Saturday, September 30, 2006 Filed in:
Motion
Graphics | Video
The
Editor's Retreat has announced even more
speakers and sessions.
- The Evolving
Role of the Editor
- State of the
Union by Avid, Apple, & Adobe
- Power Tools -
Photoshop Automation, Small Format Tips: iPods
and Beyond
- Color Grading
Theory and Techniques
- Business
Track: Freelancers, Boutique Owners, Facility
Managers
Speakers who've
been added that we know and work with:
The Editors
Retreat is an unparalleled industry event,
exclusive to highly experienced editors of
film, TV and video. To ensure that only the
best of the best attend, participation is
subject to an application and screening
process by a committee of peers. Running for 5
days and 4 nights, the Retreat will only be
open to approximately 75 qualified applicants.
The Retreat’s focus will be evenly split
between high-end technical sessions and
‘the world behind the timeline’
– the creativity and the craft of the
editor, and the business of creating a thriving
editing career. Presenters include award-winning
editors and icons from the editing world, alumni
of previous FMC ‘Master Editor’
programs and known industry power users.
Friday, September 29, 2006 Filed in:
Business
| Personal
I have found the
best gadget for traveling... an affordable
GPS system that you can take with you on the
road. I'm in LA for the Podcasting Expo and
I bought a portable GPS unit (for those of
you who've driven LA, you'll understand the
need to bale from a clogged highway and find
a new route). The Garmin Nuvi 360 Pocket or
Vehicle GPS Navigator just rocks.
• It just works, zero problems getting a
signal and clear directions.
• It has Bluetooth which is really cool.
Pair it with your cell phone and it works as a
speaker phone. Need to find a hotel or
restaurant, click the built-in guide then push
the phone button and you are connected. Dial the
office and you have a great hands-free speaker
phone. It's clear for both parties and totally
works.
• It has built-in storage, and can play
music (and even cooler Audible books).
• The screen is bright and clear, plus its
a touch screen
• It charges via a USB cable or runs of a
cigarette adapter.
• You can put it into a pedestrian mode for
walking around cities (it'll ignore one ways, or
places that aren't accessible to pedestrians).
• There are no subscription fees.
Be sure to check it
out... this little
device has taken away a big chunk of the
stress I feel in rental cars (and makes my
wife happy as she uses it in her non-GPSed car
when I am not traveling).
Thanks to Terry White
from
Adobe for the initial tip.
Tuesday, September 26, 2006 Filed in:
Podcast
| Adobe
Instructor Richard
Harrington explains how you can use the quick
mask command to make a complex selection in
Photoshop. Part 1 of 2.
Like the podcast?
Subscribe for FREE.
Want more training? Check out our
Books.
Saturday, September 23, 2006 Filed in:
Education
| Training
Products
So... I've never
been able to say this... forgive the
indulgence... “We're number one...
we're number one!” Okay... I’m
over it. This week our new
Podcast hit #1 on the
iTunes Store for Software Training (and we
broke the Top 5 for all technology). I am
quite happy that thousands of folks are
accessing our Photoshop training
and I
hope you all find it helpful. In case you
haven’t subscribed yet (it’s free)
be sure to check it out on the iTunes
store (if you
don't want to use iTunes,
click
here.)
Saturday, September 23, 2006 Filed in:
Motion
Graphics
I'll be at
the Podcast and Portable Media Expo next
week in California. This two day event is
all about podcasting and the such. If you
plan to attend, I'd love to catch up. I'll
be sure to bring back a report on all that I
learn. I'll also be filing reports
for Inside Media
Networks and will add
links as the stories go online. The event will
be held September 29 & 30 in Ontario,
California (not far from LA). Hope to see some
of you there.
Tuesday, September 19, 2006 Filed in:
Podcast
| Adobe
Instructor Richard
Harrington explains serveral options you can use
to modify your selections in Photoshop.
Like the podcast?
Subscribe for FREE.
Want more training? Check out our
Books.
Monday, September 18, 2006 Filed in:
Video
Tired of trying
to open your media files in a variety of
players only to suffer from incompatibility
and versioning issues? Video Lan Client (or
VLC) is the most
universal player I've found. In my tests, I
opened Windows-formatted media files on my Mac
with surprising success. I also see greater
compatibility on the Windows side as well
(plus an easier-to-use interface than Windows
Media Player). If your Web video experience
seems incomplete, or you are looking for
another app to test your media files before
distribution, be sure to check this one out.
