October 2011 - Videomaker.com

Transcription

Dell recommends Windows® 7 Professional.
Editing On Your Tablet - We’ll Show You How
page 32
If you can imagine it,
you can create it.
Set your imagination free – and bring your most amazing
ideas to life – with Dell Precision™ workstations.
®
YOUR GUIDE TO CREATING AND PUBLISHING GREAT VIDEO OCTOBER 2011
Time to Edit!
Annual Editing Software
Buyer’s Guide
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applications including Autodesk® Maya® 2011, Autodesk® 3ds Max® and Adobe® CS5.
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Reviewed:
• Panasonic HDC-TM40 Camcorder
• ADK I7-DVC Video Editing Computer
• Corel VideoStudio Pro X4 Software
• G-Technology G-Speed Q RAID
Look for the Ships Fast logo on our most popular workstations, and get
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Call 1-800-437-0182 or visit
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Trademarks: Intel, the Intel Logo, Intel Inside, Intel Core, and Core Inside are trademarks of Intel
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Limited quantities. Only available for orders placed by 5:59 PM CT Mon-Thu. System ships the day
after an order is placed via next business day delivery. Subject to order approval.
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Step-By-Step Documentary Production!
www.videomaker.com/makeAdoc
Webinars
Learn From the Video Experts in the
Comfort of Your Home or Office.
Videomaker Webinars
www.videomaker.com
Features
Contents
OCTOBER 2011
19 Animation & Motion Graphics
provide the information you need
32 Cloud-Based Editing Using Tablets
Buyer’s Guide
quickly and effectively. These one
Animation and motion graphics software are packages that
can create visual assets from scratch, can composite those
assets with other visual assets from outside sources together
on screen, and can change parameters of those assets over
time to create a final animated video product.
by Ben Balser
hour classes explain and demonstrate
essential techniques with an
opportunity for our experts to address
your individual questions. With 12
classes to choose from, Videomaker
& Smartphones
In the video spectrum, technology has always reigned supreme. Video is
going where early adopters probably never envisioned - into the clouds.
by Dave Sniadak
38 Halloween Ghastly Effects
How to Make a Ghost - You don’t need any supernatural power to create a
real video ghost, it’s all in the production techniques and the storytelling art.
by Peter Zunitch
25 Editing Software Buyer’s Guide
Webinars cover all aspects of video
The road to editing greatness begins by shifting into the right
gear. You can’t drive your projects forward with software that
leaves your computer idling in neutral.
by Dave Sniadak
production, providing you with the
perfect occasion to improve in the
Volume 26 • Number 04
43 Real Video Horror Stories From the Trenches
Every year, we traditionally bring you stories of the perils and pitfalls our fellow
video producers plunge into with our annual Videomaker Horror Stories.
by Jennifer O’Rourke
areas where you need it the most!
$29.95 per one hour session
All attendees receive a bonus report
crammed full of additional tips we
can't fit into the presentation!
Intermediate Editing Documentary
One of the best parts of editing
Production
video is getting to see the pieces
of your story come together in a
way that enhances the moment
you're trying to capture. This
overview introduces advanced
techniques such as time remapping, compositing, multi-camera
editing and more.
Considered an art form by many,
documentary video production has
its own special challenges and rewards. Obtain the knowledge you'll
need to produce a documentary
from start to finish. With the proper
techniques you can change the
impact of your documentary.
Advanced Shooting
Lighting for Video
Becoming more efficient in your
shooting abilities will allow you
to create professional-looking
video. Learn camera placement,
creative composition, shooting
techniques, dramatic angles and
framing.
Green Screen &
Special Effects
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Contrary to popular belief, most
special effects are affordable and
easy to duplicate. Learn how to
make the most of green screen
and illusion techniques - even on
a limited budget.
The key to successful lighting is
being knowledgeable about the
lights you are working with. Learn
the foundation to great lighting,
as well as explore more advanced
techniques on creative light
manipulation.
The Art of Titles
& Graphics
Great titles and graphics can add
a professional element to your
video production, poorly done they
are a tell-tale sign of an amateur.
Learn what to do and what to avoid
while creating great-looking titles
and graphics.
Webinars
Wedding & Event
Videography
DVD Authoring
There are no "do-overs" in wedding
and event videography. You have
one chance to get the shot before
the moment has passed forever.
Learn how to to capture the essence of those once-in-a-lifetime
moments with great results.
Authoring your own DVDs can save
you money and allow you to create
a marketable product. Learn the
technical requirements for DVD
authoring, basic authoring steps, as
well as how to incorporate basic and
advanced DVD features into your
next project.
Audio for Video
Basic Editing
Capturing great audio is invaluable
to the process of making a video.
Learn the types of mics and their
pick-up patterns, which mics are
the best fit for each situation, and
special tips on how to capture
quality audio every time.
Making Money
with Video
As a video production hobbyist, you may have contemplated
starting your own video production
business. Designed to help you go
pro, this will help you examine your
skills, assess equipment needs,
master the market and learn to sell
your services.
There is much more to editing video
than just cutting and pasting. Effective editing requires a firm grasp of
basic editing techniques. Learn the
tools of the trade, such as pacing,
continuity, transitions, and titling,
as well as how to avoid common
mistakes.
Editing On Your Tablet - We’ll Show You How
New webinars are being added weekly. To see current updated schedules, visit our Webinars page often!
www.videomaker.com/webinar
DIY Video Accessories
by Kyle Cassidy
YOUR GUIDE TO CREATING AND PUBLISHING GREAT VIDEO OCTOBER 2011
Time to Edit!
Annual Editing Software
Buyer’s Guide
Reviewed:
• Panasonic HDC-TM40 Camcorder
• ADK I7-DVC Video Editing Computer
• Corel VideoStudio Pro X4 Software
• G-Technology G-Speed Q RAID
Step-By-Step Documentary Production!
www.videomaker.com/makeAdoc
On Sale October, 11 2011
50 Lighting
Color Temperature for Video
by Mike Fitzer
53 Editing
Getting into GPUs
by Doug Dixon
+
Video in Schools
Using Animals in your Production
Editing Tips for Windows MovieMaker
61
6
Departments
4 Reader Profile Behind the Lens
59 Ad Index
47 Basic Training
®
Next Month
Columns
Persuasion
by Matthew York
page 32
293 October cover 11.indd 1
47
2 Viewfinder
ON THE COVER
• Sony Vegas Pro 10
• Adobe Premiere Pro
• CyberLink PowerDirector 9 Ultra64
• Serif MoviePlus X5
Basic Video
Production
Whether you're interested in video
production for new business ventures or simply picking it up as hobby,
this will teach you the techniques
needed to make better video. Learn
shot composition, camera moves,
lighting and audio.
43
25
8/9/2011 4:52:33 PM
Reviews
6 Panasonic HDC-TM40
Consumer Camcorder
by Mark Holder
8 Toshiba CAMILEO S30
Pocket Camcorder
by Jackson Wong
58 Projects that Pay
10 Corel VideoStudio Pro X4
61 Audio
14 G-Technology G-SPEED Q RAID
How to Price your Project
by Jay Montana
The Art of the Voice Over
by Peter Zunitch
64 What’s Legal
Substantially Similar Idea?
by Mark Levy
VI D EO MA K ER >>> O CT O BER 20 11
Introductory Editing Software
by Mark Holder
External Hard Drive
by Dan Bruns
contents
16 ADK I7-DVC
Video Editing Computer
by Lance Olinger
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1
VIEWFINDER
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Persuasion
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information systems
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V IDEOMAKER >>> OctO bER 2011
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executive editor
managing editor
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associate editor
production director
art director/photographer
had lots of clips of people saying “Did
you record that?” or “Please erase that,
I don’t want anyone to see that”. Nam
June Paik saw these moments as the
absolute truth. He seemed like the kind
of guy that would enjoy Candid Camera
or Punk’d. In 1998, when meeting
President Bill Clinton, he stood up from
his wheelchair and his pants fell down.
If you searched the web for “nam june
paik pants” it might be the first item up.
Does it look like an accident to you?
Perhaps the greatest thing about
video is that no one person has control of the camera. We have all seen
the truth presented by large numbers
of people who traditionally would not
have been “trusted” to present the
truth. During the 2009 Iranian election protests, Neda Agha-Soltan was
killed and her death was recorded by
several people with mobile phones
and broadcast over the Internet. What
would have been a unreported death
by the Iranian media became a rallying point for the opposition. Video is a
powerful and sacred tool for presenting the truth. Use it responsibly.
Matthew York
Patrice York
ve c
contents
Wikipedia defines persuasion as a form
of social influence. It is the process of
guiding oneself or another toward the
adoption of an idea, attitude or action
by rational and symbolic (though
not always logical) means. Video is
perhaps the most effective tool for persuasion because it involves two senses:
sight and sound, which people use
to form opinions. All of us who make
video have some desire to influence
our audience. Many video creators
also desire to change opinions. Video
allows creators to selectively present
facts and ideas that foster a particular
synthesis of ideas. Video is a fantastic
tool for people seeking the truth, but is
often used to deceive. As we make video, we can be tempted to skate close to
the line separating truth from lies.
For some, it is easy to produce video
with loaded messages in order to produce an emotional rather than rational
response to the information presented.
While this isn’t quite lying, it may not
be all that truthful. Making video is really a tremendous responsibility; as the
creator, you are challenged to grapple
with the truth. Many things in life appear in shades of gray, but the truth
has always been black or white until
Steven Colbert coined the term truthiness; defined as a “truth” that a person
claims to know intuitively “from the
gut” without regard to evidence, logic,
intellectual examination, or facts. The
power to present what you believe to
be the truth, may be the exact reason
that you were drawn into the craft of
video production to begin with.
In 1978, I attended a lecture in New
York City by the first video artist, Nam
June Paik. He was fascinated with the
power of video to present the truth. He
began working with the Sony Portapak in 1965 and was amazed how a
non-technical person could harness
the power of television. Nam June Paik
loved unscripted video making and
seemed to acutely enjoy moments
when people let their guard down. He
publisher/editor
associate publisher
c
by Matthew Y or k
We’ve seen a lot in eleven years.
Whether you’re a designer, advertiser, entrepreneur or blogger, we can help you tell your
story with royalty-free photos, illustrations, video and audio. Say anything with iStockphoto.
www.iStockphoto.com
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READER PROFILE
Behind the Lens - Guy Bauer
Video creation is sometimes a singular business, but video producers
are a social lot who work and play in many areas of video production
and love to share their stories. This column introduces you to your fellow
video producers.
Name: Guy Bauer
Cameras: Sony HDR-AX2000, Sony HDR-SR11, Canon EOS 60D DSLR
Editing Platform: Adobe Premiere Pro CS5
Microphones: Shure VP64A, Audix UEM81S, Sony UWP-V6 ENG System
Lighting: (2) Smith-Victor Softbox 3-Light kit
Support Gear: Bescor fluid head tripod and Sony VCT-1170RM Tripod
Website: http://www.guybauerproductions.com
Sample Videos: http://www.guybauerproductions.com/portfolio/
I've been making videos ever since
7th grade when I shot and edited a
video version of Rikki-Tikki-Tavi using
my dad's VHS camcorder and making cuts by dubbing each shot onto
a blank tape in our VHS deck. We
even dubbed in some music from my
parent's record player. Ever since that
moment, I've been hooked!
In March 2001, when I was 19, I
bought a Sony VX2000 and made a
TV show with my friends called The
Mother of All Shows. The show stunk
to high heaven, but it taught me a lot
of very important lessons, which I
still follow to this day. Lessons like:
always feed your crew; great scripts
are more important than top-of-theline equipment; there's always a
way to do it for free; and never stop
learning!
We premiered The Mother of All
Shows in our hometown of Matawan,
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4
New Jersey to a packed house at a
movie theater. The line outside was
so long that we were forced to play
it again! The show's local success
inspired me to get into the entertainment business and since then I've
worked for Crank Yankers, The Man
Show, KCBS-FM in Los Angeles and
WLUP-FM in Chicago. In 2009, I was
laid off from a producing gig and
found myself in the middle of the
worst economy with zero job prospects. Luckily, I fell back on my video
skills that I had been honing since
the 7th grade and started getting
work on freelance sites like Guru.
com and Elance.com. In September
2010, I officially launched Guy Bauer
Productions.
At Guy Bauer Productions we make
everything from 60-second business
profiles to motion graphic TV show
intros. Resources like Videomaker,
Lynda.com, Video Copilot, Aetuts+,
Videopia and believe it or not, the
Small Business Administration, have
helped me transition from amateur
hobbyist to professional. I believe
continuing education and the constant pursuit of getting better separates the “wheat from the chaff.”
I'm really excited about the DSLR
revolution and absolutely love my
Canon 60D. I use it on many of
my shoots and the quality is just
amazing. That being said, the Sony
SDI to Analog
Analog to SDI
SDI to Audio
Audio to SDI
SDI to HDMI
HDMI to SDI
Optical Fiber
Sync Generator
$495
AX2000 is really the workhorse of
my operation because of its ruggedness and outstanding audio with the
two XLR inputs. I really believe that
audio is just as important (if not,
more) to a great video as the actual
video is.
In addition to producing videos
for clients, I also produce and host
a weekly comedy talk show web
series called, The Guy Bauer Half
Hour. We do the show out of my 2nd
bedroom “studio” and we've actually
had some pretty cool guests! Doing
the live show every week has taught
me a lot about how TV is made and,
actually, my biggest takeaway: use a
checklist for everything! When we
first started doing the show, we had
technical problems every 30 seconds
because we had forgotten to click
this or plug in that. Since then, we've
implemented a check-list (that grows
every week) and our tech problems
are rare.
My goal is to take Guy Bauer
Productions to the next level over
the next five years and have it really
become a name brand in the video
production business. I would also like
to get into teaching my knowledge
to others because I believe that great
things are possible if we all get better.
Thanks Videomaker!
Guy Bauer – Making the Cut
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Mini Converters include the latest 3 Gb/s SDI
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Mini Converters are built to the highest quality standards with low SDI
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Redundant SDI Input
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Mini Converters include more new technologies than other
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audio cables.
Mini Converters
$495
Sync Generator
$295
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Learn more today at www.blackmagic-design.com
V IDEOMAKER >>> OCTOBER 2011
contents
reviews
reviews
Panasonic HDC-TM40
Panasonic
HDC-TM40 Consumer
Camcorder
TeCH sPeCs
Compact Size,
Compact Price
b y M a rk H ol der
I
f two of the primary purchase requirements for your next camcorder
happen to be price and compact size
then you’ll want to have a close look at
Panasonic’s new HDC-TM40 (magnifying glass not included). Touted at
the time of its release as the world’s
lightest full-HD AVCHD camcorder
(approximately 213g with battery and
optional media card), the ultra compact
HDC-TM40 weighs in at a very affordable $400. While concessions have to
be made at this price, it is quite capable
as an entry level camera.
Panasonic Broadcast
One Panasonic Way
Secaucus, NJ 07094
www.panasonic.com
strengths
• Low price
• Small size
• Optical zoom
• Power OIS
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weaknesses
• Lower quality due to 1MOS sensor
• No manual ring, accessory shoe or
external microphone jack
$400
6
The Box
Included with the HDC-TM40 you will
find a very tiny battery pack rated
for about 135 minutes of record time
(at maximum quality) when fully
charged. An AC adaptor and power
cord are also included as well as an AV
multi cable and USB cable for making
that all important computer connection. Although the camcorder has an
HDMI port, no such cable is included.
The owner’s manual and a CD-ROM
containing HD Writer LE 1.0 for importing files to your computer, uploading to YouTube and Facebook, and
performing rudimentary editing tasks
round out the box contents.
The Camcorder
Not included in the box is your choice
of SDHC/SDXC memory card. Using
a Class 4 (minimum, Class 10 preferred) or higher memory card can
expand your recording capabilities by
as much as 64GB beyond the HDCTM40’s 16GB built-in flash memory.
Suitably small for stealthily obtaining those family-gathering YouTube
moments, this camera can be a lot of
fun. Smooth, steady shots are possible
by using proper hand held techniques.
Don’t expect prosumer level performance from this model, however.
V IDEOMAKER >>> O ctOb ER 2011
Obviously, at this price point, performance and/or feature reductions were
necessary. While it does shoot full
1920x1080 HD the single CMOS 1.2
megapixel sensor just can’t deliver the
same visual punch as its pricier 3MOS
brethren. Picture quality lacks the
same crispness, with color reproduction capabilities taking a hit as well.
Unlike higher cost models, which
use an automatic lens cover, the
HDC-TM40’s lens cover is opened and
closed by means of a manual switch
alongside the lens housing. It lacks
both a built-in accessory shoe and an
external microphone jack. There is
no manual ring for zoom, focus, iris
or other such features and the menus
are navigated by buttons rather than
the much sexier touch screens we see
on many of today’s model - how old
school! But remember, these are the
trade-offs one expects in exchange for
lower cost.
This unit does have some very nice
features, however. For instance, the
16.8x optical zoom is very handy
when that extra dash of covertness is
needed by being able to shoot from
across the room or even the parking
lot without losing detail, as would be
the case with digital zoom enhancement. While certain functions were
Image Sensor: 1/5.8" MOS
Effective Pixels: 1.19 megapixels
F Value: F1.8 (WIDE) / 2.6 (TELE)
Optical Zoom: 16.8x
Digital Zoom: 50x / 1200x (at maximum
zoom)
Focal Length: 2.9 - 48.7mm
Lens Brand: Panasonic Lens
Standard Illumination: 1400 lx
Minimum Illumination: 7.0 lx (1/30 Low
Light scene mode); 1 lx (Color Night Rec.)
Focus: Auto / Manual
White Balance: Auto / Indoor1 / Indoor2 /
Sunny / Cloudy / White set
Shutter Speed: Auto Slow Shutter; ON :
1/30-1/8000; OFF : 1/60-1/8000
Iris: Auto / Manual
Backlight Compensation: Yes
Image Stabilizer: POWER OIS [Optical
Image Stabilizer]
LCD: 2.7" Wide LCD (230,400 dots)
Still Image Recording Format: JPEG
Recording Image Size: [16:9] 2.1
megapixels (1920 x 1080)
shed in favor of lower cost, one that
remains happily intact is the power
optical image stabilization system,
which helps to reduce blurring and
movement due to hand-shake.
The Conclusion
While certainly not for the professional or even the prosumer level
user, the HDC-TM40 is well suited for
the entry level/beginner user seeking
to save a few bucks while still obtaining decent video footage. You probably won’t want to shoot your next
indie on this camera (although, look
at the number of the "experimental"
indie productions shot on cell phones
and flip cams!), but it would be perfectly fine for family get-togethers,
vacations or climbing up the sides of
steep mountains. While a number of
features were eliminated or reduced,
Video Recording Signal System:
1080/60i, 540/30p
Recording Format: AVCHD standard
compliant – HA / HG / HX: MPEG-4
AVC/H.264; MPEG-4 AVC file format
compliant (.MP4) – iFrame : MPEG-4
AVC/H.264
Audio Recording System: Dolby Digital
(2 ch); iFrame : AAC (2 ch)
Microphone: 2 ch Stereo
Interfaces: HDMI, USB 2.0, AV Multi
LED Video Light: Yes
Standard Accessories: AC Adaptor, AC
Cable, DC Cable(with included AC Adaptor); AV Multi Cable; USB Cable; CD-ROM
(HD Writer LE 1.0)
Rechargeable Battery Pack: min. 1790
mAh / Lithium-Ion
Weight (w/o Battery): Approx. 0.37lb
Dimensions: 2.03"W x 2.26"H x 4.27"D
Media: Built-in memory (16GB), SD/
SDHC/SDXC Memory Card
in order to lower cost, several other
very desirable features were retained
in an effort to provide the public with
a very low cost and usable option.
As always, consider your intended
usage before purchasing. If your
purpose happens to coincide with
this camera’s design then it could be
a well-made match indeed.
sUMMArY
Anyone seeking an entry level, high
definition camcorder, that’s super
compact and easy on the budget,
should check out the Panasonic
HDC-TM40.
Mark Holder is a video producer and trainer.
VI D EO MA K ER >>> O ct O bER 20 11
THERE’S
AN AZDEN
PORTABLE MIXER
DESIGNED TO
ENHANCE YOUR
AUDIO QUALITY.
The FMX-42a and 42 deliver high performance and are loaded with features: 4 XLR
mic/line inputs with individual level and pan
controls, switchable phantom power and
limiting for each input, pro quality VU meters,
master level control, 1k tone generator, 2
XLR outputs, mini stereo output for DV
cameras, and a headphone monitor with
level control. Supplied with a ballistic nylon
carrying case, both can be powered by
either 6 “AA” batteries or with an optional
external power supply. The FMX-42a adds
a 10-pin and mini-plug “Camera Return”.
Built on the same low noise, wide response
design of the FMX-42a, the FMX-32 features
3 XLR inputs, a 5-step LED indicator and
switchable phantom power for each input.
The FMX-32 can be powered by either 6”AA”
batteries or with an optional external power
supply. Optional ballistic carry case available.
The FMX-20 is a low noise, wide response
mixer which features: 2 XLR inputs and outputs, a mini-stereo output for DV cameras,
headphone out with level control, 3-step
LED indicator and a switchable limiter. The
FMX-20 can be powered by either a single
9 volt battery or with an optional external
power supply.
®
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P.O. Box 10, Franklin Square, NY 11010
(516) 328-7500 • FAX: (516) 328-7506
full screen
For full specifications e-mail [email protected]
or visit our Web site: www.azdencorp.com
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7
reviews
Toshiba
CAMILEO S30
Pocket Camcorder
Make Room in the Pocket
b y J a ck son W ong
S
ynonymous with laptops, Toshiba
has now added the CAMILEO S30,
a simple and easy to use pocket camcorder, to its technology family. The
large lens at one end of the camera,
along with its wide flip screen, are this
camera’s most defining features.
Quick ‘n Easy
The CAMILEO S30 boasts clearly
marked buttons and you can become
familiarized with it quite quickly.
