This spring, Thomson Consumer Electronics will release the world's first commercial-free VCRs. The
technology, developed by Arthur D. Little enterprises, will allow users to record programs in the usual way, but skip
the commercials on playback.
The system works as follows: it marks the beginning and end of commercials in...
In the dark ages of TV there was only one way to get a show on the air. You had to sell it to one of a very few broadcasters or broadcast networks. The result? Out of millions of shows imagined by producers,
only thousands have ever seen the...
There's no doubt about it--the good old days of linear editing are numbered. Digital video is like a bullet
train hurtling down the track, closing in quickly on the complacent caboose of analog video.
But don't toss out your analog equipment just yet. The digital technology that is available is...
After months of film-to-video transfers, junior high school play recording and dog show documentation,
you finally have a chance to do your own thing. Monsters Among Us--that's the title of your
planned epic, and you're confident that your knowledge of scriptwriting, camerawork, directing and editing
will get you that...
This month's Camera Work is about the naming of shots: what's a long shot, what's a closeup, and why should you care, anyway? When I began this piece I thought, hey, I can almost write this in my sleep--just round 'em up, brand 'em, and ride on outta here.
No...
That title alone may be enough to scare off some readers. If you've gotten this far, please stay with me. I
know the technical side of video production isn't fun for most. It's actually a nuisance when you come to
think of it.
But understanding some of the basic mechanics...
Where's the Hi8?
In response to the December '94 letter regarding Mr. Hankwitz trying to locate Hi8 tapes in
Southern Wisconsin: he claims that it took a dozen phone calls to locate a dealer that could supply him with tapes. Well, I know Wisconsin isn't exactly New York City but...
Traveling for pleasure ought to be an ideal subject for video: exotic locales, colorful people, exciting events, spectacular scenery--how can you lose? So you videotape with abandon, haul 40 hours of footage homeward, and spend days carving it into a carefully assembled program. The result? First we went here...
Admit it. You've been drooling over those sexy computer video ads, the ones that claim to make your PC
do everything but hold the camera. The only problem is that most of the ads contain enough digital techno-
babble to make your brain short-circuit. Just what does it take to...
If you've planned an interview for an upcoming video project, you've probably thought about more than just what
questions to ask. Perhaps you've wondered where to stage the interview, or how to arrange the lighting.
But have you thought about the audio? Pay careful attention to recording it well, because...
