AVCCAM On The Road

Slamdance - Day 6

2012-01-26T14:08:00.000-08:00

Wednesday Day 6
The middle of the week is pretty slow in Park City. The weekend crowds from both Slamdance and Sundance have left. Main Street seems deserted. You can actually stand in the center of it and take pictures. Yes, the glitz might be gone, but now we are stuck with the hard core indie film makers.
The Five Flavors of Filmmaking Panasonic Competition is nearing the end.
Today our fifth and final filmmaker, Griffin Davis of Green Stoplight Productions has been assigned the flavor "Wild Cheery". I can't tell you what he is filming, but he mentioned something about a hot tub filled with Cherries. Since they are the last group, and the screenings are tomorrow, they will have a long hard night of editing in front of them. Griffin's co-hort, Andrew Edison is the director of film in competition at the festival entitled "Bindlestiffs".

Something I find really interesting is that last year, I had to train almost all the filmmaker's on the AF-100, afterall it was new. This year, every group in the competition had either shot with the camera, or someone on the crew had. Ah, success.
Anyway, the competition was a blast. It is always fun to meet filmmakers who are up to the challenge of taking a camera for 8-9 hours and then edit a 1 minute film, in an extremely short period of time. They are passionate, and of course, each wants to win the camera. Good luck to them all. We will announce the lucky winner tomorrow nite at the awards ceremony.

I am usually so busy that I don't get a chance to see many of the films in the festival but I saw one yesterday that was really good. "Wild in the Streets" was directed by Peter Baxter, the President/co-founder of Slamdance and still a working filmmaker (see here talking to other filmmakers in the hallway). It tells the story of "the Garden of Eden of Football" as Peter said in his opening comments. It is all about Ashbourne, England and the game of Shovetide Football. It is over 1000 years old and about the only rule is under no circumstance will manslaughter be tolerated. It is historical, humorous and it keeps you on the edge of your seat during the final matches. Watch out for it and make sure to see it.
Well done, Peter.
It has been another great Slamdance. I am proud of the role that Panasonic plays in being a sponsor of the festival and the Competition, and once again, I am happy to be part of it.
More to come. As Always,
The Slamdanced Road Warrior
FTC Disclosure
In compliance with the FTC rulings, I state that I am the Panasonic AVCHD and 3D Professional Evangelist. As such, I am a paid consultant to Panasonic, and I get free use of the AVCCAM and P2 products. (Like the featured AF-100, here at Slamdance) However, the opinions on this blog are purely my own. (So, don't blame anyone, but me)

Slamdance 2012 - Day 5

2012-01-25T14:23:00.000-08:00

Tuesday Day 5
"Windshield Wiper Salute to Stan Lee"
I don't know, having lived in LA and now TN, I still find it funny to walk out to the car and see the windshield wiper salute. (Guess people do this to make sure that the wipers are frozen solid in the morning). I took it as a salute to Stan Lee.
Yes, Stan Lee is at Slamdance.
We had coffee with Stan this morning and this afternoon the film "With Great Power: The Stan Lee Story" was screened to great excitement.
The Five Flavors of Filmmaking Panasonic Competition is in full swing.
Today our fourth filmmaker, Natalie Neal has been assigned the flavor "Raspberry". I can't tell you what she is filming, but hey, she was way excited and said they were shooting on location in Provo, UT. Natalie has a film in competition at the festival entitled "Rose and Sophia".
One more day, one more filmmaker and then we get to sample the five flavors. I can't wait.
Oh, and in case anyone is wondering catching a major head and chest cold at 7000 feet is no fun.
Sniffle,
The Suffering Road Warrior
More to Come. As Always
FTC Disclosure
In compliance with the FTC rulings, I state that I am the Panasonic AVCHD and 3D Professional Evangelist. As such, I am a paid consultant to Panasonic, and I get free use of the AVCCAM and P2 products. (Please wash your hands often, if you touch my cameras now.) However, the opinions on this blog are purely my own. (Ah, ah, choo. Opps sorry, better wipe off your screen)

Slamdance 2012 - Day 4

2012-01-25T13:33:00.000-08:00

Monday Day 4
Yes, it is cold in Park City, UT, but things were HOT at Slamdance today.
Our third filmmakers in the Five Flavors of Filmmaking Competition, D. Jesse Damazo and Joe Bookman have been assigned the flavor "Orange". They have a film in competition at the festival entitled "The Agony and Sweat of the Human Spirit".
The first two filmmakers reported no problems with the AF-100 camera at all and they loved shooting with it.

In the late afternoon, I set up a table right in front of the filmmaker's lounge (always makes sense to be near the bar), to show off and let the filmmakers touch and play with the AF-100 and the new Z10000 3D camcorder. Here you can see me holding a tricked out AF-100. Lots of interest in the cameras and I got to make a lot of new friends.
Later that evening, as I mentioned in an earlier blog, "Holiday Road" had it's world premiere.
Last year's winners of the Panasonic competition, invited a bunch of other directors to help them shoot an omnibus film on the months of the year and the holidays they contain. It was all shot on the winning AF-100 camera. I think that is awesome!
More to come, as always.

The Road Warrior

FTC Disclosure
In compliance with the FTC rulings, I state that I am the Panasonic AVCHD and 3D Professional Evangelist. As such, I am a paid consultant to Panasonic, and I get free use of the AVCCAM and P2 products. (Eat your hearts out) However, the opinions on this blog are purely my own. (In case you didn't notice)

Slamdance 2012 - Day 3

2012-01-22T17:20:00.000-08:00

Sunday Day 3
One thing you have to say for Park City, they know how to handle snow. Yes, we got a lot of it yesterday and last nite it snowed and the wind howled most of the night. But by mid day today, the sun had come out, the roads were clear and it was business as usual at Slamdance.
The hottest and coolest spot to be every morning is the Filmmaker's Breakfast. Slamdance has great coffee.

Our second filmmaker in the Five Flavors of Filmmaking Competition, Kieran Dick has been assigned the flavor "Pineapple". It will be interesting to see what he does with that. He has a film in competition at the festival entitled "no relation"

The big event for me was Coffee with Neil Young and Jonathan Demme. People started lining up pretty early for this event.
Unfortunately, there are no pix of that actual event here on the blog. Slamdance said that Neil and Jonathan had requested no pictures. But, Slamdance TV was there shooting this time with two Panasonic AF-100's (I loaned them one of mine), so I am sure you can check out the conversation (or at least part of it) at: Slamdance.com when they post it.
What a great 2 hours. Both men are quite passionate about what they do and the respect that they have for each other is quite obvious. They talked a lot about the new movie Neil Young Journeys, of course. But then the conversation got quite free wheelin' to include the internet (Neil hates it for music, Jonathan loves it for instant movies), to advice to new filmmakers. Neil "Embrace failure".
It was an amazing time, and yes I did get to ask a question as well.
As Always More to Come,
The Star Stuck Road Warrior
The usual FTC Disclosure
In compliance with the FTC rulings, I state that I am the Panasonic AVCHD, P2 and 3D Professional Evangelist. As such, I am a paid consultant to Panasonic, and I get free use of many Panasonic products. How Bout That?. However, the opinions on this blog are purely my own. And that's my story.

Slamdance 2012 - Day 2

2012-01-22T16:42:00.000-08:00

Saturday Day 2
Four major events happened today at Slamdance.
First, if you thought we had a lot snow yesterday, you were mistaken.
Today, we had a lot of snow!

It snowed pretty hard all day long. In fact, Interstate 80 was apparently closed between Park City and Salt Lake City for awhile. Made negotiating the steep walk up Main Street to Treasure Mountain Inn (Slamdance HQ) a bit challenging.

The second major event was we officially started the Panasonic Five Flavors of Filmmaking this morning. Our first filmmaker, Josh Gibson said he wanted to shoot snow, so I guess he got want he wanted. He has a film in competition Kudzu Vine, which I just watched, it is very lyrical. I can't wait to see what he does with snow.

Third, Neil Young Journey's screened this afternoon and it was of course sold out by the time I got round to trying to get tickets.
They are saying they might re-screen it later in the festival. I hope so. Neil and Jonathan Demme are having a sit down tomorrow, I hope to attend that and will let you know what happens.

And fourth, Slamdance TV posted their first official episode from the Festival. It was shot on the Panasonic AF-100, and this site will be the one to watch lots of great footage during the festival.
Check it out at: slamdance.com
Scroll down and click on Welcome to Slamdance 2012.

So, another great day in Park City and as always, much more to come.
The Snowy Road Warrior

FTC Disclosure
In compliance with the FTC rulings, I state that I am the Panasonic AVCHD, P2 and 3D Professional Evangelist. As such, I am a paid consultant to Panasonic, and I get free use of many Panasonic products. Hotcha! However, the opinions on this blog are purely my own. And I am proud of them.

Slamdance 2012 - Day 1

2012-01-21T14:24:00.000-08:00

Friday - Day 1
Snow comes to Park City!
This is the snow on my car in the morning. Funny thing most of the snow had melted by afternoon. Oh, of course, there is snow in the mountains, hey this is a big time ski area.

More importantly, Slamdance 2012 is officially open.

One of the first things you notice on Main Street is the poster boards for many of the films. These things are really organic, they change and get thicker during the week as the filmmakers staple up their poster, often on top on some other film.

The first day of screenings was typical for the festival, you had films in narrative, documentary, and shorts competition.

In addition, Slamdance always has Fireside Chats which are focused presentations. Today they included the Business of Film and one on Screenwriting.
Slamdance TV is covering the Festival shooting everything on the Panasonic AF-100, the official camera of Slamdace. Check out the Slamdance app and watch all the action: http://goapp.tv/slamdance
As always,
More to Come.
The Road Warrior
FTC Disclosure
In compliance with the FTC rulings, I state that I am the Panasonic AVCHD and 3D Professional Evangelist. As such, I am a paid consultant to Panasonic, and I get free use of the AVCCAM and P2 products. However, the opinions on this blog are purely my own. And Rightly So!

Slamdance 2012 - Day Minus 1

2012-01-19T20:43:00.000-08:00

Hello Slamdance!

We are back and in a BIG way.
This is day Minus 1. All the frantic organization, is even more frantic. Slamdance 2012 opens tomorrow.
And as usual, Panasonic is again an Official Sponsor. And again, as last year, the AF-100 camera is the official camera of Slamdance 2012.
Things are not so quietly gearing up today. Tomorrow the mayhem will be in full force. "Let loose the dogs of creative filmmaking"
I will update this blog each day as this exciting and important Film Festival wreaks havoc on Park City, UT. And, if I miss a day, well the filmmaker's party went late.

You may recall that last year we partnered with Slamdance and created the Panasonic "Road to Park City" Film Com petition based on the AF-100. It was a bit hit, and yes we are doing it again.

Here, see what Terrie Samundra, Sponsorship and Marketing of Slamdance says to all the attendees in this year's official program.

"At the 2011 festival, though a partnership with Panasonic, we chose 6 teams from our slate of filmmakers. Each created a film around a central theme and the winning team brought home the newly unveiled AF-100 camera. (Bernie comment: Big Shout out to Kevin M. Brennan!)

What transpired over the next year could not have been more beautiful. Filmmakers who formed friendships at Slamdance united and created an omnibus feature film, shot with the prized camera.

This year, their film “Holiday Road” was chosen as a Special Screening, bringing us full circle and solidifying why we do what we do.

On the heels of the successful competition, we have partnered again with Panasonic for “The Five Flavors of Filmmaking Competition”. The challenge goes to 5 teams: Pineapple, Wild Cherry, Raspberry, Watermelon and Orange. Whether an homage to Kieslowski’s color-infused trilogy or a nod to the great American auteur David Gordon Green, who did justice to my personal favorite fruit, the Pineapple….we leave the interpretation up to our fine filmmakers.

More from the official program describing the competition:

Each team is assigned a flavor and creates a one minute film using Panasonic’s new AF100 camera in Park City. They will conceptualize, shoot, edit, and screen their work to the Slamdance audience. The Cinematographer of the winning film takes home their own AF100! How can you make a film about a flavor? Well, that’s up to our fine filmmakers.

Join us Thursday, January 26^th at 4:30 in the Gallery Screening Room for a screening of all five films. The winner of the competition will be announced at the Closing Awards Ceremony.

Yep, can't you taste the flavors? Over the next few days. 5 teams will have their eyes on the prize. Panasonic is proud to once again be an official sponsor of Slamdance.

And I will keep you posted as the flavors start showing their essence.

More to come

The Road Warrior

FTC Disclosure
In compliance with the FTC rulings, I state that I am the Panasonic AVCHD and 3D Professional Evangelist. As such, I am a paid consultant to Panasonic, and I get free use of the AVCCAM and P2 products. However, the opinions on this blog are purely my own. And Rightly So!

US Women's Soccer in 3D!

2011-11-23T14:27:00.000-08:00

What a kick!
Sorry, couldn't resist the pun. But it is always fun to shoot 3D.
This last weekend, I was in Phoenix to help shoot the Women's National Soccer Team VS. Sweden game in 3D for Panasonic (who is a major sponsor of the US Soccer Team, and the Olympics, as well). What a fun event.

We were well equipped to cover the game with the brand new 3DP1 camera and three of the smaller 3DA1 cameras.

