The Early Days
I have been interested in video since buying my first Super 8 video camera in 1975. I used that camera for a few years until the projector bulb burned out. I know the thought of using a projector sounds so archaic with today’s technology. The iPod, MP3 Player, iPhone, BlackBerry generation most likely has never seen a movie projected on the wall by uncle Phil or aunt Lucy Lou. It was always fun and exciting to gather around and watch the same old movies over and over again. I chuckle when I think about the fact that we still have 16mm movies and projector stored around our house somewhere. Just writing this blog may call for getting the reels out and setting up the projector on the table once again.
When Mollee was about 6
Some years ago, while on the beach during a family vacation, I picked up broken tripod and used it as a monopod; attached a Sony DSC-250 camera to it and gathered up my granddaughter and said, “All I need you to do is walk along the beach and I will video you.” I lifted the camara high above my head going for the God view as she started walking along the beach with me videoing by her side. We covered allot of beach in a very short time to make that video and as it turned out it has become a family favorite. Not because it was perfectly in frame, shake-free, but because it was spontaneous, capturing the soul of the moment; a moment, which is dear to our hearts to this day.
It wasn’t great footage by any stretch of the imagination, but if you will take the time to select the right music you will find that your video comes alive. If I may add another editing tip for those who may not know, a video must have a rhythm and the rhythm comes from the music you select. It’s just as important to select the right music as the right video clips. I usually lay in a selected song in the sound track and then begin to play selected video clips to see what fits the footage. I won’t go forward until I’m settled on the music to use. It is that important. Note: I use only royalty free music so I don’t have to worry about copyright infringement. YouTube estimates that 12% of videos are in violations of copyright infringements.
So, summer after summer, I have made videos of our beach vacations and no two are a like. Today, when we gather around, we gather around the plasma screen instead of the projector. We still get just as excited as we did all those years ago.
Today, I use professional equipment to shoot videos that clients want for their promotions and special events. I still love seeing the final edited product and to give the client exactly what they envisioned is a rewarding experience. But most of all I love finding the soul of the footage that makes it speak to the viewer’s soul. The place where we become vulnerable to our feelings and before you know it a tear or two comes trickling down our face as we sniffle very quietly, trying not to be too obvious.
YouTube
Now, with YouTube there are over 120,000,000 videos on their website. Each day another 200,000 videos are uploaded. If you started today and watched every video it would take you over 600 years to watch them all. The number of videos watched daily on YouTube is over 200,000,000 which is truly staggering to my mind.
The Mermaid where we made so many summer vacation memories
YouTube offers the amateur as well as the professional the opportunity to present their video to the world. The end result of this format has created an amazing venue for the latent as well as hard core videographer.
So, you really have no excuses! Get your camera rolling and see what you can produce. Aim for the best results by shooting for the edit all the while you are videoing. Use your imagination; employ what equipment you have and learn tell a story and shoot allots of footage. If you didn’t shoot for the edit you can still tell a great story with a little imagination and hard work.
A good exercise in learning to tell the story is to take some raw footage and weave it into an amazing adventure. One day when on vacation with some of the family we went to Moody Gardens in Galveston, Texas. I just started filming video from the time we parked the car in their parking lot until we left their facility. After wards, when I looked over the footage I got the idea from one scene of walking up to a river paddlewheel boat. The excursion we took that day became known as the “Paddlewheel Adventure” with the theme of Gilligan’s Island. So, I threw in the sound track of Gilligan’s Island and began adding video clips and before you knew it I had nailed it.
I am thankful for a tolerant family who has put up with my camera activities on all the family vacations. I think the only thing that keeps me in their good graces is the end result of having some wonderful home movies of the time we have shared together.
There’s no sound of the projector running these days, nor the scratchy, grainy film lighting up the room as it reflects off the projector screen but it’s still the same wonderful fun to get together and relive the moments together.
Billy Nelson
