How long did it take to define and master your style?

SSJVegita0609 · Post by **SSJVegita0609** » Mon Oct 23, 2006 8:52 pm

Hey there, AMV world. Some of you remember how I used to make videos on a consistent basis and whatnot, whereas some of you, I'm sure, don't know me at all. That said, I still like to watch AMVs despite my lack of productivity in the medium over the past few years.

My question for you all is self-explanatory. Citing specific examples, define yourselves as an editor to me (should you consider yourself definable). If you've got a style, any style (even more than one), show me which video first conveyed it, and which video BEST conveys it. How long did it take you to reach each point?

Now, I plan on actually reading what other people say and watching their videos, too. So don't think this is an act at shameless promotion. Those of you who know me know that that's one of the last things I'm all about. Besides, I've had my heyday, I wanna know about yours.

In terms of my styles, I have (or had) two rather interrelated ones:

Style 1: Dark Action involving fury and/or angst.

I created the video that defined this style for me in approx. 2001. It really makes me feel old, but I have to admit I don't even have it on my HD anymore. No joke, I had to look it up on Youtube (where it’s been posted about 5 times for god only knows what reason). I made it before I'd joined the org, so it doesn't have a title. I'd been editing for about 2 years when I put this puppy out, mostly just messing with dbz clips and random, alternative songs from the radio. Link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8GQRnuGu ... ed&search=

It took me four years to perfect the style, the pinnacle of which I feel is best viewed in Part 2 of my Colony Project. It's interesting to think that I actually edited for so long while subconsciously refining this style, even without my active knowledge. I like to watch the two back to back and trace the development over the years. Link:

http://www.animemusicvideos.org/members ... hp?v=71373

Style 2: Drama/Martyrdom/Tragedy.

My first video that really delved into this came in 2003, when I made Everything is Gray. This Wolfwood tribute felt like an explosion of everything I wanted to bring to the AMV world at the time (namely heart wrenching character profiles). Little did I know I had a long way to go in developing this style. Once again, I don't have this video anymore, but I found it on Youtube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6yw4rbuYQ8Y

A year and a half later or so, I released what would become my highest rated and most popular video. The Hawk's Talon, Judeau (Talon is misspelled in the actual video title, I know -_- ) is most certainly in my mind the video that perfected this style for me. Link:

http://www.animemusicvideos.org/members ... hp?v=46620

So in a nutshell, the story of my editing life can be used to pose a simple point for anyone just getting into editing: It took me around six and a half years to create the stuff I'm most proud of. Don't expect yourself to become great overnight, most of the more prolific, skilled, and popular editors out there have been busy defining themselves for years and years.

Now you guys go. Can't wait to see what you say.

sirvayza · Post by **sirvayza** » Mon Oct 23, 2006 10:20 pm

i'm still finding out about my style myself, but i like to carry a motif throughout my AMVs, though most just think it's an easy way to add time/clips to finish the project. I do tend to lean towards dark intensity for my vids. but i have also found that humorous AMVs are a lot of fun to make. still new to the game of editing, i've been watching AMVs for about 7 years now (and any old-timers know how hard it was back then to find them!) and have always wanted to make them, but only recently have done so. so far the AMV i made titled "Waking Section 9" is my favorite of the ones i have created. i spent about 23 working hours in editing it, and another 4 remastering it. though i must warn you the one you'll find on here is not the remasted version i have on my HD, i'll upload the remastered version after the next AMV competetion i'm in.

basically i'm a work in progress, and my style matures with each AMV i make and edit. Maybe in about year i could fully answer your questions.

shumira_chan · Post by **shumira_chan** » Mon Oct 23, 2006 10:25 pm

My style consists in trying to imitate the style of this guy.

Kariudo · Post by **Kariudo** » Mon Oct 23, 2006 10:29 pm

well...since few people are biting right now, I guess I'll help get things going.

I'm still developing my personal style, but some points are well defined.
It seems that I use a start and end in all of my amvs (2 completed and 1 on its way)
probably the best example of this is my current project. It begins with a push of a button (like pusing the "on" button) and has a defined end (much like the "the end?").
it's hard to explain better than that.

an easier one to describe is how I started/ended my first amv. It started with the opening clip of the series, and ends with the main character being shot and falling out of a glass elevator in a tall building.

