Multimedia Scripting  

Bunn offers an overview of the multimedia development process from the writer's perspective. He uses a film analogy to help readers develop a multimedia mindset, outlines the elements of multimedia production, and guides the reader through the stages of the production phase.

Bunn, Bill E. Intercom (2000). Design>Multimedia>Writing

Multimedia Scripting: A Guide to the Process  

Beneath the glitz and glamour of multimedia technology is the need for well-written concepts and scripts to aid in the development and production process. Many who have written primarily for printed documents, however, often having difficulty adjusting to writing for a multimedia environment. To help make the transition clear, this workshop focuses on explaining the theory, concepts, and strategies for planning and writing multimedia scripts.

Heba, Gary M. STC Proceedings (1996). Design>Multimedia>Workflow

Multimedia Scripting: Starting Off Right  

Bunn discusses the art of preparing scripts for different media.

Bunn, Bill E. Intercom (2000). Design>Multimedia>Programming

Multimedia Theater: The Roles of Audience in Multimedia  

Creating a multimedia title is much like creating a movie. The multimedia team has to work with many of the same components (sound, animation, graphics, and text) as a movie production team. Many multimedia developers see their work not as a product but as a production. Some developers no longer work in offices but in “studios,” Given this cinematic atmosphere and similarities in drama and multimedia, one can see how literary or dramatic terms can be used to describe reader (audience) roles in multimedia. In multimedia, the audience can become several different roles. This paper discusses these roles and how or if multimedia teams should react to them.

Gibbs, Bruce R. STC Proceedings (1996). Presentations>Multimedia>Audience Analysis

Multimedia Writing

A blog about issues in content development for multimedia by a Ph.D. candidate researching these issues.

Stolley, Karl. MultimediaWriting.com. Resources>Writing>Multimedia>Blogs

Multimedia, Beyond the Language Barrier Building Better Communication Bridges Across the Pacific Ocean  

While multimedia is a very popular tool today, simple animation and sound no longer have the pull they did. Effective use of multimedia technology depends on matching it to your overall purpose. Depending on the combination of media, you can reduce the cost of localization and speed-up information delivery. In this presentation, I will introduce two multimediarelated projects for considering the possibilities and limitations of multimedia.

Kobayashi, Norio. STC Proceedings (1998). Design>Multimedia>Localization

The Mysteries of Light

Introduces lighting digital video, particularly when using the OmniPro Lighting Kit.

Bergeland, Erik and Paul Friemel. Studio for New Media (2004). Articles>Documentation>Multimedia

New Media for Technical Communicators

For more than forty years, the Society for Technical Communication (STC) has helped its members explore new ways to communicate. The theme of the STC's 41st annual conference held recently in Minneapolis, 'Explore Communication,' was therefore apt. Participants at the conference discussed new ideas for communication via computer, and charted the beginnings of STC's foray into Internet-based scholarship.

December, John A. Computer-Mediated Communication (1995). Articles>TC>Multimedia

New Media Technology II

Two collaborative presentations about the status and factors that influence technology adoption within research in technical communication programs.

Amidon, Stevens R., Stuart Blythe, Libby Allison, Miriam Williams and Meloni McMichael. CPTSC (2005). Presentations>Multimedia>Technology

North Bay Multimedia Association

NBMA is an open community of new media professionals. Since 1992, it's been a meeting ground to explore the present and future of new media; a place to exchange ideas, learn about new techniques and technologies, be inspired, and find business support in a friendly and productive atmosphere.

North Bay Multimedia Association. Organizations>Information Design>Multimedia>California

(Novice) Audio for Television: Mixing the Basic "Event"

Here is a breakdown of how we might handle the typical 'low budget' television demo or competition, such as a local cooking show, sporting event, or how-to-do-it.

Ginsburg, Fred. Equipment Emporium (2006). Articles>Multimedia>Video>Audio

Offset and Displace

Creating an interesting title sequence can involve many different techniques. But here's one simple trick that can be used for almost any type of project--Offset. Used in conjunction with the Displacement Map fi lter, it can also add much reality to a shot.

Holmes, Steve. Mac Design Magazine (2005). Design>Multimedia>Video

On-Demand Access to Rich Media Assets

The maturation of digital asset management technology and products has enabled on-demand DAM services to emerge as an attractive alternative to on-premises installation. Organizations facing a variety of problems and constraints, such as speed to market and scalability, are finding software services models to be the most cost effective approach to digital asset management. This paper identifies the four key factors in making the decision between a services model and on-premises installation. It also argues that the decision should be analyzed in terms of discounted cash flows and presents examples of such calculations.

Zoellick, Bill. Gilbane Report (2004). Design>Web Design>Multimedia>Flash

On-Target Color

You'll probably recognize this color effect used by a certain department store that plays on the colors in its logo. The effect essentially reduces the image to three colors--a white background, red image content, and a darker red for some depth; but you can choose any color combination or mix any number of colors for a solarized or false color effect.

