Sure, you can always do a multiple author AMV the old fashioned way, email and CD-ROMs through the mail, but why not use a commercial-style PLM project managament software system? Here's a database schema I thought up for AMV creators.
Each project has, say, around 3-5 developers. Each developers is responsible for maintaining consistency internally within the project and influceces the entire product, however one person usually specializes in one aspect. The system runs off a NON-MySQL database (a must for videos over 65535 frames) which is structured based on the development model you are choosing. A project "manager"-type of person is not needed, usually the members on a project sign up after hearing about a video they were thinking of doing too.
The product development system is similar to one cycle of Scrum or XP development, however the ENTIRE video is considered simultaneously. AMV dev is harder than coding since you can't modulize it. The database, once split up in the proper schema, is updated via a WEb interface.
Example development scenario:
Daniel Wang, Yachi Shotaro and Dr. Eric Amundson are working on a new video. Let's say that we decide to do the video in phases and the database schema is split up into author dimensions relative to phase dimensions and measured in frames.
You can run the conceptualize, timing and creatice phases concurrently.
Each author can use a Web-based interface or parsed EDL upload to check in and check out timelines with marks on them. Each author can add marks, add comments to marks, comment on other author's ideas, and add tags which indicate tools. You can run any phase concurrently by splitting the comment data up into metafield which use timed relative descriptors to organize data. Shotaro can add timeline markers while Eric drags and drops movie clips that Daniel ripped. Perfect timing.
The production phase is simply any other phase model with extra datatags on the times relative descriptor. By using the Web interface or EDL upload, source datatags can store author recommended source footage and effects. See notes on the database dimensional schema below.
An example of what a timed relative datatag descriptor can store:
danielwang, on main project, frames 0 to 77 (audio 0m0s to 0m3.2s)
Mood_Scheme: Perfect for a slow opening, introduction to the setting (Gaea)
Audio: Windy, whispering sounds. background ambient music?
Audio.Effects: Logarithmically ramp up the sound...
Audio.Data: <a = { makelouder("<a:0.0,0;0.3,2",5); }
Video: Looks like Van is reflecting or thinking (notice leaves blowing past)
Video.Effects: Depth of field to blur, black and white background
Video.Data <v = blackwhite ( blur ( "Escaflowne_Vol2_Ep6: frame 1992 to 2069" ); );
The database can be configure to reference objects in hierarchial order by any dimension, as long as unique names are used. That way, danielwang.segment1.comments.audio is the same as segment1.audo.comments.danielwang, which is really useful for report generation.
Once the dimension lookup schema is set up in the database, web-based plugins can be added to do project segment "CheckIn" "CheckOut" and Dynamic Relative Preview, meaning an author could click on a link to preview the AMV, dynamically based on other author's ideas. You could click a button to see it Shotaro's way, another to see it Eric's way. A simple click and the lens flares are turned off.
Another datatag I forgot to include - the ability to preview segments and comment on why (an author's recommendation of) an effect or footage is appropriate or should be revised. Most corporate PLM software has "Approval" features with functionality to email authors with comments automatically (though they should be active on the site). Remember that system of being able to reference the database object by any order of dimensions? Get a copy of Crystal Reports and ASP.NET, and your web reporting interface is done.
In the testing and preproduction phase, viewers can be assigned UserIDs and access to the project timeline, where they too can dynamically preview release candidates, add comments and recommend changes. It could be the difference between flame and fame (TM).
With software based CVS-style EDL diffing, a project of monumental proportions can be efficiently developed without problems of conflicting styles or repeated work A person assigned to transcript synchrinized lyrics can upload them to through the Internet, where the server would parse the data and put it in a database schema dimension for vieweing by all. Want to download a project timeline with Daniel and Eric's timeline markers, but not those from Shotaro? Hit the checkout button and you're done.
Once I finish learning VB and .NET, code this and get it accepted in the AMV community, it should be perfectly feasible to do a AMV project with 7 different authors around the world and still make it seamlessly integrate.
No more videos that look like Open Source. Say you have a system of freeze framing on a cymbal clap - if the next creator doesn't use that, it ruins the continuity just like GPL-ed software. Not anymore!
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Should be easy enough to do with .NET software and AVISynth.
After all, most Edit Decision Lists are XML, aren't they?
