Have you ever wanted to explore the depths of After Effects but felt overwhelmed by the possibilities? Well it's time to step up to The Anvel.
Dean Velez hosts a website for his amazing After Effects tutorials at www.TheAnvel.com. The name comes from his own name (deAN VELez). Once there, you can browse around the many tutorials he publishes throughout the year. Additionally, there are an astounding number of completely FREE After Effects projects available for you to download. These are fully-modifiable projects and assets that you can use as-is or customize to your own needs.
The main purpose of the project resources is for you to observe the techniques Dean has used in producing the projects and then apply them to your own compositions. Additionally, there is a pay program available for you to take part in the regularly released advanced training from Dean. More information is available on his site.
I just felt like this is a wonderful resource for all of us who constanly look to sharpen our skills on one of the more complex tools we use - After Effects. You can look all over the Internet and find many more learning options for After Effects (some of them free, some not), but few of them are as interesting or reasonably priced as the ones offered from The Anvel.
Go check it out, learn something new!
5.23.2006
Avid Liquid on Tour
Avid, having completed their aquisition of Pinnacle and also completed the merger of the formerly separate product lines, is parading their recently released Avid Liquid product out for the masses here in the US. More information here:
http://www.avid.com/events/bigsplashtour/index.asp
If you haven't had a chance to check out Liquid past or present, it is a capable product worth your consideration. I would argue that the Liquid line of NLE software and hardware doesn't necessarily break any new ground, but instead finds ways to simplify common tasks and enables smoother workflow from aquisition to output.
Have a look at the product and check out the tour if you have the chance.
http://www.avid.com/events/bigsplashtour/index.asp
If you haven't had a chance to check out Liquid past or present, it is a capable product worth your consideration. I would argue that the Liquid line of NLE software and hardware doesn't necessarily break any new ground, but instead finds ways to simplify common tasks and enables smoother workflow from aquisition to output.
Have a look at the product and check out the tour if you have the chance.
4.18.2006
Safeguarding Your Creative Work
All you need to do is simply type "Copy DVD" into a Google search to see how easy it would be for anyone to create copies - legal or illegal - of any DVD (or CD) on the market today. It's a point of much debate for both Hollywood studios and independent content creators. The idea behind the technology of copy protection is to simply prevent someone from having what they did not purchase. More importantly, the goal is to prevent loss of profits that occur as unauthorized copies are purchased or downloaded. Clearly, no Hollywood studio is afraid of there being too many copies of their product in circulation - thus, the driving force is money.
So how do you go about copy-protecting your work on a DVD or CD? Macrovision is the standard for DVD Video, but there are two issues you may want to consider. First, you cannot use Macrovision protection on writable media (DVD+/-R/RW, CD-R/RW). It is only available on replicated discs - those made typically in the 1,000s by a factory manufacturing process. This is because there are very few similarities in the actual media used in your computer's DVD burner and the media the replicator uses. The second - and perhaps more important issue - is that Macrovision is easily defeated (again, simply do a Google search and you will find many ways to do this). This is Hollywood's standard protection and consumers can toss it aside. The rule that applies here is this: if you can play it in your player, then you can copy it. When you play the disc, the player is handling the decryption of the Macrovision. When you put 2 and 2 together, you can see why this method has been so easily defeated.
So again, what do you do? Macrovision doesn't work, so what else can you try? The answer is probably "nothing." As I stated above, writable media does not accept Macromedia protection. What would have been more accurate is to say "writable media does not accept ANY copy protection." If you are using a replicator to manufacture your discs, you can use a couple of options (including Macrovision) but I am going to recommend that you save your money and not spend a single dime on digital copy protection.
Let's all ask one more time - so what do you do?
Knowing that the odds are great that you will not be able to prevent unauthorized duplication, let's think of some alternatives to digital protection, and call it "insurance," or may "copy resistance." Start by writing some method of copyright agreement into your contracts and/or on the disc surface itself, such as "Copyright 2006 My Fun Production Company. All rights reserved. Unauthorized duplication is a violation of Federal law. Violators will be prosecuted." While your average software or movie pirate is going to be unimpressed, your typical customer might think twice. Most people will not find the risk worthwhile, knowing that it would be easier for a smaller production company to become wary of the duplication efforts than that distant Hollywood studio. Hollywood doesn't waste much money prosecuting individual consumers duplicating their DVDs, but by stating this upfront you may have been able to imply that you might find it worthwhile - after all, a single duplication may represent a significant percentage of the work you earned in the first place.
