video editing
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Mac pros react to the Mac Pro
It's been over a week since Apple announced the new Mac Pro, and while public opinion has been quite positive, the creative professionals who will most likely be the target market for the shiny cylinder haven't been heard from... until now. Macworld UK's Karen Haslam followed up with a number of power users, and found that while many are thrilled with the prospect of Apple's new flagship product, there are some concerns as well. The lack of internal expansion in the new design is of concern to several commenters. Writing for Broadcast Engineer, David Austerberry noted that "If I upgrade, that spaghetti under the desk will be joined by more Thunderbolt spaghetti connecting to external storage." Referring to the turntable base of the new Mac Pro, Austerberry says, "If I need to plug in an external drive to bring in video content, I can attempt to plug in at the back, but the chassis isn't going to turn easily with all the cables plugged in. Some front connectors would have been dead handy!" Despite the concerns about internal expansion, Final Cut Pro trainer Larry Jordan recently blogged that 80 percent of current Mac Pro users don't have any PCI cards installed except for the graphics card. Jordan also wrote that "Apple essentially provided a virtually unlimited number of card slots for users that need the maximum in expandability," in reference to the use of the still unproven Thunderbolt 2 bus. Pros need a lot of storage. Video editor Lou Borella bemoans the lack of Thunderbolt peripherals, saying that the "missing piece is the lack of high-speed Thunderbolt-native RAID 5 storage systems" and "very, very few 5- to 10-drive RAID 5 systems, which we editors need the most." Most of the pros seemed thrilled with the prospect of the Xeon E5-powered Mac Pro and fast PCIe flash memory. But most were also concerned about the lack of choice of GPU in the new Mac Pro. Borella "was drooling at the thought of two NVidia Titans" in his future Mac Pro, but Apple has apparently decided that the two built-in AMD FirePro workstation-class GPUs are enough. Some Mac users have software that isn't optimized or even compatible with the new graphics card, so the ability to swap out GPUs is a major concern. For the most part, many of the pros were optimistic, with Borella noting that "This machine will change the way my peripherals sit on my desk. It will cause me to take a hard look at my current monitor situation. It will cause me to re-evaluate my home network and my NAS devices. It might even cause me to give a harder look to FCPX. For good or bad this Mac Pro will change everything and cause a ripple effect in my entire computing life... It's probably about time that some company takes me to the next step." We'll hear more about the Mac Pro, including pricing and expansion possibilities, as the fall release date draws closer. If you're a current Mac Pro owner and have your doubts or hopes about the new model, please leave us your comments below.
Videon for iPhone is a full-featured and well thought out app
Camera apps seem to get most of the attention from iPhone users, probably because there are a lot more people taking stills than video. The iPhone does have very capable video features, and some third parties seem to have outdone Apple when it comes to creating and editing videos you will want to share. Videon is a perfect example. This US$2.99 app lets you shoot video as well as edit out those bits that should be left on the virtual cutting room floor. Videon's feature set is complete, with a nice-looking digital zoom, multiple resolutions and aspect ratios, adjustable frame rates for slow motion, independent focus and exposure points, and the ability to take a photo while you are recording a video. Once you have captured your clips, Videon is an excellent video editor. It provides effects like saturation, filters, black and white conversion, and even the ability to straighten (or tilt) an image that isn't oriented the way you want. Clips can be merged into longer videos and re-ordered, as well as trimmed. I gave Videon a spin and found it both reliable and intuitive. I thought the digital zoom was of very good quality, but it is no substitute for a real zoom lens, something Apple doesn't supply (Editor's note: although the company has added a digital zoom to the iOS 7 beta). Still, the zoom Videon provides is of the best quality I have seen on an iOS app. Stabilization was also quite good, but if you don't have steady hands understand that your frames will be cropped in order for the feature to work. Stills can be grabbed from videos after they are taken, and the final video saved to your camera roll. %Gallery-191504% Videon is an impressive app, and goes far beyond what Apple builds into the iPhone. I would consider Videon to be among the top consumer-oriented video apps on the platform. Those with a more professional bent should take a look at FiLMiC Pro for $4.99. which is aimed more at pros using the iPhone camera. The ultimate app for video appears to be Vizzywig, a camera and editing app that even includes titles, music and the ability to share video with others running the app in real time. I'll try to get my hands on it to give it a test. User reviews are very positive, and Vizzywig is $19.99. There's a YouTube video online if you want to get a good overview of the Videon features. Videon is optimized for the iPhone 5 and requires iOS 6 or later.
