A Seminar On Multimedia Authoring

Contents

Multimedia application Multimedia Authoring Users of Multimedia Authoring v/s Programming Design Issues Types of multimedia Authoring Systems Multimedia Authoring Metaphor Categories of Multimedia Tool HyperMedia Application Flash Basics
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Objectives

How multimedia products are created and authored. What are different multimedia authoring metaphor What kinds of multimedia authoring tools you have to choose from to suit your project needs.

Multimedia Application
Three kinds of multimedia applications: Mail Information Repository Business processes All applications are shared and distributed. First step in developing application is UI Thus,mm authoring is important

Multimedia Authoring
Applications that allow user to create mm objects and link or embed them in other compound objects such as documents or database records are called authoring systems

Users

Professional users: who prepare documents, audio or sound tracks and full motion video clips for wide distribution. Business users: prepare documents, audio recording, or full motion video clips for stored messages or presentations

Authoring v/s Programming

Authoring tools are what we call high level tools A lot of the technical details of how things are done is hidden from the developer. The developer can concentrate on the functionality instead of how to make the hardware work Can be used by non-programmers Programming tools are low level tools They provide access to the low level hardware features for those who want to get the most out of the computer Are used by programmers or software engineers
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Design issues for mm authoring

Display resolution Data formats for captured data Compression algorithms Network interfaces Storage formats

Types of Multimedia Authoring system

Dedicated authoring system Timeline based authoring system Structured mm authoring system Programmable authoring system

Dedicated Authoring system

Simplest type of system Designed for single user and for single stream These are at the desk of end users

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Authoring is performed on objects captured by camera, scanner or already stored objects Follow real world metaphors Eg: VCR metaphor

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Timeline based
Objects are placed along a timeline Resources are specified and positioned in the timeline Editing a component causes all objects in the timeline to be reassigned To overcome timing relations are defined directly between the objects

Track 1

Track 2
Track 3 Track 4

Background music Animation Voice over (narration)

Video

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Structured Multimedia Authoring

Based on structured object level construction of complex presentation Allows explicit manipulation of the structure of mm presentation Timing constraints are derived from the structure Consist of two stages: Construction of structure of presentation Assignment of detailed timing constraint

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Capabilities of Structured Multimedia Authoring

Ability to view the complete structure Maintain a hierarchy of objects Capability to zoom View specific component Show the timing relationship between components Ability to address all mm types

Inability to express automatic functions for handling routine tasks

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Programmable authoring
Overcome the shortcoming of structured authoring Return the timestamp of next frame Delete a specified movie segment Copy or cut a specified movie segment Replace the current segment with clipboard content

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Multisource Multi-user Authoring System

Objects are arranged in geographic plane just as in temporal scale

Besides information about the object data,information to locate the object with reference to other object in time as well as space is required Task of rendering become very complex in compositing a scene with multiple independent objects
Knowledge of spatial alignment of objects allows the authoring to optimize the resolution
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Synchronization issues

The inputs must be managed in a intelligent manner and coordinated when multiple server writing the object to user workstation Editing the objects by multiple authors result in timeline shifts that must be adjusted dynamically

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Telephone authoring system

The phone can be used as reading input device Digitized voice clips are captured via phone and embedded in electronic mail message Phones can be used to create email message where the voice is converted to ascii text on fly
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Telephone authoring system

1.
2. 3. 4.

It support the following distinct kind of application: Workstation control for phone mail Voice command control for phone mail Embedding of phone mail in e-mail Integration of phone mail and voice message with e-mail.
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What is an Authoring Metaphor

It is the methodology by which authoring system accomplishes the task

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Types of Authoring Metaphor

There are numerous methods that can be used for multimedia applications

Authoring metaphor are of following types Scripting language Iconic/Flow control Frame Card scripting Cast score scripting Time line based
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Scripting Language

Scripting languages are cut-down versions of complete programming languages. It specifies (by filename) multimedia elements, sequencing, hotspots, synchronization Scripting metaphor allow the developer to write small scripts (programs) which can be associated with a multimedia object e.g. you may write a script to make a graphic image move across the screen or to make a window pop up when an item is clicked

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Features of Scripting language

Longer in development time More powerful interactivity The runtime speed gains over other authoring methods are minimal. Example Lingo scripting language of macromedia director Apples hypertalk for hypercard
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Frame metaphor

Each part of the application is self-contained in a single page or frame Fast development system Requires a good auto-debugging function

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Iconic/Flow control Authoring

The core of the paradigm is the Icon Palette, containing the possible functions/interactions of a program, and the Flow Line, which shows the actual links between the icons High Speed authoring style Best suited for rapid prototyping & short development time projects

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Macromedia Authorware Iconic/Flow Control Examples

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Score Scripting metaphor

This model has an analogy with a musical score Instead of musical instruments playing notes we have multimedia objects (sounds, images, video, text, etc.) that do something at specific points (times) in the score There is usually some way to animate the objects (e.g. rotation, scaling, colour changes, etc.) between each transition (i.e. when they start and when they finish) Each multimedia object lives in a track

