US Chamber of Commerce (News Teaser)

Mother's day in the United States - Abolade Ishola

Oohalu Gusagusalade Video Songs HD - Em Sandeham Ledu Song - Vel Records

What's an LED TV?

When a product has become commoditized and its price is regularly dropping and its profit margins are getting ever-thinner, how can a company boost its sales and raise its prices?

One way is by changing the product's name.

Samsung 8000 Series LED TV

That's what Samsung has done with its new line of LCD TVs using LEDs to illuminate the screen. In its print advertising and on its Web site, Samsung calls the new range simply "LED TVs."

They are not LED TVs. Calling them such makes as much sense as calling its existing line of LCD televisions Cold Cathode Fluorescent Lamp TVs, or CCFL TVs, after the lighting technology that they use.

Whatever its validity, Samsung's decision to drop "LCD" was a smart marketing move. After all, "LED" is the acronym du jour, a technology that's all the rage as a new, perhaps revolutionary lighting source. It's as emotive a term as "HDTV" and "digital" were in their heydays.

But it's also confusing consumers. An industry colleague told me that in a recent trip to a big-box retailer, he overheard several friends asking what type of TV they were watching. One said it wasn't LCD or plasma, it was an LED set. 

More accurately, it was an expensive LCD set. LED-backlit LCD TVs can cost as much as twice their standard LCD or plasma counterparts. Is the extra money worth it, even if you can afford it?
Here are the answers to some questions you may have about LCD TVs using LED backlighting.

What's wrong with existing LCD TVs?
Up until now, LCDs used fluorescent tubes to light the screen. As a result, LCDs have trouble creating deep blacks. That's because fluorescent tubes are always on, and some light leaks through to the front of the display even when a part of the image is supposed to be black. A lack of deep blacks reduces the perceived sharpness of the set's image.

Also, fluorescents lack a wide range of colors; hence, color saturation is limited.

What's an LED TV?
It's an LCD TV that uses LEDs to illuminate the display. There are two ways to do this: either by placing LEDs across the entire back of the display, or by placing LEDs just around the perimeter, which is called an "edge lit" display. Both techniques use less power than plasma TVs and LCD TVs lit with fluorescent tubes.

Which technique is better?
They both have their pros and cons. LCD TVs using edge-lit LCDs can be ultra-thin, because the LED sources are on the side. Edge-lit LED-lit LCDs are also less expensive than LCD TVs using LED backlit technology.

On the other hand, LCD TVs that use LEDs across the rear of the display can create sharply deeper blacks, through a technique called "local dimming." When a scene calls for a dark image, the LEDs in that area can be shut off completely, so no light leaks through what should look black.

So if I want an LED-lit LCD, I should buy one using back-lit technology?
It's not so simple. An LED back-lit TV may contain only about 1,000 LEDs. And those LEDs can only be dimmed in large groups, because it is too expensive to control each LED individually. So when you shut off or dim a group of LEDs you may also be darkening part of an adjoining scene on the TV that really should be bright. If you cut back on the dimming, then the blacks will be less dark than blacks in another part of the image that are not surrounded by lighter images.

Theoretically, you could increase the number of LEDs so that each lit just one pixel on the 2 million pixel LCD screen. But then you could just throw away the LCD screen because you would have actually created an LED television - just like the Walgreens LED sign in Times Square.

O.K., but still, LCD TVs with LEDs have great contrast
Sometimes they do. It depends on what you're watching. As a Samsung engineer said to me last week, "the most dramatic effect of LED-lit TVs happens when the entire scene goes to black" - not necessarily when you're watching a scene with a mixture of light and dark images.

Do LED-lit LCD TVs produce better pictures than plasma TVs?
Interestingly, I've heard no one in the industry claim that they do. At best, they say that with LED-lit LCD TVs, plasma no longer has an edge when it comes to creating deep blacks and saturated colors. But plasma still has a big edge when it comes to price.

How much more do LED-lit LCD TVs actually cost?
Right now, a lot. But that should change as more companies enter the market. The list price for Samsung's 46-inch high-end LED-lit LCD TV, model UN46B8000, is $3,200. But its larger 50-inch plasma high-end model, the PN50B860, is $800 cheaper.

Later this year, LG will introduce two new series of LED LCD TVs, in 42-, 47-, and 55-inch screen sizes; all sets will use backlit LED technology. Prices have not been announced.

