MacMediaCast.com» Tutorial

Video Edit Suite Construction (Day 6)

Joseph Nilo — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 20:57:01 +0000

Ceiling and walls are painted! The ceiling has a nice texture called “knock down” and it’s painted white. I decided to go with a 10% gray for my walls. I choice the highest quality paint (Valspar from Lowe’s, but I would guess any premium paint would do) and had them create a gray with no color [...] Related posts:

Construction Finished! We finished the construction of my edit suite /...

Get Video Jobs Through Craigslist (with Minimal Effort)

Joseph Nilo — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 19:27:24 +0000

I wanted to share a little tip I decided to try today, and I’m quite pleased with the outcome. Searching for work as a video editor can be tiresome. After updating websites, demo reels, Facebook pages, blogs, Twitter status, etc., then sometime you have to pound the payment and find video editing gigs in classified [...] Related posts:

Video Edit Suite Construction (Day 6) Ceiling and walls are painted! The ceiling has a...

Conforming Changes in Soundtrack Pro Mixes

Joseph Nilo — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 20:08:02 +0000

Another great tip from the Tips for Final Cut Pro Editors blog regarding the conform function in Soundtrack Pro: So I made the changes in FCP, exported the sequence to STP again, but this time with a different file name. Then, once in STP, I clicked the conform button, and in the dialog box that [...] No related posts.

ProRes 422 Standard vs. ProRes 422 HQ

Joseph Nilo — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 19:00:47 +0000

While reading a great article all about the ProRes 422 format, I found the following nugget of info: While comparing the software-converted files I noticed a couple of interesting issues. My testing found that when the camera native codecs DVCPROHD, HDV or SxS were converted to ProRes in software they universally ran better when using the [...] No related posts.

5 Final Cut Pro Secrets for Better-Looking Edits

Joseph Nilo — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 18:57:06 +0000

Quite a “bloggy” title to this post, I know, but I’ve been thinking about these techniques that I do over and over in Final Cut Pro that I think add to better video editing. Use Motion Blur Adding Motion blur to anything you animate adds a touch of realism that can make your animation go from stale [...] Related posts:

Video Edit Suite Construction (Day 6) Ceiling and walls are painted! The ceiling has a...

Paste Attributes in Final Cut Pro

Joseph Nilo — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 19:55:19 +0000

Paste Attributes is the most awesomest command in Final Cut Pro. At least in my opinion. It allows you to copy certain attributes of one clip and paste them on another clip. This technique can really kick your video editing productivity up a notch and help you become a Final Cut Pro Guru. Copy the source [...] No related posts.

Creative Uses of Composite Modes in Final Cut Pro

Joseph Nilo — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 01:47:16 +0000

Fascinating article / tutorial on getting creative with composite modes in Final Cut Pro . . . Composite Modes (also known as Blend Modes, Blending Modes, or Transfer Modes) provide alternate ways to blend together the pixels in two overlapping clips. They take some properties of the clip on top (such as its color or contrast) [...] No related posts.

Final Cut Pro Tips: Pretend You’re Always Going to TV

Joseph Nilo — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 18:49:49 +0000

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been burned doing what I thought was a web-only project for a client, but then they decided they wanted DVDs to play on TV, or wanted to broadcast some or all of the project. Then I had to go back and fix everything that was not broadcast-ready. [...] No related posts.

Self Contained vs. Non-Self Contained « Tips for Final Cut ProEditors

Joseph Nilo — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 14:58:51 +0000

I found a cool blog called Tips for Final Cut Pro Editors, with great posts. A must add to your RSS feeds. A recent tip regarding Self Contained vs. Non-Self Contained QuickTime or Final Cut Pro Movies: A “Self Contained” movie is a video file. It’s got all the information it needs, you can move [...] No related posts.

Setup & Preferences – User Preferences

Joseph Nilo — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 01:57:36 +0000

This is an article in the Real World Editing series. In this article, we’re going to take a look at the setup and preferences in Final Cut Pro. “Boooring”, you might be thinking. “When do we get to start editing?” This is a very important step in the understanding of Final Cut Pro. It is a [...] No related posts.

A Better Finder Rename Screencast

Joseph Nilo — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 16:02:58 +0000

I just produced a screencast for A Better Finder Rename from Publicspace.net — it’s a cool Mac app / utility and I wanted to share it with MMC subscribers. Find out more about the program at Publicspace.net. Also find out more about my screencast and viral web video production company: Hilo Media. No related posts. No related posts.

MMC 012: Kinemac Tutorial Part 2

Joseph Nilo — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 15:39:47 +0000

This is Part 2 of a series of video tutorials on how to use Kinemac 3D Animation software for Mac OSX. View Part 1 Here. Direct Downloadколи под наем (QuickTime) No related posts. No related posts.

MMC 011: Kinemac Tutorial Part 1

Joseph Nilo — Sun, 10 Aug 2008 19:41:21 +0000

This is Part 1 of a series of video tutorials on how to use Kinemac 3D Animation software for Mac OSX. View Part 2 Here. Direct Download (QuickTime) Full Transcript Below the Fold Welcome to this series of tutorial videos that will help you get started using Kinemac. Kinemac is 3D Real Time Animation & Presentation Software for [...] No related posts.

