I know for sure that it is possible with dts audio. A quick search
on google confirmed that at least someone claims it can also
be done with Dolby Digital (AC3) on a standard audio CD. Click
here for a page with instructions.

If this doesn't work out there are probably a lot more tutorials
on the web if you do some searching with google or google groups.

Good luck!

AC3 is the defacto standard for 5.1 surround sound on DVD. DTS is a lesser known format. The woofer channel, AKA LFE, is really not like the other channels. In this case there is some frequency filtering not applied to the other channels. If you're interested in producing ac3 on DVD, check out the Sonic Foundry website for info on Vegas 4 and DVD Architect. This combination of software will allow you to produce 5.1 AC3 surround sound on DVD.

Camera sale scams
 

Your first "hint" that a camera deal is "too good to be ture" is the fact that it is going too cheep. The second is the claim for an "international warranty" Cameras imported by distributors in the U.S. only have a U.S. Warranty, the only camera I know of that was sold with a real international passport was the 1960 Contax SLR made in West Germany. Since the late 60's when "gray market" equipment started to become a problem, all imported/exported equipment with searl no's are carefully controlled and only legit importer/distributors (i.e. Cannon of U.S.) will offer U.S. warranty. Becareful of this type of scam and other grey market deals, that are illegally imported, they have NO warranty and if its a scam, you get NO product. Kind of like the money broker, that wants you to deposit money for him (money laundering scam also illegal in U.S.) in return of a percentage -- you pay transfer fees upfront!!!

On real legal international transactions, always use a legit internationall bank like Citibank, that's how I handle purchases from overseas; the bank holds the funds pending arrival and inspection of the equipment. The bank provides a "letter of cerdit" to the seller, and releases the funds when notified. NEVER use money wire transfers to unkown banks or individuals, anyone asking for this type of payment is risky!!!! Know who you are doing business with first, and you won't get burned -- Hey buddy, wanna buy a watch? As the seller opens his jacket showing a dozen watches inside -- this is the same kind of deal If its TOO good to be ture, chances are it is. Al Holston

Handling Scam Spam
 

This is how the regulars handle scam-spam'ers at dv.com. (Funny.)

http://www.dv.com/forums/showReplies...2&tid=62801887

help with laptop (win95 disks)
 

HI, Here is my dilemma:

I bought a used laptop. The person I bought it from wiped the hard drive for security reasons and because I told her that I had the windows 95 installer CD.

My problem is the laptop won't recognize the external cd-rom (may be defective) but the external floppy does work.

Would anyone here still have the floppy disks to install windows 95? If you did would you be willing to make a folder on a cd-r with each disk in a seperate folder, and have me send them a sase envelope? Or send it electronically?

Otherwise does anyone have any suggestions for how to copy my files on my win95 installer cd to floppy disks or to the laptop.

Thank you,

Jed

go here to get what you need
 

An Idea...
 

I was thinking about websites and how important they are to the marketing and distribution of our projects. So I thought, why not have a forum for critiqing sites -- helping each other in the areas of how best to make web sites that suit the product/sevice being offered, maybe tips on search engine placement, where to get good hossting deals, etc. I've seen many people bring up subjects like these all over the board, might as well have a place just for them.

What do you think, Chris? Everyone?

-Shawn

Help with commercial theme song?
 

Do anyone know whats the song name they used for the Mc Donald commercial where they had the Mc Double guy ("How you doing, how you doing") fall inlove with a girl? Do anyone remember? I just want to use that song for something I'm shooting.

Shake
 

Here's something media related. I just logged on for a quick look (3:04 am), and----SHAKE! A little earthquake. I hope we don't have more tonight.

Cool 360 interior/exterior dolly shot
 

The shot in this trailer moves from the interior of the set to the exterior seemingly in one take but if you look closely it is either a morph or a quick cut each time it transitions. It's a cool shot though.

Bad Boys II

www.apple.com/trailers/columbia/badboys2/

I'll go see it because Henry Rollins is in it.

Anybody gonna do this digital conf thing?
 

http://www.ifp.org/calendar/eventitem.php?chapter=2&id=451

I don't want this to be a film vs. video thread. I'm curious so I'm going, and was wondering if anyone else is.

