March 2004 | Main | May 2004
April 30, 2004
iTunes and QuickTime Updates
Apple has released updates to iTunes and QuickTime. The new iTunes is certainly a great move from Apple to integrate more seamlessly their iTunes Music Store into the iTunes "personal music library" model. In many ways this new iTunes update demonstrates Apple's philosophy of information architecture (and marketing); as Bono from U2 said in a promo for the iTunes music store, you don't need a PhD in button-pushing to use it. Anyway, some features of iTunes worth noting:
Tighter integration of your personal music library and the music store
Well, this certainly makes sense to Apple. Now you'll notice a little right-pointing arrow next to your music categories. Selecting this area will take you to related music in the iTunes music store. Now this is certainly a commercial plug, but from another perspective, it can work as a great discovery tool.
WMA conversion
Now you can convert (unprotected) WMA files to iTunes' MPEG 4 Audio (AAC)
Previews in playlists
This is a great feature. Before this I used to store unpurchased music in the iTunes shopping cart, using it as a "wishlist" of songs. Unfortunately, you weren't able to tell iTunes that you only wanted to purchase only one song in your cart. Now, if you find a song you think you might want to buy, drag it to a playlist. This playlist could then work like Amazon's wishlist, which brings us to iMix
Sharable playlists via iMix
This feature introduces a "community-building" feature into iTunes. Once you've constructed a playlist from your iTunes library, you can publish it to the iTunes music store for the world to see.
Apple Losless Encoding (AL)
In addittion to MP3, WAV, AIFF, AAC, you can now use the Apple Losless Encoder for music encoding. AL allows you to import uncompressed audio at half the size of say its WAV or AIFF equivalent.
Print from iTunes
Now you can print from iTunes. Now you can get rid of the sharpie, and actually print a jewel case for a CD based on your playlist. If the album you purchased off of iTunes music store came with a digitized version of the orginal CD cover, you can print it out.
There are some other changes worth noting, particularly some changes to the Digital Rights Management infrastructure. You can read more here.
Browse Related Library Resources
Computer Sound Processing
Multimedia systems -- Encyclopedias
Posted by admin at 06:49 AM
April 27, 2004
New Book: Advanced Editing and Finishing Techniques in Final Cut Pro 4
A new book has arrived in The Studio. Another book on Final Cut Pro 4 in the Apple Pro Training Series.
Advanced editing and finishing techniques in Final cut pro 4
Berkeley, CA : Peachpit Press, 2004.
TR899.F575 2004
Browse Library Resources
More Apple Pro Training Series Books in the library
Final Cut
Digital video -- Editing
Posted by admin at 06:42 AM
April 26, 2004
Quarter Time GA Position in Studio
Graduate Assistants in the Libraries are required to work either 20 hours for half-time or 10 hours for quarter-time positions. Evening or weekend hours may be a part of the schedule. The Libraries are flexible in accommodating class schedules. Each assistantship includes a monthly stipend and full tuition waiver. Assistantships are twelve-month appointments with the option of renewal based on performance review.
Consultant, quarter-time GA position
Contact: Pauline Bayne, pbayne@utk.edu, 974-4465
Graduate Assistants in the Studio serve as consultants and provide support for instructional services. Consultants are the primary public service staff in The Studio, located in the Media Center of Hodges Library. They provide access and assistance to students, faculty, and staff who are creating multimedia projects. They are expected to have a working and creative knowledge of media software used in The Studio.
Typical work includes providing assistance to users working in The Studio, teaching weekly small classes for camera certification, preparing tutorials or guides, and supporting Studio instructional services (course design, teaching, design of promotional materials, etc.) In addition, there is the opportunity to work on special projects such as digital conversion of Media Center collections. Graduate Assistants will be expected to work with the Studio community in planning or developing digital projects.
Requirements:
Effective communication and interpersonal skills in individual and group settings; customer service experience with a commitment to provide high quality service; experience in teaching and instruction; significant experience with multimedia software applications on MacOS, especially graphics design and video editing; ability to manage time and projects, and to work effectively in a team environment. Project management experience helpful.
