Edit Your Home Movies

GoPro HD HERO Naked Wearable Camera with Advanced Accessory Kit

2012-01-15T08:07:00.000-06:00

GoPro HD HERO Naked Wearable Camera with Advanced Accessory Kit, 1920 x 1080p HD, SD/SDHC Memory Card Slot, 5MP 1/2.5" CMOS Sensor, 1.5" Status LCD, Fixed Focus 2' Lens, 180' Waterproof, 5MP Still Images, Mac and PC Compatible HD HERO Naked Consumer Video Camcorders HD HERO Naked Wearable Camera with Advanced Accessory Kit

GoPro HD Helmet HERO Camcorder Basic Kit

2012-01-15T08:03:00.000-06:00

Everybody's favorite new affordable camcorder - GoPro HD Helmet HERO Camcorder Basic Kit, HD Helmet HERO Camcorder, 16GB SDHC Memory Card, Camera Bag, Lens Cleaning Kit HD Helmet HERO Consumer Video Camcorders HD Helmet HERO Camcorder Basic Kit

Trip to the Hotel Del Coronado

2011-12-31T12:15:00.005-06:00

Just fantasy but this is where I would like to be right now! The Hotel del Coronado is the amazing historic hotel on Coronado Island across from San Diego. Some Like it Hot was filmed there with Marilyn Monroe, Jack Lemon and Tony Curtis.

They have a New Years Eve Gala, wonderful Christmas doings, restaurants, shops, the beach, you just don't need to go anywhere else. I've been lucky enough to stay there twice, once in the original building and the second time in the new towers. Three years ago my daughter and I stayed way high up in the towers and our view in the morning was the sun coming up, the lovely soft crashing of the waves and no people. I thought I would feel cheated not getting to stay in the original hotel but I now almost prefer the towers. I booked it on Expedia .....
and it was all part of a relatively inexpensive 3 day package with our airfare included. When I am buried in snow here in the midwest I close my eyes, think of those million thread sheets and pillows, the sliding glass door open to hear the waves and feel the divine San Diego weather and I am back at the Hotel Del in my head! So book your trip on Expedia to take advantage of the package deals they can put together. I vow to do it next winter break!

Roku - so I can have Netflix on my old TV!

2011-12-31T11:37:00.000-06:00

My daughter is taking the Wii to college. We have old TVs. There goes my TV access to Netflix and all my British dramas! I heard the tech talkies on the morning shows touting Roku, but I forgot the word until I ran across it today. This is what I am buying with my Christmas money! As soon as Netflix streams the latest season of Downton Abbey I will be ready with my Roku! Great invention, great idea and I am ordering today. It looks to me like you either want the purple, least expensive model or the most expensive with USB, Micro SD storage and full HD. I really only need the purple Roku because my TVs are ancient (think big end sticking out the back - no flat screen here). When I get it I will update this post. Oh - they say there are tons of other free channels, games, movies. I don't care about that - just Downton Abbey but I am interested to see if I can dump cable - absolutely nothing on but reruns - and watch my Roku! Stay tuned...

2011-12-31T11:23:00.002-06:00

EOS Rebel T2i Digital Camera w/EF-S 18-135mm IS Lens - On Sale, Regularly $999.99 - Before Canon $100 Instant Savings PLUS Holiday Bonus Free $40 Digital Frame

2011-12-26T07:21:00.000-06:00

What I might buy with my Christmas money! I want a Canon 5D but don't shoot enough to make it worth it. Many freelancers I know (and lucky students) have this camera and love it.

EOS Rebel T2i Digital Camera w/EF-S 18-135mm IS Lens - On Sale, Regularly $999.99 - Before Canon $100 Instant Savings PLUS Holiday Bonus Free $40 Digital Frame

The Evolution Continues. The Canon EOS Rebel T2i brings professional EOS features into an easy to use, lightweight digital SLR that's a joy to use. Featuring a class-leading 18.0 Megapixel CMOS Image Sensor and increased light sensitivity for low light photography, the EOS Rebel T2i also has an advanced HD Movie mode for gorgeous Full HD movies. Able to capture up to 3.7 frames per second, it's ready to go the minute it's picked up. Advanced Live View, a new wide-area screen, plus features like Canon's brilliant Auto Lighting Optimizer and Highlight Tone features ensure brilliant photos and movies, easily. With some of the most advanced features of any digital SLR, it's simply the best Rebel Canon has ever created. Features 18.0 Megapixel CMOS (APS-C) sensor and DIGIC 4 Image Processor for high image quality and speed.ISO 100-6400 (expandable to 12800) for shooting from bright to dim light.Improved EOS Movie mode with manual exposure control, expanded recording, new Movie Crop recording in 640 x 480 and external microphone IN terminal for access to improved sound quality.Enhanced iFCL 63-zone, Dual-layer metering system; and 9-point AF system utilizing a high-precision, f/2.8 cross-type center point.Wide 3.0-inch (3:2 aspect ratio) Clear View LCD monitor (1.04 million dots) for improved viewing. New Quick Control Screen button for easy access to frequently used settings.Improved layout with dedicated Live View/Movie shooting button. New compatibility with SDXC memory cards, plus new menu status indicator for Eye-Fi* support.3.7 fps continuous shooting up to approximately 34 JPEGs or approximately 6 RAW.Compatible with the full line of Canon EF and EF-S lenses.

