Creative COW Library

The SciTech Award Goes to... The Lowry Process

Sat, 11 Feb 2012 00:17:23 GMT

On February 11, the Academy will honor John D. Lowry, Ian Cavén, Ian Godin, Kimball Thurston and Tim Connolly with a Scientific and Engineering Award for "the development of a unique and efficient system for the reduction of noise and other artifacts, thereby providing high-quality images requ

You Ask I Answer : Working with PSD files Part 1: FCPX

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 06:06:52 GMT

In this tutorial, Kevin P McAuliffe shows you the great new "Import PSD files" feature inside of FCPX, and answers a viewers question about extending still images the length of your timelines.

Create Powerful Messaging with Lights and Particles

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 22:46:30 GMT

In this video tutorial, Kevin P. McAuliffe creates an end page for a commercial focused on tennis rackets. A tennis ball is thrown in the air, and once it is struck by the tennis racket, it turns into a flaming ball with particles shooting out behind it, creating a powerful message for the racket ma

Dante Spinotti, ASC

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 01:50:02 GMT

Dante Spinotti is this year's winner of the American Society of Cinematographers' Lifetime Achievement Award, which he will receive at the 26th American Society of Cinematographers (ASC) Outstanding Achievement Awards on February 12 in Hollywood.

Particular Basic Training Session FOUR: Sticky Snow

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 20:25:05 GMT

In this fourth tutorial in the Particular Basic training series, Michael Park answers a user's forum question on how to accumulate particles on 2d footage using Particular. He will demonstrate a very handy technique to create an interactive layer perfectly tailored to the background elements and the

AE Basics 34: Font Selection and Faux Options

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 11:33:04 GMT

AE Basics - A Creative COW series for new users of Adobe After Effects. Lesson 34: In this tutorial, Andrew Devis shows how to quickly select and change your font selection and modify its look and feel with the Faux options in the character panel.

Twixtor: When and How to use Tracking Points

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 00:14:12 GMT

This Tutorial shows how to get better results using Tracking Points for more complex shots and to help get rid of warping or ghosting. Tracking Points are available in Twixtor Pro for AE, FCP (pre-FCPX), Premiere Pro, Nuke & OFX hosts such as Scratch & Composite.

Company 3 Partners with FutureWorks

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 01:05:32 GMT

Company 3 - a Digital Intermediate powerhouse in Santa Monica, CA - joined forces with FutureWorks, a Mumbai-based post-production facility, in order to offer its color grading services to Bollywood's feature film and commercial clients.

These Amazing Shadows

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 11:33:02 GMT

An editor's journey through the films that made America (or, how I stopped worrying and learned to love the B-Roll)

The Academy Award of Merit goes to... the ARRILASER Film Recorder

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 11:33:08 GMT

On February 11, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will honor the ARRILASER film recorder with an Academy Award of Merit in the form of an Oscar Statuette.

The SciTech Award Goes to... ARRI/Zeiss Master Prime Lenses for Motion Picture Photography

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 11:25:12 GMT

At the 84th Annual Academy Awards for Technical Achievements, Dr. Jürgen Noffke and Uwe Weber will be honored with a Scientific and Engineering Award for the ARRI Zeiss Master Prime Lenses.

Editing the Farrelly's The Three Stooges

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 23:25:17 GMT

In Atlanta to work with the Farrelly Brothers, the creative minds behind 'Kingpin' and 'Something About Mary,' Sam Seig, the editor for 'The Three Stooges' reflects on comedy, timing, and editing as a team sport.

Qube Cinema Delivers 4K 3D From a Single Server

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 19:40:18 GMT

Qube Cinema made history by delivering 4K 3D from a single server at the Moody Gardens Digital Cinema Symposium in Galveston, Texas. "Space Junk 3D" was projected onto an 80 by 60-foot giant screen at high bit-rate 4K stereoscopic DCP through two Barco projectors.

AE Basics 33: Options for Creating Text

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 11:33:29 GMT

AE Basics - A Creative COW series for new users of Adobe After Effects. Lesson 33: In this tutorial, Andrew Devis starts to look at text creation and animation in After Effects starting with the different ways to create text in the composition panel.

Multicam Editing in Final Cut Pro X

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 07:16:15 GMT

In this tutorial, Kevin P McAuliffe shows you how, with the newest update to FCPX, to edit multicam inside of FCPX. See how to set up your clips into angles, and then quickly and easily edit them together to create a seamless edit in no time flat.

FCPX INs and OUTs - Multicam Part TWO

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 18:55:00 GMT

This is part two of a two-part tutorial on the new multicam feature added to the 10.0.3 update for Final Cut Pro X. In this part, Andy Neil shows off the custom sync controls, syncing using meta-data and how FCPX handles non-pro sources.

FCPX INs and OUTs - Multicam Part ONE

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 18:55:30 GMT

Finally it's here! FCP X has included a multi-camera workflow in its 10.0.3 update. Andy Neil will take you through the INs and OUTs of this amazing new feature in a two-part tutorial (there's THAT much to show).