Hodgetts, Philip. Mac Design Magazine (2005). Design>Multimedia>Video>Color

(Over)simple Answers for Simple Minds

Part of me feels for Jakob Nielsen for the grief he’s taken over deciding to work with Macromedia after declaring 'Flash 99 percent bad.' After all, the pressures and temptations to provide simple answers to complex issues are ones we all face in our professional practices.

Olsen, George. Boxes and Arrows (2002). Design>Multimedia>Interactive>Flash

Overview and Solution for Multi-Media  

Thanks to the development of multimedia methodologies, increases in the power of personal computers and the rapid spread of the Internet, video manuals are growing in popularity. In addition, nonlinear video editing systems, computer graphic animation and a variety of video compression technologies have created new multimedia solutions. This presentation will introduce current technology for creating multimedia manuals, with a focus on video. It will also present some of the technical challenges of using multimedia.

Kobayashi, Norio. STC Proceedings (2000). Design>Multimedia

Overview of a Distributed-Hard-Drive-Based Educational Plan  

Although empirical research indicates that media selection may not impact learning a great deal, results are inconsistent and sometimes contradictory. We have done recent studies indicating that inconsistent results may be caused by the extent to which educational developers are modifying the genres within which they typically teach – e.g., converting lectures to essays and converting demonstrations to posted instruction sets. Typically, the instructional developers who significantly modify their educational genres do so because digital media (usually designed for dissemination on the Internet, CD-ROM, or DVD) preclude the large format heuristics we accept as necessary in our traditional classes. New technologies, available this year, seem to provide a solution for this problem. In recent studies, we have successfully placed traditional educational genres on very large, external and/or removable hard drives which we combine with Internet technology to overcome the bandwidth problems we faced in the past. Because this involves a unique, step-by-step process of examining educational materials, re-combining them into external drive technlologies, and then developing new distribution methods, we call the process 'Distributed Hard Drive Protocol.' This paper describes six new, protocols we have developed for educators, trainers, and archivers.

Hailey, David E. and Christine E. Hailey. Utah State University (2000). Articles>Multimedia>Instructional Design>Education

Penser "Dynamique"

Il est devenu de bon ton de parler de contenus 'dynamiques'. Que veut-on dire par là au juste? En fait, la notion de 'contenus dynamiques' peut couvrir plusieurs acceptions.

Redaction (2004). Articles>Multimedia>Web Design

Penser "Multimédia"

Basé quasiment exclusivement sur le texte à ses débuts, Internet est devenu aujourd'hui un moyen d'expression multimédia, permettant d'intégrer tout autant des textes que des images, des vidéos, des sons , des animations, des programmes interactifs, etc. Ecrire pour Internet, c'est donc exploiter plusieurs supports d'expression.

Redaction (2004). Articles>Multimedia>Web Design>Writing

Planning and Designing Multimedia  

Multimedia can add another dimension to electronic documentation (Help and manuals) and computer-based training. The process of planning and developing a multimedia project draws on new skill sets. This workshop focusses on the key role of the technical writer as writer, designer, and project manager.

Rockley, Ann. STC Proceedings (1997). Articles>Documentation>Multimedia

Planning Multimedia Segments  

Multimedia can add another dimension of information to online documentation. This progression discusses the optimum methods of presenting information (text, graphics, multimedia) and the planning and design process.

Rockley, Ann. STC Proceedings (1995). Articles>Documentation>Multimedia

Planning Your Flash Animations

Before you start developing a Flash animation, it is a good practice to write out a plan of action. The reason is that any type of software development can be complex. Good planning helps to avoid mistakes that may be difficult to find and fix.

Kurtus, Ron. School for Champions (2002). Design>Multimedia>Planning>Flash

Podcast Metrics: A Panel Discussion

There are a number of approaches to getting meaningful data from podcast usage, each with their own advantages and drawbacks.

Federico, John, Dave van Dyke and Alex Laats. Podcast Academy (2006). Articles>Multimedia>Audio>Podcasting

Podcast: Using Video in Training and Documentation, Interview with Todd O’Neill

In this podcast, rich media specialist Todd O’Neill explains how to add video to your training and documentation deliverables. Many technical writers are intimidated by the learning curve, equipment costs, and software they think they need to create video, but actually you can create engaging videos with minimal equipment (e.g., $150 for a Flip video camera) and using software you probably already have (e.g, Windows Movie Maker or iMovie). In this podcast, Todd lays out the basics for those who know nothing about video. He explains the equipment you need, techniques for minimizing editing time, ways to publish the video online, filming techniques to focus on, and creative ways to package your video for your users.

O'Neill, Todd and Tom H. Johnson. Tech Writer Voices (2008). Articles>Interviews>Documentation>Multimedia

Podcasting and Vidcasting: The Future of Tech Comm

Advancing technology allows us to use the new technologies of podcasts (audio recordings delivered as .mp3 files) and vidcasts, or more properly, broadcast video to convey technical information. Effective audience analysis will determine whether multimedia is right for our users. We use the same correct rhetorical principles to communicate information aurally and visually as we do when creating text.

Agnew, Beth. Seneca College (2006). Articles>TC>Multimedia>Podcasting