INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Editing a film is a lot of work that requires a specialized skill. If your budget is low and you cannot afford an editor, you can tackle the editing process yourself. Otherwise, hiring a professional editor will save you a lot of time and effort. If you decide to edit the film yourself, you will need to decide what editing software to use. There are many good options available. This is the step where you match the visual scenes to the audio. If you want to include any external audio cues (like narration), you can add that audio during this step. This is your first round of cuts. Go through all the shots and cut materials you don't think are pertinent to the bigger picture of the film. Remember that your film can only be 30 (or 60) seconds long so you will end up doing a lot of scene cutting. After going through each shot of your footage and deciding which scenes can stay and which scenes have to go, you should have a final version that fits into your allotted time slot. You can add sound effects and music as the last step. Save your final cut as a master file for yourself. Be sure to back it up, twice. This is your file, not the file you will give to the television broadcasters. They will request different formats.

SUMMARY: Decide if you will edit yourself or outsource. Assemble your film. Cut the shots you do not want to keep. Cut more scenes for a final version. Save your final cut.

INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Although there are exceptions, generally you should keep the number of parts (including vocals and instruments) in your track to about 5 or 6. Too many parts can create a muddy or oversaturated sound. Choose the tempo (speed) of the music by setting the metronome (sometimes marked by "BPM" (Beats per Minute)). Research the genre of the track you're trying to create. Some genres have specific characteristics, like the typical 90 BPM range for pop songs or the 120 BPM range for house music. What do you, as a listener, want to hear in the genre of music you are making? This can be a useful guide to the instruments you choose and the tone of your track. The bassline is comprised of low-tone pitches and percussion instruments, like drums. This should be fairly simple and repeatable without being tiresome. The trick of a strong bassline is to make it repetitive but catchy. Low-tone notes on instruments besides drums can be a part of your bassline. Try including low-tone chords and low-tone single notes on the guitar and piano. Loop the main theme of your bassline so it's steady and plays for most of the track. This main theme may pause during the bridge or change slightly at transitions, like where the verse changes to the chorus. The repetitive, twangy bass of Pink Floyd's hit song "Money" and the simple yet insistent low note pulse in "My Generation" by The Who are great examples of famous basslines. The melody is the main part of a track that you would hum along to. The melody is often reflected in the lead vocals. Generally, one instrument, one voice, or the combination of an instrument and a voice creates the melody. The melody should sync with the pulse of the bassline. There are many instruments you can use to make the melody, but popular choices include the piano, guitar, trumpet, trombone, flute, violin, and more. Try to design your melody so it has contour. The rise and fall of the volume and tone of the melody will be more engaging to audiences. If you intend to have vocals, it's most common to have the vocals sing along with the melody. Write lyrics for your vocals if you plan on including them in your track. Popular melodies that you might look to for inspiration for your own include "I Want to Hold Your Hand" by the Beatles and "Respect" by Aretha Franklin. Choose one or two new instruments to add harmony to your track. Include these instruments at various points throughout the track. Use a note, a run of notes, or a chord with these instruments to create tension, build, or emphasis at important parts of the song or to highlight lyrics. Add supplemental instruments sparingly to your track. Adding too many or having supporting instruments play too frequently can make your track heavy and the sound quality muddy. Voices, too, can be added as a supplemental "instrument." A second/backup voice or chorus, especially during the chorus or emphatic parts, can be effective. Listen to the operatic harmony in the internationally famous Queen song "Bohemian Rhapsody," or the equally impressive harmonies of the Beach Boys in "I Get Around." During the middle build of the song you'll likely want to increase volume and add instruments little by little for its duration. Add an instrument to highlight your favorite lyrics. Hit home the last chorus hard by using a backup chorus to add a sense of weight and depth. When it comes to emphasizing your track, it's completely a matter of preference. Explore different techniques to find what works best for you. Unusual sounds, like air raid sirens, rain, and traffic, can sometimes have an unexpectedly positive effect on a track. The bitter chorus of "Mr. Brightside" by the Killers is emphasized with additional instruments. Don McLean adds and removes instruments throughout "American Pie" to shift mood, heighten emotion, and more. Mix your track. Assemble the different parts of the track in your DAW so they fit together seamlessly.Master the track to ensure the volume is balanced between parts. Check any fades and the overall frequency of the song. Moderate extremes so the transition and quality between sounds are both smooth. Keep the volume low when finishing your track. You'll likely spend many hours making small adjustments until you achieve your desired sound. Moderate and high volumes can damage your hearing over time. DAWs generally come with finishing tools, like those used for compression. With compression tools, as an example, you can more easily maintain consistent volume throughout a track.

SUMMARY: Plan the track. Build the foundation with a bassline. Come up with a melody. Add in harmony. Emphasize suitable parts of your track. Finish your track.

INPUT ARTICLE: Article: You can purchase stationary fans or use ceiling fans in your house. Fans will push around the air in a room and keep it cool. Ceiling fans are often the most effective way to cool down a room, while stationary and tower fans are usually cheaper to purchase. Determine how large you want the fan to be and how it blends in with your existing decor. If you don't have a lot of space, you could purchase a smaller desk fan. If you need to cool multiple people, you should consider purchasing an oscillating fan. Stationary fans can come in the form of box fans, table fans, and tower fans. You can purchase a stationary fan at most department stores or online. If you place ice cubes or an ice pack in front of a fan, it will create a cool breeze that can significantly cool down a room. This is a great alternative if you don't have air conditioning. You will have to replace the ice as it melts. Hold your hand in an open window to get the orientation of the wind. Determine which way the wind is naturally blowing and point the fan in the same direction. Position another fan in a different window facing outward, so that it pushes hot air out of the room. This will increase airflow and create a breeze that will cool down the room. Try to remove obstructions in the path of the two windows to improve the airflow. Whether it's a window unit, central air, or a stationary unit, air conditioning is the easiest way to keep a room cool. Look on the product detail sheet or the packaging of a stationary or window unit to make sure that it's optimized for the size of the room you want to cool. Then, once you have air conditioning, turn down the thermostat to reduce the temperature of the room. Air conditioning is the easiest but least energy efficient way to cool a room. Central air is the most effective type of air conditioning. Stationary or mobile units are the least energy efficient types of air conditioning units.

SUMMARY:
Turn a fan on. Place ice cubes in front of a running fan. Create a cross-breeze with two fans. Use an air conditioning unit that's strong enough to cool the room.