Time for a dumb video rant! Bring the flames!

AbsoluteDestiny · Post by **AbsoluteDestiny** » Sat Aug 09, 2003 6:49 am

http://www.animemusicvideos.org/members ... hp?v=21656

OK, Chibi Neko Nobi - I'm very sorry. I know you just want to make videos to have fun but I'm afraid I have to use your video as an example of bad videos.

It's just too illconceived.

OK, so what's wrong with this video?

Well, let's see:

1) The song is not by Monty Python. It's actually by the Freddy Martin Orchestra. Please do not use kazaa to get audio for your videos, it is very rare for something to have accurate artist information there.

2) Failing to crop digisub subtitles. They are on almost every second of the video and have no relation to the video at all.

3) Divx Logo. When editing with digisubs, often the editing program will use DirectShow to obtain the source. When playing files with divx5, a logo will appear unless you go into the decoder options and disable it. If you do not do this it will pop up every time a new file is used in your video. Which is a lot. I've seen this far too many times at conventions this year and it has to stop! It's a few mouse clicks away!

4) The concept. OK, for one, there isn't a single coconut in the entire video. That's forgivable but there also doesnt seem to be any double meaning to coconut, like breasts or balls or anything like that because the "big ones small ones some as big as your head" lyric shows totally random scenes. (ok the second time it seems to suggest it could mean the girls in the show but that makes no sense either)

The only redeeming factor is that it is small, which is more than you can say for the soon-to-be-banned-for-too-much-violence video The Death Vid which has the honour of being 75mb, 3 mins long encoded with cinepak with uncompressed 22khz mono sound.

ay carumba...

kthulhu · Post by **kthulhu** » Sat Aug 09, 2003 7:14 am

I wish I could say you're wrong and that you're a Limey git

, but frankly, you're right.

I think the person tried to do a lipsynch video, but they pulled it off poorly, in terms of timing and matching. The subs don't help it, either, because you have the song, the characters' mouths, AND the incorrect/lame subs all vying for attention. If they'd cropped out the subs and done a bouncing ball routine, that might have been OK, but it still wouldn't have saved the video.

There's no flow, the quality is poor in general, to varying degrees (they must have gotten fansubs from different places), and there's worthless filler.

So yes, this is a good example of a poor video 8) .

Now, to not let you off the hook so easily, why did you tempt me into watching this atrocity

?.

Org Profile · Post by **Otohiko** » Sat Aug 09, 2003 9:11 am

Well, if people have nothing better to do with their time

Intentionally or not, if you commit several clear no-no's of editing - you don't expect people to run around calling your vid 'teh ubar'.

There's absolutely nothing wrong with that rant AD. Some may say singling out artists/vids is bad taste...

I say the artist is responsible for all repercussions of his/her work. This one had it coming.

AbsoluteDestiny · Post by **AbsoluteDestiny** » Sat Aug 09, 2003 9:26 am

I dunno about having it coming, and I'd rather not single out but it did highlight a recurring theme in many new videos lately...

I really hate the idea of elitism but at the same time I want there to be more good videos and the thing is.... I think I could have found this video fun.

If the above issues were fixed and maybe the song was trimmed to under 2 minutes instead of being its full length. The creator has spent the time looking for all the funny scenes - if a little more effort was put into the video there's a chance it could have stood on its own two feet.

There's a lot of videos that pop up on the new downloads that I find almost instantly expendable - and to be honest with changes a lot of them could be made into something worth watching. I think with a little more effort and a desire to learn more about how good videos are made most people can make pretty competent videos.

However, when it comes down to it it's often the case that there are those who take pride in the videos they make and those who throw stuff together just because its cool or fun. I dont mind the latter but in a way its a waste because if someone really wanted to they could do good things.

I guess its the fact that they don't really want to which will always stop them at this level.

Machine · Post by **Machine** » Sat Aug 09, 2003 10:31 am

In a rather odd sort of sense, you could say that a-m-v.org is turning into a little "Hollywood" of its own.

Where has the art gone? And does anyone try anything new anymore?

stormybaka · Post by **stormybaka** » Sat Aug 09, 2003 10:55 am

Check out Sierra Lorna's vids, Elvis vs Anime has originality and hers vids have a damn good standard. Only thing I have to add in this rant is that I wish people would aim for good sources. This cheap rate dl'd subs is pathetic. I have seen vids with credits and subs or even with a logo in the corner saying what show it appeared on. It's quite annoying to see some good skills and ideas being wasted with pathetic sources and poor sound.

