We brought the iOgrapher out again today for a great Facebook Live chat with Georgia-Pacific CEO Christian Fischer hosting Major Bob Parker and wife Captain Kathy Parker from The Salvation Army Metro Atlanta's Angel Tree Program.
Taking the Dixie brand to VR by Working Backwards
Filming in the woods of North Georgia
In order to sell a product well, you need to understand the manufacturing process. The entire manufacturing process. GP Studios was tasked with creating an immersive experience to showcase how Dixie products are made to the internal sales teams. Originally it was planned to start with the papermaking process, however I proposed starting at the very beginning, in the forest. That segment introduced a vital message to the sales team, the sustainability of forests is first and foremost in everything Georgia-Pacific does. Sustainability is a buzzword that can be tossed around, but to visually be reminded that this is more than just a word, turned out to be a key takeaway from the presentation.
Video Producer course now available from Lynda.com / LinkedIn Learning
I take you on set of "Water Science with Wade" to show you what a Producer does.
What exactly does a video producer do? Understanding the role of the modern video producer will help you recognize if you have the skills and the mindset to take on the job. A good producer not only knows video inside and out, but also can manage time and money effectively, resolve conflict, maintain morale, and plan logistics. Above all else, a video producer has to be flexible and able to make decisions quickly, on the fly.
In this course, I take you on set and show you how production decisions unfold in real time, whether you're scripting, scheduling, directing crew members, or providing feedback to post. Follow along and explore the responsibilities of a producer in all stages, including pre-production (planning), production (running a set), and post-production (editing and delivery). By the end, you'll have a better understanding of skills and techniques it takes to run a smooth and successful video production. Topics include:
- Scripting and storyboarding
- Casting
- Scheduling
- Running a set
- Paying your crew
- Working with post
- Providing constructive feedback
- Mastering
This course is available through Lynda.com and LinkedIn Learning.
Sustainable Wood Forestry Messaging with Snake Chaps
“Folks, here’s the snake chaps, be sure to put them on so the rattlers don’t get you.” Now THERE’s a phrase I’ve never heard in my 25+ years of storytelling. And let me tell you, that phrase wakes you up in a hurry. Of course my response was, “I make these look good, don’t I?”
Trint: Transcriptions Redefined
A friend pointed me to Trint transcription services. They claim to have redefined transcriptions by creating a superior software algorithm to quickly and pretty accurately turn around transcriptions from audio and video files. I was very skeptical having tried software like this in the past. Well, after trying them out, I am quite impressed.
I Can Do That! (How am I going to do that?)
I've been working on a new e-Learning proposal for the past few weeks. Didn't know I could do that? Well, I can and can't.
See it's a video centric learning program but just showing videos and scenarios isn't enough. We really need to test the employees at each step along the way to ensure they're getting the material. Years ago I established a relationship with a really good e-Learning partner for these very situations. For this project we're going to work together with them taking point on the educational design and me on the video production. We'll work together on the overall project management and development.
Moral of the story? Work on your network of connections for really good and really honest partners you can bring in so when you get a call that says, "Can you do that?" your answer can be "Absolutely!"
My "Video Budgeting" course is now available on Lynda.com
I'm proud to announce my first training product from Lynda.com (and LinkedIn Learning) Video Budgeting.
Whether you own a production company or you’re a freelancer, we’re all independent contractors and it’s important to understand and document the full scope of work and fees to be charged for a project. In other words, creating an accurate budget.
Why I use Rampant Design Tools
No, I’m not a paid spokesperson for Rampant Design Tools. I just love their products and when they asked if I would create a video telling folks why I use them, well of course I said yes. Beyond the awesomeness of the products, there the awesomeness of Sean and Stefani Mullen. Real creatives who make wonderful tools for the rest of us.
Adobe moves to support ProRes natively on Windows
Recently security reports came out noting that Quicktime Player on Windows machine is a major security issue. This creates a quandry for those editing professional video using the Apple ProRes codec since installing Quicktime is required to use this codec. Apparently Adobe is now working to natively support ProRes in the application without the need for Quicktime to be installed. Cool move.
Editing on DaVinci Resolve 12.5: Day Three
It’s Day Three of my “real world” editing on DaVinci Resolve 12.5 and this is going to be the longest blog yet as I want to show you guys a lot of the “little things” that are making editing in Resolve a pleasure. I know there are a lot of questions still out there whether this is really a professional editor. For me it’s the small things that separate the applications making life efficient and fun for the the editor. I also had a pleasant surprise today. Alexis Van Hurkman, the man who literally wrote the manual on Resolve, called to point out some of the editing specific features that I might not be aware were there.
Editing on DaVinci Resolve 12.5: Day Two
Ok, if I’m being honest about this, Day Two was really a continuation of a very LONG day one. Some updates on the issues from Day One.
The need to Transcode to ProRes. Paul Saccone from Blackmagic Design reached out to me and told me I didn’t need to transcode the 4k H264 to ProRes to get better performance. I can use “Generate Optimized Media” instead.
Editing on DaVinci Resolve 12.5: Day One
At the recently completed NAB Show in Las Vegas, Blackmagic Design took the wraps off DaVinci Resolve 12.5. It really could be a Resolve 13 but they probably wanted to avoid that unlucky number. I’ve been predicting for over a year now that NAB 2016 would be the year this tool became a full fledged non-linear editing system and sure enough, it’s a solid editing platform.
Add a PanaVision look to your next Project
My friend Vashi Nedomansky has updated his fabulous Ultimate Aspect Ratio Guide which can help you add a “Panasvision Look” to any project. He was inspired by the recent 70mm release of the Hateful Eight to update his looks.
It’s not just about adding a vignette over your video to give it a “Panavision Look.” It’s about adding correct aspect ratio vignettes over your video so they “look real.” Vashi goes beyond just telling you what the aspect ratios are, he gives you 50+ FREE templates to use in the NLE of your choice from SD to 6k. You can even use them in FX software like After Effects or Fusion, you just drag them to a video layer above the one you’re working on.
Also included is a link to the Unravel_Resolution_CheatSheet for exporting to the current frame sizes for various outputs.
Vashi is an incredible artist and an all around great guy. Be sure to bookmark his site for lots of great freebies.
BCM completes PSA with Victoria Stilwell for Fix Georgia Pets
June 1, 2015; Atlanta, GA; – Biscardi Creative Media (BCM) has completed post-production on two Public Service Announcements for Fix Georgia Pets featuring world-renowned dog trainer Victoria Stilwell. The PSAs remind all of us the importance of spaying and neutering our pets to help cut down on animal overpopulation. This topic is near and dear to our hearts at BCM with our own Molly the Wonder Dog being a rescue.