DVD Debut a Hollywood Reality Show!

AEHS members cast in survivor series

Bob Kingsep

Just back and unpacked from our attendance of the West Coast Estonian Days (a bi-annual festivity) in Los Angeles, California. Our primary mission was, as you know, to present the play 'Thrice Pioneers' written by Lillian Munz and the Premiere our DVD 'Alberta's Estonians '.

In summary our presentations were VERY well received and we all went home feeling proud and pleased with all the efforts of all of the AEHS members who gave their support to our mission.

No story would be a story if there were not some element of intrigue. With that in mind, the following is our story.

Our contingent was represented by Dave Kiil, Helgi and Peter Leesment, Martha and David Munz Gue, Helle and Jüri Kraav, Bob Tipman, Peter and Jeanette Asmus, Annette and myself. Dr. Giuliana Songster, LA resident and a descendant of the Alberta Erdmans, joined the group. Martha also displayed her paintings that in my (partially color blind) opinion were either the best or one of the best displays in the Gallery! That family was further represented via artworks by Martha's sister Lillian Munz and their late mother Helmi.

From the DVD side, we went prepared for any possible contingency. Three DVD's on three separate flights. Two copies of the script, one in checked baggage, one in carry on. An extra laptop just in case the DVD player and sound equipment we requested on three separate occasions was not available or nonfunctional.

On the Thursday before our Friday presentation I located the man in charge of the organization of our segment of the festival to ensure our requested equipment was in place and available. He assured me it was and introduced me to the technical man they had hired from an outside source to insure all the sound and visual requirements necessary for all of the singers, speakers, and dancers had been arranged. The technician listened to my specifies and although he could not demonstrate it because of the continuous changes necessary for the variety of sound requirements by the different groups, he assured me it would be in place.

The events were very tightly stacked, with at most, 15-minute intervals between them. This year, more than previous years, there were requests to have more bilingual (Estonian and English) content in the presentations. Whether it was the inability to account for the extra time involved with delivering lectures in two languages or just the good old Estonian habit of perpetual dialogue, the events preceding ours were WAY over their time limits and the pressure to 'get on with it' was probably at it's height when our turn finally transpired.

The technician went to work the moment the last speaker stepped away from the podium and began re-arranging the equipment to our requirements. I was impressed with the mass of complex sound equipment on the site and I presented him with the DVD when it appeared he had completed his re-arranging. He looked at the DVD with a bit of a surprise and said, "Oh, we don't have a DVD player. Do you happen to have a laptop?" My heart went into a pace I didn't know it had, and the background music of 'Jaws' was becoming increasingly audible as I fumbled to unpack and boot up my laptop. Somewhere nearby I sensed Murphy was grinning.

The clock was running, Jüri Tint, the head organizer was pacing, I was sweating, the technical guy's long hair was buried deep in his box of cables and my laptop just decided it was time to do a virus scan. This was not looking good.

Finally my computer was up. The technician whipped over to plug the main output cable into my computer muttering something, which included the phrase '... this cable has been giving us trouble... ' With some extra cable wiggling the video was displaying, but there was no sound.

Dave, Martha and Helgi have now been ready and waiting to begin the play for at least five minutes. Finally, with a bypass of the sound output, we get video and sound! What a relief! Now we can have the DVD ready to go the second the play is finished. On with the show! The play went splendidly, Helgi's narration was as professional as it gets. Martha, a veteran of the play led the way and Dave was his cool self. The audience listened, understood and appreciated. Our story was unfolding and the applause bolstered our confidence!

Now, on with the DVD. I walked over to the laptop, glancing at the screen. I felt a hint of concern that the projector had gone into standby. Raising the laptop screen, I realized that it too had taken the opportunity to go to sleep. While neither of these states shoutd be a problem, there was something ominous in the air. Pressing the shift key on the laptop will wake it up. The signal from the laptop will wake up the projector, and away we go. I pressed the shift key.

