November 11th, 2011
Some issues I have experienced, and some answers from various sources:
- At least when played on a laptop, motion seems juddery. Can’t quite put my finger on it, but it’s as if the frame rate is uneven.
- Appears to be due to playing a 25 fps video on a 60Hz refresh-rate display device (my laptop’s screen).
- I did an experiment, panning around a garden (in daylight)
- Conclusion: for online viewing of naturally-lit pans, 30 fps is best (consistent: record, edit and display) , even in PAL regions.
- Try increasing the shutter-time.
- I did an experiment, panning around a garden (in daylight)
- Vimeo: http://vimeo.com/31929495 (30 fps) and http://vimeo.com/31930183 (25 fps)
- Slowing the shutter from 180 degrees (1/60 sec) to 360 degrees (1/30 sec) did not affect the smoothness of the pan, however it did cause an irritating blur to the (panning) image.
- So when the background is the subject, don’t do that !
- On the other hand, when following a moving object, holding it stationary in-frame, long shutter time can produce a pleasing background motion blur, diminishing background clutter and suggesting speed. Might be a problem (I guess) if object includes movement such as flapping wings.
- What’s the best speed for a pan?
- Typically 3 to 5 seconds
- Don’t pan over too great an area, especially of a nearby object, especially if the middle portion is uninteresting.
- Begin and end with a few seconds of static (static shots i.e. locked-off camera).
- Cutting from a static sometimes better when first few frames up to half a second are static (pre-pan)
- Tip:
Posted in moviemaking | No Comments »
November 9th, 2011
Some Accomodation Options:
- Bed & Breakfast
- Independent Hotel
- Best Western
- Express by Holiday Inn
- Hilton
- Holiday Inn
- Ibis
- Marriott
- Ramada
- Travelodge
Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »
November 9th, 2011
As an assignment for an on-line video course, I shot some B-Roll footage in an interesting garden. While shooting, I was “hassled” by a lovely poodle called Ivy. She appeared so much (uninvited) in front of the camera I decided to give her a starring role! Hence it is now “her” garden.
I just posted it on Vimeo, at http://vimeo.com/31813882davidesp/ivysgarden
Repeating the text Description at Vimeo:
This light-hearted and whimsical journey through an english country garden and back, occasionally accompanied by our fluffy hostess, Ivy, is my response to a film-course assignment, simply to record some B-Roll footage. It sort of acquired a life of its own, partly because some of the clips fitted together, like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle (that no-one designed) into some sort of mini-stories, and partly because the selected musical accompaniment turned out to reflect the various moods that emerged from the initial rough-cut, so in the end it became the editing back-bone. Serendipity.
It was shot (on a Sony EX3) over a few hours, during which the (typical British) weather varied while I occasionally made way for handymen and joined in the moving about of furniture etc. So not an entirely controlled situation then…
Please excuse the occasionally shaky camera shots of Ivy, not originally intended for use (she just kept getting in the way, demanding attention), but I couldn’t resist…and now the video even bears her name!
The musical accompaniment is what I believe to be titled “Introduction et Etude Brillante” (“Réveil des Fées”), which I purchased from the Vimeo Store under the title “Introduction er Etude Brillante”, which I assume to be a typographical error (until anyone advises otherwise). It’s by Giovanni Sgambati. I didn’t realise at first it was also titled “Réveil des Fées”, but that’s great, because the owner of the garden has a thing about mystical fairy worlds, as you will see from her various statues etc.
According to ArtsMusic [http://www.artsmusic.de/Complete_Piano_Works_-_Vol4/topic/redline/shop_art_id/224/tpl/artsmusic_article_detail], Giovanni Sgambati (1841-1914), was considered as the most important Italian pianist of the 19th Century and was close friend to Wagner and Rubinstein.
Anyway, I hope the beautiful sights and sounds amuse you. And that goes from Ivy too!
Posted in moviemaking | No Comments »
November 9th, 2011
What is a four-thirds sensor? Is a 35mm sensor measured across the diagonal (like a TV screen) or width etc.? What is ASPC?
The answers I found are:
- http://www.dpreview.com/learn/?/Glossary/Camera_System/sensor_sizes_01.htm
- Sensors are often referred to with a “type” designation using imperial fractions such as 1/1.8″ or 2/3″ which are larger than the actual sensor diameters. The type designation harks back to a set of standard sizes given to TV camera tubes in the 50’s. These sizes were typically 1/2″, 2/3″ etc. The size designation does not define the diagonal of the sensor area but rather the outer diameter of the long glass envelope of the tube.
- There appears to be no specific mathematical relationship between the diameter of the imaging circle and the sensor size, although it is always roughly two thirds.
- {The article includes a look-up table for the exact figures}
- A “35” mm sensor is actually 36 mm on the width; the height being 24 mm and the diagonal 43 mm.
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/APS-C
- Advanced Photo System type-C (APS-C) is an image sensor format approximately equivalent in size to the Advanced Photo System “classic” size negatives. These negatives were 25.1 × 16.7 mm and had an aspect ratio 3:2.
- Sensors meeting these approximate dimensions are used in many digital single-lens reflex cameras, in addition to a few large-sensored live-preview digital cameras and a few digital rangefinders.
- Such sensors exist in many different variants depending on the manufacturer and camera model. All APS-C variants are considerably smaller than 35 mm standard film which measures 36×24 mm. Sensor sizes range from 20.7×13.8 mm to 28.7×19.1 mm. Each variant results in a slightly different angle of view from lenses at the same focal length and overall a much narrower angle of view compared to 35 mm film.
- This is why each manufacturer offers a range of lenses designed for its format.
- http://philipbloom.net/2009/10/01/5dmkii-or-the-7d/
- Philip includes a diagram comparing sensor sizes.
Posted in sensor, video | 1 Comment »
November 9th, 2011
Video-editing on-the-move (e.g. on a train) using a MacBook Pro (laptop) with Sony Vegas 9 (64-bit) as NLE (under Boot Camp / Windows 7), my practical experience was that a GRaid Mini external drive was far, far better than a 5400 rpm Western Digital “Passport” drive. Consistent with the dual use of the MacBook, I partitioned the drive for both NFTS (Windows) and HFS+ (Mac OS), 50-50%. Due to Boot Camp limitations (explained below), up till now I only ever used it “tethered” to its own mains-based power supply. But now I see it can also be used mobile, powered from the MacBook – something that up till now I could only achieve under Mac OS, not under Windows.
When using Boot Camp / Windows on the MacBook, I initially tried the shirtpocket-sized Passport drive because it was small, light and powered from the laptop’s USB port. While its data throughput wasn’t too bad, at least for single-channel HD editing (especially when only 1280720), when it came to cuts from one video clip (hence, in my case, video file) to another, there was a frustrating delay every time.
I also have a GRaid Mini drive, but it wasn’t obvious at first how to use it mobile when using Windows (on a MacBook). That drive consists of two 7200 drives in RAID-0 configuation (striped, giving speed but no redundancy), and appears just like any single drive to the computer (no RAID management etc. needed). The drive has not only a USB (2) port but also FireWire 800 (FW800) and eSATA ports. While the latter two options work fine with the MacBook under Mac OS, they don’t work under Boot Camp / Windows. I have tried many times and trawled many forums, no solution is apparent. Under Mac OS the eSATA drive would ordinarily plug into an ExpressCard adaptor plugged into the laptop’s ExpressCard slot, but under Boot Camp / Windows, the ExpressCard slot doesn’t work, while for the FW800 port under Boot Camp / Windows, it appears to work at first but eventually crashes as a device when it attempts to communicate data (e.g. when copying files).
When connected only by USB to the MacBook under BootCamp / Windows, the GRaid Mini is not powered from that port, hence up till now I have relied on a mains power supply to that drive. However, I discovered if, after first connecting by USB, you subsequently connect also by the FW800 lead, then the drive takes power from the FW800 yet communicates data via the USB lead. Hooray! I can use it on-the-move then!
The order in which the leads are connected is vital. If by mistake the FW lead was connected first, then the drive would sense that as the data communications route, and subsequently fail in use. It is vital that the USB connection is made first. Likewise, on disconnecting the drive (following “ejection” by the computer’s file-system), disconnect the FW drive first. The rule is FW lead: connect last disconnect first.
My experience of editing with the GRaid Mini is far more fluid hence more pleasurable and efficient. Totally worth it. None of the per-cut delay effects of the 5400 rpm Passport drive. And now it can be used on-the-move, even with Boot Camp / Windows on a MacBook. I just wish Apple would fix that Boot Camp isue with FireWire and ExpressCard ports!
Posted in Boot Camp, file mgt, FireWire, MacBook Pro, RAID, Sony Vegas, speed, Video Computer Technology, Windows 7 | No Comments »
October 27th, 2011
Suggestions for mobile (laptop) multicam etc. video editing
* NAS
o Ethernet now is 1Gbps
+ Compares well to FW800s 0.8Gbps.
+ But is there any lag/latency ? (significantly beyond USB and FW)
o An advantage of NAS – is operating-system-agnostic
+ Hence can conduct a (greater) production project with all material in one folder structure on one device, and Mac and Windows apps can each access each others’ files with full read/write access, including the ability to add “sidecar” files e.g. for audio waveforms or in-video motion analysis results (as used by steady/stabilize effects).
* Can connect a NAS to a laptop directly via Ethernet Crossover cable. No need for a router.
o Google: [ethernet crossover cable].
o Its a very standard item, e.g. available at PC World
* Exists-there a small mobile NAS? Preferably FW-powered from the laptop?
o Google:
+ [small nas raid]
+ [mobile nas]
# http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/169490/three_nas_devices_for_efficient_smalloffice_backup.html
# http://www.smallnetbuilder.com/nas/nas-reviews/31010-lg-n2b1-super-multi-nas-reviewed?showall=&start=2
Posted in Video Computer Technology | No Comments »
October 27th, 2011
This is a problem I encountered some time ago, when I was running Boot Camp v3.1 on my MacBook Pro. Since then I upgraded to v3.2. I know there’s a v3.3 around but before upgrading I thought it worthwhile to see whether v3.2 had fixed that problem (especially since I couldn’t rule out the possibility of v3.3 reintroducing it). Only one thing to do: prevaricate test.
- Copy file from GRaid Mini (GRm) to Desktop:
- 2GB fine
- 12GB appears ok initially but then fails (to zero b/s transfer rate, then the Grm device “no longer exists”, at least until reboot)
- Reverse: 2GB fails (same way) almost immediately.
OK not good thus far…
Next tried an alternative approach: run W7 as a Virtual Machine on Mac Os via Parallel. I have Parallels v6. Forum search revealed that there is no FW support in either v6 or v7, though the developers seem interested in knowing why people want it.
- 2GB GRm to W7 Desktop: ok
- The reverse: ok.
Had to stop there due to other work – and a very full W7 disk.
The next workaround to consider is attaching a NAS. Ethernet bandwidths can be 1Gbps, hence more than FW800’s 0.8 Gbps, though I wonder if there could be any issues of lag / latency in this approach. I’ll do some research and put up another post about this idea.
Posted in building, file mgt, FireWire, gigabit, MacBook Pro, Networking, Parallels, Setup, storage, test, Uncategorized, Video Computer Technology | No Comments »
October 27th, 2011
Oops, this is one post I left in “Draft” too long. It was about the weekend before last…
Spurred on by Den Lennie’s tutorials on shooting B-Roll, I grabbed the camera (EX3) and filters etc. to have a “play” in the garden, shooting stuff to edit together into a pleasant sequence of some sort.
The intention was to present the floral aspects of the property in an elegant easy-going fashion with occasional quirks like my girlfriend. While shooting, the dog (a toy poodle) kept pestering me for attention, because obviously the only important thing in the world is playing ball. It seemed best to “go with the flow”, so I assigned said canine a principal role.
This turned out to be a 4-hour shoot (with interruptions) of about 150 clips total duration about an hour. It took another 4 hours at least (with interruptions) to ingest, catalogue and convert the clips (into MXF, for Sony Vegas) and probably about 8 hours of editing, plus a little further shooting etc. In an ideal world there’d be no need to grade, but in reality some tweaks were necessary for continuity, especially since the lighting (sun/cloud) conditions were very changeable.
Hopefully I’ll get it finished soon,along with the rest of my backlog, which now includes a Diwali corporate event and wrangling / editing my own version of a music video in good old faithful Final Cut Pro 7.
