EDLD+5363

__Week 1__ As part of my Multimedia and Video class (EDLD 5363), I was asked to create a digital story. It was actually my first one to make, though I have worked with several students making their own digital stories. I enjoyed making this video more than I thought I would, especially considering I didn't feel like I had anything particularly interesting to say. It turns out this story is actually quite special to me, though I didn't know it at first. If the embedded video will not work, try clicking here. media type="youtube" key="A4WxxPLmXHw?fs=1" height="385" width="480"

__Week 2__ Video Editing Software Evaluation: Windows Movie Maker vs. Wax 2.0 When tackling the Week 2 assignment, I selected Windows Movie Maker and Wax 2.0. I selected Windows Movie Maker because I am very familiar with the program and have used it multiple times to create various projects in the past. I selected Wax 2.0 because I was under the impression that it was a pretty straightforward program that I would be able to figure out fairly easily. Both were desirable to me because they are free. I decided to start with Wax 2.0, since I knew the least about the program. Right off the bat I was frustrated with the program. I was unable to upload videos that I had taken of my daughter. I quickly realized that it did not accept .mod files (which is what my camcorder is set to apparently), but to my surprise it also does not accept .wmv files. This was very frustrating, as that means it takes an extra step for me to use Wax 2.0 to edit my videos together. I also found the overall interface quite difficult to navigate. I consider myself a digital native, and I do not want to feel urged to read the instruction manual to figure out how things work. For basic programs anyway, I expect to be able to figure it out myself, and if I can’t then I’ll just move on to something that I can figure out with ease, which is basically what I did. I did not enjoy the 30 minutes spent in the Wax program and will promptly uninstall it from my computer. On the other hand, I had a much more positive experience with Windows Movie Maker. While I have already created several “movies” in Movie Maker, I had actually never used videos or added effects to them in the program before this assignment. I had a particularly good time experimenting with videos of my children, imagining the ways I could document their childhood in creative ways. One of the drawbacks I found with Movie Maker was the need to convert my .mod files into another format. Windows Movie Maker accepts several formats, but unfortunately not this one. Once I was able to convert them into a compatible format, I was very easily able to upload them into the program and start editing. The Movie Maker program steps you through the process very easily with their numbered steps that tell you the activity during each step. After uploading, the next step is to add video effects which were also very simple to add. I also liked the fact that several video effects could be added to a single file with just a few clicks, and including video transitions between clips is just as easy. The variety of choices is impressive, especially for a free program. Previewing any changes helped me realize if I had achieved the desired result immediately. Then finishing up the movie is a very simple process as well. Both programs have pros and cons, but for me Wax 2.0 had too many cons for me to follow through with my project. I found it to be difficult to navigate and use without extensive reading through the instructions. Because I consider myself a “digital native” I am generally able to figure out new software programs with relative ease. For this reason, Windows Movie Maker is definitely my video editor of choice. Vodcast: media type="youtube" key="M2ed_eXygfQ?fs=1" height="385" width="480"