BigPixture Productions

What is MITx? - MIT News Office

2012-01-03T11:19:00.000-08:00

MITx is an interesting concept for lifetime learners. Especially learners who are not interested in earning a degree (or paying tuition).

Dear Adobe Flash

2011-12-27T17:30:00.001-08:00

Dear Adobe Flash,

This is not an easy thing for me to write, but I feel that the truth must be told. You have been a minor thorn in my side for years. You have disrupted my workflow, made me close my browser(s), and even forced me to restart my devices on occasions too numerous to count.

Back in January of 2010, when I heard the rumors that your relationship with Apple and YouTube was starting to get rocky, I refrained from taking sides in the matter. We both had serious work to do (together or apart) and it just wasn't the time or place. However, a few weeks later, when I read the HTML5 specs and understood the promise it held, I decided it would be fair to grouse to other professionals about your frequent browser compatibility issues, your regular demands for upgrades, and your excessive drain on my batteries. This was all done behind your back of course.

More than a year passed us by, devices came and went, and very little really changed until you waved the white flag last month (http://www.engadget.com/2011/11/09/adobe-confirms-flash-player-is-dead-for-mobile-devices/). Now I am finally free to tell you what I think about you. Although you have a shiny exterior and have been capable of doing some very cool things, I never really liked you very much.

There, I said it.

I still wonder how much the timing of your surrender had to do with the fact that Steve Jobs was no longer around to rub it in... Just know that regardless of whether he was really right or wrong about you, in the end, be very certain that he believed that he was right all along.

Sincerely,

Gregory Tipton

Re-Re-considering... Final Cut X.

2011-12-22T07:52:00.000-08:00

The last thing any professional editor wants to face during crunch-time is an unworkable software/hardware combination. New software offers a promise of new and improved features... as well as the threat of unknown hurdles and potential crashes. And that is why we spend so much time during our off-seasons upgrading hardware, developing new work-flows, and experimenting with new(-ish) software.

My inner late-adopter has been saying: "I am in no hurry to upgrade to Final Cut X. Seven has been good to me." However, it may be high time for us to do a little experimenting with the app.

Below is a link to an article for those of us who have been considering the direction the software has taken and how it may (or may not) affect the industry.

http://www.philiphodgetts.com/2011/12/why-do-production-pressures-favor-final-cut-pro-x/

2011-10-08T17:56:00.001-07:00

Tonight's view.

2011-10-05T13:38:00.001-07:00

Testing Pingdroid.

There May Yet Be Hope For Final Cut Pro X

2011-09-21T05:07:00.000-07:00

The AOL / (and unofficially) Apple / Tech blog TUAW had a short, but sweet, entry yesterday regarding Apple's latest update to Final Cut Pro X.

Among other tweaks and additions, progress has been made to return XML-support to the app. Speaking personally, XML transfer and import are features that I use on a fairly regular basis. I don't use it daily, but when I need it, I need it in a huge way.

Also, Apple has made a trial version available for customers to try before they buy. In my opinion, this is an excellent way to market the much-maligned FCP X product - and possibly avoid an exodus of users who, like me, are reluctant to risk losing valuable time, projects, and possibly even clients over a product that may or may not be up to the task.

For now, I am very willing to invest some time test driving and perhaps even editing a (very small) project or two. If Final Cut Pro X works as well as Apple says, I will be purchasing the full version very soon.

It's really all about avoiding lost time and the dreadful side effect... lost dollars.

Read the TUAW article via the link below:

http://www.tuaw.com/2011/09/20/final-cut-pro-x-update-adds-top-feature-requests/

Final Cut Amateur X (or iMovie Pro?)

2011-06-28T08:46:00.000-07:00

The Premium Beat has a fairly comprehensive list of what features appear to be missing from Final Cut X.

http://www.premiumbeat.com/blog/final-cut-pro-x-the-missing-features/

Yikes, yikes, and more yikes!

I think we'll just stick with the semi-latest and so-far-greatest version of Final Cut Pro 7.

If it ain't broke...

2011-04-17T17:15:00.001-07:00

I've become a casual drobo advocate/evangelist. Three or more have been purchased by my clients in the last two years. They need more.

2011-04-14T08:42:00.001-07:00

In an office where a 16x9 program has been letter-boxed by the broadcaster to 4x3, and is now being stretched onto a 16x9 LCD display. Nice.

2011-04-13T13:43:00.001-07:00

Shoot. Edit. Author DVD. Shoot! Edit. Master Video. Shoot. Edit. Author DVD. Lather. Rinse. Repeat. Your mileage may vary.

2011-04-09T09:37:00.001-07:00

The more expensive the electronic product, the more likely its power supply will have the same brand name printed on its face. Just saying.

2011-03-11T05:43:00.001-08:00

Modeling in Google SketchUp...

2011-03-02T07:48:00.001-08:00

Anxiously awaiting the arrival of a new Macbook Pro. Am I ready for Thunderbolt? No... No Thunderbolt devices here yet.

2011-02-27T23:01:00.001-08:00

Doing storyboard/animatics for a burglary/murder/chase scene has been the focus this weekend. It's almost there...