Posted in moviemaking, Uncategorized | No Comments »
October 27th, 2011
I attended, working on one of the camera units. Had a great time, learnt lots, at all sorts of levels. Even how to make good use of the Movie Slate application on my iPhone! Link: http://www.fstopacademy.com/
Posted in 10-bit depth, camera technique, codec, collaboration, Encoding, enhance, FCP7, file mgt, film, filters, Final Cut, folder structures, Formats, gamma, grading, iPhone, lens, levels, lighting, logging, moviemaking, MovieSlate, Mpeg StreamClip, Music, ProRes, recording, render, self-organization, Setup, Sony EX XDCAM, Sony F3, Sony FS100, SteadiCam, storage, storyboard, transcode, tutorials, wide-angle, workflow, XDCAM EX, XML | No Comments »
October 16th, 2011
A misty sunrise into a clear sky today, here from my girlfriend’s eastwards-facing rural location. Didn’t actually point at the sun as the main thing of interest was the mist, which I wanted to see swirling and evaporating and glowing orange etc. as the sun came up. Shot time-lapse for about 2.5 hours, this being about 1 hour 20 mins (rounded figures) before and after sunrise.
The result is at http://vimeo.com/30602784
Chose to use manual exposure, partly to emphasize magnitude of the change in lighting (auto exposure would have reduced this impression) and partly because in any case the pre-dawn shots required frame acumulation mode, hence a discontinuity when I inevitably came to switch out of that (to avoid the camera being dazzled).
In the edit (in Sony Vegas), initially straight-cut the differently-exposed clips together (in sequence). But the result, when played, jolted uncomfortably at each cut. Tried smoothing the levels-change, via Levels FX, but didn’t look that great. Imagined an “Iris” effect. Ended-up with the “Iris” transition,which gives the appearance/hint of stopping-dow, exactly as needed here. The next “candy” item was the vignette. Added in post (Sony Vegas) via feathered Mask. Also some video de-noising and finally some text dissapearing into its own “mist”.
It played too quickly – all over in about 30 seconds. I wish I’d shot it one frame every second instead of every 10 seconds. Then again I need copyright-free music of sufficient duration as background music. I found some free 30-second-ish music slips that are free for non-profit use at http://www.royaltyfreemusic.com. Might try stretching this (interlaced) video to (motion-compensated) double-framerate, then half-speed, some other time. Note that Vimeo has its own Music Store for soundracks etc., some of which are free (Creative Commons license).
Rendered to H264 for uploading to Vimeo, using settings advised at http://vimeo.com/help/compression .
Camera settings:
- Time:
- Started filming at about 6am
- Sunrise officially at 7:24
- Completed filming at about 09:00
- Constant settings:
- Gamma STD3
- No particular reason, just looked ok for the extremely dark pre-dawn shots.
- HQ 1080/50i
- Timelapse: 1 frame per 10 seconds
- Too fast – wish I’d used 1 fps
- WB: 6100 K
- Gain -3dB
- Shutter 1/60 sec
- Exposure (manual, varied in steps)
- For pre-dawn darkness at 06:00: f1.9, standard gamma, frame accumulation (64 frames)
- For dawn: no frame accumulation
- At 5 mins before sunrise: ND1 filter (1/8)
- At 10 mins post sunrise: f3.4
- At 25 mins post sunries: f5.1
- At 40 mins post sunrise: ND2 filter (1/64), f3.1
- Subsequently, searched on web to see what other people did:
- Google: [sunrise time lapse]
- http://www.digitaljuice.com/community_forums/tm.asp?m=121804
- Title: “Tips on how to shoot sunrise time lapse”
- Q: I need to shoot a sun rise time lapse. I’m trying to figure out the best way to go about it. Do I use a ND filter from the start? Do I leave in auto iris or do I have to stay by the camera making constant adjustments as the sun rises?
- A1: Depends how long you want the shot to last. I did one the other month that went from 2 hours before sunrise to 3 hours after, no ND, auto iris. Mind you, my camera ranges from F1.9 to f16, so it managed it fairly well. Obviously the sun blew out, but not much else in the scene did, when I ended the shot, everything was exposed correctly.
- A2: I’ve shot probably a hundred sunrises/sets. I generally shot 10-30 minutes and then shortened it to 1 frame a second. Autoexposure will work (I almost always shot this way), but you can get a nice effect going from blackness to light with a locked exposure too.
Posted in Sony EX XDCAM, sunrise, timelapse, Uncategorized | No Comments »
October 8th, 2011
I have a stack of business cards. Recent ones I keep in my wallet or jacket, but there must be a better arrangement.
One interesting idea is to take a photo of each card (front and back) and then upload the photos to EverNote. That service includes text-reading, so in principle the card will be ubiquitously accessible (to multiple devices, e.g. smartphone) and retrievable both by date search and by text search.
Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in EverNote, tidy | No Comments »
October 8th, 2011
One thing that might help when in W7, re-building the set of apps previously installed under XP, would be to migrate the whole XP instance to a virtual machine elsewhere, in practice my MacBook Pro, which has Parallels 6 under Mac OS.
Then, while installing apps to the new W7 instance, can do a side-by-side comparison with the virtual XP instance. The only unknown is the Microsoft activation/licensing issue – could it “clog the gears” of this proposed process? Presumably I need to transfer the activation(s) to the XP virtual machine. But could the W7 Upgrade process itself absorb the XP activation, crippling the XP virtual machine?
Only one way to find out, and that time is not now…
Posted in Mac, MacBook Pro, Parallels, Windows 7 | No Comments »
October 7th, 2011
I have a Mac Pro with Boot Camp running Windows XP (SP2), and want to upgrade it to Windows 7. Not as simple as I had hoped. It sounds like it will take maybe a week rather than an afternoon…
- I had purchased an upgrade version of Windows 7, assuming (very naively…) that this would save me from having to reinstall all of my apps currently installed under XP. In practice, the “Upgrade” only works as such from Windows Vista; in the case of XP it essentially does a fresh install, meaning one does have to reinstall any required applications.
- Also, Windows 7 can’t use XP drivers.
- In consequence, the upgrade is likely to take a few days…
- I have many apps, some of which take half a day individually to install.
- There are also obscure things like device drivers.
Steps
- My initial step was to backup and defrag
- Next I will run [Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor]
- This requires all interesting USB devices to be live-connected during the advisor’s scan.
- I ran it
- It made no major complaints about my system, which it says can also run XP mode (virtual machine).
- It does not return an inventory of applications automaticaly, so I’ll just have to make one manually.
- ..to be continued…
Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in Mac, Windows 7 | No Comments »
October 6th, 2011
Just for the record, currently this works:
- On Mac Pro, in Windows (XP):
- Choose any folder. For example:
- On the RAID, this could be either of the two partitions:
- NTFS_RAID (an NTFS partition)
- RAID_ProAVIO (an HFS+) partition
- Then [RtClk > Sharing and Security… > Sharing > Network sharing and security:
- Share this folder on the network: YES
- Allow network users to change my files: YES
- Because some tools create “sidecar” files e.g. audio peaks or video indexes.
- On Mac Book, in Windows 7:
- From a file-browser, be it Windows Explorer or part of the File>Open feature of an application, go to [ Network > aComputer > aFolder ]
- Tested by playing file in Windows Media Player and in Sony Vegas (video NLE). Worked fine. Latter added a [.sfk] sidecar-file to the RAID-folder.
- Worked both for source on NTFS partition and for source on HFS+ partition, except the latter gave rise to prolonged “hourglass” delays before the file was accessed/linked, following which the video played smoothly.
- What doesn’t work:
- Unable to see Mac Book from Mac Pro.
- Also, when MacPro is in Mac OS, MacBook W7 Windows Explorer > Network lists the MacPro as [MACPRO-2E4124] yet cannot connect to it, blaming a firewall (presumably the one on MacPro).
- Network Error: Windows cannot access \\MACPRO-2E4124
- Tried exiting Kapersky (on the MacPro>MacOS) but no change.
- Tried stopping MacPro firewall (via Preferences > Security) but no change.
Posted in file mgt, Mac, MacBook Pro, network, Networking, RAID, tidy | No Comments »
October 6th, 2011
Before checking for updates, install the bundles, iWork and iLife. Reasoning: they were designed at the same point in time, at which they were most likely to be compatible; it is possible that later Mac OS updates could (in principle) detract from this – so I opt to “play safe”.
- Install iWork
- Occupies about 1 GB
- Installed in about 10 mins
- Install iLife
- Occupies about 3 GB
- Installed in about 30 mins
- Apple Update
- Estimated duration 6 hours – so do it overnight instead (set a reminder!).
Posted in Apple, iChat, iMovie, iPhone, iPhoto, iTunes, Mac | No Comments »
October 6th, 2011
Upgrading a Mac Pro from Mac OS Leopard to Mac OS Snow Leopard. Now that I’m no longer mid-project, and have some “spare” time, I’m ready to have a go. Experiences:
- Paranoia:
- Will the installation offer an “Upgrade” (as opposed to “Fresh Install”) option?
- Will my Boot Camp partition be at risk?
- Doesn’t seem so. The installer recognises the partitions and asks which one you want to install to.
- Any install instructions/advice/tips:
- Steps Taken:
- Backup both partitions – Mac OS & Boot Camp.
- Check installation disk appearance of quality
- It was slightly marked. Could not easily be cleaned.
- Boot to install-disk
- Prompted for default/custom install
- Looked at Custom option, it installs everything except Rosetta. That app is only needed when running old (PowerPC) apps. It is being phased out (along with the apps…). If an app needs it, you will be prompted to download it anyway, so no real disadvantage in omitting it, in fact an advantage – running any ancient apps will highlight them as such.
- Installation started
- From top-menu, selected option to display Logger.
- Indicated that the process “migrated” my Preferences. Sounds hopeful…
- Run-time
- Estimated 42 minute. Still said that 10 minutes later.
- The estimate was about right – maybe an over-estimate – it’s just that the progress was nonlinear.
- Completion:
- Reboot
- Started up with no apparent problems.
- Prompted me for my contact details.
- Some of them needed updating – I did so.
- Success!
- Backup
- Prior to any Apple Updates (system, apps…)
Posted in Apple, Mac, Snow Leopard | No Comments »
October 2nd, 2011
- http://forums.creativecow.net/thread/142/864634
- (Looks like a modification of Bill Ravens’ profile I found a couple or so years ago, except that profile had G-B = 32 and no white offset or ATW+2, and the Detail was not set. Gamma was -40, STD1, Black was -12, Black Gamma was 0)
- Matrix: On, High-Sat, Level 0, Phase -5, R-G 75, R-B 0, G-R -18, G-B -23, B-R -27, B-G 13. This gives a beautifully balanced color matrix.
- White: on, Offset A +2, Offset B +2, Offset ATW +2. This will give you a beautiful warm picture, by elevating the reds a little bit
- Detail: On, Level 0, Frequency +65, Crispening 0, Black limiter +75, White limiter +75. This gives a very nice definition without the artificial sharpening artifiacts. Ideal for DOF adapter shooting.
- Gamma: Cine-1 for rich-contrast situations, Cine-3 for low-contrast situations. Make cine-1 your standard and avoid cine-4 (too noisy in the shadows).
- Black: -3 or -4
- Black gamma: -2. Will help to reduce noise in the blacks.
- I choose instead the following Detail settings:
- On: Level -5, Freq +25, Crisp +20
Posted in grading, levels, Sony EX XDCAM, XDCAM EX | No Comments »
October 2nd, 2011
iPhone app: “Light Meter”:
- Uses iPhone-4’s cameras (front or rear), displaying image with overlays reporting framerate (can specify fixed e.g. 1/60), f-stop, ISO.
- Usage with my Sony XDCAM EX3 video camera:
- In settings, I set Stops to Halves, as that’s what the camera uses.
- I typically use an EX3 with a Tiffen T1 IR-blocking filter. What’s the ISO for this arrangement?
- What do the EX3’s ND filters do to the ISO?
- EX3 has ND1=1/8, ND2=1/64
- (From EX3 user manual, page 50)
- I think ISO is linear, so if Camera is 320 ISO, they imply equivalent ISOs by simple division:
- 1080p: Clear=>320, ND1=>40, ND2=>4.5
- 720p: Clear=>400, ND1=>50, ND2=>6.25
- 1080i: Clear=>640, ND1=>80, ND2=>10
- Alternatively, for ND1 filter you can leave the app’s ISO setting as Clear (no filter) and instead adjust the app’s Correction Factor to -3 EV (though it’s maybe better reserved for simulating lighting variations e.g. due to weather, as in the Exposure Value Table further below).
- I guess from this one off case that EV is logarithmic, since 2^-3=1/8 as per ND1.
- That guess was later confirmed by further web research (further below), stating that EV is an “additive system”, i.e. operates in the logarithmic domain, base 2.
- Caution: being an ISO/EV newbie, I can only hope this is is all correct!
- Nevertheless, when I tried my naive settings they worked just fine – I was successfully able to use the iPhone Light Meter to obtain a sensible camera configuration for good exposure level and (given the ND filters) the kind of shot I want (e.g. degree of DOF). When tested on the camera, they all worked out as expected. Cool!