The game was very exciting. Sweden scored earlier, but the US rallied in the second half and the game ended 1-1.

We had cameras roving the sidelines, and covering the goals and the footage is stunning. Although I must say that shooting a live soccer match in 3D is one of the hardest things I have done. Focus, framing, exposure, convergence and parallax considerations all at once. ARRGH.

The cameras, as expected worked great. Having shot many times with the 3DA1, I was particularly interested in shooting with the 3DP1. All I can say, is wow. The lenses are much better and there are new 3D tools that really help in shooting. Wait until you get your hands on this camera. It rocks! That's me on the 3DP1 at the top of this post.

The crew was fabulous and a joy to work with. In the group picture below from left to right: Jerry Feldman, Ned Weisman, me, Dave Gregory, Remy Medranda, Ken Fleischer (our calm and collected Director), and Philip Robiberio.
If you come to either the CES show in Jan or NAB in April both in Las Vegas, I am sure you will see some of this excitement in the Panasonic booth.

Next stop, Macy's Thanksgiving Parade in 3D.

As always, there is more to come.
The Road Warrior

FTC Disclosure
In compliance with the FTC rulings, I state that I am the Panasonic AVCHD and 3D Professional Evangelist. As such, I am a paid consultant to Panasonic, and I get free use of the AVCCAM and P2 products. However, the opinions on this blog are purely my own.

How Long Do You Want to Keep It?

2011-11-07T12:10:00.000-08:00

Arching Digital Footage (Files) is a hot issue. We are now shooting lots of large files and how do we archive them? Should we put them on video tape? No!
Well, what then? The fact is, you have options.
Here is a white paper I wrote, that gives you my current thoughts.
Let me know what you think.
Bernie

archiving your Digital footage (files)

By: Bernie Mitchell

President, Silver Platter Productions, Inc

Archiving Digital Footage (files) has become a hotly debated topic. Any cinematographer/videographer, producer, or rights holder, who is working in media acquisition, treats raw and edited footage as treasured children. The natural tendency is to say, “I need to keep this footage forever”. And some government or news agencies do in fact need access to their footage for the foreseeable future. In reality, must of us do not, but old habits die hard.

“I archive all my footage on tape. always have, always will”.

I can’t tell you how many times I have heard the above statement. Well, as Bob Dylan sang “The Times They Are A’ Changing”.

I have been in the audio/video business for almost 4 decades, and like everyone, I have a long history of storing my precious footage on videotape. As I am writing this, I have footage shot from years ago, stored on the original 2” quad tape, 1”, ¾” beta, digiti-beta, and even VHS and Betacam tapes. The traditional attitude has always been, put the tape on the shelf and it is there whenever you need it. After all, tapes last forever. (This is not technically true, as even tapes that are stored in ideal conditions will still deteriorate over time. They can oxidize, or the adhesive holding the tape to the spool can break down). Tape was never designed to be an archival media. It was convenient and everyone used it, so we forced it to be a storage media.

SADLY, FOOTAGE STORED ON VIDEO TAPE IS A VAULT, NOT AN ARCHIVE.

Why do I say that? Because footage shot on tape is not easy to access. Let’s say I need to find a specific shot of a pristine beach that I shot in Jamaica. Now, fortunately, my tape boxes generally have shot lists associated with them, so after some digging, I find that the specific shot I want is on a Betacam tape. The first thing I have to do is find someone who has a Betacam tape deck (as I no longer own one). Actually, the same scenario would be true no mater what format the original tape was recorded on. I have to do is find a deck to playback the tape, and as the years increase, the ability to find those specific decks decrease. And, then once I have found the appropriate deck, I have to load the tape and fast forward to the exact time code of the desired shot. This is tedious, yes we have all done it, but there is a better way, now.

Tape will be around forever

With the acceptance of digital acquisition and solid-state recording, many people have been predicting the death of videotape for some time. Most major TV networks and studios have stopped using videotape to acquire the footage, but many still use it to vault (and still call that an archive).

Unfortunately, the death of videotape is occurring even quicker than we thought, due to a natural disaster. The recent tsunami in Japan destroyed many videotape factories. In fact, Sony is encouraging TV networks and studios that still use video tape, to reuse the same tapes, or stockpile what they can. It is quite likely, that the destroyed factories will not be rebuilt.

IT IS NOW MORE OBVIOUS THAN EVER THAT TAPE WILL NOT BE AROUND FOR EVER.

ANALOG VS. DIGITAL

Another sad reality is that most tape vaults contain various tape formats. The reason is that footage stored on tape, could not be moved as it is analog. If your footage was recorded on 1”, you would not move it to another format as in the copy process you would “go down a generation” and lose quality. As a result, no one ever moved his or her footage from the original acquisition format, and therefore most tape vaults have many different formats.

WE DO NOT HAVE THIS LIMITATION WITH DIGITAL FILES.

Digital footage is nothing more than audio and video files. And like all digital data, they can be copied and no degradation occurs. We are only copying files. In fact, with a digital archive you will continually move your information to newer storage technologies, as they develop.

HOW LONG DO YOU WANT TO KEEP YOUR FOOTAGE (FILES)?

This is the singular most important question; you must ask yourself when you are deciding on archiving any audio/visual information. As, I said earlier, I have footage that has been on the shelf for decades. No one has seen some of this stuff for over 30 years, and I can safely say, no one will want to look at it in another 30 years, but still those tapes still on the shelves.

Now, that we are acquiring our audio/video information digitally, let’s be brutal in answering the question of how long we want to keep the information.

The answer to “How Long You Want To Keep It?” will determine what media you store it on today.

AND NO MATTER WHAT MEDIA YOU STORE IT ON TODAY; I GUARANTEE YOU WILL MOVE IT OVER TIME.

If you want to keep your data for 1-10 years, you have many options, but if you must keep your material for 20 years or longer, then your options decrease. There is only one media we know of today that will archive audio/video information for 100 years, and that is film. And film deteriorates over time. There is currently a major initiative to restore “old” film prints. And by “old” we are talking about some ‘recent” classics like “The Godfather”. Naturally, we are not going to take our digital files and transfer them to film.

KEY POINT. THE SECRET TO SUCCESSFUL ARCHIVING OF ANY FILE BASED MEDIA IS REDUNDANCY AND MIGRATION. Make multiple copies and move your data as technology advances.

digital footage (file) archiving options. as of today.

There are a number of storage options available today, and budget and “How Long You Want To Keep It” will determine your choice.

LET ME MAKE IT VERY CLEAR, THERE IS NO SCENARIO THAT I CAN THINK OF WHERE I WOULD ARCHIVE MY DIGITAL FOOTAGE (FILES) ON VIDEO TAPE.

Why would I take my digital information and store it on an antiquated and vanishing media?

archiving to hard drive (Short term storage)

The quickest and least expensive way to archive digital footage is to copy your files to a hard drive. Note: This is Short Term Storage. There are a number of hard drive manufacturers that produce expensive raid drives all the way down to inexpensive USB hard drives. But, hard drives are notorious for failures. And when (not if) a hard drive fails, you will lose your footage. However, hard drives are a good solution for Short Term Storage. I suggest copying your footage to at least two different hard drives, be redundant. Hard drives are good for short term storage, say the length that you are working on the project. But, these hard drives should not be considered permanent long-term storage. Even if you never spin up the hard drive again, even if you just put it on the shelf, the lubricants in the drive will dry up over time, causing drive failure. If you are going to store your footage on hard drives, create a regular schedule to move your data to newer hard drives. Duplicate and migrate your data, that way if a drive fails you have a back-up copy. If you need to keep your footage for a longer period, I recommend one of the options below.

archiving to blu-ray disc (MID-term storage)

If you are shooting in High Definition, your files will be quite large. Blu-ray discs provide an excellent storage media for large files. To archive to a Blu-ray, you will basically be making a Blu-ray Rom data disc. You are not authoring a Blu-ray movie disc. Again, you are just copying data files. To do this you will need a Blu-ray burner, Blu-ray media, and specific Blu-ray burning software. Once you have copied your files, treat the Blu-ray disc with care. I recommend putting it in a case, label it and put it on a shelf. Be careful not to scratch the disc, as this Blu-ray will not be as permanent or durable as replicated movie discs. A number of disc media manufacturers are now making “archive quality” media with impressive lifetime specifications. I would think the media would be more durable, but I would be skeptical of lifetime statements. Again, if you want more security, make a couple of discs. Redundancy and migration of the data is the key to a successful digital archive. Remember in order to retrieve your data from this archive, in the future; you will need a Blu-ray drive. On a positive side, every PlayStation sold has a Blu-ray drive, so in 20 years you should still be able to find a drive. Keep your eye on how digital technology advances and migrate your data to new storage technology as it comes to market.

archiving to Standard DVD discs (MID-term storage)

Another option is to take your footage and copy it onto DVD media. DVD discs do not hold large amounts of data, so copying your files to DVD will be both very time consuming and requires a lot of discs, but the media is inexpensive. Burn your DVDs, label them and store them in cases. Like, Blu-ray, these DVD discs will be susceptible to scratches, so handle with care. I recommend making at least 2 copies, for redundancy. Again, as with Blu-ray there are media companies touting “Archival DVD Media”. I would think that this media is more durable, but I would be skeptical about lifetime specifications. Remember, in order to retrieve your data from this archive in the future, you will need a DVD drive. I personally think in 20 years it will be harder to find a DVD drive than a Blu-ray drive. And again, keep your eye on storage technology developments and migrate your data as new devices become available.

archiving to DLT or lto tape (Longest term storage)

At present, if you have to store your footage for a very long time and want absolute confidence in your archival media, you have one option. Do what financial and medical institutions have been doing for years; back up your data on either DLT (Digital Linear Tape) or the newer LTO (Linear Tape Open). These are more expensive options than those listed above, but they are time tested. Note; these are digital tape storage devices, not analog tape (like video tape). A number of companies, such as Quantum (www.quantum.com), Cache-A, (http://cache-a.com/products.php) and others make DLT and LTO tape drives and media. (See WWW.LTO.org for more info). These devices have been specifically designed to work with digital audio and video files.

content management

Once you start storing you digital footage (files) you will quickly amass large amounts of data. You will need to have a method to quickly find specific footage from this mountain of data. Since the information is digital there are a number of content management software and hardware solutions that provide data base like operation to manage your data. Prices range from the few hundred dollars to multiple thousands, depending on the features of the system. Gone are the days of finding a tape and fast forwarding to a specific shot. With these sophisticated content management systems, you can quickly find the specific (file) shot you need. Assuming you have good meta data information about your files.

About the Author:

Bernie Mitchell is President of Silver Platter Productions, Inc. an Emmy nominated Producer/Director, a Multimedia Person of the Year and member of the DVD Association Hall of Fame. He has produced award-winning programs in virtually every format of videotape and digital acquisition. He is an internationally sought after speaker and presenter. Bernie is also the Panasonic AVCHD and 3D Professional Evangelist.

Follow him on his blog: http://www.avccamontheroad.blogspot.com

Here Comes The Snow (and the Awards)!

2011-10-06T11:11:00.000-07:00

Snow is predicted, the Teton's are getting covered with clouds and the temperature has dropped.
Down here in the valley, the Jackson Hole Wildlife Film Festival is a hot event. We have had a wonderful time talking to the world's premier wildlife filmmakers.
The Panasonic booth has been very busy. As you can see, we have a full line up of cameras, from the very popular (with this crowd) Varicam, to the new HPX250 and the AF-100. We had a program where filmmaker's could sign out and borrow any of the cameras for shooting in the park. Obviously, this made us very popular.

We also have 3D covered with the 3DA1 and the new 3DP1.
In fact, here is the 3DP1 in the lobby of the Jackson Lake Lodge.
There was a day devoted to 3D here at the festival and as you can see, there is lots of interest in this new camera.

Another star was the AF-100, lots of shooters borrowed it and went out and shot in the park (when the weather was good).

For a bit of fun, we borrowed a 18-85 zoom lens from Chuck Lee of Fujinon. Using a PL Adapter it fit nicely on the AF-100. Needless to say, if you do this, use some lens support, as the lens is heavier than the camera.

Many filmmakers have asked for an adapter that will allow them to use their existing zoom lenses with the AF-100. Abel Cine has built just such an adapter. Here we have a Fujinon 17x7.6 lens, the Able Cine Adapter, a PL adapter all mounted on the AF-100. The only thing missing is power for the servo on the zoom.

Tonight is the Gala Award Dinner and Celebration sponsored by Panasonic. I am sure that many of the award winning films that we will honor tonight were shot on Panasonic cameras. As always, I will be sad to see the Festival end. It is one of my favorite events, out here "on the road"

As always, there is more to come.
The Road Warrior

FTC Disclosure
In compliance with the FTC rulings, I state that I am the Panasonic AVCHD and 3D Professional Evangelist. As such, I am a paid consultant to Panasonic, and I get free use of the AVCCAM and P2 products. However, the opinions on this blog are purely my own.

Days Two and Three at Jackson

2011-10-02T08:20:00.000-07:00

First, an explanation. The Jackson Hole Wildlife Film Festival doesn't really start until tomorrow. When I say Days 2 and 3 in the title above, I am talking about the length of time I am up here preparing for the event.
And we are almost there.

