Technology

To some, it’s one of those terms that we hear bandied about, like some magical ingredient that might be just the thing needed for a film, like a drop of catalyst that makes the whole cloudy solution become clear. Sound design is one of those terms that came into heavy use in the go-go ‘80s, when the title of sound designer was something a lot of sound editors and mixers started applying to their job descriptions in an effort to seem more creative and cutting edge than the shop down the street. But what is it, really?

When Steven Soderbergh turns to you in the edit suite and says, "It looks too good. Make it more like video," you know you're using a pretty superior video editing system. That's just what Soderbergh's "Full Frontal" collaborator Evan Schechtman, of Outpost Digital NYC, heard after using Pinnacle Systems' CineWave video output card in conjunction with Final Cut Pro 3.
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Where else could you talk about "the process" of making your film, include footage that you cut out of the full-length picture, and leave people still wanting more? All hail the DVD. It's not just about the picture quality making you cry when you look at your VHS copy. It's about viewers demanding extras alongside the film itself. You could hire an outside source to create and package your DVD, or you might even be considering recording DVDs on your own PC. But buyers beware. As exciting as this entire DVD buzz is, it should be read more...

You've assembled piles of Post-Its, Tootsie Roll wrappers and paper napkins full of notes for a script and you are struck this very minute by the muse. Perhaps it’s time to get organized. Some screenplay-formatting software may be just the thing to help get you on track.
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When you buy a car, you hunt around to find a ride that fits you. The seat has to be comfortable, the controls need to be at easy reach, and you'd like to get through your drive without losing parts along the Mass. Pike. So it is with the purchase of a digital video camera. For as many opinions and consumer reports as there are, most people agree on a few cameras that will get you to your destination. But you're the only person who can decide which of them suits you best. This means The Best Camera may not be as important as The Best Camera For You.
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Who knew the Big Dig was handing out raffle tickets? Well, if you're one of the several hundred people showing up at MIT for in-depth discussions of digital filmmaking, editing, and Final Cut Pro, you already have tickets in hand. This particular Big Dig is actually the nickname given to the monthly drawing of software, hard drives, and other electronic goodies raffled off at the new and vastly popular Final Cut Pro users group in Boston (BOSFCPUG, or "Bossy Pug" as organizers have affectionately dubbed it).

If you’re trying to create the look of film with digital video, setting the proper light levels is critical to creating the balance of light, shadow, and contrast that film provides. The DV cinematographer benefits from following film lighting techniques and using a light meter to measure the quality of light being recorded.

If there’s one area where technology can give the artist’s imagination a place to run wild, it's in animated titles. It’s a place where for years the tools of the trade have trailed artistic vision.

Where an artist could envision objects turning into letters, or computer screens fluttering with binary code that morphs into title cards, actually doing this was a pain in the Athlon. Until India Pro from Prismo Graphics.

With a title such as "Boy George Michael Jackson Browne," it’s not surprising that filmmaker Memo Salazar’s most recent cinematic creation is a unique and enterprising venture. And, while the technical and creative merits of the feature are certain, what is truly distinctive about this feature is how and where it will be shown.

Have you ever wondered how TV networks almost immediately have really slick graphics identifying major news and sports stories? "America At War," "Focus on Your Money," "Storm Watch," etc. Creating these from scratch can be a lot of work -- and expense. So they often start with an animated background and simply add text and music. Boom. Done.

Is it really that easy?

Adobe After Effects 5 (AE5) is perhaps the world’s leading motion graphics application. It’s incredibly powerful and is used daily in feature film, television, commercial and corporate projects. But it’s also a bear to learn the intricacies of how to manipulate and composite motion graphics effectively.

Enter the training tapes. Hours upon hours of hands-on tutorials and instruction that delve into the depths of After Effects and help users create their great artistic feats.

Shooting video, and digital video in particular, with auto-exposure turned "on," often results in little slivers of shadow in a shot causing overexposure of the brightest parts of the shot into blinding white. Now you shouldn’t be shooting with auto-exposure turned on anyway... and you know that. But even with controlled exposure, you must ensure that the parts of a shot you want to look evenly lighted are, in fact, evenly lit.