"""A generic class to build line-oriented command interpreters. Interpreters constructed with this class obey the following conventions: 1. End of file on input is processed as the command 'EOF'. 2. A command is parsed out of each line by collecting the prefix composed of characters in the identchars member. 3. A command `foo' is dispatched to a method 'do_foo()'; the do_ method is passed a single argument consisting of the remainder of the line. 4. Typing an empty line repeats the last command. (Actually, it calls the method `emptyline', which may be overridden in a subclass.) 5. There is a predefined `help' method. Given an argument `topic', it calls the command `help_topic'. With no arguments, it lists all topics with defined help_ functions, broken into up to three topics; documented commands, miscellaneous help topics, and undocumented commands. 6. The command '?' is a synonym for `help'. The command '!' is a synonym for `shell', if a do_shell method exists. 7. If completion is enabled, completing commands will be done automatically, and completing of commands args is done by calling complete_foo() with arguments text, line, begidx, endidx. text is string we are matching against, all returned matches must begin with it. line is the current input line (lstripped), begidx and endidx are the beginning and end indexes of the text being matched, which could be used to provide different completion depending upon which position the argument is in. The `default' method may be overridden to intercept commands for which there is no do_ method. The `completedefault' method may be overridden to intercept completions for commands that have no complete_ method. The data member `self.ruler' sets the character used to draw separator lines in the help messages. If empty, no ruler line is drawn. It defaults to "=". If the value of `self.intro' is nonempty when the cmdloop method is called, it is printed out on interpreter startup. This value may be overridden via an optional argument to the cmdloop() method. The data members `self.doc_header', `self.misc_header', and `self.undoc_header' set the headers used for the help function's listings of documented functions, miscellaneous topics, and undocumented functions respectively. """ import string, sys __all__ = ["Cmd"] PROMPT = '(Cmd) ' IDENTCHARS = string.ascii_letters + string.digits + '_' class Cmd: """A simple framework for writing line-oriented command interpreters. These are often useful for test harnesses, administrative tools, and prototypes that will later be wrapped in a more sophisticated interface. A Cmd instance or subclass instance is a line-oriented interpreter framework. There is no good reason to instantiate Cmd itself; rather, it's useful as a superclass of an interpreter class you define yourself in order to inherit Cmd's methods and encapsulate action methods. """ prompt = PROMPT identchars = IDENTCHARS ruler = '=' lastcmd = '' intro = None doc_leader = "" doc_header = "Documented commands (type help <topic>):" misc_header = "Miscellaneous help topics:" undoc_header = "Undocumented commands:" nohelp = "*** No help on %s" use_rawinput = 1 def __init__(self, completekey='tab', stdin=None, stdout=None): """Instantiate a line-oriented interpreter framework. The optional argument 'completekey' is the readline name of a completion key; it defaults to the Tab key. If completekey is not None and the readline module is available, command completion is done automatically. The optional arguments stdin and stdout specify alternate input and output file objects; if not specified, sys.stdin and sys.stdout are used. """ if stdin is not None: self.stdin = stdin else: self.stdin = sys.stdin if stdout is not None: self.stdout = stdout else: self.stdout = sys.stdout self.cmdqueue = [] self.completekey = completekey def cmdloop(self, intro=None): """Repeatedly issue a prompt, accept input, parse an initial prefix off the received input, and dispatch to action methods, passing them the remainder of the line as argument. """ self.preloop() if self.use_rawinput and self.completekey: try: import readline self.old_completer = readline.get_completer() readline.set_completer(self.complete) readline.parse_and_bind(self.completekey+": complete") except ImportError: pass try: if intro is not None: self.intro = intro if self.intro: self.stdout.write(str(self.intro)+"\n") stop = None while not stop: if self.cmdqueue: line = self.cmdqueue.pop(0) else: if self.use_rawinput: try: line = input(self.prompt) except EOFError: line = 'EOF' else: self.stdout.write(self.prompt) self.stdout.flush() line = self.stdin.readline() if not len(line): line = 'EOF' else: line = line.rstrip('\r\n') line = self.precmd(line) stop = self.onecmd(line) stop = self.postcmd(stop, line) self.postloop() finally: if self.use_rawinput and self.completekey: try: import readline readline.set_completer(self.old_completer) except ImportError: pass def precmd(self, line): """Hook method executed just before the command line is interpreted, but after the input prompt is generated and issued. """ return line def postcmd(self, stop, line): """Hook method executed just after a command dispatch is finished.""" return stop def preloop(self): """Hook method executed once when the cmdloop() method is called.""" pass def postloop(self): """Hook method executed once when the cmdloop() method is about to return. """ pass def parseline(self, line): """Parse the line into a command name and a string containing the arguments. Returns a tuple containing (command, args, line). 