Post

Review of Premiere Elements 4 (4.5 out of 5)

May 07, 2008

AMAZINGLY CAPABLE VIDEO SOFTWARE FOR WINDOWS
“You might be thinking, “What’s consumer software doing in a pro magazine?” The short answer is that if you aren’t using the Adobe Master Collection or the Production Premium suite, you probably need Adobe Premiere Elements 4. Whether you work as an advertiser, designer, developer, or photographer, you most likely have an interest in making videos or DVDs.

Sure, Adobe offers the very capable video applications found in the Creative Suite product line but for many users, it’s hard to spring for the “whole enchilada.” When I sat down with Premiere Elements, I was immediately impressed. The product offers an easy-to-use toolset that addresses the needs of many users.

Here’s the lowdown: Premiere Elements only runs on Windows machines. If you’re a Mac user, you should be looking to iMovie and iDVD ’08 to fill the same needs. On the PC side, the market has been woefully underserved by offerings from Adaptec and Microsoft. With version 4 of Premiere Elements, Adobe clearly steps up to offer a dramatic redesign, combining power with ease of use (an Adobe trademark).”

You can read the rest of the review here...

Fly! (Trim on the Fly)

May 06, 2008

10-17Fly

It’s possible to trim on the fly. This way you can listen for an audio edit or look for a particular visual cue. Just make sure the Dynamic trimmimg checkbox is marked.

Enter Trim Edit mode, and press the space bar to cycle your trim. The sequence will play around your edit point and loop. The pre-roll and post-roll are set in the Editing tab of User Preferences.
When you reach the desired edit point, press the I key to move your In point.
Press the up or down arrow to move through the Timeline to your next edit point.

Like this tip? It comes from the book
Final Cut Studio On the Spot from Focal Press.

Adobe TV at NAB 2008 – Production Premium CS3 for Final Cut Pro Editors

May 05, 2008

Caught a great presentation from Steve Martin at NAB. It's all about using Production Premium with other NLEs like Final Cut Pro. Steve is a popular trainer (in fact one of Apple's main instructors). This one is helpful...

If you want more free classes... visit the Adobe TV site.

Adobe Media Player Article Gets Longer Legs

April 28, 2008

The fine folks over at Layers Magazine have also published the article: Does the World Need Another Media Player? This time its had the benefit of being scrubbed by an editor (not just spell-checker). You can read it here: http://www.layersmagazine.com/column_adobe_mediaplayer1.html.

A few folks have commented on the length of the article... here’s the Spark Notes version:

Flash Video is getting really popular
The Adobe Media Player will be easier for corporations, schools, and government to use due to Adobe's greater acceptance over Apple (and especially iTunes).
The media player supports several models that are attractive to content creators
The media player supports very rich statistics on media consumption
The application is going to move onto all sorts of devices and platforms in the near future.
If you are a podcaster... I predict the Adobe Media Player will have as great of an impact as iTunes did on podcast consumption.

The article is long... but worth the read... I promise.

Resources from Adobe E-Seminar

April 24, 2008

I taught an Adobe E-Seminar yesterday called "Creating a Graphic Identity for your Web Video and Dynamic Media." The class itself will be posted next week. Here are a few resources I identified during the class.

1. Two motion graphics projects.
2. Advice on rendering in After Effects.
3. Resource Slides
4. Photoshop for Video Podcast (free)
5. Producing Video Podcasts show (free)

The two books mentioned are Producing Video Podcasts and Photoshop for Video.

Adobe TV at NAB 2008 – Photoshop CS3 Extended for Video

April 24, 2008

Want 30 minutes of free training on Adobe Photoshop CS3? Adobe had me in their theater at NAB giving lessons. Here's a recording from one of the days so you can see what was taught.

If you want more free classes... visit the Adobe TV site.

Adobe Demos Future Technology at NAB

April 24, 2008

Following up on my "Really Cool Adobe Announcements" post...

Adobe has actually posted their "secret" presentation from NAB. Hart Shafer talks about four cool things Adobe has up their sleeve.

You SO need to watch this... trust me. BTW (for those of you waiting... they did show OnLocation for Mac in this demo).

School of Podcasting Interview about Video Podcasting

April 23, 2008

Thanks to the School of Podcasting for having us on the show. I had a chance to catch up and talk with the host about what folks need to think about when moving into the world of video podcasting. The interview also features my co-author (and business partner) Mark Weiser.