2011-02-24T19:30:00.001-08:00

Wondering if hours spent managing (and merging) contacts between Gmail, Apple Address Book, Yahoo, Twitter, & Facebook will ever pay off. No? I didn't think so.

Animatics and Brief Meetings

2011-02-20T17:37:00.001-08:00

Rough animatics shoot this afternoon... nothing fancy. Just quick angles and basic action to block out the shots.

Then meet briefly with the screenwriter and director of another project at 5:00 pm...

Now back to the animatics.

2011-02-17T11:44:00.001-08:00

Uploaded a media file for client review. Thank you Tom Petty; the waiting really is the hardest part.

2011-02-16T10:12:00.001-08:00

Storyboards on hold for a few days so we can edit a presentation for a publishing company.

2011-02-09T21:16:00.001-08:00

Had a long drive home from a rehearsal for the Nashville Ballet... Interstate 65 was thick with traffic and slushy, icy, snow. Be careful

2010-11-22T15:32:00.001-08:00

Motion-tracking a character to a phone.

2010-11-17T20:18:00.001-08:00

Motion tracking and animating all weekend for an award winning short film... Very Cool!

2010-10-29T23:06:00.001-07:00

Trying work late on a Friday... but it's just not working. Going to have to hit it again tomorrow.

2010-10-29T14:53:00.001-07:00

New custom iPhone animation in the works

2010-10-22T08:50:00.001-07:00

These things take time.

The Power of One, Two, Three... Testing.

2010-10-15T15:56:00.001-07:00

It means... um... it means... um... humm

2010-10-12T07:00:00.001-07:00

Hoping for a brief break in the clouds for this morning's (outdoor) shoot.

After Effects and Idealized (but fake) Web Browsing

2010-10-09T14:31:00.001-07:00

Making a custom URL text entry line and subsequent webpage launch in After Effects can add extra punch to what might normally amount to a rather boring www.yourtitlehere.screen. I've been using this method for the past few years and have found that it carries a LOT of bang for the buck.

The effect is relatively simple to reproduce and update for custom sites. This effect includes a vignetted edge as well as depth of field and lighting effects. The entire effect amounts to six to ten seconds of screen time but can be customized to fill any length necessary.

Ultimately, it looks soooo much better than our old screen-cap attempts in the 1990s. Can you say scan-convertor?

In this case, fake is the new real.

2010-10-05T09:30:00.001-07:00

Storyboard meeting at Chilis. What to eat?

2010-09-30T16:34:00.001-07:00

Grumpy man. . .

2010-09-27T20:53:00.001-07:00

spent the day and much of the evening at Soundcheck Nashville. Do, re, mi mi mi miiiii.

2010-09-26T18:59:00.001-07:00

Only just noticed Carl Weathers in Close Encounters of the Third Kind... How'd I ever miss that?

2010-09-24T12:08:00.001-07:00

Copying data on a Friday afternoon...

2010-09-22T08:23:00.001-07:00

Scrubbing for chase scene examples...

2010-09-22T08:18:00.001-07:00

Editing animatics for a car chase...

2010-09-20T08:15:00.001-07:00

Sunday afternoon recording session.

2010-09-20T08:13:00.003-07:00

Sunday afternoon recording session. http://ping.fm/p/WZmVv

2010-09-20T08:13:00.001-07:00

Sunday afternoon recording session...

2010-09-20T08:01:00.001-07:00

Pre-recording discussion...

2010-09-20T07:58:00.001-07:00

Did we forget anything?

2010-09-19T11:53:00.001-07:00

Sunday afternoon recording session.

2010-09-16T04:38:00.001-07:00

Vocal talent and director.

2010-09-15T17:04:00.001-07:00

Rehearsal.

2010-06-14T12:53:00.001-07:00

Edited talking-head self-introductions for academic web distribution. My work is done here.

Blender 3D Help? Anyone?

2010-05-15T11:38:00.001-07:00

Anybody out there have any experience with Blender 3D?

http://www.blender.org/
http://www.blender.org/download/get-blender/

If so, message: info@bigpixture.com. Feel free to send links to sample work and reels.

Thanks!

Pacing & Feeling

2010-04-29T12:31:00.001-07:00

Pushing & pulling motion graphics. Finding a pace that best emphasizes the feel of the music, and the message of the content. Not a small challenge.

Post-it® Career Plans

2010-04-26T17:23:00.000-07:00

I was just made aware of the fact that 3Ms famous Post-it® note turned 30 years old today.

Happy Birthday little fella'!

This factoid has an offbeat significance for me since Post-its® figured prominently in a low-budget short I directed in 2006. The short was titled Campaign Stickers and featured a character who gets caught using stolen office supplies to prop-up his campaign for the U.S. presidency. The lead character, played by Steven Allen, winds up having his career terminated over the episode.

But it's all OK. He really didn't seem that happy in the job anyway... A sad, strange character in, you guessed it, a sad, strange little film.

Now, all this career talk makes me wonder if the Post-it® note plans an early retirement, or if recent financial turmoil has forced the sticky little guy to continue his/her employment at 3M for the foreseeable future.

Productive Messiness.

