Video Cameras and Seminars

I think it's time for a rant.  I'm a little tired of going to a seminar with Taira Sensei and having to watch what he's demonstrating through the 4 inch screen of the video camera someone has just pushed to the front so that he gets a clear view of the action, and damn everyone else.  A bit like going to the Louvre and only being able to see the Mona Lisa through endless 4 inch screens!  A couple of people crouched down (thanks Mattia) so  that was OK, but the overhead thing was annoying.

Its nice to see videos of what Taira sensei is doing, I can't always keep up with what he's doing, and reference is great. But if I can't see what he's teaching, why did I go to a seminar? I might as well watch it on Youtube! and save the money. Learning comes from watch/listen/do (and taste but that would be a bit odd). Waving your camera around isn't any of those things.

Any seminar I run will be 'no video' - and Taira sensei has said the same to me in the past. He is trying to teach, not give you a great camera angle, and he doesn't want to have to repeat what he's doing because you got a bad picture. Usually I get someone to act as the camera guy, and we collect a bit of video. Paul Enfield does the same, and then goes and does the endless editing to make it useful to us.

So when you come to a seminar in NZ don't be offended when I say put the camera away, I'm just helping you be polite.