Otakon 2004 Romance - Waiting For You

[dwchang]

Well Otakon 2004 has finally passed, so I guess it's time I finally release this video .

Waiting For You

Alternate titles include:
"A study in finding the absolute threshold in sappiness."
"How to make female fans cry."
"How to make AbsoluteDestiny vomit."

First off, I'm pretty sure that many of you will hate this video (especially if you're a male). It's about 10 times more sappy than "Glory of Love" and probably 5 times more cheesy. I realize this, but at the same time, couldn't care less. The video is probably my most personal video and thus such trivial things weren't really my concern going in. I won't go into details since A) it'd bore you and B) it's personal.

Wow, way to alienate your audience with a giant disclaimer. Way to go Daniel :-/. *sigh* I apologize for that.

In any case, I do realize that a certain effect in the video will probably be ridiculed (as well as the sheer amount of sappiness), but know beforehand that *everything* in this video is intentional. Every sync, every scene used, every effect, etc. I wouldn't go so far as to say it's "perfect" to me, but I did enjoyed making it.

It surprisingly took the "Best Romance/Sentimental" award at Otakon 2004 among some tough competition and I'm quite happy with it. I hope some of you can enjoy it as well. 8)

And please don't get me wrong, *constructive* criticism is always welcome. I just wanted to share that pre-emptively since I have a bad feeling . Comments welcome!

[Coffee 54]

Oh, it wasn't that sad. Huh? What's that you say? I've been peeling onions, that's all. And dropped something really heavy on my foot. Can't a guy get a little teary if drops something on his foot? Seriously I did like the video. I was in a sappy mood tonight, so it fit perfect.

[BebopCowboy18]

Well, if it makes you feel any better, I love Love Hina, Saikano, Ah! My Goddess, and any other romantic anime you can throw at me. I'm a sap through and through and thought this video was fantastic and very well deserving of the award. Congrats!

[Jnzk]

Yay for piano puzzle!

I like romance, but this was a little too sappy even for me. Perhaps it was the 80s song that did it. ^^;

Very good job editing-wise though. Perfect timing without a single flaw. I also liked the "past" effect.

[TaranT]

Hmmm...

You did notice that your cloudy white border overflows the picture dimensions?

I didn't think the puzzle pieces are as cheesy as you say (although their edges look very grainy). But I don't see the reason for them since they don't connect with anything in the lyrics or the footage. And they're not used often enough to be a stylistic theme ("bookends" is not enough).

The final text was sappy, even more so because the words were timed. I would have gone with the words slowly flowing onto the screen. Even better: have them flow onto a sheet of paper or parchment.

The transition work is very nice. It's something I'm sensitive to these days, but there were only a few scenes I might have disagreed with. If I get time, I'll put this in a longer Opinion writeup.

Sounds like I'm complaining a lot - I don't like the song, either - but the vid has good emotional content and is pleasant to watch. If it made AD hurl, that's even better.

[dwchang]

Oh, it wasn't that sad. Huh? What's that you say? I've been peeling onions, that's all. And dropped something really heavy on my foot. Can't a guy get a little teary if drops something on his foot? Seriously I did like the video. I was in a sappy mood tonight, so it fit perfect.

I'm almost always in a sappy mood. Join the club. Anyway thanks!

Well, if it makes you feel any better, I love Love Hina, Saikano, Ah! My Goddess, and any other romantic anime you can throw at me. I'm a sap through and through and thought this video was fantastic and very well deserving of the award. Congrats!

Thank you very much. I'm not sure if this will certainly happen, but I'm hoping to make a Saikano video one day .

Yay for piano puzzle!

I like romance, but this was a little too sappy even for me. Perhaps it was the 80s song that did it. ^^;

Very good job editing-wise though. Perfect timing without a single flaw. I also liked the "past" effect.

Oh believe me, when I chose the song I knew a lot of people wouldn't like it. If anything, it's just a guy singing (very little in the way of music or dynamics). I actually debated using "Open Arms" by Journey instead since it's more dynamic.

And I *had to* use an 80's song for Otakon this year as I *have to* use another next year . It's required

Hmmm...

You did notice that your cloudy white border overflows the picture dimensions?

Shit! Yeah I knew about it, but didn't think anyone would find out so early. I won't deny it, this is sheer lazyness. I finished literally on the day it was due for Otakon. Perhaps I should've gone back and cleaned this (and one other thing) up prior to releasing it, but sadly am fairly burnt out from editing having been doing it since December. sorry...

..and yes I realize how bad of a reason that is .

I didn't think the puzzle pieces are as cheesy as you say (although their edges look very grainy). But I don't see the reason for them since they don't connect with anything in the lyrics or the footage. And they're not used often enough to be a stylistic theme ("bookends" is not enough).

Grainy? Hrm...I actually went back and redid this like 3 or 4 times and they are 10x less grainy than they were in the past. >_< As for the reason, it's in my description, but I don't imagine people will read that ginormous thing. Basically it symbolisms entering (or leaving) someone's life. That's what I meant by bookends and why I do it in reverse.

The final text was sappy, even more so because the words were timed. I would have gone with the words slowly flowing onto the screen. Even better: have them flow onto a sheet of paper or parchment.

I realize it's too sappy, but again, everything in it has a purpose...this even moreso .

The transition work is very nice. It's something I'm sensitive to these days, but there were only a few scenes I might have disagreed with. If I get time, I'll put this in a longer Opinion writeup.

Sounds like I'm complaining a lot - I don't like the song, either - but the vid has good emotional content and is pleasant to watch. If it made AD hurl, that's even better.

Thanks! Being an OCD, I spend way too much time on things as simple as a transition. It's not surprising if I spend over an hour moving a transition a frame to the right, the left, etc. Someone in an opinion for this has actually sorta "seen" this and I'm glad. I think these "little things" can really pay off in a drama video.

...and even *I* don't like the song, but it fit perfectly the message I wanted to convey. Thanks again!

[Kalium]

Wow. Even though my own ecperiences have permanently tainted this song with bizarreness, I still like this. Even though I do find it slightly depressing.

.....is it bad that I don't find this over the top at all? Or does it just make me incredibly sappy.....

Or maybe I'm still in the afterglow of making a romance video (or just excessively sappy myself, either or).

And did this actually make AD physically vomit?

[TaranT]

...and yes I realize how bad of a reason that is .

It's not a crisis. I noticed it quickly because I made the same error on some of my earlier projects. Nowadays, I always set up a new project with a rectangular mask that cleans up all the outer border across the entire video during the final render.

As for the reason, it's in my description, but I don't imagine people will read that ginormous thing. Basically it symbolisms entering (or leaving) someone's life. That's what I meant by bookends and why I do it in reverse.

Actually, I did read your writeup and understood what you were after. But still, someone at an exhibition isn't going to know that - although it apparently didn't hurt at Otakon.

Thanks! Being an OCD, I spend way too much time on things as simple as a transition. It's not surprising if I spend over an hour moving a transition a frame to the right, the left, etc.

I know Exactly what you mean. Been there too many times.

[Beowulf]

The video is very solid minus the white glow overstepping the picture border. The editing is tight and even though I've never seen AMG I could follow the plot fairly easily.

But the sappiness. I think this video is revolutionary in that it pushes the envelope of sappiness.

Sappiness Scale:

Glory of Love -> Michael Bolton's "When a Man Loves a Woman" -> This Video

The timed text was almost humorous

But good video non the less

[SnhKnives]

yeah congrats for winning man, its true, it was a truely sappy love story.

Well edited for its genre. congrats.