2010-04-15T20:29:00.001-07:00

Is a messy desk really a productive desk?

Illegal Flashing...

2010-04-15T17:06:00.001-07:00

So Firefox & iPhone don't like Adobe Flash. Google Chrome and Apple's Safari love it. Oh, and Flash & YouTube don't like IE...

Did I leave anybody out?

Anyway, does anyone out there have a suggested work-around for the current state of affairs regarding Adobe Flash, Shockwave, and Mozilla Firefox?

I'm even considering WMV or QuickTime at this stage. Sense the desperation?

Any thoughts are welcome... Thanks in advance!

Avid MC5 Will Support Apple ProRes & H.264

2010-04-11T14:52:00.001-07:00

Avid MC5 to natively support Apple ProRes & H.264. Wow. That's pretty huge.

UPDATE: I originally read this through BOSFCPUG, and found a few additional links:

BOSFCPUG and BOSFCPUG on Twitter

For the post-production world this is a pretty huge shift. Did I already say "Wow!?!"

Switching Gears.

2010-04-09T16:32:00.001-07:00

Switching gears...

KODAK OFFERS NEW SUPER 8 FILM | News | Post Magazine

2010-04-06T15:25:00.000-07:00

Post Magazine announced today that Kodak will offer a color-reversal film for Super 8 cameras. See this link KODAK OFFERS NEW SUPER 8 FILM | News | Post Magazine for the full-article.

I am excited by this and look forward to indulging myself with a few tests for old times sake if not for any actual work-related projects.

Home movies on film again? Bring it on!

Now, where do we get it developed? Switzerland?

Update: More info available here: KODAK: Super 8mm

Ouch Time.

2010-04-04T19:52:00.001-07:00

Screens glowing. Eyes crossing. Mind bending. Head hurting.

What Time Is It?

2010-04-03T10:53:00.001-07:00

Time to go outside.

Sentimental Hardware

2010-02-28T21:50:00.000-08:00

I have been preparing for my first ever shoot in the wilds of, um.... Oklahoma.

I will be using an XDCAM EX3, a small profile professional camera made by Sony. Like many of the latest professional (as well as consumer) cameras on the market today, this one records to flash-memory cards instead of tape. This model is 1920x1080 capable, has interchangeable lenses, and uses Sony SxS cards to record the footage, ummm... er, wow! Even the term "footage" is out of date with this technology. I'm now dealing with available gigabytes on this shoot instead of hours of blank tapes.

Goodbye film and video, we knew you well. The times, they are a-changin' whether we want them to or not.

Anyway, earlier today, an old friend asked me about one of my first cameras, and yes, I still have it. Now, in my defense, I am not nearly the gear-head that many of my compatriots are, but I have managed to hang onto these few sentimental chunks of metal and plastic. As a matter of fact, I only recently removed them from the boxes they had been stored in for the past twenty years, and I am now displaying them in my office. They may not be much, but they do represent many memories for me...

Cine-Kodak Medallion 8 ("Regular 8mm" film) Camera

Pictured above, is my first film camera. A Cine-Kodak Medallion 8. This was a "Regular 8mm" film camera. This spring-powered wind-up model was loaded with a metal cartidge that held a 25 ft. roll of 16mm film that could be half-exposed and then, when the film ran-out, flipped-over to expose the other half. Subsequently, the developed film was split lengthwise into two 25 foot long 8mm strips, and spliced back together at the lab. This camera also included a wide angle and telephoto swivel-adaptor lens set that could be inserted into the fixed lens shown here.

We were young... We had a camera, 4.5 minutes of film, and a gorilla suit... What more could we possibly want?

Super 8 Camera

My next camera (pictured above), an EMDEKO EM-8000 Super 8mm, camera boasted a reflex zoom lens. This was a big deal for a middle school kid like me. I could now frame my shots in the relative certainty that what I saw in the viewfinder would actually come out on film. Oh, and I did mention a ZOOM lens... It was the 1970s after all. We needed a zoom, even if it was a "pointless zoom."

Chinon Super 8 Sound Camera.

The Chinon Super 8 Camera (pictured above), also had a reflex lens, as well as multiple frame-rates (from 1 frame-at-a-time up to 36 fps), manual and automatic iris capabilities, and with the capability of recording two distinct channels of sound, was a huge step up for me. No longer was I condemned to creating and filming hand-printed dialogue cards or recording dubbed tracks in post and dealing with sync issues after the fact. This was almost-professional sound quality for the budding filmmaker. Oh, and I almost forgot... As an added bonus, it featured a two-speed lap-dissolve funtion for creating cross-dissolves in-camera.

This was serious stuff for a high-school student on a limited budget.

Enough reminiscing for now... I need to get back to my preparations.

Happy 20th Birthday Photoshop!

2010-02-20T17:36:00.000-08:00

Happy 20th Birthday Photoshop! I've thoroughly enjoyed my nearly 17 year long relationship with you...

This short documentary was produced by Adobe to celebrate Photoshop's anniversary and includes recollections from all four creators of the original version of the venerable image manipulation software. Enjoy!

A "Whoosh" or a "Slam"

2010-02-20T09:32:00.000-08:00

Whoosh! - watch more funny videos

I think I've been here before...

