[brlug-newbies] Video Production Using Open Source Software - Linux Desktop SIG Workshop, October 19, 2009

[edslinuxbox at cox.net]

The next Linux Desktop SIG workshop will be held on Monday, October 19th in the Clickers Open Source Lab. This workshop will feature Mr. Thomas Eldridge who will give us an overview of the work-flow process for video production using open source software. This overview will be a prelude to an entire series of workshops that Thomas will be presenting in the weeks and months to come. I came to meet Thomas as a result of the following e-mail that he sent me a few weeks ago:

"Hello, 
 
    My name is Thomas Eldredge. I came across your name on the Cajun 
Clickers site. I am a Baton Rouge native, Linux user and open-source 
enthusiast. I am interested in teaching a series of classes on the 3D 
open-source, cross-platform content creation suite - Blender. 
 
    In the past I worked as a programmer (FoxPro/VB/Python) but I 
recently went back to school for Film in Orlando. I found myself driven 
to use open-source software in production projects. I've successfully 
used entirely open-source pipelines in a few projects, and I integrate 
open-source into everything I work on. I've developed a fairly versatile 
Linux based workflow from pre-production to post including script, set 
previs/storyboarding, set and production design, editing, and CG. I 
heavily use Celtx, GIMP, MyPaint, Blender, MakeHuman, Cinelerra, 
Avidemux (and Sketchup via. WINE though it's free but not open-source) 
among others. 
 
    Ultimately I am committed providing free open-source training, 
focusing on teaching production techniques using these tools, and 
organizing student groups to produce educational materials using these 
tools which will be released under Creative Commons - similar to the 
Blender Institutes Open Movie/Game Projects. I also believe media 
production using open-source tools is a great way to get younger 
students interested in math and science. 
 
    I will be returning to Baton Rouge in the next week or so and I plan 
to get started teaching a series of basic Blender classes right away. 
Blender is in rapid development right now but I will initially focus on 
the stable release 2.49. 
 
    Based on your Linux SIG Group work I thought you would be an ideal 
person to get in contact with for advice on how to proceed. 
My first goal is to find regular classroom space, and hopefully be able 
to offer some machines in the classrooms for students without access to 
a laptop. Ideally I would like to gather a group of math/science teachers in the 
area and teach them the fundamentals of Blender. This group would then 
develop a curriculum designed to use Blender in the classroom to 
demonstrate basic algebra, trigonometry, and Newtonian physics at a high 
school level. 
 
    I have a good deal of practical media production experience with 
Linux, and experience as a software trainer. I would like to apply my 
skills for the benefit of the Baton Rouge community as well as the open 
source community as a whole. Based on the current emphasis on the 
entertainment industry in Louisiana I feel this is the perfect time and 
place for open-source to really assert itself as a powerful tool for 
education and economic growth. 
 
    Thanks for reading this and please drop me a line to let me know 
what you think. I'd very interested to discuss this in more detail 
anytime you're available. 
 
Thanks, 
 
Thomas Eldredge"

Even though these workshops will be held in the Open Source Lab on computers running Ubuntu Linux, all of the programs that Thomas will be using are cross platform and run on both Linux and Windows and will, for the most part, work identically on either operating system, and experience using Linux will not be required. Participants that wish to use their personal laptops are encouraged to do so. Wi-fi service is available in the Open Source Lab. 

I am cross posting this announcement to the General mail list as there has been considerable interest within the club membership regarding video editing and open source software. Would someone that is a member of the Video SIG also post it to that mail list? 

I look forward to seeing everyone Monday evening at 6 PM. 

Ed Richards