| | | |
NAB Expo | NAB 2012: Dolby Calibrates the Future with PRM-4200 monitor
At NAB 2012, Dolby will sweeten the deal for professionals who already own the PRM-4200 or are interested in it by adding support for content shot in 48 fps and three levels of customized calibration service for the monitor. Also to be seen at both the Dolby and ARRI booths, a short film - in partnership with ARRI - directed, shot, produced and graded by Academy Award-winning visual effects artist Rob Legato.
04/13/2012
Author: Debra Kaufman |
| | | | |
| | | |
NAB Expo | NAB 2012: FilmLight FLIPs for End-to-End Color
FilmLight introduces FLIP, a new real-time image processing product that's an end-to-end color pipeline solution. Also new is the near-set dailies solution Baselight Transfer and Baselight 4.3, the latest software version with many new features.
04/10/2012
Author: Debra Kaufman |
| | | | |
| | | |
Broadcasting | Modern VideoFilm Adds Harmonic MediaGrid Systems
Modern VideoFilm post production facility has found a rock solid way to handle high volume preparation of movies and TVs for delivery to a wide variety of platforms, from Web portals and satellite to cable and over-the-air in the form of the Harmonic MediaGrid, which serves as an incoming/outgoing cache for content that is delivered to and distributed from the facility via Signiant software over a fiber network at a rate of 10 TB per day.
04/05/2012
Author: Debra Kaufman |
| | | | |
| | | |
NAB Expo | FUJIFILM to Bring Two HDTV Lenses to NAB 2012
Two lenses, which expand their respective product lines, the HA19x7.4BERM/BERD 2/3-inch Premier Series high-performance HD ENG/EFP production lens and the XA19x7.4BESM-D8 compact, HDTV studio and field box-style lens, will be presented at NAB 2012 by FUJIFILM Corp.
03/19/2012
Author: Debra Kaufman |
| | | | |
| | | |
Cinematography | Behind the Lens: Martin Ruhe
Cinematographer Martin Ruhe was just honored with the ASC Award for Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography in Motion Picture/Miniseries Television for his work on "Page Eight," a contemporary spy film directed and written by David Hare for the BBC. Creative COW had the opportunity to speak with Martin for a look behind the lens of "Page Eight."
03/01/2012
Author: Debra Kaufman |
| | | | |
| | | |
Film History & Appreciation | The SciTech Award Goes to... The Lowry Process
On February 11, the Academy will honor John D. Lowry, Ian Cavén, Ian Godin, Kimball Thurston and Tim Connolly with a Scientific and Engineering Award for "the development of a unique and efficient system for the reduction of noise and other artifacts, thereby providing high-quality images required by the filmmaking process."
02/09/2012
Author: Debra Kaufman |
| | | | |
| | | |
Film History & Appreciation | The Joy of Filmmaking
People have been understandably speaking about Martin Scorsese's film "Hugo" as a celebration of the life and films of Georges Méliès, but it is also a tribute to those who LOVE to watch films and even to film preservation.
02/08/2012
Author: Tim Wilson |
| | | | |
| | | |
Art of the Edit | Company 3 Partners with FutureWorks
Company 3 - a Digital Intermediate powerhouse in Santa Monica, CA - joined forces with FutureWorks, a Mumbai-based post-production facility, in order to offer its color grading services to Bollywood's feature film and commercial clients.
02/07/2012
Author: Debra Kaufman |
| | | | |
| | | |
Film History & Appreciation | These Amazing Shadows
An editor's journey through the films that made America (or, how I stopped worrying and learned to love the B-Roll)
02/07/2012
Author: Doug Blush |
| | | | |
| | | |
Cinematography | Hugo and The Joy of Filmmaking
In this expanded version of the article from Creative COW Magazine, VFX Supervisor and 2nd Unit Director Rob Legato shares some of the secrets of a tribute to the love of making and watching movies, and insights into two filmmaking masters. All of us at Creative COW congratulate Rob on his Academy Award nomination for his visual effects work on Hugo.
01/26/2012
Author: Rob Legato |
| | | | |
| | | |
Audio Professionals | A Look at Alan Parsons Art & Science of Sound Recording
If you are one of the many people working in film and broadcast that has been wanting to sharpen your skills in audio production -- or just become more aware of its principles and dynamics -- Creative COW's Ronald Lindeboom points to a series that is near to guaranteed to expand your working knowledge of audio.
