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Friday, December 20, 2013

The News

Why I Sold My RED and Downgraded to a C100 | F Stoppers
Interesting article about choosing the Canon C100 over a RED. Has prompted a lot of comments!
After using the c100, I realize how wrong I was. In my opinion, the Canon C100 is the best of both worlds: A sharp and dynamic image in a compact body with professional audio inputs and amazing battery life/record time.


The new Final Cut Pro release is out:
Final Cut Pro X 10.1 | Philip Hodgetts
As well as beefed up 4K support, making the best use possible of the dual GPUs in the new Mac Pro, additional language support, improved XML and a long list of other features, 10.1 gains some seriously useful media management and project organizational tools, plus improved editorial functions. 10.1 is for OS X 10.9 Mavericks only.

What's News | Apple

Final Cut Pro 10.1 - A First Look by Steve Martin & Mark Spencer | FCP.Co
Final Cut Pro 10.1 is the next major step forward for Apple’s professional editing software Final Cut Pro X. Not since its initial release over 2 years ago has there been a more significant version with regard to performance and workflow. The most visible improvement in FCP X is the new Library model, but there are dozens of editing and UI enhancements throughout that will have a major impact on your editing speed and efficiency.


NLE Review: Adobe Premiere Pro CC | Pro Video Coalition
Can it move into the rarefied air of Hollywood feature film and television that Avid Media Composer and Final Cut Pro 7 has dominated for so many years? Maybe. Will it be eclipsed as being too “traditional” in a new media world as Final Cut Pro X continues to improve into a very unique and very good NLE? Possibly.
Adobe has already released a bug fix:
Premiere Pro CC Update (7.2.1) | Adobe
Today we have released an update to the December 2013 Premiere Pro CC release, with several important bug fixes. This update is recommended for all users.


OFFHOLLYWOOD DRAGON R3Ds & MORE | RedUser
Yesterday there was footage from the Blackmagic 4K, now here's some RED Dragon content:
I'm going to try to share as much knowledge, observations, opinions, images and R3Ds as I possibly can in this thread as we head into the Holiday Season and a new year. Just gimme a couple more days and I'll unleash :)


Test grading the Blackmagic Production Camera 4K….shot by the boss of BMD himself! | Philip Bloom
Philip Bloom looks at the Blackmagic footage:
I have of course shot on other 4k cameras, namely the RED cameras and no, this doesn’t match these cameras in terms of detail or image quality…but it’s $4k and for that it’s not bad at all. Not amazing…but we really MUST wait until Production models of the er…Production Camera are released.


Renowned British filmmaker Shane Meadows shoots Jake Bugg music video on Blackmagic Pocket Cinema camera and BMCC | EOSHD
Blackmagic’s cameras were unbelievably manoeuvrable, which meant we could react more quickly to changes in the environment, while also being a little more spontaneous. During set piece scenarios we were able to use all of the two Pocket Cinema Cameras and one Blackmagic Cinema Camera in very small spaces because they were so small making coverage and locations easier to handle. 


VIDEO REVIEW: VARAVON SLIDECAM LITE SLIDER | News Shooter
It’s small, light-weight, thin and yet well constructed. Unlike some other budget sliders the Varavon uses metal roller bearings that run along rails concealed in a groove running down the middle of the slider. It is available in various differing lengths from 19 inches to 47 inches.


Netflix ‘House of Cards’ Season 2 Will Stream in Ultra HD to 4K TVs | Variety
The move is largely a marketing gimmick for Netflix to claim bragging rights. Hardly any of its subs will be equipped to watch “HoC” in 4K: TV makers will sell just 57,000 Ultra HD televisions in 2013, according to the CEA.


Thursday, December 19, 2013

The News


Introducing Amazon Storybuilder | Amazon
A free, screenwriting tool that helps you build stories for Movies or TV.
What is Amazon Storybuilder?
Amazon Storybuilder is a cloud-based writing tool from Amazon Studios that can be used to create stories for Movies or TV. Amazon Storybuilder uses “notecards” to represent a single beat or event in a story, just as screenwriters have for years used actual physical notecards to represent story beats on corkboards around the world. Storybuilder notecards can include both text and images. You can string individual cards together into a sequence on a virtual “corkboard” to convey a narrative and tell your story. Unlike physical notecards, it is easy to share Storybuilder projects and it is easy to take them wherever you go with your laptop, phone, tablet or Kindle.


