Failing Together is the experimental live-recorded show format (scheduled for Spring 2019) of Fun Fun Function (that might also work for DevTips) where MPJ pair programs with other programmers - mostly David.
Structure overview:
The live stream is divided into w
A task-oriented Coding Segment (60 minutes?)
A more relaxed Fika Segment (30 minutes?).
The Coding segments are lightly edited before they are released on YouTube (Coding VODs). The Fika segment is a more live-stream-exclusive phenomenon, particularly good parts from Fika are edited and released as YouTube videos (Fika Highlight VODs).
Theme: What sets Failing Together apart is that all shows are pair programmed and also leaves most failures in the edit. This is not by accident - the codename "Failing Together" refers the two core values of the show:
Failing, in the sense that we want to highlight that software development is not a series of assembly instructions to follow, but rather an endless stream of failures that we need to grow from.
Together, in the sense that we believe that modern software development is fundamentally a social skill, and that the lone wolf genius programmer ideal is obsolete in a world of larger software teams.
Coding Segment: Navigator has prepared a task for Driver, who is weak at the task. Sometimes guest, sometimes David / MPJ, maybe three? When we have an external guest, that guest is usually the Navigator, teaching us something that they are an expert in.
Editing style: The production style of the format is inspired by live-on-tape shows like some game shows and the Eurovision. I.e. recoded and live-edited in front of a live audience.
However, we do allow ourselves to some minor additional editing on the Coding VOD. Time transitions added for boring segments (perhaps with clarifying text, good if we have some B-roll and templated transitions for this) and creative highlight text of fun things. It is important in the edit that edited failures are fast forwarded, not hidden. We don’t do re-takes during the stream, and if editing out long segments, we make a point out of that it took a long time to do.
Fika Segment: The intensive, task oriented coding segment is followed by a more relaxed chatty segment that we call fika.
Audience inclusion: While the Coding Segment pays more attention to the task than the chat, the Fika Segment is all about the audience - we use the chat as prompts and go back and forth with the audience if we can. The goal of the Fika Segment is to make viewers, members in particular, feel as a part of the show and closer to us.
Member worship: Make no mistake - the Fika Segment is a monetization product. While the Fika is both open and valuable for all, the Fika has a very heavy component of making members feel special (and making non-members see that being a member is awesome). What exactly this worship will entail will be an ever-ongoing experimentation, but examples might be giveaways (stickers, fika-swag coupons for "good Monday morning mug") and shoutouts to members that have been around for x months, special Emojis, Question priority, remember members birthdays, details about them (is there some live stream CRM we can use?) etc.
Fika Highlight VODs: Unlike the Coding Segment, which is lightly edited and released as a VOD in its entirety, the Fika Segment is mostly a live-stream exclusive. However, we might identify particularly good Fika parts and archive the footage for later use, which we then release as Fika Highlight VODs. We can use these in many ways:
Length: Length of Coding Segment is still undetermined - we're guessing 60 minutes - the idea is that be no longer than it's possible to reliably edit VOD down below 40 minutes. (We've learned that it's really hard to reliably deliver something authentic yet meaty in less than 40 minutes)
Timing: Live stream 14/15:00 stockholm time (06:00 in SF, 09:00 in Toronto, 18:00 in India, 10:00 in Rio)
Intro and break videos: We take some care in explain the Theme and Structure to the audience. In the Coding VOD's - we do this with a pre-made tightly edited Intro video that we have pre-made, and in the stream, we do this with a repeating video running while people are waiting for the stream to start, and another video when we're taking a small break to prepare the Fika Segment after the Coding Segment.