Sign in

Rowan Johnson

@rowan-johnson.bsky.social
9 followers 20 following 111 posts

Video and live stream producer based in Southampton, UK. Managing Director at Southpoint Films | Canon Ambassador 🎥 (Views are my own and don’t necessarily reflect those of my colleagues, clients or company.)

PostsRepliesMedia
Rowan Johnson @rowan-johnson.bsky.social · 10/10/2026
Doing a bit of life admin. Do you know how much it cost for my household to run two EVs last month? (In terms of fuel cost.) £28!
000
Rowan Johnson @rowan-johnson.bsky.social · 10/10/2026
If you're replacing a SaaS subscription with a vibecoded app, AI is giving you the "S" but you're handling the "aaS"… which is arguably the expensive and difficult bit.
000
Rowan Johnson @rowan-johnson.bsky.social · 10/10/2026
I understand that being able to create custom apps that suit your personal needs is empowering. (I've vibecoded a few useful macros and scripts. It's great!) But I do feel like people are missing the point when it comes to understanding the actual value of commercial software and services.
100
Rowan Johnson @rowan-johnson.bsky.social · 10/10/2026
Especially in a business context (but also for personal), what happens when your vibecoded system gets hacked/leaked? Or the stored data gets corrupted? What happens when there's a major platform update (OS/Browser/architecture) that breaks core functionality beyond repair?
100
Rowan Johnson @rowan-johnson.bsky.social · 10/10/2026
I've spoken to people in my industry who are vibecoding some pretty critical systems for their small businesses. Like inventory tracking, quoting and invoicing systems. While they seem to work functionally, there's a huge missing piece of the puzzle - which is maintenance, security and durability.
100
Rowan Johnson @rowan-johnson.bsky.social · 10/10/2026
Not really dunking on Tyler Stalman specifically, but this is such a bad premise for a video. Software development is hard. It's a skill and an art. Encouraging people to replace professional software (eg Photos, Dropbox, Notion) is reckless.
A man with a beard and glasses sits in front of a microphone. A bright green background features bold white text that reads, “BUILD YOUR OWN,” with an orange underline. To the right, a row of colorful logos is displayed. Below, smaller text says, “Cancel your subscriptions. Build your own apps.” At the bottom, it says, “Full Stack Creator and Tyler Stalman • 672 views • 3 hours ago.” A timer shows “38:15.”
110
Rowan Johnson @rowan-johnson.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
Been working night shifts this week, running a global virtual event from my office in Southampton. Six parallel live streams with guests dialling in from every corner of the planet. Very fun, very sleepy. Here's a little behind the scenes video:
youtube.com
Before you continue to YouTube
000
Rowan Johnson @rowan-johnson.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
New Scrubs! So good! ❤️
000
Rowan Johnson @rowan-johnson.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
Sent my son to school today singing Limp Bizkit. Can't wait for parents evening… 🙈
010
Rowan Johnson @rowan-johnson.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
I have an exciting announcement: I've been made a Canon Ambassador! If you aren't familiar, it's a very prestigious programme. They only award it to the best of the best… so I'm trying to work out why they chose me. 😂😅 But seriously, I'm incredibly grateful, proud and excited. More details here:
southpointfilms.com
Rowan Johnson appointed as Canon Ambassador
Southpoint Films Managing Director Rowan Johnson has joined Canon’s Ambassador programme, recognising his work across commercial filmmaking and live production.
000
Rowan Johnson @rowan-johnson.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
Has anyone else found that the on/off switch on Apple's Magic Keyboard is entirely performative and doesn't actually switch the keyboard on or off? I have several at work and they're all like this.
000
Rowan Johnson @rowan-johnson.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
Irony of the day: HMRC sending me a letter to tell me that email isn't a secure communication method, when it's dramatically more secure than physical mail, which has literally no way to verify who the sender is or that the letter is legitimate.
000
Rowan Johnson @rowan-johnson.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
And apparently Salford is being sent down there first!
010
Reposted by Rowan Johnson
Kieron Moore @kieronmoore.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
Succession. Complex, believable characters whose petty squabbles are a delight to watch but are utterly destroying the fabric of society.
