1 00:00:04,240 --> 00:00:08,119 Speaker 1: Get in touch with technology with text Stuff from com. 2 00:00:11,960 --> 00:00:14,960 Speaker 1: Hey there, and welcome to Text Stuff. I'm Jonathan Strickland 3 00:00:15,040 --> 00:00:18,000 Speaker 1: and joining me in the studio is Mr Matt Frederick, 4 00:00:18,400 --> 00:00:20,440 Speaker 1: co host of Stuff. They don't want you to know. 5 00:00:20,560 --> 00:00:24,440 Speaker 1: You've probably heard his voice full horror. Hey Matt, Hey, Jonathan, 6 00:00:24,480 --> 00:00:26,360 Speaker 1: it's wonderful to be in this room with you, sir. 7 00:00:26,520 --> 00:00:29,440 Speaker 1: It's it's wonderful to have you on that microphone. We 8 00:00:29,600 --> 00:00:31,960 Speaker 1: have done a couple of episodes of tech Stuff together 9 00:00:32,920 --> 00:00:36,320 Speaker 1: where you mostly asked me questions, and that was purposefully done. 10 00:00:36,680 --> 00:00:39,760 Speaker 1: I think it was a C E S episode or 11 00:00:39,880 --> 00:00:42,240 Speaker 1: forty three something like that. It was what, yeah, what 12 00:00:42,280 --> 00:00:44,680 Speaker 1: you did? And I just got to sit there and 13 00:00:44,720 --> 00:00:47,160 Speaker 1: listen to the stories. Yeah. And this time it's gonna 14 00:00:47,360 --> 00:00:50,080 Speaker 1: the shoe is on the other flip, my friend. I'm 15 00:00:50,080 --> 00:00:52,199 Speaker 1: going to be asking you questions. You're going to be 16 00:00:52,240 --> 00:00:57,080 Speaker 1: telling stories. So for those who do not know, Mr 17 00:00:57,120 --> 00:01:00,640 Speaker 1: Frederick has done many things here and how stuff works. Uh. 18 00:01:00,680 --> 00:01:02,920 Speaker 1: In fact, you have produced episodes of tech Stuff in 19 00:01:02,960 --> 00:01:05,440 Speaker 1: the past. I have you have sometimes been the one 20 00:01:05,480 --> 00:01:09,240 Speaker 1: saying they're listening as Chris Polette and I would chat 21 00:01:09,280 --> 00:01:12,200 Speaker 1: on and on about something. Yes, prior to super producer 22 00:01:12,360 --> 00:01:17,040 Speaker 1: Noel being here. I was generally the person behind what 23 00:01:17,440 --> 00:01:20,600 Speaker 1: he does. It was sometimes sometimes Matt, sometimes it was Tyler. 24 00:01:20,920 --> 00:01:23,600 Speaker 1: Once in a while it was somebody else. Uh. And 25 00:01:23,760 --> 00:01:25,840 Speaker 1: you guys were great, but then you've got more and 26 00:01:25,920 --> 00:01:29,400 Speaker 1: more work to do in your in the other job 27 00:01:29,520 --> 00:01:32,840 Speaker 1: you had. Yes, the actual reason that we were hired, 28 00:01:32,959 --> 00:01:36,200 Speaker 1: so Matt, for people who do not know, you were not, Like, 29 00:01:36,319 --> 00:01:39,280 Speaker 1: I was not hired to be a podcaster or a 30 00:01:39,360 --> 00:01:41,920 Speaker 1: video guy. I was hired to be a writer. You 31 00:01:41,959 --> 00:01:44,600 Speaker 1: were not hired to be a podcaster. What were you 32 00:01:44,720 --> 00:01:49,120 Speaker 1: hired to do? I was hired to be an intern. Okay, 33 00:01:50,200 --> 00:01:55,880 Speaker 1: that's not really hired. Were paid? Yes, we were paid 34 00:01:55,880 --> 00:01:59,680 Speaker 1: interns and our videographer had to leave. So I came 35 00:01:59,720 --> 00:02:03,240 Speaker 1: on a originally um as an employee of How Stuff Works, 36 00:02:03,920 --> 00:02:08,639 Speaker 1: officially getting paid through I guess the standard payment from 37 00:02:08,880 --> 00:02:11,000 Speaker 1: How Stuff Works Inc. Back in the day or whatever 38 00:02:11,040 --> 00:02:15,520 Speaker 1: it was, as a videographer. So you are a videographer? Uh? 39 00:02:15,560 --> 00:02:20,000 Speaker 1: And be your role has evolved over time? Yes? So 40 00:02:20,200 --> 00:02:23,480 Speaker 1: what tell people what it is you do today? Like, 41 00:02:23,600 --> 00:02:28,359 Speaker 1: what is your your main responsibility here at How Stuff Works? 42 00:02:28,440 --> 00:02:32,440 Speaker 1: My main responsibility here is to produce stuff they don't 43 00:02:32,440 --> 00:02:35,080 Speaker 1: want you to know, and that I think that is 44 00:02:35,080 --> 00:02:38,320 Speaker 1: my primary goal now when you're when we're talking about 45 00:02:38,320 --> 00:02:40,080 Speaker 1: stuff they don't want you to know. We're not just 46 00:02:40,280 --> 00:02:44,320 Speaker 1: talking about the audio podcast, but also the video series, right, Yes, 47 00:02:44,400 --> 00:02:47,440 Speaker 1: the video series in fact, and I would say probably 48 00:02:47,520 --> 00:02:53,320 Speaker 1: primarily because originally it was a video series. Uh, just 49 00:02:53,560 --> 00:02:58,280 Speaker 1: it was just a video series. So this responsibility involves 50 00:02:59,120 --> 00:03:02,000 Speaker 1: working very close Slee with your co host Ben Bolan. Oh, 51 00:03:02,120 --> 00:03:04,880 Speaker 1: very closely. Yeah, to the point where the two of 52 00:03:04,960 --> 00:03:08,919 Speaker 1: you can be inseparable for the portions where you're getting 53 00:03:08,919 --> 00:03:12,000 Speaker 1: ready to shoot. Uh. You are very often the guy 54 00:03:12,080 --> 00:03:15,560 Speaker 1: behind the camera during the actual shooting. Yes, mostly, I 55 00:03:15,560 --> 00:03:19,400 Speaker 1: would say. Yeah. So sometimes if you ever watched stuff 56 00:03:19,400 --> 00:03:20,760 Speaker 1: they don't want you to know, and you see that 57 00:03:20,760 --> 00:03:24,280 Speaker 1: they're in some sort of creepy location, usually it's Matt 58 00:03:24,360 --> 00:03:27,320 Speaker 1: who's doing a double duty at that time, actually triple duty. 59 00:03:27,680 --> 00:03:31,639 Speaker 1: You're shooting, you're monitoring audio, and you're keeping an eye 60 00:03:31,639 --> 00:03:33,680 Speaker 1: out in case you need to make a run for 61 00:03:33,760 --> 00:03:36,320 Speaker 1: it because you're gorilla movie making at the time. Yes, 62 00:03:36,960 --> 00:03:40,320 Speaker 1: usually I'm monitoring audio, making sure the shot is correct, 63 00:03:40,640 --> 00:03:44,160 Speaker 1: and then kind of keeping watch. Yeah, that's a good assessment. Yeah, No, 64 00:03:44,280 --> 00:03:48,360 Speaker 1: I've been. I've been the subject of gerrilla filmmaking where 65 00:03:48,640 --> 00:03:50,840 Speaker 1: the director made it known to me that there was 66 00:03:50,840 --> 00:03:53,600 Speaker 1: not necessarily clearance to shoot where we were shooting at 67 00:03:53,600 --> 00:03:56,080 Speaker 1: that time. Wait what We do our best to keep 68 00:03:56,120 --> 00:03:59,040 Speaker 1: it above board. Yeah, yeah, I mean occasionally it's just 69 00:03:59,080 --> 00:04:01,080 Speaker 1: one of those things where you're like, well, let's go 70 00:04:01,080 --> 00:04:02,840 Speaker 1: ahead and shoot here. I think it'll be fine, and 71 00:04:02,880 --> 00:04:05,480 Speaker 1: then ultimately we might be told hey, you guys shouldn't 72 00:04:05,520 --> 00:04:07,640 Speaker 1: be in here, and then we're like, okay, we won't 73 00:04:07,680 --> 00:04:13,320 Speaker 1: be in here. Yeah, you're doing you are. I know 74 00:04:13,440 --> 00:04:16,480 Speaker 1: this looks like just a big empty basement, but technically 75 00:04:16,520 --> 00:04:18,359 Speaker 1: there's a lot of stuff going on that we can't 76 00:04:18,400 --> 00:04:21,440 Speaker 1: have you here while we're doing it, like like wiring 77 00:04:22,080 --> 00:04:23,960 Speaker 1: part of the building. Because keep in mind, the building 78 00:04:23,960 --> 00:04:26,039 Speaker 1: we are in right now, Pont City Market that's where 79 00:04:26,040 --> 00:04:30,279 Speaker 1: our office is is UH is still largely unoccupied on 80 00:04:30,320 --> 00:04:35,400 Speaker 1: certain floors. So um, that leads the potential for awesome 81 00:04:35,440 --> 00:04:38,000 Speaker 1: location shoots, but obviously we have to clear everything with 82 00:04:38,040 --> 00:04:40,640 Speaker 1: the building first to make sure that everyone is safe 83 00:04:40,839 --> 00:04:42,040 Speaker 1: and we're not going to get in the way of 84 00:04:42,080 --> 00:04:45,080 Speaker 1: any construction crews. Yes, insurance in a building like this 85 00:04:45,200 --> 00:04:48,440 Speaker 1: is a big deal. Yeah. Yeah, and uh and obviously 86 00:04:48,520 --> 00:04:50,880 Speaker 1: the safety of other people also very important. So it's 87 00:04:50,920 --> 00:04:53,720 Speaker 1: not just our safety but the safety of other folks. 