Chapter 1 e . . mn Introduction to Multimedia Meaning of Media CThe dictionary meaning of the word medium is ‘a substance through which any effect is transmitted’. Media is the plural of medium and can take a plural or singular verb, depending on the sense intended,)Media includes every broadcasting and narrowcasting medium “such as newspapers, magazines, TV, radio, billboards, direct mail, telephone, fax, and internet. Media tools are used to store and deliver information or data. That is, they are communication channels through which news, entertainment, education, sports, data, or promotional messages are disseminated. Different Types of Media © Advertising media, refers to giving public information, or drawing attention to, or offer for sale by notice etc., printed or broadcast. e Broadcast media, communication delivered over mass electronic communication networks. e Digital media, electronic media used to store, transmit, and receive digitized information. e Electronic media, communications delivered via electronic or electromechanical energy. e Hypermedia, media with hyperlinks. ¢ Mass media, all means of mass information and communication. ¢ Multimedia, communication that incorporates multiple forms of information content and processing. ¢ New media, a broad term encompassing the amalgamation of traditional media with the interactive power of computer’and communication technology. ¢ News media, mass media focused on communicating news. © Print media, communication delivered via paper or canvas. ¢ Published media, any media made available to the public. eet° Recording medium, devices used to store information. © Social media, media disseminated through social interactions. Classification of media types: 1. Captured: Captured media refers to information types captured from the real world (e.g., Still pictures, moving pictures, and sound). 2. Synthesized: Synthesized media refers to information types synthesized by the computers (e.g., Text, graphics and computer animation). 3. Discrete: Discrete media refers to media involving _Space dimension only (e.g., Still images, text and graphics). Discrete media is also referred to as static media or non-time-based media or non-temporal media or space-based media. 4. Continuous: Continuous (time based) media refers to time-based media (e.g., sound, moving images, and animation). Continuous media is also referred to as dynamic media or time-based media or temporal media) Multi-sensory system: According to Dr. Albert Mehrabian, a specialist in interpersonal communication at the University of California, says People recall 20% of What they see 40% of What they see and hear 70% of What they see, hear and do. Multimedia facilitates seeing, hearing and doing (multi-sensory system) effectively. Multimedia Multimedia refers to Content that uses a combination of different content forms. The difference between multimedia and media is that media use only fundamental computer displays such as text-only or traditional forms of printed or hand-produced material. Whereas, multimedia uses a combination of text, audio, still, images, animation, video or interactivity content forms. Multimedia has become an_ integrated part of most of the presentations at present. It has found a variety of applications right from entertainment to education. The popularity of internet has also increased the demand for multimedia content. Multimedia is any combination of text, art, sound, animation, and video delivered to you by computer or other electronic or digitally manipulated means. When you weavetogether all these elements of multimedia — dazzling pictures and animations, sound, video clips, will electrify viewers’ thought and action. » ‘Meaning of Multimedia: ~~ (The word ‘Multimedia’ comes from the latin words ‘multus’ which means ‘numerous’ and ‘media’ which means ‘middle’ or ‘centre’. \ ean therefore means ‘multiple intermediaries’ or ‘multiple means’. ° Multi - many; much; multiple © Medium - a channel or system of communication, information, or entertainment. Multimedia enhances learning, memory and retention. The retention levels of various elements of multimedia are as follows: — audio stimulation - 20% retention rate — audio/visual - up to 30% retention rate — Interactive multimedia - up to 60% retention rate. Definition: ‘Yt is the media through which a computer-generated information can be Yepresented using text, graphic art, and sound, animation, drawing, pictures, images, video and audio elements. ) GRAPHIC | TEXT —+-— iviiTiMEDIA VIDEO ANIMATION Elements of Multimedia ¢ Text (Eg. Books, letters, Newspapers) ° Images & Graphics (Eg. Photographs, charts, maps, logos, sketches) . ¢ Sound (Eg. Radio, Gramophone records, Audio cassettes, Compact Discs.)oY imati 5 /, Video cassettes _ © Video & Animation (Eg. TV, Video cassettes, Motion Pictures Compact Discs.) Text Sound x@ 36 | xR | Graphics Animation Video Figure 1.1: Elements of Multimedia Uses of Multi-media: Multimedia has a variety of uses and the list is only increasing by the day. Some of the uses are: 1. Video teleconferencing, 2. Distributed lectures for higher education, 3. Tele-medicine. ; JA 4. Co-operative work environments. 