Apple’s ‘Gesture control of multimedia editing applications’ patent

21 May, 2013
Action, Apple Motion, final cut pro x
2 Comments

Today Apple was awarded an interesting patent. It was applied for in 2004, so developments over the intervening years may have superseded some of its concepts, however it shows how gestures can be used in non-multitouch enabled situations.

Here’s a long edited excerpt from Apple’s patent:

The first part explains why using gestures is a good idea:

The use of gestures to control a multimedia editing application provides a more efficient and easier to use interface paradigm over conventional keyboard and iconic interfaces.

First, since the gestures can replace individual icons, less screen space is required for displaying icons, and thereby more screen space is available to display the multimedia object itself. Indeed, the entire screen can be devoted to displaying the multimedia object (e.g., a full screen video), and yet the user can still control the application through the gestures.

Second, because the user effects the gestures with the existing pointing device, there is no need for the user to move one of his hands back and forth between the pointing device and keyboard as may be required with keystroke combinations. Rather, the user can fluidly input gestures with the pointing device in coordination with directly manipulating elements of the multimedia object by clicking and dragging. Nor is the user required to move the cursor to a particular portion of the screen in order to input the gestures, as is required with iconic input.

Third, the gestures provide a more intuitive connection between the form of the gesture and the associated function, as the shape of the gesture may be related to the meaning of the function.

Fourth, whereas there is a relatively limited number of available keystroke combinations–since many keystroke combination may already be assigned to the operating system, for example–there is a much larger set of available gestures that can be defined, and thus the user can control more of the application through gestures, then through keystrokes. 

8,448,083-01-02

FIG. 1: The user interface includes three primary regions, the canvas (102), the timing panel (106), and the file browser (110). The canvas is used to display the objects as they are being manipulated and created by the user, and may generally be characterized as a graphics window. In the example of FIG. 1, there are shown three multimedia objects (104), Square A, Circle C, and Star B, which will be referred to throughout as such this disclosure when necessary to reference a particular object. In the preferred embodiment, the multimedia application is a non-linear video editing application, and allows the creation of multimedia presentations, including videos. Accordingly, the objects displayed in the canvas at any given time represent the “current” time of the multimedia presentation. 

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Final Cut Pro X 10.0.8 update

28 March, 2013
final cut pro x
4 Comments

Today Apple released its Final Cut Pro X 10.0.8 update. It is 60% about fixing bugs, there are a few new features too. Although the NAB professional trade show is just around the corner, this isn’t a industry-shaking update.

From TV and film industry point of view, new features supporting ARRI ALEXA and Sony F5 and F55 cameras hint that Apple are interested in courting high-end full-time editors as well as the hundreds of thousands of creative people that use Final Cut Pro as part of a non-editing job.

Apple also added a pair of case studies to their Final Cut Pro X In Action page on their website. One shows how Final Cut is the right tool for journalists and reporters, the other covers an example of modern feature film workflow.

Bug fixes

The biggest news for the majority of Final Cut Pro users is that tricky graphics bug has been fixed.

A problem introduced by the 10.0.6 update was a fault that affected many important third-party plug-ins: random green and upside-down frames in renders. This was probably a side-effect of moving rendering from Mac CPUs to GPUs. This fault was not fixed in 10.0.7, but Apple says it is gone in 10.0.8.

Here are the rest of Apple’s release notes on the update with some commentary:

– Resolves performance issues that could occur with certain titles and effects
In 10.06 and 10.0.7 some effects worked best when rendered by CPUs, so they were slower until they were optimised for GPUs in 10.0.8.

– Mono audio files in a surround project export with correct volume levels

– Drop zones no longer reset to the first frame of video after application restart

– Fixes a performance issue which resulted from selecting multiple ranges on a single clip

– Fixes an issue where the Play Around function did not work properly on certain clips when viewed through external video devices

New features

– Ability to use key commands to adjust Clip Appearance settings in the timeline
Control-Option-up and down arrow cycles through the clip appearance controls, and each appearance is associated with numbers 1 to 6:

control-option-nums

– Support for Sony XAVC codec up to 4K resolution
To use Sony XAVC footage at up to 4K,
1. make sure you have the most up to date ProApps QuickTime codecs: choose Software Update from the Apple menu. If they need to be installed, they will appear as an item in the Software Update window. If the ProApps QuickTime codecs do not appear as an item in the Software Update window, they up to date, so you can skip this step.
2. Visit the Sony Creative Software Download page and download version 1.1 or newer of the XDCAM Plug-in for Final Cut Pro X. Read the release notes about Sony XAVC clips and camera support.

