Production Overview
Crestfall Academy · March 21 – April 11, 2026
1
Days Complete
9
Days to Unity Trial
🔥 Server is LIVE — Day 1 Complete
House: Ignis (Fire / Fighting / Ground / Rock) · Starter: Torchic · House Leader: Stardust Bunny
Core Strategy: Record everything now (March 21–April 11). Write voiceover AFTER. You cannot write the script until events happen — document comprehensively, construct narrative later.
Three-Phase Model
Phase 1: March 16–20 · Pre-Server ✅ COMPLETE
VTuber segments recorded. Minecraft training footage captured including Nether death. Pokémon practice started.
Phase 2: March 21–April 11 · Server Active 🔴 NOW
Record all gameplay continuously. Daily Discord + voice chat. End-of-day video diaries. Daily check-ins.
Phase 3: April 12–May 5 · Post-Production
Watch footage, identify best moments, write voiceover, edit with retention strategies.
Video Structure at a Glance
| Segment | Timestamp | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Cold Open | 0:00–0:45 | ⏳ Waiting for best moment |
| Act 1: Setup + Training | 0:45–3:00 | ✅ Clips mapped (see Day Logs) |
| Week 1: Arrival | 3:00–6:00 | 🔴 Building from check-ins |
| Dominion Trial | 6:00–9:00 | 🔴 Opens March 29 |
| Unity Trial (Climax) | 9:00–13:30 | 🔴 Opens March 30 |
| Remaining Trials | 13:30–18:00 | 🔴 Building |
| Act 3: Resolution | 18:00–21:00 | ⏳ Record after server closes |
Day Logs
Running record of standout moments, scene decisions, and footage flags.
Day 1 — March 21, 2026
What Happened
Spent the morning on vanilla Minecraft training solo — made first ever Nether portal, died spectacularly. When the server opened at 3 PM, attended opening ceremony, heard House leader speeches, picked starter Pokémon (the world's smallest Torchic), and met housemates. Server suffered from lag, rubber banding, and disconnections for the rest of the day, so stopped early to let hosts resolve first-day issues.
Standout Moments
BEST MOMENT
Seeing all other players at once — first real sense of how large the server's scope is.
FUNNY
Starter Pokémon reveals — everyone's starters are absurd sizes. Including the world's smallest Torchic.
TEAM
Stardust Bunny's house leader speech — described as "a bit nervous but great." First character beat. Track: does confidence grow over 3 weeks?
DRAMATIC
Accidentally triggered an Alpha Pokémon encounter with only underleveled Pokémon. First server "I am not ready" moment.
Training Arc Clips (Pre-Server footage)
File: 2026-03-21 13-09-44.mkv — Four clips that form the Training Montage (1:30–3:00 in video)
1
Diamond Discovery
@ 34:40 · MONTAGE (5–8 sec) · Open on false confidence — streamer luck before everything goes wrong.2
Baby Zombie Scream ⭐ PROTECT THIS
@ 45:21 · FULL SCENE (15–20 sec) · Bullied by the smallest enemy in the game. Best comedy character moment so far. Do not cut.3
Lava Near-Death at 1.5 Hearts
@ 1:33:04 · MONTAGE (5–8 sec) · Stakes escalation. First real close call.4
Nether Death → Hard Cut to Ceremony
@ 1:38:11 · MONTAGE CLOSER (10 sec) · Only training death, in a biome never seen before. Cut directly to server opening ceremony.Arc shape: Lucky → Scared → Almost Died → Dead. Self-contained mini-story. Minimal voiceover needed — let gameplay tell it.
Scene vs. Montage Decisions
| Clip | Treatment | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Diamond discovery (@ 34:40) | Montage | 5–8 sec |
| Baby zombie scream (@ 45:21) | ⭐ FULL SCENE | 15–20 sec |
| Lava near-death (@ 1:33:04) | Montage | 5–8 sec |
| Nether death (@ 1:38:11) | Montage closer | 10 sec |
| Opening ceremony speeches | Montage | 20–30 sec |
| Stardust's house speech | Full/near-full | 20–30 sec |
| Starter reveals / tiny Torchic | Full scene | 20–30 sec |
| Alpha Pokémon encounter | Full scene | 20–30 sec |
| Lag/disconnect | VO mention only | — |
Footage Flags — Day 1
Training arc clips — All 4 timestamps confirmed in
2026-03-21 13-09-44.mkvOpening ceremony — should be on clean OBS track (confirm OBS was running at 3:00 PM)
Stardust's speech audio: Confirm Discord track (Track 3) captured this cleanly. First Stardust character moment — bad audio would hurt the secondary arc.
