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 »
Believe it or not, the iPhone Film Festival requires that your film be shot entirely with an iPhone, iPod Touch or iPad. Many other contests make it very clear what the general restriction is for the contest, and while these confines won’t reach Android users, the work that iPhone users put in is exceptional. The real prize in any film festival is the screening of your film and being able to see those of your competitors. Prizes are still nice though, and so far, the iPhone Film Festival has awarded prizes that are valued less than $1,500, but the 2012 festival is scheduled for at least one prize at $2,000. A win here certainly offsets the cost of production, even a third place prize from the iPhone Film Festival equals the cost of an iPhone 4.
There is plenty of space for big film festival ideas if you want to push the limits to earn a win – the rules are simple and leave a lot of room for creativity. The categories are also fairly simple, including cinematography, documentary, feature, series, short film and music video. There were five awards in each of the previous iPhone Film Festivals with cinematography and music video being the only separate categories – all other videos, feature, short, documentary, and animation competed for first, second and third. For the third iPhone Film Festival, the categories have been shuffled to join cinematography and documentary, then feature, short and series make up a second category, with music video holding up a third. Ruben Kazantsev and Renata Rinyu are the founders of the festival and love to focus on community. The festival is still quite young, and counting down to the appearance at MacWorld, and maybe next year’s winners will include an animated film or Siri.
If you have plans for your own entry, Oct. 1 is the cutoff for IFF4.
As we’ve already mentioned in a previous post, Apple has been under heavy fire for missing many components of Final Cut Pro 7 in their new software. In fact, as it currently stands, Apple has more 1 star reviews of Final Cut Pro X than the total of all their other reviews combined. That’s not to say the new software has gotten all bad press. There are actually quite a few 5 star reviews as well as many pro editors who have been touting how much easier and faster the new program can be. Looking at Apple’s App Store, it would seem that the features that most editors loved the most was the style of the new interface, the quick rendering times, and the simplicity of the magnetic timeline. However, with a lack key features such as multi-cam, XML support (both of which Apple has since stated they will be including in their next major release), and the ability to import old Final Cut Pro projects, it seemed only a matter of time before other software companies would start to come out with deals of their own.
Just this last week, Adobe decided to take advantage of the dissatisfaction with Final Cut Pro by announcing an upgrade program for anyone who has bought any version of Apple Final Cut Pro or Avid Media Composer. Basically, those who make the switch will get a 50 percent discount on either Adobe Premiere CS5.5 or Adobe CS5.5 Production Premium. In their press release, Adobe was also touting the ability to remap keyboard shortcuts to match Avid or Final Cut Pro presets. They also lauded their close integration of Premiere with their other popular applications, After Effects and Photoshop. Of course it’s interesting to note that just days before Apple announced the new Final Cut Pro, Avid announced its own switch program in which owners of Final Cut Pro could buy Avid Media Composer for only $950, a significant savings on their usual price.
With all of this activity in the pro editing software marketplace, it will be very interesting to see how each company responds. Of course, don’t forget that Videomaker will have a review of Final Cut Pro X online in the next few weeks so keep your eyes posted to see what our reviewer thought of Apple’s latest product.
NAB 2011 was all a-flurry when Apple announced it was finally releasing a new updated version of it’s Final Cut Pro editing software program, and the flurry hit a fervor when they announced it was going to be a completely new rewrite. In fact, there was little left but standing room at the Final Cut Pro User Group’s Supermeet in April when Apple’s VP Randy Ubilos and Peter Steinhauer hit the stage.
Now, the excitement is back again with the announcement of Final Cut Pro X’s availability in the App Store today. If you’ve also used Apple’s motion graphic editor, Motion or Compressor in the past, they have new versions also available in the App Store for only $50 each. However the big news is that for only $300, you can digitally download Apple’s new program to see if all of the new features have been worth the wait.
Speaking of features, Apple’s got a laundry list of new one for their latest release. The new Final Cut Pro uses a “magnetic timeline” to allow editors to move clips around without losing audio or video tracks due to overlapping. It also has the ability to correct footage as it’s ingested for audio, color, and motion issues – features that were once part of different applications within the Final Cut Studio suite.
Final Cut Pro’s interface has also been majorly overhauled with only three real windows left: a preview area, a new media browser, and an editing timeline. In a way, this new “upgrade” makes the program feel a bit more like After Effects or iMovie than what people have come to expect from Final Cut Pro.
Apple has also added the ability to edit footage even before it’s been transferred and can categorize your footage based on people’s faces and what type of shot it is. A handy tool for sure. You can also assign all kinds of metadata and keywords to your footage in order to be able to find areas of your footage quickly and easily. Apple also included the ability to “audition” clips with different effects before applying them and claims to have more presets than ever before for their effect library. Lastly, there is now an option to group together audio, video, and transitions into single clips called a “Compound Clip.” This is very similar to nesting but allows for easier access to the elements inside of the group for easy tweaking.
