Education

OK, I’m sold. Final Cut Pro X is a badass. I recently returned from the Philippines, where I took an Apple certification course in FCPX over the course of four days at a training center in Manila. Like many people in my profession, I often have to learn new software in the studio, all alone, …

I’ll say it: I like the way Final Cut Pro X works. I like the way it looks, the way it feels, how fast it loads up. I am excited about FCPX. I think good things are happening here. But many video editors are still not so enthusiastic about Version Ten, and that’s understandable. For now, …

The MTS Format I know, I know. You only work with DVCAM files from the field. That is, of course, if not film. You won’t deal with footage provided by clients, because it just looks so shitty. If you weren’t hired to shoot it yourself, then at the very least, you expect a RAID drive …

We touched down in Ho Chi Minh City on Sunday night, around 11pm. Tara’s principal, Gary, was at the airport to meet us and our 14 duffel bags and 3 guitars. From the airport to our hotel in South Saigon, Siena Kaya counted 605 motorbikes. I call them “motorbikes” for two reasons: 1, there is …

(Photo: © Jennifer Davis) Because I struggle so to be a reliable, consistent blogger (kidding) I am always happy when someone else does all the work for me! I traveled to the southern town of Yanfolila, Mali with Jennifer, a Peace Corps volunteer. Jennifer did a wonderful writeup of our trip, so rather than rehash …

On Friday, I met Patrick, the President of a co-op here in Kigali, Rwanda that is involved in silk farming, fish farming and rabbit farming. What a story. Like many of Rwanda’s youth, Patrick is an orphan. After graduating high school, he didn’t have a lot of prospects. But thanks to some intensive training (from …

The Philippines is a country to I hope to get back to soon. Not a lot of time here, and I only got to see the Mindanao region. What I did see was strikingly beautiful. Not just picturesque, but inspiring. When you’re face-to-face with utter poverty and cruel brutality, and you witness human beings finding …

So I am leaving for the Philippines on Tuesday. After several flights and random jaunts/connects through the Middle East and N. Africa, I’m headed for Mali. Mali requires a visa. And since there’s not a lot of time now, even using expedition services, I decided to give the Malian embassy a call. What the hell, …