[sw-l] Val - GO FOR THE DVDs!

[Shane Gilchrist Ó hEorpa]

Val,

> But it is good to know that the EU is moving over to DVD ..... The
> whole world benefits from throwing out the PAL-NTSC formatting problems
> for videos...Did you know there are 7 video formats in the world? PAL
> and NTSC are only two of them, and as a video-distributor I have to
> create these multiple formats all at times, although PAL and NTSC are
> the most commonly used...

In 5 years time, VCRs will be very little used - I was at my local video
shop the other day and its mainly DVDs now - videos "FEW!"

> > Go for multi-region DVDs, Val. Why?
>
> Sure...smile...I agree...I can see you have skill with DVD making!

I have to - cos there's not many deaf film-makers in Ireland - and it is
very important for us to have cheap productions - often it ll mean we have
to do it ourselves - I just agreed with a local "community television" that
we will do the sign lang programme VOLUNTARILY - but the skills will be
great.

> Although I have used FinalCut Pro in the past, I do not own it. Instead
> I have been using iLife, which is just the fanciest version of iMovie
> and iDVD and frankly, for our needs, that seems to be plenty good...I
> have four Macs here and two of the four have SuperDrives....

iDVD/iMovie is good - go for it. Final Cut Pro is a lot better - but very
dear although.

> Gosh...so nice to have a Mac user on the SignWriting List, Shane, and
> you are really knowledgable about their Apple store's offers of
> training...which I heard about but never tried...smile...Have you taken
> their training courses?...

The Apple Store is in London - on Regent Street - they have a training
centre - but I haven't asked for it - as I would need an interpreter - I
will email them and ask if they can pay for the interpreter - and get that
training the next time I'm in London - I think the training is free - let me
check.

> > 5. even the British Deaf Association have started using the DVD format
> > (thanks to me and a few deaf technies who advocated their staff to
> > wise up)
>
> Ha!! you are changing the world - congrats on that!!

Not just me - we want the BDA to be a better organisation ;)

> I have made DVDs before, although I am sure you are more skilled than
> I, but I have professionals to help me too...One of our board members
> is an expert on this kind of stuff on the Mac, and he donates his time
> to help me...His name is James Short and he is a captioning expert who
> keeps asking when we are ready to start creating captions in
> SignWriting? So maybe now is the time...smile...No matter what, I make
> all my own CD copies here...I have a duplicator that can make both CD
> and DVD duplicates...but I admit I have only made CD duplicates, and
> never DVD duplicates, so it is a skill I need to learn...

Subtitled NISL - mmhh, now that is a good idea - a good way for people to
improve their Written NISL - why not?

> > I am very annoyed with the people who makes THE BRAVO FAMILY video
> > series - they are NOT available in DVD format!
>
> Be kind to them. Maybe they are tired, old and broke! A little like the
> way I feel sometimes - ha!

Maybe - but they can reach more people that way.

> Wow. Well, right now I just wanted to give you products we already
> have, Shane, and I think James Short can help me with that, or I just
> might do it myself...but...having said that...for new products it would
> be wonderful to have Raymond's help...so go right ahead and contact him
> about SignWriting!

Yeah, no prob - im sure between me and James Short we can help u out :D

Shane