Common Craft Blog
Scenes from a Common Craft Video Shoot
By leelefever on January 19, 2010 - 10:24am
People often wonder what it looks like to make a Common Craft video. So, every once in a while, we take photos as we're making a video. This video shoot is for a forthcoming title that's under wraps, but will come out within a month or two.
To acheive the light we want, we work with four really bright halogen lights. They're so bright that I wear sunglasses when recording - it feels like I get a bit of a tan each shoot. This is Sachi getting things set up.
Prior to shooting, we go through a phase we call "cut and color". Basically we get all the visuals together, color them and then cut them out. Most videos have over 100 of pieces of paper. We try to stay organized by segregating the small pieces from everything else.
Learning to shoot the videos has been a constant experiment over the years. These days we can keep the materials in chronological order if we're careful during the cut and color process. If it works, we can lay out the paper in little stacks for each scene and then shoot them in order. We're all about finding little efficiencies. And - I never would have guessed that I'd be so proficient with scissors.
A while back, we realized that attaching a monitor to the camera is important for seeing the layout of each scene. This is Sachi's station.
Recently we discovered something that has come be known at "the innovation." Basically, we learned that we can write on the monitor screen with dry erase markers. This was a revelation. It meant that we could mark the exact position of images to create consistency in the stop-motion process. When we needed to animate something across the screen, we could draw a line on the screen and follow it. It made our production lives easier.
Lastly I'd say we've changed our shooting schedule. We used to put our heads down and push through a 4-5 hour shoot. These days, we break up the work into 2-3 session over 1-2 days. As a plus, the shorter sessions create a smoother, more consistent tan. Seriously though, it's so much more manageable and made us ask why would we do it the other way? At the end of the day, that's what doing something new is all about - always solving new problems.
Very interesting. What model
Very interesting. What model is the video camera you are using? It looks quite small.
Camera
It's a Canon Vixia HF-10. Great little camera for what we need it to do.
Team Up
Cool shots. So this is how that video was born!
Stop motion animation
Have you tried any stop motion software which allows you to use an 'onion skin' view - you can see feint images of previous shots?
stop-motion
You know, we've talked about those programs and I think there could be something there. But as of now, we haven't tried it. Unlike ome stop motion productions, our's don't depend on accuracy completely. Usually there are just a few sections we need to be consistent.
Stop motion animation
Just thought it might help speed things up. I saw the video where you were explaining twitter. Seemed you had to move a lot of pieces. Love your work.
Love the content, you should check out...
Boinx iStopmotion http://www.boinx.com/istopmotion/overview/ is a pretty cool application and the features like onion skinning make it a little higher quality than imovie or even fcp. Either way, keep up the quality storytelling!
Good system
I've gotten a lot of benefit from you interpetations of concepts in a simple understandable presentation. I have embedded some of your posts at my blog and other sites. It's interesting to see the behind the scenes creative production process that you use. Thank You, Jerry http://4u2bn.com/fo93
http://thelastminuteblog.com
You guys are so awesome. I love how hands on and analog this is!
Thanks!
I love these occasional glimpses behind the scenes. This is the type of thing I love sharing with student-learners. Keep 'em coming!
I'm almost ashamed to admit
I'm almost ashamed to admit I learned the cry erase marker on screens trick while sitting through a painfully long video conference call... it was so much more enjoyable once the people I was sitting watching had their new mustaches :)
Thx for the inside look into your process...
Ryan
oops!
looks like i put my url as the subject of my last comment. oops! :)
No worries!
Not a problem Duncs.
Great work!! I love it :)
Keep up the good work.
I use a program by Tech Smith called Camtasia. I have another one called Snagit.
We also upgraded all our classrooms to these electronic whiteboards.
www.NorthShoreChristianSchools.org
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/615882-REG/Hitachi_FXDUO88W_P_FXDUO_88W_P_Interactive_White_Board.html
Oh yeah, here is a good link to see the progress over the years...
http://web.archive.org/web/*/http://commoncraft.com
THANKS! :)
When I first saw one of your videos (last year?) I was drawn to the simplicity of it's production. Being involved in the video field (travel videos) I was always curious on how you made your videos. VERY COOL! Thanks so much for sharing.
scenes from video shoot
These posts of the "how" behind the videos are very beneficial for student learners. I use your videos in my classes and in training teachers. Keep up the great work!!
very cool
Love the behind-the-scenes view. Halogens sound brutal. Aren't they hot?
I'm glad I found you
I have seen your videos float around with various websites and love how simple and strait forward they are... I can see these videos take lots of time and energy to put together. I just want to thank you for what you do, it does not go unnoticed.
Wow!
Interesting behind-the-scene moments! I had shown one of your videos to my class and looks like they enjoyed it and learned from it. Your videos are helpful to the beginners.
Thanks!
very2 artistic. made me very
very2 artistic. made me very speechless. well, i guess i have one word to say to this "WOW"! really awesome and beautiful! thumbs up for this. :-)
damentaschen
Good work, I had shown the video multiple times.
http://www.damentaschenwelt.de
Storyboards?
Do you map these out with storyboards and then cut the characters and props out from the storyboards to use as a roadmap? Or is it all "on-the-fly"?
Thanks!
Adam
re
Andrew I have an idea for the transcripts. I'm not sure how much more the people to transcribe your interviews would charge you for this, but it would improve the viewer experience. You could have any mentions of business concepts, software and industry keywords made into anchor tags and then those anchor tags could be listed along the top of the transcript. This would allow people to see the topics that are mentioned in the interview and scroll directly to that point in the transcript.
forex trading system
Great work
I was amazed while reading this article. I was surprised. It wasvery artistic. Great WORK :)