content enable users to access extra material and order featured products. With a print run of over 1.5 million, this is multimedia for the mass market, and content is formatted to work on the widest possible range of home computers. Design by Mook, UK Sonic Sega
171
THE DESIGN PROCESS The multimedia design process is by definition diverse, and the designer has to adopt many roles. Working is useful, and defining the project through ideas arid concepts on paper parameters is essential. Many multimedia prototypes are very complex with the integration of sound. moving image,video and graphics presenting the designer with a formidable challenge
Almost without exception, multimedia models are non-linear that is, they present an interface to the user that is composed of multiple choice options and paths to select. A well designed navigation structure will significantly improve the enjoyment and accessibility of a piece of work. Good navigation design is an artform in itself and certainly should not be undervalued. The problems associated with user boredom, characteristic of web publishing, are not so prevalent in multimedia work. It is assumed that a potential audience will be more focused and, as the medium delivers a quicker response to user interaction, not need to wait so long for on-screen content. This distinctive quality of CD-ROM multimedia products should be balanced against the fact that they are less easy to update than webpages. HIGH EXPECTATIONS Client expectation can present problems for the designer. The nature of multimedia allows for a rich and varied content, but the time and cost in preparing this content can be significant. So how does a designer positively engage the client whilst at the same time highlighting the potential pitfalls and limitations of the medium? Clients who are not fully conversant with the scope of the medium often anticipate an'all singing, all dancing product. One solution is to present a scaled range of product levels, offering the necessary graphics, navigation structure, and production methods necessary to complete the work to a satisfactory standard for a lower budget. A menu of additional options, such as more video, larger-format video, and more animation
and sound can then be offered. The onus is then on clients to balance their expectations with project budgets. Providing a demonstration of a range of options will be very helpful in this process. If a designer is part of a large organization with access to many technical resources, many of these issues are more- easily solved. The'internal' client may well be aware of the possibilities and options available from the start. For the freelance designer there is a more challenging task, as all the resources will have to be independently sourced. This is why many multimedia designers build up contact lists of programmers, video editors, and sound designers to call upon. This aspect alone encourages an interdependent approach to multimedia design processes. Designers can increase their skills and expertise by working in a"design community', sharing their knowledge and learning from others. This makes for a very exciting and challenging career shift for many designers switching from traditional print and publishing backgrounds.
172
AUTHORING APPLICATIONS AND THEIR ROLES In the professional market. Macromedia Director is wel established as the dominant authoring package. It allows the designer to manipulate sound, graphics, moving image, and video single editing environment without the need for further plug-ins. in a Director uses Lingo, its own powerful scripting language, for complex behind-the-scenes programming actions that provide rich resource for user interaction. a
AFTER EFFECTS AND ITS RIVALS Adobe After Effects is the traditional market leader in broadcast-quality composite digital video production. It now exists in a competitive market which has seen the cost of video compositing and special effects fall dramatically. Using the latest Macs and PCs, real-time editing can be achieved in software without investing in high-priced hardware add-ons. Other compositing titles include Pinnacle Commotion Pro, Discreet Combustion, Boris Red, and Apple Shake. General purpose video editing programs including Adobe Premiere and Apple Final Cut Pro, along with video-based animation tools such as Apple Motion, can also be used to edit content for multimedia presentations Graphics, sound, music, and video can be imported and edited to create a layered composition which can be exported in any of the popular video playback formats or exported to a professional video post production system, such as Avid's Media 100, for further manipulation. After Effects can also use a range of Photoshop plug-in filters to apply effects and transitions This type of software is frequently used to create title sequences for TV and multimedia presentations. Although mainly non-interactive, it can be exported for web use and include some interactive elements.
173
Left and above: Director provides a complete multimedia authoring environment. A wide range of input formats is supported, including DVD Video, and productions can be output for both Mac and Windows platforms from the same files. A new scripting language with syntax similar to JavaScript makes Director's advanced capabilities accessible to a wider range of creative professionals.
Left: While Flash's efficient vector- based graphics are ideal for online work, audio and video can also be integrated into Flash movies and enhanced with interactive elements and links. The results can be stored at high quality for playback within off-line multimedia presentations.
Above: Discreet Combustion is one of a growing number of sophisticated compositing programs which, while not specifically designed for interactive work, can bring new depths of richness to all kinds of multimedia presentations.
174
Left and above left: Adobe After Effects is a video compositing application that provides tools for manipulating layered video clips in conjunction with graphic and text elements. It is used extensively in video post production for animated trailers title sequences, and any project that requires the merging of video and animated graphics in a dynamic way. Keyframes control each element in the composition, allowing the user to specify position size, opacity, and a vast number of other attributes at any point in time. After Effects then calculates the values of these parameters for every other frame, a process known as tweening.
