HD For Indies

Perhaps we need to build a new forum Mike ... 4Kforindies maybe?

In all seriousness, everytime I read the work "standards" I cringe - I think big corporations - DVD format wars and "not on my projector", etc. -so, if we are talking about an industry group, or a forum for an exchange of ideas and techniques, I'm the first guy who will sign up.

As far as where do aspiring DI artists go? I think you will see many progressive schools add DI classes, School of Visual Arts here in NYC just purchased two complete Scratch systems.

What you have to accept, is that it is a field where the technology is moving very, very fast. I have heard rumors of next gen GPU's that if true, will change the game bigtime. And we all expect Apple to put a new engine (Core Video) into Final Cut Pro - and that will make it very, very possible for third-party companies to make "DI" plug-ins for FCP.

If I was to guess, I'd say lots of folks will be doing DI's on a new, yet to be seen, higher-end version of Final Cut Pro - maybe with third-party plug-ins - and the "big boys" will be using tools like Scratch or Speedgrade.

Also, as a service business, post companies and colorists are becoming a very competitive business. So, I'm not 100% sure everybody is going to want to help each othere out here.

My company just did a "proof of concept" color grade for another company using Final Touch, and they went out and bought it the next week. In fairness to them, they did tell me from day one that they wanted to do it in house. Now they have an add on the Silicon Color boards looking for a colorist that knows Final Touch.

It's the old "tell them enough to impress them, but not enough so they will go out and it it themselves". I consulted for one post company that would tell clients they had a "proprietary technique/process" that was a really a $1000 third-party plug-in - the clients see the end result and say "wow, you guys are great" - now if the client knows alot of the "heavy lifting" was a $1000 plug-in - he or she might say, "let's just buy those plug-ins".

DI is clearly "on the move" and it feels a bit like going back down memory lane, when Final Cut Pro started to take off and AJA and BlackMagic came out with hardware to do professional quality broadcast work in your garage.

I'm sure you remember those days, Mike?
 

4kforindies.. hehe, I remember when the video toaster was going to revolutionize the video world! (and it kind of did)

I think that this is essentially the same problem that you see in the editing world. Now that anyone can learn the basics of Final Cut, producers are editing things themselves. Yeah, you save a buck, but unfortunately you lose a lot of expertise experience and specialization with that.

About the $1000 plug-in guys, the problem I see with their model, is that it is very fragile. As soon as someone comes along offers the same thing at a lower cost, they're done.

A lot of the technology of film making is becoming more and more transparant, which does lead to business models built of keeping things secret won't last forever.

One might believe that since there's all this transparancy, there will be an upsurge of talent, and the best houses will win out.

It's going to be the dv thing all over again for a while...

It's one thing to install a Final Touch grading system. And as I'm sure you know, it's another thing entirely to grade multiple projects with the software, and get everything done, on time.

The thing is... Are producers going to understand this?
 

Hi, guys. Forgive me for lapsing into self-promotional mode (I'm the editor of Film & Video, which is part of the StudioDaily.com family) but I wanted to point out that the "anonymous writer" of said editorials is actually Debra Kaufman, who edits the DI/Studio e-newsletter each and every month.

You can see the whole thing in context at http://www.studiodaily.com/distudio/. Please, send her an email and let her know what you think -- as you can tell, she's been getting a lot of feedback on this issue.
 

Bryant - NO apologies needed, thank you for taking the time to post and clarify - your input is always welcome and invited.

-mike
 

Mike - you're email address which forwards to 3beam bounces back. Since you're trying to get consulting work through it... I would say.... Definitely try to make that one work. Have a friend test it for you.