Describe your crative process

Beowulf · Post by **Beowulf** » Tue Jan 14, 2003 10:20 pm

Every single video I've goten has come from listening to a song and having "omfg [insert anime] would go so well with this!" pop into my head. After that pops, I think about it and investigate it a little more to see if it would really work, taking into account length, pacing, scenes, climax, and sometimes lyrics. A lot fo video ideas I get are basically ideas for about 1 minute of the song. Thats what my third video was. I'll never do that shit again. For anyone thats seen it, youll notice the first minute thirty rawks ass and everything else is just "huhhhhhh........"

But then I listen to the song and think about it while I'm stoned, to see if I can think up any other new concepts or scenes, or to just see if it still works. If I get the green light from both states of consiousness, then its video time!

jal0021 · Post by **jal0021** » Tue Jan 14, 2003 10:37 pm

For me, the music is the foundation for everything. Essentially, I'll be listening to a song, and I'll be struck with a vision of it working with a particular anime series. In other words, I don't decide on a song and then go in search of an anime series to use as a source - instead, the two come together at the same moment of the initial realization of an idea.

After that, things go in different directions. Sometimes I'll sit down with the song lyrics (if applicable), listen to the song a million times, and flesh out some ideas. Sometimes it's just a rough outline, and other times it's a pretty detailed storyboard. I actually DON'T like doing this as much as I used to, as I'll sometimes fall into the trap of approaching it like a director, envisioning the sort of shots and scenes I WANT to use in order to make an idea work, whether they exist or not. I've had to scrap too many good ideas because of this, so now I prefer to just jot down a rough outline at most and get on with it.

If it's been awhile since I've watched the series I'm using, I'll usually shelve the idea for a later time (in other words, for after I've watched it again). If it's something I've seen recently and remember well, I'll grab the DVDs and fast forward through everything, keeping an eye out for particular scenes that fit whatever story I'm trying to tell or mood I'm trying to set. As I'm going along, I'll note the chapters on each disc that contain scenes I'm thinking of using.

After that, I'll start ripping the DVDs, only grabbing the chapters I'm interested in. It doesn't make much sense to have a whole series - hours upon hours of source footage - sitting on the HD when all I need is a few minutes worth. Sure, that adds time to the preparation stage, but it really pays off once I start editing, as there'll be less source footage to scrub through. And if during the editing process I discover I missed something or find that I need something I don't have, it's a simple matter of grabbing the DVDs, finding it, and ripping it.

Once I start editing, I just kind of go with the flow. Even if I have a detailed outline, it won't be long before I'm changing things up. To be honest, once I'm in editing mode, I just let the creative process take over. Then, it's just a matter of working until I get bored, tired, or creatively spent. A video may take 50 hours spread over a month or so, but much of that work will come in long sessions of editing. If I don't think I have the time to devote to a long session, I'll just wait until I do. I don't like to stop working when I'm on a roll.

Chaos Angel · Post by **Chaos Angel** » Tue Jan 14, 2003 10:43 pm

I don't take a song and try to match up an anime to it or vice versa. I usually just get an idea while listening to a song and go with it. For footage, rather than watch the whole series, I rip the whole thing and go through episode by episode loking for scenes that look as if they might be useful. I also don't edit in a set style. I usually do a section, anal-retentively obsess over it, then do another section. Although I'm trying to be more "organized" and lay out base footage before doing effects work, I usually effectualize each section and get it the way I want it befoe I move on. I'm very lax about the whole thing, which is probably why my videos are horrible.

dokool · Post by **dokool** » Tue Jan 14, 2003 10:49 pm

For me, inspiration is almost always derived from the music itself. For example, my "Warning" vid was just an automatic "Hey, that's Asuka!" From there, I just ripped all of the episodes w/ the best Asuka and Eva Unit 02 footage and went to town. Mmm, Asuka...

"Fine Again" (soon to be listed) just spawned from my obsession w/ the song. I put a *lot* more work into that one, because it was dramatic instead of just about one character. I thought about what scenes would work where, I scripted, and eventually I edited. The thought process took about a month, but it made editing much easier.

My vids are also limited by, well, what I have. If a song I want to do a vid for can't work w/ Eva, Lain, Cowboy Bebop, or Akira, then it doesn't get done. I'd expand my collection, but I'm a firm believer in waiting for box sets =)

mexicanjunior · Post by **mexicanjunior** » Wed Jan 15, 2003 12:18 am

I listen for starfish on the beach and act accordingly. :\

jonmartensen · Post by **jonmartensen** » Wed Jan 15, 2003 12:26 am

Beowulf wrote:Every single video I've goten has come from listening to a song and having "omfg [insert anime] would go so well with this!"

You are one messed up motha f@#$%#

Gotta Love those violent gangsta rap vids with Kite.

Ashton · Post by **Ashton** » Wed Jan 15, 2003 12:42 am

mexicanjunior wrote:I listen for starfish on the beach and act accordingly. :\

MJ, I can tell you what your creative process is:
Take any song, doesnt really matter, find an anime in which you can find a visual representation of EVERY SINGLE FREAKING LYRIC and go through making sure that not a single word is left unrepresented. The starfish is just all too perfect an example of this.

mexicanjunior · Post by **mexicanjunior** » Wed Jan 15, 2003 12:49 am

Ashton wrote:
mexicanjunior wrote:I listen for starfish on the beach and act accordingly. :\
MJ, I can tell you what your creative process is:
Take any song, doesnt really matter, find an anime in which you can find a visual representation of EVERY SINGLE FREAKING LYRIC and go through making sure that not a single word is left unrepresented. The starfish is just all too perfect an example of this.

Yup, you got me. :\

KLin · Post by **KLin** » Wed Jan 15, 2003 12:54 am

Obtain a new anime no one, or very few people know about. Find myself liking, enjoying the anime in some way. Find/get inspired to match it with a song that I think matches the anime somehow. Find the lyrics of the song. Create a list in notepad, how long each phrase is, and any particular noteworthy instrumental portions, etc. Take the anime episodes and slice off all the interesting parts/parts that could match the list of items in the notepad layout and place them randomly on the timeline. Mix, match, edit until I think it works, then bill it as a new AMV.

Satori · Post by **Satori** » Wed Jan 15, 2003 1:06 am

I usually have an anime I want to use, and if I come across a song that I think fits, then inspiration usually hits. I don't go looking for a song, though. Generally I have all the ideas in my head and I just keep mental notes. I never write anything down.