- The Light Meter app optionally displays EV400, EV100, Lux, FootCandle. Latter units are explained in great detail at at [johnlind…] link below.
- The app can also “log” readings – in the form of jpg images of the screen and overlays including geographical location – to a DropBox account. For example, when I clicked the [Log] button, a jpf file appeared on my MacBook in the folder [ /Users/davidesp/Dropbox/Photos/Pocket Light Meter].
Exposure Values & Exposure Theory:
- http://johnlind.tripod.com/science/scienceexposure.html
- <<The full name for Exposure Value, or EV, is the Additive Photographic Exposure System. Exposure Value has two equivalent definitions. The first defines how much light will be admitted to the film by the combination of lens aperture and shutter speed. The second defines how much exposure is required by the combination of subject luminance (e.g., how bright it is) and film speed. Setting a combination of aperture and shutter speed on a camera with an EV that equals the EV for the subject luminance and film speed should result in a properly exposed photograph>>
- (The article continues at length. For example the “Additive” element reflects the fact that this system operates in the logarithmic domain. The article also distinguishes luminance from illumination, explains units such as point-source intensity in candelas, flux in lumens, light illuminating a surface in foot-candles, light radiated from an area in foot-Lamberts, luminence in candelas per area (square foot or square metre)
- An EV (Exposure Value) table is presented. I guess (?) this is useful for the iPhone app, where EV can be shifted up/down by a control, to estimate what would be needed should the lighting conditions vary:
- -1 EV: light sand or snow
- 0 EV: bright or strong hazy sun (distinct, sharp shadows)
- +1 EV: weak hazy sun (soft shadows; distinct sun outline in clouds)
- +2 EV: cloudy bright (no shadows; sun creates bright area in clouds)
- +3 EV: heavy overcast, but not “black” (no shadows; sun location cannot be determined)
- +3 EV: open shade (in shadow but 60% sky not obscured)
- +4 EV: deep shade (in shadow with obscured sky; under forest canopy)
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exposure_value
- Exposure value is a base-2 logarithmic scale
- (This article has a more comprehensive table of EVs and weather conditions etc. than the above)
f-numbers
Posted in camera technique, grading, iPhone, levels, lighting, logging, moviemaking | No Comments »
September 26th, 2011
Posted in telephone | No Comments »
September 26th, 2011
FiRe not only records audio, in a much more powerful/flexible way than Voice Memo, but also allows you to add metadata such as location and a photo (e.g. taken live from the iPhone’s camera)…though I couldn’t see any way to export a format that could maintain that metadata (possibly my newbie-ness, like it mentions Broadcast Wave somewhere but I can’t see how to export that).
It can “multitask” the same way that Voice Memo can. That is, it can be set going, then left running in the background even when say taking a photo.
When running, under its Settings, Input, has a range of presets, including for example “Dictation” and “Lecture”. Under Effects there are such things as dynamic range compression and hiss filters. Playback has sped-up (like tape – not pitch-corrected).
Its recordings can be exported from the device as follows. When I tried it exporting a WAV file, that product was 16 bits, 48 kHz, mono.
Exporting-steps:
- On the iPhone, FiRe app, tap Share from the toolbar, then iTunes Sharing
- Multi-select the required export format(s)
- Connect iPhone to computer, iTunes comes up (else launch it manually)
- iTunes:
- On left side menu, select the iPhone device
- On top menu, select Apps
- Look at the bottom of the interface (scroll if necessary) to find File Sharing section.
- In the Apps column there, select FiRe
- As required, drag files listed there to destinations
Additionally, recordings can be uploaded via FTP, DropBox or SoundCloud (whatever that is…).
Posted in audio, iPhone | No Comments »
September 26th, 2011
I have never used Garage Band before, so had a play with it to see whether it could be useful as an audio editing/processing tool. The answer is a resounding “yes” – despite its “domestic” looking interface. Not only that, it can edit videos, leaving the video stream alone and affecting only the audio stream. Just drag a file into it – I tried with a M4A audio file out of iPhone’s Voice Memo. Some features I discovered were:
- Basic cutting
- Envelope shaping (on keyframes)
- Effects such as:
- Dynamic range compression
- Reverb etc.
- An “Autotune” pitch-stabiliser
“Whatever gets the job done”…
Posted in audio, Garage Band, Mac, Music, recording | No Comments »
September 26th, 2011
ISO is about sensitivity. Useful to know when using a lightmeter – e.g. the iPhone’s “Light Meter” app, where if you enter ISO it tells you the required aperture f-stop. For the EX3 the ISO depends on several factors, such as Gain, Gamma, Recording Mode (definition and interlaced/progressive). But a reasonable rough conservative working figure is 400. More specifically:
- 400 for 1080p
- 500 for 720p
- 800 for 1080i
- (some say this surprising result derives from the interlaced lines each being derived from the sum of a pair of neighbouring lines)
Links:
Posted in levels, lighting, Sony EX XDCAM, XDCAM EX | No Comments »
September 26th, 2011
Having extracted my iPhone’s VoiceMail recordings, I reviewed them and they sounded boomy – from room resonance. The best audio enhancement app I know is iZotope RX2, which I have for Windows 7. Windows 7 was run within a virtual machine under Parallels within Mac OS. I allowed this Windows to read, but not write, Mac OS files.
- The first enhancement was a parametric EQ
- Settings: frequency 274Hz, gain -21dB and Q=1.
- The result sounded better and looked more even in the spectrum analyzer, which prior to that “glowed” around 300Hz.
- The next enhancement was Denoiser
- Settings: Advanced, Algorithm D (best, slowest), defaults (including -12dB reduction)
- Not quick – not much faster than real-time as compared to the recording.
- Finally, following this “tonal & broadband attenuation” processing, some amplitude processing in terms of dynamic range compression and overall gain.
Posted in audio, enhance, iPhone | No Comments »
September 26th, 2011
I audio-recorded some lectures by using the Voice Memo app in-built on my iPhone 4. How does one get such recordings out of the phone and into an audio editing (or indeed audio/video editing) app on Mac or PC? Here’s what I found, mainly by experiment:
- For a Mac:
- The iTunes app allows you to transfer/sync an iPhone’s Voice Memo audio recordings onto the computer. In iTunes, under the device representing the phone, there is a Voice Memos folder. Inside this there is a list of recordings (objects) e.g. as follows:
- 1 ✓ 21/09/2011 09:33
- 2 ✓ 21/09/2011 10:43
- 3 ✓ 21/09/2011 11:01
- These entries correspond to M4A (FourCC=”MP4A”) files.
- These files can be transferred (moved/copied) as follows:
- Copy a file by dragging it out of Voice Memos folder in iTunes’ interface.
- Move a file by dragging it out of iTunes’ user-specific Voice Memos folder in file system. That folder is described below.
- Additionally iTunes can export MP3 equivalent copies of the files:
- iTunes (Voice Memos): Recording >RtClk> Create MP3 Version
- The files are stored at (in my case) at:
- /Users/davidesp/Music/iTunes/iTunes Media/Voice Memos
- 21_09_2011 09_33.m4a
- 21_09_2011 10_43.m4a
- 21_09_2011 11_01.m4a
- The nature of the files:
- These files are stated by Mac’s Finder to be of type “MPEG-4 audio”, and are about 30 MB per hour.
- VideoSpec is able to analyse them, it reports:
- Container: M4A – QuickTime
- Encoding: MP4A (FourCC), constant bitrate of 64 kbps, 16 bits, 44.1 kHz, stereo
- However it makes no sense to encode stereo from a one-microphone device and indeed when imported to an audio editor (Audacity 1.3.13 beta) it only produces a single mono track.
- Audio Editing/Processing (cuts/envelopes/effects e.g. dynamic range compression) was subsequently achievable by any of these:
- Audacity (1.3.13 beta) can import the M4A file. My (multi-platform) old-familiar.
- Garage Band (e.g. as explained at http://macmost.com/editing-audio-files-in-garageband.html).
- SoundTrack Pro (but can’t simply drag the file in – instead have to use File>Open). OK but a little clunky (in my “newbie-to-this-app” opinion)
Posted in audio, Encoding, file mgt, iPhone, Mac | No Comments »
September 26th, 2011
Avid’s Script Sync tool sounds great. But it appears the script has to be in a certain format. Can CeltX-exported scripts be imported?
Posted in Avid, CeltX, scripting | No Comments »
September 26th, 2011
I’m a background Extra in it. No guarantee that my bit will make it past the edit of course. A two-part drama to be shown on BBC4:
Posted in casting, moviemaking | No Comments »
September 25th, 2011
Set up email accounts on iPhone, to read (not consume) emails to me at various addresses. Being no expert at this, I record my experiences for possible future reference.
- The phone should have WiFi disabled and be in range of a cell-data connection.
- Notes:
- “Username” entries must include the domain e.g. “xxx@yyy” not just “xxx”.
- Depending on email service, email account client (e.g. phone) configs may offer IMAP or POP.
- Choose IMAP if available for your email service.
- IMAP copies emails to client (e.g. an iPhone) whereas POP moves them.
- 1&1 Email client account config info is at http://order.1and1.co.uk/links/email-hosting.html
- Virgin Email client account config info:
- HotMail default setup is POP3, but can get IMAP as follows:
-
- Add Account > Microsoft Exchange
- (sic)
- Enter full email address in both Username and email fields
- Leave Domain field blank
- Enter Password
- Enter Description
- Click Next
- Under Server, enter m.hotmail.com
- (May wish to leave Contacts and Calendars disabled
Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in email, iPhone, workflow | No Comments »
September 25th, 2011
Movie★Slate is a slate and clapper board traditional movie-making tools for syncing picture with sound, and photographing shot/production info at the start and end of shots. Movie★Slate also provides an easy way to log footage and take notes as you shoot saving you time during capture and edit.
- Documentation:
- http://www.pureblendsoftware.com/userguides/MovieSlate/English.lproj/help_web.html
- e.g. Starting a Take
- To start a take, tap the clapper at the top of the slate.
- Timecode IN, all production info, and camera optics data are automatically saved in History when you start a take. This data can be emailed from the History tab (see instructions below).
- The clappers behavior can be customized from Settings -> Slate Behavior. Choose to play sounds, freeze the timecode briefly, show credits leader/end roll animation, and more.
- Video/Audio Quality ★-rankings can be set during the take.
- Circle Take button marks good takes by circling the take number in the History log. This practice is an old Hollywood tradition.
- End the Shot button saves a Timecode OUT marker with the shot history.
- e.g. Starting a Take – Shot Markers
- (Log footage and take notes as you shoot saving you time during capture and edit).
- Add Shot Marker/Notes button saves timecode-stamped notes during a take. When shooting interviews, this is a useful way to document what remarkable thing was said, and when.
- Build notes from Snippet phrases by tapping the Content/Shot/Movement buttons. You can also enter text with the keyboard. Use the Snippets tab to customize your phrases.
- FAQs/Tips:
- http://www.pureblendsoftware.com/support
- Movie★Slate is a slate and clapper board traditional movie-making tools for syncing picture with sound, and photographing shot/production info at the start and end of shots.
- Movie★Slate also provides an easy way to log footage and take notes as you shoot saving you time during capture and edit.
- Link: MovieSlate Help
- What does M.O.S. stand for?
- The term M.O.S. generally appears on a slate when a scene is filmed without sound. Hollywood legend defines the term as Mit Out Sound.
- MovieSlate’s optional PRO Sync (TimeCode-Sync)
- (Normally) Youll need a camera or timecode generator thats capable of sending and/or receiving LTC (Longitudinal Time Code) over an audio cable.
- My cameras are old DV units or are consumer models with no LTC support. Can MovieSlate’s optional PRO Sync module still help me sync a multi-cam shoot?
- Yes, through additional software available from VideoToolShed. Here’s how:
- Set MovieSlate to output timecode through one of the audio channels and connect from the headphone jack to your camera’s AUX/MIC audio.
- Shoot your footage with MovieSlate running and Sending sync through the headphone jack. The LTC audio signal will be recorded on on one channel of your DV tape. (Please note the obvious: If this cam is handling your main sound then you will not have stereo audio).
- Import the footage into Final Cut Pro or Avid.
- Use VideoToolShed’s FCP auxTC reader software to create an AUX TC track in FCP/Avid and sync your footage with your other cams and audio. http://www.videotoolshed.com/?page=products&pID=26
- Disclaimer:
- We do not have any relationship with VideoToolShed and also cannot attest to the function of “FCP auxTC reader”.
- Please visit the VideoToolShed.com website for more information and 3rd-party websites like Creative Cow for more information and workflow tips.
Posted in iPhone, moviemaking, MovieSlate, tidy | No Comments »
September 25th, 2011
To open the iPhone’s “Task Manager”:
- From “Home” screen, double-tap the Home button. This brings up a mini dock / task manager at bottom of screen. It is a slidable band of icons, only four of which can be fitted on screen. Slide left to see other icons. Slide right to see media player transport controls and volume level slider. Press-hold any icon to get them all wiggling and with a red “X” on them. In each case, the “X” force-quits the task associated with the icon.
