Thursday, December 4, 2008

Coverting PSD to HTML

Hi everybody,

There is another method to covert your screen design in Photoshop, which demands less work. I didn't recommend it in the class because the outcome might be not as perfect as desired, in terms of composition and visual solutions. But if you prefer saving time and will be satisfied with a basic site, you can try the following:

1. Carefully create slices in Photoshop
2. File > Save for Web & Devices > Select slices as needed > Save
3. in the pop-up window, choose Format > HTML & Image; Settings > Default; Slices > Selected Slices

Then you can find the HTML exported, and add links to buttons.

Let me know if this works. Good Luck!

Lily

How to make a Flash movie with a transparent background

PublicTechNote:
http://kb.adobe.com/selfservice/viewContent.do?externalId=tn_14201
How to make a Flash movie with a transparent background

How to make a Flash movie with a transparent background

The background of a Flash movie can be set to transparent. This allows the background color or image of the HTML page that contains the Flash movie to show through and allows the layering of Flash content with DHTML content.

Preparing the HTML page to make the Flash movie transparent
Three methods of creating an HTML page with the correct code are outlined below.

Publishing from Flash
The HTML for a Flash movie can be created using the Publish Settings feature in Flash. The Publish Settings dialog box provides an option to affect the WMODE setting. The options selected in the Publish Settings will be added to the HTML source code automatically:

Choose File > Publish Settings. Select the HTML tab.
Choose "Transparent" in the WMODE setting to make the Flash movie's background disappear in browsers which support this feature.
Publish the document.
The Adobe Captivate demonstration below illustrates how to use the Publish Settings in Flash to change the WMODE settings. For more information about viewing this demo, see Viewing Adobe Captivate Demos in Knowledgebase Documents (TechNote kb403894).

Wednesday, December 3, 2008

FINAL EXAMINATION SCHEDULE - FALL 2008

http://www.emerson.edu/registrar/final-exam-schedule.cfm

Monday, November 17, 2008

Adobe CS4 Student Editions

http://view.journeyed-email.com/?j=fe9212707d6d047c70&m=fef21376706201&ls=fdfd15707c64037d76117676&l=febb1c7871660174&s=fe2117777c66077b741d76&ju=fe5d1178716205757714

Friday, November 14, 2008

Attendance Policy

Hello everyone,

Because some of your email addresses can be processed by school's server, I have to post following message here.

I'm so pleased to see our "creative journey" has been proceeding very well. It's extremely exciting to me to share design ideas as well as knowledge in digital art.

As this point, I need to remind the class about school's attendance regulations, which, I believe, was stressed in the first class, "any unexcused absence in excess of two will result in a failing grade". However, to define the term "unexcused absence" is somehow difficult, technically, as declared by the college, for classes meeting once a week, two absences result fail a course.

Hope this causes attentions. Good luck with your projects!

Best,

Lily

VM618 instructor

Wednesday, November 5, 2008

ActionScript Library on DVD

Reminder: Please bring the syllabus DVD with you for today's class. We'll need the ActionScript Library on it.

lily

Friday, October 31, 2008

FLV on Youtube - download and play

In last class, Mark raised the questions regarding video downloading from Youtube and display with pop-up windows on the Web. The explanations are listed below:

1. Downloading
If you consider to extract video contents out of the Youtube-marked skin/player, and use them on your own site (please credit properly on your Bibliography page), simply download the video by righ-click > "download this video to realplayer"(on PC). "RealPlayer" allows you to save the video on your local disk. You will find the video is already in FLV. (Flash Video) format, meaning it is ready for being embedded onto your HTML web pages.

In the class, I mentioned that FLV. files can't be directly opened by QuickTime player, etc., but you can possibly view it with Adobe Media Player or RealPlayer without further processing.Give a try, if you can see following video (which is download from Youtube directly) with either of the players:
http://pages.emerson.edu/faculty/x/Xiying_Yang/vm618/TigerWoods.flv
The resource page: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2gKSxUer_3I

2. Displaying video in pop-up window
Please follow this tutorial:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6dJRk_pLNJ4

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Please bring a video file to the class on Wednesday

Hello everybody,

In tomorrow's class, we're introducing Flash Video encoding and editing techniques. Please prepare one or more video file(s) in .avi or .mov format, and bring a copy to the class. The video can be either your own work or an archive considered suitable to be added onto your Website. It's up to you to choose a video with or without soundtrack.

Thanks for your attentions.

Lily

VM618 instructor

Saturday, October 25, 2008

Recommended Website: incorporating animated/multimedia components

Hello everybody,

I've included some links considered helpful to your animation design, that I intended to share with the class last Wednesday but couldn't due to the school server problem.

Comics online
http://www.marvel.com/comics/
animated component:
http://www.marvel.com/videos/440.Ultimatum_Comic_Book_Trailer

folklore:
http://www.grimmfairytales.com/en/main
game trailer:
http://www.gametrailers.com/player/26280.html

http://www.golf.com/golf/
http://www.golf.com/golf/gallery/article/0,28242,1838918-4,00.html

Film production

Federation of European Film Directors website:
http://www.ferainfo.org/

audio/video production
http://www.audiovideocorp.com/

Wednesday, October 15, 2008

Macromedia Flash MX

Hi everyone,

If you really need to work on Flash animation at home, try this one:
Macromedia Flash MX
It was released in 2004, therefore the interface looks slightly different from the version we have in the lab.

Tips: "Convert to symbol" is under "Insert" menu on Flash MX.
I've downloaded it onto my PC, overall it's fine for creating animations.

Please share links for free downloading on the forum. Thanks.

Flash Professional 8

 flash download

Tuesday, October 7, 2008

Photoshop CS3 Extended free trial

The following link directs to Photoshop CS3 Extended download for both Mac & PC, in case you don't have the application at home:

Saturday, October 4, 2008

Discussion: The Power of Mass Creativity

Following link directs to a lecture delivering info about Internet communities and online collaborations, feel free to make comment:
http://uc.princeton.edu/main/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=3073

Description:

We-Think: the power of mass creativity
by Charles Leadbeater
Image

(Apr 23, 2008 at the Royal Society for the encouragement of the Arts, Manufactures, and Commerce (RSA))

In his new book, We-Think , Charlie Leadbeater explores how the web is changing our world, creating a culture in which more people than ever can participate, collaborate and share ideas and information. But participation is not always a good thing: it can just create a cacophony and as the web changes to become more collaborative it leaves users open to invasions of privacy.

Join Charlie Leadbeater at the RSA to consider one of the defining battles of our time – the struggle between people who want to freely share - music, films, ideas, information - and those who want to control this activity, either corporations who want to make money or governments who fear debate and democracy.


Friday, September 5, 2008

Discussion on Digital Media Production

Go Back to Course Web Site

Dear VM618 students,

This blog is set up as a discussion forum for the studies of Digital Media Production.

Post your opinions, thoughts, questions or suggestions, ideas related to learning materials of VM618, including reading assignments, technical training, studio assignments, etc. If you find valuable information, such as a Web site/page, exhibition/showcase announcement, updated technology, or an insightful article etc., that may benefit our learning process and "creative journey," please share with a message or link!

Instructor,
Lily Xiying Yang