CasablancaExpert

Videotaping Great Sunsets

QUESTION: Hello Chet,
When filming a sunrise or sunset, what kinds of protective filters should be used to avoid damage to camera components?

ANSWER:  First, please check the Owners Manual for your camera.  The older model cameras could/will be damaged by pointing directly at the sun.  The newer CCD or MOS image sensors have less or no issue in this regard, but again best to check with your camera manufacturer to be sure.

I understand that some photographers/videographers use special filters to protect their camera gear and get the best images.

I personally, have used my Sony A1U (CCD chip) directly into the sunset with no damage -- the video below is a short collection of some sunset shots I videotaped in Hawaii.  I should add that I learned from my wife (a still photographer) that some of the most vidid and dramatic sunset colors occur after the sun goes down, especially if there is good clouds on the horizon.

Additionally, here are some web pages with good additional info:
Solar Eclipses & Video
Filming A Sunset

Where Can I Find the Cool Page Turn Transition?

Here is another of the submissions from 'Ask The Expert'.  This is a benefit to those who are members of the community at www.CasablancaExpert.com :

QUESTION: I am doing a short video commercial for my son who is in mortgage business. One effect I would like you use is a page turn. I notice this effect used in the Casablanca Video Manuals Volume 8. To me this is an affective way to tell a business story. Where would the software be for a page turn.

Any suggestions on a short commercial would be appreciated. I am reviewing some music from Music 2 Hues. Any fresh suggestion on buy out business music would be nice. 

ANSWER: Regarding your question about the Page Turn transition -- that is confusing to lots of folks, you will actually find it near the bottom of your Transition Effects list.  It's actual name is the ZI Page Turn.  It is actually part of the 'ProPack' software (what that has to do with 'Z' I have no idea...).  I agree that the Z1 transition is a very nice one. 

Since you are a website member - I would also direct you to this article on my website where share some of my favorite transitions (with a brief statement as to possible use/s):  http://www.casablancaexpert.com/articles/20090126_23

For an opening and/or closing to your short video, I would suggest a nice PIP.  I think this adds visual impact and can also clearly illustrate the multitude of benefits your son offers his clients, etc.  See the beginning of my tutorials for an example of a PIP where I added many screens together to provide that kind of impact.

For buy out music, I use Smart Sound/Sonic Fire Pro at times, but mostly use the music from Music 2 Hues.  I like their 'Acoustic Guitar' CD the best, but have used a couple of others. The nice thing is that you can listen to their tracks on their website prior to purchasing. You can then order the CD from them, your Casablanca dealer, MacroSystem US or you can even download the digital file, burn onto a CD and be using it with your Casablanca in less than an hour.  Their website is here: http://www.music2hues.com/

Using Movie-Mode to Improve Your Blu-ray Projects

If you are editing High Definition projects on your Casablanca digital video editor and burning these videos out to Blu-ray DVDs for viewing/distribution - I want to share a suggestion that might improve the look of your finished product.  I was reminded of this today when I read a post on the Casablanca Forum of a colleague who shared the observation of poor playback results of a recent project.

As I indicated on that Forum - I am not suggesting that there is not some additional development that needs addressing here -- particularly the stopping/freezing of DVDs while in playback (I have not first-hand experience with this but heard it from several voices). I also believe, as another colleague suggests on the Forum, that Blu-ray (delivery of High Definition video via DVD) is/are still an immature technology.

That said, I do have a member of my website who was not satisfied with the quality of transitions and pans on his Blu-ray DVDs late last year. I encouraged him to add the Movie-Mode (found under Special in the Edit Menu). This essentially de-interlaces your video. He found that while this took a long time to render, it produced much more pleasing looking finished product. NOTE: If you're already editing Progressive video in a project with settings on Progressive, ignore this suggestion.

