The Blog for Video 2.0
Wednesday, February 28, 2007
iTunes lists first indie film
In news that is very interesting for us here at HungryFlix.com, Variety is reporting that Apple has opened the door to independent video producers for the first time.
Apple's iTunes store on Tuesday started selling "That," a snowboarding action pic made for DVD by Forum Snowboards. This is the first time iTunes has sold video content that didn't come from an established network, studio or distributor.
Given iTunes' dominance in the nascent digital download market, that's sure to generate hordes of interest among independent film producers in all genres who don't have a distributor.
But in a sign that Apple isn't quite sure what to do with pics outside its strict categories, "That" and Studio411's content are being sold in iTunes TV section at $1.99, instead of in the feature film section, where most pics are $9.99.
Though iTunes does sell some short films in its movies section for $1.99, they all come from established names such as Shorts Intl. and Sundance. Apple apparently wasn't ready to put direct-to-DVD action sports pics among the small number of shorts and Hollywood features in its movies section.
All independent producers can sell their content at HungryFlix.com. HungryFlix accepts all types of content including sports video and how-to video.
Apple's iTunes store on Tuesday started selling "That," a snowboarding action pic made for DVD by Forum Snowboards. This is the first time iTunes has sold video content that didn't come from an established network, studio or distributor.
Given iTunes' dominance in the nascent digital download market, that's sure to generate hordes of interest among independent film producers in all genres who don't have a distributor.
But in a sign that Apple isn't quite sure what to do with pics outside its strict categories, "That" and Studio411's content are being sold in iTunes TV section at $1.99, instead of in the feature film section, where most pics are $9.99.
Though iTunes does sell some short films in its movies section for $1.99, they all come from established names such as Shorts Intl. and Sundance. Apple apparently wasn't ready to put direct-to-DVD action sports pics among the small number of shorts and Hollywood features in its movies section.
All independent producers can sell their content at HungryFlix.com. HungryFlix accepts all types of content including sports video and how-to video.
Labels: indie film, iTunes, online distribution, online video, video distribution
Tuesday, February 27, 2007
Online Video and Sports
Here is a look at the current online video offerings from the major sports leagues.
A newly created revenue share deal between the NBA and YouTube was recently announced. Fans upload videos of their own best basketball moves. A top 10 will be selected each week and shown on NBA TV. The YouTube NBA channel has a promo and link for more video at NBA.com.
The NHL is offering full game downloads via Google Video and YouTube.
The league will provide game highlights and behind-the-scene video; YouTube will put the clips on a dedicated NHL channel supplemented with user-uploaded video. As has been the case with other YouTube content deals, the NHL will be able to remove copyright-breaching content from the site or can leave it and share in the revenue.
Both sports seem to have younger fans, which explains the big push and acceptance of online video. The NHL needs to do all it can to get its product visible as it currently suffers from a poor national cable TV deal on the "Versus" network.
A newly created revenue share deal between the NBA and YouTube was recently announced. Fans upload videos of their own best basketball moves. A top 10 will be selected each week and shown on NBA TV. The YouTube NBA channel has a promo and link for more video at NBA.com.
The NHL is offering full game downloads via Google Video and YouTube.
The league will provide game highlights and behind-the-scene video; YouTube will put the clips on a dedicated NHL channel supplemented with user-uploaded video. As has been the case with other YouTube content deals, the NHL will be able to remove copyright-breaching content from the site or can leave it and share in the revenue.
Both sports seem to have younger fans, which explains the big push and acceptance of online video. The NHL needs to do all it can to get its product visible as it currently suffers from a poor national cable TV deal on the "Versus" network.
Labels: online distribution, online video, sports
Monday, February 26, 2007
Apple TV Delayed until Mid-March
Apple TV, Apple Inc's set-top box that will allow users to play downloaded movies and video podcasts on their family room TV has been delayed until mid-March.
No specific reason was given, a spokeperson simply said: “Wrapping up Apple TV is taking a few weeks longer than we projected, and we now expect to begin shipments mid-March.”
Apple TV will sell for $299 directly from Apple. The device will sync with iTunes from a Mac or PC and allow users to stream movies and videos wirelessly to their TV set. This will allow users to watch their movie downloads from HungryFlix.com in the family room.
No specific reason was given, a spokeperson simply said: “Wrapping up Apple TV is taking a few weeks longer than we projected, and we now expect to begin shipments mid-March.”