12/30/2011
Author: Ronald Lindeboom |
| | | | |
| | | |
 | Customer Intimacy & the HP Z800
Jeff Wood, VP of Global Marketing, Commercial Solutions Unit for HP, describes the demands that film and video pros place on their workstations, how HP is meeting those demands, and how they will continue to listen to you to deliver reliable and powerful solutions.
12/21/2011
Author: Jeff Wood |
| | | | |
| | | |
Cinematography | Karen Baker Landers and Per Hallberg: Supervising Sound Editors
Karen Baker Landers and Per Hallberg are celebrating 23 years together as a supervising sound editor team at Soundelux in Hollywood, a collaboration that includes the 2008 Academy Award for their work on "The Bourne Ultimatum." Creative COW had the opportunity to speak with Karen and Per about their path to becoming top Hollywood supervising sound editors, how they work as a team and the challenges and joys of working in feature film sound.
12/16/2011
Author: Debra Kaufman |
| | | | |
| | | |
Blackmagic Design | Blackmagic Design Simplifies Teranex Product Line-up
Blackmagic Design acquires Teranex Systems Inc., in a strategic move to complement their own efforts for providing extremely high quality image processing for broadcast, feature film and high end post production needs, with plans to simplify the Teranex product line and release the VC-100 broadcast image processor.
12/14/2011
Author: Debra Kaufman |
| | | | |
| | | |
ARRI | DFT FLEXXITY Includes Native Support for ProRes
DFT Digital Film Technology recently added native support of ProRes files on the Linux OS to version 1.2 of its FLEXXITY suite of software applications, which includes Dailies, Playout and Archive -- which speaks especially to ARRI Alexa output.
12/12/2011
Author: Debra Kaufman |
| | | | |
| | | |
Apple FCPX or Not: The Debate | Either/Or? BOTH.
Ramy Katrib helped design the first FCP workflows for features and TV, but with many new opportunities, DigitalFilm Tree refused to limit themselves.
12/01/2011
Author: Ramy Katrib |
| | | | |
| | | |
Cinematography | Douglas Trumbull Sees a Better Filmgoing Future
Douglas Trumbull first won acclaim with the visual effects for such groundbreaking features as "2001: A Space Odyssey," "Close Encounters of the Third Kind," and his own "Silent Running," but with the invention of Showscan in the late 1970s, he became the godfather of high-frame rate cinema. This pioneering innovator sees a better filmgoing future.
11/29/2011
Author: Douglas Trumbull |
| | | | |
| | | |
Indie Film & Documentary | Behind the Lens: Where Soldiers Come From
Shooting in cinema verite style, filmmaker Heather Courtney focuses on three friends from Northern Michigan - a view of small-town America - who join the National Guard and ultimately are deployed to Afghanistan. The 'Where Soldiers Come From' documentary is an intimate portrait of these changed lives and is part of the 24th season of POV (Point of View).
11/11/2011
Author: Debra Kaufman |
| | | | |
| | | |
Cinematography | Deluxe Entertainment Purchases Dolby Monitors
After conducting extensive testing of a variety of reference monitors, Deluxe has acquired multiple units of the Dolby Professional Reference Monitor PRM-4200 for installation in their Company 3 Santa Monica and EFILM Hollywood locations.
11/10/2011
Author: Debra Kaufman |
| | | | |
| | | |
Art of the Edit | HBO's Digital Transition
HBO holds the highest reputation for television image quality, often based on an aesthetic very closely tied to their use of film. The stakes as they move toward digital pipelines are especially high as they very carefully consider their next steps, for both production and post.
10/14/2011
Author: Debra Kaufman |
| | | | |
| | | |
Art of the Edit | Now What? It's a Question We've Been Hearing a Lot Lately.
"As always, we're happy to provide answers from the people actually making the hard decisions about the products and technologies in which they'll be investing their money, their time, and their expertise." Tim Wilson muses on the "End of Film" issue of Creative COW Magazine.
10/06/2011
Author: Tim Wilson |
| | | | |
| | | |
Cinematography | Film Fading to Black
ARRI, Panavision and Aaton have all quietly ceased production of their film cameras to focus exclusively on the design and manufacture of digital cameras. Film? Fade to black.
