IVP #0: "Overture" (The Pretender)
Okay, so I haven't officially started yet. Or, think of this as my vidlet request for myself? I decided it might be interesting to make a vid that serves as a sampler of all my current editing habits -- plus, I already had the source clipped and needed to clear it off my hard drive before I began my IVP. So, ta-da! After WAY TOO MANY hours of encoding and uploading because my computer is completely ridiculous...
Song: "Overture" by Patrick Wolf
Source: The Pretender
Download: from mediafire. [4:14, 56mb, xvid codec]
OR watch on Imeem: streaming version here.
Notes: Major spoilers for "Dragon House" pts. 1 & 2, plus some scenes from "Red Rock Jarod." This vid has only been through one draft and has not been seen by anyone else, much less a beta, so some rough editing and nonsensical structure is to be expected. And that's okay! This is all in the interest of science experimentation.
This "vidlet" (which is almost four minutes long -- I got carried away, it won't happen again!) is the audio/visual equivalent of a free write. I gave some thought to what should go where, but a couple sections are basically me throwing clips at the timeline. It's a fun song, and a fun show, so I feel like it worked out pretty well for the most part. It also gave me an interesting look at my vidding "default" -- or, what do I do when I'm just doing shit? (The apparent answer: I fixate on raw chickens and torture scenes, and switch POV whenever I feel like it. Who's not surprised?)
I've discovered I have a few major vidding vices:
1. Image pans. I use them not only for panning, but for cropping, zooming, what have you. I love them dearly, but I should see if there's any easier way to achieve similar (or better) effects.
2. Transparent overlays. If you've watched the vid yet... 'nuff said.
3. Dramatic slo-mo! Not sure I'm willing to let go of this one, either.
So, for the IVP, I want to try out some other effects, even the tacky shit. Also, figure out how to compensate for different aspect ratios without my weird method of "are their heads squished now?...*fiddle*...how about now?" I should also spend some time on color, and oh god, mattes. Track mattes. Wish me luck.
Oh, oh, and TITLES. I need to get off my butt and try something other than plain text on black background.
If you've never watched The Pretender, the basic storyline of this two-parter is that Jarod, our hero, discovers that Kyle (Jeffrey Donovan!), a former companion at the Centre (where Jarod, a genius, was kept prisoner and forced to do simulations for the Centre's shady purposes), has escaped from high-security prison and kidnapped Harriet Tushman, a woman who has some connection to Jarod's past. Jarod rescues Harriet and she tells him that Kyle is actually his long-lost brother. As a child, Kyle was spirited away by the creeptastic Mr. Reines, who managed to turn him into a sociopath. But the ties of family are stronger than one brother's murderous tendencies, so Jarod goes back to the Centre to get him out. Et cetera. (If you want to view this with incestuous subtext, that's fine.)
I chose to end the vid on a completely gratuitous hopeful note. It was for entirely selfish reasons, I assure you. Look! They're hugging and not dead!
Effects-wise, I used image pans, transparencies (set phasers to "luminance"), and some shifts to black and white. The crazy echo effect on the raw chicken and the van crash are from the show. And the various pieces of Centre footage were on only two TVs, so I managed to cut seamlessly without resorting to mattes to match them up. The flashback Kyle gets when Jarod hands him the medal? Also the show's work. (Who am I to argue when the nifty flashback sequence is just right there?)
It's wonderful what a smile can hide
If the teeth shine right and it's nice and wide
It's so magical what you can keep inside
And if you bury it deep no one can find a thing, no.
So come on now, open wide, open up now.
Don't you think it's time
To look back at that boy on his way to school
Such a heavy heart, such a heavy jewel
Hiding something that one day he'll sell
But now if no one shows, no one tells a thing, no.
So come on love, open wide, open up now
Don't you think it's time
Now after all these years you are at last opening
Was it worth all that war just to win
So caught up in the speed of the days in your sin
Don't forget how the story begins, no
Don't forget now.
Now I'm seeing all your lovers and enemies
They've been turning their keys so full of need
All trying to see that sure you keep
What makes it shine, what makes it mine
But I don't care.
Just come on now, open wide.
Open up now.
There's so much love for what you'll find.
But what will you find!
Now after all these years you are at last opening
Was it worth all that war just to win.
