This page has been edited with permission from Dr. Keith Mitchell. This information appeared on Apple's web site from 1997-1999. The opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of the Technology Applications Center for Educator Development or the Texas Education Agency.

Video Technology, for a Dynamic Media
by Keith Mitchell, Ph.D. - Education Development Executive for Apple Computer, Inc.

While Video production is an established profession, several factors are increasing the need for new workers in this field. Desktop publishing became more commonplace as the common laserwriter was introduced and as easy to use authoring tools (PageMaker) became available. Similarly, the digital editing of video on computers is lowering the learning curve and broadening the ranks of video authors. Additionally, new digital distribution systems are requiring video sequences which don't necessarily have to be "broadcast" quality. These new information products include internet web pages with integrated video, CD-ROM courseware, CD-ROM entertainment, distance learning, information kiosks and multimedia presentations. Capture and editing video with computer technology is not only easier, it introduces the option of special effects that are clearly out of reach for most using more conventional video editing tools. 

Choosing the software and hardware tools for a video production curriculum is challenging. For the purposes of the Texas approved Technical Applications curriculum, you should utilize computer based tools for production of digital video for the multimedia market rather than conventional analog linear editing tools common in the broadcast industry. The digital video industry, however, is just taking off with new tools and major directional changes are being introduced almost on a monthly basis. There are high quality turnkey systems available in the $30,000 range and low end systems in the $2200 range (both include the computer). There are already a few districts offering students access to high end systems, but it seems unlikely this will occur across the state. The basic concepts of video production can be experienced with either. I have listed solutions in both categories. In a small class focused on using real world solutions you may go with a single high end system and several support stations for graphics, audio, and animation production. The folks at Media 100, Inc. have made available a white paper, "How to Evaluate Digital Video Systems," which enumerates important issues to consider. For larger classes focused on basic concepts and processes, the low cost systems will allow maximum access and individual experience at planning and producing video projects. 

There are several issues to think about when selecting tools for computer based video production. First, solutions vary widely with the type and degree of compression. Without compression the hard drive space required for even short projects would be prohibitive. While low to intermediate solutions with high compression ratios reduce the quality of the final product, the high end solutions with low compression ratios often require very fast eight gigabyte or more hard drives for even short projects. 

A second issue which must be dealt with is analog verses digital source material. Most of the mature products on the market work by digitizing video from analog video cameras or tape decks to the CPU's hard drive where editing can takes place. The finished product is then converted back to analog video. The conversion from analog to digital introduces some loss. Recently, digital cameras have been announced which capture, compress, and store video on digital tapes. Initial computer based editing systems for digital video (DV) transfer the video directly to the CPU's drive in its digital format with no loss of quality. Some systems then send the edited video back to a DV deck or camera in digital format where output to conventional video tape occurs when the DV device converts the digital data to analog video. The completed project can easily be broadcast quality at a fraction of the cost of conventional analog systems. The current drawback is that most of the mature editing software are designed to work with analog sources. Even so, it appears digital is the direction many future system will go and we can expect either new or updated editing software to be made available soon. For a more in-depth explanation, I recommend you read "Digital In, Digital Out, Digital Editing with Firewire" in the September 97 issue of New Media. A second article, entitled "FireWire and the State of DV" is in the July 97 issue of DV (Digital Video). Finally, read "Keeping the Digital Promise" in the November 97 issue of DV.

When students are ready to add special effects such as transitions or wish to composite computer generated graphics with video, the more expensive systems offer real time results with hardware accelerated codecs. Lower cost systems make take several minutes or more to achieve the same results. 

The Video Technology curriculum will certainly focus on products. I recommend students work to identify the communication goals, select distribution media (tape, CD-ROM, Web), plan a storyboard for the video sequence, capture video, and edit raw footage to final product complete with effective use of transitions and effects. The class members should be organized as a team with individuals contributing their unique skills and interest to a collaborative product. Additional studies should include career investigations, interviews with professional multimedia artists, and investigation of degree programs leading to multimedia authoring careers.

The experience should result in student developed video products that are perceived as having a purpose to both the students and their community. The time spent on mastering individual video technologies and more importantly producing information products will accomplish most of the issues covered in the TEKS but additional resources will have to be incorporated to insure students are learning quality skills as defined by the curriculum and the industries involved. Much of the additional resources such as those involving ethics, copyright, or even style can be obtained from student research on the Internet.