August 2010 - Videomaker.com

Transcription

If you can imagine it,
you can create it.
Kodak Zi8 AND
Pure Digital Flip MinoHD Reviewed Page 16
YOUR GUIDE TO CREATING AND PUBLISHING GREAT VIDEO
W
E
N
E
TH
CANON
EOS-1D Mark IV
is here!
In the studio and now on the road, you have the power to keep up with
your ideas and stay on top of your schedule.
®
AUGUST 2010
PREMIERE PRO & AFTER
EFFECTS IN CS5 REVIEWED
GUERRILLA VIDEO
PRODUCTION TIPS
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Call 1-877-607-3355 or visit www.dell.com/smb/imagine
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STORYTELLING TIPS FOR
BETTER WEDDING VIDEOS
New! Hands-On Training Green Screen & Special Effects
or Advanced Shooting www.videomaker.com/hands-on
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Contents
BLE
DOUINUM
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PLA ort Plan
Supp
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Sony are apps
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Volume 25 • Number 2
AUGUST 2010
www.videomaker.com
Features
23 Disc Authoring Software Buyer’s Guide
39 DVD Creation Within the Blu-ray Format
32 Disc Duplicators Buyer’s Guide
43 10 Tips for Guerillas on the Go
There are many types of DVD authoring software, from those
with very few functions to ones with unlimited possibilities.
Your choice depends on how gifted you are with creation.
by Marshal Rosenthal
From professional video cameras and DSLRs, to HD consumer cams
and small pocket cams, editing software has stepped up to the
challenge. We can all even edit HD video on today’s computers.
by Douglas Dixon
One Man Band. Guerilla Style. Backpack Journalist. Run-N-Gun. Lone
Wolf. You’ve heard all the call signs, but with all the advancements in
technology and improvements in production practices, isn’t it time the
name caught up with the times? Two Words – Hybrid Journalism.
by Dave Sniadak
Putting it on a Mass Order – No Problem.
by Evan Burt
The Power of 64:
Vegas™ Pro Master Suite Systems
Professional Content Creation Workstations
Introducing the Vegas™ Pro Master Suite from Sony. A comprehensive set of serious production tools designed for today’s
content creation professional. From HD to 4k and beyond, the Vegas Pro Master Suite delivers broad format support,
precise editing tools, and unrivaled audio control in an efficient, highly integrated environment. Perfect for modern
file-based workflows, this professional suite includes everything you need to edit video and audio, encode to multiple
formats, compose music beds, create 5.1 surround sound mixes, burn CDs, and author DVD and Blu-ray Discs™.
Columns
The Supermicro® line of content creation workstations provides the ideal environment for the
Vegas Pro Master Suite. Featuring Intel® Core™ i7 and Intel® Xeon® processors, these 64-bit systems
can power through the most demanding editing tasks. At the heart of these systems is
Microsoft® Windows® 7 and Vegas Pro software, delivering a breathtaking end-to-end 64-bit
production experience.
ON THE COVER
YOUR GUIDE TO CREATING AND PUBLISHING GREAT VIDEO
W
THE NE
CANON
EOS-1D Mark IV
Key Features include:
full screen
The Craft
by Matthew York
48 Basic Training
KODAK Zi8 AND
PURE DIGITAL FLIP MINO HD REVIEWED PAGE 16
For more information on the Vegas Pro Master Suite systems, please visit our website at
www.sonycreativesoftware.com/mastersuite.
contents
2 Viewfinder
• Canon EOS-1D Mark IV
• Pure Digital Flip MinoHD
• Kodak Zi8
Training and Support: All Supermicro® turnkey solutions featuring the Vegas Pro Master Suite
include the Seminar Series Training DVDs for Vegas™ Pro, Sound Forge™ Pro, and ACID™ Pro, plus the
FASST Start Vegas DVD from VASST. These optimized Supermicro systems include Sony’s Double
Platinum support plan: Two years of telephone support plus two years of Sony application updates
from the original date of purchase.
• Real-time native editing of a wide variety of
SD, HD, and 2K/4K formats, with the ability
to mix resolutions and frame rates on the
same timeline.
• Flexible, intuitive User Interface featuring
dockable windows and a consistent look
and feel across all of the applications.
• Compatibility with industry-standard I/O
devices, including products from AJA Video
Systems and Blackmagic Design.
• Sample-based audio editing, 5.1 mixing,
and multichannel mastering at 64-bit float
/192 kHz resolutions.
• DVD and Blu-ray Disc™ authoring and
encoding, including full Dolby® Professional
AC-3 Encoding license.
• Unprecedented Double Platinum Support Plan:
Two years of telephone support, along with two
years of Sony application updates from the
date of original purchase.
is here!
Multi-Camera Shooting
by Kyle Cassidy
®
AUGUST 2010
PREMIERE PRO & AFTER
EFFECTS IN CS5 REVIEWED
GUERRILLA VIDEO
PRODUCTION TIPS
Supermicro® Professional
Supermicro® Pro Plus
Supermicro® Extreme
• Microsoft® Windows® 7 64-bit
Operating System
• Intel® Core™ i7-960 processor
Operating System
• Two Intel® Xeon® processors E5520
Operating System
• Two Intel® Xeon® processors E5540
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
(8M Cache, 3.20 GHz, 4.80 GT/s Intel® QPI)
8 GB RAM
1 TB System Drive
1 TB Data Drive
DVD-RW Drive
Nvidia® Quadro® FX580
12 GB RAM
1 TB System Drive
1 TB Data Drive
DVD-RW Drive
Blu-ray BD-R drive
48
43
32
16 GB RAM
1 TB System Drive
1 TB Data Drive
(2) 300GB 15k SAS Data Drives
DVD-RW Drive
Blu-ray BD-R drive
STORYTELLING TIPS FOR
BETTER WEDDING VIDEOS
New! Hands-On Training Green Screen & Special Effects
or Advanced Shooting www.videomaker.com/hands-on
Next Month
180 Degree Rule and Screen Direction Tips
Make a Documentary Part 3 – Shooting and Editing
Tapeless Production Workflow
On Sale August 10, 2010
51 Lighting
Finding the Light
by Terry O’Rourke
Earn Income with Training Videos
by Earl Chessher
56 Editing
Multi-cam Editing for All
by Mark Montgomery
61 Audio
Top 10 Best Voice Over Tips
by Hal Robertson
64 Take 5
Storytelling Tips for Better
Wedding Videos
by Scott Memmott
VIDEOMAKER >>> AUGUST 2010
10
Departments
4
6
8
58
In Box Reader Letters
New Gear Hot Off the Presses
Reader Profile Behind the Lens
Ad Index
Reviews
10 Adobe CS5 Production Premium
• Premiere Pro
• After Effects
by Brian Peterson
53 Projects that Pay
print
Copyright ©2010. Sony Creative Software Inc. All rights reserved. “SONY” and “make.believe” are trademarks of Sony Corporation.
56
14 Canon EOS-1D Mark IV
Digital SLR Camera
by Dan Bruns
16
Two Pocket Camcorders
• Pure Digital - Flip MinoHD
• Kodak - Zi8
by Evan Burt
18 Arri H-2
“Hybrid” AC Kit
by Mark Holder
contents
20 Cerise
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12 Core Computer
by Lance Olinger
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1
VIEWFINDER
Videomaker empowers people to make video in a way
that inspires, encourages and equips for success. We
do this by building a community of readers, web visitors,
viewers, attendees and marketers.
by Matthew Yo rk
The Craft
Making video is time consuming and
sometimes this seems burdensome.
However if making video were too
easy, it would be a set of simple tasks
and not a craft. Granted people can
make video with a mobile phone
these days, but video made this way
is typically not as good as video made
with a nice camcorder.
A craft requires skill and/or the
capacity to do something well. A
craftsperson is meticulous, as they
do things very carefully and with
great attention to detail. Making good
video requires mastering a variety of
techniques and the development of
special abilities.
Great video creators can spend an
hour or more making adjustments to
a tripod in an effort to get a camera
angle exactly as envisioned in his/her
mind’s eye. One can walk around an
expansive park for hours looking for
just that perfect angle for the best
background, foreground and lighting
for a single shot. There are hundreds
of aspects of making video, each with
the potential to have a huge impact
upon the quality of the final product.
Simple camcorders have just a few
buttons and settings to adjust, while
professional camcorders have dozens
of buttons, switches, rings or dials,
each presenting the opportunity for a
multitude of settings.
How then should you manage
your time? It seems to me that it
depends upon your budget. If you are
trying to earn a profit, then you need
to be mindful of each hour that you
invest in making the video meet the
expectations of the clients. As you
exceed their expectations, you move
closer to lowering your wages as you
are consuming the time you have for
the next project. If you have no budget and have no client or customer
then you are perhaps making the video because you are passionate about
it. You could invest the rest of your
life making just one video that you
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publisher/editor
associate publisher
Scott Memmott
Jennifer O’Rourke
Derek Sine
Dan Bruns
Julie Babcock
contributing editors
Kyle Cassidy
Mark Levy
Mark Montgomery
Hal Robertson
advertising director
feel strongly about. There’s a message
contained in that video, which you
feel the world needs to learn.
Unless one has no obligation - no
bills, no family, no job - time and
passion are hard to manage. Usually,
outside forces manage these things
for us. We all have a limited amount
of time and whether we want them or
not, other things are always competing for our attention. Making fantastic
video often gets abbreviated, thereby
becoming simple excellent video.
However, we can’t always be sure that
more time leads to better video.
We live in a big world with hundreds of millions of people making
video. I am sure that someone is
making a video with a mobile phone
that they will indeed spend the rest
of their life tweaking on a daily basis.
Income, finances and money are not a
primary concern of theirs as they are
totally focused upon the final product.
What is the final product? The movement of the hearts and the enlightenment of the minds of the viewers?
How much time is this worth?
Matthew York is Videomaker's Publisher/Editor.
FEEDBACk
For comments on this article, email us
at [email protected], use article
#14544 in the subject line.
advertising representatives
telephone (530) 891-8410
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mail order accounts
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marketing director
marketing coordinator
marketing coordinator
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Watch a video of
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P R I N T E D IN USA
VIDEOMAKER >>> A ugust 2010
©2010 Primera Technology, Inc. Primera and Bravo are registered trademarks of Primera Technology, Inc.
IN BOX
readers' letters
Address your letters to In Box, c/o Videomaker, P.O. Box 4591, Chico, CA 95927.
Videomaker is unable to process personal replies; however, questions of interest to the Videomaker readership will appear in print. You can also submit In
Box entries by e-mail: [email protected].
Submissions to In Box become the property of Videomaker, and we hold the
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Publication of In Box letters is at the discretion of the Videomaker Editorial staff
and does not represent the opinions of Videomaker, York Publishing nor any of
its advertisers or representatives.
Likes the Added Touch
perhaps start a little business doing
wedding videos, events, etc. or, if not,
just have fun with better equipment.
I have a good knowledge of basic
consumer video stuff, but very little
knowledge in the professional world.
As I researched, I stumbled on to
your website, loved it, found it very
helpful and then decided to subscribe
Videomaker and Pro Producers
to the magazine. (Sometimes, I just
In a recent edition of Videomaker
like to sit in a warm cozy chair with
magazine Matt York asked, “Should
a cup of coffee and flip through the
Videomaker serve those who want to
magazine, rather than stare at a commake home movies or the professionputer screen.) I like the magazine very
al videographer?” (January 2010 issue,
much, find it to be a good mix of amawww.videomaker.com/article/14518/)
teur and professional information and
I can only speak for myself obviit has helped me plan for the future. I
ously but, as a brand new subscriber,
imagine there are a lot of people like
I can at least let you know what motime who are just trying to transition to
vated me to subscribe to Videomaker.
the next stage.
I am a “home movie” guy who is
So I would like to see in future
trying to make the transition to proarticles professional recommendafessional videographer. For 30 years, I
have worked in a non-video industry. I tions for people like me. People who
am in medical product sales. However, are planning on moving into the pro
world and are about to make major
as my children have grown up, I have
purchases, but are afraid to make the
taken many home movies over the
wrong choice and wish we were more
years... births, baptisms, graduations
knowledgeable. It’s easy to upgrade,
etc. Several years ago, I decided to
or discard a $200 camera, but not one
move my old VHS tapes to DVD. Since
that costs $3500. Proper choices are
I love computers and technology, I
key when spending big money.
decided to do it myself. I bought “PinI would like to see an article from
nacle Movie Maker” and entered the
some professionals who could answer
world of video editing. I was hooked.
the question: “If I could start off clean,
Since then, I have bought Adobe
Premiere Elements, Sony Movie Studio and had $10 to $20,000 to spend
what would I buy and why?” (i.e. Mac
etc. I have experimented and learned,
or Windows? Premiere or Final Cut?
and have encountered all of the basic
CMOS or CCD? What microphone
problems of making movies and editfunctionality? What file format? What
ing on lower level equipment.
lighting system? DVD or Hard Drive
Now that I am 54 years old, and
looking to retirement, I decided to step or SD? etc, etc.) Perhaps it could
be looked at various budget levels
things up, get more professional and
(i.e. $5,000, or $10,000 or
$20,000). Perhaps it could be
http://videomaker.com/community/forums
looked at as a complete WinI recently purchased Pinnacle Studio
Version 14. One thing I like about the
article, you inserted web links where
I could download “tutorials” to guide
me through Version 14.
Mel
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4
dows system or complete Mac system.
Basically, the question is… based on
today’s technology, what would the
ideal setup look like? Even if I don’t
understand it now, the basic recommendation would allow me to grow
and learn and make the right choices
and not regret my purchase later.
(Great magazine. I’ll be a subscriber
for many years to come.)
Steve Bonaccorsi , Philadelphia, PA
We hear ya, Steve! In some ways we
can help you a lot, in other ways, not so
much. There’s a new column this year
called “Projects that Pay” in hopes of
enlightening readers on businesses that
make money making video. Watch for
that column running every-other issue
beginning with the February 2010 issue.
The first “Projects that Pay” story was
on tips for starting up a wedding video
business, our next one was TV versus
Web advertising, followed by court
video and many more business opportunity stories are in the plans.
Unfortunately, we can’t be too specific with hardware or software setups,
as each individual’s needs are different,
and what you’d want to shoot and edit
with might be very different than the
next reader. However, if you go to our
forums (www. videomaker.com/community/forums/) you’ll find many unique
hardware and software specific threads
that are already discussing your
concerns, and you’re welcome to begin
your own. Our forums readers are a
valuable source of information for our
readership, we encourage you to join.
—The Editors
FEEDBACK
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NEW GEAR
hot off the presses
by Derek Sine
Panasonic
Panasonic introduced the AG-HMC80 professional AVCCAM HD shouldermount camcorder, a low-cost AVCHD camcorder to feature solid state DV
and HD recording capabilities. The AG-HMC80 shoots 10.6-megapixel still
images to an SD card as well as full 1920 x 1080 AVCHD video. Loaded
with many pro features in a shoulder mount form factor, this camera is
ideal for event videographers. Available in September.
www.panasonic.com | MSRP $2,895
K-Tek introduced the Norbert Camera Accessory Mounting System – an
accessory management system designed for the next generation of videocapable HDSLRs and compact high-definition video cameras. The Norbert
system has mounting options for both tripod and handheld use. With tons
of accessories available on the market, the Norbert gives you a foundation
to build your camera kit with limitless possibilities.
K-Tek
www.ktekbooms.com | MSRP $425
Redrock Micro
The microRemote from Redrock Micro is a new wireless focus system that
uses an optional iPhone or iPod Touch interface to graphically compare
your current focus, the distance the microTape rangefinder reads is the
subject, and the available range of focus according to your lens’ depth of
field. The microRemote capitalizes on Apple’s touchscreen interface, while
also using a mechanical based focus wheel.
www.redrockmicro.com | Estimated around $1,000
As HDSLRs become increasingly popular for videographers, the demand
for suitable transportation and storage of them has grown. The Pro-Light
Resource-61 is Kata’s answer to that need. Keeping durability and weight
in mind, the Pro-Light Resource-61 shoulder bag consists of RipStop
fabrics, meshes, Aeriform foams, honeycomb panels and spider-webbing
straps with adjustable/removable pouches and dividers.
Kata
www.kata-bags.com | MSRP $240
Hoodman
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broadcast quality editing for USB 3.0 computers!
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IMBED: 4:2:2
Hoodman adds a new HDSLR accessory to its arsenal, the HoodCrane, allowing you to attach the HoodLoupe to the back of your camera and easily
switch between shooting photos and video. It attaches to the hot shoe and
provides a coldshoe for other accessories. The HoodCrane is very flexible
and adjustable, making it ideal for any HDSLR shooter.
www.hoodmanusa.com | MSRP $100
print
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Powerful Image Processor
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Use the Software You Love!
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Incredible Quality with USB 3.0
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5WRGT5RGGF™75$VQCNNQYJKIJGUVSWCNKV[DKV
*&XKFGQECRVWTGCPFRNC[DCEM5WRGT5RGGF75$
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GCUKN[JCPFNGUVJGJKIJGUVSWCNKV[DKVWPEQORTGUUGF*&XKFGQ
YKVJOCZKOWOTGCNVKOGGHHGEVU
UltraStudio Pro
895
$
Windows™ Version
Learn more today at www.blackmagic-design.com
VIDEOMAKER >>> AUg U st 2010
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Name: Shannon Newby
Cameras: Two Panasonic AG-DVX100A
Editing System: Laird Telemedia Dvora
Editing Platform: Avid Xpress DV 3.5
Microphone: Sennheiser ME66 (Shotgun Mic) Sennheiser
Wireless Transmitter Ew100 and Lavalieres
Support Gear: Bogen Manfrotto Tripod, Glidecam 2000
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8
asking me to videotape weddings,
birthday parties, and other events.
As the years went on, request for my
services became more in demand
and before I knew it I was running
my own company full time. I have
worked on productions for Johnson
and Higgins Insurance Firm, Keystone Mercy Health Plan, the School
district of Philadelphia and have
worked with Philadelphia Mayor
Michael Nutter several times.
As my television series continues
to grow I am looking to stop all other
production work and focus solely
on my artistic endeavors. Out the
House Motion Pictures was born late
one night in 1995 as a joke. I was 22
years old and all the aspiring filmmakers I knew in Philadelphia had
their own production companies.
None had an office, script, finished
video, or a clue, but they all had business cards claiming to be ‘CEO’ of a
production company. I thought that
was funny, until I got one of my most
memorable lessons about being in
the business video and film biz.
I was sitting with the director of a
16-mm student feature film in which
I worked as director of photography,
first assistant director and about
100 other jobs, having a passionate conversation about how much I
loved filmmaking and how frustrated
I felt because it seemed that as hard
as I was working I wasn’t getting as
far as hoped. She said I have more
knowledge and talent than any other
filmmaker she knows, but no one
is going to take me seriously until I
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CAMCORDERS
Video creation is sometimes a singular business, but video producers are
a social lot. Our curiosity about our readers has inspired us to create this
column to introduce you to your fellow video producers.
I saw my first movie at the 3 years
old. It was a Godzilla picture and my
mom says the moment the movie
started I was hooked. When was 9
and I discovered what a movie director
was, my career path was chosen.
I got my first job in the business
when I was 13 years old. I assisted a
producer of video church programs.
I lugged endless amounts of equipment from his station wagon to the
church, including a Ikegami camera
that weighed about as much as a
Buick. It wasn’t long before I started
making my own movies and editing
them using two VCRs. At 18, I took
my first video production course at
the Community College of Philadelphia and learned the fundamentals
of video using a Sony Hi8.
I’m now 36 years old and own a
film and television production company. I have been experiencing the evolution of video technology first hand
for more than two decades. For me to
stay current with the abundance of
new technology on the market, I rely
on Videomaker magazine as my most
valuable tool. I first started reading
Videomaker magazine in 2002. It’s
created by video geeks for video geeks
who actually go out and clock hours
with the goods.
I started my company Out the
House Motion Pictures, in 1995,
producing the science fiction public
television series Heavy Sedation,
shown on 42 stations in the U.S.,
Canada and the United Kingdom.
I was always a filmmaker and
people who knew me as such started
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]PZP[\ZVUSPULH[HKVYHTHJVT
have a production company. “Just get
some cards”. I reluctantly agreed, but
I needed a name for the company
and a recurring joke came to mind.
