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In 1985, Marty McFly [Michael J. Fox] and Doc Brown [Christopher Lloyd] went back in time to 1955 then forward in time to 2015 and then farther back in time to 1885 through the 3-part Back to the Future trilogy. I’m a great fan of the trilogy,  and I love to watch the entire series with the director’s  commentary that explains how a lot of shots were done. But a Back to the Future 4? What do you think? Should they make a sequel?

Rumors? Or Fact?

Rumors of a Back to the Future 4 have been flying around for years, but as we approach Marty and Doc’s 2015 ‘future’, people are resurrecting a Back to the Future 4 idea. A couple years ago, on the 25th anniversary of the first BTTF movie, a Blu-ray edition of the trilogy was  released, causing a new flurry. And no wonder, the original Back to the Future stood 8 weeks in the number one spot in 1985 and was the highest grossing film of that year. Plus, the sequels did equally well – a rarity in sequel-dom.

This being 2012, the year of the end of the Mayan calendar that has triggered apocalyptic predictions of the end of the world, might also be triggering some Back to the Future 4 ideas.

Personally, I don’t think it’s a good idea. Michael J. Fox is clearly no teenager anymore and has chosen not to continue an acting career, and although some rumors have stated that the BTTF4 movies would have Doc Brown with a new side-kick, I think it’s a bad idea; you just don’t touch a classic. To make a sequel this late in the game will bomb at the box office, I’m sure. Remember The Sting 2? What about Staying Alive, the sequel to Saturday Night Fever? Or one of the biggest sequel jokes: Scarlett a 6-hourTV mini-series about Scarlett O’Hara and Rhett Butler following the events after Gone With The Wind. That was downright embarrassing. Help me with this – what other Sequel Flops do you recall?

Re-Makes: Love ‘em or Hate ‘em?

Most classics should be left alone, but technological advances in the movie industry have allowed movie creators to make some amazing realistic scenes using special effects that weren’t even a concept way back when. Sometimes a remake of a classic can introduce a new generation to the story, or make the story so much more realistic.  Planet of the Apes is one such re-makes that come to mind. Not only did Rise of the Planet of the Apes explain how apes really could take over the world in a few generations better than the first series; the reality of the chimpanzee – Caesar - played magnificently by the amazing Andy Serkis of Gollum [Lord of the Rings] fame, was unmatched compared to humans in monkey suits of the original 1968-’70s-era series. But these well-produced remakes and sequels are rare successes. the 2001 attempt at a Planet of the Apes remake bombed. Usually a remake or late-hour sequel seems to be someone’s attempt at making a few bucks on the unsuspecting public. [Pirates of the Caribbean 4, anyone?]

What sequels do you recall that were good, not just in how they were made but in how they continue the story, maybe merging storyline seamlessly?

Just for Fun Editing

What i DO like, though, is watching some of the “Mash Up” trailers that many people have been making, just for fun, about what they envision Back to the Future 4 might involve. From well-produced trailers showing Marty and Doc in prehistoric times and messing with the “Time Continuum” to cheesy low-quality trailers that have mixed BTTF footage with that from The Terminator, Juristic Park or other futuristic or prehistoric movies, these “Fake Movie Trailer” editors are having fun doing what we all love – editing.

So what do you think – Back to the Future 4? While we have the technology to make some awesome effects now, it would have to be one heck of a cast and the producing and directing needs to be spot-on, or else it’ll get subjected to the same criticism of the prequels of Star Wars – The Phantom Menace, which is now being re-released in 3D – anyone going?  I know I will – I am, after all, a Star Wars fan, even though I didn’t like how the prequels were presented – the joviality and spark just weren’t the same.

I say: Leave the Classics alone! Tell me, what do YOU think? And tell us, what’s on your “Worst Sequel List“?

