By: Brandon Teela
Every year Redwood holds a Cowhide Assembly and Redwood video always plays a large role in the assembly. Parody commercials, funny skits, and hype videos fill the school with a high school spirit heading into the heavily anticipated game later that night.
Nathan Comstock, ’21, has been a consistent participant in video since freshman year. He is very familiar with how video processes start, and what needs to happen to make them work.
Comstock explains that typically they have a shot list, and they draw out scenes and pictures the way they want them to be portrayed. They take a different angle for each video, and it is important to know what goal they are trying to accomplish.
Brayden Herrera, ’20, has also been a prominent part of Cowhide videos for years. He explains that when they make videos they can’t really prepare for the assembly itself, you just got to hope they accept.
Comstock explains, “for us personally we like our videos to be funnier, many videos are serious and/or informative but we tend to lean towards the comedy side.” As a video group they understand that the ideas are similar every year, but Comstock says that each time they create a new project, they execute their plans better and better each time.
“There’s 100% pressure, but when it all comes together I always get that good feeling in my chest, the ‘Oh, I just did that’.”
Brayden Herrera on the pressure of making a video
Redwood video has won multiple awards at very big competitions, and Comstock says that, “I think our school is a lot more driven than other schools. We genuinely want to make videos, it’s fun for us.” He says that they aren’t ever really nervous because it’s something they love to do, and they love to make people laugh, they love a good reaction.
Herrera recalls his favorite video being his Old Spice commercial from 2019’s Cowhide. He directed and acted in that one, which he loves to do. Herrera loves to appeal to comedy, just like Comstock. He explains that laughter “passes time” because he recognizes that sometimes the rallies can be slow at times, and the videos can make it more fun.
When it comes to staying creative, he says that it gets kind of hard because so many videos have been made. Although he says that “I try to look at other videos that other people made and apply it to my own video, to try and make them better every time.”
Herrera says the reason Redwood Video is so prestigious is because of Redwood itself: everybody wants to win, everyone wants to be the best. We’re a family and we all have one goal in common.
Redwood Video continues to be a big part in Cowhide in every way, it wouldn’t be the same without them.
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