Why Encore CS4?

Jeff says:

As President of the Chicago Final Cut Pro Users Group (CHIFCPUG) I'm responsible for programming the monthly meetings. In March I highlighted one of my recent jobs that used Adobe's DVD authoring software, Encore CS4. Encore is extremely powerful and relatively new. It offers options that really helped us serve the client so I wanted to share some of it's best features with our members.

CHIFCPUG's newsletter caught the eye of Larry Jordan, world renowned Final Cut Pro guru. Larry is in the process of writing a book about using CS4 with Apple's Final Cut Studio and he was looking for real life examples. Here is my response to his inquiry.

Why Encore CS4?

First, some project details.

This was a doctor education project for a major pharmaceutical company. Our goal was to educate anesthesiologists on new anesthetic techniques using the companies' anesthetic agents. The budget was not huge by any stretch of the imagination and we had several hurdles to clear: the Medical Legal department, content experts in three states and doctors on two coasts. The final deliverable would be a DVD that sales people would use to sell doctors on the use of these agents.

We cut the sequences in Final Cut Pro. They consisted of seventeen different modules in various lengths, from 6 to 15 minutes. Graphics were created with Illustrator, After Effects, Motion and Photoshop.

After receiving initial approval from the content experts, we began authoring the DVD. Since this was a standard definition project I really could have done the authoring using DVD Studio Pro, but several factors steered me to Encore CS4:

Disclaimers

Legal disclaimer information is required for this type of sales tool, and it must be precise. We went through a number of rounds of changes as the client and their legal department tweaked the language and composition in these sections. Encore CS4's round-trip integration with Photoshop made this a breeze. They also had us create several other slide shows with prescribing information and references.

Check Project

This is a great feature of Encore CS4. I was able to catch missing end jumps and broken links before I sent it onto the client for approval.

Review and Approval

Encore’s ability to create a flash site from the DVD project made the review and approval process a breeze. Of course this project had a tight deadline and we needed to get approval for the navigation and layout of the menus quickly.

All I had to do was set the pull-down to “flash” and set up the compression. Within 30 minutes Encore had compressed all the movies and menus to complete the flash site. I was able to shave days off the process this way. We made multiple rounds of changes in one day, avoiding the delay and overhead of FedEx’ing a check disc to each of the content experts and Medical Legal teams.

FilmFellas - Webisode 5

Ed says:

Check out our latest episode of FilmFellas produced by Steve Weiss at Zacuto USA, maker of fine camera equipment. I've worked with Steve on and off for many years and was thrilled when he asked me to help him edit this new web series.


FilmFellas - webisode 5 from Steve Weiss, Zacuto USA on Vimeo.

Steve Weiss and Zacuto have been a major force behind the introduction of affordable HD production in Chicago during the last decade. The ESPN "Backstage" feature pieces that Jeff and I have in our portfolio were post-produced at his facility back in "the day". They were all shot using his Panasonic DVCProHD 720P VariCam cameras (then edited and delivered in standard def) even before ESPN had officially adopted an HD standard. Steve is also a long standing supporter of independent filmmakers.

Webisode 5 of FilmFellas:

“Talkin' About Your Film Generation”

In Webisode 5, cast two has arrived for dinner and they are ready to bring what they know about indie filmmaking to the table. Susan Buice joins to discuss what she's learned from directing, Four Eyed Monsters. Kris Williams, Director of Young American Bodies, breaks down her theory of creating something you love whether ice cream or film; you are going to make only flavors you like. Kissing on the Mouth Director, Joe Swanberg lets the table know filmmaking is not always about making money and lastly, Steve Weiss is back to converse about different generations of indie filmmaking.

This cast of FilmFellas is ready to dig into the center of this new film movement. The webisode series explores directing styles, Mumblecore, do Kris, Joe and Susan speak for their generation, many kinds of distribution, making a living as a filmmaker, business models for the internet, what is art vs. marketing, and why they do what they do. You do not want to miss out!

The FedEx Run

Jeff Says:

Years ago, one of my clients thought it would be a great idea to start a reality series called "The Editor." The tails of Joe the everyday editor.

Last night I lived through one of the editor episodes first hand.

Titled: "The FedEx Run"

6:30pm Fade up from black. Starbucks cups and Diet Coke cans are strewn about the console. The client has emailed with a few last minute changes. No big deal, plenty of time to make the overnight ship deadline. Gotta love FedEx.

7:00pm Jimmy John's for dinner, again!

7:15pm Last change rendered out, checked the show, everything is good.

7:20pm Export finished, time to encode.

7:25pm Client wants two data DVDs. No biggey, but since we are moving the DVD label printer is not hooked up.

