[Walter Soyka]

[Dave Johnson] “While the car analogy also makes perfect sense to people like us who already understand the parallels, I avoid it like the plague because I’ve found it allows clients to oversimplify the issues the analogy is intended to clarify … the analogy didn’t help them understand the reasons one costs more than the other, which in my opinion the house analogy does much better since most people understand the differences between a mobile home and a two-story, four-bedroom house with a two-car garage and a pool much better than they do the inner workings of car engines and designs.”

I absolutely agree.

Whatever analogy you use, when you are describing why one approach may cost more than another, you need to be very clear about what added value the client is getting for their money. You should also be clear about how it’s you that’s adding that value.

Talking about Brad Pitt or fancy tracking helicopter shots as items that increase the budget makes clients think about extra zeroes on the price tag that offer no return. Unless you happen to be a videographer-slash-helicopter pilot who represents Brad Pitt on the side, they also have little to do with your business. All you’ve accomplished with that conversation is convincing your clients that they can do their video on the cheap without sacrificing much. You’ve given up an opportunity to help your client produce a stronger video, and you’ve missed out on making a bigger sale.

Instead, I think it’s important to make that conversation on budget range about items that add both cost and real value — more time for concept development and writing, better design, color correction, etc. With information like this, your client can make a well-informed decision about what they want and what they can afford.

Walter Soyka
Principal & Designer at Keen Live
Motion Graphics, Widescreen Events, Presentation Design, and Consulting
RenderBreak Blog – What I’m thinking when my workstation’s thinking
Creative Cow Forum Host: Live & Stage Events

[Walter Soyka]

[beth warshafsky] “Do you think that ProRes can play back on a computer without problems?”

ProRes will play more easily than AIC will.

A big part of my business is live events and video playback, and there are a few things I always recommend for computer playback:

• Configure your computer carefully for playback: turn off unnecessary background tasks and virus scanners, disable wireless, disable screen savers, disable power management, etc.
• Make sure you have all the appropriate hardware drivers and up-to-date codecs.
• Make sure you have any necessary DisplayPort, DVI, or VGA adapters, as well as any necessary audio adapters, and make sure you discuss how you will connect your system with the event’s engineers or AV staff.
• Know how to connect your system to a second monitor.
• Use two systems with a switcher — one live to screen, and one hot backup. If your live system fails, switch over to the hot backup.
• Test your media on the playback equipment well before the show in case there are any video, hardware, software, or configuration issues.
• Consider using of specialized video playback software.

Walter Soyka
Principal & Designer at Keen Live
Motion Graphics, Widescreen Events, Presentation Design, and Consulting
RenderBreak Blog – What I’m thinking when my workstation’s thinking
Creative Cow Forum Host: Live & Stage Events

[Walter Soyka]

[beth warshafsky] “I am working on a video which will be projected on a very large screen.
The projector has hi-res capabilities.”

The playback device will dictate format and resolution. Decide this first before you set up your project.

[beth warshafsky] “1. What is the best way to deinterlace the HDV footage?”

FieldsKit from RE:vision Effects has a great deinterlacer.

[beth warshafsky] ” Do you think the quality of an AIC quicktime is better than a DVD?”

Yes, but I don’t love AIC. If you’re committed to computer playback, I’d use ProRes or a high bitrate h264.

[beth warshafsky] “3. Any suggestions on my specs considering this is heavily layered. At times I work in 16 bit and use blurs etc. but plan on outputting an 8 bit file.”

Makes sense. You haven’t mentioned your version of AE or amount of RAM, but I’d definitely recommend getting as much RAM as your iMac allows.

[beth warshafsky] “4. Blue-ray is better quality than traditional DVD and the projector has hi-rez capabilities. So if I do a back-up DVD version, will there be any issues with my working specs
that I should be aware of. “

If you’re going to do Blu-ray, you should work in HD instead of SD.

Walter Soyka
Principal & Designer at Keen Live
Motion Graphics, Widescreen Events, Presentation Design, and Consulting
RenderBreak Blog – What I’m thinking when my workstation’s thinking
Creative Cow Forum Host: Live & Stage Events

[Walter Soyka]

Thanks for your reply, Bob. I’ve learned a ton from you, going back to the Avid-L, and I sincerely appreciate all the time and knowledge you’ve shared.

