Quick Revision for Multimedia and Animation - Vikatu

Unit 1

 

 Multimedia is a type of medium that allows information to be easily transferred from one location to another. Multimedia is the presentation of text, pictures, audio, and video with links and tools that allow the user to navigate, engage, create, and communicate using a computer. Multimedia refers to the computer-assisted integration of text, drawings, still and moving images(videos) graphics, audio, animation, and any other media in which any type of information can be expressed, stored, communicated, and processed digitally.

Multimedia is being employed in a variety of disciplines, including education, training, and business.

Applications of Multimedia

 

Multimedia indicates that, in addition to text, graphics/drawings, and photographs, computer information can be represented using audio, video, and animation. Multimedia is used in:

1. Education

In the subject of education, multimedia is becoming so popular. It is often used to produce study materials for pupils and to ensure that they have a thorough comprehension of various disciplines. Edutainment, which combines education and entertainment, has become highly popular in recent years. This system gives learning in the form of enjoyment to the user.

2. Entertainment

The usage of multimedia in films creates a unique auditory and video impression. Today, multimedia has completely transformed the art of filmmaking around the world. Multimedia is the only way to achieve difficult effects and actions.
The entertainment sector makes extensive use of multimedia. It’s particularly useful for creating special effects in films and video games. The most visible illustration of the emergence of multimedia in entertainment is music and video apps. Interactive games become possible thanks to the use of multimedia in the gaming business. Video games are more interesting because of the integrated audio and visual effects.

3. Business

Marketing, advertising, product demos, presentation, training, networked communication, etc, are applications of multimedia that are helpful in many businesses. The audience can quickly understand an idea when multimedia presentations are used. It gives a simple and effective technique to attract visitors’ attention and effectively conveys information about numerous products. It’s also utilized to encourage clients to buy things in business marketing.

4. Technology & Science:

In the sphere of science and technology, multimedia has a wide range of applications. It can communicate audio, films, and other multimedia documents in a variety of formats. Only multimedia can make live broadcasting from one location to another possible.
It is beneficial to surgeons because they can rehearse intricate procedures such as brain removal and reconstructive surgery using images made from imaging scans of the human body. Plans can be produced more efficiently to cut expenses and problems.

5. Fine Arts:

Multimedia artists work in the fine arts, combining approaches employing many media and incorporating viewer involvement in some form. For example, a variety of digital mediums can be used to combine movies and operas.
Digital artist is a new word for these types of artists. Digital painters make digital paintings, matte paintings, and vector graphics of many varieties using computer applications.

6. Engineering

Multimedia is frequently used by software engineers in computer simulations for military or industrial training. It’s also used for software interfaces created by creative experts and software engineers in partnership. Only multimedia is used to perform all the minute calculations.

Components of Multimedia

Multimedia consists of the following 5 components:

1. Text

Characters are used to form words, phrases, and paragraphs in the text. Text appears in all multimedia creations of some kind. The text can be in a variety of fonts and sizes to match the multimedia software’s professional presentation. Text in multimedia systems can communicate specific information or serve as a supplement to the information provided by the other media.

2. Graphics

Non-text information, such as a sketch, chart, or photograph, is represented digitally. Graphics add to the appeal of the multimedia application. In many circumstances, people dislike reading big amounts of material on computers. As a result, pictures are more frequently used than words to clarify concepts, offer background information, and so on. Graphics are at the heart of any multimedia presentation. The use of visuals in multimedia enhances the effectiveness and presentation of the concept. Windows Picture, Internet Explorer, and other similar programs are often used to see visuals. Adobe Photoshop is a popular graphics editing program that allows you to effortlessly change graphics and make them more effective and appealing.

3. Animations

A sequence of still photographs is being flipped through. It’s a set of visuals that give the impression of movement. Animation is the process of making a still image appear to move. A presentation can also be made lighter and more appealing by using animation. In multimedia applications, the animation is quite popular. The following are some of the most regularly used animation viewing programs: Fax Viewer, Internet Explorer, etc.

4. Video

Photographic images that appear to be in full motion and are played back at speeds of 15 to 30 frames per second. The term video refers to a moving image that is accompanied by sound, such as a television picture. Of course, text can be included in videos, either as captioning for spoken words or as text embedded in an image, as in a slide presentation. The following programs are widely used to view videos: Real Player, Window Media Player, etc.

5. Audio

Any sound, whether it’s music, conversation, or something else. Sound is the most serious aspect of multimedia, delivering the joy of music, special effects, and other forms of entertainment. Decibels are a unit of measurement for volume and sound pressure level. Audio files are used as part of the application context as well as to enhance interaction. Audio files must occasionally be distributed using plug-in media players when they appear within online applications and webpages. MP3, WMA, Wave, MIDI, and RealAudio are examples of audio formats. The following programs are widely used to view videos: Real Player, Window Media Player, etc.

steps to making the perfect multimedia presentation

For a static presentation, you would probably load up PowerPoint, Google Slides, or Keynote and be ready to go. With media elements, however, you’ll have to think outside the box.

If you’re incorporating audio, video, animations, or anything else, you’ll have to find it somewhere. If you want to make it yourself, you’ll need the tools for it, and some design agencies are better for multimedia than others.

To help, here are a few award winning presentation software's to consider:

PowerPoint/Google Slides/Keynote

Let’s start with the basics. Each of these classic presentation tools is quite powerful. They can be used to put together excellent multimedia presentations.

One of the classic rookie mistakes in presentations is carefully outlining your content, but not paying attention to your imagery. Details from even your line shape need to look professional. Presentation design is a crucial step that shouldn’t be overlooked. If you happen to have a lot of design know-how, you can do this yourself. Otherwise, you’re left with three options:

• Use a free template
• Use a paid template
• Hire a professional (freelancer, agency, or design service)

Color schemes

Ensure that you’re properly using color theory when designing your slides. For a business presentation, use colors that are part of your brand identity or featured in your logo. Tools like Colors can help you generate full color schemes.

Visual themes

Consider expressing the message of your presentation with visual themes and metaphors. For instance, if your message is aspirational, you can use space or mountain imagery to signify shooting for the stars. If your business is cutting-edge, circuits and sci-fi imagery can help convey a sense of futurism.

Dynamic imagery:

Pair different fonts and employ all different types of slides. Consistency is key, but every slide should be distinctive in some way to keep your audience invested.

4) Prepare your media

Since you’ve planned ahead, you probably have a good idea for what media you want to include in your presentation. Now that your slides are designed, it’s a good idea to get your multimedia elements ready so you can easily drop them in during the editing process.

Narration: Pick out your favorite recording software or DAW (digital audio workstation) and hop to it! For a professional presentation, you want to make sure your audio is fairly high quality. Use a large closet or other audio-friendly space for recording if you don’t have an audio setup.

Music: You can use any music you want for an internal presentation, but for a public conference, you should definitely seek out some royalty-free audio.

Video: Whether you’re using pre-recorded or live video, you’ll want to make sure you have the right setup. As with narration, you’ll want high-quality sound, along with a decent camera. For live video, try to use an area with a strong internet connection to ensure you don’t suffer technical difficulties.

Interactive elements: Creating these can be part of the slide design process (for instance, if you’re incorporating a game into your presentation). Creating these from scratch requires a great deal of technical know-how, but you can also find lots of pre-made templates out there.

GIFs and animations: These are also included in many templates, since they’re such a vital part of creating a dynamic multimedia presentation. You may consider using animations for clever transitions, to spice up infographics, or just to add color to your slides.

6) Add your multimedia elements

Once you’ve got everything laid out, it’s time to add the fun stuff. Keynote, PowerPoint, and Google Slides all have accessible tools for adding multimedia elements, as do the other software examples listed above.

While preparing your media is a challenge, you’ll also have to spend some time figuring out the best way to integrate them. Technical difficulties can be a death sentence for any presentation, so you’ll want to prepare in advance to ensure everything goes smoothly.

Typically, you’ll be able to control what settings cause the media to play. For instance, Google Slides lets you set elements to play automatically, manually, or with a click. Regardless, you should be sure to preview your slideshow and make sure that everything looks right and plays on cue.

Plain text files are often made by the most basic text file format, which takes on the ".txt" extension. These files are often created and edited by Notepad, the text editor found on every Windows device, or by another text editor. However, text files can be opened by virtually any document or text editor, including more powerful applications such as Notepad++, Wordpad, Microsoft Office, or OpenOffice.

Another place where you can find plain text is input forms in websites and apps. Many social media websites, such as Twitter and Instagram, only let you post captions and tweets as plain text, although there are some exceptions, such as hashtags and emoji. Therefore, you cannot add any additional formatting to these elements. They are automatically formatted according to the standards of the website or app. Older email clients also often have plain text modes, allowing you to send messages in plain text.

