http://provideocoalition.com/index.php en editblog@gmail.com Copyright 2010 2010-02-07T21:51:00-08:00 http://provideocoalition.com/index.php/ssimmons/story/ideas_for_the_apple_ipad_in_post_production/ http://provideocoalition.com/index.php/ssimmons/story/ideas_for_the_apple_ipad_in_post_production/#When:21:51:00Z With Apple’s announcement of the iPad there’s been tons of articles, tweets and blog posts about this upcoming piece of hardware. There’s also been tons of ink spilled about just how this little device could be useful in the filmmaking process as well, some right here on this site. I had decided not to write anything at all about the iPad since pretty much everything had already been said. But I got to thinking how this device might integrate more with the post-production side of the filmmaking process while on a flight the other day ... so I made some notes. Editing, Hardware, Interactive, Post Production, Software 2010-02-07T21:51:00-08:00 http://provideocoalition.com/index.php/cmg_keyframes/story/deeper_modes_of_expression_part_2_interpolation_methods/ http://provideocoalition.com/index.php/cmg_keyframes/story/deeper_modes_of_expression_part_2_interpolation_methods/#When:17:10:00Z As we noted last month, we’re serializing the Deeper Modes of Expression bonus chapter from our book Creating Motion Graphics with After Effects into a set of 12 posts here on PVC. As February is the shortest month, perhaps it’s appropriate that this us the shortest installment - but we also consider this to be one of the most important, core techniques offered by expressions: A quick and easy way to convert one range of numbers to another. Motion Graphics 2010-02-07T17:10:00-08:00 http://provideocoalition.com/index.php/freshdv/story/nuit_blanche_inspiration/ http://provideocoalition.com/index.php/freshdv/story/nuit_blanche_inspiration/#When:09:00:00Z What do you get when you mix a unique story concept with unearthly special effects and a stirring soundtrack? You get this stunning dose of filmmaking inspiration… 2010-02-07T09:00:00-08:00 http://provideocoalition.com/index.php/freshdv/story/tortoise_vs_hare/ http://provideocoalition.com/index.php/freshdv/story/tortoise_vs_hare/#When:00:00:00Z There’s been a lot of speculation on the new camcorder that Canon is revealing today at the SF SuperMeet. Some (myself included) have been hoping wistfully for a proper camcorder body and controls wrapped around a DSLR sensor, perhaps APS-C sized, with an interchangeable lens mount for common Canon L-series lenses. Well, pictures of what appears to be this new camera model are out, and it seems that we are fools for dreaming. Read on… Cameras 2010-02-06T00:00:00-08:00 http://provideocoalition.com/index.php/smartin/story/motion_and_transparency/ http://provideocoalition.com/index.php/smartin/story/motion_and_transparency/#When:19:19:00Z I see a lot of questions on the forums about Motion and transparency - primarily when folks try to export a movie from Motion to place over a video clip in Final Cut Pro. Here’s a few things to check, to watch out for, and a suggested workflow to make everything play nicely together. 2010-02-05T19:19:00-08:00 http://provideocoalition.com/index.php/ssimmons/story/now_you_can_see_in_hd/ http://provideocoalition.com/index.php/ssimmons/story/now_you_can_see_in_hd/#When:15:21:00Z I remember seeing this on late night tv, in a 30 minute infomercial. I thought ... that would make a great blog post for those who haven’t seen it! There’s nothing the late night tv marketers won’t do to sell a product. Hit the jump to check it out. Web Video 2010-02-05T15:21:00-08:00 http://provideocoalition.com/index.php/cmg_blogs/story/adobe_community_leaders_summit/ http://provideocoalition.com/index.php/cmg_blogs/story/adobe_community_leaders_summit/#When:03:21:00Z Last week, Adobe invited a variety of well-known people in the industry to come get a closer look at what they’ve been working on, and to provide feedback on their direction. To Adobe’s credit, this was no “preaching to the choir” session; many of those invited were FCP and Avid editors, and several current users gave Adobe personnel an earful both publicly and privately. It was also made clear to us that no specific product versions or release dates were being discussed, and that we couldn’t repeat anything that had not already been mentioned publicly (reminds us of the old Zen Buddhist saying “Those who know don’t say; those who say don’t know"). However, this event gives us an excuse to aggregate into one place a number of emerging technologies Adobe has already murmured about, for those who haven’t had the chance to keep up… Distribution, Editing, Interactive, Motion Graphics, NAB 2010, NAB 2010 Insight, Pre-Production, Production, Visual Effects, Web Video 2010-02-05T03:21:00-08:00 http://provideocoalition.com/index.php/atepper/story/vimeo_finally_goes_mobile_adds_1080p_and_html5_sseta/ http://provideocoalition.com/index.php/atepper/story/vimeo_finally_goes_mobile_adds_1080p_and_html5_sseta/#When:18:04:00Z Vimeo, a leading video hosting/gallery site offering both paid and free models, has finally added mobile capability for its paying clients. This capability finally allows Vimeo Plus members to make their videos compatible with mobile devices like the iPhone, iPod Touch, Palm Pre, and Google/Android devices like the Nexus One. Vimeo Plus members can also now have the option to have web-based 1080p videos (although the wisdom of that today is debatable). Finally, all videos on Vimeo —whether from Plus members or standard members— will now have the option to be viewed either with the new HTML5 (ßeta) player (browser dependent), or the pre-existing Flash player (device dependent). This article will cover these three new features in more detail, and discuss their ramifications, both for content creators and content viewers. *VIDEO*, compression, Distribution, Mobile Devices, Web Video 2010-02-04T18:04:00-08:00 http://provideocoalition.com/index.php/news/story/elemental_accelerator_22_for_mac/ http://provideocoalition.com/index.php/news/story/elemental_accelerator_22_for_mac/#When:19:50:00Z Elemental Technologies, the leading provider of massively parallel video processing solutions, today announced the availability of Elemental™ Accelerator 2.2 for Mac, a significant update to its NVIDIA CUDA™ GPU-accelerated video processing tool for creative professionals. Elemental Accelerator works with the NVIDIA Quadro FX 4800 for Mac professional graphics solution to add power and performance to the Adobe® Creative Suite® 4 workflow. With Elemental Accelerator 2.2 for Mac, users have access to a wider array of output options than ever before and can achieve significantly faster transcode speeds with support for GPU-accelerated H.264 and MPEG-2 video decoding, processing and encoding. 2010-02-02T19:50:00-08:00 http://provideocoalition.com/index.php/news/story/boris_fx_announces_boris_job_slate_plug_in_for_apple_final_cut_pro/ http://provideocoalition.com/index.php/news/story/boris_fx_announces_boris_job_slate_plug_in_for_apple_final_cut_pro/#When:18:59:00Z Boris FX, the leading developer of integrated effects technology for video and film, today announced Boris Job Slate, a new Apple Final Cut Pro plug-in that automatically creates commercial slates based on XML files received from the Ad-ID advertising identification and management system. Boris Job Slate saves production time and reduces operator error by eliminating the need for manual text entry with a standard text tool. 2010-02-02T18:59:00-08:00 http://provideocoalition.com/index.php/news/story/risk_free_recording_with_the_rde_money_back_guarantee/ http://provideocoalition.com/index.php/news/story/risk_free_recording_with_the_rde_money_back_guarantee/#When:15:48:00Z RØDE Microphones is excited to announce a complete money back guarantee across the entire line of RØDE microphones. 2010-02-02T15:48:00-08:00 http://provideocoalition.com/index.php/news/story/matrox_commences_shoot_edit_deliver_2010_road_tour_in_collaboration_with_ap/ http://provideocoalition.com/index.php/news/story/matrox_commences_shoot_edit_deliver_2010_road_tour_in_collaboration_with_ap/#When:15:45:00Z Matrox® Video Products Group today announced an eleven-city U.S. road tour where representatives from Matrox, Apple, and leading camera manufacturers will share tips and tricks to improve all aspects of attendees’ video production workflow - from shooting, through editing, to final delivery in today’s most popular formats. 