June 3rd

Hello!

Today I'd like you to start by finishing the design work from last class on your blog. Once the majority of people are finished this, I will introduce you to your final project for inDesign.

You have been asked to create a brochure for Rockway Mennonite Collegiate. It is a brochure that the school will give out to potential students. You may copy and paste text from the website, and use photos from the website as well. I will show you how to link these photos to insure the highest resolution possible. When creating your brochure, be sure to consider layout, composition, colour, etc.

On the brochure, you must include:

-Why attend Rockway

-the four pillars
-academics
-athletics
-arts
-something about the Communications Technology Course (could be inside acadmeics)
-images
-paragraphs
-bullets

-a consistent flow 

 

This project will be due at the end of class on Thursday June 5th. I will give you a rubric today in class and show you a couple examples of exemplars. 

May 27th

Hello and welcome back from Quebec! I hope you all had a great time. If you can believe it we only have 7 classes left! Today at beginning of class I'll post a calendar so that you know everything that will be happening between now and the last day so you can plan accordingly. We will take 4 more classes to finish our current inDesign unit and then on June 6th we will start our culminating activity.

For today:

Last class we created text portraits and they turned out great! If you're not done, quickly finish and EXPORT it as a jpeg or png. If you see a black line around the image where you traced, then go to your pentool and make sure that you don't have a black stroke selected.

Today we will do the following:

If you had your own magazine, what would it be about? What would be on the cover?
Using InDesign, design a magazine cover that looks as “real” as possible. You can duplicate an existing magazine or come up with your own original idea.
Include the magazine name, a picture or illustration and the usual text describing what’s inside the magazine (as well as a date/volume/issue number etc)
What are some things that all magazine covers have in common? Why do certain magazines look the way they do?
This site gives a detailed breakdown of some standard elements of magazine covers.
A google image search for “magazine cover” should provide plenty of inspiration.
Make it “Bleed” – the images on most magazine covers will go right over the edge of the page (in the design world this is referred to as a “bleed”). Make sure your images are large enough to roll off the edge of the page so there won’t be a border on your image.


Here is a great tutorial to get you started in inDesign:
inDesign Magazine Cover Tutorial

May 20th

Today we are going to experiment with the area type tool.

We will create a couple custom shapes and I will show you how to fill an area with type. After this you will do the following on your own:

1. Go to photobooth and take a photo of yourself (with muted volume). Don't worry if it's not "good" you will be so photoshopped you won't be able to recognize yourself! Drag it onto the desktop.

2. Open the file in photoshop. Unlock the background (double click on the layer) and then go to "posterize" under adjustments. Posterize yourself until you look very graphic in black and white. You could have clear areas of black, and clear areas of white and not many greys in between. Under filters you can try a gausion blur to make the posterize not so harsh. If you have too many greys then up the contrast. When you are happy save it as a jpeg on your desktop.

3. Now open the picture in inDesign. Trace all the areas of black with the pentool. Fill the area with placeholder text using the area type tool. Continue to individually fill in all the black areas (or vice versa try white). Your end product should look something like this: To avoid the black outline, make sure you don't have a colour selected under the stroke.

May 15th

Our internet is back-up and running!

Last class was our first class with inDesign and we started an indesign project creating a flyer with Terry White. Today we are going to continue working on this video independently. We will start off as a class, and after that you will work away on this at your own speed with a headset and the video below. You should finish this tutorial by the end of class.

10 things beginners want to know about inDesign

May 9th

Hello!

If you didn't get to finish your video editing last class you can take the first 15-20 minutes to finish that up.

It's such a beautiful day out that it would be a shame to waste it all inside! We are going to go outside as a class with the cameras and take some photos around the area (and NOT disturb any gym classes) . You'll need to share a camera with 1 or 2 other people. After that we will come back in and we will do some editing in photoshop (there should be enough that we all get our own computer with photoshop). I'll show you the basic workflow for enhancing your photos, and a few other helpful photo editing tips that you can use. When you are done you can upload them to the blog.

Happy Friday!

May 8th

Hello!

Today you will have time to edit your video and submit this via youtube and e-mail me the link through gmail. If you happen to finish this, then you can catch up on old blog posts. One post that I don't believe anyone finished was the one about design, please complete this and finish up any of the video101 tutorials (shooting and editing) that you missed. If you finished them, I have not yet marked them so you can still go make and make your answers better.

If you finish all of the above, then take some free time to play in garage band and see what abilites it has. Also look at vimeo. com. What difference do you notice between vimeo and youtube?