Blackmagic 4K Production Camera – First Sample Videos from Grant Petty | EOSHD
The first 4K images are rolling off the 4K production camera, shot by Grant Petty himself no less. I’m hugely impressed with the image. It breaks new ground for resolution for an accessibly priced movie camera.


HOW TO NET A CINEMA LENS (VIDEO TUTORIAL) | The Black And Blue
Netting a lens is a great and simple way to add style to a scene using cloth material mounted on the rear element of a lens. While netting lenses won't happen on every job, it's a technique camera assistants are expected to be familiar with – and can learn how to do in this video


Three Secret Lighting Tips For Next Your Action Film | Ryan E Walters
Shooting an action film is a daunting task under the best of circumstances, let alone when you have a small lighting crew of three, and a tight schedule. In this post, I'm going to share with you how we pulled off a two day shoot in one day, and give you the three lighting secrets you need to know to make your next action film look amazing.


12 Film Editors who became Film Directors | Vashi Visuals
It is often said that film editors most fluidly make the transition into being successful film directors. Maybe it’s because the editor gets to live for so long with all the footage…and this gives us an omniscient view into the entire production.


Sony Alpha A7 and A7R review | The Verge
A gushing review, though it really only looks at the still capabilities:
Every once in a while, a product comes along that changes the dynamic of an entire industry. The iPhone did it in 2007, the Mustang did it in 1964, and Converse did it with the All Star sneaker way back in 1917. Now, Sony is poised to upend the camera industry with the new Alpha A7 and A7R mirrorless cameras.


Take the mystery out of BlackMagic | Boston Avid Users Group
Wednesday, January 8, 2014 from 6:30 PM to 9:00 PM (EST)
Kick off 2014 with the BAVUG! Join us as we welcome Sid Levin to demo the in's and out's of the new BlackMagic Design Cinema and Pocket Cinema Cameras, as well as give us a taste of how to roundtrip a project from Avid Media Composer to BlackMagic's DaVinci Resolve.  


MōVI Christmas video! … for Screenagers | Nino Film
My friends from Screenagers, an über-creative Vienna-based digital agency (with the nicest people, I might add), hired me to shoot a very special “Jingle Bells” video with them after they heard that I had a MōVI M10.


Adobe Media Encoder CC (7.2): what’s new and changed in this December 2013 update | Adobe
Adobe Media Encoder CC (7.2) is focused on improving performance and stability to ensure that your projects are done efficiently and with the highest quality.



The Carbon Fiber Travel Jib is tailored for video shooters who need a lightweight, compact solution for jib shots. So whether you want to take it on a plane for a shoot overseas, or you need to carry it on a backpack for a shoot in the mountains, this jib can make the journey without weighing you down.

Wednesday, December 18, 2013

Quick Links

Digital Bolex D16 Review Part 1: First Impressions (And How You Can Order One Right Now) | No Film School
The camera does a very good job combining color temperatures in the same frame. This doesn’t always look right with certain camera systems, but it was a particular strength of film — and it certainly looks like a strength of the D16.


10 VIDEO EDITING HABITS TO GIVE UP | Videomaker
It's no lie, video editing can be messy. It's also a bad habit. That doesn't mean a video editor has to like it or live there. A video editor who keeps their workspace, virtual space, and their projects well organized will be more proficient.


I Am No Longer Going To Produce Films For My Living | Ted Hope
I have decided I am no longer going to produce films for my living.  To do so requires me to deliver quantity over quality. Or to not contribute as fully as I like since I won’t be fairly compensated.  Or to make something that is virtually guaranteed to not have the cultural impact it warrants.  Those are three things that I am refusing to be part of.


MXL Mics Teams Up with FiLMiC Pro App | Sound & Picture
MXL Microphones announces a strategic alliance with Cinegenix, the maker of popular videomaking IOS app FiLMiC Pro. The announcement coincides with the release of MXL’s Mobile Media microphones, a series of mics designed for mobile audio for video applications.


