Jun 2008
WALL-E Rocks – Two Great Mac Jokes
Sunday, June 29 ,2008
Two quick things I found hilarious for the Mac-Geeks out there.
First, there is a character in the film called Auto, who is an auto-pilot robot for the ship. The character’s voice is done by Macintalk, the speech synthesizer included with the Mac back in 1984. It sounded familiar, and I confirmed it as the “actor credit” actually appears at the end of the film.
Second, there is a scene where WALL-E reboots... and yes, it is the Macintosh startup chime that you hear. I found myself laughing out loud (and I think I was the only one within 20 rows of me who got the joke (geek!).
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OT: Help Iowa Flood Victims & Listen to Great Music
Sunday, June 29 ,2008 Filed in: Humor
My last home before Washington, DC was Des Moines, IA. A lot of friends and colleagues have been affected by devastating floods that most have overlooked. The short version, floods worse than Hurricane Katrina have been battering the Midwest... few have noticed.
One of my favorite bands, the Nadas, has an online album to raise awareness and funds.
Contribute to United Way of Central Iowa's flood relief fund while reliving some of your favorite moments from Authentic Records Authentic Records' Flood Relief Benefit on Sunday, June 22. Please pay what you can for this exclusive download. All proceeds benefit United Way of Central Iowa.
1. Barkers Beauty - Fat Andy
2. Come Lay Down - She Swings, She Sways
3. Promise - Benjamin Wagner
4. The Friday Night Fight - Brother Trucker
5. Angels & Devils - Tony Bohnenkamp
6. Feel Like Home - The Nadas
7. Templeton Rye - The Nadas
8. The River - The Nadas
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One of my favorite bands, the Nadas, has an online album to raise awareness and funds.
River Songs - Authentic Records' Flood Relief Benefit Bootleg
1. Barkers Beauty - Fat Andy
2. Come Lay Down - She Swings, She Sways
3. Promise - Benjamin Wagner
4. The Friday Night Fight - Brother Trucker
5. Angels & Devils - Tony Bohnenkamp
6. Feel Like Home - The Nadas
7. Templeton Rye - The Nadas
8. The River - The Nadas
| The download is free, but donations matter. Do what you can. |
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Great Photoshop Actions for Video
Sunday, June 29 ,2008 Filed in: Adobe
Tools for Television – Want to automate standard video graphics production tasks? Then check out Tools for Television’s Photoshop Toolbox for video-friendly actions at http://www.toolsfortelevision.com.
Action FX – For complex text and special effects, check out the excellent site http://www.actionfx.com. There are several free actions as well as some to purchase.
Photoshop Video Actions – Upgraded to CS2 or CS3? Then be sure to check out the built in Video Actions that I authored with
Dan Brown for some timesaving automation tools.
PanosFX – A newer site that is really becoming one to watch isPanosFX (http://www.panosfx.com). This site has some incredible free actions as well as some very affordable and powerful tools for sale.
Adobe Exchange – If you’re not in a position to purchase add-ons to your system, there’s one incredible free resource worth mentioning. With the release of Photoshop 5.5, Adobe launched a Web site originally called Action Xchange where users could share their actions; see http://www.adobe.com/exchange.
Bill Mandates Captioning for Podcasts
Eighteen months after its enactment, the Federal Communications Commission must set up regulations and deadlines for "an appropriate schedule of deadlines for the provision of closed captioning of video programming distributed to the public over the Internet."
Three kinds of video would be affected:
- Material that has already been captioned for TV viewing
- Live programming
- Video that is "generally considered to be comparable to programming provided by multichannel programming distributors."
How about instead of sending money to worthless causes... they actualy fund this requirement.
Advertisers Begin To Target Podcasts
I’ve often scratched my head how I can gather 2 million people each month... but advertisrs still go with magazines that deliver less than 25% of that. This article from Investor’s Business Daily is an important read. It also features a colleague of mine... Scott Bourne.
Lend Me Your Ears: Advertisers Begin To Target Podcasts
Podcast audiences have branched out far beyond just geeks. And advertisers are starting to like them, too.
After having placed ads with Web sites and search engines, more advertisers are starting to spread their ad dollars to audio and video podcasts in an attempt to reach certain consumers.
Read the rest.
Saving Time with the Image Processor
Monday, June 23 ,2008 Filed in: Adobe
The Image Processor script can be used to convert and process multiple images. It differs from the Batch command in that you don’t need to first create an action. The image processor can be used for any of the following tasks:
- To convert a images to JPEG, PSD, or TIFF format. You can also convert files simultaneously to all three formats.
- To process a set of camera raw files using the same camera raw options.
- To resize images to fit within a specified pixel dimension.
- To embed a color profile into images or convert files to sRGB and save them as JPEG images for the web.
- To include copyright metadata into the processed images.
- The Image Processor can be used with PSD, TIFF, JPEG, or camera raw files.
Step 1: Choose>File>Scripts>Image Processor.
Step 2: Select the images that you want to process. You can use the open images or navigate to a folder to select images.
