Archive for July 16th, 2012

NORTHRIDGE, California – On June 27, HARMAN Professional and the Producers & Engineers Wing(r) of The Recording Academy(r) hosted their first-ever “From Mic to Mix” event at Los Angeles’ Conway Recording Studios. Open to The Recording Academy members and industry professionals, “From Mic to Mix” featured a live acoustic recording session by the pop/soul group Elaine Faye & Company, engineered by 2-time GRAMMY(r) winner Nathaniel Kunkel, and showcased the latest recording products and technologies from AKG, JBL Professional and Lexicon.

Nathaniel Kunkel is the owner of Studio Without Walls, offering location and in-studio recording services to top music clients. He has earned GRAMMY Awards for his work with B.B. King and Robin Williams, received an Emmy(r) for “A&E In Concert: Sting: Sacred Love” and has recorded a “who’s who” of top artists including Brian Wilson, Stevie Nicks, Ringo Starr, Zooey Deschanel, Cobra Starship, Lyle Lovett, Linda Ronstadt and many others.

The surround sound recording session took place in Conway’s large Studio C using a variety of AKG microphones and headphones, including a C12VR, P820Tube, C414XLII, C214, C451 and a pair of C414XLS. The attendees were able to listen to Kunkel’s mix with 24 AKG K271 and K240MKII headphones placed around the studio. In the control room, Kunkel monitored using a JBL LSR6328P system in a 5.1 surround sound configuration. Ambience and reverb were provided by a Lexicon PCM96 Surround system. In a separate control room, Lexicon demonstrated PCM96 and MX400 reverb processors as well as the I-O U42S USB audio interface. Nathaniel Kunkel gave attendees insight into his approach to micing, studio monitors and use of effect processing.

“The sounds came together in a very short amount of time,” Kunkel said. “For several years, I have relied on JBL studio monitors for their accuracy. I never have to second-guess my mix. While the AKG C414 and C12VR have been go-to mics for me, I was pleased to try AKG’s new Perception mics and headphones on this session. The Lexicon PCM96 Surround system was the only reverb I used and it added polish that put the mix over the top. The session went smoothly and I’m really pleased with the end result using the great HARMAN gear.”

“The P&E Wing evening at Conway was a great opportunity for us to meet with the engineers and producers on the front line shaping today’s recording landscape,” said Peter Chaikin, Senior Marketing Manager, Recording & Broadcast, JBL Professional. “Elaine Faye’s performance and Nathaniel’s stunning sounds coming across on our speakers made P&E Wing members smile.”

“We wanted to show attendees how well AKG microphones and headphones, JBL studio monitors and Lexicon reverb and effects processors perform in a real-world setting, and how they can help engineers make better recordings from the moment the sound hits the mic to when they’re putting the finishing touches on the final mix,” said Joe Wagoner, product marketing manager for wireless, tour and install, AKG.

“We had a great time hearing countless stories about all the hit records that have been made with Lexicon, JBL and AKG equipment while talking shop with so many talented and creative people. A legendary studio like Conway was the perfect place to hold ‘From Mic to Mix’ and we are incredibly appreciative of all those who joined us and made the evening such a success,” said Gregory Butler, Segment Director, Lexicon.

HARMAN (www.harman.com) designs, manufactures and markets a wide range of audio and infotainment solutions for the automotive, consumer and professional markets – supported by 15 leading brands, including AKG(r), Harman Kardon(r), Infinity(r), JBL(r), Lexicon(r) and Mark Levinson(r). The Company is admired by audiophiles across multiple generations and supports leading professional entertainers and the venues where they perform. More than 25 million automobiles on the road today are equipped with HARMAN audio and infotainment systems. HARMAN has a workforce of about 13,000 people across the Americas, Europe and Asia, and reported net sales of $4.3 billion for the twelve months ended March 31, 2012.

RCA Studios – Remembering Lee de Forest – Ioan Allen, Sound On Film

SAN FRANCISCO: West Coast arbiter of audio history, Bill Wray has prepared a far-ranging Historical Program for the 133rd AES Convention set for Oct. 26-29 at the Moscone Center. “The lessons of the past remain integral components of pro audio’s on-going evolution,” remarked Convention Co-Chair Jim McTigue. “Bill Wray has always approached our Conventions with an eye towards relevance as well as variety. While today’s digital tools are generations removed from their analog antecedents, our goals for efficiency and clarity remain unchanged. This year’s Historical Program will provide our attendees with an invaluable perspective on problem solving and innovative thinking.”

