Browsing: Cinema Tech

XARA is an innovative developer of image editing and web design solutions. To learn more about Xara products we spoke to Charles Moir.Charles, founder of Xara in 1981 was responsible for creating the early successful products such as Wordwise one of the earliest and most popular word processors for Microcomputers.His company developed a wide range of innovative products throughout the history of the personal computer. Charles has been responsible for many industry firsts, from the world’s first spell check-as-you-type in the 1980s, to many of the industry standard features found in modern graphics software. It was from the rewards of…

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CWB has been on an epic search to find the best DSLR for shooting video. We are aware that many of our readers are documentary filmmakers—trailblazers often looking for new styles of filmmaking—and they require the ability to move their cameras with ease during lengthy shots. This could spell trouble as far as focus goes. And though there are a number of DSLR cameras, including Nikon 5100, that claim they have auto-focus capabilities, our tests have shown that few measure up to the standards that filmmakers require. For example, when you shoot with the Nikon 5100 and you’re changing angles,…

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The Paramount Studios played host the 17th Cine Gear Expo over the weekend, and filmmakers of every aspect of production gathered to tour the latest innovations in cinema technology, as well as notable pieces of equipment from recent films, such as the Flying Cam 3.0 (“SARAH”) used in the recent Bond film, Skyfall. Guests were met with unique gadgets at every turn: from a motion-tracking, high-speed, robotic-armed camera, to Porsche mounted cranes. (video on the right) CWB’s Standout Exhibitor for Cinegear 2013 was Radiant Images. A company that started out of a garage with some lofty goals, Radiant Images has…

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When it comes to reviewing a product, I have an incurable complex: I cannot stop myself from reading all the negative reviews about it first. I had promised myself to put an end to this addiction, but when I was assigned to do a review on the Acer Aspire S7, I found myself Googling “Acer S7 Reviews” or “Problems with Acer S7…”. Most of the reviewers had complained about the fan noise in Acer Aspire S7, and others about its short battery life and its awkward keyboard. There were also complaints about the touch screen (not useful?) and the graphic…

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Sony’s New SLT Camera, A-58, will appear in major electronic stores early next week. To learn more about SLT cameras and specifically A-58 and how it could help the filmmakers, we interviewed Mark Weir, Senior Manager of Technology for Sony Electronics Digital Imaging. We will follow this interview with a Sony SLT A58 review and soon with a series of reviews using Sony SLT A99. Bijan Tehrani: Please tell us a little bit about the SLT technology and how it is different from the traditional SLR technology. Mark Weir: Traditional SLR technology, at least when it regards the mirror, has…

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A few days ago a young student of filmmaking called our office and inquired about what program he should master to make a living editing films. He had been told by his professors that Final Cut Pro is the way to go. I told him that—yes—Final Cut Pro is used by a lot of independent filmmakers, but if you want to work with major studios and post houses, Avid Media Composer is the best choice. The reality is that if you have used Avid Media Composer for editing your film, you’d be hard-pressed to try any alternatives. Avid Media Composer…

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Two times a week, when I go from Santa Monica (where I teach), to the CWB office in Burbank, I have to face the notorious LA traffic—sometimes taking hours to complete the 20 mile trip. It was just a few weeks ago on a rare rainy day in L.A. when I experienced the worse traffic jam of my life. I had just entered the freeway, hoping that in an hour I would be in the office, finishing and posting a video report on an exhibition of Italian hats I was working on; I had promised a few people that this…

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As a traditional film editor, I have constantly been searching for tools that simulate old-school methods. One of the programs that is being heavily used in current Film and TV editing is Avid Media Composer. Independent and international filmmakers has always the impression that Avid Media Composer is a very expensive package only targeted for the major studios, not the average filmmaker or film editor. The reality is, however, that the price of media composer has fallen drastically during the last few years. Now, it is affordable for many of us who are looking for a professional and serious solution…

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To learn about the new Acer Aspire Ultrabooks we had an interview with Eric Ackerson, Acer America’s senior product marketing and brand manager. Ackerson manages Acer’s mobile product marketing programs and helps the company realize strategic opportunities to develop and deliver winning products for the United States and Canada. His responsibilities include quality improvement initiatives for the OOBE (out of box experience), market analysis, communication, and product EOL (end of life) management for Acer and Gateway-branded notebooks, Ultrabooks and tablets. Prior to Acer, Ackerson was the director of marketing for Patriot Memory, where he developed the company’s new brand identity,…

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Carlo Sansonetti is the President of CGCircuit LLC and one of the founders. His career extends from Character TD and Rigging to Instructor and Graphic Designer. Born and raised in Italy, at a young age Carlo developed a dream to work in Hollywood. Pursuing his dream, Carlo moved to the USA to finish his studies. He graduated with honors at the Art Institute of California Los Angeles, wrote and directed the award winning short The Auction and worked in the field of Film, Video Games and TV Animation. He lead a team of riggers at Lucas film Animation for the…

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