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Article Archive

2006 articles

2005
2004
2003



 

December 2005

 


 NEW!  "Is It Streaming Media or IPTV?" by Howard Greenfield

 

‘IP’ (Internet Protocol) media has been streaming on the web for more than a decade. Isn’t any video stream on the web arguably IPTV


TV (video) + (delivered over) IP (internet protocol) = ‘IPTV’.


The current IPTV offering is characterized by a two-way digital broadcast signal, broadband and set-top based, coming over switched telephone or cable networks. Because we already have streaming Internet video, what would change? And will the promise of increased user control or MPEG quality force the telecoms, ISPs, and portal sites to build out this new platform in the next year?
 

Read the entire article - "Streaming Media or IPTV?", Greenfield, IPTV, Int'l Magazine.

 


 

"Paramount Home Entertainment has greenlit the first feature-length production of _Queer Duck - The Movie_ from creator and writer Mike Reiss.

This project, based on the Internet shorts in which a gay duck comes out of the closet, features the voices of Jim J. Bullock, Kevin Michael Richardson, Marice LaMarche, and Billy West.  Special guest voices include Conan O'Brien, Andy Dick, Bruce Vilanch, Tim Curry, Mark  Hamill, and David Duchovny."

 He and his writing partner of more than 20 years, Al Jean, recently received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Animation Writer Caucus of the Writers Guild of America.  The two, who have been with The Simpsons since its start, co-created "The Critic" for television, and later, for the Internet.  Reiss also was the creator of "Hard Drinkin Lincoln" on the Internet.  After many television ventures which have won them multiple Emmys and a Peabody Award, Reiss and Jean continue to work together on various projects.  Other TV credits include "It's Garry Shandling's Show," "The PJs," "Nine to Five," "Sledgehammer," and "The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson."  Reiss is currently writing movie scripts, and Jean is executive producer/showrunner of The Simpsons.


 

ItsMeTV launched in December 2006 and is offering MEdia Lockers that you can use to store your videos as well as as all other kinds of digital media. You can use ItsMeTV's Media Locker to Link Your Videos to the World Wide Web, Send your video link in an email, or Publish your video on your web site.  Business can use the ItsMeTV to host and promote their adverting, advertorial and how-to videos and multimedia manuals. Get 15 MB for $14.95


 

This is a very cool little utility for users of Windows. Andrew Rowley has released version 2 of Picnam, a program for renaming and recording information about digital images on Windows XP/2000/98. Picnam is a quick and easy way to rename digital images and record information about them in an associated text file. more
 


Grateful Dead to Allow Free Web Downloads - What a short, strange trip it was. After the Grateful Dead angered some of its biggest fans by asking a nonprofit Web site to halt the free downloading of its concert recordings, the psychedelic jam band changed its mind Wednesday.


 

  • Va. Pilot Unit Starts Video Web Site  - Virginian-Pilot Interactive Media, a division of The Virginian-Pilot newspaper, began a video-only Web site Thursday.

  • Called HamptonRoads.tv, the site includes video of local entertainment, news, sports, traffic, local life, music and movie previews. Users can choose videos by content category, with selections from HamptonRoads.tv videographers as well as those from The Virginian-Pilot and other sources.

     


    If you got video and need a place to store it, check out StreamLoad. Great service at a great price...

    Streamload - Send, Receive, and Access Your Files


    Are you just starting to make movies with camcorder and your Windows computer and don't know where to turn? Check out Windows XP and its free, bundled MovieMaker program. Here are few good books that will get you started on using this simple to learn but surprisingly powerful video editing program. MovieMaker Books

    Get Streaming - Quick Steps to Delivering Audio and Video Online - by Joe Follansbee is a great book if you are new to video streaming and putting your videos on the net. It covers the basics and then edges its way to the mid-range of the technology.


    The FILE INTERCHANGE HANDBOOK is a must-have reference for every film and video professional moving to computer based production and distribution. It is the only book that gives a complete scrutiny and breakdown of all file formats for the transfer of images, sound and metadata.

    Geared to a global audience, this text will get you the information that you need to learn this brand-new technology. Upcoming industry trends are mapped out alongside technology standards in this complete guide.

    Learn the purpose, functionality, and structure of each standard format with this single major reference on file interchange. This handbook is the one-stop resource you want for this essential technology.

    Get File Interchange Handbook : For professional images, audio and metadatafrom Amazon
     


    It's been a bad week for computers and the net. Are you concerned about spyware, a virus or hackers intercepting your email and getting your data? Or worse, crashing your computer and destroying your work? The Symantec Guide to Internet Security is an easy-to-understand book that will help protect you against Internet threats. It's written specifically for non-technical computer users.


    Do you want to learn how to set up a car chase, make a realistic-looking alien, stage a fistfight, create atmospheric lighting, and/or correctly use special effects?

    "Digital Video Production Cookbook" (Kenworthy, O'Reilly, US $29.95) will show you how to create sophisticated-looking visual effects, dramatic shots, and powerful sequences using low-cost methods adapted from high-end professional techniques. more


    Are you a filmmaker looking for some great real world tips on how to create an independent film? If so, or if you are just curious about what really goes on behind the scenes during the filmmaking process, please take some time to visit the Horrors of War movie site. The brain child of writer - producer - director Peter John Ross, this site was developed to promote the film, Horrors of War, that was co-directed by John Whitney and produced by Phil Garrett and Sean Reid. The short making of documentaries are GREAT and should be seen by everyone who dreams of making their own flick, as well as those actually in the biz.