5 - Searching in large a Video and image databases for target visual objects. 6. “Augmented” reality: Placin graphics that almost appearing ( Multimedia also refers to the us 1 also e of electronic media to store and experience multimedia content. Multi ia ¢ & video objects and computer Teal into scenes.Multimedia Project: A multimedia Project shipped. to end-users with or without instructions is called a multimedia title. The professionals who convert multimedia into meaningful tapestries are multimedia developers: (All types of content presented on a computer are called multimedia project. Multimedia project can also be a page or site on the World Wide Web, developed using HTML (Hyper text Mark up Language) or DHTML (Dynamic Hypertext Mark up Language). Evolution of Multi-media: Newspaper: Perhaps the first mass communication medium that used text, graphics, and images. Motion pictures: conceived of in 1830 in order to observe motion, too rapid for the human eye. Wireless radio transmission: Established by Guglielmo Marconi, at Pontecchio, Italy, in 1895. Television: A new medium developed in the 20th century, which established video as a commonly available medium which has since changed the world of mass communication forever. 1945 — Vannevar Bush wrote a landmark article describing what amounted to a hypermedia system called Memex. 1960 — Ted Nelson coined the term hypertext. 1967 — Nicholas Negroponte formed the Architecture Machine Group. 1968 — Douglas Engelbart demonstrated the On-Line System (NLS), another early hypertext program. 1969 — Nelson and van Dam at Brown University created an early hypertext editor called FRESS. 1976 — The MIT Architecture Machine Group proposed a project entitled Multiple Media — resulted in the Aspen Movie Map, the first hypermedia videodisk, in 1978. 1985 — Negroponte and Wiesner co-founded the MIT Media Lab. 1989 — Tim Berners-Lee proposed the World Wide Web. 1990 — Kristina Hooper Woolsey headed the Apple Multimedia Lab. 199] — MPEG-1 was approved as an international standard for digital video — led to the newer standards, MPEG-2, MPEG- 4, and further MPEGs in the 1990s.1991 - 1992 - 1992 — 1993 — 1994 - 1995 — 1996 — 1998 — 1998 — 2000 — The introduction of PDAs in 1991 began a new period in the use of computers in multimedia. JPEG was accepted as the international standard for digital image compression — led to the new JPEG2000 standard, The first MBone audio multicast on the Net was made. The University of Illinois National Center for Super computing Applications produced NCSA Mosaic—the first full-fledged browser. Jim Clark and Marc Andreessen created the Netscape program. The JAVA language was created for platform-independent application development. DVD video was introduced; high quality full-length movies were distributed on a single disk. XML 1.0 was announced as a W3C Recommendation. Hand-held MP3 devices caught the attention of consumers1998, with the introduction of devices holding 32MB of flash memory. WWW size was estimated at over 1 billion pages. Advantages of Multimedia: (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) Enhancement of Text Only Messages: Multimedia enhances the quality of textual presentation by adding sound and visuals. Improvement over Traditional Audio-Video Presentations: Audience are more attentive to multimedia messages than traditional presentations with slides or overhead transparencies. Holds Attention: People are more interested viewing multimedia messages which combine the elements of text, audio, graphics and video. Communication research has shown that the combination of communication modes (aural and visual) offers greater understanding and retention of information. Increase” learning effectiveness. Reduces training costs and much easier to use. Offers system portability. Disadvantages: o ° Lack of structure Complex to create¢ Time consuming « Expensive « Requires special hardware « Not always compatible Applications / Uses: Multimedia finds its application in various areas including advertisement, art, education, entertainment, engineering, medicine, mathematics, business, scientific research spatial, temporal applications,. Nowadays we are using multimedia for almost everything. A few applications of multimedia in various fields are given below 1. Multimedia in Creative industries & commercial uses Multimedia in Business Multimedia in Schools Multimedia in Education Multimedia at Home Multimedia in Entertainment and Fine Arts Multimedia in Engineering Multimedia in Industry Multimedia in Mathematical and Scientific Research CPN nAAR WN Multimedia in Medicine 11. Multimedia in Journalism 12. Multimedia for Disabilities 13. Multimedia in Public Places 1. Multimedia in Creative industries & commercial uses Creative industries use multimedia for a variety of purposes, ranging from fine arts, to entertainment, to commercial art, to journalism, to media and software services. Much of the electronic aspects used by commercial artists is through multimedia only. Exciting presentations are