Offline vs. Real-Time Video Editing

There are several types of video editing in the industry of today. In this blog, I will be talking about offline video editing and real-time video editing. How are these two types of video editing different? How are they used in the industry?

Offline Video Editing

Offline video editing is used to eliminate to lag caused high-quality footage when editing in Premiere or After Effects. This is done by compressing the videos to a lower resolution to make it easier for the computer to handle. Once the editing is done, the low-resolution footage is replaced with the raw footage and viola, efficiency over 9000!

This type of editing was used since the good ol’ days with film! As time passed, offline editing became popular because it was easier with the technology they had at the time. However, nowadays people do not often work ‘offline’. Technology greatly advanced over time, it is only used if the computer is not capable to handle raw footage.

In the industry, offline video editing is rarely used unless necessary. Due to advanced computer technology, offline editing is not necessary. However, it may possibly be used when raw footage is in 4K resolution.

Real-Time Video Editing

Real-time video editing is more common in the industry such as sports, music, and events. The best way to do this is with multiple cameras, to get the best shot of whatever it may be they are filming. For sports like hockey, multiple cameras are required to get the best quality. Still-shots work better for events like a piano concert and would only require one camera.

This type of video editing requires multiple CPU’s (computer processing unit), multiple gigabytes of RAM (random access memory) and high-powered hard drives. It is typically only professionally practiced. I believe it is very challenging because there is only one chance to get it right. However, to be efficient, camera work would be practiced to be precise and smooth.

How does this apply to me?

Personally, I will probably not use either form of video editing. This is because my computer has the power to render raw footage and I do not wish to pursue to be in the industry of live TV broadcasting. However, this is new knowledge to me and will one day serve to help me when I have a terrible computer or when I work with super duper high resolution! Thank you for reading my blog, and as always… let’s get this bread.

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CD vs MPPM

Creative Director (CD)

A Creative Director has to do more with advertising and marketing products. They work with designers and artists to guide them to get the desired outcome of what the Creative Director envision. On the business side, CD’s work with sales teams and marketers.

In most cases, creative directors earn a bachelor’s followed by several years of experience.

Some skills that a creative director must have is leadership, decision-making skills, and analytical. These three qualities make up a proper creative director. Leadership in order to manage the team in the right direction. Decision making because the CD eventually has to make the final choice for the final product. Lastly,  analytical skills to assure everything is perfect from artwork to data.

The annual median income for CD’s in 2010 was around $108,260. That’s pretty good in my eyes. However, it’ll take a while to get there.

Multimedia Production Project Manager (MPPM)

This job is no joke. It takes a lot of perseverance and determination from beginning to end.  Multimedia covers radio, television, and several other mediums. They are also in charge of “organizing schedules, budgets, and people… from initial planning, estimating and scheduling, through filming or recording, and on to final budget and production reports.” according to Ian Linton. Basically, they are the head of the project. Without a multimedia production project manager, everything would fall apart and nothing would get done.

There are some tough qualifications to reach this position. Experience and leadership are two requirements to be a multimedia production project manager. An MPPM must have experience in every part of the process required in a project. Knowledge is power. What is most important is familiarity with production like lighting, filming, recording, and editing. Being an MPPM does not technically require a bachelor’s degree, but it would look good otherwise.

The median annual salary of a multimedia production project manager varies between the type of industry. For example, Motion Picture industry earns around $92,820 a year for a PM while those in radio and television only work up to an annual $54,120. One tip to earning a lot of money is git good.

Comparison

Both CD and MPPM require leadership. Another similarity is that both titles require experience. Someone can’t just get a degree and start working as a CD/MPPM. They have to work their way up. On the other hand, Creative Directors work more with advertising than a multimedia production project manager does.

5 Audio Design Jobs

Audio design is an essential aspect when it comes to games, video, and several other projects requiring sound. Sound can bring something dull to life. It is a powerful tool that makes everything 10x better! Here are five jobs that have to do with audio design.