     


    Have you ever done it in the raw? We are referring to shooting digital still images with any compression or processing. RAW format. If so, you might want to check out this book that teaches you everything you need to know about shooting in the raw. Adobe Camera Raw - Rob Sheppard

     


    If you are editing on a Mac and are using Final Cut Pro, there is a great new book that can really help you out. Final Cut Pro 5 Editing Essentials by Tom Wolsky - This updated guide gets to the heart of editing with Final Cut Pro 5. Eight tutorial lessons cover the essentials: capturing material, organizing it, editing, adding transitions, basic titling and sound techniques, and outputting from the application. more


    You don't have to be a great film maker or go to film school to create interesting Internet video webisodes. You don't need a lot of gear, big teams, or professional expertise. You don't even need money.

    All you really need is the desire and the energy to do it. Check out the Dave and Berry Show article and learn how these young kids created their own ongoing show - now with eight episodes up and posted. Read the article


    However, if you do want to make money making Internet and streaming video, you ought to read The Business of Streaming and Digital Media. It provides  a concise and direct analysis of how to implement a scalable, profitable venture, as well as the common and hidden pitfalls to avoid in your business. Get The Business of Streaming and Digital Media from Amazon.


    It's Holiday season and many web sites are offering special programming to celebrate. You might want to check out the special Christmas videos web site offered by OutoftheClosetTV. Yes, this site is programmed towards gay and lesbians, but then again, holiday music is for everyone, regardless of sexual preference. Well, except for the TackyJacky videos which are a bit crass but very funny (and heterosexual).


     

    Need a good laugh? This has little or nothing to do with Internet video - except that there is some flash animation inside. Checkout Stooples: Office Tools for Hopeless Fools (St. Martins Press, www.stooples.com) has a hilarious holiday gift section as part of the book parody


    All Mac computers are suitable for recording music, but which one you choose depends very much on what you want to do. Whether you're a singer/songwriter, a band member, a dance music producer, a composer or a music educator, this book - Making Music on a Mac -  will point you in the right direction.


    Have you yet caught the podcasting buzz? If you want to learn how to create and distribute your own podcasts, check out the "Podcasting Pocket Guide.

    Never before has the term "download this" had more meaning than when referring to the latest and greatest podcast.  Podcasting, a hybrid term that smashes the MP3-playing iPod into broadcasting, enables ordinary people to record podcasts of opinions, news coverage, editorials, reviews, and features, and post them on the Web. Podcasting makes broadcasters of people all around the world by making their recordedcontent available for anyone with access to the Internet.  With thousands of free podcast offerings being posted daily, listeners need some help to sift through all of the "noise." more

     


    Looking for an affordable and easy to use utility program for copying and making back-ups of DVDs? For just $39.95, you can copy your non-commercial DVD collection to another DVD, to your hard drive, or even squeeze it onto a CD. more


    Paris Hilton caught on Internet Video. Paris Hilton and her current boyfriend, Greek shipping heir Stavros Niarchos, got into a car crash outside Hollywood hot spot Element around 2:30a.m. Wednesday morning, and TMZ.com was there to catch all the action. Watch the TMZ.com video here! More at www.tmz.com


    Are you a struggling filmmaker or video maker trying to get your web show up and on the net? Check out the story of how Justin Kownacki managed to get his ongoing web based program completed and his trials and tribulations.

    Something to Be Desired is a web comedy about a group of DJs at Pittsburgh’s struggling WANT FM. Now in its third season, the show has blossomed from an online experiment into a regular destination for college students and office workers alike. But bringing a web sitcom to life is not without its challenges, particularly when the cast and crew are volunteering and the budget is anything but big. more



     

     

    November 2005

     

    Do you need a easy to master yet complete video editing solution at an affordable price? Check out CyberLink’s PowerDirector4. In addition to the standard video editing, capture, and titling features, it also has four new video tools for automated video editing and color correction applications. The new PowerDirector4 for Windows XP and Windows 2000 users, is available for a list price of $89.95, and provides everything you need to capture, edit and share video productions. more


    If you got video and need  a place to store it, check out StreamLoad. Great service at a great price...

    Streamload - Send, Receive, and Access Your Files


    In celebration of Drop Dead Festival III, the ACIDplanet® world of music presents the Drop Dead Festival Mash-Up. Launching into its third year, and appropriately timed for Halloween, The Drop Dead Festival is the largest New York festival for dark and experimental music.

    The Grand Prize Winner in the Drop Dead Festival Mash-Up will receive merchandise from the Drop Dead Festival and participating bands, plus more than $1,500 worth of Sony® merchandise.


