lower thirds

Moving Day

 

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

Review and Approval in the Cloud: It's Time

 

Collaborative review and approval apps aren’t necessarily a new concept. In fact, my first experience working with them was back in 2006 when I began working with a startup called syncVUE. It was a great product - it was ahead of its time in so many ways. And that was the problem. It was ahead of its time.

 

Facebook was 2 years old; Twitter was an infant that people didn’t quite understand (“why would anyone care that I’m eating a cheeseburger right now, and who wants to read my 140 character blathering?”). Social Media Gurus didn’t exist (thankfully) and clouds were something that just ruined your summer day.

 

And along came syncVUE - a "collaborative review and approval" application for post production artists who were sick of traveling, sitting in traffic, just to have to their client or team look over their shoulders as they reviewed a clip. It was novel. It was innovative. It was based on Skype. What the hell is Skype?

 

Oddly, that was one of the biggest barriers to adoption. No one wanted to embrace a web-based communication tool that they either never heard of, didn’t understand, or weren’t comfortable with implementing. Some enterprise clients refused to install it for security reasons - they weren’t allowed to bring it inside the firewall. So the big clients and the studios weren’t allowed to use it,  they would never experience syncVUE.

 

It was ahead of its time.

 

Fast forward to today. The Cloud - especially in post production - is everywhere. Thank you Adobe. Artists are sharing on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram among others. They’re avidly using Dropbox, Google Docs, Vimeo, YouTube and email to collaborate on their work. They’re not only working in the Cloud, they live their lives in the Cloud. Sharing - not only amongst different people, but between multiple mobile and desktop devices - is the new norm. It’s ubiquitous.

 

So what does that mean for collaborative review and approval? We’re ready.

 

 

Enter Wipster.

 

Founded by filmmaker/videographer Rollo Wenlock, Wipster was born from an age-old need, but based on today’s realities. Meaning, the realities in which we live and work today. As a filmmaker working with colleagues and clients spread around the world; and using myriad disparate tools that, by themselves work great, but when stitched together to attempt a meaningful workflow, get very messy.

 

The status quo kind of worked. It was a painful process. It was ugly. Rollo knew there had to be a better way. Then one morning, he was inspired.

 

"In November 2012, at 7am in the morning, I was looking out the window holding my newborn child. The sun was coming up and it hit the dust on the window. I could see the dust as a layer on top of the sun behind it. I suddenly thought ‘why don’t we make comments right on top of the video?’ I found a great team and we started the build the product.” 

 

And thus, Wipster was born.

 

The Wipster launch press release describes it well. Here’s an excerpt:

 

Wipster is a beautifully designed, intuitive digital media review and approval platform designed for content creators, filmmakers, in-house corporate media teams, or anyone creating short-form video projects. Wipster helps bring together creative media teams, their colleagues and clients from wherever they may be to collaborate on digital media projects; simply, elegantly and quickly.

Wipster combines a breadth of collaborative features with powerful video review features, such as the ability to create content rich emails and share secure folders with anyone with a simple invite. Wipster also offers frame accurate video playback, contextual commenting and version stacking - all in a simple interface that eliminates the tedium of connecting regionally disparate creative teams. Plus, Wipster allows users to deliver unlimited videos in their original formats - ideal for any post production workflow. The team at Wipster has invested significant time and resources to ensure the user experience is as simple, elegant and fun as possible.

Wipster is available as a cloud-based, subscription service with options to meet any teams’ collaboration requirements. Wipster also provides users with a “Free Forever” plan that gives teams access to core Wipster features, and 15 minutes of video uploads per month.

 

But the Wipster brand video describes it even better:

Wipster launches new cloud based video collaboration platform from Wipster on Vimeo.

 

 

 

If you create video, and you work with more than one person to do it, you need to check out Wipster. Sign up here for a free trial. You’ll be hooked!