The Benefits of Using Plain Text Files

Many people opt to use plain text rather than rich text for most of their editing. This practice is especially common among programmers and developers, who code in languages constructed with plain text and are used to that environment.

Plain text is simple, easy to read, and can be read and sent to anyone. It also has none of the device or software compatibility issues that come with varying fonts. Those are just some of the reasons why many people use text files over more powerful applications like Word. There is even a large group of people who use plain text for all text editing, from creating grocery lists to typing out full-length novels.

Another important use of plain text files is that they form most of the underlying infrastructure behind files and web pages. For example, ".ini" files used to keep configurations for Windows applications are often stored in a plain text format. This allows you to edit your settings by simply opening them up in Notepad.

Formatted text is text displayed in a special, specified style. In computer applications, formatting data may be associated with text data to create formatted text. How formatted text is created and displayed is dependent on the operating system and application software used on the computer.

Text formatting data may be qualitative (e.g., font family), or quantitative (e.g., font size, or color). It may also indicate a style of emphasis (e.g., boldface, or italics), or a style of notation (e.g., strikethrough, or superscript).

The purpose of formatted text is to enhance the presentation of information. For example, in the previous paragraph, the italicized words are each followed by examples. At a glance, the reader can ascertain that there are four special words in the paragraph. The goal is to help the reader to obtain, understand, and retain the information.

 

Unformatted text

Unformatted text is any text that is not associated with any formatting information. It is plain text, containing only printable characters, white space, and line breaks.

 

 

What is RTF?

RTF stands for Rich Text Format. It is a format that allows you to save your documents in a platform-independent way. RTF files can be opened and edited by any word processor, such as Microsoft Word or OpenOffice Writer.

RTF is a file format that allows documents to be saved in a text file format that is both human and machine-readable. RTF files can be opened in any text editor, and are often used for exchanging documents between different word-processing applications. RTF files can also be opened in web browsers, but the formatting may not be preserved.

One downside of RTF files is that they don’t always transfer formatting correctly when opened in different programs. For example, if you create an RTF file in Microsoft Word and then open it in Google Docs, the formatting may not look exactly the same.

What is HTML?

The preferred markup language for building online pages and web applications is HTML. With HTML, you can create your own website. Your website can be interactive by using JavaScript.

The main difference between RTF and HTML is that RTF is a text-based format while HTML is a markup language. HTML is used to create structural semantics for text, such as headings, paragraphs, lists, links, quotes. In contrast, RTF only supports basic text formatting features.

One advantage of using HTML to format text is that the code is universal, so your text will look the same no matter what program you open it in.

Differences Between RTF and HTML

The following table highlights the major differences between RTF and HTML −

Characteristics	RTF	HTML
Founded	RTF is a document format that was developed by Microsoft in 1987.	The World Wide Web's primary language is HTML, and it was developed in 1990 by Tim Berners Lee
Standard	It is based on Standard Generalized Markup Language (SGML)	It is based on Hyper Text Markup Language (HTML)
Extension	RTF files can be saved by ".rtf"	HTML files can be saved by ".html"
Usage	Used for storing files	Used to share content
Designed	RTF is designed for creating formatted documents that will be read on a screen or printed out on paper	HTML is designed specifically for displaying content on a web page.
Support	RTF supports less image types	HTML supports a more image types
Specifications	RTF cannot embed audio and video	HTML can embed audio and video

 

 

 

Common Text Preparation tools: 

word processing programs, such as MS word, word perfect, are useful in creating text for title that are text intensive. once text is created in a word processing program, it can easily be copied to a multimedia title.

 

if the title is not text intensive, it may be more efficient to use graphics programs such as CorelDraw, photoshop to create stylish text. both CorelDraw and photoshop allow coloring the text set font, point size and type style and various text effects can be applied. You can apply distorting and animation effect.

 

font packages can be purchased that provide a variety of specialized fonts. you can use font editor ex- fontographer to create your own font or edit some font.

 

You can use scanner with optical character reader program to capture  the desired text. you can download electronic file from internet to collect text and you use object linking and embedding or cut copy paste to bring text. 

 

Conversion of text from one format to another format 

convert to .doc: open  ms word and save as doc

convert text to doc

convert rtf

convert rtf to doc

convert doc to html: open ms word and choose file save as command from file menu then select web page from save as type combo box.

What Does Object Linking and Embedding Mean?

Object linking and embedding (OLE) is a Microsoft technology that facilitates the sharing of application data and objects written in different formats from multiple sources. Linking establishes a connection between two objects, and embedding facilitates application data insertion.

An OLE object may display as an icon. Double clicking the icon opens the associated object application or asks the user to select an application for object editing.

Alternatively, an OLE object may display as actual contents, such as a graph or chart. For example, an external application chart, such as an Excel spreadsheet, may be inserted into a Word application. When the chart is activated in the Word document, the chart’s user interface loads, and the user is able to manipulate the external chart’s data inside the Word document.

OLE-supported software applications include:

• Microsoft Windows applications, such as Excel, Word and PowerPoint
• Corel WordPerfect
• Adobe Acrobat
• AutoCAD
• Multimedia applications, like photos, audio/video clips and PowerPoint presentations.

OLE has certain disadvantages, as follows:

• Embedded objects increase the host document file size, resulting in potential storage or loading difficulties.
• Linked objects can break when a host document is moved to a location that does not have the original object application.
• Interoperability is limited. If the embedded or linked object application is unavailable, the object cannot be manipulated or edited.

Unit 2

Sound is a pressure wave which is created by a vibrating object. This vibrations set particles in the surrounding medium (typical air) in vibrational motion, thus transporting energy through the medium. Since the particles are moving in parallel direction to the wave movement, the sound wave is referred to as a longitudinal wave. The result of longitudinal waves is the creation of compressions and rarefactions within the air.

 

Sound attributes:

 

Amplitude: The amplitude of the sound wave is measured of the height of the wave. Amplitude define the sound loud or soft.

Frequency: The total number of  wave produced in one second is called the frequency of the wave. si unit hertz(Hz)

speed: The distance by which a compression or refraction of a wave travels per unit time is called as a sound's speed. Si unit= meter/second.

Crest: It is the peek of curve.

Trough: it is the crust of the curve

Wave length: wave length can be defined as the distance between the two successive crests or troughs of a wave.

Time Period: The time taken for one complete oscillation trough a medium is called a time period.

 

Pitch: this depends of the frequency of the vibration of the wave. if the frequency of the vibration of the wave is higher we say that the sound is shrill and a high pitch.  on the other hand if the sound is said to have a lower pitch then it has lower frequency of vibration. 

 

A sound effect (or audio effect) is an artificially created or enhanced sound, or sound process used to emphasize artistic or other content of films, television shows, live performance, animation, video games, music, or other media.

 

Many of our recorders have the ability to record on two separate channels, including all SM2s, all SM3s, and the SM4 (non-ultrasonic). These channels are marked as channel 0, or the left channel, and channel 1, or right. When you configure these units to record in stereo, the recordings it saves will contain two channels. If you listen to these files in a conventional audio player, you will hear both channels simultaneously from your left and right speakers. If you open the files in Kaleidoscope, you can switch between viewing and hearing the left and right channels. Using Kaleidoscope, you can also split these stereo files into two mono, single-channel files.

Because the Song Meters listed above can only record on two channels maximum, plugging in an external microphone will override one of the internal microphones on an SM3 or SM4. If you plug one SMM-A2 into channel 0 of an SM4, the left channel will be recorded from that SMM-A2, and the right channel will be recorded from the right-hand built-in microphone if the recorder is configured for stereo recording.

This audio file size calculator will help you estimate how much space an uncompressed audio file will take up on your computer's storage. 

bit rate = bit depth * sample rate

What is a Sound Card?

Inside the computer, a sound card is an expansion component that is also referred to as a soundboard, audio output device, or audio card. It offers audio input and output capabilities in computers, which can be heard with the help of speakers or headphones. Although it is not necessary for the computer to have a sound card, every machine includes it as either built into the motherboard (onboard) or in an expansion slot. Through a device driver and a software application, sound cards make capable of configuring and utilizing.

Usually, an input device, a microphone, is attached to receive audio data, while speakers or headphones are generally used to output audio data. Most headphones use the size of 3.5 mm minijacks, which are the size of the connector. Through an optical audio port like a Toslink connector or with the help of a standard TRS (tip-ring-sleeve) connection, digital audio input and output are supported by some sound cards. The conversion of incoming digital audio data into analog audio is the primary function of a sound card through which speakers make capable of playing sound. In the reverse case, from the microphone, the analog audio data is converted into digital data by the sound card. These data can be hold on the computer device as well as modified with the help of using audio software.

