Let’s Get Creative!

So you wanna’ make a video or webshow episode? Awesome! We’re here to walk you through some simple steps that will ensure your video is top notch!

Step 2: Pre-Production (props, location, set dressing, cast & crew)

Once you’ve decided what your video will be about, you can start planning. In the movie biz this is called “pre-production.”

So let’s pretend you wanna’ film the first episode of an Arts & Crafts webshow. We’ll pretend that you’ve settled on making birthday cards in your first episode. So now it’s time to think about what props you’ll need. For example, if you’re making b-day cards you might need:

• a) Colored paper
• b) Crayons and markers
• c) Magazines (to create collages)
• d) Glitter
• e) Glue

You don’t necessarily need to go shopping for your props. Chances are you already have stuff in your own house that you can use! Look around and be creative!

Next you’ll need to think about a location. Where do you wanna film? In the living room? In the kitchen? In your basement? Start looking around your house for a cool area (hey, maybe even your room!)

You should also think about lighting & make sure the room you pick has a lot of light so you’re not too dark on camera (for lighting tips, check out this video), but that it’s also a room that is FUN to be in! Where ever you decide to shoot just make sure that your parents are cool with it and that they supervise you if you’re doing anything in the kitchen.

Once you’ve picked your location it’s time to dress the set (decorate). You can ask friends to help you decorate the room with funky things that will make your video stand out. You could tack up a colorful piece of fabric or a sheet behind you. You could hang Christmas lights. You could make your very own webshow sign! The sky’s the limit! Just like with the props, you don’t need to buy anything new, you’ll be amazed how cool you can make things look with things from your own house!

So now you’ve got your props and a location that’s looking really cool. Time to assemble your cast & crew.

The cast are the people who will be in the video. You might decide that you wanna be the one and only star of your video! Awesome! Or you might decide you want a co-host (or several co-hosts) or a special guest. This could be a friend, a family member, even a pet!

Next you’ll have to decide if you need a crew to help film your video. This could be a parent, family member or a friend. But you definitely don’t need a crew. You can always use a tripod (ask your parents if you have one) or set your camera on a flat surface like a counter, table or your desk. Or better yet, use a webcam if you have one!