Soft Lighting, Sharp Focus, Reflective Questions

The final day of the Craft In America video shoot was filled with surprises.

Throughout the entire time, I marveled at all the activity, the professionalism of the specialists, and the amazingly sophisticated equipment.  I often felt challenged mentally and in a hyper-alert state trying to absorb what they were doing. What would I need to do to perform, how would I meet their expectations, and anticipate what they would need me to do next?   There was no practice -- everything was "Take 1" and done.

Day two with the Craft In America video crew started early. 

While the Director of Photography was working on B roll* with me, the rest of the crew worked in my living room to rearrange furniture and set up lighting for the personal interview.

Below you can see how they created the soft lighting.

Behind a large scrim that they assembled in my living room was a very powerful light.  (You can see this light in the studio shots in previous posts.)

Note the cloth on the floor that they placed to capture better sound. 

The sound guy is on the left side of the photo (above.)

I actually had both a body mic and the boom microphone for the interview.
(The sound guy decided which microphone to use.)

The crew made all the decisions for where I sat or stood, and how my body should be positioned. I was interviewed by director Coby Atlas (that's her back at the center of this photo).  This formal interview lasted an hour and a half. Later in the afternoon, we talked about the work on display in my living room. I think it will be interesting to see how they use the interview in the final video edit. I've noticed on previous Craft in America segments that the interview content was integrated into the whole segment seamlessly. They rarely use only the interview, oftentimes mixing it up with studio shots as an auditory compliment to the visual artistry. Talking heads don't tend to hold the audience's interest for long.

So much work went into this production. The crew of six people was at my house for six hours on the first day, and seven hours on the second day.  That's seventy-eight hours of shooting, plus all the travel time, pre-production and post-production, for only 10-15 min of final footage! I know we think of crafting as a labor-intensive endeavor, but film is equally labor-intensive. It's not sweating over a hot forge or sawing at a piece of metal, but instead, it is a highly coordinated effort of camera, audio, lights, gaffers/grips, director, producers, editors, and talent.

Honestly, this experience was dazzling, especially considering that due to COVID, not one person had entered my living room during the previous 15 months. Now all the furniture was moved and there was a flurry of people, none of whom I was supposed to pay any attention to. Coby informed me that she was going to ask me questions, and I was supposed to focus only on her.   That was very difficult.  It was kind of like a "60 Minutes" interview but with only one camera, and no hairstylist or make-up.  I suspect that one must really "hit the big time" first to get hair and make-up support during a video shoot.  

There was no advance preparation for the questions. The entire two days were spontaneous, and my answers were purely extemporaneous. I never had a second chance. No Take 2's.  I have no idea how well I did!  There was no time to think or plan.  It was a whirlwind of experiences and I am so grateful to everyone who made it happen.  The interviews will be streaming soon!

Below is the one-minute preview. There will be more video segments to share soon.

Harriete

*Definition of B roll from Wikipedia: In film and television production, B-roll, B roll, B-reel or B reel is supplemental or alternative footage intercut with the main shot.  The term A-roll, referring to main footage, has fallen out of use.

Previous Posts in the "Craft In America" in my studio series.

"Craft In America" Day 1 - Fabrication in Video Time vs Real Craft

A Gigantic Wish Come True...."Craft In America" Visits My Studio

Perspiration in Preparation & Planning for "Craft In America"

An Optivisor for a Crown - Two Vans Arrive with the "Craft In America" video team

 

 

 

 

 

  

Television Teasers and Live TV with "Gail on the Go" - Listening to the Voice of Experience

Recently, I drove to Los Angeles for the opportunity to be featured on a Los Angeles morning TV news broadcast called "Gail on the Go."  

I learned a lot. And here are some of the insights that are worth sharing!   

For this television experience, I had four goals:

GOAL ONE: LA viewership potentially reaches 14 million people, but the demographics are not pre-selected for art or craft.  However, it was an opportunity to introduce the Craft In America exhibition space in LA and the Craft in America JEWELRY online video to millions.

GOAL TWO:  It was also a chance for me to "practice" being on television. Like most skills, no one starts as an instant expert. One must practice their craft -- but in a completely different way than the metalsmithing craft experience.  This would be a "live" opportunity to practice.

GOAL THREE: Learn more about the production of television & videos.  I was told to be at the gallery between 5:30 a.m. and 7:30 a.m.  Can you imagine? Television starts early. We got there at 6:20 a.m.   Gail (the on-camera host/reporter) and Bob (the producer/cameraman) talked to me about my work, my history, their television plan, and expectations.  Actually, it was a very relaxed environment.  Really!  Over the next 4 hours, we did multiple short interviews and several live 30-second segments, called "teasers," during the morning news.   In each of the 30-second "teasers", they try to set up some intriguing images or topics about the exhibition at the Craft in America gallery.  

