So you want to build a reveal video...

[MrForbes]

It doesn't matter what music you use, I always mute reveal videos.

Great thread!

[Caleb Sykes]

Originally Posted by MrForbes

Great thread!

I agree, can this be made a sticky somewhere please?

[Jessica Boucher]

Originally Posted by Caleb Sykes

I agree, can this be made a sticky somewhere please?

Done. Thanks

[D_Price]

Definitely favored for future usage

[philso]

Originally Posted by Jessica Boucher

What about shooting the ball? I like to think of a rule of threes: Once proves you can do it, twice proves you can do it with some consistency, three times is overkill.

A good exception to this rule, is if your video shows a 3-ball auto done by two copies of your robot, simultaneously, all in one take. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aFZy8iibMD0

Originally Posted by EmileH

One thing to add, don't pick music that only YOU like. Get your team's consensus on what music is best to use - don't pick crazy heavy metal hard rock, for example. Good songs that are pop and are upbeat will appeal to most viewers.

Otherwise YES please make this a sticky.

118's videos are good examples of not having to resort to really "macho" music. They let the robot's performance speak for itself. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1qWiIx_SzIE

[Jessica Boucher]

Originally Posted by philso

A good exception to this rule, is if your video shows a 3-ball auto done by two copies of your robot, simultaneously, all in one take. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aFZy8iibMD0

Yes, but this would fall under the "auto" category, not tele-op. The point you quoted referred to tele-op only - seeing multiple cut shots of shooting does not add to the audience's confidence that you can do it consistently.

Also, @bEdhEd, I really like your additional comments. I was going for more of a basic requirements and I loved that you added advanced topics such as storyboarding, sound equipment, and lighting. I'd be interested in hearing your viewpoints on what will be the next hot thing in reveal videos: in my opinion parodies are still great but are becoming formulaic, and I'm thinking drone-shots are about to jump the shark.

[bEdhEd]

I'd like to add that if you choose to go the "cinematic" route, I strongly advise a few things:

Storyboard your shots

Every cinematographer knows that there needs to be some kind of plan, and storyboarding helps those involved with shooting have a better idea of what will happen in every shot. Draw these frames with time stamps, so whoever is editing can make sense of your raw footage. If your team is gonna go full cinematic, there's a good chance you'll have multiple people on set with the job of camera operation, dolly operation, direction, and lighting. Having pictures with rough sketches of the scene and arrows indicating camera motion make it easier for people to work together.

The other benefit to storyboarding is that it can involve multiple people, and with a good amount of discussion and brainstorming, you can plan some pretty interesting shots. Even a drill press can seem interesting with the right camera work, mood, purpose, and editing. Anything can seem interesting when keeping those things in mind. The mundane that everyone has seen can be made anew with some creativity and technical skill.

Know your equipment, its capabilities, and its limits

You don't need an insane amount of equipment to give something that cinematic look, but at the very least you gotta know what you're doing with it.

Whether you have a basic camcorder, a phone, a DSLR, something more advanced like a RED or Black Magic, or choose to use a mix of those kinds of cameras, you gotta know the settings inside and out. If you have something more advanced than a simple camcorder, then make sure you know how to use the manual settings on the camera. Keeping the camera on an auto setting will rarely give you the exact amount of exposure, aperture size, and/or sensor response for the shot. If you have multiple lenses, make sure you know which ones to use for what kind of shots and lighting level you want.

If you are using audio equipment to record sounds, know how to set the levels so that the audio is not too quiet or too loud and clipping.

If you are using stabilizers such as dolly systems, track systems, arm-vest-sled systems, jibs, drones, and tripods, know how to use those as well. Make sure you are practiced on all your stabilization equipment to make the most of it. It is important to rehearse shots before doing the real deal, and the rehearsal is important for when you've got multiple people operating equipment. Stabilizers can range from the DIY-able to the very expensive. If possible, go for the more professional way and get the equipment made for professionals. This doesn't necessarily mean making a purchase; there may be someone locally who has something. If not, it is not difficult to find tutorials online on how to make your own stabilizers. Some stabilization may not even need much building. For example, as a dolly system, you can put a tripod on a pull cart and have someone operate the camera while someone else pulls the cart. It is important to choose what kind of stabilization you need to get the camera motion you want. Digital warp stabilizers can be alright for shots that are fairly stable but need smoothing, but they generally are really bad for shots that are too shaky, leaving you with an over cropped frame and a wonky background. If you're gonna stabilize do your best to keep it analog.

It is also important to know your editing program. There are tons of editing programs available, and some are entry level and some are on the professional end. There are some free ones available on the net. A good reveal doesn't need any crazy advanced editing to make it look great. As long as the shots are well planned, the lighting gives the right mood, and the audio sounds good, then all you really need at the bare minimum is something that will put together your shots. Also, keep the transitions simple. Straight cuts and fades are really all you need.

Set up your own custom lighting

Lighting is possibly one of the most important aspects when choosing to do a cinematic look. The overhead lighting provided in most classrooms and shops can be harsh and light up too much of the room, possibly taking away the focus from the subject. Focusing on the subject with light can be helpful for teams who do not have access to lenses with a shallow depth of field. Overhead lighting can also be very undramatic. Lighting and choice of color allows you to set up a mood. Darker colors can convey a more serious and epic mood, while lighter colors can convey a more fun and lighthearted mood. Using team colors in shots can be great to maintain branding in the video as well. Be aware of color contrast and make sure complementary colors are used, but not too much. There are plenty of videos online that get more specific on lighting. If you have an editing program that can do color correction, try to minimize the use of digital color correction and maximize organic on-set lighting. Too much digital color correction can cause a shot to look unrealistic and have too much of the "Instagram filter" vibe.

Include audio of what is happening along with the background music

A great film is not great without great audio. If you have the equipment for it, try to avoid using the microphone that is on the camera. When doing more advanced moving shots, you'll likely catch sounds of the camera casing getting touched, footsteps, and the breathing of your camera operator. Opt for using an external microphone mounted on top of the camera, on a boom, or use a wireless microphone. I used a lavalier microphone last year to capture all the cool sounds of the robot's motors and pneumatics. I just set the microphone inside the robot and the results were pretty good.

Having an external microphone isolates sound so you can capture just that sound and not the room ambiance that results from having an internal microphone that has to be the same distance as the camera. Getting too much room ambiance can give the reveal a "home video" sound. This is why most reveal videos don't include audio.

It is also a good idea to grab sound effects from online. I use freesound.org, which is a rather large library of free user uploaded sounds.

The music in your video doesn't have to sound like a Hollywood sound track. It can be whichever genre your team prefers. I sugest choosing music for the video before shooting, so your storyboarding can follow the music and make for an overall coherent video. If you choose to use dubstep, choose wisely.

Warning

Doing a cinematic reveal takes a lot of planning and my team's reveal this year has been much more thought out than last years. The reason I mention this is for time's sake. There needs to be a team or person who is appointed with the task of following through with all the work necessary to make a cinematic reveal happen. If you don't plan early enough and don't have someone in charge of the project, then you may not get the look or feel you want. Worst of all, it may never be finished..