Back when I was making videos for HardwareGeeks, I had what I thought was a simple idea. I would ask my mom to show people how easy it was to set up an HP Media Server. I wanted viewers to see that you didn’t have to be a computer expert to get it working.
My mom agreed, but she was nervous about being on camera. What sounded like a quick video turned into almost four hours of coaching her to get it right.
The HP Media Server was the easiest part to set up. The video took forever and a day.
There’s something about having a camera pointed at you that makes a simple task feel complicated. You start thinking about what to say, where to look, and whether you’re doing everything correctly. My mom was trying to explain the setup while dealing with those nerves, and I was trying to help her through it.
But I had fun. That’s what I remember most about making those videos for HardwareGeeks.
I enjoyed the unboxings, the reviews, and getting my hands on new technology. I liked showing people what came in the box, how things worked, and whether something was worth their time and money. Even when a video took much longer than expected, I enjoyed putting it together.
This one is especially memorable because I got to make it with my mom. The finished video shows her explaining how to set up an HP Media Server. When I watch it, I also remember the hours we spent getting there.
I’m embedding the video below so you can watch it for yourself. Just remember that behind that simple demonstration were almost four hours of coaching and one nervous mom who was a good sport about the whole thing.
Thanks, Mom. We could have set up a whole bunch of servers in the time it took us to finish that video.
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