Introduction:
What is multimedia?
The problem with definitions is that
they tend to define.
It may be more productive to ask what
multimedia can do. So one thing we will do is explore
a multitude of examples of multimedia in the course.
Since the syllabus mentions a definition,
here goes:
"Multimedia
is the combined use of multiple media such as text, graphics,
sound, animation, and video in a coherently integrated product.
"
A multimedia product is made up of many
ingredients. Each product has its own set of requirements. But
a logical progression of tasks creates a formula for success.
The final product is only as good as the process that created
it.
For our purposes, the actual creation
of that product will be referred to as multimedia
authoring, and the authoring system of choice will be Director
7. An authoring system is a
program which has pre-programmed elements for the development
of interactive multimedia. Authoring systems vary widely in orientation,
capabilities, and learning curve. We will be learning to use
Director in the context of this class. Authoring is actually
just a speeded-up form of programming; you don't need to know
the intricacies of a programming language, or worse, an
API, but you do need to understand how programs work.
A minimalist description of multimedia
is that it is a new means of publishing information. This course
will look at the three phases of the production cycle- preproduction
( the planning and design phase), production (the actual creation
and assembly of the product), and post-production (testing and
distribution issues).
Before you do anything else, surf to
this
site and bookmark it. You will find it to be the ultimate
Director resource, even better than Macromedia's
site, IMHO.
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