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My First AMV...not an AMV
2005-06-16 21:55:03
Yeah, it's odd to think that the very first "true" AMV that I did was not actually and AMV.
You see, my first video that was truly "mine" (i.e. used my own source clips) was actually done to Saving Private Ryan using Linkin Park's "Crawling".
Right now, you're probably groaning and rolling your eyes and I understand that, believe me, I do the same thing alot of the time.
However, the video taught me a valuable lesson.
Doing live action videos is hard work.
"Lost Youth" as the video was called was my first true foray into the wide world of video editing and it set the stage for my later videos which were far better in my opinion.
However, I've not given up doing live action videos. Currently, I'm using Band of Brothers to create a new video which hopefully will do the men who fought in the second world war justice.
I may or may not ever finish this vid, but if I do, it will probably never debut on the ORG due to the fact that it is live action, but hey, I can always dream can't I? -
The guy at the end of my vids
2005-06-16 01:34:11
It occured to me today that alot of people may not know who in the hell the guy is at the end of alot of my vids.
You see, when I started making AMVs, I got into the habit of putting a funny little sound byte at the end of them. This was to make you keep watching the video and see the website and perhaps to get a laugh out of you as well. For awhile I used clips from bloopers that were on the Rurouni Kenshin DVDs, but those were good, I wanted something more...unique.
Then the idea somehow came to me.
Gary Owens.
If you are an old PC gamer like myself, chances are you may have played the Space Quest series. The later games, Space Quest 4, 5, and 6 (not so sure about 5 though) were all done (or redone as in the case of 4 and 5) with voices and with a narrarator.
Gary Owens provided the voice of the narrarator in those games, he was absoultely hilarious, he delivered every line with dripping sarcasm and/or humor that made me laugh every time I played those games.
I began pulling sound files off of the Space Quest 4 and 6 games (I didn't have 5 available so I couldn't try that one). I grabbed as many Gary Owens clips as I could find and have been using them at the end of my vids ever since.
I'm still contemplating what I will do when I run out of good Gary Owens clips, I haven't decided what I'll use, but I figure I'll move on to some other obscure announcer/narrarator guy but hey, who knows right?
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Back from Camp Attebury
2005-06-15 22:18:31
The following I posted on an internet forum I regulary attend.
Our battalion literally fired off a year's worth of 7.62mm rounds.
They wanted to get our entire battalion's gunners fully qualified on the 240B, and of course, had over 30,000 rounds to do so.
So of course, when myself and the other gunners got done firing IN A FRIGGIN' HOUR. They realized that they had a SHITLOAD of rounds left. So of course, they put out the call, anyone that wanted to shoot the machine guns could.
So imagine our "delight" when a Major, two captains, and about 14 lieutenants pull up in a truck to come shoot.
Out of those 30,000 rounds, my 240 and Mack's 240 (Mack being the other gunner in my platoon) combined with what we shot and with what the Major and LTs shot, we had almost 9,000 rounds put through our two guns alone.
In case your wondering this is a BAD thing. Due to the fact that Mack and I had no spare barrels to change to. You see, when you fire a machine gun for a prolonged period of time, the entire gun heats up, especially the barrel, because when live rounds travel through there, along with a tracer (which is far hotter then a normal round) it heats up the gun to levels where you literally can burn the flesh off your hand should you grab the barrel firmly.
Not to mention the fact that at such temperatures, the heat causes the rounds to "cook off" meaning that the gun will FIRE ON IT'S OWN.
This did of course, happen once or twice.
God damn did it take us awhile to clean off all the carbon from our guns.
However, we all shot very well. I shot 11 out of 11 targets myself, we even have video of our shooting which I hopefully can get a copy of and put up online.
But anyway, its good to be back. -
Camp Atterbury, the armpit of America
2005-06-06 23:43:22
Tomorrow we go to Camp Atterbury for a week and a half, the camp is quite simply put one of the most dismal places on the surface of the earth. It is in Indiana and the only real reason we go there is for "training value" ironically enough, the things we do there we could do here, but if our chain of command doesn't notice such a thing, most of us think it would be rude to point it out.
Atterbury consists of ranges, lots and lots of goddamn ranges. We shoot every type of weapon we have, throw hand grenades, etc. We probably blow enough money on supplies, transporation and just "renting" the camp from the national guard, you'd think most of us would be more excited about the prospect of shooting crap up, but of course, most of would rather go on leave.
June 18th to July 5th is our block leave, I will be home then, i.e. unable to work on my new AMV, its a real bummer, but hey, I hope it'll be worth the wait for you fine people.
Anyway, I'll write an entry about the Camp and what we did when I return from there, until then, I bid you adieu.
Cheers,
Katara -
Online Journals
2005-06-05 01:09:59
I'm not exactly sure why I write in this thing so much, perhaps it's the unconscious human need to reach out for contact to others. Maybe it's the mind's desire to share one's thoughts with other people.
I've often wondered WHY I haven't written about my day to day life here. But I'll be blunt. My life isn't that goddamned interesting.
Sure, I can tell you how I ran two miles on thursday evening, then had to run four more on friday. But that isn't exactly a fascinating read now is it?
I don't mind writing alot, hell I wanted to BE a writer when I was younger (the name Katara derives from one of my oldest characters I ever created back in about 1998 or so).
Most people's lives frankly, aren't all that interesting to sit down and read about. Broke up with your girlfriend? Had a fight with your boyfriend? Want to rant about how awesome Inuyasha is? Want to post a FREAKING SENTENCE about nothing?
Thats what bugs me about most online journals. People refuse to WRITE in them. It's one thing if you have something private that no one else can read, but when you write something and have people read it, at least make it semi interesting to read. I can't stand people that have one poorly written sentence that says "Went out shopping with mom today."
That isn't exactly something I would personally write in a journal, but hey, thats me.
I suppose the reason my entries (for the most part) are rather long is because I try to provide SOMETHING for people to read. I may not be always entertaining, but damnit all to hell, I try.
Now, I'll leave you with the following quote from one of my Sergeants.
Sgt: "Hey, whats this anime porn crap I've heard about?"
*shows him some hentai*
Sgt: "Dain bamage, dain bamage...."
Sgt: "Christ! It was like watching Pokemon fuck!"
JOURNAL: Katara (Matt Reppert)
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