In just over twelve hours, we will be launching Episode 1 of NaNoMusical. It feels a little unreal. I’ve started about ten blog posts, but almost all of them end up sounding overly sentimental and I can’t seem to really express just how insane and awesome this whole process has been. Did we give ourselves enough time? Nope. Do we have a polished product? Hardly. Am I proud of what we’ve accomplished? More than words can say. So I’ve decided to save the mushy emotions for another time, and for today list the top ten things I learned doing NaNoMusical, in no particular order:
- Extension cords are everyone’s friend, except when someone trips over one and breaks a light. Then they’re an enemy.
- If you decide to shoot outside, it’s almost always going to rain. And if it doesn’t rain, somebody will start a lawn mower.
- As it turns out, four hours is not an ideal time to shoot two musical numbers involving large numbers of people.
- Sound equipment is always optional, but probably a good investment.
- Scheduling six people with full time jobs is just as hard as it looks. Harder, even.
- Using your apartment as a set is always a cheaper option, but prepare to have it destroyed, especially by energetic Asian creative partners named Errol.
- As good as it is to have friends who will support you through your crazy stressful times, it’s also good to have friends who are brave enough to say “you’re such a freak”.
- Having a creative partner who is not only willing to sit through late night Skype writing sessions but who also never stops forcing you to try new things is incredibly valuable.
- It’s probably a good idea to know how a camera works before you turn it on.
- Finding talented people to be involved is important. Finding talented people who will work for chips is absolutely essential.
I have no idea how anyone will react to our NaNoMusical. But I do know that it was a lot of fun to do :D. See you guys in twelve hours!
Manda aka Val
NaNoMusical 