Not surprisingly, Vizio has just broken the LED price barrier. On Monday, the company announced that beginning this September it would ship the VF551XVT, a 55-inch LCD model using LED backlighting. The price: $2,200, or $1,000 less than Samsung's smaller 46-inch LED-lit television. It looks like Samsung's strategy to make its LED-based LCD TVs a premium product may have a short life

NYtime.com  ERIC A. TAUB

Abolade Ishola  twitter: @aboladeishola

Abolade Ishola: I Want to Marry Her but She Drinks Too Much

Abolade Ishola: I Want to Marry Her but She Drinks Too Much: Generic image (Thinkstock) "I'm in a relationship of almost two years with a woman I love. Recently she has b...

I Want to Marry Her but She Drinks Too Much

Generic image (Thinkstock)

"I'm in a relationship of almost two years with a woman I love. Recently she has become a heavy drinker. Her job is demanding and comes with high stress levels. Lately she's been unusually stressed and has been drinking more often. It makes her aggressive and rude until she sobers up, and then she claims she has no recollection of our arguments. I've addressed this issue with her before, and each time she's dismissed my concerns. I've been planning to marry her and have bought the ring, but I want her to stop drinking before I propose. How do I get her to stop?" --S.F.

I have good news and bad news. The good news is that you realize you need to address the issue before you propose.

Now for the bad: You can't "get" your girlfriend to stop drinking. That's on her. And unfortunately, despite the blackouts (e.g., her having no recollection of the arguments she has when she's drunk), she's not going to address this issue anytime soon. How do I know? She won't even acknowledge that there's a problem, despite your repeated complaints. Denial is a textbook response for heavy drinkers and a symptom of alcohol abuse.  

You've made a keen observation about the correlation between your girlfriend's stress level and the amount that she drinks. Alcohol abuse -- that's you’re your girlfriend is dealing with if she's blacking out -- is typically a symptom of a larger problem. Your girlfriend likely lacks proper coping skills for her stressors and uses alcohol to relieve them. The tricky and most unfortunate part is that the alcohol is adding an additional stressor: problems in her relationship with you, which, in turn, may cause her to drink even more. It's an ugly, vicious circle.

There are two ways you may be able to get your girlfriend to stop drinking heavily -- and just to be completely forthright, because of the nature of alcohol abuse, they may not work. But you can try to help her find more productive ways to deal with her stress than drinking. Working out, listening to music and writing in a journal are all documented stress relievers. And of course there's the obvious, like seeking the counsel of a therapist who is way more qualified to help her cope with stressors than you.

You should also change your approach when talking to your girlfriend about her drinking. She doesn't think her drinking is a problem because she doesn't remember the problems she causes when she drinks. Instead of talking to her about the drinking, talk to her in a nonjudgmental, nonconfrontational way about the impact it's having on the relationship. That means making it clear that you are concerned about her and your relationship, but don't chastise her for her behavior; it will only make her defensive. "Simply" explain how her behavior makes you feel, and avoid making accusations about her behavior.

Make it plain that how she behaves when she drinks -- whether she remembers or not -- is giving you second thoughts about advancing the relationship or potentially remaining in one with her.

If she continues to deny the problem, record her outbursts on your phone and replay them for her in the morning so that she can see how she behaves. Being presented with the effects of her drinking may give her the motivation she needs to admit that she has a problem, which is literally the first step in addressing it. 

I must be frank: Helping your girlfriend address her alcohol abuse is not likely to be a quick or easy process. Once a person develops a dependency on alcohol, for whatever reason, it is a challenging cycle to break. Too often, people don't seek help for their drinking problems until their lives have spiraled out of control. Unfortunately, that spiral affects those closest to them -- like you -- in a negative way, too.

To limit the negative impact on yourself, set a comfortable time frame in which you are willing to work with your girlfriend as she acknowledges this issue and, further, seeks help. If she's unable to meet that deadline, you will have to make a hard choice about whether you are willing to accept her reaction to heavy drinking, which I assure you will get worse the longer she refuses to address it.

anecdotes culled from theroot.com

Demetria L. Lucas is a contributing editor at The Root, a life coach and the author of A Belle in Brooklyn: The Go-to Girl for Advice on Living Your Best Single Life. She answers your dating and relationship questions on The Root each week. Feel free to ask anything at askdemetria@theroot.com.

Abolade Ishola: Michelle Obama's Speech at the Democratic National...

Abolade Ishola: Michelle Obama's Speech at the Democratic National...: A transcript of first lady Michelle Obama's remarks Tuesday night at the Democratic National Convention, as provided by the Obama cam...

