Scott Sheriff
Forum Replies Created
-
Hi,
Have you not hired an editor yet?
If not, it is a real shame to wait until the last minute, a disaster in the making. Seems to be a lot of ‘if’ in your project. I would get the editor position filled and make a decision on platforms. Then, let the editor get the workflow organized.Sorry this isn’t actually answering your questions directly, but I think the scope of your questions indicate the need for an editor to be present on your project.
Scott Sheriff
Director
SST Digital Media
https://www.sstdigitalmedia.com -
I’m guessing you don’t have a mixer hooked up to your Mac?
Scott Sheriff
Director
SST Digital Media
https://www.sstdigitalmedia.com -
Office and biz aps are not very taxing on computers, and this what the majority are used for. An 8 core machine to run Word is overkill squared. Given identical speeds, laptops were always more expensive than a tower. Most businesses buy the least expensive tool that does the job. Now there seems to be some role reversal with these new inexpensive netbooks.
That being said there are still people that are running specialty software, that aren’t quite at the level of needing a custom built super-computer, but need a really fast powerful machine(s). This is something the video professionals, and the science and engineering communities have in common, the need for machines like the Mac Pro. These additional users are probably helping keep the Mac Pro alive. But I don’t see much future for machines like the iMac, or the generic PC desk tower with the prices if laptops falling.Scott Sheriff
Director
SST Digital Media
https://www.sstdigitalmedia.com -
I’m not sure exactly what look your shooting for, but here are some places to look in FCP. These are all in the basic program and not ‘aftermarket’ plugins. The tools are all there, you just have to understand how to apply them. Many plugins are just shortcuts to thing’s that you already have in FCP.
There is a whole slew of filters in ‘image control’ including ‘tint’.
In the quicktime filters there is ‘color tint’ and ‘color style’.
You can also use the 3wcc to isolate lum/color changes.
You can use a combination of filters to get a look you want.
You can stack two or more clips in the timeline and grade each so the mix gives the desired result.
If what you want is a ‘night vision’ look, but in red, you can combine the ‘channel swap’ filter with the 3wcc to get that look.
Scott Sheriff
Director
SST Digital Media
https://www.sstdigitalmedia.com -
Assuming C would be the main speaker, I would:
Cam 1: move to the left.
Primary shot C. Other coverage OTS AC, OTS BC. BC stretches the vector line a bit, but livable. Only be used if BC get into prolonged discussion.Cam 2: move to the left.
Primary shot B. Other coverage AB 2 shot, ABC 3 shot, A only if needed to help out Cam 3, but s 2 shot AB would be better.Cam 3: move to the right.
Primary shot A. other coverage CB OTS, CA OTS, maybe CBA down the line shot.Cam 4: Move back.
Use the jib to bump in and out of breaks or clips include floor crew in shot. Don’t overuse.When in doubt, always cross your cameras.
Scott Sheriff
Director
SST Digital Media
https://www.sstdigitalmedia.com -
Tim,
I see where your at. As you can tell by the iMac posts, they will get you by, but expansion is a problem. Often they end up as a logging station, or audio workstation, etc, if they were purchased as a first edit workstation.One possible option is to buy a used Mac Pro. If/when new version is released, a lot of folks will upgrade and sell what they have now. So right after a new release there is a lot of used for sale.
Another option is to watch for folks getting out of the biz, selling their gear. It is sad but true that many have jumped in the production world, only to find out it isn’t as easy as just buying the gear. Check Mandy, Craigs, Production Hub and even Ebay for used gear from folks bailing out.
Don’t forget if you are just starting out, you will need more than just the ‘box’.
Audio monitors, decent desk/chair, peripherals, just to name a few things.I would still suggest even a simple biz plan, and show it to other production folks. It is a much cheaper place to make mistakes, which everyone does when they are first starting out.
Scott Sheriff
Director
SST Digital Media
https://www.sstdigitalmedia.com -
Tim,
Quick reality check.Asking questions is a good thing, but I think you need to look at the business end before thinking about your system.
Have you done a business plan? Cost/benefit analysis?
Why? I’m wondering if you want to have a system to dabble with, or if your are hoping to jump in and start paying the bills with your system. There is a big difference between the two. That, and a million others are already in line ahead of you.
So, what are you going to charge? Do you already have clients lined up? What type of clients are you expecting? What type of material and projects will they be bringing?