2010-02-02T15:45:00-08:00 http://provideocoalition.com/index.php/news/story/broadcast_pix_introduces_slate_portable/ http://provideocoalition.com/index.php/news/story/broadcast_pix_introduces_slate_portable/#When:15:42:00Z Broadcast Pix™ today announced Slate Portable, a new system for live video production on location. Designed for quick setup on a table or other work surface, Slate Portable provides all the power of a Slate™ video production system in a compact, cost effective, all-in-one unit, including: HD/SD production switcher, multi-view monitoring, clip stores, graphics system with Harris Inscriber CG, Fluent™ workflow software, and format and aspect conversion for 1080i, 720p, SD, and analog. It is available now. 2010-02-02T15:42:00-08:00 http://provideocoalition.com/index.php/news/story/sachtler_supports_hoffman_for_taking_the_stage/ http://provideocoalition.com/index.php/news/story/sachtler_supports_hoffman_for_taking_the_stage/#When:15:40:00Z Cinematographer Marco Hoffman chose Sachtler Video 20 heads and Speed Lock® tripods for shooting the new season of MTV’s hit reality series Taking the Stage.  Hoffman is known for his work on popular reality programs like Laguna Beach, The Hills, The Rachel Zoe Project, and House Hunters.  2010-02-02T15:40:00-08:00 http://provideocoalition.com/index.php/ssimmons/story/quicktip_identify_fcp_filter_in_the_timeline/ http://provideocoalition.com/index.php/ssimmons/story/quicktip_identify_fcp_filter_in_the_timeline/#When:03:56:00Z One question I hear often is asking if there is a way to tell what filters are applied to a clip by looking at the clip in the Final Cut Pro timeline. The answer is yes. You must first turn on the Toggle Clip Keyframes button in the lower right corner of the timeline, or use the keyboard shortcut Option + T: Editing, Post Production, Software, Tips 2010-02-02T03:56:00-08:00 http://provideocoalition.com/index.php/mgoldman/story/digital_production_designer/ http://provideocoalition.com/index.php/mgoldman/story/digital_production_designer/#When:02:50:00Z Robert Stromberg was always a designer of environments. He grew up learning how to do matte paintings from his father’s friend—a young Phil Tippett—while making little films in his garage. He later became a successful matte painter, working with industry notables like Albert Whitlock and Syd Dutton, among others. But eventually, his professional career moved him toward the world of digital effects for features, and he became a visual effects’ supervisor with his own company, called Digital Backlot. Then, in 2004, Stromberg earned an Academy Award nomination in the visual effects’ category (along with three others) as the visual effects’ designer on Peter Weir’s “Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World.” Still, Stromberg says he “never had production design in mind” all those years, while progressing through the visual effects’ world. And, yet, production design is exactly where he now finds himself. 2010-02-02T02:50:00-08:00 http://provideocoalition.com/index.php/sgentry/story/happy_birthday_to_pvc/ http://provideocoalition.com/index.php/sgentry/story/happy_birthday_to_pvc/#When:01:25:00Z Barely out of diapers, PVC has come a long way in the last two years.  Traffic continues to grow at a rapid pace, and the number of writers stands at about 25 of the best talent out there. There are some great things planned for PVC this year and beyond.  We can’t even tell you about our NAB partnership yet, nudge, nudge wink, wink.  Let’s just say, that we’re working closely with NAB to deliver a ton of information in preparation for the NAB Show as well as a ton of video and stories in what we’re calling NAB RealTime.  I can’t tell you about that yet though...I also can’t tell you about our NAB partnership for our sister site ProAudio Coalition. If you like what PVC is all about, please be sure to share that with the vendors you purchase from.  The writers at PVC truly are a coalition of writers each sharing in the revenue of the site.  The site, and all of the great info you see is free, so we must generate income through advertising.  Therefore the best thing you can do to help PVC continue to deliver the best content available, and support the great writing talent, (beyond simply sending us loads of cash...) is to share your thoughts on PVC whenever you make a purchase.  You know the routine...where did you learn about this product, what’s your favorite source of information, Blah, Blah, Blah. As I mentioned, we have some fantastic things coming this year, and some should be announced at NAB.  