Comedy Writer
Many people don’t realize how hilarious I am and that’s becoming a bit of a problem.
I really just want to be a comedy writer and sit in a conference room with a bunch of hilarious geniuses and laugh all day long. I’d be cashing some fat checks too. Don’t forget about that. I’d be stuffing my mattress with thousand dollar bills.
Every time I joke around with a friend or someone in the office I feel like somebody aught to be jotting this down. They’re just coming to me, these jokes, one after another and each more hilarious than the last.
Maybe it’s the fact that I’m a little understated, too deadpan. My sense of humor is too dry. People don’t get it right away but a few days down the line they’re laughing their fool heads off thinking about some remark I casually let fly. My delivery is to die for. My timing, superb. My connections nil.
I want to be a comedy writer and live in a mansion and eat at Muso & Franks every night and rub tweed elbows with the big shots in Hollywood. I want to call a few shots and break a few hearts and drive a big Caddy around town and not sweat the price of gas. Hey, God, you up there? Isn’t there anything we can do?
Confessions of a Mad Blogger
What have I got to be mad about? Not mad in the sense that I’m angry, mad in the old British sense as in “off my nut” or some such colloquialism.
I was reading one of Kerouac’s later books last night in bed. It was getting late and my mind was fading into dreamland when I came across the ending of a chapter about his early days as a novice writer. To paraphrase, he exclaims, “What’s the sense in writing if you don’t write about the things you want to write about?” And I get that. I really do.
Another one of my favorite writers is Charles Bukowski, a man with a very interesting face who claimed that hard work and an 8 hour days were the toiling of foolish human beings. He also called Kerouac a bad writer and he despised all of my other heroes. But then again, he was poisoned with drink. His mind was most likely in a fog, but oh, what a beautiful fog and it would roll out and onto the paper and some genius found these ramblings and he published them. And one day Bukowski was able to quit his job at the post office. What a beautiful story.
He always talked about the God’s and how they were testing him and how his heroes like John Fante were not spared by the Gods for his death was very painful and drawn out. Who knows, maybe the Gods are reading this right now, wondering what to do with it? Who will read it? Who will like it? Who will think it’s just a bunch of toiling by a foolish human being?
Film to Disc
Film to Disc or file is now very simple and painless due to the ever advancing technology of film and video transfers known as telecine.
What is telecine? Wikipedia defines telecine as “the process of transferring motion picture film into video.” Part of this process is determining the film speed. Most 8mm film that comes through is shot at 18 frames per second. Since video is approximately 30 frames per second, this process involves some quick calculations all done by the computer. Of course we do from time to time get other speeds and we do adjust for them.
It is also possible to adjust color and exposure to maximize and preserve the pristine beauty inherent in film. I’ve seen millions of hours of VHS and other tape and nothing compares to those old home movies for beauty and brilliance. The films was very short so the camera men and women of yester year tended to only capture the very best moments, unlike a lot of amateur photographers who just let the tape roll and roll today.
We also offer HD file transfers for the same rate of $3/per minute of footage. For more info or to bring your footage in, please see the address and contact info here.
Film to Video
Many places do film transfers now but if high quality is important to you, Advanced Media is a very good option.
We are now offering files in full HD which means 1080i. A lot of people are very curious as to how these transfers are done. The telecine process involves transferring your footage to HD files or DVD, whatever your choice. We also offer Bluray discs for the modern consumer.
Part of the process is figuring out your frame speed, that is, how many frames per second pass through the projector. This is key because the process also involves taking your film which may be 16 o 18 frames per second and converting it to video which is approximately 30 frames per second. Our machine does utilize an HD camera, a projector and a computer.
It is a 3 step process. The film is cleaned and prepped and each reel runs one at a time. The transfer is done next and then the processing. It is an involved process with a qualified technician who is present throughout, overseeing every aspect from start to finish. If you have any more questions about the process, please feel free to contact us here. (323) 469-0707
Groupon Deals
You may be aware that we are now working with Groupon to bring you incredible discounts and savings on our most popular services.
We’re announcing our 3rd deal on the 19th and the jist of it is that you get 50% off of your media transfers. We transfer from tape to digital formats such as DVD or file. We’re also now including HD file transfers from Super8 and 8mm film. This is a very high quality file that you can edit or simply archive for future generations.
We believe that your footage should be preserved for future generations because family history is very important. These memories captured on film and video can give a future generation insight into where they come from which will help them figure out where they are going. So check us out on Groupon. For more information please contact us here.
Giving It Away
Get Started!
My philosophy regarding knowledge is that it should be given away freely and shared widely with whoever asks for it. But that’s the key. You must ask.
I bring this philosophy into my work. Ask me anything regarding media and or transfers and I’ll tell you the answer. Obviously you could Google your question too but I may be of some kind of help with your problem because odds are I or someone online has had the same problem you have. In fact I have never gone to the Internet with a simple question and not found some kind of answer. Of course it might take some digging but there’s just a wealth of information out there waiting to be examined.