051
Rowan Johnson @rowan-johnson.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
Didn't realise that Apple dropped support for the Apple TV HD with TV OS 27. I'm sure the hardware is no longer capable of handling demanding new software feature like… *checks notes*… restricting apps to specific user profiles. 🤨
9to5mac.com
tvOS 27 adds new reason to use profiles on your Apple TV 4K - 9to5Mac
Apple keeps improving its profiles feature on Apple TV 4K, and a new change in tvOS 27 offers another reason to use profiles.
000
Rowan Johnson @rowan-johnson.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
Wow, this whole thread is nuts. I wouldn't touch Meta Muse with a barge pole.
neuromatch.social
jonny (nonvenomous) (@jonny@neuromatch.social)
The entire security posture here, if there is one, is oriented around preventing the *LLM* from misbehaving, but having the entire context be user-editable and user-visible is a sort of mind-blowing neglect of a misbehaving *user.* even for the "fully transparent agent" they're trying to do, it makes very little sense to store the full message logs of the subagents including reasoning output. That basically gives me a full map to see what the LLM is consulting when it refuses commands. I would also bet money that the system prompts are strings in the hatch binary even though that makes no sense to have clientside, but haven't looked.
010
Rowan Johnson @rowan-johnson.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
New models are like faster processor chips. Which is not to suggest either are boring, per se, but they're not the product. As a product, Gemini is behind on things like MCP support and agents. It's why I've personally been using Claude, ChatGPT and even Siri a lot more than Gemini this past month.
theverge.com
Gemini 4 is almost ready, says new Google DeepMind chief
So no 3.5 Pro then?
100
Rowan Johnson @rowan-johnson.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
With the help of Script Editor and Google Gemini, I've been able to answer a burning question that my marketing team will love… Since opening doors in 2013, me and my team have edited and delivered 6,536 videos for our customers. 😎
000
Rowan Johnson @rowan-johnson.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
Initial thoughts: - It's heavier than the Air, but manageable. - Set up could be better when starting fresh. Why can't I use my phone to authenticate WiFi and iCloud? (Like Apple TV!) - The notch is a non-issue, especially in full screen. - My M1 Air didn't feel slow, but the M5 Pro feels faster.
000
Rowan Johnson @rowan-johnson.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
Unboxing time.
Apple MacBook Pro box. Close up.
100
Rowan Johnson @rowan-johnson.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
Given how easy it is for me to inject FCP with AI-generated XML, I have to wonder how quickly Apple will be able to integrate Siri AI into the app. I hope they can do something fairly quickly, as the pieces are already there.
000
Rowan Johnson @rowan-johnson.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
It's not as sexy or integrated as Resolve's new MCP beta, but fcpxml is a cheat code for automating Final Cut Pro. Tonight I used Gemini to take an email with stage times, tidy it up into a "Stage - Day - Time - Artist" format and then modify an fcpxml to create a new project for each set.
Screenshot of Gemini open on the left hand side of my screen with xml code, and Final Cut Pro on the right with projects.
110
Rowan Johnson @rowan-johnson.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
Just bought new MacBooks for me and some of my team. M5 Pros with 1TB storage. Currently £200 off (ex VAT) on Amazon, so a £600 saving all in. 😄
000
Rowan Johnson @rowan-johnson.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
I use Gemini as my main AI because it's built into Google Workspace. I can't *wait* for it to get MCP support like Claude and Chat. I'm going to be unstoppable.
000
Rowan Johnson @rowan-johnson.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
Just tested out the MCP beta for my equipment management software at work. It's incredible! I can ask Claude "how many times have we used X?" and it looks through our database to give me real usage insights. It even answers "this cost £Y and we charge it out for £Z, have we made our money back?" 🤯
100
Rowan Johnson @rowan-johnson.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
Finally back from Amsterdam. Can't believe I left my home yesterday morning; feels like I've been away for a week!
Amsterdam Centraal station at night with the metro station entrance in the foreground
010
