Emerson College NAB 2006 Student Blog

Ugh

I am home and I am mostly in one piece. I don't have the energy to write much now, but let me fill you in briefly. Wednesday morning I couldn't take the illness anymore and I went to the Emergency Room at Sunrise Hospital in Vegas. I am now on a super strong 14 day antibiotic and didn't make it out of my room the rest of the trip. I missed the last day of the convention. I missed the Media Composer training. I missed the Education reception. I missed the Avid party at the top of the Rio. I ordered room service and laid on the couch, because standing hurt too much. The flights home were brutal. landing in Boston caused my ears to pop and shooting crackling pains to run through my head. I landed an hour and a half ago and I can still barely hear and still have those shooting pains. It's time for more meds.

The whole hospital expirience was kind of interesting, and I'll write about that in more detail later, but overall this whole week sucked. Avid and the convention were great, my luck...not so much.

Dave
~Snot is also a band

Off To The Wrap Up Party...

Hey Everyone!,
NAB was ridiculous I can't even begin to describe, I wanted to make sure that everyone was able to check out the pictures I amassed throughout the show, I think they're pretty amazing, and I think you'll agree with me.  I'm off right now to the NAB Avid wrap up party on the top floor of The Rio.  More soon!

NAB 2006 Flickr Album!

Headspins and Avid Grenades

Today was very difficult, but it really shouldn’t have been.  The day started out with somewhat annoying work consisting of giving out raffle tickets and getting leads.  Everyone at the show has a card that has his or her personal info attached.  They hand you their card and you scan it into a laptop and ask them a few questions about what products they are interested in.  While I don’t always mind this work, the constant standing and talking to people really drains you, and I frankly had little to give today. 

By the time that was done we were on Lunch as 4 hours had past.  The second half of our day was to consist of two things.  First we were to conduct an interview with Scott Randall from Max Post.  I’ll let Jeremy tell you more about him and how the interview went, because by that point in the day I was basically indisposed.  However, he did tell me it went pretty well. 

The end of our day consisted of us doing competitive analysis on Avid’s competitor Quantel and Avid's partner Microsoft.  Quantel has some pretty spiffy stuff.  They took a video of a guy shifting gears in the interior of a Cadillac and replace main parts of the interior with parts from a hi-res picture of a lower end model.  So basically the dash, console and other things were replaced with new ones from a picture, yet they fit in perfectly in this video.  It was seriously impossible to tell that it was not the original car.  Of course this proprietary system runs around 200 grand, but man was it cool.  We also checked out Microsoft who of course has their hand in everything.  They are really pushing Windows Media into every platform they can find.  One of the big reasons seems to be the DRM that goes along with Windows Media files.  I don’t want to get into a discussion on copyright law here but, can I say, Boo-urns?!?!

Today ended with all of us headed back to the Hard Rock and having a few drinks to celebrate 2 birthdays amongst us.  I was feeling really daring so I double fisted two drinks.  One drink a stiff ginger ale and the other a smooth water.  Yes, I am really partying here in Las Vegas.  I really need a doctor but I’m not going to the emergency room so I guess it’ll just have to wait till I get back to Boston.  Nyquil better be my friend until then.

I wish I could write clearer or in more detail, realistically I’m kind of amazed I could write this at all.  I’ll still try and keep you up t date tomorrow.  Until then, wish me luck in shaking this sickness.

Dave
~not down with the sickness

Day 2: Done and Done

Today was a long, but also exciting day, I am trying to be as proactive as possible, making the most of this amazing experience.  To that end, I was incredibly fortunate to have conducted a great interview today with lead online editor Scott Randol of Max Post located in Burbank, CA.  Let me tell you, his credentials are extremely impressive, editing for the Discovery Channel, HBO, and Showtime just to name a few.  He has edited over 60 episodes of Monster Garage.  Scott was extremely accommodating to our team as we questioned him on everything from his career history to thoughts about NAB this year, be sure to check the interview out online, when we put up the video as well as audio casts in the next few days. 

