The DV Show - Digital Video Podcast, Video Editing, Camcorder Reviews, Videography

Producer’s Huddle Recap: January 31, 2010

admin — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 05:00:30 +0000

The Producer’s Huddle is your chance to connect live with other content creators, new media beginners and video experts for on the spot advice and coaching over the web- personally, I love it - it’s tons of fun to interact with our listeners!

Not everyone we come in contact with can get excited about new compression settings for H.264. Not everyone wants to learn new techniques in in Final Cut Pro or gets excited when talking about a new camera. We don’t always have a chance to meet up with our colleagues to get the gears going and the creative juices flowing - this is why we created the Producer’s Huddle.

Anything goes in “the Huddle”! - from critiquing a short video to rapid fire Q&A - we have a fun time learning from each other.

You can join in each Sunday night at 8:30 EST - immediately following the live recording of The DV Show podcast which airs at 8 p.m. EST.

Here’s a recap of some quick fire questions, tips, comments and answers given from the January 31, 2010 edition of the Producer’s Huddle. Questions we could not answer are extracted from chat and answered here.

Topic: Construction Company Videos

Questions:

1. Documentation of construction - like a big company setting up a building etc. Filming this from beginning to the end?

Tips:

Several ways in which video production is regularly used within the construction sector:

- With each major construction project there are specific health and safety issues which are unique.

- As with any industry there are often technical developments which impact on the workings of the site and these developments need to be explained often to hundreds of people at different times. In these instances best practice is to use a video to communicate information.

- Many construction projects are photogenic. Produce a video which examines projects that construction companies are involved in as part of their PR. Some projects can be technically difficult and filming the process provides an interesting and informative account of it.

- Collate video and still imagery to produce videos which show the heritage of the company. Many construction companies have a long list of successful projects under their belts. Collating and combining stills images and video of these assignments can produce a compelling video for use in sales presentations, recruitment and training.

Comments:

(Oceanwatcher): Legal is fairly easy to cover - you only do something like this as a job for the construction company or similar.
(Oceanwatcher): But it can be dangerous.

Topic: Subcontracter Agreements

Questions:

Tips:

A subcontractor contract spells out the relationship between you and the independent contractor you employ, as well as the contractor and your client.

Such a plan usually includes a detailed overview of the project your independent contractor will work on, including any areas of concern where issues may arise. This statement of work can clearly define the tasks, services and deliverable for which the subcontractor will be responsible, as well as any scheduling and budget constraints in which those objectives should fit. The statement of work can also include clear quality measurements for the subcontractor’s deliverables.

Comments:

(Oceanwatcher): That agreement has a time limit, right? It can not prohibit someone indefinitely from working for your client?
(blink): i feel like the independent contractor agreement i require them to sign covers this to a small degree.
(uniquedesign): well service is the key there

Topic: Streaming Live Video

Questions

Tips:

Streaming video from switcher using the DV pass through method:

(Oceanwatcher): Brian - regarding the streaming question - would it not give slightly better quality using a PCI card from BlackMagic to take video and audio from the mixer? Put the card in the PC running the stream encoding software and take the picture from that? DeckLink Studio should cover you - about 700 USD.

Comments:

Topic: HTML 5

Questions:

1. Brian talked about HTML_5 last week but I can’t find a lot of information on it.

We have an article about encoding HTML 5 compliant video and a mini guide for videographers

Tips:

Comments:

Topic: Protecting/Storing/Sending Video Files

Questions:

1. Does Dropbox function differently than YouSendIt?

Both are the same in function but different in features:

Dropbox is a super fast file syncing utility without a complicated interface to learn. It’s seamlessly integrated into your desktop and all of your files are available via the web. Shared folders can be used for easy collaboration around files. It includes version management so you can undelete files or restore old versions in a snap.

YouSendIt is the Easiest, Fastest way to Send and Receive files… Right from your desktop at no extra charge!

2. Brian, do you think DVDs will become obsolete?

According to a statement made by Microsoft’s Bill Gates in 2004 we have 4 more years of the
the silvery discs before they become obsolete.

Since Blu-Ray is widely viewed as the REPLACEMENT for DVDs. It is expected to make DVDs obsolete - who knows when that would be.

3. About Mac Performance: I tried DupFinder to find duplicate files on Mac and delete them but its complicated and may delete necessary files - ideas?

Try Araxis

Tips:

Zipping Software

(Oceanwatcher): One for the download vault: The best program on PC for compressing/decompressing files: IZArc. Similar to WinRAR or WinZIP, but IZArc is totally free. It actually support more formats than the two others.
(rpulham): Try 7zip. It does 7 formats and is free.
(Oceanwatcher): @rpulham IZArc supports almost 50 formats including 7zip. And, as I said - free.

Topic: Taxes

Questions:

1. Any tips for videographers regarding taxes?

If you claim any income as from a “hobby” you can claim hobby expenses against that income (only up to the hobby income amount).
You might want to see IRS Publication 535: Business Expenses. Among other things, it makes clear that the expense for things that are used for personal as well as business use be pro-rated.
Make sure you read the sections about whether your business is considered for-profit or not. If the IRS considers it is not-for-profit, then expenses can only be deducted up to the amount of money it brings in.
A fledgling business doesn’t become a hobby until it’s lost money for 3 years running.
You can section 519 a lot of business expenses - not all of them - and deduct them all in one year.

Tips:

See above

Comments

Topic: Camcorders We Use

Questions

1. any reviews of the GY HM700 by JVC?

Philip Bloom has an excellent review with video

2. Anyone know if there is a market for Betacam SP recording and editing equipment?

Betacam, launched in 1982, was the first professional video format in the Sony Beta range. Betacam was a high-quality format and attracted a lot of attention amongst professionals.

No one uses tape anymore. Try public access television outlets.

3. Any suggestions for best method of working with files from a 7D, when using Premiere CS2 on a PC? Thanks.

Editing the 7D’s .h264 files in Premiere CS3 is a huge hack you need to convert the footage to a better editing codec. Get cineform neoscene which is the best option.

Tips:

Comments:

Topic: Ron Dawson’s New Book

Questions:

1. How much is Ron’s book- REFOCUS cost?

$26.72

Comments:

Topic: Non-Compete Contracts

Questions:

Tips:

(Rob_McC): TIP: I use Echo Sign (digital sign documents) for short contracts agreements and model release etc. - easy and legal.

Comments:

(Robertv): Never. Always compete. I had that before in an electronics job. Refused to sign.
(rog_from_nh): I work with people in my state video association and we trust each other pretty much. That’s my preferred way of doing it.
(blink): that client only!
(Chef_Mark): I htink it’s important to have SOME kind of written agreement that outlines your relationship
(blink): that client only!
(Chef_Mark): if the cntract only says that you can’t steal the CLIENT for a period
(blink): exactly chef mark
(blink): don’t solicit my client for 12 months
(tcgliderguy): Contracts are much like patents… they are only meaningful if you have the $$$$$$ and the time and energy to enforce them.
(Oceanwatcher): I think this would only work in the US. In Norway, there are laws that might even prohibit that stuff - you can not make a contract that prohibit someone from working.
(blink): that’s reasonable, isn’t it?

(Robertv): How can you learn and advance personally if you cab;t “play” outside of work?
(eagle1173): any freelancer, who steals work from folks will end up burning bridges…it will catch up with them one day
(Harv): As I mentioned before this happened to me with ahired freelancer He would not sign an agreement but gave me his word So I trusted him. WRONG!
(Oceanwatcher): In Brazil nobody would care about those contracts, and it would be hard to drag someone to court over it. It would backlash bigtime.
(johnstealey): I agree with that 100% as well
(johnstealey): handshake deals are legal in Ohio - with witnesses to the deal
(Oceanwatcher): And yes, I believe that if you do not behave, the rumor will definitely spread. The problem is that some countries are too big and these guys can go on forever doing bad stuff…
(blink): i’m asking all potential freelanceers to sign an agreement that they won’t solicit business for 12 months. we’ll see how that goes. interviewing several potential freelancers this week.
(Oceanwatcher): In Norway, handshake deals or verbal deals are just as binding as a written contract. But MUCH harder to prove.

Topic: Talent Release Forms:

Questions:

1. Does everyone in a video need to sign a release? what are the exceptions?

Public places - that is all.

Content that contains recognizable people must be accompanied by a signed Talent Release

Comments:

(18:01:46) (NashuaVideoTou): I shot a playground (from a distance - couldn’t make out any faces) and got a personal visit from the police with a note from the police chief.
(18:02:06) (Joe): I just don’t get the legal recourse someone can have if they are out in public and you just happen to record them in your video.
(18:03:27) (eagle1173): alot of how you use the video shot in public will determine if you need a release or not

Topic: HTML 5 Video

Comments:

Oceanwatcher): HTML5 - remember that it is NOT locked to OGG/Theora. You can do what YouTube is doing now - serving H.264 via HTML5.

