One of my most recent videos was "Devil Went Down to Georgia", which I decided is a good embodiment of most things I go through while making a video. Because sometimes I'll make a movie and it's super easy and quick or else it might take forever and is super tedious. There are several steps when I make a movie. Some people just dive right in and wing it. I tend to put a lot of thought and preparation into it.
(Above) Me dressed as the Devil, looking over my storyboard
Anyways, my process:
1) The Subject
I usually choose to make a music video because those are the easiest and I'm usually too lazy to come up with any sort of script (I have in the past. You should check out my pirate videos I wrote for my cousins XD).
2) Storyboarding
Yes, I do storyboard. Sometimes if it's a simple concept, I won't, like if I'm just going to stand in front of the camera the whole time. But usually I want a bunch of different camera angles and such. Also, if I plan on using the green screen to multiply myself, it helps me to keep track of what needs to be filmed at certain times in certain places while I'm dressed up as certain characters.
So with the "Devil Went Down to Georgia", I roughly sketched out what I pictured in my head. There would be three characters: the narrator, the Devil, and Johnny. It would open on the narrator playing on his fiddle, then the Devil would rise up behind him, etc. etc.
I always draw the picture, then write the lyrics as synched with the picture, then add notes as to what should be happening (camera movements, actions, and so on).
3) Costumes
I usually try to put effort into my costumes, but I'm pretty limited. I reuse stuff lying around my house a lot. You'll often see the same jackets and hats in my videos. If there's more than one character, I have to pick out an outfit for each that differentiates them enough from one another (since I have the same face). If I'm using the green screen, I can never wear anything green or yellow because it will disappear into the background. I don't use makeup a lot, but I'm trying to more, it definitely differentiates the characters. Normally, I don't style my hair unless it's specifically called for (I'm too lazy). I usually just tie it back or tuck it under a hat. Any complicated costume, makeup, and/or hairstyle when there's multiple characters equals more coordination on my part because then I have to make sure I film all that character's part before changing.
In the "Devil Went Down to Georgia" I took a lot of care in the Devil's and Johnny's costumes. Johnny's consisted mostly of things I found in my mom's closet (the shirt, the hat, the boots). The Devil's clothes were all mine except for the cape and hat which I found in our costume closet. As for the narrator's, I just sort of threw it together out of my own wardrobe.
4) Props
If there's any props needed, I have to find/make them beforehand. Most of the time I don't have the actual prop and have to make it myself. It's a good thing I'm creative and my viewers have an open mind.
In the "Devil Went Down to Georgia"'s case, I needed a fiddle. I actually wanted to film this video for so long, but I had nothing to stand in for it. And obviously it just wouldn't work without it. I finally ended up ordering a stupid little toy violin off the internet, and when it finally came in, I immediately set to work.
5) Location/Time
Sometimes I get authentic and decide to film on location/at a certain time, so I have to film those bits separately. The entire video might be there, or just a part. Either way, I have to figure out my time schedule. If I'm only using the green screen, I can film at any time in any place pretty much.
With "Devil Went Down to Georgia" I actually had to go out on location to the hill behind my house for part of it. I found the perfect spot with a stump to serve as the hickory stump mentioned in the song.
6) Filming
I take several takes of each shot. Even if I think I've done it perfectly, I typically do it just one more time. It might turn out even better.
7) Green Screen
I use the green screen to put in backgrounds and to multiply myself. So if there's a song with more than one character, I can sing both parts. The green screen isn't hard to set up, and all I have to do is act my part in front of it, then add whatever I want later on the computer. I should mention, the more characters/layers I put, the worse the quality gets, and the longer it takes.
With "Devil Went Down to Georgia", I had three different characters, so I had to use the green screen to add in the other two. I had to figure out which one would actually be on the location. I decided the Devil would be since he "jumped up on a hickory stump", so would actually be touching part of the set. I filmed all his parts, then filmed some shots of the area to serve as background for the green screen. Later, I filmed all of Johnny's and the narrator's parts in front of the green screen and put them over the Devil.
8) Editing
Depending on the video, this could be the easiest or the hardest part. You upload all your footage into the computer and compile it together. Synching together the music with my videos takes some doing, I'll tell you. Especially if there's several green screen layers, it takes forever. This is the time I'll realize that I forgot to film something (even after all my meticulous planning). This is also when I'll search for backgrounds for the green screen if needed.
The "Devil Went Down to Georgia" took some time because of all the characters. I will always try to process the first layer of green screen together, but then mess it up and have to process it all again (it's hard to explain). I also realized that the transition into the "band of demons" was absolutely terrible, but there was pretty much nothing I could do about it without filming it all over.
9) Review
Even after I've finished editing and turn it into an mp4, I'll watch it a couple times and realize that something is missing, or the synch is off slightly at one part, or something. I'll watch it a couple more times, trying to ignore it, but after a while, I'll finally decide to fix it.
With "Devil Went Down to Georgia", there was one moment in the middle where the synch was off ever so slightly and it was driving me crazy. I'll bet no one noticed, but I did. I finally fixed it. Also, the day after I had published it on to YouTube, I quickly took it down before anyone could see it because I wanted to add an extra bit… the foot tapping while Johnny is playing his fiddle. I went outside really fast with the camera, wearing the boots and filmed it, then just added it in.
^^The actual video^^
^^Bloopers^^
Read my VeggieTales videos background post HERE
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