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INSTRUCTOR AREA

Sorry, this page is for instructors only. Please contact Joe if you should have access to this area.

INSTRUCTOR CENTER

STEP #0
WELCOME
STEP #1
SETUP
STEP #2
OUTLINE
STEP #3
TOPIC
STEP #5
SCRIPT
STEP #6
AI REVIEW
STEP #7
JESSE
STEP #8
JOE
STEP #9
RECORD
STEP #10
VISUALS
STEP #11A
STORYBOARD
STEP #11B
STORYBOARD
STEP #17
ENGLISH
STEP #19
E-BOOK IMAGERY

[FOR INSTRUCTORS]

SETUP

Before we get started, you'll need:

A. SOFTWARE / HARDWARE
    • You'll need:
    • Microsoft Word.
    • A microphone, which I will ship to you.
    • Screen recording program that can capture your screen and audio. Microsoft has a free recorder. I personally prefer SnagIt Capture.



    B. QUICK BIO
      • Here is a sample bio you can copy an make your own.
      • Please include a LinkedIn link to your profile if you would like that to be shown on our Instructor's page.
      • Upload your bio here: My Bio Upload



      C. NEW HEADSHOT
        • Your headshot for MeyerFire University needs to be recent. 
        • That's OK - because this is your opportunity to get that nice professional headshot that you haven't done in ten years... yes it's been that long : )
        • The only rule for our headshot is that it needs to have a solid color light or white background.
        • If you don't have a professional headshot image within the last two years, then we will pay you to go get one at JCPenny Photos (yes they're still around). Generally they have Groupons for digital image(s) and a photo shoot for $40 or less: JCPenny Photos with Lifetouch



        D. PAYMENT INFO (TO GET PAID)

        • If you're US-based: Email Joe this W-9 Form completed, with a mailing address, and your shirt size.
        • If you're outside the US: Email Joe your mailing address, the email address you use for PayPal, and your shirt size.

        LINKS & ACTION ITEMS:

        [FOR INSTRUCTORS]

        PICK A TOPIC

        • Here we're going to pick a whole series.
        • This should be a topic that (1) you're passionate about, (2) is a strength of yours, and (3) that is in an area that the users are needing in the near-future.
        • Generally, Joe will have a list of next-up topics that you'll be able to choose from.

          Action Item: Email Erik with ideas on topics, or simply ask what is available and needed. 

        ACTION ITEMS:

        [FOR THE TECHNICAL EDITOR & JOE]

        CRAFT AN OUTLINE

        Here, we want to have a rough idea of the 5-15 different segments that we want to cover as part of the series.

        The three core components of learning are:
          (1) Introduce a concept,
          (2) Give helpful resources,
          (3) Practice, practice, practice

        Some introduction (1) content will be video modules which will answer one specific question. 

        Helpful resources (2) often include PDF flowcharts, tables, diagrams, or other cheatsheets that a learner can keep and put into practice immediately.

        Practicing (3) can be a quiz, can be a puzzle (crossword, image identification, matching), it can be a plan review, a video game, or a 3D simulation.

        In the outline, we just want to establish a loose "flow" of what we want to cover within the overall series, the title of each segment, and key takeaways from that segment.


        A SERIES
        Each series will contain multiple modules.

        The series can be as long or short as necessary to cover a topic. Generally, a series ends up being between 6-15 different modules, and be between 1 and 3 hours.

        A MODULE
        For each module, we target 5-10 minutes as the ideal length. This is short and bite-sized. It's OK to be shorter or longer. We have some 3 minute and some 15 minute videos.

        If one segment goes too long (over about 15 minutes), we just split content into multiple segments.

        Ask questions and/or send to Joe (joe@meyerfire.com) for review/input when you're done.

        LINKS & ACTION ITEMS:

        [FOR INSTRUCTORS]

        WRITE OUT THE SCRIPT

        • Let's take the outline and turn it into a loose script.

        PARTS OF THE SCRIPT

        • Introduction (What did we cover last time? What will we talk about today?)
        • Body Blocks (Main body of the script)
        • Summary (Recap the most-important takaways)
        • Outtro (I'm NAME, this is MeyerFire)

        LINKS & ACTION ITEMS:

        DOs

        • Add content/stories/examples/details that are important or relevant to you.

        • Share your personality.

        • Make it fun.

        • Write and speak as if you're talking to a close friend.

        • Make it accessible to new audiences.

        • When you use big or technical terms, slow down and define what those mean, and reiterate what they mean in plain-speak.

        • Use active voice, for example, "I want to eat ice cream now."


        • Use humor as you see fit.

        • Teach in a way where you're actually helping the person you're talking to—for instance, what would you tell the person in the cube next to you?

        • Have fun.

