Category: Creative Projects

Reaching Another Filmmaking Level

After making the worst content I’d ever made in form of an instructional yoga video, my next video project was remarkably better. So much so that friends and family alike praised how good it was, suggesting that it should be entered into film festivals. One writer friend even commented on how professional the documentary was.

That’s because I’d learned from my experiences–the good, the bad and the questionable. Other than the learning curve from regular practice of making digital movies, I actively explored other techniques out of necessity.

Initially, I was intimidated by the challenge to make a total of 15 hours’ worth of instructional yoga videos for my 200-hour yoga teacher training course. I overcame that apprehension by reframing the situation. I embraced the opportunity to further my filmmaking skills through those videos.

Figuring that I’d never use the audio from any of my yoga recordings, I learned how to use the voiceover feature in a video-editing platform. The first video where I used the technique didn’t go well because I’d inappropriately overdramatized my voice. Who knew voice acting was so challenging?

For absolutely no yoga reason at all, I added a short animated clip to the beginning of each yoga video. My thinking was if I continued to practice with that medium, I’d get better at it and eventually make an episode-length animation.

As a matter of fact, I’d been so preoccupied by visuals, that I didn’t appreciate how much sound shaped my story. Of course, I knew about the power of sound and how sound mixing played a powerful part in movies and TV series, but for some inexplicable reason, that aspect of filmmaking didn’t concern me until recently. That was the time I discovered the library of music clips and sound effects available in the video-editing platform.

I saved both time and precious computer storage by adding sound directly from the video-editing platform rather than saving the whole thing, then creating a soundtrack in an audio-editing platform. As basic as my sound-mixing needs have been, I didn’t need to use the audio-editing platform unless working on a podcast episode.

After learning how to adjust the volume for individual sound clips while editing digital film, I didn’t explore any further until recently. Now, I pay far more attention to how sound shapes a narrative not only in my own projects, but also in everything that I watch.

The trick is, sound should be seamlessly integrated such that it emerges prominently when necessary, but recedes into the background to highlight the visual when not featured. Sound should only be a distraction when aural distraction is necessary to the storytelling.

Another time-saving use of the voiceover feature is to record a specific sound effect not found on the platform’s library. After finding a clip on my phone, I hold my phone near my laptop and record it directly into the video-editing platform.

The only drawback is that other sounds in the room or immediately outside the room will be recorded as well. I discovered how noisy my intestines were after eating. Since I recline on my bed to edit, resting the laptop on my body, my digestive track competed with the voiceover, which caused me to redo a few takes.

Another hurdle I flattened was getting the video from my smartphone to my laptop. I’d used airdrop before with other people, but never between my phone and my laptop until now. Although taking longer than I would like, it’s still a more efficient way to get a video clip to my laptop when, after a few days, those two devices don’t sync.

Once the video clip is available in the photo library, I save it to its own album, which I then import into the video-editing platform.

I’ve not yet bridged the gap between transitioning from the animated clip in the beginning of the yoga video to the live action, but with the help of YouTube videos and good ol’ trial and error, I plan to master more techniques over time.

My long-term plan is to continue perfecting my filmmaking storytelling skills, knowing full well that absolute perfection isn’t attainable.

Bathroom Recordings

For the 85th Strange family reunion, we made history by putting on a family play, based on the First Generation of Freeborn Stranges, all sired by my great grandfather, Jesse Strange and his first wife, Annie, and his second wife, Lucy.

All but one of the rehearsals were virtual. Unfortunately for me, the sound tech, the recorded sounds and music that I’d saved in an audio platform couldn’t be heard by most of the virtual participants.

At the one live rehearsal we had the night before the play, I couldn’t hear the sound coming out of the speakers. Yet, I’d figured out that if I placed the microphone on the left side of the laptop, the sound would come through the shelter’s speakers.

After that late-night rehearsal, I got it in my head that I needed to delete several things on my laptop in order to free up storage space. I have no idea why that activity seemed so urgent at the time, but of course, I did the inevitable.

As soon as I discovered that I’d accidentally deleted the play’s soundtrack, along with emptying the trash–since why would I stop at making merely one mistake around midnight–my mind when into a late-night overdrive.

I shared a hotel room with Mom, who although hard of hearing, could still hear well enough if I attempted to recreate the soundtrack. Most of the tracks were sound effect cues that I played from my phone to record directly into the audio platform on the laptop. Also, there was a song that I had to modify by recording myself whispering the names of the First Freeborn Generation of Stranges.