10/06/2011
Author: Debra Kaufman |
| | | | |
| | | |
Cinematography | Takuo Miyagishima, Panavision Innovator
Takuo Miyagishima was both the spirit of Panavision and the creator of innumerable camera, lens and accessory inventions that include Primo anamorphic lenses, Panaflex camera system and the Super Panatar projection lens. This tribute illuminates some of the accomplishments of this imaging innovator, and the influence he has had on over 50 years of filmmaking.
08/31/2011
Author: Debra Kaufman |
| | | | |
| | | |
Film History & Appreciation | 'Children of Paradise' restored to 4K
Children of Paradise [Les Enfants du Paradis] is perhaps the most stunning classic film you've probably never seen. The movie was made in 1943 - 1944, when the Nazis forbade the making of films longer than 90 minutes, and released in 1945. It was last shown in the U.S. 30 years ago, despite the fact that 600 French critics, directors, actors and technicians have voted it as "Best French Film Ever." Join Debra Kaufman as she brings the restoration of this classic beauty to light the story of how Éclair Labs in Paris battled a disintegrating nitrate original.
08/24/2011
Author: Debra Kaufman |
| | | | |
| | | |
Art of the Edit | Behind the Lens: Cowboys & Aliens & Editors
Creative COW’s Debra Kaufman had a chance to speak with the editor of Cowboys & Aliens, Dan Lebental, who was also Favreau’s editor on Iron Man and Iron Man 2. Cowboys & Aliens stars Harrison Ford as the iron-fisted Colonel Dolarhyde and Daniel Craig as a stranger with no memory of his past in an event film for summer 2011 that crosses the classic Western with the alien-invasion movie in a blazingly original way.
07/29/2011
Author: Debra Kaufman |
| | | | |
| | | |
Film History & Appreciation | Behind the Lens: Captain America: The First Avenger
Join Debra Kaufman as she goes behind the lens in the latest installment of her film vfx series, as Captain America: The First Avenger is brought from the realm of comic book imagination and 2D art, to the 3D world with stunning visual effects. Get the inside story of how thirteen VFX houses contributed to this new Marvel super-hero franchise as they share their stories with Debra Kaufman.
07/22/2011
Author: Debra Kaufman |
| | | | |
| | | |
Cinematography | Behind the Lens: City of Life and Death
In City of Life and Death, director Lu Chuan took on an historic topic of great sensitivity in China: the Nanjing Massacre (also known as the Rape of Nanjing). During in a six-week period beginning in December 1937, invading Japanese soldiers overtook the city of Nanjing and raped and massacred an untold number of civilians. In his film, Lu Chuan took the daring step of humanizing Japanese soldiers, as well as the Chinese characters, an artistic decision that brought him much criticism in China. Join Debra Kaufman and cinematographer Cao Yu in an exclusive interview on how the shades of suffering, survival and death were captured on film.
06/22/2011
Author: Debra Kaufman |
| | | | |
| | | |
Business & Marketing | Post Houses: How to Get, Keep and Not Lose Business
On June 8, a packed room of sales and executives representing Hollywood TV/film post production houses attended a Hollywood Post Alliance (HPA) meeting of the Sales Career Resource Group (SCRG) to discuss a topic rendered urgent in today's tough economy: How to Get, Keep and Not Lose My Business. Join Debra Kaufman as she details the evening's events.
06/15/2011
Author: Debra Kaufman |
| | | | |
| | | |
Cinematography | Restoring Martin Scorsese's Taxi Driver in Sony 4K Digital Cinema
As a landmark in American film history celebrates 35 years, Sony Pictures Entertainment leads a cutting-edge 4K restoration for Blu-ray and limited theatrical re-release. Debra Kaufman joins the COW team with an exclusive in-depth article describing the restoration of Taxi Driver in Sony 4K Digital Cinema for its 35th anniversary.
05/11/2011
Author: Debra Kaufman |
| | | | |
| | | |
NAB Expo | Fraunhofer Moving Pictures announces CURATOR Archive Suite
Thousands of members of Creative COW were at the 2011 NAB Show, and we are pleased to bring you some of their reports. In this entry, Debra Kaufman looks into what Fraunhofer has to offer in the world of film archiving and preservation technology, with PEG2000-based archive which supports complete workflow.
