Sunday, January 10, 2010

VIDEOCASTS


We -- my husband, actor John Cullum, and I -- knew nothing about podcasts, and certainly knew nothing about videocasts -- one month ago.

One month ago, spur of the moment, Fran Weil, my Website designer, said -- you and JC ought to do a podcast.

What in the world was Fran talking about?

Fingers flying, we learned from seven different Websites that sell you information -- more or less -- how to go about creating a podcast. After further chats with Fran, we delved into the problem of disseminating our broadcasts. Should we use RSS something-or-other, or ITunes, or YouTube?

All of this has been like learning a foreign language in four weeks.

Though a producer gave JC an ITune thingamajig, neither JC or I had never used it. RSS was confusing. I didn't know anything about YouTube till Fran led me there, and showed me how a YouTube short film can be used in a blog.

While we were reading and downloading details, we spoke with Asa, a highly trained, skilled technician, who'd did sound effects for my play, "Shattering Panes." He suggested that with the Mac computer, the two of us ought to be doing a videocast.

We fretted and fussed, but with Asa's help, we've learned how to shoot a video on our Mac.

The learning process -- the preparation for a "shoot" -- arranging lights, figuring out a script, deciding where to sit, what to wear, should we wear makeup, fixing the background -- we've yelled at each other, complained, argued -- and though we didn't seriously contemplate divorce, this past month has NOT been a time of loving rapport.

We're thinking of the first short videos we've completed as "previews." We're not locked into a style -- we need reactions -- click the icon, and pick out one, and take a look.

Our first effort is titled: ART IS LONG, TIME IS FLEETING. Second: GENDER BENDERS, then TRASH INTO GOLD, FACING FACEBOOK, STRIPTEASE, HUMANURE --TOILET TALK.

Right now we're "playing" with format -- trying to make it more informal, and more fun to do, and certainly -- hopefully -- fun to watch. . We're planning to do a vidcast once a week. If you like what you see, or hate it, or get confused or bored -- please -- let us know what you think.

1 comment:

David Smith said...

"If it ain't broke don't fix it" I enjoyed your podcast. I will check out others.
My wife and I have this fun thing we do. We live in Maine and we call each other Bert and Rita.. these our our folksy Maine personalities.... So I connected with John's "If it ain't broke don't fix it"
By the way if you don't mind, say hello to John for us. We are looking at Northern Exposure DVD's. John made me cry last night talking about how he rejected his mother because his father was abusive... He discovered, while doing "therapy" with Joel that he could accept his mother and therefore be a good father. I rejected my father, living with an abusive mom and accepting thinking about what a fine man my father was has made me a better man. Oh sorry! I'm rambling.
Warm regards,
David Smith
Belfast, ME