audio visual equipment for teaching

Live Virtual Teaching: behind the scenes

August 13, 2020

This week is a “teaching week.” That means make sure the family knows I’m buys and lock the studio door. Clear the sewing table off and drag out the equipment.

clearing out part of the studio to prepare for live teaching

I move my main sewing machine off the table where it usually sits next to a lovely window and next to my desktop computer.  I clear the pile off the computer table. Everything gets shoved to the other side of the room.

studio lighting stands, bulbs, diffusing umbrellas

Out come the studio lights and the big bright master bulbs. There are two of them set up so that everything the student sees through the screen is brightly lit. The diffusing umbrellas soften the light so that you aren’t seeing harsh shadows.

 with iPad holder

Out comes the super heavy boom arm. I have to admit that I mostly started taking these shots so I could remember how I set up the boom arm. I’ve used a goose-neck device (iPad or camera) holder before but I tend to bump it and make it wobble. This thing is heavy, solid, and gives clear overhead shots with nothing in the way of the camera. But it’s always something of a puzzle to remember the angles I had it set at last time I used it.

backdrop on stand to hide the rest of the room.

Out comes the backdrop. Thank heavens I’ve made one wide quilt in my life that is perfect for hiding the huge mess that is the back of my studio. I spent the first part of the week shipping out 38 quilts back to their owners and it’s still a mine field back there.

And inevitably whenever I teach live online SOMETHING happens. I have backup plans. And backups for my backup plans. That’s just what we teachers do! This time the plastic connector on my quilt stand snapped. I was ready to get out the duct tape, or pay a teenager to hold it up for 6 hours straight (riiiiiiight….)
My new favorite thing? GORILLA GLUE!!! Saved the day. All fixed and no worries.

Everything went well yesterday, as I expect it to go well today! Take a look at my live-virtual workshops and see if you might want to gather up a group of friends and play with me for a few hours. I’d love to set this all up again for you so we can make connections and get our creative gears moving!

2 Comments

  • Reply
    An Marshall
    October 12, 2020 at 8:36 am

    Ellen Lindner suggested you might be helpful in providing resources regarding filming classes. I want to move between the cutting table and then sewing machine, preferably live but don’t know the equipment or technology necessary. This blog gives very general suggestions but I need more hand-holding. Any ideas where to go? Thank you.

  • Reply
    Patti Maxwell
    August 23, 2020 at 9:43 pm

    Thanks for the peek inside the home studio! When my DIL set up for a shoot at her home the first time I was blown away by how much work it took just to get the workspace ready. It’s good for people to see what it takes to make the magic happen. Gorilla glue is awesome.


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