– Option to display ProRes Log C files from ARRI ALEXA cameras with standard Rec. 709 color and contrast levels (without extra rendering time).
This viewing mode only works with footage shot on ARRI cameras that have been updated using version 6.1 or later of the ALEXA Software Update Packet.

– Time reversed clips render in the background

– Ability to view reel number metadata located in the timecode track of video files

Additional minor changes

The metadata tag for file size has changed a little: In 10.0.7 and earlier File Size returned the size of the  file associated with a clip in bytes. In 10.0.8 the Size metadata tag stores the size of the file rounded up to the block size of the disk (the amount of space taken up by the file on the disk instead of the actual size of the file in bytes).

There is a new metadata tag to define whether a clip uses Log Processing.

The default keyboard shortcut for typing special characters (Command-option-T) has been removed. The command is still there, but if you want to use a keyboard shortcut to get quick access, you’ll have to add your own (Using the Commands… sub-menu of the Final Cut Pro application menu.

Small changes to the User Guide and online Help system

Manual-

The updated user guide is now available as a PDF. and the help system has been updated also.

Page 141 / Online help “Adjust Timeline clip appearance and height” keyboard shortcuts

Page 281 / Online help  How you can create an audition with a duplicate of a clip using the effects and attributes from another clip.

Page 369 / Online help  How to control ARRI Log C clip display.

Page 404 / Online help  A new note about how when duplicating projects with files imported as reference files (pointing to media outside the Final Cut Events folder), only the reference files are copied, not the source media.

Getting the update

To download it, go to the App Store on a Mac where you’ve signed in with the Apple ID that bought your copy of Final Cut. Click the Updates button in the tool bar to see the updates list. It works on OS X Snow Leopard 10.6.8 and newer, Lion 10.7.5 and newer, Mountain Lion 10.8.3 and newer.

If you’ve bought Motion 5 or Compressor 4, you’ll see they’ve been updated to 5.0.7 and 4.0.7 respectively.  Apple haven’t announced any new features in these updates, they are maintenance releases.

If you are in the middle of a project, its best not to update Final Cut Pro until you’ve finished. In all the Final Cut updates apart from 10.0.6, no major bugs were introduced in new versions (unlike in the updates to pre X versions of Final Cut Pro), but it’s best to let others test 10.0.8 before you risk your work. Richard Taylor has written a useful article on best practices for upgrading Final Cut Pro.

If you want to update Motion without updating Final Cut, plug-ins edited in Motion 5.0.7 work in the last two versions of Final Cut Pro – 10.0.6 and 10.0.7. For more on plug-in backwards compatibility, visit my ‘Is your version of Final Cut Pro X new enough’ post.

Technology companies – who’s who?

19 March, 2013
Links
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A few weeks ago I wrote about how Apple’s corporate definition has changed over the years. I took the definition from the paragraph that appears at the end of each press release – the text that explains to the media the nature of the company that issued the information.

Here’s a quiz that demonstrates how well these definitions work for technology companies. I’ve removed the company and brand names, see if you can guess who is who. To see of you’re right, if you’re using a computer move your cursor over the first instance of the ??s in each paragraph – if you wait a few seconds the missing name will appear, on devices without pointing devices, tap the ??s.

1

??????? is a $US30 billion personal technology company – and the second largest PC company in the world, serving customers in more than 160 countries. Dedicated to building exceptionally engineered PCs and mobile internet devices, ???????’s business is built on product innovation, a highly-efficient global supply chain and strong strategic execution. Formed by ???????’s acquisition of ???????, the company develops, manufactures and markets reliable, high-quality, secure and easy-to-use technology products and services. Its product lines include legendary BRAND1-branded commercial PCs and BRAND2-branded consumer PCs, as well as servers, workstations, and a family of mobile internet devices, including tablets and smart phones. ??????? has major research centers in Yamato, Japan; Beijing, China; and Raleigh, North Carolina.

