May 17th, 2008
Some of you may have hear of the computer software called Massive. It was designed to create a ‘massive’ number of virtual actors that interact with each other.
For example, Massive was used to create and control the armies in the Lord of the Rings. Certain “personalites” and reactions are fed into the ‘brain’ and the computer uses artificial intelligence to control and animate these computerized ‘actors.’
They have taken an amazing step and integrated this technology with robotic technology with Hanson Robotics! The robot communicates over wi-fi to a computer running the Massive software.
You can find out more about this amazing combination of robotics and software at their website:
http://www.massivesoftware.com/robotics/
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April 14th, 2008
This might be a bit of a stretch, but only because the only other contender for the “One Camera to Rule them All” is made by the same company: Red.
Today at NAB, Red announced another revolutionary camera. This camera (when officially released) will record up to 120 frames per second (double most other cameras), at 3K resolution (most only go to 1080p), with a 2/3″ sensor (most handhelds have a 1/3″ sensor), records using Compact Flash or HDMI or HD-SDI (most camcorders still use that thing called tape) and most of all, the price.
You see, for features like this, a camera would be $10,000 for most of these features and higher for other features (like the 3K resolution, 120 frames per second and recording to CF). This camera comes in UNDER $3,000.
This is really an exciting time to be in video production. The tools are now at a point where they are accessible to everyone and produce images that, just a few years ago, were once only obtainable by the largest big-budget films.
I’m going to report a bit more about this camera as we find out more about what it will be capable of. Their last camera, Red One, made quite a splash. No doubt this will be quite the hit as well.
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March 10th, 2008
Trent Reznor (Nine Inch Nails founder if for some reason you don’t know) has clearly got some forward thinking marketing and complete understanding of the future of the ‘new’ distribution model of the internet.
This past week, he released several versions of his latest album, Ghosts, a four volume set. The first nine songs (the entire first volume) was available as a high quality, DRM-free download - completely free! As in, free. The next option was, for $5, one could purchase the entire album as a digital download. Again, high quality (320kbps) file as an mp3 or AAC. And no copy protection on those files.
Finally, you can purchase, for $10, the actual CD. However… when you purchase the actual CD (which ships in April), you are given a link that allows you to immediately download the same high quality mp3 or AAC files as with the $5 purchase, and the CD will be shipped to you.
I think this is great forward thinking and he’s going to reap the benefits. After all, he’s doing all of this on his website. Not going through a record label.
This is just more mainstream evidence that content creators are beginning to distribute their work on their own. Whether it is a band like Nine Inch Nails or an independent film by any number of artists across the globe, we are seeing this trend rapidly grow.
And while the total number of sales are not as high as going through a record label (I believe Reznor sold 600,000 to 750,000 albums, well below the million album mark), they had several other benefits. They made more money (since they kept it all and didn’t give anything to the labels) and they were able to keep complete artistic control of their content both during production and then during the sales and beyond.
2008 will see many more mainstream bands breaking from the labels and releasing their music on their own. We will also see many more independent films released for either direct download or DVDs available for purchase on the film’s website.
What is even more exciting about this trend is small effects houses like ours have seen an explosion in new films being created and the level of quality has risen dramatically with the affordable HD cameras on the market. I love being able to work on these independent films in true HD, shot by a crew of independents with a vision.
It is an exciting time and we are in the very beginning of this revolution. Get ready for all the rules to be broken by the people, for the people!
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March 9th, 2008
“Being a Mac user is like being a Navy SEAL: a small, elite group of people with access to the most sophisticated technology in the world, whom everyone calls on to get the really tough jobs done quickly and efficiently.”
-quote from unknown
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February 25th, 2008
As a 3D visual effects artist, I spend a great deal of time recreating and manipulating reality. Sometimes it is rotoscoping a person out of video footage and erasing any trace of that person. Other times it involves creating a 3D character that is animated and inserted into the footage. And other times an actor is inserted into a completely digital world.
During much of this, there is a point when the flat image of the footage must be recreated in a 3D world. This can be done using tracking software most of the time, but still takes a great deal of dedication.
Standford has come up with a technology that could really help the digital artist in years to come as this technology matures and becomes commercially available.
