Your Life Story

[Kyssifur]

pronounced like sherman

or... American "sure", because as far as I know British "sure" is more like "shore"

[Drango]

How you got into AMVs: It was about 2002/3 ish... I was derping about on the internet using Limewire (yeah) and found out I could download anime from that! (not very successfully mind, but still) and through searching for Gundam I ended up finding a (miss titled) 08th MS Team AMV to 10th Man Down by Nightwish. I then discover torrents and find that they are a much better way of obtaining anime and end up watching Kanon (the 2003 version) and eventually I discover that I have an editing program on my laptop too! I decide to have a little play around with putting some simple pictures to music, and satisfying myself with this little test, I then went on to edit Kanon to Iris by The Goo Goo Dolls in 2004.

How you came up with your screen name: Long before I started making AMVs I came up with a rather silly story idea in which the main character could... control fire and turn into a dragon... yeah... (I was young! Don't judge me!) Anyway, I then sit there thinking "He needs a name! It can't be something normal like James or anything, it has to be something different! Like Dragon, but I can't just name him 'Dragon' ... hmm... Drake? Dra.... Drango...?" and that's literally how I came up with the name... Some time later, a friend of mine invites me to play an online game with him, and with it being the internet I know not to use my REAL name... And especially not in a game, so I decide to try and 'RP' as my character Drango. And... then I just don't bother with any RPing and just kinda took the name for myself...

How you discovered the Org: I believe it was thanks to Sakuraslight...? Maybe... Or I might have just stumbled across it searching for AMVs by myself, I honestly can't remember anymore...

Tell me about your studio, like how you joined/created it, etc... Team Mutiny... Uhm... I believe Sakuraslight already answered this one earlier, even mentioning how I got dragged in to be a co-founder of it so... yeah! Go read his answer for mine. #cop-out #lazy

Favorite genre to edit and why: Drama/Romance/Tearjerkers even if I'm not the best at doing it.

Favorite newbie mistake you've made: Hmm... I've done many... still catch myself out with some now actually... Uhm... The one that makes me cringe the most when watching through old AMVs of mine is when I've left a scene going with hard subs on the screen because "It fits the story of the video I'm trying to tell!" >.<
BURN IT! BURN IT WITH FIRE!!! LAVA BUCKET HOO!!!!!

First contest experience: That... would be... a small AMV competition that Sak tried to run at Tokonatsu if that even counts... if not, then it would be the TGS that resulted in Team Mutiny being formed.

Best experience you've had thus far with the community: Uhm... Definitely getting to know some of the friends I've made since forming TM.

Worst experience with the community: That... would be... well... There's been some drama that I don't feel I should go into detail about here... And yeah, going through that was not pleasant at all...

Why you edit: 'For fun' is the most honest answer I can give. Occasionally it's to vent... Occasionally it's for a competition... Occasionally it's for someone else (as a pick-me-up for them, or as a birthday present for example) but most of the time... even if I'm taking part in a competition, if it's not fun, it's not worth it, and I'd rather give up on a video or put it on hiatus than come to resent what I'm doing or take it too seriously.

Future goals: Future goals... hmm... Continue to edit, continue to improve... Continue to have fun doing it! Though, one thing I'd LIKE to do is to visit the US and go to an editor con there one year, but that might have to wait a while.

Hope you like my answers. n_n

[DriftRoot]

How you got into AMVs: When FF8 came out, I was infatuated with that game even though I had no means to play it. For a long time my "fix" was watching and rewatching (26 times a day, at one count) an "AMV" using the FMV cutscenes. I didn't know what the term AMV was and I had no clue how the creator made it, where these things lived on the Internet (Napster FTW) or anything else, but I WANTED IT. I've always been a very creative person seeking all kinds of outlets for my ideas and stories, and holy stromboli, this was IT. I didn't have to be good at drawing - I was using someone else's artwork - and I didn't have to be good at music, because I was using someone else's song! All I had to do was pony up with the concept, which I had in spades (ahahaha, that's funny, looking back on it).