88 00:04:53,760 --> 00:04:55,800 Speaker 1: So we take it very seriously as much as I'm 89 00:04:55,800 --> 00:04:59,920 Speaker 1: being flippant earlier. Uh. Now, when you're talking about produce 90 00:05:00,120 --> 00:05:01,640 Speaker 1: a show like stuff they don't want you to know, 91 00:05:02,120 --> 00:05:04,080 Speaker 1: some of our shows here at how Stuff works are 92 00:05:04,120 --> 00:05:08,440 Speaker 1: fairly straightforward, right, Okay, I'll go with you there, But 93 00:05:08,640 --> 00:05:11,000 Speaker 1: I would say that the ones that even look pretty 94 00:05:11,000 --> 00:05:13,800 Speaker 1: straightforward to have a lot of stuff going on in 95 00:05:13,839 --> 00:05:16,080 Speaker 1: the back end. Sure, you have to do lots of 96 00:05:16,080 --> 00:05:17,800 Speaker 1: things like you have to. You have to make very 97 00:05:17,800 --> 00:05:21,200 Speaker 1: careful edits to make sure that the everything flows properly. 98 00:05:21,839 --> 00:05:23,640 Speaker 1: You want to make sure that the sound is just 99 00:05:23,720 --> 00:05:27,360 Speaker 1: perfect because sometimes levels are different at different points. And 100 00:05:27,400 --> 00:05:31,120 Speaker 1: also we often will include things like supplemental video to 101 00:05:31,160 --> 00:05:33,960 Speaker 1: help illustrate a point. Stuff they want you to know 102 00:05:34,080 --> 00:05:37,279 Speaker 1: is one of the I think more heavily produced videos 103 00:05:37,320 --> 00:05:39,599 Speaker 1: compared to some not not all, I mean, we do 104 00:05:39,680 --> 00:05:44,640 Speaker 1: have some that are are equivalent. So I want you, Matt, 105 00:05:44,760 --> 00:05:49,080 Speaker 1: to walk me through what it's like to produce a 106 00:05:49,240 --> 00:05:52,640 Speaker 1: typical stuff They don't want you to know. So from 107 00:05:52,640 --> 00:05:56,480 Speaker 1: the point where you've identified what the subject is going 108 00:05:56,520 --> 00:06:00,560 Speaker 1: to be to the point where it's published online, can 109 00:06:00,560 --> 00:06:02,840 Speaker 1: you walk me through? Well, first thing I would say 110 00:06:02,880 --> 00:06:06,760 Speaker 1: is identifying what we're going to uh do use as 111 00:06:06,760 --> 00:06:10,200 Speaker 1: a subject is a big part of the story. Because 112 00:06:10,240 --> 00:06:14,200 Speaker 1: we generally get our audience too. They will interact a 113 00:06:14,240 --> 00:06:16,320 Speaker 1: lot of times and kind of lead us on a 114 00:06:16,400 --> 00:06:19,680 Speaker 1: thread that will take us to a bigger story. And 115 00:06:19,800 --> 00:06:22,440 Speaker 1: once we once we've established what the story that we 116 00:06:22,480 --> 00:06:26,479 Speaker 1: want to tell, and I would say Ben does of 117 00:06:26,680 --> 00:06:32,039 Speaker 1: that end because I'm usually over in this cave editing um. 118 00:06:32,080 --> 00:06:35,120 Speaker 1: So once we've established that, we will go and then 119 00:06:35,160 --> 00:06:38,039 Speaker 1: I will go to these various places on the internet 120 00:06:38,080 --> 00:06:41,200 Speaker 1: like archive dot org. We have several places that we 121 00:06:41,240 --> 00:06:45,240 Speaker 1: go like video blocks or I stock photo and try 122 00:06:45,240 --> 00:06:48,680 Speaker 1: and gather as many images and assets that I can 123 00:06:49,000 --> 00:06:54,120 Speaker 1: that will pertain to that story. Then then there's this 124 00:06:54,240 --> 00:06:57,480 Speaker 1: other back end after we record the audio, which is 125 00:06:57,520 --> 00:07:00,000 Speaker 1: a process in itself where we'll sit in this room 126 00:06:59,800 --> 00:07:03,640 Speaker 1: and have been do his creepy voice right, which still 127 00:07:03,680 --> 00:07:06,159 Speaker 1: to the stay cracks me up because you know people 128 00:07:06,160 --> 00:07:08,600 Speaker 1: have listened to Ben on my show where Ben has 129 00:07:08,640 --> 00:07:11,240 Speaker 1: just been and when Ben has just been or if 130 00:07:11,240 --> 00:07:13,600 Speaker 1: you've watched you know, brain stuff or what the stuff 131 00:07:13,640 --> 00:07:15,440 Speaker 1: one of the episodes that has been on it, you 132 00:07:15,520 --> 00:07:18,880 Speaker 1: hear Been just being himself. Uh. And then you compare 133 00:07:18,960 --> 00:07:22,280 Speaker 1: that to the character the persona version. That's some stuff 134 00:07:22,320 --> 00:07:24,480 Speaker 1: they don't want you to know, and it just seems 135 00:07:24,640 --> 00:07:31,040 Speaker 1: so not Ben. He is that character for me now, 136 00:07:31,080 --> 00:07:33,560 Speaker 1: and when he's playing regular Ben, I feel like that's 137 00:07:33,560 --> 00:07:35,960 Speaker 1: a and for a lot of people who are fans 138 00:07:35,960 --> 00:07:37,680 Speaker 1: of stuff they don't want you to know. That's a 139 00:07:37,720 --> 00:07:41,040 Speaker 1: lot of the response or like he's not doing his 140 00:07:41,200 --> 00:07:45,200 Speaker 1: voice where pitching it down a little bit. I can't 141 00:07:45,240 --> 00:07:49,000 Speaker 1: even do it. Here's where it gets crazy. I can't 142 00:07:49,000 --> 00:07:51,520 Speaker 1: do it either. It's impressive. We only have one person 143 00:07:51,560 --> 00:07:55,280 Speaker 1: in the office who can really mimic Ben, and that's Annie. 144 00:07:55,320 --> 00:07:58,720 Speaker 1: She's really well. She dressed up as Halloween that one 145 00:07:58,800 --> 00:08:01,480 Speaker 1: year she did a smashup of and the visuals here Yeah, yeah, 146 00:08:01,600 --> 00:08:06,520 Speaker 1: she she mimicked him from an imagery perspective anyway. Alright, 147 00:08:06,560 --> 00:08:11,000 Speaker 1: So so Ben is writing you are you? You get 148 00:08:11,000 --> 00:08:13,760 Speaker 1: to the part where you record the audio. Alright, move on, 149 00:08:13,840 --> 00:08:15,840 Speaker 1: now we get the audio, and what I have to do, 150 00:08:16,320 --> 00:08:20,880 Speaker 1: particularly with his audio is chop up every single sentence 151 00:08:21,040 --> 00:08:25,000 Speaker 1: and or even sometimes word, because what I like to 152 00:08:25,000 --> 00:08:28,280 Speaker 1: try and do is make it match up with the 153 00:08:28,440 --> 00:08:32,120 Speaker 1: sound the theme music that I've written for the show, 154 00:08:32,240 --> 00:08:35,000 Speaker 1: so that it feels you wrote the music for the show. 155 00:08:35,200 --> 00:08:37,840 Speaker 1: I did. I recorded and wrote the music just with 156 00:08:37,920 --> 00:08:43,480 Speaker 1: a little MIDI controller. Still, that's incredible. Well it it's okay. 157 00:08:43,760 --> 00:08:47,160 Speaker 1: I think I think any discerning creator of music would 158 00:08:47,240 --> 00:08:50,199 Speaker 1: laugh at it. Come on, I'm well from someone that 159 00:08:50,400 --> 00:08:54,079 Speaker 1: can plank out a tune on a ukulele, it's really impressive. Okay, 160 00:08:54,200 --> 00:08:57,640 Speaker 1: I didn't forget thank you, I love you, made a 161 00:08:57,679 --> 00:09:04,640 Speaker 1: couple of videos you awesome stuff. Um. Okay. So I 162 00:09:04,760 --> 00:09:07,360 Speaker 1: matched that up so that it has almost a lyrical 163 00:09:07,520 --> 00:09:11,760 Speaker 1: feel to it um spoken word almost um. And it 164 00:09:11,800 --> 00:09:13,920 Speaker 1: has a very driving beat in the song. So when 165 00:09:13,960 --> 00:09:17,120 Speaker 1: it matches up, it just works so well. See that 166 00:09:17,240 --> 00:09:19,000 Speaker 1: that's incredible to me, Like you have to have a 167 00:09:19,040 --> 00:09:21,280 Speaker 1: real ear for that. I I can appreciate it when 168 00:09:21,280 --> 00:09:26,080 Speaker 1: it's done, I can't imagine actually constructing it. So what 169 00:09:26,080 --> 00:09:28,839 Speaker 1: what tool? Well, what's the the editing suite that you're 170 00:09:28,840 --> 00:09:32,600 Speaker 1: actually using when you're doing this? It has evolved over time. 171 00:09:33,160 --> 00:09:38,360 Speaker 1: Originally it was the old Apple soundtrack application that we 172 00:09:38,440 --> 00:09:41,640 Speaker 1: used to use, and then using that in tandem with 173 00:09:41,960 --> 00:09:46,120 Speaker 1: Final Cut Final Cut seven in particular, and now we're 174 00:09:46,240 --> 00:09:50,720 Speaker 1: using all Adobe products, so Premiere Audition, those are the 175 00:09:50,760 --> 00:09:54,120 Speaker 1: two primary ones and after effects. So you're using this 176 00:09:54,280 --> 00:09:57,080 Speaker 1: software to to get this effect where you're matching up 177 00:09:57,080 --> 00:10:01,880 Speaker 1: the cadence of the the delivery to the score of 178 00:10:01,960 --> 00:10:06,360 Speaker 1: the episode. So that lays down sort of your guideline 179 00:10:06,400 --> 00:10:11,280 Speaker 1: for audio. Yes, what's what about the visual side? Okay, 180 00:10:11,320 --> 00:10:14,040 Speaker 1: so I've got there are a couple of assets that 181 00:10:14,240 --> 00:10:17,040 Speaker 1: remain the same throughout each episode, so you've got kind 182 00:10:17,040 --> 00:10:19,960 Speaker 1: of the standard intro of the house that says on 183 00:10:20,000 --> 00:10:23,080 Speaker 1: it and things that we shot gosh eight years ago 184 00:10:23,160 --> 00:10:25,520 Speaker 1: maybe um, and then the c t A. You don't 185 00:10:25,559 --> 00:10:27,480 Speaker 1: have to change very much, just plug in a couple 186 00:10:27,480 --> 00:10:31,040 Speaker 1: of things. But when you're starting to c t A 187 00:10:31,120 --> 00:10:34,760 Speaker 1: by the way, I apologize, yes, that's the place where 188 00:10:34,800 --> 00:10:37,199 Speaker 1: you go, hey, subscribe or click on this video. So 189 00:10:37,240 --> 00:10:39,480 Speaker 1: if you've ever wondered, uh, you know, you see that 190 00:10:39,520 --> 00:10:42,680 Speaker 1: it's almost ubiquitous now in YouTube videos. But Call to 191 00:10:42,760 --> 00:10:45,920 Speaker 1: Action and the reason why you see it everywhere is 192 00:10:45,960 --> 00:10:48,760 Speaker 1: because it works. It works, and we want to hear 193 00:10:48,800 --> 00:10:52,520 Speaker 1: from you. Yes, absolutely, the this may be a little 194 00:10:52,520 --> 00:10:55,240 Speaker 1: too behind the curtain, but the click through rate generally 195 00:10:55,400 --> 00:10:58,480 Speaker 1: in those c t a s, even on the biggest YouTubers, 196 00:10:58,800 --> 00:11:02,720 Speaker 1: ranges between two you to like five, which means someone 197 00:11:02,800 --> 00:11:05,120 Speaker 1: actually watching the video then clicking on the next video, 198 00:11:05,480 --> 00:11:09,920 Speaker 1: so it's actually really low. But the subscribe function there 199 00:11:10,040 --> 00:11:12,880 Speaker 1: is usually the best thing, and stuff they don't want 200 00:11:12,880 --> 00:11:15,319 Speaker 1: you to know has a lot of subscribers, so it's 201 00:11:15,600 --> 00:11:18,760 Speaker 1: it's one of those things again you want to you know, 202 00:11:19,000 --> 00:11:22,839 Speaker 1: we're we're producing things so that people listen and watch them, 203 00:11:22,880 --> 00:11:26,000 Speaker 1: but we're doing so out of a genuine desire to 204 00:11:26,000 --> 00:11:30,960 Speaker 1: to impart cool information and to create a dialogue. You know, 205 00:11:31,000 --> 00:11:34,440 Speaker 1: there's there's, there's the there's the business side of it that, yes, 206 00:11:34,559 --> 00:11:37,720 Speaker 1: you want more views because that's good business, but there's 207 00:11:37,760 --> 00:11:41,200 Speaker 1: from us as content creators. And by the way, we 208 00:11:41,280 --> 00:11:43,480 Speaker 1: don't all like the word content, but we use it 209 00:11:43,480 --> 00:11:47,600 Speaker 1: because what else are we gonna say storytellers? As storytellers, 210 00:11:48,160 --> 00:11:50,400 Speaker 1: we want an audience to hear the story, and we 211 00:11:50,440 --> 00:11:53,280 Speaker 1: want to hear more stories in return. Yes, while we 212 00:11:53,559 --> 00:11:57,160 Speaker 1: all enjoy talking to ourselves and you know, learning about 213 00:11:57,200 --> 00:11:59,880 Speaker 1: these wonderful things ourselves it's much more fulfilling to know 214 00:12:00,200 --> 00:12:03,160 Speaker 1: that someone else now has this information. Yeah, and and 215 00:12:03,679 --> 00:12:06,199 Speaker 1: I remember, I can't I'll never forget the first time 216 00:12:06,240 --> 00:12:10,040 Speaker 1: I got a listener email and flipped out because for 217 00:12:10,080 --> 00:12:12,560 Speaker 1: a while it just felt like Chris and I were 218 00:12:12,600 --> 00:12:16,160 Speaker 1: talking into a microphone and then it would just go away. Oh, 219 00:12:16,960 --> 00:12:20,000 Speaker 1: I know exactly, I know exactly that feeling, right, So 220 00:12:20,040 --> 00:12:21,800 Speaker 1: all right, so I'm sorry I got you off track. 221 00:12:21,920 --> 00:12:24,840 Speaker 1: So certain assets like the opening and the closing remain 222 00:12:25,280 --> 00:12:27,880 Speaker 1: remain the same from episode episode. You don't have to 223 00:12:27,960 --> 00:12:31,640 Speaker 1: change those, But then everything else has to be in 224 00:12:31,640 --> 00:12:33,840 Speaker 1: a way. It has to be just filled in, so 225 00:12:33,880 --> 00:12:36,400 Speaker 1: you make sure you've got coverage. So a lot of 226 00:12:36,400 --> 00:12:39,360 Speaker 1: the time, the first pass that I'll do is, let's say, 227 00:12:39,400 --> 00:12:43,280 Speaker 1: and that when I gathered footage earlier, if there's anything 228 00:12:43,280 --> 00:12:45,920 Speaker 1: that I know matches up directly with the subject matter 229 00:12:46,120 --> 00:12:49,880 Speaker 1: or will fit perfectly to um either contrast with what 230 00:12:50,000 --> 00:12:53,720 Speaker 1: Ben is saying, two create a you know, a third 231 00:12:53,760 --> 00:12:56,920 Speaker 1: idea position. Yes, a lot of times like I'll just 232 00:12:57,000 --> 00:12:58,480 Speaker 1: lay that in and I won't mess with it. I 233 00:12:58,480 --> 00:13:00,720 Speaker 1: won't do any of the zooming or any that kind 234 00:13:00,760 --> 00:13:02,640 Speaker 1: of stuff or effects on it. I'll just leave it 235 00:13:02,640 --> 00:13:05,840 Speaker 1: in there. Now I know I've got this um, then 236 00:13:05,960 --> 00:13:09,000 Speaker 1: I will start filling in the hard stuff, which a 237 00:13:09,000 --> 00:13:11,280 Speaker 1: lot of times is if I have to go and 238 00:13:11,320 --> 00:13:14,040 Speaker 1: pull let's say, a quote from an article or something 239 00:13:14,160 --> 00:13:19,160 Speaker 1: and actually type it in through premier or something. I'll 240 00:13:19,160 --> 00:13:22,600 Speaker 1: do that kind of stuff. Then the next pass, once 241 00:13:22,640 --> 00:13:25,000 Speaker 1: I've got the whole thing filled in, I have to 242 00:13:25,240 --> 00:13:28,520 Speaker 1: color everything, which is a whole separate thing that normally 243 00:13:28,559 --> 00:13:34,559 Speaker 1: it would be another person's job. Yeah, that's okay, that's fine. 244 00:13:34,600 --> 00:13:37,280 Speaker 1: I I love I knew nothing about it when I 245 00:13:37,320 --> 00:13:41,120 Speaker 1: first started here. So you've you've actually developed brand new 246 00:13:41,240 --> 00:13:46,080 Speaker 1: skill sets by necessity, which is true for everyone in 247 00:13:46,120 --> 00:13:48,800 Speaker 1: the video and audio departments. Oh, I think so, and 248 00:13:48,960 --> 00:13:53,280 Speaker 1: even I mean especially the podcasters and writers and editors. Yeah, 249 00:13:53,320 --> 00:13:55,720 Speaker 1: it's It's also true for writers and editors who started 250 00:13:55,720 --> 00:13:59,880 Speaker 1: off as editors and writers and then and then graduated 251 00:14:00,120 --> 00:14:03,000 Speaker 1: to a type of performer. Yeah. For some of us, 252 00:14:03,040 --> 00:14:05,920 Speaker 1: we had had a performance background. Ben Bolan as an 253 00:14:05,960 --> 00:14:13,640 Speaker 1: improvisational comedy background has a ham taking up the spotlight background. 