I need some advice.

TATEJE · Post by **TATEJE** » Tue Sep 05, 2006 4:19 am

About a month and a half ago I started making my first AMV. Not only is it my first AMV, but it's the first time I've attempted any sort of video editing whatsoever. When I first started the video I had little clue as to how to due much of anything with the editing software I'm using.

The first 35 seconds of the video involves very little editing of any kind, as when I threw in the clip there were several things that synced up very nicely and fit well with the flow of the song. But my learning curve is incredibly steep, and it's evident in the following minute and a half of the song. I've already begun editing and creating my own effects and I'm currently working on trying to use them with overlapping footage and fast-synchronized cutscenes.

When I started, I didn't think I was going to be capable of putting out something of reasonably high quality by the time I had completed this AMV. I assumed that It would take a while for me to pick up on everything and to get a decent grasp of what would look good where and what would feel right with the song. An "artistic eye", sotospeak.

Unfortunately, I now feel that the beginning is far too underpar to remain the way it is, despite the fact that it looks good. It shows little in the way of skill. I felt I could improve on it but keep the same footage. Adding an effect here or there hasn't proved to be too difficult, but when I went to try and start giving it a little more synchronized scenes, I started to butcher it. I'm wondering if I should just leave it alone, or if it will be frowned upon if the first part of the AMV isn't up to par with the rest of it.

Normally I wouldn't post about things like this, but it's driving me nuts and I really don't want to debut with something and have it be underappreciated for something like that. At very least, I'm hoping someone can give me some advice as to how I can improve upon the beginning without too much of a headache.

Ro Sohryu · Post by **Ro Sohryu** » Tue Sep 05, 2006 5:23 am

Okay, so it seems your a newbie when it comes to AMV's. I'm relatively new myself so I should be able to help you out.

About a year ago I made a couple of AMV's, my first one had only a couple of effects in it. Fade transition, fade to black, zoom in. That was about it. The second used mainly double speed effects (Multiplied to a desired level) for the middle part of the video. The rest was simple synching.

So don't be ashamed to think the beginning is not as exciting as the rest, depending on the song and anime, it may very well be just perfect as is, not to mention that it shows that the effects you use are contrasted even more and thus have more of an impact.

JaddziaDax · Post by **JaddziaDax** » Tue Sep 05, 2006 6:54 am

i wouldnt worry about what the "general audience" thinks...

what id do is what i would want to do... make it how you feel it should be and dont worry about what everyone else is going to think, if you think its fine without effects then dont put effects in it, if you cant think of any effects that might be good for that part then my best suggestion would be to just leave it alone and leave it effects-less... or you might end up with something terrible looking O.o
(i know this from experience... )

effects are tricky cause they come in all sorts of different ways, so the best thing to do if you cant think of good effects is to just use none at all...

my other suggestion would be to take atleast a couple day break from editing and think about other things, go outside and get some exorcize that sort of stuff (not saying that you dont, i dont know your habits) but yea a break can often help refresh your brain and get the creative juices flowing... especially when you come back to it...

i often look at some of my finished videos and think of ways i could have made them better but, in the end i wont toutch them again... either way yea... take a break and come back to it, see what you come up with in the meantime

analspider · Post by **analspider** » Tue Sep 05, 2006 9:11 am

do what u want to do for an amv and youll see how it turns out dont bother about what anyone else says

JaxxBlackfox · Post by **JaxxBlackfox** » Fri Sep 15, 2006 1:55 am

I am also relitivly new to the whole AMV scene, only have 2 vids up. My first I tried without effects and I liked it enough to feel confendant about it. After that one my second happened more or less by accendent. I was just playing with editing not even entending on making a vid, but after I got about a min and a half of vid layed out I got bored and added music to listen to while I worked and it turned out to be my favorite vid so far.

My advice would be to not sweat the petty things and just let it spontaniously happen, you may find you like it.