04/28/2011
Author: Debra Kaufman |
| | | | |
| | | |
NAB Expo | MTI Film introduces Remote Control Dailies
Thousands of members of Creative COW were at the 2011 NAB Show, and we are pleased to bring you some of their reports. In this entry, Debra Kaufman surveys MTI Film's newest offerings and finds that the new feature for Correct DRSTM aids collaborative digital restoration, and that PixelStax allows facilities to share work among artists in multiple locations.
04/28/2011
Author: Debra Kaufman |
| | | | |
| | | |
NAB Expo | FilmLight Baselight for FCP. It's a serious color tool.
Thousands of members of Creative COW were at the 2011 NAB Show, and we are pleased to bring you some of their reports. In this entry, Walter Biscardi at NAB 2011, had the opportunity for a 1 on 1 demo of the full Baselight color correction system and it's "little cousin", the plug-in that "allows you to bring a ridiculously powerful color correction system directly inside of Final Cut Pro" (and other hosts).
04/27/2011
Author: Walter Biscardi |
| | | | |
| | | |
NAB Expo | FilmLight makes strategic moves at NAB 2011
Thousands of members of Creative COW were at the 2011 NAB Show, and we are pleased to bring you some of their reports. The simple story is that NAB is about showcasing new products. But the meta-story is that NAB is about strategy, branding and positioning. That’s what was on Debra Kaufman's mind when she saw the very interesting one-two punch of new products at the FilmLight suite at the Renaissance Hotel.
04/20/2011
Author: Debra Kaufman |
| | | | |
| | | |
Stereoscopic 3D | 3ality Digital Introduces Simplified Stereo 3D Production
With higher ticket prices and box office boffo, stereoscopic 3D (S3D) has succeeded in feature films, but S3D production has sputtered elsewhere, particularly when it comes to live concerts and sports -- both of which are cited as potential blockbuster content for audiences. Now, 3ality Digital is attempting to change all that with the introduction of new software technologies: IntelleCal and IntelleCam, which are part of the 3space suite of products to be launched at NAB 2011.
04/07/2011
Author: Debra Kaufman |
| | | | |
| | | |
Cinematography | Silverdraft Mobileviz rolls out
Previz and VFX to go offers new options for filmmakers. Debra Kaufman visited the new Mobileviz trailer Hollywood and experienced the "first super-computer-powered digital and visual effects (VFX) studios-on-wheels."
03/18/2011
Author: Debra Kaufman |
| | | | |
| | | |
Cinematography | Behind the Lens: DP Jo Willems & Limitless
Join Debra Kaufman as she speaks with Cinematographer Jo Willems to discuss his latest film, Limitless. The premise of the movie imagines a dual reality for character, Eddie Morra - one in which he is broken and luckless, the other, wealthy and charismatic. How does a cinematographer capture the feeling of two vastly different worlds? By shooting both film and digital! Read on for the story "Behind the Lens", as Jo Willems describes to Debra Kaufman just how he achieved the look he envisioned.
03/17/2011
Author: Debra Kaufman |
| | | | |
| | | |
Cinematography | Dreams of Freedom
Centered around flight as a metaphor for freedom, the "Storyville Live" project and the short film "Flyboy" contribute to ending the very real and ongoing slavery of millions.
03/16/2011
Author: Stephen Campbell |
| | | | |
| | | |
Event Videographers | World-Class Aerials for The World Cup
The world's most popular and prestigious sporting event added aerial coverage for the first time in its illustrious history -- and they turned to partners Helifilms and Helimedia to make it all possible.
12/13/2010
Author: Matt Downey |
| | | | |
| | | |
Cinematography | Relax, and Quit Bluffing
Paul Stephen Carlin delves into 35mm film framing and aspect ratio, with the idea that "Once you understand the history of 35mm's evolution, you have a good foundation for learning about the future."
12/13/2010
Author: Paul Carlin |
| | | | |
| | | |
Field Production - NEW ! | Shooting True First-Person Interviews
Tom Miller, a 20 year cinematographer, shares some of his interview secrets with Creative COW members. In the Academy Award®-winning documentary film "Fog of War", Robert McNamara looks directly into the lens as he talks about the trials and tribulations of the Vietnam War. The effect is unnerving and powerful. Draw from Tom's vast expertise to communicate with your audience in a memorable experience.
09/21/2010
Author: Thomas Miller |
| | | | |
| | | |
Cinematography | More than Just Blue
While "Avatar" was changing filmmaking, Mark Smirnoff led the team at Modern VideoFilm as they built the production and post processes to make it happen.
