Our Cold Spirits WIP

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Antman_537
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Our Cold Spirits WIP

Post by Antman_537 » Mon Feb 10, 2020 4:07 pm

https://youtu.be/Nm8OJ7EMxVo

Working on this for Anime Banzai 2020; it's at the point where I'd like feedback on it. Anything that just isn't working, or technical errors I've missed? Thanks In advance!

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SailorTardis
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Re: Our Cold Spirits WIP

Post by SailorTardis » Fri Mar 27, 2020 11:07 am

I really liked it, which is saying something cause I really kinda don't like Shield Hero. You're editing is really on point and the clips flow well together. The video feels a little slow before the song gets going, but that's more of a personal nitpick.

The ending also feels a little to abrupt with the cut to black. I feel like a fade out might work better there.

Good luck with your video!
"Of course! Don't you know anything about science?"

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Antman_537
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Re: Our Cold Spirits WIP

Post by Antman_537 » Fri Mar 27, 2020 6:37 pm

Thanks for the feedback! Any thoughts on how to give it some momentum prior to the music picking up?

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SailorTardis
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Re: Our Cold Spirits WIP

Post by SailorTardis » Fri Mar 27, 2020 7:19 pm

Honestly, watching the video again, the video is actually paced really well, though maybe the fade to black at 0:24 could be a bit shorter. Also, that a few shots, such as the flashback at 0:32 felt speed up, and jarred with the music. 1:35 also has this problem.

Besides that, you're video is looking really great!
"Of course! Don't you know anything about science?"

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Antman_537
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Re: Our Cold Spirits WIP

Post by Antman_537 » Sat Mar 28, 2020 10:19 am

Good point; I'll hone those points a bit more. Thanks!

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Antman_537
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Re: Our Cold Spirits WIP

Post by Antman_537 » Sat Jun 06, 2020 3:23 pm

Bumping to show what I've done with this since. Thinking this is the final cut, unless someone sees some really serious problems. Don't hold back, let me know what you think!
https://youtu.be/_o3k_GBQKgE

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lloyd9988
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Re: Our Cold Spirits WIP

Post by lloyd9988 » Sat Jun 06, 2020 7:57 pm

There's one thing that could be utilized to improve imo. Using Dark Space. You can utilize Dark Space to help something flow a bit better with the song. So, don't feel like you need to add a scene somewhere just because you think it needs to be there. Just fade to black if you think it'll flow better with the song.

A lot of this has great potential. I love the scenes you're using but there's a dissonance with the flow of the song that can be corrected by tweaking the scenes you're using at certain points in the song and by utilizing fading out to black and fading from black slowly.

My personal opinion is being detailed this much because I really like this AMV.

I'll just add in my comments below to give out my opinion on what can be done to improve the flow. Feel free to disagree with me since it's just my opinion:
Spoiler :

Time: 0:00 - 0:20
Spoiler :
Consider a fade into the video at the start.

I would try to use less scenes and use scenes that have slower camera movement but longer lasting scenes. i.e. Slow down the pacing of the beginning to get a slower, more consistent flow with the song.
Time: 0:28
Spoiler :
Slower Fade in and a slow Pan Out of this scene.
Time: 0:30 - 0:32
Spoiler :
Replace the chandelier scene by extending the prior shield hero scene over it. Add a relatively slow Fade Out to the Shield Hero scene once extended
Time: 0:32 - 0:38 (Optional)
Spoiler :
Add a Fade to Black at 0:36 and just Fade In From Black at 0:38
Time: 0:43 - 0:50 && 0:54 - 0:59
Spoiler :
I may reconsider the scenes used at this point. They're to fast and bright imo.

Are there any scenes of Shield Hero slowly walking towards the jail cell and discovering her?
Time: 1:15 - 1:21
Spoiler :
Can you extend the scene where he's sitting on the mountain top over 1:15 - 1:21? Or just fade 1:12 out to black then have the scene at 1:13 replace {1:15 - 1:21} with a Fade In?
Time: 1:33 - 1:37
Spoiler :
At 1:33 - 1:35: Fade Out to Black

At 1:35 - 1:37, Fade Into the Scene
At this point, there's a lot of things I'd adjust but I kind of don't want to spend all day explaining what I'd try to change. So just one major change.