You can get the interview for free right here (http://www.schoolofpodcasting.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=330803) and you should also check out their other shows which offer great perspective.

Really Cool Adobe Announcements

April 22, 2008

Adobe showed some awesome stuff at NAB. My favorite was a future version of Premiere that transcribes your footage, then makes the transcription searchable for both editing and publishing to the web. I was going to do an in-depth write-up.... but then I got busy (still will).

In the meantime. Check out this article for details.
http://www.peachpit.com/blogs/blog.aspx?b=a75e92b0-f44f-4dfb-9eb4-96920bcaddc1

Come See Me at New Media Expo

April 21, 2008

I'll be presenting at this year's New Media Expo in Las Vegas. The event runs August 14-16 and I hope you can come out. My class is called:

Producing Video Podcasts with Multiple Cameras
Want to cut down editing time and give your show more polish? Learn how to create video podcasts using multiple cameras. Join veteran podcaster Richard Harrington as he shows how to harness multiple angles to improve your show. From concerts and live events to demos and interviews, multiple cameras will help you tell your story. Learn how to setup and match your cameras as well as essential editing techniques. This workshop will make multi-camera productions a snap.

Two Updated Final Cut Pro DVDs

April 21, 2008

I just released two newly updated Final Cut Pro discs. We updated our Absolute Training for Final Cut Studios Disc 1 & 2. Both DVDs are full current for Final Cut Studio 2 and include hands-on training files as well as HD resolution training and iPod files.

Apple Final Cut Pro
Volume 1: Getting Started in Final Cut Pro
Volume 2: Going Deeper in Final Cut Studio

Also, you may have missed that we recently released the following titles. These also include HD and iPod versions on the same disc.

Apple Color
Volume 11: Introduction to Color
Volume 12: Advanced Color
Bundled for Savings

Apple Motion
Volume 13: Getting Started with Apple Motion
Volume 14: Going Deeper with Apple Motion
Volume 15: Advanced Techniques with Apple Motion
Bundled for Savings

’Toon Your Video in Adobe CS3 Production Premium

April 21, 2008

Want to create a cartoon effect for your video? Be sure to check out this step-by-step tutorial I wrote for Layers Magazine.

“Sure, clients want it…that “cartoon look.” But let’s face it; good animation is hard to come by. Unless you have a gaggle of animators locked in your closet, you’ll need to get creative. Sure, you could break out the pencil and paper (or maybe even try shadow puppets), but we’re here to offer you a different solution. By harnessing the power of Adobe CS3 Production Premium, you can convert video frames into vector art into film-resolution movie files. Curious? It’s all possible with the power of the Production Premium. Read on.”

Final Cut Server World Tour

April 20, 2008

Apple has launched a road tour in support of Final Cut Server. I got a chance to look at this at NAB and I must say it is impressive.
The tour is going to hit several cities:

Hollywood – May 13 | New York – May 22 | Chicago – May 28
Korea – May 28 | Washington, D.C. – June 3 | Beijing – June 3
Mumbai – June 11 | Seattle – June 17 | Sydney – June 18
Singapore – June 18 | Hong Kong – June 24 | San Francisco – June 26
Taiwan – June 27 | Atlanta – July 2 | Dallas – July 8

“Beginning in May, Apple takes Final Cut Studio 2 and Final Cut Server — Apple’s new media asset management and workflow automation software — on tour around the world. Attend a free, in-depth seminar that features workflows used by some of the industry’s leading film and video production companies. Apple experts will give step-by-step demonstrations that reveal how each of these customers used Final Cut Studio 2 and Final Cut Server to achieve exceptional results.”

Find out more or register here.

Get the Adobe Media Player Now!

April 20, 2008

This is an excerpt from an article to be released in full later this week:

Adobe released the Adobe Media Player software on April 9, which allows a customizable, cross-platform media player experience. Built using as an Adobe Air application, the media player harnessed the power of Flash to create a rich media experience. To complete the experience, Adobe adds support for both RSS feeds and H.264 video, two of the open standards used by the podcasting movement.

