My very first AMV - please help me make it better?

[roly_poly_cartoonist]

[vidlink]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zIR96Vss36k[/vidlink]

This is the first AMV I've ever made. I submitted it to Fanime this year, and it got nominated but didn't win. If anyone has any suggestions for how to fix the parts of it that need fixing, that would be awesome! I really want to improve my skills, and I will definitely be fixing this one once I have a good idea of how to do it, and I will be making more once I get a little better at it!

[TheLuminaireShow]

You should be pleased that you got a nomination for a first attempt, that's pretty good.

For a first video, it's really quite good. Are you already masking in your first video? Technically speaking, there isn't anything really objectionable in your execution. It was pretty solid overall and nothing jarringly garish or crude. Effects were restrained and used to emphasize synch with the audio. I thought it was well done. If this is your skill with your first video I think you're going to be making some really good stuff if you keep at it.

Personally though, although it was composited well, the visuals and the song are a tad on the mellow side. While editing is frequent, the pace of the video seems to drag, only because the visuals and the song never really change the entire time, so it sounds like one long stanza really. I suppose a little more focused story telling would be a good idea, because I wasn't really sure what you were trying to convey, outside of the fact that Chi is an electric girl. *shrugs*

Video: Quality is decent, but I think it's lacking in color. I think a bump in saturation and contrast would benefit.
Audio: Good quality
Editing: Good flow and consistency, with some good sync.
Effects: Restrained and with purpose. Not particularly impressive, but they get the job done.
Overall: Albeit a tad boring, it's constructed well. Better concept and I think your skills will take you far. 7/10

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n0oNUm6zKlA

Here's my newest video I just completed. Feel free to rate, and it's only my second one personally. Hopefully you continue to make more as I will.

[roly_poly_cartoonist]

Thanks for the awesome feedback! I'll definitely keep it in mind when working on the next one. I've got a pretty fast song and an action-y anime to work with this time! ^_~

Your video is a lot of fun! It's upbeat and happy, and I laughed more than once. The timing was really good, and you did a great job at placing strong visuals at the right points in the song

Any fixits for your video are small and pretty much optional. I felt like it could have started off more quickly. I think I understand what you were trying to do with the clip of the girl listening to music, but it also felt like a very slooow start to an otherwise fast-paced video. A lot of the lip sync was great, but a couple parts of it felt like it didn't match up. at 2:03, 2:25, and 3:11 the lip sync matched up great with the song and it made the video stronger. However, at 1:05 and 2:08, the characters' lips moved for a portion of the line, but the clip wasn't long enough and got cut off halfway through, I feel like it's a bit jarring and distracting.

Your video had a lot of pizzaz. A lot of bright colors and fast edits made it fun. There was one clip that seemed too dark at 1:08. If it was just one clip in the middle of a verse, it wouldn't stand out as much, but it's placed at a point in the song where I feel like it should have more emphasis. Having a higher contrast on that one clip would give it more oompf, I think. Aside from that, I don't feel like anything else needs to be changed. It's a lot of fun, and you did a fantastic job. ^_^

[Kariudo]

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