media | apps

This page serves to consolidate the other spectrum of professional-related matters that I'd like to showcase. This could be things that I do for fun, or just for personal/professional growth

Apple Clips

The new iOS 11 update has offered me an opportunity to use the Clips app from Apple to capture and quickly produce decent quality videos, with built-in subtitling tools. I've tried the tool itself and felt that more could be done to improve it, especially for those with an Asian accent; it is nonetheless a decent attempt, and I would like to assume that as more updates are made available in the future, the app could be developed further.

I've managed to work on some clips, and below are 2 that I've done to capture my initial tinkering with the LittleBits tools, that I bought earlier this year. Do have a look at these 2 clips

Fun with LittleBits - Video 1 of 2.MOV

Fun with LittleBits - Video 2 of 2.MOV

Adobe Spark

I have been 'playing' around with Adobe's Spark suite of tools (both on the iPad and online) and I must say that they offer one of the best, if not the best, set of tools that anyone can use, to tell their stories.

The suite consists of 3 tools, namely Adobe Post, Adobe Page and Adobe Video.

Adobe Spark's Post is similar to Canva, and is suitable for those challenged in the graphic-design department, but still wants to produce a decent quality graphic-design-looking collateral. Below are some examples of the collaterals that I have produced over the years.

Adobe Spark's Page is an extended tool that allows users to create web-like content. It offers users a greater degree of depth, and nice visual 'trickery' too. Some hastily-done examples that I've (almost) done are HERE (from my Melbourne learning trip) and HERE (trip to Hong Kong)

Adobe Spark's Video is like powerpoint on steroids, but without the 1001 tools and complexities. It allows users to just focus on the story, using a library of icons from the app, and allows visuals from the users too. With tips being given along the creation process, users are guided pretty much all the way throughout their creation process. An example that I have done to market my presentation for the 2015's SST Tech Summit is shown below.

Travefy.com

I was introduced to Travefy.com by a (now former) colleague, when she got wind that I was planning a trip to Japan in December 2016. As there was ample time for me to do the planning, I realised that the site is very useful for those who likes to plan their trip itinerary in greater detail.

Here are some screenshots of my planning details, after trying it out for a full cycle of trip planning, which in my case is about 6 to 8 months.

The main/overview page that will give you an overall perspective of your schedule.

Travefy allows one to collaborate in the trip planning with others by using the various popular social media tools

(Screenshot above) Trip expenses can be consolidated amongst collaborators to see who is paying for what, in what currency, and by what methods

(Screenshots left and below) Activities can be customised and/or classified accordingly. Details can also be added in later on to complete the picture. Attachments could be added (usually PDF documents or picture files) to complement the activity being added

(Screenshots above) When all details are done, a summary could be generated, or shared to others

Trello.com

I am using the Trello app and website to manage my 2 major projects/events this year (2017, SunburST InnoFesta and SunburST Make-A-Thon), and so far the experience has been really good. Some of the things that I like about the site are:

Ability to organise your project tasks into micro-tasks
Assigning deadlines and persons to each of these tasks
Link to power-ups, which are basically other tools and apps. For me I link up mine to google drive (only 1 power up for the free version). For the basic paid subscription, you can have up to 3 tools/power-ups
Dialogue-like interface to allow for chat exchanges, much like Google Chat and Facebook messenger/chats

The creator of the Trello boards can invite members to be part of the team. Each member's level of participation can also be modified, to either 'Normal' (default setting) or 'Admin'

In each board, one can see a consolidation of cards that one can use to organise the activities pertaining to the event or programme.

In the screenshot on the right top, I have created 4 cards in the 'Pre-event Prep works' board to sub-divide the tasks that need to be done.

In the screenshot on the right below, one can see that I've created sort sort of a To-Do list, with one card being the outstanding tasks that need to be done, and the other for tasks that have been 'DONE'

Within each board and even card, one can assign specific members to work on the tasks/lists, and have a conversation with them if need to.

