People always ask why I don't just record my workshops and use those instead. Surely that would be easier than creating a whole new presentation? Well, that answer is simple... I can't stand to watch myself on video. My "in person" presentation style is very energetic. I move around and gesture... a lot. I don't think this is a problem when you are actually in the room, but watching it on a video is painful... for me at least. I critique my hair, clothing and the occasional (but impossible to eliminate) miscues. I also have to rely on my flip cameras, which don't have the best lighting and technical capabilities.
I decided, however, I needed to include an actual video introduction for this class. Most of these students have never met me. I thought it would be weird for them to work so closely with me for 8-10 weeks and never "see" me.
I picked a "decent hair day" and set up my camera beside my home office. I hit the "record" button and taped a quick test run. And I noticed my other really bad habit that drives me crazy in my videos... I am really "twitchy". Part of this is just a reflection of my "hyper" personality. I am never still. Even when I am sitting reading or working on the computer, I am in constant motion. I also have a bad habit of moving my head around a lot and shifting my eyes. If I were being interrogated for a crime, I am sure they would automatically believe I was guilty!
So I set up the camera again and worked on holding my head still while looking directly into the camera. It felt like my head was in a vise, but the end result was much better. I spoke "off the cuff" for a few minutes to introduce myself, welcome students to the course and briefly talk about the purpose and goals. When I went back to review this first effort, I decided that it was acceptable. While I would have liked it to be stellar, I knew that wasn't going to happen. I also knew I didn't want to go through that again!
Cut! It's a wrap!
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