Here is a list of my favorite motion graphics designers. Starting with the guys who did Colo-Cola's Happiness Factory.
Psyops never ceases to amaze me whenever they do a spot commercial. As motion graphics designers, they make the message simple combined with a very detailed computer graphics, creates a very stunning commercial. The Coca-cola spot was much talked about in the motion graphics community that they produced a "behind the scenes" which was funny thinking that these were actually 3D characters.
Second on my list of motion graphics designers is Jakob Trollback of Trollback & Co. His idea in this video is to take out the artist in displaying their personality in the video and let the music take over the graphics. Known most of the time for the deep concepts in his video, Jakob is now guesting in TED to share the world his ideas.
Jakob is a self-taught artist who started out as a club DJ that's why his love for music is always showing in his works. Here is another from MK12.
MK12 is known for compositing and mixing film and motion graphics. This video is an introduction sequence for the movie Stranger Than Fiction. Simple as it is, the idea was to show the character's boring life as an IRS agent. The sequence has successfully shown the idea artistically and subtley. It was so effective, the style has been replicated in some local commercial, mostly used the wrong way though.
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Music Video Production
Music Video Production is easiest to understand in its basic sense. Widely used by bands and music artists to promote their songs, it's basically a combination of visuals and a single song played to its full length. Its first concept can take us as far as 1910, back then was known as musical short films, featuring bands, vocalists, and dancers. Later on followed by animated shorts, music videos where beginning to emerge as a new type of entertainment.
But what do you need in order to produce a music video? For me it'll be a camera, some editing skills, and a concept. Though most music video production concentrate on just displaying the artists nowadays, I still firmly believe that the video still has to communicate. A media that fails to communicate will hardly be recognized at all and will simply be a waste of time. Watch one of my music videos done for a client who has a fairly simple message. Lets see if I was successful in delivering the message or not.
Did you get the message? My client, then turning 18, was telling the audience how it is hard for her to express herself to other people when norms of the society or their family traditions tend to suppress her. She basically wants to be the little girl who enjoys life the way she wanted, not what others wanted for her.
With that music video production, I only had a concept, actors, and a video cam to work with. Of course, the quality has to suffer a bit, but with the purpose of the video, I think quality is not of priority but the message. She thanked me for it and we all had so much fun producing it.
But what do you need in order to produce a music video? For me it'll be a camera, some editing skills, and a concept. Though most music video production concentrate on just displaying the artists nowadays, I still firmly believe that the video still has to communicate. A media that fails to communicate will hardly be recognized at all and will simply be a waste of time. Watch one of my music videos done for a client who has a fairly simple message. Lets see if I was successful in delivering the message or not.
Did you get the message? My client, then turning 18, was telling the audience how it is hard for her to express herself to other people when norms of the society or their family traditions tend to suppress her. She basically wants to be the little girl who enjoys life the way she wanted, not what others wanted for her.
With that music video production, I only had a concept, actors, and a video cam to work with. Of course, the quality has to suffer a bit, but with the purpose of the video, I think quality is not of priority but the message. She thanked me for it and we all had so much fun producing it.
Monday, February 16, 2009
Promotional Video Production
Promotional Video Production is one way of introducing a product to the market. This helps the audience with their buying decision. But of course, there is more room to influence the audience.
A well produced promotional video production starts of with a good storyboard. Without a well planned storyboard, production will go out of bound most of the time in terms of budgets, schedules, and concept. There is nothing worst than ending up with a video that didn't come out how you actually expected it.
Casting calls are important as the concept will be well supported by competent actors and actresses. It is also important in promotional video production to find a convincing actor to play the role. This requires a keen sense to the details as to how the actor will look on screen. Some actors look older than their age, some look more intelligent than they are, some are more suitable for kiddie roles even if they are old. Things like these should be put into consideration when choosing your cast.
Location is one of the most over looked by amateurs. Concentrating more on the concept and actors, they often take the background for granted which is a very subtle error that audience don't really take notice but is perceived as "amateurish." It is important to take note in a promotional video production that location supports the scene in a lot of ways.
Directing is one of the hardest part in a promotional video production. Here is where all the concept, casting, and storyboard will merge into one scene that the director must control. How the overall theme is being perceived is the responsibility of the director and therefore a critical part of the whole production.
I recently joined a contest from Universal Robina Corporation with their Cream-O product. This entry placed 2nd and won my daughter a digital camera. I learned from this promotional video production that there are certain things in life that you cannot control, one of them would be your 4-year old daughter, your big dog, and the weather. Enjoy watching the clip.
A well produced promotional video production starts of with a good storyboard. Without a well planned storyboard, production will go out of bound most of the time in terms of budgets, schedules, and concept. There is nothing worst than ending up with a video that didn't come out how you actually expected it.
Casting calls are important as the concept will be well supported by competent actors and actresses. It is also important in promotional video production to find a convincing actor to play the role. This requires a keen sense to the details as to how the actor will look on screen. Some actors look older than their age, some look more intelligent than they are, some are more suitable for kiddie roles even if they are old. Things like these should be put into consideration when choosing your cast.
Location is one of the most over looked by amateurs. Concentrating more on the concept and actors, they often take the background for granted which is a very subtle error that audience don't really take notice but is perceived as "amateurish." It is important to take note in a promotional video production that location supports the scene in a lot of ways.
Directing is one of the hardest part in a promotional video production. Here is where all the concept, casting, and storyboard will merge into one scene that the director must control. How the overall theme is being perceived is the responsibility of the director and therefore a critical part of the whole production.
I recently joined a contest from Universal Robina Corporation with their Cream-O product. This entry placed 2nd and won my daughter a digital camera. I learned from this promotional video production that there are certain things in life that you cannot control, one of them would be your 4-year old daughter, your big dog, and the weather. Enjoy watching the clip.