2

??????? creates new possibilities for technology to have a meaningful impact on people, businesses, governments and society. The world’s largest technology company, ??????? brings together a portfolio that spans printing, personal computing, software, services and IT infrastructure to solve customer problems.

3

??????? listens to customers and delivers innovative technology and services that give them the power to do more.

4

??????? is a global leader in consumer electronics and the core components that go into them. Through relentless innovation and discovery, we are transforming the worlds of televisions, smartphones, personal computers, printers, cameras, home appliances, medical devices, semiconductors and LED solutions. We employ 227,000 people across 75 countries with annual sales exceeding US$143 billion. Our goal is opening new possibilities for people everywhere.

5

??????? designs BRAND1, the best personal computers in the world, along with BRAND2, BRAND3, BRAND4 and professional software. ??????? leads the digital music revolution with its BRAND5s and BRAND6 online store. ??????? has reinvented the mobile phone with its revolutionary BRAND7 and BRAND8, and is defining the future of mobile media and computing devices with BRAND9.

6

??????? is a world leader in computing innovation. The company designs and builds the essential technologies that serve as the foundation for the world’s computing devices.

7

Founded in 1975, ??????? is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.

8

??????? is changing the world through digital experiences.

9

???????’s innovative search technologies connect millions of people around the world with information every day. Founded in 1998 by Stanford Ph.D. students PERSON1 and PERSON2, ??????? today is a top web property in all major global markets. ???????’s targeted advertising program provides businesses of all sizes with measurable results, while enhancing the overall web experience for users. ??????? is headquartered in Silicon Valley with offices throughout the Americas, Europe and Asia.

10

Founded in 2004, ???????’s mission is to make the world more open and connected. People use BRAND1 to stay connected with friends and family, to discover what’s going on in the world, and to share and express what matters to them.

11

Founded in 1997, ??????? is the creator of many award-winning mobile devices and industry firsts. By putting people at the center of everything it does, ??????? pushes the boundaries of design and technology to create innovative and personal experiences for consumers around the globe. ???????’s portfolio includes smartphones and tablets powered by BRAND1, a multilayered graphical user interface that vastly improves user experience.

12

A global leader in wireless innovation, ??????? revolutionized the mobile industry when it was introduced in 1999. Today, ??????? aims to inspire the success of our millions of customers around the world by continuously pushing the boundaries of mobile experiences. Founded in 1984 and based in Waterloo, Ontario, ??????? operates offices in North America, Europe, Asia Pacific and Latin America.

13

A global leader in wireless innovation, ??????? is a global leader in mobile communications whose products have become an integral part of the lives of people around the world. Every day, more than 1.3 billion people use their BRAND1 to capture and share experiences, access information, find their way or simply to speak to one another. ???????’s technological and design innovations have made its brand one of the most recognized in the world.

14

???????, a Fortune 500 company based in Seattle, opened on the World Wide Web in July 1995 and today offers Earth’s Biggest Selection. ??????? seeks to be Earth’s most customer-centric company, where customers can find and discover anything they might want to buy online, and endeavors to offer its customers the lowest possible prices. ??????? and other sellers offer millions of unique new, refurbished and used items in categories such as Books; Movies, Music & Games; Digital Downloads; Electronics & Computers; Home & Garden; Toys, Kids & Baby; Grocery; Apparel, Shoes & Jewelry; Health & Beauty; Sports & Outdoors; and Tools, Auto & Industrial. BRAND1 provides ???????’s developer customers with access to in-the-cloud infrastructure services based on ???????’s own back-end technology platform, which developers can use to enable virtually any type of business. BRAND2 is the most-advanced e-reader ever constructed with 62% more pixels and 25% increased contrast, a patented built-in front light for reading in all lighting conditions, extra-long battery life, and a thin and light design. The new latest generation BRAND3, the lightest and smallest BRAND3, now features new, improved fonts and faster page turns. BRAND4 features a stunning custom high-definition display, exclusive Dolby audio with dual stereo speakers, high-end, laptop-grade Wi-Fi with dual-band support, dual-antennas and MIMO for faster streaming and downloads, enough storage for HD content, and the latest generation processor and graphics engine—and it is available in two display sizes—7″ and 8.9″. The large-screen BRAND4 is also available with 4G wireless, and comes with a groundbreaking $49.99 introductory 4G LTE data package. The all-new BRAND5 features a 20% faster processor, 40% faster performance, twice the memory, and longer battery life.