254 00:14:13,720 --> 00:14:15,880 Speaker 1: So it was not a big transition for me. But 255 00:14:15,960 --> 00:14:18,360 Speaker 1: some of us, like Josh and Chuck, well, Chuck had 256 00:14:18,400 --> 00:14:23,240 Speaker 1: done music. You know, but they had not necessarily sat 257 00:14:23,280 --> 00:14:26,400 Speaker 1: down to be a performer in the classical sense. And 258 00:14:26,480 --> 00:14:31,480 Speaker 1: now you know there are That's our flagship show. So anyway, um, 259 00:14:31,760 --> 00:14:34,560 Speaker 1: you you have developed this new skill as a colorist 260 00:14:34,560 --> 00:14:37,120 Speaker 1: as well. Sure so so can you can you explain 261 00:14:37,160 --> 00:14:39,840 Speaker 1: a little bit about what that entails, Like, you know, 262 00:14:40,360 --> 00:14:42,480 Speaker 1: I've heard things like color correction or whatever, but what 263 00:14:42,480 --> 00:14:46,800 Speaker 1: does that actually mean. Really, it's just using plugins from 264 00:14:46,840 --> 00:14:51,360 Speaker 1: a program like like after Effects or Premiere, where you 265 00:14:51,400 --> 00:14:56,440 Speaker 1: are manipulating the color values on any given shot or image. 266 00:14:56,600 --> 00:14:58,720 Speaker 1: And what would be the purpose for that? Really? You 267 00:14:58,760 --> 00:15:02,520 Speaker 1: want to match. Either you're either going to match the 268 00:15:02,760 --> 00:15:06,000 Speaker 1: entire video right to try and make things feel like 269 00:15:06,040 --> 00:15:09,800 Speaker 1: they fit together, or you're going to try for some 270 00:15:09,880 --> 00:15:14,000 Speaker 1: kind of emotional or effect. You're trying to affect the 271 00:15:14,080 --> 00:15:17,560 Speaker 1: viewers perception of this image, so you're trying to emphasize 272 00:15:17,560 --> 00:15:19,960 Speaker 1: it in something and and it's a weird thing, like 273 00:15:20,600 --> 00:15:22,880 Speaker 1: trying to influence the way someone looks at this image, 274 00:15:23,280 --> 00:15:25,320 Speaker 1: maybe sees it a little differently than the way it 275 00:15:25,400 --> 00:15:28,160 Speaker 1: was originally there. Yeah, because you only have so much, 276 00:15:28,200 --> 00:15:30,960 Speaker 1: I mean, you can just alter the thing that is 277 00:15:31,000 --> 00:15:33,280 Speaker 1: already existing. It's not like you can go out and 278 00:15:33,960 --> 00:15:36,680 Speaker 1: it's not like you have like, oh, let's turn this 279 00:15:36,680 --> 00:15:39,400 Speaker 1: this angle seventy degrees so that we can look at 280 00:15:39,440 --> 00:15:42,400 Speaker 1: it from a different way. We can't do that, yes, not, 281 00:15:42,600 --> 00:15:45,840 Speaker 1: not unless we're in specifically going out and shooting b 282 00:15:46,000 --> 00:15:49,680 Speaker 1: rollers or that we have some computer graphics thing that 283 00:15:49,760 --> 00:15:52,600 Speaker 1: we have developed in house and thus can manipulate it 284 00:15:52,840 --> 00:15:55,920 Speaker 1: that way. But most of the time we're talking about 285 00:15:55,960 --> 00:16:00,560 Speaker 1: gathering assets from other sources. Yes, that is kind of 286 00:16:00,600 --> 00:16:03,640 Speaker 1: what the show was built upon. Well, and it makes 287 00:16:03,640 --> 00:16:05,120 Speaker 1: sense for stuff they don't want you to know. It 288 00:16:05,160 --> 00:16:08,560 Speaker 1: has almost it feels almost like it has elements of 289 00:16:08,600 --> 00:16:12,280 Speaker 1: found footage in it. It has this very patchwork kind 290 00:16:12,320 --> 00:16:17,160 Speaker 1: of approach, not not in quality but the feel of 291 00:16:17,200 --> 00:16:20,080 Speaker 1: like it's all these different sources of information that are 292 00:16:20,120 --> 00:16:23,840 Speaker 1: combining to tell this one story, which is important especially 293 00:16:24,520 --> 00:16:28,280 Speaker 1: with the tone and and uh and the aim of 294 00:16:28,360 --> 00:16:31,280 Speaker 1: that show. So I think, I think you guys do 295 00:16:31,320 --> 00:16:33,560 Speaker 1: a really great job. All right, So you do your 296 00:16:33,560 --> 00:16:36,840 Speaker 1: color pass. Yes, what happens next? Okay, now comes the 297 00:16:36,920 --> 00:16:40,120 Speaker 1: overall effects pass. So this would be adding things like 298 00:16:40,240 --> 00:16:45,280 Speaker 1: noise to footage and or images to give it the 299 00:16:45,320 --> 00:16:47,200 Speaker 1: stuff they don't want you to know. Feel so sort 300 00:16:47,240 --> 00:16:49,840 Speaker 1: of that grainy look. Yeah, it makes it like, let's 301 00:16:49,880 --> 00:16:52,560 Speaker 1: say I got an image that is just pristine from 302 00:16:52,680 --> 00:16:56,760 Speaker 1: my stock of maybe a person's hands on a keyboard. Okay, 303 00:16:57,040 --> 00:17:00,920 Speaker 1: so after I've color corrected it so it's not so saturated, 304 00:17:00,960 --> 00:17:05,560 Speaker 1: the colors aren't so bright, and it still looks like 305 00:17:05,680 --> 00:17:08,520 Speaker 1: a picture that someone took on purpose to look really nice. 306 00:17:09,160 --> 00:17:10,920 Speaker 1: What I'll do is kind of break the image a 307 00:17:10,960 --> 00:17:14,960 Speaker 1: little bit by adding some noise or again doing some 308 00:17:15,040 --> 00:17:19,000 Speaker 1: other things with color shifting, which would is a little 309 00:17:19,119 --> 00:17:22,200 Speaker 1: it's a little complex, but basically will make the thing 310 00:17:22,280 --> 00:17:24,640 Speaker 1: look like someone screwed up when they were using their 311 00:17:24,680 --> 00:17:28,359 Speaker 1: old eight millimeter cameras, right, And that's a specific effect 312 00:17:28,359 --> 00:17:31,520 Speaker 1: that you're going for. It. It helps again kind of 313 00:17:31,560 --> 00:17:34,600 Speaker 1: create the tone and the feel of the show. So 314 00:17:35,200 --> 00:17:38,040 Speaker 1: it is fun to have all of these competing things 315 00:17:38,080 --> 00:17:41,000 Speaker 1: of what what do I want the overall story to tell? 316 00:17:41,280 --> 00:17:42,960 Speaker 1: Like what story do I want this video to tell? 317 00:17:43,000 --> 00:17:46,760 Speaker 1: Then what what story to want this one image combined 318 00:17:46,840 --> 00:17:50,280 Speaker 1: with this sentence to tell and then trying to do 319 00:17:50,320 --> 00:17:54,720 Speaker 1: that on a video basis. So that's yeah, I mean 320 00:17:54,760 --> 00:18:00,280 Speaker 1: that there's a huge amount of artistry and and uh, 321 00:18:00,440 --> 00:18:03,040 Speaker 1: technical ability that has to go into making this work. 322 00:18:03,080 --> 00:18:04,240 Speaker 1: I mean, I'm sure it was one of those things 323 00:18:04,280 --> 00:18:06,520 Speaker 1: that has been a learning process, and I'm sure you're 324 00:18:06,560 --> 00:18:09,320 Speaker 1: still learning. Oh yeah. There isn't a day that goes 325 00:18:09,320 --> 00:18:12,040 Speaker 1: by where I don't go, oh, I can do this now, 326 00:18:12,760 --> 00:18:17,399 Speaker 1: way easier I could have. I could have taken ten minutes. 327 00:18:18,960 --> 00:18:21,960 Speaker 1: When Okay, So so we said that I started here 328 00:18:22,000 --> 00:18:26,959 Speaker 1: as a videographer, and uh, well, not too long into 329 00:18:27,040 --> 00:18:30,680 Speaker 1: that journey of learning how to be a videographer because 330 00:18:30,680 --> 00:18:32,760 Speaker 1: I was fresh out of college. I got a degree 331 00:18:32,800 --> 00:18:36,000 Speaker 1: at Georgia State in film and video production, and I 332 00:18:36,160 --> 00:18:38,720 Speaker 1: really only knew what I had learned in a couple 333 00:18:38,760 --> 00:18:40,960 Speaker 1: of classes where I actually got to hold a camera. 334 00:18:41,880 --> 00:18:45,920 Speaker 1: I would say, my strengths are not there, that is 335 00:18:45,960 --> 00:18:50,639 Speaker 1: not where they lie. They lie in this storytelling. I 336 00:18:50,680 --> 00:18:53,080 Speaker 1: don't know we'd call it, I guess as an editor. 