If an app is misbehaving or is exhibiting unusually sluggish performance, you could try quitting tasks for apps not currently in use as they each tie up some portion of memory, even while in a suspended state. If that does not work, try a power-off/on reboot. After that there is Hard Reset (though when I tried it, it didn’t reset everything). To Hard Reset, press and hold both the Sleep/Wake button and the Home button for about ten seconds, then you should see the Apple logo indicating reboot.
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Posted in iPhone, tidy, Uncategorized | No Comments »
September 24th, 2011
- Avid Basics re Projects, Bins, Users, User-Settings
- Notionally “Avid for Final Cut Pro Users” but generally useful introduction, complete with pragmatics.
- Overview:
- In this set of tutorials, it is assumed that a Shared project called “Tempest” will be edited by two people, Laura and David, one on day-shift (say) and the other on nights. They can each select eithers’ settings (editor configs) via the Project Window’s Settings tab, under the User dropdown. No need to log-out of Avid or indeed to switch User login sessions. I guess a given user could create several configs e.g. default, david, david_temp
- http://community.avid.com/forums/p/70313/393166.aspx
- Module 1, Lesson 1 – Creating a Project
- Private/Shared etc., User Settings (independent of User logged-in), Film features
- http://community.avid.com/forums/p/70314/393171.aspx#393171
- Module 1, Lesson 2 – Intro to Project Window – Avid for Final Cut Pro Users
- MenuBar: [Tools > Console] brings up a text logger where progress can be recorded by users (as far as I can tell from the tutorial)
- http://community.avid.com/forums/p/70315/393176.aspx
- Module 1, Lesson 3 – Where to find Avid files
- Explains where the Avid files are stored on the computer’s hard drive, and how to take your settings from system to system.
- http://community.avid.com/forums/p/70317/393180.aspx
- Module 1, Lesson 4 – Project Differences
- Explains Avid Projects, Bins and how one can move & create stuff equivalently in Avid or in Windows Explorer (etc.)
- Also explains some ways it differs from FCP.
- Importing Media Logs (from external apps)
- http://community.avid.com/forums/p/70318/393190.aspx#393190
- Module 2, Lesson 1 – Logging and Digitizing
- Can initially log media in Spreadsheet (e.g. Excel), Database (e.g. Access), FCP Batch Lists or Telecine Logs, then export as a tab-delimited file, then use Avid Log Exchange (application) to convert to the ALE format, which can then be imported by Avid to auto-creat and populate corresponding Bins.
- http://community.avid.com/forums/p/70319/393191.aspx#393191
- Module 2, Lesson 2 – Using Excel to Log Footage
- It works, and populates a Bin, but the spreadsheet requires very specific formatting etc.
- http://community.avid.com/forums/p/70320/393193.aspx
- Module 2, Lesson 3 – Using FileMaker Pro to Log Footage – Avid for Final Cut Pro Users
- (I haven’t looked at that yet – domestically distracted…)
- http://community.avid.com/forums/p/70325/393201.aspx#393201
- Importing Final Cut Pro Logs (into Avid, via ALE)
- FCP: [File > Export > Batch List], then run ALE, then small manual tweaking of this (“Reel” -> “Tape”)
- http://community.avid.com/forums/p/70326/393202.aspx#393202
Posted in Avid, file mgt, Final Cut, tidy, tutorials | No Comments »
September 24th, 2011
How get photos & movies out of iPhone:
- Mac (Mac OS):
- Plugged-in my iPhone (4) to MacBook via USB.
- The iPhoto app auto-launched, displaying thumbnails of all iPhone’s photos & videos in iPhone’s Photos section (though not those taken by the PanaScout app), and offered to Import All or Import Selected.
Where the iPhone photos/movies go (on the Mac):
- Macintosh HD > Users > davidesp > Pictures > iPhoto Library
- Get Info:
- Size 738 MB
- Opens with iPhoto
How to get iPhone photos into a document:
- Mac > NeoOffice (3.1.1): Tools > Add-Ons > Show media browser
- Can’t simply insert an image file – no such file exists, they’re all in the iPhone library/database file.
How to get iPhone photos into Gimp:
- iPhoto > Menu > iPhoto > Preferences > General > Edit Photo: Select Applicaton: Gimp
- Can’t simply drag it in, not even by using desktop as a “stepping-stone”.
- Warning: Gimp can “Save” an image back to iPhone’s library, but that image is not then displayed in iPhoto. Possible risk of corrupting iPhoto library?
How to get photos/movies out of PanaScout (an iPhone camera app for cinematographers):
- PanaScout saves images/movies to its own space (library/whatever), but can export to iPhoto library and to other places.
- PanaScout has a Send To button (an outline-box with arrow emerging). Options are:
- Send Email
- Sends using the email account you configured for your iPhone
- Save to Library
- The iPhone Library, that is…
- Upload
- FinalCut, MobileMe, SmugMug
Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in Gimp, iPhone, iPhoto, iTunes, NeoOffice, OpenOffice, PanaScout | No Comments »
September 24th, 2011
Migrating Media (and Projects) from FCP to Avid:
Posted in Automatic Duck, Avid, DNxHD, FCP7, Final Cut | No Comments »
September 23rd, 2011
There exist various HD-SDI device to record 10-Bit 422 video data. 10 bits is useful for shallow gradients especially when expanded (steeper contrast curve) by grading, while 422 gives better detail, that can matter when pixels are big (e.g. when close to a big screen or when digital zoom employed in post). In any case, such recorders tend to compress less than on-board camera systems, or in some cases not at all, improving the quality. But to what extent can the various NLEs cope with this? From my web searches it seems that the answer is “sometimes”. For example some NLEs will accept 10-bit only in their own favourite formats, otherwise they discard two bits, interpreting the footage as 8-bit. One might (naively) have thought the way to be sure was to experiment – but there is plenty of room for confusion when doing experiments, for example Avid’s color correction tool allegedly only displays to 8-bit resolution even when it is importing/processing/exporting at 10-bit. Other “loopholes” may exist, like it seems (if I understand it correctly) that if you AMA or import 10-bit ProRes then Avid only sees 8-bit, implying one needs instead to transcode ProRes->DNxHD externally (e.g. via MPEG StreamClip?) and import that. But even that might not be possible, as one post suggested DNxHD 10-bit encoding could only work from Avid, not external apps. Furthermore, whereas all ProRes formats handle 10-bit, for DNxHD, only formats with an “x” suffix do; the only one I know of is DNxHD 220x. There exist further subtleties/loopholes/pitfalls, hence more research to be done on this… and I’ll tread very carefully…
Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in 10-bit depth, Apple, Avid, DNxHD, Final Cut, NLE, ProRes, QuickTime, transcode, Uncategorized | No Comments »
September 8th, 2011
As illustrated in my previous post on this subject (http://blog.davidesp.com/archives/399), the popular (it seems) approach to offline/online media file replacement is to “hack” the file system. In the example in that previous post, the hack was to move files to a different folder. An alternative is to rename the existing folder then rename the required folder the original of the existing folder. That approach is illustrated in a video tutorial at http://homepage.mac.com/lindsayellis/avid-alexa.mov.
Posted in Avid, Media Composer, offline | No Comments »
September 8th, 2011
When you purchase Avid Media Composer, you also get a set of other applications, whose purpose (at least to the newbie) is not immediately obvious. So I did some investigation and produced a summary of them, as below. I have no experience of actually using them, I just trawled ReadMe files and (mostly) the web. Here are my (interim) conclusions:
- Avid TransferManager – Is e.g. for uploading to a Playback Server [http://blog.davidesp.com/archives/274]
- AMA – the camera-specific AMA Plugins (e.g. for Sony XDCAM) are no longer bundled with MC, you have to download and install them separately. [http://blog.davidesp.com/archives/316]
- Avid MetaSync automates the inclusion of metadata (expressed in suitable XML formats) into Avid editing systems, including synchronisation with video and audio. The metadata can be anything from subtitles / closed captioning to synchronized entertainments such as lightshows or simulator rides. [http://blog.davidesp.com/archives/334]
- Avid MetaFuzes primary, if not only purpose is to prep files for Media Composer use – an outboard importer. Avid’s article at http://www.avid.com/US/industries/workflow/MetaFuze summarises it nicely. Though bundled with Media Composer, it is also available free. That means for example that preprocessing work (e.g. generation of burnt-timecode proxies and online files) can be generated (e.g. in DNxHD) by anyone whether or not they have an Avid system. Potentially then a great option for breaking up work into collaborative / parallel workflows. [http://blog.davidesp.com/archives/335]
- Sorenson Squeeze – a well-known compressor/encoder, bundled as part of Avid Media Composer (MC) but also an independent product in its own right. Avid MC5.5 specifies version v6.04 but further updates are available from Sorenson itself. There is a free-to-Avid-users update from v6.x to v6.5. The latest version is v7.0 (with CUDA). Presumably these later versions are officially unsupported by Avid (but how much does that matter in practice?). [http://blog.davidesp.com/archives/337]
- Avid EDL Manager imports and exports EDL (in various flavours) – from/to a bin (e.g. thumbnails storyboard layout?) (or a Sequence or MXF file?). It can be run stand-alone or from within Avid. EDLs are somewhat of a hangover from the past, so it’s unlikely to be of much use in my case, but worth knowing about as an option, and as such still features in other people’s current workflows. [http://blog.davidesp.com/archives/350]
- Avid Film Scribe generates Cut Lists and Change Lists (used in transfer from video edit to film edit) in more contemporary formats than EDL, e.g. XML formats involved in VFX / DPX workflows (? I am on very unfamiliar ground here ?). It can generate such formats from a Sequence and also it can be used to translate between some formats.[http://blog.davidesp.com/archives/352]
- Avid Log Exchange (ALE) is an Avid log file format that has become a de facto standard in the post industry. It is a text-based metadata exchange format used in applications from telecine to standalone logging applications, and is supported by many NLEs. The ALE format is based on a Comma or Tab -delimited file format. [http://blog.davidesp.com/archives/353]
- Avid After Effects EMP is (not a disruptive elctronic weapon but) an Avid-supplied plugin for Adobe After Effects allowing that application to use a DNA family video output box such as Mojo (“ordinaire”) or Nitris to provide External Monitor Preview (EMP) on a monitor. Helpful in order to make use of that Avid box for the Adobe After Effects application, both for convenience and consistency. Unfortunately it does not work with the more recent DX family, such as the Mojo DX box. [http://blog.davidesp.com/archives/354]
- The Avid DNA Diags application is for diagnostics on DNA family e.g. Mojo “ordinaire” (not DX) [http://blog.davidesp.com/archives/355]
- The Avid Quicktime Codecs extend QuickTime for encoding and decoding to/from Avid codecs such as DNxHD. Essentially they add such formats to QuickTime on your system. The LE codecs are Light Edition – only needed on systems where Avid is not already installed. [http://blog.davidesp.com/archives/356]
- Avid Media Log is a standalone app supplied with Avid systems enabling assistants on non-Avid machines to select and log raw (as opposed to RAW) footage in a manner that can easily be transferred into an Avid session/system elsewhere, where the result appears as an Avid Project. Apparently, Media Log is much like the digitize tool on Media Composer. But Ive never used that either
It can output e.g. to ALE (explained below) and hence e.g to other NLEs. [http://blog.davidesp.com/archives/357]
- Misc “Avid Downloads” (?) Looking at my Avid Downloads page, there is a much larger list of items than I expected, and suspect that many of them are not relevant. For example, what is Avid Deko? Its listed on my Avid Downloads page, though I dont know if I would be able to activate it, or whether it would be worth the trouble. Its listed as Deko 2200. So I googled and YouTubed about it
Impression: that version (2200) is very obsolete. [http://blog.davidesp.com/archives/332]
- On my web “travels”, I discovered a great article entitled “The Avid Ecosystem” at [http://digitalfilms.wordpress.com/the-avid-ecosystem/], listing many of the resources for the Avid world: links, tutorials, filters, applications, training
- It’s helpful to see some of the above items in the context of illustrative workflows, e.g.:
Posted in AAF, ALE, Avid, conform, consolidate, CUDA, Deko, DNxHD, EDL, logging, Media Composer, MetaFuze, MetaSync, MXF, NLE, PhraseFind, QuickTime, Sorenson Squeeze, transcode, Uncategorized, XML | No Comments »
September 8th, 2011
MXF exists in variants.