GOAL FOUR: Be prepared with ideas and be ready to adapt. With several "mental visions" for this opportunity, I brought more recycled black plastic from home to place into the window display.  Once I saw what they could do, I suggested that a teaser could show me actively placing more plastic in the window as an action shot. "Yes", "yes", they liked the idea.

Then it was getting close to the time to get ready for the interview. Thinking fast....I suggested that "Gail on the Go" might like to wear one of my Recycled Black Plastic bracelets during the interview. "Yes", "yes",  Gail and Bob loved the idea. I have to say, the bracelet looked great with what she was wearing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fortunately, I had extra bracelets in the car.... so Bill, my husband and personal assistant for the morning, went to get another bracelet.  

He also got my mobile studio -- actually a cardboard box filled with black plastic for cutting while riding for hours in the car.

"Gail on the Go" and the artist, Harriete Estel Berman, sat together in the window of the gallery and talked about a variety of details that Gail and the producer might want to cover when the camera went "live."  Otherwise, there was no preparation for the questions that Gail might ask me.  Behind the camera, staff members of Craft in America (Carol Sauvion, Emily Zaiden,  and Joan Mace) watched. 

While Gail and I talked between "live" segments, I casually started cutting plastic.  This is what I normally do for hours....it is a slow process.  Serendipitously, this also helped them visualize my next suggestion. What if I was actively cutting plastic on camera -- another "action" shot. "Yes", "yes", they liked it.

Between action shots, I also noticed Gail adeptly using her phone to communicate with the control room. She found short clips from the Jewelry video and images from my website for the television station to include in the broadcast.  Her mastery of phone interface was impressive. 

Another level of astonishment was that Bob, the producer/cameraman (shown in the photo left), used his cell phone's camera to capture "B roll" images.  "B roll" is any extra footage, images, or video clips for supporting content to use as background or details. 

Wow!  

At one point, Bob asked, "Do you have any shots of the Recycle jewelry being modeled on a real person?"

Within a minute, I am using Gail's phone to show them images on my website. They chose some images to send to the studio for editing....where the studio editor would prepare to insert my photos into the video segments with text information, links, and resource information, all within minutes while we waited at the gallery for the next "live" teaser or interview segment.  

Also while we waited, I showed Gail how to cut shapes from the plastic trays and containers.  She is curious about everything and it became obvious that she would like to try doing just about anything.  Gail was thrilled to make her own cuts in the black plastic.

Time for the interview. The producer/cameraman did not use a tripod for my interview so he could move around for different angles and move in for closeups. I was given a last-minute tutorial for hand signals to navigate silently during the interview.  Yikes! Learn fast.

Cutting plastic trash has become second nature for me, but cutting AND talking during an interview, AND looking at Gail or looking into the camera, AND thinking of what to say articulately and intelligently, all at the same time..... That was a challenge!  I had no idea what the questions would be. I need more practice like this (i.e., well-prepared, "spontaneous" commentary), but I survived.

Whenever the opportunity presents itself in situations like this, I try to learn some insights from professionals in other professions.  Here is the big lesson that I learned from Gail.....and a great lesson for everyone.

"Gail on the Go" visits and talks to people all over the Los Angles area covering activities of cultural interest for an audience of millions.  While we were talking off camera, she confided, "Every artist needs a website."  I AGREE! (All caps to yell this loudly!)

Every artist and maker in every media needs a website. Social media is good, but it is not a website.  A website is your "go to" resource for opportunities just like this television shoot.  A website is your first step for putting your work out there 24 hours a day for public consumption.   Gail told me that she was often disappointed when the to-be- featured artist didn't have a website for links, extra photos, or supporting information for viewers to follow up independently.  Consequently, the opportunity is lost. 

A website is essential to leverage your visibility before you step out into the public view or before the craft show.  With all the digital technologies and apps, there are no excuses or barriers to entry.  Website templates are relatively easy to use. The learning curve is designed for easy interface, and if you don't feel ready for learning website construction, then you could hire a high schooler or college student for their youthful familiarity with the internet interfaces.

I use SquareSpace....but there are many other websites that provide easy-to-use templates. Pick a style and jump right in. Websites can and should be constantly updated.  So don't wait.  Let the website grow whenever you have time or new thoughts to include. You can change it at any time. Websites are not like a finished drawing. Websites are always in flux. 
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Learn from the voice of experience.  Learn from "Gail on the Go."  Where is your website?

Harriete 

Crafting Value & Identity - an interactive artist's talk with Harriete Estel Berman

Crafting Value and Identity

Join me in conversation with Emily Zaiden from Craft In America.  This Zoom program is free. 
January 21 at 12 pm PST.

Send me your questions now and I will answer them with visual images.

or 

Ask your questions during the Zoom.  

Reach out! What do you want to know?

Submit your questions in advance for visual images 

or

ASK Harriete your questions during the Zoom. There is no guarantee we will get to your comment or question unless you submit it in advance, but we can see how this goes.