At the most basic level, they have developed a camera that can take photos in 3D.
Here is how this new camera operates. Normally, a digital camera has one sensor behind the lens. This sensor sends the data to a processing chip to turn that data into an image. A crude version of the human eye.
The Stanford camera is designed more like a fly’s eye. In lieu of one eye, the sensor is comprised of a 16×16 grid of smaller eyes. Software then compares each side by side sensor and computes what has changed. Then it calculates how far away each element is from the camera based on the movement. Large change from one sensor to the next means large distance.
How will this affect the digital artist?
With depth information, you could easily pass an object or another person behind someone else already in the footage. This can be done today, but involves tedious rotoscoping. With this tech, it would be as easy as stacking the ‘layers’ in a compositing program like Shake (what we use as our studio’s compositor of choice).
Here’s the link to the article:
http://www.news.com/8301-13580_3-9874436-39.html
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Tags: 3d, depth matte, rotoscope, z-depth | No Comments
February 21st, 2008
Avoid Common Mistakes in Your Video
Try not to fall into the “look at me” attitude held by many editors. While that is what your audiences will be doing, it’s not what you want your viewers to be thinking. You want to guide their thinking and sell your story and your idea.
Instead, focus on your viewer. We just discussed details about this in the previous article in this series, but it’s worth repeating. Keep thinking what you can do for your client, not what they can do for you.
Don’t fall in love with your video. Whether you do your video yourself or you hire a video production company, don’t fall in love with your video so much that you get lost. It becomes very easy to focus on the trees and forget to look at the forest. It’s an overused phrase, but for good reason.
This is why feature films have initial screenings for select people. Directors will show their films to other directors, producers and editors for their input. After all they’ve been working on this project for months (sometimes years) and have become so involved that they sometimes have a hard time looking at their own film objectively.
So do what they do and invite honest criticism from close friends that you trust. You don’t want comments like, “Oh, looks great! I like it.” You should be looking for things like, “Ok, I like the tempo of the video, but this one shot tends to contrast too much with the others. Also, the spectator’s reaction is great in this shot, but you have a ketchup stain on your tie.” Look for honesty and specifics.
With these general tips out of the way, let me get this off my chest:
The 10 most common mistakes novice editors and filmmakers make with their cuts:
1. Bad Audio – If I can’t hear you, you just wasted the audience’s time. After all, would YOU watch a movie if you couldn’t hear it?
2. Out of Focus – Believe it or not, I have seen way too many videos with shots that are out of focus or go in and out of focus due to ‘autofocus’.
3. Too Slow or Too Much Dead Time – Anything that doesn’t add to your story takes away from your story. ‘Nuff said.
4. The Shaky Cam – Ok, if your audience feels motion sickness watching your video, you’ve got a problem. Some new films like the shaky cam look, but really, use a tripod. Trust me.
5. Performer/Talent is Too Small – I hate it when I watch a video of a stage and I think that I see a tiny little performer. Wide shots are great. They help establish location and setting. But you’ve got to cut to a tighter shot right after the wide shot.
6. Too Many Crazy Edits – I know we are in the age of fast edits, but if you cut too fast, I can’t even tell what you’re doing. This is actually a problem many magicians have while on stage – rushing their tricks. But that is a different book
altogether!
7. No Target Audience – The video is too general. Each video should be designed to hit a specific target audience. I don’t want to see college show material on the same tape as a trade show gig. You lose credibility.
8. Poor Lighting – This will be discussed in great detail later in the series, but, like number 2, if I can’t see your video, how can I like your video?
9. Bad continuity - Make sure you have a unified story and theme and stick with it. Don’t jump around and show everything just because you can. Confusion is your worst enemy. After all, you know what you want to say, but your audience doesn’t know what you are thinking unless you edit the video just right.
10. They didn’t hire me! Okay, not what you were looking for, but I’m only half joking. At least check out my website, ReelsInMotion.com for details and tips on producing a video. And my shameless plug: I not only produce promotional videos and specialize in visual effects and video magic, but also critique existing videos you may have.
Your Storyboard
A storyboard is a graphical representation of what you plan to shoot, all drawn out on paper. It usually looks similar to a comic strip. In fact, each frame in your storyboard will represent a different shot.
