NoFilmSchool » ipad

A Roundup of New DSLR and Video Gear, Part 1

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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)

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?

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

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?

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

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…)

iPad and MacBook 'Hook Up' - Apple Releases New MacBook Airs

Koo — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 18:46:53 +0000

At Apple’s Back to the Mac event today, Steve Jobs closed the show by asking, “what would happen if an iPad and a Macbook hooked up?” Indeed, the new MacBook Air seems sort of like an iPad for creatives — people who need a real keyboard and an OS that can run more than mobile apps, but something thin and light enough to take everywhere. It has iPad features like instant-on (with no boot time, apparently), no moving parts (all flash storage, with no hard drive and no optical drive), and increased battery life of 5-7 hours wireless web use and 30 days of standby (a stat typically associated with phones). Are the new MacBook Airs “iPads for creatives?” (more…)

Stonehenge Turns Your Indie Film into an iPhone/iPad App

Koo — Tue, 28 Sep 2010 13:05:10 +0000

When the iPad was first announced I wrote an article about how the device could affect filmmakers, saying, “when you’re developing a cross-platform story, what happens if you can’t define your project along clear lines? Should I say it? ‘There’s an app for that.’” Stonehenge Productions has stepped in to create these very apps, which basically package your film along with a number of extras in a manner similar to a DVD release. This allows you to sell your film in the App store — thereby circumnavigating your way onto an Apple device without having to go through the iTunes movie store. (more…)

What Features Do You Want to See in a Tablet?

Koo — Sat, 11 Sep 2010 18:18:33 +0000

Soon, the iPad won’t be the only tablet on the block. Samsung’s Galaxy Tab was first out of the gate, but a bevy of other Android-powered tablets have also been announced. And while this first wave of Android tabs looks a bit hacked-together (Google has referred to their current rev of Android as “not optimized for tablets“), one thing’s for sure: we’re going to see a lot of iPad knockoffs in the months to come. Whether or not you already have an iPad, what features would you like to see added to the iPad’s basic feature set? For my own filmmaking and creative purposes, there are two things I’d want to see in a tablet: (more…)

Dozens of the Best Android, iPhone, and Mac Apps

Koo — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 17:09:34 +0000

Lifehacker is currently running a great series called “Lifehacker Packs,” wherein they round up all their favorite applications for the iOS, Android, and Mac platforms (no Windows love yet). Many of these applications are free, and each post is a great resource for anyone looking to add some creative/productive/fun tools to their computerized lives. The compilations are aimed at anyone, not just filmmakers (the full links are at the bottom of this post), but I’ve grabbed a number of relevant apps (and Lifehacker blurbs) for independent creatives: (more…)

Free Screenwriting App Celtx Goes Mobile (and Paid)

Koo — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 13:34:07 +0000

As a desktop screenwriting application, Celtx has never threatened industry stalwarts Final Draft and Movie Magic Screenwriter, despite its advantage (in terms of adoption) of being free. However, it seems the just-released mobile version of Celtx is ahead of the game instead of playing catch-up. “Digital rebel” Stu Maschwitz kick off his post on Celtx with the following: (more…)

A Veritable Cornucopia of Apps for Filmmaking

Koo — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 14:47:22 +0000

One of the many items on my “to write” list is a “helpful applications for filmmakers” article. I was thinking if I spent some time on the Moon I could write all of these articles, but short of that (anyone who’s seen the Duncan Jones/Sam Rockwell film will know what I mean), there are just too many potential articles to crank out while also trying to make movies! Thankfully FilmmakerIQ and Filmmaker Magazine have both posted application roundups, which, as you can guess from the “filmmaker” in each publication’s name, focus on applications for filmmakers. Highlights from both articles include: (more…)

iPads Being Used as On-Set Production Aides

Koo — Sat, 19 Jun 2010 19:26:30 +0000

Since the iPad was announced I’ve been thinking about it as an agent of change for filmmakers. In that article at FreshDV, one of the reasons I didn’t talk about the iPad as a potential on-set production aide was because I had my own ideas for designing and developing such an application, although I didn’t end up pursuing such an undertaking due to lack of time and resources. Now that the “magical and revolutionary” device is out there in the wild, however, others are developing applications for this purpose and finding uses for iPads on set. HDSLR pioneer Vincent LaForet has shared a short video demonstrating the iPad being put to use on a recent shoot in LA for a new Sony Playstation game: (more…)