iPad for Film and TV Production: Final Cut Pro & Screen Sharing

By Biagio on April 5, 2010 in Tools with 20 Comments

Is the iPad worth the hype? Can it make a difference in film and TV production?

This is part one of a several-part series that will look at some real-world production and post-production uses for the iPad.

Is the iPad Useful?


Clearly, the iPad is cool. We wonder, aside from being a cool life-style gadget, if it will also prove useful in a production and post-production environment.

Over the coming weeks, we’re going to see if the iPad makes our workload easier, or if it’s just a fun, pretty toy that gives us the illusion that we’re hip.

iPad Comes to Joke Productions

While today’s demonstration might not feel ultra-cool or earth-shattering, one Joke Productions’ team member is already exploring how to make his job easier using the iPad, and is excited with the possibilities.

Meet Nate Orloff

Our up-and-coming lead AE Nate Orloff (the first person we’ve ever hired off of Twitter) just got his new iPad. While he hasn’t had a lot of time to play with it, he’s already set it up to do a few things around the office to make his job easier.

In this short video, Nate talks about using Screen Sharing to hop onto any one of our 30+ Macs here at Joke Productions. He also demonstrates some simple Final Cut Pro playback and explains why an iPad made sense for him.

Over the coming weeks, we’ll have more videos detailing the ways we’re using the iPad both around the office and in the field. Everything from tape logging to screenwriting, to viewing dailies (and whatever else we come up with.)

Will it prove to be a great tool or a just a cool gadget? That’s what we’re setting out to discover.

BTW, the app Nate’s using (available for both iPad and iPhone) is called iTap VNC client. You can check it out here.

iTap VNC client (Remote Desktop for Windows and Mac) *** SALE: 35% OFF ***

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About Biagio: Biagio married way out of his league when he bamboozled Joke into saying "I do." Together he and his wife produce television, film, webisodes, and anything else that requires no sleep and a touch of crazy. Find Biagio on Twitter: @jokeandbiagio

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  • http://www.aegisstudios.com Travis Legge

    Very cool. It would appear that the initial assessment that the iPad would be super hella awesome in production environments is proving true!

    I can’t wait to see what else you come up with for this series! I’m certain it will prove awesome!

    ….now to figure out how to get myself an iPad…

  • Pingback: iPad for Film and TV Production: Final Cut Pro & Screen Sharing | Hot Buzz

  • http://www.jokeandbiagio.com Biagio

    Travis,

    I won’t lie…it’s easy to be seduced by how beautiful the iPad is and how fun it is to use. But we’re really going to try to put our obvious Apple love aside and see just how useful a tool it is. I will say, Nate seems to be having a great time hopping on everyone’s computers and fixing stuff!

    Looking forward to uncovering more ways to use this in pre-production, production, and post-production.

  • http://moderndaystoryteller.com Karen Quah

    Thank you for explaining this new gizmo in a way that even I, tech retard of the century, can comprehend. I look forward to more videos in weeks to come. Cheers.

  • http://kingisafink.com Jessica King & Julie Keck

    We do not understand anything that Nate just did, but he definitely made the iPad seem like much more than a large iPhone. Also, Nate, we need some help, can you log on to our home network? No, wait, don’t. Wait, can you?

  • http://www.jokeandbiagio.com Biagio

    Karen: You’re hysterical! This stuff from today is pretty geeky, but we’ll be looking at a lot of cool things in the coming weeks. But glad you understood it (though I’m sure you’re not giving yourself enough cred!)

    Jessica and Julie: Nate is the man. He could probably log on to your home network, edit your movie, and do your dishes all from the comfort of his living room!

  • http://moderndaystoryteller.com Karen Quah

    Don’t listen to Jess and Julie, Nate. You are a rock star. I understood every word… If you don’t have a lap top, it’s definitely worth bugging your boss for an ipad, right?

  • http://www.marialokken.com Maria Lokken

    And this is why next lifetime I’ll marry someone like Nate. The late 21st century will be run by one gigantic computer and I want to be with someone who speaks ‘techno’

  • http://www.aegisstudios.com travis Legge

    Nate,

    Consider this an open invitation to do my dishes whenever you like.

    Though, if you do them from the comfort of your own living room, I’ll likely be a little freaked out.

    Is there an app for telekinesis?

  • http://kingisafink.com Julie Keck & Jessica King

    Pardon us, Maria, but if Nate is going to fix our computers AND do our dishes – he is our new remote husband.

  • http://www.jokeandbiagio.com Biagio

    Holy cow! Nate’s in demand! I take full credit for discovering Nate, BTW. You all know we found him on Twitter and hired him, right? We’ll do a post about that soon, too.

  • http://nateorloff.com Nate Orloff

    Wow! I don’t know what to say. Quite a response this has gotten!

    I’ll be honest tho, I’m not the best at doing dishes. Just ask my girlfriend…

    :-)

  • http://www.jokeandbiagio.com Biagio

    Oh, Nate, you just broke so many hearts!

  • http://www.TheAssistantEditor.net Robert J. Williams

    @Travis – I thought I was your favorite dish washer/ film editor? Your cheating on me already? We haven’t even had a feature together yet.
    @Nate – Sweet tutorial, can’t wait to see some more.
    @Biagio – If you ever need to add another AE to the team feel free to pluck me off twitter as well (@RJWeditor) heh.

  • http://www.missionx.co.uk david baker

    Hey, great you guys are actually showing what can be done with it. So much more better than listening to people saying what you can and cant do before they even know. So really look forward to more of these.

    Nate, you reminded me of Tom Cruise in Minority Report! I want to be with someone that can speak techno too, but I ain’t proposing dude! I like you but I dont see you that way!

    Thanks for the post and the demo!

    David

  • http://Www.pixil.info PixilTV

    Every cool way to get the job done! While on the road I call it “editing at a red light” ;)
    http://pixil.info/tutorials/remote-editing-in-final-cut-on-your-iphone/

    • http://www.jokeandbiagio.com Biagio

      David, thanks! Yeah, we figured enough theorizing already, let’s just see what the iPad can do and if it’s any good. Appreciate you stopping by!

      PixilTV, you’re not kidding! One time Joke drove to Vegas while I edited a pilot in the car. I think I’ll write a post about that!

  • Terry Boone

    That’s so great! I was wondering, is there any (current or in the works) versions of final cut for the iPad? Like, am I ever going to be able to edit video on just an iPad, not an iPad controling another Mac editing machine?

    Not that you guys would know, but figured I’d ask… Thanks!

  • http://stevelasky.com Steve Lasky

    As a 1st Ad, I’m trying to figure out how to use an iPad to handle the various docs I work with on set – movie magic one lines, call sheets, production reports and of course scripts. sure many of these items can be made into PDFs but they can’t be revised nor can I easily make notes on them. I’ve tried using Numbers an Office HD for docs that originate in MS Excel but it is very awkward. it seems very logical that all this on set paper could be handled with an iPad. Is there anyone doing so?

  • Ron Lydick

    As someone who provides copiers and printers to the Southern California Entertainment Industry to copy scripts, call sheets, etc. I am very interested in seeing if the iPad can become a viable alternative.