(Oceanwatcher): And Brian, you should post the link that I gave you last time. HTML5 in itself will come up empty if your browser can not play it - Firefox 3.5.7 with the YouTube beta is a good example right now. It does not play and I guess that is how it should be in a test. But when you go live with a video site, you might want to add something that makes the HTML5 degrade to Flash if the viewer can not deal with the HTML5 code.

(Oceanwatcher): For a video producer, there is actually not much you need to think about. It is more for the webdeveloper to think about - But it will usually become built into the publishing systems that you will use.

(nandocuca): cool, just quickly added video with html 5 to a test page - and IT WORKED!!
(nandocuca): http://www.portugueseconnection.co.uk/videoblog/test.html
((nandocuca): pretty simple
(nandocuca): My test works in Chrome

Topic: iPad

Questions:

1. Does the iPad support Flash? The commercials say so. What are the specs for video? Uses for the iPad from a video pro perspective?

Flash is NOT supported - those commercials have been corrected - check MacRumors. Specs: iPad do not support full HD, only 720p

Tips:

Comments:

(ajotech): The ipad would be great to show a possible client some examples etc

(Robertv): Ipad is interesting, but so restricted that it will start a market and lose the market share in a year or two.
(johnstealey): playing H.264 will be able to be played on the iPAD - so the JVC raw files could be played using it as a field monitor

Thanks from listeners

(frank_Pulaski): I’m happy you’ve been helping us for so long…so many podcasts have failed in the past 4 years but you guys keep on being there for us and I appreciate it!

(ajotech): Brian rocks!!!!

(ajotech): Thanks Brian for doing what you do

(Harv): I’ve been listening to your Podcasts for I think 2 years. I was checking my email and came here. I need my make up person.

(nandocuca): I read your stuff so often I have no questions left

(uniquedesign): greetings from germany

(ajotech): Have your book and cd and always visit your site to see whats I need to keep up with. Your awesome

Join us each Sunday night for the Producer’s Huddle - immediately following the live recording of The DV Show Podcast:

(18:08:42) (eagle1173): thanks Brian for another cool show
(18:08:45) (Chef_Mark): Thanks, another great show Brian!
(18:09:01) (blink): looking forward to the webinar!
(18:09:18) (VidPic): Much better than the Grammys, thanks Brian
(18:09:28) (Chef_Mark): Please let us know as soon as you have the TIMES for the workshop
(18:09:30) (Ray): great show Brian
(18:09:36) (Chef_Mark): so I can build my days around it
(18:09:52) (blink): not looking forward to talking to the others?
(18:09:54) (ajotech): AWESOME SHOW BRIAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(18:10:15) (nandocuca): Cheers Brian - g’night
(18:10:18) (Ray): link that up
(18:10:24) (James): Thank’s Brian Good Show.
(18:10:33) (Robertv): Cool show, I’ll look out for the podcast version as I missed a lot.
(18:10:34) (Chef_Mark): cool, Blink, I’ll have a look
(18:10:35) (frank_Pulaski): Aloha Brian.
(18:10:35) (tcgliderguy): Great Show… I can’t believe all the notes and links that I typed!
(18:10:41) (Rob_McC): Good show Brian!!!!
(18:10:41) (Username): awesome job!
(18:10:42) (NashuaVideoTou): Thanks…
(18:10:42) (Cyclepath): Great show, Brian!
(18:10:47) (blink): thanks, i can use the feedback
(18:10:47) (Rob_McC): always enjoy it..
(18:10:53) (Chef_Mark): goodnight all
(18:10:53) ChatBot: (horsesbreed) has been logged out (Timeout).
(18:10:59) (johnstealey): another great show!
(18:11:09) (thedvshow): thanks!
(18:11:14) (ajotech): Goodnight everyone
(18:11:19) (Robertv): Thanks to you.

Premium Subscribers get immediate answers to video questions, access to the show archives of over 250 podcasts with show notes spanning over 3 years, dozens of videos and articles filled with tips and tricks to enhance any production, free books, software downloads plus more! find out the details here

Producing Construction Company Videos

admin — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 04:22:39 +0000

Question: I participated in the Producer’s Huddle on Sunday night and someone was talking about producing construction videos and it being the next big thing next to wedding videos. What are some ways video can be used in this industry?

Answer: There are several ways in which video production is regularly used within the construction sector:

With each major construction project there are specific health and safety issues which are unique to workers- it’s a good idea to produce (and document) one video to train all.
As with any industry there are often technical developments which impact on the workings of the site and these developments need to be explained often to hundreds of people at different times. In these instances best practice is to use a video to communicate information.
Many construction projects are photogenic. Produce a video which examines projects that construction companies are involved in as part of their PR. Some projects can be technically difficult and filming the process provides an interesting and informative account of it.
Collate video and still imagery to produce videos which show the heritage of the company. Many construction companies have a long list of successful projects under their belts. Collating and combining stills images and video of these assignments can produce a compelling video for use in sales presentations, recruitment and training.

Here is a sample of a Construction Company bio video:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Making Video Files Private

admin — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 06:29:47 +0000

Question: I wish to send a video to a friend. It is a home-video of several GB in size. Would you have any suggestion on how to make the video available to watch by friends, and in the same time keeping privacy?

Answer: Here’s what I would do.

1. Transcode the video to a smaller h.264 mp4 file using Handbrake.
2. Sign up for a Dropbox account and put the video in the folder called “public”.
3. Right-click the file to copy and paste a private link via email.

For added security, you can password protect the mp4 file using…

The remaining content in this post is reserved for Premium Members only. If you are a member, log in to view now . If you’re not a member, consider joining. Click here to sign up.

The DV Show Podcast for February 1, 2010

admin — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 04:50:50 +0000

Running time: 38:16

Download MP3 file

Clients stealing freelancers – freelancers stealing clients- is there a law against this stuff? Webcasting school sporting events. Using a professional switcher for the web. Organizing your video the easy way. Ron Dawson, author of the book Refocus: Cutting-Edge Strategies to Evolve Your Video Business joins us.

Show notes:
- Webinar: Producing Web Video for Profit
- Subcontractor Agreement
- Business and Legal forms for Media Pros
- How to webcast college sports in-house
- DV pass through method explained
- Software that organizes video files
- Protect video files sent through email
- Ron Dawson’s Book - Refocus: Cutting-Edge Strategies to Evolve Your Video Business
- Become a Premium Subscriber to access links in show notes

Creating Heart Shaped Video

admin — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 20:13:47 +0000

Question: How do I create video in the shape of a heart using Final Cut Pro?

Answer: Here is one answer on how we would do it:

Ustream Producer is Just Cool

admin — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 19:30:41 +0000

It’s about time Ustream!

Click here to view the embedded video.

The new Ustream Producer is a desktop application allowing broadcasters to stream in high quality video, just like they would from Ustream’s website - and best of all it’s FREE.

Additional features include the ability to:

Easily manage video and audio sources
Browse, drag and drop audio and video files
Start and stop recordings
Pop-out a chat room or Social Stream
Display your desktop via screencasting capability
Update your status and syndicate to Twitter, Facebook, MySpace, and AIM
Broadcast using Picture in Picture
Create multiple transitions

Encoding Tools: HTML 5 Compliant Video

admin — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 16:35:00 +0000

Question: What tools are available to encode .dv and .avi videos to Ogg Theora? if that is what I need to embed video for HTML 5.

Answer: HTML 5 allows new source code for embedding video and audio in HTML documents. The specifications recommend support for Theora video and Vorbis audio encapsulated in an Ogg container.

The Ogg container is an open standard and a requirement that allows easier distribution of rich media over the internet.

Who? what??!? Vogg, Ogg?!?

Yes, these are new terms but the same concept. Think of it like H.264 wrapped in an MOV container, etc., etc.

Anyway, moving on.

How to create an Ogg video container:

There are five ways to accomplish this:

1. A user-friendly way to convert .dv and .avi format video into Ogg Theora format is with ffmpeg2theora.

2. A way to both stream and encode theora format video is with videolan (VLC). Here are detailed instructions on how to do this.

3. If you’re really technical have a look at ogg-theora-microhowto and transcode quicktime mov files to Theora files under Linux. You can use libogg, to wrap theora video with vorbis audio in Ogg file.

4. Install the Firefogg extension for Firefox. Follow these instructions or these instructions on how to encode videos.

And Finally

5. You can use Quicktime Pro and this free component from Xiph. Here is a video to show you how:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Cheapo Videography = Headache for All

admin — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 15:14:54 +0000

Question: It is a very competitive market producing wedding videos where I live in Chicago. To get the business, I’m thinking of seriously undercutting my prices to beat the competition. Average wedding videos are $1500 to $2500 depending on the package. I want to offer a simple, single camera shoot package for $500 for 8 hours of work. Is this a good strategy?

Answer: When you undercut the market so severely you shoot yourself in the foot not to mention achieving other negative results. We’re going to let Scott Bourne, Publisher of Photofocus.com summarize. He touches on some good points in a recent article geared for wedding photographer’s but it can also be applied to wedding videographers as well. He mentions:

a. You cheat the client. This is the worst point. That’s right, the client who’s once-in-a-lifetime special day has just been handed to the cheapo wedding photographer is not going to be well-served. A true professional has skills that Uncle Harry doesn’t. The better the skills the more longevity in the business and the better the chance the client is going to get images they want to come back for.

