Media Matters

SD cards aren't what they used to be

Michael Guncheon

In my last post, I wrote about taking a newly introduced SD card on a test drive. I talked all about speed, quality and construction but quickly skipped over the various acronyms and classifications listed on the card. I didn’t include all of that because I wanted to get to the meat of the matter. But I’m a curious sort. When I see things like... Read more

Go V90 Go!

Taking the ProGrade Digital SDXC V90 card for a test drive

Michael Guncheon

Since my work usually starts once the shooting stops, I’m not the typical person to review memory cards. But as turnaround times on various projects get shorter and shorter, and as I venture out into the field for on-set rough cuts or in-the-field finishing, I’ve come to appreciate that the speed of data transfer from camera cards can be important.... Read more

Is It Safe? Part 2

Don’t flat displays fix the problem? It’s still complicated.

Michael Guncheon

Last time, I discussed what title safe is and why it was originally needed. Inevitably, I’m asked if it’s still applicable. After all, we aren’t using CRTs anymore and with digital, there’s more control over how images are displayed on screen. Last post, I said the answer to that was “Yes” and “No.” Let me first address the “No.” It’s... Read more

Practicing Your Craft In Unexpected Ways

Do you shoot the same thing over and over or try new subjects?

Dan Brockett

Recently, I’ve been shooting a documentary film that involves a type of boat racing. A good portion of my shooting time over the past few months has involved shooting boats racing from a small, unstable, high-speed boat. The routine has been the same—get to a race, unload gear, make contact with our race crews, shoot b-roll of the boat and racer... Read more

Is It Safe? Part 1

What about Title Safe? It’s complicated.

Michael Guncheon

Throughout my career as an editor, I have been asked, “Is it safe?” Though not as painful as a certain scene in Marathon Man, the question in this day and age is less easily answered. By “safe” people mean “Is it Title Safe?” What is Title Safe? It’s an area of a video frame that should be visible to the viewer on most television displays—without... Read more

IGTV—Love It Or Hate It, Vertical Video Is Here To Stay!

Instagram TV or IGTV is the latest new feature from social juggernaut Instagram (i.e. Facebook), featuring long form vertical video for the modern age

PhotoJoseph

Admit it, you’ve done it. We all have. We’re all guilty of a) shooting vertical video, and b) complaining loudly about people who shoot vertical video—and probably c), yelling “get off my lawn!” Well, Instagram has something to say on the matter, and that is… VERTICAL IS VALID. Instead of asking their users to *groan* rotate that phone 90˚,... Read more

Waiting For Export

Changing sequence settings in Adobe Premiere Pro can help in the long run—and make it short

Michael Guncheon

We’re working in Adobe Premier Pro. Our cut is done and we need to upload a ProRes file and a couple of other formats. The sequence is selected. We’ve made all the right settings in the export tab (we hope). We click “Export.” “We wait. We’re bored. No don’t protest, we’re bored to death, there’s no denying it.” (My apologies... Read more

Overview Of LumaFusion iOS Video Editor

LumaFusion is a full featured NLE (non linear editor) for iOS — it’s like having Premier or Final Cut Pro X on your iPad or iPhone!

PhotoJoseph

LumaFusion is a surprisingly full-featured NLE for iOS, capable of multi-track video and audio editing, color grading, text and transitions, image effects and a whole lot more! Would you believe it’ll handle 4K60p V-Log footage on an iPad? True story! This week, I kicked off a new Live Training series (an extension of PhotoJoseph’s Photo Moments)... Read more

Full Format Mania

Do we NEED Full Format digital cinema cameras?

Dan Brockett

Full Format digital cinema cameras are here. They’re here now and will be arriving in metered doses for the foreseeable future. RED Monstro VV. Panavision DXL and DXL 2. Sony Venice. Canon C700 FF. Arri Alexa LF. The past year or so has seen enough new full format cameras arrive in the market to make your head spin. I recently returned from CineGear... Read more

When Software Gets In The Way, Part 2

Removing auto LUT application in Premiere Pro

Michael Guncheon

Previously, I talked about how Adobe Premiere Pro “helps” by automatically applying a LUT when you bring in files. The LUT is applied via a Lumetri to each clip and is accessed via the Master tab in the Effects Controls for the clip. The LUT is easy to remove: Double-click on a clip to load it into the source window, then go to the Master tab and... Read more

How To Shoot A Multicam Live Event (With Checklist)

Shooting a multicam live event on your own can be a stressful, complicated task. Follow these guidelines to ensure you don’t miss a thing

PhotoJoseph

Shooting multicam video of a live event is easy when you have a crew—less so when you’re shooting solo. These tips and complete checklist will help you deliver the best possible project the next time you need to shoot a live event, from the school play to a corporate presentation. Tips include preparing your hardware and your packing list, what... Read more

When Software Gets In The Way, Part 1

Dealing with auto LUT application in Premiere Pro

Michael Guncheon

In my last blog post, I talked about using Adobe Premiere Pro’s Media Browser to import folder-based media like RED media. I extolled the virtues of bringing in the media and automatically getting access to the RMD files to adjust clips with the native controls that RED offers. In that example, automation can be a great help. But sometimes it can... Read more