While many machines may contain an actual card that exists in a PCI slot, but the sound card is also part of the motherboard in some computers. Also, you can install a new sound card (professional sound card) if you really need to enhance more audio capabilities to your computer. Professional sound cards may have more inputs and outputs and have the capability of supporting advanced sampling rates, like 192 kHz rather than 44.1 kHz. Instead of 3.5 mm, some sound cards may include 1/4 in. connectors that accommodate most instrument outputs.

Sound Card Description

A sound card is a hardware in rectangular shape that contains different ports on the side to connect audio devices, like a speaker, and also has multiple contacts on the bottom of the card. As the motherboard, peripheral cards and case are designed with compatibility in mind; therefore, at the time of installing the sound card it just fits outside the back of the case. This makes it capable of easily available for use. You also have an option with a sound card to plug microphones, headphones, and also other audio devices into your computer; because there are also USB sound cards available. Also, you can plug it directly into a USB port with the help of a small adapter.

Types of Sound Cards

Motherboard Sound Chips

The sound cards were costly add-on cards when they were introduced for the first time. Its cost was hundreds of dollars. When the computer sound technology became available at a low price, miniaturization technology allowed computer hardware manufacturers to produce sound into a single chip. In modern times, there is a rare chance to find a computer not containing motherboard sound chip. Even if they only contain a separate sound card. The motherboard sound chips made sound card affordable for all computer owners. You can identify if your system has a motherboard sound chip.

Standard Sound Cards

Inside the computer, a standard sound card connects to one of the slots. Using a sound card rather than motherboard sound chip, offer a benefit as it contains its own processor chips. And, a motherboard sound chip produce sound on the basis of the computer processor. When playing games, a standard sound card offers better performance as it creates less of a load on the main processor.

External Sound Adapters

An external sound adapter has all the same features like standard sound card. It is a small box that enables connection to computer with the help of USB or FireWire port, instead of an internal expansion slot. Sometimes, it contains a feature that is not included by a standard sound card, such as physical volume control knobs and extra inputs and outputs. As compared to the standard sound card, it is much easier to move an external sound adapter to a new computer. Also, with USB or FireWire expansion slots, it is the only way to upgrade the sound of a laptop.

Uses of a sound card

The primary use of a sound card is to provide sound that you hear from playing music with varying formats and degrees of control. The source of the sound may be in the form of streamed audio, a file, CD or DVD, etc. There are many applications of a computer where a sound card can be used, which areas are as follows:

• Games.
• Voice recognition.
• Watch movies.
• Creating and playing MIDI.
• Educational software.
• Audio and video conferencing.
• Business presentations.
• Record dictations.
• Audio CDs and listening to music.
• Sound Cards and Audio Quality

Instead of having a sound expansion cards, many modern cards have the same technology integrated directly onto the motherboard. These cards are known as on-board sound cards. But this configuration makes slightly less powerful audio system and allows for a less expensive computer. Almost, this way is appropriate for all computer users. Usually, dedicated sound cards are necessary for the serious audio professional. To share a common ground wire, since most of the desktop computers are set up for the front-facing headphone jacks and ports. So, if you also have USB devices plugged in, you may hear static in your headphones.

• WHAT IS FM SYNTHESIS?

FM synthesis is short for frequency modulation synthesis.

Simply put, FM synthesis uses one signal called, the “modulator” to modulate the pitch of another signal, the “carrier”, that’s in the same or a similar audio range.

This creates brand new frequency information in the resulting sound, changing the timbre without the use of filters.

For clarity’s sake, “timbre” is the distinctive character of a sound. The timbre of a sound depends upon its frequency content. The frequencies present in a piano sound, for example, are different than those in a guitar sound, even at the same pitch and level. This is what makes them sound different.

What Does Wavetable Synthesis Mean?

Wavetable synthesis is a method for generating sounds from signals of a digital nature. The technique stores digital sound samples from various sources, which can later be modified, enhanced or combined for reproducing sounds. Wavetable synthesis is considered one of the oldest methods for generating sounds from computers. It differs from simple PCM sample playback because wavetable synthesis relies on looping over the buffer instead of simply a “read once” method. However, wavetable synthesis is similar in many ways to simple digital sine wave generation and digitally controlled oscillator function. Wavetable synthesis is widely used in many areas such as in production of sinusoidal signals.

 

What is MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface)?

Musical Instrument Digital Interface (MIDI) is a standard to transmit and store music, originally designed for digital music synthesizers. MIDI does not transmit recorded sounds. Instead, it includes musical notes, timings and pitch information, which the receiving device uses to play music from its own sound library.

Before MIDI, digital piano keyboards, music synthesizers and drum machines from different manufacturers could not talk to each other.

MIDI was developed in the early 1980s to provide interoperability between digital music devices. It was spearheaded by the president of Roland instruments and developed with Sequential Circuits, an early synthesizer company that Yamaha purchased in 1987. Other early adopters included Yamaha, Korg, Kawai and Moog.

The first MIDI-compatible instruments were released in 1983.

What Is An MP3 File?

An MP3 file is an audio file that uses a compression algorithm to reduce the overall file size. It's known as a "lossy" format because that compression is irreversible and some of the source's original data is lost during the compression. It's still possible to have fairly high quality MP3 music files, though. Compression is a common technique for all types of files, whether it be audio, video, or images to reduce the amount of storage they take up. While a 3-minute lossless file, such as Waveform Audio file (WAV), can be around 30 MB in size, the same file as a compressed MP3 would only be around 3 MB. That's a 90% compression that retains near CD quality!

 

What is 3D Audio? 

3D Audio is an umbrella term for a number of immersive audio technologies that aim to surround the listener with sound. 

The goal is to reproduce audio in a way that replicates the way we hear sound in the real world, especially when compared to the mono and stereo experiences most have become accustomed to. 

Sound Recording And Sound editing: 

Audacity is a free and open-source digital audio editor and recording application software, available for Windows, macOS, Linux, and other Unix-like operating systems. As of December 6, 2022, Audacity is the most popular download at FossHub, with over 114.2 million downloads since March 2015.

Advantages

1.    Free to use for your projects.

2.    Compatible with multiple operating systems like Windows, Apple, and Linux.

3.    A small-sized software package that requires less storage space.

4.    It is an open-source platform with strong community backing, constantly striving for enhanced performance.

Features of Audacity

• Record live sound and audio playback on a PC.
• Convert music tapes and save them to MP3 o CD.
• Edit multiple audio formats such as MP2, MP3, AIFF, WAV, and FLAC.
• Take different sound documents and duplicate, cut, blend, or graft them together.
• Change the pitch or speed of a sound recording.
• It can be used for various uses, from creating interviews, working on voiceovers, editing music, or anything else involved with voice or sound. If you are in a music band, you can use Audacity to release demos of your songs. If you are new to exploring Audacity, you can begin by searching for online tutorials about its usage. You will find plenty of resources on YouTube and online forums about instructions on mastering Audacity.
• Sound Forge is a digital audio editing suite by Magix Software GmbH, which is aimed at the professional and semi-professional markets. There are two versions of Sound Forge: Sound Forge Pro 12 released in April 2018 and Sound Forge Audio Studio 13 released in January 2019

THE IMPORTANCE OF VIDEO AND IMAGES

Video and images are incredibly important in capturing audience attention and cannot be underestimated in our increasingly visual world.

The ease in which we can produce, edit and share images, video, graphics and words makes it simpler than ever to create engaging content. The combination of images or video and an attention-grabbing headline can stop viewers from moving on.

With the growth of social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Tumblr and Pinterest, it is important to use images and video for your company’s marketing and public relations strategies.

Pictures and video help to grab our attention and can incentivise a viewer to continue through the article or video. Bright colours capture our attention along with content which is funny, unusual, provocative, surprising and/or eye-catching.

An image or video that makes the viewer want to know more or find out what’s next is the best way to attract and maintain attention.

Additionally, sometimes conveying a complex message can be difficult. A larger image with a mix of text and smaller visuals (also known as an infographic) can help explain these tough concepts without taking up too much space (see image).

On social media platforms, quality attention grabbing images can keep a viewer engaged. It is better to steer clear of common stock photography and use high quality unique images. Images and graphics can help significantly in sharing and views.

Beautiful images are important for your audience but having accurate photo descriptions is also useful for better search engine optimisation. By having accurate captions, you can take advantage of the search engine traffic related to your image.

