SHS Choral Reunion 2011

"Keep the Faith. Keep singing. Keep smiling. Pass it on." 

- Jimmy Vines

Choral Director 1972 - 1983

This blog is about the documentary created for a reunion of the Seminole High School choir from 1972 - 1983.

         It was an interesting experience with the documentary that I created for the students and the teacher. I learned a lot while filming and editing the video. This was my first official documentary so I was a little nervous on how I was going to execute this.

          When I arrived the first day of the event I had the opportunity to meet all of the former students from the past years. Everybody was very happy and excited. The former students came from all over the country, some even from outside of the U.S. to attend this honored event. It was such an amazing experience for me as well in addition to the filming and documenting that is. When I was in high school I was also a member of the choir. My favorite memories in high school were of singing and traveling with my friends. I just can't imagine when my choral reunion arrives who I'll see again.

SHS Choral Reunion 2011 Documentary - sample

          My first opportunity to film was the students as they practiced singing. When lunch time approached I filmed the students interacting with each other. Attendance the first few days was minimal. There were only about nine or ten people that participated. As the days went on, more and more students began showing up. Some of the participants needed time to get back into their groove after almost twenty five years of not singing. Some however were already in the groove, having become music artists in one capacity or another. There were some times in the rehearsals when the students would get a little out of hand with talking and interrupting the teacher. That's when Mr. Vines would pull out the infamous smacking yardstick. The class remembered the ruthless stick and then snapped back to work! It was just so amazing how the students and teacher were rehearsing and interacting as if they never left the choral room approximately twenty five years ago.

 Jimmy Vines and the infamous Yardstick.

           Nearing the end of the rehearsals the former students started preparing for the big show. Some of them brought their old uniforms and gowns that they wore in their choir years. It was amazing watching them as they prepared for the show. Not a single participant was nervous about performing. I have been a part of many kinds of performances in the past but I have never seen so much excitement and joy from individuals preparing for a show. By the time Saturday night arrived the group had grown to approximately seventy-five former students with an audience of about three-hundred. Before the concert started there was a slide show presentation that was created by some of the former students. The presentation displayed pictures taken in the past by some of the former students. It was obvious that everyone was truly touched, as indicated by the number of people in the audience laughing and crying tears of joy in remembrance of good times passed. During the concert the former students sang many of their past choir pieces and several solos. The concert lasted a good two hours and ended with a amazing tribute for Mr. Vines. The former students and the audience were all clapping and cheering for him and his wife.

Coordinating an event like this was a huge effort. No one ever thought this would really happen. Everyone was so far away from each other that it could take many months or even years to contact all of them. But with a little help from a popular social networking site (Facebook), and an innovative former student, contacting all of the students took much less time. This former student was Shelly Close Mills. She was very committed throughout the whole adventure to ensuing that the event was a success.  Everyone was very appreciative of her great efforts (and her Facebook skills!).

SHS Choral Reunion 2011 - Concert video sample



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Filmed and Edited by - Glenn T. Register

Interested in seeing what I've done? Check out the links below:

- OCU website: http://ocuproductions.com/

- My personal YouTube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/xWarHawk85x?feature=mhe

- OCU YouTube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/OCUvideos