I relocated to the bathroom since acoustics tend to be better there than in a room. Besides, I escaped the sound of the hotel AC unit, which may have been wonderful to sleep to, but registered as noise pollution for my recordings.

The one good thing about having to redo the play soundtrack was drastically scaling back my ambitions. Prior to our live rehearsal, I’d had various sound cues for different parts of the play such as the first time we saw a certain character, the beginning of scenes and to punctuate dialogue. All of that went out the window.

I only kept a song that two dancers performed to, sound cues that the characters reacted to, music that went along with a poem and part of a song to indicate a dream.

The next evening, no one noticed that I’d redone the soundtrack. We all brought our best to the performance.

One of my cousins, who sat in the front, provided me with hand signals to indicate whether the sound was too loud or not loud enough. Unlike during the live rehearsal, I couldn’t merely place a microphone on the left hand side of my computer.

As a matter of fact, there were three microphones during the performance. One cordless mic that I wouldn’t dare use since I figured the battery would die at any moment since it had been used for the evening program. The other two mics were plugged in, but I couldn’t use one of them because every time I turned it on, it produced ear-piercing feedback distortion.

So, the narrator and I share the one good mic while some of the actors shared the cordless mic since many of them didn’t project loud enough for the entire audience to hear.

A week after the performance, my cousin who’d wrote, directed and starred in the play had a post-performance meeting. We shared a lot of useful feedback. I suggested having a stage manager, turning it into an animation and researching how much it costs to use the copyrighted song that was used throughout the play.

When another cousin suggested moving the play from its original location to a local church or some other enclosed place, several of us pointed out the power of doing the play at our family reunion shelter again since houses and our family church that the characters refer to can literally be seen from the shelter. Those were powerful moments that brought a smile to the audience’s faces.

Another cousin suggested that our family history could be a mini series, especially if we were going to do an animation.

Of course, many assumed that I would edit the video since I’d just shared the link with family members of my Ghana vacation documentary. Although that project turned out very well, I wasn’t trying to add more projects to the docket since I have a total of 15 hours of yoga instruction videos that I need to complete.

Once I thought about it, there was not too much I needed to do since only two people recorded the play. The only thing that I’d do, if possible, is intercut between the two views, add the sound cues that weren’t possible to play during the performance and add a title and end credits.

One thing we’re all optimistically waiting for is the writer-director to receive funding. As they say, “Have money, will travel.”

In this case, this creative project will go much further with more funding. The leif motif of the play was: when we all put our hands to the plow, there’s nothing that we cannot accomplish. Hopefully, this endeavor will be another example of that.

Buying Happiness: Animation Time

Whenever I receive a gift card or bonus, the first thing I brainstorm is how to use that money to improve/enhance/enjoy my life. I’m one of those rare people who believes that money CAN buy happiness–as long as you have the right set of priorities.

For years, I referred to myself as a one-woman production company. Many monetary gifts have gone toward podcasting, digital illustration, and filmmaking. Even though writing and performance are my strongest talents, I don’t shy away from all other aspects of embellishing my writing auditorily and visually, beyond costuming.

Two years ago, I attended a local film festival and spoke with one of the filmmakers whose project was an animation. I took notes, thinking “one day” I’d check it out and create something.

Amazing how quickly time passes when actively living. Last year, I visited Ghana, produced the longest podcast episode to date, and created a short film as a Christmas gift to my family. And those were just three creative/adventurous things among my usual juggle of activities.

I started off the new year contemplating whether I’d round up voice actors. Then, I wondered if I could save myself the “trouble” and do all the voices myself. Are there animation platforms that had a feature to alter one’s voice? What’s the least expensive way to do an animated project?

These questions and more all waiting to be discovered once I start researching them, bringing “one day” of doing an animated project even closer. Just as long as I don’t fall into that “analysis paralysis” trap.

That’s where one researches the hell out of something but never takes action beyond that. I’ve not been guilty of that for years. I usually fell into that trap with writing projects. I tend to run with other creative ideas outside of writing, especially if I buy something.

The next video opportunity will be recording 15 hours of me teaching yoga as part of my 200-hour yoga certification. The instructor stated that we could be as simple or complex as our video production skill set allows.

Challenge accepted.