As a young broke man with lofty
artistic dreams living with my parents, I endured an ongoing barrage
from my mother. All I wanted to do
was work on film and video projects
and I neglected many of my chores.
So everyday, my mom would threaten me in the most colorful ways to
put me out in the street. It became a
running joke. I quipped to the director, “I’m going to call myself Out the
House Productions.” And here I am.
As video producers, we are in a
presentation business. People rarely
look beyond a bad first impression.
If you are on the fringe as a hobby or
artistic video producer and want your
video production company to grow
into a solid business, as arbitrary as it
sounds often times the first thing you
need to do is treat your business, like
a business. I learned that to succeed
in this business talent is not enough.
You have to be a business person. It’s
not selling out, it’s you selling you.
FS300
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Available in Silver, Red, Blue
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EVERIO GZ-HD620BUS
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• Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar Lens,
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• 2.7” Touch Panel LCD
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• 3.3 Megapixel,
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Available In: Black
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• 8GB Internal Memory
Shannon Newby, Living my Dream
Interested in telling us about your video-producing
passion? Send us your profile, in 500 words or less, to
[email protected], using “Reader Profile” in the
subject line. Please send us usable photos and tell us
about your gear. For more details, go to our website
and follow this link: www.videomaker.com/r/371.
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Pink & Yellow.
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Adobe CS5 Production Premium
Figure 1
Adobe CS5
Production Premium
Adobe systems, inc.
345 Park Ave.
San Jose, CA 95110
www.adobe.com
strengths
• Increased speed of key apps,
improved stability, workflow and
collaboration.
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weAknesses
•Hardware purchase(s) may be
required to realize full performance
gains.
$1,699 Upgrade from: $599
10
0.2
1.1
25.0
Dropped frames
1786
1733
299
CPU load (approx)
90%
99%
90%
Timeline render (seconds)
failed
720
60 (real time)
Project 1
Project 2
Playback (Target of 23.98 FPS)
0
1.55
18.3
Dropped frames
1438
1345
340
CPU load (approx)
99%
85%
97%
292
720
60 (real time)
Playback (Target of 29.97 FPS)
~7
12.7
29.97
Dropped frames
~1375 1040
0
CPU load (approx)
99
95
14
86
172
60 (real time)
Blu-ray h.264 encode (1920x1080) 2322
2470
250
MPEG2 DVD encode (720x480)
1186
970
175
AVI export (720x480)
1809
518
115
Project 3
B
Creating test procedures and interpreting results can easily morph from
simple to rocket science. Don’t worry,
we aren't going to get overly technical, but to understand the results, it’s
important to know the tests setups.
Our test computer is an 8-core 2.33
Playback (Target of 30 FPS)
Project 2
b y B r i a n Peterson
At the Bench
CS5
CS5
software only GPU accelerated
Project 1
Premiere Pro & After Effects
y now, you have heard about some
of the important new improvements in the Adobe CS5 Production
Premium suite. If you haven’t, check
out our recent coverage reviewing the
highlights (www.videomaker.com/article/14655/). In this review, we are
going to focus on the key performance
improvements in the core application
you use most, Premiere Pro, along
with another look at After Effects.
CS4
GHz Intel Xeon system with 32 GB of
RAM and an nVidia Quadro CX graphics card (see sidebar for complete system specs and visit www.videomaker.
com/article/14297/ for a review of
the nVidia card). We installed a fresh
copy of Windows 7 64-bit, loaded all
the updates and latest drivers then
installed CS5 Production Premium
and defragged our one system and
four project array drives. Our hard
drive array read transfer rate averaged
182MB/s with a 16.3ms average access
time. As you can see, this machine,
while robust, is not the fastest box
out there, so the benchmarks we note
shouldn’t be limited to the experience
of just a few speed geeks.
To get the most out of CS5, you may
need to get a new nVidia graphics
card. In case you are not able to do
this right away, we ran identical tests
in CS5 with and without GPU acceleration. We also ran the same tests in CS4
just to give you a sense of the relative
performance improvements.
Finally, and we are only going to say
it once, your results may vary.
Premiere Pro
We measured three key processes;
timeline playback, timeline rendering
and encoding (now available without
opening Media Encoder). For timeline
VIDEOMAKER >>> August 2010
playback, we measured display frames
per second (FPS) and CPU load by
engaging a handy trick you can use as
well if your graphics card supports it.
Open a project in Premiere Pro, press
control+F12 to bring up the console
dialogue. Select the Debug Database
view under the option drop down and
change the EnableDogEars setting to
True. You may need to restart your
project to see the variety of useful
performance metrics keyed over the
program monitor. There is no performance display in CS4, so we had to
estimate FPS (yes, it was slow enough
to estimate manually) and we determined CPU load by using the windows
Task Manager Performance window.
Why is CPU load important? The
new 64-bit architecture allows us to
cram our systems with practically
an unlimited amount of usable RAM.
That means we can have far more applications open, so having some extra
processing headroom becomes valuable. To measure timeline rendering
and output encoding times, we simply
used a stopwatch.
We ran three test projects that
consisted of a variety of HD file types
compatible with both CS4 and CS5 to
test various aspects of performance.
We kept the project lengths to 60-seconds simply to allow us to run repeat
Project 3
Project 1 Encoding Output
tests. We applied effects to each layer
and, in the case of CS5, used CUDA accelerated effects (CS5 comes with 30).
In Project 1, we tried to provide
a mix of HD (and one SD) file types
regardless of how the GPU acceleration would handle the task. NVidia
provided the project and media files
for Project 2 that gives an impressive
demonstration of the GPU performance with P2 HD files. Project 3 is a
random selection from among dozens
Test System Details:
• Operating system: Windows 7
Ultimate 64-bit
• Motherboard: Tyan S2696
• CPU: 2 - Intel Xeon 4-core E5345
2.33 GHz processors
• Overclocking: No
• RAM: 32GB DDR2-666
• Graphics card: nVidia Quadro CX
• Video RAID: 6000GB SATA RAID 0
10,000 RPM
of simple 720p commercial projects
we had lying around in our system.
With this one, we did swap out our effects for the GPU accelerated versions.
Lastly, we set our Program window
to 100% full resolution and waited
for all hard drive activity to normalize
after loading each project before running the tests. Here is how the projects
stacked up and shook out. (See fig. 1)
Numbers Talk
As you can see, CS5 with the Mercury
Playback Engine, GPU acceleration
and native 64-bit software, combine
to give you remarkable performance
improvements in timeline playback
and encoding. But, remove GPU acceleration and you have to wait for
everything, including nearly 10 times
as long for your h.264 encode to
complete. Our CPU load percentages
are higher than those we saw during
the Adobe pre-release presentations.
This may be due to our rather slow
2.33GHz CPUs. We also were surprised
to see faster times for some CS4 render and encoding operations compared to the non-GPU accelerated CS5.
Of course, many other factors affect
your editing experience that we have
not touched on here. A key factor we
really could not put into numbers is
how, with GPU acceleration on, scrubbing the timeline is almost as smooth
as analog tape used to be, even with
computationally intensive projects. In
addition, simple things like how fast
the project loads can be important as
even mid-sized documentary projects
can normally take 15 minutes or more
to load. While this process is heavily
dependent on hard disc performance,
CS5 loaded our projects noticeably
faster than CS4.
After Effects and Friend
contents
After Effects can now blast through
that dreaded 4GB limit. In fact, you
don’t even see that on the splash
screen at start up. The big news, of
course, is that you can now get much
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11
REviEwS
Adobe CS5 Production Premium
New Classes Added!
longer RAM previews. In our test with
a 17-layer 30-second project, it took
134 seconds to render the full 30seconds. As long as you don’t move
tracks around, the rendered frames
will stay in memory allowing for agile
navigation around the timeline. We
were able to render even longer RAM
previews, although it was unclear if
this was due to some disc caching. It is
clear, however, that AE can now use all
the RAM you can throw at it.
We've had more time to play with
the new Rotobrush since our last look
and believe it has lots of potential. It
does take time to “train” AE to recognize what is supposed to be in and
outside of the keyed area. We found
we could count on Rotobrush to reliably find the higher contrast edges but
we had to judge the footage on a caseby-case basis before determining if it
would result in actual timesavings.
Dynamic Link in CS5 between AE
and Premiere Pro is featured as being
faster than in CS4. With Premiere
Pro already open, it took less than
two seconds to create a new linked
sequence to our test. After Effects CS5
comp and CS4 was nearly the same.
You may find Photoshop becomes
a closer friend for quickly and easily
creating assets for your production.
The new Content Aware fill works
some truly magical pixel manipulation. Select a part of the image you
TECH SPECS
Windows
Processor: 64-bit Intel Pentium 4 or AMD Athlon 64 (Intel Core2 Duo
or AMD Phenom II recommended); Intel Core2 Duo or AMD Phenom II required for
Adobe Premiere Pro
Software: 64-Bit Operating System Required - Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium, Business, Ultimate or Enterprise with Service Pack 1 (Service Pack 2 recommended) or Windows 7
Minimum Ram: 2GB of RAM (4GB or more recommended)
Graphics: 1280x900 display (1280x1024 recommended) with qualified hardwareaccelerated OpenGL graphics card, 16-bit color and 256MB of VRAM. Adobe-certified GPU card for GPU-accelerated performance in Adobe Premiere Pro; visit www.
adobe.com/go/premiere_systemreqs for the latest list of supported cards.
Storage: 7200 RPM hard drive for editing compressed video formats; RAID 0 for
uncompressed
Audio: Sound card compatible with ASIO protocol or Microsoft Windows Driver
Model
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Mac OS: Multicore Intel processor with 64-bit support
Software: Mac OS X v10.5.7 or v10.6.3; Mac OS X v10.6.3 required for GPU-accelerated performance in Adobe Premiere Pro
Minimum Ram: 2GB of RAM (4GB or more recommended)
Graphics: 1280x900 display (1280x1024 recommended) with qualified hardwareaccelerated OpenGL graphics card, 16-bit color and 256MB of VRAM. Adobe-certified GPU card for GPU-accelerated performance in Adobe Premiere Pro; visit www.
adobe.com/go/premiere_systemreqs for the latest list of supported cards.
Storage: 7200 RPM hard drive for editing compressed video formats; RAID 0 for
uncompressed
Audio: Core Audio-compatible sound card
12
want replaced with the background
and hit delete… that's it. We found
this worked perfectly in about half of
our dozen tests. Three gave us good
starting points for further refining
and the other three didn’t cut it.
There is a host of new and improved
3D tools within Photoshop that may
keep you from diving into a dedicated (and usually complicated) 3D
THEREISAHOSTOFnEW
AnDIMPROVED3DTOOLS
WITHIn PHOTOSHOP.
application. The 3D extrusion tool,
Repousse, is particularly cool. We
made a basic 3D title from 2D text in
just a few clicks.
Worth the (no) Wait
For many of us, the transition to HD
has been painful. It has bruised our
bank accounts and whacked at our
workflow. Nowhere has the pain been
so palpable and frustrating than during our edit sessions. That’s why CS5
is so welcomed. The Mercury Playback Engine coupled with a compatible nVidia graphics card can make
editing many types of HD material as
fluid as SD. It's practically like getting
an entirely new and much (much)
faster computer. Of course, you are
almost compelled to inject the right
nVidia graphics card and you’ll likely
be tempted to pour more RAM into
your box, so the upgrade to CS5 may
end up costing more than you initially
anticipated. If you have the budget,
the results are worth it.
SUMMARY
Significant improvements to key performance areas make CS5 a must-have
upgrade for serious video producers.
Brian Peterson is a video production consultant, trainer,
and lecturer.
FEEDBACk
The Basics of Video
Production
WORKSHOPS
Advanced
Editing
Advanced
NEW! Shooting
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The perfect way to introduce
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planning to shooting, lighting,
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Take your videos to the next
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Jun 4-6, 2010, Aug 13-15, 2010,
Aug 13-15, 2010, Dec 10-12, 2010,
This hands-on course is for
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Oct 15-17, 2010, Dec 10-12, 2010,
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Jun 4-6, 2010, Oct 15-17, 2010,
Learn how to use green screens
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Aug 13-15, 2010
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May 13-15, 2011
Intensive
Lighting
Documentary
Production
Learn the basics of lighting
theory and equipment, as well
as hands-on practical lighting
setups for common video scenes
such as interviews, product
shots, green screens, outdoor
exteriors, and more. Because you
will not only learn how to do the
setups, but also be doing them
yourselves, seating is limited.
Learn the secrets of successfully producing your own
documentary. Using real-life
examples, you will learn
step-by-step what it takes to
make it in this specialized field.
Every important phase will be
covered, from planning and
budgeting to specific production
techniques and distribution.
When it comes to sound for your
video, knowing how to capture
and edit audio should be at the
top of anyone's list of priorities.
Learn the types of mics and their
pick-up patterns, which mics are
the best fit for each situation,
tips on how to capture quality
audio on set, and how to fix and
clarify audio in post-production.
Considering starting your own video
production business? You've probably realized just how much there
is to learn in order to be successful.
Let our staff help you start your
business off right. Designed to help
you go pro, this class will allow
you to examine your skills, assess
equipment needs, master the market and sell your services.
Oct 15-17, 2010, May 13-15, 2011
Dec 10-12, 2010
Mar 18-20, 2011
Feb 25-27, 2011
CLASS SIZES ARE
SMALL SO SEATING
IS LIMITED.
REGISTER TODAY!
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for Video
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NEW! with Video
Join the experts of Videomaker magazine for 3 days of intense, comprehensive,
entertaining and informational training at the Videomaker National Headquarters in
beautiful Chico, California. Network with the staff and other videographers while
you master the skills needed to create professional-quality video.
TO REGISTER OR GET MORE INFORMATION - CALL 800-284-3226
or go to www.events.videomaker.com/2010
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 959274591. Fax: 530-891-8443, Attn Customer Service.
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Canon EOS 1D Mark IV
Canon EOS-1D
Mark IV Digital
SLR Camera
The Video
If excellent picture quality wasn't
enough, Canon added the exciting
feature of shooting video at a full
1080P resolution. The 1D can shoot
in a variety of frame rates including
1280x720 (720P) at 60 frames per second, 1920x1080 (1080P) at 24 frames
per second, and 1920x1080 (1080P)
at 30 frames per second. Of course,
A DSLR for
Movie Makers
b y D a n Bruns
O
ne of the most glaring omissions
from prosumer cameras over the
years has been a camcorder with a
quality interchangeable lens system
and shallow depth of field. While
some may argue that this had already
been possible with 35 millimeter
adapter kits, it only takes a quick look
at the sacrifice in light and productivity filmmakers have had to deal with
to know that there had to be another
way. For years, filmmakers have been
eagerly waiting for some way to attach
their popular high quality SLR lenses
natively to their cameras without
having to carry around heavy equip-
Canon UsA, inc.
One Canon Plaza
Lake Success, NY 11042
www.usa.canon.com
strengths
•Shallow DOF
•Many frame rate and resolution choices
•Excellent build and external controls
weAknesses
contents
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•No manual audio control
•Complex autofocus
•No dedicated switch between stills
and video
$4,999
14
TeCH sPeCs
ment, burn their talent with light,
and most of all, break the bank. Enter
video DSLRs. Even in the short period
of time that video DSLRs have been
available, they have improved rapidly,
making huge strides in technology
and design. In this pursuit, Canon’s
EOS-1D Mark IV gets awfully close to
finally getting everything in a video
DSLR right.
The Stills
Being that the Canon EOS-1D Mark
IV started out as a still camera for
serious photographers, it seems only
fair to review its still image functions
first. In this particular category, the
camera has a chance to show off the
years of refinement that Canon has
been able to put into their professional line of products. As a result,
the camera has the ability to shoot
highly detailed 16 megapixel images
in either the popular uncompressed
RAW or JPEG formats to its blazingly
fast Dual DIGIC 4 processor. As an
added bonus, with its large viewfinder and 920,000 dot LCD screen,
framing up and focusing photographs
was easy to accomplish. In fact, the
entire camera body has been designed to fit neatly in one hand while
holding either the lens or the bottom
of the unit with the other. This, along
with excellent lens-based optical image stabilizers, allow users to get very
steady still and video shots. Interestingly, in our test with the camera, we
found it to be more stable than what
we were able to achieve with our
newest high definition camcorder.
Also, as an added convenience,
Canon includes inputs on the side
of the camera for an external flash
control, wireless file transfer device,
and an intervalometer. Additionally,
the Canon EOS-1D Mark IV also has
an array of external buttons and dials
that allow you to switch to different ISOs, white balance, f-stops, and
shutter speeds.
Image stabilization lenses are ideal for steady shots
Format: Compact Flash TypeI and II,
SD/SDHC Memory Card
Sensor: 1 CMOS
Sensor Size: 27.9 x 18.6 mm
Pixels on Sensor: 17,000,000
Effective Pixels: 16,100,000
Focus: Auto/Manual
Shutter Speed: Auto/Manual
Maximum Shutter Speed: 1/8000
Minimum Shutter Speed: 30" or Bulb
(Open Shutter)
Image Stabilization: None
Manual White Balance: Yes
Viewfinder: Still and Video
LCD Monitor: 3"
Progressive Scan: Yes
HD Modes: 1280x720P60fps,
1920x1080P 24fps, 1920x1080P 30fps
Video In: No
Video Out: Composite/HDMI
Mono/Stereo Recording: Mono
Microphone
Microphone In: Stereo
Manual Audio Level Controls: No
Headphone Jack: No
Speaker: Yes
Memory Card Included: No
External Battery Charger Provided: Yes
Battery Type: Lithium Ion
Onboard Video Light: No
Accessory Shoe: Yes
these frame rates are technically
23.976 and 29.976 frames per second in order to conform with the
NTSC standard, but when switched
to PAL, the camera can shoot at 50
and 25 frames per second. With
so many options, Canon has given
filmmakers an invaluable tool in
helping their footage look like film.
Almost as exciting as full HD is,
the Canon 1D’s superb ability is to
shoot beautiful images in low light
conditions. With its large APS-H sensor size and noise reduction technology, the Canon EOS-1D Mark IV can
shoot in the darkest of situations without having to sacrifice image quality.
In our tests, we found that we could
easily go up to ISO 1600 without any
noticeable noise in the frame. With
this kind of incredible range, Canon
has finally given filmmakers the ability to shoot scenes without having
to bathe them in light. As a result,
Videomaker was even able to use the
versatility of the 1D to its advantage in
our most recent Basic Training Tutorial segments on movie genres with
some fantastic results: http://www.
videomaker.com/video/tutorials/.
Another welcome feature of the
Canon EOS-1D Mark IV is its ability
to record to CompactFlash. What this
means is that when the time comes
to offload footage from the camera
to a computer, the transfer will be
faster than real time, saving filmmakers valuable time and money. On the
other hand, filming to CompactFlash
rather than tape means that in order
to archive footage, one must either
place the files on a hard drive or optical disk instead of being able to keep
them on the tape they were shot on.
Either way, both discs and hard drive
memory prices are constantly becoming more affordable so in the future,
this will probably not be a problem.
As great as this camera sounds,
there are two features that are noticeably absent. First, the Canon EOS-1D
Mark IV, like the 7D has an audio auto
V I D E O M A K E R > > > Au g u s t 2 0 1 0
gain feature that is not possible to turn
off. Even with a wireless microphone
plugged into its external mic jack, this
made for very distorted audio as the
feature often became confused about
which noise to set its audio level to.
Fortunately, this problem has already
been fixed with a firmware update on
the Canon 5D, so we hope it's just a
matter of time before this update hits
the 1D. In the meantime, the built-in
mic on the 1D really surprised us with
its sound quality even in noisy environments, so thankfully all is not lost.
The Bottom Line
All things considered, for dedicated
pros looking for film-like shallow
depth of field and full 1080P recording, the Canon EOS-1D Mark IV
delivers. This, combined with Canon’s
series of proven lenses, gives this camera a real chance of making a huge
impact on the filmmaking world.
sUMMArY
With full 1080P resolution at 24 to
30 frames per second and low noise
capabilities, Canon once again gives
filmmakers a compelling reason to
trade in their camcorders for a DSLR.