Stay Tuned!  Now for the birthday slaps… 2010-02-02T01:25:00-08:00 http://provideocoalition.com/index.php/mcurtis/story/wow_heres_why_to_go_cheap_fast_light/ http://provideocoalition.com/index.php/mcurtis/story/wow_heres_why_to_go_cheap_fast_light/#When:22:16:00Z I saw this and had a big surge of “And THAT, M-Fers, is why I got into HD for Indies in the first place!!!! An F900 can SUCK IT!” What we have here are two skimboarders (OK OK I cheated in the headline sub - skimboarders is long/complex/weaker than surfer) with a cheapie GoPro camera....on a broomstick. What happens when you hold up a lightweight, waterproof, wide angle lensed camera on a pole looking back at you while you do sports? Fun stuff! Video after the jump. 2010-01-31T22:16:00-08:00 http://provideocoalition.com/index.php/atepper/story/googlevoice_improves_its_functionality_on_the_iphone/ http://provideocoalition.com/index.php/atepper/story/googlevoice_improves_its_functionality_on_the_iphone/#When:20:56:00Z GoogleVoice has recently improved its functionality on the iPhone by upgrading its optimized iPhone website, both esthetically and operationally. In light of the misinformation published by some other tech journalists, I must clarify that GoogleVoice has been working fine on the iPhone for many months, at least with three of its features. I have been using GoogleVoice on my iPhone since July 2009 to place inexpensive outgoing international calls, which has been my main reason for using it. Since that date, GoogleVoice has also worked for incoming calls to the iPhone, although I don’t regularly use that feature for now. Even though I don’t regularly use the incoming call feature —or GoogleVoice’s other features so far— I do cover all of them in this article, in addition to explaining specifically how GoogleVoice has improved when placing outgoing international calls from the iPhone as a result of this recent update. I’ll also cover how I expect the GoogleVoice service to grow even further in the coming months. Audio, Mobile Devices, Software 2010-01-31T20:56:00-08:00 http://provideocoalition.com/index.php/cmg_blogs/story/user_interface_design_for_hollywood/ http://provideocoalition.com/index.php/cmg_blogs/story/user_interface_design_for_hollywood/#When:02:06:00Z We’ve all noticed the really bad “you’ve got mail” computer and data display screens that pop up in Hollywood movies. What we tend to miss are the really good ones, which are realistic. (Fun fact: Stanley Kubrick insisted that all of the displays shown in 2001 be plausible, including reflecting the correct state of the planets etc. at the point during the trip when they appear.) One of the best designers of these screens is Mark Coleran (who currently designs real-world user interfaces for Gridiron Software, including Flow). Mark was recently interviewed by both NPR and Spark, where he shared some insight into his craft. (I’d suggest following the above links in order, as it starts with the eye candy and ends with his unabridged analysis.) Interesting is that there’s been a lot of backlash to his NPR interview, as some have used him as the public face for all of the bad movie screen design that is out there. Some of the criticism is unfounded; some of it is simply the result of the common situation we all face in delivering what the client wants, for better or worse. As Mark recently commented in his defense on an After Effects forum, “I and the others who do and did this stuff spend a long time trying to haul it back to reality. Perhaps the story aspect is a post-hoc rationalization, but the requirements are very different.” Regardless of whether or not you like the result, Mark is one of the best After Effects artists out there, with a fantastic emphasis on both detail and efficiency. If you ever get a chance to see him talk live about screen design, do so. Motion Graphics 2010-01-30T02:06:00-08:00 http://provideocoalition.com/index.php/mcurtis/story/ipad_follow_uo_thoughts_thoughts_on_v2_hardware_and_v15_software/ http://provideocoalition.com/index.php/mcurtis/story/ipad_follow_uo_thoughts_thoughts_on_v2_hardware_and_v15_software/#When:20:14:00Z OK, it has been a couple of days to thunk on it. First off - wrong on GPS - it DOES appear to have assisted GPS, not guessed-at GPS - I thought they were referring to using WiFi and 3G to guess at location rather than