Apple TV will sell for $299 directly from Apple. The device will sync with iTunes from a Mac or PC and allow users to stream movies and videos wirelessly to their TV set. This will allow users to watch their movie downloads from HungryFlix.com in the family room.
Labels: apple, apple tv, download, iTunes, online distribution, online video
BitTorrent Goes Legit
After over a year of negotiations with Hollywood, the biggest name in piracy is going legit.
BitTorrent today is launching its digital content store, featuring movies, TV shows and videogames from partners including Fox, Lionsgate, Paramount, MGM, and MTV Networks.
It also has content from several indie distributors, such as First Look, Palm Pictures and Japanese company Kadokawa, as well as TryMedia, an online vidgame distributor with titles from Activision, Ubisoft and Vivendi Games.
BitTorrent software is a peer-to-peer protocol, which is free and used by tens of millions of people around the world, primarily for piracy.
As a result, Netco has the advantage of a very well-known brand name among online downloaders and a very popular Web site, but it will go up against powerful competitors already in the market such as Apple, Microsoft, Amazon.com, and Wal-Mart.
Premium TV and movie content won't be well differentiated from other sites, as BitTorrent is offering the same usage rules and prices and is missing several partners, such as Disney, Universal and the big three broadcast nets, that are already working with others.
But BitTorrent has more indie partners and will try to stay true to its roots as a peer-to-peer application by including high-quality user-made videos alongside Hollywood content in its search results.
BitTorrent has been working aggressively to filter pirated content on its own site and will make users click a button to see search results from outside servers, which it doesn't control.
Movies will only be available for digital rental, not permanent downloads, based on company's observations of demand at other websites based on the DVD-equivalent prices studios offer.
"I just don't know who in marketing at the other stores thinks that $25 movie downloads are going to do it for consumers," said Navin.
This reinforces the business model of HungryFlix.com, which provides short films and video downloads at prices starting from just $0.99.
In addition to selling TV and game downloads and movie rentals, BitTorrent will start offering free ad-supported TV shows in the near future.
It's launching in the U.S. first, but company has international rights for most content and plans to hit foreign markets soon.
BitTorrent today is launching its digital content store, featuring movies, TV shows and videogames from partners including Fox, Lionsgate, Paramount, MGM, and MTV Networks.
It also has content from several indie distributors, such as First Look, Palm Pictures and Japanese company Kadokawa, as well as TryMedia, an online vidgame distributor with titles from Activision, Ubisoft and Vivendi Games.
BitTorrent software is a peer-to-peer protocol, which is free and used by tens of millions of people around the world, primarily for piracy.
As a result, Netco has the advantage of a very well-known brand name among online downloaders and a very popular Web site, but it will go up against powerful competitors already in the market such as Apple, Microsoft, Amazon.com, and Wal-Mart.
Premium TV and movie content won't be well differentiated from other sites, as BitTorrent is offering the same usage rules and prices and is missing several partners, such as Disney, Universal and the big three broadcast nets, that are already working with others.
But BitTorrent has more indie partners and will try to stay true to its roots as a peer-to-peer application by including high-quality user-made videos alongside Hollywood content in its search results.
BitTorrent has been working aggressively to filter pirated content on its own site and will make users click a button to see search results from outside servers, which it doesn't control.
Movies will only be available for digital rental, not permanent downloads, based on company's observations of demand at other websites based on the DVD-equivalent prices studios offer.
"I just don't know who in marketing at the other stores thinks that $25 movie downloads are going to do it for consumers," said Navin.
This reinforces the business model of HungryFlix.com, which provides short films and video downloads at prices starting from just $0.99.
In addition to selling TV and game downloads and movie rentals, BitTorrent will start offering free ad-supported TV shows in the near future.
It's launching in the U.S. first, but company has international rights for most content and plans to hit foreign markets soon.
Labels: bittorrent, download, movies, online distribution, online video
Thursday, February 22, 2007
$5.8 Billion, that's Billion with a 'B', Web Video market by 2011
Adams Media Research has released the results from their "Video on the Internet" management report. In the report they claim that the online video market will see significant growth in both ad-supported and paid download models.
AMR’s analysis claims that the advertising model will dominate in the early experimental period of 2007-2009. But as significant numbers of homes connect their TVs to the Internet, consumer spending on downloaded movies and TV shows should expand rapidly and exceed ad spending substantially by 2011.
The state that new devices that bring video into the family room will help push for more downloaded content. Users can download movies today from Apple's iTunes, HungryFlix.com, Google Video and other sites.