Starter selection UI: Do you have the screen moment of choosing Torchic? Even 10 seconds is useful.
Other players' starter reveals: Any Discord screenshots or chat captures to use as B-roll?
End-of-day video diary: Record a 60–90 sec voice diary NOW if not yet done. Talk about how Day 1 felt, not just what happened.
Cold Open Candidate?
❌ No — Day 1 is setup, not a cold open. The Alpha encounter is the closest but the stakes feel too low with an underleveled team. Keep watching for Unity Trial and Dominion wire moments.
Pokémon Progress
Caught: Torchic, Cursola · EV training: None · Still need: Full Ignis build
Future days will appear here after each check-in.
Paste your daily check-in and this section updates.
Daily Check-In Template
Send this every day you play. Starting March 21.
Non-negotiable daily ritual. End-of-day video diary (60–90 sec to mic/phone) PLUS this check-in. The diary captures emotion; the check-in captures facts. You need both.
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 — or N/A]
Notable moments from footage:
- [filename] @ [timestamp]
[What happened]
Why: [Why it matters for the video]
What I'll Do With Your Check-In
Script Template
Fill [BRACKETS] after server closes. Sections marked ✅ have confirmed content from check-ins.
How This Works: Brackets get filled with real events from daily check-ins. I'll draft specific voiceover after each major event. You record narration in April.
Cold Open (0:00–0:45) ⏳ TBD
[VISUAL: Most dramatic 15 seconds — TBD after server]
Candidates: Unity Trial chaos, Dominion clutch, unexpected Festival moment
[CUT TO BLACK]
[VTUBER MODEL]
"That's me, [describe clip].
I'd trained for [X] days.
I was wrong about almost everything.
[15-sec quick montage]
This is what happened."
Act One: Setup + Training (0:45–3:00) ✅ MAPPED
[VTUBER MODEL — 0:45–1:30]
"Crestfall Academy. Three-week Cobblemon server.
Sixteen content creators. Four Houses. Five trials.
My House: Ignis. Fire, Fighting, Ground, Rock types.
Every Pokémon had to carry at least one of those types.
I volunteered for Dominion — competitive Pokémon tournaments —
despite having never done competitive Pokémon.
I'd attempt Unity Trial — the Dragon fight —
from a hotel room, traveling internationally.
Nine days between the server opening and the Dragon fight.
This is how I used them."
[TRAINING MONTAGE — 1:30–3:00 · ~90 seconds · minimal VO]
Clip 1 @ 34:40 — Diamonds (5-8 sec) — false confidence opener
Clip 2 @ 45:21 — Baby zombie scream (15-20 sec) — FULL SCENE, first big laugh
Clip 3 @ 1:33:04 — Lava near-death, 1.5 hearts (5-8 sec) — stakes escalate
Clip 4 @ 1:38:11 — Nether death (10 sec) — hard cut to opening ceremony
[VO over death cut, optional:]
"That was training. The server opened immediately after."
Week One: Arrival (3:00–6:00) 🔴 Building
[SERVER OPENING — Day 1 content]
[Ceremony footage: scope of server — 20-30 sec]
[Stardust Bunny speech — 20-30 sec]
[VO, optional:] "My House leader. First time we'd all been in the same room."
[Starter reveals / tiny Torchic — 20-30 sec · FULL SCENE]
[VO:] "I picked Torchic. It was, medically speaking, too small."
[Alpha encounter — 20-30 sec · FULL SCENE]
[VO:] "And that was how Day One ended. Immediately outmatched."
[Lag/disconnect — VO only, no dedicated footage]
[VO:] "Then the server kicked me out, which honestly felt right."
[Days 2-8 will fill in here from check-ins]
— Professor Olive lectures (compressed)
— Team building progress
— Building toward trials
Dominion Trial (6:00–9:00) 🔴 Opens March 29
[Pre-tournament strategy — TBD]
[Key battles — TBD: 1-2 in detail, rest compressed]
[Results + House reaction — TBD]
[Transition to Unity:]
[VO TBD:] "Dominion was done. Now Unity. From a hotel room."