05/07/2010
Author: Mark Smirnoff |
| | | | |
| | | |
Stereoscopic 3D | Magic Journey to Africa
Barcelona's Apuntolapospo draws on 18 years of experience to create live-action 3D. There have obviously been stereoscopic films for many years, since the 50s, and even earlier. In this new age of digital filmmaking, though, "Magic Journey to Africa" is the first live-action stereoscopic 3D feature to be produced in Europe, for both digital cinema and IMAX.
05/06/2010
Author: Bernat Aragones |
| | | | |
| | | |
Film History & Appreciation | The Library of Congress Unlocks The Ultimate Archive System
The Library of Congress is working to preserve film for hundreds, even thousands of years. Seriously. In this article from Creative COW Magazine, Ken Weissman, Supervisor of the Library's Film Preservation Laboratory, tells the steps they're taking toward the ultimate archive system, starting with the restoration of films first printed on paper instead of film!
05/05/2010
Author: Ken Weissman |
| | | | |
| | | |
Cinematography | This Way of Life
Barbara Sumner Burstyn and Thomas Burstyn inspire readers with their four-year journey by two families to produce a film and experience life with a new perspective. This Way of Life is a film about a family, 50 horses, a mountain, a beach and a burnt down house. Ride along with this incredible filmmaking family as you read their story and prepare to be changed for the better.
05/05/2010
Author: Barbara Sumner Burstyn and Thomas Burstyn |
| | | | |
| | | |
Business & Marketing | Creative COW - Year 10
As we enter year 10, Creative COW Foundation is launched to award scholarships & grants to students in film & media studies. Creative COW Foundation has awarded its first check for $10,000 to the American Film Institute’s Directing Workshop for Women.
05/03/2010
Author: Ron Lindeboom |
| | | | |
| | | |
Creative COW Magazine feedback | A Storyteller's Journey
Where do you go when your first film is nominated for an Academy Award®, your next job is for Steven Spielberg, and just a few years later you earn your first DGA Award nomination? For Lesli Linka Glatter, the answer is -- you go anywhere you want to! Having just won her first DGA Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement, we spoke to Lesli about directing for both episodic TV and film, visual storytelling, and a journey that began at AFI's Directing Workshop for Women.
04/07/2010
Author: Lesli Linka Glatter |
| | | | |
| | | |
Motion Graphics | A Non-Linear Career
An FX veteran's unexpected, non-linear career path, from puppetry to painting, to ILM and beyond, offers insights into the art and business of film creativity - and a killer reel.
12/21/2009
Author: Tony Hudson |
| | | | |
| | | |
Art of the Edit | Molecule Fueled Imagination
Film? Television? Production? Post? Visual effects? Animation? Stereoscopic 3D? Interactive design? By answering Yes, all of the above, The Molecule keeps its eyes beyond the horizon.
10/15/2009
Author: Chris Healer |
| | | | |
| | | |
DaVinci | Cinefilm's Ron Anderson: da Vinci User Since 1986
In this article, Tim Wilson talks with da Vinci user Ron Anderson in his Part Three look at Blackmagic Design's acquisition of da Vinci Systems. Ron Anderson’s relationship with da Vinci has also taken places over several decades, starting as a customer, and evolving into demo artistry even while he continues working with da Vinci systems at Atlanta’s Cinefilm.
09/08/2009
Author: Tim Wilson |
| | | | |
| | | |
Indie Film & Documentary | Film? Really? Yes, Really.
Even all-digital, file-based films are still shown mostly on film. That's why Mike Lehman is helping indie filmmakers get their work onto the worldwide standard for theatrical exhibition.
08/19/2009
Author: Mike Lehman |
| | | | |
| | | |
Business & Marketing | Heavy Iron
How can a creative business survive, much less prosper, these days? DigitalFilm Tree's Zed Saeed offers a possible solution that combines embracing new, disruptive, low-cost technologies, and investing wisely to add value.
08/18/2009
Author: Zed Saeed |
| | | | |
| | | |
Cinematography | Pushing the Limits on Pushing Daisies
Visual Effects Supervisor William Powloski helped create one of the most eye-popping worlds ever seen on TV, as part of a feature film aesthetic on a TV budget and schedule. Although it was canceled after only two seasons, it remains one of the most beautiful and innovative programs to ever air on US television. In an extended version of the original article in The Visual Effects Issue of Creative COW Magazine, here is an exclusive look at how he and his team helped pull it off.
