Battlestar Redactica: FAQ
Comments are disabled as I'd rather keep all feedback for/queries about the project in the primary post (stickied). I'll update this post as it seems necessary, but for now here is a completely arbitrary FAQ!
1. Why did you do this?
It seemed like a good idea at the time?
In all seriousness, that's about as deep as my reasoning went. Factors in my real life meant that I was at something of an odd point in my life when, among other things, I had too much free time on my hands, and this seemed as good a way as any to try and exorcise the parts of 4.5 I loathed with the fire of a thousand suns without having to give up all the awesome bits too.
2. How did you do this?
With blood, sweat and tears. Except no blood.
Also, Corel VideoStudio 12 was my primary video editor. I did additional work on the audio and one masked clip in Pinnacle Studio 12, and mirror-imaged a few clips in Windows Movie Maker.
I used ImToo 3GP Video Converter to get it down to a saner size because even though it's not my preferred Converter it was, for some reason, the only one that didn't leave the end results with either visual or audio glitches.
3. How long did this take you?
It's taken me about 7 weeks from first idea to posting. Though actually I'd estimate about half that time wasn't taken up with either editing or redrafting, but was down to the RIDICULOUS number of technical issues I had to contend with. The largest of which was deciding to re-edit the entirety of both fan-edits (which were both nearly complete at the time) in a new video program because the old one I was using had insurmountable quality issues, and subsequently discovering my backup program had audio issues necessitating vast quantities of audio re-synching. So. Fun times, people. Fun times.
4. Is this the best quality you have?
Basically yes. I have better quality original DV edits that are like over ten gigs in size and which are closer in quality to the original source files I was using (though there will always be some loss, and the source files themselves were not of DVD quality), but this is the best quality I can produce while still making sure the files are a sane and distributable size.
5. Are you going to re-edit these when DVD footage becomes available?
Very difficult question. Currently the answer is, OH DEAR GODS I HOPE NOT because, well, it might drive me crazy. Although now I know what I'm doing it wouldn't drive me quite so crazy or take quite so long. Certainly the option of including any awesome deleted scenes and getting rid of the watermark and not having to zoom in over the purple adverts is appealing, however I seriously question whether it would be worth it.
While the quality would probably be slightly higher, the constraints of both my computer and, as mentioned above, the logistics of distributing it mean that a re-edited episode probably wouldn't be that much better in quality than the files I'm offering now. Put simply, DVD quality source wouldn't equate to a DVD quality re-edit so I'd basically be doing it for the relatively minor aesthetic issue of the watermark, even though I do find the way it tell-tales when I'm zooming in rather irritating.
So anyway, the short answer is, I'm not planning to, but also, I've done crazier things and it's months away. We'll see how I feel when I've actually got my hands on the DVDs.
UPDATE: I am now in possession of the DVDs and have to say that I do not have any plans to re-edit for the reasons states above. I do not feel the need to include any of the deleted scenes and even if I did, they are of obviously different film quality than the episodes and would look distracting. As detailed above, the quality would not actually be vastly superior due to the limitations of my computer system and editing software, and I have also now completed my fan-made DVD set - see below - and therefore do not particularly want to re-make those. The edits themselves turned out to look much better on a TV screen than I'd expected, so I'm happy to just live with the watermark.
6. Are you planning to release a fan-edited DVD set?
Sort of. I will be putting one together for myself and will probably photograph it and put the pictures up on this LJ when I'm done, and I'll happily share that set with my friends, and certainly wouldn't be averse to anyone making copies for their friends/putting it up on torrent, etc. But lacking the resources to torrent it myself, or a file-sharing site willing to host 4+gig .iso files, I'm afraid a release for all y'all is...not something I can guarantee.
UPDATE: I did it! All the extras created/modified by me are available here. I'm pretty sure everyone who wanted a set got one, but if not, and if you now my supersekrit identity, PM me, and I'll see if I can hook you up. ;)
7. Are you planning to do anything further with this project?
Again, I'm not sure. Like the DVD set, I have tentative plans. Depending on interest I may do a podcast commentary for each fan-edit and/or a "gag reel/making of" mockumentary of the editing process.
UPDATE: I did it! Commentaries, DVD covers, deleted/alternate scenes and a mockumentary are all available here.
8. Can I upload this somewhere else? Share it elsewhere? Link it elsewhere?
You can do anything you like with this. You can upload it anywhere, share it with anyone, it's on the net, it's free. I have only two conditions:
1. Absolutely no profit is to be made.
2. Please don't pass it off as your own and if you remix it in any way an acknowledgement of this fan-edit would be appreciated.
9. Why did you do X in Y episode? What did Z mean?
While I hope the episode themselves are narratively coherent, I am very, very happy to explain my thought-processes in all my editing choices. Please direct any specific questions you have to me in a comment in the sticky post at the top of the page.
UPDATE: A list of canonical changes, some of the reasons for them, and a clarification about the the constructed ending can be found here.
