I was completely schooled today. Somehow I knew nothing about AppleScript, a Mac function that works like Photoshop Actions by automating repetitive actions. It’s not new, and many books have been written about it. I’ve actually used it before without knowing.

Today our newsroom computer guy sent me an AppleScript that solves a common problem we have in creating photo galleries.

When I first started my job, I was being trained how to create photo galleries and was shocked that I had to rename every filename of every photo (We download our photos from the server with names like “tcl-5lsbeon89w819nsmq8cc_original.jpg,” which apparently are too long or hold too many odd characters for our gallery creator software). I even looked online for a more efficient way of renaming all files in a folder, but didn’t find anything except programs that I had to pay for. Maybe I need to work on my Google search skills?

How to do it:

The process is really pretty self explanatory once you open the AppleScript editor, and it would depend on each user’s specific needs, so I won’t detail a how-to here. It’s not needed anyway.

The AppleScript editor comes standard with Mac, and it works a lot like Actions in Photoshop in that you can record what you do and repeat the process with a push of a button. In fact, if you have Photoshop CS3, AppleScript cane work with Photoshop, resizing your photos, etc

Learn more about AppleScripts here.

I’m getting a little low on video ideas, so I decided today to brainstorm.

I get my ideas for most of my videos from the following:

1. Live news stories
2. Assignments for future stories
3. The features (lifestyle) budget that comes out in advance. This one most often provides the best video ideas

But like I said, today, I’m running on empty. So here’s my brainstorming list:

Big vegetables, world records, road side attractions - tourist office, state fair organizers, schools, churches Small crafts - craft fairs, craftsmen’s guild Fast races, new technology - body shops, small business center High sky rise construction, helicopter, sky diving - local business, social networks

Odd wild animals - Zoo Cute pets, children - parks, animal shelters, pet stores Emotional sickness, poverty, surprise party, competition - health forums, social networks, college/school PR Eye catching Art, anything involving little clothing -colleges, beaches, art classes

It’s not much, but it’s a start. It’s not even well researched. But it’s something I can keep on my desktop and add to over time.

You can probably figure out that I started with elements I think make for good visuals and then imagined what sorts of stories I could tell based on other videos I’ve seen, life experience and my imagination. Then I wrote down courses of action. I actually am already in touch with the local zoo, which has helped me a couple of times. More often than not with the zoo I get a press release AFTER the event has already happened. Ex: Once I got a press release about how two days before a baby giraffe was born in front of a group of schoolchildren on a field trip. AGH!

A lot of these ideas can be researched with a little digging on the Web. The ideas that require me to physically visit some place are going to be the trickiest. Editors hate nothing more than when I go out into the field and don’t return with anything the same day — a very likely scenario if I visit the airfield or ride around parks. But I do think it’s necessary to find stories where they happen.

If I build enough sources, I should get tips for video just as a reporter does for stories. My hope is that I can generate a reliable stream of video opportunities that come right to me.