Whatever happened to ShootingPeople? This question was sparked off by Scriptmonster's latest blog.

A simple email digest, that then grew and grew, it used to be required reading. I used it to develop services, learn, network, crew shoots... But somehow it fell behind the curve.

I realised how clunky it was once I came across forums. As soon as you get used to things like - hey, people replying in near-real time - threads of conversations (not strained day-late replies), chat, private messaging... the whole deal, suddenly a daily email digest seems like a system designed in the age of steam. And they're still at it.

Back in the day there was a debate about setting up a forum. The owners / moderators refused. Real filmmakers are too busy to waste time on fora, or some such argument. One brave soul set up a forum with nil support, and without being allowed to post about it. It failed (as far as a I know - I can't even remember the name of it now).

I put a post on there about a year ago - I needed an 'attractive woman' to play the part of someone getting married. That was considered offensive and I wasn't allowed to post 'attractive' (I kid you not).

Without the 'attractive' the post went ahead and I got millions of replies. Including one from an Italian male, who couldn't speak English and who wasn't based in the UK. This was for a one-day shoot. I was curious, so I asked him (via Babelfish) why the hell he thought it was a good idea to waste my time - oh, I'm thinking of moving to london in a few years and thought I should build up some contacts....

We also got some good replies - but the sheer effort of wading through them, including about half that were wildly inappropriate, plus more that came three days late (those who don't pay for the service), plus more from agencies who then spam you for ever more...

That's why I don't use or read Shooting People any more. About time to cancel my subscription, methinks. It's a shame - I have a real affection for a service that was a strong part of my development in video. But it just didn't keep up.

meanwhile, the latest on the Mac Vvs PC wars...

They are both good and bad for different things. Both have their frustrations and their joys, and we couldn't live without them. Doesn't mean that the PC "let's cobble it together from a bunch of junk" and the Mac "let's get smug" approaches don't grate...

Hello to a new camera - Sony EX1

Exciting times in planet video. New editing system. New camera. New clients.

But let's start with new camera.

I have used the Sony EX1 camera three times in anger now, and I have only had it four days, so it's been a bit of a rush getting up to speed enough with it to feel secure enough to use it for serious jobs. That they were event filming jobs, adds to the pressure... as we all know - there is no second take. *

There is a huge buzz about the camera, and has been for a while since it came out. It uses Sony's SxS cards, there's no tape, and it leaps a couple of format levels from standard definition video - not just HDV but a higher type of High Definition called XDCAM.

There were three major issues (and this isn't going to be a 'review' as such - just my first impressions)

- getting to know the camera well enough (which would be the same for any new camera)
- getting to grips with a tapeless workflow
- switching from PC to Mac

The first is not as huge as it might seem, given that my previous main camera was also a Sony and this one is set up within the same paradigm, with a set of modifications that are interesting and useful, rather than irritating. Most of the keys you want are outside rather than buried in a menu. Not a standard layout (that would be asking too much of Sony), but one that is learnable perfectly easily.

If I didn't think I'd be comfortable with it, I wouldn't have used the camera - event stuff is way too demanding for that.

Knowing that there simply are not any tapes, never were any tapes, never will be... "Er, so what about my fail-safe archive?" is the first question that will occur to any camera operator, editor or producer (or, all three if you're like me). It's a breathless moment for anyone involved in video. It's a jump that happened has simultaneously (just about) with consumers and with professionals, and it's a huge liberation as well as a huge worry.

I'm fine with setting up a good data back up system, and am paranoid enough to know that only two external and one internal copy of the data is enough. However, a new format means new applications, making sure they work, that the workflow is clear and foolproof...

Actually the stakes are no higher than they were with tape, but they do feel dramatically more scary.

It doesn't help to think it through logically. After all, if a tape failed that's all the footage lost. If a unique copy of the data fails, that's all the footage lost. The only safe way to archive tape is to copy to tape or capture to data. The only way to safely archive data is to copy. Plus ca change. But still that cliff-edge feeling is there.

And what about that strange third reason - surely that has nothing to do with the camera, you might have thought. Well, there were a number of (obvious) reasons for the (partial) switch to Mac, but the clincher was the EX1, which I know might seem bizarre. Basically Final Cut Pro handles XDCAM well, and Premiere (my PC application) doesn't is the short story.

I ought to blog about Mac some time. Basically, even as a Mac user myself, I hate the whole "it just works" Mac thing. No it doesn't - no computer does. Sure it falls over less often, but it does still fall over. I'm going to be using PC and Mac aproximately 50/50, and not with the usual office / video split - but using both for both. Which is not my choice necessarily or a good thing necessarily - but it works for me.

The death of tape will, inevitably, be happening to everybody in video. It's already perfectly acceptable in many walks of technological existence, so in some respects video might seem a bit behind. But the sheer size of video data, and the need for a continual, frame-by-frame, verified, safe, secure flow of the stuff, has meant that computers have had to develop a lot to get us there.

So - I'll put this up, but will be adding my thoughts about the design of the camera, the price, the controls, the format, the workflow and geeky stuff like that in due course.


* One event combined Rory Stewart, Orlando Bloom, Pippa Small and my mate Kate, but that's another story.