Go with my 3 r's

REASON - A concept or theme.
RHYTHM - Timing by beat and or emotion of song.
RESOURCE - Find the best and quality is important.

Arigatomina · Post by **Arigatomina** » Sat Aug 09, 2003 10:59 am

People try new things - I've seen quite a few 'beginning' vids that have great points for originality. Unfortunately, the general editing tends to be poor. You could compare some of them to those small privately produced movies that make people raise eyebrows wondering where *that* came from (think the Blair Witch cult piece - though I hated it myself). But once editors start to get 'good' - they give up most of the originality in favor of what *works*. So the most 'good' originality you'll find in vids will probably be in crossovers, elite effects artists, and people who do ideas that have probably been buzzing for years but no one ever had the capability to pull it off.

The other more simple ideas (strange stories, spins on songs, using footage in a new and odd way) will probably be used by beginners who don't know what "sells" yet - and the fact that they tend to start off with minimal skills and equipment makes those original vids look bad despite the idea. So by the time they get 'good' at editing, they've left the original ideas behind in favor of common things that people don't raise eyebrows about.

I really like the comparison of the amv environment to Hollywood. Consider the poorly edited new and original vids to be in the 'Blair Witch' category - some can't stomach sitting through it, others are fascinated by the idea, but either way it's just odd and simple. Then you have great original masterpieces like Chibi Things and Sierra's 'Elvis vs Anime' - harsh editing, complicated effects, great quality, mass appreciation - and still original - I'd compare these to the 'ground-breaking' special effects movies (mostly action in real life, though).

Those two would be the extremes. On the low end you have the 'concept just doesn't work + poorly edited' vids that could be compared with cheap $5 at the Dollar Store movies. And in the middle the 'effects are fine, quality is good, story is okay - nothing groundbreaking, but we won't complain' vids that would be out there with 'Jay and Silent Bob' (for the mindless humor vids), or even 'Die Hard' (for some of the action/drama vids), and so on.

Let's face it, most original ideas don't suit the general public, 50% of vieweris won't like them, and most good editors who 'take pride' in their work aren't going to ruin their names by going out on a limb with a vid. And the ones who don't know any better don't have the knowledge and experience to make the original ideas *work*. I don't see a quick solution unless you cut the vids that don't qualify as 'good' - meaning the concept isn't sound and the editing is poor. But then the only real originality would be in the newly found effects genre.

My question, what's the goal of pointing out a beginner's poorly edited vid? What good will come from it? I honestly don't get the reason for this thread unless it's just to complain about people who don't make 'proper' or 'good' vids.

AbsoluteDestiny · Post by **AbsoluteDestiny** » Sat Aug 09, 2003 11:09 am

Arigatomyna wrote:My question, what's the goal of pointing out a beginner's poorly edited vid? What good will come from it? I honestly don't get the reason for this thread unless it's just to complain about people who don't make 'proper' or 'good' vids.

Beginner? This person has made as many (if not more) videos than I have.... just over a much smaller period of time.

I was just raising it as the basis for discussion, and I think it's already looking to be a fruitful one.

I don't know whether or not it will be possible to create an atmosphere where new creators will be encouraged to try harder in their work and not let their ideas go to waste... but it would be good.

We have an environment here were lots of people can help each other to make videos but it's rarely used much. Unless someone makes friends with other creators people dont ask for feedback on the works they are creating... until they are done, at which point it is already too late.

I think one thing I'm tempted to try is to offer services as a beta tester to videos that havent been released. I've made enough to give decent opinions and if someone can learn whilst they make a video then they can really make good things I think. I dunno, it's just an idea I've played with. I much prefer giving opinions of incomplete videos so the creator can actually think about the criticism and decide if they want to improve upon it.

mexicanjunior · Post by **mexicanjunior** » Sat Aug 09, 2003 11:12 am

Machine wrote: Where has the art gone? And does anyone try anything new anymore?

I don't wanna try anything new, I just wanna make videos.

stormybaka · Post by **stormybaka** » Sat Aug 09, 2003 11:17 am

I agree with destiny, to a degree we aren't being helpful to say, hold back its his first vid. Be constructive though. But shouldn't we want the truth. Only way we will improve and the quality rise is if we take the time to constructively point out and guide the new editors. I thought this place was about the fun and collective passion of editing. We are all trying for the same thing. A fun hobby to enjoy. Dodging the topic and being worried about writing a bad review or stating a bad point because someone is new won't help improve anything.