence by a further six years. Henke continued: 'Obviously, Oscar was full of fear. Oscar will one day tell his story. 'He is, at the moment, I'm sure, very sad and very sorry about what happened. 'I can't speak for him. He will speak for himself, but what happened is not what came out of the court.' Pistorius is understood to be living in a cottage in the grounds of his multi-millionaire uncle Arnold's secure mansion and is doing volunteer work at a Dutch Reform Church nearby. His sentence ends in 2029 and as on parole is subject to checks from the Department of Corrections at any time of day to check his residence test for alcohol and drugs. He is not allowed out of the immediate area without informing the local police force and is not allowed a firearm or any contact with Ms Steenkamp's mother or sister.
The Sun
3 days ago
- General
- The Sun
Oscar Pistorius' dad reveals rift with killer son because he DOESN'T accept disgraced Olympian murdered Reeva Steenkamp
THE dad of disgraced murderer Oscar Pistorius says the pair hardly speak anymore as he doesn't accept his son is a killer. Former Olympic sprinter Pistorius shot dead girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp in 2013 - but father Henke believes he was "full of fear" during his trial and accepted his jail sentence. 6 6 6 Henke has now publicly admitted in a candid interview on Piers Morgan Uncensored that his refusal to accept his son's guilt has created a rift in their relationship. Pistorius hit Reeva, 29, with four bullets fired through the locked door of their bathroom in the early hours of Valentine's Day 2013. After a round of appeals and challenges, Pistorius - dubbed the "Blade Runner" because of his carbon-fibre prosthetic legs - was sentenced to 13 years and five months for murder. Pistorius, a six-time six Paralympic gold medallist, has always claimed the horrific shooting was a mistake. He told the court he thought his model and law graduate partner was an intruder. The sprinter was released after nine years back in January 2024. He has since vanished from the public eye and is trying to live a quiet life alongside his rumoured new girlfriend. But Henke has now told Piers Morgan's YouTube chat show: "I am already in trouble with Oscar as I'm sitting here, because I said too much. "We don't [speak regularly] because he knows how I feel. To him, he's guilty of murder because of the process that he's gone through. "The facts just do not support a finding of guilty of murder. Oscar Pistorius FREED on parole nearly 11 years after murder of girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp "I just think that he will feel later, to walk away after parole as a person guilty of manslaughter versus a person guilty of murder, two vastly big things, and Oscar is not guilty of murder.' Pistorius was initially found guilty of culpable homicide, South Africa's equivalent of manslaughter, in court. A year later, the Supreme Court overturned the ruling and found him guilty of murder. Henke continued: 'Obviously, Oscar was full of fear. Oscar will one day tell his story. "He is, at the moment, I'm sure, very sad and very sorry about what happened. "I can't speak for him. He will speak for himself, but what happened is not what came out of the court." Despite being freed from prison, Pistorius remains on parole. He moved into his wealthy uncle's £2 million Pretoria home, and now relies on him for protection. His tycoon uncle Arnold, who made his millions from property and tourism, hired armed guards with attack dogs, while his nephew lives in a cottage on the grounds. Pistorius' sentence ends in 2029 and he is subject to certain conditions for life outside jail. These include attending therapy for anger and 'gender-based violence issues". Steenkamp family friend previously said Pistorius should not expect forgiveness and issued a stark warning to him. 6 6 6
The Age
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Age
The world's busiest airport is shutting down. Here's what comes next
