Saturday, September 25, 2010

Week 6 - on to Week 7

One might say that 'epiphanies' only happen once in a 'Blue Moon' (which means about every 2.5 years according to the Mayan Calendar).

I am impressed to say that our class is slowly coming to an end. With two classes to go, I am hoping that this is one of those momentous occasions where an 'epiphany' and a 'Blue Moon' come together.

It is my hope and goal that this week we have content worthy of a 'lab class'. With this, we are on 'task' to completing a direction. I am going to encourage your bringing together ANY and ALL content that you may have considered worthy of a direction for the 'final project'. Therein my submission of the following recommendations:

- Nadine: I consider your goal of a more 'staid' potential in finding your 'content' is certainly worthy of some documentation. If not; at least a resurrection. (Please find what you need to make next Wednesday a worthy opponent.) I look forward to your being able to edit some video (.mov) files.

- Connor: If content is an issue, just understand that I think your initial proposal has won my vote for a direction. "Keepin' up with 'Finn'(?), I think was the 'little one's' name.

- Shell: Its 'good luck' in future endeavors. Are you changing anything in the original that we all we're appreciative to share in on Wednesday. "Thank you from ALL of us for the content and presentation in Flash".

- Gabriella: Sorry to miss you on Wednesday. We hope that ALL is well with you and your friend. Please bring in your DVD of your content regarding your goal of publishing 'active/streaming links' to a website. (this is my suggestion, only)

- Alicia: Your working with generating a 'still frame movie' appeals to me. Its a good direction that you will have a LOT of potential to utilize later, once you upload it to the Internet. Please consider MUSIC file for a 'background'. Bring in either .aiff (CD-ROM) or .mp3 (online only, IPOD requires a download 'interface' that we don't have rights to.

- Sharon: I am hoping (again) that your week is going well. I would like to see if we could orchestrate an 'upload' of a movie file (ie. your student's animations) as just ONE link that an 'online educational resume' (web site) might be able to generate. I just found a file/link that you should consider on a number of levels (not just for content, but for the 'scripting' involved): http://www.tracyleestum.com/. (copy and paste as the 'blog' won't allow .html or 'active links'. . .
WAIT!!! What am I saying) You should ALL check this site out for some 'streaming' content. I really appreciate how one (online) movie (right side) links into the next. I'm checking out this code, for sure... (any takers on this as well?)

- Di Anna: You have generated a 'movie' clip that, as mentioned to Alicia, can be utilized in a number of ways. It would be a goal to consider that understanding a variety of 'file types', 'interpolation devices' (eg. YouTube Downloader) can benefit you when it comes to further developing a website based on .html. A handful of 'tags' can get you a long way in developing a website. Let's consider what options are available for a commercial (online) web page and create a product that supports such a direction. I'm seeing something to do with storytelling. Please research 'storytelling' online (as a 'keyword' through a Google 'search engine' or even Wikipedia.com as a viable resource for research).

I hope you all have enjoyed the content thus far. It is not that I'm without a small 'test' as part of your assessment. Please consider that responding to this site at least 'once' constitutes "a good thing". Otherwise, expect something from these last six weeks to show up in class for some credibility.

Alex

Sunday, September 19, 2010

Week 5 - anticipating week 6

I know that I promised you all some content by Saturday for next week's class. What little I'm able to put in these few minutes should be worthy of some reflection (and possible research). There are no comments as to week 5 (last week) blog regarding your content development - so, again, I encourage your comments for each of the bullet points I've assigned you.

There are two 'Activities' that I would like to you consider. I indicated that one of these is optional and the other is not (activity 1). If you are of the mindset to look further into these items, please feel free to post your comments for this week (hopefully prior to Wednesday night's class) in that I may have a chance to look at them and make some considerations for content.

We will be looking at the Flash software for developing our interactive file content (GUI/Graphic User Interfaces), so you will need to be ready with your material: still images, movie files, hyperlinks and some plan for building additional content with lab time in class.