    Who can copy what? According to the Washington Post, The hot fight now is over copying of video from television or the Internet that generally has been considered freely available to the public.If television broadcasters and webcasters have their way in international treaty talks, they would gain new, 50-year rights to virtually any video they beam out, even if no one owns the rights to the content. Weighing Webcasters' Rights to Content by Johnathan Krim


    If you are looking for a fast, visual way to learn Macromedia Flash 8 and create your interactive website, Macromedia Flash 8 On Demand is the book you need. Step-by-step instructions with accompanying 4-color visuals mean you'll spend less time reading and more time learning. You'll learn how you can easily integrate and add interactivity with tools, develop content using pre-built components and effectively improve authoring capabilities with custom extensions. more


    According to VitalStream,  more people than ever before are are turning to video streaming online to access breaking news. Advances in video streaming and easy access to broadband Internet provide people with the opportunity to view major news events and online broadcasts in an instant, making the Web a popular alternative to television. According to Paul A. Palumbo, research director at AccuStream iMedia Research, three billion news and information streams were delivered in 2004 (71% at broadband bit rates). News and information is forecast to grow 20% to over 3.5 billion streams in 2005, accounting for a 20% viewing share of the entire entertainment and media market online. more


     

    Ok, so they missed Halloween by a few weeks - But the Horror Channel (THC) today announced that it will host an online streaming video (Night of the Living Dead) and simultaneous live web chat at www.horrorchannel.com beginning at midnight Eastern Time on Friday, November 11th (9:00 pm Pacific Time).  Fans logging on to the web channel at www.horrorchannel.com will be treated to the feature film, Night of the Living Dead. And, at any time during the film, fans may participate in a live chat with actress Kyra Schon, who appeared in the film 37 years ago as little Karen Cooper. more


    Are two heads better than one? Many video professionals use multiple displays with their PC based systems to get additional acreage for editing, production and other computer tasks. Now Matrox has announced a special two head adapter for laptops. DualHead2Go is the world's first external upgrade designed to deliver multi-display support to compatible laptops. The DualHead2Go, which connects to the VGA output of a laptop, allows a user to attach two external displays to their system in order to run a Microsoft Windows desktop at a resolution up to 2560x1024 stretched, across both displays. more


    Yahoo, TiVo Join to Blend TV, Web Services -  Yahoo Inc. and TiVo Inc. are teaming up to blend some of their services, a move that further fades the lines between offices and living rooms, TVs and PCs.

     


    How the heck do you get your personal videos to play on the video iPOD from Apple? Check out this great online tutorial from FreeVlog. November 1 entry. For both Windows and Mac users.


    Do you know how streaming video and video over IP really works? If you want to know, you should check out this new tome by Wes Simpson. Easy to read, this big books includes everything you will need to know to get up to speed on the current generation of IP video as well as what is coming next. more


    You cannot call yourself a true video or filmmaker unless you have a copy of the American Cinematographers Manual - this is the bible, the ultimate guide for professional movie makers. Whether you shoot film or video, you need this.  The 9th edition of the "ASC Film Manual." is THE authoritative source of technical information that is a widely used reference around the world. more


     

    Sound for Digital Video  - This is a wonderful book for those who are getting started in audio for video, as well as for the professional who needs to take the next step up to improve their audio production techniques. In many ways, capturing and managing audio for video is a lot more difficult than the video components.

    Unfortunately, the distinguishing feature of many low-budget films and TV shows is often the poor sound quality. If you are a filmmaker shooting DV on a limited budget, you can learn from Tomlinson Holman, a film sound production pioneer. The book covers everything you need to know in order to make your films sound fully professional productions. Holman offers suggestions that you can apply to your own project from preproduction through postproduction and provides tips and solutions on production, editing, and mixing. more

     


    It might be Magix. The new Magix Movie Edit Pro 10 offers everything most professional videographers need from an editing package- and at at a very affordable, entry level price. Under $100! read the review


    Have you yet tried out and tested a hard drive camcorder? It's about time! The new Everio series of camcorders from JVC let you record DVD quality video directly to a 30 gig hard drive and then transfer it to your computer for editing when you are ready. That's 7 hours of DVD quality - 37 hours of "internet" quality. read the review

     


    Do you need a quick, reliable, high-quality and affordable way to convert the output of analog HD video sources to standard video? Check out the new AV Toolbox model AVT-3190HD scan converter that allows older TV sets and monitors to receive HD signals. Perfect for home use, the device—because it converts both PC and HDTV input to NTSC or PAL output—is equally well-suited for boardrooms, conference centers, classrooms, and anywhere else requiring mixed format, multimedia conversions. more

    Click here   for more information


    Who needs cable or broadcast TV when you got Sony's Play Station Portable?  Memoirs, a new bio-series offering music lovers an in-depth look into the lives of the world’s most beloved contemporary music artists, will be distributed on PSP before it hits the broadcast networks. more


     

    "Just Say No To Microsoft" by Tony Bove is entertaining, provocative, and great fun to read. It's also packed with practical information about alternative operating systems and programs that will help Microsoft captives exercise their freedom of choice. more


     

    Have you entered the 555-IFILM Short Film Contest? It's a new short film contest from IFILM where the winning short filmmaker gets $5000! If your film has been screened at a film festival anywhere in the world, you are eligible to submit.

    Read the 555-IFILM Short Film Official Contest Rules located here.


