Documentary filmmaker Jehane Noujaim (The Control Room) and TED, the invite-only Technology, Entertainment and Design conference held annually in Monterey, California, are teaming up together for something called Pangea Day, and asking professional and amateur filmmakers around the world to submit short pieces for a world-wide film festival with the lofty goal of building bridges between cultures. The films will be screened in a four-hour presentation in cities around the world and online on May 10, 2008 — Pangea Day.
How to produce and submit your short film:
Pangea Day films are meant to be visual stories, ones that can be understood despite language barriers, and therefore should not rely on dialogue. If dialogue is required, Pangea Day organizers are asking that videos have English subtitles so that all films can be translated. In order to show as many videos as possible, submissions must be 5 minutes or less.
A panel of jurors, led by Noujaim and other renowned members of the film community, will review all submissions and select the winning films to be screened on Pangea Day.
EngageMedia.org has published a lengthy, detailed report on Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) video codecs and players. According to the site, “It is a review of available tools for the creation, playback and embedding of online video using FOSS codecs, and a look at the most pressing areas for development to enhance their adoption by social change video projects on the web.”
Non-FOSS codecs and players are plagued by patent issues and proprietary technologies that can inhibit usability and affordability for many video makers. According to the report, as media become further democratized, it’s important that the tools we use do not become locked down and owned exclusively by a small number of technology corporations. This report lays it all out and offers some best practices for video content creators. What follows is an excerpt from the report that focuses on some specific technology recommendations…
The use of two FOSS video and audio codec combinations are recommended:
Xvid/LAME Use of the Xvid codec for video and LAME codec for audio in the medium term as both codecs are well developed and generally well supported but are encumbered with patent issues that mean they may be plagued with legal issues into the future.
Ogg Theora/Vorbis Use of the Ogg format, Theora video codec and Vorbis audio codec as they are patent-free technologies that have seen great improvements in usability and the number and quality of tools available to create and play them is increasing.
There are many good FOSS players of both Xvid/LAME and Ogg Theora/Vorbis available, some more suitable for certain purposes than others. However the recommendation is that Transmission projects promote the use of one player application primarily, VLC, in order to share documentation and training resources more easily by adopting the same software:
VLC Use VLC as it is highly-developed FOSS media player for FOSS codecs available on all platforms.
The following transcoders are recommended to create Ogg Theora/Vorbis video files:
MediaCoder (Windows) Use MediaCoder as it is a very usable and highly-configurable FOSS transcoding application with good presets.
Simple Theora Encoder (Mac) Use Simple Theora Encoder as it is a very easy-to-use FOSS application for creating Ogg files with presets and configurability.
Ogg Convert (Linux) Use Ogg Convert as it is a very simple and usable FOSS application to create Ogg files amongst others.
The following transcoders are recommended to create Xvid/LAME video files:
MediaCoder (Windows) Use MediaCoder as it is a very usable and highly-configurable FOSS transcoding application with good presets.
Avidemux (Linux) Use Avidemux, an easy yet configurable FOSS transcoding application with good presets.
FfmpegX (Mac) Use FfmpegX as it is an simple yet configurable Shareware transcoding GUI application built on FOSS transcoding software.
ffmpeg2theora Install the FOSS ffmpeg2theora on the server to create Ogg Theora/Vorbis files automatically for the user, that can then be played back in the browser with other FOSS technologies
Mencoder Install the FOSS Mencoder on the server to create Xvid/LAME files automatically for the user where appropriate, for download. Alternatively use this to transcode to Flash video for playback in the browser using FOSS technologies.
At the very least this is a solid example of a D.I.Y. alternative to what tends to be an overly expensive production tool if purchased through say….B&H. While it’s easy to question the mobility and durability of the end-product you gotta dig the spirit behind the project…
Burlington filmmaker Nate Beaman has been shooting a bunch of short films with local filmmakers on his tricked-out Panasonic HVX200. He collaborated with VCAM Production Manager Bill Simmon on a short documentary called Digital Pamphleteer, which recently won the Goldstone Award at the Vermont International Film Festival. He also recently shot three short films for Vermont filmmaker Michael Fisher. These films and Nate’s rig are featured on the Redrock Micro cinema accessories website. Nate is Redrock’s “featured filmmaker.” Nate uses a Redrock-manufactured lens adaptor that allows him to use 35mm prime lenses on his Panasonic HVX200 HD camera. The result is an astoundingly shallow depth of field that accentuates the camera’s already very film-like look. Our congratulations go out to Nate for the recognition.
To see the films Nate shot for Michael Fisher and to read all about his set-up, check out the Redrock profile. Bill’s film, Digital Pamphleteer, will go online in a month or two and we’ll link to it here when it does. Stay tuned.
As we are being treated this week to a string of warmer-than-average weather here in Vermont, VCAMers are brainstorming new ways to enjoy the beautiful outdoors while maintaining our healthy dose of movie watching. With winter steadily galloping over the horizon VCAM is sounding the call: DIY’ers unite!
With just a few tools and a projection-friendly exterior wall anybody can create their own drive-in theater. For a tutorial on how to set up your own drive-in visit MobMov.org.
For a more eco-friendly approach to outdoor movie-going, watch this video on a bike-in theater hosted by Public Access Television in Iowa City. See you in the great outdoors!