With high levels of phone use, it is also useful to check how images will appear on phones or tablets, to ensure the image is correctly displayed. Make sure you resize the image if needed in order to better suit the platform you are using.

Simple images and video are an effective choice, and conceptual or artistic content should be used when you wish to provoke an emotional response.

 

Raster images use bit maps to store information. This means a large file needs a large bitmap. The larger the image, the more disk space the image file will take up. As an example, a 640 x 480 image requires information to be stored for 307,200 pixels, while a 3072 x 2048 image (from a 6.3 Megapixel digital camera) needs to store information for a whopping 6,291,456 pixels. We use algorithms that compress images to help reduce these file sizes. Image formats like jpeg and gif are common compressed image formats. Scaling down these images is easy but enlarging a bitmap makes it pixelated or simply blurred. Hence for images that need to scale to different sizes, we use vector graphics. 

File extensions: .BMP, .TIF, .GIF, .JPG

 

Making use of sequential commands or mathematical statements or programs which place lines or shapes in a 2-D or 3-D environment is referred to as Vector Graphics. Vector graphics are best for printing since it is composed of a series of mathematical curves. As a result vector graphics print crisply even when they are enlarged. In physics: A vector is something that has a magnitude and direction. In vector graphics, the file is created and saved as a sequence of vector statements. Rather than having a bit in the file for each bit of line drawing, we use commands which describe a series of points to be connected. As a result, a much smaller file is obtained. 

File extensions: SVG, EPS, PDF, AI, DXF

 

Difference between regular graphics and interlaced graphics ​

The main difference between regular graphics and interlaced graphics is the way they are displayed on a screen. Regular graphics, also known as non-interlaced graphics, are displayed on a screen by drawing every line of the image in sequence from top to bottom. This produces a smooth, flicker-free image that is easy to view. In contrast, interlaced graphics are displayed by drawing every other line of the image in sequence from top to bottom. This produces an image that appears to flicker, and it can be harder to view for some people. Interlacing is often used in television and video displays to reduce the amount of data that needs to be transmitted, but it is less common in computer displays.

Capturing images can be done through various methods, each employing different technologies and mechanisms. Here are some common image capturing methods:

 

1. Digital Cameras:   

- Compact Digital Cameras: These are small, portable cameras with built-in lenses.

   - Digital Single-Lens Reflex (DSLR) Cameras: Higher-end cameras with interchangeable lenses and advanced features.

   - Mirrorless Cameras: Similar to DSLRs but without the mirror mechanism, making them more compact.

 

2. Smartphones:

   - Built-in Cameras: Most smartphones are equipped with built-in cameras that capture images and videos.

   - Multiple Lenses: Some smartphones have multiple lenses for different purposes, such as wide-angle or telephoto.

 

3. Webcams:

   - Integrated Webcams: Built into laptops, monitors, or external devices for video conferencing and simple image capture.

 

4. Action Cameras:

   - Designed for Action Shots: Compact and rugged cameras designed for capturing action and adventure activities.

 

5. Drones:

   - Equipped Cameras: Drones often have built-in cameras for capturing aerial images and videos.

 

6. CCTV Cameras:

   - Closed-Circuit Television Cameras: Used for surveillance and security, capturing images in specific locations.

 

7. Scanner:

   - Flatbed Scanners: Used for scanning physical documents or images into digital formats.

 

8. Satellite Imagery:

   - Satellite Cameras: Capture images of Earth from space for various purposes, including mapping and environmental monitoring.

 

9. Medical Imaging Devices:

   - X-ray Machines, MRI, CT Scanners: Used in the medical field for capturing internal images of the human body.

 

10. Digital Image Sensors:

    - CCD (Charge-Coupled Device) and CMOS (Complementary Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor) Sensors: Found in various cameras, converting light into digital signals.

 

11. Thermal Imaging Cameras:

    - Infrared Cameras: Capture heat signatures rather than visible light, used in applications like night vision and industrial inspections.

 

12. 3D Scanning:

    - Structured Light Scanning, Laser Scanning: Capture three-dimensional information of objects or environments.

 

13. Motion Cameras:

    - High-Speed Cameras: Capture fast-moving events with high frame rates for slow-motion playback.

 

14. Pinhole Cameras:

    - Basic Optical Devices: Use a small hole to project an inverted image onto a surface, often used for educational purposes.

 

15. Hybrid Imaging Devices:

    - Combination of Technologies: Some devices combine different imaging technologies for specific applications.

 

These methods vary in terms of purpose, technology, and application, catering to a wide range of needs from personal photography to industrial and scientific imaging.

 

 

RGB stands for Red, Green, Blue, and it refers to a color model in which colors are represented as combinations of these three primary colors. In the RGB color model, colors are created by varying the intensity of each of the three primary colors. Each color is represented by a set of three values, usually in the range of 0 to 255, indicating the intensity of red, green, and blue.

For example, the color black is represented as (0, 0, 0), indicating zero intensity for red, green, and blue. White is represented as (255, 255, 255), indicating maximum intensity for all three colors. Other colors are created by mixing different intensities of red, green, and blue.

The RGB color model is widely used in electronic displays, such as computer monitors, television screens, digital cameras, and other devices that produce colored light. It is an additive color model, meaning that colors are created by adding different intensities of light.

 

CMYK stands for Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and Key (black). It is a subtractive color model used in color printing. Unlike the RGB color model, which is additive and used in electronic displays, the CMYK model is subtractive and is used in the printing process.

 

In CMYK, colors are created by subtracting varying percentages of light-absorbing inks—cyan, magenta, yellow, and black—from a white background. Each color is represented by a set of four values, typically expressed as percentages. Here's a brief overview of each ink's role:

 

1. Cyan (C):Absorbs red light.

2. Magenta (M): Absorbs green light.

3. Yellow (Y): Absorbs blue light.

4. Key (K): Represents black, used for detail and to improve color depth. It is labeled "K" to avoid confusion with "B" for blue.

 

By combining different percentages of these inks, a wide range of colors can be achieved for printing purposes. CMYK is commonly used in color printing for items such as magazines, brochures, posters, and other printed materials. It's important to note that the CMYK color space is not as expansive as the RGB color space, so there are some colors that can be represented in RGB but are challenging to reproduce accurately in CMYK. This is a consideration when designing graphics or images for both digital and print media.

 

 

 

1. Hue:

   - Hue is the type of color, often described as the name of the color itself (e.g., red, green, blue).

   - It represents where a color falls on the color wheel.

 

2. Saturation:

   - Saturation refers to the intensity or vividness of a color.

   - A highly saturated color is vivid and intense, while a desaturated color is more muted or grayscale.

 

3. Brightness (or Value):

   - Brightness, also known as value or lightness, refers to how light or dark a color is.

   - It is the measure of the amount of black or white mixed with a color.

 

These three components—hue, saturation, and brightness—are often used together to describe and manipulate colors in various color models. One common color model that incorporates these concepts is the HSB/HSV model, where:

- H (Hue) is represented as an angle around a color wheel.

- S (Saturation) is the intensity or purity of the color.

- B (Brightness) represents the lightness or darkness of the color.

 

It's important to note that different color models may use slightly different terms or representations, but the fundamental concepts of hue, saturation, and brightness are widely used in the study and application of color.

 

When referring to the attributes of image size, several key characteristics come into play. These attributes are essential for describing the dimensions and resolution of an image. Here are some common attributes associated with image size:

 

1. Width and Height:

   - The width and height of an image represent the dimensions of the image in pixels or other units. For example, an image with dimensions 800 x 600 pixels has a width of 800 pixels and a height of 600 pixels.

 

2. Resolution:

   - Resolution refers to the amount of detail in an image and is often measured in pixels per inch (PPI) or dots per inch (DPI). Higher resolution generally means more detail, but it also results in larger file sizes. Common resolutions for web images are 72 or 96 PPI, while print images may require higher resolutions, such as 300 DPI.

 

3. Aspect Ratio:

   - The aspect ratio is the proportional relationship between the width and height of an image. Common aspect ratios include 4:3 (standard television), 16:9 (widescreen television), and 3:2 (common in photography).

 

4. File Size:

   - The file size is the amount of digital storage space an image occupies. It is measured in bytes, kilobytes (KB), megabytes (MB), or gigabytes (GB). File size is influenced by factors such as image dimensions, color depth, and compression.

 

5. Color Depth:

   - Color depth, also known as bit depth, determines the number of colors that can be represented in an image. Common color depths include 8-bit (256 colors), 24-bit (16.7 million colors), and 32-bit (with an additional alpha channel for transparency).