File types we'll analyze ((Click here for some reference content)): .fla (Flash project), .swf (Flash Movie Script), and F4V (which is 'now' the ISO 'standard' for viewing video on the web). Just as .jpg (for digital image stills), .mov (for editing and uploading), now F4V stands to be a file type that we need to understand a little better if we are to truly understand "Multimedia and the Web".

Thursday, September 16, 2010

Week 4 - "There's so much to I've learned"
(. . . and so much yet to learn)

(from week 4 comments) . . . Seriously, you'll go nuts. Look for a quick review of class (from week 5) and further review of week 5 to follow by Saturday. So, be sure to check back (for week 6) and 'comment' on anything.
. . . How's this week going, Sharon????

Now on to a review of this and next week for content potential

(NOT optional) Activity 1: .HTML (for Safari) - did anyone look?
Some contextual elements for use in your website development:
http://www.lightsphere.com/dev/ (A great ‘toolbox’ for exploration)
http://developer.apple.com/safaridemos/
(look for links to Safari Developer)

Hint: Just be prepared to talk about this on Week 6. Alicia, I encourage the Safari demos site for you.

Question??? Comments??? "What method did you consider to be both good for context (easy enough) and content (a little more difficult)."
Second Question: "Is 'entertainment' content worthy?!!!


(Optional) Activity 2: Review the 'file types' available for output (and 'resolution vs. file size' from week 2's blog). Comments!!!

My personal apologies for the 'technical difficulties' (or, technical foul - since it is football season) in not having checked on Final Cut Pro (access) prior to class last night.

I do want to 'thank you, ALL' for your patience and 'especial' "gracias" to Gabriela for providing the content for last night with her Final Cut 'trailer' edit and her sharing that knowledge with ALL of us. It was a 'workaround'; right, Nadine?

A further review of week 5 to follow... So, be sure and check back with 'comments' on anything...

  • Connor, how's the PC Editing Software? Loading problems??? Let me know.
  • Di Anna, Good work at home with IMovie. Send us a link when you settle on an upload through YouTube.com
  • . . . Same for you, Sharon
  • Gabriela, please bring your DVD (Avid Work) and any 'links' next week (week 6).
  • Nadine, just continue to consider CSS as a 'web page' since your work is also in print.
  • Shell, 'THINK FLASH' and we'll look at anything you have to 'offer' from your professional experience as well as your current rendering (.swf) on Wednesday.
  • Alicia, again - the potential that Safari has to offer in 'programming' will define your webpage, IMovie (of your images), maps to locations (a cool 'tag' for sure) and other opportunities for multimedia development.

    Signing off, for now!!! A great class on Wednesday - Thanks again for all of your support of me and each other...

    (Note: the above is an html edited blog using a simple HTML editor - through Blogger.com)
  • Saturday, September 11, 2010

    Week 4 - YouTube downloads and IMovie

    Please reference the Week4 folder for content regarding this week’s entry. Otherwise, the following handouts were provided in class and have been updated on the ‘resources’ entry from week 3.



  • Week 4 Introduction and content (This includes the IMovie content)


  • Acceptable Quicktime Formats (file types that Quicktime will open)


  • A Bunch of Research Links that are worthy of a look.




  • Click on image (left) to view larger
    *note - not a consideration of user 'bitrate'?  Why?
    Part 1 - Downloading the .flv movie and converting to a .mov for editing in IMovie
    We successfully accessed a file transfer protocol (FTP) download from YouTube using “YouTube Video Grabber”, which is called a ‘transcoding software’.
    The purpose of ‘transcoding’ (software) allows the user:

    1) to alter the file type for compatibility with other types of software or even operating systems such as PC vs. Mac.  We altered an .flv download from YouTube to a .mov for use in IMovie.

    2) to resize the digital image or video file resulting in a ‘lossy’ process reduces file size.
    This process benefits user storage, thereby upload and download speeds, and the potential of usability is improved.

    In the process of converting the .flv (which is standard encoding for YouTube video uploads) we were able to discuss:

    Ratios – included HD (High definition/widescreen) format 16:9 and SD (standard television) format 4:3.