Here are the answers in white – select to see who is who:
1 – Lenovo
2 – HP
3 – Dell
4 – Samsung
5 – Apple
6 – Intel
7 – Microsoft
8 – Adobe
9 – Google
10 – Facebook
11 – HTC
12 – Blackberry
13 – Nokia
14 – Amazon

Free Final Cut Pro plugin: Alex4D Time Remap effect

15 March, 2013
FCP X plugin, final cut pro x
7 Comments

Last year I made a set of generators that could be used on video clips to get more precise control over speed changes using an animation graph similar to that available in older versions of Final Cut Pro.

Since the 10.0.6 update to Final Cut Pro, the generators I uploaded in March 2012 no longer work. Here is an effect you can use instead.

Here’s a comparison between a time remap graph in older versions of Final Cut Pro and my effect:

Final Cut Pro Classic retiming vs Alex4D Time Remap

With these graphs, the steepness and direction of graph determine the speed and direction that the video clip frames play. The Y co-ordinate of the graph controls which source frame is displayed.

In this case the clip will play back in slow motion (because the angle of the graph line is shallow between the first and second keyframe – the Y co-ordinate is changing slowly), then in faster than normal motion. The video will then freeze between keyframes three and four (because the Y co-ordinate of the graph isn’t changing – the line is horizontal). Between keyframes four and five the video will go into reverse, as the Y co-ordinate is getting lower over time. Between the fifth and last keyframe the video will play back very quickly because the value of the graph’s Y co-ordinate is changing quickly.

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Who’s who in post production quiz

18 February, 2013
avid, Links
1 Comment

Part of the deal for me to be an official blogger at next week’s BVE2013 in London is for me to have at least two blog posts mentioning the event. This is the second. Given my recent popular post on how Apple defines itself I wondered whether TV and film post production companies are good at defining themselves clearly.

post-logos

Can you get 17 out of 17?

Here are the definitions of some companies in the post production industry attending BVE2013 next week. I’ve removed the company and brand names, see if you can guess who is who. To see of you’re right, if you’re using a computer move your cursor over the ??s – if you wait a few seconds the missing name will appear, on devices without pointing devices, tap the ??s.

1

??????? creates the digital audio and video technology used to make the most listened to, most watched and most loved media in the world – from the most prestigious and award-winning feature films, music recordings, and television shows, to live concert tours and news broadcasts. Some of ???????’s most influential and pioneering solutions include BRAND1, BRAND2, BRAND3, BRAND4, BRAND5, BRAND6 and BRAND7.

2

An Emmy® Award-winning company whose products have defined the world of digital and broadcast graphics, ??????? offers leading graphics solutions including the BRAND1 online content creation software and order management system, on-air graphics systems, clip servers, channel branding, graphics asset management, graphics over IP, and second screen solutions.

3

??????? is the pioneer in networked shared storage and tapeless, end-to-end workflow solutions for the post-production, TV and film industries. Our products include BRAND1 video capture and playout servers, BRAND2 shared storage, BRAND3 backup software, BRAND4 media asset management, and BRAND5 – the world’s first three-platform (Windows/OS X/Linux) professional NLE application.

4

Whether it’s a smartphone or tablet app, a game, a video, a digital magazine, a website, or an online experience, chances are that it was touched by ??????? technology. Our tools and services enable our customers to create groundbreaking digital content, deploy it across media and devices, and then continually measure and optimize it based on user data. By providing complete solutions that combine digital media creation with data-driven marketing, we help businesses improve their communications, strengthen their brands, and ultimately achieve greater business success.