So feel free to ask me, how do I do this or that or what program do I use to create DVDs or how do I rip a disc and or make files to upload to YouTube. I’m here to help. Of course part of the business is having the knowledge and being able to share it with our customers. We are not stingy. No, you will find that we’re all quite a friendly and knowledgeable staff ready to help you solve your latest media crisis. For more information, please contact us here.
Friends I Can’t Wait to Meet
The Emailer
I was reading a blog recently written by a very successful businessman with an interesting perspective on relationships and business. It helped me to see things differently in my own life.
The blog chronicled his rise to the top starting from a college course he took at Cal Berkeley. He basically said that his life was about posting his work, in his case music, online and sharing it with others. From time to time he would come across other people’s work that he found inspiring and he would contact them. In this way he would develop long lasting relationships via email that sometimes led to real friendships and business contacts.
I’ve never been a schmoozer. I always felt that there was something so fake about it. Up until now I’ve been very particular about the company I kept. Now, my criteria is changing. This little piece of writing has really changed the way I see things. I worry too much about monetary stuff and the fact is, things have always worked out for me in that respect. I need to really start concentrating on the big picture stuff. I want to think about creating new videos online and contributing to the world. I’ve been a spectator too long. This blog is perhaps a little on the introspective side and not all that informative. But that’s just how I’m feeling today.
Recently I have seen some incredible work in the field of video. It’s at time daunting and at other times it makes me feel good to know that this is something that I can do. It’s not beyond my means. For more information please contact us here.
Film Transfer Pricing
From time to time I will hear from a customer that $3/minute seems like a lot to pay for film transfers even if they are high quality, HD files.
It is then required that I give a brief description of the process which can be very arduous and trying at times. A lot of this depends on the condition of the film as far as the level of difficulty. Sometimes, it all goes off without a hitch. The film has been stored properly and it’s just an easy breezy process from start to finish. More often than not, this is not the case.
Many reels of film do not have a leader. Without that, you may lose the first couple seconds of your film. The process of splicing on leader is not always that easy. Super8 is a little easier. It’s just one of those things that for some reason or other it’s hard to do with the antiquated tools which are still the modern standard for splicing 8mm film. The smaller the film, the harder it is to get the sprockets to line up.
Sometimes the film is on the reel backwards. You may see people walking backwards or it may have just been put back on the reel backwards so the sprockets are on the wrong side and won’t feed through the projector.
The technician, (sometimes I do this work as well) also has to watch the film at as it plays. He cannot step away for any length of time because if the film becomes jammed, it can be ruined if someone’s not there to stop the projector from force feeding the film. Also, film is extremely brittle and it can snap or get caught and break very easily making more splicing necessary.
There is also reel change time which we do not charge for. Each of the smaller 50 foot reels is approximately 3 minutes. So just to get that set up is another few minutes of work.
So trust me when I say that $3/minute is actually a very reasonable price to pay for HD files. And remember we can also offer DVDs if you would like them. Keep in mind, DVD is a Standard Definition format. For more information, please give us a call.
1″ Reel to Reel Video
Once in a blue moon a client calls about this very rare video format known as 1” reel to reel video.
The name kind of describes this format very well. Much like ¼” audio reel to reel, it’s a circular roll of video tape that is not encased in housing like VHS or other tape formats are. Because of that fact, it can be difficult to work with. However, as professionals we take the greatest care with your media and treat it as if it was our own.
The customer here has a choice of transferring to footage to computer files or to DVD. I recommend files if you would like to edit and the DVD is good if you just like to watch. Either are pretty good if you’re looking to archive or store you media and get it off of this now antiquated format.
You wouldn’t believe it but the machine is very large and cumbersome. It’s about the size of a small refrigerator. The cost is $100/hr for these types of transfers because it is a very specialized format.
Another rare format that is sometimes mistook for 1” is ½” reel to reel video. So get out your measuring tape if you want to know for sure. We do not have a ½” reel to reel machine. This is a notoriously finicky format. For more information on 1” reel to reel transfers to DVD or file, please contact us here.
Tell Us Your Story
Tell Us Your Story
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Please share with us cool projects you are working on. It could be anything – a trip, a movie, an event or a worthy charity. We would like to share it with our community on upcoming letters. If interested, please provide a link so that we can help spread the word.
We are a community-based company and we believe that nothing is better than connecting people together with causes and projects they believe in and are passionate about.
We look forward to hearing from you.
For submitting your project, please Click Here, or go to our Contact Page.
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Protecting Your Valuable Memories
Back up your really important media frequently.
Generally, most of us have 2 types of media (files) that need to be protected:
- Extremely valuable and often used files (these could be your job contracts, music you made and your art projects) – these files need to be backed up frequently. We recommend that you keep a separate hard drive, where you back up your files every 2-3 weeks, and store it in a safe or a secure location. Could is ok too, but keep in mind that the cloud can be breached and your personal info compromised.
- Extremely valuable and rarely used files (these are files that are very important, and are not used often, such as your wedding videos, family history and irreplaceable files) – while we recommend that these files be treated with the same level of care, for many of us it is simply cost prohibitive and impractical. The most practical solution is to store your drives in a safe and secure place.
