Top Ten DV Fanatics Blogs of 2013

The top ten DV Fanatics blogs from the past year.

The end of every year is the season of the Top Ten lists, so in the spirit of the season, this week is the list of top ten DV Fanatics blogs for the past year. These are the DV Fanatics blogs that received the most readers in 2013.

Video Editing Systems Wish List for 2014

Video editing system feature request list.

Today's blog is a 'wish list' of things I'd like to see in the coming year. But first, let me be thankful for those things that I wished for last year and are now part of the core editing product.

Professional Video User Group Membership

A meeting of the Boston Avid Users Group.

In every community there are a number of resources that enable a video professional to keep abreast of what is going on in the video production community. These resources can be a valuable connection for the creative video professional, exposing them to new tips and techniques as well as other professionals with the same same skills.

Good Movies for the Holiday Season

Holiday movies available on DVD or streaming.

As the holiday season approaches, I felt it was a good time to discuss some of the good holiday films available. This week we'll discuss some of the films with holiday themes that are available on DVD or streaming. Who knows, this blog may even inspire a gift or two.

Avid Editing Tips and Tricks - Part VIII

More tips and tricks for the Avid editing system.

This is the eighth edition of the Avid Editing Tips and Tricks series. This collection again includes some tips for features recently added to the Avid Media Composer. As always, if you have any comments or suggestions, you can reach me through the comments of this blog, through Google+, LinkedIn or Twitter, using the @mBlazeVideo handle.

Video Media Management at PBS FRONTLINE

The FRONTLINE presentation at the BAVUG Meeting.

Last Wednesday evening, I ventured into Burlington for the November meeting of the Boston Avid User Group. The evening's topic was managing media on the recent fast turn-around documentary "Egypt in Crisis". PBS FRONTLINE's Associate Director of Broadcast, Chris Fournelle, and Post-Production Supervisor, Megan McGough lead the discussion.

The Commoditization of Digital Video Production

There are very few financial hurdles in the video industry.

Not long ago my brother sent me a link to a video. He had shot most of it on his iPhone and his son had edited the video on an Apple iPad using iMovie. These days everyone has access to the tools and technology that we, as video professionals, use every day.

How to Become a Video Editor

Learn the video editing craft first, the editing tool second.

Over the years I have been asked for advice on how to get started in a video editing career and what system to use. As I said last week in What is the Best Video NLE Out There, the system you use depends on personal preferences. The best advice I can give is learn the craft first and then decide what system to use.

What is the Best Video NLE Out There?

Does one video NLE stand out as the best?

I often see polls on the web declaring one nonlinear editing system (NLE) better than another and often times I have to laugh. The best NLE depends on how well it does the job you need to accomplish at the moment. Paying attention to online polls to determine the best NLE is a lot like checking in with an online poll to determine your favorite color. It is completely subjective.

Scary Movies for the Halloween Season

Some good movies to watch over Halloween.

As Halloween approaches, it seemed like it might be an appropriate time to discuss some of the scary movies available for viewing. This is a list of some of the movies that I feel have a creepy sense to them and are great films to watch while waiting for trick or treaters.

Is the Demise of Pay Cable Near?

The end of a need for premium cable TV bundles may be near.

There has long been talk about the demise of Cable TV. With all of the internet-based TV services out there, I think that the demise may be getting closer every day. I'm one of those people who has cable to just get the local channels. Any movies or network shows I want to watch are available on internet-ready devices such as Apple TV, Roku or Google Chromecast.

Avid Editing Tips and Tricks - Part VII

Tips and tricks for newer Avid Media Composers.

This week's collection of Avid Editing Tips and Tricks is the seventh part of the series. This week's collection includes some tips for features recently added to the Avid Media Composer. As always, if you have any comments or suggestions, you can reach me through the comments of this blog, through Google+, LinkedIn or Twitter using the @mBlazeVideo handle.

Video Freelancers Should Stick to Their Rates

It's important for the industry to stick by your rates.

Last week's blog featured a list of Professional Video Editor Job Resources. It wasn't exactly an exhaustive list, but it included most of the websites that I visit when looking for that next video editing gig. Looking at some of the job listings can be insulting to a video professional.

