It's moving day. For Lower Thirds.
For years I've been blogging here; about my job, my clients, everything production and post production related. And I'm going to keep blogging...just not here. As of today, I'm officially moving my Lower Thirds blog over to Tumblr.
So please join me over there, by following me here.
So it's not goodbye, it's just, see you over there.
Thanks guys.
KMB
You may well know ZERO VFX for their amazing visual effects work in feature films and television commercials. They transformed the cities of Boston and Worcester into a gritty 1970s New York City for American Hustle. They made Denzel Washington just a bit more bad-ass in The Equalizer. And now they're also making some bad-ass software for post pros.
Today this Boston-based VFX studio has formally launched a new software division called Code Zero. And the first, formal product launch from this new initiative is called Compression Preview. And it's available today for only $49. Now, Compression Preview isn't their first endeavor in software. You may remember over the summer that ZERO sold its cloud-based rendering technology - ZYNC Render - to Google. It was a technology they developed themselves to solve their own, real-world rendering requirements. Productized it. Formed a company around it. Then sold it to Google. So these guys have some experience in making viable, valuable software.
Here's the press release that hit the wires today. But definitely check it out here, or watch a brief tutorial here.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
ZERO VFX Boston Launches Compression Preview Plug-in for After Effects Artists
First Software Product from ZERO’s New Software Division, Code Zero, Eliminates the Pre-Render Guesswork: Preview and Fix Banding, Artifacting, Color Shifts Before Compressing
Boston, MA (December 2, 2014) – ZERO VFX (www.zerovfx.com) today announced it has launched its first new software plug-in for the post production marketplace as a result of its newly formed software division, Code Zero Software. The new plug-in, Compression Preview, enables After Effects artists to preview sequences prior to rendering, check for unwanted artifacts, banding and color shifts and make tweaks and changes to the compression parameters to ensure the best possible end product. Providing these powerful capabilities saves artists valuable time and resources by ensuring the look and quality of their work before final rendering and publishing.
ZERO VFX also announced it has teamed up with Boston-based Noise Industries and Ephere to help market, sell and support Compression Preview. With its deep connections and expertise in the VFX software industry, the combined team is well positioned to provide comprehensive sales and marketing support for After Effects artists world wide.
Compression Preview is available immediately and is priced at $49.00 USD. For more information or to purchase Compression Preview, please visit: http://compressionpreview.com/
Jaime Fortuno-Lavin is the lead commercial compositor for Zero VFX and has been using Compression Preview on client work. Jaime had this to say about Compression Preview:
"We worked on a web pre-roll spot where our actor was over a white cyc - we were of course working and delivering at full res, which meant we couldn't see what the piece looked like once it got compressed all the way down for distribution. Once it was compressed, a strange lighting aberration showed up. We were able to fix it and re-deliver super fast, but still, it was from this experience that we realized there were no good tools out there to help. Now there is!"
“The team at ZERO VFX is in a unique position; we exist at the confluence of creativity and technology and can leverage a very active visual-effects pipeline creating work for feature films, broadcast and web advertising to develop relevant, viable and attractive new software. We’re constantly innovating based on the post production work we do for our clients which include major feature films such as ‘The Equalizer’ and literally hundreds of commercial projects each year,” said Brian Drewes, co-founder of ZERO VFX and Code Zero Software. “Compression Preview is a perfect example of technology that was born from a very real pain point that our artists experience everyday, and translates into a valuable solution for the marketplace.”
Brian Drewes and Sean Devereaux, who are the co-founders of both ZERO VFX and Code Zero have deep experience in planning, developing and selling software in this market. Their first effort, ZYNC Render, was acquired by Google, Inc. in 2014. Compression Preview is their second effort, and the team has several more projects in the pipeline.
Compression Preview: Saving Your Work and Your Sanity
As every post production artist knows, it is difficult to accurately gauge how sequences will hold up through the compression and online distribution process. Quite often, unwanted elements are discovered only after the project is delivered. Compression Preview allows artists to ensure the best looking end product possible by offering the ability to compress a frame range directly from within the After Effects timeline. Artists can tweak the parameters to combat unwanted artifacts, banding and color shifts with ease.
Key main features of Compression Preview include the ability to:
Compression Preview System Requirements:
ZERO VFX and Code Zero Software have also created a useful tutorial, which can be viewed here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z_eZZZ6W5O8
For any additional questions on Compression Preview, please email us at [email protected].
