Final Cut vs. the World (of Education)
Last June, when our pals at Apple rolled out Final Cut Pro X, my immediate thoughts were: As a video professional, I hate it. As a video teacher, it might be just what I need.
With such a drastic reboot, it was clear that our staff would need to spend time in training. But before we wasted dollars on a new software that might not serve our needs, we needed some way to field test it.
A lot has been written about selecting the correct non-linear editing platform (or NLE – that’s what Final Cut is) for a professional edit shop. But what about education? What should we be looking for in a good editing program? Ultimately, what we’re looking for is a tool that encourages collaboration and creativity AND that can be seamlessly integrated into the curriculum of an liberal arts concentration (we are NOT a film school). To that end, I’ve mapped out some guidelines to help with the evaluation process.
1. Collaboration.
How easy is it to save a project and open it on another workstation? How easy is it to share a project with another user?
2. The Timeline.
Open up the NLE, bring some footage into the timeline (they all have something called a timeline, even FCPX).
Ask yourself: How fluid is the process of selecting and moving video to the timeline? (It should be three steps or -preferably- less). Once in the timeline, how easy is it to manipulate/troubleshoot/keyframe the media? How well does the timeline conform different media formats (try bringing in a clip that is SD 4:3 and one that is SD 16:9. What does the end result look like?).
3. Ingest
How easy is it to get the footage from the camera (or other device) into the editor? Another way to think about this: Map out the workflow that gets your recorded media off the camera/card and into your production storage. In education, I’d aim for a workflow that takes two steps or less.
4. File Formats
Can the editor handle the most common camera formats (varies by institution – here I’d consider it to be AVCHD, H264, MPEG2). Still photos? Audio? Think big and consider formats like Photoshop or Illustrator.
5. Knowledge Base
Who is using the software? Are there easily accessible online training docs? Manuals? Forums? Essentially: when a student finds a seemingly unanswerable problem (and believe me, they will) – is there a community out in the world of the internets who can help?
6. Cross Platform
Is it available for Mac and PC and how important is that to you? Does it have a mobile component? How nicely does it play with mobile devices? (You could combine this with your review of file formats and ingest properties).
Things to avoid worrying about:
Don’t get caught up in templates, freebies and other “fun” parts of the package. If iMovie meets the criteria above, great – I’m using it! But I’m not going with iMovie because it has fun templates. Those are old news to my students and the video equivalent of glitter to my faculty. Focus on what matters: collaboration and creativity. Glitter doesn’t inspire creativity, it gets in the way.
Basically, stick to the list. The other stuff is (forgive another overused metaphor) the icing on your cake, but it’s not a point of evaluation.
Wait, aren’t we still being a little subjective here? And why NOT iMovie?
Ultimately, yes: choosing the right NLE is a little subjective.
My experience is that these guidelines keep me focused on the heart of the matter: finding a video editing platform that supports the learning process through collaboration and creativity.
As for iMovie: It will go through the above review process just like all the other NLEs in the stable. Maybe this time around, using these guidelines, we’ll find it’s the right editing platform for us.
The Value of Community Media in an Open Society (as I see it)
Today in an online message board for radio pros (I know, I know), I noticed a rather heated discussion about community radio in Maine. A group of old commercial radio pros were ranting that the University of Southern Maine’s WMPG was a “waste of bandwidth” that catered to a “fiefdom of community interests.” I hold WMPG pretty near and dear to my heart, so I couldn’t help chime in defense, noting that many had launched careers with their experience at the community station. This satisfied some, but then a poster called “Ray Ting”, asked me: Then what *is* the point? If it’s just a training sandbox, couldn’t that we [sic] done with an Internet station, instead of wasting FM bandwidth and taxpayer dollars?
The point is this: as Americans, we have freedom of speech. That freedom extends to the airwaves. WMPG is conduit of free speech. It is absolutely not a waste of bandwidth. Before anyone says otherwise: I believe there is a place for corporate radio. I was never prouder than when I reported for heritage news station WGAN and I believe that commercial music stations like Q97.9 and Frank FM do a fine job as stewards of the public’s airwaves. If you run a commercial station, your job is to create content for the most amount of people possible. That’s sound business sense and a fine use of the public spectrum.