Vintage prints of the storyboard with camera instructions used in the production of one of the greatest movies of all time, 1941’s ‘Citizen Kane.’ | Cinephilearchive.tumblr



Glass Encounters of the SLR Kind: Out-of-This-World Lenses for 2013 | B & H PhotoVideo
Among the standout advances in this year’s roundup of noteworthy SLR camera lenses are a budget-friendly wide-angle zoom intended for full-frame shooters, telephoto zooms with near-silent stepping-motor-driven autofocus, and a much-anticipated premium optical/mechanical beast of a prime lens from Zeiss.


COVERING DISASTER: AL JAZEERA’S MATT ALLARD ON ASSIGNMENT IN THE AFTERMATH OF TYPHOON HAIYAN | News Shooter
There is always a moral dilemma when trying to get into a disaster zone. Do you take up space on an aid plane to get there? Or do you find another way? Sometimes an aid plane may be the only way in. While you are taking up valuable space and cargo that could have been replaced with aid the media does need to be there.


Now available! The epic 250 page EOSHD Panasonic GH3 Shooter’s Guide | EOSHD
  • EOSHD’s recommended camera settings for filmmaking
  • EOSHD’s 15 recommended lenses for the GH3 (with new tri-shot test gallery)
  • Official foreword by Panasonic and exclusive interview


Tips for Creating a Solid Production Resume | Production Hub
Don’t have a one-size-fits-all résumé, and don’t try to be a jack-of-all-trades either. The rest of that saying is "master of none". UPM’s on real movies with real budgets, are looking for individuals to do specific jobs.


Tuesday, December 17, 2013

The News

Revising Your Script: The Evolution of Even The Dogs Know | Filmmaker Magazine
Intrigued by how the script had evolved, and because Capodiferro had worked on the script through several screenwriting classes and workshops, I asked him if he would explain the evolutionary process of the script in more detail


88 CINEMATOGRAPHERS SHARE THE BEST PROFESSIONAL ADVICE THEY’VE EVER RECEIVED | The Black And Blue
At the suggestion of reader Martin Warrilow, I went through AC magazine’s online archives and pulled the answers to this question from 88 different cinematographers. Some are well-known while others are still under the radar. Yet all have crucial insight, wisdom, and knowledge to share that could help you in your filmmaking career.


DIY Monday: Telling the Truth Without Paying for it | MovieMaker
Most documentaries show some slant in the way they present a story to further their theses. Likewise, fictionalization of true events in a narrative film can result in the altering of facts. Both mediums can therefore subject their creators to claims of defamation, right of publicity, and right of privacy claims—exactly what a moviemaker doesn’t need after the arduous process of finally getting to the finish line.


Before You Update to Final Cut Pro X 10.1 | FCP.TV
Final Cut Pro X 10.1 is on its way to the App store. You probably will need Mavericks installed. Now is the time to prepare for a smooth transition to 10.1, There are probably going to be some changes in the way FCPX 10.1 handles Events and Projects. If FCPX follows iMovie 2013, it will have a single Final Cut Pro Library for each Project and associated media instead of the two folder system it now uses.



How to Get Your Work Seen by Clients in the Video and Photography Industry | Philip Bloom
Guest post by Andy Baker, SVP/Group Creative Director, National Geographic Channels
Have you ever wondered “What the hell is my client thinking!?”  If so, well, you’re probably not alone.  Recently, I was fortunate to speak at the Masters in Motion filmmakers workshop in Austin, TX, where I went “Inside the Mind of a Client” – shedding a little light on the Client’s perspective, revealing a bit about what they are thinking, and taking a macro look at the ever-evolving role of the Client in the creative process.


The Single Most Important Thing You Can Do to Build a Successful Career in the Film Industry | No Film School
ATTITUDE IS EVERYTHING
I can’t stress this tip enough. I’ve worked with some fantastically talented people over the past few years who I would never choose to work with again, despite their talent or their knowledge, because they had a crappy attitude on set.


VES camera reports – one set of notes to rule them all | FX Guide
Sam Richards at Sony Pictures Imageworks has been working away hard on coding and producing something so simple it is hard to believe we need it as an industry, and yet as most artists know, it is a vital part of production that is often lost: accurate on-set camera notes.


Software Update: Color Suite 11.0.4 – Premiere Pro Compatibility | Red Giant
Not too long ago, we released an update to deal with an issue some of you were having with Magic Bullet Looks and Colorista II pulling black frames with Premiere Pro 7.1. Internally, we classified the fix as a bit of a bandaid solution. It worked in most situations, but still needed some work to get to full resolution. With some help from Adobe, we were able to pinpoint exactly what needed to happen and we now have a full fix available!