Technical Sound Designer

The Technical sound designer is responsible for all the sound effects including the following: music, sound effects, and sound design. Collaboration between other composers and sound designers to have consistent sounds throughout the project. Qualification includes excellent communication and organization skills. Salary is between $50,000 and $71,000 a year.

Audio-Visual Production Specialist

This job is in charge of adjusting and working with a variety of audio and video equipment. This job requires a lot of forethought on how they plan to take the shot, set up the lighting and several other tasks. It also takes a lot of knowledge about the equipment being used. To reach a higher level, it is recommended to earn a bachelors degree. Experience is also key to going up in the chain. Despite everything an audio-visual production specialist has to do, the median annual salary is only around $46,000.

Audio Programmer

Similar to what some of my colleagues will be doing next week, an audio programmer is responsible for “the processing, storage, and playback of sound effects and music in the game” according to music-jobs.com. They also must know about several programming software including Max/MSP, Java, and C/C++. In simpler terms, audio programmers use code to play certain sound effects depending on what the player is doing, or where the character in the game is and several other factors. The annual salary can reach up to $102,000!

Audio Engineer

Audio Engineers create, edit, and record sounds. How awesome is that! Click here to watch an interesting video about audio engineers and how they create sounds using materials you’d never think of! As an audio engineer, it is important to be familiar with audio equipment like soundboards, equalizers, microphones recording equipment and software. Their median annual salary is $53,330.

Sound Technician

A sound technician usually works uncover at live events like concerts and other stage performances. They are in charge of the sound quality, volume, and equipment. Soundchecks are when their part of the job comes in. After, it is just a matter of perfecting the sound to reach the ultimate quality. A sound technicians annual salary is around $63,340.

Photo by Enoc Valenzuela on Unsplash

Format for Animated Web Banners

If you’re reading this you have probably seen a web banner. Maybe there’s one on this screen at this very moment. Try hovering over it. Does it have a loop if it is left untouched? Depending if it is a good web banner it would have a; seamless loop, hover animation, and a call to action. There are six things to take into consideration in making an animated web banner: responsiveness, animation, file size, design unity, simplicity, and eye-catching.

Responsiveness

Having a fully functional responsive web banner is very significant because it allows the potential customer to at least look at the web banner. Perfect responsiveness creates a professional look with out bothering the potential customers.

Animation

Never ever put too much animation in a web banner or else it will annoy the viewer of the website and (1.) drive the viewer off the website and most important (2.) not want the viewer to click on the web banner out of suspicion it will cause a virus or possibly because the web banner is terrible. Less is more; even a slight animation is enough to attract the viewer’s eyes to the ad.

File Size

Careful now, file size is super important. I doubt anyone is willing to wait for an ad to load unless you’re the creator of the web banner. File size should always be kept to a minimum so it loads on to the web page easily and rapidly. One way to do this is to keep your frame rate to 24. However, if your web banner does not have many elements it would be acceptable to use 29 FPS (frames per second) which is supported by Google.

Design Unity

The design of your web banner must be similar to the website or landing page in order to prevent confusion to the potential customer. If the design of the web banner does not match the website, then you’re a bad designer! Sorry to break it to you, it’s not variety that you want, it is the repetition of elements with the product and designs of all platforms. If you’re still confused, look up the Joshua Tree of Design.

Simplicity

The final design should be simple and not overcrowded. Too much information can be overwhelming to the viewer and will make it harder to pick out the purpose of the ad and what it is exactly.

Eye-Catching

Try making a web banner that is clever. Thoroughly think about your web banner. Plan out what kind of animations you want to use. Create a storyboard to help visualize the web banner.

To learn more click here

Photo by Serge Kutuzov on Unsplash

User Testing

There are five popular testing methods: usability testing, focus groups, beta testing, A/B testing, surveys. Each type of method has its own purpose but come down to the same area of testability and satisfactory of users in websites.

