wip.andrewkirksey.com

This week continues to be a multi-directional cornacopia of semi-related tasks that do very little to compliment one another.

Experimenting with lightweight CMS this morning for about a half hour.

The latest trend seems to be decoupling the CMS from the database back end and storing data within nested files somehow. Which is an interesting concept and I’ve seen two different projects utilizing it, Grav and Pico, and that’s neat.

I’m also curious about October CMS, Bolt, PageKit, and Ghost.

For now, I’m focused on experimenting with Pico and Perch CMS.

I’ve installed dev directories on the main andrewkirksey.com site and have just enough time to check and see if Pico does what it says it will, which is work out of the box without installation.

I’ll have to leave the perch install alone until tomorrow morning. But I can’t wait to see how it’s assembled. Perch is developed in part by Rachel Andrew, the developer of the web-grid css specifications which we’ve sorely needed. I’m in the process of getting up to speed with them because the WordPress Dependency habits have left a lot of coding in the hands of others. I couldn’t help but notice just how rusty I had become while working on the updates to my portfolio earlier this year.

Specifications that I love in theory, but holding me back is the specter of browser plugins like Grammarly which utilize DOM injection scripts to inject code into pages whenever their interface is interacted with, decimating the HTML structure grid layouts depend upon to work correctly.

I uninstalled Grammarly and provided concerned feedback to their development team as a result of this aggressive, browser hijack behavior I haven’t seen since IE6. The second being is that it sucks. Learning how to write is more useful than falling back on that tool.

First up, making clarity changes to client logo and making progress on the branding guideline document that should seamlessly integrate into the production workflow once everything is sussed out.

Later I’ll be evaluating Adobe Audition Stereo conversion to mono which seemed to resolve a question I’ve had about how simple mixing down multiple files might be, when generated by the VR3D Microphone.

Buzzsprout hosting is apparently cutting off our available episodes to 5 all together a issue that exists on our main buzzsprout landing page, and in all of the podcast directories. This is a significant problem, I’ve filed a ticket, and I’m waiting for feedback but I’m not encouraged. Their back end should have a way of dealing with this, but alas.

Instead of troubleshooting this further I’m tempted to just move over to LibSys and be done with it since it’s an integral component to the 2020 podcasting plan.

Also, podcast related, working to develop podcast storytelling aspects, and installing webcam app server to laptop today.

0901 hrs

I noticed a story on Facebook today of interviews being conducted with the local Penn Harris Madision Schools System’s various sports teams.

Several photos of interview production showed they had no fewer than 3 grip LED lights, a engineer in the back, two cameras, one I’d value at a glance in excess of 10 grand and the other at least 3 with a 500 dollar shotgun mic mounted to the top. Lavalieres were utilized and someone was stitching the whole thing together, or would in post and that’s a lot of work for one person so probably not just one person will be there.

Images like that give me an odd moment of pause. Is what I’m thinking I could do even possible with our budget of 0 dollars and my aging equipment. The only worthwhile new piece of tech is the zoom 3d recorder and the OSMO pocket. The first has a complication effect to my production workflow. The second is under sophisticated and requires specific and special use.

Initial impressions of the first interview in my house using the Zoom H3VR are disappointing.

Which is weird. Because the same mic did very well in a extremely noisy bar. The difference was the software, when pointing my LR channels correctly, worked great.

Video Analysis

This analysis is in support of improving my ability to perform editing in service of generating user engagement and minimizing what we used to call ‘bounce rates’ but the concept applies I suppose to videos or podcasts all the same. Note to self, learn the new metric/analytic lingo, if there is any.

But ideally, tweaking our content with saavy, editorial decisions will go a long way to improve our ability to offer better products to future clients as we roll out the various dimenisions of the 2020 plan.

Analyzing the anatomy of the first minute of the video there are 10 camera angels used. And 25-30 things happen, from cuts to multiple layered stories unfolding.

Story 1 is the “answer”. It is, “the truth, and more valuable than subscribers, or money.” Somehow subscribers are, in this universe, the higher priority than actual money. He introduces us to some deteriorating old books, and hyperbolic statements about their meaning and worth. The book falls apart because it’s a garbage prop. It’s a visual acknowledgement about how clumsy and awkward this opener is and it relieves the tension for us viewing it to have to feel like we need to buy what he’s selling. It is because he breaks the illusion he’s trying to create with a sigh and a few rough cuts and then the realization that he’s gotten way, way too far ahead of himself he transitions into the next section.

It’s been 12 seconds.

Story 2 Is the MacGuffin. It’s a physical Time Machine that requires building in the storage locker 3 months earlier. It is in fact, as revealed later, part of an art installation he’s building for Burning Man.

27 Seconds

Story 3 Is the trip to Burning Man that contains a sub-story of him having 3 minutes to get across town on a skateboard. It interrupts story 2, but most of the video will be about the practical things to make Story 2 work in support of the initial mystery of Story 1.

46 Seconds.

And it’s the suspense of the lead-in with Story 3 that takes us past the 1 minute mark and into what I assume is the rest of the video proper. It leads into a montage featuring the song Power of Love by Huey Lewis that was featured in back to the Future, supporting his theme. And also, I suspect timing his video.

As I’ve charted every camera change or action happening in this video, about 30 things occur within the span of one minute. On aveage, one thing every two seconds.

The first minute is incredibly dense and as he enters into the phases of the story. Securing funding for the project and his strategy for doing so. Overcoming problems, I’m sure, later, and then getting to Burning Man will help him tie all three pieces of the story together, which answers the question: What does MAKE ART NOW value so much that it “fills his bucket.”

I the viewer want to know the relationship between his Time Machine art installation and this passion of his.

Andrew the writer wants to know how he told this story in the first place.

Overview

Morning routines were conducted fairly successfully. Seven minutes over to work, partial reason—anxiety regarding unattended stove.

Started working at 0715 hours after a brief chat with a co-worker who had been absent most of the week.

Conducted an analysis of video editing techniques of MAKE ART NOW, for only the first minute of his fourteen minute Burning Man Video.

Today’s tasks involve continued support for the department’s financial tracking by wrangling data into Excel generated chart graphics.

Sourcing, reviewing, and supplying schedule files to certain parties.

Indexing and editing MO+F Episode 11.

Quick build and export of Episode 12 and 13.

Censoring parts of Episodes 6 and 8.

Continued development on the Brand Identity, Style Guide template for my own design workflow. Modular considerations.

Translation of existing branding for ******* Nutrition into this format for meeting on Saturday with client. Distillation of client’s vision into content strategy package, and abridged pitch for supporting web development package.

Publishing MO+F Episode 11.

Rushing to close out March by completing as many projects as possible. Q2 2019 is only three days away. It’ll be Christmas soon t this rate. In anycase, the goal this evening is to publish 7 portfolio pieces and polish the three already uploaded. Although, if we’re being honest, the Lagoon City Map was a very early experiment with the PSDCover’s extension. We’ll redo that one while we’re at it.

Here’s the plan:

AndrewKirksey.com

• portfolio entries (x7)
• polish portfolio entries (x2)
• Upload the Portfolio Items

MelodyOrphange

• Dink around some