Michelle Obama's Speech at the Democratic National Convention 2012

A transcript of first lady Michelle Obama's remarks Tuesday night at the Democratic National Convention, as provided by the Obama campaign:

Over the past few years as first lady, I have had the extraordinary privilege of traveling all across this country.

And everywhere I've gone, in the people I've met, and the stories I've heard, I have seen the very best of the American spirit.

I have seen it in the incredible kindness and warmth that people have shown me and my family, especially our girls.

I've seen it in teachers in a near-bankrupt school district who vowed to keep teaching without pay.

I've seen it in people who become heroes at a moment's notice, diving into harm's way to save others . flying across the country to put out a fire . driving for hours to bail out a flooded town.

And I've seen it in our men and women in uniform and our proud military families . in wounded warriors who tell me they're not just going to walk again, they're going to run, and they're going to run marathons . in the young man blinded by a bomb in Afghanistan who said, simply, "I'd give my eyes 100 times again to have the chance to do what I have done and what I can still do."

Every day, the people I meet inspire me . every day, they make me proud . every day they remind me how blessed we are to live in the greatest nation on earth.

Serving as your first lady is an honor and a privilege . but back when we first came together four years ago, I still had some concerns about this journey we'd begun.

While I believed deeply in my husband's vision for this country . and I was certain he would make an extraordinary president . like any mother, I was worried about what it would mean for our girls if he got that chance.

How would we keep them grounded under the glare of the national spotlight?

How would they feel being uprooted from their school, their friends, and the only home they'd ever known?

Our life before moving to Washington was filled with simple joys . Saturdays at soccer games, Sundays at grandma's house.and a date night for Barack and me was either dinner or a movie, because as an exhausted mom, I couldn't stay awake for both.

And the truth is, I loved the life we had built for our girls . I deeply loved the man I had built that life with . and I didn't want that to change if he became president.

I loved Barack just the way he was.

You see, even though back then Barack was a senator and a presidential candidate . to me, he was still the guy who'd picked me up for our dates in a car that was so rusted out, I could actually see the pavement going by through a hole in the passenger side door . he was the guy whose proudest possession was a coffee table he'd found in a dumpster, and whose only pair of decent shoes was half a size too small.

But when Barack started telling me about his family — that's when I knew I had found a kindred spirit, someone whose values and upbringing were so much like mine.

You see, Barack and I were both raised by families who didn't have much in the way of money or material possessions but who had given us something far more valuable — their unconditional love, their unflinching sacrifice, and the chance to go places they had never imagined for themselves.

My father was a pump operator at the city water plant, and he was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis when my brother and I were young.

And even as a kid, I knew there were plenty of days when he was in pain . I knew there were plenty of mornings when it was a struggle for him to simply get out of bed.

But every morning, I watched my father wake up with a smile, grab his walker, prop himself up against the bathroom sink, and slowly shave and button his uniform.

And when he returned home after a long day's work, my brother and I would stand at the top of the stairs to our little apartment, patiently waiting to greet him . watching as he reached down to lift one leg, and then the other, to slowly climb his way into our arms.

But despite these challenges, my dad hardly ever missed a day of work . he and my mom were determined to give me and my brother the kind of education they could only dream of.

And when my brother and I finally made it to college, nearly all of our tuition came from student loans and grants.

But my dad still had to pay a tiny portion of that tuition himself.

And every semester, he was determined to pay that bill right on time, even taking out loans when he fell short.

He was so proud to be sending his kids to college . and he made sure we never missed a registration deadline because his check was late.

You see, for my dad, that's what it meant to be a man.

Like so many of us, that was the measure of his success in life— being able to earn a decent living that allowed him to support his family.

And as I got to know Barack, I realized that even though he'd grown up all the way across the country, he'd been brought up just like me.

Barack was raised by a single mother who struggled to pay the bills, and by grandparents who stepped in when she needed help.

Barack's grandmother started out as a secretary at a community bank . and she moved quickly up the ranks . but like so many women, she hit a glass ceiling.

And for years, men no more qualified than she was— men she had actually trained— were promoted up the ladder ahead of her, earning more and more money while Barack's family continued to scrape by.

But day after day, she kept on waking up at dawn to catch the bus . arriving at work before anyone else . giving her best without complaint or regret.

And she would often tell Barack, "So long as you kids do well, Bar, that's all that really matters."

Like so many American families, our families weren't asking for much.

They didn't begrudge anyone else's success or care that others had much more than they did... in fact, they admired it.

