I’ve just finished writing part one of a two part feature for Digital Video magazine about whether Digital Cinema is actually a reality. I have approached the piece from a low budget filmmakers perspective, weighing up the various formats (DV, HDV 1080i/720P, HDCAM/SR etc) and illustrating the costs, benefits and pitfalls of each. I have [...]
I had a look at Sony’s FX7E HDV camcorder last month for Digital Video magazine. I’m afraid I’m not a big fan of HDV as a format but the camera is not without its virtues. Read the full review in this month’s magazine (in newsagents now or online)
Alongside the MacBook Pro review I’ve been taking a look at Apple’s latest incarnation of the Final Cut Studio 2 suite for Digital Video. It remains an incredible suite of tools but I couldn’t help feeling that the application at the hub of the suite, namely Final Cut Pro, is distinctly lacking in progress this [...]
Just finished looking at the latest Apple MacBook Pro for Digital Video UK magazine. What a fantastic piece of engineering! The full review should appear in issue 232 or 233. Suffice to say, a few minor niggles aside, it represents an excellent hardware choice if you have £1799 to spend on a laptop!
I have contributed an article in issue 231 of Digital Video UK magazine about screenwriting. Concentrating not on the formatting and initial ideas but on the difficulties and pitfalls of re-drafting. Alongside the main body of the article, I managed to speak to agent Diane Culverhouse and screenwriter John Fay, whose past credits include Coronation [...]
I’ve just finished looking at the preview release of Adobe Premiere Pro CS3 for the Mac for Digital Video magazine. It’s nice to see the program back on the Mac and offering a little competition for Apple’s Final Cut Pro. The review should be in next months issue (issue 230) but if you are curious [...]
The final instalment of my tutorial series on DVD Studio Pro and Compressor for ‘Digital Video Magazine’ should be in the shops now. It’s part 6 of 6 and covers final burning of a project.
With the closure of ‘Computer Video’ magazine back in 2005 and Cam User converting to Digital Video, the latter magazine is perhaps the best source of info on DV shooting, editing and output. In the past twelve months I have submitted a tutorial a month (6 on basic Final Cut Pro use and 6 on [...]
Somebody has kindly pointed out that an article I wrote for Digital Video (then Cam User) back in 2003 is still up on the web as a pdf download. It covers the major aesthetic differences between DV and film and ways to combat that ‘video’ look. For those interested head over to the Digital Video [...]