About ZERO
Small, nimble, creative and highly innovative, the group of visual effects and digital media artists at ZERO question standard assumptions and challenge the status quo. We tap into each others' passion, vision and energy to push creative further. We change, we evolve, we direct, we produce, we develop; we are impassioned by our projects and inspired by our clients. We strive for excellence in every work we create. We bring it.
At ZERO, the team is everything. It’s an environment we encourage, and in it, we thrive. It allows for more iterations, more opportunities for creative input and most of all, better work with fewer compromises.
ZERO VFX visual effects and post production studio is physically based in Boston, Massachusetts. But our impact is felt everywhere. To learn more, please visit www.zerovfx.com.
My friends at Triggerfish had some more good news today; they've won another award. This is a well deserved award for a group of very hard working, passionate and talented artists.
Congrats guys!
Here's the forma announcement:
Press release: Immediate – 27 May 2014
Triggerfish takes Best Animation prize at Africa Movie Academy Awards for the second year running
On Saturday Triggerfish received another Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Animation for their second feature film, Khumba. The AMAA’s are among the continent’s most prestigious awards and have been running for 10 years. This follows from last year’s win in the same category for Adventures in Zambezia. Both films also won Best Animation at the South African Film and Television Awards in their respective year of entry.
The success of the two films has not been limited to Africa – the films have won top awards in Brazil and China and have been selected for prestigious festivals around the world. Triggerfish’s forty international distribution partners have released the films in almost every territory in the world - to help the films become two of the highest grossing African movies of all time.
In the wake of this success, Triggerfish recently signed a multi-film agreement with William Morris Endeavor (WME), the Beverly Hills-based agency who manage some of the top talent in the world. WME will assist Triggerfish in putting together international distribution deals, raising financing and packaging talent.
Triggerfish has keen interest in its success within the African continent. “There’s not a lot of high quality children’s entertainment being created for the continent,” says Triggerfish CEO Stuart Forrest. “We believe that animation captures the imaginations of children in a way no other type of filmmaking can, and we’d like to use our partnerships and networks to work with studios throughout the continent to see this medium grow.”
About Triggerfish Animation Studios:
Established in 1996, Triggerfish Animation Studios is a Cape Town-based film and entertainment company. The studio has produced two feature films; Adventures in Zambezia (2012), starring Jeremy Suarez, Abigail Breslin and Samuel L. Jackson, and Khumba (2013), starring Liam Neeson, Jake T. Austin and AnnaSophia Robb.
Contact Details:
Triggerfish Animation Studios
P.O. Box 210, Steenberg, 7947, South Africa Tel: +27 21 713 4008
www.triggerfishstudios.com
Larry Jordan has been working hard. Very hard. And so has his team at Larry Jordan & Associates and the Digital Production BuZZ. For the past 7 years, the Digital Production BuZZ has teamed up with the NAB Show as an offical media partner, and year after year, Larry and his team simply raise the bar.
Every year.
And I know personally, because every year I've worked with his entire crew - booking interviews, pitching them on interview ideas and potential guests. And I know first-hand the work that goes into producing this show.
So I was very happy for them to learn the results of their latests endeavors at NAB 2014. Congratualtions guys! Now get some rest (although I know you won't)!
Check out the news from their latest press release:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Larry Jordan’s Digital Production BuZZ Coverage of the 2014 NAB Show Drives Record Growth, Expanded Listenership
The BuZZ Reports 230% Increase in Listeners during the 2014 NAB Show,
and 35% Year-Over-Year Growth; Draws Listeners from 182 Countries Worldwide
Burbank, CA (May 6 , 2014) – Larry Jordan & Associates, Inc. and the Digital Production BuZZ (www.digitalproductionbuzz.com) are reporting record growth in its worldwide audience, and its most successful year as an Official Media Partner of the 2014 NAB Show. During the month of April 2014, which includes its 2014 NAB Show coverage, the Digital Production BuZZ experienced a 230% jump in listeners, drawing an expanded audience from 182 countries worldwide.
The Digital Production BuZZ is also reporting an overall 35% year-over-year growth in its audience. This significant growth is attributed to the caliber of influential and engaging guests and content presented throughout the year, and during major industry conferences such as NAB, BVE, DV Expo and Creatasphere. Additionally, the Digital Production BuZZ has garnered the support of some of the industry’s biggest players, such as Blackmagic Design, Adobe Systems, Moviola, G-Technology, Promise Technology, and Shutterstock.