It’s roughly cellphone size, making
it pocket-friendly. Flipping up the
LCD touch screen monitor is necessary to record video, and powers the
camcorder on and off. The menu
must be viewed on the LCD screen,
while the operation buttons, such as
record, can be found on the spine.
Operating the CAMILEO S30 tends to
Toshiba America, inc
1251 Avenue of the Americas, Suite 4110
New York, NY 10020
www.toshiba.com
sTrengThs
• Good clarity in images
• Allows overall control through camera
features and accessories
contents
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weAknesses
• No audio control
• Limited zoom
• Some difficulty navigating the menus
$180
8
require two hands. Sliding the zoom
is rarely smooth, but is fairly clear
through two-thirds of it. The CAMILEO
S30 also compensates decently for
camera shake, but operator movement, including noise from any button
presses, are recorded by the built-in
mic and is hard to monitor since there
is no headphone jack. Some bonuses
are that the CAMILEO S30 is also an
8MP still photo camera and comes
with its own mini tripod.
User Friendly
We found the CAMILEO S30 user
friendly for the novice, but menu navigation is a bit difficult. Like most minis, the audio is acquired using AGC, or
automatic gain control, or there is no
audio playback control. The size, however, is one of its best qualities, while
the image quality makes it attractive
as an affordable full HD camcorder.
The result is a solid competitor in the
pocket camcorder market.
sUMMArY
The CAMILEO S30 will fit the pockets of many videographers looking
for a portable option.
Jackson Wong has a B.A. in Communications Design:
Media Arts and studies many forms of media, with a
preference for sports broadcasting and Foley.
TeCh sPeCs
Format: SD/SDHC/SDXC
Image Sensor: 8MP CMOS Sensor
Interchangeable Lenses: No
Lens f-stop: Fixed f/2.5
Optical Zoom: No
Focus: Auto (macro/landscape)
Iris/Gain Control: No
Shutter Speed: Auto
Image Stabilization: Electronic
Internal ND Filter: No
Manual White Balance: Yes
Zebra Stripes: No
Viewfinder: No
LCD Monitor: 3" (16:9)
Progressive Scan: No
Video In: No
Video Out: HDMI, Composite, USB port
Color Bar Generator: No
Microphone In: No
Manual Audio Level Controls: No
Headphone Jack: No
Speaker: Yes
Wireless Remote: No
External Battery Charger Provided: No
Battery Type: Lithium Ion
Disc Loading Config.: No
Accessory Shoe: No
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Workshops
Corel
VideoStudio
Pro X4 Introductory
Editing Software
Get Real Experience
Behind the Camera
when you Attend a Videomaker Workshop
CLASS SIZES ARE SMALL
SO SEATING IS LIMITED.
REGISTER TODAY!
Balancing Features,
Feel and Budget
b y M a rk H ol der
P
rops go to Corel for a nice job
with their VideoStudio Pro X4
non-linear editing product. They have
managed to combine solid editing
features and a user-friendly look, feel
and functionality, with a very reasonable price.
Welcome
When you fire up VideoStudio Pro you
are greeted by a central repository of
“updates, info and extras” called the
Corel Guide. Many times such features
are merely an annoyance and one
quickly searches for and executes the
make-it-go-away-forever checkbox. In
this case, however, the Corel Guide is
Corel Corporation
1600 Carling Avenue
Ottawa, ON K1Z 8R7 Canada
www.corel.com
strengths
• Very nice interface with dual monitor
support for added screen real estate
• Smart packaging to .zip file
• Stop motion
• Multi-trim feature
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weaknesses
• Limited search capabilities
• Limited keyframing capabilities
$100; Upgrade $80
10
actually quite useful. It’s laid out with
re-size itself accordingly. Do you need
four tabs at the top: Home, Learn, Do
even more space? Left click on the
More and Messages.
series of tiny squares in the upper left
The Home tab displays a brief video
corner of any panel and drag it onto a
showing us what’s new in X4. The
second monitor. When you’re finished,
Learn tab houses 16 short instructionpressing F7 on the keyboard sends it
al videos on everything from capturright back to its default configuration.
ing and cutting your footage to how to
do Timelapse and Stop Motion video.
Nitty Gritty
The Do More tab contains an abunThree tabs in the Menu Bar say it all:
dance of downloadable templates,
Capture, Edit, Share.
audio sources, titles and tools. Some
Clicking Capture puts you right into
may be downloaded for a fee, but the
the meat and potatoes of the editing
majority are free. The Messages tab
process – getting your footage into your
lists any messages from the company
project. The timeline disappears and
and updates that are available.
you are presented with a number of imThe interface has an easy-on-theport and capture options. Capture Video
eyes dark gray
VideoStudio Pro X4 Editing Interface
appearance and
uses resizeable,
dockable panels
reminiscent of
those found in
Adobe Premiere
Pro. Place your
cursor in the
space between
two panels until it
turns into a twoheaded arrow,
left click and drag
up/down or left/
right to shrink or
expand any given
panel and the
adjacent panel will
V IDEOMAKER >>> OctO b ER 2011
The Basics of Video Production Learn video production from the ground up,
getting to know the equipment like the back of your hand. Get hands-on experience in the field; from
planning and shooting to lighting, audio and editing using equipment the pros use.
October 14-16, 2011 • December 2-4, 2011 • May 4-6, 2012
Intensive Lighting Master the nuances of lighting. Get hands-on experience with lighting for
interviews, green screen, product shots, outdoor exteriors and more for professional level videos. Classes
are small, so you set up the lights yourself!
May 4-6, 2012
Advanced Shooting Go beyond the basic point-and-shoot, developing sophisticated
techniques with hands-on experience using a wide variety of professional level equipment including dollies,
boom arms, car mounts and helmet mounts.
October 14-16, 2011
Intensive Editing Good editing can turn lackluster footage into riveting video. We provide
laptops and Adobe professional editing software to students with a good grasp of the editing basics & help
them hone their speed and skills to a fine point!
December 2-4, 2011
TO REGISTER OR GET MORE INFORMATION
go to www.videomaker.com/workshops
or Call 800-284-3226
TO $40
SAVE UP U SIGN
WHEN YO RLY!
UP EA
Cancellations: Cancellations must be received in writing (faxes acceptable) to Videomaker Customer Service. Notification must be received at least 21 calendar days prior to the workshop start date to receive a full
refund (less $20 registration charge). A substitute workshop date may be requested in lieu of a refund. For cancellations received between 21 and 7 calendar days prior to the workshop start date, a 50% refund applies. No cancellations, refunds or substitution dates will be given after 7 calendar days prior to the workshop start date. Videomaker, Inc. reserves the right to cancel a workshop up to 1 month prior to the workshop
start date. Mail cancellation/refund requests to: Videomaker Customer Service (Workshop), P.O. Box 4591, Chico, CA 95927-4591. Fax: 530-891-8443, Attn Customer Service.
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ATTENTION FINAL CUT EDITORS:
TIME TO SAVE IS RUNNING OUT
Corel VideoStudio Pro X4
SyStem requirementS
OS: Microsoft Windows 7/Vista/XP
Processor: Intel Core Duo 1.83GHz,
AMD Dual-Core 2.0GHz or higher recommended
rAm: 1GB (2GB or higher recommended)
VRAM: 128MB or higher (256MB or
higher recommended)
Disk Space: 3GB of free hard drive
space
min Display resolution: 1024x768
allows you to select any video recording
device connected to your system and
capture your footage live, directly into
VideoStudio. DV Quick Scan lets you
scan and capture from DV tape. You can
import files from digital media via a file
browser window as well as import from
your mobile devices.
Clicking Edit brings back the timeline and a library panel where files
are held. Sorting options are limited
to sorting by video files, audio files or
picture files. From here files may be
viewed in the preview window and
trimmed using trim handles or in
Multi-trim Video Window
contents
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inPut FOrmAt SuPPOrt
Video: AVI, MPEG-1, MPEG-2, AVCHD,
MPEG-4, H.264, BDMV, DV, HDV, DivX,
QuickTime, RealVideo, Windows Media
Format, MOD (JVC MOD File Format), M2TS,
M2T, TOD, 3GPP, 3GPP2
Audio: Dolby Digital Stereo, Dolby Digital
5.1, MP3, MPA, WAV, QuickTime, Windows
Media Audio
images: BMP, CLP, CUR, EPS, FAX, FPX, GIF,
ICO, IFF, IMG, J2K, JP2, JPC, JPG, PCD, PCT,
PCX, PIC, PNG, PSD, PSPImage, PXR, RAS,
RAW, SCT, SHG, TGA, TIF, UFO, UFP, WMF
Disc: DVD, Video CD (VCD), Super Video CD
(SVCD)
point/out point buttons. Once placed
in the timeline, clips may be edited
just as in other editing software programs. Right clicking on longer clips
and selecting Multi-trim Video brings
up a separate window which allows
you to play the clip and set multiple
in/out points on the fly. Click a button
as the clip plays then click OK. On
playback, you will see that all the
unwanted material has been neatly
trimmed away in one fell swoop.
Along the left margin of the library
panel are buttons for accessing transitions, titles, graphic elements such as
color mattes, objects, frames, flash
animations and
numerous effects
filters. Once applied, the Options
tab in the Library’s
lower right corner
may be selected to
view various properties that may be
tweaked and prodded to achieve just
the right result.
When finished,
clicking Share
reveals a plethora
of output options
including DVD
OutPut FOrmAt SuPPOrt
Video: AVI, MPEG-2, AVCHD, MPEG4, H.264, BDMV, HDV, QuickTime,
RealVideo, Windows Media Format,
3GPP, 3GPP2, FLV
Audio: Dolby Digital Stereo, Dolby Digital 5.1, MPA, WAV, QuickTime, Windows
Media Audio, Ogg Vorbis
images: BMP, JPG
Disc: DVD (DVD-Video/DVD-R/AVCHD),
Blu-ray Disc (BDMV)
media: CD-R/RW, DVD-R/RW, DVD+R/
RW, DVD-R Dual Layer, DVD+R Double
Layer, BD-R/RE
authoring and burning.
Cool Stuff
In addition, Corel has included a few
extra-cool features. Smart Package is
one such feature that lets you bundle
all the project’s necessary files into a
.zip file for transport and use on other
computers. Time Lapse and 2D to 3D
conversion capabilities are other fun options included in VideoStudio Pro X4.
Another very nice feature is Stop
Motion video. It allows you to import
still photos or capture directly from
an attached recording device. When
capturing live you can set it to auto
capture and specify the image duration
by number of frames captured, capture
frequency and total duration. An adjustable onion skin feature allows you to
see a transparent overlay of the previous
frame to assist in proper placement of
your subject.
sUMMArY
Corel VideoStudio Pro X4 offers a nice
balance of features, user friendly
functionality and price.
39900
84900
$
Adobe announced an upgrade program for video professionals who have
purchased any version of Apple® Final Cut Pro or Avid Media Composer
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or Media Composer you are eligible for a 50% savings on Adobe Creative
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RED (up to 5K!), Sony, Panasonic, Canon, JVC, and DSLR cameras.
• Unparalleled Adobe Integration. Native import of Photoshop and Illustrator files and
efficient Dynamic Link to move easily between After Effects, Adobe Premiere Pro,
and Encore® without delays for intermediate rendering.
• Cross-platform, open workflows. Easy collaboration with Apple Final Cut Pro and
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Adobe Premiere Pro CS5.5 Production Premium includes Adobe Premiere® Pro
CS5.5, Adobe After Effects® CS5.5, Adobe Audition® CS5.5, Adobe Photoshop®
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/11
E
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$
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OF HU
FE R
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Many pros in the industry recognize that you can get more work having both
Final Cut Pro and Media Composer in your editing arsenal. Not only does
Media Composer complement your existing workflow, it opens doors and
enables you to do even more—faster.
If you’re not getting what you need to succeed—we want to help make
things a little easier. Plus, Avid will give you a gift card to get a free copy of
the Media Composer for Final Cut Pro Users training DVD (a $99 USD value,
or local currency equivalent), so you can get up and running fast.
Here are just some features Final Cut Editors will love:
• Instantly edit ProRes, QuickTime, RED, XDCAM, and more through AMA
• Get everything you need in the professional ACE-certified toolset
• Mix and match formats, frame rates, resolutions, and more—in real time, no
rendering
• Edit quickly using drag and drop, or use advanced tools for ultra-precise cutting
• Get the look you want with built-in color, keying, motion tracking, transition, and
effects tools
The Avid Crossgrade from Final Cut Pro to Media Composer 5.5 promotional pricing is
available now though September 30th at Videoguys.com. Proof of Final Cut Pro or Final
Cut Studio ownership is required. FCPX does not qualify
Crossgrade with Matrox and Save an Additional $175 or more
when you Bundle Adobe CS5.5 Production Premium
or Avid Media Composer 5.5 with a Matrox MXO2 MAX!
Whether you’re making the switch or just adding Adobe CS5.5 or Avid Media Composer 5.5 to
your editing system you’ll be happy to know that the Matrox MXO2 Hardware is “Triple-A rated”
and Now Supports Apple, Adobe & Avid! MAX gives you faster then real-time encoding to H.2.64
for Blu-ray and web video!
Matrox MXO2 Mini MAX
with Avid Media Composer 5.5
When used on a Mac the Matrox MAX technology
gives you faster then real-time encoding to H.2.64
for Blu-ray and web video directly from the Media
Composer timeline!!
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Matrox MXO2 Mini MAX with
Matrox MXO2 LE MAX with
Matrox MXO2 Rack MAX with
Adobe CS5.5 Production Premium
Matrox MXO2 MAX devices feature realtime editing
for Adobe CS5.5 with support for the
Adobe Mercury Playback Engine.
Matrox MXO2 LE MAX adds HD SDI I/O and gives
you all the features of a high-quality capture card
and a breakout box with professional audio and
video connectivity. SDI, HDMI, $
00
Analog video and XLR audio.
Matrox MXO2 Rack with MAX, the ultimate desktop
solution – all the features of a high-quality capture
card plus breakout box in a rugged 2RU form factor.
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contents
Mark Holder is a video producer and trainer.
800-323-2325
10-12 Charles St., Glen Cove, NY 11542 • 516-759-1611 • Fax 516-671-3092 • [email protected]
12
V IDEOMAKER >>> OctO b ER 2011
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G-Technology G-Speed Q RAID
G-Technology
G-SPEED Q RAID
External Hard Drive
Fast and Furious
b y D a n B runs
H
ere’s a fact that everyone can
agree on: losing data stinks.
Without a good storage solution,
video editors constantly find themselves playing a digital version of
Jenga - one wrong click and all of a
project’s data comes falling down.
Especially when you’re working with
footage from a big production, losing
data can mean a significant loss of
money and time. At best, it might
G-Technology by Hitachi
Hitachi Global Storage Technologies Inc.
11811 Landon Dr.
Mira Loma, CA 91752
www.g-technology.com
sTrenGTHs
• Multiple RAID formats
• Fast connections
• Solid design
• Hot-swappable disks
weaknesses
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• Can take a bit of time for RAID drives
to spin up
• Noisy fan
• May be too expensive for some editors
$1,300
14
mean a sincere apology to a client
and an extra week of work. At worst,
it might sound the death knell for the
entire project and put a permanent
stain on your reputation. Though
there aren’t any ways to make sure
data is 100% safe, there are some
things anyone can do to diminish the
chances for data to disappear into
cyberspace. One of those ways is by
having a RAID drive. RAID stands for
Redundant Array of Inexpensive (or
individual) Disks. RAID drives allow
video editors to mirror their data in
RAID-1 mode, speed up their hard
drive speeds with RAID-0 or do a bit
of both with RAID-5. Of course, the
best part is that most RAID drives can
have an entire hard drive fail and still
be able to get back all of the data that
was lost. With G-Technology’s recent
release of its 8TB G-SPEED Q, they’ve
shown that not only are they intent
on saving your video projects from
failure but they’re intent on giving
you a lot of space to do it as well.
The Design
Anyone who has ever fallen in love
with the sleek and sturdy design of a
Mac will inevitably enjoy G-SPEED Q’s
design. With its rounded aluminum
corners and minimalistic approach,
this drive will fit perfectly alongside
any Mac while still looking cool next
to a PC. True to the Mac style, its
enclosure is made out of sturdy and
sleek aluminum, allowing the drive to
stay cool and compact. In fact, it’s also
so small and compact that its weight
can honestly take one by surprise. The
first time we picked up G-Tech’s unit
we nearly dropped it due to its 12.5
IT'S SO SMALL AND COMPACT THAT ITS WEIGHT CAN
TAKE ONE BY SURPRISE.
pound bulk. This puts it in the same
weight class as LaCie’s 4big Quadra
and Promise’s SmartStor.
Of course, one of the most important aspects of any RAID drive are
the connections types and G-Tech
doesn’t disappoint. The G-SPEED Q
was thoughtful enough to include
USB 2.0, two FireWire 800 ports for
Daisy Chaining purposes, and an
eSATA port for blazing fast speeds of
up to 3 GB/s. Of course, it was a slight
disappointment to not see either a
USB 3.0 or Apple and Intel’s Thun-
derbolt technology, but considering
the unit’s release date, it’s hard to be
too disappointed.
Looking at the front of the unit,
G-Tech has included four hot-swappable drive bays. Swinging a latch
on each unit and unlocking it with
an included key allows the bays to
come out of the unit. The latches also
felt well-designed to the point where
even a fairly hard push wouldn’t
ruin the hinges. Inside each bay
that G-Tech sent us were 2TB Hitachi Ultrastar “enterprise-class” SATA
hard drives. This means that the hard
drives should be able to withstand
constant use even while continually
spinning at a fast 7,200 RPM with
32MB of cache. Though this more
than likely adds to the price of the
unit, it also gives editors something
that is hard to put a price on: peace
of mind.
In addition, each G-SPEED Q
comes with an Oxford 936SE RAID
controller that allows editors to use
the drive in either a RAID-0 or RAID-5
configuration. This means that if you
want to utilize the speed advantages
of writing to 4 drives at once you can
use RAID-0. Or, if you want to utilize
both some speed advantages and
TeCH sPeCs
Capacity/Speed: 8TB
Formatted Capacity: 5.5TB
Interfaces: (1) USB 2.0 port, (1) eSATA
port (2) FireWire 800
Data Transfer Rate: 3 Gb/s with eSATA,
480 Mb/s with USB 2.0, 800 Mb/s with
FireWire 800
Unit Dimensions: 8.25 in x 4.9 in. x
6.5 in.
Unit Weight: 12.5 lbs
RAID Modes: RAID-0, RAID-5
Average Read Speed: 172 Mb/s
Average Write Speed: 104 Mb/s
redundancy for backup purposes you
can set your drive for RAID-5. At the
same time, the RAID controller also
allows your computer to keep doing
what it does best without devoting
processing power to keeping your
RAID drive organized.
Lastly, no good RAID system is
complete without a helpful LED diagnostic system and a quiet fan. While
we enjoyed the addition of blue LEDs
showing us that each drive was fully
functional or amber LEDs showing us
that something was wrong with the
drive, we were slightly disappointed
by the level of noise coming from the
RAID’s fan. Fan noise is a constant
IT GIVES EDITORS SOMETHING THAT IS HARD TO PUT
A PRICE ON: PEACE OF MIND.
issue with RAID enclosures since any
additional noise to an edit bay can
make it harder to do audio correction
in post. In this manner, we thought
the fan on the G-SPEED Q was a bit
too noisy to be used on the desktop.
Instead, if you’re going to be using
the G-SPEED Q at your edit station, it
would probably be best to have it under the desk with the fan facing some
soft or sound-dampening material.
The Speed
When it comes right down to it, the
most important feature that will
separate a quality drive from a bad
one is its speed. As such, we were
impressed by the performance of the
industry renowned Hitachi Ultrastar
drives.
We tested the hard drive in RAID-5
mode running on an HP Z400 with
8GB of RAM, an Intel Core i7 CPU, and
the Windows 7 64-bit edition that gave
us the fastest possible speeds to work
with. While hooked up to our eSATA
ports, we found that the average read
Backside features fan and interfaces
rate was 196.1 MB/s, used a mere 1
percent of our CPU, and had an access
time of 12.1 ms which is on the fast
end of similar drives on the market
today. Naturally, when using our USB
2.0, we found the speeds to be slower
than our test with eSATA or FireWire
800. Even so, the drive definitely performed as well as any drive of its kind
on the market and with “enterpriseclass” hard drives running inside, you
can bet that the drives will be giving
you those kinds of speeds well into
the future.
The Bottom Line
Any external hard drive purchase
decision seems to come down to three
factors: speed, price and the amount
of inputs/outputs. On just about every
one of these factors the G-SPEED Q
excels. In addition, with its sturdy and
sleek design and large capacity, this is
one drive that will last any video editing professional a long time.
sUMMArY
A fast and flexible RAID drive that will
keep data safe within its solid and
sleek design.
Dan Bruns is an Associate Multimedia Editor at
Videomaker.
