Daily Archives: November 7, 2006

Video Production Time

adult learning, Video

After doing the update, I actually re-read my learning contract where I said I was going to create a weekly vodcast of videos. In retrospect, I was underestimating the amount of time it takes to create even a short video. The Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary movie must have taken 20 hours or more. Of course, I was learning how to use Final Cut Pro so that explains some of the time. But creating videos that tell a real story takes time: importing, reviewing, choosing, adding audio, adding titles, applying the “Ken Burns” effect.

So, I asked myself, what could you do on a weekly basis? In just about two hours, I was able to create this 30 second video of a whimbrel and upload it to YouTube. It includes a voice over, opening title, and transitions. The footage was already imported so it was just a matter of identifying which clips I wanted. I also had to look up the directions for how to create the fade to black transition. (Basically, you just add a cross-dissolve transition to the end of the clip.) I also spent 10 or 15 minutes fooling around with export options and decided on using m-peg 4 with the pre-set for broadband high.

NB: Add another 15 minutes and who knows how much more time since I uploaded the video to YouTube only to discover that when they converted it, the opening title is gone.  So I’ve got some research to do.  I did discover that YouTube has a video guide that looks helpful.  Unfortunately, it didn’t answer my question about what happened to my title?

Learning Contract Update

adult learning, blogging, documentary film, learning contract

I will admit up front that I am procrastinating.  I *should* be doing some bibliography work for my media literacy research project.  Instead, I am doing everything else–watching Triumph of the Will, canceling my cell phone, doing laundry.  It is amazing how much I get done when I am procrastinating!  Is there some adult learning principle at work here?  What we learn we were are supposed to be learning something else?

Anyway, as part of that procrastination, I thought I would doing a learning contract update.  I have taken the first steps towards learning Final Cut Pro.  I am pretty happy with my first movie and got lots of positive feedback from the class.  This weekend, I want to dig into some of the Lewis and Clark footage I’ve got.  I’m considering doing something that combines footage from our trip with excerpts from my journal and the L&C journals.  Contrast their journey with ours.  First, though, I need to get a look at what’s there.  It’s been seven or eight years since we took the trip.  I reviewed some of the footage this summer, but need to go back through it with a “cinematographer’s” eye.

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