augment it - this is actually better than plain GPS (such as indoors). I think I’ll probably pass on iPad 1.0, but I’m betting within 18 months we’ll get a 2.0 with camera/s, lower price, maybe 4G/LTE. As noted, I was wrong about “true” GPS capabilities. I think this product is rolling out the way the original iPhone did - remember when there was no 3G, no apps, no video, no copy/paste, no MMS? They’ll catch up with this one too. This establishes Apple in the market, and gives them a place to build on, relatively early in a viable, consumer pitched tablet market (note: prior tablet efforts didn’t meet these criteria). I like all the talk about this being an appliance, nota a professional tool. An appliance is something most everyone can use day to day (think a $500 handicam). A professional’s tool is more powerful and customizable and allows you to augment and get in under the hood (think a Red One camera). Moreso - does your Mom use appliances every day, or professional tools? Why do you think they call them iMacs and Mac Pros? Hello? For all the high end user complaining (and count me in on that), this isn’t aimed at us - look at all the complaints about the original iPhone from a technical perspective. How many tens of millions of those have they shipped? Yeah. That. And I don’t think Apple really new it was coming - they pitched it originally as a great Phone, a better iPod, an Internet communicator, and a portable web browser, or something like that. Apps? Never mentioned. Yet that is the biggest point of differentiation I’d say as compared to any other smartphone. Not that other phones don’t offer apps, but certainly not the breadth and depth (as in, choice and quality) of what is available on the iPhone. 2010-01-29T20:14:00-08:00 http://provideocoalition.com/index.php/freshdv/story/ipad_schmipad/ http://provideocoalition.com/index.php/freshdv/story/ipad_schmipad/#When:18:51:00Z It’s not even been a week since Apple introduced the iPad, and there have already been literally volumes penned about this new device. These opinions are generally polarized, there seems to be either love or hate, with rarely someone falling in between the two. I’ll spare you my long-winded personal opinions, this post is simply a roundup of some of the more thoughtful and insightful articles and opinions I’ve read about the iPad. Read on… Hardware, Mobile Devices 2010-01-29T18:51:00-08:00 http://provideocoalition.com/index.php/atepper/story/apple_approves_voice_video_over_iphones_3g_fring_icall_beat_skype/ http://provideocoalition.com/index.php/atepper/story/apple_approves_voice_video_over_iphones_3g_fring_icall_beat_skype/#When:19:44:00Z Apple recently approved voice over iPhone’s 3G data connection, and now Fring and iCall have beaten both Skype and Truphone in updating their respective iPhone applications to take advantage of the newly approved feature. The other two possible voice conduits —which already existed for the iPhone and some other smartphones— are GSM and WiFi. In this article, I’ll review what these two applications have done so far, and what they’ve added with this newly approved third option. I’ll also cover Fring’s new video calling over 3G option. *VIDEO*, Audio, Hardware, Mobile Devices, Software 2010-01-29T19:44:00-08:00 http://provideocoalition.com/index.php/smartin/story/color_matching_in_motion/ http://provideocoalition.com/index.php/smartin/story/color_matching_in_motion/#When:18:09:00Z Motion graphics artists frequently need to match colors of design elements to colors of imported graphics, such as corporate logos. If you’ve tried to do this in Motion, you may have discovered a slight mismatch in the colors, which is frankly unacceptable. Here’s a short video demonstrating the issue and a way to fix it. 2010-01-29T18:09:00-08:00 http://provideocoalition.com/index.php/bjohnson/story/breaking_the_first_rule_of_non_linear_editing_part_two/ http://provideocoalition.com/index.php/bjohnson/story/breaking_the_first_rule_of_non_linear_editing_part_two/#When:17:43:00Z Our story so far:  Our intrepid editor and geek just spent about $7000 on a new editing computer.  To try and save money, he bought the HP Z800 without a DVD drive or video card.  