Dan Bruns is an Associate Editor at Videomaker.
contents
FEEDBACk
15
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reviews
reviews
Pure Digital Flip Mino HD and Kodak Zi8
Pure Digital
Flip Mino HD
and
Kodak
Zi8 Camcorders
it’s amazingly simple to use. Hit the
record button and you’re rolling. Hit
it again and you’re done. Hit play and
you can instantly review your footage.
Hit the trash button, and boom, those
old unwanted videos are history.
Like any product, the Mino HD does
have a few downsides. One is that
it charges via USB. And while this is
no big deal for anyone who uses the
computer a lot, it might troublesome
for those looking to shoot and charge
quickly, as you will need to buy an
additional adapter to charge via a wall
outlet. Also, it can’t take still photos in
any shape or form, which is too bad.
Flash in the Pocket
b y E v a n Burt
Kodak Zi8
Flip Mino HD
The last couple of years have been
pocket camcorders by Cisco. The
popular ones for miniature, easyunit comes in several colors, but the
to-use camcorders. People have put
one we reviewed came in black. It is
a premium on being able to shoot
quite small, measuring about four by
video on a device no larger than their
two inches, and is just a little over a
iPhone or Zune. And so, it comes as
half-inch in thickness. The front panel
no surprise to see companies, such as
has buttons for zoom, record, play,
Pure Digital Technologies (now owned
stop, and for cycling through video.
by Cisco) and Eastman Kodak ComThe right side features a small power
pany, battling it out for dominance in
the market. We recently looked at two
Flip Mino HD
examples from these companies to
TeCH sPeCs
see how they stacked up in 2010.
Just Flip it
The Flip Video Mino HD is one of
the latest in a line of ultra-accessible
Pure Digital Technologies LLC
30 Maiden Lane, 6th Floor
San Francisco, CA 94108
www.theflip.com
sTrengTHs
•Easy to use, good internal storage
capacity.
contents
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print
weaknesses
•Can’t take still photos.
$200
16
Sensor:
1/4.5 HD CM0S
Aperture: f/2.4
Frame rate: 30fps
Resolution: 1280x720
Manual exposure: No
Auto white balance: Yes
Battery type: Lithium-ion
AC adapter: Yes (not included)
Memory: Not Expandable
Internal memory: 4GB
Tripod mount: Yes
HDMI supported: Yes
Mic input: No
Battery charging: USB
Software included: Yes
button. The left side has a switch that
sends a top-mounted USB plug flipping out when pulled, hence its name,
The Flip.
The Flip is rather spartan when it
comes to accessories, retailing with
only a wrist strap and soft case for
protecting the LCD screen. The unit,
which shoots 720p video, does allow
it to be connected to a high definition
TV through an HDMI cable, but the
necessary mini-HMDI connector was
not provided.
We shot some footage both outside,
and inside in low lighting. The Flip
was comfortable to use and captured
subjects in the frame well. The zooming, however, left a little to be desired.
And the lack of focus options made
it such that details a few feet away
from the camcorder were occasionally
out of focus. Playback on a Samsung
HDTV was respectable and a definite
step up from standard definition camcorders.
We were impressed with the 4
gigabytes of storage on the Flip, which
stored about one hour of video. However, memory expansion is not supported. What you buy is essentially
what you get. The best thing, hands
down, about the Mino HD is that
eastman Kodak Company
343 State Street,
Rochester, New York, 14608
www.kodak.com
sTrengTHs
•Full 1080p, wide range of shooting
modes, large screen.
weAKnesses
•Minimal internal storage capacity,
menus can be cumbersome
$200
A Kodak moment ... Again
The Kodak Zi8 is a pocket camcorder
aimed at the higher-end market. The
Zi8 looks similar to other pocket camcorders - it, too, measures about two
by four inches and is offered in three
colors Black, Aqua and Raspberry
- but distinguishes itself immediately
by its larger screen size and 1080p
sticker. Yes, this camcorder does shoot
full HD.
The Kodak is simple in design, featuring the usual stop, play, record and
menu buttons. Its red center button
functions both as a record button and
a scroller for the onscreen menu. On
the unit’s sides are a mic input, SDHC
expansion slot, USB plug, AC adapter
slot and HDMI/A/V jack.
The Zi8 comes with plenty of welcome accessories: wrist strap, HDMI
cable, A/V cable bundle, AC adapter,
and paper manual. Curiously though,
it does not come with a complimentary memory card. We thought this was
odd because the unit only has 128
megabytes of internal memory, and
this gets eaten up very quickly when
shooting in full 1080p mode.
We shot test footage in several
modes: 1080p, 720p at 60 frames per
second (useful for sports action), and
WVGA (for the Web). We also tested
the still shot function on the camera
and found it actually took decent pictures ... much better than the average
cell phone camera. Playback showed
the Zi8’s slight difficulty with low
lighting, and some of the video came
through a little soft. But in general, the
quality was quite good.
Shooting and editing video from
beginning to end was very user
friendly and easy. The menu, however,
was a little cumbersome to navigate.
The center button has a tendency to
stick, and it’s far too easy to get locked
into a quality mode you don’t want
when the button interprets a scroll as
a button punch. This means getting
used to it will require some slight trial
and error.
The Zi8 does come with its own
software for editing and upload (PC
only). It was about what one would
expect from bundled software - functional, but not standout. Dragging and
dropping files in Windows or Mac OS
works about as well, so there’s not a lot
gained or lost either way with the suite.
Final Thoughts
Both of these affordable cameras hit
the market with a solid splash and will
satisfy buyers looking for cheap and
portable solutions. The Flip is ideal
for amateurs and college students on
a budget. The Zi8 is exceptional for
those looking to get a few more pixels
out of their video. Either way, you
get a lot of bang for your buck in the
$200 and under price range. Both are
recommended.
Kodak Zi8
TeCH sPeCs
Sensor type: 1/2.5-type
5 MP CMOS
Lens: 6.3 mm
Aperture: f/2.8
Digital zoom: 4x
Internal memory: 128MB
SDHC supported: Yes
Auto white balance: Yes
Video formats: H.264 (MOV), AAC LC,
JPEG (still)
Video modes: 1080p, 720p (30fps &
60fps), WVGA (30fps)
Tripod mount: Yes
Battery type: Lithium-ion
Mic input: Yes
HDMI supported: Yes
USB: USB 2.0
Software included: Yes
Digital EIS: Yes
AC Adapter: Yes
Screen size: 2.5"
Face recognition: Yes
Wishing to check different features and functions in the pocket-cam
category, we also reviewed two other
pocket cams in the July 2010 issue
- the Vado HD Camera from Creative
Labs and the Sony bloggie. You can
read that review at www.videomaker.
com/article/14657.
sUMMArY
Both
are good, affordable cameras. One
trades features for accessibility, while
the other trades storage space for full
1080P HD video.
Evan Burt is a journalist and published author writing in
Northern California.
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17
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reviews
Arri H-2 “Hybrid” AC Kit
Arri H-2
“Hybrid” AC Kit
TeCH sPeCs
InCLudes:
KIt
This Hybrid Goes
A Long Way
b y M a r k Holder
A
rri’s H-2 “Hybrid” light kit offers
up the best of both worlds by
combining a variable color temperature LED light and two 150W Fresnel
lights in the same kit. Able to tackle
a myriad of lighting situations this
combination is sure to please.
ponents. The inner lid pulls down to
reveal an area for storing sheets of gel
or diffusion material (not included).
Building a Case
The Inside Story
The kit is housed in a sturdy case with
wheels and a handle at the opposite end for easy rolling and another
handle along the side for lifting and
carrying. Inside, the kit features
compartments for the various com-
Arri
600 N. Victory Blvd.
Burbank, CA 91502-1639
www.arri.com
strengths
•Heavy duty enclosed inline on/off
switches
•Compact for close quarter lighting
situations
•Variable color temperature LED for
maximum versatility
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weAknesses
•Basic gel set not included
•Ceiling scissor clamp may be difficult
to loosen – do not over tighten
$3,650
18
Let’s face it. Besides being great lighting instruments Arri lights are very
cool. They’re sleekly designed, pretty
to look at and in the case of the H-2
“Hybrid” lighting kit one of the lights
in particular really is cool – literally.
Arri has included one of its LoCaster
LED variable color temperature lights
complete with two leaf barn doors
and filter holder. The LoCaster LED is
lightweight (2 lbs.), durable, easy on
the power consumption (50W) and
remains cool to the touch. Two dials
provide continuous dimming and a
choice of six color temperature settings ranging from 2800K – 6500K.
Also included is a 10-foot PowerDMX
XLR 4-Pin Extension Cable which
allows for remote control of the light
panel’s intensity, color temperature
and +/- green attributes.
The kit’s other two lights are both
150W tungsten Fresnels. Compact,
lightweight, with high quality wide
angle lenses, these units deliver high
output with good distribution. Their
small size makes them ideal for close
quarters lighting. Ease of use and
service are achieved while maintaining high strength and light weight.
Loosening the knurled-head screw
on the back and gently pulling on the
rear casting reveals the lamp holder
and reflector assembly for quick and
easy lamp replacement. Turning the
focus knob, also on the back of the
rear casting, moves the lamp forward
or back for adjusting the light pattern.
Further control is achieved using
the four leaf barn-doors. Also included
for each light are a filter frame and
both a full single and full double
scrim. Adding and removing the barn
doors, filter frame and scrims is a snap
with this light. Slots for these items
are located on the front of the housing
directly in front of the lens. Access is
gained via a spring-loaded clamp on
the upper front portion of the casing.
Pull up against the spring and rotate
the clamp to insert or remove scrims,
the filter frame or the barn doors.
Rotate the clamp forward and release
to lock everything in place. The end of
the clamp rests in a slot on the barn
door and keeps things from falling
out. It is a very simple, quick, easy to
use and effective means of controlling
light placement.
(1) LoCaster LED panel with stirrup
(1) Two leaf barndoor for LoCaster
(1) Filter frame for LoCaster
(1) Power Supply for LoCaster (100-240V)
(1) Power DMX Extension Cable XLR
4-Pin for LoCaster (10')
(1) Baby Pin (5/8") with 3/8" Thread for
LoCaster
(2) 150 Watt Tungsten Fresnel Lights
(120-230V AC)
(2) Four Leaf Barndoors for 150W Fresnel
(2) Filter Frames for 150W Fresnel
(2) Full Single Scrim for 150W Fresnel – 3"
(2) Full Double Scrim for 150W Fresnel – 3"
(2) Lamps for 150W Fresnel – 150W/120V
(3) Lightweight Light Stands – 8.3'
(1) Ceiling Scissor Clamp with 5/8" Stud
(1) Hybrid Kit Case with wheels
1-Year Limited Warranty
Each of the three stands is lightweight, though sturdy, and quite stable
even at their full height of 8.3 feet. Of
course, it’s always wise to use sandbags with any light stand regardless of
how sturdy they may seem. You never
know when a gust of wind or careless
individual may send one to the ground
– along with your very expensive light.
A very useful accessory included
in the kit is the ceiling scissor clamp.
Not many venues have an overhead
grid to clamp lights to, but ubiquitous
drop ceilings are everywhere. The
clamp’s “legs” surround the ceiling’s
metal grid. Turning the pin clockwise
tightens it against the clamp portion,
attaching it securely. Attach your light
to the pin and you have a very quick
and easy overhead light attachment.
Secure as it seems I would recommend using a safety chain to keep
the hot light from dropping to the
floor, or worse yet, onto an unsuspect-
Arri's 150W Fresnels are compact and lightweight
ing person just for safety's sake and
peace of mind. When it’s time to take
it down remove the light (after it’s
cooled completely of course), turn the
pin counterclockwise and rotate the
clamp's “legs” to release it from the
ceiling grid. The pin is very slick and
hard to turn barehanded so you may
need to wear your gaffer’s gloves.
Last(ing) Impressions
Priced for the professional and
constructed with typical Arri quality
this kit truly delivers the best of both
worlds. Combining a variable color
temperature LED with traditional
lights offers the greatest degree of
flexibility for meeting any number of
lighting challenges. Nicely compact
and especially suited for close quarters lighting, this kit would be welcome in any pros lighting arsenal.
sUMMArY
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If you’re looking for a quality, compact lighting kit to meet a variety of
lighting situations the Arri H-2 Hybrid
is definitely worth checking out.
Mark Holder is a video producer and trainer.
FEEDBACk
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*9* : /;& <=
) 0(+#,>/7$? ) 0(+#,)
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19
reviews
reviews
Cerise 12 Core
Cerise 12 Core
Computer
TeCH sPeCs
Powerful Punch
b y L a n c e Olinger
O
ver the years processors have
been moving away from faster
speed and more towards multiple
processors. Intel just released its latest
6-core Xeon X5670 CPU and Cerise
has put two of them together to make
a 12-core workstation. The intent of
this 12-core workstation is to be a top
dog video-editing computer.
What’s it made of?
The case is made out of brushed
aluminum and though bulky (8" x
21" x 25") in size it is lightweight. The
case is very well cooled, it has three
120mm case fans and one 120mm
hard drive fan. Inside the case everything is very neat with all cables ziptied and out of the way. Cerise offers a
Cerise Computers, LLC.
338 Clubhouse Road
Hunt Valley, MD 21031-1305
www.cerise.com
strengths
•Fast
•Reliable
•Lifetime Tech Support
few different case designs depending
on your configuration. This computer
has a 750 watt Corsair power supply
with a large 120mm fan. The motherboard is an Intel S5520C with lots
of onboard features: SAS, 12 DDR3
Ram slots, 7.1 Audio, 2 1000mb/s LAN
ports, 4 USB, and firewire. Plugged
into the board are two Xeon X5670s.
Six of the DDR3 slots are filled with
2GB DDR3-1333 ECC sticks making
a total of 12GB. Since Adobe CS4 and
other video editing programs currently do not require an expensive video
editing card, this computer is only
equipped with a GeForce GTX 260. For
storage the computer has three 250GB
hard drives in RAID 5 and a 160GB
Intel SSD for the operating system. For
external media the case has a multiple
format flash card reader and a Lite-On
DVD-RW burner. Overall the case is
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•Long boot time
•Expensive
•Can not fully utilize processors
$7,945
20
very organized with all components
easily removable but the case has the
downside of taking up a lot of space.
Performance
The first check was the hard drive
performance speed using HDTune.
The Intel 160GB Solid State Drive
(SSD) has average speed of 150MB/s
and 158MB/s burst. The 500GB raid 5
data drives have an average speed of
98MB/s with 136 MB/s burst. Having
higher read speeds means programs
and videos will load faster. SSD drives
have an added bonus of instant access
to all your files. Normal hard drives
have mechanical parts that create a
lag time while accessing your data.
By using the SSD for the operating
system Windows will boot faster and
all programs installed on the SSD will
open quicker.
The card reader is conveniently placed on top of the case and offers many options for transferring media
weaknesses
contents
i7. When exporting
the MPEG file the
Xeon’s were 23%
faster. This shows
us in real world
situation the new
6-core Xeon’s are
faster than the Core
i7 965.
As configured,
this computer is
not set up to handle
3D modeling. With
the addition of an
editing video card
performance would
be greater. In our
benchmarks the
Core i7 965 coupled with an ATI HD
Until we received the Cerise 125870 greatly outperformed the Cerise
core workstation the highest 3d Mark
computer. Since the primary purpose
Vantage CPU score was achieved was
of this computer is for video editing
by the Core i7 965 coupled with a
it is understandable for it to have low
Quadro CX. The dual Xeon’s attained
performance in 3D modeling.
a CPU score of 60234 vs 43307 by
The Windows Experience Index
the Core i7 965. To test the render
base score was 7.2, the highest rated
speed of the computer one video
computer we have had yet. The only
was exported 20 times in both MPEG
piece in this system that is not top of
and AVI formats with Adobe Media
the line is the memory, DDR3-2000
Encoder. The results were then averbeing the fastest out at the moment.
aged and compared against a Core i7
The memory clocks in at 15080MB/s
965. While exporting the AVI file the
Xeon’s were 65% faster than the Core read and 8991 MB/s write. In comparison dualCerise neatly zip ties all the loose cables for a clean easy-to-work-on computer
channel DDR 400
clocks in around
5400MB/s read
and 1750MB/s
write.
The biggest
problem with
getting a 12core workstation
is there’s very
few programs
that can actually utilize it.
The 3d Mark
CPU test rating
of the Xeon’s
are higher than
cheaper Core i7s.
Unfortunately
when it comes to
HDD Tested AVG Read Speed: 150 MB/s
Drives: 160GB Intel X25-M SSD, 3 X WD 250GB drives in RAID 5
LAN: 2 X 1000Mb/s (125MB/s)
CPU: 2 X Intel Xeon X5670 (12 X 2.93ghz)
RAM: 12G DDR3 1333mhz
OS: Windows 7 64 Bit
Video: GeForce GTX 260
Audio: Onboard 7.1
Motherboard: Intel S5520SC
Cooling: 5 X 120mm Fans
Power Supply: 750W Corsair
Warranty: 1 year Parts Warranty and Lifetime Tech Support
real world tests using Adobe CS4 or
3d modeling programs there isn’t a
huge performance difference. When
one of the Xeon CPUs was disabled,
leaving 6 cores running, there was
only a 16-17% drop in performance
in the 3d Mark CPU test and in the
Premiere Pro test. Until programs
are designed to handle all the extra
processors, having dual Xeons won’t
increase performance as much as
they should.
CeRISe hAS MAny COMPuTeR OPTIOnS AvAILABLe
FOR yOuR neeDS.
Should I Buy This?
This machine has only top of the line
parts to ensure reliability, lifetime
tech support, and is as fast as it gets.
It is well built and out of the box it is
ready for video editing. The system
supports a variety of media devices
so whatever you use to record video
this system should support it. Everybody would love having a computer
like this but the $7945 price tag isn’t
a typical computer budget. Buying a
much cheaper Core i7 or single CPU
Xeon computer will suit the needs of
the average video editor. Cerise has
many computer options available
to be customized for your needs. If
the pricetag is in your budget then
spoil yourself and buy one of these
or check out one of Cerise's other
beefed up computers .
sUMMArY
Top of the line computer that outperforms most, but at a rich price tag.
Lance Olinger is Videomaker's IT Assistant.
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New
From Videomaker
Master Adobe Premiere Pro CS4
Move from beginner to master editor quickly and easily with
Complete Training for Adobe Premiere Pro CS4. We cover
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Hosted by an Emmy Award-winning editor, this 8+ hour
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Button, Lighting Basics,
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Theory, Lighting, Studio Lighting, On Location, Night-time,
Lighting a Green Screen,
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BASIC SHOOTING
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contents
Computer Video Editing Techniques
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The Essential Guide to
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DVD $24.95
INTRODUCTION TO
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There's more to making DVDs
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videos created for distribution
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The Essential Guide to
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The Art of Titles & Graphics
Introduction to Titles and
Graphics, Splash Screens and
Opening Titles, Segment IDs,
Lower Thirds and Bugs, Diagrams and Info Graphics, and
Credit Rolls and Crawls.
What better way to describe the
thrill of playing a DVD with the latest
exploits of your family vacation or the
new puppy other than to say: We’re
going Hollywood at home? Of course
there’s business uses for a homemade DVD too: promoting a new
business or proclaiming a service to
potential and existing clients as well.
Regardless, producing a DVD isn’t
something that has to be done for
you any more than the days when
a professional photographer with a
camera or camcorder was needed
at a family or business event. The
DVD disc authoring programs that
are now available describe a wide arc
from those designed for professional
presentations with the completed
content expected to be duplicated
onto thousands (or more) discs to that
of a single copy featuring the recent
visit of the In-law to multiple copies
with a slideshow on them for business
use. Either way, there’s a DVD disc
authoring program that will suit your
temperament, budget and needs.
Professional Disc Authoring
Programs
Professional authoring programs may
be useful for mass disc creation, but
their features tend to proclaim that
the user is King in how s/he will go
about using it. These programs include
much more functionality and control
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There are many types of
DVD authoring software,
from those with very few
functions to ones with
unlimited possibilities.
Your choice depends on
how gifted you are with
creation.
