Three weeks ago we were given a daunting assignment: create a video essay about new media. The look on every face in the classroom was shear terror. We are all graduate students, who got into the top education program in the country, and yet the thought of facing something new broke out the cold sweats. Periodically throughout the weeks, everyone stubbly asked our classmates how their videos were coming. The same look of "girl, please!" answered back from every face. One thing was clear, we were all lost and no one wanted to start drowning just yet. Therefore, the weekend before the project was due caused a wide-spread panic. We have to do this video NOW! It is amazing how people put off the scary or unfamiliar. Not facing whatever it is that has us in a panic is better than diving in head first. Unfortunately, when something is left to the last minute, diving in is the only solution.
On Saturday morning, two bright-eyed girls faced each other and said, "let's do this." The first few frames were a piece of cake. The animation went smoothly, and we were so enthralled in the process that we completely lost track of time. Both of us are products of the computer generation, yet we still have a fascination for what can be done. At one time it was said, "the mac is only as limited as the imagination." I guess our imaginations turned off because our once clear vision turned into a massive blur. We were hitting roadblock after roadblock. Every minute was a new frustration. You know it is bad when you start actually talking to your technology, begging it for help, "PLEASE work with me!" One of us would think of something brilliant only to find out that you have to jump through twenty hoops to make it happen. Apple support became our best friend. Also, why is it that the coolest and easiest applications cost an arm and a leg? After eight straight hours of working we decided to treat ourselves to some trashy television and pizza.
Sunday came along and two glazed-eyed girls dragged their feet back to the project. The progress of the day before seemed irrelevant. New roadblocks formed and old ones still were not resolved. They started asking friends, relatives, the entire internet for advice. Facebook statuses included, "does anyone know how to download a youtube file onto imovie?" Slowly, the movie came along but it still wasn't up to par. Unfortunately, I had to go to work that night. We vowed to meet for two hours Monday morning and get everything accomplished.
The bar was slow so I decided to use the time to figure some things out. Slowly, everything started making sense. Maybe it was the change of scenery, but things became easy again. Not wanted to jinx the good luck, I showed up this morning with written out directions on how I figured everything out the night before. In two hours we had a movie. After a few fine tunes and some voice over, me and my partner sat back watching our creation with an overwhelming sense of pride. We created this video from nothing: no background knowledge, no prior experience. We were not only proud of ourselves, but of each other. When one of us got frustrated, the other would calm the storm. When one of us was too tired to type correctly, the other took over. It was a collaboration unlike any other I have ever experienced. Both of us brought our strengths and weaknesses and it worked out. No matter what happens, we made a movie and we are proud of it.
Now that I have had a little time to reflect I realized that this project replaced me back to the position of student. For the last few months we have been taking about teaching. We are teachers. We are leaders. We are capable of reading theories and understanding them, discussing them, writing about them; but it is rare that we place ourselves back in student mode. As I student, I remember things coming easily to me. The only subject I really struggled in was math. I made it up to Algebra II and then goodbye easy street. No matter how hard I tried I hit roadblocks that were impossible, at the time, to overcome. Everyone once in a while I would finally "get" something and once I did, I never forgot. Making this video was similar to that feeling of accomplishment. I forgot how good it feels to get the "ah ha!" moment when the youtube video downloads perfectly as an mp4. I forgot how amazing it is when you know that you created something great. Most of all, I forgot how much I learn from figuring out puzzles. Although my eyes are now crossed from staring at the computer, and I am pretty sure I destroyed my kidneys from all of the Tylenol, this was an experience I will never forget. It is also a tool that I will take with me into the classroom, because I now know what the potential roadblocks are so that students are relieved of some of the major frustrations when given an assignment like this one.
I can't wait to share our video with the class. I will post it on the blog after we get feedback.
It is such a struggle to compose with unfamiliar tools, isn't it? I hate feeling inept and I always do when I compose using some of the digital media products for pc. I keep hoping that this is the time I will be comfortable...it hasn't happened yet. I try to remember that I have been composing in print media for 37 years and that allows me to be a lot more comfortable there. It doesn't console me enough though. Looking forward to the video.
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