Mango Street has uploaded the beginnings of an amazing masterclass that could be used to help editors create a better workflow for themselves.

In this video, we cover our process for creating video editing templates to edit faster, window layout, keyboard shortcuts, motion graphics templates, audio, and more. Sponsors like Dell help us make videos like this for free to our lovely audience

While this video focuses on Adobe premiere, they admit that these workflow solutions could EASILY be transplanted over to an ALE like Avid Media Composer of Magix Vegas Pro.

Organization

These guys suggest using an SSD of some kind. We'd have to agree. In fact I'd suggest using something from LaCie, G-Technology, Glyph, or SanDisk. All of them offer a great variety of SSD drives (both portable and not) built specifically for NLE workflow.

Computer

Without a doubt, when editing you need a good computer. While Mango Street had a Dell spre-built and sent to them for promotion, I'd suggest simply custom building your own. This way if you need to upgrade something or replace a part, there no need to purchase a whole new computer.

Mango Steet doe reccomend using a Nvidia graphic card however, I'd I'd agree with them there.

Keyboard Shortcuts

These shortcuts can take loads of time off your workday just by knowing what key does what. For Media Composer, we offer the Avid Media Composer Keyboard which spells everything out for the editor.

Window Layout

This can be a pain for those who don't know what they're doing. We recommend at least 2 monitors to get the best our of your NLE. However, these guys make a decent layout with one window for those either just becoming an editor or someone in a tight workspace.

Editing

Mango Street gives a step by step instruction on wbest practices for recording vlogs for YouTube including audio practices and timeline setting to match your source material. In this case they shoot in 4K 24fps.

B-Roll & Graphics

Mango Street shows some simply tricks of using B-roll and graphics to help improve content being released online. These can also help create a personal stamp on content and branding.

Audio

Audio is often more important than video.

If the audio is bad, no one will pay attention. But if the audio is stellar, and the video isn't overly great, the audience is more likely to pay attention. Mango Street includes some tricks for creating more seamless audio transition that can be used in Premiere, Avid, or most NLEs.

Exporting

Exporting can ruin a video. Its important to know where to look. Mango Street presents some great settings for ANY render settings for YouTube videos especially.

Make sure to check out Mango Video here!

Learn more about Avid here

Learn more about storage solutions here!

In industry circles, the topic of “the cloud” has been broached with doses of both curiosity and skepticism for years. Few post houses are ready to take the full leap to a native cloud approach to post production—and, in many cases, it wouldn’t be practical. But questions around security, performance, and cost have started to dwindle as post teams realize they can blend the cloud with traditional media storage.

A hybrid cloud storage model offers advantages that are critical in today’s post environment: it readily addresses challenges of scale, remote collaboration, redundancy, and security. But what does hybrid storage look like, and how is it best suited for a post-production workflow?

What Is a Hybrid Cloud Storage Model?

This model does what it says on the tin: certain media assets are stored on the premises, while certain assets are stored in the cloud. For example, you might choose to have online storage on prem and a small amount of nearline on prem for parking recently completed projects, while moving archive assets—say, older than 90 days—to the cloud. A hybrid model could also enable a hybrid workflow, where some elements of post, such as rendering, are done in the cloud, while others, including some of the editing and review processes, are still done at a post house’s physical offices.

In a hybrid model, you’ve still got your own servers and machines to manage, but you’ve allocated certain workflows to the cloud. The extent of what’s done in-facility versus remotely can shift depending on the post house and project, but regardless, hybrid storage enables more flexible working environments for post production.

The hybrid cloud storage model has four strengths to offer that a solely on-prem storage model cannot:

1. Scale for Burst Capacity

A well-diversified post house won’t need to bring every person or machine on deck for every project. But there will be times when your on-prem capabilities simply aren’t enough, and a new project will require a nimble storage solution that you can ramp up or down as needed. This is where SaaS-based cloud services come into play: providing the additional computing power and remote access via PCoIP so that editors have secure and reliable access to the same editorial workflows they would otherwise use on-prem machines for. If your on-prem and cloud storage keeps your files on the same system and both storage instances are properly synced, the experience for your team will be seamless.