Professional Video Editor Job Resources

Web resources for finding professional video work.

Last week I wrote about Film and Video Professional Communities on Google+, which had followed articles on LinkedIn Groups for the Film and Video Pros and Facebook Resources for Digital Video Editors. This week we'll feature a list of some of the resources available for finding your next job as video editor.

Film and Video Professional Communities on Google+

The film and video communities on Google+.

In the past I have written about my favorite LinkedIn Groups for the Film and Video Pros as well as Facebook Resources for Digital Video Editors. This week I have a list of my favorite professional communities for digital video editors on the Google+ social network. These communities are great places to share ideas and discover new techniques from users from around the globe.

Video Professionals and Recruiters

Using a creative recruiting firm for your next video gig.

I recently took a technical course and the instructor had words of advice on a number of different subjects. One such subject he advised on was the use of creative recruiters.

Great Video of Music Performances

Films about musicians and their performances.

Last week I wrote about some of the Cool Movies I Had Never Heard Of. Those were the movies I had stumbled upon without knowing anything about them. This week, we'll be discussing some of my favorite musical performances or documentaries available on video.

Cool Movies I Had Never Heard Of

The old way of watching movies on demand.

Since today is Labor Day, the symbolic end of summer, I thought it might be a good time to discuss movies. This may seem a little off-topic for the DV Fanatics Blog, but technically movie rentals are digital video.

Digital Video Resources Available on the Web

Resources for video editing professionals on the web.

In past blogs, I wrote about LinkedIn Groups for the Film and Video Pros and Facebook Resources for Digital Video Editors. This week we'll discuss some of the other resources for digital video professionals that are available on the web. These resources are stand-alone resources and aren't part of any of the social media websites.

Mourning the Loss of Adobe in My Video Workflow

Adobe Master Collection CS6 may be my last version.

Back in June, I wrote about My Problem with Adobe Creative Cloud. Now that Adobe has become a subscription-only software product, I have had to come to terms with the fact that the Adobe Master Collection CS6 may be my last version. Don't get me wrong, I still think Adobe makes great software, but their new licensing model has made it impractical to maintain.

Collaboration Tools for Avid Editing Systems

Simple web video editing is possible with Interplay Central.

Last Wednesday evening I attended the Boston Avid Users Group meeting at Avid Technology headquarters in Burlington, MA. The theme of the night was collaborative workflows in post production and featured a demo of Avid Interplay given by Avid's Bob Russo.

Avid Editing Tips and Tricks - Part VI

Avid tips and tricks for a more efficient DV workflow.

This week's collection of Avid Editing Tips and Tricks is the sixth part of the series. I will continue to add to this series as I think of new (and old) tips and tricks. As always, if you have any comments or suggestions, you can reach me through the comments of this blog, through Google+, LinkedIn or Twitter using the @mBlazeVideo handle.

Digital Video Rendering/Export Strategies

Knowing the best rendering strategy can save time.

Although most digital video editing systems allow for multiple layers of realtime video, it is necessary to render that video at some point in your workflow. It's important to understand the best video render strategy for your needs.

Facebook Resources for Digital Video Editors

The Avid Editors of Facebook group page.

Back in February, I wrote about some of my favorite LinkedIn Groups for the Film and Video Pros. This week I have a list of my favorite resources on Facebook for digital video editors. These groups are great places to ask questions and get back answers from professionals from all over the world.

Random Digital Media Thoughts

Digital video discoveries, observations and wonderings.

As I begin to prepare for a short vacation, my mind starts to wander. A lot of thoughts about different subjects run through my mind.

Video Professional Job Postings

Beware of companies that want everything for nothing.

As a freelance editor, I'm always in search of my next gig and I frequent job postings from a number of sources. I see too many postings that are altogether unrealistic - calling for advanced skills in all areas, but unwilling to pay what just one of the skills is worth.

Avid Editing Tips and Tricks - Part V

Avid tips and tricks for a more efficient workflow.