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Multimedia Presentations
Multimedia Presentations are more effective than ordinary presentations. A lecture, for example, is quite boring for somebody who uses his creative side of the brain. Facts and words are not that appealing to them, thus, the presentation will fail its purpose. Moreover, kids would also find it difficult to understand lectures because they are naturally susceptible to visual inputs. This is where multimedia presentation comes in.
Option to display words, pictures, and use sounds gives multimedia presentations an edge when it comes to putting your message across because it is better understood. Unlike lectures, words are subject to ambiguity and misinterpretation depending on the context it is used, if it is understood at all. Using pictures and sounds gives supports the message of the whole subject eliminating the risk of misinterpretation.
The multimedia presentation above is a perfect example of how words, pictures, and sounds combine together to form a very different learning experience. You will also notice redundancy which may or may not help depending on how you use it. But generally, redundancy keeps the message reinforced. Also you will notice that it was presented in a very personalized manner. The artist's visual style and color used give the presentation a personality, which is equivalent to the presenter's way of delivering the message. However, you presenters are not consistent with how they deliver. There are factors like self-esteem, motivation, and confidence that affects how the message is delivered. Unlike multimedia presentation, it is consistent in every way.
Although there are still disadvantages using multimedia presentations, the benefits still outweighs it. Given its consistency and ability to deliver message quite well, consider this as your first choice when presenting.
Option to display words, pictures, and use sounds gives multimedia presentations an edge when it comes to putting your message across because it is better understood. Unlike lectures, words are subject to ambiguity and misinterpretation depending on the context it is used, if it is understood at all. Using pictures and sounds gives supports the message of the whole subject eliminating the risk of misinterpretation.
The multimedia presentation above is a perfect example of how words, pictures, and sounds combine together to form a very different learning experience. You will also notice redundancy which may or may not help depending on how you use it. But generally, redundancy keeps the message reinforced. Also you will notice that it was presented in a very personalized manner. The artist's visual style and color used give the presentation a personality, which is equivalent to the presenter's way of delivering the message. However, you presenters are not consistent with how they deliver. There are factors like self-esteem, motivation, and confidence that affects how the message is delivered. Unlike multimedia presentation, it is consistent in every way.
Although there are still disadvantages using multimedia presentations, the benefits still outweighs it. Given its consistency and ability to deliver message quite well, consider this as your first choice when presenting.
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Infomercial
Infomercial came from "information" and "commercial". It has been typically used in television to advertise a product. It lasts from as short as one minute to as long as a whole program with the intention of persuading the viewer into something. Lately, the idea has been used to replace "sign-off" in off peak hours of television (2am-6am) keep viewers who can't sleep at night. Here is an example of infomercial.
Infomercial is a form of advertisement. Some advertisers might downplay it a bit by introducing the product through a talk show style, an interview, revolving around a story, but it is still advertising, nonetheless.
One of the most salient points in an infomercial is its purpose to persuade into an action. It might be to buy the product or believe into a concept, but regardless of its purpose, it is the response of the audience that measures its effectiveness. Thus it is also considered as a form of "direct response marketing".
Because of its nature, it employs tools such as catchy phrases, repetition of words and ideas, incorporating celebrities, scientist and public well-known figures to gather positive response from the audience.
Infomercial is a form of advertisement. Some advertisers might downplay it a bit by introducing the product through a talk show style, an interview, revolving around a story, but it is still advertising, nonetheless.
One of the most salient points in an infomercial is its purpose to persuade into an action. It might be to buy the product or believe into a concept, but regardless of its purpose, it is the response of the audience that measures its effectiveness. Thus it is also considered as a form of "direct response marketing".
Because of its nature, it employs tools such as catchy phrases, repetition of words and ideas, incorporating celebrities, scientist and public well-known figures to gather positive response from the audience.
Video Marketing
Since the explosion of online videos, video marketing has been used as a tool in sales. YouTube has been very good at this. With millions of viewers and subscribers, it is now the best way to market your product through videos. Just upload your video and in minutes, you are live and available for the world to see!
However, uploaded videos sometimes don't get the effects they need. Thus video marketing fails. The best way, I think, to influence your audience is to attack them indirectly with your product. watch how the following video.
See how effective that was? In less than a minute, he puts his message across and you will want to buy the product.
Other times, the more subtle it is, the more effective. Watch this following video and get hooked with the beat.
It was a video marketing tool by www.parrygripp.com who created the music. Now it is not directly implied in the video, unlike most video marketing strategies, that you should go and check out their website. However, the subtlety of the style, in one way or another, will tempt you to go to their website and check out other stuffs that they have.
When you get the idea and start driving traffic, then your video marketing has been effective. But regardless of the results and with the internet revolution still going stronger, video marketing will be the tool of tomorrow.
However, uploaded videos sometimes don't get the effects they need. Thus video marketing fails. The best way, I think, to influence your audience is to attack them indirectly with your product. watch how the following video.
See how effective that was? In less than a minute, he puts his message across and you will want to buy the product.
Other times, the more subtle it is, the more effective. Watch this following video and get hooked with the beat.
It was a video marketing tool by www.parrygripp.com who created the music. Now it is not directly implied in the video, unlike most video marketing strategies, that you should go and check out their website. However, the subtlety of the style, in one way or another, will tempt you to go to their website and check out other stuffs that they have.
When you get the idea and start driving traffic, then your video marketing has been effective. But regardless of the results and with the internet revolution still going stronger, video marketing will be the tool of tomorrow.
