Rob Braxton

Thanks - I am going to try Flip4mac. RB

I want to look at a video clip that is in wmv (foam house insulation demo) I downloaded from the foam manufacturer. Is there an app that will play this on my mac? I get a message that says the file is not a "movie" - apparently Quicktime cannot convert it. Thanks.

Thanks Jeff and everyone who replied. I did a total install/reformat old drive which had reported errors. Upgrade from 10.2.8 to 10.4.0 worked fine - drive did not report any errors. Downloaded 10.4.1 from Apple website but was confused about which download version of 10.4.2 was the correct one. A few days ago the software update appeared and I chose to do the OS update. It installed itself and now I have 10.4.10 and it seems to be doing fine. Next week I'm off to the Apple store to find a genius who can figure out why it would not let me "mount" the other drive as either drive 0 or drive 1 (master or slave).

Thank you Jeff. I took a deep breath and chose to reformat the drive (despite the unfixable drive error message) and an hour later I now have 10.4 installed. Next will be reinstalling apps I lost by reformmatting the HD. I still don't understand why a good HD was not recognized either as a single master or as a slave. I would like to have a second drive to store FPC data files. I assume any ATA compliant hard drive should mount as long as the jumper is set correctly and the IDE (and power) cables are connected correctly. What else could cause a drive to be un recognized?

I am trying to upgrade from X 10.2.8. Superdrive died so replaced that. Got two upgrade packages. 10.3 Panther and then after I got new superdrive I found a retail copy of 10.4 Tiger. It loads but after going through install it says my hard drive is damaged. (Works fine otherwise with the limited pdf downloads and TextEdit notes to myself). I am leery of doing a full install which erases everything and reformats the HD because of the possibility of losing the limited capabilities I have. I want to upgrade FCP and Nuendo and Safari all of which require at least 10.3. Apple store "genius" suggested using a "First Aid" utility on the 10.4 install disk. I did and it again says my 60 GB hard drive is damaged (unrepairable errors). I have used less than 10 GB space so I have loads of free space available. I have tried adding a second (used) hard drive but it is not recognized when I run the installer. On advice from a PC repair guy I removed my original HD and installed the other used HD and ran the install again. Same result I get to the point where I am asked to select the destination drive. but there is nothing in the box to click on (the HD has not been recognized). I don't understand how my original drive can function if it is too damaged to install new software, nor why it wont recognize a perfectly good functioning "new used ATA" HD that has been checked. I did change the jumper to slave when it was installed with the original (master) HD. When I installed it by itself I changed jumper to master HD. I am out of ideas and if anyone has a suggestion . . . . . My system - PowerPC G4 silver 867mHz 1.5GB memory X 10.2.8

And of course, like a lens barrel, the noisy part is left sticking out of the blanket. :-)

I think I heard this long ago when I worked at Mag Transfers in NYC. The title character had a broken down racehorse named Sparkplug that was always drawn with a blanket that almost totally covered it.

YES!! Track Stars it is. Wish it was higher resolution, but Track Stars is what I was referring to. Anybody know of a source on DVD? I would love to see the Indy Jones dissection also if anyone knows of a source. Thanks to all who replied. Rob

About 15 years ago in a UCLA extension class I saw a short film about foley work. Initially it showed the action of a person breaking into a building and stealing gear while avoiding confrontation with a security guard. Eventually it pulled back to reveal a foley stage and the foley artists creating efx while viewing the film on a screen. It cut back and forth several times until the finish. Is anyone familiar with it? I would like to know the title and possible source of a copy. Thanks. RB.

I got bulk canare a while back from Have ( www.haveinc.com ) They are in Hudson, NY. Don't know if they are the cheapest but you can check that with their 800 number.

