Improv MEP [Interest Gauge]

[CrackTheSky]

I don't really see why it has to be one week in that case. If there'd be like a list at the beginning making pairs on who gets what song everyone would be editing at the same time.

No no no no. I definitely don't want a pair system, I'd much rather have a ladder system in which we edit down the ladder, as it were. It just makes more sense to me, I guess.

And I don't see why a MEP that takes more than a week should be a problem considering the months all the others take.

I don't expect this project to be finished in a week. But if every person takes a week to do their track, and there are 20 people involved, since only one person edits at a time that's 20 weeks right there, which translates to about five months. Add more time per track and the number of weeks to completion increases substantially. It's nothing to stop me from starting the project, it just seems like a very long time to wait.

I mean if I'd think of it myself even if I'd get a completely complex crazy techno beat audio track I could still decide whether or not I'd want to keep it down to 30secs and if I'd choose that I could spent 2 weeks on working on all the needed sync.

But you don't get to choose the portion you get to edit (if I understand you correctly). You could potentially request a specific length for the editor above you to cut for you, but you cannot choose the portion of the song - that would defeat the purpose of this project entirely.

And on the other hand slow songs that don't require much sync/editing would be pretty bad in 30seconds, because how much possible cuts are that in a drama video? Like 4, or something? In that case the person editing it could easily go ahead and edit 1:30 and that way both videos would balance each other out.

But again, you won't be able to choose what kind of song you'll be editing to. Like I said, you could possibly choose a length, but if the song the person has in mind is something very sync-heavy like trance or techno, and you choose a 1:30 length track, you can't go back and cut the audio yourself to make it easier to complete the track in the specified amount of time. This is why I'd rather have a preset track length and editing time. 45 seconds/one week sound ok to me.

Also, not every right song for this project can be cut into good 30seconds, if the editor could choose which part he could also cut out the part he feels best about editing to so that at least nobody would have to stick to the worst possible 30seconds of a song.

Again, though, this would defeat the purpose. If the editor before you chooses audio that is very "hard" to edit to, that's the risk you took by joining. You have absolutely no say whatsoever in anything about the audio you're given (except maybe the length, but I haven't decided on that yet).

[NS]

The point here is not to become an AMV hell or whatever, The point here, is more or less, to test the limits of your editing abilities. At least, that's how I see it.

[wurpess]

Well, I know it doesn't solve the problem of people submitting music then dropping, but a way to have everyone edit at once and still have the randomness would be maybe once the list of editors is set in stone, have everyone pm you their audio bit, then randomly redistribute the pieces to the editors. But I agree that it would be more interesting to do the ladder thing and have everyone working in a week or 2 time periods. It gives more of that improv feeling. Kinda along the lines of a less extreme Iron Editor.

[CrackTheSky]

The point here is not to become an AMV hell or whatever, The point here, is more or less, to test the limits of your editing abilities. At least, that's how I see it.

That's pretty much exactly what I'm going for.

Well, I know it doesn't solve the problem of people submitting music then dropping, but a way to have everyone edit at once and still have the randomness would be maybe once the list of editors is set in stone, have everyone pm you their audio bit, then randomly redistribute the pieces to the editors. But I agree that it would be more interesting to do the ladder thing and have everyone working in a week or 2 time periods. It gives more of that improv feeling. Kinda along the lines of a less extreme Iron Editor.

I'm actually not going to be lenient at all on my ladder system. For one, keeping track of several groups of editors, making sure they're all abiding by the rules, making sure none of them drop without editing something, etc. would just be way too much of a hassle. This way I'd only have to deal with one (max two) editor(s) at a time, and if someone drops before their turn comes up it'd be a simple matter of finding a replacement, and I'd plan on having a few backup editors anyway.

