Thing 5 - Reflective blog
My reflections so far -
Thing3
Prior to commencing this course when drafting a flyer, pamphlet or booklet I would have googled pictures to use without fully understanding or considering the implications of using the material of others. Creative Commons offers easy to understand information to the copyright novice.
Whilst completing these exercises I have discovered many useful tips and tools.The tool I most like is Pixabay. Pixabay is a wonderful "copyright safe" database of images. Using Pixabay I found an image which is CC0 Creative Commons endorsed. I uploaded this image to Flickr and attached one of my favourite inspirational quotes thus completing thing3.
Thing4
PhotoFunia is a visual-based tool for creating maximum impact. The user can insert their own photo into the imaginative templates and add text to create new original fun images to save or share on social media. It's simple and easy to use. I generated two images inserting one into my blog (thing3) and uploading the other to Flickr.
However, my preference would be for a Canva as it allows the user more freedom and flexibility in choosing length of script, font size, background colour, and image. I posted my chosen image to twitter although I do feel that a more colourful image may have had greater visual impact.
Quik is the second app I used during "thing4". It is extremely user-friendly. You can select a minimum of five photos or a previously shot video, and then customise your chosen media. Adding text, selecting music and altering the speed are among the options available to you. It's an effective way of producing an instructional clip. I decided to construct a step-by-step guide in the form of a short video. I uploaded the completed video to YouTube and then insert it into my blog (thing3).
Thing5
For "thing5" I decided to use an iPad friendly app to produce my presentation. I chose VideoScribe Anywhere from Sparkol Ltd.This app is only available on the app store for iOS devices. The intuitive features work well, the user can upload photos, logos etc, add text, then voice or music which VideoScribe sketches to create your story. The user can share their completed presentations using credits, which are given free initially, thereafter the user can choose to unlock for a nominal fee. Effectively, the occasional user can "pay as you go" with a single video output. VideoScribe Anywhere is a different product to the desktop version. VideoScribe-Sparkol offers a 7-day free trial, following this trial you are invited to make payment/subscription choices which would suit the indefinite user. To view my presentation click thing5
Although I chose to work on this occasion with this tablet friendly application, for future projects I will use the desktop web-based software PowToon or Screencast-o-matic. It is crucial to have your storyboard prepared before you start any presentation but I found, particularly if using PowToon reviewing templates initially was helpful in preparing the presentation.
Conclusion
I fully appreciate the impact and importance of the visual now, having completed these three modules. I believe using visual images as part of marketing strategies is very necessary. People's attention will be drawn to a picture/chart/graph or image more readily than a body of text.
It is well documented that when a person is looking for information, for example on a website they will scan quickly the first couple of paragraphs and either move on or make a decision to read more. An image will focus the reader's attention and tells a story whilst also making the information more interesting to view. "A picture paints a thousand words" making for example an infographic a good medium in which to convey a message clearly.
I hope you enjoy exploring and using these inventive tools as much as I did. I am looking forward to moving on to the next step, learning how to use more useful tools along the way.
Thing3
Prior to commencing this course when drafting a flyer, pamphlet or booklet I would have googled pictures to use without fully understanding or considering the implications of using the material of others. Creative Commons offers easy to understand information to the copyright novice.
Whilst completing these exercises I have discovered many useful tips and tools.The tool I most like is Pixabay. Pixabay is a wonderful "copyright safe" database of images. Using Pixabay I found an image which is CC0 Creative Commons endorsed. I uploaded this image to Flickr and attached one of my favourite inspirational quotes thus completing thing3.
Thing4
PhotoFunia is a visual-based tool for creating maximum impact. The user can insert their own photo into the imaginative templates and add text to create new original fun images to save or share on social media. It's simple and easy to use. I generated two images inserting one into my blog (thing3) and uploading the other to Flickr.
However, my preference would be for a Canva as it allows the user more freedom and flexibility in choosing length of script, font size, background colour, and image. I posted my chosen image to twitter although I do feel that a more colourful image may have had greater visual impact.
Quik is the second app I used during "thing4". It is extremely user-friendly. You can select a minimum of five photos or a previously shot video, and then customise your chosen media. Adding text, selecting music and altering the speed are among the options available to you. It's an effective way of producing an instructional clip. I decided to construct a step-by-step guide in the form of a short video. I uploaded the completed video to YouTube and then insert it into my blog (thing3).
Thing5
For "thing5" I decided to use an iPad friendly app to produce my presentation. I chose VideoScribe Anywhere from Sparkol Ltd.This app is only available on the app store for iOS devices. The intuitive features work well, the user can upload photos, logos etc, add text, then voice or music which VideoScribe sketches to create your story. The user can share their completed presentations using credits, which are given free initially, thereafter the user can choose to unlock for a nominal fee. Effectively, the occasional user can "pay as you go" with a single video output. VideoScribe Anywhere is a different product to the desktop version. VideoScribe-Sparkol offers a 7-day free trial, following this trial you are invited to make payment/subscription choices which would suit the indefinite user. To view my presentation click thing5
Although I chose to work on this occasion with this tablet friendly application, for future projects I will use the desktop web-based software PowToon or Screencast-o-matic. It is crucial to have your storyboard prepared before you start any presentation but I found, particularly if using PowToon reviewing templates initially was helpful in preparing the presentation.
Conclusion
I fully appreciate the impact and importance of the visual now, having completed these three modules. I believe using visual images as part of marketing strategies is very necessary. People's attention will be drawn to a picture/chart/graph or image more readily than a body of text.
It is well documented that when a person is looking for information, for example on a website they will scan quickly the first couple of paragraphs and either move on or make a decision to read more. An image will focus the reader's attention and tells a story whilst also making the information more interesting to view. "A picture paints a thousand words" making for example an infographic a good medium in which to convey a message clearly.
I hope you enjoy exploring and using these inventive tools as much as I did. I am looking forward to moving on to the next step, learning how to use more useful tools along the way.
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