Comments on: Learning Flash is not the answer http://mindymcadams.com/tojou/2007/learning-flash-is-not-the-answer/ Notes from the classroom and observations about today's practice of journalism online Tue, 02 Dec 2008 20:30:24 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.1 By: Teaching Online Journalism » MVPs for December http://mindymcadams.com/tojou/2007/learning-flash-is-not-the-answer/#comment-7384 Teaching Online Journalism » MVPs for December Sun, 27 Jan 2008 12:51:51 +0000 http://mindymcadams.com/tojou/2007/learning-flash-is-not-the-answer/#comment-7384 [...] Learning Flash is not the answer [...] [...] Learning Flash is not the answer [...]

]]> By: High tech freelancers help fill the gaps in newspaper new media teams | Will Sullivan's Journerdism http://mindymcadams.com/tojou/2007/learning-flash-is-not-the-answer/#comment-6107 High tech freelancers help fill the gaps in newspaper new media teams | Will Sullivan's Journerdism Thu, 13 Dec 2007 06:30:56 +0000 http://mindymcadams.com/tojou/2007/learning-flash-is-not-the-answer/#comment-6107 [...] bullet yet and some of the zeal for these areas from non-tech people is rather pie-in-the-sky, as Mindy McAdams eluded to earlier in the week discussing Flash and how ga-ga people are about it. (I gotta give her a big high five for being honest and advocating a reasonable approach to using [...] [...] bullet yet and some of the zeal for these areas from non-tech people is rather pie-in-the-sky, as Mindy McAdams eluded to earlier in the week discussing Flash and how ga-ga people are about it. (I gotta give her a big high five for being honest and advocating a reasonable approach to using [...]

]]> By: Marko http://mindymcadams.com/tojou/2007/learning-flash-is-not-the-answer/#comment-6055 Marko Wed, 12 Dec 2007 00:05:33 +0000 http://mindymcadams.com/tojou/2007/learning-flash-is-not-the-answer/#comment-6055 Once, me too wanted to learn flash. Sometimes I still do. But it is not effective at all. You do not want to program when a story is there. So program and design before a story is there. Ask for templates! It is far more effective to learn to talk with a programmer and a designer than doing it yourself. Make dummy's of what you would like to have. You will be shocked to see that they really look awfull! Design is a craft. So show your ugly dummy's to a designer, and explain them to a programmer. Tell what you would like to do. Maybe he recommends Flash, but maybe he tells he can make it in AJAX. Let it up to him or her. Make sure the dummy's are not about a particular story, but that they are about a *type of stories* . For example: - dummy for obituaries (combination of a several texts with headers for a crude timeline of the deceased life, room for video's and audio's , and a large photo with a header and sub header for the opening of the package) - one for disasters (A Google Map as the core, a timeline on the side, room for a live videostream and room for video's and audio's from victims and rescue workers. Leave room for a big infographic that might be added later and for press releases from the authorities) - one for events, like the opening of a theatre show or a holiday (open with a big photo where more photo's can be added during the day, room for interviews of the artists or organisers, room for reviews from the public, photo's from the public and room for a map of the route in case of a parade) Then learn how to use the templates. How to fill in photo's, how to make an audioslide. And think of more options you would like to have in your templates so the next time you talk to the designer and programmer, you can add wishes. Don't learn flash. Learn to think ahead. Once, me too wanted to learn flash. Sometimes I still do. But it is not effective at all. You do not want to program when a story is there.

So program and design before a story is there. Ask for templates!

It is far more effective to learn to talk with a programmer and a designer than doing it yourself.

Make dummy’s of what you would like to have. You will be shocked to see that they really look awfull! Design is a craft.

So show your ugly dummy’s to a designer, and explain them to a programmer. Tell what you would like to do. Maybe he recommends Flash, but maybe he tells he can make it in AJAX. Let it up to him or her.

Make sure the dummy’s are not about a particular story, but that they are about a *type of stories* . For example:
- dummy for obituaries (combination of a several texts with headers for a crude timeline of the deceased life, room for video’s and audio’s , and a large photo with a header and sub header for the opening of the package)
- one for disasters (A Google Map as the core, a timeline on the side, room for a live videostream and room for video’s and audio’s from victims and rescue workers. Leave room for a big infographic that might be added later and for press releases from the authorities)
- one for events, like the opening of a theatre show or a holiday (open with a big photo where more photo’s can be added during the day, room for interviews of the artists or organisers, room for reviews from the public, photo’s from the public and room for a map of the route in case of a parade)

Then learn how to use the templates. How to fill in photo’s, how to make an audioslide.

And think of more options you would like to have in your templates so the next time you talk to the designer and programmer, you can add wishes.

Don’t learn flash. Learn to think ahead.

]]> By: Good reads for 12.10.07 : the x degree: exploring and redefining multimedia storytelling http://mindymcadams.com/tojou/2007/learning-flash-is-not-the-answer/#comment-6035 Good reads for 12.10.07 : the x degree: exploring and redefining multimedia storytelling Tue, 11 Dec 2007 01:09:42 +0000 http://mindymcadams.com/tojou/2007/learning-flash-is-not-the-answer/#comment-6035 [...] It’s about journalism, not flashy projects. In response to Mindy McAdams’ post “Learning Flash is not the answer,” Howard Owens says: “Nowadays, especially when you’re working online, you must think [...] [...] It’s about journalism, not flashy projects. In response to Mindy McAdams’ post “Learning Flash is not the answer,” Howard Owens says: “Nowadays, especially when you’re working online, you must think [...]

