How We Make The Pinky Show: a report by Bunny


We make lots of different kinds of Pinky Show episodes. A long episode for us is something that runs over 30 minutes. Others are as short as two minutes. We choose the format depending on what we want the video to accomplish. Even the tiniest video has a job to do.

The specifics of how we make a video varies depending on what kind of episode it is. For example, making an interview video is different from making a report video.

I. Critical Inquiry (the fun part)

One thing that is always the same is that we always start with a question. A question is not just curiosity, an empty 'not-knowing'. Every question is surrounded by preconceptions and histories. We do research to clarify our understanding of these things before we start drafting scripts, looking for someone to interview, writing questions for an interview, etc.

We like to do different kinds of research. It can be going to the library and reading books and journals. LexisNexis is useful. Sometimes we pick up the telephone and call experts. We also test ideas by talking with friends, or sometimes strangers.

As we continue with our research, at some point we usually find ourselves becoming familiar with some of the more common pieces of information and perspectives that seem to repeatedly float to the surface. In general we are less interested in this stuff. We tend to be more interested in the more marginalized, abstract, or mysterious aspects of things. Pinky in particular has a good intuitive sense for finding the more hidden connections between things. I don't know if this is because she knows how to look at things in terms of 'good vs. evil' or if there is just something wrong with her brain-wiring.


At this point we start talking more to each other about what we are learning. If we see something coming together that we think is worth developing into an episode, we will start developing a perspective (and an appropriate concept) that we can build an episode around. If not, we drop the subject, eat a cake, and move on.

The most important thing for us is that we use the process of creating The Pinky Show as a tool for critical inquiry. If we do our work properly, there is a chance that the completed episode will not only present important information, but it will also show that there are different ways of seeing the world. Pinky likes to say that we are trying to learn how to see the unseen. I agree with this. I'm learning that this isn't something easy to understand and it also doesn't happen quickly. This is why we want to make hundreds of episodes. Our intention is to continue our work until death.

The writing process is the most time consuming part. Our process is: discuss, argue, fight, edit, repeat. We keep going until we are happy with the script. Or sometimes we just move on because we are sick of editing/fighting. We literally fight with each other over almost every word: Have we double- and triple-checked all the facts? Is it clear and easy to understand? What's the best way to present this information? What kind of context should we provide? How will this be interpreted, and by whom? And of course we spend a lot of time discussing the relationship between the words we create and the intended function of the episode. We typically go through between 10 and 15 versions, depending on the complexity of the material we're trying to present.

II. Making the Episode (less fun part)

After we have a script that we think is okay, we record the audio (dialogue) for the episode. We do the recording in a small recording booth we built. Except for interviews, we record the different parts separately and then combine them together later using audio editing software. We record everything several times and then edit together the parts we like the best.


After we put together the audio portion of the episode, Pinky will start making all the drawings, graphics, and illustrations we need to go along with the words. She assembles everything together in FinalCut (video editing software). At the same time she also finalizes her selection of photographs and other kinds of visual materials that she thinks will help add the right kind of complexity and meaning to the words. This part also takes a very long time.

When the images are finally all dropped in we (Kim, Mimi, Pinky, and me) all sit down and watch the rough cut together. If the episode has any big conceptual problems it'll be obvious at this point. If this is the case then we have to decide which parts need to be re-written and re-recorded (arrgh!). If the problems are minor... well, we still go in and make whatever changes have to be made (both Pinky and I will keep tweaking forever if we don't give ourselves a deadline). We rarely don't have anything to change because no matter how careful we try to be in the writing phase, it's almost impossible to anticipate exactly how the writing, spoken word, and images are all going to come together.

Once we all agree that we can move on, the remainder of the production process is mostly technical stuff. Pinky will do a final edit: adjust the rythmn of things so that the episode will not feel too fast or too slow, drop in the transitions (fade in/fade out, cross-dissolves, etc.), adjust the relative volumes of all the pieces of audio, make the photos and illustrations zoom in or out, do the titles, and so on. When she's done she exports the episode as a video file and hands it off to me. I go through the video frame by frame and animate the eye and mouth movements. When I'm done I export the animation clips and give it back to Pinky, she drops them into the episode and hopefully everything will be in synch. If it's off, she gets to adjust everything to make it all fit.


At this point the episode is basically done. We all watch it a second time and if no one has any last minute objections to anything (better not!), Pinky will export the video as a QuickTime movie file and I'll upload it to our website. I'll also make a transcription of the episode and I post that next to the video along with credits and list of sources. Done! Total time elapsed: anywhere from just a couple of weeks to several months.

The above is a general outline. Making each episode is different. Sometimes we have to travel somehwere to get our own photographs or video footage, or do other (i.e., 'non-traditional') kinds of research. If interviews or meetings or group critiques are necessary then we organize them. Pinky and I are responsible for all production-related things so we'll also take care of any planning, correspondence, equipment failure, or other technical meltdown issues that inevitably arise over the course of making an episode. Sometimes it does get pretty overwhelming for just two cats, because of course we all have other things in our lives that need taking care of, plus other educational projects we're involved with outside The Pinky Show too. But basically it's fun because we get to learn a lot of new stuff every day.

III. Time to reflect.

When we finally finish an episode, even a small one, it's a good feeling. We all celebrate by eating something together. It's nice to talk about what we've learned, and how we'll have to change in light of the new things we've learned. We make plans for the future and post them on the wall. Then we take a nap (no alarm clock). When we wake up we start again at the beginning.


So that's pretty much how we approach putting together The Pinky Show. It's not an 'efficient' way of producing a video program, but that's okay. We use our process because it gives us a concrete way to actively reflect on the things we want to spend time thinking about. Sometimes people tell us that they also feel like they've learned something valuable, or feel changed in a good way, by watching our program. I feel happy when I hear things like this.

On the other hand there are also a ton of people out there who dislike or even hate us - we're constantly receiving hate mail, warnings, threats, and so on. I guess this is supposed to make me feel sad or afraid, but for some reason I can't get myself to care what these people think. At all.

To: The Pinky Show
From: Adam Eastman
Subject: Warning to stop
Message: Whoever is in control of this unique and quite stupid show, stop now. I dont think somone like you deserves to use your freedom of speech to blind others with ideas such as "reject U.S. imperialism"... We wont stop until our goals are met, even if the cost is millions of lives. War is a sad thing and people die, but thats just how our world spins isnt it?

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