Our latest project is hot off the presses. The "Pioneers of Irrigation" has turned out to be quite an interesting video project. Technically it shows off such video production advancements as the use of the green screen, couple with the 16 x 9 high-definition format which demands more from an editor.
In this case, the editor was me. I also worked as sound technician on two of the three shoots which took place in San Diego, Los Angeles and Napa, California. (I missed out on the Napa one unfortunately, because as we all know, some of the best wines in the world come from there and it's a wonderful place to be.)
This video is worth checking out because it tells the story of an industry through its pioneers. As a "fly on the wall" during two shoots, I learned many things about irrigation and its leading innovators. For instance, when asked if they would do it again, most of the interviewees, some of whom had been involved in irrigation for two, three and four decades, said, "I would have gotten started sooner." They were completely devoted to their chosen profession, and several of them had businesses that included several generations of family members.
It turns out that Irrigation encompasses three tiers: agriculture, turf and golf courses. The most important topic for everyone concerned was water conservation. It was readily apparent to me that the Irrigation Association is way ahead of the rest of us when it comes to conserving our water usage.
What you see here is an initial demo that the Irrigation Association will put up on its website. They have plans to create a longer version that tells the full story of irrigation from the past to the future.
I hope this can be an example to other organizations in that an industry's "elders" will not always be around to tell their stories. Ken Burns showed us all with his series on "The War" that now is the time to collect the stories of our foreparents before they die.
It is good that History Chairman, Glenn Bowlin, had the idea of producing this historical video on the Irrigation industry, as one man we interviewed, Al Dedrick, is now gone. But his words and smiles live on through the power of video.