During NAB 2014, the Digital Production BuZZ successfully delivered over 80 live and recorded interviews with the production and post production industry’s most influential players. In addition to its audio broadcasts, the BuZZ delivered video broadcasts of its interviews as a result of its partnership with Moviola.
"The 2014 NAB Show was our most ambitious effort to date;" said Larry Jordan, executive producer and host of the Digital Production BuZZ. "We set some lofty goals to showcase the best of NAB to the world, and I’m delighted to say we succeeded. Our team of 30 incredibly talented people worked around the clock to deliver the news from the show. I also need to thank our amazing sponsors; they are the backbone that makes the BuZZ possible. Without their support we would not be able to produce the kind of show that draws thousands of people into our global community week after week."
The Digital Production BuZZ has been an Official Media Partner of the NAB Show since 2008 and has brought listeners the hottest news, insights and perspectives from the production and post production community’s most influential players.
About the Digital Production BuZZ
Heard in over 182 countries around the world, the Digital Production BuZZ is the industry’s longest-running podcast covering creative content producers and tech news for media production, post-production, marketing and distribution.
New episodes of the weekly Digital Production BuZZ air every Thursday from 6:00 to 7:00 pm PDT. Listen live here or download the program later on iTunes. Listeners can also sign up for the free, weekly BuZZ Newsletter and get a sneak peak of each week’s show by visiting www.digitalproductionbuzz.com.
Larry Jordan is the executive producer and host of the Digital Production BuZZ. Larry is a renowned media expert, Apple-certified trainer specializing in Final Cut Pro and Adobe Premiere training, author, and member of the Directors Guild of America and Producers Guild of America. Co-host Michael Horton is also an influential, experienced member of the creative community, and is well known as an actor, film editor and is the co-founder and co-producer of the world-renowned CPUG SuperMeet. Cirina Catania, supervising producer of the BuZZ, is a writer/director/journalist and member of the Producers Guild of America and the Writers Guild of America. To schedule an interview on the Digital Production BuZZ, contact Cirina at [email protected].
Debbie Price is the Special Events Producer of all the 2014 NAB Show coverage for the Digital Production BuZZ. She also produces the 2 Reel Guys video webisodes, all live seminars and events, and directs operations at Larry Jordan & Associates, Inc.
It's only a few days before we all head to Vegas for the annual gathering. The show we love to complain about, but admittedly, wouldn't miss for the world. Once a year, we all get together at the LVCC to see what unfolds; and to see old friends.
And there's one guy (actually, it's an entire team) who pours more heart and soul into NAB than anyone I know. Larry Jordan.
Larry's been prepping for this NAB....well, since last NAB. And he's put together another amazing show - even bigger and more ambitious than last year.
So if you're going to the show, stop by the booth and listen in and say hi. If you can't make it, you have to tune in!
See you in Vegas!
NAB 2014 Booth #SL11505
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Larry Jordan’s Digital Production BuZZ Finalizes NAB 2014 Guest Line-Up
Premier News Podcast of NAB 2014 to Feature Over 80 Influential Interviews with Production, Post Production and Filmmaking Who’s-Who
Comedic Actor Corey Roberts Joins Larry Jordan as Roving Reporter
Burbank, CA (March 31 , 2014) – Larry Jordan & Associates, Inc. and the Digital Production BuZZ (www.digitalproductionbuzz.com) has finalized its industry all-star guest line up for its live audio news podcast of NAB 2014 in the Las Vegas Convention Center. From its booth #SL11505, the Digital Production BuZZ will be delivering live interviews with the production and post production industry’s most influential players. Additionally, the BuZZ will be delivering video broadcasts of its interviews as a result of its partnership with Moviola, announced earlier this month.
"The Buzz is bringing its largest team ever to NAB - almost 30 people," said Larry Jordan, executive producer and host of the Digital Production Buzz. "Our industry changes so quickly that it is impossible for one person to see and learn everything. Our goal is to provide a clear understanding of the new products, product trends and industry leaders that our audience can rely on as they make critical business decisions during the upcoming year. In today's changing economic environment, buying the wrong gear at the right time can be disastrous."
The Digital Production BuZZ also announced that comedic actor, Corey Roberts, will join Larry as a roving reporter during the conference, adding some comedy relief and outsider’s perspective during the trade show. Corey has most recently appeared commercials for Cricket Mobile and Aamco, as well as the spoof web series CSU: Crime Stoppers Unit, http://blip.tv/csucrimestoppersunit/csu-episode-0-6504703. Look for him later this year in the comedy web series T-WATS Paranormal Investigators.