But stations like WMPG don’t create programming for the masses – they allow the masses to create programming. As radio folks, we too often get caught in Arbitron, TSL and focus groups and forget the power we wield every time we open a mic, cut something up in ProTools, or flip the Marantz (661, if you’re wondering) to record.
WMPG gives folks, average, non-media folks, the chance to feel and recognize that power. These days, I make my living as a media educator, and I’ll tell you with confidence that 98% of the kids I teach don’t grow up to become “media professionals.” But they do leave my classes understanding the link between creativity and community impact, they do leave my classes feeling empowered with a voice they didn’t know they had, they do leave my classes understanding how much media influences their lives. That knowledge does have an impact on society.
I know this because I was once a scared, shy kid who stumbled into radio at WMPG – and found his voice. Other WMPG “classmates” of mine became lawyers, environmentalists, activists, politicians, psychologists, news producers – all consider their time at WMPG as monumental and life changing.
Why not relegate all this to the internet? Well, why not broadcast Frank FM only on the internet? Community radio is about giving a small slice of the public airwaves to the public. And frankly, I can’t think of a better way to spend my tax dollars than in support of the First Amendment. Those who founded our country recognized that free speech – before weapons, before government – was the greatest protection of our liberties. WMPG is an extension of that. Because even if the quality isn’t the best, even if you overplay Frank Zappa, even if only two or three people are listening at any one time, WMPG is there to let you say and play what you want. Now that’s pretty damn American.
Building A Home Radio Studio on the Cheap: What You Need to Know
I presented on January 16th at the Great Northeast Radio Rally in Portland, Maine. The event was put on by the fine folks at Blunt: Youth Radio of which I am an alumnus. First of all: Due to the downturn of the economy, Blunt lost of a good deal of its funding. Director Claire Holman has got to be one of the hardest working people in Maine (if not the world) and the program itself must be one of the best activities for youth in the greater Portland area. Claire has the ability to turn a couple of dollars into something exceedingly meaningful (this conference was an example) so if you can spare a few bucks (and goodness knows, many of us can’t), please spare those bucks to Blunt.
Anyway. I digress. During my presentation I talked a lot (ad nauseam, some might say) about my desire to help people with limited funds tell good stories (both in sound and content). Before I get to my list of recommended equipment, I wanted to repeat what I hope was the core principal everyone took away from my discussion (no, not soldering is easy and cheap. Although that too is true): if you want to make radio stories, get a hold of ANY piece of gear. An old tape recorder. A computer microphone. An iPhone. No, it won’t be the best sounding recording ever made, but let’s face it: If you’re just starting out, having high quality gear won’t make a bit of a difference. By practicing with less than perfect gear, you’ll have a better idea of what you really need on this list, opposed to what you’ll-feel-cool-buying but won’t use once.
As the piece I played in workshop demonstrated, you can produce acceptable audio using just an iPhone. Sure, it would have better (and less awkward – try asking someone you’ve just met to talk into your iPhone “for the radio”. It’s the definition of awkward) if I’d used my Marantz 661 and a microphone to interview folks. But hey – using my iPhone worked! I got it done! I got paid for getting it done! The radio gods would rather you use their medium awkwardly than not use it at all.
Also, become friends with people who know a lot about audio. When you do buy gear – purchase it from retailers who speak the language – not big box stores or massive online retailers. I highly recommend a company called Parson’s Audio. They’re based out of Wellsley, Massachusetts. They have smart, knowledgeable staff who will remember you every time you call. They almost always price lower than B&H, Sweetwater … even Amazon! They will give you advice you can trust. And best of all – they have a totally free audio conference every Fall!
Finally, don’t feel you have to do this all at once. Review my recommendations, consider the type of work you’re doing and buy what you need. If you have questions, please feel free to drop me an email. I’m happy to talk tech anytime.
Anyway, as you save up, here is a list of gear I’d recommend – along with how I’d use it. Prices may vary based on distributor. Feel free to mix and match – and if you have ideas for a home studio on the cheap, let me know via the comment section.
