Hello again, my fellow filmmakers! It’s been awhile since I’ve posted anything on this site, but I wanted to say that even though it isn’t too public yet, I’m working on starting up another project in about a couple of weeks. There are many ideas that seem to be on the table, at this point, so nothing official, but once some finalizations have been created, the summer will be full of shorts and sketches. As of right now, none of my colleagues and I have planned anything bigger than what we did with Rise (
http://bit.ly/13BrQ5T
), though I would be interested in continuing on with that story arch, whether that might be a prequel or sequel; just something that would clarify information to those who may have not gotten the idea of it. Again, nothing about any of this is official, but I did want to keep you all informed that there will be something coming…soon. Thank you for reading, and if you want to stay informed on any projects my group and I have been working on, just go to: http://trappedinahouse.com/category/blog/news/
trappedinahouse
Making a Statement, One Video At a Time
Blackmagic Design Announces New 4K Cinema Camera
Only a year after releasing Version 1 of their Cinema Camera line, Blackmagic Design has announced Version 2, the new 4K Cinema Camera. Some major technical improvements have been made to this new camera, such as a Super 35mm sensor (Version 1 had more of a Micro Four-Thirds sensor), a global shutter (still CMOS, but no more rolling shutter issues), and of course, the ability to film in a 4K resolution. Though these enhancements are nifty, a couple of features have been dropped from the original Cinema Camera, such as an MFT mount (now only EF Mount), and instead of including 13 stops of dynamic range, this filmmaking machine includes 12 stops, which isn’t too bad at all, but is still a step backwards. You’ll be able to record 4K internally with either a ProRes HQ format, or a visually lossless compressed CinemaDNG RAW, but no DNxHD format has been announced yet. Higher frame rates have been added, so now you can record 60fps (or 50.94fps), but…in 1080i…not 1080p. I despise interlaced footage with a burning passion, so for those of you that are planning on shooting higher frame rates on this camera, just make sure you know some way to de-interlace your footage, or else you’re going to have to deal with those AWFUL jagged lines. The storage units that this camera will use is identical to its predecessor, using those chunky SSDs, and the maximum data rate that you will be able to pull out of ProRes will be about 880Mbps, though Blackmagic has not released a specific data rate for the compressed RAW format (I predict that it’ll be a little less that 5MB/s, since it’ll be more compressed than the average CinemaDNG file). Overall, based on the specifications, I’m pretty excited for this brand-new camera, though I won’t be able to afford it (the price of this camera is $3995!) once it’s released in July. What do you guys think? Either leave a comment, or just answer the poll below. Thank you so much for reading, and see you all later.
- Jack McGill
Sources:
Renewal
Hey, everyone! I apologize for my temporary leave of absence, but now that I’m back, I’ve been trying to organize my YouTube channels, as well as this site. All that means is that I’ll be posting more on this blog, whether it may happen to be interesting filmmaking news that I’d like to share, or updates/releases of any projects that I’m currently producing. Again, sorry that this post took awhile to be uploaded, but from here on out, I’ll be as consistent with this site as much as possible. Thank you for reading!
- Jack
Rise
Hello again, everyone! Like I previously mentioned, I’ve been working on a project with my friend for the past month or so. Finally, after many weeks of editing, coloring, and perfecting, the video Rise has been released! At the moment, there is only a version on YouTube (my apologies to those who prefer Vimeo), but don’t fret, because by the end of tonight, Rise will be available on both platforms! Thank you all so much for waiting patiently and hope you enjoy the video!
A Quick Video Update!
Hey everyone! It’s been a long time since I’ve added a post on this site, but it’ll be worth it soon, because later next week, I’m releasing a collaboration that I did with my pal, Brandon. Since this is a spoiler-free zone, there will be no details given until the release of this particular video, but the title of it is called, “Rise.” This blog post is mainly here as a thank you to all of those who have been patient, since this current project that I’m working on has been in the works for awhile and takes up many hours of my day (I love every second, though)! There are just a couple more adjustments to be made, and then it’ll be released by Wednesday or Thursday. Again, thank you all for reading!