The Complete Guide to Lens Filters (Part Two) | WolfCrow
Diffusion is a highly subjective matter. It is in your best interests to test multiple diffusion filters thoroughly before use. Not only must you look at the image on set, but also study its qualities on a large broadcast monitor in post production to see how it will match with shots that are cut before and after it.


New 0.7x Baveyes adapter announced (next Speed Booster “clone”) | Sony Alpha Rumors
Kipon and Ibe announced the new Baveyes 0.7x adpater for Sony E-mount cameras. It’s basically the next Speed Booster alike adapter that sells for $300. STarting from January 10 there will be Nikon F, Canon EF and Leica R mount lens adapters.



Monday, December 16, 2013

4K is hard, Death of the Canon 7D, MacPro's and things

Exploring a 4K workflow in FCPX | HD Warrior
Philip Johnston got to play with the Sony 4K Camcorder, the FDR-AX1 ($4,498). But then he had problems with editing the footage in Final Cut Pro X (readers suggested trying something else) and decided that the 4:2:0 8bit color isn't good enough, so he's going to try for the professional version of the camera, the PXW-Z100 ($5,499).

More troubling (and rumored when it was released) the sensitivity of the camera is lower than similar HD cameras. A reader comment in the post notes:
It is about 1 or 2 stops slower than the NX5U depending on the available light. 
So maybe you should stick with HD for the moment...



Death of the Canon 7D?
Canon Rumors has run a couple of posts about the future of the Canon 7D. The first reports a rumor that there will be no Canon 7D Mark II, while the second consists of thought's about whether it can really be true that Canon is abandoning this segment:
This got me thinking today whether or not it was possible that Canon would abandon this segment of the APS-C camera lineup. I came to the conclusion that they will not.
I wonder whether the reality is that the space for this segment is evaporating?

The Canon 7D is currently selling for $1,399 (when it was released it was selling for $1,699.) The 70D is currently $1,099.  The full frame 6D is $1,799, but as Canon Rumors reported (right after their articles about the 7D), it's been down to $1,499, which raises the question; are full frame sensor cameras approaching the price of the high-end APS-C sensor cameras, and killing that market?



New 12-Core Mac Pro Once Again Shows Up in Benchmarks | Mac Rumors
The new Mac's are coming, and here are the confusing benchmarks:
As predicted, the single-core score for the high-end Mac Pro is actually lower than seen with the other new Mac Pro models due to the lower maximum clock speed of the 12-core chip, but multi-core testing obviously shows a significant boost in performance compared to the Mac Pro model carrying the 8-core processor.


iFilmFest app | iTunes
I haven't tried it, but I gather this app keeps you up to date on "The World's Best Film Festivals"



Premiere in the down time | GarberShop
I finally got a chance to get my edit on this weekend with the Premiere CC December update. This will be the shortest review of Premiere on the blogosphere:
He also posts a link to this more in-depth list of feature desires:

PREMIERE CC: I know I'm using caps but I'm saying PLEASE? | Mike Nichols | The Edit Doctor
My ongoing list of wishes and wants along my journey from the APPLE FCP world to ADOBE… Some are previous off the old list and some all news ones as well… Although I do dig the company ADOBE and their handling of the Pro Community…  I regretfully still do not yet feel I totally dig editing with Premiere CC…



December 2013 updates: After Effects CC (12.2) and After Effects CS6 (11.04) | Adobe
It is with great pleasure I get to announce a new feature-bearing update to After Effects CC (12.2) that we released today. Todd Kopriva has put together a detailed list of what’s new and changed in After Effects CC (12.2). Along with the update to After Effects CC, we have also updated After Effects CS6 with a couple of bug fixes. Todd also has a list of what’s changed in After Effects CS6 (11.0.4) here.


GO CREATIVE SHOW: NEWSSHOOTER’S MATT ALLARD TALKS ABOUT COVERING TYPHOON HAIYAN | News Shooter
This week’s Go Creative Show features our very own technical editor Matt Allard. In his day job he is a TV news cameraman for the Al Jazeera English network. Based in Asia he has shot numerous disasters and major news events. Recently he covered Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines and in this episode he discusses his approach and methodology with show host Ben Consoli.