They simply believed in that fundamental American promise that, even if you don't start out with much, if you work hard and do what you're supposed to do, then you should be able to build a decent life for yourself and an even better life for your kids and grandkids.

That's how they raised us . that's what we learned from their example.

We learned about dignity and decency — that how hard you work matters more than how much you make . that helping others means more than just getting ahead yourself.

We learned about honesty and integrity — that the truth matters . that you don't take shortcuts or play by your own set of rules. and success doesn't count unless you earn it fair and square.

We learned about gratitude and humility — that so many people had a hand in our success, from the teachers who inspired us to the janitors who kept our school clean . and we were taught to value everyone's contribution and treat everyone with respect.

Those are the values Barack and I — and so many of you — are trying to pass on to our own children.

That's who we are.

And standing before you four years ago, I knew that I didn't want any of that to change if Barack became president.

Well, today, after so many struggles and triumphs and moments that have tested my husband in ways I never could have imagined, I have seen firsthand that being president doesn't change who you are— it reveals who you are.

You see, I've gotten to see up close and personal what being president really looks like.

And I've seen how the issues that come across a president's desk are always the hard ones — the problems where no amount of data or numbers will get you to the right answer . the judgment calls where the stakes are so high, and there is no margin for error.

And as president, you can get all kinds of advice from all kinds of people.

But at the end of the day, when it comes time to make that decision, as president, all you have to guide you are your values, and your vision, and the life experiences that make you who you are.

So when it comes to rebuilding our economy, Barack is thinking about folks like my dad and like his grandmother.

He's thinking about the pride that comes from a hard day's work.

That's why he signed the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act to help women get equal pay for equal work.

That's why he cut taxes for working families and small businesses and fought to get the auto industry back on its feet.

That's how he brought our economy from the brink of collapse to creating jobs again — jobs you can raise a family on, good jobs right here in the United States of America.

When it comes to the health of our families, Barack refused to listen to all those folks who told him to leave health reform for another day, another president.

He didn't care whether it was the easy thing to do politically — that's not how he was raised — he cared that it was the right thing to do.

He did it because he believes that here in America, our grandparents should be able to afford their medicine . our kids should be able to see a doctor when they're sick . and no one in this country should ever go broke because of an accident or illness.

And he believes that women are more than capable of making our own choices about our bodies and our health care . that's what my husband stands for.

When it comes to giving our kids the education they deserve, Barack knows that like me and like so many of you, he never could've attended college without financial aid.

And believe it or not, when we were first married, our combined monthly student loan bills were actually higher than our mortgage.

We were so young, so in love, and so in debt.

That's why Barack has fought so hard to increase student aid and keep interest rates down, because he wants every young person to fulfill their promise and be able to attend college without a mountain of debt.

So in the end, for Barack, these issues aren't political — they're personal.

Because Barack knows what it means when a family struggles.

He knows what it means to want something more for your kids and grandkids.

Barack knows the American Dream because he's lived it . and he wants everyone in this country to have that same opportunity, no matter who we are, or where we're from, or what we look like, or who we love.

And he believes that when you've worked hard, and done well, and walked through that doorway of opportunity . you do not slam it shut behind you . you reach back, and you give other folks the same chances that helped you succeed.

So when people ask me whether being in the White House has changed my husband, I can honestly say that when it comes to his character, and his convictions, and his heart, Barack Obama is still the same man I fell in love with all those years ago.

He's the same man who started his career by turning down high paying jobs and instead working in struggling neighborhoods where a steel plant had shut down, fighting to rebuild those communities and get folks back to work . because for Barack, success isn't about how much money you make, it's about the difference you make in people's lives.

He's the same man who, when our girls were first born, would anxiously check their cribs every few minutes to ensure they were still breathing, proudly showing them off to everyone we knew.

That's the man who sits down with me and our girls for dinner nearly every night, patiently answering their questions about issues in the news, and strategizing about middle school friendships.

That's the man I see in those quiet moments late at night, hunched over his desk, poring over the letters people have sent him.

The letter from the father struggling to pay his bills . from the woman dying of cancer whose insurance company won't cover her care . from the young person with so much promise but so few opportunities.

I see the concern in his eyes...and I hear the determination in his voice as he tells me, "You won't believe what these folks are going through, Michelle . it's not right. We've got to keep working to fix this. We've got so much more to do."

I see how those stories — our collection of struggles and hopes and dreams — I see how that's what drives Barack Obama every single day.

