Friday, March 3, 2017

Driving in Italy Confidential: The True Story

Well, laboring through Ed's death, my own time constraints, and unending editing, I finally finished this show that I have been desiring to do since I started Alan's Italy back in 2011. Not wanting to focus too much on the traumas I experienced during driving, I spent about 1/3 of the show talking about my wonderful experiences traveling through Tuscany, Umbria, the Dolomites, Cinque Terre, and Lake Como. The show was so effective in helping me to remember the extraordinary moments Laura and I shared during some of these amazing car rides, that I am actually thinking seriously about renting a car and doing it all again!!!! OMG! I must be crazy; well, I know that's true anyway. The show focuses on three aspects of driving, some basics that everyone who will drive in Italy should be aware of, my own great moments, and a list of some of the strange and awful things that occurred. That's the gist of it.

I was slightly displeased with the final product. I videotaped several different segments, and apparently kept changing the camera angles, causing different visual perspectives, and changes in lighting. The latter was probably more caused by the fact that the taping took place over several hours during which time the lighting kept changing. Even during one segment the sun kept fading in and out, thus the disadvantages of not doing the show in a studio which is completely windowless and always the same camera angle. There is no happy medium, and I cannot have it both ways - either I do the show at home in my living room or in the studio. One way to solve the lighting difficulties would be to do all the videotaping at night when there would be no sun issues. Of course I have most of my time to do these shows in the afternoon; I would have to change that. I also was a little less than pleased with my manner of speaking. I liked the relaxed and easy manner of presenting in that chair for the 40 minutes total, but there is something I wish not to indicate because probably most people wouldn't pick up the problem unless I pointed it out; or perhaps they would.

Anyway, here it is, my total driving experience from 2003 until my last drive in 2014. I will now think seriously of renting once again and of course will keep you informed.


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