May 6th

If you'd like to add a voiceover, check out these instructions (you'll need to use a headset from the library and set up the microphone to be your microsoft lifechat under input/output in settings).


How to add a voiceover

May 6th

Last class you finished all of your planning with your group and today you will need to get to work right away! You will need to film today (you have 20 minutes to film) and edit your video. I would like you to finish your video by the end of class and for speed, you should work on your guest account. If something happens and you're not done by the end of class at you were using guest then I would still export your video but perhaps delete any audio that you are not finished used and just focus on having all of your scene transitions edited. That way it will be easy for you next class to add in your audio separately.

April 29th

Hello everyone!

So far we have learned about shot types, editing in iMovie, in photoshop, and having multi-layer audio in iMovie (while using garage band to supplement the built-in audio). Today you will be introduced to your final project idea which you will begin filming on Thursday, and will finish in-class on Tuesday, May 6th. It will be due at the end of class on May 6th.

After I introduce you to the project, I'd like you to brainstorm ideas with your group and create a shared google doc between your group members and myself. The google doc should include the following:

Which project I have chosen:

Why:

Group members:

Snyposis of idea (5-6 sentences):

Props Needed & Setting:

Potential Conflict (3 sentences):

Second idea (3-5 sentences):

Props Needed & Setting for second idea:

April 24th

Hello!

Today we are going to split our course into two parts. For the first part, we are going to do another tutorial article from the video tutorial website about "shots". I know this is not the most thrilling thing, but there is a lot of good information in it. I'd like you to read through it (second on Shooting) and answer the following:

Shooting Tutorial

1. Why are 90% of shots close-ups? Please give 2 reasons

2. What does a close-up shot generally include?

3. What type of shot is important to avoid? Why is this?

4. What does every scene generally start with? Why do you think this is? Do you every notice a sequence of shots within a scene-what is that?

5. What kind of shot does the Tonight Show generally use?

6. What is important to never do while shooting? Why is this? (give 3 reasons)

7. Please explain the important of high angle/low angle/ and looking room.

8. Why are lines important in a shot? How can you make your shots more interesting with the use of line?




PART II

For the second part of today:

We are going to play with photoshop video. To do this, we will switch places with our other group. If you have time before going to the other side, please watch this 7 minute video that explains the basics of photoshop video.


Intro to Photoshop Video

April 22nd

Last class you created a video that had 3 levels of audio. Today I'd like you to upload that video to youtube and send me the link (as usual).

Once you are done that you will be put into small groups and you will begin filming a short video today that you will upload by the end of class. The purpose of the video will be to include some form of fast forward, slow motion, and reverse. Although these can be "cheesey" qualities, a lot of great films have some element of fast forward to them. It is very simple to do this-you may even already know how!

When you begin planning your video, think in terms of clips. A regular speed clip, a slow motion clip, a fast forward clip, and a clip that will be put into reverse (this could also be in fast forward or slow motion). Make sure that your "acting" doesn't effect your video, i.e. don't think about moving slow in the slow motion clip, this should we a regular motion.

As usual, you also need to consider your composition. Think of the music video today in chapel-many of the scenes used the rule of thirds.

When you are finished, come back and edit your clip, include audio, titles, credits, etc. Maybe try adding a different effect on your slow motion or fast forward clips.

If you finish, export your video and keep playing with options in iMovie. There is always more to learn/ become better at.

April 15th

Hello!

Today we are going to learn a little bit more about audio, and we will begin creating a video with a minimum of 3 layers of audio in it. I will show you how to detach the audio from your clip, and how to adjust the volume to allow for certain parts to be muted, increased, etc. to get the effect that you are looking for. Before we can do any of that, we will need a new video to work with!

Your challenge is the following:

You will film a short approx. 1 minute video of yourself doing a mundane everyday school task, i.e. walking to your locker and opening it, studying for a test, working on a computer, signing a book out of the library. At some point in the scene you will drift off into your imagination and imagine what you WISH you were doing. This will be a new clip of something much more exciting! Perhaps you are talking on the phone to your friends, playing outside in the snow, playing your favourite computer game, etc. Don't do anything that you think you would get in trouble for and you must run your idea by me before you do it-remember I'm going to see your video anyways! For this section you do not need to worry about the audio as we will be adding in on our own for this point. Then you will transition back to finishing your mundane task and wrap up your video.