I also think that the ladder system would make the whole MEP at least a little more manageable for the editors involved, because it'd be much easier to plan ahead of time when each editor will be editing, making procrastination and such not so much of a problem. Deadlines tend to be excellent motivators, and when you're given a deadline very close to the start of a project I imagine it'd be much easier to manage your time because you have none to put it off.

[dreamawake]

yeh...I vote 45 seconds, 1 or 2 week period to edit..whatever sky decides. Sounds perfect to me, easily manageable in the time period, and long enough to get emotion or good action on your track.

[Minion]

for the sheer lulz of screwing with the person below me

[Orwell]

After much prodding, I have been informed I have a interest in this. And I'll sign up Oto while I'm at it since he should have a computer tonight.

[godix]

After much prodding, I have been informed I have a interest in this. And I'll sign up Oto while I'm at it since he should have a computer tonight.

Damn straight you're interested. You and oto are about the only people that could do justice to the crap I'll foist off on someone. Hopefully one of you two follows me.

[Kisanzi]

I agree with Ingow, everyone in the project should submit their audio and have it distributed to someone else at the same time. Then everyone can edit their track in the same 2 week or so time period. It'll still be improv but it wont take half a year to finish. I don't really understand why you would want to do this MEP one person at a time anyway.

As for the audio, I'm sure that Crackerz would screen the audio submitted for anything obscenely or blatantly submitted for the purpose of being obnoxious or screwing other editors over. The project wouldn't demand much quality if some editors give great obscure music while others try to submit intentionally crappy or uneditable audio and pass it off as a serious choice.

This project sounds like a way for editors to give themselves reasons to sit down and edit something that won't take them months of brainstorming or editing. But rather, trying their best to represent their skills with alot of good audio that they have never heard. If that's the intention then I'd really like to see this MEP get off the ground.

[CrackTheSky]

I agree with Ingow, everyone in the project should submit their audio and have it distributed to someone else at the same time. Then everyone can edit their track in the same 2 week or so time period. It'll still be improv but it wont take half a year to finish. I don't really understand why you would want to do this MEP one person at a time anyway.

One reason I want to do the ladder thing is because I'm just stubborn, another is because it'll be easier for me to coordinate and follow. Thinking on it I personally wouldn't mind if the MEP took several months to complete, as I have a lot going on AMV-wise for the next couple months, so this way I could start the project soon and be able to keep up with it without feeling overwhelmed. I hope that doesn't sound too selfish or anything, but as the coordinator I just feel like the ladder system would be more practical for myself, and I don't see how it'd be much of a problem for the editors involved. Also, if problems crop up it'll be much easier to handle them since they'll only come up one at a time. And, with everyone editing at once, trying to get everyone to meet a single deadline will be difficult, as the time limit is an important part of the project. If I only have one person to deal with at a time, it'll be a lot harder for editors to sneak past the deadline and get themselves extra time.

On that note, I'm thinking of giving time limits based on the length of the song, i.e. if the track you get is longer than, say, 40 seconds, you can have a few extra days and if it's especially short, you will have less time than normal. Thoughts?

As for the audio, I'm sure that Crackerz would screen the audio submitted for anything obscenely or blatantly submitted for the purpose of being obnoxious or screwing other editors over. The project wouldn't demand much quality if some editors give great obscure music while others try to submit intentionally crappy or uneditable audio and pass it off as a serious choice.

Yes, I intend to screen every audio source. But do realize that this will probably not be limited to just music...godix, who showed interest when I first started this thread, sent me the source he wants to use, and it's definitely not music...but in the right hands we both think the result could be something pretty unique and interesting, so I'm probably going to allow him to use it.

This project sounds like a way for editors to give themselves reasons to sit down and edit something that won't take them months of brainstorming or editing. But rather, trying their best to represent their skills with alot of good audio that they have never heard. If that's the intention then I'd really like to see this MEP get off the ground.

Yep, that's the point of the project, and as this has attracted more interest than I initially thought I will definitely be starting this, though like I said in the first post it probably won't be until August at the earliest.