AMV Salad 5: Happy Meal (Nekocon 14, here we come!)

[krvabo]

Will the sound of the Leprechaun / wayne's world be alright in the amv room?
I've rewatched the amvs4 reaction video (from the audience) a few days back and there was some audio that was unhearable.. I fear the audio of this clip might be hard to hear as well.

Moonbunnychans production tag fits really nice in the credits/music bit.

[Gaelstrom]

About to watch the beta, was having trouble downloading it.

If I don't place your explosion audio immediately after greymon opens his mouth, its gonna seem weird. The original sound of his nova blast attack is pretty soft when compared to your sound effect, so it would sound like a small explosion suddenly being multiplied by ten.

And I'm not sure what you mean by click noise.

He's not blowing up though. You've watched the examples that work, right? The original source of the audio? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hGRKpQ7YpH4 (@ 2:21, watch for a bit longer to see some other examples) You're using an explosion when nothing is blowing up, that's the issue. He is not exploding, he's breathing fire, and unfortunately it's just not coming off as very funny because it's using the noise in a context that is unrelated to the others, and is basically no longer part of the running gag while using the same audio. The whole point of using the explosion noise is to have an actual explosion caused by something innocuous, in this case I was saying him breathing fire should cause a catastrophic explosion, which gets the dialogue response. This wouldn't work without the dialogue response, but that was the initial joke anyway.

And the click noise is... well... the click noise ^^ There's an obvious click noise that was included at the beginning of the explosion audio of the link you posted. I wasn't referring to this as "click-boom" for nothing ^^ It's there in the first moment of the audio you used. Basically you just have to shorten the audio track by a frame or two and it'll be gone, careful not to cut into the explosion though.

But what I was talking about was you need to find an appropriate anime explosion of some sort like a city blowing up, and play the explosion audio on top of the explosion footage, with Graymon's roaring/fire breathing sounds below it to insinuate that he was/is the cause. Then letting the long explosion noise trail off as you cut to the boy whose name I keep forgetting who appears to be looking into the distance at this massive explosion, and says his line.

Ya....I get it...but I still think it works better the other way. I think coming second to last would actually work even better. Dud, then epic explosion. Like I said, the giant explosion ties in with the song better.

The version with the real explosion was in AMVS3 ^^ This is not only a play on the explosion running gag, but also hearkening back to AMVS3 for those who who were there to see it, and on top of that, it's ironic to the original as well. Yes my original explosion version is funnier (thanks largely to the inclusion of Metal Gear Awesome audio ^^), but it's literally been done before. I haven't seen the beta yet, but my Gundam one is supposed to be after the credits. One of the reasons I think it'll work as a decent punctuation is because if you remember the reaction to the end of Sony Piece of Shit in the reaction vid, the curse beep does a pretty decent job of already being humorous as a finisher.

Will the sound of the Leprechaun / wayne's world be alright in the amv room?
I've rewatched the amvs4 reaction video (from the audience) a few days back and there was some audio that was unhearable.. I fear the audio of this clip might be hard to hear as well.

I wasn't sure about that too, but I don't particularly see a problem, it's just a bit high in the treble because it's basically in the movie they were watching the scene on TV. I don't see why the volume can't be increased a bit though to be on the safe side. As long as we don't clip the speakers, we're good. I'll go in and adjust the volume and send to Deuce again.

I like the second one as well, but I still say you could tack an explosion on the end and it would be fantastic!

Click...*sirens* ...Oh shit how do you turn this off? *frantic then oh shit face* BOOM!!! I think it would be Epic! But...that's just me ^_^

I think it's too obvious to be an explosion clip. The whole clip is about how he's about to click the button, so unless it's really early on, it's far too obvious, and we already have obvious ones. However you may be on to something. It could become a dual joke. I could find a count-down noise, and have numbers on her stomach counting down and he starts searching for a switch, then as you say, have him look at the camera and you hear "DING-click-BOOOOOM!!"

If you know of any footage of an apartment building exploding from an anime, please let me know, I can get it done pretty fast as long as I know of a good apartment explosion. It could very well become a decent mixer to the running gag then, a faux-explosion beginning to mix up the obvious ones.

[SammySamaProductions]

If you know of any footage of an apartment building exploding from an anime, please let me know, I can get it done pretty fast as long as I know of a good apartment explosion. It could very well become a decent mixer to the running gag then, a faux-explosion beginning to mix up the obvious ones.