Computers. The membrane of any home studio is the computer. Just about any modern computer can run the audio software I’m recommending, so don’t lose a ton of sleep when you’re picking out your studio computer. If you’re one of those folks who plans on using more than 10 simultaneous audio tracks and multiple live effects, you might consider getting a mid-level PC just to be on the safe side. However, I’ll stand by my opinion that just about any Dell laptop or Macbook will serve the needs of most producers – especially those producers workin’ on the cheap.
If you do decide to get a beefier (yep, just used beefier in a sentence) computer, remember that in audio, processor speed is essential. If you plan on editing audio stored on your internal hard drive, make sure it spins at 7200RPM. However, in general, I’d recommend purchasing an external hard drive to store your audio and project files.
External Hard Drives. If you’re at least 10% serious about producing media, buy an external hard drive. There are many reasons for this and I’ll try to detail them in a future blog post. In the meantime, I recommend OWC (Other World Computing) external hard drives. I love them. They are cheaper and better than what you’ll find at any box store. You can find and purchase them at OWC’s website. Don’t let the “Mac Sales” web address fool you – OWC drives work with both Mac and PCs. When buying a hard drive for media – remember you want it to “spin” at at least 7200RPM. Size is whatever you can afford. The model I showed off at the conference was the OWC Mecury Elite-AL Pro 1.0TB firewire model, which sells for $150. The USB-only model (which should work fine for audio), sells for $112.
Audio Editing Software. Of course, you’ll need some audio editing software. If you’re using a Mac, Garageband (free) is just fine for starting out. It comes with your Mac. For everyone else (and those that tire of Garageband’s quirks) I recommend (for PC and Mac users) Hindenburg Journalist ($67) as an audio editor. At some point, I’ll post a review on this blog, but ’till then Transom.org has a great review. As much as I like doing things on the cheap, I do recommend staying away from the free Audacity. It’s great for one-off pieces (like a quick voicer) but it has let me down way, way too many times when working on longer form, multi-day editing projects.
For those needing more or willing to spend a little more: Adobe Audition is pretty much industry standard on PCs. The new Mac version is in Beta (testing mode) and free (for now). I’ve had limited success with the Beta versions, but others are saying good things. And, of course, there’s always ProTools. I have a lot of (cryptically negative) opinions on ProTools, but I’ll save those for another post. For now, I’ll say this: if you must have ProTools, the best deal for the indy producer is the mBox Mini, which retails around $200 and includes ProTools and a nifty single input audio interface (more on interfaces next).
Audio Interfaces (also-known-as: I/Os). Simply: An audio interface is how you convert your audio from analog to digital so that you can edit it on your computer. If you’re truly building a studio on the cheap – an audio interface isn’t necessary so long as you have a decent digital audio field recorder. For example: You can record all your sound (including your narr. tracks) on an inexpensive Zoom H2 ($150), plug it into your computer with the provided USB cord and import the audio directly from recorder to computer. When I’m reporting features in the field (mostly election based coverage), that is exactly how I do it. Track everything to recorder, import to Hindenburg Journalist, edit, export, email finished piece to the studio producer.
However, if you’re planning on doing multi-track recording, including phoners, or converting a lot of analog material, it can be nice to have a decent I/O. I really find mine to be an essential part of my home studio. If your budget will allow it, I really like the Mackie Onyx-i series (starting at $400). These ARE mixing boards, but they have a Firewire out that works with every major audio editing software (including ProTools ver. 9). Really great for the price point. Again, if you’re a ProTools fan, the mBox series is great – I just think they’re a little expensive for a producer on a budget. Also, call me old school, but I’d prefer an interface that runs like a mixing board and has a useable VU meter.
Important consideration when purchasing an audio I/O: Not all PCs have a firewire port, so double check your computer. If you don’t have a firewire port, they’re very easy and cheap to add on to most PCs – so don’t fret.
There are some other great I/Os – including the Presonus AudioBox which you can pick up for around $150.
If you’re really looking to save some cash, both the Zoom H2 and the Zoom H4 are designed to double as both field recorders AND an I/O. Like many of the cheaper solutions, the H2 as an I/O works fantastic in a pinch, but for long term, I’d suggest saving for an Onyx-i or similar. Note o’ caution: the mic input jack on the H2 is NOT powered – which means you’ll need to stick with dynamic mics like the RE50 or use condenser mics that have a built-in (usually battery) power source.
