The video we are making for our youth group is coming along. The deadline is coming up here very quickly and so far not much has been done. Mostly because I have been working way too much.

I’ve got the video rough cut done. Today I have and am going through and cleaning up the cuts and lining out second by second what will be where. I’m also getting the list of scenes we need animated second by second so we don’t have to make extra stuff we won’t use.

The audio has been killing me. For some reason in the timeline Premiere Pro has a lag in the audio with this HD footage. It’s not just this computer either as I tried it on the other computer we’ve got. I think it’s just the fact that these aren’t the latest and greatest computers. Both computers are pretty much exactly the same, earlier model dual core processors, 1GB RAM, 256MB video card. I want to order some more RAM from Newegg but it’s going to take a few days to get here and I’m not sure it will help. I’m just gonna have to kind of live with it.

I’ve been playing a little with the animation we’re doing in Lightwave but haven’t really got anything to show yet. Once I get these scenes all exactly cut and I have the exact things I need done in Lightwave I’ll start with those. Cory and Nate: I’ll probably need your help once it comes to this.

In fact, if anybody who does 3D animation happens to see this and wants to help out a Youth Group make this awesome video, let me know. I’ll buy you a Dew, a Beer or a camel, whichever you’d like. Let me know.

Yesterday I decided to build the $14 Steadycam that I have read so much about. It ended up coming out to just about $14 for parts (extra for the extra tools I bought, but no worries). I tried it out a little bit with our Sony FX1 and it really did help make smooth shots. Definitely check the steadycam out and build one yourself. They’re really easy to build and fix a lot of wobbly shots.

I’m building a teleprompter today. I don’t really have one design that I am building from, but sort of a collection of the designs I have seen (since I didn’t really like how any of them were made). I’m going to try out using regular glass. If that doesn’t work I may try tinting it or just order the special teleprompter glass. The teleprompter will help out quite a bit with the TOP 7 Action News.

I’m also playing around with Lightwave 3D. We’re going to be working on a fairly complicated video for our youth group and I think it will be easiest and look the best to do what I need in Lightwave. I’d also like to start learning Lightwave and 3D animation since we do have some projects that would work nicely if done with the program. 3D animation has always interested me as well and I’ve just never really sat down and started learning that. Hopefully I can make some good looking stuff and we can do Fetal Warriors in Lightwave.