Links From Here & There

Google Continues Patent Battle For WebM
Google wants WebM to be the Web's open and freely usable video format. The only problem; it may infringe on existing patents. To that end, Google has started the WebM Community Cross License Initiative, whose members license any WebM-related patents to each other. So far, 16 organizations have joined including Mozilla and Samsung. Absent so far; Microsoft, Panasonic, Philips and others who are a part of MPEG LA, the patent holder pool for H.264.
CNET: Google's WebM patent pals agree to share



New England Features Blog
Justin Fielding at the New England Feature Films blog is attempting to compile a list of indie (under $250K) movies being made in New England: NEFeats.blogspot.com



Lloyd Kaufman Interview
Cinespect interviews director, producer and screenwriter Lloyd Kaufman, the co-founder of independent studio Troma, the film festival Tromadance and the director of The Toxic Avenger. He's also the author of “Make Your Own Damn Movie: Secrets of a Renegade Director.”
He talks about film festivals, distribution and the state of independent movies.
The rule that prevented vertical integration of television was done away with, the financial syndication rule, which stated that the networks were required to show a certain amount of independent content. When that rule was done away with that was the death of many independent movie companies and if you go around the battlefield it is littered with the dead bodies of movie companies who haven’t been able to survive; not because of bad movies but because of economic blacklisting. Troma survives because—we’re almost in our 40th year—it survives because of our brand. We have a loyal fan base.
Cinespect: Q&A with Filmmaker and Troma Studios Co-Founder Lloyd Kaufman
Amazon: Direct Your Own Damn Movie! (Your Own Damn Film School {Series})
Amazon: Make Your Own Damn Movie!: Secrets of a Renegade Director




Digital Imaging Sensors
The May issue of American Cinematographer contains Part 1 of Decoding Digital Imagers, a two-part series by Christopher Probst that looks at the origins, design characteristics and functions of today's digital-imaging sensors: American Cinematographer: May 2011



Kessler Shuttle Pod V2
Tom Guilmette has a video and web page on the Kessler Shuttle, a heavy duty dolly/slider system.
The basic operation of the dolly system is the same [as the original], but the biggest improvement is the addition of Keeper/Grabber wheels. These wheels ride under the track to keep the carriage on the rails, even when shooting at extreme angles, vertical or upside down!
He demo's it running with ElektraDRIVE motors which make it possible to create constant, repeatable motion. This is demonstrated at the end of the video with a sequence created by splicing together several separate trips along the slider.
TomGuilmette: Kessler Shuttle Pod V2 Video Setup Tutorial



Zacuot Double-Barrel Rig
In this video review, Chris at Perfect Day Images reviews the Zacuto Double-Barrel Rig. It's an expensive rig, but a lot of people like them.

Vimeo: Zacuto 5D/DSLR Shoulder Rig Review
B & H: Zacuto Double Barrel



Redrock Micro Gear at NAB
film-tv-vdieo.de has two videos of Redrock's new gear at NAB. Brian Valente talks about the Micro 3D Rig and the Micro Remote and Follow Focus. (Note: it is in English)
YouTube: NAB2011: Redrock Micro zeigt Micro 3D Rig und Live Lens MFT
YouTube: NAB2011: Redrock Micro zeigt Micro Remote und Follow Focus



File Naming Practices
Edward Smith at the Digital Asset Management Learning Center offers some advice on file naming. Putting the year in YEAR-MONTH-DAY format (i.e. 20110426-) and avoiding spaces and special characters is probably the takeaway from this.
DAMLearningCenter: File naming best practices for digital asset management




Heart Bokeh, from "DIY - Create Your Own Bokeh"

Custom Shaped Bokeh
DIY Photography offers two different articles on creating custom shaped Bokeh by cutting a shape out of black paper and attaching it to the front of the lens. A pretty neat effect.
DIY Photography: Removing The Mystery From The Heart Shaped Bokeh Thing
DIY Photography: DIY - Create Your Own Bokeh
DIY Photography: The Best 6 Ways To Create Your Own Bokeh
via: NoFilmSchool

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