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Motion Graphics
I've been asked so many times about the term 'motion graphics'. And as an artist, it's hard to establish a business when your client doesn't know about what you sell in the first place. I was losing business with the term so much that I actually changed my services from 'motion graphics' to 'avp production' which is more understandable but not exactly the term I wanted to use.
So what is motion graphics exactly. How different is it from other videos? Simply put, it is 'Graphics in motion'. A sub-branch of the graphics industry concentrating on moving graphics. Now, it's not just available on screen, is can also exist as one of the manually powered technology such as thaumatrope, phenakistoscope, stroboscope, zoetrope, praxinoscope, flip book, which I might probably discuss in length in the future. But suffice to say, it's a world where graphics move.
One of the thing I like about motion graphics is its ability blend into any field. You can have it on film, broadcast, television, avp, presentation, etc. Watch one of this funny clips I did for one of my clients. They wanted to show how hard it is for a midwife to do a home service.
Needless to say, motion graphics has been very active since the digital age where producing and publishing your work becomes easier.
So what is motion graphics exactly. How different is it from other videos? Simply put, it is 'Graphics in motion'. A sub-branch of the graphics industry concentrating on moving graphics. Now, it's not just available on screen, is can also exist as one of the manually powered technology such as thaumatrope, phenakistoscope, stroboscope, zoetrope, praxinoscope, flip book, which I might probably discuss in length in the future. But suffice to say, it's a world where graphics move.
One of the thing I like about motion graphics is its ability blend into any field. You can have it on film, broadcast, television, avp, presentation, etc. Watch one of this funny clips I did for one of my clients. They wanted to show how hard it is for a midwife to do a home service.
Needless to say, motion graphics has been very active since the digital age where producing and publishing your work becomes easier.
Monday, February 9, 2009
Video Production Service
Video production service is where I started in the business. At first I wanted to express my ideas and thoughts about things through videos. But soon after that, it started to become something that people are appreciating me. They started to laugh and smile on my videos that it made me feel great. You have no idea how to produce a quality video unless you've experienced that sense of fulfillment even though you've had several sleepless nights.
When they started appreciating my work, business came in quite often, and this was like highschool. Days that I was suppose to be studying turned out to be production schedules for friends and clients. Sleepless as I was, I still loved it! I loved it so much that I was out of the classroom for activities most of the time.
As I became more and more sophisticated in producing videos, more and more business came in. But it didn't take too long before I got bored... really bored. All clients seem to be wanting the same thing. I didn't have the business sense then to delegate some of the work and still earn from it. In my mind, it was just plain simple, it didn't excite me anymore so I have to dump it. Nevertheless, I still continued my video production service in a different way.
'In a different way' for me means that I have to both get excited about every project and stand out from everybody else... my competition. As an experiment, one of my risk-taking client suggested that on her 18th birthday, I want my life story told in a 'different way'. So I created this video for her which was actually a step further my career since I'm starting to explore story telling through videos. Please watch and enjoy this (weird) video.
Regardless of what happens to the industry, I guess my edge in video production service is my ability to adapt to changes and find ways to become different.
When they started appreciating my work, business came in quite often, and this was like highschool. Days that I was suppose to be studying turned out to be production schedules for friends and clients. Sleepless as I was, I still loved it! I loved it so much that I was out of the classroom for activities most of the time.
As I became more and more sophisticated in producing videos, more and more business came in. But it didn't take too long before I got bored... really bored. All clients seem to be wanting the same thing. I didn't have the business sense then to delegate some of the work and still earn from it. In my mind, it was just plain simple, it didn't excite me anymore so I have to dump it. Nevertheless, I still continued my video production service in a different way.
'In a different way' for me means that I have to both get excited about every project and stand out from everybody else... my competition. As an experiment, one of my risk-taking client suggested that on her 18th birthday, I want my life story told in a 'different way'. So I created this video for her which was actually a step further my career since I'm starting to explore story telling through videos. Please watch and enjoy this (weird) video.
Regardless of what happens to the industry, I guess my edge in video production service is my ability to adapt to changes and find ways to become different.
Friday, February 6, 2009
Effective Presentation
Effective presentation is defined by its impact on the target audience. Early on in the project, the designer must decide on what is the kind of impact he is looking for or better yet what is the kind of impact the client is looking for.
I spoke to a real estate broker, a completely non-technical guy, and his concern was rather common to most client. He said that most artists are egocentric when coming up with the design. They think more of what they want to show rather than thinking what the client wants to show. Now I believe that an effective presentation will have to deal with this type of communication problem with the clients. The video production team should work closely WITH the client, not FOR them.
Sure at one point you might think that what the client wants is a bit crappy but clients are clients. You have to put aside some of the things you believe in and let the client have it their way. However, if you know that the design is not going to work 100%, that's the time you point out a potential error. And you could only push a client so much with what you think is an effective presentation.
Moreover, one of my friend artist who have been in the business for quite some time now, said that as an artist you must know what your client wants and translate it to their audience in such a way that make sense and make the most effect. You will act as the mediator of information the client wants to relay, if the audience did not "get it" it's the artist's fault.
An effective presentation deals more with communicating the idea than producing a design. The more time you spend with the client taking out information of what they want to say will save you more time and money in the production in the long run.
Here is one of the video's that I did for a University. It tells a story of how it would be like to be in it [the university]. It's a bit lengthy but I hope you enjoy watching it.
I spoke to a real estate broker, a completely non-technical guy, and his concern was rather common to most client. He said that most artists are egocentric when coming up with the design. They think more of what they want to show rather than thinking what the client wants to show. Now I believe that an effective presentation will have to deal with this type of communication problem with the clients. The video production team should work closely WITH the client, not FOR them.
Sure at one point you might think that what the client wants is a bit crappy but clients are clients. You have to put aside some of the things you believe in and let the client have it their way. However, if you know that the design is not going to work 100%, that's the time you point out a potential error. And you could only push a client so much with what you think is an effective presentation.