AMR’s analysis claims that the advertising model will dominate in the early experimental period of 2007-2009. But as significant numbers of homes connect their TVs to the Internet, consumer spending on downloaded movies and TV shows should expand rapidly and exceed ad spending substantially by 2011.
The state that new devices that bring video into the family room will help push for more downloaded content. Users can download movies today from Apple's iTunes, HungryFlix.com, Google Video and other sites.
Labels: apple tv, download, iptv, movies, online distribution, online video
Wednesday, February 21, 2007
Convert video for Apple TV
MP4Converter has released a new package that allows you to convert most video formats for use with Apple TV. The Apple TV Video Converter is available for both Mac and Windows and sells for $35.00.
The software has predefined profiles that help you get the specify video you like such as minimal size video, high quality video, etc. It can convert video to iPod MP4 with 640 x 480 resolution.
There are free tools to handle this conversion but if those have not yet met your needs check out this release at http://www.mp4converter.net/appletv-video-converter-mac.html
The software has predefined profiles that help you get the specify video you like such as minimal size video, high quality video, etc. It can convert video to iPod MP4 with 640 x 480 resolution.
There are free tools to handle this conversion but if those have not yet met your needs check out this release at http://www.mp4converter.net/appletv-video-converter-mac.html
Labels: apple tv, conversion, mp4, mpeg4, quicktime
YouTube's CBS deal falls apart
More news from the big boys in the video 2.0 world...The Wall Street Journal is reporting that A deal between Google Inc. and CBS Corp. that would let YouTube users watch clips from CBS shows such as “The Late Show with David Letterman,” has unraveled.
The two companies had been closing in on a multi-year deal but could not agree on key issues such as the length of the partnership.
Traditional media companies are looking for ways to court online users as viewers split their leisure time surfing the Web and using digital media devices like Apple Inc.’s iPod. While Google/YouTube, Joost and other large providers continue to look toward big media, independent content providers such as filmmakers, musicians and video producers can find distribution for their movies and videos at http://www.hungryflix.com.
The talks may resume, and the two companies have agreeed to work on smaller scale initiatives in the short term.
HungryFlix provides video downloads for the iPod, PSP and computer.
The two companies had been closing in on a multi-year deal but could not agree on key issues such as the length of the partnership.
Traditional media companies are looking for ways to court online users as viewers split their leisure time surfing the Web and using digital media devices like Apple Inc.’s iPod. While Google/YouTube, Joost and other large providers continue to look toward big media, independent content providers such as filmmakers, musicians and video producers can find distribution for their movies and videos at http://www.hungryflix.com.
The talks may resume, and the two companies have agreeed to work on smaller scale initiatives in the short term.
HungryFlix provides video downloads for the iPod, PSP and computer.
Labels: Google, media, online distribution, video 2.0, video distribution, youtube
Tuesday, February 20, 2007
Joost to distribute Viacom Content
Viacom has signed a deal to deliver television and theatrical programming to to the new Joost Internet TV service.
TV shows expected to debut once the deal is closed include MTV's "Laguna Beach," "Beavis and Butthead," "The Real World," "Punk'd" and "My Super Sweet 16." Comedy Central will provide episodes from "Stella," "Comedy Central Presents" and "Freak Show." BET's offerings will include "Beef The Series," "DMX: Soul of a Man," "Comic View" and "American Gangster." Country Music Television, MTV2, Logo, Spike TV, mtvU, VH1 and Gametrailers.com will also provide content.
The deal is clearly targeted at teens and young adults, a huge advertising demographic and one that is open to viewing content on their computers.
Joost has been receiving positive reviews for their rich client software and great user experience. Joost was formed last year by Niklas Zennstrom and Janus Friis, founders of the Internet calling service Skype.
Also of note is the fact that Viacom has selected Joost over YouTube/Google. It seems that YouTube will now look to form partnerships of it's own and the IPTV space will enter it's next phase.
While the large corporations move forward, independent filmmakers, video producers and content providers can find distribution for their films at HungryFlix.
TV shows expected to debut once the deal is closed include MTV's "Laguna Beach," "Beavis and Butthead," "The Real World," "Punk'd" and "My Super Sweet 16." Comedy Central will provide episodes from "Stella," "Comedy Central Presents" and "Freak Show." BET's offerings will include "Beef The Series," "DMX: Soul of a Man," "Comic View" and "American Gangster." Country Music Television, MTV2, Logo, Spike TV, mtvU, VH1 and Gametrailers.com will also provide content.
