Here we go!
If you're ready to get into hi def, here it is...
Hi Def camcorder
True 1080i or 720p resolution!
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
Video editing made easy
The one thing I can attest to about video editing is it takes time.
Lots of it.
People don't understand the process of making videos.
1) Upload footage
2) Cut footage up (take out all the shaky shots)
3) Arrange the footage
4) Pick the music
5) Add effects
5) Add the transitions
6) Review
7) REarrange the footage : )
8) Encode
It seems easy I know, but somewhere between arranging footage and REarranging footage is where a lot of time is spent.
The thing I'm seeing a lot of lately are applications that make the editing process easy and simple to do; select the footage, select your music and hit "go" and out comes out your video.
Yes, it's easy and simple, but the creative process and outcome can be a bit cookie cutter-ish.
If you're just looking to pop out a quick vid of last weekend's picnic or birthday bash, then it's perfect.
Of all the applications that I've checked out, this suite seems to give you all you need to be a video producer.
Check out their site and the demo reels some of their users have posted. Pretty cool stuff.
Photodex
Lots of it.
People don't understand the process of making videos.
1) Upload footage
2) Cut footage up (take out all the shaky shots)
3) Arrange the footage
4) Pick the music
5) Add effects
5) Add the transitions
6) Review
7) REarrange the footage : )
8) Encode
It seems easy I know, but somewhere between arranging footage and REarranging footage is where a lot of time is spent.
The thing I'm seeing a lot of lately are applications that make the editing process easy and simple to do; select the footage, select your music and hit "go" and out comes out your video.
Yes, it's easy and simple, but the creative process and outcome can be a bit cookie cutter-ish.
If you're just looking to pop out a quick vid of last weekend's picnic or birthday bash, then it's perfect.
Of all the applications that I've checked out, this suite seems to give you all you need to be a video producer.
Check out their site and the demo reels some of their users have posted. Pretty cool stuff.
Photodex
Monday, August 27, 2007
Video editing backlog
ARRGGGH!!
Need help!!
It's been a few days I know. I've got a shelf full of tapes that need to uploaded and worked on.
Most of them are from earlier in the year (wedding gigs), so I need to get cracking ASAP!!
I'm out for a few more days before I post anything of significance.
Off to the editing bay now!!
Ciao!
Need help!!
It's been a few days I know. I've got a shelf full of tapes that need to uploaded and worked on.
Most of them are from earlier in the year (wedding gigs), so I need to get cracking ASAP!!
I'm out for a few more days before I post anything of significance.
Off to the editing bay now!!
Ciao!
Thursday, August 23, 2007
Picture Day In San Francisco
I had a free day, so Haley (my daughter, 7) and I took a stroll into San Francisco. Both of us armed with digital cams (she has my old Canon G2).
So yes, any picture of just me was taken by her. And the pictures of both of us I took (Canon A640 - flip out LCD...tip: make sure to tell whomever is in the picture with you to look at the lens).
The wide angle of downtown SF was stitched in Photoshop CS3.
Click on pictures for hi res version (warning: closeups of me may cause an uncontrollable urge to see a dermatologist)
Enjoy!
So yes, any picture of just me was taken by her. And the pictures of both of us I took (Canon A640 - flip out LCD...tip: make sure to tell whomever is in the picture with you to look at the lens).
The wide angle of downtown SF was stitched in Photoshop CS3.
Click on pictures for hi res version (warning: closeups of me may cause an uncontrollable urge to see a dermatologist)
Enjoy!
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
Wedding Videos - Keys to a successful video
For whatever reason, I got caught up in the tube today (youtube). Call it wasting time or being lazy, once you get going, you can't stop..haha...The difference today was unlike most days where I just randomly search for whatever, I stuck to one topic - wedding videos.
"You don't say"
After watching a dozen or so videos, you see the whole spectrum as to what people's idea of a good video is. Honestly, most of the stuff I saw was pretty cheesy.
But hey, it's a wedding video, so it's expected.
Regardless of the cheeziness, there are certain key components that I believe every wedding (actually any event) video should try and include.
1) Steady footage - First and foremost, nothing screams amateur more than 'earthquake' footage. Viewers can only take so much before they have to look away to avoid nausea.
Yes, it's that serious.
There are 2 simple ways to remedy this issue....1) Use a tripod. Sometimes it's inappropriate, but when given the opportunity to use one (besides during the vows), then go for it.....2) Standing still. Yes folks, it's that simple. Along with standing still, practice holding the camera in a way that's going to be most comfortable to you. Hint: 2 hands.