Usability Testing

Usability testing consists of trials of legit users to test the product to see if it is actually usable. Usability testing is the best way to understand how real users experience your website or app. It is also easy to acquire new information the user might say or even through the users’ actions can the product be more efficient for the end result. Usability testing falls under the category of UX otherwise known as User Experience which follows almost the same testing as does usability testing. To learn more about UX, click here!

Focus Groups

Focus groups are a tried and true method of communication between a researcher and users. In a focus group, you bring together 6 to 12 users to discuss issues and concerns about the features of a User Interface (otherwise known as UI, the design aspect of the website/product.)The group typically lasts about 2 hours and is run by a moderator who maintains the group’s focus by asking a series of questions and allows users to give important feedback. It is also important to note that focus groups cost money, but in the long run, it will be all worth it.

Beta Testing

Beta testing allows you to roll out a near-complete product to individuals who are happy to try it and provide critical feedback. This testing method allows you to ask users questions after they have the new product, track their usage and have them file bug reports. Beta testing can take a ton of hours from each user to make sure there are no bugs left in the website/product.

A/B Testing

An A/B test is ideal as the appropriate testing method when designers are struggling to choose between two competing elements. This testing method consists of showing one of two versions randomly to an equal number of users and then reviewing analytics on which version accomplished a specific goal more effectively.

Surveys

Questionnaires and surveys are an easy way to gather a large amount of information about users, with minimal time invested. A researcher can create a survey using tools like Wufoo, SurveyMonkey or Google Forms, send it out, and receive hundreds of responses in just minutes.

To learn more about the methods of User Testing, click here.

Photo by Ryan Wallace on Unsplash

 

Bootstrap CSS

A bootstrap is a line of code that makes the framework for websites easier for developers. They are also used as templates for typography, buttons, tables, navigations, models, and several other functions. Bootstraps prevent repetition between projects, add consistency to design and code between projects and between developers, quickly and easily prototype new designs and ensures cross-browser compatibility. Another advantage of bootstraps is that they are responsive. This means that they adjust to whatever device is being viewed on like smartphones, tablets, laptops, and desktops. Ome way to get bootstraps to create a website is through the website getbootstrap.com. This website allows any web developer to get a bootstrap to include in their work.  These shortcuts also have pre-styled components like dropdowns, button groups, navigation bar, breadcrumbs, labels, badges, alerts, progress bar, and several others.

Essentially, bootstraps are shortcuts of code in HTML and CSS; instead of typing fifteen lines of code, it could be shortened to three with the power of the bootstrap! Here is an example of a bootstrap being used for accommodating to different electronic devices that are accessible to the internet.

When creating a page layout for websites it is essential to use the grid system which allows the creator to easily make a website with efficiency.

• “Rows must be placed within a .container (fixed-width) or .container-fluid (full-width) for proper alignment and padding.
• Use rows to create horizontal groups of columns.
• Content should be placed within columns, and only columns may be immediate children of rows.
• Predefined grid classes like .row and .col-xs-4 are available for quickly making grid layouts. Less mixins can also be used for more semantic layouts.
• Columns create gutters (gaps between column content) via padding. That padding is offset in rows for the first and last column via negative margin on .rows.
• The negative margin is why the examples below are outdented. It’s so that content within grid columns is lined up with non-grid content.
• Grid columns are created by specifying the number of twelve available columns you wish to span. For example, three equal columns would use three .col-xs-4.
• If more than 12 columns are placed within a single row, each group of extra columns will, as one unit, wrap onto a new line.
• Grid classes apply to devices with screen widths greater than or equal to the breakpoint sizes, and override grid classes targeted at smaller devices. Therefore, e.g. applying any .col-md-* class to an element will not only affect its styling on medium devices but also on large devices if a .col-lg-* class is not present.”

These key points to starting a website are from the website itself that makes bootstraps, https://getbootstrap.com/docs/3.3/css/#overview.

