Notes On Video

Last year's seminar series was very good. Each one consisted of a panel of filmmakers or subject matter experts talking about their experiences: Event Info & Registration:  Working Methods Seminars We are delighted to announce the dates for a new Working Methods Seminar Series.  Join us for a great collection of Seminars for 2013 with topics developed from  feedback in our first series. Each seminar will be an opportunity to learn from a panel of accomplished professionals in a relaxed and intimate environment. The seminars include time for audience Q&A and networking.    SCREENWRITING: Saturday, April 13th  High Output Studios   Coffee & Bagels 9:30 AM / Seminars 10:00 - 12:00 Noon 2013 Seminar Schedule April 13  *  Screenwriting  May 18  *  Legal Seminar  June 15  *  Branded Entertainment September 7  *  The Independent Filmmaker  October 5...

Apple aims to win over video editors | Chris O'Brien | Los Angeles Times That campaign, timed to coincide with the National Assn. of Broadcasters convention that starts April 6 in Las Vegas, will feature users like Julian Liurette, who followed the firestorm from his video editing desk in Toronto at the Globe and Mail newspaper. What's new in Final Cut Pro X [X 10.0.8]   | Apple Sony XAVC Shoot with Sony’s latest professional digital video cameras — the F5 and F55 — then import XAVC files directly into Final Cut Pro X and start editing immediately. With support for resolutions up to 4K, you can work natively or convert to Apple ProRes in the background for even better performance. ProRes Log C Multichannel Audio Editing Unified Import Streamlined Share Dual Viewers XAVC APPLE FCPX plugin [ Edited ] | Sony Here is the XAVC plugin for Apple Final Cut Pro X that enables native XAVC editing Note This plug-in requires: Final Cut Pro X 10.0.8 or higher for XAVC fo...

Color Grading A Glimpse Inside the Mind of Charles Swan III, Part 2: Chris Martin on the Art of the Post-Grade | Michael Murie | Filmmaker Magazine In this second part on the color grading of the movie A Glimpse Inside the Mind of Charles Swan III, Chris Martin of SPY describes his work to complete the final grade, the workflow, and the color look of the picture. Buying stock footage with the Pond5 plugin for Premiere Pro CS6 | Scott Simmons | Pro Video Coalition I used it several times when working on some stock footage based edits but hadn't had the opportunity to actually carry out the whole purchase and conform process from within PPro until a recent project. Keeping in mind this product is still in beta, here's a few cautions and gotchas that I ran across while working. The History (and Future) of Rotoscoping in After Effects | Adobe After Effects has evolved throughout the past 20 years to make rotoscoping a less eye-bleeding task. Check out how After Effec...

Cinematographer Tobias Linden explains the advantages of a RED EPIC | Freytag Film No other camera manufacturer has ever polarized the filmmaking community like RED does. Since its launch, the company has led the way in terms of 4K+ acquisition, while at the same time ignoring standard business practices (e.g. upgrade paths; actual delivery dates). Today, a RED EPIC can be found on sets of big Hollywood feature productions, television, advertising and even low-budget independent films. But why is the EPIC so widely spread? RED Solves EPIC and SCARLET Fan Noise Issues, Also Introducing New Fans at NAB | Joe Marine | No Film School Jarred Land recently posted that the RED engineers have developed a new smart algorithm for controlling fan speed (and therefore fan noise): The new algorithm constantly monitors temperature and fan speed and starts quieter than the existing quiet setting for the first few minutes and then slowly steps up fan speed up as temperature increases the lon...

Sidewalk Traffic: Interview with D.P. Dave Kruta | Michael Murie  | Filmmaker Magazine The most challenging thing was having to shoot that many pages with a minimal crew. There were a few nine-page days which were out of control. Many days I had only one G&E person. Many people on board were doing their first feature so there was definitely a learning curve, but I think we were successful. #SXSW2013 | Elle Schneider | Digital Bolex SXSW was the first time we’ve been able to accurately show people the weight, size, and ergonomics of the camera, and people really responded to it, taking tons of photos and videos. Hundreds of people stopped by the booth to chat with us and check out what we were doing, including backers and many who had stopped by last year to discover the project in its infancy. Digital goes back to the 70′s – 1st impressions of Dog Schnit Optiks Flare Factory 58 lens and sample photos | Andrew Reid | EOSHD On my test shoot (stills only – I have y...

Tackling Concerns of Independent Workers | Steven Greehouse | New York Times The Freelancers Union, which is based in Brooklyn, doesn’t bargain with employers, but it does address what is by far these workers’ No. 1 concern, by providing them with affordable health insurance. Its health insurance company covers 23,000 workers in New York State and has $105 million in annual revenue. Adobe Encouraging Flights to US For Cheaper Prices |  ZACH SUTTON | F|Stoppers Adobe pushes Australian's into the Cloud. Will everyone else be next?: While this price is comparable to the US price of the product, the box prices for their products are as much as $1000 more in Australia than in the US, for essentially the same products. “If Australian customers don’t see the value of Adobe’s software, they can buy another company’s software” Robson said. “Alternatively, they can take a trip overseas or import the American version.” Self Distributing Your Film – Lessons from a Real W...

