This week, some very simple reflections, as the focus was on getting a draft Oral Presentation done.
To say it was a scramble was an understatement. I had managed to do a rough voice track, sitting on the hotel balcony in Phnom Penh, the day before I left. I shared it with Ingrid and Vicky, who both thought that, whilst rough, it had a decent story flow.
So I set about using it in Adobe Premiere. I have played with Premiere a bit, years ago, but I have never tried to construct a complex piece before, using audio clips, my images and iPhone video. It was extremely helpful to see examples of the work of others, including the Cromarty cohort (thank you, WhatsApp!). I basically spent my entire first day back (and the evening) putting it together, and tweaked a bit the morning of the webinar.
Happily, both Gary and Jesse thought it ‘strong’, especially the no-nonsense opening on genocide. Jesse said he could feel the passion, though that was really a weak work in this context. I got some very helpful feedback – raise the energy in my voice, make sure that people can see the names of referenced photographers, skip rephotography, and add more recent, modern documentary inspiration.
Gary also mentioned he could see a contrast in some of my newer work with the archive material. I need to show more of my new stuff!
The reflections?
- Thank goodness for peer review and encouragement!
- As long as you keep things simple, Premiere is perfect for the job. Starting with a voice track really helped, then building up with images. Only when I had created the video did I finish off the formal Powerpoint.
- The Cambodian project is doable …