notes on PODCASTING

PODCASTING
Different programs are used to edit different file formats.
Adobe CS3 and CS4 have aprogram called 'Soundbooth' which is really good for recording.
A PODCAST is a series of SOUND FILES.
Takes a long time to put it together for the first time; allow time to do this in your lessons.
Using BACKING MUSIC; Be aware of Copyright issues. It` s illegal to use music from CDs or downloads for this prupose.
freeplaymusic.com ; a site where you can use any music you want to free of charge. You can listen to a sample and then save it if you want to use it.
AUDACITY; the program that most scholls are using at the moment.
Go to PROJECT - IMPORT AUDIO
HIGHLIGHT bits of it, then you can CUT them or go to EFFECTS and FADE THEM IN or OUT.
EFFECT - AMPLIFY; take it down and it turns the volume down for that bit.
If you want to COPY a bit, HIGHLIGHT IT. Then COPY - PASTE.
Arrow pointing both ways at topf left; MOVE button. HIGHLIGHT it, then click on MOVE and move it around.
Some schools don` t allow you to download MP3s; need to check with the school.
FREE SOUND PROJECT; have to sign up. They have FREE SOUND EFFECTS.
If you use something and it` s copyrighted, even for educational purposes, it` s a £2000 fine!
If you actually write to the Artists and say 'I would like to use this for a project : can I have your permission?' that` s fine. Students do this all the time. (They receive extra marks for it.)
To actually PLAY your PODCAST as a MUSIC FILE, you have to EXPORT it.
Normally use MP3 or WAV format. MP3 is much smaller but can be sent by e mail. (It` s COMPRESSED. You can compress it at different qualities. For general school / college use you can use an MP3.) (Bit like a jpeg file.) WAV; larger, better quality. For use with a Windows programme. Proffessional quality, eg for use on a radio programme.
Once you` ve exported it, you CAN`T EDIT the component parts AGAIN.
BBC PODCASTS. There` s some really good Podcasts on the BBC Website. They are aimed at different AUDIENCES. Kids, teenagers or adults. Good to use in a lesson to analyse how they differ. eg. use of SOUND EFFECTS, BACKGROUND MUSIC, LANGUAGE, STYLE.
You can SUBSCRIBE to Podcasts. You set up a link from your I Tunes to a Podcast; normally ends in rss.xml.
Click SUBSCRIBE TO PODCAST, then COPY AND PASTE THE LINK to the 1 you want to subscribe to.
They are SERIESES of MIXED SOUND BITES.
AN RSS link can also be used to subscribe to other website facilities, for example the vacancies section.
The best way to learn Podcasting is to go through the process. Then at the end the learner can understand better why you do things in certain ways. So always save the real Creative work for the 2nd time round.
Audacity can be used to make SOUNDTRACKS FOR FILMS aswell. You import the audio into the Film Editing Programme afterwards.
If you` re using lots of people talking in your Podcast, it ` s better to record them all through 1 machine or using the same microphone. Then the LEVELS will all be the same.

Posted by Rebecca Payne

Tuesday, 27 October 2009 at 15:25 , 0 Comments

Risk Assessment

Risk Assessment for Interact Project


(see Penwith College one on Moodle for full details.)
Look specifically at what the risk is- break it down- and what you can do to cover it.
Risk; technical faults with the equipment. What you can do to cover it; PAC test.
Risk; tripping over leads / equipment. Cover; tape down wires, making sure your leads are long enough. Plan carefully where all leads are going to go; make careful choices.
Fire; who oversees it? Council: if you are working in a council - run establishment, the council oversees it. You are protected by council health and safety regulations. Make sure you know the procedures. If you are in a night-club there` s no backup like this; be aware.
Risk; false accusations made against you. How to avoid it; avoid scenarios where you can end up on your own with someone you are working with.
Most centres have their own further risk assessments safeguarding each individual you are working with and the premises you are working in. Ask centres for copies of their own individual risk assessments.
Risk; people acting irresponsibly. What you can do: set an example with your own behaviour.
CRB Check; you may need to have one done. Everybody who works with vulnerable people will have had one.
Risk; electric shocks. Avoidance; no food or drink near the equipment.
Hearing damage; protection: earplugs.
Risk; individual medical conditions, eg. epilepsy: flash on cameras may cause a fit. Avoidance; always ask before you do everything whether it is ok to do it.
Risk; end up having material you are not allowed to use because you didn` t gain consent beforehand. Avoidance: use consent forms.
Risk; unruly behaviour. Avoidance: set clear ground rules. Establish your expectations and make it clear what they are. Some people you are working with may not be aware of how they are expected to behave or the dangers involved.
Risk; you are in a situation you can` t handle. Avoidance: understand the need to refer. Know where your job finishes and someone else` s comes in.
Risk; being patronising or speaking to people in an inappropriate way. Avoidance; be aware of relevant legislation, eg, the mental health capacity act. Use clear language and be aware of boundaries.
Risk; not being inclusive. Avoidance: planning. Activity must be accessible to all the students involved. It is very important to take this into account.

Posted by Rebecca Payne

at 11:55 , 0 Comments

Design for life

The Design for life series, recently shown on BBC2 was really good, and showed a really interesting insight into the world of high-end design, and the processes involved in working in design at all levels. I thought it would be a really useful series for the Diploma students to watch, as it would teach them a lot about what is involved in working in this industry.

