We just returned from the gigantic NAB (National Association of Broadcasters) event in Las Vegas. Two days of circuitous wandering of the convention floors wasn’t enough time to see everything, but BizVid Communications’ Bill Gruber and Caz Taylor gave it a good effort. We come back with even greater knowledge to apply to our clients’ video projects.
As expected, High Definition video was in vogue this year. Simply defined, the more resolution and pixels per video frame the greater the memory requirements and the clearer the picture. While clients that desire videos for the internet most often choose what is known as Standard Definition, some of the more “high end” projects are now going HD (High Def). Memory and buffering speed become issues in this newer format. If all prospective viewers of one’s video have the software and playback capabilities to view this memory-intensive approach, HD may be the way to go. BizVid includes this HD option to our clients, as appropriate.
We also had fun reviewing the 3-D technologies and the various companies offering them. It was captivating to see how they blended live 3-D characters with green screened animated images. Further, mega companies like Panasonic, JVC and Sony offered beautifully lit sets and onsite actors, along with 3-D and other cameras, where the convention passersby could actually zoom and pan to their hearts’ content.
Good sound can make a big difference in a video production. During our NAB visit, we purchased another music library with a distinct difference. The company, called SmartSound offers many types of music which can be customized in ways heretofore unheard of. The software will actually render your selected music to the exact timeframe you direct. Further, special musical highlights can be added where ever the editor desires. Music tempo and instruments can be adjusted on the spot. We’re excited to begin using this software to turn our clients’ great productions into greater productions.