I honestly don't remember how I got from that FF8 video to AMVs, but I can say that I didn't get heavily into editing successfully (this is a crucial point) until after I attended Anime Boston in 2006 and was blown away by landmark videos like Hold Me Now and true fiction. I saw those in person, when they were just making their entrance onto the AMV stage, and it's only now that I realize how lucky I was to get that experience. Despite years of editing failure of epic proportions, during which I estimate to have wracked up around 1,000 hours of unproductive editing work (meaning no AMV was ever completed, nor got close to completion), I got REALLY determined to be up there on that same stage.

Then I got into a heated argument with dokool (this is my favorite part) about whether I'd ever make a decent AMV, and he inadvertently riled me up so much that one could say I finally made an AMV just to spite him. This isn't true, but it does make for a good story and that determination kept me going more than a few times when I was ready to throw in the towel. ^_^


How you came up with your screen name: Ah! Driftroots do exist and they are exceptionally neat things when you can find a good one. I dubbed my first driftroot a "driftroot" when I found it washed up on a beach and hauled it home with me. Think driftwood, only it's a root that's been baked by salt, sand and sun. My sister's parakeet pecked away at it over the years so it's now in a pretty sorry state, but I still have it.

Over the years this nickname has been mistaken for "Driftwood" and converted to punnish labels more times than I can count, however the most persistent issue has been being mistaken for a guy. Not too bothersome, but amusing.

How you discovered the Org: I very clearly remember searching for "Anime Music Videos" and having this site pop up as the top search results. This was back in 1999 or so, and it wasn't like there were a lot of better options out there.

Tell me about your studio, like how you joined/created it, etc... I'm not in a studio and didn't realize I had to have a reason why, or justify the lack thereof. This sounds more like "tell me about your friends, like how you met them." I have received one studio invitation to date, which was rather flattering, but I turned it down because a) I just don't make enough AMVs to justify that and b) I don't really see the point. Back in the day, yes, it had big perks with hosting and whatnot, but now? I don't need hosting, I have a few really great beta testers and can usually beg/borrow/steal help from other people if necessary, and...um...marketing myself as part of a studio isn't really my style.

Favorite genre to edit and why: COMEDY b/c I have a good sense of humor, albeit a quirky one, and loathe this hobby enough that anything I can do to make it a little more fun goes a long way in getting through the AMV editing process. Seriously, though, I was just saying the other day that I find it very taxing to make dramatic AMVs because they tend to depress me. I have some great dramatic concepts, but I just can't put myself through that.

Favorite newbie mistake you've made: Favorite? Newbie mistakes as in ha ha that's funny are too numerous to count, but you can go read my journal from about six to 10 years ago and it's all there. The main one that sticks out was my first AMV, when I slightly screwed up the aspect ratio because I couldn't wrap my head around that stuff (I still have a hard time). Dokidoki was the ONLY one who took the time to kindly explain what I did wrong, and I felt like such a moron. Worse, the AMV got nominated for best first video, but I suspect it crashed and burned in the semifinals because people took one look at "squishy Cloud" (this was an actual QC I got - "ew, squishy Cloud") and dumped it. Grrrrr...

First contest experience: Hrm, first contest viewing would be 2006 Anime Boston. A great, great year and definitely the reason I became a "real" AMV editor (by which I mean I actually made a complete AMV). First contest I was IN was Sakura-Con 2008, which I still remember vividly because I thought the contest organizer was joking when he said my video was in the finals. I was like, what? No, that can't be right, I think you put it in the wrong category. I can't possibly COMPETE with my video! I'd just be super grateful if it got shown in the AMV room or something!

Worst experience with the community: This would be the horror show of getting one's words taken out of context and crucified as only the .Org knows how. Pretty much spelled The End of the hobby for me (or so I felt at the time) and absolutely destroyed everything I had ever wanted to stand for and achieve as an editor. I was really...well...a newbie to all of it and wasn't as wise as I should have been, plus I was kind of out of whack from a faulty prescription. It was stupid of me, and so was my reaction at the time, and I am still paranoid that people hold it against me. It's the newbie mistake that just keeps on giving.

If you have no idea what I'm talking about, hooray!! If you do, but are kind of vaguely mystified that I'd bring it up, hey - I'm not the one that asked for a worst experience to be shared! It's in the past, it still pains me a bit when I think about it, but the most I can hope for is that it isn't what defines me to the .Org community.