http://bbc.co.uk/i/mw165/
In an effort to find a new generation of British design talent, Philippe Starck, one of the world's best-known product designers, invites 12 hopefuls to a school of design he has set up in Paris. Over coming weeks, he will whittle them down until one fortunate student wins the opportunity of a lifetime - to work alongside the master for six months at his agency in the French capital.Ranging from unemployed retail worker Jess to college lecturer Ilsa, the students meet Starck for the first time and discover what a larger-than-life character he is. And they face their first challenge - to head to a local hypermarket and find examples of good and bad design. When they explain their thinking to Starck, he critiques them and selects the weakest five for a further nerve-wracking test. When it's over, the group of 12 is now 10 and the school of design can begin in earnest.
http://bbc.co.uk/i/mzyf2/
The 10 surviving students are set their first design challenge by Starck. Cocksure North London boy Nebil Avas is confident that he can pull off something to delight the master of design. Whilst the rest of the students seek inspiration from all over Paris to come up with a design, Nebil employs a 'free-thinking' method relying purely on his own imagination.As the pending deadline looms, tensions rise among the students and the night before the presentations to Starck, there's an argument after Nebil announces that he has no competitors in the house.When D-Day arrives Starck is presented with 10 very different interpretations of his brief - but he's less than impressed and tells the students they've been a little lazy. He eliminates three of them, but in a shock turn of events, concedes to send only two home, after some of the students step in to save a friend.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00n47xq
Design students compete for a six-month placement at Philippe Starck's design agency. Mike is desperately worried. After being thrown out last week and then saved in a rebellion by fellow students Ana and Ilsa, he knows he must now excel if he's to show he deserves his reprieve.
But Mike's difficulties don't end there. Starck interrupts the students research for their next brief to send them to a circus. Starck considers selling an idea to be almost as important as the idea itself. He feels the students lack presentation skills and thinks making them perform on stage as clowns will help address this.
But even as the students grapple with the fact they'll be judged on their presentation as much as their idea, they discover that with just 24hrs to go they've all seriously misunderstood Starck's brief. They have failed to turn their ideas and concepts into an actual product. This time it's not just Mike who panics: they all do.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00n8198
Design students compete for a six-month placement at Philippe Starck's design agency. The eight remaining students are disgraced. After the previous week's failure to interpret the brief correctly, Starck wanted to eliminate them all - instead he is making them repeat the brief again. Failure to reach his exacting standards will result in blood on the studio walls.
Despondent and fed up, the students struggle yet again to grasp just what Starck is after but they come back with a renewed determination to prove to Starck that they are truly great designers. Polly Firth hopes to regain her status as top of the class but she finds herself more and more on the periphery of the group, which culminates in a confrontation when Ana and Ilsa accuse her of breaking the rules and getting outside help with her design.
When the students finally pitch their ideas to Starck, he is ruthless and sends four of the eight students home, their dreams of working with one of the greatest designers in the world shattered.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00ncv2z
Design students compete for a six-month placement at Philippe Starck's design agency. In the previous episode there were eight students, now only four remain. As those left set out to meet Starck's model maker, the man who will finally turn their ideas into reality, the students must put the legacy of the previous week's cull behind them. While friendships have been broken, their chance of winning the opportunity to work with one of the world's greatest designers is now twice as good.
But the man who has transformed Starck's ideas into working models for the past twenty years is a hard man to please. None of the students escape his critical eye, but in particular he destroys the central mechanism for Trevor's idea, before telling Ilsa she must start again. He gives the students 48 hours to make all the necessary changes or risk losing the opportunity of working with him.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00njbc2
Design students compete for a six-month placement at Philippe Starck's design agency. It is the grand final. Only Ilsa and Mike remain from the original 12 students - and soon one of them will win the coveted opportunity of a work placement alongside Starck at his Paris design agency.
Mike and Ilsa have two weeks to finalise their products and come up with a poster advertising campaign for them. After her debacle with the branding challenge in the previous week, Ilsa struggles at the ad agency and is soon hamstrung by her old problem of over-complicating everything. Mike, meanwhile, is still smarting from Starck's criticisms of his work - that it lacked soul and spirit. As the clock ticks towards D-Day the pair work more and more frenetically, reducing Ilsa to tears and Mike to exhaustion. But when it is finally time to present their finished prototypes to Starck, the biggest surprises are yet to come.

Philippe Starck's official website (www.starck.com)

NESTA Enterprise Toolkit: free guide to being a successful creative entrepreneur (www.nesta.org.uk)

Posted by Rebecca Payne

at 03:47 , 0 Comments

Charlie and the Chocolate factory old and new; a comparison!



I thought it would be interesting to compare the 2 films that have been made of the classic story 'Charlie and the chocolate factory' to see how much technology and techniques have changed in the last 30 years............




Both of these films were cutting edge at the time that they were released. There are a lot of special effects used in the original version which now look really old and it's quite easy to see how they are done.

The actual chocolate factory is created through set building and modelling in the original, whereas now it is virtually all done using CGI. Similarly a lot of the characters in the original are created through use of costume whereas now CGI effects are used to distort the actors or even create the characters completely.

When I watched this breakdown of how the 2005 remake was made I was most surprised by the realisation that the Oompa Loompas were created entirely through CGI, as was the chocolate fountain, most of the scenery, and even the tropical jungle. It made me realise what a huge part computers now play in modern film-making. I was impressed by the possibilities of the modern effects but felt that the old one probably would have been more fun to make!




Charlie and the chocolate factory; the original,1971

Trailer




Oompa loompa song!



Boat trip









Remake; 2005



Trailor






Breakdown;How they did it!










I thought up the possibility of comparing these different versions of Charlie and the Choc Factory...well done me!!!



Posted by Rebecca Payne

Sunday, 25 October 2009 at 12:51 , 0 Comments

Campaign

http://rebbeccapaynecampaign.blogspot.com/Click on this link to view my Campaign project.


Click here to hear our amazing Radio Campaign!!!
http://www.divshare.com/download/9111164-0ab






I worked as part of a team with Amanda and Kelly to complete this project. We planned, researched, designed and produced each aspect of the project together as a team. Through this I developed skills such as negotiation, collaboration, compromise and time management.

Posted by Rebecca Payne

Friday, 23 October 2009 at 15:04 , 0 Comments

Technical notes
Photography
Image analysis. Composition; symetrical / asymetrical.
Analyzing images
PREPARATION – always write the artist’s name and the name of the picture if you know it.
CONTENT – What is the picture about?
Does it have any significance or is it just observed, remembered or imagined?
Is there exaggeration or distortion in the picture?
Is it real or abstract?
Are there any hidden meanings in the picture?


FORM – How has the picture been arranged?
Describe it.
Does it help the content?
What sort of tonal treatment and/or colour is used (harmonies, contrasts)?
Are there any dominant shapes or rhythms in the picture?
Can you describe the composition?
Is it pleasing to the eye?