Once you are finished filming your video, you can begin the editing process. Remember that in order to save your in-progress iMovie file you MUST be on your personal account. If you know that you won't finish your edits today (which I doubt any of you will) don't start it on guest.

For an FYI, here is a great clip on what you need to know about audio in iMovie. Even thought it says "basics" it is very comprehensive.

iMovie 11 Audio Tutorial

April 11th

Hello all! Today I would like to see your videos that you did yesterday. If you did not finish editing these clips, let me know and you can have more time. Send me the link to my gmail once you are done.

Part 1:

Today we will learning about SHOT types, and then beginning our first assignment.
You can follow along in the lesson by going http://video101course.com/ and clicking on SHOTS.

Answer the following questions in your blog:

1. In point form, describe each kind of shot and when you would use them:

• Close-up
• Long shot
• Medium Shot
• High Angle
• Low Angle

2. Define the following:

• head room
• looking room
• lead room

3. Why are horizontal lines discouraged in shots? What should you use instead and why?

4. What rule have we already learned that emphasizes the same thing?

Part 2

With your clips from yesterday, try filming one additional clip with your partner that is a "B Roll". The clip could be anything you want that you think will change the narrative of your story. Perhaps the B Roll happens while they are coming down the stairs, or after they open the door. Try to re-edit your video to make a second one with this added B Roll and then send me the link for this one. 
Answer the following on your blog:

1. What did you add for the "b roll"?

2. How did the B Roll change your clip?

3. What do you think is inferred to the viewer when they watch this?

April 10

As a class, we will begin by watching this video:

Jump Cuts, Matched Action

Today you will film a very short clip of something entering/exiting through a door. You will practice by filming 3 main scenes (a wide shot, a close-up, a middle) as 3 separate clips. You will then upload them into iMovie and trying to trim the clips to make them match appropriately. After this try adding some sound effects and a credit slide.

When you are finished post this to youtube and email me the link. You MUST get this far today.

When you are done you can continue working on the editing tutorial from yesterday.

April 8th

Hello!
At this point you have learned about photography, photoshop, stop-motion and inDesign and today we will begin our unit of videography!

There are a lot of different terms for someone who creates videos such as a cinematography, videographer or movie maker. According to this article, what is the difference between a cinematographer and a videographer?

Videography vs Cinematography

Before we can start shooting, we need to learn how to shoot so as a class we will watch the following videos:

Shooting Basics

Jump Cuts

After this you will work through the following videography tutorials at your own speed.Please click on "Editing". It might seem backwards to start with editing but it actually makes sense to work backwards with videography so you know what scenes you will need. You can work through the tutorial and answer the following at the end:

Tutorial

According to the blog, what is editing?
1. What is a sequence? What order should a sequence generally follow? Why?
2. What is matched action? When should you cut a shot to give it the most "invisible" type of editing possible?
3. What is a jump cut? How do you hide it?
4. What is screen direction? How do you ensure that you maintain good screen direction?
5. How can you use exit/entrances to help you match the action in a sequence?

April 3rd

Today is a warm and overcast day-sounds like perfect photography weather!

In light of the great weather we've been having recently, let's get outside and shoot some great photos! I'd like everyone to take 3-5 GREAT photos (any subject matter is welcome) and then edit them on either photoshop or iphoto (your choice) and upload them to your blog today.

Remember a great photo consists of:

-good compositon (think rule of thirds)
-appropriate depth of field (aperture setting)
-is properply lit
-interesting colour, texture, space, etc.

Get out there and start shooting!

On Tuesday we will begin our new unit on videography.

March 28th

Today will be your last day to work on your business card. Please take your time with this and create the best design possible. If you finish early, try designing a second one sided card from scratch.

Remember to think about
-composition
-colour
-illustrator tools
-fonts
-paths

March 18th

Hello and welcome back!

Last class you started working on recreating a mascot for Rockway. I'd like you to take the time today to finish this mascot. Please make it as detailed as possible, remember it does not need to be a flame. Please post this on your blog by the end of today.


