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Around fifteen years ago I
purchased a camcorder. The thing, then, was very expensive. One thousand
dollars for it, on monthly installments was too much money to throw away.
Probably, my children were too young to have a desire to learn to use it
and my vision for its use was foggy. Still, the cost of it pushed me to
it. The camera itself was big, heavy and awkward. One feels a bit like a
television crew person while using it. As practice began to give me sort
of a skill, success built on itself. Even my film producer brother would
sit dutifully through some of my documentaries and gagged only on
occasion. I was undaunted and pushed forward, to film, weddings, showers,
special occasions, and many other events to be shared with family in every
part of the country. Finally, the dinosaur gave up the ghost and died.
Today, I have a smaller, very much less expensive camera. It is certainly
less conspicuous though not having the quality of picture or color.
With the old camera my
electronic engineer husband built a microphone and means to narrate and
use music on my films. He picked up parts off the kids thrown away
electronic toys in order to do this. After his retirement his mental
outlook changed and it has been hard to involve him in these “silly”
pursuits of mine. So, not to be undaunted, I purchased a small CD player
with batteries. This will go anyplace the camera goes and gives me my
music. I've learned to think fast. (Oh dear! And at my age when the gray
matter just wants to be left alone) If I plan out the thing I'm doing
ahead of time I can get a reasonably well put together program. I can't
stand to look at the tired me, but my grandchildren don't seem to mind.
Such is the gift of love for both of us.
One has to remember to make
the story short. My brother laughs when he says, “The American public has
a six minute attention span.” But, with every joke there is a half truth.
At the moment I'm recording
demonstrations of my art work for my grand children. For all the years
I've worked with art, teaching art, exhibiting and such I've learned a
thing or two. In this busy world there is absolutely no way one can
capture a child, or adult for that matter, to sit them down to a formal
art lesson. With this in mind I'm doing one thing at a time in a lesson on
video.
One can usually catch them
at a weak moment in order to get them to watch. Right after school when
they are too tired to protest, too much, but are still a little in the
learning mode is a good time. It is also convenient for me, also. One
reward has been to see their face light up with a new understanding.
Of course, in order to
accomplish anything, sooner or later, the student has to put their hand
to the canvas. In order to achieve this I take a lesson we have watched on
video and this is the lesson I ask them to do so I can film them. Sneaky
okay? But, it works. Also, preparation is the key here. Having the
material to work with is a must.
Too bad we have to find a slice of time for our own. We in our evolution,
or whatever, to survive, do whatever we must do. |