'command' and 'args' may be None if the line couldn't be parsed. """ line = line.strip() if not line: return None, None, line elif line[0] == '?': line = 'help ' + line[1:] elif line[0] == '!': if hasattr(self, 'do_shell'): line = 'shell ' + line[1:] else: return None, None, line i, n = 0, len(line) while i < n and line[i] in self.identchars: i = i+1 cmd, arg = line[:i], line[i:].strip() return cmd, arg, line def onecmd(self, line): """Interpret the argument as though it had been typed in response to the prompt. This may be overridden, but should not normally need to be; see the precmd() and postcmd() methods for useful execution hooks. The return value is a flag indicating whether interpretation of commands by the interpreter should stop. """ cmd, arg, line = self.parseline(line) if not line: return self.emptyline() if cmd is None: return self.default(line) self.lastcmd = line if line == 'EOF' : self.lastcmd = '' if cmd == '': return self.default(line) else: try: func = getattr(self, 'do_' + cmd) except AttributeError: return self.default(line) return func(arg) def emptyline(self): """Called when an empty line is entered in response to the prompt. If this method is not overridden, it repeats the last nonempty command entered. """ if self.lastcmd: return self.onecmd(self.lastcmd) def default(self, line): """Called on an input line when the command prefix is not recognized. If this method is not overridden, it prints an error message and returns. """ self.stdout.write('*** Unknown syntax: %s\n'%line) def completedefault(self, *ignored): """Method called to complete an input line when no command-specific complete_*() method is available. By default, it returns an empty list. """ return [] def completenames(self, text, *ignored): dotext = 'do_'+text return [a[3:] for a in self.get_names() if a.startswith(dotext)] def complete(self, text, state): """Return the next possible completion for 'text'. If a command has not been entered, then complete against command list. Otherwise try to call complete_<command> to get list of completions. """ if state == 0: import readline origline = readline.get_line_buffer() line = origline.lstrip() stripped = len(origline) - len(line) begidx = readline.get_begidx() - stripped endidx = readline.get_endidx() - stripped if begidx>0: cmd, args, foo = self.parseline(line) if cmd == '': compfunc = self.completedefault else: try: compfunc = getattr(self, 'complete_' + cmd) except AttributeError: compfunc = self.completedefault else: compfunc = self.completenames self.completion_matches = compfunc(text, line, begidx, endidx) try: return self.completion_matches[state] except IndexError: return None def get_names(self): # This method used to pull in base class attributes # at a time dir() didn't do it yet. return dir(self.__class__) def complete_help(self, *args): commands = set(self.completenames(*args)) topics = set(a[5:] for a in self.get_names() if a.startswith('help_' + args[0])) return list(commands | topics) def do_help(self, arg): 'List available commands with "help" or detailed help with "help cmd".' if arg: # XXX check arg syntax try: func = getattr(self, 'help_' + arg) except AttributeError: try: doc=getattr(self, 'do_' + arg).__doc__ if doc: self.stdout.write("%s\n"%str(doc)) return except AttributeError: pass self.stdout.write("%s\n"%str(self.nohelp % (arg,))) return func() else: names = self.get_names() cmds_doc = [] cmds_undoc = [] help = {} for name in names: if name[:5] == 'help_': help[name[5:]]=1 names.sort() # There can be duplicates if routines overridden prevname = '' for name in names: if name[:3] == 'do_': if name == prevname: continue prevname = name cmd=name[3:] if cmd in help: cmds_doc.append(cmd) del help[cmd] elif getattr(self, name).__doc__: cmds_doc.append(cmd) else: cmds_undoc.append(cmd) self.stdout.write("%s\n"%str(self.doc_leader)) self.print_topics(self.doc_header, cmds_doc, 15,80) self.print_topics(self.misc_header, list(help.keys()),15,80) self.print_topics(self.undoc_header, cmds_undoc, 15,80) def print_topics(self, header, cmds, cmdlen, maxcol): if cmds: self.stdout.write("%s\n"%str(header)) if self.ruler: self.stdout.write("%s\n"%str(self.ruler * len(header))) self.columnize(cmds, maxcol-1) self.stdout.write("\n") def columnize(self, list, displaywidth=80): """Display a list of strings as a compact set of columns. Each column is only as wide as necessary. Columns are separated by two spaces (one was not legible enough). """ if not list: self.stdout.write("<empty>\n") return nonstrings = [i for i in range(len(list)) if not isinstance(list[i], str)] if nonstrings: raise TypeError("list[i] not a string for i in %s" % ", ".join(map(str, nonstrings))) size = len(list) if size == 1: self.stdout.write('%s\n'%str(list[0])) return # Try every row count from 1 upwards for nrows in range(1, len(list)): ncols = (size+nrows-1) // nrows colwidths = [] totwidth = -2 for col in range(ncols): colwidth = 0 for row in range(nrows): i = row + nrows*col if i >= size: break x = list[i] colwidth = max(colwidth, len(x)) colwidths.append(colwidth) totwidth += colwidth + 2 if totwidth > displaywidth: break if totwidth <= displaywidth: break else: nrows = len(list) ncols = 1 colwidths = [0] for row in range(nrows): texts = [] for col in range(ncols): i = row + nrows*col if i >= size: x = "" else: x = list[i] texts.append(x) while texts and not texts[-1]: del texts[-1] for col in range(len(texts)): texts[col] = texts[col].ljust(colwidths[col]) self.stdout.write("%s\n"%str(" ".join(texts)))