We have shot the sunset over the Tetons in time lapse using the Varicam and the new 250 camer. It looked great and will be used as a bumper to introduce various films during the festival. Yesterday, we got up before dawn and shot sunrise. However, there is a fire down the valley (a controlled burn) that sent a lot of smoke our way, so the time lapse of the sun set wasn't as good as we hoped.

Today, there is a separate event here, TEDx Jackson Hole. We have provided 4 cameras to cover the event, including Varicam, AF-100's and the 250.

And, I will be shooting the attendees arriving in 3D using the new 3DP1 camera.

If any of you are attending the Wildlife Film Festival, we have plenty of new cameras that you can sign out and use to shoot the incredible scenery.
Stop by and say Hi

As always, there is more to come.
The Road Warrior

FTC Disclosure
In compliance with the FTC rulings, I state that I am the Panasonic AVCHD and 3D Professional Evangelist. As such, I am a paid consultant to Panasonic, and I get free use of the AVCCAM products. However, the opinions on this blog are purely my own.

Day One Jackson Hole Wildlife Film Festival 2011

2011-09-29T17:58:00.000-07:00

Sunrise from the Jackson Lake Lodge.
It is the start of Day One of the Wildlife Film Festival. Once again Panasonic is a big sponsor of the event.
Check it out: www.jhfestival.org/
Steve Mahrer and I have spent the day sorting 60+ boxes and crates of gear. Panasonic is supplying projectors, plasmas, P2 cameras, 3D cameras, AVCCAM products for this event. So, we have a ton of work in front of us in setting up all the screening and meeting rooms, as well as the exhibition space. In addition, Panasonic sponsors the gala awards event at the end of the festival.
I hope to squeeze a bit of time to shoot some of the terrific scenery and wildlife with a bunch of the new cameras.
It is always a terrific event, with a chance to interact with the premier wildlife filmmakers from all over the world. They are already using a lot of Panasonic products and it is always fun to hear what they think of the new cameras and what additional features they would like to see. If you are attending, stop by and say hi.

As always, there is more to come.
The Road Warrior

FTC Disclosure
In compliance with the FTC rulings, I state that I am the Panasonic AVCHD and 3D Professional Evangelist. As such, I am a paid consultant to Panasonic, and I get free use of the AVCCAM products. However, the opinions on this blog are purely my own.

HOT FUN IN THE SUMMERTIME

2011-09-15T10:28:00.000-07:00

Here's lookin' at you kid. The latest in summer eye wear.

I really have to blog more often, I can't believe it has been since June that I last posed.
Hey, time flies when you are busy.
Lots of Big News in the AVCCAM traveling road show world to share with you.
Here is what has been going on......
Besides living on the road, on those rare moments when I am back in the studio, I have been hunkered figuring out the details of editing 3D footage shot with the Panasonic 3DA1, for each of the edit software systems. Boy, talk about fun. I have finished two white papers already and there are more to come. I will let you know when they get posted on the Panasonic site.

Learning a different NLE is always fun, but add the challenge of 3D and your mind starts spinning (not to mention the potential of headaches). I am really loving shooting and editing 3D. Makes me rethink the art of shooting. I honestly believe there is a big 3D business in corporate, industrial, museum, event and lots of other non-theatrical projects. Actually, these present an ideal situation for a 3D producer in that since you can control the viewing experience, you can shoot for that and make the 3D all the more effective.

I was at the Illinois Videographers Association meeting in Chicago to showcase the AF-100, here you can see it is all tricked out.
I have to tell you the Event and Wedding shooters who have been using DSLR's were knocked out. The idea of a large sensor camera that not only gives you shallow depth of field, but long (virtually endless) recording time, on board audio recording and monitoring, anti-aliasing, no moire effects, time code, etc. is guaranteed to make the mother of the bride blush. The benefits just go on and on. My experience is once you get your hands on this terrific camera, you do not want to let it go!

Next stop on the never-ending road tour, Kansas City where I presented 3D to the major sports organizations, mainly we talked how 3D can enhance coaching analysis. They had not previously considered that, and I am sure we made some converts.

As I travel around the country, I always have to take a few minutes to remember which camera I am talking about, because they are very different. The AF-100 is all about shallow depth of field and the 3DA1 is all about infinite depth of field. Keeping that all straight, along with the menu structures, and features of the different cameras, is always a bit stimulating.

Here is a shot I took in So. Cal. of the newest top of car installations for the AF-100 and 3DA1. I don't suggest you try this, unless you have good insurance and don't need either camera for some time!

In the middle of summer, where better to be than in the Arizona Desert? Nice resort, huh? Yeah tough job, and the golf course was great, except it was 110 degrees. Ah, the dedication, but I digress. Hot, yes, but, come on it's dry heat. Yes, it is and once again the hottest camera at the show was the AF-100. I presented the AVCCAM line at the Association of Community Access Conference in Tucson. As I am finding all around the country, if you are trying to get the job done with DSLR's, you will absolutely fall in love with the AF-100.

From Arizona to Boston for the University Film and Video Association Conference. The AVCCAM line has already made big inroads at schools across the country with many of them using the very popular HMC150 or the very light weight HMC40 or shoulder mount HMC80. In addition to showing these cameras, we hosted a number of 3D events and I have to tell you the film schools are beginning to understand that the 3DA1 is a perfect camera to teach 3D with.

As I said, it has been a very busy summer.
There are a bunch of other exciting developments to tell you about, but they will be in another blog, coming very soon (I promise).
In the meantime, keep those questions and comments coming in. As the AVCCAM Evangelist, I love hearing from you.
Stay tuned.

As always, there is more to come.
The Road Warrior

FTC Disclosure
In compliance with the FTC rulings, I state that I am the Panasonic AVCHD and 3D Professional Evangelist. As such, I am a paid consultant to Panasonic, and I get free use of the AVCCAM products. However, the opinions on this blog are purely my own.

Infocomm 2011

2011-06-21T06:41:00.000-07:00

Spent last week in Orlando at Infocomm. And, yes, Panasonic makes me dress up for these events.
One thing you can say about Orlando in June, it rains every day! Infocomm is a huge trade show mainly focused on projection, display and digitial signage technology. Panasonic had a huge booth that features not only projection but the 152" World Largest Plasma Display. It is awesome. We also had four camcorders in the booth; the HMC80, the HVX370, the AF-100 (the hit of the show, of course) and the 3DA1 (which I am standing next to). It was a good show, met a lot of old friends and made some new ones. Lots of interest in 3D. I answered many questions about the workflow. Seems people are concerned about how you edit 3D.

So now, I am back home and continuing to try to answer all those questions in a logical manner on my 3D editing white papers. I am working on workflow papers for Final Cut, Adobe CS5.5, Avid and Vegas, and using both Dashwood and Cineform plug-ins. As you can imagine, it is a lot of detailed work. When finished, I will let you know, and they should be available on the Panasonic website.

On the flight home, I had a weird experience. This is a shot of my feet, at the exit row, covered in what looked forever like smoke. The flight attendant told us not to worry it was just condensation from the air conditioning. Ah yes, another Road Story. We landed fine.

Stay tuned.
As always, there is more to come.
The Road Warrior

FTC Disclosure
In compliance with the FTC rulings, I state that I am the Panasonic AVCHD and 3D Professional Evangelist. As such, I am a paid consultant to Panasonic, and I get free use of the AVCCAM products. However, the opinions on this blog are purely my own.

A "Wild" May

2011-06-03T06:19:00.000-07:00

Ah, beautiful Lake Tahoe. Yes, I started the month of May driving around the lake and as you can see there is still quite a bit of snow in those there mountains.
Actually, I was in the area to attend a National Guard event. Some of our nation's finest are using Panasonic HMC150 and HMC40 AVCCAM camcorders and HVX200 and HVX170 P2 cameras, on their missions here and overseas. So, a bunch of them had gathered in Reno to learn what is new and to hone their workflow. I spent a good amount of time meeting the troops and was very impressed with their dedication and professionalism. They had some pretty amazing stories to tell. And yes, I did answer a lot of questions about workflow, specifically transcoding, and SD card issues.
After a short one day stop at home, I was off to Missoula, Montana for the 34th International Wildlife Film Festival, the first and oldest Wildlife Film Fest. It is always an amazing event and this year was no exception. It is a week of meeting old friends and making new ones. We always bring a boat load of Panasonic gear to the event so that the filmmakers can play with the new toys. As expected, the AF-100 larger image sensor camera was certainly the talk of the event. Although 3D certainly remains a large interest to this group of creative people.
In the pix on the right, Steve Mahrer of Panasonic is holding the new 9" BT-LH910 monitor while a filmmaker tries out the 370 camera.

One highlight of this year's Festival was an evening concert featuring Grammy Award Winning Native American Flautist, Robert Mirabal. Here is a pix of Robert and me after the show.
We actually shot the concert with 3 cameras. Steve had a Varicam up in the balcony, while James Kleinert (Director of Wild Horses and Renegades) manned an AF-100 in the front row. I had the great pleasure of being on stage with Robert shooting with a second AF-100.

The pix on right was taken by me on stage. In order to sync the 3 cameras, I walked out on stage and took this picture with my iPhone. We just used the flash from the iPhone as our sync point. It also gave me a great look from center stage.

We are beginning to edit the footage now. It was an amazing concert. Thanks to Robert and all my friends in Missoula, it was a terrific evening.

Finally, I ended the month out on the west coast. I presented two seminars on 3D and shooting with the 3DA1 camera, and one presentation on the AF-100, and achieving shallow depth of field. The pix on left was taking during a 3D presentation in the EVS Studios.

And that was May.
So what lies ahead for June? Well, I am still working on those pesky 3D White Papers, I spoke about last month. I just received the new Adobe CS5.5, so I will incorporate that workflow. I have lots of footage to edit, and something tells me I will be on the road quite a bit of the month as well. Hope to see you.

As always, there is more to come.
The Road Warrior

FTC Disclosure
In compliance with the FTC rulings, I state that I am the Panasonic AVCHD and 3D Professional Evangelist. As such, I am a paid consultant to Panasonic, and I get free use of the AVCCAM products. However, the opinions on this blog are purely my own.

Where Did The Time Go?

2011-04-22T11:30:00.001-07:00

Mid April Already? REALLY?

Sorry, I have not posted recently, but as you are about to read, I have been really, really busy. This is a bit of a long post, because there are lots of fun times to share with you.
In case you are wondering what I have been up to the past few months, I have been living on an airplane, giving presentations around the country on 3D and also Panasonic's larger image sensor camera the AF-100. Once again, I feel like Johnny Cash "I've been everywhere, man".

January
Besides the Roscor events, from earlier post, I attended the Slamdance Film Festival in Park City.

This is a way cool event. Of course, Park City, Utah in January is always cool. In fact, I usually pack some of my Alaska Iditarod clothing just to stay warm. (Pix of me above and snow shot on left by Erin Mitchell)

Panasonic is a sponsor of this great indie film festival. And each year, I partake in a fireside chat. This is a time to meet and talk with a number of the filmmakers and learn what they are thinking. I quite enjoy these sessions. See pix below on left.

This year, as expected, the cameras of interest were the 3DA1 and the AF-100.

At Slamdance, I met a couple of really great guys, Nick Ames and Brian Bills, with a very interesting company, PIXAIR.
The pix (on right) shows their RC helicopter outfitted with their brand new AF-100. They just dumped their DSLR from the rig to replace it with the AF-100. They commented that they are now getting stunning aerial footage free of the aliasing problems they were having with DSLR cameras. Check out their demo reel:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ooouvVgYdV0

Most exciting, this year we added a new contest, "The Panasonic Road to Park City" Competition. Filmmakers who had films in the Slamdance competition, were asked to submit a treatment for a one minute film to be shot during the festival. Six were chosen to compete.

The six filmmakers are: Nick Twemlow, Andrew Putschoegl, Matias Lira, CJ Gardella, Simon Arthur and Kevin M. Brennan.
Each filmmaker was given the Panasonic AF-100 for a 9 hour shooting day, and then they edited the finished project into a one minute film. All 6 entries were screened at Slamdance.

The winning entry was: "The Road To Park City is Paved With Artists" by Kevin M. Brennan and Doug Manley.
The pix on left is a still from the award winning film. On the right, I am presenting the award to Doug and Kevin. And naturally, Doug is making a joke at my expense.
Ah, these artists!
Doug and Kevin won an AF-100 to use in their future creations.
The other 5 filmmakers all got a Panasonic Blu-ray player. It was a fun event and an amazing amount of creativity was shown by every team. Congrats to all.
Slamdance photos by Maya Adrabi at: www.ma yashoots.com

A big shout-out to Peter Baxter and all my friends at Slamdance. http://www.slamdance.com
Looking forward to next year.

February.
Although a short month, I kept very busy. I gave 3D and AF-100 presentations in San Francisco, Washington DC (at the Smithsonian, no less), Baltimore, Princeton, Portland (at the Cascade Mt Video Show, always a great event) and for my friends at the Chicago Final Cut User Group. Sadly, no pix to post, but I am sure you get the idea.

