[Bob Bonniol]

Indeed David… Sometimes tracking down rights can be a pain, but a good rights clearinghouse (google audio rights clearance for a selection) can get it done, and it can be remarkably affordable.

Cheers,

BB

MODE Studios
http://www.modestudios.com
Contributing Editor, Entertainment Design Magazine
Art of the Edit Forum Leader
Live & Stage Event Forum Leader
HD Forum Leader

[Bob Bonniol]

Well, a ‘Jumbotron’ is an old school name for Sony’s giant screens… Strictly speaking, Jumbotrons don’t exist anymmore, although there are plenty of big LED screens you can rent… But thats a tangent.

You need a multi display processing system. Something like an Electrosonic Quantum, a Dataton Watchout, an AVStumpfl Wings Platinum setup, or the like. In the bay area you’ve got Creative Technology (they’re a really big company, they’ll probably have several options for rent), you probably have one of the general trade show AV players like AVHQ, and also Large Screen Video. LSV is a great choice for that sort of thing…

Good luck…

Bob Bonniol

MODE Studios
http://www.modestudios.com
Contributing Editor, Entertainment Design Magazine
Art of the Edit Forum Leader
Live & Stage Event Forum Leader
HD Forum Leader

[Bob Bonniol]

David,

Our filmmaker has admitted that the ‘accidental’ background track eventually affected the atmosphere and tone of the scene… In my understanding and application of SAP when it comes to this, the moment it went from incidental background to actual emotionallly connected soundtrack, our filmmaker entered the place where he should pay… You can respectfully disagree all you like, but in this era when the RIAA is regularly suing teenagers and the elderly for unauthorised presence of music on their computers, are you ready to put up the money for our filmmaker to defend himself in court ? I’m not saying it’s right, but the fact is that the recording industry has become belligerently litigious, and unless you are prepared to legally defend your rights in court, it’s better to err on the side of caution.

If you disagree with all of this in a philisophical sense, then I encourage you to make a donation to organizations like Creative Commons and the Electronic Frontier Foundation, which are both working to protect the rights of artists against the ‘industry’… This is what I do…

Best,

Bob Bonniol

MODE Studios
http://www.modestudios.com
Contributing Editor, Entertainment Design Magazine
Art of the Edit Forum Leader
Live & Stage Event Forum Leader
HD Forum Leader

[Bob Bonniol]

I’m guessing you want to do a live cut, possibly for display at the event ? Else why not just roll tape and eidt later…

With something like Arkaos or even Catalyst V4 Software Only, you MIGHT be able to pull off a content mix between two camaras, And it’s a big maybe… You could run a seperate firwire bus by using a Firewire PCMCIA card, and a camera plugged into your normal FW400 plug on the powerbook…

However, I just don’t see a powerbook having the bandwidth to deal with multiple inputs AND an output flying in real time… Not a big enough hose. With a G5 it’s not a problem… you can load up the PCI slots with any flavor input card you can imagine and fly it all at once… But a Powerbook… I think you’re asking alot of it.

Renting a simple matrix switch is not a big deal, maybe a $100 if you look around, and then you run the switched output into the PB… There’s no doubt you can do a single in and output on that powerbook… The key is to take the multi input load off it’s shoulders. Use the Matrix to switch upstream, and then record/output back through the Powerbook.

Good Luck
Bob Bonniol

MODE Studios
http://www.modestudios.com
Contributing Editor, Entertainment Design Magazine
Art of the Edit Forum Leader
Live & Stage Event Forum Leader
HD Forum Leader

[Bob Bonniol]

I’m really sorry to say this; great ideas are fantastic, and it sucks when you can’t move one forward, but here’s the deal: If you send it to the ad agency (who will have the power to promote and produce the idea) the best case you can really hope for is that you will be ripped off and can say to your pals “Hey that was my idea!”… The bottom line is that most agencies won’t even open your letter or look at your email… they do this to avoid liability in many cases. If you send it directly to the company, you will never hear a thing… Advertising is a game of politics between brand execs, agency hacks, directors, post production folks, etc. Generally the agency will generate an idea in repsonse to prompting from the brand… they will create the ad or the campaign usually with one of several directors in mind (somebody they know and like, or somebody who just made the hot ad or music video); they will then post it at one of their favorite shops. It is SO hard to break into this game at the major level… pretty much as hard as playing baseball well enough to make it in Major League Baseball.

