I've just started teaching in a 6-week intensive Summer College ESL program at Cornell. So far I think I'm going to enjoy the program and my students. I have eight young men and women from China in my class, all between the ages of 16-17. They are very bright and I look forward to knowing them better.
Mom got her cast off yesterday and for the time being she is still in her apartment, but with additional home health aide hours every week to assist her with the things that are difficult for her to do. Meantime, I am still exploring other options for the eventuality of a more assistive living environment.
My ankle is healing very slowly after spraining it a month and a half ago (too slowly for my pleasure). I have started T'ai Chi again in the last 2 weeks, which seems to be helping, though.
Although I am swamped with summer college work, the film is never far from my mind, and I am jotting down notes for pieces of script when they come to me. Oh, and my mother found a treasure trove - she'd printed and kept every email I'd sent to her from Korea (thanks for being a pack rat, mom!) so I've started culling through those for any gems to include).
As always, thanks to everyone for their support!
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Sunday, June 8, 2008
Logging and Slogging
I have been working my way through the DVDs with the Quicktime files of the interviews and B-roll.
The good news is the B-roll looks fantastic. The bad news is that the last 3 interviews I did in Pusan may be unusable due to a loud buzz on the audio. This was my fault; I'd forgotten to change out the battery on the lav mic. It might be possible for a miracle in post that can clean that up. One other problem with the first two interviews I did in Seoul turned out to be the aspect ratio, which I thought was set correctly but apparently was not. I was using Chang's camera for those two interviews and was unfamiliar with it (it was a new camera to him and I had only used it once before).
But that still leaves 5 great interviews, technically speaking. They were all great interviews and each teacher did a fantastic job. The trick will be seeing what can be cleaned up and what can't.
This project got pushed to the back burner for quite some time as we had to contend with my Mom's situation. Things have been serious enough since February to warrant a complete shift in priorities. She's fallen 3 times in the last 2 months, the last fall breaking her arm. At this point we are working on finding a good assisted living facility for her that is here in Ithaca, so that she will get the care she needs and I will be able to worry less. I think my next film needs to be about the experience of having an aging parent with little to no resources! This experience is teaching me so much.
But I digress. It will take a good deal of time to log the rest of the footage. But now that I am into it and have it on my calendar for the remainder of the month, I hope to get it done as quickly as possible.
I am teaching a full-time intensive 5-week program at Cornell this summer, so during that time I don't expect to get much else done, but hopefully come August/September I will be able to finish up any logging and start some EDL and roughing. I also need to talk to Chang to get some editing strategies and scheduling laid out.
Oh, and it looks like I won't be on my way to Korea this October for KOTESOL. Perhaps next year will work out better with timing and resources. In the meantime, I will be cutting a trailer to use for obtaining finishing funds, which I DESPERATELY need.
That's the scoop for now. Thanks for your support and patience, everyone~
The good news is the B-roll looks fantastic. The bad news is that the last 3 interviews I did in Pusan may be unusable due to a loud buzz on the audio. This was my fault; I'd forgotten to change out the battery on the lav mic. It might be possible for a miracle in post that can clean that up. One other problem with the first two interviews I did in Seoul turned out to be the aspect ratio, which I thought was set correctly but apparently was not. I was using Chang's camera for those two interviews and was unfamiliar with it (it was a new camera to him and I had only used it once before).
But that still leaves 5 great interviews, technically speaking. They were all great interviews and each teacher did a fantastic job. The trick will be seeing what can be cleaned up and what can't.
This project got pushed to the back burner for quite some time as we had to contend with my Mom's situation. Things have been serious enough since February to warrant a complete shift in priorities. She's fallen 3 times in the last 2 months, the last fall breaking her arm. At this point we are working on finding a good assisted living facility for her that is here in Ithaca, so that she will get the care she needs and I will be able to worry less. I think my next film needs to be about the experience of having an aging parent with little to no resources! This experience is teaching me so much.
But I digress. It will take a good deal of time to log the rest of the footage. But now that I am into it and have it on my calendar for the remainder of the month, I hope to get it done as quickly as possible.
I am teaching a full-time intensive 5-week program at Cornell this summer, so during that time I don't expect to get much else done, but hopefully come August/September I will be able to finish up any logging and start some EDL and roughing. I also need to talk to Chang to get some editing strategies and scheduling laid out.
