Howdy 2001
 

Hi from Sunny South Africa - Kruger National Park

Hi all
I am from sunny South Africa and I live in THE best national park in the world - Kruger National Park; with lions, elephants, leopards, beautiful sunsets, tranquility, etc all around me.

I have recently purchased a Canon XL1 and intend to use it in several ways:
* own archive of experiences in Kruger National Park - nature is wonderful!
* events in the area
* weddings in the area
* general use

At the moment I don't have any editing equipment but are looking at something like the RT2000/5 for this purpose. I am very new to DV but I love it already.

Best regards
Danie Pretorius
Skukuza
Kruger National Park

Hi Danie!
 

Sounds like you have a setting that REQUIRES an XL-1! What a great place to shoot some video. I hope you'll post some shots online soon so we can see what it's like.

BTW - I use Final Cut Pro on a Mac - a great setup for editing. The newer Macs even let you burn DVDs. If you haven't bought already...check it out.

Hello from New Mexico
 

We run a digital media studio in New Mexico. I'm a full-time Semiconductor Engineer for Sumitomo Sitix Silixon, Inc.; however, enjoy working in the Studio with the creative side of designing web sites, multi-media based training, and corporate videos.

Just purchased the XL1S and having a lot of fun learning the various features.

New Mexico
 

Hi Robert,

I live in Korea now, but when I was a kid I lived in the Texas Panhandle and we spent a lot of time in New Mexico...especially in Clovis, Ruidoso, Santa Fe, and Albuquerque.

I loved it there...so I'm considering New Mexico when I move back to the States. In your opinioin, is there much of a market there for commercial photography and videography? I worry that Santa Fe and Taos are glutted with photographers, and that Albuquerque might not have that big a market.

I consider Austin my U.S. home now...but when I left there I was having a hard time competing with so many talented photographers, many of whom were already a bit wealthy when they started out and able to have top of the line studios and afford tons of advertising.

I figure Austin, Santa Fe, and Taos aren't exactly the norm to judge other places by. All three are relatively wealthy, small, and full of creative people. I think I'm a pretty good photographer (portraits, commercial, fashion...and...gulp...weddings), but I'd rather move to a place where the market isn't quite so saturated with competition where you're forced to keep up with the Joneses in advertising.

Any thoughts on places in New Mexico?

Introduction
 

I'm new to DV, though not to film/video. I owned my own small production studio and taught film in graduate school. I am a professional photographer by education and currently I am the Dept. Chair in Commercial Photography at Antonelli College in Cincinnati, Ohio. A small art college with 150 photo students, as well as Commercial Art and Interior Design programs.
I have been a Mac fan(atic) for 12 years now (owned the original MacII, with a screaming 2 megs of RAM) and even worked for Mac tech support for a year. I currently own a G4 450DP w/ 512 megs RAM, two 40G drives and a Pioneer super drive. Last week I bought an XL1s and the 3X zoom. I'm in love. Still haven't settled on the wireless audio, so if you have a suggestion...I'm open.
I intend to do weddings until I pay it off (I used to run my own wedding studio with 6 photographers) and dabble in some other things that interest me. My goal is to get some of my footage on the last two minutes of CBS Sunday Morning.
I really appreciate Chris and the job he does on this site. I had already pretty much decided on the XL1 and found out about the XL1s on this site. Used our local supplier to get the kit and 3x for $5K+ tax. I look forward to being part of this community.

Kimchi for Burrito
 

John,

I was born in Seoul in ’67. Small World.

I’ve been doing video production here in New Mexico concentrating on Government and Semiconductor based video in lieu of my profession; however, have had a lot of work through the Universities here. The City of Albuquerque is highly saturated with video and film companies – especially now with the Hollywood influence – more films are being shot out here in New Mexico.

Only XL-1 in Tickfaw, LA
 

Hello to all.

There are three speed guns in our little burg of 200 and, of course, my XL-1. The speed guns make more revenue than my XL-1 does, but then I don't enforce the 25 mph speed zone & school crossing 24 hours a day, 7 days week either.

Least ways, I have a home brew PII, 128MB, dual drives, running W2K and Media 100's CineStream 3.0.1. Great NLE.

The XL-1 is a nice rig and works well. I use it with a Sennheisser eW112p (Evolution 100 omni lav mic) which performs very, very well. My hand mics also work just fine Senn. body pack transmitter.

Most of the work is for Southern Cyclist Magazine & Productions[tm]. We do web based vids and will have more in the future. I do lots of single person shoots.

BTW, Chris has been after me to put together an article on building an extension cord for the XL-1 mic. Mine's about 25' long and works fine, but is a little twitchy to be relied upon in all conditions. On single person shoots I run the audio through an FRS and use the FRS as IFB. The IFB works great.

By early next year, I plan to sell my pristine XL-1 to get the S. So if you know anyone interested, drop me a line. I ain't gonna give it away, but I will deal.

Later,
Nathan Gifford
http://www.southerncyclist.com

Great forum - glad to be here
 

Chris:

Nice job setting this up - I have been waiting for such a creature.

I originally bought my XL-1 over two years ago thanks specifically to your original Watchdog site.

I just recently finished my first narrative project, a 30-minute short "Soliloquy". More info on my web-site at www.xiveren.com

Heyas!
 

Mike D from Atlanta Ga.

http://www.tekvideo.net for more info about me.

Quicktime Compression
 

Stephen,

Would you be willing to share how you compressed the Quicktime Trailers? Did you use Cleaner?

Cleaner EZ that came with the Premiere 6. I used custom settings rather than template settings to improve the look and sound.

Greetings to everyone from the Philippines
 

It's quite apparent that there is a global presence here within this chat group. One other chat group I read from time to time is the one at DV.com. As a matter of fact, I discovered the Watchdog site via DV.com. Thanks, Chris and others.

Just before packing up my posessions in Columbus, OH in early August, I acquired one of the first 5 Canon XL-1S cameras that became available at ProMax in California. These people are great to deal with, and seem to be knowledgeable about the gear they sell.

I am now living in the Philippines permanently with my wife (originally from here) and am shooting to documentary projects right now, both of which deal with Philippine-American history.

Anyone expecting to shoot in the Philippines with or without their own gear should consult with me re. survival tips. I have lived here off and on for about two years now (thanks to two Fulbright Scholar Fellowships (1995-96 & 2000-2001).

I now teach a couple of courses at one of the premiere universities here, De La Salle. I hope to participate within the various topic areas of this new chat group.

By the way, I got my MFA at New York Univ Grad film school in 1975, so I am schooled in "film". This is why I love many of the features of XL-1 when in full Manual mode, you dig?

Collis Davis

Hi Danie,

I am from Alberton and visit Berg-en-dal on a regular basis. Perhaps we could swop notes the next time i am down. May even bring my editing station so you can have a first hand look at the DVRaptor card using Premier as an editing package.

Regards
Andrew Leigh

aleigh@iafrica.com

hello from Amsterdam
 

hai my name is David Slingerland. I have been working as a cameraman for dutch television for the past 4 years. I have great interest in fcp and i am currently looking for ways to expand my business to other fields of interest. i own an xl1 I like the camera a lot,and hope to shoot some great material in the coming years. I am planning to shoot a documentary about storytelling. the watchdog was very helpful in solving some of the problems and making me decide witch camera to buy. so thank you!!

Thanks -- did you go to IBC last month? If so, how was the show? I was really looking forward to being there, but alas, bad things happen and I know of *no* Americans who actually attended. Thanks again,