used to grab and keep attention in advertising. Business to business and interoffice communication are often developed by creative firms with advanced multimedia presentations beyond simple slide shows to sell ideas. Commercial multimedia developers are also hired to design for government agencies and non profit organisations as well. S2. Multimedia in Business j Business applications for multimedia include marketing t advertising, catalogues, databases, and net-worked communication, Voice mail and video conferencing are provided on many local and wide area networks (LANs and WANs), using distributed networks ang Internet protocols. Multimedia is used widespreadly in training programs. Flight attendants learn to tackle international terrorism through simulation. Drug enforcement agencies of the United Nations are traineg using interactive videos and photographs to recognize likely hiding places of drugs on airplanes. Mechanics learn to repair auto engines, Salesmen learn about product lines to train their customers. Fighter pilots practice full-terrain sorties. Image-capturing hardware is used for building employee ID and badging databases, for video annotation, and for real-time teleconferencing. Presentation documents, attached to e. mail and video conferencing are widely available. Laptop computers and high-resolution projectors are commonplace for multimedia presentation, Cell phones and personal data assistants (PDAs) utilizing Bluetooth communication technology make communication more efficient for various business transactions. | | Uses and Applications: e Training material e Preparing advertisements e Customer support services © Sales / Presentation e Staff Training Programmes © Developing company Kiosks 3. Multimedia in Schools In March 1995, the White House in U.S.A ordered the telecommunications industry to connect every classroom and library. Multimedia effected changes in the traditional teaching methods. Thus, teachers would become mentors - Just lending learning path and not the primary providers of all information. The students become the core of the teaching and learning process. This enriched student’s learning process. The use of multimedia in schools and colleges involved the students themselves. Now, students publish interactive magazines and newsletters, using image manipulation software tools.Figure 1.2- Self- Clearning Examples: = Computers read the stories aloud for young students. * A mouse click on any word plays it back. * Click on the mailbox and a frog jumps out. » Ringing of Telephones. 4. Multimedia in Education In Education, multimedia is used to produce computer-based training courses (popularly called CBTs). A CBT lets the user go through a series of presentations, and associated illustrations in various information formats. Edutainment is an informal term used to describe combining education with entertainment, especially multimedia entertainment. The idea of media convergence is also becoming a major factor in education, particularly in higher education. Defined as separate technologies such as voice (and telephony features), data (and productivity applications) and video that now share resources and interact with one another, media convergence is rapidly changing the curriculum in universities all over the world. For example, the English education in middle school in China is well invested and assisted with various equipment. In contrast, the original objective has not been achieved with the desired effect. An efficient way has to be found to make a classroom vivid. By using multi-media, the students can interact with the teacher and can simulate situations in real life. In many circumstances, the presence of the teacher is not required as students will learn by themselves in the class.Applications: @ Courseware / Simulations @ E-Learning / Distance Learning @ = Information Searching 5. Multimedia at Home Multimedia applications are commonly used by people at home for their entertainment, hobbies and leisure. From gardening to cooking — to home design, multimedia has invaded almost every house. Most multimedia reach homes via TV or Computer. Today, home consumers of multimedia own a computer with CD-ROM ora set-top box hooks up to the television. Live Internet pay-for-play gaming with multiple players has become more popular. Applications: | (a) Television (b) Satellite TV (c) SMS services (chats, voting, reality TV) (d) Games: Home entertainment is a rapidly expanding multimedia area due to the development of broadband and high-speed processors. Home users can now enjoy online games, video and audio. Figure: 1.3 — Playing Games (e) Leisure Pursuits: Leisure pursuits refer to any topic of interest that users may access at home, by using a personal computer. There are various ‘Multimedia software packages that can assist in leisure activities, such as photography, editing videos,designing graphics or listening to music. Other applications of multimedia at home are Building and carpentry, Decorating, Fine art, Flooring, Games, Air conditioning, Gardening, Interior design, painting, plumbing and movies. Multimedia