133rd AES Convention Historical Events Include:

The Evolution of Electrical Recording At RCA Victor Studios 1925-1953: Presenter, Nicholas Bergh, President, Endpoint Audio Labs – This must-see presentation explores early electric recording methodology by examining the technical evolution of RCA Victor Studios. Little documentation remains of this early era or of its relatively crude and often custom-built equipment: Cryptic technical notations in recording ledgers, brief comments in memoirs, rare photos, and decades of secondhand lore. Research for this presentation focused on alternative sources, e.g. Western Electric and RCA engineering reports, manuals for leased equipment, and modern tests of restored original equipment. Although these sources are not definitive, collectively, they become quite powerful. The presentation will include images of recording equipment and rare audio clips.

Lee de Forest: The Man Who Turned Science into Art: Presenter, Mike Adams, Professor, Radio, Television, and Film, San Jose State University – After de Forest received his PhD in physics and electricity from Yale in 1899, he spent the next 30 years fashioning 19th Century science into the 20th century’s popular audio media. He added sound to Marconi’s wireless telegraph to create a radiotelephone system. He added a “B” battery and earphone to Fleming’s diode vacuum tube telegraph detector to enable the detection and amplification of sound. He added a reliable synchronized sound track to Edison’s silent film, and gave birth to the talking pictures. While he didn’t profit from this innovation, his earlier invention of the three-element vacuum tube allowed amplification of audio through loudspeakers for radio and the movies, and helped create their large public audiences.

The Replay of Historical Magnetic Tape – More than Pressing the Play Button: Presenter, Nadja Wallaszkovits, Phonogrammarchiv, Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna – By exploring the various process challenges related to the transfer of historical magnetic audio tapes, this program will focus on the digitization of early audio collections. Issues covered include stages of preservation conditions, handling, and reproduction of important original tapes. In a related program,

Old Fables About Magnetic Recording Theory: Presenters, Jay Mcknight and Jeff McKnight – This event will highlight some meaningful developments you may have missed over the past 60 years. These include: The story of the “effective” gap length of a reproducing head. And, a correction to Westmijze’s Gap Loss Theory; Who really discovered AC Bias? How does it actually work? And, who were the 4 groups that re-discovered it circa 1940?

The Egg Show: A Demonstration of the Artistic Uses of Sound on Film: Presenter, Ioan Allen, Senior Vice President, Dolby Laboratories – With pictures of eggs ingeniously illustrating his points, and an array of 35mm clips (replete with scratchy leader and still perfect sound), Mr. Allen describes innovative mixing and editing techniques developed over the years. Attendees will see how film sound mixers highlight a conversation in a crowd scene, how they inter-cut music to film and, how they create artificial effects that sound more real on film than on live recordings. This event will be held at Dolby Laboratories’ Theater. A limited number of $10 tickets will be available exclusively to registered convention attendees at the tours counter in the main lobby at Moscone. In addition to an Oscar, and a Samuel L. Warner Award for contributions to motion picture sound, Ioan Allen has earned Scientific and Engineering Awards from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. An AES Fellow, and recipient of the AES Silver Medal, he spearheaded breakthrough film audio formats which have revolutionized the film sound experience.

“And, though not a historical event,” Bill Wray adds, “I strongly recommend this Scott Hull tutorial, to interested attendees. The growing resurgence of vinyl makes this previously historical subject surprisingly relevant.”

Mastering For Vinyl – Today’s Challenges: Presenter, Scott Hull, Mastering Engineer, Masterdisk – In the last few years there has been a renewed interest in producing vinyl records. What are the considerations for mixing and mastering your music for vinyl? A leading mastering engineer for nearly thirty years, Hull will dig into quality control issues and discuss ways to get great sound on your first pressing.

“We are extremely fortunate to have a genuine audio pioneer serving as our Historical Committee Chair,” said Committee co-chair Valerie Tyler. “Bill Wray is one of the most knowledgeable and enthusiastic members of our team. He is an inspiration to all of us.”

Photo: 133rd AEC Convention Historical Chair Bill Wray

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The Audio Engineering Society was formed in 1948 by a group of concerned audio engineers. The AES counts over 14,000 members throughout the U.S., Latin America, Europe, Japan and the Far East. The organization serves as the pivotal force in the exchange and dissemination of technical information for the industry. For additional information visit http://www.aes.org

XL Video supplied LED screens, cameras, projection and an Encore screen management system for The Maccabees recent acclaimed gig at London’s Alexandra Palace.