Best experience you've had thus far with the community: I swapped the order of these best/worst questions for a reason. The best experience I had was about six months after the aforementioned incident, when I released another AMV. I was honestly deeply concerned about it, and considered making no announcement thread at all, just sweeping it under the carpet so as not to draw anymore attention to myself. But I worked very hard on that video, and I wanted to prove I had it in me to make more than one decent AMV. So off it went, and people liked, laughed and congratulated me on it. Holy shit. Not all AMV.orgers are cutthroat grudge-holders with a penchant for underhanded cruelty!? Is, is my AMV "career" not cold ashes? I don't think I've ever had a happier 24 AMV hours in my life associated with this site. Redemption? No, but being able to move past the worst? Great.

Why you edit: WHY I edit is up there in how I got into editing. Why I don't edit anymore? Well, as I pointed out to machina21 recently, maybe I'm just taking another really long break, you know?

The main reason I don't edit anymore is that the positives do not outweigh the negatives. I need extremely high motivation, inspiration and sense of value to make an AMV. If I don't have all of that, it crashes and burns EVERY TIME (I have spent more time attempting to make AMVs than actually MAKING them for this very reason). I hate not being able to make what I want to make, I hate not being able to to bend anime to my will, I hate my lack of technical skills and artistic vision, my inability to sit and work at my computer for more than two hours without migraines, a stiff neck and back pain. I hate it all. When things go right, I'm a bit happier, but I still dread editing and will do almost anything (Washing the kitchen floor? Yes. Clean the garage? Yes. Reorganize my Tupperware? Yes.) to get out of it. The only time I've enjoyed editing is when there is something I want to make that I am actually able to make. Otherwise, it's an exercise in futility.

It's not that I don't WANT to edit, it's just that - as an exercise in futility most of the time - can you blame me for hating it? AMV editing is a very unnatural thing for me, and it's soooo frustrating to have a hobby you wish you could enjoy, but can't. It really is. There's nothing in my life I have worked harder at and wished I could be good at, but it doesn't make a difference, you can't force that sort of thing. I've always been ragingly jealous of all you people who actually enjoy this hobby. You have no idea how lucky you are. I wish I had a hobby like that.

Future goals: (Editing, non-editing, whatevers) Der future? AMV, not much. I used to want to make more AMVs, now it's not very important. I guess the main goal would be to find another AMV that inspires, motivates and helps my grow my skills as some of my past ones have. Barring that, finding another hobby or project with an equal level of challenge and reward is something I'm always looking for. Just haven't found it, yet.

Non-editing, let's see: I want to be able to run a 5k without my ankle giving out on me. Stupid AMV hobby screwed me over royally with that one. Four years and counting, and one wrong step heading out to an AMV contest still haunts me.

[Taite]

While I'm on the nets I guess I'll fill this out, hmhm.


How you got into AMVs: Honestly I don't remember anymore. I thought it was because I saw Inuyasha on tv and went on yt and saw an amv, but I don't know. It was about a year or less after youtube and somehow between that and watching Inuyasha idk.

How you came up with your screen name: I forget this too. I like tater tots, and I was called tater for awhile, and then I think the I came in as a typo when I first wrote out my screen name, yaaa idk.

How you discovered the Org: Don't remember, probably from googs.

Tell me about your studio, like how you joined/created it, etc...: I dread studios and have never ever joined one. I don't care if other people are in them, but it's not for me. I like flying solo, with my name attached to no one else's. Seriously yuck.

Favorite genre to edit and why: This is funny cuz I've never released one, but trailers. Close with it though, definitely drama. I think action is pointless and boring and if it doesn't have a story or theme I don't really care, so I lean towards drama for those reasons. I like stuff that shows the emotion of the song and anime, idk. Also I listen to music that fits that genre more, so it's just natural I guess.

Favorite newbie mistake you've made: I'm sure I've made many but not any that were scarring and made me remember them. Probs all my early edits in general due to quality.

First contest experience: I think I submitted to NDK first? I don't know, it was kind of spontaneous and I didn't think my video was special, but I wanted to see what happened. Never been to a con, and don't normally submit my videos to competitions, my vids just aren't that kind of material.

