If you have not already figured out how to make your own lens flares, and are looking for a cheap, really well done flares…check out Flashbangfx. Flashbang seems like a new company, amongst the thousands of others, but with this being their first product, we have high hopes for them. These flares are only $69 for 68 flares.
If your going to NAB this year, watch for this one. Made by VizTools Holler at us and let us know if it is just another DSLR gimmick, or the real deal. If the zoom works a good as the video makes it look, then this will be something that many ENG shooters will love. It’s nice that you don’t have to take it off to mount a new lens on it. It was only a matter of time for something like this to come out.
When I first started in the video/film world cameras were super expensive, the computers to edit on were outrageously priced, and my hopes of starting a video production business were out of reach. Not so much anymore. Nowadays, anyone can buy a camera at Bestbuy on the Bestbuy credit card, and even buy editing software, and have it all paid off in 6 months. Crazy! But I love it!
When I started out I shot tons of weddings, and hated every one of them. When people asked me if I was a wedding videographer I had a pretty long winded disclaimer that I wasn’t because most of the wedding videographers made cheesy edits, and had terrible angles. I once saw a shot of the bride and groom super-imposed in a candle.
Ten years later, there are no more wedding videographers….they’re called wedding filmmakers. And the name is well earned. There are some amazing wedding videos out there, and it is all because of the affordability. Now I still hate filming weddings, so don’t ask…though I do shot about 1 or 2 a year.
Anyways, the reason for blabbing is because of all the great video effects, plugins, templates, and transitions coming out for rock-bottom prices. One of my favorite company’s is MotionVFX. They have been making great Motion templates for years, and in the last year, they’ve been putting out some amazing flares, transitions, and color correction presets. They even have some After Effects and Cinema 4D templates.
If you don’t follow them on Twitter, you should. @MotionVFX
In the last couple of years more artist have caught wind of the ever growing realm of templates, transitions, flares, plug-ins and presets. Here are some that we lean on…
Crumplepop – they seem to be constantly making more and more tools for the FCP editors.
Another new favorite is SquidFX.
Most of our business is corporate stuff these days, and we have found that they are looking for more indie types than going through the marketing/ad agencies. Why? I dunno. Ask them. (But I think it is because with Youtube and Vimeo, the indie filmmakers work is able to be seen more).
Anyway, all this to say…if you want to make movies or even start your own video production company…get off your rear, get a job, save your money, and get started. That’s what I did over ten years ago. My first video camera was a Sony Hi8mm Digital video camcorder. It cost me $1000 on a Best Buy credit card. Soon after came an Apple Cube. I got FCP for real cheap online…ebay. No more excuses.
Okay, our confession is that we have owned FCP X for a while now, but have yet try to use it because we have not had any down time to learn the new workflow. But that time is here!
I know that if we fiddled around long enough we could figure out all the tricks and stuff of FCP X, but why? Up to now, we haven’t even had the time to open the new version, so upon looking online for some really good tutorials, we stumbled upon Izzyvideo.com. He has some really good explanations of the basics. You can purchase his tutorials to keep on your system, or watch them online.
Check out out one of his tutorial video below.
I have been following Jem since he launched his blog over a year or two ago. He is always full of good advice, and sometimes a little humor. He is a guy who is out there working jobs, collaborating with clients. He is more than a name or an arrogant personality (you know who I’m talking about). You can lean on him for advice, and knowledge because he’s out there doing it.
In this post he gives some pretty good advice when looking for the right camera for your needs.
Drobo FS
Last year we purchased a couple of Drobo’s arrays to use a storage/file sharing, and just as a project management archive, and thus far we are extremely pleased. We are using a Drobo FS to share file between 3 computers. The “FS” stands for “file sharing.” You can plug it into your network via ethernet and if your other computers are on that network (via ethernet) you can share files. The Drobo FS can take up to 5 hard drives, giving you plenty of room for music, photos, stock video, etc.
Drobo Pro
Our Drobo Pro is a monster of am array. No issues to date. We’ve even lugged it on road trips. The enclosure is pretty sturdy, and solid. It has an 8 bay hard drive capability. You can plug into it with USB 2.0, FireWire 800 (400 compatible) and iSCSI (Gigabit Ethernet). With 8 hard drives at 7200 rpm, you’ll have no issues working and pushing your system with HD content. The setup for both of these Drobo was extremely easy.
Drobo Pro rear view.
So you have probably seen the commercials of Ron Howard and Canon asking for photos to inspire a project, well it is here! Below is a link to a behind the scenes featurette, and the trailer to the movie. Congrats to those whose photos inspired the movie. There where over 96,000 photos entered and 8 photos were chosen.
When You Find Me will go live on www.youtube.com/imagination on December 16th at 12:00pm Est and will be accessible to the public until December 19th.
Check out the photos submissions on the Imagination Youtube channel.
Here are the photos that inspired the movie.
Here is a synopsis about the film’s story:
When You Find Me is the story of two sisters who find their carefree lives on the farm shattered by the sudden loss of their mother. Lisle, the younger and more imaginative of the two, becomes fixated on the idea of finding a spaceship in the woods which will transport them to heaven so they can reunite with their mother. Racked by a private guilt, Aurora, the older sister, is unable to share in the young girl’s naive conviction. Their opposing beliefs lead to a rift which continues to haunt them well into their adult lives. Alternating between past and present, When You Find Me is an emotional fable of two people coping with tragedy in very different ways, and what it takes to find peace and reconciliation within yourself and the ones you love.
