BP7_Shidonni

BP6_Tracy

This is a link to my classmate Tracy's blog.

Tracy Anderson

BP5_Katina

Hi All!
This is a link to my classmates blog.

Techno-Tina aka Katina Moss

BP4_Shidonni

I searched the Web 2.0 options this time and found Shidonni. As usual I am always looking for a tool that may or may not work in video production situations that will be good for children less than 10 years old.  I think this software is perfect. Shidonni offers a unique experience to children by allowing them to draw and play with the virtual pets they create. Shidonni was founded in 2008 by Nachshon, Peled and Mazursky, the former CEO of Toys’R'Us Israel. Shidonni is backed by a group of UK investors and to date has raised $1.5 million. At first glance I was thinking it was not going to be something the children would like so I had a few backup Web 2.0 to use. I used the children’s after church time to show them this fun new virtual world.

The game starts with the child drawing a picture. Once this is completed it ask that you create a username and password to continue. Ok, to my surprise my student did not have a email address so the next step was to create an email account for him. Once done I tried to let him work with it alone. 

Well, instead of the login he created the first time he just made new users every time until I realized what he was doing. Once we fixed this he was good to go. Turns out that Shidonni also has games to play on the computer that he tested along with creating drawings. As of this writing he is still on the computer! Oh, there is some very annoying music that plays repeatedly as he plays games or draws pictures. Lots of fun. I wanted something I had never heard of and this did it. Try it!!!

PE3_iMovie

Editing 

Editing is done by a series of moves that the instructor calls linear editing. This is that each clip is selected in sequence and added to the timeline. The main difference is that in non-linear editing systems like iMovie, we can move clips around. iMovie also has more preset features for creating stories based on footage being edited. I also liked the movie trailer feature that allow a trailer be created in a few short moves from themes in iMovie. 

Music, pictures, text, transitions and animations can be added from the interface to the timeline. These additions give my project pro like features without the editing required in Final Cut. The advanced tab located in the middle of the screen was used to speed up editing and give user more control over the clips. For example selecting clips to move on the timeline 

Conclusion

 The final step is to publish my movie. This can be done from the interface that will do all the work. Share menu has options for iTunes, MobileMe, iDVD, Youtube, Facebook, Vimeo, CNN, Movie and Quicktime. This choose is up to me. I can also do all. This makes iMovie a great choose for anyone beginning video editing. It is fast and user friendly with themes and easy to use options to make each project a masterpiece. There is also a feature that transfers the footage or finished movie to XML file that can be used in Final Cut. I think this will be how I can move between the two programs. As I mentioned sometimes I can use iMovie for productions but when I need extra editing features I can export to XML file and import into Final Cut. 

PE2_iMovie

Capture

I noticed that the interface for capture is on the dash and very straight forward. 

So to import footage from my camera, I need to connect it to my Mac via a FireWire cable, which I have already done, but I haven't turned it on yet.  

Once I do so, iMovie automatically recognize that I have turned the camera on, and opens up the Import window. 

Now, in Final Cut this is done by a Log and Capture or Log and Transfer feature found under the file menu. I am using a tape from my HD camera just to test what i have learned. When i used this camera it didn’t work until I turned off the iLink settings. I still needed to use the manual import because it kept stopping. I am thinking this was caused by stops or breaks in the footage.  

We also have the option to analyze our video after we import it, and we can analyze for Stabilization, People, or Stabilization and People. The Stabilization feature is an ability of iMovie that can take shaky footage and smooth it out. the People option is a new feature of iMovie in which it will go through your footage and try to detect the presence of people.  On the timeline the people clips can be viewed as having a purple line and stabilized clips a tan line. Once you have decided on your settings, you can click Import. So that's how you import/Capture footage from my tape-based camera in iMovie `11.

PE1 iMovie

My Story

I began video production in 2006 as a weekend class taught by a education team out of Pensacola. The team of three gave us instruction in iMovie, camera and lighting. I was included in a breakout session with e lead instructor that felt I would be interested in learning another video editing software, final cut pro. I caught on quickly to his surprise and we continued the rest of the weekend. 

This will be the first time at Full Sail I have used and studied iMovie. Normally I use Final Cut since I am so comfortable with it. I am thinking this will be a great chance to learn it for future training. See the idea is that every Mac ships with the software so it will be easier to teach a beginner video editing class with it since there will be no additional expense to the students after the Mac buy. If the students wanted to move forward they can buy Final Cut. 

This blog will focus on my comparison of the two editing suites and evaluation of how I can begin using iMovie more for edits that do not require the power of Final Cut. Lynda offers the exercise files for students to follow along during the training. I have downloaded the files and will be using them throughout the training. Since I have editing experience, some of the options will move faster than others however as mentioned, my main interest is to learn from the teaching style used.