New Software Teaser! Store-N-Share

Here's a quick teaser of our upcoming Store-N-Share Software


-Use Store and Share to allow your external harddrives to handle project data as if you were using the internal drive.
-Store and Share allows you to switch between using your internal drive or external drive in the Project Settings menu.
-Hard drives formatted for Store and Share use can be used between different Bogart systems.
-Set up different project environments on Store and Share so your external drive could have more than 30 projects in use.
-Store and Share has it's own initialization function to format your harddrives. The Linux based format used can allow the external drive to function with all of the Bogart backup functions (HD Bogart Backup, Storyboard Backups, etc.)

*Store and Share must have Bogart 3.1 or higher to run.




This is a big time saver, and allows for some pretty ingenious resource management.

Want to see Store-N-Share in action? Come visit us at NAB, we'll be showing this and more!

Dealer Profile - Hughes Pictures

Check out Hughes Pictures - Not only are they a dealer, but they create, produce and sell some pretty cool content. They have a Reality TV show, have done Music Video's with big name bands, done feature length movies, and provide great service to their customers. I've heard several good things from their School and Church customers!



Check them out at http://www.avio-kron.com/

Video Storytelling Principles DVD

Here's a little teaser from one of our Dealer and Users - Hughes Productions. They've been making all kinds of shows and video's over the years. Music Video's from big name acts to Reality TV shows and everything in the middle. Some of the topics covered include -
* Introduction * Tripods
* Video Storytelling * Lighting
* Making a Video * Microphones
* Camera moves * Green Screen
* Camera Tips * Crossing the Line

Check them out here - www.avio-kron.com

Morning at Home

Since I'm not working today, I thought I'd post some non-work related content.
Anyone who knows can tell you a few things that are universally true. I love my Family, I love Mountain Biking, I love a good meal, and I love good coffee.

On to this morning's helpful tip.

Step One - buy yourself some great fresh coffee. I recommend getting some coffee from rocky mountain roastery, they bring in the best beans they can find and then roast them in house as needed (Super Fresh). http://www.rockymountainroastery.com/



Step Two - Grind baby Grind
Get yourself a nice Bur Grinder... it makes as big of a difference as the beans themselves. Seriously - this may be the most important part as the grinder is what shapes the "ground" bean into a form that allows for extraction into the drink we know as coffee.



Step Three - Brew
I like my Cuisinart as it's not the most expensive, but is extremely consistent. This is important so that you can experiment and get down a volume, strength, and ratio that will suite your taste.
This Cuisinart is also super insulated, so it doesn't require as much heat from the heating element. This is important as re-heating and over heating results in a tinny/ bitter taste.
Mine happens to have a built in Burr Grinder... but most do not.














I store my ready to use coffee in an air tight container for beans I'll use within a week or so - anything longer and I store it in a freezer-burn-proof bag surrounding the original packaging.
The refrigerator is a NO-NO! The beans will pickup fragrances from other foods and such.

Enjoy!

Snow Day

It's a snow day here at MacroSystem, or rather NOT t MacroSystem (we're all at home today)... Mother Nature gave us a healthy portion of snow overnight - 2 feet - and it's still coming down hard. Don't expect anyone to pick up the phones because we won't be there.
Got to love Spring in Colorado!

Now I just need to figure out how to get up to the ski slopes without my boss getting mad. Maybe if I take some video with my helmet cam...

Casablanca Expert Workshops

Let's say you buy a tool that's not only pretty nifty, but it's incredibly powerful. Let's say you are a business and this tool is at the core of the production of your product. Wouldn't you want to get everything out of this tool that you could? Wouldn't you invest in training and knowledge transfer for this tool? Since your investments and purchases are all ROI based - aren't you looking for ways to maximize that ROI?

Your Casablanca is a tool to help you produce your product more efficiently and more effectively. It's built to have the highest ROI possible for the small business owner. Education will help you maximize this ROI - this is true of any complex tool you purchase and it's true of the Casablanca line.

Education is the single best way to increase ROI and Profitability in any business - so check out these workshops designed to help you increase your ROI and Profitability. Chet Davis has a gift for education and he puts on some great workshops in easy to get to locations around the country.




Casablanca Hands-on Intermediate Workshop
Pennsylvania/New Jersey (Westampton, NJ)
Tuesday-Wednesday April 6-7, 2010
http://philly2010.eventbrite.com/

Casablanca Hands-on Intermediate Workshop
Boston, Massachusetts
Thursday-Friday April 8-9, 2010
http://boston2010.eventbrite.com/

Casablanca Hands-on Intermediate Workshop
Buena Park, California
Tuesday-Wednesday April 27-28, 2010
http://southernca.eventbrite.com/

Casablanca Hands-on Workshop
SF Bay Area, California
Wednesday-Thursday May 5-6, 2010
http://norcal2010.eventbrite.com/

Casablanca Hands-on Advanced Workshop
Dallas, Texas
Sunday-Monday May 18-19, 2010
Online Details & Registration to be posted

Casablanca Hands-on Workshop
Metro Atlanta, Georgia
Sunday-Monday July 11-12, 2010
http://atlanta2010.eventbrite.com/

Be a Speaker at WEVA!!

