Looking to do some serious editing while speeding along in style, well look no further than tech superpowers new project, Geek My Ride. The project has turned a standard Lexus IS300 into a hi-end mobile editing studio complete with an Apple Xserve running dual 2GHz G5's and a staggering 3.5 TB of onboard storage. The car also features a 42" Plasma screen that can be mounted in the trunk for exterior viewing. 30 fps @ 140 mph is the motto for the project, though testing out the 140 mph part of that motto could present a slight problem. The price tag for the completed project came in at $65,000, which unfortunately may make it slightly impractical for your next major upgrade. The car will be at MacWorld Boston so if you are attending I would definitely recommend checking the car out, just try to resist the urge to take off in it.
CreativeMac.com has a new interview up with experienced cinematographer Peter Pilafian who has worked on such films as Riding Giants, and Dogtown and Z-Boys. Pilafian talks about his experiences with filming in extreme locations and also about the emergence of digital filmmaking. The cinematographer weighs in with his take on the new HDV format and also picks his favorite MiniDV camera for small shoots where full sized cameras are not available. The interview ends with a short discussion of the new super hi-def digital cameras that are making their way onto major motion picture sets and the future of film.
So you've had your eye on a new pro-level MiniDV camera, but you are having a tough time deciding which camera is the perfect fit. Well you may find your answer over at DVXusers.com where there is an excellent article that breaks down your three main choices. The three cameras chosen for the shootout are the Canon XL2, Panasonic DVX100a and Sony FX1. The article goes into detail about each cameras strengths and weaknesses and has a lot of side by side screen grabs for visual references.
The Panasonic DVX100a comes out on top but the final results should be taken with a grain of salt.(this is a site completely devoted to the DVX) That fact aside, the article gives a great run down of the different uses each camera is best suited for and what type of user will benefit from each camera. If you have been looking at purchasing one of these cameras, this review will definitely help you pick a winner that will best suite your needs.
If you are in the market for a high-end color correction tool, then you may want to check out the review of Final Touch HD over at DV.com. The software scores high marks across the board for its powerful features and robust tools. But be warned this is a serious tool with many features that will only be used properly by experienced color corrections experts, and with its $5,000 price tag most light users will probably not have that problem to deal with.
The Friday Feature is a weekly column which will focus on a newly released or soon to be released DV project that is worth a closer look.
This week's featured project is Broken, a short film that was shot entirely on MiniDV. The film had a budget of just $8000 and with its many visual effects, it really shows what you can accomplish with a little bit of cash and a lot of talent. The film was shot with a Panasonic DVX100a and many of the VFX were done in Shake, Apple's high end compositing software. The short is being released on special edition DVD's which should be out in early July and will feature extensive behind the scenes footage as well as break downs of the many VFX used throughout the film. The films website whatisbroken.com also features behind the scenes footage as well as the films trailer which is definitely worth a watch.
Introduced in April at NAB the Panasonic AG-HVX200 is the long awaited HD follow up to the popular DVX line of cameras. 2-pop has a great article on the camera and how it may affect the future of DV with its tapeless P2 cards which may eliminate the need for tapes. The camera will include a standard MiniDV tape deck but will also use P2 cards which use 4 Secure Digital memory chips to store data. These cards will allow for higher bit rates of data, which will ultimately result in better picture quality which is what all DV users want to hear.
We covered the announcement of Sony's new sub $2000 HDV camera last month and now the first hands-on review has been released. The camera gets put through its paces and comes out on top with positive marks. The camera scores high marks for its super sharp image quality as well as its impressive still image capabilities. The camera is aimed at higher end point and shoot buyers and is the first commercially available consumer level HDV camcorder to hit the U.S. market. The camera should be out by mid July and if you are looking to upgrade to HD this looks like a good choice.
Over at the IndieTalk forums there is a great guide for anyone looking to setup their own green screen rig. The guide uses PVC piping to make the lightweight but sturdy frame which supports the screen. The whole project comes in at about $50 and produces a quality rig that will help give your next project a more polished look. The article contains some helpful tips and also discusses the different lighting options for shooting green screens.
Red Giant Software, makers of the popular Magic Bullet Editors have announced a new version of the plug-in with added features and improved render speeds. The Magic Bullet plug-in has become very popular with the DV crowd because of its power to give video the look and feel of film. The new version of the software works with the newly released NVIDIA 6 and 7 series graphics cards to help boost performance. New features include real-time film treatment effects and improved HD
render speeds. Look for the plug-in to be out by the end of August with prices around the $299 mark.