Preference is given to graduate students in these academic programs:
# School of Information Sciences
# School of Advertising and Public Relations
# School of Journalism and Electronic Media
# Instructional Technology, Curriculum & Instruction (College of Education)
# School of Art (Media Arts, Graphics Design)
Term of appointment:
12-month appointments at 10 hours per a week, August 1 - July 31. Renewal for the following fiscal year is available pending satisfactory performance.
Salary:
Annual stipend of $6,255 plus tuition waiver for each term during the appointment period.
Application Procedure:
Send a letter of application, resume, and 3 references to Pauline Bayne, Head of Music and Media Services at pbayne@utk.edu. Applications will be reviewed beginning May 10, 2004 until an applicant is chosen.
Posted by admin at 08:00 AM
April 21, 2004
New Issue of MacDesign Magazine in Studio
A new issue of MacDesign Magazine is in The Studio. This issue has a good article on image management tools (iPhoto, Photoshop's File Browser and some others); Reviews of 4/5 megapixel digital cameras; Tutorials in Photoshop CS (using the new CS Lens Blur Filter), Illustrator CS (using the new Adobe Dimensions 3-D plug in), InDesign CS (making interactive pdf's), ImageReady CS (making Flash Animations within ImageReady), Dreamweaver MX 2004 (Creating interactive forms), Flash MX 2004 (embedding video using the video wizard), iMovie 4 (an overview of new features) Adobe AfterEffects (using the mystic strobe light filter), and Creating motion menus with Final Cut Pro and LiveType.
Posted by admin at 01:09 PM
Apple and DigiDesign: Motivated by Music Tour
Apple and Digidesign have partnered to offer a "Motivated by Music Tour". This 20 city tour (one stop's in Nashville on May 20) is designed to demonstrate how Apple's software Logic, Soundtrack and Garage Band integrates with Digidesign's ProTools|HD.
Related Library Resources
Computer Sound Processing
Posted by admin at 07:46 AM
Revised ColorSync Manager Reference from Apple
Apple has revised documentation for ColorSync Manager, the API for ColorSync, Apple's platform-independent color management system.
Related Library Resources
Posted by admin at 06:35 AM
Apple Introduces Motion
In its quest to provide a full suite of video editing and distribution software, Apple has recently announced Motion. Motion is a motion graphic design and production application that is designed to integrate with Final Cut Pro HD and DVD Studio Pro. Motion can work without keyframes and introduces a "new procedural animation technology" into the mix. This technology provides a library of "behaviors" that can be applied to text and graphics. Motion will be available this summer. We will watch the initial reviews.
http://www.apple.com/motion/
Related Library Resources
Final Cut
DVD Studio Pro
Digital video -- Editing
Cinematography Special effects
Posted by admin at 06:29 AM
April 19, 2004
Final Cut Pro 4 Opens up With XML Interchange Format
A new Apple Applications Article discusses the developer opportunities for sharing FCP project information via XML. As mentioned in an earlier post, the FCP XML format allows you to share all the important Final Cut Pro metadata (edits, transitions, effects, compositing info, and organization structures) with other applications and systems that support XML...things like other non linear apps, broadcast servers, databases, etc..)
The XML Interchange Format is one of the features that's available in Final Cut Pro and not in Final Cut Express.
Article: Final Cut Pro 4 Opens Up With XML Interchange Format
Library Resources
Final Cut
Posted by admin at 06:27 AM
April 18, 2004
Software Update: Final Cut Express
"This update fixes an issue with some cameras caused by conflicts between timecode breaks and dropped frames, resulting in incomplete capture. It also improves QuickTime movie export when there is blank video in a sequence. Final Cut Express 2.0.3 is strongly recommended for all users of Final Cut Express 2."
http://www.apple.com/downloads/macosx/apple/finalcutexpress.html
Although we only have copies of Final Cut Pro rather than Final Cut Express in The Studio, the library does have some Express books.
Library Books on Final Cut Express
Weynand, Diana. Final Cut Express. Berkeley, Calif. : Peachpit Press, 2004.
TR899 .W442 2004
Roberts, Charles. Digital Video editing with Final Cut Express :The Real World Guide to Set up and Workflow. Oxford : Focal, 2003.
