#AMV-Review #57: DuskvsTweak's "Loose Ends"

[Melanchthon]

Channel log for the last AMV Review session. I have permission from the editor to post this.

<~Kionon> You did not have to leave #amv
* Kionon sets mode: +o Melanchthon
<~Kionon> But all discussion will happen in here.
<DrDinosaur> except when Kionon calls you stupid
<DrDinosaur> and rejects your thought
<~Kionon> You're stupid, Todd, and I reject your thoughts.
<~Kionon> Get out.
<~Kionon>
<DrDinosaur>
<@Melanchthon> Hello everyone.
<@Melanchthon> The video we're doing today is Loose Ends, by DuskvsTweak.
<@Melanchthon> http://www.animemusicvideos.org/members ... p?v=103854
* ~Kionon gets.
<~Kionon> When was this released?
<@Melanchthon> This was released in 2006, which puts it a little outside the scope of #amv-review.
<@Melanchthon> If anyone has any more recent nominations, send 'em in.
<~Kionon> Yes, generally it would. But those rules are more like? guideposts.
<~Kionon> The question is will the editor get anything back from our feedback? That in and of itself is not a reason not to review it, but it is something to think about with older videos.
<@Melanchthon> That is a valid question.
<@Melanchthon> Given the age of the video we might be doing this more for our ourselves, but I didn't have anything more recent.
<~Kionon> Usually this would be a bonus video.
<~Kionon> And I have a bonus video if you don't.
<~Kionon> Do we need to OP?
<~Kionon> Do you know anything about whether the editor is even still active?
<@Melanchthon> I contacted him via his YT account earlier in the week as it had more recent activity compared to the 2011 last login on his org account.
<~Kionon> No response?
<@Melanchthon> He's since logged in to the org, though I haven't heard anything back.
<@Melanchthon> DrD, F_S, xnamkcor, you all there?
<~Kionon> DriftRoot is supposed to come in as well.
<DrDinosaur> indeed
<@Melanchthon> The scheduling is a little off because I wrote EDT instead of EST. Maybe we'll see more people in an hour or so.
<@Melanchthon> If anyone wants to write an op they can, though as with the discussion it'll probably be of more use to us than to him.
<~Kionon> True. I probably will write one if he responds, but I don't think it's necessary unless he does.
<@Melanchthon> Everyone taken a look at the video?
<~Kionon> Multiple times, yes.
<DrDinosaur> negative space
<DrDinosaur> but kionon have you REALLY looked at the video?
<DrDinosaur> You should try looking at the video in such away that you do not use your eyes, your simply percieve the videos
<DrDinosaur> Feel it's existance
<DrDinosaur> I think you would get a greater understanding of the concept behind it if you were to do that
<@Melanchthon> The video has a lot of dark space even in the Trigun footage.
<DrDinosaur> I agree, it's less about what the video shows, and more about what the video does not show.
<DrDinosaur> Meaning through scenes not selectd.
<@Melanchthon> What do you mean?
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<@Melanchthon> Hello.
<~Kionon> To be fair, my biggest complaint is one that goes with the age of the video.
<~Kionon> The visual quality.
<~Kionon> Lots of jaggies.
<DrDinosaur> Code knows all about the unseen
<@Melanchthon> The resolution is pretty typical of an avi of that era, but the deinterlacing artifacts are a little distracting at times.
<@Melanchthon> Especially given the especially visual presentation.
<~Kionon> Yeah, I'm not really talking about the resolution.
<~Kionon> I like the change in color on the beats, so I don't have an issue really with the black and white or grain filter.
<~Kionon> But the jaggies are killing me.
<~Kionon> I like the video, and I'm on the edge of considering it a keeper.
<CodeZTM> I agree. The lines are just always there, posing something else I'm looking at besides the video.
<~Kionon> But the quality was subpar even for 2006.
<@Melanchthon> The editor has mentioned in his profile that he'd like to remake his old videos, but I don't know when that was updated.
<~Kionon> I do think the pairing is good enough. I am no fan of most multi-source drama videos.
