Welcome to the FilmForge development pages! If you're just looking for a description of the project, check out FilmForge. If you want to see a demo, check out http://filmforge.koumbit.net. If you want to help with development, you've come to the right place!

Timeline

• Pre-timeline:

  • Initial Drupal deployment and setup 3h

• Week 1:

  • Drupal wiki deployment 2h (07-06-2007)

  • Rating/Logging tool: Mediumvote module and taxonomy configuration 4h (07-06-2007) the "fivestar" and and "votingapi" modules were installed.

  • Distribution tool: Video_cck module 5h (7-6-2007) video.module installed, video_cck not enough

• Week 2:

  • Logo spike 15h (13-6-2007)

  • Web design spike 20h (13-6-2007) (mockups done by schock)
  • Web integration/theming 15h (20-6-2007) (some work done by marco)

  • Internationalisation (i18n) module 10h (20-6-2007)

• Week 3:
  • tweaking and finish implementing the above, rush todo:

    • modified video.module to provide a setting for the "fullscreen URL", to use instead of flowplayer.sf.net.

    • installed local (modified) copies of the fullscreen pages for flowplayer (removed google ads).

    • fix video.module bugs (this for example)

      • fixed, the cron job is ran each minute

        • # m     h       dom     mon     dow     user            command
          */1     *       *       *       *       www-data        cd /var/www/filmforge/drupal ; php video_scheduler.php
          

    • sent in a busy.flv "video" to have something displayed when the video is being converted, see patch #132720 on drupal.org

    • make a nicer frontpage, with panels, views and blocks almost done

    • add facility to add multiple test domains under filmforge.koumbit.net (delegate the subdomain) (the zonefile is in /etc/bind/master/filmforge.koumbit.net, you can add subdomains there, provided you of course configure the vhost in apache, in /etc/apache2/sites-available + a2enmod)

• Week 4:

  • Installation profile creation and testing 15h

  • Script tool: Port the MediaWiki Screenplay extension 4h (20-06-2007) postponed

  • Storyboard tool development 5h (20-06-2007) postponed

  • French translation of the interface 5h (27-6-2007) 74% done (ie. no work done)

  • Korean translation of the interface 10h (27-6-2007) 33% done

Legend

• priority todo

• blocker

• postponed/canceled stuff

• done stuff

Known issues

Transcoding checklist

Checklist of filetypes and whether we have succesful test for upload, thumbnail, and transcode to flv. (later let's test transcode to ogg, working in browser w/cortado, and torrent.)

Video edit errors

I see this error when editing a video node (without uploading a new video in):

• An error occurred during file saving. Your video file has not been stored.

The video then doesn't show up anymore and the node needs to be re-edited to show the vid properly. -- TheAnarcat 2007-06-27 10:45:51

• I don't have this problem anymore. -- TheAnarcat 2007-06-27 13:42:36

Another problem: sometimes, the interface gets stuck on "Sending video... please wait.". -- TheAnarcat 2007-06-27 10:48:55

• I don't have this problem anymore. -- TheAnarcat 2007-06-27 13:42:36

Editing youtube nodes breaks them. -- TheAnarcat 2007-06-27 13:42:36

• Fixed. -- TheAnarcat 2007-06-27 15:36:46

Transcoding issue: no sound

Transcoded videos don't have sound. -- TheAnarcat 2007-06-27 13:42:36

Fixed with:

aptitude install w32codecs  ffmpeg sox toolame vorbis-tools lame lame-extras faad

-- TheAnarcat 2007-06-27 14:53:05

Notes about the implementation of the FilmForge site

This should be useful both during the project for monitoring and decision-making and after for reporting/writing about the experience on drupal.org and other outlets.

Applied / contributed patches

1. mpg support (patch adapted)

2. redo conversion on updates (contributed)

3. ffmpeg deployment instructions (contributed)

4. "busy.flv" processing video (contributed)

5. fix infinite loop (contributed)

6. .pot update (contributed)

7. full-screen flash player (contributed)

8. Video info (ffmpeg_helper) fails on pre-existing videos (patched, then reverted)

9. ffmpeg_helper tries to process external videos (contributed)

10. ffmpeg_helper: don't say you're not doing anything (contributed)

11. Youtube thumbnails (patch adapted)

12. no sessions patch (contributed, reverted)

Video

• We need to choose between the video module and the CCK video field. Both have been installed.