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ADK I7-DVC
ADK I7-DVC
Video Editing
Computer
Benchmarks
The Boss
SpecViewPerf11
Model
Catia-03
Ensight-04
Lightwave-01 Maya-03 Proe-05
Sw-02
Tcvis-02 Snx-01
1280 X 1024
HP Z400
22.99
12.89
53.4
17.81
9.47
41.28
17.31
17.29
HP Z200
7.15
5.37
12.32
5.68
7.57
8.77
5.6
7.06
HP XW6600
10.65
11.68
14.98
8.09
3.99
12.77
15.19
16.6
DV Apprentice 26.92
20.81
37.45
15.1
7.54
33.37
26.13
22.21
ADK I7-DVC
36.63
15.3
10.85
1.72
9.06
0.98
3.31
less than expected, but when
rendering videos, the write
speed is more important. A
HP Z400
7108 23766
standard hard drive will have
around 100 Mb/s Read/Write
HP Z200
1130 12856
speeds. As seen in the tests
HP XW6600
7197 23039
this computer greatly outDV Apprentice 7391 19841
performs the standard. It is
worth noting, however, that
ADK I7-DVC
23530 30173
since these hard drives are in
RAID 0, if one of them fails
RAID 0s, creating a source and render
all your data is lost. For optimal projdrive. For the OS the computer has
ect safety it is better to use RAID 1.
a top-of-the-line 240GB Mushkin
The Windows Experience Index
SSD with a max speed of 268 MB/s.
base score was 7.7, one of the highest
The video card is a high performscores we’ve seen. Usually, the hard
ing Zotac NVIDIA GeForce GTX 570
drive or graphics card will cause a
with 1280MB of video RAM. Though
bottleneck, but this is not the case
this card is primarily for gaming,
with this computer. The highest posit works fine for video editing. All
sible score in the Windows Experience
the parts in this computer are name
Index is 7.9, which the graphics card
brand. With name brand you can rest
was able to max out. If computers get
easier in knowing that mid-project
much faster, Windows will have to
a power supply or hard drive isn’t
expand its score range.
going to fail, bringing your work to
Since this computer is not
a standstill. If there is an incident
equipped with a workstation-class
the computer can be returned to the
video card, it suffered greatly in the
manufacturer under the 2-year parts
SPECviewperf 11 benchmarks. It is
warranty for a hassle free fix.
worth noting, however, that unless
you plan on using a 3D rendering
Performance
program like Lightwave or Maya this
The first check was the hard drive
isn’t a very big concern. If you are,
performance speed using HD Tune. In
ADK gives you the option of selecting
short this computer’s hard drives are
an NVIDIA Quadro graphics card to
as fast! The primary OS hard drive had
be built into your computer, but this
an average read of 257 MB/s and an
comes at a higher price.
access time of 0.094ms. This SSD can
The 3DMark Vantage base score
find and open a file faster than a trawas P22530 and the CPU score was
ditional hard drive. The computer also
30173 using the performance setting
comes with four 1TB hard drives in
on version 1.1 of 3DMark Vantage. In
two RAID 0s for a source and render
comparison to other benchmarks' run
hard drive setup. The average write
using the patched version of 3DMark
was 207 MB/s, the average read was
Vantage, this computer performs quite
190 MB/s, and the access time was
well and is great for both video editing
11.9ms. The read performance was
3DMarkVantage
b y L a n ce O l i nger
T
he first thing you think when looking at the ADK I7-DVC is “Whoa,
this is a beast!” The case alone would
lead one to believe that it is a fast,
expensive piece of equipment. The
computer comes complete with driver
CDs, backup software, restore CDs,
manuals, extra power connectors, extra screws and even a tube of thermal
paste. Many big-box companies don’t
even come with restore CDs anymore,
just a restore partition. This computer
is like having a custom computer
made just for you, complete with all
the accessories.
ADK
8321 E Main St., Suite 100
Alexandria, KY 41001
www.adkvideoediting.com
strengths
• Expandable Case
• Name Brand Parts
• Fast Hard Drives
• Well Ventilated
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weAKnesses
• Large/Heavy Case
• No Memory Card Reader
$3,467
16
What’s It Made Of?
computer to boot. For those who like
to overclock, the large Noctua heatsink will not disappoint. With dual
140mm fans and a huge heatsink it
will handle a heavy load. All four of
the memory slots of the motherboard
are filled, giving it 16GB of total
memory, more than enough for your
video editing needs. For storage the
computer has four 1TB drives in two
The case is large and well ventilated
with four fans. On top of the case is a
nice flip-open top with USB, FireWire
400 and audio ports. The case has
four slots for holding DVD-ROM
devices and eight hard drive bays. Six
of the hard drive bays have removable trays with a flip-down door in
front of the computer. Unfortunately,
these are not hot-swappable
teCh sPeCs
bays, but nice nonetheless.
The cables are neatly woven
OS HDD Read: 257 MB/s
through the backside of the
Render/Source HHD Read/Write: 190 MB/s /
case making it very neat
207 MB/s
and tidy. The computer has
a 700-watt CoolerMaster
OS / Programs Drive: 240GB Mushkin SSD,
Silent Pro power supply
Capture / Work Drive: 2 x 1TB WD RAID 0
with a large 135mm fan. DeRender to Drive: 2 x 1TB WD RAID 0
spite all the fans inside this
LAN: 1 X 1000Mb/s (125MB/s)
computer, it is rather quiet.
The motherboard has a nice
CPU: Intel Quad Core i7-2600 3.4GHz (default) set of onboard features:
4.5GHz (over clocked)
RAID (Redundant Array of
RAM: 16GB DDR3 1600
Independent Disks), SLI
OS: Windows 7 64-bit
(Scalable Link Interface), 8
Channel Audio, Gigabit LAN,
Video: NVIDIA GTX 570
eight USB, eSATA, FireWire
Audio: 8 Channel Intel HD Audio
400 and two USB 3.0 ports.
Power Supply: 700W Cooler Master Silent Pro M
The motherboard also has
a back-to-bios button on
Available Inputs: eSATA, USB2.0/3.0, Firewire
the back of the case, useful
400, Blu-Ray/DVD/CD
if you overclock the CPU
Warranty: 2-year Parts and Labor
too much and can’t get the
V IDEOMAKER >>> O ctObER 2011
6.31
Model
Total
Score
CPU Score
and gaming. Want to know for yourself how this computer ranks? You
can view 3DMark rankings anytime
by going to http://3dmark.com/search.
Unfortunately, due to a bug in 3DMark
Vantage most of the scores posted on
its website are not valid.
Should I Buy This?
This computer is best set up for editing video or playing video games. If
you also want to render 3D models, it
may not be the best fit for you. ADK
gives the option for adding a videoediting card, but this will also increase
the cost of the computer. This computer has some of the latest hardware
in it making it a bit pricey for a midrange editing computer. The computer
lacks a memory card reader, which
allows you to just swap the card out
of your camera instead of having to
hook up the USB cable. On the other
hand, the many fast hard drives in this
computer are great for editing video
since external drives generally won’t
be needed. In short this computer is
fast and has a great setup for video
editing and is great for gaming. If this
computer is within your budget and
you enjoy playing a game now and
again it’s worth a look.
sUMMArY
The ADK I7-DVC is fast, has a great
setup for video editing and is great
for gaming.
Lance Olinger is an IT Professional and Web Developer.
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17
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Digital Downloads
Learn exactly what you need to know! Download it today!
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Get better video by eliminating common mistakes.
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eDocs - Starting at $2.49!
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The Keys to Chromakey
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Here are some of the elements involved in producing
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A few simple steps can save
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Guide to Making
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Learn the essentials
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Documentary Interview
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Make your music video a
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Shooting the different
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eBooks - Starting at $9.95!
Animation and motion graphics software
are packages that can create visual assets
from scratch, can composite those assets
with other visual assets from outside sources
together on screen, and change parameters
of those assets over time to create a final
animated video product.
Download an eBook today! You'll be able to save the file and print it off at your convenience!
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Videomaker's Video
Composition eBook
The Successful
Video Entrepreneur
Videomaker reveals some
of the secret tricks of basic
composition used by the
Masters.
You may be a whiz with
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Videomaker Complete
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91 essential forms to help
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Essential Forms for Wedding This in-depth analysis of documentary film making uses
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to illustrate the process.
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These packages come in all varieties of feature
sets, price points and levels of complexity. Here
we will attempt to clarify some of the complexity of animation and motion graphics to help
you distill what your real needs are and help you
make a more informed decision when shopping
for a new software graphics package to fulfill
those needs. We’ll look at what to expect from
the different types of software packages and
feature sets. This is not a comprehensive guide to
everything on the market, simply a brief educational guide to help you be a more informed
consumer.
The higher the level of software package
you delve into, the steeper the learning curve,
and usually the more money you’ll spend. One
problem is between mid-level and high-level applications, there are a few that overlap features,
and may be more difficult to categorize easily.
But the basic rule of thumb is the more it does,
the more it costs and the more difficult it will be
to learn, but in the end you will have expanded
your studio’s capabilities, and thus its final products and income potential.
If all you need to do is manipulate basic text
and shapes, most editing applications such as
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19
Animation
& Motion Graphics buyer’s guide
Final Cut Pro, Avid, Premiere Pro, and Vegas
can do this type of basic keyframing work. In
this article we’re focusing on what you need
to look at if those basic tools aren’t enough.
Tools You May Already Own
TriLab Productions
www.digitalhotcakes.com
Manufacturer’s Listing
12 Inch Design
www.fotosearch.com/filmdisc
ActionBacks
Footage Firm
www.actionbacks.com
www.footagefirm.com
Adobe
Free Stock Footage
www.adobe.com
www.freestockfootage.com
A Luna Blue
GenArts
www.alunablue.com
www.genarts.com
Animation Factory
Global Cuts
www.animationfactory.com
www.globalcuts.com
Apple
Hash, Inc.
www.apple.com
www.hash.com
Artbeats
Hypereye Motion Graphics
www.artbeats.com
www.hypereye.tv
Autodesk
Instant Imagers
www.autodesk.com
www.instantimages.com
BBC Motion Gallery
iStockphoto
www.bbcmotiongallery.com
www.istockphoto.com
Boris FX
MAGIX
www.borisfx.com
www.magix.com
Classic Video Products
MAXON
www.classicvideoproducts.com
www.maxon.net
Crater Software
MotionElements
http://www.cratersoftware.com
www.motionelements.com
Creative Video Products
MotionRevolver
www.creativevideopro.com
http://motionrevolver.com
Digieffects
Noise Industries
http://www.digieffects.com
www.noiseindustries.com
Digital Associations
Phoenix Clips
www.virtualset-designs.com
www.phoenixclips.com
Digital Juice
pond5
www.digitaljuice.com
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FilmDisc
www.12inchdesign.com
www.pond5.com
Drew Jiritano Special Effects RAB–BYTE
http://www.djfx.com
www.rab-byte.com
Elite Video
Reality Sets
www.elitevideo.com
20
Reallusion
www.reallusion.com
RevoStock
www.revostock.com
Royalty Free Stock Video Footage
www.royaltyfreestockvideofootage.com
ShowStoppersFX
www.showstoppersfx.com
Sony Creative Software
www.sonycreativesoftware.com
Studio 1 Productions
www.studio1productions.com
Suite Imagery
www.suiteimagery.com
Time Image
www.timeimage.com
Toon Boom
www.toonboom.com
TriLab Productions
www.digitalhotcakes.com
Video Copilot
www.videocopilot.net
Videometry
www.videometry.com
Visual Concept Entertainment
www.vcefilms.com
WorshipFilms
www.worshipfilms.com
Xara
www.xara.com
Zaxwerks
www.zaxwerks.com
www.realitysets.com
Some of the popular video editing software
comes in suites that include other applications that can do great motion graphics at
a pretty sophisticated level. The good news
is that if you have an editing software suite,
you probably already have software that will
fulfill your motion graphics needs. However,
learning motion graphics applications can be
a steeper learning curve than simple video editing, so some users do have the program, but
might be intimidated to use it. If you do spend
the time and effort to learn the software included with a suite, you’ll be able to produce
more complex products for your clients, and
charge a premium for those extras.
The most popular motion graphics software
included with editing suites are After Effects
from Adobe, and Motion from Apple. These
two applications are pretty equivalent in
capability, yet take two different approaches
to their user interfaces and how they handle
complex tasks. Today, many tutorials for
either can very easily be applied to the other.
After Effects has been out for quite a few
years giving it a large user base with online tutorials and forum threads. Motion has recently
begun to catch up and has a slightly smaller,
but growing user base willing to help with online video tutorials and forum threads. Again,
learning these takes a bit more than learning
still graphics applications such as Adobe Photoshop, Corel Paint It!, or Studio Artist.
The creation and manipulation of graphic
elements, as well as the use of imported
graphic and video elements, is easily done.
Text can be animated in very complex
ways. Compositing assets together in order
to create a single complex visual effect is
what these applications do best. These are
both considered motion graphics packages,
not animation or modeling applications, as
neither can generate true 3D objects nor support the native files from higher end software
such as Maya or Cinema 4D. Yet they do a
great job with text; keying and compositing
green screens, and complex graphic animations. These are used for things like the
opening to The Colbert Report, backgrounds
and bumpers for CNN and FOX news shows,
and the like. Motion is only included with
Final Cut Studio from Apple, and only runs
on the Macintosh platform. After Effects can
be purchased in one of Adobe’s CS5 bundles,
or alone, for Windows or Macintosh platforms. Autodesk provides Flame FX tools
with Smoke. This is a finishing package that
differs from the more traditional editors and
adds the ability to work with 3D shapes and
integrates with Final Cut Pro and Avid Media
Composer via XML and AAF.
3D Text and Logos and Plug-ins
There are software packages that specifically
do only 3D text and 3D logo elements. This
may be all you need in some cases. Check
your video editing software as some come
with a plug-in to handle 3D text on a basic
level. For example, Final Cut Pro is compatible
with Boris 3D text plug-ins. There is a variety
of third party plug-ins and stand-alone applications that can take this type of work to a
whole new level. Zaxwerks has a line for After
Effects on both Windows and Mac platforms,
as well as for Final Cut Pro and Motion. These
plug-ins do 3D text, 3D logos, and helps you
to animate them. It’s the higher end of these
types of plug-ins and stand-alone applications. Others to look at are Boris Graffiti, Xara
3D Maker, Reallusion Effect3D Studio and
the GenArts collection of special effects and
plug-ins. While some of these can come with
a hefty price tag, some are relatively inexpensive. They all can give you powerful tools with
a small learning curve. If all you need is 3D
text and logos, then save the money and time
spent learning, and go this route.
such as a Wacom tablet, to a canvas
on your computer screen, giving
you the best of both worlds. You
can hand draw, then tweak with the
software tools, and animate over
time, without having to draw every
individual frame. These combined
Noise Industries
with the previously mentioned software can www.noiseindustries.com
give you unique effects and looks that After
Effects or Cinema 4D won’t do alone. These
types of applications can run from freeware
to relatively expensive, depending on the tool
set you want. So again, shop around, weigh
the learning curve and features with price
and platform compatibility. This route is not
for everyone.
3D Modeling
With higher end software like Autodesk
Maya, MAXON Cinema 4D and others, you
can create shapes in a true 3D space that has
not only height (x-axis) and width (y-axis),
but also depth (z-axis). These shapes can get
very complex and be covered with textures,
or skins, to become very realistic. These will
have the steepest learning curve, and take
the longest to gain even basic mastery. If you
need to create virtual 3D objects that you
can move around in 3D space, these are the
types of applications you’d shop for. They
Apple
www.apple.com
Hand Animation
If you’re looking to do some animating, there
are software packages available that allow
you to do this in a variety of ways. These
can enhance your toolbox when used with
the previously mentioned applications, not
to mention, are very nice to have for creating storyboard artwork. Studio Artist, Pencil
and Toon Boom’s Animate Pro are three
really nice places to start shopping for this
type of software. Each has unique tools and
uses, and if you’re a real hand-drawing artist,
you may want more than just one of these
in your toolbox. The point of these are to
translate your hand-drawings from a device
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www.genarts.com
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21
Animation
& Motion Graphics buyer’s guide
Autodesk
www.autodesk.com
Boris FX
www.borisfx.com
are mostly reserved for film effects, or high-end
broadcasting. 3D shapes created in theses types
of applications can also be purchased from
commercial libraries, brought into the application and have a virtual camera moved around it.
The result of that camera’s view and movement
can then be exported to a 2D asset such as WMV
or MOV files, then used in Adobe After Effects
or Apple Motion, and animated to interact with
other 2D assets. Be aware you’re looking at
spending several thousands of dollars for one of
these applications.
These types of applications are becoming
more readily available for Windows, Macintosh,
and a few for the Linux platforms. There are
quite a few to choose from, so carefully review
their feature sets compared to the price you’re
paying, and the available training.
Evaluating Your Needs
Not everyone wants to draw by hand. Not everyone needs a 3D realistic model of his or her SUV.
Most of us do need some form of motion graphics software, mostly for animating text and other
visual assets. If your need is the most basic, look
first to your video editing software and see if it
includes an application that will suit your needs.
What exactly are your specific needs? What sort
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22
of effects and looks are you desiring to be able
to produce? What are the examples you see in
broadcast, video, and the Internet that your clients are asking for? Start by putting those needs
and desires in writing. Then go to several folks
already doing this type of work and talk to them.
Motion graphics and animation professionals are
always eager to talk about their work and tools.
Be aware what works for one editor may not
work for another. If there was only one perfect
application, we’d all be using it now. Different
packages have different tool sets and approaches
to creating work. This is the personal decision
you’ll have to mull over a bit after talking to others and doing your research. Get it all down on
paper to help you really evaluate your purchase
decision properly.
The other major factors in choosing a motion
graphic software package will be hardware and
software requirements. Be sure you know and
understand what those are. Many software companies only publish what the bare minimum is for
their package to launch and run. You may need a
bit more than those minimums depending on how
heavy your projects will get. Talking to seasoned
professionals who know not only the software, but
have a solid professional IT background, will help
out a great deal. The operating system you run the
software on will also be very important. Which
version of the OS will you need? Will that require
an update or upgrade to what you currently have?
Will that upgrade adversely effect any other software on your system? All very important questions to have answered before spending money
on these heavy duty and often expensive motion
graphics and animation software packages.
Conclusion
Motion graphics and animation can get complicated, there’s no question about that. Learning
and using a good software package can give you
more flexibility and creativity with the products
you sell your clients. But not all software is created equal; not all post-production situations are
the same. Match what you need with what you
purchase, take the time to professionally learn it,
and you’ll be glad you did.
Ben Balser is a freelance Apple Certified Master Trainer, producer, and
consultant.
For comments, email: [email protected], use article
#14970 in the subject line. You can comment and rate this
article by going online: www.videomaker.com/article/14970
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The road to editing greatness
begins by shifting into the right
gear. You can’t drive your projects
forward with software that leaves
your computer idling in neutral.
Revving
Up Your
Editing
Options
Editing
Software
Buyer’s Guide
BY DAVE SNIADAK
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www.videomaker.com/digital
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25
Revving Up Your Editing Options
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26
Trial Version Available
Minimum OS
Premiere Elements 9
Download price
Product Name
Adobe
Editing Software Buyer’s Guide
Physical Package Price
Publisher
eDITING SOFTWARE BUYER’S GUIDE MANUFACTURER LIST
$100
$100
y
Win XP/Vista/7; Mac OS X 10.5
www.adobe.com
Premiere Pro CS5.5
$799
$799
y
Win Vista; Mac OS X 10.5, 10.6
Apple
iMovie '11 (part of iLife '11)
$49
n/a
n
Mac OS X 10.6
www.apple.com
Final Cut Express 4
$199
n/a
n
Mac OS X 10.4
Final Cut Pro X
n/a
$300
n
Mac OS X 10.6
Final Cut Studio
$999
n/a
n
Mac OS X 10.5
ArcSoft
ShowBiz DVD 2
$100
$100
y
Win 2000/XP/Vista/7
www.arcsoft.com
TotalMedia Extreme 2
n/a
$130
y
Win XP/Vista/7
Avid Technology
Media Composer 5.5
$2,495 $2,295 y
Win XP/Vista/7; Mac OS X 10.6
www.avid.com
Avid Studio
$170
$170
y
Win Vista/7
Corel
VideoStudio Pro X4
$80
$80
y
Win XP/Vista/7
www.corel.com
VideoStudio Express
$40
$40
y
Win XP/Vista/7
CyberLink
PowerDirector 9 Deluxe
$70
$70
y
Win XP/Vista/7
www.cyberlink.com
PowerDirector 9 Ultra
$100
$100
y
Win XP/Vista/7
DeskShare
Video Edit Magic 4.47
$70
$70
y
Win 2000/XP/Vista
www.deskshare.com
Video Edit Magic Express 4.11
$20
$20
y
Win 2000/XP/Vista
Grass Valley
EDIUS Neo 3
$199
$199
y
Win 7
www.grassvalley.com/desktop
EDIUS 6
$799
$799
y
Win XP/Vista/7
Heroine Virtual Ltd.
Cinelerra
n/a
free
n/a Linux
Kdenlive
n/a
free
n/a Linux, Mac OS X
www.heroinewarrior.com
Kdenlive
www.kdenlive.org
LoiLo
Super LoiLoScope
n/a
$88
y
Win XP/Vista/7
LiVES
n/a
free
n/a Linux
Machete
n/a
$20
y
Win 2000/XP/Vista/7
Magix
Movie Edit Pro 17
$60
$60
y
Win XP/Vista/7
www.magix.com
Movie Edit Pro 17 Plus
$100
$100
y
Win XP/Vista/7
Video Pro X3
$400
$400
y
Win XP/Vista/7
EditStudio 6
n/a
$89
y
Win XP/Vista/7
Windows Movie Maker
n/a
n/a
n/a Win XP/Vista/7
Movavi
VideoSuite 9
$60
$60
y
Win 2000/XP/Vista/7
www.movavi.com
Video Editor
$40
$40
y
Win 2000/XP/Vista/7
Nero
Multimedia Suite 10
$70
$70
y
Win XP/Vista/7
www.nero.com
Nero Vision Xtra
n/a
$60
y
Win XP/Vista/7
www.loilo.tv
LiVES
http://lives.sourceforge.net
MacheteSoft
www.machetesoft.com
Mediachance
There’s an industry philosophy that says
all good videographers and producers
need to put themselves in the shoes of
the editor before venturing out on location for a shoot. The editor is inevitably
the one who has to deal with the hours
of footage, countless retakes and painfully brutal mistakes made in the field.
Thinking like an editor will help increase post-production efficiency, while
keeping all members of the production
team in good standing with each other.
And while the job of the editor has
certainly gotten easier thanks to the
technological advances available today, the principle elements remain the
same: the editor must import content,
log the content, splice it together, fix
flubs and render out the final product
(only to do it all over again with revisions and recuts). Having a patient editor is great, but having some intuitive
editing software doesn’t hurt, either.