<~Kionon> But CB and Trigun are a good mix.
<~Kionon> And always have been, honestly.
<@Melanchthon> I like the symmetry of the final fights.
<@Melanchthon> Both of them show the two characters doing the same actions, and the clips themselves are nicely interleaved.
<~Kionon> I think the rubber band like transitions don't fit the mood though.
<~Kionon> I think a blur or zoom might have been a better choice.
<CodeZTM> It's a good combination, although the scenes were fairly predictable of what to expect from both series.
<~Kionon> It looks very Public Access Television to me.
<~Kionon> And since most of the video doesn't, it makes the contrast that much stronger.
<@Melanchthon> I do think there needs to be _something_ there that does the job the rubber band transitions do.
<@Melanchthon> PTA?
<~Kionon> Syre.
<~Kionon> A pan through would work
<~Kionon> with a blur between scenes.
<~Kionon> I like the song, and I think it fits well.
<@Melanchthon> Certainly something movement-based. The synch here is almost as strict as the switches between colour and B&W.
<DrDinosaur> hey kionon ... what does Zawa (or sawa) mean?
<@Melanchthon> And that's something I find interesting about the video. The footage itself is almost a placeholder, or a platform.
<~Kionon> Todd, I would need the context.
<~Kionon> Mel: how do you mean
<~Kionon> ?
<CodeZTM> Was I the only one offput by the really quick ending straight into the credits?
<DrDinosaur> Kionon, gambling, sound effect, whispered ghost like over and over
<@Melanchthon> The ending is really abrupt.
<~Kionon> Yes, it is abrupt.
<~Kionon> Oh.
<~Kionon> It's rhubarb.
<~Kionon> The film term.
<~Kionon> Not the plant.
<CodeZTM> Especially considering that this was a combination of two sources, and there's really not a real closure for either one besides a vauge pose.
<CodeZTM> Which only really would make sense to those who's seen both series.
<@Melanchthon> What I mean by 'placeholder' is that the content of the clip doesn't really matter so long as it doesn't contradict the lyrics.
<~Kionon> Todd, that was directed to you.
<@Melanchthon> It's all about the movement, the pause and then the action part..
<DrDinosaur> Kionon Rhubarb? I ... don't get it
<~Kionon> Rhubarb is the the English word when repeated by extras it sounds like unintelligible but correct English for background noise, like say at a party or something.
<~Kionon> In Japan, they use zawa.
<~Kionon> That way the writers don't need to create acual dialogue for the extras.
<DrDinosaur> ohhh. I thought i was like a heartbeat or something. They also write it out on screen for these crazy dramatic moments
<~Kionon> It's the "sound of people talking."
<~Kionon> Or so says my dictionary.
<DrDinosaur> neat
<~Kionon> Code: I think there was closure for Trigun.
<@Melanchthon> The editing flips back and forth between colour and B&W with almost metronomic regularity, and the footage itself is chosen to do sort of the same thing.
<~Kionon> I don't see much closure for Bebop.
<~Kionon> Usually it changed, at least early in the video, with gunshots or explosions.
<@Melanchthon> I do like the closing shot to the video. But I don't remember what the last Bebop clip was.
<~Kionon> Todd: apparently, gaya is also a possibility: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walla
<@Melanchthon> Oh, it kind of stops in the middle of the Vicious fight.
<@Melanchthon> The very last 'bang' shot of Spike would have been a nice complement to the last shot of Vash, I think.
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<~Kionon> Agreed.
<~Kionon> I'd say this is better than most action videos I come across.
<@Melanchthon> There are some good sections with internal synch. The slowed-down forward roll looks a touch out of place, but the flick of the throwing knife does look good.
<~Kionon> I like the gun shots and explosions.
<@Melanchthon> That's at about 3.00.
<~Kionon> Okay, it's starting to lose review after about the sixth play.
<@Melanchthon> I think those are a good example of effects synch. It's certainly not a fancy effect being used, but it wouldn't work with just the raw footage.