Video designer Josh Bagnall presented original, cutting edge and highly atmospheric visuals for the show.
Bagnall’s past live music work includes inventive indie acts like Babyshambles and Bloc Party. For the last five years he’s worked extensively in feature films and the fashion world, and so brought a refreshing fusion of ideas from these disciplines to the show to meet the brief of creating a ‘non-conventional’ video aesthetic.
He also worked closely with The Maccabees’ lighting designer Phil Shaw, and together they presented a highly integrated ‘visual’ tone to the show.
Says XL Project Manager Paul ‘Macca’ McAuley, “It was a pleasure working with Josh, who brought a very different approach to the video, which looked amazing and was exactly what the band wanted”.
At the back of the stage was a 9 metre wide by 3 metre deep section of Pixled F-15 LED screen.
This was mirrored each side of stage by two 20 ft wide by 11 ft high projection screens, masked off at the top to give a longer, narrower surface and a 1:3 aspect ratio. These were each fed by Barco 20K HDE projectors.
XL also supplied 13 cameras. Five were operated Sony D50s – positioned two in the pit, one each in the wings stage right and left, with the fifth a hand-held onstage. The hand-held was the most important and active camera in the show and was operated by Larne Poland, who has worked with Bagnall for over 15 years. A further operated camera with long lens was situated to one side, giving Bagnall a different angle to work with.
Five of the eight Sony BRC-700 robo-cams were focussed on the band members with the other three dotted around the stage, all giving a dynamic array of images and view angles for Bagnall to select in his PPU and create an epic cinematic feel that extended the stage and the energy coming off it right out into the audience.
He added various organic effects including lens flare and stretched aspect ratios and also specified a magic DaVE effects machine from XL – a classic device from the nascence of live video, still well-loved for its grading effects among others, and preserved with considerable TLC!
From there, the 13 camera sources were all fed into the Encore, to be sized and output to screen.
The show started off with IMAG just on the outside screens. As the show built, layers of visuals were added gradually, with the centre screen introduced later in the set with maximum impact.
XL’s crew were Phil Leech who looked after the LED and Matt Vassillo who co-ordinated the cameras, projection and PPU. Both also operated cameras, together with two of Bagnall’s regulars.
Bagnall, who has worked on and off with XL Video since he was a teenager says, “I would always use XL as the video supplier. As I knew would be the case, everything – from the well prepped kit to the crew and all the pre-planning – was brilliant”.
The show was also a huge success for the band and everyone involved in the production.

Creative Reel Spotlights Inspirational Animation from Animation Mentor Students Around the World

Emeryville, Calif., July 16, 2012 – Animation Mentor, the state-of-the-art online animation school founded by animators for animators, has released Student Showcase 2012: The Power of Inspiration. The annual Showcase spotlights the year’s best work from Animation Mentor students around the world. This year’s theme focuses on inspiration, including its many sources and collective ability to spark creativity and evoke emotion in others. These students have embraced and channeled their passions squarely into their animation — and together, they embody the Power of Inspiration.

Showcase is a well-respected honor for Animation Mentor students. In addition, studios highly anticipate the Showcase release because it has proven to be an annual and trusted source of new talent. Many graduates have used their Showcase recognition as a springboard to work on a range of feature films, television, and video games.

“We started the school because we wanted to teach animation the way we would want to learn,” says Bobby Beck, Animation Mentor’s CEO and cofounder. “So it is incredibly rewarding to watch our passion for animation and education come together for our students. I love watching them progress from our workshops to our Character Animation Program and even [to] our [Animals & Creatures:] Master Class! Seeing the best work in Showcase reminds us that we are really helping our students pursue their dreams. It inspires me!”

Student Showcase Contest
To further celebrate the Power of Inspiration, Animation Mentor is hosting a contest where students can become eligible to win reduced tuition into either the Character Animation Program or Animals & Creatures: Master Class. To enter, students must submit an essay of no more than 150 words and compellingly explain why they deserve to win and why they are passionate about animation. For more information on the contest and to view Student Showcase 2012, please visit http://www.animationmentor.com/campaign/showcase-2012.

About Animation Mentor
Animation Mentor is a state-of-the-art online animation school focused on teaching the art and craft of animation. The school catalogue includes a workshop (Maya Workshop: Animation Basics) and programs (Character Animation Program and Animals & Creatures: Master Class). Students learn face-to-face from the same professionals who are animating their favorite characters on the big screen … not to mention on TV and in the video games they love. Mentors conduct classes online and use the school’s proprietary eCritique® tool to hold one-on-one sessions with students where they can draw directly on the work and offer support, guidance, and feedback. From these comments, students refine their shots for the next review — just like the professionals do in the studios. This real-world approach teaches students to focus on each of the important aspects of animation within the framework of a production environment. By learning to receive and integrate feedback, Animation Mentor students graduate ready to contribute on their first day on the job as real professional animators. For more information, visit www.animationmentor.com.