Review: Blackmagic Design Cinema Camera | ADAM GARSTONE | Definition Magazine Then, as now, I believed that it would sell very well, though I’m not sure to whom. It’s cheaper than a high-end DSLR, but a very different beast. It isn’t easy to use for fast paced documentary shooting, or events, or anything else you would expect in that £2000 bracket. It’s a cinema camera. Like the Canon 5D MkII, and the RED One, I suspect it will be a game changer. First Cut Pro is a handy, dandy online review and approval system | Scott Simmons | Pro Video Coalition The idea is simple: upload your edit to Vimeo, Brightcove or YouTube (those services are supported now but likely more to come), invite your viewers into the custom First Cut Pro viewing room and they can watch and comment on the video. Those comments are listed in the viewing room interface and the editor can then download those comments into an NLE friendly file that can be brought back into the timeline. PAPERLESS DIRECTIN...

Don't Forget , THIS SATURDAY, the Massachusetts Media Expo : This day-long event will feature over 50 exhibitors, a distinguished panel of guest speakers including: Doug Trumbull, Dorothy Aufiero, Todd Arnow and Mark Kamine. Directing and Casting Workshops will be held in the afternoon, and in the evening the premiere of Whitey Bulger: The Making of a Monster followed by a Q&A session with the directors and special guests. ‘New’ Canon SL1 / 100D and T5i / 700D fail to excite | Andrew Reid | EOSHD Though cute  the new entry level 100D (above) offers a 25% reduction in size at the expense of handling and no articulated screen. There’s seemingly no new functionality on this camera either in video mode, not even for stills! Owners of the 4 year old 550D from 2009 could be forgiven for not rushing to upgrade. Andrew hasn't liked anything Canon has done for years, but it seems others aren't that impressed: CANON LAUNCHES BUDGET HDSLRS: EOS 700D, AND EOS 100D | Ma...

Wacom Cintiq 13HD 13.3" Interactive Pen Display | B & H Wacom has unveiled a new pen display which has a 1920 x 1080 resolution and costs just under $1,000. You can't order it yet: 11.75 x 6.75" Active Area 13.3" Widescreen Display with HDMI Port Full HD 1920 x 1080 Native Resolution 250 cd/m² Brightness 2048 Levels of Pressure Sensitivity Another innovation in Camera Stabilizers? | Planet5D A camera stabilizer with an electronic mechanism: Another kickstarter project for the day  – this is an interesting take on the handheld steadicam – the The Supraflux Video Camera Stabilizer – which is unique because it has an electronic ‘brake’ to help control the motion without you needing to touch the device while filming (which of course can cause unwanted movement without tons of practice). UPDATED: GoPro Issued DMCA Notice to DigitalRev | F|Stoppers GoPro issues a DMCA, but it turns out it's at a site reselling their cameras: The letter th...

RED Epic - HDRx Tests (in 4K) | Neumannfilms | YouTube Shot in 5K on the RED Epic Lenses used: Tokina 11-16 and Nikkor Ai-s 50mm f 1.2. Graded using Neumann Films Presets (The Blockbuster Presets) and 4K Film Grain. Exported at 4096x2304 in After Effects. Greenwich Market - Sony PMW F5  | Don McVey | Vimeo Nice little short documentary shot on the PMW-F5 , though personally, I don't like the way everyone is creating things that look flat: Short documentary highlighting some of the people and products of Greenwich Market. Shot on Sony F5. Magic Lantern Users Complain of Overheating on Canon DSLRs | James DeRuvo | Doddle Well, all good things are about to have a crack in their armor from time to time, and it looks like the latest version of Magic Lantern is no different. Users of the popular third-party firmware for Canon cameras  have taken to the Magic Lantern forums and on Facebook have begun to complain about their batteries overheating on the Canon T3i/6...

Production Design on a Budget | Michael Murie | Filmmaker Magazine On small budget productions, coming up with locations can be a challenge – especially if you need something a bit unusual. An upcoming music video for the band Run 8 Rider required that a single location represent three different time periods to tell its story. Using a borrowed house as the location, director Sean Meehan turned to production designer Riley Fearon to supervise the transformation of the location. Why I Am Grateful for Kickstarter (It’s Not Just for the Money) | Lanre Olabisi | Filmmaker Magazine So, why am I so grateful to Kickstarter? The Masterpiece Theater answer would probably sound something like this: Kickstarter is a great community that allows people to support great projects in coming to life. While this is true – that’s not what does it for me. How to Make Your First Film Halfway Across the World with No Money and Get Picked Up by Oscilloscope | Oakley Anderson-Moore It’s the...

