Community Video Report (Summer 1974)

8: neighborhood video | A Self-interview about Recent WCVC Activities “So, What Do You Do There All Day?” Friends who've dropped by the WCVC storefront recently have no doubt noticed that our videospace has doubled in size, since we acquired the other half of our building. This makes it possible for there to be a much larger and more comfortable, permanent viewing space, as well as separate studio, editing and office areas. It’s much easier to breathe here now, and it'll be even better when we locate another big, used air-conditioner to help us and our tape viewers through another D.C. summer. Future space improvements will include: construction of a Projection Booth for Film Screenings, sound proofing, hanging monitors and more office space. “So, What Do You Acutally Do For A Living?”’ The WCVC is presently involved in two contracted productions for local institutions. A series of training tapes are being produced for the National Paralegal Institute, of the OEO. They will be used in their training programs around the country. We’re also taping a series of four lectures sponsored by the Smithsonian Associates entitled, ‘‘Beyond Taste: On Design.” “Ok, What Does the Community Stand for in your Name? We're doing more training and tape planning with community groups in the Adams Morgan neighborhood. The AMO Communications Committee is actively gathering feedback from the community about the small cable system being planned, so as to assess community needs and input into the project. The last CVR mentioned the completion of “It’s Our Park," a 10 min. tape produced by WCVC and members of various community groups. It is about the need for a local land tract to be bought for the Adams Morgan Neighborhood and made into a park. The tape shows how the park is already being well used by local kids and adults for recreation space in an otherwise parkless area. The tape has been shown most recently to a few Senate staff people as part of a meeting with Adams Morgan organization representatives to discuss the issue. Hopefully in the future actual members of the Senate and House appropriations committees dealing with the D.C. budget will find the time to view the tape and hear out community representatives before the final budget is decided upon this fall. In the meantime, WCVC shows the tape often around the city to inform residents about the issue and in addition to demonstrate a viable use of video as an organizing tool in the community. “So What Else is New?” Other new tapes produced at WCVC include: é The Self-Reliant Neighborhood — A half-hour tape done by Mike Arnow and Nick DeMartino about alternative forms of technology being used presently in Adams Morgan. Included in the demonstrations are: hydroponic gardening, aquaculture, solar cooking. The Travel Dance —A tape done by Vicki Costello recording the Washington Theater Laboratory's performance of their original theater/dance piece “‘The Travel Dance.” 30 min. WCVC self-report Photo: Chris Michaels The Amateur, Reflections of Zelda — A 75 min. recording of the Washington Area Feminist Theater’s production of Leslie Jacobson’s original two-act play about Zelda Fitzgerald. Both tapes, done with hand-held portapaks, were done with their primary aim being to provide feedback and documentation for the cast, crew and directors of the productions. We also may show them at one of the regular Thursday nite screenings of tapes for the public. In addition, we offer many of our tapes for sale and/or exchange. Major categories of available tapes include: community news, events and issues, health, feminist, dance and theater, and others of general interest. For a complete list and information on costs and dubbing contact WCVC. Now, about Video Training: Two summer beginning video classes are now in process. There are people in them from various community groups including: The Free Clinic, RAP, The Women’s Educational Fund and the Latin Youth Center. This spring, WCVC staffperson Gerri Wurzburg initiated a special training series for five high schoot students from the Latin Youth Center. Their skills are improving as they enter a more frequent summer phase of training. Aided by Mike Arnow they will be making a tape about activities of Spanish groups in Adams Morgan. Our regular, six session training series, open to anyone on a sliding scale cost basis (from $50 to $100), will continue this late summer and early fall. The beginner and intermediate classes will offered according to the schedule that follows. If you wish to register for’ any class, please drop us a note, give us a call or come by the Center. We need the following information in order to register you: name, address, day phone, which class you want to take, and the amount you can afford to donate to cover costs (from $50 to $100, unless you meet with us to discuss special hardship). These classes have all been filling very rapidly. Please register early. iy © é B re) a = yt tts Helen Ackerman. a member of a WCVC beginning video workshop, is the subject of an experiment in using videospace. Two cameras take images from different rooms and mix them into one superimposed image. One camera captures the real Helen (top, left). The other camera is recording the work of another participant as he traces a likeness of Helen (top, center) directly from the monitor which displays both images simultaneously. By manipulating the effects in the video mixer, to which both cameras are con nected. we are able to achieve numerous distortions of poor Helen. In case you're wondering, the little umbrella in each picture is the reflection of our lighting rig. .