Quick Links

How to Import C300 Footage in Avid, FCP X and Premiere | Andy Shipsides
| CineTechnica
Explains the software you need, and how to work with C300 footage:

Canon provides a piece of software called the Canon XF utility, which is used to playback and download clips off their original media. It also has the ability to view clip metadata, mark timecode, and even apply a LUT to Canon Log footage for viewing. The XF Utility is hard to find on the internet, so here is the latest version (also including Log & Transfer and AMA plugins). The C300 records to Compact Flash cards, so a simple CF card reader is all that is needed to attach C300 media to your computer. Launching the XF Utility gives you the window below:

MATH THE BAND "Four To Six" music video | Jonathan Yi | Vimeo
Jon shot one of the early promo videos for the C300 (which Canon didn't actually show at their announcement event) and now he's back with a music video shot with the camera:

Shot on a prototype Canon Cinema EOS C300
Additional explosion coverage angles shot with Red Epic and Canon XF305
After the release of "Canon EOS C300 = Awesome", Canon USA allowed me to shoot "whatever I wanted" on a newer prototype C300 in January. I wanted it to be as weird as possible, so I made this with my friend Sam and enlisted some friends. We hope you like it.

Light Craft Workshop Fader ND Review | jeremy widen | Widen Media Blog
An ND filter review:

Everyone knows that using an ND (neutral density) filter on a lens will allow you to knock down light a few stops. But having to constantly switch between different NDs slows down a production; and for guerrilla shooters that could be crippling. Enter the Fader ND MkII. This ND has an adjustment ring that allows you to swing between 2 and 9 full stops of ND.

CANON EF TO PL, IS IT POSSIBLE? | Matthew Duclos | Circle of Confusion
Can a Canon EF lens be converted to PL mount? Is it worth it?

This shows exactly what the problem is in most cases. the difference of the 44mm Canon EF mount and the 52mm PL mount is a mere 8mm but those 8mm make a huge difference. You essentially have to remove 8mm of material from the back of the lens to accommodate a PL mount. In this case that could mean cutting into critical components such as aperture linkages, focus mechanisms, and anything else that is located at the rear of the lens. This is where the expensive part comes in.

FINAL DRAFT for iPad is Finally Here! …and it’s only a reader? | Taz Goldstein
| Hand Held Hollywood
Everyone was expecting a little too much it seems:

The app is officially called Final Draft Reader, and as you guessed, it’s meant for reading Final Draft scripts on the go. It has no screenwriting functionality at all. Zip. I’m sure that will come as a major disappointment to many. I admit, I was bummed when I heard the news. But the fact is, Final Draft never said they were releasing a screenwriting app. That was all of US!

Avoid These 3 Practical DSLR “Gotchas” for a Smoother Shoot | Evan Luzi
| The Black and Blue
A few tips for new DSLR shooters:

3. You Have to Choose Between a Monitor or the LCD
When working on a true cinematic production, you’re used to having multiple monitors to see what the camera sees. At the very least, you’ll have a director’s monitor at video village, a witness monitor mounted to the camera, and an external viewfinder (EVF) for the camera operator.
WIth DSLR’s, you have to choose one of those.

How to Survive Filmmakers’ Big Egos | Eve Light Honthaner | Masteringfilm
Interesting article on dealing with difficult people:

I’ve worked for some very difficult people, and it always makes the job that much harder. When you’re in this type of a situation, though, you’re the only one who can decide if it’s worth it. Is your need for the paycheck, the credit or the experience more important than what you’re having to endure? Sometimes it is. I know many people who just refuse to work for or with the notorious big-ego-bad-temper types, and if you were to ask them why, they’d simply say, “Because life is too short.” Others do it willingly because some of the toughest producers and directors also happen to be some of the most brilliant filmmakers.

'No Future in Photojournalism' Interview: Dan Chung | Barney Britton
| Digital Photography Review
Dan has a great blog, the DSLR News Shooter, and here he's interviewed about going from photojournalism to video:

'A lot of it has to do with what editors are asking photographers to do and my impression is that editors are basically asking for video more in the US and Asia than they are in the UK. I’ve been running DSLR video workshops in the UK now for a year and they’re always packed out, so there’s obviously an appetite there, but it’s early days.'