7/21/2009
Author: William Powloski |
| | | | |
| | | |
Stereoscopic 3D | Perception and The Art of 3D Storytelling
By working in the area between what you see, and what you can see, Brian Gardner is helping re-write the rules of 3D filmmaking - right before your very eyes. In this article, he tells how some of these new rules played out in his work on the amazing movie, Coraline.
06/02/2009
Author: Brian Gardner |
| | | | |
| | | |
Stereoscopic 3D | FotoKem: 3D DI
FotoKem opened as a film lab in 1963, and has continued to evolve and expand. Here are some of the tools they're using as the industry, and their business, now adds another dimension.
06/02/2009
Author: John Daro |
| | | | |
| | | |
Indie Film & Documentary | Running the Sahara
Running 4300 miles across the world's largest desert sounds impossible. But once Academy Award-winning director James Moll heard that three guys were going to try, he knew he had to hear - and tell - their story. In this Creative COW Magazine expanded interview, James talks about the incredible journey of both the runners and the filmmakers, while also offering insights into filmmaking, storytelling, and the frame.
03/25/2009
Author: James Moll |
| | | | |
| | | |
Audio Professionals | ADR: Hollywood Dialogue Recording Secrets
Correcting dialogue is one of the most important parts of the old saying, fix it in post. They're part of a process called ADR -- Additional Dialogue Recording, or Automated Dialogue Replacement -- that has been going on since movies had audio, and is still being done today, from the smallest indie films to the biggest blockbusters. Here's an overview of the world of ADR, some of the Cows who are working in this field, and where to go when you are ready to ADR to your own productions.
03/03/2009
Author: Cowdog |
| | | | |
| | | |
Indie Film & Documentary | Film Festival Magic
After 3 years working on their labor of love, Harry and his partners tasted the full range of film festival experiences, some more magical than others...
02/27/2009
Author: Harry Pallenberg |
| | | | |
| | | |
Cinematography | Focus on Controlling Depth of Field with Depth of Field Converters
Cinematographer and Creative Cow leader Todd Terry has shot countless television commercials and industrials using both 35mm film and depth-of-field converted video. In this Creative Cow Magazine Extra, from The Visual Effects Issue, learn how depth of field converters allow you to attach 35mm lenses even to video cameras with fixed lenses, how they work, and which one might be right for you.
02/10/2009
Author: Todd Terry |
| | | | |
| | | |
 | The Truth About 2K, 4K and The Future of Pixels
John Galt, Panavision Senior Vice President of Advanced Digital Imaging, led the team that created the Genesis camera, was responsible for the F900 Star Wars camera, and continues to play a leading role in guiding future digital cinema technologies. In this Creative Cow Magazine Extra, join us for a wide-ranging conversation, as John cuts through what he calls the intentional obfuscation of marketing pixels, and considers the range of options that are becoming available to digital filmmakers.
02/03/2009
Author: John Galt |
| | | | |
| | | |
Nuke | Nuke - An Introduction for After Effects Users
Nuke, the new compositing tool from The Foundry, is rapidly becoming a favorite in high-end film production. Its price also offers an easy entry for indie producers who want to create better work, faster and more powerfully. This guided tour of Nuke for AE users, along with tips for leveraging your AE experience in the brave Nuke world of VFX creation will help you discover Nuke.
01/20/2009
Author: Pete O'Connell |
| | | | |
| | | |
Apple Color | One Team. Three Network Shows. Every Week.
Creative Cow Contributing Editor Zed Saeed has helped create pioneering Final Cut Pro workflows for major feature films and episodic TV production. This year, he and the team at DigitalFilm Tree faced their biggest challenge yet: posting 3 major shows, for 3 different networks, every week -- with the same small team that used to do just one. How do they do it? World-class workflow management.
12/23/2008
Author: Zed Saeed |
| | | | |
| | | |
Art of the Edit | Metadata & The Future of Filmmaking
Dave Stump, ASC has worked as a DP, effects cinematographer and VFX supervisor on dozens of films including Quantum of Solace, X-men and X-men 2, The Bourne Identity, Army of Darkness, Star Trek: First Contact, Batman Forever and many more. He chairs the American Society of Cinemtagraphers subcommittees on Cameras, and Metadata. In this expanded version of an interview first published in Creative Cow Magazine, Dave describes a possible future for filmmaking -- faster, less expensive, and more creative -- as cameras and metadata come together.