PROCESS – How was the picture made?
What processes were used?
Where was it produced?
Was any development work involved?
Was the picture made quickly, or over a long period of time?


MOOD – What sort of feelings do you have when looking at the picture?
Is it emotional?
How would you describe the mood – noisy, soothing, disturbing, happy, sad, relaxing etc?



Other statements you might make...
'The reason I think this image is successful is because..................'
'The image has great impace because........'
'The juxtaposition of elemental forms and shapes within the image..............'
'The image has connotations with the genre of photojournalism'
'The picture has a deep sense of emotion and sadness due to...'
' The image is visually effective because....'
'The expressiveness of this picture brings to mind.....'
'His flash draws attention to both the graphic edge of the objects in it` s path and the......'
'The way this picture is lit it reminds me of a painting'
Annotation of your own work
Discuss your intentions and any reasons for creating the image.
How did you create the image?
Discuss the image in terms of the following visual elements:
Colour, Tone and Line.
 Shape and Pattern.
 Form and Texture.
 Relationships and Contrasts.
Discuss the image in terms of composition – the arrangement and placements of visual elements. Show awareness of any underlying compositional shapes and how the eye is led around the image.
Explain things, such as facts or a message.
Explore ideas, emotions or a personal response.
Express feelings or moods.
Discuss the image in relation to the work of others. (very important). Comment upon influences of subject, technique, visual elements, compositions and intentions.
Describe things, such as scenes, objects or people.
Comment upon the successes and failures of the image. What works well? What works badly?
Reflect and evaluate the image in terms of what you have learnt.

'Misseur Bear` s roundabout' - Robert Doisneau, 1955










Portrait of Salvador Dali by Phillipe Hausman

'Photo respiration' by Tokihiro Sato. Drawing with light. Pinhole photography. Uses mirror to flash light back at the camera.








Posted by Rebecca Payne

at 13:58 , 0 Comments

Wikipedia task

TASK;
Choose a Photographer or Director.
Do a search for information about them on Wikipedia. Fill in the boxes about what you find.
Now choose 3 Media and Communications internet information sources from attached sheet. Search for the same person and fill in the boxes about what you find.
PHOTOGRAPHER / DIRECTOR ;
Source

Brief description of the information.
Who wrote it?
When did they write it?
Why did they write it?
Wikipedia


Summary...what have you discovered

Posted by Rebecca Payne

at 13:55 , 0 Comments

Research techniques; 16/10/09

WIX.COM Good website making website.

This week me and Amanda taught a lesson about research. This was some useful information about internet searching that I gave to the students as part of a task.

Research guidance
The Internet is a vast source of information
It connects millions of computers around the world - computers belonging to all sorts of people and organisations. All these computers hold information, some of which is free for everyone to access and use.
Perhaps some of it could help you?
Information comes from a wide variety of sources such as:
Organisations
Informal Organisations
Publications
The Media
Individuals
Libraries
Special interest groups
Books
TV
Teachers
Colleges
Chat rooms
Newspapers
Radio
Librarians
Schools
Blogs
Magazines
Videos
Experts
Universities
Wikis
Reports
DVDs
Colleagues
Governments
Email lists
Pictures
MP3s
Friends
Companies