        • Know that what you work on will be reviewed and helped.



        • Just focus on the script (content) at this stage.


        • Turn the Outline into as rough or as detailed of a Script as you'd like. You can keep it bullet-points as "talking points", or spell it out word-by-word on what you plan to say. Totally your choice here.

        DON'Ts

        • Don't talk in "hypotheticals" or "theories."


        • Don't talk in "hypotheticals" or "theories."


        • Don't be a monotone engineer-type that does webinars.

        • Don't talk like fire protection sucks.

        • Don't write and speak as if you hate the person watching.

        • Don't use big words to sound smart.

        • Don't do a technical-term "drive-by shooting." Stop and explain terms that might not be known.


        • Don't use passive voice, like "the ice cream may want to be eaten by me now."

        • Don't use profanity or belittle anyone.

        • Don't talk at a "30,000 ft" level where you don't actually say anything that could help someone.


        • Don't be boring.

        • Don't worry about perfection or the quality of what you're producing; our team (Joe included) will give feedback and make sure that the content will end up at a very high quality.

        • Don't worry about speaking and recording audio... we haven't even gotten there yet!

        • Don't worry about making it perfect. It won't be, that's 100% OK.

        • When writing out scripts, these tend to come out better when written the old-fashioned way (typing original content as you would speak it).

          USING AI FOR SCRIPT DRAFTS

        • There are plenty of things that ChatGPT does well, but it (and other AI) has tell-tale writing style that comes off as inauthentic and can be overly grandiose. As of this writing in 2024, it's technical proficiency can be misleading when it's unchecked.

        • The value that we bring to users, as instructors, is not by quick-creating and hashing ChatGPT content. If that's all we're doing, then we're providing no additional service that a user cannot get from ChatGPT itself. This is no value-add to the user. If we use ChatGPT, we need to do so in a way were the end-result is vetted, accurate, is modified to our own personal voice, includes our own experience and stories, and basically becomes an extension of us - rather than us as an extention of it.

        • That being said; if you are going to use ChatGPT to set up your structure anyways, or put together an initial draft, try using this overall structure as guidance. Triple-click and Copy this prompt, and then copy and paste your outline into the same prompt.


        [Writing style guideline: Act as an engineering instructor who is developing fire protection training for industry professionals. The industry professionals are already familiar with construction and many things about the fire protection industry. We are providing training segments in audible form which are between 5 and 15 minutes in length when spoken at 190 words per minute. We then take groups of segments and form them into a series, which we call a Course. A course could range from four or five segments to as many as sixteen segments. Below is the title for all the segments in this series, the instructor of this segment, the title for this segment, and a rough outline of content for this segment. Please acknowledge that you have received this content with a simple acknowledgement of “OK. Got it.”]

        • Paste the above prompt and your outline for the segment into the same prompt. Press enter.
          Now, have ChatGPT generate a draft script by triple-clicking and Copy this prompt:


        [Guideline: You are now to write a script for this segment between 5 and 15 minutes long (when spoken at 190 words per minute). Take the information that was provided in the last prompt, and develop it into a script.   Writing Style: Write in a way that is both informative and entertaining. Write in a conversational, relatable, yet professional style. Use natural language and phrasing that a real person would use in a professional conversation. Be concise. Write at a high school level. Do not overly inflate the importance of a topic, or overly dramatic. Do not write in generalities, be euphemistic, vague, impressionistic, or impressionistic. Provide specific details or examples. Do not simply state the importance of something; rather, provide context and details that are specific unambiguous.   Do not use dramatic adjectives. Do not use dramatic adjectives like “we took a deep dive”, instead, just say “we took a dive”. Instead of saying “this critical process”, just say “process”. Use tame adjectives, not dramatic or embellished ones.   We only want factual information. List the steps involved, or the process, or technical explanation, without elaborating on their importance. Avoid prose that simply elaborates on the importance of something. Exclude unnecessary information.   The script should take the form of individual blocks that operate like mini-topics or mini blocks of related content. I’ll simply refer to these as Blocks. The Blocks should be in the form of Title, Introduction, Main Point, then multiple Body blocks (as many as necessary), and ending with a Summary block and Closing.   The Title block should simply be the title of the segment only. It should have an ALL CAPS subheader of TITLE.   The Introduction block should be five sentences or less. It should have an ALL CAPS subheader of INTRODUCTION. If it is the first segment of the series, then we should introduce the series first and what the series is going to cover. If this is not the first segment in the series, then the introduction should start by saying what the last segment was about, and what we’re going to cover in this segment.   Next is the multiple body blocks of the content. A block will have multiple paragraphs, but a block should generally not be less than 100 words or more than 200 words. If it takes longer to explain a topic in a block, then create multiple blocks. Create as many body blocks of content as is necessary to answer the topic. Include analogies or stories in order to illustrate a concept where it would be natural or appropriate to do so. For each block in this portion of the segment, provide a subheader in ALL CAPS that describes what is being conveyed in that block. The first sentence in each block should introduce what will be talked about in that block. The last sentence in each block should transition to the next block topic.   Continue with as many block segments as you need to explain the topic, with subheaders in ALL CAPS for each block.   For the Summary block, first re-introduce the title of the segment, or re-ask it as a question if the title of the segment is a question. Then, in one to four sentences, summarize what was taught as part of this segment. This should be a simplified summary of the content in this segment. Then, introduce what will be discussed in the next segment. If this is the last segment in the Series, then provide a recap for the series as a separate block where you describe what was covered as part of this series overall. Then, provide a closing that reads “I’m [Instructor Name], this is MeyerFire University.” Provide a subheader in ALL CAPS that simply says “SUMMARY” for this last summary block.]