The deal is clearly targeted at teens and young adults, a huge advertising demographic and one that is open to viewing content on their computers.
Joost has been receiving positive reviews for their rich client software and great user experience. Joost was formed last year by Niklas Zennstrom and Janus Friis, founders of the Internet calling service Skype.
Also of note is the fact that Viacom has selected Joost over YouTube/Google. It seems that YouTube will now look to form partnerships of it's own and the IPTV space will enter it's next phase.
While the large corporations move forward, independent filmmakers, video producers and content providers can find distribution for their films at HungryFlix.
Labels: iptv, joost, media, online distribution, tv, video 2.0, video distribution, youtube
Wednesday, February 14, 2007
Special Effects on a buget
Are you making the next great action movie? Or maybe a Star Wars or Matrix fan film? Well, you are going to need some great special effects to help create the illusion of being in another world. Look no farther than these great effects packages to help you create your masterpiece.
If you are on no budget and just need some lightsaber effects here are two utilities to help.
First for the Mac is Naked Software's Crimson FX. Crimson FX is an effect generator for Quicktime movies and DV streams designed to make adding laser and light blade effects (and possibly other effects) as easy as possible. Crimson FX
For PC users, LSMaker will do the trick. This freeware app gives you tons of control over your lightsabers. The companion LSSound adds geniune sound effects. LSMaker & LSSound
Need lightsabers, gun muzzle flashes, explosions? FXHome.com has the software for you. EffectsLab creates stunning visual effects. Combine that with the fact that the package is both affordable and easy-to-use and you have a real winner. Check it out at EffectsLab
For the professional crowed, there is Adobe After Effects. AE is a wonderful package with tremendous third party and community support. But at $699-$999 make sure that you need the extra features before purchasing.
Once you have created your master piece be sure to sell it at the best movie downloads site on the web, HungryFlix.com.
If you are on no budget and just need some lightsaber effects here are two utilities to help.
First for the Mac is Naked Software's Crimson FX. Crimson FX is an effect generator for Quicktime movies and DV streams designed to make adding laser and light blade effects (and possibly other effects) as easy as possible. Crimson FX
For PC users, LSMaker will do the trick. This freeware app gives you tons of control over your lightsabers. The companion LSSound adds geniune sound effects. LSMaker & LSSound
Need lightsabers, gun muzzle flashes, explosions? FXHome.com has the software for you. EffectsLab creates stunning visual effects. Combine that with the fact that the package is both affordable and easy-to-use and you have a real winner. Check it out at EffectsLab
For the professional crowed, there is Adobe After Effects. AE is a wonderful package with tremendous third party and community support. But at $699-$999 make sure that you need the extra features before purchasing.
Once you have created your master piece be sure to sell it at the best movie downloads site on the web, HungryFlix.com.
Labels: effects, indie film, movies, software
Monday, February 12, 2007
Lionsgate Films on iTunes soon
Apple announced in a joint statement with Lionsgate that more than 150 movies from the studio would be added to the iTunes store by the end of the month.
“We’re delighted to offer these incredibly popular Lionsgate films on iTunes, and look forward to adding even more films in the future,” said Steve Beeks, president of Lionsgate. “iTunes lets users download these wonderful films to watch on their computer, TV or iPod, so movie fans can take their favorite Lionsgate films with them anywhere.”
iTunes customers will be able to purchase blockbuster Lionsgate films like “Terminator 2,” “LA Story,” “Basic Instinct,” “The Blair Witch Project” and “Dirty Dancing” and more than 150 titles coming to iTunes this month. Lionsgate joins Paramount and Disney, who just recently announced that it had sold over 1.3 million movies since it joined the store.
It appears that the release is limited to a portion of Lionsgate's catalog rather than new releases, similar to the current deal with Paramount.
This adds to the options available to customers in the US. Movie fans can also download movies from HungryFlix.com, which offers great independent content not available on iTunes.
“We’re delighted to offer these incredibly popular Lionsgate films on iTunes, and look forward to adding even more films in the future,” said Steve Beeks, president of Lionsgate. “iTunes lets users download these wonderful films to watch on their computer, TV or iPod, so movie fans can take their favorite Lionsgate films with them anywhere.”
iTunes customers will be able to purchase blockbuster Lionsgate films like “Terminator 2,” “LA Story,” “Basic Instinct,” “The Blair Witch Project” and “Dirty Dancing” and more than 150 titles coming to iTunes this month. Lionsgate joins Paramount and Disney, who just recently announced that it had sold over 1.3 million movies since it joined the store.