Family
Shops



Famous media practitioners
Museums





ORGANISATIONS
Top of Form 1
Most organisations now have their own website.
Let's look at some that might help Media and Communication students:
Most national media-related organisations have a Web presence that contains information about their role, mission and activities, with links to information and Internet resources in that subject.
ONLINE NEWSPAPERS AND NEWS SERVICES
Top of Form 1
Most national and local newspapers and news broadcast services have Internet sites where you can check the latest headlines and read articles online.
How does the information they offer on the Web compare to the information they offer in print or on the airwaves?
Some offer far more on the Web than they do in print/on the airwaves
Others offer far less on the Web than they do elsewhere
ELECTRONIC JOURNALS AND BOOKS
Top of Form 1
A large number of journals and a growing number of books are now available in electronic format on the Web.
Journals are increasingly available online but access to their content can vary. Some are also published in print while some are only on the Web. Some can be viewed in full for free, others you have to pay for. Some can be read in full online, others only give the titles and possibly abstracts of articles, so you either have to purchase the article online or buy or borrow a print copy.
ARTICLES, REPORTS AND GUIDELINES
Top of Form 1
Individual articles, reports and guidelines can frequently be found on the Internet.
Articles may be part of an online newspaper or journal or authors may have put them on the Web themselves.
Many governmental white papers and reports published within the public domain are made available on the Web.
Media production organisations will usually make their editorial guidelines available, usually intended primarily for those undertaking or wishing to undertake work for the organisation and in cases like the BBC as a requirement of their public service remit.
BIBLIOGRAPHIC DATABASES
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If you are conducting a literature search on a particular subject using bibliographic databases will help you to locate sources of information.
Journal articles, books and conference papers are often indexed in bibliographic databases, which are updated frequently and therefore keep you continually informed about what is being published in your subject.
The Internet can provide quick access to a number of bibliographic databases, however Many will be subscription services. You should therefore contact your library to find out about access within your own institution.
LIBRARY CATALOGUES
Top of Form 1
A library catalogue is a database of a library's holdings.
Your university or college library should be your first port of call, but you may want to look farther afield.
Many libraries, including academic libraries, make their catalogues freely available for members of the public to search. This can be useful to help you identify potentially useful publications. To help you further there are a number of services that allow you find and search more than one catalogue at a time:
INTERNET GATEWAYS
Top of Form 1
With the body of scholarly information available online growing ever larger, specialist Internet resource catalogues can be a useful supplement to a library search.
Internet gateways, often referred to as subject gateways, are maintained by academics and subject experts who track down the best resources on the Web, evaluate sites for quality, validity and relevance and arrange what they find in a logical way, thereby helping you to avoid a lot of the less than useful results that a typical basic search engine search turns up.
BLOGS, WIKIS AND EMAIL DISCUSSION LISTS
Top of Form 1
New Web technologies offer some innovative new ways of using the Internet to communicate.
Blogs
Blogs have become an enormously popular method of self-publishing on the Internet. They are essentially websites where comments are posted chronologically in a diary format. Blogs provide the sort of opportunities for independent Web content and channels of communication sought after by many budding media practitioners.
Wikis
Wikis are collaborative websites which allow contributors to add and edit content collectively, potentially growing to become significant sources of information and research on the Internet. Here's an example of a media-related wiki:
Email discussion lists
These predate blogs and wikis and have proved to be popular with individuals seeking to communicate and share ideas and information with others as part of an online community.
People often make some common mistakes when they search the Internet:
They use the wrong search tool for the job
They don't plan a good search strategy
They don't choose the best keywords to search with
SEARCH TOOLS
Top of Form 1
Let's look at some tools for searching the Internet
There are three main types of Internet search tools, all of which offer something slightly different. You will need to understand more about these tools before you can decide which is most suitable for your purposes
Search Engines
Specialist Search Tools
Library Websites
SEARCH ENGINES
Google
PROS
Useful if you want to find a very precise piece of information
Will find something on every subject imaginable
CONS
Can give you too many results –time consuming to sort through
Can return lots of irrelevant or inappropriate information
SPECIALIST SEARCH TOOLS
Specialist Internet search tools aim to help a particular audience find high quality websites for their particular needs.
They are often created by specialist organisations (eg. universities, governments, professional groups) who often employ qualified subject experts to select and organise websites under subject headings, and write descriptions of the sites. Examples include:
Intute An Internet search engine aimed at the UK higher education community providing access to evaluated arts and humanities Internet resources. Part of the Intute service.
Intute (the organisation that built this tutorial!) - an Internet search service run specifically to help students and staff in UK universities and colleges find educational and research materials on the Internet. Intute is run by a national network of university researchers and librarians.
Arts and Humanities Data Service A UK national service aiding the discovery, creation and preservation of digital resources in and for research, teaching and learning in the arts and humanities.
PROS
Good if you need trustworthy results for serious work or research
You get fewer, but more relevant results, as the subject specialists have filtered out a lot of the inappropriate sites
CONS
If you are not their intended audience they probably won't give you relevant results
They may bring back too few results, if you are looking for very specific information or for general or popular information
LIBRARY WEBSITES
Top of Form 1
Your university or college library website provides details of its hard copy and electronic collections and how to access them.
This is likely to be a key search tool for your studies / research.
Each library has different databases and access arrangements so you need to check locally what is on offer. However, many library websites have:
Library catalogues - search for books on your reading list.
Access to full text databases These can include commercial databases, electronic journals, ebooks, newspaper databases and more. Sometimes these databases appear on a separate area of the library website.
Help in using resources. Many libraries offer online tutorials or face to face training in finding information and the use of online resources.
PROS
Your library's resources have been purchased to support your studies
The quality will be high
You can often find more authoritative resources than on Google
Librarians can help you with your searching techniques
CONS
Some resources will only be available in print
Passwords may be needed to access some resources, particularly if you are working off campus
You may need to allow time to search several databases as cross searching of databases is rarely possible
Access to electronic resources (apart from library catalogues) is usually restricted to current staff and students of an institution
SEARCH STRATEGY
Top of Form 1
Rather than just rushing into a search, you will really improve your chances of finding the information you need if you take a minute to think about the best keywords and search terms before starting your search.
This is what we call developing a "search strategy":
What exactly is the topic you're searching for? Example: The popularity of Bollywood films in the UK
What are the 3 or 4 keywords or concepts for your topic? Example: Bollywood, film, UK
Are there any similar words that describe each of these concepts? Example: film - cinema; movies
Are there any other more specific keywords that could limit your search? Example: UK could refer to Scotland, Wales, England, Northern Ireland
How can you combine these keywords together to search? You can combine keywords together using "operators" (linking words). The most common are AND and OR: Example: Bollywood AND film returns Web pages containing both words; film OR cinema returns Web pages containing either the word film or cinema. N.B. Phrase searching usually requires quotes, but worth checking the Help page of the search tool you are using to be sure; case is important for your operators - they will be ignored otherwise!
Search! Try out your search phrases in a search tool, remembering to make a note of any useful websites you find. If you don't find the information you need quickly, try using different keywords and combinations of search terms.
Google: Advanced Search Tips a quick guide to getting the best from this world-famous search engine
Search Engine Watch: Web Searching Tips some interesting links to other guides and sites that can help improve your Internet searching.
Top of Form 1
Not everything you read on the Internet is true or relevant
There's so much material on the Internet that finding the right information can be like looking for a needle in a haystack. A lot of the information available will be irrelevant and not be of the calibre you require.
Why does the quality and relevance of information vary so much? Think about it...
anyone can put something on the Internet - an amateur or an expert
a website can be hosted anywhere in the world but its information may only be relevant to a specific place - information concerning Brazil may not be of relevance to someone in Newcastle
they can say anything they like - be it true or false
and leave it there as long as they like - even if it goes out of date
or change it without warning - perhaps even remove it completely
Think about how the Internet compares with a library.
A book on a library shelf has been checked at least three times by different people:
the author checked their work
the editor has double-checked it
the publisher decided it was good enough to publish
it may have been reviewed
a librarian selected the book for the library
Information on the Internet has not always been checked.
Top of Form 1
It's up to you to judge what is trustworthy!
Learn to make good decisions about the relevance and quality of information on the Internet.
Remember, your Google search results might list:
Official governmental information next to chat rooms full of gossip!
encyclopaedias next to comic strips!
broadsheet newspapers next to underground fanzines!
The Royal Television Society website next to the website of a school student!
Examine the evidence Ask questions Consider the motives of people providing information Do not trust the information until you have found a good reason to do so
Top of Form 1
When looking at a website ask yourself the "three Ws":
Who?
Where?
When?
WHO?
Top of Form 1
Think about who is providing the information
Remember, anyone can say anything they like on the Internet.
Ask yourself:
Who has written the information?
Who has published it?
Are they a trustworthy source of information?
Are they trying to persuade me / sell me something / inform or misinform me?
Useful Evidence
You can get clues to help you answer these questions by exploring the site. Look out for:
The author's name
The name of the organisation publishing the information
The About Us section
The Contact Details (address / email)
The URL (more on this later in this section)
JUDGE WHERE
If you thought you were looking at a site offering work to newly qualified journalists in the UK and saw it was based in the Belgium would you be suspicious?
JUDGE WHEN
If you were looking for details of a printing and publishing course would you want information from ten years ago or from last year?