No One Covers NAB Like The Digital Production BuZZ

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]

 

iOgrapher Teams up with University of Arizona's Project FOCUS

 

When iOgrapher's inventor/founder Dave Basulto first approached me last spring about his new invention, I knew he had something special. My gut told me that consumers would love it; and I knew the professional production crowd would love it too (the best camera is the one you have with you, right!?).

But what I wasn't expecting was the outpouring from the educational community - not only from filmschools, but from high schools and the university leve as well. So I was really excited - and proud - when the University of Arizona reached out and told us about the amazing things they're doing with special needs students.

And I was especially proud to be involved with this announcement:

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

 

 iOgrapher® LLC and the University of Arizona Project FOCUS to Help Students with Disabilities Learn Filmmaking Techniques on the iPad Mini

 

  iOgrapher Filmmaking Case for the Apple iPad Mini Incorporates Design Ideal for Students with Disabilities; Handles Make it Easier to Hold, Shoot Video

 

San Marino, CA (October, 23 2013) – The creators of the patent-pending iOgrapher® filmmaking support case for the iPad Mini (www.iographer.com) today announced that it has been chosen by the University of Arizona’s Project FOCUS to help students with disabilities learn filmmaking and editing techniques using the Apple iPad Mini and the new iOgrapher filmmaking support case.

 

The University of Arizona’s Project FOCUS is dedicated to supporting students with intellectual and physical disabilities, and has designed innovative curricula for its students, built on technologies such as the Apple iPad, to help them overcome challenges and ultimately thrive. While Project FOCUS provides iPads to each of its students, many students struggle with grasping and balancing the iPad while shooting video. The iOgrapher, with its built-in handles and tripod mounts has been selected by the University’s Project FOCUS as the ideal solution to enhance the mobile filmmaking experience for their students.

 

Phyllis Brodsky is project coordinator for Project FOCUS, University of Arizona. While searching for tools and technologies to enhance the curriculum and overall university experience for her students with disabilities, she discovered iOgrapher.

 

“When I found the iOgrapher, my first thought was how this product could have an unexpected, yet significant impact on people with disabilities,” said Phyllis. “Project FOCUS’ primary aim is helping students with intellectual and physical disabilities better experience the University life, attend courses and just experience campus life at the University of Arizona to the fullest. A one-to-one iPad program is a big part of our program, and videography and photography are often a big part of what our students do. Some use photos or videos to communicate while others like making short video productions that they post on YouTube. We are excited to have the opportunity to use the iOgrapher with our group of students. I believe it will offer them greater physical stability, visual focus and fine motor dexterity then they've had in the past. It will also step it up a notch for them as they think about using it to record interviews and create more professional-style videos.”

 

About the iOgrapher for the iPad

The iOgrapher for the Apple iPad is the first all purpose film making case for the iPad and iPad Mini and is designed and manufactured in the United States. The iOgrapher is constructed from high quality, extremely tough polycarbonate, and its patent-pending design is for everyone from families with kids, to students, to Indies and professional filmmakers and videographers. 

 

The iOgrapher’s unique design features two handles on each side of the case, transforming the iPad mini into a hand-held ‘steadicam rig’ which eliminates shaky footage common when shooting video with mobile devices. The iOgrapher is also designed to enable consumers and filmmakers alike to easily add 37mm lenses to its lens mount area for wide angles, fisheye looks, or to capture macro or close up shots. Users can attach lighting and audio gear to its three accessory shoes on the top of the case. The bottom of the case is designed to enable mounting to any standard tripod, monopod, or portable dolly. 

 

Created by high-school media arts teacher and filmmaker, Dave Basulto, the iOgrapher was inspired by Dave’s students, who he wanted to empower with the ability to shoot and edit video, take stills and stream video live - all from an inexpensive, accessible device. 