There are several reasons for drawing out a storyboard this early in the process. It helps you visualize your video early on
Allows you to see how certain shots will relate to each other You’ll be able to anticipate mistakes before they happen
During the actual shoot, this visual guide will help dramatically If you are hiring a crew (professional or friends), it helps you convey your ideas
You don’t need to hire a professional artist to draw up your storyboard. You can do it yourself.
How to storyboard your video
First, get a blank piece of paper, turn it sideways (lengthwise) and make several squares in two rows. Leave some room between the rows. Everything you want to include in your video will be drawn out in this storyboard.
Million Dollar Tip: Go over to your DVD collection and pop in any movie. Go to the “Behind the Scenes” section and see if they have a storyboarding alternate angle. I know the following have this feature: Matrix Reloaded (2003), Matrix Revolutions (2001), Unbreakable (2000).
Watch and see how they show the storyboard and how it compares to the actual movie. By switching back and forth, you can get an idea of how to use the storyboard to help create your video.
You do NOT need to have perfect drawings either. You can draw stick figures. It really doesn’t matter how good the drawings are. The main point is that you want to show all the different shots. Show a wide show. Show a closeup. Show an audience reaction Just as long as you can tell what they are. Use the extra space under each drawing
to describe the action in more detail.
Now, while you still have those DVDs out, get ready to receive a multi-million dollar lesson in film, moviemaking, storytelling and graphic design, all at once.
Get a million dollar education in video for $3.99
Put in your favorite DVD. Go to the special features. Now pull up the theatrical trailer for the movie. The TV trailers are good too, but only last for 30 seconds most of the time. You want the theatrical trailers (the previews they show before another movie) since they will be closer in length to your promo video.
Hollywood production companies will spend fortunes just on this one part of the film. Think about it. The theatrical trailer is the film equivalent of an entertainer’s promotional video. It takes a longer show (usually a 90 minute show) and shows you the most interesting parts in a quick “promo video” for the movie.
And it does it in just such a way that makes you want to go out and see their “show.”
Please don’t take this to mean just go out and copy what they did in the latest action flick. You’ll learn more by watching how they used lighting, camera angles, music and even colors to create a “mood.”
For example, low camera angles make the subject look powerful. Higher angles make the subject look weaker. Orson Wells used both of these examples wonderfully in Citizen Kane (1941). I would highly recommend watching this classic. Even today it is still a great film.
Go through your video and performance in your mind and think like you are making a movie. How would you, as a director, film each portion of your act to make it as dramatic (or comedic) as possible?
Also, watch how the camera moves. You’ll notice in almost every movie you watch there is one something missing. The zoom. The guys in Hollywood will not use a zoom. In fact, film cameras have a fixed lens – they cannot zoom in. Instead they use what’s called a “dolly shot.” The entire camera is on a miniature train track and the entire unit is rolled towards or away from an actor.
By using this technique of moving the actual camera instead of just zooming in, you can create a more dynamic shot. There is more action and the viewer feels like they are moving towards the subject. You can tell the difference by watching the background image. Does it just “get bigger?” This is a zoom. Does the background move as the
subject grows? This is a dolly shot.
So get a feel for how the camera can be used. This will give you many ideas that can be directly applied to your video.
As you do this, brainstorm and make a list. Don’t limit yourself. Even if you get a crazy idea like doing a “bullet time” effect (that freeze frame three dimensional effect used in all the Matrix films), write it down. Try not to get in the habit of limiting yourself.
Categories: Distribution, Tutorials |
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February 16th, 2008
We’ve reported in several posts that Blu-ray was gaining in popularity. This is one reason why last year, we switched entirely to Blu-ray (and I went into this a bit in depth here.
If there was any doubt that the HD format war has ended, the latest news should put it to rest. According to WIRED:
Toshiba put HD-DVD out of its misery today. Reuters confirmed this afternoon that it will cease manufacturing HD-DVD equipment, following earlier reports from Japan’s NHK public broadcasting network.
Reportedly, this was in response to the Warner Brothers switch to Blu-Ray and last weeks announcements by Blockbuster, Netflix and WalMart dropping HD-DVD as well. I think that the only major player in the HD-DVD camp right now is Microsoft. Oh well. That will be like watching a train wreck in slow motion.