 

Submit questions when you Register, or leave as comments on this blog post.

         

This artist's talk is sponsored by Craft In America

 

Fabrication Photos Beginning to End

The objective of this post is to provide some insight into the entire fabrication process of my latest work.  In this post, a series of photos track my fabrication of the menorah that is featured on PBS as additional content for the JEWELRY program of Craft In America. I was very fortunate to finish this menorah two weeks before the six-person video crew arrived at my studio.

This is a brief post with only a few of the images. All of the questions are from Nona, my new studio assistant. If you want to look at some more detailed information with step-by-step fabrication shots, click here, to go to my website.

The photo below shows the preliminary layout of the frame. This shows the general dimensions and allows me to visualize the structure before I start working with the materials.  I usually don't draw out my ideas in advance. Instead, I usually let them percolate in my head and adapt as I choose materials for a new piece.  Taking photos helps me double-check if it looks "right."  Studio shots are also useful for social media, or occasionally, books or exhibition catalogs that publish studio shots. I've had this happen on many occasions.

Nona asks a few questions for this post:

Nona asks: "What are you thinking about when you sketch out the frame?"
  "Is it all about the measurements and physical support?"

Harriete's answer: At first I am only thinking about the overall proportions, checking the actual dimensions so that I cut and bend enough tins to fabricate the entire frame plus some extras for a back-up plan if needed.  At this stage, it is too early to worry about the physical support, but I knew that the materials selected for the back were going to be cut and folded from an old steel folding table, which would be really strong. 

Nona asks: "What is your process for picking tins?"

Harriete's answer:  For the front of the window frame, the metallic gold tins were picked from my extensive collection of recycled post-consumer tin cans. You may recognize some of the tins but I tried to use a variety of common tins in a similar color range and with recognizable images related to the kitchen. A tin for Grape-Nuts and some nutrition labels were perfect for this objective. I love using humble materials to make something beautiful. Trying different arrangements with the tin cans often helps to generate new ideas and allows me to experience how the tin can colors work together.  I wanted the tins to have a golden glow and be similar in color. 

Nona asks: How do you shape the tins for the frame?  

Harriete's answer:  When I receive tin cans, they are all opened and pounded flat for storage. After picking tins from my raw material inventory, I bend or roll the tins for the frame shapes,  I use a bending brake and other forming tools in my studio. I've been working with tins for 33 years....and have developed a lot of techniques and skills from years of experimenting.   

Nona asks: How do you problem solve if you don't have the colors or textures that you want?

Harriete answers:  Using a range of blues for this piece, I started to compose the turbulent San Francisco night sky.  Layers and layers of carefully cut tins allowed me to get the painterly effect I was looking for.

If I don't have the colors or textures that I want, I keep looking through my thousands of stored tins.  I may spend hours and hours and hours looking for the right color or pattern.  I am convinced that something is there in my studio ...I just need to find it. 

Nona asks: What do you use for cutting the tin?

Harriete answers:  I buy every pair of metal cutting shears that I can find, but most of my tins are cut with a jewelers' saw. (Watch the JEWELRY video to see me cut tins with a jeweler's saw.)

Nona asks: How do you attach the tins together?

Harriete answers:  The pieces in the sky are riveted together with small rivets made from sterling silver or 10k gold wire. If you look super closely at the next photo you may see the rivets in this close-up.  The metallic sparkle from the rivets is mirrored in the starry sky and gives the cityscape a night feel.

Nona asks: Did you use a reference image for the tower and the hill or for the sky?

Harriete answers:  For Sutro Tower and the hill (Twin Peaks), I found a small photo.  But also, every night in early 2021, my husband and I would go for a walk and we could see Sutro Tower and San Francisco. During Covid, the sky was amazingly clear without pollution. The sky in tins was totally from my imagination, other than looking at the sky, night after night....mostly, I tried to make it up from what I was seeing on our walks looking at San Francisco in the distance.  

Nona asks: At what point did you attach the menorah and what was the process of constructing the menorah like?

Harriete answers:  I started working on the brass Menorah components very early so I knew how deep I could make the frame and window sill. (There was a requirement from the exhibition sponsor that the artwork could not extend more than 3 inches from the wall.)  

Though I constructed the Menorah early in the whole fabrication process, it was not polished until the very end so that I didn't have to worry about it getting scratched. The construction of the window sill and the structure that holds the Menorah consumed the final two or three weeks.  There is a hidden structure that holds the Menorah in place, but the Menorah is not attached to the window sill.    

The whole piece took four intensive months to fabricate.

Just like Nona, you can ask your questions, and  I will add them to this blog post or a new post.

Harriete 

More details? Look at my website if you want more information and details.

Previous Posts in the "Craft In America" in my studio series.