And if you're going to pan or zoom...pan slowly and position your body (not your hands) where the end result of the pan will be. So in other words if you're going from right to left, angle your feet/body to the left FIRST, then start your pan from the right. Try it now and you'll see what I'm talking about.
If you must zoom (not a fan of it), then do it slowly. Again, this is something that requires practice and knowledge of your camera's functions.
2) Variety of perspective - In nutshell, never eye level. Ok, so you can't avoid it totally, but you should be trying to vary your shots.......down low....up high..through gates...from behind the groom/bride/parents/bridesmaids. A good piece of cheap and easy advice is just to watch TV and see the angles they use. Obviously some of their shots you won't be able to duplicate because they require a 50' rig or a helicopter, but there will be enough shots to emulate and add to your arsenal.
3) Music - To me, this is 50-70% of the video. It's what draws the emotion out (audio; music or otherwise). Try watching a scary movie or love story without the audio. You'll get nothing, but do the opposite and you'll at least feel the emotion, just as if you were watching the movie.
My dilemma with music has always been picking what I think works and picking something the client likes. Obviously, when it's all said and done, it's what they want that matters. But if you're spot on with your music selection and the emotional pull is there, more often than not they'll approve.
The key is to get the bride to cry and laugh : )
Another one of my "gots to have it" with music is music synchronization - high moments in a song require a "money shot", quick beats require quick scene changes. Now not all songs require total "synchronization", but every song has high and low moments.
I listen to my song selections in it's entirety and then memorize the high points. I then start the selection process as to what will match up before I even start cutting up footage.
4) Exposure/White Balance - This is something that is more on the technical side, but nonetheless very important. Yes, you can do this in post, but like anything else, if you can do it before post, then do it. Tip: Use your viewfinder instead of your LCD because it tends to be more accurate.
Along with exposure, watch your white balance. Be aware when you're going inside...outside..inside. And watch out for the type of lighting you're presented with.
Most cameras have presets for white balance, so it's just a matter of selecting the proper option.
5) Setup shots - With weddings, you're trying to tell a story. There will be sooo many details that the bride and groom will not see or remember. It's our job to make sure we capture all the details. And one of the ways to do this is by capturing "setup shots".
Examples:
Church - Stained glass, water fountain in the front, wide angle of the church, people arriving.
Reception - DJ setting up, flower arrangements, guest sign-in list, gifts.
6) Effects mgmt - This is the biggest thing I noticed on my "tube" outing today - effects, effects and more effects. In one video they used an explosion effect..not once, not twice or even three times, but about 5 times. It was actually pretty funny.
The long and short of it is, don't use too many, make sure it's appropriate (the explosion effect mentioned above was used to expose the ring...the church...the bride) and don't overdo it.
Kill the checkerboard transitions, the extreme page peels and most of the other 100 transitions that were included in your editing program. Tip: DO NOT use transitions as a means of flexing your "special effects" prowess. Personally, the cross dissolve is pretty much the only transition I use.
Along with camera unsteadiness, using effects inappropriately also screams amateur.
I'm sure I'm missing a few things, but I think if you stick to the above, the end result will be a video that you can be proud of and that your clients will enjoy watching...over and over again.
"You don't say"
After watching a dozen or so videos, you see the whole spectrum as to what people's idea of a good video is. Honestly, most of the stuff I saw was pretty cheesy.
But hey, it's a wedding video, so it's expected.
Regardless of the cheeziness, there are certain key components that I believe every wedding (actually any event) video should try and include.
1) Steady footage - First and foremost, nothing screams amateur more than 'earthquake' footage. Viewers can only take so much before they have to look away to avoid nausea.
Yes, it's that serious.
There are 2 simple ways to remedy this issue....1) Use a tripod. Sometimes it's inappropriate, but when given the opportunity to use one (besides during the vows), then go for it.....2) Standing still. Yes folks, it's that simple. Along with standing still, practice holding the camera in a way that's going to be most comfortable to you. Hint: 2 hands.
And if you're going to pan or zoom...pan slowly and position your body (not your hands) where the end result of the pan will be. So in other words if you're going from right to left, angle your feet/body to the left FIRST, then start your pan from the right. Try it now and you'll see what I'm talking about.
If you must zoom (not a fan of it), then do it slowly. Again, this is something that requires practice and knowledge of your camera's functions.