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Targeting Audiences for Web Pages

To make this topic simpler to digest, ask yourself; who am I (what is my website) reaching out to? Whomever that may be, would be considered as your target audience.  Many people mistake their target audience for everyone because it is on the internet and it is accessible to everyone. It would be nearly impossible to satisfy everybody’s needs or wants. That’s why it is important to have a specific target audience like teenagers. Be mindful to not be too specific because it would result in a small audience.

Websites are reached through a search engine like google, bing, yahoo, etc. It searches for websites through keywords that are typed in by a potential visitor or customer. Therefore, it is important to keep your website’s name related to the purpose of your website that the target audience would type. However, this is only a small step to getting the target audience’s attention.

Target Audience is everything. It determines how your web design looks like, what kinds of products are being sold/ what kind of information is being told, and even what font should be used! Insane, right?! Satisfaction and reuse of any website, all depend on how web pages or websites are designed, made, and written.

Information should be gathered through questionnaires either through an online Google doc or even pencil and paper. Remember to ask important questions regarding a bit of personal information like age, gender, and location as well as comments as a customer of one’s service or product. Here are some suggestions in asking for marketing purposes: Full name, Zip code, How did you hear about us?, Do you have any other questions for us?, What do you like about our product the most? Keep questionnaires short and easy for the customer to fill out. This way the customer wouldn’t have to waste too much time on something they probably do not want to do and complete the survey with ease without any frustrations to keep the customer happy.

Overall, according to http://www.cleart.com, there are four main attributes:

1. Your Target Audience’s Age & Gender
2. Your Target Audience’s Platform of Choice
3. Your Target Audience’s Educational Level
4. Your Target Audience’s Location

To learn more about targeting audiences for web pages click here

To learn more about web design marketing click here

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Proprietary Copyrights of Fonts

Typeface vs. Font

It is important not to confuse fonts and typefaces. A typeface is a set of letters, numbers and punctuation marks that are related by design elements. Note that typefaces are not protectable under copyright. However, copyright laws allow fonts to be protected. The difference between the two is that fonts are linked and tell the computer what to display when a key is pressed.

Copyright Laws for Fonts

Copyrights of fonts are very complicated and vary depending on any owner of a font. There are tons and tons of free fonts available to the public. Per contra, some fonts only allow for non-commercial use. This means that the font cannot be used for business and goes against copyright laws. The only exception would be if you get consent from the owner or sometimes owners ask for a donation through PayPal. An example of this would be dafont.com, where there are many fonts of almost every style including wingdings! For someone who is planning to work in the design industry, getting a typeface license from a foundry would expand your options for commercial use. Be cautious of downloading free fonts for commercial use because often times they are ripped versions of fonts that aren’t free. Liability can be avoided by using reliable foundries; Font Bureau, Fonts.com, Typotheque, Hoefler & Frere-Jones, MyFonts, and FontShop are examples of trustworthy foundries.

 Creating Fonts

For those who create fonts, it is crucial to protect it, especially if it’ll be used commercially because it automatically becomes a risk to become stolen. For prevention, one must: copyright the font program created, trademark the typeface and get a design patent for the typeface’s design. To make sure all steps to getting a design patent an attorney is recommended. A design patent must be proved that it is a new design an is not similar to any other design patent.

Background History

When the invention of the desktop computer and internet access to the public first came out, it took a very long time to copy a font or typeface. Back then, fonts were carved on a metal block or celluloid strips. It took so long to create a font that there was no need to create copyrights for fonts. On the other hand, fonts can be recreated or pirated with just a few clicks. Copyright is the only thing protecting fonts from being stolen.

https://glarts.org/font-and-typeface-legal-tip-sheet/

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How Much Should I Charge for Graphic Design Jobs?

