Youtrain Video Manual Youtrain Manual EBOOK | Page 49

Sijmen Tenwolde, filmmaker
As a filmmaker, working with professional trainers on non-formal education has
been a great experience and a fantastic journey into their world. What I learned
from these guys is how to manage a big project like this, where a lot of stakeholders
are involved and a lot of content is to be produced. The project management,
coordination and collaboration was managed really well and I’m impressed by how
we rolled.
For me it was new to work in a big team like this. I’m used to much smaller projects
where I produce just one or several videos in a couple of days. To work on a project
for almost a year is something different and I have to say that I underestimated
that a bit. The good news: next time I’ll be prepared. My lesson learned is that you
should not underestimate the amount of work when it comes to producing a bunch
of (partly theoretical) video tutorials. Best of all though, being part of a solid team
for such a long time really creates a special bond that I’ve never had before with
partners in a project.
Reinout van Schie, filmmaker
For me personally, I really loved making the videos. It’s such a rush to be part of a
team for an entire week and really work through the whole project together, from
concept/inception all the way through to the final cut. You laugh, cry, stress and relax
together, and really feel the sense of accomplishment and pride you share.
Which doesn’t mean these experiences are simply a walk in the park, as stress,
troubles, even momentary panic is often part of the experience. At Method Lab I
also experienced these emotions personally, but thankfully always found a way out,
thanks in large part to the incredible team surrounding me.
The lesson I again learned was that you shouldn’t cramp up and lean into the stress
when things turn sour. Before you know it, the high-energy/stress-mode becomes your
default setting, and you work yourself through the days like a Tazmanian devil on
steroids. This is not ideal.
Always be mindful of yourself, how you feel and how you experience the shoot,
and accept feedback and help from colleagues/teammembers. Even in the most
stressful situations, it still is possible to take a breath, collect yourself and work the
issues in a calm way. Being calm can work just as contagiously as stress, and it often
can lead to a serious increase in your appreciation and enjoyment of the work, as
I experienced again during this shoot. Together we always found solutions to issues
that at first seemed insurmountable, and the more I trusted mysekf and my team in
finding solutions, the more I started to relax and really enjoy the experience for what
it was; Unique, Inspiring, and Utterly worthwhile!
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