 

6. File Format:

   - The file format specifies how image data is stored. Common image file formats include JPEG, PNG, GIF, and TIFF. Each format has its own compression methods, transparency support, and other features.

 

7. Pixel Count:

   - The total number of pixels in an image is referred to as the pixel count. It is calculated by multiplying the width and height of the image. For example, an image with dimensions 1200 x 800 pixels has a pixel count of 960,000 pixels.

 

Understanding these attributes is crucial when working with images, whether for digital media, print, or other applications. Adjusting these parameters can impact the visual quality, file size, and suitability of an image for specific purposes.

 

Image Format describes how data related to the image will be stored. Data can be stored in compressed, Uncompressed, or vector format. Each format of the image has a different advantage and disadvantage. Image types such as TIFF are good for printing while JPG or PNG, are best for the web.

·        TIFF(.tif, .tiff) Tagged Image File Format this format store image data without losing any data. It does not perform any compression on images, and a high-quality image is obtained but the size of the image is also large, which is good for printing, and professional printing.

·        JPEG (.jpg, .jpeg) Joint Photographic Experts Group is a loss-prone (lossy) format in which data is lost to reduce the size of the image. Due to compression, some data is lost but that loss is very less. It is a very common format and is good for digital cameras, nonprofessional prints, E-Mail, Powerpoint, etc., making it ideal for web use.

·        GIF (.gif) GIF or Graphics Interchange Format files are used for web graphics. They can be animated and are limited to only 256 colors, which can allow for transparency. GIF files are typically small in size and are portable.

·        PNG (.png) PNG or Portable Network Graphics files are a lossless image format. It was designed to replace gif format as gif supported 256 colors unlike PNG which support 16 million colors.

·        Bitmap (.bmp) Bit Map Image file is developed by Microsoft for windows. It is same as TIFF due to lossless, no compression property. Due to BMP being a proprietary format, it is generally recommended to use TIFF files.

·        EPS (.eps) Encapsulated PostScript file is a common vector file type. EPS files can be opened in applications such as Adobe Illustrator or CorelDRAW.

·        RAW Image Files (.raw, .cr2, .nef, .orf, .sr2) These Files are unprocessed and created by a camera or scanner. Many digital SLR cameras can shoot in RAW, whether it be a .raw, .cr2, or .nef. These images are the equivalent of a digital negative, meaning that they hold a lot of image information. These images need to be processed in an editor such as Adobe Photoshop or Lightroom. It saves metadata and is used for photography.

What is a DIB file? 

A Device-Independent bitmap (DIB) is a raster image file that is similar in structure to the standard Bitmap files(BMP/image/bmp/)). It contains a color table that describes the mapping of RGB colors to the pixel values. This enables DIB to represent image on any device. It can be opened with almost all applications that can open a standard BMP file on Windows as well as macOS. DIB are binary files and have a complex file format similar to BMP. DIB images are independent of the output capabilities of rendering devices in terms of color depth and pixel-per-inch.

What is in a CIF file?

Crystallographic Information File (CIF) is a standard text file format for representing crystallographic information, promulgated by the International Union of Crystallography (IUCr).

What is a PIC file?

Bitmap image created by IBM Lotus or a variety of other applications; possible programs include Advanced Art Studio, Micrograft Draw, and Softimage 3D; should not be confused with the .PICT format.

 

What is image masking?

Image masking is an extremely useful technique to edit your images in a non-destructive way. With image masking, you can “conceal and reveal,” meaning you can hide portions of your image and display other portions, allowing you much more flexibility in how you edit your images. So, here are a few types of image masking techniques and some use cases to inspire your editing workflow.

UNIT 3

What are examples of video files?

Over the history of computers, many different video file formats were used for videos. Below lists popular types of video file formats.

• .MP4
• .WMV
• .AVI
• .MOV
• .3GP
• .WebM
• .FLV

Analog video refers to the transmission or storage of video signals in an analog format, where the information is represented by continuously varying electrical voltages or other analog signals. This is in contrast to digital video, where information is represented in discrete, digital form as a series of ones and zeros.

 

Analog video was the standard for many years before the widespread adoption of digital technology. In the context of television, analog video signals were used for over-the-air broadcasts and cable transmissions. Analog video signals can also be found in older video recording formats such as VHS (Video Home System) tapes and analog camcorder tapes.

 

The key characteristics of analog video include:

1. Continuous Signal: Analog video signals are continuous and vary smoothly over time. Changes in the signal correspond directly to changes in the visual content.

 

2. Signal Quality: Analog signals may degrade over long distances or suffer from interference, resulting in a decrease in signal quality. This degradation can manifest as visual artifacts such as snow or ghosting.

 

3. Resolution: Analog video systems have a limited resolution compared to modern digital video. Standard analog television, for example, had lower resolution compared to high-definition digital television

 

 

Digital video refers to the representation, transmission, and storage of video signals in a digital format. In this context, "digital" refers to the use of discrete, binary code—combinations of ones and zeros—to represent visual information. Digital video has become the standard in modern technology, offering several advantages over analog video.

 

Here are some key characteristics of digital video:

 

1. Discrete Representation: Digital video represents visual information as a series of discrete data points, typically in the form of pixels. Each pixel is assigned a specific digital value, which collectively forms the image.

 

2. Compression: Digital video often uses compression algorithms to reduce file sizes without significantly sacrificing quality. Common video compression standards include MPEG (Moving Picture Experts Group) formats.

 

3. Resolution: Digital video can achieve higher resolutions compared to analog video, providing clearer and more detailed images. Resolutions are often expressed in terms of pixels (e.g., 1920x1080 for Full HD).

 

4. Flexibility: Digital video allows for easy editing, manipulation, and enhancement of content using software tools. It also supports various multimedia elements, such as text, graphics, and audio, within the same digital file.

 

5. Storage and Reproduction: Digital video can be stored on various digital media (hard drives, solid-state drives, optical discs) and easily copied or transferred without loss of quality. Digital video files can also be streamed over networks.

 

6. Transmission: Digital video is commonly used in broadcasting, cable television, and online streaming services. It enables efficient transmission over digital communication channels.

 

7. Signal Quality: Unlike analog signals that may degrade over long distances, digital signals can be transmitted over long distances without loss of quality, assuming appropriate error correction measures are in place.

 

Popular digital video formats include AVI, MP4, MOV, and MKV, among others. Digital video has become the standard in consumer electronics, including televisions, cameras, smartphones, and streaming services, as well as in professional video production and broadcasting. The transition to digital video has significantly improved the quality, accessibility, and versatility of visual media.

What is NTSC?

Definition

NTSC is the color television standard established by the National Television Standards Committee in the United States in 1953. The NTSC standard's distinguishing feature was that it added color to the original 1941 black and white television standard in such a way that black and white TVs continued to work.

Another distinguishing characteristic was that NTSC's dependency on accurate phase meant that it was difficult to maintain the color as the signal was transmitted and processed. Television engineers often joke that NTSC stands for "Never Twice the Same Color."

The NTSC standard adds a color subcarrier which is quadrature-modulated by two color-difference signals and added to the luminance signal. The genius of the system is that black and white TVs ignore the color components, which are beyond the black and white signal's bandwidth.

The NTSC color subcarrier reference is 3.579545MHz. The horizontal sync rate (H) was adjusted slightly from the black and white standard's 15.750kHz such that the color subcarrier is 455/2 times H. The vertical rate is Fv = Fh x 2/525.

What is PAL?

Definition

Phase alternate line: A television standard used in most of Europe.

Similar to NTSC, but uses subcarrier phase alternation to reduce the sensitivity to phase errors that would be displayed as color errors. Commonly used with 626-line, 50Hz scanning systems, with a subcarrier frequency of 4.43362MHz.



HDTV

What is an HDTV?

Definition

High-definition television (HDTV) is an all-digital system for transmitting a TV signal with far greater resolution than the analog standards (PAL, NTSC, and SECAM).

A high-definition television set can display several resolutions, (up to two million pixels versus a common television set's 360,000). HDTV offers other advantages such as greatly improved color encoding and the loss-free reproduction inherent in digital technologies.