MMC 010: Screencasting Secrets

Joseph Nilo — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 14:54:46 +0000

This video is a tutorial on Screencasting secrets – how to make a great screen capture or screencast presentations on your Mac. Direct Download (QuickTime) Full transcript below the fold - Screencasting is using screen captures (stills and movies) from your computer to create video content. We’re starting to see these pop up all over the web in [...] No related posts.

Outputting Standard Definition in FCP from the Sony XDCam EX1

Joseph Nilo — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 13:00:11 +0000

Great article from the always-great KenStone.net about creating proper SD footage from the new Sony XDCam EX1. A good read whether you own the camera or not, and are interested in HD / SD workflows. Whenever a new technology hits the market there are always teething problems. In the case of new video cameras there are [...] No related posts.

Compressor: Troubleshooting basics

Joseph Nilo — Sun, 24 Feb 2008 18:43:31 +0000

Apple has a page available to help troubleshoot the (problematic at best) Compressor that we’ve all grown to love/hate. The most exciting adventure is the last step — Remove and Reinstall Compressor, which has you searching the depths of your system for all of Compressor and Qmaster’s little droppings. I’ve done this more times than [...] No related posts.

Final Cut Pro Quick Tip: Hue Direction Control

Joseph Nilo — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 13:00:23 +0000

Another great Final Cut Pro Quick Tip from Genius DV: Ever wonder what the color circle with the arrow in when you get to a color selection decision in Final Cut Pro. It is called the Hue Direction Control. What it does is control the direction a change in color [...] No related posts.

Quick Tip: Audio Mixdown in Final Cut Pro

Joseph Nilo — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 13:00:14 +0000

Here’s a quick tip on Audio Mixdown in Final Cut Pro that I found on the Final Cut Help blog. When outputting material to tape, an Audio Mixdown feature was a recommended precaution to ensure you didn’t drop frames. Choose Sequence > Render Only > Mixdown (or press Command + Option + R). You can also map [...] No related posts.

Mac Mediacast 009: Using the Media Manager in Final Cut Pro

Joseph Nilo — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 15:25:34 +0000

Direct Download (QuickTime H.264 "iPod" setting): Click Here

Media Manager Overview

I realized recently that nobody ever talks about one of the most powerful tools in Final Cut Pro-- the Media Manager. Here's a quick overview on how to properly use the Media Manager:

Right Click on any sequence in your bin and choose "Media Manager". The tool will pop up and give you information about your sequence and options for what to do with it. From top to bottom:

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Quick Tip: A Better Mac Volume Adjustment

Joseph Nilo — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 13:00:10 +0000

I found this great tip from David over at MacSparky.com: Hitting the built in volume buttons on your Mac is great for quickly raising or lowering your volume but what about when you want to lower or raise the volume just a little bit. Once again Apple has a solution that they don’t tell anyone about. Hit [...] No related posts.

How to Make Reference Movies in Final Cut Pro

Joseph Nilo — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 15:48:06 +0000

[From Reference Movies | Weekly Tip | Final Cut Help] Need to save some space? Reference movies allow you to work with your video clips or sequence files in other applications. Think of a reference movie as a pointer back to the original media, a lot like a link on a web page Learn More Reference movies are [...] No related posts.

Some direct Quicktime installer links

Joseph Nilo — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 14:00:00 +0000

From the Editblog: I’m sure by now everyone has heard of the drama surrounding the Quicktime 7.4 update and the havoc it causes with After Effects renders. If you have upgraded and need to downgrade then here are a few direct links to standalone Quicktime installers that I leave booked marked as it is sometimes hard [...] No related posts.

Export Quality in Final Cut Pro

Joseph Nilo — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 14:00:00 +0000

I found a great article over at Genius DV about sequence settings in Final Cut Pro and how that affects export quality: Have you ever noticed that when working in Final Cut Pro with DV media, graphics and titles often have a poor quality look? There are two major reasons for this. #1 DV media uses [...] No related posts.

Tutorial: QuickTime Timecode Display

Joseph Nilo — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 14:01:00 +0000

This is a great tip from friend of the Mac Mediacast Brian Gary over at the most awesome-est website, KenStone.net: QuickTime is the engine that runs most (if not all) media related applications on the Mac, with Final Cut Studio being a prime example. You tend to hear often, “If QuickTime can open the file then [...] No related posts.

Tutorial: Menu button versatility with DVD Studio Pro

Joseph Nilo — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 15:00:00 +0000

From Genius DV: DVD Studio Pro allows the menu buton of your DVD player to have various control depending on what area of the DVD you are navigating from. A common mistake is to set Menu1 up as a short first play movie, but leave the overall disc control of the menu button to go to [...] No related posts.

Drop Frame vs. Non-Drop Frame rate: An Explanation

Joseph Nilo — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 15:00:00 +0000

From Genius DV: Drop Frame vs. Non-Drop Frame rate I have been asked many times to explain the difference between Drop Frame and Non-Drop Frame. I found a fairly detailed explanation the will hopefully help you understand the difference. US TVs display 29.97 frames a second. When NTSC was defined, they found out there were some problems [...] No related posts.