337 00:18:54,119 --> 00:18:58,680 Speaker 1: And very quickly after that, we began hiring people and expanding, 338 00:18:58,680 --> 00:19:01,400 Speaker 1: and we decided we wanted to make these things called podcasts, 339 00:19:02,160 --> 00:19:05,000 Speaker 1: and we weren't really sure what they were. We had 340 00:19:05,040 --> 00:19:08,000 Speaker 1: some ideas for what they would be, and I found 341 00:19:08,000 --> 00:19:11,760 Speaker 1: that if I was behind a computer and taking things 342 00:19:11,800 --> 00:19:15,800 Speaker 1: that Tyler actually Tyler Klang, who became our videographer at 343 00:19:15,800 --> 00:19:19,040 Speaker 1: the time, shot if I took those things, I felt 344 00:19:19,240 --> 00:19:21,760 Speaker 1: like I had a lot more. I don't know, there's 345 00:19:21,800 --> 00:19:27,120 Speaker 1: more finesse for me back there. Um, I'm not really 346 00:19:27,160 --> 00:19:31,160 Speaker 1: sure where I'm going with this, Jonathan, But all I'm 347 00:19:31,200 --> 00:19:34,439 Speaker 1: all I'm saying is that the shooting shooting video and 348 00:19:34,480 --> 00:19:37,639 Speaker 1: doing it really well, especially with the new cameras that 349 00:19:37,680 --> 00:19:41,359 Speaker 1: around these uh these SLR camera cameras that have just 350 00:19:41,440 --> 00:19:45,600 Speaker 1: some complex lenses that we were able to shoot at 351 00:19:45,640 --> 00:19:49,440 Speaker 1: resolutions that a few years ago would have been unheard of. Yes, 352 00:19:49,520 --> 00:19:53,240 Speaker 1: and and knowing how to make the best image from 353 00:19:53,280 --> 00:19:56,840 Speaker 1: that device is just something that you have to really 354 00:19:56,960 --> 00:19:59,440 Speaker 1: focus a lot of your time on. No pun intended, 355 00:20:00,119 --> 00:20:03,959 Speaker 1: No one intended with focus. But but that is not 356 00:20:04,080 --> 00:20:09,400 Speaker 1: my I don't think it is. I mean, hence, hence, Wow, 357 00:20:09,480 --> 00:20:12,880 Speaker 1: am I really going to say that? That's why I 358 00:20:12,960 --> 00:20:15,680 Speaker 1: continue to shoot on this Sony e X one, which 359 00:20:15,760 --> 00:20:20,720 Speaker 1: is an older camera. Um, but it it does one 360 00:20:20,760 --> 00:20:23,520 Speaker 1: thing that's really awesome for our show, in particular, it 361 00:20:23,800 --> 00:20:27,080 Speaker 1: can it has built in x l R, which is 362 00:20:27,119 --> 00:20:29,760 Speaker 1: just the way you connect up like this, Mike that 363 00:20:29,800 --> 00:20:31,280 Speaker 1: I'm talking to you on a John this talking to 364 00:20:31,320 --> 00:20:34,040 Speaker 1: you on UM. You can connect that directly to the camera. 365 00:20:34,080 --> 00:20:36,560 Speaker 1: So when you're recording audio with Ben for our show, 366 00:20:37,520 --> 00:20:39,840 Speaker 1: I don't have to have a separate piece of equipment 367 00:20:39,920 --> 00:20:42,639 Speaker 1: hooked up, you know, with a mike that's hooked up 368 00:20:42,680 --> 00:20:44,960 Speaker 1: to Ben and then also man the camera, so you 369 00:20:45,000 --> 00:20:47,760 Speaker 1: don't You also don't have to then worry about marrying 370 00:20:47,800 --> 00:20:49,879 Speaker 1: the audio track with the video track, which is a 371 00:20:49,880 --> 00:20:52,600 Speaker 1: whole separate thing. And if you have something like pluralize, 372 00:20:53,359 --> 00:20:55,960 Speaker 1: that's a really great program that you can match up 373 00:20:55,960 --> 00:20:59,120 Speaker 1: audio video. You can way easier than it used to be. Yes, 374 00:20:59,240 --> 00:21:01,280 Speaker 1: like it used to be. You know the slates that 375 00:21:01,359 --> 00:21:03,600 Speaker 1: you've ever seen in any behind the scenes video of 376 00:21:03,640 --> 00:21:06,920 Speaker 1: any television or movie production. They have a slate that's 377 00:21:06,960 --> 00:21:10,320 Speaker 1: the clapboard where they have the name of the scene, 378 00:21:10,359 --> 00:21:12,399 Speaker 1: the number of the take, all that kind of stuff. 379 00:21:12,680 --> 00:21:15,399 Speaker 1: They clap it. The reason they clap it is that 380 00:21:15,600 --> 00:21:20,679 Speaker 1: snapping sound is the que to match the video or 381 00:21:20,720 --> 00:21:23,760 Speaker 1: the the image if you're shooting on film I don't 382 00:21:23,760 --> 00:21:26,719 Speaker 1: know who is these days, assuming you are with the 383 00:21:26,760 --> 00:21:29,159 Speaker 1: audio track so that the two match up, and if 384 00:21:29,200 --> 00:21:31,560 Speaker 1: you get that off even a little bit, that's where 385 00:21:31,600 --> 00:21:34,040 Speaker 1: you get that that Kung Fu movie effect of it 386 00:21:34,040 --> 00:21:36,560 Speaker 1: looks like it's everything's been dubbed. Yes, And there can 387 00:21:36,600 --> 00:21:39,840 Speaker 1: be problems with sinking where it will go out of 388 00:21:39,960 --> 00:21:42,080 Speaker 1: phase or out of sinking. There is a list of 389 00:21:42,160 --> 00:21:45,760 Speaker 1: problems that can come with that. So I don't appind 390 00:21:45,840 --> 00:21:49,639 Speaker 1: it being the old dinosaur. Yeah, I still use that 391 00:21:49,720 --> 00:21:51,919 Speaker 1: old camera, but it's great. It's still shoots to an 392 00:21:51,960 --> 00:21:54,879 Speaker 1: ADP and it looks fantastic, and I would say it 393 00:21:54,960 --> 00:21:58,040 Speaker 1: kind of lends itself to our show even. So let 394 00:21:58,040 --> 00:22:01,520 Speaker 1: me ask you this. From from the moment when uh 395 00:22:01,680 --> 00:22:06,880 Speaker 1: you are actually recording the audio and you or even 396 00:22:07,000 --> 00:22:09,119 Speaker 1: from the moment when you start gathering the assets to 397 00:22:09,160 --> 00:22:14,120 Speaker 1: the moment that it gets published, how much time has passed? Well, 398 00:22:14,160 --> 00:22:17,760 Speaker 1: it varies quite widely depending on the subject matter and 399 00:22:18,000 --> 00:22:23,600 Speaker 1: what footage is available. Um. Sometimes it will take two 400 00:22:23,600 --> 00:22:30,399 Speaker 1: full days, so sixteen twenty hours. Um. Sometimes it will 401 00:22:30,440 --> 00:22:34,320 Speaker 1: take a week, a full week of sitting there and 402 00:22:34,400 --> 00:22:37,119 Speaker 1: trying to make it work. And how frequently do you publish? 403 00:22:37,400 --> 00:22:41,320 Speaker 1: We currently only published twice a week. But if it 404 00:22:41,359 --> 00:22:43,880 Speaker 1: takes a week to do one episode and you published 405 00:22:43,880 --> 00:22:47,000 Speaker 1: twice a week, that's why I am currently just now 406 00:22:47,119 --> 00:22:50,760 Speaker 1: editing the audio and starting to sync up some video 407 00:22:50,880 --> 00:22:53,080 Speaker 1: for the one that comes out this Friday. Well, it 408 00:22:53,080 --> 00:22:56,199 Speaker 1: won't be this Friday when this publishes, right, but but 409 00:22:56,280 --> 00:23:00,520 Speaker 1: in other words, we are recording this on a Thursday afternoon, yes, 410 00:23:01,280 --> 00:23:05,120 Speaker 1: almost into Thursday evening at this point, and you have 411 00:23:05,280 --> 00:23:09,360 Speaker 1: a show that publishes tomorrow that you are currently working on. Wow. 412 00:23:09,680 --> 00:23:12,760 Speaker 1: That's amazing. And that's where we've been, Jonathan since uh 413 00:23:12,880 --> 00:23:16,159 Speaker 1: since the first batch of five. So how long have 414 00:23:16,240 --> 00:23:19,440 Speaker 1: you been doing this show? Oh? Gosh, I think two 415 00:23:19,480 --> 00:23:23,040 Speaker 1: thousand late two thousand eight is when I began production 416 00:23:23,040 --> 00:23:25,160 Speaker 1: on Wow. Okay, so that's the same year the tech 417 00:23:25,200 --> 00:23:28,400 Speaker 1: stuff started, so you you guys were not far behind us. 418 00:23:29,040 --> 00:23:31,280 Speaker 1: And um, I think I was the one who actually 419 00:23:31,320 --> 00:23:33,160 Speaker 1: came up with the title