Macs Helped Make '300' and 'Lost'

I don't know about you, but I'm a 'Lost' addict. Apart from the hot characters and the ever-surprising chain of events (like one could be set apart from the other...), the TV series is also very well made, from special effects to quality of image.

As I was browsing the web today for news (Jobs-free, if possible), I came across a very interesting piece of information. Mac hardware and applications are behind that. Figures!

And there's more. Cinematographer and Mac-savvy Larry Fong that works on 'Lost' also used his Mac expertise on another project, the highly-anticipated '300'. I'm holding my breath (not literally, of course) since I first saw the trailer. I can't wait to see it, I hear it took US charts by a storm. Well, Macs are behind that too.

"There were a lot of reasons to use the Mac," said Fong for Macworld. "It's so easy to organize things and I was able to communicate with all of the different crews." Larry Fong's working environment is based on "countless Macs running Final Cut Studio manned by editing teams strewn across the country."

Fong uses Macs because they get the job done very easily. Though 'Lost' is shot on film, the computer processing in post-production is what makes it the thrilling show we see on TV. Fong used the basic iPhoto to transform the film using the director's vision into what we all love to watch.

Macs are not just used by the cinematographer. "Editors, visual effects people and producers all had Apple notebooks sitting on their lap. It's definitely a trend in the film and commercial industry," said Fong for Macworld.

Macs were behind the special effects in the hit '300'. "There's a specific look in 300 that was accomplished with a lot of experimentation with digital stills and importing them into iPhoto," said Larry Fong. "I would send the stills to everyone that needed them, and then we setup a home page so access was very simple."

Looks like Macs are a strong presence in the film industry. Apple is winning over the hearts of both cinema professionals and cinema lovers, such as myself.