Afraid Of Change... Afraid Of Meeting With New People

In just a few days, I'll have another semester of my sound recording and video editing classes. Pro Tools and Avid Media Composer are the two major software that I'm going to learn how to use this semester. Learning something new is certainly a good thing, but I felt very confused for the past few days, I also fear of the classes. I don't know why I have that kind of emotion every time before a new semester begins, then as the semester goes, I usually feel good and doing well. On the other hand, I just fear for only a week or two of the classes.



Why the first two weeks of the classes are making me so afraid? That may be connected to my personality. Indeed I'm a person who is afraid of changes, let's say if I have already had something and I feel good about it, I'll not change it anymore. Another reason that I'm afraid is the fact I have to meet with new people, new classmates and new teachers, every new semester I have to meet a lot of people that I've never seen before, and the first two weeks of classes are just killing me! My heart pounds and my hands sweat on the first class session of every single course. When I look around the classroom and see my new classmates, I feel that my heart almost falls out from my body. And when the teacher wants me to introduce myself in class, my gosh! I am so afraid and I don't even know what to speak in class! Everyone looks at me, and I feel a lot of pressure!



How can I get rid of those fears and do normally in classes from the first session to the final exams? Victor Lei, tell yourself you can get rid of any fear from the new classes and new classmates! Yes, you can do it!

Continue To Talk About My First Video Production Project

Our first BCST 140 project didn't begin until October 9 of last year, and our goal is set to have all people's project completed before Veteran's Day. It seemed like we didn't have a lot of time to prepare, but we did have two special rehearsal from each group one week before the actual production.

On September 30, 2009, Eloy Najera's project (I forgot if Stephen Reeve's was also done on the rehearsal or not) was selected as the rehearsal project. I was one of the camera persons for Eloy's project, and I can tell you that I was really scared, not just scare, but I'm also afraid, at the moment I walked behind the camera, my hands were shaking, my palms were sweated. I felt that I'd be sent to the execution ground, I did really think to evade my responsibility and leave the class, so I paced slowly along the studio and didn't get into my position. I didn't know what to do, a few seconds before the rehearsal began, the teacher called everyone in, all people are ready in their position. Camera 2's operator was not ready yet, where's the operator? Yes, it's me. "You should do your job…" Natalie Sancimino's few words woke me up and began to walk to the back of the big studio camera. All the camera persons have their headphones on, so did the director Eloy, TD, Audio Operator, and CG Operator. "Quiet on set!" Eloy yelled out, all of us were ready to roll…

Remembering My Very First Video Production Project

People always say their first time were unforgettable, so do I. When I looked at those pictures taken in the old CCSF video production studio in Fall 2009, they made me to remember my very first video project that I created, produced and directed, it just like something happened yesterday.
The first video project that we did was actually a project of still pictures, it's not 100% video. I still remember we were just sitting down and listening the lectures at the very beginning of the video production class. After a few weeks of lectures and basic ideas of video production, we started doing actual production by using all the equipment in the studio. Studio cameras, server, switcher, character generator, audio mixer, just name a few. The still graphics project was assigned after we received the basic ideas on how to operate those equipment, we're then divided into two separate group, I was assigned into group one. Since this is a group project, everyone had a chance to be the director, on the other hand, everyone had to work as assistant director, technical director, camera person, etc. The roles were rotated accordingly, for example, if I was a TD for this classmate's project, I'd be the CG Operator for another classmate's project. Therefore, everyone had a chance to work on the equipment.
Honestly speaking, I was so tense when I understood that I have to work on the project. The biggest reason was I had only a few ideas on how to operate the equipment in the studio, by the time before we started working on the project, I'd only used the studio cameras for a few time. Another fact was that I worried that I might mess up other's projects by doing something wrong that I didn't know. Anyway, I still needed to do it because it was part of the grade.
The first production kicked off on October 9 of last year. And the director / producer was the pretty well-known DJ and musician Eloy Najera. (See? We've got so many talents in class!) After Eloy's project, we were also working on Stephen Reeves and Marek Damm. I was the camera person (actually we had three camera persons on each production) for both Eloy and Marek projects, and LD for Steve's project.
The production had started, everyone was ready on their positions. What happened next? It was really funny…

Learning, Learning, Keep Learning

Checking the calendar this morning, I noticed that another new semester of classes is going to kick off in just about a week or two. That means all students should ready for their another year of school life and I wish all of them to have a successful year.