March

The Beat Goes On!
March found me giving presentations in LA and then off to Cinequest Film Fest in San Jose (where I unfortunately got sick, too much travel, I think).
But, none the less, the next week found me in Tampa (pix on left) and then Orlando for presentations at the Student Television Network. It is great to see so many high school and middle school kids excited about media production. And, boy did they have questions about 3D.
No time to catch my breath, just load up on cold medicine, as it is off to Austin for SXSW, always a fun and crazy event, even if parking in downtown Austin is impossible.

After Texas back to DC again for a 3D class at American University. From DC, across the country to San Diego for a 2.5 hour guest lecture at San Diego State University.
This is the second time I have done this event. Always over a hundred students, faculty and staff attend and ask great questions. Thanks to Prof. Steve Montal for making this happen. Up the coast to LA for end-user presentations on both 3DA1 and AF-100 and then a weekend with my daughter in So. Cal. (Ah, a small break). Monday, found me headed for Phoenix and more AF-100 presentations.

A day and a half in Phoenix, and then back to LA for meetings at USC, a local high school and then another incredible high. I was invited to give a guest lecture at UCLA Film school (my alma mater). This was a trip as it was held on the very sound stage I frequented when I first arrived at UCLA years ago as a film student. (see pix above). I even wore my UCLA Hawaiian shirt in honor of the event. For this event, I presented both the 3DA1 and the AF-100 camera. It was a great evening.

I did manage to get home some during the first part of this year, but as you can see, I did cover a lot of ground.

Now it is April.
I have just returned from another exciting, but exhausting NAB. In the Panasonic booth there was a ton of 3D, including the introduction of a new P2 based 3D camera, the 3DP1, coming this fall. (More on that later). I had the pleasure to speak to many people about 3D during the week and even gave a 3D presentation at BEA (Broadcasters Education Association) held in conjunction with NAB. Both of these events are always a great time to make new friends and hopefully see some familiar faces in the crowd as well.

In addition, there was a section of the Panasonic booth set up with all the lenses, mounts, and nifty accessories for the AF-100 camera. It was probably the most swamped area of the booth.

In this pix are the experts, from left to right: Art Aldrich, Jan Crittenden Livingston and Barry Green. They spent the week answering million questions about the red-hot AF-100 camera and accessories.

So, at the moment, I am home and in the thick of writing white papers on 3D editing which will appear on the Panasonic web site soon.

I will post a notice here when they are finished.

As always, there is much more to come.
The Road Warrior

FTC Disclosure
In compliance with the FTC rulings, I state that I am the Panasonic AVCHD and 3D Professional Evangelist. As such, I am a paid consultant to Panasonic, and I get free use of the AVCCAM products. However, the opinions on this blog are purely my own.

3D From Start To Finish Road Tour

2011-01-04T07:24:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year, Everyone!
Lots of very cool things happening in the world of Panasonic AVCCAM products.

Our good friends at Roscor Media and Technologies are hosting the 3D From Start to Finish Road Tour, this month.

We will be showcasing the Panasonic AG-3DA1 camera, and demonstrating the work flow from acquisition, to post to output. Hope to see you at one of these events.

Here are the dates:
Tuesday, January 11th, 2011
Sessions at: 9:00 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.
The Baronette Renaissance
27790 Novi Rd.
Novi, MI 48377

Thursday, January 13th, 2011
Sessions at: 9:00 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.
InterContinental Chicago
505 North Michigan Ave.
Chicago, IL 60611

Tuesday, January 18th, 2011
Sessions at: 9:00 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.

Sharonville Convention Center
11355 Chester Rd.
Cincinnati, OH 45246

Thursday, January 20th, 2011
Sessions at: 9:00 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.

Holiday Inn Cleveland - South
6001 Rockside Rd.
Independence, OH 44131

To register, please visit: http://www.roscor.com/content/view/671/1039/

More to come,
The Road Warrior

FTC Disclosure
In compliance with the FTC rulings, I state that I am the Panasonic AVCHD and 3D Professional Evangelist. As such, I am a paid consultant to Panasonic, and I get free use of the AVCCAM products. However, the opinions on this blog are purely my own.

This 3D Thing. Is it all hot air?

2010-11-22T17:45:00.000-08:00

I can't tell you how many times I get asked this question.
Come on, 3D is not new, it comes to the forefront every 10-15 years. It is a fad and then it vanishes. Why is this time any different?
Ok, here are the reasons why I feel that this is finally the time for wide acceptance of 3D.
1. See it Anywhere

For the first time in history, as 3D storytellers, we do not have to ask our audience to go to a theatre. Home 3D is a reality and getting cheaper by the day and you can even watch 3D on your computer.
2. Hello, Infrastructure
And now, the infrastructure to create really good 3D exists. We have cameras, we can edit, we can distribute and we can display. To quote Bob, "The times they are a changin'"
3. Shooting 3D
Really? How do we shoot 3D? There are side by side, and mirror rigs and the new Panasonic 3DA1, integrated 3D camera system. Basically you need two cameras absolutely seeing the same thing. Just like our eyes. If your rig, or camcorder can do that, shooting 3D just got way easier.
4. Editing.
OK, what NLE do you use? It doesn't matter, there are a number of plug ins for any NLE including: Dashwood, Cineform, and Quantel.
Editing 3D has never been easier.
5. Display
Take your choice: Anaglyph (ugly, but works on all displays, including computer), passive polarized glasses, or active shutter glasses. They all work.
Oh, and watch price of 3D plasmas, they are falling faster than you can image.

6. Distribution
OK, you shot it, you edited it, now how do you deliver it?
How about You Tube?
Or, side by side, easy to create in any NLE. Just burn to Blu-Ray Image, output on Standard Blu-ray player to consumer 3D plasma and presto chango, you have 3D. Stunning
7. The 10 foot blue people in the room
Avatar changed everything for a theatrical 3D experience. Wait until you see the 3D Blu-ray of Avatar in your home. It will once again change everything.

I have been shooting 3D with the Panasonic 3DA1 since March 2010. Would love to talk to you about it. Just reply below.

It changed the way I capture the world. I am training cinematographers every day how to shoot 3D with this camera.
We can now create images that mirror what we see.
Way cool!
More to come,
The Road Warrior
FTC Disclosure
In compliance with the FTC rulings, I state that I am the Panasonic AVCHD and 3D Professional Evangelist. As such, I am a paid consultant to Panasonic, and I get free use of the AVCCAM products. However, the opinions on this blog are purely my own.

3D Everywhere, All The Time

2010-11-02T08:56:00.000-07:00

Wow, the hits just keep on comin'. I am having a blast shooting 3D with the Panasonic 3DA1 camera and training other shooters how to shoot 3D with it.

Let's pick up from my last post which had me in San Diego closing out the When It Counts Post NAB Road Show, (that's me in action) For the record, I presented 3D at each of these events (think there were 27 different cities). And the crowds cheered!

Ok, right after San Diego, I am off to Orlando for WEVA. (Wedding and Event Videographer's Association).
We had worked with a couple of Wedding Videographers and showed, for the first time, weddings shot in 3D with the 3DA1 camera. It was simply amazing. We had this big plasma in the booth, and lines of people standing watching weddings of people that they didn't even know. It sure opened many of the WEVA attendees eyes to the real possibility of shooting and delivering 3D weddings!

September starts with me doing demos at NYU. This is always a great venue. The faculty is very cool and the students are so IN TO IT! I love being there.
From NYC to Atlanta to train the Weather Channel on shooting 3D. Now they want to shoot a tornado in 3D. Not me. That same week I presented at SMPTE meetings in Atlanta and Nashville. Just continuing the different day, different city 3D tour.

The next week I am off to Hawaii.
See why I love this job. In paradise, shooting 3D and training shooters. It doesn't get much better than this. Oh, wait, yes it does, read on...

Straight from Hawaii to LA for DV Expo. This was an amazing show.

For the first time we showed a working sample of the new AF100 camera. We had it right next to the 3DA1 and I have to tell you, Panasonic has two new rock stars. We had people lined up in the booth, 5 or 6 deep. It was like the early days of P2. It was fun! These are both incredible cameras.

But wait, from LA to Albuquerque, NM to shoot 3D at the International Balloon Fiesta.

See, I told you it got better.

WOW what an event! Over 800 hot air balloons ascending. It is said that this is the most photographed event in the world. I can easy believe it.
Everywhere you look is an incredible image, and the 3DA1 captured it all in breathtaking 3D. We even got the camera into a balloon.

Kudos to my son, Mike, I drafted him to be second unit 3D cameraman, and he took the camera up in a balloon. Good stuff. Thanks, Mike.

We shot tons of footage, and it is in a process of being edited now. Hope to have it on a Blu-ray soon and be able to show it at various events.

From balloons to Texas for 3D training at University and then on to Chicago for 3D event with Createasphere.
Then back to NYC for 3D presentation at NYU.....
Off to Seattle for 3D presentation at VMI show and then to Denver for 3D presentations at Jackson Hole Wildlife Film Festival Tech Symposium.
As you can see, I have been busy. I know I should try to post more while I am on the road, and I will try to do better.

Some Bernie Tips on shooting with the 3DA1.
* It is not really a hand held camera. Yes, you can hand hold it and Mike had to in the balloon, but I don't recommend it. Use a tripod, or monopod, shaky 3D looks really bad.
* Use the 3D guide in the camera. It gives you a distance guide to let you know where your 3D safe space is. It really helps you to avoid parallax issues and bad 3D.
* Remember to stay at least 8 feet away from your subject. Yes, you can zoom in, but stay 8 feet away. This was really hard to do at the Balloon Fiesta as people kept walking in front of the lens causing framing or window violations.
* Try to use the positive space (behind the screen) and avoid much coming into the negative space (in front of the screen). It is cheesy and tiring to watch.
* Dashwood has a great iPhone app which allows you to check your parallax settings. And they have even converted the C number to feet. Thanks, Tim. Great tool, it really helps. I recommend it.

More to Come,
Bernie
The Road Warrior

FTC Disclosure
In compliance with the FTC rulings, I state that I am the Panasonic AVCHD and 3D Professional Evangelist. As such, I am a paid consultant to Panasonic, and I get free use of the AVCCAM products. However, the opinions on this blog are purely my own.

When It Counts Road Show Final Stops

2010-08-16T08:10:00.000-07:00

Hello, West Coast.
Quick side trip, landed at SFO. We have spent the last 14 weeks on the road with the Panasonic When It Counts Road Show. It has been great meeting and talking with many of you Road Warrior followers. But, sadly all good things have to come to an end.

Today, I have meetings and presentations in Monterey (what a great place) on the HMC80 camera. Lots of educators are really excited about this new camera. Not only does it shoot AVCHD in all the formats and frame rates, but it also shoots DV on an SDHC card.
So now, schools and churches don't have to upgrade their computers, if they just need to shoot and deliver Standard Definition. And what a camera; shoulder-mount, built in XLR connectors firewire and USB connections, component video out, etc. . Great flexibility and really nice pictures.
Later this week on Thursday we close out the When It Counts Road Show in San Diego at the New Hard Rock Hotel. If you are in the area, stop by and see not only the HMC80, but also the 3DA1 camera and learn all about the new great products from Panasonic.

More to Come,
Bernie
The Road Warrior

FTC Disclosure
In compliance with the FTC rulings, I state that I am the Panasonic AVCHD and 3D Professional Evangelist. As such, I am a paid consultant to Panasonic, and I get free use of the AVCCAM products. However, the opinions on this blog are purely my own.

New York When It Counts Road Show

2010-08-05T07:13:00.000-07:00

The Panasonic When It Counts Road Show hit the Big Apple yesterday, and the joint was jumpin.
As usual my presentation was on the AVCCAM family of products, which now includes the HMC150, HMC40 (Little Buster), HMR10 and POVCAM, the new HMC80 (more on this in another post), and the super hot two new products the AF100, and of course the 3DA1.

Next week the show moves on to Minneapolis and then we wind up the following week in San Diego, hope to see you there.

In the second picture, I am demonstrating how to set convergence on the 3DA1.

Bernie
The Road Warrior

FTC Disclosure
In compliance with the FTC rulings, I state that I am the Panasonic AVCHD and 3D Professional Evangelist. As such, I am a paid consultant to Panasonic, and I get free use of the AVCCAM products. However, the opinions on this blog are purely my own.

I'm Been Everywhere, Man!

2010-07-15T19:04:00.000-07:00

Being the Road Warrior Sometimes Stinks!
Ok, so yesterday I was in Portland (coming off a great Panasonic When It Counts Road Show). Flying home from Portand to Knoxville. No big deal.
And Portland is the home of Leatherman so, I had to stop at factory store and buy a cool new one.
Anyway, I am routed thru Minneapolis, and we are delayed. Arghh.
Then we finally get out on the tarmac, and wait an hour and run out of gas. Arrgh. So, we go back to gate, to refuel. 2 hours later we are on the tarmac again. Finally, we take off. I get home after 1:30am and have to be on a plane the next morning at 7am for flight to NYC to train film schools on AVCCAM. Short nite.
I get to airport, fly to Newark, but wait...We circle for an hour before landing, and then the GPS in the rental car routes me in circles around the Holland Tunnel. Finally get to Secaucus 2 hours later than planned. I am jet lagged, and GPS'd. Hopefully, tomorrow in NYC will be better.
The Road Warrior (earned it this trip)
More to come, as always

Another Opening of Another Road Show

2010-07-11T16:30:00.000-07:00

Wow, what a summer it has been so far. Each week a different city, all part of the Panasonic When It Counts Road Show. We have been showing lots of new products and I have been demoing the hot new 3D Camera. Reaction has been amazing. Everyone can't wait to get their heads and hands around 3D shooting.