Rowan Johnson @rowan-johnson.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
Two years in, I must say that the windowed multitasking model introduced in iPadOS 26 was a major regression that's made using my iPad way less fun and useful. 😞
000
Rowan Johnson @rowan-johnson.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
One of my favourite things at IBC (at Amsterdam RAI) is the Apple and Nut pie which they serve at the cafe outside hall 11. Sadly they'd run out of stock this afternoon, but I managed to get some yesterday afternoon. If work calls you to a trade show at the RAI, it's worth getting a slice. 🍴🍰
Apple and nut pie
010
Rowan Johnson @rowan-johnson.bsky.social · 12/09/2026
My luck has finally run out. I've managed 13 years of student pricing with Adobe without ever proving I was(n't) still a student.
Email from Adobe telling me my student discount will expire soon.
010
Rowan Johnson @rowan-johnson.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
The rear of a BTTF DeLorean with a m. OUTATIME plate.
000
Rowan Johnson @rowan-johnson.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
My day today 🎥🎥
110
Reposted by Rowan Johnson
Michael Spicer @michaelspicer.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
Toilet Instructions
19764167
Rowan Johnson @rowan-johnson.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
I'm really glad to see that the general feeling towards Apple's new ambient recording feature is horror. Don't get me wrong, I understand the utility. But we don't need to live in a world where private spaces, and the conversations we have in them, are being recorded and analysed.
twit.social
Lee Peterson (LJPUK) (@ljpuk@twit.social)
https://ljpuk.net/posts/apple-audio-intelligence-before-we-talk-is-your-apple-watch-recording-this
000
Rowan Johnson @rowan-johnson.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
Apple calling their new ambient recording feature "private" is disingenuous. Just because *Apple* might not access the recordings, it's not private for the people being recorded. It also poses some legal issues, like recording phone calls without consent, and GDPR (especially if used for work).
mastodon.social
Zack Whittaker (@zackwhittaker@mastodon.social)
Attached: 1 image Watching this Apple event tout how iPhones will soon be able to record ambient audio/conversations and transcribe "high level notes" for you. It's billed as private and end-to-end encrypted, but I think the bigger harm is the normalization of always-listening devices. It's creepy and not normal.
110
Rowan Johnson @rowan-johnson.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
No way did Apple use a clip from Silo with thousands of dead bodies to promote their new iPhone. 💀
010
Rowan Johnson @rowan-johnson.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
The new "always recording" Apple Watch seems like a privacy nightmare, and a sure-fire way to get Apple Watches banned from a number of places. Is individual, personal surveillance inevitable? Probably. But I feel like we need the weird AI companies to take the heat first. (Don't ban my watch plz.)
000
Rowan Johnson @rowan-johnson.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
The iPhone Duo looks awesome, but I worry it's too squat for me. I really want a folding phone, as it'd be perfect for me when travelling. But I'm very aware that 90% of the time I'd be using it folded. That external screen looks cramped. Might be fine in practice, but it's a big gamble for £2k+.
000
Rowan Johnson @rowan-johnson.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
Indigo is an awesome hybrid Mastodon/Bluesky client. And they're updating it quickly. Big fan!
mastodon.social
Aniline Applications (@anilineapps@mastodon.social)
Attached: 1 image Indigo 1.3 is available now! We’ve got a bunch of great new features I’ll get to in a sec, but first up is a new pricing option. Indigo was great value if you used both Bluesky and Mastodon, but a little pricy if you just used one. Now there’s a $19.99 plan for single-network use 😀 https://apps.apple.com/app/apple-store/id6763755310
010
Reposted by Rowan Johnson
Aniline Applications @anilineapps.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
There are a million other changes and improvements throughout the app but those are the big ones. Now that we have a more affordable plan for single-network users, we're hoping to spread the word far and wide. We'd really appreciate if you could give this thread a share. Thanks - Ben & Aaron
• We'd really appreciate you sharing this
Marketing is hard. Advertising is expensive. Reposting this thread is easy and free and it makes everyone think you have great taste in software.

