The Summer Party

August 8, 2008

Now that the booth was in action, we could bring it to the Summer Picnic in Long Beach. We were hesitant about moving it -- if it got damaged along the way, our hard work would be destroyed. The exterior had been carefully decorated, and we wanted to avoid any large gashes. Besides, how would we get it there? Our first key decision was that we would not try to disassemble it. We didn't know how long it would take to reassemble the booth, and there was even some possibility that the red drapes spread across multiple walls, making it practically impossible to separate without ripping it. We also solved the transportation issue by renting a truck with a hydraulic lift. Benji managed to find one for under $100. We carefully secured the booth to the interior wall with straps, bungie cords and blankets. Nick and Jerry drove in their own car, and we gave them the responsibility of safely transporting the computer and monitor (which separated from the booth with ease.) We also borrowed some extra chairs and small area rugs from the ofice to help create a conversation area around the booth. Here are some of Jerry's photos from the event. Mostly they're pictures of us during set-up. The booth worked fairly well, but we discovered some logistical problems: the nearby music was so loud that people entering the booth could not hear Tom's description of the booth, and so many people and families entered the booth thinking it was a photo booth. I know this because we reviewed the videos after the party, and so many of the videos show 30 seconds of a smiling family, followed by a questioning look while maintaining the smile. I eventually attempted to fix this with a sign to affix on the outside but never got it quite right.

But the whole thing was worth it for one perfect video, which, sadly, I cannot share with you. However, thanks to the power of imagination, I hope to clear this up shortly.