What does this all mean? I had a chance to sit down with Deeje Cooley, who serves as the evangelist for Adobe’s Dynamic Media Organization (and formerly as the product manager for the Adobe Media Player). Cooley was tasked with bringing the product to market and he shared insight into Adobe’s motivation for the product and goals for its role in the market. Unlike competing products, the Adobe Media Player has chosen to focus on being a video-only player.

“The growth of video online, the dramatic growth of flash as the video delivery mechanism of choice… there was a ripe opportunity to take advantage of all these events around the industry,” said Cooley. “We started to build an RSS aggregator and quickly recognized that video was going to be a significant media online and so it became a video RSS aggregator. And so that’s really the birth of the Adobe Media Player.”

The Adobe Media Player is immediately available as a free download for Windows and Macintosh platforms from http://www.adobe.com/go/mp.

NAB Video Blog

April 18, 2008

I just got back from NAB this morning... here are a handful of videos we produced while on the road.

The Red Scarlet: A First Look

Adobe Media Player at NAB 2008

On the Scene at NAB 2008

The AJA IO HD with Gary Adcock

The Litepanels Micro

Hope you Enjoy!

Animoto Creates Rocking Slideshows

April 04, 2008

Looking for something different? I discovered Animoto at this year's SXSW conference... Load up your photos, pick a song, and within a few minutes you have a rocking music video. You can use their cleared music or load up your own. Thirty-second movies are free, full-length videos cost $3. You can get a full year's access for $30.

The whole process is a piece of cake. Be sure to check them out – here. You can post the videos to a website, download them for an iPod, or even use YouTube to share. The videos you download

Here are a two more of mine that you can check out.

Learning After Effects

March 31, 2008

I often get asked.... how should I learn After Effects... the answer is slow and steady. After Effects is a tough puzzle that is well worth learning. After Effects is a relatively expensive piece of software with an enormous feature set. It is not a tool that you can just sit down with and pick up in a few hours. If you're going to spend that much money on a piece of software, do not try to figure out that piece of software on your own.

Learning After Effects requires you to spend some time with the program and follow a structured learning regimen. Some of our favorite After Effects learning tools include:

After Effects Apprentice – Trish and Chris Meyer
• After Effects @ Work – Focal Press
• Broadcast Graphics on the Spot – Richard Harrington, Glen Stephens, Chris Vadnais
• Creative After Effects – Angie Taylor
• Creative Cow – www.CreativeCow.net
• Xeler8r – www.xeler8r.com

Double the Size, Quadruple the Rest

March 15, 2008

Many video podcasters are embracing larger video podcast sizes. While the 320X240 size is well-suited for portable players like iPods, those viewing on laptops and televisions prefer the image clarity offered by larger sizes. But what’s the impact of using a 640X480 podcast?

File sizes are approximately four times larger.
• Download times are approximately four times longer.
• Hosting and delivery costs are approximately four times greater.

Don’t be discouraged, just be sure that you can afford to give people what they want and that they are willing to wait for that larger size. Some podcasters take the “easy” way out and offer both sizes. This strategy can work against you though as your show’s ranking on the iTunes charts can be negatively impactd as each version is tracked seperately.

Two More Classes on Kelby Training

February 28, 2008

Two more of my classes are now online at Kelby Training.

Photoshop for Video - Working With Photos
Richard Harrington uncovers techniques essential for video editors who are working with Photos in Photoshop. He shares his best practices for working with graphic and still images in a video environment.

Photoshop for Video - Technical Essentials
Join Adobe Certified Trainer Richard Harrington, as he uncovers the Technical Essentials of Adobe Photoshop CS3 for video professionals and enthusiasts.

You can access all the classes online for only $19.99 per month (besides mine there's a ton of great stuff up there).

Troubleshooting Apple Compressor

February 17, 2008

A lot of folks use Apple's Compressor to create podcast video files. That is when its running. I use Compressor all the time and think its a great application that harnesses the power of Apple hardware and software... but it can be a bit buggy.

Apple has posted a useful article on what to do when Compressor isn't starting up properly or performing normally.They offer basic troubleshooting steps to remedy the situation. This is the right place to start if you are attempting to to submit a batch and you see the following message:
Unable to submit to queue. Please restart your computer or verify your Compressor installation is correct.

Check out the whole article here.

Adobe Updates Device Central

February 17, 2008

Adobe offers a great application called Device Central as part of their Creative Suite bundles. The application makes it easy to test graphics, Flash, and video content and simulated mobile phones and other devices. Adobe just published another update that adds support for more phones and devices.

