My Arepa Recipe Got Rejected...
"Have you ever shot a recipe video before!?"
A few months ago a network with a Tasty-like online recipe content plan asked me to produce a quick Arepa recipe - the popular Venezuelan toasted patty meal. And I did.
Bought the ingredients, set up the camera and thought "maybe I don't even need lights for this, natural lighting will do."
Here's some quick advice... always use artificial lighting on your silly recipe videos.
"Have you ever shot a recipe video before!?" wrote the so-called editor.
... I hand't shot a recipe video before !!! (wink)
Here's a Low Res version of the recipe video. Take Notes! Due to the low budget I neglected lighting. That was my mistake. So to be fair, the video is poorly lit and the Money Shots non existent.
Here's some more advice; if you agree to produce a piece, whether a simple recipe video or a full-on investigative breakthrough feature, always follow through with your professional commitment and do the best work you can with the resources you have. If you ever catch yourself thinking "well, what do they expect? they're paying me peanuts" then you shouldn't have accepted the assignment in the first place.
However... the recipe is still delicious. I got paid 15% of the agreed total. Had a wonderful breakfast. And I honestly apologized to the editor.
To all arepa lovers out there, this is nonetheless a fantastic recipe. The Venezuelan toasted patty meal is perfect for hearty breakfasts, dinners or hangovers. Enjoy!