<CodeZTM> In terms of reviewability, I was glad I watched it, but it just doesn't have that lasting appeal to me. It's a nice dramatic video, but just doesn't stand up thanks to its visual issues, the ending and the typical scene choices.
<~Kionon> Yeah, I think I'm going to fall on the side of not-keeper, but truth be told, I had to really think about it.
<@Melanchthon> It was one of the earlier AMVs I watched for both series. I'd say it would be a good choice to show newbies because of the regimented approach (which is something a little different), but the visual quality kills it a little.
<@Melanchthon> And also because they won't know how commonly those scenes are used.
<@Melanchthon> Anything to add, DrD?
<DrDinosaur> ha ha not really, just wanted to sit in.
<@Melanchthon> I'm going to leave the channel open in the background in case we get anyone turning up at this (half) hour.
<@Melanchthon> Okay, I don't think we're getting anyone else in here.
<~Kionon> Righto.
<CodeZTM> Well, I'm sure this will take off at some point.
<@Melanchthon> We just need to be able to do it consistently.
<~Kionon> Anyone want to volunteer for next week?
<@Melanchthon> I could do it next week.
<@Melanchthon> Alright everyone, thanks for stopping by and talking about the video.
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<bishop> ?
<@Melanchthon> Hello?
<@Melanchthon> You can still talk about the video.
<bishop> thats what i wanted to know ._.
<bishop> what video??
<@Melanchthon> I put the link in the #AMV-Review thread.
<@Melanchthon> http://www.animemusicvideos.org/video/103854
<bishop> oh
<bishop> thanks
<@Melanchthon> I'll be around for a while.
<@Melanchthon> At the moment we're keeping all review-related posting in that thread.
<bishop> kinda strange music for action video
<@Melanchthon> How so?
<bishop> timing is quite fast
<@Melanchthon> That seems pretty standard for action.
<bishop> thats what i said
<@Melanchthon> Oh, sorry, for some reason I skipped over the word 'music'.
<@Melanchthon> It is a little poppy.
<~Kionon> Plenty of action videos to pop
<@Melanchthon> But the video is full of explosions and fighting, so action it is.
<bishop> its kinda too fast. its not necessary to change on every beat imo
<bishop> especially when using pop
<@Melanchthon> I think the song is fast-paced enough to take the fast cutting.
<@Melanchthon> I also think the speed of the clips was as deliberate a decision as the use of grain and B&W.
<bishop> well there are many ways to increase dynamics without flicking views
<~Kionon> I don't know that I would really call this pop.
<@Melanchthon> Do you think something else would have worked better?
<bishop> truly i dont see an idea behind b&w
<bishop> it changes to color and back pretty randomly
<@Melanchthon> The editor liked the way CB looked in black and white. That might have been the whole reason for it.
<bishop> well i can say i feel the mood and i like it...
<bishop> but that may be the only good points for me
<@Melanchthon> You think the general approach to the video could have been different?
<bishop> for author, i think no. he definitely knew what he was doing)
<@Melanchthon> But you just didn't enjoy the thing he was doing?
<bishop> kinda that. and did he? looks like a searching of something rather then a complete plan
<@Melanchthon> I don't get what you're saying.
<bishop> i mean it seems to me that he hadnt a complete vision of how he was going to do what he wanted
<bishop> and tried, some of that, some of this
<@Melanchthon> It does look a little like he simply ran out of song at the end.
<bishop> yes there are several weak places (short)
<@Melanchthon> The Bebop portion of the video doesn't really conclude.
<bishop> yep, it's not looking solid
<@Melanchthon> Overall I do like the video. It's quite engaging.
<bishop> true, it is has some passion. it is a good point
<@Melanchthon> Okay, anything else to add?
<bishop> nope thank i'm done)
<@Melanchthon> Thanks for coming along.
<@Melanchthon> I'm going to contact the creator and see if he'll give permission for the chat log to be published.
<~Kionon> cool

Feel free to [url=ttp://www.animemusicvideos.org/members/member ... p?v=103854]take a look[/url] and add your own thoughts on the video.