This week updates to websites in the fields of biological research, multimedia training, chemistry and experimental/art films.

SpectraSchool
A site entirely devoted to spectroscopy, produced in close collaboration with the University of Leicester and forming part of the HEFCE/RSC-supported Spectroscopy in a Suitcase/ Chemistry for our Future project. The site includes videos describing practical aspects of nuclear magnetic resonance, infra-red spectrometry, mass spectrometry, and UV/visible spectrometry, in addition to a range of resources to aid understanding of the principles and practice of spectroscopic and spectrometric methods.

Journal of Visualized Experiments (JoVE)
Journal of Visualized Experiments (JoVE) is a peer-reviewed, online research journal that takes advantage of video technology to capture and transmit the multiple facets and intricacies of life science research.

Video articles are organised into sections on Neuroscience, Immunity & Infection, Clinical & Translational Medicine, Bioengineering, Basic Protocols. Since Autumn 2009 a subscription is required to watch more than the first 1-2 minutes of most video articles. Free trial subscriptions are available. To download our profile of JoVe in Media Online Focus, click here.

Multimedia Training Videos
Multimedia Training Videos is a series of completely free and open educational resources for instruction in the use of a variety of multimedia and ICT tools. It was created by members of the MSc in Multimedia at the University of Westminster and the project is a joint collaboration with the Joint Information Systems Committee-JISC and the Higher Education Academy. The videos include detailed instruction in the use of software such as Flash, Dreamweaver, Photoshop, Director and Audacity, as well as covering web tools and search engine optimisation. Other videos are planned to cover Javascript, CSS, PHP and WordPress. The resources are also available via other outlets such as Twitter, Facebook, Blogger, Vimeo and YouTube and can be embedded into your own blog. The site contains its own blog that records all the work done to develop the site.

Soundboard
A site with tens of thousands of downloadable sound clips. Many are free and others are available for a small fee. Organised by category including Historical (speeches by Churchill, Hitler, etc), Political (mainly American), Movies (music and soundtrack), Science/Nature (a wide range of animal and bird sounds) and Sound Effects (e.g. car engines, bells, snoring, etc).

Instant Cinema
Instant Cinema, a new online platform for experimental and art films, has been launched in collaboration with EYE Film Institute Netherlands. The goal of the project, initiated by filmmaker and multimedia expert René Daalder, is to make some of the best works of experimental filmmakers and artists accessible to audiences worldwide. Instant Cinema is a community website that enables filmmakers to create custom-designed portfolio pages where they can upload and manage their own content. Curators, museums and other institutions can also upload films to the website, create online exhibitions, cross-link to each other, and react to one another. A selection of classic and modern works from EYE’s collection of avant-garde and experimental films made both in the Netherlands and abroad are available on the website. There is also a channel from the Center for Visual Music, a Los Angeles based archive dedicated to visual music, experimental animation and avant-garde media.