in Entertainment and Fine Arts Multimedia is heavily used in the entertainment industry, especially to develop special effects in movies and animations. Multimedia games are a popular pastime and software programs are available either as CD-ROMs or online. Some video games also use multimedia features. Multimedia applications that allow users to actively participate are called Interactive Multimedia. In Fine Arts, there are multimedia artists, who blend techniques using different media that in some way incorporates interaction with the viewer. For example, Peter Greenaway who is connecting Cinema with Opera and all sorts of digital media. Applications: @ — Games (Leisure / Educational) @ Movies @ = Video on Demand @ = Online Figure 1.4 Use of Multi-media in Movies Multimedia in Engineering Software engineers use multimedia in Computer Simulations for anything from entertainment to training such as military or industrial training. Multimedia for software interfaces is often done as a collaboration between creative professionals and software engineers.Multimedia in Industry In the Industrial sector, multimedia is used to help present information to shareholders, superiors and co-workers. Multimedia is also helpful for providing employee training. advertising and selling products all over the world via virtually unlimitedweb-based technology, | 3D-Album - nae eum aD ° Jeane Pope BOIOSIGO! 1 QODTIS Figure 1.5 Multimedia in Training Programmes Multimedia in Mathematical and Scientific Research In Mathematical and Scientific Research, multimedia is mainly used for modeling and simulation. For example, a scientist can look ata molecular model of a particular substance and manipulate it to arrive ata new substance. Multimedia in Medicine In Medicine, doctors can get trained by looking at a virtual surgery or they can simulate how the human body will be affected by diseases i and bacteria and then develop techniques to prevent it. spread by vir Figure 1.6 Multimedia in MedicineMultimedia in Journalism Newspaper companies all over are also trying to embrace the new phenomenon by implementing its practices in their work. While some have been slow to come around, other major newspapers like The New York Times, USA Today and The Washington Post are setting up precedent for the positioning of the newspaper industry in a globalized world. News reporting is not limited to traditional media outlets. Freelance journalists can make use of different news media to produce multimedia pieces for their news stories. It engages global audience and tells stories with technology, which develops new communication techniques for both media producers and consumers. Common Language Project is an example of this type of multimedia journalism production. Multimedia reporters who are mobile (usually driving around a community with cameras, audio and video recorders, and wifi-equipped laptop computers) are often referred to as Mojos, from mobile journalist. Multimedia for Disabilities Ability Media allows those with disabilities to gain qualifications in the multimedia field so they can pursue careers that give them access to a wide array of powerful communication fools. Multimedia in Public Places In hotels, railway stations, shopping malls, museums, and grocery stores, multimedia is available as stand-alone terminals to provide information and help. Such an installation reduces demand on traditional information booths. Multimedia adds value, as it can work round the clock. Use and Applications: (a) Information Kiosk (b) Smart Cards, Security. %* A menu screen from a supermarket kiosk that provides services ranging from meal planning to coupons. * Hotel kiosk list nearby restaurant. »* ~Maps of the city. %* Airline schedules and guest services such as automated checkout in hotels. * Printers are often attached so users can walk away with a printed copy of the information. %* Museum kiosk allowing visitors to browse through detailed information.5 | ss Figure 1.8 Public awareness campaign Examples of Multimedia Applications include: e World Wide Web ¢ Multimedia Authoring, e.g. Adobe/Macromedia Director e Hypermedia courseware e Video-on-demand e Interactive TV ¢ Computer Games e Virtual reality ¢ — Digital video editing and production systems ¢ Multimedia Database systemsWho are Multimedia Developers? . ¢ Computer science experts ¢ Graphic artists e Literary artists e Film and audio specialists. Characteristics of a Multimedia System ¢ Multimedia systems must be computer controlled. ¢ Multimedia systems are integrated. © The information they handle must be represented digitally. ¢ The interface to the final presentation of media is usually Interactive. Characteristics of multimedia system 1. They must be computer controlled. - Multimedia systems must be computer-compatiable. That is, the user should be in a position to view and hear using a multimedia system. 2. They are integrated - Multimedia systems are integrated and they are used to present and share information — at least one continuous and one discrete media must be combined. 