2) Variety of perspective - In nutshell, never eye level. Ok, so you can't avoid it totally, but you should be trying to vary your shots.......down low....up high..through gates...from behind the groom/bride/parents/bridesmaids. A good piece of cheap and easy advice is just to watch TV and see the angles they use. Obviously some of their shots you won't be able to duplicate because they require a 50' rig or a helicopter, but there will be enough shots to emulate and add to your arsenal.
3) Music - To me, this is 50-70% of the video. It's what draws the emotion out (audio; music or otherwise). Try watching a scary movie or love story without the audio. You'll get nothing, but do the opposite and you'll at least feel the emotion, just as if you were watching the movie.
My dilemma with music has always been picking what I think works and picking something the client likes. Obviously, when it's all said and done, it's what they want that matters. But if you're spot on with your music selection and the emotional pull is there, more often than not they'll approve.
The key is to get the bride to cry and laugh : )
Another one of my "gots to have it" with music is music synchronization - high moments in a song require a "money shot", quick beats require quick scene changes. Now not all songs require total "synchronization", but every song has high and low moments.
I listen to my song selections in it's entirety and then memorize the high points. I then start the selection process as to what will match up before I even start cutting up footage.
4) Exposure/White Balance - This is something that is more on the technical side, but nonetheless very important. Yes, you can do this in post, but like anything else, if you can do it before post, then do it. Tip: Use your viewfinder instead of your LCD because it tends to be more accurate.
Along with exposure, watch your white balance. Be aware when you're going inside...outside..inside. And watch out for the type of lighting you're presented with.
Most cameras have presets for white balance, so it's just a matter of selecting the proper option.
5) Setup shots - With weddings, you're trying to tell a story. There will be sooo many details that the bride and groom will not see or remember. It's our job to make sure we capture all the details. And one of the ways to do this is by capturing "setup shots".
Examples:
Church - Stained glass, water fountain in the front, wide angle of the church, people arriving.
Reception - DJ setting up, flower arrangements, guest sign-in list, gifts.
6) Effects mgmt - This is the biggest thing I noticed on my "tube" outing today - effects, effects and more effects. In one video they used an explosion effect..not once, not twice or even three times, but about 5 times. It was actually pretty funny.
The long and short of it is, don't use too many, make sure it's appropriate (the explosion effect mentioned above was used to expose the ring...the church...the bride) and don't overdo it.
Kill the checkerboard transitions, the extreme page peels and most of the other 100 transitions that were included in your editing program. Tip: DO NOT use transitions as a means of flexing your "special effects" prowess. Personally, the cross dissolve is pretty much the only transition I use.
Along with camera unsteadiness, using effects inappropriately also screams amateur.
I'm sure I'm missing a few things, but I think if you stick to the above, the end result will be a video that you can be proud of and that your clients will enjoy watching...over and over again.
Monday, August 20, 2007
Photoshop tutorial - Resizing your photos
Ok, so it's been a few days. The weekend was pretty busy and I got kind of caught up.
Back to business.
I've been getting a lot of slack for not sharing photos with family and friends. I'm pretty lazy cuz the photos I take are always in hi res (6+ megapixels) and it's a hassle to resize.
Resizing and adjusting the settings on the camera is not the way I like to go. You never know if you're going to print out the picture (higher the res, the better the print), so it's best to take it hi res and adjust later.
If you're like me, you know what I'm talking about.
Ok, so onto the tutorial. It's a technique I've known for a while, but again I'm just a lazy mofo : )
Anyways, here you go..
I know I know, this is supposed to be a digital video type of blog. Those tutorials are next.
I promise.
Back to business.
I've been getting a lot of slack for not sharing photos with family and friends. I'm pretty lazy cuz the photos I take are always in hi res (6+ megapixels) and it's a hassle to resize.
Resizing and adjusting the settings on the camera is not the way I like to go. You never know if you're going to print out the picture (higher the res, the better the print), so it's best to take it hi res and adjust later.
If you're like me, you know what I'm talking about.
Ok, so onto the tutorial. It's a technique I've known for a while, but again I'm just a lazy mofo : )
Anyways, here you go..
I know I know, this is supposed to be a digital video type of blog. Those tutorials are next.
I promise.
Thursday, August 16, 2007
Blue Ray and HD DVD - The War Continues!