Needed: Women Biomedical Device Inventors

Once again, I subjected my body to a painful examination all in the name of observing proper healthcare in the form of a gynecological exam. Although the appointment takes less time than the other painful exam, the mammogram, I experience far more pain intensity with a PAP smear.

Not only am I in a more vulnerable position, with my ass hanging off the edge of the table, feet in stirrups and, usually completely naked except the two-piece examination attire, consisting of a stiff paper towel vest that opens in the front and a large rectangle paper towel that drapes over the top of my pelvic region.

Normally, patients have to remove all clothing. I rebelled this time, wearing my polar bear knee-high socks that my sister had gifted me from her Alaskan cruise vacation.

Even with the smallest plastic speculum with lots of lube, the pain from those extended hard plastic duck lips was only marginally lowered. At the height of piercing pain, I was told to relax so she could open the speculum. I was beside myself. After all that fucking pain, that damn thing wasn’t even open yet?

I warned her that I needed to curse in order to get through it. The last time I’d had the procedure, I wasn’t in menopause; so, this time around, even with the extra lube, the procedure was worse than I remembered.

She brightly informed me that she could see my cervix.

“Is it giving you the finger?”

“No, but it doesn’t want to look me in the eye,” she responded without hesitation. Apparently, my uterus was slightly tilted to the side.

A few deep breaths and a lot of cursing later, the exam was over. As I dressed, I ruminated, once again, why no woman engineer had designed something better.

At this point, I’m convinced that only the lack of priority has prevented the invention of something less painful to perform a PAP smear. I have neither the money nor the engineering background, but I’m not going to wait until I obtain either to educate myself on the feasibility of developing something better.

Hell, I don’t even care if someone steals the idea as long as in five years, I can have a far less painful PAP. Why five years? Well, I’m happy to report that as miserable of a time that last appointment was, the results were normal. I now have five years to come up with something better.

In order to fast track the implementation of new gynecological tools, I need the advocacy of powerful politicians and influential people like AOC, Oprah and Michelle Obama. After all, they’re women too and subject themselves to that painful procedure as well.

Proving once again that the universe conspires with me, a mere three days later, I attended the 84th Strange Family Reunion where one of my cousins informed me that her daughter was studying biomedical engineering. I immediately shared my vision with my cousin about what I needed to happen.

The only difference, unlike most people with an idea, I’m not satisfied with demanding my younger cousin to do something that I want to see in the world. I’ll help her achieve that. Two of us researching and funding the idea is better than one.

Photo Album Memory Lane

After about a year and a half of typing up my journals at a frenzied pace, then finishing the six-month marathon of studying for my pharmacy tech certification, I finally began the task of scanning all of my photo albums.

The original mission was to marry the pictures with the journal entries. And yet…it proved to be a far more enormous task than I’d originally thought. As usual. I even stumbled across yet another journal while searching for all my photo albums. Fortunately, that journal was smaller than A4 size and written in big handwriting.

Most of the albums had loose pictures that were hastily stuffed in either the front or back cover of photo albums, which I sat aside for that magical time known as “later.”

Instead of merely focusing on the pictures that I’d journaled about, I started scanning all of them. Unlike the journal pages, I didn’t shred any pictures. Something far more precious about an actual picture than the original paper where I wrote down thoughts and experiences.

One of the motivations for typing up the journals was to shred them and not lug all that weight around, but the average album is far heavier than the average journal. Even so, I’ve not yet come up with a comfortable way to downsize those particular possessions.

During one of my scanning sessions, which only occur on the weekends, my nieces and nephew were visiting. I guided them down memory lane, showing them pictures of ancestors whose names they’d heard of, but who they never had the pleasure of meeting. We also had fun seeing pictures of their parents in their glory days.

With all the other projects that I juggle, I’m taking the slow stroll through the photo album memory lane. I have them stacked up and they’re still visible versus “hiding in plain sight.”

The task at hand is firmly embedded in that part of my brain where I put long-term projects. By small increments, I’ll eventually complete the process. Even those albums that couldn’t yet be added to the stack due to gravity making them tumble.

Perhaps by the time I finish the process, a new technology will have been invented to archive the actual pictures in a manner where I’m comfortable to downsize the actual albums. From here on out, one of my life goals is to maximize my experiences without accumulating material things.

