Okay

Wow, it was a lot easier to fall into "vacation mode" than I thought it would be after the Vegas Video camp finished up. Where have the last 2 weeks gone?

Anyhow, now for my last posting of the summer. As far as the positions of Unit Support/Unit Coordinator go, I feel that to get up to that all-powerful 100% rating (which I'm too much of a realist to ever believe is truly possible) requires a very solid grounding in just about every aspect of the program, from knowing every student's name and inherent strengths/weaknesses to complete understanding of all of the ins and outs of the computer-based paraphernalia (websites, software, hardware, etc.) On a more grounded level, I think the pursuit of these lofty goals is the most solid way to feel confident in the program. This can only come with experience, I think working firsthand with the students is the best way, because I can sit and play with Vegas Video or Illustrator or Photoshop all day but until I actually observe the students working with it, and listen to their questions and see what they get hung up on I can't learn what to expect. Their problems can be very unique, to say the least.

As far as being a Unit Coordinator, I think that's a question of just understanding the technical side (using the ITA website and generating lesson plans). Essentially it just requires a lot of thinking ahead, like any teaching. But since that's really part of the fun there shouldn't be any problems with that.

I think the 3 period system works well, for the most part. Nothing's every perfect, obviously, but the students are given enough time for each individual period so that they don't have to feel like they're being pulled away just as they're getting somewhere. The impetus is on the instructors to make sure they use the time wisely, which is a challenge in and of itself, but it's good to see that a lot of the students are mature enough to take it upon themselves to do it.

As a parting snapshot, the ITA program has a lot of heart, and I think that's a great thing to be a part of. The students are here to learn and the teachers are making sure they do. I'm looking forward to seeing how things work during the school year, as opposed to the frenetic pace of the summer camps.

Video Blitz!!!

Today was the video blitz, my first time with the camp, software, and the whole thing. It was an entertaining and informative experience, really slamming the instructors and the students with Vegas Video software and the whole experience of planning, filming, and editing a short film. It's very much a "toss 'em in the water and watch 'em swim" sort of thing, which I think they need (so do the teachers.) I was very pleased with the variety of ideas and the work ethic that the students displayed. They really pulled themselves together and did some nice work.

On the whole, I think the experience taught the students a lot about the entire process of making a film. They learned some valuable lessons that will make their final projects that much better. They learned that there is a degree of complication to the whole thing, as well as the fact that the instructors are willing to go the extra mile to help them put their videos together. Now they've been through the crucible, and they're going to be better for it.