[Video Tutorial] Final Cut: Tips/Tricks #1
March 28, 2008
If you’re just starting out or have been using it for a while, you might pick up a few tricks. Who knows. Wanna learn how to add a transition to a group of clips all at once?
Read more
[Video Tutorial] Create your own Wordpress site
February 26, 2008
It’s here, a new tutorial on how to set-up your own wordpress blog.
If your paper is looking for a solution to show of the work of their photographers this is a great solution. This is how we manage mercurynewsphoto.com/blog. We’ve been doing it for more than two years now. Anyway, enjoy. I hope you find this useful. Read more
Everything I know I learned from the web!
February 8, 2008
DIY Multimedia School – Learn from Websites with Filmmaking Tutorials
Follow this outrageous link to everything you need to know about film and video and three point lighting, if you must.
One of my favorite podcasts, it’s a must.
New Episode Every Week!
The Shirtless Apprentice is a weekly Internet web series about digital video production starring the very clever video apprentice himself, Matt and his blond mute friend. Each episode provides useful information about the production of digital video for online viewing and distribution. Very informative and much fun for the whole family!
enjoy,
-r
A new book, for multimedia journalists
January 12, 2008
Multimedia Journal will show you how to tap into your creativity by guiding you through a variety of activities that will prod your imagination so you can capture new ideas for multimedia storytelling. The exercises are intended to jump-start your creative energy. This book is for Multimedia Journalists.
Square 7×7 inches (18×18 cm) 60 pages
Published: January 1, 2008
By Richard Koci Hernandez
I want to share a project that recently started out as notes/worksheets to help a few workshop attendees and turned into a 60 page book. This project has forced me to practice what I’ve been preaching and I hope it can help you or someone you know. So spread the word! It’s already become a Blurb Best Seller.
The book is packed with over 50 creative exercises and ideas to get you thinking creativity about photography, video, audio and multimedia in general. It’s also packed with some great resources, which I plan to post as a PDF download- the resources that is, not the book- but you can get a sneak peak by downloading the first 15 pages of the book as a PDF, here.
My new book is hot off the presses at Blurb! Take a peek and
place your order if you’re so inclined.
I hope you enjoy the book -if you choose to purchase- it’s from the heart, tnxs,
-r
Create a chaptered Soundslides menu WAY EASY!
December 20, 2007
Soundslides creator Joe Weiss rocks us again!
What does this tool do?
This tool is designed to create a simple chaptered Flash menu for Soundslides presentations.
You can download the resulting Flash menu and host it on your own web site.
Here is an example.
enjoy,
-r
DIY
December 20, 2007
DIY Filmmaking: Make Your Own Equipment & Tools
Here’s a few links to DIY resources that give us multimedia shooters alternatives to buying and renting equipment from filmlinker.com
enjoy,
-r
Flash Video Tip
December 20, 2007
Optimal Frame Dimensions for Flash Video
Video codecs such as On2 VP6 and Sorenson Spark perform best when the frame width and height use multiples of 16. While you can use any width and height in your encoding settings, non-optimal dimensions can result in poor image quality and reduced frame rate. For the best image quality and playback, you should always use width and height dimensions that use a multiple of 16 (best), 8 (better), or 4 (good)
HOW-TO: Make your own annotated multimedia Google map
October 28, 2007
If you’re new to web development or new to XML, don’t worry — we’ll walk you through it as best we can. Ready? Let’s dive in!
Ethical guidelines for editing audio
September 30, 2007
Since US papers don’t seem to have a policy, this is the one I’ll follow from the Canadian Journalism Project:
The most important rule - NEVER change the meaning of what the interviewee said.
With rules like that, who could complain?
Rules compiled by
Mary McGuire
Associate Professor of Journalism
Carleton University
tnxs, Mary!
SHOWME: Make a great site, Audio solutions, tools, StoryMaker, more…
August 8, 2007
The Making of a Great Photography Website: Three Distinct Approaches | Layers Magazine
____________________________________
DV - Columns - Audio Solutions: Decapitation
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Tools & Utilities for filmmakers
ou've now entered the Dependent Films Download Center. It's unbelievable 1) how much these files can help, and 2) how hard all of these tools are to find on the net. Thus, this is why we've assembled this compilation for all of you aspiring filmmakers out there. Best of all, they're all FREE (a favorite word for all independent filmmakers). These programs have really helped our productions, and hopefully they can help yours as well. If you have any other programs you know of online or have questions about the origins of these files, dfnet79 @ dependentfilms.net , and we'll link them here.
EXPOSÉ: America's Investigative Reports . É-Tools . LOOSENING LIPS: THE ART OF THE INTERVIEW | PBS
Training Tips and Trends : Art of Editing: United 93
enjoy!
-r
Rules for Video on the Internet
July 7, 2007
Rule Number 1
YOU ARE NOT in control, your viewers are.