And I didn't think it was possible, but today, I love my husband even more than I did four years ago . even more than I did 23 years ago, when we first met.

I love that he's never forgotten how he started.

I love that we can trust Barack to do what he says he's going to do, even when it's hard — especially when it's hard.

I love that for Barack, there is no such thing as "us" and "them" — he doesn't care whether you're a Democrat, a Republican, or none of the above . he knows that we all love our country. and he's always ready to listen to good ideas . he's always looking for the very best in everyone he meets.

And I love that even in the toughest moments, when we're all sweating it — when we're worried that the bill won't pass, and it seems like all is lost — Barack never lets himself get distracted by the chatter and the noise.

Just like his grandmother, he just keeps getting up and moving forward . with patience and wisdom, and courage and grace.

And he reminds me that we are playing a long game here .and that change is hard, and change is slow, and it never happens all at once.

But eventually we get there, we always do.

We get there because of folks like my dad . folks like Barack's grandmother . men and women who said to themselves, "I may not have a chance to fulfill my dreams, but maybe my children will . maybe my grandchildren will."

So many of us stand here tonight because of their sacrifice, and longing, and steadfast love . because time and again, they swallowed their fears and doubts and did what was hard.

So today, when the challenges we face start to seem overwhelming — or even impossible — let us never forget that doing the impossible is the history of this nation . it's who we are as Americans . it's how this country was built.

And if our parents and grandparents could toil and struggle for us . if they could raise beams of steel to the sky, send a man to the moon, and connect the world with the touch of a button . then surely we can keep on sacrificing and building for our own kids and grandkids.

And if so many brave men and women could wear our country's uniform and sacrifice their lives for our most fundamental rights . then surely we can do our part as citizens of this great democracy to exercise those rights . surely, we can get to the polls and make our voices heard on Election Day.

If farmers and blacksmiths could win independence from an empire . if immigrants could leave behind everything they knew for a better life on our shores . if women could be dragged to jail for seeking the vote . if a generation could defeat a depression, and define greatness for all time. if a young preacher could lift us to the mountaintop with his righteous dream . and if proud Americans can be who they are and boldly stand at the altar with who they love . then surely, surely we can give everyone in this country a fair chance at that great American Dream.

Because in the end, more than anything else, that is the story of this country — the story of unwavering hope grounded in unyielding struggle.

That is what has made my story, and Barack's story, and so many other American stories possible.

And I say all of this tonight not just as first lady.and not just as a wife.

You see, at the end of the day, my most important title is still "mom in chief."

My daughters are still the heart of my heart and the center of my world.

But today, I have none of those worries from four years ago about whether Barack and I were doing what's best for our girls.

Because today, I know from experience that if I truly want to leave a better world for my daughters, and all our sons and daughters . if we want to give all our children a foundation for their dreams and opportunities worthy of their promise . if we want to give them that sense of limitless possibility — that belief that here in America, there is always something better out there if you're willing to work for it . then we must work like never before . and we must once again come together and stand together for the man we can trust to keep moving this great country forward . my husband, our president, President Barack Obama.

Thank you, God bless you, and God bless America.

Nicki Minaj Biography

Onika Tanya Maraj (Born December 8, 1984) known by her stage name Nicki Minaj a female rapper. She was born in Saint James, Trinidad and Tobago, and moved to the Queen Borough of New York City when she was five years old. She grew up in a troubled home, with a father on drugs and a struggling single mother. Despite her hectic environment, Minaj went on to graduate from LaGuardia High School in Manhattan where she studied singing and acting. Working as an administrative assistant, she dedicated all of her free time to pursuing a potential music career. Nicki Minaj started off singing, from background vocals, to hooks for local rappers. Minaj wanted to “stand out” more, from the average dime-a-dozen young aspiring singer and began writing raps. Starting out as the lone female in a group, (which she left in 2006) Nicki soon branched out and was noticed on Myspace by Dirty Money CEO Fendi. Who signed her and put her on the front of his Dirty Money Label, and his The Come Up DVD. Appearing on The Carter Edition of the DVD series, Minaj was noticed by rapper Lil’ Wayne who immediately called Fendi to negotiate meeting Nicki. He was convinced by not only her different style of rapping, but her ability to full on write her own material that she was perfect to be the face of his Young Money label. The two collaborated on mixtape styled remakes of tracks such as “Sunshine”, “Big Spender” and more recently a song entitled “Higher than a Kite” which uses T.I.’s “My Swag” beat. In April of 2007, she released her first mixtape entitled Playtime is Over. Where she posed as a Barbie doll on the cover. Lil’ Wayne appeared on the track “Can’t Stop, Won’t Stop”. Nearly a year later, Minaj released her second mixed cd titled Sucka Free. Controversy surrounded this as Nicki paid tribute to rapper Lil’ Kim by posing with her legs spread for promotional posters. She describes it as something to “pull people in”, so that they would listen to what she had to say. Nicki Minaj graced the pages of the July issue of the XXL magazine giving a brief overview of her life up to that point in time. Originally using her real last name Maraj, Nicki boasts she started calling herself Minaj because she started “eating chicks”, with her vicious rap skills. Its pronounced as Menage, only spelled to compliment her real last name with a J instead of the traditional spelling. Aside from her original moniker, Minaj also uses an array of Aka aliases to describe herself, such as; “Nicki Lewenski”, and “AKA Sit on your favorite rapper’s face”