Synonyms

High-Definition Television


Video capturing involves recording visual information using various tools and devices. Here's a brief overview of some key aspects related to video capturing:
1.Cameras:   - Traditional Cameras: Digital cameras and DSLRs are commonly used for high-quality video capture. They offer manual control over settings like aperture, shutter speed, and ISO.   - Camcorders: Specifically designed for video recording, camcorders are portable and often come with built-in microphones.   - Action Cameras: Compact and durable, these cameras are suitable for capturing dynamic footage in extreme conditions.
2.Smartphones and Tablets:   - Modern smartphones and tablets often have high-quality cameras capable of recording high-definition videos. There are also various apps available for enhancing video capture on mobile devices.
3.Webcams:   - Built-in or external webcams are commonly used for video conferencing, streaming, and creating online content.
4.Accessories:   - Tripods: Essential for stable shots, tripods come in various sizes and styles.   - Microphones: External microphones can improve audio quality significantly.   - Lighting: Good lighting is crucial for high-quality video. You may use natural light, studio lights, or portable LED lights.   - Stabilizers and Gimbals: These devices help reduce shake and ensure smooth footage, especially during handheld shooting.
5.Capture Cards   - For professional video capture from external sources (like cameras) to a computer, capture cards are often used.
6. Software   - Video Editing Software: After capturing video, editing software like Adobe Premiere Pro, Final Cut Pro, or DaVinci Resolve can be used for post-production.
7. Streaming Devices   - Devices like the Elgato HD60 S are used for capturing and streaming gameplay or other content from gaming consoles.
8. Storage   - Adequate storage, such as external hard drives, is crucial for storing large video files.
9. Media Formats   - Different devices and platforms may require specific video formats. Common formats include MP4, AVI, MOV, and MKV.
When capturing video, consider factors like resolution, frame rate, and lighting to ensure the best results. Whether you're creating content for personal use, social media, or professional projects, the right combination of equipment and techniques can make a significant difference in the quality of your videos.


Video capturing involves various techniques to ensure high-quality and visually appealing footage. Here are some key techniques to consider:
1. Stable Shots   - Use a tripod or stabilizer to avoid shaky footage. Smooth and stable shots contribute to a more professional look.
2. Framing and Composition   - Follow the rule of thirds for balanced composition. Place key elements along the intersections of the grid lines.   - Consider the foreground, midground, and background to add depth to your shots.   - Experiment with different angles and perspectives to make your footage visually interesting.
3. Focus   - Ensure proper focus on the subject. Most cameras and smartphones have autofocus, but manual focus can provide more control.   - Use focus tracking when capturing moving subjects.
4. Exposure   - Adjust exposure settings (aperture, shutter speed, ISO) based on the lighting conditions. Avoid overexposed or underexposed footage.   - Use exposure lock or manual mode for better control.
5. White Balance   - Set the white balance according to the lighting conditions to avoid color casts. Automatic white balance may not always be accurate.
6. Frame Rate   - Choose an appropriate frame rate for your project. Common frame rates include 24fps for a cinematic look, 30fps for standard video, and higher frame rates for smooth motion.
7. Panning and Tilting   - Practice smooth panning and tilting movements for dynamic shots. Use a tripod or a fluid head for controlled motion.   - Avoid abrupt movements that can be distracting.
8. Zooming   - Use zoom sparingly. Consider physically moving closer to the subject instead of relying on digital zoom, which can reduce image quality.
9. Lighting   - Natural light is often preferable, but if using artificial lighting, diffuse it to avoid harsh shadows.   - Consider the direction of light for more flattering results.
10. Audio Quality    - Good audio is essential for video. Use an external microphone for better sound quality, especially in noisy environments.    - Monitor audio levels to prevent distortion.
11. Slow Motion and Time-Lapse    - Experiment with slow-motion and time-lapse techniques to add creativity to your videos.
12. Planning and Storyboarding    - Plan your shots in advance. Storyboarding can help visualize the sequence of shots for a more cohesive narrative.    - Be mindful of continuity between shots.
13. Post-Processing    - Use video editing software for post-processing. This includes color correction, cutting unnecessary footage, adding transitions, and incorporating music or sound effects.
By combining these techniques and experimenting with different approaches, you can enhance the overall quality and impact of your video content. Practice and continuous learning are key to improving your video capturing skills.

 

Audio Video Interleave, known by its acronym AVI, is a multimedia container format introduced by Microsoft in November 1992 as part of its Video for Windows technology. AVI files can contain both audio and video data in a file container that allows synchronous audio-with-video playback. Like the DVD video format, AVI files support multiple streaming audio and video, although these features are seldom used. Most AVI files also use the file format extensions developed by the Matrox OpenDML group in February 1996. These files are supported by Microsoft, and are unofficially called "AVI 2.0". 

What Is an MPEG File?

Developed by the Moving Picture Experts Group, the same people that brought you such formats as MP3 and MP4, MPEG is a video file format that uses either MPEG-1 or MPEG-2 file compression depending on how it will be used.

Editing a video involves manipulating and arranging video clips to create a final product. Here's a general guide on how to edit a video:

 

1. Choose Your Editing Software:

   - Select a video editing software that suits your needs and skill level. Some popular options include Adobe Premiere Pro, Final Cut Pro, iMovie, DaVinci Resolve, and HitFilm Express. Choose one that fits your budget and requirements.

 

2. Import Your Footage

   - Open your chosen video editing software and import the video clips you want to edit. This is usually done by selecting "Import" or "Import Media" and navigating to the location of your video files.

 

3. Organize Your Clips

   - Create a project and organize your clips in the order you want them to appear. You can usually do this by dragging and dropping clips onto a timeline.

 

4. Trim and Cut Clips

   - Use the cutting tool to trim and cut your clips. Remove any unnecessary or unwanted parts. This is often done by setting in and out points and deleting the selected portion.

 

5. Add Transitions

   - To make your video flow smoothly, you can add transitions between clips. Common transitions include fades, dissolves, wipes, and slides. Drag and drop these transitions between clips on the timeline.

 

6. Add Music and Sound

   - If you want background music or other audio elements, import your audio files and place them on a separate audio track. Adjust the volume levels as needed.

 

7. Add Text and Graphics

   - Include titles, captions, and graphics as necessary. Most video editing software provides tools to add text overlays or graphics. You can customize the font, size, color, and position.

 

8. Apply Effects and Filters

   - Enhance your video with effects and filters. Adjust color correction, brightness, contrast, and apply any creative effects you desire. Many video editing programs offer a variety of built-in effects.

 

9. Review and Preview

   - Regularly preview your video to check the flow, transitions, and overall quality. Make adjustments as needed.

 

10. Export Your Video

    - Once you're satisfied with your edits, export your video in the desired format. Choose settings such as resolution, frame rate, and compression options. Different platforms may have specific requirements for video uploads.

 

11. Save Your Project

    - Save your project file in the native format of your video editing software. This allows you to make future edits without losing your work.

 

Remember that the specifics of these steps may vary depending on the software you're using, so refer to the user guide or help documentation provided by the software for more detailed instructions.

 

Creating a movie involves various tools for different stages of the filmmaking process, from pre-production to post-production. Here are some commonly used tools for movie making:

 

1. Screenwriting

   - Final Draft, Celtx, and WriterDuet: These are popular screenwriting software tools that help writers format scripts according to industry standards.

 

2. Pre-Production

   - ShotPro: This app allows filmmakers to create storyboards and animatics, helping with shot planning.

   - StudioBinder and Celtx: These tools help with production scheduling, script breakdowns, and collaboration among the production team.

 

3. Camera and Filming

   - Cameras: Depending on your budget, you might use professional cameras like those from RED or ARRI, or more consumer-friendly options like the Canon EOS series or the Sony Alpha series.

   - Tripods and Stabilizers: Tools like the DJI Ronin or Zhiyun Crane can stabilize shots, and tripods provide a stable base for stationary shots.

 

4. Lighting:

   - Aputure, Godox, and Arri Lights: These brands offer a variety of lighting solutions for different setups and budgets.

 

5. Sound Recording:

   - Zoom H6, Rode NTG series, and Sennheiser microphones: These tools are commonly used for high-quality audio recording on set.

 

6. Editing:

   - Adobe Premiere Pro, Final Cut Pro, DaVinci Resolve: Professional video editing software for cutting and arranging video clips, adding effects, and refining the final product.

 

7. Visual Effects (VFX) and Animation:

   - Adobe After Effects, Blender: After Effects is widely used for motion graphics and visual effects. Blender is a free and open-source 3D creation suite that includes a powerful video editor.

 

8. Color Grading:

   - DaVinci Resolve, Adobe SpeedGrade: These tools allow you to adjust the color and tone of your footage to achieve a desired look.

 

9. Audio Editing:

   - Adobe Audition, Audacity: Tools for refining and editing audio tracks, including dialogue, music, and sound effects.

 

10. Music and Sound Effects:

    - Artlist, Epidemic Sound, Soundstripe: These are platforms where you can find licensed music and sound effects for your film.

 

11. Distribution and Screening:

    - FilmFreeway: A platform for submitting films to festivals.

