Michael Munkittrick
1
COW Coin
Forum Replies Created
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I didn’t mean the COW needed to fight for relevance. I was referring to our struggle to remain relevant and viable as artists completely independent of the COW. I’m sorry if that came out wrong.
God knows I understand the apprenticeship and mentoring programs as I not only worked through them but now host them myself as there is a need, and I am completely open minded and aware of the fact that everyone has to start somewhere, but it would behoove people with that frame of mind to state that clearly so that they don’t trod over people who would misread and misinterpret their request, as I did.
I’ve never been one to punch a person in the gut without considering the path that they traveled to get there, and I’ve been wrong quite a few times in my brief time in this industry, but there needs to be a lucid and dedicated effort of introducing new up-and-coming pros to the industry that doesn’t involve bashing them in the head with an unreasonable amount of work for a miniscule amount of compensation, regardless of what form that compensation comes to them. As my record will reflect, there are moments of pure clarity that have proven to be the most poignant and cherished recompense that I could’ve hoped for. Experience is priceless and knowledge truly is power, but my thinking is that the object of “restocking” our industry with the next generation, we should instill as much of the dignity and self-worth that we’ve been so graciously blessed with so that the industry can move forward.
Looking back over the last 20 years, the ideology of apprenticeships has changed so dramatically that the term is almost not applicable anymore. Today, you spend a year in line to get the job, a few months getting acclimated and then it’s time to move on to the next pot of gold. It’s not like it was in the sense that there are so few people who hire anyone without a pretty comprehensive skill set that there is no opportunity to actually learn.
As for the fact that “box5productions” got one to the kisser, maybe so, but it wasn’t for lack of respect of the COW or a personal attack in the least. I, like many
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It sounds like those folks might have hijacked your “Client or Grinder” article. After the last week of so of the COW being in an out of the every changing battle to remain relevant and profitable, this is a very good vindication for what most everyone expressed.
Michael Munkittrick
Gainesville, Florida USA -
[Sam Lesante Jr.] “an exciting title…related to orthopaedic therapy”
Wow! That’s a challenge. How about
1. Bone Doctor from Area 51
2. Ouch! That smarts
3. Head, shoulders, knees and toes
4. The Joint Doctor (maybe too risky”
5. The Truth about Your Bones
6. Hey Mom! Look, no hands!
7. Inner Piecces
8. A Therapy to Remember
9. Bone YardOK, I can’t think of a thing that would make it sound “exciting”, but then again I don’t know anything about rehabilitative therapy either.
Good luck with it!
Michael Munkittrick
Gainesville, Florida USA -
I use this thing like it was going out of style, and it offers some very, very finite control for motion macro shots. As a far as making one yourself, I tried to do something similar to this befroe I knew it existed, but the results were not as positive.
https://www.pstechnik.de/en/skater-mini-camera-dolly.php
Michael Munkittrick
Gainesville, Florida USA -
Trust me, we have a “think tank” or two entire schools comprised of over 1,300 students who are already asking questions like “Where do boogers come from?”, “Why do cats cover their poop?”, “Where do babies come from?” (ARGH!!!) and “How do fish go to the bathroom without peeing on themselves?”…so I think Vegimite may be quite a way down the list.
For the record, I think Vegemite is pretty good. One of my old roommates was from New Zealand and he had him Mom send us a case with 9 jars of it every month. And every month that guy would eat ALL OF IT! I faught it for months but I finally gave in one night after about 13 beers (real beer, not the hometown swill). I found that it’s pretty good with crackers. Admitedly, I’d eat just about anything, but I’d honestly not go out of my way for it.
Michael Munkittrick
Gainesville, Florida USA -
No kidding! I don’t recall exactly where I heard it, but I seem to remember someone from Apple saying that the inherant differences in the PCs motherboard and the Apple logic board (amung other things) makes running Windows very, very difficult if not impossible on an Apple product. This guys understanding of computers is so far from the norm that he accidentally broke through a technical boundary by falling through it face first. He still thinks that I was kidding with him when I told him I’d NEVER seen that before. The phrase “dumb luck” never meant so much.
Michael Munkittrick
Gainesville, Florida USA -
A “nailgun” is an air-compressor powered hand tool for people who suck with hammers. They are fast, powerful effective and extremely efficint at doing their task…like Nailgun Post, the people who made the Adidas spot.
That effect looks as though it could be done with multiple illustrator layers zooming through 3D z-space or it could be an “echo” effect with some scripting variables. I’m not familiar with the creation of that effect as I’ve never had to mimic it personally, but it doesn’t really look all that complex.
Michael Munkittrick
Gainesville, Florida USA -
Here’s my take.
A.) If the system is free and clear of debt, anything that it does is straight profit minus the electricity that it uses. There are still numerous productions that require VHS duplication, and though the list is shortening, it’s still a profitable game.
B.) If the system is a burden, consider the fact that the VHS format has had a respectable life cycle and that you can expect to get some return on it if you sell it now. Granted, the profit side of selling the system seems to be lessened by the argument that DVDs are an ever increasingly preferred duplication format, but it won’t be long before you’ll be unable to buy a home entertainment system without a DVD burner in some form and VHS is functionally dead, at least in volume.
The VHS duplication business is not as lucrative as it has been, but it still shows life and above all else, it is still a draw in many markets. In my home market, there is a guy who does a very respectable amount of business with the university as they can guarantee compatibility with VHS tapes for classes. DVD does not offer this luxury for duplicated materials. He also stated that there are numerous children’s programs that still distribute on VHS as the general consensus seems to be that a kid can scratch the crap out of a VHS before it stops playing back. I can stand witness to the alternative as not being true. If you do production of any kind and you have the option available to replicate VHS materials, there is a good chance that the system will generate revenue. Not as much as it once did, but unless the equipment is getting under foot, then profit is profit is profit.
Michael Munkittrick
Gainesville, Florida USA -
I did it just as a means to test my ability should I ever have that much material. I went as high as 800 clips over 10 seconds each with no error at all. I have them separated in bins by scene and subdivided further by shot framing. I don’t have any more clips but I have had no error cutting with upwards of 400 clips in the timeline. It’s slugish and seems to hickup if I do effect previews, but for the most part it seems pretty stable.
As a side note, humorously my Avid Xpress Pro (with Mojo) system locked up and died at just over 550 clips. I NEVER use the Xpress Pro system for anything longform but it is supposed to work with 1000+ clips with no technical problem so long as they are captured through the Avid Xpress Pro interface.
I’d consider the fact that you’ve found the limit of Premiere Pro a blessing. Very few people have the kind of dedication it would take to load a full 1000 clips for any project, feature or otherwise.
Michael Munkittrick
Gainesville, Florida USA -
Thus far, nothing new to report. I do appreciate your help.
Michael Munkittrick
Gainesville, Florida USA