Posts Tagged ‘ Theatre ’

First Video of the 2nd Semester

Well, it’s been a while since the Mac Lab video team actually had a video project and it’s high time that we get down to business. It’s my pleasure to announce that Mr. Owens has commissioned us to produce a video encouraging students to do their best on the California Standardized Tests. This, along with the new 825 Academic Performance Index poster, will hopefully increase student interest in these seemingly pointless exams.

And so here’s the story. A few weeks ago while we were making slight changes to the Sweethearts 2010 video so that it could be used for 2011, Mr. Owens explained an idea that he was developing for a complex multi-month video project. He already had a thoroughly planned idea as well as basic storyboards, which saves us the difficult task of thinking up a cool story.

Before I post the actual outline, Philip, Kyle, and I need to review it again with Mr. Owens as well as get final approval from Mr. Skocko.

The idea still needs refining, but it definitely has potential and is within our technological reach. The only challenge is time. Mr. Owens wants to cast students from the Theatre Department, but the Theatre students will be preoccupied with their own work until just two weeks before our deadline. That gives us about three months to plan, but only about two weeks to shoot and edit the video. This will be a challenge, but a challenge that we can overcome. We will use the next three months to thoroughly plan the video and test various ways of using our equipment to best convey the tone that Mr. Owens wants to convey.

These next three months will give us a chance to teach the new members of Mac Lab Media some of the basics of camera use and video preparation. I will keep you updated with more details as to exactly what will be going on once the process gets off the ground.

The Coming Week

Well, the coming week is going to be interesting. Here is what’s going on:

  1. CS5 debuts on Monday, changing the world forever. Be at the Mac Lab before 7:45.
  2. The Dance Crew video needs to be edited by Christopher (video) and James (audio) by Wednesday or Thursday. I am not sure who will do the After Effects work, but it won’t be me (because I don’t know anything about After Effects). This will be a great learning experience for me, as I am relatively new to Final Cut, but I know I can make it work.
  3. We have to film the Valhalla Theatre Department’s production of Thoroughly Modern Millie for a second time on Friday (really wonderful play). It then has to be made into a DVD.
  4. We need to start developing an idea of how we will produce interviews for the Mac Lab eBook, which Kyle and I will be assembling.
  5. Everyone needs to type up their description for this page.
  6. Kyle and I need to continue developing the Mac Lab Media blog.

This is more work than it seems, but nothing compared to what’s coming. It’s going to be a fun week (no seriously, this is fun!!!!).

New Project Time

Well, we have a new project. During 7th Period on Thursday, Mr. Skocko informed Kyle and I that the VHS Theatre Department has asked us to create a DVD of Thoroughly Modern Millie that they could then sell. The weekend before Spring Break, Danny and I filmed the production for a contest Theatre planned to enter, but they missed the deadline. They have come back and asked us for our help again. The Theatre Department has been one of the Mac Lab’s best clients, so we try to give them our best effort. This Friday from 7:30 pm to 9:30 pm, we will be filming the play again. Thoroughly Modern Millie was a magnificent performance and I am looking forward to seeing it again.