A Really Big Smart Phone

2010-01-29T18:40:00.001-08:00

BigiPhone, originally uploaded by Gregory Tipton.

Yes! It's an iPhone-like set on the stage. It's huge!

I'm getting impatient, and can barely wait to see the icons whoosh and swish across the screen. I'm counting the minutes until reheasal.

Hey... Maybe there's an app for that.

Take Me To Your Master...

2010-01-25T15:13:00.001-08:00

KTS-MyGeneration_vS, originally uploaded by Gregory Tipton.

I have been mastering more than an hour and fifteen minutes of video elements onto tape for an upcoming corporate event in Dallas.

One of the elements has a duration of only three minutes... The longest element is just over an hour.

Guess which one is a better match for my attention span...

Drobo, Oh No...

2010-01-20T16:11:00.001-08:00

Drobo, Oh No... , originally uploaded by Gregory Tipton.

Red Alert! Red Alert! All hands on deck!

I think Drobo is trying to tell me something.

This afternoon, I received a very RED pop-up alert from the Drobo while transferring (only!) 262.32 GB of raw footage files... Uh oh, I thought, this may get ugly. But, not to worry. The condition pictured above is not as serious as it appears. Or, perhaps I should say, I hope it's not *that* serious... (gulp).

This is Drobo's way of letting me know that I should seriously consider adding a new drive. I would consider the option. Hpwever, this week, it would be much easier to identify and migrate (or even delete) a chunk of large files.

In the arena of HD video and film, this is just business as usual. One way or the other, it is time once again for some (hopefully minor) drive maintenance.

2010-01-19T22:13:00.001-08:00

Doing a little late-night music editing never hurt anybody... or so I've been told. But, I'll probably feel it in the morning.

When I Close My Eyes....

2010-01-12T18:44:00.001-08:00

When I Close My Eyes...., originally uploaded by Gregory Tipton.

It would not be too far from the truth to say that this image represents what I see when I close my eyes at night.

I am currently finishing up a series of high-definition motion graphics elements that will be utilized during an event in Dallas later this month. As you may be able to tell, the imagery (on the right) has a very familiar feel to it, and I think that when presented LIVE it's going to be very very cool.

JUST CRANKING AWAY...

2010-01-08T10:01:00.001-08:00

Just cranking away here... and taking a break from editing for a little while. Hmmm... cranking away? Cranking?

I enjoy phrases like "against the clock" or "heads up." "On the wrong track" is and old favorite from my days at the railroad museum. Or how about "I got my wires crossed!" That could be embarrassing in almost any situation. Especially broadcast news.

But wait, this computer HAS NO CRANK!

Now I feel like such an idiom.

2010-01-07T15:47:00.001-08:00

It's nigh impossible to composite HD gfx, edit video, download & conform new source footage, and render all at the same time... Just saying.

Slammed.

2010-01-04T23:33:00.001-08:00

I have been so involved in slamming out graphics, that I barely experienced the holidays. A few breaks here and there, and that was pretty much it.

Don't get me wrong, I took a day or two off here and there... Christmas day and the following weekend...? Off.

But then, I jumped back into the fray on Monday and even worked into the wee hours of January 1st getting out final revisions for client review... New Year's Day...? Working. Saturday, January 2nd...? Working....

Is this dedication, or what?

What?

Render (to the tune of Rawhide)

2009-12-30T11:18:00.001-08:00

Render, Render, Render...
Render, Render, Render...

Keep clickin', clickin', clickin',
While the clock is tickin',
Keep them graphics kickin'... Ren-der!

Don't try an' over-task 'em,
Just place an' scale an' mask 'em,
Soon I'll be conked out on the floor...

My processor's calculatin'
The RAM, I think it's bakin'
and smoke is fumin' from a panel door...

Load 'em in, Drop 'em on,
Scale 'em down, Move 'em up,
Mask 'em off, Save 'em out, Ren-der!

Cut 'em out, Paste 'em in
Scale 'em down, Knock 'em out,
Save 'em out, Load... 'em... up... Ren-der...

Ren-der!

Nutcracker at Tennessee Performing Arts Center

2009-12-07T19:40:00.001-08:00

NUTCRACKER
CHOREOGRAPHY: Paul Vasterling
MUSIC: Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky

The Nashville Ballet production of The Nutcracker opens this weekend at TPAC's Jackson Hall. Tickets and more information is available here:

http://ping.fm/jJ46t

here:

http://ping.fm/dqeSI

and here:

http://ping.fm/102F7

It is shaping up to be another great production this year. I hope you get a chance to enjoy the magic.

2009-12-02T12:52:00.001-08:00

Win a new Canon 7D (or 2500 photo scans) from @ScanCafe & Scott Bourne. Pls RT. Details here: http://bit.ly/dgYgA

Google to provide update on Chrome OS

2009-11-25T14:52:00.001-08:00

We saw this coming... Google to provide update on Chrome OS

Posted using ShareThis

2009-11-24T14:41:00.001-08:00

Dragging to a halt just in time for Thanksgiving...