- Jack
Hot Cocoa
Yesterday, I thought to myself, “How do I try out my new shotgun microphone (Audio-Technica AT897) without just doing a plain mic test?” As a result, I produced this 40-second video. It’s a little different from anything else that I’ve ever done, since the whole process took up about 3 hours of filming, editing, and rendering for only a video that spans under one minute. All of the synchronizing was done manually, since PluralEyes wasn’t really working very well, at the time. Overall, this project was a lesson that true learning comes from making mistakes and correcting yourself. Luckily, I was able to find the errors that I personally made, so they won’t be made again. Hope you all enjoy!
- Jack
Hot Cocoa from Jack McGill on Vimeo.
DaVinci Resolve Lite: My First Impressions
I’m no colorist. There, I said it! I’ve not been spending years upon years practicing the art of color correction, so as you read through this, I’m just letting you know that I am no professional when it comes to color within video. As a freelancer, though, you need to master everything in the industry (writing, shooting, editing, coloring, etc.), so for that reason, I am finally learning how to make my images look prettier, and what better way than to use DaVinci Resolve 9…Lite. Since I don’t have the money to spend $1000 on color correction software (for right now), I decided to go down the free and legal path of color correction with the lite version (did I mention that it was free?). Of course, there are plenty of missing components when comparing this software to its full being. For myself and lots of others, though, DaVinci Resolve 9 Lite is perfect for quickly making color adjustments to images, and sending them right back into your editing program of choice. Compared to the built-in color correction that comes with most professional editing programs like Premiere Pro and FCPX, DaVinci Resolve has similar aspects from both sides of the coloring market, but includes a lot more features that seem interesting to somebody like me.
If you’re a freelancer that focuses less on the “filmic” side of video production, you can still get awesome color correction out of the native correctors within your software, at a much faster pace, but if time isn’t an issue and you need to have the absolute PERFECT image, check this buddy out for a little bit. You have all of your basic color wheels and such, yet contains a lot of must-have features that might not be included in your default editing suite. The biggest attribute to DaVinci Resolve Lite? I have to say the hands-down most useful thing about this program that separates it from all of the others…is…the most accurate tracker I’ve ever seen! Add a mask to your subject’s face and need it to stick? Easy! With this specific tool, you can track certain objects and correct them individually, producing an all-embracing (don’t you like how I’m using a thesaurus?) image that is unique in its own way.
Again, I’d like to announce that I don’t color for a living…well I do, but not as much (or as well) as a pro colorist. For me, though, DaVinci Resolve Lite is another way for prosumer editors to put their foot in the door, and begin color correcting professionally. So, if you’d like to download this BEAST of free (yes, FREE) software, check it out here (this will send you to the Mac version of Lite, but there is a Windows version, so don’t freak out).
P.S. This is just a “First Impressions” post, so I wouldn’t technically count this as a review.
What’s On My Filmmaker Holiday List (For Audio Recording)
Update #1: I told you that I would be back! This update only contains one more item to this list (for now), which is the Variable ND Filter that can be viewed at the bottom of this post.
DISCLAIMER: I have never tried any of these products, but have put them on my wishlist based on reviews from websites and various videos, that cover three core aspects: Quality, Versatility, and Affordability. Don’t blame myself or the site for any wrong-doings if the results from these products aren’t what you had expected. Thank you for reading.
For all of you that are starting out with films, you may be wondering, “What can I get people to buy me for the holidays?” If you’re looking around the web and trying to find some great equipment to purchase (this list revolves around audio recording, with a few sources of additional content), you’ve found the place. Before I begin, I’m going to say that this is all on my wishlist for the holiday season, so there are probably not going to be a million different options for you, on this specific list. With that in mind, let’s go!
