Quintessential Studios' Weblog

First is iMovie 09.

The presentation by Final Cut Pro, Premiere Pro and iMovie creator Randy Ubillos was really outstanding.

It had long-time Final Cut Pro gurus ooing and awing and asking, “Can you put that on Final Cut Pro?”

If you don’t already have iLife 09, I would highly recommend getting it.

iMovie 09 has some incredible features like animated maps (which used to cost thousands of dollars or crazy amounts of hours to achieve) and instant filters and transitions.

iMovie 09 was designed (really) for prosumers using formats like HDV and AVCHD. You can also output to FCP XML, so if you need a way to convert your AVCHD, this is a good solution.

iMovie has additional “detail” editing, which lets you dig down a little deeper into a timeline-like screen. It allows you to easily throw something together or get as fancy as you want to be.

See http://www.apple.com/ilife/imovie/ for more details.

Next is an incredible announcement from Maxx Digital regarding Final Share.

Did you know that it IS possible to edit compressed HD (ProRes422HQ and DVCProHD) on a regular old iMac and playback the footage on a networked MacBook laptop? Not a MacBook Pro, mind you, just a Macbook.

That’s right, you can create a shared SAN storage system on a G5 and have 20 cheap-o iMacs as workstations sharing files.

“Holiday-whosie-whatsit?”

The folks at Maxx Digital and the “big” brains at Small Tree have figured out a “loop hole” that makes this possible. And it’s a CHEAP solution.

And you know I like that word!

Bob Zelin, a well known Creative Cow moderator and video engineer, flew in from Florida to share the news to the LAFCPUG on Wednesday night. The system is called the Maxx Digital “Final Share”. The complete Final Share system basically requires a stand-alone G5 Mac Pro, a Small Tree four-port Gigabyte network card, a 24-port switch and a RAID disk system. That and a few OS X network setting tweeks and you’re good to go.

It’s a little bit more technical than that (but not really) so I won’t go into too much detail right now. I’m going to review the demonstration footage later and try to layout the exact details but for now consider that you can have a great networked solution for around $5,000 – 6,000.

Also, here’s the homework if you want to learn more:

LAFCPUG Meeting Agenda (currently here: http://www.lafcpug.org/user_schedule.html but will probably later be here: http://www.lafcpug.org/past.html#anchor2009) states:

“7:50PM – 8:25PM – Final Share – Bob Zelin

“Video Engineer Bob Zelin is flying into LA to show off Final Share from Maxx Digital. What is Final Share? From Bob:

“I will be discussing and demonstrating Maxx Digital Final Share. Final Share is a very simple shared storage solution for Final Cut Pro that works with uncompressed SD and compressed HD (ProRes422HQ and DVCProHD). The appeal of this product is that it is very inexpensive, and requires absolutely no management or administration once it is setup. It uses conventional ethernet cables, instead of fibre connectivity. The only software interface is Apple File Sharing. There is no custom software, nor are there any client “licenses”.

“Maxx Digital will provide a MAC Pro Server with a Maxx Digital Disk drive array, and a second MAC computer that is running Final Cut Pro, in addition to the specialty ethernet equipment that makes this stuff work. With this equipment, I will be able to demonstrate playback of RED camera footage at ProRes422HQ footage over an ethernet cable. I will bring along my MAC Book laptop, and be able to instantly demonstrate being able to connect my MAC Book to the shared storage system, and be able to playback full ProRes422HQ footage right on my laptop. I will invite anyone who would like to bring up their MAC laptop to the stage to be able to instantly connect to this system, and play the same footage. All I have to do is go into System Preferences>Network, and assign a static IP address for that computers ethernet port.

“To my knowlege, this is the first time that anyone can have shared storage for very little money, and absolutely no education on complex networking, SAN enviornments, or IT background. ANYONE can do this. And it’s cheap!”

