This is the most uncomfortable I’ve ever been while filming a video.
Imagine being a 26 year old man and taking hundreds of pictures of a pig at a playground while surrounded by kids, their suspicious parents, and giggling teenagers. I eventually had to leave since the kids kept trying to beat up Parker Pig.
But it didn’t stop there.
Because I needed to film outside and was running short on time, I shot the karate scene in the public parking lot of my townhome development. Several neighbors walked by in the process with only one asking what I was up to. He assured me that he had already given me the benefit of the doubt and assumed it was a video for a client. The rest might fear they live next to a pig enthusiast.
Was it uncomfortable? Yes.
Was it worth it? Yes.
Most things worth doing are uncomfortable on some level because of time, uncertainty, effort, fear of being misunderstood, or a hundred other reasons. If they weren’t, you’d have already done them. Between what you want and where you are there is always a gap to close. If you want something, close it.
Parts of this video were uncomfortable to film, but I wanted those scenes so I shrugged aside the awkward feelings. I didn’t care what anyone at the playground thought. I was willing to be misunderstood. The video ended up being my favorite creation to date. Sometimes you need to be willing to get uncomfortable to get what you want.
Connect with me on Twitter: @BenNesvig
It turned out so well. Fantastic job. My daughter (4 yrs) and I were watching it this morning, and she was “squealing” with laughter. She keeps coming back to my Mac & asking to watch, “more Parker Pig, please.” He favorite part is the “board part.” She was amazed when Parker actually chopped it in half. Thank you for sharing.
This made my day. Thank you for sharing!
You’re welcome! Did you make all of the videos, or just Parker?
I’ve made all of them so far. You can hear some of my VO coaching in this “making of” video.
Great job! What I really enjoyed was the voice. I see stuffed animals all the time, so they all look alike to me now, but it’s that voice that made this character so real and endearing to me.
Thanks. The voice makes a HUGE difference. The voices in the last two videos (Dillon Dog and Ellie Elephant) aren’t great. I should have found other kids to provide them. When the boy who recorded the voice for Dillon Dog cried on the way to the recording, I probably should have taken that as a sign. Toby Turtle had a great voice though. 3 year olds seem to be the perfect age for cute voice overs.
Love this post! So true, you have to step outside your comfort zone to get places and do things sometimes!