I can look once I get back home from painting...I think I may have sectioned off a building blowing up..and the shockwave from that blows over another house which could be funny...but I'll go back and look. I found a few explosions and sectioned them off, but I'll check for apartments in a bit ^_^

[moonbunnychan]

At current, I actually think the Greymon one works better not as an explosion.

The acoustics in the room Salad was in last year at Otakon was horrible. Depending on where you were sitting, a couple of the more talky clips were pretty hard to understand. Really hoping it's in a different place this year.

Oh and Deuce, you should have mail from me from this morning circa 6am.

[Gaelstrom]

Okay, Beta 3 time.

First off Deuce, you really really have to start keeping some notes. Please. Seriously. We go over what to do with certain clips so we can test it out, and I know there's a lot to keep track of, but you end up missing several each time. Making a note about certain clips will make your life a lot easier. This has happened consistently for three years. It's fine in the initial betas of course since everything's still coming in, but please open a notepad and make feedback notes from all of us and leave it open and check them off as you adjust. If there's a conflict with a clip, bring them up here in a list format and we'll all address it in turn.

I posted a new version of the intro and several other clips several days ago and you didn't put it in. Did you get them? It fixes a couple issues with the intro as well. And did you get either of the Chobits ones?

I have a suggestion that may help you out as well if you're not already doing something similar. Have a folder for AMVS5, inside that have a folder for the clips. Inside that folder, a folder for Older clips. As you get a new one from us, you would take the old one and put it in the Older Clips folder and put the new one in the main folder. If there's an idea that's in dispute, you make another folder for those to keep them organized, and inside that folder you have the current choices and then a sub-folder of other versions of the disputed idea. This will prevent you from accidentally using an older version.

Now, to the beta:

This was brought up after beta 2, the intro should be going first. The USA clip is too valuable toward the latter half to keep things upbeat due to the nature of the music. If anyone has a problem with how it starts, I mentioned to bring it up a while ago. We still have time, don't hesitate. It starts abruptly because I wanted it to, but if you believe you have a stronger potential, share.

Explosions

Spoiler :

Breast miniatures: First off I'm completely against the breast miniatures being an explosion. It has no purpose whatsoever. Explosions aren't funny just because they're there, and I've mentioned several times that a human cannot randomly explode. All you do is confuse the audience. Yes, some will laugh, but it'll be nervous "What?" laughter that immediately causes the mind to wonder how exactly that happened and heavily weaken anything immediately after it and we don't want that ever. That isn't real laughter. It was perfect the way it was before as a quick little fun clip. It needed nothing else.
Penguin: I'll say it again, the penguin explosion doesn't work. Just because it's an explosion doesn't mean it works. It should go.
Dokuro-chan: Since Dokuro-chan is Dokuro-chan, that's the only reason the other clip works even a little bit right now. This one I'm willing to see the reaction at AMA because I'm sure it won't do very badly, but it just doesn't work as well as SammySama's. But I'm going to reiterate, humans don't explode in comedy without a logical connection. A spiked mace is not a logical catalyst for an explosion.
Robot Unicorn: I think it'll really benefit from a full-screen explosion and to run across a bit quicker than that. The small explosion just feels like something's missing. You matched the canter from the previous footage well, though, that feels so much better. The less time people have to interpret what's about to happen, the stronger the joke will be. I just think we need a good, solid, fiery explosion to finish it off.
End: Everyone had agreed after Beta 2 that Ed and Mustang finish the production, then the credits. Why was this moved? And we had said that the Gundam one would work best as a post-credits clip to finish things off. So that one should go after the credits.