3. The information they handle must be represented digitally - Multimedia elements (Text, Audio, Video, graphics are animation) created, stored, processed and transmitted digitally. 4. It permits interactivity - The interface to the final presentation of media is usually Interactive, the user should be able to navigate, create, interact and communicate. Scope of Multimedia Today it is the age of Multimedia. We share a major part of our lives with elements of Multimedia. Multimedia is an useful combination of two or more media. As we have seen already, media is the plural of medium through which different forms of information is transferred and understood in a constructive way. So, Multimedia contains a bunch of media elements used in a combination to transfer or share information. A popular example of Multimedia is a Presentation about any product or service. This usually contains all the elements mentioned above in a creative way.When we talk about the major components of Multimedia it will be Video/films, Audio, Web, Graphics and Animation. They all are linked with one another. Today, in the world of Internet, Web is the most important factor that runs the Internet. Web is today's most useful gift of multimedia. Web with the other elements like sound gives amazing results and attracts millions of people to Internet each day. Internet is virutally, a market place, a shop, a relationship adviser, a service provider and everything you can imagine — All these above can be browsed without the viewer stirring out of his/her house or office. This unique advantage is made possible because of the use of Multimedia. Multimedia has boosted all the areas with thousands of job opportunities. Print and advertising markets are growing rapidly with the improved technology and ability to express ideas in creative ways. Now, there is no limitation of colours to be used, we can use unlimited shades of colours for our printing materials. In movies, introduction of Animation films has changed the whole scenario. Animation industry provides job opportunities for several creative professionals. Review Questions: Section A . What is the meaning of Multimedia? . Define Multimedia. . Who are Multimedia Developers? . Write about uses of multimedia. . What are the elements of multimedia? Section B . Write about advantages and disadvantages of multimedia. . Why we need multimedia? ARWN HE . Describe about evolution of multimedia. . Explain in detail about the various applications of multimedia. RWNeChapter 2 Basic Elements of Multimedia Types of Multimedia © Interactive multimedia e Hyperactive multimedia ¢ Linear multimedia a. Interactive Multimedia: In a non-linear presentation, the user should specify his/ her desire to watch the presentation, The presentation should be capable of user inputs and should support editing the contents of the presentation. Interaction is considered to be one of salient features on which next generation e-learning tools are expected to rely for greater efficiency. Interactive multimedia allows the user to control edit contents. Adding the user’s choice with the help of computer code makes editing possible in interactive multimedia. Types of Interactive Multimedia Applications: 1. Menu driven programs/presentations; often a hierarchical structure (main menu, sub-menus ...) 2. Hypermedia-less structured, cross-links between subsections of the same subject, nonlinear, Quick access to information; easier for introducing more multimedia features, e.g., more interesting “buttons” 3. Simulations / Performance-dependent Simulations - e.g., Games - SimCity, Flight Simulators b. Hyperactive media It deals with hyper text and hypermedia.ypertext Hypertext is a text that links with other texts, images and other multimedia elements. When we click on a link in a document, automatically it jumps to other documents. Hypertext Nonlinear Figure.2.1 Hypertext permedia Hypermedia is not constrained to be text-based. It can include other media, e.g., graphics, images, and especially the continuous media ~ sound and video, i.e., it is a combinaticn of hypertext, graphics, audio, video, (linked elements) and interactivity, culminating in a complete, non-linear computer-based experience. The World Wide Web (WWW) is the best example. Figure. 2.2 HypermediaLinear or non Interactive: A Multimedia Project is identified as Linear when: @ = It is not interactive. @ Users have no control over the content that is being showed to them. Example: - Amovie - A non-interactive lecture / demo show. Non-linear and interactive: A Multimedia Project is identified as Non-Linear when: @ = Itis interactive 7 @ Users have control over the content that is being showed to them. @ Users are given navigational control Example: -Games - Courseware - Interactive CD \ go Mutkimeaia project stages: . Most multimedia and web projects must be undertaken in stages. Some stages may be skipped or combined. Here are four basic stages in a multimedia project: a) Planning and estimation: (a project always begins with an idea and objectives. Identify how you will make each message and objective work within your authoring system} Before you begin