Open source video editing program needs help on Kickstarter, offers immortality in return
Forget having kids. Forget mind-transfers. Real immortality lies in naming a video transition after yourself. No, seriously. To make eternity happen, you simply need to donate $500 to Jonathan Thomas's Kickstarter project and in return he'll let you create and name a transition effect in a new cross-platform version of his free, open source video editing program, called OpenShot. Currently Linux-only, it supports regular timeline-based video editing with layers and compositing, transitions, effects, titles and support for a wide range of AV formats courtesy of the usual open source codec libraries. If it reaches its $20k goal, Thomas will start work on editions for Windows and Mac OS alongside Linux, anticipating a beta release before the end of the year. Smaller donations will receive more minor possessions in the afterlife, such as your name in the credits. Bigger pledges -- of up to $10,000 -- will flip things around slightly and require Jonathan Thomas to sell you his soul. Go get it, Pharoah!
Magisto sharpens its AI video editing algorithm, adds themes, albums and group editing
Sure, Magisto's automatic video editing algorithms are great for social media mashup clips, but what if you want to use the service's robotic sense of cinema to tell a story? CEO Oren Boiman says it's just what social video is missing, and has tweaked the service to fill the gap. Users now have access to a collection of themes to change how their footage is handled. The idea is to tip the algorithm in on the emotion the user is trying to convey, selecting "so cute" or "street beat" to cue it to select appropriately adorable or aggressive song suggestions, special effects or title treatments. The service also added a new video album feature, making it easier to organize and share videos with friends and family, and hopes to implement a collaborative editing system soon -- complete with post-production tools to tweak the computer's direction. Of course, you could always do things the old fashioned way.
Apple updates Final Cut Pro X
Though not announced during its big October event, Apple also included Final Cut Pro X in its list of apps that the company updated yesterday. The latest version (10.0.6) of the video editing software now supports native RAW editing of content from RED cameras, lets you expand multichannel audio files so you can edit each audio channel separately and adds a paste attributes window that lets you choose specific effects to copy between clips. These are only a few examples from a long list of new features that were added to the video editing package. The full change log includes: Expand multichannel audio files directly in the timeline for precise editing of individual audio channels Unified import window for transferring media from both file-based cameras and folders of files Redesigned Share interface for exporting projects and range selections to one or more destinations RED camera support with native REDCODE RAW editing and optional background transcode to Apple ProRes MXF plug-in support that allows you to work natively with MXF files from import through delivery using third-party plug-ins Dual viewers, each with a video scope display, let you compare shots to match action and color Option to add chapter markers in the timeline for export to video files, DVD and Blu-ray disc Range selection now preserves start and end points in the Event Browser and allows you to create multiple range selections on a single clip Paste attributes window lets you choose specific effects to copy between clips Flexible Clip Connections allow you to keep Connected Clips in place when slipping, sliding or moving clips in the Primary Storyline Add a freeze frame to your timeline with a single keystroke Drop shadow effect with intuitive onscreen controls to adjust position, edge falloff, angle and more New controls for combining audio from multiple angles within a Multicam Clip Compound Clip creation in the timeline now saves the clip in the Event Browser for re-use in other projects XML 1.2 featuring metadata import and export for richer integration with third-party apps Final Cut Pro X is available for US$299 in the Mac App Store. [Via Engadget]
Apple updates Final Cut Pro X with slew of new features, now available for download
Amidst all the announcements made at the California Theatre earlier today, Apple very quietly pushed out a fresh version of its famed (and at times controversial) video editing software, Final Cut Pro. Inside v10.0.6 users can find an array of new additions and improvements that will most certainly be welcomed with open arms by the FCPX crowd, making this the most notable update since bundling in those multicam and broadcast monitoring features. Among these new traits are RED camera support for native REDCODE RAW editing, the ability to add freeze frames to the timeline with a simple keystroke, novel audio controls for use while tinkering with multicam clips and a revamped "Share" interface for exporting projects. The Final Cut Pro update can be downloaded now from the usual spot, and, of course, it comes at no extra cost for those who've already shelled out the $300. The full and hefty changelog can be found right after the break.
Adobe announces Photoshop and Premiere Elements 11 with new filters, more beginner-friendly UI
Earlier this year Adobe announced Photoshop CS6 with a new user interface, and now Elements, its line of beginner-level products, is getting a facelift too. The company just introduced Photoshop and Premiere Elements 11, and while the two apps include a handful of new photo- and video-editing features, the bigger story is that they're designed to be less intimidating to newbies. Both have a more readable UI, for instance, as opposed to the old theme with the dark background and low-contrast icons. Things like preview thumbnails have been brought to the forefront so that they're easier to find. Also, both pieces of software ship with a re-tooled image organizer that puts commonly used functions front and center, with lesser-used features like keyword tagging hidden in the menus. The organizer also now has Google Maps integration, so you can view your shots on a map. You can also for the first time view by event, or by the names of people tagged in photos. As for new features, Photoshop Elements is getting a series of new comic-inspired filters, including "Pen and Ink," "Graphic Novel" and, yes, "Comic." Photoshop Elements now allows European customers to upload photos to Cewe, while Premiere Elements supports Vimeo uploads. (Facebook, YouTube, Flickr, Shutterfly and SmugMug sharing were already built in.) Amateur videographers will also enjoy a series of new Hollywood-inspired filters, including Red Noir, a "Sin City"-esque effect with red accents, and "Pandora," which is meant to evoke "Avatar." Finally, you can use Time Remapping and Reverse Time to speed up footage or slow it down, respectively. Fans of the software will notice the pricing hasn't changed: the two apps cost $100 each, or $150 as a bundle. Folks who are upgrading will pay $80 a pop, or $120 for both. Look for both on Adobe's site today, with the old-fashioned boxed software hitting retailers soon.