New/Adjusted Clips:

Spoiler :

Graymon: Went over it above for the explosion case, but in this form in the beta without the explosion, of course we've already talked about how weird it looks with the bird being obliterated while basically complaining ^^ Either way to make this joke work, it needs something like a shot of someone who didn't deserve it being engulfed in flames, like Terminator 2 when she's blasted apart by the nuke. The bird you don't feel empathy for so nobody really cares if it's obliterated.
*Fap: By far, much much better That was quite funny it's now a favorite of mine! Love the new addition too, definitely makes it far stronger in every way. I have two thoughts for this. Get rid of the Beano portion, that's not changed in being nowhere near as funny as the Tenchi portion. Second, I'd even propose separating this into two clips a few minutes apart. Like cut it off at the end of the measure of music when she goes and then later on after more clips, come in playing from the beginning of that music again, but just show the second part with him sweating, and cut it off prematurely so it can't even complete the measure of music. Understand what I mean? I'm not sure I'm being clear.
*Jigglypuff: Faaaaaaaar better I didn't expect the 'puff' to sound so cutely demonic, that's beautiful I'm torn on the record scratch, but it definitely doesn't hurt it. Good job.
She-ra and Princess and the Frog: I assume this was an accidental inclusion? And yeah, moonbunnychan, the Princess and the Frog is totally fine. It's a slow start, but once you hit 'transformation central' song it's pretty good. My brother who knows little about anime liked that part, so its only real drawback is the slow build. He caught on to the song usage, and Usagi's reaction at the end spoke for itself.
*Gundam Wing Gay: In every way this is far stronger. Both punch lines are hit in great timing. While originally Duo's pause was happening in a part that slowed down the clip, now it's a great reaction shot, almost like foreshadowing his last jab at the end.
Spice and Wolf: I think we discussed a bit making the ending stronger earlier? The problem is they drag the joke on a bit, and then it fizzles, so the 'oh brother' finish will help it a lot I think to punctuate it.

Edits:

Spoiler :

Funky Town, Song on Radio, Star Trekkin': The usual suspects of moonbunnychan's wonderful song clips still need some lip-sync lovin'. I know you're short on time, hopefully these can shine after AMA. That Star Trekkin' one I noticed this time through that for the "I can't give it anymore she'll blow Captain!" you could repeat those first two mouth flaps for those words. He starts looking really flustered, then gets calmer during the screaming. If you used those flustered ones it'd match better I think. And for Mikuru, you can use her sniffle as the lip-sync and make her head frantically bobbing in the camera by reversing the footage strategically to form the words. Funky Town can get the same treatment pretty quickly.
Donuts: Yeah, sorry. It's short, but I guess it's just far too niche. Vote for cutting.
Muppet Babies & Toys R Us: I'm reluctant to cut either one, but yeah, they are too similar. I would have to go with Toys R Us for the mere fact those kids can't sing worth shit, but if it weren't cut, I don't think it'd hurt. I do find myself every time noticing that woman walking with her hand out and being knocked out of which ever clip comes second because they're in both. I noticed one thing for Muppet Babies as well, I think we might benefit from cutting it after the 'no granny' portion, because the ending really doesn't do anything for it. We don't need to see the TV screen with the Paprika Babies again, because that was already established and it's in the song over and over. There are fun ironies with the footage through the song until that point, then it just becomes footage. It's already a minute-long clip, so shortening it would help a bit I think.
Library: God damn this clip for being so good and so long... the problem is without the full version, now the presence of certain characters makes little-to-no sense in context. Here's my thought... it seems to be a perfect length if you were to start at the part with the boxes and Nagato with the knife at 9:52. Then you get the jokes, and the presence of the violin is still ironic. The only problem is the presence of the girl from Kami Nomi's face at 10:07 then becomes really random. That face would have to be removed, because it basically becomes a Nagato clip at that point. And I think that will also focuses the irony of the music with her character, since she always is stoic and doesn't seem to care that all this crazy shit is happening, but the song is celebrating it. What sucks though is the full clip really is just wonderful, but as was stated before, just does doesn't seem to belong anywhere in its full version.
Panther clip: Still believe ending can be stronger, but other than that, can the volume be louder on it? I mean the music is just REALLY good but it's so dim it seems. Can we bump it up at all? It doesn't seem like it's close to clipping, but sound can be funny that way.
Excel Construction: I don't think this one's strong enough to match its length personally. It's so close to the original scene of Excel and I just don't feel anything major from it. I vote that this one be cut personally, but I am curious what everyone else thinks.
Screw in Tuna: I still want to see this one at AMA as it currently is, but I think I found the point that it kinda kills itself. The part where the laugh track drops where he is screaming in Haruhi's face, it just kinda feels awkward at that moment. I had a thought of perhaps blending in the "Don't take me to jail man!" and the "We still boys, right!?" part and cut that one out instead of cutting off that good ending. Something to consider after AMA I think.

