I came home tonight and found a copy of Apple Pro Training Series: Aperture 2 sitting on my door step. I'm quite happy with how the book came out (especially since we were able to work in all of the new features in the 2.1 release). The book should start shipping within days... you can order it here. In the mean time (here are some features you won't want to miss).

Customize the Default Adjustment Set
Specify exactly which adjustments you want to appear by default in the Adjustments Inspector/HUD. Two new commands — Add to Default Set and Remove from Default Set — are accessible in the Action pop-up menu for each adjustment in order to configure these settings.

Keyboard support in Adjustment Panels
Make precise image adjustments using the arrow keys on your keyboard to drive the various sliders in the Adjustments Inspector/HUD. To activate keyboard control, click once in the numeric field of an adjustment control (such as Exposure). You can then use the arrow keys to increase or decrease values. Hold down the Option key when using the arrow keys for even more precise adjustment. You can use Tab to move to the next adjustment control (and Shift-Tab to move to a previous control).

Read More...

I just got back from NAB this morning... here are a handful of videos we produced while on the road.


The Litepanels Micro


The Matrox MXO 2

More from the NAB Show Floor.

On the Scene at NAB 2008


The AJA IO HD with Gary Adcock

On the road at NAB... here are a handful of videos we produced.

The Red Scarlet: A First Look


Adobe Media Player at NAB 2008

The Aperture book is DONE and off to print. We worked in complete coverage on Aperture 2.1 which has some great new features. I've logged a lot of time with the application and wanted to offer some insight on the best of the new features in the free 2.1 update.

• Dodge & Burn Plug-in – This plug-in offers much more than just Dodge and Burn. You'll also find brush-based tools for Contrast, Saturation, Sharpen Fade, and Blur. The plug-in also opens the door to third-party development (including some cool tools from nik Software.
• Customize Default Adjustment Set – You can now specify which adjustments appear by default in the Adjustments Inspector/HUD.
• Updated Crop Tool – The crop tool has been simplified. The new UI makes it easier to preserve an image's original aspect ratio, match the aspect ratio of your display, or use one of the standard preset aspect ratios.
• Flip Images – You can now flip or flop images horizontally or vertically within Aperture.
• Save Books as JPEG or TIFF images – This means you can now submit books to several third party websites.

The book will be out very soon... you can order it here.

I took the plunge and got an Apple TV for our living room (we already had one in the office). The Device is cross-platform and works really well. Apple updated the software in February and added some great features. Here's what I like the most:

• The HD Rentals work great and look on par with Blu-ray
• Movies are affordable, priced between $2.99 and $4.99
• Downloads start to play in less than 5 minutes
• I can watch podcasts on the big screen (it's weird to watch yourself in HD)
• Accessing music, movies, and photos from any computer in the house is near instant
• The device is easy to hook up
• My three-year old can figure it out
• YouTube's expected switch to bigger image size will be great

Looking for an easy way to white-balance on a shoot? I just discovered the useful Whibal White Balance Reference Cards.

Here's what I like:

• Lightweight and single-card format.
• Light Gray, certified to recommended Luminance
• Includes Black and White Spots
• Focus and Sharpness targets
• Sturdy and Easy to Pack (it even floats)
• Affordable

When I look at what Apple has accomplished its been an interesting journey. The company has released a ton of great products (and also a few clunkers). I have found a great image that lets you see much of the product line laid out chronologically. After all, you can't get to the great Mighty Mouse without first passing the "hockey puck."

It really is pretty interesting to see the "big" picture. Be sure to click on the graphic so you can zoom in and view.

Two more of my classes are now online at Kelby Training.

Photoshop for Video - Working With Photos
Richard Harrington uncovers techniques essential for video editors who are working with Photos in Photoshop. He shares his best practices for working with graphic and still images in a video environment.

Photoshop for Video - Technical Essentials
Join Adobe Certified Trainer Richard Harrington, as he uncovers the Technical Essentials of Adobe Photoshop CS3 for video professionals and enthusiasts.

You can access all the classes online for only $19.99 per month (besides mine there's a ton of great stuff up there).

Forgive the short blog posts... I'm a little busy for the next two weeks finishing this:

“Fully updated for Aperture 2, this comprehensive book-DVD training combo starts with the basics of image management and takes you step by step all the way through Aperture's powerful photo-editing, image-retouching, proofing, publishing, and archiving features. Aperture 2's new features are completely covered, including a new RAW-image processing engine, a streamlined interface, powerful new adjustment tools, and added integration with Mac OS X and other Apple products for instant web publishing and one-click portfolio syncing. Apple Pro Training Series: Aperture 2 delivers comprehensive training - the equivalent of a two-day course - in one project-based book. You'll learn time-saving techniques for sorting, ranking, and organizing images, effective methods for correcting and enhancing images, plus efficient ways to display images for client review, apply metadata, update your online portfolio automatically, and much more. Real-world exercises feature professional photography from a variety of genres, including photo-journalism, sports, wedding, commercial, and portraiture. All the files you need to complete the exercises are included on the DVD.”

