Black art

David and Estella must make a presentation for a new office interior. Unlike Steve Jobs, they don’t have two months to practise. Presentation is scheduled for Monday morning and this is Saturday afternoon. They call in Yimou of NQOP.

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Yimou: You want this contract?

David: We need it to stay in business.

Yimou: Then you should make a DVD for this presentation. Show them and then give them a copy to take away.

Estella: Why not PowerPoint?

Yimou: Too canned-looking. It’s got to be a movie now with 3D walk-through shots to get attention.

David: Video editing and then burning the result to a DVD? Used to be called a black art. I once took a week to shoot and edit and finally get the results on a fifteen-minute short film.

Yimou: Fifteen minutes? Too long for a short film. Especially yours. Ten’s plenty. You can learn iMovie and iDVD in a day. Start at 10 and by 4 have the essentials.

David: Too busy.

Yimou: OK, if you’re too busy, I’ll do it. Got a spiel?

Estella: Here.

Yimou: Hmm. Filming tomorrow, I can edit and burn between dinner and lights out tomorrow night.

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Timing a presentation

I don’t like these overhead lights that obliterate the screen. That’s why I’ve taken out the fluorescent tube.

And using it as a pointer?

They didn’t give us any chalk, let alone a fancy red laser pointer. I’m a can-do guy, hence this. Anyway, as I was saying, the 70s were an age of reductionism, the 80s were years of constructivism, now we are in the age of aquarius, connecting with everyone, student to student, teacher to student…

What are your thoughts on the impact of technology on learning?

Early adopters thrive, last 10% never get it, forget them.

Excuse me…

Omigod, is that the time? This is only slide 24. I - I’ve got 98 slides. Okay, I’ll jump ahead. Here we go. Slide 95. Black boxes. In this end, out the other. That’s it. We’ve reached wrap up time. Any questions? No? Thanks for listening. Lunch. Oh, anyone like to help me put these fluorescent tubes back in their sockets?
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