    *Note: for the ‘trailers’ we utilized the transcoding software to render it in a format ratio that retained its ‘widescreen’ (HD) origins (eg. 391 x 220).

    Conversion – to .mov for editing in IMovie. Video files that are able to be brought into IMovie include 1) .avi (a video compression format when using a recording device such as a digital still camera/video option or current camcorders that operate ‘tapeless’.
    2) .mov (Quicktime) format which I alluded to as the .jpg of video.

    Questions were posed of other format options which I will defer to the list of Quicktime video and audio files under Acceptable Quicktime Formats">Week4/Media formats…’

    Part 2 – Editing in IMovie / (see notes from class for goals): Intro to Week 4 handout

    Saturday, September 4, 2010

    Week 3 - Recap

    Week 3 – Blog entry

    It’s been a busy week. My apologies for the last class seeming somewhat limited in its content, but lets examine ‘what’ we were able to consider for content and my suggestions for you regarding your ‘direction’.

    I demonstrated various ‘HTML editors’ which include: Dreamweaver, E (text editor), Microsoft FrontPage, HotDog, Homesite, Nvu, Tidy, and GoLive. (Flash’s ‘Action Script’ which includes templates for setting up individual elements (eg. buttons) and larger, more intricate items such as multimedia interfaces.  Please read the following very hand Wikipedia reference regarding HTML editors (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HTML_editor).

    • Example found on Week3/PortfolioTemplate/PortfolioAlex.fla *rendered as an .swf file for viewing in browser or future upload/download potential)
    • Additional considerations were given to a “GoLive” HTML file, posted under Week3/UsingGoLive.html which accesses the portfolio images by category (Week3/PortfolioTemplate) in its scripting.
    • All of the content for these two HTMLs (underlined) is in your Week3 folder
    • The two HTMLs rendered utilize the 'tags': (a href=”image.jpg”) for a ‘hyperlink’ or (img src=”image.jpg”) for image link.
    •  Once rendered from the software these HTML scripts are fully editable in a plain ‘Text Editing’ software such as Macs “Text Edit” or a PCs “Notepad”.
    The second part of our class included an exercise in analyzing a ‘movie trailer’ for: transitions, titles, sound, music and other special effects that we may consider including in our own video editing of our final project.  Emulation is often the solution out of a consideration of time rather than ‘reinventing the wheel’, it may also serve to inspire you in your final project development.

    Some of you were able to demonstrate and discuss what direction you’ve started taking in creating your ‘final project’ content.  I applaud your efforts in working on material outside of class.  It seems to be an important element in demonstrating your understanding.  Connor, thanks for taking on the challenge of showing your redo of the script you were provided and taking on the additional duty of context manipulation.  Nadine, I am very impressed with your content development regarding the ‘millenial generation’ and look forward to knowing if interviews are going to be included.

    Next week (week 4):
                We will begin delving into ‘movie/video’ content potential utilizing the Mac’s ILife ’09 IMovie and IDVD softwares.  Please consider bringing any video that you want to work with (either burned to a DVD as video content for ‘compression’ / using the following formats: AVI, Quicktime, MPEG-2/3 or MPEG-4.  If you can’t download the file, be sure to bring in the content (including any ‘sound/music’ – rendered in a similar format or on a CD /.aif files can be resaved into MPEG files through GarageBand which is part of the ILife '09 Bundle).

    Goals for Week 4's class include:
    -       Discussing resolution and compression for recording, editing, and uploading purposes:
    -       Documentation (camcorder) Resolutions include: SD, DV, HD, HD1080i
    -       We will look at FLV and FV4 for later use in our GUI interface uploads
    -       Work with video compression using Adobe’s Media Encoder for editing and export. Compression formats include: MPEG-2/3/4 along with Quicktime and H:264
    -       Shedworx.com is a website for transcoding footage for import into a video editing (non-linear) software.
    -       With what we are able to develop next Wednesday in IMovie, expect that we will upload to YouTube for access in our HTML GUIs (using the proper ‘embed’ link).
    **Bring your video, sound, music or anything else you want to 'attempt' to incorporate in IMovie.