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Not Your Grandfather's Prosumer Camcorders

By David Pierotti
Professional?  Consumer?  Prosumer!  (Photo by Brian Dewitt)

What should you know about the prosumer camcorder market? An overview with a detailed chart of popular cameras with their features and purchase and rental costs.

A Free Education in Film Rules

By David Pierotti
What's the Best Way for Me to Export That HDV Footage? (Photo by Niels van Kampenhout)

The Learning Lab Series at Rule/Boston Camera Film Rental provides a valuable and free resource for the local filmmaking community.

“Crooked Lane” Through the Eyes of RED

By Beth Brosnan
Shooting with RED on the NH set of "Crooked Lane."

Chase Bailey and a crew of New Hampshire filmmakers weigh the pros and cons of using RED to shoot the short film Crooked Lane, which premieres this month at the New Hampshire Film Festival.

Training a Workforce for the Moviemaking Marathon

By April Gardner
CT Film & Digital Media Workforce offers training and resources throughout CT.

As New England attracts more major motion pictures, the race is on to grow a trained workforce. This guide offers an overview of new and ongoing skill-building opportunities to secure work in all aspects of production.

At Long Last: Editor User Groups Combine Forces

By Mike Sullivan
Last month's Boston Avid and FCP user group meeting drew a packed house.

In the first of a two-part series, editor Mike Sullivan investigates how Boston’s Avid and Final Cut Pro user groups find common ground in tumultuous times.

Make Your Film a Virtual Success

By April Gardner
Screen shot of Nicky O'Neill, from the documentary "41."

April Gardner reports on six of the the latest online tactics local filmmakers are using to attract money and audiences to their indie projects.

Three Takes on Virtual Filmmaking

By Mike Sullivan
Not even outer space could stop Galvin from making her doc, What's Going on Up There?

New technologies allow filmmakers to manage projects, from preproduction through post, without seeing the whites of their collaborators’ eyes.

Lighting New England

By Hillary von Schroeter
A Round-D-Round Doorway Dolly by Matthews

Kaye Lites of Woburn, MA recently doubled its size in response to an increased demand for lighting and grip.

Three Filmmakers, Three Cameras

By Jared M. Gordon
Kachadorian's standard:  the Panasonic DVX100.

From tiny and low-tech to the bleeding edge RED camera,
three New England filmmakers explain what they’re shooting on and why.
By Jared M. Gordon

The Digital Mr. Fix-It

By Steve Gay
See the circle? This is a before image.
Perry Paolantonio charts the evolution from “No Frills DVD” to the cutting edge of digital restoration with his Boston-based business, Gamma Ray Digital.

How To Light For Independent Film

By Steve Gay
Do not fear us!
Some practical advice.

Prepping and Posting your Video to the Web

By David Tames
DER has clips from its film collection, like Yuri Vella's World on Google Video.
Which of the many video sharing sites should you use? The answer really depends on your goals for the video.

Delivering Video on the Web

By David Tames
Will Joost transform television?
In a series of articles to appear over the next few months, filmmaker and media technologist David Tamés begins to unravel web media distribution and viewing for those of us who need a translator.

The Not So Rat Race

By Pamela Coleman Charlex Inc. founder Alex Weil discusses One Rat Short, which won Best of Show in the Siggraph Computer Animation Festival, qualifying the film for Academy Award consideration.

First Look: Panasonic AG-HVX200 DVCPro HD Camcorder

By David TamesDavid Tamés details the ins and outs of P2 cards in the second part of this article.

First Look: Panasonic AG-HVX200 DVCPro HD Camcorder

By David Tames
Panasonic AG-HVX200 DVCPro HD Camcorder
In part 1 of this two part series, David Tamés reports on the camera. Next month: the P2 tapeless workflow associated with the HVX200.

Media Revolution: Podcasting (Part 2)

By Steve Garfield and David Tames
A stil from the video podcast for Four Eyed Monsters.
In part two of this two-part article we focus on video podcasting.

Media Revolution: Podcasting

By David Tames
Steve Garfield on Lighting in his Video Blog.
In part one of a two-part article, learn about the who, what, why and how behind the newest form of media information and entertainment -- podcasting.

JVC HD100U HDV Camcorder: First Impressions

By David TamesDavid Tamés test drives the new JVC HD100U camera which joins a crop of new affordable HD camcorders.

High Definition From Near to Here

By David TamesA report on the 2nd Annual SMPTE/NE High Definition (HD) Boot Camp discussing the latest technology in HD.

Affordable High-Definition

By Anthony Bottaro
Sony's HVR-Z1U.

A review of Sony's new HVR-Z1U camcorder -- the company's first attempt at a compact, cost-effective camera that enables HiDef on a standard DV cassette

NAB 2005 Highlights

By David Tames
The NAB exhibit floor.
A report from the annual convention of the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB), the definitive media and entertainment event for sizing up industry trends and checking out new gear.

MiniDV on a Mini Budget: A Guide to Cameras

By April Gardner
The Panasonic DVX100A has garnered praise for its 24P mode.
Finding the right digital camera for an independent filmmaker can be daunting with so many choices. Here is a guide to top cameras and general definitions, as determined by film community, to get you started.

Sound Design, Part II

By Chris AndersonLearn the fundamentals of sound design in the conclusion of this series about sound design -- including how (and why) to fix it before the mix.

Sound Design

By Chris Anderson
Mix One Studios in Boston (www.mixonestudios.com).
It’s about time. And space. And air.  Learn the fundamentals of sound design in the first of this series about sound design from Mix One Studios partner Chris Anderson.

Edit Sweet

By Lorre Fritchy
Attendees gather around to see the latest from Avid.
A report from the annual SMPTE Nonlinear Post Showcase brings the best of editing equipment to Boston.

Don't Get Burned by DVD Burners: Combating Incompatibility

By Lorre Fritchy
Phillips DVDRW228 is one of the several options available for burning your own.
Before diving into the DVD burning business, read up on some of the ins and outs of the options on the market.

Software Muse

By Lorre Fritchy
hscreenplay
Ready to get your screenplay organized with the help of some script-formatting software? Here’s a detailed look at the various programs available and what they have to offer writers.

Picture Perfect: Choosing a Digital Video Camera

By Lorre Fritchy
Sony PD-150
Thinking about taking the leap to owning your own digital video camera? Here’s a close look at three of the indie industry leaders -- Canon XL-1S, Sony VX-2000 and Sony PD-150.

Cut for Pros

By Lorre Fritchy
Crowds gather for the regular Final Cut Pro users group at MIT in Cambridge.
The Final Cut Pro Users Group welcomes the digital revolution to the Boston area.