It’s the time of year when I hear “the call of the wild”. It’s coming from the NAB (National Association of Broadcasters) Convention in Las Vegas. And what could be wilder than Las Vegas? Thousands of Broadcast Professionals all converging in the same place at the same time ― that’s what.

I love Vegas.

I have been there during the months of November, December, March and April and as far as I am concerned, April is the most perfect month to be in Las Vegas. I have been attending NAB every year since 1998; sometimes on my own; and sometimes for whoever I worked for at the time. The weather is always perfect in April, and a funny thing happens every year. I watch my fellow Broadcast/Media professionals as they prepare for the trip. Everyone seems worn and tired. We file onto crowded planes and cram ourselves in too small seats. But as we approach Las Vegas, the energy level changes ever so slightly. There seems to be a little spark in everyone’s eye. The talk centers on what we are focusing on at the show. We step off the plane into the perfect weather and it can’t be helped … the sides of our mouths start to curve upward. By the time we hit the convention floor on Monday morning, you would barely recognize those weary travelers from the day before. The game is on. Let’s see what’s new, what’s improved and just how big the Sony booth is this year.

The past couple of years have been trying times for Broadcast/Media folk. We have said good–bye to long standing co-workers and some of us said good–bye to places we worked at for a decade or more. Of course there were cutbacks: things not purchased; trips not taken. As they say on Twitter … “fail”. If there is anything that can raise morale in a company, it would be to send the brightest and best somewhere, anywhere that they can get refreshed, energized, and learn. NAB affords an opportunity to learn and grow. To network. To see new technology. To touch new technology. To talk to experts. To ask questions … Yes, I could go on and on. On the trip home, when the same bedraggled people get back on the same overcrowded plane and sit in the same too small seat, they don’t even notice. They are talking to anyone and everyone. Did you get to talk to “Ted from Red” ? Did you catch David Basulto at the Post Magazine booth? Can you believe the size of that Sony booth? That all comes home with them and it’s contagious. They bring back a breath of fresh air for those who were left behind. But their enthusiasm spreads like wildfire. It was worth every cent.

This year, I hope some of the people attending NAB will go home talking about FORscene.

FORscene @ NAB

That’s right, FORscene will be there.

The booth (SL8305) will be manned by the creators of FORscene – the good people from UK-based Forbidden Technologies plc.
I’ll be there too, along with Lucy La Grassa the President of Formidable Technologies. We would love to talk to you. You can send me an email michelle@formidabletechnologies.com or tweet me @FormidableTech

There it is again…can you hear the call?

Talk soon,

M

Well, if you are Elizabeth Buchanan-Hind, Executive Director, Institutional Advancement Division of the UWI and Lucy La Grassa of Formidable Technologies is in the room, you ask Lucy.

The stage was set, ballgowns and tuxes were donned and New York City got hit with a blizzard that grounded all outgoing flights.

Saturday, Feb. 27, 2010 greetings from Harry Belafonte were brought to the inaugural University of the West Indies Gala in Toronto, Canada using FORscene. Belafonte was snowed-in in New York City and was unable to attend to receive a Luminary Award from UWI. Arrangements were made to have a New York camera crew interview Dr. the Honorable Harry Belafonte at his home in New York City to tape his greeting. The greeting was then produced by William Rego of ABC who was given access to FORscene to upload Belafonte’s greetings into a secure account and have it downloaded at broadcast quality by Justin Ledger – Swank Audio Visual service at the Four Seasons Hotel  in Yorkville in time for the presentation.

Our hero of the piece, Lucy (that would be my boss) and her trusty sidekick (that would be me) have been receiving high praise ever since. “It was a team effort,” La Grassa modestly states, “and FORscene is the Captain of the team.”

~30~

Forbidden partners with Brightcove

10th Feb, 2010

Forbidden Technologies today announced that it has partnered with Brightcove, the leading online video platform. The partnership will enable Forbidden Technologies to integrate FORscene, the Company’s Cloud-based video editing platform, into the Brightcove platform, enabling organizations to tap into the full suite of video publishing and distribution capabilities from Brightcove and video editing features from Forbidden.

FORscene enables video, audio and still images to be uploaded into the Cloud from either a PC or Mac and includes frame-accurate logging and editing tools. The simple to learn, yet powerful, platform gives users the benefits of Cloud computing. Searchable metadata enables targeted advertising – published content is directed automatically as H.264 to the Brightcove platform for multi-resolution compression and hosting in the user’s channel.

Metadata added in FORscene can be published with the video. This material can be used to direct targeted advertising throughout the video. By increasing the accuracy of targeted advertising, this provides added value to video content.

Cameron Church, Technical Channel Director of EMEA, Brightcove said:

“We are always looking to bolster our Brightcove Alliance partner program with value-added technology and services that complement the Brightcove platform. FORscene will give our users the tools to create engaging video content that can be easily distributed through the Cloud”.

Pete Burns, Project Manager at Forbidden Technologies said:

“The world of Cloud computing is rapidly growing with the Cloud now providing centralised productivity tools. We are pleased to partner with Brightcove, as the unique combination of FORscene and Brightcove will help to bring online video monetization to a new level”.

For more information visit:

www.forbidden.co.uk/solutions/brightcove/
www.brightcove.com/en/partners/forbidden-technologies

Any video camera will work, even your IPhone

Pictures will be taken at the most inopportune moments, usually with a mouthful of food. Now, more than ever people will be videotaping the parties, gatherings and outings. Let’s face, it all you really need now is a smartphone. I do it all the time. Of course not everyone appreciates it, but they have all come to expect it. After all I am the one with the background in film and television production in the family. It’s a natural instinct for me to try and catch everything on video.
For those of you who like to celebrate, communicate and keep memories, you know you will be shooting video…so, let’s share. I want to see what you can do with your video and FORscene. Simply shoot what you were going to shoot anyway; log on to our website at www.formidabletechnologies.com; click on the “Try It For Free” button; and you are on your way. You can edit, caption, add effects and get the whole family involved. When you have completed your masterpiece extraordinaire you can make an MPEG and send it to everyone you want to share it with… but don’t forget to share it with us and upload it to our YouTube Channel.  We can all have some fun seeing each other’s work.
If the Holidays don’t seem video worthy, try doing a book review, a restaurant review or an event review. First time user Laurinda chose to do a movie review…

“I, a VERY inexperienced editor, managed to shoot (via webcam) upload, edit and get it up on youtube. It was relatively easy. I didn’t even have to read any instructions. And it was fun!!” My DIY Attempt

Let’s see what you can do…
And Happy Holidays from all of us at Formidable Technologies!

Talk soon,

M

Perhaps it would be a good idea to introduce myself.  I am Michelle Gillies and I am the most recent addition to the Formidable Technologies family.  My title is Manager~Business Development, Sales & Marketing.  Over the next little while you will get to know me and the rest of the gang at Formidable.  But, for now what I would really love for you to do is check out our other new family member –  the new website www.formidabletechnologies.com.

It has been a long journey to get our new website live and we would appreciate all the feedback we can get.  So please explore and enjoy and thanks for stopping by.

Talk soon,

M