It’s impossible to run a sustainable business over the long haul, deliver good quality and care for the client at lowball prices. I’ve been around a long time. I’ve seen dozens of businesses fail using this model and more importantly (and more to the point) have seen dozens of brides’ wedding memories ruined by photographers who had no business being there in the first place. There’s no do-over on a wedding. It takes a decent budget to get a decent result. Good reliable gear with backups cost money. Training cost money. Quality wedding prints, albums, books and gallery wraps cost money. If you sell a bride a cheapo wedding DVD with packaging that falls apart because you couldn’t make enough profit doing the cheapo wedding shoot, how does that serve the client? These are people’s lives you’re messing with. What could have more value than the wedding album – the first family heirloom of a brand new family? Think about it.

b. You are selling yourself short. If you do it on the cheap, you are probably losing money or coming close to it. Maybe you’re working for minimum wage once you pay your expenses and grunt out a few bucks for yourself. You’re worth more than that. Have some self-respect. Don’t whore yourself out. Ask yourself, “Am I really only worth $8 an hour?” Pricing is the hardest part of any photo-related business. But it’s called a job because it’s hard. Don’t be lazy. Get training in how to competitively, fairly and appropriately price your products. There are lots of resources out there. Learn. Apply. Do. Don’t decide you’re not worth it. I think we’re all worth it. We deserve to be fairly compensated for our time, our education, our practice, our overhead, our gear, our licenses, our insurance, our taxes, our cost of goods sold and everything else that goes into doing it right. When you devalue yourself you leave potential business on the table – cheap weddings/portraits are just that, poorly executed products. The single biggest mistake most new pros make is under-pricing, not under-exposing.

c. You’re dragging down an entire industry. If you come into the market as a weekend warrior and start selling cheapo weddings against established businesses who have already set the industry standard, every cheapo wedding you shoot diminishes the industry. You’re participating in self-destructive behavior which is against your own interests. How can that be smart?

Scott goes on to say:

In closing, remember this – photography is an incredible career field if done right – if you get the reputation for being cheap you won’t last long – because you’ve got nothing to fall back on. Develop your skill set first, then your marketing, then launch with a product that has the value it should and more importantly value that will last – cheap candles burn fast and they’re gone.

Scott, we couldn’t have said it any better.

The DV Show Podcast for January 25, 2010

admin — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 03:56:35 +0000

Running time: 40:20

Download MP3 file

Insuring your video productions -what to cover, how to get it and why it’s important. Easy tricks to transcribe your video. Editing AVCHD in Final Cut Pro. Do you really need a release form for everyone in your video? Entertainment attorney Gordon Firemark helps us answer that question and HTML 5 and Ogg Video- Why YOU should start paying attention.

Show notes:

- Webinar: Producing Web Video for Profit
- Video production insurance breakdown
- Services and software tools that make transcribing video easier
- Making Sense of AVCHD - download for $5 until next podcast
- Download a copy of a talent release form
- Download a copy of a talent release form - Premium Download link
- Mini Guide: HTML 5 For Video Producers
- Watch the video version of the DV Show Podcast for January 25, 2010
- Become a Premium Subscriber to access links in show notes

Mini Guide: HTML 5 For Video Producers

admin — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 03:54:02 +0000

Question: I’m hearing so much about HTML 5 since Vimeo and Youtube are now using it for video delivery on their platform. As video producer’s what should we know about HTML 5 and what is the big deal?

Answer: HTML 5 is code. If you’re a webmaster or web designer you’re likely familiar with HTML, right? Right click to view the source for any webpage and you see HTML. Well, this is a new language - an updated version of that older HTML code.

We’re all familiar with the old video embed codes. With HTML 5 that embed code has changed to this: that’s it .

HTML 5 allows you to play a movie in your website without a plugin or player - it’s basically a replacement for a Flash player! There are no long embed codes, the video can play in almost any browser (even when a user has an iPhone- flash video cannot be seen on the iPhone) and patents are not violated when using H.264.

HTML5’s support for audio and video promises to be a more efficient way to watch movies on your computer or smart phone through your browser rather than the restrictive Flash player. This is a player that plays back the Ogg video format.

What does this mean for you…the content producer?

The market is made up of more OSes, browsers and processor architectures than it was five years ago. More people (especially geeks) are browsing with AdBlock / NoScript / FlashBlock than ever before. We can no longer just assume people are going to have Flash and are allowing you to use it.

The same rules apply to video. If my platform / device / browser of choice cannot see your video, or you do not offer me the means to download the video to view offline, then I don’t see whatever it is you’ve got to show me.

I therefore want to help all web-developers get to grips with , to make it easy for them to show video content without having to sacrifice legacy browsers, nor ask you to install anything just to do so.

Benefits of HTML 5

1. Not treated like a special case

No special page you have to visit. No extra effort should be required on your part to get video in your browser that already supports the format perfectly.

2. No browser sniffing

Implementations could turn up anywhere, in any form. OGG is open-source open-specification. Serving to only mainstream browsers like Firefox 3.5 goes against the whole point of open-video removing the requirement to be tied to one particular vendor.

3. Doesn’t require JavaScript

Developers generally don’t know how to include the video tag whilst falling back to alternatives. Trying to detect browsers using JavaScript and writing the element into the page is just going about it the wrong way.

4. Degrades extremely gracefully, providing multiple levels of fallback

Using Flash only provides you support for platforms where Flash is installed. No Flash: No Video. Video for Everybody will most of the time still play the video even if Flash is not installed. Flash is not supported on the iPhone, the №1 platform for users accessing the ’Web on a mobile.

5. Is just plain copy & paste HTML

Of course, you can write a server side script to insert it over and over again according to however many videos you have, but the HTML itself does not use JavaScript to insert the video or detect browsers or even provide the fallbacks. You can enhance Video for Everybody with JavaScript (it’s just the template to get you started), but the core selection of which video format plays is completely down to the browser, no JavaScript involved.

6. iPhone users can view your videos from your webpages - finally!

Encoding the Videos

HTML 5 uses an MP4 video file to play in Safari, in Flash and on the iPhone. Therefore the MP4 file must conform to the requirements for these three platforms. Technically Safari can play anything QuickTime can play. Flash can play H.264 and the iPhone is a little more restrictive in that it tops out at 640×480, does not support streaming, and does not support the Main H.264 profile.

The OGG file is solely for Firefox 3.5 at the moment for Firefox 3.5 and Chrome, but more browsers may use it in the future as OGG is an open standard and can be implemented by any vendor if they choose so. It is not patent-encumbered and therefore a cheaper choice than MP4 which requires licensing.

For best results, I recommend including the poster image as the first frame when you encode the video. In QuickTime and HTML5 , the first frame of the video is shown until the user clicks play, giving the users an idea of the content beforehand.

This article explains the background technical information and extensive instructions on how to encode compatible OGG files.

DrawBacks

1. Limited Controls

You can roll your own controls using any HTML and a bit of JavaScript. HTML5 also has the benefit that it is far more efficient than Flash, HD video in the browser is possible—without requiring a supercomputer.

2. Videos with captions, annotations, or ads will still be rendered by the Flash player.

3. Fullscreen mode isn’t supported and video can only be played back in the Firefox, Safari and Opera browser. YouTube’s experiment will only work with Safari 4, Chrome, and Internet Explorer via ChromeFrame.

4. Lastly, a current bug in Firefox 3.5 means that when JavaScript is disabled (NoScript for example) the video controls do not display. The developer of NoScript is aware of this issue and will try to come up with a solution. For now, right-click on the video for the controls, or use autoplay on your videos, or rely on users allowing your site in NoScript (the same as they have to do with Flash).

Question and Answers:

How does it play back and what happens if the user’s browser is not supported?

The HTML5 element offers native playback in Firefox 3.5, Safari 3 & 4, Google Chrome and an increasing number of other browsers.

There are no plugins to install. The video is played by the browser itself. It loads quickly and doesn’t threaten to crash your browser.

In other browsers that do not support , it falls back to QuickTime.

(which allows playback on the iPhone)

If QuickTime is not installed, Adobe Flash is used: You can host locally or embed any Flash file, such as a YouTube video.

Finally, if all else fails, the placeholder image is shown and the user can download the video using the links provided.

This is all done without JavaScript and requires only two video encodes, one OGG file for Firefox 3.5, and one MP4 file for everything else (Flash / Safari / iPhone). Instructions on how to convert your videos to these formats with the correct settings are provided further down this article.

It’s compatible with HTML 4, HTML5 (valid markup), XHTML 1 and additionally also works when served as application/xhtml+xml.

Isn’t this 4× as much effort than just using Flash?

4 different video encodes is not required! It uses only two, which supports 4× as many platforms and browsers than Flash alone does as well as reaching almost anybody who doesn’t have Flash installed or can’t install it (iPhone / Some 64-Bit operating systems).