 

Pricing and Availability

The iOgrapher for the iPad Mini is available immediately. Priced at $65.00 USD, the iOgrapher can be purchased by visiting www.iographer.com. The Company is also now accepting pre-orders for the iOgrapher for the iPad 3 and 4. Pre-orders can also be placed by visiting www.iographer.com.

 

About iOgrapher 

The iOgrapher for the Apple iPad is the first all purpose film making case for the iPad. Constructed from high grade, extremely tough moulded plastic, the iOgrapher is designed for everyone from families with kids, to students, to Indies to professional filmmakers and videographers. For more information, please visit www.iographer.com, follow us on Twitter at @iographer, or ‘Like’ us in Facebook https://www.facebook.com/Iographer. 

 

iOgrapher is a Registered Trademark of iOgrapher LLC. All iOgrapher product designs are patent-pending.

 

It Actually is Easy Being Green...with doddlePRO

 

It's one thing when a company develops a product that has positive implications on the environmement. It's another thing when a Hollywood mogul steps up and not only talks about the environment, but actually does something about it.

I'm talking about Gale Ann Hurd.

The Hollywood Reporter's Etan Vlessing spoke with Gale about the importance of green technology on the set of her work (The Walking Dead, The Hulk). Here are a couple of excerpts:

In 2007, Hurd and her production team made The Incredible Hulk movie shoot in Toronto a green standard-bearer for Hollywood.

Actors were driven round in hybrid vehicles, set builders used sustainably harvested wood, and Hurd gave everyone a stainless steel mug to replace plastic water bottles and disposable coffee containers.

“We had a green department head meeting, and before the meeting we asked people to come with suggestions from their department,” she recalled.

Read the story in its entirety here.

The technology highlighted - doddlePRO. If you have anything to do with production, you should pay attention to these guys. Even if green tech isn't something high on your priority list (perhaps saving time and money, managing resources, people, logistics and keeping your tight, fleeting budget in tact are high on that list), the doddle Platform is an impressive one. Here's a snapshot:

doddle is based on a powerful platform developed by Mobile Imagination to create collaborative, mobile and cloud-based efficiency tools for businesses and creative professionals. 

 Today, the Company provides four primary offerings for the professional production community: 

 

• The doddle Directory for the iPhone: doddle is the first entirely free interactive, digital mobile production resource guide for the film and video industry. doddle is designed for anyone involved in the production process and provides easy access to key resources and information to help find anything and anyone required for a shoot - from producers, directors, photographers, grips, gaffers, sound and talent to information about hotels, restaurants, catering, transportation, even the local weather forecast.

 

• doddlePRO is a mobile, collaborative call sheets and productions planning efficiency tool optimized for the desktop/browser, iPhone and iPad.

 

• doddlePRO Online is a browser based version of the Company’s collaborative call sheets and planning tool, ideal for larger productions and teams coordinating efforts from a central location and communicating to its people in the field. doddlePRO Online automatically synchs with iOs devices and provides a powerful hub of logistical operations for the crew.

 

• doddleNEWS is a free online news service with daily industry news for the production community, reported by creative production professionals. It includes industry news for pros, reported by pros with the primary goal of delivering credible, valuable and relevant content for the community. 

For more information, visit http://doddleme.com. 

 

 

 

Facebook, in a Word... Meh

 

Is Facebook finally collapsing under its own weight? It it time to say goodbye?

Lately, I've been feeling it's time. I'm done. Maybe I am getting bored with it - I'm not too sure.

Then there was this announcement: Facebook is now charging big dollars if you want your posts to actually reach your 'friends.'

I tolerated the Farmville onslaughts, survived the 2012 (and 2008) elections, and the friend requests from people from my distant past, who let's just say, are in the distant past for a reason (no offense to nobody!).

But this seems to have done it for me. I thought about it, wrestled with it for a long time - 'it's the biggest social media movement ever! I have to be a part of it! What about all those connections, interactions? Can I just walk away?'

