VOV Production Bible

Make the process repeatable.

Great sessions should not depend on memory. Prepare the material, protect the recording, capture the assets, hand off cleanly, learn from the result.

Built for alternating physical + virtual recording weeks.

01

Production principles

  1. 01

    Select content before recording, not on set.

  2. 02

    Record the highest-value content while energy is highest.

  3. 03

    Genuine reactions are not recreated unless there is a technical failure.

  4. 04

    One person must have authority to move the session forward when discussion drifts.

  5. 05

    Every finished long-form piece should produce hooks, thumbnails and Shorts opportunities.

  6. 06

    Never leave until files are verified and backed up.

02

Team roles for each session

One person can hold more than one role — but every role must be named out loud before recording starts.

Session Lead / Producer

  • Owns the run sheet
  • Starts and stops blocks
  • Prevents drift
  • Makes final time decisions

Screen Controller / Research Lead

  • Prepares and controls songs, X posts, images and prompts
  • Runs ranking and draft boards
  • Keeps sources in the correct order

Technical Lead

  • Cameras, microphones, headphones
  • Recording software and storage
  • Sync and backups

Timekeeper

  • Keeps a visible timer
  • Gives warnings
  • Enforces block limits

Editorial Notes Lead

  • Logs strongest moments and pickups
  • Logs technical issues
  • Marks thumbnail moments
  • Captures Shorts timestamps and notes

All Hosts

  • Arrive prepared
  • Protect genuine reactions
  • Avoid unnecessary restarts
  • Know their assigned prompts and topics
03

Pre-production SOP

STEP 1

48–72 hours before

  • Decide physical or virtual mode and the session objective
  • Select 1–2 major originals for physical, timely reaction priorities for virtual
  • Assign the research / format owner
  • Gather source links, posts, music and videos
  • Check copyright and shopping considerations where relevant
  • Prepare backup topics
STEP 2

Day before

  • Arrange every source in exact recording order
  • Create scoreboards, whiteboards, prompts and ranking/draft graphics
  • Confirm attendance and start time
  • Charge devices and batteries
  • Clear storage
  • Confirm camera, mic and headphone kit
  • Thumbnail shot list and hook list ready
STEP 3

Immediately before session

  • 60-second camera and audio test, then play it back
  • Confirm every mic is actually recording
  • Check headphones and playback volume
  • Verify screen-share and source playback
  • Confirm file naming and location
  • Assign Session Lead, Technical Lead, Screen Controller, Timekeeper, Notes Lead
04

Physical session SOP

Run the day in this order.

  1. 1Arrival and room reset
  2. 2Lighting and camera framing
  3. 3Audio test per host
  4. 4Playback / source test
  5. 5Record 60-second test and watch and listen back
  6. 6Record Original #1 first where possible
  7. 7Reaction block(s)
  8. 8Break + file verification
  9. 9Original #2
  10. 10Optional social reaction if worth doing
  11. 11Pickups
  12. 12Thumbnail / promotional asset batch
  13. 13Backup and handoff

Do not overload the physical day with content that can be recorded virtually next week.

05

Virtual session SOP

  1. 1Connection test
  2. 2Each host uses stable headphones and mic
  3. 3Local audio and, where practical, local video recording
  4. 4Backup call recording
  5. 5Screen Controller shares content
  6. 6Newest and time-sensitive reactions first
  7. 7Internet / X / social block
  8. 8Optional light original
  9. 9Audience and comment follow-up
  10. 10Clean closings
  11. 11Every host uploads local files before ending the workflow
  12. 12Verify receipt of all files

The call recording is a sync and reference backup — not the ideal master source.

06

Recording rules

Non-negotiable while the camera rolls.

Timer visible throughout
Introductions max 2 takes unless technical failure
Do not restart because of minor wording mistakes
No title or thumbnail debates during active recording
No source selection during the session unless replacing a failed source
Keep unrelated discussion out of reaction blocks
Do not spend more than 2 minutes deciding a final rating or verdict
Each video needs a hook, clear verdict/outcome, audience question and clean ending
Phones away unless being used for the content
Save and verify before changing setups
07

Long-form capture checklist

Every long-form piece should capture:

  • Strong cold open or hook
  • Clean intro
  • Genuine reactions or first answers
  • Clear format rules
  • Visible score, ranking or verdict where applicable
  • Strongest disagreement or debate
  • Clear final outcome
  • Direct audience question
  • Clean CTA and closing
  • 3 vertical hook lines after the main recording if needed
  • Thumbnail poses and expressions relevant to the episode
08

Thumbnail + promo batch SOP

Expressions and poses

ShockedLaughingConfused / disgustedPointing at another hostCelebratingArguingLooking directly into camera

Also capture

  • Group neutral shot
  • Individual cutout-friendly poses
  • 3–5 second vertical hooks
  • Generic subscribe / comment CTAs
  • Event or sponsor mentions where required

Physical weeks should batch assets for content that will publish during virtual weeks too.

