this afternoon, i braved the line at the RED booth. someone at apple told me that they were
screening some test footage that peter jackson shot in new zealand.


he shot a 12 minute war short with the red camera in 2 days in new zealand. for "test footage", it's pretty
impressive. im still not a full bore digital convert; i still believe that film offers you something that digital can't
yet, but i believe peter jackson has now made the switch. 4K is getting there...


i have no idea what this is.


because we showed up later today, the apple theatre was already packed.


i got in on the wait list for another couple training classes. these ones were in motion and "color";
the new color grading suite independent of final cut. extremely impressive.


jamie and i left somewhat early to make sure we made it to the venetian hotel early enough to
get good seats at the final cut pro user group super meet.


we were too early to get in, so after registration, i went lurking about the hotel for a bite.


this place also has a fake sky and is designed to somewhat resemble venice.


when i got back upstairs, the meeting had picked up a bit.


for a gathering of nerds who are stoked on a particular piece of software, this is fucking impressive. a ballroom at the venetian?!


some dudes from apple showed up an demo'd some features that werent mentioned at NAB.


this is color.


the guys from RED also showed up.


at last, walter murch steps out. this is the camera that was used to shoot "youth without youth";
the new movie by francis ford coppola that murch edited.


this is a shot of murch's editing desk. his process is extremely interesting. he takes
a very kinetic approach to the art; he edits standing up, as a composer would conduct
a symphony, as a cook would prepare a meal or a surgeon perform a surgery. he cuts according
to visual rhythm, exactly as a composer would. if the violins don't come in on time, the
piece is ruined; if a person walks into frame at the wrong time, the shot or the rhythm
of the shot is ruined also. perhaps this is obvious to some...


his notes.


his personalized storyboards that he creates himself after the footage has been shot.
he sometimes takes as many as 27 pictures from any given shot.


continuing his kinetic approach, he prepares these standing storyline displays all
by hand. each note-card is velcro backed and serves to give him a physical layout of the
story at hand. the diamond shape pieces represent a pivotal scene that causes a shift in the plot.


francis ford coppola; another man who has made the switch to digital.


after his speech, he made another. this speech was philosophy driven and i couldn't
even attempt to touch on the depth of it. but in the end, it did relate to
editing / filmmaking and was quite profound.


i wasn't able to capture anything of essence really, or of any importance, but here is the man talking.


after his speeches, he pulled tickets for the epic FCPUG raffle


more than $50,000 in prizes.


lucky bastard jamie won the lowell light kit.