Quick Links

Adobe SpeedGrade Tutorial | Vincent Laforet | Blog
A quick tutorial on working in SpeedGrade, the new color grading tool in Adobe Creative Suite:

While we only used a few layers in the above example, you are not limited to any number of primary or secondary layers within the application. We also only worked with a single clip in the above tutorial, but for when you are grading entire sequences, there is the ability to have two playheads so you can preview your grade consistency between clips.

Reviewing the Sony FS700 and workflow | Ted Setla | Setla Films
A video review of the Sony NEX-FS700:

1. ND Filters: not just 2, but 3 different ND filters borrowed from the F65 ND filter technology

2. Arri adaptor: This addition allows for other 3rd party equipment we already use in the field

3. Focus Assist: E-Mount lenses has a Facial Focus Assist, A-Mount lenses have what is called a Phase Focus Assist which greatly increase the ability to keep it in auto focus with these lenses and use in run-n-gun situations

Zacuto 2012 Video Camera Shootout., My personal impressions | HDVdiver
| Wetpixel
Zacuto is doing their shootout again; each year they get together some cameras, shoot test footage, then they have a series of showings of the footage to DP's and film their reactions and put out a series of videos about the whole process. One participant posted his thoughts on one of the screenings:

The Sony F65 and the Arri Alexa were, for me, in place 1 and 2 respectively.

The pleasant surprise was that place 3 was the hacked GH2. This generated much discussion and even some crusty old pro's were very impressed by the GH2's image quality.

RED Epic, C300, F3 and the FS100, for several reasons, were competent but did not overly impress me.

Which prompted a reaction from Andrew Reid about the Panasonic GH2:
Audience reaction to Revenge Of The Great Camera Shootout puts GH2 in 3rd place behind Alexa and F65 | Andrew Reid | EOSHD

Right now price wise it is a no contest, at between $600 and $800 the GH2 is the best value digital cinema camera in the world. It will be interesting to see what the 12bit raw for $3000 Blackmagic Digital Cinema Camera will be like next month, though it has a smaller sensor than the GH2 and FS100 – so make sure you stock up on fast EF mount glass to maintain plenty of depth of field control and performance in low light.

JVC GMY-HMQ10 Review – My thoughts after using one | Den Lennie
| F-Stop Academy
Den plays with the 4K GMY-HMQ10 [GY-HMQ10]. He sort of doesn't think you will use it for 4K delivery:

The JVC GMY is not trying to be a 4K cinema camera – It’s not a Red, F65 or C500/1Dc threat. Rather I see this as a perfect camcorder for events and weddings. It’s a fully functioning HD camcorder that shoots 1080P and 4K up to 60P. I see this as an acquisition tool that could be locked off on a ceremony and left to run. Then when in post you could set your timeline to 1080P and have scope to pan and scan within the image and even created digital camera moves

One other note he adds about Final Cut Pro X:

Good old FCP X… I know there is still great deal of resistance to FCP X and I do sympathise with editors who have heavily invested in FCP 7 and the associated hardware. But as I’ve mentioned before, I took the decision too embrace FCP X in December and so far am not looking back. I did hear that Adobe CS.6 is also a very exciting NLE with a huge new feature set. But for now I’m enjoying FCP X and am going to keep going with it. I will write about my FCP X journey when I find the time…

Necessity is the Mother of Invention (or, Whoops, We Forgot Something)
| Matthew Jeppsen | FreshDV
Three stories about improvising gear in emergency situations:

I screwed a Zacuto Gorilla Plate underneath the back of his camera baseplate, and then hung a Zamerican arm from the 15mm port in the plate. On the other end of the Zamerican arm is a Zaffer, which is basically just a Bogen Manfrotto Superclamp with a 15mm Zicromount attached to it. The Zaffer is clamped around the zoom motor arm, holding the zoom gear in place below the lens. We then held everything tight to the lens using a zip tie. Like I said, it looks terrible, but it allowed him to change focal lengths and limp throughout the rest of the shoot. There’s a case for carrying spare arms and grip bits.

TaoColorist | Patrick Inhofer | EverNote
The Tao Colorist weekly Sunday report can now be found on Evernote. Lots of tips on color grading.



The Future of Automatic Sync | Bruce Sharpe | 25 Hour Day
Bruce is the creator of PluralEyes and here's a video of him speaking at NAB:

Just in case you didn't make it to NAB 2012, here is the presentation I gave in the Manhattan Editing Workshop's training center. I talk about (and demo)
CloudEyes
PluralEyes Connector for Premiere Pro CS6
PluralEyes 3

The Canon EOS 1Dc “Where does it fit in” | Philip Johnston | HD Warrior
Philip isn't sure who the audience for the EOS-1DC is:

So to conclude the market has now changed from everyone being able to afford a hybrid DSLR to almost fit for purpose expensive cameras being produced affordable by the upgrading pros yet Canon decide to produce the EOS 1Dc 4K camera for $15,000 and also bring out the 4K Canon C500 along side it for almost the same price!

5 Things You Might Not Know About David Lean's 'Lawrence Of Arabia'
| Olive Lyttelton | Indiewire

1. David Lean nearly directed a biopic of Gandhi instead of 'Lawrence'
In 1957, director David Lean and legendary producer Sam Spiegel had a huge hit together with war epic "The Bridge Over The River Kwai" -- the film was the biggest of the year, and won seven Oscars, including Best Picture, Director and Actor. As such, the duo were undeniably keen to work again on a similarly epic canvas, but their first idea wasn't what you'd expect: Plan A was for Lean to direct a film about Indian nationalist leader Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, written by the great Emeric Pressburger ("A Matter Of Life And Death," "Black Narcissus"), and starring 'River Kwai' star Alec Guinness as the title character.