OP MY VID NOW!!!!!

[rose4emily]

i don't know if i said this in the op or not, but i haven't seen kenshin yet. i probably will, but i've used up all of my anime-viewing time so far on series and fims like FLCL, Princess Tutu, Grave of the Fireflies, Cowboy Bebop, Mononoke Hime, You're Under Arrest, Bottle Fairy, Chobits... and have yet to get to most of the traditional shounen stuff - so i really had no way of knowing that the flashing was in the anime.

on a low-tech answer to adding flashing: insert one or two white (or significatly brightened) frames. most video editors will let you do this - including free ones like the Windows Movie Maker or Cinelerra.

on a low-tech answer to removing flashing: cut out the one or two white (or significantly brightened) frames.

better yet, use flashing only where it can be timed with the music and either keep it to short bursts or to a short part of the amv where the song calls for it. flashing effects can work for a video, they just tend to be too much in a video that is already heavy on fast motion and bright colors (like most action amvs are). i have seen a few instances where they are used very effectively with stuff like snare drum rolls where they really do tie in to the song, so i'm not claiming that they're an inherent evil or anything like that, just something to be used judiciously.

in all fairness, though, i tend to go the other way with some of my videos and make something too slow and flowing - giving the viewer the impression that i just ripped very long segments of footage without any editing within them whatsoever (the first allegation being, in some cases, true, the second being, in all cases i can think of, erronious but understandable). the best balance lies somewhere in between, and is very much dependant on the song used and the audience targeted.