Next Meeting is Wed., Oct. 29th

Our next meeting is Wednesday, October 29. One of our confirmed guest speakers will be Adobe presenting solutions for creating/burning Blu-ray DVDs on the Mac. More details to be posted later.

Noren Acoustilock 24 unit cabinet "Virtual Giveaway!"

***NOTICE: LISTSERV IS DOWN FOR MAINTENANCE, should be back up within 24 hours***

Hey, My Fellow MacFilmmakers--

Kevin Johnson here. The following is a ONCE IN A LIFETIME DEAL on a Noren Acoustilock 24 unit cabinet. These are those giant sound-reducing racks for post-production and A/V studios that will house all your noisy computer equipment. This particular one was previously the top of the line model, a 24 unit cabinet. (It is not the current 24TD; it is, I believe, the previous configuration, whatever those were designated.) It could hold, for example:
(2) Mac Pros
(1-2) XServes
(2-3) XServe RAIDs
(Many) smaller FW drives
possibly even a UPS unit
a picture of your Mom smiling at you, proud of your good fortune

So, here's the aforementioned once in a lifetime deal. These things go for, literally, way over $3,000 plus shipping. I just bought a used one in great condition off eBay for...drumroll, please...

FIFTY TWO BUCKS!

And...

Since I already own my own Acoustilock, I'm selling this one to the first friend/person who confirms with 100% absolute certainty that they want it for...

FIFTY TWO BUCKS!

To check out the concluded eBay auction, go to this link:
eBay link

Know that it is a local pickup only in Menlo Park and it is up a flight of stairs (no elevator, apparently) so you'll need a truck, a refrigerator dolly and some strong-armed friends (and while I may be your friend, I probably can't be there to help you move it) to get it. Here's the deal:

Give me FIFTY TWO BUCKS and a firm, absolute commitment that YOU will PICK IT UP and USE IT YOURSELF (NO, do NOT use this as an opportunity to resell it and make money off someone else, that would only ROYALLY piss me off, and you do NOT want to do that!), it goes to the first person to contact me and say they will personally use it.

How do you contact me? If you already have my email address use that, I check it frequently (and will see timestamps for the first-come, first-serve thingy). Or, if you already have my cell phone, call me (and be sure to leave a message). If you have neither of those, then try leaving a comment here and I'll check in here from time to time until it is confirmed as sold.

--Kevin

MFM meets next week, Wed., Sept. 24

The next meeting of MacFilmmakers is next week, Wednesday evening, September 24, at 7:00 pm in Apple's Garage II meeting room. Full details below.

Wednesday, September 24
Apple's campus, Cupertino, CA
Garage II (inside Bldg 4, upstairs from Town Hall)
Doors Open 6:30 pm
Admission is Free!
Parking is Free!

The Pizza Break is Free!
Tonight's Raffle (a full copy of CS4 Production Suite!) is Free!
Unsolicited Opinions Regarding Your Haircut are Free!

7:00 – 8:00 PM
MARK SPENCER
“Apple Motion workflow tips and tricks”
Mark Spencer is a bay area-based producer, editor, teacher and writer. He owns Day Street Productions, Inc. (www.daystreet.com), a production and post studio focused on corporate video. Mark is also an Apple-certified instructor and the author of Motion Graphics and Effects in Final Cut Studio from Peachpit Press and the author of our Motion 3 Fast Forward and Deep Dive tutorials.
See Mark’s video tutorials and more at:
www.applemotion.net/

8:00 PM
Pizza Break
Once again, filling that gnawing void in filmmakers' lives (i.e., hungry tummies) since 2002, we present our always fabulous Pizza Break. Pizza and soft drinks are provided for everybody and at no cost (although kindly donations are never turned down), just show up and enjoy.

8:30 – 9:30 PM
KEVAN O'BRIEN
“Adobe CS4 Production Suite, workflow with Final Cut Studio”
Kevan O’Brien was post production consultant for Peter and the Wolf,
2008 Academy Award Winner for best Short Film (Animated). Adobe officially launches CS4 on Tuesday 9/23. There will be a special web broadcast on September 23 (the day before our meeting). To register to view the broadcast go to:
www.adobe.com/go/somethingbrilliant

9:30 PM
Raffle
At the conclusion of tonight’s meeting we will raffle off a full version of the Adobe CS4 Production Suite! As stated above, this raffle will cost you...well, nothing at all, it is absolutely free! Naturally, you must be present to win. And, you know, own a computer to put it on.

Oh, and by the way, while we are truly sorry that our previous month's (August) meeting was cancelled, we'd have to kind of say that tonight's line up, well, pretty much MORE than makes up for that! Indeed, you might want to arrive a wee bit early just to make sure you get a seat for what will likely be a standing room only event.

And, finally, very special recognition goes out to our own Chip Curry for acting as the Grand Poobah to coordinate tonight's lineup. THANK YOU, CHIP!

August 27 meeting cancelled;September 24 meeting with MARK SPENCER

This is a Good News, Bad News announcement.

BAD NEWS: Tomorrow night's scheduled AUGUST 27 meeting of MacFilmmakers unfortunately needs to be CANCELLED. I have come down with either the flu or a really, really severe cold (can't tell yet, but I am totally bummed out 'cuz I had essentially what started out as these same symptoms only a few months ago, ick) and Mark Calice is out of town. Since our current arrangement requires ONE of us co-hosts to be present to facilitate we will have to postpone our August meeting. That's the bad news.

GOOD NEWS: For the SEPTEMBER 24 meeting, we have MARK SPENCER coming in to present Apple's Motion, part of Final Cut Studio. Mark is THE GUY when it comes to understanding and training Motion as he is the author of several books including three on Motion itself! Additional info will be added to the blog much later, but know for now that September 24 is a GO with Mark Spencer in Apple's "Garage I" room at 7:00 pm.