    - Vimeo, YouTube: Platforms for sharing and distributing your finished film.

 

Remember that the choice of tools can depend on your specific needs, budget, and the scale of your project. Always check for the latest versions and reviews to ensure compatibility and functionality.

UNIT 4

What is animation?

Animation is a method of photographing successive drawings, models, or even puppets, to create an illusion of movement in a sequence. Because our eyes can only retain an image for approximately 1/10 of a second, when multiple images appear in fast succession, the brain blends them into a single moving image. 

In traditional animation, pictures are drawn or painted on transparent celluloid sheets to be photographed. Early cartoons are examples of this, but today, most animated movies are made with computer-generated imagery or CGI.

To create the appearance of smooth motion from these drawn, painted, or computer-generated images, frame rate, or the number of consecutive images that are displayed each second, is considered. Moving characters are usually shot “on twos” which just means one image is shown for two frames, totaling in at 12 drawings per second. 12 frames per second allows for motion but may look choppy. In the film, a frame rate of 24 frames per second is often used for smooth motion.

Different Types of Animation:

·        Traditional Animation

·        Rotoscoping

·        Anime

·        Cutout

·        3D Animation

·        Stop Motion

·        Motion graphics

 

 

 

1. Squash and Stretch.

Arguably the most fundamental of the 12 principles of animation. Squash and stretch is applied to give a sense of weight and/or flexibility to objects or even to people. Animate a simple object like a bouncing ball - as it hits the ground, you can squash the ball flat and widen it.

Although exaggerated, this animation is grounded in reality, because it creates the illusion of the ball being distorted by an outside force - just like in real life.

You can apply squash and stretch to more realistic animation, too. But keep in mind the object’s volume. If the length of the ball is vertically stretched, its width must contract horizontally.

2. Anticipation.

Use anticipation to add some realism when you want to prepare your audience for some action. Consider what people do when they prepare to do something. A footballer about to take a penalty would steady themselves with their arms or swing their foot back ready to kick. If a golfer wants to hit a golf ball, they must swing their arms back first.

Anticipation doesn’t just have to apply to sporty actions. Focus on an object a character may be about to pick up or have a character anticipating somebody’s arrival on screen.

3. Staging.

You want your audience’s attention to be on the important elements of the story you’re telling and avoid distracting them with unnecessary detail. With a combination of lighting, framing and composition, plus ensuring that you remove clutter, you’ll be able to effectively advance your story.

 

4. Straight Ahead Action and Pose to Pose.

Straight Ahead and Pose to Pose are in a sense two principles in one, each concerning different approaches to drawing. Straight ahead action scenes involve animating each frame from beginning to end. Do this to create a fluid illusion of movement for action scenes, but not if you want to create exact poses with proportions maintained.

With pose to pose, animators start by drawing key frames and they fill in the intervals later. Because relation to surroundings and composition become more important, this approach is preferable for emotional, dramatic scenes. As Disney films often involve dramatic and action scenes, their animators would often adopt both approaches.

With computer animation, the problems of straight-ahead action are removed as computers can remove the potential proportion issue. They can also fill in the missing sequences in pose to pose.

5. Follow Through and Overlapping Action.

These two movement-based principles combine to make movement in animation more realistic and create the impression characters are following the laws of physics.

Follow through concerns the parts of the body that continue to move when a character stops. The parts then pull back towards the centre of mass, just like with a real person. Follow through also applies to objects.

Parts of the body don’t move at the same rate and overlapping action demonstrates this. For example, you could have a character’s hair moving during the momentum of action and when the action is over, it continues to move a fraction longer than the rest of the character.

 

6. Ease In, Ease Out.

This animation principle is also known as ‘slow in and slow out’. In the real world, objects have to accelerate as they start moving and slow down before stopping. For example, a person running, a car on the road or a pendulum.

 

To represent this in animation, more frames must be drawn at the beginning and end in an action sequence. Ease in, ease out adds more realism to your animation and will help the audience identify and sympathise with your characters.

Fascinated by the world of animation?

Keep learning by reading our beginner's guide to animation.

 

7. Arcs.

In real life, most actions have an arched trajectory. To achieve greater realism, animators should follow this principle. Whether you’re creating the effect of limbs moving or an object thrown into the air, movements that follow natural arcs will create fluidity and avoid unnatural, erratic animation.

To keep arcs in mind, traditional animators often draw them lightly on paper to use as reference and to erase when they’re no longer needed. Speed and timing are important with arcs, as sometimes they happen so quickly that they blur to the point they’re unrecognizable.

Of course, this is sometimes done deliberately, to give the impression of something unrealistically or amusingly fast. This is known as an animation smear. Chuck Jones, one of the greatest animators of the 20th century, was an expert at these. He was behind one of the first examples in a short for Warner Bros in 1942. Jones only used it to save time, but liked it and would return to the trope for many animations in the Looney Tunes series. It's still used today in The Simpsons.

8. Secondary Action.

This principle of animation helps emphasize the main action within a scene by adding an extra dimension to your characters and objects. Subtleties, such as the way a person swings their arms while walking down the street, give colour to your creations and make them appear more human.

Providing they don’t take attention away from the main action, secondary actions can really bring a scene to life.

 

9. Timing.

As in real life, animation is all about timing. Get this principle right and it grounds your animation in realism, as everything will appear to follow the laws of physics. Think about the size and weight of your characters in relation to what and who are around them. A lightweight person or object is going to react quicker to being pushed than a heavy one.

To get your timing right in animation, get your number of frames or drawings right. As with the ease in, ease out animation principle, the slower the action, the more frames or drawings you’ll need to add.

 

10. Exaggeration.

This is a fine art and one that Disney animators are experts at. Many of the 12 principles of animation are grounded in realism and this is no exception. However, if you totally avoid exaggeration, animation can often be too real and is in danger of looking dull.

Disney believes that exaggeration should be true to reality to an extent, but made more extreme - often pushed just beyond the realms of realism, to make their characters pop and add fun to their adventures.

A classic trope and great example of exaggeration in animation is the jaw drop. When a character is surprised, shocked or falls in love at first sight, animators often don’t just show a slightly stunned, open-mouthed expression. They get their point across by showing their character’s mouth dropping way beyond realism - often literally to the floor.

11. Solid Drawing.

Solid drawing in animation is one of the more difficult principles to get right, especially in traditional animation. This is because you need to make your creations feel 3D and give them weight and volume. Art classes are useful to give you deeper knowledge of weight, balance, gravity, light, shadow and more. In The Illusion of Life, Johnston and Thomas warned of the danger of creating ‘twins’, where characters would appear lifeless because their left and right sides were exactly the same.

 

12. Appeal.

The last of the 12 principles of animation is one of the most important. In film, TV and theatre, directors want their actors to have charisma. It doesn’t matter whether they’re a hero or villain - the characters should be interesting enough to make viewers want to know how their story develops.

Animators should give all their creations appeal, whether it’s a cute caterpillar or a dragon hell-bent on destruction. There is no real formula, though a good idea for giving a creation the ‘awww’ factor is to make their face round and childlike. Heroes often have strong, angular and symmetrical features.

Bruno Madrigal in Encanto (2021) is a great example. At the start of the film, Bruno is the mysterious black sheep of the family, cast out by his family. The audience are supposed to think may be the film’s bad guy, so he’s portrayed as a shadowy figure, hunched over and his eyes can’t be seen. Once his niece Mirabel meets him and discover he’s not how he has been portrayed, his full face is unveiled and he suddenly looks a lot more sympathetic, with wide eyes and a less threatening demeanor. Bruno’s appeal switches as the role of his character does and the animators do a great job.

 

The Uses of Animation

Education

As we all know that people used to remember pictures or images more than text, So Animation is the only and the best way to understand the main motive of any education and it helps everyone to growth in their practical life.
Animation is used in education because it makes children watch the animation and not get bored with it allowing them to intake information.

Entertainment

The biggest use for animation is for entertainment. Animation is used on the TV, on your phones, and all over the internet. In television, animation is mostly used to occupy children, as is gives them something to laugh about and keep them entertained for long periods of time. Programs such as Tom and Jerry are created to make the children laugh, and tell the audience that just because you are bigger than someone else, doesn’t make you better.
Many movies these days are created using animation. Films like Shrek and Finding Nemo gained a massive profit from people watching the film and buying the merchandise.
Animation isn’t just for children. Programs like Family Guy and American Dad are animations that get adults laughing.