Moreover, one of my friend artist who have been in the business for quite some time now, said that as an artist you must know what your client wants and translate it to their audience in such a way that make sense and make the most effect. You will act as the mediator of information the client wants to relay, if the audience did not "get it" it's the artist's fault.
An effective presentation deals more with communicating the idea than producing a design. The more time you spend with the client taking out information of what they want to say will save you more time and money in the production in the long run.
Here is one of the video's that I did for a University. It tells a story of how it would be like to be in it [the university]. It's a bit lengthy but I hope you enjoy watching it.
Corporate Video Production
Corporate video production is a service that most businesses must look into as a way of promoting. Yes, fliers still works but imagine the impact of your product if they can see it on the big screen, animated and alive. Wouldn't it be nice to present side by side against your competitor while your client is hooked to your video presentation and your competitor is still having a problem putting his point across? Believe me, most of the clients don't read brochures, I don't. I'll look at it for two seconds, and if nothing catches my attention, I'll throw it into the nearest bin. What a way to waste the artist's time, the supplier's ink and paper, and of course your money!
Now, think about the fact that majority of the population watches television. They are wired to be subconsciously influenced by this. That's is why they pay big money to television commercials, it gives them the results they need. How would you like to get the results YOU NEED? How would you like to subconsciously influence your market into buying your product? Why not consider a corporate video production now?
Can you see the logic in this? There is actually a process in getting them to buy and I'll explain the process for you backwards. Before they actually buy your product, you have to convince them that they need it right? Before you can convince them you have to get them curious enough to get to see your product. And the longer they stay interested, the longer time you'll have to convince them. Lastly, you have to get their attention and that's the hardest part of the equation. Now this is where corporate video production comes in.
Corporate video production catches the attention quickly because it's not so hard to move your eyes and watch the screen... Unlike brochures, this takes more effort to read and look into. You have to actually be looking for a specific product before you scan through the brochure. Attention problem, now solved. Secondly, you have to present to them your product in a way that keeps them curious and interested and there is no other way to do that but through a media that is both visual and audible. On the other hand brochures are a little limited to the visual which also limits your persuasion tactics. Lastly, convincing them to buy is a lot easier through videos, it's hard to throw it in the bin in the first place, and it's hard not to look at it. When you see something moving, you are compelled to look at it... Why don't you take a look at this video I made for a well-known university and decide for yourself how effective the strategy is.
If you are convinced that it is indeed effective, send me an email at kaimeerah@yahoo.com. We can talk about your needs and produce a convincing presentation for your client. Do not waste time on brochures that will end up in a bin, consider corporate video production as a better alternative to get your point across!
Now, think about the fact that majority of the population watches television. They are wired to be subconsciously influenced by this. That's is why they pay big money to television commercials, it gives them the results they need. How would you like to get the results YOU NEED? How would you like to subconsciously influence your market into buying your product? Why not consider a corporate video production now?
Can you see the logic in this? There is actually a process in getting them to buy and I'll explain the process for you backwards. Before they actually buy your product, you have to convince them that they need it right? Before you can convince them you have to get them curious enough to get to see your product. And the longer they stay interested, the longer time you'll have to convince them. Lastly, you have to get their attention and that's the hardest part of the equation. Now this is where corporate video production comes in.
Corporate video production catches the attention quickly because it's not so hard to move your eyes and watch the screen... Unlike brochures, this takes more effort to read and look into. You have to actually be looking for a specific product before you scan through the brochure. Attention problem, now solved. Secondly, you have to present to them your product in a way that keeps them curious and interested and there is no other way to do that but through a media that is both visual and audible. On the other hand brochures are a little limited to the visual which also limits your persuasion tactics. Lastly, convincing them to buy is a lot easier through videos, it's hard to throw it in the bin in the first place, and it's hard not to look at it. When you see something moving, you are compelled to look at it... Why don't you take a look at this video I made for a well-known university and decide for yourself how effective the strategy is.
If you are convinced that it is indeed effective, send me an email at kaimeerah@yahoo.com. We can talk about your needs and produce a convincing presentation for your client. Do not waste time on brochures that will end up in a bin, consider corporate video production as a better alternative to get your point across!
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Movie editing softwares - Avid Technology
This is the last of the movie editing softwares series. Actually we could go on covering more of these but I was thinking you only want to work with the 'big boys' as I do so stick with best and forget about the rest. Today we will be looking at Avid Technology movie editing softwares. Avid is an American company specializing in audio and video production since 1987, audio and video production only, nothing else. That's why it's more known to professionals in television and broadcast industry. What do they have to offer to their market against their competitors? Do they really have a competition? Let's go and find out.
DS Nitris
One of the most powerful movie editing software ever. This software is like After Effects, Photoshop, and Illustrator combined into one package! Now you can add textures, blurs, soft edges to text, you can even treat texts individually and animate it over time. Since the characters are vector-based, you always get that crisp edges on texts no matter how you bend or distort it.
Powerful 3D DVE, vector paint, motion tracking, keying, compositing, title, color correction tools, and a lot of processing power. As for the rendering, DS Nitris will take the fastest computer you can find and maximize it.
DS is now using Media Composer style interface and even works seemlessly together. You won't feel it much any different even with an effects heavy sequence imported to either of the two. And with realtime performance, you can't help but love this software.
