New Media Gear: Parrot Teleprompter

A teleprompter can greatly increase the quality of your videos by giving you a professional look and tone when presenting. Past teleprompter devices have been quite expense, while this one is more in line with the prices YouTubers and other video makers can afford. — Douglas

Parrot Teleprompter

Telepromter 2

Teleprompter

 

  • Professional quality 30r/70t teleprompter glass
  • Sets up faster than any other teleprompter in less than a minute
  • Compact so you can take it anywhere your videos take you
  • Works with the most common camcorders and slr cameras
  • Easy to use free parrot teleprompter app works with all major smartphones.Compatible with Camcorders and DSLR cameras with standard lens sizes.

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DaVinci Resolve 15 is a free, Hollywood-grade video editor via Engadget

Free software is usually worth looking at, even if it might not meet all your needs. Download this video editor software available for both Windows and Macintosh. — Douglas
 
With the latest release of DaVinci Resolve 15, Blackmagic Design has radically made over its editing suite to create one of the best video-editing systems at any price — even against mainstream options like Premiere Pro CC and Apple’s Final Cut Pro X. It now comes with Fusion, a powerful visual effects (VFX) app used in Hollywood films, along with an excellent color corrector and audio editor. Despite doing more than most editors will ever need, the full studio release costs just $300, and you can get a stripped-down version with most features for a grand total of zero dollars.

SiOnyx Aurora is an Action Camera that ‘Turns Night Into Full-Color Daylight’ via PetaPixel

SiOnyx Aurora is a new action camera that claims to be the world’s first day/night camera for consumers. It’s ultra-light sensitive, allowing you to shoot full-color images in low-light conditions.

The Aurora is “the only HD action video camera with true day and night color imaging,” SiOnyx says, noting that it has received over 40 patents related to the camera. SiOnyx was founded back in 2006 by Professor Eric Mazur and Dr. James Carey of Harvard University.

Tips for Building DIY Lighting Setups for Under $100 via The Beat: A Blog by PremiumBeat

Here are some great ideas for upping  your photography and videography lighting quality on the (relatively) cheap using off-the-shelf materials and products. See my link below for an inexpensive lighting kit I purchased a few years ago, too. — Douglas
 

Don’t have enough funds to purchase high-priced lighting kits? Try out using some of these cheaper methods to get your lighting right.

One of the core principles of a skillful shot is the use of good lighting. Here’s the problem, though – lighting equipment can be pretty expensive. When you set up a typical interview shot, you’ll probably use 3 different lights to set your key, back, and fill. Each of those lights can cost around $200 each, which will stretch your budget to more than some people can afford.

Not to worry, though, my wonderful penny pinchers. The folks over at ShareGrid have a few ways to incorporate everyday lighting systems to achieve quality light production by using cheap work lights, foam board, and even Christmas lights.

My inexpensive lighting kit from Amazon


An interesting link found among my daily reading

Samson Go Mic Mobile Review: Wireless Microphones for All! via SomeGadgetGuy

What wireless microphones do you use for your podcasting and video production? Share your gear in the comments!

Oddly enough, I was struggling with some older wireless mics today as I was recording a presentation by my wife. Sometimes this hand-me-down set works well and at other times the audio fades in and out as the presenter moves about the room. It is long beyond time to get a “real” set of wireless mics so I will take a look at this Samson unit as one possibility for replacement? — Douglas

New grant will support up-and-coming female streamers on Twitch via Polygon

A charity organization is partnering with Twitch to promote promising female streamers on the platform, offering them a series of financial grants to help sustain their channels.

The 1,000 Dreams Fund launched in late 2015, and defines itself as a non-profit organization that supports the “dreams of talented young women in need by providing access to critical funding, resources and meaningful mentor relationships. Now, it’s teamed up with Twitch for the 1,000 Dreams Fund Twitch BroadcastHER Grant.

The organizations will award the grant to at least two high school or college students every semester, with funds ranging from $500 to $2,000. The grants are supposed to be used for conference travel, equipment upgrades, workshops and other tools that align with the 1,000 Dreams Fund’s mission, Twitch said in a press release.

The goal is to help illustrate the gender gap women often face in specific fields, including streaming, which is still predominantly male. A 2016 study reported that women make up 35 percent of Twitch’s streaming landscape, and there aren’t any female streamers in the current top 10 list.

New Media Gear: Beyerdynamic FOX USB Studio Quality Microphone Unveiled At NAMM 2018 via Geeky Gadgets

During the 2018 NAMM Show in Anaheim, USA this week a new studio quality USB microphone has been showcased in the form of the beyerdynamic FOX, which combines a microphone, preamplifier, converter and headphone amplifier in one handy desktop system. The beyerdynamic FOX microphone will be available later this year during April 2018 from specialist stores and the official beyerdynamic online store priced at €179.