A Gigantic Wish Come True...."Craft In America" Visits My Studio

Perspiration in Preparation & Planning for "Craft In America"

An Optivisor for a Crown - Two Vans Arrive with the "Craft In America" video team

"Craft In America" Day 1 - Fabrication in Video Time vs Real Craft

Soft Lighting, Sharp Focus, Reflective Questions

Craft In America - JEWELRY Episode - Streaming Now!

"They Whispered Names to Me - I am a channel"

"They Whispered Names to Me - I am a channel"

I waited until Chanukah to share this recent example of  my work titled, "They Whispered Names to Me - I am a channel."  This Menorah (or technically a Hannukiah) was fabricated during the first half of this year, 2021,  for an exhibition that will open in 2022.  It was finished shortly before the video crew from Craft In America came to my studio in June.

Then, as an amazing stroke of good fortune, the crew decided to record a video of me talking about this artwork -- even though it was not about JEWELRY.

A clip of the video is embedded into this post, but just in case it doesn't work, here is the link.

For this upcoming exhibition, each artist who was invited to participate was given a transcript and video interview of a woman rabbi. The overall premise was to recognize women in religious leadership, as part of an ongoing and sometimes controversial issue in Judaism and other religions all over the world. How can this still be true? 

It is unbelievable that women are still treated as second-class citizens in current cultures and religions to this day! This is why I decided to participate in the invitational.

The title for this piece consists of two quotes from my assigned woman rabbi, Rabbi Noa Kushner in San Francisco.  Listen to this short video from PBS  and see what you think.

I would love to respond to any questions that you may have -- so ask away. 

In future posts, I will be sharing images of the intermediate steps during the construction of this piece. This will document the sometimes tortuous and challenging journey it takes to fabricate an idea from inception to the final screw. 

Harriete

Images:      "They Whispered Names to Me - I am a channel"
Materials:  Recycled tin cans, brass, candle cups cast from a 19th century Menorah, brass screws, 10 k gold and sterling silver rivets.

The Shamash is fixed on the left side of the frame to prevent it from being lost or stolen.

Photo Credit for these images: Philip Cohen

Dimensions: 21.75” H x 23” W x 3.5” D

Craft In America - JEWELRY Episode - Streaming Now!

Craft in America JEWELRY episode is streaming. You can watch the entire episode .

Would you like to see a preview or trailer as well?            
                   Here is a preview of the JEWELRY episode:

 JEWELRY is streaming online now, or watch on PBS broadcast TV on Friday, December 10, 2021* 
*Check the time for your local television listing. 

The 56-minute video highlights a variety of artists and their perspectives about jewelry and materials.  Tom Herman uses precious materials, which is a phenomenal contrast to my use of recycled materials of tin cans and post-consumer plastic; Gabrielle Gould is inspired by nature, Jesse Monongya is a Navajo/Hopi jeweler, and Art Smith reflects an innovative mid-20^th century aesthetic. This program also includes commentary by the co-editors of Ornament Magazine.

The range and diversity of aesthetics and materials should provide thought-provoking scenarios for a great conversation.  I look forward to hearing what people have to say.

Be honest. 

Harriete

Previous Posts in the "Craft In America" in my studio series.

"Craft In America" Day 1 - Fabrication in Video Time vs Real Craft

A Gigantic Wish Come True...."Craft In America" Visits My Studio

Perspiration in Preparation & Planning for "Craft In America"

An Optivisor for a Crown - Two Vans Arrive with the "Craft In America" video team

"They Whispered Names to Me - I am a channel"

"They Whispered Names to Me - I am a channel"

"Craft In America" Day 1 - Fabrication in Video Time vs Real Craft

Among the many last minute preparations during the final week before "Craft in America" came to my studio, I planned and laid out a sequence of jewelry fabrication demonstrations that they had requested.  (The images in this post are a few of my step-by-step demo samples for the video shoot.)

The executive producer had specifically requested that I demo the making of a triangular bracelet featured in the Ornament Magazine article....(shown below) which is a fabulous, fabulous, fabulous bracelet, but it is made from tin cans that are very hard to find.

A major difficulty, however, was figuring out how to modularize the making of a one-of-a-kind bracelet that is dependent on difficult-to-find, one-of-a-kind tin cans.  I don't buy tins from e-bay as I truly want my materials to be scavenged from the waste stream of our society, and NOT from a retail site like e-bay, ..... but this was a once in a lifetime opportunity. 

Nothing was going to deter me from my plan. I eventually found (and guiltily ordered) two triangular Altoid tins offered on e-bay. One of them arrived only the day before the crew arrived. That was too close!  I do not like to operate on the margin of a crisis.

The "Craft In America" crew, chose to dedicate the first day to fabrication techniques in the studio. 

In this situation, I learned of the extraordinary difference between "video time" - one or two minutes is all they wanted - and real craft fabrication time of five to 40 hours.  I'll bet in the final television segment we will be looking at the fabrication for no more than a few seconds.