Walter Soyka
Principal & Designer at Keen Live
Motion Graphics, Widescreen Events, Presentation Design, and Consulting
RenderBreak Blog – What I’m thinking when my workstation’s thinking
Creative Cow Forum Host: Live & Stage Events

[Walter Soyka]

The client thinks they are buying a product, but you are selling a service. It’s a tough divide to cross.

I liken it to tailoring a suit. The client ends up with a product, but it’s customization — your service — that gives it real value.

You and the client discuss their needs, then together select a fabric and a style. You take their measurements. They go away and you get to work. They come back for a fitting and you adjust as necessary. In the end, the client gets a product that fits perfectly and is ideally and uniquely suited for them.

Off-the-rack media is certainly cheaper, but it never fits right.

Walter Soyka
Principal & Designer at Keen Live
Motion Graphics, Widescreen Events, Presentation Design, and Consulting
RenderBreak Blog – What I’m thinking when my workstation’s thinking
Creative Cow Forum Host: Live & Stage Events

[Walter Soyka]

[Corrado Carlevaro] “I just updated to After Effects CS5 (10.0.1.19) and when I import stock footage (from VideoCopilot, DigitalJuice etc.) which is .mov and PhotoJpeg, this is displayed in blue and magenta colors.”

There was a similar problem with ProRes 422 media, and the cause was a conflict with AJA’s codec.

If you happen to have an AJA card installed, try disabling its video preview, switching color depth to 16 or 32 bpc, or updating or uninstalling the AJA drivers.

Walter Soyka
Principal & Designer at Keen Live
Motion Graphics, Widescreen Events, Presentation Design, and Consulting
RenderBreak Blog – What I’m thinking when my workstation’s thinking
Creative Cow Forum Host: Live & Stage Events

[Walter Soyka]

I don’t think he’s using SMB at all — netatalk is an open-source AFP server.

Walter Soyka
Principal & Designer at Keen Live
Motion Graphics, Widescreen Events, Presentation Design, and Consulting
RenderBreak Blog – What I’m thinking when my workstation’s thinking
Creative Cow Forum Host: Live & Stage Events

[Walter Soyka]

HDMI 1.4 supports frame packing, which allows full frame rate, full-resolution stereoscopic 3D.

HDMI 1.3 does not, so stereo 3D reduces resolution (line interleaved, top over bottom, or side-by-side).

Walter Soyka
Principal & Designer at Keen Live
Motion Graphics, Widescreen Events, Presentation Design, and Consulting
RenderBreak Blog – What I’m thinking when my workstation’s thinking
Creative Cow Forum Host: Live & Stage Events

[Walter Soyka]

[Sean Kapleton] “just curious if the BMD extreme 3d card is cheaper than a Kona 3 for any reason? If i use the BMD card option am i missing out on anything in quality or capability?”

I’ve been an AJA user for a long time, and I don’t have a lot of personal experience with BMD products.

I’m looking at Resolve, though, so I may be swapping out my Kona for a Decklink HD Extreme 3D. They look pretty comparable on the spec sheet.

Walter Soyka
Principal & Designer at Keen Live
Motion Graphics, Widescreen Events, Presentation Design, and Consulting
RenderBreak Blog – What I’m thinking when my workstation’s thinking
Creative Cow Forum Host: Live & Stage Events

[Walter Soyka]

[Sean Kapleton] “Just curious what color space you recommend setting AE to if going out to a confidence monitor with the goal of creating looks that will stay consistent for broadcast & Film. I of course want to make sure it stays consistent into PS, FCP, Color, etc as well.”

For broadcast work, you should grade in the color space appropriate for your broadcast. SD NTSC, SD PAL, or Rec. 709. If you have sources in another color space (like graphics from sRGB), Adobe’s color management will handle it all for you and keep it looking right.

Gamma management in Quicktime is a massive and ongoing disappointment. That said, ProRes 422 round-trips from FCP to AE CS5 and back beautifully.

For film work, you need to discuss color management with the lab that will do your print before you begin grading. There is no general answer here — but many labs do have workflows and internal LUTs in place to print film from Rec. 709 material.

Walter Soyka
Principal & Designer at Keen Live
Motion Graphics, Widescreen Events, Presentation Design, and Consulting
RenderBreak Blog – What I’m thinking when my workstation’s thinking
Creative Cow Forum Host: Live & Stage Events