Rule Number 2
Your viewers time and attention are precious, this is not FRONTLINE. Your pieces should not be longer than 4 minutes, otherwise, chapterize, the viewer can come back and see the rest IF THEY WANT.
Rule Number 3
Make your videos 'sharable.' The internet is about sharing the love and goodness, make is easy for viewers to link to or embed your video content.
Rule Number 4
Know your audience. Run some stats on your site, like Google analytics, to find out what browsers and therefore possible plug-ins your viewers might need, make it easy for them to download the plug-in if needed.
Rule Number 5
Compose the shots in your video for your presentation size. If your paper's website runs video, 320×240, then you should be shooting tight! And even if your site runs it's video presentations, say 640×480, still shoot tight because before you know it, and mark my words, it will happen, not matter how big you are able too run the video on your site, our future audience is going to be viewing our content on small portable 'thingys,' can you say iphone.
Finally, and most IMPORTANT,
Rule Number 6
Make something 'good' happen in the first 15, no, 10, wait, 5 seconds -you get my drift- or you are doomed. Don't bury your lede. Put the good audio quote or image up front.
Ok, the caffeine from the Diet Coke just wore off, i had a good dozen more rules, but i have no fuel to keep me going, good night and enjoy.
-r
“Life is like music, it must be composed by ear, feeling and instinct, not by rule. Nevertheless one had better know the rules, for they sometimes guide in doubtful cases, though not often.”- Samuel Butler
“Any fool can make a rule, and any fool will mind it.”-Thoreau
Making a 360 video pano [tutorial]
June 11, 2007
Patrick Yen, well-known from http://fakemustaches.org/ and more recently as part of the team that put together this stunning package, http://www.americandiversityproject.org/ has done all of us a a huge service by sharing this awesome tutorial. This is a 38 minute tutorial, produced for MultimediaShooter.com, it's 134 MB and worth every second of your time if you are into making one of these cool video 'panos' I'm trying it this weekend! Link, here. and all the sources files, here:
http://www.patrickyen.com/skate360/360.swf
http://www.patrickyen.com/skate360/master.swf
http://www.patrickyen.com/skate360/audio.mp3
http://www.patrickyen.com/skate360/master.fla
http://www.patrickyen.com/skate360/360.fla
NOTE: Head-gear not required!
enjoy, and tnxs Patrick!
-r
5 reasons not to panic
May 1, 2007
#100: One Hundred Things Completely Right About Our Job By Chip Litherland, Sarasota Herald-Tribune
10-minute Flash tutorials by the Flash Goddess herself, Mindy McAdams
A Guide to Great Online Video
Streaming Media magazine (via http://newsvideographer.com/ Angela Grant's new blog, new look, sameattitude"Angela-tude")
MORE tutorials from TutorialBlog.org
enjoy,
-r
Download Audio, Video, Editing, Multimedia tip sheets
April 29, 2007
Can you believe this picture! Get it, gun+camera=multimedia shooter. Maybe it's a stretch. After attending POYi in Berkeley, I was walking back to my car and saw this image inside the parking garage.
Anyway, while surf'n around this week I ran into a few articles with a few decent tips, so along with what I gleamed from those and my own advice I've come-up with a printable list. Cut it out, paste it up! Here are the tips. Read more
Flash Tutorial [video]
April 21, 2007
PLEASE READ:
I have put this together as a starting point. It's 30 minutes long. I tend to ramble. I don't think it's what I wanted it to be, but I tried. Actually, I tried something new. Something called PULP MOTION. It didn't work so well. User error. [I should have used more than my webcam and during compression the sound sync went off.] Live and learn as they say. But since I put so much time into it, mostly compressing time, maybe there is something in there for you to learn. But, just in case there isn't, I found over an hour of great and FREE intro to Flash tutorials for you, at Lynda.com
enjoy, hopefully,
-r
[Runtime 30min: Size: 22MB]
“UseFlashMore, Because You Can!”
April 13, 2007
For the six of you who want a ThumbnailGrid tutorial, well, see below. And for the rest of you voting for the Flash tut, DAMN YOU! I might have to stuff the ballot box. Just kidding…
The video tutorials can be found here: Accordion Nav
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c6EZNZUl9QU
Thumbnail Grid
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aLKNyP89E0Q
Major 'props' to
Justin Winter of Useflashmore.com for the product and the tuts.
enjoy,
-r
p.s. i'm back from Mexico next week, more on the t-shirts and bottles of tequila for all the contest winners. You wish! But the prizes will be in the mail soon. Tnxs for your patience.
NPPA multimedia contest WINNERS!
March 19, 2007
Made you look!
Now that I have your attention, it's time give the site a little update from Poynter, where the NPPA multimedia contest judging is taking place. If you're looking for results, wrong place. But, if you're looking for a judges (mine) notes and impressions, and a quick tutorial on HOW TO WIN A MULTIMEDIA CONTEST then you've come to the right place. Of course there are no guarantees you'll win any contest, but I think it might help push your entries to the top of the pile.
MORE TO COME….enjoy,
-r
