NoFilmSchool » ipad

Paper by FiftyThree is a Simple, Elegant, and Powerful Sketch App for the iPad

Joe Marine — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 14:00:26 +0000

I’m a sucker for great design, so when I got a chance to test out the Paper app for the iPad, I was immediately struck with how well-designed and beautiful it was. It’s not often that you can open up a piece of software, not read any of the directions, and immediately start creating lush sketches, drawings, and paintings. Not paintings in the normal sense of the word, but this app does watercolors in such a realistic and intuitive way that it almost fools me into thinking I’m a real painter. One of the creators, Andrew S Allen, has had his work featured here before. He runs Short of the Week, and I got a chance to talk to him a little bit about the app and what might be in store for the future. (more…)

Give Your Clips Metadata Automatically with the iPhone/iPad App QRSlate

Joe Marine — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 13:30:10 +0000

I’ve used (and unfortunately paid for) a couple of iPhone slates in the past. They both worked in their own ways, but they weren’t really as good as the real thing. The one positive that I’ve enjoyed from these slate apps is that they can be much easier to read, whether you’re in the dark, or your AC is getting sloppy with their handwriting. QRSlate is a whole different animal. So if you’re looking for a new slate app to go with that new iPad, this one can give you automatic metadata when you transfer your footage. It’s a pretty clever solution to help save you time and aggravation in post. (more…)

Temporal Noise Reduction on the New iPad and How It's Essential for Small Sensors

Joe Marine — Sat, 10 Mar 2012 21:00:00 +0000

On the left is a breakdown of the new iPad camera, and it has quite a few internal elements and an IR filter that should make for some quality 5 megapixel photos. While it doesn’t have the wow-factor that the iPhone 4S’s 8 megapixel camera does, it has something else that you may find interesting – and it was only hinted at during Apple’s press conference introducing the new iPad. That something it called Temporal Noise Reduction. I’ll explain what that means and why it’s important for small sensor cameras. (more…)

Why the New Apple TV, iCloud, and 1080p iTunes Affect Filmmakers More Than the New iPad

Joe Marine — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 21:59:49 +0000

In addition to the”new” iPad announced yesterday, Apple also rolled out a whole host of other updates to its “iProducts.” The Apple TV was updated to 1080p, as was iTunes, and iCloud now includes the ability to buy movies and play them from any Apple device. In addition certain apps were updated including iLife, iMovie, and Garageband, and a brand new app for iOS was introduced called iPhoto. But it’s really the new 1080p iTunes and iCloud that could do more to affect filmmakers in a specific way than the iPad. (more…)

'New' iPad Sets the Standard with 2048 x 1536 Resolution

Joe Marine — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 20:44:53 +0000

Well, Apple always finds a way to be “different,” and they’ve certainly done that with the introduction of the new iPad. The new iPad is called…iPad. It remains to be seen if we’ll get an explanation into why they didn’t decide to continue with the numbering system – or a whole new naming system – but it’s clear Apple wants to start over again and has now created a slight confusion among consumers – as the iPad is far superior than the iPad 2. If you despise Apple, at least stick around for the conclusion. (more…)

Vimeo Announces Updated iOS App with Editor, Works Natively on iPad (And Windows 8?)

Joe Marine — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 19:50:25 +0000

Vimeo has always been a huge supporter of artists, musicians, filmmakers – anyone in the arts. They’ve fostered a community that lets artists be who they want to be, and post their work without restrictions, something that’s a bit harder to find on YouTube. Today they updated their iOS app, and like most of their website, it’s still free. The big news, however, is that it finally works natively on those millions of iPads you creatives have been carrying around. (more…)

Avid Studio is a $4.99, Frame-Accurate Editing Application for the iPad

Ryan Koo — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 17:36:29 +0000

Many have lauded Avid’s latest version of Media Composer (6), and it seems Avid is not content to cede the lower-end editing market to Adobe and Apple. To that end, they have released a new iPad app, Avid Studio, which at a special introductory price of $4.99 is surely the lowest-price piece of paid Avid software. Here’s a look at the app in action (no sound, some Japanese text): (more…)

