Have been playing with the Sanyo XACTI HD1000 camera. It's a full 16x9, 1080i camera that fits in your pocket. It's rugged and simple, with excellent battery life and easy to use controls.
Later this week I will send the picture to a 50 inch flat screen--via the HD1000 docking station's HDMI output. It will be interesting to see how the picture compares to HDV.
The only downside i can see so far is the camera's smallness. HD is very sensitive to jiggle-cam. Although the HD1000 has excellent optical image stabilization (OIS), it's still a tiny cam and difficult to hold steady.
Overall the cam looks pretty impressive. It's H.264 compressed video records to an inexpensive standard SD chip. Plug the chip into a Windows machine, and you can edit the video easily.
Journalists and interviewers have been using the cam for research interviews.
This weekend I bought a cheap Sony lavaliere (lav) mike and a mini to micro-mini plug adapter so I can use the lav mike on the HD1000.
After playing with the cam for a while, I recommended it to a doc filmmaker as a second cam to use on the floor of the Democratic National Convention. The HD1000 may be a good way to get candid 'on the spot' interviews in HD.
Saturday, February 23, 2008
blurbs
Blurbs, those little quotes you see on DVDs and book covers, "Wonderful book, great insight..." are the fuel for a good deal of book marketing.
Three months ago I didn't know a blurb from a blog. Now I'm seeking blurbs for my first book.
The past week I've been contacting prominent people to ask them to "blurb" book #1. (Blurb is a noun as well as a verb.) I've contacted people whose work I respect greatly, and have read for years.
When I rent DVDs I am influenced by blurbs. "Two thumbs up" by Ebert and partner, means that I rent the movie. A blurb by Joel Siegel means Do Not Rent This Movie.
When I buy books, I am influenced by reviews rather than blurbs. In fact, I can't remember ever buying a book based on a blurb.
My publisher says book blurbs are very important. I respect his knowledge of this business and until I learn differently, must assume he is right.
Three months ago I didn't know a blurb from a blog. Now I'm seeking blurbs for my first book.
The past week I've been contacting prominent people to ask them to "blurb" book #1. (Blurb is a noun as well as a verb.) I've contacted people whose work I respect greatly, and have read for years.
When I rent DVDs I am influenced by blurbs. "Two thumbs up" by Ebert and partner, means that I rent the movie. A blurb by Joel Siegel means Do Not Rent This Movie.
When I buy books, I am influenced by reviews rather than blurbs. In fact, I can't remember ever buying a book based on a blurb.
My publisher says book blurbs are very important. I respect his knowledge of this business and until I learn differently, must assume he is right.
Thursday, February 21, 2008
D40 camera
Bought a Nikon D40 camera with an 18-55 mm lens (as recommended by photographer Ken Rockwell on his excellent photography website).
Shot all the illustrations for the camera book with it. Astonishing camera. It has rekindled my love for still photography.
The 18-55 mm Nikon lens that comes with the D40 is amazing.
Shot all the illustrations for the camera book with it. Astonishing camera. It has rekindled my love for still photography.
The 18-55 mm Nikon lens that comes with the D40 is amazing.
book endorsements
Urgent request from the international distributor for additional book endorsements for Book #1.
Tomorrow I send emails, make phone calls, and otherwise attempt to contact prominent filmmakers to ask for endorsements.
When I was first asked to contact celebrities, I was overcome with fear. Now, perhaps because of the urgency, I just don't give a damn. It's another job that has to be done.
What's the worst that can happen? They ignore me? They're doing that already.
Huge lesson here for future books. Get. Endorsements. Early.
Tomorrow I send emails, make phone calls, and otherwise attempt to contact prominent filmmakers to ask for endorsements.
When I was first asked to contact celebrities, I was overcome with fear. Now, perhaps because of the urgency, I just don't give a damn. It's another job that has to be done.
What's the worst that can happen? They ignore me? They're doing that already.
Huge lesson here for future books. Get. Endorsements. Early.
Yoga injury
I've become a cliche. The office worker with a yoga injury.