Using the Motion library in Final Cut Pro

Joseph Nilo — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 15:00:00 +0000

Great tip from GeniusDV: Much of the Library of production elements that are used in Motion, can be brought right into Final Cut Pro. My workflow often takes me into Motion to do a simple composite with something from the Motion Library, and then one day it hit me to just drag what I needed right [...] No related posts.

Media Manager in Final Cut Pro

Joseph Nilo — Sat, 02 Feb 2008 03:03:02 +0000

Just found a nice read at a nice blog I’d never seen before: MEDIA MANAGING TO SMALLER SIZES The media manager in Final Cut Pro is a powerful utility that doesn’t get as much mention as the other, sexier features that the suite has to offer. It allows one to recompress footage for offline editing or manage [...] No related posts.

Mac Mediacast 008

Joseph Nilo — Tue, 27 Nov 2007 22:24:52 +0000

Welcome to Mac MediaCast episode 8. Direct Download Link (QuickTime / H.264 / AppleTV) In this episode: some quick Final Cut Pro tips. Full transcript below the fold – It’s been a long time since I’ve done a podcast because of a large project I’ve been working on — a cooking show for television. I figured I’m way [...] No related posts.

Sorenson Squeeze Basic Encoding: A Video Guide

Joseph Nilo — Sun, 25 Nov 2007 21:11:52 +0000

Sorenson Squeeze Basic Encoding: A Video Guide I am an avid user of Sorenson Squeeze — I thought I’d share this intro tutorial video I found over at Web Video Universe. I use Squeeze for the encoding of all my Flash & Windows Media format videos. No related posts. No related posts.

Bottom 10 FCP Tips … revisited

Joseph Nilo — Sun, 25 Nov 2007 21:07:18 +0000

The Editblog » Bottom 10 FCP Tips … revisited Over a year ago I followed up a post about my top 10 Final Cut Pro tips with a lost of the “bottom 10 tips.” Really it was all about stuff that just annoyed me about FCP. That was written way back around v. 5.1.1. Over a [...] No related posts.

Mac MediaCast 007

Joseph Nilo — Wed, 15 Aug 2007 00:12:47 +0000

Welcome to Mac MediaCast episode 7. Direct Download Link (QuickTime / H.264 / AppleTV) Play Video in a pop up Flash Player: Click Here This episode we feature a quick tutorial and review on the new, more powerful photo editing tools in iPhoto 08. Full transcript below the fold– Hello everyone and welcome to Mac MediaCast 7 – with a [...] No related posts.

creativepro.com – Getting Design Done

Joseph Nilo — Tue, 14 Aug 2007 12:00:28 +0000

For those of you who are followers of David Allen’s GTD, Merlin Mann’s 43 Folders, et al., I found this interesting article on some tips in utilizing the GTD philosophy for creative professionals: From creativepro.com – Getting Design Done Focus on Creativity Speaking of focus, another big part of GTD is the idea that you should focus [...] No related posts.

Demystifying HDV Workflows

Joseph Nilo — Mon, 13 Aug 2007 12:00:51 +0000

For those of you who are “mystified” by the ins, outs, and quirks of HDV editing, the best remedy is this article from Creative Cow: Demystifying HDV Workflows Definitely not for the faint of heart or the technically challenged– this article digs into the mechanics of HDV as a format and how to better use it [...] No related posts.

Top Keyboard Shortcuts for Final Cut Pro

Joseph Nilo — Mon, 13 Aug 2007 12:00:05 +0000

Top Keyboard Shortcuts for Final Cut Pro (from Genius DV): When it comes to learning shortcut’s for Final Cut Pro, there are hundreds of them. If you are new to the software, it is going to take some time to learn keyboard shortcuts. I’ll focus on a couple of important ‘keyboard shortcuts’ that are easy to understand, [...] No related posts.

The Auto Save Vault in Final Cut Pro: How To Restore and 4 Lifesaving Tips

Joseph Nilo — Sun, 29 Jul 2007 13:27:03 +0000

From GeniusDV: Restoring an Autosaved Project in Final Cut Pro When you begin work on a Final Cut Pro Project, the first thing you should do is give your project a name and save it so that the autosave function can work. Autosave will not work until you have named and saved your project first. If your [...] No related posts.

Quicktime Pro, Components, and the iPhone

Joseph Nilo — Sun, 29 Jul 2007 13:09:30 +0000

Quicktime Pro, Components, and the iPhone … at Podcast Academy Paul Figgiani has written a great article at the Podcast Academy blog about some of the technical details regarding QuickTime video on the iPhone. As always from Paul, it is thorough, informative, and well-written. Read More Tags: iphone, quicktime, video, apple, mac, macintoch No [...] No related posts.

Panasonic HVX-200 in-field Advice

Joseph Nilo — Sun, 29 Jul 2007 13:03:37 +0000

HD For Indies has an article on in-field advice on using the Panasonic HVX-200 HD camera. This is the camera we use at the Mac Mediacast and recommend most to people asking about a great prosumer digital video camera. A great read! No related posts. No related posts.

Understanding Digital Video Architecture

Joseph Nilo — Sun, 15 Jul 2007 12:00:49 +0000

Understanding Digital Video Architecture from Videomaker Magazine MPEG-2, DivX, AVCHD: These are just a few of the confusing acronyms of digital video. Let’s clear the air a bit To understand Digital Video Architecture, you need to start at the beginning. The beginning in this case is known as Video Compression. That is the start of this article; [...] No related posts.