        • Revise and rewrite the script to make it your own.


        • Whenever you save the file, save it as #####.## - Script - v1 where the ##### is your series number followed by the module. For example, the second module in series FX001 would be FX001.02 - Script - v1.


        • When we adapt and update and edit scripts in the future, we'll bump the version number up one number (such as changing this to FX001.02 - Script - v2. Please stick to this format so that our auto-update processes work correctly.

        [FOR INSTRUCTORS]

        AI REVIEW

        • In this step we're going to run our script through a specific ChatGPT prompt.
        • Here, we are looking for ways to improve our storytelling and improve the overall listener's experience.
        • Use ChatGPT 4.0 or higher.


        1. Triple-click to Copy the following prompt:
        [Guideline: The following is a script for a training session for fire protection professionals. Please review these instructions, and simply respond to me with "OK, got it. Please paste in the script and I'll provide the review." The goal for this script is to be informative and entertaining. It should be conversational, relatable, yet professional. It should use natural language and phrasing that a real person would use. It should be concise. Words should generally be at a high school speaking level. It should not inflate the importance of a topic, or be dramatic. It should not include generalities, be euphemistic, be vague, or be impressionistic. If there is reference to a code requirement, the specific code and section number should be included. It should not include dramatic adjectives. Do not use dramatic adjectives like “we took a deep dive”, instead, just say “we took a dive”. Instead of saying “this critical process”, just say “process”. Use tame adjectives, not dramatic or embellished ones. List the steps involved, or the process, or technical explanation, without elaborating on their importance. Avoid prose that simply elaborates on the importance of something. Exclude unnecessary information. You are going to provide feedback about this script. First, calculate how long it would take to read this entire script if it was spoken at 190 words per minute. Provide that estimated time first in your feedback. Now, write the following segment back to me: "We've found that storytelling and sharing examples is perhaps the best way to make new information "stick" for new learners. We want to make this your own, and make it better for the listener as well. Below is a list of possible ways to improve this segment. Read through the tips and then incorporate updates that you feel is best for the listener. "Now, you are now going to provide specific critiques for the script based upon our goals we highlighted earlier. Below is a list of tasks to complete. For each task, write a title for that task, and then provide five bullet-point ideas. Each bullet point idea should be no longer than two sentences. Number each of these as 1A, 1B, etc, all the way through 4E. Here is the task list: 1. Engagement Improvement (five ways this segment can be more engaging for the user by improving the script. Visuals and other ideas will be entirely separate from this script) 2. Story Ideas (if the segment does not include any stories, then recommend adding a personal story to the script, and emphasize that we best absorb information when it is part of a story. Then, provide five stories or analogies that this segment could incorporate to do a better job of crafting a story, or sharing analogies for easier understanding) 3. Ideas for Better Understanding (provide five ways or ideas that this content could be improved for technical accuracy) 4. Counter Arguments (five arguments that someone could have against the content in the segment)5. Code References (if the script makes any reference to a code or standard requirement, provide feedback to be specific on exactly the section where that code or standard requirement appears). Please review these instructions, and simply respond to me with "OK, got it. Please paste in the script and I'll provide the review." After which, when I paste the in script, you execute all of these review critiques and suggestions just as I've laid out. Thank you.

        2. Paste the copied text into a new ChatGPT prompt, and press enter to submit.

        3. ChatGPT will acknowledge the prompt, and then ask you for your script.

        4. Copy and Paste your script into ChatGPT.

        5. Review the feedback and ideas.

        6. Tweak or update your script as-you-see-fit best based on the tips provided by the machines.

        The goal here is to save time overall in peer review. Many of these tips and ideas are things we've used to improve our storytelling and be more engaging and more helpful for the user.

