With their cameras and notebooks in hand, photographers Sabine Schmidt and Don House embarked on an ambitious project to document the libraries committed to serving Arkansas's smallest communities. Remote Access is the culmination of this fascinating three-year effort, which took the artists to every region of their home state. Schmidt's carefully constructed color images of libraries and the communities they serve and House's rich black-and-white portraits of library patrons and staff shine alongside the authors' observational essays about their experiences. The pages here come alive with a deep connection to Arkansas's history and culture as we accompany the authors on visits to a section of the Trail of Tears near Parkin, to the site of the tragic 1959 fire at the Arkansas Negro Boys' Industrial School in Wrightsville, and to Maya Angelou's childhood school in Stamps, among many other significant destinations. Through this testament to the essential role of libraries in the twenty-first century, Schmidt and House have created a clear-eyed portrait of modern rural life, delving into issues of race, politics, gender, and isolation as they document the remarkable hard work and generosity put forth in community efforts to sustain local libraries.

The digital video revolution has blurred the lines between professional and amateur equipment, with some Hollywood movies being shot and edited using the same technology that families use for their vacation footage. With sales of digital video cameras and computer-based editing systems skyrocketing, more and more people are seeing the potential and are anxious to advance their own personal video production skills to a higher level. The Essential Digital Video Handbook will help you, the beginner and budding professional become a better writer, producer, director, photographer, and editor. Author Pete May's sound advice and no-nonsense approach will help you achieve results that will wow audiences whether they're gathered in the family room or the corporate boardroom.
The Essential Digital Video Handbook takes the you through every step of the process, from buying the right equipment to editing footage. This book shares tips on achieving professional quality results by understanding and exploiting visual language, both by initially following the rules and then by breaking them with style and confidence. Videographers will also learn to sound like professionals by understanding and speaking the language of the business.
Instead of narrowly focusing on just the latest equipment and technology, May uses lessons he learned during twenty-five years in the television business to drill down to the most important stuff: the principles that don't change, and the tricks behind making videos that document, entertain, train, motivate, persuade, satisfy, and even have the ability to make money.
* Contains over 300 full-color footage stills, photographs, and samples
* Helps you, theamateur or budding professional videographer, create quality footage and make a profit
* Shows you how to learn and have fun at the same time in a casual, friendly, down-to-earth, yet effective tone

With sound becoming more important in cinema exhibition and DVD release, this book offers user-friendly knowledge and stimulating exercises to help compose a story, develop characters and create emotion through skilful creation of the sound track. Psychoacoustics, music theory, voice study and analysis of well-known films expand perception, imagination and the musical skills of the reader.

An avid gamer and sharp media critic explains meritocracy's negative contribution to video game culture-and what can be done about it Video games have brought entertainment, education, and innovation to millions, but gaming also has its dark sides. From the deep-bred misogyny epitomized by GamerGate to the endemic malice of abusive player communities, gamer culture has had serious real-world repercussions, ranging from death threats to sexist industry practices and racist condemnations. In The Toxic Meritocracy of Video Games, new media critic and longtime gamer Christopher A. Paul explains how video games' focus on meritocracy empowers this negative culture. Paul first shows why meritocracy is integral to video-game design, narratives, and values. Games typically valorize skill and technique, and common video-game practices (such as leveling) build meritocratic thinking into the most basic premises. Video games are often assumed to have an even playing field, but they facilitate skill transfer from game to game, allowing certain players a built-in advantage. The Toxic Meritocracy of Video Games identifies deep-seated challenges in the culture of video games-but all is not lost. As Paul argues, similarly meritocratic institutions like professional sports and higher education have found powerful remedies to alleviate their own toxic cultures, including active recruiting and strategies that promote values such as contingency, luck, and serendipity. These can be brought to the gamer universe, Paul contends, ultimately fostering a more diverse, accepting, and self-reflective culture that is not only good for gamers but good for video games as well.