The Digital Production BuZZ has been an Official Media Partner of the NAB since 2008 and has brought listeners the hottest news, insights and perspectives from the production and post production community’s most influential players.
The BuZZ: Tuning In
During the course of the show, beginning Monday, April 7 through Thursday, April 9, the Digital Production BuZZ will feature over 80 of the industry’s most influential, innovative and insightful executives, filmmakers and thought leaders.
For the global community of listeners not attending NAB, the Digital Production Buzz offers live audio broadcasts twice each day - beginning at 10:30 a.m. PST and again at 2:00 p.m. EST - plus a recorded hour-long special report each evening. The video segments will post throughout the day; first on the Moviola website, then, later on the BuZZ website and YouTube Channel.
All audio segments will be posted to:
NABShowBuzz.com (shows and interviews)
DigitalProductionBuzz.com (shows and interviews)
iTunes (shows only)
The BuZZ Line-Up
Some of the companies joining the BuZZ include Avid, Blackmagic Design, Adobe, AJA, Anton Bauer, NewTek, JVC, G-Technology, Red Giant, Rampant Design Tools, Autodesk, Imagineer Systems, Tiffen and GoPro.
Larry will also be joined by industry luminaries, who will provide additional commentary, perspectives and insights on NAB. Ryan Connolly of Film Riot, and Kanen Flowers of That Studio are just a few of the personalities joining the show throughout the conference.
A full schedule of interviewees will be available on the Digital Production BuZZ site by visiting here: www.nabshowbuzz.com.
NAB coverage of the Digital Production BuZZ is made possible by supporting sponsors, including Blackmagic Design and Moviola; and show sponsors Adobe Systems, Inc., G-Technology, Promise Technology, and Shutterstock.
About the Digital Production BuZZ
Heard in over 175 countries around the world, the Digital Production BuZZ is the industry’s longest-running podcast covering creative content producers and tech news for media production, post-production, marketing and distribution.
New episodes of the weekly Digital Production BuZZ air every Thursday from 6:00 to 7:00 pm PDT. Listen live here or download the program later on iTunes. Listeners can also sign up for the free, weekly BuZZ Newsletter and get a sneak peak of each week’s show by visiting www.digitalproductionbuzz.com.
Larry Jordan is the executive producer and host of the Digital Production BuZZ. Larry is a renowned media expert, Apple-certified trainer specializing in Final Cut Pro and Adobe Premiere training, author, and member of the Directors Guild of America and Producers Guild of America. Co-host Michael Horton is also an influential, experienced member of the creative community, and is well known as an actor, film editor and is the co-founder and co-producer of the world-renowned CPUG SuperMeet. Cirina Catania, supervising producer of the BuZZ, is a writer/director/journalist and member of the Producers Guild of America and the Writers Guild of America. To schedule an interview on the Digital Production BuZZ, contact Cirina at [email protected].
Debbie Price is the Special Events Producer of all the NAB 2014 coverage for the Digital Production BuZZ. She also produces the 2 Reel Guys video webisodes, all live seminars and events, and directs operations at Larry Jordan & Associates, Inc. To schedule an interview at NAB 2014, contact [email protected]
Simply stated, these guys are hot. If you're an editor, compositor, VFX artist on a budget and deadline - I've just described all of you - then you should check these guys out.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Rampant Design Tools Launches Massive New Libraries of Optical Light Transition and FX Elements for Filmmakers, Editors
Stage Light Transitions, Speed Lights, Light Impacts and Gradient Overlays Deliver Nearly 1,000 Visually Stunning Quicktime Based Drag and Drop Elements; Rampant Adds New Online Training Resource for Customers
Orlando, FL (September 26, 2013) – Rampant Design Tools (www.rampantdesigntools.com) today announced it has launched four massive new libraries of its signature Quicktime-based Drag-and-Drop VFX elements for filmmakers, VFX artists and video editors, delivering nearly 1,000 new high definition, visually stunning themed optical transitions and overlays.
Rampant Design Tools also announced today it has developed a comprehensive resource for customers to help make the most of their workflow using Rampant’s elements. RDT Training (http://tuts.rampantdesigntools.com) offers completely free training in Adobe After Effects, Premiere, Apple Final Cut Pro X, Motion, Avid and more. In addition to singular tutorials, Rampant has started two training series; Practical Effects for Editors, hosted by Rampant founder and renowned VFX artist, Sean Mullen, shows editors how to add complex visual effects techniques to their workflow with the software they already have. Learning Final Cut Pro X, hosted by Apple Certified Expert Stefanie Mullen, brings customers up to speed quickly on Apple's latest editing apps.