of your show. You did. 420 00:23:33,240 --> 00:23:37,440 Speaker 1: We were in the kitchen of our previous office and 421 00:23:37,720 --> 00:23:40,000 Speaker 1: you and I were talking and you said stuff they 422 00:23:40,000 --> 00:23:41,640 Speaker 1: don't want you to know, and I think you said 423 00:23:41,640 --> 00:23:46,040 Speaker 1: it jokingly. Yeah. It just shows that even my jokes 424 00:23:46,080 --> 00:23:49,440 Speaker 1: are amazing ideas and people need to pay me more. Uh, well, 425 00:23:49,440 --> 00:23:52,480 Speaker 1: that this has been fascinating, So so tell me, like, 426 00:23:52,920 --> 00:23:55,080 Speaker 1: what are some of the you know, you've learned a 427 00:23:55,080 --> 00:23:58,520 Speaker 1: lot honestly and clearly, not all of the lessons that 428 00:23:58,640 --> 00:24:01,800 Speaker 1: you've learned for today are applicable to when you first 429 00:24:01,800 --> 00:24:04,119 Speaker 1: started out because of different software suites all that kind 430 00:24:04,160 --> 00:24:06,600 Speaker 1: of stuff. But what are some tips that you would 431 00:24:06,640 --> 00:24:10,639 Speaker 1: have given, uh Matt from two thousand eight, things that like, 432 00:24:10,840 --> 00:24:13,639 Speaker 1: here's some general things I have found that are really 433 00:24:13,680 --> 00:24:17,600 Speaker 1: effective in my job that would have saved you some 434 00:24:17,600 --> 00:24:20,320 Speaker 1: some heartache back in the earlier days. Well, the first 435 00:24:20,359 --> 00:24:23,480 Speaker 1: thing that Jerry and I have had many a meeting about. 436 00:24:24,320 --> 00:24:27,640 Speaker 1: Jerry is the head of production here. Yeah, she's also 437 00:24:27,680 --> 00:24:30,640 Speaker 1: the mysterious producer of stuff. You should know. She really 438 00:24:30,680 --> 00:24:34,480 Speaker 1: does exist. Yes, she's a real human she is. She's awesome, 439 00:24:34,920 --> 00:24:38,959 Speaker 1: she is. Well. One of the big things is you 440 00:24:39,080 --> 00:24:43,800 Speaker 1: have to learn when enough is enough and it's good 441 00:24:43,920 --> 00:24:49,760 Speaker 1: enough to publish. Right. I sometimes have a problem of 442 00:24:49,840 --> 00:24:54,160 Speaker 1: over complicating things, and especially when I was early making 443 00:24:54,160 --> 00:24:58,600 Speaker 1: the show, so I would I would be here here 444 00:24:58,960 --> 00:25:01,119 Speaker 1: being just the office wherever the office of house that 445 00:25:01,240 --> 00:25:03,320 Speaker 1: works is. I would be here way too long working 446 00:25:03,359 --> 00:25:08,480 Speaker 1: on things like well after hours, yeah, way beyond anytime 447 00:25:08,520 --> 00:25:12,440 Speaker 1: someone should be working. And that was a problem because 448 00:25:13,560 --> 00:25:17,400 Speaker 1: I just couldn't live with not feeling like it was perfect. 449 00:25:18,400 --> 00:25:21,080 Speaker 1: I can understand that. Like the idea that I mean, 450 00:25:21,240 --> 00:25:23,600 Speaker 1: it's hard to let go when you when you are 451 00:25:23,880 --> 00:25:27,560 Speaker 1: when you're crafting something and it matters to you and 452 00:25:27,600 --> 00:25:30,159 Speaker 1: you know other people are going to see it, then 453 00:25:30,240 --> 00:25:32,840 Speaker 1: you know it's it's very hard to let go. Sometimes 454 00:25:32,840 --> 00:25:35,480 Speaker 1: I've gotten a lot more blase about it because I've 455 00:25:35,520 --> 00:25:37,600 Speaker 1: done it for so long now. I mean, I still 456 00:25:37,600 --> 00:25:40,159 Speaker 1: have high standards that I want to meet, but I 457 00:25:40,200 --> 00:25:43,960 Speaker 1: also can walk away a lot, a lot more readily 458 00:25:44,040 --> 00:25:45,720 Speaker 1: than I could back in the day when we first 459 00:25:45,760 --> 00:25:48,280 Speaker 1: started doing this kind of stuff. And I mean it's 460 00:25:48,320 --> 00:25:51,480 Speaker 1: no joke. Guys, the video crew in general here at 461 00:25:51,480 --> 00:25:55,199 Speaker 1: how stuff works. Some of the hardest working people in 462 00:25:55,240 --> 00:25:58,640 Speaker 1: our office. No seriously, you guys have got I mean, 463 00:25:58,920 --> 00:26:02,680 Speaker 1: considering the amount of video that we are producing here 464 00:26:02,720 --> 00:26:05,600 Speaker 1: at the office, um, and we always are trying to 465 00:26:05,640 --> 00:26:09,080 Speaker 1: do more. You guys are working really hard to make 466 00:26:09,119 --> 00:26:12,200 Speaker 1: sure that that stuff stays. Uh. You know that's publishing 467 00:26:12,200 --> 00:26:16,360 Speaker 1: on time. Noel's the same way. He produces a lot 468 00:26:16,400 --> 00:26:19,679 Speaker 1: of audio podcasts is right now and I guarantee you 469 00:26:19,720 --> 00:26:22,880 Speaker 1: this is true. He is working on something else, like 470 00:26:22,960 --> 00:26:25,439 Speaker 1: the next audio podcast or the one that you just 471 00:26:25,520 --> 00:26:28,800 Speaker 1: recorded and Ben he is editing that right now while 472 00:26:28,840 --> 00:26:33,440 Speaker 1: he's monitoring. Yeah, he's he's nodding at us right now, implacably. 473 00:26:35,760 --> 00:26:39,240 Speaker 1: He's also making beats. Okay, well that's fair. So Knowle's 474 00:26:40,119 --> 00:26:43,640 Speaker 1: master multitasker. I am not. I'm a unitasker if there 475 00:26:43,680 --> 00:26:46,000 Speaker 1: ever was one, But I mean we could tell other 476 00:26:46,320 --> 00:26:49,080 Speaker 1: Let's tell a couple of interesting stories about the video department, 477 00:26:49,160 --> 00:26:53,400 Speaker 1: just so folks can know some stuff. Like we joke 478 00:26:53,440 --> 00:26:56,800 Speaker 1: about you guys occasionally, like we'll make a little reference whatever. 479 00:26:56,840 --> 00:26:58,480 Speaker 1: And I'm sure people who have listened to the show 480 00:26:58,480 --> 00:27:01,360 Speaker 1: for a long time have ped up little things here 481 00:27:01,400 --> 00:27:04,480 Speaker 1: and there about the video crew. So some of the 482 00:27:04,560 --> 00:27:07,440 Speaker 1: interesting things that you may or may not know. UH 483 00:27:07,560 --> 00:27:10,919 Speaker 1: for a while in our office that was in Buckhead, 484 00:27:11,000 --> 00:27:15,399 Speaker 1: which is uh a neighborhood in Atlanta, affluent neighbor in 485 00:27:15,440 --> 00:27:18,880 Speaker 1: the neighborhood in Atlanta. I personally was not a big 486 00:27:18,920 --> 00:27:21,080 Speaker 1: fan of that office space, even when we were on 487 00:27:21,119 --> 00:27:24,480 Speaker 1: the fifteenth floor. You know, it's just you know, I 488 00:27:24,520 --> 00:27:28,439 Speaker 1: mean the break areas had a lot of character, but 489 00:27:28,520 --> 00:27:31,320 Speaker 1: no one ever went to them, Like if you ever 490 00:27:31,359 --> 00:27:33,560 Speaker 1: went into the big we had this enormous break room 491 00:27:33,720 --> 00:27:39,200 Speaker 1: had had previously been an executive office. Yeah, we and 492 00:27:39,200 --> 00:27:42,200 Speaker 1: and then we converted that into a giant break room, 493 00:27:42,480 --> 00:27:45,080 Speaker 1: which was cool to look at and cool to shoot 494 00:27:45,200 --> 00:27:48,080 Speaker 1: video in, but almost no one went into except for 495 00:27:48,119 --> 00:27:50,119 Speaker 1: some of the sales or developer people. They would go 496 00:27:50,160 --> 00:27:51,840 Speaker 1: in there and play foosball, but the rest of us 497 00:27:51,880 --> 00:27:55,919 Speaker 1: never bothered to touch it. Um so uh. I was 498 00:27:55,960 --> 00:27:58,280 Speaker 1: never a huge fan of our space there, But there 499 00:27:58,359 --> 00:28:03,239 Speaker 1: was a while are our old podcast studio was a 500 00:28:03,280 --> 00:28:07,520 Speaker 1: little alcove in an oddly shaped room, and that oddly 501 00:28:07,520 --> 00:28:10,879 Speaker 1: shaped room served as both the audio podcast studio and 502 00:28:10,920 --> 00:28:13,919 Speaker 1: our video studio. So we could not shoot video in 503 00:28:13,960 --> 00:28:16,040 Speaker 1: the studio and do a