To whet your appetite for the September meeting (and to be a tiny ersatz substitute for tomorrow night's lack of a meeting), here is a link to a short podcast (with a curiously long musical intro) from last Fall that features Mark discussing Motion with DMN's David Basulto:

http://podcasts.digitalmediaonlineinc.com/articles/viewarticle.jsp?id=188795

MacFilmmakers meeting for Wed. July 30th, 7:00PM, NEW LOCATION in Apple's "GARAGE II"

This coming Wednesday night, July 30th, promises to be an amazing evening for MacFilmmakers. For this meeting, we have not one but TWO BRAND-NEW SHORT FILMS to present in their entirety along with THE FILMMAKERS for Q&A DISCUSSIONS. Also, we will feature your DEMO REELS and or SHORTS and, in celebration of tonight's program, we will again enjoy our FABULOUS PIZZA BREAK! Here's all the details:

We are meeting in a new space tonight. The room is called "Garage II" (as in roman numeral 2), but it is in a familiar Apple campus location in Cupertino. Located directly upstairs from Town Hall in Apple's Building 4 at 1 Infinite Loop, Garage II is our temporary home while renovations continue on other venues. To find Garage II, just pretend you are headed to our regular Town Hall facility, enter the main lobby doors, but instead go up the stairs to your far left to find Garage II.

Doors open at 6:30 pm. Meetings are free and open to the public. Parking is plentiful and free. To locate the meeting room on a map, go to maps.google.com and search for "1 Infinite Loop, Cupertino CA". Building 4 will be on the backside of the loop towards the top right corner (northeast) of the map.

"Timba Mania" with Chip Curry and Stephen Vahle

Film Director and Editor CHIP CURRY recently finished work on "TIMBA MANIA", a Latin Music Video. Featuring the music of percussionist/drummer STEPHEN VAHLE (who also served as the film's Producer), the soundtrack is deep rooted in the music of the great triangle of rhythm: Africa, Cuba and Brazil.

Chip, a San Jose filmmaker with 25 years experience, will be on hand to show this video and discuss production, band organization, special microphone techniques, dual system audio, studio construction, lighting, camera control, editing effects, etc. Also, as an incredibly special treat, Stephen Vahle himself will be in attendance exclusively for our MacFilmmakers audience! And, as if all that weren't enough, Chip will have the SonyEXDCAM EX-1 available for anyone wanting a close-up look. Yowza!

Footage was acquired with a Sony XDCAM EX-1 and Sony VX 2000. English. 5 minutes.

Chip Curry's website is at:
www.ChrysalisFilms.com

"Julie, Julie" with Mark Calice

MARK CALICE just finished sound design and audio post on a short HD film, "JULIE, JULIE", directed by local filmmaker LIAM CREIGHTON. Fresh from its world premiere at this month's Sacramento French Film Festival, Mark will be showing this new short in it's entirety exclusively for our MacFilmmakers audience. Following the film, Mark, a Grammy-nominated audio engineer and owner of Ardenwood Sound & DVD, will participate in a Q&A discussing his work with the 2-track and 5.1 surround audio mixes.

He will also attempt to answer some questions on the technical aspects and logistics involved in the making of the film such as costs and working with SAG, from notes provided by the filmmaker.

Shot on a Panasonic HVX200 adapted for professional Zeiss prime lenses and edited in Final Cut Pro. English soundtrack and French with English subtitles. 21 minutes.

Here is the link to the film's trailer:
Julie, Julie trailer

Here is the link to a blog interview with Liam Creighton:
Liam Creighton interview

Mark Calice's Ardenwood Sound & DVD website is at:
www.ardenwoodsnd-dvd.com

Demo Reels and Shorts

Tonight is all about short film presentations. Do you have a short film you'd like to show off? If your film or demo reel is 12 minutes or less (yes, that is an extension to our usual 5 minute limit, just for this meeting), tonight is the night to present it! Slots for demo reels and shorts are filled on a a first-come, first-serve basis, so be sure to alert us when you arrive that you have a demo/short to show.

Pizza Break

And what would a night at MacFilmmakers be without our Fabulous Pizza Break? Yup, pizza and soft drinks--included with your FREE ADMISSION!--will be served up at the mid-point of the evening. Take the opportunity to not only fill your tummy but to also network with your fellow filmmakers.

NOTE: As we will not be within view or earshot of the main lobby doors, please do your best to arrive by 7:00 pm. For those arriving past 7:00, a notice will be posted on the lobby doors with a cell phone number you can call to get in.

Next Meeting is Wed., July 30th

Just a quick announcement to say YES, we are meeting this Wednesday night, July 30th, 7:00 pm. We are in a new meeting space called "Garage II", just upstairs from Town Hall (so, enter the lobby of Apple's building 4 as if you were going to go to Town Hall, but then ascend the staircase to the "Garage II" room.)

We have a FULL AGENDA, details coming up in the next several minutes (as fast as my fingers can type it all up).

June Meeting Cancelled

Hi, All. Disappointingly, our June guest speaker (rescheduled from last month to this month) has recently and unexpectedly become unavailable again. As I had anticipated that the planned presentation--music/sound for film--would essentially take up the entire evening, I had not arranged for any secondary or backup presentations. Therefore, with great regret, I am must call for a cancellation of any official gathering of MacFilmmakers for June. (Of course, if people still wish to gather unofficially at a restaurant/pub/whatever, please feel free to do so.)

We will regroup for a full meeting on July 30th (and have redundancy built into the evening should whoever our speaker/s is/are become unavailable we will still have presentations ready to go).