In fact, it ends up being more effort in the long-run using a Flash only method because when a device like the iPhone comes along and it doesn’t have Flash and it becomes very popular, you now have to re-encode FLV files and add browser detection and new code to deal with it. New hand-held devices that are coming out generally don’t support Flash, or only support a tiny sub-set, however they are using ports of Webkit and Gecko that may support HTML5 , and as the mobile smart-phone market increases, HTML5 video will keep up far quicker than Adobe and who they choose to support.

The code is too large / ugly

In an ideal world, all the browser vendors would agree upon one standard and one way of doing things and update their old browsers to match too. Then you could just use just and it’d play in any browser.

That’s not the case though. This is a hack, a kludge, a workaround. It is to deal with the fact we still have millstones like IE tied around our necks that just won’t get with the times. HTML 5 deals with all of these broken browsers so that you don’t have to.

I doubt you hand-type every object tag you use. You just copy and paste a template, or use a server-side function to spit out the code each time. The size of the code is moot therefore and can be compacted to a decent size.

Going forward, in the future as HTML5 becomes standard and common, then the layers in Video for Everybody can be dropped and we can all (hopefully) move to just the video element and be done. That won’t happen unless we start making use of HTML5 now to help drive adoption. Maybe one day even Microsoft will add to IE and it should (unless they manage to do even that wrong) ‘just work’ with HTML 5, shedding the Flash layer and automatically moving up to native video.

Are you saying that JavaScript is bad?

No. Video for Everybody is not aimed at bringing down JavaScript or demanding you go back to the stone age. It is a base template that can easily be enhanced using JavaScript, but does not use it itself to provide the fallback mechanisms.

Other HTML5 video embedding methods use JavaScript to detect the browser’s capabilities and insert the appropriate / Flash content, however this has the drawback that JavaScript must be enabled or even supported—Most RSS readers do not execute JavaScript as a security measure. With Video for Everybody, even in environments without JavaScript the user will still either see the video or be able to download it. The more people who see your video, the better for you.

Can I modify it?

Yes! However, just bear this in mind: HTML 5 is designed to provide video for all browsers within reason; there are a lot of hacks in the code to make the same HTML work across many, many browsers, each tested with and without Flash and QuickTime. That’s a big matrix of testing. If you modify Video for Everybody you might—quite unknowingly—break support for some particular combinations. Please either do what testing you can, or ask me to get involved in helping to test your modifications.

Why don’t you include Cortado, a Java applet that can play OGG video?

The user-experience is more important than the underlying technology. The problem with Java is the user-experience compared to Flash and HTML5 video. The loading of a Java applet causes a noticeable pause whilst the Java Runtime Environment loads. Even on my powerful Mac, the page loading freezes and the hard disk thrashes for a few seconds, on low powered machines I’ve seen the entire computer lock up for 10 seconds. On Windows you get a tray-icon appear an a bubble pop-up from said tray icon distracting you. This is simply unacceptable for playing a video.

Amazon did an experiment whereby they added 100 milliseconds to the load time of their page. Sales dropped 1% immediately. Google did a similar test, adding just half a second to the load time. Traffic dropped 20% immediately.

This answer was provided by kroccamen@gmail.com at camendesign.com

Better Video Editing on the iPhone

admin — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 03:09:47 +0000

Question: I’m very pleased with the way my iPhone 3G S records video in 30-fps VGA (640×480) - it’s perfect for posting video quick on the web. What I don’t like is the editing capability: Trim the video to the perfect length, scrub and trim again direct from the native Camera app. But beyond that, you can’t do much else- trim and scrub, trim and scrub. There has got to be an app you guys know about that does more?

Answer: Yes, there is a better app called Reel Director and It’s pretty good. For $7.99 in the App store you can’t go wrong.

This small little app brings a drag-and-drop timeline, multiple text watermark styles and 27 pro grade transitions, you’ll turn your scattered video clips into polished movies in just minutes.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Reel Director is the first real movie editing solution for the iPhone 3GS, and for a pioneer, it actually works remarkably well. The app still lacks pretty basic elements like audio editing capabilities, but for home movies that look as good or better than the ones your uncle used to edit on his early model DV cam, ReelDirector is more than capable.

Closer Look: Sony’s NXCAM

admin — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 17:38:02 +0000

Click here to view the embedded video.

The first in Sony’s line of NXCAM solid-state camcorders, the HXR-NX5U is also the company’s first professional-level AVCHD camcorder. And while it may look similar to its HDV predecessor, the HVR-Z5U, in fact this is a very different animal. Its ability to capture HD and SD video in AVCHD and MPEG-2 formats–and save it to solid state media–is only one of its distinctive traits. Full-raster 1920 x 1080 video is another, including the option of recording 720/60p video as well as 60i, 30p and 24p. And because the XN5U can capture to media cards plus an optional flash memory unit, you can simultaneously record a different signal to each, whether HD + a backup or HD + SD. The footage is then easily downloaded to a computer or backup drive using USB 2.0.

Three 1/3″ CMOS Exmor sensors, a 20x ‘G’ lens and dual XLR inputs are carried over from the Z5U, but the beautiful video and audio these elements produce are now in service to a higher level of professional control. An HD-SDI output makes this one of the most affordable camcorders to provide uncompressed 4:2:2 output, while HDMI and RCA outputs allow for connection to professional and consumer-grade monitors alike. Timecode sync between two or more cameras is also possible, and the addition of GPS technology makes for another first on an AVCHD pro camcorder.

Meanwhile, a newly designed user interface–including convenient MODE buttons and a touch-screen menu–make setup and operation easier than ever. And if touch-screen controls aren’t your thing, there are the usual navigation keys and thumbwheel to help get you around. Whether you’re recording at one of the camera’s four bit rates (24/17/9/5Mbps), taking advantage of simultaneous or relay HYBRID capture, or recording AC-3 or linear PCM audio, the HVR-NX5U gives you near-professional flexibility and control on a prosumer budget.

Exmor 3 CMOS Sensors

Three Exmor CMOS sensors with a ClearVid array comprise a state-of-the-art sensor system from Sony which realizes high resolution, high sensitivity, a wide dynamic range, and excellent color reproduction, regardless of the codec.

Memory Recording and HYBRID

Memory recording on affordable consumer memory cards offers workflow efficiency at both the shooting and editing stages. Combined with hybrid recording, using an optional HXR-FMU128, the user achieves a totally IT-based workflow, with the added bonus of instant data backup.

AVCHD Format

The revolutionary AVCHD recording format, which utilizes the MPEG-4, AVC/H.264 video codec, allows users to record HD video footage onto random access media, such as Memory Stick PRO Duo and SDHC memory cards. Its intelligent and sophisticated algorithm makes AVCHD a highly efficient compression format ideal for memory recording and IT-based editing.

G Lens

“G Lens”, the lens featured in other successful Sony camcorders, already enjoys an excellent industry reputation. In the HXR-NX5U, this sophisticated lens is optimized to complement the camcorder’s advanced image sensor and image-processing technology.

Natural-touch Lens Operation

The focus, zoom and iris ring are positioned on the lens barrel, and this design offers the same operability as general interchangeable lenses. Focus, zoom and iris control can all be managed easily.

Six-blade Iris

The six-blade iris diaphragm is nearly circular, enabling the creation of an extremely beautiful background blur.

Built-in ND filters

The HXR-NX5U is equipped with three built-in ND (Neutral Density) filters–1/4, 1/16, 1/64–which help to vary the depth of field with iris control.

Active SteadyShot Feature

Active SteadyShot® feature is a new, enhanced image stabilization system that provides a powerful shake-reduction capability, vital for handheld usage. Additional stabilization is provided by the increased optical lens coverage area and by improved detection with state-of-the-art compensation

GPS

A built-in global positioning system (GPS) locator allows satellite navigation data to be recorded directly onto footage for reference or posting on popular internet mapping systems. GPS data can be invaluable when searching for footage or to provide evidence of where and when footage was recorded.

Relay Record with Dual Memory Slots

Another new feature is continuous recording between two memory card slots. The new HXR-NX5U camcorder automatically cycles between the dual memory slots. When using two, 32-GB memory cards, six hours of continuous HD footage can be recorded.

Optional 128GB Flash Memory Unit, HXR-FMU128

Sony proudly introduces the HXR-FMU128, an optional 128-GB flash memory unit exclusively designed for the HXR-NX5U camcorder. This enables hybrid recording of video footage - another world first for an AVCHD professional camcorder. Other capabilities include simultaneous recording of HD and HD video footage, and even the combination of HD and SD, realizing an instant backup in the desired format. The 128-GB storage capacity provides continuous recording for almost half a day at the highest bit-rate - incredible in a unit of such compact size. This is an ideal option for recording music festivals, seminars, and weddings, and for making documentaries, all of which require extended recording times.

Loss-less Audio Recording Capability

The audio recording format on HXR-NX5U can be selected from either Dolby Digital stereo or Linear PCM stereo. LPCM audio recording provides uncompressed audio quality. Customers who need high quality audio, such as in music videos will be able to acquire CD quality audio data.

