Understanding what video scopes tell us about our images is essential to creating great looking images; regardless of which video editing software you are using. In this article, I explain the basics of the waveform monitor and vectorscope, how to read them and how they affect color correction.
The TourBox Elite (and its sister TourBox Lite) are well-built control surfaces designed to make using creative applications faster and easier. The hardware will last for years. But their tutorials and “Getting Started” documentation need a lot of work.
Some client, somewhere, is going to feel that their life is not complete unless they shoot their next YouTube ad in 12K. So you’re sitting at your edit station with a pile of drives on your desk containing this 12K opus. Now what? This tutorial has the answers.
AI is having a dramatic impact on media. Larry Jordan interviews key industry leaders at the 2024 NAB Show to learn their opinions on the impact of AI and machine learning. Their answers ranged from fear to hope. Here’s a transcript of the video.
AI is having a dramatic impact on media. Larry Jordan interviews key industry leaders at the 2024 NAB Show to learn their opinions on the impact of AI and machine learning. Their answers ranged from fear to hope.
Michael Cioni, founder of Strada, premieres Strada, an AI-assisted, cloud-based, subscription media search and management tool which enables video editors to do more – faster.
A video interview with Dan May, President of Blackmagic Design – US, where he reveals more than 16 new products at NAB, including a 12K cinema camera, 6K pocket camera, the latest version of DaVinci Resolve and other new hardware.
Here’s a list of the companies we are interviewing at the 2024 NAB Show along with links to watch them.
Last week, I asked readers to write about web services they found useful in video editing. Here are two reports on what works.
In today’s world of digital video, the Broadcast Safe effect (or Video Limiter in Premiere) is gathering dust in a corner. But, there is a BIG benefit to using it when you have a lighting problem to solve, as this tutorial illustrates. This trick works for all the major NLEs.
The shift towards more complex projects requires reevaluating rendering solutions. Integrating cloud-based render farms into VFX workflows requires careful planning and execution. Here’s a detailed guide to ensure a successful transition.
8K is coming. Not today and not tomorrow. But sooner than you expect. To get ready, you should first look to upgrade your storage, then, once it is both big and fast enough, upgrade your computer. Here’s what you need to know.
When it comes to removing backgrounds using a green-screen key, not all video codecs create the same image quality. Here’s what you need to know to shoot and edit the cleanest keys.
Time Machine requires its own storage volume. While you can back up to the cloud, backing up to local storage is far faster and cheaper. But, there’s a trick you can use to make this local backup even better.
Project settings in DaVinci Resolve are significantly different from either Premiere or Final Cut. They are the technical foundation upon which an entire edit is built. Since Premiere and Final Cut don’t behave this way, editors moving to Resolve from other platforms – like me – are going to be surprised. Here’s what you need to know.
There are several security reasons for editing video where the computer is not attached to the Internet. But, if you do, which video editing software will work without the web?
DaVinci Resolve is a state-of-the-art color tool for video. Whatever you can imagine doing with color, Resolve can do. But, oh. my. goodness. It is complex. Here’s an overview of how to use it.
Multicam editing in DaVinci Resolve is not as refined as in Premiere Pro or Final Cut Pro. But, it is still worth learning. Here’s a detailed tutorial on how multicam editing works.
I created a green-screen shot that was impossible to key because the foreground elements kept keying out due to reflections. Here’s how to use a solid matte in Adobe Premiere or Apple Final Cut Pro, or even DaVinci Resolve, to fix this.
There are two key questions we ask whenever we buy storage: How fast does it go and how long does it last? We’ve got a pretty good handle on SSD speeds. Trickier, though, is determining endurance (life-span). Here’s what you need to know.
Yes, Resolve is complex. However, at heart, it’s just like any NLE – and very similar to both Premiere and Final Cut. This covers the basics: startup, import, editing, trimming, audio levels and export.
Recently, I’ve gotten a lot of email from people trying to capture video from video tape. This used to be easy… but with changes to Adobe Premiere Pro and Apple Final Cut Pro, it has become more challenging. Here’s what you need to know.
For speed, solid construction, ease of use and portability, the OWC Express 1M2 is amazing. Faster than Thunderbolt, about the size of a deck of cards. Fits in your pocket. Oh… and no power brick. Here’s mu review.
This article takes a closer look at improving video editing and computer performance using SSDs and provide specific suggestions on the gear to buy and how to configure your system.
Regardless of which NLE you use for editing, we are all looking for ways to make editing go faster. Recently, I discovered an inexpensive purchase that can transform the speed of your existing computer system: An SSD RAID. These charts explain why.
