Global Warming Video/ Reflection

**I forgot to cite Postal Service "Sleeping In" as my soundtrack-- THANK YOU to them!!****

(This is also the link to the video on Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YTn67oyxutw

So this is my video... like always, I ran into many issues before finally figuring out how to do it. This is my process:

First, I was out of town at a friend's when I started working on it. I was first working on a Mac computer, which was already a struggle for me since I am NOT efficient with those things. I first browsed through Flickr looking for images I wanted to use, and after downloading about 20 images, realized that 60% of they were .gif files.... which would not work with the movie making application. So, then I switched to another computer (Windows), and downloaded more jpeg files that would actually work with Windows Movie Maker. After I gathered the files I needed, I began looking for songs that would work with my movie. I decided on Postal Services "Sleeping In", pretty much for it's one verse it had about "the world getting warmer"-- and I liked the vibe of it as well. I second guessed myself a little, since it was a more upbeat song, and I didn't know if that would go with the emotion of my presentation (which when watching the finishing product, I now REALLY like it).

Another problem I ran into was transferring what I had worked on out of town back to my computer. I emailed myself the file, thinking that because it was going to transfer a movie maker project to another movie maker, it would work. NOPE. Had to start all over... fortunately I had saved all of my links for the pictures, and didn't have TOO much trouble putting my movie back together, but still a hassle. You'd think I'd learn after awhile!

Anyways, after putting both the music and the pictures into my video, I decided to quote an Al Gore quote at the beginning by webcaming myself saying it. I kind of wish I would have re-recorded it after it was done, because it was late at night when I did it, and I had to talk quitely because everyone was sleeping at my house (lol)... but at least you can hear what I'm saying (I think). After adding these in, I decided it would be important to add in some facts about global warming, and tried using transitions and titles to do so. That didn't work, since you can only write short snippets in Movie Maker. After fiddling around a little bit, I realized I could type out a slide in Powerpoint and save it as a jpeg file, which was then easily imported into movie maker. After adding in all of these elements, it was time to add in my effects, transitions, titles, and credits.

My favorite effect by far was the "ease in" and "ease out" features. I think the pictures by themselves without a zoom was so plain, but when you use those features it gives some life to the video. Also, one of the effects I think worked really well was the ripple effect, which I used on the picture with the fish and toxic waste behind. It made the picture look like it was really in water, which was cool.

I ran into a little bit of trouble with the ending credits, so I ended up using powerpoint again to type out all of my picture creds (there were so many it looked silly without listing them out in PP).

Overall, I do like the final product of my video (besides me talking... I never like that!). I'm disappointed in myself that I was late with it again, but with all the troubles I had I'm proud that I stuck it out and finished. Hope you guys enjoy!