Portland thoughts

[John Van Domelen]

This was my first AAW Symposium.

Loved it and will be back for 2008.

The demonstrators I saw were top notch, as was the facility and the over all organization. The vendor area was like a candy store. Spent way too much - got a great deal on a 3520 B and bed extension.

The only gripe I had was with the video systems. I think the camera guys could have used more training. I lost count of the number of equipment failures - from non-working cameras to 'touchy' video cameras. Another suggestion would be to have someone out in the audience select the camera - the angles could have been changed around more to reflect the best viewing angle.

Kudos to the guy who stepped up and filled in for the no-show cameraman in the Art Leistman presentation - he did a great job!

 

[Captain Eddie]

Video is a hard thing to understand to most folks. It's the easiest thing to do if you don't try to out think the camera and equipment. I love to do the video because I get to be the closest to the work, get the first glance and have an angle of vision the audience doesn't. Next time you're at a demo and they need a camera man, step up and take the camera. All they can do is tell you to sit down.
Get involved, make something happen.

 

[n7bsn]

....
The only gripe I had was with the video systems. I think the camera guys could have used more training. I lost count of the number of equipment failures - from non-working cameras to 'touchy' video cameras. Another suggestion would be to have someone out in the audience select the camera - the angles could have been changed around more to reflect the best viewing angle....

Many (most? all????) of the video guys were the video guys from various clubs. While they may not have known the system used, they should have know doing the video in general.

All of them I saw were doing an acceptable job, and I tend to sit in the back

 

[Steve Worcester]

The only gripe I had was with the video systems. I think the camera guys could have used more training....

Don't know about the no-show guy, but I can tell you from what I heard, two cameras were stolen before the symposium even opened. They had to run out Friday morning and get new ones. And they were all club videographers. I know our guy from the Dallas Area Woodturners (Ken Rodgers) has been doing it for a way long time.

 

[woodwish]

The only gripe I had was with the video systems. I think the camera guys could have used more training. I lost count of the number of equipment failures - from non-working cameras to 'touchy' video cameras. Another suggestion would be to have someone out in the audience select the camera - the angles could have been changed around more to reflect the best viewing angle.

I was wondering if the video was better this year than last. As a video productions instructor and profesional cameraman I was eager to volunter last year at Louiseville, and did work cameras on maybe 6 sessions with no complaints that I heard about my camera work. There were a lot of wornout cameras that needed replacing and other technical problems but nothing that couldn't be fixed. Several of the other camera operators did have some problems and lead to a lot of complaints.

I volunteered to help this year, and even would have been there a day or two early to help set up but never heard from anyone. Then I found out that all the camera crews were hand selected by club presidents, and I guess our president didn't respond to the requesting e-mail. I will admit that it hurt my feelings and professional pride some, but it turned out for the best. I was injured 5 weeks ago and was not able to attend. Overall it seems that things were much better this year, and I am glad. I will be in Richmond next year as far as I know at this point. Hope I will able to help . . .

 

[John Van Domelen]

Wow - the theft thing really sucs.

Perhaps I was unlucky in my selection of rotations as far as the video goes.

Was not meant as an attack on the videographers talents - just what I hoped would be seen as honest criticism of a perceived problem.

Perhaps more time using the equipment provided would have helped the guys out. And like I mentioned above, if one person was operating the hand held and someone else doing the camera selection - that would have gone a long way in smoothing things out.

All in all - a very minor irritation in what was overall a wonderful learning opportunity.

 

[Nick Stagg]

Video Quality and Operators

I need to jump in here!

Yes, all of the camera people were selected by their Club Presidents.

We had a training sesson with the equipment on Thursday evening and received ample tips on where to be, what to film, correct angles etc. I would venture a bet that all the folks involved did the best job they posssibly could.

There were many problems, too many, apparently the video cameras were not compatible with the projectors, Someone jump in if you know more about that than I do. The picture quality was lousy, but there was nothing we could do about it. When the air conditioning came on it moved the screens and put the picture out of focus. The camera focus was worthless and made little or no difference to the result. Plugs and adaptors worked their way loose and with the yards of flex and cord it was hard to be in the right spot all the time no matter how hard you tried. And yes, turners do move around while they work, so where you set up was great to start with and two thirds of the way through you really needed to be on the other side of the lathe!

I'm not making excuses because it should have been better, but not with the equipment we had to work with.

Nick Stagg

 

[woodwish]

Nick speaks a lot of truth in his comments above. In the past I have seen camera operators zone out and just start watching the turner, forgetting the camera. No excuse for that, and it can be fixed. Some of the compaints are valid due to equipment and facility issues, some can be fixed easiy and others can't.