Ep. 38 - "Filmmaking is Awesome" (with Jonathan Yi) | NeedCreative Podcast In this special 38th episode of the NeedCreative Podcast, your co-hosts Paul Antico and guest Michael Murie are joined again by Director/DP Jonathan Yi.  Jon's background, how he got to working for HBO, making commercials, and being a professor at NYU Advice about making a Demo Reel and how producers may choose you Working on the Canon team as a consultant to provide feedback on the launch of the C300, the history behind "Cinema EOS" How Colorists Will Thrive in 2013 – Google Hangout Interview with Patrick Inhofer | Tom Parish Patrick is a seasoned senior colorist and editor with more than 20 years’ experience in broadcast, cable, and (more recently) indie post-production.  He publishes an amazing newsletter every Sunday morning for fellow colorists. It’s the first thing I read on Sunday with my first cup of  coffee. Did Veronica Mars Ruin Kickstarter? | Sam Adams | Sl...

Why Apple Must Fear Roku | Andrew Wallenstein | Variety And yet as passable as the Roku-TW Cable deal is, it highlights a vulnerability to Apple: The longer iTV takes to get to market, the higher the risk someone is going to crack this market wide open before Apple even gets a chance. A Colour Grading Round Up For Virgin & Veteran Colourists | Jonny Elwyn | Blog If you’re a young colourist in the making then this 6 tip post from Reel Life Television will give you a decent structure to think about what you need to be learning; ranging from what apps and hardware to be investing in to the importance of taking breaks. Celebrating Ford and Wayne's Classic Western 'The Searchers' | Ryan Lattanzio | Indiewire "First, apart from being an American epic, 'The Searchers' also is a John Wayne Western; for many, even at this late date in film history, that's still an excuse to ignore it. Secondly, it doesn't go down quite as easily as the pictur...

Adobe to cut off boxed sales of Creative Suite, Acrobat | Electronista "As Adobe continues to focus on delivering world-class innovation through Creative Cloud and digital fulfillment, we will be phasing out shrink-wrapped, boxed versions of Creative Suite and Acrobat products," Blackmagic UltraStudio Mini Monitor Review | Daniel Freytag | Blog The big deal about this pocket-sized box is that it actually provides an SDI and HDMI output with 10 bit 4:2:2 video. It works with a wide range of software such as Premiere Pro, Final Cut Pro 7 & X and of course DaVinci Resolve. It's a really nice option if you need to show a preview on an external display. The UltraStudio is only $145 ( $137.75 B&H ), which makes it a really nice solution for broadcast quality outputs. The NEW JVC GY-HM70 with some interesting features | Philip Johnston | HD Warrior The camera records on two SDHC or SDXC memory cards in the AVCHD Progressive format at 28Mbps. And its uniqu...

If you're in Boston on Saturday, March 23rd, this should be an event worth attending: Exhibition Hall (Calderwood Studio) 12:30 – 4:30 PM Showcasing the most complete range of film and media companies in Massachusetts. Exhibitors will include the Commonwealth’s top production companies, post-production and VFX houses, production suppliers, innovative products and media support organizations. Keynote Panel (Yawkey Theatre) 1:30 PM Doug Trumbull      . Visual Effects and Immersive Media Pioneer Dorothy Aufiero     Producer:  The Fighter Todd Arnow          . UPM:  Surrogates ,  Battleship ,  Furry Vengeance Mark Kamine        UPM:  Silver Linings Playbook ,  Ted ,  Shutter Island Moderated by: Lisa Strout, MA Film Office Director More Information

VOD for Everyone? Vimeo's Blake Whitman Tells Us About Opening Up Self-Distribution With Vimeo On Demand | IndieWire Vimeo's announcement today at SXSW that the company is launching a self-distribution service has the potential to be a major tool for independent filmmakers. Vimeo On Demand will allow any members of Vimeo PRO (a $199 a year service) offer up their work for rent or download, taking a 10% cut after credit card and Paypal fees. MEETING: Visual Storytellers February 21st |  BOSCPUG KANEN FLOWERS: HEROES, PUNKS AND A PLAN FOR THE FUTURE' Blackmagic Cinema Camera on set of HERO PUNK LEARN MORE ABOUT HERO PUNK In this presentation, Kanen will discuss the workflow around Scruffy.TV -- a collaborative, distributed company with editors, post, audio, color, compositors and VFX artists from around the world. He will discuss the workflow constraints, use of Dropbox and other tools for collaboration, his work on The Scruffy Show, HERO PUNK and other online cont...

How to Raise Seven Grand in Seven Days on Kickstarter | Sara Kaye Larson | Filmmaker Magazine By now it’s common crowdfunding lore that you should aim to raise 25% of your funds within the first couple weeks from people that you know. We were pretty much on target with that goal. But given that we ran a long campaign, our numbers were stagnant for days, even weeks, at a time, and we were left with the task of raising 50% of our goal in final seven days. In depth blog post with video BTS on new music video “Bitten by the frost” shot on the 1DC | Philip Bloom With a no-budget music video, you don’t have the luxury of a location scout or production manager. My main roles were Director, DP and Editor, but I also acted as script supervisor and  production manager. Rachel, Olly’s wife volunteered her mother’s house for bed scenes and the front door scene. My house was the bathroom, kitchen and TV location. Olly and Rachel’s local pub was the Cinema, Exotic Dancing place, M...