Category: Business

The Business of Production The Technology of Production

Avid is the most used NLE?

Post author By Philip
Post date August 17, 2014
11 Comments on Avid is the most used NLE?

Avid folk – hi Frank – have been promoting this survey resultÂ that purportedly shows that Media Composer Â is used more than all other NLEs. In fact the article starts off with:

Avid Media Composer remains the most popular editing system in production by a considerable margin. Itâ€™s the primary editing system of 70% of our respondents, proving that it still rules the roost despite the challenge from Apple and Adobe

Which is hardly accurate if you really examine the subject. In fact is bordering on deliberately misleading.

The Business of Production

More “New Studio” Production

Post author By Philip
Post date August 15, 2014

In recent announcements, Amazon Studios debuts five pilots in their third wave of original programming. Meanwhile Netflix is going for humor in a series of comedy specials.

The more funding opportunities, the more production is done and that’s good for all of us.

The Business of Production

Avid to (Finally) Restate Accounts within two weeks.

Post author By Philip
Post date August 15, 2014

After a long period going back over accounts without reporting, we are finally going to be able to get an insight into how Avid’s financial position is looking. With the revised plan to publish restated accounts for 2011, accounts for 2012, and 2013. Within 40 days of that, the figures to June 2014 will be published.

I look forward to having a detailed look at the company’s financial position.

Business & Marketing Monetizing

Will Netflix “Rip the Heart” out of Pre-sale Film Financing?

Post author By Philip
Post date August 12, 2014
2 Comments on Will Netflix “Rip the Heart” out of Pre-sale Film Financing?

An article in Forbes this week asserts that Netflix’s eventual world-wide reach will prevent funding via pre-sales through traditional territory-by-territory strategy. While a shift is this necessarily a bad thing?

Indeed, Netflix will likely expand from creating original series to creating its own large budget films, with the initial premiere on-line.Â Netflix may be a vibrant, important source of new financing that disrupts the studio system and bypasses standard distribution channels.

The Business of Production

Avid Everywhere – as I understand it!

Post author By Philip
Post date August 1, 2014
6 Comments on Avid Everywhere – as I understand it!

Yesterday I had to pleasure of being invited to USC for Avid’s Avid Everywhere presentation. Shortly thereafter I attempted to share what I learnt with Larry Jordan and Michael Horton on the Digital Production BuZZ. Avid friends, I hope I got it close to right!

Here’s the link to my segment on the BuZZ.Â http://www.digitalproductionbuzz.com/BuZZ_Audio/Buzz_140731_Hodgetts.mp3

Apple Distribution

Comparing Streaming Services

Post author By Philip
Post date August 1, 2014
6 Comments on Comparing Streaming Services

I have to say that there is a lot of difference in the experience delivered by Amazon Instant Video and Apple’s iTunes.

The Business of Production

Amazon is a Studio too?

Post author By Philip
Post date July 29, 2014

It seems that every content distribution company has decided that original content is the way forward. Amazon’s recent announcement that they would spend $100 million on original productionÂ adds to Apple’s UK music festival, Netflix and Google’s original programming. Google are spending on YouTube production as well.

In context though… $100 million would buy you two seasons of Mad Men.

Apple Business & Marketing

Apple is also in the Content Creation Business

Post author By Philip
Post date July 21, 2014

We’ve seen all the new media giants start creating their own exclusive content: Netflix, Amazon, Microsoft (although that’s being closed down) and of course, Apple. Apple??? That’s right, Apple. Most people don’t realize that Apple is also in the content creation business, but the iTunes Music Festival is really about creating exclusive content for Apple’s ecosystem. Given this is the 8th year of the festival, Apple have been creating original content for their ecosystem longer than anyone else.

Random Thought The Business of Production

Democratization in the kitchen and production

Post author By Philip
Post date July 6, 2014
2 Comments on Democratization in the kitchen and production

One of my non-metadata interests is in food, so I read a lot of food related articles, including this one where Anthony Bourdain talks about the foodie revolution. What stood out was this comment after discussing the traditional way a talented young chef might make their way through the kitchen hierarchy over decades, vs the modern “democratized” approach where a talented young chef just ups Â – maybe via a food truck – and gets their career started.

â€œA lot of old-school guys complain about thisâ€”youâ€™re not paying your dues. Thatâ€™s the downside. The upside is interesting people with something to say and a unique worldview can actually get their name out there and open a place with relative ease compared to the way it used to be.â€

This reminds me of modern production: it’s been democratized to the point where, if you have an idea, you can make it happen.

Apple Apple Pro Apps Lumberjack

Lumberjack System adds Story Mode

Post author By Philip
Post date July 2, 2014

Lumberjack System, the muscular, real-time logging and pre-edit tool for Final Cut Pro X, expands to take advantage of new features in the latest release of Appleâ€™s Final Cut Pro X to enable a new Story mode that creates string-outs based on already logged footage. This opens up the pre-edit string-out features of Lumberjack Lumberyard to projects with a long timescale.