Feeling Squrl -y?

YouTube playlists are great, but if you want to organize a playlist of videos from multiple websites you might want to give Squrl a try. Squrl allows you to create a playlist of videos from sixteen different sources. You can save videos to watch them later on your laptop, iPad, iPhone, or television.

Campus FILMfest

Campus FILMfest is the annual event hosted by Reel Productions Film Society (a student organization). The whole idea is that it is a place where student filmmakers on campus can have their movies viewed in a public setting. So, if you or anyone else at the Student Multimedia Design Center has a film you'd like to submit, feel free to e-mail to reelproductionsud@gmail.com. Or, if you'd like to stop by and watch some short films, feel free to stop by Trabant Theater, Thursday April 28 at 7 p.m.

New Adobe Contest for You!

Use your talent; make some cash! ($3,000)

Fall Video Storytelling Course

GEOG 260: Digital Geography 1, Wednesdays 6 pm - 9 pm

"These days anybody can work a video camera. But that doesn't mean they can put together an interesting story...one that gets and holds people's attention. Using the technology and knowing how to tell a good digital story are two different skills."

Questions? email instructor Mike Oates: moates@302Stories.com

Mobygratis.com

Most people have heard of the American DJ and musician Moby, but not many people have heard of Moby Gratis. Moby has created hundreds of songs that haven't made it on his published CDs, and he's offering them free "for independent and non-profit filmmakers, film students, and anyone in need of free music for their independent, non-profit film, video, or short." You'll need to register in order to be able to listen to the songs, and for each musical clip that you want to use in your film project, you'll need to submit a request form. In the end, though, you really can't turn down a free Moby song!

Final Cut Pro Color Correction

Want to reach the most potential with your videos?

Here's a good reference and tutorial for color correction in Final Cut Pro.

PDF

TUTORIAL

Quasi-Cloud Computing with Windows and RDC!

Cloud computing is the act of connecting to a remote server or computer that is not in front of you. Designated cloud computers usually have a limited amount of HDD space and software, usually running on a limited operating system. While your home computer is most likely not a cloud computer, you can still connect to it in a similar way using Window's Remote Desktop Connection. While most pre-packaged windows software gets bad reputation, the RDC is a very nice feature that has been provided with Windows operating systems since 2001 with the release of Windows XP.

To set up your home computer to accept incoming connections, you have to do a few things:

- Know your IP address given to you by UDel if you live in a dorm(most likely a 128.175.---.--- number), or know the IP assigned to you by your internet provider.
If plugged into the wall at a dorm this site will show you your 128.175.---.--- IP assigned to you by UDel. LINK

-If you connect to a router, set your router up to forward port 3389 UDP and TCP to your PC's local IP address (usually 192.168.---.---). This site will show your PC's local IP (NOT UDel's assigned IP if connected to a router). LINK

-If using Windows Vista or Windows 7, make sure to set up permissions and exceptions to allow RDC to connect to your computer. LINK

Once you have done these things, all you need to know is your UDel assigned 128.175.---.--- IP and your computer's password to log on from the Morris Library. The RDC program can be found by navigating on any Windows computer Start > Accessories > Remote Desktop Connection. Enter your UDel IP address in the box that pops up and you are ready to go.

RDC is great for:

• Using programs that are not on the library computers.
• Forgot that thumb drive? Left that Illustrator file at home? Use RDC to e-mail it to yourself and open up here at the center!
• Tired of writing Word documents at different places, having them spread out over a plethora of thumb drives? Do all your word processing on one computer to organize your files in one location! If you want to print it out at the library, just e-mail it to yourself and open the document outside of RDC on the library computer.

Remember RDC is for use with Windows XP, Vista and 7 only.

Image * After

Here's another free photo collection website. What can you do with images from this site:

• you CAN modify our images and textures in any way you see fit
• you CAN use our images and textures in your own work, whether it be for personal or commercial use
• you CAN redistribute or sell our images and textures ALTERED OR UNALTERED as part of printed work (e.g. posters, cd-covers, postcards etc)

Website Creation Tools

A number of web hosting companies allow users free access to their website creation tools. These sites also offer paid versions to host sites, provide domain names, etc. Here's a list of a few . . .

Yola
Wix
Webs
Weebly
DoodleKit
WebStarts

Vector vs. Bitmap

What exactly is a bitmap? Why is it different than a vector graphic? What is 'rasterization'? This post will help clear up some confusion about these digital formats.

Vector Graphics (SVG)

Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG) or more commonly 'vectors' are digital images that use mathematical and geometric formulas to control how the image is displayed on a computer screen. Basically a vector graphic uses points and curves instead of pixels when rendering an image. The advantage of vector graphics are that they can be scaled down or up to any size desired without loosing any integrity or producing artifacts like seen in raster images. Vector graphics can only be created and resized in programs that support it. Common programs include Adobe Illustrator and Inkscape.

Use of Vector Programs:

• Create an image to be viewed and printed at different sizes. (Bussiness logos, Website banners)
• Create a poster or other large scale image to print for smooth crisp edges.
• Create a 3D image. (MAYA, 3ds Max)
• Create sprites for flash animations.

Some Vector File Formats:

• .svg
• .ai - Adobe Illustrator
• .pdf (If created using a vector program)
• .cdr - CorelDRAW
• .odg - OpenOffice Spreadsheet
• .swf - Shockwave/Adobe Flash

Bitmap/Raster Graphics

Bitmap/Raster images are based on pixels rather than mathematical or geometric formula. Because bitmaps are based on pixels, they cannot be scaled without loss of integrity. Remember when you last zoomed in on a .jpg image it just looks like a bunch of squares? That is because the image is made of squares originally formed by pixels on a grid. When the image is displayed at 100% it may be hard to see because the pixels are small, but when scaled up to 400% it is easy to see. This shows that resizing an image does not rasterize (pixelate) an originally lossless image, but rather it has always been like that. I like to compare it to a painting, when viewed at a close distance you can see the brush strokes and small nuances, but when viewed stepping back a considerable amount you just notice the image painted and not the small details and marks.

Use of Bitmap/Raster programs:

• Edit bitmap images. (Adobe Photoshop)
• Create images to be viewed at one size. (Digital paintings)
• Scan and save document files for quick and easy use.

Some Bitmap/Raster File Formats:

• .jpg or .jpeg
• .png
• .tiff or .tif
• .gif
• .bmp
• .RAW

Useful Links and Additional Information:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vector_graphics

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raster_graphics

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image_file_formats

http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/V/vector_graphics.html

http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/B/bit_mapped_graphics.html