Read more here.

After watching it, and after fretting about why someone would climb a rock face without any kind of rope(!) I found myself wondering how they accomplished the super slow-mo in Dane’s 60′ waterfall drop.  It’s gorgeous, but even this $6000 camera can’t shoot 1000 fps.  60 fps at 720p is the max.  The answer is fleshed out on Corey’s blog which I suggest you read.  However, to cut to the chase:

-60 fps video / slow motion: The new 60fps at 720p allowed us to shoot lots of slow motion of Rebecca on her bike and Dane in his kayak. Additionally, the 60fps enabled us to use Twixtor in post and slow the footage down even more (close to 1000 frames per second) when Dane drops over Tomata Falls. Using Twixtor and creating the ultra slow motion effect would not have been possible without 60fps.

Twixtor, that plug-in I actually used to own but could never get to work well (or didn’t have the patience to deal with at the time) does a stunning job.

Again, watch the video, read Corey’s behind the scenes blog, and go get yourself a D4.

As we talked with Avid, it was clear that the company has really forged ahead since we worked with them years ago. Their commitment to the needs of their professional customers, like us, is clear.  [See the full press release.]

I can’t help but read between the lines here:  ”Apple screwed us over.  We will not be back.”

Apple certainly made quite a leap forward in multiple features within FCPX, but it is nowhere ready to be implemented within a professional post-production workflow.  Here we are six months after its introduction and you still cannot even hook up an external broadcast monitor, for example.  (I think it is pretty clear that Apple does not want to be king in that market – which is a real disappointment for those of us that love using Apple products and have attached our livelihoods to them.)  We will see more and more stories like this.

Two things I find interesting here:  First, Industry does not love huge evolutionary leaps.  That is, if key features they need are left out in the evolution, then Industry will make move in other directions to protect their future.  And second: it is amazing to remember how Apple transformed the Post-Production market by entering it, and now again by exiting.

UPDATE:  Mark Raudonis, Creative Cow Member and SVP of Post Production at Bunim/Murray gives the inside story on the COW.

We shot this on green screen on the HVX-200, keyed it with Boris Continuum Complete’s tools within Final Cut, which worked very well.  The rest of the work was done in Motion.

We call it “Bag of Magic” – enjoy.

The client was inspired by INXS’s “Mediate” video and wanted us to come up with an adaptation of that creative.  We tried to distill it down to the least amount of words (and images) as possible as we knew we would get little concentration from the local passersby.   We shot with the HVX-200 (thanks to our DP Richard!) and color-defiled it with MB’s Look Suite in Final Cut to get a rather grungy piece that played well BIG.

Much thanks to Kelly our Supervising Producer/Location Manger who did a great job finding a spot on the fringes of downtown Denver.  Justina, our makeup artist brought her superb flare and styling to the shoot as well.

You may recognize our Talent, Caleb Grusing (aka Caleb Grant) who, after moving to LA, has made some cameo’s on NCIS, Entourage and New Girl.