Microphones. When you’re building your studio on the cheap, cost will usually be the deciding factor in mic choice. I can’t say enough about the EV RE50 $159. You can use it as a field mic, studio mic, nat sound mic. Eventually, like a photographer has multiple lenses, you too will want multiple mics for specific occasions – but for an entry-level do-all mic, the RE50 is the one to have kickin’ around. I keep one at the ready both at work and at home.
When you’re ready to graduate up to a nice in-studio voiceover mic, I love the Shure SM7B $349. These are the mics they use in studio at WNYC AND the mics used to record Michael Jackson’s vocals for the 1982 classic Thriller. They’re also less sensitive to handling noise (demonstrable) and better sounding (not so demonstrable. More of an opinion, really) than the popular EV RE20$399. But of course, that’s open for debate.
Mic stands: I have had fantastic experience with K&M mic stands but any boom will do. I do recommend having a boom stand (or 2 or 3) in-studio. Super useful for mic holding (obviously) and (less obviously) script holding (a little scotch tape or a Bag Clip makes an affordable script holder.
Audio Cables. I make my own cables. It took some time to become good at it – but I think it was worth it. It’s given me a better understand of audio recording technologies and it means I always have the right cable for the job. Most importantly: it saves me a lot of money. I purchase the raw materials from Redco Audio. I’m a fan of Mogwai brand mic cable however, you’ll find Redco’s own imprint makes some high quality stuff. My soldering iron is a $13 Weller I picked up from Radio Shack.
Audio Recorder. There are a lot of flash-card based audio recorders. My favorites are the inexpensive Zoom H2 ($149) and the significantly more pricey but signifigantly more feature-happy Marantz PMD661 ($599). I’ve considered writing reviews for both these recorders, but Jeff Towne does a far better job than I over in the Tools section of that Transom.org. I will say this about the 661 – its simplicity of use, sweet pre-amps and easy-to-read LCD screen make me want to go out and record. Even on freezing days. It’s a fantastic piece of gear. But it also took years to save up and buy, so you know, it’s all relative!
So that about wraps my studio on a budget notes. Again, don’t look at the price tags for gear and think: “oh geez, I’m never gonna be able to afford a nice home studio.” You can get by with a laptop and Audacity. Then upgrade to Hindenburg Journalist. Maybe consider Audacity or ProTools. Buy an RE50. Do it slowly, don’t waste your money on half-ass gear and soon you’ll have a studio that rivals your local commercial radio enterprise.
And most importantly – keep telling those stories. Even if all you have is an iPhone.
Also in my distant future: a posting on what to carry in your field production kit.
20 second review: Canon Vixia HF21
I’ve spent the last week field testing a Canon Vixia HF21. Great for simple point and shoot production. As with all consumer grade cameras, the manual focus, aperture and other advanced settings are too far buried to be of much use (in most situations), but the auto settings do a nice job. It has an 1/8 inch input for an added field mic (def recommend one – the internal mic is extremely sensitive to handling). Also a plus: a true optical zoom with extremely crisp HD (it can also record in “standard” which is 1440 x 1080 with selectable data rate). The camera records to an internal 65GB memory card or a removable (and upgradable) SD Card.
Log and Transfer BP:
The Vixia HF21 records in the AVCHD codec. Using the Log and Transfer section of Final Cut Pro, I import using ProRes 422. A couple of people have asked about AVCHD looking different in Final Cut (that is, the dimensions or quality changing) and I can say confidentially that nothing changes in either quality or technical attributes. It looks just fantastic.
There is no doubt you could produce some professional grade work with the camera. I’m pretty psyched about it.
Here’s a little somethin’, somethin’ I whipped up with the HF21 and FCP.
Note: the camera is shaky. I blame the inhaler. Also note: I am too cheap to buy a Vimeo Pro account – so follow the link to Vimeo to get the HD version.
Making ProTools and a Telos One Play Nicely
In my small studio, I have a Telos One. I have a ProTools 003.
As you might expect, I use them to record phone calls. But until today, using them together was a complex task. No longer!
The answer is so simple yet so elusive on the web (perhaps because it’s so simple, everyone else figured it out on their own), I thought I’d post here.