Nice Collection of After Effects Tutorials

Joseph Nilo — Sat, 14 Jul 2007 13:00:34 +0000

Here at the Mac MediaCast we spend a lot of time talking about Final Cut Pro and Apple’s ProApps, but we’ve got to occasionally give some love to the industry-standard motion graphics powerhouse After Effects. I’ve compiled a couple of tutorials I’ve found lately into this post. For more great After Effects information and tutorials, [...] No related posts.

Final Cut Pro Trouble shoot basics | IndiesHD

Joseph Nilo — Sat, 14 Jul 2007 13:00:32 +0000

Final Cut Pro Trouble shoot basics | IndiesHD If Final Cut Pro isn’t starting up properly or performing normally, try these basic troubleshooting steps to remedy the situation. Please note that these steps aren’t exhaustive, and are not intended to cover any specific issue. They are fundamental, basic steps that are most effective in getting [...] No related posts.

Apple Kernel Panics, Random Crashes – How I Diagnosed My Problem

Joseph Nilo — Fri, 13 Jul 2007 16:01:02 +0000

So I’ve been harboring a dirty secret for a very long time – I’ve been plagued with kernel panics and crashes for a very long time on my PowerMac Quad Core G5. They’ve been going on for a very long time. Sometimes I’d have up to five a day. I’ve always just chalked them up [...] No related posts.

Apple Color: Auto Balance Feature

Joseph Nilo — Thu, 12 Jul 2007 12:38:28 +0000

Apple Color: Auto Balance Feature Walter Biscardi from Creative Cow gives us another basic-level tutorial on the Auto Balance feature in Apple’s Color. (don’t worry, I’m not going to accidentally podcast the video this time). A must see if you’re a Final Cut Studio user curious about the new powerful color-correcting application. No related posts. No related posts.

Secure Gmail Notifier Using Hidden Preference Setting

Joseph Nilo — Wed, 11 Jul 2007 12:36:34 +0000

from macosxhints.com I recently found this tidbit at Mac OSX Hintsthat I wasn’t aware of and wanted to share it with everyone: I was shocked to discover that the Gmail Notifier, as distributed by Google, defaults to sending your Gmail password over the network in clear text every time it checks your inbox for new mail. This [...] No related posts.

Color Correction Techniques for Greenscreen Compositing

Joseph Nilo — Mon, 09 Jul 2007 13:00:17 +0000

Tutorial From Creative Cow When it comes to greenscreen compositing, most people know that a clean and natural-looking matte is crucial to getting good results. Hours are spent tweaking the various controls, and many cups of coffee are drained trying to get that “perfect” key. The truth is that our elusive “perfect composite” is rarely [...] No related posts.

Top 6 Ways to Increase Your Podcast Subscribers

Joseph Nilo — Sun, 08 Jul 2007 16:15:43 +0000

I have a lot of podcasters as subscribers to the Mac MediaCast. One common question I get from them is “How do I get more people to subscribe to my podcast?” I’ve had the privilege over my years (!) podcasting to have had a lot of subscribers, get featured in iTunes on many occasions, and, most [...] No related posts.

Creating a Curved Path for Text in LiveType 2

Joseph Nilo — Fri, 06 Jul 2007 13:45:00 +0000

From GeniusDV When you first open LiveType, you will see within the Canvas Window a blue line representing an empty track. Type something into the Text Entry box located to the upper right of the Canavas In the Inspector Window. Making a Curved Track 1 While pressing the control key or right clicking if you have a two [...] No related posts.

How to use Motion 2 Templates in Final Cut Pro

Joseph Nilo — Thu, 05 Jul 2007 13:38:35 +0000

From GeniusDV: One of the new features in the Final Cut Studio 2.0 suite of programs is the ability to integrate motion templates directly within a Final Cut Pro sequence. This new feature really enhances the integration between Apple Motion 2.0 and Final Cut Pro 6.0. Learn More I found this nice tutorial over at GeniusDV. This is [...] No related posts.

Tips on Getting a Good “Ken Burns Effect”

Joseph Nilo — Thu, 05 Jul 2007 13:23:45 +0000

I recently came across this article, and it got me thinking about the Ken Burns effect, a.k.a. animating still photos for video: From Poynter Online – Meaning in Motion: Ken Burns and His ‘Effect’ Few of us will ever develop a technique distinctive enough to have it named after us, but most people serious about visual storytelling [...] No related posts.

Building the Perfect HDV Key

Joseph Nilo — Wed, 04 Jul 2007 13:15:32 +0000

Building the Perfect HDV Key at Creative Cow I found this great article / tutorial on the finer points of getting the best green screen key with your HDV footage. Green Screening / Keying is quite an art in itself – I’m learning more and more every time we shoot an episode of the Mac MediaCast in [...] No related posts.

Using VisualHub To Make Better-Looking YouTube Videos

Joseph Nilo — Wed, 04 Jul 2007 10:30:11 +0000

YouTube is hot these days, and even hotter now that it is viewable on everyone’s iPhones. But how do you encode better video for YouTube? As we’ve talked about on the podcast and on this blog, the big problem with YouTube videos is that you have to encode a lower-res version of your video to meet [...] No related posts.