- http://mxf4mac.com/quicktime-plug-ins
- Examples:
- Sony XDCAM (OP1a)
- Panasonic P2 (OP-Atom)
- Avid (OP-Atom)
- MXF Import QT (one of mxf4mac’s products) is a MXF reader, importer, interpreter and file access plug-in for the QuickTime system framework. It allows to natively open and access a broad range of MXF variations without converting or referencing to the QuickTime movie format. The unique integration enables Final Cut Studio, Final Cut Server and other solutions to directly work with native MXF media.
- £462 from one UK supplier I just checked.
Posted in Avid, MXF, Sony Vegas | 1 Comment »
September 8th, 2011
I found a great simple example of a typical Avid workflow, happens to be for footage from an ARRI ALEXA camera, which can record to ProRes (amongst other things). Once again, the workflow depends on the clunky/hacky method of taking files offline, in order to substitute others (e.g. proxies), in this case by moving them out of the MXF folder. The full article is at http://digitalfilms.wordpress.com/2010/11/18/arri-alexa-post-part-3/. The last time I posted on this sort of issue was http://blog.davidesp.com/archives/367.
Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in Avid, Media Composer, offline, workflow | 1 Comment »
September 4th, 2011
http://boardreader.com/thread/Avisynth_in_Lightworks_bglX3e31.html
- Q: I’ve tried to import avs scripts into Lightworks (you got to check this free NLE out! Register and download…) by converting the script with makeAVIS but unsuccesfully. Are there any other frameserving ways you would suggest? Lightworks seems very picky on avi files.
- A: poisondeathray (9 months, 1 week ago): avfs – avisynth virtual file system http://www.turtlewar.org/avfs/ http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?t=133313
Posted in AviSynth, LightWorks | No Comments »
September 4th, 2011
Posted in Adobe, Premiere | No Comments »
September 4th, 2011
Tutorials & Articles:
- http://library.creativecow.net/
- Various (filterable) about After Effects and others:
- Camera-Mapping (false perspective animation of stills)
- After Effects Basics
Posted in Adobe, After Effects | No Comments »
September 4th, 2011
Made a simple AviSynth script to get an existing real HDV video (in Cineform format) and apply TDeint (motion-compensated deinterlace filter) to it. Opened it in AvsPmod and it displayed OK. Exported the result of that processing from AvsPmod via [Tools > Save to AVI]. This called up avs2avi.exe. That executable’s menu of codec formats was as below. NOTE the Cineform codec (following that company’s takeover) now comes under the name GoPro – I missed it the first time I scanned! The test worked fine – deinterlaced video successfully exported to Cineform and subsequently played in Windows Media Player.
- Microsoft Video 1 (an ancient format – as explained at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsoft_Video_1)
- Intel IYUV Codec (a very old format http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/showthread.php?178685-What-is-Intel-IYUV)
- Intel IYUV Codec (again)
- Cinepak Codec by Radius
- proDAD Saver for Mercalli (not sure it’s a real codec, maybe a “virtual” one, associated with the proDAD video stabilization plugin for Sony Vegas)
- GoPro-Cineform Codec v7.3.2 (CINEFORM)
- ffdshow Video Codec (several choices, shown when you hit Config button)
- Intel Indeo Video 4.5 (From the “good old days”, I used it back then to compress PAL standard definition video from analog capture)
- Full Frames (Uncompressed)
Posted in AviSynth, AvsP, Cineform, Windows 7 | No Comments »
September 4th, 2011
Explained in http://x264.nl/x264/10bit_01-ateme_pierre_larbier_422_10-bit.pdf and further documents at http://x264.nl/. Would like to know what applications recognize this format though, and how would it be incorporated in a workflow involving standard NLEs (e.g. Avid MC or Sony Vegas). Would it have to be transcoded to e.g. DNxHD first, and if so then how (what app etc.)?
Posted in 10-bit depth, Encoding, Formats, x264 | No Comments »
September 4th, 2011
Playing with AvsPmod, tried the [Tools > Save to MP4] option. It prompted for a path to x264.exe. Searched for one on my system – but there was none. Searched in this blog but, although I’ve downloaded it before, I obviously didn’t blog it. Web-search etc revealed http://x264.nl/ where for my context and purposes the 32-bit app of 8-bit depth worked fine (the other variants did not)
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Posted in AviSynth, AvsP, x264 | No Comments »
September 4th, 2011
- Not sure why, but suddenly avs2avi.exe works fine on my W7 system.
Didn’t knowingly alter anything.- The only change I’m aware of is I uninstalled AviSynth 2.5.8 and installed AViSynth 2.5.7.
- I’m using avs2avi as part of AvsPmod 2.2.0.
- AvsPmod is itself in Compatibility Mode for WIndows XP-SP3 (otherwise it doesn’t work)
- However I have not put avs2avi in compatibility mode.
- It (avs2avi) works fine, both from AvsPmod and as standalone.
- Just ensure it has write permission to its destination of course (no that wasn’t the problem before).
Posted in AviSynth, AvsP, Windows 7 | No Comments »
September 4th, 2011
Free open-source pro-class NLE: http://www.lightworksbeta.com/ . Well-received by many. Glimmers a little bit like FCPX, but more flexible user interface, including keyboard-compatibility options with AVID and FCP7. Register to download it (just over 40 MB). Further links:
Posted in Avid, FCP7, Final Cut, LightWorks, Media Composer, NLE | No Comments »
September 3rd, 2011
As described in http://blog.davidesp.com/archives/389, I was unable to successfully open .avs files in VirtualDub (1.9.11). I had AviSynth 2.5.8 installed under Windows 7. I tried uninstalling and reinstalling AviSynth, but this time stepped back to AviSynth version 2.5.7. It worked – VirtualDub (1.9.11) can now open .avs files and display their images. Not sure if it was just the clean reinstall or the step-back to 2.5.7.
Posted in AviSynth, VirtualDub | No Comments »
September 3rd, 2011
Context & Problem:
- I want a way to serve an AviSynth media stream into NLEs etc., e.g. Sony Vegas. I have done this for years under Windows XP-SP3 (32-bit).
- Partly just for the flexibility of having this option.
- Partly (as explained at http://blog.davidesp.com/archives/388), as a workaround to another problem with old software under Windows 7.
- However an attempt at installation in Windows 7 failed – because (I now know) the installer is obsolete (and hence incompatible) with respect to Windows 7.
- VFAPI requires to be installed, via .bat/.inf files, so that for example it appears in the Registry.
- But the installer fails under Windows 7. It is compatible with XP but not Windows 7 (or Vista).
- It is possible to manually “hack-install” VFAPI into Windows 7, but that causes me anxiety…
Possible Solutions:
Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in AviSynth, Premiere, VFAPI, VirtualDub, Windows 7 | No Comments »
September 3rd, 2011
The context (AviSynth>AvsP>avs2avi):
- The AviSynth greater community has developed a number of applications to simplify the development and use of AviSynth command-scripts. One of these is AvsP, an AviSynth-script editor, has an option [Tools > Save using avs2avi].
- Under Windows XP, this prompts for a location then prompts (in a separate popup) for codec details, then AviSynth renders (via avs2avi) to the required output-file.
- There is a step-by-step tutorial at http://www.animemusicvideos.org/guides/avtech3/amvapp-avisynth.html
A problem (works under XP but not W7):
- Under Windows 7 Pro 64-bit (which can also run 32-bit apps), avs2avi merely produces an error message: <<AVIFileOpen failed, unable to open “f:\tmp.avs” : The operation completed successfully.>> The last bit (“successfully”) merely indicates that the application (avs2avi) does not make a very thorough successfulness-check!
- This issue was previously encountered & investigated back in March 2011: http://blog.davidesp.com/archives/247
Searching for a solution:
- Experiments, unsuccessful:
- After much web-trawling, I discovered a new version of AvsP, called AvsP(mod). But it made no difference – same problem.
- Next I tried running avs2.exe on its own, both with and without Compatibility mode enabled. As well as XP-SP3 (which caused a further problem), I tried even older modes (that didn’t). But no joy, the same error message was obtained.
- I downloaded the latest version of avs2avi and also I tried the one that comes bundled with AvsP(mod), in its Tools folder,but again, no difference.
- Asking for advice:
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Posted in AviSynth, AvsP, Windows 7 | No Comments »
September 2nd, 2011
Posted in Mac, Networking | No Comments »
September 2nd, 2011
My Mac Pro system has a ProAVIO RAID via HighPoint RocketRaid card RR2522. Although it’s a Mac, mostly I’ve used it for Windows XP under Boot Camp. Recently, in that mode, it’s exhibited an unusually long delay when accessing the RAID, e.g. when clicked on in Windows explorer. So, I logged in to HighPoint’s web-based interface for the RAID.
- I discovered (the hard way) that this interface only works properly when the computer is in Mac OS mode.
- Once logged-in, the Event (Log) listed only some bad sector etc. repairs on two specific dates, back in July. There’s nothing more recent.
- So I guess (?) the “unusually long delay” is something outside the RAID, such as the Windows (XP Pro SP3) system and/or the Kapersky antivirus.
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Posted in RAID | No Comments »
September 2nd, 2011
My systems have CUDA, though I have never knowingly made use of this. Using GPU Caps (Capabilities) Viewer, that I discovered my computers’ GPUs definitely had CUDA capability:
- MacBook Pro GPU: NVIDIA 9600M GT, has CUDA, 4 multiprocessors, each 1.25 GHz (shader-clock), CC (Compute Capability) of 1.1.
- Mac Pro GPU: GeForce 8800 GT, has CUDA, 14 multiprocessors each of 1.5GHz (shader-clock), CC of 1.1 (again).
Sounds promising, but can any of my video apps use this CUDA? And is it the “right kind” of CUDA, like does it come in various varieties? What difference will it make to framerate and processing speed? And are there any negatives, e.g. GPU overheat crashes or video “tearing” ? I’ll have to experiment to find out, but as a starting-point, here’s what I learnt from the web:
- General knowledge & tips:
- Quality
- Some applications/effects are quality-limited in their design in order to avoid excessive (unpopular) processing times on single-CPU systems (lowest common denominator).
- Some exploit multi-threading in the context of either multiple CPU cores and/or multiple GPU cores, either in terms of quality (the overall processing speed constraint having been reduced).
- Alternatively some go purely for speed, sometimes even at the expense of reduced quality.
- Speed
- Depends on the machine. For example a fast GPU on a slow machine may be bottlenecked by transfer speeds.
- GPU Driver Version
- Update to the latest (having backed-up beforehand, just in case etc.).
- On my Mac Pro, one of the CUDA-enabled applications (Neat Video, further below) refused it, complaining: “CUDA Driver is too old”.
- Applications:
- Sony Vegas (SV)
- Only helps with SV version 10, and then only with the Sony encoder for H264 (does not help with the MainConcept H264 encoder).
- Does not contribute to previewing etc.
- In principle could help with plugins that are themselves designed for CUDA.
- One such plugin is Neat Video version 3.
- Neat Video
- Available as a plugin for several NLEs. Currently I have its version 2 for Sony Vegas and for VirtualDub, though I only really use the former.
- Version 3 is designed to take advantage of CUDA.
- Might as well put this on the Mac Pro, as that has vastly more processing resource and doesn’t tend to crash on overheat when heavily processing for extended periods (unlike the MacBook Pro…).
- Sorenson Squeeze
- The new Version 7 takes advantage of CUDA.
- Adobe:
- Version 7 comes with an export plugin for Adobe CS5.5
- Avid
- The one that comes bundled with Avid MV 5.5 is an earlier version (6).
- It is possible to upgrade to version 7 independently of the Avid package, in which case:
- It has an Export-Plugin for Avid
- However Avid Support (including Forums) won’t support that version.
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Posted in CUDA, denoising, Neat Video | No Comments »
September 1st, 2011
Posted in repair, Sony EX XDCAM | No Comments »
September 1st, 2011
I am interested in a new PHU-60 hard disk for my Sony XDCAM-EX video camera. So what’s around, and what’s the cost? While I’m at it, what other options are there, e.g. for recording off HD-SDI ? From my web-research today, the answers seem to be:
- PHU-60 is no longer supplied or supported by Sony, or hence their authorised service centres.
- PHU-120 is however available, at just under £1K.
- At that price I’m willing to consider alternatives… Depending on price and capacity of course.
- Mend it?
- Record to a standard hard disk?
- Go instead for SxS etc., e.g. the cheaper alternatives.
- Think bigger – go for a HD-SDI recorder, get better quality and more gradeable recordings! But at what price?
- (To be completed)
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Posted in DNxHD, ProRes, recording, SDI, Uncategorized, XDCAM EX | No Comments »
August 25th, 2011
Posted in website, wiki | No Comments »
August 25th, 2011
For live streaming, either from single or multi-camera.