Best experience you've had thus far with the community: Mmm, just receiving good reactions from my opinions in the most part. Even the bad ones I thoroughly enjoy cuz I'm mean. Since that's basically my only interaction with anyone here then that's pretty much it. Or when people want to contact me more for whatever reason I'm like "really? that's kind of adorable, let's chat." People think I don't want to talk with anyone or something, or that I'm mean, both of which are semi-true, but then they do and they're like "wow that chick's straight up nuts" so it's kinda cool.

Worst experience with the community: Probably just annoying people here and there, causing various hiatuses, including an upcoming one. I like to pretend I don't care what anyone says but really I get pissed as hell over all it, so I'm done yup.

Why you edit: I only edit when I'm bored, so because I get bored. I also like to see the motion you hear in a song find its personification in a video source. I have a whole philosophy about it, but that's basically it.

Future goals: Get out asap and do other sweet stuff, but I'll try and finish a few ideas first.

[lloyd9988]

How you got into AMVs: I saw Shinzo's AMV with Owl City and I was like: "I wanna do that!" *_*

How you came up with your screen name: I played a game

How you discovered the Org: Google

Tell me about your studio, like how you joined/created it: Cloud 9 and the Awesome O's. I joined Cloud 9 due to meeting Pau-chii in the Quickening in Round 1 and I was apparently decent enough to join them. The Awesome-O's came about with Malik and Bani with us just messing around together for fun. I believe the reason we started that MEP group was because of the project org editor. So that's how that started and we have YET to make yet another MEP. xD

Favorite genre to edit and why: Something fun and upbeat. Personally, though, I also enjoy making an amv with a concept to follow.

Favorite newbie mistake you've made: HAVING YUE BETA-TEST MY AMV WHEN I WAS STILL USING IMOVIE. Honestly, funniest thing to happen. xD

First contest experience: Haven't had one yet O:

Best experience you've had thus far with the community: Meeting Yue, Malik, Bani, Kisanzi, Ileia, Koop, KristyRat, Haunter103, DrDino, BecauseI'mBored1, Shin, Taite, Drewaconclusion, Tritio, and many more amazing editors here! I love the people here whether I talk a lot with them or not O: The best thing I loved is that I can talk with these awesome editors and find that they're a normal person like me. But, whether they're amazing at editing or not, I'm just glad to be able to meet a lot of cool people on here.

Worst experience with the community: I really can't recall bad experiences. I know I see a lot of drama go on a lot but I think that's what keeps this community going. :3

Why you edit: (If you don't edit anymore, explain yo'self!) I use to edit because I wanted to meet some friends on here who had the same interests as me... But, now that I have friends... I never really feel like editing anymore. xD I want to edit more... But my core motivation is mainly gone so I can't find myself to finish an AMV anymore.

Future goals: (Editing, non-editing, whatevers) I do want to make a decent amv that people will enjoy on a conceptual level and an amv dedicated to all the friends I made here. But, my main goal is just to become an electrical engineer or travel the world. Enjoy life beyond working on a computer all my life. I wanna do more than just play video games, live for a paycheck and sit at home all my life. I wanna be able to experience the world and what it has to offer! That and also be able to go surfing when I grow up. ^_^

[Pwolf]

How many of these things have I done over the years? /me feels old...

How you got into AMVs:
I made my first one before I knew other people did the same thing. Then some friends introduced me to other videos and I decided to make some more...

How you came up with your screen name:
"Wolf" was taken on Battle.net so I picked "PWolf" which meant "Protoss Wolf" (Starcraft)... it stuck.

How you discovered the Org:
I was a member of the amv mailing-list before there was much of an org.

Tell me about your studio, like how you joined/created it, etc...
I'm a one-man studio... Always liked the lone (p)wolf (hahaha) thing... more people makes things complicated i guess. I tried adding another member but it didn't last very long.

Favorite genre to edit and why:
Action... its usually more fun. However I like the emotion and story telling of drama videos a lot more i think.

Favorite newbie mistake you've made: (Give us a good cringe-worthy one!)
I've made so many. The one I cringe at the most is a video where I more or less just took other people's sources and made a really, really, really bad video. Still not sure why I did it... I was just bored i guess.

