Zigsta
Disney Film Director
Hey there everybody! For my final project this semester in my film class, we have to shoot a 3-5 minute documentary. I've decided that my documentary is going to be about what it's like to be a competitive player of Super Smash Bros. Brawl. I'll be bringing my interviewing gear to HOBO 20 next month, and I'll ask for players to come into a quiet room set aside by Xyro for interviews. Here's a list of possible questions I'll ask:
1) How many years have you been playing competitive Smash in general?
2) What is your favorite memory from a Brawl tournament?
3) Why do you play the character you play?
4) What’s the most difficult matchup for you?
5) What’s the farthest you’ve ever travelled to a Brawl tournament?
6) Why did you select the name you did?
7) Do you find yourself to be called more by your real name or your Smash name at tournaments?
8) Who is the closest friend you’ve met from the Brawl tournaments you’ve attended?
9) How did you become to be the Brawl player you are today?
10) If you could give a rookie advice on what it takes to be a talented Brawl player, what would you tell them?
11) Why do you enjoy going to Brawl tournaments?
12) How have you progressed skillwise as a Brawl player?
Depending on the player I'm asking, I might also ask specific questions that I feel only that player may be able to answer. I'd like to interview both ranked and non-ranked players both from Texas and from out-of-state.
Haven't done many interviews before? Don't sweat it; I'm not looking for pro-status speeches here. I'll have two chairs set up: One for you, and one for me beside the camera. Interviewees should look at me while answering the questions and not at the camera--this will make the video look much more professional. I'd also appreciate it if you answered in complete sentences: If I ask you "What is your favorite character," then you should answer something like "My favorite character is..." and then elaborate on that answer. Also, don't worry if you feel your answer is very long-winded--that's a good thing! It gives me more options for editing and will make the documentary better in the long run.
Aside from the interviews, I'll also be periodically getting B roll footage at the venue, ie people playing Brawl, hanging out, etc. Feel free to ham it up for the camera or just act naturally--whatever you feel more inclined to do. I'll also ask that some of the recorded matches be sent to me as well so that I can use the best moments from them as cover footage.
I'll do my best to include as many people as I can in the final video, but I can't guarantee that you'll be in the final product even if you've been interviewed.
One point I'd like to touch on is one of the rather unique phenomenons I've experienced thus far from the Brawl tournaments I've been to: Calling others by their Smash name and being called by your own Smash name. It's almost like taking on a different persona while at a Smash tournament. This is a rather unique angle, and I think that if I can get some players to touch on this idea, we can create an interesting and successful video.
Lastly, I'd like to assure everyone that this will be a video that, should you wish to participate in, you will be proud of. This will be something that will not only show Smashers from all over just how exciting HOBO is but will also show non-Smashers just what our community is like. As far as my credentials go, I am a second year film student at the University of Texas at Austin. I've worked the past two summers at a television station in Covingon, Louisiana, where I've produced news features (most recently a full-blown 30 minute stand-alone show called "St. Tammany's Got Talent") that air on public broadcast television. I created a short film called "Timeout" my senior year in high school that won third place in the nation in the National PTA Reflections contest and has been featured in film festivals literally from coast to coast. Most recently, I shot and edited a commercial for Antonio Gibson, former NFL player and current Nike Sparq Trainer located in College Station.
Any and all suggestions for questions or for the video in general are welcome. I just wanted to create this thread to let everyone who's planning on attending HOBO 20 know about this video so everyone can start getting their minds wrapped around it.
1) How many years have you been playing competitive Smash in general?
2) What is your favorite memory from a Brawl tournament?
3) Why do you play the character you play?
4) What’s the most difficult matchup for you?
5) What’s the farthest you’ve ever travelled to a Brawl tournament?
6) Why did you select the name you did?
7) Do you find yourself to be called more by your real name or your Smash name at tournaments?
8) Who is the closest friend you’ve met from the Brawl tournaments you’ve attended?
9) How did you become to be the Brawl player you are today?
10) If you could give a rookie advice on what it takes to be a talented Brawl player, what would you tell them?
11) Why do you enjoy going to Brawl tournaments?
12) How have you progressed skillwise as a Brawl player?
Depending on the player I'm asking, I might also ask specific questions that I feel only that player may be able to answer. I'd like to interview both ranked and non-ranked players both from Texas and from out-of-state.
Haven't done many interviews before? Don't sweat it; I'm not looking for pro-status speeches here. I'll have two chairs set up: One for you, and one for me beside the camera. Interviewees should look at me while answering the questions and not at the camera--this will make the video look much more professional. I'd also appreciate it if you answered in complete sentences: If I ask you "What is your favorite character," then you should answer something like "My favorite character is..." and then elaborate on that answer. Also, don't worry if you feel your answer is very long-winded--that's a good thing! It gives me more options for editing and will make the documentary better in the long run.
Aside from the interviews, I'll also be periodically getting B roll footage at the venue, ie people playing Brawl, hanging out, etc. Feel free to ham it up for the camera or just act naturally--whatever you feel more inclined to do. I'll also ask that some of the recorded matches be sent to me as well so that I can use the best moments from them as cover footage.
I'll do my best to include as many people as I can in the final video, but I can't guarantee that you'll be in the final product even if you've been interviewed.
One point I'd like to touch on is one of the rather unique phenomenons I've experienced thus far from the Brawl tournaments I've been to: Calling others by their Smash name and being called by your own Smash name. It's almost like taking on a different persona while at a Smash tournament. This is a rather unique angle, and I think that if I can get some players to touch on this idea, we can create an interesting and successful video.
Lastly, I'd like to assure everyone that this will be a video that, should you wish to participate in, you will be proud of. This will be something that will not only show Smashers from all over just how exciting HOBO is but will also show non-Smashers just what our community is like. As far as my credentials go, I am a second year film student at the University of Texas at Austin. I've worked the past two summers at a television station in Covingon, Louisiana, where I've produced news features (most recently a full-blown 30 minute stand-alone show called "St. Tammany's Got Talent") that air on public broadcast television. I created a short film called "Timeout" my senior year in high school that won third place in the nation in the National PTA Reflections contest and has been featured in film festivals literally from coast to coast. Most recently, I shot and edited a commercial for Antonio Gibson, former NFL player and current Nike Sparq Trainer located in College Station.
Any and all suggestions for questions or for the video in general are welcome. I just wanted to create this thread to let everyone who's planning on attending HOBO 20 know about this video so everyone can start getting their minds wrapped around it.
