The Otakon 2011 Thread

[l33tmeatwad]

Yeah, the text was really good, though I wanted to see images of Shinji or Asuka fade in or out of the text or something - I wanted to see the text effects tie back to Evangelion a little more. It was still really fun to watch, though.

I agree, I was hoping for some more Eva during the text effects segments. There's definitely enough visual movement to sustain interest during the text scenes, but it did feel a bit discordant with the rest of the video.

Understandable, I've heard that from a few people. My goal was to make an "Adult-Swimish" style video using clips followed by "fun but plain" text and then ramp up chorus text effects. The aim was to use the clips as the punchline to the joke and vary between clips and text as the setup. I felt like going from black screens or unrelated clips to the punchline clip added a little more umph to the joke because there was no "lead-in" to prepare you for it. I wasn't sure how well it would be received or if it was work all that well. Much like my "Rough Love" AMV that aimed to be a "Romantic Comedy", I was basically just looking for something new to try out.

Anyways, enough concept rambling, lol, I'm just glad that everyone enjoyed it so much ! It's always awesome to be able to go and listen to how the crowd reacts to a video you worked hard to edit. This was my first to actually get to vote, as the only contest I've had a chance to go to is the one at Animazement, and the judges decide that one.

[snapxynith]

My original concept for the text was to do the floating com channel windows in EVAs style for the text and move them around within support clips to have the relevant statements be said by the characters in the video on the other end of the com. Which sounds similar to what you're mentioning irriadin.

This clashed with l33tmeatwad's [as] vision, so I just pushed the visual punch in that style as hard as I could in the time frame. It puts more focus on what is being said instead of having a sparkly visual. Probably a good decision. I am more of an effects person than a comedian with good pacing.

[Scintilla]

WHOOOOOOO

So much good stuff was happening this weekend at Otakon that there sadly wasn't enough time for all the human interaction I would have liked... and considering my usual tendencies, that is saying something.
(In addition to the AMV-related stuff, I also managed to win this year's Otaku Idol, mostly via GRATUITOUS AMOUNTS OF ENERGYYYY... and an awesome-lookin' cape. Then Katie got to see a packed-room audience cheer for the trailer she sent in three years ago but never got to see, and then we saw the same audience laughing and cheering for a major fan parody we both had parts in.)

Seven and eight years ago, I was all excited to get to meet all the big established editors in the community. Now I'm all excited to see so many fresh young faces getting into the community and making kickass videos.
I just wish I could have gotten the chance to meet you all properly; we really gotta all go out and eat somewhere next year, when there's no huge fan parody premiere on Saturday night that Katie and I have to be at.

And I might have forgotten to say this at the con, but thank you to everyone who came out to support the Iron Editor contest! You were a great audience and you helped make my first time hosting a truly fine experience.

And now, some AMVs I wanted to recommend (other than the winners and runners-up).

Miracle Falcon's "Letting Go": This video was just a perfect showcase of the dramatic thrust of Angel Beats!. It didn't even sound like what you would expect from Linkin Park. Cyanna cried. I didn't, but I still loved it.

VivifxAMV's "Moe Moe Rebellion" (Asylum Studios): Between last year's "An AMV About TV" and now this, ViviFX is betraying a peculiar talent for high-concept videos. The only thing I can think of that could have prevented this video from making finals is the long spoken intro... but at the same time, it clarifies the plot of what follows. Highly entertaining -- keep it up!

Katzie's "With You Around" (now also Asylum Studios?): Cute Toradora! romance video, had the crowd awwwing, and the effects didn't detract from the concept.

MysteriousRyder's "Junjo Rhapsody": With so many videos out there on the 'net using bits of video game footage and sound effects/dialogue mixed into a song in this way, how is it that nobody had thought to do an AMV with the same idea before now? ("Baseball Bat Serenade" doesn't count because it didn't use any audio from Paranoia Agent itself.) Plus, it's funny.

Corsair's "Addiction" (Re-Evolution Studios): Though I don't agree with this video being in the Comedy category, it's still quite enjoyable and I voted for it as a Drama at AnimeNEXT. I don't know what the song has to do with it, but the story is told perfectly, and that last segment is genuinely disturbing.

[Miracle_Falcon]

Miracle Falcon's "Letting Go": This video was just a perfect showcase of the dramatic thrust of Angel Beats!. It didn't even sound like what you would expect from Linkin Park. Cyanna cried. I didn't, but I still loved it.

Ah, thanks for the kind words, it's always nice to hear after a hard fought loss. Speaking as the creator, I'm biased, but I love the song for being the antithesis of pretty much every other Linkin Park song: all the others are about just holding onto all this negativity and wallowing in it, and they finally made a song about not letting it weigh you down.

Also, it was interesting to hear about people crying because of it during the con. I'd heard people say it made them cry in youtube comments, but I always just assumed it was hyperbole. I was particularly interested when I told one group of strangers at the con which video I'd made, and then was promptly shouted at for making them cry.

...I must vow to use this power only for good.

[Cyanna]

Miracle Falcon's "Letting Go": *snip* Cyanna cried.

I was actually silently freaking out on the stage over the possibility of it being shown as a Drama winner or runner-up and then I'd completely embarrass myself. I was crying at the prescreenings too.

[Miracle_Falcon]

Miracle Falcon's "Letting Go": *snip* Cyanna cried.

I was actually silently freaking out on the stage over the possibility of it being shown as a Drama winner or runner-up and then I'd completely embarrass myself. I was crying at the prescreenings too.

Well, I'm sorry to say that I would have been very happy to bring you that sort of embarrassment/sorrow. Maybe another time.

[jubjub2]

Congrats to all the winners!

I was wondering if there is any feedback on the Kaleido Star/Big Bang video. It's my daughter's first Otakon, and I would love to let her read and understand how other editors view her work.

[SatoshiSakura]

A little late in coming, but congrats to all the winners!

[VivifxAMV]

VivifxAMV's "Moe Moe Rebellion" (Asylum Studios): Between last year's "An AMV About TV" and now this, ViviFX is betraying a peculiar talent for high-concept videos. The only thing I can think of that could have prevented this video from making finals is the long spoken intro... but at the same time, it clarifies the plot of what follows. Highly entertaining -- keep it up!

Aaah!!!!!!! I can't express how much that means to me! Especially coming from you... one of my AMV editing idols. It was amazing to meet you in person, seriously you made my entire Otakon experience epic. I was slightly bummed that the one year I could make it out, my AMV got cut - but that quickly vanished as soon as I got to meet so many amazing people and see so many amazing AMVs. Especially Business Time...I think I broke the replay button on Youtube. Iron Editor was totally epic (great job MCing BTW)...Next year I want to try that guessing animes game, I feel I would totally dominate.

I am going to try and make an effort to become more active on the Org and to enter cons and things, so hopefully next year at Otakon I will have something totally awesome prepared (and not rushed....again). And all that extra practice will help me clean up my editing...which I think is a huge issue personally - That is my biggest problem with MMR, parts of it are downright sloppy. And no more long spoken intros with me trying to force my voice into an impossible octave. Thank you again so much! OH and Congratulations to you and your wife!

[irriadin]

Corsair's "Addiction" (Re-Evolution Studios): Though I don't agree with this video being in the Comedy category...

There were a few videos that seemed out of place in Comedy. VeeBee's video seemed much more Upbeat than anything. I guess it was moved to Comedy because it probably had the funniest moment of any of the AMV's this year (that being the deer suplex... the build-up is just perfect.)