MPEG-2 for SD Recording Format

SD format recording is available in addition to HD format recording. The SD recording format uses MPEG-2 which is the same compression codec as standard DVD-VIDEO Discs. Customers who make delivery in DVD-VIDEOs will be able to obtain video data in sufficient SD quality using this format.

Easy Operation with Newly Designed Menu

The completely new menu interface allows users to adjust camcorder functions via a touch panel or buttons and switches. This interface is newly designed specifically for this model. Easier and more straightforward operations are achieved by the combination of a high-resolution XtraFine LCD panel, XtraFine electronic viewfinder (EVF), and well-defined layout.

Hybrid Operation with Touch Panel & Buttons

The HXR-NX5U is equipped with a touch panel LCD with a complete new interface specifically designed for this new camcorder. Most of settings can be adjusted by touch screen operation, which is easy, straightforward, and instinctive for operators. However, standard operation using buttons and switches is also available, to provide users with choices to suit any shooting situation.

Smoother Skin Using Final Cut Pro

admin — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 07:25:05 +0000

Question: I’m trying to smooth out a lady’s facial skin. I’ve played with the levels, tried layering a blurred clip on top with different blending modes, but so far it’s not working. What’s weird is, she looked GREAT in person while we were shooting, but the camera picked up a whole lot of wrinkles and pores. I saw a tutorial website charging $129 for a 6 month membership to learn a quick technique and thought that was crazy. Do you have a workaround?

Answer: There certainly is. As production enters the HD era, and cameras capture every detail, this simple technique can keep your client looking their best. Here’s how we did it in Final Cut Pro:

Track 1 Video (make sure to color correct with 3-way first since you’ll be copying)
Track 2 (actually about track 1, obviously) Copied video, overlay mode Screen, with Gaussian Blur (radius all the way up to 68), and set the clip’s opacity to suit, mine is at 70%. That gives you a soft glow for the highs/mids.
Copy this clip and put on track 3 and do overlay composite mode if you want to put a soft glow on the darker regions.

If your budget allows - here are some plugins you can purchase

Beauty Box - $199

Uses Face Detection to automatically identify skin tones and create a mask that limits the smoothing effect to just the skin areas. Just apply the filter, click auto-detect, set the amount of smoothing, and render. This automatic process is designed to speed up the workflow that is usually required for skin retouching. Read how it works.

The Skin Smoothing is also a new technology. It keeps the important features of the face sharp while reducing or eliminating wrinkles and blemishes. By incorporating state-of-the-art face detection and smoothing algorithms, Beauty Box is designed to give actors a makeover in post-production.

The Electronic Makeup Artist - $149

This filter allows the user to select skin tones and apply smoothing to reduce wrinkles, blemishes, etc. Using various detection algorithms, enough detail can be retained to avoid a ‘blurry’, vaseline lens look. Download free demo.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Continuum Image Restoration $99

The Boris Continuum Image Restoration Unit includes the Smooth Tone, Pixel Fixer, and DV Fixer filters from Boris Continuum Complete 6.

The Digital Coverup plugin- $79

Sort of “Electronic Clearasil” - it’s used for fixing blemishes.

Digital Coverup can be used for changing the color of and/or smoothing anything you can isolate. It’s been successfully used to change eye color, tone down the highlight on a bald spot, and change the color of a blanket from pink to blue. Need to make your grass greener? Download a free demo.

3D Technology’s Growing Pains

admin — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 05:34:50 +0000

I have to admit that visiting DigitalVision 2010, the industry’s exciting new virtual event, was fun. Got to virtually “meet” and “connect” with some real people while I stayed productive at my desktop.

This was a full-day, forward-thinking conference with live Q&A, keynotes, moderated chat and interactive product and technology exhibits for digital content creation professionals- call me a geek but I hope they have another. It was so much easier than attending a real event where you had to lug yourself there, pay for parking, etc., etc. I really think this was a great idea.

One scheduled chat was really buzzing about 3D video. TV Technology Editor in Chief Tom Butts headed the conversation.

These are some of the points, questions and concerns I took out of the conversation regarding the growing pains 3D production and production will go through before rolling out mainstream.

1. The 3D workflow is unknown:

[ 01/20/2010 02:08:46 PM] Richard.Pshock:I’m more interested in figuring out if my HD architecture will need significant changes to broadcast (MPEG2) for cable.

[ 01/20/2010 02:06:24 PM] Ian.MacSpadden: You can do 3D on 3G HD , basically 1.5G per steroscopic side. Snell’s Kahuna switcher can do this.

[ 01/20/2010 02:08:46 PM] Richard.Pshock: I’m also looking at content re-encoding. I know there are some converters out there, but I haven’t seen a demo converting from HD1080I/P to 3D

2. Nausea will be a big issue:

I think until autosteroscopy (glassless) is is here, there will be a segment of the population that will continue to have nausea and headache problems wit h prolonged viewing.

[ 01/20/2010 02:24:30 PM] Adam.Weissman: Additionally, to answer your question - I saw Avatar in 3D on Monday and left the theater with a headache. I’m told that was because of the extreme color saturation levels but the thing I noticed is that when a scene had elements out of focus off to the side… it made my eyes hurt.

[ 01/20/2010 02:25:35 PM] Tom Butts: My problem with Avatar is that I got stuck with a lousy seat on the edge. Half of the movie scenes looked like double vision. And this was IMAX!

3. 3D will take some time to go mainstream as it is presently trying to prove itself:

[ 01/20/2010 02:10:29 PM] Skip.Ferderber: I’ll be surprised if it’s anywhere close to the HD rollout. With the economy still in freefall, the cost of a new 3D set with a minimum of content sounds a bit dicey to me. And then there’s the glasses question….

[ 01/20/2010 02:12:39 PM] Anthony.Gargano: The Dallas Cowboys demo was a disaster.

[ 01/20/2010 02:13:09 PM] Ian.MacSpadden: I heard there were boos from teh stadium.

[ 01/20/2010 02:13:13 PM] Tom Butts: Anthony, do you think it was a technical disaster or marketing disaster?

[ 01/20/2010 02:13:23 PM] Tom Butts: You have to start somewhere.

[ 01/20/2010 02:13:36 PM] Dominiqe.Anderson: I was at that Dallas Cowboys Game. The crowd, including myself…very disapointed.

[ 01/20/2010 02:13:44 PM] Anthony.Gargano: Technical/medical. Biggest complaint was nausea.

4. 3D is a new way for manufacturers to make money after the big HD breakthrough:

[ 01/20/2010 02:19:15 PM] Anthony.Gargano: As I wrote in a recent article, revenue generation, not necessity i the mother of invention. The CE industry is always looking for the next technology with which to extract dollars from the consumer’s wallet. Thus, their current focus on 3D.

[ 01/20/2010 02:16:59 PM] Henry.Cheatham: I agree with that but should the whole industry be talking about change because of that? We now have HD.

[ 01/20/2010 02:23:23 PM] Phil.Wallace: While revenue generation from 3D TV sles may be an incentive for manufacturers, what is the incentive for broadcasters to incure great expense on 3D equipment? What’s the business model for broadcasters?

5. 3D Content will start out as major events ie: baseball or football games. Digital signage may find a use:

[ 01/20/2010 02:17:28 PM] Tom Butts: Like HD, the early stages of 3D will be limited mostly to special events, particularly sports.

[ 01/20/2010 02:21:21 PM] Richard.Pshock: Again… no content. Currently it seems suited to sports or concerts. Existing conversions will likely be behind the screen, not in front (which is where the “shot for 3D” will look so much different.

[ 01/20/2010 02:22:50 PM] Tom Butts: They may end up running loops just like the early days of HD when dedicated channels showed those “flyover” videos ad nauseum.

[ 01/20/2010 02:28:14 PM] Tom Butts: Glasses free 3D is still the Holy Grail and the digital signage industry could lead the way and spur more development on that end, I think.

[ 01/20/2010 02:28:16 PM] Richard.Pshock: I can see 3DTV as an event network. Sports bars, casinos, or other controlled venues, kinda like an internet cafe for 3D

[ 01/20/2010 02:29:18 PM] Anthony.Gargano: Agreed. There is a business model for live 3D sporting events and concerts to digital theaters.

[ 01/20/2010 02:35:19 PM] Tom Butts: I think we’ll see a 3D Super Bowl by 2012-2013
[ 01/20/2010 02:35:45 PM] Tom Butts: the ads are already going there

6. Consumers will not embrace 3D right out of the gate:

[ 01/20/2010 02:23:17 PM] Richard.Pshock: Just like there is HD and “HD”, there will be 3D and “3D”. Consumer expectations will be for in front of the screen, which won’t look right on current displays.

[ 01/20/2010 02:17:42 PM] Adam.Weissman: Tom, 2 questions… First, Isn’t it true that current flat panel tvs can handle 3D images and the new tv sets are just a way to sell consumers another $2k - $3k TV? 2nd, with the new 3D channels, I’ve heard that if there is no content being broadcast live, the channels will be black/ “dark”. Can you comment on this?

[ 01/20/2010 02:23:22 PM] Mohamed.El.Sheikh: if there is an oversees channel wants to buy a 3d sports event from ESPN for example, How should upgrade my TV channel equipment and the workflow?