New Elements from Rampant
Available immediately from www.rampantdesigntools.com, Rampant Design Tools new libraries include Rampant Stage Light Transitions, Rampant Speed Lights, Rampant Light Impacts and Rampant Gradient Overlays. Each library is priced at $99.00 USD.
Rampant Design Tools offers a unique, time-saving approach for budget- and time-crunched editors who need to quickly add quality VFX or design elements to their projects. Rampant Design Tools solutions are compatible with all editing platforms and compositing applications that are able to read Quicktime files, including Adobe Creative Suite (After Effects and Premiere), Sony Vegas, Media 100, Apple Motion, NUKE, Apple Final Cut Pro, FCP X and Avid Media Composer. They are also designed to complement filmmakers and VFX artists existing workflows and integrate well with pipelines comprised of industry-leading VFX and color correction solutions.
All of Rampant Design Tools newly launched solutions are available immediately and are priced at $99.00 USD each. For more information or to purchase any of Rampant Design Tools solutions, please visit www.rampantdesigntools.com.
About Rampant Design
Rampant was founded by Visual Effects Artist Sean Mullen. With over 60 credits in feature film and television, Sean has shot and created VFX elements for network shows, feature films, private hollywood libraries and has created content for many of the major stock companies His work has touched such acclaimed Hollywood and television productions as Charmed, Ally McBeal, NCIS, Felicity, Nip/Tuck, Idle Hands, Lake Placid and Any Given Sunday. Sean was inspired by his editor friends to create the first Rampant Design Tools - elements for his friends to mix and match and drop on their timelines that would instantly add a unique look / flavor to their videos. This inspiration essentially gave birth to many of the product lines you see at Rampant today. For more information, please visit www.rampantdesigntools.com.
Today is a big day for Red Giant. After two years of development, months of beta testing and community involvement, Red Giant BulletProof v1.0 is shipping!
Since Red Giant first debuted BulletProof at NAB 2013, the reaction from the community has been amazing. From the beginning, it's resonated with users - everyone from filmmakers and cinematographers to shooter/editors. Anyone who knows the tedium (and anxiety) of moving footage on set from the camera and getting those files over to an editor is taking a close look at BulletProof. That gap - between the camera and the editor - is a stressful one.
Red Giant's president and co-founder, Andrew Little, talks about the Company, it's journey over the past 12 years, and the events that have brought them to this point. Read it here. It's an honest, refreshing and interesting look into what goes on at a place like Red Giant.
New Products, New Suites
Red Giant also announced it's shipping some new suites: the Red Giant Shooter Suite (which includes BulletProof) and the Red Giant Color Suite, which is essentially replaces the Magic Bullet Suite. They're streamlining their product lines, organizing them more around their customers, how they work and what they look for to solve real problems every day. In talking about the new suites and why they did it, Andrew Little says:
"We got serious about refocusing our company around what's important to our customers, and delivering suites of products thoughtfully designed and paired together to solve real problems. Shooters have different needs than editors, and motion graphics artists have different needs from shooters. But they all have one thing in common - they all need suites of tools in which every product in there is useful, valuable and meaningful to their daily workflow."
The team behind Red Giant Films, led by director of communities, Aharon Rabinowitz, has also put together an incredible trove of videos, providing great clarity around what these new products and suites are, what they do and who they're for. He and his team (people like Harry Frank, Simon Walker and Seth Worley) have put together some incredible tutorials as well - thoughtfully developed to help step users through each product.
You can find them all at Red Giant Films, or here are some useful links as well:
Red Giant BulletProof
•https://vimeo.com/70938591
Red Giant Shooter Suite 12
•https://vimeo.com/70970783
Red Giant Color Suite
•https://vimeo.com/71280738
Red Giant Trapcode Suite 12
•https://vimeo.com/70970784
Red Giant Keying Suite
•https://vimeo.com/70971014
Red Giant Effects Suite 11
•https://vimeo.com/70970781
It's a pretty huge day for Red Giant, and I'd say, for the industry as well. Congratulations guys!
It's been a busy week for all of you, I'm sure. So take a quick break, and if you haven't seen it already, watch Seth Worley's latest short film Spy vs Guy. And if you have seen it, watch it again. It's worth it. It's Friday afterall!
Enjoy!
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