This week's collection of Avid Editing Tips and Tricks is the fifth part of the series. This collection of tips and tricks contains an updated tip from a DV Fanatics reader, an editor at 60 Minutes. As always, if you have any comments or suggestions, you can reach me through the comments of this blog, through Google+ or LinkedIn.

The Title Tool in Avid Media Composer

The Title Tool in the Avid Media Composer.

I know that complaints about the Avid Title Tool are commonplace, and have been that way for a very long time. But over the years I have tried to remain positive about the benefits of using the internal title tool. These days the disadvantages of building titles in the Avid Title Tool far outweigh its advantages.

Avid FX (Boris RED) in Avid Media Composer

The Avid FX interface in Avid Media Composer.

Originally I had intended to write about how I consider Avid FX (Boris RED) to be a lower substitute for Adobe After Effects. But as I prepared to write this blog, I decided to give Avid FX another chance and explore it further. After doing so, I've decided to change the direction of my blog and talk more about the advantages of using Avid FX.

AMA in the Avid Editing System

An Avid edit system bin filled with AMA clips.

AMA is Avid's answer to how Apple Final Cut Pro and Adobe Premiere Pro have been handling media all along. Instead of importing media and converting it to it's native format, AMA allows editors to link to, and to play video clips from whatever location and format that they exist already.

My Problem with Adobe Creative Cloud

The different versions of Adobe software.

I've read a lot about the pros and cons of Adobe going to the subscription-only licensing model that they call Creative Cloud. At first I thought it would be a great idea - license the software only when you need to use it, but the more I think about it the less of a fan I become.

Avid Editing Tips and Tricks - Part IV

Avid Import Settings for setting duration of the import.

Since the Avid Editing Tips and Trick series continues to be very popular on the DV Fanatics Blog. This week is the fourth edition in the series. Feel free to drop me a line if you have any questions or comments regarding these tips. You can reach me via comments on this blog, through Google+ or through LinkedIn.

DV Fanatics: The First Full Year of Digital Video

The DV Fanatics Blog is one year old.

It's been a full year since the DV Fanatics blog kicked off in May of 2012. Although the number of comments written directly to the blogs may not have been a large number, I was very happy with the some of the discussions that the blogs have sparked on both LinkedIn and Facebook. In fact some of those discussions have contributed to the content of blogs themselves.

The Value of Video Production Internships

More video professionals graduating.

Since this is the midst of college graduation season, it got me thinking about what the new graduates are now up against. The age-old problem of how to get a job without experience and how to get experience without a job.

Last year at this time we discussed "Freelance Video Editing: Determining Your Rate", this week we'll discuss how to gain experience in the video production industry.

Adding Effects to a Chroma Key Foreground in Avid

Generating a chroma key with an effect on the foreground.

A reoccurring complaint about how effects work in the Avid Media Composer editing system, is that if you apply an effect to a key, you end up affecting the background as well as the foreground.

This week we'll discuss how to add an effect to the foreground only. For this example we'll add a Chrystal effect to the foreground of a chroma key.

Dissecting the Video: Networks Around the Globe

Building networks orbiting the globe in After Effects.

More often than I like, I have clients who want a video but don't have much of budget. Basically, it's a step above "Video Services Provided for Free" and unless it's for an established client, I steer clear of these projects as well. In discussions for one such a project, I started thinking of a visual to illustrate one of the messages in the proposed video.

Avid Editing Tips and Tricks - Part III

Site Settings in the Avid video editing system.

As a long-time Avid editor, I've picked up a few tricks over the years. I've started to accumulate those tricks in the Avid Tips and Tricks series of blogs. Both Avid Tips and Tricks - Part I and Avid Tips and Tricks - Part II have been very popular, so this week is the third in the series of tips for the Avid Media Composer.

Top Video / Film Announcements at NAB 2013

New tools for video and film professionals.

Last week was the one of the biggest trade shows for film and video production. The NAB trade show is the one to watch for announcements about all the new film and video technology.

This year was no different, with a number of exciting announcements coming out of the show. Here are the top three announcements that I find most exciting.

NAB Twenty Years Ago

The Las Vegas Convention Center after NAB tear-down.