A Roundup of New DSLR and Video Gear, Part 1

Ryan Koo — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 16:45:17 +0000

I missed a lot of new DSLR and video gear over the last few weeks, so let’s do a roundup: (more…)

Adobe Brings Creative Suite to Tablets with Six New Touch Apps

Ryan Koo — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 18:58:51 +0000

At the same MAX conference where they announced Creative Cloud, Adobe also demonstrated not one but six new touch apps for tablet interfaces. These $9.99 programs, along with a $60/year Carousel photo storage/sharing service, include “anytime, anywhere” apps that allow for image editing, sketching, “ideation,” mood boards, website/mobile prototyping, and presenting finished work. The apps — which do not include a video editing solution (yet), will be available on Android starting in November. As for iOS and their sometimes bristly relationship with Apple, Adobe “expects to make an announcement regarding iOS availability in early 2012.” Here are video demos of each touch app in action: (more…)

Pomfort Makes Handy-Looking Mac Apps for DSLR (and Higher End) Filmmakers

Ryan Koo — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 22:38:28 +0000

Pomfort makes a number of interesting Mac tools for DSLR and indie filmmakers. I went to their site to check out DSLR Log2Video Plugin, a $29 plugin for working with DSLR footage shot with Canon’s CineStyle picture profile. The plugin is a part of the $129 Silverstack LT H.264, which I found myself evaluating as a tool for offloading and backing up DSLR-originated projects. Silverstack LT is, in turn, the limited version of the $825 data wrangling workflow aid Silverstack SET, which adds advanced features and support for the ARRI ALEXA and RED cameras. Then I found myself checking out their MamboFrame, which turns an iPad into real, physical clapper sticks — it’s not just an app: (more…)

This is Just Silly. Or is It? Movie Mount Turns iPad into Oversized Video Camera

Ryan Koo — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 23:18:22 +0000

This seems like a terrible idea. The iPad makes for the least ergonomic camcorder form factor: a big, flat slate. This hasn’t stopped an iPad accessorizer by the name of Mayakama from creating a case for the iPad 2 that allows for an on-camera (on-iPad, really) light, shotgun microphone, lens attachments, and a proper tripod mount. Priced at $70, this seemingly Bad Idea actually makes a bit of sense when you watch the launch video: (more…)

Wacom’s New 'Inkling' Looks Mighty Handy for Storyboarding

Ryan Koo — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 21:09:24 +0000

Despite writing about Apple’s iPad — repeatedly — I’ve been holding off on getting one. On my wish list: the ability to use a stylus. And while there are a few iPad styli out there, it’s hard to beat the feeling of real paper. As someone who does a lot of freehand writing (my first draft of Man-child, for example, was freehanded in a notebook), I’ve been considering a Livescribe, which is popular with the entrepreneur set but seems a bit primitive since the dawn of the iPad. Now Wacom has join the paper-to-digital party with a new product named the “Inkling,” and watching the video demo, I can’t help but think of storyboarding: (more…)

Mobile Version of Celtx Goes 2.0, Touts New Screenwriting Features for iPhones and iPads

Ryan Koo — Sun, 07 Aug 2011 18:56:29 +0000

My daily sojourn to the coffee shop to work on my feature screenplay — of which I’m happy to report I’ve just completed a third draft — is often accompanied by the sight of other folks working on their own script. I live in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, which is probably the Aspiring Screenwriter capital of New York, so it’s a common sight. But I’ve been surprised recently at the number of times I’m seeing Celtx instead of Final Draft — probably due to the fact that the former is free. On the desktop, that is: the mobile version is $9.99, and just went version 2.0. (more…)

John August and Co. Release Final Draft Script Reader for iPad

Ryan Koo — Tue, 24 May 2011 19:18:38 +0000

Screenwriter and blogger extraordinaire John August has released a very handy app for screenwriters (and script readers) called FDX Reader. In my limited experience I’ve found that the iPad is the perfect form factor for reading scripts in PDF format, but to date it hasn’t been able to read industry-standard Final Draft files. FDX reader solves that, and apparently works great with my file-synching utility of choice, Dropbox. Here’s a video of the app in action: (more…)