Oh, and it looks like I won't be on my way to Korea this October for KOTESOL. Perhaps next year will work out better with timing and resources. In the meantime, I will be cutting a trailer to use for obtaining finishing funds, which I DESPERATELY need.
That's the scoop for now. Thanks for your support and patience, everyone~
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
On hold
Every thing is on hold while I spent time with my mom, who fell last week and is needing my help. She's 80 and we are very worried about her.
In the meantime, for those of you in Seoul, check this out:
World Parade
In the meantime, for those of you in Seoul, check this out:
World Parade
Saturday, April 12, 2008
Writing the Script
Something about the spring reminds me of being in Korea. Even though there are very few cherry blossoms to be found here, I can close my eyes and remember the heavy perfume of the cherry blossoms from a trip I took with friends to the mountains in spring of 2003.
The sensory stimulus of my memories has helped me to journal about my experiences there, in hindsight, which I hope will lead to some actual scripting for the film.
The semester is over in about a month, at which time I will be able to start editing.
I am still waiting to hear from KOTESOL on whether my proposal has been accepted. If all goes well, I will be returning to Korea this October to attend the conference with a rough cut under my arm for screening. I would also like to get feedback and some additional footage as needed.
The sensory stimulus of my memories has helped me to journal about my experiences there, in hindsight, which I hope will lead to some actual scripting for the film.
The semester is over in about a month, at which time I will be able to start editing.
I am still waiting to hear from KOTESOL on whether my proposal has been accepted. If all goes well, I will be returning to Korea this October to attend the conference with a rough cut under my arm for screening. I would also like to get feedback and some additional footage as needed.
Friday, March 21, 2008
Update
This semester has proven more difficult to navigate than I thought it would be. I am still culling through footage, and will hopefully be done by the end of May. But so far, so good!
I will have a solid month and a half this summer to get a rough edit together. When I have a few sequences done I'll put them up.
The process of creating this film has been breathtaking. Everything has taken longer than I expected it to, no doubt because this isn't a full-time enterprise that I could devote all my time to. As anxious as I am to get it done, I am determined to enjoy the process!
I will have a solid month and a half this summer to get a rough edit together. When I have a few sequences done I'll put them up.
The process of creating this film has been breathtaking. Everything has taken longer than I expected it to, no doubt because this isn't a full-time enterprise that I could devote all my time to. As anxious as I am to get it done, I am determined to enjoy the process!
Friday, February 29, 2008
The Footage is back (again)
I've had the DVDs for a couple weeks. Last week my husband and I both came down with a hideous respiratory virus that kept us both prone for a solid week. This week has been tough to get back to the normal schedule; still felt weak and woozy for the first few days, but now I'm feeling mostly back to normal.
I will begin the task of logging tapes this weekend, in between birthday celebrations scheduled throughout the weekend. (My birthday is Monday, 3/3.) Hopefully I'll have something positive to report about the footage very soon.
I will begin the task of logging tapes this weekend, in between birthday celebrations scheduled throughout the weekend. (My birthday is Monday, 3/3.) Hopefully I'll have something positive to report about the footage very soon.
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Spring Semester Starts Up
The tapes are now in the capable hands of Changhee Chun, and I expect to have the DVDs back in another week or two. Meantime, the semester has started up and I am busy with teaching Academic Writing I at Ithaca College, and working on scripts for Korea Dreambus! and other projects.
I have recently been in touch with the conference chair at KOTESOL, and he is interested in having me come to their annual conference in October to screen a work in progress. I am going to try to raise some money for plane fare for that venture - perhaps I can get additional B-roll and/or interviews as needed as well as obtaining feedback from EFL teachers currently on the scene in Korea. This would also be a wonderful deadline for me to work towards. I always work better with a deadline!
I have recently been in touch with the conference chair at KOTESOL, and he is interested in having me come to their annual conference in October to screen a work in progress. I am going to try to raise some money for plane fare for that venture - perhaps I can get additional B-roll and/or interviews as needed as well as obtaining feedback from EFL teachers currently on the scene in Korea. This would also be a wonderful deadline for me to work towards. I always work better with a deadline!
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