You can open and view pretty much any form of
audio or video on both a Mac or a PC (or any
flavor of Linux for that matter).
Sunday, September 17, 2006 Filed in:
Video
A few folks
commented about my desktop pattern at a
recent conference. It seems the old
'Indian head'
pattern evokes some
memories in many audience members.
Well the version I had comes from a Russian
designer named Art. Lebedev. You'll find it and
several other pieces of artwork on his
posters
page. For the
test pattern, scroll down to the bottom and
you'll find it in the right column. All are
free to download.
Saturday, September 16, 2006 Filed in:
Personal
I have bad luck
when it comes to laptops (or perhaps as the
Apple tech said, I work my laptops harder
than 99% of the users out there). It seems I
have experienced data loss a few times to
many and I finally sat down and figured out
a back-up strategy. So you can save yourself
a headache, I offer you my workflow to
achieve data nirvana.
1. Get a small,
high-quality drive that you can take with
you. My choice was to get an
OWC Mercury On-The-Go
case. There are four
different options to choose from and they each
offer connection options that are impressive.
My choice was to get the case only and drop in
a SATA laptop drive. I was able to get a 160
GB drive that is big enough to hold the
contents of both my MacBook and MackBook Pro.
(If you are curious... the MBP is my small
writing/blogging machine while the 17 inch is
for teaching and production... 17 inch laptops
and coach seats don't go together.)
2. Get backup
software like Data Backup
from
Prosoft.
I like
this package because its affordable and I have
had great experiences with the company's other
software like Data Rescue
and
Picture
Rescue. This package
allows you to Clone your drives and make a
bootable image so you can easily restore
files. My favorite feature is its robust
scheduling tools including the ability to have
a backup start whenever you plug in the backup
drive. Simply set the program to automatically
open as a login item (right click on its icon
in the Dock at choose Open at Login). Then
choose to set a schedule and set an event for
the presence of the backup target.
3. Remember to plug-in the backup drive weekly,
and keep it in the bag of your laptop.
That's it... much less stress for the road
warrior.
Saturday, September 16, 2006 Filed in:
Windows
So iTunes
and ABC are doing something cool. You can
download the season finale of
Lost (as well as
Grey's Anatomy and Desperate Housewives) for
free. The first Million viewers can pull down
the show as well as "The Lost Survival Guide"
so you can catch back up.
As a podcaster, it's an interesting concept.
Making something free, but 'exclusive' (if you
consider a million to be exclusive). Still, I
like free TV as much as the next creative type.
Be sure to check it
out.... it's
free after all!
Saturday, September 16, 2006 Filed in:
Apple
Over
at RHED
Pixel, we've
finally come up with a reasonable backup
strategy for our FCP systems. Figured I'd
share for those of you who need it
1.
Target One Folder – We save
all FCP projects to an FCP folder on the internal
drive.
2.
Use Backup Software – We've
started using
Data Backup
from
Prosoft.
I
like this package because its affordable and I
have had great experiences with the company's
other software like Data Rescue
and
Picture
Rescue. This
package allows you to pick a folder for
backup. My favorite feature is its robust
scheduling tools.
• Simply purchase a 1-4 GB USB thumb drive
and plug it into your system.
• Then set Data Backup to automatically
open as a login item (right click on its icon in
the Dock at choose Open at Login).
• Then choose to set a schedule for backup
and target the thumb drive.
May your project files find a safe haven.... All
for about $150 a machine (software plus thumb
drive).
Friday, September 15, 2006 Filed in:
Windows
Long
time readers will know that we are big fans
of Parallels Desktop
solution
for running Windows on a Mac. No need for
multiple partitions or rebooting, you can have
both Operating Systems going at the same time.
Plus you can install the optional Tools that
allow you to copy and paste between systems
and even access folders on your Mac.
The good news... their trial is
still available and a new update has
been released.
