Raw Footage

I guess instead of silly little reviews I’m going to talk about my method for once. I often get questions about handing over raw footage the day of the event. I don’t like to do it. In fact I know very few who do. A finished product takes many man hours on top of many computer hours to create. This product consists of audio and color corrections that give a more finished feel to the video. I also like to use no less than two cameras and off camera sound. The bit of syncing that goes into each takes a professional editor to achieve. Now, why, you ask, would any one use off camera sound? I have multiple reasons, the most simple being an archival principle of multiple copies. By adding audio into my camera I am negating a potential backup and adding more variables to go wrong. I also like separating the mic from the camera. This means no camera noise, no cords to the camera. Just a mic and a recorder separate from the camera and possibly closer to the subject. As for the two camera setup. I love it. I feel that you get more coverage from more angles. The meshing of all of these materials takes a good editing software and a trained professional to make it all work. So, when hiring a professional videographer you should expect them to use all the skills available to create a professional product for you. Keep in mind that the workflow needed for that product does not lend itself to the idea of supplying raw footage to the client.

Cinemagraph App For Windows Phone

The cinemagraph app or rather the windows version of cinemagram is a software that makes a modern version of the animated GIF. I have yet to see it function in the way that I would like to think it should. Maybe I am choosing the wrong subjects. As of this writing I have attempted my dog panting and my husband flipping through a book. Both instances masked odd areas and gave a disjointed feel to the subject. My dog’s ears “magically” disconnected from her head. It looks odd and nowhere near as cool as the retro GIFs. Maybe this is an effect of the software and looks better if you can use cinemagram. The concept of this app is to capture both a still and video. Then it combines the two and masks a portion of the image so that only part of it moves. Cool until the dog’s ears disconnect from her head. But also, in a way cheesy. Have you seen those lighted pictures in the Chinese restaurants? The ones where the water is the only thing that moves? That’s what I think of when I try to make these. So far I’m not impressed and would rather craft them the old fashioned way.

New Phone Blues

I am posting for the first time from my phone. Up until now I have found it counterintuitive to post from my phone. You see, I tend to pride myself on not being completely in step with the rest of the first world. While everyone was getting iPhones I was drooling over the Palm Pre. It was quite the little phone too. Alas, HP nixed its splendor and I was left with a new decision. The iPhone is still out. I’m an artist I’m supposed to be a free thinker. If we all join the same cult we’re doomed. Besides, I place functionality above beauty. The Droid was my runner up. The hip and trendy device for those too cool for an ianything. Again not my style. If I were a true underdog picker I’d choose blackberry. But they’re for a different set of people and their fan base has all but jumped ship for the itrend. That left me with one very different solution. I think I’ll call it the ifighter. The windows phone with all of its accessibility features won me over.
Now why am I writing about a phone on a video blog? I know that an idevice has been used to make video that showed places. So I’m sure that I could use my windows phone if I wanted, but I am more interested in it as a business device for social networking, expense tracking, email – all my business on the go needs. And really, most importantly, a phone. Over the next few months I will discuss this phone in more detail.