New Devilry: DJI Inspire Quadcopter with native 4K camera and 3-axis gimbal launches

This is the quadcopter that does everything. Huge range? Yep. Doesn't use WiFi, it uses LightBrdge. SD Cards? Well, yeah, or you can simply transmit your footage (up to 1080p though) via your LightBridge connection. 4K Camera with full 360 degree swivel. Controller can hook up to anything from a HDMI monitor to an iPad. It has telemetry to the ground via infra-red and ultrasonic sensors so it doesn't need to rely on GPS to make a safe landing. It has powerful 13" rotors as opposed to 9" and a massive 4500mah battery giving you up to 18 minutes of flight time.

Yeah, its around $4,000 bucks, but you literally don't have to buy anything else (except maybe more batteries and a picnic chair). It's so good, even Adam Savage from MythBusters couldn't wait to get his hands on one and you can click after the break to see what he's done to his DJI Inspiron.

Magic Leap AR: Google's answer to Microsoft's Hololens. Yes, please!

Google has fired a warning shot over the bow of Microsoft's now infamous Hololens project and Microsoft's underlying Holographic platform with the mollycoddling of a new ravishingly fit startup called "Magic Leap". These guys are poised to bring Augmented Reality to newer heights with an additional camera scan for real-world occlusion (notice the player's HAND in front of the graphics). This is going to be fun to watch as it plays out over the coming months.

New Devilry: DJI Ronin 3-axis Gimbal that holds - wait for it - up to 7.5kg of gear (16lb)

3-axis gimbals are all the rage nowadays and if you are in the market for one you definitely have to take a look at the DJI Ronin. Lots of features and DAT PRICE - only $2.5k USD. Compared to stuff like the entry level MoVI (which only holds up to 2.5kg or 5lb of camera gear) which sits at a much higher entry price point of $4k USD, the DJI Ronin looks like it offers much more bang for your buck. The guys over at Film Riot have released this amazing review on YouTube. Go check it out!

5 Things Cinematographers Don’t Talk About

Sean Porter on the set of Kumiko, the Treasure Hunter (Photo by Chris Ohlson)

There are so many wonderful anecdotes about the life of a cinematographer in this article. I touch briefly on 2 poignant paragraphs that hit very close to home for me:

The Gear: It gets you jobs
There were new “d.p.s” who happened to have the new coolest kit, and they ended up getting jobs I was up for, in some cases replacing me in relationships with directors I’d been working with for some time. It didn’t help that in many cases they also turned out to be capable and even talented shooters. The gear buys you jobs, which buys you experience and relationships, which buys you more jobs. But wait! Shouldn’t skill alone be enough to get the call?

You career vs your relationship
I had just wrapped It Felt Like Love. It was autumn in NYC. Beautiful. I was settling back into “dad” mode, and Laurie had left to prep Cold Comes the Night in upstate New York. Then came the phone call. “We’re working on a film shooting in Japan and Minnesota.” David Zellner could have stopped there. “We wanted to know if you might be available; we start prep in Japan in three weeks.” Wait, what happened to alternating projects? I read the script and the knot in my stomach just got worse. I called Laurie. “Well, I think you have to do it!” she said. So began many more phone calls with the Zellners and a scramble of logistics. I packed Jackie and myself up, and we headed for Seattle, forgetting my passport, of course; why do I need a passport to go to Seattle? I dropped him off with the grandparents and departed for Tokyo. Jack didn’t see either of us for almost four weeks until Laurie wrapped and departed NYC for Seattle — over Thanksgiving! — to pick him up and finally head back home; Laurie and I wouldn’t see each other for 11 weeks. Yet only three short weeks after we all split ways, Hurricane Sandy hit our neighborhood. All three of us were safe, scattered about in different parts of the world.

Making the decision to take on Kumiko, the Treasure Hunter, regardless of the turbulence it caused us — this was a time to say yes. There have been many more decisions like this to make for other films, and Laurie and I have had to say no a lot. And while it never feels good to say “no,” you have to ask yourself, “Even though this job may be good for my career, will my relationship with my family suffer, or maybe even fail?” Sounds dire, but if it hasn’t happened yet, it will. Part of stepping up is about finding your own balance with life and work before you get lost.

Read the full article on filmmakermagazine.com here

How THE COUNCELOR viral video works so exquisitely well, it's done the advertising of the film on a shoestring budget

NSFW: This new clip from Michael Fassbender's THE COUNCELOR demonstrates exactly how to draw the audience in with something so dull and boring as a shopping scene.

Opinion Piece: I am not my NLE.