A score has one or more tracks

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Screenshot of Macromedia Director

Cast

Stage

Score

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Timeline based

Timelines are a useful way of representing multimedia data during the course of a presentation or application Time is represented along the x-axis Tracks are represented along the y-axis The developer can move objects left and right to change the order of the information and can lengthen or shorten the bars to change their duration
5 seconds 10 seconds 15 seconds

0 seconds Track 1 Track 2 Track 3 Track 4

Background music Animation Voice over (narration)

Video
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Macromedia Director

Macromedia Flash

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What is an Authoring Tools

The tools by which various media components are brought together (integrated) into a structure and flow.

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Categories of Authoring Tools

Can be categorized into 1. Presentation software 2. Tools for creating production 3. Interactive training and education Some authoring tools can fit into more than one category.

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1. Presentation software

Enable users to create and deliver business presentations in the form of the slide show. Each major heading is the beginning of a new slide.

heading

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1. Presentation software

Templates are used to determine how the heads and subheads are formatted and displayed over backgrounds, including: (etc PowerPoint) position size font style color

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Example: PowerPoint Interface

Style and format

templates
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2. Tools for creating production

Typically oriented toward producing content that is more ambitious than the slide-show level (more interactive & dynamic) Usually integrate all types of' multimedia data into a multitrack timeline that determines the evolution of events Interactivity takes the form of conditional branching (multiple linking) that can make navigation decisions based on user input and other conditions Production software creates dynamic content EXAMPLE: mTropolis / AppleMedia Tool / MediaForge

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3. Interactive training and education tools

To create education or training content. Designed primarily to present information in an Interactive book. Multimedia-oriented programming languages such as Visual Basic represent another authoring alternative. Offers the higher flexibility, performance speed and power Example: Macromedia Flash, Authorware & Director

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Flash Interface

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Director Interface

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Authorware Interface

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Terminology

Complex Application-consist of various multimedia objects Rendering-to display completely with all specifications Authoring tool-create multimedia application using metaphor Authoring metaphor-method to create multimedia application Storyboarding- prestep of animated movie
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References

Multimedia System Design by Prabhat K. Andleigh,Kiran Thakrar en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Authoring_system www.trivantis.com/resources/what-authoringtool New Metaphors for Multimedia Authoring Environments by Christine Strothotte Carola Zwick ,Institute of Industrial Design, Magdeburg, Interaction Design Group
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Queries?

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Hypermedia Application Design

These

applications consisting of compound objects that include multimedia objects

An

authoring application may use existing mm objects or call upon media editor
Primary
Once

role is to structure mm document

the media streams are selected ,these are combined in some form of higher level object- a hypermedia object
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Structuring the information

Identify the information objects and to develop an information model to define relationship among these objects.

The information structure is fully defined in a database system

MM objects pose a problem- size, created in different way and cannot be interpreted as alphanumeric data

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Primitives of good modeling structure

Object types and object hierarchies Object representations Object connections Derived connections and representations

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Steps to design hypermedia system

Determine the type of hypermedia application Structuring the information Determining the navigation throughout the application Methodologies for accessing the information Designing the user interface

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Compound object

Image document

Rich text

Video clip

ASCII text

Graphics

Image page2

Video track

Image page1

Image page3

Voiceover track

Sound track

Example of Object Hierarchy

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Attaching sounds and video clips to Objects

Dialogue, music and sound effects merge along parallel paths through recording, editing, premixing, final mixing & print mastering

Dialogue is recorded separately

Production sound is recorded on the set along with actions

Then dubbing takes place

Rerecording is required for this, in a professional studio

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Attaching sounds and video clips to Objects

Then music and sound effects are added Music editing ensures that the music is properly synchronized with the scene Other examples : whistle of train, roar of car racing & thunder all are recorded separately and then edited Premixing combines a number of concurrent sound effects into a synchronized sound effect Final mix brings the dialogue, music , and sound effects together in terms of timing synchronization, although the three remain on separate tracks
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Introduction

to Flash

It is a simple authoring tool that facilitates the creation of interactive movies

Adobe Flash (Macromedia Flash) is a multimedia platform used to add animation, video, and interactivity to Web pages. Flash is frequently used for advertisements and games

Flash manipulates vector and raster graphics to provide animation of text, drawings, and still images

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Introduction to Flash

Originally acquired by Macromedia, Flash was introduced in 1996, and is currently developed and distributed by Adobe Systems Flash files are in the SWF format, traditionally called "Shockwave Flash" movies, usually have extension .swf

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Terminologies

Frame: graphics are designed on each frame Key frame: starting and ending frame Tweening: no. of frames between keyframes Synchronization: to set the timing between two objects that are going to be display simultaneously Timeline: set the display timings of objects

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Frames, Key frames and Timeline

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Frames, Key frames and Timeline

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