New Stuff - Cool Stuff
September 15, 2014
In This Issue
Become a Member
All Kinds of Cool Stuff
Exclusive Interview: Al Mooney
Configure Your System
The Craft of Editing: Video Montage
FCP X: Move Libraries, Events, Clips and Projects
Premiere Pro: Blend Modes
FCP X (v.10.1.2): Complete!
Top 3 Lists
Compressor 4.1 Training
Larry's New Subscription Service


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WELCOME BACK!

Larry Jordan I've got a great issue for you this week. Five new articles that I have wanted to write for a while. PLUS, I have an exclusive interview with Al Mooney, senior product manger for professional video editing at Adobe Systems, talking about the new Premiere Pro CC updates in detail.

A frequent request from new editors is guidance on how to improve their editing from a craft point of view. Last week, I devoted an entire webinar to showing how I edit three different scenes: a video montage with music, an interview and an dramatic scene. This webinar turned out really, really well. As Rick wrote: "Excellent, excellent presentation on 'Editing as Storytelling!' These are editing techniques that many of us would like to see more of...."

So, this week, I'm sharing a fifteen minute segment from this webinar with you in articles, below. Free.

Also, a reminder that our special "Getting Started" offer will end at the end of this month. If you are thinking about learning FCP X, or want to start making fewer mistakes, this is a great way to get started.

FOR A LIMITED TIME: 
GET STARTED WITH FINAL CUT PRO X

A frequent request from young editors is for a way to get a basic understanding of editing in Final Cut Pro X, without investing in all our training all at once. Just for September, we created "Get Started."

Get Started with Final Cut Pro X is a subset of movies from our FCP X: Complete title specifically chosen to provide an understanding of media management and editing in Final Cut Pro X. This contains 32 movies - more than two hours of training  - all designed to get you up-and-running as quickly as possible.

Even better, this package has an incredibly low price of only $9.99.  If you are looking for an inexpensive way to start learning Final Cut, or deciding if our training is worth watching, this is a great way to start.

I'm excited to offer this bundle and, if you haven't purchased my training yet, urge you to add this to your system. This is for a limited time, so please act quickly.

BIG NOTE! If you already own my FCP X: Complete, or FCP X: Workflow and Editing, training for FCP X 10.1, there is nothing in this training that you don't already have. This package is designed to help new editors get started.

Here's the link.

SHORT NOTES

IBC 2014
opened this week and the press releases are overwhelming. To see all the latest news from the second-largest trade show in our industry, visit here.

Small notes bullet GenArts send me a note earlier this week, saying that "GenArts has decided to discontinue Sapphire Edge. As we continue our commitment to create the highest quality visual effects software, we are focusing our efforts on making Sapphire, our flagship plugin suite, a more accessible product that will meet the evolving demands of post production. [So,] effective today, Sapphire Edge is no longer available for purchase and support for Sapphire Edge will stop after December 31, 2014.

Tim Hamilton sent me a notice that Fotodiox just released a new variable ND filter built into the lens adapter for a camera designed for Micro 4/3 cameras. It's called the ND Throttle and helps manage exposures in bright light. Learn more here.

Small notes bullet Plug-in developer Phyx released Glitch. PHYX Glitch is a world-class suite of GPU-accelerated plugins, designed to create 'glitch' artifacts.  PHYX Glitch plugins are designed for editing, visual effects, and motion graphics work within major host applications such as Final Cut Pro, Final Cut Pro X, Motion, After Effects, and Premiere Pro. The package and is available in the FxFactory installer package from Noise Industries.  Here's the link.

UK reader John Clayton wrote to tell me about a new accessory for the Panasonic GH4 camera. "I, like many others like to shoot [the GH4] with the battery grip attached.... However when [Panasonic] designed the Battery Grip, [they placed the] tripod screw attachment off centre - by about an inch or so. [This means] that all the rods and rigs you may want to attach for follow focus and matte boxes etc are now not in line with the lens. I rooted around on the web and found B & H in USA made a great adapter - I ordered one and it arrived within a week to the UK - really well made - great fit and puts your tripod mount right back where it needs to be - directly central to the lens! Here's the link.
 
LAST WEEK'S WEBINAR:
EDITING AS STORYTELLING 

Generic newsletter bullet Last week I presented something different - a look at craft of editing, rather than technology.

All too often, when you ask an editor why they picked a particular shot or sound bite, they will tell you that "it just felt right." While true, that doesn't help other editors figure out how to improve their story-telling skills. In this video training, follow along with host Larry Jordan as he edits three different styles of video - montage, interview and dramatic

Download the webinar here.

And, remember, subscribers can watch any webinar FREE at any time in our Video Training Library. Save money and subscribe today. 

THIS WEEK'S WEBINAR

Creating stills that move are at the heart of almost every documentary. Whether it is animating old photos, or creating excitement when only stills are available, we often need to make still images move.

In this webinar, I illustrate how to size stills for video, how to animate stills using keyframes and automatically. I'll show this process in both Premiere and Final Cut Pro X. Plus, I'll include a special Photoshop technique that adds depth of field and movement to stills.

Registration to the live show is free. Sign up here.

FEATURED BUZZ INTERVIEW


Buzz newsletter bullet This week's Digital Production Buzz was pretty darn amazing. We started by looking at the Emmy-Award winning effects from Game of Thrones from Rodeo FX in Montreal. Then, we switched to Los Angeles with a new program that teaches filmmaking to "at-risk" kids. Finally, it was over to Australia to chat with the senior video producer for the Royal Australian Air Force.

