NAMI Mercer

2016 Video Project

Notes from PCTV meeting

May 18, 2016

Present:

PCTV Team: George McCullough, Andrea Odezynska, Sam Russell

NAMI Mercer Team: Julie Maddocks, Robert Hedden, Brian Boni, Will Leavey, Tom Pyle, Maddie Monheit, Janet Haag. Regrets: Carol Rickard, Beth Koenig

Mercer ARC Team:A team of 3, lead by Kirk, ARC’s drama coach.

  1. Project Overview (George McCullough)

1.1.What we will learn:The project will acquaint teams with camera, lighting, audio, editing.

1.2.Equipment access permissions: Three people from each team will be signed into the PCTV system for access to equipment, etc. Tom and Robert are already signed in. Julie and Brian were signed in.

1.3.Example from last year’s project:We viewed a film from last year’s project, by the Princeton Ballet. See it at:

1.4.Project schedule: This project should conclude by October, in time for a PCTV screening of it.

  1. Andrea Odezynska: Thoughts

2.1.General info about Princeton Ballet piece:The Director was a doctor. The artistic director was featured. None had made a video before. All the filmwork was done by the Princeton Ballet people. Something even better is possible this year.

2.2.Things to consider:

Who is your audience? How technically perfect do we want the film?

2.3.Editing: Should be done at PCTV’s facility. Face to face meetings are needed. “Remote” or “distributed” editing is difficult to manage.

  1. Sam Russell: Thoughts

3.1.Importance of Preproduction:Want to emphasize preproduction as well this time. Wants all to understand all the elements of filming before actually shooting. Talked about Princeton Community Housing’s experience, which conducted “lots of interviews”. Then did editing in September. Then things stopped. The team wanted to work on the editing of their own. They struggled on their own without sufficient understanding. We should plan to “front load” our project to preserve momemtum and enthusiasm.

3.2.Deadlines: We must have them...

  1. Subsequent NAMI Mercer Team Meeting with Andrea:

4.1.Plan and “Treatment”...

  • Pick 3 or 4 families: who are the “characters”? What stories? What dramatic arc? Interweave a braid of stories.
  • Dramatic recreations are possible.
  • Discussion about other interesting videos, e.g., HBO’s PTSD film for vets., Ride the Tiger, Wayne Interrupted, The Bridge (suicide off Golden Gate Bridge)

4.2.Outlines...

What are we shooting

Shoot the interviews

Where?

Stylized

Just in case we need them

Then, transcribe all the interviews, for a “paper cut” (a script in a binder, a “screenplay” on paper of what was said). Then, go for the dramatic things...

  • Who will be our families (4)?
  • What 10 questions will we ask them?
  • What schedule

4.3.Equipment: Andrea advises that we only use PCTV’s SONY NXU camera. Consider: a weighted bar for the camera

Next steps:

  1. Video product use discussion:Janet, Maddie, and Tom to meet on Wednesday, May 26, 10 am to hash out NAMI Mercer’s ultimate use of video.
  1. Team meeting: The team to meet shortly thereafter to congeal and discuss ideas, roles, and schedules. Stand by for meeting notice from either Julie Maddocks or Tom Pyle.