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Technical Issues
How do I use Dropbox?
I've been using Dropbox exclusively for 3 years for submissions of student work.
I've attached what the ChiefTV dropbox looks like on all 23 ChiefTV studio computers, as well as my work laptop at home.
I'm sure the folder structure makes sense as to how students "use it" in our studio. We buy the 50 gb a year and never look back. The things that dropbox kicks butt at:
1) It's always saved. as long as it made it's way to the dropbox, you CAN ALWAYS GET IT BACK. one scary thing about dropbox is that all computers have the ability to save to all computers AND DELETE from all computers. Files that were "there" a second a go can disappear just as quickly if students haven't been taught to never delete files from the dropbox. you do that. but, if they do defy the gods and delete, you guilt them, open up safari, log in to dropbox and search the file with "deleteds" active. Find the file (ITS ALWAYS THERE), replace the file, and guilt them again as you laugh in the face of computing mortals.
2) Letting students teach students. THEY WATCH EVERYTHING IN THE DROPBOX.
students watch first prints, broll clips, graphics, the open environment encourages creativity and at the same time challenges them to "do it better than ....". The young ones look at the senior projects, the seniors get baffled by the young projects, everyone watches everything turned in - good or bad. I'll put daily video clips for students to watch for inspiration or daily lessons, and will showcase projects i want them to learn from. As long as they know you are dropbox god, no problem.
3) We run a 24/7 live stream channel with a server computer attached to the dropbox. I can show a video through that computer within minutes of it being exported to the dropbox. I still insist on a 24 hour pre broadcast deadline, but man it's cool to print a video last minute, watch it auto sync on the server and auto start playing with no touching. Lots of geeky software tweaking to make all this touchless, of course, but what video teacher doesn't tweak....
4) I grade at home. All their videos are right there organized and ready to grade/watch/coach/cry over on the laptop - and I didn't touch a thing.
Things to watch out for:
1) You must teach students how FCP files work. They CANNOT import footage (Capture Scratch) into the dropbox. Repeat - don't share any videos but final prints in the dropbox.
If you use a dropbox folder as a capture scratch, It will overload you network to a crawl, and will probably explode any mac older than last year with all the constant bandwidth.
They must still capture to a scratch disk off dropbox and must know that just because they can "see" their FCP anywhere in the dropbox network, they are still LOCKED to their edit bay. They should not open said FCP file anywhere except the originating computer unless they want a "media offline"
fiesta.
As long as they "get" FCP files, no problem.
2) Insist on a strict file structure and file naming system. Doesn't really need an explanation once you consider the dozens of videos moving in the dropbox daily.
3) Don't use wireless connections with dropbox video files. LAN sync (read up on it, unique to dropbox) is awesome and fast using ethernet wired connections, but really stinks in wifi mode. What takes 3 minutes to transfer and sync with a cable takes 1 hour+ if using wireless.If you want videos to show up on everyones computer, it's gonna take at least a minute (even wired).
I'm sure there's more, but this'll getcha started. I'm writing my thesis on this very subject so hit me up with more questions and I'll help. I live to make things easier and dropbox helps me do it. and no, they don't pay me.
I'm still clueless as to how to reply to a Listserv, so feel free to post this response and or photo for the others to read if you think it would help.
Kyle Loudis
Kickapoo Broadcast Journalism - ChiefTV
www.khschieftv.com
Springfield, MO
I've been using Dropbox exclusively for 3 years for submissions of student work.
I've attached what the ChiefTV dropbox looks like on all 23 ChiefTV studio computers, as well as my work laptop at home.
I'm sure the folder structure makes sense as to how students "use it" in our studio. We buy the 50 gb a year and never look back. The things that dropbox kicks butt at:
1) It's always saved. as long as it made it's way to the dropbox, you CAN ALWAYS GET IT BACK. one scary thing about dropbox is that all computers have the ability to save to all computers AND DELETE from all computers. Files that were "there" a second a go can disappear just as quickly if students haven't been taught to never delete files from the dropbox. you do that. but, if they do defy the gods and delete, you guilt them, open up safari, log in to dropbox and search the file with "deleteds" active. Find the file (ITS ALWAYS THERE), replace the file, and guilt them again as you laugh in the face of computing mortals.
2) Letting students teach students. THEY WATCH EVERYTHING IN THE DROPBOX.
students watch first prints, broll clips, graphics, the open environment encourages creativity and at the same time challenges them to "do it better than ....". The young ones look at the senior projects, the seniors get baffled by the young projects, everyone watches everything turned in - good or bad. I'll put daily video clips for students to watch for inspiration or daily lessons, and will showcase projects i want them to learn from. As long as they know you are dropbox god, no problem.
3) We run a 24/7 live stream channel with a server computer attached to the dropbox. I can show a video through that computer within minutes of it being exported to the dropbox. I still insist on a 24 hour pre broadcast deadline, but man it's cool to print a video last minute, watch it auto sync on the server and auto start playing with no touching. Lots of geeky software tweaking to make all this touchless, of course, but what video teacher doesn't tweak....
4) I grade at home. All their videos are right there organized and ready to grade/watch/coach/cry over on the laptop - and I didn't touch a thing.
Things to watch out for:
1) You must teach students how FCP files work. They CANNOT import footage (Capture Scratch) into the dropbox. Repeat - don't share any videos but final prints in the dropbox.
If you use a dropbox folder as a capture scratch, It will overload you network to a crawl, and will probably explode any mac older than last year with all the constant bandwidth.
They must still capture to a scratch disk off dropbox and must know that just because they can "see" their FCP anywhere in the dropbox network, they are still LOCKED to their edit bay. They should not open said FCP file anywhere except the originating computer unless they want a "media offline"
fiesta.
As long as they "get" FCP files, no problem.
2) Insist on a strict file structure and file naming system. Doesn't really need an explanation once you consider the dozens of videos moving in the dropbox daily.
3) Don't use wireless connections with dropbox video files. LAN sync (read up on it, unique to dropbox) is awesome and fast using ethernet wired connections, but really stinks in wifi mode. What takes 3 minutes to transfer and sync with a cable takes 1 hour+ if using wireless.If you want videos to show up on everyones computer, it's gonna take at least a minute (even wired).
I'm sure there's more, but this'll getcha started. I'm writing my thesis on this very subject so hit me up with more questions and I'll help. I live to make things easier and dropbox helps me do it. and no, they don't pay me.
I'm still clueless as to how to reply to a Listserv, so feel free to post this response and or photo for the others to read if you think it would help.
Kyle Loudis
Kickapoo Broadcast Journalism - ChiefTV
www.khschieftv.com
Springfield, MO