I'm looking into syncing more body movements (little movements), and will probably start developing this more in my next project (or the one after that), though it does play an integral part in some sections of my current project.
an example is on some strong beats, I focus on movement of the head (even so small as one finger moving) rather than a flash, cut or explosion, etc.

SSJVegita0609 · Post by **SSJVegita0609** » Mon Oct 23, 2006 10:59 pm

Kariudo wrote: an easier one to describe is how I started/ended my first amv. It started with the opening clip of the series, and ends with the main character being shot and falling out of a glass elevator in a tall building.

Being a Gungrave fan I immediately knew what you were talking about here. I gave the video a whirl and have to say it was a pretty nice job for a first vid. You have a basic grasp of editting, and as you do it more and more you'll find synching some of the more essential drum fills (something you left out of this video) comes more naturally and so fourth. Also, I'd definitely switch your editting program of choice (I assume it forced you to have those distracting watermarks fading in and out of the corners).

It seems like you certainly have a definitive beginning and end, but maybe as your style developes you'll focus more on what you choose for the middle. Example, the climax of this video (when *SPOILER* Harry shoots Brandon out the window *END SPOILER*) doesn't feel like it has much build. It's true that you could argue displaying Brandon post-mortem beforehand for 2-3 minutes is enough. But maybe you need to move in a direction where you focus on stuff more like the entire basis of the Harry/Brandon relationship. In doing so, you may find you can create a greater meaning for the end of your video. Keep it up and chances are you'll master your style in no time.

SSJVegita0609 · Post by **SSJVegita0609** » Mon Oct 23, 2006 11:01 pm

sirvayza wrote:though i must warn you the one you'll find on here is not the remasted version i have on my HD, i'll upload the remastered version after the next AMV competetion i'm in.

Feel free to PM me a link when it's up, I'd love to check it out.

Minion · Post by **Minion** » Mon Oct 23, 2006 11:10 pm

nobody ever completely establishes their style. no style is ever static, no matter what art form you refer to.
styles are always progressing or regressing.
every one of us here is still "mastering" our own style.

SSJVegita0609 · Post by **SSJVegita0609** » Mon Oct 23, 2006 11:16 pm

Minion wrote:nobody ever completely establishes their style. no style is ever static, no matter what art form you refer to.
styles are always progressing or regressing.
every one of us here is still "mastering" our own style.

Unless they're like me and have pretty much stopped editting or switched styles completely. Then they can identify previous styles and evaluate them on a personal, relative level.

Org Profile · Post by **Otohiko** » Mon Oct 23, 2006 11:23 pm

Minion wrote:nobody ever completely establishes their style. no style is ever static, no matter what art form you refer to.
styles are always progressing or regressing.
every one of us here is still "mastering" our own style.

Concise but pretty good.

To be honest, 90% of my editing approach was definited by my 1st video, but the rest of it constantly develops. And my 1st video involved literally the 1st video cuts I ever placed in an editing program.

Most common features of Oto's videos would be:

-odd/unpopular music choices with little regard for length, rhythm or accessibility to viewers

-predominance of internal sync over editing sync

-almost complete lack of external effects

-consistency of color or otherwise of some defining element in the athmosphere, at least as per music.

-obsession with landscapes and still life. I am often far more interested in these visuals than I am in characters.

-preoccupation with fairly narrow subjects; even more often - avoidance of subjects (e.g. my avoidance of many commonly-referenced parts of Eva in "The Wasteland" or complete avoidance of faces and explicit characters in "The Plot Thickens")

-if editing comedy, I prefer the stupid and senseless; visual slapstick and rude viewer-ridicule over intelligent and strategically-placed jokes; dada.

***

There's three common 'Oto self-genres' that I would distinguish:

1) Texturist moodscapes
(e.g. The Wasteland, Damage, The Plot Thickens)

2) Basic old-school action
(e.g. Destruction Dive, Crimson)

3) Dada
(e.g. all of RPBP)

make sense?

Org Profile · Post by **Otohiko** » Mon Oct 23, 2006 11:25 pm

I should have mentioned that most of the above-referenced style(s) was established by my first, and definitely by my 2nd video in mid-late 2003.