Nancy finished remodeling Rick Nye’s website a few months ago. We are…
Category: Blogging (page 14)
Logo Tournament
Need a logo done? Have $250? You can have quite a few…
Stop Ignoring Automator
For a long time I considered Automater as a program that wasn’t intended for normal person usage. In fact whenever I am using it at home, I have to tell my son that it is not in fact some sort of Wall-E application.
Automator is for taking lots of files, using a work flow to change something with those files and then giving you a file you can work with. For example, let’s say you get four days worth of XDCAM files from your producer. They may be on different cards, but messy file names don’t help you differentiate sometimes. Open up Automator and use it to make unique file names to each day.
You do this by;
Saint Cloud Film
One of the affiliates we work with is Saint Cloud Film. Made up of Jared Harris, Cole Webley and Julian Acosta, this group is one of our favorites to work with. They have done a lot of fun, detailed and impressive work. Check out their site at saintcloudfilm.com
One of my favorite spots to watch is directed by Cole Webley. His spot, Kodak “Memories,” was shortlisted at the Young Directors Award at Cannes in 2009.
Web 2.0 Look-a-like: Little Frog in High Def
We’ve been helping businesses and people alike re-define their web personalities. One…
Find Bin Command in Final Cut Pro
Who would have thought that Final Cut Pro actually has a “Find…
Ripping a DVD for Projects
Many times clients will come to me and say “Hey, I have this video. It just needs the sound changed and that’s it. Well, I would like to change one or two things. I only have it on this DVD, but that shouldn’t be a problem, right?”
No, it isn’t a problem. But it is still something that I feel a little hesitant to do. I don’t think anyone understands how compressed the project is when they give it to me. The real problem though is wondering if I am ripping, extracting, or un-compressing the best way possible.
While there are my solutions to the problem, I would love to hear what other people have found to be effective. Here are a few different options I use. They are not in any particular order.
My Avid Influenced Final Cut Pro Keyboard
f you are like me, you edit with both Final Cut Pro and Avid. I did learn Final Cut Pro about a year before I started editing on Avid, but now hold Avid a tiny higher than FCP. For what? It all depends. But the one thing I like to keep the same (or close to it) is the keyboard. This makes switching between systems much easier.
One of the best compliments an editor can get (when you already know that the client actually likes your cuts and your workflow) is that you are fast.
This is one tendency that will brings clients back again and again. The more directors and producers start to edit their own material with editing suites coming down in price so much, the less work editors have. One way to let them leave the edits to you is to show them you are going to get their job done faster.
If you are like me, you edit with both Final Cut Pro and Avid. I did learn Final Cut Pro about a year before I started editing on Avid, but now hold Avid a tiny higher than FCP. For what? It all depends. But the one thing I like to keep the same (or close to it) is the keyboard. This makes switching between systems much easier.
Changing Timecode / System Frequency on the Sony HDW-F500
Here is a walk through on resetting the timecode on the Sony HDCAM deck to match the frame rate on your HDCAM tape.
A few years ago I took a freelance night shift as an assistant editor at production company in North Hollywood. It was a short gig, but overall it was a good learning experience. I utilized about 4 Avids at a time, outputting to DVCAM, BetaSP and Digitbeta. Every once in a while I would freak out because I had a small question about their specific configuration and it was 12 AM. Who wants to get a call from the new guy at 12 AM? Nobody. Going from office to office over the past couple years, it takes a while to get used to everyone’s specific setup. One of the places I work at the most has a great machine room full of great HD equipment. It took me a while to remember tasks like resetting timecode on the Sony HDCAM deck though.
Here is a walk through on resetting the timecode to match your HDCAM tape. (Forgive the iPhone 3G camera resolution)