When he finally tries to install the BluRay burner...) “bump.” Whaaaat? *VIDEO*, CS4, Editing, Hardware, Post Production, Software, Tips 2010-01-29T17:43:00-08:00 http://provideocoalition.com/index.php/mcurtis/story/apples_ipad_all_the_details_what_it_means_for_us/ http://provideocoalition.com/index.php/mcurtis/story/apples_ipad_all_the_details_what_it_means_for_us/#When:19:42:00Z OK, this one’s a two parter. Part One is just the practical details of what it is, what it costs, what it does. Part Two is what it means for users like us - now and in the future. Overall, I think the Apple iPad is interesting, I think it is useful, it demos damn cool and as of today I don’t expect to buy one, and why you may not want to either. Read on for the details. Updated a couple of times - come back and read the bottom 2010-01-27T19:42:00-08:00 http://provideocoalition.com/index.php/bjohnson/story/breaking_the_first_rule_of_non_linear_editing_part_one/ http://provideocoalition.com/index.php/bjohnson/story/breaking_the_first_rule_of_non_linear_editing_part_one/#When:17:07:00Z When last we spoke, I had announced my intention to break The First Rule Of Editing - to actually upgrade my editor in the middle of several ongoing productions.  My reasons were threefold: * Against all odds, I had the money; * My 4-year-old dual-Pentium Dell XPS600, which had been rock-steady, had suddenly become pretty flaky, with USB ports disappearing and reappearing at unpredictable times - and when your keyboard, mouse and ShuttlePro are all USB devices, that can be a bad thing; * And as a Adobe Creative Suite CS4 user, the demo of the upcoming Abobe Mercury engine in combination with new-technology CUDA video cards and a hot Windows machine is quite impressive.  Check it out. For the last ten years, I have made something of a specialty out of taking inexpensive, low-to-midrange computers and making DV editors out of them. Back in the days of the Canopus DVRaptor, I could take the puniest machine, add RAM and a hard drive for media, and build a pretty functional editor (by the standards of the early 2000’s) for less than $700.  I built more than 50 editors like this over several years, but times have changed.  The budget this time was going to be a whole different beast. *VIDEO*, Budgeting, CS4, Editing, Hardware, Post Production, Software, Tips 2010-01-27T17:07:00-08:00 http://provideocoalition.com/index.php/news/story/singular_softwares_new_pluraleyes_release_adds_support_for_sony_vegas_pro/ http://provideocoalition.com/index.php/news/story/singular_softwares_new_pluraleyes_release_adds_support_for_sony_vegas_pro/#When:15:28:00Z Singular Software™, developer of automation applications for post-production, announced that its flagship product PluralEyes™ version 1.1 for Final Cut Pro® has expanded its support for non-linear editing applications to include Sony® Vegas Pro®. Designed for time-conscious video professionals, PluralEyes offers critical workflow automation tools for analyzing media content and synchronizing audio and video clips, including stunning DSLR (digital single lens reflex) camera images. The new PluralEyes plug-in for Vegas Pro provides an array of features for managing multi-camera, multi-take, and dual-system audio productions; including a level audio option, preserving the order of clips, and clip locking for seamless integration into existing workflows. 2010-01-27T15:28:00-08:00 http://provideocoalition.com/index.php/news/story/i_movix_adds_new_features_to_popular_sprintcam_v3_hd_ultra_slow_motion_solu/ http://provideocoalition.com/index.php/news/story/i_movix_adds_new_features_to_popular_sprintcam_v3_hd_ultra_slow_motion_solu/#When:15:27:00Z I-MOVIX today announced it has set an April 2010 release date for a significantly enhanced version of its SprintCam® V3 HD ultra-slow-motion system. New features include, among others, a wider range of available frame rates (from 150 to 2,000 fps) with instant replay, simultaneous capture and record, built-in intercom, and integration of both live- and replay-view on the viewfinder.  2010-01-27T15:27:00-08:00 http://provideocoalition.com/index.php/news/story/oconnor_announces_new_camera_accessory_line/ http://provideocoalition.com/index.php/news/story/oconnor_announces_new_camera_accessory_line/#When:15:25:00Z Pioneering fluid head innovator OConnor, a Vitec Group brand, is pleased to introduce a new line of professional camera accessories engineered to fulfill the needs of today’s high-end cinematography. 2010-01-27T15:25:00-08:00