First contest experience:
My first (not counting online) contest was Fanime, 2003? I had arrived really late and missed the entire contest and I think we really only had time to see the winners... I didn't win... IIRC Steakslim won with "Fire!".

That said, my second contest and what I would consider my first real contest experience, was Anime Expo 2003 and it was, and still is, the best experience I've had. Won my first award and met a lot of really cool people from the community. I think back on it from time to time.

Best experience you've had thus far with the community:
I've always enjoyed this community's passion for the hobby. I like that there are people around here that have very different opinions. Keeps it interesting. We are a diverse group both in the videos we make and our personalities.

Worst experience with the community:
Losing people for various reasons. I don't like hearing about people leaving because of the community and of course it always sad to see one of us pass away.

Why you edit:
In the past it was because I had nothing else to do... Later on it was to express myself. Lately I've been far too busy to edit anything... I've been working on other things, such as some programming projects and driving my car a lot

Future goals:
We'll see where the future takes me. There are some interesting things on the horizon to say the least...

[Cecco]

How you got into AMVs: End of 2008 i saw a DBZ AMV and i like it too.. :p

How you came up with your screen name: haha this funny story: my name is francesco and one of my friend make a "parody" about me and at end come out "cecco" and now all call me "cecco" haha.. good memories.. :')

How you discovered the Org: My friend recommend to me - Diegao94

Tell me about your studio, like how you joined/created it, etc...: I don't have more.. ..why? i am are "pakko"..

Favorite genre to edit and why: Now alternative story,with drama or fun maybe action and also dance!

Favorite newbie mistake you've made: haha i don't remember..

First contest experience: My first : "Rising Production AMV Contest 2010" and my first on Org "The Quickening 2012"

Best experience you've had thus far with the community: Of Course "Project Editor: Tag Team Trials 2012" With PBE,Heni and others guys,very nice
experience.. good memories.. :')

Worst experience with the community: Not much.. "a few things"..

Why you edit: I don't know yet.. i feels good..

Future goals: "Try" to win all contest and maybe will be a good editor.

[TritioAFB]

After peeking out a while, I guess it will be fine if I put something here:


How you got into AMVs: Like I have said in the past, it was an accident. I just muted an anime episode, music was playing, I liked the combination, so here I am. I'll like to add something more though:

In the 90s we used to have a lot of cartoon clips broadcasted in national TV. By that time we didn't know about channels like cartoon network, but the national channels here featured a lot of their programs and segments. For example I'll put these ones:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aYZ5-lTEKQQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vDRZPKFYEmI

and this one. This one is special for me, so that I mention it every time I start talking with Italian crowd:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iJzWx4OkJhk

But then, I was just 9 years old when I first watched any of these videos. I wanted to some day make a video with music but I never imagined it was going to be AMV called though.

I'm planning a kind of tribute to the last one -cough, cough-

So if you want the year, I decided to make the first ever AMV by 2002, August 25 and until today I'm here

How you came up with your screen name:

The funny situation is that Tritio is not my only name since if I'm using 'Tritio' by default I have an alternative name, the twin to the Tritio element. Google tritio if you want to know what could be my twin nickname
The Tritio is an element, as you can know, used as a source of energy, but in medicine it can also be used to study the kidney's function. Although is true that I'm interested in Ginecology and Onchology, I chose Tritio as nick, since I wanted to switch from the AnimeFanaticBoy alias, too long and just shorten it to AFB
Then we have Tritio - AFB or simply TritioAFB

How you discovered the Org:

For the first time I realized these videos I was making they were called AMVs, I decided to search for that in the web. The AMV that introduced me to the org (and by introduced I mean, the one that made me wish to be a member) was this one:



You can guess now why I respect Megamom so much

Tell me about your studio, like how you joined/created it, etc

Recently I was in the Nero Team, trying to search for new mates. It was a good experience since I was able to meet several people like DigiCat, MentalTsui, Knight, The Sempai and many other people. Then when the studio was divided, I decided to return back to La Zona. Since sometimes I have to cohelp the community I think of it as my studio too, as the studio of all the spanish-speakers editors. Here for example, you can see the cases of several editors that discover the org thanks to the advertising I did in La Zona, mainly from the spanish or the latin editors. So every time you read the 'Spanish forum' you can guess what forum they are referring

Favorite genre to edit and why:

Drama: It has always been my favorite since it was my first challenge as editor since it's the one I think it requires skill to relate a story, and that after Action, I could find answers in this genre. My own favorites videos are almost all Dramas, although I have also preference for the Action and Horror genre.

