With all the advents and proliferation of the Amaturization
of the Web, it was only a matter of time before the video format followed suit.
YouTube was started in 2005 as a way for Amateurs to create, and publish their
own videos. Other Social Media platforms became compatible to allow easier
access to YouTube videos to be seen, such as Twitter embedding these links.
However, the thing about most amateur YouTube videos is it is just a singular
video with little actual editing. Film production crews make a lot of money
during countless hours of work to put these movies together. So what goes into
making an amateur production?
To make a video or movie production, it cannot be understated
enough the amount of effort, and attention to detail that must be present.
Typically this is all done while collaborating with a group of people that have
their own creative and artistic perspective on how the final product should be
assembled. The team has to remain super organized on how the project should be
put together, and which order the final product will be sequenced. That point
cannot be overstated enough due to the difficulty. For an example in a
three-minute project; there can be upwards of 50 different clips that have to
be edited in a certain order. The group
must be on the same page with how this needs to work. Any production needs to tell a story related
to a specific message or topic the film makers are trying to portray. So having
to balance the creative flow between collaborating minds can be a difficult
task at times. Anytime a group project is being assembled, each group member
has to rely on others to get certain parts of it done. Each member has to tow
the line in a sense and trust each other to deliver their parts.
The fun part of these projects is the acting out of the
scenes, and building the bank for scene selection. In the movie industry; paid
Actors will handle this. It must be a tremendous experience being able to watch
Actors who have worked their entire lives scratching and engraving their craft,
and becoming capable of delivering a wide range of scenes is no doubt fun to
see. In smaller projects, or self-projects…the producer, and director sometimes
has to be an actor. This part of the project is still fun, however it does have
a different feel due to being caught up in the minutia of the work. There is no
real order to which the clips are being shot as they are just being assembled
out of convince. Putting together a checklist of what is needed based off the
storyboard is essential, as remaining organized is at the utmost importance. It
is fun to act them out, then get together with the group and watch the acting
job the self-video producer’s did. It still is an awkward feeling to see one’s
self on camera on a screen, no matter how many times it has been done before.
There are stories out there of celebrities who do not watch themselves on TV,
or Musicians who do not listen to their work on the radio.
The editing process is somewhat tedious, but the most
crucial aspect to seeing a production come to life. Editing it all together is
where all of the organization, and details from the storyboard are crucial. The
first main aspect of the editing process is making sure there are no continuity
errors, meaning there are no duplicate clips seen. The editing software used is
actually fairly user friendly, and easy to navigate through. The clips must be
edited together in a sequence that tells a story, and paints a picture for the
viewer of the final project to process logical thought. Music, and background noise
is another essential piece to be edited in the production.
The struggles that can be encountered have to do with time.
Professionals have their entire life devoted to these projects. Amateurs have
to maneuver around work schedules, class schedules, social and family
schedules. Then there are other group members who have to account for these
things. Circumstances outside of the realm of control can derail projects;
group members can become ill, or unreliable which puts the bulk of the work on
other people. It is safe to say however, when these projects do work out, and
the final cut comes together, it is a fantastic experience seeing the project come
to life.