The secret is AUX tracks.
I use one AUX Track to send talent audio to the caller (Telos SEND).
I use another AUX Track to send only caller audio to the studio (Telos Receive).
Meanwhile, I use a single stereo audio track (configured in Setup>I/O) where Left is Talent and Right is Caller.
That’s it!
A couple of notes:
* Obvious -but I could see being overlooked- is the need to keep your Telos on an input different than any of your talent mic (or preamp) inputs.
* It goes without saying that you’ll need to properly configure the levels (both send and receive) on your Telos. The manual is full of useful how-tos on this subject.
I can also see some debate about using a Stereo audio track as a mix-minus. I use the stereo track because I wanted to create the easiest possible template for my students to use. To this end, I have spent quite a bit of time adjusting my Telos so that it rarely needs a tweak at fader level during a phoner.
However, I’ll admit: it’s not perfect. My interviewees sometimes struggle with proper phone holding protocol. So for my purposes (and for my more advanced students), I create two mono tracks – assign talent audio to one, caller audio to the other – and then do my studio mix on the fly.
Either way, using an AUX channel on PT makes life so, so much easier!
iPaded: As The Nerd Turns
I 'forced' myself to watch 3 episodes of Law & Order: CI on the iPad.
It seems fitting that the first post to my new blog be a discussion of new technology. And fortunately for me, days after launching my new web home, work handed me a loaner iPad. I love it when a plan comes together.
My first impressions on ye ole MacPad weren’t great. It’s neat, sure. But all the hype boils down to what a hundred-million other bloggers have noted: it’s a highbred of an iPhone and a MacBook. If you have one or the other, you probably won’t be too wowed. If you have both MacBookPro and iPhone (as I do), you’ll be even less impressed. It’s like a faster, less portable, more slippery version of my iPhone. Boy is it slippery. I am a computer abuser. I balance on my lap, tuck under my armpit, throw into a backpack. The iPad is one feline mishap away from cracked screen. Or at least, it feels that way.
Shortly removing the iPad from its iPouch, I spent about nearly a half-hour testing a few apps, flipping through a couple of books (they look great, but the iPad doesn’t fit nicely in my hands like a Kindle… or a real book) and trying out some of my ported iPhone apps and their big brother “iPad versions” (Another sign the term ‘HD’ is being drastically misused: the amount of iPad versions of iPhone software branded as “HD”. I highly doubt these apps, as nice as they are, technically qualify as High Definition). They looked great, worked great (NPR’s iPad app is especially nice) but again, if you’ve used an iPhone, these handy apps are nothing new–and considering they don’t fit in my pocket, substantially less handy.
It wasn’t until last night, bored on the couch, girlfriend to bed early, that I took out the iPad again. And started watching YouTube.
That changed everything.
As it turns out, the magic of iPad stays hidden until you start interacting with visual media. Forget productivity. If that’s your goal, laptops are king. Forget clever apps to manage servers, calculate bit-rate, remember key tasks. You need the portability of an iPhone. And listening to music? The iPod still wins out. But wow oh wow, watching video has never been a better experience. Clear, crisp video. Great sound. And better yet, I could recline, lay prone, stand up, do push-ups –what have you– and still enjoy ABC, Netflix and YouTube videos comfortably, without tiny sound. And the battery met the test. Three hours of Law and Order:CI; battery at 91%. My MacBookPro can’t do that.
How clear? The image is better than any TV at the same price point. The sound is about the same as my laptop speakers. It was very easy to connect to the interwebs.
Yet, despite this opinion changing interaction — I still wouldn’t spend my hard earned disposable income on an iPad.
Reason 1: I lack any disposable income. Reason 2: If I did have disposable income, I’d spend it on tenting gear, new hiking boots and possibly, possibly a Wii. In other words, neat as it is, the iPad does not have the bells and whistles needed to top out on the ‘Good Waste of Cash’ List. It is the Mac Netbook: A nifty device that is just right for those wishing to surf the web, catch some online videos and play some games. For the older folks in your life, it is a great introduction to the world wide web. But as somebody already plenty connected to the web — nifty isn’t enough to yank $499 out of my wallet.
Colin Kelley Blogs Here. 