Learning how to do Specific Workflow X for Camera Y is only a temporary solution. Learning how to evaluate what you're getting, what tools & knowledge you have, and what your outputs, timetables, and budget are will let you plan for ANY new options that come along.

If you ever read my HD for Indies blog back in the day, you know I groove me some workflow – that was a big chunk of why I moved out to LA 5½  years ago.

Next Thursday, Nov 7 from 11:30am – 1:30pm at Createasphere’s Entertainment Technology Expo (#ETE13), I'm doing a workshop on workflow. Or, more accurately, a meta-class on workflow.  

Here’s the schedule: http://provideocoalitionexpo.com/ETE/ETE13-SCHEDULE.html

Changing Workflows Workshop: How to Design a Workflow for Any Camera.

It seems like every few months another camera comes along with yet another brand new workflow. Independent producers, or DITs and AEs are then expected to magically figure it all out with no prep. Well, I’m going to cover ways to figure out the following:

What camera specs should you care about when choosing a camera?

Recording format.  Onboard or outboard? What factors apply and influence that decision? What quality and data rate and storage media?

Data Management. How to reliably and efficiently back up data on/near set, and plan for the type, quantity, and transfer speed of the media. Format readers, backup drive types, transfer buses, and more.

Editorial deliverables. Figuring out who needs what in what format and when. The editing department, the sound department, the visual effects department, and others need files. So what format, how do you convert them, how long will it take, and how will I get it to them?  Questions…answered.

Editing Systems. Can this system edit natively? If so, is the performance adequate? What determines “adequate” playback performance? If the source format needs transcoding, how is that accomplished? How fast? And is the necessary metadata maintained? What is necessary metadata? These days, just saying “We're cutting Avid” or “We're cutting Final Cut” is just the start. What version? On what hardware? On what operating system? All of these things can make the difference between not working at all versus working smoothly, even with the same source media to worry about.

Finishing. Are you finishing with the native format you edited, or was their an offline version? Do you need to do a conform, and if so how, with what tools? Are you finishing on the same editing platform you cut on, or going to a dedicated finishing system? How can I tell whether the finishing system can work with my editing system's EDL and my mastering file format?

….and so on.

The idea is to have you walk out with an understanding of the most pertinent issues to consider about new Camera X, updated editing system Y, never-heard-of-it finishing system Z, so that you'll be able to design a workflow that fit your deadlines, budgets, and technical capabilities if at all possible. And if you end up needing to miss on one of the three needs, at least you’ll be better informed. The goal is to be able to identify the gotchas that will allow you to pipe up when a producer says “We can just do so-and-so, right?”.  Not only will you be able to answer yes or no, but you can also explain WHY it matters.

I'll be sharing case studies from my own work history, covering everything from one man DSLR based shoots up to 12 camera tests that generated terabytes of data per day in 8 different formats.

Come on out and join me.  It’s at the Marriott Burbank Airport. 

Other details on the when and where and how register:  http://provideocoalitionexpo.com/ete