Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/49492
Bits & Pieces Introduing Our 24 Port 10 Gigabit Ethernet Video Editing Switch • Edit Pro Res 4444, uncompressed and 2k over affordable and familiar ethernet • Optimized for video editing, no compromise performance, low latency, jumbo frames, symmetric flow control, link aggregation with LACP, full Spanning Tree Protocol support • Fully Managed, Web GUI for easy administration, redundant power supplies for maximum reliability, advanced design and power efficiency techniques for optimal operation Bringing kids' apps to life M ONTREAL — At Budge Studios, we specialize in producing fun apps for kids that feature their favorite char- acters and stories. Having launched in 2010, we are still a relatively new company, but we have already created applications for multiple plat- forms with characters from Dora, SpongeBob, Happy Feet and other top childrens' properties. Our production team focuses on creating very immersive storytelling experiences for kids that include reading, watching, and playing — all brought together using robust animation, illustration, sound and music. These features help the apps we design stand out among the other interactive books and apps available. One recent exam- ple is Happy Feet Two: Erik's Adventure, an interactive gaming storybook experience for iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch. The app development world moves quickly, and our produc- tions need to do so as well. As we have grown the production studio here at Budge, we have invested in tools that we feel will help us get the job done well and efficiently. In regards to video hardware, $500 OFF ANY ST 10G24 SFP Purchase ST 10G24 SFP Provide Code PM9000 Offer Expires 01/31/12 866.STC.4MAC granitestor.com • small-tree.com 7300 Hudson Blvd., Suite 165 Oakdale, MN 55128 Budge has had two different and equally critical needs. The first is the development of the apps themselves. Our audio team is frequently called upon to craft sound effects and music for the apps. To do so, they require video sources to sync their sound to [they import the videos into Pro Tools]. Once they have completed their synced sounds to all of the animations in the app, they edit and output them as individual files for the programmers to integrate into the game engine. The issue that arises is that until now there has not been an efficient way to capture video from iPads and iPhones. Our artists previously used our app development machine to capture video, which meant that they had to interact with the app using a mouse. In addition to losing audio and a realistic sense of play, we couldn't assume that the frame accuracy was the same as it would be on a smart- phone or tablet. Recently, however, Apple released the ability to output HDMI from the devices themselves. We immediately started looking for a device that could capture HDMI output to convert to digital video files. After some investigation into how we could perform a proper video capture from a target device, we found that we could use the Matrox MXO2 to cap- ture the output of the iPad 2 HDMI output. 8 Post • December 2011 www.postmagazine.com Upon learning that Matrox already had tested this capability successfully, we purchased and installed the MXO2 and began capturing video directly from the iPad 2 while maintaining audio and frame accuracy. It was an ideal solution for us. The artists just plug an iPad 2 into the MXO2, play the game, and seamlessly capture and live-encode the video at 720p60, and it's fast. We no longer have development machines tied up with video capture, and staff with any level of technical knowl- edge can create clips from the iPad 2 easily. Our studio's second need was related to our in-house marketing, as I believe it's critical to cre- ate great trailers of our apps to post online for Using characters that kids are familiar with, Budge creates immersive experiences for multiple platforms, including tablets and computers. potential customers so they can see what the apps are all about. Smaller developers, in particular, need a better alternative to videotaping someone playing the app on a device. Before the MXO2 system was in place, we were unable to capture great HD video of our apps being played. We needed to take a lot of time to create "fake" game footage. With this system, we can capture someone playing the game for a few minutes and the content is ready to send out to the editors to work their magic. The MXO2 product has helped us work faster and create better products — and now with the new Thun- derbolt connection, it is easier to transport the unit around the studio so anybody could use it. Other tools used by Budge to create these apps include Unity 3D, Cocos 2D, Xcode, Objective C, Pro Tools, Photoshop, Flash and After Effects. By Michael Elman Founder/Creative Director Budge Studios www.budgestudios.ca