What goes into making a great party? Howcast finds out

Howcast’s new series, Party Builders, seeks to highlight the hottest events happening around the world -- not just their glossy outsides and chaotic backstage areas, but the entire planning process leading up to the parties. Series producers Darlene Liebman and Paul Leo and Howcast Editorial Director Bene Cipolla tell us more.

1) How do you choose which parties to cover?
We look for large-scale productions with a "wow factor." We search for intriguing components, exciting performances, exhilarating settings, and compelling backstories.

2) What should YouTube users know about throwing awesome parties?
Planning is key! Pick a killer prep team and get organized. But no matter how much you plan, you have to be prepared for the unexpected. Something unplanned will pop up, and you'll need to just roll with it. Deep breaths!

3) What are some tips to making great videos at parties?
Think about what you want to capture -- and how you want to set up your shots -- ahead of time. If the event is at night, be sure to use a camera that's good in low light. Study the schedule so you know where to be and when, and consider using more than one camera and multiple crew members to capture as much as you can. Remember that this is a live event -- there are no redos!

4) What's something about the series that no one would know by looking at it?
Each four-minute episode was created from more than 40 hours of footage!

5) What is your favorite episode shot so far and why?
Our favorite is probably episode 3 for two reasons: First, because Doha's setting is incredibly dramatic and the scale of the event was just massive, and second, because we found the overall message of bringing communities together through film really impactful.