🎬 Production Overview

Current Status: Pre-Production
Server Opens: March 21, 2026 (5 days)
Today's Priority: Minimal pre-server recordings

The Core Strategy

Record everything during server (March 21-April 11), write voiceover AFTER (April 12+).

Critical: You CANNOT write detailed script before events happen. Document comprehensively now, construct narrative later.

Three-Phase Model

Phase 1: March 16-20 (Pre-Server)

Goal: Minimal baseline recordings

  • 2 VTuber setup segments (60-90 seconds)
  • Minecraft training (3-4 hours)
  • Pokémon practice (3-4 hours)
Phase 2: March 21-April 11 (Server Active)

Goal: Capture everything

  • Record all gameplay continuously
  • Record all Discord voice chat
  • Daily video diary reflections
  • Send daily check-ins
Phase 3: April 12-May 5 (Post-Production)

Goal: Construct narrative

  • Watch footage, identify best moments
  • Write complete voiceover script
  • Record all narration
  • Edit with retention strategies

🎯 What to Do TODAY (March 16)

Time Available: 2-3 hours after work
Priority: Minimal pre-server recordings

Task 1: Record 2 VTuber Segments (30 min)

"Crestfall Academy. Three-week Cobblemon server where content creators compete across five trials. Four Houses. My House: [TYPES]. Every Pokémon must have at least one of those types. Five trials: Unity—defeating modified Ender Dragon as team. Dominion—Pokémon tournaments. Elegance—base building. Valor—sportsmanship. Mastery—Pokédex completion. Most points wins. I volunteered for Dominion despite never doing competitive Pokémon. And I'd attempt Unity from a hotel room while traveling. Nine days on server before Unity Trial opened. This is what happened."

Recording: 3-5 takes, pick best. Save as: 2026-03-16_VO_Setup_Take1.wav

"Before the server opened, I tried to prepare. For Minecraft: [what you actually do tonight] For Pokémon: [what you plan this week] Was I ready? We were about to find out."

Task 2: Minecraft Practice (90 min)

Goal: Enough footage to show "I tried but was bad"

Capture:
  • ✅ 5-10 deaths (variety: zombies, fall, lava, Creepers)
  • ✅ First Nether entry reaction
  • ✅ Confusion and mistakes
  • ✅ Small victories (diamonds, portal)
Skip:
  • ❌ Beating Dragon tonight
  • ❌ Perfect gameplay

Task 3: Organize & Backup (15 min)

📊 Daily Check-In Template

Starting March 21: Send this EVERY DAY you play
DATE: [March XX] SERVER DAY: [X/21] ═══════════════════════════════════════ WHAT HAPPENED TODAY: [2-3 sentences] POKÉMON TEAM PROGRESS: Current team: [List] Caught today: [New additions] EV training: [Status] Still need: [What you're looking for] MINECRAFT/UNITY PREP: [What you did] STANDOUT MOMENTS: Best: [What felt great] Worst: [What felt bad] Funniest: [What made you laugh] Most dramatic: [Highest stakes] STARDUST BUNNY / HOUSE: [Notable interactions] TOMORROW'S PLAN: [What's next] COLD OPEN CANDIDATE? [Describe potential hook]

What I'll Do

  • ✅ Update script template with actual events
  • ✅ Identify full scenes vs montage moments
  • ✅ Suggest voiceover lines
  • ✅ Flag cold open candidates
  • ✅ Track story arcs

🎥 Recording Protocol

RECORD EVERYTHING DURING SERVER. Storage is cheap, missing footage is catastrophic.

What to Record When

Type Duration Purpose
VTuber Segments 90 sec Setup & stakes
Minecraft 3-4 hrs Deaths montage
Pokémon 3-4 hrs Baseline incompetence

Every Day:

  • ✅ Auto-record all gameplay
  • ✅ Record Discord voice chat (separate track)
  • ✅ End-of-day video diary (60-90 sec)
  • ✅ Take written notes on moments
  • ✅ Daily backup

🔴 MUST RECORD FULLY:

  • Every Dominion battle
  • ENTIRE Unity Trial (your POV, uncut)
  • All Cultural Festival (4+ hours)
  • Championship matches
  • Closing ceremony

Technical Setup

OBS Configuration:

  • Resolution: 1080p minimum
  • Frame rate: 60fps (or 30fps)
  • Bitrate: 6000-8000 kbps

Audio Tracks (CRITICAL):

  • Track 1: Your microphone
  • Track 2: Discord/voice chat
  • Track 3: Game audio

Separate tracks let you adjust levels independently in editing.

