I just received my copy of Leonid’s DVD. It is quite under-priced.
I have an appointment soon, so all I could do was view the first and
last chapters.
The production quality is excellent. I have paid a good bit more for
jewelry instruction DVDs that were nowhere near this quality.
This is the first instructional DVD I have purchased, of many, that
I think has artistic quality as well as instructional and production
quality. Leonid sets a pace and an mood that is very deliberate and
restful, no hurrying from step to step, no stress at all. (I guess
that comes when trying one’s hand at the project with cutting tools.)
A good part of the restfulness is due to the selection of the music.
Tastes will vary of course, but I found the music to be very
interesting and enjoyable in itself.
That leads me to my one quibble with the DVD. I wish there had been
a list at the end of the DVD of the music played, and I wish the
pianist had been identified.
Excellent job, Leonid!
This will keep me busy for quite a while, but I hope you make other
DVDs.
I just had the opportunity to view the entire DVD. Regarding my
earlier comments, there are too many individual music pieces to list
and there is more than just piano. The music makes a major
contribution to the DVD.
A percentage of Orchid members have the ability to make an eternity
ring like the one in this DVD as easily as Leonid does. I won’t
speculate on the size of that percentage. It does not include me. But
Leonid presents it in small steps, each of which I can do. Doing each
bit well and doing repetitive parts uniformly is central to the
craft. There is a lot to be learned in this one project.
That leads me to my one quibble with the DVD. I wish there had
been a list at the end of the DVD of the music played, and I wish
the pianist had been identified.
I would like to say that I am blushing.
I am not sure if I deserve such a complement, but I accept it, and I
thank you for it. You are far too kind.
I also want to assure everybody, that this review, while it looks
like it’s been written by my mother, is an actual review and I have
never met Neil and have no business or personal relations.
Usually, any DVD has what is know as a credit roll. My DVD does not,
because everything was done in house by myself and nobody else. I did
not want to create a credit roll which would list a dozen functions
that go into DVD production, and to have my name on each an every
one. of them. I am guilty of vanity, but not to such a degree.
Music was written on mac machine using Apple Loops in conjunction
with Logic Studio software, so the composition and execution of music
is between the software and me. Frankly, software deserves a better
part of the credit.
I did try to create a learning environment, which would concentrate
attention on the subject and music was written to provide background
for each particular step. Every process in goldsmithing has some
emotional content. One approach soldering with different mood than
let’s say filing. And I have tried re-enforce this bond between
physical and mental.
I am very excited to learn that I have actually succeeded in that and
I want to thank you again for letting me know.