One of the key benefits of Apple silicon computers is the use of Unified Memory. But… what is “Unified Memory,” why is it important, and how much do we need for our work? This tutorial has the answers.
In Apple’s recent introduction of their M3-series chips, the screen shots revealed a hidden story. Apple launched their most powerful computers ever – but Final Cut was nowhere to be found. What happened?
This is the time of year for upgrades and new releases for Mac users. However, it is important to remember that our job is to get our work done – on time and with minimal stress. Don’t rush to upgrade – wait for software to settle down.
AI is already having a dramatic impact on media creation and profits. Here’s a discussion between Philip Hodgetts and Clayton Moore that looks at the impact on our industry.
This is a big deal for media creators: Intel announced Thunderbolt 5. Here are the details.
RAID chunk size affects performance by determining the size of data blocks that are written to an SSD or HDD RAID. Here’s an explanation of chunk size with a recommendation of which size to choose when optimizing a RAID for media.
You can’t use what you can’t find. Logging and tracking clips in a single project is supported by all NLEs. My question is what do you use to track media across projects? Share your thoughts in the comments.
This webinar focused on video editing, specifically organizing and backing up media, optimizing preferences, and the other small decisions you make at the start of a Premier or Final Cut project. In this short excerpt, Larry Jordan discusses the difference between USB-C and Thunderbolt.
This webinar focused on video editing, specifically organizing and backing up media, optimizing preferences, and the other small decisions you make at the start of a Premier or Final Cut project. In this short excerpt, Larry Jordan presents the routine maintenance you should do with a Mac computer to keep it running smoothly.
Even if you don’t own – or like – Apple Final Cut Pro, you can use Apple Compressor to manipulate media in ways other software doesn’t. For example, use Compressor to change the timecode of a video clip. Here’s how.
It is generally possible to expand the storage capacity of an HDD RAID, without buying a new enclosure; which can save hundreds of dollars. Here’s what you need to know to add storage to your RAID.
Wondering how to improve the speed and performance of your computer – especially for video editing? In this short video excerpt Larry Jordan illustrates how to improve the speed of a video editing computer system by selecting the right storage for your edit.
All too often, we think we need the biggest and fastest computer and storage to edit video. This analysis of storage speeds, media formats, and hardware shows how to maximize performance without breaking the bank.
StreamVoodoo allows you to stream high-quality live video to one person, a group or a crowd. No special software. No logins. No accounts. One click and they are in. The problem is figuring out how it works. That still needs help.
Lou asked: “Should I partition the internal drive of a Mac to get the maximum speed for video editing?” The answer is no – but not for the reasons you might suspect. Larry Jordan provides the details on maximizing system speed.
“Because the creative industry sits at the intersection of arts & technology, it finds itself broken in many ways.” Larry Jordan interviews Brian Meaney, Head of Product, at Alteon, about AI, technology and the media industry.
This collection provides easy links to the nine detailed testing and performance reviews Larry Jordan wrote about the 2023 M2 Mac mini computer from Apple.
With its latest releases, Apple now offers M2 versions of the Mac mini, Mac Studio and Mac Pro. This article is to help you decide which hardware best meets the needs of media creators, then provide tips on how to best configure the system.
The OWC Express 4M2 is really, really fast. Well-built. And, provided you format your storage as RAID 4 or 5, expandable. Here’s a detailed review along with suggestions on how to optimize it for your media editing,.
If you are frustrated trying to make your audio sound better, the Crumblepop AI-assisted audio plug-ins will decrease your stress and improve your audio without requiring an advanced audio degree. And, when it comes to noise reduction, they can do magic.
Peter asked me recently to write an article on how to optimize files for posting to YouTube, download or streaming. As Internet speeds continue to improve, and YouTube adjusts its rules, now is a good time for an update on my recommendations.
As AI continues to sweep through creative industries, I was introduced to a relatively new product specifically for video professionals: Colourlab Ai. To learn more, I interviewed Dado Valentic, CEO of Colorlab. Here is our conversation.
The AI genie is fully out of the bottle. AI is a significant, watershed event for the creative arts. But… it will cost jobs; especially in creative industries. This is very troubling. Share your thoughts in the comments.
It seems counterintutive, but you don’t need massive amounts of RAM for video editing. This explains why the duration of your video project does not determine the hardware you need. It also explains what DOES require faster hardware.
While both ProRes 422 and ProRes 4444 are much larger than the original HEVC (or H.264, for that matter), the structural design of ProRes makes it more suitable for faster editing performance, especially for multicam editing. These details illustrate the difference.