Once you have finished posting your mascot, I'd like you to watch the following ted talk, and read the following 2 articles and formulate an indivdual response to the following:

The video and articles you read disucssed the topic of social media and it's potentially negative affects on Generation Y. In your opinion and experience, have you seen any of these affects? Do you agree or disagree that social media has a negative impact on our sense of relationships. Explain further? Do you agree or disagree that social media has a significant role in creating a narcissistic (preoccupation with self) generation? Your response should be a minimum of 2 paragraphs.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/health/social-media-affecting-teens-concepts-of-friendship-intimacy-1.2543158

http://www.cbc.ca/strombo/news/study-finds-link-between-using-social-media-and-narcissism.html

http://www.ted.com/talks/stefana_broadbent_how_the_internet_enables_intimacy

February 28th

At the beginning of class, you will have some time to finish off your cartoon vector animal. If you are already finished this, then you can have fun by recreating another fun cartoon character. At approximately 2:30 I am going to show how a few new things on illustrator today (creating your own pattern for use in a wallpaper, etc. )

Part 1:

 Create a logo of which you can create into a pattern. Resize it to make it a more appropriate size for what you are looking for (it will probably be too big to start).

Create 3 different unique patterns with shapes that you have created. When you are done, create a vector logo of your name (first or last) and fill the letters with a combination of the 3 patterns that you created above.

This does not need to be finished for today, you may have some time on Tuesday to finish this.

February 25th

Hello everyone!

I trust that you all have watched the videos at home about illustrator and vectors. We will have a brief discussion about this at the beginning of the class and then I will walk you through the basics of illustrator.

By the end of class I'd like you to create your own cartoon scene using entirely the pen tool. This may be a daunting task but you must get comfortable with this tool before moving further in illustrator! Your scene must have a sky, rolling hills, clouds, and a tree. You can personalize these anyway that you like and feel free to add in extra things-the more the better! At the end of class you will export your file as a PNG and upload it to your blog.

February 20th

Hello and welcome back everyone!

The module that you will be starting today will be Adobe Illustrator! If you have not uploaded your stop-motion to youtube yet, do that now.


1. Once you are done, we will watch the following videos. We will watch them as a group to avoid disruptions.

What is Illustrator?

What are Vectors?

2. After the video please, answer the following on your blog in your own words:

• 1. What is the difference between pixel graphics and vector graphics?
• 2. What are the advantages of vector graphics?
• 3. What types of industries do you think would your use illustrator? Do you think any industries would use illustrator more than photoshop?

3. After this video, I will give you a brief demonstration using the pen and pencil tool on illustrator. If you are finished your stop-motion video, you will practice drawing basic shapes in illustrator use the pen tool.

February 18th

Hello all!

Today is a work period for your final project. Please note that your project is due at the end of class today.

February 13th

Hello all!

Today you will upload your videos to youtube, share them with me and we will watch them as a class (both sections). After this I'd like you to respond to the following on your blog:

1. If you could reshoot your video, what would you change?

2. What do you think worked well with your video?

3. Who was in your group and what was everyone's role?

4. What video was your favourite?? Why? What was successful about it?

After this you will do the computer scavenger hunt.


If you finish everything, you can have fun on Pixie by creating pixel art.

Pixie

For helpful tricks, read this:  Pixie art Help

When you are finished, post your creation onto your blog.

February 11th

Hello,

   Today you will be editing your videos that you shot last class. You will all upload your jpegs individually and then I would like you to edit your video to the best of your ability (smooth transitions, fitting audio, title, credits). Do not rush this and be sure that your video is finished to the best of your abilities. When you are done, I'd like you to upload your video to youtube the same way that you did last class, and then I would like you to e-mail the link to me and all of your classmates in your module. Once you are done this,  you can begin planning your concept for your final video (I will let you know in class about groups). For this, please bring in your own supplies from home and your own music.

You can also watch all of your classmates video and on your blog, describe to me which one you preferred the most, and why. What made it more effect than others and specifically, why was it more effective than other videos which used the same images.


If you finish everything, you can have fun on Pixie by creating pixel art.

Pixie

For helpful tricks, read this:  Pixie art Help

When you are finished, post your creation onto your blog.

February 4th

Hello everyone!

Today you will be compiling your photos from the shoot on Friday and each group member will edit their own video. I will be marking this stop-motion video so please make sure you have edited it to your best potential. After I get the other class going with illustrator, I will show all of your a tutorial on adding audio into imovie 11. It is quite straightforward but there are some neat things that you may want to know about. If you are weighting for this tutorial, you can go ahead and skip down to Part 2.

You must include:
a title slide
a credit slide
audio (using imovie/garage band)

When you are finished, you can upload your video to youtube. To do this, you must export your movie onto your desktop (it can be a .mov file or a mp4 file....choose 720 quality). This will take approx. 5 minutes so give yourself enough time for this. Then sign into your school google account, go to youtube, click "upload" (beside the search bar), and select the file to upload. This will take about 5 minutes.

