Kerbal Movie: Pls help

[XpertKerbalKSP]

I happen to be making a movie for my science project on "The Origins of Us". I want to explain the formation of our solar system, how the moon was formed, how asteroids with water ice brought liquid water to earth, etc. However, I don't really know how to convey this information to the audience through a Kerbal movie without a narration (because, you know, narration+kerbal movie = no). So, I kind of needed help with that. Also, i need mission ideas. I have filmed my moon mission, where the astronauts find out that the rock in the moon is similar to the rock on Kerbin. But for the rest, I really don't know. I'mplanning on a mission to Laythe, but again, I don't know how to convey the facts and knowlege to the audience without it being to vague.

Also, Kerbal voices. I need help with those too.

Thanks

UPDATE

Just finished my first scene, what do you think?

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0ByFj3hLfFCqbLVA1NWFUYlgxSDQ

Edited May 23, 2017 by XpertKerbalKSP
Update: First Scene

[Vanamonde]

Looks like this is going to be the work of a fan, and so the thread has been moved to fan works. Good luck with your project.

[XpertKerbalKSP]

2 minutes ago, Vanamonde said:

Looks like this is going to be the work of a fan, and so the thread has been moved to fan works. Good luck with your project.

Thank you! I really didn't which topic this belonged in and I've posted and reposted twice now!

[steuben]

first question: when's it due?

kerbal speech, that's just backwards Spanish sped up. so you can either use your own or text to speech software.

as for the writing; start with these questions:

what facts do you want to convey? once you know the facts you want to convey you can figure out the missions. facts first, mission second, body third.

how much story do you want.. or need? my reflex is going to be a hand wave for the story and focus on the facts. enough story to glue things together. though later you can build a bigger story and re-release it, two movies for the price of one and a half. careful though that can be a pretty deep rabbit hole to go down.

narration, not necessarily excluded. there are many styles of narration. both the style and the text have to fit the video, and the framing story.

write first, film second. it will help with planning, preventing reshoots etc. 

 

and a quick addendum. there is also the

thread as well where most of us comment and discuss things.

Edited May 11, 2017 by steuben

[Brent Kerman]

Here is something you might want. Hyperedit and vesselmover. Those two let you stage thing very accurately.

[XpertKerbalKSP]

16 hours ago, steuben said:

 

first question: when's it due?

 

It's due at the end of term, so early to mid-June perhaps.

 

16 hours ago, steuben said:

what facts do you want to convey?

I want to show the audience how the solar system was formed, how Earth (and Kerbin, really) are in the "goldilock's" zone and how water ice on asteroids and comets brought water to Earth  

 

16 hours ago, steuben said:

how much story do you want.. or need?

I'm guessing for a movie, around half an hour.

[Shadow Wolf56]

I can't really give advice, but here's a little bit of it.

Make sure you edit carefully and stuff. 

Cant wait to see it!!!

[steuben]

You may want to dig out a few episodes of "The Magic School Bus", and maybe "Once upon a time ... Man" for examples on how to structure things. They are older, so don't forget Science Marches On.

Another thing, you will want to storyboard everything. Do it in two runs. The first will be broad strokes maybe two or three for each of the three topics you want to cover. The second would be to cover in closer detail each of the topics. you'd probably be about eight to ten for each one, one board one scene. on this run you'll want to put in what the fellows will be saying in each scene.

[cratercracker]

I would recommend you to find a speech of a physics teacher/prefessor. For instance, take a look at Nassault's videos with narration.

[Human Person]

Look at Hubble pictures of nebulars. You'll find interesting stuff going on there

 

Edited May 12, 2017 by Physics Student

[XpertKerbalKSP]

On 5/12/2017 at 7:32 PM, steuben said:

Another thing, you will want to storyboard everything.

I don't think I will have the time to storyboard, one, it's due in quite soon, two, I'm terrible at drawing

 

On 5/12/2017 at 2:58 PM, Shadow Wolf56 said:

 

I can't really give advice, but here's a little bit of it.

Make sure you edit carefully and stuff. 

Cant wait to see it!!!

 

Oh, I will! And also, when I finish it, I'll post it in a seperate post

[steuben]

You don't have to draw well to storyboard. Mine look like a chicken walked across a piece of paper after having spilled an ink well. With a whole bunch of notation arrows... that usually make sense to me.

Trust me, take the time to lay it out. Skipping the prep and planning steps to try and save time usually will cost you at least the time you saved skipping the planning and prep steps. And you'll have a better product if you do take the time to prep and plan. 

 

 

[Just Jim]

31 minutes ago, steuben said:

You don't have to draw well to storyboard. Mine look like a chicken walked across a piece of paper after having spilled an ink well. With a whole bunch of notation arrows... that usually make sense to me.

Trust me, take the time to lay it out. Skipping the prep and planning steps to try and save time usually will cost you at least the time you saved skipping the planning and prep steps. And you'll have a better product if you do take the time to prep and plan. 

I totally agree... a storyboard can be just stick figures, so long as you understand what it means. It's like a cartoon version of an outline, something to give you a sort of visual guide of how your scenes are supposed to progress.

In many ways I use my screenshots as a storyboard when I write an Emiko chapter. It's not a movie, but the same idea applies. I know what I want to do in my head, but I don't write a chapter until after I have all my screenshots gathered up, sorted and ready to upload. And once they're in order, they become my storyboard to focus and write the chapter around. 

Doing a movie is exactly the same... if it were me, once I had an idea, I would outline it and storyboard it both... and to be totally honesty, knowing how I get, I would probably have a ton of notes and sketches and ideas written down as well... ... then I would start to gather up my video clips to edit together based on the storyboard.

Edited May 15, 2017 by Just Jim

[Laythe Squid]

I have an idea for your Laythe mission-

Use it to explain how we think life appeared on Earth.

[XpertKerbalKSP]

I've restarted the movie and recorded my introduction! Will be moving onto editing and posting it, to know what you guys think!

[XpertKerbalKSP]

I've finished the introduction and the first scene! See what you guys think:

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0ByFj3hLfFCqbUHM1NDhINnhOblU This is a public file, so anyone can watch it  I know, the quality on drive is TERRIBLE

(I don't know how else to upload a vid to the forums without it being on youtube)

Edited May 22, 2017 by XpertKerbalKSP

[SpannerMonkey(smce)]

40 minutes ago, XpertKerbalKSP said:

(I don't know how else to upload a vid to the forums without it being on youtube)

Hi , something many mod devs do is to use you tube but select the unlisted option instead of public, this allows you to present your work to the chosen audience without spilling the beans to other perhaps interested parties or the world at large.

Good luck with your project.

[XpertKerbalKSP]

1 minute ago, SpannerMonkey(smce) said:

Hi , something many mod devs do is to use you tube but select the unlisted option instead of public, this allows you to present your work to the chosen audience without spilling the beans to other perhaps interested parties or the world at large.

Good luck with your project.

Thanks for the info!