2009-11-20T08:55:00.001-08:00

Prepping for Godbeat LIVE! Tomorrow night... http://ping.fm/vGsGQ

2009-11-18T07:45:00.001-08:00

Replacing a few cogs and belts in the machines... Oh look, one of the squirrels died.

Software Updates That Can Be Avoided No Longer...

2009-11-11T07:36:00.001-08:00

System updates are to be delayed in the world where I live.

A little story about computer system updates: A long time ago, in the very early 1990s, there once was a young editor who received a set of new and improved operating system disk updates (on multiple floppy disks!) in the mail. Thinking this akin to receiving a gift from Santa (and we all know Santa would never give a serpent as a present), the young editor began his first journey into the land of (cue theme music) "Corrupted and Unrecoverable Data." The editor was me, and this land was a very desolate place.

It turned out that the package was not from Santa, but from Satan instead... I had merely misread the name on the return address decal.

Evidently, the wonderful makers of the operating system and the equally wonderful makers of the editing software were not in-touch on a regular basis. Evidently, the programmers of the operating system could not have possibly tested, or even known, every possible software/hardware configuration being used at the time. Evidently, they were both just doing their best to create good products.

Good products that didn't always work very well together.

This was a revelation to me... It is very obvious now, but at the time, it had not completely occurred to me that these geniuses were all working in very separate places (divided by perhaps thousands of miles, and by borders, and even oceans). It had not occurred to me that they didn't always (or maybe ever) share notes.

Since that time, I have usually been the last guy among my peers to jump into the latest version of an operating system or an application. New features are great, but I usually give it some time, maybe even years. Time to read the forums. To read and hear the horror stories. Yet, most importantly, to give the programmers time to make their patches and tweaks. It is less important to me that I work on the latest system, than that the system work flawlessly. Frankly, I don't think I could endure the hassles. I merely want to drive the car, I don't want to pop the hood and replace the engine.

That being said, after receiving notifications for many many months, I finally caved and updated my (old) Leopard software (via online software update) for the first time on my main editing system... Included were new "security" updates, editing software tweaks, a new browser, etc. This is progress, right?

Oh, and yes, I know the much newer "Snow Leopard" has been on the market for a good while now... and no, I don't think I'm ready for that just yet.

Now, let's hope that everything still works...

Blogged with the Flock Browser

FREE Apps at MacHeist! For Only Five More Days!

2009-11-07T10:38:00.001-08:00

Several FREE Mac Apps are available now at MacHeist.com. The six applications (valued at more than $150.00) are available for only five more days. These include ShoveBox, WriteRoom, Twitterrific, TinyGrab, Hordes of Orcs, and Mariner Write. The sixth app, Mariner Write, will be unlocked after a certain number of participants sign up.

All you need provide is a name and an email address. You could do as I did and give them your AOL address. You know the one... the account you use for just such (potential junk mail) purposes. After entering your name and email address, the download links and serials will be provided to you on the next page. Mine are downloaded, I have the serials, and now it is time to play!

More info available at: http://www.macheist.com

Entertainment Regarding the Business of Entertainment (and BlueBeat)

2009-11-06T15:24:00.001-08:00

A few days ago, I wrote a post about the website BlueBeat bluebeat.com and their evident desire to be drawn into an expensive (and probably un-winnable) lawsuit with EMI Music and /or Apple Corps. You should already know that Apple Corps is the company that manages the music catalog for The Beatles.

As noted, the website BlueBeat was evidently selling copies of (perhaps all of) The Beatles albums for the low, low price of 25¢ per track. That is one-quarter the price of most tracks available at iTunes, Walmart, Amazon, and elsewhere.

Evidently EMI and Apple Corps' mega-lawyers have larger teeth than BlueBeat's tiny lawyer-like pet since, as of this morning, BlueBeat is now only offering six "Beatles" albums (some of which appear to be performed by cover-bands).

(Update #1: As of 5 pm today, BlueBeat.com would not load in two of my browsers. A fluke or are they gone for good?)

(Update #2: This article at Geek.com sheds more light on the subject and includes more of the colorful history of BlueBeat and its parent company Media Rights Technologies and their bizarre legacy).

Blogged with the Flock Browser

Early Mornings That Follow A Late Night

2009-11-04T21:39:00.001-08:00

Tomorrow morning I must rise at 4:30 am, so that I can head to Nashville at 5:30 am. Do not envy me... you haven't even heard the fun part yet.

I must arrive by 6:30 am at Vanderbilt University where (for almost ten years now) I have provided occasional service as a camera operator, or an editor, or a graphics guy, or a consultant, as well as various other production related services.

Following that, I have to drop off a camera package from yesterday's shoot at an office on Music Row. I guess they'll want that back.

Then, I will be heading over to West Broadway where I will be dropping off a new master DVD-R disk at We Make Tapes for a modest duplication run. This will be my first time to work with them. I hope I like them. I could really use more duplication service contacts.

Immediately following the disk drop-off, I will be heading into the very center of downtown Nashville to hand off four disks I authored this afternoon and burned this evening. Hopefully that will go smoothly and I will somehow manage not to pay $20.00 for parking.

After leaving downtown, I will head back to my home-office where I will put on my animator/compositor's hat to begin work on a another earth and space visualization.

