visual content to put on screen while reading out loud

July 30, 2021 7:21 AM

an art related online group i sometimes attend has a "show and tell" component, where various ones of us volunteer to, say, talk about a lesser known artist and share images and info about them/their work, or share something we're working on, or a tool we like , or ..or.. or.. it's very wide open.

I figured I'd like to share some readings, via reading aloud to folks from various texts for a little while (not too long - 5-10 minutes).. so I did and it was fine.. my dilemma.. well.. dilemma is too strong a word, but the thing i couldn't quite settle on was what to share on my screen while reading. I wasn't sure if i wanted people to be looking at me reading, because I thought that might.. detract.. from the content.. but.. maybe it wouldn't have. and while i don't love being "spotlit" ..i can deal. But..anyway, this time i shared a video of james gurney painting while i read some robert henri content about art making, etc. the video was on youtube though and i didn't plan all that well and download it ahead and there was an ad so.. oops..

Anyways, my question: what do you think helps folks concentrate while being read to? Any ideas? I think anything with the content itself on the screen is out because .. well, that's like having someone read you the slides from a powerpoint which i find very pointless. I'm not sure i really have it in me to spend the time to make a slideshow of images relevant to the reading to share, which .. might be ideal.. but too much work.

I was thinking maybe a live cam of an aquarium or some animals frolicking? too random? definitely doesn't have much to do with art. something meditative , like that headspace blob that expands and contracts , breathing-style? too .. weird? I think, if it is to be something, it needs to be slow and not have text.. maybe nothing at all? I'm a champ at overthinking things so i thought i'd give up and see if you all had any ideas : P

posted by elgee to Human Relations (4 answers total)

Was the reception to the Henri video just negative based on the inclusion of the ad? Because to me that sounds like a decent visual to have.

It's a livestream, so part of you needs to accept that folks are going to take it in whichever way feels best to them. Some will close their eyes and not want any visuals at all. Others will want to be busy with their hands (knitting, playing a mindless game) as that helps them concentrate. Some percentage will assume that what you show is a key component to your reading and concentrate very hard on it, but since it doesn't seem to matter to you, I agree that something abstract would be best.

With minimal intervention on common software like iMovie, you could strip the sound from a Harry Smith or Len Lye film and slow it down to match the length of your talk?
posted by Ten Cold Hot Dogs at 7:50 AM on July 30, 2021

How about just some gentle abstract visuals like this or this, volume down? I'd find something that flowed less odd/distracting than the endless repetition of a breathing blob.

If people don't want to look at it, they're not missing anything, but I think I'd find it quite good for getting into a listening space, and I guess it's a visual that's constantly in the process of becoming and being made into something new, so has an affinity with your topic, in the most abstract sense.
posted by penguin pie at 8:09 AM on July 30, 2021

Maybe just a static title card including the title and author, and a relevant image? If people find even that distracting, they can minimize the window.
posted by Alterscape at 8:59 AM on July 30, 2021 [1 favorite]

Response by poster: these are great so far.. excited to hear any/all. @ten cold hotdogs, there was not negative reception, it's a small really friendly zoom, i just was feeling stuck thinking about it for next week's get together
: ) the static image idea is a pretty good fall back but excited for any/all ideas..
posted by elgee at 9:45 AM on July 30, 2021