Take, you may want to look at www.dv.com (DV Magazine) and http://www.studiodaily.com/filmandvideo/ (Film & Video magazine)

Lav's for wireless require different powering than hardwire to mixer input. B6 examples at http://www.trewaudio.com/catalog/subcat156.htm - Countryman makes an adapter to convert from 48V to wireless. Note prices - Lemo is $50 more than XLR version. Check Sanken web page and Countryman links from Trew Audio. "Links" Maybe check out Tram lav too. I have Tram, SonoTrim & B6 - like them all but want COS 11 eventually when I go wireless. Rob Braxton

Found while browsing today. How SQN was started and evolved to manufacture their supurb mixers. http://www.sqn.co.uk/home.html

I have not browsed Yahoo groups before. Tried several time to search there for "metacorder" and result was negative. Tried to sort through computer software category - again no luck. Must be doing something wrong. Want to ask if current version of Metacorder can run on the new Intel MacBook Pro.

1. Last day (night) of shoot - Producer said Sorry I forgot my checkbook. We were shooting in the production company office in OC. Next day producer wanted me to drive to Anaheim - I compromised on Venice. After I finally got check for agreed amount AND I cashed the check inside the bank, I turned over the tapes and then told producer that if they had told me how they were going to edit, I told him I could have saved him at least $500.00 by using time code. 2. Another "producer" asked me what I would do for screen credit. I just silently stared at him. He said it was rude not to give him an answer. I told him that I was demostrating what I would do for screen credit. 3. What is current scale in LA for one day inside the zone?

I suppose I could burn a DVD off air of Deadliest Catch and send it to you. Email me - arby@insightbb.com - my isp is upgrading something today and my email is not working at the moment - they say mid day tommorrow I will be able to send/receive again. Rob

Thanks, always look on the brite side of (film) life. Anytime things suck on a show, I remember a friend who was 300 or so miles down in Mexico and the producer decided he did not want to pay for hotel rooms so he let five crew members go at 11 PM - sending them in a Jeep Wrangler all the way back to LA. Told them not to think they were fired, just laid off. When I was in film school in Chicago I worked for a barge company and did some maintence work on a tug named for Darryl Hannah (her dad owned the company - I never saw her in person, but I have been inside her :-). I can't imagine trying to get good sound on a big boat when the engines are running and you are bouncing around. Constant low freq hum / vibration all over, but saw Discovery ch show about fishing in Alaska so it is possible to get good sound. I would try wireless or hardwire lav (if not creating tripping hazard). A Countryman B6 is so small (like a BB) it is easy to pin on a shirt or jacket and not be seen. BTW- in a wet enviornment, a Schoeps will get cranky - lot of crackle noise. A low cut filter would be a good additionto your package - also a gvc elbow.

1. All DP's are deaf. I suspect that all second ACs have one ear drum punctured. First ACs have both eardrums punctured. It is a rite of passage initiation thing for cameramen. They also have to learn to hold the slate wrong too, covering the open of the sticks with their hand so some assistant troll in the bowls of the editing facility cannot match the close frame with the pop of the sticks. The better ones can do it one handed so the whole slate moves as the match frame is exposed blurring text and TC numbers equally. 2. All cameras are quiet when they are not running film through the gate. I know a guy who owns an older Aaton LTR and you can tell when it is running even if you are not looking at the operator's finger on the button. 3. Kidding aside, if you are using a sensitive mike like the Schoeps 41 or Neumanns or Sennheiser MKH's and you are in an enclosed area you are likely to record camera noise. Now it may be buried behind other sound and if you don't know what camera noise sounds like you (any listener) may subconsiously ignore it. But I bet if you are listening in a quiet edit room you will hear it. It seems at times like dialog is indistinct or muffled but you will be able to capture a truck horn or train or plane that is several thousand yards away like it was right outside your location. And then there are the crew members who think they can walk without making a sound. Especially when recording room tone. 4. Barneys (soft blimps) are not much good BUT better than nothing. It's not that much harder to operate with one on a camera and every little bit of attenuation is worth it when you are in post. And be aware that sound (camera noise) can radiate out the end of the lens, which of course you cannot completely enclose. So remember mic orentation vis a vis camera location. 5. And Aaton? Well like the man said, they are French. I approached them for assistance with a simple system for using vid assist for dailies with sync'd sound when they had an office in Burbank. They could not understand why I wanted to do it and eventually I dropped it. A couple years later they introduced a system that sort of did what I had in mind. It was about 18 grand and I think they sold one to Du Art in NYC. You could probably get it for a couple pizzas today if they can find it in their sub basement. 6. On several occasions when I was told not to worry or they could live with it, or in one case - "we have seen cars in other shots - car noise will be natural" (I swear that's the truth), I have rolled sound on the QT and recorded the director or whomever, asking them to repeat what they said. 7. A well known LA mixer told me that his first mixer job was a porno film shot by Nestor Almendros. Forgetable crap but beautiful images and no re-takes for sound. If your subject matter is interesting the audience will pay attention to the story and not be listening to the stuff on the track that is extranious. Anyway, don't believe those dB specs - your conditions will not match their test conditions. Do the best you can and make a good movie. Rob Braxton

