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September 2008 Cover Image

September 2008 Table of Contents

Feature Stories

Tutorial
The ABCs of Chromakeys

Without a doubt, you see chromakeys used countless times - probably every time you watch the news on TV - and perhaps you aren't even aware of it.

Audio Monitors Buyer's Guide

If you are listening to your edited masterpiece on the speakers that came with your computer, you are in need of an upgrade.

Blu-ray Disc Authoring Buyer's Guide

So this is how life turned out, post-HD disc format war.

Call for Entries
The 21st Annual Videomaker/Canon Short Video Contest

It's time once again for the Videomaker/Canon Short Video Contest. You've got the video, we've got the prizes - go ahead ... take the chance. Whether you operate in standard definition or have taken the HD plunge, we can't wait to see your entry. Don't wait around, though - to qualify for the contest, your entry must be received in our office by Friday, October 31, 2008, at 5PM Pacific Time.

Reviews

Camcorder Review
Sony HDR-HC9 HDV Camcorder

A robust, flexible camera. Good choice for those who want their video on tape.

Software Review
Pinnacle Studio Ultimate 12 Editing Software

Including 3 great plugins, and following the SmartMovie guide and Montage templates, a beginner can have a nice movie edited and uploaded within a few hours.

Computer Review
Cerise Eight-Core Workstation

Hands-down, one of the speediest video editing machines we've seen.

Storage Review
LaCie 2big Dual 2TB RAID

A satisfying choice for a fast and versatile external disk array.

DVD Duplicator Review
Disc Makers Forte Duplicator

A simple but remarkably useful duplicator that is ready for practically any short run.

Columns

Viewfinder
Stories

When we create video, we are telling stories, and this is the essence of the craft. With all of the complexities of video production, it is easy for the focus to shift away from storytelling. We often pay too much attention to equipment, technique or crewmembers, while neglecting the story.

Basic Training
Intro to White Balance

Why would we want to concentrate on white when we shoot in color? Because incandescent, fluorescent and sunlight differ a lot, proving that white isn't always white.

CD/DVD Duplication Services versus Home-Use Duplicators

A guide to which DVD mass-production option works best for you. You've burned a master disc of your pièce de résistance and are ready to ship it all over. Just one problem: you have only one disc, and burning hundreds by yourself isn't feasible. Or is it? Both duplication services and home-use duplicators create the same outcome, so which one should you go with? This article will arm you with the information you need to choose the option that works best for you, so you can tackle your next big project with ease.

Lighting
Lighting Technology

Since the introduction of the tungsten-halogen bulb in the early 60s, lighting technology has changed little except in the fixture styles that use the quartz lamp.

Take 5: Class in Session
5 Tips for Videotaping in Schools

It's that time of year when students return to the classroom with fresh shiny faces, new schedules and a plethora of activities to fill their calendars from now until June. Here's a few tips to get you ready to hit the books, too.

Editing
Color Correction 201

Ever want to enhance a washed-out sky or push the color on a less-than-vibrant hill of grass? How did they do that black-and-white/color effect in Sin City or Pleasantville?

Audio
Audio Compression Shootout

MP3 is now a distribution standard. iTunes has sold over a billion compressed audio tracks in AAC format. DVDs, Blu-ray Discs and digital TV all use audio compression.

Departments

New Titles
reviews

Compositing Visual Effects: Essentials for the Aspiring Artist; Producing Great Sound for Film and Video, Third Edition; Call Box: Digital Color Correction - The Final Cut Studio Workflow with Apple’s Color; Art of the Storyboard: A Filmmaker’s Introduction (second edition)

In Box
readers' letters

Footage vs. Bittage... 6 versus 25 Minutes of Film... and Pani's 0001 Still in Use... In Michael Moore's Defense... More on Moore... Throw in Some Spice and Sarcasm... Visual Contagion... Brief and to the Point...

New Gear
hot off the presses

TMPGEnc MPEG Editor 3 provides frame-accurate MPEG-2 editing...Artbeats has added to its Ultra collection of clips shot at 1000fps... Focus' FS-5 direct capture device can be attached to many DV and HDV camcorders.

Latest Videos

Green Screen Video Tutorial Green Screen Video Tutorial
In this green screen video tutorial, we show you how to set-up a green screen for chromakey and how to best sell the green screen effect to your viewers.

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