Last Days.

Since its the end of the year, I thought I would give you a chance to reflect on everything that's happened in the class. Think about everything we've gone over, both the third and fourth nine weeks. What things did you like? What things did you not like? What gave you the most problems? If you could change one thing, what would you have done? Try to be honest and don't forget to explain your statements!

Winding Down

You are working on the last movie for the semester. Once you are done with the Interview movie you will have done all the major tasks for the nine weeks. You should be done with the Speedbuilder and Numbers course and working on the Special Marks course in Typing Master. The sooner you get all three projects turned in and finish all three courses the sooner you can have free time without me being a harpy on your back all the time.

Finishing the Interview

By now you should have your video almost completed. You should have taken three or four pictures of the object, recorded the object's answers using Audacity, and videoed yourself asking the questions. Once you have the answers recorded using Audacity then you modify the sound so it doesn't sound like you. Try to make it sound like what you imagine the object's voice would sound like (if they really could talk).
After you are done changing the sound files it would be time to put your video together. Cut the video of you asking the questions up so that each question is separate. Then you insert one of the pictures of your object in between each question. Drop the sound file for each answer under the object picture in the Audio layer. (You may have to stretch the picture along the timeline to make it fit.) After you do all that its just Title and Credits then save and turn it.
How are you doing on the project? Are you caught up or have you been wasting time?

Object Interviews

Our latest project is for you to conduct an interview with a non-living object. You take pictures of the object, video yourself asking questions, and then make up answers you think the object would make to your questions. Being creative in your answers and giving your "interviewee" a personality really makes or breaks this project.
Don't ask generic questions, ask things that are specific to the object. Think about what it would be like if that object was actually a real person. What would it be like to do whatever the object is used for? What kind of problems would that object/person have? Would this be a life you would like to have?
I have had several students make really great videos using this topic, but unfortunately some of the most boring ones have been on this topic also. It all depends on how creative you are. No creativity -- Boredom, Creativity -- Great Video.
How creative are you being?

Newscast video is due!

Your finished newscast is due today!
You should have it edited and the green-screen effect and picture-in-picture effect done. Your title and effects should be added. Don't forget to give credit to everyone who helped you do the movie. But don't write out their names, use their initials in case I put it as an example on the web.
This morning I found a trick that really speeds up the last step. Instead of Exporting the movie in Adobe Premiere Elements you should export it as a MPEG that is Multimedia Compatible. This really changes the process making it so much quicker! For example ZB, who finished her movie yesterday, exported it as a movie and it took 1 hour and 47 minutes. When I did the same thing this morning as an MPEG it took fifteen seconds. BIG DIFFERENCE!
I have never figured out why it always took so long with Premiere, I know the newer versions don't take that long. Its probably just one of those quirky bugs because its version 1.0.
How did your movie turn out?

Never Fails

One of the things I don't like about Adobe Premiere Elements is our version is 1.0. Version 1.0 means its the first version that is sold and they always have lots and lots of problems (bugs).
To give you an idea APE went to version 5.0 in just over two years because of all the major things they had to fix. These problems always show up right at the worst time. Never Fails.
Another problem we have with APE version 1.0 is it's too old. None of the cameras we've got in the last two years use those old formats. Since the old cameras have been abused too much and don't work right anymore, we've been using the new ones, but we can't use those formats in Premiere because they weren't around when version 1.0 came out. Of course Zamzir, (the website I normally use to change formats) starts having major problems when I try to convert your movies. Never Fails.
Hopefully, you have all finished filming and are waiting on me to solve this problem so that you can move on. Don't forget you need not only a background, but a picture to put over your shoulder when you do your newscast editing. Do you have everything you need so that once I fix the format problem you can finish your movie?

Cue Cards

We have created cue cards for you to use in your newscast video. What will happen is you will be sitting at the table in front of the green screen with the camera man and another person facing you about four feet away. The 2nd person will be holding your cue cards and will change them as you read. The reason I had you write the words large was because you need to see them and talk naturally as if you were speaking off the top of your head, not reading from the cue cards.
It takes practice to read them correctly so the first couple of times you do it will be for practice and the cameraman will not be recording.
Using cue cards should help make you much more comfortable about being on camera, because it will greatly reduce the chance that you will make a mistake and be embarassed. It won't completely keep you from making a mistake, you could get the giggles or see something out of the corner of your eye that makes you forget what you read, but it does help.
Are you ready to be on camera and try out your cue cards?