The more I thought about it, how I actually use Facebook - and more importantly - how my 'friends' were using it, the decision become easier. For me, social media is about connecting and engaging with people - mostly people in the industry. I want to share with them what's going on with me, my clients and general happenings in the industry. While I enjoy the sneak peaks into peoples' daily lives, it is really just that - sneak peaks and passing glances. There is no interaction, no dialogue. There was plenty of dialogue about Mitt Romney, Barack Obama - with colorful details and insights into peoples' political expertise and their solutions for what's ailing this country. Sorry. Ain't interested. In fact, I found it disturbing. I had to look away.

And I've been doing that a lot more lately. Looking away.

But what about interacting and sharing useful, interesting information in social media circles?

In a word - Twitter.

I joined Twitter when it launched, not sure what to make of it. In fact, I thought it was kind of goofy. But I gave it a try. I waded into the waters. Not too committal, just....observing, listening and watching.

And over time, I observed something really interesting. I watched as the post production/production industry embraced it. They were talking to eachother! Actual dialogues between people who shared the same passions and visions, and who were willing to help solve problems. Hashtag groups started to emerge. And not just the #OMGicantbelieveiatethewholepizza kind of hashtags. Meaningful, useful ones. Groups that started 'meeting' once a week to talk about any given topic, or to host a special guest. It was great! It IS great! And it continues to get better.

To date, Twitter isn't packaged, marketed and overly contrived - at least not in these circles of filmmakers, cinematographers, editors and VFX artists.

Hanging out with Stu Maschwitz a few weeks ago, he described Twitter as like going to a cocktail party, filled with interesting groups of people talking about interesting things. "I can wander from group to group, topic to topic, and just pop in to a conversation for a bit to see what's going on. I love that about Twitter!"

That conversation really got me thinking.

I'm spending a lot more time on Twitter these days, and less on Facebook. In fact, I've even been experimenting with Google+ as a possible replacement to Facebook - but that's another conversation.

But what do you think? As filmmakers/editors/VFX artists/cinematographers - are you feeling the same way? 

Tell me what you think...

 

Red Giant Magic Bullet Looks 2 for Final Cut Pro X: Available Now!

Hello, SkaterGirl!

Recently, we were introduced to Digieffects customer, Julian Bleecker; photographer, digital media artist and founder of Hello, Skater Girl. We were so mesmerized by the imagery he created, capturing women skaters competing in the gritty backdrop of skate parks all over the US; we wanted to meet him and learn more about him and how he creates his art.

 

Digieffects (DE): Can you tell us a little about HelloSkaterGirl, and about yourself?

 

Julian Bleecker (JB): I moved to Venice Beach California awhile ago and wanted to get to know the history and culture of where I was living. I'm an over-enthusiastic amateur photographer. A camera and a lens provides a decent way for me to ask questions about where I am and who I'm around in an indirect way, which is comfortable for me. I stared shooting in the Venice Beach Skatepark because I knew that place was a dog-eared page of the story that is this beach town — the history of this place passes straight through surf-skate life and culture. It was an amazing visual-anthropology to shoot there and get to know all the wonderful and curious people and their stories about skating and the Westside — Dogtown, Santa Monica, Venice, Mar Vista, Marina del Rey. I became a bit obsessed with capturing as many facets of the life as possible. Almost by accident, I found myself traveling to shoot with skaters and at competitions all around the country.

 

I got to shoot at X-Games 16, which was amazing and daunting to be up close to incredible skaters. Towards the end of a long, hot, sweaty day of shooting and lugging around gear and being humbled by the other professional photographers, I went into the air conditioned Nokia Theater to cool down. The Women's Vert Ramp Competition was on. I hadn't even thought once about shooting any of the women's events. Why not? It's not an excuse, but I can only surmise that the bias of a year of shooting men unconsciously led me to ignore women skaters. Not shooting with women wasn't a choice so much as a result of the familiar systemic issue that skateboarding is for guys.

