We told you about the contest back in
December, and the folks over at the Firefox Flicks Ad Contest
have finally gone ahead and begun to add submissions to the site for voting. The contest, put on by the people behind
the Firefox browser is looking to find the best 30-second ad to help promote the ever expanding application. So far
over 150 ads have been submitted, though at this time only 3 are available for viewing on the site, but more will be
added every few days. If you are looking to get in on the action, the contest will be accepting submissions thru
Friday, so you better drop what your doing and get right to work.
For all you DIY's out there always looking for a cheap
solution to some of the more expensive pieces in the production process, here is a new guide for building your own
microphone windscreen. Among other things the parts list consists of such items as fake fur and a bicycle handle bar
grip. The windscreen also makes use of PVC to form the ridged interior frame and is capable of mounting most shotgun
style mics. The site has a test video with a bare microphone and the DIY windscreen and there is definitely a reduction
in wind noise with the windscreen on. It may not be the most professional looking thing but if you're on a tight budget
it may just get the job done.
In a move that will be good news to anyone who has been looking for a more affordable HD camcorder option, Sony
has announced that they will be
cutting the price of the upcoming HDR-HC3 camcorder. The camcorder's retail price will be cut by $200 from $1,700 to
$1,500. The move will make the HDR-HC3 the lowest priced full function 1080i HDV camcorder when it becomes available
sometime in April.
Focus Enhancements has released their latest FireStore hard drive video recorder,
the DR-HD100. As the name implies that new DR-HD100
is only compatible with the JVC HD-100, which is JVC's
flagship 720P HDV camcorder. The DR-HD100 is similar in size to previous FireStore recorders and supports formats
including QuickTime, RawDV and AVI for direct transfer to your PC or Mac. The device comes in both 40 and 80 gig
versions with the largest capable of storing close to 8 hours of 720P footage. If you happen to be the lucky owner of a
JVC HD-100 and are looking to go tape-less, the HD100 is available now for $1,495 and $1,895.
The
folks over at MIT's Media Lab have done it again, their latest
creation turns a simple paint brush into a powerful multimedia device. With the help of a small video camera and
other sensors embedded in the brush, the device is able to record textures, colors and movements, which can then be
painted onto a "canvas" which is actually a large touch screen monitor. The brush's unique capabilities make
for some interesting and unique looking artwork. To get a better understating of just how the brush works and to see
its full capabilities be sure to check out the demonstration video at the bottom of the page. Definitely some cool and
innovative stuff.
Showreel Magazine has published the second part of their ongoing series of tests about the
role of HDV and HD camcorders on the set of 24. During the first part of the tests which took place back in January the
DP's from the show tested both the Sony Z1 and JVC HD100. In part two of the tests the Panasonic HVX200 and Canon XL H1
were added to the mix. The new test had similar results to the original, with no camera being the clear winner, though
both DP's like the JVC HD100. The test also took a look at a number of the leading cine-adapters which are used to give
the cameras a shallower depth of field similar to a 35mm film camera. The entire article is extremely comprehensive and
provides a clear look at the leading HDV and HD 1/3" cameras currently on the market.
In case you missed Isaac's comment
on Adam's recent post
about Red Giants new Instant HD software, he has put together some real world
tests of the new plug-in. Isaac picked up a demo copy of the software and put it though the paces with a few quick
tests. The page has side by side comparisons of the up-converted footage compared with the original source footage and
re-sized grabs from After Effects. The new plug-in looks like it has serious potential and performed well with high
contrast edges though had noticeable loss of resolution in areas of low detail. The Instant HD software runs $99 and
you can pick up the free demo and do some tests of your own before purchase.
Nothing too new with this tutorial from Macworld just a solid step by step
guide to creating your own video podcast on a Mac. The guide covers editing your video using iMovie HD and gives some
helpful tips on compressing your vodcast for iPod compatibility. The rest of the guide covers publishing and getting
your work seen by the public which is really what video podcasting is all about. Definitely one of the better tutorials
around and is certainly relevant for all the Mac, as well as PC users who are looking to expand your video poscast's
audience or launch a new one.
