JOURNAL: Kai Stromler (Kai Stromler)

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  • do you see what i see, hear what i hear 2002-08-23 08:44:12
    beer != bribe. If I wanted to influence the results of the Pro competition, I'd have to get a LOT of people drunk and Quu even drunker to rip off the mailing list. That's cleared that up; not talking at anyone in particular, but some out there seem not to be familiar with the absolute straight-arrow honesty taken for granted in the metalscene -- or that metalheads have a prickly and medieval sense of honor where a comment the maker thought was innocent can easily get interpreted as a possible provocation of violence. ^_^;;

    On a more positive and less belligerent note, video #48 is just about ready to wrap. It's been a long time since I had to transcribe lyrics by ear to do a timing chart, which added a lot of unnecessary time. Unfortunately, I didn't get a chance to spend time tuning Meimi or editing video #49, because I got caught up in recompressing more videos to DivX. By some ungodly hypercompression (most likely to do with the limited color palette), video #33 runs about 20MB at 6 minutes in 2000kbps DivX 5.0, which is absolutely unreal.

    I hadn't really noticed how much of a nod to the old school video #18 is, but looking back on it as I got the NDK entry CD ready, it really hit me: music recorded 1980, video animated mid-80s, straight jump-cutting throughout, even AnimeEigo's blurry-frame mastering -- it LOOKS like an old-style 2-VCR video, except that the video fidelity doesn't suck.

    Current video: The Dreamside, "Mirror Moon" to Moon Without Face. Progress check: 85% complete. Expected catalog number: #48. I'm not going to work on this tonight (Friday, MIT showing, etc), but expect to finish it on Saturday, then do the final processing on the demo, which I already should have sent out, Sunday and Monday. Next week is video #49, and then I'll have all the renders done for #50 as well. "Like an ever-flowing stream..."

    Con news: Sent off Anime USA entry and Quu's beer money yesterday, sending NDK entry today, still need to ask about formats for Nekocon, CNAnime starts today and video #43 is there. <deep breath> And I managed to get included as one of 11 creators competing at AnimeFEST. Unfortunately they posted my given name in the list (bastards....I have an alias for a reason...), and the video I entered aint gonna win shit, even in a shallow field. The most I can hope for is a "What the FUCK??!" and a lot of confusion.

    Then again, that was pretty much the point of video #36, so I guess it aint so bad after all.

    --Kai out
     
  • Send Quu Beer 2002-08-22 14:54:29
    http://www.animemusicvideos.org/legacy/journal_show.php?mid=44

    If you submitted anything to AWA, you owe Quu a beer, at least. Serious. Buy him one at the con, or if like me you're not going, send him a fiver so he can buy himself a Murphy's.

    That someone would sacrifice so much of themselves, their time, and their wallets (metered mail expirations = ouch) and not be able to unwind at its completion by getting stinking drunk for free is unconscionable.

    --Kai out.



     
  • marked by the triangle 2002-08-22 08:37:54
    Ups and downs yesterday....finished clipping with well over 100% overage, and got all of Meimi's useful effects documented, but big problems still remain, namely in getting the stupid status-text off the output window and in getting a screen-capture program to work right. Snagit dropped **296** frames in a 13-second 24-fps capture, which is ridiculous. I need to get that new comp NOW, and probably play around a little more with the settings on the two programs I'm using.

    This is where to get Meimi (_M_ulti _E_ffect _I_nteractive _M_ovie _I_nterface, it's not just a pet name), so you can play around with her yourself and see what I'm talking about:

    http://www.audiovisualizers.com/toolshak/vjprgpix/meimi/meimi141.zip

    The site's been having trouble, so you may want to just hold onto that link for a while. I've found version 1.41 to be more useful than 1.46, but the link for that is at least functional:

    http://www.seera.jp/Meimi/Meimi146.zip

    It'd really suck if I had to go in and disassemble stuff to get the status-text gone, but most of the really cool effects use that portion of the screen, leaving me stuck. If someone with more reverse-engineering knowledge or just free time than me could hack this into a program capable of saving to persistent video formats internally, without the status text, I think the whole community would be immensely grateful.

    Current video: The Dreamside, "Mirror Moon" to Moon Without Face. Progress check: 75% complete. Expected catalog number: #48. Tonight is timing chart and roughing; I may do some clipping on video #49 as well if I can finish the re-edit that's going to NDK. I'm anticipating finishing this video Saturday, then using the rest of the weekend to poilsh off the BAS demo to send out early next week.

