The MCC Audio Visual Group meets at the clubrooms on the first Wednesday of each Month at 8:00PM. When there is a 5th Monday in a month, the Club Program allows for an "Open" topic AV competition.
The aim of the group is to promote an understanding of Audio Visuals
and to teach members how to make their own presentations. We also hope
to encourage members to participate in the various AV competitions and
exhibitions that take place during the year, particularly the AV section in the End of Year competition.
Topics covered will include all aspects of the creative process,
including useful techniques and the hardware/software requirements to
produce and present an Audio Visual.
If you would like to know more about Audio Visuals, come along to the Audio Visual Group meetings. The coordinator of the group is John Spring and he may be contacted via email.
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What is an Audio Visual?
We define "Audio Visual" (AV) as a planned sequence of overlayed and/or merged images that have a variety of transition effects between each image. Also known as "Sound Slides" and "Diaporamas", an AV usually includes credit text, sometimes graphics and may include very short video clips.
An AV will have a visual storyline or theme that is usually synchronized with music, sound effects, narration or any combination of these. Whilst it utilises certain audio and visual elements commonly found in movies an AV essentially utilises still image photography.
Guidelines for making and showing Audio Visuals at MCC
Thinking about making your first AV? Come along to the Club’s Audio
Visual Group and see the AVs that other members are making and how they
are conceived, scripted and produced for exhibition. In the past,
analogue AVs were made with film cameras, transparencies and slide
projectors. In recent years digital AVs have taken over and can be made
using your digital camera and appropriate software loaded on your home
computer.
Keep it simple
If you are just starting out in AV production, the best advice we
can give is to KEEP IT SIMPLE. For example, a short piece of music and
selected photos to illustrate an idea could easily be turned into a
slideshow or screensaver using standard photo editing software options.
Or you could use Microsoft PowerPoint before moving on to producing AVs
with software specifically designed for that purpose.
There are many Internet sites that you can use to increase your
understanding of AV production techniques and processes. You could
start by reading our AV- and EDI-related information on this website.
You could also visit the "Important Documents" section of the Victorian Association of Photographic Societies (VAPS) website.
What software do I need?
Come along to our Audio Visual and/or Digital Group meetings and talk
to others about the pros and cons of the software packages they use. If
you wish to produce complex and sophisticated AVs you will need
software that meets those requirements. We have listed our preferred
options below - perform a keyword search of the Internet to find out
more about these products.
For PCs running Windows operating systems:
- ProShow software from Photodex is available in two versions - GOLD and Producer.
- PicturesToExe is also a strong AV contender.
For Apple MAC machines:
- FotoMagico is currently the most popular advanced AV software available.
AV playing time
There's a fine line between entertaining your audience and boring them
to death. In general, a shorter playing time is better and the most
creative AVs are usually between 3 to 4 minutes, but it does depend on
the subject matter. For the End of Year competition AVs, the maximum
playing time is 6 minutes and VAPS AVs should not exceed 12 minutes
playing time.
Using the AV equipment at the MCCAudio Visual equipment at
the MCC consists of a personal computer loaded with Windows XP and
selected software, a digital projector and an amplification system. The
club still has analogue AV equipment (dual 35mm slide projectors) but
this equipment is no longer standard and requires prior approval and
notice to use it.
There are a few options for showing your AV at the MCC:
- Export your AV as a self-executable file (eg filename.exe)
and save it to CD, DVD or a USB device (eg stick, portable hard-drive)
if you wish to play your AV on the club's AV system;
- If your
AV requires equipment other than that offered by the MCC, you will need
to bring your own equipment to play your AV at the clubrooms. This also
requires prior approval from the AV Group Coordinator;
- If
you would like to use a combination of your equipment and the club's
you will also need approval from the AV Group Coordinator and this
arrangement may be subject to conditions. An example of this may be a
MacBook linked to the club's digital projector and sound system.
Copyright
It is your responsibility to ensure that you don't infringe any copyright conditions.
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ProShow Gold - The Basics for Making AVs |
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MCC Audio Visual Group is holding a workshop for any MCC member interested in AV-making.
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Read more...
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PicturesToExe is an alternative PC-based Audio Visual software package to Photodex's ProShow Gold and/or ProShow Producer.
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Read more...
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The most popular AV software for Apple MAC is "PhotoMagico" by Boinx. Click here to find out more about the software.
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