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23
ArcSoft
ShowBiz DVD 2
www.arcsoft.com
Adobe
Encore CS5
(part of Premiere Pro CS5)
www.adobe.com
over audio than consumer models
do, and for a good reason: a finished
DVD needs its audio to be as professionally mastered and the video being
presented. Unsurprisingly, menus
and onscreen graphical interfaces are
feature-rich, sometime too much so
it seems to the casual observer. But
those willing to spend the time (and
cost) to properly understand the abilities and options the authoring program offers will have little to complain
when the disc enters a DVD drive and
begins to play.
Adobe Encore CS5 - $799 (part of
Premiere Pro CS5)/Mac and Windows
A versatile, interactive tool that works
with Blu-ray discs as easily as DVDs
and web DVDs (with integrated search
capabilities for web DVD titles), the
interface features browsable multiple
menus that contain the many features
available without smothering the user
in them. Content from AVCHD cameras can be passed directly through to
disc without having to be transcoded
(maintaining the original fidelity of the
source content), and replicated discs
created by Encore can use direct DDP
Master support, with the outputted file
sent directly to the mastering facility through the internet. Full support
for maintaining the fidelity of the
standard-definition or high-definition
video image is aided by background
encoding and the ability to add third-
full screen
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DVD Studio Pro 4 - $999 (part of
Final Cut Studio7)/Mac
Apple’s professional video editing
suite may not be intimidating, but it
sure does require patience and the
willingness to explore in detail the
wealth of features available. DVD
Studio Pro 4 provides sophisticated
tools in a graphical interface that
allows you to see all that needs to be
done as well as what is being done.
Templates are provided for creating
DVDs and slideshows with a highly
professional look that can be previewed in real-time prior to the disc
being burned. The addition of features such as copy protection flags,
region coding and others points to
the professional, commercial level of
the disc that can be created or sent
off for replication.
GEAR PRO Mastering Edition 8 $599/Windows
An easy to use interface melds with
support for all types of DVDs (single
and dual layer) with audio ripping
capabilities and artist/track identification built-in. A scripting feature
enables automating repetitive tasks
as well as calling out the program
from external programs.
There is also the ability
to burn your own “check
disc” prior to sending it off
to check for problems and
While DVD authoring software varies in looks and
possible playability factors.
features, the basic procedure is the same in all cases.
Once done, the finished
The Disc authoring program “connects” to the video
and audio files once they are ready to be burned to a
work can be burned to disc
disc, modifies them to be compatible with the disc’s
on multiple recorders or
needed requirements and then “deposits” the files
sent out for replication via
onto the disc so that the player can recognize and play
computer or network drive
the disc in the expected fashion.
or through the Internet.
Creating a
contents
part encoding integration. CrossPlatform support is also an easy and
painless task that does not require
any type of conversion between Mac
and Windows platforms.
24
DVD
Vegas Pro 9 - $600/Windows
The program integrates content
creation and production with broad
format support and a multitude of effect processing for video and audio. A
full compliment of editorial tools are
placed on a graphical interface that
provides both overview and drilleddown looks at the content being
worked on. High-definition Blu-ray
disc creation is standard, with multiple monitor support clamming for
attention while network rendering ties
in with multiple computers. The new
camcorder formats (XDCAM EX, RED)
are also supported.
DVDAfterEdit Standard Edition $349/Mac
Those expecting fair control over the
DVD process with a Mac-based program at this cost won’t be disappointed. Besides the expected “Drag and
drop” functionality and menu control
over the look and “feel” of the DVD,
there’s the ability to import, replace
or remove content from other DVDs,
video folders or DVD disc images.
A welcome addition is the “Tracer”
program for inspecting video folders
in order to discern problems affecting
the creation chain.
Consumer Disc Authoring
Programs
Consumers do not want complicated or involved programs when it
comes to creating DVDs of family and
friends. The DVD program needs to be
intuitive and readily usable; something to turn to and use after a family
gathering has been videotaped or for
preparing a slideshow for Grandma’s
visit. The important thing is that the
program can “connect” with the user
without requiring a learning curve or
needing to remember a lot of commands from the last time it was used.
Those programs that do that, regard-
More Than
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The perfect addition to your Avid,
Adobe or Apple editing suite
449
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Your New Choice for HD Monitoring with Avid Media Composer
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Matrox MXO2 Mini turns your inexpensive flat-screen TV with HDMI into a professional-grade video
monitor with color calibration tools including blue-only. The small, light, external box is ideal for filebased workflows in studio, on set and in the field. It provides HDMI, analog component, S-Video, and
composite output and cross-platform support for Macs and PCs, laptops and workstations.
also available:
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The combination of the Matrox MXO2 Mini I/O hardware and Adobe CS5 Production Premium gives you
full resolution, full-frame-rate, multi-layer, realtime video editing via Matrox RT™ technology; lightning
fast H.264 hardware encoding for Blu-ray, the Web, and mobile devices via Matrox MAX™ technology;
and professional audio and video input and output with 10-bit hardware up/down/cross conversion.
Maximum Productivity for Apple Final Cut Studio
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The Matrox MXO2 Mini let’s you get the most from Final Cut Pro. Benefits include: convenient formats
for use in studio, on set, in the field, and in OB vans with MacBook Pros, Mac Pros, and Apple Xserve
systems, high-quality HD/SD video and audio input/output, flexible support for leading codecs, file
formats, cameras, and workflows; economical HDMI monitoring with Matrox’s unique color calibration
utility, hardware acceleration of Final Cut Pro Dynamic RT segments, HDV, and DVCPRO Matrox, and
Matrox MAX technology for faster than realtime H.264 encoding.
Matrox MXO2 Mini with MAX
for faster than realtime H.264 file
delivery for Blu-ray, the web and
mobile devices
$
84900
contents
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10-12 Charles St., Glen Cove, NY 11542 • Fax 516-671-3092 • [email protected]
www.videoguys.com •
800-323-2325
Apple
iDVD (part of iLife ‘09)
DVD Studio Pro 4 (part of Final Cut Studio)
www.apple.com
less of their cost, will find themselves
used over and over again. This hasn’t
been lost on the companies providing such DVD programs to consumer
either, as the following examples will
show.
Movie Edit Pro16 Plus - $130/Windows
The program features a graphical
interface with a large viewing window and an easy to relate to video
clip holding tray. Plus a whopping
1500+ special effects, cinematic
transitions and templates to use.
Surround sound mixing is available
(5.1), as is multi-cam editing and
such animated features as travel
routes. HD support for digital camcorders and Blu-ray discs as well.
Other new features include object
zoom, the ability to select individual
audio tracks during a DVD import
and 3D real-time animation.
PhotoStory on CD & DVD 9 deluxe $90/Windows
Nicely (and obviously) designed for
the creation of multimedia slideshows, PhotoStory provides highdefinition support and the ability to
create a slideshow in three minutes:
selecting photos and videos from
the hard drive, web, memory card or
digital camera or camcorder, adding
music and text via wizard assistance
and then burning it all onto a DVD.
Titles and background music is included, as is the ability to export the
slideshows to websites like YouTube
and Flickr. Blu-ray disc support is
also included.
Pinnacle Studio Ultimate Collection $130/Windows
Designed to provide a complete
suite of authoring tools, the Pinnacle
Ultimate Collection provides for such
advanced effects as green-screens
and Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound.
A reworked and simplified interface
enables new tools to be employed by
the user - such as producing lens flare
and other lighting effects and Hollywood-style “particle” effects such as
white clouds, bubbly, rain and more.
Motion titling and stop motion capture
is added to the list, as is image stabilizing and the ability to export movies
for Flash, QuickTime and many of the
game consoles now being used today.
Blu-ray disc support is included and a
wide assortment of styles and themes
round out, but by no means complete
all of the features that are available.
Disc Authoring Software Manufacturer Listing
Adobe
Encore CS5 (part of Premiere Pro CS5)
www.adobe.com
Apple
iDVD (part of iLife ‘09), DVD Studio Pro 4
(part of Final Cut Studio)
www.apple.com
Ashampoo
DVDAfterEdit
www.dvdafteredit.com
ArcSoft
GEAR Software
DeepDVD
www.deepburner.com
AVS
AVS DVD Authoring
www.avs4you.com
print
Rivergate Software Inc.
DVDStyler
Astonsoft
full screen
PowerDVD 10, PowerDirector 8, MakeDisc
3, Power2Go 6, PowerProducer 5, Media
Suite 8
www.cyberlink.com
MyAutoplay Menu
www.ashampoo.com
ShowBiz DVD 2
www.arcsoft.com
contents
CyberLink
BurnAware
www.burnaware.com
Corel
VideoStudio X3, DVD MovieFactory 7, Digital
Studio 2010,
www.corel.com
26
www.dvdstyler.org
DVD-lab
www.mediachance.comce.com
MedioStream
neoDVD 7
www.mediostream.com
Nero
Nero Multimedia Suite 10
www.nero.com
NewSoft
GEAR DVD, GEAR PRO Mastering Edition
www.gearsoftware.com
Honest Technology
Video Editor 8.0, Easy Video Editor 3.0,
Fireman CD/DVD Burner 3.0
www.honestech.com
Keronsoft
DVDBuilder
www.keronsoft.com
MAGIX
MediaChance
Presto! DVD PowerSuite 2.0
www.newsoftinc.com
NTI
Media Maker 8, Dragon Burn 4
www.ntius.com
Padus
DiscJuggler Professional Edition 6
www.padus.com
Pegasys
Movies on DVD 7, Movie Edit Pro 16, PhotoStory on CD & DVD 9 deluxe, Movies on
DVD 8, Video Easy
www.magix.com
TMPGEnc Authoring Works 4
http://tmpgenc.pegasys-inc.com
Pimex Group
ATP DVD Artist
www.pimexonline.com
Pinnacle Systems, Inc.
Dazzle DVD, Studio HD, Studio Ultimate, Studio Ultimate Collection
www.pinnaclesys.com
Sonic Solutions/Roxio
DVDit, MyDVD Video Lab 10, Toast 10
Titanium, Roxio Creator
www.roxio.com
Sony Creative Software
Vegas Movie Studio, Vegas Pro 9,
DVD Architect Studio 4.5
www.sonycreativesoftware.com
SourceTec Software Company
HD Movie Maker, DVD EZWorkshop,
Movie DVD Maker Pro
www.sothinkmedia.com
Compiled by Editorial Staff
DiscJuggler Professional Edition 6 $50/Windows
Probably the most noticeable feature
is the web interface allowing for disc
images to be sent a server through a
simple web page. The intuitive user
interface provides complete control
over the disc writing process. Audio
support for insert points, variable gap
sizes, subcodes and on-the-fly audio
stream resynchronization is present,
as are embedded robotic control support for autoloader use. Support for
CD writers as well as DVD writers, is
included as well.
TMPGEnc Authoring Works 4 - $100/
Windows
Touted as an all-in-one media authoring solution, there’s no denying
that Authoring Works 4 offers a rich
feature set to the user. It is able to
produce standard-definition DVDs,
high-definition Blu-ray Discs and
even DivX-standard DVDs. Interactive
menus can be created, subtitles added
as desired (good for multiple language
executions), and pre-installed templates used. There is also the ability to
add Dolby Digital 5.1 surround to the
audio. A well thought out graphical
menu set enables content to be assembled and outputted with minimal
execution, although layering in additions is available and up to the user if
desired. A “smart rendering” feature
allows outputting to disc without
having to re-encode the entire movie
file should any changes need to be
made after the full rendering has been
complete.
iDVD (part of iLife ‘09) - $79.00
Designed to enable a DVD to be created within minutes, iDVD provides an
automated assistant that only requires
choosing a theme for the DVD and the
movies or photos desired. The program
integrates with the files available on the
Mac and also allows for customizing
the presentation and adding music
from the iTunes music library.
My Autoplay Menu - $20/Windows
The program “builds” a DVD that will
automatically play once inserted into
a DVD player or computer drive. A
simple interface allows for choosing
the content to be placed on the disc
and can also place content that will
start automatically on USB flash drives.
Themes and ready-to-use buttons for
menu navigation is also included.
ShowBiz DVD 2 - $100/Windows
Basic video editing is aided by a
graphical storyboard-type view for
video sequencing control over movie
clips, audio tracks and transitional
effects. Video can be taken from the
hard drive or directly from a connected digital camcorder or video source
being played from the computer’s
video capture card. Re-editing a completed DVD can also be accomplished
(with compatible DVD media).
Corel Digital Studio 2010 - $60/Windows
The program combines support for
assembling and processing digital media - be that for uploading to Youtube
or to an iPod - along with its suite of
controls for assembling a DVD. A Media Organizer keeps photos, video and
music in one location for easy access,
with an Express Edit mode for quick
editing of photos and trimming of the
“timeline” length of videos. Templates,
titles and transitions are available for
use as well.
PowerDirector 8 Ultra - $100/Windows
Providing a wealth of editing tools, the
Ultra edition can also upscale standard-definition video to high-definition-like quality along with surround
sound. Common shooting problems,
such as inadequate lighting, extreme
backlighting and bad color represenVIDEOMAKER >>> AUGUST 2010
tation, can be corrected/enhanced
for both video and photos. A 16-track
timeline and optimizing for hardware
decoding enable faster production of
home videos.
HD Movie Maker - $35/Windows
The program’s “claim to fame” is that
it is designed for burning high-definition Blu-ray discs. Onscreen menus
simplify the creation process, with
in-program conversion of high-definition video files joined by being able to
upgrade standard-definition to HD-like
quality. Audio can be extracted from
video or converted directly to DVDcompatible audio formats for use.
Video properties can be customized
prior to burning the DVD.
Easy Video Editor 3.0 - $40/Windows
Touted as designed for beginners, Easy
Video Editor provides a 3 step process
for creating a DVD: importing the
video files to be used into its onscreen
menu in the order desired, adding effects and transitions to the video and
then outputting the video to a DVD.
Real-time preview of what will be the
final DVD, customized menu creation
with automated title and credits and
Blu-ray disc burning support is also
included.
MyDVD Video Lab 10 - $50/Windows
Designed with beginners and those
looking to use a DVD authoring
program with the most minimal of
learning curves, MyDVD Video Lab
10 not only edits and creates movies, but can be used to upload video
to YouTube or save web video to
the hard drive. Over 30 DVD menu
templates, transitions and effects
are joined by a step-by-step wizard
process to take the user through
creating a DVD and then burning it
to disc. Built-in music and sound
effect creations are also part of the
program.
contents
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27
bloggie
CyberLink
PowerDVD 10, PowerDirector 8, MakeDisc 3, Power2Go
6, PowerProducer 5, Media
Suite 8
www.cyberlink.com
Nero
Nero Multimedia Suite 10
www.nero.com
VIXIA HF M300
Flash Memory HD Camcorder
Flash Memory Camcorder
tFlexibility recording & playback
(1080, 720, or 640x480)
tRecording onto Memory Stick
Pro Duo, and SDHC media
t1/ 2.5” 5MP CMOS sensor
tw-$%TDSFFOtYEJHJUBM[PPN
tQuick-on rotating (270°) lens system
tSteadyShot image stabilization
tFace detection
tBuilt-In Picture Motion
tRecord 1080 high-definition video
onto SD/SDHC media
t1/4”, 3.89Mp CMOS sensor
t2.7” touch panel LCD
tCanon 15x HD, 18x advanced
zoom lens
tSuperRange optical stabilization
t24p and 30p frame recording
tMicrophone and headphone inputs
#SOMHSPM5*
5
Mega
Pixels
Available in Violet,
Blue, White and Pink
VIXIA HF 21
To many, a DVD is like a “Kleenex” - a
generic name encompassing all the different types of DVDs that are available on
the market. But just as there are a variety
of tissues, so too are there different “flavors” of blank recordable DVDs.
All
of the following can add the “DL” designation - this indicates that the single layer
4.7 gigabyte capacity of the DVD is now
doubled (double-layer) to 9.4. Keep in
mind that some of these blank recordable
DVDs have special hardware requirements that must be met.
DVD-R
This DVD is designed to be burned onto
once (“write-once”). It is probably the
most compatible blank recordable DVD
available.
DVD-RW
Similar to DVD-R but able to be reused
a large number of times, it is slightly less
compatible than DVD-R discs.
DVD+R
Also designed for “write-once” use,
this type of blank recordable DVD is
highly compatible with DVD stand-alone
and computer players (providing they
offer support for DVD-R of course, but
most do).
DVD+RW
Similar to DVD-RW but in the “+” camp,
again highly compatible with DVD standalone and computer players.
contents
DVD-RAM
This cartridge-based disc (also noncartridge now) is used like a hard drive
in a computer and is available in both a
single 4.7 gigabyte and double-sided 9.4
gigabyte version. It is not compatible with
most stand-alone DVD players.
full screen
The home office is rapidly growing into
a force to reckon with - so why should
those looking to author DVDs have to
settle for professional programs with
features they don’t need or extreme
hand-holding programs that lack panache. Creating a product video or slideshow presentation of services requires
the appearance of expertise if the presentation is to be successful. The home
office authoring program provides for
this by not coddling the user, while still
providing the automation and assistance for getting the job done without
having to devote long hours. Combining
simple and complex execution together,
these programs will aid the home office
user in creating the needed professional
production.
Free Disc Authoring Programs
When it comes to trying out a new
program, it’s hard to beat the fact that
it’s free. These DVD programs provide
basic functionality, combined with a
user interfaces that compare favorably to those of paid-for programs.
Although lacking in special controls
and minimizing the number of features, there’s no better way to practice
making a DVD without having to incur
costs the cost for a program.
BurnAware/Free/Windows
Like most free software, BurnAware
provides basic control over the process of making a DVD (with a more
feature-rich version available for
purchase). A graphical browser-type
interface allows for choosing the type
(including Blu-ray) and content the
disc will have. However, do not expect
many “bells and whistles” while using
this program.
DeepDVD/Free/Windows
Free for non-commercial use, Deep-
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28
MinoHD Camcorder
Home Office Disc Authoring
Programs
DVD provides a basic suite of features
for creating DVDs from video and slideshow content. While not as graphically
intuitive as some paid-for programs,
a bit of time and effort will result in a
DVD presentation that no one will have
to apologize for. Audio functionality is
also included. A a more feature-rich
paid-for version, DeepBurner Pro, is
also available ($30).
Free programs provide
basic Functions with
Favorable interFaces.
t1080p/720p high-definition recording
t128MB internal memory
tSD/SDHC card slot (up To 32GB)
t1/2.5” 5MP CMOS sensor
t4x digital, (6.3mm f/2.8) zoom lens
t2.5” LCD
tImage stabilization
tMicrophone input
tSwing-out USB
tRecords 1920 x 1080 HD video
tInternal 64GB flash drive
tDual SD/SDHC card slot with relay recording
t1/2.6”, 8.59Mp HD
$.04TFOTPSt%*(*$%7***
JNBHFQSPDFTTPStQDJOFNB
& 30p progressive mode
tEye-Fi memory card compatible
twXJEFUPVDIQBOFM-$%t4VQFS3BOHFPQUJDBMTUBCJMJ[BUJPO
#SAVPCCS1
3
Mega
Pixels
8
Mega
Pixels
VIXIA HF S21
DVDs have become ubiquitous for
displaying content in the home and
anyone who doesn’t think they have
replaced the VCR for showing off
home movies is in the same denial
category as the makers of buggy whips
once were. The level of expertise of
the DVD authoring program may vary
- both in price and execution - but all
are designed to afford the basic functionality of transferring digital media
to a disc that can be watched and
enjoyed by everyone.
bhphotovideo.com
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#KOZI8*
FEEDBACk
For the new SlideHD Camcorder #FLSHD call.
Flash Memory HD Camera
DVDStyler/Free/Mac and Windows
Providing support for the common
video files, DVDStyler surprises with
such features as the ability to create
interactive menus and scaling of buttons
and objects used in the presentation. A
graphical interface with “Drag and drop”
functionality makes for easy transitions and multi-core processor support
speeds up the entire creation process.
