Kitsap Live Steamers
Heidi and I visited the Kitasp Live Steamers.
110715 KLS Friends & Family Meet
110715 KLS Friends & Family Meet, a set on Flickr.
“Super 8″ Films A Masterpiece
Super 8 is the best film I have seen in years. It is exactly what a great movie should be. It does not get better than this. I started smiling in the very beginning of the film and did so through the entire film. Only a few films I have seen has done this to me. Spielberg’s own “Close Encounters” and “The Right Stuff” come to mind.
I have been interested in this film since the teaser. I am so glad they did not give away the plot in the trailer like they do on so many films these days. I was hoping it would be good because there are not a lot of original scripts being shot for summer movies by the big Hollywood Studios. Most of those films come from the Independent Studios. It is nice to see a mass market film be so good. At 50 million dollars it is one of the more frugal budgeted blockbusters and does not look it.
Are there unanswered questions about the plot, yes, but it did not take away from the wonder of this film. It succeeded on many levels. The kids were very well directed. They weren’t sassy, in your face, smarmy or ironic. They were very believable. They had real problems and found solutions. In the hand on a less competent director, this film would have gone where it did need to go. The film was very well edited in that there were no wasted scenes and the pacing was great. The special effects complemented the story and were not in the way.
Some critics were calling it a horror or monster movie but I beg to differ. It was suspenseful at times, but it was about friendship, working together, helping others, coming of age and a childlike wonder. We need more of these pictures.
I give it 5 Smiles!
Apple and Intel’s Thunderbolt Could Revolutionize Portable Live Streaming Production
More good news for production people.
See the post at frugalfilmmakers.com.
Halfmac.info Blog is moving to frugalfilmmakers.com
That is right!
All future posts about filmmaking and photography are moving to http://frugalfilmmakers.com/. We started this blog to feature exciting developments in those fields. Things are changing fast with HDSLR’s, SLE’s or mirrorless cameras and large sensor video cameras. Computers are moving quickly as well. We try to keep up and find bargains along the way. It is a brave new world and very exciting.
Again tune in to http://frugalfilmmakers.com/ for the latest info on frugal filmmaking and photography.
Subscribe to the new blog at http://frugalfilmmakers.com/.
The King’s Speech to Be Re-Edited? Update – YES
Just read an article on www.reelzchannel.com which is bad for filmmakers. They want to re-edited the “The Kings Speech
Now back to that scene. It would dramatically change the film. Oh well it is only a film. NOT!
Films are part of our culture. They should never be censored, that is up to the filmmakers not the MPAA. I remember when Spielberg added the word, “Penisbreath” to “ET
The MPAA was established because films were no longer being made for all audiences and the prudish people were complaining. If you don’t want to see these films, don’t watch them. The ratings today need to be about what is in the film. I would prefer to know about violence instead of swearing or sex. If they have these things tell us so but let us make up our own minds if we want to see them.
I am surprised the Weinstien Company would edit this film because normally they distribute R-Rated films anyways. Most of them because of violence. I guess because very few Academy Award winning films have been R-Rated and the bets are on the it will take the Oscar for best picture that they have decided to do this. Shame on them.
UPDATE:
I just read on the Indiwire that yes it is going to be edited.
“Deadline reveals that no footage from the film was edited, but instead, the Weinsteins got clearance for PG-13 by muting three of the five prominent “Fucks” in the film. So: 2 fucks good, 5 fucks bad. And who says the MPAA are ridiculous?
Well, it looks like Harvey Scissorhands is gonna get his way. Last month, it was revealed that Harvey Weinstein was entertaining the notion of snipping/editing “The King’s Speech” so it could get a much more box office friendly and school children approved PG-13 rating. As a whole, the film is pretty harmless, but the big sequence in question was a scene in which the titular king launches into a tirade of expletives during a session with his speech therapist resulting in a string of 15 f-bombs. And while director Tom Hooper swore he wasn’t going to take a knife to his film, somebody has, and the edited version of the movie has been given the thumbs up by the MPAA.”
A New Interface, A New Drive
The new “Little Big Disk” from LaCie is the first in a range of storage and peripherals solutions from LaCie that feature the all-new Thunderbolt technology, developed by Intel and brought to market in collaboration with Apple. Promising ultra-fast data transfer speeds and “workstation-class” power and functionality in compact devices, Thunderbolt technology allows faster content editing than ever before, and facilitates complete system backups in minutes. Available by summer 2011 from the LaCie Online Store, the LaCie Little Big Disk takes advantage of this technology to store and back up large video files and entire photo galleries at unheard of speeds. Very quick data transfer.
Press Release
LLaCie Introduces Little Big Disk, Featuring High-Speed Thunderbolt Technology
LaCie today announced the LaCie Little Big Disk featuring the all-new Thunderbolt™ technology, developed by Intel® and brought to market with collaboration from Apple®. Designed to store large audio and video files, the LaCie Little Big Disk will bring a new level of performance to creative workflows with ultra-fast data transfer, complete system backup in minutes, and faster content editing than ever before.