So, I'm consistently amazed with the manner in which we are treated day in and day out by the Avid staff.  Quite honestly, the people we are surrounded by (there are more than 500 Avid staff working at the event) eagerly chat up me and my fellow Student Representatives usually asking "so what exactly does a student rep do?"  This whole situation is still so unreal to me, I don't think it will truly sink in until I'm long gone from NAB this year.

At any rate, we'll have a fair amount of editing on our hands to complete for tomorrow, so that the Avid web team can post our videos and podcast as soon as possible.   Dave and I were able to check out some other very interesting booths during the remainder of our day, I was psyched too, as they've for the most part been working us all day long.  I went to check out Microsoft and Sony.  No surprise, Microsoft has been heavily promoting their streaming abilities of high quality video content combined with heavily encrypted DRM technologies.  Additionally, they are also promoting their adoption of the HD-DVD format.  Their marketing video was fairly interesting, albeit they went on for ten minutes without really saying anything substantial.  I checked out the Windows Media Vista: Media Center Edition for the 360, but even that wasn't very exciting.  I didn't have nearly as much time as I would have liked to enjoy the Sony booth, but I hope to go back tomorrow.  Furthermore, I have yet to check out some of my favorite companies like Adobe and Apple which I intend to explore tomorrow. 

We're scheduled for an hour long class at Avid University tomorrow for some one on one time with the new software only based Media Composer, I can't wait.

Please post your comments, and look for more material soon!

Tired and Ill

So today was pretty crazy.  The show opened this morning and you couldn't even walk in the Avid booth it was so full.  The main screen in the Avid booth is projected by 3 separate hd projectors, the only 3 like it in the world.  The screen is 36 feet long and is freakin gorgeous.  Seriously, you need to see this thing to believe it. 

I spent about 30 mins in the central hall, checking out JVC and Panasonic.  When displaying their cameras, companies set up a little set for people to shoot models they have sitting there.  So at JVC there was a little French corner coffee shop.  Panasonic had a cooking show set with a woman cutting veggies. Very very cool.

Avid is in the very front of the south hall where I spent the majority of my day.  These have to be the largest buildings I have ever seen, and the south hall has two floors!  There is so much work to do and so much to see it's impossible to see a small percentage of everything.  One guy told me that if you wanted to say every booth at the show using every available show hour, you would have 30 seconds at each booth.  I never even attempted to make it to the north hall.

Going back to yesterday, we attended some a press event and a customer cocktail party.  I did some free drinking and mingled with the Avid folk and some customers.  Most interesting, engaging and cool of which was one of the lead editors on Grey's Anatomy.  I have never watched the show.  Yea, I know...it's wonderful.  I still don't really care, but this guy was incredibly down to earth and engaging.  Jeremy and II spent 15 minutes talking to him until a speech was on.  I followed that up with a trip to the blackjack table, where 2 guys from Colombia College and I all won some cash.  Then it was beddy time.

I'd like to write more and format this better, but I'm sick as a dog now.  I'm not sure what's wrong with me, but I hope it's not the flu.  Everything hurts and feels ill.  So i just took some NyQuil and I'm off to bed at 8:30 or so in an attempt to make it up for our 8am meeting tomorrow.  Wish me luck...I'm gonna need it.

Dave
~(sic)

The Crazyness of ScriptSync

OK so this will be a quick one...I couldn't help myself however from blogging about this one though.  Avid is releasing a new application called ScriptSync built into the new software version of Avid Media Composer.  Lined scripts can now be imported into the Avid interface for easy reference wile editing.  ScriptSync allows the intelligent connection of script, audio, and video clips.  The software will read the script, phonetically listen to the syllables within the audio, and match the video elements all within the blink of an eye.  I was able to watch as more than fifty pages of dialog were synced together and immediately I thought about the hours and hours of manual syncing this kind of software would have saved me when I was cutting a 16mm film just two weeks ago.

I'll post again soon, so keep checking back!