Part 2:

Once you are done, I'd like you to begin brainstorming ideas for your next stop-motion video. It will be a video that you will create in a group of 3-4 inside a classroom. You must brainstorm and then submit me a proposal via google docs. You may look at a few ideas on youtube for some inspiration. Your proposal must include the following and be in full sentences:

1. Idea for project ( at least 3-4 sentences)
2. Group members
3. Background music and sound effects being used
4. Supplies needed (please note you must bring anything you need yourself, you can not go looking for supplies on the day of class)

January 31st

Last class you finished taking photos on Photobooth and you filmed your first short stop-motion and put it together in iMovie. Today you will work in groups of 3 and you will film a stop-motion video in-class. You will be restricted to the classroom so therefore you must set the white balance in your cameras accordingly, and stay consistent. There will be different stations set-up in the room, but you will be working on a table top for this animation. Your video should include at least 100-150 shots. When you are finished, you will upload your photos to all group members computers (make sure that you save them in a folder on your desktop-NOT in iPhoto) and you must save them in aristotle if you are on the guest account.

I will put you into groups today, and you must come up with an idea BEFORE beginning to film. Once I have approved your idea, and you may begin.

January 28th

Hello everyone and welcome back!

At the beginning of class I would like you to finish up any outstanding photoshop work that you have, and please upload it to your blog. Please upload the work to your blog as a jpeg or png file, and I will take your original PSD file for the veggie tales character. Please place it on your desk top with your name in the file so that I can collect it on my USB.

Part 1:

Today we will be starting a new module: stop-motion animation! This is a very fun module and will go quite quickly. We will learn about how to create stop-motion videos, what elements make a stop-motion video successful, and we will create our own stop-motion videos.

When you are finished, I'd like you to watch the following 3 short stop-motion videos. Then answer the following on your blog. Before doing this, I'll need a volunteer to go to the library to get an appropriate amount of headsets from Helmi. If you have never used one of the school headsets, after plugging it into the usb you must go to system preferences > sound> output you must choose the Microsoft life chat :

Post-it Notes by Deadline

Target Commercial

Strawberry Swing by Coldplay


1. Which video was your favourite? Why? Explain in at least 3 sentences.

2. What was a common successful element in all of the videos?

3. What other films have you seen that are stop-motion (or clay-mation). Have you heard of Tim Burtons? If you haven't you should know who he is....he is kind of a big deal, especially in the realm of stop motion animation. Look him up on wikipedia.  

Part 2:

The video below is a behind the scenes look at the creation of the 2009 film, "Fantastic Mr. Fox". This video will give you an idea of the labour intense but fascinating world of stop-motion animation film. Can you think of any other films that you have seen that are stop-motion animation?

*Make sure that you blow the video up to full screen to watch.
Fantastic Mr. Fox Behind the Scenes

After you have watched this video, I will give you a demonstration on making a stop-motion video using iMovie. At the end of class, you will make your own mini-clip of a stop-motion animation video using photobooth and an inanimate object.

January 14th

Hello photoshop people!

  What I would like you to do first off is to check your school gmail. I have shared your final project for photoshop with you there. While I explain the final project to the photography group, you will read this over and you can begin assignmnent 1 as it is very similar to your animal hybrid assignment. You will have 2 days to finish all 3 projects so please plan your time wisely. There will be no extensions. Once I am done with the photography group, I will teach you how to do assignment #3.

January 10th

Happy Friday!


Today we are going to do a mini-assignment that will be due at the end of class today.

Bueller's Day Off!

Your parents are away on vacation for the week and they decided that you were responsible enough to stay home alone for the week. You decided to "borrow" their car and you got in an accident and decided to hide the car in your garage until you can get it fixed. Your neighbour calls your parents on vacation and tells them they haven't noticed the car in the driveway. Your parents call and demand a recent photo of the car, and to make sure you're not lieing, they want you to be in the photo.

Take one of the photos and photoshop out the dents/scratchs. Use the clone tool, blur tool, dodge, burn, etc. Have someone in the class take a photo of you that you can add into the photo.

January 9th

Hello and welcome back!

   Today you will finish working on those animal hybrids that you started before the break. We only started them on the Thursday and as there were many people away that day, you should all have still be in progress. Please make them as realistic as possible, they will be due at the end of class.

Reminder:

3 different animals morphed into one
a separate background image

When you are done, export the file as a jpeg and upload it to your blog. Reminder-you need to SELECT the file type jpeg, not just write it into the save as box.