Clip order ideas:

Spoiler :

I have a thought as to clip order. From the three betas, I get this feeling that the more nostalgic ones should be up front. Think about the state the audience will be in when they sit down, they're looking for things like Evangelion Redeath and such, that type of feeling of funny memories from when they were younger in the good ol' days of anime and such. At least I always feel that way. As such, I think we can use that to put the lower-energy nostalgia clips up front, like the Happy Meal, Muppet Babies, Tenchi Pee, Sailor Moon Sleighbells, the Mellow Death Note explosion (for some reason I loved this when it was early on, especially when it was before any other explosion clips, it seemed like he was the one causing them all). I love starting off with Duck Hunt as well, it's a great contrast after the intro, but using these clips interspersed with shorter clips of similar timeframe may help gradually increase the energy.

If the clip has an older anime or some type of classical reference, it should be in the first half I believe. Much like Phantom of the Opera, and the prostitute clip. Basically if it's obviously footage from the 90s, we start off with the nostalgia. I also LOVED Hair Back And Forth after Paprika Babies. Somehow it was like it was the PERFECT contrast for that clip. And using that as a basis, see what clips work to cause similar effects after the longer clips. That'd be ideal I think, it mixes up peoples' expectations.

One last thing, we're going to be in trouble if we can't think of at least two clips for the credits. People expect those I think... but I can't think of which clips would work well. We still haven't found any footage of guys walking away from explosions either.

[Warlike Swans]

On Paprika Babies: It can totally be cut after the "yes nanny". I assume I don't need to send another clip just to have the end cut.

On the Breast One: I don't feel near as strongly as Gaelstrom does but I think the explosion works, and will happily leave it to consensus

Salad is coming together nicely ^_^

[moonbunnychan]

I kinda feel the same about the Exel one, I don't dislike it, but it's not my favorite. It's for the same reasons, it's not that different from the actual scene. If anything maybe if it was just trimmed up a bit in length and the explosion at the end the noise we've been using.

Between the two I like Paprika babies much more too. It put a smile on my face the first time I saw it because it has such a strong ironic connection. Spaced far enough apart though I think they could both still work.

The Robot Unicorn in this beta was actually edited that way by Deuce, not me. I like it better then the one I was working on because I think it works better with him hitting it, boom, cut. Made me laugh. I may make it a bigger explosion and see how it looks, but I kinda like how now it looks just like in the game.

Last year I really liked having something break up the credits (and I think it made people more apt to sit through them)...maybe that Gundam one can go there?

[Squancho]

Last year I really liked having something break up the credits (and I think it made people more apt to sit through them)...maybe that Gundam one can go there?

...maybe right after he announces the keyboard solo?

[moonbunnychan]

Oh, and I also think having ALL the old anime up front would be a bit too much. I much more like having it split up.

[Gaelstrom]

Oh, and I also think having ALL the old anime up front would be a bit too much. I much more like having it split up.

You're right, I didn't mean every one of them immediately. But I do like the idea of the majority of the cumbersome ones in the first half, also because several of the longer ones happen to be older footage and/or references. Such as Muppet Babies and Tenchi peeing are mellow enough to belong earlier to be at full concentration. One that I think works pretty strongly later on, for example, is the Sleighbells one. It can be up front, but its Christmasy mellowness contrasting the action also seems to give it a strong 3/4ths of the way through feeling somehow. I just keep being drawn to the idea of them leading the audience through time in a way, just getting a good nostalgia in there. One I feel doesn't belong at the end is the Phantom of the Opera. No idea why, but it feels weaker at the end when I see it there. Another one is the prostitute hippo one... that one belongs near the beginning I think, but not too close, more like 1/3rd of the way. And Sucky Sucky 5 dollah shouldn't be too close. I caught that during this beta.

One that caught me by surprise is my Wayne's World K-on one doesn't feel like it should be too close to the beginning. In fact I kind of felt like mine were pretty strong in that first beta where they were tossed in near the end. USA though does feel good as a starter, it was actually one I considered as an intro before Dr. Who. As such, I think playing that after Kung Fu Staring Contest, with the Staring Contest dead center at the halfway mark as a sort of intermission (that was a good description of it) then it can almost be like a 'second intro' of sorts to bring everyone back in. Anyway, that was just where my thought process was going. Not sure if we have time for another beta to test it.