Archive for the 'School' Category

Communications Majors Listen Up!!

Published
by
Anthony Thompson
on October 10, 2008
in Computers, Interesting, Media, Money, Opinion, Rambling, School, Social Networking, Technology, Television and future
. Comments

If you are in college.  If you own your own business.  If you want get yourself out there, you need to listen to this guy, Gary Vaynerchuk.  I’ve been a fan of his for a while now, as many of you know, but here is another video he posted that just punctuates everything I’ve been saying for about a year now.

Every, single, college student. Anyone who is looking to get a job anytime in the next few years, they need to take this to heart. Understand that traditional advertising is going to be hurt in a big way in the next few years. Get on this train, don’t be left behind.

This message in super important to Communications majors. I am a Broadcast Media student at the University of Central Missouri.  We need to be paying a lot of attention to the Social Media movement.  The changes in advertising that are coming, the changes in how media is produced and distributed.  Everything will change.  True, traditional advertising and media will be around for a long time to come, but those traditional methods are going to slowly and steadily lose their effectiveness.  We need to be paying attention to this.

One More Audio Project

Published
by
Anthony Thompson
on April 28, 2008
in Projects and School
. Comments

This is the last audio project I have for you guys.  This is an 60 second Audible commercial.  Personally, it came out pretty good and the music in the back works.  Agree?  Disagree?  Tell me what I did right or what I should have done better.  I want your opinions, I do.

The music is “Westside” by pingnews.  I really like what it adds to my voice.  Kudos pingnews, you do good work.

Final Animation Project

Published
by
Anthony Thompson
on April 28, 2008
in Projects and School
. Comments

Final as in the final assignment for my Multimedia II class, not final as in final ever.  The following embedded video is “Creepy Doll.”  It is based from the Jonathan Coulton song and has been properly accredited (I hope).  Please, let me know what you think, leave comments, give me feedback, share with your friends.  It would mean a lot.  Thanks for watching.


Creepy Doll from Anthony T. on Vimeo.

Another Project

Published
by
Anthony Thompson
on April 21, 2008
in Projects and School
. Comments

This is another project for my Audio I class.  We were assigned to do a 30 second commercial with music or sound effects.  I decided to go with music in the background.  It took a while, but I think the music I chose did an okay job.  I couldn’t really think of anything better that would have worked, but truthishly, I only looked for a little while this morning.

The rhythm of my speech turned out really good and I like the speed of delivery.  If I am wrong or you disagree, let me know.  I welcome criticism and use it to my own benefit.

The music is Untitled 4 by teru.  It was found on ccMixter.org.  There, that should fulfill the Attribution part of the CC license.  I realize the commercial is for a commercial company, but the use of the music won’t make me any money, so that should be okay in terms of non-commercial.

I will keep trying

Published
by
Anthony Thompson
on April 9, 2008
in Opinion, School, Self Realization, Technology and Television
. Comments

On March 14, 2008, I posted something in the Facebook’s UCM Network discussion forums about the lack of technological opportunities on the University of Central Missouri’s campus.  Now, my ideas have evolved since then and I am currently scheduled to meet with a member of the IT department on campus tomorrow.  There I will discuss what new tech-based programs are being implemented or about to be implemented on campus and possible future projects.  Well, the Facebook discussion has gone from blah to blah.  My latest post, I will quote here.

Wifi is great all around campus. However, the Help Desk does not officially support Windows Vista and has no instructions on connecting Vista machines to the wifi network. This I see as a mistake as more students adopt it with newer computers. There is also no support for Windows Mobile devices, a rapidly increasing market share in mobile devices, including cell phones.

Tuition at UCM increased by about 10% over the last financial aid reward year. You are telling me that about another $1200 per student covered installing wifi in the dorms? That comes out to about 10 million extra dollars over the next financial aid reward year. Yes, I realize this is a drastically simplistic POV, presuming all students pay out-of-pocket for tuition. Regardless, where is that money going?

If you can give me a detailed list of where every single dollar is going on this campus, then fine, I will shut my mouth about the piss poor technology opportunities this campus affords its students. Until then, I will keep on trying to get this campus into the 21st century.

To be completely honest, I am surprised at the lack of motivation or desire in this field. I would figure that most of the students would see and embrace new technologies and their possible applications in education.

No matter what your degree field is, the Internet, converging media, emerging technologies, along with a shrinking world is part of our future. Students at this institution need to realize that so many of the business models that are around today will either be gone or completely changed in our lifetime. Not to mention incoming freshman’s lifetime. It shouldn’t matter how much you pay for tuition, if you are being prepared for the future, you aren’t getting your money’s worth.

My goal is merely to help guide students into a changing and evolving world. If my fellow student doesn’t want that, I’m going to keep trying anyway.

I will NOT get discouraged.  For the love of god, I can’t.  This is IMPORTANT.  I just know it is.  I refuse to accept the fact that I am going to an institution that lulls its students into a false sense of security that things aren’t changing because they pay a low tuition rate.  There have to be other students on campus that feel the same way.  There has to be students who see the future in much the same way I do.  There are so many changes that are just around the corner and many of the previous education and business models will be completely changed by them.  Students who are there to live and breath on that cusp will come out the other side ready and more willing to embrace and understand that change.

My personal degree field is about to be changed forever in a way that so many people aren’t going to see coming until it is too late to do anything about it.  Broadcasting is shifting in such a way that conventional television is look nothing like it once did.  We can already see some of these changes happening.  All of the major networks have their popular programming online.  Hulu.com, YouTube, Vimeo, Viddler, et cetera are just the beginning of a digital revolution.  The turnkey moment is about to happen on February 17, 2009.  The switch to digital over-the-air broadcasts will go down as a defining moment in broadcasting history.  When the change happens, it won’t actually change a whole lot, but at the same time it will and has been changing everything.  Most broadcasters already send out a digital signal as it is, but before the 02/17/09 changeover, the public as a mass whole wasn’t that aware of what was going on.  Now, they are forced to be thrown into the thick of it.  This will, VERY slowly, bring an awareness of change into the mind of the average viewer.  Once this happens, things will change and change in ways that will only be foreseeable to those right there on the edge and ready to jump.

Now, I admit.  I could be wrong.  Conventional businesses could be around for another hundred years without drastically changing.  I could be wasting my efforts and maybe I should be focusing on something more conventional.

I just don’t think so.

Ok

Published
by
Anthony Thompson
on April 1, 2008
in Opinion, School and Technology
. Comments

People, I will beseech you.  You need to do one of two things.

  1. You need to register with Twitter and follow garyvee, OR
  2. You need to subscribe to the RSS feed of garyvaynerchuk.com.

This man is amazing and has been totally motivating me.  Usually, I’m not the kind of person to gush about another human being, but Mr. Vaynerchuk has been cranking out a WL.TV and a GV.com video damn-near every day.  His message is one that, I think, really speaks to a person in the modern world.  Messages like establishing your personal brand and the like.

It is really becoming more and more obvious to me that personal barriers are breaking down and the Internet, social networks, online distribution of media is changing everything.  Perhaps not immediately, but there are a lot of business models that are in trouble and need to either change or die in the next ten to fifteen years.  The music, movie, news, and education industries need to change.  We can’t sit back and watch things flow by us anymore.  We need to be in the thick of it.  At the very least, we need to float along and immerse ourselves in the vast ocean that is the future.  I would rather swim ahead and be at the mouth of the river, but that is for another time.

Some of you may know that I have been trying (slowly and unsuccessfully) to get the neo-Luddites at the University of Central Missouri to listen to some ideas I have to help bring the university into the modern age.  I have many ideas that I would love to share with the university and see them implemented, but it seems that change is something that the faculty and students are afraid of.  A university should be the LAST place afraid of expanding technologically.  I really think that the fear is a result of the past.  That feeling of security that en-wraps you when you have something that works and are too afraid to implement that newer system that works better and provides more options.

Being technologically behind must be true at many other universities and we must do something about it.  University tuition is rising every semester by at least 5 percent, and for what?  I have seen nary a change on campus to warrant such flagrant rape of the student.  If I am going to be paying more for less, then why shouldn’t the campus release a detailed list, every semester, of where that money is going and why it is going there.  I would lay money down that this would make students think twice about just giving their money away to an institution that doesn’t think the ideas of its students is worth a damn.

Then again, perhaps I should try harder.  Any help or suggestions would be appreciated.

Another Project

Published
by
Anthony Thompson
on March 24, 2008
in Media, Projects and School
. Comments

I am in the midst of another project for Audio I.  This is a two and a half to three minute newscast.  Take a listen and let me know what you think of it.  I have another week to work on it, so any advice you guys give me, I will probably implement next Monday during my lab time.  Please, let me know what you think of it.  PLEASE.

Animation Project

Published
by
Anthony Thompson
on March 5, 2008
in Media, Projects and School
. Comments

Here is the animation project I did for Multimedia II. Keep in mind I have never used After Effects before and we are pretty much only covering the basics of animating with AE. I hope you find this at least a little amusing.

A Couple of Quicks

Published
by
Anthony Thompson
on March 3, 2008
in Media, School and Social Networking
. Comments

I have a couple of things to talk about. First, I created an event on Pownce to which only my Pownce friends are invited. If you aren’t on Pownce, leave a comment explaining why. Though, you should go to the site and decide whether or not you want to be a part of the Pownce community. Anyway, if you aren’t a Powncer, we can work something out.

Second, I created a commercial that I know at least a couple of you might appreciate. I will post it at the end for you to hear. Please, comment and let me know what you think of it. Please, be honest. I would really like to know how crappy/well I am doing in terms of my ability to talk into a microphone. I will get my grade on my PSA (not posted) tomorrow, I think, so we’ll see what a professional thinks of me. Well, I think that is all for now.

I am a sucker for tech.

Published
by
Anthony Thompson
on January 18, 2008
in Interesting, School and Technology
. Comments

Well, I’ll go into that, but I did tell you I would let you guys know how my classes are going.  Like I said, I won’t know how my schedule will really feel when I am working, but so far, I think things will go well.

I am taking four courses this semester.  For those of you out of the college mind-set or just plain don’t care, that is 12 credit hours.  It is on the low end of a schedule, but for me with work and life, it is manageable.  Those four courses are: Multimedia II, Screenplay Writing, Audio Production I, and US History From 1877.  The first three, I will much enjoy it appears.  The US History, I just want to be over.  I’ve taken enough history courses, I know it, I’m good.

Multimedia II is all about animation.  We are starting off with GIF (apparently pronounced ‘jif’ as in jiffy *shrugs*) animation which I am already a little familiar with, so that should be fun.  We will eventually move into feature animation, I’m presuming like on Family Guy or the like before the CG additions. This one, I am looking forward to, it should be fun.

Screenplay Writing is just that, a course about writing screenplays.  ‘Nuff said.  Should still be a lot of fun if I let my imagination run its course.

Audio Production I is going to be an interesting learning experience with some fun on the side.  I have to write, record, edit, and produce my own commercials.  I have done a little of this using Audacity, the open source audio editor, but now I’ll be using Adobe Audition 2 (yes, I know there is a 3, but colleges are cheap).  From what the instructor showed us, it acts enough like Audacity for me to be dangerous.  In addition to the software, we will be using a mix console and a bunch of other types of tech equipment.  I’m excited to play around with all this stuff.  Normally, I hate the sound of my own voice, but I will guarantee you that by the end of the semester, I’m not gonna be one of those people anymore.  If you guys are interested, I will post my audio projects here (and maybe the grade I got on them) and have you guys tell me what you think.

Two of my classes are held in a Mac Lab that just got all new Mac Pros, so they all have Leopard on them.  I am excited because I get to play with Leopard, but on the down side, I will rarely get enough free time to just sit and play with the OS when I should be doing my projects, but dammit, I vow I will find time.  What little I did play with it, though, I liked.  I just wish I had my own Mac so I could get down and dirty (platonic, of course) with it.  I guess I’ve always been a sucker for Macs and many of Apple’s products for a long while now.  Since my days editing a few episodes of a season of The Tying Bench on a Mac G4 with Final Cut Pro 3, I have been in a weird sort of love with the Mac OS.  I suppose this accounts for my want of the iPhone and my purchase of an iPod.  My work to convince my wife of purchasing a Mac for her and a separate Mac for myself is a long, arduous, and on-going process.  This also accounts for why I watch all of Steve Jobs’s keynote speeches as I can find out about.  The most recent, obviously, was at the Macworld 2008 Expo.  The keynote speech can be found here.  I will warn you that unless you have an hour and a half to kill, maybe you should go to this Engadget post that covers everything Mr. Jobs talked about in his keynote.

I won’t cover everything that he talked about, but I will say that I like the Macbook Air.  Personally, it isn’t enough of a machine for me, but I can definitely see how it can be extremely useful to those who could use that kind of portability.  In case you don’t know, the Macbook Air is a super thin notebook that is .78 inches at the thickest to .16 inches at the thinnest.  It houses an 80Gb HDD that is the same kind used in the iPods with an option to upgrade to a 64GB Solid State HDD (SSD).  This means you can essentially have a hard disk that never has to spin up.  As soon as the SSD gets power, it is ready to read and write data.  The option is expensive apparently, but very neat.  The screen is a 13.3″ LCD screen with an LED backlight and an ambient light sensor in the camera that will turn on the LED backlight for the full-size keyboard.  The LED backlights are cool because they will consume much less power than the standard backlight for an LCD, turn on and off much faster, and if done properly, can provide a much crisper, cleaner screen image.  The battery life Apple is touting for this thing is around 5 hours with the wifi card on and active browsing and use.  Personally, I will bet the life is actually around 2-3 hours, but I might be proven wrong.  The Macbook Air does not have an optical drive built into it.  The argument is that, really, the user won’t miss it.  If the use of an optical drive is really needed, you can buy a USB-powered SuperDrive for $99 or use the special software that will (and this is really cool to me) use the optical drive of another machine, be it Mac or PC, as the Air’s own drive.  I guess it kinda sets up a way that you temporarily turn an optical drive into a network drive.  Pretty cool, I think.  If I had $1799 to blow and had all I wanted in terms of computers, then I might get one.  I would really like one of the new Mac Pros with the dual quad-core Intel Penryn chips.  That would be sweet, but a super portable Macbook Air for classes would be super sweet as well.

The one thing that I don’t like that Apple is doing is charging current iPod Touch users $20 for the new software upgrades that will add more functionality to the Touch, but if you have an iPhone, you will get those same updates and more for… you guessed it… free.  One more reason to give the iPod Touch a middle finger and go with the iPhone. You could also buy one of the new factory iPod Touches that will have the new software, but really… why?  The iPhone does more and from what I’ve read, has better touch sensitivity anyway.

I think that’s enough for now.  I think my classes are going to go very well, I’m going to enjoy the majority of this semester and I’m going to spend a while wishing I had a lot more disposable income.  Though, I think a lot of us do the latter.

I hope the next keynote announces a 3G iPhone.  Lexy will have her hands full as soon as that is announced, I promise you that.  Though, at the rate Apple’s going, we may see a fourth generation cellular standard by the time the 3G iPhone arrives.  Especially with the 700Mhz spectrum auction coming up.