“Thunderbolt technology is a breakthrough in I/O technology and represents the future of mobile computing. Soon you will be able to carry workstation-class power and functionality in compact devices,” said Philippe Spruch, Chairman and General Manager, LaCie. “LaCie is excited to be one of the first to deliver Thunderbolt technology with the LaCie Little Big Disk.”
“Intel believes Thunderbolt technology in combination with LaCie’s unique portfolio of storage products and displays will drive new levels of performance and simplicity for consumers,” said Jason Ziller, Director, Thunderbolt Planning and Marketing, Intel Corporation.
Thunderbolt technology delivers incredible bandwidth at 10Gbps and runs two protocols (PCI Express and DisplayPort) simultaneously over a single cable for connectivity to high performance peripherals like the LaCie Little Disk and high-resolution displays. Created with mobile and media professionals in mind, Thunderbolt technology moves content with blazing speed and facilitates complete system backups in minutes. Using a single Thunderbolt cable, users can connect their notebooks to high resolution displays, cameras and storage—all at the same time—for a fast, simple, and portable computing environment.
The LaCie Little Big Disk can deliver multiple streams of HD video and offload hours of content in minutes without compromising bandwidth and performance. With the LaCie Little Big Disk, speeds that previously were only available from rack mounted storage arrays are now possible with a portable computer – including Apple’s MacBook® Pro, the first notebook to feature Thunderbolt technology. Users will be able to edit on-set during a day of filming, and then transfer all of the assets for the edit suite within seconds. The LaCie Little Big Disk can even be daisy chained for storage expansion or connecting other peripherals.
AVAILABILITY
The LaCie Little Big Disk will be the first in a range of storage and peripherals solutions from LaCie that feature Thunderbolt technology. The Little Big Disk will be available by summer 2011 from the LaCie Online Store, the Apple Store and authorized resellers. For more information please visit http://www.lacie.com.
About LaCie
With operations in the Americas, Europe and Asia, LaCie is the leading manufacturer of storage devices for PC, Apple, and Linux. LaCie has differentiated itself through sleek design and remarkable technical performance. Find out more about our products at http://www.lacie.com
Thunderbolt™ Technology: The Fastest Data Connection for Video Hard Drives
This will be very good for video editors. We are talking 4 streams of uncompressed HD video playing at once on a laptop. Major throughput.
Intel Press Release:
Blazingly Fast Data Transfer Combines with HD Display Connectivity to Enable New Usages and Peripheral Devices
NEWS HIGHLIGHTS
Thunderbolt™ technology is a new high-speed PC connection technology that runs at 10Gbps.
Thunderbolt technology supports both data and display on a single cable, enabling greater simplicity, flexibility and new and exciting ways to use a PC.
Apple* is the first customer to offer Thunderbolt technology, coming first on its new line of MacBook* Pro laptops.
SANTA CLARA, Calif., Feb. 24, 2011 – Intel Corporation today announced the availability of Thunderbolt™ technology, a new high-speed PC connection technology that brings together high-speed data transfer and high-definition (HD) display on to a single cable. Running at 10Gbps, Thunderbolt technology can transfer a full-length HD movie in less than 30 seconds. This Intel-developed technology is coming to market through a technical collaboration with Apple, and is available first on Apple’s new line of MacBook Pro laptop computers.
Wait Less. Do More.
The vision for Thunderbolt technology (formerly codenamed “Light Peak”) is to move media faster, simplify connections between devices, and foster new and exciting ways to build and use PCs. Combining high-speed data and HD video connections together onto a single cable is instrumental to achieving that vision. Thunderbolt technology delivers this via two communications methods, or protocols — PCI Express* for data transfer and DisplayPort* for displays. PCI Express has the flexibility to connect to almost any type of device, and DisplayPort can drive greater than 1080p resolution displays and up to eight channels of audio simultaneously. Thunderbolt technology is compatible with existing DisplayPort displays and adapters. All Thunderbolt technology devices share a common connector, and let individuals simply daisy-chain their devices one after another, connected by electrical or optical cables.
Thunderbolt technology is designed to meet the demands of serious HD media creators. For example, videographers can unleash their creativity using high-bandwidth audio and video capture/mixing devices, and get both low latency and highly-accurate time synchronization for real-time processing. At 10Gbps, larger media files are transferred faster so there’s less time spent waiting to watch and edit videos. Data can be backed up and restored quicker, so there’s less waiting for archived content. For mobile PC users, it means having a single connector on their ultra-thin laptop that extends their high-speed media and HD display capabilities at home or in the office. Thunderbolt technology is complementary to other I/O technologies that Intel continues to support.