Gamma & Density Co. Bringing $400 On-Set Color-Correction App to iPhone/iPad

Ryan Koo — Tue, 10 May 2011 14:54:06 +0000

Gamma & Density make high-end tools for DIT (Digital Imaging Technicians) such as their complex 3cP data management system. However, as more and more productions go digital, it seems to me there will be a need for a more budget-friendly DIT solution. Utilizing the iPad seems like a perfect way to allow cinematographers and directors to communicate their aesthetic intentions on-set. However, G&D’s $400 pricing seems a bit high for the indie crowd; anyone know of any alternatives? Here’s the promo video: (more…)

iPad 2 Ships; iMovie Now Available for iPad (GarageBand Too)

Ryan Koo — Fri, 11 Mar 2011 19:11:24 +0000

The iPad 2 is shipping today, though Apple is apparently reserving most of the units for sale through their own stores (I can’t find them at most vendors online). The related film/video news is this: as previously announced, the iPad version of iMovie is now available in the App Store. For musicians, GarageBand is also a newcomer to the iPad; each app is $4.99. Here’s the touchscreen version of iMovie in action: (more…)

How Has the iPad Affected Filmmakers and Creatives?

Ryan Koo — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 19:03:26 +0000

With yesterday’s announcement of the iMovie-touting iPad 2, it’s worth thinking about what impact the iPad has had to date for filmakers. According to Steve Jobs, the iPad 1 sold more units than every Tablet PC ever made — in just 9 months. With 15 million iPads currently in circulation and over $2 billion paid out to developers through the App Store, one of the primary ways the iPad has affected independent creatives is simply by being a distribution platform. But when Apple announced the “magical, revolutionary” device a year ago I wrote a piece at FreshDV speculating as to how the iPad could affect filmmakers. Here’s the post revisited: in the year since, how much of this has come to pass? What did I get right and what did I get (horribly, horribly) wrong? (more…)

Apple Brings Video Editing to the iPad 2 with Touchscreen iMovie

Ryan Koo — Wed, 02 Mar 2011 20:37:35 +0000

Thinner, lighter, and faster — per usual. Apple’s iPad 2 offers a number of updates from the first-gen gadget, including a dual-core A5 processor, magnetic “smart” cover, and biracial availability (it comes in white now, too). Shipping March 11th, the deuce also introduces a number of video-centric features: not just one but two cameras (front- and rear-facing), and it also premieres for the first time on the iPad Apple’s consumer video editing program, iMovie. (more…)

Android vs iOS - Which Mobile OS Will Help Filmmakers?

Ryan Koo — Tue, 23 Nov 2010 16:24:42 +0000

Apple has released iOS 4.2, which comes with a slew of improvements for iOS devices. However, iOS isn’t the only kid on the block, with reports that Samsung’s Android-powered iPad competitor shipped 600,000 units in the first month. Amid reports that Android phones are outselling iPhones (possibly 2-to-1), and the news that Apple and Google are locked into competition over who will premiere “tap to buy” first (which will allow us to use our smartphones as virtual credit cards), I thought I’d delve into NoFilmSchool’s analytics to see what percentage of visitors are running iOS versus Android. Both mobile OSes will be a growing distribution platform for movies, but which OS will help independent filmmakers? (more…)

Free Multi-Touch iPad Color Correction App Emulates $25k Control Surfaces

Ryan Koo — Mon, 15 Nov 2010 14:15:53 +0000

Serious colorists don’t use a mouse; they use a much more capable hardware control surface based around three trackballs that control lift, gamma, and gain. These hardware devices are important because they give the colorist control over multiple push-pull adjustments at the same time. Such surfaces have traditionally run $25k or more, but Tangent Devices managed to get this triple-trackball interface down in price to $1,500 with their Wave Control Surface released last year. Now they’ve created a brilliant virtual version using the iPad’s multi-touch screen. Here’s a video of the interface in action, and instructions to get the free application: (more…)