Zoom H2n Handy Recorder Portable Digital Audio Recorder & Canon EOS 5D Mark II Digital Camera Kit

2011-12-26T07:04:00.001-06:00

If you shoot HD video with a DSLR camera, you have to find a way to record quality audio. My friends who shoot independent films use the Zoom Digital Audio Recorder.
Zoom H2n Handy Recorder Portable Digital Audio Recorder, Ultra-Portable Design, 5 Integrated Microphones, 4 Selectable Recording Patterns, Records to SD/SDHC Cards, 3.5mm I/O, Reference Speaker, 1.8" Backlit LCD Display, High-Speed USB 2.0, Battery, USB, or AC Power, Steinberg WaveLab LE 7 Included H2n Digital Field Recorders H2n Handy Recorder Portable Digital Audio Recorder.

My new favorite show - Brain Games on NatGeo

2011-12-26T06:43:00.000-06:00

A smart show!! Brain Games is a fun, smart, challenging, and watch out - educational television program that held me through all the commercials. It contains concentration and brain information, brain games to play during the show, the powers of observation, sleight of hand, and just generally things that will blow your mind. I don't watch National Geographic (I prefer public TVs Nova if I want that type of show) unless there are Dog Whisperer reruns but I will look for this show every time I turn on the television.

Restaurant Impossible Review (and comments on "fake" urgency)

2011-12-25T13:05:00.002-06:00

I like reality shows in general if they live up to the quality of Project Runway. Shot well, interesting characters, produced and edited well and a reason to tune in again. I love television news so reality shows are like news on steroids. I really like Tabatha Coffey in Tabatha's Salon Makeover. The producers find the controversy in the characters (or they fake it well) and Tabatha handles it all with her iron fist and will.

Restaurant Impossible seems to be produced in the Tabatha model, with Trading Spaces thrown in. The problem I have with Restaurant Impossible is that they create fake urgency. In the Offstreet Cafe episode (and many others), there is some urgent 2 day timeline to get everything finished. Why? Are the staff, production crew and Robert Irvine so busy and so booked that they need to renovate a building in two days? He spends 1/3rd of every show yelling at the construction crew. It's weird. There are so many restaurant and food issues they could focus on without wasting air time creating a false urgency about not getting the interior finished. Reality check. We viewers know you are going to make it. Unless half your episodes end in the construction people failing, we know how it ends. What is the reason for the horrible deadline? Work another day already! Producers, it shouldn't be part of the show. It makes your viewers uncomfortable when he is yelling at the construction people who have been set up to fail because of the unrealistic deadline. Oh ... wait ... the construction people miraculously make their deadline every time and Robert never says, "good job guys". So that means any normal construction people would say, "forget you.. I quit. While I try to do my job revamping this space you continue to yell at me every episode? See ya..." See producers - it doesn't work. It means you don't have enough show to fill 22 minutes so you create fake controversy. Instead, why don't you talk about real restaurant issues... business, food, vendors, creating menus, getting in a shipment of wilted lettuce. It's not working.

It could be as good as the Tabatha show but it falls short because you are forcing the drama. Project Runway has built in, natural stress as does Tabatha. You are creating it. It makes it a formulaic, predictable ending with over dramatic, "oh my gosh" we pulled it off again music, crying...blah blah. It should be about food - it's on the Food Network. Not about a box of missing hardwood floor strips. The restaurant people are fascinating, the menu issues are intriguing - but if I wanted to stress over floor tiles I would be watching TLC.

Marvin Gaye - What's Going On - we miss him...

2011-12-18T12:45:00.000-06:00

There has never been nor will there ever be ... a finer singer than this man.

Penny...Penny...Penny.... Big Bang Theory is my favorite!