Media Composer
Same interface packed with tons of features. Now it supports the widely popular XDCams using Sony's XDcam Transfer Tool. Enhanced control for content drag and drop to timeline, enhanced keyframing controls in the effects editor, and the ability to copy, paste, and even remove redundant keyframes from content already in your timeline. But if there is something missing from Adobe Premiere and Final Cut Pro, it is Avid’s superior timecode support and on-screen display with the new AVX version of the Timecode Generator plug-in. The SubCap Generator, a new AVX plug-in in this version, allows for the dynamic compositing of text and the coordinated graphics onscreen.
Sometimes, tools within the application can make or break a software, so here's a list of what's in store for you in Media Composer:
Rather than developing their own effects packages, Avid tries to scour the market instead for the best third party plugin available which includes:
Now that Avid has opened its doors for a software only version, prosumers can now enjoy Media Composer's features without the industrial price tag of the hardware.
NewsCutter Adrenaline
The NewsCutter Adrenaline FX system significantly expands news editing capabilities with industry-leading speed, reliability, and the broadest range of professional news-oriented editing and workflow features in a single, turnkey PC-based platform. The system also supports a broad range of video formats from DV and IMX to uncompressed SD over a standard FireWire(R) connection, 24-bit audio, and the highest quality 3D effects in the industry, including Marquee(R) real-time 3D titling and effects.
Symphony Nitris
Realtime layering will give you a feel of what it is capable of. Load it with whatever you need in the production industry and still you won't get any dropped frames.
Avid Symphony is about color correction, this is the main reason why you'll buy it in the first place. With new features such as color cast removal and vector locks which were taken from the Adrenaline products.
Isolating the colors to be keyed is actually quite similar to the keyer in Autodesk Discreet Flame in that you can choose a vector display called SpectraGraph to help narrow down the key color. Its range of controls are far superior to those of the previous chromakeyers, and the results are clean. Or you can monitor the created alpha.
Speed doing repetitive tasks, scrolling, manipulating media, motion effects…simply getting the job done, the Symphony Nitris truly keeps up. Renders, when needed, are extremely fast, even in 16-bit processing mode. "Blue" dot effects render at close to previous "Orange" dot speeds. Even adding workspaces from my Avid Unity is faster than it once was.
Avid Xpress Pro HD
Installation is smooth, although you have to consider the hardware requirements are quite steep, and this has been always with HD intensive solutions.
The interface is almost the same with all Avid software. It will be a big effort if you haven't touched any Avid before but in the long run, this workflow interface is user-friendly and efficient to save time and effort.
Opening a new project will give you an option to a wide range of HD standard settings. One of the key features that delights small post production studios is its capability to include both HD and DV formats in one sequence, a total time saver.
If you want a feel of Avid software without much of the hardware costs, try this.
So that ends up our three-part discussion about movie editing softwares. I hope these posts will help you decide which software fits your needs. Please do come back for more video production tips and articles.
DS Nitris
One of the most powerful movie editing software ever. This software is like After Effects, Photoshop, and Illustrator combined into one package! Now you can add textures, blurs, soft edges to text, you can even treat texts individually and animate it over time. Since the characters are vector-based, you always get that crisp edges on texts no matter how you bend or distort it.
Powerful 3D DVE, vector paint, motion tracking, keying, compositing, title, color correction tools, and a lot of processing power. As for the rendering, DS Nitris will take the fastest computer you can find and maximize it.
DS is now using Media Composer style interface and even works seemlessly together. You won't feel it much any different even with an effects heavy sequence imported to either of the two. And with realtime performance, you can't help but love this software.
Media Composer
Same interface packed with tons of features. Now it supports the widely popular XDCams using Sony's XDcam Transfer Tool. Enhanced control for content drag and drop to timeline, enhanced keyframing controls in the effects editor, and the ability to copy, paste, and even remove redundant keyframes from content already in your timeline. But if there is something missing from Adobe Premiere and Final Cut Pro, it is Avid’s superior timecode support and on-screen display with the new AVX version of the Timecode Generator plug-in. The SubCap Generator, a new AVX plug-in in this version, allows for the dynamic compositing of text and the coordinated graphics onscreen.
Sometimes, tools within the application can make or break a software, so here's a list of what's in store for you in Media Composer:
- Avid MediaLog for logging video information and metadata
- Avid LogExchange, which handles information for film-to-videotape transfers
- Avid FilmScribe, to handle change and cut lists required when finishing to a celluloid master
- Avid EDL Master, used to transfer or translate edit data into varying industry types and formats
- Avid MetaSync Manager, a new tool designed for interactive object programming and metadata content creation on a Mac
Rather than developing their own effects packages, Avid tries to scour the market instead for the best third party plugin available which includes:
- Smart Sound’s Sonicfire Pro 4.5, with both Core Foundations and Core Sessions libraries for audio content creation
- Sorenson Squeeze 5, for Internet and DVD compression
- Boris Continuum Complete 5, for advanced graphic effects and transition
Now that Avid has opened its doors for a software only version, prosumers can now enjoy Media Composer's features without the industrial price tag of the hardware.
NewsCutter Adrenaline
The NewsCutter Adrenaline FX system significantly expands news editing capabilities with industry-leading speed, reliability, and the broadest range of professional news-oriented editing and workflow features in a single, turnkey PC-based platform. The system also supports a broad range of video formats from DV and IMX to uncompressed SD over a standard FireWire(R) connection, 24-bit audio, and the highest quality 3D effects in the industry, including Marquee(R) real-time 3D titling and effects.
Symphony Nitris
Realtime layering will give you a feel of what it is capable of. Load it with whatever you need in the production industry and still you won't get any dropped frames.
Avid Symphony is about color correction, this is the main reason why you'll buy it in the first place. With new features such as color cast removal and vector locks which were taken from the Adrenaline products.
Isolating the colors to be keyed is actually quite similar to the keyer in Autodesk Discreet Flame in that you can choose a vector display called SpectraGraph to help narrow down the key color. Its range of controls are far superior to those of the previous chromakeyers, and the results are clean. Or you can monitor the created alpha.
