BP14_iMovie Advanced

Here are some advanced features and suggestions I learned from the Lynda.com training:

The green screen feature can be used to apply backgrounds that were shot at another time or for staged backgrounds that aren’t in the budget to create or shoot in real time. Green screen could also come in handy when the important part of the video is the sound. A clip shot in a quiet, well-lit space can maximize the sound quality. It can then be over-laid on the otherwise noisy background for a high quality final result.

Frequently videos filmed inside have an imbalance of white in the shot. This can easily be fixed in the inspector by selecting a pure white or pure grey color from the shot. It can also be adjusted moving the point in the white point wheel to make adjustments as desired.

When making adjustments to clips, users can apply adjustments to multiple clips from the same filming settings. This is done by copying the clip changed and then pasting the adjustments. Individual adjustments or all adjustments (video, audio, effects, etc) made can be applied.

The edit tool, available in the advanced tools, is a quick selection tool for adding video clips to the project.

The keywords feature acts as a tag for various clips. Multiple clips can be added to clips. Keywords can be used for quick reference when looking for a specific type/topic for a new video project.

Chapter & comment markers are useful for finding specific points in a video project. These are particularly helpful for longer projects.

To replace a video clip in a project that has been timed to play correctly, drag the new clip over the clip to be replaced and choose ‘replace at start,’ ‘replace at end,’ or ‘replace at playhead.’ This option inserts the new clip with the same timing/length as the one replaced and doesn’t move any of the other clips. The normal ‘replace’ option inserts the entire clip and moved clips after it.

BP13_iMovie Basics

Below are some things I learned through the Lynda training:

iMovie basics

Transitions should only be used where necessary, for example, to change locations or to highlight a specific scene. Most professional videos use very few transition effects and simply switch between most clips - too many transitions, especially flashy transitions are a sure indicator of an amateur.

In precision editor, users can fine tune the transitions between video clips as well as adjust the entry and exit transitions of the audio from each clip. If there is audio from a video clip that isn’t being shown, it can be used as the audio in an adjacent clip.

Beat markers can be added to edit/create a video that flows with the music selection. Beat markers are not determined automatically and have to be added manually in the clip trimmer. 

Note: automatic transitions have to be turned off in order to use the ‘snap to beats’ function.

iMovie effects

iMovie can analyze video footage for clips that are shaky and won’t likely be good for a video. After the clips have been analyzed a red wavy line shows at the bottom of the section. These sections can be hidden, by clicking the ‘show/hide excessive shaking’ button, so they aren’t accidently used in the video. The amount of stabilizing done can be seen by the color code in the corner (black for very little, orange for moderate, red for significant) or a slash shows that the section wasn’t able to be stabilized.

Note: Stabilized videos cannot be used to create freeze frame clips.

The maps in the background library offer additional transitions and effects that can be added to a video. The animated maps can be used to identify a location or highlight a route taken on a trip. The same effects that can be added to pictures and videos can also be added to these maps.

BP12_iMovie keyboard shortcuts

Here are some helpful keyboard shortcuts for iMovie:

Keyboard Shortcuts

cmd+g – to view in full screen

iMovie

[ - to play 1 second around the playhead

] – to play 3 seconds around the playhead

/ - to play a selection

\ - to play selected event/project from the beginning

cmd+opt – to access fine tuning functions (then drag the handle left/right to trim/add up to 1 sec from clip – shows frames & new time when tuning)

opt+left/right arrow (when mouse is at beginning or end of clip) – add or remove 1 frame at a time

cmd+shift – to add sound effect from video library

m – to add a beat marker to an audio clip

Advanced Tool Keyboard Shortcuts

Inspector

e – to select/unselect the edit tool

f – to select/unselect the favorite tool

u – to select/unselect the unmark tool

r – to select/unselect the reject tool

BP11_OMM_GoAnimate

GoAnimate takes storyboards to the next level. Check it out in my one minute message.

BP10_Comment for Luz

Check out my comment on Luz's blog.

BP9_Comment for Kelly

Follow this link to my comments on Kelly's blog about Footnote.Publish Post

BP8_GoAnimate

GoAnimate homepage

With GoAnimate, a two-dimensional animation tool, users can animate their own stories. Teachers could use GoAnimate to demonstrate lesson concepts, model procedures, explicitly teach students social skills, or demonstrate experiments that may be too dangerous or expensive to do in the classroom. Students could use their animations to demonstrate their understanding, express their thoughts, or reflect, analyze, and synthesize new information in a way that allows their creativity.

Each user develops a personalized profile where their animations are stored and displayed. Other users can check out the published animations, make comments, and share them with others.

Mr. August's Profile

GoAnimate allows users to demonstrate and practice many of the different intelligences and could be used as an alternative assignment to the written paper or the physical project. For example, they use their verbal/linguistic intelligence as the students add text or speech, their spatial intelligence as they organize each piece on the screen, their kinesthetic intelligence as they manipulate the objects and utilize the features of the tool, their interpersonal or intrapersonal intelligence as they work with others or alone.

GoAnimate is like the storyboard that special education teachers frequently use to help their students understand and learn appropriate behavior, except with this tool the storyboard can be more detailed because of the animation. A nice feature is that animations can be saved and published to refer to and adjust later as needed.

Special education students can virtually practice their social skills in a safe environment where they can get feedback before they take them into the classroom. GoAnimate animations could be used as an option for students who struggle with verbal or writing skills to demonstrate their understanding of course concepts.

GoAnimate is a great resource and has many features available for free, but there are many more resources that require GoPoints and GoBucks that can be purchased or earned by completing different tasks such as publishing, sharing, and inviting others to join GoAnimate. It has great potential for learning but it also has great potential for distraction, as students (or teachers) might get distracted completing the tasks to earn GoBucks and not finish the animations they’re working on. 


It is also important to note that GoAnimate is a public tool and not created specifically for classroom use - some materials published there are not appropriate for school or all audiences, prescreen animations before showing in class.

Check out this example of what one user has created with GoAnimate:

GoAnimate.com: Windows on the World by vp1234567

Like it? Create your own at GoAnimate.com. It's free and fun!

If the video doesn't load view the animation here