With the help of some of the leading minds in the post-production
industry, we hope to deliver some
qualitative insight that will help make
your editing software decision just a
bit easier.
A Brief History
Prior to the plethora of editing platforms available to us today, editors
had but one way of editing in the early
days – splicing film. Eventually, it
evolved into tape-to-tape editing using
a playback and a record VTR deck.
Then, in 1971, the engineers at CBS
and Memorex combined forces to
invent the CMX 600, the grandfather of
Adobe
www.adobe.com
www.mediachance.com
Microsoft
www.microsoft.com
all tapeless editing systems. It took a
few years, but the tapeless technology
evolved into using powerful computers,
faster micro-processors, and memory
systems that would allow users to edit
multiple channels of audio, video and
graphical elements in one timeline.
Fast forward to 2011 and there are
hundreds of options for every editing
level – absolute amateur to award
winning authority. Prices range from
free to thousands of dollars. And now,
with the advancement of mobile
video, you can edit on the fly on your
smartphone – yep, there’s an app
for that. (See our associated Tablets
Buyer’s Guide in this issue on page 32.)
Pick Your Platform
Whether you prefer a PC or Mac, the
options for editing software are seemingly limitless. We’ll start with the PCbased systems. Randi Ayers-Hammer,
a commercial producer in Sioux Falls,
South Dakota, says that when she
edits on a PC, she advises colleagues
just learning how to edit to try their
luck with Adobe’s Premiere Elements
9 ($100) software.
“Premiere is a good starter program
to learn the basics of editing,” she said.
“But make sure you do your research.
Find the right system for your computer and processors. That can make
a huge difference in whether or not
your system is going to run smoothly.”
Another great starter system for
PC-based editors would be the Sony
Vegas Movie Studio HD 9 ($50), which
offers great editorial options, as well
as the Device Explorer, which allows
editors to import the files they need
without all the ancillary content they
won’t use in their project.
For video cutters just cutting their
teeth on editing with Macs, iMovie is
as easy as they come (pre-installed on
all Mac computers). This story-board
style editing system allows users to
drag a video clip into the order they
want their video to play. Additionally,
users can export in a format optimized for multiple devices, or even
directly to YouTube.
And of course, you can’t talk about
Macs without talking about Final Cut
VI D EO MA K ER >>> Oct O b ER 20 11
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Product Name
Physical Package Price
Download price
Trial Version Available
Minimum OS
Call Toll Free: 1-800-793-2237
Publisher
MANUFACTURER LIST cont.
NewTek
SpeedEDIT 2
$995
n/a
n
Win XP/Vista/7
AVS Video Editor
n/a
$59
y
Win XP/Vista/7
OpenShot
n/a
free
n/a Linux
TMPGEnc MPEG Editor
$76
$65
y
Win XP/Vista/7
Pinnacle Systems
Studio HD
$60
$60
n
Win XP/Vista/7
www.pinnaclesys.com
Studio HD Ultimate
$100
$100
n
Win XP/Vista/7
Studio HD Ultimate Collection
$130
$130
n
Win XP/Vista/7
Roxio
Video Lab HD
$70
$70
n
Win XP/Vista/7
www.roxio.com
Creator 2011
$80
$80
n
Win XP/Vista/7
Serif
MoviePlus X5
$80
$80
n
Win XP/Vista/7
Vegas Movie Studio HD 9
$50
$45
y
Win XP/Vista/7
Vegas Movie Studio HD Platinum 10
$100
$95
y
Win XP/Vista/7
Vegas Movie Studio HD Platinum 10 Suite $130
$125
y
Win XP/Vista/7
Vegas Pro 10
$680
$600
y
Win XP/Vista/7
3D Edit Gold 4
$56
$45
y
Win 2000/XP/Vista
www.newtek.com
Online Media Technologies
OpenShot
www.openshotvideo.com
Pegasys
http://tmpgenc.pegasys-inc.com
www.serif.com
www.tenomichi.com
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28
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Pro. While the Final Cut Studio Suite ($999)
used to be crème de la crème of editing systems, Apple announced in April of this year
that a downloadable version will be offered up
to replace Final Cut Pro Express 4. In Express’
place – Final Cut Pro X ($300). The bulked up
version of FCP offers a 64-bit scalable application with real-time background rendering,
more user-friendly GUI and a jaw-dropping
“magnetic timeline” feature which promises
to make editing swifter and more succinct.
This is tremendous news for editors of all skill
levels, as editors can finally update their software with an affordable option that offers the
same tools found in many mainstream media
houses and Hollywood edit suites as well as
those around the globe.
If Linux-based computing is more your style,
consider Heroine Virtual’s Cinelerra 4.2 (Free),
which promises “a movie studio in a box”. This
free software is a dynamic way to produce
high-quality HD content without a high price.
The makers of Cinelerra claim that their software can take low quality, consumer HD video
and make it look like film. If you’ve got powerful CPUs, ample memory and a beefy network,
this software may just be for you.
Canon XA-10HD
w/64 GB Internal
Memory Camcorder
In Stock!
Canon HF-G10 32 GB
HD Camcorder
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Canon HF-S30
32 GB HD Camcorder
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Canon HF-M41 Flash
Memory Camcorder
In Stock!
Canon HF-M40
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New!
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NEX-VG10
Interchangeable Lens
In Stock!
Sony
HDR-FX7 1080P
Professional Camcorder
In Stock!
Sony
HDR-CX160 16GB Flash
Memory Camcorder
New!
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HD 3D Capable Camcorder
Camcorder
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In Stock!
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Flash Camcorder
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Overwhelming Options
It’s easy to become intimidated by the wide
variety of editing software. The best thing
you can do, says multimedia producer Brett
Kanode: “Invest in the full suite. You may start
out not using everything, but as your skills
grow, you’ll want more. You can’t achieve
greatness without the right tools.”
Here are a few questions to ask yourself
when looking to invest in an editing system:
1. What is my motivation for investing in editing software? Ensure you’re going to be doing
more than just splicing together a few highlights
from the kids’ dance recital; don’t over invest.
Planning to produce videos for your company’s
blog? You’ll want to heed Kanode’s advice and
go all in. Better to invest and learn the system,
than to have to go back to the boss asking for
extra budget to buy the program upgrade six
months down the road.
JVC GZ-HM960 Everio
16GB Flash Camcorder
In Stock!
Please visit our website for product information
JVC GZ-HM450
HD Camcorder
In Stock!
www.abesofmaine.com
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Bookstore
Editing Software Buyer’s Guide
W
NE ON!
ITI
ED
2. What sort of hardware assets do you have
to work with? There’s absolutely nothing worse
than buying a new program, waiting eagerly for
it to arrive and installing it, only to realize that
your computer isn’t able to run the program, let
alone render a project. Check your specs before
signing the check! And know that you’ll need
more than just the minimum requirements.
3. Who will be using the program? If you’re a
lone wolf producer, that’s a no brainer. But if it’s
your job to teach others how to use the program
who have little to no experience cutting video,
keep that in mind. If you’re the world’s greatest
teacher, this shouldn’t be an issue; however, if
you’re more of a doer than a leader, perhaps a
system that offers less could actually be more
for your team.
Tools of the Trade
While the functionality of each editing system
may have its own proprietary name or task, at
the end of the day, an editing system needs to
take your raw footage and allow you to manipulate it into a finished product that reflects your
overall vision for the project. Whether you want
to get super technical and monitor every element of your content - down to the waveform
displays and vectorscope readouts - there are
programs that will fit you like a glove.
For the tech heads who moonlight as micromanagers, you may want to look at Avid Technology’s Media Composer 5.5 ($2,495). This is
the ultimate system for editors of all levels. The
price is certainly reflective of the tools that are
included, but if all-encompassing control is what
you seek, Avid is the Bugatti of the editing world.
Troy Sepion, who edits for a St. Paul, Minnesota based production company, says the
functionality of Media Composer offers precise handling that most systems can’t match.
“Avid has everything streamlined in the editing
process, and the shortcuts and keystrokes you
can use make it superior to even Final Cut Pro.
Keyboard shortcuts equals faster editing.”
Factor in Avid’s full suite of complementary
programs - like Boris Continuum Complete 7,
Sorenson Squeeze 6.0.4, Avid FX 5.8.3 and Avid
DVD 6.1.1 - your productions will be limited
only by your own imagination.
Another program offering a wide range of
control features, beyond the normal transitions
and effects offered by many software packages,
is Grass Valley’s EDIUS Neo 3 ($199) and EDIUS
6 ($799). Consider the Neo 3 the “EDIUS Light”
version, where the EDIUS 6 gives you comparable
control elements to Avid’s Media Composer. EDIUS’ real-time editing capabilities offer powerful
contents
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30
V IDEOMAKER >>> OctOb ER 2011
From the Editors of
Videomaker Magazine
comes the New book
you’ve been waiting for!
This fully updated 4th
edition is jam-packed
with the basics of how
to produce quality video
and teaches you all of
the video production tips
and techniques needed
to shoot and edit video
like the pros. $24.95
native content support - you can seamlessly cut
between Canon’s XF and EOS movie clips, or plow
through 4K resolution clips - all while offering a
broad bundle of filters, effects and transitions that
will give some extra pizzazz to your project.
As technology in the home improves, being
able to create videos that play nicely will be of
the utmost importance. Arcsoft has an editing
system called the TotalMedia Extreme 2 ($130),
which not only gives users limitless format compatibility, but also offers up a full complement
of software applications that take your productions from start to finish. This system is ideal for
editors hoping to create mobile-friendly content
that can be used on portable video devices.
Whether you prefer a storyboard or timeline,
tons of transitions or infinite audio channels,
regardless of price, there’s an editing software program that will meet and exceed your expectations.
How to Decide
Buying an editing system is, in many regards,
like buying a car. You need to factor in several
elements before pulling the trigger on your
purchase:
• How much time will you be spending with this
program?
•Will others be using this system beside you? If
so, what is their experience level?
• At the end of the day, does this program do
what you need it to do?
If you can answer those questions with
confidence before making the investment, then
you’ve found the right system for you. Knowing
what you plan to do with the software before
installing it is half the battle. Most systems offer
free demos you can download to see if the system is right for you. Go ahead, kick the tires and
take these programs for a test drive.
Ayers-Hammer offered one final bit of advice
that seems fitting: “If you’re not a techie, find
someone who is. It’s not fun to invest all that
money into a system only to have it crash every
fifteen minutes because your program doesn’t
play nice with your processor.”
And isn’t that what editing is all about - playing
nice? From the producer and videographer to the
editor and finally to the consumer of the video
content, nice and easy is the ideal end result.
Dave Sniadak is an award-winning video producer and creative consultant, servicing clients in the home improvement, hospitality, travel
and professional sports industries.
Videomaker Guide to
Video Productions
The Wedding Video
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Documents.
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ORDER ONLINE www.videomaker.com/bookstore
or call 1-800-284-3226
contents
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Whether it’s a XOOM, an Android, an
iPad or an iPhone, with the explosion
of high-quality video cameras in tablets
and smartphones, video producers are
using their mobile devices to create
and distribute content once restricted
to land-locked editing software. And as
the capability becomes more accessible, more users will embrace this ‘video
in the sky’ way of thinking.
Major players in the video production world are already embracing
cloud-based editing options. For instance, YouTube’s Video Editor func-
BY DAVE SNIADAK
tion allows you mash up all of your
existing video assets into one timeline.
YouTube’s program has the potential to
revolutionize online video distribution.
With the option to trim clips, embed
Creative Commons video and royalty
free music, and the option to apply
transitions, this free offering gives budding video producers tools that could
have cost them several hundred dollars. Once you’re done editing, simply
hit the “publish” button and your video
will be available to share with your
throngs of adoring fans on YouTube
or other videosharing sites.
Tablet Editors
On the tablet
front, several
programs - like
Google’s Android
Movie Studio for
Honeycomb - al-
contents
low users to capture and edit footage
all in one place. While basic in function, the technology for tablet-based
editing will continue to grow as more
users adopt the practice. A timeline
allows you to edit video clips, add
pictures, create titles and apply transitions and effects to individual clips
with a few swipes of the finger. One
downside to editing on a tablet is the
render time. The processors for these
tablets were not necessarily designed
to handle multiple channel, highdefinition video edits, but given the
parameters of this production option,
it’s pretty impressive.
Virtual video producers can download several apps to their phones or
tablets that offer basic editing programs. At the most basic end of the
spectrum are trimming apps, which
allow you to trim your video, but not
too much more. VidTrim, by Goseet,
is a free Android-based app that al-
Google
np
Movie Studio
Free
Acer Iconia Tab A500, Asus Eee
Pad Transformer (TF101), Motorola XOOM, Samsung Galaxy Tab,
Toshiba Thrive, HTC Flyer, LG
G-Slate
Nexvio
www.nexvio.com
ReelDirector
$2
iPad
Path 36
http://spliceapp.com
Splice
$4
iPad
Multi-track Audio
Video Transitions
Ability to Export
iPad
Multi-track Video
$5
iMovie
Import Stills
Apple
www.apple.com
Track / Timeline
$5
Preview Window
Tablet(s)
Forbidden Technologies
market.android.com
Clesh
Acer Iconia Tab A500, Asus Eee
Pad Transformer (TF101), Motorola XOOM, Samsung Galaxy Tab,
Toshiba Thrive, HTC Flyer, LG
G-Slate
App
Price
Developer
In the video spectrum,
technology has always
reigned supreme. Video
is going where early
adopters probably
never envisioned,
into the clouds.
Source Bin / Media Browser
Smartphones and Tablets Editing Apps
y
y
y
y
y
y
y
y
Terms Defined
y
y
y
y
y
y
y
y
y
y
y
y
n
np
y
y
y
y
y
y
np
y
y
y
y
y
y
y
np
y
y
y
CLOUD-BASED
EDITING
Forbidden Technologies
www.forbidden.co.uk
FORscene
Free
JayCut
www.jaycut.com
JayCut Editor
Free trial;
cost varies All – Cloud-based
Mixmoov SAS
www.mixmoov.com
Mixmoov
np
All – Cloud-based
Creaza
www.creaza.com
MovieEditor
Free
All – Cloud-based
Movie Masher
www.moviemasher.com
Movie Masher Editor Free
All – Cloud-based
Pixorial
www.pixorial.com
Pixorial Editor
Free
All – Cloud-based
MemoryHub
www.stashspace.com
Stashbox
Free
All – Cloud-based
Stupeflix
studio.stupeflix.com
Stupeflix Editor
Free
All – Cloud-based
Google
www.youtube.com
YouTube Editor
Free
All – Cloud-based
All – Cloud-based
y
y
y
y
y
y
y
y
y
y
y
y
y
y
y
y
y
y
y
np
np np
y
y
y
y
y
y
y
y
y
y
y
y
y
np
np
y
y
y
y
y
n
np
n
n
np
y
y
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y
y
np np np
n
y
y
y
y
np np
y
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y
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np np
y
y
full screen
Tablets: Which tablets
support the app? Not a
comprehensive list.
Source Bin/Media
Window: A window
where editable footage
can be accessed.
Preview Window:
Allows you to see the
project as it appears in
the timeline.
Track/Timeline: The
area in which edited
clips can be moved
around/edited.
Import Stills: Does
the app allow you to
bring still images into
your project?
Multi-track audio:
Does the app allow you
to layer audio tracks
in the timeline (source
audio, music, effects?)
Video Transitions:
Are you able to use
more than a cut to transition (cross-dissolve,
fade-in/fade-out, etc)?
Ability to export:
Does the app allow you
to export your edited
video to the web or out
to a computer?
Cloud-based: Editing
occurs via internet connection as opposed to
a downloaded app.
full screen
np: Information not
provided.
print
32
contents
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33
1500
VIXIA HF M400
Contour+ Helmet Camcorder
HD Flash Memory Camcorder
• 170°/125° wide-angle lens
• 1920 x 1080/30p HD video
• Rotating Sensor for Versatile Mounting
• MicroSD card slot
• 5MP CMOS sensor
• HDMI output
• Shot framing via Bluetooth & Smart Phone
• Water-resistant aluminum shell
• Storytelling editing software (Mac & PC)
• 1920 x 1080 HD recording
• 2 x SD/SDHC/SDXC memory card slots
• 2.37MP 1/3" CMOS sensor
• 3.0" Touch Panel LCD
• SuperRange optical stabilization
• DIGIC DV III image processor
• 24p & 30p frame modes
• 24Mbps recording
• Microphone and headphone inputs
5
Mega
Pixels
#COCPHC
#CAHFM400
VIXIA HF G10
®
HD Flash Memory Camcorder
HD Motorsports HERO Camcorder / 3D kit
• Full 1080/960/720p HD recording
• SD/SDHC card slot (up to 32GB)
• Record up to 2.5 hours on a single charge
• 1/2.5" 5Mp CMOS sensor
• Waterproof to 180 ft (60m)
• 1.5" LCD screen Interval recording
• NTSC/PAL switchable
Mac and PC compatible
lows users to take video clips recorded on their phones and shorten the
clip to their liking, then rename and
share the clips. VidTrim Pro ($2.57)
gives users a few more options - like
Frame Grabber, which allows you to
create images from your video, as
well as a sharing feature with other
VidTrim users.
These programs are memory
intensive, so users are encouraged
to change the settings to allow video
files to be stored on an SD card in the
phone. And while many of us have
become accustomed to lightning-fast
render times and infinite post-production features with our desktop editing
systems, keep in mind the limitations
of cloud-based editing on tablets.
Will cloud-based, mobile editing replace land-based editing systems? It’s
too early to tell at this point, but the
key features needed to create quality
video without expensive hardware are
there. As demand for mobile editing
solutions increase, software designers
will deliver products that continue to
outshine early online pioneers.
YouTube Refines Memories
contents
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If you have a cell phone, a Google
account and a little technological
wizardry, you can produce polished
videos and publish them with YouTube
- the world’s second largest search
engine. The popular video site recently
launched YouTube Editor, an easy to
use cloud-based platform that allows
anyone - skilled editor or savvy six-year
old - to execute basic editing functions,
then deliver them to your viewers.
Recently, I jumped into YouTube
Editor to see how this feature per-
34
formed. My initial reaction: uh-oh...
this could make guys like me (professional video producers) obsolete. In all
seriousness, Editor offers a great resource to anyone looking to put a little
pizzazz into their productions. Editor’s
best feature? It’s free! You won’t need
to download an app, pay a subscription fee or worry about trial periods.
What you see is what you get. To test
this out, I uploaded a few videos of my
baby daughter from my smartphone
to my YouTube channel. Check out the
final no frills, quick-and-easy edit for
demonstration purposes here: www.
videomaker.com/r/530.
I’ve outlined the process of creating
an edited video using this program,
below. With a little practice, you’ll be
on your way to contributing compelling content to video-hungry viewers
around the world. Enjoy!
1: Open Your Editor Page
Log into your YouTube account. If you
don’t have one, sign up for one. This
way, you’ll automatically have access
to all of your video content already
online. If you don’t have any video to
upload, but want to create videos, the
Creative Commons bin offers a bounty
of video from other producers who
have given permission for others to
reuse their content.
2: Drag Clips Into the Timeline
Like most standard video editing software systems, YouTube Editor features
a very user-friendly timeline to layout
your clips. In my example, I used four
videos of my daughter doing things
that babies do. Trim each clip by clicking on the individual videos and using
5
Mega
Pixels
• 1920 x 1080 HD Recording
• 32GB internal flash memory
• Two SD/SDHC/SDXC card slots
• 1/3" 2.37Mp HD CMOS pro sensor
• 3.5" LCD & Color viewfinder
• Genuine Canon 10x HD Video Lens
• SuperRange optical stabilization
• Custom cinema-Look filters
• Professional shooting assist functions
the sliders to establish the in and out
points. When you’re happy with the
trimmed clip, click save and continue
on to the next file.
GoPro 3D kit - 3D waterproof housing
for (2) 1080p HD HERO cameras, with 3D editing software
3: Sounds of Music
• 1/2.7" HD CMOS sensor
• 1920 x 1080p and 1280 x 720p
• SD/SDHC memory card slot
• 0.7m-Infinity fixed focus lens
• 142°/120°/95° field of view
• Texas Instruments Da Vinci software processing
• Rugged Design: Shock/Water/Dust Proof
• 2" LCD screen on recording Unit
• NTSC/Pal
• SD/ SDHC/ SDXC card slot
• 3x 3.05 Mp 1/4.1" CMOS sensors
• 1080/60p recording
• Optional Panasonic VW-CLT1 3D
image lens required for 3D recording
• Leica Dicomar 12x optical,
20x intelligent zoom
• 3.5" touch screen LCD screen
• Microphone & headphone inputs
#VIPOVHD
#PAHDCTM900 / Conversion Lens #PAVWCLT1
The YouTube Editor offers producers
so many great choices when it comes
to music, you’re sure to find something just right for your video. The
slider on the right side of the screen
allows you to mix between music and
audio from your video. Adjust until
you get the right mix.
4: Transition To Greatness
With more than a dozen transitions to
choose from, your videos don’t have
to settle for straight cuts or standard
dissolves. In my example video, I used
a couple of different transitions to
showcase the variety of effects you
can apply to your work.
5: Point. Click. Publish.
When your video is looking like you
want it to, simply click the “Publish”
button to share your final opus with
the world.
Video editing and sharing just got
a whole lot easier, and no, this won’t
replace professional editors just like
point-n-shoot hi-res cameras haven’t
replaced pro still shooters, so we can
all just relax and enjoy the ride!
Dave Sniadak is a video production consultant, servicing clients that include broadcast stations, corporations
and non-profit organizations.
