The Road Not Taken 10/20/14

When I initially began working with WeVideo I found it to be simple and easy. The following is an excerpt from a blog post that I intended to publish.



 I choose to use WeVideo for my Digital Poetry Interpretation project. I've been out exploring the wilderness and was able to take many pictures and videos that I feel would fit neatly into the delivery of my poem, "The Road Not Taken" by Robert Frost.
I decided to begin my project by adding several photos from my Facebook account. The first thing I had to do was to give WeVideo permission to access my Facebook account in order to link the two. Next, I had to chose which Facebook folder and photos I wanted to download- a click and an ok to download the photos was all it took to add them to the "My media" folder of WeVideo.
I found the process simple enough to do. There are other platforms besides Facebook that are available to connect and download from. The following is the complete list of web services WeVideo offers a link to:

• Google Drive
• Instagram
• Flickr 
• Facebook
• Dropbox
• Picasa
• Box
• OneDrive
• Dailymotion
• and of course your computer   

It is after the downloading of the various media that my difficulties with WeVideo began.  I was able to insert the video and/or pictures I needed as well as the music with ease. When I wanted to edit the length of each slide I had to do so individually- this I found to be a pain. I also had trouble when it came to adding my voice as I read the poem.  I could visually see the files of the various readings but was not able to insert them into my video. If there was a way I wasn't able to find it. This caused me to lose time recording an audio track that I had already done. Even though I decided not to use a theme there were several cute ones to choose from. 

In the end I found it extremely difficult to align the music, slides, and my reading of the poem.  I experienced technical difficulties when I first initially played my video for the class as the music drowned out my voice.  I had to go back into the editing mode of WeVideo and change the volume to each, the music and my voice. Once I was able to balance them out I had to re-publish my video to view it before the class.  

I could go on and on about the pros and CONS of WeVideo but lets talk a little about the process of dissecting the poem in this platform. 

As much as I LIKED Frost's poem prior to start of this project I now LOVE it! This project forced me to slow down and really getting into the meat of Robert Frost's words.  I was able to look past the visual aesthetics created by the weaving of Frost's words and appreciate his ability to draw attention how the powerful choice has in influencing one's personal development.   This is not the "badass" poem that I once thought it to be. To me this poem defines the journey through life as being full of pathways of choice and understanding, trails lined acceptance and appreciation, and roads paved with ugliness and beauty. We are all a product of the roads we've taken, both good and bad, and they have shaped who we are today.  We have the power to take a different route and chose another destination, I know I have.