[Steve Martin]

Yes, there is a way to check.

With your Pegasus you got a utility program that you can run. It’s Sunday and I’m at home now and don’t remember the details – but it was super easy. If you don’t figure it out before then, I’ll gladly verify tomorrow when I get into the studio.

Once you launch the app, it has a display with all of your drives along the left side and their status. With each one selected, on the right there is a function (I think it’s called ID-Drive or something light that. When you press it, it lights up the appropriate drive bay.

Poke around and you’ll likely find it. If not, ping me Monday morning (USA – EST) and I’ll get you more details!

BTW, Promise tech support is really great too. I thought all four of my drives(r4 system) were dead after taking a power hit. But a call to these fellas in California and they were able to log in remotely into my system and run a few terminal commands and I was up and running within 15 minutes. Not only were the drives not dead, I didn’t lose any data. I still don’t understand the voodoo they did, but it was sweet!

Cheers,
Steve

Production is fun – but lets not forget: Nobody ever died on the video table!

[Steve Martin]

Thanks to both of you for the insights. Actually in my case, I’m replacing my MacPro. It’s so old that I can’t even install CS6 on it (MacOS maxes out at 10.6 or 10.7) and CS6 needs 10.8.

Having been a loyal Apple user for more than a decade, I got tired of waiting for an updated MacPro and refused to spend top dollar on a new (but really old) machine – but that’s a topic for another post! FCPx was the last straw and we moved our main edit suite (Mac Pro circa 2010) to CS6 and have been really happy. Edit Two (which also did double duty as a Pro Tools suite) is the one we’re updating.

We’ve decided to go with a Windows 7 box (cue the sinister Darth Vader music). So far, the CS6 experience has been nearly identical – except much faster given that we were able to use the right video cards.

As we get ready to move the new Win7 box into Edit 2, the only variable was making sure that we could get the same (or similar/better) audio experience to record and edit VOs from our booth. We just need to get audio from the mic in the booth into Audition and audio from Audition (along with a talk back mic) back the talent’s headphone.

Joe, I checked out the link from Adobe regarding hardware and unless I missed it, all I saw was a flow chart to plug a mic directly into the computer. Our current set-up uses an M-Box as an interface and allows us to monitor from the mic source or ProTools playback. I guess I’m looking to do the same with Audition. I’m assuming we can, but trying to nail down as much as possible before I pull the trigger and dismantle old faithful. Maybe I don’t need any additional hardware?

I like how ProTool bundled their software with the hardware – made it super simple. But I’m really digging the integration of CS6 on the visual side of our work (PrPro, AE, PS, etc…) and if I can extend that same integration with audio (which we currently DO NOT have), it’d be sweet!

Still looking for that simple plug and play box – so any success (or horror) stories are most welcomed!

Thanks,
Steve

Production is fun – but lets not forget: Nobody ever died on the video table!

[Steve Martin]

Hi Joe,

Thanks for the links and info. I’ll dive right in!

All my best,
Steve Martin
Omni Productions
Orlando, FL

Production is fun – but lets not forget: Nobody ever died on the video table!

[Steve Martin]

Whoohh… you guys bowl?!

Production is fun – but lets not forget: Nobody ever died on the video table!

[Steve Martin]

QuickBooks for me. In addition to the ease of getting info to and from the CPA, I use “item codes” extensively for all revenue. For example for every piece of equipment I own, there is a separate item code and if I use say an ARRI kit on a project, I simply use it’s item code on the invoice along with everything else I used. It takes a bit of time to set up the first time, but the cool thing is that over time (20+ years for me) I can track revenue trends for everything. It also saves time for estimates and invoices, because all you need to do is type in the item code and whatever detailed description you’ve set up in advance will flow to the estimate or invoice you give your client.

Production is fun – but lets not forget: Nobody ever died on the video table!

[Steve Martin]

Thanks Michael!

I think I might have spent several hours beating my head up against that wall on this one. I moved my project from the edit suite at work to my laptop so that I could continue working from home over the weekend. I was about ready to give up and head back to the studio when I decided to check the COW.

Sure glad I did! MOOoooooooo!

Production is fun – but lets not forget: Nobody ever died on the video table!

[Steve Martin]

Yep. I think I’m with Tim on this one.

Raw footage? Yes.
Finished Video deliverable in any format(s) you’d like? Sure!
Project files? Hell no!

Having said that, we make every effort to make it as easy and convenient for them to leave all the footage with us – including at times no charge (or heavily discounted) change order for minor updates, etc… We have to present value to our clients for every project.

But at the end of the day, I think it’s their footage and that’s how we position ourselves in our standard contract. Even if we know they’re going to give it to the kid they just hired from a local high school with a multimedia program.

We’ll change a reasonable fee to duplicate the files (i.e time & effort, hard drive(s), etc..) but that’s about it. Sometimes they realize the error of their ways… other times… not-so-mcuh 🙁

Production is fun – but lets not forget: Nobody ever died on the video table!

[Steve Martin]

Mark,

Your “blunted arrow” and grocery list analogies are probably the best I’ve heard. When tying to explain this to clients, I’ve often used the “10 pounds of stuff in a 5 pound bag” analogy.

But I like yours much better as it gets to the effectiveness of the strategy – not the elegance. With your permission, I’m gonna steal… eghh hmmm… “borrow” it!

Production is fun – but lets not forget: Nobody ever died on the video table!

[Steve Martin]

Thanks for passing it along Walter. In addition to being a very good DP, Ben is quite the wood worker. He started out by making apple boxes for himself, then others. Then he started to tinker and made several prototypes of the Joker Boxes – getting feedback and suggestions from shooters, gaffers and grips along the way.

The feedback was so good, he decided to start a business for the product.

My guess is that he’ll continue to take feedback and will probably develop more products and/or variations as time goes by.

For all my COW friends, he’s “good people!”

Thanks,
Steve

Production is fun – but lets not forget: Nobody ever died on the video table!

[Steve Martin]

HI Patrick,

I feel your pain… we’ve seen these kinds of stories for years on the COW and it’s good that you shared your experience to keep our radar tuned in to these bozos!

We’re in the middle of a negotiation on what very well might be a “pie in the sky” production. So far, it’s been lots of big ideas & talk. We’re “scheduled” to begin production at the end of the month.

But the signed contract and pre-production deposit is due in the coming days. Let’s just say that I’m hopeful but not confident!

Production is fun – but lets not forget: Nobody ever died on the video table!