Posted in live, streaming | No Comments »
August 21st, 2011
Suppose you have multiple AVid projects on the go. By default, all of the media from those projects will be stored in one file path: [Avid MediaFiles]. If you have more than one volume connected having this folder, then it gets more complicated – e.g. if Avid can’t find sufficient room on one such volume then it will try the next one (etc.). Avid provides tools for media management but it can get messy when you need to keep connecting different drives to see if they contain your required media. Instead, it is helpful to be able to store media for different projects in different “lumps”, be they volumes or folders. From web research (below), it seems there are a number of possible, though kludg-ey, workarounds, mainly based on temporarily renaming AVid media folders/subfolders… Nice to know, until such time as Avid provides a tidier solution to this requirement.
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Posted in Avid, Media Composer, MXF, tidy | No Comments »
August 21st, 2011
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sv5splGvXoU
- Also shows:
- Batch file for multiple files to be converted
- Audio processing graph editor in VirtualDub
- “Rename folder” kludge for Sony Vegas to relink Offline to Online.
Posted in Cineform, Sony Vegas, VirtualDub | No Comments »
August 21st, 2011
Posted in Avid, moviemaking | No Comments »
August 21st, 2011
- http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=1027848
- David Newman of cineform just announced that cineform codec will be free for canon users.
- Their 3d tool for the GoPro 3d system is getting re-released to be compatible with all cameras, from what I gather. It’s already free, though: http://gopro.com/3d-cineform-studio-software-download/ — and for free, for any H.264 .mp4 footage, you can:
- Transcoding to GoPro CineForm codec
- Frame-rate adjust for slow motion
- Exposure
- Contrast
- Saturation
- Color Temperature
- Image flip rotation
- Frame Resize (Up-res/Down-res)
- Cropping and zoom
- So if you take your 5d/7d/whatever footage and convert to .mp4 you can then convert to cineform using this free tool already.
- http://www.freshdv.com/2011/04/nab11-cineform.html
- Recently, it was announced that GoPro had acquired Cineform, and would be utilizing their tech in a 3D camera. We dropped by the Cineform booth at NAB 2011 to talk to David Newman about this change for Cineform, and how that affects their pro users.
- (Video, interspersed with sponsor adverts: Interview with David Newman about GoPro/Cineform future plans and the free Cineform codec for GoPro that is also usable by Canon DSLR users)
- http://gopro.com/3d-cineform-studio-software-download/
- The GoPro CineForm Studio is FREE to download.
- Software is only available for Windows XP, Vista and 7 and Mac Snow Leopard 10.6.3 10.6.8. See complete list of System Requirements.
- To use the 3D convergence features of this software, all imported files must be created with a GoPro camera.
- The following features will work with any H.264 compressed .mp4 file created with most other cameras however GoPro does not guarantee compatibility:
- Transcoding to GoPro CineForm codec
- Frame-rate adjust for slow motion
- Exposure
- Contrast
- Saturation
- Color Temperature
- Image flip rotation
- Frame Resize (Up-res/Down-res)
- Cropping and zoom
- I successfully downloaded both Windows and Mac versions, in each case once I had entered my details.
Posted in Cineform, GoPro, transcode | No Comments »
August 21st, 2011
These are standalone tools I have seen (on web) others using to transcode from various formats into Avid formats such as DNxHD. Of course, that’s also achievable from within Media Composer (e.g. by its Consolidate/Transcode feature), but a stand-alone tool encourages parallel, and hence possibly collaborative, workflows in post-production.
- Metafuze – Avid’s own such program
- TMPGEnc Xpress
- MPEG StreamClip ?
Posted in Avid, DNxHD, Encoding, Media Composer, Mpeg StreamClip, transcode, Uncategorized | No Comments »
August 21st, 2011
Possibilities:
- My presumption (yet to be tried):
- Edit in Avid with AMA link to Cineform files and FirstLight open (simultaneously). Do the primary grading in FirstLight, possibly via a parallel/collaborative workflow.
- Later, Avid-import as Avid controlled media, at which point the Cineform files get transcoded to DNxHD or whatever and the primary grading gets baked-in (but can of course still be further tweaked in Avid). For resilience and flexibility, retain the Cineform files (or at least the ability to regenerate them) and the FirstLight project file (which stores the grading data).
Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in Avid, Cineform, DNxHD, Media Composer, MetaFuze | No Comments »
August 21st, 2011
- http://techblog.cineform.com/?p=3137
- (The original article includes dialog screen-shots, maybe these give extra info/insight)
- 1. File->Export
- 2. Select Send to QT Movie in the Export Setting dropdown at the
- bottom of the export window.
- 3. Select an output location and input output file name.
- 4. Click Options to the right of the Export Setting dropdown
- In the Options window:
- – Export As: QuickTime Movie
- – Width x Height: match your source or input desired scale size
- – Select 601/709″ if you have NOT selected Enable 4:4:4 encoding. If you have, select RGB
- – Display Aspect Ratio: Native Dimensions if you are not scaling, desired output if you are.
- 5. Click Format Options
- – Sound: Checked, uncompressed, 48kHz, 16-bit, Stereo
- 6. Click Settings
- – Compression Type: CineForm HD/4K/3D
- – Frame Rate: Current
- – Depth: Millions of Colors+
- – Quality (Set at user discretion, recommended High or Best)
- 7. Quality Options: Enable 4:4:4 encoding and Interlaced video source are options to use at your discretion
- 8. Click OK as you navigate back to the original Export window, and click OK again to start your export.
- 9. Upon completion, go back to your project bin, right-click and select Link to AMA File(s)
and navigate to your new file.
- For 3D projects, you will want to do one of these renders for each eye, then mux the outputs back together for a 3D master, as described here: http://techblog.cineform.com/?p=3071
- http://cstest.avid.com/forums/p/99404/572126.aspx
- Joachim Claus (Aug 2011) Re: MC 5.5.2 and CineForm Codec
- If you need a QT-Cineform file format, I recommend o export a QT Reference and then use QT-Prof for transcoding to Cineform.
- I have tested QT-export with Cineform Codec (GoPro-Cineform HD/4K/3D). It worked flawlessly from a HD720P50 timeline. However, the export is slow. For a 1:03 minute timeline (coded in DNxHD120), the encoding took 5:21 minute.
- In another test, I exported a QT-Reference file from the same timeline, imported it into QT-Prof. and exported the file with Cineform Codec as above. In this case, the encoding took 2:49 minute.
Posted in Avid, Cineform, Media Composer, QuickTime | No Comments »
August 20th, 2011
Doh! I only just finished installing MC 5.5.2… Shouldn’t take long though… On the other hand it apparently introduces a problem with GenArts Sapphire.
- http://community.avid.com/forums/t/99771.aspx
- This is a maintenance release of the Media Composer (Mac and PC) , Symphony (Mac and PC) and NewsCutter (PC) editing software.
- Customers currently running Media Composer 5.5.x, Symphony 5.5.x or NewsCutter 9.5.x are entitled to download and install the 5.5.3 or 9.5.3 release free of charge.
- There are well over 75 + bug fixes and enhancements in the 5.5.3/9.5.3 Maintenance release. You should download and read the ReadMe file before installing.
- There are both full installers (Mac and PC) AND patch installers (PC) provided for the v5.5.3 and v9.5.3 release.
- For PC Users: If you are using any of the Helper Applications (Avid EDL Manager, Avid FilmScribe, Avid Log Exchange, Avid MetaSync, or Avid Media Log), you must install the patch updates for these applications. Further, if you are using Nitris DX, Mojo DX, or Avid DNA hardware, you must update the hardware drivers. Download the installer for your appropriate hardware and OS on the
- Sony has released a new version of the AMA plug-ins for XDCAM and XDCAM EX. Version 1.2 is now available from Sonys website and is supported with MC 5.5.x, Symphony 5.5.x, and NewsCutter 9.5.x releases. More information can be found on the Knowledge Base here: http://avid.custkb.com/avid/app/selfservice/search.jsp?DocId=394827
- http://community.avid.com/forums/t/99876.aspx
- GeorgeD: AFter I installed the upgrade patch the Sapphire effects stack won’t pass through the Alpha channel. Any other effect put on top of MakeRGB does not see the Alpha channel anymore. MakeRGB by itself still works.
- Larry Rubin: Reported to GenArts Product Support
Posted in Avid, Media Composer, XDCAM EX | No Comments »
August 20th, 2011
- http://community.avid.com/forums/p/83962/471997.aspx (Posts of May 2011)
- Douglas
- The (free) upgrades apply only to BCC AVX bought from Boris (or a Boris dealer) at the regular price.
- For an upgrade from BCC 6 to BCC 7 via Avid, you will have to wait until it is included in a future Productivity Pack and then buy the new pack. Still a lot cheaper than via Boris as it also would probably include any newer versions of Squeeze etc. The only thing you need now is patience.
- Dean
- I asked them about the BCC7 upgrade and they confirmed that bundled products are not eligiable.
- http://provideocoalition.com/index.php/news/story/boris_continuum_complete_7_avx_now_available/ (Article of August 2010)
- Boris FX, the leading developer of integrated effects technology for video and film, today announced that Boris Continuum Complete 7 AVX (BCC 7 AVX) is now available. BCC 7 AVX brings over 200 filters to Avid Media Composer and Avid Symphony. The new release features lens blur effects, a video noise reduction tool, a new OpenGL particle engine, and new on-screen overlay control widgets for streamlined workflow.
- Boris Continuum Complete 7 AVX is available immediately through the Boris FX worldwide reseller channel and direct through the Boris FX web site at http://www.borisfx.com for an MSRP of $1,995 USD. Owners of previous versions of BCC AVX may upgrade for an MSRP of $599 USD.
- {Prices may have changed since then}
- http://www.motionmedia.com/Boris-Continuum-Complete-7-AVX-for-Avid-Media-Comp-p/borccavxmcs-dvd.htm (as of this post)
- Boris Continuum Complete 7 AVX for Avid Media Comp Our Price: $1,895.00
Posted in Avid, Boris, Media Composer | No Comments »
August 20th, 2011
BorisFX’s BCC can be used as plug-in to various NLE’s, where it can be used for motion-tracking (among other things).
- From Sony Vegas 10
- From Avid Media Composer
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5-V_tdjw2Mw
- Most Boris Continuum Complete (BCC) filters include a built-in motion tracker which can be used to control the position of the PixelChooser mask or matte or to position the light source of a Light effect. For example, you can attach a light to a moving object in one easy step. In addition, BCC includes powerful, specialized filters that allow you to recover motion data from a clip and then use the data to apply effects. For example, BCC Witness Protection allows you to track a person’s face and apply a mosaic effect to obscure it; BCC Match Move locks the movement of one image clip to another image clip; and BCC Corner Pin allows you to map media to a specific area on a moving object in a media file.
Posted in Avid, Boris, motion tracking, Sony Vegas, tracking | No Comments »
August 20th, 2011
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DNciAPlwb0k
- Using BorisFX’s BCC Match Move. Plugin to Vegas
Posted in Boris, Sony Vegas | No Comments »
August 20th, 2011
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wb8LqUY1q34
- AMA and Media Management – Media Composer Cutting Edge
- Suppose you start with a Project having a Sequence of clips from a Bin, these clips directly linked (via AMA) to original media-recordings in a camera’s native format.
- “There are still going to be times when you want to integrate that media in your local or shared AVid storage”.
- This can be done easily via the Consolidate and Transcode features:
- Sequence: RightClick > Consolidate/Transcode
- Consolidate/Transcode:
- I THINK BUT UNSURE:
- Select Consolidate if you just want the camera’s native format re-wrapped in MXF
- Select Transcode if you want it transcoded e.g. into DNxHD
- In both cases, you end up with a new sequence, of clips which are now:
- On the Avid Media storage (MXF). Better performance (?), better media management (by Avid) and ability to do some things that AMA can’t, such as multi-camera.
- Only the subsets (of original footage) needed by the sequence (plus handles). Saves disk space.
- Settings:
- “Video and audio on same drive”: YES
- Select required target drive
- Define Handle Length (e.g. two seconds’ worth of frames).
- (Implies that Consolidate will only ingest the subsets of clips actually referenced in the Sequence)
- “Create new sequence”: YES
- “Delete original media files when done”: NO
- “Skip media files already open on the target drive”: YES
- (Thinks: what if they already exist on some other drive (that’s connected) ?)
- “Relink selected clips to target drive before skipping”: YES
- Click “go-button” (labelled Consolidate or Transcode).
- If at any subsequent stage you want to re-edit:
- Re-mount the original camera volumes (e.g. disk drive/drives).
- Re-link your sequence to them (via AMA ?).
- {Subsequently, presumably re- Consolidate or Transcode }
- {Presumably if all you did was add something, the only action performed will be the Consolidate/Transcode of that very addition}
- {What if existing clips are trimmed (up or down) in the sequence? Will the corresponding existing Consolidate/Transcode product be appended/reduced/replaced as necessary (is AVid “clever” about all this? Or will a new one co-exist alongside the old one (which then just wastes space) ? }
- {Does an Avid-managed file act like an object, i.e. exists so long as something (bin or sequence) points at it, otherwise is deleted by some “garbage collection” ?}
- ReLink is also handy for Offline-Online conversion. Example:
- A remote cameraman delivers (e.g. via DigiDelivery) a set of XDCAM-HD Proxies.