developing, plan what exactly to write — graphic art, music, video, audio, text, and other multimedia — expertise will be required. Develop a creative graphic design, structure, navigation system to visit the content. Estimate the time and budget needed to do all the elements. Work up a short prototype or proof-of-concept. b)/ Designing and producing: Executing the ideas of tasks planned to create a finished product. c) 4) Testing: Always test your programs to make sure whether they meet the objectives of your project and the needs of your client. d)_elivering: Pack and deliver the project to the end user in time.Requisites for creating interactive multimedia We need hardware, software, creativity (Good idea, talent and skill) and organised job schedule to create a multi-media project. We need time and money and consumable resources such as disks and other memory, telephone and related services. We may also need the help of other professionals because multimedia is a team effort: artwork is performed by graphic artists, a video shoot by video producers, sound editing by audio producers and programming by programmers. 1) Hardware: Hardware devices are essential to create and develop multimedia projects. (Example: Computer, Soundcard and so on). Hardware requirements: - Two most suitable platforms are Macintosh OS from Apple and Intel-based IBM PC (or) Microsoft windows (Windows 95,98,NT). - A computer with at least 128 MB of RAM is required. - Hard disk capacity with at least 2-6 GB. - Development environment like sun Microsystems, mainframe is required. - Require a CD-ROM drive. - Capture devices such as video camera, Recorder, Microphone, Graphics tablets, 3D devices, VR devices are needed. - Scanner for digitizing photos/pictures. - Require audio and video hardware. 2) Software: Software refers to the instruction or tools that you can use on the computer to create or process multimedia elements, Various softwares are: - Graphic software - Audio-editing software - Video software - Other useful software . The graphics software is used for photos, Pictures, images, and diagrams. Editors such as Adobe Photo shop, Macromediafireworks, Design painter, 3D editors, 3D studio max are used to create graphics in multimedia. e Audio editing software is used for recording, digitizing, music and editing sound. It includes cool edit and macromedia sound edit. e Video software is used to digitize and edit video. It includes Adobe premier and movie shop, movie cleaner. ¢ Other software includes word processing, spreadsheet and database programs. 3) Creativity: Before starting a multimedia project, you must have clarity with regard to its scope and content. Multimedia workshop should reflect your creativity. It is difficult to learn to be creative as creativity is often in- born. You can take inspiration from earlier experiments, modify and you can add your own creative touches to design your own unique multimedia projects. 4) Organization: It’s essential that you develop an organized outline and a plan that rationally details the skills, time, budget, tools, and resources at hand. These should be in place before you start to render graphics, sound, and other components, and they should be monitored constantly throughout the project’s execution. Multimedia Skills and Training: Multimedia developers have: varied interests — art, literacy, film, audio, etc. To produce a good multimedia, a detailed knowledge of computers, text, graphics arts, sound, and video is required. A team of skilled individuals is also required to create a good multimedia project. Team building refers to activities that help a group and its members interact regularly to attain optimum levels of functioning. A diverse range of skills required for a project for its completion is known as the multimedia skill set. Multimedia Team: = Executive Producer = Producer/Project Manager = Creative Director/Multimedia Designer = Art Director/Visual Designer = Artist = Interface DesignerGame Designer Subject Matter Expert Instructional Designer/Training Specialist Script Writer Animator (2D/3D) Sound Producer Music Composer Video Producer Multimedia Programmer HTML Coder Lawyer/Media Acquisition Marketing Director The role of important members of the team is explained below: ‘oject Manager: (A project manager should have several years of experience in managing complex projects, must have solid understanding “of interactivity and experience with interactive media. * Responsible for overall development and implementation of a project as well as day-to-day operations Budgets Schedules Creative sessions Time sheets Illness Invoices Team dynamics Technical & operational expert ¢ Responsible for the design and management of a project. ¢ Understanding the strengths and limitations of hardware and software. ¢ Understanding the strength and limitations of the team members. e — Conveying information between the team and the client. Multimedia Designer: Multimedia Designer must have experience in ~ handling a large volume of data and must have solid organizational skills.e Role lies in designing the visual effect