To say that my Indio Outio Project is a work in progress just doesn't quite sum things up at this point. It's now been half a year since that memorable road trip took place, and with exception to creating an elaborate coffee table book with my pictures, I haven't really done much with the hours of footage I shot up until now - that doesn't mean I wasn't trying though.
The biggest challenge was deciding on how I wanted to present the finished project, which ultimately influenced the kind of video(s) I was going to make. Originally, I thought I'd be leaning towards more of a personal-doc, similar to the lengthy Rushmore project I made in 2007. However, and if you click over to check out Rushmore, you'll see I ended up cutting that project down into select clips so that it was easier to share online. This reminded me of a legitimate issue with online screenings and had me thinking that even if I did make an elaborate 20 to 30 minute video, who, besides close friends, would actually stick around to watch it?
It was this problem particularly that had me hung up and re-editing portions of my footage several times from September through December. Should the video be just for me or do I want to share it? Well, I want to share it.
As several months had passed from the time of the trip it only became harder to address the footage and come up with a unifying theme - another big issue because of the variety of locales my friend Dave and I visited over a single week.
So here's where I'm at now, and I'm happy to report that the Indio Outio project is finally nearing completion after a renewed view that simplicity was definitely the way to go. I've cut together montage-style edits of each of the major locales or portions of the road trip that I shot from Alberta to California in August 2009. What I intend to do is release each of these edits as individual posts before finally summing up the entire project with a featured entry about the complete experience.
This scrapbook style is not only ideal for online viewing - say someone just wants to see a video of Salvation Mountain or Newport Beach - but it also gives me the chance to frame each section of the trip and put the various experiences into context.
A lenghtier project would've required a lot more energy on the viewers part, and let's be honest, most people just want a quick clip on YouTube. It's also the reason that I chose music that was relevant to what we listened to on the trip to cut my clips to as opposed to narrating everything (again, for the sake of keeping the edits versatile for the average viewer). Plus, a project like this is more about showcasing my editing style anyway.
My individual blog posts will help develop more of a back story, which will provide further insight for those who are interested. It's also a way to add that journal/personal-doc element that I originally wanted to incorporate.
I've also created a new 'Indio Outio Project' tab on this blog so you can check out all the updates (along with the complete edits as they appear) to unify both the trip itself and the experience and reasoning behind the process of making it happen (or not happen as six months have flown by).
To kick things off I thought I'd share a part of the original intro that I made for the Indio Outio Project back in September 2009. This clip is also where the first preview for the project came from. I'm sharing this now because my intent is to have a brand new narrated introduction that I can use to preface all the varied edits I'll be uploading and use it as a header for a video playlist.
Check back soon as the edits start to appear, and for now, enjoy this glimpse of how the project originally started out.
At the end of last year I was working with Stream Media on several projects, but perhaps one of the most enjoyable was the promo/contest video I was hired to make (along with the Stream team) for the Medicine Hat College.
What was particularly memorable about this project (which was completed in mid-January) was that I was actively involved from start to finish. Often I work strictly in post-production these days, but this time around I was asked to be part of the pre-production creative process and was able to see a lot of my ideas carried out.
In looking back at this assignment it's clear to see what a great group experience I had with Stream and how by borrowing on each of our strengths we managed to come up with something that we were all quite proud of.
I've been no stranger to working with the College over the last several years that I've been at Stream, and have had my hand in everything from MHC's athletics promotion to their recruitment videos - both as an editor and videographer. Of the edits that I've helped produce, the College pieces are by far some of the most varied and fun assignments that I've done for any single client.
As part of the Medicine Hat College's 'Face of MHC' campaign, in which students have a chance at winning free tuition among other rewards, the focus has been to find a student to document their experiences while showcasing all the different things going on at the College. It's exactly the kind of contest/opportunity that I would've been all over - had I been going to school there that is.
To be a part of the brainstorming process to come up with a promo idea is always fun because you get to see the evolution of rough ideas and concepts. Even when it's difficult, it's amazing to see how a video takes shape just by throwing ideas around. You throw something in the pot, take something out, add a dash there, and purge a lot of leftovers - it's a good way to bond. Of the few times that I've done this, especially now that it's with people I know quite well, it can be energizing to see how others can take your ideas and turn them into something you may not have thought of (and vice versa).
Originally, the idea for this project was to create a single edit. During our initial creative meeting I actually pushed the idea to create a short series of spots to establish more of a vignette of the college and the students who go there - both Stream and the College were keen on the idea and as added motivation for myself, I got to see my vision of the project being fulfilled with the creative contributions of everyone else involved.
I was not part of the shooting, but with Stream working closely with the College, some great candid footage of actual MHC students was captured. The real challenge was that each of these spots had to be exactly 30 seconds, which is a tight timeline to really establish anyone. Ultimately, it provided me another great opportunity to further test my editing style.
The work that the Stream team put into shooting these spots translated into the job I was able to do editing. It can be incredibly challenging trying to get real people to show some personality on camera, but in all 3 videos I think things went better than expected. In short, the project came together fairly seamlessly and in the end both MHC and us were really pleased.
These promos are simple and to the point, and for their intended purpose I think they feel both genuine and playful. I'm really pleased with what we were all able to come up with. The actual contest page for the Face of MHC can be seen on the Medicine Hat College's website here.
In the meantime, check out the 3 promos I cut last month.
I'm sure you've wondered how you'll be remembered thousands of years from now or maybe you've even gone out of your way to try and leave your mark - but in all seriousness we'll probably be remembered exactly like the Beatles in this hilarious clip from scottgairdner.com.
To say that my Indio Outio Project is a work in progress just doesn't quite sum things up at this point. It's now been half a year since that memorable road trip took place, and with exception to creating an elaborate coffee table book with my pictures, I haven't really done much with the hours of footage I shot up until now - that doesn't mean I wasn't trying though.
