There was no choice really. I had the video recorded onto magnetic tape-- roll upon roll of gold that had been collected in a few short days in new York City. There was nothing left to do, when I saw what I'd filmed, but to get busy with my production.
NYC Vacation, 2008
It was 2008, and I'd recently purchased a little Panasonic video camera. It was my first movie camera, so it was a big deal to me.
the camera that was used
New York City
Since I'd lived in the City in 2005, I knew it was worth going back, so in 2008 I grabbed my daughter and my new camera and we took off for the big adventure-- to drive to New York City. I filmed as much as I could the whole time, and we had great times on our big trip.
When we got back, it was obvious that I had a lot to do.
What can be done with vacation video?
Having never filmed vacation movies before-- or any other movie-- I didn't know the procedure for family vacation film. Edit it down to the best bits, and then what? It would need music. What song would go with this original video? It would need an original song!
The iBook G4
My little Mac was the next player in the production. I opened up Garage Band, and realized that making a song would include playing multiple tracks using different instruments, and I'd have to write the song first. Delays!
I closed the Mac and went to the piano. For a day or two, I composed and practiced my parts, and while I juggled chords and melodies, some lyrical ideas began to form.
Lyrics
Do vacation video music soundtracks have lyrics? I had no idea, but I wrote some, and then had to go back and rearrange the music around the verses. Then, I memorized my new lyrics, and sang the song. About three days had passed, and still no vacation movie, just music.
Things got simple once I'd piped the finished soundtrack into iMovie, the music told me which video clips to use, and then it was just a matter of editing the visual parts to fit the song.
It was fun-- I was wishing, when I was done, that it was longer.
I'd discovered a secret: if you turn on a camera in NYC, you will end up with something to work with. I took that video and gave it something to dance to, and came up with the glorified vacation film that you're about to see. First, a list of supplies to make this production:
Supplies and Props
Items used in this production include:
* Panasonic videocamera
* 1994 Nissan Truck, Grey
* 2005 Mac iBook G4
* Digital piano, midi capable
* Harmonica
Of course, my daughter is the star of the video, she was about 9 years old when we made this. Here's the original lyrics, followed by the final mix of the video. Please enjoy!
Bless My Soul
I took off on the road to write a song about going home No surprise to find a city by the sea
There's a city by the sea, would you believe it's calling me? It's calling me, and I'm gonna go, bless my soul
I wanna be down by the sea, there's a city there for me I'm gonna go, bless my soul, I'm on the road
The universe plays on, it's a song! and the sidewalk is the beat and the city is the tune and it could be June
I'll take a shower, I don't care, in the pouring rain right in Time Square I'll hail a cab, I'll pay the fare down to the sea
Bless my soul, I'm on the road
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all images by me