podcast at the same time 504 00:28:16,080 --> 00:28:19,000 Speaker 1: because it was all the same space. Uh. The podcast 505 00:28:19,040 --> 00:28:21,320 Speaker 1: part was curtained off because it was it was almost 506 00:28:21,320 --> 00:28:26,199 Speaker 1: it's just this little alcove. Ye. The reason why I 507 00:28:26,200 --> 00:28:28,880 Speaker 1: bring this up and how I I'm bringing it back 508 00:28:28,920 --> 00:28:31,919 Speaker 1: to video is that for a while there was so 509 00:28:32,000 --> 00:28:34,400 Speaker 1: much work going into video and there we was so 510 00:28:35,080 --> 00:28:39,200 Speaker 1: like you guys, your resources were stretched so thin. That 511 00:28:39,320 --> 00:28:42,360 Speaker 1: ad meant that some of you guys were working crazy hours, 512 00:28:42,360 --> 00:28:44,760 Speaker 1: like so far into the night that once in a 513 00:28:44,840 --> 00:28:49,240 Speaker 1: blue moon, someone would stay over and that was why 514 00:28:49,280 --> 00:28:52,640 Speaker 1: When I walked into the audio podcast room, I was like, 515 00:28:52,800 --> 00:28:55,360 Speaker 1: why the hell is there this huge pile of green 516 00:28:55,480 --> 00:28:57,840 Speaker 1: fabric laying on the ground. It was one of our 517 00:28:57,880 --> 00:29:00,640 Speaker 1: extra green screens that Tyler had folded up into a 518 00:29:01,040 --> 00:29:07,360 Speaker 1: sleeping cot. Yeah. Yeah, yeah. To be fair, Matt, I 519 00:29:07,400 --> 00:29:10,840 Speaker 1: mean I also slept in the office more than once 520 00:29:11,440 --> 00:29:16,600 Speaker 1: because I had to shoot television spots at five in 521 00:29:16,640 --> 00:29:21,960 Speaker 1: the morning occasionally, and uh, I'd be done by I 522 00:29:21,960 --> 00:29:25,200 Speaker 1: would get to the office and I would go into 523 00:29:25,520 --> 00:29:27,719 Speaker 1: there was a room called the cool room, which was 524 00:29:27,760 --> 00:29:30,960 Speaker 1: not cool. It was very warm, but it had a 525 00:29:31,040 --> 00:29:33,720 Speaker 1: couch and I would sleep on that. I slept on 526 00:29:33,720 --> 00:29:36,800 Speaker 1: that couch more than once. So, I mean, it's happened 527 00:29:36,800 --> 00:29:38,920 Speaker 1: to all of us. We've all worked like crazy hours 528 00:29:38,960 --> 00:29:41,400 Speaker 1: to get the stuff we love done. And you know, 529 00:29:42,080 --> 00:29:44,360 Speaker 1: you don't hear people complain about it. They really want 530 00:29:44,400 --> 00:29:49,720 Speaker 1: to get the stuff done. So, uh, tell me give 531 00:29:49,760 --> 00:29:53,720 Speaker 1: me an example of of, like one of your favorite 532 00:29:53,760 --> 00:29:57,080 Speaker 1: memories so far of working in the video department of 533 00:29:57,120 --> 00:29:59,640 Speaker 1: how stuff works. Okay, I'll tell you one, very very 534 00:29:59,640 --> 00:30:04,720 Speaker 1: early one. I got to travel with Jerry and Tyler 535 00:30:04,760 --> 00:30:09,560 Speaker 1: and Rock Sand with Marshall Brain to New York I 536 00:30:09,560 --> 00:30:12,440 Speaker 1: think in two thousand seven. I believe it was in 537 00:30:12,480 --> 00:30:14,239 Speaker 1: two thousand seven. It was around the time that How 538 00:30:14,320 --> 00:30:18,880 Speaker 1: Stuff Works went public, okay, and we got to go 539 00:30:19,160 --> 00:30:22,680 Speaker 1: in behind the NASDACK sign. I don't know if you're 540 00:30:22,720 --> 00:30:26,360 Speaker 1: familiar with the giant NASDAC sign in New York. And 541 00:30:26,400 --> 00:30:29,760 Speaker 1: we got to go behind it and basically we were 542 00:30:29,800 --> 00:30:32,040 Speaker 1: told how it worked. We got to take video of 543 00:30:32,120 --> 00:30:36,200 Speaker 1: all the moving pieces and all the LEDs. It was incredible, 544 00:30:36,560 --> 00:30:39,560 Speaker 1: and you know, I was just trying to imagine when 545 00:30:39,680 --> 00:30:42,000 Speaker 1: something like when an opportunity like that would come along 546 00:30:42,040 --> 00:30:44,760 Speaker 1: in my life if I didn't work here. Yeah, I've 547 00:30:44,840 --> 00:30:48,880 Speaker 1: had similar they've been they've been kind of a little 548 00:30:49,040 --> 00:30:52,040 Speaker 1: punctuation marks in my long career at How Stuff Works 549 00:30:52,080 --> 00:30:55,520 Speaker 1: because Matt and I were we've been here a long time. 550 00:30:56,240 --> 00:30:57,680 Speaker 1: Like there there are a lot of people we think 551 00:30:57,720 --> 00:30:59,960 Speaker 1: of us whipper snappers because they've been here, like, oh 552 00:30:59,560 --> 00:31:04,600 Speaker 1: I joined in two thousand eleven, right whatever, um, But yeah, 553 00:31:04,640 --> 00:31:06,720 Speaker 1: there have been moments that are kind of like punctuation 554 00:31:06,760 --> 00:31:09,960 Speaker 1: points where we've done some incredible stuff. Not not to 555 00:31:10,000 --> 00:31:11,840 Speaker 1: say like my day to day job I think of 556 00:31:11,840 --> 00:31:15,160 Speaker 1: as incredible, but there's certain things that go well beyond 557 00:31:15,240 --> 00:31:17,120 Speaker 1: that where I'm like, Wow, I can't believe I had 558 00:31:17,120 --> 00:31:19,960 Speaker 1: the opportunity to do this amazing thing. Have you talked 559 00:31:20,000 --> 00:31:22,600 Speaker 1: on the show about your ww E recent thing? I 560 00:31:22,640 --> 00:31:25,480 Speaker 1: did not. I have not talked about it. Yeah. I 561 00:31:25,480 --> 00:31:28,440 Speaker 1: I got the opportunity to go shoot some behind the 562 00:31:28,480 --> 00:31:33,040 Speaker 1: scenes material at w w E SmackDown taping here in Atlanta, 563 00:31:33,280 --> 00:31:36,840 Speaker 1: and uh w w E gave me incredible amounts of access. 564 00:31:36,880 --> 00:31:38,560 Speaker 1: I got to talk to people of the crew. I 565 00:31:38,600 --> 00:31:40,560 Speaker 1: got to talk to referees who are the leaders of 566 00:31:40,600 --> 00:31:43,640 Speaker 1: the ring crew. We got to shoot shoot video of 567 00:31:44,160 --> 00:31:47,040 Speaker 1: the light rig being put together, the stage being put together, 568 00:31:47,280 --> 00:31:51,760 Speaker 1: they Titan tron lifted into place, the ring constructed. We 569 00:31:51,840 --> 00:31:53,840 Speaker 1: got to go under the ring. We were the first 570 00:31:53,960 --> 00:31:56,520 Speaker 1: video crew ever allowed to go under the w w 571 00:31:56,680 --> 00:31:59,520 Speaker 1: E ring. That was my favorite part now where I'm 572 00:31:59,560 --> 00:32:03,080 Speaker 1: there with referee Charles Robinson, who's the He was overseeing 573 00:32:03,120 --> 00:32:06,280 Speaker 1: the ring crew the ring construction, and he was telling 574 00:32:06,280 --> 00:32:08,880 Speaker 1: me all about like how the ring, how the ring 575 00:32:08,920 --> 00:32:10,920 Speaker 1: construction is different from the way it was back in 576 00:32:10,960 --> 00:32:13,880 Speaker 1: the old days. I got to put the ropes on 577 00:32:13,920 --> 00:32:16,200 Speaker 1: the ring so and they held up so I didn't 578 00:32:16,200 --> 00:32:20,200 Speaker 1: do anything. That's very important very tight. They are extremely tight. Yeah. 579 00:32:20,200 --> 00:32:21,600 Speaker 1: They said that if it if it doesn't leave a 580 00:32:21,640 --> 00:32:24,880 Speaker 1: well it's not tight enough. Um. Yeah. And then I 581 00:32:24,920 --> 00:32:27,400 Speaker 1: got to talk to some of the superstars like right 582 00:32:27,440 --> 00:32:30,600 Speaker 1: Back and uh and seth Rawlins, and I got to 583 00:32:30,640 --> 00:32:35,280 Speaker 1: talk to Natalia who was amazing, Like everyone was phenomenal. 584 00:32:35,640 --> 00:32:38,760 Speaker 1: So that's the kind of opportunity that that I never 585 00:32:38,760 --> 00:32:40,800 Speaker 1: would have had if it wasn't for How Stuff Works 586 00:32:40,920 --> 00:32:42,800 Speaker 1: and the thing that I got hired to be a writer, 587 00:32:43,600 --> 00:32:45,600 Speaker 1: you know, and now I'm doing this kind of stuff. 