And then they reach this point and think "oh I see why they shared this now, this is really funny and I'm going to share it as well so people think I'm cool too".

And then everyone subscribes and we get so fabulously wealthy that we can afford things like rent and pet food, which would be pretty neat.

thanks for your support
- ben and aaron
1178
Rowan Johnson @rowan-johnson.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
Just what we need before IBC!
bbc.co.uk
Hundreds of flights cancelled at UK airports as air traffic control issue causes widespread disruption
EasyJet and British Airways are among airlines reporting issues, with Ryanair saying 65,000 of its passengers have been delayed by up to eight hours.
010
Rowan Johnson @rowan-johnson.bsky.social · 06/09/2026
This may be a controversial (but also probably very commonly held) opinion, but I feel like the MCU has taken all of the fun out of superhero films. I'm tired of endless cameos, multi-film/TV show story arcs, and the constant feeling like the thing I'm watching is just a set up for something else.
000
Rowan Johnson @rowan-johnson.bsky.social · 06/09/2026
Found myself with a spare evening. Went to see the new Spider-Man film. Turns out there was an offer and it only cost me £4! In that context it was great. But my heart will forever belong to the Sam Raimi/Tobey Maguire trilogy.
100
Rowan Johnson @rowan-johnson.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
As a prank, YouTuber Max Fosh bought billboards starring his friend Jonny to make him famous during his holiday to Vietnam. Video released yesterday: 2 weeks ago a Vietnamese man released a video titled "Who is Jonny" after random ads appeared in his neighbourhood. www.youtube.com/watch?v=jlHTF...
youtube.com
I Made My Friend A Celebrity In Asia... Without Him Knowing
Download Testerup using my link to get £5 just for signing up: https://bit.ly/4fOPpUq Directed and Shot by Aziz Vora Produced by Molly Williams Edited by Aziz Vora and Dave Litchfield (not Max)
000
Rowan Johnson @rowan-johnson.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
App sizes have gotten insane! Went to check on my app updates. Paypal is 700MB! Gmail is 700MB! TikTok is 950MB! Eufy is 950MB! Insta360 is 2.45GB!!! Is each app downloading this much data every time there's a software update? If so, that's horrendously inefficient and greedy!!
000
Rowan Johnson @rowan-johnson.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
In the same way that there are literal scientists formulating unhealthy foods to be addictive, algorithmic social media companies deploy the same tactics. You can do something a lot (smoking, drinking, consuming sugar) and hate that you do it, even if it makes you briefly feel good in the moment.
pewresearch.org
About half of Americans say they spend too much time on their smartphone
Seven-in-ten adults under 30 say they spend too much time on their smartphone, as do about two-thirds of those ages 30 to 49.
000
Rowan Johnson @rowan-johnson.bsky.social · 02/09/2026
This is incredible!
000
Rowan Johnson @rowan-johnson.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
So the new Macs have you gotten you interested in ✨Genlock✨? Here's a really good video that explains what it is and what it's used for: Watch the first 5 minutes for an overview, the first 20 if you want the full details. The TL;DW is it's a very niche (and a bit old) broadcast technology.
youtube.com
Genlock, Timecode, Wordclock -- What Are They? Do I Need Them? Are They Interchangeable?
If you've ever been confused by genlock, timecode, or wordclock, this video is for you. I talk about what all three of them are, how they're used, and why you should use them. -------------- Join this channel for behind-the-scenes, early access to videos, and more: ►YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnsHD1yiKw-ERgDldZt_X2Q/join ►Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/djprod ►Sign up for our video production management website: https://www.crewaxis.com/pricing.php?rs=yt-sync As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. https://www.amazon.com/shop/dougjohnsonproductions ►Equipment Used for YouTube Videos - https://djp.li/ytequipment ---------- Follow us online! ►DJP Website - https://www.djprod.biz/ ►Second YouTube Channel - https://djp.li/youtube2 ►Email Mailing List - https://djp.li/email ►Discord Discussion Server: https://djp.li/discord ►Social Media Accounts - https://djp.li/social ►Partial Equipment List - https://djp.li/gear ►Free Production Tools - https://djp.li/tools 00:00 Introduction 00:54 Genlock 18:46 Timecode 26:52 Timecode caveats 33:41 Wordclock 36:44 How are they related? 37:47 Outro
000
Rowan Johnson @rowan-johnson.bsky.social · 20/08/2026
From first hand experience, I can confirm that the internet is much much more useful when you're not an (apparently!) leading expert in the thing you're looking for information about!
000
Rowan Johnson @rowan-johnson.bsky.social · 20/08/2026
Here's a fun and unique problem I have. A few years ago I filmed a tutorial video for Canon about their PTZ range. I presented the video and helped write the script. Now whenever I'm troubleshooting those cameras, Google consistently returns that video as a response to my queries. Not helpful! 😂
100
Rowan Johnson @rowan-johnson.bsky.social · 20/08/2026
Spam email I received today. LMAO! If one of my clients offered to pay in crypto, I'd run a million miles and never speak to them again.
010