So you want to make a mash up? You think you got a great idea that just needs to be done? Settle down, nobody likes go-getters. As a connoisseur of internet culture and being someone whose had featured content, I figured I’d share with you some tips on creating interesting ideas and concept. And with a little creativity, you to could get your work stolen by Ebaum’s World and get snarky comments on AVClub.
Lesson 1 – Knowledge of the Subject.
What’s your favorite show? Movie? Music? Those are the best areas to mine for content. I feel like the best mash ups are the ones where you know the most minuet details from. I once created Workaholics/Saved By The Bell Intro Mash up. One of the things I included was the girl who played ‘Alex’ on “Saved By The Bell College Years” in an episode of “Workaholics”, allowing me to make the crossover seem even more natural. It was a beyond minor detail, but almost a wink to the true fans of either show. This fan of “Community” made a great “MacGyver” video that matches the same visual cues as the actual “MacGyver” intro. Knowing where to find corresponding clips to match what you want to want to parody is crucial to making a great piece of work. Even in the dumbest work, detail is still crucial.
Lesson 2 – Font’s and Detail
If you’re going to make these dumb things, research and match fonts/colors/and other production details. Nothing sucks worse than being taken out of the concept by missing aesthetic details. What the feature clip did correctly was match the font and colors. Then what makes the “Parks and Rec” / “Friends” Intro work was matching up corresponding “Park’s” clips that have the silly clip footage and smile footage that matches the original “Friends” Intro.
Lesson 3 – Mix the Audio and Have on Beat Cuts
Production is key. It’s hard to feel someone’s hard work when your mash up feels like all you did was dump one audio track onto some other video and called it good. Mixing dialogue is crucial to, people hate when they can’t hear a part of your video. Remember it sounds different on the headphones then it does on laptop speakers. So while this Kramer “Levels” remix made me laugh, I get taken out of the moment when trying to hear the dialogue that was mixed in on the crappy Mac laptop speakers.
Lesson 4 – Logical Transitions makes the world of Difference.
The best mash ups are the ones that notice two radically different properties have similar themes. They also blend from key words that almost sound like the properties could be interacting. I think as people who appreciate this stuff, we can suspend disbelief enough to ignore radical scenery changes. Take for example, this “Goodburger” / “Batman” mash up. What I loved the most about this mash up is the inspired realization that Mondo Burger using a serum to mess with burgers is similar to Scarecrow’s fear gas. The best mash ups almost have the universe filling in the blanks for you while you’re editing. The parts where this guy has Kel talking to the Joker fit almost too perfect.
Lesson 5 – Editing makes it better.
Editing the two scenes together in the same frame or roto-scoping makes a mash up next level. It shows a sense of artistry and helps sell the joke even better. Look at this mash up for “50 Shades of Grey” from the Howard Stern Show. Baba Booey’s head being rotoscoped on Christian Grey’s body takes this video to another level. When you don’t edit, it just comes across sloppy and uninspired like this “Home Improvement” “Walking Dead” mash up.
Lesson 6 – You should be laughing before you even watch the video.
If it makes you laugh on paper then it has a much better chance of working when you finally put the video together. If you don’t laugh at the idea of Ernest going to Shawshank, you’re a person who is dead inside. Hell, sometimes the video doesn’t even have to be elaborate, just enough a funny thought like Sid Vicious being on a Taylor Swift song.