Features of the beyerdynamic FOX studio microphone include front controls that provide access to the headphone amplifier, microphone signal to the headphones volumes providing instant control. While a button on the rear of the microphone regulates, the gain enables the use of the FOX for, especially loud sources. The microphone also includes the obligatory mute button, and a range of accessories are also available including a pop shield, mounting base, clamp and more.

New Media Gear: Spire Studio is a recording studio that fits in your hand via The Verge

 

iZotope is best known for creating mixing and mastering audio software, but a couple weeks ago, I got to check out Spire Studio, the company’s first piece of hardware. Spire Studio is a palm-sized device that musicians can carry with them to record professional-grade multitrack audio anywhere they are.

While there are lots of gadgets on the market for portable recording, most interfaces I’ve seen need to be plugged in to your phone, cater to recording a specific type of instrument, or need lots of dongles. Spire Studio, on the other hand, has a lot of use in a very small footprint, and connects to your phone wirelessly. On the front is a built-in mic and headphone jack, while the back has two XLR/TS combo jacks with Grace Design preamps, another headphone jack, and a 48V phantom power button for powering your own condenser mic. The top of the Spire Studio has recording control buttons, and the option to perform a soundcheck, where it will listen to the audio you’re playing for 10 seconds and then adjust the input levels accordingly. Of course, it all comes with an accompanying app.

Swiss Air had podcasts! via Instagram

Swiss Air had podcasts! via Instagram

A few podcasts on Swiss LX 41

Swiss Air had podcasts! via Instagram

Swiss Air had podcasts!

There weren’t a lot of them but more than most airlines have, for sure 

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New Media Gear: Roland R-07 Audio Recorder via Bless This Stuff

With all the choices audio and video recorders these days, there really isn’t any exceed for getting your New Media project — be they audio podcast or full-fledged video shows — up and running at a level of quality only dreamed about in the past. This Roland R-07 is yet another excellent entry into the market and a great place to start recording whatever you do today! — Douglas
 
 
Your iPhone is pretty handy for making quick audio recordings, but unfortunately, the quality of the recordings isn’t good enough for actual music making. Roland´s new sleek and ultra-portable audio recorder works with iPhone and Apple Watch, allowing wireless listening and remote control. The Roland R-07 gives you the quality of a proper recorder with stereo mics, and the convenience of an iPhone app. But the best feature is that you can control the recorder from your Apple Watch. You can lay the recorder wherever you like, and trigger it from your wrist. For example a guitarist could place it next to an amp speaker, sit down on the other side of the room, and record interesting ideas at will using the remote. 
 

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An interesting link found among my daily reading

New Media Gear: DJI shows off iPhone-ready Osmo Mobile 2 gimbal with better battery life, easier controls via AppleInsider

DJI shows off iPhone-ready Osmo Mobile 2 gimbal with better battery life, easier controls via AppleInsider

The accessory’s main improvement is a better internal battery, said to offer up to 15 hours of video shooting —more than three times what the original Osmo Mobile allowed. The Mobile 2 is also lighter than before, and equipped with a revised button layout, including a built-in zoom slider.

While iPhone video is normally best shot in landscape mode, the Mobile 2 can also be used to shoot in vertical orientation.

Software-based features include subject tracking, panoramas, timelapses, and “Motionlapses,” which are timelapses shot while an iPhone is moving.

Read DJI shows off iPhone-ready Osmo Mobile 2 gimbal with better battery life, easier controls via AppleInsider

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New Media Gear: Razer Seiren X Microphone ($100) via Geeky Gadgets

Razer Seiren X Microphone Now Available For $100 via Geeky Gadgets

Razer Seiren X Microphone

As well as launching their new Razer Kiyo streaming camera, Razer has also unveiled a new desktop microphone they have created in the form of the Razer Seiren X which is now available to purchase priced at $99.99

Equipped with supercardioid pick-up pattern to reduce background noise, the new microphone has been designed to complement the new Kiyo web camera which is also now available to purchase priced at $99.99.

Specifications of the Razer Seiren X Microphone :

  • Condenser microphone made for streaming
  • Supercardioid pick-up pattern to reduce background noise
  • Built-in shock mount to dampen vibrations
  • Mute button
  • Zero-latency 3.5 mm headphone monitoring port

 

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13 ways to come up with fresh content ideas via The Next Web

In the world of New Media you have to constantly be banking new ideas lest you fall behind in just a few days. When the ideas aren’t flowing as fast as you might wish, try out these ideas to see if they turn up anything. Most of thee ideas are also tactics you can use in an on-going manner to make sure the well doesn’t run dry again any time soon. — Douglas
 
You’ve heard it before: Content is king. Crafting valuable content can help hook new customers and keep your current ones engaged. But coming up with fresh, new ideas can be challenging, especially if your product or service falls within a narrow market.
 
To help prevent your content from becoming stale, I asked 13 members of YEC the following question:
 
What is one unconventional way your content team sources ideas for creating fresh content?