We have done shows in Los Angeles, Phoenix, San Francisco, Miami, Washington, DC, Boston, Manchester, NH, Dallas, and now this week in Portland.
We still have more to come, with shows in Denver, Atlanta, New York City, Minneapolis and San Diego.
To get more information check out Panasonic Broadcast on Facebook and find the posting for the Panasonic When It Counts Road Show. There is a link for registration and more information
Hope to see you somewhere on the road.

Lots More to Come,
The Road Warrior

FTC Disclosure
In compliance with the FTC rulings, I state that I am the Panasonic AVCHD and 3D Professional Evangelist. As such, I am a paid consultant to Panasonic, and I get free use of the AVCCAM products. However, the opinions on this blog are purely my own.

Into The Wild

2010-05-25T10:32:00.000-07:00

International Wildlife Film Festival
Missoula, MT.

May 10-14, 2010

Each year the best wildlife film makers desend on Missoula, MT for the oldest wildlife film festival. This year marked the 33rd time this event has been held. The setting and the vibe is great. Panasonic is a sponsor of the event, and so each year, we bring a number of cameras to the event for the film makers to play with. It is also a great way to hear first hand what world renowned cinematographers need in the way of cameras in very challenging environments.

A lot of these shooters are currently working with Varicams, so the new P2 varicams got lots of attention. But so did Lil'Buster (the HMC40) AVCCAM shown here with it's big brother the Varicam.

We also showcased the HMR10 portable recorder and the HCK10 POVCAM. This combination was extremely appealing, particularly with the fact that you could separate the camera from the recorder via cable, by up to 65 feet! Additionally, we had a new underwater housing from Gates, that people were very interested in.
Here is a pix of the POVCAM as a helmet camera. I wonder why I look so serious?
The wildlife folks could see lots of application for this little camera and recorder.

Lots More to Come,
The Road Warrior

FTC Disclosure
In compliance with the FTC rulings, I state that I am the Panasonic AVCHD Evangelist. As such, I am a paid consultant to Panasonic, and I get free use of the AVCCAM products. However, the opinions on this blog are purely my own.

This was Fun!

2010-05-01T10:11:00.000-07:00

April 28, 2010
San Diego State Univeristy

I was invited by Steve Montal, professor at San Diego State University to come and speak to his advanced production class. The class was 2.5 hours and we really rocked. I spoke to them about how codecs do matter, and showed some examples of the difference.
In fact after the class, one of the students sent me this email; "Thanks again for coming to our class and presenting. It was one of the most informative classes I've had this semester and finally settled my codec/storage/camera confusion".

I had lots of AVCCAM products there and some P2 as well.
We discussed camera options, what to look for when picking a camera, how you can create a look with your camera.
Then the topic turned to post production. No suprise the great majority of students were Final Cut Users, so I fired up FCP and showed them how easy it is to edit AVCCAM footage.
Finally, I presented them with an update of some of the new products shown at NAB.
First up was the AG-HMC80.

This camera will absolutely rock the education market. It is a light weight shoulder mounted camera that not only shoots HD, but it also shoots standard def on SDHC cards. It will be available in September. More to come.

Second cool new product was the AG-AF100. This large sensor camera is designed as a video camera that you can attach any of your existing still camera lenses to. It has XLR inputs, and time code. It generated a tremendous amount of buzz at NAB. It will be available end of year. And yes, more to come.

Finally, the AG-3DA1. The world's first integrated 3D camera. I have had the pleasure to shoot with this little guy a couple of times, once on a set and once out in the desert and it is amazing. But, let me tell you shooting 3D is a whole new ball game. There is so much more to consider shooting 3D. But the images, whoa. This camera will be out in the fall and you can bet there will be lots more to come regarding shooting with it. I hope to post some tips from things that I learn.

The class was very attentive and asked very good questions. A good time was had by all. And the questions continued after class. The professor sent this very nice email to Panasonic: "Bernie Mitchell's presentation on the developments of HD camera technologies is the most comprehensive lecture/demo we have had on the subject in ten years at San Diego State University. Bernie effectively communicated to the students strategies for making the right decision in selecting cameras and media to work with. The demo of new Panasonic cameras was incredible. We look forward to welcoming Bernie back to SDSU soon. Thank you!"

Lots More to Come,
The Road Warrior

FTC Disclosure
In compliance with the FTC rulings, I state that I am the Panasonic AVCHD Evangelist. As such, I am a paid consultant to Panasonic, and I get free use of the AVCCAM products. However, the opinions on this blog are purely my own.

3D in The Desert

2010-04-10T08:50:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, I got my hands on one of the first Panasonic 3D HD camcorders in the country. What a thrill!
It records 3D on the AVCHD format on two inexpensive SDHC cards and is the newest member of the growing AVCCAM family of professional products.
Off to the desert, just outside of Las Vegas to put this baby to work. Let me tell you shooting 3D is a whole new way of thinking and shooting. Panasonic has done a great job of creating a hand held, light weight camera that makes the process easier. But, if you have never shot 3D, there are a number of new skill sets that you will have to learn. And the best place to start that learning, to get your hands on this new hot camera and to see some of the tremendous footage shot with it, is in the Panasonic booth at NAB. Starting Monday and running thru Thus of next week, the Panasonic booth will be the place to be. Stop by and say hello, and I will welcome you to a new 3D world.

More updates to come.

The Road Warrior

FTC Disclosure
In compliance with the FTC rulings, I state that I am the Panasonic AVCHD Evangelist. As such, I am a paid consultant to Panasonic, and I get free use of the AVCCAM products. However, the opinions on this blog are purely my own.

AVCCAM at NAB Once Again!

2010-04-07T15:00:00.000-07:00

April 7, 2010

It is time for Las Vegas and NAB (the National Association of Broadcasters Show).
Ole Betsy, Lil' Buster, other AVCCAM products and I will all be in the Panasonic Booth next week. Wonder what surprises we will be showing?
NAB is Monday, Tues, Wed and Thurs. I will be there talking the AVCCAM talk. If you are coming to NAB, please stop in and say hi!
Also, I will bring the products to the Final Cut User Group SuperMeeting Tues. nite at the Rio. And, immediately after NAB, I will be at BEA. It is going to be a very busy 10 days. I look forward to speaking to many of you. As always, it will be a blast.

The Road Warrior

FTC Disclosure
In compliance with the FTC rulings, I state that I am the Panasonic AVCHD Evangelist. As such, I am a paid consultant to Panasonic, and I get free use of the AVCCAM products. However, the opinions on this blog are purely my own.

Lil' Buster Goes Viral!

2010-03-26T12:42:00.001-07:00

We have just completed 14 "How To Videos" for the Panasonic HMC40 AVCCAM camera (Lil' Buster, to us here on the blog.)
This pix is a behind the scenes look in the studio. BTW, all the footage that you see in these videos was shot with the HMC40 camera. No tricks, just the real thing. As I have said for months, this little camera is amazing.

To see the videos go to Check them out at: www.youtube.com/user/PBTSProVideo.

Each program is short and covers a specific topic, such as "How Do I Set White Balance." We tried to keep them informative and a bit entertaining. You can learn all about frame rates and resolutions, dynamic range stretch and interval recording (time lapse) some examples of this I have posted here on previous blogs. Other programs include Pre-record (really cool feature) as well as Optical Image Stabilization (a must if you are hand holding the camera). We even included some FAQ's. All in all, 14 nifty little videos that should help you to make the most of shooting with Lil' Buster.
If you get a chance to look at them, post your comments here. I would love to hear what you think.

The Road Warrior

FTC Disclosure
In compliance with the FTC rulings, I state that I am the Panasonic AVCHD Evangelist. As such, I am a paid consultant to Panasonic, and I get free use of the AVCCAM products. However, the opinions on this blog are purely my own.

Lil' Buster Headed To Hawaii For AVCO Tech Show

2010-03-26T12:24:00.000-07:00

Aloha!

March 31 and April 1 are the dates, Neal Blaisdell Exhibition Hall. Honolulu, Hawaii is the place. Lil' Buster, Ole Betsy and the new HMR10 and POVCam will be at the AVCO Technology Show. Oh yeah, I will be accompanying them.
See www.theavco.com/avcotechnologyshow for registration and details. Come by and see the cameras and take in my presentation both days entitled "Codecs to Cameras: The Panasonic AVCHD Evolution". I will be stressing the importance of video compression and how MPEG-4 is vastly superior to the older MPEG-2 compression and cameras that still use it. It is usually a lively discussion, because I also always ask "Why in World Would You Still Shoot on Tape (or MPEG-2)?"

The Road Warrior

FTC Disclosure
In compliance with the FTC rulings, I state that I am the Panasonic AVCHD Evangelist. As such, I am a paid consultant to Panasonic, and I get free use of the AVCCAM products. However, the opinions on this blog are purely my own.

Lil' Buster in Park City, UT for Slamdance Film Festival

2010-01-24T16:47:00.000-08:00

Sunday January 24, 2010
Finally the sun came out! It has been snowing, cold and white-out conditions here since Friday am. The Slamdance Film Festival (see www.slamdance.com) is in full swing and the weather can't dampen the spirits here.

Yesterday, I moderated a Fireside Chat session at Slamdance
where we invited filmmakers who all have films in this year's festival to speak. Each of these filmmakers shot their films on Panasonic cameras. Mainly the HVX200 P2 camera. They talked about their experience with the camera and the workflow. Then they showed clips of the films. Way cool!

I then asked them what they liked about shooting with Panasonic and their comments ranged from: "I like the look I get with Panasonic HD cameras", "The camera is so light weight it allowed me to get shots in positions not otherwise possible", and "The workflow from camera to edit is so fast".

I also asked them if there was anything that they didn't like, and there really wasn't. How bout that?

Thanks to the filmmakers for sharing their stories and talent with us.
You can check them out on the links below:
Nico Sabenorio "Bout That Bout" see: www.boutthatbout.com
John Carluccio "Cease & Desist" see: johncarluccio.blogspot.com
Chuck Gomez "Poinciana Sunrise" see: slamdance.bside.com/2010/films/poincianasunrise_chuckgomezdirector_slamdance2010

After the session we all gathered out in the hallway, where TV Specialists, the Panasonic dealer in Salt Lake City, had set up a table and had a number of the Panasonic cameras on display for the filmmakers to play with. See: www.tvspecialists.com

Most were familiar with the P2 cameras but the AVCCAM cameras (particularly Lil' Buster, the HMC40 camera) that record on standard SDHC cards, blew them away. I am pretty confident we will see films next year shot with Lil' Buster.
It was a great day.

Tomorrow, I am giving another Fireside Chat at Slamdance, this one is "Codecs to Cameras" and I will discuss the benefits of the various codecs, the limitations of MPEG 2, and show the Panasonic P2 and AVCCAM cameras.

I will try to get some more pix tomorrow and post them.

The Road Warrior

FTC Disclosure
In compliance with the FTC rulings, I state that I am the Panasonic AVCHD Evangelist. As such, I am a paid consultant to Panasonic, and I get free use of the AVCCAM products.

Lil' Buster at Jackson Hole Wildlife Film Festival

2010-01-06T11:31:00.000-08:00

-
Sept. 28- Oct. 2, 2009
Every 2 years amid the fall splendor of The Grand Tetons, the world's best wildlife cinematographers gather for the Jackson Hole Wildlife Film Festival. This is an amazing event. Incredibly talented people and amazing scenery. For more information, check out: www.jhfestival.org/

These cinematographers are the type that think nothing of living in the wild for over a year, shooting with the world's best cameras to create award winning nature films. These film makers use Panasonic high-end Varicams every day. But, I have to tell you Lil' Buster (The HMC40) made quite a debut.

First and foremost, for this crowd, it comes down to image quality. Secondly, it is all about the robustness and weight of the camera. We are talking some pretty tough locations. And third, they are looking for cool features. In all these areas, Lil' Buster answered all questions.

Image Quality. Recording on SDHC cards, the media costs are almost non-existent and the picture quality blew everyone's mind. I can't tell you how many times I heard, "I can't believe a camera this inexpensive, can make pictures this good." Now, I am not saying they will stop using Varicams, but I did hear this comment almost daily. "Wow, this would be a perfect second unit camera."

Robustness and Weight. Ok, so we haven't yet had it out in the wild for a year at a time, but everyone was knocked out by how light weight it is. "I could hand carry it. Wouldn't need a bulky case."
And as you can see from this pix, it is small enough that you can even mount it on a fence.

Cool Features. Pre-record and time lapse really speaks to this crowd. To be able to get the dolphin jumping every time, or clouds sweeping isn't just cool, it's critical. I have posted examples of time-lapse with this camera here before, but I couldn't resist shooting the mountains.

As I say, Lil' Buster was a hit. However, the newest members of the AVCCAM family created the most buzz at this event. But, that is for another post.

More to come,
The Road Warrior

FTC Disclosure
In compliance with the FTC rulings, I state that I am the Panasonic AVCHD Evangelist. As such, I am a paid consultant to Panasonic, and I get free use of the AVCCAM products.

