Adding Creative Commons Video Footage to DoInk Videos

I've recently had people asking how to get Creative Commons licensed video footage downloaded, for use with the DoInk Green Screen app on their iPads.  I haven't had time to create a screencast or attractive visual that answers the question, but here is one process that has worked well for me. I'll be posting a Job Aid here within the next few weeks.

1.  Go to https://search.creativecommons.org

2.  Type in a search term for the background you seek (ex. Ocean)

3.  Uncheck the box for "commercial use" and leave the box checked for "modify, adapt, build upon"

4.  On the right, toggle advanced settings and uncheck the box next to "Photos," while leaving "Videos" checked.

5.  IMPORTANT:  On the left, next to "Safe Search On," toggle the left-most arrow to select one of the following:  

•   Modifications Allowed
•   No Known Copyright Restrictions or 
•   US Government Works

6.  View footage with the play arrows.  

7.  Click on a video to select it.  Scroll down to view and jot down the attribution information (or use the ImageCodr or Flickr CC Attribution tools to generate an attribution that you can add to your video).

8,  When you find footage with the Creative Commons license you want, select the download symbol (a downward pointing arrow) on the right and save the video to your PC. 

9.  Convert the file to a .mov  (I'm not sure why the .mp4 format was not working in the DoInk app on my iPad, since it is a supported format, but it wasn't).

10.  Upload the .mov file to Google Drive or DropBox.  From there, you can open the video directly from the DoInk Green Screen app by selecting the "video" option (the icon of a filmstrip), "locations," and either Google Drive or Drop Box. 

How to Solder Surface Mounted LEDs in Paper Circuits

The video below is cross-posted with BlingtheBook.blogspot.com.

DoInk Green Screen Job Aid

I'm gearing up for another Green Screen workshop at RETN, so I thought I'd share this updated job aid.   Do Ink Green Screen Job Aid (Revised 2 Mar 2016)

 (Updated 2 Mar 16)

ReMEDIAtion: Transforming Your Own Videos into Animation Using DoInk Apps

Transforming Videos into Animation Using DoInk Apps

For the second week of the Connected Learning MOOC (#clmooc), we were challenged to try new tools to engage with remixing and transforming media from one form into another. 

I ended up using a feature of the DoInk Animation and Drawing App that I hadn't used before, allowing me to create animations from my own video clips!

In the process, my first draft of The Dog Days of Summer was born.  Over the past week, I've added some animations to it and tweaked the audio so that it gradually fades in and out.  Here is the link to the final cut:   "The Dog Days of Summer:  Final Cut."

Several people requested that I create a tutorial on how I created my video, so I've done so and shared it here.  In the interest of brevity, I didn't record an audio track to accompany my screen cast.  I hope that the visuals are self-explanatory.  If I can clear up any confusion, please let me know.

I chose my dog as the subject, because it was easy to record footage of him doing the things that dogs do. The process of drawing him frame by frame for hours on end was cathartic, launching me into a full state of flow.

A 25 Word Story Told with Animated Paper Circuitry

All of the sharing that's been happening during the first week of #clmooc has got me thinking more deeply about the roles of identity, connection, curation, and the ways that we portray ourselves in the myriad settings of our lives.  When we put ourselves out into the world, we are attempting to communicate and connect with others, but we may not always be successful.  Sometimes, we may feel like our words are disappearing into cyberspace. Other times, we might be hoping for a sign that our message has been received, by looking to the outside world for validation that what we have to say has value beyond our selves.  I suspect that for some, social media may even lead to alienation in the pursuit of authentic human connection.  I am grateful to #clmooc for explicitly inviting participants to reflect on issues like this as we explore and consciously create our connected learning community.

I decided to turn my latest paper circuit into an animated #25wordstory, which came to me when I started thinking about the paradox of social media.  I am interested in the intersection between paper circuitry and story-telling, to get myself thinking and expressing in new ways.

To create the video, I used the DoInk Green Screen and Drawing/Animation apps and iMovie.

Paper Circuitry and Animation

I have been captivated by paper circuitry and e-textiles since last summer, when I first started learning about soft circuits.  Using conductive thread or copper tape with LEDs to create objects that light up makes me extraordinarily happy, even if it hasn't necessarily contributed to my becoming a better writer, yet.  

While I have been deepening my exploration with soft circuits in my personal life, and by teaching a few workshops here and there, I am particularly interested in thinking more deeply about ways that this interest of mine can be integrated into content area teaching.  I want to know whether paper circuitry can help me and my future students become better thinkers, writers, and communicators.

I'd like to hear from other educators about how you have used paper circuitry to help upper middle to high school students communicate ideas or tell stories. 

Today, while I was thinking about this, I had an idea that could have some promise.  Rather than leaving my circuit hidden in a notebook, I decided to use it in a digital animation.   

Here's How I Did It:
This video is an app smash of iMovie, DoInk Greenscreen, and DoInk Drawing and Animation. I started by recording footage of a drawing of two cars in the middle of a road, with blinking headlights powered by a paper circuit.  I imported this clip into the DoInk Greenscreen app.  Next, I took a photo of the drawing and used Pixlr photo editer to remove the background from one of the cars, saving it as a transparent PNG file.  I imported the PNG file into the DoInk Drawing and Animation app and created a new composition, making the photograph appear to move.  I added the text by creating another animation.  I imported these compositions as new layers within the Greenscreen app, uploaded the final video to camera roll, and added audio within iMovie.

Reflection on Dynamic Landscapes 2015

At the beginning of the year, I listed some goals for myself.  One was to actively practice stepping outside of my comfort zone by teaching workshops for adults, with the ultimate goal of presenting at a conference.  I am happy to report that I achieved this goal over the past two days at Dynamic Landscapes!