Speed doing repetitive tasks, scrolling, manipulating media, motion effects…simply getting the job done, the Symphony Nitris truly keeps up. Renders, when needed, are extremely fast, even in 16-bit processing mode. "Blue" dot effects render at close to previous "Orange" dot speeds. Even adding workspaces from my Avid Unity is faster than it once was.
Avid Xpress Pro HD
Installation is smooth, although you have to consider the hardware requirements are quite steep, and this has been always with HD intensive solutions.
The interface is almost the same with all Avid software. It will be a big effort if you haven't touched any Avid before but in the long run, this workflow interface is user-friendly and efficient to save time and effort.
Opening a new project will give you an option to a wide range of HD standard settings. One of the key features that delights small post production studios is its capability to include both HD and DV formats in one sequence, a total time saver.
If you want a feel of Avid software without much of the hardware costs, try this.
So that ends up our three-part discussion about movie editing softwares. I hope these posts will help you decide which software fits your needs. Please do come back for more video production tips and articles.
Movie editing softwares - Apple Inc.
We are now on the second part of our movie editing software series and today's list will be coming from one of the giants in the industry Apple Inc. As we all know, Apple has provided the ever famous and highly coveted Mac OS. But this is not the focus of our topic today. Today we will try to discuss see what makes Final Cut Express, Final Cut Pro, and iMovie stand up from their competitors.
Final Cut Express
If you are trying to edit your newly shot footage but are still intimidated by Final Cut Pro or limited by iMovie, then this software is for you.
You won't see much of the difference between Express and Pro, in fact, it almost looks the same except for some features that had been taken out. It's also so much the same that you might forget you are using a consumer application, dv-only editing software!
"But come on, let's get into the features already" I hear you say...
Apple made the Audio/Video menu panel idiot-proof by removing much of the confusion in the choices and replaced it with easy to use configuration options. This makes setting up your DV camera a breeze so you could go on with your editing already.
You will also notice a difference in the capture process. Final Cut Express does not allow multiple batch capture anymore, instead, you have no choice but to get into the in and out of the clip and capture. Now this forces much of the users to just capture all and minimize the effort. But one of the features of Final Cut Express is the ability to capture from a project file! Imagine you deleted all your captures just to find out you have to make very minor changes. Instead of painstakingly going through the whole process again, just press the "capture project" and the deleted capture clips are back again as if nothing happened.
Trimming buttons for your trimming needs has been left unchanged in the timeline. And Apple also decided to leave the trimming window as well.
By default, clips are being view as large thumbnails rather than the previous list view. This makes it easier from folks coming from iMovie to see their clips.
What you will find lacking in Final Cut Express is the animating tool. But this is understandable since they want to keep it simple for the users. However, you can still animate with the basic properties such as position, scale, and rotation.
You will also find it useful to have a Voice Over Tool which actually came from Pro.
Final Cut Pro
Final Cut Pro handles everything from basic digital video editing to uncompressed High-Definition video processing. Final Cut Pro is both powerful and affordable for a wide range on professionals.
Movie editing software has never been made this way before.
Open Format Timeline is the most notable feature of FCP. Now you can mix clips with different frame sizes, frame rates, and codecs into one sequence and FCP handles all the conversions in realtime. Though it's not perfect, it's a step ahead from its competition.
SmoothCam is an FCP plugin that stabilizes shots where other plugins failed. But the plugin still has rough edges. You will notice a slowdown in the performance when working with an HD footage since FCP always renders the entire shot.
Surround Sound is an additional feature unlike the previous versions. But you will need an additional hardware since Mac's audio port does not support this.
Suite Integration of FCP with other softwares makes it easy to move project application to another. FCP comes in with Motion, Soundtrack Pro, Compressor, DVD Studio Pro, and Color all in the Final Cut Studio Bundle.
Reliable Performance has always been an issue in movie editing softwares and Final Cut Pro delivers it well. It has always been noted with FCP's however, this is in exchange of the very steep machine requirements.
iMovie
With the popularity of broadband internet access comes iMovie's transformation to more of an online tool to get your videos published fast. iMovie is now focused on helping people organize, view, and edit movies all in one place. Best of all, uploading it directly to YouTube is part of options if you choose to. But some of the features from the previous version had been taken off. However, the thing that will amaze you is how iMovie has taken a different approach in editing videos. The interface looks more like iPhoto for moving pictures. This approach has restarted the learning curve from the previous version since the experience will be totally different. I recommend viewing online tutorials so as to get you started (right).
Skimming is a new feature that lets you skim through frames of your video. Want a specific frame? Skim, click, and drag to project window! Beginners and professionals would find this very useful. And this is the recurring theme in iMovie as it takes out the technical complexities so you could focus more on fun. For example, you don't have to bother about the frame rate and frame size, all of it is handled internally when starting your project with a few clicks.
YouTube is now integrated with as few as three clicks, your videos will be viewed by millions even before you get home from a party!
Simplicity has never been like this for iMovie. Even a total computer illiterate can start taking and editing videos. Of course, Apple has to sacrifice much of the advance features that people from the previous versions enjoyed, but nontheless the ease of use over shadows the advance features and the market will love it.
That's it for Apple's list of movie editing softwares. I hope you come back for more as we take a look into one of the considered professional movie editing software out in the market coming from Avid Technology.
Final Cut Express
If you are trying to edit your newly shot footage but are still intimidated by Final Cut Pro or limited by iMovie, then this software is for you.
You won't see much of the difference between Express and Pro, in fact, it almost looks the same except for some features that had been taken out. It's also so much the same that you might forget you are using a consumer application, dv-only editing software!
