OT: Time well spent... or is it?

farss wrote on 6/10/2006, 9:28 PM

Well I can't speak for everybody else but I do get a buzz out of helping people, just a frustrated teacher at heart. On a practical note I find it helps me remember things and I've learned a lot by having to work things out for others.

Bob.

Serena wrote on 6/10/2006, 9:34 PM

Can get time consuming, but the technical issues can be dealt with fairly briefly and I learn a lot from the questions and responses posted. Trying to state an opinion clearly and fairly is what takes time and it's just too easy to get drawn into a comic character's ranting; that's when you know work is calling.

FrigidNDEditing wrote on 6/10/2006, 10:08 PM

I've tried to limit my time on the forum lately so that I can get my work done (and I've had more work to do also, plus my wife let me know that I'm spending a little tooo much time on the PC, so now I am getting on my bike at least 5 times a week if I can, as well as sitting with her on the couch instead of infront of my 2 screens and a tv in the background (man, working at home is just so sweet :D ).

I kind of miss it though, but duty calls, so I just try and get my fix whenever I can (usually pretty late/early).

Dave

johnmeyer wrote on 6/10/2006, 10:15 PM

I usually post while waiting for a render. If I ever get a faster computer, I'll probably quite posting.

Grazie wrote on 6/10/2006, 10:23 PM

2 words - Render Times.

.. . well, a but more than 2 words . . .

I treat our Forum as my "Global College" - an A/V college I hadn't an option to attend. Of course I learn about technical stuff, but that is not wholly the point here. And like a college the Forum has lent me its discipline to "demand" I communicate clearly and succinctly. Sometimes I achieve this.

Also it is a place I can spend time reading and formulating ideas for my work. I dont know about you lot, but often I really DON'T know how to get from point "A" to point "B" - and I don't mean technically either. I mean how am I going to dig out an effective passage within an edit. This place gives me pause. PLUS, editing IS a solitary business. I don't do "solitary" too well. So that's an added bonus too. Look, there is a precious pool of expertise here that has FORGOTTEN and EXPERIENCED more - in this biz - than I'll ever, EVER know!

I am new to this craft. I know just how difficult it is to get one's head around the edit and want to turn an idea into reality. If I can just "illuminate" a very small pathway for a friend here, I'll attempt to do so.

"Time well spent... or is it?" - well . . . apart from hitting that all important deadline - what price learning? What price expanding one's mind? Not to get too morbid, we are here but for a handful of years, why not spend some of that time and communicate with those like minded people and sometimes add to the general library of knowledge whilst chilling? It's my coffee machine or water cooler .. plus I've stopped smoking over 2 years ago!!

"Time well spent... or is it?" - I also need to share aggravation and annoyance I get myself into. This maybe Vegas-centric or have a locus within Idea-creation. But this Forum is that place. PLUS, if I have had a "win" I want to tell those people who I spend time with.

Plus what Serena said and oh yes, Bob, memory!

But I guess you wont be reading this .. as you don't want to give-in to your addiction! LOL !

PLUS I am downright nosey too .. I want to know what is going on. What/how people are making out within this corner of the business.

Nice thread . .

Regards,

Grazie

Serena wrote on 6/10/2006, 11:14 PM

Grazie, nicely said. Now I can stop feeling guilty about the time it occupies. You didn't say whether coming here helps you get from A to B, or just gets you away from thinking about it.

Grazie wrote on 6/10/2006, 11:27 PM

LOL!!! - Yes, Serena, sometimes it does - especially when you assist me!

By dipping my toes in the "water", making mistakes in the way I form questions - often to some people's frustration with me, I know - and gaining confidence, has meant me often needing to lay open my "questions" here for people to pick-up on my non-DV cred. "Am I bothered?" . . .well, not really .. far too old and ugly to by concerned by this. For me the "job's" the thing, to catch the KING!

I had to change 6 seconds of the opening of this latest proj. I ended up with nice long beat music and white .. . Hmmm... I fished about in Media Manager and came up with 3 secs of unused clip with a guy hammering a wall with a 5lb hammer. Slowed this down. Allowed the hammer strike to maintain its correct pitch and this in turn produced some gorgeous deep-echo. And now the hammer strikes "fall" on the long beat of the music, with the final "blow" striking just as the MAIN title hits screen! Don;t get any better than that? Yeah?

. .and this is another reason to come here . .

Best regards,

Grazie

teaktart wrote on 6/10/2006, 11:53 PM

Hi all,
I'm just cruising along here riding with the thought train, appreciating the communal energy, knowledge, talent,and wit.... thank you!