Free AJA Software Controls File Transfers from Sony SR-R1 Recorders to RAID Storage Connected to a Mac with AJA KONA 3G or Io XT

Grass Valley, CA – AJA Video Systems, a leading manufacturer of professional video interface and conversion solutions, today released AJA SRExpress software to control the fast transfer of files from Sony SR-R1 digital recorders to RAID storage connected to a Mac computer, with PC support coming soon. An AJA KONA 3G card, or an Io XT for Thunderbolt-equipped Macs, serves as the intermediary device for file transfer between the recorder and the computer with RAID storage. Once transferred, the files can easily be edited in many editing systems.

AJA SRExpress is free to AJA KONA 3G and AJA Io XT customers and controls the Sony SR-R1 recorder to perform file transfers to RAID-equipped computers. Within AJA SRExpress users can select files in batches or individually, enable file transfers via 3G SDI or Thunderbolt connections at faster than real time transfer speeds and enable optional preview during the transfer.

“Since its introduction in the fall of 2011, the SRMASTER format has been accepted broadly by the industry. SRExpress is technology to enable high-speed transfers of SRMASTER files. Adoption of SRExpress by well-known AJA video interface products provides a simple and efficient file based workflow. Its 5X faster than real time transfer capability allows one hour of camera footage to be ingested into an editing system in 12 minutes. This is a huge benefit to SR-R1 users,” said Ryosuke Hayashi, General Manager, Professional Solution Group, Sony Corporation.

“AJA products have always been about simplifying workflows and enabling the interchange of files across devices. With the AJA SRExpress software we’re offering Sony SR-R1 customers a very easy way to implement direct camera-to-edit workflows with our KONA 3G or Io XT technologies,” said Nick Rashby, President, AJA Video Systems.

AJA SRExpress is available now for Mac customers as a free download here. AJA SRExpress for the PC is coming soon.

About AJA Video Systems, Inc.
Since 1993, AJA Video has been a leading manufacturer of high-quality and cost-effective digital video interface, conversion and desktop solutions supporting the professional broadcast and post-production markets. With headquarters in Grass Valley, California, AJA maintains an extensive sales channel of dealers and systems integrators around the world. For further information, please see our website http://www.aja.com

Bergen, Norway, Vizrt Ltd. (Oslo Main List: VIZ)

Sky News Arabia, the new 24-hour free-to-air Arabic news channel, launched in May using a sophisticated Vizrt system to deliver its live news graphics. Vizrt is the sole news graphics provider for the Abu Dhabi based channel. This is a departure from the news graphics workflow used by Sky News in the UK, sister channel to Sky News Arabia, which uses both Vizrt and another provider.

The channel has a variety of uses for real-time 3D graphics, such as the “screen furniture” of multiple tickers, side panels, maps and Breaking News alerts constantly animating around the video window. In addition, the news content includes full-frame 3D animations in its stories, as well as displaying maps and background story graphics displayed on a large video wall in the studio. The Viz World map server allows news producers to generate animated 3D maps instantly from their newsroom system, providing useful geographical context for every news story. Everything is generated with a consistently branded look that is uniquely Sky News Arabia.

System efficiency, which could deliver breaking news first, was the primary objective in designing the Vizrt workflow. This was achieved by building in a high level of automation into the graphics templates used by operators and in the newsroom. This provides a very high quality 3D animation, with consistent branding ready to take to air within seconds of a story breaking. This can be added to and enhanced as more information becomes available throughout the day.

This results in two distinct workflows to deliver a well-rounded channel output: reliable templated news graphics (by the graphics design company, Astuce Media) integrated with Sky News Arabia’s iNews newsroom system for ultra-fast population by producers and editor. These are enhanced by longer, full-frame graphics designed by the in-house design team, who can respond quickly to news priorities passed to them by the editorial team. These graphics can be built into the story video, to explain key points, as well as used interactively by the studio talent on the Newswall in the studio.

Roland West, Creative Head for Sky News Arabia, explained the choice of Vizrt’s graphics system.

“When we set out to create Sky News Arabia, the key requirements to delivering a successful graphics package were quality of finish, ease of use, unity of platform and a breadth of graphic presentation.

Having built on the knowledge shared by Sky News UK and Vizrt through a collaborative relationship, we have successfully launched the channel on a graphics system capable of achieving the quality and speed that Sky News demands.”

