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~