For the past few weeks, I have been working on a top-secret video project about the Analog Disinformation Center. This is just the rough cut, but soon I will receive feedback and create the final masterpiece. To create this video, I used the Canva editor. Since most people coming to the DKC will probably be using Canva, I figured I should use it more to get familiar with it. Overall, I have had a fun time making this video. I hope everyone enjoys it, and I am so excited to see everyone else’s videos!
Tag: Spring 2024
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ADC Video Project
What a fun project! This will be my first post regarding the top secret assignment for the fictitious A.D.C. All new posts about this project will be put into the DKC to ADC folder.
I learned so much through this process! A big thing that I learned was how to work the Rhode microphones. After I had finished recording I realized that the microphones were not recording and it was really annoying!! I will always double check now. I am excited for everyone to see the video!
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sites@umw: an uncool DoOO
Here’s the Sites@UMW page I made. I would describe the difference between the two like this. DoOO is basically whatever you want it to be. You can customize your URL completely, choose from thousands of plugins to add various effects to your website, and even more customizable themes to create a unique website. You can even download or create your own themes and plugins if you’d like. There are a lot of different applications you can use to build it but most people choose WordPress, the golden child of website creation. Everyone can make one domain but as many subdomains as you want, that can link back to each other if you want. You can also take the website with you when you graduate. Sites@UMW is the same idea but you get to do a lot less. The URL has to have .umwsites.net at the end, and the themes and plugins available are 41 in total. WordPress comes installed automatically but you can’t use any of the other applications though you can make as many subsites as you want. The sacrifice in customization is that is very low-maintenance since admins manage updates of themes/plugins so you don’t have to worry about outdated code messing up your website. You can take the content with you when you graduate but not the URL. If you want to create a simple website for a club or project Sites@UMW is likely the easier option but if you want full control over something that is your own DoOO is the superior choice.
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top secret video project: the scramble to record
This week was very hectic as I had to rush to get ready to record so that the other consultants were still available when I needed them to be.
I’ve learned a lot of things this week but especially more about using recording equipment than the basic understanding I had before I started this. Learning how to use the OSMO gimbal and figuring out some new settings on the DSLR was a bit of a struggle but I think most of my shots came out well.
My storyboard has a bit of a creepy vibe to it which is sort of what I’m going for just with a bit of silliness added to it in the actual video. Looking at what I have so far for this project I’ve once again recorded too much time but this time I’m prepared to do a lot of cutting to really get the scenes to be concise.
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Sites@UMW Exploration
Today I finally dabbled into Sites@UMW, and I have to say it was much easier to use! Or at least easier to set up. I created a little site for displaying some of my art but I wanted to specifically explain more of the artistic process so I used a theme that would let me display my post’s featured image very largely on my site. This way, I could make each of my pieces its post so that inside the post I could talk about my process there.
One of the main differences between Sites@UMW is the login system, I like that it is easier for you to set up a site and log in using your umw netID and password HOWEVER… DoOO is better because you would be able to take it with you when you graduate whereas with Sites@UMW you wouldn’t be able to access it when you lose your UMW netID and password. You also can’t change the full domain name which is disappointing, but I think this platform is great for anyone just wanting to make a quick website for a class and don’t need it after they graduate.
Heres my site: leesspace.umwsites.net
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Accessibility in Word Press
I learned A LOT through this exercise in optimizing our websites. I didn’t realize nor admittedly gave much thought to alternative and descriptive text. I read the article and installed the plug-in and realized just how much important work I had ahead of me. I had several errors come up, the most popular being that I was using a lot of gifs which can mess with the screen reader, as well as a few “improper use of link” errors. I need to do more research to figure out how to remedy it, but as for now I moved a quote I overlayed on top of a gif to the side bar so the screen reader would be less confused, I also added more black text as opposed to colored so its easier to read. As I keep building and improving this website I will continue to factor accessibility into my projects and changes.
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Sites@UMW
Today, I created a subsite using Sites@UMW. I made my subsite about pigs because they are my favorite animals, and it is almost National Pig Day. National Pig Day is on March 1st in case you were wondering. If I had to describe the difference between Sites@UMW and DoOO, I would say that Sites@UMW gives users less freedom in the creation of their sites in comparison to DoOO. Sites@UMW is more structured which means it may be easier for new users to create their sites, but they also have less creative control. For example, there are only 26 themes to choose from using Sites@UMW which makes it less overwhelming for new users but also limits their creativity in the design of their site. For someone totally new to web design, Sites@UMW may be the better option to get started on. As they get more comfortable though, I would recommend using DoOO.
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Storyboards and Video Creation
Over the past couple of weeks, I have been working on making a trailer for the ADC (Analog Disinformation Center). The first step in this process was making my storyboard. I was inspired by the book, 1984, to create my storyboard. I also used Canva to make and edit it. Through this process, I learned that it is okay to change and even start over your projects. At first, when I was making my storyboard, I had a very dramatic theme. After working on it for a while, I realized this theme just wouldn’t work for the project, so I had to pretty much start over from scratch. It was annoying, but at least I hadn’t begun videoing my project yet. As a result, I switched the theme of my project to be happy and inviting. It is a trailer for people to visit the ADC after all!
After the storyboard was finished, I began videoing my project. Arden and Ally helped me learn how to use the tripod kit, audio kit, and video kit. Lee, Katy, and Oli also helped in the creation of my project by being actors. I now feel much more confident in using the microphones and the DSLR camera. I have never used either before (besides my first day of training), so I learned a lot! I can’t wait to show everyone my trailer and to see everyone else’s trailers. But first, I have to go edit my videos together!
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The Lord of the ADC: The Fellowship of Storyboarding and Video Equipment
What I’ve Learned
Storyboarding is really helpful! I had a vision, and then I lost my original storyboard. But it was okay, because then I had a better vision! I think getting my thoughts out onto paper really helped me to visualize what I wanted and think more practically about how to achieve it. Since starting the project, I have also played around with the camera, tripod, and audio kit, and I love how easy it is to use them together! I was intimidated at first, but now it’s not so scary.
My Storyboard
It’s very poorly drawn, and a few things have changed since I drew it, but it’s been a very helpful guide! Filming was super fun. A special shoutout to Angela and Lee for helping me out! You’ll see them in my video later on. Overall the project is going really well! I’m thinking of using OpenShot Video Editor to edit my shots, because I’ve never used anything outside of Canva before. It seems beginner friendly and simple. I’ll let you know how it goes!
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accessibility web building
Recently we learned about why is accessibility important and how to incorporate it into websites to create access for all. I learned a lot from the reading and videos but the one that really stood out to me was the curb-cut effect which makes sense because the point of it is that it becomes a common part of society. It surprised me that things that are common today like curb ramps were hard to get placed but now are such an expected part of the world.
I would like to learn more about the way other countries handle accessibility since one of the videos mentioned that in Norway it’s illegal to have inaccessible websites. It would be cool to see what led up to that law since disability legislature isn’t usually that prevelant outside of local laws.
One thing I couldn’t fix was my recent blog posts since I wanted to change them to a bulleted list but I couldn’t since the block is automated by WordPress. There are also a few things I didn’t get done like making a transcript for the Brooklyn Nine-Nine video but I definitely want to continue to adjust these issues to make my site more accessible.