Basic Twi Language Lessons

I knew that as soon as I finished my pharmacy tech coursework and national exam, the time vacuum created from no longer having to study would be filled with something else, especially things I’d put on hold to prep for my upcoming trip to Ghana. The way I saw it, if I was going to drop that much money for a two-week experience, I was going to get the most out of it.

Once again, the nerd in me came out to play. I found free online Twi lessons. The first course was a highly technical Linguistics 101 course with antiquated drill and kill teaching methods. I did that for two days before I went in a completely different direction.

I absolutely LOVED the colorful, fun Twi lessons geared toward kids. Half the lessons were set to music with the narrator singing vocabulary words.

Eventually, I’ll get a library card since the digital Austin public library I have access to has very few books on Ghana and absolutely nothing on the language. My hope is that I can find a few books on the history of the country, so I can put the few vocabulary words that I encounter in context. That’s one of the best ways to learn a foreign language.

My expectation isn’t fluency. I’ll probably not be able to speak Twi passably. I’ll just learn as much as I can merely to add another layer to my visit. At this point, I’m learning nouns and perhaps with more lessons, I’ll be able to say simple greetings and ask basic questions.

Even so, I’m resisting rewatching videos. I don’t want to go down that rabbit hole. So far, different video lessons repeat vocabulary. I want to be mindful of the joy of learning rather than the grind. After all, there won’t be any quizzes or exams. Just the quality of my experience, visiting another country.

2025 MLK DAY: Embracing Joy

For the past few decades, I’d signed off on every email with “Cheers.” This year, I set the intention for the year. Embrace Joy.

There are those who believe that EVERYTHING that happens in one’s life is a choice. That position is as unrealistic as NOTHING is a choice. Between being omnipotent and a perpetual victim, I have made “embrace joy” my motto/affirmation/mediation/fight chant, which I also use as a closing line in all my correspondence. Not just to remind myself, but also to make a gentle suggestion to the recipient.

With the “embrace joy” mindset, I participated in a virtual orientation the day before MLK’s observed birthday for an upcoming two-week trip to Ghana in July. About a third of the travel group will be extended family members.

On the MLK holiday, I started off with waffles and bacon for Dad and me, our special holiday breakfast. Then, since I had the day off, I studied my Pharmacy Tech coursework, which I’d begun mid-September last year and am projected to complete mid-March of this year. Next, I ran a few errands, including getting two passport photos for the Ghana trip.

Looking at February, I will cross another bucket-list item off: axe throwing. Two weeks later, I’ll revisit another activity that I enjoyed for the first time three years ago: indoor skydiving. This time around, I’ll soar to the highest heights instead of just six feet above ground.

As the year unfolds, I will continue doing those things that bring me joy. Especially since I think the peaceful transfer of power has been a concession to the most evil-minded oligarchs who have ruled the States during my lifetime. Time will tell how much is paranoia and how much is foreshadowing.

Nonetheless, if there is a positive pathway through the chaos, which may set barriers in the way for those in my demographic, I will be among those who dare to believe and act that I still have viable choices to make.

Contrasting chaotic choices, the president pardoned all of the insurrectionists, among many other ominous executive orders, bringing us further into the land of Gotham.

Reluctant Christmas Event Producer

Continuing my newfound tradition of non materialistic Christmas gifts for my family, I brainstormed what to do before Thanksgiving. The coordination of anything I plan always has several parameters, which greatly narrow down my choice of activities. So, I’m not overwhelmed by many possibilities, but threading the needle proves to be very challenging.

The first challenge: choosing the date. My sister periodically swoops into town with her family. They spend the least amount of time, doing the most during that time. Part of their goal is to cap how much money spent on a hotel. Also, they’re so busy with their own lives that they have to arrange their visit around all that.

This year, I took the week of December 16th through 20th off. So, I initially kicked around the idea of doing something with her family as my gift, and then doing something separately for my parents, other sister and nephew who live in town.

Although I could have found two separate activities within my budget, another goal for my non materialistic gifting is for the family to experience the activity together.

Before I went too far into the weeds about a venue on December 23rd, a crazy idea came to mind. What if the performance took place at home? Given the fact that our living room is a small performance space, I could hire one, no more than two people, to perform. Especially if I removed the coffee table. The biggest opposition to that plan would be Mom. She can be funny about doing things like that for any number of reasons, not all of them logical, but definitely emotional.