Another option is to just price your business around the original work, and consider any additional discs that you may sell as icing on the cake. Then, you can price additional copies either at or just barely above your costs of duplication. The success rate here assumes that you are going to be able to duplicate the discs for the client at a much lower cost than they would incur by doing it themselves. You are able to get bulk rates on media and cases that your customer likely cannot get by purchasing a 10 pack of DVD-R from the local store. If it costs you $0.35 per disc, $0.50 per case and around $1.20 for ink and paper usage on the disc and insert, then your material cost is only $2.00. If it takes you 15 minutes to burn, print and assemble this all, then figure 1/4 of your hourly rate (this kind of work can pull anywhere from $10/hour to $40/hour). So you're talking about no more than $4 to $12 dollars for an additional copy. Charge them about that much for duplicates and they won't think twice about copying it themselves.
The biggest success, however, may be in promoting your work itself. Make an attractive package inside and out, but make them stick on the outside. If they duplicate your disc, they will easily get the creativity that you put into the disc itself. More difficult for them will be copying the artwork that you assembled on the cover and the artwork for the disc (sidenote: if you are not doing printing on the disc and are instead using disc labels or no printing at all, WAKE UP!). Again, most pirates will either not care about the pretty packaging or will find a close-enough copy to do the insert and disc printing. We aren't dealing with pirates, though, and they probably don't care that much about the corporate video you produced or little Jimmy's bar mitzvah.
All you are trying to do is encourage the client to come back to you for additional copies. If you do good work and make it look very attractive, then you can justify higher costs of duplication for your clients. In fact, if you really worked hard and pulled off a great job, you probably earned a customer for life. Even if the client could assemble the parts and pieces for less money than paying you to press another copy, they may think twice if it means it won't look as good. That look is, after all, usually part of what they paid you for in the first place.
So how do you go about copy-protecting your work on a DVD or CD? Macrovision is the standard for DVD Video, but there are two issues you may want to consider. First, you cannot use Macrovision protection on writable media (DVD+/-R/RW, CD-R/RW). It is only available on replicated discs - those made typically in the 1,000s by a factory manufacturing process. This is because there are very few similarities in the actual media used in your computer's DVD burner and the media the replicator uses. The second - and perhaps more important issue - is that Macrovision is easily defeated (again, simply do a Google search and you will find many ways to do this). This is Hollywood's standard protection and consumers can toss it aside. The rule that applies here is this: if you can play it in your player, then you can copy it. When you play the disc, the player is handling the decryption of the Macrovision. When you put 2 and 2 together, you can see why this method has been so easily defeated.
So again, what do you do? Macrovision doesn't work, so what else can you try? The answer is probably "nothing." As I stated above, writable media does not accept Macromedia protection. What would have been more accurate is to say "writable media does not accept ANY copy protection." If you are using a replicator to manufacture your discs, you can use a couple of options (including Macrovision) but I am going to recommend that you save your money and not spend a single dime on digital copy protection.
Let's all ask one more time - so what do you do?
Knowing that the odds are great that you will not be able to prevent unauthorized duplication, let's think of some alternatives to digital protection, and call it "insurance," or may "copy resistance." Start by writing some method of copyright agreement into your contracts and/or on the disc surface itself, such as "Copyright 2006 My Fun Production Company. All rights reserved. Unauthorized duplication is a violation of Federal law. Violators will be prosecuted." While your average software or movie pirate is going to be unimpressed, your typical customer might think twice. Most people will not find the risk worthwhile, knowing that it would be easier for a smaller production company to become wary of the duplication efforts than that distant Hollywood studio. Hollywood doesn't waste much money prosecuting individual consumers duplicating their DVDs, but by stating this upfront you may have been able to imply that you might find it worthwhile - after all, a single duplication may represent a significant percentage of the work you earned in the first place.
Another option is to just price your business around the original work, and consider any additional discs that you may sell as icing on the cake. Then, you can price additional copies either at or just barely above your costs of duplication. The success rate here assumes that you are going to be able to duplicate the discs for the client at a much lower cost than they would incur by doing it themselves. You are able to get bulk rates on media and cases that your customer likely cannot get by purchasing a 10 pack of DVD-R from the local store. If it costs you $0.35 per disc, $0.50 per case and around $1.20 for ink and paper usage on the disc and insert, then your material cost is only $2.00. If it takes you 15 minutes to burn, print and assemble this all, then figure 1/4 of your hourly rate (this kind of work can pull anywhere from $10/hour to $40/hour). So you're talking about no more than $4 to $12 dollars for an additional copy. Charge them about that much for duplicates and they won't think twice about copying it themselves.
The biggest success, however, may be in promoting your work itself. Make an attractive package inside and out, but make them stick on the outside. If they duplicate your disc, they will easily get the creativity that you put into the disc itself. More difficult for them will be copying the artwork that you assembled on the cover and the artwork for the disc (sidenote: if you are not doing printing on the disc and are instead using disc labels or no printing at all, WAKE UP!). Again, most pirates will either not care about the pretty packaging or will find a close-enough copy to do the insert and disc printing. We aren't dealing with pirates, though, and they probably don't care that much about the corporate video you produced or little Jimmy's bar mitzvah.