If I could afford it, and it was close by, I would most definately go. I love learning different aspects in creating video and art.

Santana Supernatural DVD
 

I guess with all the focus on trying to make video look like film, there are times when shot on Video can be awesome.

I've had the Santana Supernatural concert DVD for awhile now and it looks like it was shot with HD cameras (I don't know for sure). The level of detail, the color, the excellent sound. I actually like it better than the Eagles Hell Freezes Over DVD. If you are a Santana fan, or just want to see how good live concert/shot on video footage can be, buy or rent it. If you have a good home theater setup with 5.1 and DTS support, definitely choose the DTS audio option in setup. Also includes 4 music videos.

The audio/video engineering on this DVD is great. The camera shots, the DTS option... all make for very compelling live concert footage. In this case, the 'film look' would have made it a lesser production. In addition to music from the CD he closes with oustanding versions of several of his classics.

Any comments?

Hi Joe,
In my opinion there are a lot of times when shot on Video can be awesome. Maybe I am a little bit weird, but I have never understood why it is so important to make video look like film.

I think video filmed on a good camcorder makes great pictures. "But, it looks like video", someone says. Yes,.....and....? So what?! I personally like that look.

I agree with you, Joe. Enjoy the digital video and sound. When it gives you such a great quality, I guess you doesn´t miss the filmlook at all?

Ivan

Ivan, in this case, it was a better production because it kept the live shot on video look. The DVD is live concert footage, plus music videos and interviews in the extras. IMHO very well done. But I think you need a good HD camera to get that look (lots of detail, excellent colors....). DV25 cuuldn't make something look that good.

Another good one to check out is The Eagles' "Hell Freezes Over". another live concert, with excellent audio and well shot video. Includes a bonus track if your system supports DTS.

One to avoid is one made by/for Sting a year or so ago. Truly awful. And I've heard nothing but bad things about Kylie Monogues pre world tour DVD. There are also DVD which are simply collections of Music Video (eminem has a couple out).

The best ones seem to go beyond just your standard live concert footage and take advantage of multiiple camera angles (lots of boom/crane shots). The Santana one even shot from behind everyone.
Made for a video that was both intimate and energetic. The audio is good enough you could turn off your TV and just listen.

One other great thing. No lipsynching, no voice compression or enhancement. None.
The singers who sang the 2 top hits from the CD didn't sound near as good as the Studio engineers made them out to be, Yet because it was real, I end up liking these live vesions better the the CD versions.

Blood thirsty
 

Looks like the record industry is going to an all time new low:
nytimes
and
wired
I like how they're always trying to spin it off on internet downloading. Don't mention that in the past 3-4 years at least, all we've been fed is some regurgitated BS that the industry wants to call music. Also that other than Best Buy, you're going to be paying $16+ for a cd, please.

Oh, almost forgot, the other industry crying about companies wanting to help consumers zdnet
If they really cared, why wouldn't they, themselves implement something to allow someone to make 1 backup copy. And if they're so worried why not force everyone to view their movies only in theaters or encrypted PPV.

Help Help
 

See this trailer!!! how did they do 360 shots? there is one?
http://www.caliboyzxtreme.com/video/teaser%20slq.mov

I'm not exactly sure what you are asking. But it looks like it was
shot from another motorcycle or something...

ok
 

There is a 360 degree shot in there going all around up and down, some kind a fly cam?

quality of FD lenses
 

I wasn't sure where to put still photography stuff, i have put it here before so i figured it would be ok here.

I have the final designs down to my ghetto 35 adapter, and i planned on putting a canon FD mount on it, why you ask?

Because FD lenes are cheap!, and i have seen fast lenses extremely cheap, like $60 AUD for a 135mm f 2.* (i forget).

My question is, are these lenses crap? is that why they are cheap? or just old?

Thanx for the help.
Zac

I have a whole bag full of old FD lenses that i use with my old F-1.
These lenses were as fine as they get, comparable to the Nikkor lenses from Nikon, in their day. They're still damn good! They just don't have the electronic link to the camera for exposure setting.

Saddam and Uday go to the movies
 

This is a great article about the translator for all the Hollywood bootlegs that would end up in Iraq, who had the unenviable task of packaging the stuff up for Saddam and his cronies.