2011-12-18T12:28:00.001-06:00

I am not sure how I missed The Big Bang Theory for so long. I really dislike sitcoms. Maybe there were too many in the 80s and 90s. I didn't love them then either. I watched Friends in the beginning, Cheers, sometimes Sienfeld. But the laugh track, studio setting and constant guffaws really got old. I haven't watched a sitcom in many years. I like stuffy, "cerebral", British dramas based on book titles (that is what Netflix says I am). Downton Abbey is to die for! But since I don't have the BBC channel and lately there has been nothing to watch at suppertime on my favorite channels - USA, Lifetime and Bravo, my daughter switched it to TBS for Big Bang reruns. I was slow to come around but the smart writing, Sheldon's quirky sideways laugh and the under construction elevator won me over. I am hooked! I just used the show open to explain to my media students what video keyframes are used for.
Thanks to cechly for putting together the Sheldon laugh compilation below!

The Big Bang Theory Complete Seasons 1-4 DVD Set

The Big Bang Theory seasons 1-4 chronicle the lives of university physicists Leonard and Sheldon, who know whether to use an integral or a differential to solve the area under a curve, but don't have a clue about girls. Or dating. Or clothes. Or parties. Or having fun. Or, basically, life in general, as you find out in these DVDs. So when a pretty blonde named Penny moves in the apartment across the hall in season 1, the guys decide to get an education outside of the classroom and, boys, you have a lot to learn. With The Big Bang series creators Chuck Lorre (Two and a Half Men) and Bill Prady (The Gilmore Girls) concocting the right mix of logic and lunacy, and stars Johnny Galecki (Roseanne) and Jim Parsons (Judging Amy) turning geekdom into Phi Beta fun, The Big Bang Theory is big on laughs. And life.

True Blood Party and True Blood for the Holidays Commercial with stunned Grandma!

2011-12-18T11:39:00.003-06:00

Have a True Blood party for the holidays! Maybe not with your grandma...the HBO, True Blood for the Holidays commercial with the happy family and stunned grandma is great. "Merry Christmas Grandma, I love you so much!" LOL

Tru Blood Ultimate Party Kit

Entertain in style with the True Blood Ultimate Party Kit! Set includes: Tru Blood Beverage - 24 Pack8 True Blood Beverage Logo PintsTrue Blood Bottle Opener It's official! The Tru Blood drink has now been "de-fictionalized" and emerges into reality as a delicious blood orange carbonated drink. Meticulously crafted, the Tru Blood Drink is an exact replica of the bottle design as seen on True Blood. The 14oz glass Tru Blood bottle is stained in a rich red, with raised Tru Blood English lettering and matching Japanese Kanji.This blood orange flavored soda is slightly tart, lightly sweet and subtly carbonated. Designed to taste great while matching the appearance of Bill's favorite drink, the drink pours like a regular soda, but with the standing appearance in a glass is stormy and mysterious. Please Note: Due to the weight of this item a $22.00 shipping surcharge will be added to your order at checkout. Surcharges still apply during free shipping offers.

True Blood Seasons 1-2 Blu Ray Set

True Blood Season One True Blood chronicles the backwoods Louisiana town of Bon Temps... where vampires have emerged from the coffin, and no longer need humans for their fix. Sookie Stackhouse (Anna Paquin, Academy Award-winner for The Piano) works as a waitress at the rural bar Merlotte's. Though outwardly a typical young woman, she keeps a dangerous secret: she has the ability to hear the thoughts of others. Her situation is further complicated when the bar gets its first vampire patron - 173-year old Bill Compton (Steven Moyer, "Quills") - and the two outsiders are immediately drawn to each other. Delivering the best of what audiences have come to expect from Creator and Executive Producer Alan Ball (writer of Oscar-winning Best Picture "American Beauty", creator of the Emmy Award-winning HBO series Six Feet Under"), TRUE BLOOD is a dark and sexy tale that boldly delves into the heart - and the neck - of the Deep South. True Blood Season Two When we last checked in with Sookie Stackhouse, the mystery surrounding a Bon Temps serial killer had finally been solved, to the towns infinite relief. Sookie is thrilled that her vampire soul-mate, Bill Compton, has escaped with his life (or is it death?) after coming to her daylight defense. On other fronts, Sookies pal Tara Thornton sets down new roots with an affluent benefactor, Maryann Forrester; Sam Merlotte resolves to get in shape-shift shape after a forest foray; roguish brother Jason finds new purpose with an anti-vampire sect; and detective Andy Bellefleur licks his wounds after being proven wrong about Jasons guilt. But just as things are settling down, some deadly new twists threaten to ratchet up the saga of Sookie Stackhouse to bloody new heights!

