Side notes:

• I began this when I was in college as a class project in my sophomore year
• After I graduated from UNCG I moved to NYC and worked on Independent Films
• I moved back to Greensboro after 8 months to pick up where I left off in class
• I worked as a pizza delivery driver while continuing to produce and shoot this documentary
• I used equipment from GCTV public access cable 8 in Greensboro
• I edited the final documentary on an iMac DV+ (G3) with Final Cut Pro 2
• I sent the film to 10 festivals making 4 and picking up two awards
• There was no outside funding for making this film
• I produced, shot, wrote, directed, edited and scored the entire film

I look back and still can’t believe the story that I told. Telling this story changed the way I looked at politicians and people with power and money.

As a professional I look back and cringe on how I shot this. The first time I ever picked up a camera for an interview was with Willena for this documentary. I had no idea how to compose a shot. I also learned that I can’t do everything and have embraced collaborating with others.

All in all this was a story that lit a fire in me and I had to tell it. “Greensboro: Closer to the Truth,” is another documentary that beautifully tells the story of the survivors of The Greensboro Massacre and how the Greensboro Truth and Reconciliation Commission played a part in the healing process years later.

If you are near Auburn University I will be showing this film on campus look for it at Auburn University’s Haley Center Auditorium room 2370. I will be available after the screening to discuss the film.

For Greensboro residence, on Wednesday, November 4 from 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. the Greensboro Historical Museum and the Greensboro Public Library are hosting a screening of Adam Zucker’s documentary Greensboro: Closer to the Truth, about the 1979 Klan and Nazi killings. A panel discussion will follow the film with Adam Zucker.

You can also listen to the podcast of Adam and myself talking about our documentaries.

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I’ve met the subjects of the film and all I can say this is going to be a great film. All the people are sweet and I can’t wait to see this film. Steven contacted me earlier this year to see if he could use some footage from my documentary, “Greensboro’s Child” in his film. I couldn’t find the original footage but I did have some from the original timeline and it seemed to workout and will make the final cut of his film which will premiere on HBO next year.

I feel honored that I met Steven and hope to have begun a new friendship in this amazing career field.

Steven’s earlier documentary trailer…

So Much So Fast

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Written, Directed and Edited by Todd Tinkham.

When single mom and writer, Samantha, discovers a homeless woman living in her tool shed, complications arise.

This short drama won BEST SHORT FILM at the 2008 Kent Film Festival in Kent CT. It has gone on to screen at film festivals all over the US and Canada.

Featuring strong performances by actresses Mary Cates, Lisa Cates and Anna Allen, as well as amazing cinematography by Steve Milligan, and the awesome music of Scott Moore and the Lynnphonics.

As well as writing, directing and editing Lost & Found, I also wrote the lyrics for the main theme song, Away From You. The music was written by Scott Moore and Lynn McGee and performed by their group, The Lynnphonics. You can hear the entire song here.

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A unique set of plug-ins to make your video look like it’s being seen through binoculars, weapon sights, old cameras and a wide range of high-tech gadgetry.

The trial, unlockable version of HUD comes with the standard FxFactory installer.

The Review
HUD comes with 3 filters, Binoculars, On Screen Display and Target. FxFactory can be used with Final Cut Pro, Final Cut Express, Motion and After Effects. This plug-in package kicks ass. If you shoot your own action shorts or feature films this plug-in is for you. Or if you shoot stylized commercials or anything with extra flare to highlight an item on screen this will do it easily. All Aces Media (my other production company) shoots and produces action films and this plug-in will be in use many times in the future.

HUD Demo

Click here to view the embedded video.

Binoculars
The binoculars alone are very simple. But when you open up the filter and look at the parameters it opens your mind to some cool and unique settings. The presets are great and simple to manipulate. You can add some video effects to the binoculars such as; night vision, infrared, negative and heat sensor.

Here are the basic binoculars…

Here are the binoculars suped up with many of the parameters selected.

The great thing that HUD allows for you to do is to add text to the filter and set a position to place the text in the finished effect. You can re-size the binoculars move the circles apart from each other and create your own effect that has nothing to do with a binocular. You can use it as a quick circular mask if you want to. Very cool effect.

On Screen Display (OSD)
Just like the binoculars the OSD is very easy to manipulate with many parameters to make it very simple or complicated. The OSD is used as a voyeuristic effect, pretty much like you are looking through another viewfinder. It is quiet amazing how the different presets will give you a completely different look.

Here is the default.

Old Camera Preset

Recording on Bad Tape Preset

The elements that come with this effect are all based on video recorders and allow you to select many different controls, such as; record, play, timecode, audio levels, center point and even with text input.

The presets alone are so point on that most of the time all you need to do is select which preset and move on. But it is very flexible to your needs and allows you to customize to your hearts content. Another fantastic effect. I can see this being used as a security monitor, viewfinder in a camcorder, any video recording device or any monitor.