URL stands for "Uniform Resource Locator" and is the Web address of the page you are accessing. You'll usually see one at the top of your browser when you have a Web page open. They look something like this: http://www.intute.ac.uk/news/index.html
What can a URL tell us?
URLs may look tricky to unravel, but the best way to work out "who" and "where" is to break down the URL into its component parts. Let's look at the following Web address in detail: http://www.intute.ac.uk/news/index.html
URL
What's this?
Tell me more...
http://
Transfer Protocol
The first part of the URL is called the protocol. It tells your browser how to deal with the file that it is about to open. The most common you will see is HTTP, or Hypertext Transfer Protocol.
www.intute
Server Name
This refers to the computer (or server) where the Web pages or files you want to view are hosted. It usually contains the name of the organisation responsible for the site; in this case, "intute" (representing Intute).
ac
Top Level Domain/Organisational Code
This tells you something about the type of organisation responsible for the site (see below for more information).
uk
Country Code
This tells you in which country the site is hosted (find out more below).
news
Directory
This is a specific folder of information on the server (although it's not always given). There can be any number of these in a URL, indicated by "/" characters.
index.html
File Name / File Type
This is the file you are, or will be viewing. In this case, .html is the file extension. This can change depending on the type of file: eg .mov is a video file; .doc is a document; .gif is an image.
More clues: looking at organisational codes
You can often find out more about the nature of the organisation that owns the server from the organisation code. For example:
.ac, .edu academic or educational servers
.co, .com commercial servers
.gov government servers
.org non-governmental, non-profit making organisations
Note that different countries can have different codes for the same type of organisation. For example, a university server may have a .ac code in the UK (ac is short for "academic") but a .edu code in the USA (edu is short for "educational").
Top of Form 1
More clues: looking at country codes
You can sometimes find out more information about the country in which the server is based from the country code. For example:
.au Australia
.ca Canada
.de Germany
.fr France
.uk United kingdom
Note however, that a country code will not always be included in a URL. Many American sites for example, will not have the country code (.us) in their URL.
Warning!
URLs can sometimes mislead. For example, the URL: http://gatt.org/ could plausibly be the address of an organisation promoting the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, i.e. the World Trade Organisation. The site itself looks very much like the official site of the WTO, but in fact it is a satirical site by a group of activists, who simply bought the domain with a credit card. Hence URLs are useful as a guide, but they are not a definitive authority on the source of information.

†
PRIMARY
SECONDARY
TERTIARY
DEFINITIONS
Sources that contain raw, original, un-interpreted and unevaluated information
Sources that digest, analyze, evaluate and interpret the information contained within primary sources. They tend to be argumentative.
Sources that compile, analyze, and digest secondary sources. They tend to be factual.
Examples; Primary

Autobiography, Correspondence, Interview, Poetry/Song, Personal Narrative, Diaries

Secondary;

Biography, Criticism & Interpretation, History, Law & Legislation, Psychological, Political or Religious aspects, Public Opinion, Reports

Tertiary;

Bibliography, Chronology, Classification, Encyclopedias, Dictionaries, Hand books, Guide books, Indexes, Statistics, Tables, Directories

NOTES; This info came from really useful website; http://www.vts.intute.ac.uk/




Posted by Rebecca Payne

at 13:43 , 0 Comments

Photoshop experiment 09/10/09


APhoto shop experiment.



I followed the student task to learn about the Selection Tools and Type Tools in Photoshop, which I am guiding them through next week. This is an example of a desired out come from the task. (AGAIN: THIS IS NOT MY BEST WORK!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

Posted by Rebecca Payne

at 13:32 , 0 Comments

Photography; Photograms; Picasso 09/10/09

Technical notes
Photography; Picasso` s photos of a reservoir; merged them to produce Cubist paintings. Picasso also produced images by scratching onto photographic emulsion in film, eg using a pin.
Picasso` s Photograms; quite complex. Using card, bits of paper, negative and positive. Used cut out figures, scratched onto exposed film. Used a pin to make holes in the film.
Task; scratch a little picture into the emulsion side of the film. (Easeier to do thois on top of the lightbox as you can see better what you are doing.) Take it to the darkroom and print. OR; cut figures out of black card. (Draw it first in pencil so that you know what you` re doing.)
Picasso; ‘On Photography’. Good book about Picasso` s work. In the library.
When you make these prints you need to stop the Aperture right down, as there ` s not much on the negative for the light to go through. You may also need to step – up the contrast. Different with the cardboard cutouts.

Project Research activity…
Students need to remember to write down in their activity logs anybody they` ve talked to about their ideas and how that has changed their ideas or plans.
Evidence they need; Bibliography; identifying the resources they `ve used. Whether it` s an image, a film, a performance, piece of music, book they` ve read……
Hard copies of their research PLUS what they` ve done with it. Highlighted sections / annotations / notes.
If using a film, need notes from that film. If using an image, needs analytical notations. All the Research they` re doing in each Class, eg. Graphics, Media, performance, ahould all feed into this.
Methods of Marketing.

Posted by Rebecca Payne

at 13:06 , 0 Comments

more music..............

More music videos I like.................

Chris Cunningham

Bjork 'All is full of love'



and the making of it........................


I love the way that this video looks like it has used fully fledged robots, but is actually created using sketches and CGI effects. This video is an Art Work in itself, and is on display at the Museum of Modern Art in New York.






I`m guessing that this video was shot underwater. I love the effect that this has produced and the way it enhances the floaty, surreal sounds of the song.

Michel Gondry


I love the use of projection in this video. It` s a simple technique but really seems to illustrate the idea of the Artist` s dream.

I really like the narrative elements of this video and the way it has a fairytale element to it which brings back an array of childhood memories.