TR899 .R57 2003
Related Subject Headings
Final Cut
Video tapes -- Editing -- Data processing
Digital video -- Editing
Posted by admin at 09:53 AM
April 16, 2004
New Digital Camera Models in Studio
We're pleased to announce that we have two new digital still cameras available for checkout. These new Canon PowerShot G5 cameras are 5 Megapixel cameras.
In order to check out Studio equipment, a short certification course is required.
Library Resources
Photography Digital techniques Dictionaries
Photography -- Digital techniques
Image Processing -- Digital Techniques
Photography History
Photography Handbooks, manuals, etc.
Posted by admin at 08:19 AM
April 15, 2004
Stockstock 2004 Film Festival
The Stockstock film festival is rather unique. It's about editing, not production. When you register, you will be sent a miniDV tape with stock footage that you can edit into a finished movie (three minutes max). The stock footage will come from the Prelinger Archives, a repository of public domain films (now owned by the Library of Congress). This emphasis on editing is a great way to promote an awareness of public domain material as a source for derivative works, and emphasizes the importance of the public domain (and why copyright legislation should encourage rather than obliterate, a "domain" of freely accessible works for public use in creating new works). Everyone who registers (it costs 20 dollars) gets the same footage. Deadline is June 15 for entries.
Learn more at http://www.stockstock.org/faq.asp
Wired News Story about Stockstock
Copyright Readings....
The State of Copyright Activism; First Monday
Copyrights and copywrongs
The Future of Ideas : The Fate of the Commons in a Connected World / Lawrence Lessig.
Recent Complaint filed (Kahle v. Aschcroft)
On behalf of the Internet Archive and the Prelinger Archives, Stanford's Center for Internet and Society (RSS Feed) has filed a complaint arguing that the Copyright Renewal Act and Copyright Term Extension Act (CTEA) are unconstitutional under the Free Speech Clause of the First Amendment.
Posted by admin at 06:50 AM
April 13, 2004
EasyWMA 1.1.2- Convert WMA files to MP3
Easy WMA is a program that allows you to convert WMA files to MP3. By doing this you will be able to organize your digital audio assets using iTunes. Under the hood of Easy WMA is FFMPEG, a command line tool, developed under Linux, to convert, record, and stream audio and video.
FFMPEG Project Documentation
How Analog and Digital Recording Works
Copyright Information
Recording Technology History, Steven E. Schoenherr
University of Tennessee Information Technology Acceptable Use Policy
Posted by admin at 06:12 AM
April 12, 2004
Eejit's Film Lingo
Earlier I posted a link to Exposure: The Internet Resource for Low-Budget Filmmakers. A great resource on this site is Eejit's Lingo where you can learn " your cookie from your cutaway, your capture card from your chromakey."
More Library Resources
Cinematography -- Dictionaries
Motion Pictures -- Dictionaries
Posted by admin at 06:44 AM
April 10, 2004
Build Your Own Steadycam
Often the "cool" shots I see are cool because they capture motion in rather long sequences with no cutaways and are composed at angles and with a steadiness that is really impossible without some sort of camera stabilization. I think of some of the long flowing sequences in a Fincher film or in the television series ER (75% of the scenes were shot using the Steadicam). A Steadicam is required for this, but is also quite expensive. If you're ready to make your own steadicam for just 14 dollars, John Lee has a great how to article. There are also some short quicktime movies demonstrating the effect.
Library Resources
Motion Pictures--Production and Direction
Digital Cinematography
Digital Video
Low Budget Motion Pictures
Cinematography
Cinematography -- Handbooks, Manuals, etc.
How Steadicams Work from Howstuffworks.com
Steadicam entry from Museum.tv
Steadicam Operators Association
Posted by admin at 09:13 AM
April 09, 2004
More on MacOS X Trojan Horse Threat
CNET reports that Apple has acknowledged the "possibility" of a vulnerability in os x and are looking into it. Intego, who released the news, was quick to offer their virus software as a solution, which kinda makes you think. The article also cites a Symantec bulletin that verified the bug but claimed "it posed no immediate danger" and that it "does not contain any malicious code."
