Larry Jordan's Newsletter: Jan. 29, 2024

January 29, 2024

20th ANNIVERSARY MONTH!

Over the years I've received many requests for tutorials on DaVinci Resolve. While Resolve was "on my list," working up the energy to actually learn it was hard.

BUT! Last week, I decided the time had come. I mapped out a series of six tutorials with the goal of writing two a week. Here's my inaugural tutorial: an overview of the entire editing workflow in Resolve.

Link: Get Started Editing with DaVinci Resolve

Then, roadblock! My next tutorial was to be multicam editing in Resolve. The problem is that multicam editing in Resolve doesn't seem to work. I can play a multicam clip. I can view the angles in a multicam clip, but I can't play a multicam clip with the angles showing. At all. Not once.

I read all twelve pages in the Resolve User Manual covering multicam. There are no special instructions to get a multicam clip to play. I emailed Resolve support - via their website - twice - five days ago. No answer. I emailed Resolve PR three days ago. No answer. I re-read the manual this morning. Resolve remains dead in the water. So, for now, when it comes to multicam editing, I'm sticking with Final Cut. At least it works.

Regardless of which software we use to edit, we are all interested in keeping our gear running for a long time. Recently, I learned about two lesser-known technical specs that can help us estimate the lifespan of an SSD - either before you buy or after you put it into production.

Link: How To Estimate the Lifespan of an SSD

In the news:

Michael Kammes is continuing his "5 Things" series, this time looking at "AI Tools for Post Production You Haven't Heard of." Not surprisingly, he covers five of them.

Link: Michael Kammes - Five AI Tools for Post

Sony announced enhanced tools and pricing for small production companies using Ci Media Cloud. Optimized for independent creators or organizations with multiple teams, subscriptions start at $245/month and include DIT media transfer, media analytics, Dolby Atmos support, and improved metadata handling.

Link: https://www.cimediacloud.com

Storyboard Hero is a cloud-based AI tool for generating storyboards. Developed by the in-house programmers of an ad agency, this AI tool generates storyboards. Sadly, to view their demo requires giving them your contact information - a dubious policy ESPECIALLY for a demo.

Link: https://storyboardhero.ai

For Final Cut editors, I have a quick tutorial on how to find duplicated media in a project. This is a surprisingly helpful technique.

Link: Find Duplicated Media in Final Cut Pro

As I was writing the duplicated media tutorial, I realized that I hadn't added this visual alert to my existing tutorial on Final Cut Pro icons. So, I updated it with several new images.

Link: An Illustrated List of Icons, Symbols and Alerts in Final Cut Pro X [u]

Last week, I published an effects tutorial for Premiere on how to explode or, um, "unexplode" an image. I continued working with this effect this week and found more effective controls for the un-explosion. Here's the link to the updated article.

Link: Blow Stuff Up – or Bring It Together – Using BorisFX Continuum 2024 [u]

This last weekend, I spent a fascinating day visiting the Museum of Printing in Haverhill, Massachusetts. With exhibits that span from the earliest printed Bibles (around 1450) to movable type and wood engravings to the digital art of today, the museum showcases how the simplicity of printing in color today stands on the shoulders of giants.

Most of my career is in video - except for five years from 1987-1992. Then I was deeply involved in the desktop printing revolution transitioning from hot lead and Linotype into the digital typography and color images we take for granted today. The Museum of Printing is an amazing place and well worth your visit.

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