- Editor receives proxies and Imports them into Avid.
- Some time later the Online files arrive (e.g. by physical delivery of disks).
- Avid’s ReLink function matches the offline proxy sequence, frame-for-frame, with the newly-avaiable HD footage.
Posted in Avid, consolidate, Media Composer, offline, transcode, XDCAM EX | No Comments »
August 20th, 2011
The tutorial videos for FirstLight (linked in my previous post) made it look very simple. And indeed it pretty-much is, but Sony Vegas introduces a “bijou problemette” (franglais) in teh form of its Video Preview cache, which lacks a corresponding “Clear Cache” button. As a result, when I first tried using FirstLight with Vegas (10e), adjustments in FirstLight did not always show up in Vegas. The possible solutions are:
- In Vegas, set “Dynamic RAM preview (max) MB” to zero. Then on each FirstLight change, just wiggle Vegas’s timeline cursor (playhead) at least couple of frames either way (moving it by just one frame is not sufficient).
- Alternatively, if “Dynamic RAM preview (max) MB” is not set to zero, then on the Preview window, try flipping between settings, like from Good/Half (my usual setting) to Good/Full. It’s no good doing an open/close of that window or indeed changing its scale – these seem to have no effect on the cache.
Posted in AviSynth, Cineform, FirstLight, Sony Vegas | No Comments »
August 20th, 2011
- As mentioned in an earlier post, there are explanatory and instructional tutorial videos on Cineform’s FirstLight:
- Additionally there is a great write-up, the First Light User Manual v1.2, at:
Conclusions:
- The main principle is great – the decoder part of the Cineform Neo codec has to do levels-mapping work etc. anyway as part of its normal function, and so getting it to do the grading at the same time just means altering its scaling factors etc., which in principle means using less CPU as compared to the grading being done in the NLE (post-decode). Also fewer successive quantizations (hence better overall visual quality). You can specify different sets of factors (hence grades) for different video files. There are also some “Movie Looks” presets.
- Additionally it gives the ability to split the grading process off to another person (as the tutorial videos show) – a great extra bonus. By using DropBox (say) the two (or more) of you can work in parallel at remote locations, grading-updates appear automatically on the remote NLE. Essentially only a tiny shared grading project file is saved in DropBox, no need to exchange actual video files.
I’m currently trying it out on a client project (non-critical) in Sony Vegas. I will post my experiences from this separately.
Posted in Cineform, codec, collaboration, DropBox, FirstLight, grading | No Comments »
August 19th, 2011
Posted in gamma, Sony EX XDCAM | No Comments »
August 19th, 2011
Posted in 3D Stereo, AviSynth | No Comments »
August 18th, 2011
A poignant song from the past:
- I wondered for years about a song I recollected (not completely accurately) I thought was maybe from the offshore pirate radio “graveyard shift” shows of the early 1970’s. In that song, as I remembered it, a plaintive little girl sang something like “The sky is green and the grass is gold” (or something broadly along those lines). It was about how she saw the world (through individuality, not hallucinogens!). Hauntingly-tragically, by the end of the song, her teachers had finally brainwashed her to sing the “correct” colours, which she obediently did, but now devoid of spirit.
- Thanks to a reply at the Radio Caroline Q/A Forum, I now know it was: Flowers Are Red by Harry Chapin from his album: Living Room Suite, 1978 (that’ll be the Radio Caroline on “319m” period then).
- Lyrics are at http://www.lyricsdepot.com/harry-chapin/flowers-are-red.html. Searching around YouTube I found it, though I much prefer his older, simpler version to his more recent and adorned arrangements, let alone someone else’s acapella version I came across. And it was about a little boy being criticised for his choice of flower-drawing colours. Apart from that I got it right.
- Now I’m going to adapt it to perform with my girlfriend (she sings, I pluck guitar).
Posted in Music | No Comments »
August 17th, 2011
I want to synch my iPhone with Outlook, but the standard way, via iTunes, …well…, involves iTunes (that I don’t want). Is there an alternative? The answer seems to be that you can synch but it has to be via another server, be it Google Mail or a specialised third-party product. The simplest way to synch Outlook to Google Calendar is by using a downloadable app from Google. Further details and options are given below (under “More” or whatever).
Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in iPhone, iTunes, self-organization, Uncategorized | No Comments »
August 17th, 2011
The default install of iTunes carries with it a bunch of entities and startups, some of which may not be needed. If already installed, then first you need to uninstall it. Ideally via Add/Remove Programs (whatever) but even then some registry entries may persist, that could cause problems later due to entities you may choose not to install. Having “cleaned” the machine of iTunes and its Bloat, the subset of entities you choose can then be installed individually, command-line fashion. You can select just the ones you need, plus the ones they depend on.
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Posted in iTunes, tidy, Windows | No Comments »
August 17th, 2011
This blog is hosted at 1&1 where I use their default Blog option from my account’s Control Panel. It works but is extremely limited and the web-based editing facility is cluncky and glitchy, while its resulting text layout is …well.. pathetic. So I googled around to see what others have done about it – what am I missing? It seems the best way is to create a fresh blog based on more current /comprehensive WordPress software working with the MySQL database that comes as part of the 1&1 packag. Just one concern, before I leap into it: how do I migrate existing content off the existing blog (preferably retaining their existing timestamps) ?
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Posted in 1&1, blog, Wordpress | No Comments »
August 17th, 2011
I just discovered multiple Sony Vegas written tutorials by Gary Rebholz. These are really great, the website ought to draw more attention to them. They are highly informative and would help new users get up to speed more quickly not only on realising what is possible in Sony Vegas but also a better grounding/understanding on the concepts and tools behind the “magic”, both fundamental ones and obscure (but handy) ones.
- http://www.sonycreativesoftware.com/news/article.asp?type=11
- Examples:
- …
- 20 techniques for organizing your Vegas Pro workspace (part 1)
- Utilizing the DVD Architect Properties window
- Seven Steps to Getting the Most Out of Your Personal Video Camera
- Incorporating RAW images Into Your Vegas Pro projects
- Understanding Video Compositing
- Displaying your closed captions in Windows Media Player
- Improved multicamera tools in Vegas Pro 10 software
- …
- Also one can obtain different kinds of articles by altering the number after “type=”
Posted in Sony Vegas, tutorials | No Comments »
August 17th, 2011
Sony Vegas allows chains of effects (“FX”) to be built up, which can optionally be exported or imported as FX Presets. Some generous people on the web have offered their own FX Presets to achieve “Movie Looks” (dramatic looks) of various kinds. These are more about emphasizing different kinds of mood than achieving clinically pure or film-grainy image quality. Further details below…
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Posted in Cineform, FirstLight, grading, Sony Vegas, tutorials, Uncategorized | No Comments »
August 16th, 2011
Installed SmartSound Sonicfire (“The Music Score for Your Vision”). Wanted to install version 5.5.2, from Avid MC 5.0 install disk (it is unchanged in MC 5.5), but the installation hung (problem with disk or at least incompatible with my MBP’s reader?). No download was available for this product on my Avid Download account, while on the SmartSound website, only the latest version (update), namely 5.7.0 (on Windows, else 5.7.1 for Mac) could be downloaded. However that downloaded and installed fine. The Sonicfire app also pulled in some additions to its sound library, initially from the web and subsequently from SmartSound’s Core Sessions disk (which was fully readable); spontaneously once I inserted it.
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Posted in audio, Avid, Media Composer, Music, Sonicfire, Uncategorized | No Comments »
August 15th, 2011
Avid Media Log is a standalone app supplied with Avid systems enabling assistants on non-Avid machines to select and log raw (as opposed to RAW) footage in a manner that can easily be transferred into an Avid session/system elsewhere, where the result appears as an Avid Project. Apparently, Media Log is much like the digitize tool on Media Composer. But I’ve never used that either…
{Voice from 2011-12-08: Installing Avid MC 6.0 to Mac, under “Helper Applications”, the MediaLog option has text saying”Avid recommends installing your Avid MediaLog on a separate system from your Avid Media Composer”. That makes sense.}
Example Usage:
- Enter the Time Code numbers in the start and end fields and then click the log button.
- Type in your slate number followed by your shot description.
- Once you have completed all of your shots, break the main bin down into scenes, with a new bin for each scene.
- Now you can organize shots in order by either slate number or order in which it was shot with the click of a button.
- Once complete, drag the folder with your project into “Composer Projects” on the AVID’s hard drive.
- Then, when you launch AVID .. your project will automatically appear as one of the projects and you are ready to digitize.
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Posted in Avid, logging | 1 Comment »
August 15th, 2011
The Avid Quicktime Codecs extend QuickTime for encoding and decoding to/from Avid codecs such as DNxHD. Essentially they add such formats to QuickTime on your system. The LE codecs are “Light Edition” – only needed on systems where Avid is not already installed.
Posted in Avid, DNxHD, Media Composer, QuickTime | 1 Comment »
August 15th, 2011
The [Avid DNA Diags] application is for diagnostics on DNA family e.g. Mojo (not DX)
Posted in Avid | 1 Comment »
August 15th, 2011
Avid After Effects EMP is an Avid-supplied plugin for Adobe After Effects allowing that application to use a DNA family video output box such as Mojo or Nitris to provide External Monitor Preview (EMP) on a monitor. Helpful in order to make use of that Avid box for the Adobe After Effects application, both for convenience and consistency. Unfortunately it does notwork with the more recent DX family, such as the Mojo DX box.
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Posted in Adobe, After Effects, Avid, Media Composer | No Comments »
August 15th, 2011
Avid Log Exchange (ALE) is an Avid log file format that has become a de facto standard in the post industry. It is a text-based metadata exchange format used in applications from telecine to standalone logging applications, and is supported by many NLEs. The ALE format is based on a Comma or Tab -delimited file format.
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Posted in ALE, Avid, logging, Uncategorized | No Comments »
August 14th, 2011
Avid Film Scribe generates Cut Lists and Change Lists (used in transfer from video edit to film edit) in more contemporary formats than EDL, e.g. XML formats involved in VFX / DPX workflows (? I am on very unfamiliar ground here ?). It can generate such formats from a Sequence and also it can be used to translate between some formats.
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Posted in Avid, conform, film, Media Composer | 1 Comment »
August 14th, 2011
Some tips I came across by accident:
- http://c2.avid.com/forums/p/86416/489511.aspx
- (From July 2010):
- << MDV is a free tool that will allow you to separate your media files by project, so you can store them separtely. The site is Russian, but safe.>>
- Angle-brackets here emphasize that this is just a quote from a post, I have no experience of it myself.
- A media database(s) rebuilt may help (sometimes help fix obscure issues): trash the msmFMID.pmr and msmMMOB.mdb files from the mediafiles folders and run MC, it will scan the hard drives and rebuild the files.
Posted in Avid, Media Composer, tidy | No Comments »
August 14th, 2011
Avid EDL Manager imports and exports EDL (in various flavours) – from/to a bin (e.g. thumbnails storyboard layout?) (or a Sequence or MXF file?). It can be run stand-alone or from within Avid. EDLs are somewhat of a hangover from the past, so it’s unlikely to be of much use in my case, but worth knowing about as an option, and as such still features in other people’s current workflows.
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Posted in Avid, EDL, Media Composer | 1 Comment »
August 14th, 2011
How to use Sorenson Squeeze:
- The post-(free)-“purchase” Checkout webpage from Sorenson listed the following:
- Getting Started With Squeeze
- Watch our Getting Started Video to familiarize yourself with Sorenson Squeeze 7.
- The Preset Exchange
- Choose from a variety of useful encoding profiles and formats created by video experts and the Squeeze community.
- Squeeze Forums
- Join the Squeeze User Forums and get answers to commonly asked questions.
Posted in Encoding, Sorenson Squeeze | No Comments »
August 14th, 2011
Continuing the Avid MC 5.5 update/installation process, I want to install the latest version of Avid DVD.
- In the auto-email following-up my purchase of Avid MC update 5.0 to 5.5, no link was provided for Avid DVD (or suite containing it).
- Therefore my initial point of reference is the Avid DVD install-disk supplied as part of the MC 5.0 disk-set. The disk label states it is Avid DVD by Sonic, version 6.1.1.
- From my web searches (below, under “More…) it seems that:
- Avid DVD is made by Sonic/Roxio (combined?), under the name DVDit.
- Latest version (I saw mentioned) was 6.4
- But do-not update to it!
- Douglas (“Gaijin-Eyes”) of Kumamoto, Japan, reported difficulties in using version 6.4 with his Avid workflow. In particular, the later version of DVD(it) removed the ability to export .iso files.
