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October 2005 - Internet Video Magazine Newsletter
Boo! Halloween is just a few days away and we thought we would pop into your mailbox. Hopefully this is a treat, not a trick.
This month's issue is packed full of interesting articles and features ? for everyone from home video makers to broadcast professionals to industry developers and vendors.
We also have some excellent videos to watch and some interesting web sites to visit. We even picked out some fun Halloween films for you to watch.
Articles, Product Announcements, Trends and Other Interesting Cool Stuff
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
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
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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.
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 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.
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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.
Atom Films proudly presents a nice selection of Halloween films - watch them now and cringe.
1.
Home Video
2.
Il Ciclo (The Cycle)
3.
Virus
4.
Cry
5.
Blood Syrup
Also, Husky - A very cute Halloween movie for anyone who didn't quite fit in? to their costume.
Have you ever had a problem with relationships - with breaking up? If so, this short film by Tony Roche may be just the ticket. "How to Tell When a Relationship is Over in Ninety Seconds". Ok, its funny.
"Monster Mash? -- the song that defines Halloween -- is being brought back to life again today with the help of the original recording artist and a new Web-based appeal to fight global warming.
"Our goal here is to make sure that people understand that one of the scariest things happening this Halloween is the Bush Administration and Congress refusing to deal with global warming in meaningful way,? said Angela Ledford, director of Clear the Air. ?This is a fun way to spread the word about the threat posed by White House inaction on global warming, and to remind people that they can speak up and be heard."
Did you know that George Bush had three daughters, not two as we have been told. And worse than Cha-Cha Chaney's hidden away girl, the missing Bush daughter is a rock and roller. Check out Flora Bush's new music video - The Girl Left Behind." Not really good music but a cool, creative video none the less.
7M Pictures proudly presents a film just in time for Halloween - "The Bride of the Quickie Monster." Presented as a four-part cyberseries, this is a spoof of silent horror films with a sticky ending. Special thanks to Greg Stone for his help in getting this film online.
Are you a rich white person and are wondering how you might fare if a disaster like Katrina hit your neighborhood? Forget about the maids and gardeners, how are you going to respond to a flood, fire, hurricane, earthquake, real estate bubble bursting? Checkout Operation Blue Blood and you will feel assured that President Bush has a plan for you. He might not make you a Supreme Court judge but he is looking out for you.
This is a very cute, funny and well made little 15 minute film about the mysteries and pleasures of self-satisfaction. Not for kids, "For Mature Audiences Only" is Colleen McGuinness's exploration of coed fantasy, mating and dating, as well as a little bit of self-abuse.
Can't Stand You UP is very cute, six minute film by Cameron Thrower about the perils, pitfalls and occasional miracle moments of dating. Nicely shot and edited, well acted and a lot of cute. Hosted at Sudentfilms.com
Great Video Web Sites- The Best and Most Interesting
If you like short online videos and films - and want to see something new every day, check out the MovieFone Short Film Festival. Every day they spotlight a different video. You can watch it via broadband or via dial up.
"my video blog" tells the story of Jack Selby, a loner who records his daily life on a camera leant to him by his seedy boss, Mr. Murdoch. Whilst filming his mundane existence, Jack inadvertently captures a strange and disturbing series of events, leaving a trail of unanswered questions...the first 9 blogs are now available to view online at: http://www.myvideoblog.co.uk
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!
Are you into Ninja movies and funny, wild co Check out this new flick - A Ninja Pays Half My Rent - at AtomFilm. If you like it, then check out the rest of their new Ninja films.
Crouching Waiter
Hidden Chef
Kung Fu Legend 2
Turbo Edition
Prison Warz
Spoonman
Akai Yume 2
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 You need to scroll down to the bottom of the player in order to play the full pilot episode - Chapter 1 - Sneak Peak.
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.
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PS - for you advertising and marketing people - Internet Video Magazine is now getting over 3500 unique visitors a day!
That?s it for October 2005. As usual, if you want to be removed from this newsletter, please hit reply and put TAKE ME OFF in the subject area.
Copyright SRS Productions 2005
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