[Bob Bonniol]

Akinonyx,

There is nothing inherently wrong with what you are doing. But there is one tool I know of that could fix this problem immediately. Automatic Duck. I use it constantly, and it’s a real winner. Automatic Duck allows you to bring FCP, Avid, and (I think) Premiere Pro project files into After Effects and open them as compositions. Then you apply your compositing stuff and render. You’ve now skipped that drive space killing intermediary render.

FCP can also move projects seemlessly back and forth with Motion, all though Motion can be a little light weight on some of the serious stuff you might be doing in AE. Total props to Motion, use it, love it, but I always end up in AE for serious matte work, tracking, specific effects application, etc.

Go check out www,automaticduck.com Wes Plate is the main dude there, and he rocks.

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]

Here’s the key, in my eyes:

(and all the other advice is fine as well).

Your camera has to get closer, and it should move. Of course there’s only you working on this… But the theory of quality in = quality out applies. Whenever you are operating, get it off the sticks, even just up on the shoulder, or holding steady. Just removing the stability of the sticks, and with you trying to keep it steady, the footage is immediately going to be more dynamic, (and I’m not talking radical…) just a free float, multiple takes from just slightly different angles for cutting between, getting in past the MS waist to head + room and moving in on your subject.

As others have said, a unified design is critical, but that’s not all happening on your NLE and in camera, it’s also happening in the writing. Sequencing, pacing, rhythm, finding a zinger, mixing in interview footage in ‘interest stories’ breaking up the flow..

Build up insert stock when you aren’t busy with the rest. The military, and your stories, are packed with cool technology, radical looking elements, and genuine human interest and courage. Rope your buddies into letting you film little close up cut sweep aways, of them in uniform, get out on your post and find the wicked little details, a tank tread rolling, a shizzle piece of armament, little human details, hands coming out of uniform cuffs, details of service decorations, the visual texture that makes the army the army. Go find it, shoot it in macro focus 5 second cut aways, and build a library of topical awesome, textural stock. This is going to be a huge go to tool for you.

Macro focus is a goto tool in music video and compelling contemporary graphics.

You say your tone deaf, but it is apparent you have rhythm. I’d pick the pace up about 10 to 15%, and personally, I’d get away from using lots of wipes and keep it mainly cuts, particularly when you are doing the internal edit of a segment, reserve the cool signature wipes for going from big piece to big piece.

Good luck, keep it up…

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]

Install XP Pro. The media center edition of XP is not appropriate for running professional media manipulation software. Many of the system controls and preference settings, things you will want to get at, are safely ‘locked away’ from view. A result of ‘dumbing down’ the system experience. While these attributes and controls can be revealed, the extra structure within the Media Center Edition is optimized for playback of compressed, copy protected, downloadable media. Media Center Edition is a lowest common denominator version meant for the trouble free living room, not the technically challenging edit suite…

You may be able to limp along with Media Edition, but if you have system related problems, it’s going to be hard getting help. Most users of media editing and compositing software just go with Pro system saftware by default. It’s a ‘known’ factor. Why re-invent the wheel ?

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]

Regarding seems, the thing is, we had a wide variety of smaller projection surfaces, as opposed to one full stage stretch. We did have one screen that was at least 21′ across, and it had no visible seem. Stewart is right about not seeing it though. We had a 50′ by 80′ Stewart black RP for an opera once, and it had absolutely no visible seems. It was gorgeous.

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]

Thomas,

We just used the Gerrets Opera Creamy White for a blended raster on Frobisher, an opera we designed in Calgary in January. We were using blended Christie S9 DLP projectors. We were also front projecting with another S9 using a Catalyst Orbital Head. The screen material performed well. We were pleased. We’ve been habitual users of Stewart for a while.

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]

Have used the Hippotizer HD media servers, and the Doremi Labs V1HD deck for playback in live televiseed before Andy.

What do you need to know Andy ?

The Doremi works great with serial machine control, it does well with switchers and show control. The Hippo HD works best with DMX protocol (thus control via the lighting desk), and is in general WAY more flexible and powerful than the Doremi. We’ve seen a big swing to Media Server playback over deck based (hard drive or magnetic) in the last two years.

Let me know what your questions are…

Cheers buddy,
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]

It’s hard to say how history will view all of this. One thing is for sure: The end consumer decides what is acceptable quality, not all of us videophiles. As the end user delves into the use of online, downloadable files (that look terrible quality wise), as they use consumer level devices (their phones) as their principle recording device, they reveal that they don’t subjectively care about the issues with the medium that drive us bananas. We can whine all we want folks, but they make the call. Look how far down the pike audio quality has gone, with nary a murmur from the market.

As technology progresses, and quality becomes simple to achieve, it will leak back in. But don’t believe for a minute that consumers will drive any kind of broadcast quality standard. In fact I’d brace yourself for that quality to diminish further before it gets better. And as far as networks or producers enforcing it… Forget about it. Let’s get real. What’s the one thing WE all know about producers and providers ? What they REALLY care about is $$, and if they can get away with filming ‘professional’ gigs with phones, they will.

My .02

Cheers,
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]

IMHO we have to keep the ART in it… Art of the Edit is absolutely my favorite forum. My concern (voiced by some others I think) is that we don’t want to shortchange the Discreet Edit guys in terms of having a place for nitty gritty technique and functionality discussions; and I am hesitant to have the wonderfully broad AOTE forum suddenly be… Whats the good word ? De-Focussed by bringing specific app issues into the picture. Part of what makes it great in this particular pasture is that we disregard specific app issues entirely (most of the time) and focus on the art, the philosophy, the power of image, etc…

Just my .02 Ron. You’re the big bull round the yard. so I’ll go with your lead… But I think AOTE is something special here. SO I worry about rattling it up.

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]

Well, if we look to platforms like iQ and Smoke, we already see systems that make serious use of gestural editing via tablets… I’m thinking that Minority Report style interfaces have some issues… Repetitive motion injuries being one. We have to make the jump beyond our entrenched thought that we have to use our hands with our eyes to initiate actions. What about neural interfaces and controls ? This might seem far fetched, but the fact is that there already exists technologies that are using it.

I’m reading a fabulous book (mentioned in other places in the pasture) called Droidmaker. It’s about the fantastic technological/brainpower push that surrounded Lucas and Coppola as they tried to push editorial and effects tools into the digital realm. While things may not be perfect now, they are a whole lot more accessible than what they were.

As always, I can’t wait to see what’s next…

Cheers,

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]

At the lower end is the Imagestar and Vector solutions. Both are flexible and fairly cost effective. For HD use they have the Quantum. Although not specifically for video walls, the Vista Spyder can do a handy job of handling video wall output, and I think it will also work in HD resolutions. BARCO’s Encore system will also do it, but that’s just crazy overkill.

Cheers,

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