Post-production editing was also done on the iPhone 4 with the iMovie app – with the entire project being completed in 48 hours.

Click the link below the video to see the full HD version!

“Apple of My Eye” – an iPhone 4 film – UPDATE: Behind the scenes footage included from Michael Koerbel on Vimeo.

• 3/4″ VTRs
• Black and White Monitors
• Video Typewriters
• Amiga Computers
• Cassette Tapes
• Audio Carts
• …and more

And the reason for the inability to touch this equipment is that we’re getting rid of it all.  This is what our hallway looks like right now:

The guys who have to dispose of all of this old analog gear have their work cut out for them.

While some of this equipment has served us well over the years, we’ve been replacing it with networked video servers, new character generators, iMac edit suites, and High-Def Cameras.

(Apologies for the picture, the iPhone 3G just isn’t that good in low-light.)

While I still prefer Avid or FCP for editing, the tight integration between products in the Adobe lineup has always been one of their primary strengths, and they obviously know it…

With the new CS5 suite, they’ve taken it a step further.  From script development, through capture, post, and output, it’s a pretty incredible workflow.  If you need an all-in-one package to do everything, I don’t think it can be beat for the price (the academic price for CS5 Production Premium is $481.95)

The other item that caught my attention was the display at the Canon booth…

More Canon DSLRs being kitted-out for video.  While I still prefer the workflow with a full-size professional rig, these cameras pack a pretty amazing punch for the price.

The Canon 7D is still relatively expensive at $1750 for the body (without lens); a more inexpensive option is the Canon T2i, which can be purchased for under $1000 including an 18-55mm lens, and has similar video capabilities as it’s big brother.

I love my Nikon DSLR, but Canon has refined their video offerings quite a bit more at this point in time.

A number of software companies are also coming out with plugins and applications which perform automatic sound-sync between the audio recorded on the DSLR and a secondary recording device (Zoom recorder, DAT, etc).  Much easier than doing it by hand.

“Complicity” won for best Drama.

Written and Directed by Dylan Adkins, Produced by Lauren Weidel, Edited by Justin Li, Director of Photography – Jordan Lee, Assistant Director – Courtney Dunsmoor-Farley, Audio Supervisor – Denis Falardeau.

Judges’ Comments:

• Initial impression- STYLISH!
• Great sequences with good composition
• Superior use of music to create tension
• Excellent editing, music transitions/fx and timing
• Lighting was very good
• While the story was slightly campy and silly, it still grabs your attention, keeps you involved and is well constructed.

And their mockumentary, “Shadow Hands” won for Best Comedy!

Written by Denis Falardeau and Dylan Adkins, Produced by Courtney Dunsmoor-Farley, Directed by Denis Falardeau, Edited by Justin Li, Director of Photography: Jordan Lee, Assistant Director: Lauren Weidel, Audio Supervisor: Dylan Adkins.

Judges’ Comments:

• Great delivery- were they professional actors?
• Excellent!  Drew me in after the slow beginning
• Professional Actors?  Well crafted and good storytelling
• Very well done, truly enjoyed it!

It’s worth noting that their second production, Complicity, was shot in HD on the Canon 7D, our first production to use a digital SLR for a major project. Very cool!

Shadow Hands: A Mockumentary from Zut Alors on Vimeo.

Complicity from Zut Alors on Vimeo.

We’ll have the HD versions of these commercials coming to Vimeo in the near future as well (they’re uploaded in standard-def 16:9 widescreen on YouTube for the time being).

Standard Def Commercials ( January 19 to March 11 )

Hi-Def Commercials ( March 16 to April 8 )

Hi-Def on Vimeo

First off on Tuesday was a spot for helping asthma sufferers using the “Buteyko Breathing Method“, where a couple spending a nice warm summer day in the park deals with an asthma attack using a special breathing technique.

On Thursday we made our way to Tsawwassen and onto the Boundary Bay beach to shoot a commercial for Kayotics Skimboards.  Our actor made a fairly quick transition from his day-to-day work in a cubicle to a more exciting work locale.

Also this week was a commercial spot for ZipCar, a short-term car rental service available in the metro-Vancouver area.  In this case, it’s particularly useful for short shopping trips, especially when your hands are full!

First off was a going-away party for both our Associate Dean, Brian Antonson and his administrative assistant Janet Wadsworth.  Plenty of good stories, good friends and good food.  Thanks to everyone who was involved both planning and holding this event.  I’m sure it left everyone with fond memories.

Also tonight (as if the party wasn’t work enough), we had our Big Info Session, where all of BCIT’s programs show up and show off to the general public.  The broadcast department had some great displays up (would it be too much to say we stole the show?).

Part of the Television Booth at the BCIT Big Info Session

This was the first public performance of our Broadcast Pix production system in combination with our iMac edit stations and Panasonic HPX-300 P2-HD cameras.

This was also the first time that we had an end-to-end digital workflow.

1. Footage was shot on the Panasonic HPX-300 P2-HD cameras
2. After aquisition, the footage gets loaded onto the iMac Final Cut Pro edit station via P2-reader and a USB interface
3. The finished edits are pushed via ethernet to the clipstore on the Broadcast Pix system and into our live show.

For the most part, it worked flawlessly – just a few hiccups when the power went out (note to student editors: “save often”).  Looking forward to our next live event in the second week of April when we take our class out on location to do a live show for a client!

First up was a commercial for Gold’s Gym – the “under glass” part comes from the location – in the racquetball courts at BCIT (the gym was busy).  Inner (and outer) strength can show itself in many ways, and a bench full of cheerleaders (who are eyeing the athletic hero) feel the earth move from an unlikely source.

Shooting on-location offers some unique learning experiences.  Shooting on location in poor weather offers additional learning experiences…  While we didn’t get much in the way of snow for our Olympic experience, mother nature is making up for lost time with rain.  And a lot of it…

Today we ventured forth with a production for “The Running Room”, which illustrates a strong motivational factor for a lonely athlete to encourage him to do more running.  Extra points if you can guess the concept!