Target
The target effect is more difficult to use as a drag and drop. It comes with no presets but allows you many customizable parameters to make it the best effect out of all of these.

Here is the main setup

The more boxes you check the more adjustments you have to make a killer target. The targets can be a scope from a rifle all the way to a sophisticated radar system. Or you can simply highlight and motion track an object on the screen(that is advanced used in Motion) . Just like the other effects from HUD you can add text to the element to allow the viewer to get information from the effect. You can adjust the size and font of your text or import a text file into the plug-in.

Here are some of the elements selected

I really enjoyed these plug-ins and wish we had a project to use them on at the moment. Just playing with SUGARfx HUD plug-ins allows me to understand what I can do with these plug-ins and opens the mind as far as creativity is concerned. If you didn’t watch the demo video above or had a hard time viewing it on here I highly suggest you visit Noise Industries and view the demo their or go directly to SUGARfx’s site for more information.

My 2¢
Noise Industries and their partners continue to push the envelope and create some killer plug-ins to allow the independent creative community to have access to these effects at a low price point. SUGARfx HUD is a great addition to any filmmakers editing suite of plug-ins. I’m not sure how much one would use this in a commercial production and forget about wedding videos. But I can see some cool effects in small doses for commercial production, but I really see this plug-in for sporting videos, sci-fi action films, music videos, war films, and technology productions.

Price Point
$79
With so many plug-ins and effects hitting the marketplace you really need to know if the effect is for you and how you would use it. This is a no brainier for us, we have a sci-fi film that is in pre-production and this is on the budget list for post production. Just like all plug-ins that come with FXFactory, they allow you to download and try them out risk free for 15 days.

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The training comes on a DVD-ROM, so if you don’t have a dual monitor setup then you will be annoyed but if you don’t have a dual monitor setup you should be annoyed anyway. That being said you won’t be able to watch this on your DVD player. So put the DVD into your computer and double click on the DVD. The great thing about the training is they supply you with the project media. So drag the Project Media folder to your desktop before you get started. So double click on the Sapphire Training and the DVD begins with Todd Prives introducing himself and what to expect from this training DVD.

The Instructor
Todd Prives is the Sr. Business Development and Marketing Manager at GenArts with over 8 years of industry experience in production, post-production and visual effects software. At GenArts, he is responsible for effects development, training, and product demonstrations for customers worldwide.

GenArts Sapphire
What is GenArts Sapphire? Well according to their website…

The gold standard for visual effects, Sapphire equips digital artists with a collection of more than 200 state-of-the-art image processing and synthesis effects such as glows, glints, lightning, film effects, warps and textures. Over the last 13 years, Sapphire has become the plug-in suite of choice for production compositors and editors who require the perfect balance between creativity and productivity. Sapphire is a suite of plug-ins available for a comprehensive range of host platforms, including those from Autodesk, Avid, Apple, Adobe, Quantel and Eyeon, and it supports key industry standards such as AVX, AE and OFX. Sapphire is used extensively and by a broad range of artists and editors in the production and post-production of feature films, broadcast television, commercial advertising and music videos. Sapphire has the distinction of having been a key component of an Academy award-nominated film for the past 12 consecutive years.

GenArts Sapphire is available for the following host platforms:

• Autodesk
• Avid
• After Effects
• Final Cut Pro
• OFX

The Training
In this DVD the training of GenArts Sapphire is for Final Cut Pro and After Effects. Todd spends equal amount of time in each application and sometimes spends time in both applications for the same tutorial.

If you have ever purchased plugins you understand that it is like learning a new application inside another application. This training DVD unlocks the mystery behind what each plugin does. I’ve done a few reviews of plugins and it takes me longer to understand what the plugin truly does than to edit a commercial. With this DVD you will understand not only what the plugin can do but you will be able to customize your own plugin and learn quickly. The DVD is 5 hours long. That sounds like a long time. But if you are a freelance filmmaker or an inhouse editor that is no time at all and you will learn how and when to use the plugins.

The instructor is the key to learn these plugins. You are learning from an expert with the development of these plugins. Todd is a great instructor and doesn’t take for granted that we are not an uber geek (that’s a compliment) and explains to us in easy to understand instructions and goes at a above average pace. If you are intermediate to expert you will love it. If you are a beginner you may watch it over a few times.

The bonus of training with Class on Demand is watching the instructor work and you can pick up tips on how to work in Final Cut Pro or After Effects. The one tip I will pass on is to preview an unrendered effect press Option P. Cool tip and you don’t have to wait for the clip to render then realize you want to change a parameter.

My 2¢
If you spend $1699 for the plugin then I highly recommend you purchase this training DVD for $129.00. Even if you know your way around GenArts Sapphire you can always pick up something from the instructor that will allow you to open your creativity and apply it to your next project. You can order the DVD or purchase it as a download for the Mac or Windows.

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This is one of the videos I shot and edited. The Scenic Overlook Bed & Breakfast.