Its almost that time for the annual NAB conference in Las Vegas, and the Final Cut Pro User Group has announced they
will be holding their fifth annual super meet on April 26th in Vegas. The meet will bring together Final Cut Pro user
groups from all over the country and is open to everyone though tickets are $15. The event will be held at the Rio
Hotel and Casino right down the street from the convention center and doors will open at 6:30PM. A number of
specialized vendors will be at the event along with some of the top pros in the industry, so if you are heading to
Vegas for NAB 2006 be sure and pick up your ticket now.
2-pop has an interesting article on all the HD tech that goes into producing the
original look of the NBC series The Office. To give the show its
distinctive mocumentary look the show is shot on a Sony F900 giving the production the freedom of tape and also helping
to keep an all digital work flow. The show is edited on a pair of Mac based Avids which can hold up to six episodes
worth of footage. Also look for show to be releasing web only content which may scale down the production and make use
of Mini DV camera content for the smaller sized features.
Studio Monthly has put together a huge list of tips and tricks straight
from some of the industries top pros for getting the most out of your new HD camcorder. The list has a number of
specific tips for both HD production and post production. The tips range from simple suggestions to tricks for getting
the best performance out of certain cameras. Many of the problems that newcomers to HD may face are covered and to
anyone working in or thinking about making the move to HD, I would highly suggest you take a look.
Well
it looks like the first flash based HD camcorder may not be so Hi-def after all, this according to Akihabara News who recently put the camera through its paces. The
review found both the camera's Hi-def and standard definition video looked awful to say the least and though the camera
is capable of shooting in HD at 720P the footage looked more like blown up SD video. The good news though is that they
really liked the camera's design and functionality along with its impressive still photo capabilities. Though the
quality of video from the new camera is disappointing, hopefully it is just a case of new technology glitches and we
will see an update to the HD1 with an overhauled video system in the near future.
Boris FX has released the public beta for Blue their upcoming motion graphics and 3D compositing software. The
new software is aimed at the professional market with a price tag of just under 2 grand. Some of the key features of
the application include a 3D particle emitter, custom 3D text and real-time playback. The public beta is available as a
free download until April 1st, though be sure to check out the system requirements before the download because if you
are not running a system with a processor around the 3 Ghz mark or a NVIDIA graphics card you will be out of luck.
Over at Apple.com you can
checkout a new on-line seminar which focuses on shooting and editing in the field. The seminar is free, all you need to
do is sign up and from there you can go through and watch the various movie clips. The seminar covers a number of topics
including,
What mobile digital video editing means for videographers.
The how-to's of mobile field editing on the Mac using Final Cut Pro.
How technology is
changing the future of broadcasting and journalism.
With the users manual leaked onto the Internet earlier this month, it was only a matter of time before Sony
made it official and announced their new HDV camcorder the HDR-HC3. The new camera is slightly smaller then the HDR-HC1, which it is set to replace and will record full 1080i HDV
footage. The HDR-HC3 will get a bump up to four megapixels for its still image capabilities, though it will have a
lower total pixel count and will lose the manual focus ring found on the HDR-HC1. The addition of a HDMI output on the
camera should be a nice feature for connecting the camera directly to your HDTV for viewing all your new home movies in
all of their HD goodness. The camera is set to launch in April with a MSRP of $1700.
We told you about the contest back in
December, and the folks over at the Firefox Flicks Ad Contest
have finally gone ahead and begun to add submissions to the site for voting. The contest, put on by the people behind
the Firefox browser is looking to find the best 30-second ad to help promote the ever expanding application. So far
over 150 ads have been submitted, though at this time only 3 are available for viewing on the site, but more will be
added every few days. If you are looking to get in on the action, the contest will be accepting submissions thru
Friday, so you better drop what your doing and get right to work.
For all you DIY's out there always looking for a 
The
folks over at MIT's Media Lab have done it again, their 
In case you missed Isaac's comment
on Adam's 
Nothing too new with this tutorial from 
Its almost that time for the annual NAB conference in Las Vegas, and the Final Cut Pro User Group has announced they
will be holding their fifth annual super meet on April 26th in Vegas. The meet will bring together Final Cut Pro user
groups from all over the country and is open to everyone though tickets are $15. The event will be held at the Rio
Hotel and Casino right down the street from the convention center and doors will open at 6:30PM. A number of
specialized vendors will be at the event along with some of the top pros in the industry, so if you are heading to
Vegas for NAB 2006 be sure and pick up your ticket now.
Well
it looks like the first flash based HD camcorder may not be so Hi-def after all, this according to 
Over at 
