[Jeff Carpenter]

WAVs and AIFs are essentially the same thing, just in different wrappers.

They were originally written to take advantage of the different processor types (Intel vs. Macs) but both use PCM compression so it was something to make life easier for the computer. The sound comes out the same.

But the days where that mattered are long gone and both formats work equally well on either type of chip now.

The bottom line is, if the program can work with either kind (as Final Cut does) it really makes no difference which one you use.

[Jeff Carpenter]

The only “viruses” out there for Macs are actually just programs that you run, give your password to, and then watch as they do bad things.

In other words, there’s nothing you need protecting from as long as you only instal programs that you trust! (Finding reviews of programs so you know they’re real and only downloading them from their ‘official’ site is your best bet.)

There IS anti-virus software for the Mac, but the only real reason to get it is if you forward a lot of stuff to Windows users. You may get a virus and forward it on to your friends, even if it doesn’t affect your computer. A scanner program could catch those for you before you hurt your friend’s Windows machines.

But that only happnes if you get an odd e-mail and then forward it. How often does that happen? I usually always start a new mail message, so I can’t see that being a problem for myself either.

The 2 main things you should do do protect yourself:

1) In System Preferences: Find and turn on the firewall (search for it)

2) In Safari Preferences: Turn OFF the “open safe files after downloading” option

[Jeff Carpenter]

1) Apple will charge you $200, Crucial will charge you $104. Seems like an easy choice to me!

2) I still think the MBP is worth the price. Yes, the MB is powerful, but having the firewire 800 port, video card, and express slot are things that will probably come in handy some day for you, even if you don’t think so right now. Not to mention the extra screen space, which is very handy when working in Final Cut.

[Jeff Carpenter]

Not really. I said ‘Best Buy’ originally but their website doesn’t seem to have nearly the options that I remember seeing in their stores in the past.

So I can’t find anything quite right on their website. Spend some time here and see what you can find:

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/category/3683/Video_Cameras_Accessories_On_Camera_Lighting.html

As for diffusion, maybe try looking in the “filters and diffusion” section of that page first. There are some options in there that work with specific lights. Maybe find the filter or soft-box you like in there and work backwards, picking the light that matches the diffusion you most like.

[Jeff Carpenter]

Get someone to help you and have them hold a light.

Something small that’s meant for on-camera use and runs off its own battery so it can be hand-held. Then, add some diffusion to the front to cut it down so it’s not too bright. Honestly, I suggest looking at the little consumer lights at Best-Buy. Those may be weak enough to just use as they are.

There are 2 points here:

1- A weak light will probably give you something to work with without really lighting up the dance floor. Remember, you don’t want the video to look bright, it’s a dark club after all and you want to preserve the mood. The “grain” is likely coming from the camera putting on auto-gain. Try and find a manual mode that locks the gain “off” and the iris all the way open. The video may be darker, but it won’t be grainy. Then, just light enough to see the people in front of you…if the background gets dark, let it. That’s better than having it turn grainy.

2- By having a 2nd person hold the light you don’t get people looking up at the camera all the time. They may look at the light for a second, but then they’ll go back to dancing. There are lots of random lights in a club…what’s one more? Trust me, they’ll get over it. We’re talking about a small light, and when they look at it they won’t see the camera, so their curiousity will fade very quickly. Having the light to the side also helps avoid a flat, washed-out look when the light is coming from the camera.

The bottom line is that you need some light. But hopefully you can use these tips to lesson the impact it will have on your subjects.

[Jeff Carpenter]

Matte is correct, 2-4 weeks is pretty standard. But there are many factors…

If you’re editing together 3 cameras it should take more time than if it’s just 1 camera.

There’s a big difference between 25 copies and 500 copies.

I’ve shot shows that are 45 minutes and shows that are 3.5 hours (if they want 2 performances done.)

So while I’d say 2-4 weeks is “average” I would also say that 1-8 weeks are all possible too, depending on the answers to these questions.

But you know, none of this really matters. The real answer is “whatever you told them before the shoot.” And that’s the most important thing. Give them a time estimate before (or shortly after) the shoot and stick to it. Telling them “3 months” and meeting that is actually better than telling them “3 days” and then coming in at 2 weeks. Make sure they know what to expect (and that they’re happy with that number) and you’ll be fine.

[Jeff Carpenter]

I’m not familiar with that camaera, but can you plug it into the computer and get it to appear in Finder as a hard drive?

And if that does happen, have you then tried going to Final Cut’s “Log and Transfer” window? (Not ‘Log and Capture’, but ‘Transfer.’)

Do that and wait 30-40 seconds and see if anything appears.

[Jeff Carpenter]

What camera?

The size and weight will rule out some options.

Also, what tripod? Is the head easily removeable?

[Jeff Carpenter]

Computer>ComputerHD>Apps>Poser <----- So this item (Poser) I'm pointing to here is a folder? I was thinking it was an application that you expanded. For example, you can right-click on Address Book and say "Show Package Contents" and it will show the files within it. I don't have Poser so I was assuming this was the same. But that's not the app itself but actually a folder that contains the application? So if you just put "myfile.jpg" into Spotlight, you get nothing back? Check the Spotlight preferences in the System preferences and make sure nothing it excluded there. Then "get info" on the JPEG itself and see if there's anything unusual in there. I don't know what to look for, but see if there's anything strange listed somewhere within that window.

[Jeff Carpenter]

Usually, the things inside applications are hidden from searches.

In this case, you have a JPEG, but most of those files just offer hundreds of things that you can’t open or use and will just clutter up searches. So they hide them away. You’ll have to manually search through them as far as I know.