To Narrate or Not to Narrate?

[rubyeye]

WOW! Thanks a bunch people. I really appreciate you taking the time to answer my inquiry. I will be scrutinizing over everything you have all said and If I decide use any body's opinions as a direct quote or example they will be credited properly.

To Kalium: When I saw the posting for entries at ANN I took a look at their website and emailed Frenchy Lunning (Editor-in-Chief). She explained how it all worked and was more than happy for my offer to write an essay on AMVs for the next issue. And thanks for your offer to proofread my paper. I will be soliciting for some fresh eyes to review this before submission.

[J.Alana]

I think when it comes to amv's it can go either way. Some people will tell you effects oriented vids are what people want to see, others believe direction is the main focus in a vid.

This is what I've come to believe. In my opinion, when there is a healthy marriage between the two, case in point, Whisper of the Beast, Euphoria, AMV Hell and others, you can really wow your audience.

I don't think its a matter of making vids with all flash no substance or making vids that specifically concentrate on direction - but more or less to give your audience a powerful tale to accompany it.

Most vids will tell you a story. Some don't, and that's fine, but I believe and have felt that a vid that can tell you a story is a vid that makes a stronger presence and is remembered years later.

Case in point, a vid I did in 2002 that I never truly felt was great by any standards became one of the biggest hit videos I ever had. I mean I felt it was a good vid but I would never have expected the type of fan reaction it got. It was my highest download for 2002 and not to mention receives the most fan email than any other vid I have ever made. What I have learned is one of the reasons why this vid has done so well is the vid is about overcoming adversity and becoming more then what you may not think you could be capable of. A lot of people have been inspired by it and looking back, I wonder if I had not made the story such a major focus would it have done as well as it had?

One of my favorite vids of all time, My Resolution by Danny Poo, tells one of the most powerful stories that I have ever seen in a vid and it made me cry! I have never been able to cry over a vid and that video is just so heartwrenching and poignant if anyone has a dry eye after seeing it, I'd call them a liar on the spot.

So yes, I do think that telling a story in a vid makes an impact on a viewer that cannot be matched. A story can invoke a mental reaction and an emotional one. A story can make you want to see it over and over again and a good story is one you don't easily want to forget.

[Castor Troy]

I like both if they do their jobs well.

Although in editing and thinking of concepts on my own, I feel stronger about the ones I give a story rather than the random ones.

[J.Alana]

That's how I feel too. I think when you have a story behind a vid you can makea much more powerful impact on the viewer. I mean don't get me wrong, I've seen some effects oriented vids that would totally knock your socks off. I mean they are so outstanding that you just go "...wow, that's the kind of vid I wanna make some day."

Then you can see another type of vid that presents such a powerful story that you just sit there and go "........damn, that made me think."

By the way, I'm glad someone else other then me is up too. I am stuck at work on a double shift but you know what's sick? I signed up for it!

[Sephiroth]

Well it comes down to this what is this video about. And then. How do i g about making it that with this footage? there really is no one particular method of naration, like there is more then one narative in books and novels. Sometimes things are very first person, 2nd person, 3rd , or mabye 4th if you know what your doing.

AMVs allready use stuff that has a narative the thing about editing is that we can give it another narative. Just like the deleted scenes of a movie we can trim something and give it a different context. As to the exact way of doing it, there is no one way to. Good luck.

[gambitt]

I think I'm a bit late here but I'd love to put in my opinion about this.

I don't think anyone would complain about a video not having a narrative unless it was called to their attention that no narrative existed. If the core of the music video is the synchronization of sound and visuals, then a video like "Euphoria" can still be enjoyed because the combination of minimalist graphics, characters displaying melancholy and decorative elements fit with the melancholy of Frou Fou's "Must Be Dreaming." MADs also fit here because a concept may exist except chances are the viewer can't understand Japanese and won't be able to establish a plot inside all the pretty graphics.

"Euphoria" is mentioned because I feel it is the biggest example of "mood over matter." It means that a mood can be conveyed without the aid of concept or narrative. With this particular AMV, the song vibrantly gushes melancholy and a hint of romanticism with heavy orchestrations and basic melodic structure. At the same time, the choice of anime (RahXephon) fits the theme perfectly even if its plot is way more developed. Scene selection is boiled down to shots that feature characters that aren't happy (or fit an ironic or surreal context if they are). The real kicker, though is if you close your eyes when listening to the song, or watch the anime, the feeling you're left with is almost identical. Koop adding a minimalist visual flare to everything was the perfect compliment, so a concept wasn't needed. When the video's over, if you feel a touch of melancholy, then that video was a success.

Now since something was being communicated, it wouldn't call attention to the fact that there generally is no plot to it. If the communication is being shared with someone who is unsympathetic to it, then they won't think there's a concept because they can't relate to the emotions brought out by the video.

So, I generally disagree with any and all who say a video without a plot is bad. Film, music video, or any form of art is a personal reflection of a supposed reality, and if that can't be communicated, then a video is just an effects demo.

[J.Alana]

Another thing I've come to realize too, is that we, as video creators, create these videos as extensions of ourselves. When some people watch my vids, they are like, "yeah, Jen, I can see your sense of humor coming through."

That's not to say if you make a video with a dark theme that you are neccessarily a dark person. Sometimes, an idea just pops into your head and you really want to do it.

I did a video once where people have said. "oh my God this is so.....corny....ewe." but what I've come to know is for every person that says "ewe." there's another person out there that says. "wow!"