A Day In The Life of...An Avid Representative

Words fail me...  I cannot, no matter how hard I try, or how determined I am, describe the events that took place today in one word.  Suffice it to say that I was blown away.  Addicted to technology as well as all things post-production related, as I walked onto the show floor for the first time today, I'm sure that exhibitors glanced in my direction (at my surely awkward expression) as I tried desperately to pick my jaw up from the ground.  So, despite the fact that I've been standing on my feet for the majority of the last 11 hours, I'll try and make this post as coherent as possible.  I'll be adding pictures soon, but here are some of the initial highlights (there are many so I'll brake them down by category)

The Booth - Avid's booth takes up an incredible 12,000 Sq. feet of the Las Vegas Convention Center's South Hall.  Only second to Sony's booth.  The center theater, one of the most prominent features of the booth houses the 12' by 36' foot HD display (more than twice the size of Apple's display).  I didn't believe our presenter either until I saw it in person.  There are only three projectors in the world that possess the power and specifications needed to accurately display the HD resolution for a screen of that size.  Avid is running all three.  Intentionally so, Avid has positioned the majority of its key new hardware and software stations and demos (see below) directly opposite Apple's booth, which we are directly adjacent to.

The Announcements - There were honestly no less than 20 product announcements, updates, and revisions.  So bear with me I'll try and place to be what I consider the more ground-breaking and exciting ones first. 

Avid Interplay - What Avid is describing as "The Third Wave" in NLE (Non-Linear Editing) related  technology, and definitely their most touted addition to the Avid family.  Interplay aims to essentially interconnect with every facet and individual of the workflow simultaneously.  The editor's "live" window now living within the traditional editing space, quickly alerts the editor as to who is altering any specific file at any given time.  Over 100 different file types will be able to be updated across Avid systems in real-time.  If someone updates a specific graphic, the updated file will automatically populate itself within the editor's workspace.  Avid even mentioned that if someone attempts to lay down copywriten music, the legal department would know immediately.  Even, dividing a huge logging task amongst a team of interns can now be streamlined to prepare the project for editing in a fraction of the time.  You can even track revisions of any file, or entire projects as well.  Quite honestly, I have to agree (no I'm not just saying that because I'm currently employed by them) Interplay could quite potentially be the next revolutionary breakthrough within the postproduction industry.

At a glance

• smoothly manage the flow of projects
• searching
• archiving
• viewing
• logging
• automatic transcoding
• dual resolution encoding
• intelligent tracking of multi-resolution proxy file
• almost every application works with Interplay

Media Composer Software Edition - For the first time Avid's acclaimed industry standard Media Composer will be available not only as a software based edition, but will be fully HD compliant for Mac and PC, with the ability to harness multicore processing.  Offering real-time HD, SD, and DV performance.  Avid will provide Mac and PC install discs in the same box, they are one of the only remaining companies in the industry to still provide that.

The Tech Demo - After having already heard about the new edition of Media Composer we were privy to an amazing tech demo that took place during Avid's press conference.  An Avid employee running Composer on his G5 Mac on stage illustrated the power of the software through an HD commercial he was editing.  He proceeded to seamlessly composite separate background video, also in HD, of waterfalls behind two actors on the right side of the screen.  Although this process was amazing in and of itself to watch, what he did next was incredible.  He proceeded to take the external hard drive he was using and connect it to his PC laptop, then launch Media Composer only to have it find all of the files and allow him to continue editing exactly where he left off on his mac only minutes before.

At a glance

• Cross platform HD: compliant for Mac and PC
• Multicore processing
• Edit Any Resolution
• Support for DVCPRO, HD, HDV, and real-time HD and SD multicam editing
• Full Screen playback
• Retail: $4,995
• Institutional Price: $295

There are plenty more announcements which I'll continue with tomorrow. 

    We wrapped the day up with the Avid customer event where we were able to meet all of Avid's clients and partners.  I was able to meet some extremely fascinating people.  I was even fortunate enough to chat with "Grey's Anatomy" Edward Ornelas.