True Blood Season One DVD and Soundtrack Giftset

This exclusive True Blood giftset comes with True Blood Season One DVD and Soundtrack CD. The soundtrack is a riveting collection of songs that connect True Blood fans with the hit HBO series. The True Blood soundtrack includes the show theme song 'Bad Things' by Jace Everett and features artists such as C.C Adcock, Lucinda Williams, Ryan Adams, Allen Toussaint, The Legendary Shack Shakers, The Watson Twins and more. The songs featured on the soundtrack were included in Season 1 of the series. Season One of True Blood chronicles the backwoods Louisiana town of Bon Temps... where vampires have emerged from the coffin, and no longer need humans for their fix. Sookie Stackhouse (Anna Paquin, Golden Globe®-winner for 'True Blood', Academy Award-winner for The Piano) works as a waitress at the rural bar Merlotte's. Though outwardly a typical young woman, she keeps a dangerous secret: she has the ability to hear the thoughts of others. Her situation is further complicated when the bar gets its first vampire patron - 173-year old Bill Compton (Steven Moyer, 'Quills') - and the two outsiders are immediately drawn to each other. Delivering the best of what audiences have come to expect from Creator and Executive Producer Alan Ball (writer of Oscar-winning Best Picture American Beauty, creator of the Emmy Award-winning HBO series Six Feet Under), TRUE BLOOD is a dark and sexy tale that boldly delves into the heart - and the neck - of the Deep South. Soundtrack Listings: 1. Bad Things - Jace Everett 2. Bleed 2 Feed - C.C. Adcock 3. Lake Charles - Lucinda Williams 4. Give It Up - Lee Dorsey 5. Swampblood - Th' Legendary Shack*Shakers 6. Play With Fire - Cobra Verde 7. Just Like Heaven - The Watson Twins 8. Christine's Tune (A.K.A. Devil in Disguise) - The Flying Burrito Brothers 9. Two - Ryan Adams 10. Strange Love - Slim Harpo 11. From A Whisper To A Scream - Allen Toussaint 12. I Don't Wanna Know - Dr. John 13. The Golden State - John Doe featuring Kathleen Edwards 14. Bones - Little Big Town

Sony HVR-V1U HDV 1080i/24p Cinema Style Camcorder Kit, includes Anton Bauer ElipZ Battery Package, DVD, and Camcorder Bag

2011-12-18T09:03:00.000-06:00

It is just amazing that a professional camcorder like this is now so affordable. Picture quality is stunning because it's HD, shoots on sturdy mini-DV and comes with everything you need to shoot your first indie film or documentary.
Sony HVR-V1U HDV 1080i/24p Cinema Style Camcorder Kit, includes Anton Bauer ElipZ Battery Package, DVD, and Camcorder Bag HVRV1U HDV Camcorder Professional Camcorders (ENG) HVR-V1U HDV 1080i/24p Cinema Style Camcorder Kit, includes Anton Bauer ElipZ Battery Package, DVD, and Camcorder Bag

Keyboard Portfolio for IPad from ISound

2011-12-18T08:53:00.003-06:00

I know there are iPad purists who say they don't need a keyboard ... I have to have a keyboard. This leather portfolio is perfect - inexpensive, practical, has the great touch fasteners and built-in stand. It's light, attractive and exactly the accessory you need to protect either your iPad 1 or iPad 2.

Editing VHS Videotape on your home computer

2011-12-14T06:07:00.001-06:00

I've talked about the Pinnacle Dazzle on this blog a number of times, but here are step by step instructions on how to use it. Connect your VHS videotape machine to the Dazzle box, then the Dazzle via USB to your computer. The Dazzle comes with software that instructs you how to capture your VHS tape into a computer video format. Then you can edit that footage using a video editing software or send it straight to DVD using the Dazzle software. Click the following link to get started: How to Edit VHS Movies at Home

Jelly Bean Music Video from songbird Kina Grannis!

2011-12-11T07:08:00.000-06:00

This is a stop motion, yummy, eye candy (haha) music video from Kina Grannis that we watched in class. And yeah! - a making of companion video that made all my media students gasp at how long this took to film and edit. We were in the middle of stop motion projects ourselves and it gave them a huge appreciation for this art form. And it's a lovely song too!

288,000 jelly beans!

Adobe Premiere Elements and Photoshop Elements

2011-12-11T06:36:00.001-06:00

This is the video and photo editing software combo I encourage students to buy. Adobe Elements Premiere and Photoshop are the consumer version of Adobe's professional Premiere Pro and image editing software, Photoshop. Elements doesn't have all the bells and whistles of the pro version, but it works very well, so much more affordable and a good way to get started with both editing programs.

