What's your opping "style"?

inthesto · Post by **inthesto** » Tue Jun 28, 2005 8:18 pm

I just got done writing two opinions in a row, and I realized somewhere along the line that I have a real structure that I tend to follow.

I notice other people like to do score breakdowns, but I like to follow "The Good" vs "The Bad" more. Generally, I take one or two aspects of the video I like the most and hammer them out in a few paragraphs, explaining why they worked as well as they did and giving a few timeline examples. Then, I'll do the same thing for what I thought didn't work or hampered the video, and wrap up with a few final notes in the comments.

How do your ops work?

pen-pen2002 · Post by **pen-pen2002** » Tue Jun 28, 2005 8:46 pm

I like to do a paragraph or two of "first impressions" (which I have shamelessly stolen from Bakadeshi's extremely structured op format) where I start to set out relative importance of different suggestions or praises and say something of the effect the video had on me.

Then comes the body of the op, where I really start to analyze, theorize and postulate. Here I try to see the vid from many angles and tell how it works in different ways and what could be improved.

Then comes the score explanations, nothing fancy here. Finally comes the timing breakdown, where I talk about individual cuts, effects, scene selections, transitions, etc. This take the longest to write but I think it often is paid off because a lot of people don't get much feedback on the nitty gritty, and is especially helpful for up and coming creators.

By this time I've watched the video at least 10 or 15 times, and know it up down and sideways. Every vid I've opped has a special place in my AMV collection because I remember them so clearly.

Then the fun part, posting it, and the subsequent feeling of accomplishment.

lilgumba · Post by **lilgumba** » Tue Jun 28, 2005 9:05 pm

I like to do good, bad, and general. Usually general ends up short compared to good or bad. Most of the meat and potatos would come in the bad section. However, most of the time it's just me giving suggestions on things that could be done to improve the video so it's not really bad. It will also reflect the scores that I gave. Sometimes I clearly state the score in the written portion of the op but other times I leave it out as long as my reasoning is still clear. I try to hit all of the score categories but review and overall tends to get chopped occasionally. These are all done in paragraph from first in MS Word and then copied and pasted into the form. Usually while I give an op I'll have the video playing or go back to it for reference especially when I need to point out specific times. That's about it.

dj_ultima_the_great · Post by **dj_ultima_the_great** » Tue Jun 28, 2005 9:30 pm

Well, for starters, my opinions tend to run around 1000 words. Then, I do it like this:

"Good Points:
See General Comments.

Bad Points:
See General Comments.

General Comments:
Before I begin, I'd like to make the following comments, which IN NO WAY impact on your scores (except Re-viewable). 1. <some comment about the anime or game - whether I like it or not.> 2. <some comment about the song - whether I like it or not.> 3. <a general comment, usually personalized to the creator.> Anyway, onto the review!

Originality - score # - comments on use (or overuse) of anime, song, concept

Capture/Output Quality - # - comments

Sound Quality - # - comments

Action/Editing Sync - # - my most important category. I divide it into mood sync and beat sync. So, even if one half of the equation was crap, I may still score decently if I think the other half was good.

Lip Sync - # - comments, if it's even in the video. If so, I drop points for extra or not enough mouth movements. Also, I drop points for mouth movements if they are not synched to anything in a video with lip. If there is no lip in the video, I could care less if the mouths are moving.

Digital Effects - # - comments (if they're even in the video)

Effort - # - a category I hate, because no one really knows how much effort another put in. I usually look to the video description for this score. If they seemed excited about the idea and the product was halfway decent, I usually give a good score.

Overall - # - my general idea of the video. Rehash of the few improvements I think it could use and what was done well.

Re-viewable - # - an eight here is a ten in any other category for me. The comments that I make in the beginning of the opinion sometimes come into play here also.

<paragraph detailing my thoughts on the person as a creator - where I think he/she is going, if he/she seems to be improving. A general thought on the video. Sometimes, a funny comment about how jealous I am of his/her great work or idea.> Anyway...

As always, Farewell, Good Luck, and Happy AMV-ing!

- dj_ultima_the_great

PS: <sometimes a comment on the filesize, or a random, amusing comment>"

Well, there you have it - the secret to my opinions. I used to do point-by-point opinions, but found out that those only really work for instrumental videos or plotless action videos. If you're really curious, I give more details on my opinions on my latest free opinion thread. If you're extra extra curious, and meet my requirements, post and I may offer an opinion.

That's it for me. I need to go to bed now...

As always, Farewell, Good Luck, and Happy AMV-ing!

- dj_ultima_the_great

jbone · Post by **jbone** » Tue Jun 28, 2005 9:34 pm

I find it's good to be so harsh, the review's recipient cries.

Castor Troy · Post by **Castor Troy** » Tue Jun 28, 2005 9:37 pm

jbone wrote:I find it's good to be so harsh, the review's recipient cries.

AquaSky · Post by **AquaSky** » Tue Jun 28, 2005 9:44 pm

At the beginning of both the good and bad sections, I'll start with a few general comments concerning the positive/negative aspects of the video. Then I'll break it down into more detailed points, with timestamps and a bit of scene analysis. General is where I'll give my overall impression of the video; it's broader than the other two sections. I find that to be the best way to convey how I felt about the video - it addresses both the vague and specific issues.

eadsja · Post by **eadsja** » Tue Jun 28, 2005 9:48 pm

I use more of the running thought creative disscussion format.

I focus on three areas and adress them in turn

1) Scene selection and visual arcs. I check to see if the viewer can easily identify with the imagry on screen, whether or not the scene changes are visually related and whether or not it matches with the music. I adress most edditing pacing at this point (not synch).

2) Timing issues - Where they fell off the train. Most effects comments go here. Did they use their effects to bring imagry and story line forward or did they just slap em in there.

3) Artistic opinions - What I would have done, or constructive suggestions how things could have been done differently to really bring the video up.

With all of these I explain what I am thinking and what goals I think the AMV author was trying to achive and state whether they hit or missed with their attempt. The reviews either come across more like personal statements or art critic rambles than mechanical edditorials (which is how I feel most reviews come across). All my reviews refelct me personally, and unfortunately, there is a significant portion of my review recipiants that take my comments as a personal attack. But, those (the majority) who can take me with a grain of salt usually tell me that they greately appreciated my comments. It's a double edged sword.

-Blah =)

bum · Post by **bum** » Tue Jun 28, 2005 10:23 pm

I usualy walk through the vid, and give an audio comentary, of sorts. Then I add some more general comments. But OP'ing style can change between vids. With soem its easier to comment on each factor seperately.

Coffee 54 · Post by **Coffee 54** » Tue Jun 28, 2005 11:27 pm

I try to be as detailed as I can, especially in the case of exchanges with oppers who are going to be doing the same for me. That said I'm not exactly a 'good' writer, and being as detailed as I can be, I still only pull a 248 on the usefulness metter.

I also like to inclued my stupider reasons for liking a video, these usually come somewhere in my 'Highlights' section. Here are just a few examples of what I mean:

1:35 - 1:38 - This guy's got a cool hat.

0:39 - 0:40 - Morgan looks real nice here, just a guy's observation.

3:03 - Whatever the hell that thing is, I don't like it.

All those comments were on some minor thing in a scene the editor chose to use and had little control over. But all contributed greatly to my enjoyment of the respective videos.