     

    Do you need a cool way to create and insert animated charts and graphs into your business and broadcast videos? Digital Anarchy just announced the  availability of Data Animator 1.0.  Currently available for Windows; a Macintosh version will be released on Nov. 15, 2005. “We recognize that many After Effects users are doing corporate and business graphics,” said Jim Tierney, founder of Digital Anarchy. “With Data Animator, designers will no longer need to rely on clunky chart graphics from PowerPoint or deal with Flash import issues. They can generate charts and graph animations without having to leave After Effects. more


    Hollywood pursues fake film sites - The body that represents the film industry is taking legal action against six websites posing as legitimate film and music download services. It accused the services of charging to re-direct people to file-sharing sites where they can access illegal material. "We won't tolerate this scam premised on the illegal swapping of valuable movie content," said the MPAA.


     

    Now Playing on a Tiny Screen at The New York Times - When Eric Young directed his first episodes for the cellphone serial drama "24: Conspiracy," it was the bullet holes that vexed him most. Mr. Young, hired to create 24 one-minute mobile episodes for a spinoff of the hit series "24," learned that making video for a pocket-size screen is far different from making it for a 27-inch television set.

    About 70 percent of the images he used were close-ups of actors, because panoramic shots appeared blurry. He said he used tiny speakers to hear what "the sound of a neck cracking" would be like on a cellphone after one of the episode's characters died from a snapped vertebra. But for gunshot wounds, the director was forced to make the bullet holes extra large and to double the amount of blood so they could be easily identified on the small screen.


    Do you need a cool way to create and insert animated charts and graphs into your business and broadcast videos? Digital Anarchy just announced the  availability of Data Animator 1.0.  Currently available for Windows; a Macintosh version will be released on Nov. 15, 2005. “We recognize that many After Effects users are doing corporate and business graphics,” said Jim Tierney, founder of Digital Anarchy. “With Data Animator, designers will no longer need to rely on clunky chart graphics from PowerPoint or deal with Flash import issues. They can generate charts and graph animations without having to leave After Effects. more


    Hollywood pursues fake film sites - The body that represents the film industry is taking legal action against six websites posing as legitimate film and music download services. It accused the services of charging to re-direct people to file-sharing sites where they can access illegal material. "We won't tolerate this scam premised on the illegal swapping of valuable movie content," said the MPAA.


    Now Playing on a Tiny Screen at The New York Times - When Eric Young directed his first episodes for the cellphone serial drama "24: Conspiracy," it was the bullet holes that vexed him most. Mr. Young, hired to create 24 one-minute mobile episodes for a spinoff of the hit series "24," learned that making video for a pocket-size screen is far different from making it for a 27-inch television set.

    About 70 percent of the images he used were close-ups of actors, because panoramic shots appeared blurry. He said he used tiny speakers to hear what "the sound of a neck cracking" would be like on a cellphone after one of the episode's characters died from a snapped vertebra. But for gunshot wounds, the director was forced to make the bullet holes extra large and to double the amount of blood so they could be easily identified on the small screen.

     

     

    October 2005

     


    If you are an independent film maker, using the web to help promote your film is essential. Check out how the makers of "Formosa" created a simple but effective site that features the trailer for Formosa. Director Noah Kadner had a strong desire to shoot 35mm film but lacked the requisite finances. “When I first heard about the Panasonic SDX900 camera I became very excited, because I saw that it combined 24p, Cine-style lenses, native 16:9 CCDs and high quality compression.


    The next movie show at Newsweek via MSNBC The Next Movie Show- Not only does Apple's latest iPod do video, but so does its online store.

    - Steve Jobs had some 'splain-in' to do. He's spent the last couple of years insisting that no one wants to watch video on the puny screens in handheld devices. But last week Apple's charismatic CEO introduced the fifth generation of his monstrously popular iPod. And this one ... does video. It will screen your home movies, music videos and TV shows downloaded from the iTunes store (we'll get to that bombshell in a second). Though the screen is bigger than the one on the previous 'pod, it's still tinier than a standard Post-it note. What gives?


    The New iPod with Video.  
    The ultimate music + video experience on the go.
      Buy it now at the Apple Store.

     


    Wannabe documentary makers now have  the chance to showcase their work on its new broadband channel, FourDocs. Unlike vanity publishing in the book world, they don't have to pay for the privilege: the new service is completely free to use and is part of Channel 4's commitment to public-service broadcasting. Along with a good idea, all the budding film-maker needs is a digital video camera and editing software. Once they've shot and edited their film, they upload it to the FourDocs website, where it can be viewed by anyone using Windows or Macintosh media players.

    "These documentaries can be on any subject, so long as it adheres to the specified legal guidelines," explains Peter Dale, head of More4 - Channel 4's new public-service digital channel - who conceived the project. "The only other stipulation is that uploaded documentaries be no more than four minutes long. This short format was chosen partly because it is a challenge for both new and experienced documentary film-makers, and also because four minutes is currently the level of attention span most people have when viewing on the internet."


     

    Anyone can make video movies and put them on the web. Don't believe me? Well then checkout this site nominated by Chris Malimban. A bunch of guys with some good ideas, a camcorder, a Mac and and a Mac Dot account, combined with too much spare time, demonstrates that anyone can make funny little movies and stick them on the web. If you are afraid that you don't have enough talent, or that your ideas just aren't good enough, take heart. This site demonstrates you can do it!