Martin Burkhaulter, CEO Vizrt Ltd added:

“Sky News Arabia’s requirements presented us with a genuine challenge. The workflow is extremely streamlined. It relies a great deal on graphics automation of sophisticated templates that are populated by news producers. The emphasis is very clearly on speed and getting breaking news on air with the minimum of delay. I feel sure this is a key factor that will set Sky News Arabia apart from its competitors. Good integration between all aspects of the Vizrt graphics system was fundamental to a smooth and fast workflow, which meant that sticking with one system throughout was absolutely the right decision. The success of their launch on May 6th has already proven what good TV journalism, backed up by fully integrated graphics created by their local design team, can do.”

Oliver Pitkin, Project Manager for Sky News Arabia added;

“This was always going to be a challenging project– particularly in integrating a well-proven Sky News UK ethos and workflow into a Middle Eastern context and broadcasting everything in Arabic. We pre-built the entire technical infrastructure in a warehouse provided by TSL in the UK and then shipped it to Abu Dhabi. We have had terrific support from Vizrt at every stage of the process. We continue to receive support and advice from Vizrt locally and we expect our well integrated Vizrt core to become the backbone of the Middle East’s leading channel for breaking news.

Sky News Arabia launched on schedule on May 6th 2012 and is already generating a high level of audience level in its principle target markets of Arabic-speaking MENA countries.

About Vizrt:

Vizrt provides real-time 3D graphics and asset management tools for the broadcast industry – from award-winning animations & maps to online publishing tools. Vizrt’s products are used by the world’s leading broadcasters and publishing houses, including: CNN, CBS, Fox, the BBC, BSkyB, ITN, ZDF, Star TV, Network 18, TV Today, CCTV, NHK, The Globe and Mail, Times Online, The Telegraph, and Welt Online. Furthermore, many world-class production houses and corporate institutions such as the Stock Exchanges in New York and London use Vizrt systems.

Vizrt is a public company traded on the Oslo Main List: VIZ, ISIN: IL0010838154. For further information please refer to www.vizrt.com

Ruben Latre, a Barcelona-born director known for his innovative work in commercials, music videos, documentaries and broadcast design, has signed with STORY for exclusive representation in the United States. Latre, who is bilingual and currently resides in New York City, was included in Shoot Magazine’s 2011 New Directors Showcase and was also named Best New Director at the 2010 APCP Awards in Spain.

Latre’s work in advertising includes U.S. and European campaigns for Y&R, Leo Burnett, McCann and Global Hue, and clients including Spanish construction giant Sacyr Vallehermoso and Biomasa. A spot that he directed for European energy giant Iberdrola and Y&R Madrid starred Spain’s national soccer team and ran throughout the 2010 World Cup. Most recently, his spot Pioneer for U.S. heath-care provider TMG Health was short-listed for Best Cinematography at the 2012 AICP Awards. more

With Apple’s recent upgrades to the Mac Pro, Small Tree GraniteSTOR ST-RAID II 10Gb shared storage customers stand to achieve even greater performance results. These latest updates also open the door for customers to expand their post-production capabilities by adding Small Tree’s GraniteSTOR TITANIUM Ethernet-based shared storage system to work in tandem with their ST-RAID II.

“The upgrades to the Mac Pro reiterate Apple’s commitment to that platform, which is excellent news for the thousands of post-production professionals reliant on Mac Pro’s unique offerings,” said Steve Modica, Chief Technology Officer for Small Tree. “For Small Tree 10Gb customers, it means a performance boost and the option of moving the ST-RAID II server to a desk top after an upgrade.”

ST-RAID II is the first Ethernet-based shared storage system to support 6Gb SAS/SATA protocol end-to-end. The system includes direct attached shared storage technology designed specifically for Final Cut post-production professionals looking for economical, functional and easy to manage storage solutions.

Providing robust (greater than 600MB/sec), consistent performance over Ethernet networks while offering optimal cost-efficiency, ST-RAID II’s low latency ensures there are no dropped frames in SD or HD. Available in 8-, 12- or 16-drive (1, 2 or 3TB drive) configurations, ST-RAID II produces higher video stream counts and storage capacity, as well as a more robust performance at a similar price point to its popular ST-RAID solution. ST-RAID II also offers tremendous flexibility, as more storage can be added easily for system expansion.

Small Tree’s TITANIUM is a high performance, capacity dense, dedicated video editing shared storage appliance with advanced file sharing capabilities enabling simple, real-time collaboration. TITANIUM supports Final Cut Pro, Avid Media Composer and Adobe Creative Suite. The system is configurable up
to 20 10GbE ports and storage capacity from 8TB to 240TB, while delivering up to 72 streams of ProRes 422.

For more information on ST-RAID II or TITANIUM, visit www.small-tree.com. Follow Small Tree @smalltreecomm or like us at www.facebook.com/smalltreecomm.