It appears that the release is limited to a portion of Lionsgate's catalog rather than new releases, similar to the current deal with Paramount.
This adds to the options available to customers in the US. Movie fans can also download movies from HungryFlix.com, which offers great independent content not available on iTunes.
Labels: apple, apple tv, ipod, iTunes, media, movies, online video, studios, video distribution
Sunday, February 11, 2007
Movie Making on a Budget - Accessories
Part 3 of our movie making on a budget section.
We have the camera and the software...what's left?
Microphone. You'll need a good external mic. One that can be mounted on a boom pole or on the camera. My favorite is the Rode VideoMic or the Rode Stereo VideoMic. This is the perfect mic for home/hobby users with a mini-plug connector. The VideoMic comes with a shock mount included and delivers very nice sound for the $150.
Tripod. A tripod is a must. Without one your movies will look like amatuer video. Buy a good tripod and you'll only have to buy one once. Do not go for the $50 tripod you find at big box stores. Spend a bit more--say $175 for a nice Bogen/Manfrotto set of legs with a fluid head. The 3001 legs and 3130 fluid head is a great setup.
Tapes. It is important to use quality MiniDV tapes and to stick with one brand of tapes. I have used the Panasonic AY-DVM63PQ Professional tapes for years. Excellent quality and reliabiliy.
We have the camera and the software...what's left?
Microphone. You'll need a good external mic. One that can be mounted on a boom pole or on the camera. My favorite is the Rode VideoMic or the Rode Stereo VideoMic. This is the perfect mic for home/hobby users with a mini-plug connector. The VideoMic comes with a shock mount included and delivers very nice sound for the $150.
Tripod. A tripod is a must. Without one your movies will look like amatuer video. Buy a good tripod and you'll only have to buy one once. Do not go for the $50 tripod you find at big box stores. Spend a bit more--say $175 for a nice Bogen/Manfrotto set of legs with a fluid head. The 3001 legs and 3130 fluid head is a great setup.
Tapes. It is important to use quality MiniDV tapes and to stick with one brand of tapes. I have used the Panasonic AY-DVM63PQ Professional tapes for years. Excellent quality and reliabiliy.
Labels: camcorder, digital video, filmmaking, indie film
Thursday, February 8, 2007
Amazon & TiVo deliver movie downloads to your TV
Convergence at it's best. Here are two big players joining forces. TiVO owners will be able to download movies from Amazon's Unbox service directly to their TiVo units.
TiVo really has an interesting role here. Amazon and TiVo are planning for the service to be available on 1.5 million TiVo boxes soon. That is a great installed base to begin with. This could also usher in a new era for TiVo where they could move from their high monthly subscription fees and into more paid downloads and advertising supported content.
Here at HungryFlix.com, we provide MPEG4 movie downloads that can be made compatible with TiVo. We hope TiVo will open their technology to other online distributors and allow our content to be pushed easily to the family room.
More info at http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070207/tc_nm/tivo_amazon_download_dc_4
TiVo really has an interesting role here. Amazon and TiVo are planning for the service to be available on 1.5 million TiVo boxes soon. That is a great installed base to begin with. This could also usher in a new era for TiVo where they could move from their high monthly subscription fees and into more paid downloads and advertising supported content.
Here at HungryFlix.com, we provide MPEG4 movie downloads that can be made compatible with TiVo. We hope TiVo will open their technology to other online distributors and allow our content to be pushed easily to the family room.
More info at http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070207/tc_nm/tivo_amazon_download_dc_4
Labels: convergence, download, movies, video distribution
Tuesday, February 6, 2007
Steve Jobs - "Thoughts on Music" - Apple would love no DRM
Steve Jobs (CEO of Apple, Inc.) has published a letter to the community in which he talks about the past, present and future of online music sales and music consumption.
At the end of the letter Mr. Jobs asks the record companies to remove the DRM requirements from the songs Apple sells in iTunes. He says, "Apple will embrace this wholeheartedly."
Apple has come under fire recently from European governments and internet and music industry pundits who all claim in one way or another that Apple is the source of, and primary benefactor of, DRM in iTunes and the iPod.
It has often been claimed that Apple's "closed" system locks people into buying iPods and music from iTunes. Mr. Jobs gives his views on this and provides some interesting statistics to back up his views.
HungryFlix provides movie and music downloads with no DRM. We believe that consumers should not be treated as criminals and that content providers will be rewarded by providing their content to a broad set of users in open formats.