Nigeria's elections 2011. Teaser Trailer

Infertility Teaser Trailer

Pain of Love

Just because there was no bleeding..you thought i wasn't hurting.
Just because i never cried infront of you..you foolishly assumed i was strong and not feeling the pain.
Just because i covered the scars..you kept delivering more and more assault for everyone to see me hurting.
Just because i never complained..you convinced yourself i was okay.
Just because i never confronted you and accused you..you were convinced i didn't know, you  convinced yourself i was blind or playing dumb.
Just because i never raised my voice..you thought i was clueless and not brave.
Just because i gave you time of the day..you convinced yourself i was happy with you.
Just because i called you day and night..you stupidly assumed i couldn't live without you.
Just because i listened when you talk..you thought i respected you so much.
And just because i waited so long for you..you obviously thought you were the ish of my life!!!
.....Now i weighed all your thoughts and concluded:..INGENUITY HAS LIMITS BUT YOUR STUPIDITY IS LIMITLESS..
STUPIDLY I LOVE U.

Abolade Ishola: Documentary Truth

Abolade Ishola: Documentary Truth: "Does the thought of taping yet another family party bore you? Tired of weddings for your friends? Looking for a project that will a..."

Documentary Truth

Does the thought of taping yet another family birthday party bore you? Tired of weddings for your friends? Looking for a project that will appeal to a larger audience?

Why not produce your own documentary? There are at least a dozen good ideas right outside your front door-from local landmarks to controversial issues.

Documentaries let you express yourself through the lens of your camcorder. They don't cost much to produce, and you don't need much equipment, either. What you've got now is probably more than enough.

So seize the day and become a documentary videomaker; this guide can help get you started.

Documentary Defined

A documentary is a series of undirected, unrehearsed moments organized into a study of human behavior. The goal; to inform and move an audience about a subject.

Documentaries often celebrate individual achievement, whether posifive or negative. They highlight the unusual and rely on the unique. At the same time, they reveal the common threads that link us all.

There are two basic styles: direct cinema and cinema veriti.

In direct cinema the videomaker intrudes as little as possible with the equipment, to record genuine expressions and events. In essence, direct cinema aims to capture reality without affecting or directing it. This style requires rolling miles of tape and editing for hours to select the most revealing moments.

Cinema verite takes the opposite approach. Here the documentarian intentionally gets involved with the subjects. Some even have staged events for the camera that would not have taken place otherwise. The cinema verztédocumentarian creates or provokes situations hoping to expose truths that ordinarily lie hidden. When it works, this style requires less tape.

Both styles aim at the same objective. Direct cinema waits patiently for the golden moments to appear while cinema verite goes mining for them. Rarely will you find pure examples of either technique. Most documentaries combine elements of raw truth with directed moments.

For example, many of the action sequences and environmental scenes in documentaries are shot without preparation or rehearsal as direct cinema would require. However, you will often find the interview in many of the same documentaries, and that is a cinema revile technique. An interview allows your subjects to communicate their ideas, beliefs and emotions in their own words.

Either way, a documentary seeks to provide its audience with the truth about a subject. Thanks to advances in video technology and declines in the cost of tape, more and more videomakers can afford to tell the truth. And thanks to the hundreds of cable access channels and low-power UHF stations across the country, you can tell the truth to more and more people.

Getting Started

The documentary process begins with a subject or an idea.

More than just a program rattling off fact after fact, or showing pretty scene after scene, a documentary is about values, ideals and emotions. It's a story with a message; it has a beginning, middle and end.

The best documentaries not only teach the audience, they teach the videomaker as well. What you choose as a topic for your documentary should interest you.

