Alright guys, here it is. AKA Blumchen 2.
For you lurkers out there, here's what this is all about: Last year Kaxi came up with the idea to get a bunch of us together and do an MEP to the song "Nur Getraumt" by Blumchen. It was a great time, and the result was fantastic; you can check it out here.
This is going to be a similar MEP. Many of the same editors that participated in the first MEP are returning for this one, and we have a few new editors as well. All the slots are full for tracks, as everything has been pre-arranged, but if you want to be a backup editor (that is, an editor who will come into the MEP if one of the current editors drops out for whatever reason) please just let me know by posting in the thread. We have three backup editors already, and that should be enough, but we can never have too many so don't hesitate. If you plan on being a backup editor, please realize that in the event you become a part of the MEP, you obviously won't get to choose which track to edit. Also, I'd ask that you at least glance over the thread from time to time, just to keep up with what's going on.
As a final note regarding backup editors, please realize that there are several backup editors in front of you and you will be added to the bottom of the list, as it were, so your chances of actually joining the project are rather slim. If you just want to join in on the fun we're bound to have in this thread...jump on in!
Current backup editors:
[x]Chiikaboom
[x]CodeChrono
-Arkada
-`Eclipse
-Arashinome
-ZetZu
-Kevmaster
-Ghet
-Neverend
-ReXMaster
-ihavethedeathnote
Ok. Now that that's out of the way, here's the important stuff everybody needs to know. IF YOU ARE A PART OF THIS PROJECT, PLEASE READ OVER EVERYTHING BELOW VERY CAREFULLY. I realize I tend to write a lot, and this is no exception; however what I have to say is very important to making everything uniform, and I want us all on the same page. Capeche?
Editor/Track Listing:
Here is the final track listing; I was able to give everybody their first or second choice, so there should be no problems in regards to someone not getting what they wanted. The beginning is sketchy, I know, but the way I'll transition from the video's intro to the actual song will cover it up, so don't worry about it.
Track 1 (0:00-0:22): Niwa-kun
Track 2 (0:22-0:42): Copycat_Revolver
Track 3 (0:42-1:07): Kariudo
Track 4 (1:07-1:25): WC Annihilus
Track 5 (1:25-1:48): Kaxi
Track 6 (1:49-2:09): Greggus1
Track 7 (2:09-2:32): Bauzi
Track 8 (2:32-2:57): CrackTheSky
Track 9 (2:57-3:26): meleechampion
Track 10 (3:26-3:46): guy07
Track 11 (3:46-4:09): Chiikaboom
Track 12 (4:09-end): CodeChrono
Full mix can be downloaded here.
Now, about editing your tracks. I encourage you to communicate with the people editing directly before and after you, so there can be some sort of cohesion, although transition-wise I and/or Bauzi will probably end up handling putting the tracks together. I do want to do cool transitions though, so if you can end with a scene that you could see easily merging into the next person's track in some way, I'd appreciate it because at the moment I don't have many ideas for cool transitions. But we'll cross that bridge when we get there.
I mentioned this before already, and Kaxi and Greg already know it, but I am reminding you two that you two MUST COMMUNICATE to make your tracks go together smoothly, based on the way I split the song at that point. In terms of transitions I'd actually like you two to do that yourselves, and I would like your final tracks to be turned in AS ONE - meaning I want both your videos to be already merged with a nice transition when I recieve it for the final version. I think you can handle it though
With transitions in mind, please edit with three seconds before and after your designated track length. Because of this requirement, I expect you to download the full mix and split it where it needs to be split, with three-second leaders on either side. I hope that's not too confusing; if so let me know and I'll try to explain it better.
Technical Requirements:
PLEASE READ THIS CAREFULLY, BEFORE YOU START RIPPING FOOTAGE.
Video codec: Lagarith (betas can be in whatever you choose; preferrably XviD, as it's the most compatible)
Aspect Ratio: 720x480 (if you're using a 16:9 source, read this; I'd like to avoid letterboxing if possible.)
Frame rate: 29.97 fps (SPECIAL NOTE: This almost screwed me over in the last MEP, so I'm going to make a special note of it now. You have to change the video's frame rate BEFORE you start editing; this means when you make clips from .d2vs, you must include a framerate altering line in your AviSynth script. Read about how to do this here. It's not the end of the world if you don't get this right, since Vegas can handle 23.97 fps just fine, I just want to make everything as uniform as possible to avoid conflict)
Please include audio with your final video track. Simply mux an MP3 with your Lagarith. This may sound strange, but I just want to be able to match up the waveforms to avoid desynching your segment. The quality of your audio does not matter, as it will ultimately be deleted.
Do not edit with downloaded footage if you can help it. If you can't, you better make damn sure I can't tell the difference.
Dates and such:
Final due date: April 1st, 2008
The due dates for the betas are not absolute deadlines. Rather, you should use them as a guide to determine about where you should be with your track at the given times. I actually fully expect everyone to turn in betas well before that first date, although I will not come beating down your door if you don't. As of right now, however, the final track deadline is set in stone, and I really don't want to have to nag you to get in tracks by then, but I will get angry if everyone isn't done by mid-October. Ideally the project will be finished by...let's say, late October or early November, sometime around there. No promises though
This is PLENTY OF TIME, people, there should be no problems having everything in by these dates. Also realize that the sooner you turn in your first beta, the more time you have to listen to people's advice and perfect your track. Speaking of which...Betas:
There is going to be a very strict beta policy with this MEP. By this I mean I want everyone to post links to their betas in this thread, so everyone has a chance to see what everyone else is doing, and everyone can give their input on everyone else's betas. See where I'm going with this? This is OUR MEP, and as such we all need to work together to help each other make the best tracks possible.
