School’s been a lot. With current class work and other priorities for my fraternity, I honestly haven’t been able to work on my thesis that much. I’ve been extremely busy having to do homework for other classes, as well as sending emails and attending meetings so everything’s in check. But in the process, I think I’ve forgotten about myself… at least just a bit. Regardless, I think I have a solid understanding of what needs to get done and a good plan to get the ball rolling. And that starts with two things: writing a script and getting familiar with Adobe Premier Pro.
As you may know, my thesis revolves around me making a video essay in which I explore the depths of playing video games live for an audience. It will showcase the ups and downs of some streamers who have left their own mark in the field, battling the negative stigma around games and defending the “couch potato” lifestyle as there is more to it than meets the eye. Again, the goal is to give people a newfound perspective on playing games as a career, as it is not only attainable, but also hugely successful if one is able to stay motivated and withstand the pressures of having to perform.
Since my project is going to be presented through more of an essay format, there needs to be some sort of structure. After all, I am making an argument which means I should essentially have a beginning, middle, and end. However, it is important to note that this is an entertainment piece so it shouldn’t be boring and read out loud like a paper. Instead, I will be writing a script which I will use to help breakdown my points in a more creative, fun, and engaging way. I plan to include meaningful word choice, tone, thoughts, jokes, and everything in-between. Because there’s so much involved with playing games as a career, there’s a lot to talk about. I don’t plan to cover everything, but I would like to cover as much as I can so others can get an idea about what streaming is, how ordinary people have become successful doing it, why they do it, etc.
While writing the script to read and voice is one thing, the actual video editing is certainly another. In fact, I would say it’s equally as important. Recently, I’ve been watching a lot of YouTube videos, some of which are from my favorite YouTubers and video essayists. Usually I consider it my “me time”, but I’ve also been watching them for (I guess you could say) research purposes. As I’ve previously mentioned, I plan to use Adobe Premier Pro to create this video essay so I need to get good at editing itself. To do so, I’ve been observing these videos to firstly understand the different types of edits and why they’re made to begin with. For example, someone might include inspiring music for dramatic effect or zoom in on someone’s face to emphasize what was just said or highlight a funny moment. I’ve also been watching clips from streamers (such as xQc, Dr. Disrespect, etc.) that I want to include so I know what to expect before editing them and doing my own commentary. To get my point across in a decently timed fashion, I’m aiming for this video to be around 10-20 minutes long.
Conceptually, I think things are coming together pretty well. I plan to start writing the script fairly soon (or at least some talking points). Once I feel comfortable with what I have, I will dive into learning how to edit videos using Adobe Premier Pro through YouTube tutorials and trial/error. To make this more natural and less daunting, I intend to record my gameplay with friends and start editing that footage to get an idea of cutting clips, transitions, music, and more.
As far as planning ahead, it seems like you’re in a pretty good spot, and you’ve definitely got solid priorities established. Video essays can be a powerful medium, but like you’ve outlined, it can be very tricky to get it just right. You mentioned the video editing being just as important as the script and its delivery, and that’s a really significant point you should keep in mind throughout the process. It’s a pretty token example by this point, but MisterAmazing uses visuals to the extreme, and while you don’t have to strive for editing as intricate as his, theres some more general techniques definitely worth noting. One of the most important aspects of a video essay is having a solid flow, and visuals that reinforce the script can help immensely. Ultimately, it’s up to you how far you want to take the visuals and how dynamic they should be, but spending as much time as you can working with Premiere can only help. I haven’t used it myself, but After Effects could be worthwhile to experiment with as well. Intricate visuals obviously aren’t necessary to make a good video, but they go a long way with enhancing the essay.