Posted by admin at 09:08 PM
Save as PDF problem in Illustrator CS
Macosxhints.com has posted a fix for the "Save as PDF" script in Illustrator CS. According to the article, the script doesn't work; it only saves the topmost window's document as a pdf. Note: The script turns off the usual "preserve illustrator editing capability" option when saving to a PDF.
Note: Once we complete our upgrade to Panther, we will also upgrade our Adobe apps to CS. Stay tuned.
Illustrator books in the library
Posted by admin at 10:18 AM
April 08, 2004
Trojan Horse Alert for OSX
Internet security and virus software developer Intego has announced the existence of the FIRST trojan horse for Mac OSX called MP3Concept. Apparently this thingie's code lives in the ID3 tag of an MP3 file as a hidden application. When the file is launched, the app will launch AND subsequently begin to play in iTunes.
According to their press release:
"This Trojan horse has the potential to do any of the following:
- Delete all of a user's personal files
- Send an e-mail message containing a copy of itself to other users
- Infect other MP3, JPEG, GIF or QuickTime files"
This sounds serious and we'll watch for any developments or moves from Apple.
Posted by admin at 04:59 PM
Export iPhoto Library as Links
The way iPhoto manages photo is, at times, quite frustrating because of the duplicaton of images. MacOSXhits.com has an article on exporting iPhoto library as links instead of duplicating conent.
http://www.macosxhints.com/article.php?story=20040331181442748
Posted by admin at 07:49 AM
April 07, 2004
Music Recommendation System for iTunes
Students at the University of Illinois have developed an automated system that provides music recommendations based on ratings from your iTunes playlist. According to the web site, there is a small number of users, so "recommendations will most likely be laughable." However, the extensibility of iTunes is just short of amazing.
More about Music Recommendation System for iTunes
Posted by admin at 04:35 PM
New Issue: Media, Culture and Society
A new issue (V. 26, No. 2) of Media, Culture and Society is available. The library has print and electronic access to this title. NetID required.
TI: The effects of piracy upon the music industry: a case study of bootlegging
AU: Marshall, L
JN: Media Culture and Society
PD: 2004
VO: 26
NO: 2
PG: 163-182
TI: The other Hollywood: the organizational and geographic bases of television-program production
AU: Scott, AJ
JN: Media Culture and Society
PD: 2004
VO: 26
NO: 2
PG: 183-206
TI: Constructing perfect women: the portrayal of officials in Hong Kong newspapers
AU: Lee, FLF
JN: Media Culture and Society
PD: 2004
VO: 26
NO: 2
PG: 207-226
TI: Telecom, national development and the Indian state: a postcolonial critique
AU: Chakravartty, P
JN: Media Culture and Society
PD: 2004
VO: 26
NO: 2
PG: 227-250
TI: Yizo Yizo: citizenship, commodification and popular culture in South Africa
AU: Barnett, C
JN: Media Culture and Society
PD: 2004
VO: 26
NO: 2
PG: 251-272
TI: The value of being public service: the shifting of power relations in Swedish television production
AU: Bolin, G
JN: Media Culture and Society
PD: 2004
VO: 26
NO: 2
PG: 277-287
TI: Television: friend or foe of Australian documentary
AU: Roscoe, J
JN: Media Culture and Society
PD: 2004
VO: 26
NO: 2
PG: 288-295
TI: Witnessing: US citizenship and the vicarious experience of suffering
AU: Rentschler, CA
JN: Media Culture and Society
PD: 2004
VO: 26
NO: 2
PG: 296-304
TI: Small Screens, Big Ideas: Television in the 1950s, by Janet Thumin (ed.)
AU: Laberge, Y
JN: Media Culture and Society
PD: 2004
VO: 26
NO: 2
PG: 305
TI: Mapping Globalization: International Media and a Crisis of Identity, by Naren Chitty (ed.)
