The article below is from the Video Ideas email list.
The films in today’s Video Ideas are all based on something real — a speech, phone call, court hearing or an interview — which has been re-visualised, often with animation. If you’ve got some low-quality video, or you only have audio, this can be a very effective technique.
John Lennon Interview (I Met The Walrus) — In 1969, a 14-year-old Beatle fan snuck into John Lennon’s hotel room in Toronto and convinced him to do an interview
This is a great way to bring to life an old piece of audio archive.
A Boy Named Gavin | ACLU — Animation of a real-life speech of a trans student
Gavin Grimm is a trans man from Louisiana. In 2015, he sued his local school board after they prevented him from using the men’s bathrooms at his school. This video uses the audio of him arguing his case to the local school board (the original is here) but adds animation.
There are a few benefits to this creative approach: the original footage is low quality; the animation subtly covers edits that have been made to make the speech shorter; and the way the filmmakers have edited in clips of the complaining parents (presumably from news reports) is very effective.
Listen | No More ⭐ — A 911 call about domestic violence visualised with shots from a disordered house
When I first watched this film I was blown away. However, a quick Google search suggests it’s not a genuine recording of a 911 call. Nonetheless, it’s still a great piece of writing and although I felt a bit gutted on learning it’s not an actual police phone call, I could imagine this approach being used for real-life clips from other sources.
State of Georgia Vs. Denver Fenton Allen | Rick and Morty — “A faithful, word-for-word recreation of one colorful day in the American court system.”
I feel conflicted about this film. I cried with laughter watching it but have since learnt the person involved is now serving a life term for murder. Sorry if that killed the enjoyment.
Nevertheless, it’s a great reminder that if you don’t have an actual audio recording, using actors is another option open to you. It also demonstrates that a cheaper, minimal “animatic” animation style — a series of black and white still frames — can work well when the underlying content is good.
Sean Patton was Paid $500 to Never Tell This Story | Vice — Comedian Sean Patton recalls the night of a bad gig in Louisiana
This is part of a series called Party Legends which asks celebrities for their “craziest party stories” and then animates them. Interview and animation are a smart combination — you’ve got an easy way to cover edits and retakes, and if you’re low on animation budget you can just show more of the interview. I also think this is a clever format and although its main aim is entertainment, it could be easily reimagined for more journalistic purposes.
A ⭐ means particularly recommended. While all the films I include in these emails are worth knowing about for some reason, these are the ones you definitely don’t want to miss.