Software Inventory 2014

I thought the start of the new year would be a good time to review the software I use most frequently at MediaStorm.

The Essentials

Adobe Premiere Pro CC (starting at $19.99 a month) – Back in October of 2012 MediaStorm announced our decision to use Premiere Pro, not FCP X. With the advent of CC, the updates are faster and the software keeps getting better.

Aperture (Mac App Store, $79.99) – Aperture is Apple’s workhouse picture-editing software. While it’s due for an update, we’ve been relying on Aperture for the better part of a decade. For an extensive guide to Aperture see the MediaStorm Post-production Workflow ($14.95).

Keyboard Maestro ($36.00) – Keyboard Maestro is a macro utility. When a user inputs a single keyboard shortcut, Keyboard Maestro will respond with a series of predefined actions. This small application really increased my logging speed last year. See MediaStorm Guide to Super Fast Logging with Premiere Pro and Keyboard Maestro.

PluralEyes ($199) – Essential software for syncing multiple audio or video sources. See MediaStorm Guide to Creating Multi-Camera Sequences in Premiere Pro, Part 1.

Final Cut Pro 7 – Apple’s venerable editing software is no longer available for purchase nor is it in heavy use around the office. But with nearly 40 TB of legacy projects, it’s still critical to have a copy on our production stations.

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Andrew Ellis Joins MediaStorm

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MediaStorm is excited to welcome Andrew Michael Ellis to our team as the Director of Photography. Andrew creates films that highlight injustice and challenge stereotypes through humanizing, intimate storytelling with award winning cinematography. His documentary Figure Father grapples with the emotional challenges of reentry from prison, while his quirky comedic portrait documentary Eleanor Ambos Interiors flips ageism and gender stereotypes on their head. As Andrew’s films tour the film festival circuit he still values film education, teaching cinematography at New York University and creating a film education program for an NGO in Southern California that works with undocumented immigrants. Andrew’s latest film They Came at Night combines stylized fiction filmmaking with concrete social advocacy strategy for communities devastated by war in Central Africa. Andrew co-founded the art collective Nomadique and is now the full-time Director of Photography for MediaStorm, a digital storytelling agency based in Brooklyn.

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POYi Competition Deadline Approaching

The countdown is on to submit entries for Pictures of the Year International's 71st anniversary competition honoring the world's premier documentary photography, multimedia, and visual editing. This year's competition features 44 categories in the divisions of news & reportage, sports, multimedia, editing, publication, and premier. The entry deadline is Thursday, January 16, 2014. About Pictures of the Year International Pictures of the Year International is the oldest and most prestigious photojournalism program in the world. When you enter POYi, your work reaches out to citizens worldwide and becomes a part of visual history. See the new Call for Entries on the POYi website. Or follow their Facebook page for updates.

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Worth Clicking: New Year’s Edition

All links are hand-picked by the MediaStorm staff for your enjoyment this new year. Cheers!

Looking Back and Ahead

  • The New York Times’ epic year in interactive storytelling. [New York Times]
  • 2013 in visual storytelling and data projects. [ProPublica]
  • Nieman Journalism Lab asks media experts to predict what 2014 will bring to journalism. [Nieman Lab]

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