The best part? Rather than having to purchase and install machines over days or weeks, you can be up and running in the cloud within hours. The cloud also lets you pay just for what you use.

Burst capacity looms particularly large these days. The pandemic interrupted production, but the demand for finished content is still increasing. As the industry swings back into production, it will have to contend with a tremendous backlog of content waiting to go through post. The post houses that can quickly scale operations to handle this backlog will have a massive edge over the competition.

2. Enable Remote Collaboration

Remote editing is perhaps the most valuable feature of the cloud. With the right technology, post can happen from almost anywhere.

Although certain parts of the post-production workflow are solitary affairs, film and TV are inherently collaborative. Employing a cloud approach can bridge the geographical gaps. Feedback is instant, for one thing, and notes can be implemented immediately. Various departments get to see exactly what’s being done at all times, which can inspire a more cohesive creative approach overall, on top of simply making the process more efficient.

A hybrid cloud storage model makes it possible to bring in the best post-production talent, even if they’re thousands of miles away. Post teams can still have it both ways, though, with people working on files on-prem alongside remote team members working on the same project. This is where a hybrid approach can really sing: those who want to be (or must be) off-site can do so without sacrificing the connectivity that collaboration requires.

3. Streamline Review and Approval

Of course, editing can’t be completed without review and approval. There’s still plenty of value to be found in on-prem R&A, particularly in the thick of the edit process. But an increasingly decentralized post-production workflow is pushing post professionals to adjust to remote collaboration—and that includes R&A.

Instead of having to export and host on a separate, secure screener site or physically bring in executives and producers to screen, a cloud solution will allow remote access to media that needs fast approval. Plenty of productions already had to come up with workarounds for off-site producers; having these materials in the cloud simply streamlines the process. It helps teams avoid waiting for physical media to arrive, those well-known “I can’t access this?” messages, and the lag between physical R&A for off-site execs—no more ad hoc approval emails.

4. Better Manage Costs

As the industry shifts more toward flexible, hybrid work environments, the cloud will become all the more indispensable. Technology will continue to enable new storage opportunities that post teams need—the only question is whether they embrace the cloud head on or opt to weave it into parts of the workflow.

Read the original article by Oriana Schwindt here!

Learn more about NLE's and editing software here!

With NDI being introduced to Teams, the world of stream has opened even more!

Here is a short demonstration on how to connect Microsoft teams with NDI and then bring in two Teams callers, as separate sources into your live video production switcher.

Download the free NDI Tools: ndi.tv/tools/

Download the NDI SDK: ndi.tv/sdk/

Learn more about NewTek here!

Watch the full video here!

The latest update of Microsoft Teams now supports NDI! In this 5 minute tutorial learn how easy it is to bring in Teams guests as separate sources into Wirecast via NDI. Great Job!

Watch this webinar we did about 2020 updates with Wirecast right here!

Learn more about Telestream here

Telestream Wirecast offers a live Chroma Key feature capable of removing green screen elements in your live streaming productions!  With a well lit and composed green screen background, removing the background is as easy as enabling the Chroma Key feature in Wirecast.

Wirecast’s Chroma Key Properties offer a color picker to select the exact color specification of your green screen, a Key Threshold, Black clip and White clip fine adjustments. 

Pick Key Color With Mouse: To get the best key possible, select the key color using the mouse. Check the Pick key color with mouse checkbox. Use the mouse to click a point on the image in the preview area. As you do this watch the preview change in the level of transparency, displaying the gray/white checkerboard pattern on the affected regions. Usually, clicking near the corners of the media provides the best key, but sometimes clicking near the main subject in the image is best.

Key Threshold: Once you have the best key by picking the color, you can adjust the key threshold to drop out the background as completely as possible. The Key Threshold parameter enables Wirecast to determine how close the color in the video is to the key color. Adjust the key threshold (0 to 100) by using the slider.

Black Clip: Sometimes, dark areas are keyed out, when they should not be, due to how digital cameras function. The Black Clip parameter controls how close the keying will be toward black. For example, if the host has black hair, you need to increase this value slightly so that the keying effect will not be seen in their hair. Adjust Black Clip (0 to 100) by using the slider.