        7. Save the script locally.

        Whenever you save the file, save it as #####.## - Script - v1 where the ##### is your series number followed by the module. For example, the second module in series FX001 would be FX001.02 - Script - v1.

        When we adapt and update and edit scripts in the future, we'll bump the version number up one number (such as changing this to FX001.02 - Script - v2. Please stick to this format so that our auto-update processes work correctly.

        8. Upload the finalized script(s) using the top-right link for peer review.

        Thank you!

        LINKS & ACTION ITEMS:

        [FOR THE TECHNICAL EDITOR]

        TECHNICAL REVIEW FOR NEW SCRIPTS

        This is our opportunity to improve the script by editing/reviewing for:

        • (1) Structure: Proper structure, including the intro, body blocks, summary, and then outro.
        • (2) Accuracy: Technical accuracy overall. Are all statements accurate, or potentially misleading? Are there caveats we would need to address? Are there terms like "always" that might not be accurate? Are there contrary views or counter agruments that could be made or discussed as part of the segment?
        • (3) References: Review of code & standard references.
        • (4) Stories: We learn by stories. Is there a story in here? An example? A case study? Could these be added to the script?
        • (5) Clarity: Can the content be summarized, paraphrased, edited or repeated in easy-to-understand language?

          FIXES
        • If the edit is an easy correction - go ahead and make the edit right into the script. It's more productive to just make the improvement and keep your Track Changes on.
        • If the edit is more complex (a question, call for a story, or tip), then highlight and make a comment in the word file for the instructor.

        TECHNICAL REVIEW FOR REVAMPED SERIES

        Every three years, we'll revisit scripts and a series in total to look for code updates and opportunities to improve. We'll re-record the script in its entirety for quality improvements and code updates so that all material stays relevant.

        In a revamp, we want to review as we would for a new script, but also check for the following:

        • (6) Code Updates: Review any referenced code sections, and re-write portions of the script to update to the latest codes. If there are differences, discuss the differences in the new script. This is a key way to stay relevant and help the user get the 'latest' in the industry.
        • (7) User Reviews: Use the link above to go to the Course Reviews. You may need to request approval to access the page if you haven't accessed it before. Filter by the series you're working on, and read every user review. Not all of them will post feedback. Address reasonable suggestions in the revamped scripts (if applicable). For anything you can fix, make a bullet-point list and send an email directly to Joe (joe@meyerfire.com) and we'll get the changes implemented.

        LINKS & ACTION ITEMS:


        Filename:         Take the filename that was submitted before, and increase the version number one additional number; so the file FA113.01 - Script - v1 becomes FA113.01 - Script - v2 after it is reviewed. 

        [FOR THE ENGLISH COPY REVIEWER]

        REVIEW SCRIPT

        Editing for spoken copy. We want an engaging spoken form that is great for audible learning. 

        • (1) Grammar
        • (2) Spelling
        • (3) Spacing
        • (4) Structure
        • (5) Clarity

        LINKS & ACTION ITEMS:

        [FOR INSTRUCTORS]

        SCRIPT RECORDING

        • This is the most intimidating part for some people, but I'll start off by saying - this can be really really fun! And it doesn't have to be hard.
        • When using a Blue Yeti to record:
        • (1) make sure that you're using the upside-down-heart mode on the back of the microphone, not the circle.
        • (2) record about 1-inch from the microphone to your mouth.
        • (3) record into the front face of the microphone.

        LINKS & ACTION ITEMS:

        DOs

        • perhaps the #1 rule - SMILE - when you're speaking. It'll show through on the audio.

        • use a "speaking" voice, not a "reading" voice. Imagine that you're explaining all of this to your very close friend. Talk like that! 

        • record one long audio segment for each module. If you mispronounce a word, trip-up, or struggle with a sentence, KEEP GOING! When this happens, all you have to do is say "I'm going to re-do that sentence", and then start the last sentence over again and then KEEP GOING.

          ​Do not do multiple takes for the whole things. Our video team is EXCELLENT and we have 2 editors and 2 reviewers (including Joe) who will make sure it sounds seamless on the other end. Seriously, it'll sound professional. 

        • if your audio is 12-minutes long for 3-minutes of content because of repeating sentences, that's 100% OK. Send it in.


        • have fun and be you

        DONTs

        • don't scowl when you read (ya gotta smile!! : ) )


        • don't use a "reading" voice without any passion. The person you're explaining it to actually likes you! You're their friend! And if not, they'll be your friend soon!

        • do not - do not - do not re-record your whole segment. You absolutely, 100%, do not need a whole perfect take. If you trip up, just start that sentence over and then KEEP GOING. Please please please, I beg you.

          This will end up saving you way more time, and the end result will still be great.