A wedding videographer is always conscious that a couple’s wedding is one of the most important days in their lives, so he knows that they will choose a form and venue with a special meaning for them.   Some couples hold them in unusual locations — not just in parks or gardens, but even stores like T.J Maxx or Whole Foods Market.  But more unusual are instances where the couple decides that they want to have some unusual theme:  Most readers have probably read news stories about Star Trek fanatics who asked their entourages to dress as Star Fleet officers or Klingons, but in recent years we’ve also seen couples choosing vampire,  superhero or even Super Mario brothers themed weddings.  Last year, a hipster couple invited controversy by staging a 1930s Great Depression hobo wedding, which some considered to be disrespectful to the homeless.  And another wedding where the bride and groom danced down the aisle became a viral video sensation in 2009.

These sorts of weddings can challenge even professional wedding videographers.  Even if it seems silly to you — and, believe me, it will — you have to remember that couples choose strange themes because these themes mean something special to them.

I once attended a wedding of two historical re-enactors, who decided to hold a renaissance faire celebration with lute players, medieval carnival games, and tarot card readers.  In a traditional wedding, you often expect the entire party to congregate at the reception, making it easy for the videographer to get everyone on camera.  At this one, some guests lingered at the reception, while other immediately wandered off to get their fortune told by the tarot reader or play some game.   It meant that the videographer had to be especially mindful that he sought out all the dispersed guests, since he couldn’t be sure that he’d get them all on camera just by doing the usual reception rounds.  There was also the added challenge of trying to shoot video of guests in situations that they might consider private; several guests objected to having a videographer shoot them during a tarot reading, while others welcomed his presence.

One thing that never changes, though, is that a successful wedding video depends all on the planning. Think about the countless hours that the bride and groom spend fixing every little detail, everything from reserving the church or temple to arranging the catering and flowers. And it’s all to make sure the ceremony goes off without a hitch.  So it should hardly be surprising that the key to successful wedding videography is all in the planning as well. (You can find more info on successful wedding videography and advice to help plan for ANY wedding day weirdness in Videomaker‘s Complete Wedding Toolkit.)

No matter how strange the ceremony, there are a few things that are generally going to be the same for every event.  After setting up your equipment at the church, the first order of business is getting your establishing shots. These shots will set the scene for the wedding ceremony. Here are some to include:

• Exterior shots of the church, temple or hall
• A marquee or sign with the wedding information posted
• Guests arriving and entering the building
• Wide shot of the auditorium as people enter and take their seats

A wedding is a ritual affair. The rituals are different from culture to culture and religion to religion, but they all have highlights. Here are some common highlights a good wedding video must include:

• The symbolic lighting of the “unity” candle
• The couple’s reciting their formal wedding vows
• The exchange of rings
• The pronouncement by the minister that the couple is now husband and wife
• The kiss

You can be reasonably sure of what to expect when you go to a wedding, but you should never assume anything. Be sure to check with your clients to make sure what to expect. For example, those hardcore Star Trek fans have been known to get married while dressed as Klingons, the warrior aliens from the television series. Since they are having a very non-traditional ceremony, they may be apt to throw in more unusual events and you will want to make sure that you capture the parts of the day that are important to the couple, whether or not they seem important to you. If guests move to mock fight each other with Bat’leth weapons, it may seem like an inconsequential diversion from the main event – but it may be the highlight of the day for your Trekkie clients!

Learn more about preparing to handle any wedding with Videomaker‘s Complete Wedding Toolkit.

And for those wedding videographers in the audience, what’s the strangest wedding that you’ve ever shot? Let us know in the comments!

Have you decided to start editing video, but don’t know where to begin? The Videomaker Basic Editing Webinar is aimed at answering your hardware and software questions, as well as providing information on how to use pacing, transitions, motivated edits, and more in order to start editing great videos. By learning the techniques and information taught in our Basic Editing Webinar, you’ll be well on your way to creating the videos you want to present.

Following the webinar, all registrants will receive a copy of a special report. In addition to valuable information and a free special report, Time Control. Our Basic Editing Webinar will also include live Q&A; our team answering your questions. Videomaker’s Basic Editing Webinar starts at 11:00 AM (PST) on Wednesday, February 22, so be sure to sign up soon!