Here are the comments from my colleague/website member after his first use of the Movie Mode:

"I am amazed at the results from using Movie Mode.  I burned my first full length wedding video to Blu-ray after doing the de-interlacing with Movie Mode.  Took a lot of hours to render but worth the wait.  What a difference! 
The page turn is much improved – not perfect but a vast difference.  Essentially, it is now use-able where I was ready to abandon its use with Blu-ray.  The pans are totally reversed, they play smoothly – everything I could want.  I am a convert and in your debt for bringing this technique to my awareness.  You are a TEACHING EXPERT IN ALL THINGS CASABLANCA. "

Are You a Fungible Videographer?

Earlier this week on the Cassie Tips List, Casablanca Colleague and Academic Dean of the Compass Film Academy

shared a link to a blog-post that I believe provides some important thoughts for those among us who are professional videographers to consider.

The post appears on the website 'Going Pro 2010 - Helping Create Professional Photographers'.  This specific article appears here: Are You Fungible? 

Written by Scott Bourne who has been writing about photography on-line since 1998, suggests that professional still photographers would benefit from flexibility, and allowing their business model to grow and change with the times we live in.

I believe his message is a good conversation starter for videographers as well.  I must confess, I had to look up the word 'Fungible'.  Dictionary.com states this adjective is defined as "being of such nature or kind as to be freely exchangeable or replaceable, in whole or in part, for another of like nature or kind."

I would suggest that being open to doing some new things, doing business & marketing in new ways, creating new products is a way to avoid being replaced.  Some in our Casablanca community are living examples of success in these challenged economic times - by virtue of social media integration and some by their consistent efforts to create new and vibrant products/projects.  Anyway - I encourage you to check out the blog-article and have a conversation with a fellow videographer.

New Audio Functions Streaming Video - in Webinar Archives Now!

I thoroughly enjoyed presenting 'The New Audio Features & Functions in Bogart 3 and Smart Edit 9 Operating Systems' yesterday during the August 2010 Casablanca Expert Members Only Webinar.  You may know that the largest changes & improvements made in these two newest OS versions for the Casablanca digital video editor was in the area of the Audio Mix menu - that's why I decided to spend a full session devoted to these new capabilities.  

We reviewed the functions available to all users, regardless of monitor (screen) configuration and then  spent time focused on the functions available only when using a higher resolution monitor for your menu (either VGA or DVI monitor setting).  

If you missed the webinar, or wish to review the 55-minute streaming video - you can do so now by visiting the Members Only Webinar Archives.  For your convenience, I have also created a separate page with just this session so you can access it quicker and more easily: New Audio Functions & Features in Bogart 3 and Smart Edit 9 OS

Members Only Webinar Tomorrow: New Audio Functions

It's not too late to register for the Casablanca Expert Webinar set for tomorrow morning (Tuesday, August 24) at 10:00AM Pacific Time.  I will present an intensive look at the new audio functions & features in Smart Edit 9/Bogart V3 Operating Systems.  You'll learn the intricacies of the new audio capabilities in this latest OS for your Casablanca digital video editor.

This webinar (web-seminar) is the August session of this Members Only benefit - once you log into the website at www.CasablancaExpert.com - click over to the Members Webinar page here: http://www.casablancaexpert.com/categories/membersonly - here you will find the registration link. 

Remember, even if you have another obligation and cannot 'attend' the live session, it is a benefit to register as you will receive an email with the session recording and notes/tutorials to review at your convenience following the webinar.

And if you're not yet a member at CasablancaExpert.com -- consider joining today to have access to the hundreds of pages of articles: tips, tutorials & tricks to help you get the most from your Casablanca digital video editor.

