Whenever I’m directing or producing in the field, my iPad is always by my side. In addition organizing my shot lists, storyboards, blocking diagrams and budgets, my iPad also serves as a handy wireless video monitor!
I’ll use it to review dailies (footage taken at a previous time), view rough cuts sent over from my editor, and even use it as a live field monitor when shooting with the Teradek Cube, an amazing transmitter that can beams a video camera’s signal straight to your iDevice. In short, the iPad is an ideal way to view video while on location. That is, until the sun comes out, at which point, it transforms from a gorgeous video display into a horribly reflective, mostly-useless makeup mirror.
Thankfully, Macworld/iWorld has brought us another treasure in the form of the Hoodini — a collapsible iPad shade from Hoodivision. The shade uses a magnetic band and nano-suction tape (anything with ‘nano’ in its name is sexier – scientific fact) to quickly connect (and stay connected) to your iPad, giving you a completely shaded view of your screen. When you’re done, it just pops right off, and folds back up. Not only does it help avoid reflections, it also keeps your iPad cooler!
The Hoodini is available in a variety of colors, with separate models designed for full size iPads and Minis. They don’t have one for the iPhone, but I’m pretty sure you can just use your hand for that.
