April 22, 2025

Momentum Killers

👋🏻

I am twenty-ish percent done with the video edit? Trying to be super lean and use most of Nintendo's B-Roll for the Switch 2. I keep telling myself "No!" to more ambitious ideas and implementations. I am a difficult person to say no to. 😅

I wasn't planning on writing a newsletter today, but then I had to make some quote images for the video. I decided to make the whole batch at once, since I'd have to make them eventually anyway. That took far longer than I would have guessed. I went back and forth on design. I struggled to find high-quality images for two speakers that matched style with the other three. I goofed a couple and had to redo them. This whole interruption—albeit necessary—totally stopped my flow in its tracks. I tried to get back in the groove and just could not.

As I walked from my studio to my house, I figured I should write about it and here we are.

I don't know how to curtail these production interruptions. Perhaps I could have made them all before the video editing? I knew I'd need them. That would have helped keep me in the flow. That doesn't solve the overall problem of related elements and workflows killing editing momentum.

For example, I am using a ton of B-Roll like I said. I downloaded all of the Switch 2 footage I thought I'd need. As I am editing, I realize a need for a non-Switch 2 clip, so I go hunt it down. Then my downloading app has errors so I spend time troubleshooting that.¹ Then I am down two rabbit trails, looking for videos and solving technical issues. It is compounding frustration.

So I write a newsletter to let off the steam and hope for more progress tomorrow. My goal is to have the video out by this Friday (4/25/25). The longer I go, the less timely certain elements become.

If you are curious about the video, you can read it now. I decided to publish my written blog post when it was complete. You can check it out in all its 9,500~ word glory. I also have a cut of the intro unlisted that I was using to get some feedback on. Already implemented a better animation for the chapter card at the end. Tomorrow night is when the pre-orders for Switch 2 open up here in the States. Godspeed gamers. 🫡 I have a Red Bull and my credit card ready for midnight.

Until next time...

This letter is one block from the newsletter Memory Card by Max Roberts. Thoughts? Send me an email at max@maxfrequency.net.

Max is the writer and producer behind Max Frequency. cultivate and curate curiosity—both for himself and for others—by delighting in the details and growing greatness from small beginnings.

He's written a rich history and dive on the making of Naughty Dog's The Last of Us Part II, celebrated the 15th anniversary of Super Smash Bros. Brawl with the voice behind its hype, and examined how Zelda "stole" Fortnite's best mechanic.

Memory Card is a real-ish time, raw, drip feed newsletter of his creative process for telling these stories. It’s how The Thing™ gets made.

It's all powered by Max Frequency and patrons.

Wanna see The Thing™? Check it out on YouTube. Read it on The Blog.