Video Club on VTV in January: ‘Beyond the Gates’ Goes to Orange

Video One Productions, our special interest group for team-based video projects, continues its pandemic-defying production schedule – masked and socially-distanced, of course – with a new January episode of “Beyond the Gates” featuring the City of Orange. “Beyond the Gates” takes viewers to nearby places of interest every month and airs Wednesdays at 11 am on Village Television.

“Beyond the Gates”

Betsy Martin (right), a former long-time Orange resident, was Segment Producer on January’s City of Orange show. Betsy’s lineup features interviews at antique shops, restaurants, an art museum, and Chapman University’s new Musco Center, now one of Orange County’s premier venues.

With hosts Bill Hemberger and Susan Wheeler (pictured at left) having to be six feet from their interview subjects, early plans for one-camera, Huell Howser-style shooting had to be scrapped, and the show is being shot with three cameras – plus B-roll provided by Jack Crawbuck, who heads the camera crew. Susanne Savlov and Tom Nash are the show’s Producers. Suzanne, who also edits the show, is always seeking new location ideas. If you have a suggestion, or would like to serve as a Segment Producer, please email Suzanne, sedonasue1@gmail.com..

“Video Club Spotlight”

The “Video Club Spotlight” which airs Sundays at 4 pm, presenting monthly collections of short videos by club members, was the brainchild of – and is produced and edited by – Fred Harshbarger (right), Facilitator of Video One Productions.

January’s show will be Spotlight #6 and will feature a 14-minute theatrical video, “Pandora”s Box,” by Gila Zalon and a 13-minute documentary, “Extreme Bicycle,” by Fred Harshbarger.

In February, Spotlight #7 will consist of three videos: “Secretary Bird,” a 1-minute nature video by Fred Harshbarger; “Red Sea Sky,” a 4-minute music video by Jack Krawbuck; and “Morocco,” a 19-minute travel video by Fred Harshbarger.

If you’re a Video Club member and would like to submit a video for possible use in the “Video Club Spotlight” or would like to learn more about Video One Productions’ twice-monthly Zoom meetings, please email Fred,  f.harshbarger@sbcglobal.net.

Other Video Club-Produced Shows

Two other Video Club-produced shows are in re-runs on Village Television. “Laguna Woods Stories,” produced, hosted, and edited by Tom Nash, was shot by Video One Productions crews in our now-shuttered Video Studio. It airs Wednesdays and Sundays at 12 noon and in January will feature an interview with Hollywood actor and Village resident Brett Halsey.

“Welcome to my Home,” which visits the homes of residents born and raised outside the United States, was originated, produced, and edited by Suzanne Savlov and shot on location by Video One Productions crews. Airing Mondays at 9:30 am and Thursdays at 10 am, it introduces viewers to the hosts’ cultures and foods. In January, viewers will meet Sam Schlitz from Moldovia.

“Discovering Laguna Woods”

In the January, Video Club member and “Discovering Laguna Woods” host Cyndee Whitney chose to interview resident Pat Wilkinson on her monthly Village TV-produced series, which airs Wednesdays and Sundays at 9:30 am. “I think Pat is an incredibly inspiring person,” says Cyndee. “She’s lived in Laguna Woods for 23 years and has been involved in so many activities that benefit all of us. The Camera Club, the Cat Club, the History Center, and the Tree Walks are only a few.”

Cyndee is pictured above, on left, with Judy Saxon, co-host of the “Write Now Show,” discussed below.-

“Write Now Show”

Video Club members Charlie Redner and Judy Saxon co-host the “Write Now Show,” one of Village Television’s longest-running resident-hosted programs. Using Zoom, the show continues to be produced each month by Village TV, airing Sundays at 12:30 pm and Mondays at 11 am.

Says Charlie, “Our January guest will be Professor Dean Nelson, founder and director of the journalism program at Point Loma Nazarene University in San Diego. He is also founder of the ‘Symposium by the Sea,’ an annual program where Dean interviews world-famous writers. In addition to our interview with Dean, we will show clips of him with Joseph Wambaugh, Ray Bradbury, George Plimpton, Anne Lamott, Bill Moyers, and Billy Collins.”

In February, Charlie and Judy will interview performance poet Taylor Mali, based in New York City. Mali writes, performs, and teaches poetry worldwide. A former NYC teacher, Mali is best known for his signature poem, “What Teachers Make.”