Volkers’ Digital Media Blog

Last week, Jess Brauning * and I co-taught Dordt Discovery Days.

DDD is a one-week camp for Jr. High kids (6-8^th grades). Each student can choose a morning class and an afternoon class. Choices range from “Ooey-Gooey Science” to military history and training, to Geo-caching, to discussions of C.S. Lewis, the making of Stained-Glass windows, woodworking and more. It’s a fantastic way for kids to spend a week in the dorms, eat in the commons, learn some really fun things and make new friends.

Jess and I taught “Lights, Camera, Action!” a film-making class.

On Monday, we introduced the kids to the basics of pre-production and by Tuesday, each team of two- or three people had to come to class with a script. On Tuesday, shooting began and on Wednesday they dove into Avid.

Many of the kids had used Windows Movie Maker or iMovie, but none of them had experienced anything as complex as Avid. Being the generation that they are, they picked up the basics pretty quickly and that’s what I want to talk about.

I recognize this was just a one-week camp and we only had 2.5 hours a day with the kids, but the experience reiterated something I’ve known for a long time.

In this business, technology is super important. In fact, it’s crucial. You can’t make movies or entertainment or documentaries without the right tools and those tools involve technology.

And yet, one of the most crucial stages of the entire process of creating good media begins before one ever touches a camera or a non-linear editing system.

The pre-production phase is absolutely crucial to developing a good product. What’s the story about? What’s the product that needs to be sold? What emotional connection are we trying to make with the audience? Why should they care?

These questions are not answered by technology. They are answered by good, clear thinking. They are answered by understanding the human psyche, but understanding what the capabilities—and limitations—of the technology are. In short, the more preparation one has for life, the better one is prepared for work in storytelling with media.

I noticed a big difference last week in our Jr. High kids, and in the college students I normally work with. I attribute a big part of that simply to “more life.” Our college students have experienced more life and therefore are often more capable of creating a story that communicates. They are also able to make the technology do what they want it to do, which is to communicate effectively.

Our Jr. High kids did a great job and I’m proud of ‘em. I suspect that in five or six years, after some more living and experience, they’ll do an even better job.

*Jess Brauning is entering his senior year at Dordt as a digital media major. He grew up as a missionary kid in the Dominican Republic and has been a tremendous asset to this department over his years here.