"But come on, let's get into the features already" I hear you say...
Apple made the Audio/Video menu panel idiot-proof by removing much of the confusion in the choices and replaced it with easy to use configuration options. This makes setting up your DV camera a breeze so you could go on with your editing already.
You will also notice a difference in the capture process. Final Cut Express does not allow multiple batch capture anymore, instead, you have no choice but to get into the in and out of the clip and capture. Now this forces much of the users to just capture all and minimize the effort. But one of the features of Final Cut Express is the ability to capture from a project file! Imagine you deleted all your captures just to find out you have to make very minor changes. Instead of painstakingly going through the whole process again, just press the "capture project" and the deleted capture clips are back again as if nothing happened.
Trimming buttons for your trimming needs has been left unchanged in the timeline. And Apple also decided to leave the trimming window as well.
By default, clips are being view as large thumbnails rather than the previous list view. This makes it easier from folks coming from iMovie to see their clips.
What you will find lacking in Final Cut Express is the animating tool. But this is understandable since they want to keep it simple for the users. However, you can still animate with the basic properties such as position, scale, and rotation.
You will also find it useful to have a Voice Over Tool which actually came from Pro.
Final Cut Pro
Final Cut Pro handles everything from basic digital video editing to uncompressed High-Definition video processing. Final Cut Pro is both powerful and affordable for a wide range on professionals.
Movie editing software has never been made this way before.
Open Format Timeline is the most notable feature of FCP. Now you can mix clips with different frame sizes, frame rates, and codecs into one sequence and FCP handles all the conversions in realtime. Though it's not perfect, it's a step ahead from its competition.
SmoothCam is an FCP plugin that stabilizes shots where other plugins failed. But the plugin still has rough edges. You will notice a slowdown in the performance when working with an HD footage since FCP always renders the entire shot.
Surround Sound is an additional feature unlike the previous versions. But you will need an additional hardware since Mac's audio port does not support this.
Suite Integration of FCP with other softwares makes it easy to move project application to another. FCP comes in with Motion, Soundtrack Pro, Compressor, DVD Studio Pro, and Color all in the Final Cut Studio Bundle.
Reliable Performance has always been an issue in movie editing softwares and Final Cut Pro delivers it well. It has always been noted with FCP's however, this is in exchange of the very steep machine requirements.
iMovie
With the popularity of broadband internet access comes iMovie's transformation to more of an online tool to get your videos published fast. iMovie is now focused on helping people organize, view, and edit movies all in one place. Best of all, uploading it directly to YouTube is part of options if you choose to. But some of the features from the previous version had been taken off. However, the thing that will amaze you is how iMovie has taken a different approach in editing videos. The interface looks more like iPhoto for moving pictures. This approach has restarted the learning curve from the previous version since the experience will be totally different. I recommend viewing online tutorials so as to get you started (right).
Skimming is a new feature that lets you skim through frames of your video. Want a specific frame? Skim, click, and drag to project window! Beginners and professionals would find this very useful. And this is the recurring theme in iMovie as it takes out the technical complexities so you could focus more on fun. For example, you don't have to bother about the frame rate and frame size, all of it is handled internally when starting your project with a few clicks.
YouTube is now integrated with as few as three clicks, your videos will be viewed by millions even before you get home from a party!
Simplicity has never been like this for iMovie. Even a total computer illiterate can start taking and editing videos. Of course, Apple has to sacrifice much of the advance features that people from the previous versions enjoyed, but nontheless the ease of use over shadows the advance features and the market will love it.
That's it for Apple's list of movie editing softwares. I hope you come back for more as we take a look into one of the considered professional movie editing software out in the market coming from Avid Technology.
Sunday, February 1, 2009
Movie editing softwares - Adobe Systems
Movie editing softwares in the digital age has given amateurs and professionals alike an opportunity to publish their work. But where do you start if you don't know anything about them. Well, here's my list of softwares and reviews that will help you get started. Let's start of with the most common and most used, non linear editing softwares from Adobe Systems.
ADOBE SYSTEMS
Adobe Premiere Elements
If you absolutely have no idea of where to start, this is probably the best software to take. Premiere Elements is the most user friendly (as they say) video editing software that gives you features which will make your work look like a pro! The interface will be a bit strange for you at first but when you get the hang of it, you'll be rendering in no time.
Premiere Elements comes can come with your Adobe Photoshop Elements as a discounted bundle so if you are interested in photo editing too, you might as well get the bundle and save some money.
Premiere Elements doesn't just work with camcorders, it works also on AVI ,MPEG , Quicktime's MOV, and Windows Media files. It works with phones, camcorders, still cameras, and even unprotected DVD's! And with version 7, you can now upload directly to YouTube. Talk about ease of use, this will probably save you time in the long run.
Premiere Elements has a long list of features that can be added to your editing arsenal such as scene indexing, audio conversion, transitions, drag and drop edits and many more useful and fun features. Also new in 7 you can view and sort video clips and still photos easily and quickly.
Adobe Premiere Pro
Some would argue that Premiere is not "Professional" but I disagree, it's not how fully featured a product is that makes it professional, it's how the product is used. First off is the new features Adobe has added:
Pro now has better audio-mixing capabilities and it integrates well with other Adobe applications such as After Effects, Encore, Photoshop, etc.
Multi-publish feature is one of my favorites. I have clients who wants several file types as an output. Rather than tediously rendering from one file type to another, you can actually set it to render into several formats such as VCD, DVD, SVCD, web, etc., without third party plugin!
However, there are several issues that Premiere Pro has to deal with on the next release. It doesn't support Apple platform as of now. It is not optimised for 64-bit processing. And it favors Intel-based systems over AMD, in fact, it doesn't run on some AMD systems! Despite the enhanced layout, it still looks cluttered with all the tabs in one screen. And a limited set of transitions compared to its competitors.
