CHAPTER TWO THE MAKING OF MULTIMEDIA: AN INTRODUCTION 1 CGMB113: MULTIMEDIA TECHNOLOGY SARASWATHY SHAMINI Adapted from Notes Prepared by: Noor Fardela Zainal Abidin © UNITEN 2004/2005

22 Objectives At the end of this chapter, students should be able to: Describe the four primary stages of a multimedia project Describe the skills and talents needed for a multimedia project Identify the most common hardware platforms and software tools for multimedia production and delivery

Stages of a Multimedia Project 3 Delivering Testing & Evaluating Designing & Producing Planning & Costing

Stages of a Multimedia Project : (1) Planning Planning involve:- ▫ Developing an idea ▫ Identifying Objectives and Users ▫ Identify Skills and Resources ▫ Developing a graphic template, the structure, and a navigational system. ▫ Estimating Time and Cost ▫ Develop a small prototype or proof of concept 4

Stages of a Multimedia Project : (2) Design and Production ▫ The planned tasks are performed to create a finished product. ▫ Task include storyboarding, designing a detail navigation structure, GUI consideration and HCI consideration. ▫ The product is revised, based on the continuous feedback received from the client by doing an evaluation. 5

Stages of a Multimedia Project : (3) Testing The program is tested to ensure that it: meets the objectives of the project works on the proposed delivery platforms meets the client requirements. 6

Stages of a Multimedia Project : (4) Deliver The final project is packaged and delivered to the end user. 7

Requirements for a Multimedia Project 8 Hardware Software Enabling Technology Creativity & Organizational Skills

Requirements for a Multimedia Project: (1) Hardware 1.Fast processor ▫ e.g. Pentium 2.Large RAM (Random Access memory) ▫ Memory space that the computer uses when performing work. ▫ More RAMs means computer works quicker and more efficient. 3.Storage ▫ Large Hard Disk  Capable of supporting fast data transfer rate. ▫ Removable large-capacity storage devices  E.g. rewritable CD-Rom, Zip drive 4.A good CD-ROM burner & good CD-R software to complement it ▫ Easy CD Creature Deluxe 9

Requirements for a Multimedia Project: (1) Hardware 5. High resolution and a large monitor ▫ Minimum 17 inch monitor ▫ A dot-pitch value of.28 or smaller ▫ Dot-pitch: distance in millimetres between each of the red, green and blue dots etched into the phosphor of the inside of the screen. ▫ The smaller the dot-pitch value, the finer the image. ▫ Multisync monitor: allow the change in screen resolutions without having to reset the system. 10

Requirements for a Multimedia Project: (1) Hardware 6. Good video display card ▫ preferable capable of displaying 24 bit colours 7. Good video capture cards ▫ Allow you to capture video from a tape or camcorder 8. A good quality digital camera ▫ At least support 640 x 480 pixels images ▫ Has display panel ▫ Use disk or card to store the images before being uploaded to the computer. ▫ without having to reset the system. 11

Requirements for a Multimedia Project: (1) Hardware 9. Input devices ▫ Keyboard, mouse, track ball, touch screen, graphic tablet, data glove 10. A good flatbed scanner ▫ 24-bit colour depth and 300-dpi resolution 11. Colour Printer 12. Colour projector 12

Requirements for a Multimedia Project: (2) Software Graphic design photo editing application  Adobe Photoshop, Corel’s Photo-Paint 3D modeling and animation application  Maya, 3D StudioMax Digital sound editing application  Sonic Foundry’s Sound Forge Digital video editing application  Adobe’s Premiere Multimedia authoring application  Adobe Director Web page authoring/design tool  Adobe Dreamweaver, Microsoft’s FrontPage 13

Requirements for a Multimedia Project: (3) Enabling Technology 1.Computing Power ▫ Increase in CPU processing power ▫ Increase in storage capacity  Large capacity hardisk space – 500 Gigabytes (500 GB) to 1 Terabytes (1 TB) is common nowadays  Increase in storage bandwidth e.g. disk array technology ▫ Personal computer and workstation revolution ▫ Progress in user interfaces and software concepts  GUI, object-oriented concept and client-server paradigm 14

Requirements for a Multimedia Project: (3) Enabling Technology 2.Data Networking ▫ Better transmission media  Fiber optic as compared to copper wire ▫ Better transmission technique  Fast packet switching ▫ Better services offered  ATM, ISDN, B-ISDN, Broadband 15

Requirements for a Multimedia Project: (3) Enabling Technology 3.Compression Technology ▫ GIF (Graphical Interchange Format)  Mostly used with the internet ▫ JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group)  Still image compression ▫ PNG (Portable network Graphic)  Very popular nowadays especially for web-based application 16

Requirements for a Multimedia Project: (3) Enabling Technology 3.Compression Technology ▫ MPEG (Motion Picture Expert Group)  Full motion video compression  MPEG-1 : for video & audio compression on digital storage media at 1.5Mbits/sec e.g. CD-ROM  MPEG-2 : video & audio compression for high quality digital storage media (4 to 60Mbits/sec) and video service over communication network.  MPEG-4 : complete audio-visual compression for a scene 17

Requirements for a Multimedia Project: (4) Creativity and Organizational skills. In a multimedia project, being creative implies knowledge of hardware and software. It is essential to develop an organized outline detailing the skills, time, budget, tools and resources needed for the project Assets such as graphics, sound and the like should be continuously monitored throughout the project’s execution. A standardized file-naming procedure should be followed for precise organization and swift retrieval. 18

Summary The basic stages of a multimedia project are planning and costing, design and production, testing and delivery. Successful high-quality multimedia project requires a combination of talents and skills, not only on the artistic side but in organization, time and money. Trying to do it all, rather than building a good crew with appropriate skills, is tempting – but usually fatal. The most precious asset you can apply to a multimedia project is creativity – which is very difficult concept to learn Credit for a project is valuable commodity. Negotiate or make allowances for project credits early on. 19

Reference Vaughan Tay, Multimedia: Making It work. 7 th Edition. McGraw Hill McGloughlin Stephen, Multimedia: Concepts and Practice. Prentice Hall F. Fluckiger, Understanding Networked Multimedia: Applications and Technology, Prentice Hall. 20