12/16/2008
Author: Dave Stump |
| | | | |
| | | |
Broadcast Video | Improvising Visual Effects
On-set circumstances changing fast? Improvise! In this Creative COW Magazine article Mark Allen discusses how he overcame the complications in a recent short film production by improvising the visual effects.
12/03/2008
Author: Mark Allen |
| | | | |
| | | |
Art of the Edit | Fix it in Pre : Workflow Starts Before the Shooting Does
Looking for smooth shoots even on extreme locations? Want a pain-free post? 24P, film look, Depth of Field converter, advanced compositing and sound design -- its all here. In this Creative Cow Magazine extra from the Workflow 3.0 issue, Carl Larsen shows you how to avoid problems through planning, along with invaluable tips for cinematic storytelling on a tight schedule.
11/18/2008
Author: Carl Larsen |
| | | | |
| | | |
Art of the Edit | The Importance of Invisible Effects
Steve is a Senior Compositor and 2D Technical Director with over 20 years of production experience. His credits include over 60 films including as Traffic, Blade: Trinity,Ray, Batman & Robin, U-571, Air Force One, TV shows including Deadwood, and over 70 commercial spots. In this Creative Cow Magazine Extra from the Visual Effects issue, Steve talks about invisible effects in projects he has worked on, with ideas you can use for your own projects.
11/18/2008
Author: Steve Wright |
| | | | |
| | | |
Lighting Design Pros | Westward Ho!
A wild ride of an edit: shot on film, projected onto five screens. In this Creative COW Magazine article Mike Sullivan discusses some of the problems such as lighting and color interaction he faced in a project he did for National Historic Trails Interpretive Center in Casper, Wyoming.
09/03/2008
Author: Mike Sullivan |
| | | | |
| | | |
Adobe After Effects | Behind the Scenes from Behind Oasis
When one of the worlds biggest rock and roll bands, Oasis, celebrated a careers worth of achievement, the film playing behind Rock-n-Roll Star was created by Creative Cow author Nel Johnson and the team at Studio Skylab. Learn the After Effects techniques that helped them complete the project under a ridiculous deadline, while wowing Oasis and a worldwide audience. As Nel puts it, We locked ourselves away, cranked up the music, and went nuts. In this Creative Cow Magazine Extra, we take a closer look at the story, starting with the creation of the films unique look.
08/12/2008
Author: Nel Johnson |
| | | | |
| | | |
Broadcast Video | 14 Terabytes of Burnin' Love
Elvis Presley Enterprises took its video production in-house - into Graceland, one of the most famous houses in the world. But with 14TB of archived film and video, they're already running out of room...
08/11/2008
Author: Bevin Baddorf |
| | | | |
| | | |
Apple Final Cut Pro | The Forbidden Kingdom: Jackie Chan. Jet Li. FCP.
A Creative Cow Exclusive! DigitalFilm Trees Zed Saeed has helped create pioneering digital workflows built around FCP, custom-designed for large-scale productions. Their biggest challenge so far has come on The Forbidden Kingdom, an epic film partnering Jackie Chan and Jet Li for the first time -- with production and post in China, Korea, Australia, and multiple locations in the US. Heres a look at how they put it all together with FCP, Xserve, XML, Color, file-based workflows...and hard, hard work.
04/14/2008
Author: Zed Saeed |
| | | | |
| | | |
Cinematography | Looking for film look? Shoot like film!
Film look software will never offer the same impact on your work that film-style shooting will. Software will also always take longer than shooting right the first time. Longtime film shooter Kim Segel shows you the tools and techniques to maximize film looks, even on paupers budgets.
03/04/2008
Author: Kim Segel |
| | | | |
| | | |
Cinematography | Finding the Heart of the ARRI D20 Digital Camera
With HD, Thomas says he ''has the ability to finesse color, exposure and contrast in the color correction suite. I used to look down my nose at video but RAW 4:4:4 is more creative, efficient.'' In this Creative COW Magazine article, Thomas Burstyn takes a look at the Arri D20 as he films Sci-Fi's Tin Man.
