LA SOC Underwater Camera Op Workshop

The Society of Operating Camera Operators are offering their 2nd Annual SOCO Underwater Camera Workshop August 18 & 19, 2012.  You MUST be SCUBA certified to participate.

The workshop is sponsored by HydroFlex underwater camera housings and light and Tank One Studios, where the workshop will be held at:

Tank One Studios

2549 N. Palm Drive

Signal Hill, CA  90755

$150/$65 for SOC Operators/Assistants
$350/$200 for non-SOC Operators/Assistants
I guess it's more expensive for Operators because we eat more and there's a free lunch.
BYOT - Bring Your Own Tank
Or just come by and watch for free.

For more info contact Mark August at:  events@soc.org

http://www.soc.org/
http://tankonestudios.com/index.html
http://www.hydroflex.com/

Panavision Woodland Hills is Relocating

In August, Panavision is moving down the street so if you have a cart there move it or lose it!

The new address will be:

Panavision Woodland Hills
6101 Variel Avenue
Woodland Hills, CA  91367

Please make a note of it...

Lightworks: A Free NLE

I've posted about Lightworks before but maybe it's time to re-visit this non-linear editor.  Lightworks has been used to edit films like Gangs of New York, The King's Speech, Bruce Almighty, Notting Hill, Pulp Fiction, Scream, Con Air and the list goes on and on.

As you can tell, Lightworks has been around for years.  What's new is the cost structure is almost like a iPhone app.  The basic editor is free (and always will be!) but to make it competitive with other NLE's you need to license the PRO version for $60 bucks a year.

Lightworks can handle 2 RED Rocket cards in one system so you can edit with 5K playback.  Lightworks also supports DPX, 3D, multicam, real time keyer plus you can get a cool controller based on a flatbed film editing table.

Supposedly a new 64-bit beta version is available now.  Maybe it's time to look seriously at Lightworks.

http://www.lwks.com/

IATSE Motorcycle Poker Ride SundayJuly 15

Local 80 is inviting all other IATSE members to their annual Motorcycle Ride on Sunday July 15, 2012.

Registration opens at 7:30am at Simi Valley Harley Davidson and departs at 9am.  This is a 3-stop poker run ending at Ventura Harley Davidson.  $45 for riders and $25 for passengers.

And here's a little something for reading my blog. I may have to go back to riding a bike...

http://iatselocal80.org/events/motorcycle-ride/untitled-2.html

The World's Ugliest Photo of Michael Phelps

Do you ever wonder how your work stands up against others?  Joe Klamar doesn't.  America has voted and they hate his work.

It's like your worst nightmare.  He was hired to take shots of American Olympians and this is what he came back with.  One blogger went as far as saying they are so bad it's an intentional subversive act to undermine our Olympic team.

Probably not.  But the torn paper?  It just goes to show how much of picture taking is prep.

And post.  Sure, they're not the best photos but where were the editors to fix them?  Joe was hired by the AFP wire service who passed them to Getty Images and then on to CBSnews.com.  Someone along the line didn't say to themselves, "Wow, these are rough, we better Photoshop them."?

Read this interesting article by a photo editor who is happy that finally ordinary people who take millions of crappy, out-of-focus snapshots and post them on facebook are finally noticing what happens when photo budgets are slashed to the bone.  And the article includes an interview with another photographer who knows what happened...

http://www.slate.com/articles/sports/photography/2012/07/bad_olympic_photos_how_terrible_shots_of_olympians_went_viral_.single.html

BBQ & Memorial for Larry Goldsmith

MCAI and PVN are hosting a BBQ and celebration in memory of Larry Goldsmith on July 11, 2012 at the OC SoundStage.

Larry Goldsmith, owner of Starlight Video and the manager of the OC SoundStage, passed July 2nd.  This event was originally going to be a mixer and AV equipment swap meet.  The two groups were going to cancel the entire event but with the encouragement of his wife, Olivia, they tone of the event has changed to a memorial and there will be no swap meet.  Please wear your best Hawaiian shirt in honor of Larry.