Marshal M. Rosenthal is a technology and consumer
electronics freelance writer.
tRecords 1920 x 1080 HD video onto
internal 64GB flash drive, or SD/SDHC media
t1/4”, 3.89MP HD CMOS sensor
tDIGIC DV III image processor
t24p cinema & 30p
progressive mode
tCanon 15x HD video lens
t2.7” widescreen LCD
tSuperRange optical stabilization
tSleek design, 2nd Generation
t8GB internal flash memory
(120 minutes of HD recording)
tYQ)%tw-$%TDSFFO
t2.2-Megapixel 1/4.5” CMOS sensor
tMulti-step 2x digital zoom (0.8mm f/2.4)
t4UFSFPNJDSPQIPOFt)%.*DPOOFDUJPO
tBuilt-In Flip-Share software
(flip-out USB arm)
#FLM2120M
Mega
Pixels
#CAHFM300
M2120M
Not all the Same
3
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Pixels
Available in Black,
Aqua and Raspberry
#CAHFS21
800-947-9925
212-444-5025
HDC-TM700K
VPC-CS1
Xacti HD Flash Memory Camcorder
3-CMOS High-Definition Flash Memory Camcorder
tHigh-definition 1920 x 1080
recording (MPEG-4 AVC/H.264)
tSDHC/SDXC memory card compatible
t10x advanced zoom lens (38-mm wide)
twXJEF-$%t%JHJUBMJNBHFTUBCJMJ[BUJPO
tApple iFrame compatibility
tEye-Fi card compatibility
tFace Chaser & high-speed
Sequential Shot modes
t32GB of built-in memory as well as
capability to record to SD/SDHC/SDXC
.FNPSZ$BSETtQSFDPSEJOH
t3x 3.05 MP, 9.15" CMOS sensors
t.QTUJMMJNBHFTtYPQUJDBM
F1.5 (46mm) Leica Dicomor lens
tOptical image stabilization
t5.1-channel surround sound system
XJUI[PPNNJDSPQIPOFt'BDF3FDPHOJUJPO
4NJMF4IPUNPEFTt.JDBOEIFBEQIPOFDPOOFDUJPOT
8
Mega
Pixels
Fax:
212-239-7770
Consumer Video ............#813
Pro Video ...................... #821
Pro Audio .........................#91
Video Editing ................ #831
#PAHDCTM700
ZR960
HDR-CX550V
MiniDV Camcorder
Flash Memory HD Camcorder
t1/6” CCD image sensor
t37x optical 41x advanced zoom lens
tDIGIC DV image processor
tQuick start / Easy operation
tWidescreen HR recording
tImage electronic stabilization
t2.7” widescreen LCD
tMicrophone input
tRecord 1920 x 1080 HD resolution
video onto internal 64GB flash
memory, Memory Stick PRO Duo
or SD/SDHC media
t1/2.88” 6MP “Exmor R”
CMOS sensor
t10x optical zoom Sony G lens
t3.5” Xtra Fine TruBlack LCD
t0QUJDBMJNBHFTUBCJMJ[BUJPOt(14SFDFJWFS
BOENBQJOEFYt.JDBOEIFBEQIPOFJOQVUT
#CAZR960
Store & Mail Order Hours:
Sunday 10-6 t Mon.-Thurs. 9-7
Friday 9-2 t Closed Saturday
12
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We Buy, Sell and Trade
Used Equipment
#SOHDRCX550V
DCR-SX83
HDR-XR550V
Hybrid Flash Media Camcorder
AVCHD Hard Drive Camcorder
t1/4" back-illuminated "Exmor R" CMOS sensor
tRecord to internal 16GB flash
memory, Memory Stick Duo,
or SD/SDHC media
t25x optical Carl Zeiss
Vario-Tessa zoom lens
t3.1MP still picture resolution
t2.7" (16:9) touch-panel display
tFace Detection and Smile Shutter technology
tBuilt-in Zoom Microphone
tRecord 1920 x 1080 HD resolution video
onto internal 240GB hard drive,
Memory Stick, or SD/SDHC media
t1/2.88” Exmor R CMOS sensor
t12MP still images
t3.5” wide Xtra Fine LCD
tFace Detection and Smile Shutter
tGPS receiver built in
tOptical image stabilization
tMicrophone and headphone terminals
#SODCRSX83
#SOHDRXR550V
contents
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12
print
Mega
Pixels
Page 1
HDR-HC9
HVR-HD1000U
3-CCD Pro HDV Camcorder
Solid State High-Definition Camcorder
tw$MFBS7JE$.04.FHBQJYFM*NBHF4FOTPS
t$BSM;FJTT7BSJP4POOBS5-FOT
t0QUJDBM*NBHF4UBCJMJ[BUJPO
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t.JDSPQIPOF*OQVU)FBEQIPOF+BDL
t.FNPSZ4UJDL130%VP.FEJB4MPU
t#VJMUJO*OUFMMJHFOU'MBTI
t)%.*5FSNJOBMt-"/$5FSNJOBM
t)%7JBOE%741-1
SFDPSEJOHBOEQMBZCBDL
tw.FHBQJYFM
$.04*NBHF4FOTPS
t%PXO$POWFSTJPO.PEF
JUP4%
tw-$%
t.FNPSZ4UJDL%VP4MPU
t4NPPUI4MPX3FDPSE.PEFXJUI"VEJP3FDPSEJOH
t5SVF)JHI%FGJOJUJPO7JEFP
BUJ'PS''SBNF3BUFT
tYw/BUJWF$$%T
XJUI.FHBQJYFMT&BDI
t&YUFSOBM"'4FOTPSGPS'BTU
BOE"DDVSBUF'PDVTJO)%
tY)%1SPGFTTJPOBM
-4FSJFT'MVPSJUF-FOT
t%*(*$%7**)%*NBHF1SPDFTTPS
tw8JEFTDSFFO-$%t.JD*OQVU%VBM9-3
tRecords 1080 and 720 resolutions
tMPEG-2 4:2:2 50Mbps (Canon XF)
$PEFDt.CQTB.CQT
SFDPSEJOHPQUJPOTt7BSJBCMF
GSBNFSBUFTJQQQ
t$.04TFOTPST
tTwo Compact Flash (CF) card slots
t.Q-$%NPOJUPS
t%*(*$%7***JNBHFQSPDFTTPS
t$BOPOY)%-4FSJFTMFOT
#SOHVRHD1000U
#CAXHA1S
#CAXF300
6
Mega
Pixels
VIXIA HV40
420 Ninth Ave.
Corner of 34th Street
New York, N.Y. 10001
Convenient free parking
available
The Professiona
for Photo, Video,
www.bhphotovideo.c
om
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free Catalog
WIN T ER 2010
PHOTOGRAPHY
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bhphoto.com/catalog
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l’s Source
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COMPUTERS
3-CMOS Pro Solid State Camcorder
tw.1)%$.04TFOTPS
XJUI3(#QSJNBSZDPMPSGJMUFS
t'SBNFSBUFTJOBUJWFQSFDPSET
BUQ
QDJOFNBBOEQBUJ
t%*(*$%7**JNBHFQSPDFTTPS
t$BOPO)%YPQUJDBMWJEFPMFOT
t*OTUBOU"VGP'PDVTXFYUTFOTPS
t4VQFS3BOHFPQUJDBMTUBCJMJ[BUJPO
twXJEFTDSFFO-$%TDSFFOt&YUFSOBMNJDJOQVU
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#PAAGHPX170
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Mega
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AG-HMC150
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3-CCD Pro SD/SDHC Camcorder
3-CCD Pro DVCPRO HD Camcorder
3-CCD ProHD Solid State Camcorder
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#PAAGHMC40
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3-CMOS AVCHD Flash Camcorder
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t20x wide G series lens
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tExtended image control functions
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tFour-channel audio
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Disc Duplicators Buyer’s Guide
Call Toll Free: 1-800-793-2237
PUTTING IT ON A
MASS ORDER
No Problem
BY EVAN BURT
Shooting, editing,
authoring and burning a
DVD of your latest video
is a major feat. But
what if you want to
burn a dozen or more
copies? What if you
want a hundred copies?
It’s time to take a look
at DVD duplication.
contents
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32
O
K, so you’ve just recorded some
high resolution video and it’s
going to be used in company training.
But wait, there’s a catch! You need
500 copies available to distribute immediately. And OK, you’ve also got a
monster amount of important data
that needs to be backed up. But you
don’t want a thousand of those annoying CDs or DVDs in their jewel cases
taking up space in your home. Instead,
you want that data burned to just a
few discs. Or, heck, maybe you backup
and burn like there’s no tomorrow,
but you’re tired of the tedious process
and just want it burned automatically.
Phew! Those are some heavy demands, aren’t they? Well, fortunately,
for all of you in each of those tricky
situations, there are disc duplicators to
meet each of your needs.
For the uninitiated, disc duplicators are very much like conventional
CD/DVD burners. They make copies of
discs and they burn at variable speeds
depending on which one you buy.
But unlike the burner you might have
in your computer at home or at the
office, disc duplicators come specialized to mass produce burned copies,
quickly turn around Blu-ray, or autorun discs. There’s a lot of variety in
disc duplicators, but generally speaking, they fall into two categories.
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Canon HF-M300
HD Flash Memory
Camcorder
$549.00
Canon XH-A1S
3 CCD HDV Camcorder
In Stock!
Canon HF-S20 Dual
New Low Price!
Canon HF-S21
DualFlash Memory
Camcorder
In Stock!
Canon
Vixia HF-R100
$399.99
Canon
Vixia HF-M31Dual
Flash Memory/1080P/24P
In Stock!
Canon
Vixia HF-R10 Dual Flash
Memory HD Camcorder
$449.00
Canon
Vixia HV-40 High
Definition Camcorder
New Low Price!
Canon
Vixia FS-300 Flash
Drive Camcorder
In Stock!
Sony
HDR-XR550V 240GB
Hard Drive Camcorder
New!
Sony
HDR-CX350V
32GB HD Camcorder
In Stock!
Sony
HDR-XR150 120 GB High
Definition Camcorder
In Stock!
Sony
HVR-HD1000 Professional
Digital HDV Camcorder
In Stock!
Sony
HDR-FX1000
Mini DV Camcorder
New Low Price!
Canon HF-S200
$899.00
SONY HDR-CX550
64 GB Handycam Camcorder
In Stock!
Sony DCR-SR88
SONY DCR-SR68
80 GB Camcorder (all colors) 120 GB HD Camcorder
In Stock!
In Stock!
Panasonic HDC-TM700K
32 GB HD Camcorder
In Stock!
JVC
GZ-HD500 80 GB HD
Camcorder
In Stock!
JVC GZ-HD300
60GB Hard Disk Camcorder
(all clrs)
In Stock!
JVC GZ-HM320
HD Flash Memory
Camcorder
In Stock!
Panasonic HDC-HS60K
Hard Drive
In Stock!
Setting Control to Manual
Manual duplicators come in many
forms. Some are internal or external computer drives, others come in
stacks of drives with as few as one or
as many as 50 units per system. These
are very handy if you’re looking for a
slightly smaller-scale operation, but
still want the job done quickly. With
most, you can easily burn copies of a
disc by putting the original master disc
JVC GZ-MG750
80GB Hard Drive
Camcorder (all clrs)
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contents
LG
www.lge.com
full screen
or not they can burn DVD or Blu-ray.
Because the latter is a relatively new
technology, DVD auto duplicators are
much more common and cheaper.
I’m going to go ahead and say right
off the bat that automatic duplicators
are really meant for people or companies interested in mass production.
Models such as the Systor AMBA Series
3 automatic duplicator can store and
copy as many as 220 discs at a time.
They’re meant to crank out copies of
the same disc like a photocopier is
meant to make copies. So if you’re an
indie video producer and you want to
make a few thousand copies for buyers, this is for you. But if your interest is data backup, these aren’t
the droids you’re looking for
— move along.
The good news about automatic duplicators is they’re
darn fast at what they do. Many
burn CDs at 30x to 40X speeds,
and can crank out DVDs at 20X.
Some drives also have built-in hard
drives. Storage is variable, usually
based on how much you’re willing to
pay. But you can find duplicators with
HDs that carry up to 500GB worth of
information, or more.
To wrap up, automatic duplicators are usually more expensive than
their manual counterparts. Their
use is more specialized, but they’re
still great for anyone who wants true
automation. Just be aware that the
automated units carry more moving
parts that have more of a chance to
fail than manuals. The robotic arm
on some may be more fragile than
you’d like, although some are ruggedized.
Prices range from moderately expensive (Nimbie NB12-BR ... $1,295)
to the more expensive (Primera Bravo
XRP Disc Publisher ... $4,995).
Fanciful Features
OK, so now you know what a duplicator is and what types there are. But
you’re still scratching your head wondering just what the heck else you can
get for your money. You’re wondering
what features these things have, because everybody loves features, right?
The most advertised feature you’ll
find in duplicators is LightScribe.
LightScribe is a type of disc labeling
that’s done by the laser in the duplicator itself. After specifying what you
want that label to be, and if you want
an image, the duplicator will etch it
onto each copy of the master disc in
black and white, sepia or full color if
you so choose.
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Iomega
www.iomega.com
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Kanguru
www.kanguru.com
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All Pro Solutions
www.all-pro-sol.com
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LaCie
www.lacie.com
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ASUS
www.asus.com
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Ativa
www.ativaproducts.com
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Buffalo
www.buffalotech.com
Buslink
www.buslink.com
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SilverStone
www.silverstonetek.com
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Norazza
www.norazza.com
EZ Dupe
www.ezdupe.com
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Nu
www.nu-global.com
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PDE Technology
www.pdetechnology.com
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Pioneer
www.pioneerelectronics.com
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Plextor
www.plextor.com
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Systor
www.esystor.com
Prime Array
www.primearray.com
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Verity Systems
www.veritysystems.com
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Vinpower/Xerox
www.vinpowerdigital.com
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Woobiz Inc.
www.luckystarduplicator.com
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XLNT Idea
www.xlntidea.com
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Teac
www.teac.com
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Tascam
www.tascam.com
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External Blu-ray Disc Burners
•
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Targus
www.targus.com
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Internal Blu-ray Disc Burners
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SmarrCopy
www.smarrcopy.com
Sony
www.sonystyle.com
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External DVD Burners
Internal DVD Burners
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ILY
www.ily.com
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Disc Makers
www.discmakers.com
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Motion Computing
www.motioncomputing.com
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MCE
www.mcetech.com
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Samsung
www.samsungodd.com
Denver Disc
www.denverdisc.com
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I/O Magic
www.iomagic.com
Rimage
www.rimage.com
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MicroTech
www.microtech.com
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Memorex
www.memorex.com
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HP
www.hp.com
Recordex
www.recordexusa.com
Lite-On
www.liteonit.com
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Glyph
www.glyphtech.com
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Rosewill
www.rosewill.com
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Microboards
www.microboards.com
Gear Head
www.pcgearhead.com
ProCon
www.comprehensivecable.com
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DAT Optic
www.datoptic.com
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Meritline
www.meritline.com
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Primera
www.primera.com
LG
www.lge.com
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Copy Stars
www.copystars.com
Blu-ray Disc Duplicators
DVD Duplicators
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Imation
www.imation.com
Aleratec
www.aleratec.com
Apricorn
www.apricorn.com
•
DVD auto Duplicators
are much more common
anD cheaper.
Primera
www.primera.com
Addonics
www.addonics.com
•
DVD Duplicators
Automatic duplicators are the robotic
kind, and no, we’re not talking about
the Terminator here. They won’t shout
“come with me if you want to live,” but
they will grab the discs and load them
for you. How the duplicator works is
you provide the original disc and the
device will grab it and automatically
make numerous copies of that disc.
Like manual duplicators, these
devices are differentiated by whether
Acronova
www.acronova.com
DVD Duplicators
It’s Automation, Baby!
Prices range from cheaper models
(Copystars CD DVD 1 to 1 ... $151) to
intermediate (like the Reflex X5 Pro
Duplicator... priced $1,250 and up) and
the pricey (Xerox D1015BD ... $7,630).
in the tray, pressing a button and saying “engage!” OK, well the engage part
isn’t needed, but it’s still fun.
At any rate, the duplicator will then
make copies in a matter of minutes.
Cool, huh? Duplicators burn in both
DVD and Blu-ray formats, but each has
its own set of trade offs. The standard
CD/DVD duplicators are usually broken
down by features, such as number of
drives, built-in memory or LightScribe
abilities (which we’ll get to later).
The basic manual duplicator can be
bought cheap (for a few hundred) with
starter units writing at speeds greater
than 20X.
Blu-ray is a considerable step up in
price. You should expect to pay $500
or more at minimum for one of these
puppies, but if you’re looking to burn
in high-definition, you’ll get it. Blu-ray
manual duplicators can turn around
discs in one to two hours, sometimes
less. Because the Blu-ray units write
to 25 gigabyte discs in high-def, write
speeds are slower (in the range of 2X
to 8X). The 2X variety is the economy
way to go if you want the quality without breaking the bank. The 8X kind
burns a lot faster, but many companies charge leaps and bounds more
for them.
In short, manual duplicators are
good for the intermediate level user
who wants affordable options. There’s
a good range of choice in drives, and
the true upshot of these is with multiple unit duplicators, if one or even two
to three fail, the rest will still function.
The only real thing to watch out for is
that some non-standalone duplicators
may have compatibility issues.
Manufacturers
Total Micro
www.total-micro.com
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Compiled by Editorial Staff
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34
35
+ -
Disc Duplicators:
Pros & Cons
MANUAL DUPLICATORS
AUTOMATIC DUPLICATORS
PROS:
PROS:
• Usually affordable.
• Wide range of options in drive numbers, if one
drive fails, the others still work
CONS:
• Non-standalone duplicators may have
compatibility issues
• Requires more work than automated duplication
• Automated process rolls out discs fast
• Convenient and easy to use
CONS:
• More expensive than manual duplicators
• Has more moving parts that can break
Copy Stars
www.copystars.com
Buffalo
www.buffalotech.com
LightScribe technology is an interesting beast that has changed much
over time. It was originally developed
by Hewlett-Packard and could only
produce disc labels in sepia. Now you
can get your best labels printed in any
color you like without having it say
NOW YOU CAN GET YOUR
BEST LABELS PRINTED IN
ANY COLOR YOU LIKE.
Microboards
www.microboards.com
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36
“I’m sorry, I can’t do that.”
There is a catch to using LightScribe
though. Because of the way the labels
are written onto the disc, they can
fade within months if mistreated or
mishandled. Some have reported fading after heavy use, as seen in music
burns. This typically happens if the
discs are stored in heavy sunlight, high
humidity or extreme temperature.
It’s also not a good idea to leave the
discs in players for too long because
the heat they give off is greater than
internal room temperature in many
cases. Luckily, the fading won’t hurt
any data.
Other notable features include
firmware updating, self-diagnostics
and custom software, which are now
somewhat common in duplicators
across both categories.
The Final Word
If you only burn one or two or even
five or six copies occasionally, but not
regularly, and you have the time to sit
and feed your burner over and over
again, go for it. But if you need to copy
more discs more often, duplicators are
a great time saver. And in most cases,
every copy is a perfect clone.
There’s clearly a lot of choice
when it comes to disc duplication. Duplicators have evolved since the early
days of CDs and DVDs. They’ve gotten
more sophisticated, a little more affordable and a lot less annoying to set
up. Looking at the grid of all the companies in the game right now, one can
almost feel the salivating going on. It’s
like being a kid in a candy store where
every kind of candy is something you
love. Some items there are clearly out
of your reach, but chances are there’s
something that suits you.
Evan Burt is a journalist and published author writing in
Northern California.
FEEDBACK
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H
ow can you share these productions in
their full HD glory? One answer, of course,
is to export your HD video clips to play back
directly on a PC, for example in QuickTime or
Windows Media Video format. You can also
now share online by uploading in HD to video
sharing websites, usually in Flash or MPEG-4
/ H.264 formats. These options typically are
built-in to video editing tools, consumer and
professional, with presets for these formats, and
even direct uploading to popular sites.
But you still need to use a computer to view
these clips, and they are simply linear movies, to play from beginning to end. What about
burning and sharing your productions on disc,
and with interactive menus and controls - as
It’s the era of high
definition, from
professional video
cameras and video
DSLRs, to HD consumer
camcorders, and
even small pocket
camcorders. Videoediting software has
stepped up to the
challenge, so you can
edit even HD video
comfortably on today’s
computers.
we do with DVD discs for standard-definition
material, but now in full HD quality on your
big widescreen HD display?