175
PLANNING AND PRODUCTION Multimedia planning and production can be loosely divided into two stages. Initially as with both paper-based media and web desigm. there must be co-ordination of content. design, and production resources. The production phase then includes rigorous testing to ensure the product functions correctly on whichever platform or platforms it is to be delivered to
Above: a screen from a promotional CD-ROM for Voyages Jules Verne Travel. The re- purposing of existing promotional or advertising material, supplied by a company, can be effectively implemented into a multimedia production. Posters, photographs and video can be re-edited with Adobe Photoshop and Premier to sit within a new production. Design by Phil Taylor and Phil Jackson, UK
Multimedia projects are generally large undertakings, with many unforeseen issues unfolding during the production and authoring stages. It is essential to establish a fixed price for the initial design and concept stage, then build in a tiered fee structure to cover production costs dictated by any revised expectations or supplementary requirements of the client. sub-contracting is commonplace and should be thoroughly researched and planned. For example, using advanced Lingo scripting in Director will often require out-sourced program- ming expertise, even for the experienced Director user. The fact that relevant content may be available in an existing format does not mean it can be incorporated into a new multimedia project at negligible cost. Converting or re purposing content can be a time-consuming and expensive process. Text usually presents few problems, as it can be easily stripped from existing documents and reformatted. Images originally scanned for print can be resized, converted to RGB and compressed. Video may need to be digitized from analog sources, and even if it exists in digital format will require transcoding and recompression according to the distribution medium. Where video content exists on an earlier digital product, such as an interactive CD, the original uncompressed files will need to be sourced for conversion. Despite advances in technology, video is one area where processing on desktop computers is likely to be a laborious affair
TEST TEST TEST! Testing is absolutely vital for multimedia productions. Web publishing has its challenges, with varying browsers and monitor resolutions, but multimedia for mass distribution has all these and more. A typical DVD-ROM will have to function on computers with different specifications of hardware on varying revisions of operating system software and be compatible with third-party applications. The choice of video format(such as QuickTime or AVI) and codec(the specific algorithm used to compress and play back the video stream) affects file size, compatibility, and playback performance. Not all machines are equipped to play back video in all formats without the user adding new software. The developer should first consider player architecture: Windows Media, Apple QuickTime, and RealMedia each have their own merits and installed base of users Beyond this, the choice of codec will be influenced by the video image quality required, any restrictions on file size imposed by the capacity of the media, and likely playback performance on users' systems Broad compatibility is one of the most sought-after goals in multimedia. Although PCs represe
content enable users to access extra material and order featured products. With a print run of over 1.5 million, this is multimedia for the mass market, and content is formatted to work on the widest possible range of home computers. Design by Mook, UK Sonic Sega
171
THE DESIGN PROCESS The multimedia design process is by definition diverse, and the designer has to adopt many roles. Working is useful, and defining the project through ideas arid concepts on paper parameters is essential. Many multimedia prototypes are very complex with the integration of sound. moving image,video and graphics presenting the designer with a formidable challenge
Almost without exception, multimedia models are non-linear that is, they present an interface to the user that is composed of multiple choice options and paths to select. A well designed navigation structure will significantly improve the enjoyment and accessibility of a piece of work. Good navigation design is an artform in itself and certainly should not be undervalued. The problems associated with user boredom, characteristic of web publishing, are not so prevalent in multimedia work. It is assumed that a potential audience will be more focused and, as the medium delivers a quicker response to user interaction, not need to wait so long for on-screen content. This distinctive quality of CD-ROM multimedia products should be balanced against the fact that they are less easy to update than webpages. HIGH EXPECTATIONS Client expectation can present problems for the designer. The nature of multimedia allows for a rich and varied content, but the time and cost in preparing this content can be significant. So how does a designer positively engage the client whilst at the same time highlighting the potential pitfalls and limitations of the medium? Clients who are not fully conversant with the scope of the medium often anticipate an'all singing, all dancing product. One solution is to present a scaled range of product levels, offering the necessary graphics, navigation structure, and production methods necessary to complete the work to a satisfactory standard for a lower budget. A menu of additional options, such as more video, larger-format video, and more animation
and sound can then be offered. The onus is then on clients to balance their expectations with project budgets. Providing a demonstration of a range of options will be very helpful in this process. If a designer is part of a large organization with access to many technical resources, many of these issues are more- easily solved. The'internal' client may well be aware of the possibilities and options available from the start. For the freelance designer there is a more challenging task, as all the resources will have to be independently sourced. This is why many multimedia designers build up contact lists of programmers, video editors, and sound designers to call upon. This aspect alone encourages an interdependent approach to multimedia design processes. Designers can increase their skills and expertise by working in a"design community', sharing their knowledge and learning from others. This makes for a very exciting and challenging career shift for many designers switching from traditional print and publishing backgrounds.