Favorite newbie mistake you've made: (Give us a good cringe-worthy one!) Playing with the Aspect Ratio. I still get a ROFL expression when I see one of my very first videos and suddenly during the video I start changing the AR as an 'effect' trying to synch and then I'm like

First contest experience:

Outside the org, was in a mini tournament we're doing with some guys back in 2004. Now inside the org, Kawaii Kon 2011. The first one ever, and thanks to the Con, I got motivation enough to enter to many other contests. Actually I met several people from here: L33tmeatwad, StarTrinity, Eimij, drewaconclusion, mycathatesyou, the italians, some of the frenchies...

Best experience you've had thus far with the community:

ZONAAMV- One word is enough to say it although:

Being adopted by the Russian community, and then later considered as part of the russians, so that now I'm also considered in that community, asides the spanish one and the org. In other words, Russian and Honduran at the same time.

The other one will be the AKROSS Con, since I was formed as an editor there, learnt the basis of the AMV feedback there, coordination and assistance in AMV Contests, relationship between participants, critics, judges and committees, etc.

At the end, in the org I learned the meaning of community, so basically, being part of the AMVWorld could be. And of course the people I met during this journey

A special moment I will always remember even after the retirement, was the first time when I connected the amvnews crowd with the org, introducing Umika and Zevs to the org crowd. I still remember xDreww's fanboy reaction

Worst experience you've had thus far with the community:

This is not the Vent Thread so I will not mention all of them, I'll refer the following ones:

-It's known that I'm in conflict with one of the female icons of the org, a famous one, and even when she from time to time starts reminding it to me, I have to say that times changes, so even if she still insist, I have important things to care about. For example, taking care of the newbies, instead of complaining of past things. I respect her as editor though

-The other one is about France. Not that I bash the frenchies (Different to whatever impression they might have, I'm interested in their growth) sometimes makes me sad that in certain ocassions I want to talk with the community and they keep like no dialog will be started. In the past for example when I was invited to assist them in contests from the AMV France, I had this feeling of trusting them, specially with Kain x Spirits. I still respect the organization of the french communty though (Ironically one of my best friends in edition is french-speaker: ProjectBarcodeError)

About them I like to use the phrase: I want tigers in the battles, not cats (Referring to the AMV Contests: The best of the best from France) since sometimes I get the impression they are saving the energy when dealing with contests.

Just to be clear: It's not like it's the worst thing for me to deal with french editors, it's just that sometimes we just let the emotions cloud the thoughts. I don't hate anyone regardless of whatever situation we have had in the past. Sometimes it's better to be honest

Why you edit: I honestly dunno, seriously. Perhaps I don't have nothing more to do, rather than working in a hospital and perhaps playing a sport, but seriously I dunno. I don't edit for my own sake or fame, neither for what the people wants. I always thought of AMVs as reflections of our hearts and souls, so I guess that could be a reason

Future goals: After June of this year I'll retire as an editor, following Castor's path and many other editors, then this doesn't mean the end, since I'll have to look for the new editors during those months, then completely disappear from the AMV World, return back hopefully after 2 years.... A General Doctor Era?

PhD time will come, since I'm currently underage to join one right now. If I have an order in my schedule, perhaps a Welcome Back Time in edition for me (Yay Farm are you reading that? ) and perhaps, just perhaps come and defeat every single editor I know in this moment (Which is not a goal since I have done it already in the different contests in the past. And by all, I mean all the ones I know in facebook with no exception) Blame certain troll here in the org for having a thought like that

A good way to show respect to another editor is not praising him or her, it's offering him/her a worthy versus in contests

[ngsilver]

Hey, I LOVE that video!

[Kyssifur]

She asked for the favourite one..