For non-members it's $15 dollars at the door for food and the program and only $12 bucks if you pre-pay on-line) at http://www.meetup.com/newmedia-82/ 
It's free for MCAI and PVN members.  PVN members should RSVP Peggy Patterson: Memorylanevideo@cox.net

The event will be at the OC SoundStage:
17518 Von Karman
Irvine, CA  92614

http://www.meetup.com/newmedia-82/
Media Communications Association International - OC http://www.mcai-oc.org/
Professional Videographers Network: http://www.pvn.org/

AVID Sells It's Consumer Video & Audio Business

Avid has sold off it's consumer video and audio businesses and cut it's workforce by 20% and the CEO is stepping down.

The consumer video products being sold includes Avid Studio, Avid Studio App for the iPad and Pinnacle Studio.  Avid paid $462 million for Pinnacle in 2005 and the combined sale price of both the video and audio business today is $17 million.  Did I mention the CEO is stepping down?

Avid reported a net loss of $23.5 million in 2011 and a $13 million loss for Q1 2012.  Avid hopes the restructuring will save the company $80 million a year.

Avid says it will continue to support Pro Tools and will focus on Media Enterprise and Post & Professional products.

http://www.tvtechnology.com/article/avid-sells-consumer-a/v-and-cuts--jobs/214174

And here's some interesting ideas for Avid:  http://news.doddleme.com/blogs/post-production/five-ways-avid-could-stay-alive/?utm_source=Daily+News+Template+version+7%2F5%2F12&utm_campaign=7%2F0512+us&utm_medium=email

Crews Control Video Trend Tracker

Crews Control is one of those companies that matches crews with producers... mostly for out of state productions.

Every month they track what is being asked for and being used by their clients.  Here's the list and what's amazing is what I don't see...

CAMERA FORMATS
53% - XDCAM EX & HD
29% - DVCPROHD & DVCPRO HD EX
  5% - DVCAM
  4% - XF
  3% - HDV
  2% - AVCCAM
  1% - HDCAM

MEDIA
47% - SxS Card
23% - P2 Card
16% - Tape
  6% - Optical Disc
  4% - CF Card
  3% - SD Card
  1% - Other

MANUFACTURERS
64% - Sony
31% - Panasonic
  4% - Canon
  1% - Other

To see all the results:  http://newsletter.crewscontrol.com/June-2012/How-to-Integrate-Video-Into-Your-Corporation

Unruly Headgear Cage for the GoPro

What started as a Kickstarter campaign is now a product available at EVS.  If you've ever used a GoPro you know the funky connector for attaching the GoPro to various mounts.

If you need a more secure way of mounting a GoPro you need something like the Headgear with plenty of 1/4 20 threaded holes for both mounting the GoPro with traditional mounting gear and attaching all the normal accessories.  Plus, the Headgear is built from a solid block of aluminum to protect the camera.

Be sure to check out the video on the Kickstarter page.  And see what else Unruly is coming up with for the GoPro like the Beartrap and the S Lens Ring that doesn't distort underwater and will accept 2x2 filters.  Red filter for underwater?  ND filter for dry land?

http://www.lifeisunruly.com/
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/jimlclark/unruly-headcase-headgear-cases-for-gopro
http://www.evsonline.com/unruly-headgear-gopro-protective-cage.html

4K Camera for $945

Point Grey's ice-cubed sized camera uses Sony's new 8.8 MP IMX1221 Exmor R sensor and can pipe 4,096x2160 images through a USB 3.0 port.  This officially makes it the world's coolest web camera.

It limits the frame rate to 21 FPS (185 mbps) but this may be just to use the USB 3.0 port.  The camera is designed for industrial applications including optical inspection, ophthalmology and interactive multimedia but Point Grey does list broadcast as a market, too.

http://www.engadget.com/2012/06/29/worlds-smallest-4k-usb-3-0-camera/

Kick Light

The Kick is a small light designed to be used with iPhones.  It has a couple of interesting features.