The full letter from Steve Jobs can be found at http://www.apple.com/hotnews/thoughtsonmusic/
At the end of the letter Mr. Jobs asks the record companies to remove the DRM requirements from the songs Apple sells in iTunes. He says, "Apple will embrace this wholeheartedly."
Apple has come under fire recently from European governments and internet and music industry pundits who all claim in one way or another that Apple is the source of, and primary benefactor of, DRM in iTunes and the iPod.
It has often been claimed that Apple's "closed" system locks people into buying iPods and music from iTunes. Mr. Jobs gives his views on this and provides some interesting statistics to back up his views.
HungryFlix provides movie and music downloads with no DRM. We believe that consumers should not be treated as criminals and that content providers will be rewarded by providing their content to a broad set of users in open formats.
The full letter from Steve Jobs can be found at http://www.apple.com/hotnews/thoughtsonmusic/
Labels: apple tv, DRM, ipod, iTunes, music, online distribution, video distribution
Monday, February 5, 2007
Movie making on a budget - Part 2
In Part 1 of Movie Making On a Budge we looked at cameras. Now let's take a look at video editing software.
Home Video editor: This is the person who just wants to edit home videos of birthdays and soccer games. Most consumer packages are affordable and more than powerful enough for their targeted user base. The trick is to find a package that is easy to use.
Pinnacle Studio 10 $99. Studio packs a ton of features under the hood. There is a very basic learning curve but for the most part the package is user-friendly. Past versions have suffered from crashes and compatibility issues with non-standard PCs. Includes DVD authorting.
Ulead VideoStudio $99. Ease of use makes this a great package. Very powerful, complete with DVD creation.
Sony Vegas MovieStudio + DVD. $89. Three easy steps to capture, edit and share. Focuses on ease of use and fun. Worth a look.
Apple iMovie HD ($79 as part of iLife suite). Mac users need to look no farther than iMovie. This great beginner package now offers HD support. Apple designed themes provide motion graphics for intros and lower-thirds that rival the most expensive tools in the market. Third party developers provide a series of plugins (at extra cost) to expand iMovies capabilities even further. DVD authoring included in iDVD, a separate iLife application.
Hobbyist: This person is taking things to the next level. Maybe creating DVDs for school events, sports, or weekend movie making.
Adobe Premiere Elements 3.0. $99. Premiere Elements is going to really put pressure on the consumer packages. It really brings the power of Premiere, a great application, down to consumer users. Sceneline feature makes video editing similar to slideshow creation. Includes DVD authoring.
Apple Final Cut Express HD $299. Not ready for the full power of Final Cut? FCE gives users nearly everything they could want/need. Soundtrack and LiveType are bundled. Excellent entry into the world of pro NLE systems.
Filmmaking/Video Producer: You know who you are...
Adobe Production Studio. $1299 - $1799 Adobe After Effects® 7.0 Professional, Adobe Premiere® Pro 2.0, Adobe Photoshop® CS2, Adobe Audition® 2.0, Adobe Encore® DVD 2.0, and Adobe Illustrator® CS2. What more could you need?
Apple Final Cut Studio. $1299. Final Cut Pro 5, Motion 2, Soundtrack Pro, DVD Studio Pro 4, Compressor, LiveType. Battling with Premiere to become the standard for DV and HDV editing.
Sony Vegas+DVD. $600. The Vegas+DVD Production Suite combines Vegas 7, DVD Architect 4, and Dolby Digital® AC-3 encoding software to offer an integrated environment for all phases of professional video, audio, DVD, and broadcast production.
Home Video editor: This is the person who just wants to edit home videos of birthdays and soccer games. Most consumer packages are affordable and more than powerful enough for their targeted user base. The trick is to find a package that is easy to use.
Pinnacle Studio 10 $99. Studio packs a ton of features under the hood. There is a very basic learning curve but for the most part the package is user-friendly. Past versions have suffered from crashes and compatibility issues with non-standard PCs. Includes DVD authorting.
Ulead VideoStudio $99. Ease of use makes this a great package. Very powerful, complete with DVD creation.
Sony Vegas MovieStudio + DVD. $89. Three easy steps to capture, edit and share. Focuses on ease of use and fun. Worth a look.
Apple iMovie HD ($79 as part of iLife suite). Mac users need to look no farther than iMovie. This great beginner package now offers HD support. Apple designed themes provide motion graphics for intros and lower-thirds that rival the most expensive tools in the market. Third party developers provide a series of plugins (at extra cost) to expand iMovies capabilities even further. DVD authoring included in iDVD, a separate iLife application.
