According To Whim Season 1: FAQ

(Frequently Assumed Questions)

Question #1: Why is this not "Frequently ASKED Questions?"

Answer: No one has actually asked us anything yet, so we're assuming that you would want to know these things. Now if you have actual questions that aren't already making an ass out of you and me, then join our Yahoo Group, where interactivity is our middle finger... I mean middle name. I apologize.

Question #2: Where did you get the name "According To Whim." I'm presuming you ripped off ABC's According To Jim.

Answer: As much as we like to be hacks and rip off other shows, this is not such a case. Back in 1999 Chris, and his former public access partner Miguel, took to the internet with an audio program know as According To Whim, which was a better name than Radio Genitalia (Chris' first thought.) The title actually referenced the taping schedule. When it came time for Chris and Nathan to create the new show Chris had no brilliant ideas (an epidemic throughout the creation of the show) so they decided that According To Whim would be just fine for title purpose. Now they wish that they had called it Prompt Eye for the Late Guy, or American Midol.

Question #3: Why do you constantly reference Channel 46 when your show is on Channel 28?

Answer: Because 28 + 28 = 46. The suggestion is that According To Whim is twice the fun.

Real Answer: I love math humour. Anyway, Fort Worth Public Access was once on Channel 46. We are actually paying homage (see Episode One for proper pronunciation of "homage") to the old order as it were. Besides, if we ever put our show onto other Access Stations it's very unlikely the channel numbers will match up anyway.

For The Record: I know that it's 56. I did get through most of high school.

Question #4: What type of equipment are you using?

Obscure Duran Duran Reference: "Roger has to use both hands for his equipment."

Answer:

Sharp VL-NZ100 Mini DV video camera. (And a few others here or there.)

For Season 2 we used a Canon XL2 Mini DV camera.

Adobe Premiere 6.1 for editing.

Construction Lighting Rigs acquisitioned from Homey DePot (we ain't sell outs here folks.)

For Season 2 we bought a 'Square Perfect' lighting rig as well as a couple of small Florescent lights.

Adobe Photo Shop for credits and other graphics.

For Season 2 we started using Adobe AfterEffects.

Some computer thing here with 1.7 GHZ and Windows heX-P.

For Season 2 we started using a newer PC I had at the house (I can't remember which kind, but it's nothing super or anything).

A whole slew of stolen humour styles, and pop culture references. In fact, I'm looking forward to the day that I [stop breathing] can say, "That's about as obscure as a Dennis Miller reference," and the whole thing just fits.

Question #5: How many people have worked on the show?

Answer: For the first six episodes we have a grand total of 7 people and 2 Real Men. No, that's not referring to Cody and Dylan. Sorry guys. For the second season we had 5 main actors and about 6 others who had varying parts (from stand-in to voice over).

Question #6: Do you guys find your show funny?

Answer: Yes. We find it funnier than you do. To date we have counted 180 inside jokes, and two bits that others might find funny. Ok fine, it's not that bad, but we do enjoy throwing crap in that no one would really get without explaining.

Quick Aside: Chris answered the first six questions. Nathan will now take over for a few.

Question #7: Where is the show shot?

Answer: Season 1 was mainly shot in Joshua and some in Fort Worth. Season 2 was shot mainly in Rhome and some in Fort Worth.

Question #8: How long has it taken to do each episode?

Answer: Well in the beginning it took no time at all to do an episode. Infact we had Season 1: Episode One shot in less than 3 weeks. Then when Episode Three hit us we got bogged down by the storyline and it took us a little over a year to finish it. So all in all it took a year and a month (or so) to finish the first 6 episodes (what we are calling the first season). It looks like Season 2 took just about as long.

Question #9: Are you hungry?

Answer? What?! Oh, sorry, Chris just asked me that.... No, not really. feel free to get anything you want out of the kitchen...

Question #10: How long does it take to make a sketch (from time of shooting to finished editing)?

Answer: Here is a rough estimate:

Sketch: Castle sketch (less than 3 minutes total) (see Episode 6)

Shooting time 40 Minutes of collecting raw footage shots.

Encoding Time: 1 hour to pick out useable footage shot and encode to the PC.

Editing of footage: Linear edit takes about 2 hours.

Recording of audio: This sketch required a lot of sounds and dialogue (no actors in the sketch, just plastic army men): 10 Minutes or recording.

Encoding of audio: 10 Minutes

Editing audio onto video: 1 hour

Creation of titles in Photoshop: 20 minutes

Final editing: 1 hour:

Total Time: 6 hours and 20 minutes, This is quite a long time for only about 3 minutes of sketch, but it's greeeeeaaaaat.

Sketch: Worry (8 minutes total) (see Episode 3)

Shooting time: 1 hour.

Encoding: 1.5 hours.

Editing: about 2 hours.

Creation of titles in Photoshop: 8 minutes.

Final editing and tweaking: 1 Hour

Total Time: 5 hours and 38 minutes. This is a pretty easy sketch to film and edit.

So all this tells us that; how complex the sketch is, determines how long it takes to make. On average one minute of show takes approximately 1 to 2 hours of work.

Question #11: Do you realize that your milk expired 2 weeks ago?

Answer: Yes I do (again Chris just asked me this question).

Question # 12: Are you guys superstitious?

Answer: No. Not at all.

Question #14: Are you sure?

Answer: Maybe a little.

There will be more to come as the show gets out there and we get more stuff to add to this.... we might even ask the question, "Where do you get your ideas."



Later,
Nate and Chris