The specs say iMac will run FCP, what you want to know is will it handle what the clients are bringing you.If I was looking at the most flexible system possible, that could handle anything, and wanted to hit the market looking like a pro, iMac wouldn’t be my first choice. It wouldn’t even be my second choice.
“And as another quick question, people say that you shouldn never save footage/FC projects to the internal harddrive…why?”
I think you might need to do some more in depth research, and consider getting a job as a working editor or assistant to get your feet wet. If you don’t know the answer to this, I’m not sure you should be spending money on a system just yet.
Hey these are just my opinions, I’m sure others will chime in and tell you to just go for it and hope it works out.
Scott Sheriff
Director
SST Digital Media
https://www.sstdigitalmedia.com -
“If I would not like the tone of that piece if I saw it directed at a member of my own immediate family, I think I’d tell them to find someone else.”
I don’t recall Bill, or anyone else saying this was directed at a member of their family.
This was an attack ad against a politician.
If your going to run for a public office, your fair game. Period, zero, end of story.
If your a celebrity, athlete or anyone else that chooses to live in the public life, same thing.
If your ‘joe six pack’, just living your life, well that is a different story.Scott Sheriff
Director
SST Digital Media
https://www.sstdigitalmedia.com -
Might be that your preroll is too short. Increase to 5-6 seconds and see if that works.
SScott Sheriff
Director
SST Digital Media
https://www.sstdigitalmedia.com -
Bill,
OK, fair enough, I hear what your saying. I will take back what I said about your post being political injection.But why you doggin’ the editor? Or should I say why are you only dogging the editor?
What about the Writer? Producer? The ad agency that conceptualized it? The client that paid for it? The guy that posted it? The company whose server is hosting it? And so on…
Why is it up to the editor to be the gate-keeper? And even if you decide you are going to put your foot down and not do a job. They will just go somewhere else, because there is always, and I mean always, someone that will do it.
So you will feel better, but it won’t stop them from doing it.Editor code of ethics? Is there such a thing?. The only ethics code I ever signed, was to not participate in the Nielsen’s as a station employee, and to not freelance for competing stations in the market. But as far as content, or the message, if its legal, it was on the table. Now a days, I would have to decide on a case by case basis since I don’t really have any rules, other than it be legal. I’m not one of these people that has bought in to this ‘politically correct’ BS, that has taken over our society. You have a lot of rights when you live in America. But you don’t have a right to go through your life without being offended.
That said, there are some things I won’t do, but it would probably have more to do with the client, budget, or schedule than the message. As an editor, or director, my job is to deliver what the client wants, within the established rules. And to contribute ideas that help achieve his goal. We have enough to worry about with copyright, disclosures, license use, technical standards, and paying the bills. I’m really not here to act as the clients social conscience too. That’s the producers job.So you ask, “where do you draw the line?” In most of the examples you cited, they were obviously illegal, so that is where the line is on those.
The last example was a chemical company accused of groundwater pollution, that needed a video for their court case. That is not an illegal or unethical project to be involved in, and I would see no reason to turn it down. There are two sides to every court case, and your straw-man company is entitled to use my services (or any other) in their defense. And as long as they don’t lie, they should be allowed to paint themselves in the best light possible. I see a bigger ethics issue with turning down clients because you might personally disagree with their politics, race or religion.Propaganda, and media manipulation is nothing new, and everyone in the chain is guilty of it to some degree. We all know how you can make people look ‘good’ or ‘bad’ with lighting and camera angles during an interview. Or how a certain inflection in the VO can suggest something that isn’t actually said. This kind of thing is going on all the time, and it didn’t start yesterday. And one of the biggest forms of manipulation that you didn’t mention is the omission of material. This is so subtle, and done so often, you could do a case study on that alone. In fact the piece you referenced might be less offensives by that standard, since it is such an obvious, and over the top hit piece. And anyone that views it should be able to see that, and judge the content accordingly.
So we live in a free country, and if this poor schmuck that was on the receiving end of this hit piece doesn’t like it, or disagrees with it, he can gin up a response. No one is stopping him. And perhaps someone like yourself that feels outraged by this, might be inclined to take that job, and help him fight back.
Scott Sheriff
Director
SST Digital Media
https://www.sstdigitalmedia.com