August 15, 2007 (Reuters) -- Sales of movies on Blu-ray high-definition discs exceeded sales of films on the rival HD-DVD format by a 2-to-1 margin in the United States in the first half of 2007, Home Media Research said on Tuesday.
The division of Home Media Magazine said total sales of Blu-ray discs, which use a Sony Corp.-backed technology, totaled 1.6 million units from Jan. 1 through July 1 while 795,000 HD-DVD discs were sold in that period.
HD-DVD was developed by Toshiba Corp. and is backed by Microsoft Corp. and film studios such as Warner Bros.
Both high-definition formats were launched in spring of 2006. An estimated 3.7 million of both types of discs have been sold overall, including 2.2 million Blu-ray discs and 1.5 million HD-DVD discs, through the end of July, according to Home Media.
A Home Media spokeswoman said Blu-ray got a boost in August from strong sales of the movie 300. Stephen Nickerson, senior vice president, market management, at Warner Home Video, reported sales of about 190,000 Blu-ray units of the film, versus 97,000 in HD-DVD since July 31.
The industrywide standards war is reminiscent of the VHS vs. Betamax battle.
Blockbuster Inc., the largest U.S. retailer of home movie entertainment, in June set out plans to line its shelves with Blu-ray DVDs, saying Blu-ray rentals were "significantly outpacing" HD-DVD rentals.
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
Wedding Shoot (Solo)
Well, I did it. And I survived.
Often things sound worse then they really are (shooting a wedding solo...yikes!) and last Saturday was a perfect example.
This wedding celebration (2nd one in as many weeks) was just to appease the bride's side and their Thailand tradition.
Although the major traditional type things (i.e. bridal party, bouquet tossing) were omitted, there was just enough traditional type activities (i.e. cutting of the cake, the B/G greeting each and every table, speeches) to lead passer byers to believe a wedding was happening.
The Thailand wedding tradition involves the couple wearing traditional Thailand wedding attire and receiving blessings (and words of advice) from each and every guest.
The actual "blessings" process involves the couple kneeling on a Thailand type of alter and having guests line up and pour water through the couple's hands (into a flower pot type thing).
During the pouring of the water, the guests would then offer their advice for a successful and happy marriage. In watching this closely, often times it would appear as if the couple weren't quite comfortable with the whole experience and even slightly embarrassed. Picture kneeling in the middle of this huge ballroom type of venue and 80 people lining up to honor you.
Yeah, exactly!
One venue. No DJ or band. For music they setup a laptop with some pretty decent speakers and that was it. When it came time to play my montage, I just plugged everything directly into the speakers.
Overall, it was a pleasant night. And although it was the complete opposite of last week's "party" wedding (most of the dance footage would require an NC17 rating), it was still a celebration of love between two people amongst family and friends.
The event didn't require two shooters. It barely required one. I was confident in my ability to take on such a challenge (solo shoot), but the challenge never came. Regardless, it was a new experience for me -shooting and tradition (never done a Thailand wedding prior to last week)- and something that can I only grow from.
Often things sound worse then they really are (shooting a wedding solo...yikes!) and last Saturday was a perfect example.
This wedding celebration (2nd one in as many weeks) was just to appease the bride's side and their Thailand tradition.
Although the major traditional type things (i.e. bridal party, bouquet tossing) were omitted, there was just enough traditional type activities (i.e. cutting of the cake, the B/G greeting each and every table, speeches) to lead passer byers to believe a wedding was happening.
The Thailand wedding tradition involves the couple wearing traditional Thailand wedding attire and receiving blessings (and words of advice) from each and every guest.
The actual "blessings" process involves the couple kneeling on a Thailand type of alter and having guests line up and pour water through the couple's hands (into a flower pot type thing).
During the pouring of the water, the guests would then offer their advice for a successful and happy marriage. In watching this closely, often times it would appear as if the couple weren't quite comfortable with the whole experience and even slightly embarrassed. Picture kneeling in the middle of this huge ballroom type of venue and 80 people lining up to honor you.
Yeah, exactly!
One venue. No DJ or band. For music they setup a laptop with some pretty decent speakers and that was it. When it came time to play my montage, I just plugged everything directly into the speakers.
Overall, it was a pleasant night. And although it was the complete opposite of last week's "party" wedding (most of the dance footage would require an NC17 rating), it was still a celebration of love between two people amongst family and friends.
The event didn't require two shooters. It barely required one. I was confident in my ability to take on such a challenge (solo shoot), but the challenge never came. Regardless, it was a new experience for me -shooting and tradition (never done a Thailand wedding prior to last week)- and something that can I only grow from.