  • Note: Video CCK now deprecated for Embedded Media Field : http://drupal.org/project/emfield --SashaCostanzaChock

  • The video module provides much more functionality out of the box.

  • For .flv video to work I think that we need to place the FlowPlayer.swf file in the directory and to configure the path on the video settings page

Some codecs were missing, which was breaking sound:

aptitude install w32codecs  ffmpeg sox toolame vorbis-tools lame lame-extras faad

• trying to download these videos is returning page not found, plus the download link is pointing to the flvs (rather than the original), makes me realize we might need to let users select whether they want to download the flv or the source clip -- SashaCostanzaChock

video.module

• We would probably need to configure the ffmpeg_helper

  • While it also provides a "custom fields" but this is pretty weak ... notably, it is probably not wikifiable.
• Creating thumbnails via the video_image functionality leads to "A page with this name alredy exists." sometimes. This seems to be related to interference between the video module that doesn't assign a title to the automatically created image nodes (re: video_image) and the wiki "unique title" check/functionality.

cck video field

• Note: Video CCK now deprecated for Embedded Media Field: http://drupal.org/project/emfield --SashaCostanzaChock

• The CCK video field stuff is less mature but will probably be more flexible in the *long run*.
  • The CCK video field does not provide the ability to upload video files.

  • but can't you use upload module with CCK? http://drupal.org/project/upload

• You can compare video configuration page with cck video configuration page

• would be cool to Add archive.org support to Video CCK module

• the cutting edge is, as of 2007-06-27:

  • Embedded Media Field (replacing ncck and video_cck)

  • flashvideo (replacing video.module)

  • mediafield (also trying to replace video.module)

  • media mover (transcoding and media identification)

  • see also http://drupal.org/node/84881

Neighborhood CCK

• Allows auto recognition of video, images, and audio hosted on many third party sites. http://drupal.org/project/ncck

Images

• We have to make the same kind of decision for images that we have to make for video; using image.module or the CCK image field (with image_cache.module)
• We have to keep the image.module if we want the auto-thumbnailing for video.module
• then let's keep image.module. I consider auto-thumbs high priority for useability. -- schock

Wiki

• Seem to be issue remaining with the mediawiki input format... Note that even if we resolve the bugs, this functionality requires PEAR to be configured, something that may not be universally applicable.

• The pearwiki_filter.module is really "edge" stuff: it requires the latest and greatest PEAR Text/Wiki module from CVS. If an older version is installed system-wide, it creates problems. -- TheAnarcat 2007-06-11 19:46:17

• given our new focus on video centered installation profile, let's move wiki to lower priority. working wiki is nice, but not a key functionality for 1.0. -- SashaCostanzaChock

• The mediawiki input format does seem to be working in general (I edited the FAQ and About pages using mediawiki filter). noticed however that if it sees a blank wiki page it only gives me the option to create the page 'as an image.' What setting do we need to modify to change this to default create the new page as a page? Example: http://filmforge.koumbit.net/wiki/FilmForge -- SashaCostanzaChock

Multi-lingualism

• I added the i18n variables to the settings.php file and translated the slogan into French. Other elements needs to be transllated:

Needing French translation

• http://filmforge.koumbit.org/fr/admin/settings/site-information ... but needs review.

Needing Korean translation

• http://filmforge.koumbit.org/ko/admin/settings/site-information

Categories / taxonomy

We have decided not to translate taxonomy items due to limitations of the i18n/taxonomy hooks (which don't work very well) and I have enabled the freetaging for the "Tags" vocabulary (formerly known as "Category"). -- TheAnarcat 2007-06-27 10:38:29

Modules installed/to install/to review/rejected

Installed (please add links to version)

• Video http://drupal.org/project/video

• Audio:

• Upload (core - just enabled it)

• Translation module (or Internationalization module)

• Media module: Gathers metadata. http://drupal.org/node/19304

• Flashvideo: http://drupal.org/project/flashvideo (and tutorial: http://www.travistidwell.com/flashvideo) Needs testing/review.