Very interesting thread. Thanks Jeff. I am at the point where I need to upgrade my kit or hang it up. I was an early admirer of the Deva but could not afford it. My Stella was great in the day and so was my Stone modified 4.2TC. Ditto for my Sela and Stellavox AMI48 mixers (in which I have had new faders installed). My old FP33 is solid as is my PD-4. Never had any wireless that wasn't borrowed or rented. Finally I have a few bucks to spend, but wanted a good mixer to go with Deva. The long promised Mix 12 is promised soon, but so is the SX-ST with a built in 8 trk HD.  Either combination is a contender but then the budget left for wireless is almost nil - 4K or so. So, is there an alternative to get quality at an afordable price? A quick check turned up 1GB Macbook Pro 2350.00 (MacMall), Yamaha 01V96 V2 - 2200.00 (zZounds.com), MOTU Traveler 900.00 (zZounds.com), Metacorder 1800.00 (Gallery) or Boom Recorder 175.00 (VosGames). Misc stuff I left out 500.00. So, $8,000 or less. Which leaves about 22K top of line wireless - Zax, Audio, Lectro?? with lavs. Now I really have more questions flooding my mind - best strategy for choosing gear, best way to shop, what else is essential (vid monitor?- power system, newer TC slate and more) but I will start another thread(s) for that. First question for here - does anyone know if Gallery & Boom Recorder will run on the Intel Core Macbook? I looked on the Gallery web site and did not find a contact email address so I was unable to ask. Rob Braxton  Â

Damn! I was surfing the web this morning and for some reason looked up Ray on imdb and found that he passed away last Christmas. I was just an acquaintence but my dealing with him was always so positive, I never felt like a stranger. If you ever crossed paths with him I expect you felt the same way. Ray, John Mosely and Neil Stone all generously extended a helping hand to me beyond our commercial relationships. They all are gone much too soon and I will miss them - but I am better for having met them. Rob Braxton

I don't think there was but one variety of MK41 when I bought mine from Jerry Bruck at Posthorn, who at that time was the importer. A quick glance at his web page (www.posthorn.com ) shows the 41, 41S which incorporates a low cut feature (I don't believe it is switchable) and is intended for speech, and the 41V which is $385. more expensive and is improved off axis pickup. I would listen to them and A B them if I could before making a decision. I have found the cut 1 filter & gvc accessory very useful. I got the 12 V phantom power capsule and later had Buzz Turner convert it to 48 V along with a cleaning/tuneup. It might be worth your wile to consider the Neumann KMR 81 i short shotgun. My friend Tony Smyles has two for sale at a very nice price elsewhere on this site. I got my 81 & 82 after speaking with Bruce Bisance and I have been happy with them. More info at www.neumannusa.com

Schoeps has some information that may be of interest re ORTF setups. http://www.schoeps.de/E-2004/ortf-stereo.html#mstc64

The MK41s sound great (I love mine), but be aware that they are pretty fussy about high humidity and very sensitive to handling noise. It will pick up the sound of a finger gently moving along the cable or boompole and it will sound like you were dragging it over sandpaper. Buzz Turner told me he was alone in a room on a job and he heard a thumping noise in his phones. After checking several things he realized that the 41 was picking up his heartbeat. And be prepared to pay top dollar.

I think Bruce was a user of Stellavox SP recorders, which incidentially were time code ready (in 1971) with the interchangable headstack (two track with 2mm centertrack). If I am not mistaken, Bruce was the one who came up with using a Denecke SB-2 as a TC source for the Stella. ---  Rob Braxton