[ 01/20/2010 02:23:48 PM] Tom Butts: A poll: What do you think the penetration rate of 3DTVs in the home will be 5 years from now?

[ 01/20/2010 02:24:43 PM] Tom Butts: For broadcasters, the issue will be what will be carried by cable/satellite/telcos. Don’t look for 3D content being broadcast over the air for many years, if ever.

[ 01/20/2010 02:24:47 PM] Adam.Weissman: maybe 10 %

[ 01/20/2010 02:25:37 PM] Katie Makal: CES estimates 2.2 million 3D TV sets will be sold this year.

[ 01/20/2010 02:25:44 PM] Anthony.Gargano: Less than 5%.

[ 01/20/2010 02:26:23 PM] Tom Butts: Similar or slightly less than that for for HDTV’s first 5 years, 1998-2003

[ 01/20/2010 02:38:42 PM] Mohamed.El.Sheikh: consumers, 3d TV, and 3d cinema will drive the market
[ 01/20/2010 02:39:28 PM] Mohamed.El.Sheikh: i think live 3d TV will be offered as pay per view at the beginning

Read the rest of the chat’s transcript here

Get That Shallow Depth of Field Look Without an Adapter

admin — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 06:00:56 +0000

Question from Neil: I love the look of shallow depth of field…it gives the look of film when using any video camera. My questions are: 1) What are the downsides to having a 35 millimeter adapter to achieve this effect? 2) how can I get this look without spending hundreds of dollars? can I just make one myself? Thanks for a great podcast and all that you do! Looking forward to your answer!

Answer: Getting that shallow depth of field look without an adapter is possible. First off, let’s define shallow depth of field which gives this film look that everyone wants in their videos: This is when a selective part of the frame is chosen to be in focus and the rest- out of focus- usually the background. This is used to draw your attention to something in particular. It also makes the image more three dimensional, less flat and it gives your video more of a film look.

With the advent of smaller cameras- comes smaller image sensors- the smaller the sensor the harder it is to get that shallow depth of field so this is where 35mm adaptors come in to make up for the loss.

There are a number of downsides to these adapters.

They lose light and depend, in most part, on the glass the lens is made out of. It has to be fast enough!
Fixed focal length lenses are normally faster than zoom lenses but they are not able to zoom!

1) Shoot as far away as possible from the subject and zoom in. Works best when you are outside or in large interiors.

Let me take my JVC GYHM100 to demonstrate how this can be done….

(Here is the live video we showed from the studio during the live production of the DV Show Podcast. This demonstrates the zoom in and focus technique using “Woodrow” as our subject - audio can be heard at the end of the podcast.)

Click here to view the embedded video.

2) Post tweaks. Using a program like Adobe After Effects or even Final Cut you can make a mask around the subject and blur the foreground/background of the shot. Make a blurred layer of the video Use a gradient mask to control what parts of the video are in focus and what parts are out of focus.

It might should either overly simple or overly complex… so here is a video tutorial that explains it in detail using After Effects:

There are four things that affect the DOF.

1. The distance to the subject in focus. Closer subject means a smaller depth of field (background is softer).
2. Length of the lens. Longer lenses mean less depth of field. Cheat this by zooming in and “lengthening” the lens.
3. Aperture. Wider apertures (lower f-stops) mean less depth of field (softer backgrounds).
4. Size of the format. If you’re shooting a format like 35mm or a camera with a large sensor, you get the cinematic DOF for free. For most digital cameras, you’ll need to rely on methods 1-3 for the cinematic look.

The Producer’s Huddle: Q&A Recap

admin — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 15:20:33 +0000

Anything goes in “the Huddle”! - from critiquing a short video to rapid fire Q&A - we have a fun time learning from each other.

You can join in each Sunday night at 8:30 EST - immediately following the live recording of The DV Show podcast which airs at 8 p.m. EST.

Here’s a recap of some quick fire questions and answers given from the January 17, 2010 edition of the Producer’s Huddle. Questions we could not answer are extracted from chat and answered here.

Question: I need long runs of cable to feed to my switcher - is the option of ethernet - with Firewire converter the best way to do this - or is it BNC cables to a Tricaster the best way to go (talking oer 200 yards)

Answer: with RCA you’re likely going to have signal loss. BNC will likely need jumpers to boost the signal. Go with Ethernet.

Question: Looking for “The Best” chroma key software for Mac

Answer: There are a few plugins and standalone software you can use:

- dvGarage: Known for its DvMatte Blast plug-in

- Digital Film Tools zMatte- A plug-in desined to create hundreds of successful blue and green screen composites.

- Primatte Keyer Pro - A professional greenscreen tool that extracts keys from any color
background quickly and easily. Powerful features allow Primatte Keyer to overcome keying challenges such as uneven lighting, compression artifacts, subtle shadows, and edge light contamination.

Standalone:

- Apple’s Shake

- Ultimatte

Question: explain why there are so many codecs and video formats, and how and why to use them (ie dixv,avi,mov,etc.)

Video Codecs explained

Question: I have a panasonic DV 100B (tape) can I do a online video show on watershed after editing?

Answer: Yes (sorry such a short answer)

Question: I was wondering, do you know of a way to automatically cut at the DV Start/Stop points on a file in the timeline in Final Cut Pro?

Here’s a tutorial

Question: Anything new to help reduce cell phone interference with the audio?

Ask everyone to shut their cell phones off with a notice before they enter the room.

If you must leave your cell phone on, tape two small pieces of aluminum foil on the back of the phone. Shield your equipment with aluminum foil - tape foil to your audio mixer or surround your equipment with it to prevent the electromagnetic interference from entering in.

You can also use an “RF Choke”. You’d affix a capacitor across the conductors of each mic cable just as each cable came into the mixer.

Question: Any recipes for Green screen paint?

Answer: The next time you’re in a hardware store that can mix paint, give them the following numbers: 103-4Y 113-1Y 1145Y32 Base 4. American Traditions Flat Interior Latex is the best.

Question: What is a piece of equipment I can use to capture more than two cameras through a Mac? I need some sort of firewire hub?

BigMug Software used to have Capture Magic SD. Otherwise this is impossible without a switcher being connected as the single source- you’re limited any other way by the bandwidth on the firewire bus and the CPU getting bogged down. Panopto might be another option.

The DV Show Podcast for January 18, 2010

admin — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 01:10:34 +0000

Running time: 34:52

Download MP3 file

Is being a freelance videographer more than it’s cracked up to be? What your demo reel is missing- and why you’re not getting any work. The trick to getting shallow depth of field without an expensive adapter. Equipment suggestions for broadcasting live video out to ustream.tv.

Show notes:

- Webinar: Producing Web Video for Profit
- Guide to a good demo reel: includes additional tips and interview with American Broadcast Talent
- Freelance videographer James Smith’s website
- Broadcast on Ustream: Equipment Suggestions
- Make your own 35mm adapter
- Watch the video version of the DV Show Podcast for January 18, 2010
- Become a Premium Subscriber to access links in show notes

Videographer Disappoints Couple

admin — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 18:16:04 +0000

Learn a lesson from watching this:

Click here to view the embedded video.

The message:

Don’t screw around with a couple’s wedding video
Couples now have strict criteria for you to meet when they search for a wedding videographer.
Couples are going to be looking for a certified and licensed videographer who knows what they are doing.
Couples want to know how long you’ve been in business - probing to see if you’re going to ditch with their money and no video.
Couples are not going to pay it all up front
Couples are going to want a contract with all the details of your services and what they should expect.

46 Websites That Pay You For Video

admin — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 05:22:41 +0000

Question: Any suggestions on where to find video production work online?

Answer: There are many ways you can earn extra cash online, including working for a filmmaker network, entering video contests, selling stock footage, filming events, and sharing your own videos.

Work for a Filmmaker Network

TurnHere

The leading Internet video production and advertising company for businesses around the world.

TurnHere produces thousands of videos a month for large consumer brands and online business directories and they are always looking for media pros to add to their global network of professional filmmakers.

When you’re “on the list” companies can tap into TurnHere’s broadcast-quality video production expertise and Web distribution capabilities from virtually any destination without the traditional hassle and expense of transporting production crews to filming locations.

Demand Studios

They are looking for filmmakers to produce groups of short, online videos for their websites. Videos reach more than 70 million viewers, and by working with them, you can produce videos for high-profile websites, such as LIVESTRONG.COM, eHow.com and others.

Working for Demand Studios is not like other freelance filmmaking jobs. They offer you the opportunity to take control of your filmmaking and production career by creating your own schedule, managing your income and learning from other filmmakers.

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VIMBY

A next generation content company celebrating young lifestyle and culture all over America, is looking for talented filmmakers to join their team. They specialize in short form doc style videos geared towards action sports, music, nightlife, fashion, art, car culture, urban culture, travel and so much more. All of their videos are produced by young, talented filmmakers in cities all over the country. For over two years, their team has made VIMBY a leader in young reality/documentary programming and now they’re looking to expand their network of filmmakers

This is a tremendous opportunity to make money while building a reel and working alongside seasoned television producers to document some of the biggest names in pop culture today.

