Writing from blustery Bethel, Alaska. We're all the way on the western fringes of the state, only about 400 miles from Russia. There's actually no roads to Bethel from other parts of the state. They have to get everything in by plane. There are roads in the town, but lots of folks get around on snowmobiles.
This is also the area of Alaska where the rivers freeze so thick that they actually use the rivers as roads. But when the snow gets blocks the ice roads and downs all the planes, the villages around Bethel rely on a unique alternative to get their material goods shipped: hovercraft.
Thanks again for your thoughts on cinematography, they were really fun to read. Ariana had a great question. She wondered what Dan's favorite job was. When I asked him he told me that it was a project he did about elephants in South Africa. He said it was amazing to see the animals and the area in which they were filming was one of the most remote and pure natural environments he's ever been in.
We'll be traveling to Juneau in the next day, which is the capital of Alaska. Its actually become really warm up here, almost 40 degrees, which is a seventy degree swing from the -30 degree temps we had last week! I saw from the blog that you guys are doing a TV project. Looks cool. I was wondering how things were going? What are you guys finding to be the most challenging parts of the project? I wonder if its the same things I find challenging about TV.
14 comments:
Hey Joe!
We are learning a new program called Final Cut Express HD. It is a really confusing and complicated program. Once I started using it I began to like it, and its getting easier and easier to use it. The most challenging part of this project is deffinetly using Final Cut, also I don't really like editing even though the process is really easy and quick to go through.
What kinds of animals have you seen so far?
Hi Joe, Things are going very good with the TV project but difficult. Also at the same time I think it is very fun. I think the most challenging part during this project would have to be the writing. I don't like writing that much I guess thats why.
-Courtney
Hey Joe. It must be crazy how the temperature fluctuates over in Alaska. The -30 degree temp. must make 40 degrees feel like summer. The way they deliver mail seems really interesting considering the hovercrafts. The way the rivers freeze is ridiculous, they can actually be used as roads. If I were you I'd be going crazy out there: cold all the time, ice everywhere, no family, nothing that reminds you of home... must be pretty difficult. One of my questions to you is this, how to you remain sane in a place as desolate and seperated as Alaska? One thing that is really difficult about the project is the transitions when editing. It is hard to make a transition that seems natural. Another thing that is difficult is keeping somewhat boring topics interesting.
-PJ
Hey Joe! Things are good down here. The hardest part of our TV project was definitely the writing. I find that its hard to come up with material to say and perform on TV. Although the editing process on FinalCut was almost as difficult because this program is very complicated. What do you find to be the hardest part of producing a TV show?
~Emily
Hey Joe! For the past four days, or so, we have been working on Final Cut Express HD. We are editing and adding pictures to our project in that application. It is easier than iMovie. It is still difficult though, to make everything the best it could be. That would be the most difficult part, trying to put the pictures in the project, that match the presentation.
Do you like using this application?
- Ani
Hey Joe!
Wow! haha.. Its really interesting that you found 40 degrees really warm...
Yeah we are doing TV projects. First we filmed ourselves and are now editing that clip. Its actually really fun to go through this process. I am doing pretty good with it. The most difficult part for me was when I was being filmed! I found it really hard to read my lines from the teleprompter and stay calm and not get nervous! I found it really frustrating even though it was my own script! Now I am doing the editing part, and its really cool. Its my favorite part. We are learning to use a new software, Final Cut Express HD, which is really cool!
Hey Joe it's Eddie again. I think the hardest part of video production is using the teleprompter. People think it's very easy to read the telepromter all the time when in reality it's not. Practing you're lines and knowing what to say on camera is better than just reading words off a screen. Knowing everything about what your presenting makes things so much easier so in the end editing on Final Cut Express HD on the Mac Computer is a piece of cake.
Hey whats up Joe. Things are going good up until this point in Ms. Ventura's class. We've recently learned about a new program called Final Cut and are using it to edit our film. It's pretty complicated at first, but then it's easy to get used to. Forty degrees must feel like summer to you after you've spent days in -30 degree weather. Well, I hope everything works out just fine for you and enjoy the rest of your time in Alaska.
-Kosta
Hey Joe,
Things are going well, both in general and regarding our projects. Right now, we've finished the filming part of our projects and are on to editing with Final Cut. For the most part, the editing has been a bit repetitious at times, just cutting different parts out over and over again. However, what we're doing is pretty basic, so I assume that TV editing on a professional level is a bit more in-depth than what we're doing. For me, one of the most difficult parts of editing is having to hear myself speak all class long, due to having to go back and forth on my segment, meticulously scanning the video for imperfections. In short, I am now sick of my voice!
--Greg
Hey Joe! Doing the TV project has been a lot of fun. It's really funny when people mess up and there are a lot of bloopers. We're pretty much done with filming it, and now we're editing it all. The most challenging part is cutting out everything you don't want in the final product and then putting it all together.
Hey Joe,
Things are going great for the movie project, the hardest part so far is getting used to the new program Final Cut but it seems to be a lot easier than I thought it would be. The editing isn't too bad it's kinda easy once you get the hang of it and adding transitions and such is pretty easy too.
In he last three classes I've finished editing three videos. I think my editing skills have really gone up, which I think is amazing. I hope to do a lot more in editing.
Hi Joe! For our finals were editing our video that we made about the social impact of television and its really fun. Especially when you watch the bloopers! There hilarious! I've learned to use a new program called final cut HD, its complicating but fun. Well stay warm, can't wait to hear from you!
-Isilay
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