Lil' Buster Shoots Disney Wedding

2009-09-14T06:17:00.000-07:00

FTC Disclosure
In compliance with the FTC rulings, I state that I am the Panasonic AVCHD Evangelist. As such, I am a paid consultant to Panasonic, and I get free use of the AVCCAM products.

September 10, 2009
Walt Disney World

Today, Lil' Buster (The Panasonic HMC40 camcorder) got all dressed up and made his working debut at a fantastic Disney wedding.

As I mentioned in an earlier post, I teamed up once again with my friends at Bruno White Entertainment, the pros who shoot Disney Weddings. Last year, when Ole Besty (The Panasonic HMC150) first came out, they did a fantastic job of shooting a couple of weddings for us, so I was very curious as to their reactions to Lil' Buster.

I was able to provide them with two HMC40's for the event and I actually documented them shooting the event with my Lil' Buster. I hope to post some videos later.
The wedding and the venue were spectacular. We shot pre-ceremony shots in the lobby of the Grand Floridan Hotel. Then the bride and her father climbed into Cinderella's coach (really!) and rode to the Disney Wedding Pavilion. This pix of the castle at the top of this post was taking thru the window of the pavilion by Lil' Buster. Yes, remember in addition to great HD footage, this camera also shoots 10.6 megapixel stills.

The crew at Bruno White did their usual amazing work and are delivering a Blu-ray disc for us to play in the Panasonic booth this week at WEVA (Wedding and Event Videographers Association) here in Orlando.

In this pix, the HMC40 is equipped with the Pro Audio Rig, which gives 2 XLR inputs and an external microphone .

On the other HMC40 they were able to rig their Sennheiser wireless receiver.
Pretty ingenious.

Ok, so how did Lil' Buster and his brother and sister perform? Flawlessly. The Bruno White shooters were very familiar with the HMC150 and so they had to get acquainted with the HMC40 touch screen menu controls. However, they loved the light weight of the camera (only 2.2 lbs) and the flexibility it provided to them during the shoot.

And as you can see, I finally have proper camera support.
A great help, as you can tell from my rather innovative camera support stands for the time lapse in earlier posts. My friends at Libec have supplied me with a great light weight tripod, the H22DV. It arrived just in time to cover the wedding, thanks, Libec.

If you are in Orlando and coming to Weva, please stop by the Panasonic booth and say hi. If you will be at DV Expo in Pasadena next week, look us up again in the Panasonic booth.

More to come,
The Road Warrior

Lil' Buster at Disney World

2009-09-10T05:22:00.000-07:00

Sept 9, 2009
Lake Buenva Vista, Fl

No, Lil' Buster and I are not on vacation, but as you can see even Mickey wanted to hold the camera.

We are in Florida to supply Lil' Buster's brother and sister (2 new Panasonic HMC40 cameras) to Bruno White Entertainment. Bruno White Entertainment is responsible for the high end video recording for weddings at Walt Disney World. More on this in a later post.

But, the wedding was a late afternoon date, and the Florida sunshine was beckoning, so Lil' Buster and I went to Disney World to see what we could shoot.

However, every where we went someone else wanted to hold Lil' Buster. It was certainly a crowd pleaser. This guy told me he loves it to his very bones.

One of the key features of this HMC40 is the ability to shoot time lapse.
So, go to the following link to see footage shot in the interval mode with 1 frame every 10 seconds. Disney Balloon Time Lapse
Pretty cool!
And here is a behind the scenes shot. Once again, notice the great camera support system. Hey, it worked.

More to come, including details on the Disney Wedding Shoot.
The Road Warrior

In The Morning, In The Evening, Lil' Buster Does Time Lapse

2009-09-07T15:45:00.000-07:00

August 24, 2009
Bryce Canyon National Park
Sunset
Lil' Buster (The Panasonic HMC40 HD camcorder) and me at Bryce Canyon setting up to shoot the sunset in time lapse. Notice the way cool camera support.
(Photo by Erin Mitchell)

Ah, Bryce Canyon. Now, this is a magical site, especially at sunset and sunrise. I shot both.

If you want to see the result, click on the following link to YouTube.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oQ7HboBgZmQ

With Lil' Buster it is a snap to shoot time lapse. Just touch the LCD viewfinder menu button. Then pick Record Set Up and then Interval Record. Now you have to decide what effect you want. This is where you can choose to shoot one frame every 1 second, or every 10 seconds, 30 seconds, 1 minute or 2 minutes. Remember shooting time lapse requires good camera support and lots of patience. Just think of all the applications for this feature. Imagine shooting traffic, sunset on the beach, a concert load in/load out, or even a building being constructed. It would be awesome.

On one of my many airport waits, I was bored, so I pulled out Lil' Buster, sat him on a chair and recorded this time lapse footage.
Again, click on the following link to see this footage
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_1viUNSGk0I

I can't wait to shoot more time lapse with Lil' Buster, a most amazing camera. And I am happy to report that the HMC40 is shipping from Panasonic now! So, you can get your own!

More to come,
The Road Warrior

Burnin' Up Miami

2009-08-20T12:48:00.000-07:00

Thursday August 20, 2009
Miami, Fl

Lil' Buster (The Panasonic HMC40) camcorder got introduced to the sun and fun of Miami this week. Reactions from dealers and shooters were all positive. They believe that Panasonic has a new "Big" star. With it's low price, light weight, time lapse, prerecord and the fact that it also shoots 10.6 megapixel stills, it is appealing to all types of folks. And it records on MPEG 4 instead of the old MPEG 2.

Naturally, the question of workflow pops up. It is amazing how many misconceptions are still out there. People believe that AVCHD footage is impossible to edit. Not true. I have edited on Final Cut, Final Cut Express, iMovie, Adobe Premier, Sony Vegas, Pinnacle, ULead, Avid and Edius.
In fact, when Lil' Buster ships later this month, Panasonic is bundling a free copy of Edius Neo 2 which edits native AVCHD.

I have written a white paper on the Edius workflow which appears on www.panasonic.com/avccam. In additon, there are quite a few workflow papers on this site. Check them out.

Next week Lil' Buster and me will be in San Diego.
More to come,
The Road Warrior

Lil' Buster Boffo in Hollywood

2009-08-17T03:09:00.000-07:00

August 13, 2009
Hollywood, CA

Tonight, Lil Buster (the Panasonic HMC40 camcorder) rocked Tinsel Town!
We had standing room only for a 2 hour love-fest at Birns and Sawyer in the heart of Hollywood. The enthralled crowd included not only production folks, but also educators, corporate videographers and web designers. And they loved Lil' Buster.
Why?
1. Price - under 2K (street price)
2. Light weight - just 2.2 pounds
3. Hi-def video and 10.6 megapixel still pix
4. Great low light performance
5. Scalable bandwidth (from 6 to 24 megabits per second). Great for web.
6. Pre-record. You will never miss a shot.
7. Time lapse record
...and the list goes on and on.
Great interest in using the HMC40 as a "B" camera on productions that are using the bigger brother HMC150 as an "A" camera.
Birns and Sawyer were so pleased with crowd of "new" customers that we have been invited back for a Christmas holiday presentation.
Hey, we can then wow 'em with the new HMR10 recorder/player and POVCAM. But that is another story.
More to come
The Road Warrior

Lil' Buster In The Rain

2009-08-10T07:46:00.000-07:00

Aug. 3, 2009
New Orleans, LA

As fortune would have it, Lil' Buster (the Panasonic HMC40 AVCHD camcorder) and I found ourselves in New Orleans. Great opportunity to shoot some amazing HD footage, I thought.
Well yes and no. It rained. I mean New Orleans style buckets of rain. So, this picture shows my rather ingenious rain hood for the camera. It is a one gallon zip lock bag. Naturally, I couldn't shoot with the camera in the bag, but it did keep Lil' Buster dry. I wish I had a zip lock bag for me. I got soaked three times walking around the French Quarter.
However, during the brief spells of sunshine, I marveled again at the versatility of this great camera. You can imagine how hot and humid New Orleans got once the rain stopped and I pulled Lil' Buster out of the baggie. Well, since there are no moving parts, I didn't have to worry about head clogs, and could start shooting immediately. No dew sensor came on and told me to wait. Ah, you gotta love solid state recording.

Haven't had a chance to edit the footage yet, but I am looking forward to it.

This week, I am on the road again. Tomorrow night at the GA Professional Videographers Meeting. For information please see: http://app.talkfusion.com/fusion2/view.asp?NDU3Mjgx_2814712
Wed, I fly out to LA for an event at EVS. For further info, please see: http://www.evsonline.com/contact_us/index.shtml
On Thurs, I will be making a presentation at Birns & Sawyer that is entitled: Shoot Cheap - Load Fast - Think Panasonic
When: Thursday, August 13th
Where: Birns & Sawyer Camera Division
6381 De Longpre, LA 90028
RSVP: info@birnsandsawyer.com

If you are in Atlanta or LA, please stop by.

More to come,
The Road Warrior

New Jersey Final Cut User Group Meeting

2009-07-29T07:11:00.000-07:00

July 28, 2009
Panasonic Corp Offices, Secaucus, NJ

Last evening, I brought Lil'Buster (the HMC40) home to Panasonic Corporate offices for meeting of the NJ Final Cut Pro User Group.
We had around 30 people in the audience. I had presented to this group a number of months ago, to introduce Ole Bestsy (the HMC150) and the concept of AVCCAM products. Last nite, was Lil' Buster's coming out party. Besides an incredible price, the crowd reacted to a number of the camera's key features; 10.6 megapixel still images, pre-record, time lapse recording, dynamic range stretch and the very light weight of the camera.
Also, the fact that Apple has now announced new support in Final Cut Pro for AVCCAM editing (including proxies) certainly had the crowd buzzing. I haven't yet got the new FCP but when I do, I will post reactions here.
More to come,
The Road Warrior

AVCCAM in New Zealand

2009-07-20T19:57:00.000-07:00

This is me and "Steiny" at Doubtful Sound in the Fiordalnds on the South Island of New Zealand. It is cold, it is winter there. Pix taken by my son, Michael, the ace computer programer.
Steiny was the first professional AVCCAM Panasonic camcorder, unfortunately no longer available. I call it Steiny because it is about the size of a can of Steinlager, a New Zealand beer.
Ok, I could have called it Foster, but that would be wrong, as I am in New Zealand, not Australia at this moment and a Foster's can is way to big! You know, those Aussies!

If you have been wondering what happened to AVCCAM on the road, I went on holiday.
Sorry, you should try it, good for what bugs you. Nothing bugged me for 2 weeks.

Ok, Milford Sound gets all the tourists, but Doubtful....whoa. We saw dolphins and a part of the world that is incredible. Makes you feel wonderful to be alive.
Steiny is actually a forerunner to the hot new Panasonic HMC40 camera. Steiny only shoots 1080/60i and still pix, the new HMC40 (Lil' Buster, the HDV and MPEG 2 Buster, for those of you who follow this blog) shoots all flavors of HD (1080i, 1080p, 720p) and great 10.6 megapix stills. Not in the same league.
Sadly, Lil' Buster had to go home to Panasonic (couldn't get time off) while I was on holiday, to get it's pix taken for the brochure. Hey, some of us work, some play. So, Steiny got to go down under. And it fit in my shooter's vest pocket.

Speaking of play. I will soon post videos from Steiny in NZ and OZ.
Needless to say AVCCAM on the road, went to new heights down under.
Yes, I will post some from OZ at some point.
Currently back on the road, reunited with Lil' Buster and in CA.
More to come,
The Road Warrior

Lil' Buster goes home, briefly

2009-06-19T18:41:00.000-07:00

June 19, 2009
Orlando, FL

Infocomm came to a successful end this afternoon, as did my brief friendship with Lil' Buster (The HDV and MPEG-2 Buster) HMC40 camcorder. He was a huge hit, BTW.
But, now he has to go home to Panasonic in NJ, for some cute model shots and advertising posing.
The good thing is that means you will be seeing him everywhere. The bad thing, is I will have to wait a couple of weeks to get him back. It is sort of like joint custody. I can't wait to take him on the road with me. And of course, I will report on our continuing relationship, here on the blog, as we slay HDV and MPEG-2 and establish AVCCAM as the dominant HD affordable solution.

It was a great week. Thanks to all at Panasonic for letting me work with the first HMC40 to come to the US.
Take good care of Lil' Buster and I look forward to his return.

More to Come
The Road Warrior

Cool Features on HMC40

2009-06-18T15:11:00.000-07:00

June 18, 2009
Orlando, FL

Lil' Buster (the HDV and MPEG-2 Buster), my trusty HMC40 camera is making a big splash here in sunny Florida at Infocomm. This picture shows Steve Golub, National Product Manager for the AVCCAM product line, next to Lil'Buster. Doesn't he look proud?
I mean Steve. He should be for it is a great camera at a great price.
How much you say? Well, Steve says, the list price will be under $3K! Wow.

I have been shooting with the HMC40 and I am very impressed. The first thing you notice is how light weight it is. Only 2.2 lbs! You could shoot all day and not get cramps in your arms.
The second thing is the image quality. It is stunning.

Lil' Buster shoots at a variety of resolutions and frame rates. And all of the menu settings are accessed by touch screen from the viewfinder. PH Mode (at 24 megabits per second) at 1080/60i, 1080/24P, 1080/30p, 720/24p, 720/30p and 720/60p.

