Have you ever looked at something and thought, you could do that? Of course, we all have. Our TV screens are filled with DIY projects made to look so easy. Whether is a cake to bake, bookshelf to make or a major house renovation, it all looks so easy when an expert shows you how.
Having watched plenty of simple ‘how to’ videos on social media, I thought I’d try making one, after all, how hard could it be? I started life as a craft teacher, so making things and showing other people how to make them is something I have had a lot of practice with, although I haven’t taught craft for more than twenty years!
Given it is getting close to Christmas, I thought it would be nice to show people how to make a few simple angels which children could make. It could be a fun activity to help keep them busy before Christmas.
On Saturday a friend and I decided to make this small instructional video. Only then did we discover how many things we didn’t know! For example:
- What is the best camera angle to film a small craft activity?
- How close should your close-up shot be?
- How do you control the light and shadow?
- What kind of surface works best for filming?
- How well ironed does the cloth need to be? (The answer I discovered is very, very well ironed. Sadly, every tiny wrinkle shows!)
- What is the best software for editing and producing the video?
- How do you strip out the background noise (all our bumps and giggles) and lay down a good sound track?
The list went on and on! Our simple video, which plays for less than three minutes took us six hours to make, and quite frankly, the quality is a long way from great. While our video is not very pretty and professional, you probably can make the angel using the video as instruction
The learning from the process was invaluable. Here are a few of the things I learnt.
- Even an experienced facilitator can significantly improve their instruction.
- Having the right equipment, and knowing how to use it properly, is critical for success.
- Trying new things take lots and lots of time and practice and you need to be kind to yourself while learning.
- Working with a friend turns a challenging task into an easier task because when things go wrong you have someone to laugh with!
- Videoing a task is not at all the same as showing someone how to make or do something in real life, it requires very different skills.
- Finally, I need to get lots of practice, and probably some good instruction to improve my video making skills!
Well, it seems simple Christmas angels have a lot to teach us, especially when we take a few moments to reflect.
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