Macvideo Expo
19th Oct 2010
MacVideo Expo will be the major "shoot and edit" event for the UK digital video community in 2010.
MVA
Don't miss out on great exclusive content and special discount member deals.
Join NOW and be part of the MVA community.
Recent reviews
Impressions of the Panasonic HPX-171
Just spent most of the last week shooting with Panasonic's HPX-171. For those unfamiliar with the Panasonic camera range the HPX-171 is the European model, the equivalent of the US model, the HPX-170. This camera shoots DVCPro HD, or standard definition DVCPro, or DV to P2 card. There is no tape drive on the camera, therefore the only option is to record to card. For those want the ability to record to tape, Panasonic also offer the HVX-201A.
Video Material
The Streets of San Francisco - investigating NanoFlash
31/08/2010
in Features
Rick Young
On the streets of San Francisco we test out NanoFlash. The miniature device capable of recording a full 4:2;2 color signal at bitrates much higher than any of the affordable camcorders are capable of. NanoFlash provides a small box which accepts SDI or HDMI as the video input. Recording at high bit rates the result is better, sharper 4:2:2 images, which is of much higher quality to the compressed images at 25 or 35mbps.
NanoFlash Investigation with Ben King (parts 1 and 2)
31/08/2010
in Features
Rick Young
Broadcast Editor Ben King, investigates Convergent Designs NanoFlash. The aim is to see just how much difference it makes working with full 4:2:2 image processing and at higher bitrates. The NanoFlash is is a portable device which accepts video in via SDI or HDMI. It can be used to record a full broadcast signal out of affordable cameras, bypassing the image compression which these cameras natively employ.
Interview with Bruce Sharpe - creator of PluralEyes
23/08/2010
in Features
Rick Young
For anyone who has ever struggled with getting cameras to sync up in a Multicam Sequence, PluralEyes is software which will take this pain away. Created by Bruce Sharpe, former Rocket Scientist and Mathematician, Plural Eyes has seen a tremendous boost in popularity due to the DSLR phenomenon. However, the use of Plural Eyes is for any situation where dual system sound is needed or where multiple cameras are recording at the same time. In this interview we talk to Bruce Sharpe who explains how this software came into being and where it is going next.
From the MacVideo Archive: Walter Murch, History of Editing
15/08/2010
in Features
Rick Young
Walter Murch has worked in feature film production since the 1960's and has seen many changes in the technology behind feature film production. In this interview he talks about how it used to be before computer non-linear technology existed.Murch has earned a reputation as being innovative and daring with his approach to technology. Murch used Final Cut Pro to edit Cold Mountain in 2003, at a time when Final Cut Pro still had to prove itself.
From the MacVideo Archive: Ramy Katrib - the guy who put the word 'Pro' into Final Cut Pro
08/08/2010
in Features
Rick Young
When FCP hit the world back in 1999 it was regarded as a video editing application. For those wishing to work with film, this was a formidable challenge. Those at an Los Angeles based edit facility were pioneers who broke through the wall of expensive post production and made film editing using FCP possible.
From the MacVideo Archive: War Cameraman - Claudio von Planta
08/08/2010
in Features
Rick Young
For close to 25 years Claudio von Planta has been traveling the world and documenting the stories of those in conflict areas and hidden corners of the planet. This piece provides an overview of some of the Claudio's work including footage filmed in Iraq, Afghanistan, Sierra Leone, the Congo, Turkey, Kurdistan and West Papua.
AVID Media Composer 5: Interview with Deepraj Sandhar
26/07/2010
in Features
Rick Young
Media Composer 5 represents a major step forward in the evolution of the AVID editing platform: key features include, AMA (Avid Media Access); full-quality 4:4:4 HD-RGB color space; monitor video externally using the Matrox MXO2 Mini; ProRes support; access low-res XDCAM proxies for offline work; use RTAS audio processing plug-ins.
AVID Media Composer 5: New Features
26/07/2010
in Features
Rick Young
AVID set the standard for non-linear editing when it exploded onto the editing world in 1989. Since then post-production has been defined by this system- and while there are competing systems today, Media Composer remains the system most used for high-end television and features film production. Media Composer 5 is a major upgrade and offers serious competition for the editing market.
Three in one: CoreMelt; Red Lightning Software; Rotolight
18/07/2010
in Features
Rick Young
3 products on show this week: CoreMelt demonstrate Lock'n'Load and some of their other effects software; Red Lightning Software demo Shot Logger Pro - designed to speed up the logging process by enabling quick on-site logging which will reconnect back to media once loaded on drive; Rotolight is an innovative low-cost on-camera light which slips over the shotgun mic. These three are a mix of effects creation and practical workflow software, and a different kind of camera light.