For me, besides my works, I also decided to continue my on-going studies of sound recording and video production / editing this semester. And for the upcoming semester, I'm going to learn ProTools and Avid Media Composer, I have absolutely no idea on how to use them as of right now, another fact is I have never use those software before, so it could be a challenge to learn something new for the first time. Nevertheless it could be very hard to learn something you have never known it before, (just like a baby learning how to walk) I always believe a Chinese proverb "If you work at it hard enough, you can grind an iron bar into a needle". That means if I could study and practice them diligently, I could simplify what is complicated, and eventually master the tricks of ProTools and Avid Media Composer. If you don't get it by doing once, do it twice; if you still don't get it, do it ten times; ten times don't work, do it hundred times; hundred times still don't work, try it make it for a thousand time. Victor Lei, I know you can do it for sure!

Right now, I remember what my classmate said on the FaceBook: "Try your best, nothing is impossible!" Yes, if I want to do it, I want to get it, I will work it hard, and certainly nothing is impossible. I'm ready to meet a challenge, how about you?

Sound For Video Class In CCSF

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Actually I don't have much ideas for what I can write today, but I got an email from our future instructor for the Sound For Video Class in CCSF this morning. Fine, just decided to write something about Sound For Video.


Sound For Video is a familiar and unfamiliar course or topic to me, I say it familiar because I have already had pretty good video production and / or editing background, and I mastered some basic techniques on video editing using Final Cut Pro. On the other hand, I don't have a lot of audio production and sound recording backgrounds, I don't know a lot about audio mixing, and the I did only learn some basic techniques on audio production last semester in CCSF. Besides of basic radio production, analog tape editing, multi-track recording and some basic experience on Sound For Video for the final project, I don't really have much experience on audio production.

I don't know if I can learn and master more techniques from this class, but I believe this class could raise my interest on audio for video, as well as for my future video projects. Gaining more experience on both audio and video is very essential for me, I think.

"K Lab Wood" Is Coming Back!

It has been my most hilarious video project since I studied video editing couple months ago, every time when I think of "K. Lab Wood", I can't stop laughing! That's why I want the "K. Lab Wood" series continue, and soon I'll make another video about "K. Lab Wood"! So don't miss it!

Honesty and Credibility

Everyone, no matter he is studying or working, must always have honesty and credibility. These two attitudes are for your entire lifetime, especially when you are living and / or working with someone. Honesty and credibility are also complementary attitudes, you must have them both. Why are they so important Just think it like this: If you have no credibility and honesty, nobody would trust you, and employer would like to hire you. It's a crystal clear principle.

Few weeks ago, I was looking for a job in the field of video editing, later I found out that there was an organization (I'll call it "A" hereafter) which was looking for an video editor, they want someone to help them to edit and make a 30-second video PSA. Then I contacted "B", the representative for the organization "A", and she said she would like to have a teleconference with "C" and me few days later in order to discuss more about the project they're planning to do. "C" was the project partner of "B". Then I made a teleconference with "B" and "C" in a morning few days later, during the conference, "B" and "C" told me about their organization, what the mission is, and their desired outcome of that video project. I also commented and asked a few questions about their storyboard, after they explained them to me, everything was looking pretty good. We concluded the teleconference about 15 minutes later, before we ended the call, "B" said she would like to meet me and "C" together somewhere in the week after, I agreed and told them that I would like to meet them in the City, they said OK. "B" also said she would give me an update about the project few days after our teleconference. "No problem." I said. For some unknown and unclear reason, I have never heard from "B" or "C" or even the organization "A" again about the video project, and that teleconference was the only discussion and communication on that project. No one contacted me and told me what is going on. I never know.