What do you want to do ? Do you want to direct spots ? You might want to consider sending your spec to agencies that represent directors instead. They are the level that ‘might’ be looking for a sharp new idea freak. Are you an editor who wants to work on National spots ? Then follow the ad trade rags (Boards Magazine, AdWeek) and pepper the post houses you see mentioned with reels and resumes. If your a more ‘macro’ idea guy, you might want to think about poking around the as agencies that are local to you and seeing if you can score a gig as a graphics guy or copywriter…

Best of luck,

MODE Studios
http://www.modestudios.com
Contributing Editor, Entertainment Design Magazine
Art of the Edit Forum Leader
Live & Stage Event Forum Leader
HD Forum Leader

[Bob Bonniol]

I think that Dataton does make watchout for the Mac…

MODE Studios
http://www.modestudios.com
Contributing Editor, Entertainment Design Magazine
Art of the Edit Forum Leader
Live & Stage Event Forum Leader
HD Forum Leader

[Bob Bonniol]

It sounds like you should maybe look at some of the good VJ applications, which are made to do exactly as you describe, yet be accessible to an affordable level of economy.

One of the best is Arkaos (www.arkaos.net)

Also, check through the program and hardware listings on http://www.vjcentral.com

I really think this is the place you need to look…

Best,

Bob Bonniol

MODE Studios
http://www.modestudios.com
Contributing Editor, Entertainment Design Magazine
Art of the Edit Forum Leader
Live & Stage Event Forum Leader
HD Forum Leader

[Bob Bonniol]

Check the following:

http://www.dataton.com (product: Watchout)
http://www.avstumpfl.com (product: Wings Platinum)
http://www.greenhippo.com (product: Hippotizer)
http://www.highend.com (product: Catalyst)

Good luck,
Bob Bonniol

MODE Studios
http://www.modestudios.com
Contributing Editor, Entertainment Design Magazine
Art of the Edit Forum Leader
Live & Stage Event Forum Leader
HD Forum Leader

[Bob Bonniol]

Alright, I have two perspectives on this: Live drama is ephemeral. It is magic because it only exists in that moment when it happens. This is part of the root of what theatre is. So seeing it on film almost always dissapoints, detracts even from the more real, and magical ‘memory’ of it. In other words I think don’t give out the film anyway.

Second, you have to consider that you share this liability with the school. If a copy were to get to, or news of the filming, to the rights holding organization (likely even several of these: often the performance rights, literary rights, and a clearinghouse are involved), then you are liable, and so is the school, because they allowed you to do it. IF something were to happen, you could effectively cause the bankruptcy of the school. These rights holding organizations live to litigate. Many make far more income from litigating unauthorized use, than they do from actual licensing ! So make no mistake: ‘they’ are watching, and you’d be stunned at where ‘they’ turn up.

Third, is it proper to encourage the kids in the thought that it’s ok to steal ‘a little bit’ ? I don’t know… Maybe it is… The issue is certainly complex when it comes to protecting copyrights. Abuses on both sides of the fence, good on others. Hmmm.

Just food for thought…

Bob

MODE Studios
http://www.modestudios.com
Contributing Editor, Entertainment Design Magazine
Art of the Edit Forum Leader
Live & Stage Event Forum Leader
HD Forum Leader

[Bob Bonniol]

Hello. Do you have a question ? We’re always lurking… just very busy.

MODE Studios
http://www.modestudios.com
Contributing Editor, Entertainment Design Magazine
Art of the Edit Forum Leader
Live & Stage Event Forum Leader
HD Forum Leader