FCP, Avid, After Effects– Format Sizes and Megapixels

Joseph Nilo — Tue, 03 Jul 2007 13:06:30 +0000

From GeniusDV: FCP, Avid, After Effects and Format Sizes and Megapixels Once again a few people have asked me about format and pixels sizes of HD and what they mean. So I thought a good review might help. Some of our current project we have needed some still pictures for print that would accompany the DVD [...] No related posts.

Color vs. Final Cut Pro

Joseph Nilo — Wed, 27 Jun 2007 20:28:30 +0000

Walter Biscardi, guru over at Creative Cow, has a quick-look video comparing using the 3-Way Color Corrector in Final Cut Pro and the (more complex) workflow in Color. Very interesting, and a quick view. Watch the Video Here No related posts. No related posts.

Intro To Video Codecs

Joseph Nilo — Wed, 27 Jun 2007 02:44:44 +0000

There is a lot of talk about codecs these days. We are viewing more and more video content every day– from the TiVo and AppleTV to the television, the DVD and digital cable, in iTunes and even on our iPhones. But how is this content delivered to the end user? The word CODEC is a [...] No related posts.

Hands on with Final Cut Studio’s Color

Joseph Nilo — Wed, 27 Jun 2007 02:39:37 +0000

From Ars Technica “Color” is Apple’s newest addition to the Final Cut Studio club. Like a cheerleader at a comic convention, most of the editors I know that have upgraded to Final Cut Studio 2 have taken one look at Color and run the other way. I had a chance to attend a brief hands-on [...] No related posts.

Getting the Most Out of MPEG-2 with Apple’s Compressor

Joseph Nilo — Tue, 26 Jun 2007 01:25:44 +0000

Tutorial: Getting the Most Out of MPEG-2 with Apple’s Compressor So you’ve finished making a great video on your editing system. Now you’ve got to get it out to your clients or audience so they can watch what you’ve created. Unless you’ve got access to your own theater where people can come from all over to [...] No related posts.

Apple TV Now Playing YouTube: Hands-On Video

Joseph Nilo — Mon, 25 Jun 2007 11:10:52 +0000

By Jonathan Greene @ NewTeeVee: I just updated my AppleTV with the latest software to get access to YouTube and I have to say that the H.264 quality is excellent! We all know what the majority of YouTube video looks like, but this is something well beyond what you normally see and bodes very well for [...] No related posts.

Shooting Better Video for YouTube, Viral Video, and Online Delivery

Joseph Nilo — Wed, 20 Jun 2007 18:54:19 +0000

Are you ready for the world to see your masterpiece? In the world of YouTube, Revver, Brightcove, and the like, there are easy ways to improve the quality of your videos and set yourself apart from the rest of the (junk) videos out there. This article will be the first in a three part series — [...] No related posts.

Mac MediaCast 004

Joseph Nilo — Wed, 20 Jun 2007 14:26:25 +0000

Welcome to the Mac MediaCast Episode 4. Subscribe in iTunes Direct Download (QuickTime File) Watch in pop up window This episode: Email Extravaganza – answering emails from our viewers. Topics covered and links mentioned: The Jon and John show How to Make the Apple Reflection in Final Cut Pro How to encode for YouTube Keys to a good DV Key – Green Screen Tips [...] No related posts.

Final Cut Pro QuickTip: Get a Different “Look” with your DV footage

Joseph Nilo — Wed, 20 Jun 2007 02:45:06 +0000

There are all sorts of software plugins designed to get different and better “looks” or “film looks” out of DV footage. Here is a quick tip that you can utilize on your timeline to get some interesting effects with your footage. Start with a clip on your timeline. Hold down Shift & Option to make a [...] No related posts.

Audio Level Compression Basics

Joseph Nilo — Tue, 19 Jun 2007 11:00:59 +0000

First let me differentiate between audio level compression, which we’re talking about today, and data compression– both of which can apply to audio. Data compression is the removal of extraneous data by encoding a data file, generally resulting in a smaller file. Like compressing your audio into MP3 or compressing your video to MPEG2. What we’ll be [...] No related posts.

Video Tutorial: Shooting Better Video and Still Pictures

Joseph Nilo — Tue, 19 Jun 2007 01:23:18 +0000

This was probably our most popular tutorial in the history of the Mac Pro Podcast. The concepts are simple and will work just as well with still images as with video.Click Here to watch the how to video tutorial in a pop up window.Click “read more” to read the full transcript. Many of the techniques used [...] Related posts:

Video Edit Suite Construction (Day 6) Ceiling and walls are painted! The ceiling has a...

Keys to a good DV Key – Green Screen Tips for Final Cut Pro

Joseph Nilo — Sun, 17 Jun 2007 19:21:06 +0000

I always get emails about how to get a good key on a green screen (especially on a budget). First off, I should mention that we shoot the Mac MediaCast on a green screen. Our format is DVCPro HD — if you can shoot in HD, that’s half the battle, because Standard Definition DV footage [...] No related posts.

Video Tutorial: How to make the Apple-style “reflection” graphic in Final Cut Pro

Joseph Nilo — Mon, 11 Jun 2007 01:59:46 +0000

This video tutorial originally appeared in Mac MediaCast episode 3. Click Here to watch the video in a pop up window. Click “Read More” to view the entire transcript of the tutorial. Today I’m going to show you how simple it is to make that Apple-like reflection in Final Cut Pro. I should mention that I decided [...] No related posts.