    Do you want that cool "film look" for your movie or video but just can't seem to get it right? Checkout the newest version of Magic Bullet™ Editors 2 from Red Giant Software.  The world’s first real-time film look plug-in for Mac and Windows desktop video editors offers 16 plug-ins including Look Suite, a tool for mimicking various film processes and shooting styles; MB Deartifacter, a new plug-in for cleaning up DV and HDV chroma problems; and Misfire plug-ins for generating a wide variety of damaged film characteristics. Using the new DeepColor RT GPU render engine, Magic Bullet Editors 2 Look Suite plug-in now runs up to 12x faster than the CPU alone—allowing users to do real-time film look treatments on the desktop in standard definition. more


    The Basics of Making Great Movies with Your New Camcorder - everything you need to know about getting started making great looking videos with your camcorder. From zoom to focus to audio to batteries, if you just bought a camcorder or are thinking of getting one, you should read this.


    Smaller Video Producers Seek Audiences on Net - New York Times article

    In 1999, "The Blair Witch Project" became one of the most profitable low-budget movies of all time through word-of-mouth promotion helped along by a mysterious little Web site that the film's creators put up. Now Dan Myrick, the movie's co-director, is turning to the Internet, not just for marketing, but to deliver a whole series called "The Strand of Venice," a moody drama set in Venice, Calif. Instead of watching the show on TV, viewers will have to go to Mr. Myrick's Web site, strandvenice.com, where a 50-minute pilot episode is available free. Future episodes will cost 99 cents, for a 30-minute film. more

     


    Want to watch your videos and movies on your Sony Playstation Portable? Thanks to Video Vault, you can capture, edit and then transfer your videos and movies to a PSP via the PSP's USB connection or MemoryStick. You can input a wide range of video file formats and then use Video Vault's software to do some basic editing including adding title overlays. If you prefer, you can use your standard video editing software to create a movie and then transfer it to PSP via Video Vault. more


    If you are an independent film maker, using the web to help promote your film is essential. Check out how the makers of "Formosa" created a simple but effective site that features the trailer for Formosa. Director Noah Kadner had a strong desire to shoot 35mm film but lacked the requisite finances. “When I first heard about the Panasonic SDX900 camera I became very excited, because I saw that it combined 24p, Cine-style lenses, native 16:9 CCDs and high quality compression.


     

    Study: Broadband Use Grows in the U.S.  More than 60 percent of Americans who use the Internet at home now do so with a high-speed connection, a new study finds.

    That's a jump from 51 percent a year ago. Nielsen/NetRatings says 86 million Internet users surfed the Web on home broadband connections in August. Broadband use has grown steadily in the United States as prices fall and more video and other bandwidth-intent materials are available online.


    U.S. Insists on Keeping Control of Web -  A senior U.S. official rejected calls on Thursday for a U.N. body to take over control of the main computers that direct traffic on the Internet, reiterating U.S. intentions to keep its historical role as the medium's principal overseer.


    Want to win $25,000 cash, $20,000 worth of equipment and a worldwide distribution deal for your short film? AtomFilms® and Intel Corporation have just launched the Intel Indies Film Contest with a call for short film entries available at http://intel.atomfilms.com.  November 21, 2005 deadline.  Winners will be announced at a major film festival in January 2006. The contest asks entrants to create films that imagine what they would do with a magic wand. The theme allows entrants to fully unleash their imagination and tell the story of how they would transform their world, to make it better, easier, and more exciting, all through the magic of movies. more


    Do you want to make money making video? The Essential Digital Video Handbook by Pete May is a very good high level introduction to what it takes to be successful making and selling commercial videos  that make money. We are not talking abut artsy indie films, music videos or Hollywood blockbusters but down to earth commercial and industrial production. If you are just starting out, definitely check out this book. Lots of pictures, logically laid out and easy to understand. more


    All about Streaming Video and Net Video. Check out Doug Dixon's 2005 guide to what you need in order to watch and create streaming video. For both beginners and professionals. more


    Are you thinking of getting a job in Hollywood as a professional video editor? You'll need to learn Avid. Are you thinking of evolving from Final Cut Pro, Ulead and/or Premiere to the editing program that the professionals all use - Avid? Then check out the new "Avid Editing" book by Sam Kauffman. Easy to follow - a great way to get started. more

     

    September 2005

    Do you need to keep in touch while you are on the go or on the road? The good news is that you don't have to lug a laptop with you to check your E-mail. And the bad news is that you can't escape: even today's mobile phone handsets can do E-mail and browse the Web. But at least you can be connected on your own terms -- new wireless PDAs and the deployment of next-generation 10X faster wireless networks provide an astounding array of options. Check out Doug Dixon's Manifest tech article. more


     

    Do you want to make a movie using your DV camcorder? Have you yet seen "Revelation"? Definitely one of the best Star Wars Fan Films out there. Even better, its a free download from the Internet. Also, read about how Shane Felux and his wife Dawn Cowings spent three years and $20,000 of their own money to make our own Star Wars fan film, titled Revelations, distributed for free over the Internet. They had some help - hundreds of people from around the world contributed their time and talent to make this project a reality. Great editing and wonderful effects - more