Whoo-hoo! Are we having fun yet?

I will likely stop working at around 5:30 or 6:00 pm... Unless it is piano night. In that case, I will continue working under the guise of resting, or hiding, or supervising little people, and all the other things I usually pretend to do on piano night. Whatever the pretense, I usually end up working...

I'm sure I left something out. I'm also pretty sure that this plan will change; especially since I committed it to print.

Blogged with the Flock Browser

The Beatles Catalog is Really HOT!

2009-11-04T14:39:00.001-08:00

Come and get 'em... The Beatles catalog! In digital form! The Beatles Music! Available online! And, for only 25¢ per track!

Evidently http://www.BlueBeat.com of Santa Cruz, California, is currently selling digital copies of the Beatles albums for $0.25 per song. I haven't made a purchase (and don't plan to), but I am currently streaming the entire A Hard Days Night album while writing this blog entry.

Get them while they're hot! Red HOT! Perhaps even "illegally HOT" (as in stolen). This is insane.

Here is a small (or actually, rather large) screen shot:

Now, unless the folks at BlueBeat know something I don't (which is very possible), they're doing this without the official sanction of Apple Corps (and/or The Beatles, or Yoko, or whoever). I wonder how long this will last.

Now, if you're like me, and you shy away from offers that seem too good to be true (and will likely result in a legal case of some kind), you can always buy the boxed set of same tracks for around $180 (US).

Or, if you want something especially gimmicky and weird... you can wait a few weeks and pick up one of these...

Macworld had a humorous take on the funny little Apple USB toy thing here.

I am just as wide-eyed and amazed as ever....

Blogged with the Flock Browser

2009-10-21T07:47:00.001-07:00

Keying old footage on a new system to prep for next week's green screen shoot. I hope it all works - so I don't have to search for plugins!

A Mouse By Any Other Name?

2009-10-08T13:31:00.001-07:00

Here he comes to save the day! Or maybe not, if a company named "Man & Machine" has anything to say about it...

For years, CBS has believed they owned the
rights to the name of this little mouse...

And, Apple has also believed that CBS
owned those rights, and even paid CBS
for the rights to use that same name for
this little mouse...

It turns out that CBS does indeed own the rights to the name "Mighty Mouse" but only when that name is used in reference to a flying cartoon rodent. Yet, for several years now, Apple has been paying CBS for the right to use the name "Mighty Mouse" (in reference to their first ever multi-button mouse). Very recently a company named "Man & Machine" has made it known that they actually own the rights to the name - specifically when the name is used for a computer input/pointing device...

It is so hard to keep up anymore.

Sorry Guys - The Party Is Over.

2009-10-07T07:42:00.001-07:00

Brand "A" or Brand "B"? How do you decide? Who do you listen to when you are attempting to select a product for purchase? Your neighbor? Your oldest friend? How about a celebrity endorser? Do you ever listen to the footballer who asks you to try his personal favorite shaving cream? Or perhaps a housekeeper (an actress actually) who tells you how much she likes using a particular window cleaning solution? Surely, we all know that these individuals are being paid to hawk a product or sell a message... We do know that... right?

Consider the tech magazine that regularly reviews electronic products. Do these publications receive samples for review? What if these samples are permanent samples (or even gifts)? Would that affect your perception of the honesty and legitimacy of the review? Would that necessarily cloud the reviewer's judgement while writing? The Federal Trade Commission seems to think so.

Computerworld posted an article yesterday about the recent FTC rulings regarding bloggers and how much they should disclose about their relationships with their advertisers and/or the makers of the products they review. It's alright by me. I've generally always been a skeptical and suspicious reader. Perhaps very soon we will witness a tech-blogger writing that 'This (particular product) is the most amazing thing I have ever seen, especially since I am being given this free sample!'

More can potentially be read here... I was initially planning to post only the original article from Computerworld.com, but the incessant appearance of flash-based advertisements (for a product they may or may not review favorably!) made me crazy... Here's the Computerworld link anyway: http://ping.fm/8JMCZ

More can be read here (hopefully without the pop-ups): http://ping.fm/jkXFs

Oh, and by the way, this blog was written and published utilising free software and web services... But, don't worry - they're free for you to use as well.

Palm Pre Caught Spoofing As iPod

2009-09-24T06:55:00.001-07:00

It seems that the minds at Palm are having difficulty in deciding whether they are manufacturing an interesting smart-phone that can stand on its own, or merely counterfeiting Apple's iconic iPod.

Dan Moren, of Macworld, sums up the current state of affairs regarding the Palm Pre debacle regarding their improper use of Apple's USB vendor ID.

Read the Macworld article here: http://ping.fm/IITO7

Generally, counterfeiting and spoofing are frowned upon, if not illegal, in most developed countries. Perhaps spoofing an Apple ID to trick iTunes into recognizing the Palm Pre as an ipod wasn't such a great idea after all. Yet it appears that Palm made a second major mistake when they decided to lodge a somewhat bizarre complaint against Apple.

Not surprisingly, the USB standards group saw through the haze and sided with Apple on this matter. What can Palm possibly say for themselves? Oops... Ummmm... We didn't know that was wrong...?

