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How does the “little camcorder that could” compare to its larger siblings?
Written by David Tames on March 22, 2006
Filed Under Camera, Filmmaking, General, High Definition
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I’ve gotten lots of questions how the little Sony HVR-A1U compares to its two bigger siblings. Besides the size, weight, and slight differences in terms of image quality, here’s how the little A1U stacks up to the larger 3 CCD models currently available from Sony. Continue Reading…  Read More →

Apple White Paper on Final Cut Pro and P2 Workflow
Written by David Tames on March 16, 2006
Filed Under Editing, Filmmaking, General
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Apple recently released a white paper discussing P2 workflow with Final Cut Pro, the document covers P2 cards and card-reading devices, recommended capture and ingest options, shooting modes and formats, importing P2 footage into Final Cut Pro, using log and capture with P2 footage, recommended...  Continue Reading...

The little camcorder that could
Written by David Tames on March 14, 2006
Filed Under Camera, Filmmaking
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I’ve been shooting a documentary with the Sony HVR-Z1U HDV camcorder and it’s a fine camera if you’re into the 1080i thing (I prefer a progressive approach to my imaging technology as with my politics). Working with this camera has convinced me that 2005 was the year affordable...  Continue Reading...

Vlogging Session Handouts
Written by David Tames on March 10, 2006
Filed Under Events & Screenings, General, Media Literacy, Podcasting, The Media, Video on the Web, Web
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Steve Garfield, Ravi Jain and I did a session today titled “The Rise of Citizen Media and Video Blogging” at the Camera Company’s 16th Annual Pro Video Show and here are links to the handouts (PDF files): 2006.03.10-VlogHandout.pdf (guided tour of video blogs and speaker bios) 2006.03.10-VlogResources.pdf...  Continue Reading...

Editing in days of yore
Written by David Tames on March 9, 2006
Filed Under Camera, Editing, Filmmaking
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I learned how to edit using a Steenbeck editing table at Film Arts Foundation in San Francisco very similar to this one here located at Documentary Educational Resources in Watertown, Massacusetts. While testing the Panasonic HVX200 camera I was struck by how beautiful the flatbed was, especially...  Continue Reading...

They did it for bands, will they do it for filmmakers too?
Written by David Tames on March 9, 2006
Filed Under Filmmakers, Filmmaking, The Media
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MySpace changed the way new bands find their audience just like MTV did back in the early eighties. Now the ad-cluttered community site has introduced MySpace Film as a tool for filmmakers. The new section features a “featured filmmaker” and a Filmmaker Magazine “pick of the...  Continue Reading...

HVX200, Rockeboom, and a comparison chart
Written by David Tames on March 8, 2006
Filed Under Camera, Filmmaking, High Definition, Podcasting, The Media
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While I was taking the new Panasonic HVX200 out for a spin, Steve Garfield taped an interview (in retro standard definition video) with me, and the results of that appeared on Rocketboom. Lots of good comments were made on the piece, one from joe suggested they would have liked a “Consumer...  Continue Reading...

Art Film Design Audio Podcast Technical Documentation
Written by David Tames on March 7, 2006
Filed Under Podcasting, Sound
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I’ve been asked what tools Colin Owens and I use for recording and editing the interviews for ArtFilmDesign.com, so I’ve put together this little document (link below) that outlines the tools we use for field production and post production. It also includes a bonus slide illustrating...  Continue Reading...

Taking the Panasonic HVX200 out for a spin, Part 3
Written by David Tames on March 6, 2006
Filed Under Camera, Filmmaking, High Definition
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A major feature that sets the Panasonic HVX200 apart from the rest of the prosumer HD camcorders is the decision to not use the HDV tape format. HDV squeezes HD video into a 25 Mbit/sec tape format using MPEG-2 intra-frame compression sacrificing image quality. The HDV format also creates...  Continue Reading...

Boston Media Makers Meeting (March 5, 2006)
Written by David Tames on March 5, 2006
Filed Under Events & Screenings, Filmmakers, Filmmaking, Films, Podcasting, The Media, Video on the Web
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Arin Crumley and Susan Buice were the guests at the Boston Media Makers meeting today. The talked about their Four Eyed Monsters Video Podcast that started as a tool for promoting their film and now has grown into its own thing. Arin and Susan made many astute observations related to podcasting...  Continue Reading...

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