So, the morning I brought up the subject, I had rehearsed all the responses to the rejections I could think of. Imagine my surprise when she readily agreed to host the performance. Christmas Miracle Number One.

I happily shared the good news with my out-of-town sister. Since I still hadn’t been granted the day off, I tentatively set the event start time for 5 PM.

The next hurdle: finding a performer who was available that day. Despite the recommendations, either a performer couldn’t work that day due to vacation, wasn’t performing over the holidays, or just flat out didn’t return my email.

I went through several iterations of performances. The two obvious off-the-table performers were magicians and clowns. After all, I wasn’t producing a child’s birthday party even though the very celebration was Jesus’ birth.

By sheer luck, as I entered dance class, two other dancers were leaving. One asked me how I was doing. Instead of giving the patent answer, “fine,” I told them, in one long, frustrated breath, how I was actually doing. In my final gasp, I asked if they performers.

One woman admitted she was; so I asked if she was available on December 23rd. When she said yes, I offered her an amount of money for an hourlong performance. She readily agreed. Christmas Miracle Number Two.

Then, started the mad scramble to find a short Christmas play, short story, or collection of poems that I could adapt and intersperse with some of my favorite R & B Christmas songs. Finding the music was the easy part.

Every Christmas play/story/poem was either too serious for my parents’ temperaments, too juvenile, or had outdated references that wasn’t worth my time to update. After all, if I was going to do that much updating, I might as well write my own show.

Yes, that WAS foreshadowing. Three days later, as I casually sipped eggnog, I wrote out a four-page script, which incorporated all the R & B Christmas songs I’d selected except for Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You.” I like the song, but had used it in last year’s Christmas show that I’d produced. Christmas Miracle Number Three. (I’d tempted fate last year, stating that I’d not produce another Christmas show.)

Christmas Miracle Number Four occurred the day after I’d secured a performer. I’d won the PTO lottery and had received December 23rd off. So, I moved up the event start time to 3 PM, which fit everyone’s schedule much better.

Since both the performer and I were out of town the week leading up to the event, I kept things super simple because, if all else failed, I’d have to do the whole shebang myself. I’d tried to remove myself from the show as much as possible, but I’ve got to play the songs that feature throughout the performance.

My bound and gagged my inner critic on Monday to finalize the script edits. Then on Wednesday, I finished editing the music clips, which I texted her, so she could practice her choreography.

Since she left on a cruise on Friday, we rehearsed over the phone on Wednesday for about an hour. The next rehearsal was tentatively scheduled for Sunday, the day after she’d return and the day of my return. Somehow, I wasn’t the least bit nervous or stressed because I’d already done the challenging part.

As a matter of fact, no matter what, I’m going to have a relaxing vacation. Simply removing myself from the drudgery of the Christmas shopping hamster wheel is another gift to myself.

50% Rule

In a nutshell, the 50% rule says instead of trying to do all the things, do the half that most resonates with you. At first blush, one may think that it’s all about doing a half-ass job, but in reality, I embraced this practice years ago with a different analogy.

During the 2022 Olympics, I sequestered myself at home, due to the pandemic. In addition to watching more TV than ever, I saw more of the Olympics than I ever had. A novel thought overtook me: countries don’t send one olympiad to do everything; they send a team. And every Olympiad participates in events where their talents and skills lie.

After my Olympic revelation, I approached my projects with a more realistic expectation of how much I could achieve in a given amount of time, while also acknowledging that other things must also be accomplished. Although I rarely ask for help, I quieted my inner perfectionist, reminding myself that “done” is better than “perfect.”

What works best for me is to schedule doing things in a small increments of time. For example, during the workday, I get two 15-minute breaks. For the first break, I read a little from four books. The afternoon break finds me working on some creative project or studying. And whatever time I have left over from my hourlong lunch and 15-minute vibration plate workout, I blog.

The weekends are when I have the most time to leisurely work on projects the way I would if I didn’t have a day job. Nonetheless, the biggest priority on the weekends is to rest. May not seem that way since I never just sit and veg. Having an open schedule IS relaxing.

I’ve never thought of how I scheduled my time was doing 50%, though. It’s optimistic to think that things which bring me joy occupy at least 50% of my time. Some days, that allotment feels closer to 10%. Yet, when I look back over all the projects that I’ve completed over my lifetime, I feel blessed to have had the time to get them done and have something to show for my life.