Alex, I'd like to buy a clue...

2009-09-23T18:51:00.001-07:00

Ping.fm is dangerously powerful. Dangerously, I repeat...

2009-09-23T16:09:00.001-07:00

Still thinking about "the look". No, not for me... For a video I'm editing.

2009-09-23T13:21:00.001-07:00

Wondering where the day went...

Fang Swede? Funk Shoe? Fin Shore? Fong Shway?

2009-09-05T20:24:00.001-07:00

The conditions in my studio/office have become increasingly cluttered and dysfunctional. The room just hasn't had a good "flow' anymore. The positions of the desks and furniture hasn't quite been working as well as I'd like while, here and there, the leftovers of past projects is still littering the once open areas. So for the past several months, in the back of my mind, I have been working on a new floor plan.

For years, my long-range plan has been to integrate my existing working digital studio/office with my long-defunct analogue drawing desk and map drawers. This drawing desk was relegated to the garage about five years ago and, as a result, was not being used as much as I would have liked (translation: IT WAS NOT BEING USED AT ALL). This ultimate arrangement, I hoped, would lead me to new heights (or even mediocrities!) of combined creativity.

Feeling that I was ready to make it happen this morning, I ripped the room apart. In the hours that followed, I attempted to apply the mental-plan to the resulting train-wreck. Eventually, disappointment set in; unfortunately my idea just didn't work.

After about an hour of moping around in the wreckage, I decided to back away from my failed grand scheme and re-considered my goals. I would salvage what I could and then move forward. I rearranged the desks so that they will at least work better for the digital production functions of the office. I am now rebuilding and reconnecting all of the cables and components in their new positions.

By tomorrow, I hope to have a more (if only slightly more) functional room. Have I made progress? I can only hope...

I do know this... If my feng shui isn't broken, it's seriously bent at least.

2009-09-04T11:50:00.001-07:00

Help! I'm suffocating under a pile of boxes, cases, and cables.

Labor Day Means Work

2009-09-03T22:29:00.001-07:00

Question... Have you ever had one of those weeks when you were intensely busy, while simultaneously being almost ridiculously unproductive? If so, you probably know the frustration and delightfully warm feelings of ineptitude that I am experiencing right now. As you may have already guessed, this has been one of those weeks for me.

Heading into this Labor Day weekend, I have to confess that, although I have spent a near record amount of time in my office, very few of the things I have begun this week have been successful. It's been like a bizarre curse or something. Repeatedly, I have begun working on something only to find that the very simplest tasks have become inordinately complicated. What types of complications, you may ask? How about technical glitches involving files and software, unforeseen compatibility issues while attempting conversions between files types, and of course, the extra special challenge of bringing physical beings, their associated objects, and specific information into a predetermined point in space and time. Yes, that's right, the dreaded and recurring logistical nightmare.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not worried. This week is nearly over. I know that next week will likely take a turn for the better... or I might spontaneously combust. Regardless which outcome greets me this coming Monday (or Tuesday?) I will have nothing to worry about.

So, while many of my friends and colleagues are enjoying some much-deserved time away from their desks and drill presses, I know that I will very likely be here in my office attempting to complete what I couldn't get accomplished earlier this week.

Event: The Third Rail of Health Reform: Cost - in Nashville Tennessee

2009-08-28T05:19:00.002-07:00

Today, I will be setting up a press-room for the Third-Rail Cost event at the Schermerhorn Symphony Center in Nashville, Tennessee. The event, to be held Saturday, August 29th 2009 at the Schermerhorn, will be hosted by Tennessee Governor, Phil Bredesen, and will involve a number of influential figures in a discussion of the health reform debate in the United States.

Among those scheduled to attend:

Governor Phil Bredesen, State of Tennessee

U.S. Representative Jim Cooper, Tennessee, 5th District

David Walker, former GAO Comptroller General, current President and CEO of the Peter G. Peterson Foundation

Helen Darling, CEO of the National Business Group on Health

Beth McGlynn, Ph.D., Associate Director of RAND Health

Julie Gerberding, M.D., former Director, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

The evening event will be capped-off at 7:30pm with a performance by the Tennessee Players entitled: "Words of Albert Schweitzer and the Music of Bach"

The event is sponsored by The Martin Foundation, Vanguard Health Systems, and Healthspottr as well as the Rand Corporation. The event is being produced by Gary Musick Productions.

More information is available here.

Internal Affairs

2009-08-26T14:44:00.002-07:00

Today's shoot was postponed so I decided to spend time today on internal affairs. That is, facing the oft neglected details of my office.

Work Comment

2009-07-13T13:23:00.000-07:00

Awaiting client feedback... After Effects closing title tweaks... Eyelids getting heavy.

Delta In-Flight WiFi Service

2009-06-03T08:34:00.000-07:00

For the past three years, or so, I've been hearing and reading about the coming of mobile phone signals, wi-fi, and other communication technologies being premiered (and allowed) on various commercial airlines in the United States and abroad. Naturally, being the tech-web-Machead that I am, I have been looking forward to the experience.