One of the most applauded features of Apple’s presentation back in April was the ability for Final Cut Pro X to utilize the full power of Grand Central Dispatch and the 64 bit architecture. This means that Final Cut Pro X can render everything in the background all while utilizing multiple cores of power – something that no editing application does incredibly efficiently.
Though there are a lot of great new features to Final Cut Pro’s upgrade, there have been a few noticeable features that many users have already found to be missing. One of the biggest is the lack of support for projects from previous versions and the inability to import XML or EDL. Also, Apple got rid of support for tape based ingestion and export, making it difficult to use for the many editors that still need to use tape in their workflow. Lastly, Final Cut Pro has also lost the multicam feature that many live event videographers used to make editing a large amount of clips a little simpler.
Videomaker awarded Final Cut Pro X our “Best of NAB” award for editing software at this year’s National Association of Broadcasters tradeshow in Las Vegas. With its low price, faster renders, and complete redesign, Apple was a clear favorite in this field.
Of course, with all of these new features, almost every editor will want to find out if the software is worth the wait. Actually, we’ve been wondering the same thing ourselves. Thankfully, Videomaker reviewer Ben Balser has an advance copy of FCP X and is working on a review of the program for Videomaker as we we speak. Watch for that review coming soon to see if the new Final Cut Pro will be a game changer for Apple or simply game over.
Video editors are constantly demanding more of their computer’s software. So it’s been interesting to note that in a coincidentally close space of a couple of days, two of the world’s largest software manufacturers released new operating systems. Windows released a sneak preview of their newest operating system, Windows 8, while Apple just released their newest iteration of Mac OS X code named Lion at their WWDC conference today.
Taking a close look at both operating systems, it is clear that the latest trend in Silicon Valley is to make operating systems for PCs that are either similar or downright copies of tablet and phone operating systems. The most visible example is Window’s newest operating system. It has adopted the colorful modern tile look of both its discontinued Zune player and its newest Windows Phone operating systems. Though this hasn’t fared well in the cell phone market (some carriers are calling Windows Phone sales “disappointing”), Windows is hoping it will catch on with PC users. That’s one steep hill to climb, but since Windows will no doubt be looking to avoid the type of drama surrounding the release of Vista, they have all the motivation in the world to get it right the first time.
Similarly, Apple’s announcement of Mac OS X Lion at WWDC 2011 showed that Apple is either trying to kill the mouse or is headed in a similar direction as Windows. Apple introduced integrated multi-touch “gestures” into their latest operating system allowing users to keep windows in full screen without closing them, t0 scroll a webpage quickly, and to keep windows organized all with the use of the computer’s trackpad. Though these are great features, one has to wonder how enticing the software will be for those working on a more traditional style PC like the Mac Pro. Nonetheless, it was interesting to note how similar the presentation for Lion and for Apple’s iOS 5 for the iPhone actually was. There’s no doubt these companies are trying to close the gap between cell phones, tablets, and PCs. The only question is, by joining the software from three very separate devices with three distinct uses, are they sacrificing too much for the PC user to be satisfied? Only time will tell.
Las Vegas here we come! The Videomaker staff is gearing up for the annual trek to the mecca of broadcast tools and toys: The National Association of Broadcasters, better known as NAB. We will hit the ground running at this year’s NAB 2011, (literally – wearing the most comfy running shoes we can!) as we check out the coolest video production gear possible including cameras and camcorders, mics and lights, computers, drives, software and a myriad of other goodies.
Throughout the event we will be blogging about our finds, as well as Tweeting and sending updates to Facebook – be sure to “like” us and watch for updates – so you can see gear that we hope to have in our headquarters for review as soon as the manufacturers release them to us.
NAB 2011 is jam-packed with video production gear for the Lone Wolf producer all the way to the mega Hollywood productions – If you could see our appointment calendar, you might be amazed that we can cover the NABshow floor so well. Trying to sift through it all every year is a quest, but we love a challenge and we always look forward to not just finding out about the gear, but getting a hands-on chance to see it, hold it, test it out – we’re like kids in a candy store!
After attending more than 12 of these tradeshows, from CES to NAB, I decided to pack a pedometer at last January’s CES 2011. I clocked in an average of 6 miles a day – what an experience! I hope you enjoy the show – virtually – through our eyes. Be sure to stay tuned here, to the Videomaker blog for daily updates throughout the week – and let us know what you’d like to see.
For many people, the wait is finally over. On Thursday, Apple and Intel just released the much anticipated Thunderbolt I/O technology that supports high-resolution displays and high-performance data devices through a single, compact port that can transfer data at up to 10 Gb/s.
Previous to the announcement, rumors had been flying about a big announcement involving Apple and Intel. Most analysts had correctly predicted that it would have something to do with Light Peak, a codename given to Intel’s research project to find a faster connection using a combination of fiber optics for data transfers and copper wire for power. However, things changed when in early 2011, Intel developers announced that Light Peak technology would use only copper wires. This announcement disappointed some who felt that the move would slow down the transfer rate of the cable, but when Apple ended up announcing the Thunderbolt technology in their Macbook Pros could achieve speeds up to 10 Gb/s, most of their fears were eased.