Unity Trial — PRIMARY CLIMAX (9:00–13:30) 🔴 March 30
[Hotel setup — TBD]
[Pre-fight House meeting — TBD]
[Dragon reveal: it's modified — TBD · KEY SCENE]
[The fight, extended — TBD]
[Resolution — TBD]
[Reflection VO:] "Everything I'd trained for was the wrong dragon."
Remaining Trials + Championship (13:30–18:00) 🔴 Building
[Cultural Festival highlights — 90 sec]
[Leaders Tournament / Stardust competing — 30 sec]
[Elegance/Valor/Mastery compressed — 90 sec]
[Double Battle Championship — 60 sec]
[Final standings — 30 sec]
Act Three: Resolution (18:00–21:00) ⏳ Record After Server
[7 beats, ~30 seconds each:]
1. Championship results — what actually happened
2. What I learned about the games
3. What I learned about competition
4. What I learned about myself
5. What the team meant — Stardust + housemates
6. Final takeaway — "Preparation matters. Adaptation matters more."
7. Outro + thanks
Explanation Strategy
The golden rule: explain rules only when they become relevant.
Problem: Crestfall has complex rules. Explaining everything upfront kills retention. Explaining nothing confuses viewers. The solution is just-in-time exposition.
Just-In-Time Principle
| Timestamp | Explain | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| 0:45–1:30 | What Crestfall IS, House type restriction | 30–45 sec |
| 6:00–6:15 | What Dominion is (when it starts) | 15 sec |
| 9:00–9:20 | What Unity is (when it starts) | 20 sec |
| 13:00–13:15 | Cultural Festival brief setup | 15 sec |
Visual Techniques
- On-Screen Text: Brief text graphics during action (don't stop gameplay)
- Flash Cards: 2–3 sec full-screen between major sections
- Progress Tracker: Show standings after each trial results
Trust Your Viewer
Example — EV Training:
Don't explain what EVs are. Just show: battling same Pokémon repeatedly → stats increasing → "Finally, max Attack EVs." Viewers understand from context. Over-explaining signals distrust.
Don't explain what EVs are. Just show: battling same Pokémon repeatedly → stats increasing → "Finally, max Attack EVs." Viewers understand from context. Over-explaining signals distrust.
Footage Checklist
Everything that must be on recording. Missing footage is irreplaceable.
Pre-Server ✅
Day 1 — March 21
Critical Events — CANNOT MISS
Missing this is catastrophic. Start OBS before you get on the plane. Test hotel wifi the night before. Have Discord audio on separate track.
Record all four hours continuously. Do not stop and restart — seamless coverage.
Recording Protocol
Storage is cheap. Missing footage is catastrophic. Record everything.
OBS Setup — Clean Recording Instance
| Setting | Value |
|---|---|
| Encoder | NVIDIA NVENC H.264 |
| Rate Control | CQ Level 18 |
| Resolution | 1080p60 |
| Format | MKV → convert to MP4 after each session |
| VTuber Model | ❌ NONE (add in post) |
Audio Tracks — Critical
| Track | Source | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Track 1 | Your microphone (clean) | Your reactions, voiceover reference |
| Track 2 | Desktop audio | Game sounds |
| Track 3 | Discord voice chat | Team strategy, reactions — ESSENTIAL |
Separate tracks = editing flexibility. If Discord is too loud in a moment, you can pull it down. If it's captured on the same track as everything else, you cannot.
OBS Setup — Streaming Instance
| Setting | Value |
|---|---|
| Encoder | NVIDIA NVENC H.264 |
| Rate Control | CBR 6000 Kbps |
| Resolution | 1080p60 |
| Mic | NVIDIA Broadcast (stream) + clean track (recording) |
| VTuber Model | ✅ Overlaid for live viewers |
| Destination | Twitch |
File Organization
Good structure saves 10+ hours in the edit. Build it now, maintain it daily.
Rule: Back up after every session. Not after a good session. Every session.