My regret was that I didn't have more of the intermediate step-by-step progressions prepared.  However, I can take some comfort retrospectively that this was not a "how-to-video."  My assumption is that they will use this setting to give the audience some insight into the creative process, and not a fabrication lesson.  I've watched almost all of the prior "Craft In America" library of DVDs or videos on Youtube, and the fabrication shots are only part of the bigger picture.  

Seriously, they would video each step for only a few minutes -- and even that seemed to be too long for the cameraman. Secretly I was told by Bill, my husband, that the cameraman seemed to be making all kinds of hand signals to the crew.  At the time, I didn't notice (because I was not supposed to look at the camera).

Below is a screen capture from the JEWELRY video on PBS by Craft In America.  If you watch the episode you can see me cutting the tin and soldering.

Eventually, the camera was turned off and the cameraman said, "Let me know when you get near to the end."  I think he meant, "When will some real action happen?"  I guess sawing, drilling, filing or grinding are not very exciting video content. 

From an initial state of naïveté, I became increasingly aware of the chasm between my sense of craft making real-time and their sense of "video time".  I was shocked by the rapid fire chop, chop, chop, jumping from one set up to another.  No feedback, no transition and no time to reflect.  I frequently found myself taking a deep breath, repeating the mantra, "I can do this" .... back straight, abs sucked in, go forward. Telling myself, "I can do this." 

For example, hammering one tiny gold rivet usually takes me a few minutes.  From my normal perspective, I had hours to go with more riveting, . . . but they were done with each segment of video recording after 3 or 4 minutes and cut off my snail's pace of gold riveting.

Every few minutes, the Director would ask, "What do you do next?"  I would then jump right into a very short description of the next fabrication activity. 

Typically a very short discussion ensued between the director and the DP, then a decision was made and instructions given, usually requiring the crew to move or shift the camera. 

The yellow arrows point to tiny Gold rivets.

Moving the camera was a production in itself. I am not kidding!!!!  The DP would lift the camera off the tripod with muscles flexing.  The gaffer and focus guy would take charge of the tripod, collapsing the legs, pick it up, carry or move the very substantial tripod to the next proposed location.

Within a few moments, the tripod was placed in a new spot and the camera clicked back into the tripod. Simultaneously, lighting and sound were moved to new locations. Then sound was tested, lighting and framing confirmed, and focus checked. Ready? Go! 

Look for the very small gold rivet on the inside.

While the crew was repositioning, my brain was going a mile a minute about what tools I need to be ready for the next scene.  I couldn't really pay any attention to what the crew was doing; if I wasted their time, I was also wasting this opportunity. 

Truly the more variety of video scenes that they could record in that afternoon, the more possibilities that they would have to edit for the final product.

The yellow arrow points to the gold rivet.

Any extra recorded scenes might become useful for YouTube excerpts or other promotional material to promote the show.  In my head, it was my responsibility to be prepared and do my best.....but get this....there were never any practice takes.

No multiple takes.  No "Take 2" or "Take 3". Each segment was done once! And then, video time moved on to the next step, segment, or topic.

I'm fascinated by film production and the making of documentaries.  I'm no expert, but I have gained some insights over the years.

Documentaries emphasize capturing the video recordings without practice, it is supposed to be real life. I just didn't realize they would take that precept so literally considering the importance of this show.
This is the other side of the bracelet. It is not finished.  Keep reading...

Another precept of documentaries is that they expect to get the best verbal commentary on the first take, especially with real people, not actors.  Instead of improving with iterations of practice, the documentary subjects tend to begin sounding "rehearsed" or artificial.  This was the foundation of making documentaries when I took a video class at the local community college several years ago.

I've also heard these kinds of comments by listening to the director's commentary on movies from Netflix, videos from the library, or YouTube!  Every time I can find a director/producer commentary, I listen to learn more. 

Those director commentaries always provide some new insight for a novice like myself.  Some directors prefer to do several takes of a scene. Small changes in each take of the scene -- Take 1, Take 2, Take 3, Take 4, . . . .  Other film makers,  like Clint Eastwood, are well known for doing only one take of a scene. The expectation is that the actors put everything into the first take if they know that there will be no backup, no Take 2. This is it.   

That was how the entire day went for me. One take! And on to a new scene . . . one take.  Then another new scene . . .  one take!  Chop, chop, chop.

I grew more comfortable with this as the day went on, but it still surprised me.

Also, I was instructed to look only at Coby (the director), not at the camera or elsewhere.  For me, that was really hard to do with five other people standing just outside of the "scene". In the beginning, I was very distracted. The artist's eye wants to see and look at everything. I have an eye for detail. How could my eyes only look at one spot or one person?  This was yet another stress to force my brain to not look elsewhere.

We ended the day at five o'clock. Again I was a little surprised.  Video and film shoots are usually 10-12 hour days.  I can only hope that they reached their goal for Day One. 