Zoom H4n
The Zoom H4n is for DSLR shooters, like me, who don’t have those super awesome XLR inputs for all of our shotgun microphones. There are, of course, other reasons to use this device (like recording sound directly from the H4n’s mic), but my purpose is to solely have it as a recorder that captures audio from my mics. The only downside of this external audio recorder is that you have to sync your audio in post production. If you don’t want to go through the time it takes to synchronize, there is a solution, which is the JuicedLink Riggy Micro. With this add-on to your DSLR, you can plug your XLRs into the Riggy Micro and not have to align your sound in your editing suite. I’m personally not buying the Riggy Micro, so if you want to go for the H4n, instead, it’s priced at about $230 on Amazon, as of November 25th.
Audio-Technica AT897
I was never going to leave out my shotgun mic, right after talking about the Zoom H4n! The Audio-Technica AT897 is a surprisingly cheap microphone, due to the fact that (as of November 25th) it’s $200! Film Riot was the first source of how I found out about this individual sound equipment, then after watching them, I’ve continuously watched several reviews on YouTube, and it sounds really good for the price range that it’s in! The reason why I’m not reaching for a high-priced mic is mainly because using all of my holiday budget on just one microphone and nothing else would be a little ridiculous. To all you No-to-Low Budget filmmakers, this is one of the best mics, for such the low price.
Rode Deadcat Microphone Cover
Just to start this section off, no, you are NOT actually buying a dead cat. I understand that I sound pretty stupid, but some who just peered at the title of this product probably got startled. If it’s not a real “dead cat,” then what is this fabulous invention? A Deadcat is a fuzzy-looking cover (like picture above) that is meant to be shielding your shotgun mic from audio’s MORTAL ENEMY…the wind. It doesn’t look like much, but when applied onto a microphone (like the AT897), most to ALL of the wind is blocked out from the recording sound, which comes in handy whenever filming outside on a weather-intensive day. For about $40 (as of November 25th, on Amazon), the Rode Deadcat is a very useful tool to replace the foam cover that almost always comes with your shotgun mic.
Audio-Technica ATH-M50
Yes, more Audio-Technica merchandise, and no, I don’t get sponsored by Audio-Technica. At the moment, I’m not sponsored by ANY company/corporation. This blog, as I’ve been planning, is going to be un-biased and not one-sided. I may appreciate one product over another, but that doesn’t mean that everything else made by that particular company is fantastic. Advancing onward, the Audio-Technica ATH-M50 is a pair of headphones that I saw featured in a video by Matthew Pearce (Reference:
http://bit.ly/TfmxmL
), whose an excellent videographer, so if you want to check him out, go to his YouTube channel, MattsMacintosh. From what I’ve seen in other reviews, the ATH-M50 is supposedly very comfortable and have been supplied with great audio features (technical specs aren’t very convenient, for me, when it comes to audio, so lots of this will be based off of general public opinions. Sorry if that comes up as a trouble, but if I discussed the specifications, everything would be too complex and would even confuse me). This will be such a pleasure to own, if that happens to be true, since the headphones that are in my household are good when it comes to quality, but terrible to wear after a long period of time (just some cheap Skullcandy Lowriders and Uprocks). They look extremely nice, but could potentially deceive. When the time is right, I may post another review for these headphones, and tell you my verdict, but that’ll be after the holiday season passes, so scroll over additional reviews that have been already posted. If you’re interested in buying these, they’re $123 (as of November 25th) on Amazon.
Spider Steady DSLR Rig
Away from all of that audio equipment, for those who already have enough equipment for audio. Above this sentence is the Spider Steady DSLR Rig, a $60 (as of November 25th, on Amazon) customizable stabilizing rig that helps hide all of the shakiness that occurs when shooting handheld. There’s not too much to say about this rig because there are so many names for it, meaning that I won’t be able to find every review on it, but from what has been shared on the “Interwebs” (see what I did there? 
), the Spider Steady is a total bargain for the price range that it’s in. Most rigs that are configurable as this can cost hundreds, so this is definitely for no-budget filmmakers. The only downside that I’ve heard is that this stabilizer is not solid, so perfection within this device is not completely met. You can save up money for others, but if you want to start out with a more simplistically-designed rig that’s configurable, here it is!