        • do not re-record whole segments because you fear you did too many takes. Your time is valuable, I promise we will do just fine on the back-end and make it come out great.

        • don't try to be someone else. you have a role to play in this world and it's the one you define. be you; the world is better for it.

        [FOR INSTRUCTORS]

        LET'S CREATE VISUALS

        • Now, let's get some visuals created! This is where much of the magic happens.​
        • For each concepts you talk about in the script, let's create a visual. There's nothing wrong in having many, many visuals. In fact - it's the visual presentation that will appeal to most learners.
        • Here are ways that we can source imagery that we can use to create sketches. Most of us just think that google images is the only option, when in reality there are many many ways that we can get just the right visual as our inspiration:
        • Generally speaking, we want to have at least one visual for every "block" of content. This is usually one visual per paragraph of the script.
        • The #1 best sources of imagery is your personal photos from jobsites, of products, or from your experience. We will bring it to life.
        • Take your source imagery (the inspiration for what the MeyerFire illustrators will create), and submit it below. This will send the image and the tips to our illustrators and get things moving.
        • You'll want to submit each inspiration item separately:
        • As you can see above, we've created many, many different visuals for the University. As of Fall 2023, we already have more than 2,000 different sketches created for the University content. 
        • Submit each different image you would like to see as part of the segment, and then go to the last step below.

        LINKS & ACTION ITEMS:

        [FOR THE TECHNICAL EDITOR]

        CREATE THE STORYBOARD

        • At this stage, we have:
        • a preliminary set of images from the instructor
        • our own library of images
        • the ability to create more images.
        • We also have a storyboard that has the script incorporated.
        • We need to match imagery with the script.

        LINKS & ACTION ITEMS:

        [FOR ALL]

        ABOUT THE FIELD (FOR THOSE NOT IN IT)

        I'd like to give a brief background of what we do and what we're going for. I work in the fire protection industry, specifically as it pertains to design and construction. When a building is built or renovated - we're the people concerned with fire protection and life safety for that building.

        We consider all kinds of things - how people egress, how the fire alarm system is designed and installed, how the fire sprinkler system is designed and installed, whether there are enough exits, and whether they're in the right location. We think about extinguishers and smoke control and all kinds of special hazards that would risk life or property.

        AUDIENCE

        So the makeup of our audience includes Fire Marshals, sprinkler contractors, plan reviewers, Fire Protection Engineers, fire alarm designers, consultants, contractors, and even some architects.

        TARGET FOR CONTENT

        Essentially - if it is information that we feel the fire protection industry needs a professional to know - that's what we want to teach.

        OUR APPROACH

        We also take a very different approach than other "training" providers in the space. Our industry moves extremely slow - and much of the training providers still do things the same way they did 20 years ago. Very boring, engineer-led powerpoint presentations that are screen recorded. To put it bluntly, they're terrible. Really awful to watch, generally not very well prepared, and not a good use of time.

        We're on the opposite end - we do as much work as we can (preparation, writing, video editing, illustration, animation) to make the absolute best use of our users' time.

        If they watch an hour of our content, it is packed wall-to-wall with helpful "meaty" information. We don't waste time, and we bring things to life visually. You can get a sense of what we do on our courses page. It's all scripted, recorded, polished, and edited for a crisp, online, on-demand experience.

        We also supplement that with PDF resources, simulations, exercises, some 'video game' like experiences, and an app (iOS and Android) that supports all of this.

        Despite the company being very small, we have a ton of momentum and we have a solid group of A-Player freelance talent that is the top of the field in their area, just like yourself.

        CONTENT CREATION

        The way our online learning works is that we have a group of instructors (about 12 right now), who each teach on different areas. We generally write a very loose outline for what we want to cover in a "series," which is a collection of 7-20 different modules. A module could be a video, could be a PDF reference, could be an exercise, a quiz, a crossword, a game - all kinds of applications to really make a learning impact for the user.

        After the loose outline, the instructor will usually work on a script. Sometimes these need minor edits, sometimes more.

        SCRIPTS FOR A VIDEO

        Each Script has a few distinct parts - A Title, an Introduction (what we will cover), the body, the summary (what we covered in important, paraphrased takeaways), and the outtro. You're probably very familiar with this format (tell them what you'll teach, teach, and then tell them what you taught). We've found this to work really well for our users and have tremendous feedback about the style and flow of the videos.

        Naturally, the spoken word is less formal than the written word; that's OK here.

        After we go step by step through the process of presenting by speaking, we then adapt the content in a more formal way for written word (e-books). This happens in later steps in the process.

        Excited to have you on board with our team! We're going to do great things for the industry together.

        LINKS & ACTION ITEMS:

        [FOR THE ENGLISH COPY REVIEWER]

        REVIEW SCRIPT

        We have a script ready for your review. This is a "completed" script that we are now converting into written form as an E-book for our learning platform.