#GOHMH / GO3DH
Over 300,000 products,
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Video Editing ................ #831
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Dual Sensor 3D HD Camcorder
• 1920 x 1080 Full HD 60p/24p
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No Need for 3D Glasses
• 2D Playback from 3D Recordings
• Dual Wide Angle G Lenses Wide 10x
(in 3D mode) optical zoom (17x Extended)
• Built-in 64GB internal flash memory
• SD/ SDHC/ SDXC/ Memory Stick card slot
• Microphone & Headphone Jacks
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Store & Mail Order Hours:
Sunday 10-6 • Mon.-Thurs. 9-7
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HDR-CX700V
MiniDV Camcorder
• 1/6” CCD image sensor
• 37x optical 41x advanced zoom lens
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• Microphone input
• Record HD 1920 x 1080/60p
• Memory Stick Duo / SD card slot
• 1/2.88" Exmor R CMOS sensor
• 3.0" wide LCD / color EVF
• Wide G series 10x optical zoom lens
• Optical SteadyShot stabilization
• 24p recording & cinema tone control
• Mic/headphone input
• Built-In GPS receiver
#CAZR960
#SOHDRCX700V
contents
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12
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Page 1
VIXIA HV40
NEX-VG10
VIXIA HV40
HDV Camcorder
HDV Camcorder
• 1/ 2.7”, 2.96MP HD CMOS sensor
• 1/
2.7”,
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CMOS
with
RGB
primaryHD
color
filtersensor
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• with
Frame
rates:
60i, color
nativefilter
24p (records
• Frame
60i, native
at 24p),rates:
24p cinema,
and24p
30p(records
(at 60i)
24p),DV24p
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• at
DIGIC
II image
processor
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CanonDV
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w/ext.
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sensor
SuperRange
opticalw/ext.
stabilization
•• SuperRange
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2.7” widescreen LCD screen • External mic input
•• 2.7”
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External
input
Smooth
variable LCD
zoomscreen
with 3 •fixed
zoom mic
speeds
• Smooth variable zoom with 3 fixed zoom speeds
NEX-VG10
Interchangeable
Lens HD Camcorder
Interchangeable Lens HD Camcorder
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3
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• 64GB Internal and Dual SDHC/SDXC
• 64GB
Internal
Dual
SDHC/SDXC
card slots
withand
relay
recording
withCMOS
relay recording
• card
1920slots
x 1080
Image Sensor
•• 1920
1080HDCMOS
Canonx 10x
VideoImage
Lens Sensor
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•• Canon
8-Blade10x
IrisHD
andVideo
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III and
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• 3.5"
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and EVF
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XLREVF
terminals
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AG-HMC40
AG-HMC40
3-CMOS Pro HD Solid
State Camcorder
3-CMOS Pro HD Solid State Camcorder
• 1080 and 720 HD resolution
• 1080
and 720
HD resolution
recording
on SDHC
cards
on SDHC
• recording
3 1/4” 3-MP
CMOScards
• 3HD
1/4”
3-MP
CMOS
image sensors
image
sensors
• HD
AVCHD
MPEG-4
• AVCHD
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AVC/H.264
encoding
encoding
• AVC/H.264
10.6-megapixel
still capability
•• 10.6-megapixel
12x optical zoomstill capability
•• 12x
optical
zoom
2.7-inch LCD monitor
•• 2.7-inch
LCD
monitor
XLR audio
input,
HDMI output, USB 2.0
• XLR audio input, HDMI output, USB 2.0
#PAAGHMC40
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GY-HM100U
3-CCD GY-HM100U
ProHD Solid State Camcorder
3-CCD ProHD Solid State Camcorder
contents
full screen
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Page 2
Page 2
• Supports 1920/1440 x 1080, 1280 x 720
• Supports
1920/1440
1080,
1280 x 720
HD formats
in 35, 25,xand
19Mb/ps
HD
35, 25,
and 19Mb/ps
withformats
variableinframe
rates
frame
rates
• with
Dualvariable
SDHC card
slots
• Dual
card slots
(loop,SDHC
pre-record)
pre-record)
• (loop,
Captures
native QuickTime files
•• Captures
native
files
Fujinon 10x
HD QuickTime
lens
•• Fujinon
HDstabilization
lens
Optical 10x
image
•• Optical
image
stabilization
Dual XLR
audio,
with phantom
•• Dual
audio, with
ColorXLR
viewfinder
and phantom
large LCD monitor
• Color viewfinder and large LCD monitor
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•• 3Records
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HD 1080/60i/30p/24p,
• Records
HD 1080/60i/30p/24p,
720/60p,30p,24p
formats
formatsonto SD/
• 720/60p,30p,24p
Solid-State HD recording
• Solid-State
recording
SD/
SDHC mediaHD(21
Mb/ps -onto
1920x1080)
media
(21 Mb/ps
- 1920x1080)
• SDHC
In-camera
Waveform
monitor
Vectorscope
• In-camera
Waveform
monitor
Vectorscope
and two focus assist displays
two
focus assistwide
displays
• and
Leica
Dicomar13x
zoom lens
•• Leica
Dicomar13x
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Optical
Image Stabilization
•• Optical
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Time/date stamp (legal depositions) • Dual XLR audio inputs
• Time/date stamp (legal depositions) • Dual XLR audio inputs
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HDR-AX2000
HDR-AX2000
3-CMOS AVCHD
Flash Camcorder
• Three 1/3” CMOS Exmor sensors
•• Three
1/3”
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Records
to CMOS
Memory
Sticksensors
PRO Duo,
• Records
Memory
Stick
PROslots)
Duo,
SD/SDHCto Cards
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media
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media
• 1080/60i, and 24p/30p AVCHDslots)
recording
•• 1080/60i,
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AVCHD
recording
20x zoom and
G-Lens
(29.5mm
wide)
•• 20x
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G-Lens
Zoom,
focus,
and (29.5mm
iris rings wide)
•• Zoom,
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and•iris
Dual XLR
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3.2”rings
Xtra Fine LCD
•• Dual
XLR inputs
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Xtra Fine LCD
Low-light
(1.5 LUX)
capabilities
•• Low-light
(1.5Gamma
LUX) capabilities
CinemaTone
and CinemaTone
• CinemaTone
Color controlGamma and CinemaTone
Color control
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P2HD Pro Solid-State Camcorder
• Record HD 1080/720 onto
Compact Flash cards
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• 3 1/3" 2.37Mp CMOS sensors
• 18x Canon HD L series lens
• DIGIC DV III image processor
• 4" 1.23 Mp LCD monitor
• 1.55 Mp Color EVF
• Over and under crank
XF305 Step-up: HD-SDI Output, Genlock & SMPTE Time Code
• Two P2 card slots recording HD
(1080i and 720p) and SD (480i) f
• 20 variable frame rates
• 3 1/3” progressive CCD sensors
• HD/SD-SDI output
• 13X Leica Dicomar
wide zoom lens
• Enhanced metadata management
• Optical Image Stabilization • Dual XLR inputs • 3.5” LCD monitor
• In-camera Waveform monitor Vectorscope and two Focus assist
#CAXF300 / #CAXF305
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10
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Prices, specifications, and images are subject to change without notice. Manufacturer rebates are subject to the terms and conditions (including expiration dates) printed on the manufacturers’ rebate forms. Not responsible for typographical or illustrative errors. © 2000-2011 B & H Foto & Electronics Corp.
Prices, specifications, and images are subject to change without notice. Manufacturer rebates are subject to the terms and conditions (including expiration dates) printed on the manufacturers’ rebate forms. Not responsible for typographical or illustrative errors. © 2000-2011 B & H Foto & Electronics Corp.
Over 300,000 products,
at your leisure.
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HXR-NX3D1
3-CMOS Pro Solid State Camcorder
Professional 3D Compact HD Camcorder
• 10-bit, 4:2:2, native 1080 and 720p
HD resolution in variable frame rates
• AVC-Intra 100 and 50 codecs
• Two P2 card slots (hot swapping,
loop, pre-record)
• 3 advanced 1/3”, 2.2 MP
CMOS sensors • HD-SDI output
• 20-bit digital signal processor
• 17x Fujinon HD lens • Built-in scan reverse mode
• Waveform and vector scope display
• Dual 1/4" Exmor R CMOS sensors
• Two Sony G lenses (10x optical in 3D)
• 96 GB internal memory
• One SD or Memory Stick card slot
• 3.5" LCD (view 3D glasses-free)
• Full 1920 x 1080 in 3D and 2D
• 3D modes: 60i, 50i, 24p (28 Mb/s)
• 2D modes: 60p, 50p, 60i, 50i, 24p, 25p
• Active SteadyShot in 3D
• Dual XLR inputs (line / Mic / Mic+48V selectable)
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NEX-FS100UK
Professional Memory Card Camcorder
Super 35mm Sensor HD Camcorder with Lens
• Large 4/3-type MOS sensor
• Micro four thirds lens mount
• Uses still & cinema lenses
• Two SDHC/SDXC memory card slots
(Relay Recording)
• AVCCAM Recording 1080i/p,
720p variable frame rates
• Optical low-pass filter
• HD-SDI, HDMI output, Dual XLR
• Exmor Super 35mm CMOS image sensor
• Includes 18-200mm
Zoom Lens
• E-mount interchangeable lens mount system
• HDMI 4:2:2 uncompressed
• 1920 x 1080p 28Mbps recording
• 3.5" XtraFine LCD screen
• 1920 x 1080p slow & quick motion
• Record onto SD/SDHC/SDXC, Memory
Stick cards, or Sony HXR-FMU128 (optional) • HD MPEG-4 AVCHD format
Lens Optional
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HXR-NX5U
3-CMOS XDCAM EX Camcorder
3-CMOS NXCAM Flash Memory Camcorder
• SxS Memory Card Recording
w/800Mb/ps Data Transfer
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• Image inversion function
• 1/2-inch Exmor 3 CMOS Sensors
• 1080P/1080i/720p Switchable
• Multiple-frame recording
• 14x HD Fujinon Lens • 3.5” LCD monitor
• Full Manual Focus Ring • Over- and Under-cranking
• Three 1/3” Exmor CMOS sensors, with a ClearVid array
• Capture uses Memory Stick PRO
Duo / SDHC Cards, with relay
record capability (optional HXRFMU128 flash memory unit)
• 20x wide G series lens
• HD-SDI & HDMI output, SMPTE
Time Code in/out, Dual XLR inputs
• Built-in GPS system
• 3.2” Xtra Fine LCD
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3-CMOS Pro HD Solid State Camcorder
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PMW-EX1R
Shoulder Mount AVCHD Pro Camcorder
• 3 1/4.1 CMOS sensors
•• 31080
1/4.1orCMOS
sensors
720 HD
recording
•• 1080
or 720
HD recording
SD/SDHC
media
card slot
•• SD/SDHC
cardzoom
slot lens
12X opticalmedia
smooth
•• 12X
optical smooth
lens
High-definition
and zoom
standard• High-definition
and standarddefinition recording
• definition
Pre-recordrecording
& interval recording
•• Pre-record
& interval
recording
Optical image
stabilization
•• Optical
image stabilization
Dual XLR/3.5mm
mic-in inputs
•• Dual
XLR/3.5mm
mic-in
inputs
HDMI, USB, DV, Component
terminals
• HDMI, USB, DV, Component terminals
• 1/3" CMOS 1920 x 1080 CMOS sensor
• Dual CF card slots
• 50Mbps MPEG-2 recording
• Canon's MPEG-2 4:2:2 color sampling
• 60p/60i, 30p, 24p MXF File Format
• 10x HD zoom lens
• 3.5" 920K dot LCD monitor
• Stereoscopic 3-D recording capabilities
• Dual XLR inputs • Waveform Monitor
XF105 Step-up: HD/SD-SDI, SMPTE Time Code, Genlock
#PAAGAF100
HXR-MC2000U
HXR-MC2000U
Shoulder Mount
AVCHD Pro Camcorder
#SOHXRMC2000U
#SOHXRMC2000U
• 3 Sony ClearVid 1/3-inch CMOS
sensors with Exmor technology
• Sony G-series 20x optical zoom
lens (29.5mm wide-end)
• Native (24p/24A/30p) progressive
scan recording • Direct connectivity
to Sony’s HVR-MC1K flash memory
recorder • Records HDV/DVCAM/
MiniDV • Dual XLR inputs, SMPTE timecode • 3.2” XtraFine LCD with
921k pixels • Cinema Tone Gamma and CinemaTone Color control
AG-AF100
3-CMOS AVCHD Flash Camcorder
• 1/4" 4.2Mp, ClearVid Exmor R CMOS sensor
•• 1/4"
4.2Mp,
Exmor R CMOS sensor
Built-in
64GBClearVid
hard drive
•• Built-in
64GB hard
drive Stick slot
SD/SDHC/SDXC
& Memory
•• SD/SDHC/SDXC
& Memory
Stick slot
1920 x 1080i AVCHD
(24Mbps)
•• 1920
x 1080i
AVCHD
(24Mbps)
MPEG-2
SD Mode
(9Mbps)
•• MPEG-2
Mode
(9Mbps)
12x wideSD
angle
Sony
G lens
•• 12x
wideSteadyShot
angle Sonystabilizer
G lens
Optical
•• Optical
SteadyShot
stabilizer
2.7" ClearPhoto LCD
•• 2.7"
ClearPhoto
Manual
lens ringLCD
with assignable
• Manual
lens ring with assignable
parameters
parameters
HD Professional CF Camcorders
AG-HPX370
3-CCD Pro SD/SDHC Camcorder
12
12
3-CMOS PRO HDV Camcorder
XF300 / XF305
• High-Definition (1440x1080) Recording
•• High-Definition
(1440x1080)
3x 1/4” with 2.1k
Megapixel Recording
• 3x
1/4” with
2.1kSensors
Megapixel
ClearVid
CMOS
Sensors
• ClearVid
20x Carl CMOS
Zeiss Vario-Sonnar
T*
• 20x
Carl Zeiss
Vario-Sonnar
High-Def.
Optical
Zoom LensT*
High-Def.
Optical
Zoom
Lens
• Expanded HD Focus Indicator
•• Expanded
HD Recording
Focus Indicator
Smooth Slow
Mode:
• Smooth
Recording
Mode:
Great forSlow
Viewing
or Analyzing
Great
for Viewing
or Analyzing
Footage
• 3.5” Wide
ClearPhoto LCD
• 3.5” Output
Wide ClearPhoto LCD
• Footage
HDMI Interface
• HDMI Interface Output
AG-HMC150
AG-HMC150
3-CCD Pro SD/SDHC
Camcorder
Pro Solid State Camcorder
# SOHXRMC50U
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3-CMOS HDV Camcorder
HXR-MC50U
HXR-MC50U
Pro Solid State
Camcorder
• 1920 x 1080 HD resolution
•• 1920
x 1080
HD resolutionExmor R
1/2.88"
back-illuminated
• 1/2.88"
back-illuminated Exmor R
CMOS sensor
sensor memory
• CMOS
64GB internal
•• 64GB
internal
Memory
Stick memory
/ SD/SDHC media card slot
•• Memory
/ SD/SDHC
10x wideStick
G series
lens media card slot
•• 10x
wide
G
series
Assignable manuallens
dial controls
•• Assignable
manual dial controls
3.5" wide LCD
•• 3.5"
wide
LCD
Geotagging with built-In GPS
•• Geotagging
with
built-In GPS
Optical image
stabilization
• Optical image stabilization
14
14
HDR-FX7
3-CMOS HDVHDR-FX7
Camcorder
HDV High-Definition Camcorder
XF100 / XF105
HVR-Z5U
#SONEXVG10
#SONEXVG10
HDR-HC9
HDR-HC9
HDV High-Definition
Camcorder
• Record HD onto HDV / MiniDV cassette
•• Record
HD ontoClearVid
HDV / MiniDV
1/2.9" 3.2Mp
CMOS cassette
sensor
•• 1/2.9"
3.2Mp
ClearVid CMOS
Carl Zeiss
Vario-Sonnar
T lenssensor
•• Carl
Zeiss
Vario-Sonnar
T
lens
Optical super SteadyShot
• Optical
super SteadyShot
stabilization
stabilization
• Smooth slow record mode
•• Smooth
slowViewfinder
record mode
Color Wide
•• Color
Wide Viewfinder
2.7" Touch
Panel LCD screen
•• 2.7"
Touch
Panel LCD screen
Built-in
light/flash
•• Built-in
light/flash
Microphone
and headphone inputs
• Microphone and headphone inputs
• Exmor APS HD CMOS Sensor (23.4 x 15.6mm)
•• Exmor
APS
HD CMOS
Sensor (23.4
x 15.6mm)
Includes
E-mount
18-200mm
(11x) zoom
lens
•• Includes
E-mount
18-200mm
(11x) zoom
Record 1920
x 1080
HD resolution
onto lens
• Record
1920 x 1080
HD resolution
SD/SDHC/SDXC,
Memory
Stick PROonto
SD/SDHC/SDXC,
Memory Stick PRO
Duo/Pro-HG media
medialenses with
• Duo/Pro-HG
Accepts A-mount
• Accepts
lenses with
optional A-mount
LA-EA1 adaptor
LA-EA1
• optional
3" Xtra Fine
LCDadaptor
monitor
•• 3"
Xtra
Fine
LCD
monitor
Optical stabilization
•• Optical
Include stabilization
Vegas Movie Studio HD Platinum 10
• Include Vegas Movie Studio HD Platinum 10
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3-CMOS XDCAM EX Camcorder
Super 35mm HD Camcorder Kit
• Interchangeable 1/2” bayonet lens
mount, incl. Fujinon 14x5.8 lens
• 3 1/2” Exmor CMOS image
sensors that shoot full raster
1920x1080 hi-def imagery
• Recording on removable
SxS flash memory cards
• 1080 and 720 shooting modes with
selectable bit rates in both PAL and NTSC standards
• Hi-res 3.5” LCD monitor • 8-Pin remote studio connectivity
• Exmor Super 35 CMOS image sensor
• Includes 35mm, 50mm, 85mm lens kit
• PL lens mount, 35mm Cine lens
compatibility
• 10-bit 4:2:2 HD-SDI
• Two SxS memory card slots
• Interlace/Progressive modes
• D-SDI Dual-link output
• 3D-LINK option
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contents
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Page 3
BY PETER ZUNITCH
The wind grows cold. The days grow short, and all the leaves that brought such peace and life throughout the
summer now wither, change, and fall. We’ve celebrated the last great harvest of the year, pulled the shutters
tight and prepare for the long, cold sleep that will soon be coming as our land angles ever so slightly away from
that which gives all things life. It’s that time of the year again. The celebration of those who have passed. The
scaring away of evil spirits, the high witching hour, the leading of those lost to their eternal rest. All Hallows Eve,
the Day of the Dead, celebrate what you will. It’s a great time for stories of enchantment, the supernatural, and
the unexplained. I love this time of year.
W
e’ve all seen the movies and shows. The
undead walk the mortal plane helping,
avenging, or just plain scaring the people of the
mortal world. Thousands of tales explore the afterlife; some of them even do it well. It’s an area
that, if done correctly, can draw a viewer in like
no other, but if done wrong, can ruin an otherwise good idea. People get picky about effects,
especially in these modern times of computergenerated artistry. Unfortunately, most of us
contents
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38
don’t have the budget for massive render farms
and compositing teams. We must do the best
with the funds at hand. So the question becomes,
“how can we effectively create the supernatural
realm with our own limited resources?”
A Hauntingly Tricky Concept
How do you make a ghost for movies? To make
a ghost effect seem real it takes more than techniques, there’s also the psychology of the rules of
ghosts movies.
Let’s tell a ghost story. We have an idea that
involves a group of characters receiving information that only someone who has passed beyond
knows. There are three major elements to pulling
this off successfully.
• The first, and most important thing one must
remember is that spirits, when you boil it down,
are still characters. They must be thought of, and
portrayed as such. Make them well-rounded, give
them a back-story. Give them quirks; needs and
faults, just like any other character in your story.
You don’t need to show all these things, but having them even in your mind will help with the
realization of your vision.
• The second element is how your ghost will
appear (or not) to the others in the story. Make
the spirit a spirit. If your character isn’t fantastical in some way, you might as well make them a
regular person. Are they human looking, like Dr.
Crowe (Bruce Willis) in the The Sixth Sense? Are
they a floating mass of energy and light like the
classic Poltergeist movies? Are they somewhere
in between like those in Ghostbusters? Can the
audience see them? Can the characters? Your
entity is a character, but it is a special kind of
character. You must present it as such both in
motive and appearance.
• The third element is often the aspect that
gets ignored or forgotten. Enhance the performance with the illusion. Don’t let the illusion
ruin the show. You can have the best effect
ever, but if it doesn’t work for the story, it’s just
an effect. There’s an old editors adage, “If the
audience says ‘wow, that was good editing,’ then
you’ve failed to edit the scene properly.” When
an effect is done right, people should not be
saying “wow.” The best effect should simply be
accepted as status quo in the world that is presented. The successful portrayal of the supernatural lies in integrating the character into the
effect, and the effect into the story. So you don’t
need the greatest, most exotic effect to pull off
a successful tale, you only need the right ghost
effect for your story and your character.
Non-conventional Conventionalism
We hold in our collective minds beliefs like
ghosts are pale and pass through things, and
zombies are decaying and move slowly. These
are rationalizations whose logic extends back
to the origins of the creatures themselves. Many
accepted standards are rather convenient for
video as well, whose limitations necessitate
compromises. If we see a translucent person in
flowing white, we immediately accept them as a
ghost. It all works rather nicely.
These concepts should be seen as starting
points though, not an absolute. Some of the
most notable afterlife characters have been the
ones that have broken the standards. Adding a
touch of blue to a spirit might make them stand
out from the rest. What if they were gold, or
bronze? What if the zombie was suddenly faster
than when he was alive, and never got winded?
Take a look at the resources you have at hand,
and the effects you have in your palette and
consider ways you can bring a fresh approach
to your character. Do this not just to be cool, but
for the proper enhancement of character.