Apply to hr@vimby.com

Ecreative Ads

These guys are always on the lookout for talented, creative filmmakers in all 50 states. If you have experience shooting top-notch videos and TV commercials ranging from 30 seconds to 5 minutes in length, and you’re skilled at scripting, producing, shooting, and editing short-format videos, and would like top-notch level work all the time, talk to them

In addition to top-quality freelance filmmakers, they’re also seeking producers, production coordinators, editors, graphic designers, and animators across the United States and Canada. If you have a passion for the art of filmmaking, work well both autonomously and with a team, and know the ins and outs of managing a video campaign, they would love to hear from you.

The remaining content in this post is reserved for Premium Members only. If you are a member, log in to view now . If you’re not a member, consider joining. Click here to sign up.

Set Yourself Apart from other Wedding Videographers

admin — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 03:23:11 +0000

Question: I’m just getting started in wedding video production and have a two questions. When I talk to brides I would love to know what they’re looking for in a videographer before they ask so I can meet all their expectations…with all of your experiences would you be able to tell me? Also, I only produced three videos so far and already feel like my videos are getting stale, they are not personal to the couple and they are looking like everyone else. Any advice you can offer to spice these videos up to set me apart from the competition in the area?

Answer: Bride’s have no idea what they are looking for in a wedding videographer. Most brides look for the answer online or in major wedding magazines and here is what they usually find:

Couples today are looking for a videographer belonging to a professional organization, such as the Wedding and Events Videographers Association (WEVA.com).
They are also looking for how long you or your company has been in business.
They don’t want a novice shooting their video since there is only one chance to get it right.
Have a demo reel ready with several different weddings.
they want to know if you shot at their wedding location before
They don’t want a cookie cutter presentation.
They want everything you promise in a written contract.

The answer to your second question regarding the need to spice up your videos so they are set apart from the competition:

First off, I’m glad your thinking about creating a wedding video that is unique to the bride and groom- this is not always something a videographer thinks about when taking on a couple as a new client. Their wedding day is all about them and the wedding video or DVD you create should reflect their personal tastes as well.

Here are a few options that can add that special touch:

Offer Real Film: Many videographers are offering real 8mm film as an option or add-on. It is usually just two-to-four rolls of film edited into the actual video to give a retro flavor that will awe the bride, groom and family. Don’t settle for a film-effect that is created on a computer, it just isn’t the same.

Show an Engagement Music Video: This can be done ahead of time and presented at the reception on big screen projector. Attend the engagement photo session and get behind-the-scenes video that can later be combined with the engagement photographs. When set to music this can be a wonderful piece to showcase on the couple’s wedding day.

The Love Story: This option has exploded in popularity. The Love Story is an interview with the bride-to-be and her fiancé, which tells the story of how they met and how they arrived at this point. Some of the video can be shot at the spot where he proposed, at the couples home or favorite spot. The Love Story is probably the most emotion-packed segment, next to the ceremony video of their vows. This feature can also be completed ahead of time and presented on a big screen presentation at the reception.

Edit in a Photo Montage: Photo Montages have always been popular and can easily achieve that personal touch. A photo montage is another great way to tell the story of how the couple met or you can go as far back as to their childhood photos. It’s all a story of how they arrived at this day and it is a way to bring new life to those photographs stored in the back of their closet. The photo montage can also be shown at the reception.

Offer Streaming Video: Many couples personalize their wedding by creating a wedding website to keep family members in-the-know about changes in upcoming wedding plans. Streaming videos can be used to create exciting engagement announcements for their wedding website. This would be a good way to introduce a wedding theme as a movie trailer to increase the anticipation leading up to their wedding.

With a little creativity and preparation, their wedding video can be as unique as they are.

Other things you can do to set yourself apart from the competition and create the perfect wedding video:

1. Familiarize yourself with all the key participants. Communicate with bride and groom to establish what they want videotaped. Talk to the minister and make sure that he knows and approves of you working at and around the altar. Let any additional videographers know what’s going on and what is them.

2. Make sure that you have all the equipment you need and that its in good working order. How many cameras do you plan on using? Do you know how you will get them (borrow, rent, buy?) You will need a sufficient number of audio and video cables, plenty of fully-charged batteries and blank videotapes.

3. Don’t miss the wedding rehearsal. This will be your chance to become familiar with all operating systems including cameras, lighting and audio before the wedding takes place. Decide where the best places are to put the cameras. Be sure to find out if there will by any special ceremonies (e.g. lighting the Unity Candle) or props (e.g. floral canopy) that need to be a part of your footage.

4. Videotape pre-wedding interviews with the bride and groom (interview them separately).

5. Do be at the church or wedding venue one hour before the wedding gets started. Pre-wedding footage requested by the bridal couple should be shot at this time. Have a last minute confirmation check with any additional videographers. Set audio and lighting levels and double check that all equipment is running properly.

6. Introduce yourself and other videographers to the wedding photographer. Let him know that you and your crew won’t get in his/her way.

7. Don’t use your camera to search back and forth for your shots. Scan the room with your eyes, find your next shot, THEN move the camera directly there.

8. Make doubly sure that you have all your storage media (ie tape or hard drives) before you leave the church. Guard them with your life and always have a backup!

9. Relax and enjoy yourself.

First Look: Panasonic’s 3D Camera

admin — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 15:43:52 +0000

Click here to view the embedded video.

This Full HD 3D camcorder will offer the following core benefits:

Easier to Use

Current 3D systems are large-scale setups in which two cameras are fitted to a rig in parallel, or vertically intersect across a half-mirror. Separate recorders are also required. In Panasonic’s new Full HD 3D camcorder, the lenses, camera head, and a dual Memory Card recorder are integrated into a single, lightweight body. The camcorder also incorporates stereoscopic adjustment controls making it easier to use and operate.

The twin-lens system adopted in the camcorder’s optical section allows the convergence point** to be adjusted. Functions for automatically correcting horizontal and vertical displacement are also provided. Conventional 3D camera systems require these adjustments to be made by means of a PC or an external video processor. This new camcorder, however, will automatically recalibrate without any need for external equipment, allowing immediate 3D image capture.

More Flexible

The solid-state memory file-based recording system offers greater flexibility to produce Full HD 3D videos in more challenging shooting environments. The camcorder is lighter weight and smaller than current 3D rigs, while providing the flexibility of handheld-style shooting. Setup and transportation is simplified, making it ideal for sports, documentary and filmmaking projects.

Solid-State Reliability and Workflow

Right and left Full HD video streams of the twin-lens 3D camcorder can be recorded as files on SDHC/SD Memory Cards, ensuring higher reliability than on other tape, optical disc, HDD or other mechanical-based recording systems. This solid-state, no-moving-parts design will help significantly reduce maintenance costs, and the 3D camcorder will be better able to perform in extreme environments and be more resistant to temperature extremes, shock, and vibration.

And users will enjoy a fast, highly-productive file-based workflow, with instant, random access to recorded content; easy plug-in to both Mac and PC-based platforms; and longer recording capacity.

More Affordable

Using a standardized, fully integrated design, the Full HD 3D camcorder will be offered at a much lower price than traditional 3D rigs. Transportation expenses for this handheld unit will be less and faster setup times reduce labor costs. Using standard, re-recordable SDHC/SD Memory Cards available already everywhere, media costs become almost insignificant.

In addition to a camcorder, Panasonic also plans to offer a professional-quality 3D Full HD LCD monitor for field use as well as a professional HD digital AV mixer for live event production. Panasonic will offer professional production equipment to allow video professionals to efficiently create 3D content, so consumers can enjoy 3D video using Panasonic 3D home theater systems.

Create Your Own 3D Animations

admin — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 03:25:45 +0000

Question: Is there a way I can make animations quickly without going through the learning curve? Creating the character, syncing up the voice with the character’s mouth, choosing gestures and camera angles - it all seems like a daunting task. I’m sure you know of an easier way. Thanks for your help!

Answer: Yes, there are actually two easy ways. We found two tools that can help you create full length cartoons or amazing 3D animations with sound, camera angles, effects for your clients. Here’s an example of what can be done - this short video was created in 10 minutes:

Click here to view the embedded video.

In the past, making a promotional video with custom animated cartoons was a very time intensive and costly task depending on what you want the cartoon character doing. Now, with these two services, you can make animations for marketing and training purposes without paying a large amount of money.

Typically used on Web pages, animated cartoons give businesses a distinct edge in the battle to differentiate their product, service or brand. Technically-savvy producers are looking for more creative ways to express themselves and their ideas. As the internet moves from text to video, today’s users are looking up movie trailers, music videos, and communicate with friends through video blogs and messaging.

Using these two user-friendly animation tools: you can create videos without any…

Links to the free tools used to create the 3D video above are reserved for Premium Members only. If you are a member, log in to view now . If you’re not a member, consider joining. Click here to sign up.

Easily Use the Tricaster with Ustream

admin — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 18:21:43 +0000

Question: I’m having a hard time connecting my new Tricaster with Ustream for broadcasting live events. It should be easier than this right? Does it have something to do with being behind a firewall? Any tips you can give?