172
AUTHORING APPLICATIONS AND THEIR ROLES In the professional market. Macromedia Director is wel established as the dominant authoring package. It allows the designer to manipulate sound, graphics, moving image, and video single editing environment without the need for further plug-ins. in a Director uses Lingo, its own powerful scripting language, for complex behind-the-scenes programming actions that provide rich resource for user interaction. a
AFTER EFFECTS AND ITS RIVALS Adobe After Effects is the traditional market leader in broadcast-quality composite digital video production. It now exists in a competitive market which has seen the cost of video compositing and special effects fall dramatically. Using the latest Macs and PCs, real-time editing can be achieved in software without investing in high-priced hardware add-ons. Other compositing titles include Pinnacle Commotion Pro, Discreet Combustion, Boris Red, and Apple Shake. General purpose video editing programs including Adobe Premiere and Apple Final Cut Pro, along with video-based animation tools such as Apple Motion, can also be used to edit content for multimedia presentations Graphics, sound, music, and video can be imported and edited to create a layered composition which can be exported in any of the popular video playback formats or exported to a professional video post production system, such as Avid's Media 100, for further manipulation. After Effects can also use a range of Photoshop plug-in filters to apply effects and transitions This type of software is frequently used to create title sequences for TV and multimedia presentations. Although mainly non-interactive, it can be exported for web use and include some interactive elements.
173
Left and above: Director provides a complete multimedia authoring environment. A wide range of input formats is supported, including DVD Video, and productions can be output for both Mac and Windows platforms from the same files. A new scripting language with syntax similar to JavaScript makes Director's advanced capabilities accessible to a wider range of creative professionals.
Left: While Flash's efficient vector- based graphics are ideal for online work, audio and video can also be integrated into Flash movies and enhanced with interactive elements and links. The results can be stored at high quality for playback within off-line multimedia presentations.
Above: Discreet Combustion is one of a growing number of sophisticated compositing programs which, while not specifically designed for interactive work, can bring new depths of richness to all kinds of multimedia presentations.
174
Left and above left: Adobe After Effects is a video compositing application that provides tools for manipulating layered video clips in conjunction with graphic and text elements. It is used extensively in video post production for animated trailers title sequences, and any project that requires the merging of video and animated graphics in a dynamic way. Keyframes control each element in the composition, allowing the user to specify position size, opacity, and a vast number of other attributes at any point in time. After Effects then calculates the values of these parameters for every other frame, a process known as tweening.
175
PLANNING AND PRODUCTION Multimedia planning and production can be loosely divided into two stages. Initially as with both paper-based media and web desigm. there must be co-ordination of content. design, and production resources. The production phase then includes rigorous testing to ensure the product functions correctly on whichever platform or platforms it is to be delivered to
Above: a screen from a promotional CD-ROM for Voyages Jules Verne Travel. The re- purposing of existing promotional or advertising material, supplied by a company, can be effectively implemented into a multimedia production. Posters, photographs and video can be re-edited with Adobe Photoshop and Premier to sit within a new production. Design by Phil Taylor and Phil Jackson, UK
Multimedia projects are generally large undertakings, with many unforeseen issues unfolding during the production and authoring stages. It is essential to establish a fixed price for the initial design and concept stage, then build in a tiered fee structure to cover production costs dictated by any revised expectations or supplementary requirements of the client. sub-contracting is commonplace and should be thoroughly researched and planned. For example, using advanced Lingo scripting in Director will often require out-sourced program- ming expertise, even for the experienced Director user. The fact that relevant content may be available in an existing format does not mean it can be incorporated into a new multimedia project at negligible cost. Converting or re purposing content can be a time-consuming and expensive process. Text usually presents few problems, as it can be easily stripped from existing documents and reformatted. Images originally scanned for print can be resized, converted to RGB and compressed. Video may need to be digitized from analog sources, and even if it exists in digital format will require transcoding and recompression according to the distribution medium. Where video content exists on an earlier digital product, such as an interactive CD, the original uncompressed files will need to be sourced for conversion. Despite advances in technology, video is one area where processing on desktop computers is likely to be a laborious affair
TEST TEST TEST! Testing is absolutely vital for multimedia productions. Web publishing has its challenges, with varying browsers and monitor resolutions, but multimedia for mass distribution has all these and more. A typical DVD-ROM will have to function on computers with different specifications of hardware on varying revisions of operating system software and be compatible with third-party applications. The choice of video format(such as QuickTime or AVI) and codec(the specific algorithm used to compress and play back the video stream) affects file size, compatibility, and playback performance. Not all machines are equipped to play back video in all formats without the user adding new software. The developer should first consider player architecture: Windows Media, Apple QuickTime, and RealMedia each have their own merits and installed base of users Beyond this, the choice of codec will be influenced by the video image quality required, any restrictions on file size imposed by the capacity of the media, and likely playback performance on users' systems Broad compatibility is one of the most sought-after goals in multimedia. Although PCs represe
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