DemoGirl

So I’m pretty new to FCP X and one issue that came up for me almost immediately was how to save a custom title screen that I created in FCP X to use over and over again in future projects. The problem first arose when I was almost done with a project and decided I wanted a new title screen. Without thinking, I created one within a project, exported the project, etc. I then realized that the title screen was living inside my project and if I wanted to use it again I would have to open up the old project, copy the title screen, start a new project and then paste it into the timeline of the new project. I wanted a way to simply save title screens that I create in FCP – but I searched and searched and couldn’t find the answer to my question anywhere.

So I decided a workaround would be in order, although I’m sure I’m making things harder on myself so if you have any suggestions on how to accomplish this task without having to jump through firey hoops, I’m all ears.

In the screencast below, I show you how I saved a custom title screen so that I could access it quickly when making a new DemoGirl screencast.

Diptic is a neat App that allows you to stitch together your photos into a neat little package.  It’s available for the iPhone and iPad.  Below is a quick overview:

I’ve been reading some chatter from a few of my friends on Facebook that they don’t really get Pinterest.  I know that they’re using Pinterest because before I turned off my email notification it seemed that they were pinning all the time.  All the time.

I started using Pinterest about a year and a half ago when I was planning my wedding.  I created some boards with different hairstyles, bouquets and centerpieces.  My plan was to share these with my sister so that she could add things and so on.  But I didn’t know how to do that so I ended up just using it for my own reference.   Actually, I didn’t put much time into figuring out how to collaborate.  And I’m thinking that maybe this could be playing a minor roll in the confusion some people are having.  I mean, sure, it’s fun to just start pinning every beautiful picture of a sunset or expensive handbag, but the real value in Pinterest is the social and collaborative aspect.  At least that’s my take on it.

Pinterest is a great place to find and share inspiration for just about anything – you just need to know how to look for it.  And how to organize it.  And what not to pin   Hopefully my screencast will showcase some of the coolness that Pinterest has to offer.

Facebook Timeline turns your average Facebook profile into a dynamic history of photos, wall posts, life events and more.  I’ve had Timeline enabled for a few weeks but today I noticed that quite a few of my friends do not.  And it made me wonder…

It made me wonder if it was either too confusing or just didn’t make sense.  Because it didn’t make sense to me until I read up on it and then took the time to actually edit my Timeline and put important events that I wanted to share, front and center.

Along with my wondering came, of course, the need to create a screencast to share a few easy ways to make Timeline a fun aspect of Facebook.

I’ve been using Facebook for years.  My Mom is even on Facebook, although she refuses to log-in because she thinks “it’s weird.”  She would “rather use Google.”  Whatever that means….Hi Mom!

Anyway, what I had not done was something that I believe to be a huge mistake.  I didn’t have a Facebook page for DemoGirl.  What? I know. Dumb.

DemoGirl puts food on the table, introduces me to awesome new people and recently, turned me into a celebrity judge!

So if you have a moment, and you really mean it, please like DemoGirl on Facebook.  I have years and years to make up for.  Another reason I should be exceptionally disgusted with myself?  I recently stumbled across an old screencast tutorial I made on just this very subject.

I’ve been running a Quickcast special for quite a while now, and it’s almost time to say goodbye.  I thought it would be a great way to find new customers and to give businesses a less expensive option for a screencast that only needed to cover one specific feature.  It did both of those things, but unfortunately, it also connected me with people who didn’t realize that my time is just as valuable as everyone else who is trying to run a business. And I am running a business. 

No worries though! The Quickcast was always intended to be just that, a special, and it will be around until mid-January and I’m sure it will be back again – think of it as the McRib of screencast specials…