Happy Christmas

Greetings one an all, wishing you a Happy Christmas.

I have made an interactive E-Card for you.

Download it here (at your own risk, I won't accept responsibility for viruses, loss of data etc...) >

Sorry it only works on PCs at the moment, and if you have a webcam it is even better.

See you in the new year.

Nat Dip - Documentary Video Tips

I know most of you will have completed this project by now, but I stumbled across this today and didn't want to lose it.

http://pinnaclesys.com/PublicSite/uk/PinnacleLife/Content/Tutorials/Making-a-documentary+Part1?emv_mid=1101719497&emv_rid=10169194603

Hopefully someone will find it useful in the future.

P.S. Some more useful tips here:

http://pinnaclesys.com/PublicSite/uk/PinnacleLife/Content/Tutorials/Top10TipsForShootingVideo.htm

HND - Font Types

In truth I went through most of my own design education thinking that bitmap fonts were possibly the worst invention ever to be devised. I knew that the Apple Mac classic I was originally trained on used them and often printed very blockily on the Laserwriter II because I had specified a large point size (and often didn't display any better on screen). This was not an experience likely to endear me to them; so for me the whole notion of a bitmap font was negative, and when finally introduced to the concept of an outline font format like TrueType I was delighted. (I since learned that this experience was probably as much to do with the setup of the Mac I was using as it was with the limitations/traits of bitmap fonts.)

As part of Unit 1 however, you need to use outline and bitmap font creation software to experiment with font creation. In fact any software that can manage this will do - it's all part of introducing you to the purposes and uses of computers in art and design.

Background Information

With that in mind it is worth having some background information on fonts so you can be aware of the differences between types (and no doubt wonder why there are so many types). A good place to start is at the following:

1. A good summary of font types put together by one of our very own students - read it here >
2. General background on computer fonts (Wikipedia) >
3. Fonts: Bitmap, PostScript, and TrueType Compared (Apple) >
   
4. TrueType on (Wikipedia) >
5. Adobe Type 1 on (Wikipedia) >
6. OpenType on (Wikipedia) >
7. Pixel Fonts Explained (Best Flash) >

Creative articles about fonts:

1. Computer Arts Special - The Art of Type >
2. Computer Arts - Design a Display Font >
3. Computer Arts - Create Your Own Graffiti Fonts >
4. Computer Arts - Digitising a Bespoke Font >
5. Computer Arts - Design a Custom Typeface >
   

Bitmap Font Software

I added links to a whole load of software of questionable value previously, but this one seems pretty useful for learning some of the technicalities of font design and creation. In learning about Bitmap fonts, you might want to try this software:

http://www.softpedia.com/get/Others/Font-Utils/Raster-Font-Editor.shtml

HND - Fonty Things

If you were here last week you will know it is staff training day today, however, I am grabbing 5 minutes to quickly write a post linking you to all kinds of free fonty resources. This project will officially begin after Christmas, but in the meantime I will send you some prep work.

If you have time, you might want to look at these programes and get some idea of how font creation software works.

I haven't had time to check all of them out, and as usual you download and install at your own risk. (Just thought I had better add that) :oP

And here they are...

http://fontforge.sourceforge.net/

http://musashi.or.tv/ttedit.htm (I hope your Japanese is good)

http://hea-www.harvard.edu/~fine/Tech/bdfedit.html (Linux only methinks)

http://www.bluewind.it/products.html#bitfont (fun, but limited)

http://doubletype.org/wiki/index.php/DoubleType (still in Alpha but you may want to try it)

http://www.fontconstructor.com/screenshots/index.html (Mac only, but looks good)

For the project...

We will most likely be using one or both of the following however:

http://www.fontlab.com/font-editor/typetool/

http://www.fontlab.com/photofont/bitfonter/

Happy days.

Nat Dip - Wednesday Feedback

Wasting Time?

OK, now that I have read the blogs that were updated I think I have some idea of how far people have got (or in some cases - not got - expect parent phone calls if you wasted today).

Some of you do not appear to have used your time well - especially considering that you had 4 hours timetabled this afternoon. On last year's method that would have been equivalent to 1 or 2 weeks of lessons on this subject - if you are still thinking of this project in terms of "days" you are sadly going to be disappointed. This project is measured in hours, and every last one needs to count.