The SciTech Award Goes to... the Stab-C Classic, Super-G & Stab-C Compact Stabilizing Heads

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 20:42:14 GMT

At the 84th Annual Academy Awards for Technical Achievements, Nettmann Systems International's "versatile family of 5-axis camera and lens stabilizers" will be honored with a SciTech Award: to E.F. "Bob" Nettmann for the concept and system architecture, Michael Sayovitz for the e

The SciTech Award Goes to... Side Effects' Andrew Clinton and Mark Elendt

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 20:18:54 GMT

At the 84th Annual Academy Awards for Technical Achievements, Side Effects senior mathematician Mark Elendt and 3D graphics programmer Andrew Clinton will pick up a Technical Achievement Award (an Academy Certificate) for the invention and integration of micro-voxels in the Mantra software.

Advanced Tips for FCP X: Editing During Playback

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 23:34:39 GMT

One of the features of FCP X that goes largely unmentioned (and is mostly undocumented) is the ability to edit during playback. In this tutorial I'll teach you the fundamentals of editing without stopping playback.

Hugo and The Joy of Filmmaking

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 19:32:01 GMT

In this expanded version of the article from Creative COW Magazine, VFX Supervisor and 2nd Unit Director Rob Legato shares some of the secrets of a tribute to the love of making and watching movies, and insights into two filmmaking masters. All of us at Creative COW congratulate Rob on his Academy A

What a Long, Strange Year It's Been!

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 00:22:36 GMT

Apple imploding. Adobe ascending. Avid opening up. Who could have seen it coming? Here's Walter's look at what happens when the blinders come off.

The Dog Days of 3D

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 11:55:17 GMT

We've seen complicated rigs, higher budgets and audience skepticism deflate the hype of new movie-making technology before. What can the past tell us about 3D's future?

Fields of Valor: the Civil War in 3D

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 02:36:17 GMT

Inspired by the massive number of historic stereoscopic still photos from the Civil War, 3net has ventured to deliver the four-part miniseries, "Fields of Valor" in 3D, dubbed "the most ambitious 3D project ever produced for television."

Blackmagic Design’s SmartView HD Monitor & Pocket Ultrascope

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 11:02:19 GMT

With new shows coming in the door for Pink Sneakers Productions, Bob Zelin looked to Blackmagic Design's new SmartView HD Monitor and Pocket UltraScope to make the configuration upgrades while maintaining a sense of budget.

Virtual 3D Sets with After Effects

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 11:09:38 GMT

Rob Mize demonstrates techniques for creating a virtual set in 3D space. He shows how you can build sophisticated, detailed environments, where your actors appear to interact with their 3 dimensional surroundings. Build the set of your dreams using nothing more than After Effects, a few textures and

The Panasonic AG-AC160

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 11:55:02 GMT

Panasonic has several camcorders with similar build, but different underlying core technologies -- specifically, the AC160/130 and the HPX250. The key difference between them, respectively, is 4:2:0 MP4 GOP at 1920x1080 resolution and AVCCAM recording as high at 21Mbps, versus 10-bit, 4:2:2 independ

Cinéma Vérité with the Sony PMW-F3

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 04:10:12 GMT

Two-time Creative Arts Emmy Award™ winner Zach Zamboni puts the cinéma vérité in cinema with the Sony PMW-F3. More sensitivity in the F3 means more possibilities -- shooting longer after sunset, more available light and more ambient fire in on-the-fly situations.

The SciTech Award Goes To...The Pictorvision Eclipse

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 23:30:40 GMT

On February 11, at the 84th Annual Academy Awards® for Technical Achievements, Michael Lewis, Greg Marsden, Raigo Alas and Michael Vellekoop will receive a Scientific and Engineering Academy Award for the concept, design and implementation of the Pictorvision Eclipse, an electronically stabilize

Lite Bite for After Effects: The Tilt Shift Effect

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 11:24:28 GMT

In this tutorial, Martin Ainsworth will demonstrate the "Tilt Shift" effect also known as "Toy Town Look" using Abobe After Effect. This simple yet very power technique can add an extra dimension to an opening introduction.

Plan It Like a Bank Heist

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 00:37:06 GMT

A DSLR shoot -- wait, make that two shoots including a couple of Panasonic AF100s -- that is a reminder to both plan for everything, and be ready for anything.

32TEN Studios Opens for Practical/Digital Effects

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 22:39:12 GMT

Former ILM and Kerner Optical employees have banded together to launch a new company at a familiar address in the historically significant building at 3210 Kerner Blvd in San Rafael.

Lite Bite for Apple Motion: The Tilt Shift Effect

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 11:15:18 GMT

The "Tilt Shift Effect" or "Toy Town Look" is fantastic fun to play with. Using Final Cut and Motion you can quickly create the effect and give an amazing intro to any promotion. The tutorial requires no additional Plug-ins.