White Clip: Likewise, white areas are also sometimes keyed out when they should not be. The White Clip parameter controls how close the keying will be toward white. For example, if the host has a white shirt on, you need to increase this value slightly so that the keying effect will not be seen in their shirt. Adjust the White Clip (0 to 100) by using the slider.

Tips for Getting a Good Key

Probably the most important part of getting good source material, Poor source material generates poor keys, no algorithm can make up for this.

Lighting

Assuming you had a reasonably good camera, the most important part of getting a good key is good lighting. Invest in good lights and learn how to set them up properly.

• The background screen (green or blue) needs to be independently lit from other items in the shot.
• Light the background screen evenly, with no shadows. The more evenly lit, the better the keying.
• Light people evenly with no shadows. A fill light is very important. An office whiteboard may be helpful in accomplishing this.

Good Camera

You should get a reasonable quality out of most cameras on the market today. Wirecast has been tested with a low-end DV camera to verify the quality of its Chroma Keying system. However, the better the camera, the better the keying.

If you use a cheap USB Web-cam, it may not give you enough source quality to get a reasonable good key. But if you have excellent lighting, a USB camera works well. 3CCD is better that 1CCD. If you have a choice, a PAL camera is better than NTSC, due to how data is captured internally.

High-Quality Video

If you are keying video from disk and not capturing it live, make sure the High-Quality Video option is checked in the Advanced Preferences Panel. This forces Wirecast to decode the video from disk in the best quality possible, giving the Chroma Key the best data possible. Wirecast warns you if High-Quality Video is turned off when you turn on Chroma Keying.

Read the original article here!

Aaron Parecki did an amazing video showcasing the YoloLiv YoloBox.

The YoloBox is an all-in-one portable livestreaming video mixer and is everything you need to go live with multiple cameras! In this video I share my first impressions of getting it up and running.

Learn more about YoloLiv here!

Watch the original video here!

The new AG-CX10 4K Compact Handheld Camcorder is an ideal tool for live remote production. With a 25mm wide-angle lens, 24x optical zoom and precision Auto Focus, you can capture a variety of shots. And unlike a DSLR, the CX10 contains professional XLR audio inputs, built-in ND filters and LED light with great connectivity, including built-in Wi-Fi and separate Ethernet connectivity, remote camera operation apps, live-streaming directly to social platforms, available NDI|HX (license required) capability and more.

Panasonic Product Engineer Yusuke Ota (IG: @youski_labs) has produced three short guides in setting up your CX10 for live remote streaming. He covers the HC ROP control app for remote control, streaming live on YouTube Live and using the CX10 as a replacement to your webcam.

1. Using the control app HC ROP app to control your CX10 wirelessly

Setup for CX10

1. MENU>NETWORK>
2. DEVICE SEL>WLAN
3. WLAN PROPERTY>TYPE>INFRA(SELECT)
4. Select appropriate SSID
5. WLAN IPv4 SETTING>DHCP>CLIENT
6. IP REMOTE>ENABLE
7. Set USER ACCOUNT (Account name & Password)
8. Close MENU

Setup for HC ROP

1. Tap the gear icon
2. Type in IP address which was assigned to CX10 by DHCP (step 5 above)
3. Type in User ID & Password that you set for CX10 (step 7 above)

* You should see “R” mark; now HC ROP can control CX10

Download the HC ROP

• App Store - Download
• Google Play - Download

2. Using your CX10 to live stream directly to YouTube or Facebook Live.

Stream destination setup

1. Prepare a Windows machine and insert an SD card
2. Download P2 Network Setting Software
3. Open YouTube Studio and copy Stream URL & Stream key
4. Open P2 Network Setting Software, and select Streaming & RTMP tabs
5. Paste Stream URL, add “/“, then paste Stream key into STREAM DESTINATION URL box
6. Tap Export; the URL is stored to the SD card

CX10 Setup

1. Setup Wi-Fi connection & HC ROP (see section above)
2. MENU>NETWORK>
3. NETWORK FUNC>STREAMING
4. MENU>NETWORK>STREAMING>
5. Select STREAMING FORMAT
6. START TRIGGER>CAMERA
7. CONNECTION INFO.>SD CARD...RECEIVER URL is copied from the SD card. (step 6 above)
8. MENU>CAMERA>USER SW>Assign STREAMING START to a user switch (e.g., USER1)
9. Close MENU

Streaming & Internal Rec start

1. Open HC ROP and confirm “R” mark shows up
2. Tap REC S/S...Internal SD card recording starts
3. Tap USER SW1 (step 8 above)

You should see the streaming mark; now CX10 is live streaming to YouTube. The same procedure can be applied to Facebook Live.