Today is the first day of NAB. For those of you unfamiliar with NAB, it stands for the National Association of Broadcasters. Held every year in Las Vegas, NAB is the biggest show of the year for companies that build tools for video and film. All of the biggest players such as Adobe, Apple, Avid Technology and Sony usually make their major announcements at NAB.

Video Services Provided for Free

If a video doesn't have a budget, it's usually not worth doing.

This may sound like a joke but it isn't - there are some companies out there who will ask for a video production and have no money to spend. I'm not talking about very small budgets, but ZERO budget. Sometimes these requests are made with promises of future business, but my advice is - walk away.

Is Being Just a Video Editor Enough?

Being a Jack of all Trades is a matter of survival.

Years ago there was a saying "Jack of all trades, master of none". That saying had it's place in time, but these days, in order to survive, I have had to become a master of many trades. In my case I needed to expand from being a video editor into a video producer, videographer, editor, designer, sound editor and web developer.

Dissecting the Video: Mission Impossible Text (Pt 2)

The lit fuse text transition mask bringing in the text layer.

Last week in Dissecting the Video: Mission Impossible Text (Pt 1), we prepared the first After Effects comp of the fuse with alpha. This week we'll build the main composition of the fuse burning in and leaving the text in its path. As mentioned last week, this composition will be a 6 second 720p comp.

Dissecting the Video: Mission Impossible Text (Pt 1)

Creating a title with a Mission Impossible theme.

On my demo reel I used a lit fuse to transition from each line of text. This week we'll discuss how those transitions were created.

This effect was done in Adobe After Effects using one piece of footage - the video of the lit fuse. The fuse I used was a royalty-free clip I purchased from the Artbeats website. The clip comes as two files the actual fuse movie and a black & white matte movie.

Video Production Budget Preparation

Preparing a budget for a video production.

A lot of times when working with clients, I will get the question: "How much will it cost to produce a 10 minute video?" Generally the person asking the question believes that there is a set formula, such as X dollars per minute. There is usually a surprised reaction when they find out that they can't get an estimate without having some idea what the video will contain.

Media Asset Management at the BAVUG

The Axle Video media asset management system.

Last week I attended the Boston Avid Users Group February meeting. The meeting was held in the Yawkey Auditorium at WGBH. In addition to seeing and talking to a lot of great editors from the New England community, Axle Video showed off their Media Asset Management (MAM) system.

LinkedIn Groups for the Film and Video Pros

Discussion groups for film and video professionals.

There are a number of groups on LinkedIn that are meant as a place to share your ideas and questions about digital film and video. I have been part of a number of groups over the years and have found them to be a very valuable resource. This week we will discuss some of my favorites. These are in no particular order other than alphabetical.

What I Like About Adobe Premiere Pro

The video editing interface of Adobe Premiere Pro.

A little while back a client asked me to do a follow-up video to one that I had edited in Avid Media Composer last year. This time around, I decided to do the edit in Adobe Premiere Pro, so I had a good comparison to Avid. There were some things I missed about the Media Composer, but all-in-all it was a very pleasant experience.

Digital Asset Management for the Small Post House

Video on multiple drives isn't the most efficient archive method. 

I've always wondered why someone doesn't build a digital asset management system (DAM) for the small video post house. Every video asset management system or DAM I've ever seen is priced way too high, generally higher than the video edit system itself.

My Favorite Video and Multimedia Software Tools

Choosing the best tool for your video editing workflow.

Every video professional has their own favorite toolset. Today I will discuss the tools I prefer. This is not to say it's an exclusive toolset - it's just the video tools I find most productive to my workflow. Depending upon the job and what the project needs, an editor must be able to work in any toolset. Just like a carpenter may have his or her favorite hammer, he or she will always use the tool that best fits the job.

Getting the Perfect Video Encode

The video encoding interface in Sorenson Squeeze.

Last September in a blog entitled "What Format is Your Video Sample Reel?', I wrote about uploading your videos in their native format to YouTube for the best quality presentation. But in some cases, that may not be an option and you have to encode the video on your own.