If you want your ghost to be more humanized, take the approach from The Sixth Sense
and make them essentially “corporeal”. If, on
the other hand your poltergeist is more “in-
Getting Practical
Lighting is a great way to enhance spirits. Light them from a sharp overhead or up angle. You can
also follow the ghost with a spotlight to make them brighter than everything around them. Blacklights are also a good way to make ghosts glow. However it doesn’t transmit well in bright light, so
dim the ambiance. It’s also hard to get a bright glow and you’ll have to put the black-light rather
close to your ghost. You can increase the effect by washing the costume with laundry detergent
and using a very light rinse (make sure the actor isn’t allergic to the detergent of course, and that
the costume can be washed in such a manner.) Alternatively, you can easily make the glow in post,
but there will be almost no interplay with the light from the ghost and the set.
If working with a black-light isn’t your thing, look for phosphorous and fluorescent makeup
and paint at theatrical supplies, Halloween, party and/or craft stores. Check out sites online
like www.alconeco.com and www.blacklight.com. And since you have them, use these tools to
enhance your trick-or-treating festivities come All Hallow’s Eve.
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39
Halloween Ghastly Effects
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festing”, then give them a touch of
distortion. If they are more ethereal,
add some particles. Make the particles
move in different directions based on
how the spirit feels. This, more than
anything else, will sell your concept
and make a look meaningful rather
than trendy. But before you add the
accents, you need to shoot the scene.
Let’s explore how this can be done.
The Keys to the Ethereal Plane
There are many methods for creating undead and fantastical creatures.
Which one is best for your production
should be based on your resource ability, experience and production style.
While there’s not enough room to
cover them all, we’ll lay out a rather
complex shot, explore one approach
that won’t break the budget, and give
thought as to how we can improve
quality while maintaining proper
characterization.
Having accepted that a ghost is
present, our characters now wait
with bated breath to find out what it
wants to tell them. The best approach
to any otherworldly effect is to use a
combination of production and postproduction techniques. Many of the
on-set tricks you can use have their
origins in the theater and magic, and
rely on slight of hand foreshortening
of angles, and persistence of vision to
achieve the illusion. During production, you might want your ghost to
be able to move items around the set
without being seen. Let’s say a book is
to come out of a bookcase, float across
from a fan to help turn the pages.
In post, you simply need the take with the
actor in your timeline, then key the book take on
top of it. You’ll have to crop the book layer, cutting out everything but the book and the green,
and then make the crop color the same as your
green card. Finally, key out the green so that
only the book remains in the scene.
In shooting, overlap your shots as much as
possible so you’ll be able to cut at any time if
necessary. Also, have a few reaction shots (where
there is no book) to cut away to. It will be easier
if you don’t have to force one effect shot right
next to another if they don’t work. Note that the
black fishing line will be harder to hide if you’re
shooting in high definition. Be sure to keep it
in shadow as much as possible, and be ready to
manually crop it out.
Enhancing an effect like this involves more interactivity with the actors, but will also increase
the difficulty. Perhaps the book passes behind
other objects, or under them. Wind may accom-
pany the book. It might travel through shadow
and highlighted parts of the room. Think about
how you can make the book more interactive.
One other consideration is speed. Slower is
more mystical, but it’s harder to hide mistakes. Faster may not always fit the mood,
but if you use it, you can probably cut out
the green screen altogether. Use the line to
yank the book from the shelves, then cut to
another shot of the book landing on the table
and opening (the latter you’ll have to shoot in
reverse of course). Remember that you only
need to pull off one shot at a time. The compilation of shots as a whole, along with sound
and believable action will make the scene
believable for the audience.
So that’s the action, what about the entity
itself? Let’s first approach this character as if
they are an ordinary person who just happens
to be a ghost. You might want this character
to pass through objects or be translucent at
times, yet still interact as needed. Use the key-
Cheap and Effective
The creators of the 1982 Poltergeist shot a light through a fish tank with
agitated water to get the eerie flickering effect. You can also try lighting
a room that has light-colored walls through a tank of water, then dropping ink or food coloring into the tank. Need an eerie glow in an impossible area? Try glow sticks. For that flowing, floating effect, try placing a
fan behind your actor and slowing them down in post. Did your character
just confront Darth Vader? Dip a glove in fluorescent green paint, then
key it out. Remember that if you can’t afford chroma key-green paint, or a
chroma key backdrop, you can always get something close from a fabric
store. Try to find a fluorescent fabric that is matte rather than shiny.
40
subALERT.indd 1
a room, land on a table, and open to a
specific page.
Preparation of the prop and precise
staging are essential. We’re going
to surround the book with a green
colored card that we’ll key out in post.
Note that like all key effects, the green
should be as evenly lit as possible.
Placing a light behind the camera that
follows the card will help, but it’s not
going to be perfect. Be prepared to yes, I’m gonna say it - ‘fix it in post’.
You’re also going to attach several
threads of black fishing line to the
cover of the book, as well as some
pages you want to turn.
When you’re ready to shoot,
lock down the camera and have the
actors go through the shot as if the
book were moving. When possible,
provide something off-set for eyeline and timing (preferably operated
by the prop handler that will actually move the book later). When the
shot is done, have everyone leave
the set, being careful not to move
anything, especially the camera.
Place the book in its slot on the
bookcase (you may have to fold up
the green under the book and have
it flop down as the book clears the
ledge). As close to the timing of the
last take, pull the book out and carry
it across to the table, always keeping an amount of green around all
sides of the book from the camera
perspective. Lay it down, and then
use the strings to pull the cover open
and start the pages flipping. For a
more fluid page turn, add some air
7/28/2011 8:59:57 AM
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41
Halloween Ghastly Effects
THE POSSIBILITIES ARE ENDLESS IF YOU THINK
CREATIVELY AND LEARN HOW TO USE THE TOOLS
AVAILABLE TO YOU.
as the other actors as long as they don’t cross
each other, the crew or the matte. This will
promote better timing and allow for the ghost
to hand something directly to the living. If you
can’t do this, you might discover some subtle
positioning and timing issues in post. Adding
blurs and effects to your ghost’s movements can
help compensate and cover them. (See www.
videomaker.com/article/14903/)
Incidentally adding effects to your ghost will
be really easy since they are already isolated on
their own video track. You can change the hue
or saturation of a ghost. Try taking out the color
completely and then using the “invert” effect to
turn white into black and black into white. Experimenting takes little time comparatively and
can yield great returns. Also, an effect in and of
itself can be made to look like a supernatural
entity. If your edit system supports multiple
effects on a single clip (most do) try simply a
Every year, we
traditionally bring
you stories of
the perils and
pitfalls our fellow
video producers
plunge into
with our annual
Videomaker
Horror Stories.
distortion or warp effect combined with a blur.
Then increase its lightness. Make it roughly the
size of a person and use key frames to move it
around the scene.
Channeling the Spirit World
Some of the biggest challenges come when an
effect goes wrong. The idea here is to be as inventive and creative with your fixes as with the rest
of your production. I once worked on an independent short where a spirit returns to haunt the
main character. We wanted more of a physical
presence than a ghost, so we darkened the character’s eyes and lips and powdered the skin until
the character appeared severely pale. Since the
‘ghost’ really just stood there we didn’t need any
key effects. However in viewing the footage we
realized that the actor’s neck was visible above
his coat and there was no makeup on it. We
solved the problem by duplicating the image on
top of itself, taking out all the color, and cropping
it to just the neck. The actor didn’t move a lot, but
the camera did, so we allowed for some error by
softening the edges and changing the crop every
few frames. To this day no one has ever noticed it.
As you can see, the possibilities are endless
if you think creatively and learn how to use the
tools available to you. We’ve only just scratched
the surface. The keys to realizing your vision are
planning, attention to detail, and a willingness
to think outside the box. Make your vision come
alive for your audience by wrapping it in character and story. Immerse your viewers, make them
believe, and let the fantastical become reality.
Illustrations by Steve Ferchaud
ing method we just used for the book. Simply
have your stage-hands carry a green screen
behind the ghost actor wherever he goes.
Everything the ghost interacts with must be
placed in the second take, and everything they
pass through must be removed. If at any time
you want the ghost to disappear, simply adjust
the transparency of his layer to 0. (Alternatively increase the key tolerance and watch
him “break up”).
The only downside to this approach is that
you’ll have a harder time if you need the ghost
to physically interact with the living. Note that
you can have the ghost actor in the same scene
2011
by Jennifer O’rOurke
Peter Zunitch is a post-production manager and editor working on every
system from 16mm film to Avid Symphony, utilizing many of today’s
advanced manipulation and compositing tools.
Getting Ahead of Yourself
There’s no reason you can’t divide up your key effects into smaller pieces. Shoot a set background. Next shoot your actor in front of a green screen. At some point have him reach up and
pull the hair on the top of his head, lifting his arm straight up. In the edit room, make two layers
of the green, cropping the top of the first at the neck, and the second around the head. When the
time comes, use key frames to have the head follow the motion of the hand, as if they removed
it. Finally, mix these two layers together and key into the background. You can then wrap green
around the actor’s shoulders, and essentially have a floating head to place anywhere you want.
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42
Things happen. A hard drive crashes. A battery dies. A viewfinder decides
to fail at that one moment of moments – but you’re a videographer, it’s in
your heart and it’s in your blood to save the shot. So, like the knight who
fell from his trusty steed while proudly galloping to battle – you brush
yourself off and get back in the game, ready to battle yet again. Here are
our offerings this year of our annual stories of terrifying mistakes, and the
motivation to avoid them; written by the professionals you’ve been reading
in Videomaker all year. As tradition, I’ll start with a story of my own.
VI D EO MA K ER >>> O ct Ob ER 20 11
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43
Prison Break
stripes that told a tale of imprisonment
and loneliness. The only problem was, I
couldn't get the best angle from eye level
due to the height of the windows, so, I
kneeled down behind a counter and shot
up from below-the-knee.
Shot one: Focus, frame, shoot, 1,2,3…
I was concentrating on the shot so well, I
didn’t notice it got very quiet. Too quiet.
Shot two: Focus, frame, 1, 2,3...When I
stood up, I realized I was alone. The tour
guide lost visual contact with me as the
last tourist exited the room, and had assumed I filed out with the others. Hoping
to catch up, I ran out a nearby door, only
to find I was outside in
a long-narrow circular
THE LIGHT THROUGH THE BARS SPILLED
fenced-in grassy area.
The chain-link fence
STRIPES ACROSS THE EMPTY ROOM.
was 20-feet high and
topped with razor wire.
A PHOTOGRAPHER'S DREAM.
I reached back for the
door, but it was locked.
Of course – this is a prison, all doors lock
turned out. The tour was going to flow
automatically.
throughout most of the different secTrying not to panic, I suddenly heard
tions of the facility: dining area, medical
voices and followed the circular path to
area, recreation area, cell blocks, etc.
find the tour group, but the grassy area
All but one of the cell blocks were still
let out into a wide exercise yard – full of
vacant, and we obviously weren’t going
prisoners! One by one they noticed me,
to tour the occupied area.
Ours was the last tour of the day and and each one froze in shock. No one
spoke a word. We all stood there until
as the tour guides shuffled us in tight
a guard saw me and shouted at me not
groups from area to area, I captured
to move – and then – pandemonium.
the obligatory shots of tourists on parade, but I kept pausing as the last tour- Guards raced towards me, other guards
raced into the yard herding the prisonist filed out to get shots of each section
ers to a far wall, and I was left with a lot
without any people in the scene. The
of explaining to do!
guides tried to hustle me along at
The weekend shift. Sometimes good,
first, but realized what I was doing so
sometimes bad, always a surprise.
allowed me to quickly grab my shots.
— Jennifer O’Rourke
And I mean quickly: wide shot – focus,
frame, shoot, count 1,2,3... 8. Next –
medium shot – focus, frame, etc. I tried Another Prison Lockdown
to shoot off three quick shots in each
The client called with an assignment
room within the 30 seconds allowed.
and said to arrive two hours early and
Finally, we reached the dining room
allow an extra two hours after breakin the late afternoon and light was
down, in addition to eight hours of
spilling in from tall windows that were
shooting. We wondered why so much
shielded with bars near the ceiling. The
time was needed only to learn the projlight through the bars spilled stripes
ect was in a maximum security prison.
across the empty seats, tables and floor
The extra four hours was for security
throughout the room, visually speaking
checks, which included a complete ac‘prison’ in a way no words could. A phocounting of each piece of equipment.
tographer’s dream. I wanted to capture it
We were required to bring a print-out
just right, encompassing the seats, tables, of each piece of gear that they would
walls, and especially those incredible
use as a checklist.
The assignment was twofold: Get some
shots of an Open House ribbon-cutting
ceremony at a new prison for that evening’s news, but make sure to get some
extra footage for future stories.
State prison authorities invited local
townsfolk to tour the brand-spanking
new prison in our viewing area to assure them of its safety and explain the
revenue-abilities for the town. I needed
to get a few shots of average citizens on
the tour, but I also had to get future file
footage that didn’t have townsfolk in
the scene. Not as easy as it sounded, it
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44
V IDEOMAKER >>> OctObER 2011
On entering the facility we placed
all the cameras, lens caps, light stands,
batteries, cables and everything we
took into the facility on the floor, and
they matched each piece of equipment
to the checklist. A lot of people signed
the list and they kept it to match with
the gear when we left the facility.
After eight hours of shooting and
endless security check points, we
arrived at the last check point where
they had our gear list, and after laying
everything out on the floor again, one
black 8-foot extension cord came up
missing. I asked what happens now and
after 20 minutes on the phone we’re
told they have half an hour to locate it
or they “initiate complete lock down”,
which involves everyone remaining at
their designated position for as “long as
it takes” until the cord is found. Luckily,
not too long thereafter, an employee noticed a piece of Velcro on a cord in the
hospital that she had never seen before
and called it in. Turns out that someone
on the shoot plugged the cord in then
mistakenly left it behind.
I could go on for several pages on this
one because a “lock down” in a maximum security is huge and could have
involved hundreds of additional emergency staff. There was an unbelievable
amount of people involved in this ordeal.
Throughout the shoot day, we were all
over the place, so that cord could have
been anywhere. I couldn’t believe it
when they told us they found the cord,
just in the nick of time. We were wearing
bright yellow security alarms with big
red buttons during the shoot just in case
something went wrong. It was the weirdest shoot I have ever done.
— by Terry O’Rourke
Knowing I’d be in the country for
a week, I checked the power input on
my Anton/Bauer QUAD charger and it
read: 100-250, 50-60. I called Anton
and double-checked what that meant
and I was told the charger was bullet
proof and would work anywhere in the
world. Off I went from San Francisco
with my Betacam, charger and four
brick batteries to Austria, non-stop.
Our party arrived in Vienna on Saturday morning and we had a few hours
before setting off on a lengthy drive to
Transylvania. I decided to top off the
batteries, so I plugged in the charger
and it instantly blew up and caught
fire! Most of western Europe closes for
the weekend at noon sharp leaving
only gas stations and some restaurants open. What to do? Fortunately,
the charger blew out at about 11:30
in the morning, and I learned there
was a hardware store just around the
corner. I ran to the store, which was in
the process of closing, but they let me
in and I bought a standard car-lighter
plug, some wire, and crimp connectors.
I detached the side of the charger that
has two battery receivers and spliced
the cable wires to the lighter plug. By
doing so, whenever the car was running, I had two batteries “on charge”. I
was never short of power and, luckily,
the car charged the batteries.
On my return to Sacramento, we cut
the footage into a five-part series that
aired on KOVR-TV. My experience in
Romania was “magical”. The Romanians
were just delightful.
A curious side note, Romanian
television was running Warner Bros.
cartoons that were interrupted periodically by live coverage of some executions by firing squad, then it was back
to Bugs Bunny - now that’s what I call
diverse programming. I often think
what would I have done if I just didn’t
bother to top off the batteries until get-
ting into Romania, or if I hadn’t found
a hardware store minutes before they
closed. The rest wouldn’t be history
and I would have a horror nightmare
to live with the rest of my life. To
Anton/Bauer’s credit, they replaced the
charger that blew out.
— by Gary Tomsic
In Loving Memory
They dropped the casket and the situation got worse from there. Weddings
are emotionally charged events. Double that for a funeral. They're different
celebrations of life but things can go
wrong at both and have an impact that
sometimes cannot be easily overcome.
Along with producing memorial
videos to celebrate one's life, I also videotape many funerals, but the family
members at this service asked only for
a montage – and the dropped casket
was only the beginning as this poor
family put their loved one to rest.
Battery Charger Blow-out
Christmas day, 1989 — Walter Cronkite
reported the execution by firing squad
of Romanian leader Nicolae Ceausescu.
For reasons I didn’t understand, they
executed his wife too. Within days, I
was on my way to Romania. A church
in Sacramento, California collected
funds to send food and medicine to
affiliated churches in Romania. As a TV
news photojournalist, I offered to go
and document the deliveries.
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45
BASIC TRAINING
by K yle C as s idy
A short time after the dropping casket calamity, I delivered the montage
which turned out great and seemed to
soothe the somewhat horrific beginning. I was told the presentation went
well, up until the video’s final closing
title: “In Loving Memory of Georgia”.
The lady’s name was Gladys. Someone
at the funeral home had given us the
wrong name. I received a panicked call
from the family counselor. Relating
the horrors of the event and subse-
a single frame release cable on autoexposure. What I didn’t realize is that
the auto-exposure feature of the camera
could not be used with single frame
shooting. What I received after the
mandatory 10-day wait for film processing was three minutes of overexposed,
completely unusable footage. A total
bust. The moral of the story? Read the
owner’s manual and learn your camera.
— by Mark Levy
THEY DROPPED THE CASKET,
AND THE SITUATION GOT
WORSE FROM THERE.
Of all the ‘hats’ I wear in my work,
Producer is foremost. Whatever you
may think, producers make projects
happen. Producers arrange everything
from getting cameras, arranging locations and places where the crew eats,
sleeps and even goes to do their “business”. On a horror film shoot – ironically - I secured an awesome studio
location. But, the studio space had a
missing necessity: toilets. As a good
producer I ordered up a pair of ‘portapottys’ for the crew, but on delivery day
there were still no “facilities”. Remaining calm I contacted the company and
was told, “the items had been delivered
on time” though they weren’t there.
As I tried to hash it out over the phone
my fellow producer drove up and said,
“Hey, I passed a couple of porta-pottys
on my way in.” Sure enough there they
were, more than a quarter-mile away
sitting alone on a vacant lot!
Apparently, my directions weren’t
‘necessary’ as the company used GPS
for delivery. After a nasty call, the
company agreed to move the “facilities” on Monday morning, but this was
Friday, so during the hottest summer
on record, anyone desperate to ‘go’
would undergo what we called the
‘Porta-Potty Death March’. We had a bet
over who would be the first. After two
days, nobody did!
— by H. Wolfgang Porter
quent backlash, I was asked to bring a
corrected version and extra copies to
the now-in-progress reception. I said
yes. Nothing was going to change what
happened, but the corrected montage
was delivered in under an hour and
shown at the reception. Dozens of
copies were distributed, paid for by the
funeral home. Shooting funerals, like
weddings, doesn’t allow for re-takes, so
you never know what will happen, you
just hold your breath and deliver as
best you can.
— by Earl Chessher
500 Scenes, 10 days, 3 minutes
of Horror
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My most disastrous horror story occurred before video was a gleam in
my eye. It was a pre-historic year –
1975 - and I had a nifty Super 8mm
film camera (antique technology our
younger-than-50-years-old readers are
unfamiliar with). I obtained a copy of
a Rossini overture on audio tape (see
comment, above, about younger readers), and painfully created a scene-byscene breakdown of each phrase of the
music, based on the projector speed of
18-frames per second. I then packed
up my camera and a relatively heavy
tripod and went for a very long walk in
the woods, carefully framing, focusing,
and shooting gorgeous fall leaves on
trees for the exact number of frames
needed per musical phrase. I shot over
500 scenes, editing in the camera, using
46
Porta-Potty Death March
More Toilet Humor
One summer about 15 years back, I
found myself between jobs and decided it would be fun to PA on a local
independent 16mm project; partially to
keep busy, but also to assess the state
of the local indie scene. We were way
V IDEOMAKER >>> OctObER 2011
out in the middle of nowhere and they
were using a rented RV as a base of
operations. Well at some point on the
second day the RV’s toilet filled up, so
the Unit Manager and I drove the foulsmelling beast to a local campground
that had disposal facilities. Neither of
us had done it before, but how hard
could it be? Hook the tube to the drain
pipe, put the tube in the hole.
If there’s one thing you must know
before ever renting an RV, it’s that you
should always make sure the release
valve is in the closed position before
taking the cap off the drainage pipe.
In a matter of seconds both of us were
covered, arms and legs, in a mess of
unmentionable muck. I took the rest of
the day off and never went back. When
someone asks what I think of unpaid
PA jobs I have a very fitting answer for
them - not in this lifetime!
— by Peter Zunitch
Last Call
Real horror stories - Stories that don’t
make the video scrapbook – are stories
that you tell only in the presence of
your fellow video producers because,
honestly, no one else would truly “get
it”. But we do. We love hearing your
stories from the trenches, and especially how you solved a tricky situation.
We hope these stories have inspired
you to keep making video, and realize
that everyone has those moments of
falling off that trusty steed, but they get
back on and get the shot, and have a
great story to tell … ‘Til next year…
Videomaker Managing Editor, Jennifer O’Rourke is
an Emmy award-winning videographer & video editor.
Interested in adding your “Video Horror
Story” to our collection? Check out this
forums link, have a laugh or two, and
continue with your own video horror
story. We'd love to hear how you remedied that 'fall from grace' and got the
shot - or not. Check out our forums link:
www.videomaker.com/r/533
DIY Video Accessories
Producing video is an exciting
hobby and rewarding business, but
it takes a lot of gear. Sometimes,
the rewarding and the exciting part
can be in just making the gear.
Were you in the A/V club in high
school? Were you the person that
teachers relied on to thread the film
through the projector, change bulbs or
figure out how to get the tape player
to play through the speakers? Very
likely you were, and it's that same
tinker’s spirit that has you out making
videos today.