Advertisement

Animation plays a big part in advertisement. Many big companies use animation in some kind of way to attract the audience. An example of animation in advertising is the Dancing Pony Advert by the phone company ‘Three’. This advert attracted millions of people all over the world to their website and in return they gained a massive profit.
Animation is also used for advertisement on the web. Many games companies create cool looking animations to attract the audience to play the game or visit the website.
Without animation in adverts, advertisement would be incredibly boring.

Scientific visualization

Animation is used to create models that are essential for research and study. Animation allows you to create 3D, realistic models that allow diagrams etc. to show accurate representations of an object.
An example of this is an X-ray. Doctors use this to get an accurate look at bones etc. so that problems can be fixed quicker and more efficiently.

Creative Arts

Animation is also used in creative arts to show and produce the skills needed to achieve a grade for example an IT course is creative arts, which is a specified skill in creativity. They would use animation in their work and much of it for presenting to the class they would use various diagrams and animations to get a topic across the class in presentations

Gaming

In gaming Industries most of the things depends on animation. Without model a programmer can’t programmer a game and everything in the scene starting from modeling, Texturing, Rigging, lighting etc. all are done by the Animation students or professionals.

Simulations

Simulations are mostly used in the military for weapons training and to train for certain events. Pilots also use simulations to practice their flight training without having to spend money on fuel and equipment. Simulations are also used for practicing events and to get a predicted outcome for something. For example, when NASA are planning on putting a rocket in space, they will use simulations to get a predicted outcome of what might happen. This is essential because it can potentially save lives and resources.

Windows

	Minimum requirement
Processor	Intel Pentium 4 or Intel Centrino, Intel Xeon, or Intel Core Duo (or compatible) processor (2GHz or faster processor)
Operating system	Windows 10 version v22H2, Windows 11 version v21H2, v22H2
RAM	8 GB of RAM (16 GB recommended)
Hard disk space	4 GB of available hard-disk space for installation; more free space required during installation (cannot install on removable flash storage devices)
Monitor resolution	1024x900 display (1280x1024 recommended)
GPU	OpenGL version 3.3 or higher (DirectX 12 with feature level 12_0 recommended)
Internet	Internet connection and registration are necessary for required software activation, validation of subscriptions, and access to online services.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

macOS

	Minimum requirement
Processor	Multicore Intel processor with 64-bit support ARM-based Apple silicon processor
Operating system	macOS version 12 (Monterey), version 13 (Ventura)
RAM	8 GB of RAM (16 GB recommended)
Hard disk space	6 GB of available hard-disk space for installation; more free space required during installation (cannot install on a volume that uses a case-sensitive file system or on removable flash storage devices)
Monitor resolution	1024x900 display (1280x1024 recommended)
GPU	OpenGL version 3.3 or higher (Metal Support recommended)
Internet	Internet connection and registration are necessary for required software activation, validation of subscriptions, and access to online services.*
Software	QuickTime 10.x software recommended

 

Which software is best for animation?

Some of the best animation software in the market are Visme, Adobe Animate, Adobe Character Animator, Pencil2D, Biteable and Animaker. In this guide for beginners, we're going to explore these options and more to help you find the best animation software for your needs

 

Features of Authoring Tools

• Editing Features- Most authoring environment and packages exhibit capabilities to create edit and transform different kinds of media that they support. For example, Macromedia Flash comes bundled with its own sound editor. This eliminates the need for buying dedicated software to edit sound data. So authoring systems include editing tools to create, edit and convert multimedia components such as animation and video clips.
• Organizing Features- The process of organization, design and production of multimedia involve navigation diagrams or storyboarding and flowcharting. Some of the authoring tools provide a system of visual flowcharting or overview facility to showcase your project's structure at a macro level. Navigation diagrams help to organize a project. Many web-authoring programs like Dreamweaver include tools that create helpful diagrams and links among the pages of a website.
• Visual programming with icons or objects- It is simplest and easiest authoring process. For example, if you want to play a sound then just clicks on its icon.
• Programming with a scripting language- Authoring software offers the ability to write scripts for software to build features that are not supported by the software itself. With script you can perform computational tasks - sense user input and respond, character creation, animation, launching other application and to control external multimedia devices.
• Document Development tools- Some authoring tools offers direct importing of pre-formatted text, to index facilities, to use complex text search mechanism and to use hypertext link-ing tools.
• Interactivity Features- Interactivity empowers the end users to control the content and flow of information of the project. Authoring tools may provide one or more levels of interactivity.
• Simple branching- Offers the ability to go to another section of the multimedia production.
• Conditional branching- Supports a go to base on the result of IF-THEN decision or events.
• Playback Features- When you are developing multimedia project, you will continousally assembling elements and testing to see how the assembly looks and performs. Therefore authoring system should have playback facility.
• Supporting CD-ROM or Laser Disc Sources- This software allows over all control of CD-drives and Laser disc to integrate audio, video and computer files. CD-ROM drives, video and laserdisc sources are directly controlled by authoring programs.
• Supporting Video for Windows- Videos are the right media for your project which are stored on the hard disk. Authoring software has the ability to support more multimedia elements like video for windows.
• Hypertext- Hypertext capabilities can be used to link graphics, some animation and other text. The help system of window is an example of hypertext. Such systems are very useful when a large amount of textual information is to be represented or referenced.
• Cross-Platform Capability- Some authoring programs are available on several platforms and provide tools for transforming and converting files and programs from one to the other.
• Run-time Player for Distribution- Run time software is often included in authoring software to explain the distribution of your final product by packaging playback software with content. Some advanced authoring programs provide special packaging and run-time distribution for use with devices such as CD-ROM.
• Internet Playability- Due to Web has become a significant delivery medium for multimedia, authoring systems typically provide a means to convert their output so that it can be delivered within the context of HTML or DHTML.

In general, a video or video clip is multiple electronic signals used to generate a steady source of still images, which simulate movement. Videos can utilize graphics, pictures, or text for entertainment, education, or other purposes. Today, many web pages have downloadable or streaming video visitors can watch on their computer. Below is an example of a YouTube video.

 Unit 5 

What Is Virtual Reality?

Virtual reality is a simulated experience that can occur anywhere in the world. Most people these days are familiar with VR headsets that fit over one’s head and can be worn like glasses or goggles. 

1. Healthcare

The most important way VR is modernizing healthcare is through training. VR facilitates an environment to learn and grow outside in real-world situations. 

With VR, specialists who need to perform very precise operations can practice without being in the midst of an emergency. 

And practitioners who need to get familiar with the hospital environment can do so without the extra stress involved. 

The technology is also being used in cognitive behavior therapy where patients with phobias and anxieties work through their problems in a controlled environment.

2. Entertainment

The entertainment industry was one of the first to incorporate VR and still remains one of the strongest examples of how it can be applied. If you look at online and/or console gaming, you will see that VR has a strong presence in this industry.

Similarly, VR is being introduced to cinemas and theme parks to simulate movie-like adventures and let people experience their favorite cinematographic masterpieces.

3. Automotive

VR helps car manufacturers in analyzing road scenarios and the behavior of cars. The simulated situations allow them to analyze and make changes to the prototypes before developing a new model.

Virtual reality is widely used in the development of smart cars that will flood the market in the future. Cars learn how to drive, turn, and stop using artificial intelligence (AR) and virtual reality.

4. Education 

Even though education is believed to be a rather slow industry to pick up new trends and technologies, VR has already shown a lot of promise. 

For adults, it means that any industry can provide professional training to their employees. But for younger students, VR is part of educational games, field trips, and in general experiencing the world.

5. Space & Military

Given that these two industries have to operate in rather dangerous environments that can’t be easily accessed, VR provides conditions for making things as close to reality as possible for training. 

VR enables trainees to go through preparation with minimal risks and even helps soldiers suffering from battlefield trauma to overcome these conditions and prepare for new or unexpected situations.

6. Architecture 

Using VR, architects can not only envision what they’re building but understand how it feels as well. This allows them to experience the space before it is built and make real-time changes to deliver customer satisfaction. 

7. Digital Marketing

While most people don’t like commercials, experiencing the use of a product close-up can actually be an entertaining and enlightening experience. There are a variety of applications of VR in digital marketing. 

For example, retailers can show potential customers how a product will look in their home. Or nonprofits can create more empathetic messaging for political issues. 

8. Occupational Safety 

Occupational safety and health (OSH) is a concern for workplaces with machinery or natural hazards. 

These workplace dangers can be addressed in a simulated environment so workers can learn how to respond to them effectively without being hurt. 

9. Social Science and Psychology

Much of this industry relies on VR so that a patient can embody someone else and imagine reality from a different perspective or worldview. Immersive environments can leave positive impacts on future social interactions. 

10. Tourism

Try a holiday before you buy it. No, seriously. One pointed virtual reality application is tourism.