📋 Complete Footage Checklist

Pre-Server

Major Events

MOST IMPORTANT RECORDING. Missing this is catastrophic.

📁 File Organization

Critical: Good organization saves 10+ hours during editing. Set up TONIGHT.

Folder Structure

CRESTFALL_VIDEO/ ├── 01_RAW_FOOTAGE/ │ ├── Pre_Server/ │ │ ├── Minecraft_Training/ │ │ ├── Pokemon_Training/ │ │ └── VTuber_Segments/ │ ├── Server_Daily/ │ │ ├── March_21/ │ │ └── [etc through April_11] │ ├── Major_Events/ │ │ ├── Dominion_Trial/ │ │ ├── Unity_Trial/ │ │ └── Cultural_Festival/ │ └── Post_Server/ │ └── Voiceover_Recordings/ ├── 02_PROJECT_FILES/ ├── 03_ASSETS/ │ ├── Music/ │ ├── Graphics/ │ └── Sound_Effects/ ├── 04_EXPORTS/ └── 05_NOTES/ ├── Moments_Document.txt └── Script_Template.txt

File Naming

Format: YYYY-MM-DD_Description.extension

Examples:

  • 2026-03-30_Unity_Trial_Full_POV.mp4
  • 2026-04-03_Cultural_Festival.mp4
  • 2026-04-18_VO_Cold_Open_Take3.wav

Backup Strategy (3-2-1 Rule)

  • 3 copies of data
  • 2 different storage types
  • 1 offsite backup

Recommended:

  1. Primary: Computer hard drive
  2. Secondary: External drive (daily)
  3. Tertiary: Cloud storage (weekly)

📖 Explanation Strategy

The Golden Rule: Show, Don't Explain

Problem: Crestfall has complex rules. Explaining everything upfront kills retention. Explaining nothing confuses viewers.

Just-In-Time Principle

Only explain rules when they become relevant.

Timestamp Explain Duration
0:45-1:30 What Crestfall IS 30-45 sec
6:00-6:15 Dominion (when it starts) 15 sec
9:00-9:20 Unity (when it starts) 20 sec
13:00-13:15 Cultural Festival 15 sec

Visual Techniques

  • On-Screen Text: Brief graphics during action
  • Flash Cards: 2-3 sec full-screen between sections
  • Progress Trackers: Show standings after each trial

Assumption of Intelligence

Viewers can infer from context. Don't over-explain.

Example: EV training
Don't explain what it is. Just show:
- Battling same Pokémon repeatedly
- Stats increasing
- "Finally, max Attack EVs"

Viewers understand without explanation.

📝 Script Template

How This Works: Fill in [BRACKETS] AFTER server closes. Based on daily check-ins, I'll help populate sections with actual events.

Cold Open (0:00-0:45)

[VISUAL: Most dramatic 15 seconds - TBD after server] [CUT TO BLACK] [VTUBER MODEL] "That's me, [describe clip]. I'd trained for [X] days. I was wrong. [15-sec montage] This is the story of [summary]."

Act One: Setup (0:45-3:00)

[VTUBER MODEL] "Crestfall Academy. Competitive Cobblemon server. House [NAME]. Types: [YOUR TYPES]. Five trials. Unity: 300 points. Dominion: I volunteered. I'd never beaten Minecraft. Never done VGC. Attempting Unity from [hotel/constraint]. Nine days to prepare." [TRAINING MONTAGE: 90 seconds] - Minecraft deaths - Pokémon losses - Brief victories [Voiceover minimal, let visuals tell story]

Act Two: The Server (3:00-18:00)

🔴 WILL FILL AFTER SERVER EXPERIENCE

Based on daily check-ins, I'll draft specific voiceover for:

  • Week One (server opening, team building)
  • Dominion Trial
  • Unity Trial (PRIMARY CLIMAX)
  • Remaining trials & championship

Act Three: Resolution (18:00-21:00)

🔴 RECORD AFTER SERVER CLOSES

[Structure in emotional beats:] 1. Championship results (30 sec) 2. What you learned about games (30 sec) 3. What you learned about competition (30 sec) 4. What you learned about yourself (30 sec) 5. What the team meant (30 sec) 6. Final takeaway (30 sec) 7. Outro (30 sec)