I don't think there is a single right or wrong way to make a video. Yet, I do feel that a narrative is key to the video. I think in every facet, each video that a creator develops is a good video. Sure, sometimes that video may not have the best quality or the best sound but if we look beyond that, and look at what the creator has attempted...then you can see the effort behind it. Plus, what I've seen is with a little encouragement and some constructive criticism you can make a bad video editor become a great video editor.

One of the people in my studio tried relentlessly for years to get in to our studio and we kept turning him down, saying "you're good but if you push yourself just a little bit more, you can be better." The end result was he did and with each vid he makes, he does get better and better. Now he is a part of our studio.

I don't consider myself great by any standards but I will tell you that I love producing videos and I love working with the people in my studio. I am proud that I can supply the resources that they need and the knowledge that I've learned from so many over the years onto them and watch them take off like a rocket.

So I don't believe that there is no set way to make a video. My view is whatever floats your boat. If you want to do an effects oriented video, that's fine. If you want to tell a story, that's fine too.

I, myself, I like to tell a story but that's just the mold that I fit into. Sure, I like effects too but I like using them in a subtle way so that you may not notice them at first right off the bat. But again, that's me.

I think what it boils down to is what is inside of you and what you want to offer of yourself. When someone has an idea and it strikes, you should go ahead and do it....no matter what the feedback may be. For every one person that hates a vid, there's another who loves it.

I know I went a little off topic for a bit but I really do enjoy what I do. I like seeing the feedback I receive and yes, I am very proud to be a video creator.

[rubyeye]

You all make some very good points. The variety of factors really depends on many key elements (visual/audio) and personal approaches (like mood or style).

I tend to compare "professional" music videos to AMVs with regards to the topic of Narration and realize there are equally various editorial approaches in their production from simply showing band members playing the song, to stock footage of them touring or jamming in the studio, and occasionally those which incorporate "actors" and actually build some kind of story around the music (without neccessarily referencing its lyrical context).

However, with AMVs, we are relying on existing narrative footage (characters and settings already animated) as a basis for constructing our own stories and themes. And that foundation is often molded, or designed to conform to, the lyrical context of our song choice. Of course, this is just one approach (and one I have always done).

But in cases like instrumental songs, or multi-editor projects, or other non-traditional music videos, a reliance on narration would not be a limitation.

[downwithpants]

Why do you care if a video has (or does not have) a narrative structure or theme?

As an editor:
The decision to deliver a video with a narrative structure affects planning and editing.

Planning:
The editor must plan the overall direction (some kind of intentional, directed change between the start and finish) of the video before looking for clips in the anime video source. In amvs, the storyline is more often derived from the musical lyrics, the sequence of musical motives or emotions, and/or the storyline of the anime video source. However, the storyline is not restricted to derivation from the source artwork. From my exposure to World of Warcraft videos, it is more frequent that the editor creates an original storyline. This may be a consequence of the fact that the editor can control the video rendering of the game, and take on the roles of both actor and director.

Editing:
First, timing at the musical sentence and paragraph level is more important in narrative-structured videos. The events or stages of the storyline should take neither too little nor too much time. Transitions may be necessary to relate subsequent events/stages and can ruin a video if they are not effective.

Second, anime music videos are expected to be low-attentional-cost, and editors of a videos in which a storyline is drawn over the duration of the video must adapt for that. As Kai mentioned, it is not enough assume the audience can pick up the storyline from previous viewings of the anime source. Running along the same lines, the editor should not assume the audience will be able to follow the lyrics of the music and understand how each video segment relates to the lyrics. Instead, the video should be a self-sufficient story or sequence while keeping the viewers in attention of what's going on or what's being represented in the video. Subtitles are sometimes used for these purposes, but become risky when they exceed the attentional demands expected by the viewer.

as a viewer:
Storyline videos require higher attentional costs. This makes them better for private viewing than public viewing (at conventions or public showings) where there are more distractors and noise to break the viewer's attention from the video. Even in private viewing, storyline videos may be more or be less rewarding than non-storyline videos depending on the viewer's mood and attentional resources. For example, a stressed and tired viewer (me after exams) may just want a video to cheer her up without drawing her into a complex or subtle stoyline, while a viewer who has just finished watching too many superficial action videos may want something she can think about during and after the duration of the video.

Should it matter?

as an editor: In many cases, yes. Some video ideas are easier or more suited (at least for the particular editor pursuing the idea) to present or as a narrative-structured video. Some others are the opposite.

as a viewer:
Not much, unless the editor is trying to make a story out of something that's not a story. Narrative-driven storyline is one of the many ways an amv can be presented. The value of an amv shouldn't depend on the method through which it's presented, but the enjoyability or appreciation of the video. However, when the method of presentation is inappropriate for the intent of the video, it can greatly detract from the enjoyability of the video.

What do you like about a "narrative" video versus one that does not seem to have one?

as an editor:
A narrative structure allows the editor to portray a dynamic story or sequence, which can be a nice break from the traditional match scenes-to-music structure, especially if the editor wants to create an original story, independent of music or video source.

as a viewer:
Storyline videos can show more creativity from the editor, and in some cases reflect the thought processes or internal mind state of the editor, although the storyline as a tool isn't unique in this capability. If it is presented well, storyline videos can be easier to understand and hold your interest better than non-sequential videos.

[J.Alana]

You made very good points, down with pants. I agree with you on a lot of aspects

Good points on all.

Bravo