“Margie Soudek’s Salt and Pepper Shakers”: Bonding Over Grandma’s Quirky Collection

[bright music]

[telephone ringing]

[telephone ringing]

[Grandma] Hello.

[Meredith] `- [Meredith] Hi, Grandma.

[Grandma] Oh, hi.

[Meredith] So, I’m teaching this semester, um,

and I’m not sure when I’ll be able to finish the film.

[Grandma] Oh, what are you teaching?

[Meredith] I’m teaching special effects

in the film and video department.

[Grandma] What’s that?

[Meredith] It’s a way to, to sort of create magical

or fantastical elements in a movie.

Like, we could film you walking and take that footage

and suddenly an explosion happens behind you.

[Grandma] Oh, yeah?

[Meredith] Yeah.

[Grandma] Well, that should be interesting.

[melodic music]

[mouse clicking]

[Grandma] How you holding up?

[Meredith] Good.

How was breakfast?

You like that ring?

[Grandma] Mm-hmm.

Look at all them pretty salt and pepper shakers.

[Meredith] Don’t they look good?

[Grandma] Yeah.

So, you gonna hold it.

Can you see it?

And you’re gonna say take two.

No wait, don’t do it till I do it.

[Meredith] Okay.

Okay. You pull this up?

[Meredith] Yep.

When do I go?

[Meredith] Take two, you say take two and then do it.

Okay. Whenever I want to?

[Meredith] Yep.

Whoops, I didn’t want to.

[mouse clicking]

[Meredith] Okay, let’s go ahead and get started.

If everyone can see, I have this footage

that I shot of my Grandmother’s

salt and pepper shaker collection.

Let’s just go ahead and use that to create our compositions.

[mouse clicking]

[piano music]

[mouse clicking]

[electrical buzzing]

[mouse clicking]

[Meredith] Tell me why you started collecting

salt and pepper shakers.

I did.

[Meredith] Yeah.

Oh, mercy. Okay.

[mouse clicking]

I started collecting my salt and pepper shakers

when I graduated from high school

and I started working in a five and 1src.

And uh, so, I would dust their stuff all the time.

And they had some salt and pepper shakers

and so I thought, uh,

I just think I might want to collect them.

So, that’s how I got started.

[Meredith] So, I’m gonna have you look at these ducks

and tell me about them.

[Grandma] My first set I got,

were ducks dressed like ladies.

I had never seen these in a long time.

[Meredith] What year was that?

46′, I think.

[Meredith] What year is it now?

[Meredith laughing]

[electro music]

[Meredith] Okay. So, as you can see,

rotoscoping is a great way

to separate objects from the background.

Rotoscoping can be pretty tedious.

I love it though.

I could do it all day.

Mm-hmm.

Two feet, look at them.

Nail polish on their toes.

Penguins.

Cute little doggies.

Got a face on both sides, that’s unusual.

[Meredith] Now, what are these?

[Grandma laughing]

[Grandma] Those are outhouses.

I could look at these all day and enjoy each one.

[jolly music]

[teeth chattering]

[Meredith] Scary.

[Grandma laughing]

[Grandma] But anyway, I used to have to dust them too.

Before Joe made the case for me.

[mouse clicking]

[Speaker one] There’s Joe and Margie coming to celebrate

their 4srcth wedding anniversary.

Aren’t they a lovely couple?

Let’s get, let’s get lovey-dovey.

[Speaker Two] Oh, how sweet.

Sore shoulder.

[Speaker Two] Don’t get too frisky there Margie.

[everyone laughing]

[Speaker Two] Oh you, cut the camera.

[electro music]

[road exploding]

[Meredith] What are those Grandma?

[Grandma laughing]

[Grandma] Them are pipes.

[mushrooms clinging]

Mushrooms.

What kind of a car is that, a model T Ford you recon?

I think them are really keen you know it.

[Grandma laughing]

Meredith, now, you don’t need to show that one.

[both laughing]

[Meredith] What? Who gave you that one Grandma?

[Grandma] Well, I don’t know,

but they must have been tricky.

Now, I think these are picture of the devil.

[Meredith] They’re devils?

[Grandma] Yeah.

[Grandma laughing]

‘Course, I don’t know what the devil looks like, but.

These are guns.

[Meredith] So, what kind of guns?

[Grandma] Shootin’ guns, I don’t know.

[gun firing]

Pshew.

Got him.

[Meredith] You know, I remember when I was little

and I always wanted to get in there and touch ’em.

[Grandma] Uh-huh.

[Meredith] But ’cause of the glass we couldn’t.

[Grandma] Yeah, they’re trapped.

[children talking]

Yeah, I know when you was little you would just kind of

waddle up to the, where they were and wanting to get ’em.

And we had to say, no, Meredith.

[bright music]

Okay, so, subject lighting.

Generally, you wanna have at least eight to 1src,

I would say at least five feet, but eight to 1src is ideal

between your subject and the green screen.

[mouse clicking]

[telephone ringing]

[Grandma] Hello?

[Meredith] Hi Grandma.

[Grandma] Oh, hi.

[Meredith] I think I’m almost done with the film.

[Grandma] Oh, wonderful.

[Meredith] I can’t wait to see you

and I just wanted to say hi

and ask how you’re doing.

[Grandma] I’m probably, probably doing pretty good.

[Meredith laughing]

[Meredith] I’m glad to hear it.

[Grandma] Sure, good to talk to you, Meredith.

[Meredith] Good to talk to you. Love you lots.

[Grandma] Love you.

[Meredith] Bye.

[Grandma] Bye.

[dramatic music]

[mouse clicking]

What’s this movie about?

[Grandma laughing]

[keyboard typing]

[calm music]

[Meredith] Say it again.

[Grandma] What’s this movie about?

[Meredith] I mean, I think it’s just about us, you know.

It’s about you and me and how we are.

Aren’t we silly?

[Grandma laughing]

I don’t know If you can see all the way back there,

Grandma?

Yeah.

Can you see where to look?

Uh-huh.

Gotta smile?

Yeah, you always smile.

[cheerful music]

[cheerful music]