From big brands like Audi and NBC to small businesses across the country, TurnHere has created over 20,000 high-quality videos that have helped businesses like yours generate more leads, more sales and stand out from the competition online.

To celebrate this milestone, Turnhere is giving small businesses like yours the chance to experience the power of online video for free.

HOW IT WORKS:

1. A local filmmaker from our network will shoot a custom video at your place of business.
2. After a 60-90 minute shoot, and your approval of the video, you’ll receive an edited 60-second profile video of your business (embed code) to use on the Web as well as distribution on sites like Google Local, Yahoo! and more.
3. Your video is free of charge for the first 6 months (no cost, no credit card required). There’s no catch.

After 6 months, if you love your video you can decide to purchase a low-cost, ongoing subscription plan. If not, simply let your video expire with no charge to you.

Visit http://freevideooffer.turnhere.com/filmmaker to learn more and order your free online video today.

Eligible businesses

• Storefront-type businesses such as restaurants, retail stores & service providers (example: dry cleaner, bagel shop, florist, salon, auto mechanic, pizza place, art gallery, bowling alley, martial arts studio, etc.)
• Medical professionals (doctors, dentists, veterinarians, chiropractors, therapists, etc.)
• Attorneys
• Professionals such as web designers, insurance agents, wedding photographers, realtors, career coaches, magicians, consultants, etc.
• Office-based businesses
• Contractors or skilled tradespeople with physical offices (plumber, roofer, general contractor, pest control, etc.). Note: the shoot does not have to take place at their office — it could be shot at a customer’s house so you can see the business in action.
• Web-based businesses (eBay merchants, mail order, etc.)
• Religious, educational and non-profit institutions (churches, schools, etc.)

Non-eligible businesses

• Home-based businesses that do not fit the above eligible definitions
• Video production companies or individual filmmakers
• Baths, escort services, gentlemens clubs and other adult entertainment businesses
• Retail stores selling firearms or drug paraphernalia

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I am running Mac OS X 10.5.8 2.5 GHz Intel Core Duo with FCP 5.1.4, 4 GB 667 MHz DDR2 SDRAM with 2 exhdd one running time machine back up the other my video projects. These are both powered from mains current. Have just finished a big project on a trip to India earlier this year. 2 disks made , all finished except that I want to record back to a master tape for archival purposes. Always have and still think its the way to go. However I cannot ‘Print to Video’ nor even just record as it is playing. Have tried two cameras and a Sony player. I can import from all of these so know the connection is AOK.

Can you make any suggestions please?

Here is my suggestion and I hope this works. Hard to figure out what is wrong without working on your machine. But here is my idea. Sometimes the camera doesn’t want to connect to the computer for who knows why. So you have to go into the menu and make the software reconnect with the camera.

You want to make sure the camera settings match your sequence settings or it won’t recognize your camera. Go into the Final Cut Pro menu up top and select Easy Setup.

Go into the View Menu on top of the screen and scroll down to External Video and select All Frames



In the same View Menu scroll down and select Refresh A/V Devices.

If that doesn’t do it. Smash your camera and send a letter to the president. You might get a new camera.

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Mac OS X v10.6 Snow Leopard is designed to protect your Mac from certain incompatible software that can quit unexpectedly or cause other issues in Mac OS X v10.6.

What does that mean?

For starters my eSATA Express card’s driver got dumped as well as my Epson CD Printer Application will not line up the CD or DVD to print correctly. These are two that I’ve noticed at this time. I re-installed the driver for my eSATA express card, the driver is Silicon Image SI 3132 driver. My macbook pro is still functional and nothing has quit on me. The CD Printing software I can’t figure it out and that pisses me off.

I hate the new Quicktime that is part of Snow Leopard. Called Quicktime X

No more border around quicktime player and the play button is located right in the middle of the screen. Who watches anything with the control panels in the middle of the screen? I understand some flash players have a start button in the middle of the screen but it dissolves in half a second. The controls stay up as long as you move your mouse around the screen. OK I played around with the player functions and found out that you can move it around the player. If you want it on the bottom or on the top just click on it and drag it to where you want it. I prefer not having it on the footage.

The thing I hate the most is the fact that you can not export from the Quicktime 10.0 like Quicktime 7. I used to encode most if not all my Final Cut Pro videos in Quicktime Pro. I was used to the settings and understood how to achieve great looking video for the web. Those functions are gone with Quicktime X…it should be more like Quicktime X#$@!, because it sucks ass if you are a pro and know what you are doing. Instead of keeping that function and adding the more features they decided to crap on the pro users. I know there are others ways to encode and I will be using that more often but as you can tell it is eating at me.

Quicktime X File Menu…Have to use Save As to export

Quicktime X Save As Options… you have no manual control for the encode settings.

Quicktime 7 File Menu…where you can Export

Quicktime 7 Export Options… you have manual control on your encoding settings.

So for right now, us the Beta testers, just like Leopard when it first came out, I’m annoyed and frustrated.

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Click the blue play button above to play the audio

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