In the end, they will also join Blu-Ray.
So we have a winner in the HD format war, at least when it comes to optical discs. Now the questions is who’s going to win? Blu-Ray or HD digital downloads?
Grin!
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February 14th, 2008
What’s the Benefit of Your Video?
When beginning to design your video, you must look at it from one point of view and that is the point of view of your potential client. You must do several things and we will cover those essentials here.
Design your video for maximum impact
After you finish your list (from last week’s article), take those most recurring traits and place them at the top of your list to include in your video. This list can, by the way, include what not to include on a video.
As an example, suppose you are an entertainer trying to get booked on a cruise ship. You make your calls and you find two recurring comments: clean comedy and no fire. Now, if half your act is a fire act and/or you use a large amount of vulgar language, you might want to rethink your act before going any further. Assuming you have a clean act with a little fire (flash paper or fire eating in one portion), make a note to not include any fire in the video. Then make another BIG note to take out the fire in your show.
At this early stage of pre-production, you can also see exactly what portions of your act you want to feature. This is important to decide at this part of the process because later when we are filming, you can spend more time on those parts of your act.
Another detail on the list from your calls will be the length of the video. This is not a set in stone time, but if the average video they receive is three or four minutes, don’t send out a ten-minute video.
Now, for every rule, there is an exception. Some agents want an entire show, one shot and no edits. For other potential clients, a “typical” promo video will work. Begin with a montage of different shots, show some longer “personality” pieces and end with the most powerful item in your show.
But this is why you should just ask them what they want. Doing this research will pay off in the end.
Think of your video in the same way you think about your show. Structure it the same way, to elicit a strong emotional response. When you do this, you’ll have a “mini-show” that lasts just a few minutes.
Now when I say put in a shot, what specifically should be in that shot? Well, it depends on what your prospective clients are looking for. Are you delivering a comedy solution or an evening of mystery? These questions lead us into the next section.
What You Must Have to Get Hired
If you want a successful video, one that will get you hired time and time again, you MUST design your video to push the benefits. What do your potential clients want? How can you solve their problem? This is a huge change in the way you should think.
The popular method of thinking is to say, “Look how good I am,” or “Look how cool I am” and if your video sends
this message, you’re sending the wrong message. Your theme needs to be about your potential clients, not you.
When you ask your clients what they are looking for, you’ll notice a trend. We all like to think we are individuals, but we are all humans and have tendencies to think in similar ways. This is why demographic market research is so popular.
This is how we need to look at our prospective clients. Figure out what they are looking for. Ask your previous clients why they hired you over someone else. What is it about you that separates you from your competition?
When you start thinking “How can I provide you with a solution to your problem?” instead of “Look how good I am,” then you’ll start seeing the gigs roll in.
Think in terms of benefits, not features. This is covered in almost every marketing book out there. I don’t want to dive too much into this, because I want to keep the focus on the video aspect. Do yourself a favor, read as many marketing books as you can. Join online marketing groups.
One of my favorites is The Dean’s List. You can find this wonderful resource at www.TheDean.net and you’ll do yourself a favor by going there. The members at The Dean’s List are the nicest entertainers and they are also light years ahead of the herd
when it comes to marketing and improving your success.
Features, Benefits and Marketing
This little bit about benefits should not be taken lightly. In fact, re-read that last section and go out and pick up several marketing books. You must make a list of several things your prospect is looking for. The best way to find this information out is just to ask them. Give a few of your good clients a call and ask why they chose you over the competition. Ask what they would see as the perfect entertainer and why.
Make a list of the most important benefits. These will be the main points you’ll emphasize in your video (assuming you can provide these points!).
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February 12th, 2008
Today Apple released their “Take 2″ software update to all AppleTV owners. The update was made available as a software download (free for all current Apple TV owners). After a quick look around, this is a great update to the device for several reasons. For me, the most important update is the podcast update. But we’ll get to that.
Installation
First, the installation was a breeze. In the menu is an option to “Check for Updates.” After clicking this button, the device tells me an update is available and asks if I want to update now or later. I hit now and the download began promptly, as well as a progress bar telling me the remaining time for the download.
