That feel.

[iGREASE]

Alright so for the past four years I've always been fascinated with AMVs. I really enjoy watching the ones with those sick special effects and good masking. It really inspires me to make my own amv like that. But when it comes to it, I just can't seem to get it right. The main problem I have is that I can sit there and picture in my head the story, scenes from the anime and how the effects would work. "Zooms here, pans out, grundge effect there, masks there, etc." The problem is that when I sit down and open up my editing software I just go, "What the fuck am I doing?" It's like I can't do anything at all. The scenes I saw would fit but I wouldn't know how to incorporate them correctly and I can't get the effects to look and do as I want them to. And a year ago I had a pretty bad computer and it editing was a pain. I would tell myself, "Once I get a better pc I will start attempting amvs again." So here I am again, now with a new computer I still have the same problems. I just sit there, attempt to get the scenes right and do the effects I want to do but it just doesn't work out. Then I proceed to exit the program.

It really frustrates me because I can see it all in my head but I can't get it down on paper.

How do you guys do it?

[Emong]

I never quite get my videos look like I pictured them in my mind (everything is so vague in imagination anyway). Rather than the trying to edit your video to match the vision in your head, try experimenting with random stuff until something accidentally looks good and focus on that. And if you're going for the effectsy approach, don't be afraid to cram a lot of effects on the clips while experimenting. It's easier to clean up the mess than getting it perfect right away

[gotegenks]

well i feel bad for you already knowing about good amvs before you even start. When i started i don't think i had ever seen anything remotely good, if i saw anything at all, so i through shit into wmm and put it on youtube. It did take thought but 3-4 minute videos took maybe 2-3 hours, but i thought they were cool and fun, and for some reason i was impressed with myself even though back then i thought of the hobby as "not creative at all, putting something i didn't make next to something i didn't make, this is purely for shits and giggles" so zero pressure whatsoever!

I'd say just don't expect to be as good as me your favorite editors right away, because you'll just be disappointed with yourself and the hobby will have a bad taste to it. Also, don't even think about effects or panning and zooming for a while, or at LEAST for your first full. I can almost guarantee that if you worry about effects and all that crap then nobody respectable will like your first video, unless you're some kind of prodigy of sorts. If you've been watching a lot of amvs from here and you have a decent editing program, i'm confident you'd be able to make something enjoyable, especially if you're obsessive enough to quit because you can't get stuff right,

also, don't worry about what others will think while you're editing until you get a grip on technique and your program and everything, just make something, up it, announce it, and listen to everyone AFTER the video, and use it to improve!

that's all i can say, they have a few guides on the main site that are pretty interesting.

OH! if nothing else, at the VERY LEAST, do NOT use footage with watermarks on them, and keep the aspect ratio the same all the way through. With those two things you'll be better than the majority of people's first amv's!

[CodeZTM]

I've rarely (if ever) made an AMV that was 100% my original idea that I wanted to make. Usually, I have to take cuts here and there.

The important thing to realize is that your AMV never has to be "perfect". It should be composed, professional and had a lot of effort put into it, but "perfection" is a rare thing that I'd only grant to 2-3 AMVs throughout my history of being on this site.

Get friends to help you try and make your vision. Tell them what you're wanting to make, and then have them watch your video and see if they can offer help on how to make this come to light. I ALWAYS have at least 4-5 people watching my videos before release, and they see things that I wouldn't have ever seen.

So, in short:

Don't sweat the small stuff. JUST EDIT. Get friends to watch/test it and get feedback on how to improve. Skill with the hobby comes with time, effort and editing more videos.

[Castor Troy]

This is a feeling I've struggled with and still continue to struggle with at times.

Editing is actually 90% improvisation since a video will never look like the one in your head, but you can try to make it better.

[irriadin]

I'll admit, the same thing used to happen to me all the time. Still does, to a certain extent. The most useful thing I've discovered when it comes to effects usage is that "less is more." So while you may have a flashy motion-blurred, zooming, grunge-texture filled dream-scape of awesome in your mind, it never works out looking as good as you think it could. Just focus on a few things and do it well! And if you want to go overboard, do it in stages. Like, get your scene to a point where you're like "yea, that works" and then come back to it later on and tweak it a bit.

[TEKnician]

Dude, its like love.

You're never going to find a girl that looks exactly like in your dreams, but one will eventually come along and surprise you. If life went "just according to keikaku" there would be no spontaneity! There would be no WOW! Be like water, my friend. Water.

[JudgeHolden]

All buildings start with a solid foundation. Learn the basics first. Complete many "simple" videos.Try a video with one major effect throughout (like masking). All will come over time.

[ZephyrStar]

How do you guys do it?

One step at a time.

I know that feel, but you have to start somewhere. Try and learn to master an effect or idea before tackling the video as a whole. Open up your editing program and get a 10 second clip, and decide "I will make this look like how I see it in my head." Do some tutorials, figure out how to use the tools, and then figure out how to apply them to your vision. Those big flashy videos you see take months and months sometimes. Some of us have educations in motion graphics, design, animation, you name it.

So take little steps. And yeah, you probably want to make some simple videos first just to get the hang of making cuts and coming up with good concepts. IMO good concept is way better than mindless flashy effects, but a good concept + solidly executed and appropriate effects is usually nothing short of amazing.

Oh, and a big thing, ask for help! (which I see you are doing already)

[Zarxrax]

This is a feeling I've struggled with and still continue to struggle with at times.

Editing is actually 90% improvisation since a video will never look like the one in your head, but you can try to make it better.

This.
Also, try doing some Iron Chefs, because that can really get you into the mindset of just improvising to get something on the timeline. And this is really a critical skill, even when it comes to editing normally and having stuff planned out. It's always going to be a balance of doing what you planned and making new crap up on the fly.