Bill Warner - The man who "made" AVID (part 3)
18/07/2010
in Features
Rick Young
Bill Warner is the man who had the vision, he's the man who made AVID happen. In this, the third episode of a five part series, Bill explains the frustration he felt at the linear editing process in a tape-based world and how he, turned this frustration to find a solution to the problem. As a result the world of editing has never been the same. Where once tape-based suites and film cutting rooms dominated, now the electronic non-linear way has become the accepted process.
Kevin Monahan - speed tools in Final Cut Pro 7
10/07/2010
in Features
Rick Young
Kevin Monahan co-founded SF Cutters, which is widely regarded as being the first and longest running Final Cut Pro user group on the planet. In addition to this Kevin has worked as an editor, been employed by Apple, and is the author of "Motion Graphics and Effects in Final Cut Pro (Peachpit Press). In this demonstration Kevin shows how to effectively work with the new speed tools in Final Cut Pro 7. Inside of a 10 minute demo Kevin unlocks the secrets to making these tools work for you.
Richard Shackleton - The Foundry
10/07/2010
in Features
Rick Young
The Foundry is regarded as being world leading innovator of visual effects and image processing technologies that boost productivity in motion picture and video post production. The Foundry's products support a wide range of award-winning host platforms including After Effects, Autodesk® Media and Entertainment Systems, Avid DS, Nuke, Shake and Final Cut Pro. In 2007, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences awarded a Sci-Tech Award® to The Foundry's development team for the Furnace image processing suite.
Shooting and editing on iPhone 4 (so who needs an NLE?)
27/06/2010
in Features
Simon Walker
Since iPhone 4 lets you shoot video and stills, and iMovie for iPhone lets you edit clips and add music, text, transitions, rostrum moves and lower thirds, perhaps I can now abandon Premiere, FCP and AVID for a new hardware editing platform which lets me cut 720pHD H.264 in real time without rendering!! A competitor to the Mercury Playback Engine perhaps..??
AJA KI Pro: real-world operation
26/06/2010
in Features
Sidney Lobb and Rick Young
Recorded in Rome, this interview with Project Engineer, Sidney Lobb, gives insight as to how AJA's Ki Pro can be used in a professional situation. Designed as a ProRes recorder, the Ki Pro can be used to replace traditional decks, and also to enable up conversion, down conversion, cross conversion of video signals. One can use the Ki Pro to bypass the compression of the affordable cameras and achieve superior results to highly compressed codecs.
IBC SuperMeet: SimonWalker - 10 minute Color grade
10/06/2010
in Features
Rick Young
Recorded live at the IBC SuperMeet, Amsterdam, September 13, 2009.
Stuart Ashton - General Manager EMEA, Blackmagic Design (parts 1 and 2)
04/05/2010
in Features
Rick Young
An in-depth discussion about DaVinci Resolve on the Mac: what this means for the world of color correction, different options offered in the DaVinci range, key features which DaVinci offers and the Blackmagic strategy for making high-end tools affordable and within reach of everyone.
Blackmagic roll out DaVinci for $995
03/05/2010
in Features
Rick Young
Blackmagic Design has announced a revolution in high end color correction with new DaVinci Resolve 7.0 that includes support for the Mac OS X platform, upgraded user interface, improved video field support, a new EDL library, improved shared database support, as well as new pricing for all models starting from a very affordable $995. Recorded at the NAB FCPUG SuperMeet, April 13, 2010.
The strength of AVID Media Composer: Frank Capria, Angus Mackay, Robert Russo
26/04/2010
in Features
Rick Young
AVID Media Composer rules high end production for feature films and broadcast. Even though other systems offer competition, AVID remains a formidable force at the high-end of film and video production. So what is it which makes AVID Media Composer so strong? In this discussion key members from AVID discuss the strengths which Media Composer offers, they talk about key features of the newly announced AVID Media Composer 5, and explain just why AVID editors LOVE the AVID and why the vast majority refuse to migrate to any other system.
Dennis Radeke: Adobe Certified Expert
19/04/2010
in Features
Rick Young
In this piece Dennis Radeke talks about the significance of the 64 bit, native cocoa functionality of Adobe CS5, the integration with Final Cut Pro, the Mercury playback engine, and the benefits the latest carnation of the software brings to the users.CS5 is an eagerly awaited upgrade to Adobe's CS5 and is expected to ship within the month.
Adobe Unleash CS5: pure 64 bit cocoa
19/04/2010
in Features
Rick Young
Adobe has launched the fifth incarnation of its Creative Suite collection of professional applications for print and Web designers and videographers. This set of coordinated programs, popularly called Adobe CS5, includes new versions of 14 products and their associated apps, four new online services, and a brand new interactive Web design product.