    Con news: sending off Anime USA entry today (#44), probably sending NDK entry tomorrow (#18 + #33). CNAnime is this weekend, look for video #43 there. Currently stumped as to what to send to Sugoi-con, but I've got almost two months before that deadline. If I can set up #50 and get it done from the source I have for it by the end of the month, I'll send it to Ani-Magic; if not, I'll send #47. What, you don't know what #50 is? It's another one using at least one raw, and it's a step back towards the videos I did early this year (#28-#33, exclude #30), "Mass Depressive Dramatic", using a six-and-a-half-minute song. More info when I actually start work on it.

    I keep plugging My Pet Demon, but unless you're on the North Shore and can get to one of their shows, it's no use. This should fix that problem:

    http://artists.mp3s.com/artists/332/my_pet_demon.html

    Thrash it up, y'all.

    --Kai out
     
  • how many wizards serve me with evil i know not 2002-08-21 08:32:15
    It's not often I get fan mail. It's even less often that I get fan mail from Bulgaria. So I sent the guy some thanks, and a promise to send him a CD as soon as he sends me a list and a postal address (so's ya know, this is the preferred means of getting SH videos until someone else offers free hosting or I get off my lazy rear and develop a for-real site). Metal worldwide! Hopefully, he'll like the vids, and I can get him to send me some Negura Bunget or Root in trade, since you can't fucking GET these bands in the US.

    I got through another 12 minutes on Moon Without Face last night, including the Big Hot Yuri Scene <droolface>, and now have about 410 seconds of video, or 130 to go before I have 100% overage. Since there are two more sex scenes and I'm only halfway through the OAV, doing a really good video from this shouldn't be that hard. Of course, getting it SHOWN anywhere is still going to be tough; Yuricon is in their first year this year, and barely has any showings, let alone a MV contest. Don't hate the hentai, yo.

    Current video: The Dreamside, "Mirror Moon" to Moon Without Face. Progress check: 50% complete. Expected catalog number: #48. Video #49 hasn't been cancelled, I'm just not working actively on it now, so it's not really honest of me to say it's under production right now.

    --Kai out 
  • the journey begins 2002-08-20 09:25:55
    After one month, one week on the org, this is what has happened:

    * 1042 cumulative hits, including one video with 99 (in a sample of no downloads)
    * 10 video downloads in a 6 hour period in which two were available
    * 14 forum posts
    * 30 journal entries
    * 5 contests entered (0 wins/places, one bounce, 3 not yet complete)
    * 0 opinions (duh)
    * 3 local bandsites plugged
    * 5 videos completed

    and most amazingly,

    * 140 journal hits.

    I find it quite strange that these "empty words" should be held that interesting, but be that as it may. Hopefully, I'll be able to continue the video pace, continue to get sporadic hosting, and continue entering contests all over the map, even if I continue to be bested. It's not about fame, or self-promotion, or having any particular artistic compulsion, but merely the "perennial quest" to advance the cause of real metal wherever the raven flies.

    On that note I was pleased to have video #32 open off AFO's drama caption, despite getting blanked in said contest. It's probably the biggest audience Solar Signs' music has ever gotten at once.

    Work on video #48 is proceeding apace; I spent over an hour clipping the first three minutes of the source OAV, and got a little less than 90 seconds of the 540 I'm going to need (for 100% overage, anyway). Unfortunately, I can't find the site that used to be here:

    http://members.ams.chello.nl/d.stuurman/anime/

    anywhere, so I'm short a vital source of knowledge. If anyone can tell me what happened or where it's at, the address as always is merlane@hotmail.com. Currently looking at some other effects packs, but Meimi is just so cool it'd be a shame if I wasn't able to capture some of these effects.

    Current videos: The Dreamside, "Mirror Moon" to Moon Without Face. Progress check: 30% complete. Expected catalog number: #48. Iced Earth, "Damien" (intro) to Blood: The Last Vampire. Progress check: 25% complete. Expected catalog number: #49 [Solo Project #2].

    Con news: as mentioned no win from AFO, but CNAnime is coming up this weekend, and video #43 will be there. Still have to send off the videos for Anime USA and NDK, and inquire as to formats for Nekocon.

    From rivers of sorrow
    To oceans deep with hope
    I have traveled them
    Now, there is no turning back
    The limit, the sky
    I ask my questions Why? What today?
    When tomorrow?

    --Kai out. 
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