Monday, August 13, 2007
Adobe Premiere CS3 - My favorite new tools.
I've been a Adobe Premiere user for about 5yrs now and every new version always has some new cool tools (i.e. 6.0 automate to timeline, 6.5 real time preview and title designer), but this time Adobe has really outdone themselves.
There are ton of new features in Adobe Premiere CS3, but I'm just going to cover my favorites:
1) Blue Ray and Flash export - Wow! All new export options in Premiere CS3. It's been a longtime coming (for Flash at least), but it only makes sense now that Adobe and Macromedia have joined forces. With the advent of video on the net and Flash the standard for internet video, this definitely solidifies Premiere's position as an all-in-on suite. All your projects -exporting to DVD or the Web- can now be created and exported in and from Adobe Premiere.
Blue Ray is hot! Depending on what side of the fence you sit, you might say Blue Ray is slowly winning the HD (yes, it's called HD) war. With HD starting to become mainstream, having the capability to provide HD formatted content is a must if you want to stay ahead of the pack (if not just keep up).
All you need now is an HD camera, a Blue Ray burner AND blank Blue Ray disks ($25 each..ouch!)
2) Adobe Encore - It's included now! Yessss! Now your projects can go from start to finish with one product - Premiere Pro CS3. Although going back and forth isn't much of big deal (usually once you've exported, you naturally just open up Encore and go). For me just knowing that if I have to work on either the DVD authoring or a re-edit, it's only one file and one application that I have to remember to open.
Face value it's not huuuge deal, but for the sake of work flow, this feature makes things more efficient.
3) Time Remapping - Finally, high-quality slow motion effects! Borrowed from it's older cousin/brother, After Effects, this new feature allows you to slow down, speed up and reverse footage with extreme precision and quality. With the abilitiy to keyframe and apply transitions, you have total control of the pace of your footage.
I'll be uploading some footage real soon to demonstrate how powerful this effect really is.
There are ton of new features in Adobe Premiere CS3, but I'm just going to cover my favorites:
1) Blue Ray and Flash export - Wow! All new export options in Premiere CS3. It's been a longtime coming (for Flash at least), but it only makes sense now that Adobe and Macromedia have joined forces. With the advent of video on the net and Flash the standard for internet video, this definitely solidifies Premiere's position as an all-in-on suite. All your projects -exporting to DVD or the Web- can now be created and exported in and from Adobe Premiere.
Blue Ray is hot! Depending on what side of the fence you sit, you might say Blue Ray is slowly winning the HD (yes, it's called HD) war. With HD starting to become mainstream, having the capability to provide HD formatted content is a must if you want to stay ahead of the pack (if not just keep up).
All you need now is an HD camera, a Blue Ray burner AND blank Blue Ray disks ($25 each..ouch!)
2) Adobe Encore - It's included now! Yessss! Now your projects can go from start to finish with one product - Premiere Pro CS3. Although going back and forth isn't much of big deal (usually once you've exported, you naturally just open up Encore and go). For me just knowing that if I have to work on either the DVD authoring or a re-edit, it's only one file and one application that I have to remember to open.
Face value it's not huuuge deal, but for the sake of work flow, this feature makes things more efficient.
3) Time Remapping - Finally, high-quality slow motion effects! Borrowed from it's older cousin/brother, After Effects, this new feature allows you to slow down, speed up and reverse footage with extreme precision and quality. With the abilitiy to keyframe and apply transitions, you have total control of the pace of your footage.
I'll be uploading some footage real soon to demonstrate how powerful this effect really is.
Saturday, August 11, 2007
Wedding Shoot...SOLO!!
Yikes!
Today is the day! My partner is out and it's just me!
Again, same couple as last weekend (see previous blog), but this wedding is more for the old folks.
It should be laidback *crossing fingers*.
Let ya know how it goes!
Woo Hoo!
Al
Today is the day! My partner is out and it's just me!
Again, same couple as last weekend (see previous blog), but this wedding is more for the old folks.
It should be laidback *crossing fingers*.
Let ya know how it goes!
Woo Hoo!
Al
Thursday, August 9, 2007
Photoshop Tutorial - Black & White with color highlight.
Hey folks!
Here's a Photoshop tutorial I put together real quick. I dabble a little in Photoshop and thought it'd be fun to share my deep (hardly) knowledge of Photoshop.