Blu-ray Promise
This is, of course, the promise of the Blu-ray
disc format - a bigger, better DVD, jumping from 4.7 to 25GB capacity (per layer or
side), with the ability to present HD video
and audio. Blu-ray also offers a big advance
in interactivity from the DVD’s built-in menu
navigation, with support for general Javabased programmability. As a result, Blu-ray
can provide features including pop-up menus
and interaction overlaid on video as it is
playing, general games and other applica-
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39
tions, along with Internet access and
Capacity:
Capacity:
downloading.
Single Layer 4.7 GB
Single Layer 25 GB
However, don’t expect to see all
Dual Layer 8.5 GB
Dual Layer 50 GB
these features implemented on
every Blu-ray player, or used on
every commercial title, or supported in every Blu-ray authoring tool. For example, while early
Resolution: 720x480
Resolution: 1920x1080
Blu-ray players only supported basic
playback, later players added Bonus
View features, with picture-in-picture
and local storage, and then newer full BD
Live players added support for Internet access for downloadable bonus content. (The Sony
to quickly burn a simple disc with a group of
PlayStation 3 has been a de facto flagship for these
clips. Or you can author a disc as BDMV with
new features, with firmware upgrades to support
traditional DVD menu navigation, but now with
these enhancements, and reportedly will be again
HD content. And newer tools support creating a
upgradable to support the new Blu-ray 3D format.)
flashier BD-J disc with advanced pop-up menus
Similarly, the Blu-ray specification supports a
displayed over playing video.
variety of formats for storing video data on the
Plus, there’s even better news if you’re just
disc, from the relatively simple AVCHD format
getting started with HD authoring — You don’t
with a series of HD clips (also used in HD tapeless
actually need to have a Blu-ray burner or burn a
camcorders), to the BDMV format (Blu-ray Disc
Blu-ray disc in order to play HD content from a
Movie) with DVD-like menu structures, to full
disc. Instead, you can get started by burning HD
BD-J (Blu-ray Java) with custom programming.
content to plain old DVD discs using the AVCHD
Blu-ray authoring tools then typically use these
format. At least some set-top Blu-ray players then
same terms to describe the options for creating
can play these DVDs, including the Sony PS3, so
a Blu-ray disc. Generally, you can choose AVCHD
you can show your beautiful HD content on your
HDTV.
Let’s look at two systems geared towards Bluray authoring for illustration.
Blu-ray in Corel VideoStudio Pro X3
One example of a consumer video editing tool
with a range of Blu-ray authoring options is Corel
VideoStudio Pro X3, released in January 2010
for $100 (or $150 bundled with Corel PaintShop
Photo Pro X3 for photo editing) (See Figure 1).
The core VideoStudio Pro X3 application actually has become advanced enough that Corel included two additional “easy editing” components
in the product for beginners who are not yet up
to the enthusiast level: VideoStudio Express 2010
for quick assembly of clips into movies, and DVD
Factory Pro 2010 for authoring and burning in a
variety of formats. Recently Corel has also added
DVD MovieFactory 7 SE to VideoStudio Pro X3 for
more advanced disc authoring to better match
the level of VideoStudio Pro.
DVD Factory Pro combines simple drag and
VideoStudio
Pro X3 handles
several different
output formats
with the ability
to burn them to
DVDs and Blu-ray
Discs.
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40
drop authoring with support for a variety of DVD
and Blu-ray disc formats. To create a disc, first
use the built-in Media Organizer to collect and
organize your media, importing from a wide variety of devices and formats, editing and enhancing clips, and even exporting individual clips and
transferring to an iPod or other portable media
player. Then you can assemble a group of clips
to create a video, audio, and data backup disc.
For DVD, you can author a standard DVDVideo disc, using pre-defined menu templates
customized with the layout, background image
and music, animation and transitions, titles and
graphic decorations. But also for DVD, you now
can import high-definition content and create an
AVCHD disc, to view your HD material on some
Blu-ray players. Then when you have a Blu-ray
burner, you can choose from three different
formats for high-definition discs: BDMV with
standard DVD menus, BD-J with pop-up menus
over video, and BD-J Calendar (popular in Asia).
Blu-ray in Adobe Encore CS5
The latest version of the Adobe Creative Suite,
CS5, was announced in April 2010, with new
versions of some of Adobe’s tools, available in
the familiar Design, Web, and Production suites.
Pricing for individual tools is unchanged from
CS4 (Premiere Pro is $799), and the CS5 Production Premium suite is $1699. (See Figure 2). The
CS5 Production Premium suite now includes even
more options for exporting your productions
in HD formats. Of course, you can export files
directly from Premiere Pro CS5, and via the Adobe
Media Encoder, a separate shared component for
automated and batch encoding, now also accelerated for native 64-bit rendering. Premiere Pro also
includes Adobe Encore for authoring to DVD and
Blu-ray discs. Encore imports layered Photoshop
files to define the menu structure for DVD and
Blu-ray discs, including pop-up menus.
Encore CS5 adds a new multipage menu format that allows you to define a series of nested
menus, like the main menu and scenes menu,
which would require clicking between multiple
menu pages on a DVD. But on Blu-ray, these can
appear as pop-up menus, so users can browse
through multiple menu pages without interrupting the playback of the audio and video.
Encore further leverages your authoring
work by also delivering your DVD or Blu-ray
Adobe Creative
Suite 5 has the
ability to take full
advantage of Bluray disc customization
projects as interactive Web DVDs that can be
viewed online, or on your computer with the
Adobe Flash Player. These provide the full disc
experience, with the interactive menus and
subtitles, plus pop-up menus and high-resolution video for Blu-ray projects. Encore CS5 also
adds a new search interface that uses keywords
automatically generated from your project
metadata, including menu and button names,
subtitles, and speech analysis text.Then to extend your sharing online, CS5 adds a new tool,
Flash Catalyst, for creating interactive Flash
productions without programming. You can
import layered media, add interactions, and
augment with video and sound effects, with
custom playback controls.
The Blu-ray Future is Now
So high-definition video is here, with fun new
options for sharing your video productions. You
can display your work on your computer monitor, upload to share over the Web, design interactive presentations, and burn to Blu-ray discs to
enjoy on HD compatible screens.
This is a time for experimentation, as new
tools introduce different options and more advanced capabilities. So go ahead and check them
out — download the trial versions to see how
you like the application features and workflow
for your needs, and see how they work on your
particular system and with your specific types of
HD content.
contents
Doug Dixon covers digital media at Manifest-Tech.com.
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10
Tips for Guerrillas
on the Go
by Dave SniaDak
On The Fly: Hybrid Journalism
Cleared For Takeoff
These days, it seems like everyone can
point and shoot their way to creating
video. With technology finally dropping
to a price consumers can comfortably
stomach, the overall quality of video
as an art has reluctantly taken a hit.
Video credibility stands to lose all face
unless the video production industry
takes a collective stand and offers a
cost-effective, quality-boosting solution in a viral-obsessed market. It’s
time we stop accepting shaky reality
and offer up stable results. It’s time we
share some good video camera tips.
It’s time for Hybrid Journalism.
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43
10
Hybrid: Mixed Bag
Enter the word “hybrid” in any search
engine, and you’ll find more than
78,100,000 results. From hybrid cars
and trucks to hybrid vacuum cleaners and waffle makers. Search long
enough and you could find just about
anything hybrid. But what makes a
true hybrid? According to Princeton
University’s WordNet Web, a hybrid is
a composite of mixed origin.
So - how do we apply the term
“hybrid” to “journalism”? And do we
really need to cross-pollinate? Yes.
With the state of the video world
being what it is, there’s never been a
better time for Hybrid Journalism to
take effect.
Let’s talk basic principles: journalism is the art and science of telling
stories. Video production is a form of
journalism. Traditional video production requires the skills of multiple
crafts to create an end result. Hybrid
Journalism combines theses crafts
– videography, producing, directing, lighting, talent and editing – and
delivers a product that meets (or
exceeds) the clients’ expectations.
Now, you don’t have to be an
award-winning cinematographer
or accomplished editor or even an
Oxford trained thespian to be good
at Hybrid Journalism. What you do
need, though, is the wherewithal to
understand the basics of what goes in
– and comes out – of a video shoot.
Preplanning
Taking an idea and making it a reality.
This is the basic approach to almost all
video productions. Whether you want
to shoot video at your child’s soccer
game, or create a short film for the Sundance Film Festival, preplanning is the
most important step to any production.
So, put on your producer hat and get
shooting, but first remember that every
great video starts with a good idea.
Create an outline for what you hope
to accomplish during your shoot. Keep
it simple, rough and flexible enough
to change on the fly. Drafting a basic
storyboard with scene and shot selections will help visualize tough story
elements. If your video calls for scripting, try to keep the wording simple
and to the point. Avoid tired clichés
and common sayings.
Prepare a list of questions for any
interview you may conduct. Be ready
to throw them out if the interviewee
can’t answer them, or has a better
story angle to pursue.
Finally, don’t marry your media. Be
prepared to divorce yourself from a
story idea if things just aren’t working
out before you even head out the door.
Sometimes, the best intentions cannot
overcome surprise conditions.
The Gear Basics
After you have established what the
look and feel of your video is going to
be, you need to determine what physi-
A good set of
headphones is
crucial for monitoring audio and
should be one of
your first investments in your
video kit.
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44
10
Tips for Guerrillas
on the Go
cal assets you’ll need to have on hand.
While things like location, subjects
and storylines can be aligned in the
preplanning phase, it’s in the preparation phase where you make sure you
have everything you need to make the
most of your time.
Hybrid Journalism doesn’t require a
special blend of video equipment. You
don’t need to reinvest in sparkling new
gear if you already have quality tools
in hand. You do need to make sure the
gear works, that batteries are charged
and you have more than enough tape
or media for your camera to capture all
of your visual elements. Here is a list of
the essential gear you need to have:
1. Lights – In certain parts of the
country, there’s a saying that goes:
“If you don’t like the weather, wait a
minute and it’ll change.” This can be
applied to Hybrid Journalism. If you
don’t like the film and video lighting conditions, change them. Having
a basic light kit – key light, fill light,
back light – on hand will get you out
of almost any dark situation. At the
very least, a small on-camera light
will do the trick as well. Don’t have
either? Consider a high-end halogen
flashlight. Halogen offers a clean, consistent light that will illuminate your
subject (just be sure to white balance
your camera before and again after).
2. Camera – You don’t have to
shoot with an expensive video camera
to deliver quality. Make sure your lens
is clean, you’re in focus and that your
colors are true (read ‘be sure to white
balance’). Carry a white business card,
bank teller receipt or small notepad to
balance on in a pinch. In the wintertime, avoid white balancing on snow,
as the true color of snow reflects the
sky it’s falling under (blue sky, blue
tint; gray sky, gray tint).
3. Audio – Perhaps the best investment a Hybrid Journalist can ever
make is in some good, quality professional microphones. They don’t have
to be wireless microphones, and you
can get by with just one, but it does
have to be compatible with your cam-
era. Without good audio, your video
is going to be hard to watch. Consider an inexpensive lavalier (clip-on)
microphone that you can affix to your
subject. When doing interviews, avoid
using the camera mic, as the audio
will usually sound tinny and possibly
indecipherable. You often can’t get the
mic close enough to a subject for the
on-camera mic to be any good, and if
it is, you might have the hum of the
camcorder’s gears or even the breathing of the videographer captured on
the recording.
4. Backup Action – What to do
in the event something breaks? Be
prepared for anything. A spare camera
– even a little handheld camera – can
serve as an emergency replacement
unit should something happen to your
main gear. (This can also be used as
Tips for Guerrillas
on the Go
a secondary camera for extra angles,
cutaways and even backup audio
tracks in a pinch) Always have backup
tapes. Be sure to have spare batteries for wireless microphones. If using
a film or video light kit, have spare
bulbs. Perhaps the most important
weapon in your hybrid video arsenal?
An all-purpose utility tool, like the
Leatherman Juice Xe6, is essential and
handy a shoot. The Boy Scouts carry
utility tools, shouldn’t you?
Remember that with all the advancements in technology, the cost of
making video has gone down significantly. Whether you’re shooting with
tape, internal memory or external
cards, you can always do multiple
takes. If you miss a shot, flub a zoom
or bump an interview shot, you can
always set it up and try again.
On-board video lights can turn an
okay shot into a great shot and they
also help out when you need an
extra boost of light.
See and be seen.
An online network designed by professionals for professionals. NOW PLAYING.
Visit sony.com/videon to submit your best work.
© 2010 Sony Electronics Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited. Features and specifications are subject to change without notice.
Sony, “make.believe” and their respective logos, and VideON are trademarks of Sony.
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10
Tips for Guerrillas
on the Go
Making Video Magic
Your preplanning has paid off and
now you’re ready to capture everything you need for your video. All
your subjects are ready to be interviewed, the weather is cooperating for
b-roll and your gear is working in tiptop shape. This is when your Hybrid
Journalism skills truly shine.
When you watch a show, movie or
newscast, what’s the one thing about
the video that you think really stands
out? Everyone picks up something
different, but the one constant is that
there’s a steady level of consistency in
the work. Become overly analytical of
what you’re capturing. Be cognizant
of your surroundings and make sure
what you’re shooting is applicable
to your end product. Here are a few
video shooting tips to keep in mind:
1. Mix it up - Be sure to incorporate
some flavor in your shooting – don’t
just adhere to the routine ‘wide, medium, closeup’ theory and certainly
don’t just pan and zoom!
The Leatherman Xe6 has multiple
uses and is a great tool to have on
hand for any situation you may run
into.
Backpack
Journalists
in the Big
Markets
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46
2. Raise Some Eyebrows - Set your
camera on the ground - get dirty; get as
close to an object as possible and use
the macro on your lens; move objects
into the foreground and incorporate a
rack focus. If you don’t have anything
to steady your camera to get a shot
shooting up from the ground, use your
cell phone or wallet to support the lens
– just don’t walk away without putting
them back in your pocket.
3. Plug in - Always wear headphones to monitor audio levels. Even
if you’re simply shooting cars going
by, if the record settings are too high,
the footage will have unusable natural
sound. Audio is crucial to every production and decent headphones don’t
have to set you back too much money.
Consider something like the Acoustibuds from Burton Technologies.
These silicon sound saviors slip over
your earphones and cancel out a lot of
ambient sounds – essentially, serving
as a noise canceling system for your
standard headphones. Their sizes vary
and will run you under $20 and can be
found at most online outlets.
4. Become a Jedi of the Cutaway
- Watch your local news on any given
night, particularly the sports and you’ll
quickly understand why cutaways are
so important.
Take basketball highlights, for example: Johnny Sportscaster is showing viewers five baskets from the local
game. He starts with a crowd shot of
rowdy kids with their faces painted.
Then, he shows a play where Team A
dribbles in and scores a bucket. Next,
you see the same team, running a
similar play, scoring a similar bucket.
Kind of hard to tell if that was a replay
or a different play, right? By splicing in
a quick cutaway of the coach, a cheerleader or band member between the
two scores, you’re breaking up the action and telling the viewer “Here’s one
play, followed by the coach applauding, now here’s a different play.”
Cutaways are applied in standard
videos the same way. If you have backto-back sound bites in your video,
cover the transition with a cutaway
- some b-roll, a shot of the interviewer
or anything other than a simply dissolve between shots – this will show
your viewers that you care enough to
take the time to make the transition as
seamless as possible.
5. Be Efficient - No one likes to
waste time. As a Hybrid Journalist, you
pride yourself on being able to recognize when you’ve gathered everything
you need for your shoot. Instead of
burning through two or three hours
worth of tape, make sure the shot
you’re about to record is something
you will actually use in post-production. This will save you time in three
ways – your shoot will get done faster,
your logging/producing time will be
quicker and your editing session can
wrap up sooner. This is the epitome of
Hybrid Journalism!
That said, though, be weary of
putting your cart before the horse.
Shoot too much footage and you’ll
be logging tape until the cows come
home. Not enough? You’ll be cursing
your own name in the edit bay. The
best way to determine if you have
Hybrid Journalism has enjoyed a renaissance of sorts in the traditional news media. Many TV stations in markets
like San Francisco, Chicago and Atlanta are using glorified one-man-band journalists to cover daily news. Outfitted with portable cameras, a laptop editor and wireless internet card, these Hybrid Journalists are producing quality content comparable to their two or three-man production team colleagues.
Gannett Broadcasting may have made the biggest dent in this type of journalism, implementing Backpack
Journalists into their major media markets in 2007, sending shockwaves through newsrooms from coast-to-coast.
While this may have been viewed as an industry-wide cry for cost-cutting journalism in major metropolitan areas,
it’s been a right-of-passage for young journalists working in small TV markets – like Fargo, N.D. or Yuma, Ariz.
For video production enthusiasts, however, Hybrid Journalism has been a way of life – and will continue to be
– for years to come.
enough footage is to keep a mental tab
or notes in a small notebook of shots
you’ve gathered and whether or not
you’ll be able to edit your way out of
any post-production jams.
6. Think Like an Editor - You’ve got
all your video assets together, the interviews were smooth and everything
went according to script. Now it’s
time to prove your worth in the edit
suite. So what is the most important
thing a Hybrid Journalist can do to
save time and energy in post-production? Stephen Covey said it best when
he paraphrased the ancient Chinese
military leader, Sun Tzu: “Begin with
the end in mind.”
If you think like an editor when
you’re out in the field as a videographer, your job as an editor gets
easier. If you think like a producer
when you’re conducting interviews,
your story will piece together easier
because you hear the sound bites you
plan to use in real-time.
Hybrid is Happening
When you’re out on a shoot, it’s always
easier said than done to produce with
the end in mind. If your plan is to
simply shoot an event and apply little
to no post-production elements, then
you begin the way you’ll be ending.
However, if your plan is to create a
visually stimulating, emotionally
captivating promotional piece for your
church fundraiser, having a plan in
place before you ever press record will
make the ending that much better. By
changing your mindset and allowing
yourself to think as a Hybrid Journalist, your videos will begin to improve,
your audience will begin to grow and
the world as we know it – from a video
front, at least – will be a better place.
Dave Sniadak is an award-winning photojournalist and
video consultant servicing clients ranging from Fortune
100 companies to non-profit organizations.
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BASIC TRAINING
BASIC TRAINING
Multi-camera Shooting
by K y l e C a s s i d y
Most of us are probably “go it
alone” videographers. When an
event arises we show up with one
camera and a bag on our back - but
that’s not always the best option.
Videographers are not just storytellers,
they’re also the keepers of our memories – which is an amazing responsibility. While a director producing
a fictional piece can reshoot a scene
again and again until it’s captured
perfectly, real life doesn’t afford us
the ability to go back and do it again.
The garter toss that’s missed once, is
missed forever.
For this reason, many videographers
capture important events with multiple
cameras – this not only ensures that
if one camera misses some critical action, it will be caught by another, but it
also makes for much more enjoyable
viewing. After all, you wouldn’t watch
a sitcom that had only one camera
angle set to a wide shot of the entire
set, so why should you watch a video
of a school play that way?
Multi-camera shooting can be done
in several ways, some complex and
expensive, some easy and (relatively)
cheap. We’ll look at a few different
methods here.
Easy / Cheap:
Multicam, unsynchronized
The easiest way to cover an event
with multiple cameras is to have a
second shooter grabbing “b-roll”
– “b-roll” is “other stuff” that isn’t
typically the main attraction. During
a wedding, “b-roll” might consist of
shots of the audience, close-ups of the
flower girl, pans across the building,
or even a parking lot filled with cars.
B-roll allows you to cut from the main
event, which you may do to cover a
camera move, or to keep a scene from
dragging on. Most often, b-roll is not
synched, you don’t know if the flower
girl actually yawned before, during,
or after the long-winded sermon, the
close-up of the bride’s father wiping a tear away could have actually
happened at any time. You can even
do this with one person, putting one
camera on a tripod to get a master
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The easiest way to have multiple shots of an event is to shoot b-roll before or after the
event, to insert into the project later. Having two cameras at the event allows the option of
one camera shooting the entire event uncut, while the other shoots cutaways, saving time.
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48
corded by both. When film and video
are recorded separately you need a
visual cue and an audio cue that happen at the same time – traditionally
this is made by a “clapper” or “sticks”
– some guy in a baseball hat steps in
front of the camera with a clapper
and says “scene three, take four” and
bangs the two parts of the clapper
together. This makes a noise (“clap!”)
and an easily definable visual, the
clapper snapping shut. These can be
aligned in the editing room and the
audio and visuals will stick together.
