One of my regular clients is the public relations firm J Connelly.
A few times throughout the year I am brought in to storyboard and then “star” in whiteboard videos. If you’re not familiar with whiteboard videos, please check out the link below. Basically, in a whiteboard video, an artist illustrates various subjects in front of a camera. The footage is later played at a high rate of speed so that the illustration is brought to life while a voice over narrates. We’ve done a number of these videos using regular markers, dry erase markers, and for the one linked below, we experimented with colored pencils. Please check it out:
http://jconnelly.com/case-study/hightower/?watch=video
That is my own hand “performing” in the video. I’m working on paper mounted vertically on a wall. I have to wear a long-sleeved black shirt which is what looks best on camera. Most of these videos can take a few days to put together. I am of course speaking strictly of my end of it being the storyboarding and the actual illustrating in front of the camera. I’m not counting the editing process and whatever else goes into it after I’m finished drawing. I’m not involved at all with that. Depending on the detail, a single ten second illustration could take about an hour to illustrate. As my loyal cameraman/ director can attest sometimes the seemingly easiest ones can be deceptively simple. Any of the shots involving text for example can sometimes require a few retakes if my letters aren’t coming out straight or consistent. It can be difficult to keep things even when you’re working vertically and standing up. Plus during shooting I have to keep my head and shoulders out of the shot. When you see my hand in action, I’m standing just to the left of whatever I’m drawing. It’s not the most natural position in which to be drawing. At the end of a day of shooting, my back and shoulders can feel the hours I’ve put in.
It’s interesting work. I’ve done a number of these videos now. I hope to do more.