Saddam and Uday go to the movies


By Patrick Healy, Globe Staff, 5/15/2003

AGHDAD -- For Uday Hussein, the cutthroat son of Saddam, high culture came to Iraq when Russell Crowe entered the arena, sword in hand, ready to kill.

More in the Boston Globe:
http://www.boston.com/dailyglobe2/13..._movies+.shtml

Three days after ''Gladiator'' was released in the United States, Uday was ''going mad'' to find a bootleg copy of the swords-and-sandals epic, his chief movie translator recalled in an interview. Uday had followed the buzz about ''Gladiator'' on the Internet, which he checked weekly for US box office tallies, and it sounded like his kind of picture: severed limbs, bloody revenge, and a take-no-prisoners antihero.

His translator, Saad Al-Izzi, scoured Baghdad for a tape for five days. His boss wasn't the most patient of men (just ask the marathon runners Uday had beaten for lagging on the track). Uday's men finally found a copy, and Izzi's boss gave him an afternoon to translate, dub, and print ''Gladiator'' in Arabic.

Errors of haste were unavoidable: Ten seconds of a speech by Oliver Reed's gladiator-herdsman, rallying his posse before battle, were cut incorrectly, so the character's lips moved without making a noise.

Izzi thought he'd be thanked for his quick work. Instead, two of Uday's men came to his office the next day to beat him for the error.

Izzi's boss lied that he was out, promising to punish him later.

''OK,'' one of the men said, according to Izzi. ''Take off your shoes. We'll beat you just to be sure that you beat him.'' And they whacked the boss's feet with a sharp wooden reed until they were bloodied.

Perhaps Uday Hussein and his father were simply Patrick Bateman-like characters out of ''American Psycho,'' slaughtering for the swagger and sake of it. But if there's something to the theory that violent movies spawn violent behavior in their viewers, then Hollywood shoulders some blame for the legacy of bloodshed left by the Hussein men.

According to Izzi, they were fixated on American-made movies, directing their representative at the United Nations, Tariq Aziz, to bring back dozens of videos each time he left New York. And ''Pollyanna'' these were not: ''Silence of the Lambs,'' ''Casino,'' and ''Rob Roy'' for Saddam and ''From Dusk Till Dawn,'' ''The Mummy,'' and ''Bride of Chucky'' for Uday.

What a mind picture; Saddam and Uday, sitting in the dark of their private screening room in the heart of Baghdad, viewing, "The Mummy." You couldn't write stuff this good. Who did they cheer for?

Does viewing affect behavior? You bet your sweet Madison Avenue it does.

Zac,

Back there in Australia I have a couple of FD L series lenses sitting at my mum's place with my old AE1 Program. They are awesome lenses, and yes you can pick them up quite cheap. For a budget setup they are a good deal.

Any good ideas?
 

http://www.sonicfoundry.com/vegas90/

Since I am crappy with ideas, I am wondering if anyone would like to share any creative ideas they would have come to mind for a video for that. Even though I have no chance of winning something like that, it would still be fun to try, but I need a good idea first, and i'm terrible with ideas...

Any whacky ideas would be appreciated, thanks.

E-mail me, and I'll tell you a good one (idea).

supervideo hacked?
 

Supervideo.com is down and someone gave me this link:

http://firefly.sparse.org/~mrt/cgi-b...supervideo.com

I guess they fixed it. It was down a whole day.

What's up with the DV.com boards?
 

I know that many people here also frequent the discussion groups at dv.com. Today I can't even to open the boards at all. They have been unbearably slow for quite some time. During the past week there's been an odd intermittent glitch such that when I click on a topic instead of having it displayed in my browser, instead I get an error message that I'm attempting to download an unknown type of file.

Now I realize that this is a free service that DV provides and therefore it's hard to expect any level of service, but for such a prestigious magazine I find all this rather disgraceful. Especially when you compare it to the exceptional response time I've gotten spoiled with here at DV Info Net Community (thanks Chris! :-)

So I'm just wondering if anyone around here know's what's up at dv.com, or if they even care about the situation? It's really a shame to have such a fantastic magazine, and so many helpful people who would like to use their site but just can't tolerate the problems.