Then go to these links for more info:

* http://maxxdigital.com/shop/index.php?cPath=117

* http://forums.creativecow.net/readpost/257/110

* http://blogs.creativecow.net/blog/794/high-speed-san-via-ethernet-its-true

* http://library.creativecow.net/articles/biscardi_walter/media_san.php

If you want to talk to a Maxx Digital representative to get hooked up, call 714-374-4944 and don’t forget to tell them that Quintessential Studios told you about ‘em!

LAFCPUG Meetings are filmed and available for video podcast via iTunes. Check http://www.lafcpug.org/About_klickTab.html for more info.

If you’re just into film, you might ask yourself, “Why would I be interested in the National Association of Broadcasters?  Although for a lot of editors, their work is in broadcasting.

Broadcasting covers a lot of ground.  The term itself has come to have many meanings.  Normally people consider it to mean radio and TV transmissions.  NAB Executive VP, Chris Brown, on a recent Digital Production Buzz interview explained that the NAB show has expanded to now include New Media.

A look at the NAB Super Sessions (http://www.nabshow.com/2009/education/supersessions.asp) shows that there are ones dedicated to such topics as: “Creating in the New Media Landscape”, “Mobile Video”, “The New Content Paradigm”, “Cool Gadgets, Hot Content” and “Generations – Media Consumption Habits and Preferences”.

NAB this year is so big that it is in four buildings comprising 900,000 square feet of exhibits! I love trade shows and especially ones that are about things I love. This event sounds like and amazing event. It’ll be my first and I’ll give a complete report on what I was able to see, when I get back from it! I will, of course try to twitter updates while I am there. (http://twitter.com/quintessential)

New areas at NAB this year are the 3D Pavillion and the Content Commerce Pavillion. You might be interested in the Post|Production World Conference at this year’s NAB Show which is April 18-23 in Las Vegas.

Have you ever been? For a taste of what the 2009 NAB Show has to offer, check out the Post|Production World Conference details, including 7 different Adobe, Apple, Avid and Mac Certification Courses: http://www.nabshow.com/2009/education/postproduction.asp. Man there is a LOT to this show!

In an effort to help people out in these dire economic times, the NAB show has given out a promo code for free exhibit passes which includes entry into the Keynote address: NAB Free Exhibits Passport Code: TP01 Please pass along and visit http://nabshow.com/passport to redeem! This is a $150-$200 value! You could use your savings and upgrade to see some great sessions!

I’ll be there. Hope to see you there as well.

Okay Folks! I worked a deal for you!!

If you call the number below (818-842-6611) to register for the Los Angeles August  6th and 7th HD Expo P2 Camp and you use the promo code “Quintessential” you will save 20% off of the regular price. That means your total registration will be $480. That’s even $69 cheaper than the “Early Bird” special!

So, even if you miss the Early Bird Special, you can get this discount, if you call to register and use the promo code “Quintessential”!

Hurry and register by phone. This offer may not last that long!!!!

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Call and use the promo code Quintessential

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To learn more about P2 Camp:
http://www.hdexpo.net/education/p2/index.html

It was officially announced at this last March’s HD Expo that HD Expo will no longer be called HD Expo. They are going with a new moniker, Createasphere.

Createasphere seemed to me more of a social networking site that HD Expo was a part of. I say that because after attending last year’s HD Expo in Burbank, I was invited to join the site and it was an industry related social networking site. But it turns out that they are going to do all of their business under the new name.

If you want to get a head spin, checkout the footer of one of the HD Expo website pages: “Copyright © 2009, HD Expo, LLC a division of All rights reserved. HD EXPO, High Def EXPO, Virtual HD EXPO, HD EXPO Workshops, Createasphere, High Def EXPO Workshops, VariCamp, P2 Camp, ColorCamp 101, and Lighting, Filters & Gels for HD are all trademarks of HD Expo, LLC.“ Now that’s a lot of names to mess with!

I attend a lot of events during the year, as any reader of my blog would attest to, and I do have to say that the HD Expo is one of my favorite ones. I even took a day off of work to attend it.

Because of my prolific tweeting, I caught the attention of one of the HD Expo people and they bumped my registration to VIP. That was a total surprise and highly appreciated.