What do you think?

Do you want to watch this video? It is now streaming on PBS online. Broadcast date is December 2021/January 2021. Check with your local PBS station. 

Previous Posts in the "Craft In America" in my studio series.

A Gigantic Wish Come True...."Craft In America" Visits My Studio

 

Perspiration in Preparation & Planning for "Craft In America"

 

An Optivisor for a Crown - Two Vans Arrive with the "Craft In America" video team

This post was updated on December 2021.

 

 

 

 

  

An Optivisor for a Crown - Two Vans Arrive with the "Craft In America" video team

Finally, on Saturday, June 5, the first day of the "Craft in America" video shoot arrived. I was told that a "small crew" of six people would arrive by 11:30am coming from Los Angeles. I've hired individuals for producing videos before, but could not imagine how or what would require six people (as they defined "a small crew").  Of more concern, I could not imagine how six people would fit into my studio at one time.

Two vans and a third vehicle drove up with lots of equipment and the 6-person video crew went right to work unloading, setting up equipment, checking functions, and synchronizing channels.   

I was amazed at all the equipment. Now all this equipment compounded my concerns.  Even though I had cleaned and organized the studio for weeks, there isn't much space other than a narrow aisle on each side.

With rapid-fire "hellos" from everyone, I was introduced to all six people (but could only remember three names and that everyone confirmed full vaccination status and a recent covid test, which is the industry standard). 

Each member of the crew remained focused on their equipment.  Soon, as a group, we  had a quick walk through the studio and the house (where some of my artwork is displayed).  Within a few minutes, Coby Atlas, the director decided to start the shoot in the studio and stay set up there for the entire first day. 

In the photo below, Emil, the sound person, is checking the audio stream connection to the camera via blue tooth. 


In the next photo below Sal Coniglio, Assistant Camera is in the center. ) Eventually, I figured out that he was person responsible for focus. As the focus puller, it is his responsibility to maintain the camera lens's optical focus on the subject or action being filmed.  He has a separate monitor that is also connected to the camera via blue tooth. In addition, at any time when the camera needs to be moved, he helps move the tripod to the new spot and/or adjusts the tripod height up and down. 

While the crew was setting up all the equipment, Coby asked me to show her my bench, tools, materials, displays, etc., and explain my work processes and step-by-step fabrication that I had planned to show. She wanted to familiarize herself with possible options for the shoot that day. 

This was the last time on Saturday that I looked so nicely dressed because I asked Coby what I should be wearing for the studio shoot. (Since we would be shooting in the studio that day, I did not want to look "fake" or unrealistically "dressed up" in the studio.) 

Coby responded by asking what would I normally wear in the studio?  I said "overalls" with tools in hand.  Immediately after that brief discussion, I dressed "down" to my overalls and donned an Optivisor - i.e. the ever-required jeweler's crown.  

Thank goodness I had spent so much time cleaning up the narrow aisles in my studio.  Six people in my studio was indeed crowded.  Sid, the DP (Director of Photography) was a substantial person. The camera was very large, evidently very heavy and unwieldy.  The tripod was even bigger.  In the photo below, you can see five people (Sidney, Coby, Mark, Sal, and Denise Kang, Associate Producer ) squeezed into the narrow aisles.

Sal, the focus puller with his own monitor is in the foreground (in the photo below).  I am envious of his stool mounted on rollerblade wheels.
The Director, Coby, was ever-present, but physically very tiny.  Notice that Coby is barely visible in these shots.  In the narrow studio space, she could not see me directly.  She could only see what I was doing by looking into the monitor on the camera.

The camera was gigantic with all kinds of knobs, buttons, ports, and dials. (Forget any idea of video taken on your phone.) Below you see the camera's view and Sidney Lubitsch, the DP, looking at what is framed in the display.  

Emil, the sound guy (and a S.F. Bay Area local), had a soft fuzzy microphone at the end of the boom. He had to work from the aisle on the other side. I loved that he was really into the sound of metal - sawing, grinding, filing, riveting and the step shear. Go Emil!

The sound guy had the priority of capturing good audio without letting the boom, or the shadow of the boom, appear in the shot.

Notice how they added extra light (top center of the next photo) even though I had a widow and skylights directly above me, and the garage door open.  Light and more light!

Gaffer Mark Markely (photo left) was responsible for lighting, helping move the tripod, and every other detail job.   

After an hour or two of shooting in this tight space with everyone kind of stacked on top of each other, it was time for lunch.   
I had offered to make lunch (in previous phone conversations,) but thank goodness, the Director had relieved me of this responsibility and said they would cater lunch.  Denise, the associate director, had identified a nearby Greek restaurant providing take-out meals.  

We all sat outside on the deck for lunch and it felt good to be in the open air and out of the cramped studio space. And this outside table was the only surface without something on it for the video shoot.

For me, this was the first time to have people and food come into my house from the outside world in 16 months. What a treat! This "Craft In America" video shoot was my first official break from the hibernation of covid quarantine.

In this photo above (from left side clockwise around the table to the right) is the crew;  Denise Kang, Associate Producer; Sidney Libitsch, Director of Photography; Coby Atlas, Director; Sal, Focus (at the end of the table); Mark , Gaffer; Emil, Sound; and me on the right.  Bill, my husband, took all of these shots, without which there would be no images of the day and it would all be a blurred, waning memory. 

Stay tuned for more images in this photo diary of "Craft In America" in my studio. There is still the fabrication and "interview" on Sunday with a Clapboard initiating Harriete's interview. 

Stay tuned to find out how the crew set up and shot the raw content for one segment for a future episode of "Craft in America."  

Harriete

 

Previous posts in "Craft In America" in my studio are listed below:

A Gigantic Wish Come True...."Craft In America" Visits My Studio

 

Perspiration in Preparation & Planning for "Craft In America"

Perspiration in Preparation & Planning for "Craft In America"

In late April, I first heard that "Craft In America" would like to do a video shoot at my studio during the first week of June.  That left a little over a month to prepare -- and I was grateful for every single day.  However, I could not simply drop everything else that I needed to get done, but I did prioritize two broad categories of preparation.  One priority was to clean my studio so that a video crew could access the inner sanctums of my working space.  I knew how to do this, but it would take weeks of intense effort. There was a lot to do! The month of May already had a full agenda before this popped up!  

The other preparation priority was to fulfill a stream of requests from the Associate Producer, Denise Kang, and the Director, Coby Atlas.  

Photo Credit: Philip Cohen

Denise Kang asked for images of my artwork and studio shots of Harriete in her studio. These images would be used primarily for "advance publicity".  Wow! This never occurred to me.  At this point, I had no idea when this "Craft in America" segment would be aired, the crew had not even arrived yet, and already they needed images?

Fortunately, I had an extensive portfolio of professional quality images for my black plastic jewelry. This, of course, should be every artist's and maker's number one level of preparation (as I have written about extensively on ASK Harriete).

Studio shots caused me more concern as I hadn't taken updated images in the studio for a while. Usually, I take studio shots on a regular basis. I also make it a practice to take images during the fabrication of every piece because the work-in-progress images can come in handy for books and magazines.  But once in a while I forget or get overwhelmed with the demands on my time. 


Lady luck was on my side!  Coincidently, my daughter was coming for a two-day visit in May.  She knows how to get the best smiles from her mother and frame the photos in the studio with her creative eye. 

If you look closely at these images, you will see that the chaos of a messy studio surrounds Harriete the artist.


During the pandemic, I had grown accustomed to stepping over and around all the stuff on the floor. In these photos, you can see that the aisles are filled with pieces of metal, scraps, and open tins. Definitely not ready for the video crew.

To better anticipate what needed to be done, I scoured the local library and checked out all of the available DVDs of previous "Craft in America" episodes. I found even more "Craft in America" shows and excerpts on Youtube. Although they varied in content and style over the series, I saw that they like to emphasize and integrate the fabricating processes of their craft subjects.

Coby (the director)  had mentioned this also.  Therefore, I needed to prepare examples of work-in-progress. Coby specifically requested step-by-step examples of the fabrication of a tin can bracelet and step-by-step examples for the black plastic recycle bracelet.

Below are a couple of photos of the steps to make a tin bracelet, cutting the tin, and drilling the rivet holes. 

I was really worried about how to "stage" the fabrication process -- if every step takes three to five hours or 10 hours, and every bracelet is one-of-a-kind, how would they edit for continuity? 

 

Below are three shots of a fabrication step for the Black Plastic Gyre Boa Constrictor Necklace - cutting black plastic shapes.

I began to think of this staging of my fabricating process like a cooking show.  The cook has only 30 minutes to show the major steps of how to make a cake that takes four hours.  In this case, the video crew would be digesting the fabrication of a bracelet that might take 10 - 20 - 500 hours into minutes. YIKES!    

All of this seems so simple, but throughout the month of May, I was just guessing about what they would need or like to see. My excitement was turning into concern. One-of-a-kind materials and labor-intensive efforts are difficult to demonstrate in minutes.

In addition, any time taken to for new photos or staging a fabrication example would be time taken away from cleaning the studio.  Every minute of May was stressful.

Now that the video shoot is over, I realize that the weeks of preparation did indeed help to highlight the fabrication steps.  Still, there were a couple of times when the video crew was recording as I meticulously sawed or cut tin for an extended period of time (i.e. a few minutes) and they grew exasperated.  They eventually stopped recording and said, "Let us know when you are almost done."   I suppose they thought I was nuts!  They want action.  By their standards, my crafting work appeared very ss-ll-ooo-www. . . .

I'm told it will be edited and condensed with the skills of their amazing editor for the final video.  We shall see...... 

Photos of Harriete Estel Berman in the studio by Aryn Shelander

Previous Posts about Craft in America video shoot are listed below:

A Gigantic Wish Come True...."Craft In America" Visits My Studio

 

A Gigantic Wish Come True...."Craft In America" Visits My Studio

Photo Credit: Aryn Shelander

 

I must confess -- for more than a decade I've had a wish... that my artwork would be featured in "Craft In America," a Peabody Award-winning series about craft.  And sometimes, wishes do come true.  This past weekend a six-person crew arrived at my studio and home for a two-day blitz of video.

The experience is still overwhelming, even in retrospect, too much to describe or digest in one post.  I am both exploding with elation and trying to get my feet back on the ground. While fresh in my memory and with elevated consciousness, I want to share some of the impressions and highlights through the next several posts with lots of images.

It started in late April with a surprise phone call asking if I would be interested in being interviewed for a segment on an hour-long program about jewelry in the documentary series, "Craft In America?"  The caller, Carol Sauvion, is the Executive Director, Executive Producer, Director, and perhaps, most important, the Visionary who has developed "Craft in America" from the brainstorm of an idea to a 15-year run with PBS.

And this came about largely because of a sequence of three events:

• My creation of the Black Plastic Gyre Boa Constrictor Necklace in 2018 
• The recent article about my jewelry work in Ornament Magazine which featured this same necklace
• The professional endorsement of Ornament Magazine Editor, Patrick Benesh-Liu

Carol said she wanted to move forward quickly with the shoot on June 5 & 6.  This put Harriete into overdrive at warp speed through the month of May. Now I really had to finish the other artwork that I had already started and promised to complete which was overdue two months ago (more on this later), study and take the tests for re-certification as a Certified Group Exercise Instructor (my secret lifestyle), and clean up my studio after 14-months of accumulated "I can just push stuff aside since no one is visiting" pandemic mindset.

My studio was out of control.  I had organically let detritus pile up leaving only irregular lilypad-like spots to barely step through. I hadn't cleaned or dusted my studio in more than a year (some parts perhaps for maybe two or three years).  Chaos reigned in competition with sedimentary layering. The dust had accumulated beyond my realization. 

Hours and hours each day cleaning, sorting, tossing, Goodwill, SCRAP, give away, repositioning, hiding elsewhere (e.g. stuffing the car), consolidating, etc. for over two weeks , soaring past 14,000 daily steps on my Fitbit without ever leaving my house -- I could never have cleaned the studio without the amazingly generous assistance of emiko oye, Jen, and Sara.  emiko (my most trusted studio assistant from years ago) helped for three solid days during the two week cleaning marathon. 

Anticipation fueled this grueling, intensive effort. Then the excitement morphed into trepidation during the last three days. Was I ready? Was my preparation adequate? 

There still seemed to be a lot to do beyond just cleaning the studio to be ready for this oopportunity.

Stay tuned....getting ready for a "Craft in America" video crew.  There was so much to do.....so little time.

Harriete

 

Photo Credit: William Shelander

 

Are Your Images Good Enough?

Are Your Images Good Enough? 

This is an important question for all artists and makers in all media.  Images are perhaps the most important issue for success. 

Fabulous photographic images have always been important but with the circulation of images on the Internet, and with opportunities to have your work published in books, magazines, or exhibition publicity and catalogs,  great photographic images have become even more important.

That is why I decided to write the Professional Guidelines document about Quality Photographic Images.  There is also the topic Working with Digital Images Effectively. 

To be successful, all creative individuals need to strive for improvement and "deliberate practice" as described in the book TALENT IS OVERRATED by Geoff Colvin. Are you striving for improvement? Do you show your images to your Critique Group and ask for critique? Have you ever projected your images to see if they still look good to a lecture audience? Do they grab the attention of a jury? Are your images memorable?  Have you ever asked your most critical artist friend their opinion of your images? A digital camera or the camera in your phone does not make you a photographer. Evaluate your images carefully as a key to success.

Here is an updated example of what it means to have great images. 
Ornament Magazine editor Patrick R. Benesh-Liu had asked Glen R. Brown to write an article about my work. At the beginning of 2020, Patrick contacted me for images of my jewelry.  I sent images, and images and images.  I mean a lot of images. It took the better part of my free time for a week to look for all the images he wanted, and then he wanted more!  Does a magazine editor ever think there are too many images?  Evidently not!  Not only did he include many images in the article, but he added another two pages of images in what he titled "Artist Showcase."  

The article in Ornament Magazine published in the spring of 2020 led directly to the next opportunity....the inclusion of my work in JEWELRY produced by Craft In America for PBS.

 

Are your images good enough to create new opportunities for your work?
Share your images with me on Instagram.


Harriete

P.S. Images of my artwork were taken by Philip Cohen. 

This post was updated on January 6, 2021.