of a multimedia project. e Screen color, visual consistency, meaningful icons, simple screen elements, content layou:, content structure e Graphics Designer, illustra‘ors, animators, and image processing specialist who deals with visual. e Instructional Designer — navigation pathways and content maps; one who makes sure that the subject matter is presented clearly for the target audience Designs and assembles the project - Prepares the project blueprint - Delivers the project e Information Designer — structure content, determines user pathways and feedback, and selects presentation media. Anterface Designer: Interface Designer must have experience in graphic design, animation, including Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Premiere. ¢ An interface designer is responsible for creating a software device that organizes content, allows users to access or modify content, and present the contents on the screen. ¢ Backgrounds, icons, control panels — result of an interface designer. ¢ Building a user-friendly interface. ¢ Designs the interface. _NMriter: Multimedia writer must be familiar with interactive design and user interface issues and must have an ability to meet deadlines in a team environment. e Role revolves around creating characters, hearing different points of view and insuring interactivity. © Write proposals, script voice-over and actors’ narration, write text screens to deliver messages, and develop characters designed for an interactive environment. © Information from content experts, synthesize it, and then communicate it in a clear and concise manner. Video Specialist: Video specialist must have strong background in video direction and editing. Good understanding of filming for interactive programming required.Role may be responsible for videographers, sound technicians, lighting designers, set designers, script supervisors, production assistants, and actors. Skilled in managing all phases of production, from concept to final edit. The delivery of video files on CD, DVD, or the Web. Shooting quality video. Arranging to transfer the video footage to a computer. Editing the footage down to a final product using digital nonlinear editing system (NLE). Audio Specialist: Must have strong background in studio recording techniques, knowledge of music production, requires fluency in MIDI, experience with sequencing software, hard disk recording, and editing. They are the wizards who make a multimedia program come alive, designing and producing music, voice-over narrations, and sound effect. Selecting suitable music and talent, scheduling recording sessions, and digitizing and editing recorded material into computer files. Multimedia Programmer: A multimedia programmer or software engineer integrates all the multimedia elements of a project into a seamless whole, using an authoring system or programming language. Multimedia programming functions range from coding simple displays of multimedia elements to controlling peripheral devices, managing timings, transitions, and record keeping. Without a programming talent, there can be no multimedia. Code can be written in JavaScript, Open Script, Lingo, Authorware Java, C++, etc, Multimedia Producer (Web): The role ofWeb site producer is a new occupation, but putting together a coordinated set of pages for World Wide Web requires lot of creative process, skill sets, and teamwork. They should have knowledge about HTML tables, frames, forms, CGI scripting and knowledge of photo shop. Responsible for developing web projects from its concept through implementation for internal and external clients.e They are called “Network Engineer”. ¢ They also co-ordinate updates and changes. ¢ Responsibilities include maintaining/updating site content, managing documents, developing new site features. Famous Team members: —— Kindly find below an a list of outstanding persons who excelled in their respective areas as team members Team Member’s Name Role | Mark Williams Project Manager Kurt Andersen Multimedia Designer Nicole Lazzaro Interface Designer Domenic Stansberry Writer Hant Duderstadt Video Specialist Chip Harris Audio Specialist Hal Wine Multimedia Programmer Kevin Edwards Producer Mark Williams - Project Manager Microsoft’s Cinemania CD-ROM is a comprehensive, authoritative guide to the movie producers, designed for computer-owning film lovers. Producing Cinemania involved a core team headed by project manager — Mark Williams, with additional specialists, technicians, and assistants brought on board as and when needed. Kurt Andersen — Multimedia Designer Kurt Andersen has been an instructional designer for the past six years. Most recently, he was a senior designer at the George Lucas Educational Foundation, where he designed multimedia prototypes for middle school math and science curricula. He is a consultant in the field of multimedia and information design and development. Nicole Lazzaro — Interface Designer Nicole Lazzaro is an interface designer with ONYX productions in Oakland, California, and teaches interface design at San Francisco State University’s Multimedia Studies Program. She