All three interviews were good, so the one I want to feature is Jordan Soles, CTO for Rodeo FX, talking about Game of Thrones.

Listen to Jordan's interview here.

Listen to the entire show here.

Thanks to the folks at Take1 Transcriptions, you can read, as well as listen to each show. Read this week's show transcript here. (You'll also find show transcripts on each Buzz show page.)

FIVE NEW ARTICLES THIS WEEK!

Generic newsletter bullet FIVE new articles this week, including an exclusive interview with Al Mooney, from Adobe, a detailed look at how to configure your editing system, video training on editing techniques, plus new FCP X and Premiere Pro tutorials!

And, as always, I've updated our Top 3 lists.

ARTICLE: NEW SOFTWARE FROM ADOBE
Exclusive Interview with Al Mooney 
 
Adobe Systems logo Al Mooney is the senior product manager for professional video editing at Adobe Systems.

He is also the most visible "face" of Adobe Premiere Pro CC.

With the announcement last week of new versions of all of Adobe's audio and video applications arriving in the next few weeks, I wanted to learn more about what these new features meant; go behind the headlines to learn more about the "why," as well as the "what."

So, I interviewed Al - and you can read it here.


WORKFLOW
Configure Your System 
 
I've discussed this in countless personal emails, talked about it in my video training and classes, but I've never taken the time to write about this...

Until now.

Here I explain what you need to consider when configuring hardware for audio or video editing. And, surprisingly, the answer isn't what you might expect.

If you, or someone you know, is debating what system to get - or what to put into their system - read this article! It answers questions, puts key elements into perspective, and gets you thinking in the right direction.

In fact, these thoughts apply to Mac and Windows systems, regardless of what editing software you are using.


VIDEO: THE CRAFT OF EDITING
Editing a Video Montage with Music 
 
This session is different - here, I don't discuss technology, I discuss editing; how to tell stories.

In this 15-minute video, I edit a montage and show you how I:
  • Tell a story with moving images and music
  • Determine the timing of my shots
  • Create a dialog when nothing is being said
  • Determine when and how to change screen direction
  • Determine whether to use cuts or dissolves as transitions during a montage.
This session turned out really, really well and I encourage you to watch it.


ARTICLE: FINAL CUT PRO X
Move Libraries, Events, Clips and Projects 
 
This continues my series on media management in Final Cut Pro X.

In this article, I show you how to move libraries, events, clips and projects from one library to another.


ARTICLE: PREMIERE PRO CC 2014
Blend Modes  
 
I will confess that blend modes had scared me for years. They seemed both mysterious and complex.

Neither is true.

Blend modes allow us to combine textures between clips and they could not be easier to use.

In this article, I explain what blend modes are and show you a variety of effects you can achieve using them. I'll also show you what settings do what.

Along the way, I'll illustrate a cool, but hidden, technique that brings your landscapes to amazing life!


ALL-NEW AND UPDATED!! 
FINAL CUT PRO X 10.1.2: COMPLETE 
              
This title contains everything you need to learn Apple's
Final Cut Pro X v.10.1!
 
This title includes both:

* FCP X: Workflow & Editing

* FCP X: Effects

 

All in one place, for one great price!

 

Start with initial setup and media management to editing, effects, and output, there's no finer training on the market.

* Need to get started in a hurry? We condensed everything you need into one chapter.

* Need to learn just the new features? We've got you covered.

* Need in-depth training on everything you need to know to become a video editing pro? Start at the beginning and work your way to the end.

You'll be amazed at how much you learn!

THIS TRAINING INCLUDES ALL THE NEW FEATURES IN THE FCP X 10.1.2 UPDATE
(It is also current for the 10.1.3 release)


Over 200 movies, more than 22 hours of training! Each movie is laser-focused to get you the information you need exactly when you need it. (The average movie length is about seven minutes.)

One title - everything you need - available right now.


TOP THREE + 1 LISTS 
   
Here are the most popular articles, webinars, and audio interviews for the past seven days across all my websites.

Articles

This list expanded to the Top 4 to add some variety:
For an index of all our articles, visit here.

 

Webinars

This list is based on the webinars watched most often by our monthly subscribers. For a list of all our webinars, visit here.

 

Digital Production Buzz Audio Interviews   

For a list of all Buzz audio interviews, click here. 


BRAND-NEW TRAINING
Learn Apple Compressor 4.1
   
Apple continues to update Compressor with an all new interface, improved compression settings and better monitoring. This application has some much new stuff inside that we went back and re-did all our training for the new version.
  • Better organized
  • More informative
  • Tighter focus on making your images look great.
NEW TRAINING NOW SUPPORTS
COMPRESSOR 4.1.2

These days, everything we do ends up on the web.
Which means that if we don't know how to compress our video to make it look good, all our work during production and post is wasted.

In this in-depth video training, Larry Jordan shows you how to make the most of Apple Compressor 4.1.x.

Whether you are a new or experienced, this training will help you make your media look and sound great!

We are committed to providing the highest quality training at the lowest possible price and distributing it as widely as possible.

From subscriptions to individual downloads to free techniques and articles -- we've got your back.  And there's lots more to come.

Thanks!

Larry Jordan
Larry Jordan & Associates
P.S. I always love hearing from you. Feel free to write.