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:
Along similar lines, Philip Bloom has posted a roundup of iPad clapperboard applications, for using the Apple device as a slate (pictured above).
One of my goals with No Film School is not only to talk about disruptive technologies, but to actually create and share innovative tools for use throughout the production process. File this under "eventual" goals, not "near term," but as Android-powered tablets make their way into the marketplace, I'm excited about the possibilities that an open platform might offer for filmmakers -- above and beyond the iPad.
