Themes and how they are overrated

[AbsoluteDestiny]

There's nothing to fear from editors - they always just make whatever they want to anyway so whether it be effects or concepts we'll always find good videos amongst them.

The only issue with effects is if they can wow the audience more than a video with a stronger concept but in all honesty even amv audiences will get bored of effects after a while.

[dwchang]

There's nothing to fear from editors - they always just make whatever they want to anyway so whether it be effects or concepts we'll always find good videos amongst them.

The only issue with effects is if they can wow the audience more than a video with a stronger concept but in all honesty even amv audiences will get bored of effects after a while.

I disagree and thus my fear for the direction I think things are headed. Given, like you said good videos will ALWAYS be there...it's just with the over-saturation of effect videos or just videos without solid concepts, it'll be a lot harder to find them...y'see I'm lazy

[WhereNext]

Well, you only have to worry about effect vids if they do something that really works and is unique.

But the problem is people over look concepts, my newest vid i did has a concept, but i wouldn't call it a theme. People seem to need the video to follow certain people or tell a persons story or it is themeless, and the concept used will be overlooked or set aside to look for a "theme".

[Pierrot Le Fou]

IMHO, you have to look at the whole picture and grade it accordingly.
Theme should be graded equally to quality and effects.

[trythil]

There's nothing to fear from editors - they always just make whatever they want to anyway so whether it be effects or concepts we'll always find good videos amongst them.

The only issue with effects is if they can wow the audience more than a video with a stronger concept but in all honesty even amv audiences will get bored of effects after a while.

I disagree and thus my fear for the direction I think things are headed. Given, like you said good videos will ALWAYS be there...it's just with the over-saturation of effect videos or just videos without solid concepts, it'll be a lot harder to find them...y'see I'm lazy

I'm still not quite sure why this is a bad thing. Sometimes a piece of music is best complemented with audiovisual candy; sometimes something a little bit deeper works best.

Especially now that computers make editing, adding effects and lip-synching almost no work at all.

But of course, your opinion is just as valid as mine.

I really have to disagree with this. Just because something's become computerized doesn't make it any easier...it just means that you have much more precise control over what you want to do.

[Zarxrax]

Now I agree that theme is very important, but don't go tossing theme and effects into seperate boxes! The two can co-exist very nicely. In fact most of the well known videos with themes use effects to accomplish their goals - tainted donuts, right now, etc.
I absolutely LOVE making effects... I don't remember the last time I made a video without any. But it was also probably about the same time that I stopped making videos without a theme.
I agree wholeheartedly though that amvs NEED a theme to stand out. I am utterly amazed at the incredible effects that I can make with after effects. But that doesn't make me a good editor. I have always felt that my scene timing absolutely sucks. But between the effects and concepts, I believe I have some pretty solid stuff going on. But anyways... if my videos didn't have a theme... I could have the most spectacular effects in the world and it would still be crap. A think a good example of this would be ErMaC's DDR Project 2 video (Sorry ErMaC, I really love most of your other works ;p). I mean this video is spot on in the technical department... but there is no substance! On the other end of the spectum I would put Caffeine Encomium. Absolutely no effects, but still an INCREDIBLE video with a nice theme.
Bleh, now I went off into a rant and forgot what i was even talking about in the first place Uh... so... theme is... the most important thing a video can have, in my opinion.

[WhereNext]

Well, its all fine and dandy when a video has a good theme but it needs to be "on" in the technical department as well, i have seen plenty of themed videos that had bad editing etc., and the bad editing ruined the video, i personally believe technical perfection should come first, and then the theme. I can sit through a well edited video with no theme, but i usually end up turning the vid off about half way through if it was edited badly whether it has a theme or not.

[BishounenStalker]

Hmm, how about putting it this way:

"Editing and tech is what separates the good from the bad. Concept (theme) is what separates the good from the great."

[dwchang]

Now I agree that theme is very important, but don't go tossing theme and effects into seperate boxes! The two can co-exist very nicely.

Well I don't know about everyone else, but that's not what I meant. I agree that effects can co-exist quite perfectly with a theme, HOWEVER what I am getting at is that people are using effects for the wrong reasons and just blindly putting them into something without any real substance.

To me (and this is just my type of editing), I use effects to enhance an already set mood/theme/concept/idea. If a scene is sad, I think about perhaps changing colors...maybe making it darker, etc. If I want to imply insanity, perhaps an invert, strobing of images, etc.

Basically what I'm getting at is that effects shoudl COMPLEMENT an already set theme. Too many editors have fallen into the trap (IMO) of just lying down effects to footage and thinking it'll be great. To me if the effects have no real context, they're not at all effective.

I hope this makes sense because I by no means am saying effects aren't important. They are, in that they can enhance things...but without a concept, there is no substance which I think an AMV should have (again only my opinion)

[Lavondyss]

too much of a good thing can be bad, especially money, sex, crime, and praying...

I sometimes get the feeling that the AMVs have too much dazzle in the video and I just cannot follow it. I'm sure it was hella difficult to choreograph and program those visuals in, but DAMN! They strain my eyes. I usually have to turn it offer before I get epilleptic seizures from the flashes and dazzles in general.

You usually can't go wrong with themes, especially if you believe a disclaimer is called for, to warn the viewer.

Example Disclaimer: Strong animated graphic violence. Contains animated characters beating the crap out of each other. Pixilated blood and gore. Contains mild to severe comedy and love love situations, usually in the form of a triangle or square or what's that name one for five sides?. Surgeon General Warning: Off beat music and no synchronization might cause imbalance in ceratin individuals. Viewers are advised to remain sitting for approximately 1 hour and watch other AMVs to compensate for the imbalance. Certain patterns of lights and or but not excluding sounds may cause fits of violence and or but not excluding writhing in laughter on the floor while others may fall over and cease to function due to chronic seizures. If you or someon you know has epileptic seizures, please do not view unless you have anti-seizuer goggles on. You have been warned. Please be advised and enjoy the show.


I believe special effects can be a theme in itself. Anyone have any thoughts on this?