I started by helping some scouts do a video about dutch oven cooking. The next thing I knew, I had given up my work as a producer after 20 years and become a high school teacher in an inner-city school. Video production is a great vehicle to reach kids that just need a cheerleader and someone to care. They need to find something to want, so that they have a target. If they become an auto body repairman in the end, the lessons they learn in the video production class help them in our media based society.

I could tell you stories all day long about the kids and the rewards I have received for my sacrifices.

Any opportunity that you have to use your video skills to touch kids and particularly teenages, do it! They need it and you will not be disappointed.

Teaching is fun. Did as little lesson on effects and shot some green screen stuff for my daughters 2nd grade class. Had about one hour so it was a bit rushed but they loved the end result, which really was not anything related. I just had them ask questions and then shot some of them using what they had asked - things like "How did the with in Wizard of OZ get in a bubble?" and "You know in like power rangers, how do they shoot lasers from their hands?"

That led to me teaching a mini course. I had 3 Third graders and 2 second graders. We had 3 days. First day I went over the basics or production. I had them all do story boards of what they wanted to do - i told them we were doing PSA's for the school media center. Second day we shot. Last day was "wrap" party. It was fun but I tell you taking a step back and letting them make mistaks is very hard to do. I let them do it all - meaning one would be the actor, one would direct and one would do camera. It worke dout fine but trying to shoot five 30 second PSA's in one hour is kind of mad. We got 3 fully done, one partially done and one hardly done at all, but that was not because of time it was because the director failed to pay attention to their storyboard and did not speak up about having to shot their shot.

I enjoy teching to those who want to learn. My posts here I think reflect that for the most part.

great to hear it.. thanks leslie, kkolbo, filmy... your points are well-taken....

having been such a capitalistic profit-seeker, it really makes me feel better to do things with zero profit potential, and just instead, to make a difference and help out, gratis... like giving a healthy tip to a waitress, but much nicer... I have that 'reformed scrooge' feeling.. eg there's MORE to life than just making a lot of $...

helping kids' lives, making a difference, that's something I'll remember for years... the look of discovery and 'wow that's neat' from kids learning things for the first time...

since it touches the lives of kids... and like you said, they do need to have a target, to have something worthwhile to focus on ... it's a great feeling to do something with no expectation of anything in return... I should do more of that... :-p thanks for the ideas, insights... and kids pay attention, and they're smart...

it was really neat to see them do their storyboards... I asked how many had seen 'star wars', then told them that most of the big hollywood producers used storyboards, and that's what they did.. and they came up with some really innovative stories, which I had them share with the rest of the class out loud... pretty fun stuff.

I also covered wide angle vs closeups, dutch angles, profiles, low vs boom shots.. all kinds of stuff, to help them learn how to create new visuals (they were an a/v class that did the school's tv shows..)...

ken

Great stuff, Ken - I'm proud of you!

I used to teach a class or two, every year my kids were in school, from about third grade up to high school. Here are some tricks I learned to keep 'em awake and cookin'.

1 - Comedy is really good. Any slapstick (pie in face (use shaving cream and aluminum pie plates), pratfalls, etc. is good for a laugh - ESPECIALLY when you speed up the footage. And laughing kids are the best music in the world.

2 - Original music trax made by a tiny investment in slide whistles, Kazoos, pans and spoons, and other such items really work well, in production and in completion, especially mixed in with funny cartoon music (stock) or horror music.

3 - Finally - for the last ten minutes of the class, a good "fart sound effects track" sprung on the class as an element in THEIR movie (don't tell, just put it in) - will totally scandalize the teacher and leave the kids "rolling in the aisles" - making you the hero of the year. [ not certain in these days of "political correctness" if this is such a good idea anymore, but it sure worked well in the '80s - and what are they going to do? Fire you??

Remember - in a "one-off" lecture, your job is WAY more to INSPIRE than to teach. Leave 'em laughing Ken - leave them wanting more.

Best,
v

Hi Vic, hey thanks for the great tips... your post "made my day" ... I like your ideas very much, appreciate it; I'll do those for future sessions...

Great point you make about inspiring vs just teaching... thanks... agree it's important to connect on a human level vs technicals only, will do...

That's a fun tip too re music effects, and slapstick, and the gas... that'll be great.. I'll do that too ... thanks for all the great ideas, I'll actually use 'em for all my future presentations.... (and it looks like it was popular, as they invited me back to speak every year, to their new video classes... so that's good news.)

Thanks to You for being an inspiration, Vic, to me and so many others.

Ken

vic - you weren't involved in Blazing Saddles by any chance?