        As you know, written form implies a much higher level of formality and quality, so I'd love for you to apply as much scrutiny as you feel necessary to turn this script into content worthy of a basic online E-book textbook. This is our last opportunity to fix spelling, grammar, clarity, spacing, etc.

        STEP #1: EDIT SCRIPT

        Please make corrections (edits) directly to the script as you see fit, with track changes on. Assume I'm on board with what you feel is the best, or most appropriate, edits. I (Joe) am going to review the finished posting online and look at your changes when I do.

        Essentially to get it into a more polished written form, we probably need to:
        1. Remove intros (ie: this series we're covering...)
        2. Remove outtros (I'm Ben Brooks, this is...)
        3. Remove transitions (next let's talk about...)
        4. Re-write into the third person (unless it's a personal story, then we can highlight as a story)
        5. Remove redundancies, dramatic phrases, or repeated emphasis (ie: I'll say that again - XYZ)

        Also check for: 

        1. Grammar
        2. Spelling
        3. Clarity


        STEP #2: DELETE ORIGINAL FILE FROM FOLDER

        STEP #3: SAVE NEW FILE WITH NEW VERSION HERE:
        UPLOAD LINK

        FIXES
        • Please make the edit right into the script. It's more productive to just make the improvement and keep your Track Changes on.

        LINKS & ACTION ITEMS:

        [FOR JOHN]

        EDIT & INSERT IMAGES FOR E-BOOKS

        We have completed scripts and have edited the written content to be published as an e-book on the LW website.

        This process is for editing and inserting finished images into the e-book form that has already been drafted. 



        • STEP #2: OPEN DRAFTED MODULE
        • There is a TEMPLATE activity, then up to a few e-book activities below the TEMPLATE. Select the title of the module you're looking to edit and select Edit ebook.

        • STEP #3: EDIT IMAGE WITH LOGO
        • In this e-book activity, there will be placeholders for images that we're looking to add to the e-book.
        • The problem with these images is that they're usually stored as a photoshop file (.psd), and they don't have a MeyerFire logo on them. 
        • Some users may copy out the images, and so we want to get them (1) to be the right size and (2) to have the MeyerFire logo on each one.
        • Here's what the placeholder for an image looks like:
        • STEP #4: SETTINGS
        • There should be an image placeholder with a maximum width of 500 pixels.
        • The image should be center-justified.
        • If the image will have text in the image, then it should be set to "Open in pop-up window" as "Yes" in the properties bar on the right-hand side. 
        • Below the image, there is a text caption that has a label for what image should be there.


        • STEP #5: OPEN THE 0001 IMAGE
        • Open the folder that contains illustrations (anything #0001-#4999): Illustrations Link
        • Open the file titled 0001 - 1200x1200 - v1.psd
        • This is the template for creating a new image file with the MeyerFire Logo in it.
        • Save the Image to the Illustrations folder as the original name but with a new version number. In this example the image we wanted was 903 v5.psd so let's save this as 903 v6.psd. 


        • STEP #6: LINK IN THE IMAGE
        • Click on File > Place Linked... then select the file from the Illustrations folder above.
        • Note: This may work much easier if you have Google Drive installed on your computer, where you can navigate just by moving around in Windows Explorer
        • Select the image you want to link into this file. It can be a .psd or .jpg that you link in.
        • By default, this should drop in the image already resized for our new file. If you need to expand or contract the size to fill the frame, that's OK, just be sure to scale proportionally so that X and Y both scale at the same percentage.

        • STEP #7: CROP THE IMAGE
        • There will probably be extra white space above and below, or to the sides.
        • Move the image to the bottom of the screen, if it's not already.
        • Use the CROP button to crop the image to it's original size, but keep the logo. If you need to move the logo left or right, that's OK. We generally want the logo in the bottom-right corner, but if not, bottom-left is OK too.


        • STEP #8: EXPORT
        • Don't save this file (yet). If you save it, it'll override the 0001 file.
        • Go to File > Export > Export As
        • Set it to be JPG
        • Set it to be Quality: Highest
        • Set Scale to 100%. This should automatically adjust the height and width
        • Then click Export in the bottom right.
        • Export the Image to the Illustrations folder as the new name as a .jpg file. In this example the image we will have 903 v6.jpg.


        • STEP #9: UPLOAD
        • Now upload this new image to the placeholder on LearnWorlds. We now have the requested image but with a logo onto the platform.
        • Well done!


        • STEP #10: LOGO & UPLOAD OTHER IMAGES
        • Now do the other images in this e-book.


        • STEP #11: MARK AS FINISHED
        • When done with this series, mark it as "Finished" in the Video Dashboard.
        • Nice job!!