Nothing. I pressed it again. Nothing. I waited five seconds. Again nothing. The audience is beginning to chat. Again. Nothing. I had a desperate move left. A quick tap of the 'off' button will bring it up, but one has to be careful not to hold it too long or the computer re-boots. I try it. ... and see my world falling apart as the laptop goes into a reboot... .. and now worse... another virus scan! Seconds are now minutes....and three minutes later we have the laptop up and the projector back in standby. It won't wake up! The technician has gone to another venue.

Various people with experience with projectors lend their assistance....but it just won't work. Finally I had to make the inevitable announcement..."We apologize folks, but we are going to have to find another time slot, and "play it then"

Our group and Jüri Tint are gathered around the laptop. People are filing out. "Well" Jüri sighed, "There is no other time slot available. I'm sorry, but you won't be able to show it. Sometimes these things just happen. Again I'm sorry, but there is nothing else I can do."

The unimaginable was just happening!! Fortunately, this had carried on long enough that the denial period had faded away and the anger process was just coming up to stride! Helgi's hands were forming into a neck size grip! Helle had darts coming from here eyes that would have killed Superman! In as controlled a voice as I could muster, I looked up from the laptop, gazed directly at Jüri, and said "You don't understand, this is a forty thousand dollar professional investment produced just for this festival! It has to be seen!".

"Oh..... ah ...ahhh ... let me see what I can do tomorrow at noon. There is a half hour break......we'll do it then. And I'll make sure they have a DVD player. We'll do it then.... if that's OK with you people."

Peter Asmus, unnerved by the circumstances, decided that a quick trip to the Macy's store a few blocks away and the purchase of a DVD player was a small price to pay for a good nights sleep. Paranoia is contagious.

Saturday came. Dave Kiil checked out the room and talked to the technician. They now had a DVD player and they had tested it.

Twelve o'clock, and almost on time. The prospects are even better as the audience is larger than it was Friday! The technician moves mikes, runs cables, adjusts the projector and hits the play button. We hold our collective breaths..... and onto the screen comes the image of the ship.....we are running at last! I raised my hand in victory and the patient and appreciative audience breaks into applause. (Most of the attendees have heard of our plight). The applause is so loud, I'm having trouble hearing the audio. [look back at the technician and see he is moving the volume knobs up. The applause dies down to reveal the impossible........NO SOUND!!! How can this be?

After five to ten minutes of restarts, adjustments and cable replacements there is stiil no sound!! Our contingent is in utter and complete disbelief as the previous day's disaster begins all over again! One young lady from the audience slips up to the projector and wiggles one of the cables.....static.....a promise....and a clue to the technician as to what might be wrong! He recables and the sound comes on!

A reset of the player. ....some static.... and FINALLY .....we have a visual and audible presentation! Finally!

The applause, and the questions and comments at the end of it all, were as much or more than we could have asked for! It was a success! Many people came to us and said how much they enjoyed it. A lady from New York wants it to play to her students. A lady from Toronto said it made her proud to say she was Canadian. Many want to know how to buy it.

A gentleman who was born and raised in New York but now works in Tallinn and does production work said it is as good a presentation as there is. The story, editing and presentation were first class. He insists that it needs to be shown on Estonian TV because most Estonians don't have any idea what happened to their relatives who went to North America, and this DVD tells the story.

My only consolation for the near disaster was that it was proof that we 21st century pioneer descendants still have the genes it takes to make something happen. Perhaps our predecessors up there invoked this. If we were going to talk the talk, we'd better be able to walk the walk!

Helgi gave an AEHS pin to the young lady who wiggled the right cable. Peter Asmus returned the DVD player to Macy's for a refund.

I am personally so very appreciative of the support I received during that period of frustration. We had a fantastic group who worked very well together and pulled it off! No doubt the tension relief we felt at the ball later that evening made the event even more enjoyable, and the success of our venture tasted that much sweeter.

Congratulations to every one! This is just the beginning of another great AEHS accomplishment!

And that's the story to date!

Whew!