All About DVD Technology: Review it in the Archives

I had a great time interviewing Seth Hampton at CAM Audio, Inc. yesterday as we discussed 'Everything You Wanted to Know About DVD Technology'.  This was the August 19, 2010 Casablanca Expert Public Webinar.  You can view the streaming video (recorded from the webinar) on my website www.CasablancaExpert.com in the Casablanca Expert Public Webinar Archives.  We had so many good questions from those in attendance that we kept on-air and went for a full 1-hour and 45-minutes!  You can use the chart below, with specific topics and program times to get to a specific topic/s in the program.Further - you can download the 24-page PDF document that contains the slides/visuals from this Webinar/presentation: Public Webinar Notes 08/19/2010

Here are the main themes & topics covered in in the above session
Once video begins playback, click pause and allow video to load
Then you can scroll to a specific time to view desired content

Production Crew Shoots First Wedding in 3D

On the Videomaker Video News Blog, there was an interesting article about the first Wedding to be shot in 3D: "Recently, an Australian production company decided the world was ready by shooting the first everwedding made entirely in 3D using Panasonic’s new A1 camcorder (pictured at left).

There is a brief discussion of the successes and limitations the production crew encountered in this shoot -- among them "The most unexpected one being that shooting in 3D required their crew to have a “sterographer” who would make sure that each camera’s point of convergence was accurate. For those of you who have not yet filmed in 3D (which is probably just about all of us) the point of convergence is the point in which both eyes (or both lenses) can focus on an object without doubling up the background behind it... As a result of this phenomenon, the cinematographers who were filming the wedding were not able to get closer than 5 feet to their subjects. If they did, their lines of convergence would be off and the image would end up looking doubled to the viewer. Also, really fast camera movements also became a problem as viewers’ eyes quickly fatigued with the constant change in focus when objects at different depths showed up on the screen.

You can read more on the Videomaker Blog here: Production Crew Shoots First Wedding in 3D

Here is a short video showing some 'behind the scenes' clips from the 3D wedding

3D Wedding Shoot - Sydney Australia from Abraham Joffe on Vimeo.

You may have heard that your Casablanca video editor will be able to edit 3D video projects! This was previewed by Macrosystem AG CEO Jorg Sprave at the NAB 2010 in April. From folks who saw it, their comments indicated it could be one of the easiest to use 3D editing applications on the market. More news on that topic as it becomes available.

Casablanca Title Studio - Preview Video

On August 5, 2010 Macrosystem US released the new Title Studio software (previously released in PAL). I previously shared news of this new software back in April 2010 as it premiered at the 2010 NAB Show in Las Vegas, Nevada (USA). 

This software - for the Bogart OS only - provides a wealth of new, fully-customizable titling options.  High among the capabilities are the options for modifying the font attributes, and the ability to modify text by line or character (in the standard titler, you can only adjust a full line of text - or create a new title box to adjust individual characters)

Justin Philpott in the Boulder, CO offices of MacroSystem US has put together a great introductory video that shows the capabilities of the new Casablanca Title Studio - you can view that 9-minute video here: Casablanca Title Studio Preview

 

You can download and install the Title Studio software on your Bogart OS Casablanca editor and try it out in Demo Mode.  To learn more about this newer Casablanca software - see this webpage: Casablanca Title Studio . 

I am producing a comprehensive tutorial video that will be available to members of my CasablancaExpert,com website members later this week. The training video will also be made available to all members of the Casablanca community in my online store.

Sony announces new camcorder

You may have seen the announcement that Sony has announced a forthcoming new camcorder, the Sony NEX-VG10 that is the first consumer HD camcorder to enjoy interchangeable lenses.  I think this is a direct answer to Canon's success thus far with their Canon Mark 5 and Mark 7 HD-SLR cameras.  These two pro models, and the consumer Canon T2i camera have caught the rapt attention of both still photographers and videographers.

Sony is touting that this new camcorder offers many of the features & functions that these HD-SLR cameras do not (at least not as standard features -- this would be robust audio options, video viewfinder, etc).  These _are_ options for the Canon HD-SLR models but as add-on accessories.

It will be interesting to see the feedback on this new Sony camera once it becomes widely available - it is said to have a list price under $2,000 US.

You can read more about this forthcoming product here: Camcorder Redefined: Sony Debuts World’s First Consumer Interchangeable Lens HD Camcorder