"I wish it need not have happened in my time," said
Frodo.
"So do I," said
Gandalf, "and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us."
(J.R.R. Tolkien, "The Fellowship of the Ring")
Clayton Moore reminded me of that quote this week. I think it is appropriate. One of the challenges we all face is that each of us has very little control over what is happening. The key is what we do with the time and control that we
do have. Rather than focus on what we lack, which we can't change, let's focus on what we have, which we can do something with.
This is the week before "
The-NAB-that-was" and new products are launching the next two weeks. I also have
seven new articles, which I'll get to after the news.
On Friday,
Blackmagic Design announced: The
ATEM Mini Pro switcher. This is a new low cost live production switcher with all the features of ATEM Mini but now with extra features for recording, streaming and monitoring. Other news included updates to the
Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 4K and 6K, as well as a free update for all
HyperDeck recorders.
On Wednesday, April 8,
Zeb Chadfield, CTO of
The Finish Line joins
Editshare for an interactive webinar "Remote Production: Balancing Work and Self". He and EditShare's Director of Marketing,
Lee Griffin, will discuss Zeb's approach to collaborating remotely with clients. Zeb will also offer insight on how to shift teams from being on-site to using virtual set ups, while creating an atmosphere of collaboration and well-being, using proven best practices for working with remote technologies. Registration is free.
NewTek released the
PTZUHD. The first pan-tilt-zoom camera that transmits full 4K p60 video directly to NDI-compatible receiving devices across a standard network. The NewTek PTZUHD camera allows content creators to capture and deliver superior quality UHD video with native support for resolutions up to 2160p 60 using a 30X optical zoom lens, and a high-quality Sony CMOS sensor. Priced at $4,995 (US) this camera allows one person with a Tricaster to produce a live show.
Thinking of live streaming,
Telestream announced that
Wirecast is now compatible with
Zoom. If your requirements include the need for on-screen titles, graphics and multiple cameras, for example, Wirecast works with Zoom for more professional broadcasts and can help you creatively reach your audience to keep business and communications moving forward. Telestream is also providing a 10% discount on Wirecast and Screenflow to people who work in education, non-profits or government.
Last week, I published a link to a webinar on picking the right gear for live streaming.
Blair sent me a note saying that the host was giving bad information and recommended a presentation by
YouTuber Curtis Judd. I like what Curtis has to say, so here it is.
Thinking of live streaming, I'm
restarting my webinars next week - at least, that's my hope. But I need your suggestions on what to talk about.
Please email me some potential subjects here, then reserve next Wednesday -
April 15 - for a new webinar. I'll provide links and times in next week's newsletter.
Now that many of us are at home, looking for ways to put our expertise to work, I have
seven new articles this week. Most of these revolve around solo production. My lead story is from
Jonathan Barkan with suggestions on ways to improve how we look on camera (
Link). Next, I have an article - written for new editors - on how to
improve the editing of projects shot with one camera. (
Link)
Last week, I upgraded to macOS 10.15.4; the upgrade went well, I recommend it. However, something new popped up - a warning message saying that
future versions of the macOS will not support KEXTs. Having just dealt with Catalina not supporting 32-bit codecs, I did some research on what the "death of KEXTs" means to media creators. This change affects computer security, "Hackintoshes," 3rd-party mice, VPNs and anti-virus software.
Here's the article.
Victor sent me a note asking how to organize a Final Cut Pro X library for
narrative editing. I realized I hadn't written anything about that, so I have a detailed tutorial this week. (
Link)
The last time I updated my two
step-by-step guides for Multicam editing in Final Cut and Premiere was 2013. Seven years is a long time. I updated both this week. Finally, I stumbled across a fast, easy and accurate way to remove color casts using either Photoshop or Premiere. You'll find these in the
Article section below.
We are closing in on publishing our 500th tip as part of
The Inside Tips.com. If you haven't signed up yet, you are missing some very cool ideas on how to work faster and more easily. With six different weekly subjects to choose from, sign up for the ones that can benefit you the most. All our newsletters are free.
A reminder: For the month of April, we are offering a
one-month subscription to my
Video Training Library for only $4.99!
(You can cancel your subscription at any time.) There are more than 1,000 titles on a wide variety of subjects. There's never been a better time to learn something new - and, now, it's more affordable than ever. (Use coupon code:
ATHOME
)
In these times, it is easy to feel isolated and lost. We spent our lives in collaboration with others when, suddenly, we find ourselves confined to our homes - which makes collaboration a whole lot more difficult. Keep in mind that, while times are difficult, they will ultimately end. We will get through this. Focus on the long term.
Second, share yourself with others. Whether this means adding a comment to my tutorials or
The Inside Tips, chatting via social media, or creating blogs - being physically isolated does not mean we need to isolate ourselves from the world. This is a great time to reach out to friends to make sure they are doing OK.
Sharing is a great way to make a positive contribution to something larger than ourselves again. As always, I'm here if you need me. In the meantime, until next Monday, take care, stay safe and
edit well.