Once the download finished, it rebooted and asked me to choose my TV’s resolution. One more restart and I am presented with the Apple TV’s new menu. This is a much cleaner design than before and is more organized. I am able to select similar features as before, with a few additions.
Movies
Under the movies section, there is now an ability to search movies by different genres, by HD, etc. Under Television, it is structured like on iTunes. I can choose from Top Movies, Genres, All HD, Search, Trailers and My Movies. the Genres is broken down into typical subcategories like Comedy, Drama, etc.
Under each movie’s section, there is an option to watch the trailer, rent SD or rent HD. The My Movies category is for movies that were purchased and synced with the desktop computer. I was able to pull up without any problems the movies on my computer.
Podcasts
The podcast section also received a nice update. In fact, this is the section that most interests me from a video production point of view.
Not only can I watch my subscribed podcasts like before, but now I can browse shows just like under the movies and TV sections. Like the movie section, the Podcasts are divided into subcategories. As shown in the photo, you have Favorites, Top Podcasts, Genres, Providers, Search and My Podcasts.
The Fovorites category is empty when you start off, but as you watch podcasts, you can click it like you would bookmark a website. That podcast then shows up in your Favorites folder. The Top Podcasts is identical to what is shown on iTunes, with subcategories.
The Providers is a very interesting addition. I predict this will become the future version of channel surfing. The top podcast providers have a section here and you can flip through each one. For example, you can click from CNN to NPR to the TWiT network. Some are actual networks, some are new podcast only networks. When you click on that “channel” you see all the shows produced by that network.
Finally, you can search for a specific show. When I searched for magic, The Magic Lantern was listed and I clicked on it:
What is interesting is the related searches below the main show. This is exciting because it works just like on YouTube and also the Amazon “People who bought this book also bought this…” It is a way to recommend other shows that interest people.
Now that people can easily search for and browse podcasts on their computer without any need to go to their computer, I can see the number of podcasts begin to skyrocket. We’ve already seen an increase in the number of podcasts last year, but this is going to give a much bigger incentive for others to get their shows out there.
Now, new media networks like TWiT, Revision3, TPN and others are listed right alongside of CNN, MTV, ESPN, Discover and Disney.
Conclusion
This update makes the AppleTV a device that will possibly make it the iPod of TV. Other devices have done similar tasks before, but not with the ease of the AppleTV. Apple is king when it comes to taking something complex and making it dirt simple for the average person.
As a result, there will be more digital delivery devices like this and the competition will make all the devices even better. It will also mean people will want more content.
In 2008, we are not only going to see an explosion of content in the form of podcasts, but the quality is going to approach that of the big networks. We are already seeing this with GeekBrief TV and MacBreak.
The question is, are you taking advantage of this now and start your own production, or will you be struggling to catch up in a year?
Categories: Distribution, Reviews, Technology |
Tags: apple tv 2.0 review podcasts new media | No Comments
February 11th, 2008
According to Reuters (in this article), Netflix has decided to stock only Blu-Ray movies. This is just the latest nail in the HD-DVD camp. Earlier this year Warner decided to jump ship from HD-DVD to the Blu-Ray camp.
This announcement shifted momentum towards an unstoppable course. We reported and this shift back on 4 Jan 08.
Here is what Reuters said:
Online video rental company Netflix Inc said on Monday it would exclusively stock Blu-ray high-definition DVDs after a decision by some the world’s biggest movie studios in favor of the Sony Corp developed format.
Netflix said that with such a clear signal from the industry, it will only buy Blu-ray discs going forward and will phase out stock of HD DVD by about the end of the year.
Feb 11, 2008 - Reuters
Clearly the writing has been on the wall for HD-DVD. The question is, what is the future of Blu-Ray? Apple has supported Blu-Ray publicly. However, they are also pushing for direct download with the AppleTV and iTunes (both for purchase and rental).
My thoughts? While direct-download will ultimately win, at least for the next few years, I think Blu-Ray will become the standard. People like to have a physical disc that they “own” and can sit on a shelf.
Do we need that piece of plastic on a shelf? In the end, no. After all, we’ve been taking pictures for years using nothing but compact flash and SD cards. Which brings us to a future article I am working on: data backup.
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