Check out this video we found of a demo on the Making Of site. It’s an editing system called “Tamper” being created by Oblong Industries, a software company that’s looking into the future with a technology called G-speak.  John Underkoffler, the creator, gave a demo of this amazing system at this year’s Sundance Festival.

The editing system’s design consists of human interaction by way of hand gestures, wearing special gloves. The user waves, flaps, grabs or spins the media being manipulated until the desired look is achieved.   Read the rest of this entry »

Reprinted from a Boris FX press release

Boris FX has announced the release of Boris Continuum Complete 6 which includes 15 New Filters, New 3D Objects, Exchange Keyframe Animation with Adobe After Effects. BCC 6 AVX is based on Avid’s AVX 2 plug-in architecture with support for Avid Media Composer, Avid NewsCutter and Avid Symphony. A special AVX 1 version of BCC 6 AVX for Avid DS will be released in the near future.

BCC 6 AVX adds nearly 200 plug-in filters to Avid editing and finishing systems. The new release features 15 new effects including Extruded Text, Extruded EPS, Layer Deformer, Cartoon Look, Lightning, and Swish Pan. In addition, BCC 6 AVX delivers unique workflow enhancements such as the ability to animate BCC filters in Adobe After Effects and transfer the animation to the Avid timeline - while preserving After Effects keyframes. Read the rest of this entry »

Non-Linear Editing applications have become very mature at this stage. So much so, that I think we need to stop calling them Non-Linear Editors. When was the last time you edited a project linearly? It seems odd to define a software category as the opposite of something that no one is doing anymore anyway. It’s like saying horseless-carriage instead of car. How about just “Editing Software?” I know it doesn’t sound nearly as cool as “Word Processor”, or “Database Application”, but it’s descriptive.

In the same vein, does it make sense to base editing software on the film paradigm anymore? Do we really need bins, clips, and razors when most new people coming into editing have never even touched film before? In today’s environment, where the whole process is digital, and we’ve even stopped using tape, what need is there for “footage?”

As more and more people are drawn into the world of video production, whether just for fun, or as part of their business, visual literacy is becoming just as important as written literacy. And as these people learn editing, maybe it’s time to abandon the whole film based timeline paradigm for editing software, in terms of something different.

There are a few companies making some dramatic departures from the timeline. Take a look at this clip from the newest version of Apple’s iMovie 09 and you can see how the traditional 3 point editing structure is being replaced by drag and drop. The fact that the kid who made this tutorial is probably about 12 years old, shows just how ubiquitous video production is going to be as this YouTube generation grows up.

Another interesting editing paradigm can be found in LoiLo’s Loiloscope software, which takes full advantage of the graphics card, not just to render the final video, but in the editing interface itself.

I can see a lot of useful tools and interesting workflows, will “film-based” editing be relegated to pros only, or will we all be moving to a “drag and drop” future?

Reprinted from a Sony press release

The new Vegas Pro 9 collection is here and ready to revolutionize the video and broadcast production world. Vegas Pro 9 software features a new customizable interface for optimized viewing and enhanced usability, as well as significant improvements for professional video editors.

New Vegas Pro 9 features include:
• New user interface for optimized color viewing and enhanced usability
• Native XDCAM EX reading and import
• Open and edit RED ONE™ files on the timeline
• 4K project support, up to 4096 x 4096
• New Gradient Wipe transition
• New Glint, Rays, Defocus, Starburst, Soft Contrast and Fill Light video effects
• Support for Gigapixel-size images
• Includes native 32- and 64-bit versions of Vegas Pro 9 software

Order yours today to take advantage of our limited-time upgrade special.

Upgrade any previous version of Vegas Pro software and you’ll save $50 and get your choice free:

NewBlue Sampler Pack of 10
The Sony Sound Effects Series
Sound Forge Audio Studio

Upgrade from $184.95 through June 30, 2009

According to a recent Nielsen poll, more Americans than ever are plopping down in front of the TV for their entertainment.

Variety Magazine, a publication that watches the film industry, TV programming and trends, reports the poll found that the average viewer is spending more time watching programming on a traditional television, and less time watching on mobile devices and the internet.

The report goes on to state, “The average American older than 2 years watched television for 151 hours per month,” which reports to be up from 146 hours of viewing last year at the same time.

Perhaps in these economic times, people are going out less, and looking for home entertainment more. Additionally, some people speculate that books, magazines and television viewing won’t be replaced by computer or the internet because of ergonomics: viewers of television or readers of books and magazines tend to lean back and relax, often in an easy-chair, perhaps with their feet kicked up, whereas being on a computer tends to make the users lean forward in a less-than-comfortable state with feet on the floor, and blood running down the legs.

But we’re video producers, so now seems to be a good time for us to get editing, so we can provide all those viewers with something entertaining to watch!

Matt York’s Viewfinder column in the May issue, Making video in an Economic Downturn talks about this very subject. Now is a good time for video producers to hone their skills, finesse their craft, and start following their passion of creating video. Who knows where the economy might take you?

A British taxi dispatcher is getting a lot of attention at the international Cannes Festival in France this week with his amazingly low-budget movie about zombies, of all subjects. How low budget? Try $70. Director Marc Price begged and borrowed most of the gear to make his movie, “Colin”. He pleaded with friends to appear for free, and taught himself special effect editing in his spare time while working nights at the taxi company. So don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t make it with low-budget equipment… if a story engages an audience, it doesn’t matter how it was made or how much it cost. Take THAT over-paid Hollywood moguls! The people have spoken.

As for the rest of you, maybe this story will inspire you to use this three-day Memorial Weekend for something creative… who knows, maybe next year we’ll see YOU at Cannes.