Time: 4:03 - 4:05
Spoiler :
Don't speed up the clips. It looks super unnatural
Time: 4:08 - 4:12
Spoiler :
Fade out to black
Fade into the beach scene

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Antman_537
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Re: Our Cold Spirits WIP

Post by Antman_537 » Sat Jun 06, 2020 8:36 pm

Well, I did say don't hold back; haha :lol:
Thanks for the detailed advice! Lots of good suggestions for fades; I'll play with those and see what I do/don't like.

0:43 - 0:50 && 0:54 - 0:59: I can see how the brightness could be an issue. I feel like a filter could mitigate some of that, though?

What are your thoughts on 00:50-00:54? I feel like the two shots feel unbalanced because the left one is cropped by a bookshelf; but I'm undecided on how to crop them to mitigate it.

One other concern I've had is of making the amv too slow, and losing audiences. Don't think it's a problem, I take it?

Thanks again for the feedback; I'll post new versions as I make them. That submission deadline isn't for months anyway, lol. :wink:

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lloyd9988
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Re: Our Cold Spirits WIP

Post by lloyd9988 » Sat Jun 06, 2020 9:26 pm

Antman_537 wrote:
Sat Jun 06, 2020 8:36 pm
Well, I did say don't hold back; haha :lol:
Oh... I didn't read that part :lol: Don't take anything I say personal. It's all meant to be constructive to improve in the eyes of some random stranger on the internet to help you create your work to be as close to the way you had envisioned it to look.
Antman_537 wrote:
Sat Jun 06, 2020 8:36 pm
Thanks for the detailed advice! Lots of good suggestions for fades; I'll play with those and see what I do/don't like.
Anytime.
Antman_537 wrote:
Sat Jun 06, 2020 8:36 pm
0:43 - 0:50 && 0:54 - 0:59: I can see how the brightness could be an issue. I feel like a filter could mitigate some of that, though?
It might?... :sweat: idk, I was looking at the flow and kinda would like to see the scenes leading up too him finding her in the prison cell.

Antman_537 wrote:
Sat Jun 06, 2020 8:36 pm
What are your thoughts on 00:50-00:54? I feel like the two shots feel unbalanced because the left one is cropped by a bookshelf; but I'm undecided on how to crop them to mitigate it.
In my head, I was okay with those scenes if the other scenes were changed. Like, the "Come and Go" felt more natural than the other scenes because the "Come and Go" scenes were slow and the fade was slow which flowed with the song. But that's my personal opinion, again.

So the effect itself looks out of place but I find my main concern to be the scenes outside those two scenes because it's just the outside scenes move a bit fast for how slow the song is itself.
Antman_537 wrote:
Sat Jun 06, 2020 8:36 pm
One other concern I've had is of making the amv too slow, and losing audiences. Don't think it's a problem, I take it?
Well... If you're making the AMV for the audience, then... I guess that depends on who your audience is lol. Audience's vary, so some audience members love something fast paced while other audience members like something slow. But, I don't know what the audience wants, I just know what I want.

Personally, I don't try to please anyone nor do I want to please anyone... I just make the AMVs because I want my idea to shine, I don't really care if others like it or not. I just want to make something I'm proud of, I guess.
Antman_537 wrote:
Sat Jun 06, 2020 8:36 pm
Thanks again for the feedback; I'll post new versions as I make them. That submission deadline isn't for months anyway, lol. :wink:
Anytime, just make something that like, 2 years down the line, you can look back and be like: "Damn, I really love what I made." Or something to that effect. Not everyone will love what you make while others will adore it. But, I think the person you should please when you make something is yourself, first and foremost.

P.S. I wish there was an online video editor where we can plop all the project files onto so I can make a personal copy, show you what I mean, give it to you and see what you think. That would be so cool to have.

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Antman_537
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Re: Our Cold Spirits WIP

Post by Antman_537 » Sun Jun 07, 2020 9:01 pm

Whew! I finished trying out all those suggestions; this is what I came up with at the end of it:
https://youtu.be/AftTRMsYjkE
I took most of your suggestions on fades and pacing adjustments. For a lot of the scene replacement suggestions, I simply couldn't find alternatives that fit the narrative I was aiming for and were more satisfactory. :? I did however try some tweaking of the clips to help them work better.

Don't worry; you're fine to give all the feedback you want; it's quite helpful. A little comedy is just how I keep from taking myself too seriously. :wink:
And yeah, ideally the amv should be made just to satisfy my vision. But I sure do appreciate it when the people behind me don't poke fun at it, haha

P.S. I wish that too; especially since you'd probably do your ideas better justice! :sweat:

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