• Panels: http://drupal.org/project/panels for complex layouts of dynamic content

• Tagadelic: http://drupal.org/project/tagadelic for tag cloud

• Creative Commons Lite: http://drupal.org/project/creativecommons_lite

To install

• modules that need to be installed go here

High priority for review

• Neighborhood CCK, supposed to replace Video CCK: http://drupal.org/project/ncck

• Prodigem (make torrents) It would need to be upgraded from 4.7 release -- OmarBickell 2007-06-18 18:06:25

• community_tags: http://drupal.org/project/community_tags Enable inline tagging on a node body (no support for teaser yet), and has nice AJAX submit and autocomplete functionality. Be sure to apply this fix: http://drupal.org/node/143236 Taxonomy_user will be combined w/ this in 6.x and beyond -- KentBye

Low priority for review (possibly useful in future versions, can ignore for now)

• Shoutcast Streaming Server

• Shoutcast: http://drupal.org/project/shoutcast

• Phoneblogz: http://drupal.org/project/phoneblogz (see implementation at http://www.ithou.org/talkingstick)

• MMB: http://drupal.org/project/mmb

• Moblog: http://dream.sims.berkeley.edu/~sahern/?q=node/34

• BlogSMS: http://drupal.org/project/blogsms

• Station (module made byKPSU): http://drupal.org/project/station

• Playlist (toolkit, modules)

• PhoneBlogz

• Custom Pagers

• Audio Gallery: http://drupal.org/project/audio_tab

• phpfreechat
• Skype Support
• Twitter
• SMS Gateway
• Slideshow Creator

Reviewed and rejected (why?)

• Web Media It is relatively old and there isn't even an official release... won t install. - Omar

• Media module. Gathers metadata. http://drupal.org/node/19304 Again, very old... and no official release... I wouldn't install. - Omar

• Audioblog http://drupal.org/node/34664 Too old and not really released -- OmarBickell 2007-06-18 18:25:53

Meetings

The meeting planner is useful to figure out proper times for meetings. We usually hold meetings at 1600UTC (1200EDT / 0900PST / 0100KST), but another window of good meeting time is also 2300UTC (1900EDT / 1600PST / 0800KST).

Analysis

At the beginning of the project, we documented each tool with "Existing software" and "Spike":

Existing software

software that already exists and that we'll need to install/deploy on a demo.

Spike

a SpikeSolution we'll need to implement as a proof of concept

From this, we determined what functionality to include in the first version and what would have to be pushed back for future development.

Script tool

This would be a wiki; project initiators could determine levels of access to collaboration, anywhere from no collaborators (the script is already complete) to invited collaborators (project initiators invites particular individuals and they get script editing permission) to registered users to completely open (anyone can access and modify the script). Once the script is 'done' (to be determined by either project initiator or all participants), it can be 'frozen' (or forked) and the project can move to the next stage: storyboard.

Existing software

• liquid module (wiki) and others

• See http://test.tschannen.net/ for a full deployment of all modules

• CollorativeEditionSoftware: Gobby, SynchroEdit, etc, for real-time communication and collaboration

Spike

• port the Mediawiki Screenplay Extension (see project page) as a DrupalModule

Storyboard tool

Based on the script, project collaborators (again, open/closed determined by project initiator) use this tool to generate storyboard from the script.

Existing software

• image module and the general file upload mechanisms allow crude file sharing

• Slideshow modules: slideshow, slideshow_creator, useful for viewing, maybe, but not for producing

Spike

• Deploy and test an Inkscape's Inkboard that could serve as a collaborative whiteboard

• Comicjuice, see this post on how it was done, not exactly a walk in the park (see http://comicjuice.com/about-comicjuice too), have to contact the author (Steve Wittens)

Shot (media) acquisition tool

Based on storyboard, participants submit media (footage, stills, audio, etc.) to the project's media bin / pool.

