JERSEY CAMCORDER CLUB
VIDEO FILM-
I wonder if other people like myself get fed up with the so called news in English newspapers. I don’t want to know who is sleeping with whom, or what actress has had a face lift – or any other kind of uplift, or who is pregnant, and has been ditched by her current boyfriend, who is claiming he is not the father of her child. Or about the wonder football player who scored a lucky goal and is now a millionaire. But then I don’t know one football team from another. They change their strip more times than I change my socks. I just want to know what is happening in the world, and I can get that on television.
But I do get the Jersey Evening Post for the local gossip, and to read the spin from
our States members, and some spokesman from the business and finance world, telling
us how they are masking changes for our own good -
But it is not all spin – Helier Clement’s comments on politicians in the Big House
and the pinstripes in their air conditioned offices are quite amusing. Also the reader’s
letters, which I am sometimes tempted to reply to -
And as this is my last chat corner before the AGM, I must congratulate our Officers for their years work, and wish all the members success with their films in 2006.
Well another summer season has flashed by again, and I’m sure the seasons are getting shorter. But maybe it is me – slowing down during the daylight hours, and getting tired more quickly. Or perhaps it is because my children – Ann with her husband Ralf and my son Philip (who came to our fish and chip evening) are staying with me at present. So life has been a bit busy lately. They do make sure I am not overdoing it, but still keep me on my toes. I think I shall be glad to get back to my old routine, although I know it sounds ungrateful because they do look after me. And I’ll miss them when they have gone!
But then I shall have some quiet moments to study my new Sony DVD recorder, and try to record and edit some video footage. And this reminds me that those who came to Club on Thursday May 12th saw my attempt to show how to use a camcorder to video oneself, and how to edit the tape without using a computer. This is as it was done in times past, and for those who didn’t come I’ll try and explain what I was doing, as it didn’t go as well as I intended.
That evening I should have explained and filmed what I was doing step by step, using only the basic equipment – namely a video camera, a VCR, a mini audio disc, and an audio mixer. The microphone on the camcorder was used to record the commentary, and the audio mixer was used to mix that with the music from the mini disc. The result was then dubbed on to the mono track of the video tape, which was an assemble edited version of the film.
I don’t think this came across very clearly, but at least I was able to edit 3 short scenes together that evening, and show them, which I thought was quite god for me to do. Perhaps in the future I shall be able to demonstrate making a film with my DVD recorder – who knows!
And new tricks don’t come easy either, and my DVD recorder is no exception. It’s a whole new ball game, with a new language of computer jargon – hard drives, titles, chapters etc, and disc types – minus or plus R or RWs. Next you have to understand the instructions. How to record on the various discs, and how to check that the disc has enough space on. How to dub multiple titles.
But at last I can record from my camcorder or VCR, and erase titles from certain discs. Also I can copy from either the hard drive to disc or a disc to the hard drive.
I’m sure the recorder can do a lot more, but it is not an editing machine, so I must try and learn the new tricks of editing technology, and hope my future videos are playable on other DVD players. But new tricks are not easy for an oldie like me!