3. Using your CX10 as a webcam

Setup for CX10

1. Go to NewTek website and download NDI TOOLS 4.5
2. Activate NDI|HX on CX10 (*Internet connection and license key are needed for activation)
3. MENU>NETWORK (On CX10)
4. DEVICE SEL>USB-LAN
5. NETWORK FUNC>NDI|HX
6. USB-LAN IPv4 SETTING>DHCP>OFF, Set appropriate IP address
7. NDI|HX>STREAMING FORMAT>Select a format
8. Close MENU
9. Connect CX10 to your laptop via LAN cable

Setup for laptop

1. Turn on NDI Virtual Input
2. Right click NDI Virtual Input, then select AG-CX10
3. Start a web meeting (e.g. Teams)

* You should see the video from CX10 on the web meeting; now CX10 is your webcam

Read the original article here!

Learn more about Panasonic here!

Broadfield has a solution!

Broadfield has broken down the differences between the Pearl Mini, Pearl 2, and even the Pearl 2 Rackmount Twin to help clarify what best suits the user.

Here's a breakdown:

Pearl Mini:

• Video
  • 2 - HDMI
  • 1 - 3G SDI
  • 1 - USB
• Audio
  • 2 - XLR/TRS
  • 1 - 3.5mm
  • 1 - RCA
• Video over Ethernet
  • RTSP
• Resolution
  • 1080p (full HD)
• Chroma Key
  • No
• Encoder Programs
  • 3 - 1080p 30fps
• Storage
  • SD Card

Pearl 2

• Video
  • 2 - 4K HDMI
  • 2 - HDMI
  • 2 - 12G SDI
  • 2 - USB
• Audio
  • 2 - XLR (STEREO)
  • 1 - Stereo RCA
• Video over Ethernet
  • RTSP & NDI
• Resolution
  • 4K
• Chroma Key
  • Yes
• Encoder Programs
  • 2 - 1080p 60fps
  • 6 - 1080p 30fps
  • 1 - 4K 30fps
• Storage
  • 512 GB SSD

Pearl 2 Rackmount

• Video Inputs
  • 4 - 4K HDMI
  • 4 - HDMI
  • 4 - 12G SDI
  • 4 - USB
• Audio Inputs
  • 4 - XLR
  • 2 - Stereo RCA
• Video Over Ethernet
  • RTSP & NDI
• Resolution
  • 4K
• Chroma Key
  • Yes
• Encoding Programs
  • 4 - 1080p 60fps
  • 12 - 1080p 30fps
  • 2 - 4K 30fps
• Storage
  • 1,025 GB SSD

Learn more about Epiphan here!

Check out Broadfield's Interview with Epiphan at NAB NY 2019

Special thanks to LiveU for providing these great and helpful graphics.

Learn more about LiveU here!

NewTek TriCaster^® offers many powerful keying functions to allow you to layer video in creative ways. Among those is a Tracker, that lets you select a color region in a video source, whether live or pre-recorded, and key video or graphics into that area. For this tutorial we have a video of our onscreen talent holding a blue artboard card and moving it around. NewTek Video Producer Richard Evans shows us how to set up Tracker, select the blue card and key in another video that will then stay mapped to the card no matter how it is moved.

The feature can certainly be used for fun, but on the practical side, this is an easy way to apply branding to an element of a video, even if that element is in motion. You can embed your own branding into your productions in clever ways, or producers can monetize branding opportunities by embedding sponsors’ branding into their productions. A venue could map branding to locations without built-in fascia displays, for example, in video going out to broadcast. This also allows elements of a virtual set to be used as virtual displays, even if they were not among the preset areas for such displays built into the virtual set.

Learn more about NewTek here!