This is such a stunning video and relates to my own personal subject interest in Global Warming and the end of the world whilst retaining strong aesthetic qualities.

This video really utilises photography techniques and I find it really visually appealing. I also really like the way that it leaves the viewer with a feeling of distortion or madness.
I like the way that this video gives you the feeling of following a journey. I also really like the use of industrial elements and the way they reflect the industrial sounds of the tune.
I like the phsycadelic imagery of this video and the way it makes refernces to the illustrations of Robert Plumb.
I like the way that this video incorporates the lyrics, and makes them appear like poetry.

(not that I'm a huge Bjork fan or anything.......)


Posted by Rebecca Payne

Friday, 16 October 2009 at 02:52 , 0 Comments

Presentation...


Penwith College
Creative and Media Diploma L3
Year 1
Unit 1 : Capture
Assignment 1: Investigation
Music and Multimedia Pathway
Issue Date: 23/02/09
Submission Date: 16/03/09 (Research deadline)
30/03/09 (Presentations)
Lecturers: Sarah Crook, Armando Garcia, Sam Jubb, Laurence Hartwell
Assignment 1 — investigation

Assignment overview
For this assignment you must work on your own, even if you are working in a group for
Assignment 2.
You must investigate past and current work in the medium of music videos.
Your investigation must aim to explain:
• the techniques and technology of both the creation and distribution of music videos
• how previous work differs from current work
• why previous work differs from current work
• how technologies and techniques vary from one example to another
• How different videos / directors use the same techniques and technologies in different ways
• The relationship between music video image and the image of the artist / s
• The impact of key, innovative directors in the development of the genre
• how developments in the past have influenced contemporary practice.
You will present the results of your investigation to the rest of the class in an illustrated
presentation of approximately ten minutes.

Stage 1 — research
First, you must look for examples. To do this you should use the full range of research resources
available to you. Do not rely only on the internet — use the library, and the department
resources as well. Whilst your own opinion is key, statements and ideas need to be backed up by well cited example. Try to include evidence from opposing points of view to add depth to your argument.
When you find good examples, take care to note where you found them as you might want to
use them as illustrations in your presentation.
Your notes must be collected together, clearly labelled, and put in your Unit 1 Process Portfolio.
All research must be completed for the beginning of the lesson on 16/3/09
Stage 2 — presentation
In your presentation you must demonstrate that you understand past and current practice of
capture in the medium you have chosen to look at and the relationship between them. That is,
you should explain:
• the techniques and technology of your chosen medium or media
• how previous work differs from current work
• why previous work differs from current work
• how developments in the past have influenced contemporary practice.

When you prepare your presentation you should think about:
• what you want to say
• the order in which you want to say it
• how you will illustrate your points.
Remember that you should always try to:
• make a point as clearly as possible
• give an example to illustrate that point
• explain exactly how the example illustrates the point.
After your presentation you must get your Unit 1 Process Portfolio up to date. The Process
Portfolio must contain:
all your research notes
paper copies of the text, powerpoints, video excerpts and slides for your presentation
where possible, copies of illustrations (where paper copies of illustrations are not possible — eg
your medium is film or video — you must indicate clearly in the presentation text or on the
copies of the slides what the illustrations are).
Presentations will take place on Monday 30th March
Presentations will be recorded as part of the evidence
Assessment
You will be assessed on your understanding of:
• past and current practice in capture in the chosen medium or media (assessment focus 1)
• how factors such as historical developments have influenced current practice (assessment
focus 1)
• how different practitioners have approached the process of capture in your chosen medium
or media (assessment focus 1).
The mark you are given will contribute to your final mark for this unit.
To achieve the higher marks you must provide a well-evidenced, critical explanation of your
subject.
Level 3, Unit 1: Capture — assessment record for Mark A, (assignment 1)
Candidate’s Name
Candidate’s Number
Centre Name
Centre Number
Assessment Focus LO.1: Understand past and current practice of capture in a chosen medium or media
Mark band 1
Mark Range
Mark band 2
Mark Range
Mark band 3
Mark range
Mark
Given
Describes past and current practice in capture in the chosen medium or format.
Describes how factors such as historical developments have influenced current practice.
Describes approaches to capture in the chosen medium or media by different practitioners.

0-4
Discusses past and current practice in capture in the chosen medium or format.
Discusses how factors such as historical developments have influenced current practice.
Discusses approaches to capture in the chosen medium or media by different practitioners.

5-7
Provides a well-evidenced critical explanation of past and current practice in capture in the chosen medium or format.
Provides a well-evidenced critical explanation of how factors such as historical developments have influenced current practice.
Provides a well-evidenced critical explanation of approaches to capture in the chosen medium or media by different practitioners.


MY TASK;Present an example of a presentation for the students..................

A comparison; Lasse Halstrom' s 'Waterloo' video (Abba) in comparison to Michel Gondry` s 'Mad World' video (Gary Jules.)...

ABBA
WATERLOO

Won the Eurovision song contest in 1974.

Abba`s first number 1 hit in many European Countries.

1st UK number 1 for the band. Number 1 for 2 weeks

Made it to the US Top 10

Brought to the European song contest 'never seen before';
flashy and flamboyant costumes
silver platform boots!
a group singing not in their Native language
simple, still unseen before, Choreography.

Song Title; 'Waterloo'. Named because the song is about a girl who is about to surrender to 'romance', in the same way that Napolean had to surrender at the battle of Waterloo in 1815...


