Editing

Today started - after wake-up duty and breakfast duty - with a brief primer on how to use our editing suite. Once again, we are using Serif Movie Plus software. I showed them on the big screen how to import, cut and generally mess with video clips. 

I told them that there was no "wrong" way to learn this - that they were free to mess liberally with anything we shot over the last dew days. Effects, cuts, overlays - all were there for their enjoyment. The reminder and understanding that no damage to the source clip would occur helped free up the boys from their initial fear.

Within moments the class was silent, except for the occasional giggle (and more frequent "Mr. T., How do I...?) as the boys flung themselves into their task of having fun with this powerful new tool. 

By the end of 20 minutes, we had a "Chipmonk" version, a really slow cross-fade that led to multiple images on the screen, various color enhancements, a silent movie version (accident), and the comment of the day: "I LOVE THIS! THIS IS THE MOST FUN I'VE EVER HAD!"

It's 9:17 AM, and my day could be done on that note... However, I'm on duty tonight!

Before I close, I'd like to give a shout-out to the peeps who made the inaugural #TABSchat last night a success. If you're interested in life in boarding schools, and do the Twitter thing, tune in to #TABSchat, Wednesdays at 8:00 PM EST

Term Two Begins

I appear to be far more sporadic a blogger than I would like. So be it. I will, at this time, endeavor to adequately chronicle the second term, with new students, of my afore mentioned Media Class.

This term we're a little over stuffed. I've got seven kids and five workstations. I'll use this as a team building experience, and make sure that each student gets the opportunity to work on a project with a partner. The only issue I can see with this set up is that you can only use one USB headset in a machine. I'll have to pick up a few 1/8" splitters and use a different set up for the team machines.

Going forward I've dispensed with the thought that I might be able to produce a daily newscast, and am now focusing, from the start, on a bi-monthly news magazine. Here, by the way, is a teaser clip from last term's 30/30.

This term, I'm calling (unilateral decision time) the program 55 Minutes.

We started again with class rules. No rolling around on the chairs, don't play with the equipment when not using it in an official capacity, and most importantly for me, the rule of safe and honest constructive criticism being the only accepted form of criticism. 

We jumped right into two person, one camera news reporting - again using Morning Notes as a prompter template.

This class was extremely quick to feel comfortable behind the desk. We had general confusion and some great blooper fodder of course, but the quickness of this group of boys was astounding. After two days we got everyone behind the desk, and moved on to critique.

The boys generally had interesting things to say about their peers work and the mandate for safety was observed well. We all learned something about our desk presence and will have a much better second reel, as good as the first was.

Today, we got the files onto the editing stations, and will begin the process of learning to edit. Next week, hopefully, we begin the projects! I'm excited.