AU: Sarikakis, K
JN: Media Culture and Society
PD: 2004
VO: 26
NO: 2
PG: 306
TI: Leni Riefenstahl: The Seduction of Genius, by Rainer Rother
AU: Kilborn, R
JN: Media Culture and Society
PD: 2004
VO: 26
NO: 2
PG: 307-310
Posted by admin at 07:55 AM
New Book: The Secrets of the iPod, 4th Edition
Peachpit Press has just released the 4th edition of Breen's popular book. If you are a new iPod user (and use iTunes on the Mac or PC) this book will tell you everything you ever wanted to know about the iPod.
SBN: 0321245644; Published: Mar 25, 2004; Copyright 2004;
Dimensions 7-1/2 X 9-1/4 ; Pages: 384; Edition: 4th.
Posted by admin at 06:07 AM
New Studio Book: DVD Studio Pro 2
The Studio just received another Apple Pro Training Series Book on DVD Studio Pro 2 (TK6680.5.D84 2004). The Apple Pro Training Series is geared toward certification in Apple Software. A description of the book from the publisher's website is here. This book is available for use in The Studio. There is also a circulating copy available in Hodges.
More Apple Pro Training Series Books in the library.
Posted by admin at 05:26 AM
April 06, 2004
The Gamification of Music
Newsday.com has a story on Garage Band. Although the association with button-pushing and "composing" is a little stretched, the article is a positive review of the software and acknowledges the role of "play" in the creation of content. That's a good thing.
Check out an interesting and related interview with Brian Eno from Wired
Posted by admin at 05:43 PM
April 05, 2004
DVD Forum chooses Apple music format for DVD Audio
From the article:
"The AAC (Advanced Audio Codec), the audio format supported by Apple's iTunes Music Store, has been chosen as a key future DVD Audio disc technology by the standard's governing body, the DVD Forum. "
With the MPEG4 spec leaning heavily on QuickTime, this is not surprising. What is suprising is that the forum selected Windows Media as the basis for a future high-def video format.
http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/54/36463.html
Posted by admin at 10:00 AM
Quicktime 6.4 User's Guide
If you want to get a good overview of Quicktime, particularly some of the advanced features of QuickTime (Compression, Poster Frames, Chapters, etc...) check out the updated QuickTime documentation. QuickTime is the underlying "killer app" for Apple's multimedia universe.
QuickTime User's Guide (50p pdf) > http://www.apple.com/quicktime/products/qt/pdf/QT6.4_UserGuide.pdf
Posted by admin at 09:09 AM
Goldberg: Freeware Image and Movie Viewer
Goldberg is a freeware image and movie viewer with image editing capabilities and support for applying QuickTime and other effects. This new version enhances the Selection Tool, adds new commands to set the selection size or set a fixed aspect ratio, and adds new resampling methods.
http://opus.funstaff.ch/freeware/g2
Posted by admin at 08:55 AM
Final Cut Pro XML Interchange Format
Apple has released updated documentation for the Final Cut Pro XML Interchange Format. Apple software has all sorts of XML functionality and the FCP XML format allows you to share all the important Final Cut Pro metadata (edits, transitions, effects, compositing info, and organization structures) with other applications and systems that support XML...things like other non linear apps, broadcast servers, databases, etc..)
85 page PDF document. http://developer.apple.com//documentation/AppleApplications/Conceptual/FinalCutPro_XML/FinalCutPro_XML.pdf
Posted by admin at 08:51 AM
April 02, 2004
Open Video Project: A Shared Digital Video Project
The Open Video Project has a growing collection of digital video content. The project is mainly focused on research and development relating to multimedia retrieval. Perhaps one day we will be able to search digital video repositories in novel ways. Perhaps one day we will be able to search a digital video library not just by director, title, keyword, subject, etc.; but will also be able to retrieve, for example, all videos that have scenes of handshakes, or smiles, or particular camera angles...who knows.
Posted by admin at 06:38 AM
April 01, 2004
Independent Media Centers and dadaIMC
The Creative Commons weblog reports on the use of dadaIMC, a content management tool that allows organizations to support an open publishing model with an infrastructure for ingesting and displaying new media content. It supports Creative Commons licenses and goes a step further by providing a license that explicitly signals the allowance of derivative uses. For an example, check out the Baltimore Independent Media Center.
Posted by admin at 07:41 AM