Hey! If any Createasphere people want to send me to P2 Camp, I’m down for it!

The VIP pass, which is the way to go, in my opinion, let’s you attend all of the seminars during the expo and gives you access to the VIP/Press lounge, were you can cool your heels and grab a snack or drink. Nice perk for a long expo day. It turned out that the parking was completely validated too.

After a year of really getting active with groups and activities, I’ve started to see some of the same people. I ran into more people at this event than I ever have before. I think because this is a really popular event. In fact, at the first seminar of the day, Extreme RED, I ran into my friend Craig (of http://cmieritz.blogspot.com/) who I sat next to in Intro to Pro HD class, last summer.

Other noteable meetups were Mike Horton (LAFCPUG), Thomas (LAFCPUG and DMA/LA), Moy (who I met at the Digital Cinema Society L.A. Green Screen Event back in Dec.) a 16mm filmmaker and two friends from QLogic.

I feel like I know Ted Schilowitz (Leader of the Rebellion at RED Digital Cinema) and Rodney Charters (ASC who works on “24″) already, because I’ve seen so many presentations by them but alas, I’m just a fanboy.

[Funny incident last year: I was standing outside of the Apple Final Cut Server World Tour L.A. waiting for my car at vallet and so was Ted. At the time, I didn't know who he was exactly, even though I had been watching his videos on the Red.com site. I noticed a RED emblem on his bag and I said, "Hey! Are you with RED?"

"Yes."

"Oh cool!" I said, "I will get one, someday."

"Great."

Well, later it dawned on me who he was and I told my wife, "Hey, you remember that guy from RED? Well he's ...."

Okay, so maybe it wasn't so amusing....]

Well, both Ted and Rodney were part of the “EXTREME RED – Decking out the RED One for OUTRAGEOUS results” intensive workshop. Also there was Stefan von Bjorn, steadicam operator; Chris Burket from Element Technica and Cliff Hsui (Pronounced Sue-”E”), Senior VP of Marketing and Technologies, Sim Video.

Cliff showed off some of the accessories they have at their stores for the RED One.

Then Chris from Element Technica presented a TON of accessories, many of which were VERY cool. Definitely check them out if you want to outfit any camera.

Rodney Charters represented the slimmed down RED One user, all packed into a overhead compartment freindly photographer’s backpack by Think Tank (http://www.thinktankphoto.com). He demoed some footage he took in North Korea (which was hard to get) right off of his 17″ MBP.

His kit he took to North Korea:

Think Tank Bag
Cannon 5D MkII
Cannon Lenses
Some flimsy tripod but now replaced with a Manfrotto carbon fiber tripod
Microphone, shotgun.

He also was very hip to:
300 feet wireless HD transmitter an audio component by zaxcom (who make the deva) $1000
Lens baby (Butterfly and the diving bell fame) http://lensbaby.com/ ($250)
Boom recorder ($240 software that allows you to record up to 96 tracks on to your MBP)

VoyagerQ newertech:

http://www.newertech.com/products/voyagerq.php

Stefan von Bjorn: Developed a battery swap mechanism for the RED. Tentatively called “The Swap” (trying for $900 target price.) He has a website called http://redcameraowner.com

A two-minute Scarlet and Epic video (fan made), basically all of the earlier renders in a video.

RED One weighs about 10#
Scarlet s/b 3#
Epic s/b 4#

Ted says: Sensor program is moving along nicely… creation of these new products is moving along nicely… “The 5K sensor is up and running in the lab making pictures now.”

That’s about it for the Extreme Red portion of the show.

Homework places for RED workflow:
REDuser.com
Post houses:
Plaster City
Photo Kem(chem?)
Riot
Key Code Media
Sim Video

In NY: Off Hollywood

I then went to the VIP room and grabbed an apple and some water. Coffee was out and I guess there were sandwiches but they were gone. Wait, didn’t I say VIP was the way to go? WTG VIP!

I strode the showroom floor and gandered at at stuff. I was on a mission to find a backpack bag and a monopod, so I didn’t see too much, although there was a LOT there.