There are lots of pieces of equipment made to perform very exact
tasks in video production, from camera mounts that help cameras move
smoothly to light producing and
shaping tools. We all look through
thick catalogs crammed with gear
with a quickening heartbeat and
wide eyes (I know I've never seen a
light modifier I didn't immediately
know would solve every problem
VIDEO PRODUCERS ARE
PEOPLE WHO LOOK FOR
CREATIVE SOLUTIONS.
I've ever had with lighting), and this
gear acquisition syndrome can be
hard on the bank account. Video
producers though, are people who
look for creative solutions to problems and a sub-current of DIY (Do It
Yourself) runs strongly through our
community, powered by the same
thing that made you want to learn
how the ditto machine worked back
in 4th grade. This month we're going
to take a look at some DIY resources
and ideas to get you started making
your own equipment.
Tripod Shoulder Strap
I like to travel light when I'm on the
road doing video and this very often
means one camera, one fast lens and
one tripod. While the camera and
lens can easily fit over my shoulder
alone, my tripod bag is three times
the size of my tripod which very often
leads me to think “well, if I have this
mostly empty bag, I might as well
fill it with light stands and batteries”
and suddenly I'm carrying 40 pounds
of gear. I'm puzzled that when my
tripod manufacturer made my Very
Expensive Tripod they didn't think to
put a couple of D-rings on it so that
you can attach one of those extra bag
straps cluttering your closet. You can
take care of this yourself by using
hose clamps to attach a pair of rings to
the top and bottom of one of the legs
and then attaching one of those extra
straps you've hoarded from every duffel bag you've ever thrown out and are
littering the back of your hall closet (I
save them too, don't feel weird).
The DIY Sky Cam
A few years back I was taking video
of a construction site and although
there were lots of sparks and people
hammering things, the video suffered
from a two dimensionality that didn't
really show off all the action that was
going on. Noticing a crane being used
to haul heavy items from one place to
You can create an easy solution to carrying
your tripod by attaching a hose clamp and ring
to both ends of a leg. Then clip on a spare
duffle bag strap and you're ready to go.
47
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basic training
a third story window and a tree in the back yard
later provided aerial footage of the most intense
game of croquet of the summer of 2007.
Nature filmmaker Rob
Israel has been testing ways to mount
and wire dozens of
bright and inexpensive LED lights
together. The lights
are powered by small
batteries and can be
used in extremely
small spaces.
Out in the World
another I asked the foreman if it would be possible to have the crane operator make a pass over
the side with a video camera. He agreed and I created a camera mount out of a five-gallon bucket
with a hole cut in the bottom. A video camera
was mounted vertically in the bucket aimed
through the hole and held in place by a half
dozen rolled up T-shirts. A five-minute pass over
the site provided some "WOW" footage for the client and something interesting for the crane operator to take home and show his family. You don't
need a crane to get a camera in the air though–
the same bucket suspended from a rope between
Videography enthusiast and nature filmmaker
Rob Israel has been making his own equipment
for years, inspired by necessity and curiosity.
“Sometimes you need to spend a lot of money
on equipment,” he says, “and there's no way
around it, but other times, if you have a free
Sunday afternoon and a few tools, there's no
reason to.” Rob's made a lot of his own equipment, most recently a stabilizing camera mount
for his Nikon D90. “I'd seen photos of one that
someone else built on the Internet that required
a lot of very specific equipment that I didn't
have, like a pipe bender, and I started thinking of
things I had around the house that could serve
a similar function.” In the end, Rob's camera
mount included pieces of PVC pipe, a gimbal
I started thInkIng of thIngs I had
around the house that could
serve a sImIlar functIon.
from a radio controlled car axle, and a mounting plate previously used to hold a hard drive
in a computer. “The hard drive mount actually
has a lot of room to make adjustments,” he says,
“which is important when you're using a DSLR
— which is asymmetrical — it has a battery on
one side, but a centered tripod mounting screw.
Its center of gravity is a bit strange and with the
[stabilizer] you want the center of gravity to be at
a very particular point, about four inches under
the camera.”
Photos page 48 by Kyle Cassidy
Matte Box
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48
basic training
october 2011
Videography enthusiast, Rob Israel, makes his own gear
and with great results. This handheld HDSLR stabilizer
was partially built using common household items as
substitutes for more expensive equipment.
The lens shade that might have come with your
camera is as large as it is convenient (and still
you may have lost it or, like me, keep it in a
drawer most of the time), but sometimes when
shooting with lights very close to the subject
your lens shade isn't big enough and your shot
fills with the white mist of lens flair. If you're on
a set with lots of grips standing around vandalizing the catering table you can have one of them
“flag” the lens — which is to say, pick up a big
piece of black foam core and block the light spill
that gets into your lens, or you can hold your
hand up next to the lens like you're about to
karate chop someone and angle it until the flair
goes away. This is what I often do, but if you need
both hands, are moving the camera, or are fresh
out of off-camera assistants, a matte box may be
just the thing you need. “Real” matte boxes are
so expensive that many videographers have been
inspired to create one from things around the
house. There are a number of tutorials on YouTube from the very simple — manufactured of
immobile cardboard — to ones made with fully
articulated barn-doors. Many of them are based
around the Cokin filter adapter, allowing the
matte box to also perform that function. Simply
searching for “DIY matte box” will lead you to
step-by-step tutorials.
Here people are discussing things like how to get
a video camera to the roof of a church, and possible ways to inexpensively create huge banks of
LED lights. www.videomaker.com/community/
forums/forum/diy
Where To Look
Next time you're looking for a piece of video
gear, from a dolly to a softbox, take a minute to
look around the Internet to see if other video
enthusiasts have figured out how to make it
themselves — or if you have a great idea of
your own, have a go at making something yourself. Then share it with us on the Videomaker
DIY forum.
Learn, Create, Share @ Videomaker.com
You might not know it, but there are a number
of lively forums on the Videomaker.com website
where readers of the magazine discuss all sorts
of topics. It's always a good place to trade ideas
or comments about the latest issue, and it's also a
great place to learn and share your ideas. There's
a DIY forum under community>forums> DIY.
Contributing Editor Kyle Cassidy is a visual artist who exhibits regularly
and has written books on technology and photographic art.
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@SynthEyesHQ
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Cranes/Jibs, Camera Stabilizers, LANC remotes, Tripods, Pro Audio
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49
Lighting
Lighting
october 2011
b y Mi ch a e l F i t ze r
Color Temperature for Video
Why is color temperature awareness important in the AV industry?
Whether it's setting white balance
for iPhone 4 or Nikon D90, your
Manual control of your camera's white balance allows you
to manipulate the color temperature and mood of the scene.
This scene purposefully leans towards the blue spectrum.
camera needs a starting point.
You've probably heard the phrase,
"painting with light". How about the
terms "red hot" and "white hot"?
These and many other phrases refer
to the use of color temperature in still
photography and cinematography.
The color temperature setting
in your video camera tells it how
it should see white. Once properly
adjusted, the camera sees the color
white as white and then adjusts for all
the other colors accordingly. White
balancing is a step that should never
be overlooked or misunderstood, because white balance affects not only
the proper visualization of objects and
events in a scene — for instance proper skin tone — but it can also help to
determine the overall mood of how a
scene plays out within the frame.
White balancing is
a step that should
never be overlooked
or excused due to
lack of time. Setting
your camera's white
balance prior to
shooting your scene
will help ensure the
colors within the
frame are accurately
represented.
degrees on the Kelvin scale (K). This is, of course,
where the terms “red hot” and “white hot” derive.
The Components of Color
Color is light. However, the color of an object is
based on a combination of factors; the color of
light, the nature of the material the light is hitting
and how light it is being reflected off the object.
This simple set of facts is why you, as a videogMost video cameras on the market
today have spot-on auto white balance control. However, as a director
of photography, I can’t remember the
last time I used the auto white balance
function on any of the video cameras
I regularly use. I’m a big fan of using
the camcorder’s manual controls
in nearly every situation, especially
when it comes to controlling the color
temperature of a particular scene. I
shoot a lot of medical scenarios
like mock emergencies,
simulated life flights,
and even surgeries. I
find that through the
simple understanding
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50
of color temperature and manipulation of that color temperature in the
camera’s settings, I can successfully
guide the viewers' eyes and even their
emotions while watching that scene.
entertainment technology
exposition
Color and Temperature
Color and color temperature can be
crucial components of just about any
scene. The lighting of an orange sky
typically associated with a sunset in
the desert not only serves as a distinct
tone in the frame but also delivers
information such as time of day while
also delivering a feeling or mood.
It’s important to remember that
changes in color temperature as seen
by your camera are not necessarily
seen the same way by the human
eye. To understand color temperature and ultimately how to control
it, it’s helpful to know a bit of simple
physics. The color temperature scale
is derived from a theoretical “black
body” known as a Planckian locus
or Planckian radiator (a metal object
having no natural color of its own).
When heated to incandescence (the
giving off of light from a hot body due
to its temperature), the metal body
glows at different colors depending on
its temperature, which is registered by
rapher, are able to manipulate color in a scene
based on the adjustment of your camera’s white
balance. But to get the most out of your ability
to manipulate color, it is also good to know how
to break down the components of color. They
are Hue, Chroma, Value and Temperature. The
first three, Hue, Chroma, and Value are simply
the physical properties of color while the last,
Temperature, is seen as something more along
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51
7/28/11 5:02 PM
Lighting
EDITING
october 2011
by D ouglas D ix on
Indoor
Light temperature
is measured in
degrees Kelvin.
1,200K
As light increases
1,700K
in temperature, the
color of it changes
from warm hues
(red) to cooler
hues (blue).
Outdoor
It’s time to take a look at the next
2,400K
3,200K
2,800K
3,400K
Chroma is the term used to refer to the saturation or strength of a color. When you add black
or white to a color you are affecting its Chroma.
For instance, deep red and royal blue both refer
to the Chroma of a color.
Value is the lightness or darkness of a color.
Remember that the color of an object is partly
based on how that object reflects light. This
statement refers directly to the value of a color
since the lightness of a colored surface depends
on its reflectivity.
Temperature refers to the warmth or coolness of
a hue, which can have a psychological effect on
people. Even though temperature is measured
using the Kelvin scale many think of it as a psychological factor rather than a physical property.
Knowing these definitions is not a prerequisite for knowing how to light a scene, however,
having a basic understanding of color (light),
how to control it and the subconscious feelings
or thoughts often associated with a color will allow you to stretch your creative wings and guide
your audience through your story with more
than just spoken lines or camera movement.
my color balance. In other words, how I color the
scene. For instance, one way I like to film inside
surgical suites is to light using daylight, which is
at 5600 degrees Kelvin (K). I then set my white
balance for 3200K, which is a setting used to
normalize a scene lit with warm tungsten light.
The disparity creates a scene that leans heavily
toward the blue spectrum. Blue is often regarded
as a clean, cool, technical color. Lighting this way
heightens the “cool” energy and emotion of the
scene, purposefully separating it from the warm
or possibly natural look of other scenes in the
same piece (see photo, page 51).
The same is true for the reverse. Say I want
to turn a busy scene in a restaurant kitchen
into one where the temperatures are soaring
to 120-degrees and the workers are barely able
to find relief. I would light with warm tungsten
light, coming in at 3200K and then manually set
my camera white balance closer to daylight or
possibly the greenish florescent color temperature spectrum of around 4800K. This disparity
forces the camera to see white as something
closer to warm yellow, thus creating a scene
where the temperature of the room could be
viewed as uncomfortably warm.
These are just two examples of how a basic
understanding of the color spectrum, how it
translates to the viewer, and using the camera
as a transmission tool can enrich your viewer’s
experience. Whether you’re a hobbyist or a fulltime professional, you can get the most out of
your camera and your scene just by using a few
simple tricks and having a basic understanding of
something you see and feel every day… Light.
Michael Fitzer is an Emmy award-winning commercial and documentary writer/ producer
What is Normal Light?
Remember I mentioned that I film a lot of medical scenes? Medical environments are rich in
action, emotion, and technology. The way a
scene is going to play out often dictates how I set
52
generation of processing for video.
Hardware acceleration for video
only is the new processing faster,
rainbow. Hue is a wavelength of light on its place
along the natural spectrum of color. When you
say “that shirt is blue,” you refer to its hue.
print
4,500K
7,000K
6,000K
editing has changed greatly. Not
Hue The best way to think of Hue is to think of a
full screen
5,000K
3,800K
the lines of a psychological factor, even though
it is a physical element, which you can measure
using the Kelvin scale.
contents
Getting into GPUs
some newer software demands
that you upgrade your system.
Remember the ancient days of video
editing, with the red render bar above
the timeline marking huge sections
that you couldn’t preview in real time?
So you — get this — had to sit there
and twiddle your thumbs while waiting for the timeline to be rendered.
Those days now seem as old as floppy
disks, as today’s video editing software
running on mainstream systems can
handle even HD material with aplomb.
But we demand more — beyond
HD to 2K and 5K cinematic resolutions, real-time editing of complex
compressed formats like AVCHD, and
building multitudes of layers on the
timeline while applying sophisticated
effects like color correction. And then
we’ll move on to 3D video. So how
can we keep up?
One answer is raw speed from
the central processing unit (CPU),
but the growth in gigahertz (GHz)
is peaking, as chips are expanding with multiple processing cores.
Luckily, this parallel processing
capability matches nicely with the
demands of video editing, particularly decoding and encoding video
stored in multiple blocks of data.
Meanwhile, the CPU-sucking needs
of the gaming market has lead to the
development of sophisticated graphics
processing unit (GPU) chips to off-load
drawing in the frame buffer, including shapes, textures, and blending.
Working together, multi-core CPUs,
plus parallel GPUs, can allow PCs to
challenge the performance of dedicated gaming systems. Even better,
GPUs also do the kinds of things that
we want for video editing — not just
drawing pixels, but transforming and
warping, merging and blending.
So while CPU chips have been
adding integrated graphics capabilities, which are particularly useful
for lower-cost and lower-powered
systems, the combination of a
powerful multi-core CPU and video
card with parallel GPU can provide a
serious kick to accelerate your video
editing experience.
support the Open Computing Language (OpenCL) programming framework for developing applications to
run across mixed CPU / GPU systems.
Similarly, Sorenson Squeeze 7,
for dedicated compression, takes
advantage of GPU acceleration for
AVC/H.264 encoding on NVIDIA video
cards supporting the NVIDIA CUDA
Faster and Better
The first application for GPUs is
to deal with compressed video by
splitting the work between both
CPU and GPU, and then further
among multiple cores on each. For
example, the Sony Vegas Pro 10 video
editing software has GPU-accelerated
AVC/H.264 encoding and AVC rendering. The AVC encoding is parallelized
on AMD ATI graphics chipsets, which
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An AMD Radeon HD graphics processor can
increase speed and performance while editing
video.
53
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ON
DVD
editing
Introducing Videomaker’s Premium Series
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• Outdoor Videography
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(Compute Unified Device Architecture) parallel computing architecture,
including the GeForce and Quadro
product lines. And the improvement is
significant: Sorenson reports encoding times are up to three times faster
from GPU acceleration.
On the system side, Apple has
designed high-end CPU and GPU
architectures into its latest MacBook
Pro and iMacs, which offer dual- and
quad-core Intel Core i5 and Core i7
processors up to 3.4 GHz with a new
media engine for high-performance
october 2011
frames, while the GPU handles the
processing of real-time effects. Other
GPU-optimized functions include
motion and scaling, time remapping,
compositing, opacity, deinterlacing,
and the handling of multi-format
timelines.
Accelerating
So how much GPU do you need? And
what are the price/performance options for bulking up an editing system
with GPU acceleration?
Technically, you do not need any
GPU at all. Today’s software is designed
APPLE DESCRIBES THE
RESULTING IMACS AS UP
TO 70% FASTER.
video encoding and decoding. Plus,
these systems include integrated
AMD Radeon HD graphics processors for high performance gaming,
pro video editing and graphics intensive applications. Apple describes
the resulting iMacs as up to 70
percent faster, and with up to three
times the graphics performance of
the previous generation.
And Apple’s new Final Cut Pro X,
pre-announced at the National Association of Broadcasters conference
(NAB) in April this year, is rebuilt as
a 64-bit application, and designed to
playback using all cores and background rendering.
This is the future of video processing, as demonstrated by Adobe’s
Mercury Playback Engine, introduced
last year with Premiere Pro C5. This
significantly boosts performance
by leveraging three key elements of
modern systems: 64-bit memory for
handling larger frames and timelines, multi-threading for faster CPU
performance, and NVIDIA GPUs to
help offload on complex timelines for
smooth playback.
Premiere Pro balances the processing by having the CPU perform
the decoding of compressed video
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55
editing
editing
october 2011
NVIDIA’s GeForce and Quadro lines work on both Windows and Mac operating
systems. However, NVIDIA suggests the Quadro line for those interested in video
editing. The Quadro touts faster performance and computational simulation.
to scale up to take advantage of the available GPU
performance, but can still perform all the same
functions on the host CPU. But even a small investment can yield great savings in your time and
workflow.
To evaluate GPUs, you can generally think of
them in much the same way that you compare
CPUs — in terms of clock speed, the number
of parallel cores, and the amount of dedicated
memory. For example, the NVIDIA GeForce
line scales from starter GeForce / GT boards
for around $30 to $75 (with relative 1x to 18x
performance, 8 to 96 cores, and 256MB to 1GB
of memory) to the performance GeForce GTX
systems for up to $400 to $750 (with up to 75x
- 94x performance, 512-1024 cores, and 1.5 to
3GB of memory).
While Adobe supports a variety of both
GeForce and Quadro boards on both Windows
and MacOS systems, NVIDIA strongly suggests
focusing on the professional Quadro line for serious video editing. These are designed for longer
lifetimes as a standard platform, compared to the
more gaming-oriented GeForce line, and include
stronger warranties.
While graphics companies and software
developers are reluctant to make promises
about performance gains for the wildly varying
needs of video editing, the step from a midrange NVIDIA Quadro 2000 at around $600
to a higher-end Quadro 4000 at $1,200 could
provide around a 40 percent boost (stepping up
from 192 to 256 cores and 1 to 2GB of memory). Then higher end systems like the Quadro
5000 and 6000 for around $2,300 to $5,000
move up considerably (with 352 to 448 cores
and 2.5 to 6GB of memory), along with boosting
the internal architecture, including fast double
precision and memory speed.
changes, interpret footage, and field options.
There’s plenty more magic to come from
GPUs as new graphics cards are sporting 1024
cores and 12GB of memory. For example,
NVIDIA has been showing GPU-accelerated
functions including color adjustment of RAW
Don’t let its size fool you; NVIDIA’s Tegra is a dual-core
CPU, and allows faster processing in mobile devices like
smartphones and tablets.
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56
Become a professional
wedding videographer
To be a professional wedding videographer,
you need to show up prepared to do things
right. The award winning Wedding Videography
will make sure you can handle any curve ball
the big day throws at you.
Growth
GPU-accelerated effects can be
found in the newest version of
Adobe Premiere Pro CS5.5. These
effects include Directional Blur,
Fast Blur and Film Transition.
camera images and calibration of 3D images.
And there’s even more — the GPU has become a
general-purpose processor in its own right, and
is not just for graphics (and video) any more.
Other kinds of applications, as well as operating systems like Windows and Mac OS then can
take further advantage of these architectures to
COPY A (in some sort of circle or
accelerate into the future. Meanwhile, the same
bubble)
kind of accelerated processing is coming to mo2011 Educational Video Telly Award
bile devices through chips like the NVIDIA Tegra,
Winner!
featuring multitasking on a dual-core 1GHz
ARM CPU, up to two times faster Web browsing,
hardware-accelerated Flash, console-quality 3D
gaming with an ultra-low power GeForce GPU,
and 1080p HD video playback processor. And
that’s on a tablet, or even a smartphone!
Doug Dixon covers digital media at Manifest-Tech.com.
There’s plenTy more magic To
come from gpUs as new graphics cards are sporTing 1024
cores and 12gB of memory.
The options in GPUs and graphics cards is good
news for video editors, who can reap the benefits
of better performance by upgrading to more
powerful hardware. Video applications can automatically take advantage of additional cores and
faster processing speeds through architectures
like AMD OpenCL and NVIDIA CUDA. And these
benefits are also available on laptop systems,
which can rely on a low-power CPU and integrated graphics for office work, and then power
up a parallel GPU to now meet the demands of
serious video editing.
Even better, this trend will only improve with
software upgrades, as application developers
will be able to accelerate even more functions as
they get more experience in designing for these
systems. For example, Adobe Premiere Pro CS5.5
adds new GPU-accelerated effects including Directional Blur, Fast Blur, Invert, and the new Film
Transition, along with additional optimization
for features including mismatched media, speed
october 2011
20o1na1l Video
ti
Educa Award
Telly er!
Winn
This complete six-part training DVD covers every aspect of the wedding, giving you
the inside scoop on the extra details that separate the serious wedding videographer from the amateur with a camera. Videomaker's trusted editors will walk you
through every facet of wedding videography, from navigating the legalities ahead of
time to adding post-production effects after the ceremony.
Segments include: Legalities, Pre-Ceremony, Audio, Ceremony, Reception and Post-Production.
Learn more at www.videomaker.com/weddingDVD
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57
Projects that Pay
Projects that Pay
OctOber 2011
ABE’s Of Maine |__________________ 29
b y J a y Mo n t a n a
How to Price Your Project
How do you put a price on your time,
skill, and the singularly unique vision
that you and you alone bring to a
video project?
It’s a question asked by philosophers,
poets and production personnel alike:
“What am I worth?” No magic formula
exists to pin down an exact dollar
amount, but arming yourself with the
right strategy will help ensure that
you’re charging appropriately for your
work. The first step in figuring out
what to charge is determining how to
charge for video production. The two
most popular options are by the day
or by the project.
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to operate the jib and not much else.
For that reason, Directors of Photography [DP] and other crewmembers
often charge on a day rate basis.