RE-INVENTING THE TELEVISION NEWS BUSINESS*

A revolution in video storytelling

Creating entirely new & cost-effective production methods

From the world leaders in video production training and the creators of Character Driven Storytelling™

*and every other business that uses video

WHAT WE DO

Over the past 35 years, we have designed, built or restructured some of the most powerful news and journalism companies in the world.

We replace the traditional TV news ‘crew’ with one highly trained journalist, working alone with nothing but an iPhone.

No more TV news ‘crews’, no editors and no field producers.

This is television news done the way newspaper journalism is done – one reporter with their electronic pad and pencil.

In doing this, we can cut the cost of production by as much as 75% while increasing ratings and audience engagement.

In the place of conventional TV news ‘packages’ – ie, reporter stand up, interview, b-roll, man on the street, we marry great journalism with Netflix and Hollywood storytelling.

It’s a combination that works.

We have taken most of our clients to #1 in their respective markets.

And it’s not just for news. Any company, any profit, any NGO and anyone else who is online needs to tell their story in compelling yet cost-effective video. We can teach you to do that. Either in person or virtually.

EXAMPLES OF WHAT WE CAN TEACH YOUR STAFF TO PRODUCE

ITAY HOD

Itay Hod, MMJ with KPIX/CBS in San Francisco, took the 5-Day Intensive Video Storytelling Bootcamp in 2018.

Because he works alone, with only an iPhone, he was able to embed himself with a homeless family.

Here’s the story he produced in a one-day turn.

KIET DO

Kiet Do, an MMJ with KPIX/CBS in San Francisco, took the 5-Day Intensive Video Storytelling Bootcamp in 2021.

Here is a story he produced, all on his own, with only an iPhone and in a one-day turn.

TAYLOR SCHAUB

Taylor Schaub, an MMJ with Spectrum News 1 in LA, took the 5-Day Intensive Video Storytelling Bootcamp in 2023.

Here is a story he turned in only one day, using only an iPhone. It was the first video story he ever did and it was nominated for an Emmy.

THE BOOTCAMP

How do we convert stations and whole networks to working in this way?

Since 1988, we have run intensive 5-Day Video Storytelling Bootcamps

We have done these all over the world.

These are hands-on bootcamps, and participants learn an entirely new way of creating TV news stories.

-We shoot at a 3:1 ratio or lower, so turnaround times are fast.

-We go directly from camera to timelilne and edit – no written scripts. We work in the medium of pictures and sound.

-We are entirely character-driven.

-We are driven by pictures and real events.

-We are focused almost entirely on ’the viewer experience’.

Since 1988, more than 70,000 journalists around the world have taken our bootcamps, either in person on virtualy.

Case Studies

CBS News

We have started to work with CBS News, bringing our ideas of character-driven storytelling to one of the most successful and biggest networks in the United States. Since beginning to work with them ratings have climbed and more importantly, audience engagement is through the ceiling.

Learn More

New York Times Television

We started New York Times Television in 1990 and it was the first paper to be brought into the world of TV. It quickly became one of the most successful non-fiction production companies in the United States. The series and documentaries we produced won many awards including multiple Emmys.

Learn More

The BBC

We have been working with the BBC since the year 2000 helping to convert their national news network to our visual storytelling technique. Most recently we have trained teams from their sports, documentaries, and comedy divisions to make character-driven stories using only smartphones.

Learn More

Spectrum News

For the past five years we have worked with Spectrum News to introduce and train their journalists on visual, character driven storytelling using smartphones helping to create a different kind of local news for their network of 24-Hour News Stations across the United States.

Learn More

The United Nations

In 2006, we were approached by the United Nations. Rather than rely on news outlets, it would be much easier to train the field operatives to produce their own stories. We spent two years working with the UN, training more than 100 of their staff in bootcamps in Geneva and Nairobi.

