Excruciatingly Long Videos

[Rider4Z]

I don't think I've ever gone over 7 minutes, not including MEPs. 2-5 minutes is good depending on the type of energetic rollercoaster you create.

[ngsilver]

I've never really cared how long a song is when making my videos. I take as long as I need to complete what I feel the video should be. Sometimes that could be 3 mins, other times 4~5, and on the rare occasion, 7+. It really depends on the song and what I want to do with it. I will say, I have made a few videos that I think might have been better had I cut them short, but that's rarely the case. I've actually been working on a video using a 42 min song for a few years now.

[Scintilla]

Current gen / fans are too ADD to sit thru much of anything over 4 minutes.

Every time I see this, I'm reminded of AnimeUSA 2009 when Cyanna got two videos into the finals in the Romance/Sentimental category. One of them was nine minutes long and was one of the last two in. The other used a popular song by Journey and got the 1st or 2nd seed in the category.

Which one won that audience-voted contest? The nine-minute one.

[dragontamer5788]

I think songs are getting shorter in general. Its not like a Bohemian Rhapsody pops up all the time. http://www.animemusicvideos.org/members ... .php?v=759

In general, the long 5+ minute songs are Broadway songs or (in the case of 6+ or 7+ minutes...) Rock Operas. Furthermore, those songs typically have long (30+ seconds) instrumental parts with obscure beats that is difficult to visualize as an editor. So as an editor, you are tempted to cut those parts out. (Sound editing is very useful and awesome... but generally makes songs shorter). If you stick with pop songs today, 3 to 4 minutes is basically where radio edits are today.

Beyond that, it is very grueling to actually crank out a 5+ minute video. I just finished one to start submitting to contests... and boy... that is a LOT of effort. Editing gets exponentially harder the longer the song goes, because you quickly run out of scenes and need to pace yourself. With a 3-minute video, you basically can complete it using almost purely the opening and ending credits of an anime, but 5+ minute videos need so many scenes so that you aren't repeating yourself....

[MaboroshiStudio]

Current gen / fans are too ADD to sit thru much of anything over 4 minutes.

Every time I see this, I'm reminded of AnimeUSA 2009 when Cyanna got two videos into the finals in the Romance/Sentimental category. One of them was nine minutes long and was one of the last two in. The other used a popular song by Journey and got the 1st or 2nd seed in the category.

Which one won that audience-voted contest? The nine-minute one.

Most contests these days I couldn't send the majority of my older AMVs... due to length.

[Lord Rae]

I have plans for a 14 minute long song that I would love to make an AMV but I've not made it for a couple years now. So I'm not sure it will ever get made.

[ibabrak]

I myself usually cut the song if I don't think I'll have enough footage for it. That being said if I think there's enough footage I'll do my best not to have to cut it. The main thing is that you need to make sure the the cut in the song is not noticable. Close your eyes and listen to it after you cut it over and over.

Putting all that aside though. Some of my favorite amvs are like 4-5 minutes long.

Bototm line: If the video is bad the fact that it's long is not going to help it by any means, but if the video is good I don't mind it being long.

[MaboroshiStudio]

did someone say long videos? 8:26 is my longest and when I made the original version of this VCR-VCR is nearly killed me

Macross Plus Info High

[PotatoBaron]

I certainly don't feel bad cutting down a song if I want to. That being said, it's a total judgment call as to what is best for your video, length-wise. I would always suggest doing what you are most comfortable with.

[Radical_Yue]

I wasn't going to comment on this thread but then I saw someone with the glorious name "Potato Baron" posted and I knew I had to be involved.

When it comes to long/short videos and EDITING them, it depends on both the editor and the video.
If the editor has an idea for the full song, then by all means edit the full song. If they only have an idea for a shorter video, then cut the song.
If the concept needs additional time to be fully realized, a longer cut of the song may be best. If it's a one off and very to the point concept, than leaving the song uncut may make the video overstay it's welcome. Also, not all lyrics/aspects of the song may lend themselves properly to the video's concept/theme, making a song cut a welcome addition.

When it comes to WATCHING them, it once again depends on the video and the viewer.
If a video has a generic/unoriginal concept than regardless of the length it can be difficult to sit through. If the editing itself feels uninspired and boring, then again, regardless of the length the video will be difficult to sit through. This can also vary based on the viewer's taste.

However, I don't believe either longer or shorter videos are better than one or the other. There are some excellent AMVs/MEPs out there that are over 10+ minutes and some that are under 3 minutes. While shorter videos seem to be turning into more of the norm based on the editors making them, I don't believe it's the fault of "these darn kids these days!" considering I watched a 15+ minute AMV in a Skype call the other day with quite of few of these "kids" and they agreed it didn't feel long at all.

If the concept can hold an audience for long periods of time, then that's great. If it just needs a couple minutes to get in and get it's point across, then that's cool too. If the viewer gets twitchy at the 1:30 mark regardless of the video then there really isn't anything that can be done for them, it's who they are.

I've watched more than my share of videos that have left me with feelings like "I need more!" or "it overstayed it's welcome" or "it felt way longer than it actually was" and of course "holy crap, that was 7 minutes?! It didn't feel like it D:".

So basically...

da da da duh da daaaa~ Everything is subjectiiiiive and depends on tons of different variaaables~! DUH DA DAAA.