The other five CDs in the car’s changer are getting a little jealous, as Tool’s 10,000 Days is getting a disproportionate amount of attention lately. 10k took a bit of persistence before I realized I really like it (unlike Lateralus, where the love came effortlessly), but it has really grown on me, even the really experimental tracks. However, the song I’m really hooked on is track 5, “The Pot,” whose buildup is still giving me goosebumps after countless listens. Great music for driving, for sure.

Speaking of tools, here are some great programs / components of any machinimator’s post-production setup…

• Subtitle Workshop - This little freeware gem was a great find, my thanks to feeb over on the BloodSpell Production Journal (in this entry). I will plan to do an in-depth review in the near future once I’ve really dug into it.
• VirtualDub - Certainly you already know about this freeware video editor, but it’s worth a re-mention in that I’ve only recently come to grips with just how many free plugins have been developed for this program. And the bonus? VirtualDub plugins can be used with…
• WAX - That’s right. WAX, the freeware video compositing / special effects software (which works with Sony Vegas and many other platforms) can not only use Freeframe plugins and Photoshop plugins, but it can use VirtualDub filters as well, and all of these interchangeably. This is another one for which I’ve got a full review planned.
• The RAD Video Tools (download page) - Smacker’s toolkit sometimes gets overlooked because the impression is that it is only useful for low-end output. However, in addition to the “Smack It” functions oriented toward video optimization, there is also a plain old video converter that can convert virtually anything to an AVI… even QuickTime! This has been indispensible for me since BloodSpell’s crew switched to a QT platform for their editing, but I need AVIs which are friendly with Cubase and Vegas to do my sync work. I haven’t evaluated the grade of the conversions in any qualitative manner, but just the fact that it can accept (and deliver to) such a wide variety of formats make it a very valuable tool for me. Oh yeah, and it’s free.

My blogging frequency is lagging a bit lately, if you’re wondering what I’ve been up to:

• Recently contributed some opening title music for The Days After by Apollo Productions, a wonderful little film which I was proud to be a part of. Ricky Grove (gToon) did a phenomenal VO performance alongside Ingrid Moon (CoyoteRepublic), and director Andre Pesch has a great cinematographer’s eye, which you already know if you’ve seen Sundown (which is gorgeous). This time, an intriguing and well-scripted story is front and center. I haven’t encountered anyone who wasn’t totally impressed by this film, it’s well worth a look.
• The Fixer is moving right along. Director todnyc is continuing to redefine what is possible in his engine, and I have the challenge and pleasure of sculpting a soundscape for Episode 3. The film is looking great, and stretches completely different sound design muscles than, say…
• BloodSpell, of course. Episode 7 marks nearly the halfway point in the series, and OH MY does the action pick up big time. Hugh got the locked video of this episode to me nice and early, and it’s a good thing. If Episode 6’s sound work was a plate piled high with food, then Episode 7 is the buffet at Picadilly Cafeteria.
• I’m working on music / scoring for three other productions which, while currently still black ops, you will be seeing some time this Fall.
• Then, on top of that, I’ve got my own projects at various stages of development: two short films (one in post, one filming), a music video (finalizing set/character design), a mini-series (finishing casting, getting ready to record voiceovers), and a mondo project which is in pre-production.
• And of course, there’s The Overcast, Episode 8 will be recorded / released in the next week or so.

Crazy times. I’m loving it.