News From Here & There

Sony NEX-FS100 First Impressions
A report from Crews.TV of a group of camera and sound people checking out a pre-production NEX-FS100 at an event in New Zealand. Three usability issues are identified; the brick-like shape - which at first was considered a problem, but after spending time with it most people felt they could work with it fine - the audio inputs (a big improvement over DSLR's,) and then there's that HDMI output:
“It might be fine in a studio situation on a tripod, but I don’t think I would want to use the FS100 with an external recorder out in the field running around with a shoulder rig.”

Unlike the fragile mini-HDMI connector on a Canon 5D, the FS100 HDMI connector is a full size connector, and it might be possible to find a locking type of HDMI connector that can fit, but in the end HDMI connectors were designed for AV connections, not location use.
The signal coming out the NEX-FS100 is a big improvement over the 5D Mark II, but that connector still gives people pause.
Crews.tv: FS100 Fair Game



Sony NEX-FS100
John Bake Postproductions posts some sequences shot at different frame rates and shutter speeds (up to 50p @ 1/1200, showing the effect on a shot of water pouring into a glass.
Vimeo: Sony NEX FS100 Shutter and frame rate test



More On Movie Pitching
Last week I linked to Alexis van Hurkman's story of an American man going to London to pitch a film. Now, for symmetry, here comes Eleanor Yule's story of a woman from Glasgow going to LA to pitch:
I take the opportunity to see a top LA agent about representation. He tells me the writers he represents work for around a million bucks per screenplay; less than that and it’s not worth his time. And, his directors are mostly male, commanding and charismatic. So, I think, even in America, land of the free, they have a hard time trusting the female of the species.
movieScope: 10 Days to Close a Deal
vanhurkman: Once Upon a Time in London




Screen writing Tip
Fl Film School recommends you don't get hung up on the formatting:
Many times we focus too much on making it look right rather than the creativity to make it say what we want it to say.
FlFilmSchool: Screenwriting Exercise



The Shortening Of Attention Spans
Fl Film School also wonders whether the traditional hour and a half movie will soon be a thing of the past:
Screenplays are supposed to be kept around 90-120 pages. Why? Who wrote this rule? Why is it even a rule? Why do independent filmmakers break their neck trying to be like Hollywood and compete with Hollywood without the required resources and money?
And goes on to argue that competing on Hollywood's terms is a mistake for the independent filmmaker.
FlFilmSchool: The Hollywood Standard? Whatever!



For those working with Smoke on the Mac, there's a Google Group: Smoke on Mac



Will iOS let you output movies at 1080p?
Currently, you're limited to 720p movies, does iOS 5 support 1080p? The motionVFX blog looks into it.
Blog motionVFX: iOS 5 brings the possibility to export videos in 1080p resolution!



Crwodfunding Stories
The Film Threat website is hoping to produce a magazine, and they went with crowdfunding to support the venture. This update will be interesting to others considering crowdfunding as the organizers have come to the conclusion that running two campaigns on two different crowdfunding sights was a mistake, and they've now decided to focus on one campaign with IndieGoGo.
With Kickstarter, I had to hit my goal, and at 5% with less than 20 days to go, while I know it’s possible (seen it happen for others), I don’t want to chance not getting anything, and being unable to pay anyone. Writers will get paid, dammit! Plus, with the final push focused on only one campaign, there is the outside hope that we not only meet our goal, but exceed it. THAT seems more realistic, at this point, than sticking with two campaigns.
FilmThreat: Crowdfunding With Film Threat: Highlander Was Right; There Can Be Only One

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