Cheap Macs! Really ?!

If you are in the market for a new Mac but on a limited budget, here's a solution. We all know how expensive Apple machines are, but now there's a way to get really cheap brand new Macs with fracture of the price. All you have to do is check this website. I must admit I did not order anything from them yet, but it's nice to know it's there. click here to visit the website

Cheers.

Image source: http://store.psystar.com

How to do Basic Motion in Flash?

http://www.flashperfection.com/tutorials/Adobe-flash-cs4-basics-Motion-Editor-05697.html

How to write Blood-Stained Graffiti in After Effects? Alex Costaris-102156184

http://www.videocopilot.net/tutorial/graffiti_writing/ 

Bullet Time Effect

Friends, this is a great video for Matrix fans and other movies that use the Bullet Time effect. Enjoy watching this one and learn how it's done.

how to do a cloning effect

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LVykGpr-SZw (here is the link form where i got this)


1. plan out your two shots...make sure the main image/character isn't overlapping each other (shoot the two shots in the same lightning too!)

2. now you have two different takes...drag your first clip into the video track

3. add another video track and drag the second clip into the second track superimposing it onto the first track

4. double click the second clip so it is in the viewer window

5. click the motion tab

6. use the crop button to crop your image (using the left or right tabs it depends what you want to cut off)

this will make more sense if you watch the video...lol

Applying Slow Motion & Fast Motion Effects in Final Cut

1. Go to the timeline.
2. Select the clip of your choice and click on it.
3. Go to the Modify menu and go down to Speed.
4. Choose a speed below 100 to get slow-motion or
5. Choose a speed above 100 to get fast-motion.

Hey Guys,

Here's a link to Heather Steven's blog.

http://filmaholicextraordinaire.blogspot.com

I recommend checking it out, she's got some great stuff!

Spliting a timeline clip in FCP

For those who want to make fast edits on a clip without:

1- Clicking on the Razor Blade tool
2- Pressing the "B" key on the keyboard
3- Aligning the blade line with the head player line (which is not fast at all)
4- Clicking on the exact location of the two lines combined.

You can achieve all that by just pressing a combo of two keys on your KBO

CONTROL + V

This will make an instant and accurate split in your clip.This is very useful and fast if you use your laptop or your keyboard for editing most of the times. I found out about it today and thought I'd share it with you all.

Here's also a link to a comprehensive list of FCP keyboard shortcuts I also found online. Click here

Happy Editing.

Sound in Final Cut Pro

Hey guys!

These are such great blog posts!

Since you are going to start getting in sound, I thought I would blog about it, specifically in Final Cut Pro.

Now remember, Final cut is primarily for video editing, therefore the sound filters available are not optimal for perfecting your sound-- for that you need a sound specific program.

But FCP might be able to do the trick assuming you don't have haneous sound issues.

FCP should be able to fix the following sound issues:

* A low frequency rumble ( the subway, general traffic etc)

* hissing

* It just might help with to much background noise, although that is a big "might"

*Electronic ground hum (most of this type of sound is generated from AC ground loops)

* mechanical hum (camera motor, camera mounted mics)

* buzzes from wireless mics

* humming or buzzing from bad cable connectors

* Uneven dialogue levels (However a sound overdrives the signal output, your out of luck! you cannot fix distortion)

* muffled or harsh narration

How to fix an excessive hiss

1. Apply the 3 band equalizer filter. This filter allows you to adjust portions of the audio spectrum separately. Through trial and error, (as is the FCP mantra) you should be able to eliminate the hiss.

Dialogue or music is to dynamic

1. Apply the compression filter. Dynamic range is the area between the softest sound to the loudest sound.

2. Set your keyframes at the most

 dynamic points of the sound and change the threshold depending on the sound.

3. You might also have to play around with the ratio to achieve a smooth sound

4. Click on the "preserve" checkbox to keep the overall volume levels similar to the original unaffected clip. (This may not be necessary)

I think I will start a "Watchmen" countdown. I am usually not one for superhero movies, but this one seems far more advanced intellectually than others. 

1: More day till the Watchmen comes out. 

(Sorry it wasn't a more epic countdown I googled the release date after I dramatically professed my desire for a countdown)

Plus I like the costuming.

Pencil (The free animation tool)

For anyone interested in animation and enhancing their skills in drawing cartoon characters they can use this amazing free software. This software works very well with Mac. It will let you export your work to MOV files whereas this function is not yet supported for PC. Here's the link so you can check it out yourselves.

http://www.pencil-animation.org/