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Windows Hardware & Software
HP Skyroom: Power & Simplicity for Remote Workgroup Tasks
In this article, Ron Lindeboom looks at the powerful HP Skyroom technology, which allows team members to interact in high definition video with one another, as they work on projects and approvals remotely. Highly powerful, yet priced within reach of many small to medium-sized companies -- nevertheless, the system is powerful enough for even major players like Dreamworks Animation, who used the system during the making of the blockbuster 'Monsters vs Aliens.' Powerful, elegant, simple to use.
Review, Feature
Ron Lindeboom |
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Autodesk Combustion
Writing a Logo with Light
Play Video
In this video tutorial, CreativeCOW leader Ayman Abdel-Basset demonstrates a quick, easy way to use the eraser of the paint operator and the particle system of Autodesk Combustion to create a nice writing logo effect -- complete with shining rays. This tutorial is for advanced users of Combustion, but also has some useful tips for new users.
Tutorial, Video Tutorial
Ayman Abdel-Basset |
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Art of the Edit | Ergonomics for COWs
The question was asked in the Avid Editing COW: 'After eight years of working on a computer, my wrist hurts within an hour. Anyone else getting carpel tunnel? What can I do to prevent major damage?' Dave Anselmi, a T'ai Ch'i Instructor for over 10 years and whose friend is an Ergonomics Specialist, was quick to the rescue with this great advice.
Tutorial
Dave Anselmi |
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Windows Hardware & Software
Evoluent Vertical Mouse
It starts as a slight twinge in the shoulder, or a prickle in the wrist, a dime-sized knot in the forearm or a tingling somewhere up and down the arm. Whatever the symptoms, the cause is usually the same - RSI or repetitive strain injury or its widely publicized brother, carpal tunnel syndrome. In this article, John David Hutton takes a look at the new Evoluent Vertical Mouse. It could be the answer to protecting yourself from carpal tunnel and other strains.
Review
John David Hutton |
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Autodesk Combustion
Combustion 4 Training Course
Michael Hurwicz looks at Kenneth LaRue's combustion 4 training DVDs and concludes that this set is great for novices and intermediates alike, but if you're already an expert, you may only need the 'What's New in Combustion 4' set that's available.
Review
Michael Hurwicz |
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Autodesk Combustion
Sapphire Plug-ins Provide Big Help on ''Little Manhattan''
Film editor and FX artist, Alan Edward Bell shares some Hollywood secrets in this discussion of his recent job for 20th Century Fox and New Regency Pictures, "Little Manhattan." One tool he came back to again and again was GenArts' Sapphire Plug-ins -- both during the editing stage to create effects within Final Cut Pro, and during the finishing stage to finalize the effects at film resolution within Autodesk combustion.
People / Interview
Alan Edward Bell |
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Autodesk Combustion
The Blonde with One Green Screen
The following technique from CreativeCOW member Todd Groves can be applied to situations where the actor or object that is placed before a greenscreen/bluescreen has some element about them that cannot be separated by the standard approach to keying. The situation that inspired this solution involved a blonde haired actress in front of a greenscreen.''
Tutorial
Todd Groves |
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Adobe After Effects
SynthEyes 3-D Camera Tracker
If your are unfamiliar with 3D camera tracking software, SynthEyes 3-D Camera Tracker is a tool which will analyze moving 2D video footage by tracking points of reference frame by frame. From this, it can reproduce an accurate 3D camera which matches the properties and movement of the real-world camera you used to shoot the sequence. In this review/tutorial, Karl Holt gives us an indepth look along with a lot of tips for using the software.
Review, Tutorial
Karl Holt |
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Autodesk Combustion
Creating the Old Movie look with Combustion
Contributing Editor, Bimo Adi Prakoso demonstrates some techniques for Creating the Old Movie Looks with Combustion in this tutorial. He adivises readers that, ''Many plugins for creating an old movie look are available at various costs, but the challenge is creating one without any plugin at all. Actually, it's a simple, straight forward process''.
Tutorial
Bimo Adi Prakoso |
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Apple Shake
How to become a Feature Film Compositor by John Lafauce Jr.
Have you ever wanted to contribute to building a twenty thousand man army in "Troy", make a mouse fly a plane in "Stuart Little 2", or launch a doomed luxury liner in "Titanic?" You can achieve visual feats you never dreamed possible and accomplish them all through the magic of compositing. Read this article written by John Lafauce Jr., and see... How to become a feature film compositor. A note just to clarify: this article is about high-end 2d/3d compositing for long form media such as films, where the goal is to make the work seamless, integrated and "invisible". Not to be confused with compositing for motion graphics, where the objective is to make the object or design stand out and be "visible" to the viewer.
Tutorial, Feature
John Lafauce Jr. |
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Autodesk Combustion
Combustion 4, a first look by Ken LaRue
Creative Cow's Ken LaRue explores the just announced Discreet combustion 4. Packed with many new features that Ken enthusiastically describes as ''Hot!'' and which include quite a number that many users have had on their own personal wish lists, C4 is drawing a lot of attention and discussion here in the Creative Cow forums. In this article, Ken helps us explore many of the reasons why...
Review
Ken LaRue |
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Autodesk Combustion
Creating a Promo Transition with Combustion
As the lines between television and the internet continue to blur, it seems like every TV channel wants you to look at their website. Whether you're CNN or community television, you'll have to rise above the straight cut or dissolve to get the viewer's attention.In this tutorial, Lee 'Rod' Roderick will show you how to use Discreet combustion to create a promo transition that combines digital video and motion graphics. Once you set it up, you can substitute your own clips and text.
Tutorial
Lee Roderick |
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Autodesk Combustion
Combustion 3
Alan Edward Bell takes a thorough look at Discreet Combustion 3 and concludes with, "...Many feature film and television effects houses use Combustion on a daily basis for doing everything from matte generation, color correction to full blown compositing, I cannot recommend this software enough, and this review only scratches the surface of what is possible."
Review
Alan Edward Bell |
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