Vivitar Series 1 Variable Range ND Filter (52mm)
For sure not required for most zoom lenses that don’t shoot at high apertures, but if you have a prime lens, let’s say a 50mm F/1.8 (like myself), you’re going to want to have this add-on to your lens. What is it? Well, this is an ND Filter, which stands for “Neutral Density,” and can be used to darken your scene. For all of you DSLR videographers, you may be wondering, “Isn’t that the opposite of what you want for a DSLR, since many don’t have great low-light capabilities?” The reason why you should have this type of utensil on your lens is to give you the ability to shoot in highly-lit environments, while still containing that high aperture. Without this filter, you cannot be able to film at an aperture of about F/2 or lower because your shot will end up becoming overexposed. For more info, you can just search it up on Google, but right now, I need to focus more on the specific product. I picked the Vivitar Series 1 Variable Range Neutral Density Filter for my choice, since the reviews seemed pretty high compared to other cheaper versions of this type of ND Filter. Now, when looking for these filters, the focal length must correspond as closely to your lens’s focal length, so it can actually fit. I happen to have a Canon 50mm 1.8 II prime lens, so 52mm works well for me, but I also have a 58mm filter for my kit lens, which is an 18-55mm model from Canon, as well. Not necessary for indoor shooting, but required when taking your camera outside. You can find this and many other ND Filters for around $25 (as of November 26th) on websites like Amazon and eBay.
That’s enough for today, I believe. Throughout the month of December, this list will MOST DEFINITELY be added on, but for right now, these are the few items that have been added to my filmmaking holiday wishlist. I hope that you all have a wonderful season and can’t wait to post here again! Thank you so much for reading!
Written by: Jack McGill
Compressor 4 Review
The third and final program that’s in the Final Cut Pro X suite (all sold separately, though) is Compressor 4, a video encoding application that is compatible with FCPX. To start this off, this version of Compressor 4, unlike FCPX, looks like almost the equivalent to its predecessor! The layout hasn’t changed at all, and it seems like all of the features from Compressor 3 have been nearly duplicated into this iteration of the software. If you brought all three apps within Final Cut Pro X together (Final Cut Pro, Motion, Compressor), Compressor could simplistically be the outlier of the trio of software. It still has the same white interface, with a couple of buttons having a different design. THAT’S IT!
Compression
If you’ve used Compressor (any version) before, you know that it’s based around preset compressing options, that can be changed. All of the basic presets that you’d imagine are there: H.264, MPEG-2, ProRes, etc. The compressing in Compressor works very well. While you edit the presets given, you can also create others for your specific projects, then import them into Final Cut Pro, so having to go into Compressor becomes less of a high priority when exporting your final draft. One part of this app that got me to scratch my head is the DVD preset for encoding. The default resolution is 480p, no HD formats. Nowadays, DVDs have been given the ability to playback in HD, so this has gotten me confused. There are HD presets for Blu-Rays, but you would of course need an external burner, since Macs don’t feature built-in Blu-Ray burning functions (yet).
Little Things That Make a Big Difference
The biggest reason why I bought Compressor was for the reason that Motion 5 isn’t perfect…DYNAMIC LINKING. Finally, you can send your Final Cut Pro projects right into Compressor, without any additional exports. Thank you, Apple, for bringing this feature to at least 1 application!
Dynamic Linking…YES!
Final Thoughts
I don’t have much to say about Compressor 4, since everything about it seems pretty straight forward. For those who have Compressor 3, stick with it, unless you like that Dynamic Linking. For others, if you can live without that nifty tool, use MPEG Streamclip, a free and easy-to-use alternative to this program. Save the money for something else, if you can.
Written by: Jack McGill
Trapped In A House Update #1
Hello, everyone! Just in case, I wanted to post the links to my YouTube and Vimeo accounts, so you, the viewer, can decide whether you’d like to view my creations on either of those two websites. Both will be about the same quality (depending on project), and I am also planning on upgrading to a Vimeo Plus account, so these videos can be uploaded much quicker, as well as better image quality. Thank you for reading!
- Jack
