Larry Jordan's Newsletter: March 18, 2024

March 18, 2024

CAUTION: There are reported problems with Java and iLok associated with the latest upgrade to MacOS 14.4. If you haven't upgraded, I recommend you hold off till we learn more. Personally, I'm staying with 14.3.1 for a while.

With the 2024 NAB Show drawing ever closer, I realized we will soon hear a lot about 8K video. Well, yeah, and AI and remote production and HDR and goodness knows what-all. Certainly, 8K won't be the dominant subject, but it will be showcased. So, this week, I decided to write a primer on getting ready for 8K.

I also look at the impact of the upcoming Thunderbolt 5 protocol.

Link: Get Ready for 8K Video

Further down this newsletter is look at the real-world performance of Premiere which makes for interesting reading.

In the news:

Intelligent Assistance launched Embiggen. This Final Cut Pro utility takes an event, project or XML file containing low resolution still images, with or without animation, and uses AI-driven upscaling to return them as high resolution images, matching any moves or effects.

Link: https://www.intelligentassistance.com/embiggen/

Axle.ai introduced the "Axle AI Platform." This combines powerful AI-driven semantic searching, seamless integration of partner software and open source tech, and intuitive MAM, workflow automation, and collaborative video editing, to help you find the media you need when you need it.

Link: https://axle.ai/platform/

JVC is highlighting PTZ (Pan-Tilt-Zoom) and handheld cameras along with their NDI connectivity.

Link: https://www.jvc.com/usa/pro/professional-video/

Cinedeck is providing a sneak peek of their upcoming NAB announcements.

Link: https://vimeo.com/920679781

BorisFX announced Mocha Pro 2024 with support for 3D tracking from within Mocha. "Matchmoves made simple. Automatically detect, analyze, and solve 3D cameras with the speed of SynthEyes + the flexibility of planar tracking."

Link: blog.borisfx.com/mocha-pro-2024-lightning-fast-3d-camera-tracking

LiveX announced real-time Premiere editing in the cloud using Virtual Video Control Room. VVCR is an "all-in-one cloud based, live, production hub. Produce your live broadcast remotely by accessing your production tools in the cloud."

Link: https://livex.tv/real-time-premiere-editing-cloud-vvcr

NAB Amplify has an article on the impact of AI on the media industry. (Spoiler alert: The article was written by AI, but proofed by humans...) Still, this is a very interesting analysis of the diversity of opinion on the role AI will have in our work.

Link: https://amplify.nabshow.com/articles/capitalize-ai-hollywood/

I'm looking forward to my next two live webinars: Color grading in Apple Final Cut Pro and Premiere Pro. Whether you're new to color or an experienced user, my goal is to help you get better by learning how to use the tools inside each application more effectively. Surprisingly, while the basic tools are the same, each application has different strengths and weaknesses. I'll cover these, as well as answer your questions. And, as always, my live webinars are free.

Link: FREE Registration to Larry's Live Weekly Webinar

I've spent the last three weeks editing a 24-episode series in Premiere Pro. It was a fun, yet challenging project where I learned a lot. One of the things I did while editing, was to look at the performance of Premiere when it was running on a very fast system. Yes, Premiere was fast - but it wasn't as fast as it could be.

Link: Real-World Editing: Running Adobe Premiere Pro on Apple Silicon

Since we are all obsessed with getting the most out of our computers, this recent article looks at the performance benefits of adding an SSD to your storage.

Link: How and Why to Use SSDs to Improve Computer Performance

I spent last Friday evening and all day Saturday watching the "New England Show Choir Showdown" - a competition between 15 - 20 middle- and high-school show choirs. It was, without question, the most hopeful event I've seen in a long, long time. Show choirs range from 15 - 60 students and perform four to five songs in a 15-minute set. In the audience are the remaining 1,500 show choir performers (think "theater kids" who can sing and dance) along with interested adults. What struck me was the support they gave each other; the overwhelming feeling was celebrating good work in others. Cheering was constant, with standing ovations after every set. There was a happy buzz everywhere. It was amazing.

As older, more beat-up adults, it is easy to get overwhelmed and depressed by forces in today's world over which we have no control. These kids were the antidote. They cared about each other, they treated each other with respect, and they passionately performed their hearts out. It was the best possible way to spend a weekend.

Until next Monday, stay hopeful, stay healthy and edit well.