Please, though, be prepared to redo parts of your video, and don't get offended if not everyone likes what you've done. Do your best to take everyone's advice into account and improve your tracks in every way possible. It is very unlikely that the first thing you put out will be the same thing that you're going to send to me as your final, and understand that the reason I want betas at all is so that all of us can help each other improve. If you feel like sending betas to other people not involved with the MEP, feel free to do so - but please make sure that you post everything in the thread as well.
And, I don't think it needs to be said, but please be constructive with what you have to say about other people's betas - don't flame. I don't think any of us have any personal problems with each other, and I'd like to keep it that way.
Editing Style:
I already went over this, but I think I should again. The aim of this MEP is to be an uplifting, happy project - based on the songs I chose this time around, it won't be nearly as peppy as Blumchen was, but I still see this being a lighthearted video.
As such, the sources you can use will be sort of limited. Nothing bloody, no horror, etc...I also don't want any Naruto, DBZ, Final Fantasy, Eva...this should be common sense. I'm not going to enforce it, but if possible try to stay away from anime that was used in the first Blumchen project. If it can't be avoided it's not a big deal, but I'd like to see some fresh stuff if you've got it. Please let me know what anime you're using as soon as possible. I obviously don't want any repeats in terms of who's using what anime, so the sooner you tell me what anime you want to use, the better.
Anime usage:
Niwa-kun: Air TV/movie
Copycat_Revolver: Bleach
Kariudo: Last Exile
WC Annihilus: Tsubasa Chronicle [pending]
Kaxi: Shuffle
Greggus1: FLCL
Bauzi: GetBackers
CrackTheSky: Various ecchi stuff
meleechampion: Eureka Seven (yay!)
guy07: Origins: Spirits of the Past
Det-chan: Azumanga Daioh
Scott Green: Fullmetal Alchemist
I want us, much like Blumchen, to focus on beat sync mainly. Use of effects is highly encouraged as well, but it's perfectly fine if you just want to focus on beat sync. You're going to have to make everything extremely tight - one of the reasons I chose these two songs is because both are rather dynamic, and no matter what kind of editing style you tend to lean towards there's something in this mix for you. I also always encourage and expect originality, and if that's by means of new effects or interesting ways to sync, please have at it.
Final thoughts:
Hmmm...I think that's all. As you probably all know, this is the first MEP I've ever coordinated, so forgive me if I'm bad at it. I'm really excited to get this started and I hope you guys are too. I hope I never come off as dictatorial or overly demanding - as I said earlier, this is OUR MEP, not MY MEP, and if it ever seems like I'm trying to take possession of it please let me know right away. That's the last thing I want and the thing I'm most concerned about.
Beyond the technical requirements, deadlines, and source requirements, I really have the final say in nothing. If someone puts out a beta (that follows source guidelines) and I absolutely hate it but everyone else likes it, I cannot demand they change it. Probably the biggest reason we do this MEP is to show our different styles, to display diversity in terms of editing. Please keep that in mind as we go through this.
Anyway, I've rambled enough. If I think of anything else to say, I'll add it in red at the bottom of this post. Let's get going, and good luck everyone!
P.S. - If you need to contact me directly, I'm on AIM (although not as much as I will be when I return to school in August) and I'm in the .org's IRC whenever I get online. Just query me.
AIM - wayAway2419
IRC - CrackTheSky, or some form of Crackerz
Also, as Bauzi is the co-coordinator, you can go to him too. His AIM is Bauzn, but he's not on much, damn him.
Addendum [6/4/2007]: To everyone involved in this project, I would like to publicly post your screen names for whatever instant messenger service(s) you use, if you would let me. This is so we can get to know each other better as a team and as individuals; I know several of my good friends from the .org I got to really know through the last project, and as we have several new editors onboard this time around I figure it makes sense for us to get to know them as well. Anyone else who would like to be added to the list (like the lurkers or backup editors we've had - melee, FinalResolve, Omega...), just post in the thread and I'll add it here. I will not add you to the list until you tell me to do so, because I can understand some of you not wanting these things public.
If you don't have it already, I'd urge you to download Trillian, which is basically a 3-in-1 IM service - it downloads clients for AIM, Yahoo!, and MSN and you can chat with anyone that uses any of those services. Pretty convenient, if you ask me.
Here's the list:
CrackTheSky
AIM: wayAway2419
Yahoo!: comfortably_numb166@yahoo.com
Skype: crack.the.sky
Bauzi
ICQ: 263-755-693
AIM: Bauzn
WC Annihilus
AIM: vgfantasy8
Skype: vgfantasy8
Greggus1
AIM:Greggus1999
guy07
AIM: guy07amv
MSN: party_time13@hotmail.com
omegaevolution
AIM: omegaAMV
MSN: omegaevolution2006@hotmail.com
Kaxi
AIM: kaxitomi@freemail.hu (what a gay screen name, amirite?)
meleechampion
AIM: meleechampion
FinalResolve
AIM: fresolve
MSN: finalresolve@hotmail.co.uk
aerialesque
AIM: aerialesque
Skype: aerialesque
RexMaster
AIM: rexmaster49
MSN: rexdog12345@hotmail.com
Skype: rexmaster808
Kariudo
AIM: kariudo sanjuro
Skype: kariudo_sanjuro
Niwa-kun
AIM: NiwaAMV
Skype: NiwaAMV
Det-chan
MSN: no_one_special@mailbox.hu
Scott Green
ICQ: 268-510-800
MSN: ScottVergilGreen@hotmail.com
AIM: ScottVergilGreen
Skype: scott.vergil.green
).