What is important for us to get across is that we have shifted as a society from a tangible (physical) storage media (tapes, discs, paper) to a virtual one (files and the cloud). In the age of virtual media it is very important to remember the two main potential risks:
1. Your files can be deleted and your drive can permanently crash. It is far more common than most of us would imagine.
2. Your information can be compromised on the cloud, as well as deleted, stolen or distributed. Just think “WikiLeaks”.
Please contact us at Advanced Media when you are ready to address your media protection needs, or call us at (323) 469 0707
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3/4” U-matic Transfers
One of the most common specialty formats we transfer to DVD or file is 3/4” tape, also known as U-matic or ‘three-quarter-inch’.
It’s a pretty large tape format, much bigger generally than a VHS tape which utilizes ½” tape. It was produced in 1971 for consumer use, this format actually failed here but saw a lot of success on the commercial side of things. In the 1970’s the format was utilized for broadcast television. That’s why most of my customers who still retain these types of tape were either actors or industry professionals seeking to revamp their reel or to backup the tapes which do deteriorate over time
In fact, this type of tape is one of the most problematic formats. Perhaps it’s because of it’s age. It is a higher quality format than say VHS but it does tend to deteriorate. I have seen many many tapes that no longer play or get stuck in the machine. Tapes that may have only been played once. Then again, I also see pristine tapes from the 70’s come through here without a problem.
The main decision you want to make is whether to go to digital file or DVD. That really depends on your use. If you want to store the file, either way is fine. If you want to watch it I recommend the DVD. If you want to edit the footage or incorporate it into your reel or some other compilation, the file is the way to go in which case you’ll require a storage device such as a thumb drive or hard drive depending on running time. I can even help you upload a file to the web to share with friends or colleagues. As always, please feel free to contact us with any questions you might have regarding 3/4” tape or any other formats.
Always Be Learning
If salesmen should always be closing, then perhaps media types should take on the motto “Always be learning.”
A little over 4 years ago I applied for an internship online. A few months later it turned into a paid gig. I had been out of the film industry for a solid 10 years and everything had changed. I didn’t know much about computers and my technical knowledge was extremely limited. I was faced with the daunting task of learning an incredible amount of strange knowledge and skills. Or I could give up and try my hand at some other line of work.
Around the second week of the internship I was extremely frustrated with some piece of equipment that wasn’t working properly and as I took my lunch break I pondered the idea of simply cutting my losses and going back to the drawing board. I was pretty close to just taking off but a little voice inside me said, “stay.” So I listened and I’m glad that I did.
I haven’t always been the type to soak up knowledge like a sponge. That’s not really who I have ever been. I have to work at it. If someone asks me something my gut reaction has always been, “No,” or “Not interested,” because somehow the idea of participating in life seems unbearable at times. So just like that inspiring Jim Carrey film Yes Man, I’m saying yes to life and to the people in it. I have found there are tremendous benefits to the simple motto, “Always be learning.”
It’s been a crazy road with many trying moments in the work place when I just want to give up. But because I’ve just learned a bit here and a bit there over a decent period, now I’m a professional demo reel editor and all kinds of industry professionals give me compliments on my skills. I feel that the road is narrowing but I’m learning a bit more each day on my journey to who knows where.
8mm Film Transfers: Framing
One very interesting fact about 8mm and Super8 transfers that most people don’t realize is that when the transfer process happens, the framing of the picture actually cuts off some of the picture on the left and right hand side.
Part of the transfer tech’s job is to position the 16×9 box within the film to create an effect that leaves clean edges. That’s why the cutting occurs. The top is intact.
The HD footage is 16×9 so the aspect ratio dictates the shape of the box that is visible. Everyone I’ve spoken to about this says that people don’t want to see the messy edge-work with the sprocket holes but I think I might be inclined to get my own film done that way. I had my Super8 footage transferred professionally a few years back and I’m considering re-doing it myself here to get the entire picture. Then I can make the final decision if I want to in editing. That way I have more control.
I realize of course that most people don’t have access to editing equipment or have the interest to even take on such a task and that over half of my customers prefer a DVD to the HD files. And to these customers, I’m sure that they just want a nice, clean finished product with no ragged edges. I understand that.
For more information on 8mm film transfers, please contact us at here.
Frame Rates Simplified
You may be aware that different media types such as video and film have different frame rates. But did you know that even within video, there are several “native” frame rates and the same is true for film.
For instance, 8mm film is generally 16FPS (frames per second) and Super8 tends to be 18FPS. These slower frame rates give a very cool, old time look that some people really like. Of course now days, these frame rates have all but disappeared. Old school cameras that shoot on VHS and Hi8 formats tend to be 29.97FPS and motion pictures shot on film tend to be 24FPS. Some other video formats have a frame rate of 23.98 to approximate the film look. Of course the recent addition of the Hobbit to the Peter Jackson cannon of work has now shown us 48FPS. Anybody notice?
European formats known as PAL have a frame rate of 25FPS. To the trained eye, film has it’s own look and video does as well. We’re also seeing 50FPS and 60FPS which tend to be interlaced formats. But what does this all mean to you? It’s really just a little background info for the curious customer. The human eye is actually able to perceive 10 to 12 separate images per second. For more information, please feel free to contact us.