    If you are doing production or home theatre, you need some tools to correct and improve your video signals. TV One now offers four ultra-compact components that enhance television images and rebuild synchronizing signals. Included within the TV One-task™ line, these components provide high-quality signal performance that is both improved and stable. more


    dotPhoto, a leading digital photo sharing website, has just launched its ‘video-catching’ service, making it possible to  save and share those precious memories with anyone, anywhere. Now you can point your camera phone, capture a video, and send it directly to your dotPhoto account to share quickly and easily with as many people you choose to invite.  more


    Looking for a single web site where you can store, access and share all of your multimedia files? Check out the MediaMax form Streamload.  Streamload MediaMax helps consumers centrally store, organize, access, and share their entire media collection.  For the first time, people have the freedom and tools to share their home videos, digital photos, and MP3s, in full-quality original formats and also access their music, TV shows and movie recordings remotely via the Internet. more


     

     

    Are you Akimbo? Read the review of this new "video and TV on demand service." Not only can you get great programming (including video blogs and classic movies), they are looking for more content. more


    Hollywood's six major film studios on Monday unveiled a technology venture to find new ways of protecting movies from illegal copying and distribution in black markets or over the Internet. more


    Streamload - Send, Receive, and Access Your Files


    Confusion, tech issues delay legit file-sharing sites

    Getting legitimate online music and video file-sharing programs off the ground is taking a lot longer than originally promised. Two promising ventures have been hampered by technical delays and confusion over copyright rulings that seek to curb the wildly popular practice of swapping. more


    You can easily create a customized video player for your web site by using Wildform Flix, Read the review.  Better than Microsoft,  Real Networks & Apples QuickTime.  Nobody offers a more simpler and easier to use solution, especially at this price.


    JVC's new Everio Hard drive camcorders are now available.  The new JVC Everio G Series camcorders record to a built-in hard disk drive and will be available in 20 and 30 gigabyte (GB) versions. At high res, they can record up to seven hours of DVD movie-quality video.   more


    THE INDIE FILM STUDIO CONTEST: To promote the new Indie Film Music Pack, SmartSound is combining with Avid and Alienware to give one lucky filmmaker the SmartSound Indie Film Studio. This package includes more than $11,000 worth of products that give any independent filmmaker critical tools for making their dream project a reality. more


     


    Canon finally rolled out their first High Definition video camera, the XL H1 High Definition (HD) camcorder. It comes with a 20x HD video zoom lens with Superior Canon Optics that provides broadcasters with a low-cost 1080i resolution option for ENG, Documentary or Reality TV production. Filmmakers will also appreciate the extensive Cine controls and 24 Frame rate option the XL H1 camcorder offers. Canon's "professional jackpack" features include uncompressed digital HD-SDI output for seamless integration into broadcast studios or high-quality image transfer to non-linear editing systems. The Genlock feature allows movie sets to easily synchronize camera settings across multiple camcorders and SMPTE time-codes in-and-out allow for streamlined tape and edit management. more


     

    If you are a Mac user, you will be happy to see the release of the new StuffIt Deluxe 10. It’s now fully integrated for Mac OS X, including Tiger! The new program does everything you have come to expect from StuffIt, with an amazing new addition – It now compresses JPEG photos by as much as 30%!


    Looking for an inexpensive, fast and easy way to cut and edit MPEG files? Check out Video ReDo. more


    FOCUS Enhancements announced the new FireStore FS-2E Studio Direct To Edit® (DTE) recorder that records video to FireWire disk drives in edit-ready, native DV-NLE file formats – eliminating the need to capture, transfer or convert clips prior to the edit stage of production. more


     

    Looking to promote your video or film? TriggerStreet is looking for short films and videos for their upcoming contest and exhibition.

    TriggerStreet spotlights the best of the best


     

    Suddenly it seems that everyone on the Internet, from corporate giants to nonprofits, wants to host your bulky video content--free of charge. CNET article by Paul Festa

     

    August 2005

     

    Roxio  announced Toast 7 for Mac computers. Toast 7 includes a number of features that make previously impossible tasks a reality for Mac users.  These features include multi-image High Definition slideshows with pan and zoom effects, transitions and background soundtracks, audio DVDs with over 50 hours of rich Dolby® quality music and advanced navigation, and data spanning, which allows users to backup large files, folders and applications across multiple CDs and DVDs. more


    How does a fictional cartoon group tour? Why virtually, of course. The Gorillaz, the virtual hip-hop band of rock and rap musicians fronted by 2D characters, will hit the road — or information superhighway, anyway — for a one-day online event on Aug. 24  more


    Do you love big budget, big screen flicks like Total Recall, Minority Report, iRobot, Sky Captain & The World of Tomorrow, Dark City, and others? If so, you got to check out Building Sci-Fi Moviescapes,  a very interesting and well laid out guide to the science fiction and "science reality" films of the last couple of decades.


    Who is America's Princess? Who has replaced the Kennedys as America's royal family? Believe it or not, its Paris Hilton. Ouch. Read it here.


  • Andrew Kantor: CyberSpeak - The future of television lies on television, not the Net - There are a group of technologies that are finally ready for prime time, and that together are going to reshape the way we watch television. The future - thanks in large part to the Internet - is true on-demand television. The notion of a limiting TV schedule will go out the window.