We've got some incredible talent out there in the Cassie Family of Users. Anyone want to speak at WEVA?



Call For WEVA EXPO 2010 Speaker Proposals - Deadline March 30


Sarasota, FL - Are you doing wedding & event video/DSLR creativity or marketing that’s unique and different? Share your knowledge and skills, get recognized worldwide - be a Featured Presenter at the WEVA 20th-Year Wedding & Event Video Expo August 23-26, 2010 at Walt Disney World in Orlando, FL. It’s the biggest convention and trade show for anyone involved in (or wanting to work in) professional wedding and event video. Enter your WEVA EXPO 2010 topic proposal(s) NOW! – click here: http://www.weva.com/proposals

Quick & Easy

"WEVA EXPO 2010 is open to all -- and the WEVA online proposal form makes it quick and simple to enter your topic proposal(s)," said John Zale, WEVA’s Director of Educational Development. Go to http://www.weva.com/proposals and create your own personal log-in account. Then just follow the prompts. You can submit more than one topic proposal. Just create a separate login for each proposed topic."

You don't have to enter all your information in one visit. The WEVA EXPO 2010 Proposal Form automatically saves your text until you are ready to add more text or ready to submit your proposal(s) in final form. Whenever you log-in you will automatically be placed at the point where you left off.

What Topics to Enter?

"You may propose topic(s) relating to ANY aspect of the production and business sides of professional wedding video, event video/DSLR HD filmmaking, and professional DSLR photography, including: camerawork, digital cinema, editing, marketing, selling, business administration, HD topics, new techniques and creativity, recitals, Blu-ray authoring, special events, workflow, IT video issues, audio, business add-ons, graphics/titles, software-specific workshops, special event marketing, corporate video, DVD authoring (production, packaging, etc.), lighting, Internet marketing, 'Camera Clinic' topics, and more," Zale said. Enter your topic(s) now. Deadline for all topic entries is March 30, 2010.

WEVA - Registration Info

Registration isn't open yet - but here's some early bird details


WEVA 20th Annual Wedding & Event Video Expo Heads to Disney World
January 18, 2010

Sarasota, FL - Discover the new magic in digital wedding and event cinema this summer! Mark your calendar and plan now to attend. Open to all, our industry’s special 20th-year Wedding & Event Video Expo will be presented by WEVA International August 23-26, 2010 at Walt Disney World in Orlando, FL.

An industry milestone event, the WEVA EXPO 2010 international convention and trade show will be held at The Dolphin Resort in the renown Swan and Dolphin Resort complex next to the Disney Boardwalk in Walt Disney World.

Discounted guest room rates for all WEVA attendees at The Dolphin Resort will be just $99/night (single or double occupancy). Parking will be free for all registered WEVA guests. And there are no additional charges for in-room high-speed Internet access or resort fees. The discount rate also includes free Dolphin Health Club access, plus more. And, all registered WEVA guests will have complimentary access to the adjacent Swan Resort pools and facilities as well.
The special guest room rate is valid for 4 days before and 3 three days after WEVA EXPO 2010. Reservations for WEVA guests have already opened. Make your guest room reservations now. More EXPO news will be posted soon. Save the dates - August 23-26 - for the WEVA 20th Annual Wedding & Event Video Expo at Walt Disney World!

OT - Boulder Weather

Really?

The last couple of days we've all been coming into the office in shorts and t-shirts. High 60's here in Boulder, CO. Primo weather for being outside! We were even considering breaking out the grill for lunches. Yes - we have a webber charcoal grill next to the warehouse dock. Yes, it's awesome. Yes, I'll grill for you if you come visit.

Anyway - we've got 6 inches of snow already (noon) and it's coming down even harder. Webber dreams are fading fast.

Ok - I'm done complaining now. Back to work.

MacroSystem at NAB 2010

MacroSystem attending NAB

-Meet the Company Executive Leadership!
-Get a Free Expo Pass!
-Free Food!
-Free Drinks!
-Appointments Recommended!


Join MacroSystem at 2010 edition of the NAB exhibition! Once again we've reserved a Suite at the Hilton Grand Vacation hotel to host our guests in style.

We look forward to meeting with Customers, Dealers, Partners - and anyone else who might be in attendance. At the Suite you can expect to meet with Eric Kloor (MSUS CEO), Jorg Sprave (MSDE CEO), and Philip Bice (MSUS VP Sales & Marketing). The Suite will be stocked with food, goodies, treats, beverages, and good times.

