Eager students dash to the editing room in order to save what they have filmed. The files load at a snails’ pace onto computers as the students wait impatiently. Everything goes as planned, when all of a sudden, the power goes out. All the hard work is gone.
“It is frustrating,” Seth Lane, ’06, said. “The computers randomly freeze on you, and you have no choice but to unplug and restart all of your work again.”
As the video productions students frantically race to retrieve lost files, others gaze in shock at the blank screen.
“This class has little teacher involvement,” Scott Falk, video productions adviser, said. “Everyone in this class must be a self starter. They need to learn how to take responsibility for themselves. It also requires a lot of cooperation in order to make the films.”
Everyone scampers to get the film ready. They are determined to make this film the best possible.
“I took this class for everyone who has ever complained about a film in chapel,” Akiko Work, ’06, said. “I had this idea that I could do better, but, in all honesty, the audience is hard to please.”
Everyday the class discovers new ways to utilize their software. With every new technique learned, the films improve.
“I hope to learn more about the software we use,” Lane said. “If I am able to learn more, then I will be able to make a much better quality film. It takes more than good ideas to make a film.”
Although all the final work is done on computers, art is still used as a prime part of production. Making a film attractive is necessary to draw in viewers.
“I figured it would be a new challenge for me,” Work said. “Before video productions, I was in art class. As much as I liked that class, I wanted something a little more challenging. The fact that it was a new type of media that I could try to work with made it especially interesting to me.”
Even though the students are exhausted by all the work they have completed, their task is not done yet. The students still need to incorporate music and special effects into the film. Often they struggle to make the movie presentable to the public.
“It always makes me nervous,” Lane said. “Knowing that everyone will see what I do makes me want to do well.”
The students are constantly preparing for their next film. Like a job, this class’ work is never finished. Once one film is finished, it is time to begin a new one.
“I love it when ideas pop up one after another,” Work said. “And it keeps on developing into something I’d want other people to see. The working and stressing is well worth it.”
Last year’s video production class featured “Man in the Hall” with Greg Tharpe, ’04, who asked ridiculous questions to students. This year the class highlights Paul Kinnear, ’06, performing random acts of craziness in “You Got Fried”.
“The Spiderman episode of ?You Got Fried’ so far is my favorite,” Falk said. “I am expecting to make many more of those, and we are developing new ideas constantly. Everyone is working hard on all their films. I think this year will go very well.”
For more information about video productions, or to join the class, contact Falk at [email protected].
