Snow Leopard - the missing OS

This has to be some kind of record. I've just received the invitation to pre-order (translation: order) David Pogue's latest.

The end of another year

Congratulations to all who negotiated the change in rooms - the big plasma in our new temporary venue made all the wandering around worthwhile! And relayed apologies again from Darren at Matrox for their last-minute non-show due to technical problems - they WILL be back, they promise, with a demo running 'on all cylinders'.

My demo this month was a tale of four keying methods for green screen: all working on some (non-ideal!) HDV material - a realistic challenge for many of us.

First off, to only moderate applause, is the FCP 'built-in'. Provided you choose correctly between the Green Blue Effect, and the Green AND Blue Effect, the latest version provides a graphical interface for eye-dropping colour and adjusting chrominance / saturation / luminance keying levels.

With a little more tweaking than I did on Monday night AND with the 'Color Smoothing Filter' enabled (!) the key looks like this:

There's noticeable fringing / stepping just about visible on the uploaded pic - on the edges of the arms especially - which is the result of trying to key off HDV, a 4:2:0 standard, meaning reduced chroma definition.

I'd rate the key as OK - but difficult to get good quality all across the frame, meaning I'd have to do extra mattes with garbage filters for uneven backgrounds.

Next up was the keying effect included with Motion - Primatte. The matte produced here was very good from the first 'eyedrop' - again you can see the interlace-like stepping caused by the lack of chroma resolution. (The footage is progressive, by the way, and we're viewing results obtained on a ProRes timeline). There are controls to soften the matte, which loses the jaggies, but makes for problems with details such as hair, of course.

Verdict so far - better keying from Primatte, but with the hassle of round-tripping to and from Motion, which isn't always practicable, especially on a project with lots of short keyed sequences, which may need recutting (frequently).

Two other contenders, one newly re-launched, and another established name:

The new kid on the block is 'Chroma Key Studio' from Boris. There's more than a simple key here, the package adds extras such as a wrap-around edge based on the background picture. There's also an option for working off a 'plate' - for locked-off cameras - a 'background only' shot used to generate the key (in the same manner as iChatAV now offers).

The grab here shows the matte with a little softening applied, which helps the jaggies - too much and the hair detail will disappear, of course.

And finally, one that I'd forgotten about until a chance conversation with Matt at the Supermeet last week - dvMatte Pro from DVGarage. This is another FCP effect (actually an FX plug-in), with a more complex keying system to set up - with two droppers for high and low background levels. Plus the now familiar edge lighting and matte softening.


This filter I found to be extremely easy to use, and gave results as good as Primatte in Motion (which until now I'd considered the gold standard for FCP keying).


For ease of use, I'd rate the Boris Chroma Key studio and dvMatte Pro joint equal. The built-in FCP key is fiddly and didn't give as clean or as adjustable an end result, and though the Primatte key is fine, sometimes you just want to keep in one App, on the timeline.

Both the Boris and dvgarage products are downloadable as trial versions
here for the Boris package. Note this also offers real-time keying for studio application.
here for dvMatte pro.

I ought to say - don't judge the quality of any of these keyers on my rough-and-ready efforts for the demo purposes. But at least they have the benefit of equal treatment and attention.

And while you're downloading, there's another filter tip from Monday, thanks to Jason.

It's new to me, and it's free - in fact one of many freebies on the same website. It's known as the Captain's blowout fixer, and is a clever repair, no a very clever repair kit for overexposed footage, written by Patrick Sheffield, who would appear to be a Shake wunderkind, and a generous one as well. The fixer works by abstracting detail from other colour channels (eg if Green is blown out, there's a good chance that Red isn't) and substituting. It shouldn't work, but it does.

The download page has some wonderful Technicolor simulators - great fun to see.
Here is the site.

And, apart from Richard's promised sumup of his DVD experiences, that's it for Year 5 of the wefcpug. See you at the 5th birthday big bash. There will be blog updates over the Summer (who needs vacations) and maybe a podcast too.

Next meeting - July 6th

No sooner has the dust settled on the Supermeet than it's time for the wefcpug to offer our collective wisdom on the tips, tricks, gizmos and gadgets we saw there. And even if you weren't there, share your views!

But that's not all - those guys from Matrox are promising to be back and this time they CAN talk about the red light and what it means on the front panel. Think Max, I'm told.

But that's not all - there's the promised look at HD workflows

And there's more - if there's time (there will be) there's a comparison of three ways of chroma-keying HDV in Final Cut. With a surprising winner (IMHO).

And there's a BIG raffle prize.

It's the last meet of the wefcpug year, it's at the BBC Bristol premises, it's at 6.30pm for 7 latest.
You have to be there MONDAY next JULY 6th.

Just in - exclusive to the wefcpod

Despite all manner of technical hassles (such as Mr Horton's unfamiliarity with our complicated European mobile phones, and an unwillingness by Soundtrack Pro to deliver a final mix - of which more anon) there's a new podcast on the block, 10 minutes about what's coming in the Supermeet from the Men who Know: Mike Horton and Dan Berube, co-organisers and hosts.

Speaking from their chauffeur-driven limo, Mike and Dan took time out from perusing the London streets (at 5 mph) to giving wefcpug members an exclusive preview. Hear it before the other podcasts (if there are any) get in on the act!

And click on the ad above this post to find out more about the Supermeet. See you there!
(It's still £23,000 of raffle prizes btw)

The Boss is coming to the UK

Hi all

Normal service isn't quite resumed after a couple of busy weeks, but here's a quick reminder in case you've forgotten what's coming...

Walter Murch at the Supermeet in London on Thursday.

I hope to grab the boss, Mike Horton, as soon as he touches down in London England for a special 'wefcpod' preview later this week. We're working on getting the circuits ready in time.

In the meantime, and if you haven't booked your tickets, hurry on down to

http://www.lafcpug.org/UK_2009.html

The vital statistics: £15 entry, fewer than 80 tickets left (as of Sunday) and £23,000 worth of raffle prizes to be won (and counting, Mike says).

Let's face it, Springsteen won't be giving away raffle prizes at Glasto next weekend.