✂️ Editing Roadmap

Phase 1: Organization (April 12-14)

  • Day 1: Watch ALL footage chronologically, take notes
  • Day 2: Listen to daily reflections, identify arcs
  • Day 3: Structure outline with actual events

Phase 2: Scripting (April 15-19)

  • Day 4: Story outline
  • Day 5-6: Write voiceover script
  • Day 7-8: Record all voiceover

Phase 3: Rough Edit (April 20-26)

  • Day 9-10: Assembly edit
  • Day 11-12: Add voiceover
  • Day 13-14: Build montages
  • Day 15: First complete pass

Phase 4: Refinement (April 27-May 3)

  • Day 16-17: Tightening (cut 10-15%)
  • Day 18-19: Music & sound
  • Day 20-21: Graphics & polish
  • Day 22: Color grading

Phase 5: Final Review (May 4-5)

  • Day 23: Watch party, final adjustments
  • Day 24: Export & upload

📈 Retention Techniques

Cold Open Structure

  • 0:00-0:15: Pure action (90%+ retention target)
  • 0:15-0:30: Context creating questions (80%+)
  • 0:30-0:45: Story promise (70%+)

Chapter Teasing

Every 3-4 minutes, tease what's coming:

  • At 3:45: "Training was done. But I had no idea the Dragon wasn't what I prepared for."
  • At 8:20: "Dominion was over. Now came Unity: from a hotel room with wifi I didn't trust."

Pattern Interrupts

Change stimulus every 60-90 seconds:

  • Gameplay → VTuber talking
  • VTuber → Montage
  • Music shifts
  • Tone changes

Payoff Loops

Set up early, deliver later:

  • Minute 2: Hire coach, "This better be worth it"
  • Minute 9: Coach's advice saves you, "This is why I paid"

Emotional Contrast

Vary tone every 2-3 minutes:

Frustration → Relief → Humor → Inspiration → Tension → Triumph

📅 Production Timeline

Pre-Server (March 16-20)

Date Tasks
March 16 VTuber segments, Minecraft practice (3 hrs)
March 17 Continue Minecraft, attempt Dragon (4 hrs)
March 18 Pokémon with brother (3 hrs)
March 19 Find coach, more practice (3 hrs)
March 20 Coach session, final prep (4 hrs)

Server Active (March 21-April 11)

Daily: Record everything, end-of-day diary, send check-in

Key Dates:

  • March 21: Server opens
  • March 24-27: Professor Olive lectures
  • March 29: Dominion opens
  • March 30: Unity Trial
  • April 3: Cultural Festival
  • April 10: Championship
  • April 11: Closing ceremony

Post-Production (April 12-May 5)

See Editing Roadmap section for detailed breakdown

🗓️ Server Events Calendar

Week 1: Opening & Preparation

  • March 21 (3:00 PM): Opening Ceremony
  • March 22: Campus Scavenger Hunt
  • March 24 (8:00 PM): Lecture 1 - Types & Tera
  • March 25 (8:00 PM): Lecture 2 - Stats
  • March 26 (8:00 PM): Lecture 3 - Attacks
  • March 27 (8:00 PM): Lecture 4 - Status/Field/Items

Week 2: Major Trials

  • March 28: Leaders reveal teams
  • March 29: Dominion Trial opens
  • March 30 (10:00 AM): Unity Trial opens

Week 3: Festival & Championship

  • April 3 (8:00 PM): Cultural Festival
    • 8:00-8:30: Dorm check
    • 8:45-9:30: Fishing
    • 9:30-10:15: Relay Race
    • 10:30-11:00: Beauty Contest
    • 11:00-11:30: Mini Battle
  • April 4 (8:00 PM): Leaders Tournament
  • April 7: Elegance deadline
  • April 8: Valor voting
  • April 9: Mastery deadline
  • April 10 (8:00 PM): Double Battle Championship
  • April 11 (8:00 PM): Closing Ceremony

Point Values

Trial 1st 2nd 3rd 4th
Unity (Dragon) 300 - - -
Unity (Warden) 220 180 140 -
Dominion 300 220 180 180
Elegance 250 200 160 120
Valor 250 200 160 120
Mastery 300 230 180 140