Q&A: Next Video

The Roman Empire and More

It was a disaster.

As I’ve teased for a year, I’m adding video to my repertoire. I have a documentary piece ready to go. It was filmed last year. It will be released, but we may reshoot some elements. While I was filming last year, we tried to flesh out Youtube videos, but my vision was aimless. After moving to Substack, the vision took shape.

But with a move and baby on the way, I did not practice shooting video after that initial filming.

I wanted to do my first video to my members. I had an itching to finally do video. I did a kind of impromptu livestream.

I knew it was rough. But like Bill Murray says, you only get better when it really stinks at first. And if you want to make it better, because you know it’s awful, and how bad it is, then that’s usually a sign you’re going to get better at it.

And again, it is bad.

First, I’m sideways.

I thought the camera would have adjusted when I turned it horizontal. A gracious member joined the livestream, and I kept tilting my head to look at his questions and comments. That should have been the red light going off that the video was sideways.

Second, I had an idea of what to say, but assuming I was going to grumble at being on camera, I, instead, was more like a young kid at Christmas. I got excited. So I rambled and rambled and rambled. Topics and ideas and various angles of ideas were racing in my mind, and I puked it all out. It’s not even a Donald Trump “weave.” It’s an excited ramble and ramble and ramble.

Third, it stinks. It’s 50 minutes or so of riffing without much direction.

But I loved it. I’ll leave it up, awful as it is. And it is bad. Yet I did it, and as much as it stinks, I know I can get good at it.

I enjoyed it. I had fun. And I know it will only get better. A lot better.

I’m ready to do the next one. But for the next one, I need structure to keep it focused.

With that, I’d like to do a Q&A.

It’s going to be Roman Empire themed.