That day was an eye opener. The women were bringing heat. This was real competition. Plenty of thrills. Lots of air. They were 110% sporty. Competitive while also encouraging and supporting one another. 

That event was the start of this project. Through the Hello, Skater Girl project I hoped to distinguish what these sportswomen are doing without fetishizing the fact that they are women in a sportsman's game. Rather that they are women skating like women. I hope that these images in the book show a bit of that and their spirit and personalities.

But, I don't do this full-time, although sometimes it seems so. I'm normally a designer and technology guy. I work in the Advanced Design studio for Nokia here in Los Angeles and I run a design and innovation studio called The Near Future Laboratory where we figure out what could be, even if it's really weird.

 

DE: What camera equipment and software was used?

JB: I'm a Nikon boy by birth. I have a bunch of bodies from a D3S to an N90S. The lenses run the gamut, but mostly I shoot with the wider ones — 14mm/2.8, 16mm/2.8, 20mm/2.8, 24mm/1.4, but I usually keep my old trusty 85mm/1.8 handy. My go-to lens for the skateboard work has been the 24mm/1.4. I've been trying to perfect shooting it nearly wide open with an nearly black-out neutral density filter to let me keep it open in bright sun. The bokeh you can get with these conditions and a bit of luck makes the photography more portrait-like, which is an aesthetic I've been going for. The hyperfocal on wider lenses or slower lenses makes the images lack depth and look quite flat, in my opinion.

On the software side, I use ImageIngester and Photo Mechanic for the ingestion and pre-processing and then Adobe Lightroom and a big RAID array for cataloging and managing photos. The workflow feels medieval. Someone is really going to put sort this digital asset management thing and make it all work nicely. Right now it's harder than it needs to be. All the VFX work is done in AfterEffects and Final Cut.

 

DE: How much time is spent in post and VFX?

JB: I tend not to fuss too much with the images, although the spontaneity of the subject and the fact that its not studio photography means that the light isn't always spot-on. You're basically trying to take photos of very excited squirrels running all over the place and so you never really know what the light is going to do to you — clouds move, the sun moves, sometimes you shoot into it, sometimes its oblique to you. So it helps to capture images with lots of latitude for some corrections between very dark darks and very bright brights. 

I use Nik Software's tools to help with that sort of thing, especially their Viveza tool. When I find an image I want to use, I tend to spend a bit of time with it. And, if I'm using it for one of still life with motion animations, I'll spend anywhere from an hour to a couple of days working with it. Mechanically the DigiEffects Camera Mapper effect makes it easy to setup the animation. Actually getting an animation and camera move that's satisfying can take as long as you want.

 

DE: There are some really nice color and VFX treatments to your work. Which Digieffects products do you use and how did they assist the process?

JB: I used Camera Mapper for all the animations. That was the core tool for the animations. The Buena Depth Cue suite is great to work with. Although most of the depth effects I created in camera, things like the Depth tool allowed me to enhance the aesthetic I was looking in a couple of the animations with very few hassles.

 

DE: What features of the products did you most take advantage of?

JB: Camera Mapper makes it relatively easy to get a great alternative to the tired Ken Burns pan-and-zoom for still images. I mean — I'm trying to use still images in a very time-based media world. It was a challenge to figure out what to do and once I saw that sort of effect in films like The Kid Stays in the Picture and Riding Giants. Camera Mapper and animating camera moves that reveal parallax is a really exciting alternative to 3D that is more authentic to photography in a video format.

 

DE: Can you talk about any particular challenge or frustration that Digieffects helped with?

JB: It took me several tries to figure out how to make Camera Mapper work. I think I wasn't thinking visually and just following the steps as I understood them in the tutorials. I think I'll do my own tutorial. The moves I'm doing are quite simple visually so I think a tutorial would explain the basic principles simply. Camera Mapper set me up to focus on what and how I wanted to animate stills. After doing it many, many times I can imagine how I could do it without the plug-in — but it greatly simplifies the workflow.

