Workflow instruction website
 

Hi folks,

Not exactly sure if this is the right forum, but this does deal with FCP editing and workflow issues.

I'm working on an educational website for students which would supplement their in-class instruction. This website focuses on editing, workflow, and media management. Right now it is still very much a work in progress. Undoubtedly I'll be making changes while you are on the site. I'd like to open it up to "peer review" to see if the rest of the video community agrees with the content on the site. I would appreciate any comments that you folks could provide.

If you see something that does or doesn't look right, leave comments here. The information on the site is an amalgamation of sources that I've found on the internet, magazine articles, and technical books. In video it seems that there are eight answers to any one problem, I just want to provide the students the best solution for them.

Workflow - Workflow Home

Minor niggle: using Safari as a browser on a Mac, the drop down text for the items that contain no info at this time AND the resource links are encroaching upon the menu bar at the top.

As Shaun points out the site lacks most of the content slated in the menus so it's too early to give any relevant critiques.

It's a good concept, consolidate common information into a singular source but you may find the task more daunting than expected. When I gathered all the materials for the MacHDWorkshop I put together last year (which may come back again later this year) it took months of compiling all the info I had stuck in my head along with info I published for clients or on the web. Even then it was a huge task to then create a natural flowing structure so that the info was easily found and naturally resolved into it's sub-categories. (whew).

Keep up the work and hit us up again when it's more than 3/4th's completed.

What would be an AWESOME online resource, would be a site that tests/reviews and gives suggestions on the usage of the the various video codecs on the market right now. There was a site that did this a while back, but it's very outdated now.

You'll be getting your wish soon, Mitchell. Keep an eye out for "Go-Go-Godzilla" to rear it's ugly green web-site in the near future.

As far as the older site you referred to: I believe the owner of the site and his wife hit the lottery - literally - and he's given up his gear and clients to live the high-life in quiet seclusion. That's the word on the street anyway.

Wow, if I hit the lottery, I'd buy more gear... and then shoot whatever I wanted to, with non-Royalty Free music JUST to have lawyers to talk to on a regular basis... <tongue planted FIRMLY in cheek... well, at least about the Royalty Free part>

Have you considered using MediaWiki instead of whatever it is your using to build that site? It's easier on the eyes, encourages collaboration and is something any kid of today is already familiar with.

MediaWiki

-Noah

Thanks for the input on the site. I'm still working on it when I get some free time, hopefully I'll be done soon. If you have any comments or requests, just post them here!

To be honest, it's a mess.

Where are the work-flows?? I just see a bunch of random facts and confused definitions. There's nothing there that would help a student navigate their way through a production. Sorry, but I think you need to start again and be clear about what you need to explain to students.

Hi Liam.

This is a work in progress. I had hoped to be further along at this point, but just haven't had the time lately. The workflows are coming, but not in the way you think.

The workflows won't be as simple as: do [process #1], then [process #2], and [process #3] to make a DVD. While this is a straightforward and simple way to get students to make a DVD, we want students to understand why they are doing those steps in the process.

For example we want to express to the students that they can manipulate the DVD encode settings to obtain better image quality. And in doing so, they need to understand bitrate, GOP settings, dialogue normalization, interlace/deinterlace, etc.