You can find Ron Howard on Twitter at @RealRonHoward
I’ve been loving using Stu Maschwitz’s new plugin called “Mojo”…probably a bit too much. Here is our latest project we did for our church where we applied the Mojo.
For this project, we got the ole Indie Dolly out of the garage, dusted it off, and tried to remember how to set it up. As we tinkered, it came back to us. We shot with the Canon 7D with an ND filter. In post, I added some homemade lens flare effects for added texture. I also used a plugin that I forgot about to create some fake lighting in the background. It’s called “Regional Effect”, made by Luca Visual FX. We also used a Kessler Pocket Dolly with motor for a couple of shots. This was basically a 3 hour shoot, and about a 4 hour edit. It was planned in about a weeks time, and scripted in about a day. Oh, and we used some Twixtor too for some super slow motion stuff.
Here’s a pic with the Luca Regional light effect in the background. I was able to change the intensity and angle to give the effect that light is spilling in from a window onto the cabinets in the background.
Here are some behind the scenes pics.
Canon 7D on Indie Dolly, with Zacuto Pro Z-Finder
Indie Dolly on curved track
….Now you can! Forget the auto-focus motor. Simply frame your shot, and focus later.
Check out this new camera from Lytro:
Here’s the science inside the camera….
Here’s Canon newest DSLR, the Canon 1DX. Lots of hoot about it not having 1080 60fps, like the Sony A77, but it is still a monster of a camera. One cool thing is it doesn’t have any moire, and it is a full frame like the Canon 5D.
Canon 1DX
Check out Canon’s video.
Here’s Canon’s full press release:
TOKYO, October 18, 2011—Canon Inc. and Canon Marketing Japan Inc. today announced the introduction in Japan of the new EOS-1D X digital single-lens reflex (SLR) camera offering a high level of performance to satisfy the demands of professionals in such fields as sports photography, photojournalism and studio photography.
To date, Canon has developed its top-of-the-line digital SLR cameras through the 1Ds series, which delivers exceptionally high image quality, and the 1D series, which achieves superlative high-speed performance. Integrating the strengths of these two series, Canon’s new professional flagship model, the EOS-1D X, brings together the highest levels of image quality and speed performance.
The new Canon EOS-1D X incorporates a newly developed approximately 18.1-megapixel 35 mm full-frame CMOS sensor which, in addition to achieving an optimal sensor size and pixel count balance, effectively makes use of Canon’s proprietary semiconductor technologies to ensure low-noise performance. Featuring Dual DIGIC 5+, which comprises two new high-performance DIGIC 5+ image processors—each realizing approximately 17 times the processing power of DIGIC 4—the camera delivers exemplary image quality and speed performance, in addition to data processing power that has been greatly enhanced compared with the EOS-1D Mark IV, released in December 2009. Compared with the EOS-1D Mark IV’s sensitivity range of ISO100–12800, the EOS-1D X offers a range that has been expanded by two steps, to 100–51200,* for outstanding imaging results with reduced noise, even when shooting indoors and other dimly lit settings.
Combining a 100,000-pixel RGB metering sensor and DIGIC 4 processor, the Canon EOS-1D X’s new AE system, the EOS iSA (Intelligent Subject Analysis) System, is capable of determining not only brightness levels, but also a subject’s face and target color, making possible high-precision exposure control. The newly developed AF system incorporates an AF sensor with a total of 61 autofocus points for improved high-precision subject capture. The sensor includes 21 f/5.6 cross-type sensors, 20 f/4.0 cross-type sensors, and 5 f/2.8 dual cross-type sensors. Equipped with 20 f/4.0 AF points, the new camera offers the same level of precision as the EOS-1D Mark IV at f/2.8. Additionally, working in tandem with the new AE system, the camera’s EOS iTR AF (Intelligent Tracking and Recognition Auto Focus) function is capable of tracking a subject’s face or target color to maintain focus on a moving subject.
The Canon EOS-1D X’s new Dual DIGIC 5+ image processors make possible high-speed continuous shooting of up to approximately 12 frames per second with high-precision AE and AF performance. In the ultra-fast continuous shooting mode, the camera realizes a continuous shooting speed of up to approximately 14 frames per second (mirror remains raised during shooting, JPEG images only).
The Canon EOS-1D X delivers high reliability even in harsh shooting conditions. The rugged shutter unit boasts a lifespan of over 400,000 cycles while the camera’s exterior covers and operation panels employ a dust- and moisture-resistant design. Furthermore, the camera features a new dust-removing system incorporating two vibrating elements, a first for the EOS series, improving on the earlier cleaning system.
The new EOS-1D X comes equipped with a Gigabit-Ethernet connection that, when shooting in locations equipped with a wired LAN connection such as large sporting arenas, enables data to be transferred to editing desks quickly and reliably. Inheriting the same basic operating design as previous models, which focused on offering instantaneous operation, such aspects of the new camera as its button and control layout and GUI were reviewed and redesigned, with great attention given to operability when held vertically, during blind-touch operation, and when confirming images.
Featuring advanced video-capture capabilities, the Canon EOS-1D X’s upgraded imaging system and Dual DIGIC 5+ deliver greatly enhanced movie quality. In particular, the camera minimizes the occurrence of color artifacts and moiré, and enables the shooting of low-noise video even in dark conditions.
