JOURNAL: DriftRoot (Lauren C.)

  • Arrrggghh It's done. 2014-08-24 14:50:13 HID
    Pre-Production: 14
    Editing: 43
    Post-Production: 3

    So unless I decide to change things in the next six hours (entirely possible), I've completed my sixth AMV. Current rate seems to be one every year-and-a-half/two years. :|

    Last-minute additions and subtractions are complete. Final fiddling with clips I've already fiddled with 27 times is finis. Wrestling with temperamental AVS script WHICH WORKED FINE THE LAST TIME I USED IT is over. What's going on now? First test MP4 file is being encoded. So far, no crashes! Meanwhile, I'm going to go play with my dog!

     
  • "Lazers" 2014-08-16 17:36:53 HID
    Pre-Production: 14
    Editing: 38
    Post-Production: 0

    Ok, worst of the lip syncing is done. It was very odd, I thought I had a ton to do, but thanks to a lot of previous nitpicking over scene choices, there was only one place I had to go in and really mess around. I am not going to go ballistic with this video, though, "perfect" is not what I'm after. Shocking, I know.

    Honestly, though, my lip syncing got thrown a massive curve ball this afternoon when I found that there's something really "off" with ... something in my computer. I can't get accurate frame exports out of any video program, the gamma in the images is all messed up (too dark). Never ran into this issue before, so I did a little Interneting, but didn't find a solution. I suspect it's a graphics card issue. In any case, this effectively killed all the methods I was going to use for lip syncing CG mouths, so I had to resort to some less-than-ideal alternatives in AE. I'm going to haul some of this stuff into work on Monday and see what happens on my PC there.

    So! What's left? Some special effects, since I seem to have the time. Nothing outrageous, just a little something extra to make people smile.  
  • I'm soooo tired 2014-08-14 18:19:10 HID
    Pre-Production: 14
    Editing: 34
    Post-Production: 0

    The Good: It's almost done. Done enough that I am pretty much "done" with it. All that's left is a bunch of lip syncing (oh joy), making a decision about the opening of the video (I have two options, neither of which I'm really pleased with), ripping the ending apart (again) and ...oh yeah, the intro screen. That should be super easy, I still have my files from L.F.S.

    The Bad: I am really, really tired. Work has been extremely hectic and stressful all summer (which is saying something) and isn't going to let up for the foreseeable future. I get home at night and I'm almost a zombie, no energy, but can't sleep b/c I'm stressed out. Come the weekend, I'm totally burnt to a crisp, which is...

    The Ugly: ...not good, because if I am to make my self-imposed deadline, I only have two weekends a.k.a.. 32 hours - left (I can't hack editing more than eight hours a day or really bad things start to happen and my chiropractic bills are high enough, thank you). The final factor is really the lip syncing, if that doesn't go well, then this AMV is not going to be done on time. Next deadline? *sigh* I don't know.... it would be nice to finish it this year, but maybe I just sit on it and take a shot at Anime Boston next year. *sigh*

    I'M SO SUUUPER ENTHUSED ABOUT MY AMV!! CAN'T YOU TELL?!!

    Is this what happens when I make an AMV just for fun? I don't care much about it? I guess so... that sucks. :(
     
  • Tee dee 2014-07-27 13:44:58 HID
    Pre-Production: 14
    Editing: 28
    Post-Production: 0

    The Good: No blank spots left on the timeline. I can watch it through and not wince badly, the story works - I'm not making anything up (from a certain point of view...).

    The Bad: There are tons of spots with different clip options stacked four or five high, because nothing is exactly the way I want it. Using ABC gets me one thing that matches EFG, but maybe it's better to match XYZ. I don't usually have this problem with my AMVs, typically I hunt around and experiment until things click into place. This one just isn't clicking. Kind of reminds me of Takout, in this regard, that video fought tooth and nail against me.

    The Ugly: Special effects will be required, mostly some lip syncing, which is oh-so-much fun to do with CGI. (not...) I also want to try out some other stuff, but only if I have time, and time's getting short.

    Gotta find me some beta testers soon. :) 
  • Go meee! Go meeee! 2014-07-20 18:11:17 HID
    Pre-Production: 14
    Editing: 24
    Post-Production: 0

    That's right, SEVEN hours of AMV editing today!! My back is killing me, my dog is depressed because she's been ignored and now that I've just watched the first full [with gaps still on the timely] export, I want to go in and immediately fix all sorts of things.

    Observations:

    1. Space Pirate Captain Harlock is a terrible movie. No surprise there, but the more I work with the footage, the more all these tiny things you can barely notice on a regular viewing pop up. I'm not saying it redeems itself, but the metric ton of "Whaaa?" is a few ounces lighter.

    2. Space is dark. Too dark.

    3. This AMV might mess with some people's minds. After extensive deliberation about how to present the storyline, I'm sticking to the truth with one big twist that satisfies my penchant for screwing around with things. Those who have seen the Harlock movie won't bat an eye, those who haven't will (hopefully?) come away from the AMV with a very wrong impression.

    4. Yep, this is the first AMV I've made just for fun. Pretty sad, huh? Pressure's off and so are the special effects. This is just something I'm throwing together because it seems doable, and inspiration/motivation for editing is fragile enough that I don't turn up my nose at "doable" videos!

    So how much effort ARE you putting into this, Drift?

    Well, so far 24 hours worth of effort, with at least another 10-15 to go, I'd judge. That's filling in some holes and fine-tuning some stuff.

    Really? That's...shocking.

    Uh, why?

    You know you're not going to be happy with it, once it's "done." That's what you get for half-assing it: you're going to be disappointed with the results, which means you'll go in and start rearranging everything. Like you always do.

    I do NOT. That's not how I edit at all! Usually I obsess over every little thing, constantly export and watch each bit, redoing it like crazy until it's exactly right. This time I'm not doing that at all-

    Yeah, which is why once you are "done," it's going to be a mess.

    :|

    What?

    You're saying I can't half-ass this? That I have to start all OVER because it's not TAKING ME LONG ENOUGH??

    Put in the work now or put in the work later, there's no way you're letting this AMV out of the house until you've gone at it from every angle.

    Hrmph, I can bang my head against this thing all I want, and it's never going to be all spiffy like that. I've got my standards, and they're pretty low for this one.

    -_-

    Ok, OK I'm still putting in a very good effort!! I'm just not going to throw this entire video in the trash if things don't fall precisely into place, like I do with most of my videos...which is one reason I don't make many at all... How's that for standards? This thing is good enough for me NOT to throw it out! :D 
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