5

??????? creates the world’s highest quality video editing products, digital film cameras, color correctors, video converters, video monitoring, routers, live production switchers, disk recorders, waveform monitors and film restoration software for the feature film, post production and television broadcast industries.

6

??????? is a leading manufacturer of high-quality and cost-effective digital video interface, conversion and desktop solutions supporting the professional broadcast and post-production markets.

7

For more than 50 years, ??????? has been synonymous with innovation, leadership, and performance. With an eye to the future, we are committed to advancing our industry by being a strategic and trusted partner. Leveraging IP technology with our proprietary knowledge of media processing and storage, we develop product and service solutions that deliver unmatched interoperability and financial efficiency, and have the flexibility to change and grow as business evolves

8

??????? is one of the world’s leading manufacturers and suppliers of professional broadcast, 3D, AV and CCTV products. ??????? is committed to providing high-quality professional video equipment to customers all over the world.

9

??????? “The oldest” camera manufacturer, will be showing their NEW Dockable 1.5/3G HD/SD low Cost Camera channel, as well as New POV cameras and a full range of HD/SD Monitors during this BVE 2013. We supply the European, Middle Eastern and African Market with products from three different business fields: Broadcast and Professional Video equipment, Medical Video equipment as well as CCTV solutions.

10

??????? Audio Video equipment offers the industry’s best-performing products which are used across the globe. Capable of operating faultlessly in a myriad of environments; from the dry and dusty Savannah to the freezing temperatures of the Antarctic, ???????’s range of HD studio cameras, convertible camera systems, Industrial Medical Vision cameras and energy-efficient LCD monitors provide an efficient, reliable and truly end-to-end solution for outstanding production quality.

11

Located in Munich, Germany, ??????? was founded in 1917 and is the largest manufacturer of professional motion picture equipment in the world. Throughout its 95-year history, ??????? has been associated with constant innovation and revolutionary technologies in all of its core businesses. The company is involved in all aspects of the film industry: engineering, design, manufacture, production, visual effects, postproduction, equipment rental, laboratory services and studio lighting solutions.

12

??????? have helped to create distinctive images in many famous movies, e.g. Skyfall, Life of Pi and have already received 3 Technical Academy Awards. Innovative products as the BRAND1 lenses and in BRAND2 deliver high image quality in a winning combination for HD video and offer great flexibility.

13

???????is well known as a manufacturer of Super Slo Mo cameras. The BRAND1 range of cameras are used within the broadcast industry, known for image quality, light sensitivity, reliability and ease of use. BRAND1 cameras for years have lead the way in high speed video applications within crash testing, and manufacturing, complimenting ???????’s broad range of Industrial testing and inspection equipment, where this product first came to market. The camera’s sheer performance proved it can hold it’s own within broadcast’s competitive, evolving market. See the new BRAND2 at stand B4.

14

??????? is a world-leading innovator and provider of imaging and information technology solutions for the home and office environments.

15

??????? manufacture and sell a variety of camera support systems and professional grip equipment at an affordable price. As one of Europe’s leading manufacturers of camera support systems the ?????? range is both extensive and diverse and at BVE many different products will be on display and available for demonstration. This includes Jibs, Cranes, Booms, Tracking Dollies, Camera Slider Systems, Stabilizers, Shoulder Mounts, Steadymounts, Remote Control Power Heads, Suction Mounts, plus a variety of Clamps and Mounting Brackets, Monitor Brackets and Video Accessories. There will be many special offers available with special show prices on many items.

16

??????? offers the most affordable and versatile line of camera stabilizers and related accessories available in the world today. Check out the many new and exciting products at this years show. We will show new handheld units including the BRAND1 for your IPhone, body mounted systems and the new BRAND2. We will also show the new BRAND3. The BRAND3 is a remote controlled pan-tilt head for small cameras up to 7 pounds.

17

??????? is recognized as the world’s innovator and premier provider of batteries, chargers, lighting and mobile power systems for the professional broadcast, video and film industries. Based in the United States with offices in Europe, Asia and South America, ??????? was established in 1970 and has expanded its product offerings to include many signature lines including the leading BRAND1 system, BRAND2 chargers and BRAND3 batteries. Our superior quality products have become an industry standard and are compatible with virtually every camera brand.