New Media Gear: Lavalier Mic Furry Windscreen Muff/Micromuff

New Media Gear: Lavalier Mic Furry Windscreen Muff/Micromuff

Sometimes the simplest needs are the most important needs. I have gotten tired of losing the little foam windscreens that came with my fav mics. One bump and they drop off. If I am shooting in the garden they are often gone forever. Leaf litter is very unforgiving to dropped items. It swallows them up before you can even see where they have dropped.

Looking for a replacement, I decided to go for windscreens that were less likely to drop off and were more effective at blocking wind noise. Again, filming out in the garden with even a small breeze can give my mics trouble, so these muff-type windscreens seemed just the “step up” I needed.

Lav mic muff 1

Lav mic muff 2

I have found these to be very useful in both ways. First, the elastic makes them easy to install and yet they fit tightly enough that there is now way you are going to knock them off the mic. They are also easy to remove, though, so another big advantage.

Second, they do significantly cut down on wind noise as should be expected by their design. In my experience, “Furry” windscreens offer a better method of dissipating wind than any foam windscreen. It also seems to cut down on the noise created should a interview subject happen to brush against them during a recording.

This is a simple yet important and effective upgrade for my podcasting kit. You might find them useful, too!

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What I’m “Driving” Today via Instagram

Zoom h6

What I’m “Driving” Today

Podcast recording underway for client. Interviews and more!

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Zoom H5 (and other recorders) from Amazon

More Zoom recorders

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Los Angeles Podcasters (Fiction Writers and Performers) Meetup – Sherman Oaks

Met a lot of nice podcasting people last night at this new Meetup, right here near the house. While this was labelled a meetup for fiction and performance-based podcasting, there were a lot of non-fiction folks and a host of technical questions getting discussed.

It was great having a Meetup like this right near the house. We could have walked if it hadn’t been so warm. Over the years, I have gotten tired of driving over the hill to attend this or that Meetup.

Here are some pictures from the evening. I hope to hold another one of these in a month. I’m planning on setting up some tables by the type of podcasting people are interested in and also one for technical questions so we can all get our questions answered and find people we can collaborate with.

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Join this Meetup group — Los Angeles Podcasters (Fiction Writers and Performers) Meetup

New Media Gear: $20 photo lightbox sure comes in handy via Boing Boing

I often have need to photograph or video objects and this could come in very handy. It is especially useful if you want “knock-out” the object from its background so you can composite it with a different background. — Douglas
This is simply a white plastic box with some very white LED lights and two foam backdrops. There is nothing to it. You can fold it up to the size of a legal pad if you want to put it away, or take it someplace.

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An interesting link found among my daily reading

Great Looking Interviews – 2 minute filmmaking tutorial via Tom Antos

I subscribe to Tom Antos’ YouTube Channel and find useful new media information there all the time. Check it out!
Lots of info on setting up a good interview shot even when you are pressed for time and don’t get to choose your locations. — Douglas
See in 2 minutes how I setup an interview that works in any situation. In this video I show 5 different lighting setups.
The project we filmed is a documentary about Canadians soldiers in World War I. It’s produced by Spinning Rabbit Productions. If you’d like to see the finished documentary, please follow their Facebook page.
Great Looking Interviews - 2 minute filmmaking tutorial via Tom Antos
 
Mentioned in this video

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Elgato’s Cam Link turns your DSLR into a souped-up webcam via Engadget

I’ve been thinking about getting one of these so I could use my camcorder with a good lens to live stream bird footage from the garden and other sites. — Douglas
 
Most of the time, I buy cameras for specific purposes. My DSLR exists to capture vacation photos and product shots for Engadget reviews. When I go on hikes or long bike rides, I pull out a GoPro Hero4. For some reason, however, I just can’t bring myself to buy a dedicated webcam for Twitch streaming or YouTube vlogs. I already have a handful of great consumer cameras — shouldn’t I be able to use one of those? In reality, that’s easier said than done: Most cameras simply aren’t designed to push a live feed out to a PC. It’s a problem I’ve spent hours trying to solve, but never did. Then, I heard about the Elgato Cam Link, a USB capture device that can turn any camera with HDMI output into a functional webcam.
 

An interesting link found among my daily reading

News: Zoom Announces F1 Compact Field Audio Recorder via DoddleNews

Zoom Announces F1 Compact Field Audio Recorder

News: Zoom Announces F1 Compact Field Audio Recorder via DoddleNews

As I’ve said before, getting a killer image is only half the equation in filmmaking. But the audio, well, that can be even more important. Audiences can suffer lackluster video, but nobody will put up with bad audio. Zoom continues to refine how we can capture audio in the field with a small field recorder that can use any Zoom microphone attachment to capture even the most intimate sounds.

Called the Zoom F1, the audio recorder is half the size of an iPhone, and can connect to everything from a lavalier microphone, to any of zoom’s 10 pin mic capsule modules that were designed for the modular H6. With them attached, the F1 can record 24bit/96kHz to WAV files or mp3 and write to a standard microSD card for later editing.

Read Zoom Announces F1 Compact Field Audio Recorder