10. I have another question you haven't answered!
Again, I'm very happy to try and provide you with an answer - please comment in the sticky post at the top of the page.
1. Why did you do this?
It seemed like a good idea at the time?
In all seriousness, that's about as deep as my reasoning went. Factors in my real life meant that I was at something of an odd point in my life when, among other things, I had too much free time on my hands, and this seemed as good a way as any to try and exorcise the parts of 4.5 I loathed with the fire of a thousand suns without having to give up all the awesome bits too.
2. How did you do this?
With blood, sweat and tears. Except no blood.
Also, Corel VideoStudio 12 was my primary video editor. I did additional work on the audio and one masked clip in Pinnacle Studio 12, and mirror-imaged a few clips in Windows Movie Maker.
I used ImToo 3GP Video Converter to get it down to a saner size because even though it's not my preferred Converter it was, for some reason, the only one that didn't leave the end results with either visual or audio glitches.
3. How long did this take you?
It's taken me about 7 weeks from first idea to posting. Though actually I'd estimate about half that time wasn't taken up with either editing or redrafting, but was down to the RIDICULOUS number of technical issues I had to contend with. The largest of which was deciding to re-edit the entirety of both fan-edits (which were both nearly complete at the time) in a new video program because the old one I was using had insurmountable quality issues, and subsequently discovering my backup program had audio issues necessitating vast quantities of audio re-synching. So. Fun times, people. Fun times.
4. Is this the best quality you have?
Basically yes. I have better quality original DV edits that are like over ten gigs in size and which are closer in quality to the original source files I was using (though there will always be some loss, and the source files themselves were not of DVD quality), but this is the best quality I can produce while still making sure the files are a sane and distributable size.
5. Are you going to re-edit these when DVD footage becomes available?
Very difficult question. Currently the answer is, OH DEAR GODS I HOPE NOT because, well, it might drive me crazy. Although now I know what I'm doing it wouldn't drive me quite so crazy or take quite so long. Certainly the option of including any awesome deleted scenes and getting rid of the watermark and not having to zoom in over the purple adverts is appealing, however I seriously question whether it would be worth it.
While the quality would probably be slightly higher, the constraints of both my computer and, as mentioned above, the logistics of distributing it mean that a re-edited episode probably wouldn't be that much better in quality than the files I'm offering now. Put simply, DVD quality source wouldn't equate to a DVD quality re-edit so I'd basically be doing it for the relatively minor aesthetic issue of the watermark, even though I do find the way it tell-tales when I'm zooming in rather irritating.
So anyway, the short answer is, I'm not planning to, but also, I've done crazier things and it's months away. We'll see how I feel when I've actually got my hands on the DVDs.
UPDATE: I am now in possession of the DVDs and have to say that I do not have any plans to re-edit for the reasons states above. I do not feel the need to include any of the deleted scenes and even if I did, they are of obviously different film quality than the episodes and would look distracting. As detailed above, the quality would not actually be vastly superior due to the limitations of my computer system and editing software, and I have also now completed my fan-made DVD set - see below - and therefore do not particularly want to re-make those. The edits themselves turned out to look much better on a TV screen than I'd expected, so I'm happy to just live with the watermark.
6. Are you planning to release a fan-edited DVD set?
Sort of. I will be putting one together for myself and will probably photograph it and put the pictures up on this LJ when I'm done, and I'll happily share that set with my friends, and certainly wouldn't be averse to anyone making copies for their friends/putting it up on torrent, etc. But lacking the resources to torrent it myself, or a file-sharing site willing to host 4+gig .iso files, I'm afraid a release for all y'all is...not something I can guarantee.
UPDATE: I did it! All the extras created/modified by me are available here. I'm pretty sure everyone who wanted a set got one, but if not, and if you now my supersekrit identity, PM me, and I'll see if I can hook you up. ;)
7. Are you planning to do anything further with this project?
Again, I'm not sure. Like the DVD set, I have tentative plans. Depending on interest I may do a podcast commentary for each fan-edit and/or a "gag reel/making of" mockumentary of the editing process.
UPDATE: I did it! Commentaries, DVD covers, deleted/alternate scenes and a mockumentary are all available here.
8. Can I upload this somewhere else? Share it elsewhere? Link it elsewhere?
You can do anything you like with this. You can upload it anywhere, share it with anyone, it's on the net, it's free. I have only two conditions:
1. Absolutely no profit is to be made.
2. Please don't pass it off as your own and if you remix it in any way an acknowledgement of this fan-edit would be appreciated.
9. Why did you do X in Y episode? What did Z mean?
While I hope the episode themselves are narratively coherent, I am very, very happy to explain my thought-processes in all my editing choices. Please direct any specific questions you have to me in a comment in the sticky post at the top of the page.
UPDATE: A list of canonical changes, some of the reasons for them, and a clarification about the the constructed ending can be found here.
10. I have another question you haven't answered!
Again, I'm very happy to try and provide you with an answer - please comment in the sticky post at the top of the page.