October 26, 2005 | Filed under: Uncategorized
So I’ve been sifting through the video footage from my brief trip to New Orleans and for the life of me I don’t know what to do with it. It’s not like there’s oodles of it–only about thirty minutes. There are a few things blocking my progress: a lot of it is just so depressing that I don’t want to watch it any more. And then there’s the funny bits, too, but they look desperately foolish alongside the clips of the Lower 9th Ward. I have some guilt about my ability to go home to my cozy undestroyed-by-natural-disaster-and-underfunded-levee-maintenance home. I’m also not too handy with iMovie. I nailed down the basics with a practice movie yesterday (ALL of yesterday) when I should have been cleaning my apartment, but I don’t want my first video posting to be a musical tribute to pizza. I’m not sure why. I’m also having a hard time making peace with what a chucklehead I sound like while narrating. I cannot believe what I sound like. I’m appalled by it. Why have my friends never mentioned it before? You’d think that with a degree in Speech Pathology (College: The Early Years) I’d have learned something. Not so much, no. I speak so quickly that it’s a wonder anyone understands what I’m saying. What’s worse is that since I became hyper-aware of it during the trip after examining some of the tape, I tried to slow myself down, lending my voice a nice “duh” quality to it. Apparantly, I’m also a little bossy. Does it get worse than fast, dumb and bossy? I don’t think it does. Luckily, I don’t yet have to deal with what I LOOK like on video. I dread that.
For some heartbreaking but outstanding firsthand, post-Katrina New Orleans photos and words from a native son doing a damn good job helping his family and fellow man, please visit Operation Eden if you haven’t already. It is truly a shining example of what a blog can be and do.
October 26, 2005
@ 3:50 pm
heyyy
i made my first video just this last week. i used windows movie maker…a 11min video that took like days to put together and then like a whole day to upload on a crappy internet connection.
nice blog…i’ll keep comin back…
Durga (female, Australian and happy)
October 26, 2005
@ 9:47 pm
Ah yes, videoblogging. It does take some time getting over the shyness of being on camera, and THEN having listen to yourself over and over and over again as you edit your video. When I first put myself on camera for one of my first videoblogs I screamed cuz I thought I sounded like a chipmunk on helium. But I got over it. It just takes awhile.
Also, videoblogs are usually only 2 minutes max (in order for people to not be driven mad when downloading), so if you were to publish your video, I’d recommend breaking your video down into 2 minute chunks. In addition, if you do not like hearing your voice, you could always mute the original audio in iMovie and replace it with music.
Oh well, I’m glad you’re back safe and sound!
October 27, 2005
@ 7:06 am
You know, it doesn’t matter how many years you were educated. It doesn’t matter how many courses in speech pathology you took.
The truth is that narrating while holding a video camera turns you into a goofball.
It’s a scientific law. Trust me.
You’re changing your perception of how you view reality (whether looking through a viewfinder or staring at an LCD screen).
Try speaking properly while beating some eggs, or flipping pancakes.
Guaranteed that you’re also very hard on yourself.
either way… How do I see this video?
Jorge
PS: Thanks for visitng my blog and commenting.
I had a good laugh!
October 27, 2005
@ 9:22 am
Very occassionally my husband will video tape an event, last one was christmas tree decorating. I sound like such a moron. So always aware of the camera. Mostly we just tape our son. He sounds adorable on tape.
That operation eden link is awesome.
October 27, 2005
@ 5:15 pm
Found you via a comment you left on Third Degree Nurse’s blog.
I LOVE the description you give–that you are “changing attitudes toward childbirth” one women/birth at a time. Same here–for years and years–and I won’t stop.
Hh
October 28, 2005
@ 5:29 pm
If I could change one thing about my physique, it would be voice, believe it or not. The cellulite, one can ignore, but I had to listen to my taped voice for years when I worked in public relations and I hated it. I think some of it is how you’re built: where the diaphragm is and how much “boom” your vocal cords/airways and “soundtrack” can pump out
I had a boss, though, who was related to Alex Haley (Roots) and man, if he didn’t sound just like him. What a glorious gift.
Don’t your let voice stop you from editing video, though. You’ll find a way to use music and different locations afford you some different sound quality. Experiment.
October 28, 2005
@ 6:55 pm
Everybody cringes a little bit when they hear a recording of their own voice. I bet even James Earl Jones thinks his voice sounds goofy…
October 28, 2005
@ 8:25 pm
Just found your blog through Third Degree’s blog. I’ll have to come back when I have time between homework on my NP schooling. I was born in Syracuse and was raised in the South. The most complaint about my speech is the speed also. I have the speed of a Northerner and the “Southern drall” when I’m tired. It’s a really bad mix sometimes.
November 8, 2005
@ 1:04 pm
So funny, I feel the same way about my voice- but you know, I think everyone does. We are so used to hearing it from the inside, that hearing it the way everyone else does freaks us out.