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Software
A M G   S T R A I N    
version 1.2
version date: 3/03
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Barbara Lattanzi
copyleft 2002

email: threads@wildernesspuppets.net
http://www.wildernesspuppets.net
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A M G  S T R A I N  is freely available software written by Barbara Lattanzi, 2002.  
It was developed within the authoring environment of Macromedia Director and includes the Director runtime engine.

(The source code written for the core action of "AMG STRAIN" software  is available separately at the website -- see download page).

Visit wildernesspuppets.net website to download PC and Mac versions of  "AMG  STRAIN" software:
http://www.wildernesspuppets.net/strain/

A M G  S T R A I N  is based on the structural algorithm conceived by Anne McGuire (AMG) for her deconstructive videotape, "Strain Andromeda, The" (1992).  McGuire's "Strain Andromeda, The" detourns the Hollywood feature film, "The Andromeda Strain" (directed by Robert Wise, 1972).

A M G  S T R A I N  translates McGuire's structural algorithm by dividing the viewer-selected quicktime video into variable length segments and playing back the segments in reverse order.

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INSTRUCTIONS 
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The "A M G  S T R A I N" software program consists of a single file.  Download or copy the file to your hard-disk.  Double-click the file to launch the program. No other files will be installed on your computer.

Once launched, the program's interface includes a way for you to import your selected Quicktime videos into the program. (Quicktime is the name of one of the most common types of video files. Often the filename of a Quicktime movie ends with the extension '.mov'. )

When the video is imported into "AMG Strain",  a timeline bar then lets you select where to begin the video. 

When you select the "play video" gadget you will see the video along with time modifier gadgets. 

One of the gadgets that looks like an upside-down V, at the video playback screen, is a button to toggle the visibility of the rest of the gadgets on or off. 

---New with version 1.2:---

New gadget to control drumbeat sounds: on/off, selection (of 3 beats), and volume.  The drumbeats occur to punctuate each break (jump to new segment) in the video.  

Reorganization of video and audio control gadgets, including a "reset" button to change all settings back to their defaults.

Addition of "cropping" function.  By dragging across the video image you can crop the video into one smaller "window", or even drag across 2 separate areas for 2 simulaneous cropped "windows" into the video.

---New with version 1.1:---

Several new gadgets that change playback speed are located at the lower-left.  The gadgets pause, speed up, and slow down the movie-rate. 

Two more gadgets (just to the right of the speed gadgets) fade-out picture and fade-out sound independently (click them again to resume picture and sound).

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MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:
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Your monitor resolution must be 800x600 minimum.

You must have Quicktime 3 or later installed on your computer.

Recommended: Running this software and your Quicktime video on a fast hard-drive is better. 

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ADDITIONAL NOTES:
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DIMENSIONS of the quicktime movie can be:  
any width, up to 720 pixels wide and any height, up to 486 pixels high. (Larger dimensions simply get cropped.)
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It is optionally possible to use the software with Quicktime movies that only have an audio track.

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A M G  S T R A I N was authored using "Lingo", the programming language of Macromedia Director.  Although, it was written to work with the Director runtime engine, the "AMG STRAIN" coding methods and structure are conceivably translatable to any other programming language that can control Quicktime video playback.

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TECHNICAL NOTE 
(that most may want to ignore): 
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The biggest factor for the smooth-running of Quicktime movies within the AMG Strain software seems to be this:  the framerate of the Quicktime in combination with the number of key-frames per second encoded when the Quicktime file is first made.  Contrary to my own first impression, file-size does not seem to affect the smooth running of Quicktime videos with this software.  I have had consistent success with huge files, uncompressed full-quality video on the PC.  (The Mac environment is generally less "responsive".) 

When I compress video into Quicktime, I try to use as many key-frames as possible (sometimes as many as 1 per frame), and I try to cut the framerate from 30 down to 15fps (depending upon the content).  This seems to produce good results when running AMG Strain software in BOTH Mac and PC environments. 

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KNOWN ISSUE:
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Placing the software on the hard-drive in a folder nested more than 4 or 5 folders from the root of the drive, causes an error at the point of starting the software. (Note: there is no harm done with this error.  It just means restarting the software program.)  If this happens, just put the software file at a higher level of the PC Windows Explorer or Macintosh Finder.  For example, on the PC, place the software in the "My Documents" folder, rather than in a folder nested inside folders inside the "My Documents" folder.  

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HOW DOES THIS SOFTWARE RELATE TO THE VIDEO BY ANNE McGUIRE?
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AMG Strain Software is based on the structural algorithm, conceived by Anne McGuire for her deconstructive videotape, "Strain Andromeda, The" (1992). 

McGuire's "Strain Andromeda, The" detourns the Hollywood feature film "The Andromeda Strain" (directed by Robert Wise, 1972, based on the 1968 Michael Crichton novel) and unravels with it the industrial mode of montage coupled to hegemonic representation (or, in the spirit of her title, 'Order Symbolic The'). 

AMG Strain Software, via "Strain Andromeda, The", recursively pushes cinematic representation out of its creaky containment by montage (even while depending upon it). AMG Strain Software follows what "Strain Andromeda, The" anticipates: a different temporal field of affective projection and play. 

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Barbara Lattanzi
March, 2003
