Intro to Multimedia

The Tools You’ll Need

Most of the work you do on this class will be on a computer with some specific software outlined below. It will also be helpful to have a way to create images, audio and video. A phone is fine for that.

Computer

You will need a computer at home that can run the Adobe Creative Cloud suite and allow you to participate in our Zoom meetings. If you have

COMPUTER SPECIFICATIONS

  • Windows or macOS operating system
  • 8GB of RAM – more is better
  • microphone (for zoom)
  • camera (for zoom)
  • 30GB of available hard drive space – more is better (needed to install software).

If all of that is confusing to you, make an appointment to see me during office hours and we can discuss.

If you have a tablet or second computer you can use for the Zoom meeting that’s great. I would not suggest using your phone for the Zoom meetings as you will not be able to see the detail of my screen when we’re going over software.

LAPTOP LOANER

If your computer doesn’t meet the specifications, it breaks down or you can’t use it, you can request a loaner from the Library.

  • Go to the Library on the 4th floor of 199 Chambers and tell them that you are in MMP 100 and would like to borrow a laptop for the semester.
  • Please call the Library staff at 212-220-1451 or email loaner@bmcc.cuny.edu if you have any questions.

Software

Zoom (BMCC account)

We will use Zoom for our synchronous meetings.

Each class module has specific software that we will use to create and edit the media we’re working with.

  • Audio: Audacity (free)
  • Images: Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator. You will get a free account for Adobe Creative Cloud (CUNY provides access) tell me if you have trouble accessing it.
  • Animation: Adobe After Effects (CUNY provides access). See above Adobe access instructions.
  • Web Design: (free) You will need what is called a text editor for this. Luckily they are all free. You can use any on this list, the most popular right now is Visual Studio Code (VS Code). All are free.
  • Programming: You can use any of the editors above for the programming part too. We will also use an online editor.

Online Accounts

We will use a number of online accounts in this class. Mostly I will introduce them as we use them. If you either like to see everything in one place or want to get head here is a list:

  • BMCC OpenLab
  • Blackboard
  • Quizlet
  • GitHub
  • Dropbox (CUNY Account) for cloud storage
    • CUNY also give you access to OneDrive for storage

Camera and Microphone

A smartphone will work for capturing photos, video and audio for the class. If you have and want to use dedicated camera or microphones for this that’s great too. Just make sure you know how to get the files you create onto your computer. If you don’t have access to a device that can do this, then let me know and we will figure something out.

Optional

These are not necessary but can be helpful.

  • Paper/Notebook and pen/pencil. Since so much of what we do is on screen some people find it helpful to take notes on paper. Also when we are doing web design and programming I recommend drawing out what you want to make on paper first.
  • Second Monitor. If you have a way to be able to see both your Computer screen and teh Zoom screen at the same time it can be helpful when we’re going over software. It’s also helpful if you’re watching a tutorial video. This could be an actual second screen, a large monitor, or a tablet.
  • External Hard Drive or USB Drive. If you don’t have a lot of space on your computer’s hard drive or you are borrowing a computer from BMCC, it is a good idea to have another place to store files. This can be in addition to Dropbox or OneDrive or other online storage.