09

File management and naming

Naming patterns

  • VOV_MusicReaction_Artist_Song_YYYY-MM-DD
  • VOV_SocialReaction_Topic_YYYY-MM-DD
  • VOV_LongForm_Format_Topic_YYYY-MM-DD
  • VOV_Pickups_YYYY-MM-DD
  • VOV_Thumbnails_YYYY-MM-DD

For multi-camera or multi-mic sessions, append:

_CAM_A_CAM_B_TXG_MIC_TEEDAR_MIC_KENNY_MIC_WALLZ_MIC

Folder structure

  • 01_CAMERA
  • 02_AUDIO
  • 03_SCREEN_RECORD
  • 04_GRAPHICS
  • 05_THUMBNAILS
  • 06_NOTES
  • 07_EXPORTS

Working copy + second copy before anyone leaves, and before virtual files are deleted locally.

10

Editorial handoff SOP

Before ending the session, the Notes Lead creates a handoff containing:

  • Exact content title or working title
  • File and folder name
  • Recording priority (P1 / P2 / P3)
  • Strongest opening moment
  • Obvious cuts or technical problems
  • Key timestamps or moments
  • On-screen graphics needed
  • Copyright and source notes
  • Thumbnail concept and poses available
  • Shorts candidates
  • Release urgency
  • Whether product tagging / shopping may apply after upload
P1

Time-sensitive reactions

P2

Flagship originals

P3

Evergreen and backup content

11

Quality control before publishing

  • Sync correct
  • Audio balanced and intelligible
  • No missing source audio where required
  • Reacted-to content positioned correctly and not covering hosts unnecessarily
  • Dead air and tangents trimmed
  • Hook strong in the opening
  • Copyright and restriction checks reviewed
  • Title and thumbnail accurately match content
  • Description and links correct
  • Captions / subtitles where applicable
  • Shorts clips identified
  • Upload complete before deleting source files
12

Feedback loop and continuous improvement

After publishing, review:

  • First 30 seconds retention
  • Average view duration and retention drop-offs
  • Comments: what viewers argued about or requested
  • Shorts generated from the episode and how they performed
  • Thumbnail and title performance
  • Whether the format was easy or stressful to produce
  • What setup issue slowed recording
  • Keep / change / kill decision for the format

KEEP

Strong viewer response + manageable production.

CHANGE

Promising but friction or weak packaging.

KILL / PAUSE

Repeated weak response or disproportionate effort.

13

New-space calibration checklist

For the first session in a new room.

  • Do not chase maximum content volume
  • Photograph the room from wide angles for future setup planning
  • Identify the camera position and lock it
  • Identify the best four-host seating arrangement
  • Test lighting in daytime and evening if relevant
  • Test reflections, mirrors and windows
  • Test room echo and background noise
  • Mark tripod, chair and light positions with removable tape if useful
  • Create one saved camera framing reference photo
  • Record a baseline 2–3 minute conversation and review audio and video
  • Note anything to buy or change only after testing

The first session in a new space is partly a calibration session, not a normal maximum-output day.

14

Tomorrow / baseline reset

Default plan — edit as the week changes.

Objective: Get back to baseline, learn the room, align the team, leave prepared.

  • Spend additional time setting up and learning the new space
  • Record normal priority reactions
  • Social media / X reaction if material is ready
  • One mini discussion, opinion or mini VOV Court-style segment rather than forcing a major flagship long-form
  • Team review of Content Playbook, Content HQ and Visual Playbook
  • Select and research formats for the next physical meetup
  • Agree owners and prep tasks
  • Take wide photos of the room for integration into the Visual Playbook
  • Leave with the next physical session substantially pre-planned
15

Cross-system navigation

Content Playbook

What we make

Open Content Playbook

Content HQ

When and how we schedule it

Open Content HQ

Visual Playbook

How each format should look

Open Visual Playbook