Folder Structure
CRESTFALL_VIDEO/
├── 01_RAW_FOOTAGE/
│ ├── Pre_Server/
│ │ ├── Minecraft_Training/ ← 2026-03-21 13-09-44.mkv goes here
│ │ ├── Pokemon_Training/
│ │ └── VTuber_Segments/
│ ├── Server_Daily/
│ │ ├── March_21/ ← Day 1 footage here
│ │ └── [March_22 through April_11]
│ └── Major_Events/
│ ├── Dominion_Trial/
│ ├── Unity_Trial/ ← Most important folder
│ └── Cultural_Festival/
├── 02_PROJECT_FILES/
├── 03_ASSETS/
│ ├── Music/
│ ├── Graphics/
│ └── Sound_Effects/
├── 04_EXPORTS/
└── 05_NOTES/
├── Moments_Document.txt
└── Daily_Check_Ins.txt
File Naming Convention
Format: YYYY-MM-DD_Description.extension
2026-03-21_Day01_Server_Opening.mkv2026-03-30_Unity_Trial_UNCUT.mkv2026-04-03_Cultural_Festival_Full.mkv2026-04-18_VO_Cold_Open_Take3.wav
Backup — 3-2-1 Rule
- 3 copies of all data
- 2 different storage types
- 1 offsite/cloud backup
Recommended: Computer HDD (primary) → External drive (daily after session) → Cloud (weekly)
Expected total: ~250–350 GB for the full 3 weeks.
Editing Roadmap
Post-production runs April 12 – May 5. Don't touch the footage until server closes.
Phase 1: Organization (April 12–14)
- Day 1: Watch ALL footage chronologically, take written notes
- Day 2: Listen to all daily reflections, identify emotional arc beats
- Day 3: Build final story outline with actual events, choose cold open
Phase 2: Scripting (April 15–19)
- Day 4: Complete story outline locked
- Day 5–6: Write full voiceover script
- Day 7–8: Record all voiceover segments (VTuber model on)
Phase 3: Rough Edit (April 20–26)
- Day 9–10: Assembly edit (every scene in order)
- Day 11–12: Lay voiceover, sync to footage
- Day 13–14: Build montages (training arc, compressed sections)
- Day 15: First complete pass — watch full video
Phase 4: Refinement (April 27–May 3)
- Day 16–17: Tighten — target 10–15% cut from rough edit
- Day 18–19: Music & sound design
- Day 20–21: Graphics, text overlays, polish
- Day 22: Color grading
Phase 5: Final (May 4–5)
- Day 23: Watch party, final adjustments
- Day 24: Export & upload
Retention Techniques
Keep people watching. Every 60–90 seconds the stimulus changes.
Cold Open Structure
| Timestamp | Goal | Target Retention |
|---|---|---|
| 0:00–0:15 | Pure dramatic action — no context | 90%+ |
| 0:15–0:30 | Context that creates questions | 80%+ |
| 0:30–0:45 | Story promise — why watch | 70%+ |
Chapter Teasing
Every 3–4 minutes, tease what's coming next. Pull viewers forward.
At ~3:45: "Training was done. But I had no idea the Dragon wasn't what I'd prepared for."
At ~8:20: "Dominion was over. Now Unity. From a hotel room, on wifi I didn't trust."
At ~13:00: "We survived Unity. But three more trials were still open."
Pattern Interrupts
Change the type of content every 60–90 seconds:
- Gameplay → VTuber talking head
- Talking head → Montage sequence
- High energy → Quiet reflective moment
- Music shift to mark scene change
Payoff Loops — Set Up Early, Deliver Later
| Setup | Payoff |
|---|---|
| Tiny Torchic shown at 2:30 | Torchic evolved into something powerful — callback moment |
| "The Dragon isn't what I prepared for" at 3:45 | The reveal at 9:00 — full payoff |
| Stardust nervous at first speech | Stardust confident under pressure later |
Emotional Contrast
Vary tone every 2–3 minutes. Never let one emotion run too long.
Frustration → Relief → Humor → Tension → Triumph → Reflection
Pokémon Team
Ignis House — Fire / Fighting / Ground / Rock types
Day 1 Status: Torchic + Cursola caught. No EV training yet. Working toward full Ignis build.