Actually, DV is one of those really unique publications that really get people excited. More than once I've been reading the latest edition at a restaurant or on the train and a total stranger will come up and say "Wow, you're reading DV, what a great magazine", then start a conversation. I can't ever remember experiencing this phenomenon with any other publication. I hope somebody will address their web problems.

But in the meantime, I'm certainly content to just enjoy hanging out with all the great people around here! :-)

Yeah, it's been like that for me, for a while also. I think the whole forum system they use is crap. They need to switch back to something like this, vBulliten, or whatever...and fix the website up and get it on a faster server.

Culture of a nation vs. art film popularity
 

I think that a good measure of nation's culture wuold be a ratio of commercial film to art film box office revenues. I wonder if anyone knows of someone tracking such trends for various world markets and how does US compare to other countries?

Matrix 2 vs. Spider Man
 

Total projections (eventually reached figures) in millions of dollars for top movies playing this weekend:

Matrix Reloaded (Warner)
$340 m - $345 m

Baby Day Care (Sony)
$118 m - $123 m

X2 (Fox)
$215 m - $220 m

Down with Love (Fox)
$25 m - $30 m

Lizzie McGuire (Disney)
$40 m - $45 m

Anger Management (Sony)
$135 m - $140 m

Identity (Sony)
$50 m - $55 m

Holes (Disney)
$60 m - $65 m

In comparison Spider Man (Sony) made a total of 405 million in the US. Matrix 2 (Warner) will come close to this figure.

I wouldn't pay a dime to see em all.

Matrix Reloaded was worth at least a dime, if only for the visual effects.

Best ingredients for a good film, or video.
 

romance, suspense, or fun -- or a combination

artistic cinematography and sound effects and music for accent and emotion. Well balanced combination can evoke semi-hypnotic state in the audience. When that happens, you can be sure that you made a good film. These are the movies that people get hooked on and want to see again.

good story with only as much dialogue as necessary

dynamics, not just same pace throughout the picture

good acting

large screen, proper watching distance for that particular type of picture, quality sound and proper sound level

Some examples of good commercial pictures that had the proper ingredients: Enemy at The Gates, Born Identity, Shining; to a great extent also Streets of Fire, XXX, etc., etc.

Camera work on a good film must resemble camera work on a good music video. The camera that moves, the lights that flash, and good music, can create this semi-hypnotic effect.

When making any kind of video, you should use as much of these ingredients as you can. When ti comes to sound, you don't need surround sound; good stereo sound will do fine.

Strange aspect ratios
 

I've been watching the History Channel special on the Tsars tonight, and noticed something which I've seen in other places recently. It appears to have been shot in 16:9 widescreen, however when they letterbox it for regular 4:3 broadcast they don't show the full frame. There's just a slight black band at the top and bottom of the screen. I think I've seen this called 14:9. Just curious as to the rationale for this? Seems like they want to go widescreen but wimp out, thinking that Joe Sixpack doesn't like letterboxed video.

I realize that letterboxing is one of those topics that elicits strong negative reactions from some people. Personally I much prefer seeing the original composition that the cinematographer (or videographer) chose, and don't mind the black bands. The only channels which seem at all commited to presenting movies in their original format seem to be Turner Classic Movies (TCM) and sometimes the Sci-Fi channel. It's big disappointment that American Movie Classics (AMC) runs all their stuff as pan and scan 4:3, and also Bravo, which shows many of the "arty" classics does the same.

Maybe we'll just have to wait a few more years for HDTV to get affordable. However that won't even solve the problem of 2.35:1 which would still need to be letterboxed.

14:9 is very popular in England. It was introduced as a middle
road for everyone. This way your 16:9 widescreen TV can display
it as 16:9 chopping of a small bit and on a standard 4:3 TV you
don't get as much black bars.... There was a document somewhere
about this

Errors&Ommissions GOOF
 

Hey, the "Errors and Ommisions" office really dropped the ball on "Bruce Almighty". Apparently God's phone number in the film has a common exchange prefix instead of the usual 555 that they give fictitious movie phone numbers.

Several people are getting constant calls!

Can't figure out how that one got by the director, let alone E&O.

Funny indeed.... Perhaps there is a story on the internet somewhere
about this?