This is irresponsible behavior, if you don't need my help, you can simply call me and let me know. It is also a courtesy to let someone know that you don't need his assistance. You never tell that person, he will never know what is going on.

I would like to make an reprimand to both "B" and "C", their behavior are irresponsible and rash. I also want to make a serious condemnation on their sloppy working behavior. I hope that they can fully reflect on their mistakes and not to repeat them in the future.

FCP Makes Me Become An Apple Fan

I was very reluctant to use any Apple product in the past, that's why I always thought those people who teamed up outside the Apple store to buy the iPhones were so stupid. But a few weeks ago, I bought a 32GB version of iPod Touch, and before I decided to buy an iPod Touch, I thought the same question again and again, would I really want to use an Apple product? Finally, I made the decision - to join as one of the billions Apple Fans and buy a iPod Touch. As a new Apple Fan, iPod Touch is my first Apple product that I own, and I have never owned any other Apple product before. Even though I'm a new Apple Fan, I'm so familiar with several Apple products and applications, one of them is Final Cut Pro. I can also say that FCP has indirectly changed my thoughts about Apple Products.

Speaking of Final Cut Pro, I took the video editing classes over CCSF last semester, and that class was using Final Cut Pro as the video editing application. We learned from the very basics of FCP to more complex features like filters, keyframing, etc. At the end of the course, we finished three different projects. Sometimes I think video editing is a very time-consuming task, I still remember I spent more than three hours to finish a short video project. FCP is the coolest video editing program that I've ever used. I always want to learn more about Final Cut Pro and wish to own it, unfortunately, my laptop is a PC, FCP is a Mac software, so I have no way to have it unless I buy a MacBook or something like that. FCP, I want to have you or I'll forget you.

I think I'm addicted to Apple product... Is it good or bad? I don't even know.

One year… And counting…

Time flies really fast, there's no doubt about that. It's been almost a year since I studied video production over City College of San Francisco. At that time, I thought that video production was something familiar but strange. More importantly, I met many strangers except for the teacher Arthur Pines, who taught me in Broadcast writing couple years ago. My experience tells myself that I'm afraid of strangers, I don't know why I feel so bad when I see someone I didn't know before. I always think those stranger may do something harmful to myself, I think those are my self-protection after years of bullying and assaulting. Speaking of myself, I don't feel myself as everyone's favorite. As I said, I'm afraid of strangers because they may hurt me, but ironically I never hurt other people. In my mind, I treat everyone if not the best way, the good way.

Anyway, the video production class over CCSF gave me a chance to work with other amazing people, and as a production crew of a final class project "San Francisco Live". I felt so good about that, and had led me to go further on studying of video production.

After the semester of basic video production, I decided to go to advanced video production class, as well as FCP class, something new to myself...

Think what I want to think, write what I want to write

It's been the second day since I re-create my personal blog. I've said that I had two other personal blogs before, right? Why couldn't I keep them up? After years of experience, I found out that my thoughts and creativity is very limited. If I want to be a TV producer / editor, it is essential to have all kind of creativity. Just like the title of this post, I'll "think what I want to think, write what I want write" for most of this personal blog. I'll cover a variety of topics, from myself to my works, my studies, even news and politics. (sorry, I'm not a professional journalist!) Sometimes, I may post some of my video projects right here. When my classes resume next months, there may be more video projects to come, Of course I'll share them with you.

Okay. I think you might ask me why I name my personal blog "Vic-netian"? First, I want to point out that I have no direct or indirect relationship to The Venetian Resort-Hotel. My nickname is same as the nickname of The Venetian, and I think that name is pretty cool, so that's why I chose it. Nothing more than that.

I have several nicknames, most of them were given by my grade school classmates, but now no one knows or calls my nicknames, sigh.