Avid

September 29, 2017  by

IBC 2017 is over for another year

IMAG1647 20170915_094150

Well IBC 2017 is over and Carl has been checking out some of the new tech toys available to content producers the world over. New cameras, updated edit systems from Avid and Adobe, and lots of new camera stabilization systems.

The two Marks are very interested to explore Carl’s experiences with the new Panasonic EVA1, the GH5, and the updated Blackmagic Ursa MiniPro.

 

IMAG1654 IMAG1653Carl will be back next week where he will be thoroughly grilled by the image acquisition inquisition, check back soon to see his thoughts.

in General News / Technology
September 19, 2017  by

Talk like a Pirate Day 2017

Avast,  yar, and me-hearties – all terms ye will be hearing today as Cap’n Lamb boards the salty sea dog that is GMi on “Talk Like a Pirate Day”.

Always ready to parlay, the crew at GMi are ready to sail the seven seas in search of treasure, be it walking planks safely in a SCORM, training up yer crew with some sEa Learning, promoting your latest galleon, or documenting the history of your shipping line. And fear not me hearties, it wont cost ye too many dubloons…

The First Mate Marks have some Canons, some Sonys and some Panasonics to shoot ye a broadside of vision, while Galley Chief Carl will slash and cut it together Avidly. Run up ye Colours – we be ready for adventure.

If ye wants t’ know more click here!

in General News / Uncategorised
January 12, 2016  by

IBC, Easy as 1, 2, 3…!

Carl fresh from IBC, gives us his thoughts on the future.
2015’s International Broadcasting Convention (IBC) was the chance for many manufacturers to release new 4K products for the Indie and small post house market.  And we are shopping for exactly this sort of camera so exploring the stands and trying the products was one of my main tasks!  Cameras on our shopping list include Sony’s FS7 and new compact FS5, Canon’s new C300mk2, Panasonic’s DVX200 and Blackmagic’s new Ursa Mini 4.6 and 4K.  Of course I approach cameras as an editor, Mark feeling left out had to make do with constant texts and phone calls from the stands.
Pairing any of these cameras with a Shogun external recorder will give us quick turnaround in the edit with native DNxHR recording of 4K so that ticks my primary concern in the work flow!  So it is on to ergonomics.  Display conditions don’t really give me a feel for image quality so I’m mainly looking at ease of use and layout.  Straight away the Canon falls off the list in my eyes in this regard!  The Sony FS5 is impressive but the clear winners are the Panasonic and Australia’s home grown Ursa Mini.  Two very different cameras, the Panasonic’s fixed lens gives us a run and gun production camera with fast setup.  The Ursa gives us sexy bokeh shots and specialist shots using our canon lenses – but slower to set up and requiring a lot of accessories.  Ergonomically I like them both, with clear, crisp, large LCD viewfinders and well laid out controls.  So let’s have both!!!
Well not quite – we’ll probably start with the DVX200 to replace our current production camera for 4K work and run and gun productions, following this up with purchase of the Ursa for those sexy shots, macro and long lens nature work.  The sweetener with the Blackmagic gear is DaVinci Resolve, full version with every purchase.  This is the industry standard in colour grading software and is rapidly gaining a reputation in the editing area too.
 
Next report – Drones!  A feast of offerings on show, stay tuned!
 
 
Cheers, Carl
IBC Carl Ninja/Shogun stand

Carl at Atomos IBC stand.

in General News / Uncategorised
August 12, 2015  by

The CB to IBC 2015!

The 2015 International Broadcast Convention, or IBC, is on again in Amsterdam and this year I (Carl) am making the trip for the first time. The convention provides an opportunity for manufacturers to showcase their latest offerings in technology – from acquisition, post, storage, and broadcast media platforms – anything to do with content really!

So what is it all about? The last 5 years has seen an explosion in the way content is delivered and viewed, as well as the roll out of new formats, including the never ending cycle of increasing resolution! With UHD/4K a reality for end users, talk is now of higher resolutions still and the compression techniques and formats to deliver them. I will be attending seminars and workshops across a spectrum of topics that involve our work now, and where we see it in the future.

From an production perspective, we have been creating and delivering UHD/4K content for nearly 2 years. This process saw us build and commission a new 4k edit suite in the form of an Avid Media Composer workstation that was equally capable of cutting as well as compositing. But this year it is the camera department’s turn and I will be getting hands on with Sony, Panasonic, Arri, Canon and Blackmagic’s 4k production camera lineup prior to purchase. Much to the envy of the two Marks.

In the software areas I’ll be visiting Avid (of course), Adobe, Lightworks and Blackmagic. Blackmagic’s “Resolve” software is rapidly gaining a reputation for editing as well as its more traditional colour correction role. This could see it join Avid as our #1 long form edit platform.

Then of course there are all the other manufactures and “toys” I’ll be looking at. Drones are big news right now, and our current 4K test platform will get superseded by a monster rig with production 4K acquisition in the next 12 months – with my own personal CASA certification.

So stay tuned – on my return I plan to write a series of articles on what I learn at IBC 2015!

in Technology
August 13, 2014  by

Would you like some toast?…

Acquisition is important and at GMi we have seen some fantastic new toys in our camera department over the last 4 years. However, shots are only half the picture, editing is the rest of the story – your story. And if you ask our Post team – it is the most important part of the story!

 

To enable us to keep bringing you the best in Post means we are constantly evaluating when to upgrade and 2014 is it for Post, with the building and commissioning of our new Avid workstation.

 

By combining workstation grade components, the new Thunderbolt 2 RAID interface, dedicated on-board RAID and the latest from nVidia Quadro video cards we are able to install the latest editor from Avid – Media Composer 8.1, cutting edge compositing with Boris RED 5.5 as well as the more well known Adobe tool box of post applications.

 

With data access speeds capable of multiple tracks of simultaneous 4K playback and blistering render times, we see this platform as the basis of Post at GMi for the next 3 years.

 

We are excited – come in and see us for a coffee and chat about your next production using one of the few Avid Edit Stations outside the metro area, and find out why 99% of all motion picture production is done on an Avid!

 

Avid UI

in General News
August 20, 2012  by

Meet the Crew – Carl

The first in our series of stories introducing the crew here at GMi, today we meet Carl, business owner, production manager and editor.

I was trained in theatre and TV lighting design, and became fascinated with editing after extended work experience at STW9 in Perth. Back in the early ’90s editing was as much a technical skill as a creative one.  Keeping machines in sync, levels correct and work ordered was essential in the days of linear editing. Jobs arrived in boxes – camera tapes, C-Format reels and hand written shotlists with time-code. Making an effect as simple as a dissolve required an edit controller and a room full of fridge sized machines rolling 1″ tape.

Today we take computers for granted and far more complex effects can be produced.  I now drive a non linear editing system running the industry standard Avid Media Composer software.  This has opened the door to more creative possibilities and exploring these techniques is my passion. To be able to restore a project from 5 years ago and pick up where I left it is another fantastic bonus.

GMi has given me the perfect vocation. I get to be creative, play with computers and work in my own business with people who share my passion – I’m very lucky.

in General News