EDTECH 537 Commentary Entry: #WhatIThoughtWhenIWas18
So what should my commentary entry be about? There are a lot of topics about filmmaking, including technological advances, techniques and of course great films. I really had to think about something that would be worthwhile for my faithful readers to actually get engaged with. I'm really looking forward to my guest blog post that I have planned for this weekend. My good friend and fellow filmmaker, Matthew Abaya, will be writing about his experience directing his first feature-length film, Vampariah. I had the pleasure of working on this film with Matt. We both came from the old school analog world, void of computers and fast hard drive and real-time editing and effects. We understand what it used to take to shoot film and videos. So, this made me turn to Twitter to get some inspiration for this post. Well it didn't take long for me to find the perfect hashtag for this commentary post. #WhatIThoughtWhenIWas18 was trending this morning and the timing was spot on. What did I think when I was 18 anyway? I was a senior in high school and was a film and video geek at my high school. I was lucky enough to go to a school that had a video and film program. At the time, we were working with high-tech analog equipment including camcorders the size of a suitcase, and tape to tape editing systems with full-color CRT TV monitors.
I thought that I was on top of the world and one day, I was going to win an Academy Award for best editing in a feature film. What I thought when I was an 18 year old senior was nothing compared to what I think now. Aspiring filmmakers these days are spoiled and somewhat "privileged" so to speak. #WhatIThoughtWhenIWas18 was making a mistake during filming and editing was sacrilegious and uncalled for. We couldn't afford to overshoot because we didn't have spare tapes or more extra batteries for our camcorders. When I was 18, I planned my shots well and perfected the takes before I even rolled for action. I became a perfectionist as an editor. A machine so to speak. I knew exactly how many takes were on the VHS tape and exactly which ones I was using. In a few short years later, technology would improve immensly, with the advent of Sony's DV format, and the beginning of the digital revolution swept the entire filmmaking world.
So fast forward 26 years later. No one shoots with tape anymore, and cellphones shoot, edit and publish without blinking an eye. It's too easy. I believe it's unfair to older guys and gals who paved the way for this generation.
I do have to take a step back and breathe a little. I have to appreciate the learning curve and countless hours learning how to shoot and edit with analog equipment. What I've learned is that I have a better appreciation for filmmaking. I actually love the new technology and embrace it. Rarely do I bring out my full production gear, opting for more portable alternatives. You'll see me armed with cellphone, gimbal, GoPro, drone and occasionally my mirrorless DSLR. I still enjoy editing and creating content myself, but sometimes I let my phone do all the work. #WhatIThoughtWhenIWas18 is definitely what I think of now.
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| ANALOG EDIT SYSTEM - photo courtesy of Edit Mentor |
So fast forward 26 years later. No one shoots with tape anymore, and cellphones shoot, edit and publish without blinking an eye. It's too easy. I believe it's unfair to older guys and gals who paved the way for this generation.
I do have to take a step back and breathe a little. I have to appreciate the learning curve and countless hours learning how to shoot and edit with analog equipment. What I've learned is that I have a better appreciation for filmmaking. I actually love the new technology and embrace it. Rarely do I bring out my full production gear, opting for more portable alternatives. You'll see me armed with cellphone, gimbal, GoPro, drone and occasionally my mirrorless DSLR. I still enjoy editing and creating content myself, but sometimes I let my phone do all the work. #WhatIThoughtWhenIWas18 is definitely what I think of now.
Hi Ralph,
ReplyDeleteFilming is an entire other world to me! I was curious though if you still try to have everything perfect now or if you enjoy being able to make mistakes or changes.
Hi Alyssa,
ReplyDeleteGreat question. Before, I would have 1 tape with 1 hr of footage that was mostly usable. What we tend to do now is overshoot, overthink and underplan. My hard drives and cloud drives are filled with terabytes of useless that I will never view. I think I need to take advantage of the built in feature like auto editing. The best way to keep your footage relevant is to post immediately, especially if you are shooting an event or party. There is no need to wait weeks to finish editing. I can’t compete with other people recording event footage because some post video recap right after the event. Regardless, I think I enjoy the freedom and flexibility that new technology has afforded me.
This is definitely interesting to think about. When I was a high school freshman, I took a photography class where we worked with film and had to develop our own film and make our own prints in a dark room. I always took my time to set up the shots, check lighting, and get the focus just right. It was torture not know if your pictures were going to be usable. I took the same class as a senior and they had updated to DSLR cameras. I know that I didn't worry so much about setting up shots because I could fit hundreds of pictures on my memory card. I think that with the advances in technology, we take film production and photography for granted. You have an interesting perspective on this topic that I would have never thought about.
ReplyDeleteHi Avery. We are in the same boat. I sometimes overshoot when taking stills now. Before, I would have better shots with less. I think we get comfortable with technology and forget about doing it right the first time. Can you imagine how selfies would be if you just took one these days? I do try to be conscious about shooting video when I can. I do practice my camera moves before I do a take. I think their are tons of advantages of planning on photo and video shoots. I hope to see some of your work some day.
DeleteYour post made me think about conversations I've had with experienced teachers. When we started teaching we didn't have Pinterest and the internet wasn't filled with lesson plans and units as it is today. As beginning teachers we used our creativity to create bulletin boards not something we'd pinned. We researched our units and topics to develop lessons and activities meaningful to our students learning. What a different world it was compared to the resources available at our fingertips today. I too love the advances with technology!
ReplyDeleteI definitely wished we had the resources that we have today when I started teaching. I started teaching video production and had to make up my curriculum from scratch. There weren't many resources especially for 9-12 grade. My lesson plans took forever to create and I struggled my first year teaching. Honestly, the best thing about taking the MET is learning about the different technology that is available and how to effectively integrate them into a classroom environment.
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