Some of the problems Nick talks about comes from trying to shoot live and with no rehearsals. Some turners are better with working with the camera operators than others. Some folks in the audience expect that live screen to look like a professionally made DVD of the turner, and that just won't ever happen. There is always room for improvement, but it's still a live shoot with inexpensive eqipment and volunteers shooting. From my standpoint as a professional video producer I am amazed that it turns out as good as it does considering the circumstances. My hats off to all the volunteers that get put on the spot to do this job, whether it's at a monthly local meeting or at the symposium! :cool2:

 

[bob elliott]

Nick,
I'm with you. I did video last year and this year. AAW provided the same junk cameras and the same clunky/jerky tripods! You can read my rant from last year here: last year's rant
In our meeting on Thursday night, image quality was discussed. Part of the problem came down to a loss of image quality due to analog cameras "talking" to digital projectors.
I did 5 rotations this year and moved that tripod all over the place. At times I had the camera standing on two legs with the camera over the demonstrator's shoulder. I used the video switcher but I found that a few of the demonstrators did not want me to use the small "security cameras".
Many of those on this forum are AAW members. If you don't like what you saw, you need to inform the AAW in a formal letter! Believe me, AAW has the money and as members you must let them know how you want it spent! If the current technology states we need digital to digital, then throw those cameras in the trash, get real cameras (digital) and replace the tripods with professional grade!

 

[n7bsn]

.... Some folks in the audience expect that live screen to look like a professionally made DVD of the turner, and that just won't ever happen. ..

Having done a small amount of this sort of thing, it would take between 8 and 40 hours of live to produce one hour of quality video.

Ya I saw some problems, but having "grown up" in the photo business and having real experience with taping live events I know we are going to get out of focus periods, feed issues, etc, etc, etc. But it is the job of the AAW to ensure the hardware issues are minimal and the video volunteers are as well trained as possible. By trying to use just video people, recommended by the local clubs, the AAW tried to maximize their pool of trained people, something I think was a solid idea.

 

[Clifton C]

My 5 cents worth…
I manned a camera at the Daleville symposium last year. My thoughts being “I’m part of this group and should do my part.†And “hey, I can get up-close and personal.†Well, the dilemma “I†faced was, I could concentrate on the shot, i.e., knowing what was coming next, zooming in for a bevel rubbing shot or pulling back for an overall picture, moving before the demonstrator moved, etc…etc…or â€Âwatching to learn for my own benefitâ€Â…I couldn’t seem to do both, so I opted for the video. Thankfully, rotten vegetables were out of season…I plan to volunteer at Richmond, so I have a year to practice…

 

[Jake Debski]

Nick speaks a lot of truth in his comments above. In the past I have seen camera operators zone out and just start watching the turner, forgetting the camera. No excuse for that, and it can be fixed. Some of the compaints are valid due to equipment and facility issues, some can be fixed easiy and others can't.

Some of the problems Nick talks about comes from trying to shoot live and with no rehearsals. Some turners are better with working with the camera operators than others. Some folks in the audience expect that live screen to look like a professionally made DVD of the turner, and that just won't ever happen. There is always room for improvement, but it's still a live shoot with inexpensive eqipment and volunteers shooting. From my standpoint as a professional video producer I am amazed that it turns out as good as it does considering the circumstances. My hats off to all the volunteers that get put on the spot to do this job, whether it's at a monthly local meeting or at the symposium! :cool2:

Not only do I agree with Woodwish's assessment, I'll add a comment or two of my own. In the 5 or 6 years I've been attending National and local symposiums this issue is and probably will remain the most consistent and vocal complaint. As long as there are two or more people in the audience I doubt we will get a consensus as to were to point the camera. I'm just happy there are those who are willing to try.

 

[rbabbittjr]

Be gentle with us please. I was just one of the voulunteers standing behind the camera. I received no complaints and one attaboy for the work I did. The equipment issue seems an easy issue to resolve. Just spend gobs of money to upgrade to better equipment. Cameras that work (focus problems), tripods that work smoothly and switch boxes that do not fall apart. I would like to ask of those who attended symposiums in the past, was the camera work better than in previous symposiums? If so AAW is headed in the right direction. I would like to arrive days early and have hours and hours of training in advance but AAW does not pay for my hotel room. Like those who sat in the audience some of my demos were better than others, for many different reasons. Since we "videographers" were volunteers I thank all those who appreciate our efforts and to those who were dissatisfied remember, you can volunteer for Richmond. I hope all those who attended 2007 went away feeling the experience was well worth it. I know I did.

 

[Jake Debski]

............................... to those who were dissatisfied remember, you can volunteer for Richmond. .

That can be said for any voluntary symposium task. Its a voluntary organization if you don't like the way things are, get involved and work to change them.

 

[Ed Davidson]

And, if you would like to volunteer for some symposium task (or anything else), here is a link to the AAW website page that contains all the contact info needed to follow-up: AAW Staff and Board

 

[Desert Pete]

Actually, I did volunteer. Never heard a word from anyone. In the final analysis, that was probably just as well because there were so many things to see and do at the Symposium.

It was a great event. All of the demonstrations offered me something new and different to try. Spent way too much at the various vendors but my wife let me back in the house anyway.

 

[Bill Pottorf]

I personally had good video at all of the demo's that I attended. The only problem I encountered was reminding the camera person in one of Alain Mailland's talks to turn the camera back to the video he was showing after it had been turned on Alain for his chalk board description. Since I was in the row right behind the camera man, it was not a big deal. Alain is so amazing, that it is understandable how one can get hooked on Alain and his work rather than the camera. I was only disappointed that Al Stirt could not make it. I really wanted to hear his talks and demo's.

Bill Pottorf