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oVGSKVkkyhc


Notes
Starts with alternate zooming in shots cutting from each band member to inserts of close up of Napolean. Edited to the music.
Then goes to wide shot of the whole band, setting the scene.
Band is the focus; shot in studio against a white background.
Performance video.
Immediately, the piano motif is there.
As the music breaks, it zooms in on Napolean again, then goes to Mid shot of 2 female singers alternating with cut aways of close ups of piano.
Changes to Profile shot of the 2 girls.
Chorus; zooms back out to Wide shot.
Then Tilts up to a Crane shot of guy on piano.
Back to Profile shot of 2 girls again, zooming into close up of guy on guitar.
alternates between shot of 2 girls and focus on guy on guitar shot between them.
back out to wide shot
back to 2 girls; over the shoulder shot.
alternates between choreographed movements of the 2 girls and piano motif.
repeats previously used techniques; crane shot of piano, zooms from mid shot to close up, close up of guy on piano.
Profile shot of whole band.
use of focus again.
repeats; each member of the band gets a good amount of coverage.
zooms into space between the 2 girls to finish; image fades out as song fades out.
very simple
filmed in a studio using very bright, high key lighting
white background, easy to edit
very literal- using the shots of Napolean to refer to the battle of Waterloo.
They are establishing their Branding through costume, use of piano motif.
Mood of the video is happy, jolly, same as the mood of the song.


Mad World


Originally by the band Tears for Fears. Released in 1982.

First music video of the song; directed by Clive Richardson in 1982.
Featured band member Curt Smith gloomily staring out of the window whilst other band member Roland Orzabi performed a bizarre dance outside!

Cover version; much slower, ballad like version by Michael Andrews and Gary Jules, written for the Donnie Darko soundtrack in 2003.

Song was released on CD as part of the soundtrack, but soon built up a cult following and was later released on single, becoming number 1 over the Christmas holiday in the UK in 2003.

The music video by Michel Gondry has since become very popular on you tube, gaining over 15 million views as of the start of 2009.

Meaning of the song/ story behind it;
'The song came when I lived above a pizza restaurant in Bath and I could look out onto the centre of the city. Not that Bath is very mad; I should have called it Bourgeois World '
Lyrically the song is pretty loose. It throws together a lot of different images to paint a picture without saying anything specific about the world.'
Roland Orzabi

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4N3N1MlvVc4







Mad World
Gary jules version;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4N3N1MlvVc4
tears for fears version;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ZRib_aAQFQ
Notes

Opens with Wide shot from above- shows someone looking through a window and you have the feeling that you are doing the same.
Then it Tilts up, following your gaze.
As the music starts, the children change from random motion into a Choreographed shape.
Their motion reflects the mood of the music. Timing may have been altered / slowed down to enhance this.
Camera stays on static Wide shot while they perform the choreographed movements.
Camera pans to follow movement of actors, continues to pan and tilt as it goes up to singer on roof.
Wide shot of singer on roof; setting the scene, putting it into context.
New York/ big American city.
Pan and tilt back down to children, then you realise it is a point of view shot- you are seeing out of the singer` s eyes- you are seeing his daydreams.
The choreographed children are illustrating his thoughts.
Pans and tilts following his gaze, the speed of the camera movement reflects the mood of the song and daydreaming theme.
The images that they form are all quite random, the same as in that quote about the lyrics of the song.
The actors which leave the scene and start playing basketball, etc; camera follows them; link back to reality.
The static wide shot of the children often has cars moving in the top half of the shot, this keeps a connection to the setting, in the city, the Mad World.
Camera Pans and Tilts around to musician on piano in snow on roof.
Whole thing is very slow paced, makes it more emotional, reflecting mood of the song.
Does look like the whole thing` s shot in 1 go, but if you look closely, iy does look like there` s bits where it ` s edited. Also might possibly use a Green screen or some CGI on some bits, for example, when they` re on the roof; backdrop looks a bit too perfect.

The whole thing is very Michel Gondry; it` s sweet, sensitive, childlike, following the theme of dreams, a bit surreal, artistic.
1 simple idea, expanded into something magical. uses repetition. Features the Artists. Use of Choreography and Timing.
Shot in New York.
Branding of the band; they are artistic, meditative, deep, creative.


SUMMARY

Common features; both videos used simple ideas and repetition.
They both used quite simple editing.
Both used cutaways to a representational scene (or object.)
They both used filming styles that enhanced the mood of the song.
They are both trying to tell the story of the song or have a connection to the lyrics.
They both feature elements of Performance.

Main differences/ development
Choreography - how the use of this in film has been developed over time.
Abstraction and Representation- the ways in which film can be used to represent ideas and as a medium of expression.
Audience expectations - The increase in popularity and exposure of music video through MTV, You Tube and general TV and internet demand has created pressure for high quality, innovative and entertaining music video.

Reason for choice
Michel Gondry still using basic techniques. Not showing off with technology. Its very conceptual.
Using the imagination to develop the idea rather than the technology.
Shows how the medium of film has developed through ideas and creativity. Experimentation.
Film as an art form.
not just the technological changes but Cultural changes, changes in ways of thinking.
....it ` s something the students could do themselves.

Bonus material......

'Mad World; old skool version by Tears for Fears. Set task for students; to compare old and new version and see what` s changed; Techniques....Technologies............80s dancing.................

Posted by Rebecca Payne

Thursday, 15 October 2009 at 10:16 , 0 Comments

02/10/09
Technical notes
Functional skills; IT
Log onto Homepage.Type in 'Hartwell'. Scroll down, go to 'Publish', click on 'key skills homepage'. Lots of recources.
Mean-average
Median-middle
Mode-most common
Range-difference between the highest and the lowest