You'll need to log on with your Adobe ID (they're free). This is important to check out for mobile content creators.
If you are not familiar with Device Central, be sure to check out this overview.

Testing the Feed

February 16, 2008

FEED Validator
There are lots of things that can break an RSS feed. A misplaced character, a misformed date, the list goes on. Fortunately testing a feed is easy. Once you have your feed and media available online, you’ll want to test it. The easiest way is to visit http://www.feedvalidator.org/ where you can enter the adress for your feed. If there are errors in your feed, they are clearly identified. The website also offers suggestions and links to more information on how to fix common problems. This website is invaluable and shoot be a part of your testing process.

New Class on Kelby Training

February 16, 2008

From Scott Kelby's Photoshop Insider Blog

We’ve posted our first online class from Digital Video Guru (and Photoshop World Instructor) Richard Harrington, and it’s one a lot of people have been asking for: Getting Started with Apple Motion. Here’s the link to Rich’s new online class over at KelbyTraining.com. Note: We’ve got a lot more classes coming from Rich very soon, so stayed tuned! (That’s TV talk. I thought Rich would appreciate that type of jargon).

New DVDs on Apple Motion

February 15, 2008

I've just completed three new DVDs on Apple Motion. We shot the titles in HD, and the screen quality is awesome. On each title you get a regular DVD, iPod ready files, and HD files for viewing on a computer or Apple TV. There are three volumes at $59 each or a bundle of all three for $139. Each comes with hands on lesson files and a lot of cool stuff is covered.

“From beginner to master in one set, these three DVD’s will take you step by step through Apple Motion and have you ready to tackle complex projects in just hours. Join Richard Harrington in this three DVD set of clear, concise training that will have you producing higher quality work with Apple Motion in no time.”

You can get the training from VASST.com. If you want a discount code... Post a comment and I'll send it to you.

Amazon has Final Cut Studio On the Spot at a Special Price

February 10, 2008

Just wanted to let you know that Amazon is running a special on the new Final Cut book I co-authored. They've got the book for less than $20 (thats a third off the cover price).

Book Description
Packed with more than 500 techniques, this book delivers what you need to knowon the spot. It is suited to editors of all experience levels, whether you are:

Migrating from another NLE
Upgrading to Final Cut Studio 2
Seeking a handy reference to raise your proficiency

New Plugins for Broader DVCPRO HD and P2 Support

February 10, 2008

This is just awesome, Calibrated Software has a bunch of new plug-ins on tap that make it possible to work with MXF and DVCPRO HD codecs. This will streamline P2 workflow for both Mac and Windows users, as well as make it easier to move DVCPRO HD material to a PC. I promise a detailed review soon. The codecs cost $49 each. Here's the info.

QuickTime P2 MXF/DVCProHD Decode Components for Apple
For playing P2 MXF Files and QuickTime DVCProHD Files on Mac OSX (Intel) and importing native P2 MXF Files into Final Cut Pro Studio 2 Applications (see Read Me)
Please note: The P2 MXF plugin has NOT been tested in long form projects in FCP Studio 2 Applications and the DVCProHD Codec should NOT be installed if the Apple DVCProHD Codec is already installed.
Download BETA 1.0.0 (Build 18) for OSX 10.4 (Tiger) - Intel Only
Download BETA 1.0.0 (Build 18) for OSX 10.5 (Leopard) - Intel Only
Download Read Me
Download License Agreement

QuickTime P2 MXF/DVCProHD Decode Components for Windows
For playing P2 MXF Files and QuickTime DVCProHD Files on Windows (see Read Me)
Download BETA 1.0.0 (Build 18) for Windows
Download Read Me
Download License Agreement

H.264 Video in a Jiffy

December 27, 2007

If you need to create H.264 video files fast... be sure to check out the Turbo H.264 from Elgato. This USB sized device offers a dedicated H.264 encoding chip for less than $100. In our tests... we were flying through video compression tasks. For example, we recently encoded a bunch of hour long video, each taking about 7 minutes. The speed is amazing and the quality is very good. The new software they've released even lets you customize your export templates for custom sizes and data rates (several presets for other portable media players are included).

The Best Price we've found is $89.

The Blog ::