aclJohn's Media Finds

Soundcities claims to be the first online open source database of city sounds and soundmaps from around the world, using both "found sounds" and "field recording".

These sounds can be...

• listened to;
• used in presentations on laptops; or
  
• played on mobiles via wireless networks.
  

Users can, because of the sound art project by UK artist Stanza,...

• contribute their own found sounds onto the various soundmaps; or
• create their own soundmap; or
• remix the hundreds of samples rec...

Strip Generator is a free online tool for creating black and white comic strips.

• select the number of frames required;
  
• drag characters and/or objects into the frames

The menus for both characters and objects are fairly extensive...

• Once selected users can adjust the size, of a character or object, to fit their scene.

• Adding text is a simple matter of selecting a speech bubble, double-clicking and typing text.
  

When the comic strip is complet...

I wasn't sure where to put this find as Voisse could fit so many of the sections.

Voisse - a free interactive, media site that lets practitioners and/or learners create their own recordings...

• via their computer; or
• by phone; and
• then share those recordings with others.
  

Could be very handy for...

• audio reflective journals;
• learner/employer voice;
• ePortfolio evidence;
• podcasts; and
• so much more.

Visit http://www.voisse.com/ to find out more.

My first effort is at http:...

Frobee is a flash slideshow maker.

If visitors decide to give it a try, they will find that Frobee supports a wide range of transitions and smart streaming, and that everything is kept in one place; i.e. the created slideshow...

• doesn't require Frobee to link with original files - it all becomes part of the same file.
  
• makes sharing effortless and safe in the sense that users won't ever share something that has become incomplete or obsolete.
  

Further features include the...

• ability t...

Here is one free video editor that practitioners should check out; not just for themselves but for their learners to use before submitting evidence for portfolios.

vReveal is software that offers basic one-click editing for videos allowing users to...

• stabilize,
  
• sharpen and
• clear up blurry videos easily (I know because I've tried it out with a video clip taken by Colin)

Once vReveal has been installed, start by...

• importing videos into the gallery;
• select the video to edit and preview...

Lighting is an extremely important factor in photography.

Sylights is an online tool that helps photographers share their lighting suggestions with other photographers.

Sylights...

• is a free to use web service.
  
• helps people illustrate the position they place the subject within a photograph.
• lets users create a diagram of their photograph setup. Using this technique, users create diagrams that remind them and/or show others how to get the best lighting effect.
  

Users...

• start by sp...

A number of learning providers block video sites like...

• blip.tv,
  
• break.com,
  
• dailymotion.com,
  
• facebook.com,
  
• livevideo.com,
  
• metacafe.com,
  
• myvideo.ch,
  
• myvideo.de,
  
• veoh.com, and
  
• youtube.com

But so many of these sites have video clips that will enhance current teaching & learning.

Media Converter allows users to 'grab' a copy of these clips to use off-line.

Is it legal? In their words...

"This website operates in a grey area. So it is hard to say if it ...

Before you read too much note that this works with Vista and/or Windows 7 only. 

This Flickr Drive tool allows users to browse and edit your photos as if they were located on your own hard-drive.

Users can...

• access features such as drag'n'drop to add photographs to their online Flickr photosets;
• manage photographs by editing tag properties directly in Windows Explorer;
• browse photographs from other Flickr users by adding accounts to the root of the Flickr Drive folder;
• search for photogr...

This Blog entry provides an overview of both...

• Claymation - an animation technique used with clay figures. (Wallace and Gromit) and
• Stopmotion - the original animation technique used to create cartoons. (Using toys -lego for example)

Learning providers, who have used claymation and/or stopmotion teach have found that it teaches learners...

• patience;
• attention to detail;
• photography; and
• communication skills.
  

Learners find that creating both types of movie very rewarding!

The blog c...