Film and Media
Spike Jonze
Michel Gondry- renowned film maker. Did'Eyernal sunshine of the spotless mind'.
He has a certain style; very French. sweet sensitive. childlike. surreal. quirky. humorous. eccentric. 'The science of sleep'. Another brilliant film he did. Dreamlike.
Chris Cunningham- a bit more hard edged.more scary. a bit twisted.
Michel Gondry- 'The White Stripes'. It` s about taking 1 idea and repeating or really expanding on it. Where is it filmed?
'The hardest button to button'.Technique; often it` s a simple ideaRepetition, Edited to the music.
How does it promote the band? What is it saying about the band? Branding They are; original, eccentric, artistic.
Techniques; how did they do it?; lots of equipment. Each shot; 3 or 4 seconds. Then its all about the editing.
Method; 1st they listen to the track. Noticed it had a very strong drumbeat. So they thought, 'lets edit it to the beat'. master of the simple idea. people remeber it.
Kylie Minogue; 'Come into my world'. Choreography. It` s all really well choreographed. all about timing. Layers.Using a Green screen. She s walking in a studio. set in France; chic, paris, artistic cool.sexy. Repeating, layering things; Michel Gondry` s style.
Forms; Narrative, Abstract, simple idea. Clever. Film maker showing off what he can do. Cutting edge.
Foo Fighters; 'Everlong'. Leads through to ending. Ending resolves the narrative. Uses glass in front of the camera. Could use paints, drawing, writing. Then play it backwards. Branding of the band; they are funny, cool,crazy, wacky, imaginative.
Alot of his ideas came out of his own dreams from childhood. Big hands. House in the woods. Dreams are very much a theme of Gondry` s work.
Always has the Artist in the video and it ` s saying something about the Artist.
Bjork; 'Hyperballad'. Very image based Artist. Works collaboratively with other Artists. Set; in Iceland. Where she` s from. 'Emotional Landscapes'. Title of song. Film features the landscapes of Iceland, filmed from above. As music changes to Dramatic, landscape splits apart. Mood changes as the mood of the music changes.
Chemical Brothers. Another simple idea, filmed from a train. Same clips, repeating themselves. Edited to the beat, a film of just 1 train journey.Speed, editing, cutting etc relects the changes in the music. Alot of footage, a journey through France, edited together. There are a few CG Images in there, added for interest.eg, bridges, houses. In this case, the video makes the music. Brings it to life. Repetition in the song reflects repetition in the video.
'Around the world'; bit sinister, bit dark. title, 'Around the world'; they are dancing around a circular stage.
Another Chemical Brothers one uses mirrors.Made on video rather than film. Film has that deeper,'cinematic' feel. Video is shallower. (80s.)
Michel Gondry- summary. He` s got such a strong, repetitive style that his videos are very easily recognisable. Childlike, quirky, uses costume, eccentric, repetitive.Music, promotional video is a good way ofmaking money. Lots of directors start out in music and lead on into film.

Posted by Rebecca Payne

at 09:55 , 0 Comments

25/09/09
Film/ Media
Jonathon Glazer
Spike Jones
Mark Romenick artists they are looking at.
Media History. 1981; MTV started in Britain.
1984; MTV Europe.
Invention of the music video; video became more important than the music. e.g. ‘Wham’ , ‘Duran Duran’. The video BRANDS the music.
ABBA videos; made by Lassa Halstrom.
their recent musical ’Mamma Mia’ was the biggest selling movies of the last 5 years.
History of ABBA; 1973; Waterloo. Abba won Eurovision song contest. Types of shots; ‘inserts’, ‘close-ups’, ‘cutaways’. Piano is the ‘motif’; it features in most of the Abba videos.
example of a cutaway; boy is thinking about bird - cuts to shot of bird - cuts back to boy.
Whits background; easier to edit. Performance video.
Branding; costume. It` s very ‘literal‘; uses shots of a statue of Napoleon to make reference to the battle of Waterloo. Wide shot at start of video. Very high key lighting. (too bright).
‘Profile shot’; from the side. ‘Crane shot‘; from above.
At this point in time, Lasse Halstrom is learning himself. (Now a very famous film director.)
Popularity; Abba; 2 men, 2 women; appealed to both audiences.
Branding; name ABBA uses first letter of names of each member of the band. Very basic, unimaginative branding!
Queen; video of Bohemian Rhapsody- another iconic music video- everyone knows it; has been parodied over and over again.
‘Mamma main’ video. Piano developing as motif. Focussing on the hammers inside it this time. They` ve won Eurovision, they` re getting recognition as a band. They` ve got a bit more backing but they don` t want to change the formula! Camera getting a bit more manipulative; focusing a bit more on the women- using attraction appeal. Using extreme close-ups; using focus; switching from 1 mouth to another. Experimenting with the technology.
Interesting; looking at the teeth. Abba are flaws and all; now they would use false teeth or airbrushing! Everything is manicured. Edited. James Bond in the 60s was very different to Daniel Craig. He used to smoke and drink.
‘Fernando’ video; still same formula. Profile shots, close-ups. The band always looks bored because they ` ve shot it so many times! This time they` ve used very basic lighting effects by cutting holes in a sheet. Halstrom is learning how to use illusion.
‘Dancing Queen’. Filmed in the best Swedish night club at the time. Still using motifs of them facing each other, profile shots, they look more expressive. They` ve brought in other actors to make the crowd and use ‘Point of view’ shots from the viewpoint of the audience. Audience participation theme; makes you feel like you` re there. Feels like a real performance. Uses a bit of ‘slow motion’; close up of singer shaking head.
Top of the pops audience; they only let the cool people in!
Storyboards; not the same as a cartoon. They shoe the filming shot to shot. Developing a narrative.

Posted by Rebecca Payne

at 09:49 , 0 Comments

my darkroom Xperiments! 25/09/09






Darkroom experimentation...To remind myself how to use the darkroom I grabbed a go when none of the students were around and refreshed my memory by following the student worksheet and producing some photograms and projection Prints of my own!
NB; THIS IS NOT MY BEST WORK!!!!!!!!!!

Posted by Rebecca Payne

Sunday, 4 October 2009 at 12:52 , 0 Comments

technical notes; Photography 25/09/09

Technical Notes; 1st ND Photography lesson!

Photography
Inverting prints; 1 image on top of the other, OR; Photoshop- image- invert.
Opaque; light can not pass through it. (won` t work in projection printing.
Photoshop
on College computers, first thing students need to do when they log on is set it back to the Default Settings, as it` s always left on the settings of the last user. To do this, press down 'alt', 'ctrl' and 'shift' and hold them down whilst going to Photoshop in Applications and clicking on it. A little box comes up which says 'Delete the Adobe settings'. click on 'yes'. This takes you back to the default settings.
Some of the computers have scanners next to them. Photo face down, file - import - canon. preview image. Tidy up area around image in Preview and then press scan.
Go to; 'image' - ruler - put the ruler over the image and click in each corner. Then go to; image - rotation - arbitrary. This straightens the image up if you` ve scanned it.
image - adjust - invert. Makes a negative.

Posted by Rebecca Payne

at 12:44 , 0 Comments

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