Step 3: Select a location to save the processed images. You can choose the Exports folder you created previously on your Desktop.
Step 4: Select the file types and options you wish to convert to.
- Save As JPEG – This sets the JPEG quality between 0 and 12. You can also choose to resize the image and convert it to sRGB color profile.
- Save As PSD – This sets the PSD options. You can also resize the image and choose to Maximize Compatibility.
- Save As TIFF – This saves images in the TIFF format with LZW compression. You can also resize the image.
Step 5: You can choose from other processing options.
- Run Action – If an action is loaded into your Actions palette, you can run it on the image during the process.
- Copyright Info – You can add copyright metadata to the image.
Step 6: Click Run to process the multiple images.
Special Episode of Layers TV
Thursday, June 19 ,2008 Filed in: Adobe
“Corey is joined by guest co-host Richard Harrington to discuss working with video in Photoshop Extended, Premiere, and After Effects.
- When working in Premiere, don't forget about the search menu that you can use to locate the effects you want
- Change Color is a useful effect that you can use to target and adjust one color region of your video clip
- There are also Shadow/Highlight adjustment options in Premiere
- You can bring your video clips into Photoshop Extended and apply Photoshop effects to them
- Make video clips into smart objects so that Photoshop will treat them as a single layer
- After you have finished editing the video clip in Photoshop, go under the Export command and render the finished video
- Get more information from Richard at Photoshop For Video.com
- Use After Effects to make speed changes to your video clips. Remember, time is just another keyframe
- If you want further video training from Richard, you can watch his classes at Kelby Training.com, or see him live at Photoshop World this September in Las Vegas”
DOWNLOAD THE EPISODE
WATCH ONLINE
DVD Menu Design in Photoshop CS3 Extended
Wednesday, June 18 ,2008 Filed in: Adobe
“Now up is the incomparable Richard Harrington. Richard has a tutorial for making a DVD menu in Photoshop CS3 Extended that will have you creating great DVD design with little fuss. Richard will also be doing stuff in Layers TV very soon, so be sure that you check that out as well. Click on the link below to get to the tutorial.”
Richard Harrington - DVD design using Photoshop CS3 Extended
Photoshop for Video Featured on Photoshop User TV
Be sure to check out this week’s epsiode of Photoshop User TV. Scott Kelby had me on the show for an interview and a couple of quick tips.
Refillable Sandbags
Saturday, June 14 ,2008 Filed in: Video
When you get to your location you can fi ll them with sand, rocks, or whatever else can be found nearby. A popular model by Lindcraft is made of durable Cordura Nylon with a heavy-duty zipper with a hook-and-loop cover fl ap to keep it shut. www.lindcraft.com/product_details/RS.html.
Scanning Advice
Saturday, June 14 ,2008 Filed in: Adobe
- Before scanning an image, ensure you have the latest software needed by your scanner. You can always check their websites or use Version Tracker. Having problems with a lack of support on the OSX side for older scanners. I recommend checking out VueScan from Hamrick Software.
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Why Every Post House Needs an Apple TV
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New Aperture Podcast
Saturday, June 07 ,2008 Filed in: Apple
In the category of so new the paint is still drying.... I present to you the Aperture 2: Quick Tip podcast. You can find the first two episodes online now (as well as embedded here for streaming).
To see the show online and subscribe in a web browser:
iPod iTunes – http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=282371245
“Looking to learn all about Aperture 2, Apple's powerful image-editing and organization software? Whether you are new to Aperture or an experienced pro, there's a lot to learn. Aperture 2 is a major update, adding over 100 new features as well as support for a wide- range of digital SLR cameras. This podcast is based on the best selling book, Apple Pro Training Series: Aperture 2 and features co- author RIchard Harrington. Join us each week for a concise, but detailed look at the useful tools and workflows used by imaging professionals. Aperture 2's new features are completely covered, including a new RAW-image processing engine, a streamlined interface, powerful new adjustment tools, and added integration with Mac OS X and other Apple products for instant web publishing and one-click portfolio syncing. You'll learn time- saving techniques for sorting, ranking, and organizing images, effective methods for correcting and enhancing images, plus efficient ways to display images for client review, apply metadata, update your online portfolio automatically, and much more. Real-world exercises feature professional photography from a variety of genres, including photo-journalism, sports, wedding, commercial, and portraiture. To learn more on the software, be sure to check out the Apple Pro Training Series: Aperture 2 book.”
