90+ Basic Avid Media Composer Tutorials

Here's a great resource I found on the Avid Community bulletin boards:

90+ Tutorials on Basic MC tips

One of the board's moderators has been producing short video tutorials on a number of Media Composer-related topics, and has now aggregated them all in one handy list. If you're struggling with Avid or just need a refresher, be sure to check them out.

(Just a word of warning, some of the tutorials are specifically about transitioning from Avid Liquid to Media Composer. If you've never used Liquid, these might be a tad confusing and are probably best skipped.)

Featured Project: Clyde Cuts His Deal

This week's featured student project comes from DVA241 Digital Video Production class and was created by students Johanna Arcand and Max Hollman back in Summer 2004.

Avid upgrades Media Composer

In yesterday's edition of the Studio Daily Blog, Scott Simmons writes that Avid is now "dongle free in 2009." That's right, the little purple dangly thing is going away for good. And while current UAT students might not realize that Avid even has a dongle (the dongles are locked inside the PCs in our Avid lab), students from just a few years ago will surely remember the nightmare of having to check a dongle out of the Library every time they wanted to use the Avid software. What a mess! But thankfully, that is all behind us now.

What's more, Avid Media Composer 3.5 features new, revolutionary tools for handling tapeless media like XDCAM and P2, adds stereoscopic (3D) support, and a host of other upgrades big and small. Check out Avid's press release for more info.

And... last and probably best for the Digital Video student... Media Composer is also available as a free, fully-functional, 14-day trial... here.

Music Video: Breeze in the Wind

Here's a music video produced by the students and faculty of the UAT Digital Video Program, featuring a song used in alum Jenny Pond's film "Poison Wind."


Breeze in the Wind - Clan // Destine from UAT Digital Video on Vimeo.

The Spirit of UAT

Here's a sweet little piece completed by student Ryan Loveland for DVA353 Visual Effects class. A really nice example of what Frank Miller calls "using color as a weapon."

Behind the VFX of Benjamin Button

Here's a great TED talk about the Oscar-winning visual effects created for David Fincher's The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. Now I am not a big fan of the overall film, but I was certainly wowed by the visual effects. Here, Ed Ulbrich from Digital Domain takes us step-by-step through the creation of the film's most dazzling effect - a photorealistic human head.

Why Avid?

I get that question all the time... "Why Avid? Why don't you teach Final Cut?"

Here's why.

All five of this year's Oscar nominees for Best Picture were created using Avid products. In fact, Avid products account for a whopping EIGHTY Oscar nominations this year.

If that's not a resounding testimonial to the power of our chosen editing software, I don't know what is!

DV Job: The Daily Advantage

Here's a job opportunity passed on to us by our good friends Jason Carney and Chris LaMont at the Phoenix Film Foundation:

ATTN: Video and Film Students

The Daily Advantage™ is currently building a new Entrepreneurial Web Portal which will feature interviews with successful entrepreneurs and investors.

We would like to hire film/video student(s) to work with us to shoot "on the street" style video interviews. This is an opportunity to make money and also to learn marketing strategies from successful business people. Video and digital editing skills are necessary, and we will begin shooting in early March.

To apply, please email or call Greg Richard.

Direct: 480-385-8755
Email: greg@studiogbrand.com

UAT Digital Video alum Jenny Pond to screen film in nation's capitol

UAT DV alum Jenny Pond is screening her film "Poison Wind" at an anti-nuclear event on February 27 in Washington DC, hosted by acclaimed actor James Cromwell.

Full details here

Congratulations, Jenny! Everyone at UAT is so proud of you and your film!

DV Job: Production Assistant at CNN

Here's an entry-level job I came across, one that would be perfect for a recent UAT DV grad interested in news or documentary production.

Click here for details