It can be wireless so you can control intensity and color temperature from your iPhone.  This includes  effects like strobe, lightening. etc.  One of these little units doesn't have the power to produce this effect on a full sized person but you can control multiple Kick lights at the same time.  The Kick does have the intensity to be useful for firelight/candle light.

The Kick light can also match light.  Sample of a light source in an image and it reproduces that color temperature.  The Kick light can also do this with changing color temperature sources like fire and can emulate both the intensity and the changing color temperature in real time.

Probably not practical at this size but make a 1x1 and you might really have something...

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1918868829/the-kick-a-pocket-sized-lighting-studio-for-photo?ref=live

Canon t4i

The Canon t4i (Canon 650 in Europe) is the new flagship of the consumer camera with a couple of great features, my favorite being the new power switch which you'll note is off, still and video.

On my 60D the video mode is on the mode dial which means switching from video to stills means pulling the camera from my eye and turning the dial.  Sure, the 60D takes stills in video mode but they come out 16x9 even though the entire 3x2 image is recorded.

Speaking of the mode dial, there's two new modes:  Hand Held Night Scene and HDL Backlight which is Canon's HDR mode.  HH Night combines 4 images to reduce noise and HDL combines 3 images to increase apparent latitude.

There's a new chip in the t4i, that improves face detection, which allows for continuous autofocus even in video mode.  But don't get to excited.  It doesn't work well with the USM lens motors which is in just about in every Canon lens made.  The USM motor was designed to focus fast for still shooters.

There's a new STM motor designed for shooting video that focuses slower and smoother but is only available in two lenses at the moment and neither is an L series lens.  But I do have a weak spot for pancake lenses like the 40mm that's available.

Canon is also touting the Digic 5 processor but as far as I can tell this only effects still burst rate, from 3.7 to 5 frames per second.  Big whoop.

The big WOW is supposedly the touch screen.  You can go through the menu, change focus points, pinch and zoom to check focus, change f-stop, shutter, etc.  all by touching the screen.  This would be great IF I DIDN'T USE A ZACUTO VIEWFINDER which makes the touchscreen practically useless.

There are other consumer goodies like 7 different in camera effects like water color and a stereo mic on top so I can hear myself breathing and the auto focus motor even better. 

The street price of the t4i is $850 for body only.  I saw a t3i kit in Costco yesterday for about that price with two kit lenses.  I don't think I'd use the touch screen nor trust the auto focus (what if I'm not shooting faces?).  But I do like that power switch...

For more info, here's a few reviews of the Canon t4i:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G_sOBGbvm3I&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uk2s_wSFwRY&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NRS1RhXpAmM&feature=related

Free Canon C300 Workshop

Canon is presenting a free session on custom color adjustment for the C300 at the new Canon Hollywood Professional Technology & Support Center.

On June 26, between 6-8pm, learn to create dynamic images by creating camera custom picture profiles.  This means less color grading and the ability to deliver matched settings to multiple cameras.

http://www.learn.usa.canon.com/events_calendar/event_details/cll_events/20120626_hollywood_custompicture_pro_cll.shtml?WT.mc_id=EM1206EO01003&RID=1-6CGEO7&CON=1-Y0JD2&PRO=&CID=1-69ZFNN

Free Smoke

Autodesk Smoke is a powerful NLE, effects and finishing program rolled into one.  In the day it was expensive.  Really expensive.  Now, you can have it for free... for a limited time.

Later this month Autodesk will be releasing a public beta of Smoke 2013 for Mac.  This is a free install for everyone and will remain live until they start shipping final versions in fall.  At that time you'll be able to buy Smoke for mac for a mere $3500 bucks.  It's may sound like a lot but the original Smoke for Mac was $12,000 just a couple of years ago.

One word of warning:  You're probably not going to download this onto your laptop.  You need a Mac with some real horsepower to fully use Smoke.  Sign up for the download here...

http://usa.autodesk.com/smoke-for-mac/trial/?src=OMSE&mktvar001=457606&mktvar002=457606&utm_source=Google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=autodesk%20smoke&utm_content=Branded%20Exact&utm_campaign=Autodesk%20-%20ME%20-%20Smoke%20-%20Br%20-%20Desktop%20Search

Sony FS700 240fps Food Fight

Cine Gear hosted the Shooting Low Light and High Speed with the FS700 seminar.  We was able to watch this test footage on the big screen and it was amazing how good that AVCHD codec looked blown up the size of a billboard.