For free tickets to BVE 2013, click the banner:

0512-BVE13-468x60-banner

Here are the answers in white – select to see who is who:
1 – Avid
2 – Chyron
3 – EditShare
4 – Adobe
5 – Blackmagic Design
6 – AJA
7 – Grass Valley
8 – JVC
9 – Ikegami
10 – Panasonic
11 – ARRI
12 – Carl Zeiss
13 – Olympus
14 – Canon
15 – Hague Camera Supports
16 – Glidecam
17 – Anton/Bauer

Free Final Cut Pro plugin: Alex4D Ribbon transition

13 February, 2013
final cut pro x
2 Comments

My new free Final Cut Pro X transition slices the outgoing clip into two parts and pulls them apart with a horizontal ribbon appearing based on the pixels at the slice position. The ribbon crossfades into a ribbon representing a single column of pixels from the incoming clip. The two parts of the incoming clip to the left and right of the column then join together on screen:

Here are the controls:

controls

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If iPads are the new PCs, why make Macs?

12 February, 2013
Apple
1 Comment

In a recent market survey, Canalys claimed that Apple was number 1 when it comes to worldwide shipments of personal computers in the fourth quarter of 2012 with a share of of 20%. This figure includes shipments of iPads – a device many people don’t count as a personal computer.

Let’s turn the ‘is the iPad a personal computer’ question around and ask ‘If tablets are our personal computers, what are Macs for?’ If there’s a useful new definition of Macs and OS X, Apple will continue to improve both in the coming years.

At the moment people use Macs to organise and to create. Organisation in this case covers the personal, family and work aspects of our lives. iPads, iOS and iCloud are designed to support these sort of tasks.

It seems that the organisational aspects of our lives will soon be better supported using iOS and Android devices (and perhaps the mobile aspects of Windows 8). This leaves Macs and OS X as tools to support creative endeavours only: music composition, graphic design, illustration, photo manipulation, software development and media production and post production. A definition similar to the markets that supported Apple in the 90s.

As I mentioned in my post on how has Apple defined itself over the last 18 years, they might very well change the part of their definition that describes the Mac. Currently they say:

Apple designs Macs, the best personal computers in the world, along with OS X, iLife, iWork and professional software.

Perhaps they’ll break up that sentence by function:

Apple helps people organise using iLife, iWork and iCloud. Apple makes Macs, OS X and professional software: the best content creation tools in the world.

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Final Cut Pro + iBooks Author + iTunes + Game Center = The Future of TV?

7 February, 2013
Apple, final cut pro x, Ideas
3 Comments

On the latest episode of the Critical Path podcast Horace Dediu and Moisés Chiullan talked about the future of TV. Horace said that he thinks that the future of TV is in applying software engineering tools to story and interactivity development. Apple have some tools that could achieve some of this.

You don’t hype when feel like No. 1

6 February, 2013
Apple
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According to The Wall Street Journal, Apple have decided to change their PR policy to counteract recent bad press: they’re ‘subtly increasing’ their activity.

There does seem to be a correlation between Apple’s success and the number of press releases issued per month:

PR-per-month-graph-Apple

When Steve Jobs was appointed as iCEO in September 1997, there seems to have been a change in policy. The only month since March 1998 that had over 20 releases was June 2008, which was filled with iPhone partnership announcements.

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Apple is… Apple’s 9 definitions since 1995

5 February, 2013
Apple
49 Comments

Looking back, it’s interesting to see how the way Apple has described itself has changed over the years. Luckily for us, press releases usually include a definition of the company issuing them. I’ve been back through Apple’s site and used The Wayback Machine at Archive.org to research the evolution of the way Apple sees itself.

April 1995 – A standard mid-nineties computer company

The only distinction being a mention of ‘personal digital assistants’:

Apple Computer, Inc., a recognized pioneer and innovator in the information industry, creates powerful solutions based on easy to use personal computers, servers peripherals, software, online services and personal digital assistants. Headquartered in Cupertino, California, Apple Computer, Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) develops, manufactures, licenses, and markets products, technologies, and services for the business, education, consumer, scientific & engineering and government markets in over 140 countries.

press-release-1995

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