Missing “Sex” and the City
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Sidebar
A word about seminars I met Faythe at the ShowBiz Expo. She confided that she’d had trouble deciding whether to pop for the cost of admission to the paid conference sessions or to buy a beautiful chrome bed frame with revolving metal and glass side tables. The fact that I met her at all told me the bed frame was on hold. I know how she felt. For all us “continuing education” freaks, it’s awfully hard to resist a lineup like Rick Friedman’s Mindshare offered. There were sessions on After Effects, Final Cut Pro, Lighting, Digital Delivery, Corporate Production, Hi-Def, Directing, Writing and more. Heck, they had Syd Field teaching screenwriting! Syd Field!
On your behalf I tried to sample as many classes as possible but with a full grid of offerings from 9A to 4P in as many as six classrooms simultaneously, I couldn’t sample them all. I did, however, have the good fortune to sit in on sessions with a few folks who, in my estimation, shined! After all, it’s not enough to be smart and full of information if you can’t find a way to transmit that knowledge in an efficient and effective manner. With no disrespect to the folks whose sessions I never set foot in, these people clearly had what it takes.
If you ever get a chance to polish your lighting skills with Bill Holshevnikoff, take it. He’s a knowledgeable, working professional who has mastered the use of the complete sentence. He clearly had taken the time to break down his knowledge into easy to chew, pleasant to swallow morsels. “Big sources, in close, soften shadows and make people look better.” Pretty easy to sink your teeth into, huh? He was also full of interesting stories that didn’t lead him off track. I wish I could have spent all my time in his excellent two-day class.
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Another standout was Jim Kanter, founder and director of the Digital Film Institute of Atlanta. Jim gives the impression of being a natural-born teacher though his resume suggests he’s worked darned hard developing those skills. Jim taught two days of After Effects classes, a program he obviously knows and knows how to share. His examples were always precise and on point. He also exhibited a rare degree of focus. When confronted with opportunities to crabwalk on questions, he deftly acknowledged the queries, remained on task, then addressed the questions fully when it was more appropriate to his content. Again, I could have spent my entire time in his room.
David Calderwood of Euro-Pacific Film and Video Productions was a standout with handouts. His Corporate Video workshop was focused and accessible, enhanced by his extra effort and forethought obvious in the creation and gathering of his teaching materials. David brought to the table a solid grasp of his subject, interesting visuals, a clear interest in his attendees and 25 years worth of preparation.
Though I had an admittedly brief exposure to Doug Dixon’s Video Delivery class, his solid grasp of the subject showed, as did the fact that he kept talking despite doing battle with a cold. Bonus, anyone can go to his website (www.manifest-tech.com) and download MB after MB of PDFs containing all his presentation materials. Again, proper prior planning produced a better classroom experience.
Let me repeat, I didn’t get a chance to sit in on even half the classes offered so don’t misconstrue my failure to mention a class as anything more than a failure on my part. But I do feel some obligation, having spent some time handing out orchids, to follow with a few well-deserved onions. The first goes to the attendees who, even though the word “Advanced” is clearly stated in the conference grid, show up in class without ever having experienced “Basic.” I don’t begrudge their presence. I do begrudge their questions. Another onion to the presenters who slow the class to answer those questions. Remember, being considerate to one can be inconsiderate to many. You’ve got to stick to the Pirate’s Code – “Who falls behind gets left behind.” Aaaaargh.
And I can’t resist awarding a final onion to the presenters who get so terribly off schedule. I’ll wager that the folks who dropped big coin to be in these classes sat down weeks ago and plotted out a learning experience that would make that big check worthwhile. They have a right to expect Topic A to yield the floor to Topic B at exactly 2:30, just like the grid promises. After all, that chrome bed frame was awfully hard to pass up.
Peter May is a video producer and editor who has created television and video in all its forms. His extensive list of national credits include numerous projects airing on the Discovery Channel including ten travel documentaries exploring destinations in Greece, Scandinavia, Scotland, Thailand, Bali, and New York City. Read more at the May Productions Web site, or send email to Pete at pete@petemay.com. Prev 1 2 3
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