While this is something that I'd been wanting to do for some time, I'd been reluctant about presenting to an audience of colleagues. The thought that teachers can be some of the toughest critics was not helping; I was terrified to make myself the center of attention for an adult audience.  With the support and encouragement of other educators, I was able to overcome my fears; I am grateful to Joanne Finnegan and Doug Dunbebin for helping me make the leap.  Thanks to you both for taking this journey with me.

Although I wish that I hadn't been clutching my notes so tightly during my introduction,  my first presentation, "Radical Remixing with Creative Commons," went better than I had hoped.

I was lucky to have a supportive, curious audience of about 15 people. If I'd had more time, I would have shown more examples of places to find Creative Commons licensed media.  My presentation highlighted Flickr as a go-to resource, but there are many other resources for remixing that educators can explore.   Perhaps, I will design and share another presentation that focuses more broadly on Creative Commons resources across the web.

My second presentation, "Delving into DoInk:  Adding Animation to Green Screen Videos to Tell Your Story," was for a slightly larger audience (22 people).  Although the space was not quite large enough to accommodate that many people, all trying to record video and audio at the same time (it was quite loud), I enjoyed this workshop even more.  Unlike the first presentation, which was less interactive, this one was a two-hour hands-on session, allowing me to circulate and talk to people as they practiced and played on their own.  I prefer this type of teaching to the "stand up and yammer" model.  Teaching other teachers in this type of setting is not much different from the way I teach kids, so I felt comfortable.

As a result of this experience, and my desire to continually improve my practice, I am going to be submitting another proposal for VT Fest, coming up in November.  I am grateful to Vita Learn for their support of educators' professional growth.

Delving into DoInk: Upcoming Workshops

Doug Dunbebin and I are going to be teaching an introductory green screen workshop at RETN on 1 July, 23 September, and 11 November. To learn more, or to register, please visit

http://www.retn.org/GreenScreen101 and select "iPad Workshops and Labs" from the "Upcoming Events" sidebar. 

#ETT Google Jamboree Application

The start of a new year is always a great time for reflection and goal setting.  This year, an open invitation to apply for one of the 200 free #ETTGoogle Jamboree slots nudged me into action.

In the process of brainstorming some desired outcomes--and direct actions that I'd need to take-- in order to make 2015 the best year for my students' learning, I created an animated infographic that showcases my plan for the year!

I started by creating the image that you see below, by playing with the Grafio app.   This took much longer that I'd expected, because my first attempts lacked cohesion and were too distracting to depict a concerted attempt at focused reflection.  (FLOG Alert:  If I'd spent more time pre-writing, I wouldn't have had to make so many revisions on the graphic!)  

The addition of a photograph, depicting my latest e-textile, required that I create a new project!  I'll be the first to admit that this hat is not as neat as it could be.  My stitches are large and unwieldy.  But, wasn't it the insightful Voltaire who advised that perfection is the enemy of finished...or something like that? Just for kicks, I coded the tune, "Don't Stop Believing," and upload it to my hat.  (See my application video below.)



After completing the graphic, I decided that I'd be happier with it if I added some movement.  This I accomplished by using the props in DoInk animation.  Once I was satisfied, I imported the clip into iMovie, added a tune that I created on Garage Band, and voila!  It was this video that I submitted as my final application.

The animated version may be viewed above (but it's easier to see at full-screen).

While I am hopeful that I will be one of the lucky few selected to attend the conference, the time I invested in the application will serve me and my students well in 2015, as well as allowing me to put my money where my mouth is.

Update:  I'm Going!  I'm SO excited!

Post Reflection

Jamming Out with Garage Band and Do Ink (Again!)

I love making music in Garage Band!

I made another animated music video using  Garage Band and the Do Ink Drawing/Animation and Green Screen apps today.  I'd been wanting to test out the sampler feature on Garage Band, to create my own spooky ghost sound, so I did and then used it to build my spooky song around it.  I am convinced that many students would get a huge kick out of creating their own music and animations, too!  I would love to do this with a group of kids!

This time, I experimented with creating one of my own original animations, rather than simply using the props provided by the Do Ink Drawing/ Animation app.   More specifically, I created my own moving spider and added it as an overlay on my credits page!  It was intuitive enough that I plan to make more of my own animations in the future! 

Here is the YouTube link, in case you have difficulty viewing it above.

My First Garage Band Composition!

                     

       Oh, How I Love the Fall!

Yesterday was a blustery, rainy day, which made it perfect for playing!  I used the gift of time to explore Garage Band on my iPad and ended up composing a song that made me think of our glorious autumns in Vermont.  Hence, "How I Love the Fall" became the musical soundtrack for a silly video animation that I made to accompany the song. Although students in a classroom setting don't always have the luxury of white space or creative incubation time during their school days, a project like this could be a rewarding creative activity for students in a variety of content areas. Over time, students could be invited to create a piece of music inspired by a historical document, photograph, poem, or a piece of art that they've created.  They could even work in small groups. Click the arrow above to view my music video on YouTube.  I used original photography for the backdrop and added the animations using the DoInk Animation and Drawing and Greenscreen apps.

This little shout-out certainly made my day!

AppSmashing: DoInk Animation + DoInk Green Screen + iMovie + GarageBand http://t.co/xLfBsHuBFM by @Switchback42 "Why I Love the Fall"
— Karen Miller (@Kdmiller4) September 21, 2014

Green Screen with the DoInk App

During my second day at the CreateMakeLearn.org conference in Burlington (July 15-18), I got to experiment with a Green Screen under the expert guidance of  Dr. Wes Fryer and Doug Dunbebin of RETN.

I used the DoInk green screen and DoInk animation apps to create this example.

This video is not a finished project, but it is the first time that I've created a green screen video.

I'm excited about the way that DoInk allows you to add animations as an additional layer!