Manipulating a Single Character on a Track in LiveType

Joseph Nilo — Thu, 07 Jun 2007 11:12:07 +0000

From GeniusDV: Manipulating a Single Character on a Track in LiveType When you have text on a track in LiveType, you can manipulate a single character on that track to give it a unique movement and look all of its own. 1 Add text onto the track. 2 Go to the Text Entry Field and select a single character [...] No related posts.

Video Tutorial: iPhoto EXIF info

Joseph Nilo — Thu, 07 Jun 2007 02:24:35 +0000

This is a video tutorial, submitted by Jonathan from the Mac Tips Daily Podcast. This originally ran in Mac MediaCast Episode 2. Click Here to view the video in a pop up window. Technorati Tags: apple, howto, ilife, mac, multimedia, digital photography, puppy, tutorial, video No related posts. No related posts.

Using Peak Detection To Modify Audio Hot Spots in Final Cut Pro

Joseph Nilo — Wed, 06 Jun 2007 11:05:33 +0000

From GeniusDV: When you play back a Final Cut Pro sequence, you can tell which audio spots are hot by simply looking at the audio meter clipping into the red area, but you cannot pinpoint the specific problem areas within your audio clip so that you can address them. You can detect specific hot spots in your [...] No related posts.

Tutorial Video: What’s New in Final Cut Studio 2

Joseph Nilo — Tue, 05 Jun 2007 02:00:22 +0000

This is an overview of what’s new in the Final Cut Studio 2 suite from Apple. This originally appeared in the Mac MediaCast episode 2. Click Here to view the tutorial video in a pop up player. Click “Read More” below for the full transcript. Technorati Tags: apple, dvd, encoding, filmmaking, final cut pro, HD, howto, mac, [...] No related posts.

Final Cut Pro transitions

Joseph Nilo — Mon, 04 Jun 2007 11:04:53 +0000

From GeniusDV.com: When working with transitions in Final Cut Pro there are a couple of tricks to help you along the way including how set transition favorites to hot keys, and how to add multiple transitions all at the same time. Within the effects tab, there is a list of various transitions. These effects can be applied [...] No related posts.

Setting Up a Project in Final Cut 6

Joseph Nilo — Sat, 02 Jun 2007 10:45:51 +0000

From KenStone.net: Getting up and running as quickly as possible with the right settings is probably at the top of your list when jumping into Final Cut Pro 6. Here we’ll cover as briefly as possible the steps needed to get going in the first couple sections. We’ll also assume that you haven’t mastered these settings [...] No related posts.

iTunes Plus and EMI’s DRM-free music hands-on

Joseph Nilo — Thu, 31 May 2007 10:52:44 +0000

From Engadget: It’s been a long time coming. So how could we resist giving the new higher quality, DRM free iTunes Plus music service a whirl? After all, we’re geeks, and loaded with all kinds of audio devices (not just iPods or Macs and PCs running iTunes) which we’d like to make use of with our [...] No related posts.

Review of iShowU: Screencasting Made Easy

Joseph Nilo — Tue, 29 May 2007 01:47:17 +0000

From pal and uberreviewer Tim Verpoorten: One of the things I quickly gravitated to after joining the world of Macintosh, was screencasts. In case you’ve never seen one, a screencast is essentially a moving screen capture. These are a sort of on-screen video where some generous soul walks you through the operation of a specific application [...] No related posts.

Overview of the Frame Viewer in Final Cut Pro

Joseph Nilo — Tue, 29 May 2007 01:43:14 +0000

From James Alguire, care of the Maccast: After some delay, here is The missing Stuff, Guts & Video Episode 9, with more to follow shortly. In editing it is often necessary to compare frames of video in a sequence, for color correction, matching clips shot at different times or with different equipment, adjusting filters or aligning visual [...] No related posts.

Edit in Final Cut Pro on an iPhone. Really. I’m Not Kidding.

Joseph Nilo — Fri, 25 May 2007 20:30:54 +0000

From Walter Biscardi @ Creative Cow: You know it’s been a few weeks since NAB and surprisingly nobody has talked about a nifty little feature of the new Final Cut Studio and how it interacts with the new iPhone. You can actually install a “lite” version of Final Cut Express by putting the install discs in [...] No related posts.

Ripple Training Releases New FCP Studio 2 Tutorials

Joseph Nilo — Tue, 22 May 2007 21:42:13 +0000

From our friends at Ripple Training: Ripple Training has just released a series of online tutorials called Final Cut Pro 6 on 6. These tutorials cover mixed format editing, working with Motion templates, audio enhancements, the SmoothCam filter and integration with Motion, Soundtrack Pro and Color. The tutorials run just under an hour and [...] No related posts.

FCP6 manuals online

Joseph Nilo — Mon, 21 May 2007 11:38:38 +0000

I stumbled across this gem at The Editblog: So Final Cut Studio 2 is indeed shipping. It seems that if you are a new customer you will get yours first while those of us who are upgrading will have to wait a bit. So much showing some love to the long-time users! If you canâ€™t wait [...] No related posts.