Since your camcorders are synching
audio, you only need a visual clue,
such as a still camera flash which
will work for multiple cameras across
a room – having someone stand in
front of the cameras and clap their
hands together works too. After
august 2010
Some software, such as
PluralEyes, will automatically
synch your footage based on
the associated audio.
you’ve synched your cameras this
way DON’T STOP RECORDING or
you’ll lose your synch. Also, if your
cameras are using tape, they may
eventually drift apart and need to be
re-synched due to the inexact transport speeds. Practice at home to see
how long your cameras stay synched.
Easy / Expensive: Let the computer
do the work
Computer programs such as Singular
Software’s “PluralEyes” can do your
synching for you. PluralEyes ($149 or
free demo at singularsoftware.com)
will let you drop multiple clips from
different cameras into Final Cut Pro or
shot and then running around getting
close-ups with a second camera. Unsynched b-roll is easy to do and adds
extra depth to your shooting.
Easy / Cheap:
Multicam with visual synchronization
Synchronizing multiple cameras is
a little trickier, but it will allow you
to cut back and forth between two
cameras at exactly the same moment
Synchronizing Multiple
caMeraS iS a little
tricky.
– extremely useful when you have
video and audio tracks that need to
stay together, such as musical performances or dances. Lots of modern cameras have built in timecode
which can be controlled from an
external source, but without such
equipment, you can use the same
method Hollywood’s been using for
nearly a hundred years to synchronize audio and motion pictures that
are recorded separately – an easily
definable event of a short duration re-
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49
basic training
Lighting
august 2010
Live video switchers are ideal for real time
productions like broadcast TV or sporting
events. Grass Valley's Indigo AV Mixer and
Edirol's V-1600HD produce multiple camera
productions on the fly.
cal convention, pro sporting event or
a concert where a professional DVD
is being made, you will see a semitruck parked out front with bundles of
cables running from it into the venue.
Inside this mobile production truck is
a control room which will house producers, directors and audio engineers
as well as monitors for all the video
feeds and audio devices. While all this
equipment can seem expensive, it can
actually be very cost effective in that
the product is done on the fly and lots
of time is saved in the editing room.
What’s Right for Me?
Vegas and it will automatically figure
out where they belong on the timeline
based on the associated audio.
More Difficult / More Expensive:
Live switching
Live switching multiple video sources
en
ough
a Doz
When ras isn’t En
Came
In the 2002 Vin Diesel action
adventure xXx, Director Rob Cohen
and Cinematographer Dean Semler
filmed a sequence where a brand
new convertible is driven off of the
Foresthill bridge in Auburn, CA. The
car plummets nearly 750 feet to
the ground but at the last minute,
the driver parachutes out and lands
safely. Obviously, this isn’t a stunt
that anybody wants to do twice
– and not just because of the price
of new convertible sports cars. To
make sure that they had the coverage they needed, Cohen and Semler shot the scene with 20 cameras
running simultaneously. In the editing room, the video was spliced
together to show the stunt from a
variety of camera angles to give the
viewer the greatest thrill.
You can see a detailed construction of how they did it in the special
features section of the xXx DVD.
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50
is a wonderful thing. It allows you to
not only have a multi-camera shoot,
but to have a near finished product
as soon as the curtain drops. The
idea is that the video from all of your
cameras comes through one switcher
and a director, looking at multiple
monitors, decides which source to
make “live”. This is how live television is done – nobody wants to
wait around for video of a baseball
game to be edited together to watch
it – that went out with newsreels
– today we want to see things as they
happen.
With a switcher like Edirol’s
Roland V-8 ($2,200) a director can
choose between eight video inputs, including not just cameras,
but computers as well, and switch
between them using one of a number
of effects like dissolves, fades, and
wipes. TBC (Time Based Correction)
will ensure that the input signals are
synchronized and you’re not trying
to cut in the middle of a frame. Multiple video outs can go to displays or
to recording devices.
This requires not just cameras, but
cabling between them and a place to
set up your switcher. As this gets more
complicated we get into:
Very Difficult / Very Expensive:
A Production Truck
If you’ve ever been to a huge event
that’s being recorded, like a politiVIDEOMAKER >>> August 2010
Stepping into multi-camera video
shooting is a “next level” in video production and essential for some types
of videography. The level of sophistication you need will, of course, vary
Multi-caM editing can
be cost eFFective iF
done on the Fly.
depending on what you’re producing
and how often you’ll be doing it. Many
cities have video equipment rentals
that will let you try out things like
switchers for an afternoon.
And as is always the case with
video production: Don’t experiment
on important events – be sure that
whatever new techniques you’re using
you try them on dedicated test projects
first rather than find out at the end of
the concert that your video switcher
wasn’t outputting to your recording
device.
To learn more, read our associated
story, “Multi-Cam Editing for Everyone” on page 56 of this issue or online at videomaker.com/article/14607/.
Contributing Editor Kyle Cassidy is a visual artist who
exhibits regularly and has written books on technology
and photographic art.
F E E D BaC k
Finding the Light
by Terry O'Rourke
You don't need dozens of lights
to shoot beautiful night scenes.
"Natural" lights, scrims, a few
reflectors and imagination are all
you'll need in your dark world.
Are you yearning for something different? Are you stuck in a rut shooting the same lighting style on every
shoot? Do you feel like you have lost
your passion and if you see another
quartz light you just might go mad?
Well how ‘bout a little field trip to
parts unknown. We’re going to explore a whole new realm of videography that’s sure to get your blood
flowing again and maybe even get
you into a bit of trouble. So pack your
camcorder, leave your lights behind
and get ready for some challenging
new locations… oh and you might
stop for some coffee along the way
‘cause you’re going to need it.
there are lots of lights. It’s dusk now
and you have your coffee so it’s time
to try shooting in this parking lot.
With your subject standing directly
under a light you’ll get a dramatic,
ghostly effect. The deep shadows
Paint the Night Like Rembrandt
will be completely dark and the
Our first stop is the coffee shop just
highlights will be the only thing with
before dusk; but not just any coffee
details and since it’s dusk you’ll get
shop we need one in a large shopping
that wonderful deep blue sky. But if
center with a large parking lot where
you want a more natural look,
have them stand farther away
and off to one side. Correctly
place your subject and you get a
nice “Rembrandt” style lighting
where most of the light falls on
one side of your subject and
just a bit of light skims across
to the other side of his face.
The shadows will most likely be
completely dark but if you bring
in a white card or silver reflector you can fill in the shadows
for a really nice night shot that
By placing your subject underneath a light source and looks completely professional.
to the side you can get a great looking "Rembrandt" While your subject stays in that
perfect spot, try having him rostyle lighting set up. Use a reflector to fill in the
tate just slightly to one side then
shadows as needed.
the other and you will see a dramatic
difference in how she looks. When
you do this you create what is known
as “broad” lighting where the light
comes from just behind where your
subject is facing and “short” lighting
comes from just in front of where
your subject is facing.
Shoot the Butterfly
If you carefully place your subject
with the light source slightly above
and in front of her you will get an
old school “butterfly” lighting, so
called because the shadow cast
from that one light source forms a
butterfly shaped shadow just under
the subject's nose. This lighting demands a near perfect face along with
a near perfect complexion but the
results can be spectacular. Just look
through any fashion magazine and
you see this lighting in many of the
beauty shots.
Beauty in the Headlights
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Now you’re off to an urban location
looking for that perfect street scene.
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51
Lighting
against a wall to get some great shadows and if
you have him move towards the camera while
you step backwards away from him, the shadows
become a major part of the scene. Move the car
around and get some long dramatic shadows for
a cool “Dick Tracy” scene.
Try using car
headlights behind
your subject and
slightly to the side
to create a nice rim
light. Use a reflector to bounce back
light to fill in the
shadows.
Convenient Light
Once you find it, try shining your car lights
from behind and slightly to the side of your
subject to create a nice rim light and use a large
bounce card or silver reflector to reflect back
some of that light to fill in the shadows.
If you do this at dusk just after a rainfall you
will get a nice deep blue sky. Find a location
with lots of ambient lighting and you get wonderful reflections from all those wet surfaces.
This is how those beautiful night scenes are
created, you know, the ones where the girl runs
up the street, stops, looks around and suddenly
sees her lover running towards her. (Except the
big guys use a bit more than car lights and they
do it in daylight, but that’s another story!)
For a different look, try standing with the car
lights directly behind you shining straight at
your subject for a dramatic “deer in headlights”
look. Do this in an open field with some farm
stuff in the shot and you might get an Alfred
Hitchcock look! Or spend a little time with this,
test a few angles and you can get some of that
nice “ring light” effect so commonly found in
today’s New York fashion shoots.
Using the car lights again, stand your subject
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Gas stations and
24-hour convenience
stores already have
the perfect night
lighting set up for
you, all you have
to do is throw in a
reflector or scrim,
and you've got some
good dramatic light
for a nice night
scene. Frame well,
and no one will
know you're at a gas
station.
52
Projects that Pay
august 2010
Some of my favorite places to shoot at night
are gas stations and convenience stores. You
won’t get a lot of shadows because they are
almost always well lit and the light from them
can be powerful enough to reflect off adjacent
walls for a nice even fill that looks like full-on
studio lighting. Plus there usually are so many
lights in these parking lots and under the
building overhangs that you have a plethora
of angles to choose from. You probably won’t
need any hand held reflectors but if you bring
some along you can expect some pretty nice
results. Try some gold fill for a nice warm look
or experiment with your white balance and get
some dramatic color shifts. Be sure to frame
away from anything that tells the audience
you’re in a gas-station parking lot and you
have sold the illusion.
Use Your Imagination
Just imagine all those possibilities! But be aware
because you can’t just shoot your video at every
location you may come across, especially private
property. But with a little diplomacy you can
usually talk your way onto any location. And if
you are finding a bit of resistance try contacting
your local film commission and let them point
you in the right direction.
These techniques are used every day by many
well trained professional videographers and
cinematographers. The only difference is they
bring in tons of equipment. But as an up and
coming Indie producer, you want to maintain a
foot-loose and fancy-free shooting style so all
you need is a bit of creativity, your tripod, a few
fill cards, reflectors and your camcorder. With a
little practice you will be looking at every parking lot and every light fixture as if each situation
is a fresh new lighting style.
Terry O’Rourke specializes in retail advertising photography and
videography for clients worldwide.
Earn Income with Training Videos
Are you looking to earn income with
your knowledge and skills in video
production? You came to the right
place! “How To” Video in Three Steps,
Using Six Rules and Five Ideas.
Three steps help build good “How To”
Videos: tell them what you’re going to
tell them, tell them, then tell them what
you told them. This article illustrates a
three-step approach. You’ll discover six
basic rules for planning and producing a
good video. You’ll read five money-making possibilities for hobbyists, video producers or commercial publishers. This
article assumes you know the basics for
good video: planning, framing, lighting
and audio. I’ll share how basics apply in
producing good ‘how to’ video.
Three Steps
Popular instructional videos use the
three-step approach. Organize your
production, then begin the presentation with a synopsis. State the goal
of your music instructional video,
for example. Use narrative, with cuts
to the instrument, music sheets and
other visuals to clarify. Split-screen
shots with close-up of picking and fret
hands help. Tell the viewers what they
will learn. Is the video intended for
beginner, intermediate or advanced?
Are support materials included?
Example: “In this video you’ll learn
finger-picking styles and techniques
used in blues guitar and how to play
awesome rifts. You’ll learn to play
(popular song) by the time you complete this video and you’ll learn six
techniques for developing your own
hammered-style lead guitar.”
Six Rules
These six rules are essential to an effective production. Follow them and
you’ll produce a winner.
1 – Presentation. You and/or
your talent must have well-informed
knowledge of the subject. Prompt
cards help, but familiarity rules. This
is not always obvious. The talent
should speak well and not mumble.
Keep narrative pacing smooth and
unhurried, but avoid drawing it out
Split-screens can be
helpful in instructional video. They allow
the viewer to see two
simultaneous actions,
while providing closeups of each.
F E E D Ba C k
VIDEOMAKER >>> AUg Ust 2010
by Earl Chessher
too long. Avoid clothing colors like red
or white and stripes or tweeds.
2 – Hear the Room. Reduce audio
interference - air conditioner hum,
refrigerators, planes, trains and
automobiles. Using a wireless mic is
no guarantee. Place the mics close to
the speakers if music is important.
A shotgun or boom-mounted mic is
easier to control. A hard-wired unidirectional mic rather than one with an
omnidirectional ability helps. Listen
carefully to your audio and address
problems early.
3 - Get Lighting Right. Use diffused
light sources. Avoid harsh, directional
lighting. But keep in mind you may
need a variety of choices for close-up
work. Be sure to white balance and
use a trusted reference monitor.
4 – Prepare Thyself. Have a script,
shot and props list. Keep shots varied.
Repeat essential instructions for
emphasis and enhanced learning.
Advance planning, rehearsals and
organization go a long way toward
enhancing your video quality. Pay
attention to details. It’s easier with a
crew so each can focus on one element - lighting, audio, framing - but it
is not mandatory. A crew of one and
one narrator work, one man bands are
53
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Five Marketable Ideas
How Long, How Much
Start short and simple. My first two
were under five minutes, showing how
to change a flat tire and how to consistently boil the perfect three-minute
egg. The tire-changing video proved
popular with women in an exercise
group a friend attended. I mentioned
this at a Chamber of Commerce session. Next thing I know, I’m giving
away copies and selling a few.
A co-worker fussed about her
boiled eggs being too hard or too runny, lamenting lack of knowledge on
how to get it right. I happen to know
how to achieve the perfect three-minute egg. I made a video and shared it.
Suddenly, every brown bagger in the
company wants a copy. Opportunity
knocks.
“How to” video can go from free to
$50 – (see the “Getting Paid” sidebar).
The value of your production, real
or perceived, is based on quality of
information, learning ease and length.
Length alone is rarely a deal breaker,
unless you’re selling Boiling the Perfect Three-Minute Egg for $49.95.
Tackle complex subjects as experience and resources develop. I suggest
your video not go beyond one hour.
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You made the video because you love
the subject, thought it would be fun
or have a friend who needs your video production skills. Or you want to
develop a “how to” video production
library to share or sell. Maybe you
just thought about doing a “how to”
video, but haven’t taken another step.
54
“How To” projects can be found around every corner. Talking to people about their hobbies and
your interest in video production can open the door to countless opportunities.
• By-the-hour is popular. It takes about three hours of shooting to develop a wellplanned one-hour project. Your hourly rate should range accordingly - from $35
per hour, to $100 per hour.
• Flat fees can work. Use caution taking this route. Time can rip you. Two hours
for $350 is a start. Work from there.
• Invest in trade where both agree to share talents, equipment and skills to make
a product. Market the video. Both agree to split profits after expenses.
• With any arrangement, provide copies priced on a sliding scale from $20 down
to $6, depending on numbers purchased by the client.
What You Told Them
If you have more to share, then do a
series. Subjects like software instruction, foreign language or how to build
a Boeing 747 in your backyard require
a longer, more extensive approach
than your average “how to” video.
Plan simple subjects before taking on
projects requiring major planning and
investment of time and money.
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Minimize talking heads. Use cutaways and close-ups to keep your
video interesting, informative and
fun. Be concise and topic specific.
Don’t overdo it on the humor. Your
only limitation is interest and desire
to produce. Remember - Tell them
what you’ll tell them, tell them, tell
them what you told them. Use good
lighting, audio, framing and focus.
Enhance details with close-ups and
cutaways. Search the web for ideas.
Talk to people about your video
hobby or business. Listen when they
share. Anything that can be done
can be learned with a good “how
to” video. (The perfect three-minute
boiled egg? Place two eggs in onequart saucepan, fill with cold water,
bring to boil and immediately turn
off heat. Let cool, peel and eat).
Earl Chessher is a veteran journalist and newspaper
publisher with more than 30 years experience. He has
produced thousands of videos and written about creating and marketing video for more than 20 years.
FEEDBaCk
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Why did I do This?
august 2010
Getting Paid
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possible, but remain aware of details.
5 – Two Takes Save the Day. Don’t
rush to get the project done. Double
estimate time for your shoot. Allow
for set-up and break down. Record the
rehearsal and review takes. It’s less
stressful to get it now, than rescheduling pickup sessions.
6 - Break the Rules. So you just
want to share something with friends
or family - a short “how to” on cooking rice or creating potpourri. If your
instructions and presentation are
simple and you want to rip through
with less attention to details, go for
it. But use a mix of talking heads and
detail shots to enhance quality.
Well-paced narrative makes it easier
to edit audio and insert cutaways. Record ambient room audio to fill dead
space between narrative lines. You
should do all of the detail, close-up
and cutaway inserts in post.
Music Instructional Video: My first
music instructional came from pitching a wedding musician. I chatted
up the lead guitarist, learned he held
music classes and wanted to develop
a video series to support his self-published techniques books. Then came
others, including a flamenco guitarist,
harmonica enthusiast and an independent publisher looking for affordable video to support his client roster.
Icing Flowers: A friend of a friend
has a home business making designer cakes and created a masterpiece
for a friend. Conversations led to
planning one video, if not a series, on
creating icing flowers for decorating
enthusiasts.
Cooking: This barbecue enthusiast has his secret recipe, marinating
methods and different woods used to
enhance the tastes. I love barbecue
and think of myself as somewhat
knowledgeable of it. Another conversation lead to making a Don’t Burn the
Barbecue video.
Hobby Shops: I visit regularly seeking handcraft enthusiasts - it’s called
“trolling” folks. Ask the guy in your
aisle about his hobby, tell him yours is
producing how to videos - hooked.
Direct Marketing: Search the web
for ideas. You will find dozens, if not
hundreds, of how to video subjects
and leads. There’s a host of folks receptive to your pitch.
cial for Video
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You’re concerned about equipment
or finding talent. You worry about
identifying your market, making the
video too long or short, boring or
overwhelming.
Practice makes perfect. Well,
maybe not perfect. Experience gained
as a hobbyist or commercial producer
helps develop good techniques and will
guide you into a positive direction.
Hear the room: Take a moment and really
listen - The hum of a refrigerator can ruin the
audio quality. Covering a fridge or air conditioner can help eliminate the hum.
Projects that Pay
august 2010
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Projects that Pay
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ÒAÊhigh-endÊtrackerÊ
forÊaÊpriceÊevenÊusÊ
littleÊguysÊcanÊaffordÓ
free
demo!
NowÊwithÊStereoscopicÊTrackingÊandÊSolving
PleaseÊcomeÊvisitÊourÊwebsiteÊatÊssontech.comÊtoÊlearnÊ
howÊSynthEyesÊcanÊhelpÊmakeÊyourÊnextÊprojectÊevenÊ
moreÊamazing.ÊWatchÊourÊmanyÊvideoÊtutorials,ÊandÊtryÊourÊ
shotsÊandÊyoursÊusingÊtheÊfreeÊSynthEyesÊdemo.Ê
Applications:ÊvirtualÊ(green-screen)Êsets,ÊsetÊ
reconstructionÊandÊextension,Êstabilization,ÊCGÊcharacterÊ
insertion,ÊproductÊplacement,ÊfaceÊ&ÊbodyÊcapture,ÊheadÊ
replacement,ÊtalkingÊanimals.
RecentÊcredits: Avatar,ÊAliceÊinÊWonderland,ÊIronÊManÊ2,Ê
HumanÊTarget,ÊPrinceÊofÊPersia,ÊV.
contents
RunsÊonÊPCÊ&ÊMac,Ê32Ê&Ê64ÊbitÊversionsÊavailable.
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AnderssonÊTechnologiesÊLLC
55
editing
Editing
Multi-cam Editing for All
by Mar k M o n t g o m e r y
Multi-cam editing is becoming
more popular as software programs adopt tools that make the
process much easier. Now just
about anyone with a prosumer
video editing suite can do accurate
multi-cam edits with little stress.
Multi-cam editing is perfect for
producing video at live events, such
as wedding, sporting events, recitals, graduations, plays, etc. Wherever
there’s an opportunity to shoot a lot
of footage in one continuous flow,
and the event is rather large, (thus
the need of multiple cameras to get
good coverage), or when you simply
have more than one camera at your
disposal, multi-cam editing is ideal.