Hobbyist: This person is taking things to the next level. Maybe creating DVDs for school events, sports, or weekend movie making.
Adobe Premiere Elements 3.0. $99. Premiere Elements is going to really put pressure on the consumer packages. It really brings the power of Premiere, a great application, down to consumer users. Sceneline feature makes video editing similar to slideshow creation. Includes DVD authoring.
Apple Final Cut Express HD $299. Not ready for the full power of Final Cut? FCE gives users nearly everything they could want/need. Soundtrack and LiveType are bundled. Excellent entry into the world of pro NLE systems.
Filmmaking/Video Producer: You know who you are...
Adobe Production Studio. $1299 - $1799 Adobe After Effects® 7.0 Professional, Adobe Premiere® Pro 2.0, Adobe Photoshop® CS2, Adobe Audition® 2.0, Adobe Encore® DVD 2.0, and Adobe Illustrator® CS2. What more could you need?
Apple Final Cut Studio. $1299. Final Cut Pro 5, Motion 2, Soundtrack Pro, DVD Studio Pro 4, Compressor, LiveType. Battling with Premiere to become the standard for DV and HDV editing.
Sony Vegas+DVD. $600. The Vegas+DVD Production Suite combines Vegas 7, DVD Architect 4, and Dolby Digital® AC-3 encoding software to offer an integrated environment for all phases of professional video, audio, DVD, and broadcast production.
Labels: adobe, apple, camcorder, equipment, filmmaking, final cut, ilife, imovie, indie film, NLE, sony vegas, video editing
Sunday, February 4, 2007
Movie making on a budget
Most of us don't have unlimited funds. For those of us on a budget, here is my list for great budget-minded movie making gear.
Camera:
The just announed Canon HV20 looks like a real winner, but the lack of real world usage means we can't recommend it just yet. So here is the list
Under $1,000:
Panasonic GS500 3CCD Standard Definition with high quality 16:9 mode and frame mode with CineGamma.
Sony HDR-HC5 1080i HDV Camcorder, 2.1 Megapixel CMOS Sensor, 10x Optical/80x Digital Zoom, 2.7" Touch Panel LCD Screen, Carl Zeiss Lens
Under $1,500:
Sony HDR-HC7 1080i HDV Camcorder, 3.2 Megapixel CMOS Sensor, 10x Optical, 2.7" Touch Panel LCD Screen, Carl Zeiss Lens, Optical Image Stabilizer
Under $3,000:
Canon XL-2 1/3-Inch 3-CCD Widescreen MiniDV Camcorder with 24P Recording, Body Only without Lens
Panasonic AG-DVX100B 3-CCD 24p/30p/60i Mini-DV Cinema Camcorder, NTSC, with CineSwitch Technology, CineGamma Software, FireWire Interface
Under $5,000:
Canon XH-A1 3CCD HDV Camcorder, 1080i, 16:9, 20x Lens, 24f Mode
HDR-FX7 3CMOS HDV 1080i 16:9 Camcorder Kit, includes Anton Bauer ElipZ Battery Package and Camcorder Bag
Camera:
The just announed Canon HV20 looks like a real winner, but the lack of real world usage means we can't recommend it just yet. So here is the list
Under $1,000:
Panasonic GS500 3CCD Standard Definition with high quality 16:9 mode and frame mode with CineGamma.
Sony HDR-HC5 1080i HDV Camcorder, 2.1 Megapixel CMOS Sensor, 10x Optical/80x Digital Zoom, 2.7" Touch Panel LCD Screen, Carl Zeiss Lens
Under $1,500:
Sony HDR-HC7 1080i HDV Camcorder, 3.2 Megapixel CMOS Sensor, 10x Optical, 2.7" Touch Panel LCD Screen, Carl Zeiss Lens, Optical Image Stabilizer
Under $3,000:
Canon XL-2 1/3-Inch 3-CCD Widescreen MiniDV Camcorder with 24P Recording, Body Only without Lens
Panasonic AG-DVX100B 3-CCD 24p/30p/60i Mini-DV Cinema Camcorder, NTSC, with CineSwitch Technology, CineGamma Software, FireWire Interface
Under $5,000:
Canon XH-A1 3CCD HDV Camcorder, 1080i, 16:9, 20x Lens, 24f Mode
HDR-FX7 3CMOS HDV 1080i 16:9 Camcorder Kit, includes Anton Bauer ElipZ Battery Package and Camcorder Bag
Labels: camcorder, digital video, equipment, filmmaking, hdv
Friday, February 2, 2007
Made a short film? Sell it online at HungryFlix.com
There are so many talented indie filmmakers out there...everyone trying to get noticed, get their big break. Well, in the meantime, why not get your film out there to as many people as possible? Hop over to HungryFlix and upload your movie. You set your own price, and you'll earn 60% on your sales.