-
- Furthermore, using a later version as compared to that officially supported by Avid risks incompatibility problems. One forum post appeared to relate to an example of this, possibly involving associated dependency versions of QuickTime. The post received no reply, suggesting that forum-based (e.g Avid-guru) advice would not be forthcoming on issues with software outside the Avid manifest.
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Posted in Avid, DVD, Media Composer | No Comments »
August 13th, 2011
Posted in Avid, Media Composer | No Comments »
August 13th, 2011
Avid Knowledge Base article on “XDCAM EX Support in Avid” [272715] : “How do I use Sony XDCAM EX on my Avid system? ”
Posted in Avid, Media Composer, XDCAM EX | No Comments »
August 13th, 2011
http://hershleder.com/content/avid-media-composer-version-4
- This page provides a good explanation, with two separate videos:
- Transition Preservation feature. For example if you move a clip about, within reason, horizontally (in time) or vertically (between tracks), any dissolve transition times are maintained.
- Mix & Match – of clips of various formats/framerates etc., and user-config of the options for normalising each clip (to project format), e.g. default of blending up to full “fluid motion” based processing.
Posted in Avid, Media Composer | No Comments »
August 13th, 2011
Confusions:
- I’m slightly befuddled by these terms, and what the corresponding operations are useful for. What do they do and how are they pragmatically useful? – in particular in a digital and even tapeless world. I first came across the term Decompose when investigating an Offline/Online workflow for AVCHD-Cineform-DNxHD(low bitrate)-DNxHD(high bitrate): http://blog.davidesp.com/archives/328.
- For example “recapturing” sounds at first like an antiquated concept in the digital world. But maybe they have expanded the term to include re-ingestion of digital footage in higher-bitrate format, e.g. online as opposed to proxy in the case of XDCAM-HD or just different DNxHD bitrates (e.g. 145 instead of 36). For example initially ingesting all digital footage at DNxHD(36) for offline editing then later recapturing only the used subset of that digital footage at DNxHD (145). Advantage: reduced disk space requirement. Just my guesswork though, still trying to work it all out…
Snippets providing Glimpses:
- Avid MC 5.5 Help [Understanding Decompose and Expert Decompose]:
- Decompose creates new master clips in the bin based on the lengths of the clips edited into a sequence. You can then recapture media for the new master clips. Decompose breaks any links to the original source clips, and only the sequence and its new master clips are linked to the newly captured media files. If decomposing results in a change to the edit rate of some clips in the sequence, your Avid editing application adds Motion Adapter effects, or modifies existing Motion Adapter effects, to manage the edit rate change.
- Decompose gives you more control over the recapturing process than simply recapturing a sequence without using decompose. You can sort or modify the clips that decompose creates before you recapture media. You can also use the Expert Decompose feature to customize how decompose operates.
- For film projects, clips you create with decompose retain all the information from the original master clips, including Pullin column information, key numbers, ink numbers, or any other information formerly entered in the bin.
- You do not need to decompose clips that were linked with the AMA (Avid Media Access) method.
- There is also anAvidHelp on [Decomposing Sequences]. But it is just a set of instructions on how to do it, not a helpful (to me) as an explanation of what it does or what it’s for. To understand it, you need an existing understanding of the concepts & jargon.
- http://cstest.avid.com/forums/t/64647.aspx
- Larry Rubin:
- Consolidating will create a new set of pointer files and associated media files, separately discreet from the original set – essentially a clone.
- Decomposing creates a new and offline clip list relative to a particular sequence, so that you can batch capture or import only media associated with that sequence instead of all the original source material. This is used primarily to conform a low-rez rough cut to high rez finished material.
- http://community.avid.com/forums/p/50488/283293.aspx
- Q1:
- Q: I want to save disk space. Is it possible to decompose an MXF Sequence in order to keep only the portions of footage used in the sequence on my hard disk? The footage was captured on P2 cards and Firestore.
- A: Decompose is not what you want. Select your sequence and right-click select consolodate. Set your handles, then select “delete original media” and that should do it. Remember that if you digitised anything that is not used in your sequence that you consolodate, this media will remain and you would need to manually delete that media as well. Be warned, though… make certain that you are not trashing anything used in other sequences as well.
- Q2:
- Q: Can I consolidate more than one sequence at a time?
- A: Yes – just select the sequences and go through the same routine
- http://hershleder.com/content/avid-media-composer-version-4
- Recapturing and Decomposing: The new Expert Decompose feature allows you to decompose only certain tapes or clips used by a sequence, and allows you to fine tune target formats to which you want to recapture.
- Book: Avid Editing: “A Guide for Beginning and Intermediate Users”, By Sam Kauffmann. I have that book, but a web-link version is still handy. Paraphrasing:
- Clip Menu (Page 341)
- Consolidate / Transcode:
- Consolidate lets you migrate media files to other drives, e.g. for better organization of files.
- Transcode lets you change the format of a clip or sequence, e.g. from HD to SD.
- Decompose:
- Breaks a sequence into its component clips. Example: you captured 1000 master clips at low resolution, e.g. DNxHD (36), to save space. Thefinal sequence only uses 50 clips. After decomposing, you have those 50 clips in a bin and you only recapture those 50 clips at higher resolution e.g. DNxHD (220).
- Uprezing Your Offline Sequence (Page 308). That is, moving from offline to online resolution; nothing to do with sub-pixel enhancement etc. Example: given an initial edit based on DNxHD (36), you want to replace those clips with equivalents “recaptured” (retranscoded from original recording, digital or otherwise) at DNxHD (220).
- Recapture (Page 311).
- Decompose (Page 311) breaks a Sequence into its component clips. This enables you to organize these clips in bins, recapture them etc. Without this feature, a recapture would take place over all clips at once – when you really only want certain clips recaptured, or maybe put off some until another day.
- Recapture
- http://forums.creativecow.net/thread/45/866918#866918
- Scott Simmons:
- Decomposing gives you a new sequence with offline media that has had all the clips trimmed to only include the media used in the edit + handles. If you’ve edited at low resolution you then recapture only the media you need at the online rez.
- http://c2.avid.com/forums/t/98814.aspx
- Randall L. Rike: Consolidate isn’t designed to create offline media. It is used to move/copy media. Similar to Decompose, it can move/copy only the segments of clips required to support a sequence.
- Larry Rubin: The consolidation function is also useful for creating duplicate sets of clips and media that are linked to a different project than the one they were originally created in.
- Job ter Burg:
- Consolidate a sequence: make a dupe of all media that is being used in the sequence (with handles if you want). Consolidate master clips: make a dupe of the clip on a new destination drive. Consolidate subclips: make a dupe of this part of the media on a new destination drive. Decompose a sequence: generate offline clips for all media that is being used in the sequence (with handles if you want). You can’t decompose master clips.
- Decompose I would use when finishing a tape based offline and preparing for tape capture to hi res media-right?Absolutely. Performing a Batch Capture would sort of have the same result, except Decomposer gives you more control over the batch process (as you can select which clips, etc).
- You can’t decompose master clips
- What I meant was if I consolidate a low res sequence, I am removing the unwanted media that does not reside in the sequence.Consolidating will not necessarily delete any unused media. And if you do select the option to delete originals, you still may have a lot of unused clips on board (that are completely unreferenced in the sequuence. I personally don’t consolidate that much anymore, as drive space is so cheap. If you do, I’d recommend consolidating onto an empty drive/partition, then hide/delete/remove the originals on your other media drives.
- Pat Horridge:
- Decompose is useful in that you create a new sequence and new master clips with whatever handles you set. You can the decide how to re-capture/re-import those clips rather than with just batch capturing/batch importing the sequence which will just prompt for the required tapes/files.
- Consolidate is normally used to create a new sequence and subset of Avid Media files for media management (so you can blow away the rest) or moving to a different system.
- Take care that not all media can be consolidated (re AMA and “foreign types”) This skips those clips that link to media that can’t be made into Avid media files and your consolidated sequence will still be linked to the original AMA’d media.
- So with AMA media and a mixture of sources you may need to consolidate and then transcode to get a complete set of media. (I’ve made a feature request to have this as a single function)
- http://aviddssupport.avid.com/pdf/v10.2/AvidDS_HiRes_Workflow_Color_Guide.pdf
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August 13th, 2011
Though I’m currently concentrating on learning Avid, I’m trying to get my head around available tools (NLEs and their “satellites” and “ecosystems”) and how best to make use of them. My overall impressions so far, being only a beginner on Avid Media Composer having never used Apple FCPX, are:
- It’s probably best to learn about but not use FCPX for a few “dots” (sub-version updates), as Larry (and others) always advise for any software. In fact I won’t even install the trial.
- From my experience so far of producing videos of numerous live events – mostly music and lectures, some corporates and exactly one (very successful but very time-consuming) wedding movie (two-hour, creative & live elements, multicam) – as well as absorbtions from lectures given by professional high-end wedding producers, I have acquired the following views:
- FCPX would certainly increase productivity for lightweight and freestyle projects, such as single-editors working on post for largely unscripted /unscreenplayed / unpredictable live events and ad-hoc / avante-garde productions, be they “human” or “nature”, and also for spontaneous home movies. Its Skimming feature allows rapid identification/location of material you need, e.g. to carry the story between cuts (creative spatio-temporal continuity) or that you didn’t realise you could make use of (opportunistic spikes of creativity).
- I don’t miss FCP7, so no axe to grind then, and when FCPX matures, it is definitely worth considering. But given Apple’s demonstrated lack of consideration for the existing FCP-pre-X user-base, and possible lack of appreciation of the difficulties they would cause by their “switch”, I cannot regard them as a reliable company. Even before the “switch”, they demonstrated a lack of care about how compatible new versions of QuickTime would be with Final Cut. One had to have an ear to the ground in the vicinity of suitable grapevines known only to the few…
- Avid Media Composer is probably more productive on heavy-duty media-industrial projects, especially where there is significant distribution of effort within the workflow (e.g. teams & departments) or where the overall production is largely screenplayed / scripted or at least predictable. It’s less clunky than it used to be (e.g.MC v3); it’s clunkiness is now under the threshold that I mostly care about. I just wish its media management and browsing was swisher – the “media database” concept is great, no need to keep heving to re-name disk letters (on Windows), just bolt on a bunch of disks anyhow, or even migrate them to a RAID (say) and still have it “join-up”.
- …Though at the same time I’m slightly concerned by stories I’ve read (on advice-giving forums) of people having to employ “hacks” like temporarily renaming Avid media folders or having to rely on automatic ducks 🙂 just to copy all media, including renders, to a different set of disks for a co-worker. Not everybody uses InterPlay or network storage. And, hopefully a passing phase, I hear that FCPX cannot store certain project files (?) to network storage, only local storage, limiting the possible kinds of practical Avid-FCPX collaboration physical workflow.
- An example of a largely screenplayed project would be a high-production-value wedding. On the other hand a wedding involving only basic event-planning (not incorporating a filming plan) will likely result in largely uncoordinated (e.g. opportunistic) camera work (possibly even by guests with pocket phones or camcorders). Such a project may feature an “at-least predictable” core of master shots but overall would be chaotic in nature, favouring FCPX. An engineering lecture with multiple cameras and ad-hoc cutaway shots, e.g. audience reactions, could be regarded as mostly predictable but chaotic at the edge, making the decision (which NLE is best) less obvious.
- One could imagine using the two tools together, the main project being in Avid as primary (solid, distributed workflow), with the (e.g. delegated) more lightweight job of identifying useful elements and configurations of the ad-hoc elements (including proposed in-post transformations e.g. mirroring), and possibly also some initial assemblies, being carried out in FCPX as secondary. The right tool for the right job-let…
- And that way, if Apple on a whim tomorrow change everything to FCPY or ban yet another popular but non-Apple import or export format, it’s no show-stopper.
- BUT I’m still trying toget my head around it all. All the above is just the best I’ve come up with so far.
- AND… I haven’t yet looked at Adobe.
Posted in Avid, FCPX | No Comments »
August 13th, 2011
Larry presenting at his best, combining frankness, incisiveness, knowledge, balance and wit, on the topic of FCPX. In this set of presentations, he points out both what’s cool about it and what’s lacking. The presentations:
Posted in FCPX | No Comments »
August 13th, 2011
You can see and comment on a number of scripts, some pre-production.
Posted in moviemaking, scripting | No Comments »
August 13th, 2011
Sorenson 360 is a cloud-web-based video content and distribution management system. Superficially looks much like YouTube or Vimeo, but has multiple professional/enterprise “added value” features as well as integration with Sorenson Squeeze (naturally), WordPress and Drupal. The cheapest price plan is “Small Business”, at $99/month, which at time of writing equates to £61/month. There is a 30-day free trial featuring 1GB bandwidth (sic) and 1GB storage.
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