Don't worry. My video tutorials are on their way : )
The steps to isolating an object in a BW photo in Photoshop:
1) Open file and make a duplicate layer.
2) Highlight top layer
3)Image>Adjustments>Black & White filter (hue and saturation and desaturate..older versions of Photoshop)
4) Select eraser tool (adjust size of brush if need be) and erase object you wish to highlight and make color.
You're basically erasing the top layer (BW) to expose the bottom layer (color).
Hope you find this useful!
Al
Subscribe to my blog already? No?! Then what are you waiting for?!!
Here's a Photoshop tutorial I put together real quick. I dabble a little in Photoshop and thought it'd be fun to share my deep (hardly) knowledge of Photoshop.
Don't worry. My video tutorials are on their way : )
The steps to isolating an object in a BW photo in Photoshop:
1) Open file and make a duplicate layer.
2) Highlight top layer
3)Image>Adjustments>Black & White filter (hue and saturation and desaturate..older versions of Photoshop)
4) Select eraser tool (adjust size of brush if need be) and erase object you wish to highlight and make color.
You're basically erasing the top layer (BW) to expose the bottom layer (color).
Hope you find this useful!
Al
Subscribe to my blog already? No?! Then what are you waiting for?!!
Another wedding, the same couple.
Yup, you read right.
My wedding shoot this weekend is with the same client as last weekend. Apparently, last weekend's gig was just for the young folks and this one (8/11) is for the old skool folks.
Another first for me, so we'll see how it goes.
Fun, fun, fun!!
Ciao!
Al
My wedding shoot this weekend is with the same client as last weekend. Apparently, last weekend's gig was just for the young folks and this one (8/11) is for the old skool folks.
Another first for me, so we'll see how it goes.
Fun, fun, fun!!
Ciao!
Al
Wednesday, August 8, 2007
Same day edit from last weekend's wedding
Woo hoo!!
Last weekend marked a monumental day in TruVision Media; we did our first same day edit reception montage.
If you're not familiar with a same day edit (SDE), it's when a videographer (typically at a wedding) shows edited footage from earlier in the day at the reception (via a projector and big screen)
I know.
"And?!"
It's sound simple I know, but it can be (and was) quite stressful.
A couple of things to consider for Same Day Edits:
1) Time - Depending on how much coverage you're going to show, you're going to need the time to upload....edit...AND encode. Some SDEs I've seen show everything up until the vows. Pretty amazing considering receptions are typically an hour or so after the ceremony. And sometimes immediately after.
2) Coverage - Remember, the wedding is still going on and you still have to capture footage. If you don't have partners to back you up, then you could miss something. Although nothing major happens in between the ceremony and reception (typically just picture taking), some B/G want you at there side 24/7 regardless.
3) Place to work - Unfortunately we don't have a trailer to work out of, so the best you can hope for is a quiet coffee shop (which means no Starbucks..haha) with outlets.
4) Editing - Because of the time factor, you need to streamline this process. I suggest using a song that will pretty much go with any footage you have (enya anyone?) and using jump cuts (no cheesy transitions). And don't worry about the effects. The couple will be so impressed with the fact that the footage playing is from earlier in the day that they won't care if you didn't include a few checkerboard transitions : p
Well last weekend we had a 3hr break between the ceremony and reception. And we didn't need any coverage as the B/G went back to their hotel to chill until the reception.
My partner and I found a quiet cafe/lunch spot equipped with more than enough electrical outlets. We walked in, I told the person working there that we would be there for a few hours and we went to work. We had lunch and a few drinks, so they were cool with it. Funny how everyone that walked in was curious to see what we were doing (something about a 17" laptop gets people's attention).
It was my first time, so it definitely helped to have my partner there to collaborate with. Most editors go at it alone, while their partner(s) continue to shoot. I can tell you first hand, editing with a timeframe is very stressful. I can't imagine doing that alone.
The great thing about it was our client's ....a) didn't expect it....and...b) didn't pay for it. So it was all icing for them. For all they knew, all we had was a picture slideshow to present (not included with the SDE now...possibly upload it this week). So if things hadn't turned out well at the cafe, we would've abandoned ship and just showed the slideshow.
Well, it did work out and our clients were very impressed.
Whew!!
Enjoy!
Comments pleeeease!
Al
Last weekend marked a monumental day in TruVision Media; we did our first same day edit reception montage.