Not interested in an introduction to editing? Videomaker’s weekly Webinar Training Series is taught by our experts and features a wide variety of video production and post production topics including Advanced Editing, Green Screen and Special Effects, Advanced Shooting, Lighting for Video, and much more.

We all know the important place that DSLRs now have in the world of video production. The versatility of these cameras, the ability to alternate between still photography and video at a shoot, the interchangeable lenses, large processors, and more, have all meant that DSLRs are an attractive option for shooting video. At Videomaker we’ve written about a large number of these cameras and we continue to be impressed. But there has also always been a number of significant and important distinctions between prosumer camcorders and DSLRs and at the top of that list is… audio. Without an XLR input for recording sound, DLSRs depend on add-on accessories and/or separate audio recorders which then can, of course, complicate the work in post.

That’s where companies like Azden step into the picture.

Azden has just announced their professional low noise audio mixer designed specifically for DSLR cameras, the FMX-DSLR. We at Videomaker are looking forward to taking a closer look at this audio mixer and pairing it with the DSLR cameras we shoot with here. For now we can report that this small device can be mounted directly between the tripod and camera and is powered by four “AA” batteries. The FMX-DSLR includes a switchable AGC circuit for noiseless operation, 2 XLR microphone inputs with individual level controls and switchable phantom power, stereo mini jack microphone input, mini jack line level input, stereo mini plug microphone output and headphone output with level control. LED peak level indicators, input return function (RTN) to monitor camera audio and a power switch with power on/low battery LED. Azden indicates that this device has an MSRP of $400.

As audio solutions like the FMX-DSLR continue to come along, they will certainly work to further blur the line between cameras best suited for still shooting and those able to straddle the line between the photographer and videographer.

Nikon introduces the D800 one exceptional piece of equipment for both photographers and videographers (available in late March, MSRP $3000.) It is evidence of Nikon continuing the campaign for further integrate video capabilities in their DSLRs. Specifics like full HD video resolution at 1080 and the ability to shoot in 30 and 24p as well as 720 at 60 and 30p combine with dedication to audio for solid video producing.

At the core of this 36MP monster is an FX-format CMOS sensor and a EXPEED 3 image processor. Then at the front of the D800 is your NIKKOR FX-lens with the option of zooming in with a DX-lens. Follow the image from the lens, to the 35mm image sensor and up to the viewfinder that has 100 percent frame coverage and you’ll be capturing images with 7360×4912 resolution.

With good audio, comes great video – a 20-step mic volume adjustment with a 30-step headphone adjustment for a dedicated headphone jack will help you monitor audio well.

When it comes to ISO range, the D800 is outstanding with 100-6400 expandable to 500-25,600 and all with low noise images. The EXPEED 3 image processor keeps color well, but having a white balance that recognizes artificial and natural light is even better.

The D800 allows for lots of manual control including live view aperture adjustment either on its 921,000-dot LCD or on an attached monitor. If you want this monitor to be streaming, the displays can be removed, but either way, the camera can provide an uncompressed HDMI output with 4:2:2. Sticking with the LCD is no problem either since it is 3.2-inches with auto brightness control and reinforced glass.

Recording on the D800 may be best with a direct capture device, but it will format video with the H.264/MPEG-4 AVC codec. Clips can be recorded up to 20 min. at the highest quality setting, but going from sleep to shoot takes .12 seconds. And the shutter can be set to activate audio recording. With a 51-point AF system, operators may get spoiled with such response time, because with any shoot you don’t want .12 seconds of prep time, but we know from experience that waiting on a camera is never fun.

Now for the matter of retrieving footage you’ve got options on the D800 to use USB 3.0, CF and SD cards. Start organizing early by recording stills to one card and video to another, and for the highest speed use UDMA-7 or SDXC/UHS-1 cards.

