How Does Surreal Entertainment Make Videos
Creating surreal videos is not easy, which is why very few people have been able to do it effectively. It takes a lot of experimenting with different styles and genres to find one that you are passionate about.
There are many ways to create surreal content, so instead of focusing on whether or not your video is in the style category, what genre your video belongs to, look into how to make your own unique style!
Surreality does not occur until after editing has been done, making it hard to identify what part comes first. Sometimes, the most important parts of the video are not necessarily the ones that gain attention because they are flashy or interesting.
The sounds, lyrics, and/or dialogue can be just as crucial in creating an immersive experience for the viewer.
Some examples of surreal music include songs with strange lyrics like “Aquarius” by The Psychedelic Furs, or songs with heavy bass such as “Pump Up the Volume” by Ariana Grande. Both of these songs contribute to the overall feel of the song and scene being put together.
They use different animation techniques
Recent surreal videos are typically made using something called lazer dance, also known as laser painting. This is when artists draw or paint with a very fine brush loaded up with lasers. These lasers then slowly move across the canvas to create beautiful patterns and designs.
Another technique used in recent videos is something called time lapse. Time lapses occur when you capture an event happening over hours or even years. A popular way to do this is by filming a still object for lots of minutes until it becomes totally clear that there is nothing else being done.
The final type of surreal video uses photoshopping. Artists take already existing photographs and edit them to make them look weird and strange.
*Note: all of these types of videos can be heavily edited so they may not actually be considered surreal! That is why it is important to check out how the artist edits their work before declaring it as such.
They use a lot of editing
After filming your scene, the next step is to edit it! The production team will go in and take their time shaping the scenes into something incredible.
Surreality artists spend lots of time enhancing the visuals and adding surreal touches. These changes are typically done with Photoshop or another similar software program.
By altering hue, saturation, and value (the lightness or darkness of an element) of specific colors, textures, and shapes, artists create new looks that can be seen clearly in the video.
For example, if someone’s lip was slightly red before, an artist might change the color to match what they were wearing or maybe add some green splashes for a more natural looking look.
The same goes for changing the tone and shape of hair and skin which creates different effects. All these alterations are done very subtly so you wouldn’t notice them unless you paid close attention.
They use surreal imagery
A lot of artists include some kind of theme in their paintings, but it is usually very obvious. For example, many people paint landscapes or still lifes with human figures. There’s nothing wrong with that, but there are lots of ways to do it! By incorporating other themes into your painting, you can add depth to what you are creating and emphasize part of the story.
In video art, this concept is carried over onto the next level. Artists will take one thing and make it seem completely weird or unnatural. This is called surreal entertainment and it is an incredible way to inspire creativity.
Surreal entertainment uses bizarre and unexpected images, concepts and narratives to create reactions. People enjoy watching these videos because they challenge perception and have fun doing so. The artist behind the video may also include funny or strange music which adds to the effect.
There are several companies out there using this technique to generate revenue. Many make money through Patreon, where people who love their content can contribute to keep the channel running.
They use models
As mentioned earlier, surreal entertainment uses very young, beautiful models to show off their products or services. This is not limited to setting scenes with products that are designed to be seen frequently (like cars) but instead using models who agree to have their pictures taken in unusual settings and scenarios.
This can include having models pose while drinking water, eating food, doing yoga, etc. The photographers then editing these photographs and adding vibrato, lens effects, and/or studio lighting to make it seem like its natural light- this adds to the surreal feel of the video!
“Surrealism takes things from the real world and turns them on their head, making them strange and unexpected,” says creator Emmett Johnson. “That’s what we love about it - it plays with your perceptions and makes you wonder if those answers were meant to be seen.”
“We find beauty in the weird,” he continues. “And sometimes, reality does too.
They use actors
As we discussed before, surreal entertainment is very much about using existing sources to create new content. When it comes down to it, most people have done at least some acting before in their lives or at least seen lots of movies and TV shows that feature large amounts of acting.
Acting is all around us so choosing to add depth to your videos by adding more acting to them is not too difficult of an idea. If you are already doing some acting then bringing in other professionals to help you look authentic is a great way to continue developing your craft.
And if you’re not, there are many ways to learn how to act! There are plenty of free resources online and even some classes available via YouTube or Netflix. It is totally worth investing into your acting career if you want to really grow as a person.
Surreal artists also need to know how to write so when they edit out any speaking parts, someone has written a script for you to read from.
This takes away one of the key components of acting because writing is what shapes who a character is deep inside. Being able to connect with another human being through the medium of words makes us all sort of special but it also helps us relate to others.
So while not actually requiring anyone else to be involved, writers play a huge part in creating surreal videos.
They use CGI
Recent trends in video marketing are full of flashy, over-the-top special effects. While these styles may appeal to your inner fanboy or fangirl, they can be frustrating for content creators that require a lot of time to produce their videos.
Fortunately, there is another way to achieve surreal entertainment. This style does not require any fancy computer graphics! It’s called practical effect. The term comes from filmmaking where actors would create illusions by applying makeup, using props, or even sticking towels up their sleeves.
Practical effect is when something seems impossible, but you manage to show it happening in real life. For example, if someone says “And then I stuck my hand into the fire,” we know they did not do this because it does not happen in reality.
Instead of creating an elaborate illusion, the filmmaker uses a setting that everyone knows about and adds some extra touches. For instance, if the scene includes a burning house, they might cut away to show someone putting their hand in a burnt hole in the wall.
This technique works well in educational videos as well. If you see someone doing something really bizarre, chances are they just described the process somewhere. You can find out how to do it yourself and make it look good!
If you want more inspiration, try looking through our list of fun ways to teach people things. We have done many tutorials using practical effects and they all seem to get appreciated very much.
They use real people
Recent popular YouTubers like Casey Williams, Kendall Jenner, and Logan Paul have made their career by using fake or staged events to create hype for new products. Their followers enjoy watching them put together elaborate setups that seem totally naturalistic and easy to follow - even if you don’t know what they are advertising!
By incorporating genuine situations with true characters, digital artists achieve an effect called surreal entertainment. As the name suggests, this type of media is characterized by dreams or fantasies that feel very realistic.
It’s difficult to tell whether the scenes in these videos were completely scripted or not, but no one ever expects to see someone drag racing down the street at top speed while chatting on the phone, so it doesn’t really matter.
Surreal entertainment can also be described as absurdly funny because it juxtaposes ordinary settings and everyday things with outlandish or humorous circumstances. This creates an experience that readers or viewers cannot help but laugh at.
They use a combination of all of the above
As mentioned before, surreal entertainment does not have to be totally bizarre or grotesque. Sometimes beauty can be very disturbing!
Surreal videos often start with an element that is normal and then something happens to it. Then the audience has to try to decipher whether what happened was good or bad.
For example, in one video the narrator says “the best way to destroy a house is to pull out a bolt”. He then pulls out a gun and shoots the house- which explodes into flames!
Another popular trope is for the speaker to talk about something normal but then things get weird and/or violent (think: talking about food or cars). A background layer of tension is created as the viewer wonders if and when something will happen.