So, when you come in on Thursday I will expect to see 4 hours progress + SDS. After this project there is a new unit, so there will not be time to catch up if you fail to complete on time, without negatively impacting your next unit. You must take this seriously.

What is with the logos?

Some people seem to think they need to design a DGTV logo. Would those people please indicate where in the brief it asks for a DGTV logo design?

You won't find it, because it isn't there.

You may have a need to develop some kind of introductory graphics for your programme but this is separate from and different to the station's own branding, which will be sorted later. Do not deviate from the brief - I don't know how much plainer I can write it.

Nat Dip - Where's the Blogs?

Sorry to see that I only have to go away for one day of training and some Nat Dips think they don't need to keep their blogs updated (Afro, Demon, Goth, PTM Dragon and Wizard). It is on such days that your blog is more important than ever, since it is the only way I can see what progress you made today.

Unless of course that is the issue, that in my absence you made no progress? Hmm?

Please do not do this again. Your blogs need updating daily.

And the training was excellent thanks, and our Higher Education courses will be all the better because of it (think HND you creative people).

U111 Video Production

Greetings students, I have left at least one comment on the blogs of all students who updated yesterday.

As you know I am away on training, but this is not a reason to mess about [insert your name here], especially if you are easily distracted. Yes, you, you know who I mean.

So, get back to the brief, and please make sure you do each point. The bullet points are there for a reason, I want you to do them, and that includes [your name].

I was disappointed to see that although the brief is written in a very simple way, too many of you failed to submit the proposal correctly. This can only be because instead of reading all 3 bullet points, you read only the introductory sentence.

I must emphasise that if you miss anything you do not pass the assignment.

So, make this afternoon productive. Work hard. Do what the brief says, exactly what it says, nothing less.

See you Thursday.

HND - Typography

As part of unit 1, looking at the use of computers in art & design, HND students are required to design (at least in part), and produce their own font using appropriate software.

We will come on to the software in due time, first you need to have an understanding of Type and Typography.

The handout you recieved in class can be found here:

http://www.wsu.edu/~khaas/resources/typodesign/Typography.pdf

Become familiar with those principles. As well you need to consider the idea that typefaces have personality. What will you want the typeface you design to say? Start gathering your thoughts and experiment with sketches or media to produce letterforms that can later be digitised and converted into fonts.

A range of the good and the terrible can be found on www.dafont.com , but better is www.itcfonts.com which you can trust to have reliable information and GOOD design. Look out for U&lc magazine on the ITC website, well worth looking at as part of your research as you find out what goes into type design.

Movie Making - Online Helps

Hey everyone, although our video production is specifically aimed at interactive media, there is a lot of similarity between what we and what movie crews do, especially in terms of planning.

I found this website especially helpful, maybe you will too:

http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Movie_Making_Manual

In particular the following pages are very useful:

Storyboarding

http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Movie_Making_Manual/Storyboarding

Release Form

This is particularly important. Everyone you film for any production needs to sign one before you start shooting.

http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Movie_Making_Manual/Release_Form

Contracts for Cast and Crew

http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Movie_Making_Manual/Crew_Contract

http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Movie_Making_Manual/Cast_Contract

Call Sheet

There is no exact industry standard call sheet (I have produced one that works for our needs) but the basic concept is the same everywhere. The call sheet is a way of informing everyone involved in a shoot of what is happening, in advance (at least one day in advance). You will need to use a call sheet as you start producing your TV programme:

http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Movie_Making_Manual/Call_Sheet

Shooting Schedule

"Shooting a one or two minute movie, with one or two actors in a single setting will not necessarily benefit from or even require the same degree of planning [as a large production], but once you move to multiple settings, locations, and actors logistics demand it." (Patmore, 2005, available in Cluster 5)

A Shooting Schedule will be provided as a handout.

Greetings Students, Welcome to the NEW AGE!

Welcome students to the IM blog. This is where the action is for Unit 111 and other related projects, especially College TV.

What I really want you to do is get to grips with showing your work online, writing your thoughts about it, criticising it, commenting on changes you plan to make, and then making those changes.

What I don't want to see is Blogs not being updated for days at a time, this should be a daily thing, even a sessional thing.

I know you are so professional I don't need to say anything about what might happen if people decide to leave silly comments on other people's blogs. I don't have to mention the disciplinary process, cyber bullying or the police. :-D

Happy Christmas, this is going to be great.