10 hours filming and over 30 editing: making my car challenge video

This car challenge became the most demanding episode on my channel. Filming took about ten hours, and editing took more than thirty. But it started earlier, with several free evenings spent developing the idea.

A few evenings before the first shot

Before filming, I analysed the idea, looked for similar videos and worked on the rules. During my own search, I couldn’t find a YouTube video with the same format, so I decided to give it a try.

I wanted a car challenge that would also appeal to people who simply enjoy a good story. Before meeting Lyokha, I needed to work out what our game was and how to explain it to a viewer.

About ten hours around the city with Lyokha

We travelled all over the city while filming. The episode had a challenge at its centre, but the moments I remember most are the genuine reactions you can’t script beforehand.

One was getting into a convertible for the first time and both being blown away. Then came the speed, sound, wind and smiles. In moments like that, the emotions for the camera happen by themselves.

Over thirty hours in DaVinci Resolve

After filming came another big job: putting the episode together. Editing took over thirty hours. I used lots of effects I’d wanted to learn for a long time, and this video finally gave me a reason to try them.

My main focus was pace and viewer retention. I wanted the story to keep moving and stay interesting through to the end. The finished timeline is a useful reminder of how much work happens on the other side of the screen.

Behind the finished episode: about ten hours filming, over thirty editing and several evenings of preparation.

The work continued after the edit

I ran two A/B tests with different titles and thumbnails. I’ve written a separate story about those A/B tests, the options I compared and what the first report shows.

What the result meant to me

All my friends who watched the episode enjoyed it. They told me it was easy to watch in one sitting, including people who aren’t into cars. That feedback meant a lot: I wanted viewers to see the people and emotions behind the machines.

I take those comments as feedback from friends. It’s too early to judge retention across the whole audience from them. As the creator, though, I’m happy that people whose opinions matter to me felt the work I put into it.

At the end, Lyokha and I shake hands. After a long filming day and all the work that followed, that shot feels like a fitting end to a story I wanted to see through.