Don't be afraid...technology loves you

It’s like looking into an eye of a chicken…. That was an expression that my Ukrainian grandmother used to say. As you can imagine, it’s not the most flattering of comments - implications of pea-sized brains, futzing around with chicken scratch, and instinctual urges to flee were the associations that always popped into my head whenever she would use it.

Something along those lines is what I suspect my Workshop Instructor, Calgary-based filmmaker Michael Welchman, was probably thinking about me last weekend at EMMEDIA’s Final Cut Pro Class for Beginners. I was there to upgrade my almost non-existent editing skills and he was there to teach me about batch capturing, scratch disks, and Digital Betacams.

It was then that my grandmother’s saying popped into my mind as I was most definitely sporting my best chicken eye. New technology can be a scary and a humbling thing.

I had bravely ventured into EMMEDIA that weekend because, as mentioned above, I was looking for some skills. And it so happens that EMMEDIA is a place where many people with film-related endeavours go to find them.

Established in Calgary in1979, EMMEDIA is a non-profit organization managed and directed by practicing artists. It offers the general pubic and artists alike affordable access to media art production tools, to technical and educational support, and to an array of public exhibition programs. The centre provides a focus for media arts activity and a gathering place for people to interact and exchange ideas.

Other innovative EMMEDIA initiatives include, Digital Direct, launched in 1998, which takes portable digital production and editing equipment to remote or isolated communities in southern Alberta and within the City of Calgary. For many in the art world, EMMEDIA is a hidden gem. For the rest of us, it is a one-stop stomping ground for those adventurous enough to take on the world of new media.

My interest in learning editing skills was specifically job related. Looming over my head is a whole library of ACE-on-the-road footage crying to be made into jazzy little promotional snippets. My fellow classmates varied in their interests. One was a freelance actress who did voice work and was now interested in creating her own documentaries. Another was a retired arts administrator who wanted to return to filmmaking, as it was his first love. We were a sassy little bunch, comrade-in-arms in the new media trenches.

The most important realization that I think we all took away with us from our time at EMMEDIA was that the technology and the resources are there for those willing to dive in and use them. Sure, you might look silly and suddenly lose your ability to work the right-click on a mouse. But who cares! New technology doesn’t judge you… it just doesn’t do ANYTHING until you figure it out.

When you are first starting out, it’s not about brains or brawn – it’s about the willingness to learn. It’s about fearlessness, an open mind, and fighting the urge to flee. It’s about quashing that inner chicken eye…

For more info on workshops available at EMMEDIA see: http://www.emmedia.ca/

In a galaxy not so far away...

I love Star Trek. There… I said it. And when I say love, I mean LOVE!! More than I probably love my husband. Love, love, love, love… So when I had a chance to visit Vulcan during the last ACE Communities Ignite tour… well. You can only imagine.

My trip to Vulcan was to present them with their ACE Communities Award and to get a real feel for the community. It was a chance for a true ‘in-the-trenches’ view of what makes Vulcan tick.

What I discovered during my visit was very interesting. Vulcan, it seems, is a place in flux. It’s a community taking a serious look at both its cultural and pop cultural identities. And in Vulcan, that is a tricky exploration. Because, despite the rather impressive statue of the Starship Enterprise on the proverbial doorstep, not everyone in Vulcan necessarily loves Star Trek as much as I do.

Shocking, I know.

As part of their journey to becoming an ACE Community, Vulcan expressed an early interest in expanding arts and culture in their town. To answer this need they have already set up initiatives like a new concert series (starting with Blues Legend Tim Williams on Feb. 12^th) and are working towards other related events. And yet, much of their identity as well as their economy are driven by events like their Spock Days/Galaxyfest. Without a doubt, the number of tourists that visit Vulcan per capita is enough to put the big cities to shame.

Still, Vulcan’s foray into the sticky realm of identity has really made me wonder: is pop culture the same as culture?

My first instinct is to say yes! Of course it is… as a huge addict of pop culture, I would argue that much of our music, film, literature, and art is rooted in the drama of real life. Or, in Star Trek’s case, the drama of fantasy life. The pull between our real lives and escapes from the same are what makes us human. It defines us and thus, defines our community.

In Vulcan’s case, however, the question is do they really want their identity to be driven by a galaxy far, far, away (no wait… that’s Star Wars), on what the town has to intrinsically offer despite its trademark name, or a little bit of both?

This is a question that I’ll ponder as I happily wear my plastic Vulcan ears and sip from the Gothic Spock mug I purchased from the Vulcan Tourist center. In my mind, it makes sense to celebrate one’s community for both what is has and for what it can be – even if what you’ve got is a little …. out of this world.