        LINKS & ACTION ITEMS:

        [FOR THE TECHNICAL EDITOR]

        ALTERNATE TO STORYBOARD: EDIT IN DESCRIPT

        • At this stage, we have:
        • a preliminary set of images from the instructor (maybe)
        • our own library of images
        • the ability to create more images
        • an online transcript that has been cleaned, trimmed, and organized to match our script, and
        • a link to the online transcript.


        • We do not have a storyboard, nor need one.
        • We will make edits directly inside Descript.

        STEP #0: IMPORTANT NOTE

        IMPORTANT NOTE:
        • Do your best, but you cannot mess up too much in this process. This is our first-pass at visual matching and video production. 

        STEP #1: OPEN PICS.IO

        • Go to pics.io and login with your credentials.
        • They often have 2-factor authentication when you login.
        • You now can see the thousands of creative files in our library.
        • To search for any one thing, make sure you're clicked on MeyerFire library on the left-hand side, then enter a search term in the bar at the top.
        • I'd recommend basic terms to look for any specific thing.
        • For example, "backflow preventer" or "upright" will usually work well to grab a wide list of related images, while "tyco TY3231" will result in nothing. 
        • Each of the tags with images are manually put in, so searches which are ultra-specific may not yield much.
        • This is the library where we can find already-created images and match them to the script.
        • To determine what the filename (or the image number) is of any image in this library, just hover over the popout button in the top right of the image, and the name will appear.
        • Alternatively, you can click on the image and it'll show the name at the top. We usually have these numbered as "2243", like in this example, but we might also have "2243 v9", which is the ninth-edited version of that image.

        STEP #2: INTRO TO DESCRIPT

        • Descript is a web-based script editor that helps turn scripts into videos. We're going to use it to edit and draft our videos.
        • You will need your own login access (get with Joe for an invite if you don't have one).
        • You will not need to download anything.
        • Link to Descript home folder: https://web.descript.com/folders/8ab343ae-51da-4948-8f95-7fea0ae5dee9

        STEP #3: IMAGES TO EACH SCENE

        • The first thing we do when editing the storyboard is to go scene-by-scene and incorporate image(s) for each scene.
        • This takes some comprehension and creativity.
        • The end-goal we want to think about is: what is the best way that we can visually explain this?
        • Sometimes we have existing images that are basic enough that they meet our needs, and we just need to find the images and designate them in the storyboard.
        • Also, the instructor should have submitted images already that they wanted included with these segments. You can go to the Illustration Dashboard and see recently submitted illustrations by scrolling down to the bottom. The column Module Number should list what segment or series the image was created for.
        • About half of the time, we need new images. But where can we get new images from?
        • There are many ways to get inspiration for an image. We can capture and illustrate something by capturing a situation, or we can create new imagery by creating something new:
        • Again, the end goal is - how can we best explain the topic visually?
        • Each scene needs to have a minimum of one image. 
        • However, we can have as many images in a scene as we need to explain it.


        STEP #3A: MATCH EXISTING IMAGE
        • Search the Pics.io for an image that might suit the situation.
        • If you find one, you can download it to your computer temporarily to put it into Descript.
        • If you only have one visual for the scene, then that's it for this step! Go onto the next scene and repeat the process.

        STEP #3B: MATCHING MULTIPLE IMAGES
        • If you have multiple images, then we'll want to note when the image comes into the scene - we do this in Column [H], in the Transcript.
        • To add an image at a specific time in the scene, just insert that image name surrounded by brackets "[]" in bold. For instance, inserting [2129] in the middle of a sentence tells our editors to pop in that image at that point in the scene.

        STEP #3C: CREATING NEW IMAGES
        • What happens if there are no existing images that do a good job of explaining the topic? No big deal, let's create a new one!
        • First - submit whatever inspiration image you have through our form: CREATE AN IMAGE
        • Then, go to our illustration dashboard:
          ILLUSTRATION DASHBOARD
        • This is the long long list of all the images we have sketched to date.
        • Hold CTRL + END on your keyboard. This will take you to the end of the list.
        • After you have submitted a request through the form, we just need to assign a number to it. You'll probably see a row created in white that has a date timestamp on it in Column A. It'll usually be towards the bottom, but sometimes it might be 10 or 20 rows up from the bottom.
        • Here is an example of a recently submitted image on the illustration dashboard:
        • All we need to do is assign a number to this new image.
        • You'll see many other rows where image numbers are already assigned.
        • Simply drag down this row to the bottom of the completed rows, and then type in one number higher than whatever the last-completed image was. 
        • So for example, Image 2245 was the last-assigned image. Our new image we just submitted will be 2246, so we enter that in Column C.
        • All we're doing here is designating the number for our new image.
        • Now that we have an image request in, and we know the number, we can put that same number in our Descript Edit as text, or, we can upload the source image that will get replaced with the actual illustration later. If we upload the source image, just select the image in Descript, Comment, and then enter the image number so we can replace it easily later on.


