I’ve enjoyed Tokyo a number times, so I was especially intrigued to stumble onto this live stream from Hachikō Square, just outside Tokyo’s Shibuya Station. It shows what is reputed to be the world’s most heavily used pedestrian scramble, an intriguing concept in pedestrian and traffic management. Neat to watch.
ACTION ITEM: Look at it. Look. At. It.
Not actually a tip but maybe more of a pleasantly surprising discovery while on vacation with the family. We visited the Schloss Nymphenburg while visiting Munich. While exploring its lavish galleries and lush corridors we wandered into the Gallery of Beauties where we saw a lovely painting of “The Spanish Dancer” herself, Grass Valley’s own Lola Montez. She lived here for a while in the mid-nineteenth century, where we’re told she mentored actor Lotta Crabtree, another Grass Valley resident. Just a really remarkable experience to see a citizen of our little town suspended in King Ludwig I’s Gallery of Beauties!
ACTION ITEM: What famous people are from your home town?
I rarely get to see videos I’ve helped to create displayed in the their actual, for-realsies environment. But last month I got to watch 5 videos that I co-produced for client QAD displayed on a huge LED screen onstage at QAD’s premier customer event, “Explore” in New Orleans, LA. These Customer Showcase Videos were beautifully shot and edited by James Barnett and are always well-received by attendees. But what did the in-person experience teach me that I could apply to future productions? On the plus side, they’re well-received and appreciated (I’m trying to be objective here, but the entire audience seemed pretty engaged and attentive) so that’s helpful to know. But I did notice that for anyone in the audience behind the first row or two, anything on the screen under the lower quarter of the frame is pretty much lost, blocked by audience members’ heads and shoulders.
ACTION ITEM: For the benefit of the entire live audience, keep important images and graphics above the bottom third of the screen.
When I travel for work I typically will schlep at least three large cases of gear with me plus whatever I roll onboard. As a frequent flyer, I do get an allowance of three free bags up to 70 pounds each, but that also means besides cases being large, they’re heavy. So every trip is accompanied by tears of self pity 😉 That is, until I met this guy who had to haul 32 of these gear bags onto his ski team’s flight, each one at least 30 pounds, each over 4 feet in length.
ACTION ITEM: Be grateful – it can always be worse
Flying home from New Orleans last weekend; someone hung a chai spice-scented teabag in the restroom. I’m not saying we all should do this, but we all should do this 😉
ACTION ITEM: Put the seat back down and wipe off the counter, too.
I sometimes will do rough edits on my laptop, with my client joining me in making the decisions about what to keep and what to discard. If we’re working in a space occupied by other life forms, like a bar or lounge, we’ll both use headphones connected using a splitter like this one – works well, very inexpensive, and should be a part of your traveling Producer’s kit
ACTION ITEM: Take a headphone splitter with you
I’m not sure I’ve ever mentioned this before, but most hotel rooms will leave these cheap, disposable slippers (here’s a 12-pack on Amazon) in your room – I save ‘em and use ‘em when I’m on a long flight and don’t want to wear shoes but absolutely am not stepping into that plane’s bathroom in socks or bare feet.
ACTION ITEM: Take nice comfortable slippers with you on those long plane trips
International flights sometimes means booking a redeye. Returning from a flight last week from London and, out of the entire aircraft, this person had their window open the entire 11-hour flight keeping at least eight other passengers from sleeping (I always bring a sleep mask but not everyone does).
ACTION ITEM: Please close the shades when everyone – I mean everyone – is trying to sleep
Travel tip – unplug the clock in your room. You probably have an alarm on your phone plus the hotel will be thrilled to set a wake up call for you (I do this as a redundant system). These in-room clocks just make the room brighter while you’re trying to sleep plus the previous occupant almost certainly set the alarm for 4:00 am and the housekeeper didn’t reset it.
ACTION ITEM: Unplug. Now.
In more than one of the offices in which I worked I was offered coffee flavored with cardamom called qahwa (hoping I remember this name correctly; the flavors are complex and intense). It was a way for the host to extend a welcome courtesy upon arrival and provide a warm-up to meetings or planned activities. It took me awhile to become accustomed to framing time as an Arab might – schedules are not necessarily fixed and rigid, and business engagements are as much about strengthening relationships as they are about resolving matters at hand. BTW, my local contact Husam Atout gave me a substantial quantity of instant qahwa that I’m happy to share – just reach out to me (quantities are limited!)
ACTION ITEM: I’ve encountered this critical importance placed on social relationships in places other than the Middle East – in Asia, for example. When you plan business meeting in places like these, be sure to factor in plenty of additional time for social pleasantries; you’ll not only be more successful but you’ll also have a better time.
Rolland Video Blog 