  • Can't get enough of Court TV? Now you can watch over your phone.

  • Court TV finds in favor of SmartVideo for mobile (Hollywood Reporter) - Court TV viewers now will have more access to their favorite legal programming through a new partnership with mobile video provider SmartVideo.


  •  

    If you are thinking of making movies, or are already in the biz, you got to read this book "The Art of the Documentary: Ten Conversations with Leading Directors, Cinematographers, Editors, and Producers" by Megan Cunningham. The book contains some incredible interviews with leading documentary directors, cinematographers, and editors. more


    What's your end game? Why are you involved in creating video and Internet movies? Do you just want to share some stories, exploit your message or show off your family and friends? Maybe you have something bigger in mind? Maybe you want to make big time movies? Check out long time Internet Video Magazine contributor Quito Washington and his new full length flick, Reason To Kill. You can subscribe to Popcast to see a bunch of his films or you can simply search the Digital Cinema Pictures site.


    NASA Launch sets record for Internet Video Streaming - nearly 433,000 people simultaneously watched NASA's webcast of this week's space shuttle launch. That's more than twice the 175,000 streams that America Online Inc. had at its peak July 2 for the Live 8 concerts, an event widely cited as a coming-of-age moment for online video. It also nearly quadrupled a record for NASA set three weeks ago during Deep Impact's encounter with the comet Tempel 1. more


    In August, JVC's new lines of hard drive camcorders will finally hit the shelves. The new JVC Everio G Series camcorders record to a built-in hard disk drive and will be available in 20 and 30 gigabyte (GB) versions, offering unprecedented camcorder storage capacity. At high res, they can record up to seven hours of DVD movie-quality video. They also record more than 10.5 hours at a quality level comparable to a DVD camcorder’s 30-minute mode.  more


    Hal Landen's latest book, "Marketing with Digital Video: How to Create a Winning Video For Your Small Business or Non-Profit," shows how small-budget businesses can take advantage of today's affordable digital
    technology to produce effective business videos. more


    Are you using an online video locker to store your video? Do you record your favorite broadcast or cable shows and wish you had access to them whenever or wherever you wanted to use them? Are you running out of disk space because your digital video recordings are so large? Online storage locker may be the solution. more


    Have you signed up for the monthly Internet Video Magazine newsletter? It's free. Get the scoop on new products, technologies and online videos and movies.


    Streamload - Send, Receive, and Access Your Files


    Looking for a good and affordable video editing software package that's easy to use? Check out the new and improved Ulead VideoStudio 9. Read the review by Doug Dixon. If you are trying to create and author DVD discs, then check out Doug's review of Ulead DVD Movie Factory.


    You can now create your own streaming net service that relays your personal home or business TV and cable service, over the net, to your computer or anywhere in the world. Sling Media, Inc. announced the nationwide availability of the Slingbox that transforms Windows XP based PCs and laptops into personal on-the-go digital TVs. The Slingbox allows individuals anywhere-anytime access to their own living room television experience with no additional monthly service fees. Enabling consumers to watch their cable, satellite, or personal video recorder (PVR) programming from wherever they are, the Slingbox turns any Internet-connected laptop or desktop PC into a personal TV. more


    Ready to shoot and edit high definition video but don't want to spend tens of thousands of dollars? Check out the two new HD Handycams from Sony


    According to Informa Telecoms and Media, the market for erotic content for mobile devices is predicted to be worth USD2.3bn by 2010, but realization of this is highly dependent on mobile phone carriers and
    content providers working with regulators in order to determine solid controls and age verification procedures. more


    News, news and more news on the net. Recognizing the value of always available video news on the Internet, CBS announced that it will start making its newscast available 24/7. The Web site will feature free video clips of reporting by CBS journalists with footage not aired in the daily CBS Evening News broadcasts. Breaking news stories will be updated throughout the day. While the other broadcast networks ABC and NBC, as well as cable channels such as Fox News, CNN and MSNBC, have Web sites, CBS said its will be more extensive and on demand more. Check it out here


    Time is Ripe for Video Blogs: Yahoo and Google Ready to Cash In -  Within minutes of the tragic London bombings last week, news sites showed location video footage -- mainly from camera phones -- sent by members of the public. According to director of news Helen Boaden, the BBC quickly received 30 video clips, which aired on broadcasts and online within 20 minutes of the attack. Boaden called it "a new world" of digital media distribution.

    Vamsi Sistla, ABI Research's director of residential entertainment research, agrees: "Now, anybody who has a voice has a means to express it." Many of those video clips were carried on Web sites such as Yahoo, Google and MSN, highlighting what Sistla calls the latest trend in digital home "entertainment": the move by large Internet operators into a realm previously dominated by cable companies and telcos offering broadband services.

    The signs are everywhere. Microsoft is collaborating with France Telecom to produce cutting-edge digital media products. Google, with a new video service, has just announced an investment in a company providing broadband through powerline, and is rumored to be buying dark fiber bandwidth. China's Shanda Interactive has released a set-top box, and Intel is investing in movie distribution. from ABI Research - www.abiresearch.com

     

    July 2005

     


     

    Are you an independent producer with great programming or DVDs to sell but you can't make a dent in the marketplace. Check out how TotalVid helped Norlynne Coar with her "Learn to Surf with Surfer Joe" DVD.