Best Camcorder for Media Class

2011-12-10T07:06:00.000-06:00

Sheer timing and luck put us in a position to order right at the time this new Panasonic shoulder mount flash memory camcorder hit the market. Perfect for a media production class, either high school or college. It is light, relatively inexpensive for a big camcorder and the video is stunning. There is an external mic jack in the front - just a mini plug but that's all we need. If you are a media educator, you know that equipment can take a beating from students, just because 100 students handle the camcorders every day. That's asking a lot of any technology. So far, the results with this camcorder have been spectacular. Our editing towers have the flash memory port so they take it out of the camcorder, plug it in, move the footage and they are editing. Make sure you buy at least a 16GB memory card. Otherwise you will be cleaning memory cards daily. Luckily Premiere Pro CS5 accepts any format and handles HD very well so we are exceptionally pleased with our purchase.

Pal version:

Spectacular Wetabix Commercial and The Making Of

2011-12-10T06:50:00.000-06:00

Commercials like this make my job as an educator so much fun. We studied this commercial and the "making of" video in my high school media classes. It's amazing how all these talented, creative people came together to create such a fascinating way to sell cereal. The music was made by Mord Fustang from Estonia - yes Tallinn, Estonia. You can hear his other creations here at SoundCloud
. How lucky we are to live in a time when a music maker from Estonia can connect with directors from the United States for a British commercial, starring a super talented tween named (thanks to her parents for this!) - Arizona Snow. It's a visual feast for the eyes and ears. I love commercials so thanks to all involved for such a stunning 30 seconds. Also thanks to the dancers who endured the sweaty bear suits! We all wanted Weetabix cereal after we watched! The "making of" video is just icing on the cake and extremely beneficial for my students, to see what a totally fun career they could have in media.

Best Camcorder Gift for Students!

2011-11-26T09:39:00.000-06:00

If your son or daughter is begging for a camcorder to make movies and edit- here are three great options with several price tags. The camcorder itself is a great buy - flash memory, the great Canon brand, easy to use and takes great video. The other two options offer a tripod, case and even a tripod hood to cut down on glare. The camcorder shoots the MPEG 2 video format.

Great story about underpaid, undervalued teachers - she says it all. Thanks CNN for doing the story.

2011-07-23T08:36:00.001-05:00

Good Comparison between Adobe Premiere Pro and Adobe Premiere Elements

2011-07-19T07:00:00.001-05:00

Good information about the professional Adobe Premiere Pro and the much easier, but well respected Adobe Premiere Elements - Adobe Premiere Elements Vs. Adobe Premiere Pro

Video Editing Post Production House Quiz that will humble

2011-04-25T11:48:00.000-05:00

I just found something quite cool - a Post Production Quiz from EditHouse in Australia. Video Post Production Technology Quiz
It was difficult and humbling. No I'm not going to tell you my score. If you are brave, you can also take a Broadcast Quiz and one about 20th Century movies. Broadcast and Movie Quizzes
Here is what the company does: "EditHouse is a technology services company specializing in the broadcast and communications sector. We are based in Sydney, Australia". Thanks guys!

This girl is so funny! Dancing Sundrop Commercial

2011-04-03T11:30:00.000-05:00

The drop it like it's hot dancing Sundrop commercial girl makes me laugh every time I see her! Enjoy!

Elton John & Leon Russell on SNL - Leon and Mary Russell Wedding Album

2011-04-03T09:15:00.000-05:00

Saturday Night Live was amazing last night! Elton John, Leon Russell, Tom Hanks, Jake Gyllenhaal. And the Elton/Leon musical segments were just great. I hope they go back out on tour together again (Elton will be in Bismark, North Dakota in a few days so he is going out on tour with his own band). The fabulous and MATURE backup singers with Elton and Leon were beautiful and much appreciated by us baby boomers! Thanks to the comment that made me dig a little harder for their names: Tiffany Smith, Rose Stone, Tata Vega and Jean Witherspoon. These are the girls who toured with Elton and Leon last fall and I will try to confirm that they all performed on SNL. Tata Vega is the lead backup and I will post more about her soon.

I bought the Leon and Mary Russell Wedding Album right after the show because it was the finest album of the 1970s. Magical harmonies, romantic and breathless love songs, beautiful writing, full and rich orchestration. There isn't a bad song on the album. There is a fascinating story on CBS Sunday Morning about Elton bringing Leon back to performing and I am so glad he did. All the songs on the Wedding Album are great but Fantasy, Love's Supposed to Be That Way, and Like a Dream Come True are spectacular. Rainbow in your Eyes will have you out of your chair and boogiein' through the whole song - you won't be able to sit still!