Existing software

• video or mediafield module to upload footage

Spike

• Make sure those generate thumbnails (with the Video FFMPeg Helper module)

Logging tool

(maybe combined with acquisition). This allows participants to view, select, tag, and rate media that has been submitted to the project. With video clips, needs to be able to allow browser based submission of in and out points. Ideally this is done directly within the clip viewer (see example of this capability at http://jumpcut.com; http://eyespot.com) but can also be a simple webform for entering timecode in/out.

Existing software

• Drupal taxonomies (tagging)

• nodevote module

• votingapi module

• decisions module

Spike

• ?

Editing tool

Again, remember that project initiators can open or close the editing stage as much as they want. Maybe they have a particular editor they want to work with; maybe they want it completely open to public. Maybe only some segments of the project are open, while others are closed. Collaborative editing can be thought of in at least two ways:

1. shared editing via the browser window, where the user drags media files from the media bin/pool into a project timeline and sets in/out points (See http://eyespot.com for kind of clunky, but working, implementation of this idea; http://jumpcut.com for a slightly better version - and rabble tells me these are built on top of FOSS Gstreamer: http://gstreamer.freedesktop.org/).

2. local editing with user's preferred editing software, but shared Edit Decision List (EDL) across the project. Either instead of, or in addition to, shared editing via the browser window a la JumpCut, we should make it easy for people to edit locally and then export their EDL back into a shared project database. Think of the EDL as a wiki that a lot of people could write to. This requires tracking and versioning, both of the EDL and of the media files to which it refers. So for example, when people want to view the current version of the project, they can either just download the EDL and watch using local media files, or maybe the server can generate a low quality (flash?) version to be seen via the browser. In addition, if people are 'subscribed' to a project then perhaps they can automatically download any new source material that gets added? (This could be done by sharing all source media files via P2P, so the project server doesn't have to serve everything.) Also, most editing (either browser based or locally in a dedicated video editing program) can be done using low quality, highly compressed versions of the source material, used as 'thumbnails' of the original full quality material. A copy of the full quality remains on the project server, and whenever needed, an export of the full project can be done at any quality (using ffmpeg?)

Spike

• tool for editing offline or in-browser (flash?)

• edl (ToDo) to allow on-server processing of the edits

Transcript and subtitling tool

Example: see http://www.dotsub.com or Subtitles Workshop which seems to be a freeware see http://www.urusoft.net/downloads.php?lang=1

Existing software

• there are some subtitle edition software i forgot the name -- TheAnarcat

Spike

• some subtitle module? or flash client-side thing?

Distribution tool

In addition to distro of the films (p2p), a tool to facilitate large numbers of people participating in arranging screenings, sales. (example: see http://crm2.metamute.org/)

Spike

• video

Film Forge theme and graphic design

Put notes about theme, logo, graphic design here

Film Forge logo

We went through three rounds of concept, sketches, and modification and came up with the current logo:

Film Forge theme

comar is developing the Film Forge basic theme, following the logo design and the mockup for video.indymedia by schock (view the mockup).

Graphic design To Do list

Running notes on graphic design to do

• Publish/Upload button (comar made a publish button)
• View/Watch button
• other buttons?
• buttons to include element related to logo?
• Featured video: schock suggests "let's modify the thumbnail size and layout (following the mockup) so that the main featured video gets more of the screenspace and also is entirely above the fold in 15" browser (no scrolldown). This may require either shrinking the header (although i like the clean space) and/or shrinking/moving the mission statement."

Film Forge drupal installation profile

One of the most interesting parts of this project is that we're going to use it to create a Film Forge drupal installation profile customized for video community sites. Everyone working on this part of the project should read this HOWTO: http://drupal.org/node/67921, then come contribute to the FilmForge/DrupalProfile.

Update July 5, 2007: JohnSeb notes: "In order to help myself build the FilmForge profile, I created a "Profile Wizard" module. For now, it basically dumps the database in a .profile file. See http://filmforge.koumbit.net/en/profile_wizard/filmforge (you need to be admin). Starting from that, we can easily remove the crap. It will also set the ground for a real profile wizard."