    There was so much more that happened today, but if I don't get sleep soon, I may not make it through my long day tomorrow.  I'll definitely be back with more exciting news.  Please feel free and comment and let me know your thoughts.

Best Day Ever

So I realize that the chance to go to the NAB Conference and show and work for Avid is basically a once in a lifetime experience. As Jeremy mentioned, Avid is giving us a HD camera to shoot video with. This is ridiculously amazing. It makes me want to jump through my wall and run a block to the Boston Harbor and jump in. While I'm crazy, I'm simply not that stupid.

Still, there is a day coming up which I am anticipating more so than even this Saturday. That day is May 2nd. The obvious reason would be my last day of college ever, where I get to take a nice final. Yes, that is part of why this day is so phenomenal, but there is a gift being given to the world on that day. May 2nd is the release date of Tool's new Album 10,000 Days.

It has been 5 years since Tool released an album and frankly, my juices are bubbling just thinking about it. I know I'm not the only one who is giddy like a schoolgirl with anticipation for this. Seriously folks, if you have never really given Tool a try, I would recommend it. Their music seems a bit harsh at first, but give it a couple tries and it will grow on you. The write in odd time signatures and switch time signatures in the middle of songs that make them difficult to appreciate at first. When you really give them a few listens, you are handsomely rewarded. You may see more mention of Tool in this blog and the "drip, drip" that has already taken place...but I digress.

Dave
~so good to see you
i've missed you so much

Getting Close

Only a couple days away now from heading to Vegas for the NAB Convention. I couldn't be more excited about this opportunity. From what I can tell, Avid is going to have us working hard, but hey...we are going for free, so it's hard to complain.

Jeremy and I are Emerson College students who will be writing here. We are a kind of odd couple. One of us a bit more straight laced and one a bit off key. I'll let you figure that out on your own, but our commentary should certainly be interesting, as we both love to talk. Come back and see if we can write nearly as well. My guess is no, but it'll be close.

In this blog Jeremy and I will be writing about all the cool gadgets and technology we come across. I worked at Best Buy for a couple years, and let me tell you, I am a technology whore. I love all the new electronics that come out and I am ecstatic about being able to see all this stuff before it comes out. If you are at all interested in what new gear is coming out, make sure to check back here often.

I'm nervous and I'm excited. I don't know what else to say now. I will have plenty to tell you after we arrive Saturday. Please come and visit us and leave us some comments or questions. If you want to know about anything in particular just leave a comment and ask; I'll be happy to answer anything I can or go on a scouting mission for you.

Be back soon...

Dave
~creeping to the keyboard like a phantom

3 Days and Counting...

Hello Everybody,
    This is my first NAB blog entry and I'm going to make it short and sweet.  I am incredibly excited for this amazing opportunity and am counting down the days until Dave Shoolin and I fly out to Vegas on Saturday evening.   I intend to keep all of you blog readers out there as informed as possible...although my daily blogging skills may need some brushing up.
    I really can't tell explain how excited I am for Vegas.  Of course, I am speaking about the National Association of Broadcasters convention, NAB 2006, to be taking place at the Las Vegas Convention Center from this coming Saturday to Thursday.  In addition, with over 1400 media centric companies in attendance, I will have my hands full covering the latest information, to say the least.
    Finally, Avid will be providing us with all of the necessary equipment including a very spiffy JCV HDV camcorder to videocast and podcast from the show floor.  Yeah, I'm still getting over the shock of all of this responsibility as well.  Needles to say, I'll try and keep it together so Dave and I can provide you with the best content possible.  Be sure to check out our blog as often as possible right here at Avid Community Blogs.  The school with the most hits will receive an Avid product donation, so keep the hits coming, tell everybody you know.  Also, our podcast/videocasts will be available from the iTunes Podcast Directory...here's a link anyways though: iTunes Link.  Well that about wraps it up for me right now.. Keep checking back for more updates.