“Working with HD media is one of the most demanding things people do with their PCs,” said Mooly Eden, general manager, PC Client Group, Intel. “With Thunderbolt technology, Intel has delivered innovative technology to help professionals and consumers work faster and more easily with their growing collection of media content, from music to HD movies. We’ve taken the vision of simple, fast transfer of content between PCs and devices, and made it a reality.”
“We’re thrilled to collaborate with Intel to bring the groundbreaking Thunderbolt technology to Mac users,” said Bob Mansfield, Apple’s senior vice president of Mac Hardware Engineering. “With ultra-fast transfer speeds, support for high-resolution displays and compatibility with existing I/O technologies, Thunderbolt is a breakthrough for the entire industry and we think developers are going to have a blast with it.”
Thunderbolt technology is powered by an Intel controller chip, and uses a small connector suitable for mobile devices that will be included in products supporting the technology. Several innovative companies have announced Thunderbolt technology-based products, or currently plan to support Thunderbolt technology in upcoming products, including Aja*, Apogee*, Avid*, Blackmagic*, LaCie*, Promise*, and Western Digital*. Intel is working with the industry on a range of Thunderbolt technology-enabled products including computers, displays, storage devices, audio/video devices, cameras, docking stations and more.
New Final Cut? Lets Hope So!
This is from TechCrunch.
New Final Cut Pro Is Real, And It’s Spectacular (And It’s Expected Spring 2011)
Alexia Tsotsis
13 hours ago
Because it seems like it’s Apple rumor day I’d thought I’d throw my (very small) hat in the ring. More than a year has passed since Final Cut Pro’s last release and we’ve seen two reported Steve Jobs emails talking up a product that many thought Apple had given up on (“Stay tuned and buckle up.” and “Next release will be awesome.”) but no product itself. This might change soon however, as we’re hearing that the highly anticipated revamped release of Final Cut Pro is imminent.
According our very own people familiar with the matter, a small group of video editors were on the Apple campus recently in order to preview the new version of video editing software, which is in the same space as Avid and Adobe Premiere. Apparently Apple is still putting the finishing touches on “the biggest overhaul to Final Cut Pro since the original version was created over 10 years ago” and wanted pro user feedback. Emphasis on “pro.”
One source described the new release as encompassing everything from low level architectural changes to a complete redesign of the user interface. It’s safe to say the newest version will be 64 bit as that’s what users have clamored the most for.
Early reports from people who have demo’d the new Final Cut Pro (FCP 8?) say that the changes are “dramatic and ambitious” and should alleviate concerns that Apple has shifted its video editing focus from the professional to the consumer space, shutting down work on FCP . Apple plans on releasing the new product in Spring 2011 according to our source, in a launch possibly coinciding with the National Association of Broadcasters conference.
USB Follow Focus – Take control of your Canon EOS Digital SLR
This is a great idea. May get one.
The new Okii Systems USB Follow Focus gives the photo and video enthusiast a compact yet powerful device that enhances the capabilities of HD video enabled Canon EOS Digital SLR cameras, including:
EOS 5D Mark II
EOS 1D Mark IV
EOS 7D
EOS 60D
EOS 550D/Rebel T2i/Kiss X4
EOS 500D/Rebel T1i/Kiss X3
Like Canon’s EOS Utility, the USB Follow Focus uses Canon’s USB protocol to allow control of a wide range of functions, but without the limitations and bulk of being tethered to a computer. The device is handheld, weighing under 5 oz. including batteries, and less than 3″ in diameter.
The USB Follow Focus uses the autofocus motor in Canon USM lenses to control focus, even while recording video. This focus control also works in any Live View modes, which can be useful for photography. The nine other switches located around the central focus knob can be used to access important camera functions, such as recording start/stop, digital zoom, engaging autofocus, saving focus points, and adjusting certain camera settings.
A hard coat anodized aluminum enclosure protects the electronics while a 1/4″-20 mount on the back of the unit provides a way to attach the USB Follow Focus to rigs or other equipment. The buttons can also be swapped out, providing the user with a way to specify certain functions.
It is important that potential users understand how Canon’s USB implementation has shaped and enabled the development of the Okii Systems USB Follow Focus. Certain characteristics of Canon’s design make it perform quite differently than a mechanical follow focus, so it is recommended that you read the User Guide and the Canon USB Protocol article in the Technical section of the Okii website.
Included is a 30 day money back guarantee, which ensures that you can fully test out the USB Follow Focus with the type of film or photography work you do, along with all of your cameras and lenses.
*****
An example of focus point use is shown in the following video, which displays the ability of the USB Follow Focus to return to four different focus points. Filmed with a 5D Mark II and EF 50mm f/1.4 USM lens.
USB follow focus – focus point test with 5D Mark II from Slippers on Vimeo.
This video shows the responsiveness and potential speed (keep an eye on the focus distance window). Filmed with a 60D and EFS 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM lens.
Okii USB follow focus – responsiveness and speed test from Slippers on Vimeo.
Go over to Okii Systems for full details.