New Screen TV is now accepting submissions for its 2005 New Vision Awards which offer over $17,000 in cash prizes. Submissions of all types are being accepted, but cash prizes are limited to the categories of animation, documentary, drama, student, and fine art as well as a grand prize winner who will be taking home $7,500. Submissions which should be sent by tape (MiniDV, DVCam) or DVD must be in by August 1st.
For years digital filmmakers have been trying to achieve the look of film at the cost of video and with the recent advent of 24p technology, in cameras such as the Panasonic DVX100(a) and the Canon XL2 the gap between the two formats is closing. 24P video is the popular new choice for the digital filmmaker because 24P video runs at 24 progressive or full frames per second which helps give the video a look similar to film. This how to will cover the simplest way of setting up Final Cut Pro's Audio/Video Setting so that capturing your 24P footage is a snap.
Good article for the no/low budget movie maker who is looking for a cheap lighting solution. The article talks about using cheap work lights which can be found at stores like The Home Depot and Sears for as low as $10. These lights can deliver a lot of power, so it is wise to diffuse or reflect the lights rather then use them directly. The article also talks about using Chinese lanterns and halogen lamps to help add a wide light source at little cost. As important as the lights though, are the reflectors and diffusers which help to create a softer more natural light. For cheap reflectors the article suggest using Tyvek which is a foam board with a reflective foil coating, as for diffusion a frosted shower curtain should do the trick.
JVC has announced four new cameras that will forgo tapes and DVDs as their recording medium and will instead use internal hard drives. The new cameras will feature 1.8" hard drives with either 20 or 30 GB's of storage. The new cameras are the latest in JVC's line of hard drive based cameras which had previously used only 4GB Microdrives. On normal quality settings the cameras will offer up to 14 hours of recording time for the 30GB models and up to 9 hours for the 20GB models. Along with sharing the same hard drives as the iPod the cameras will also feature similar anti-drop technology that will help protect the camera's hard drive from sudden falls. More pics after the jump.
Over at DVXuser.com there is a great interview with Phil Parmet, the Director of Photography for the feature film Lonesome Jim which was shot entirely on MiniDV. In the interview Phil who is a longtime film user talks about the limitations and also the advantages of working in MiniDV. He also discusses working with Steve Buscemi (Fargo, Armageddon) who directed the film. The film was shot entirely on the Panasonic DVX100a which is discussed in detail in the article. The interview is a good read for anyone interested in the world of indie filmmaking.
Time to get those cameras ready, The New York Minute Film Festival is now
accepting submissions for its online film festival. All submissions ($20 submission fee) are
to be 60-seconds in length and will compete in five categories- drama; comedy; animation; experimental; and music video. The deadline for submissions is October 1, 2005, but voting on the films will begin August 8, so it may be wise to get your film in before the voting begins. The films will be narrowed down by online voting to 10 finalists in each category by November 2, and the final winners will be announced November 17 in New York City. Submissions may be sent by mail (CD, DVD, Tape) or uploaded (12MB limit) Prizes include cash, gear and a trip to NYC. Good luck.
So you've had your eye on a new pro-level MiniDV camera, but you are having a tough time deciding which camera is the perfect fit. Well you may find your answer over at 
If you are in the market for a high-end color correction tool, then you may want to check out the review of Final Touch HD over at 
The Friday Feature is a weekly column which will focus on a newly released or soon to be released DV project that is worth a closer look.
Introduced in April at NAB the Panasonic AG-HVX200 is the long awaited HD follow up to the popular DVX line of cameras. 
We 
Over at the 
For years digital filmmakers have been trying to achieve the look of film at the cost of video and with the recent advent of 24p technology, in cameras such as the Panasonic DVX100(a) and the Canon XL2 the gap between the two formats is closing. 24P video is the popular new choice for the digital filmmaker because 24P video runs at 24 progressive or full frames per second which helps give the video a look similar to film. This how to will cover the simplest way of setting up Final Cut Pro's Audio/Video Setting so that capturing your 24P footage is a snap. 
Good article for the no/low budget movie maker who is looking for a cheap lighting solution. The article talks about using cheap work lights which can be found at stores like 
Over at 
Time to get those cameras ready, 