Adobe After Effects
It doesn't matter what industry you are in, film production, industrial video, or web animation, when it comes to compositing and motion graphics, nothing has unseated After Effects for years.
Although you have a choice of what pallete layout to use, there are actually several defaults you can choose from, but it still looks cluttered. But you can always reorganize it in such a way that you display only what you need and this is actually where one of After Effects' strengths lies, customizability. You can dock and float palletes to your liking. Most of the time I use 3-4 tool palletes and access the other through shortcut keys which enhances workflow and saves work space. Fit up to 100% in the comp window is also another feature that they added so you don't have to adjust to check if it looks good on 100% view when you have more working space and it adjusts when you have less.
A Graph view with keyframes has been added, which enhances workflow in displaying the animation in graph form rather than numeric values. Now you can have the 'time against movement' visually displayed for easy editing. In version 7, you will have tons and tons of text animation you can imagine with just the preset, moreover, you can actually customize yours giving your texts more personality.
Pixel Motion option has been added for movement blurring effect. Unlike frame blending which interpolates between frames, Pixel Motion actually tracks every pixel producing more convincing and quality results
Timewarp gives you the ability to use keyframe features such as easing for time controls. Combined with Pixel Motion, this creates a realistic slow-motion blur with easing.
OpenGL 2.0 gives you the ability to view effects in real-time if you have a powerful enough video card. This means an even more faster workflow.
But not all has been improved. The 3d feature, I think, is now obsolete and primitive. Sure you can get plugins but wouldn't it be nice to have it in it as a bundles saving you extra money? Artists are using more of these anyway so why not add it?
Adobe Systems has these in their arsenal of software among other things that they dominate but I wouldn't go buying stuffs from them unless I see what the competition is offering so do come back to know more about alternative movie editing sofwares.
ADOBE SYSTEMS
Adobe Premiere Elements
If you absolutely have no idea of where to start, this is probably the best software to take. Premiere Elements is the most user friendly (as they say) video editing software that gives you features which will make your work look like a pro! The interface will be a bit strange for you at first but when you get the hang of it, you'll be rendering in no time.
Premiere Elements comes can come with your Adobe Photoshop Elements as a discounted bundle so if you are interested in photo editing too, you might as well get the bundle and save some money.
Premiere Elements doesn't just work with camcorders, it works also on AVI ,MPEG , Quicktime's MOV, and Windows Media files. It works with phones, camcorders, still cameras, and even unprotected DVD's! And with version 7, you can now upload directly to YouTube. Talk about ease of use, this will probably save you time in the long run.
Premiere Elements has a long list of features that can be added to your editing arsenal such as scene indexing, audio conversion, transitions, drag and drop edits and many more useful and fun features. Also new in 7 you can view and sort video clips and still photos easily and quickly.
Adobe Premiere Pro
Some would argue that Premiere is not "Professional" but I disagree, it's not how fully featured a product is that makes it professional, it's how the product is used. First off is the new features Adobe has added:
- Multiple nested timelines
- YUV processing
- Three point colour correction
- Sample-editing level audio editing
- ASIO hardware for multi-channel output
- Surround sound mixing
Pro now has better audio-mixing capabilities and it integrates well with other Adobe applications such as After Effects, Encore, Photoshop, etc.
Multi-publish feature is one of my favorites. I have clients who wants several file types as an output. Rather than tediously rendering from one file type to another, you can actually set it to render into several formats such as VCD, DVD, SVCD, web, etc., without third party plugin!
However, there are several issues that Premiere Pro has to deal with on the next release. It doesn't support Apple platform as of now. It is not optimised for 64-bit processing. And it favors Intel-based systems over AMD, in fact, it doesn't run on some AMD systems! Despite the enhanced layout, it still looks cluttered with all the tabs in one screen. And a limited set of transitions compared to its competitors.
Adobe After Effects
It doesn't matter what industry you are in, film production, industrial video, or web animation, when it comes to compositing and motion graphics, nothing has unseated After Effects for years.
Although you have a choice of what pallete layout to use, there are actually several defaults you can choose from, but it still looks cluttered. But you can always reorganize it in such a way that you display only what you need and this is actually where one of After Effects' strengths lies, customizability. You can dock and float palletes to your liking. Most of the time I use 3-4 tool palletes and access the other through shortcut keys which enhances workflow and saves work space. Fit up to 100% in the comp window is also another feature that they added so you don't have to adjust to check if it looks good on 100% view when you have more working space and it adjusts when you have less.
A Graph view with keyframes has been added, which enhances workflow in displaying the animation in graph form rather than numeric values. Now you can have the 'time against movement' visually displayed for easy editing. In version 7, you will have tons and tons of text animation you can imagine with just the preset, moreover, you can actually customize yours giving your texts more personality.
Pixel Motion option has been added for movement blurring effect. Unlike frame blending which interpolates between frames, Pixel Motion actually tracks every pixel producing more convincing and quality results
Timewarp gives you the ability to use keyframe features such as easing for time controls. Combined with Pixel Motion, this creates a realistic slow-motion blur with easing.
OpenGL 2.0 gives you the ability to view effects in real-time if you have a powerful enough video card. This means an even more faster workflow.
But not all has been improved. The 3d feature, I think, is now obsolete and primitive. Sure you can get plugins but wouldn't it be nice to have it in it as a bundles saving you extra money? Artists are using more of these anyway so why not add it?
Adobe Systems has these in their arsenal of software among other things that they dominate but I wouldn't go buying stuffs from them unless I see what the competition is offering so do come back to know more about alternative movie editing sofwares.
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