7:35pm Printer hooked up but the software is not installed (that computer is already packed up). Great. Which box was that software in??

7:45pm After searching the web frantically for the software, I start to look through boxes.

8:00pm Found the disc! Let's install!

8;05pm The installer want me to close all apps but I'm still encoding I'll have to wait a few.

8:10pm Encode finished. Check the movie... all looks good.

8:15pm Install DVD printing app. Reboot.

8:20pm Launch DVD printing app and design face label.

8:25pm Go print the first DVD. Computer says the driver is not installed. What??

8:26pm Reboot. Again. Still no luck. I'm about ready to throw the printer out the window.

8:30pm Starting to get a little worried about time. Last FedEx drop is at 10pm -- at the airport.

8:35pm Just for grins I try a different user account on the computer and it starts to print. Out of ink. Great, which box was the ink in?

8:39pm After changing the cartridge finally a successful label. Yippie! Time to burn.

8:45pm Time getting tight, finalizing the last couple of discs.

8:50pm I realize that I walked to work today. Time to "briskly" walk home.

9:05pm Get the car keys and run to the car.

9:06pm No gas -- great. Stacey (my wife) says I have enough to get to the airport.

9:35pm Corner of Irving Park and Mannheim -- getting very close to 'E' but I have plenty of time.

9:40pm Corner of Irving Park and South Cargo Road... (giant pothole) WHAM!!!

9:40pm My front left tire is completely flat. Great! I open up the trunk and start to get the spare out, but since I'm so close to the airport there is absolutely no light. Even though I know I can change a tire in less than a minute flat, it's dark and I don't have much time to get to FedEx.

9:42pm About a mile and a half to FedEx. Time to start jogging.

9:42:30 Step in a giant mud puddle. I guess I picked a bad day to wear tennis shoes

9:45pm FedEx truck zooms past. I guess I'd fly past some idiot waving a bunch of papers and DVDs too, if I were him.

9:48pm Gasping for breath, questioning my choice of careers.

9:55pm Not much longer, boy am I out of shape -- joining the gym tomorrow. [Ed. Yeah, right Jeff...]

9:59:30pm I made it!

10:15pm A policeman pulled is up to my car wondering what happened to the driver. Stacey has called AAA, they say it will be an hour. Fun, fun!!!

11:00pm O'Hare wrecker finally arrived.

11:05pm Volkswagen has a locked lug nut and you need special tool to loosen the nut -- and of course we can't find it.

11:10pm Call to Stacey and she tells me where it is since she had the same flat tire happen last year. [Ed. Gotta love these Chicago winters...]

11:24pm Finally on the road home.

What a night, at least the disc got out. Hopefully the client will be happy.

Morale of the story: "Never give up!" (or "Next time, send your assistant to the airport!!")

FilmFellas Trailer

Ed says:
I plan to write more about this web series we just started work on. I'm happy to report it's getting lots of buzz. Episode 1 of Cast 2 is due out on Monday. Right now I've got to get back to work...

Deadlines, Deadlines.... (keeps the blood pumping -- hehe)


FilmFellas Cast 2 Trailer from Steve Weiss, Zacuto USA on Vimeo.

This is for the Blue...

Ed says:
The Big Ten Network hasn't been in town for long, but boy they sure have been doing some great programming. We just finished an awesome doc for them "Hail to the Victors: The Greatest Stories of Michigan Football". It should be released on DVD just in time for the holiday season.

In the mean time, check out BTN for airtimes and get the insides scoop on the Ten Year War.

The College Sports Minute is Comin' Atcha!

Ed says:
For a couple of months now we have been delivering the online college sports news series, The College Sports Minute.

OK, OK, the producer always seems to write more like 90 seconds worth of copy, but who's to complain? Big college sports in a small package. Every weekday. Sarah Kustok. What more could you want? Check it out:

Jack's Big Music Show - Emmy Nomination

Ed says:
I just learned Jack's Big Music Show was nominated for two Daytime Emmys for "Outstanding Original Song - Children's and Animation" and "Outstanding Pre-School Children's Series"

This is marvelous new for guys at Spiffy Pictures, and an honor for me to have been Lead Editor and and Post Production Manager for both seasons of JBMS.

We were up against some tough competition - including heavy weights like Sesame Street, which ultimately took the award for "Outstanding Pre-School Children's Series".

As they say, it is an honor just to be nominated. To celebrate, here is another of my favorite clips from "Jack's Big Music Show".

I admit, one of the reasons this is a favorite clip is that Sandy Weber and I manufactured the whole tree full of Coo-Coo birds from just 5 takes of the same puppet performing on a single "branch". The tree itself was expertly built by Sandy from just that one "branch" segment.