And by fully-updated... its a completely new book with all-new photos and a ton of cool new things.

In the meantime... check out these free online videos and my review: Top 10 Reasons To Upgrade to Aperture 2.

A lot of folks use Apple's Compressor to create podcast video files. That is when its running. I use Compressor all the time and think its a great application that harnesses the power of Apple hardware and software... but it can be a bit buggy.

Apple has posted a useful article on what to do when Compressor isn't starting up properly or performing normally.They offer basic troubleshooting steps to remedy the situation. This is the right place to start if you are attempting to to submit a batch and you see the following message:
Unable to submit to queue. Please restart your computer or verify your Compressor installation is correct.

Check out the whole article here.

From Scott Kelby's Photoshop Insider Blog

We’ve posted our first online class from Digital Video Guru (and Photoshop World Instructor) Richard Harrington, and it’s one a lot of people have been asking for: Getting Started with Apple Motion. Here’s the link to Rich’s new online class over at KelbyTraining.com. Note: We’ve got a lot more classes coming from Rich very soon, so stayed tuned! (That’s TV talk. I thought Rich would appreciate that type of jargon).

I've just completed three new DVDs on Apple Motion. We shot the titles in HD, and the screen quality is awesome. On each title you get a regular DVD, iPod ready files, and HD files for viewing on a computer or Apple TV. There are three volumes at $59 each or a bundle of all three for $139. Each comes with hands on lesson files and a lot of cool stuff is covered.

“From beginner to master in one set, these three DVD’s will take you step by step through Apple Motion and have you ready to tackle complex projects in just hours. Join Richard Harrington in this three DVD set of clear, concise training that will have you producing higher quality work with Apple Motion in no time.”

You can get the training from VASST.com. If you want a discount code... Post a comment and I'll send it to you.

I saw this very cool product at Macworld Expo called Flow. It is a revolutionary workflow management technology designed to work with Adobe and Apple software. The product took Best of Show (and for good reason). You can see it in action in a video demo on their site. 

"Flow is a revolutionary approach to digital content management that dramatically simplifies the design process for creative professionals working on graphic design, web and video projects. Flow automatically tracks your work from idea to end result and manages your assets and applications for your most complex projects- all without changing the way you work."

Flow isn't shipping for a while, but GridIron is accepting sign-ups for beta testing.

Just wanted to let you know that Amazon is running a special on the new Final Cut book I co-authored. They've got the book for less than $20 (thats a third off the cover price).

Book Description
Packed with more than 500 techniques, this book delivers what you need to knowon the spot. It is suited to editors of all experience levels, whether you are:

• Migrating from another NLE
• Upgrading to Final Cut Studio 2
• Seeking a handy reference to raise your proficiency

Read More...

Lot of bugs lately with QuickTime (especially in pro video applications). We've personally seen issues in both Final Cut Pro and After Effects.

Apple has released a new update to QuickTime... lets hope it's elusive “improves compatibility with third-party applications” actually means something.
Visit http://www.apple.com/support/quicktime/ for more information.

Author and video podcaster Richard Harrington explains how you can compress your video for podcast with Stomp from Shiny White Box.



Like the podcast? Subscribe for FREE.

Video podcaster and author Richard Harrington shows you how to edit a multi-camera shoot for your video podcasts.



Like the podcast? Subscribe for FREE.

Video podcaster and author Richard Harrington explains how to compress your podcasts fast using the Turbo.264.



Like the podcast? Subscribe for FREE.

Like many out there... I find some of the cosmetic changes in Leopard are bothersome. Fortunately, a donationware application named Xspinner does the trick.

• Customize the Dock
• Change the look of the menu bar
• Use Widgets outside of the Dashboard
• Customize the default Save and Print dialogs in all applications
• Tweak Finder settings
• Run system maintenance scripts
• and access system utilities and system logs

The biggest changes I like are making the menu bar opaque again, showing file paths in windows, and tweaking the Dock. The application is highly recommended as it is very stable and does not have to keep running after the changes are made.

Those who know me personally, know I am very passionate about podcasting. I have been hard at work for the last year on a new book on just that, video podcasting. My business partner, Mark Weiser, and I have taken many of the hard lessons learned at RHED Pixel and put them into a book. The book is full color and richly illustrated, plus there will also be a companion website and podcast launching in January.

The book ships in February, but you can get the biggest discount by pre-ordering it from Amazon.com.

I've taken part in MacUpdate's bundle deals for a while now... here's their latest and greatest. This deal runs out soon.

“MacUpdate has partnered with 11 Mac developers to bring you a great software bundle. You can buy this bundle for $49.99 instead of $666.74, a savings of $616.75 This amazing offer is time limited so buy today.”