Choose one you feel concerned about, and you will find the work easier and more rewarding.

There are plenty of stories in every community.

Check out current events and issues, both local and national, for ideas. Look at your own interests and hobbies.

Look at what is happening around you and search for a story idea. Here are some areas to explore:

Anything of historical significance. Whether it's a person, event, building or landmark, stories about the past are always popular among audiences, especially when they hold local interest. For example, you might trace the history of the oldest operating railroad in your state.

You'll find as many as a dozen people to interview: conductors and other rail employees, both past and present; passengers; historical society members; community members and more.

They've all got stories and anecdotes you could combine into a clever retrospective about the railroad. Look for pictures and perhaps old film footage of the trains at the rail station, transportation office or local museum. You might even be able to sell the finished tape to folks who ride the train!

Restoration or renovation projects. Once splendid old buildings and landmarks-like movie theaters-have fallen victim to decay and vandalism in recent years.

A little detective work can unearth pictures of these places in their glory days, as well as their present gloomy ones. You can finish the story by showing how renovations compare with original features, and how the new owners plan to use the restored building.

University histories. College students often trace the history of professors and deans in their departments or degree programs. Others recap the history of the entire university.

School libraries and alumni centers are full of photos and memorabilia you can use.

Educational storytelling. Try telling stories of interest to teachers and young students in your community.

For example, a local school district might welcome a documentary about people with unusual careers as part of a career education course.

The local phone book will reveal a wealth of interview opportunities, from chimney sweeps to piano tuners.

Likewise, schools might enjoy a video about a typical work day for a banker, store manager or bee keeper.

Current events and issues. Choose a current topic and you might be able to distribute the program to a national audience.

When choosing the topic, remember that what matters the most is people. Construct your story around the people concerned with the topic, not just around the topic itself.

When people watch a documentary, they learn about themselves as well as the topic. They compare their own lives to those documented on your video.

The similarities and differences between them act as a window through which the audience can learn about the people in the story and about themselves.

Fail to explore the ideas and emotions coming from the people in your story, and your audience won't benefit as much as they could from viewing your program.

Be Prepared

It's crucial to define the scope of your project as early as possible in your production. Decide what you will and won't cover.

Everything from the shots you take on location to the edit points in the final program will be much easier if you define the boundaries of your project early on.

It's also crucial to research your documentary well before you begin shooting.

Research involves reading as much material as possible.

A local library is a good place to start, along with the local chamber of commerce and historical society. All will have records of people and places from the past.

Research also involves finding the people you'd like to interview for the program. The best way to do this is to screen as many people as you can. Ask them a few of the questions you would ask on camera, to get a feel for how they'll respond and what stories they might be able to tell.

Use your own judgment as a guide for selecting the ones who'll appear in your video. Obviously, you want people who feel comfortable talking about themselves on camera.

Select only a handful of people for on-camera interviews-no more than six for a half-hour program.

Include more and you risk confusing the audience.

Complete these preparations and you can begin production. For documentary work, this means putting together interviews, action footage, still pictures and narration.

Interviews

The most important tool for a documentary videomaker is the interview.

The interview segments or sound bites connect the audience to your program. For this reason, you must polish your skill as an interviewer.

First, learn to make your subjects comfortable. There's no foolproof way to calm their nerves, but there are a few tricks you can use.

The first few questions you ask should be about the interviewees, not necessarily about the documentary's topic. Once people begin to talk about themselves they naturally relax, so save the critical questions until the end and you'll get better answers.

Instruct the subject to talk to you, not the camera lens. It's much easier for people to relax talking to another person than to a lens. They're more likely to use facial expressions as well when they direct answers to you and not the camera.

Avoid questions easily answered with yes or no. These don't promote the discussion and emotion you need.

Since interviews are so vital, it's vital not only to conduct them properly, but also to shoot them properly. Again, there are no rules, but here are some tips:

1) Sit down with your subject, as though you were having a normal conversation without the camera in the room.

2) Position the camera a comfortable distance from the person you're interviewing, slightly off to one side. Don't put the camera directly in front of the subject; instead, put your chair there. Position the camera just to the left or the right of your chair. Put the lens at eye level with the subject.

3) When you frame subjects in the viewfinder, avoid placing them in the exact center of the screen. It's awkward. Position them on either the left or right two-thirds of the screen. Be sure to leave enough lead room.

4) Change the framing of your shots during the interview. Ideally, you should change shots between questions.