 

You can see more of Julian’s work on his web site here: http://helloskatergirl.com Or check out his Vimeo page here to see more stunning videos created with Digieffects: http://vimeo.com/helloskatergirl

 

Julian is also working on a new book; a limited edition collection of photography and the stories behind the Hello, Skatergirl photos. He’s using Kickstarter as a way to get the book into people’s hands. To support this effort, please visit http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/221647184/hello-skater-girl. 

 

 

 

"Plot Device" Goes Viral...In a Big Way

I've been watching the viewer numbers steadily rise for "Plot Device," the brilliant short from the creative minds of Seth Worley (who directed and co-wrote the film) and Red Giant's own Aharon Rabinowitz (who also co-wrote the film and executive produced it).

I think what's so fun about this whole thing is; they never really set out to create some Internet sensation. They really wanted to do something a little different...and fun...to promote a visual effects suite (Magic Bullet Suite 11) in a way that wouldn't make their fellow filmmakers gag. The result - over 600,000 views on Vimeo, and over 60,000 views on YouTube!

If you haven't seen it, check it out here. It's very well done.....and a lot of fun. I kind of want one!

 

 

Plot Device from Red Giant on Vimeo.

Digieffects and Roxio Team Up to Help Get Rid of Those Shaky Home Videos!

This is pretty exciting news for all who have endured the head-spinning, sometimes nauseating experience of watching shaky, trembly and frankly, unwatchable home videos.  My friends at Digieffects have teamed up with Roxio to provide their professional-caliber stabilization technology in the newly released Creator 2011 software.

The announcement crossed the wires this morning, but here's the text of the press release:

 

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

 

Digieffects Teams Up with Roxio to Deliver Powerful Video Stabilization Technology to Consumer Markets

 Roxio Licenses Digieffects Stabilization Technology; Integrated into Roxio Creator 2011 to Allow Consumers to Smooth Out Shaky Home Movies 

 

 Wilmington, NC (October 6, 2010) – Digieffects® (www.digieffects.com), a developer of popular visual effects software plug-ins, announced today that it has teamed up with Roxio® to deliver powerful, professional-caliber stabilization technology to consumer camcorder markets.  Roxio has licensed Digieffects stabilization software for inclusion in Creator® 2011 to enable customers to quickly stabilize shaky home movies.   

With the explosion of consumer-generated video content resulting from significant growth in cell phone and ultra-small form factor, tapeless video cameras, the issue of jittery, unstable video images has not been addressed at the consumer level, until today.  

 According to Robert Sharp, president of Digieffects, "This announcement represents a watershed moment for Digieffects. The past few years we’ve seen tremendous growth in demand for our products in the high-end professional content creation marketplace.  This partnership with Roxio positions our products, technology and brand very well to a significantly larger and rapidly growing customer base."

 Roxio Creator 2011, bolstered with Digieffects stabilization technology, is available immediatley at www.roxio.com.

 Digieffects also announced today its partnership with Green Parrot Pictures of Dublin, Ireland.  The company was founded in 2004 as a digital video technology company providing IP licensing, consulting and software development.  Green Parrot Pictures is providing Digieffects with consulting and development services for its stabilization technology.

 About Green Parrot Pictures

 Green Parrot Pictures makes visual algorithms for the post production industry. The team has years of research and development experience in video processing. The founder, Anil Kokaram, won an Academy Award for his motion technology in 2007 alongside colleagues at The Foundry.

 About Digieffects 

Digieffects is a developer of popular software visual effects plug-ins for Adobe After Effects, Adobe Premiere Pro, Apple Final Cut Pro, Autodesk Combustion, Grass Valley Edius and Boris RED. The company has been in the business since the beginning of the “plugin revolution” which dates back to 1996. Over the years, Digieffects has had great success with software products like Cinelook and Delirium and is proud to call thousands of film and video producers all around the world its customers and friends.  

 

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