Multi-cam editing can save you a
great amount of time by running
through the video in real-time and
making your edits as you go.
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the white balance is significantly off.
Other times you may need to compare
footage where, ideally a white object
is in the frame, like a white tee shirt
or even better a white bounce card.
Compare the footage and see if the
white object appears to be more blue
or orange in either video source. This
will tell you if the white balance is off
between cameras. There are several
remedies to fix the issue. For example
Accurate Color Is Key
if camera B’s footage has a blueish tint
Often times the footage you’re editto it, you could use a color filter and
ing is shot on different cameras or
drop the Blue level slightly until the
perhaps there’s a slight difference
blue tint is gone. The same technique
in the colors between video footage
would apply for footage that has a
from one camera compared to the
warm tone. Simply apply a color
other. White balance issues are very
balance filter to the footage and drop
common. Usually you can spot
down the Red level until the
this problem fairly quickly if
red tint disappears. Most
video editing software
suites have an RGB
color balance filter that
lets you adjust these
values independently.
Make sure to observe
each camera’s footage
carefully and ideally
against the same object
The RGB color balance filter adjusts red, green and blue color under the same lighting
values independently. This filter is ideal for matching slight
conditions (this is where
variations in color and removing unwanted color hues.
running a few seconds of a
56
First, zoom in on the time line until
your view is as magnified as possible. This usually puts your timeline
representing each marker as one
single video frame (1/30th a second
for most editors). Now you can use
your arrow keys on the keyboard to
move the playback head one frame at
a time. Look closely at your waveform
again and see if the volume spikes are
aligned before moving too far ahead.
Sometimes, as you zoom in on the
timeline, you see that they weren’t
so closely aligned after all. Nudge
the tracks again until they align once
more. Play back at natural speed and
listen closely. Still sounds echoed, but
not as bad? Now it’s time to nudge the
track forward or back and continue to
playback to see if your sound is synchronized or not. It’s trial and error.
In an absolute pinch, some editors
white bounce board at the beginning
of a shoot is especially helpful).
Auto White Balance Correction
More advance editing packages, like Final Cut Pro have a clever auto white balancing tool in the 3 Way Color Correction filter (Effects> Video Filters> Color
Correction> 3 Way Color Corrector) that allows you to use a color picker for the
White color wheel. By selecting the color picker, you can choose a white object in
the video which tells the software what white value to automatically correct. It then
changes the values automatically removing the unwanted blue or orange tint. It’s
a handy tool, but, ultimately you get the same effect with this filter or a RGB Color
Balance filter.
choose the best audio track and delete the others. This doesn’t give you
the best audio mix, as it only represents audio from a single camera, but
it does eliminate that doubled audio
instantly. For this reason make sure
to set up a principle audio camera
that captures the house sound. In
many cases, this camera will be in
the back of the venue next to the au-
dio mixer, perhaps even plugged into
the audio mixer itself.
Always try to get the audio correct the first time as it gives you the
best shot of getting a comprehensive
representation of the event. If a video
camera gets momentarily obstructed,
you’ll always have the audio to lean
on so that your viewers don’t lose out
on the meaning of what is happen-
BC Media, Inc.
Synchronized Audio
Another common problem nearly
every multi-cam editor runs across
is syncing multiple clips so that the
audio syncs up nicely. This can be
the most tedious work, even more
challenging than the actual editing.
The trick is to try to find a area of
the video where each camera’s audio
waveform experiences a significant
volume spike. At the beginning of a
production, this could be at a point
where a stage hand taps the mic to
test that it’s working. Looking at all
the waveforms, visually align the
spike in each track as best you can.
Play back the clips in real-time and
listen to see if the audio is in sync.
You should not hear a doubling
(echo) effect. It should sound only as
if a single track is playing back. Most
likely, you won’t get accurate sync
on your first try. If you do, consider
yourself one of the greatest multicam editors of all time. OK, maybe
you were just lucky. If you’re like the
rest of us, you’re going to need to
roll up your sleeves and make some
adjustments.
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advertising index
editing
editing
august 2010
august 2010
ABE’s Of Maine |__________________ 33
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Audio that looks
like it is synched up
correctly can be a
few frames off as
you zoom in on the
timeline. The tighter
you zoom in, the better you can see how
close each track is
and the better you can
adjust frame-by-frame
tweaking.
Kino Flo |_________________________ 49
ing. Also, once you get it synched up,
many timelines will let you lock the
audio tracks so that you don’t accidentally nudge your clips out of sync
again.
Primera Technology, Inc. |___________ 3
Multiple Monitor Playback
GlideCam Industries Inc. |__________ 47
Sony Creative Software |__________ C2
Sony Electronics, Inc. (Pro) |_______ 45
Studio 1 Productions, Inc |_________ 59
Teac America, Inc. |________________ 57
Verbatim |_________________________ 5
Video Guys |______________________ 25
Video Guys |______________________ 37
WTS Duplication |_________________ 55
Videomaker Digital Downloads |_____ 59
Videomaker Merchandise |_________ 42
Videomaker PLUS Members |______ 38
Videomaker Subscription Alert |_____ 47
Videomaker Tips and Tricks DVDs |_ 60
Videomaker Training DVDs |_______ 22
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Videomaker Webinars |___________ C3
full screen
Videomaker Workshops |__________ 13
print
The heart and soul of multi-cam
editing comes down to seeing each
of your video tracks represented in
a monitor so that you can see what
camera to cut to when you want
to make an edit. This feature splits
your video monitor into 4 different
smaller monitors so that you can
see multiple camera views. Not all
video editing software suites have
this feature and some handle it in
different manners, such as nesting multiple video timelines into a
single timeline. You don’t have to
have it to do multi-cam editing, as
long as you have multiple tracks on
the timeline you can get a multicam edit done, although it will take
much longer. If Camera A is on the
top video track and Camera B on the
bottom track, you’ll only see Track
A in a single monitor. Depending
on your software, you can use the
visibility toggle on the top track to
quickly turn off Camera A and see
Camera B’s footage, but only when
the video playback is stopped. This
requires that you review Camera A,
then back up the footage and toggle
off the track to review Camera B. Not
nearly as easy as having a multi-cam
viewing feature built in. But it works.
Keep One Eye Out For Cuts
With the program moving forward,
58
look for opportunities to make your
cuts. A simple cut from one camera angle to another can happen in
many different areas, but the best
cuts happen along moments of action. For example, Camera A shoots
a medium shot of a school principal walking to the podium during
a graduation ceremony to address
the crowd. As he approaches the
podium you could cut to Camera B
as he turns to the crowd and show
a medium close-up shot of the principal. Cutting on the action helps
tie together the activities unfolding
Using the multicam editing feature in your in editing software will allow you to watch multiple
camera feeds and switch real-time between them after you have synched up all your video. This
saves a lot of time and is a feature worth looking at when purchasing editing software.
is complete before starting a dissolve transition. It’s also important
to only dissolve when both cameras are stationary. It’s best if both
cameras are not panning, tilting
or zooming. Make your transitions
Contributing columnist Mark Montgomery is a web
content specialist and produces instructional videos for
a leading web application developer.
FEEDB aCk
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MULTICAM
SHOOTING
Shooting with
more than one
camera can be
a time-saving
and very creative
endeavor.
With the program moving forWard, look for
opportunities to make
your cuts.
before the cameras. In a perfect
world, you won’t make a cut just
to hide a camera operator’s error,
although that is a remedy. Look for
important moments in the program
or content of the video to make your
edits. Just because you have four different camera angles, doesn’t mean
you need to use them all. Typically,
you’ll only need two angles to tell
the story and the others will come
in handy at rare moments. Choose
wisely otherwise you’ll lose your
audiences’ focus.
Dissolves and other effects that
take time to transition should happen when these effects have time to
unfold. So don’t do a dissolve on an
action scene. Wait until an action
(and cuts for that matter) before any
camera movements. This will make
sure that the transition happens
without the viewer taking notice of
the effect. Camera operators ideally
should have camera movements
scripted so that you can edit as
intended, however that’s not always
the case. An easy way of communicating between camera ops while
shooting is to use hand signals.
Multi-cam shooting is ideal for
event shooting and with the right
editing techniques applied you can
produce just about anything from
TV shows to Football games. To learn
more, read our associated story,
“Multi-cam Shooting” on page 48 of
this issue or online at videomaker.
com/article/14563/
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talent for voice over work but your
budget is tight. It looks like you’ll
have to figure this one out by yourself. Don’t worry, you can do this.
If you can read and speak, you can
do a voice over. With the right tools,
technique and some practice, you
can create functional voice overs for
any project, stay within budget and
deliver them on time. Whether this is
your first time or your 25th, it never
hurts to go through the fundamentals
of creating good voice overs. Here are
10 tips to get you through.
1 - It Starts With the Script
Voice over scripts come in many
forms and lengths. It may be as
simple as a few lines peppered
throughout the project or it could be
nine pages of wall-to-wall text. It’s
possible the client wrote it, either
through an employee or a committee. Whenever possible, retain the
right to edit the script for clarity.
You don’t want to change the message, just the delivery. Make sure the
script is easy for you or the voice
over talent to read, easy to understand and moves easily from section
to section. If there are any names,
words or technical terms that you’re
unsure of, check with the client for
proper pronunciation. Spell them
out phonetically if necessary. There’s
nothing worse than mispronouncing
someone’s name during your voice
over recording and having to go back
and fix it after the project is finished.
Sound Forge and Avid's Digidesign
ProTools are the major players in
this area, but there are many other
options. Adobe, Sony and Digidesign
each make ‘lite’ versions of their
flagship products – all are worth
investigating. Apple has Logic Studio
and Soundtrack Pro. You can even
do some basic recording and editing
in GarageBand. Reaper, Audacity and
Nero’s Wave Editor are all worthy
contenders, too. Find one that fits
your budget and is easy for you to
use and follow. You’ll spend a lot of
quality time with your software.
3 - The Setup
Once that’s established, you need
your best microphone. In a perfect
world, that would be a large diaphragm studio condenser mic, but
any good, clean microphone will do.
You also need a way to plug the mic
into your computer – with either
adapter cables or an audio interface
– and a microphone stand. A good
2 - The Right Software
The process of recording a good
voice over requires a few tools. First
on the list is recording and editing software. Adobe Audition, Sony
contents
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One of the first things you'll need to record a voice over is audio recording and editing
software. Be sure to pick the best one for your needs and budget.
print
61
audio
AUDIO
AUGUST 2010
CLASSIFIED NETWORK
AUGUST 2010
Black & White Rates
Warm tea with honey and lemon, cough drops, and plenty of room temperature water
can help keep your voice sounding smooth. Avoid beverages with lots of refined sugar
and/or dairy, such as coffee and soda.
pair of headphones is critical for
monitoring your recording. With
the headphones on, you’ll hear
every detail and make better performance decisions. Don’t forget the
recording environment. Our guerilla
sound booth (July 2010 issue or find
online at www.videomaker.com/article/14618/) is a great way to go for
a voice over studio, but any quiet
area with minimal sound reflections
works in a pinch.
4 - Creature Comforts
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You may be working on the voice
over for a while, so make sure
you’ve created a comfortable work
environment. This starts with
good lighting and ventilation. Pour
yourself a nice cup of tea and sip
slowly. No sugar and cream laden
coffee here. Cough drops will help
open up the sinuses and clear the
throat, just spit them out before
recording. Keep a bottle of room
temperature water handy and grab
a drink between takes. You’ll get a
better performance standing but a
bar stool might make things a little
more comfortable for longer runs.
5 - Performance
It’s time to step up to the mic, as
they say. Don’t worry about any-
62
thing for now, just grab the script,
hit the record button and track a few
lines. Play the recording back over
the headphones and listen to the
performance. If you’ve never done
this before, the recording will sound
pretty strange. Do you really sound
like that? Yes, you do. Be critical of
your performance. Listen closely for
regional accents and slurred words
and phrases, but avoid over enunciating, too. Pay attention to timing and
the flow of the voice over recording.
Based on your critique, re-record the
piece – several times if necessary
– and listen through it again. Make
notes to yourself about certain words
or phrases that give you trouble.
6 - Listen To the Pros
If you’re a little stuck on how to
deliver the script, take a few minutes
and watch some commercials. Listen
closely for pacing and inflection
and consider how you can mimic
their performance in your project.
Don’t be a copycat, but find the best
elements and incorporate them as
you record. Try pushing your voice a
little harder than normal and record
multiple takes with variations on
inflection. The options may help in
the editing process. The voice over
should catch the viewers' attention
VIDEOMAKER >>> AUg Ust 2010
without distracting from the visuals.
Funny Names
7 - Parsing the Product
The area around my city has a
few smaller towns with funny
names: Oronogo, Duquesne
and Duenweg – pronounced
Or-o-no-go, Du-kane and Dune-weg, respectively. Don’t ask.
A few times a year, businesses
in these towns hire out-of-state
production companies to create
TV commercials. Unfortunately,
they often forget to spell the
funny names phonetically for
the voice over talent. When
these commercials air, the TV
stations and cable operators
receive numerous calls from
angry residents. It usually takes
a week or two, but a new version magically appears with the
correct pronunciation. It makes
me laugh every time.
Once you’ve got a recording of the
whole script, it’s time to sift through
everything. Listen to the various
takes and keep notes on the best
versions. Make sure you’ve recorded
the entire script – in sequence or not
– and have clean takes of all the segments. If you find a section you don’t
like, re-record it till you’re happy
with the results. The entire voice over
may include several files and takes
so create a roadmap of the various
keeper takes including file name and
location times within the file.
8 - Chop it Up
When editing, always copy keeper
chunks to a new timeline and
maintain the original recordings for
backup. Assemble the piece in order
and, if the project is full of shorter
segments, save each finished segment as a separate file. Trim the
opening and close of each segment
tight and, when you have to assemble a sentence from pieces, use
simple fade-in/fade-outs to overlap
the words. With a little practice, even
you will have to listen hard to hear
the edit points.
9 - Slip and Slide
With all your voice over segments edited, named and listed, import them
into your video project. Assemble
them on the timeline as dictated by
the project and then check for timing and pacing. You may find some
segments that don’t fit for one reason
or another. Cheat the timing a little
by sliding the clip forward or backward and check again. It’s possible
to divide a clip in the NLE to stretch
things out a bit. If necessary, you can
also trim an audio clip the same way
you trim a video clip. Just make sure
the message is intact.
10 - Delivery
Before you hand the finished project
over to the client, check it on a variety of playback systems. Obviously,
1"
2"
3"
1x
$199
$388
$577
3x
$187
$365
$542
6x
$175
$341
$508
12x
$149
$291
$433
Color Rates
1x
$252
$493
$733
1"
2"
3"
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.
3x
$237
$463
$689
6x
$222
$433
$645
12x
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$369
$550
Closing Deadlines
Aug‘10 Issue:
Sept‘10 Issue:
Oct‘10 Issue:
May 26
Jun 23
Jul 28
For more details call or write: Tyler Kohfeld • [email protected]
• Phone: (530) 891-8410 ext. 407
• Fax: (530) 891-8443
• P.O. Box 4591, Chico, CA 95927
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your computer is the first method, but
burn a DVD and play it on the home
theater system, in the kids room,
even in the car, if possible. If you find
something you don’t like, fix it before
the client sees it. Even then, nothing
is set in stone. If the clients wants further changes, make them gladly until
they sign off on the project. There’s
nothing better than a happy client.
That’s It!
RE-MASTERING
Recording a voice over – especially
your first – is a daunting task and
we don’t mean to oversimplify the
process with this list. It’s a lot of work
and may truly test your ability to work
outside the comfort zone. But whether
you’re recording yourself or other
voice talent, these tips should get you
well on the way to a clean, functional
voice over recording.
Contributing Editor Hal Robertson learned to record
voice overs at a tiny radio station back in the ‘80s. He
doesn’t miss those days.
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63
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Videomaker
Learn From the Video Experts in the
Webinars Comfort of Your Home or Office.
Take five
5 quick production tips
by Scott Memmott
Videomaker
Webinars provide the
Storytelling Tips for Better
Wedding Videos
information you need quickly
and effectively. These one hour
A wedding is more than just another event, it is two lives joining on a
journey of a lifetime and you were the one chosen to tell that story.
classes explain and demonstrate
essential techniques with an
opportunity for our experts to
Producing a good wedding video
presents many challenges. Of course,
the technical and logistical issues can
sometimes be quite daunting. But,
they always seem to get resolved, one
way or another. The biggest challenge,
however, is making a video that will
“wow” both the bride and the groom.
So, how do you accomplish this? The
best way is to go back to the basic
principals of good story telling.
Let’s review the 5 key elements to
every good story and consider some
of the things to think about as you
plan your wedding shoot.
1. Setting – This is the location
where the story takes place. Be sure
to take plenty of B-roll, to establish
the setting. Show the location, inside
and out. Use some interesting camera
angles and take advantage of the
light at different times of the day.
For example, if the wedding will be
held inside a church that has cathedral ceilings and a big stained glass
window, be sure to get some shots
of the window from the outside and
also the colored light streaming into
the chapel on the inside. If the wedding is outdoors, be sure to get shots
of the meadow, the forest, the ocean,
the beach, etc. Think ahead and
shoot anything you will need to help
establish the setting.
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2. Character(s) – This is the person
or people whose story you are telling.
At a wedding, of course, your main
characters are the bride and groom.
Find out more about each of your
characters, before you begin shooting. Include elements about their
lives that will help your audience
64
know them better. Be sure to include
impressive accomplishments and interesting hobbies. Include anything
that will help your audience feel like
they know them on a personal level.
3. Back Story – The events that led
up to the existing situation. This is
where you can introduce your audience to the happy couple. What made
them who they are today? Are there
any big events or accomplishments
that molded them into the people they
have become? Was there anyone family or friends - who had a particularly big influence on their lives? What
was it? How did the couple meet? How
did they fall in love? When did they
first know they were in love? How did
the groom propose?
4. Plot – The events in the story
that lead up to an emotional effect or
general theme. This is where you give
the story purpose and direction. You
will need to find a way to weave all the
other elements of the story together,
to form the “plot.” Sometimes, using
voiceovers captured from interviews
can be an effective way to carry the
story along. The story should culminate in a big “payoff.” In the case
of a wedding, the payoff is often the
ceremony itself.
5. Detail – The specific information you are imparting. This is where
you tell the story of the special day.
Be sure to include all the important
elements of the wedding. Some of
the highlights include: the bride and
groom getting ready, the ceremony
itself, exchanging vows, ring exchange, first kiss, the new couple goVIDEOMAKER >>> AUGUST 2010
ing down the aisle, cutting the cake,
throwing the bouquet, first dance,
toasts and anything else the bride
and groom would like you to capture.
Be sure to include shots of family
and friends in attendance.
address your individual questions.
As a wedding videographer, your
job is to tell the story of the bride and
groom in a way that will be both entertaining and engaging to them, their
families and their friends. The way to
do this is to tell a story that will grab
their attention, make them laugh and
tug at their emotions.
Remember, when shooting this wedding you aren’t just shooting another
event. You are creating the opening
page to a new book that tells the story
of this day, as well as the history, and
eventual future of this couple. Like
branches on a family tree, all of their
future stories or videos will follow
yours. From this day to the birth of
their first child, to their children’s
first birthdays and first day of school,
all the way to their graduation, this
family’s video beginnings start with
the one you are creating. That’s quite
a humbling honor to be the person
chosen to help begin this history.
Using the elements of good storytelling, you will be able to take your
audience on a journey they will
remember fondly, for a long time to
come, and leave them with the feeling
that their story is special and unique.
occasion to improve in the areas
Scott Memmott is Videomaker’s Executive Editor.
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One of the best parts of editing
video is getting to see the pieces
of your story come together in a
way that enhances the moment
you're trying to capture. Learn
techniques such as time remapping, advanced trimming, multicamera editing and more.
Advanced Shooting
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
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.
Documentary
Production
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.
Lighting for Video
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.
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.
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, audio and editing basics.
New webinars are being added weekly. To see current updated schedules, visit our Webinars page often!
www.videomaker.com/webinar
contents
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August 2010 - Videomaker.com

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