Mac 2 - Little idea..

I know I said I wouldn't interfere, but have just finished watching In Bruges and thought the opening was outstandingly simple - and great to use as inspiration!!

Click on the pic for the opening offof YouTube (they disabled the embed code):

The dark shots combined with the pithy voiceover - I think is really doable with the ideas you've got of using bits of upper school corridors at nighttime..

Not in today - v poorly *cough*

Am so sorry but won't be in the lesson today.

Been ill all weekend with bad throat and glands (am thinking Millie and Lana are to blame).

So please do carry on with your editing/filming/arguing/watching YouTube clips/playing music vids v loud...

Actually, it'll be good for you as groups to have some time in there together without me nagging you - realise have been doing that a lot lately and maybe need to just let you all get on with it.

Will spend the day teaching myself more about FCE - if my eyes'll stop burning.

Do comment if there's anything you need my ill help with - will reply immediately as am bored of being in bed for a 3rd consecutive day.

GOT to be this film for our Media trip...

Think have found THE one... is out on Feb 25th... what do you think - scary enough?

Is all in Hopkins' eyes.. they've always scared the crap out of me...

FCE - Good Starting Tutorial

Have been searching for the best ones - there are some real crappy ones! Here's a good one to start with:

Final Cut Pro - Now Final Cut Express!!

Right, so as you all probably know, we've only got the one licence for Final Cut Pro so that is now installed on Mac 6 and available for your group to use once you've done ALL you can in iMovie and still need more enhancing effects etc - in that case, we'll simply copy across your finalised project and then use FCP as the final FINAL editing process.

However, in the meantime, Final Cut Express has finally arrived in school and we'll be installing it onto ALL of the macs tonight. This icon'll appear next to your iMovie icon...

It's is a less pro version of FCP but still fantastic and can do more than in iMovie - enough for what you lot want it for anyway (split screening, blogging effects of Angel Dust etc).

There are loads of tutorials available on YouTube, Apple etc.. Here's the official page off Apple:

http://www.apple.com/uk/finalcutexpress/tutorials/

where there're 17 section by section vid tutorials - you ALL need to have watched them by the time you waste any efforts simply bumbling around it, trying to create stuff by chance.

FCP Update

Final Cut Pro is now installed on Mac 6 - it's my iMac so any group can use it when they're ready. You'll all have Final Cut Express (FCE) on your macs imminently.

Have put the icon in the dashboard for you. It looks like this:

Have fun! Whatever you learn about it, you have to teach me...

Only use it for stuff you can't do in Express or iMovie.

GREAT News for Mac 3!!

Joely, Beste, Lana - got a reply from Pete!!

Don't know if you can read this - give me your email address and I'll forward it on so you can all archive it onto your blogs - but basically, it's going on my cover sheet (as he advises) to let the moderator know it's been 'okayed'.

Yaay!

Representations in Media

There's an EXCELLENT post on Pete's blog about representations of GENDER in media..

http://petesmediablog.blogspot.com/

It's all about the Ronnie/Kat saga in Eastenders and how both female characters have been portrayed. Also, there's a brilliant critique of Come Fly With Me, obviously discussing the issue of ETHNICITY in the media.

Have a read, post some of it onto your blog, but remember to acknowledge it - treat it like a quotation.

Sent from my iPad

New iMacs Update

SO, now we have the all-singing all-dancing new iMacs, and all our Y12 projects and events have been shifted over from the white ones (which will all be completely wiped by Friday and therefore a lot quicker and freed up to use to blog, go online with etc).

All of your filming FROM NOW ON must therefore be uploaded STRAIGHT to your iMac - there's a black firewire adaptor at the back of them all and they must STAY CONNECTED AT ALL TIMES - you simply plug in your beige firewire cable into the black adaptor and you can upload from the Sony cameras to the iMacs without having to go through the white macs.

Leave the adaptor plugged into the back.

The Y13 work is moving over this week - is taking longer as they've got more.

However, thanks to Andrea and Charlotte's odd problem of some of their events going missing, Ms Poulten and I have decided to give EVERY group their own password - it is totally independent to your group so DO NOT DIVULGE IT TO ANYONE. They are all available from me - put them into your phones and keep them safe - there's one for your white mac and a different one for your new iMac.

And remember to always log off.

So now, if any of your stuff DOES go missing, the only possible reason for this is that you hadn't logged off and someone's come on and messed about with your iMovie stuff or that you've shared your passwords and you're an idiot.

However, having said all that, the iMacs can't be used at the moment as am installing Final Cut Pro onto them all - something that takes ONE day PER mac.. completed iMac 6 today, will get another one done tomorrow.

SO, be patient, we'll be there soon - in the meantime, there are hundreds of tutorials on YouTube for using FCP - as I said on Monday, you need to be self-teaching, asap!

Post re/ Certificate of your films and researching independent film companies to follow...

Sent from my iPad

Adele - Rolling In The Deep

I know it's probably going to detract you from your AS construction, but have you seen this music vid?

The concept of the glasses of water when the bass starts, the slow panning up and over and the blended shots of the plates being smashed.. even the random ninja person dancing in flour!!!

Something to think about for next year, but also, the really slow pace of the opening shots, I think, are perfect illustrations of what you're after for your films you're doing now.

Today's lesson - Exchanged with Ss

Because you all sold your souls to the devil on Friday and had 7&8 to do editing/group decision/chatting etc AS WELL as my lesson, the deal was that Mr Saunders could have my Monday lesson, 1&2.
So here it is: someone scroll down to the ppt, click to full screen and be in charge of 'mouse' - then with with each screen,conduct a polite, calm and insightful discussion. I'll be up as soon as I've started the Maths exam...

Representations of Disability

View more presentations from jfoster10.

No money in the Buy-Joely-a-laptop-fund, am afraid...

Erm, no, Joely, I won't buy you a mac..

Although they are such a thing of beauty! Am typing this on my iPad that now has it's own keyboard!! Is fab!

And before you all start shrieking, 'A keyboard and an iPad?? What's the point, why don't you just get a macbook??' - it's the synergy of both touchscreen and typing for a length of time.. and it looks good.

So, net book and charger'll be ready for you on Monday.

Happy New Year!!

New year, new start - need you all fresh and motivated!!

Not much blogging going on from you lot over xmas - bit disappointing but hey ho, you all need to get stuck back into your RESEARCH (blogs) and CONSTRUCTION (filming).

Really no excuses any more - you've got the ideas, all got flips, phones etc - no reason at all any more as to why you're being lazy and not moving forward. As it stands, quite a few of you are barely a Level 2 for your blogs...

And don't forget, the Sony cameras and big tripods will all be available as of Monday 17th Jan.

In the meantime, here's a latest vid from our A2 lot - don't focus on the song or actual music vid (save that for your summer hols/transition into A2) - it's at about 1:19 that they've managed to crack a brilliant 'dolly' shot.. am guessing with a shopping trolley?? Need one of you to ask them if you see them...