Different Aspects

One size fits all? Only by being average.

Michael Guncheon

As editing software companies add tools to accommodate the plethora of aspect ratios editors are faced with these days, I can’t help but wonder about the results. Social media platforms have a dizzying array of ratios. And we’ve all probably seen the results when one aspect ratio is crammed into another. I understand why the tools are being created.... Read more

Run Through The Tape

Paying attention all the way through the end of a project is critical to success

Michael Guncheon

I recently wrote about some of the challenges in the finishing process given how many of us work remotely now. While processes may have changed, I still keep in mind a quote I heard that’s used in track and field: “Run through the tape!” You might have seen videos showing a lead runner slowing down near the end of the race because they think... Read more

Staying Afloat And Pivoting In 2020

2020 has been a very challenging year for those of us in production

Daniel Brockett

I’ve managed to stay afloat in 2020 by shooting and livestreaming a variety of new types of work that I’ve never produced. This is a still from a live stream for WE Spark, A Children’s Cancer Charity hosted by comic Alonzo Bodden. When you hear the phrase “Staying afloat,” what does that mean to you from a business perspective? As we all know... Read more

Using Texture In Your Backgrounds

Are you on the lookout for interesting texture to build into your backgrounds? For some of you, this will be Read more…

Daniel Brockett

Are you on the lookout for interesting texture to build into your backgrounds? For some of you, this will be old news. For others though, the thought of using texture in your backgrounds is a new one. Let’s talk about the challenges introduced by creating interesting backgrounds for your interviews and narrative scenes—really any kind of scene.... Read more

Finishing Challenges, Part 3

Steps to take after footage files are trimmed and exported

Michael Guncheon

In my last post, I talked about my process for exporting trimmed clips to send to color that’s handled elsewhere. I explained the need for trimmed files because of challenges with file sizes. Once I get the footage files trimmed and exported, there are a few more steps I take. Because I like to make sure that everything is going to work when the... Read more

Finishing Challenges, Part 2

With file sizes getting bigger and bigger, sending trimmed files is becoming essential

Michael Guncheon

Last time I talked about today’s challenges when sending footage for grading. While drives can still be shipped, more and more projects require me to send files electronically. Because files are getting bigger and bigger, sending full-length clips isn’t practical. Sending trimmed files is becoming essential. When you work with trimmed files, it’s... Read more

Finishing Challenges, Part 1

Using trimmed footage for grading

Michael Guncheon

These days, I’ve worked with remote colorists to get projects finished. For various reasons, the workflow has gotten a little more complicated. In the past, it was easy to send a drive with footage to a colorist via messenger or courier. I’d send either the selected original footage clips with an XML or all the footage and let the XML parse... Read more

Web Calls

My big surprise with live streaming

Michael Guncheon

I recently wrote about using live streaming to edit remotely. I talked all about setting up the process, testing what worked and didn’t work. But there’s one thing that I didn’t mention, and that was the politics of the web call. Since I had been doing low-latency live streaming for clients, I was asked to help out in a production where they... Read more

Changes, Part 5

Achieving a smooth, high-quality edit viewing experience for clients

Michael Guncheon

While wrapping up my posts on editing in the current environment, I wanted to talk about what the experience has been on the client-side. I previously mentioned that I stream the output from my suite to the clients with very minimal delay from my room to the client’s screen. The client “attends” in a web call, but their focus is on my suite’s... Read more

Changes, Part 4

Interacting with clients during the edit process

Michael Guncheon

These days, in-person supervised edit sessions are few and far between. While I do a fair amount of edit and post, edit and post, there are times when clients need to interact live during the edit process. I previously wrote about setting up low latency (minimal delay) streaming to clients’ locations for edit sessions. I talked about getting the right... Read more