GeekFest 2009- a weekend of photo inspiration in South Florida

If you're looking for some photo-inspiration this fall, consider heading down to sunny Florida September 11-13 for GeekFest- the semi-annual get-together hosted in St. Pete, organized by APhotoADay's Melissa Lyttle. From Melissa: "Some things we’re cooking up this year include: a shuffleboard tournament, a shoot-out, a silent print auction and more… If you’ve never been to GeekFest before, it’s not your normal photo conference. It’s laid back. It’s low key. And it’s a pretty full weekend of photo goodness. We like to keep it casual and comfortable. Everyone that comes is there for inspiration, plain and simple." Speakers this year will include: Sam Abell, Damon Winter, Bryan Moss, Pat Farrell, Alexis Lambert, Allison V Smith, Bob Croslin, Dai Sugano, and Nicole Fruge. There aren't many places you can hang with photographers/photo folks of that caliber all at once- registration is only $100, and there are some hotel discounts if you act quickly.…

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Finally, a custom designed multimedia bag

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Think Tank Photo makes some mighty fine bags and so when they sent MediaStorm samples of their new Multimedia Wired Up Collection bags, we were excited. Recently I had a chance to put them through their paces working in the field. Intelligently designed and well constructed, the combination of the WiredUp 20 beltpack and the Mic Drop bag best fit the still and audio gear I carry. The belt is brilliant for taking the weight off your shoulder and I find that adding a strap helped me balance it perfectly between my hips and shoulder and made it a snap to spin it from back to front so I could quickly change from carrying mode to working mode. The belt also serves as base to attach other components, including a cool headphone hook (it's included) and the auxiliary Mic Drop bag which big enough to carry a large "dead cat" wind screen…

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MediaStorm’s Multiclip Workflow

One of the benefits of shooting two-camera interviews is the ability to cut between angles without having to use b-roll to cover an edit.

For an example of this technique see On the Road with Danny Wilcox Frazier, an interview with the Driftless photographer.

Final Cut syncs two-camera interviews by creating multiclips. Multiclips act as a sort of wrapper, bundling two or more angles into one clip so that you can seamlessly edit between them.

(NOTE: This workflow assumes that you have asked your subjects to clap their hands at the beginning of the interview as a way to sync your cameras during the editing process.)

The first step in editing a two-camera interview is to make sure both tapes will be in sync when you create the multiclip.

To do this, load the clip from the first camera angle into Final Cut’s Viewer.

Mark an IN point (I) at the first frame of your subject clapping. You may need to scrub
back and forth with the arrow keys to find it. On occasion, the visual may appear to be a frame or two off from the actual clap. Mark IN based on the sound, not the picture.

Repeat this process with your clip from the second camera angle. Mark an IN where you hear the clap here, too.

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MediaStorm Workshops launch new projects

During the week of June 20-26, 2009, we brought 8 talented professionals together to collaborate with the MediaStorm team at the fourth MediaStorm Advanced Multimedia Reporting Workshop. This was a special workshop for us - given the tough economic climate and the critical need for multimedia training, we decided to hold a one-time, tuition-free Workshop, and we were thrilled and inspired at the number of people who put the time into applying for this opportunity. See the projects produced during this workshop below or apply for the next round of Workshops. Hold Out by Zachary Barr, Jeff Hutchens, Nacho Corbella and Uma Sanghvi Developers want to demolish a Brooklyn neighborhood to build a basketball arena and numerous high rises. But a small a neighborhood and a handful of residents stand in the way.See the project. A Tail of Identity by Toni Greaves, Jeff Davis, Steve Rowland, and Gregory Warner Enter the world…

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