Even more exciting? We'll be showing off some top secret projects! That's right, never before seen tech!

eMail MacroSystem at marketing@macrosystem.us with your contact info (Name, Phone, eMail, Street Address) and we'll hook you up with a free expo pass for April 12-15th.


Some quick fun facts about NAB
-More than 85,000 audio, video and film content professionals
-157 countries represented
-$30 billion in purchasing power
-500+ conference and training sessions
-1,500+ exhibiting companies and 800,000+ net square feet of exhibit space
-1,300+ members of the press
-82 years of industry leadership

What Would You Do with 1,000 FPS?

I'm sure a few of you have seen these Phantom Camera's in the past... but I love all the fun stuff people cook up with em!

what you would you do with 1 thousand frames per second?

MGT 2010

I had a great time at MGT 2010, thanks to all that attended, spoke to me, and had feedback for us to bring back to MSUS here in Boulder, CO. If all MGT's are like this, it's a pretty incredible event. It's truely rare that you can get a 5x ROI on attending an event - and everyone's ticket was payed for through increased knowledge on the first day. Incredible.

Of Course, in true roadtrip fashion - all of my pictures have been destroyed by my laptop. Hard drive failure - AGAIN.


Thanks Apple. FAIL.


Jim has already announced he's booked the same hotel and space for 2011 - and in my humble opinion he's made the right choice.

Great Job Jim! I'll be there next year!

MGT - Monday Evening

Wow - Really Great stuff today!

Got to meet some very good people today - many of whom have been involved with Casablanca Products for 10+ years.

Chet Davis gave a great overview of our software releases from the past 12 months as well as SE9 and Bogart 3 releases.


I'm really looking forward to Tuesday and our product roundtable!

MGT - Monday Morning

March 7th - Traveling to MGT 2010.

Delayed Flights,
Missing Rental Car,
Heavy Fog,
Icy Streets,
Car Accident,
Broken Laptop,
Heartburn Inducing Apple Juice


March 8th - Day one of MGT 2010.

8am and I'm already meeting some pretty interesting people and the show I'm really looking forward to the events this week!

Bogart 3 Teaser

Hello all! I've just taken a sneak peak of Bogart 3 in our Beta Testing Lab... it's looking pretty good!

Here's a quick teaser of things to come,
*-Many new changes and enhancements to audio editing especially when using the Timeline display.
*-Audio rendering is only needed for effects. Other audio mixing will not need any rendering!
*-Pre pre-mixing is now possible! You can edit on top of an unlocked track of audio without having to delete the sample.
*-A new display mode has been added during playback of the storyboard which allows you to see relevant scene names, effect names, and images.
*-A project can now be copied to a different and empty project!
-In addition to 1440x1080, HD resolutions 1920x1080 and 1280x720 are now also supported
-It is now possible to record HDV and AVCHD in SD projects and to record DV in HD projects. If necessary, everything will be converted while recording.
-When importing via USB, it is now possible to read several other formats in addition to AVCHD in the Bogart Recording menu.
-Photo and time-lapse recordings are now also possible for HD projects

High School Broadcast Journalism Project

If you haven't seen these guys in action, you're missing out!

Try getting bouncing around their site and you'll find tutorials, scholarships, forums, and all kinds of helpful stuff!

http://hsbj.org/

Eric's Top Three List of Famous but Unnameable Casablanca Owners

1. A certain heavyweight boxer.
2. The father of a wildly successful and creative film director.
3. An NFL player of renown.

Yeah ... it's one of those 'if we told you, bullets may fly' type of situations. And we're not sure a boxer, tackler, or a director's dad's accolades would further sales that much more ... but it's cool to have these owners/users.

March Get Together

Next week Philip Bice, MacroSystem US's illustrious VP of Sales and Marketing will be at the Annual March Get Together in Davenport, IA.

What's the March Get Together? it's the largest User Conference for MacroSystem products in the country. It's organized, driven by, and created by users! Did I mention that we love our users?

What is Philip doing there? Well, he's new - so he's got to introduce himself to the masses at some point. He's also going to talk about some of the things that the company will be doing differently moving forward (communication and internet might be hot topics). On Tuesday morning, Phil will moderate a Product Roundtable where users who are dependent upon MacroSystem products for their income will weigh in with their biggest desires and needs. In addition, Phil will also be conducting interviews with end users on video - and then using this video in MSUS marketing materials.

Time for a Poll!!

Did I mention that we really like our customers? If you're cool enough to have found this gem-of-a-blog, then please take part in our poll.

I know it's not hard to figure out - but please rate the level of importance for the corresponding efforts. Want to see something added? Have something to contribute (in depth)? eMail us at suggestions@macrosystem.us

Macrosystem.US

Yup, we're blogging. We're bloggers. We Blog.

Glad to see that you've found us here on the internet... on our little corner in the vast series of tubes you'll find some company news, learn about video editing best practices, read about some industry news, and find some content to help all you editors out there!

Now, on to the blogging...