Copy of Weekly E-mail Update for March 30, 2009

(the following is a copy/paste of my first weekly update I sent out to our growing crew members via e-mail).

Hello Digital Storytellers: 

I'm gonna try to provide a weekly update for you all now that we are turning into a real crew. For today's edition, let's start off with introductions. 

First off, I want to introduce two latest members of our crew.  Vince Vilan (a 21-year old editing prodigy) will be helping me out as a technical consultant/assistant editor for our project. He is currently finishing off at City College and will be applying for film programs for next year. 

Second, I just spoke with a local musician/multimedia artist/computer expert Cheth Rowe who agreed to help us out with music. A graduate of San Francisco Art Institute, he looks forward to collaborating with us and our clients/consumers. 

So welcome again, Vince and Cheth. I will keep you both updated. At some point in the near future, Cheth will look at our footages to get a better sense of what kind of music might be appropriate. I also invited him to visit our clinic at some point to meet our clients/consumers...it would be nice for both Cheth and Vince to meet the rest of the crew. 

Vince and Cheth, let me introduce you guys to Scott Wallin and Sekyu Kim. Scott is a PhD candidate in theatre and performance who is a former social worker and also a multimedia artist himself. Scott is currently working with a group of four consumers who are taking digital pictures. Soon the consumers will be commenting on their photos--as we videotape them.

Sekyu Kim is an M.F.A. student from Korea studying photography at Academy of Art College. A former movie producer in Korea, Sekyu and I are working with three different projects with three clients who have some very interesting stories to tell. One is a painter, the other is a poet. And we have one consumer who is currently battling cancer and would like to talk about his hopes. 

p.s. Scott, hope you had a great vacation. See you on Thursday at 11:00AM. The clients have been taking pics while you were away. Sekyu, i'll see you Wednesday at 9:30AM at the cafe with Debbie. Vince, hope your classes are going well. I'll check in with you in mid April. 

p.s.s. The date for our first film festival has been set for Wednesday May 27th from 2:00-4:00PM. 

Thanks for your efforts. Let's have fun and be creative!

Recruited Clients Already

As of today, we have recruited all the clients we would need for the upcoming May film festival. Sekyu Kim will work with me with two clients: Debra S. and Rene A. One is a poet, the other an artist. Scott Wallin will work within a group format with Bruce S., Edwin H., Jeff W., and Michael M. Sekyu will also document the whole process for both groups.

Scott wants to give out digital cameras, but we don't have any funds yet. Dave Fariello allowed us to get up to 2 $30.00 cameras from Walgreens. Scott and I will lend our digital cameras (the ones we can afford to lose) to the group. Hopefully in the near future, we can raise some funds to purchase equipment. 

Completed My Proposal Presentation

After speaking to the Forensics team about the Clinical Digital Storytelling project at today's staff meeting, I have completed my rounds as far as informing our center about the project. Today's response from Forensics was very positive. Some felt that this project would be a good way to raise funds. I told the staff that I would like to collaborate with everyone in making this project happen. I was very enthusiastic and excited about this idea, and I think the staff felt it in my presentation. 

Final Cut Pro Basic Steps

Today had my first lesson from Vince Vilan. So here are my notes:

(1) Turn on the camera before even turning on the computer.

(2) Turn on the computer, then turn on FCP.

(3) First thing once it opens is to CREATE PROJECT NAME. Do not leave it "untitled."

(4) Second, create the BINS within the BROWSER

(5) CTRL / click "VIDEO", then "SET LOGIN BIN"

(6) Put a title under "REEL" and leave description under "DESCRIPTION" (this is the name of the clip).

(7) Under "clip settings" place a check next to PREVIEW box (to ensure you hear the sound)

(8) For CAPTURE, I have two choices:

(a) CAPTURE NOW--will enable me to manually capture (using camcorder functions)

       (b) BATCH CAPTURE--(either in batches or just one CLIP)

(i) click "set in" then "set out"

                (ii) "Description"

               (iii) click on "Log clip"

              (iv) then select the clips (if you want to do batch) in the bin and click on "capture batch"

    

FOR EXPORT

(1) do FILE, EXPORT, QUICKTIME (for web, do quicktime conversion for web)

(2) save

(3) IDVD--just drag the quicktime (.mov) into iDVD...can do multiple...

NOTES:

(1) "SEQUENCE" is simply one among many "scenes" that can later be put together under a master sequence...or each sequence can be burned on DVD separately. So very flexible. Sequence is just an industry way of allowing many editors to work on different segments within a project.

Vince Vilan from CCSF

Today, Vince Vilan (my friend and former film classmate from City College of SF) came over to my house to tutor me on my final cut studio program for editing. He taught me the basics for about two hours. Now I am able to navigate my way around FC. He is only 21 years old, but very technically proficient. His ambition is to become a film editor in Hollywood. I asked him if he'd be willing to support us as a technical consultant when we begin editing for the film festival. He agreed to help out. So now I feel less burdened as far as editing is concerned. 

First Meeting

Today, the clinical digital project team consisting of me, Sekyu and Scott, had our first meeting. We each introduced each other, then reviewed our blueprint and discussed our thoughts and concerns about the project. 

I expressed my desire to work on 4-5 different projects displaying different ways to implement clinical digital storytelling. Sekyu's work would represent a collaboration between client and an artist (photographer). Scott's work with represent a more client-centered approach where they would take their own pictures and talk about it in a group setting. I would work with Debra and Thomas on their news video about what life is like here in the clinic from the point of view of the clients.

Both Sekyu and Scott agreed to work on the projects while my role would be to collaborate with both of them to help them with their respective projects.

Overall, the meeting went very well. Next step is for me to meet with both of them on this week with the clients present. 

Our First Meeting--Ideas

For tomorrow's meeting, here are my thoughts for the agenda: 

(1) Introductions...our background (academic and aesthetic), our hopes for the project.

(2) Review the Proposal and concepts outlined in the proposal

(3) Discuss how we can work together as a team; clarify our roles

(4) Discuss logistics and strategy: schedule, strategy, clients involved, confidentiality forms, etc.

(5) Misc.

Proposal Completed

It's done. David Fariello approved the proposal for the clinical digital storytelling project. I introduced the proposal to Community Focus during their staff meeting and it was well received. Citywide staff liked the idea as well. Next Friday, I will present this proposal to our Forensics program, and hopefully they will approve as well. 

Tomorrow, Sekyu Kim (my friend and photographer from Academy of Art College) and Scott Wallin (PhD candidate at UC Berkeley in theater/performance art?) and I will get together at 982 Mission street (clinic) to discuss and strategize. We will review the the proposal since it is our blueprint and discuss ways in which they can contribute to the project. Target date for our first annual digital storytelling/film festival to occur in mid May.