I’m Charlie Gimber, the editorial intern here at Howcast. As my fellow intern Jack explained previously, we’ve been hard at work on collective how-to video projects as part of our internships. We’re doing absolutely everything – from writing the script and recording the voice-over to filming and editing the footage.

In New York, we chose “How To Stand Up For Yourself,” and I immediately started working on the script by checking out some related titles for inspiration (How To Stand Up To A Bully and How To Overcome Fear). Sticking to Howcast’s sourcing guidelines (all scripts are fact-checked), I researched self-improvement advice, chose a few key pieces, and transformed the information into a step-by-step script in the Howcast format. Once that was approved, we moved on to the voice-over.

Those who were brave enough to face claustrophobia head-on got a chance to try out the tiny recording booth. After analyzing everyone’s attempts, we decided that Morgan, an Emerging Filmmakers Program intern, was clearly a cut above when it came to narrating skills, so we proudly elected him to be the official voice of our video.

The next step was to start filming. The production intern, Kelsey, took the reins on the storyboard and served as our director. Prior to our shoot in Washington Square Park, I had no idea how much time and effort went into each and every shot. For example, if the sun disappears behind a cloud (which happened often), it’s vital to wait until it reappears, or it throws off the lighting of the entire video. It’s often the little things that make filming a challenge, which I didn’t realize till I was on set. The whole project has been a great learning experience, allowing us to participate in every step of the process – something that doesn’t often happen for interns.

Now the video is in post-production, where it gets edited and finalized. Look for Jack’s next blog entry, coming soon!

-Charlie