Adobe Premiere Pro CS6 now fully supports Retina MacBook Pro: both HiDPI and GPU compute
Adobe's video editing application is already a lovely thing on the Retina MacBook Pro, but not visually -- only in terms of its raw performance on that Core i7 CPU. Until today's update -- 6.0.2 -- the software hasn't actually been able to make use of HiDPI itself, and neither has it been able to exploit the performance-boosting potential of GPU compute on the laptop's NVIDIA GTX 650M graphics card. If you're lucky enough to own this combo of hardware and software, Adobe's official blog suggests that you go ahead and check for the update or apply it manually following the instructions at the source link below (it's actually within Bridge that you should check for the update, with other Adobe titles closed). We're hopefully about to apply it ourselves and will report back on its impact. Update on the update: As expected, video thumbnails look sumptuous in the absence of pixelation, making this a worthy revision. That said, software encoding of a short timeline was still faster with the Mercury Engine set to software mode rather than GPU compute. A 2:30 clip took 2:02 to encode with OpenCL, 2:00 to encode with CUDA, but just 1:42 to encode in Software mode. No doubt people who do multi-cam editing or need to render complex effects in real-time may see a benefit -- please, let us know if you do! Update: Just had word from NVIDIA that may explain what's happening with our encoding times. We're told it's only if we enable "Maximum Render Quality" that GPU compute will shine through in terms of performance, because enabling max quality in software mode would slow it down. So far we've only tried with default settings, so clearly there's room here for more experimentation.
Avid Studio for iPad gets renamed, free on the App Store for a limited period of time
Avid Studio for iPad arrived back in February, priced to coax iPad filmmakers away from Apple's in-house iMovie. Since then, however, the company sold its consumer business arm to Corel, leading it to re-brand the package as Pinnacle Studio for iPad. The editing app has gained a bunch of features that users were clamoring for, including 1080p support, integrated uploads to Box and a raft of stability tweaks. As part of the change, it's being offered free for a limited time, so if you own an iPad (or plan on getting one in the future), we suggest you jump-cut to the App Store pretty quickly.
YouTube video editing brings in real-time previews, trims UI down to the basics
YouTube's video editing suite is officially a toddler in human years, so it's about time that it grew a little more beyond learning how to walk and talk. By far the most conspicuous sign of maturity is a new real-time preview that shows edits and filter options as you play -- you'll now know if that effects filter at 1:37 is festive or just gaudy. The overall interface is also a little more buttoned-down with a simpler interface that cuts back on unnecessary clutter. YouTube has been rolling out the editor update in recent hours and may have wrapped up by the time you're reading this, which we'd take as a cue to start producing that streaming masterpiece.
Microsoft patent applications take Kinect into mobile cameras, movie-making
Microsoft has never been shy about its ambitions for Kinect's depth sensing abilities. A pair of patent applications, however, show that its hopes and dreams are taking a more Hollywood turn. One patent has the depth camera going portable: a "mobile environment sensor" determines its trajectory through a room and generates a depth map as it goes, whether it's using a Kinect-style infrared sensor or stereoscopic cameras. If the visual mapping isn't enough, the would-be camera relies on a motion sensor like an accelerometer to better judge its position as it's jostled around. Microsoft doesn't want to suggest what kind of device (if any) might use the patent for its camera, but it's not ruling out anything from smartphones through to traditional PCs. The second patent filing uses the Kinect already in the house for that directorial debut you've always been putting off. Hand gestures control the movie editing, but the depth camera both generates a model of the environment and creates 3D props out of real objects. Motion capture, naturally, lets the humans in the scene pursue their own short-lived acting careers. We haven't seen any immediate signs that Microsoft is planning to use this or the mobile sensor patent filing in the real world, although both are closer to reality than some of the flights of fancy that pass by the USPTO -- the movie editor has all the hallmarks of a potential Dashboard update or Kinect Fun Labs project.
YouTube wants more videos to have background music, adds audio editor
Need something to fill in the awkward silence between your vlog's unscripted stuttering? YouTube's got your back. In yet another attempt to make your crummy videos just a little better, the streaming outfit has revamped its audio editing suite, giving users access to over 150,000 tracks and a simple sound mixer, to boot. Sure, YouTube's tracks may not be as catchy as your favorite Flaming Lips single, but at least you won't have to worry about copyright infringement. Check out YouTube's quick demo of the feature after the break.
