Does the World Need Another Media Player?

The fine folks over at Layers Magazine have published the article:

Does the World Need Another Media Player?

This time its had the benefit of being scrubbed by an editor (not just spell-checker). You can read it here:

http://www.layersmagazine.com/column_adobe_mediaplayer1.html

.

A few folks have commented on the length of the article... here’s the Spark Notes version:

• Flash Video is getting really popular
• The Adobe Media Player will be easier for corporations, schools, and government to use due to Adobe's greater acceptance over Apple (and especially iTunes).
• The media player supports several models that are attractive to content creators
• The media player supports very rich statistics on media consumption
• The application is going to move onto all sorts of devices and platforms in the near future.
• If you are a podcaster... I predict the Adobe Media Player will have as great of an impact as iTunes did on podcast consumption.

The article is long... but worth the read... I promise.

Interesting Video to Explain Podcasting

Adobe Demos Future Technology at NAB

Adobe has actually posted their "secret" presentation from NAB. Hart Shafer talks about four cool things Adobe has up their sleeve.

You

SO

need to watch this... trust me. BTW (for those of you waiting... they did show

OnLocation

for Mac in this demo).

School of Podcasting Interview about Video Podcasting

Thanks to the

School of Podcasting

for having us on the show. I had a chance to catch up and talk with the host about what folks need to think about when moving into the world of video podcasting. The interview also features my co-author (and business partner) Mark Weiser.

You can get the interview for free right here (

http://www.schoolofpodcasting.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=330803

) and you should also check out their other shows which offer great perspective.

-Rich Harrington

’Toon Your Video in Adobe CS3 Production Premium

Want to create a cartoon effect for your video? Be sure to check out this step-by-step tutorial I wrote for Layers Magazine.

“Sure, clients want it…that “cartoon look.” But let’s face it; good animation is hard to come by. Unless you have a gaggle of animators locked in your closet, you’ll need to get creative. Sure, you could break out the pencil and paper (or maybe even try shadow puppets), but we’re here to offer you a different solution. By harnessing the power of Adobe CS3 Production Premium, you can convert video frames into vector art into film-resolution movie files. Curious? It’s all possible with the power of the Production Premium.

Read on

.”

Time to Comment on Advertising and Measurement Standards

The Association for Downloadable Media just unveiled Advertisement Unit Standards and Download Measurement Guidelines. They'd like public comments on both. They encourage public comments in order to refine and enhance the documentation. The public comment period will end on May 16, 2008. You can download and comment on the draft standards for advertising and measurement

here.

The open comment period will conclude May 16, 2008.

Two Updated Final Cut Pro DVDs

I just released two newly updated Final Cut Pro discs. We updated our Absolute Training for Final Cut Studios Disc 1 & 2. Both DVDs are full current for Final Cut Studio 2 and include hands-on training files as well as HD resolution training and iPod files.

Apple Final Cut Pro

Volume 1: Getting Started in Final Cut Pro

Volume 2: Going Deeper in Final Cut Studio

Also, you may have missed that we recently released the following titles. These also include HD and iPod versions on the same disc.

Apple Color

Volume 11:

Introduction to Color

Volume 12: Advanced Color

Bundled for Savings

Apple Motion

Volume 13: Getting Started with Apple Motion

Volume 14: Going Deeper with Apple Motion

Volume 15: Advanced Techniques with Apple Motion

Bundled for Savings

Animoto Creates Rocking Slideshows

Looking for something different? I discovered

Animoto

at this year's SXSW conference... Load up your photos, pick a song, and within a few minutes you have a rocking music video. You can use their cleared music or load up your own. Thirty-second movies are free, full-length videos cost $3. You can get a full year's access for $30.

The whole process is a piece of cake. Be sure to check them out – 

here.

You can post the videos to a website, download them for an iPod, or even use YouTube to share. The videos you download

Here are a two more of mine that you can check out.

Three-Point Lighting

Author & video podcaster Richard Harrington explains a fundamental of video production - Three-point lighting.