If you're not familiar with a same day edit (SDE), it's when a videographer (typically at a wedding) shows edited footage from earlier in the day at the reception (via a projector and big screen)
I know.
"And?!"
It's sound simple I know, but it can be (and was) quite stressful.
A couple of things to consider for Same Day Edits:
1) Time - Depending on how much coverage you're going to show, you're going to need the time to upload....edit...AND encode. Some SDEs I've seen show everything up until the vows. Pretty amazing considering receptions are typically an hour or so after the ceremony. And sometimes immediately after.
2) Coverage - Remember, the wedding is still going on and you still have to capture footage. If you don't have partners to back you up, then you could miss something. Although nothing major happens in between the ceremony and reception (typically just picture taking), some B/G want you at there side 24/7 regardless.
3) Place to work - Unfortunately we don't have a trailer to work out of, so the best you can hope for is a quiet coffee shop (which means no Starbucks..haha) with outlets.
4) Editing - Because of the time factor, you need to streamline this process. I suggest using a song that will pretty much go with any footage you have (enya anyone?) and using jump cuts (no cheesy transitions). And don't worry about the effects. The couple will be so impressed with the fact that the footage playing is from earlier in the day that they won't care if you didn't include a few checkerboard transitions : p
Well last weekend we had a 3hr break between the ceremony and reception. And we didn't need any coverage as the B/G went back to their hotel to chill until the reception.
My partner and I found a quiet cafe/lunch spot equipped with more than enough electrical outlets. We walked in, I told the person working there that we would be there for a few hours and we went to work. We had lunch and a few drinks, so they were cool with it. Funny how everyone that walked in was curious to see what we were doing (something about a 17" laptop gets people's attention).
It was my first time, so it definitely helped to have my partner there to collaborate with. Most editors go at it alone, while their partner(s) continue to shoot. I can tell you first hand, editing with a timeframe is very stressful. I can't imagine doing that alone.
The great thing about it was our client's ....a) didn't expect it....and...b) didn't pay for it. So it was all icing for them. For all they knew, all we had was a picture slideshow to present (not included with the SDE now...possibly upload it this week). So if things hadn't turned out well at the cafe, we would've abandoned ship and just showed the slideshow.
Well, it did work out and our clients were very impressed.
Whew!!
Enjoy!
Comments pleeeease!
Al
Tuesday, August 7, 2007
Hello world
Howdy folks!
*crickets chirping*
Well, I figure it's time I put together a blog on what I do, videography and video editing, and everything related to it.
My vision for this blog is to meet like-minded people to share, learn and inspire.
And occasionally rant...haha
Specs on me:
Hardware: PC
Software: Adobe everything - Premiere 2.0, After Effects 7.0, Photoshop CS3, Encore.
Business: Wedding Videography (www.truvision-media.com) 5yrs
I'm no expert in video editing, but I do know a little sum sum about all the apps mentioned above. I'm actually really getting into After Effects and all that in can do in terms of video editing.
Along the lines of sharing, I was thinking of posting video tutorials on this blog, but I'm not sure about the space limitations.
For now I'll probably just post them on youtube and drop the link here. I just don't think the quality on youtube is the best for tutorials...application tutorials that is.
Ok, that's it for now.
If you somehow how stumbled across my blog..."hello".
Experienced, novice or just starting out, it doesn't matter.
LET'S LEARN AND CREATE TOGETHER!!
(ok, that was corny)
Goodnite!
Al
*crickets chirping*
Well, I figure it's time I put together a blog on what I do, videography and video editing, and everything related to it.
My vision for this blog is to meet like-minded people to share, learn and inspire.
And occasionally rant...haha
Specs on me:
Hardware: PC
Software: Adobe everything - Premiere 2.0, After Effects 7.0, Photoshop CS3, Encore.
Business: Wedding Videography (www.truvision-media.com) 5yrs
I'm no expert in video editing, but I do know a little sum sum about all the apps mentioned above. I'm actually really getting into After Effects and all that in can do in terms of video editing.
Along the lines of sharing, I was thinking of posting video tutorials on this blog, but I'm not sure about the space limitations.
For now I'll probably just post them on youtube and drop the link here. I just don't think the quality on youtube is the best for tutorials...application tutorials that is.
Ok, that's it for now.
If you somehow how stumbled across my blog..."hello".
Experienced, novice or just starting out, it doesn't matter.
LET'S LEARN AND CREATE TOGETHER!!
(ok, that was corny)
Goodnite!
Al
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