DIY Special Effects for your Production at Indy Mogul

Joseph Nilo — Mon, 21 May 2007 11:25:40 +0000

I found this cool DIY show on making special effects on a budget. Independent filmmakers rejoice! Here is a blurb from their website: Welcome to the first network for the YouTube generation! Who are we? Well maybe we can answer that by saying who you are. Youâ€™re someone who wants to do more with their [...] No related posts.

Top 10 Mac OS X tweaks

Joseph Nilo — Sat, 19 May 2007 13:00:36 +0000

from Lifehacker Top 10: Top 10 Mac OS X tweaks I am a huge fan of the Lifehacker blog — I like to tweak everything and spend way too much time reading about productivity (ironic, isn’t it?). So check out the Lifehacker article, which includes gems like: How to Add folders or drives to the dock â€¢ Add [...] No related posts.

The Secrets to Success in Multimedia

Joseph Nilo — Thu, 17 May 2007 02:39:22 +0000

After listening to a recent episode of This Week in Media, I was inspired to put in my two cents’ worth on what I think is the most critical aspect of success in multimedia – Education. I believe that this is true on multiple levels — whether you’re an aspiring multimedia professional or just a [...] No related posts.

Mac Mediacast Episode 1

Joseph Nilo — Wed, 16 May 2007 18:03:45 +0000

Welcome to the Mac MediaCast episode 1. Direct Download Link Digg This Podcast Subscribe in iTunes This episode “Transition”, featuring a tutorial about How to Shoot Better Video, and a Mac Pro Podcast retrospective. Also Notes from the Blog, featuring this article about smarter video encoding for YouTube. To view the video here on the website, click this link. Video [...] No related posts.

Trimming Tools for Final Cut Pro

Joseph Nilo — Thu, 15 Mar 2007 19:18:28 +0000

Trimming Tools for Final Cut Pro Roll, Ripple, Slip & Slide. Learn more about the power of these tools in Final Cut Pro. This is a great article– good for beginners and a refresher for gurus. Read More at GeniusDV No related posts. No related posts.

How To Encode Videos for YouTube

Joseph Nilo — Wed, 14 Mar 2007 01:06:38 +0000

Encoding for YouTube Using Compressor: I found this great article over at KenStone.net, written by our friend Brian Gary from Ripple Training. We, as media producers, must definitely take the extra step in making YouTube videos look good– or, in my opinion, “make lemonade”. We owe it to ourselves and to our clients. The lore of [...] No related posts.

Creating Hi-Def DVDs Using Regular 4.7GB Type 5 DVDs

Joseph Nilo — Fri, 02 Mar 2007 15:53:33 +0000

Creating Hi-Def DVDs Using Regular 4.7GB Type 5 DVDs: I was reading through some of Ken Stone’s Final Cut Pro articles on his site this morning, and stumbled upon a How-To by Rick Young from MacVideo that takes us step by step through creating a Hi-Def DVD using standard DVD-G (DVD-5) 4.7GB media using DVD Studio [...] No related posts.

Final Cut Pro: Waveform Monitor Tutorial

Joseph Nilo — Wed, 03 Jan 2007 01:51:50 +0000

This Video Tutorial on the Waveform Monitor in Final Cut Pro originally ran in an episode of the Mac Pro Podcast. Click Here to view the video in a pop up player. Click “Read More” to see entire transcript. Welcome back to our series on Color Correction. Before we jump into the Waveform Monitor, let’ go over a [...] No related posts.

Final Cut Pro: Video Scopes Tutorial

Joseph Nilo — Thu, 07 Dec 2006 10:58:09 +0000

This tutorial video originally appeared on an episode of the Mac Pro Podcast. Feel free to bookmark, share, or embed on your site. Click Here to view the video in a pop up player. Click “Read More” for entire transcript. Technorati Tags: apple, HD, howto, mac, tutorial, video Video Scopes in Final Cut Pro So thus begins our [...] Related posts:

Video Edit Suite Construction (Day 6) Ceiling and walls are painted! The ceiling has a...

Time Remapping In Final Cut Pro

Joseph Nilo — Thu, 07 Dec 2006 03:26:18 +0000

From GeniusDV Time remapping, clips being played at variable speeds within a sequence, has become commonplace in television and film. Just think about it, every commercial promoting a car, countless music videos, In the post Matrix world what was once unique and curiously sleek has become a nut and bolt in every editor’s tool box. But, [...] No related posts.

The Rise of Flash Video, Part 3

Joseph Nilo — Tue, 05 Dec 2006 02:51:07 +0000

I found this cool article on Flash video at Digital Web Magazine. I’ve been doing a lot of flash encoding lately for one of my clients, Harvest Eating.com Flash is such a great format, in my opinion. I think it’s the best bang for your buck as a balance between Quality (very good), Compatibility (cross-platform), [...] No related posts.

Filling Your Text With Video Clips in LiveType 2

Joseph Nilo — Tue, 05 Dec 2006 02:41:06 +0000

From GeniusDV.com: LiveType allows you to bring dramatic effect to your text by allowing you to insert images and even video clips inside of them. 1. Click on the track that contains the text that you want to fill with an image. 2. Go to the Attributes tab, click it, then click on the Matte [...] No related posts.