Somehow, during yoga practice i managed to sprain my foot. (I didn't even know a foot could be sprained.)
The next morning, my right ankle and foot were so painful I couldn't walk, or put any weight on it whatsoever. My wife had to bring me crutches so I could make it to the bathroom. The doctor said that nothing is broken. He suspects that I stretched and injured a tendon or muscle.
I emailed my yoga teacher and she said ice it, ice it, ice it. (Doctor said, that's exactly right.) After a day of ice, compression and elevation most of the swelling and pain is gone. Two days after the injury, I tried to go back to yoga.
No luck. No strength in the foot, and no balance. Looks like I will be out of commission for another two or three days at the least.
I did not know I'd injured the foot during practice. As best I can figure, it happened during fixed firm pose. My right foot was cramping (common problem) and I think I put pressure on the foot instead of working the cramp out, or sitting out the posture.
My yoga teacher once practiced with a broken ankle. I have no idea how she did it. The ankle is essential to all of the standing postures, and about half of the floor postures we are doing.
Somehow, during yoga practice i managed to sprain my foot. (I didn't even know a foot could be sprained.)
The next morning, my right ankle and foot were so painful I couldn't walk, or put any weight on it whatsoever. My wife had to bring me crutches so I could make it to the bathroom. The doctor said that nothing is broken. He suspects that I stretched and injured a tendon or muscle.
I emailed my yoga teacher and she said ice it, ice it, ice it. (Doctor said, that's exactly right.) After a day of ice, compression and elevation most of the swelling and pain is gone. Two days after the injury, I tried to go back to yoga.
No luck. No strength in the foot, and no balance. Looks like I will be out of commission for another two or three days at the least.
I did not know I'd injured the foot during practice. As best I can figure, it happened during fixed firm pose. My right foot was cramping (common problem) and I think I put pressure on the foot instead of working the cramp out, or sitting out the posture.
My yoga teacher once practiced with a broken ankle. I have no idea how she did it. The ankle is essential to all of the standing postures, and about half of the floor postures we are doing.
Camera book to publisher
Two books finished!
The second book (the camera book) went to the publisher last week.
The afternoon of the 15th, with 1 hour to go, my HP 1300 printer died. Fortunately, was able to find someone to print the manuscript. Got the package--CD's, image placement sheets, manuscript--to the post office 21 minutes before the last mail truck.
When I look at the manuscript, i'm stuck by the fact that the book is as much about creativity as anything else. There isn't anything quite like it out there.
I suspect that this book will either sell truckloads or else nothing at all. No middle ground.
Now it's time to clean house, organize files, prepare for next project.
The second book (the camera book) went to the publisher last week.
The afternoon of the 15th, with 1 hour to go, my HP 1300 printer died. Fortunately, was able to find someone to print the manuscript. Got the package--CD's, image placement sheets, manuscript--to the post office 21 minutes before the last mail truck.
When I look at the manuscript, i'm stuck by the fact that the book is as much about creativity as anything else. There isn't anything quite like it out there.
I suspect that this book will either sell truckloads or else nothing at all. No middle ground.
Now it's time to clean house, organize files, prepare for next project.
Sunday, February 3, 2008
Next book
Already thinking of next book.
Subjects in my idea file are all over the map.
- yoga
- MacArthur Foundation
- aging and fitness
- hot air ballooning
- architecture of low cost housing
- sustainable communities
- filmmaking
- Canada
The only thing I know is that next book will probably be nonfiction, because I've spent the last 4 years learning the craft, and would like to solidify the skills.
I have much to learn. I read things like Gangrey.com and I'm awed by the level of nonfiction writing out there, the competition.
Subjects in my idea file are all over the map.
- yoga
- MacArthur Foundation
- aging and fitness
- hot air ballooning
- architecture of low cost housing
- sustainable communities
- filmmaking
- Canada
The only thing I know is that next book will probably be nonfiction, because I've spent the last 4 years learning the craft, and would like to solidify the skills.
I have much to learn. I read things like Gangrey.com and I'm awed by the level of nonfiction writing out there, the competition.
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