So for about $3,000 the D800 provides approximately 200,000 shutter cycles, all encased in a magnesium alloy that is dust, dirt and moisture resistant. If you are interested in even higher resolution stills you may forgo the low pass filter for $300 and wait another few weeks for the D800E (available mid April, MSRP $3,300.)

We live in an age were most every family in America owns a video camera and editing software, even if they never sought out either. Anyone with an internet connection can put their video online where it can be seen by everyone on the planet. The web has given anyone who wants it, access to far more information than any film school alone can provide. The world of video production has entered a golden age. There are no more excuses not to pursue whatever goals you hope to achieve with video.

In the late ’90s, when the average middle-class American could purchase video editing software to run on the home computer they already owned, it was clear that we were entering a new era of video production. Consumer camcorders were already common, but with non-linear editors entering people’s homes, so too, was a quality of production reserved only for professionals or those willing to spend thousands on uni-tasking equipment.

Consumer video production stayed at that point for about 10 years, as individuals shot SD footage on their home camcorders and edited on their PC or Mac.  In the last few years, however, we’ve seen a surge forward in the process of consumer level video production. It’s a result of computers and cameras getting cheaper, and moving into every electronic device in the home.

When The Blair Witch Project came out, people were amazed that someone could shoot an entire film that would be released world wide, on a simple consumer camcorder. Today, an iPhone 4S could easily take better quality video and cost significantly less. The only reason, I believe, that we haven’t seen a nationally released film shot entirely on a smartphone yet is simply because an upgrade in picture quality and functionality can be purchased for under a thousand dollars.

It’s not just the cost of quality cameras and accessibility of editing software that is bringing good looking video to the masses, it’s also the size. It turns out that a fluid-head tripod capable of supporting a 3lb camcorder doesn’t cost a lot of money. The same can be said about slider dollies, jibs, and even stabilizers.

Of course some equipment is as pricey as it’s ever been. Lights and microphones, for example, don’t seem to be getting any cheaper, but we live in the age of the internet. It’s much easier to learn from others about how to build your own lighting rig, or even record studio quality ADR straight into your laptop or iPad.

Cameras and editing systems are getting cheaper by the day, and the free flow of information on the internet is making it easier than ever to break into video production. As a result, Hollywood is losing its hold on the film industry, which is a good thing for both consumers and producers of great video.

Visit the Videomaker headquarters in Chico, Calif. for three days of hands-on training. In February 24-26, we’ll instruct you behind the camera or on the computer with the Basics of Video Production or Intensive Editing Workshop. Take the opportunity to get expert advice, techniques from our team, then, actually put it in practice.

The Basics of Video Production Workshop gives the beginning videographer a huge leap into the biggest areas of production – pre-planning, post production, shooting and lighting techniques. You’ll be using our equipment and teaming up with others that are learning just like you.

The Intensive Editing Workshop is just that, intensive. We’ll be teaching with Adobe Premiere Pro CS5 on HP EliteBook 8760w workstations. Three days of in-your-face editing… well, maybe side by side is more like it, but you’ll get details on one of the most widely used editing software programs and plenty of time to answer your questions.

We’ve hosted people from across the continent here at Videomaker, so we may be your connection to Chico too. Space is limited, so if it’s too late for this month or the subject matter doesn’t float your boat, consider our other workshops, we are planning many more this year so check our schedule.

Apple has been known for being very ‘i’ centric with it’s devices – often only allowing Mac-able applications to run on many of the products Apple sells. So we were all taken aback with the big news coming from Avid’s corner that Avid Studio editing software will now run on Apple’s iPad.

Avid is known for Big Processing and Blockbuster Movie editing, but a few years ago they acquired Pinnacle Studio, which was an entry level editing software. Avid changed its name to Avid Studio and re-wrote its code to be more like mainstream entry level systems and more stable than it was in the past. Now Avid Studio is being released to edit on an iPad and we think the user abilities have many possibilities. Read the rest of this entry »

Movie titles, lower thirds and video bugs are a great way to add a professional element to your videos, brand your product, and enhance the viewer’s experience through additional information. However, if not done properly, titles and graphics can have the opposite effect, resulting in your video being labeled as the work of an amateur.