spends her days thinking of new ways to design multimedia interfaces that resemble real life.Domenic Stansberry — Writer Domenic Stansberry is a writer/designer who has worked on interactive multimedia drama for commercial products. He has also been a script-writer for documentary films and published a few books of fiction. Hank Duderstadt - Video Specialist Hank Duderstadt has worked as an independent video producer, director, and video editor specializing in promotion/commercials, corporate marketing, education, broadcast programming, and multimedia production. Chip Harris — Audio Specialist Chip Harris learnt electronic music composition at the Peabody Conservatory of Music, and has worked with the renowned composer Jean Eichelberger Ivy. He has recorded releases on major and independent labels, including Atlantic, RCA, and Warner Brothers, and has composed music for CD-ROM titles for Virgin Games, Accolade, and Timestream. He has also created soundtracks for Clio and Joey award-winning spots. Hal Wine — Multimedia Programmer Hal Wine is a programmer familiar with both the Macintosh and Windows environments. He has worked in most of the important areas of computing and for many of the leading computing companies. He is a consultant in the San Francisco Bay Area. Kelvin Edwards — Multimedia Producer Kelvin Edwards is Senior Multimedia Producer for CNET. In Television and World Wide Web, CNET provides information about computers, the Internet, and future technology engaging content and des.gn. CNET has about 2 million members on the Internet, and its television programming — which airs on the USA Network, the Sci-Fi Channel, and in national syndication that reaches an estimated weekly audience of more than 8 million viewers. CD-ROM and the Multimedia Highway Multimedia requires large amount of digital memory and bandwidth. CD-ROM CD-ROM (Compact disc read-only memory) is the most cost effective distribution medium for multimedia Projects, it can contain up to 72 minutes of full-screen video and can contain mixes of images, sound, text, video, and animation to provide unlimited user interaction.CD-ROM Presentations carry virtually unlimited information. They are considered a modern inter-active phenomenon of disseminating corporate and product information. Advantages of CD-ROM « Portable and inexpensive medium for distribution material. + Highly interactive medium. «Technical and professional approach. + Easy updated information. + Competitive price. DvD Multilayered Digital Versatile Disc technology is best suited for multimedia because it increases the storage capacity and multimedia capability. DVD-Video is an optimal way to reach users at home with full motion video content. A new type of read-only compact disc is one that can hold a minimum of 4.7GB (gigabytes), enough for a full-length movie. DVD authoring and integration software allow the creation of interactive front-end menus for films and games. We can store huge amount of different multimedia elements in CD-ROM or DVD. Multimedia demands bandwidth CDROMs hold 650-700 MB (80 minutes of full screen video) and DVD-ROMs hold 4.7-18 GB. DVD burners are used for reading discs and converting the disc to audio, video, and data formats. Multimedia Highway Telecommunication networks are global and information elements will link up online as distributed resources on a data highway. Copper wire, glass fiber, and radio/cellular technologies also serve a means for delivering multimedia files across a network. Examples: * Full-text content from books and magazines. * Street maps of any city. «Feature movies are displayed at home. "Real-time news reported from anywhere on earth. * Lectures from participating universities. More information is available on the web; http://www.movielink.com http://www. vacations.com http://www.nyfood.comVirtual Reality: Creative invention in multimedia is virtual reality, or VR. Goggles, helmets, special gloves, and bizarre human interfaces attempt to place you “inside” a lifelike experience. VR requires terrific computing horsepower to be realistic. In VR, your cyberspace is made up of several thousands of geometric objects plotted in three-dimensional space: more the objects and more the points that describe the objects, the higher will be the resolution. On the World Wide Web, standards for transmitting virtual reality worlds or “scenes” in VRML (Virtual Reality Modeling Language) documents (with the file name extension .wrl) have been developed. Virtual reality (VR) is an extension of multimedia—it uses the basic multimedia elements of imagery, sound, and animation. As it requires instrumented feedback from a wired-up person, VR is perhaps an interactive multimedia with its fullest extension. Review Questions Section A Write about the various types of multimedia. How will you create interactive multimedia? What are the project stages in multimedia? What is meant by virtual reality? Define CD-ROM. vee e Section B Write about multimedia highway. 2. Explain in detail about skills and training needed for developing a multimedia project. 3. Explain the use of CD-ROM & DVD.