If it was can you take me back to where it begins
Come and take me back to where it begins
Come and take me back to where it begins
Come on, open wide and let some light in.
Let us in.
Let us in.
As always, comments and constructive criticism are welcome!
Song: "Overture" by Patrick Wolf
Source: The Pretender
Download: from mediafire. [4:14, 56mb, xvid codec]
OR watch on Imeem: streaming version here.
Notes: Major spoilers for "Dragon House" pts. 1 & 2, plus some scenes from "Red Rock Jarod." This vid has only been through one draft and has not been seen by anyone else, much less a beta, so some rough editing and nonsensical structure is to be expected. And that's okay! This is all in the interest of science experimentation.
This "vidlet" (which is almost four minutes long -- I got carried away, it won't happen again!) is the audio/visual equivalent of a free write. I gave some thought to what should go where, but a couple sections are basically me throwing clips at the timeline. It's a fun song, and a fun show, so I feel like it worked out pretty well for the most part. It also gave me an interesting look at my vidding "default" -- or, what do I do when I'm just doing shit? (The apparent answer: I fixate on raw chickens and torture scenes, and switch POV whenever I feel like it. Who's not surprised?)
I've discovered I have a few major vidding vices:
1. Image pans. I use them not only for panning, but for cropping, zooming, what have you. I love them dearly, but I should see if there's any easier way to achieve similar (or better) effects.
2. Transparent overlays. If you've watched the vid yet... 'nuff said.
3. Dramatic slo-mo! Not sure I'm willing to let go of this one, either.
So, for the IVP, I want to try out some other effects, even the tacky shit. Also, figure out how to compensate for different aspect ratios without my weird method of "are their heads squished now?...*fiddle*...how about now?" I should also spend some time on color, and oh god, mattes. Track mattes. Wish me luck.
Oh, oh, and TITLES. I need to get off my butt and try something other than plain text on black background.
If you've never watched The Pretender, the basic storyline of this two-parter is that Jarod, our hero, discovers that Kyle (Jeffrey Donovan!), a former companion at the Centre (where Jarod, a genius, was kept prisoner and forced to do simulations for the Centre's shady purposes), has escaped from high-security prison and kidnapped Harriet Tushman, a woman who has some connection to Jarod's past. Jarod rescues Harriet and she tells him that Kyle is actually his long-lost brother. As a child, Kyle was spirited away by the creeptastic Mr. Reines, who managed to turn him into a sociopath. But the ties of family are stronger than one brother's murderous tendencies, so Jarod goes back to the Centre to get him out. Et cetera. (If you want to view this with incestuous subtext, that's fine.)
I chose to end the vid on a completely gratuitous hopeful note. It was for entirely selfish reasons, I assure you. Look! They're hugging and not dead!
Effects-wise, I used image pans, transparencies (set phasers to "luminance"), and some shifts to black and white. The crazy echo effect on the raw chicken and the van crash are from the show. And the various pieces of Centre footage were on only two TVs, so I managed to cut seamlessly without resorting to mattes to match them up. The flashback Kyle gets when Jarod hands him the medal? Also the show's work. (Who am I to argue when the nifty flashback sequence is just right there?)
It's wonderful what a smile can hide
If the teeth shine right and it's nice and wide
It's so magical what you can keep inside
And if you bury it deep no one can find a thing, no.
So come on now, open wide, open up now.
Don't you think it's time
To look back at that boy on his way to school
Such a heavy heart, such a heavy jewel
Hiding something that one day he'll sell
But now if no one shows, no one tells a thing, no.
So come on love, open wide, open up now
Don't you think it's time
Now after all these years you are at last opening
Was it worth all that war just to win
So caught up in the speed of the days in your sin
Don't forget how the story begins, no
Don't forget now.
Now I'm seeing all your lovers and enemies
They've been turning their keys so full of need
All trying to see that sure you keep
What makes it shine, what makes it mine
But I don't care.
Just come on now, open wide.
Open up now.
There's so much love for what you'll find.
But what will you find!
Now after all these years you are at last opening
Was it worth all that war just to win.
If it was can you take me back to where it begins
Come and take me back to where it begins
Come and take me back to where it begins
Come on, open wide and let some light in.
Let us in.
Let us in.
As always, comments and constructive criticism are welcome!