All you are trying to do is encourage the client to come back to you for additional copies. If you do good work and make it look very attractive, then you can justify higher costs of duplication for your clients. In fact, if you really worked hard and pulled off a great job, you probably earned a customer for life. Even if the client could assemble the parts and pieces for less money than paying you to press another copy, they may think twice if it means it won't look as good. That look is, after all, usually part of what they paid you for in the first place.
3.20.2006
Royalty-Free Music from Stock20
Just found out about a new group today that is offering royalty-free, unlimited drop production music for $7/track. The company is Stock20 and you get your first track free. The account is free as well, no annual fees for access.
Now, with the big promo line out of the way, what's the value? Well, having browsed through the selections myself:
I'll leave you to make your own judgements, but my opinion is this: for $7.00, you aren't going to get John Williams. Ever. It's legal, unlimited uses for a single price, so no more breaking (or bending) the law to make your work that looks professional sound professional. And hey, sure it sounds like production music, but it's decent production music at a seemingly impossible low price with no annual contracts or commitments.
At the very least, go find one track you think you could use and sign up for your free account to download it. Good luck to them, they're definitely on the right track.
UPDATE: Two updates actually. First, they have just released 6 new tracks for March. Secondly, if you use my referral code, we both get an extra $7 in free music.
Here's how:
1) Click this link to use me as your referral, then create a free account (it takes about a minute).
2) Your new account will automatically be credited with $7 (enough to get a free song).
Then you will get an additional gift certificate by e-mail, just for creating an account. $14 worth of free music...pretty snazzy.
Now, with the big promo line out of the way, what's the value? Well, having browsed through the selections myself:
- the library is quite small so far (clearly a new endeavor)
- the music sounds like production music
- all tracks are available for multiple intervals (0:30, 1:00, 1:35, 2:00, 2:40, etc) all for the single purchase price
- it's $7.00 per track.
I'll leave you to make your own judgements, but my opinion is this: for $7.00, you aren't going to get John Williams. Ever. It's legal, unlimited uses for a single price, so no more breaking (or bending) the law to make your work that looks professional sound professional. And hey, sure it sounds like production music, but it's decent production music at a seemingly impossible low price with no annual contracts or commitments.
At the very least, go find one track you think you could use and sign up for your free account to download it. Good luck to them, they're definitely on the right track.
UPDATE: Two updates actually. First, they have just released 6 new tracks for March. Secondly, if you use my referral code, we both get an extra $7 in free music.
Here's how:
1) Click this link to use me as your referral, then create a free account (it takes about a minute).
2) Your new account will automatically be credited with $7 (enough to get a free song).
Then you will get an additional gift certificate by e-mail, just for creating an account. $14 worth of free music...pretty snazzy.
3.15.2006
Adobe Production Studio Premium - What Will We Find?
I picked up the upgrade for the Adobe Production Studio Premium a little while back, and have yet to install it due to a bit of other work I'm trying to wrap up on the old versions first. I really do not want to chance flubbing the computer until I know it would be okay to do so.
First off, a plug for the fine folks at Atlanta CAD Services (ACS) for getting me a good price on the upgrade. In total honesty, there were some Adobe-related shipping issues that delayed the software for a little while, but it arrived nonetheless and ACS kept me posted and did not charge me until I had the product in-hand - kudos to them for being good business people. When I picked it up, they talked to me briefly about some related 3rd party hardware and software, and warned me that it would take about 1.5 to 2 hours to install the whole package. ****UPDATE: Install only took about 45 minutes for all disc content on my machine END UPDATE**** Good information to know upfront. This is a good company to do business with and they can answer lots of questions for you before and after your purchase (though they are not a 24/7 tech-support, so don't expect that). Give them a look-see.
Some non-technical items....the packaging is sort of different from some other software vendors, though similar to packaging from Adobe in the past. The box has a clear plastic slip cover with a sturdy box holding all the user manuals and software. One side of the box is "open" which is nice. I found in the past that to access the user manuals (without just leaving them lying around) I had to pull out the box and slide out the holder to get to the manuals. Now the box sits on the shelf with easy 1-step access to the manuals whenever needed. A small consideration but interesting that they thought about that enough to change the design. Nice for people like me who tend to reference the manual frequently.
The discs are in two cases - 6 software applications in one case (5 discs) and training materials in another (2 discs). The training is from Total Training, and is a few hours worth I believe. The software discs are only labeled Disc 1, Disc 2, etc. Previously discs were labeled per the software that was contained on the disc and each software was installed one at a time. Now you pop in Disc 1 and it runs through the whole bundle install, apparently letting you know when to insert the next disc. Of course, users in the forums have been complaining that this prevents you from installing just that software that you want on machine #1 and the rest on machine #2 (leaving out software you don't plan to use). Maybe piracy is part of the reason for designing it this way, but it does seem intelligent for Adobe to decide - by design - how they would like the package to be installed and in what order everything is done. I have no qualms because I use all of the applicatons and they get installed completely on two machines.