In addition, you can also shoot 1080/60i at lower bandwidths, 17, 13 and 6 megabits per second. The advantage of the 6 megabit per second is that the file size is small enough you can send it via ftp.

As I mentioned in an earlier post the HMC40 also shoots 10.6 megapixel stills.

And another way cool feature that I discovered yesterday while going thru the menus is that you can set interval recording from 1 frame every second to 1 frame very 2 minutes. This allows you to shoot those really cool time lapse sequences.

One thing I did notice while shooting outside in the bright sunlight is that it is sometimes hard to see the touch screen monitor. I mentioned this to Steve and he said that maybe an LCD hood would solve the problem.

Customers here at Infocomm have reacted very positively to Lil' Buster. I think this is the start of a beautiful friendship.

More to come,
The Road Warrior

Leavin' Las Vegas

2009-06-16T03:43:00.000-07:00

June 14, 09
Crown Room

(This pix taken with an iPhone)
After making a great impression at National Press Photographer's Association Conference in Las Vegas, it was time to take Lil' Buster (the brand new HMC40 camera) home.
We are off to Infocomm in Orlando, next week.

In addition to taking stunning HD video, the HMC40 also shoots 10.6 megapixel stills. So, after some weird contortions in trying to take a still picture of myself, here are the results.

(This pix taken with HMC40)

More to Come
The Road Warrior

"Do I Have To Sleep In The Cupboard?"

2009-06-12T16:42:00.000-07:00

June 12, 2009
Las Vegas, NV

Remember this quote from Chip in Beauty and the Beast, "Do I have to sleep in the cupboard?"
I thought of it this morning when I retrieved the new HMC40 camera from the hotel safe. Since it is the only HMC40 in the US, I naturally am paranoid about losing it. So, it slept in the safe.
Lil' Buster is the name I have given the HMC40, thanks to Tom, one of the followers on this blog. Tom said it is a true HDV Buster. So, Lil' Buster now joins Ole Betsy in my travels on AVCCAM On The Road.

Lil' Buster is having his coming out party here at the National Press Photographers Association meeting. Besides exhibiting, I am giving a presentation each day, "Getting Comfortable Shooting Stills and HD Video." The photojournalists seem to really like the light weight and picture quality from the HMC40. I have too busy to shoot much with the camera yet, but plan to do some shooting later today and tomorrow.

More To Come
The Road Warrior

Hey Las Vegas, say "Hello" to the new HMC40 camera!

2009-06-10T17:59:00.000-07:00

June 10, 2009
Las Vegas, NV

Scary morning at the Indy airport. Seems a woman had something suspicious in her bag and TSA locked down all security screening. We stood there right by the screeners with our gear in the tubs and they wouldn't let us out, or anyone else in. This went on for about 15 minutes and then they moved us all to the screening lines as far away from the woman as we could get. Then they let us through, but she was still being held back. Wonder what she had in her bag? And I was sure hoping that she wasn't on my flight.

Anyway, no further excitement and here I am back in Las Vegas. It was only 2 months ago that I was here for NAB.
This time I am exhibiting and presenting at the National Press Photographer Association meeting; tomorrow, Friday and Saturday. Walk in registration is encouraged. See http://www.nppa.org/professional_development/workshops_and_seminars/convergence/2009/

And here is the big NEWS! Tomorrow, I will receive the first and only HMC40 camcorder in the US. This first production sample was shipped over from the Panasonic factory in Japan. As you can imagine, I am quite excited to get my hands on this camera.
We showed a prototype of this little jewel at NAB, but it wasn't fully operational. This new camera is, and I intend to do some shooting here in the desert and will post my opinions later. The HMC40 is a little brother to Ole Betsy (my trusty HMC150). I will have to think of a name for it. The reason it is a little brother, is that it weighs in at just 2.2 lbs. And, not only does it shoot stunning AVCCAM high definition, but also 10.6 megapixel stills. I am sure the photojournalists will love it.

Should be an incredible few days here in the desert.
More to come
The Road Warrior

When Deja Vu Doesn't Work

2009-06-09T17:45:00.000-07:00

June 9, 2009
Indianapolis, IN

This is weird! I know I am a Road Warrior, but come on!
I landed yesterday morning in Indianapolis. I have flown here many times before. I get off the plane, it has been a long morning from Knox to Atlanta to Indy, and a short night before, so I am not thinking that clearly, I will admit.
But, still....I feel like I have stepped into the Twilight Zone. I am walking from the gate to baggage claim and nothing, and I mean nothing seems familiar.
I get my bags and walk to rental car area and nothing, I mean nothing, is familiar.
I get the car and start to drive out of the airport, and again nothing is familiar, and my GPS is taking me to roads that don't exist.
What is going on?
45 minutes later when I checked into my hotel in Carmel, IN I asked what was different about the airport. The clerk, laughed and then told me, everything was different, it is a new airport. Indy has a brand spanking new airport. Ah, whew, once again dogged the Alzheimer's bullet.
But, it made for a strange morning.

I am in Indy for the Duncan Video Show.

And what a show it was. Tom Parrish, the Panasonic Sales Manager and I set up a very nice booth, with Ole Betsy (my trusty HMC150), the new HPX300 (a hot, hot P2 camera), the pan and tilt system, a P2 portable and a wonderful 26" monitor.
Attendance was very good. People are really interested in HMC150 and the HPX300. But lots of questions about the differences between AVCCAM and P2.
Hence, my afternoon presentation: Comparing P2 and AVCCAM workflows.

This discussion has to be about Codecs and it unfortunately many people are confused.
This short answer is the P2 cameras record on DVCPRO, DVCPROHD, and AVC-Intra and as a result will always have better images and color space than AVCCAM cameras that record on SDHC cards using the AVCHD codec which is MPEG-4. AVCCAM produces stunning quality with affordable hardware and media costs.
But, where people get confused is that the AVC H.264 MPEG-4 codec also includes the very high end AVC-Intra which is recorded on P2. What gives?
Let me try to explain.

Think of the relative Codec quality as this, from top to bottom:
AVC-Intra 100 - highest quality. Independent frame, 10 bit. It is part of the AVC, H.264, MPEG 4 codec. Recorded on P2
AVC-Intra 50 - the equlivant of DVCPROHD 100 (at half the bandwidth) still Independent Frame, 10 bit, and part of AVC, H.264, MPEG 4 codec. Recorded on P2
DVCPRO HD 100 - the highest DVCPRO codec that is a .mxf file. Recorded on P2
DVCPRO HD 50 - a lower bandwidth a .mxf file. Recorded on P2
DVCPRO - lower bandwidths, a .mxf file. Recorded on P2
AVCHD - 24 - 6 mega bits per second scalable MPEG 4 recorded on SDHC cards. This is a Long GOP (Group of Pictures) format, that is highly efficient for acquisition. It is part of the AVC, H.264, MPEG 4 codec (like AVC-Intra, at the higher end of the quality stack).

I know, clear as mud.
I am working on a graphic to help explain this. Also we need to talk about the differences between MPEG 2 and MPEG 4 but that is for another post.
I have an early morning flight to Las Vegas, hope they haven't changed that airport since NAB, or it will be Deja Vu all over again
More to come
The Road Warrior

Leavin on a Jet Plane

2009-06-08T03:55:00.000-07:00

June 8, 2009
Knoxville, TN

Another Monday Morning at the Airport.
Woke up this am with Peter, Paul and Mary's "Leavin' on a jet plane" playing in my head. It was a beautiful drive through the hollers of East TN with a pastel dawn sky.

I am off to the Midwest for the Duncan Video Showcase in Carmel, Indiana. This is always a great event.
See http://www.duncanvid.com/.
Many of Duncan's customers already own P2 cameras and naturally there is lots of interest in AVCCAM. So, tomorrow, Ole Betsy (my trusty HMC150 camcorder) and I will be comparing and contrasting the P2 and AVCCAM Workflow. It will be a fun and hopefully enlightening presentation. If you are in the area, please stop by and say hello.

Then, later in the week, Ole Betsy and I are off to Las Vegas for Convergence 09, the National Press Photographer's Association meeting. Besides exhibiting at the event, I will make three presentations (one each day) on the AVCCAM workflow. Photojournalists are increasingly being told to shoot video as well as stills. Naturally, they are very concerned and anxious about learning new skill sets. There are lots of sessions at this show to address this point. But, of course AVCCAM presents a very easy transition for them. I can't wait to show them the camera and explain the workflow. See: http://www.nppa.org/professional_development/workshops_and_seminars/convergence/2009/
It should be a good show. Again, if you are in Las Vegas and can attend, I look forward to seeing you.
As always, more to come.
The Road Warrior

So Florida Final Cut User Group Meeting

2009-05-31T13:16:00.000-07:00

May 28, 2009
Miami, FL

Well, the rain didn't stop. But that didn't stop people from attending the So. Florida Final Cut User Group Meeting held tonight at Videoscope, in Miami. Thanks to Bill Craig and everyone at Videoscope for hosting the event. We had standing room only.
The program consisted of my friend, Orlando Luna, from Apple demonstrating work flow with new DSLR still cameras that also shoot video, and yours truly presenting "Why in The World Would You Still Shoot on Tape, or MPEG-2?

I started by challenging the audience asking how many are still shooting on tape. About half raised their hands. I then asked how many were shooting on HD, less than half this time.
I then boldly stated that within 2 years they would all be shooting HD and none of them would be shooting on tape. That always get the evening off to a rousing start. The beauty of these presentations, is I get to present my personal perspective as a user. As always the opinons expressed in the presentations and on this blog (for that matter) are mine.

But, the actual fact of the matter is that all of the camera manufacturers are moving away from tape and towards solid state, optical disc, or flash memory recording.
Panasonic is the world's leader in solid state HD cameras having introduced the very successful P2 line of cameras a few years back. Now, of course, me and Ole Betsy (my trusty HMC150 camera) are on the road to talk about the AVCHD format and Panasonic's professional line of AVCCAM products that use the AVCHD format. And very wisely, in my opinion, Panasonic has decided that their AVCCAM products utilize SDHC cards to record. They are reliable, robust, available everywhere and their price continues to drop. Music to my ears and shooters around the country. Here I am pushing this advantage.

The question I always get at this point is can I use any SDHC card, and the answer is Yes, But...
In order to shoot in the PH (Professional Mode) with the HMC150 camera you will need at least a class 4 SDHC card (and a class 6 is recommended). And be careful, just like you wouldn't buy cheap no name tape, avoid SDHC cards from companies that you might not know. Panasonic, of course, makes a full line of SDHC cards all the way to 32GB.

The audience appreciated the features of the camera and were intrigued about editing with Final Cut. It is very easy and I demonstrated that to them. They also were very interested in the new AVCCAM products coming this fall including a couple of new cameras and a very exciting AVCCAM portable field recorder/player.

The crowd asked very intelligent questions and maybe nobody wanted to go out into the rain but they stayed till almost 10pm.

When we finally finished, the rain had stopped. It was a great evening, I enjoyed meeting with them and I guess it was a success as they have invited me back in the fall when the new equipment comes out. I will be there, hope the rain is not.
More to come
The Road Warrior.
PS thanks to Marlene and Orlando for the pix.

Scalable Bandwidth in Miami?

2009-05-31T12:53:00.000-07:00

May 27, 2009
Miami, FL

You know you are approaching Miami, when the pilot tells you the descent will be bumpy, and he spends the next few minutes swerving around magnificent thunderheads. But, I love Miami for it's diversity, vibrant neighborhoods and general good vibe. However, at this time of year, you can count on rain.

This afternoon, I had the pleasure to speak to one of Panasonic's customers. This is a company that specializes in IT design and installation and they have recently purchased an HMC150 camera. They plan on using the camera to produce both internal training videos as well as online sales and marketing efforts. I pulled out Ole Betsy (my trusty HMC150 camera) and walked them through the basic camera set-ups. But, when they told me about their web-based goals, I showed them a little understood, but very cool feature of the Panasonic HMC150, namely scalable bandwidth.

So, what is scalable bandwidth? Well, one way to think about this, is that whenever you shoot digital HD video, you are recording your information (or data) at a certain number of mega bits per second. This is also referred to as bandwidth. Among other things, the higher the number of mega bits per second, the better your image will look, but also the bigger your files will be.
The HMC150 camera was the first camera to record in the AVCHD format with the new PH (professional mode) at up to 24 megabits per second. The results are stunning images.

However, the HMC150 also allows you to record at different and lower bandwidth settings. As noted, the HMC150 will shoot 1080/60i in the PH mode (up to 24 mega bits per second), but also in the HA mode (17 mega bits per second) HG mode (13 mega bits per second) and HE mode (6 mega bits per second).

When I first heard about this I was confused. If I have a camera that will shoot at 24 mega bits per second, why in the world would I want to set it to record at a lower bit rate? As, I thought about it, I came to the conclusion that if I was shooting a static talking head, with not much action maybe, just maybe, you could get away with a lower bit rate.

Well, a few months ago, we decided to do a side by side bit rate comparison, so we could see what happens to the quality when the bit rate changes. Here is one of those tests, courtesy of Panasonic. This piece was shot by Bentley Nelson.