For solo videomakers who conduct the interview and run the camera at the same time, this can be tough. Let the subject know you'll fiddle with the camera between questions, and try to limit your shot changes to once every two or three questions so you don't disrupt the flow of the conversation.

The reason for changing shots: to give you the freedom to intercut between answers during the final edit sessions.

Typical shot changes in an interview include zooming in from a wide shot to a close up and zooming out from a close-up to a medium shot. You can reframe the shot as long as your subject remains on the same side of the screen.

Some documentary iubjects require interviews with people in public places, like along streets or in shopping malls. Obviously, you can't prepare these locations ahead of time, and you have to limit the number of questions you ask.

In these situations, do your best to get concise answers from those you interview. A good way to insure a concise response is to ask very specific questions.

Keep it Moving

Vital to any documentary is footage of activities and environments that surround the people in your story. The action sequences and settings are essential for holding your audience's attention. Without them, a documentary quickly becomes a program of talking heads and narration.

Camcorder technology has made the process of capturing these scenes unobtrusively much easier. Videotape is inexpensive; the cameras are small and don't weigh much. Provided you have the time, waiting for the perfect moments no longer presents a problem. The direct cinema technique has become possible for many.

After some time in front of a camera, most people tend to ignore that it's there. It's almost as if they forget you're recording them. That's when you'll capture the best direct cinema footage. So be patient.

Still Photographs

You'll find still photographs, art and film footage in almost every documentary. Library or local historical societies are good sources for photos and old film or video clips.

You might even get a few nostalgic gems from the people you interview for the program.

Still photographs in particular provide an excellent way to illustrate a historic subject. Although the action in these pictures is frozen, you can create a sense of motion when you record these images with your camcorder.

Slow zooms, tilts and pans across an old photo will create a sense of motion and engage the audience's imagination. Moves like these mimic the way people often examine old photographs: a careful, close-up study of details like clothing, jewelry and facial expressions.

Underscore still photographs with period music or a sound bite from an interview to add drama, and help them blend in well with the rest of the program.

Old film footage or videotape might be available as well. You may have to transfer them from their current format to the one you're using.

Time can render some of these formats very fragile or brittle, so exercise care during the transfer. Older film footage is especially susceptible to breaking and cracking if not treated properly.

It also might be difficult to find a machine to play back these clips. You can rent regular 8mm and Super 8mm film projectors at audio-visual houses, or you can try buying them at flea markets.

Transfer older video formats, such as early half-inch, one-inch and two- inch tapes, at a professional production house.

Prices for these services will vary, depending on length and original format. Typically, the older the format the more expensive the transfer.

Narration

The final element common to most documentaries is narration.

You add these voice-overs between sound bites to help tell your story.

How narration fits into your documenta ly is a matter of personal preference. Many videomakers choose not to include narration at all. Instead, they let the words of their subjects tell the story. This is probably the purest way to organize the material into a finished documentary form.

Unfortunately, it's also the most difficult. It usually requires transcribing each interview, and then selecting appropriate portions for the final program. Of course you must have enough interview material to tell story effectively.

If you have the material, as well as the time and patience to complete such a project, using this no-narration technique can result in a stronger documentary.

If you decide to bridge the gaps between sound bites with narration, keep the language simple and direct. You want the audience to remember the people you interview, not your narrator.

Don't try to embellish or dramatize the narrator's part. The narrator really isjust a storyteller, so keep narration clean and simple. Let your subjects add the color and emotion to your story.

Equipment

Documentary vidcomakers don't need much equipment. A minimal set up is all you need to produce programs good enough to air on cable access or UHF networks.

For field production, the rig is very basic: a camcorder, tripod and two microphones. If your budget is tight, the shotgun can double as a handheld mike for interviews, and triple as a directional mike for recording natural sound.

If your project requires travel, you'll need something in which to carry accessories. Consider a good piece of video luggage. Budget-conscious videomakers can probably use a sturdy day pack as an accessory case.

For editing, you'll need two decks. For most videomakers, the camera itself serves as the playback machine; all you need is a VCR for recording the edited master version.

You can add a second VCR, switcher, audio mixer, edit controller and other equipment to your editing studio, but the basic requirement is just this one VCR.

It's a good idea to have a master VCR capable of audio and video insert editing; this will give you the most flexibility when you put the program together.

It's Your Turn

Until recently, only a privileged few could afford to produce documentaries. Now you cao express your ideas, opinions and emotions to large audiences through this form, even on a limited budget.

So go ahead and give the documentary a try. You'll be glad you did.