02/26/2008
Author: Thomas Burstyn |
| | | | |
| | | |
Motion Graphics - How Do I? | How CGI in Commercials Changed the History of Film: A Creative Cow Magazine Extra
For his article in the Creative Cow Magazines Commercial Issue, film compositor, VFX artist, animator and Creative Cow Contributing Editor Steve Wright (Ray, Traffic, Blade: Trinity, Never Die Alone and 60 others), told how the computer graphics animation technology we see in film today actually originated in the world of commercial advertising. (He knows. He was there.) In this Creative Cow Magazine Extra, Steve provides even more details, including the demo reel for CGI pioneers Robert Abel & Associates, and a great spot that Steve created for Volkswagen...with cows!
01/05/2008
Author: Steve Wright |
| | | | |
| | | |
Adobe After Effects | Cineon Files: What They Are, and How To Work With Them
Expert film compositor Pete OConnell takes you through the world of Cineon files, including exactly what they are, how they work, and how to work with them in Adobe After Effects. If you work with film files or want to, you need to read this article.
High Bandwidth/Large File Warning: Due to the fact that this article deals with film images, the image sizes are large and this article contains 32MB of images in the HTML file.
12/27/2007
Author: Pete O'Connell |
| | | | |
| | | |
Audio Professionals | Why Use a Mixer?
Want to know why you should be using a mixer and an external mic instead of your cameras onboard mic? After years shooting for clients including National Geographic, NFL Film and Oprah, as well as production for his own company, hell give you the background you need to make your work sound its best.
12/13/2007
Author: Brandt Sleeper |
| | | | |
| | | |
Canon Cameras | Film-Style Shooting with the Canon XL H1
Interchangeable lenses and powerful, accessible controls make the Canon XL H1 the choice at Fantastic Plastic. In this Creative COW Magazine prosumer hd digital video camera review, Todd Terry discusses the real world pros and cons of the Canon XL H1.
10/27/2007
Author: Todd Terry |
| | | | |
| | | |
Adobe After Effects | Building Cinematic Composites: A Creative COW Magazine Extra
Building cinematic composites takes more than software. It takes careful planning, understanding the drama in every shot, and a sense of magic. In this Creative COW Magazine extra, we share our conversation with director Mark Allen, discussing his short film, Least Likely, a 60-second science fiction epic. Weve got the film here, along with some HD images from it. Prepare to be amazed.
10/24/2007
Author: Tim Wilson |
| | | | |
| | | |
Motion Graphics | Playing Your Role in a Working Film Crew
For years, I've known David McGiffert as an FCP user making his own documentaries. But I had no idea that he had over 40 Hollywood features under his belt until I saw his name in the credits for 'An Officer and a Gentleman.' He wouldn't tell me any of these stories. He finally broke his silence and gives Creative COW readers the story.
10/10/2007
Author: David McGiffert |
| | | | |
| | | |
Cinematography | Time Lapse Video Secrets: HD and Beyond with your Digital Camera
You already know that your digital camera has higher-than-HD resolution -- even higher than film res sometimes -- and the pictures can look amazing. It turns out that your still camera actually works better than an HD video camera for creating time-lapse photography. Marco Solorio tells you how to put it all together.
10/10/2007
Author: Marco Solorio |
| | | | |
| | | |
Indie Film & Documentary | Film Festival Success
In this article from The Creative COW Magazine, J.C. Bouvier give five tips for getting your film into a film festival.
06/27/2007
Author: J.C. Bouvier |
| | | | |
| | | |
Indie Film & Documentary | Making a Movie - Building a Universe
In this Creative COW Magazine article independent filmmaker Bryan Kinnaird takes you on a journey through the production process of the Villikon Chronicles and shares what it has taken for him to become the filmmaker he is today.
06/17/2007
Author: Bryan Kinnaird |
| | | | |
| | | |
Adobe Illustrator | Adobe Illustrator for Video and Film
In this Adobe Illustrator review from The Creative COW Magazine, Tim Wilson looks at the ways that Adobe's Illustrator CS3 is designed with video and film artists in mind.
06/10/2007
Author: Tim Wilson |
| | | | |
| | | |
Indie Film & Documentary | Independent Film Productions - Through the Swamps
Navigating the challenges of independent productions. Low budgets don't have to mean low quality. They do mean that you'll have to work harder, longer, and smarter. What you lack in money and crew, you have to make up with hard work and passion.
06/10/2007
Author: Mark Maness |
| | | | |
|
|