I realize that this is hard to critically evaluate over the internet, so, if you would like to see this and more clips, in better detail, stop in at your Panasonic Professional Broadcast Products dealer. Play with the camera and ask him to show you the AG-HMC150 DVD that contains these bandwidth tests (under the DVD ROM content).

Frankly, I was stunned at the results. The HE mode at 6 mega bits per second looks surprising good. Is it as good at the PH mode at 24? No, but it is not bad at all. Most importantly, the resulting file size is very small. So small that the files can even be sent via ftp. That is pretty amazing, HD files zipping through the internet as ftp files.

The customer agreed that the 6 mega bit clip looked really good. I suggested that for their initial in- house training videos they shoot at 1080/60i in the PH mode. But for their web-based clips, I suggested they should do some tests at the lower bit rates. It is quite possible that 6 mega bits will work just fine for them. It will be interesting to see how they proceed.

Tomorrow, I am off to present to the University of Miami and then to the So. Florida Final Cut User Group Meeting. Should be an exciting day. Hope the rain stops.
More to come.
The Road Warrior

Bound for Miami and FCP User Group Presentation

2009-05-24T13:19:00.000-07:00

May 24, 2009
Knoxville, TN

Ah there is nothing like warm weather for camera tests. Here is a pix taken last year in Miami as I was comparing the Panasonic HMC70 camera against a number of other cameras. Having shot the Iditarod Dog Race in Alaska at -67 degrees, I like coming to Miami.

Well, Ole Betsy (my trusted Panasonic HMC150 camera) and I are headed off to Miami next week. A number of meetings are still being finalized. But, if you are in the area and can make it to the So. Florida Final Cut User Group meeting on Thurs night. I invite you to come on over.
I will be there presenting "Why in the World Would You Still Shoot on Tape, or MPEG- 2, For That Matter?"

Here is a link to their meeting site page with directions, etc.
http://www.soflafcpug.com/html/meet.html
You will need to RSVP.

Hope you can make it. Please say hello if you do.
More later
The Road Warrior

You Know You Have Been On The Road Too Much When....

2009-05-22T06:53:00.000-07:00

May 22, 2009
Chicago O'Hare Airport 8am

OH NO!
In my haste to catch my flight this morning, I mistakenly checked my camera bag with trusty Ole Betsy (my Panasonic HMC150 suggled inside). Because I often fly on small regional planes (like this morning) I always take Ole Betsy out of her bag and hand carry her on and place her under my seat. This morning, I was distracted and checked two bags. One, the camera case containing the camera. I left the bags with the agent and was started to security when I realized what I had done. Running back to the agent I frantically convinced him to grab the bag, just as it was about to descend into the bowels of the airport. He was amused by my anxiety.
Anyway, all's well that ends well, here I am with the rescued camera. Hope the rest of the day isn't as stressful.
BTW, carrying the camera on board always elicits comments from the crew and other passengers. On a couple of flights ago, I convinced the gentlemen seated next to me that this was the camera he needed. And he said he was going to buy one later that day.
Ah, the Road Warrior selling even at 30, 000 feet.
More later
The Road Warrior

My Kind of Town...Chicago Is

2009-05-21T16:18:00.000-07:00

May 21, 2009
Chicago, Il
What a gorgeous day. High 70's, low 80's and no humidity. This is a time of the year that Chicago looks great, fall is another. I grew up in Aurora, IL not far away and Chicago has become prettier and more gracious, as I have gotten older. I wish I could have grabbed Ole Betsy (my trusty Panasonic HMC150 camera) and shot the skyline and along Lake Shore Drive today. It would have been stunning. But, alas, I was once again being the AVCCAM Evangelist. So, on my next trip to Chicago, I hope the weather will co-operate and I will try to shoot something wonderful.
But hey, if you have to work inside, work on something that you believe in, something that you feel passionately about, and I am all over this format AVCHD, and Panasonic's Professional line of products AVCCAM, that use the AVCHD format. But, I would guess you have gathered that by now.
Anyway, on to the day's activities.
First, rush hour in Chi-Town. Come on, I left Aurora to go to UCLA Film School. Having lived in LA for many years, I know rush hour traffic (it is in fact a 24 hour phenom).
But, I experienced it here in Chicago this am. And the roads are not as good as LA. They have huge pot holes from all the ice and snow. And the drivers are worse. (Sorry, Chicago)
Trusting my loyal GPS, I headed off for Resolution Digital Studios, a great studio and venue. But, the GPS had a mind of it's own, so I got to see the Cook County Jail, up close. I hope never up close and personal! And I got to see parts of Chicago I have never seen before and you will not find in the tourism guides. But, not to worry, I arrived safe and sound, if a tad late.
Hey, I operate on LA time.
Roscor, one of Panasonic's great dealers held their Roscor 09 event. Sort of a recap of NAB for those who couldn't attend NAB. This was day two of the event. You will remember, or can remember, if you read yesterday's post, I missed day one of the Roscor event, as I was at the Illionis Videographer's Association meeting, a scant 12 miles away. Hence my rant on Chicago rush hour this am.

This picture shows me at the Roscor event with my trusty Ole Betsy (HMC150 camera). Thanks to Arthur from Panasonic for shooting this pix, as you know, I am rarely in my own pix. If you look closely on the 17" monitor to the right of the picture, you might be able see Arthur shooting the still. He is being captured by the HE100, a really cool robotic camera, which is actually the HPX200 in a robotic housing. Thanks, Arthur. The check is not in the mail :-)
It was a great event. I got to speak to a number of Universities, and Schools that were very interested in the HMC150 and having me come out and do a presentation to faculty, students and staff. Also met with a number of corporate clients that also showed interest in this low cost, incredible HD camera line up. It was fun and I was glad to support Roscor.
After the event, Ned Johnston of Panasonic and I visited Calument Photographic. We discussed the possibility of an upcoming AVCCAM presentation at Calument. When we have firmed up the details, I will post here.
I have a ton of editing to do this weekend. Oh, wait isn't it supposed to be a holiday? Yeah, right.
I am also writing all the NLE white papers for editing AVCHD on www.panasonic.com/avccam.
Currently, FCP, Adobe and Pinnacle are done. I am working on Edius, and Sony Vegas and the rest. When they are done, I will post here as well.
And next week I am in Miami
Life on the road with Ole Betsy is good.
More to come.
The Road Warrior

Illinois Videographer's Association Expo

2009-05-20T15:46:00.000-07:00

May 20, 2009 - Countryside, Illinois
Ok, here is the scene. Wed. am bright and early near Chicago.

The Event? The Illinois Videographer's Association hosted their 2nd Annual Midwest Expo at the Holiday Inn here in Countryside (a Chicago suburb).
Event kicked off at 8am this morning. They had 75 people attend this all day session. I met most of them and they are dedicated video professionals who are trying to make sense of the changing technologies in a challenging economic environment.

The day was set up with presentations from industry professionals with break outs in the exhibit area. The exhibitors included: Grass Valley with their Edius editing software, Classrooms on demand (makers of great training software), Canon, Weva, Blue Media, Event DV and of course yours truly, representing Panasonic.
Here are a couple of shots of the exhibition table. Since I was the only person here, it was impossible to get my image in the pix, but from the first image you can see the layout of the table.

I had a 17" Panasonic Professional Monitor, and a Panasonic Blu-Ray Player. I put an SDHC card in the Blu-Ray player that contained a high def version of the popular HMC150 DVD. I had Ole Betsy (my trusty HMC150 camera) and lots of literature. I was ready!

Here come the crowds. The second pix I took by stepping away from the table for a minute to show some of the activity. People love the HMC150 camera. Everyone wanted to hold it, to shoot with it. I also had my MacBook Pro laptop so that I could show them how easy it is to edit with Final Cut Pro. If you would like to download a white paper on the FCP AVCHD Workflow that I wrote for Panasonic go to www.panasonic.com/avccam and you can discover for yourself how easy it is to edit AVCHD footage in FCP.

One comment I heard a number of times was how is this camera different from the JVC camera that shoots directly to Quick Time (making editing in Final Cut very fast and easy). That is a great question, and I have a very detailed answer that actually needs it's own posting. So, watch this space. Suffice to say the HMC150 slays the competition.
But, I digress. In addition, to the exhibition, all the vendors were invited to present to the crowd. So, I got up and challenged them immediately, with my personal prediction that in 2-3 years none of them would be shooting anything, anymore on tape, or MPEG 2, for that matter. And that in the same time frame they would all be shooting HD. Needless to say that got their attention. As I say, this is my personal observation, not a Panasonic statement. I challenged them further to say, invite me back in 2 years and I will prove I was right. This definitely started intelligent conversations :-)

The actual focus of my presentation was a Panasonic NAB update. So I talked about the new P2 products including the new E series P2 cards and of course, the hot, new HPX300, (list price $10,700) with interchangeable lenses and the AVC-I codec (only previously available on cameras over $30,000.) Way Cool.

I talked about the new P2 Varicam, the Rapid Reader and then I moved to the new products in the AVCCAM line (near and dear to my heart).

Joining the HMC70 and the HMC150, Panasonic announced a new hand held HMC40 that not only shoots 1080i and 1080p and 720p but also captures 10.6 megapixel still images at the same time!

I had the pleasure to be the first person to shoot with the HMC40 days before NAB. I got a hold of a pre-production engineering sample and shot a number of scenes out in the Nevada Desert, Lake Mead and the Vegas strip at night. Great camera.

Next up was the new HMR-10 a hand-held battery operated, AVCHD recorder player. With this little baby you can record the output of any HD/SDI camera onto AVCHD. And it features a 3.5 inch LCD color monitor so you can instantly play back your SD cards in the field. This is a killer product, I can't wait to get my hands on it.

There is also a new POVCAM the AG-HCK10 that can connect to the hand held recorder. Perfect for helmet cams, wildlife, surveillance, etc.
It is always a rush for me when the audience seems to get the message. In this case the message was simple, AVCCAM provides stunning HD images (now on a every growing family of cameras and a recorder) at affordable pricing, on inexpensive and readily available SDHC cards.
I love talking about this stuff. It is great fun to see the audience get it.
More later
The Road Warrior

Up Before Dawn

2009-05-19T14:45:00.000-07:00

Tues May 19, 2009
Knoxville, TN

Man, you know you are a road warrior when you are up before sunrise. Ah, the joys of air travel.
I am off today to the Windy City of Chicago (routing thru Atlanta, of course). I am once again armed with my trusty Panasonic HMC150 camera. I need to come up with a nickname for it. Since I am living in TN, I guess I will borrow Davy Crockett's name for his rifle and call my HMC150, Ole Betsy. Won't be killing any bears, but will be slaying AVCHD format confusion. Anyway, we are off to the Illinois Videographers Association 2nd Annual Midwest Expo. I will man an exhibition table as well as make a presentation talking about Panasonic's NAB announcements and new products. I spoke to this group a few months ago, they are very knowledgable shooters. It should be a fun show. If you are in Chicago come on by and say hello.
For info on the event please see: http://www.eventdv.net/Articles/News/Breaking-News/IVA%27s-2nd-Annual-Midwest-Expo-set-for-May-20-in-Countryside,-Illinois-48733.htm

On Thursday Ole Betsy and I are off to Roscor Corporation's Roscor 09 Communications Technology Exhibition. See http://www.roscor.com/content/view/569/921/
More later
The Road Warrior

Dallas Production Roundtable Event

2009-05-19T14:29:00.000-07:00

May 12, 2009 - Dallas TX
Quite an event held at the Studios at Las Colinas in Dallas, Tx.
I was there to support some of Panasonic's dealers and to speak. My presentation was unfortunately scheduled as the last of the day. So, I expected a smallish crowd. Wrong! I gave my "Why in The World Would You Still Shoot on Tape or MPEG 2" presentation. It went really well. I showed lots of examples of AVCHD footage shot on the Panasonic HMC150 camera. I showed MPEG2 and MPEG-4 comparisons (MPEG 4 is the winner), as well as bit rate comparisons. Yes, the HMC150 let's you pick the bit rate you want to record at, and let me tell you if you want small files that can even be send via ftp, the 6Mbps recording looks surprisingly good. We talked workflow, it is my experience that people love the camera, but wonder how to edit with it. It is easy and I showed editing on Final Cut, Premiere and Pinnacle. I knew I was the only person standing between the crowd and Miller Time, but they stayed for a good additional 40 minutes to ask questions. It is another clear indication of just how popular the Panasonic HMC150 camera is.
More adventures just down the road.
The Road Warrior

Here we go again

2009-05-11T18:50:00.000-07:00

May 11, 2009
Ok, the blog is started. We will see how it goes.
Me and my trusty Panasonic AG-HMC150 are on the road again. This week it is Dallas.
Now, flying from Knoxville, you have to go thru Atlanta, or Cinci. I chose Atlanta this trip. Flight from Knox was delayed, almost missed connection in Atlanta, but made it. That is the down side of small town (Knox) airport. The upside, no long lines at security. Anyway, storms over Louisana made for rough flight. Staying at Doubletree Market Center (a bit tired both me and the hotel). Dallas Production Roundtable demos tomorrow. http://www.videotexsystems.com/pages.php?pageid=28
For more info on AVCCAM go to www.panasonic.com/avccam
More later.
The Road Warrior