Other CPU is humming away rendering 2 short music videos (about 25min. each) of a couple of local Santa Cruz , CA bands,,,"Broken Enlish" and "Extra Large".
Printing to tape so I can see it on the "big screen" in my house.... a 32" HD LCD. Just sticking my big toes into the world of HDV and trying not to sink in the information pool. There's so much to learn and I feel like I'm just treading water here,barely keeping my head above the surface enough to get a look at this whole new world of technology. Video is not my "day job", its my creative toy box full of techno crayons and more doors open the more I learn the potential of each aspect: camera, computers, live recording, editing, music creation, authoring, etc. Its intermittent head banging mixed with pure delight when I get what I want for a finished video...

Meanwhile, I don't know anyone else in my area that has this same interest and specifically uses Sony softwares. So we are all each others "neighbors" in a special way, for which I am grateful.

And also, meanwhile:
My garden looks neglected....no, make that "abandoned"
the cars don't wash themselves
the mudslide hasn't been fixed
the house painted
Haven't been out kayaking as much as I used to
Dog would love more "beach time" with mom,
etc, etc, etc. !!!
Fill in your own blanks here....

Render is showing 94%.....

Keep it coming... and going...

'Thanks

Teaktart

P.S. Just made a major mistake...groannnnn
See posting ;

"http://www.sonymediasoftware.com/forums/ShowMessage.asp?MessageID=464767&Replies=0

Chienworks wrote on 6/11/2006, 3:03 AM

Blame my dad. Early on he instilled in me the feeling that if you're not helping someone, you're wasting your time.

TShaw wrote on 6/11/2006, 1:58 PM

Time very well spent!!

This forum and all our frends here are one of the best assets in the Vegas tool kit.
I come here to learn.
I think Grazie hit the nail on the head.

Terry

GlennChan wrote on 6/11/2006, 4:31 PM

I probably spend more time here than I should... :P

But on the up side, it's educational to post here. i.e. There are people running into problems you've never seen before, and they post a still image up. I learn something from taking a whack at those pictures trying to fix the problem.

dibbkd wrote on 6/11/2006, 4:35 PM

I've got several video editing forums I visit constantly throughout most days. As well as a few non-video forums.

My wife says I spend WAY too much time online, but I just love it.

I do try to get off now and then to play with the kids... :)

vicmilt wrote on 6/11/2006, 6:51 PM

Way cheaper than therapy !

Actually learn many things.

Often thought provoking.

Often the best thing I actually accomplish all day.

Happy to pass on anything that can help save some of you guys some time, money, heartache - whatever.

Yeah - definitley time well spent (reading AND writing)
and "come the revolution" this is the international family that I personally will turn to for support.

best,
v

Edward wrote on 6/12/2006, 1:43 AM

I gotta admit, helping someone out feels great. Especially if you totally believe in the product.

Right on the money Grazie. And I think Serena hit it dead on too. Sometimes it's not as much as voicing your opinions, but seeing if you can convert some goofball from their flawed political views... but in a way, you still respect them, well, at least I do, because they're still using Vegas. I can't explain it.

Yeah, it's time well spent... to a point. When your kids are tuggin on your arm to go play outside.... something's gotta get sacraficed... sorry kids... (nah, kiddin') I know the feelin' dibbkd.

craftech wrote on 6/12/2006, 7:17 AM

There is no greater joy than spending a lot of time trying to help someone. It is very rewarding and others really appreciate it. That is what I love about these forums. So many of us do that and it obviously comes from the heart. That is why I don't worry about the political threads or any opposing opinions. It is a rarity when someone is really nasty about their opinions.

I also don't think it has anything to do with Vegas. I am convinced that regardless of political viewpoint on these forums the reason many of us spend so much time researching information to help the others is because we simple enjoy helping others.

John

Jay-Hancock wrote on 6/12/2006, 8:08 AM

I think part of it is that sometimes when we beat our heads against the wall for a long time and eventually solve a problem, there is a feeling of futility. When we find a way to prevent someone else from beating their heads over the same problem, it no longer seems so much like it was time wasted..

For my part, it's more learning than anything else, because I'm no pro at video editing. This forum has helped me come up to speed a lot in the last four or five months, both technically and creatively. I learn about things I never even knew to think about.

It's also great for people who have training and software to sell (like VASST and Cineform). Not because they are putting marketing hype on the forum (I don't see much of that). More because we have learned to rely on them and are seeking more...

Sony should be bragging about the amount of activity on this forum. And they surely are learning from it too (assuming they monitor it closely enough). The usefulness of Vegas has increased tenfold from the things I learned out of this forum.