Scenario 1: The World's Swankiest Urban Park Authorities could take the urban park route. Think Central Park meets Blade Runner. Runways transformed into broad palm-shaded boulevards for cycling, jogging and e-scooting, lined smart-cooling systems to tackle the desert heat. Concourse areas housing indoor gardens or vertical farms, and terminal buildings transformed into co-working hives crowned with rooftop restaurants playing vintage boarding announcements for hipster ASMR. Green, futuristic and, of course, wildly Instagrammable. Berlin Tempelhof is a masterclass in adaptive reuse. Once one of Europe's busiest airports, it played a heroic role in the Berlin Airlift – where British and American forces delivered supplies to West Berlin during the Cold War Soviet blockade. It closed in 2008 and now lives on as the 380-hectare Tempelhofer Feld, one of the world's largest urban open spaces. Locals rollerblade down its runways, fly kites across the former airfields, and gather for festivals and community events in the former aircraft hangars. Its massive terminal buildings now host trade fairs and exhibitions – from art shows to tech summits – and even emergency housing at times of crisis. And, more recently, Berlin Tegel – the capital's primary international airport that closed in 2021 and was replaced by Berlin Brandenburg Airport – is now being converted into Urban Tech Republic, a research and green technology hub for start-ups. Like Tempelhof, Croydon was one of Europe's big three pre-Second World War airports (alongside Paris-Le Bourget), and they've leaned into the vintage vibes – turning their Grade II-listed terminal into an aviation history centre and occasionally hiring it out for period film sets due to its well-preserved Art Deco architecture. It works because it's got that old-school charm. DXB, on the other hand, is more sci-fi than sepia, and too sleek and modern to pull off the retro museum look. Scenario 2: An Airport City Loading Dubai is facing a housing shortage due to a surge in population and a booming economy, so there's a high probability it might be converted into a futuristic urban neighbourhood: a hyper-connected 'aerotropolis' that blends tech, luxury lifestyle and sustainability with Dubai's signature ambition. It could be a place where residents interact with city services through personalised AI assistants – booking health appointments, making restaurant reservations, or ordering drone deliveries like those currently in use in Shenzhen, China. Where former runways become smart boulevards with kinetic pavements (to harvest footstep energy) and AI-optimized public transport and cohesive communities host rooftop parties in the former air traffic control tower or attend TED talks in aeroplane hangars rebranded as 'creative event domes'. Hong Kong's Kai Tak Airport is the closest match. Once the stuff of pilot legends (and passenger nightmares) thanks to its nerve-jangling landings over apartment blocks, it shut down in 1998 and got a serious facelift. Now called the Kai Tak Development, it's a massive waterfront neighbourhood made up of schools and residential apartments organised along the old runway, which now hosts cruise ships instead of 747s, and framed by the verdant Sky Garden. A handful of others have followed suit. In Greece, the former Ellinikon International Airport near Athens is in the process of becoming one of Europe's largest urban regeneration projects. Already partially opened as the Ellinikon Experience Park, the site is set to include luxury housing, cultural venues, sports facilities, and one of the Mediterranean's largest coastal parks. And Stapleton Airport in Denver, Colorado, is now a walkable neighbourhood with schools and parks, where the airport's control tower has been converted into a restaurant as a playful nod to its high-flying past. For the moment, DXB's future is all conjecture. 'It should be stressed that the closure of DXB is only a distant prospect at the moment. It's too far into the future to make the decision now,' said Paul Griffiths, CEO of Dubai Airports. Loading 'But if a bigger Heathrow was built just up the road, would you keep both open? Probably not, is the answer – it's operationally difficult and costly to maintain two mega airports, when one satisfies a city's needs, and if the site was converted into park or a development, it would allow the northern part of Dubai to go high-rise – but those are options that the Dubai Government will no doubt consider in due course.' It'll be 15 years at least before any real changes take place, but it's not hard to imagine the kids that will play tag on turf where superjumbos once touched down; travellers lazing in cafes where execs once stress-scrolled emails; and yes – TikTokers posing under the vintage departure boards (#RetroRunway). The airport that once never slept will finally chill out, reborn as a smart, stylish, sun-soaked urban playground. DXB won't fade – it'll reinvent, Dubai-style: bigger, bolder and with better Wi-Fi. Goodbye takeoffs, hello glow-up. So here's to you, DXB: no delays, no turbulence – just clear skies ahead.