Answer: For those of you who don’t know already, UStream (at UStream.tv) is a free live streaming service. It can stream from any standard windows video capture device on your system. The Tricaster allows multiple video and computer inputs to be seamlessly switched and output to a variety of sources.

The good news is that any version of TriCaster has a Windows Video driver installed that will work with UStream as well as other applications.

This video should help you set up your Tricaster with Ustream

Click here to view the embedded video.

The bad news

In some instances, depending on what version of TriCaster you own, the user interface takes over the machine and disables all the multi-tasking features of Windows. So it was impossible to switch back and forth between the TriCaster and another application without actually shutting off the TriCaster interface.

A little program called TC Launch solves this problem. Drop it onto the Admin screen and use to launch the TriCaster in a special multi-tasking mode. Now you can use free services like UStream on your TriCaster.

A few other hints to streaming with UStream:

Use the standard encoder not the “High Quality Encoder” I couldn’t get the high quality encoder to work on my TriCaster Studio.
Watch out for the cropping. UStream does a pretty radical crop of the TriCaster’s output so if you frame normally you will trim the top of peoples heads off.
Make sure you set the UStream audio capture to the VT audio device. It wants to default to the windows audio device.
Get better luck with FireFox, IE crashed on be a couple of times.

On Camera Video Light Recommendations

admin — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 17:47:30 +0000

Question: I am a newbie indoor event videographer looking for a better on camera light for the two cameras I own: the Canon Elura (which I use for mid- shot or close-up interviews) and another for my XH-A1 (which is use for wider shots and extreme close-ups). The Bescor 50 watt dimmer light looks good but I’m just wondering what you would suggest. I was told that if I use a dimmer light color temperature would be lost. Your thoughts are appreciated.

Answer: 50 watts is way too much light in certain situations. If you’re doing some interview shots where the person is right in front of the camera with the light on- you could burn their eyeballs right out let annoy everyone for the rest of the night. I would recommend asking the venue to turn up the lights to get some of your shots or use a light that isn’t so bright.

On camera lights are very unflattering - the new LED rings are better, battery life is great, but output isn’t so high as to become a torch.

Color balance with tungsten on camera lamps isn’t a problem as there are no natural colors. Just make sure you white balance to the camera light, whatever type it is. The main downside is mood - the bright light frightens away the shy people and encourages outrageous behavior from others - so a barn door is pretty vital.

Lights For Your Situation and How They Perform

Click here to view the embedded video.

Canon VL-3

The Canon VL-3 3 Watt Video Light attaches to the hot shoe on the camcorder. Powered directly by the camcorder’s power source. Therefore, no cables are required. This is a great light for up close interview type scenes

This light is compatible with the following camcorders; OPTURA 40, OPTURA 30, OPTURA Xi, Optura Pi, ZR50mc,ZR30mc, GL2, OPTURA 20/10, Elura 70, Elura 65.

Canon VL-10li

The Canon VL-10Li II compact powerful 10 watt video light provides illumination, to improve lighting and image quality, whether you are shooting indoor or outdoor. The light is powered by it’s own (not included) battery pack the BP-950G or BP-970G Lithium Ion battery, it attaches directly to the camcorder’s accessory shoe.

Operates Best With XH-G1 and XH-A1

Litepanel Micro

A great addition to your video or still camera. Utilizing color corrected LEDs, you are assured a even balanced output for perfect video or images every time. This LED technology runs cool yet still gives a bright soft light, perfect in all situations. Unlike flash, this continuous light allows you to see exactly how your lighting looks at all times taking the guess work out of set ups.

A built in filter holder allows for additional diffusion or color correction filters for special effects.
4 AA batteries are all that are needed to power this unit for up to 2 hours (alkaline) or a ac power supply is available when super long run times are needed.
The built in foot fits in most camera and video accessory shoes for easy set up.
A 1/4 -20 socket is also included for mounting on light stands or tripods.
The on/off knob also has a dimming feature for the ultimate control of your output giving you a “key Light” or subtle fill effect to brighten the eyes.
This lightweight, flicker free compact unit is the perfect choice for your camera bag.

SWIT S2010

The new professional S-2010 camera light combines 4 advanced LEDs with SWIT optic technology design. The S-2010 offers the equivalent of a 40W output at 5600K color temperature with a low power consumption of only 12W with low heat radiation. The S-2010 can last in excess of 100,000 hours and no spare filament bulbs needed.

Features 4 LED Light with barn doors
Diffuser, 3200k filter and shoe mount
Controllable dimmer onboard

Comer CM-LBPS900

A professional powerful low consumption 5-LED on-camera light. It has a solid sturdy built with barn doors and filters to provide maximum flexibilty for shooting in different lighting environment.

Professional grade 5-LED light
Energy saving and environmental friendly design with maximum powre consumption at approximately 10W.
Wide range of irradiation with homogeneous light distribution (90 degree for brand light and 45 degree for spotlight)
High luminous efficiency maximum at 900 lux or 400lux in 1 meter distance
Two intensity levels switch
250g Light weight (excluding battery)
Switchable color temperature at 4500K or 3200K using the built-in filter
High beam/spotlight setup using the built-in condense lens
Long life LED lightbulb abotu 10,000 hours usage
Built-in top-mount cold shoe adapter

Comer CM-LBPS1800

Advanced LED technology
High-Brightness, Low-Heat, Low Power Consumption
Even Light Distribution
3200K Diffusion Filter
Condenser Lens for Maximum Brightness
Dimmable from 100% to 10%
10,000 Hours LED Life
Easy to Mount and Operate

Don’t have the cash to purchase LED Lights? Make it yourself:

Build Your Own LED Camcorder Light- Part 1
Build Your Own LED Camcorder Light- Part 2

Free Video Streaming & Compression Tools Training

admin — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 05:37:21 +0000

With the growing need to convert video and audio to various formats, there is a growing need for individuals, companies, and organizations to set-up on-demand and live streaming operations. Since video is so popular today, the need to compress videos for Websites, Streaming Servers, DVDs, Video iPods, YouTube and other delivery has increased

The DV Show’s Streaming Media Expert Derrick Freeman from Freeman Compression Inc. assists individuals, companies, and organizations with consulting services for streaming and compression. He has hands-on knowledge with many tools and can help you find the right solutions for your streaming and compression projects.

Derrick is now offering free training sessions for DV Show listeners on the following dates

Jan.22 - Orlando, FL training
Feb. 19 - Cincinnati, Ohio training
March, 19 - Chicago, Illinois training -
April 10 - Las Vegas, Nevada
May 21 - New York, New york (Queens)

for the following products:

Episode Encoder

Learn how to compress videos to formats like QuickTime, Real Media, Flash, Windows Media and H.264 in this training session utilizing Episode Encoder Pro. Class attendees will learn how to encode for batch encoding and watch folder encoding. This session will teach you how to customize compression presets along with teaching you how to encode videos for downloadable streaming and real-time streaming. A great feature of Episode is that you can include bumbers and trailers to be applied at the beginning and end of your output videos. This training session will show you how. The session will also discuss scalability from Episode Encoder standalone desktop applications up to Episode Engine server-based applications for higher volume and faster transcoding speeds.

Students can find registration details and more information here.

Wirecast Training

This Wirecast training session is great for non-technical professionals as well as video editors, web developers, producers and other media professionals. This training session will teach you how to set-up Live streaming for Flash and Windows Media. Also, learn how to include a presentation when webcasting with Wirecast. In addition to learning about many of the cool features found in Wirecast, you’ll learn how to include videos and Picture-N-Picture in your webcasts.

Students can find registration details and more information here.

Sawmill Professional Training

This Sawmill Professional training is designed to instruct you on how to take advantage of one of the best tools for analyzing log files, Sawmill Professional. Sawmill Professional provides amazing video analytics. In this training session, taught by Certified Sawmill Trainer Derrick Freeman, you’ll learn how to process QuickTime Streaming Server, Windows Media Streaming Server and Wowza Media Server Pro log files. During this session you’ll also learn how to process logs from Web Servers, Firewalls, and FTP servers. Learn great tips for unlocking all the great features of Sawmill Professional by turning hard-to-read logs into easy-to-read reports. During this session you’ll learn how to resolve domain names, create custom reports, filter out unimportant database fields and gather data from specific cities and states. If you have specific cities that you want to target with a streaming media campaign, learn how Sawmill Professional can help you determine the success of your efforts.

Students can find registration details and more information here.

The DV Show - Digital Video Podcast, Video Editing, Camcorder Reviews, Videography

Producer’s Huddle Recap: January 31, 2010

Topic: Construction Company Videos

Topic: Subcontracter Agreements

Topic: Streaming Live Video

Topic: HTML 5

Topic: Protecting/Storing/Sending Video Files

Topic: Taxes

Topic: Camcorders We Use

Topic: Ron Dawson’s New Book

Topic: Non-Compete Contracts

Topic: Talent Release Forms:

Topic: HTML 5 Video

Topic: iPad

Thanks from listeners

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