VW Spec Ad from Vincent Laforet on Vimeo.
VW Spec Ad from Vincent Laforet on Vimeo.

Here's a neat iPad and iPhone app I heard about from Stu Maschwitz over at ProLost. It's incredibly useful for adding all kinds of important slate information and the iPad makes a perfect slate. Some more information:
"Along with a color chart and selectable running timecode, DSLR Slate has all the traditional items for input such as Scene, Take, Framerate, Director, etc. DLSR Slate also provides unique items aimed specifically for DSLR cameras such as ISO Speed, Aperture, Shutter Speed, White Balance, Lens, Filter, and more. While being invaluable on set, these items also prove useful when shooting tests in varying lighting conditions.
So all those DSLR videos you've been shooting are starting to pile up on your hard drive now aren't they? And let's face it searching for clips by name, date or finder preview is a long exercise in frustration. The solution to your problems is media asset management. The big filmmakers of the world are using super high end asset management systems such as Avid Unity to keep all their media tracked and ready for use. You can follow a similar workflow without breaking the bank. One of the most affordable and effective media asset management tools on the market today is Square Box Systems' Cat DV. Here's a brief description:
"CatDV will catalog all your media assets, not just video tapes but also still images, audio files, Flash files, PDFs, etc. With powerful metadata capabilities (both extracted automatically and entered by the user) that can be used for searching and filtering, CatDV will help you organise all those assets - and retrieve them again when you need them."
CatDV starts at $89 for the entry-level version. Download adds features like if you're working with an NLE like Final Cut Pro you can do pre-edits and mark clips within CatDV that will export directly to your editing timeline. It's available both for Mac and Windows. Download a free trial here and get your DSLR video under control.
My friend Jem Schofield tries out the 5D Mark II with a green screen to determine if it's suitable for visual effects work over at theC47. For the verdict, watch this video:
