Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
of the internet is important in developing an engaging and effective Web
portfolio. Embarking on multimedia design projects requires the designer and
developer to call on several different applications to create the final multimedia
product. We can get caught up the frenzy of new applications and toolkits,
eventually completely confused, or worse, using the wrong tools and never
getting the project finished. You will need plenty of time exploring multimedia
applications in order to build a strong, varied skill set. To give you some insight
into multimedia application choices, I have provided a matrix with a view of
multimedia applications and what they can help you create. There are many
more software packages to list with regards to multimedia applications. But, I
wanted to list the ones most useful to Web portfolio development and the most
accessible in cost and learning curves.
The Multimedia Process
We have addressed the multimedia design process in this topic. The Web
portfolio contains text, graphics, animation, and sound. That qualifies the Web
portfolio as a multimedia project. The multimedia development process is
basically the same process. The only exceptions are that we are not editing and
preparing video. Otherwise, we created a concept, a content list, a content
outline, storyboards, collected the assets, and designed screens in Fireworks.
We then started development of the Web site using a Web authoring tool,
Dreamweaver. Next, we will be adding animation and audio. To do this, we will
use Adobe Audition and Flash. So, to create the Web portfolio, we need to use
at least four to five applications. That is why teams typically handle multimedia
projects. Each team may have an audio person, and animation person, a video
editor, a programmer, a graphic artist, a digital imaging specialist, and a project
manager who acts like a producer. Unfortunately, we do not have a team to
work on our Web portfolio, but we will be empowering ourselves and building
our skills while working towards completing an important career project.
Motion Graphics Defined
Motion graphics guru Hillman Curtis (Curtis, 2000, p. 01:04) describes motion
as a universal language and he states his own communication theory in parallel
with that of Marshall McLuhan. Curtis describes the notion that the
motion is