Labels: hungryflix, indie film, short films, video distribution, web
Thursday, February 1, 2007
Five tips for no-budget filmmakers
Ready to make your movie? Here are a few simple tips to help you on your way. These are things I've learned from books, online resources and my own experience making short films. Enjoy...
1. It's the Story, Stupid....filmmaking is story telling. You need a good script. You need a story that you are passoniate about telling. When you don't have a budget, chances are you won't be blowing up buildings or having long chase scenes to entertain your viewers. Focus on the script. Get a tight, interesting script on paper before you shoot anything.
2. Use the equipment you have...or rent--don't buy. Is your only camera a $300 Handcam? So what. Use it. Even the cheapest consumer MiniDV camcorder can give good results when you use a tripod and you light properly. Don't feel that you need to rush out and buy an brand new HDV cam, or a new boom mic, or Final Cut Pro. Shoot with the equipment you alreay own. Learn your equipment and more importantly, learn the craft of filmmaking. Trust me, there will be many more things limiting you besides your equipment.
3. Plan, plan and then plan some more. After the script you need to prepare a shot list. This is a break down of every shot within every scene. List the location, actors, props, type of shot (Close Up, Wide, Medium), camera moves, etc. The shot list will allow you to play your day. If the first and last scenes of your movie take place in the same location with the same actors you can shoot them back to back. This limits your camera and lighting setups which is vital. In addition to the shot list you need to scout you locations, gather your equipment (cables, bulbs, batteries), have PAs to pickup actors and get food.
4. Get tons of coverage. You never have enough. You never have enough takes, enough angles, enough shots. Shot it again. Even if you think you got it, you probably didn't get it. If you planned your day well (see #3) then you should have enough time to get plenty of coverage.
5. Treat everyone with respect. Actors are interesting people. They are probably working on your film for free. Treat them with respect and kindness. You are the director not the dictator. Get opinions but make the final decisions yourself. Your crew is vital. Find a good crew and treat them well.
6. Keep making films. Make tons of shorts. You'll learn something every time. Try different things and keep growing. You'll never stop learning and you'll never stop having fun.
Watch some great films at http://www.hungryflix.com
1. It's the Story, Stupid....filmmaking is story telling. You need a good script. You need a story that you are passoniate about telling. When you don't have a budget, chances are you won't be blowing up buildings or having long chase scenes to entertain your viewers. Focus on the script. Get a tight, interesting script on paper before you shoot anything.
2. Use the equipment you have...or rent--don't buy. Is your only camera a $300 Handcam? So what. Use it. Even the cheapest consumer MiniDV camcorder can give good results when you use a tripod and you light properly. Don't feel that you need to rush out and buy an brand new HDV cam, or a new boom mic, or Final Cut Pro. Shoot with the equipment you alreay own. Learn your equipment and more importantly, learn the craft of filmmaking. Trust me, there will be many more things limiting you besides your equipment.
3. Plan, plan and then plan some more. After the script you need to prepare a shot list. This is a break down of every shot within every scene. List the location, actors, props, type of shot (Close Up, Wide, Medium), camera moves, etc. The shot list will allow you to play your day. If the first and last scenes of your movie take place in the same location with the same actors you can shoot them back to back. This limits your camera and lighting setups which is vital. In addition to the shot list you need to scout you locations, gather your equipment (cables, bulbs, batteries), have PAs to pickup actors and get food.
4. Get tons of coverage. You never have enough. You never have enough takes, enough angles, enough shots. Shot it again. Even if you think you got it, you probably didn't get it. If you planned your day well (see #3) then you should have enough time to get plenty of coverage.
5. Treat everyone with respect. Actors are interesting people. They are probably working on your film for free. Treat them with respect and kindness. You are the director not the dictator. Get opinions but make the final decisions yourself. Your crew is vital. Find a good crew and treat them well.
6. Keep making films. Make tons of shorts. You'll learn something every time. Try different things and keep growing. You'll never stop learning and you'll never stop having fun.
Watch some great films at http://www.hungryflix.com
Labels: camcorder, digital video, filmmaking, how to make a movie, movies, NLE, tips
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