]]> By: Paul Bradshaw http://mindymcadams.com/tojou/2007/learning-flash-is-not-the-answer/#comment-6022 Paul Bradshaw Mon, 10 Dec 2007 11:14:45 +0000 http://mindymcadams.com/tojou/2007/learning-flash-is-not-the-answer/#comment-6022 Vuvox is going to do for Flash what Wordpress did for Dreamweaver. Am very excited about how it will free up my Flash teaching time this semester... Vuvox is going to do for Flash what Wordpress did for Dreamweaver. Am very excited about how it will free up my Flash teaching time this semester…

]]> By: Mindy http://mindymcadams.com/tojou/2007/learning-flash-is-not-the-answer/#comment-6013 Mindy Mon, 10 Dec 2007 04:37:40 +0000 http://mindymcadams.com/tojou/2007/learning-flash-is-not-the-answer/#comment-6013 Angela, that is such a good comment ( “I wish I didn’t”)! Recently a photojournalism student asked me if he should learn Flash. I asked him how he feels about shooting. “I love to shoot,” he said. “Then don’t learn Flash,” I said. “But definitely — learn audio and Soundslides!” However, a person who loves Flash (Dave Braunger, Nelson Hsu, Ashley Wells, Xaquin G.V., to name a few) can make awesomely usable and coherent journalism packages. That's why I keep urging the news graphics people to learn Flash -- the graphics department is the most effective place in the newsroom to manage design and production of Flash packages. Some newspapers such as The New York Times and the Miami Herald already understand this. Angela, that is such a good comment ( “I wish I didn’t”)! Recently a photojournalism student asked me if he should learn Flash. I asked him how he feels about shooting. “I love to shoot,” he said.

“Then don’t learn Flash,” I said. “But definitely — learn audio and Soundslides!”

However, a person who loves Flash (Dave Braunger, Nelson Hsu, Ashley Wells, Xaquin G.V., to name a few) can make awesomely usable and coherent journalism packages.

That’s why I keep urging the news graphics people to learn Flash — the graphics department is the most effective place in the newsroom to manage design and production of Flash packages. Some newspapers such as The New York Times and the Miami Herald already understand this.

]]> By: Angela Grant http://mindymcadams.com/tojou/2007/learning-flash-is-not-the-answer/#comment-6012 Angela Grant Mon, 10 Dec 2007 04:30:49 +0000 http://mindymcadams.com/tojou/2007/learning-flash-is-not-the-answer/#comment-6012 I know Flash ... I wish I didn't. I much prefer shooting and editing videos than sitting at the computer all day writing Flash applications. It's really not worth all that time. Flash applications really aren't as user friendly as other ways of presenting information. I'm not convinced Flash is the best way to present large multimedia packages. Usually when I hear a coworker saying they want to learn Flash I try to dissuade them. I know Flash … I wish I didn’t. I much prefer shooting and editing videos than sitting at the computer all day writing Flash applications. It’s really not worth all that time.

Flash applications really aren’t as user friendly as other ways of presenting information. I’m not convinced Flash is the best way to present large multimedia packages.

Usually when I hear a coworker saying they want to learn Flash I try to dissuade them.

]]> By: links for 2007-12-10 « David Black http://mindymcadams.com/tojou/2007/learning-flash-is-not-the-answer/#comment-6004 links for 2007-12-10 « David Black Mon, 10 Dec 2007 02:23:30 +0000 http://mindymcadams.com/tojou/2007/learning-flash-is-not-the-answer/#comment-6004 [...] Learning Flash is not the answer - Teaching Online Journalism “Flash is not a magic elixir. Flash will not make your Web site better if it’s generally bad, and it won’t make your stories better if you’re not already telling stories well with sound and pictures.” (tags: internet newspapersites journalism multimedia software flash training) [...] [...] Learning Flash is not the answer - Teaching Online Journalism “Flash is not a magic elixir. Flash will not make your Web site better if it’s generally bad, and it won’t make your stories better if you’re not already telling stories well with sound and pictures.” (tags: internet newspapersites journalism multimedia software flash training) [...]

]]> By: Rosa J.C. » Blog Archive » Encuentros 09-12 http://mindymcadams.com/tojou/2007/learning-flash-is-not-the-answer/#comment-5989 Rosa J.C. » Blog Archive » Encuentros 09-12 Sun, 09 Dec 2007 04:04:38 +0000 http://mindymcadams.com/tojou/2007/learning-flash-is-not-the-answer/#comment-5989 [...] Consejos para jóvenes periodistas: Aprender flash no es la respuesta [...] [...] Consejos para jóvenes periodistas: Aprender flash no es la respuesta [...]

]]> By: Notes from a Teacher: Mark on Media » Saturday squibs http://mindymcadams.com/tojou/2007/learning-flash-is-not-the-answer/#comment-5982 Notes from a Teacher: Mark on Media » Saturday squibs Sun, 09 Dec 2007 00:21:34 +0000 http://mindymcadams.com/tojou/2007/learning-flash-is-not-the-answer/#comment-5982 [...] Learning Flash is not the answer. There’s much, much more to new media storytelling than throwing yourself into a complex, powerful program, Mindy McAdams writes. [...] [...] Learning Flash is not the answer. There’s much, much more to new media storytelling than throwing yourself into a complex, powerful program, Mindy McAdams writes. [...]

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