Recent improvements include:
- Support for new
quad-processor Mac Pro towers outfitted with up
to 3.5GB of RAM
- Experimental support
for Windows Vista
- An
improved Parallels Tools package
- Better video output
improvement and acceleration
- Added isochronous
USB devices support (including WebCam
devices)
- Keyboard support
improvement: Eject CD key support and
more
- Clipboard
synchronization tool
- Sound playback and
recording improvement
Friday, September 15, 2006 Filed in:
Apple
I've put
the new iTunes 7 software through a hard
core review and it's awesome. With great new
features for managing your media, retrieving
purchased music from the iPod, and browsing
by album art, it's a great update.
If you'd like to find out its best features, then
head over to my graphics blog Raster|Vector for a
hands-on review. You can check it out
here.
Thursday, September 14, 2006
If
you're a Photoshop fan, then we've got you
covered. We've got two Photoshop podcasts you
should check out.
-
Understanding Adobe
Photoshop
– This is a
weekly podcast targeting new and intermediate
users of Photoshop in all industries. It's
sponsored by Peachpit TV.
-
Photoshop for
Video
– This one also
comes at you every week and focusses on those
issues facing video and motion graphic
designers. Other kinds of users may enjoy its
emphasis on speed and flexibility as well.
By the way... we're not the only one's who like
them. Apple has featured both on the front page
of the Technology section in their New &
Notable spotlight.
Tuesday, September 12, 2006 Filed in:
Adobe
While much
of my time is spent making photos look
better... sometimes I have to go the
opposite direction. Mister Retro
has three
filter packs available called machine wash
that can mangle and age images or text. Think
of those "new-old" tee-shirts that are so
popular in stores like American Eagle and
Abercrombie and Fitch.
I first
started using Machine Wash when they were
actions for Photoshop, now they've evolved
into actual filters. I checked them out at
Photoshop World in Las Vegas, and the
plug-ins are fast and responsive. These
filters are of course well suited for
clothing, but I find myself using them on
photos and type treatments for the screen as
well. To see a real-time preview, check out
their gallery.
The filters are priced at $49 a set, and upgrades
for previous users are available if you contact
tech support.
Tuesday, September 12, 2006 Filed in:
Podcast
| Adobe
Instructor Richard
Harrington explains Smart Objects and how this
feature can help you retain the quality of
Photoshop layers and imported images while
allowing you maximum flexibility.
Like the podcast?
Subscribe for FREE.
Want more training? Check out our
Books.
Saturday, September 09, 2006 Filed in:
Video
| Education
As
Photoshop World winds down, its time for
homework. Be sure to check out the
conference handout
section for extra
notes and practice files. If you took a class
with me, I hope you enjoyed. Have fun and keep
learning.
Saturday, September 09, 2006
It’s
finally shipping, my new DVD. If you need to
use photos in your videos or film, you'll
enjoy this new disc. I go very in-depth on
how to create standard and 3D camera moves
with photos.
Motion
Control: Using Photoshop and After Effects To
Tranform Still Images into Moving Footage
No longer locked
to a stationary position on screen, your photos
now possess distinct storytelling
abilities. Join Richard Harrington,
Photoshop and motion graphics guru, as he reveals
the top techniques used by pros to bring still
images to life. This DVD will benefit all
users interested in improved storytelling
abilities. You’ll learn essential
techniques both in 2D and 3D space.
- Adobe
Photoshop essentials
- Traditional
two-dimensional motion control
- Using 3D
cameras
- Working in 3D
space
- Using 3D
lighting to enhance your images
- Performing
advanced camera operations
Bonus
Features
- Original and
processed images
- Adobe
Photoshop and After Effects project
assets
Estimated
ship date is September 20th 2006.
You can order it
here.
Wednesday, September 06, 2006 Filed in:
Adobe
Join us
each week for a dose of professional
Photoshop training. We've turned our new
book,
Understanding Adobe
Photoshop into a weekly
podcast. It's a good idea to
subscribe
via iTunes,
as back episodes won't hang around long. If
you are impatient (or want to get the whole
set on a DVD) you can purchase the
book.
Subscribe now
and receive a dose technical training delivered
every Monday.
Understanding Adobe Photoshop with Richard
Harrington .
The new podcast
is brought to you by the fine folks at Peachpit
Press.
Hope you all enjoy...
NOTE: If you haven't
subscribed... don't miss our free Photoshop
podcast exclusively for video pros –
Photoshop CS: Essentials for
Digital Video.
