When Worlds Die

worddigger · #1 (**permalink**) 11-21-2008, 04:34 PM

** See thread entry #14 for the FINAL VERSION of this video**

Last week I received my new "Dream Station" video editing workstation from the States and I have been dying to put it through its paces. Not having any new original video in the can to work with, I went back to the ESA/Hubble website and downloaded a bunch of copyright free animation clips for future reference. In the process I got inspired and used some of them to put together a five and a half minute piece set to music.

This was harder than I thought as this stuff was all PAL based and a mix of HD and SD clips, requiring me to juggle and adjust the aspect and pixel ratios on the fly. In the end, I was pleased with the outcome.

The aim here was to tell a story with vision and music, without narration.
Logline: "In the distant future Earth's Sun will expand into a red giant star as it begins to die, consuming all the inner planets of the solar system including the Earth."

When Worlds End

Jerry Hill · #2 (**permalink**) 11-22-2008, 08:43 AM

It's squashed on the HQ version too.

The video didn't hold my attention very well, the clips just didn't seem to string together in a logical progression, distance scales kept changing sometimes. Sorry, not engaging enough for me, and the squashing undermined it.

Was that a music generator?

worddigger · #3 (**permalink**) 11-22-2008, 09:58 AM

Originally Posted by Jerry Hill

It's squashed on the HQ version too.

The video didn't hold my attention very well, the clips just didn't seem to string together in a logical progression, distance scales kept changing sometimes. Sorry, not engaging enough for me, and the squashing undermined it.

Was that a music generator?

Thanks for the honest feedback. Perhaps I need to add a narrative after all. Looks like the squishing was my bad. It appears aspect ratios of my new monitors were not giving me a true picture, thus I overcompensated in the clip conversions. This was a good thing to learn. I resolved that problem this morning by selecting a pixel display that gave me a true circle on a test graphic. Now I get what I see on the monitor. I went back and readjusted all the clips to true PAL ratios and re-rendered the clip (I replaced the YouTube clip above).

I also noticed a couple of continuity errors (planet orbiting in wrong direction in three clips - corrected that).

The music was from the Sonic Fire Pro 5 library system, but I edited the .wav files manually in Vegas.

Jerry Hill · #4 (**permalink**) 11-22-2008, 10:21 AM

Originally Posted by worddigger

The music was from the Sonic Fire Pro 5 library system, but I edited the .wav files manually in Vegas.

Yes I though it was that. I tried the demo but the samples in there didn't sit well with me, but for most applications a very useful tool. I'm conscious of the thin line I'm treading, I've had a couple of messages from publishers, but they've not stopped me from using the tracks. Having been inside the music industry a bit the illegal reproduction thing has a pecking order, and use on amateur videos in a positive manner is at the bottom of the list, but that's not an excuse, and doesn't make it right.

worddigger · #5 (**permalink**) 11-22-2008, 01:28 PM

Originally Posted by Jerry Hill

Yes I though it was that. I tried the demo but the samples in there didn't sit well with me, but for most applications a very useful tool. I'm conscious of the thin line I'm treading, I've had a couple of messages from publishers, but they've not stopped me from using the tracks. Having been inside the music industry a bit the illegal reproduction thing has a pecking order, and use on amateur videos in a positive manner is at the bottom of the list, but that's not an excuse, and doesn't make it right.

What has impressed me about the Sonic Fire system is that they have an extensive library. I can search for the tracks I need online. Audition a brief sample of each available. Then, I can purchase and download the single track online without having to purchase an entire set. Further, sync and use rights are obtained at the point of purchase, eliminating that legal hassle. And, once I buy a track, I can use it for whatever and it remains in my library on my terminal.

Mark W · #6 (**permalink**) 11-22-2008, 02:23 PM

I must stop raiding esa servers.
I must stop raiding esa servers.
I must stop raiding esa servers.

Lols.

I love films made from recycled video - enjoyed that.

Jerry Hill · #7 (**permalink**) 11-22-2008, 03:51 PM

Originally Posted by worddigger

What has impressed me about the Sonic Fire system is that they have an extensive library. I can search for the tracks I need online. Audition a brief sample of each available. Then, I can purchase and download the single track online without having to purchase an entire set. Further, sync and use rights are obtained at the point of purchase, eliminating that legal hassle. And, once I buy a track, I can use it for whatever and it remains in my library on my terminal.

Yes, that's right, just not for me. To me the tracks sound like the same samples played in different genres, it's the same drum kit in every track, the same keyboard sounds, the same trumpets, etc etc. Which is why I say middle of the road. It comes across in the genre's I want to hear a like a holiday camp cabaret band in glittery waistcoats trying to rock it up!

Still a good solution when the music is nothing more than an enhancement, which might be why my interest in your video didn't develop, I think your're right in saying that narration over the top might have been more inviting, to me at least.

One other thing. Your format choice, 4:3. I have to believe it would have been visually more dynamic in 16:9 at least, if not full cinema style. Your thoughts?

Mark W · #8 (**permalink**) 11-22-2008, 07:01 PM

Sonic fire - is that the package that does that mood matching trick?

As for aspect ratios... wide ratios in the cinema was just a way to sell seats - next big thing stuff, along with vibrating seats, smellovision, and 3d.

Same goes for video imho - just a way of getting all to trash our TVs and cmeras.

4:3 forever !

Seriously tho - 16:9 aint even wide really - to me it feels like narrow 4:3 and I struggle with decent composition at 16:9. I will go wide when I can get a 2.2:1 non cropped camera - proper cinema wide and different enough to 4:3 to exploit hte medium in new ways.

Jerry Hill · #9 (**permalink**) 11-22-2008, 07:59 PM

Originally Posted by Mark W

Sonic fire - is that the package that does that mood matching trick?

Yes it is.

Originally Posted by Mark W

I struggle with decent composition at 16:9.

Really? As I came from stills, which is probably closer to 16:9 than to 4:3 (6:4.5 and 3:2 most common, but let's not forget 1:1 which was invariably cropped of course), I found it a natural thing to do, 4:3 looks too close to square to me.

I guess it all depends on 'The Golden Ratio', on which artists have been basing the aspect ratio for ever, and 16:9 is slightly wider than that. Once a survey was carried out, people were presented with three differently proportioned rectangles of the same area to look at, and asked to choose which one they preferred, guess which?

Plus of course the 4:3 aspect ratio was just the product of broadcasters wanting to be able to show the film ratio of the time, and when TV's became a threat to that they changed it. So you are right, but it still looks better

.

TimStannard · #10 (**permalink**) 11-22-2008, 09:07 PM

Originally Posted by worddigger

What has impressed me about the Sonic Fire system is that they have an extensive library. I can search for the tracks I need online. Audition a brief sample of each available. Then, I can purchase and download the single track online without having to purchase an entire set.

Word to the wise..
Until 24th Nov Sonicfire have ALL 51 of the Strata Series albums at half price (Strata Series are the ones which allow most control over instrumentation, mood maps etc etc)

Also, out of interest, I popped over to Sony Cinescore to see if they were competeing and I see THEY are now offering individual tracks for downloads (and cheaper than the price per collection, too!). Hoorah!