DoingMedia

(This three part post is the content of my presentation at DocTrain West on May 5, 2008 in Vancouver, BC. You can view the presentation here.)

It’s not enough to create a manual or job aid in today’s “instant media” environment. Today’s employees have grown up with and expect a rich media experience wherever they are. Your audience expects to be engaged and stimulated by the media they consume.

OK, so now what? How do create those rich media materials and experiences. Let’s take a look at how this all came about, Then we can tackle the techniques, tools and technologies you can use to get the job done. We’ll wrap up with a look at what’s to come.

Cheap. Good. Fast.

We may actually have hit the point when we don’t have to choose cheap or fast or good. We can almost get all three.

The cost of technology has dropped so much that creating rich media is in everyone’s hands. (But that’s another problem.) The stuff that enables today’s video cameras are tracking Moore’s Law pretty closely. The CCDs (Charge Coupled Devices) that make the pictures, the LCDs that display the pictures, even the chips and processors have enabled very powerful features. Fifteen years ago you couldn’t get the same quality picture or all the features of today’s $300 camera for less than $20,000.

The hardware advances have created a playground for software developers. The big enabler has been compression math. The theory had been figured out a decade or so ago but today’s fast processors and fast hard drives have made it viable. And the same technology advances have led to user interfaces that can be made simpler and less complex. So, let’s see. We’ve covered Cheap and Good. How about Fast?

There’s no way to speed up electrical signals. But we’re able to pack more information into the wires so things seem faster. Sending compressed digital signals over coaxial cable or fiber optics or over the air has led to the Hundred(s) Channels of programming
our homes. Digital television will make more or higher quality channels available to more people. But it can’t compete with cable or DSL or satellite. A little more than a third of the U.S. and almost half of Canada have broadband internet (and digital TV) delivered by cable television wires.

But what about wireless? Direct Satellite can transmit signals pretty quickly but it depends on standard telephone to receive instructions about what to send. Closer to home we have the various cellular telephone networks and, on the horizon, wide WiFi coverage. The “small screen” as the industry refers to telephones and PDA is the delivery platform for the future. It makes since nearly everyone has a telephone.

There is one more thing driving the rich media revolution. People. As businesses see the new opportunities there is a rush to control the “pipes” and the content inside them. The music industry has seen this as a threat and the motion picture industry doesn’t want to get caught flat-footed like they did when VCRs became standard household appliances. Broadcast television is also a big player. But it’s media consolidation that is having a big effect. Deregulation of the media landscape has been a contributing factor. But it’s not that just fewer companies are owning more media properties. It’s because they are.

Consumers are challenging the status quo. Ordinary people can now be creators of content that can be seen internationally almost immediately. Try that with a movie studio or broadcaster! Ultimately, its the bits and bytes and boxes that have made it possible but it’s people who have seen the possibilities.

But Nothing’s Changed

Even with all the changes technology has brought the basic discipline for rich media remains the same. We still need to pay attention to our audiences’ needs and the program or segment’s message and goals. Key to the audience’s needs are accessibility concerns like subtitling, translation or enabling screen readers or pointing devices. And key to the message and goal are evaluation. How did the program do?
Web server logs provide some information but more detailed information about how the audience feels about the media has to be gathered some other way.

Plan, Plan, Plan

Like most things, rich media starts with a plan. An outline of the program is a starting point but written scripts and storyboards may be needed to share the concept with team members. Creating media is not a “Gee, I’ve got a barn, let’s put on a show!” effort. A production schedule and, in some cases, a budget, will be needed to know what’s happening when.

The best Hollywood motion pictures are simple stories. That’s a good lesson to remember. Keep the language simple. Break down technical language into plain English, even for experienced audiences. People are used to having conversations not be spoken at so keep it conversational.

Simple picture composition, making the main subject the center of attention, helps keep the audience focused. Sound is similar; use what is necessary to explain the concept but keep the complicated audio mixes for your next CD release.When you put together your production schedule having just a few locations keeps the project moving and cuts down on dead time. But do what’s right to keep the information authentic; audiences, especially expert audiences catch on quickly when you fake it.Size Matters

There are two kinds of size considerations for rich media. The first is length. Audiences are used to shorter program segments with shorter shots within the segments. Blame music videos. But keeping segments short and focused on one main topic makes it easier to repurpose. The second size consideration is height and width or screen size. Smaller screens mean that your main subject must be larger in the frame shot using close-ups. Delivery of rich media is moving to smaller and smaller screens. What might have worked on a 26 inch television probably won’t work on a cell phone screen.

Classic cinematic editing techniques are your best friend. Current media creation software enables all sorts of special effects. They are not your friend. Use the most appropriate framing for each shot based on your goal for the program. Use basic transitions likes cuts and dissolves. Even if audiences are used to shorter shots and faster pacing, shot pacing is ultimately dictated by the audience, the subject, your message and goals.

(While you’re at it read Part 2.)