Tuesday, September 05, 2006 Filed in:
Podcast
| Adobe
Instructor Richard
Harrington covers the free transofrm command, a
very flexible way to move, rotate and scale
images within your Photoshop document.
Like the podcast?
Subscribe for FREE.
Want more training? Check out our
Books.
Sunday, September 03, 2006
A few
months ago, my
new book on Adobe
Photoshop was released. I'm not one for fancy
titles... so I simply called this one
"Understanding Adobe Photoshop." The book
combined everything I learned teaching Adobe
Photoshop to both college students and working
pros, and it is targeted for both new users
and those who are self-taught (having never
taken a full college-level class).
The book is doing well (but of course... I'd be
happy to sell more). It is very
well-suited for
classroom use as well with hundreds of hands-on
exercises (including images) as well as 4.5 hours
of training videos. Enough of my thoughts... what
are others saying?
Read
More...
Saturday, September 02, 2006 Filed in:
Education
Looking
for a new design tool? Well this probably is not
it... but it is fun. The
Official Seal
Generator
can create 'official-looking' seals in a flash.
Enter your text then choose a border and an
emblem. You can even customize colors. A simple
click of the 'Go' button and an 'Official Seal'
will be generated for you. If the presets don't
do it for you, the author encourages you to make
contact.
There's a ton of funny things like this made by
the same group, be sure to check out
their
site.
Saturday, September 02, 2006 Filed in:
Motion
Graphics
One of the
most influential events I've ever attended
was Avid's Master Editor Workshop series.
But it appears that the workshop has gone
the way of Umatic tape machines. The
replacement? A new event called the
Editors
Retreat. This is
truly a retreat, in that editors come to live
together and learn (did I mention the living
part happens in South Beach in January). The
event runs for 5 days and 4 nights, and is
open to approximately 75 qualified applicants.
The Retreat’s focus focusses on high-end
technical sessions and ‘the world behind
the timeline’ – the creativity and
the craft of the editor. Other classes delve
into the business side as well. Its a great
learning opportunity and worth checking out.
Saturday, September 02, 2006 Filed in:
Motion
Graphics
If
you couldn't make it to SIGGRAPH, be sure to
check out these great video
reports. Over at the
Digital Production Buzz, you'll find several
video podcasts with the newsmakers at
SIGGRAPH. Additionally, you'll find additional
podcasts from NAB and E3. You can subscribe to
this occasional feed of
video-of-interest here.
Friday, September 01, 2006 Filed in:
Adobe
| Apple
| Motion
Graphics
The
polls are now closed for our August survey.
We asked:
Which NLE do you prefer to use the most?
We set an all time record for responses. All
said, 510 users weighed in... and the results
were surprising.
1. Apple Final
Cut Pro/Final Cut Express (36.27%)
2. Avid Nonlinear Editing Systems
(31.96%)
3. Sony Vegas (14.12%)
4. Adobe Premiere Pro (13.73%)
5. Media 100 (3.92%)
Given the number of respondents, we have
determined that the survey is accurate within +/-
4%... That means Final Cut Pros lead was slim,
but it still took the top spot.
Friday, September 01, 2006 Filed in:
Motion
Graphics | Adobe
Hope to see
some of you at Photoshop World in Las Vegas.
If you plan to attend, I hope to see some of
you there. Here's my teaching schedule for
those who'd like to catch up.
Thursday
– September 7
Do No Harm - Non-Destructive
Color Correction
NAPP Expo
Theatre – 03:30-04:30 pm
Help Desk Live
Various Times
Friday – September 8
Your Photoshop is in My After
Effects
Motion Graphics
Track – 09:30 -10:30 am
Podcasting for
Educators
Peachpit Expo
Theater – 12:00-12:40 pm
Photoshop in
the Classroom
Peachpit Expo
Theater – 2:00 - 2:40 pm
Typography in
Motion
Motion Graphics Track – 4:00 - 5:00 pm
Motion Control 3D
Motion Graphics
Track – 5:15 - 6:15 pm
Friday, September 01, 2006 Filed in:
Training
Products
Thanks to
Sheila Ward and DV Guru for the
write-up on our
Photoshop for Video podcast. We appreciate the
link and turning people on to our show. If
you've never checked out their site,
have a
look. Its a great
community of bloggers posting on digital video
and related technology.
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