A Couple of Audio Tips for Final Cut Pro

Joseph Nilo — Tue, 05 Dec 2006 02:36:35 +0000

From GeniusDV.com: When editing audio [in Final Cut Pro] you may find it advantageous to have mutiple tracks visible with some muted. You may also find yourself needing to test various level settings and it would be a big help not having to remember each time which ones you were comparing. Go to the [...] No related posts.

Getting Audio Clips Back In Sync in Final Cut Pro

Joseph Nilo — Fri, 01 Dec 2006 13:15:12 +0000

From GeniusDV.com 24 audio items can be attached to a single video item in the timeline in Final Cut Pro or exist in a merged clip. With this being true, there are also some very complex sync relationships that can occur if you slip multiple audio items in relation to a given clip. Three Ways To Get [...] No related posts.

Bottom 10 Final Cut Pro â€¦. tips?

Joseph Nilo — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 01:43:53 +0000

The editblog Â» Bottom 10 Final Cut Pro â€¦. tips?: I found this article about some of the annoyances of Final Cut Pro. A good read and a heads up on some of the quirks of the program. Technorati Tags: apple, howto, mac, tutorial, video No related posts. No related posts.

Mac Pro Podcast 31

Joseph Nilo — Tue, 11 Apr 2006 20:46:13 +0000

Welcome to the Mac Pro Podcast #31. Direct Download Link Subscribe in iTunes Check out our Sponsors: Think Different Store Be sure to use the coupon code macpro to save $5 off your purchase. Show Us Your Character.com Win an iPod! Check out the details in the podcast and enter the contest here. This weeks’ show: Viewer Email — mini dv camera under $1000 Tutorial [...] No related posts.

Mac Pro Podcast 27

Joseph Nilo — Tue, 07 Mar 2006 07:06:00 +0000

Welcome to the Mac Pro Podcast #27. Direct Download Link Subscribe in iTunes We are very excited to announce our new sponsor, Think Different Store.com. Use the coupon code “macpro” to save $5 off your order. This week we have a tutorial on audio level compression, and we answer some mail and give suggestions on H.264 encoding for archival purposes. Support [...] No related posts.

Mac Pro Podcast 26 SPECIAL AUDIO EDITION

Joseph Nilo — Tue, 28 Feb 2006 20:54:00 +0000

Welcome to a special audio-only edition. Download Here. Subscribe in iTunes Thanks to all of our new members! Go to macpropodcast.com and become a member by clicking the PayPal Subscribe button on the right side. Product review of the Mackie Onyx 400F. Found out about it at PodcastRigs.com. See the full review here. Check out my new blog– MacMediaBlog.com. It’s [...] No related posts.

Mac Pro Podcast 25

Joseph Nilo — Tue, 21 Feb 2006 21:15:00 +0000

Mac Pro Podcast 25! Direct Download Link Subscribe in iTunes This week . . . drumroll, please . . . Listener Survey Contest Winners announced! Congrats to our 2 winners. We check back in with our friends at Moon Europa. We also talk about the Mac Pro Podcast membership . . . go to Mac Pro Podcast.com and sign up [...] No related posts.

Support the Mac Pro Podcast! Become a MPP member.

Joseph Nilo — Sun, 19 Feb 2006 10:44:00 +0000

First, let me say, Mac Pro Podcast subscribers are awesome! With our recent Listener Survey contest, we’ve received a ton of emails that were so supportive and complimentary — everyone seems to want the MPP to grow and get better. You all seem to understand that to make the show longer and better, we need [...] No related posts.

Mac Pro Podcast 24

Joseph Nilo — Mon, 13 Feb 2006 21:36:00 +0000

Hello everyone! Episode 24 hot off the editor . . . Direct Download. Subscribe in iTunes. This week the crew is off . . . so just voiceover and video tutorial from me. We have a tutorial on decibels. I mention the new home for the Mac Roundtable Podcast. Be sure to also check out Podcaster Confessions. Thanks for [...] No related posts.

Mac Pro Podcast 23

Joseph Nilo — Wed, 08 Feb 2006 08:58:00 +0000

Welcome to episode 23 of the Mac Pro Podcast! Direct Download Link. Subscribe in iTunes This week we have a tutorial called “Intro to Video Codecs”, and Chuck has a news package on the Sundance Film Festival. We also mentioned a cool widget called Video Space 1.0 . . . available here.The Contest is still going on! [...] No related posts.

Mac Pro Podcast 22

Joseph Nilo — Tue, 31 Jan 2006 06:46:00 +0000

Welcome to episode 22 of the Mac Pro Podcast! Direct Download Link. Subscribe in iTunes This week we have a tutorial on Shooting Better Video . . . and excerpt from an article I wrote for the January issue of MacCompanion magazine. In the news: we cover new features of iMovie HD6, PodGuide.tv, and the iPod Film [...] No related posts.

Mac Pro Podcast 21

Joseph Nilo — Mon, 23 Jan 2006 21:24:00 +0000

Welcome to Mac Pro Podcast #21 . . . from a spaceship! Download here. We are podcasting from the set of the independent film Moon Europa. Chuck spoke with the director Chris Bower about making a sci-fi film on little or no budget . . . using only talent and community support. We also cover news [...] No related posts.