588 00:32:45,880 --> 00:32:48,440 Speaker 1: So uh, it's really cool that you were able to 589 00:32:48,480 --> 00:32:50,400 Speaker 1: join me talk about your show. I'm glad we got 590 00:32:50,440 --> 00:32:52,000 Speaker 1: to do this behind the scenes. I hope I get 591 00:32:52,000 --> 00:32:53,440 Speaker 1: to do more of these with some of the other 592 00:32:53,560 --> 00:32:55,440 Speaker 1: shows here at How Stuff Works. I think this is 593 00:32:55,440 --> 00:32:58,200 Speaker 1: a great forum for it. And it's also nice to 594 00:32:58,280 --> 00:33:01,000 Speaker 1: hear about, you know, what it as you do and 595 00:33:01,000 --> 00:33:03,239 Speaker 1: and the steps that are involved in just making a 596 00:33:03,280 --> 00:33:05,440 Speaker 1: single episode of stuff they don't want you to know 597 00:33:05,640 --> 00:33:08,960 Speaker 1: come to life. I am very glad that we got 598 00:33:09,000 --> 00:33:11,160 Speaker 1: to do this. Thank you, Jonathan. I didn't even go 599 00:33:11,240 --> 00:33:14,360 Speaker 1: into the encoding process and uploading and publishing it all 600 00:33:14,360 --> 00:33:18,400 Speaker 1: that past. Maybe I'll have you on again, and we'll 601 00:33:18,440 --> 00:33:21,680 Speaker 1: talk about that because because we are doing so much 602 00:33:21,680 --> 00:33:24,160 Speaker 1: more video here at Hell Stuff works, that it might 603 00:33:24,160 --> 00:33:26,880 Speaker 1: be fun to sort of talk about, uh, the second 604 00:33:27,000 --> 00:33:30,640 Speaker 1: half of that process, the actual Okay, you've got the 605 00:33:30,760 --> 00:33:33,640 Speaker 1: video to where you want it to be, Now how 606 00:33:33,680 --> 00:33:35,640 Speaker 1: do you get it to the point where it is 607 00:33:35,720 --> 00:33:37,920 Speaker 1: going to go up so that people can watch it? 608 00:33:38,280 --> 00:33:40,920 Speaker 1: So stay tuned because I'll probably do an episode about 609 00:33:40,920 --> 00:33:43,040 Speaker 1: that in the future, and and Matt, maybe I'll have 610 00:33:43,120 --> 00:33:45,719 Speaker 1: you on or uh, Yeah, it'd be great to have 611 00:33:45,800 --> 00:33:48,640 Speaker 1: this kind of conversation and really go into the details 612 00:33:48,640 --> 00:33:50,840 Speaker 1: about it. This has been an incredible episode of tech 613 00:33:50,880 --> 00:33:53,760 Speaker 1: stuff for me. I didn't have my computer open, you didn't. 614 00:33:53,880 --> 00:33:55,560 Speaker 1: I just closed it because I was like, we're just 615 00:33:55,560 --> 00:33:58,400 Speaker 1: gonna have a conversation and see how it happens. So 616 00:33:58,480 --> 00:34:01,120 Speaker 1: if you enjoyed this episode, guy, let me know if 617 00:34:01,120 --> 00:34:03,240 Speaker 1: you want to hear more stuff like this, like learn 618 00:34:03,320 --> 00:34:06,160 Speaker 1: more about the behind the scenes technical aspects of how 619 00:34:06,200 --> 00:34:08,640 Speaker 1: stuff works. I can talk to lots of people. I 620 00:34:08,640 --> 00:34:10,680 Speaker 1: can talk to the people who published the stuff on 621 00:34:10,719 --> 00:34:13,840 Speaker 1: the websites. We can talk to editors about how the 622 00:34:14,200 --> 00:34:17,600 Speaker 1: articles are shaped so that they're ready to go up live. 623 00:34:17,719 --> 00:34:20,480 Speaker 1: On the sites. We can talk to other folks on 624 00:34:20,520 --> 00:34:24,600 Speaker 1: the video crew, everything from how we set up video shots, 625 00:34:24,600 --> 00:34:27,960 Speaker 1: to the equipment that we use, to the ways we 626 00:34:27,960 --> 00:34:32,279 Speaker 1: work around limitations. Because sometimes limitations are the best things. Yeah, 627 00:34:32,360 --> 00:34:35,799 Speaker 1: they make you be resourceful and creative. Yeah, which is 628 00:34:36,160 --> 00:34:38,920 Speaker 1: why I argue the original trilogy of Star Wars is 629 00:34:38,960 --> 00:34:42,240 Speaker 1: superior to the prequels because it didn't have the money. 630 00:34:42,400 --> 00:34:45,120 Speaker 1: Lucas had limitations and he had to figure out ways 631 00:34:45,120 --> 00:34:47,239 Speaker 1: around them. And then by the time the prequels came around, 632 00:34:47,280 --> 00:34:49,480 Speaker 1: he had no limitations. And now we see what happens. 633 00:34:49,840 --> 00:34:53,600 Speaker 1: Oh man, when does this published? This will probably publish 634 00:34:53,640 --> 00:34:56,640 Speaker 1: towards the end of April. End of April. Well, by 635 00:34:56,640 --> 00:34:59,000 Speaker 1: the time that you've heard this, I will be just 636 00:34:59,120 --> 00:35:02,640 Speaker 1: returning from the convention. Star Wars Convention in Anaheim. Oh 637 00:35:02,719 --> 00:35:05,000 Speaker 1: you're gonna go to that, Yes, Tyler and I and 638 00:35:05,040 --> 00:35:08,719 Speaker 1: Holly are going out. Well, to be fair, Holly did 639 00:35:08,840 --> 00:35:12,040 Speaker 1: used to work for the fourth dot net, right, some 640 00:35:14,239 --> 00:35:15,960 Speaker 1: Star Wars dot com. It might have been the one 641 00:35:16,000 --> 00:35:20,080 Speaker 1: I was actually thinking of. So I am jealous, but 642 00:35:20,200 --> 00:35:23,239 Speaker 1: I can't. She's got the credentials and I don't. I'm 643 00:35:23,280 --> 00:35:26,440 Speaker 1: just a fan. She's actually worked for stuff that's related 644 00:35:26,440 --> 00:35:30,239 Speaker 1: to it, So I will I will definitely hit you 645 00:35:30,360 --> 00:35:32,880 Speaker 1: up to ask what the heck happened at that you 646 00:35:33,160 --> 00:35:35,480 Speaker 1: have holly On soon? Yeah, maybe I'll have holly On 647 00:35:35,600 --> 00:35:38,840 Speaker 1: to talk about, um, the Star Wars fandom and the 648 00:35:38,880 --> 00:35:41,160 Speaker 1: technical side of that, as long as I make it 649 00:35:41,239 --> 00:35:45,840 Speaker 1: semi technical fits right, Yeah, pops pop stuff. So I 650 00:35:45,840 --> 00:35:49,520 Speaker 1: can't talk about stuff necessarily. Yeah, she's going to experience 651 00:35:49,520 --> 00:35:51,600 Speaker 1: it all Tyler, and I will just be standing in 652 00:35:51,640 --> 00:35:53,640 Speaker 1: front of her, behind her somewhere with a camera. It's 653 00:35:53,680 --> 00:35:57,240 Speaker 1: kind of like your experience of Dragon Con. Yeah, Like, yeah, 654 00:35:57,400 --> 00:35:59,720 Speaker 1: I wish I could really like enjoy this, but instead 655 00:35:59,719 --> 00:36:02,080 Speaker 1: I got to point this camera this bald guy talking 656 00:36:02,080 --> 00:36:05,640 Speaker 1: about things. We'll probably do it again this year too. 657 00:36:05,760 --> 00:36:08,279 Speaker 1: All right, well, Matt, thank you again. Remember stuff they 658 00:36:08,280 --> 00:36:10,680 Speaker 1: don't want you to know. Amazing show. If you've not 659 00:36:10,760 --> 00:36:13,640 Speaker 1: checked it out, go look up some episodes. There are 660 00:36:13,800 --> 00:36:17,120 Speaker 1: tons of different topics. Uh, there are some that will 661 00:36:17,200 --> 00:36:21,439 Speaker 1: really open up your eyes as to the crazy clandestine 662 00:36:21,520 --> 00:36:24,799 Speaker 1: stuff that has happened over the past also as well 663 00:36:24,800 --> 00:36:29,520 Speaker 1: as just an examination of how, you know, how intrusive 664 00:36:29,600 --> 00:36:32,480 Speaker 1: certain ideas can become even when there's not a shred 665 00:36:32,480 --> 00:36:35,600 Speaker 1: of evidence to support them. Yeah. So it's really fascinating. 666 00:36:35,680 --> 00:36:38,160 Speaker 1: Check it out, and if you have any suggestions for me, 667 00:36:38,400 --> 00:36:39,880 Speaker 1: right to me. You know. If you want to hear 668 00:36:39,920 --> 00:36:42,440 Speaker 1: more episodes like this, send me an email that addresses 669 00:36:42,480 --> 00:36:45,200 Speaker 1: tech stuff at how stuffworks dot com, or drop me 670 00:36:45,239 --> 00:36:49,160 Speaker 1: a line on Facebook or Twitter or tumbler at all three. 671 00:36:49,320 --> 00:36:53,000 Speaker 1: I am text stuff hs W. We'll talk to you again. 672 00:36:53,600 --> 00:36:59,160 Speaker 1: Really so. For more on that and thousands of other topics, 673 00:36:59,600 --> 00:37:10,080 Speaker 1: how stuff work dot com