Videomaker’s The Art of Titles and Graphics Webinar will help you design titles and graphics that will increase the effectiveness of your message while adding value to your production. In our webinar, we will cover purpose, design and placement, as well as mistakes to avoid. You will learn how to create great-looking titles and graphics that are clean and professional.

Following the webinar, all registrants will receive a copy of a special report. In addition to valuable information and the free special report, The Art of Title and Graphics Webinar will also include a live Q&A segment; our team answering your questions. The Art of Title and Graphics Webinar starts at 11:00 AM (PST) on Wednesday, Feb. 8, so be sure to sign up soon!

Not interested in The Art of Titles and Graphics? Videomaker’s Webinar Training Series provides a wide variety of webinars that cover topics including Advanced Editing, Documentary Production, Lighting for Video, Advanced Shooting, Audio for Video, and much more.

Last week, we looked at what fair use ISN’T.  So now let’s look at what it is.

Basically, fair use depends on a few factors, most importantly (1) the amount of material you copy from the original work,  (2) your purpose in using that material, (3) the nature of the work that you’re copying, and (4) the effect that your copying has on the original art.

(1) The amount of material you copy from the original work –For the first factor, you are generally allowed to use snippets of a work as long as you don’t appropriate the “heart and soul” of the work…what, exactly, that means is open to some debate. As an example, if you grab a few seconds from another film, you’re probably in the clear. However, you would probably not get away with including the entirety of that film in your own project. How much is too much? That’s different in every case, so just try to exercise some common sense.

(2) Your purpose in using that material — Fair Use allows you to make use of a pre-existing artistic work for purposes of education, training, news reporting, scientific research, critique or commentary, or parody. Think of the last time you watched critic review a movie on television. It probably included a short clip from the movie being reviewed, right? Likewise, you might have been in a classroom lecture where the teacher will show video clips to illustrate some point or other. These are other examples of situations that are more likely to be deemed Fair Use.

(3) The nature of the work that you’re copying — Certain sorts of material are more likely to fall under the fair use exception – for example, clips from non-fiction works. We generally agree that it’s a good thing for the public to be well-informed on history, so would it be in the public interest for a historical video – like, say, the Zapruder film of President John F. Kennedy’s assassination – to be blocked from public view because someone claimed copyright ownership? (In fact, Time magazine did make such a claim after a history book used stills from the film as illustrations. They didn’t prevail.)

(4) The effect that copying has on the original art — Finally, let’s look at the effect on the original work. Remember that copyright law exists in theory so that an artist can profit from his own hard work without someone else undermining him. Thus your work can’t be so similar that people would start buying yours instead of the original. One sticking point for many is that fair use depends a lot on intentions and motivations. For example, let’s pretend that I wrote a parody song making fun of Lady Gaga’s latest song by changing the lyrics to be about cheeseburgers. It’s fine if people listen to my song and think, “Hey! This song makes a good point. Its sharp and biting satirical message has made me realize that Lady Gaga is a hack and I will henceforth refuse to purchase her music!” If Lady Gaga’s sales start to drop as a result, she can’t sue me because my ridicule was too effective. HOWEVER, I could get in trouble if people listen to my parody and think, “Hey! This song is pretty good! It’s pretty much like Lady Gaga, so instead of buying the original song from her, I’ll just buy this parody instead.” A parody work that hurts the original artist by becoming a substitute for their work will most likely not qualify for a fair use exception.

Again, acknowledging that you don’t own the original artistic work, giving credit to the original artist or using a work without any intention to profit will often encourage an original artist to let you use his work, but it does not necessarily mean that your work will fall under fair use.

If you really want to be sure you’re in the clear when it comes to copyright with your video project, you owe it to yourself to check out Videomaker’s Archival Storytelling book.  It breaks down all the elements of copyright, so that you’ll know exactly what you can get away with when you need to use footage from another person’s work.