Learn More

The Newark Star-Ledger

We trained 50 print reporters at the paper to shoot and tell their own stories, in conjunction with their print work. We built a TV newsroom in their existing print newsroom – you could not ask for a better set and they began to live stream their stories in conjunction with their print work.

Learn More

Mcgraw Hill

We spent two years with McGraw Hill, training more than 150 of their staffers, making them completely video literate. McGraw/Hill media properties we transit included Business Week, Aviation Week, (what was the name of the architecture magazine), and JD Power and Associates.

Learn More

Voice of America

In 1990, we were approached by The Voice of America, the official broadcasting agency for the United States Government. When we met with VOA, they were only a short wave radio broadcaster, but working with them, we took them into television, launching VOA-TV.

Learn More

Oyster Yachts

British based Oyster Yachts makes some of the finest yachts in the world. Like every other company, they had to find a way to feed the never-ending video demands of social media – sites like Instagram and TikTok. We trained the Oyster staff to tell their own stories, using only iPhones.

Learn More

Scottish Environmental Protection Agency

We were approached by SEPA, the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency because they had to continually find a way to ‘feed the media beast’. The result was that SEPA was able to tell their own stories, whenever they wanted, and at almost no additional cost.

Learn More

Michael on Media

Michael Rosenblum has been writing about the media since 1988. His work and ideas have appeared in The Guardian, The Huffington Post, Ilkeston Life and many other publications.

He has been blogging regularly for the past 35 years on this subject. Having taught media studies at Columbia University, NYU and now the University of Oxford, he is considered an expert on this subject.

Continue reading this post or look back at previous posts.

Do You Have Questions About Learning Video Skills?

If you would like to know more about our courses contact us and one of our training advisors will be happy to call you.

Your IP : 216.73.216.224

RE-INVENTING THE TELEVISION NEWS BUSINESS*

A revolution in video storytelling

Creating entirely new & cost-effective production methods

From the world leaders in video production training and the creators of Character Driven Storytelling™

*and every other business that uses video

WHAT WE DO

Over the past 35 years, we have designed, built or restructured some of the most powerful news and journalism companies in the world.

We replace the traditional TV news ‘crew’ with one highly trained journalist, working alone with nothing but an iPhone.

No more TV news ‘crews’, no editors and no field producers.

This is television news done the way newspaper journalism is done – one reporter with their electronic pad and pencil.

In doing this, we can cut the cost of production by as much as 75% while increasing ratings and audience engagement.

In the place of conventional TV news ‘packages’ – ie, reporter stand up, interview, b-roll, man on the street, we marry great journalism with Netflix and Hollywood storytelling.

It’s a combination that works.

We have taken most of our clients to #1 in their respective markets.

And it’s not just for news. Any company, any profit, any NGO and anyone else who is online needs to tell their story in compelling yet cost-effective video. We can teach you to do that. Either in person or virtually.

EXAMPLES OF WHAT WE CAN TEACH YOUR STAFF TO PRODUCE

ITAY HOD

Itay Hod, MMJ with KPIX/CBS in San Francisco, took the 5-Day Intensive Video Storytelling Bootcamp in 2018.

Because he works alone, with only an iPhone, he was able to embed himself with a homeless family.

Here’s the story he produced in a one-day turn.

KIET DO

Kiet Do, an MMJ with KPIX/CBS in San Francisco, took the 5-Day Intensive Video Storytelling Bootcamp in 2021.

Here is a story he produced, all on his own, with only an iPhone and in a one-day turn.

TAYLOR SCHAUB

Taylor Schaub, an MMJ with Spectrum News 1 in LA, took the 5-Day Intensive Video Storytelling Bootcamp in 2023.

Here is a story he turned in only one day, using only an iPhone. It was the first video story he ever did and it was nominated for an Emmy.

THE BOOTCAMP

How do we convert stations and whole networks to working in this way?

Since 1988, we have run intensive 5-Day Video Storytelling Bootcamps

We have done these all over the world.

These are hands-on bootcamps, and participants learn an entirely new way of creating TV news stories.

-We shoot at a 3:1 ratio or lower, so turnaround times are fast.

-We go directly from camera to timelilne and edit – no written scripts. We work in the medium of pictures and sound.

-We are entirely character-driven.

-We are driven by pictures and real events.

-We are focused almost entirely on ’the viewer experience’.

Since 1988, more than 70,000 journalists around the world have taken our bootcamps, either in person on virtualy.

Case Studies

CBS News

New York Times Television

The BBC

Spectrum News

The United Nations

The Newark Star-Ledger

Mcgraw Hill

Voice of America

Oyster Yachts

Scottish Environmental Protection Agency

Michael on Media