Not a lot of substance to this post, but I thought someone may find it interesting what was "in the box" so I stuck it up here for your reading pleasure. Once I install it and run it a while I'll post back about any crashes/bugs as well as what 3rd party plugins are included this time. Judging by my workload right now, installation is still probably a week or so away.
First off, a plug for the fine folks at Atlanta CAD Services (ACS) for getting me a good price on the upgrade. In total honesty, there were some Adobe-related shipping issues that delayed the software for a little while, but it arrived nonetheless and ACS kept me posted and did not charge me until I had the product in-hand - kudos to them for being good business people. When I picked it up, they talked to me briefly about some related 3rd party hardware and software, and warned me that it would take about 1.5 to 2 hours to install the whole package. ****UPDATE: Install only took about 45 minutes for all disc content on my machine END UPDATE**** Good information to know upfront. This is a good company to do business with and they can answer lots of questions for you before and after your purchase (though they are not a 24/7 tech-support, so don't expect that). Give them a look-see.
Some non-technical items....the packaging is sort of different from some other software vendors, though similar to packaging from Adobe in the past. The box has a clear plastic slip cover with a sturdy box holding all the user manuals and software. One side of the box is "open" which is nice. I found in the past that to access the user manuals (without just leaving them lying around) I had to pull out the box and slide out the holder to get to the manuals. Now the box sits on the shelf with easy 1-step access to the manuals whenever needed. A small consideration but interesting that they thought about that enough to change the design. Nice for people like me who tend to reference the manual frequently.
The discs are in two cases - 6 software applications in one case (5 discs) and training materials in another (2 discs). The training is from Total Training, and is a few hours worth I believe. The software discs are only labeled Disc 1, Disc 2, etc. Previously discs were labeled per the software that was contained on the disc and each software was installed one at a time. Now you pop in Disc 1 and it runs through the whole bundle install, apparently letting you know when to insert the next disc. Of course, users in the forums have been complaining that this prevents you from installing just that software that you want on machine #1 and the rest on machine #2 (leaving out software you don't plan to use). Maybe piracy is part of the reason for designing it this way, but it does seem intelligent for Adobe to decide - by design - how they would like the package to be installed and in what order everything is done. I have no qualms because I use all of the applicatons and they get installed completely on two machines.
Not a lot of substance to this post, but I thought someone may find it interesting what was "in the box" so I stuck it up here for your reading pleasure. Once I install it and run it a while I'll post back about any crashes/bugs as well as what 3rd party plugins are included this time. Judging by my workload right now, installation is still probably a week or so away.
2.28.2006
Blu-ray and HD-DVD: Some brief thoughts...
And now, a brief contemplation, blogged for your enjoyment -
The video delivery media of choice for the last 7 or so years now has been DVD. Only in the last 3 or 4 years have we really seen a near total adoption by independent productions utilizing this media for all or most of their projects. We are to the point now where if you do not deliver on DVD, you are being passed over.
In case you haven't already caught word of it, a new generation of discs intended to replace current DVD technology is now coming into the marketplace. Blu-ray and HD-DVD are two competing formats, supported by various companies on either side, vying for 1st place in this race. Media format wars are not new - CD-R media are made a variety of different ways by different manufacturers, but more recently we've dealt with the difference between DVD-R and DVD+R, with the arguments still ensuing.
Competition is good for the marketplace, but confusion certainly is not. In previous iterations of this format war, such as the recent -/+ division, the confusion was a result of the lack of a true winner. Both formats have a couple of advantages over the other. Regardless, these advantages are overemphasized at best and oversimplified at worst. When companies align themselves with a product, those users who typically align themselves with a company's other products will follow along - blindly at times - usually to their own detriment.
I'm not going to attempt to clear the waters here today on the new high-density DVD media (click the links above to do your best guessing). What I really came here to say is that with these new formats being developed and deployed, the marketplace is so eager for a new option that we have found ourselves rushing through development, choosing teams, and coming out the other side with two formats, neither of which seems to be a useful long-term option. What we seem to be headed for is another 8-year format, needing to redo it all again in another few years.
You may argue that with the ever-changing state of technology these days, a product that can hold us up for 8 years is a miracle. I do understand that point of view. However, media delivery does not sway so dramatically as the computing technology (a trend we are all too familiar with when our 5 month-old computer is considered "obsolete"). There is the ability for developers to predict the curve of our technology over a much longer span, and make a flexible media that will be able to manage a wider variety of circumstances than those currently available. The media we now have in Blu-ray and HD-DVD is clearly better in many respects to our current DVD solution - but sometimes "better" is not really cut out for "good" or "great."
The video delivery media of choice for the last 7 or so years now has been DVD. Only in the last 3 or 4 years have we really seen a near total adoption by independent productions utilizing this media for all or most of their projects. We are to the point now where if you do not deliver on DVD, you are being passed over.
In case you haven't already caught word of it, a new generation of discs intended to replace current DVD technology is now coming into the marketplace. Blu-ray and HD-DVD are two competing formats, supported by various companies on either side, vying for 1st place in this race. Media format wars are not new - CD-R media are made a variety of different ways by different manufacturers, but more recently we've dealt with the difference between DVD-R and DVD+R, with the arguments still ensuing.
Competition is good for the marketplace, but confusion certainly is not. In previous iterations of this format war, such as the recent -/+ division, the confusion was a result of the lack of a true winner. Both formats have a couple of advantages over the other. Regardless, these advantages are overemphasized at best and oversimplified at worst. When companies align themselves with a product, those users who typically align themselves with a company's other products will follow along - blindly at times - usually to their own detriment.
I'm not going to attempt to clear the waters here today on the new high-density DVD media (click the links above to do your best guessing). What I really came here to say is that with these new formats being developed and deployed, the marketplace is so eager for a new option that we have found ourselves rushing through development, choosing teams, and coming out the other side with two formats, neither of which seems to be a useful long-term option. What we seem to be headed for is another 8-year format, needing to redo it all again in another few years.
You may argue that with the ever-changing state of technology these days, a product that can hold us up for 8 years is a miracle. I do understand that point of view. However, media delivery does not sway so dramatically as the computing technology (a trend we are all too familiar with when our 5 month-old computer is considered "obsolete"). There is the ability for developers to predict the curve of our technology over a much longer span, and make a flexible media that will be able to manage a wider variety of circumstances than those currently available. The media we now have in Blu-ray and HD-DVD is clearly better in many respects to our current DVD solution - but sometimes "better" is not really cut out for "good" or "great."
2.16.2006
lynda.com Training
After a little bit of coercing, my employer has just set me up with a premium annual subscription to the lynda.com training library. I will most likely post a few more times down the road to let you all know if I think it's work the money, but I've decided to do a little upfront review.
First and foremost, as a product, the training seems to be well organized. If you've ever purchased or used the Total Training videos, you're aware of how powerful instructor-led video training can be. However, at the lynda.com site, you don't need a DVD player to do your training. You can do it anywhere you have a computer and a decent Internet connection (note: obviously if you have a laptop with a DVD drive, this is a total non-issue). Slower connections can, supposedly, still use the training, but the videos will take a little longer to buffer before they start to play.
The offerings include areas such as HTML, PHP, Microsoft Office products (Excel, Powerpoint) and many others, but the focal point for me and you will likely be the video and image related programs. When you choose a course, it will list off the various chapters and subchapter points so that you can work on something for just a few minutes at a time, but also, it gives you a clear view of your direction by listing the individual areas that are being covered in each course. This is very handy information. Additionally, there are usually a few chapters that are available for free so that you can get a sampling of the video quality and speed at your location and see the layout for the courses.
The premium membership includes the actual project files used in the tutorial so that you can follow right along as you learn. The site also provides CD and DVD versions of many of the courses, and also has a series of books related to their online library offerings. However, only the online training is available with the membership - CD, DVD and book items are extra, and may be worth your while if there is only one or two items that you want training for (project files are included with these items).
Some of the training can be a little redundant if you are past beginner stage on a certain topic, but sometimes (as with all training) it can be valuable to review certain things that you may have forgotten about, or just refresh what you already use. Regardless, if you prefer, just skip the video clips that you do not want and move on. Again, very handy feature.
One thing I've noticed so far is that the video window, while quite large and of good quality, does not "zoom" to areas of interest to provide better detail. Instead, the courses seem to be captured via a utility like Camtasia that is just doing a solid screen grab. Total Training has a different approach, where the instructor will provide a close-up view of certain items at various points in the video. This is the only real shortcoming that I have found so far, and all I can say is at least the video window is clear and large enough to begin with.
One thing the site advertises is that they are not affiliated with any other software development companies. As such, they claim to offer unbiased information, and include workarounds for product shortcomings. They also claim they have no problem exposing bugs in the software.
As I mentioned above, I will post my personal experiences on occasion throughout the year. However, I do recommend you check out the website yourself (lynda.com) to determine if any of their training is right for you.
First and foremost, as a product, the training seems to be well organized. If you've ever purchased or used the Total Training videos, you're aware of how powerful instructor-led video training can be. However, at the lynda.com site, you don't need a DVD player to do your training. You can do it anywhere you have a computer and a decent Internet connection (note: obviously if you have a laptop with a DVD drive, this is a total non-issue). Slower connections can, supposedly, still use the training, but the videos will take a little longer to buffer before they start to play.
The offerings include areas such as HTML, PHP, Microsoft Office products (Excel, Powerpoint) and many others, but the focal point for me and you will likely be the video and image related programs. When you choose a course, it will list off the various chapters and subchapter points so that you can work on something for just a few minutes at a time, but also, it gives you a clear view of your direction by listing the individual areas that are being covered in each course. This is very handy information. Additionally, there are usually a few chapters that are available for free so that you can get a sampling of the video quality and speed at your location and see the layout for the courses.
The premium membership includes the actual project files used in the tutorial so that you can follow right along as you learn. The site also provides CD and DVD versions of many of the courses, and also has a series of books related to their online library offerings. However, only the online training is available with the membership - CD, DVD and book items are extra, and may be worth your while if there is only one or two items that you want training for (project files are included with these items).
Some of the training can be a little redundant if you are past beginner stage on a certain topic, but sometimes (as with all training) it can be valuable to review certain things that you may have forgotten about, or just refresh what you already use. Regardless, if you prefer, just skip the video clips that you do not want and move on. Again, very handy feature.
One thing I've noticed so far is that the video window, while quite large and of good quality, does not "zoom" to areas of interest to provide better detail. Instead, the courses seem to be captured via a utility like Camtasia that is just doing a solid screen grab. Total Training has a different approach, where the instructor will provide a close-up view of certain items at various points in the video. This is the only real shortcoming that I have found so far, and all I can say is at least the video window is clear and large enough to begin with.
One thing the site advertises is that they are not affiliated with any other software development companies. As such, they claim to offer unbiased information, and include workarounds for product shortcomings. They also claim they have no problem exposing bugs in the software.
As I mentioned above, I will post my personal experiences on occasion throughout the year. However, I do recommend you check out the website yourself (lynda.com) to determine if any of their training is right for you.
2.01.2006
Digital Film Tools
Got a heads-up from DMN e-mail and thought I'd pass this along...
Digital Film Tools provides affordable yet HIGHLY desirable plug-ins to help you acheive a variety of effects in After Effects, Photoshop, Avid, Final Cut Pro, Shake and Discreet (the After Effects plug-ins also work in Premiere Pro, since the applications share a common plug-in architecture). I would try to give more information, but you're just going to have to check it out for yourself:
http://www.digitalfilmtools.com/index2.htm
Most of these effects can be acheived somewhat easily already in the supported applications (things like film look and such are sometimes just a matter of color manipulation). So maybe you would ask, "why pay for something I could probably already achieve on my own with the software I already paid for?" My answer to that is this....do you really want to spend all day figuring it out yourself? Do you really want to re-invent the wheel? Technology is your friend, and this technology will save you time....LOTS of time. Some nice guys in LA figured this out, made some plug-ins, and sell 'em on the cheap....take advantage of their hard work and be happier for it!
Very good ideas in these plug-ins....the "Light!" effect for Photoshop is especially creative. One of their newest offerings for Photoshop is "Snap." This one's used for isoloating objects in an image by means of selecting foreground and background elements. After that, the plug-in does some rough math and then you fine tune your selection area.
Free demo downloads available on their site. Check 'em out, but be sure to drool-proof your keyboard first.
Digital Film Tools provides affordable yet HIGHLY desirable plug-ins to help you acheive a variety of effects in After Effects, Photoshop, Avid, Final Cut Pro, Shake and Discreet (the After Effects plug-ins also work in Premiere Pro, since the applications share a common plug-in architecture). I would try to give more information, but you're just going to have to check it out for yourself:
http://www.digitalfilmtools.com/index2.htm
Most of these effects can be acheived somewhat easily already in the supported applications (things like film look and such are sometimes just a matter of color manipulation). So maybe you would ask, "why pay for something I could probably already achieve on my own with the software I already paid for?" My answer to that is this....do you really want to spend all day figuring it out yourself? Do you really want to re-invent the wheel? Technology is your friend, and this technology will save you time....LOTS of time. Some nice guys in LA figured this out, made some plug-ins, and sell 'em on the cheap....take advantage of their hard work and be happier for it!
Very good ideas in these plug-ins....the "Light!" effect for Photoshop is especially creative. One of their newest offerings for Photoshop is "Snap." This one's used for isoloating objects in an image by means of selecting foreground and background elements. After that, the plug-in does some rough math and then you fine tune your selection area.
Free demo downloads available on their site. Check 'em out, but be sure to drool-proof your keyboard first.