Day Rate
But what is a “day” exactly? How
Charging a day rate is the most
many hours does that include? It varstraightforward arrangement. Someies, which means you need to negotione hires you for a job, and they pay
ate. In most major markets expect
you a set amount each day you do
the standard to hover around 10
it. Simple. If the project falls behind
hours. After 10 hours, some jobs pay
schedule and you work a second day,
overtime, but not all. Get this clearly
then you receive the same rate again
defined before the job begins. If you
the next day.
expect overtime, do not wait to bring
Day rates work best with clearly
it up on set when a production is
defined roles. For example, when a jib
just moments from going beyond the
operator arrives on set, he’s expected
“full” day.
Sometimes, day rates
have no limit. While ethically questionable, and even
legally questionable in
some cases, workdays of
18 hours or more are not
unheard of in the video
world. Many disgruntled
crewmembers have skulked
bleary-eyed around a set in
the twentieth hour of the
day, wishing they discussed
The bigger the project, the more complex your rates can be- overtime sooner.
On rare occasion, the opcome. Because it's easy to sometimes forget to add certain
items to your list, using forms can help you factor your rate posite works in your favor.
Honest production managand stay organized.
58
ers won’t ask you to forego a portion
of your rate if a day runs a little short.
Instead, if a short day is possible, they
will ask for a half-day rate. Price this
around 50-70 percent of your full day
rate. Because productions often run
over, your day of work may turn into
a week or more. Consider offering a
weekly rate that's less than you would
charge if hired separately each day of
the week. Just like selling in bulk, your
lower rate is offset by the guaranteed
work. It also keeps you priced competitively.
Day rates function best in basic
work-for-hire situations. But what if a
client tasks you with leading a production? What if they want you to carry
the project from pre- through postproduction? Suddenly, the scope of
your role grows. You’re the one setting
the schedule, not following it. Now
how do you know what to charge?
Luckily, there’s a simple way to do
that too.
Project Rate
advertising index
With a project rate, you take all the
factors of a job into consideration up
front, calculating your expected time
and expense, and billing one allencompassing price. The advantage
Adorama |_________________________ 9
of this method is scalability. It works
whether you’re looking to establish
your own production company or just
picking up a few extra dollars with
your hobby.
The critical first step is an accurate
price quote, and that means gathering
information. Ask a lot of questions.
What are the client’s expectations?
What aspects of the video will the client provide vs. what they expect you
to provide? What do you estimate to
incur in production costs? How long
will the project take?
Nail down specifics. You can’t give
a quote to produce a video that will
require “a few locations.” Where are
these locations? Street corners around
town? Siberia? And how many is “a
few”? Ask and push for answers. Most
clients will appreciate your thoroughness and take comfort in the attention
to detail.
Inevitably, some clients request a
ballpark price before working out all
the details on their end. Proceed with
caution. Offer a price range along with
an explanation of how different options come in at different price points.
For example, a green screen shoot
where you place a gym behind someone may cost less than renting out an
actual gym. But what if your client
owns a gym? Shooting there might
cost even less than the green screen
studio. Get as many of these details as
possible up front to help you provide
a better quote. Let’s say you get all the
information you need, account for every variable and give a flawless price
quote. Nothing can go wrong, right?
If you answered “yes,” you may want
to turn in your camera and take up
stamp collecting! Allow me a moment
of psychic fortune-telling: something
will go wrong, expectations will
change and you need to know how to
charge accordingly.
Ideally, you accounted for some
variables in your original quote. If a
client suddenly decides their spokesperson must wear a tie and you didn’t
budget for a tie, that shouldn’t bust
your budget. But at some point you
need to establish the line between
reasonable tweaks and a change in
scope. If a client suddenly requires
drastic script revisions, a new cast
or more locations, then it’s time
to address the rising costs of the
production. With larger projects, it’s
perfectly acceptable to ask for staged
payments. For example, you collect
the first part of your fee up front, the
Adorama |________________________ 23
Andersson Technologies LLC |______ 49
Azden Corp. |______________________ 7
BC Media Inc. |____________ _______ 49
B&H Photo/Video & Pro Audio |__ 35-37
Blackmagic Design |________________ 5
Createasphere/HD Expo LLC |______ 51
Dell Computer Corporation |________ C4
GlideCam Industries Inc. |__________ 45
iStockphoto.com |__________________ 3
Kino Flo |_________________________ 41
LCD4Video |______________________ 27
Tolis Group, Inc. |__________________ 55
Video Guys |______________________ 13
Videomaker Library |________________ 31
The Checklist of Creeping Costs
Avoid under-budgeting by keeping these
easily-overlooked expenses in mind:
Videomaker Digital Downloads |_____ 18
Insurance – sometimes legally required, always financially prudent.
Videomaker Digital Subscription |____ 24
Expendables – gaffer’s tape, black wrap, colored gels, etc. They add up quickly.
Gear/rentals -– what equipment will you need to rent? If the client wants a dolly
shot and you don’t own dolly tracks, it’s time to revise your estimate.
Transportation – those dolly tracks need to get to the shoot somehow, and your
trunk probably won’t cut it. It’s time to rent a van or truck. With that, comes gas and
parking expenses.
Videomaker Instructional DVDs |_____ 54
Videomaker Plus Membership |____ C3
Videomaker Subscription Alert |_____ 40
Food – if you’re hiring a crew, they’ll expect to be fed. The same goes for talent. No
one performs well on an empty stomach.
Videomaker Webinars |____________ C2
Delivery – in what format will the client need the final product? Sending a file via
FTP is inexpensive, as is handing over a hard drive, but tape layoffs can be pricey.
Videomaker Wedding DVD |________ 57
contents
Other work – what projects are you not taking in order to deliver this one? If you
could have earned more by completing several smaller jobs in the same time it took
to complete one big job, then you’re essentially losing money.
Videomaker Workshops |__________ 11
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59
Projects that Pay
Audio
october 2011
by P eter Z unitc h
Honest Self-Assessment
Consider bartering your video
work for the work of another.
Taking this route may not put
money in your pocket, but it can
assure you receive some sort of
value for your hard work.
second part after principal photography, the third
part after a rough cut review and a final lump sum
upon delivery of the finished product. Of course,
that’s assuming you’re paid at all, which isn’t
always the case.
Alternative Pay or No Pay
At times, other motivators besides money come
into play. One reason to produce a video without
pay is as a favor. Videos make wonderfully generous gifts, but beware. Many otherwise healthy relationships have disappeared down this dark alley
before. In general, most people have no idea how
much work goes into video creation.
Consider bartering as an alternative. That’s
where you create a video for your uncle-with-theroofing-business, and, in return, he agrees to patch
up your leaking roof. No money changes hands,
everyone’s happy and now the family can enjoy
holiday get-togethers without intervention by the
authorities.
Deferred pay can sometimes be legitimate,
but it, too, comes with risks. With deferred pay,
you agree to take on a project sans compensation, with the hope or expectation of payment at
a later date. Often, this arrangement works for
projects with the potential to either hit it big or
fail spectacularly. For example, someone shopping around a TV pilot about astronaut clowns
asks you to create an attention-grabbing trailer.
If the show gets picked up, you share in the
riches. And if it doesn’t, which is the case more
often than not, hopefully you enjoyed the experience. Vetting these types of projects requires
the same diligence as any other. As a matter of
fact, without money in the equation you need
to be certain that the experience alone is worth
your time.
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60
Now you know how to charge, but exactly how
much do you charge? The answer is just a few
tough, soul-searching, ego-bruising questions
away. First, you have to know what the competition bills for similar work. If inquiring with
peers, tread carefully. Asking someone what
they charge for their services isn’t far off from
asking a co-worker their salary. Online research
circumvents many of those discomfiting conversations. Once you’ve got an average, run it
through a gauntlet of questions. Ask yourself the
following questions, and be honest! The only
person you'd be fooling is yourself, and it could
cost you in the end):
• How do my skills stack up against the
competition?
• How is this video being used? Is it for broadcast? Web only? Often, the broader the distribution, the larger the budget.
• What niche do I want to fill? Am I the discount service that profits on quantity? Or, does
my stellar craftsmanship and customer service
demand a premium?
• How comfortable am I with losing jobs if I
price myself at a premium?
• How can this project benefit me? If a video
helps beef up your reel, then compromising
your rate to win the job may benefit you in the
long run.
• What is my client’s budget? If the local soup
kitchen needs a commercial to drum up community donations, chances are it won’t come
with deep pockets.
This isn’t to say you should charge a client
more just because they can afford it. In fact,
that’s an easy way to run oneself out of business. But listen to the clients. Understand their
situation, their needs and their resources. Then
structure your quote accordingly.
The Bottom Line
Putting a price on your work is one of the most
difficult things a creative person ever has to do.
But you needn’t grow anxious with doubt. Take
heart in your skills. And remember that making money by doing what you love is, above all,
priceless.
Jay Montana runs Kerosene Studios, a New York–based video
production company.
The Art of the Voice Over
Recording a voice over isn't like
recording an interview or live action
in the field. This is the sound that
carries your video, and needs to be
clear, concise, and engaging.
Voice-overs are simple, right? Place
the mic, speak the words, you're done.
Well, I have two phrases for you; “time
is money” and “you get what you pay
for”. You can do it, or you can do it
right, and if you need it to be a regular
part of your business, or want it to
drive part of your income, then you
should learn the latter.
To host a successful voice-over session, you need to remember that it
should be treated like any other production, meaning you must pay attention
to preparation, operation, and follow
up. Your client, and the talent are there
for business, so things need to run
smooth technically. But, don't forget
the luxuries. A little attention to detail
and conveniences will go a long way. A
quality product will satisfy, but a good
experience is what will bring your client
back time and again. Let's look at some
things we can do to run a successful
voice over session.
Suite Stuff
First off, have the right equipment.
You need a decent microphone. You
need a quiet, sound absorbing room
to record in. Obviously, you'll require
some method for routing (a mixer)
and recording sound, and if you don't
have them already, a decent set of
speakers. A system for communicating
with your talent is also helpful. They
work best when they can hear their
own voice through the circuit as they
read, so you'll probably want headphones for them. If you're really serious about hosting voice over sessions,
try to have a way to play video into
the recording booth as well. A client
may want to show video to narrators
so they can better understand the
mood of the scene for which they are
reading. All these things must work
without hum or glitch.
Engineering Speak
There are three key positions in a
recording session: the engineer, the
producer and the talent. At any given
time, you may find yourself fulfilling
one or all of these roles. As the engineer, you need to anticipate what's
coming and plan for every possible
issue. Find out from your clients what
they need in advance. Set up early,
test your equipment before anyone
arrives, and be ready to go at least 30
minutes before scheduled start time.
You should also have standard amenities ready to go.
Now before we go any further, you
need to know that there is a wide
variety of voice talent out there. You'll
have to adjust to everything from,
“this guy I know who has a good
voice” to the full-time professional
who does it as his or her sole income.
The former will need guidance from
you, will undoubtedly be a little
nervous, and take longer to get a good
read. True professionals on the other
hand are some of the most laid back
people around, but they can also be
rather picky. They know what works
in achieving their best reading voice,
and most will have set patterns they
will want to follow. Planning for these
needs will go far towards bringing you
recommendations for future use. That
said, the standard amenities will be a
little non-standard.
Have a variety of drinks available.
Bottles of water (both cold and room
temperature), hot water or tea, and
perhaps apple or orange juice are
common. It's all about conditioning
the vocal cords. Most won't drink
coffee or soda before reading, but it’s
not a bad idea to have some on hand
for the client. Snacks, if you decide to
have them should be relatively neutral. Bagels, or a small assortment of
fruit is all you need. Avoid things like
crackers and lemonade.
The VO booth should have a music stand or equivalent to hold the
script. Place an assortment of pencils
pens and highlighters in the booth
as well. Paper clips (both wire and
clamp types) can also be useful. One
61
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audio
other piece of equipment you should
consider is a pop filter. This is simply
a mesh screen that sits between the
microphone and the speaker to help
prevent any hard-pronounced P's
from sounding like someone blowing
into the mic. Some talent will want to
stand, but have a stool or stiff chair
available for them as well.
Once you start, you should limit
your interaction with the talent.
However, always let the producer and
talent know when you're recording and
when you stop. Audio takes up a trivial
amount of drive space, so it's best to
keep recording at all times. It's a good
idea to always record to two channels.
Set one at your nominal recording level, and the other two to 4dB less. That
way if the primary channel has peaked
and become distorted, you have a
backup that should be clear. Record
(and export) in an uncompressed or
lossless format, and at 44.1 or 48kHz,
whatever your footage is in.
Have your talent do a test read for
setting levels. Most of the time you'll
barely touch the controls once set, but
try not to change them too drastically
when you do. Monitor levels, cue
tapes, and take notes for your client.
Note the starting time of each take.
Mark the good takes, and try to say
what was bad about the others. Keep
your notes to one or two key words, as
things will probably be moving faster
than you can write at this point. Be
sure to spot check your recordings
before declaring you’re done.
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Emphasize the VO lines that are to be read
by the talent. You can do this by resizing
the font, double spacing, or highlighting the
selected area.
62
Having a variety of amenities like water, tea,
or juice available for the talent allows them to
choose the best beverage for the task at hand.
When the session is over, the fun
doesn't stop. As soon as possible (preferably before the talent leaves), make
a backup copy on another hard drive.
Eventually, you should make some type
of hard copy as well. If you can record
to tape and hard drive at the same time,
you're golden. Next, copy your script
notes and hand them to the client. Keep
your copies for as long as possible.
You'll get bonus points galore for saving
the day when the client calls you and
says they've lost something.
It's also a good idea to have some
sort of Internet location where the
client can grab a copy of the files
remotely if they need to. Whenever
possible, it's good P.R. for you to have
the files up before the client gets back
to the office. Nothing speaks more to
a smooth operation than leaving your
V/O session only to arrive back in your
edit room to find your editor already
working on the clips.
Some Words on Producing
As the producer, your primary job is
to ensure each line is read, and read
properly. You must provide the materials to make that happen. In prepping
the scripts, make the talent's copy
double-spaced, so they can write notes
above or below each line. Print out at
least the paragraphs before and after
the lines to be recorded. That way the
actor can get the mood of the content.
Have the entire script available, but
not for the talent, excessive pages will
only get in the way. Highlight, resize, or
otherwise clearly emphasize every line
to be recorded on every copy. If you're
Classified Network
audio
october 2011
taping narration for a pre-edited show,
write down the time codes of each
insert location, and the duration of
the space it needs to be dropped in to.
Bring a stopwatch if you have one, or
ask the engineer for assistance.
When the talent arrives, give them
the script and leave them alone to get
familiar with the material. Be nearby,
though, to answer any questions. It
might be tempting to skip this extra
prep time if you're running late, but
don't. Familiarity is a great asset in
quickly achieving successful reads.
Also, never try to rush through a
recording session. At best you'll get
reads that sound rushed. More likely
the anxiety in the air will grind the
whole process to a halt.
Listen to your talent closely for correct pronunciation as well as inflection. Exotic names or complex words
should be phonetically spelled out
on the script in parenthesis. If you're
unsure, have the talent pronounce it
every way you can think of because
you might be able to piece together
the correct phrasing later. However, do
your research - you need to know this
going in. Many a commercial has had
to be taken down due to a mispronounced regional name.
Keep in FullPageAD_NEWTemplate.indd
mind that your voice talent
48
is akin to an actor on the radio. Try
not to “act” the line for them when
describing how you would like it read.
Let them bring their personality to
the production. Describe the mood
of the line or
scene. During one of48
FullPageAD_NEWTemplate.indd
my edit sessions, a gentleman was
reading narration. In reality, his speak
was rather proper. When he had been
presented with the line, “I don't know
why I broke the microscope, I just
did,” his 'properness' came through.
He kept reading it as if to say, “It was
me that did it”. We finally got what we
wanted by explaining that the narration was written with “kid speak”
in mind, and that the line was really
implying, “I just felt like doing it, so
that's what happened”. The next read
was much closer to what we needed.
Eventually, you'll wonder if you
should take a break. For the most part,
Reach 100% of a Steadily Growing
Video-Producing Audience!
Black & White Rates
1"
2"
3"
Before getting started, have your talent do a
test read while you set the audio levels. Once
set, adjustments should be relatively minimal.
let the talent decide. If they are consistently stumbling, their reads sound
tired, or their voice is faltering or clogging, you'll be better off letting them
rest and come back fresh in a few
minutes. On the other hand, if they are
on a roll, they probably won't want to
stop. Let them keep at it for as long as
they see fit.
Towards the end of the session, the
talent might be feeling a little more
relaxed, and their reads might sound
a little more up beat. Don't be afraid
to ask them to go back and read the
first few lines at the beginning over
with this new tone. It's for this reason
that I've seen some producers actually
start an audio recording in the middle
of the script.
At the end of the day running a
voice over operation is pretty standard
fare. However, to be successful, it does
require a certain amount of technical knowledge, and a lot of personal
management. Customer service and
consistency are the keys to satisfaction. Even if your facility is not the top
of the line, when a client walks away
with a satisfactory product, and both
the talent and client were treated with
a touch of class, they'll give you their
business every time.
1x
$199
$388
$577
3x
$187
$365
$542
Color Rates
6x
$175
$341
$508
12x
$149
$291
$433
1"
2"
3"
1x
$252
$493
$733
3x
$237
$463
$689
6x
$222
$433
$645
12x
$189
$369
$550
Non-display: $4.48 per word, 20-word minimum. All initials, abbreviations, box numbers, etc. count
as words. Orders accepted by mail, e-mail or fax. Credit Card orders accepted. Prepayment required.
Closing Deadlines
For more details call or write: Tyler Kohfeld
• [email protected]
• Fax: (530) 891-8443
• Phone: (530) 891-8410 ext. 407 • P.O. Box 4591, Chico, CA 95927
Dec ‘11 Issue:
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What’s LegaL
p r o d u c e r ’s r i g h t s
by Mark Levy and Shaun R. Va v r a
What You Get:
Expert Hotline
Wait, Wasn’t That My Substantially Similar Idea?
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Copyright infringement is the act of
violating a copyright holder’s exclusive
rights granted by the federal Copyright
Act, and is nothing short of theft. The
Supreme Court recognizes copying as
“that which comes so near the original as to give every person seeing it
the idea created by the original.” The
severity of the subject can render an
infringer fined from $200 (unintentional infringement) to $150,000 (willful
infringement) per act of infringement,
or even land one in jail.
Infringement is dependent on three
components: the holder must have an
active or enforceable copyright, the alleged violator must have access to the
copyrighted material, and the duplication must be “substantially similar”
to the copyrighted material. As you
would most likely assume, the presence of these characteristics is subject
to perpetual argument. It is hence the
responsibility of the civil or criminal
court to organize this mess and to
define what is indeed infringement.
What exactly does the court deem
copyright infringement, and what exactly constitutes substantial similarity?
The answers to these questions vary
vastly from court to court.
The federal Copyright Act establishes the grounds for copyright protection. As the creator, you are granted
the privilege of the first owner. For a
copyright to be valid you must reduce
your aforementioned work to a tangible medium like paper, videotape, or
a DVD. In the United States copyright
attaches automatically upon conception of a work and registration is not
necessary, although you should register your work in the U.S. Copyright
Office if you wish to sue an infringer.
You can usually prove presence of
the information or “access” easily.
64
Presence of the information requires
that the copyright infringer of your
copyrighted material had access to the
material before he copied it. Courts
typically will revert to a question of
public access to prove presence of the
information. For instance, was your
copyrighted material displayed on
YouTube or at a film festival, or was it
stowed away in your basement?
Substantial similarity is the standard
used to determine the level of similarity between two materials. The first
rule of substantial similarity is there
are no rules. There is no quantitative
method to decide whether a duplicate
is substantially similar to your copyrighted material. This is the grayest
area of the criteria for infringement,
and most courts vary on decisions.
There are two categories of substantial similarity: comprehensive and
fragmented. Comprehensive similarities are non-literal and often implied,
where fragmented similarities are
literal, but minor segments. This is the
traditional method of approaching an
infringement claim. Has the duplicate
taken so much of the copyrighted material in either of these categories to
have wrongly appropriated something
that belongs to the owner? Different
courts have since adopted their own
methods for determining similarities. The Ninth Circuit created a test
called the Total-Concept-and-Feel Test.
This test relies on a subjective view to
determine whether the “concept and
feel” of one work is similar to another.
The Second Circuit Court of Appeals
uses a test named the AbstractionFiltration-Comparison Test. This test
compares the elements of a work at
increasing levels of abstraction, excluding the elements of that work that
are not copyrightable. Different methV IDEOMAKER >>> OctOb ER 2011
Get direct email access to the editors. Our experts
answer all video-related questions submitted by
members.
ods will inevitably lead to a spectrum
of infringement results.
Although the guidelines for infringement are vague, you can take
precautions to avoid any infringement
confrontation. The first and probably
the most important guideline is: do
not copy any material from the Internet or anywhere else. By default, all of
this material is already copyrighted.
Secondly, be aware of the scope
of copyright. Copyright pertains to
drawings, paintings, music, still photographs, film, video, literary works,
and choreographic works. It does not
pertain to names and ideas. Crossing
this boundary might lead you into the
domain of trademarks or patents.
Thirdly, stay innovative. Being original and creative ensure that you are
not violating any copyright laws.
You should make note though, as
always, there are some loopholes. If
the source you are copying was created before 1922, you are safe from
allegations of infringement. Also
in the list of exceptions is music or
sound effects that are royalty-free.
Exceptions to copying have additionally been granted under the fair use
doctrine. Fair use permits limited
copying solely for the purposes of
reporting, criticism, commentary, and
teaching. This is a complex subject,
for more insight on this subject, read
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Contributing editor Attorney Mark Levy specializes in intellectual property law. He has won many amateur moviemaking awards. Shaun R. Vavra is a legal intern and an
Electrical Engineering student at Clarkson University.
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