Wednesday, December 15, 2004
Here to There
12-15-04
Most people will fly from Dallas to New York City … directly.
But some may need to get unusual connections due to the holiday traffic, short notice or to save money.
That indirect route is an illustration of what I have been doing to getting video on the web.
It feels like I have been getting from Dallas to New York City by way of Mexico City, Los Angeles and Chicago.
Let me say that the AV expert at my home church is able to have the pastor’s sermon on the web site by the middle of the afternoon on Sunday. It is maybe 2 or 3 steps from the raw footage to the web site http://www.mesquitebible.org/video/index.shtml My expectations were that it would take me a little longer because this is new to me.
Never mind all the ways that did not work. Here is what does work.
1. The video camera is hooked up to the G5 computer with a firewire and downloaded it to iMovie in real time. Real time in this context means minute for minute and not accelerated.
2. There in iMovie I make my edits. Then each chapter for the DVD or web is saved separately.
3. This is opened in Final Cut Pro from there it is converted into an AVI file. That is about real time to convert.
4. My web host Homestead www.homestead.com is not compatible with Apple. SO I need to burn this on a DVD in real time.
5. I take this home to my PC and open it in Windows Movie Maker. From here I can compress it to any size. The AVI file is huge. I can get this to about one meg per minute of video per the suggestion of the AV expert at my church. This too is real time.
6. Then I open the web editing software that come with my Homestead site. I upload the file. Then I publish it. That is real time.
7. It is waiting on their server. I then go to the suitable web page and point a media viewing screen at the file.
Now if there was only one 15 minute video then I would have been done by now. But there are about 8 chapters that range from 5 to 20 minutes with a total of about 90 minutes. And I am not finished. I have several good introductions. The conclusions are okay. But the core of the presentation is not done. This is the Central Diagram. I have a short and long Power Point slide show complete. But these have not become video yet. I will put the slide show on the web with a separate audio message.
God has given me 3 main passions education, missions and media. I love each of these and I am most excited when any 2 or all 3 come together. I have recently learned MANY valuable lessons about media the hard way.
The aim of this web site and DVD is to raise the initial funds. Some of those early funds will go to the hardware and software that will make publishing over the web quicker and easier.
John 2:55 PM
Tuesday, December 14, 2004
Many Battles
12-14-04
The battlefield is in the mind. That is where the mind, will and emotions meet along with the lies of the enemy and truths of God's Word. There have been many battles between my ears lately.
The end of the year is getting closer. For some prospective donors that makes a difference. My goal has been to get the presentation in front of as many people as possible before that date and the sooner the better. It has been an uphill climb to get to this point.
The video was shot and the basic edits went smoothly. But getting that on the web has been difficult. Only recently did I get the first short test clip on the new web site. Hopefully tonight the others will follow.
I will tell key contact persons on staff about the new site on Wednesday and hopefully they will forward that link on to others. Forwarding such a link is much faster then mailing a DVD. Yet I have that option too.
I am not nearly pleased with the new site. I will work on it a few more days before I send you the link.
Mentally and emotionally these last few days have been terrible. I set a goal of having the web site and DVD ready by Saturday night. I missed that and have had to get over my anger at myself. I have been evaluating why and set a new goal. I notice that I have been learning several new software programs and encountering all kinds of compatibility troubles. These things cannot be easily predicted or controlled. Thanks God I am making headway.
The month of December is my least favorite. A person asked if I was looking forward to Christmas. I spontaneously said NO. Then they asked where is home? I was silent. At that moment the concept of home did not equal my solo apartment. Like my pastor said depression and suicide increase during December every year. I just got back from Whole Foods and restocked Flax Oil that has greatly helped me combat depression.
Christmas has not been enjoyable for me since I was about five years old. In recent years it has become far too commercial, hectic and religious for me. Religion and spirituality are not nearly the same. Many Christmas carols are not biblical so I avoid them.
It hurts that I have worked so long and hard to have come so far. Victory could be very close. The uncertainty is unpleasant. I need to have faith in Christ no matter what the income and bank balance says. Regardless of how things unfold by the end of the year I am sure that what I have been doing has been the will of God.
Jesus has given me a vision for how to work with partners in a strategic alliance next year. This new web site is an important steppingstone in that direction. So the new goal is just to plod ahead one day at a time.
John 7:40 PM
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