Panasonic's P2 Wins an Emmy

Thu, 19 Jan 2012 18:08:52 GMT

Panasonic's industry-changing P2 Solid State recording format has been honored with a Technology & Engineering Emmy Award for its "pioneering development of removable solid-state media for video camera/recorders."

SOPA Initiative

Wed, 18 Jan 2012 20:22:39 GMT

If you are a USA citizen, help us protect the internet from the control and regulation that legislators are trying to implement under two ill-conceived bills that would effectively destroy the internet as we have known it. These bills are being referred to as SOPA and PIPA.

JVC Launches Handheld 4K Camcorder: The GY-HMQ10

Wed, 18 Jan 2012 18:18:44 GMT

JVC has just unveiled its latest 4K camera, the GY-HMQ10, which will be offered for sale at NAB 2012.

Multiple Split Screen in Sony Vegas

Wed, 18 Jan 2012 11:08:08 GMT

In this tutorial, Roy van der Westen will demonstrate how to make a multiple split screen in Sony Vegas, and saving the presets in the "Trackmotion tool.

Create a Realistic 3D End Tag in Adobe After Effects

Tue, 17 Jan 2012 21:19:00 GMT

In this Boris video tutorial, Kevin P. McAuliffe creates an end tag with Boris Continuum Complete 8 AE's new Stage Light effect. BCC Stage Light lets you create volumetric lighting from any light that you add to your After Effects composition. What would normally take a high-end 3D application to cr

LG Debuts 3D Ultra Definition TV

Tue, 17 Jan 2012 19:57:47 GMT

LG's internet connected super high resolution 84 inch Ultra Definition 3D TV will offer resolutions of four times that of existing HD panels. The "world's largest 3D Ultra Definition TV" has 8 million pixels for a resolution of 3840 x 2160.

Lite Bite for After Effects: How do I use 8 or 16 bpc effects on 16 or 32 pbc projects?

Tue, 17 Jan 2012 17:34:39 GMT

"Lite Bites" are short no-frills tutorials giving quick answers for busy people. In this next AE Lite Bite tutorial, Andrew Devis shows how to use 8 or 16 bpc effects safely on 16 or 32 bpc projects.

Welcome to the Creative COW StockYard

Tue, 17 Jan 2012 00:38:27 GMT

The newest member of Creative COW is now open to serve you.

The Heroism of Joyful Creativity

Tue, 17 Jan 2012 00:29:42 GMT

I'm constantly inspired by the pleasure and the pride that the people in Creative COW Magazine take in doing the right things the right way, in always trying to improve, and always keeping their eyes peeled for new possibilities. I aspire to do my own work as creatively and joyfully as they do.

FCPX INs and OUTs - Roles

Mon, 16 Jan 2012 22:38:42 GMT

In this tutorial, I'll show you the INs and OUTs of the Roles feature. How they work when exporting projects as well as tricks on their use in editing and during import.

Drive garners Oscar Nom for Soundelux's Lon Bender and Victor Ennis Garner

Mon, 16 Jan 2012 13:15:02 GMT

Oscar nominated Soundelux Supervising Sound Editors Lon Bender and Victor Ray Ennis & team take the audience of "Drive" on an aural trip.

Global Cinematography Institute Launches Classic and Virtual Cinematography Courses

Sat, 14 Jan 2012 00:19:26 GMT

On January 14 at the Beverly Garland Hotel in North Hollywood cinematographers Vilmos Zsigmond, ASC and Yuri Neyman, ASC will unveil plans for an "Expanded Cinematography" program for postgraduate students and filmmakers at their newly established Global Cinematography Institute.

Real World Editing: From Avid to FCP and Back Again

Fri, 13 Jan 2012 00:21:03 GMT

The inside story of reality TV giants Bunim/Murray Productions, and their trip from Avid Media Composer to Apple Final Cut Pro...and back again.

Lite Bite for Photoshop: Using Masks on Groups

Wed, 11 Jan 2012 17:33:26 GMT

Using masks to speed up web design can help you show multiple graphic ideas with the least amount of effort for best effect. In this tutorial, Martin Ainsworth willl show you how to add a mask to a folder and add content to it.

Douglas Trumbull: A Writer-Producer-Director-Engineer-Inventor Looks Forward

Wed, 11 Jan 2012 00:03:59 GMT

While others reflect on his 45 years of achievement, Douglas Trumbull currently has five movies underway, and some strong ideas about saving the future of filmmaking.

Lite Bite for After Effects: How do I animate Text on a Path?

Tue, 10 Jan 2012 17:33:53 GMT

"Lite Bites" are short no-frills tutorials giving quick answers for busy people. In this next AE Lite Bite tutorial, Andrew Devis shows how to quickly and easily animate text on a path.

Flying Monsters 3D

Tue, 10 Jan 2012 19:08:00 GMT

Realizing that 3D would be a superb way to portray the prehistoric world of the Pterosaurs -- beautiful flying creatures with 35 foot wingspans -- Anthony Geffen and Sir David Attenborough's maiden voyage into stereoscopy was begun. Step back in time with Creative COW as we look into the making of F