Adobe outs Premiere Pro CS6: a 'massive release' with better multicam and more
If you turned your back on FCP X even after the big update, then the latest version of Adobe Premiere Pro may be of particular interest. CS6 brings an enhanced 64-bit playback engine that can handle 5K resolutions and higher, new trimming options, compatibility with Mac touchpad gestures, a Warp Stabilizer that was previously confined to After Effects, expanded multicam editing for more than four cameras and other stuff too plentiful to list in one breath. Inhale. That's what the source links are for.
YouTube wants to make your crummy video slightly less crummy
Upload a lot of videos to YouTube, but still can't afford that tripod? No worries, the Google-owned video site today announced some welcome additions to its editor, which can detect problems with your video and offer up corrections, so you can brighten things up a bit or eliminate some of the shakiness. If you're the type who needs this information explained in animated form, check out the YouTube video after the break. The feature, meanwhile, will be rolling out to users over the next few days.
Vimeo outs new iOS app at MWC, now sporting iPad compatibility
Back at CES, we first got wind of Vimeo's impending plans to welcome the iPad to its iOS party. Today at MWC, the outfit has announced that the new version of its app for iDevices is now available -- and it'll play nice with your Apple slate. If you're in need of a refresher, the update features browse-while-watching, a watch later queue, access to the Vimeo Music Store and a built-in video editor for managing those clips while you're on the move. Looking to take the leap? The free app is just a few clicks away via the source link and a bit more info waits in the PR below.
Avid Studio rolls onto iPad, treads on iMovie's toes (video)
There may be a number of options for budding iPad Scorseses, now you can add Avid's "Studio" to that list. Conveniently launching at the same price as iMovie, Avid's intention to woo Apple's users is clear. Those five bucks get you a tidy storyboard solution, "precision" editing, the usual array of transitions and effects, plus multi-channel audio support (including access to your iTunes library). Video can be shot from the device itself, of course, and camera kit owners can import footage from your archives. The final results can then be rendered in either 480p, 540p and 720p or shared via the usual social options. Most importantly, projects can also be finished off in the desktop version -- handy, if they start getting into Titanic territory. It's available today, just focus your iPad at the app store (or the source link below).
Apple releases updated Final Cut Pro X, brings multicam support, broadcast monitoring love
The X version of Final Cut Pro was supposed to be all things to all people -- easier and more power for the serious amateurs and yet refreshing and comprehensive for the pros. In reality it seemed that neither camp quite saw it that way, but Apple has at least been listening. Today the company has announced version 10.0.3, which finally adds the one feature everyone's been clamoring for: multicam support. But that's not all. Join us after the break for a deeper look.
PlayMemories PS3 editing suite coming to EU in March for €10
Sony's betting that your memories are worth at least €10 (~$13) with its upcoming PlayMemories video editing application for the PlayStation 3. That's the price that a Sony rep told Electric Pig during a London Sony event earlier today. The rep also pinned a launch date to the window of time between now and the "end of Q1" (fancy talk for "the end of March").The PlayMemories Studio is one of the few that costs money to download, making the pricing all the more surprising -- of course, there are services like Netflix and Qriocity that charge monthly, but those applications are themselves free. We've yet to receive word of price or availability in the US, but we've reached out to SCEA for more information.
Vimeo updates iOS app to include iPad, releases Android and Windows Phone apps too
Vimeo is unleashing a handful of mobile apps here at CES. First, the company has announced mobile software is now available for Android (Gingerbread) and Windows Phone (Mango) sporting upload functionality and 'watch later' queue management. Absent from the PR below is the upcoming iOS overhaul what will welcome iPads to the party -- due out later this month. Enabling Full HD streaming on the Apple slate, the updated app includes an editor with access to the Vimeo Music Store, browse-while-watching capabilities and functions of the regular ol' apps. For a smattering of screens shots from the aforementioned devices, hit the gallery below.
PS3 video-editing app PlayMemories Studio potentially leaked ahead of CES
A covert operative nestled deep inside the Sony booth at CES (also known as a regular guy with a cell phone) has produced two blurry-yet-insightful photos of what may very well be PlayMemories Studio, a video-editing suite for the PS3. Originally sent to our sister site Engadget, these photos (one more after the break) appear to show the user applying a slow-motion effect to stock footage of a child about to lose at Jenga. According to a trademark filing for the title, PlayMemories Studio is "computer software for viewing, organizing and editing digital photos and videos." A Facebook page for the app has also been discovered, however there is no information there at this time. We'll know more about PlayMemories Studio (or whatever this is) once CES officially opens on Tuesday.