Recently, on an Atlantic/Carribean Delta flight we were told that a web service called "gogo" would be made available to us. I waited for the 10,000 foot "you may now use your electronic devices" announcement, removed my laptop, and wellllll.... So far... no dice.

This is the screen that greeted me repeatedly throughout the flight. No fun.

Click Image to enlarge...

Anyway, when the in-flight movie started, and with no hope of getting online, I decided to do what I usually do on long flights.

Listen to my ipod and try to sleep...

Blogged with the Flock Browser

Flock Browser Preferences

2009-05-31T16:04:00.000-07:00

Finally Fixed my Flock Browser... Took 3mos of on-again off-again attempts. Simple fix. Trash all preferences in Flock Library folder. Duh.

Allergies. Ugh.

2009-05-31T15:06:00.000-07:00

Sneezing my head off... Allergies. Ugh.

Approval - Whoohoo!

2009-03-03T09:32:00.002-08:00

Approval email arrived... that's good to know.

Now, the mastering process can begin. Whoohoo!

Powerpoint Updates Are Mostly Lost On Me

2009-03-02T09:37:00.002-08:00

Trying to make sense of Powerpoint... I'm more of a Keynote kind of guy.

In late 2007, I updated to the latest version of Powerpoint for a project I was working on in Miami. I noticed immediately that all the buttons, and bells, and even the whistles had been moved around in a major update to the classic presentation software. I was initially lost, but was able to find my way to the pertinent functions with a little Googling and experimentation.

Since then, I haven't really used the app very much unless a client specifically requests the app. When the need arises, I typically start off a new show in Keynote (which I find much easier to work with) and then export to Powerpoint where I can finish off changes and make any tweaks that are necessary.

The improvements made to Powerpoint are significant. The app looks better than it ever has. For instance, a "dissolve" transition is now actually deserving of the name. It seems that the upstart Keynote app was effective in creating an atmosphere of change and perhaps even a hint of a threat. Keynote, at the same time has been making updates that it had to have to make it a viable piece of presentation software... Loop anyone? In this case competition has been a good thing and...

Everyone is happier.

Yet Another Brief Work Comment...

2009-03-02T08:53:00.002-08:00

Hoping for approvals today. Still more work to do... but I could really use some good news.

Dear Social Media Sites

2009-03-02T08:32:00.002-08:00

When an advertiser want to grab your attention online they frequently stoop to the lowest levels of tactics to attract your eyes. These often involve pop-ups, or the flashing advertisements that appear to have been designed by this years A.D.H.D. poster-child.

Among the worst looking ads (and the hardest on my eyes, I might add), are the RED-GREEN flickering adds that announce "You've Won" or some other pointless and even illogical announcement. Most of these advertisements make my head and eyes hurt instantly. They are the reason I want to immediately look away... to click the "back" button... to close the entire browser window... whatever it takes to stop the pain!

I'm not asking advertisers to be reasonable. That won't happen. I'm merely suggesting that websites that depend upon traffic for their existence should consider adopting "visual standards" of some kind that discourage the use of low-brow, ugly, seizure-inducing methods of grabbing the users attention. They must see, that if the advertisements become the reason I avoid the site... they have a problem.

Help yourselves... to help me... to help you.... and we will both win.

Furniture Choices...

2008-12-27T11:44:00.002-08:00

I want two of these... Or this...

But I'll probably end up with two of THIS MODEL instead:

We shall see....

Circuit City & The Media Desk Nightmare...

2008-12-22T19:25:00.000-08:00

I am currently debating the purchase of a cabinet/desk furniture module from a (soon to close) Circuit City here in Spring Hill. This would be used in my office/studio upstairs for editing and other production. The one I'm considering is huge. It is round, has lots of access ports and channels and is big enough to seat up to 4 or 5 people. Pretty cool. But wait...

That leads me to a nightmare... Disassembling, transporting, stairwell logistics, and reassembly doesn't sound very appealing. I shall let the internal debate continue for a few more days. I'm leaning toward the negative.

Sadly, this Circuit City location opened only a few months ago…

Yet, it has barely been used... and is relatively cheap... Hmm.

Office Desks, Media, Monitors, and Cables...

2008-12-22T14:26:00.002-08:00

I hard time building everything around a desk and racks, and carts. Avoiding draping cables across the floor is the real trick… It inevitably becomes a spaghetti nightmare.

Bluetooth audio and video anyone?

That would be cool.

Everything Must Go... at Circuit City!

2008-12-22T09:44:00.002-08:00

I just stopped by the local Curcuit City store in the new Crossings Shopping Center in Spring Hill, Tennessee. This store opened in our city a mere three months ago, and was just recently announced to be one of the first in the chain to close as a part of Circuit City's Chapter 11 reorganization plan. I visited this same store a few weeks ago and recognized that the "heavily discounted prices" were, at best, similar or above the prices I could get at any online retailer.

On my return today, the banners announced that everything was selling at 70% off... I wandered in, and purchased a few small items including a few S-Video "barrels", a new center speaker for my office surround system, and another adaptor or two. Besides myself, there were about twelve other men, a few women, and some kids huddled around one display rack.

Kinda sad actually.

More information about the Circuit City Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection available here