It is irrelevant what NLE you use. The general public will not go to a movie or watch a TV show and say, Wow, that was cut on [Insert NLE Here]. They will say, that movie was good or that movie was bad.

Sure, editors might have their preference of NLE, but I cannot tell you how frustrating it is to hear people drone on about the same arguments, over and over, why [Insert NLE Here] isn’t as good as [Insert Other NLE Here]. We could be talking about the craft, we could be talking about story, structure, pacing, techniques, but no, we always fall into NLE tech talk. This is partially because of the In-Group/Out-Group dynamics that Gordon Burkell mentioned in his article, The Psychology of the Cutting Room. You’re either in a particular NLE group or you aren’t, and you feel a connection to those who are aligned with you.

Read the full article at aotg.com

CHAPPIE IS ALIVE – NEILL BLOMKAMP AND THE ART OF SCI-Fi

We take a detailed look at the practical and VFX of Neill Blomkamp's latest film, 'CHAPPiE'. From Weta designed live action models, to marker plates worn by actor Sharlto Copley, tracked and replaced with CGI animation. BONUS: BTS vids and Blomkamp's short film 'Alive in Joburg', the precursor to 'District 9'.

Read the full article at videoandfilmmaker.com

Tom Antos presents the Atomos Shogun Review & guide to Vectorscope, Waveform, False Color

Atomos Shogun 4K recorder is the first in the world field monitor that allows amazing 4K video and audio recording in such a small form factor. Besides being just an amazing quality, full HD, 7 inch monitor, it also features powerful Apple ProRes and Avid DNxHD recording. Thanks for the great review, Tom.

It's on again. “My RØDE Reel” World’s Largest Short Film Competition 2015

Pro-audio brand RØDE Microphones is excited to announce that the ‘My RØDE Reel’ international short film competition – first launched in 2014 to huge international acclaim – will return in 2015, with an increased total prize pool of more than $200,000 in prizes.

Once again, RØDE has brought together a respected judging panel for ‘My RØDE Reel’ that includes inspirational pioneer filmmakers Philip Bloom, Ryan Connolly, Vincent LaForet and Rodney Charters.

“Last year’s My RØDE Reel was really one of the best film competitions I have ever judged.” commented Philip Bloom. “The calibre of entries from all over the world was superb. I can’t wait to see what we get this year, it’s going to be even better I am sure.”

“I’m really excited to engage with the next generation of filmmakers and to see what they come up with in the RODE Reel competition in 2015” added Vincent LaForet. “2014 was an impressive year and I can’t wait to see what they come up with this time!”

Entries for ‘My RØDE Reel’ are open from March 2nd and close June 1st. All entrants will receive the exclusive 2015 My RØDE Reel Directors T-shirt, and a free subscription to Hollywood DP Shane Hurlbut’s “Inner Circle” online community.

Visit www.myrodereel.com now to learn more.

New Australian Sci-Fi INFINI trailer hits the streets

Humanity has become the victim of mass overpopulation and the line between middle class and poverty no longer exists.

Whit Carmichael has accepted a high-risk security job that requires off-world travel using Slipstream technology in the hope of rising out of his situation. The risk of injury or death is extreme but the danger is sweetened by Whit’s dream of a better life for his family.

When Whit and his team are sent to space station Infini to confront an unidentifiable enemy, only Whit survives. An elite squad of eight ‘Search and Rescue’ specialists is sent in to find him and to stop whatever caused the death of his crew from returning to earth.

Release Date: 2015
Director: Shane Abbess
Stars: Daniel Macpherson Grace Huang Luke Hemsworth Dwaine Stevenson Kevin Copeland Harry Pavlidis Louisa Mignone Tess Haubrich Richard Hugget Matt Minto with Bren Foster and Luke Ford
Genres: Drama | Sci-Fi | Thriller
Country: Australia
Production Co: Storm Vision Entertainment, Eclectik Vision, Storm Alley Entertainment
Studio: E1 / STORM VISION
https://www.facebook.com/infinimovie

Adobe Premiere FREE Colour Presets

Forget its in French for a moment - this FREE set of presets for Premiere can instantly change the look and feel of your work. Download it. Install it. (watch the video and just see how he does it). Awesome.

Click here for full details and download link

2 Day Script writing course in Sydney - September 2015

A 2-day course with the Story Maven, Allen Palmer, that can revolutionise your understanding of film & TV storytelling and inspire you to write emotionally powerful screenplays that resonate for international audiences.

Click here for full details and registration

32 Hilarious steps on How to be a Film Maker

You know it's true! I've been guilty of so many things here. Please share with all your film making buddies and have a laugh. This was well put together and a great watch!