To see the show online and subscribe in a web browser:
iPod iTunes – http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=282371245
“Looking to learn all about Aperture 2, Apple's powerful image-editing and organization software? Whether you are new to Aperture or an experienced pro, there's a lot to learn. Aperture 2 is a major update, adding over 100 new features as well as support for a wide- range of digital SLR cameras. This podcast is based on the best selling book, Apple Pro Training Series: Aperture 2 and features co- author RIchard Harrington. Join us each week for a concise, but detailed look at the useful tools and workflows used by imaging professionals. Aperture 2's new features are completely covered, including a new RAW-image processing engine, a streamlined interface, powerful new adjustment tools, and added integration with Mac OS X and other Apple products for instant web publishing and one-click portfolio syncing. You'll learn time- saving techniques for sorting, ranking, and organizing images, effective methods for correcting and enhancing images, plus efficient ways to display images for client review, apply metadata, update your online portfolio automatically, and much more. Real-world exercises feature professional photography from a variety of genres, including photo-journalism, sports, wedding, commercial, and portraiture. To learn more on the software, be sure to check out the Apple Pro Training Series: Aperture 2 book.”
Photoshop Disasters: Laugh & Learn
Saturday, June 07 ,2008 Filed in: Adobe
One of my favorite sites that I like to check out on a regular basis is Photoshop Disasters. The site is a freakshow gallery of Photoshop gone wrong. The site is driven by user submission and acts as both entertainment and education. There mission:
“Have you seen a truly awful piece of Photoshop work? Clumsy manipulation, senseless comping, lazy cloning and thoughtless retouching are our bread and butter. And yes, deep down, we love Photoshop.”
Be sure to check the site out, it’ll make you look at things a little differently.
What is Photoshop World?
Saturday, June 07 ,2008 Filed in: Adobe | Conferences
In case you’ve neverr had a chance to go, here’s a quick look at all things Photoshop World. The event is a ton of fun and a chcne to get some of the best instruction available.
Configuring Aperture for Multiple Displays
Friday, June 06 ,2008 Filed in: Apple
Once the displays are attached, you’re ready to configure Aperture for multi-screen viewing. When two displays are connected to your Mac, Aperture considers the main display—the one with the menu bar—to be the primary Viewer. The other display is the secondary Viewer. By default, the primary Viewer displays the Aperture application.
Let’s specify the function of the secondary Viewer.
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Make Your Gray Skies Blue in Final Cut Pro
Wednesday, June 04 ,2008 Filed in: Video
It’s not unusual for your skies to be washed out. This is often a problem, because video doesn’t offer the same dynamic range as film (the difference between darks and highlights). Fortunately, Final Cut Pro allows you to isolate the color correction, so you can achieve a fix just to the problem area.
1 Apply the Color Corrector 3-way filter, and access the filter’s visual controls.
2 Using the Select Color eyedropper in the Limit Effect controls, select the desired color you’d like to keep.
3 Click the key icon to view the matte. Use the Select Color eyedropper while holding down the Shift key to add to the matte. You can click in the Viewer or Canvas window.
4 Finesse the matte by adjusting the Width and Softness sliders for the Chroma, Saturation, and Luma values in the Limit Effect controls. When the desired color is clearly selected, there will be no holes in your matte. Also, adjust the Softening slider to improve the matte. You may get a better matte by using fewer limiting ranges.
5 Click the key icon twice to toggle back to View Final.
6 Adjust the color balance wheels and saturation of the shot.
You may need to add a second color corrector to finesse the scene or isolate another problem area.
Like this tip? It comes from the book
Final Cut Studio On the Spot from Focal Press.
Cool Video Prodution Widgets for Your iPhone or Laptop
Video Footage Calculator – Calculates how much storage you'll need for your footage type and duration.
Web – iPhone version – Offline version
Film Rate Calculator – Determines how much film you need for a particular scenario.
Web – iPhone version – Offline version
Aspect Ratio Calculator – Determines the aspect ratio for different footage formats.
Web – iPhone version
Depth of Field Calculator – Calculates depth of field for many camera sensors.
Web – iPhone version
Pixel Aspect Ratio Calculator – Determines relationship of Pixels for many digital formats.
Web – iPhone version
Lens Angle Calculator – Helps calculate the lens angle for a given sensor size and focal length.
Web – iPhone version
Power Load Calculator – Calculates the load on a circuit to see if it is excessive. You can also calculate the minimum circuit breaker size for the given load.
Web – iPhone version
These tools are cool, free, and useful.... three points that make them a must have for my iPhone.
Analyze Video Files on a Mac with Video Spec
• The latest version has been tested on Mac OS X Tiger and Leopard.
• It is compatible with PowerPC and Intel Mac (Universal Binary).
• This version is localized in english and french.
Are You in Europe? I'm coming there...
Sunday, June 01 ,2008 Filed in: Conferences
For the second year in a row, I'll be coming back to Europe to offer training. I'll be speaking at the NAB European Post-Production Conference on a variety of topics.
Sunday 26 October 2008
- Producing Video Podcasts: Key Lessons Learned
Monday 27 October 2008
- Creating a Graphic Identity for Your New Media Projects
- Compressing Audio and Video for Web Delivery
- Getting it Live: Multicam Techniques
Tuesday 28 October 2008
- A Sense of Perspective with Vanishing Point
- Seeing a New Light: Final Cut Pro Color Correction
Wednesday 29 October 2008
- Creating Graphics for Avid Editing Systems
- Get the Most from After Effects CS3
If you're based in Europe, I hope you can come by.