The Four Factors

The cost of a graphic design depends on four factors: experience, deadline, type of billing, and type of graphic. In the position I am now, I would charge a flat rate of twenty-five to fifty-five depending on the design desired. The range of my pricing is based on the very little experience I have with Adobe Photoshop and no experience with any other Adobe software (except for a tiny bit of Illustrator.) Because I don’t have a lot of experience I am very limited when it comes to arranging multimedia projects for customers.

Once I earn and excel in passing all my ACA’s (Adobe Certified Associate) I can begin to either raise my the price of my flat rate or I could change to charging by an hourly rate. Depending on the kind of project I would use either types of billing. If it were a small logo design or a business card then I would charge at least one hundred dollars to two hundred and fifty. If it were a bigger project like a magazine or a video , then I would most likely charge by the hour because it takes a lot more time in terms of recording, editing, and making sure the customer is satisfied with the product. Another very important factor that determines my pricing is the deadline the customer desires. Time also influences whether i decide to use flat rate or hourly billing. If the deadline is 24 hours, I would make sure I would milk out all of the guy’s money for making me suffer for 1440 minutes running on Red Bull and 5-hour-energy drinks. However if the customer gives a deadline of 2 weeks, then I’ll be a lot more lenient towards quoting unless is a project that requires more time. As a business person, one characteristic that would make my “company” (if I ever decide to create one) would be the involvement between the customer to company to get and idea of what the buyer likes and wants.

It is also important to have the skill of negotiation. Negotiating between the customer and the graphic designer directly impacts the relationship of one another. It also determine the profit made versus the effort put into projects. Having bad negotiation skills can collapse any business and result in bankruptcy and end up living in your brother’s house for 6 months until you find a job at Domino’s. But……with enough practice and trial and error, I’ll learn and grow into a successful beautiful flower.

Photo by Muhammad Raufan Yusup on Unsplash

Multimedia Jobs

Multimedia Designer

As an undergraduate it would be very difficult to get a spot as a multimedia designer. If anyone with no experience were to apply for a company they would have to work there way to the top. From washing toilets to being CEO of the most successful company. Being a multimedia designer requires a very creative mind along with the knowledge of using several adobe applications. Other skills like communication skills and an understanding of modern trends is very important to attain in order to convince the customer to purchase your design. Depending on whether you take the job part time or full time, the average annual salary is between $35,000 and $45,000.

Web Designer

To be a web designer, an associate’s degree is required at least with several key skills. Communication, graphic design, and teamwork are one of the many key skills in order to suffice as a web designer. As a part of the job, web designers must effectively produce an attractive appearance, layout and features of a website. Responsibilities include: writing and editing content, designing webpage layout, updating websites and backing up files. According to the U.S Bureau Statistics, the annual salary was $46,900 in 2015 and projected to grow by 1% between 2014 and 2014.

Brand Identity Designer

A Brand Identity Designer creates the look for the whole business. This varies from business cards to media advertising. The requirements to becoming a Brand Identity Designer are a master’s degree, job experiences of leadership, knowledge of business and marketing.Being a Brand Identity Designer needs a lot of dedication because they are in charge of every design produced for the company and has a great influence in the business’ outlook. Annual salary is about $46,900 according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics and just like Web Designers, it is projected to grow by 1% by 2014.

Flash Designer

Adobe Flash is a program that uses vectors and raster graphics which allow websites to be interactive and/ or animated. Since there are several fields of flash designers the annual salary is between $30,000 and $81,000! It is also predicted that the job growth will increase by 27%. Being a certified Flash designer along with an excellent portfolio of previous works on Adobe Flash is the best way to pursue a career in this field and ensure clients with a sense of professionalism

Creative/ Art Director

Creative Directors are the leaders that do advertising and marketing businesses. Directors work cooperatively with designers, artists, copywriters, and sales teams to create an amazing product. The Bureau of labor Statistics state that the median annual income for creative directors is $108,260. To reach this high of a job position, one must have several years of experience, analytical skills, decision making skilles, interpersonal and management skills.

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