One can also include 'Due Date' for each of these tasks.

One can also attach files for each of the responses within each card. With my power-up used for linking to my Google Drive at work, I've already make it into a useful tool to make my work flow more efficient.

Canva.com

Canva.com is an online graphic design tool that is useful for those who doesn't have the time, money and resources to get professional help in coming out with graphic collaterals for their events. It's a quick and easy way for non-designers to come out with some design collaterals, or simple to make their social media pictures look a little nicer. It's list of templates are impressive, and should be decent enough for those looking for a quick fix for their own logos and brands.

Below are some screenshots of the interface, and the breadth of options available. Even for the free version, there are sufficient choices for one to make a decent design collateral within minutes.

Gimbal for the iPhone

I had an opportunity to purchase a gimbal to experiment with my iPhone. Here are some pictures, and a clip of my initial test clips.

I must say the gimbal does offer some offer me some possibilities in extending and deepening my videography craft. I hope to be able to extend this further into my future media creations.

Tag Tool app

I had an opportunity in my capacity as an Apple Distinguished Educator (ADE) to attend a PD-cum-introductory session to the Tag Tool app. The developers for the app happen to come on down to Singapore for a short visit, and I was both curious and excited to know the potential of this app. It is an amazing app, and definitely one that I would like to keep for my future reference, in my teaching/learning arsenal, and within my bag of tricks. I wish the developers all the best in their journey to make the app even better.

You can download the app by clicking on the screenshot on the right. Some pictures of the session below.

my FiftyThree journey (Nov 2016)

I have been lucky to be given the chance to find some outlet to share my ideas and doodles, in the form of the Paper app by FiftyThree.

I started using the app since its first days of inception, and has seen it growing, from its humble beginnings and development, to what it is currently right now. I can't say that the app itself has been the only motivator for me to pick up sketching again, but I certainly won't deny the fact that it could be one of the key things that have compelled me to sketch, and sketch more seriously.

From the time that they have no physical Pencil to offer, and its similar UI like a sketchbook, to its current offerings, the app has allowed me to doodle and explore my own inhibitions as a doodler, and a teacher.

I felt that I have grown with the app, and maybe more. I've learnt to use it more in my lessons, more so when the larger iPad Pro came about! The combination of app and machine, and of course, man, have allowed me to offer a deeper learning experience to not only my students, but also to myself.

I hope to continue on with my journey, to uncover what more can I do. I don't think there would be a peak in my professional journey that I would like to climb towards, but definitely there are milestones that I would like to achieve in my journey with the app.

I'd like to share some of my earlier sketches, doodles, and some of my favourites. I hope that through this sharing on my eportfolio, I am able to inspire more out there, to not only to start to sketch, but more importantly, to start to do the things that you've always wanted, even though you don't feel that you are good enough just yet.

My first sketchnote on how to create an iBook, done prior to the training that I conducted

Mixing stock images with my designs, an attempt to see how the hand-carry luggage design can be more user-friendly

Just some ideas that I have to make the experience of using the Apple Pencil much better

Inspired by some motorcycle designs that I saw

Below are some more works of mine that have been selected to be featured on FiftyThree's public Design stream.

My Youtube channel

Here's my YouTube channel. I started the channel with the main aim of showcasing my students' short films. This has evolved somewhat as I realised it would be more useful for me to highlight my own works of interest, and place my students' works in an official school/department channel instead. However this is by no means a mutually exclusive arrangement, as I do upload some of my students' more interesting works, as a reference for my lessons.

...on Behance

I experimented quite a fair bit during my initial introduction to photography, and especially developed a liking in works that tell a story i.e. photojournalism.

Here are the works that I've uploaded, over the years, into my Behance portfolio .

ID photography

I am currently using FB Page to showcase some photography works that I have done in the past, as well as interesting photography-related articles Have been a little inactive with new materials recently, and I do hope that I would have the time and means to change that.

Google Sites

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