Exploring Premiere Pro (Experience so far.)

Premier Pro Emotion Video by Carol W.


What is Adobe Premiere Pro?

Premiere Pro is a video editing Adobe software. You import clips and music to edit on a timeline. You can trim clips, use transitions, add text, etc. Basically all the tools you would expect to exist for video editing.


What are the most powerful tools or features of Premiere Pro?

The timeline helps to position and re-position audio and video.

Transitions (both video & audio) help the whole project flow.

Adding music really brings a video to life. The type of music is important, since an emotion is being expressed.


Some free editing tools available:

  • iMovie. The standard video editing app found on every Apple device.
  • Shotcut. A free, cross-platform, video editor that is downloaded.
  • Clips. An Apple app to combine graphics & music. In general, best used for social media posts.

 

Symbols & Tweening


Two little birdies!

I first animated a bird (symbol) flapping its wings, using tweening for a slight dip as it glided, then frame-by-frame animation for the flapping wings.

To make the symbol bird soar across the sky, I used a classic tween. I also adjusted their colour with tint as they flew towards the sunlight.  The loop time on the symbols was edited, too, to make the two birds vary slightly.

Overall, I’m happy with this result, considering time limits!

Animation Introduction

What is frame-by-frame animation?

It’s traditional idea of animation, where the technique is to have frames in which the next is just slightly different, creating the illusion of motion when viewing the frames in quick succession.


How was the animation process similar and/or different on paper vs. Adobe Animate?

Both were rather tedious, as frame-by-frame animation often is, requiring repeated drawing of the same object. Onion skinning in Adobe Animate replicated the light source under the paper layers well. Paper animation is more straightforward and simplistic in the process, however, I believe once you get the hang of Adobe Animate, you can snip a lot of those tedious corners.

Flipping through frames got confusing on paper. I also felt that Adobe Animate’s ability to click and drag and re-size objects was super helpful to making tweaks in the object’s speed. In addition, not having to draw the stationary objects each frame was a happy realization. Where Adobe Animate falls off the cliff for me is in the sharing process. There are quite a few details in the exporting of files that can get infuriating. Whereas for the flipbook, a camera and a friend is all you need.


What did I learn about animation?

I’ve learned how animation sets the stage for events. Perhaps some things are a little unrealistic or exaggerated, but that is needed to create a clear story and message.


 

Exploring Photoshop

Person with maskPerson with mask


What I am trying to communicate, before & after.

A part of the pandemic to remember in the future is how everybody you look at has half their face obscured. It’s just something that doesn’t feel quite right.


What photoshop tools were used to create the “after” photo?

Blur and cooling filter, mainly. I also duplicated the mask to place on top of the blurred background so that it would stand out as the subject.


What I would like to learn next in photoshop…

I want to figure out what channels and paths are. The right side tab groups have so many little buttons that I haven’t explored, but would like the chance to!


 

Exploring Python

Snip of Python codeWhat is Python?

Python is a popular coding language, designed to be rather readable to humans.


What do I find most interesting about Python?

The program informs you of errors in your code, in addition to naming the error (e.g., “NameError: name ‘meow’ is not definied.”), which is super helpful.

As for second most interesting: The language was named after a sketch comedy show called “Monty Python’s Flying Circus.”


What do I want to learn next in Python?

I am curious about the vast library of import options and would like to explore those.


 

HTML & CSS

Animals endangered by climate change web page snipMy ICT9 HTML & CSS Web Lab project:

Five Animals Endangered by Climate Change!


How was HTML & CSS used to design this web page?

HTML was used to create the content of the page. Inserting images and embedding a video, writing out paragraphs and headings, organizing the headings into a list, etc.

CSS, on the other hand, was used to add colors, create dashed borders for images, a box for the title, an overline for headings, and formatting the page contents.


What to notice about the page!

  • It may be difficult to see, but the images have a slight shadow 1px down and 1px to the right of their dashed borders.
  • Care was taken to the format and display of the web page in terms of color palette and shapes.

Why the “Social Awareness & Responsibility” CC tag was chosen.

Climate change is a serious crisis that cannot be ignored. Our interactions with the natural world is invaluable and it is important to be aware of it. This assignment required exactly that: Awareness of the climate crisis.


Why the “Testing” design process tag was chosen.

With CSS & HTML, you come to realize that what is created isn’t always what you expected or wanted. For example, for the attributions, I found that putting them under the images in the HTML code resulted in wide gaps between paragraphs of text, which was funny-looking. I tested multiple formats over and over before finding one that I liked.


 

App Development Project

MEET sPARKS!


What does sPARKS! do ?

This is an extension to a GPS. With the input of the user’s destination (plus additional information, such as whether the user has a disabled parking permit), it scans up-to-date satellite imagery of all parking spots at that destination. Comparing said satellite images to images of taken & empty parking spots in its database, it can determine whether or not a car is already parked at each spot. Using if/then processing, it outputs and updates a map that indicates the open spots. If the user does not have a disabled parking permit, then those spots will be indicated as taken in the map. In addition, the app uses GPS data to show the user’s location on said map.


What parts of the DESIGN PROCESS were used in this project?

  • Defining: A problem had to be defined for a solution to come about.
  • Ideating: Then, I began to imagine possible solutions, an audience, a design, and the most efficient way to integrate the solution into daily life. With the help of a guide, I also imagined how testing and determining if the idea worked would play out.
  • Prototyping: In terms of the design, the displays, the visuals (how the app is organized), I first drew sketches on paper, before creating them on Piktochart.
  • Sharing: First, the idea was shared with classmates and peers, in order to receive feedback. That was when I ran into one problem: People often park on the side of the road. Would the app be able to show those “parking spots?” That complicated the matter far more. What is the length of the user’s car? What places are okay for people to park? I decided to focus the app on parking lots, like Costco’s. If this project was furthered, perhaps then, non-parking lot areas would be considered. Now, I am sharing this app here, on a blog post.

What am I most proud of with this app?

I rather enjoyed imagining the process the app would go through in creating an output. Factors such as a disabled parking permit were taken into consideration. However, it would have been better if I had also considered how the app would know if, for example, construction was taking place at a parking lot, and certain spots were then unavailable. Otherwise, I am happy with the process.