Here are my favorites from the bundle

• ForkLift – A useful FTP application
• RapidWeaver – A great website and blogging tool, how this website is made.
• Xslimmer –Trim an applications by removing universal versions (going to just PPC or Intel) as well as Internationalization files.
• Yep – A really cool cataloging tool for PDF files
• SRS iWOW – Makes iTunes sound great on a laptop.
• XMIND 2008 Pro – A mind-mapping application that helps creative types get their ideas down.
• iStabilize – A REALLY good image stabilization program for shaky footage.
• PulpMotion – A surprisingly useful motion graphics tool with some cool templates

I am very proud to tell you that the new book Final Cut Studio on the Spot is shipping. This third edition has a ton of new things including dedicated chapters on Multi-camera Editing and HD (and the audio chapter is HUGE). In told, more then half the book is new... so if you own a past edition, this update is worth it (and if you don't have it.. then go now). This time Robbie Carman came on board with some helpful tips and tricks.

• Optimize system performance
• Create impressive titles with Generators, Motion, LiveType, and Photoshop
• Work quickly with buttons and keyboard shortcuts
• Color correct to save vital shots, and keep them broadcast legal
• Fix and mix for professional-quality audio
• Design and import graphics seamlessly
• Integrate with other applications including Motion, Soundtrack Pro and Color
• Manage media and backup strategies
• Export and publish finished projects to tape, DVD, or the Web

Get the book here for the best price.

The website ArsTechinca has posted an in depth review of Leopard (a full 17 pages, in fact). The review takes a very deep look at the new features and the core technology. Of interest to designers is the effect Leopard will have on Adobe and future developments for 64-bit computing.

If you are a Mac user, take the time and give it a read. You'll learn a lot about some of the less obvious changes.

I just had a great time at the New York Post|Production conference. For three days media pros gathered in New York movie house for the latest in digital media tools. I had the opportunity to teach a lot of new classes as well as show some of my favorite techniques. Here's the notes and a few demo files to play with.

01 Photoshop CS3 for Motion Graphics and Video | Book | DVD Available
02 Apple and Adobe – A Great Toolbox | Project X | Resizer Template
03 Beat the AE Render Queue
04 Media Management in Final Cut Pro | DVD Available
05 How to Sell Podcasting Services to Your Clients
06 Things You Might Not Know About After Effects CS3 | Puppet Tool Files | Vanishing Point Files
07 Multicam Editing Strategies in Final Cut Pro
08 Field Production Strategies for Video Podcasting
09 Creating a Graphical Identity for Your Video Podcasts (enhanced PDF)
10 Motion Control 3D | Demo Files | VPE Demo
11 Advanced Color Correction in Final Cut Pro | DVD Available

So, we've recently taken the P2 plunge at my company. These are the cards that are used in Panasonic’s HD cameras that allow you to record high-def video without needing tape. While the cards are great, it is a little hard to load the footage into the newer mac laptops. That's because the cards are shaped like the old PCMIA cards... and new modern laptops have switched to using the ExpressCard format.

Enter this useful device from Duel Systems.

”The DuelAdapter™ seamlessly converts input from PCMCIA cards designed for cellular broadband, wireless networking, video, audio and memory expansion to an ExpressCard compatible format. Data can be transferred at rates up to the full speed supported by the ExpressCard interface — five times faster than USB 2.0! The DuelAdapter is easy to set up — just install the driver, insert the adapter into your notebook’s ExpressCard slot and plug your PCMCIA card into the adapter.”

The product IS mac compatible... but I have yet to test it... We plan on ordering ours soon though.... so a detailed report to follow.

Have an iDisk? They are a useful part of a .mac account that allow you to store and backup files to an Internet hard drive. If you use an iDisk with clients, it can get a little tricky for clients to figure out how to access your iDisk using Apple's iDisk utility. An easier way is through a web browser. Just have your client type http://idisk.mac.com/your iDisk name and they'll be connected.

When a Macintosh application is installed, it tends to install several language localization files on your drive. If you have a robust Applications folder, these files can quickly add up to gigabytes of space. On a laptop, this can be particularly bad. Instead of manually performing a 'seek-and-dstroy' mission, you can harness the power of DeLocalizer. This useful piece of freeware will remove all non-American English localization resource files that you specify. This useful program lets you customize which languages to remove and can save you a lot of space on your drive.

For more information click here.

While at the National Association of Broadcaster's show, I picked up a copy of Zaxwerks' ProAnimator. This product is both a program and a plug-in. It is useful for creating animated text or logos. You can import Adobe Illustrator files, 3D models, or type original text in using any system font. It's fast and easy and give impressive results.
For more info.

Over at RHED Pixel, we've finally come up with a reasonable backup strategy for our FCP systems. Figured I'd share for those of you who need it

1. Target One Folder – We save all FCP projects to an FCP folder on the internal drive.

2. Use Backup Software – We've started using