Current Team
Torchic
→ Incineroar (target)
CAUGHT DAY 1
Cursola
Role TBD
CAUGHT DAY 1
Tyranitar
Sand setter · Special wall
STILL NEEDED
Excadrill
Sand Rush sweeper
STILL NEEDED
Armarouge
Trick Room · Wide Guard
STILL NEEDED
Torkoal
Sun/TR nuke
STILL NEEDED
Target: Ignis Tri-Mode Build
| Pokémon | Role | Key Moves / Items |
|---|---|---|
| Incineroar | Universal support | Fake Out, Parting Shot, Intimidate |
| Tyranitar | Sand setter / Special wall | Sand Stream, Rocky Helmet |
| Excadrill | Sand Rush sweeper | Iron Head, Rock Slide, Life Orb |
| Armarouge | Trick Room setter / Wide Guard | Wide Guard, Trick Room, Armor Cannon |
| Torkoal | Sun/TR nuke | Drought, Eruption, Solar Beam |
| Volcarona | Tailwind / Rage Powder | Tailwind, Rage Powder, Quiver Dance, Surf |
Events Calendar
March 21 – April 11, 2026 · Server Hours: 10 AM – 3 AM EST
Week 1: Opening & Preparation
| Date | Event | Status |
|---|---|---|
| March 21 | Opening Ceremony — House sorting, starter picks | ✅ Complete |
| March 22 | Campus Scavenger Hunt | ⏳ Upcoming |
| March 24, 8 PM | Lecture 1 — Types & Terastallization | ⏳ Upcoming |
| March 25, 8 PM | Lecture 2 — Stats & Building Pokémon | ⏳ Upcoming |
| March 26, 8 PM | Lecture 3 — Attacks & Non-damaging Moves | ⏳ Upcoming |
| March 27, 8 PM | Lecture 4 — Status, Field Effects & Items | ⏳ Upcoming |
| March 28 | House Leaders reveal Dominion teams | ⏳ Upcoming |
Week 2: Major Trials
| Date | Event | Status |
|---|---|---|
| March 29 | 🏆 Dominion Trial opens | ⏳ 8 days away |
| March 30, 10 AM | 🐉 Unity Trial opens — from hotel | ⏳ 9 days away |
Week 3: Festival & Championship
| Date | Event | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| April 3, 8–11:30 PM | 🎉 Cultural Festival | 4+ hours, record continuously |
| April 4, 8 PM | Leaders Tournament — Stardust competing | Track Stardust arc |
| April 7 | Elegance Trial deadline & voting | — |
| April 8 | Valor Trial voting opens | — |
| April 9 | Mastery Trial deadline | — |
| April 10, 8 PM | 🏆 Double Battle Championship | Final matches |
| April 11, 8 PM | 🎓 Closing Ceremony | Record reaction + end diary |
Point Values
| Trial | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unity (Dragon) | 300 | — | — | — |
| Unity (Warden kills) | 220 | 180 | 140 | — |
| Dominion | 300 | 220 | 180 | 180 |
| Elegance | 250 | 200 | 160 | 120 |
| Valor | 250 | 200 | 160 | 120 |
| Mastery | 300 | 230 | 180 | 140 |
| Cultural Festival | 100 per win / 50 per loss per event | |||
Production Timeline
Full schedule from pre-server through upload.
Pre-Server (March 16–20) ✅ Complete
| Date | Tasks | Status |
|---|---|---|
| March 16 | VTuber segments, Minecraft training starts | ✅ |
| March 17 | Continue Minecraft, attempt Dragon | ✅ |
| March 18 | Pokémon practice with brother | ✅ |
| March 19 | Coach research, more practice | ✅ |
| March 20 | Final setup test, equipment check | ✅ |
Server Active (March 21–April 11) 🔴 In Progress
Daily minimum: Full gameplay recording · Discord voice capture · End-of-day video diary · Daily check-in · Backup footage
Post-Production (April 12–May 5)
| Phase | Dates | Goal |
|---|---|---|
| Organization | April 12–14 | Watch footage, map moments, choose cold open |
| Scripting | April 15–19 | Story outline → voiceover script → record narration |
| Rough Edit | April 20–26 | Assembly → voiceover → montages → first full pass |
| Refinement | April 27–May 3 | Tighten → music → graphics → color |
| Final | May 4–5 | Watch party → adjustments → export → upload |