In no particular order, the three technology advances that make the Solar Odyssey production even feasible are: Large sensors, Syncing double system production by audio waveforms, and the recognition of the importance of metadata. Alternate camera and lighting mounts, along with LED lighting and laptop computers powerful enough for primary production also play an important role. (more…)

There are, in fact, two things that excite me greatly about Adobe’s CS6 Production Premium: temporal XML metadata, and time associated metadata (which Adobe calls “disassociated metadata”). Together they are an exciting combination that has sent my head spinning with possibilities. (more…)

Perusing the Final Cut Pro X In Action stories I had two observations: as others have noticed no mention of Mac Pros, and that Leverage has a $1.8 million budget. Only the second has anything to do with metadata! (more…)

Episode 43: The trend to reality TV http://t.co/ov9N3zA5

Terence and Philip start with a discussion of why we’re trending toward reality Television away from scripted. What are the implications for workflows? Where is the distinction between documentary and reality?

There’s a discussion on reality TV production techniques. Followed by some of the ideas Philip has for saving time on the Solar Odyssey Challenge show using metadata using Time Associated Metadata inspired by OnLocation/Adobe Story workflows. Philip discusses some of the software ideas he has for metadata acquisition.

Adobe Story update: new and changed features (15March2012) http://t.co/UwR7Nay7

The entire Adobe Story workflow – from script to screen – is a great story of its own, and I feel somewhat undersold by Adobe.

There’s a mini-site for the software and a bunch of tutorials at Adobe TV. If you’re unfamiliar with Adobe Story:

Extend the benefits of your Creative Suite applications

Streamline your post-production workflow by using script metadata to edit more quickly in Adobe Premiere Pro CS5.5.

1. Access directly within Adobe Premiere Pro

Use the CS Live services panel in Adobe Premiere Pro CS5.5 to go to Adobe Story and quickly access your scripts and outlines.

2. Accelerate your editing workflow

Import script metadata directly into Adobe Premiere Pro CS5.5 and easily search for important video elements such as dialogue or characters.

3. Edit more efficiently

In Adobe Premiere Pro CS5.5, use the script dialogue embedded in your shots to align the script to the spoken dialogue more accurately.

4. Capture metadata efficiently

Use Adobe OnLocation™ or Adobe Premiere Pro to add script metadata to your clips.

Episode 42: Toys and Trips http://t.co/HvzPz3yH A new episode of The Terence and Philip Show.

Terry has been deciding what equipment to buy, while Philip has some very specific technology needs for the upcoming Solar Odyssey project. Naturally the MacPro’s future features in the discussion. Terry’s video monitoring solution has been found but he’s still looking for audio monitoring tools, without it being too expensive or too cheap.

Discussion continues about the relative future of iOS and OS X (recorded before the announcement of Mountain Lion and Final Cut Pro X 1.0.3) and applications that might run on them.

Philip discusses the technology needs for the Solar Odyssey project: producing a reality TV show about the journey on the solar powered vessel Ra, under solar power. All equipment needs to run off 12v. During the production new technologies will be developed (as Philip discussed on his blog). Philip also discusses the types of software solutions they will be developing during the project.

Episode 42: Toys and Trips http://t.co/HvzPz3yH

I am convinced that we will be benefiting from computer derived metadata, as I’m outlining in the (occasional, sadly) series of technology summaries, at some future time – likely early than we expect. However, that remains some time in the future, or in terms of usefulness now: not at all.

That doesn’t mean the demand for metadata will go down. If anything there is a growing demand for comprehensive metadata from the camera through to any possible future distribution and reuse of all or part of any project. Everything you’ve shot is only an asset if you can find it and use it again (including knowing what rights are associated with it). So, once again I’ve been thinking about the future of metadata for production automation, largely because it’s the only way I think we can hope to produce the Solar Odyssey TV Show, and because I was presenting on the subject in Boston in the middle of February. Both are forcing me to think on the subject. (more…)

In this attempt to summarize the state of a technology and its application to production and postproduction my focus is on image recognition, including facial detection and recognition. We’re exposed to facial recognition/detection technology in some current apps: Premiere Pro CS5 onward; iPhoto, Final Cut Pro X, Picassa, Facebook, with mixed success.

(more…)

At the San Francisco Supermeet Friday 27th January, Adobe’s Al Mooney revealed a sneak peek at a new application for the Creative Suite called Prelude. (more…)

Although I’ve shamelessly stolen the title from Joe B (@zbutcher on Twitter) I think it does represent a shift in the way we work with our source media.

Now, before I start let me be clear. I am NOT saying timecode is unimportant. I’m NOT saying that timecode is passé and suddenly irrelevant. Timecode remains incredibly important for any tape based access.

What I am saying is that text search – or phonetic search derived from text – is becoming a highly viable, and in many ways superior, way to search and find content. Timecode’s primary role was in being able to identify any given frame from a tape by tape and frame number. There’s nothing wrong with that approach, but as humans we don’t think in “reel and Timecode”, which is why text is a superior option.

(more…)