1.31.2006
Atlanta Videographers Meeting
The next meeting for the Atlanta Videographers Association is being held Wednesday February 1st. It starts at 6:30pm and is free/open to everyone. More information:
http://atlantavideographers.net/20268_1415.asp
http://atlantavideographers.net/20268_1415.asp
1.26.2006
Shooting for DVD
VideoSystems has a good quick-read article up right now on the idiosyncracies of shooting for DVD. In short, many digital video producers complete their projects with the delivery of a DVD disc. Due to the nature of the delivery method, there are certain things you will want to take into consideration when capturing your shots.
This article in particular gives some much needed thought on image capture as it relates to film stock, not just video tape.
http://www.videosystems.com/e-newsletters/Shooting_for_DVD012606/index.html
This article in particular gives some much needed thought on image capture as it relates to film stock, not just video tape.
http://www.videosystems.com/e-newsletters/Shooting_for_DVD012606/index.html
NAB Post|Production World Conference
Here's some detailed information on this year's NAB PostProduction World Conference:
http://www.nabshow.com/conferences/ppwc.asp
Also (listed on the page, but linked from here for your convenience) there is a PDF with a more eyeball-friendly view of the stuff available for you at the show:
http://www.nabshow.com/conferences/ppc2006schedule.pdf
Check out the page for more details on date, times and cost. I'm not yet registered, but I'm very seriously considering it for this year as there will be plenty of things to learn and see.
http://www.nabshow.com/conferences/ppwc.asp
Also (listed on the page, but linked from here for your convenience) there is a PDF with a more eyeball-friendly view of the stuff available for you at the show:
http://www.nabshow.com/conferences/ppc2006schedule.pdf
Check out the page for more details on date, times and cost. I'm not yet registered, but I'm very seriously considering it for this year as there will be plenty of things to learn and see.
1.24.2006
Details on Multicam feature in Premiere Pro 2.0
Here's a quick (well, 3 page) rundown on using Premiere Pro 2.0's new multicam feature:
http://www.dmnforums.com/cgi-bin/viewarticle.cgi?id=36989
http://www.dmnforums.com/cgi-bin/viewarticle.cgi?id=36989
1.22.2006
Zaxwerks Promotion
Here's a promotion from Zaxwerks, creators of 3D compositing plugins...thought I'd pass it on:
"For a limited time we are offering a New Years special for you to upgrade to the PRO version for only $169, (regularly $225). Or upgrade to the fantastic ProAnimator for only $395 (regularly $645). These prices are available by phone order only, through February 15th, 2006. They are not available on our online web store.
To order, call 800-549-0250 in the US or 626-309-9102 and mention this email to receive the discounted prices. For international orders email us for instructions.
Invigorator PRO for After Effects - http://www.zaxwerks.com/2004/AEInvig_PRO_Hilights.html
If you don't have Invigorator PRO you are only getting half the picture. PRO has many additional features that will help you to work faster and make your work better looking. The built in text engine is worth the upgrade price all by itself. With it you can do your text layouts inside the Invigorator, skipping Illustrator completely. Making multiple titles takes nothing more than editing the live 3D text. Invigorator PRO also has motion blur, 3D primitives such as spheres, cubes and cylinders, and has the ability to paint your objects in wireframe, cartoon or hiddenline style shading for cool new looks. Find out about the other great features of PRO by clicking on the link above.
ProAnimator - http://www.zaxwerks.com/2004/PA_Hilights.html
What the Invigorator did for creating 3D titles and logos (instant creation, unlimited modification), the ProAnimator does for 3D animation. Especially designed for creating beautifully detailed and sophisticated title and logo animation, the ProAnimator brings extraordinary power to your fingertips. Create complete animations within a few short minutes. Make version after version of similar animations without having to redo any work. A remarkable piece of software. Purchase now and qualify to receive a free update to version 4, coming in January."
"For a limited time we are offering a New Years special for you to upgrade to the PRO version for only $169, (regularly $225). Or upgrade to the fantastic ProAnimator for only $395 (regularly $645). These prices are available by phone order only, through February 15th, 2006. They are not available on our online web store.
To order, call 800-549-0250 in the US or 626-309-9102 and mention this email to receive the discounted prices. For international orders email us for instructions.
Invigorator PRO for After Effects - http://www.zaxwerks.com/2004/AEInvig_PRO_Hilights.html
If you don't have Invigorator PRO you are only getting half the picture. PRO has many additional features that will help you to work faster and make your work better looking. The built in text engine is worth the upgrade price all by itself. With it you can do your text layouts inside the Invigorator, skipping Illustrator completely. Making multiple titles takes nothing more than editing the live 3D text. Invigorator PRO also has motion blur, 3D primitives such as spheres, cubes and cylinders, and has the ability to paint your objects in wireframe, cartoon or hiddenline style shading for cool new looks. Find out about the other great features of PRO by clicking on the link above.
ProAnimator - http://www.zaxwerks.com/2004/PA_Hilights.html
What the Invigorator did for creating 3D titles and logos (instant creation, unlimited modification), the ProAnimator does for 3D animation. Especially designed for creating beautifully detailed and sophisticated title and logo animation, the ProAnimator brings extraordinary power to your fingertips. Create complete animations within a few short minutes. Make version after version of similar animations without having to redo any work. A remarkable piece of software. Purchase now and qualify to receive a free update to version 4, coming in January."
1.20.2006
Exclusive Interview: Premiere Pro Product Manager Giles Baker
Charlie White of Digital Media Net sits down for some Q&A on the recently released Adobe Premiere Pro v2.0:
http://www.dmnforums.com/cgi-bin/viewarticle.cgi?id=36933
****(doh....I realize it sounds like I'm conducting the interview with Charlie White....actually, it is Charlie White conducing the interview, and he is speaking to Adobe. I'm just linking to it, that's all)****
http://www.dmnforums.com/cgi-bin/viewarticle.cgi?id=36933
****(doh....I realize it sounds like I'm conducting the interview with Charlie White....actually, it is Charlie White conducing the interview, and he is speaking to Adobe. I'm just linking to it, that's all)****
1.19.2006
Free Adobe Seminars
Adobe Production Studio seminar on tour February/March 2006. It's FREE and looks to be interesting for those of us who use the Adobe products (and those who are considering it for the future). Registration is required, and these things generally fill up quickly.
I'll be attending with some associates. Not too many US dates on the tour, just the major cities. These seminars are always full of great "things-you-didn't-know" factoids about the applications and are good opportunities to ask questions and get answers.
Also of possible interest to you is the 2006 Adobe Elements Summit. If you are using Adobe Photoshop Elements or Premiere Elements, you may want to check this event out. It is also completely FREE, and also a great opportunity to get some tips and tricks on things you may not have known about using these two applications. There is no registration available for these, so just show up early and grab a seat before it fills up. I'm going with one of my sisters and my wife, both of whom use the software.
I'll post my take on the seminars in the days following the events.
I'll be attending with some associates. Not too many US dates on the tour, just the major cities. These seminars are always full of great "things-you-didn't-know" factoids about the applications and are good opportunities to ask questions and get answers.
Also of possible interest to you is the 2006 Adobe Elements Summit. If you are using Adobe Photoshop Elements or Premiere Elements, you may want to check this event out. It is also completely FREE, and also a great opportunity to get some tips and tricks on things you may not have known about using these two applications. There is no registration available for these, so just show up early and grab a seat before it fills up. I'm going with one of my sisters and my wife, both of whom use the software.
I'll post my take on the seminars in the days following the events.
1.17.2006
Adobe Upgrades Post-Production Software
Holy warped timing, Batman!
No sooner do I start this new blog than the big news hits that Adobe is releasing/shipping new versions of Premiere Pro (2.0), After Effects (7.0), Encore DVD (2.0) and Audition (2.0).
I'll be following the information on these for the next few days and will keep you posted on what I find as far as reviews and such. As soon as I purchase the upgrade I will give you all my personal opinion of whether or not the upgrades are worth the cost.
For the time being, information can be obtained from Adobe's website, www.Adobe.com.
No sooner do I start this new blog than the big news hits that Adobe is releasing/shipping new versions of Premiere Pro (2.0), After Effects (7.0), Encore DVD (2.0) and Audition (2.0).
I'll be following the information on these for the next few days and will keep you posted on what I find as far as reviews and such. As soon as I purchase the upgrade I will give you all my personal opinion of whether or not the upgrades are worth the cost.
For the time being, information can be obtained from Adobe's website, www.Adobe.com.
1.15.2006
Welcome!
This is a new blog I will be hosting, dedicated to anything I find interesting in the world of digital media. This includes video, compositing and imaging. I've been wanting to do this for a while, and I guess time finally allowed it.
Overall, I'm looking to do a bit of news mixed with opinion. My industry work is currently specific to streaming media and event videography, so any events or happenings related to those two areas will receive a good bit of attention here.
The topics covered in the computer realm will take a sharp PC slant as I do not own or use Apple computers, but nonetheless, relevant topics of any platform will be covered.
Hardware covered will be related to cameras, PCs, display devices, audio equipment and tools of the trade.
Wish me luck, I'm going in....
Overall, I'm looking to do a bit of news mixed with opinion. My industry work is currently specific to streaming media and event videography, so any events or happenings related to those two areas will receive a good bit of attention here.
The topics covered in the computer realm will take a sharp PC slant as I do not own or use Apple computers, but nonetheless, relevant topics of any platform will be covered.
Hardware covered will be related to cameras, PCs, display devices, audio equipment and tools of the trade.
Wish me luck, I'm going in....
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