    CyberLink’s PowerDirector4 is a complete video editing application that has some very interesting and powerful tools for creating videos, including four new automated video editing and color correction applications. Read the review


    You no longer need a computer to watch Internet video or video blogs. Check out the new Akimbo Video Player and Service. You can find videoblogs from Rocketboom, FreshWave.TV, Clint Sharp’s Vlog, Steve Garfield’s Video Blog and “The Carol and Steve Show,” alongside programs from A&E, BBC, CNN, HGTV, Cartoon Network and others. press release


    Have you ever heard a song on the radio or at a friend's house and you really want it? But all you can remember is a few words from the tune? Check out the new GoFish Search-by-Lyrics that enables online music enthusiasts to easily search for music by simply typing three or four words of a song's lyrics and have targeted results returned to them. It works. Amazing. This needs to be on everyone's phone and portable electronic device. Once they find the song, they can then listen to thirty second audio clips, review artist information, see album art, and purchase songs. And, as this is a video zine, check out their crazy net videos section with hundreds of funny and classic viral videos and short clips.


     

    Are you looking for an inexpensive way to get started editing your videos and movies? How does free strike you? Check out our Free Video Tools section and the new Free Video Editing Tools article


    Looking for an inexpensive but easy to use software program for editing music and audio tracks for your video productions? Check out Magix  Music Studio 10 deLuxe.  With a list price of  $79.99, it provides professional features that make life easier for home users in the virtual music studio, such as “Elastic Audio Easy” for automatic pitch recognition and correcting monophonic audio. “File Manager” and “Browser” help to review tracks and files – crucial for large projects.  New creative retro effects are featured in the “Vintage Effects Suite” with effects for Chorus, Flanger, Mod filter, and Analog Delay.  Complete drum tracks can be generated by the touch of a button with the new “LiViD” feature. more


    Internet video everywhere. AOL, Yahoo, Google, MSN, etc are all competing to get your attention (and your advertising dollars) via online streaming video. Check out this article from USA Today about Video Hubs. "The "Video Hub" lets users begin their day with personalized TV - be it movie trailers, TV previews, music videos or highlights of news, sports and entertainment."  more


    Have you ever said you wanted to just chuck it all, hop in your van with your video gear and travel the world with your camcorder and portable video editing gear, documenting the ills and currents that make this globe run? Check out FluxView USA, run by Flyx Rostrum, AKA Gianni Lazuli. Whether you are an activist or not, political or just goofy, you'll love his FluxView news van and his loyal cat crew. Check out the site and his new promo video.

     

    Looking to full jump full throttle into the highly competitive video search game, AOL’s Singingfish, a service of America Online, Inc., announced that  will begin featuring optimized video content feeds from more than 13 new partners including:  AtomFilms, Big-Boys.com, CBSNews.com, CNN, Healthology, Inc., Hollywood.com, IFILM, Like Television, ManiaTV.com, MarketWatch from Dow Jones & Company, The One Network, ROO Media and TotalVid. This is in addition to their established content partners like MSNBC, NPR, Reuters, etc. By using the Singingfish video and audio search engine, you can now browse through millions of multimedia files across wide-range of categories including entertainment, finance, health, news, and sports. Hopefully, this will keep AOL users from ever straying of the walled garden.  check out the press release


    Looking for the best video editing program on the market? There's a lot of choices but if you want to make it in Hollywood, you got to know Avid. Check out the new and improved Avid Express DV. Review


    Want to make movies sitting on your couch and watching TV? Check out the new muvee autoProducer unPlugged. Using the Windows® XP Media Center platform, muvee autoProducer unPlugged enables users to quickly and easily make muvees on a TV screen using a remote controlYou can browse for and select your videos, pictures, music and an editing style, before hitting “make muvee”.  In minutes, unPlugged intelligently analyzes the selected media, before automatically cutting video highlights to the music, with style effects and transitions synchronized to the beat to produce a compelling, finished production more

     

    Check out this article by Doug Dixon of Manifest Tech - all about the advantages, features and capabilities of the new Windows Media Player 10 and two cool portable media players - the Samsung Yepp Portable Media Center and the Creative Zen Portable Media Center more

    Also - check out Doug's round -up of Portable Media Devices


     

    Digital Video Hacks - Tips & Tools for Shooting, Editing, and Sharing

    By Josh Paul - First Edition July 2005 (est.)

    This is a really cool book if you want to take digital video to the next step. According to the author Josh Paul, "Some of the (100) hacks include: creating a video that changes its ending based on the time of day, building and using a blue/green screen, and using your DV camera to backup your computer. Of course,  there's also information on vlogging. I sincerely hope there's something in there for everyone, amateur and professional." more


     

    InterVideo Offers Free Multimedia Software Suite for Download -  For a limited time, InterVideo is offering a free download of MediaOne SE at www.intervideo.com.  InterVideo MediaOne SE is the ideal solution for anyone who wants a powerful media suite in one package.  This broad digital media suite allows users to perform several multimedia tasks including photo management, editing/authoring home videos to CD, creating music CDs and burning compilations and slideshows to CD for playback on a PC or on a consumer player as a VCD. more

     

    June 2005