The FS700 can shoot 120fps for a 16 second burst and 240fps for 8 seconds.  This is stored in a buffer memory and you can trigger storage at the beginning, in the middle or at the end of a shot.  It takes about 30 seconds to render the footage out of the buffer onto a card.  The FS700 can record at higher frame rates but at much lower resolution.  The 980fps is really unusable for narrative but might be useful for industrial work.

The lowest ISO on the camera is 650.  This is up from 500 on the FS100 and may have been pushed up just to compete with the Canon C300.  The picture looked clean up to about 4000 ASA and usable up to 12,000 where the noise became noticeable.   20,000 ASA was what I would call "Night News Quality" but it's there if you need it.

 UNGRADED

The FS700 has the same Cine Gamma modes as the F3 and the test footage was shot in Cinema Gamma 4 which has almost 5 stops of overexposure over key as compared to the bit over 2 stops overexposure of my F900... which is why I have my zebras set at 60%!

GRADED

During grading they crushed the blacks slightly (note the loss of detail in the tree leaves), warmed and saturated the image.  The filmmakers wanted the footage to look like a "70's film".  There were no lights used.  They did have a white card... until it became covered with ketchup, mustard and chocolate pudding.

Watch the video at:  http://vimeo.com/43064629

4K Sensor for Smartphones

OmniVision has come up with the OV16820, a 16 Megapixel (4608x3456) image sensor.  This 1/2.3" sensor can shoot full resolution at 30fps or 4K2K (4608x2160) at 60fps.  Think iPhone camera that can shoot 4K slo-mo.

The sensor can also capture stills as 10-12 bit RAW RGB images, does burst photography and also has a strobe output to control flash.

And they've got some other cool things on their website...

http://www.ovt.com/products/sensor.php?id=116

C300 Menu Simulator

The C300 Menu Simulator is an interactive training tool to help you familiarize yourself with the camera's Custom Picture and Main Menus.

You can navigate with a mouse, keyboard, arrow keys or even your fingers on a touchscreen device to control the simulator.

http://learn.usa.canon.com/resources/articles/Simulators/c300.shtml?categoryId=229

Adobe Audition CS6

Audition is Adobe's audio editing, repair and mixing tool.   Audition has been around for years but it's only recently it's been available on Mac.

With the demise of Soundtrack Pro Larry Jordan has been using Audition on a daily basis and shares his views and tips.  Looks like another reason to think about Premiere...

http://www.larryjordan.biz/app_bin/wordpress/archives/1894#utm_source=feed&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=feed

Shooting Stills: Epic vs. Hasselblad

This interesting video compares still images from a Hasselblad H3D22 and a RED Epic.  The Hasselblad is 22MP while the Epic is only 14MP but in the same amount of time you'd shoot 100 shots with the Hasselblad you'd create 7000 "shots" with the Epic.

Having extensively shot video and stills at the same time the two big differences are workflow and shutter speed.  Shooting stills you are looking for that definitive moment.  I like to snap an image and quickly review it to see what I've got, to see how it stands alone as a still.   Motion has to be much more fluid.

And while shooting stills you want a high shutter to freeze the action and keep the image sharp.  That same high shutter will give you the "Saving Private Ryan" effect on your video, which most of the time you don't want.  A low shutter speed blurs motion and helps the effect.

http://fstoppers.com/hasselblad-vs-red

Stabilizer Gear Expo Jun3

If you're looking for something to do June 3, the Sunday after CineGear Expo you can to to Stabilizer Gear Expo in the Filmtools parking lot from 11-3.

It's sponsored by  the Steadicam Guild, Tiffin Steadicam, Glidecam, the Steadicam Rickshaw Filmtools, and the SOC, so if you're in the market for anything Steadicam this is the place to be.

http://www.stabilizergearexpo.com/