        • Repeat this process for each scene, either selecting existing images for the scene, or creating new ones (it's harder, but more fun, to create new ones!)
        • Keep up the great work! Once you do this a few times and get to see the output, you'll get much more used to the process and enjoy it more!

        STEP #5: EDITING THE TYPE OF SCENE
        COLUMN [B]


        • In Column [B], we designate what type of scene we want by simply checking the box of the scene type.
        • The beginning of Scene 03, for instance, starts out with the author's image and name. It then transitions into whatever we want to show.
        • Overwhelmingly, the most common choices are simply showing images, such as "ONE IMAGE AT A TIME" or "BUMP IMAGES LEFT". These two are only using images.
        • Let's look at what each of these types mean. 

             SHOW ALL IMAGES
        • If we have a long list of images and want to show all of them (like when talking about a bunch of different project types), then SHOW ALL IMAGES might be the best bet.
        • It's really only good for lists, and is rarely used.
        • It maybe gets used once in every 3-4 videos:

             ONE IMAGE AT A TIME
        • Here is a scene that simply shows one image at a time. If we change the image, the whole screen will go to the new image. It's super basic:
             BUMP IMAGES LEFT
        • Here is perhaps our most-common scene type, BUMP IMAGES LEFT. In this scene type, anytime we have a new image, the old one just gets smaller and gets bumped to the left. 
        • This type of scene is really helpful when we are talking in more detail or what to show both images to explain something.
        • It's our most common, and probably our most favorite.
        • If you ever have a scene with multiple images and don't know what to choose, use BUMP IMAGES LEFT as your default:
             BIG CENTER IMAGE & TILE....
        • This is another one that works for lists. It focuses one image in the center, but then makes all of the other previously-discussed images stack up on the left.
        • It's also rarely used, but good for longer lists.

             JUST VIDEO
        • If we have a video recording, such as an actual video or a Revit rendering or something, then we'll select JUST VIDEO. 
        • This one is also very rare.


             BOOK + CODE VIDEO
        • When we lookup a specific code section in ICC references or NFPA standards, this is the go-to.
        • It involves our sketch of the book on the left, and the code-section on the right. The video editors handle the transitions and all.
        • All we need to do for these scenes is state what code section we want to be shown, and the editors handle the rest.
        • One example would be NFPA 72-2022 Edition Section 17.6.1.
        • Also of note, we have permission from both ICC and NFPA to provide screen-recordings only from their volumes for a private online audience. NFPA is from Link, ICC in their freely-available domain.
             IMAGES OVER VIDEO
        • This one is rare; only if we had video footage and are trying to do something fancy. 
        • Mostly just ignore this one.


             IMAGE + TEXT
        • This looks closest to a traditional powerpoint presentation, where we have an image on the left and text on the right.
        • Generally speaking, we don't want to use text to reinforce a point; we want to show it visually.
        • However, this is a nice layout if a specific list needs to be conveyed with text, or if specific terminology is important to understand. 
        • Here's an example:


             VIDEO + BLENDING
        • Just ignore this for now. It's quite complex and rare.


             TEXT ONLY
        • This is when we exclusively want to convey text.
        • Generally, this only happens in our summary scene, because we want to use visuals to convey everything else throughout the video segment.
        • The text in the summary scene is a nice way to contrast the visuals, and helps us summarize things in a very concise way.
             USE PRIOR SCENE
        • This is if we want to simply copy a scene from another segment. All we have to do is call out what module and what scene it is, and the editors will copy it over.
        • This is also rarely used.


        STEP #6: EDITING THE SUMMARY SCENE

        • At the very last scene, we have a "TEXT ONLY" scene that simply summarizes the whole video segment. 
        • This scene will only show text.
        • In Column [E], enter exactly how you want the text to read on the scene, in ALL CAPS.
        • Remember, everything gets reviewed and trimmed and edited before it goes out - so no mistakes can be made with a storyboard.
        • Great work!!

        STEP #7: SAVE THE STORYBOARD

        • Save the new storyboard version down to its Modules folder.

        STEP #8: MARK AS COMPLETE

        • Go to our VIDEO DASHBOARD.
        • Scroll all the way down to the module you've just worked on (it's a long list).
        • In Column K (Storyboard), enter Finished into the cell for the module.
        • In Column L (Visuals), enter In Progress into the cell for the module. 
        • That's it! You're done with that segment.
        • Phew! Way to go!!

        LINKS & ACTION ITEMS: