Song Choices...
- dj_ultima_the_great
- Joined: Mon Dec 22, 2003 7:52 pm
- Status: Resident Videogame Editor
- Location: Wisconsin
Song Choices...
Situation A
So, you have an anime. Now you need a song. You finally find two songs that could work, and decide to give them a few more listens through:
Song 1 - you think, "Wow, the lyrics are spot on for this one, but the style of the song (hard rock, perhaps) doesn't really fit the style of the anime (mushy romance, perhaps)."
Song 2 - you think, "The music and the style is perfect, but I'm going to have to 'fudge' scenes for some of the lyrics."
What would you do in a situation like this?
Situation B
So, you have an anime, and you've even found a song. However, you find a live version of the song and realize that it's really good, too - maybe even better than the album version! However, there is the annoyance of crowd noise, and you're worried that that may become a distraction in your finished product.
What would you do in a situation like this?
Situation C
In a strange moment of inspiration, you pair up a song you know with an anime you haven't even seen (introduced to you perhaps by another AMV). You want to make the video, but you feel weird editing something that you're not even sure will work right.
What would you do in a situation like this?
I already know that a few people are going to respond with, "Make what you like," but please know that this isn't an advice thread. I'm not looking for direction on what to do for myself. I'm simply asking these as curious questions that have come up over years of editing and viewing videos, so please try to respond with what you would do.
- Jen
So, you have an anime. Now you need a song. You finally find two songs that could work, and decide to give them a few more listens through:
Song 1 - you think, "Wow, the lyrics are spot on for this one, but the style of the song (hard rock, perhaps) doesn't really fit the style of the anime (mushy romance, perhaps)."
Song 2 - you think, "The music and the style is perfect, but I'm going to have to 'fudge' scenes for some of the lyrics."
What would you do in a situation like this?
Situation B
So, you have an anime, and you've even found a song. However, you find a live version of the song and realize that it's really good, too - maybe even better than the album version! However, there is the annoyance of crowd noise, and you're worried that that may become a distraction in your finished product.
What would you do in a situation like this?
Situation C
In a strange moment of inspiration, you pair up a song you know with an anime you haven't even seen (introduced to you perhaps by another AMV). You want to make the video, but you feel weird editing something that you're not even sure will work right.
What would you do in a situation like this?
I already know that a few people are going to respond with, "Make what you like," but please know that this isn't an advice thread. I'm not looking for direction on what to do for myself. I'm simply asking these as curious questions that have come up over years of editing and viewing videos, so please try to respond with what you would do.
- Jen
- Szwagier
- Joined: Sun Jan 04, 2004 9:53 am
- Location: Poland
A) Take the second song , and cut the lyrics that are obstacle
B) Unless I'm doing a comedy or "concert like" AMV stick with the normal version of the song
C)Don't understand the situation... If i haven't seen anime yet than I don't have the footage to edit so I can do nothing , and when I'll get the footage I will be able to watch it so the dilemma will be gone either way :O
B) Unless I'm doing a comedy or "concert like" AMV stick with the normal version of the song
C)Don't understand the situation... If i haven't seen anime yet than I don't have the footage to edit so I can do nothing , and when I'll get the footage I will be able to watch it so the dilemma will be gone either way :O
- Kariudo
- Twilight prince
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Situation A: I'd go with song 2 in most cases. Screw the lyrics, with some work you could put any anime with any lyrics (ie DBZ and Whitney Houston in amvhell 3)
Situation B: Album version all the way. Maybe it's just because I haven't really had to make this decision yet...but hearing Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody studio vs live, I'd take the studio any day
Situation C: I'd give it a shot
Situation B: Album version all the way. Maybe it's just because I haven't really had to make this decision yet...but hearing Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody studio vs live, I'd take the studio any day
Situation C: I'd give it a shot
- godix
- a disturbed member
- Joined: Sat Aug 03, 2002 12:13 am
A) Ditch both songs and look around to see if I can find a song that when paired with the anime makes people say 'that's just wrong'
B) Use the live version. Have a masked character pop up over the video sometime and make fun of the crowd noise and me for using the version with crowd noise.
C) Rip and quickly scan through the footage looking for tit shots, lolis, and scenes I could use. Maybe watch the show someday. Maybe. Some of my multi-anime videos from a couple years ago include footage of shows I *STILL* haven't seen so watch the show thing is optional.
B) Use the live version. Have a masked character pop up over the video sometime and make fun of the crowd noise and me for using the version with crowd noise.
C) Rip and quickly scan through the footage looking for tit shots, lolis, and scenes I could use. Maybe watch the show someday. Maybe. Some of my multi-anime videos from a couple years ago include footage of shows I *STILL* haven't seen so watch the show thing is optional.
- SarahtheBoring
- Joined: Sun Apr 07, 2002 11:45 am
- Location: PA, USA
- Contact:
Re: Song Choices...
Perhaps you should do the opposite of what I would. 
Or, if you're feeling up to it, picking Song 1 and trying to construct a tone/style different from the series' original tone/style would be an interesting exercise. (I'm still slightly tempted to do something like this, but it would be a bad move in my case.)
This depends on the concept, though. An AU or comedy project that uses a character in a role in the song without it really mattering what s/he's like in the original wouldn't be a problem if you didn't know the series, because you're more or less using a visual out of context. It's also not a big problem with something that's a straightforward style/action-based idea, though then you might want to make sure that the original actually looks and feels the way it did in the videos you saw, rather than being something added by the other editors.
With, say, an in-depth character exploration, I think it would be a better idea to watch the series yourself. Because everyone has a different take on the story, and making your project based on everyone else's vision is less interesting than having your own vision based on the original source. Yeah, it's all derivative, but if it's a straightforward drama / romance / profile video without irony / comedy / pomo stylings, then I think copy > copy of copy.

Depends on how "far off" the lyrics are and what the overall tone is. If it's going to make people laugh in the middle of a drama video, that would be a problem, and it might be worth trying to cut them (as Szwagier suggested).dj_ultima_the_great wrote:Situation A
So, you have an anime. Now you need a song. You finally find two songs that could work, and decide to give them a few more listens through:
Song 1 - you think, "Wow, the lyrics are spot on for this one, but the style of the song (hard rock, perhaps) doesn't really fit the style of the anime (mushy romance, perhaps)."
Song 2 - you think, "The music and the style is perfect, but I'm going to have to 'fudge' scenes for some of the lyrics."
What would you do in a situation like this?
Or, if you're feeling up to it, picking Song 1 and trying to construct a tone/style different from the series' original tone/style would be an interesting exercise. (I'm still slightly tempted to do something like this, but it would be a bad move in my case.)
Personally, I didn't mind the live sections of Eva Rhapsody (the only one that comes immediately to mind). Some live audiences are more annoying than others, but unless the live version is MUCH better than or substantially different from the album version, it's probably not worth the hassle.Situation B
So, you have an anime, and you've even found a song. However, you find a live version of the song and realize that it's really good, too - maybe even better than the album version! However, there is the annoyance of crowd noise, and you're worried that that may become a distraction in your finished product.
What would you do in a situation like this?
I was in this situation, twice, and I went and watched the series. Partly to see how the ideas would work and partly because they were series that I wanted to see eventually anyway. After watching them, I was even more convinced that the ideas would work and held on to both (one is finished, one is not).Situation C
In a strange moment of inspiration, you pair up a song you know with an anime you haven't even seen (introduced to you perhaps by another AMV). You want to make the video, but you feel weird editing something that you're not even sure will work right.
What would you do in a situation like this?
This depends on the concept, though. An AU or comedy project that uses a character in a role in the song without it really mattering what s/he's like in the original wouldn't be a problem if you didn't know the series, because you're more or less using a visual out of context. It's also not a big problem with something that's a straightforward style/action-based idea, though then you might want to make sure that the original actually looks and feels the way it did in the videos you saw, rather than being something added by the other editors.
With, say, an in-depth character exploration, I think it would be a better idea to watch the series yourself. Because everyone has a different take on the story, and making your project based on everyone else's vision is less interesting than having your own vision based on the original source. Yeah, it's all derivative, but if it's a straightforward drama / romance / profile video without irony / comedy / pomo stylings, then I think copy > copy of copy.
- JaddziaDax
- Crazy Cat Lady!
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a) choose the song i like more or inspires me more at that moment O.o
result: Dark Dance (ended up doing a character piece over a general tutu video... cause i liked the song more than my other choices)
b) you could always do what that guy did for Evangelion Opus did, and mix the two O.o using the best parts of both.... or stick with the studio if the audience is really THAT annoying. if the audience isnt THAT annoying then do the live...
c) watch the anime, see if i can make it work
result: Dark Dance (ended up doing a character piece over a general tutu video... cause i liked the song more than my other choices)
b) you could always do what that guy did for Evangelion Opus did, and mix the two O.o using the best parts of both.... or stick with the studio if the audience is really THAT annoying. if the audience isnt THAT annoying then do the live...
c) watch the anime, see if i can make it work
Stalk me?
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- Kitsuner
- Maximum Hotness
- Joined: Sun Feb 16, 2003 8:38 pm
- Status: Top Breeder
- Location: Chicago, IL
Situation C describes about half of my videos to date, and most of my Hell 3 segments. All I really need to do is scrub through the disc to find the first scene that looks like it might work and I'm set (for the entire video, in some cases).
I generally ignore the audience unless I think of a way to use them in the video, but if I have a studio version, I tend to use it.
When it comes to deciding between songs, I watch each video in my head for a few days/weeks, and whichever holds my attention longer gets started.
Of course, at this point I either decide I want to do too much with it to actually do anything with it, or I get distracted and forget about the idea for a couple of months.
I generally ignore the audience unless I think of a way to use them in the video, but if I have a studio version, I tend to use it.
When it comes to deciding between songs, I watch each video in my head for a few days/weeks, and whichever holds my attention longer gets started.
Of course, at this point I either decide I want to do too much with it to actually do anything with it, or I get distracted and forget about the idea for a couple of months.
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Re: Song Choices...
Pick song 2, and fudge it as best I can. If that doesn't work, I try and just make the scenes I want to see.dj_ultima_the_great wrote:Situation A
So, you have an anime. Now you need a song. You finally find two songs that could work, and decide to give them a few more listens through:
Song 1 - you think, "Wow, the lyrics are spot on for this one, but the style of the song (hard rock, perhaps) doesn't really fit the style of the anime (mushy romance, perhaps)."
Song 2 - you think, "The music and the style is perfect, but I'm going to have to 'fudge' scenes for some of the lyrics."
What would you do in a situation like this?
Think of another idea to incorporate the crowd noise. If that's not possible, or if I don't like what comes out of that brainstorm, I'd probably either not make the video at all (if the live version is really that much cooler) or just go with the original idea.Situation B
So, you have an anime, and you've even found a song. However, you find a live version of the song and realize that it's really good, too - maybe even better than the album version! However, there is the annoyance of crowd noise, and you're worried that that may become a distraction in your finished product.
What would you do in a situation like this?
Do itSituation C
In a strange moment of inspiration, you pair up a song you know with an anime you haven't even seen (introduced to you perhaps by another AMV). You want to make the video, but you feel weird editing something that you're not even sure will work right.
What would you do in a situation like this?

(actually, that's how this came about)
- Otohiko
- Joined: Mon May 05, 2003 8:32 pm
A) I tend to think of lyrics as less important. I've seen quite a few AMVs done where the 'stylistic' (musical, rather) elements were worked in without an immediate match with the lyrics.
Just don't try to 'fudge' things partially. It's a problem when there are some moments that are spot-on lyrically and other, parallel moments that have nothing to do with the lyrics. I wouldn't suggest fudging at all, but if you fudge, fudge thorougly.
B) two answers: 1) try to edit out the crowd noise somehow 2) use the crowd noise as part of the video. You can ignore it, but only if it isn't too prominent. Otherwise, I'd try to find a way to 'sync' something to it. It would look odd to me to hear a prominent sound in the audio without something happening in the video, whatever that sound may be.
C) Oh I have that all the time. I find that often, one's first suspicion is right. When it's not, I don't think you're losing all that much by getting and watching an anime. Unless it's a super-long series, it would take you far less to watch it than agonize over 'will it work or not?'
And if the idea fails, you still have the footage and can do something else with it.
Just don't try to 'fudge' things partially. It's a problem when there are some moments that are spot-on lyrically and other, parallel moments that have nothing to do with the lyrics. I wouldn't suggest fudging at all, but if you fudge, fudge thorougly.
B) two answers: 1) try to edit out the crowd noise somehow 2) use the crowd noise as part of the video. You can ignore it, but only if it isn't too prominent. Otherwise, I'd try to find a way to 'sync' something to it. It would look odd to me to hear a prominent sound in the audio without something happening in the video, whatever that sound may be.
C) Oh I have that all the time. I find that often, one's first suspicion is right. When it's not, I don't think you're losing all that much by getting and watching an anime. Unless it's a super-long series, it would take you far less to watch it than agonize over 'will it work or not?'
And if the idea fails, you still have the footage and can do something else with it.
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Re: Song Choices...
dj_ultima_the_great wrote:Situation A
So, you have an anime. Now you need a song. You finally find two songs that could work, and decide to give them a few more listens through:
Song 1 - you think, "Wow, the lyrics are spot on for this one, but the style of the song (hard rock, perhaps) doesn't really fit the style of the anime (mushy romance, perhaps)."
Song 2 - you think, "The music and the style is perfect, but I'm going to have to 'fudge' scenes for some of the lyrics."
For me it is always a matter of which I like and what do I feel like working with for 50+ hours... sometimes 100. However I will say I prefer with drama or story driven vids that the lyrics match. There are more than enough pretty drama vids that have lots of polish but no real point. Tell a story give a perspective, something. Filters just don't do it for me by themselves.
And you know, it is nice to see some divergence to what would be the expected music choice for a show. Let's see shoujo technique beat or a hoshi no koe action vid or a dance vid to a bunch of b-list anime horror titles. In my case I got drunk and thought ff8 to a DDR song was a less than terrible idea. *shrug* If the song works even if in an odd way then do it. you'll get huge originality points from me. I personally love seeing vids that do something different than what everyone else does.
Depends on vid type and how good the live version is. Also depends on what you are using. If you use things that might involve music or bands like Beck, Perfect Blue, Gravitation etc, then there's a certain suspendability of belief. Also I can see it being less hindersome for some action vids. All depends on what you are going for. If you are doing more of a drama vid though i would say almost certainly unless it works for the vid to have background crowds to use the album version. So I personally see such a think being very dependant on the situation.Situation B
So, you have an anime, and you've even found a song. However, you find a live version of the song and realize that it's really good, too - maybe even better than the album version! However, there is the annoyance of crowd noise, and you're worried that that may become a distraction in your finished product.
Hasn't happened to me yet. I have become more interested in some shows thanks to amv's (*cough* Walter and Hi no Tori) but haven't ever had the urge to edit something with something I haven't watched. A lot of that though is that I own a lot and I tend to watch the things I buy and consequently edit with.Situation C
In a strange moment of inspiration, you pair up a song you know with an anime you haven't even seen (introduced to you perhaps by another AMV). You want to make the video, but you feel weird editing something that you're not even sure will work right.
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