The reason why this technology is so exciting is that it is at least twice as fast as any other I/O alternative out there, including the recently released USB 3.0. In comparison, USB 2.0 can only achieve 480 Mb/s, eSATA only 3 Gb/s, and USB 3.0 up to 5 Gb/s. What this means is that cable transfer technology could finally outpace the speed of even the fastest of drives like a RAIDed SSD. With this technology, you play back two 1920×1080 signals from a drive equipped with Thunderbolt technology without any dropped frames at all. According to Intel, you can even transfer a full-length HD movie in less than 30 seconds, and backup a year of continuous MP3 playback in just over 10 minutes. Impressive.
Quite honestly, anything that speeds up the process of editing is a welcome addition to my workflow, so I’m really excited about this technology. Even so, here’s hoping that in the future, they’ll develop something that can transfer data as fast as the PCI Express slot in PCs do at 32 Gb/s. Until then, I’ll be making sure that my next laptop has both Thunderbolt technology and a USB 3.0 port.
It’s no secret camcorders are getting smarter with embedded metadata like geographic location tagging and even wicked fast face detection for super crisp shots! What about other cool features like instant language on-the-fly video translations? Enter Word Lens, a new iPhone app that translates between English and Spanish in real-time which is displayed on your iPhones video feed allowing you to read the world in your desired language!
Could it be that Steve Jobs just ‘broke up’ with Mac for iOS 4? Steve Lyons of Newsweek seems to think so. As much fun as watching the ‘I’m a Mac’ Fanboys tear their shirts while running through the streets screaming “Why?”, I take a more sobering look at the possibility of Apple allowing their long premiere line of products to ‘wither on the vine’ in favor of their new mobile tech. According to the article ‘Steve’ (as Mac fans like to call him) said the following at the World Wide Developers Conference;
“We are focusing primarily (though not exclusively) on iPhone OS this year. Maybe next year we will focus primarily on the Mac. Just the normal cycle of things. No hidden meaning here.”
Despite what any Fanboy or recent market growth report will tell you, Apple has taken one long and irritating butt-whuppin’ against it’s rival Microsoft. Even with their popular (and equally annoying) ‘I’m a Mac’ ads bringing in converts from the PC community, MS significantly dominates the Personal Computer Market. However, Apple now sees themselves making advances into the Mobile Device Market with the huge successes of their iPods, iPhones and now iPads the probability of Apple focusing exclusively in that arena shouldn’t be taken lightly. With Apple already having not made any significant improvements in their Pro Hardware / Software products though there be naysayers, just like with any ‘break-up’ it’s the little things that lead towards ‘lowering the boom’.
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H. Wolfgang Porteris a former US Naval Combat Cameraman who now produces independent films, published works and teaches video/photographic production.
If you are like me or my sister, one of the first things you do when you wake up in the morning is turn your computer on. For me, it’s to check the weather for the day and to turn on music, for her it’s to check the news. This morning something was different; as I’m trying to multitask between making my bed and turning on music I hear “Apple has released its new iPhone 4!” Busy and slightly frustrated I mumble something sarcastic like, “Cool!” Thinking it’s not a big deal.
However, later on when I arrive at Videomaker I am informed that I will be writing my first blog (“Yikes!”). While trying to think of ideas for the blog, the buzz at Videomaker is on the release of the iPhone 4, what a coincidence! As soon as the words “iPhone 4” is mentioned a conversation instantly begins on the camera and editing capabilities available on the iPhone 4.
The iPhone 4 allows you to shoot HD video with the camera located on the back. If you run into a low-light setting, the illumination sensor, also located on the back, will help. There is also a VGA-quality camera, which is located on the front, in case you want to take a video of yourself.
The iPhone 4 also offers a tap focus feature that allows you to simply tap on the part of the screen where you want the camera to focus. Once you tap on the area it immediately focuses on that area and adjusts your exposure. Once you’re done simply tap on the next area you want to focus.
When you’re finished recording, you are ready to edit. However, there’s no need to whip out the laptop or wait until you get home, because the iPhone 4 now lets you use iMovie on the phone, utilizing the 960 x 640 resolution, with 326 pixels per inch on the 3.5-inch screen. After that, you can send your video to friends and family via MMS or send the video to YouTube. The iPhone also gives you the ability to sync the video that you have recorded and edited to your Mac or PC.
Now what does this mean for the video producing world, you may ask? It was pointed out to me that the iPhone has the potential to overtake the pocket video camera world. Meaning, you may see people start to trade in their pocket video cameras for the iPhone 4 which lets them record and edit all within the comfort of one highly portable device.
The iPhone 4 is available June 24th but the pre-order starts June 15th.
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Alicia McCoy is a student at Butte College majoring in Multimedia Design with an emphasis in Digital Audio and Video.
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.
Could it be that Steve Jobs just ‘broke up’ with Mac for iOS 4? 
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